These bishops are content, and do suffer that the preachers do publish the indulgences & bulls of the pope of Rome, by which the said pope doth mercifully grant licence to keep still other mens goods gotten either by robbery and extortion, or else by some other unlawful and mighty means, so that some portion thereof be given to him & to the holy church of Rome, & to the proctors and commissaries of the pardons, that is to wit, so that them selves also may get some part of the said ⟨image 75⟩spoils, and wrongfully gotten goods. And here verily I am in doubt with my self, with what title I might best garnish these so monstrous points of covetousness: and of truth I am half in doubt, whether I may call the pope with his bishops following and allowing these things, dull asses, or else insensible blocks, or else peevish, mad, and utterly furious men which with so great shameless boldness, and with so great madness do not only exercise openly so foul and shameful deceits but also do in every country and place teach the same by their friars and other religious persons sent forth to preach. For god hath commanded, thou shalt not steal: This precept these monsters of Rome with such other ⟨image 75⟩these cruel wild beasts with marvellous fierceness and with marvellous woodness do withstand and gainsay, & do openly teach and say, that thou art in no peril, though thou dost possess & keep still evil gotten goods, so that thou wouldest gladly restore them if thou knowest from whom they were taken, & so that thou purchase & bye the popes pardons. I beseech the what other thing is this in effect, then if a man did say, verily thou mayst steal & be a these, & god which forbade this, was mad. Lo thus the god & lord of majesty is compelled to be a scorning stock to these children of malediction, whom they also openly & evidently reprove & condemn for a liar & a fool For this precept those beasts do blaspheme openly to his face & contrary it (though they would cloak ⟨image 76⟩or colour the matter) they do in very deed teach thefts, robberies, extortions, deceits, and frauds. Go to now thou pope of Rome, tell I pray thee, whereby dost thou claim & take upon the so much authority that thou darest say, that goods evil gotten, or part of the goods evil gotten is thine?
THese bysshops are content, and do suffre that the preachers do publysshe the indulgēces & bulles of the pope of Rome, by whiche the sayd pope doth mercyfully graunt lycence to kepe styll other mēnes goodes goten eyther by robberye and extorcion, or elles by some other vnlawfull and myghtye meanes, so that some porcyon therof be gyuen to hym & to the holy churche of Rome, & to the proctours and cōmyssaryes of ye pardones, that is to wyt, so that them selues also may get some part of the sayd ⟨image 75⟩spoyles, and wrongfully gotten goodes. And here verely I am in doubte with my selfe, wt what tytle I myght beste garnysshe these so mōstruous poyntꝭ of couetousnes: and of truthe I am halfe in doubte, whether I maye call the pope with his bysshops folowynge and alowynge these thynges, dull asses, or elles insensyble blockes, or elles peuysshe, madde, and vtterly furyous men whiche with so great shameles boldnes, and with so great madnes do not onely exercyse openly so fowle and shameful deceytes but also do in euery coūtrey and place teache the same by theyr freers and other relygyous persones sent forthe to preache. For god hath cōmaunded, thou shalt not stele: This precept these monsters of Rome with suche other ⟨image 75⟩these cruell wylde beastes with meruaylous fyersenes and with meruaylous woodenes do withstande and gaynsaye, & do openly teache and saye, that thou arte in no perell, thoughe thou doste possesse & kepe styll euyll gotten goodes, so yt thou woldest gladly restore them yf thou knowest frō whom they were taken, & so that thou purchace & bye ye popes pardones. I beseche the what other thyng is this in effecte, then yf a man dyd saye, verely thou mayst steale & be a theffe, & god whiche forbad this, was mad. Lo thus the god & lorde of maiestie is cō pelled to be a scornynge stocke to these chyldrē of malediccyō, whō they also opēly & euydētly reproue & cōdempne for a lyer & a fole For this precept those beastes do blaspheme opēly to his face & cō trary it (though they wolde cloke ⟨image 76⟩or colour the matyer) they do in very dede teache theftes, roberyes, extorcyons, deceyptes, and fraudes. Go to nowe thou pope of Rome, tell I praye the, wherby doste thou clayme & take vpō the so moch auctorytie that thou darest saye, that goodes euyl gotten, or parte of the goodes euyll gottē is thyne?
