¶ I pray the Contareyn , the Theatine , the Sadolete , the Friderike , I beseche you for the lernynge , prudencie , industrie , and vertue that is in you , loke vppon the calamities , whiche do afflict the common welth of Chrystendome , brynge equitie with you , vse indifferencie , whiche is verye necessarie in thinges thus troublyd . You Sadolete doo laye many thinges to our charge falsely in your dialogues . Surely but that I thinke ye do it rather vpon ignorance and fals persuasion , than by iudgement , I see not howe you can excuse this your facte , if good men be iudges betwixte you and vs . We do not aknowledge suche fautes to be in vs , as ye charge vs withal , we take all men to wytnes , that iudge truely . We doubt not but they wol say our doctrine lacketh suche fautes as ye fynde in it . If you come to iudge with this opinion in youre heed , condemnynge our writynges before you se them , we can not giue you the prayse of equitie , of good doctrine , of faythfull handlynge of thynges , of godlynes , which al we wyshed to be in you . The vnworthy handlynge of thinges carieth me away , sorowe troubleth me , doloure causeth me to write somewhat more sharpely than myn entent was : and yet who lusteth truely to iudge , shal finde this to be an admonition of one that coueteth to shewe him selfe a citesin of Christis common welth , ennemie to no man , ennemye to nothing , vice only excepted . We striue not with you for any matter of our owne , We contende not with you for your possessions , whiche I and ours grant you without any enuie , we doo not contende ne desyre , that you be put downe . We seke not , that your power vtterlye be taken frome you : My desyre is , with all the reste of our sorte , that the congregations auctoritie maye stande faste , we labour , that if we shall leese all , that yet we may kepe the doctrine of the gospell , for the teachinge of goddis people , that they being heyres with Christ , may know their fathers wyl by Christe . euery man wold his last wyll were knowen to his heyre , lette Christe haue suche libertie with vs , let his testament and last wyll , conteynynge in it nothyng but wordes of lyfe , sentences declared by goddis own voice , left vnto vs as wytnesses of his assured promises , declaring the iust title that we haue to our inheritaunce , let this be taught vnto all men . Wherfore good men do require , that you take more hede of goddis doctrine , whiche as it hathe made them moche better than they were , or without it , coude haue ben , so they thynke it may and wol work lyke effecte in all other after this . If you woll kepe suche richesse , power , and possessions , as ye haue , our desyre is , that you so kepe theym , that men may perceyue , ye haue them to the amplifieng of religion , & setting forth of the glorie of Christe .

¶ Nowe what saye ye of the sacramentes and ceremonies of the churche ? Is not the vse of them al wonderfully defyled ? and yet ye thynke noo remedy is to be inuented for the abolysshynge of their fylthy abuse . Noo , noo , you holde youre peace , as thoughe this parte of Relygyon were veray cleane , no faute to be founde in it . To speake somewhat de Eucharistia , haue you not peruerted the vse of this sacrament , with the name also ? For where as it was first instituted , as a thynge to lyft vppe mens hartes vnto hope and faythe , and profited none but suche as toke parte of it , you haue made it a solitarie and a priuate worke , or at the least ye haue yelded so moche to the couetousnes of priestes , that they haue of a franke and free communion , made it a faire marchandyse , and their praiers very salable by it , in so moche that we be come to that poynte nowe , that a greate sorte of men thinke , the masse can doo more for vs than Christis deathe . This also is taken for truthe , that though men do not correcte their lyfe , neyther absteyn from their wickednes , yet these holy and annoynted marchauntes may obteyne forgyuenes of synnes for theym : And that the auctoritie of this institution shulde be counted the greatter , they thinke that euen the very heryng of masse is of greate momente to swage the anger of God , and to mitigate the peyne due for synne , not only paste , but also for those that they purpose in their mynde to do . And we bothe by holdynge our peace , and also in very dede do allow the same abuse , which is brought in against the institution of Christ , the vse of the apostels , contrarye to the custome of our forefathers , against the expresse wordes and mind also of the lawes . And that this abuse might continue the longer , and not be perceyued , masse by the ennemie of god hathe ben brought into Italye , Fraunce , Germany , Spayne , to be said in latin , which ofte tymes is not vnderstande of the priestes theym selfes , moche lesse of the poore menne that stande aboute it , beinge labourers , workemen , nothynge lesse than sene in latyn . Agayne the priestes eate alone that that many shulde eate of , the deathe of oure lorde , and verye lorde is not there declared nor shewed to the people . They bryng men into a certayne feare and consternation of mynde , they labour not , that men may haue a true confidence in Christis promyse , they studye not , that by the memorie of Christe , our hope shulde be encreased , oure charitie and loue towarde god and our neyghboure augmented , but endeuour theym selfe as though it were with certayne iugglynge castes , to brynge the people from ryghte Iugement .

