of misteries and lyftynge vppe of the soule into y e lyuely lyght and inward hygh sighte of god And all those manyfold senses diuers in the waye and all tendynge to one ende maye be conuenient and trew and all by one spyrxte prouyded and in to diuerse spyrites by the same one spyrite inspyred for spyrituall profite to be by many meanes multyplyed and encreaced in 〈◊〉 chyrche ¶ But neuer hath any good māben accustumed to playe the pageaunt y t mayster Maskar playeth vs here with a spyrytuall exposicyon of allegoryes or parables to take awaye y t very fyrste sense that god wolde we shold lerne of the letter and bycause of some allegories turne all y e playn worde for y e first right vnderstāding into a secundary sense of allegoryes ¶ Of this maner 〈◊〉 of scrip ture I make mencyon in my letter agaynst Frythes false handesynge of this same place of saynt Iohan. And there I shewed in what wyse y t false heretikes y e Arrianys vsed by y e same meanys to take y e godhed from Cry stes persone as fryth and these felowes by the selfe same maner of ex pownynge the scrypture do take awaye Chrystes manhed from Chry stes blessed sacrament ¶ In that pistle I shewed also that I wold in allegoricall exposycyons fynde no faute but be well content with them so that men mysse vse thē not to the takynge away of the trew litterall sense bysyde ¶ This thynge I there shewed good readers in the self same pystle that mayster Masker maketh here as though he could wold answere And yet as though he had neuer herd my wordes but slepte while he redde them he playeth here the selfe same pageaunt hym selfe whyle with his allegorycall exposycyō of spyrytuall eatynge of Chrystes godhed and of his body by byliefe of his passyon he goth about to take awaye from vs y e very lytterall trewth of the very eatynge and bodely receyuynge of Chrystes owne very flesshe bloud ¶ Now wyll I not say any maner blame at all to any man that wyll exspowne all the whole processe of Genesis by allegories and teche vs certeyne conuenyent vertues vnderstāden by the four floodes of paradys and tell vs that paradyse is grace out of whyche all the flodys of all vertues flowe and water the erth callynge the erth mankynd that was made therof beynge barayne frutelesse but yf it be watered with y e floodes of vertue and so forth in some suche maner expowne vs all the remanaunt Or lo that thus doth doth in my mynde ryght well But mary yf he wolde do it in the maner with the mynde that mayster Masker expowneth vs Christes wordes all in allegoryes here and wold teche vs suche a spyrytuall sense to make vs byleue that those wordes were to be none other wyse vnderstādē bysyde but that there were no such floodes flowynge forth of paradyse nor no suche paradyse at all I wold wene verely that he were a very heretyke ¶ I fynde no fawte also with them that expowne the story of Sampson tayenge the foxes togyther by y e taylys and settynge a fyre in them and sendynge them so in to the felde of y e Phylistyes to burne vp the corne in those I saye that expowne that story by the deuyll sendyng his heretykes in to the corne felde of god the catholyke chyrche of Chryste wyth y e fyre of false wordes to desiroye y e corne bothe of 〈◊〉 we farth and good wutkys tayed togyder by the tayles in token that all theyr here sies be theyr hedes neuer so farre a sūder yet are theyr tayles tayed togyther in that y e all tende towarde one ende that is to wytte to the destruccion of all manee grace and goodnes that the tayeng of the fyre and theyr tayles togyther signiifeth also y t for theyr foxly false hed finally in the ende the hote fyre of hell shal be so fast tayed ī all theyr tayles wrabelynge there together y e neuer shall they gete y e fyre fro theyr taylys nor fro the bandes of hell be seuered or breke asundre with this al legorye of those good men that thus expowne y t story I fynd no faute at all But on the tother syde if any mā wold expowne it so by that spirituall allegorye agaynst these heretykes y t 〈◊〉 word therwith enforce hym selfe to take away the sytterall sense and say the text signifyed nothyng 〈◊〉 and that there was no suche thynge done indede hym word I 〈◊〉 for an hereiyke to ¶ And in 〈◊〉 wyse good readers yf mayster Masker here dyd onely expowne all those wordes of Chryste as thynges spoken of spyrytuall eatyng by waye of allegory that waye word I well allow for so doth not onely suche as he is but also good faythfull folke to But now whā he draweth all Christe wordes to those allegoryes of a false wyly purpose to make men wene so sayth hym self for his part y t they signifye none other thyng this is the poynt y e proueth mayster Masker an 〈◊〉 ¶ And therfore as I sayd all his ex policyō is 〈◊〉 of fro the purpose approcheth not to the poynt For the questyō is not whither those wordes may be well veryfyed expowned of spyrituall eatyng by way of an allegory but whyther it may bysyde al y e be trewly expowned of the very bodyly eatyng of Cryste blessed body indede For 〈◊〉 it so may than 〈◊〉 there no mā of so siēdre wytte but he may well se y e all mayster Maskers allegorycall exposicyon of his onely spirituall eatyng 〈◊〉 fro the pue pose quite dare not cōe 〈◊〉 y e point ¶ Wherfore to th entēt y e ye may 〈◊〉 rely se y e in this exposicyō of his 〈◊〉 holy as he wold haue it seme he doth but clerely mokke sauynge that it is myche worse thanne mockynge to make men fall fro the fayth I shall geue you of the same wordes of Chryst wrytē in the syxt chapyter of saynt Johan another exposycyon my selfe in which I shall bysyde all suche spyrytuall exposicyons as this man vseth therin by waye of 〈◊〉 or parables declare you y e very lytterall sense of those wordes My flesshe is veryly meate my bloude veryly drynke So that ye maye se therby y t our sauyour veryly spake ment not onely suche a spyrytuall ratyng as mayster Masker sayth he onely ment but also the very bodyly eatyng drinkyng of his very fleshe and bloude in dede whiche exposicyō of myne yf it be in that poynt trewe than must it nedes folow ye se wel that his exposicyon is farre fro the purpose For all though there were not one false word therin yet were it in dyssemblynge of the trouth very lewd̄ and falsely handelyd ¶ And now that myne exposycyon shal be trewindede that shall you ere I seue you so clerely perceyue and see that I trust there shall neuer any suche heretyke as
