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.…

B•t I surcease now, and make here an •nde of contending with you albeit this is not a •ō mention, but a defence rather, not entered into of any unadvised temerity, but undertaken upon great and urgent caus• •nd n•c•ssit•e. Wherein if we shall seem• to have desen•ed our cause somewhat more eagerly than may se•me agreeable with the lenity of ou• natures, or to have repr•u•d you somewhat ⟨image 115⟩more bitterly then you would willingly hear of, pleaseth it your holiness to accept these speeches as not uttered by us, but to be the very words of truth it self. Neither do we silly faithful members of the universal Catholic Church complain against you, but the Scriptures of God do maintain our quarrel herein, and in our behalf do bend their whole force against you: the very voice of the Lord,¹ the very breath of Christs own mouth, together with the whole army both of Christs Church, and of heaven, and with these also all the holy company of heaven, do not only urge this disputation against you, but also do join in league preparing all togethers greater forces against your triple royalty. For the self same will either utterly root you ere it be long from out that majestical Sea, which you do against all equity and right usurp most injuriously: or else you must of fine force throw into utter exile the self same Scriptures, and banish withal Christ himself, and his Apostles, from out all and every Church. I do know that the Church is molested many times, with many great and grievous assaults and conflicts of encounterings: and many times infected with diverse noisome diseases and stench of contagious corruptions: to the cleansing and curing whereof, I think it needful to apply mild and gentle manner of speeches and conference,