Familiar Colloquies/The Sermon
THE SERMON.
Hilary and Levimis.
Hi. Good God ! what monsters there are in the world ! What, men in holy orders to be ashamed of nothing ! why certainly they think they are talking to mushrooms, and not to men. Le. What is that which Hilary mutters to himself 1 ? I fancy he is making verses. Hi. What would I give had I but the stopping of that babbler's nasty mouth with a turd 1 Le. I will speak to him. How now ? what, Hilary not merry ! Hi. You are come in very good time, Levinus, for me to discharge myself of this uneasiness too. Le. If you discharge your stomach, I had rather you should do it into a bason than upon me. But, prithee, what is the matter, and where have you been 1 Hi. Been ! I have been hearing a sermon. Le. But what should a poet concern himself with sermons for 1 ? Hi. I have no aversion to holy duties, but I have happened to drop into this performance, which is to be called so in the sense that Virgil calls avarice so ; but it is such sort of Billingsgate parsons as these that are the occasion that I seldom go to church.
Le. But where was this sermon preached ] Hi. In the cathedral. Le. What, in the afternoon? Men commonly take a nap after dinner. Hi. I wish all that were hearing that babbler had been asleep, for he was scarce fit to preach to a flock of geese. Le. A goose is a noisy creature. But they say St. Francis once preached to a sisterhood of little birds, who heard him with a great deal of attention. But, prithee tell me do they use to preach on Satirdays 1 Hi, Yes, they do in honour of the Virgin Mary ; for Christ's day is on Sunday, and it is meet the mother should be served first. Le. What was the text 1 Hi. He went through the song of the Virgin Mary. Le. That is a very common argument. Hi. The fitter for him that preached upon it, for I believe he never learned any argument but this ; as they say, there are some priests who can say no part of the common prayer but the service for the dead. Le. Well, then, let him be called the magnificat preacher, or, if you will, the magnificatarian. But what sort of a fellow is he ? what habit does he wear 1 Hi. He is a wolf in sheep's clothing.
Le. What house did he come out of? Hi. The Franciscans. Le. How say you, a Franciscan 1 what, one of that holy order 1 It may be he is one of those that are called Gaudentes, that wear garments of a brown colour, whole shoes, a white girdle, and make no scruple (I tremble to speak it) to touch money with their bare fingers. Hi. Nay, none of them, I will assure you ; but of those that call themselves Observants, that wear ash-coloured garments, hempen girdles, cut and slashed shoes, and would rather commit murder than touch money without gloves. Le. It is no strange thing for a nettle to grow in a rose-bed ; but who brought this fool upon the stage ? Hi. You would say so the rather if you were but to see the buffoon. He was a swing- ing great fellow, with a red face, a paunch gut, and a hopper arse. You would take him to be a master of the science, and one that I verily believe drinks more than one pint of wine at a meal. Le. But how can one come by so much wine that has no money to buy it 1 Hi. King Ferdinand allows- them four pints a day out of his cellar. Le. A bounty, indeed, very ill bestowed. But it may be he was a man of learning. Hi. Nothing in the world but impudence and noise. Le. But how came Ferdinand to be so much out of the way as to bestow his bounty upon a blockhead 1 Hi. Why, to tell you in brief, his pious inclination and bounteous disposition led him aside ; he was recommended to him, and he was one of them that carried his head upon his right shoulder. Le. So Christ hung upon the cross ? But was there a great auditory ? Hi. How could it be otherwise at Augsburg, in the great church there, where there was so great a con- course of sovereign princes, whom the Emperor Charles had drawn together from all parts of Germany, Italy, Spain, and England ? And besides, there were a great many men of learning present at the sermon, especially of the courtiers. Le. I should wonder if such a swine should produce anything worthy of such an auditory. Hi. I will assure you he did produce a great many things worthy of himself. Le. What were they, prithee I but first, pray tell me his name. Hi. That is not convenient. Li. Why so, Hilary ] Hi. I do not love to gratify such