Chapter 10

CAR[DINAL]. HYP. AVA. TYR. PHILO.

[CARDINAL.] Go to, Master Zeal,[47] bring forth that heretic, Which doth thus disturb our religion catholic.

HYPOCRISY. Room for my lord's grace! what! no manner reverence, But cap on head, Hodge, and that in a lord's presence?

CARDINAL. What, Master Hypocrisy, I have stayed for you long.

HYPOCRISY [_Aside_]. You were best crowd in, and play us among.

CARDINAL. Where have you been from me so long absent? I appointed to have been here three hours ago, In my consistory to have sat in judgment Of that wretched schismatic that doth trouble us so.

HYPOCRISY. What, have you caught but one, and no mo? In faith, father Avarice, you have plied your chaps well.

AVARICE. I must needs confess that I am paid for my travail.

TYRANNY. Room for the prisoner! what, room on each hand, Or I shall make some out of the way for to stand. Lo, here, my lord, is that seditious schismatic, That we have laid wait for, an arrant heretic.

[_Enter_ PHILOLOGUS.]

CARDINAL. Sit down, Master Hypocrisy, to yield me assistance.

HYPOCRISY. I thank your lordship for your courteous benevolence. I will be the noddy--I should say the notary, To write before my Lord Legate, which is commissary.

CARDINAL. Ah, sirrah! be you he that doth thus disturb The whole estate of our faith catholic? Art thou so expert in God's laws and word, That no man may learn thee, thou arrant heretic? But this is the nature of every schismatic: Be his errors never so false doctrine, He will say by God's word he dare it examine.

PHILOLOGUS. With humble submission to your authority, I pardon crave, if ought amiss I say; For being thus set in peril and extremity, To me unacquainted, my tongue soon trip may: Wherefore excuse me, I do your lordship pray, And I will answer to every demand, According to my conscience, God's word being my warrant.

CARDINAL. To begin therefore orderly: how say'st thou, Philologus, Have I authority to call thee me before? Or, to be short, I will object it thus: Whether hath the Pope, which is Peter's successor, Than all other bishops preheminence more? If not, then it follow that neither he, Nor I which am his legate, to accompts may call thee.

PHILOLOGUS. The question is perilous for me to determine, Chiefly when the party is judge in the cause; Yet, if the whole course of Scripture ye examine, And will be tried by God's holy laws, Small help shall you find to defend the same cause, But the contrary may be proved manifestly, As I in short words will prove to you briefly. The surest ground, whereon your Pope doth stand, Is of Peter's being at Rome a strong imagination, And the same Peter, you do understand, Of all the disciples had the gubernation, Surmising both without good approbation, Unless you will by the name of Babylon, From whence Peter wrote, is understanded Rome. As indeed divers of your writers have affirmed, Reciting Jerome, Austin, Primatius, and Ambrose, Who by their several writings have confirmed That Rome is New Babylon: I may it not glose. But it were better for you they were dumb, I suppose, For they labour to prove Rome by that acception The whore of Babylon, spoke of in the Revelation. But grant that Peter in Rome settled was, Yet that he was chief it remains you to prove; For in my judgment it is a plain case, That if any amongst them to rule it did behove, He should be the chief, whom Christ most did love; To whom he bequeathed his mother most dear, To whom in revelation Christ did also appear. I mean John Evangelist (by birth) cousin-german To our Saviour Christ, as stories do us tell: From whose succession if that you should claim Superiority, you should mend your cause well, For then of some likelihood of truth it should smell, Where none so often as Peter was reproved, Nor from steadfast faith so oftentimes removed. But grant all were true herein you do feign, Mark one proper lesson of a Greek orator: As a good child of his father's wealth is inheritor, So of his father's virtues he must be possessor. Now Peter follows Christ, and all worldly goods forsakes; But the Pope leaveth Christ, and himself to glory takes. And to be short, Christ himself refused to be a king, And the servant above the master may not be; Which being both true, it is a strange thing, How the Pope can receive this pomp and dignity, And yet profess himself Christ's servant to be. Christ will be no king, the Pope will be more: The Pope is Christ's master, not his servant, therefore.

CARDINAL. Ah, thou arrant heretic! I will thee remember. I am glad I know so much as I do: I have weighed thy reasons, and have found them so slender, That I think them not worthy to be answered [to].[48] How say you, Master Hypocrisy?

HYPOCRISY. I also think so; But let him go forward and utter his conscience, And we will a while longer hear him with patience.

