¶ The dialogue between jullius the second/ Genius/ and saint Peter.  
¶ Reader, refrain from laughing.  
A dialogue made by a certain famous learned man, pleasant & fruitful/ showing how julius the second, & great bishop of Rome knocking after his death at the gates of heaven, could not be suffered to come in, saint Peter being the porter, albeit that in his life time he was called most holy, yea & by the name of holiness itself/ & thereto a great conqueror in many battles/ whereby he supposed himself also to be the lord of heaven.  
¶ Speakers in this dialogue been these julius, Genius, and Petrus.   

¶ julius. Genius. Petrus.  julius. 
What a mischief is this? be not the gates open? I trow either the lock is changed/ or else doubtless it is troubled.  Genius. 
Marry look betime, least peradventure thou hast not brought the right key. For this door is not opened with the same key, wherewith thou dost open thy treasoury. And therefore, why hast thou not brought hither both twain? For surely this is a key of power/ not of cunning.  jul. 
Forsooth I had never other but this/ neither I see not what needeth the other key, when this is present.  Gen. 
Neither I of troth/ but for because we be shut out in the mean tyme.  jul. 
This fretteth me not a little. I will break dowue the gates. hay, hay, some of you, quickly come open the gate. What a reckoning is this? Will no man come forth? What causeth this porter to tarry so long? I think he is fallen in to some drunken sleep.  Genius. 
See ye not how this man esteemeth all other men of his own conditions.  Petrus. 
It is happy that we have so strong a gate, or else he would have broken it. He must needs be some giant/ or some great ruffler/ or cannoneers down of walled towns. But, o, immortal god/ what a sink I smell here? I will not be hasty in opening the door/ but I shall spy here out at this grate what monster it is. what art thou/ or what aileth thee?  jul. 
Wherefore dost thou not open the gates as fast as thou canst? which shouldest have met me, if thou had done thy duty, and all the pomp of heaven to.  Pet. 
lordly spoken. But I pray the tell me first of all/ who thou art.  jul. 
As though thou mayst not see what I am.  Pet. 
Mayst not see quoth he? of truth I see a new sight, and such one as I never saw before/ to speak plainly a very monster.  jul. 
But and if thou be stark blind, I trow thou knowest of old this key/ albeit that thou knowest not this golden oak, and thou seest here to this triple crown/ and also this cope shining on every cider with gold & precious stones.  Pet. 
As for the silver key in deed I know of old, after a manner/ and though ye have brought it alone, being yet much unlike to those which Chryst the true pastor or shepherd of the church did once del●uer me. But how were it possible for me to know this crown so glorious, as never any strange tyrant durst wear/ moche more no such (certainly) as would be let in here. As for this goodly vestiment, I pass little upon/ which despised & was wont to tread under my feet, both gold and precious stones, like as I did tile stones, But what thing is here? I see both in the key/ crown/ & garment/ tokens of some knavish tapster, and false juggler/ having my forename, that is to say, Simon/ but nothing following my profession/ which name I confounded once by the assistance of Christ.  jul. 
Leave these brabbling words, if thou be wise: for I (if thou know me not) am julius the lombarde, borne in Liguria/ and I think thou knowest these two letters. P. and. M. whiles thou didst never know thy crosrowe.  Pet. 
I ween they signify the greatest pestilence.  Goe 
Ha, ha, ha, How right he hytteth the nail on the heed.  jul. 
No not so, the greatest bishop.  Pet. 
How great so ever thou be/ and though thou were greater than T●ismegistus the nephew of great Mercurius, thou shalt not be received in to this place, unless thou be also optimus, that is to say holy.  jul. 
If it make any thing to the matter to be called holy, thou art past all shame, which doubteth to open me the gates/ seeing thou was calmany years ago, only holy. For truly no man called me but most holy. There remaineth at this day vi M. bulls.  Genius. 
Bulls in deed.  jul. 
In which I am called, and that not once, most holy lord. Beside this I was entitled under the name of holiness itself/ and not of a holy man, what so ever was my pleasure.  Goe 
Ye though thou were st●●ke drunk.  jul. 