fellows. Le. Prithee, hold thy tongue. Is that a gratifying of them to expose them 1 He. It is the greatest gratification in the world to them to become noted, be it by what means it will. Le. Well, do but tell me the name ; I will not mention it again. Hi. He is called Merdardus. Le. Merdardus ! phoo, I know him very well ; he is the very same man that lately at an entertainment called our Erasmus a devil. Hi. He did so ; but however, he was taken up for it ; for those that were the most favourable to him took it to be the effect of his wine, and looked upon it accordingly. Le. But what excuse had he when he was reproved for it 1 Hi. He said he did not speak it seriously. Le. Seriously ] how should he, when he had neither seriousness nor sense in him 1
Hi. But it is, in my opinion, and also of all learned men, an insufferable thing that this nasty fellow should set forth his nasty ware so publicly in so venerable a place, before such an auditory, and in the hearing of so many great princes. Le. I am with child to hear what it was he said. Hi. He foolishly raved against our Erasmus, saying a great many scurvy things of him, the substance of which was as follows : There is, says he, in our days a new upstart doctor called Erasmus. My tongue failed me, I would have said Asinus. Then he informed the people what Asinus signified in the German tongue. Le. A very comical fancy ! Hi, Was it so very comical, do you think ? I think it was rather very foolish. Le. Was it not very comical that such an ass as he should call anybody ass, and much less Erasmus ? I am confident had Erasmus been there he would not have forborne laughing. Hi. In truth, he resembles an ass as much by his stupidity as he does by the colour of his clothes. Le. I believe all Arcadia does not produce an ass that is so much of an ass, or better deserves to be fed with hay than he does. Hi. In short, he is Apuleius turned inside out ; for Apuleius hid a man under the form of an ass, but this fellow hides an ass under the shape of a man. Le. In short, we make so many of these asses pampered with wine and dainties, that it is no wonder if they bite and kick all that come near them.
Hi. This doctor ass, says he. presumes to correct the Magnificat, notwithstanding it is a song of the Holy Spirit's own inditin^, pro- nounced by the mouth of the most holy Virgin herself. Le. I know the proverb of the brothers. Hi. And then he sets it out in words as though it was the utmost pitch of blasphemy. Le. Now my heart aches for fear of the crime committed. Hi. Why, he said Erasmus had translated that which the church uses in the litany in these words : Quia respexit Dominus humilitalem ancillce sute, thus, Qui respexit vilitatem ancillce suce Because the Lord hath regarded the low- liness of his handmaid ; he has translated it, The Lord hath regarded the vileness of his handmaid. And that word sounds worse in hih Dutch than it does in Latin. Le. Who will not own that it were a horrid blasphemy for any one to call the most holy mother of Christ (who was higher in dignity than the angels themselves) a vile hand- maid 1 Hi. Why, suppose any one should call the apostles them- selves unprofitable servants? Le. I would find faggots to burn such a blasphemer. Hi. What if any one should say that famous apostle Paul was unworthy the name of an apostle 1 Le. I would have him burned for a heretic. " Hi. And yet Christ himself, that teacher who cannot be refuted, taught His apostles to speak after this manner : " When you have done whatsoever is commanded you, say, we are unprofitable servants." And St. Paul, not unmindful of this command, says of himself, " I am the least of all the apostles, and not worthy the name of an apostle." Le. Ay, but when godly men say such things of themselves, it is their modesty, than which nothing is more well- pleasing to God. But if anybody else should say such things of them, especially such as are gone to heaven, it would be blasphemy. HI. You have made out the matter finely; then, if Erasmus has said that the adorable Virgin was a vile handmaid of the Lord's, there is nobody but would say this was impiously spoken. But inasmuch as she speaks of herself after that manner, it is for her glory, and furnishes us with an example of modesty ; because as whatsoever we are, we are by the grace of God; so the greater any person is, the more humbly he ought to behave himself.
