The second tome of homilies of such matters as were promised, and entitled in…The second tome of homilees of such matters as were promised, and intituled in…

And where our Lord bare his cross alone, if all the pieces of the relics thereof were gathered together, the greatest ship in England would scarcely bear them, and yet the greatest part of it, they say, doth yet remain in the hands of the Infidels, for the which they way in their beads bidding, that they may get it also into their hands, for such godly use and purpose. And not only the bones of the saints, but every thing appertaining to them was an holy relic. In some place they offer a sword, in some the scabbard, in some a shoe, in some a saddle that had ben set upon some holy horse, in some the coals where with saint Laurence was roasted, in some place the tail of an ass which our Lord Jesus Christ sate on, to be kissed and offered to for a relic. For rather then they would lack a relic, they would offer you a horse bone, in stead of a virgins arm, or the tail of the ass, to be kissed and offered unto for relics. O wicked impudent, and most shameless men, the devisers of these things, O silly, foolish, and dastardly daws, and more beastly then the ass whose tail they kissed, that believe such things. Now God be merciful to such ⟨p. 114⟩miserable and silly Christians, who by the fraud and falsehood of those which should have taught them the way of trueth and life, have ben made not only more wicked then the Gentiles idolaters, but also no wiser then asses, horses, and mules, which have no understanding.

And where our Lorde bare his crosse alone, if all the peeces of the reliques thereof were gathered together, the greatest ship in Englande woulde scarsly beare them, and yet the greatest part of it, they say, doth yet remayne in the handes of the Infidels, for the which they way in their beades biddyng, that they may get it also into their handes, for suche godly vse and purpose. And not onlye the bones of the saintes, but euery thyng apparteynyng to them was an holy relique. In some place they offer a sworde, in some the scaberd, in some a shoe, in some a saddle that had ben set vppon some holy horse, in some the coales where with saint Laurence was rosted, in some place the tayle of an asse whiche our Lorde Jesus Christe sate on, to be kyssed and offered to for a relique. For rather then they woulde lacke a relique, they woulde offer you a horse bone, in steade of a virgins arme, or the tayle of the asse, to be kyssed and offered vnto for reliques. O wicked impudent, and moste shamelesse men, the deuisers of these thynges, O sely, foolyshe, and dastardly dawes, and more beastly then the asse whose tayle they kyssed, that beleue suhe thynges. Nowe God be mercyfull to suche