veth unchastely, and cannot
quench the flames of lust, "it is better to marry a wife, and to live
honestly in wedlock." And the old father Augustine judgeth the selfsame
marriage to be good and perfect, and that it ought not to be broken
again. These men, if a man have once bound himself by a vow, though
afterwards he burn, keep queans, and defile himself with never so sinful
and desperate a life, yet they suffer not that person to marry a wife; or
if he chance to marry, they allow it not for marriage. And they commonly
teach it is much better and more godly to keep a concubine and harlot,
than to live in that kind of marriage.

The old father Augustine complained of the multitude of ceremonies,
wherewith he even then saw men's minds and consciences overcharged. These
men, as though God regarded nothing else but their ceremonies, have so
out of measure increased them, that there is now almost none other thing
left in their churches and places of prayer.

Again, that old father Augustine denieth it to be lawful for a monk to
spend his time slothfully and idly, and, under a pretended and
counterfeit holiness, to live all upon others. And whoso thus liveth,
the old father Apollonius likeneth him to a thief. These men have, I wot
not whether to name them droves or herds of monks, who for all they do
nothing, nor yet once intend to bear any show of holiness, yet live they
not only upon others, but also riot lavishly of other folks' labours.

The old council of Rome decreed that no man should come to the service
said by a priest well known to keep a concubine. These men let to farm
concubines to their priests, and yet constrain men by force against their
will to hear their cursed paltry service.

The old canons of the Apostles command that bishop to be removed from his
office, which will both supply the place of a civil magistrate, and also
of an ecclesiastical person. These men, for all that, both do and will
needs serve both places. Nay, rather, the one office which they ought
chiefly to execute, they once touch not, and yet nobody commandeth them
to be displaced.

The old Council Gangrense commandeth that none should make such
difference between an unmarried priest and a married priest, as he ought
to think the one more holy than the other for single life's sake. These
men put such a difference between them, that they straightway think all
their holy service to be defiled if it be done by a good and honest ma