Le. I agree with you so far. But those persons when they say they correct, intend to corrupt or falsify. But then we ought to see whether the word vilitas answers to the Greek word that Luke made use of. Hi. For that very purpose I made haste from the ser- mon to consult the text. Le. Pray, let me hear what you gathered thence. Hi. The words which Luke, by the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, writ with his holy fingers, are thus, ort iir&Xfipsv twi rrv TairiivMcriv re EovXovg O.VTOV', our Erasmus has translated, Quia respexit ad humilitatem ancillce suce. He only adds the preposition, which Luke himself did not leave out ; which is no inelegant Latin, nor is super- fluous as to the sense. Terence in Phormio speaks in the same form, Respice ad me. But in the annotations we find Luke rather said, aspice ad me, than respice ad me. Le. Why, then, is there any differ- ence between respicere and aspicere? Hi, Not very much; but there is some. He respioit, who, turning his head, looks at those things that are behind him; he aspicit, who simply looks upon. As in Terence, Phaedra looks upon Thais coming out of doors, saying, Totus, Parmeno, tremo horreoque postquam aspexi hanc. But the brother Chserea speaks thus, Cum hue respicio ad virginem ; for he had turned himself toward the old man, and when he had done, turned his body back again to the maid. But yet sometimes respicere is used for to have regard to, or care of anything, either coming on us, or that is present. So the satirist uses it
Respicere extremse jussit spatia ultima vitse.
For death follows us as pressing upon our backs, at which we look back as often as we think of it. And Terence says, Respice senectutem suam. Therefore, he that being intent upon anything else, does not take care of his children, is said non respicere illos ; and on the other hand, he that throwing off other cares, turns his thoughts this way, is very elegantly said respicere. But God at one view sees all things past, present, and to come ; but yet in the holy scriptures he speaks to us after the manner of men. He is said aversari those whom He rejects, respicere those whom He bestows His favour upon, after having seemed to neglect them for some time. But Luke had expressed this more fully, if he had said aTrcSXt^Ei' ; now we read it tTrt&Xtifrtv ; but read which you will, the sense is much the same. Le. But then the pre- position repeated seems to be superfluous.
Hi. It is certain" the Latins speak in this manner, Accessit ad me appulit animum ad scribendum. I do not think the preposition is superfluous in this sentence ; for he may be said respicere who happens to look back, directing his sight to no particular object ; but when it is expressed respexit ad me, there is a peculiar favour of the person's being willing to succour tins or that person expressed. So aspicirmis, things sometimes that come in the way by chance, that we have no certain care of, nay, even those things that we have no mind to see. But whosoever ad aliquem aspicit, is in a peculiar manner attent to that which he beholds. And then again, aspicimus, we behold many things at once ; but not aspicimus, we have regard to many things at once. Therefore, the Holy Spirit designing to signify to us. a singular favour toward the holy Virgin, thus expresses it by her own mouth, Quia respexit ad humilitatem ancillce suce. He turns away his eyes from those that are lifted up, and great in their own opinions, and fixes them upon her who is very low in her own eyes. Nor is it to be doubted but there were a great many learned, mighty, rich, and noble persons who hoped for the Messiah to come of their stock ; but, God despising them, turned the eyes of His most merciful favour upon a virgin of an obscure character, mean in the world, married to a carpenter, and not enriched with any offspring.
