¶Mondayn. I cannot tell what devilish rage hath of late occupied the minds of a sort of fools. They do complain of these follies that hath brought all the world in trouble, in the which also there is so little certitude, that for the space of these .xxx. years they have contended together without any agreement, or certainty therein. And this evil is not new. For what time hath there been, that this superstitious contention hath not vexed and troubled the world? Through a heap of foolish questions, of God, of the true service of God, of the truth, of the religion, and I cannot tell what other fantasies. At whom I laugh at pleasure, without binding my self to any manner of religion, unless it be to my commodity and profit: and so I find my self most at rest and ease, using all things at my pleasure, in casting a side all solicitude and care, that occurreth and happeneth by the occasion of religion. But me thinks I see yonder my Cousin Temporiser, who is in mine opinion wiser, then a great many of other, ⟨image 11⟩in that he hath without any great difficulty abandoned this new found religion lately introduced. For as I remember it is not past xx. years agone, that this fantastical new opinion began to bud forth and revive. And then this fellow was one of the first that changed his opinion, according as the time then required. And hitherto there hath no evil happened unto him therefore, as it hath done unto divers others. For he hath in every condition sought to live at his ease in pleasure, and hath wittily wound him self out of many troubles, wherewith amongst the rest he was afflicted, and that not only in his outward conversation, but also inwardly in his conscience. He hath now persisted and continued in this liberty that they term (Christian) as long as it served to his purpose and quietness. But now in as much as he cannot persevere therein (the time so altering) without imminent danger both of body and goods: he loveth rather to follow the thing that serveth to his commodity, then as abedlem to put him self in danger for so uncertain a hope. And therefore now he beginneth to strike his sail, and frameth him self unto the present time. But herein, he & I do differ. For I do not care of any manner of religion, nor any opinions of the same, nor do not pass a straw to semble or dissemble in any manner of thing that is.
¶Mondayn. I cannot tell what deuylishe rage hath of late occupyed the myndes of a sort of fooles. They do complayne of these folyes that hath brought all the worlde in trouble, in the which also there is so lytle certytude, that for ye space of these .xxx. yeares they haue contended together without any agrement, or certaynte therin. And this euyll is not newe. For what tyme hath there bene, that this supersticious contencion hath not vexed and troubled the world? Through a heape of foolish questiōs, of God, of the trew seruyce of God, of the truth, of the religion, and I cannot tell what other fantasies. At whom I laughe at pleasure, withoute bynding my selfe to any maner of religion, vnles it be to my commoditie and profyte: and so I fynd my selfe most at rest and ease, vsing all thinges at my pleasure, in casting a syde al solicitude and care, that occurreth and hapneth by the occasion of religion. But me thinkes I see yonder my Cosyn Temporisour, who is in myne opinion wyser, then a great manye of other, ⟨image 11⟩in that he hath without any greate difficultie abandoned this new found religiō lately introduced. For as I remembre it is not past xx. yeares agone, that this fantastical newe opinion began to budde forth and reuyue. And then this felow was one of the fyrst that chaū ged his opinion, accordinge as the tyme then requyred. And hetherto ther hath no euil hapned vnto him therefore, as it hath done vnto dyuers others. For he hath in euery condicion sought to lyue at his ease in pleasure, and hath wittely wounde him selfe oute of many troubles, wherwith amongst the rest he was afflicted, and that not onely in his outward cōuersacion, but also inwardly in his conscience. He hath nowe persisted and continued in this lybertie that they terme (Christian) as long as it serued to his purpose and quietnes. But nowe in as much as he cannot perseuer therein (the tyme so altering) without ymmynent daunger both of body and goodes: he loueth rather to folowe the thing that serueth to his commoditie, then as abedlem to put him selfe in daūger for so vncerteyne a hope. And therfore now he beginneth to strike his sayle, and frameth him selfe vnto the present tyme. But herein, he & I do differ. For I do not care of any maner of religion, nor any opinions of thesame, nor do not passe a strawe to semble or dissemble in any maner of thinge that is.