also euer after without any cheryte at all ¶ Also where he sayth that y e fayth y t he describeth onys had is sufficiēt speketh of no perseueraūce a man may well se y t his sayeng is insuffycy ent For both y t fayth stādynge a man may well fall fro cheryte And than though he had onis cherite as sone as that fayth yf that bare faith without more were possyble to haue cheryte with it yet myght it lacke cheryte after And also that fayth myght it self fall quyte awaye to For he that onys byleueth euery artycle of the fayth and than can fall from any as mayster Masker is fallen from many may lytell and lytell fall from them euerychone For I dare well say that mayster Masker byleueth no poynt that he byleueth moste surely any thyng more surely now than he hath byleued ere this dyuerse of those poyntes which he now byleueth leste yf he byleue as he wryteth ¶ And thus good readers you se y t where as his marmose is more than an handefull brode thys plaster of his passeth not the bredeth of apeny For I dare saye the deuyll byleueth at thys day as mych as mayster mas her sayth that is suffycyent that is to wyt that Chryst dyed for our synne and yet hath he no cheryte Nor no more hath no man that wyll byleue no more but that or though he do byleue more than that wyll yet thynke that he byleueth all the remanaunt but of his courtesye not one whyt more of de wty The. xi chapyter NOw where he sayth ferther So that pryncypally by fayth wherby we 〈◊〉 to goddes goodnes and mercy we abyde in god and god in vs as declare hys wordes fo 〈◊〉 sayenge As the lyuynge father sent me so lyue 〈◊〉 by my father And euen so he that eateth me shal lyue bycause of me or for my sake ¶ This is a very false noughty de claracyon of Chrystes wordes For where as the holy doctours do declare those wordes as I byfore haue shewed you that lyke as our sauiour had his eternall lyfe of hys father before any beginnyng of tyme in that his father eternally before all tyme begate hym and his flesshe not of his owne nature but by the coniunccyon that it had with the godhed had now the same lyfe and so lyued for the father so shold he that eateth that flesshe accordynge to Chrystes iustytucyon with dew cyrcūstaunces of fayth and good hope and cheryte well wyllyng to worke attayne euer lastynge lyfe also by reason of hys 〈◊〉 and incorporacyon with hys euerlastyng flesshe so I say 〈◊〉 way if the eater eate it wyth 〈◊〉 de we cyrcūstaunces requisyte so y t lyke as they receyue not his holy flesshe dede as the Iewes had went but quycke wyth holy spyryte ioyned therto so theyr soules may ioyne with his spyryt as theyr flessh ioyneth wyth his where as the holy doctours I say do expoune these wordes thus now cōmeth maister Masker and saith that in these wordes Chryst techeth vs y t we abyde in hym and he in vs not pryncypally by cheryte but pryncypally by fayth ¶ Now good reder what one word of those wordes of Cryst any thyng so 〈◊〉 to the mayntenaūce of mayster Maskers 〈◊〉 that god is in vs and we in hym pryncypally by fayth The scrypture sayth God is cheryte and he that dwelleth in cheryte dwelleth in god god in hym ¶ Now yf mayster Masker wolde haue 〈◊〉 y e by fayth a man myghte eate the flesshe of Chryste and by fayth myghte dwell in god yf mayster Masker were a good catholyke manne I wolde for so farre fynde no fawte in hys exposycyon For it myghte haue a menynge good inough bysyde the lyterall sence of Chrystes wordes But now whan he contendeth that this is the lytteral sense and therwith wolde shake of the very eatynge that our sauyour ment in y e blessed sacrament and bere vs in hande that our sauyour mente not so but ment an onely eatynge of his flesshe by a bare bylyefe of hys deth and not the very bodyly eatyng at all that in those wordes he ment that though we dwell in god by loue yet not pryncypally by loue but pryn cypally by fayth as to whych vertu the vertu of cheryte were but a folower and a perpetuall hand mayde where there is in those wordes of Chryste not one syllable sownynge towarde it what good chrysten man can abyde it namely whyle the scryp ture by playne wordes condempneth it sayth fides spes charitas tria hec maior horū charitas Faith hope and cheryte these thre but the pryncypall of these is cheryte The. xii chapyter NOw where he goth good reader forther forth yet vppon these wordes and sayth My father sent me whose wyll in all thynges I obey for I am hys sone And euen so veryly must they that eate me that is byleue in me forme and 〈◊〉 them after my ensample 〈◊〉 theyr flesshe and chaungynge theyr lyuynge or 〈◊〉 they eate me in vayne and dyssemble theyr bylyefe ¶ Though these wordes here seme very good yet whyle they be all wryten vnto thys one entēt that this gay floryshe sholde so glytter in our eyen that we myght therby be blynded and not beware of the perylouse pytte into whyche he goth aboute to caste vs that is to make vs