Le. But I hear nothing all this while of vilitas (vileness). Hi. That was the sycophant's own word, and none of Erasmus's. Le. But perhaps he uses the word vilitas in the annotations. Hi. No ; not at all. Indeed, upon the word rcnrtiviiHnv he very modes.tly observes thus, Ut intelligas parvitatem, non animi virtutem ; sitque sensus, etsi sim infima ancilla, tamen non est aversatus me Dominus, that thou mayest understand it of meanness, not of the virtue of the mind ; and the meaning must be, although I be a very mean handmaid, yet the Lord hath not disdained me. Le. If this is true, and so pious, what is it that these wild asses bray at 1
Hi. Why, it is ignorance of the Latin tongue that makes them cause this disturbance. Humility with the ancients, who spoke most correctly, did not signify that virtue of the mind that is opposite to arrogance, and is called .modesty, but a meaner sort of con- dition ; in that sense that we call ignoble, poor, private, and despised persons, humiles, as if we should say humi repentes. And as when speaking to great personages we say, We entreat your highness to do me the favour, so they who, speaking of themselves, would extenuate their own circumstances, use to say, We pray that out of your humanity you would assist our humilitatem (low estate). For the emphasis of pronouns primitive carries in it oftentimes a sort of arrogancy; as I say, I will cause. So that the maiden two ways very modestly both extenuates her own condition and extols the munificence of the Divine Being, not being content to style herself a handmaid, but also a humile one, one of the meanest circumstances. According to the old proverb, there is difference in servants ; so in maid-servants, one is better than another as to the dignity of their office a waiting- gentlewoman is more honourable than a laundrymaid.
Le. But I wonder that Merdardus should not be acquainted with that form of expression, seeing I myself have often heard the Francis- cans thus speaking, mea parvitas (my meanness) gives you thanks for this noble entertainment. Hi. Some of them would not be out of the way if they said mea pravitas (my naughtiness). But because the Greek word Tcnruvotfrgoavvr) seems to express something more than the Latin word modestia, Christians have chose rather to iise the word humilitas (humility) than modestia (modesty), that is, they had rather speak significantly than elegantly; for he is said to be modest that thinks moderately of himself, arrogating nothing to himself more than he deserves. But the commendation of TairfivoQpOGvvri (humility) belongs only to him that ascribes less to himself than he hath. Le. But then there is danger, while we affect to be modest we happen to be vain. Hi. How so 1 Le. Why, if Paul spoke truth in saying, I am not worthy to be called an apostle, and if Mary said truly that she was a mean handmaid, that is, one of the meanest circum- stances, then they run the hazard of lying who set them out in so magnificent titles. Hi. My good friend, here is no great danger in that, for when we set out good men or women with praises, in that we speak forth the goodness of God to them; but when they debase themselves they have an eye to what their own strength and merits are, if it were not for the grace of God. Nor is it of necessity a lie if any one does not lay claim to what he has; if he speaks as he thinks it can at most be but a mistake; it cannot be called a downright lie, and God is pleased when we are in this error.
Le. Paul, who denies that he was worthy to be called an apostle, in another place speaks very magnificently of himself, recounting his performances: "I have," saith he, " laboured more than all, and those who seem to be something have added nothing to me." Whereas we do not read the holy Virgin said anything of this nature. Hi. But Paul calls these performances his infirmities by which the power of God was manifested, and likewise calls the mention of them folly, to which he was compelled by the wickedness of some false apostles, who had rendered it necessary for him to lay claim to his apostolical authority ; not that he delighted in human glory, but because it was expedient for the gospel, the dispensation of which was committed to him. The Virgin had not the same reason, she had not the office of preaching the gospel committed to her. Besides, the utmost decency and modesty became her as a woman, as a virgin, and as the mother of Jesus.
Now I come to the original of this error. They that do not under- stand Latin think humility signifies nothing but a notable modesty, when it is often made use of as to place or condition, and not as to any virtue of the mind; and sometimes it is so applied to the mind as to signify that which is blameworthy. Le. What, in the holy scrip- tures? Hi. Yes; here is a place for you in the Epistle of Paul to the Colossians, chap. ii. ver. 18, "Let no man seduce you in a volun- tary humility and worshipping of angels." Nor is it in this place fv Tairstvwcrei, which is the word that is in the Virgin's song, but iv rairfiivofypoavvr]. The place, I confess, has something of difficulty in it, but I take that to be the genuine sense of it that learned men have accurately given it : Be ye not of so low and abject a mind, as, having once dedicated yourselves to Christ, the only author of salvation, to suffer yourselves to hope for salvation from angels, whom some pretend to have appeared to them. Be ye of so high a mind as that if any angel, who really came from heaven, should preach any other gospel than that which Christ hath delivered, let him be accursed as a wicked angel and an enemy to Christ. Much less is it fit that you should be of such abject minds as to suffer yourselves to be led away from Christ by their feigned apparitions. To hope for salvation from Christ alone is religion, to expect it from angels or saints is superstition. Paul, therefore, means that it is the part of an abject mind, and not that exalted mind of Christ, to swerve aside to the fictitious apparitions of angels, and it is the part of a mean mind to be led about by every- body's persuasion. Here you see that Tairtivofypoavvri is used in a bad sense. Le. I see it.