¶ Nowe as the solemne vse of this sacrament is defourmed , soo many other ceremonies are peruerted . Images whiche at the beynnynge were set vp onely for to make vs remembre thynges absente , are nowe highly worshipped . At the fyrst men dyd but loke vpon them , nowe they fall vpon their knees before them , they pray to them , and are many solemne peticions of them , they trym vp theyr bones with golde , they set vp their sepulchres , they fynde stockes , before the whiche mens myndes , while they worshippe that they ought not to worshyp , are poluted . Scase the Egiptians were so folish in their religion , as we be in oures , whiche haue a certaine facyon prescribed vnto vs of god . We thinke god chaungethe his wylle , as the tyme is chaunged . We thynke we maye sette vp grauen Images , caste images , and painted stockes , we haue imagined saint Christofer , to be moche holyer than Abraham or Iosue . The Iewes coulde not worshyp Moyses as a god , we may bowe and knele to saint Damyans image . We thinke we honour them verye lyttell , excepte we giue vnto theym , parte of our goodes and inheritaunce .

What shuld I say of your indulgences and pardons ? as their name is newe , so the thing is fainid , vain , and very foolyshe . What shal I say of your penance , that you are wont to enioyn such as confesse their fautes ? are they not false , peruerse , inuented rather for lucre & tyranny , than for th amendement of his lyfe , that seketh remedy ? Ye thynke all suche as in dede seke for salues to cure the diseases of sycke soules , worthye to be hurlyd out of the church : ye condemne them of heresie , whiche doo what they can , to bringe in pure religion ageyne : ye saye they take away the lyghte of religion , whiche go aboute to purge ceremonies : ye say , that they ryfle th autoritie of the churche , which go about to confirme it . Wold god our intentes and your thoughtes , coulde be layde before mens eies : truly we shall not haue the assente of other nations , before your dedes be soo opened , that they may not only be perceiued , but also sene with mennes eies . For I pray you , what thinge els doo you , than vnder the colour of correctinge of a fewe thinges , go aboute to recouer your vsurped auctoritie , iustely taken from you by certayne nations ? what coueit you more , than that you maye distroy them , whose industrie , faith , constancie , and loue of religion hitherto withstand your appetites . Certes you might lightly bring this to passe , yf you coulde calle suche a councill , as the council of Constancie was . Men do not meruayl , that there be a fewe thinges in this your deliberation , whiche may seme to shewe a certayne simplicitie , and a good mynde towardes religion . For great myschiefes are to be shadowed , vnder the image of vertue : men that haue iudgementes be sory to se you so busye in maynteynynge vayne ceremonies , and to passe ouer trewe doctrine , as a thynge not worthy to be regarded . I pray you , howe greatte a thynge is hit , or to what pourpose , that you speake of relygiouse mennes apparayle ? Our forefathers toke it for a great shame , that religion shulde be tried by this cote , or that cote , by this colour or that coloure . Doo not those rules of monkes , whiche are ascribed to saynt Augustine , saint Francis , saynt Benedicte , forbidde notable facions of garmentes in a solitarie relygion , and counte religion to stande in good lyfe and honeste maners , nothyng lesse than in coules and kyrtelles ? Your ceremonies be as acceptable vnto God , as the fastynges of the Iewes were vnto Christe . O cruel deuotions , in whiche whan people ar ones intanglid , therto allured , either by fals superstition or foly , there is noo hope to get out of that dungion , wherin bicause a man falleth without consyderation or aduysement , he loseth all lybertie , and can nat retourne to the state and dignitie that nature set him in , to the whiche god calleth hym , where also he might doo more good to the common weale , than he nowe can , beynge in bondage and seruitude . What steppe of religion remayneth among monkes , sithens ye brought theym to certayne deuotions against their wyll , to certaine ceremonyes that can nat be ended , but whan lyfe departeth ? How many of those poyntes shal ye fynde in monkes nowe adayes , that sayncte Augustine and Chrisostome doo require in monkes ? Those that God calleth to teache his people , ye shut vp within cloyster walles , amonge an ydel sort of men . they that might do good in the common assembles of their countreye , after ye haue ones made them religious , may haue nothing to do with the common welthe . suche as nature hath giuen quickenes of wytte , loue towarde letters , study and time to attayn knowlege , those you ioyn with such as neither loue lernynge , nor them that be lerned . Our forefathers dyd institute this monkysshe lyfe , bycause they wolde haue men holy , lerned , fytte to serue their countrey , and not that they wolde them to tarie perpetually in a corner sole , doinge good to no body . Wold god you could bring monasteris to their right vse agein . Howe many flourishynge common weales shulde you than see ? What plentie of goodly wyttes ? what copie of good and lerned men ? You lacke nothinge to th establysshinge of high tranquillitie and welth , but a good wyll to gyue honest counsel . But there be two thynges , whyche beare a great stroke in all mattiers , and they bothe are agaynste you in this contencion , Knowen trouthe , and Lyfe worthy commendation , For the way that ye haue inuented , in forbiddinge priestes mariages , can nat be commended in men that lyue so fleshly , as priestes nowe adayes doo . It is foolysshe , and moche agayne reason , that you wolde the decrees of a fewe later popes to be kepte , and the constitutions of the Apostelles , and also the decrees made in the councill at Nece to be broken . For all be it after this Councille , there were newe lawes made , whyche plucked frome the clergie their wyues : Yet were there some nacions that kepte theyr holde , and wolde not let thynges be taken from theym , that they sawe nature requyred , and oure forfathers allowed . At the last , Gregorie the .vii. came , whyche by violence stirring vp moche contention , vtterly forbadde priestes to marye . But Pius the seconde spake moche more godly , whyche was wonte to say , that there were great causes to plucke wyues from priestes , but yet moch greatter causes to gyue them wyues agayne . If ye hadde folowed this mannes sayenge , as ye ought , ye shulde haue done moche better seruyce to the bysshoppe of Rome , than ye do now . For you se , what great hurte we haue thereby , & howe the churche is spotted with the wanton and fylthye pleasures of priestes : whych thynges we can not forgette , yet they maye , yf you woll , with the consent of good men , be taken away , and the old custome restored .