wene that our sauyour in sayenge that we sholde eate his flesshe ment no very eatynge therof in y t blessed sacrament but onely a spyrituall eatynge by byleuyng that he dyed for our synnys as here he declareth agayn they that eate me that is byleue in me c while all draweth I saye to that ende hys tale is nought all togyther ¶ And yet it is a worlde also to se the blyndnesse that the deuyll hath dreuyn into hym by whyche he can not be suffered to se that by these selfe same wordes with whyche he wolde auaunce his purpose he very playnely destroyeth it ¶ For his purpose is ye wote well to make vs wene that faith were not onely the pryncypall but also that fayth hath euer loue waytyng vpon her and folowynge her as her vnseparable seruaunt as hete euer foloweth the fyre And now you se that he sayth here that who so do not forme and fasshion them after Chry stes ensample do eate hym in vayne And than to eate hym he sayth is but to byleue in hym And so he sayeth wythout good lyuyng that is to 〈◊〉 wythout cheryte the bylyefe is but in vayne Now to byleue invayne is ye wote 〈◊〉 to byleue and yet haue hys bylyefe frutelesse for lacke of that loue that is the theologicall vertue called cheryte ¶ And thus ye se good readers how well and cyrcumspectely mayster Masker loketh to hys mater that whan he hath tolde vs that fayth neuer lacketh cheryte forgetynge 〈◊〉 selfe forth wyth telleth vs hym self within tenne lynes after that fayth maye lacke cheryte and therfore be but
he reherseth as hym selfe maketh theym new These were good readÌ„er my worde And ouer this the very cyrcuÌ„stauÌ„ces of the places in the gospell in whych our sauiour speketh of that sacrameÌ„t may wel make open the dyfference of his spech in this mater of all those other that as he spake all those but iÌ„ an allegory so spake he this plainly menyng y t he spake of his very body his very bloud beside al 〈◊〉 For neyther whan our lorde sayde he was a very vyne nor whan he sayde he was the dore there was none that herde hym that any thynge meruayled therof And why for bycause they perceyued well that he ment not that he was a materyall vyne in dede nor a materyall dore neyther But whan he sayd that his flesh was very mete and his blood was very drynke and that they shold not haue lyfe in them but yf they dyd eate his flesshe and drynke his blood than were they all moste all in suche a wonder therof that they could not abyde And wher fore but bycause they preceyued wel by his wordes and his maner of cyrcumstaunces vsed in the spekynge of them that Chryste spake of his very flesshe and his very blood in ded For ellys the straungenesse of the wordes wold haue made them to haue taken it as well for an allegorye as eyther his wordes of the vyne or of the dore And than wolde they haue no more merueyled at the tone than they dyd at the tother But now where as at the vyne and the dore they merueyled nothynge yet at the eatynge of his flesshe and drynkynge of his blood they so sore merueyled and were so sore moued and thought the mater so harde the wonder so great that they asked how coulde that be and went almoste all theyr waye wherby we maye well se that he spake these wordes in suche wyse as the herers perceyued that he ment it not in a parable nor an allegorye but spake of hys very flesshe and hys very bloude in dede ¶ Lo good readers here I speke of Chrystes very flesshe and his very bloud as the trouth is in dede But here I saye not as mayster masker sayth I saye that Christ ment of his flesshe and his bloude in suche wyse as the Iewes thought that forsoke hym therfore whych thought as you haue herde that they sholde eate hys flleshe in the selfe fleshely forme and also pyecemele in lothly dede go bettes without eyther lyfe or spiryt ¶ And nowe that you haue sene hys trouth in rehersynge you shal se a shewof his sharpe sotle wit in the soy lynge wherin fyrst after his iuglyng fashyon to carye y e reder wyth wonderynge fro markynge well the mater thus he begynneth wyth a great grauyte geuynge all the worde war nynge to be ware of me To chrysten reader here haste thou not a taste but a great tunne full of Moris myschyefe and pernycyouse peruertynge of goddes holy worde And as thou seest hym here falsely and 〈◊〉 destroye the pure sense of goddes worde so doth he in all other places of hys bokes ¶ To good readers now haue you a great hygh tragycall warnynge with not a litle taste but a great tuÌ„ne full at onys of my myscheuouse pernycyouse false pestylent peruertynge and destroyeng of y e pure sense of goddes holy wordes in this one place whych he wyll shall staÌ„de for a playnte prose that I do the same in all other places ¶ Now good readers alde it that yt myght mysse happe me by ouersyght to mysse handle this one place and yet iÌ„ some other to write wel ynough yet am I content to take the condÌ„ycy on at mayster Maskers hand that if myne hadelyng of this one place be such an heyghnouse handlyng as ma heth it suche a pernycyouse pestilent not onely ê‘uersyon but also destruccyon of the pure sense of goddes holy worde neuer make examynacyon of any other worde of myne farther For I than forthwyth confesse euen here that I haue in al other places wryten wronge euery whyt But now on the tother syde though you shold happe to fynde that in this place I haue somwhat ouer sene my selfe in mysse takynge of some one worde for an other without thecfecte of the mater chaunged than wyll I requyre you to take my fawte for no greater than it is in dede nor mysse truste all my wrytynge for that one worde in this one place mysse taken without thempayrynge of the mater For suche a maner