Hi. Again, in the same chapter, " After the commandments and doctrines of men, which things have indeed a show of wisdom in will- worship and humility." Here again raTrtivotypocrvvri is used in a bad sense. Le. It is plain. Hi. Again, in 1 Peter v. it is used for that virtue which is contrary to pride, rr/y rairtivofypocrvviiv ijKOfjifiwaaaOE, for which we read " be clothed with humility." And again, in Philip- pians ii., ry raTravo^pocruvrj aAA/;Aouc fiyov/uevot UTrep^oi/rae laurwi/, " In lowliness of mind let every one esteem another better than him- self." Le. You have made it out that rcnrfivotypoavvri is used both ways, when the Romans use modestia only by way of commendation ; but can you prove that Tcnrei voxrte is used for modesty ] Hi. There is no absurdity in using of it so. There is nothing hinders but that we may attribute submission and lowliness to the mind; but whether or no it be so used in the holy scriptures I cannot tell. Le. Consider if St. James uses it in that sense or not, James L 9, 10, "Let the brother of low degree rejoice in that he is exalted, but the rich in that he is made low."
Hi. In that place it is ev Tcnreivutcrei, not TaTrsivot^pocriivr]. And if you will needs have it, that here humility is taken for modesty, it follows of consequence that we must take exaltation for pride, and then arises a twofold absurdity. For as he is no modest man that boasts of his modesty and brags of himself, so also he is doubly arro- gant that glories in his pride. Le. What, then, does the apostle mean ? Hi. He commands equality among Christians. The poor man is said to be low, in that he is of a meaner fortune ; the rich man. is said to be high in the eye of the world, because of the splendour of his fortune. This rich man debases himself to the condition of a poor man, and the poor man is raised to be equal with the rich man. They have both of them something to glory in the one rejoices in his helping the necessity of the poor with his riches; the other glories in the name of Christ, that He has inspired such a spirit into the rich. Le. But all this while the rich man enjoys the commendation of his modesty too. Hi. Perhaps he may, but it does not thence follow that TaTriivwaig signifies modesty. For there are some persons who bestow a great deal upon the poor that they may gain a good name among men. But, indeed, both of them may be modest if they are truly pious: the rich man, when it is not burdensome to him, for Christ's sake, to be made equal with the poor; and the poor man, that he does not become puffed p with the honour conferred upon him, but, giving thanks to Christ, glories in Him. It is beyond dispute that Tcnriivwaic; is fre- quently used in the holy scriptures to signify that lowliness of mind or dejection which proceeds from affliction or infirmity. Thus Paul, in Philippians iii., " Who shall change our vile bodies," TairtivtsHJiwQ. Jn like manner in Psalm ix. 13, "Consider my trouble which I suffer of them that hate me," Tcnrtivajaiv. And again, in Psalm i. 28, " This , hath comforted me in mine humility," lv Tairfivwati, that is to say, in affliction. There are a great many texts of the like kind too many to be mentioned here. Therefore, as rairtivog may be metaphorically expressed TairtivfMppovwv, that is, of a modest mind, and not puffed up; so it will be no strange thing for any one to use Tcnrtivwaif; for .Tairiivo<ppoavvri, if we speak according to the scripture phrase. But as for those who will have it that rairilvwat^ signifies modesty of mind in the song of the Virgin Mary, and at the same time do in like manner interpret what we read, Gen. xxix., " The Lord hath looked upon my affliction," rcnrttvwaiv ', Leah does not boast of her modesty, but in that, by reason of her deformity, she was less pleasing to her husband, she calls her affliction. After the same manner in Deuter- onomy xxvi., " And looked on our affliction, and our labour, and our oppression." Does he not call rairtivwaiv affliction?
