A Treatise Touching the Liberty of a Christian

In the mean time you (right reverend father Leo) sit as a Lamb in the middest of Wolves, as Daniel a middest the Lions, and are with Ezekiel conversant with Scorpions. How can you alone be able to withstand all these monsters? Guard your personage with three or four Cardinals excellent in all learning, and most virtuous in manners: what shall this handful do amongst so great a troupe? you shall all be sooner swallowed up with poison, before ⟨image 8⟩you may dare attempt any reformation. The Court of Rome is utterly undone, the wrath of God is bent against it even for ever and ever. It hateth counsels, it feareth to be reformed, it is not able to restrain the furiousness of her impiety: and it accomplisheth the prophecy of her mother, of whom it is written on this wise: We have cherished Babylon, and she is not recovered, let us forsake her. Indeed it belonged to you, & your Cardinals, to have cured those plagues: but this gout scorneth the Physicians drugs, and this cart will not go driven nor led. Moved therefore with remorse, herein I sorrowed always (right reverend Leo) because you were installed Pope in this wicked age, whose worthiness deserved a better time: For the Court of Rome is not worthy to be possessed of you, and such as you are, but rather of Satan himself,¹ which in truth doth reign in this Babylon, more than you. O would to God you could content you self rather with some private benefice, or with your parents patrimony, renouncing this portliness, wherewith ⟨image 9⟩those flatterers your most detestable enemies, do vaunt you to be glorious, with which glory none are meet to be glorified, but traitorous Iscariots, the imps of perdition. For what commendation else do you get in that Palace (my Leo) but that by how much any Teacher is more wicked execrable, so much the more safely he may shroud him under your name and authority, to rob men of their money and souls, to heap mischief upon mischief, to oppress Faith, Truth, together withal the Church of God? Oh most unfortunate Leo, doubtless enthronized in a most perilous place of renown:² for I tell you the truth, because I do wish well unto you:

In the meane time you (right reuerend father Leo) sit as a Lambe in the middest of Wolues, as Daniel a middest the Lions, and are with Ezechiel conuersant with Scorpions. How can you alone be able to wthstand all these monsters? Gard your personage with three or foure Cardinals excellent in all learning, and most vertuous in manners: what shall this handfull doe amongst so great a troupe? you shall all be sooner swallowed vp with poyson, before