mysse takynge of a worde is not the dystroyeng of the pure sense of goddes holy worde And therfore if you fynde my fawte good readers no ferther than suche ye wyll I dowte not of your equyte bud mayster Masker leue his iniquite and chaunge his hygh tragicall ter mes and turne his great tunne full of pernyciouse pestilent false peruer tynge poysen into a lytell taste of holesome inough though some what smale and rough rochell wyne And therfore lette vs nowe se wherin he layeth this greate hygh hepe of myscheuouse peruertynge To thus good readers he sayth Fyrste where More sayth they merneyled at Chry stes sayenge my of is very meate 〈◊〉 that is not so Neyther is there any suche worde in the texte excepte More wyll exponne murmurabant id est mitabantur They murmured that is to saye they meruayled as he expowneth oportet id est expedit et conuenit he must dye or it behoueth hym to dye that is to saye it was expedient and of good congru ence that he sholde dye c. This poete maye make a man to sygnifye an asse and blacke whyte to blete the symple eyes ¶ Now good readers I wote well that you consider that the cause wher fore I spake of the meruaylyng that they had whych herde Chryst speke of the eatynge of his flesshe was by cause that none of those that herde hym at other tymes call hym selfe a vyne or a dore meruayled any thyng therat so that by the great difference of the behauour of y e herers it might well appere that there was greate dyfference in the spekynge and that the tother two were well perceyued to be spoken onely by waye of allegorye and the thyrde to be spoken of his very flesshe in dede where as Fryth helde opinion y t thys was none otherwyse spoken but onely by way of an allegorye as the tother twayne were ¶ Now good readers yf you reade my wordes agayne in euery place of them where I write they meruey led it wolde lyke you to put out that worde they merueysed and set in this worde they murmured in the stede therof ye shall frnde no chaunge made in the mater by that chaunge made in the wordes But you shal se myne argument shal stand as strong with that worde They murmured as with this worde they merueyled For whan at the herynge of Chryste wordes spekynge of the eatynge of his flesshe the euangelyste sheweth that many of the herers
murmured and neyther at the callynge of hym selfe a vyne nor at the callynge of hym selfe adore none of his herers murmured for y t maner of spekynge it appereth as well the dyfference in Chrystes spekynge by the dyffereÌ„ce of dyuerse his herers at y e tone word murmurynge and at the tother two not murmurynge as at the tone meruaylynge and at the tother two not meruaylynge ¶ To thus you se good readers that in this mater in whyche mayster mas ker maketh his great out cry vppon me for chaungynge of this worde murmuryng into this word meruay syng syth there is no chaunge in the mater by the chaunge of the worde but myne argument as stronge with the tone worde as with the tother I neyther haue done it of any fraude for auauntage of myne owne parte in the mater nor yet syth the chaunge is but in the worde without chaunge of the mater I haue not therby pernycyousely and pestylently by the whole tunne full of falshed at onys peruerted and destroyed the pure sense of goddes holy worde But it appereth well on the tother syde that mayster Masker hath geuyn vs here I wyll not be so sore to saye a tunne full but at the leste wyse a lytell prety caste of hys lytell prety falshed wyth whyche a lytell he pretyly belyeth me The. ii chapyter BUt yet shall you now se his wyt and hys truth bothe a lytell better tryed euyn vpon thys same place in whiche with hys huge excsa macyons he maketh hys parte so playne ¶ As for oportet of whyche he speketh here we shall talke of after in another place But now to wchynge this worde they meruaysed mayster Masker sayth thus That is not so nor there is no suche worde in the texte So you se good readers that he sayth two thyn ges One that it is not so and another that there is no such worde there in y e texte As for the word good reader I wyll not greately stryue with hym But where he sayth it is not so and therin affermeth that they meruaysed not I thynke the wordes of the text wyll wel 〈◊〉 my sayeng For good reader whan they sayde How can he geue vs his flesh to eate And whan they sayd Thys word is harde and who can here it Do not these wordes proue that they meruayled and thought it straunge whaÌ„ they called it so hard y t no man might abide to heare it 〈◊〉 how he could do it bycause they thought it impossible ¶ Now you se good readers y t gospell sayth the selfe same thynge that I say thought it say not the self same worde and therfore lyeth mayster Masker in sayenge it is not so ¶ But by thys wyse waye of mayster Masher yf I had wryten that Absolon was angry with AmnoÌ„ his brother for violatynge his syster Thamar mayster Masher wolde say so good reader here thou hast not a taste but a tunne full of Morys per nicyouse peruertyng of goddys holy word as thou seest hym here falsely and pestilently destroye the pure sense of goddes worde so doth he in all other places of his workes For where he sayth y t Absolon was angry with Amnon it is not so neyther is there any such worde in the texte except More wyl expoune oderat 〈◊〉 id est irascebatur ei he hated him y t is to saye he was angry with hym as he expouneth murmurabaÌ„t id est mirabantur they murmured that is to say the meruayled And thus maye thys poete make a man to sygnyfye an asse For the byble sayeth not as More sayth that Asolon was angry with Amnon For the texte sayeth no more but that Asolon hated Amnon