CARDINAL. Say on, thou heretic: of the holy Sacrament; Of the body and blood of Christ, what is thine opinion?

PHILOLOGUS. I have not yet finished my former argument.

CARDINAL. Say on, as I bid thee: thou art a stout minion.

PHILOLOGUS. I shall then gladly: it is a sign of union, The which should remain us Christians among, That one should love another all our life long. For as the bread is of many cornels compounded, And the wine from the juice of many grapes do descend, So we, which into Christ our Rock are ingrounded, As into one temple, should cease to contend, Lest by our contention the Church we offend. This was not the least cause, among many more, Which are now omitted, that this Sacrament was given for. The chiefest cause why this Sacrament was ordained, Was the infirmity of our outward man; Whereas salvation to all men was proclaimed, That with true faith apprehend the same can, By the death of Jesus Christ, that immaculate Lamb; That the same might the rather of all men be believed, To the word to add a Sacrament it Christ nothing grieved. And as we the sooner believe that thing true, For the trial whereof more witnesses we find, So by the means of the Sacrament many grew Believing creatures, where before they were blind; For our senses some savour of our faith now do find, Because in the Sacrament there is this analogy, That Christ feeds our souls, as the bread doth our body.

CARDINAL. Ah, thou foul heretic! is there bread in the Sacrament? Where is Christ's body, then, which he did us give?

PHILOLOGUS. I know to the faithful receiver it is there present, But yet the bread remaineth still, I steadfastly believe.

CARDINAL. To hear these his errors it doth me greatly grieve: But that we may shortly to some issue come, In what sense said Christ, _Hoc est corpus meum_?

PHILOLOGUS. Even in the same sense that he said before: _Vos estis sal terrae, Vos estis lux mundi, Ego sum ostium_, and a hundred such more, If time would permit to allege them severally; But that I may the simple sort edify, You ask me in what sense these words I verify, Where Christ of the bread said, "This is my body." For answer herein I ask you this question: Were Christ's disciples into salt transformed When he said, "Ye are the salt of the earth every one," Or when the light of the world he them affirmed? Or himself to be a door when he confirmed? Or to be a vine, did his body then change? If not then, why now? this to me seemeth strange.

CARDINAL. Why, dost thou doubt of Christ his omnipotency, But what so he willeth doth so come to pass?

PHILOLOGUS. God keep me and all men from such a frenzy, As to think anything Christ's power to surpass, When his will to his power joined was; But where his will wanteth, his power is ineffectual: As Christ can be no liar, God cannot be mortal. Set down therefore some proof of his will That he would be made bread, and then I recant.

CARDINAL. This caitiff mine ears with wind he doth fill: His words both truth and reason doth want. Christ's word is his will; this must thou needs grant.

PHILOLOGUS. He spake the word likewise, when he said, "I am the door," Was his body transformed into timber therefore?

CARDINAL. Nay, if thou beest obstinate, I will say no more. Have him hence to prison, and keep him full sure: I will make him set by my friendship more store. But hearest thou, Zeal? go first and procure Some kind of new torment which he may not endure.

TYRANNY. I am here in readiness to do your commandment, And will return hither again incontinent.

HYPOCRISY. At thy return bring hither Sensual Suggestion, That, if need be, he may us assist, Lest that both I and Careful Provision The zeal of Philologus may not fully resist; But he in his obstinacy doth still persist: To put him to death would accuse us of tyranny; But if we could win him, he should do us much honesty.

TYRANNY. I hear you, and will fulfil your words speedily. [_Exit_ TYRANNY.

HYPOCRISY. Good Master Philologus, I pity your case, To see you so foolish yourself to undo: I durst yet promise to purchase you grace, If you would, at length, your errors forego. Therefore, I pray you, be not your own foe.

PHILOLOGUS. Call you those errors which the gospel defends? I know not, then, whence true d[o]ctrine descends.

CARDINAL. Nay, Master Hypocrisy, you spend time in vain To reason with him: he will not be removed.

AVARICE. Had I so much to live by, as he hath certain, I would not lose that which I so well loved.

CARDINAL. He stands in his reputation: he will not be reproved; And that is the cause that he is so obstinate: [_To Phil_.] But I shall well enough thy courage abate.

PHILOLOGUS. I humbly beseech you of Christian charity, You seek not of purpose my blood for to spill; For if I have displeased your authority, In reasonable causes redress it I will: But in this respect I fear I should kill My soul for ever, if against my conscience I should to the Pope's laws acknowledge obedience.

