To graunt pardon to more, and sume,
That wil Luther resist strongly:
He is a greate hereticke treuly,
And regardeth to much the scripture;
For he thinketh onely thereby
To subdue the popes high honoure.
"Receive ye this PARDON devoutely,
And loke that ye agaynst him fight;
Plucke up youre herts, and be manyle,
For the pope sayth that ye do but ryght:
And this be sure, that at one flyghte,
Allthough ye be overcome by chaunce,
Ye shall to heaven go with greate myghte;
God can make you no resistaunce.
"Put these heretikes for their medlynge
Shall go down to hel every one;
For they have not the popes blessynge,
Nor regard his holy pardon:
They thinke from all destruction
By Christes bloud to be saved,
Fearynge not our excommunication,
Therefore shall they al be dampned."
NOTES
- Take a specimen from his high encomiums on the priesthood:
"There is no emperour, kyng, duke, ne baron
That of God hath commissyon,
As hath the leest preest in the world beynge.
* * * * * * * *
God hath to them more power gyven,
Than to any aungell, that is in heven;
With v. words he may consecrate
Goddes body in flesshe and blode to take,
And handeleth his maker bytwene his handes.
The preest byndeth and unbindeth all bandes,
Both in erthe and in heven.--
Thou ministers all the sacramentes seven.
Though we kyst thy fete thou were worthy;
Thou art the surgyan that cureth synne dedly;
No remedy may we fynde under God,
But alone on preesthode.
--God gave preest that dignitè,
And letteth them in his stede amonge us be,
Thus be they above aungels in degre.
See Hawkins's Orig. of Eng. Drama, vol. i. p. 61.2.i.e.denied us the Cup, see below, ver. 94.
3.i.e.make thee knock under the table.
4.i.e.his rule.