¶ These be the thynges that make our men , whose special care is , to se religyon flourysshe , to thynke as they do of you . For where as ye say the bysshop of Rome is not a lorde of thynges , but a dispenser : where ye wolde the canons and decrees to be perpetuall , not ones to be made , and after broken : where you take away simonie , where ye require mete ministers , they highly allowe it , and moche desire that ye thinke as you say . For they that loke ernestely vppon your deuises , are affrayde , bycause they se you passe nothing of true doctrine , bycause you suffre the vse of sacramentis to be peruertid , bicause they see you occupyed in thynges partely lyghte , partly false , bycause they see you carefulle for relygiouse cotes , for priestes mariages , and litelle or nothynge to studye by what meanes the great sores of the churche maye be healyd , but rather to serche ways to dispatche al suche as in any poynt go about to bryng you to the doinge of your duetie .

¶ Furthermore as al these thingis that you write of , if they come oone by one , be either vayne , wycked , or fals , soo if they come all togyther , they be suche , as in our time can not be broughte to passe . For it can not be suffered , that ye most desire , that is , they may not be iudges , that are moste worthy to be accused . For seing you wol th auctorite to be theirs , that are nowe chiefe and principall in the churche , whiche if the ancient lawes might florishe & haue place , shulde haue littel or no power at al , what thinge shall we hope for , to be ryghtely decreed of you ? There be many , which partly by succession of great inheritance , partly by the benefittes of kynges and princis , are so auaunced in welth and riches , so corrupted in maners and lyfe , that they can in noo wyse susteyne your correction : they may disanull your sentence verye well , forasmoche as you woll all iugement and auctoritie to be in them . They wol not forsake the trade of their lyfe , vsed now a longe season , auarice woll not let them , ambition wil not suffer them , their other fantasies and pleasures can not abyde an honest reformation whiche fansies no man liuynge can take from them , nor redresse , except it be by death or vyolence .

¶ Wherfore except you graunt vs to haue mete and conuenient iuges , that may brynge with theym to the councill , trouthe , and lybertie , to say as they shall thynke , ye shall neue● amende thinges amisse in the churche . For lyke as CHRISTE dydde nat commytte the amendemente of the Synagoge to the Priestes and Pharisees thereof , but to the Apostelles and his mynisters , as oure forefathers dyd not commytte Relygyon to the collegyate priestes of Grece , or of Rome , but vnto them , which were confyrmed by the goodnes and myght of god : so ye ought to commytte the common welthe of Christe , to suche as can be contente to vse their dignitie to the settynge forthe of honestie and relygion , and not to suche as abuse theyr offyce , to the defacyng of trouth , Relygyon , & all godlynes . Ye caste those out of youre Churche , whyche note youre vyces , and those that haue mooste nede of all to be corrected , ye make arbytrours and iuges . Is this any other thyng , than to let olde rotten bowes growe stylle , and to plucke vppe the yonge plantes that nowe begyn to springe in groundes more fertile than yours is ? I say not this , that I wolde men shulde thinke , I iuged none amonges you to fauour the trouth , or that at leaste there be not some of your syde , whiche wold religion were redressed : but I speke it , bycause ye woll such to haue auctoritie , as shulde , if lawes myghte haue their places , if canons myght beare the stroke , if symonie were taken away , if fytte and true minysters were ordeined in the churche , not onely change their maners , but also leaue their astate and kynde of lyuynge .