HYPOCRISY. Cease from those words, if your safety you love: As though no man had a soul more than you. Such nips, perchance, my lord's patience will move; Then would you please him, if that you wist how. But if you will be ruled by my honesty, I vow I will do the best herein that I can, Because you seem to be a good gentleman.

AVARICE. Were it not better for you to live at ease, And spend that merrily which earst you have got, Than by your own folly yourself to disease, And bring you to trouble, which other men seek not?

HYPOCRISY. In faith, Philologus, your zeal is too hot, Which will not be quench'd, but with your heart-blood; If I were so zealous, I would think myself wood.

CARDINAL. Tush! it will not be: he thinks we do but jest. Wherefore, that some trial of my mind he may have, That Careful Provision should go I think best Into the town, and there assistance crave, His house for to enter, and his goods for me save: Lest when his wife know that they be confiscate, Into other men's keeping the same she doth dissipate.

HYPOCRISY. You speak very wisely in my simple judgment: Therefore you were best to send him away.

CARDINAL. Go to, Careful Provision, depart incontinent, And fulfil the words which I to you say.

AVARICE. Of pardon herein I do your lordship pray. You doubt not, I trust, of my willing mind, Which herein is most ready, you always shall find: For who is more ready by fraud to purloin Other men's goods than I am each where? But lest some man at me should chance to foin, And kill me at once, I greatly do fear. I had rather persuade him his folly to forbear.

CARDINAL. Prove then, if thou canst do him any good: He shall not say that we seek his blood.

AVARICE. Ah, Master Philologus! you see your own case, That both life and goods are in my lord's will: Therefore you were best to sue for some grace, And be content his words to fulfil. If you neglect this, hence straightway I will, And all your goods I will sure confiscate: Then will you repent it, when it is too late.

PHILOLOGUS. My case indeed I see most miserable, As was Susanna betwixt two evils placed; Either to consent to sin most abhominable, Or else in the world's sight to be utterly disgraced; But as she her chastity at that time embraced, So will I now spiritual whoredom resist, And keep me a true virgin to my loving spouse Christ.

AVARICE. Wilt thou then neglect the provision of thy household? Thou art therefore worse than an infidel is.

PHILOLOGUS. That you abuse God's word, to say I dare be bold, And the saying of Paul you interpret amiss.

CARDINAL. I never saw the like heretic that this is. Away, Careful Provision, about your business.

AVARICE. Sith there is no remedy, I am here in readiness. [_Exit_ AVARICE. PHILOLOGUS. I beseech your lordship, even from the heart-root, That you would vouchsafe, for my contentation, To approve unto me by God's holy book Some one of the questions of our disputation: For I will hear you with heart's delectation, Because I would gladly to your doctrine consent, If that I could so my conscience content. But my conscience crieth out, and bids me take heed To love my Lord God above all earthly gain; Whereby all this while I stand in great dread, That if I should God's statutes disdain, In wretched state then I should remain. Thus crieth my conscience to me continually, Which if you can stay, I will yield to you gladly.

CARDINAL. I can say no more than I have done already. Thou heardest that I called thee heretic and fool: If thou wilt not consent to me, and that speedily, With a new master thou shalt go to school.

HYPOCRISY. Thou hast no more wit, I see, than this stool, Far unfit to dispute and reason with my lord: He can subdue thee with fire and sword quite with one word.

TYRANNY.[49] Come follow apace, Sensual Suggestion, Or else I will leave you to come all alone.

SUGGESTION. You go in haste, you make expedition: Nay, if you run so fast, I will none. This little journey will make me to groan. I use not to trouble myself in this wise, And now to begin I do not advise.

TYRANNY. Have I not plied me, which am come again so soon, And yet have finished such sundry business? I have caused many pretty toys to be done, So that now I have each thing in readiness.

CARDINAL. What, Master Zeal, you are praiseworthy, doubtless. Art thou prepared this gentleman to receive? He will roast a fagot, or else he me deceive.

TYRANNY. In simple manner I will him entertain, Yet must he take it all in good part; And though his diet be small, he may not disdain, Nor yet contemn the kindness of my heart: For though I lack instruments to put him to smart, Yet shall he abide in a hellish black dungeon: As for blocks, stocks, and irons, I warrant him want none.

HYPOCRISY. Well, farewell Philologus, you hear of your lodging. I would yet do you good, if that I wist how.

CARDINAL. Let him go, Hypocrisy; stand not all day dodging: You have done too much for him, I make God avow.