Le. What is in their minds, then who in the song of the Vii-gin interpret rairtivwaiQ modesty of mind ? Hi. I can give no reason for it, but that our divines neglect the knowledge of language, and the study of the Latin tongue and the ancient fathers, who cannot be thoroughly understood without these helps. And add to this, it is a hard matter to remove prejudice when once it is fixed in the mind, And, besides, you see some persons attribute so much to the maxims of schools, that they will rather reduce the scripture to them, than correct their human notions by it. Le. But that is more absurd than what we read of the Lesbian rule ? Hi. Bede, the monk, no very grave author, whensoever he departs from the received opinions in relation to the word rcnrtivwaii; makes mention of pride. But Theo- phylact, a Greek writer, who formed his notions chiefly from the most approved Greek writers, denies that TwrilvtoaiQ is here to be taken for a virtue. But what need is there to have recourse to authority, when the common opinion of men rejects that interpretation ?
Hi, You say very well, for inasmuch as modesty is, as it were, the perfection and defendress of all virtues, it would be immodesty in any one to praise himself for it. I will allow that this virtue was most perfect and incomparable in the holy Virgin (I mean Christ excepted) ; but in this very thing she is the more commendable for modesty, in that she does not praise herself, but acknowledging her own meanness, ascribes the greatness of the mystery to divine mercy. Mary, say they, for her modesty deserved to be the mother of God. I will allow this to be true in a sense; but pray what modesty is it for the Virgin to say this of herself? Le. Nay, more than that, the very tenor of the song declares that she speaks of her own unworthiness, and therefore thus begins, " My soul doth magnify the Lord." But she that shall say, I deserve to be the mother of God for my modesty, magnifies herself and not the Lord, and therefore anon she adds, " For, behold, from hencefoi'th all generations shall call me blessed." Behold signifies the thing was sudden and unexpected. He does not expect to have the highest of honours that does not judge himself worthy of any honour at all. She does not say, He hath done to me great things because He judged me worthy, but, because He is mighty, and doeth whatsoever He will, and maketh them meet for His favour who are unworthy. Nor is that said to be a happiness that is obtained by merit, for Horace denies that himself was to be called happy in that he was adopted into the number of Maecenas's friends. Hi. Why so ] Le. Because it was the effect of judgment, and not mere favour. Maecenas rendered this to him because he adjudged it due to his merit. Hi. And to the same purpose is that which follows : " For He that is mighty hath done to me great things, and holy is His name." She has said holy instead of glorious. By how much we arrogate to our own merits, by so much we detract from the glory of the divine beingi For, as St. Paul says, " His power is made perfect in our weakness." And immediately, in the same verse, "He hath deposed the mighty from their seats, and exalted the men of low degree." Not Tairtiv6<ppova.t;, but raireivovf; i.e., that He may oppose the despised in the eye of the world to men of power. The sequel explains this verse after the manner of the prophet's speaking, " The hungry hath He filled with good things, but the rich hath He sent empty away." Those who just now were called men of low degree, here are called hungry that is> poor ; those who in one place are called mighty, are here called rich men. In the next verse there is mention made of mercy diffusing itself through all the nations of the world. In the last verse she makes mention of her confidence in God's promises, " As He hath spoken," &c. Throughout the whole song there is a setting forth the glory that is, the power, the goodness, and truth of God. There is no mention at all made of merits.
