Of these things now guess thy self whether both the pope & also his bishops have not berry great ⟨image 80⟩need of an instructor to teach them, likewise as we do teach ignorant young children, the .x. commandments, that they might at the last learn, that we ought not to steal, nor to desire the thing that belongeth to our neighbour, and that much less they ought to teach other men to exercise & use thefts, ravines, extortions, & usuries. For except they them selves do despise those mad & furious bulls of the pope: they are bishops in deed, but not of christen men. What are they then? bishops of thieves, of robbers, of extortioners, of usurers, chief captains (I say) & defenders, and the authors and counsellors of great since and abominations, as it is easy to know and perceive by these things, which we have already said. And ⟨image 80⟩it is a miracle or wonder of the divine wrath and indignation many days a go provoked and stirred up against us, that ever these things could have ben persuaded unto any man which are so repugnant and contrary to the common sense or judgement and also to that blind light of reason. It is like a monster and a wonder that so open and many fest thefts, robberies, and blasphemies of Romanists could so long be hid. And there is no man forsooth, which would be leve, that there were even among the Scythians any men so rude and uplandish, and so much without wit or perceiving, that they would have suffered so gross deceits: if it were not so, that experience did compel him to confess, that this dullness ⟨image 81⟩and insensibility hath ben even in our own selves, which are yet living. For what man or woman of Scythia will allow or hold with this that evil gotten goods may be possessed & kept by the dispensation or bulls of the Pope. Swine and asses, stones and stocks are scant so insensible, and so much without perceiving, as we have ben made under the pope. And here I know well enough, what they are wont to allege & bring in for their part against me. The pope (say they) is the highest bishop, and head, of all christen people generally, through out christendom. It belongeth to him to dispense of goods evil gotten, whereof it is doubted who is the right owner here I make answer thus. I be ⟨image 81⟩seche you, where is this in all the scriptures? where is it written?
Of these thynges now gesse thy selfe whether both the pope & also his bysshops haue not bery greate ⟨image 80⟩nede of an instructour to teache them, lykewyse as we doo teache ignoraunt yonge chyldren, the .x. cōmaundementes, yt they myght at the laste learne, that we ought not to stele, nor to desyre ye thyng that belōgeth to our neyghbour, and that moche lesse they ought to teache other men to exercyse & vse theftes, rauynes, extorcyons, & vsuryes. For except they them selues doo despyse those madde & furyous bulles of the pope: they are bysshops in dede, but not of chrystē men. What ar they then? bysshops of theues, of robbers, of extorcyoners, of vsurers, chyef capitaynes (I say) & defenders, and the authours and counsayllours of great synnes and abhomynacyōs, as it is easy to know and perceyue by these thynges, which we haue alredy sayd. And ⟨image 80⟩it is a myracle or wondre of the dyuyne wrathe and indignacyon many dayes a go prouoked and styrred vp agaynst vs, that euer these thynges coulde haue ben perswaded vnto any man which are so repugnaunt and contrary to the cōmen sense or iudgement and also to that blynde lyghte of reason. It is lyke a monstre and a wondre that so open and many fest theftes, roberyes, and blasphemyes of Romanystes coulde so longe be hydde. And there is no man forsothe, which wolde be leue, that there were euen amōg the Scythyans any men so rude and vplandysshe, and so moche without wytte or perceyuynge, that they wolde haue suffred so grosse deceytes: yf it were not so, that experyence dyd compell hym to confesse, that this dulnes ⟨image 81⟩and insensybilytie hath ben euen in our owne selues, whiche ar yet lyuynge. For what man or woman of Scythia wyll allowe or holde with this that euyll gotten goodes maye be possessed & kept by the dyspensacyon or bulles of the Pope. Swyne and asses, stones and stockes are scante so insensyble, and so moche without perceyuynge, as we haue ben made vnder the pope. And here I knowe well ynoughe, what they are wont to allege & brynge in for theyr parte agaynst me. The pope (saye they) is the hyghest bysshop, and hedde, of all chrysten people generally, throughe out christendome. It belongeth to hym to dyspense of goodes euyll gotten, wherof it is doubted who is the ryght owner here I make answere thus. I be ⟨image 81⟩seche you, where is this in all the scryptures? where is it wryten?