HYPOCRISY. Stay; for Suggestion doth come yonder now. Come on, lazy lubber, you make but small haste: Had you stayed a while longer, your coming had been waste.

SUGGESTION. You know of myself I am not very quick, Because that my body I do so much tender; For Sensual Suggestion will quickly be sick, If that his own ease he should not remember. Thus one cause of my tarriance to you I do render: Another I had as I came by the way, Which did me the longer from your company stay.

HYPOCRISY. What was that, Suggestion? I pray thee to us utter, For I am with child, till that I do it hear.

SUGGESTION. A certain gentlewoman did murmur and mutter, And for grief of mind her hair she did tear: She will at last kill herself, I greatly do fear.

HYPOCRISY. What is the cause why this grief she did take?

SUGGESTION. Because her husband her company did forsake. Her children also about her did stand, Sobbing and sighing, and made lamentation, Knocking their breasts, and wringing their hand, Saying they are brought to utter desolation By the means of their father's wilful protestation; Whose goods, they say, are already confiscate, Because he doth the Pope's laws violate. And indeed I saw Avarice standing at the door, And a company of ruffians assisting him there.

PHILOLOGUS. Alas, alas! this pincheth my heart full sore. Mine evils he doth declare, mine own woe I do hear, Wherefore from tears I cannot forbear.

HYPOCRISY. Ha, ha! doth this touch you, Master Philologus? You need not have had it, being rul'd by us.

SUGGESTION. Why, what is he thus, Master Hypocrisy, That taketh such sorrow at the words which I spake?

HYPOCRISY. One that is taken and convinced of heresy,[50] And, I fear me much, will burn at a stake: Yet to reclaim him much pains would I take, And have done already, howbeit in vain. I would crave thine assistance, were it not to thy pain.

SUGGESTION. I will do the best herein that I can: Yet go thou with me to help at a need. [_To Phil_.] With all my heart, God save you, good gentleman, To see your great sorrow my heart doth wellnigh bleed. But what is the cause of your trouble and dread? Disdain not to me your secret to tell: A wise man sometime of a fool may take counsel.

PHILOLOGUS. Mine estate, alas! is now most lamentable, For I am but dead, whichever side I take: Neither to determine herein am I able, With good advice mine election to make, The worse to refuse, and the best for to take: My spirit covets the one; but alas! since your presence, My flesh leads my spirit therefro by violence. For at this time, I being in great extremity, Either my Lord God in heart to reject, Or else to be oppressed by the legate's authority, And in this world to be counted an abject, My lands, wife, and children also to neglect: This later part to take my spirit is in readiness, But my flesh doth subdue my spirit doubtless.

SUGGESTION. Your estate, perhaps, seemeth to you dangerous, The rather because you have not been used To incur beforetime such troubles perilous, But to your power such evils have refused: Howbeit, of two evils the least must be choosed: Now which is the least evil, we will shortly examine, That which part to take yourself may determine. On the right hand, you say, you see God's just judgment, His wrath and displeasure on you for to fall, And instead of the joys of heaven ever permanent, You see for your stipend the torments infernal.

PHILOLOGUS. That is it indeed which I fear most of all; For Christ said: fear not them which the body can annoy, But fear him which the body and soul can destroy.

SUGGESTION. Well, let that lie aside awhile as it is, And on the other side make the like inquisition: If on the left side you fall, then shall you not miss But to bring your body to utter perdition; For at man's hand, you know, there is no remission. Beside, your children fatherless, your wife desolate, Your goods and possessions to other men confiscate.

PHILOLOGUS. Saint Paul to the Romans hath this worthy sentence: I accompt the afflictions of this world transitory, Be they never so many, in full equivalence Cannot countervail those heavenly glory, Which we shall have through Christ his propitiatory. I also accompt the rebukes of our Saviour Greater gains to me than this house full of treasure.

SUGGESTION. You have spoken reasonably; but yet, as they say, One bird in the hand is worth two in the bush; So you, now enjoying these worldly joys, may Esteem the other as light as a rush: Thus may you 'scape this perilous push.

PHILOLOGUS. Yea, but my salvation to me is most certain; Neither doubt I that I shall suffer this in vain.

SUGGESTION. Is your death meritorious, then, in God's sight, That you are so sure to attain to salvation?

PHILOLOGUS. I do not think so; but my faith is full pight In the mercies of God, by Christ's mediation; By whom I am sure of my preservation.

SUGGESTION. Then to the faithful no hurt can accrue, But what so he worketh, good end shall ensue.