¶ The bysshoppe of Lege , a man of the same place that ye are of , very couetous , verye cruelle , and nothing lerned , is ( as ye know ) departed : ye haue manye suche monsters with you at this present time , in the court of Rome . I wol not name them that be alyue , I speake of that holy byshop , bycause it is well knowen , what he was : If ye gyue menne of his sorte lycence to iuge , and make suche decrees , as they wolde were made , you may be assured , they wol neuer admytte yours , neither any other , that shall be oughte worthe . Wherfore menne thynke , that you haue taken vppon you this consultation in vayne : They feare ye cast them in a vayne hope , you doo soo surely , except this kynde of iudges be reiected , and suche chosen as loue moche more the common welth , than their priuate commodities .

¶ But nowe lette vs come to this , that ye say of the byshop of Rome , you woll thre thinges to be in hym . First , that he be byshop vniuersall , seconde , that he be byshop of Rome , Third , that he be a prince and lord of certaine franke cities and common welthes . Of these thre we graunte hym but one , that is , to be byshop of Rome : for this is his function , this is his office , & this alone appertained vnto hym as longe as Christis doctryne flouryshed : thother twain he hath & dothe vsurpe arrogantly , moche agaynste the worde of god , and farre contrary to the aunciente custome of the apostels . But where as many thynges oughte to be corrected amonges you in your owne consistorie , of what one I pray you , do you admonyshe the byshoppe of Rome ? wherin do you rebuke him ? Do you lay anything to his charge for the treadyng downe of Christis doctrine ? Do you write any thinge of his ambition , any thynge of his corrupte and vicyous maners , any thynge of suche shamefull and abhominable crimes , as can not withoute greatte greefe be named , nor thought vppon without moche offence of chaste myndes ? ye speake of priestes garmentes , and of the horedome of Rome , here ye make a great complaynte , here ye be longe and very copious : but of the deprauate vse of the Sacramente , you speake neuer a worde . If ye suffre these abuses in Rome , What shall suche nations doo , as oonely feare your name , and can not here youre voyces , beinge farre from you , nor be taught , your neglygence beinge so greatte as it is ? What shall we think you wol do in other matters , whan in a thyng most weighty and necessarie ye be soo negligent ? For where as that sacrament was instituted by god , not inuented of men , taken from aboue , not giuen vs for a season , lefte with vs from the begynnynge , halowed , not boughte , sent vs from god , not gotten by fauour of men : a thynge not to be other wise vsed , than it was fyrste ordeyned fore , a very gyft , and gyuen to a certayn ende : Do not we worse than yuel , by our craftes to change and conuerte it to disceytefull marchandise , to let no man be parttaker of it , but suche as pay , and such as beleue the spottes of the sowle , be washed away therwith , suche as beleue the grefe of conscience is taken awaye by it ? It hath chaunced in this thynge , as it lyghtlye dothe in all other , Those that are beste , are soonest brought out of order . This , bicause it cometh not vnder the eye of man , but is comprehended alone by thought and cogitation , may be lyghtly stayed , stopped , and altered , by false perswasion , whiche the rude multitude , dotynge age , and longe custome , ofte tymes bryng men vnto . If the wyl of god , were as sone perceyued in a mans harte , as the fyre is , whan it is put vnto any part of the body , we myght care the lesse to seke the right knowledge of god . No man crieth , but whan he is peined . But for as moche as we haue nede of quyckenesse of wytte , industrie , and diligence , we do very yuel to thynke no parte of the bodye of Christe diseased , where many partes are sore sycke : worse , to be negligent in redressynge and curynge of them , where good men haue openid their diseases vnto vs . In your counsell ye disclose certayn lyttell soores , but the roote of them , whyche be in those membres , without the whiche lyfe can not contynue in the bodye , you speake nothynge of , neyther ye do marke , that the very bloudde of the churche and body of Christe , is corrupted , the liuer infectid , the hart and the brayne diseased , and the lunges tendynge to putrifaction . For as the body of man can not contynue without bloudde , without the lyuer , without the harte & the lounges : so the relygion of Christe is by and by lost , where as true doctrine , good intente , good mynisters , and the right vse of religion is not . If ye wol restore agayne the ryght vse of suche ceremonies , as be not contrary to Christis lawes , yf you woll suffre euery man to haue knowlege of the gospell , yf you woll graunt , that men may be laufully assembled togyther : yf you wolle make good rulers in the churche : we wol ioyne with you , ye shall fynde nothyng in vs that ought to greue you , we wol forget all olde grudges .