ght it like you to arede me, Madam, of your grace--in what regard,
and to what greatness, the Lollards do differ from the Catholics?"

The Dowager smiled, but she looked a little surprised.

"A short question, forsooth, my maid, the which to answer shortly should
lack sharper wit than mine. But I will give thee to wit so far as I
can. We do believe that all things which be needful for a Christian man
to know, be founden in God's Word, yclept Holy Scripture: so that all
other our differences take root in this one. For the which encheson
[reason] we do deny the Pope to have right and rule over this our Church
of England, which lieth not in his diocese, neither find we in Holy
Scripture that the Bishop of Rome should wield rule over other Bishops;
but that in every realm the King thereof should be highest in estate
over the priests as over any other of his subjects. Wherefore likewise
we call not upon the saints, seeing that Holy Scripture saith `oo God
and a Mediatour is of God and of men, a man, Crist Jesu:' neither may we
allow the holy bread of the blessed Sacrament of the Altar to be the
very carnal flesh of our Saviour Christ, there bodily present, seeing
both that Paul sayeth of it `this breed' after that it be consecrate,
and moreover that our own very bodily senses do deny it to be any other
matter. So neither will any of us use swearing, which is utterly forbid
in God's Word; neither hold we good the right of sanctuary, ne the power
of the Pope's indulgence, ne virginity of the priesthood--seeing that no
one of all these be bidden by Holy Scripture."

The old lady paused, and cut off her loose threads before she continued,
in a rather more constrained voice.

"Beyond all these," she then added, "there be other matters wherein
certain of us do differ from other. To wit, some of us do love to sing
unto symphony [music] the praise and laud of God; the which othersome
(of whom am I myself) do account to be but a vain indulgence of the
flesh, and a thing unmeet for its vanity to be done of God's servants
dwelling in this evil world. Some do hold that childre ought not to be
baptised, but only them that be of age to perceive the signification of
that holy rite: herein I see not with them. Likewise there be othersome
that would have the old prayers for to abide, being but a form of words;
while other (of whom be I) do understand such forms to be but things
dead and dry, and we rather would pray unto our Lord w