PHILOLOGUS. Our Saviour Christ did say to the tempter, When he did persuade him from the pinnacle to fall, And said, he might safely that danger adventure, Because that God's angels from hurt him save shall: See that thy Lord God thou tempt not at all. So I, though persuaded of my sins' free remission, May not commit sin upon this presumption.

CARDINAL. What, have you not yet done your foolish tattling With that froward heretic! I will then away: If you will tarry to hear all his prattling, He would surely keep you most part of the day. It is now high dinner-time, my stomach doth say; And I will not lose one meal of my diet, Though thereon did hang an hundred men's quiet.

SUGGESTION. By your lordship's patience, one word with him more, And then, if he will not, I give him to Tyranny.

HYPOCRISY. I never saw my lord so patient before, To suffe[r] one to speak for himself so quietly; But you were not best to trust to his courtesy: It is evil waking of a dog that doth sleep. While you have his friendship, you were best it to keep.

CARDINAL. I promise thee, Philologus, by my vowed chastity, If thou wilt be ruled by thy friends that be here, Thou shalt abound in wealth and prosperity, And in the country chief rule thou shalt bear, And a hundred pounds more thou shalt have in the year. If thou will this courtesy refuse, Thou shalt die incontinent: the one of these choose.

SUGGESTION. Well, sith it is no time for us to debate In formal[51] manner what is in my mind, I will at once to thee straight demonstrate Those worldly joys which here thou shalt find. And for because thou art partly blind, In this respect look through this mirror, And thou shalt behold an unspeakable pleasure. [_Shows him a mirror_.

PHILOLOGUS. O peerless pleasures, O joys unspeakable, O worldly wealth, O palaces gorgeous, O fair children, O wife most amiable; O pleasant pastime, O pomp so glorious, O delicate diet, O life lascivious; O dolorous death which would me betray, And my felicity from me take away! I am fully resolved without further demur[52] In these delights to take my whole solace; And what pain soever hereby I incur, Whether heaven or hell, whether God's wrath or grace, This glass of delight I will ever embrace. But one thing most chiefly doth trouble me here: My neighbours inconstant will compt me, I fear.

HYPOCRISY. He that will seek each man to content Shall prove himself at last most unwise. Yourself to save harmless think it sufficient, And weight not the people's clamorous outcries. Yet their mouths to stop I can soon devise: Say that the reading of the works of St Self-love And Doctor Ambition did your errors remove. And hark in thine[53] ear, delay no more time: The sooner the better in end you will say. [_Aside_.] We have now caught him as bird is in lime.[54]

TYRANNY. Come on, sirs; have ye done? I would fain away.

HYPOCRISY. Go even when you will, we do you not stay. Philologus hath drunk such a draught of hypocrisy, That he minds not to die yet; he will master this malady.

CARDINAL. Come on, Master Philologus: are you grown to a stay? I am glad to hear that you become tractable.

PHILOLOGUS. If it please your lordship, I say even what you say, And confess your religion to be most allowable. Neither will I gainsay your customs laudable: My former follies I utterly renounce; That myself was an heretic, I do here pronounce.

CARDINAL. Nay, Master Philologus, go with me to my palace, And I shall set down the form of recantation, Which you shall read on Sunday next in open place. This done, you shall satisfy our expectation, And shall be set free from all molestation: Into the bosom of the Church we will you take, And some high officer therein will you make.

PHILOLOGUS. I must first request your lordship's favour, That I may go home my wife for to see, And I will attend on you within this hour.

CARDINAL. Nay, I may not suffer you alone to go free, Unless one of these your surety will be.

SUGGESTION. I, Sensual Suggestion, for him will undertake.

CARDINAL. Very well, take him to you: your prisoner I him make. Come you, Master Hypocrisy, and bear me company, Or else I am sure no meat I should eat; And go before, Zeal, to see each thing ready, That, when we once come, we stay not for meat.

HYPOCRISY. With small suit hereto you shall me intreat.

[_Exit_ TYRANNY.

CARDINAL. Farewell, Philologus, and make small delay: Perhaps of our dinners for you I will stay.

[_Exeunt_ CARDINAL _and_ HYPOCRISY.

SUGGESTION. Had not you been a wise man, yourself to have lost, And brought your whole family to wretched estate! Where now of your blessedness yourself you may boast, And of all the country accompt yourself fortunate.

PHILOLOGUS. Such was the wit of my foolish pate. But what do we stay so long in this place? I shall not be well, whilst I am with my Lord's grace.

[_Exeunt_.