and caused hym to be kylled ¶ Now lyke you now good reders this wyse solucyon of mayster Mas ker This proueth not hym a poete that can make a man signyfye an asse but proueth hym rather in stede of a poete and in stede of a man a very starke asse in dede The. iii. chapyter BUt of very trouth good reader not without a good cause and a great I dyd rather touche the thyng y t was the cause of the Iewes murmur and theyr dyssensyon whan they dysputed vppon the mater than I dyd theyr murmure and they re dys sensyon For of trouth where he sayd of hym self that he was a dore there grew dyssensyon amonge his herers vppon that worde of hys and vpon other wordes that he spake ther with at y t same tyme so y t the gospel sayth And there was dyssensyoÌ„ among the Iewes vpon these wordes some sayenge that the deuyll was in hym and some sayeng nay and that the deuyll was not wont to make blynd men se as there was here dissensyon and dys putynge vppon these wordes of eatynge of his fleshe But inthe x. chapyter they nothynge meruayled of his callynge hym selfe a dore for he expowned y e parable at length so that they perceyued well that he called hym selfe a dore but onely by waye of an allegory And therfore of callynge hym self a dore they mer uayled not of that worde when he declared yt for they perceyued it for a parable But they dysputed vppon that worde and vppon his other wordes also wherein he sayde that no man could kyll hym agaynst his wil and that he wolde dye for his shepe and that he had power to put awaye his soule and take it agayn Of these thynges they dysputed and thought theym straunge and meruay louse to But not for the wordes or the maner of spekynge but for the very mater For all they vnderstode the wordes metely wel but many of them byleued them not But not one of theym dyd so take that worde I am a dore as that they meruayled howe that could be And therfore none of theÌ„ for any suche meruayle sayd there how can he be a dore as these Iewes said here howe can he geue vs his fleshe to eate And therfore as I saye therin appereth well that our sauyour in the tone place called hym selfe a dore by waye of a parable and in the tother spake of the catynge of his owne very fleshe yt selfe besides all parables whyche well appered I saye by hys audyence For the tone worde they perceyued for a parable and therfore none of theym meruayled of the maner of the spekynge of that worde though they meruayled and murmured and dysputed at the thynge that the parable ment But in the tother place many meruayled at the thynge by the selfe same name that he gaue therto sayenge howe can he geue vs hys fleshe to eate whereby yt well appe 〈◊〉 that they ê‘ceyued that he spake of very eating of his fleshe in dede in y t tother place appereth not y t they thought he ment that he was a very dore in dede but the contrarye playn appereth For Chryste by his playn and open exposycyon of that parable delyuered theym clene from all occasyon of thynkynge that
he ment hym selfe to be a very dore in dede But in these wordes of eatynge of hys fleshe bycause he wolde geue hys very fleshe to be eaten in very dede therfore he more and more tolde them styll the same also tolde theym hym selfe was god and therfore able to do yt and ouer that gaue theym warnynge that they sholde not eate it in dede gobbettes but sholde eate it quycke with spyryt and lyfe For his wordes were spyrit and lyfe For his fleshe sholde ellys anayle nothyng And that though his bodye sholde be eaten by many sundry men in many sundry places yet sholde yt neuer the lesse be also styll whole and sounde where so euer he wolde besyde whych he declared by his 〈◊〉 wyth his body perfyte into heuen not withstandynge that it sholde be byfore that eaten of many men in erthe ¶ And thus haue I good reders as for this solucyon of maister Masker made open and playne vnto you his falsed and his foly both and made rt clere for all his hygh pernycyouse pe stylent wordes both that I haue hād led this place of the scripture right also taken rather the sentēce than the word And I haue also by occasyō of his wise solucyon caused you to perceyue that in myne argument was and is more pyth and more strength then peraduentur euery man perceyued before And therfore thus mych worshyp hath he wonne by thys his fyrste solemne solucyon The. iiii chapiter BUt in his seconde solucyon he specyally sheweth hys depe in syghte and cunnynge and myne ouersyght to shamefully For there in lo thus he sayth But yet for hys lordely pleasure let 〈◊〉 graunt hym that they murmured is as myche to saye as they meruayled bycanse perchaunce the one may folowe at the tother And than do 〈◊〉 aske hym whyther Chrystes 〈◊〉 and hys apostles 〈◊〉 hym not and vnderstode hym not when he sayde I am the core and the vyne and whan he sayde my fleshe c. If he saye no or naye the scrypture is playn agaynst hym Ioh. 6. 10. 