A97377:20
A most necessary & fruitful dialogue, between [the] seditious libertine or rebel Anabaptist, &…A most necessary & frutefull dialogue, betwene [the] seditious libertin or rebel Anabaptist, &…
A most necessary & fruitful dialogue, between [the] seditious libertine or rebel Anabaptist, & the true obedient christia[n] wherein, as in a mirror or glass ye shall see [the] excellence and worthiness of a christia[n] magistrate: & again what obedience is due unto public rulers of all th[os]e [that] profess Christ yea, though [the] rulers, in extern & outward things, to their utter damnation, do otherwise then well: translated out of Latin into English, by Iho[n] Veron Senonoys.A most necessary & frutefull dialogue, betwene [the] seditious libertin or rebel Anabaptist, & the true obedient christia[n] wherin, as in a mirrour or glasse ye shal se [the] excellencte and worthynesse of a christia[n] magistrate: & again what obedience is due vnto publique rulers of all th[os]e [that] professe Christ yea, though [the] rulers, in externe & outward thinges, to their vtter dampnatyon, do otherwyse then well: translated out of Latyn into Englishe, by Iho[n] Veron Senonoys.
Worcester : Imprinted the third day of April. Anno. Do. 1551. At Worcester in the high street, by John Oswen. They be also to sell at Shrewesbury. Cum priuligio ad imprimendum solum, 1551Worcester : Imprynted the third daye of Aprill. Anno. Do. 1551. At Worceter in ye hygh strete, by Ihon Oswen. They be also to sell at Shrewesbury. Cum priuligio ad imprimendum solum, 1551
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
Objection. But me think I hear yet some among you which do grudge and say. Who in this world, were he never so patient, could refrain him self, for besides the many fold wrongs, that we suffer daily and hourly by them, they do so bitterly revile us, at every second word most despitefully calling us peasants, and villains, that no man can hold his hands from them. Whom I am compelled to answer after this manner. Are ye Christians, Solution. or not (I know that if any man should say unto you that ye are no christians, ye would be angry with him) If ye are christians that is to say ⟨image 24⟩the disciples of Christ, do ye not think that it is enough, and sufficient for you, to be as your master?1 But they did call your master and saviour, Beelzebub, which is a thousand times worse,2 then Peasant or Villain, which words if they were well understanded, are nothing at all reproachful. Here in this matter, plain ignorance doth blind you. For peasant being derived of this latin word, Paganus, doth properly betoken in English, a man of the country, or that dwelleth in villages or upland. And the other word, Villain doth also come of this latin, vocable, Villanus, and signifieth none other thing, in our mother and vulgaire tongue, but a farmer, or farm holder, or else ye dwelleth in villages. Lo good people these be the reviling & opprobrious words for the which ye do stir up all these enorm, and grievous tragedies. But go to what & if they were, the most reproachful words that ever could be spoken with mouth: or thought with heart (how be it to tell the very truth, I would that these french terms had been left to the french men, and that he that brought them first over into England, thereby ⟨image 24⟩to offend his weak brethren, had been better advised) ought ye not to have borne them patiently for his sake which for your salvation, and health of your souls, did besides all kinds of ignominy, opprobriousness and reproach, suffer the most cruel and shamefullest death that ever in this world could be imagined or thought.3 Truly ye would be loth to suffer death for his sake, sith that ye can not abide words. Where is now that perfection, that some of you do never cease to boast and crake of among the simple and ignorant people.