Howe much more wisdom than should it have ben for you, O you worshipful Misnianes, to have kept you still at home with your Benno & such manner miracles? And I would counsel you, and advertise you to be more ware and more wise hereafter, and not to continue & hold on with over many such foolish and peevish things ⟨image 17⟩to dishonour & blaspheme god. For here you do see, that your boasting, either is but forged and untrue: or else doubtless that Benno is damned. And if it be so, that you do hold on with obstinate minds to run headlong, and to maintain and defend your lies, or so open & many fest vices of Benno: than am I innocent from your blood, and from the blood of all those, which do take part with you. It might seem that you have hitherto mocked enough & more than enough / and that it is time ones to take up with such things. And the other miracles are so vain, and so nothing worth and very trifles: that the thing is worthy to be pitied because I will not speak here, that blind men are soon and easily beguiled, & they ⟨image 17⟩which are ready to tell and here lies. For who I pray you would not laugh at this, that the belles which were hallowed of Benno, do drive away tempests of weather? as who should say that other belles could not do the same, or as though the devil, which conjured into a glass doth suffer him self to be sent away again, could not bring in, & chase away a tempest, that so by the permission & sufferance of god he may deceive wretched men. For if every thing that is rare, ought the same forthwith to be a miracle come from heaven: than should there never any false miracle be done any where. Of which sort is this also, that Benno went beyond Albi, & was seen in this place & that place, both at one time. Who knoweth, I ⟨image 18⟩pray you whether this were Ben no, or else some devil? For how many times hath the devil played such pranks? For how hard a thing, or how great a mastery shall it be, think you, to the devil, 1which is prince of this world, to make feeble, or to bewitch any man that is his own all ready through unbelief in Christ, and afterward to bid and command him to be led unto some saint, where he may be delivered and rid from his disease or evil? And than this thing straight ways shall be ascribed god wot, unto that saint.
Howe moche more wysdome than shuld it haue ben for you, O you worshypfull Misnianes, to haue kepte you styll at home with your Benno & suche maner myracles? And I wolde coūsayle you, and aduertyse you to be more ware and more wyse hereafter, and not to contynewe & holde on with ouer many suche folysshe and peuysshe thynges ⟨image 17⟩to dyshonoure & blaspheme god. For here you do se, yt youre bostynge, eyther is but forged and vntrue: or els doubtles yt Benno is dampned. And yf it be so, that you do holde on with obstynate myndes to ronne hedlonge, and to mayntayne and defende your lyes, or so open & many feste vyces of Benno: than am I innocent from your bloode, and from the bloode of all those, which do take parte with you. It myghte seme yt you haue hytherto mocked ynough & more thā ynough / and that it is tyme ones to take vp with suche thynges. And the other miracles are so vayne, and so nothing worthe and very tryfles: that the thynge is worthye to be petyed because I wyll not speake here, that blynde men are soone and easely begyled, & they ⟨image 17⟩whiche are redy to tell and here lyes. For who I pray you wolde not laugh at this, that the belles which were halowed of Benno, do dryue away tempestes of wether? as who shulde saye yt other belles coulde not do the same, or as thoughe the deuyll, whiche coniured into a glasse doth suffre hym selfe to be sent awaye agayne, coulde not brynge in, & chase awaye a tempest, that so by the permissyon & sufferaunce of god he may deceyue wretched men. For yf euery thynge yt is rare, ought the same forthwith to be a myracle comen from heuen: than shulde there neuer any false myracle be done any where. Of whiche sorte is this also, that Bēno went beyonde Albi, & was sene in this place & that place, bothe at one tyme. Who knoweth, I ⟨image 18⟩pray you whether this were Bē no, or els some deuyll? For howe many tymes hathe the deuyll played suche prankes? For howe harde a thynge, or howe great a maystrye shall it be, thynke you, to the deuyll, 1whiche is prynce of this worlde, to make feble, or to bewytch any man yt is his owne all redye throughe vnbelefe in Chryst, and afterwarde to bydde and cōmaunde hym to be ledde vnto some saynte, where he may be delyuered and rydde from his dysease or euyll? And than this thynge streyght wayes shall be ascrybed god wotte, vnto yt saīt.
- 1The prince of this world.The prynce of this worlde.
