are also become now a wonder, not only to angels and men, but
even to all the ungodly." In this case was the Church of God, when the
Gospel first began to shine, and when the fury of tyrants was not as yet
cooled, nor the sword taken off from the Christians' necks. Surely it is
no new thing that men be but men, although they be called by the name of
Christians.

PART IV.

But will these men, I pray you, think nothing at all of themselves, while
they accuse us so maliciously? And while they have leisure to behold so
far off, and see both what is done in Germany and in England, have they
either forgotten, or can they not see what is done at Rome? or be they
our accusers, whose life is such as no man is able to make mention
thereof but with shame and uncomeliness? Our purpose here is, not to
take in hand, at this present, to bring to light and open to the world
those things which were meet rather to be hid and buried with the workers
of them. It beseemeth neither our religion, nor our modesty, nor our
shamefastness. But yet he, which giveth commandment that he should be
called the "Vicar of Christ," and the "Head of the Church;" who also
heareth that such things be done in Rome, who seeth them, who suffereth
them (for we will go no further), he can easily consider with himself
what manner of things they be. Let him on God's Name call to mind, let
him remember that they be of his own canonists, which have taught the
people that fornication between single folk is no sin (as though they had
fette that doctrine from Mitio in Terence), whose words be: "It is no sin
(believe me) for a young man to haunt harlots." Let him remember they be
of his own which have decreed, that a priest ought not to be put out of
his cure for fornication. Let him remember also how Cardinal Campegius,
Albertus Pighius, and others many more of his own, have taught, that the
priest which "keepeth a concubine" doth live more holily and chastely
than he which hath a "wife in matrimony." I trust he hath not yet
forgotten that there be many thousands of common harlots in Rome; and
that himself doth gather yearly of the same harlots upon, a thirty
thousand ducats, by the way of an annual pension. Neither can he forget,
how himself doth maintain openly brothel houses, and by a most filthy
lucre doth filthily and lewdly serve his own lust. Were all things then
pure and holy in Rome, when "Joan a woman," rather of perfect age than of
perfect