Le. But as pride commonly accompanies power and riches, so poverty teaches modesty. Hi. I do not deny that it sometimes so falls out; but you may oftentimes see poor men that are very proud. If you deny that, I shall instance to you the many Merdards that there are in the world. But, for once, suppose I allow it, though it is not always so. The question is not here, what sort of person the most holy mother of Christ was, but what she says of herself in this song? Le. I admire at the obstinacy of those persons who have been so often refuted and laughed at for their folly, and that they are not brought to a recantation. Hi. How often have they been told that declama- tion is the treating on a fictitious theme wont to be made use of to exercise the faculty of speaking, and yet their sermons are nothing else but declamations 1 How often have they been told that he is a bachelor that has no wife, though he keeps six hundred concubines ? and yet they will have it that celibacy is only continency and chastity. It is the same as to humility, and a great many other things. Le. Whence proceeds this obstinate stupidity ? Hi. 1 answer you, I say it proceeds from the Merdards that are in the world. They never would be at the pains to learn when they were young, nor have they any books nor opportunity to learn ; and if they have wherewithal to furnish themselves with learning, they had rather lay it out upon their bellies. They think the sanctity of their garment is enough in conscience to gain them a reputation for piety and learning. And, in the last place, they think it is some part of religion to know as little Latin as St. Francis did himself. Le. In truth, I know a great many that are like their patron in that, who say cape.ro for galerus, and, as I think, vestimenta for vestes. But St. Francis always refused the honour of a presbyter, and so I think St. Benedict and Dominic did likewise. But now-a-days they, with their vestimenta at their arse, will not refuse a cardinal's hat, if it be offered them. Hi. A cardinal's hat, say you? no, nor a triple crown neither. And those humble sons of poor St. Francis will put forth their slippers to be kissed by the greatest monarchs in the world. Le. And then if you should use the term vilitas to them, it would be an unpardonable crime. Hi. Unpardon- able, indeed, if by vile you mean that which is of small account among men, or seems contemptible to itself. But what need is there to make an excuse for that which was not said ?
Le. But was not Merdardus ashamed to tell that lie, and at church too, and in one of the most famous ones, and in the hearing of a great assembly of monarchs, a great many learned men that had read over Erasmus's writings ? Hi. Ashamed, say you ? no, the buffoon thought he deserved the laurel for it ; for this is the fourth vow of the Merdar- dians, that they observe more religiously than the other three, not to be ashamed of anything. Le. There are, indeed, a great many that are very studious of that. Hi. But this was not a single lie neither; for, in the first place, the song of Mary as Luke wrote it remains untouched. How can he be said to correct anything that makes no alteration in it ? And then the word humilitas is not altered, nor is there any mention made of vilitas. And, in the last place, he does not correct the song who translates faithfully what Luke wrote, but only explains it. Le, I perceive a threefold lie, very like such a buffoon. Hi. But hold, you have not heard the greatest piece of impudence yet. Le. What, have you any more then? Hi. He exclaimed against that ass as the head, author, and ringleader of all the tunmlts that are in the Christian world. Le. Say you so ? Hi. And that it is to be charged upon him that the church is torn in pieces by so many sectaries, that the clergy are despoiled of their tithes, that the bishops are set light by, and the sacred authority of the pope himself is everywhere disregarded ; that ploughmen play the part of the old gigantic race. Le. Does he say these things publicly? Hi. Pub- licly ? ay, and makes a mighty clamouring too. Le. But they are quite of another mind that have attentively read over the writings of Erasmus. A great many of them will acknowledge that they have from his performances collected the seeds of true piety. And this fire that lias been kindled by the monks is got to that height that all the endeavours they use to put it out are but just as if you should pour oil into a fire. Hi. You see what an evil beast the belly is. Le. You have hit the nail on the head. It is, indeed, for the interest of such fellows that there be a great deal of superstition in the Christian world, and but a very little true religion. But what said the auditory? could they bear to hear such an ass bray in the pulpit ?