15. If he saye ye or yes then yet do I aske hym whyther his dyscypfes apostles thus herynge and vnderstandynge his wordes in all these thre chapyters wondered and meruaysed as mays ter More say the or murmured as hath the texte at they re maysters speche what thynke ye More must answere here here may you se whither this old holy vpholder of the popes chyrch is brought euyn to be taken in his owne 〈◊〉 For the discyples hys apostles neyther murmured nor meruayled nor yet were not offended with theyr mayster Chrystes wor des and maner of speche ¶ 〈◊〉 good readers here mayster Masher bycause he thynketh yt not ynough for his worship to shew him selfe ones a fole by his fyrst soluciō conieth nowe farther forth to shewe him self twise a fole ye thryse a fole by the secnnde ¶ And fyrst for away to come there to he sayth he wyll graunte me for my sordely pleasure that they murmured is as mych to say as they 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 In whych grauntynge he doth me no great fordly pleasure For I haue as you haue herde well proued hym al redy that I nede not hys grauntynge therin But veryly in the cause that he addeth therto when he sayth bycause perchaunce the tone maye folowe at the tother therin he doth me a very great lordely pleasure For yt is euyn a pleasure for a lord and for a kyng to to se hym play so farre the fole as without necessytie to wryte in that worde hym selfe which helpeth myn argumēt agaynst hym self and maketh all his wonderynge y t he hath in his fyrst sosucyon vppon me fal in his own necke For yf theyr murmuryng folowed vppō they re meruaylynge as hym selfe here sayth that peaduenture yt dyd than playeth he fyrste peraduenture the fole to make suche an oute crye vppon me for sayenge that they meruailed where the texte saith they murmured as though I wyth that word vtterly destroyed y t pure sense of goddes holy word For that word dothe not so pestylently peruerte the sense yf yt maye stande with the sen tence as yt maye in dede yf mayster Masker saye trewe that peraduenture the tone maye folow vppon the tother that is to wit the murmuryng vppon the meruaylynge for so he meaneth therby For as madde as he is he is not I thynke so madde yet as to me ane that the meruaylynge fo lowed vppon the murmurynge For they meruayled fyrst and murmured after And nowe syth this one worde of his therfore ouer throweth all his wondering that he hath made on me and proueth hym selfe willyngly and wyttyngly in all his hygh tragycall exclamacyon agaynst his own conscyence and his own very knowledge to bylye me he hathe therin as I saye done me a very special pleasure to se him so farre play the fole as to bring forth that worde hym self specyally where there was no nede at all but euen for a garnyshe of his induccion wyth a shewe of his cunnynge to make men know that he hadde not so lytle lernynge but that he wyst well ynough hym selfe that he had shamefully bylyed me in all that euer he hadde cryed oute agaynst me concer cernynge any mysse constrewyng of that place of holy scrypture The. v. chapyter NOwe after thys hys double folye well and wysely putte forth at ones he bryngeth me to myn opposycyon And therin he handeleth me so hardly y t I cā not scape which waye so euer I take whether I say that Chrystes dyscyples and apostles herde and vnderstode theyr may sters wordes in all the thre places or that I saye that in any one of those thre places they vnderstode him not For here to be sure to holde me in on both sydes that I scape not he shew eth what daūgeour I fal in whyche waye so euer I take For he sayeth that on the tone syde I denye the gos spell yf I answere no or naye and on the tother syde I am taken in myn owne trappe yf I saye ye or yes ¶ And surely here he playeth the wysest poynte and the moste for hys owne suertye that I sawe hym play yet For ye shall vnderstand that in the fyrste parte of my Confutacyon in the thyrd boke the. clxxx syde for as myche as Tyndale hathe ben so longe out of England that he could not tell howe to vse these englyshe 〈◊〉 naye and no ye and yes I gaue hym a rule and a certayne samples of y e rule wherby he mighte lerne where he shold answere naye and where no and where ye where yes ¶ Nowe mayster Masker whan he wrote hys boke neyther hauynge my boke by hym nor the rule by hart thoughte he wolde be sure that I sholde fynde no suche faute in hym and therfore on the tone syde for the answere assygneth ye and yes both and on the tother syde bothe naye and no leuynge the choyce to my selfe whyche he durst not well take
〈◊〉 in that poynt coulde not saye y e saynt IohnÌ„ spake any thyng therof Which was ynough for my purpose whyle Tyndale was the man agaynste whome I wrote though my selfe wolde for myne owne parte saye the coÌ„trary For yt is y t hyude of argumteÌ„ that is in the scoles called argumentuÌ„ adhomineÌ„ And thus you se good re ders mayster Maskar in this thyng eyther shamefully false or very shamefully folish shamefully false if he perceyued vnderstode my wor des and than for al that thus 〈◊〉 me shamefully foly she yf the thyng beynge spoken by me so playne his wyt wold not serue hym to ê‘ceyue it ¶ But now as clere as ye se the ma ter all redy by this to th eÌ„tent yet that mayster Maskar shal haue no mater left hym in all this word to make any argument of for hys excuse therin rede my wordes agayn good reders and byd maister Maskar marke wel my wordes therin where I saye expressely that saynte IohnÌ„ spake expressely therof in the 〈◊〉 chapyter of his gospel For these wordes are as you se there the very last worde of 〈◊〉 Nor Tyndale can not say that saynt JohnÌ„ speketh any thyng of the sacra ment at all syth that his sect expresse ly denyeth that saynt JohnÌ„ ment the sacrament in his wordes where he speketh expressely therof in the. vi chapyter of his gospell ¶ whose wordes are these where he speketh expressely therof Are not these wordes myne And do I not in these wordes expressely say y t saynte IohnÌ„ expressely speketh of the blessed sacrament in the syxt chapiter of his gospel in whych place Tindals secte saith expressely that he nothyng spake therof And now sath M. mas kar that I sayde there that saynte IohnÌ„ spake nothynge therof at all And layeth it ' for a foule repugnauÌ„ce in me that in my letter agaynst Fryth I saye therof the contrary ¶ But how 〈◊〉 we mayster maskar What