Notwithstanding, some of your own Fellows of Louvain could have taught you, to have dealt herein more discreetly: and not so precisely, and peremptorily to have denied the whole Story: specially being sent to you from your friends in Rome, and confirmed by so many. And therefore one of your Lovaniens would seem handsomely to excuse, & shift the matter by possibility of Nature. For thus he saith in effect, What if the Pope were Hermaphrodi as, an Herkinalson, 1that is to say, a man, and a woman? both in one? Or if this help will not serve, he seemeth further to say, What if the Pope, being first a man, were afterward changed into a woman? And thus, for want of better Divinity, he forceth Ovid's Metamorphoses to serve the turn. If ye would have taken this mans advise, out of doubt with such a pretty, What if, ye might soon have put us out of countenance.2 His words be these, Neque ego hic quicquam dico de Hermaphroditis, & [Greek or Hebrew], de quibus veterum libri pleni sunt. Et ne à nostri tempos memoria longiùs abeam, non ignoro, monumentis literarum esse traditum, Mulierem quandam nomine Acmyliam, Antonio Spensae Civi Ebulano nuptam, post duodecimū à nuptijs annum in virum transijsse. Legi etiam alteram Mulierem, ubi puerum peperisset, in marem fuisse mutatam: I will here say nothing of such persons, as be called Hermaphroditi, and are both Man, and Woman, all in one: whereof in old Writers we find much mention. But not to go further, then to the remembrance of our own time, I know it is written, that a certain woman named Aemylia, married unto one Antonius Spensa a Citizen of Ebulum, ten years after she had been married, was turned into a man. I have likewise read of an other woman, that, when she had been brought abed, afterward became a Man. These notable Stories he allegeth, to answer the matter of Pope Joan. Thus he thinketh it a great deal the safer way, to make the Pope an Herkinalson, or by ⟨p. 381⟩Miracle to turn him from a man into a woman, then simply, & plainly to confess, that ever Dame Joan was Pope in Rome.
Notwithstandinge, somme of your owne Felowes of Louaine coulde haue taught you, to haue dealte herein more discretely: and not so precisely, and peremptorily to haue denied the whole Storie: specially beinge sente to you from your frendes in Rome, and confirmed by so many. And therefore one of your Louaniens would séeme handesomely to excuse, & shifte the mater by possibilitie of Nature. For thus he saithe in effecte, What if the Pope were Hermaphrodi as, an Herkinalson, 1that is to saie, a man, and a vvoman? bothe in one? Or if this healpe wil not serue, he seemeth further to saie, What if the Pope, beinge firste a man, vvere aftervvarde changed into a vvoman? And thus, for wante of better Diuinitie, he forceth Ouides Metamorphoses to serue the turne. If yée would haue taken this mannes aduise, out of doubte with sutche a prety, VVhat if, ye might soone haue put vs out of countenance.2 His woordes be these, Neque ego hic quicquam dico de Hermaphroditis, & 〈non-Latin alphabet〉, de quibus veterum libri pleni sunt. Et ne à nostri tempo••s memoria longiùs abeam, non ignoro, monumentis literarum esse traditum, Mulierem quandam nomine Acmyliam, Antonio Spensae Ciui Ebulano nuptam, post duodecimū à nuptijs annum in virum transijsse. Legi etiam alteram Mulierem, vbi puerum peperisset, in marem fuisse mutatam: I wil here saie nothinge of sutche personnes, as be called Hermaphroditi, and are bothe Man, and VVoman, al in one: whereof in olde Writers wee finde mutche mention. But not to goe further, then to the remembrance of our owne time, I knowe it is written, that a certaine woman named Aemylia, married vnto one Antonius Spensa a Citizen of Ebulum, tenne yeeres after shee had benne married, was turned into a man. I haue likewise readde of an other woman, that, when she had benne brought abedde, aftervvarde became a Man. These notable Stories he allegeth, to answeare the mater of Pope Iohane. Thus he thinketh it a greate deale the safer waie, to make the Pope an Herkinalson, or by ⟨p. 381⟩Miracle to turne him from a man into a vvoman, then simply, & plainely to confesse, that euer Dame Iohane was Pope in Rome.
- 1Hermaphroditus.
- 2Copus Dialogo 1. Pag. 47.
