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.…

In the Churches how religiously were all things solemnised too reclaim men to their lu•e?

In the Churches how religiously were al things solemnised too reclaime men to their lu•e?

But amongst all the rest, no one thing was more forcible to the establishing of the power and continuance of this kingdom, then the ignorance of that blind age, and the penury of learning and judgement. For in the Schools was nothing •aught but cold and frivolous subtleties: In the Councils nothing decreed, but by the prescript rule of the Pope alone: neither was any sound heard in the Temples of any thing almost besides stage-like ceremonies and mens traditions. And what marvel then, if, the pure and eloquent sciences, both sacred and profane, being utterly extinct, barbarous blindness had overwhelmed all things, with gro•se ignorance, whereby no man could become either more expert in learning, or more virtuous in manners, when as neither books, nor authors were extant, out of the which any such supply might be furnished? For as yet came not to light that most happy, and heavenly Jewel, to wit, the Art of Printing books:¹ all things were certifie• by the industry of wryting• and hired travail of writers: yea the same also not obtained without great charges and costs. Whereby it came to pass, that the poorer sort being utterly barred of attaining learning, scarce any use of Books, or good literature was in ure, except amongest a few Monks only, yea those also not very many: with whom likewise, the very same written books remained rather in Libraries fast chained a rotting, than worn out with any they• handling. In the mean space the common people did neither read, nor hear what the Evangelical and Apostolical writings did proclaim touching Christ, nor touching his grace, and benefits: only they were commanded to believe that which the holy mother