haue you nowe to saye wyth 〈◊〉 shameful shyft wyl your sham lesse face face vs oute this folyshe lye of yours that you make vppon me here If you lyed so loude wyttyngly howe can you loke that any man shold trust your worde If for lacke of vnderstandynge howe can you lake than for shame that any man sholde truste your wyt Why sholde we thynke that your wyt wyll perse into the perceyuynge of harde worde in the holy scripture of god whan yt wyll not serue you to perceyue suche pore playne wordes of myne ¶ Ye wryte that the younge man 〈◊〉 here made me done on my spectacles and loke more wyshly on the mater to fynde now writen therin the thyng that I sayde byfore was not wryten therin But nowe muste you loke more wyshely vppon my wordes on whych you make here so loude a lye and pore better on theym wyth your spectacles vppon your Maskars nose ¶ I wyste ones a good felow whyche whyle he daunsed in a maske vppon boldenesse that no man coulde haue knowen hym whan he perceyued that he was well espyed by hys euyll fauored daunsynge he waxed so ashamed sodaynly y e he softly said vnto his felowe I pray you tell me doth not my visour blosh rede Now surely good reders M. maskar here yf he were not vtterly paste shame hathe cause ynough to be in 〈◊〉 poynt so sore ashamed that he myght wene y e glowyng of his vysage shold euyn perse thorow his visor make it rede for shame ¶ Thus haue I now good christen readers answe red at the full in these fyue bokes of my fyrst parte the fyrst part of mays ter maskars worke and taken vp the fyrst course of mayster maskars souper whych he falsely calleth the last souper of the lorde whyle he hathe with his own poysened cokery made yt the souper of the deuyl And yet wold the deuyl I wene dysdayne to haue his souperdressed of such a rude ruffyn suche a scald Colyn coke as vnder the name of a clerke so rybaldyousely rayleth agaynst the blessed bodye of Chryste in the blessed sacra ment of thauter The. iii. chapyter BUt one thynge wyll I yet reherse you that I haue hytherto dyfferred that is to wytte my fyrste argument agaynst fryth whiche as I shewed you before mayster Masker lette go by as he hath done many thynges mo and made as though he saw them not That argument good readers was thys In this heresye besyde the comon fayth of all catholyke chrysten regyons the exposycyoÌ„s of al the old holy doctours sayntes be clere agaynste Fryth as whole as agaynste any heretike that euer was hitherto herd of For as for the wordes of Chryste of whyche we speke touchynge the blessed sacrament though he maye fynd some olde holy men that bysyde the lytteral sence doth expowne theÌ„ in an allegorye yet he shal neuer fynde any of them that dyd as he doth now after wicliffe Ecolampadius Tyndale Sutnglius denye the lyterall sence and say that Chryste ment not that it was his very body hys very bloud in dede but the olde holy doctours exposytours bysyde all suche allegoryes do playnely declare expoune that in those wordes our sauyour as he expressely spake so dyd also well and playnely mene that the thynge whych he there gaue to his discyples in the sacrament was in very dede hys very flesh and bloud And so dyd neuer any of the olde exposytours of scrypture expowne any of those other places in whyche Chryste is called a vyne or a dore And therfore it appereth well that the maner of spekynge was not lyke For yf it had thaÌ„ wold not the olde exposytours haue vsed suche so farre vnlyke 〈◊〉 in the expownynge of them ¶ Thys was lo good readers the fyrste argumeÌ„t of myne that maister Masker mette with and whiche he sholde fyrste therfore haue soyled But it is suche as he lysted lytle to loke vppon For where as he maketh mych a do to haue it seme that bothe these wordes of our sauyour at hys laste souper thys is my body and his wordes of eatynge of his fleshe and drynkynge of his bloude wryten in the syxte chapyter of saynte IohuÌ„ sholde be spoken in a lyke phrase and maner of spekyng as were his other wordes I am the dore and I am the very vyne I shewed there vnto Fryth whome mayster masker maketh as though he wolde defende y t by thexposycyoÌ„s of all the olde holy doctours saynte y t haue expowned all those iiii place before y e differeÌ„ce well appereth syth none of them declare hym to be a very material dore nor a naturall very vine This saith no man not so myche as a very naturall fole But that in the sacrament is his very naturall body his very flesshe and his bloude this declare clerely all the olde holy exposytours of the scrypture whiche were good men and gracyouse wysw and well lerned bothe And therfore as I sayd the differeÌ„ce may sone be perceyued but yf mayster
masker lyste better to byleue hym self than all them which yf he do as in dede he doth than is he myche 〈◊〉 fole than a naturall fole in 〈◊〉 ¶ For as for his iii. places of saynt Austayne Tertulyane and saynte Chrysostome whom he bryngeth in his secunde parte I shall in my secunde parte in takynge vp of his secund course whan we come to frute pare hym I warraunt you those thre perys so nere that he getteth not a good morcell amonge them And yet peraduenture ere I come at it to ¶ For so is it now good reders that I very certaynly knowe that y e boke whiche Fryth made laste agaynst the blessed sacrament ys come ouer into thys realme in prente and secretely sent abrode into the bretherns hands and some good systers to And for as mych as I am surely enformed for trouth that Fryth hath in to that boke of his taken many textes of old holy doctours wylyly handeled by false frere Nuy skyn byfore to make it falsely seme that tholde holy doctours and sayntes were