The Confession of the Faith of the Germans

Notwithstanding the great infamy which goeth abroad of the filthy single life of priests: yet nevertheless or adversaries dare •at only defend the bishop of Romes law, under the wicked cloak and false pretence of the name of god, but also they dare exhort the emperor and the princes, that in nowise they should suffer the wedlocks of priests, to the great shame and infamy of the Roman empire, for so they speak. What more unshamefastnes hath ever ben read in any history, then is this of our adversaries? For the arguments, which they use, we shall rehearse afterwards. Now let the wise reader consider what shame these vile wretches have, which say, that wedlock doth engender shame and infamy to the empire / as who should say, that the church is greatly garnished and renowned by the open infamy of those ungracious and prodigious kinds of lechery, which do burn among these holy fathers, which outwardly do counterfeit and pretend the sadness and virtue of Curius, but in corners live most viciously and voluptuously. Yea and a great part of those things may not be so much as named with honesty, which these men cease not to do with great boldness. And these their prodigious voluptuousness and lusts they desire to have defended with your most chaste right hand (most noble Emperor) whom even certain old prophecies do call the king with the chaste face. For it appeareth very well that this was spoken of you, pudicus facie reign ⟨image 164⟩bit ubique. The chaste in face shall reign every where. They desire, that contrary to the law of god, contrary to the law of all nations, contrary to the canons of the councils, ye should pull in sunder and break matrimonies, that ye should ordain grievous & sore punishments against innocent men for cause of wedlock, that ye should kill priests, whom even the Barbarians do reverently and religiously spare / that ye should drive women & fatherless children into exile as persons outlawed and banished. Such sort of laws they offer unto you (most good and most chaste Cesar) which no barbarous nation, be it never so cruel and beastly could find in their heart to hear. But for as much, as in these your gracious manners, there can be no filthiness or cruelty:

NOtwithstandyng the greate infamy which goeth abrode of the filthie single lyfe of prestes: yet neuertheles or aduersaries dare •at only defende the bysshop of Romes lawe, vnder the wycked cloke and false pretence of the name of god, but also they dare exhorte the emperour and the princes, that in nowyse they shulde suffre the wedlockes of prestes, to the greate shame and infamy of the Romayne empire, for so they speake. What more vnshamefastnes hathe euer ben redde in any hystorye, then is this of our aduersaries? For the argumentes, whiche they vse, we shall reherse afterwardes. Nowe let the wyse reader considre what shame these vile wretches haue, whiche say, that wedlocke dothe engendre shame and infamy to the empire / as who shulde saye, that the churche is greatly garnyshed and renoumed by the open infamy of those vngratious and prodigious kyndes of lechery, whiche do brenne amōge these holy fathers, whiche outwardly do coūterfet and pretende the sadnes and vertue of Curius, but in corners liue most viciously and voluptuously. Yea and a greate parte of those thyngꝭ may nat be so moche as named with honestie, whiche these men ceasse nat to do with great boldnes. And these theyr prodigious voluptuousnes and lustes they desyre to haue defended with your moste chaste ryght hande (moste noble Emperour) whome euen certayne olde ꝓphecies do call the kyng with the chaste face. For it apperith very well that this was spoken of you, pudicus facie regn