The Pope confuted The holy and apostolic Church confuting the Pope. The first action.…The Pope confuted The holy and apostolique Church confuting the Pope. The first action.…

There was a time peradventure heretofore, whenas these foggy misles of blundered ignorance did dazzle the ⟨p. 41⟩eyes of men, when as that most happy faculty of imprinting & reading of purer sciences, most fatal to your sacred Sea, was not yet published abroad in the world, wherein some place and time might have been reserved to cloak your palpable darkness. But now sithens the gladsome dawning of mo•te resplendisaunt verity discovereth it self, wherewith you may see mens understanding illumined and eyes enlightened through Gods wonderful bounty and mercy: sithens remaineth no foxhole now in these Regions wherein you may shroud the dazzled drowsiness of your elvish errors:¹ what other hope may you conceive of those rotten rags of most barbarous grossness, and loathsome pilfe of filthy superstition, but that ye give place unto fortune, and abide some better chance? And being convinced with the truth it self, if ye can not be reclaimed to change your minds, yet for very shame change your chair at the least, and run away into some desert, and from thence convey your selves into some unknown nations, who have not hitherto tasted nor been deluded, with those Romish gewgaws, stagelike stateliness, & masking mizmazes: you can now no longer deceive bs, as men that have been more then enough overridden and galled with those your misdemeanours. Perhaps poor Christian carcasses may be pinched with the cramps of your tyranny. Certes their hearts be now so altogether estranged from that common Juggler Rome, and from that false fornicator Sea: as that no hope remaineth now, for ever recovering them again. And to the end ye do no longer vainly stroke your selves ye Roman Bishops with false opinion of assured security: understand ye for certainty, that the world is turned quite contrary, wherein ye may see the heavenly tromp of the glorious Gospel prevailing against you, your crafty packing, your false forged doctrine, your hypocritical holiness, ⟨image 46⟩your ravenous raging, your subtle masking can no longer now creep in corners. The very unlettered multitude of Christians doth begin now too open their eyes, & too behold the lightsome brightness of the trueth.

There was a tyme peraduenture heeretofore, whenas these foggy misles of blundered ignoraunce did dazel the