fauerouse of theyr false heresye therfore wyll I for the whyle sette mayster maskers secund part asyde tyll I haue answe red that pestylent peuyshe booke of Iohn̄ Frith about which I purpose to go as soone as I can gete one of them whych so many beyng abrode shall I truste not be longe to And than shal I by the grace and helpe of almyghty god make you the 〈◊〉 the fashed of Fryth and frere Nuys kyn bothe as open and as clere as I haue in thys wurke made open and clere vnto you the falshed and the foly of mayster Masker here ¶ And where as I a yere now passed and more wrote and put in prynte a letter agaynste the pestylent treatyse of Iohn̄ Fryth whyche he than had made and secretely sent abrode amonge the bretherne agaynste the blessed sacrament of th aulter which letter of myne as I haue declared in myn apology I nathelesse caused to be kepte styll and wolde not suffre it to be put out abrode into euery man nes hands bycause Frythes treatyse was not yet at that time in prente yet now sythe I se that there are comen ouer in prente not onely Frythes boke but ouer that this maskers boke also and that eyther of theyr bothe bokes maketh mencyon of my sayde letter and wolde seme to soyle it and laboreth sore there about I do therfore nowe suffre the prenter to putte wyth thys boke my sayd letter also to sale ¶ And for as myche also as those authorytees of saynt Austayn saynt Chrysostome and Turtuliane whych master maysker layeth in hys secunde parte I shall of lykelyhed fynde also in Frythes boke and therfore answere theym there and all mayster Maskers whole mater to before I retourne to his secund part whyche yet I wyll after all thys god wyllyng not leue nor let go so in the meane while may mayster mas kar syth it is ashe saith so great plea sure to hym to be wryten agaynst ha uynge as he bosteth all solucyons so redely loke and assay whither he can soyle these thynges wyth whyche I haue in this fyrst parte ouethrowen his whole heresye and proued hym very playne a very false fole all redye Of whose false wyly foly to be ware our forde geue vs grace and of all suche other lyke whych with folyshe argumentes of they re owne blynde reason wresting the scripture into a wronge sense agaynste the very playn wordes of the text agaynst the xposycyons of all the olde holy sayntes agaynste the determynacyons of dyuers whole generall counsayles agaynste the full consent of all trewe chrysten nacyons this xv hundred yere before theyr days and agaynste the playne declaracyon of almyghty god hym self made in eue ry chrysten coūtrey by so many playn open myracles labour now to make vs so folyshely blynde and madde as to forsake the very trew catholike fayth forsake y e socyetie of the trew catholyque chyrche and wyth fundry sectes of heretike fallē out therof to set both holy dayes fastyng days at nought for the deuyllis pleasure to forbere abstayne from all prayer to be made either for soules or to saynte iest on our blessed lady y e immaculate mother of Chryste make mockes at all pylgrymages and crepynge of Chrystes crosse the holy ceremonyes of the chyrche and the sacramen tes to turne theym into tryflynge wyth lykenynge theym to wyne garlandes and ale polys and fynally by these wayes in the ende and conclusyon forsake our sauyour hym selfe in the blessed sacramente and in stede of his own blessed bodye his blood wene there were nothynge but bare brede and wyne and call it ydolatrye there to do hym honour But woo may suche wreches be For this we may be sure that who so dyshonour god in one place wyth occasyon of a false fayth standynge that false bylyefe and infydelyte all thonour that he dothe hym any where besyde ys odyouse and dyspyghtfull and reiected of god and neuer shall saue that faythlesse soule from the fyre of hel From whcche our lorde geue theym grace trewely to tourne in tyme so that we and they to gether in one catholyque chyrche knytte vnto god to gether in one catholyque fayth fayth I saye not fayth alone as they do but acompanyed wyth good hope and wyth her chyefe syster well workynge charytie maye so receyue Chrystes blessed sacramentes here and specyally that we may so receyue hym selfe his very blessed bodye very fleshe and blood in the blessed sacrament our holy blessed howsyll that we maye here be wyth hym incorporate so by grace that after the shorte course of this transytorye lyfe wyth hys tender pytye powred vppon vs in purgatorye at the prayour of good people and intercessyon of holy sayntes we maye be wyth them in theyr holy felyshyppe incorporate in Chryste in hys eternall glorye Amen Finis The fautes escaped in the prentynge of thys booke In the preface 〈◊〉 pag. 〈◊〉 the fautes y e amendmētes xii ii i. hys syxte the syxte xiii i. xx fashed falshed xv ii iiii fashed falshed In the booke 〈◊〉 i. xvii for the fro the xvii ii xiiii meat mete xix i. ii meat mete xx ii xxii could could not xxi i. xvii 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 xxii i. xiii onele onely xxvii i. xix byddyng byddynge 〈◊〉 xxxii i. xxi furst the the xlviii i. xiiii wpych whych xlviii ii iii. fayth fayth 〈◊〉 ii ix some 〈◊〉 such some such xlviii ii xvii 〈◊〉 it 〈◊〉 xlviii ii xxii hyuynge gyuynge lii i. xxi 〈◊〉 doctout lv i. vii quein quam lxx ii iii. how saynt saynt lxxi ii i. vnto the vn the lxxv i. vi bothe he he bothe lxxxviii ii x. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 lxxxviii il xlii 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ii xi 〈◊〉 chose fo pag. li. the fautes y t amendemētes cii i. xi preasely precysely cviii i. vii such shulde cix ii ix so vouchsaue 〈◊〉 cix ii 〈◊〉 by these by the cx i. vii 〈◊〉 you