Master Bezaes sermons upon the three chapters of the canticle of canticlesMaster Bezaes sermons vpon the three chapters of the canticle of canticles

3 But above all others the foxes which have succeeded certain faithful ancient pastors of the Church of Rome, have under the colour of the authority of the City of Rome, and because the Lord at the beginning caused the glory of his exceeding grace to shine forth, learned to play the part of a fox so slyly and so wilily, that by little and little, & that (which is a thing of all others exceeding strange and wonderful) helping to hunt other foxes, they have brought all under their paws, and then stripping themselves out of their foxes case, (but yet so, as to slip it on again when need and occasion requireth) have taken unto themselves the Lions skin, showed their talons, torn and devoured the poor flocks, so that they have wonderfully scared them. For this is a maxima and general rule in this matter, that if these cubs be let alone to become foxes they fail not in the end to become Tigers and Lions, such as Micah speaketh of, Mich. 3.5. For proof hereof we need no other witness together with the poor estate of Christendom then the legends of the Popes written by their own secretaries, among whom that monster Boniface the eight beareth the bell: of whom themselves give this testimony, That he entered like a fox, he reigned like a Lion, and died like a dog. And know you, that when I speak thus, I meddle not with their manners which are so infamous and detestable, that there is ⟨p. 290⟩not a creature which demandeth not vengeance up on them of god: but I have principally respect unto their false & cursed doctrine: being no heresy concerning the office of our Lord Jesus Christ (without the which trueth, whatsoever they confess touching his person and the points concerning it in the Creed, serveth them to no other end, but to colour their lies & falsehoods which they cover with the cloak of this truth, according unto the example of satan their father, whom the lord put to silence, Luk. 4.34.) which is not covied, and afterward hatched, & still nourished and maintained yet in the school of these foxes, or rather these wolves, which are the talons & the teeth of that great monster of Rome, who hath left them to deal in the doctrine, wherein they have learned to acquit themselves so well, that every one hath his morsel of the pray: & hath snatched for himself together with his spiritualities, the sceptres and crowns of Princes.