Hi. Some wondered what was come to the man. Those that were of a choleric temper went out of the church murmuring, saying, We came to hear the praises of the holy Virgin set forth, and this drunken fellow is vomiting out his mere calumnies upon us. And there were a great many women present, Le. This sex used to be mighty admirers of this order of men. Hi. You say right ; but the women perceived what sort of a fellow he was. And some that were women of reading were uneasy, and some hissed him. Le. But an ass does not mind hissing ; such a railing fellow ought to have been pelted out of his pulpit with rotten eggs and brickbats. Hi. There were some that thought he deserved it, and would have done it had it not been for respect to the place. Le. The reverence of a place ought not to pro- tect such as profane it by their impiety. As he that within the verge of the court murders a man, it is not meet the church should be a sanctuary to him ; so in like manner, he that in sacred discourses abuses not only people's patience but also the sanctity of the place, ought not to be screened by the place that he has by his temerity profaned. He was commended by the ancients that would not permit any person to be consul who had not been a senator ; so it is not meet that he should be a clergyman that knows not how to preach a sermon.
Hi. Folks are afraid of the bishops' thunderbolts, si quis instigante diabolo, &c. You know the law. Le. The bishops ought rather to level their thunderbolts at such railers. Hi. They themselves are afraid of these fellows. Le. Who are they afraid of? Hi. Why, of these bawling fellows. Le. Why so ? Hi. Because they are bawling fellows. Le. The apostles were not afraid of the menaces of kings and rulers, and are they afraid of a single beggar ? Hi. For that very reason they are the more to be feared, because they are beggars ; they have nothing to lose, but they have tongues to hurt. Go but to a wasp's or hornet's nest, and do but touch one of them with your finger, and if you come off well come to me again, and then call the bishops drones that are afraid of irritating one of these beggars. Do not the most powerful monarchs of the Christian world revere the pope, nay, and perhaps are afraid of him too 1 Le. That is no wonder, inasmuch as he is the vicar of Christ. Hi. Well ; but it is reported of pope Alex- ander VI., who was no fool, nor blockhead neither, that he used to say he had rather offend one of the greatest monarchs than the least brother of the order of Mendicants.
Le. Well, let us not meddle with popes. -But when the princes that were at Augsburg heard it, did they not punish him for it ? Hi. They were all highly provoked at him, but especially King Ferdinand and his sister Mary, the ornament of her sex in this age, and Bernard, Cardinal of Trent, and Balthasar, Bishop of Constance; and this preacher was severely chid, but by nobody more severely than by John Faber, Bishop of Vienna. Le. What signifies chiding 1 an ass minds nothing but a cudgel. Hi. Especially if you give him belly-timber. But what should princes trouble their heads about such a silly fellow as he for 1 ? they had things of far greater consequence to mind. Le. They should at least have silenced him from preaching, and taken away his pension. Hi. But the cunning rogue put off the spitting his venom till just at the breaking up of the diet, and they were just going away. Le. They say the devil goes away so, leaving a stink behind him. Hi. He was dismissed by King Ferdinand, but was in very good case as to his corpus, for the chiding he met with did not make him abate of his flesh. It is reported of St. Francis that he preached a sermon to his sisters the birds, but he seems only fit to preach to his brethren the asses and hogs.
Le. But whither went he when he had done 1 Hi. Whither should he go but to his cell, where he was received with applause by his comrades for having acted his part so bravely and successfully; and when they got over their cups, instead of lo triumphe, they sung Te Deum, Le, This Merdardus deserves to wear his rope about his neck rather than his waist. But what can we wish bad enough to that foolish society that maintains such cattle as this is? Hi. You can scarce think of anything to wish them worse than what they bring upon themselves, for by such doings as these especially, they make themselves odious to all goad men, and bring themselves into contempt more effectually than an enemy can do. But it is not a Christian spirit to wish ill to any one ; but we ought rather to wish that the most merciful Creator and Reformer of all things who made Nebuchad- nezzar an ox of a man, and again turned him from an ox to a man, and gave the tongue of a man to Balaam's ass would amend all who are like this Merdardus, and give them understanding and utterance becoming men that profess the gospel.