M. Harding.M. Hardinge.

M. Harding.

M. Hardinge.

Speak of Pope Pius, what ye will, and what ye can. Neither your praise can advance his estimation, nor your dispraise abase it. His singular virtues be well known. God is highly to be praised for that he hath provided for his flock so good a shepherd. As for you, as •e taketh you to be men, so not his brethren, because ye have cut of your selves from the Catholic church. Your reasons have ben ⟨p. 41⟩diligently and exactly examined already.¹ In respect of your reasons Learning, and Holy Scriptures which ye bring, ye are found such as Belshazzar King of Babylon •as signified by the hand, that appeared writing before him in the wall.

Speake of Pope Pius, what ye wil, and what ye can. Neither your praise can aduaunce his estimation, nor your dispraise abase it. His singular vertues be wel knowen. God is highly to be praised for that he hath prouided for his flock so good a shepheard. As for you, as •e taketh you to be men, so not his brethren, bicause ye haue cut of your selues from the Catholike churche. Your reasons haue ben ⟨p. 41⟩diligently and exactly examined already.¹ In respect of your reasones Learning, and Holy Scriptures whiche ye bring, ye are founde suche as Balsasar Kinge of Babylon •as signified by the hande, that appeared writing before him in the wall.

1. 1A comparison between the Defenders and Balsasar King of Babylon. No good wrought by reasoning with Heretics.