Th●t, men would say the holiness of most holy lord julius had done.  Pet. 
Than go ask heaven of such flatterers that was wont to make the most holy/ & let those give the felicity, which gave the holiness: But supposest thou alone, to be called holy or to be holy in deed.  jul. 
Thou anger'st me to the heart If I might live again, I would neither desire this holiness nor felicity.  Pet. 
O voice the declarer of a very holy mind. Nevertheless when I do but only look on the I perceive moche ungoodlynes/ but no token of holiness in the. What meaneth this new guard, so unmeet for a bishop? For thou bringest almost twenty M. with thee/ and I see not one among them all that looketh like a good christian man. I see a filthy sort of men/ savouring nothing but of bawdry/ drunkenness/ and gunpowder. They seem to be hired to rob/ or rather a sort of spirits come out of hell, to make battle against heaven. Now the more I behold thyself/ so moche less I see any step of an apostolic man. first of all, what a monster is here? Which wearest above the garment of a priest/ & underneath thou lookest all fiercely/ and clynkkest within with bloody harness. Beside all these, what a cruel look/ how stubborn a face/ how threatening a forehead/ how hawt and disdeynous a countenance: I am truly ashamed/ and very weary for to see it/ that there is no part of thy body, but it is defiled and vicyate with tokens of prodigious/ & abominable lust. And furthermore, it need not to speak how thou dost rift/ and smellest all together of excess and drunkenness/ and me thinketh thou lookest as thou had of late vomited. To be short, such is the shape of all thy body/ that thou apperest not so broken, rotten, and overcome so moche with age, as with surfeits.  Gen. 
How right he hath painted him in his colours.  Pe. 
Yet although that I see the but even now threatening me as it were with thy countenance. Yet for all that, I can not but utter my thought. I do suspect that the most pestileut heathen julius is come again disguised from hell, to laugh me to scorn/ thou art so like to him in all points.  jul. 
Madisi.  Pet. 
What said he?  Goe 
His holiness is now an angered. At this word there is never one of the cardinals that would tarry in his sight/ for if he did, he should have felt his most holy fist/ and namely after dinner.  Pet. 
Me think thou perceivest very well the man's appetite, therefore tell me who thou art.  Gen. 
I am the great spirit or angel of julius.  Pet. 
But I think the evil angel.  Gen. 
What kin one so ever I am, I belong to julius.  jul. 
But I say, leave these try fling tales: and open the gates: except thou had leaver have them broken open. What needeth many words? seest thou what a sort of companions I bring with me?  Pet. 
Truly I see a sort of errant thieves. But ●o put the shortly out of doubt, these gates must be won with other manner of artillery.  jul. 
I say here is words plenty, if thou wilt not speedily obey, I will bend against thee, the thunderbolt of excommunication/ wherewith I have feared sometime the highest kings of the earth, and also many great kingdoms/ I trow thou seest here a bull provided for the same purpose.  Petrus. 
But I pray the what thunder or thondreboltes, what bulls calves and craking words dost thou speak of to me. For I never heard any such of Chryst.  julius. 
But thou shalt feel, unless thou wilt obey.  Pet. 
If thou hast in time passed feared any with such cards of x that is nothing to this place/ for here thou must occupy true war. This howled is vanquished with good works: not with evil words: But I pray the thretnest thou me with the thondrebolte of excommunication? tell me by what authority.  jul. 
By very good authority. For thou art now but a private person, neither any better than every layke priest, ye scarcely so good, saying thou canst not now consecrate.  Pet. 
Because I trow that I am now departed from that life.  jul. 
Even therefore.  Petrus. 
But thou which art more than so deed, art nothing better than I by this reason.  jul. 
Nay not so sir/ for as long as the cardinals strive for the choosing of a new Pope/ so long is the office mine own.  Goe 
How he dreameth of his dreaming life.  julius. 
But yet one's again, open the door I say.  Petrus. 
I say thou labourest all in vain, unless thou can show thy deserving merits.  jul. 
what merits?  Petrus. 
I will tell the. Hast thou passed all other in holy doctrine?  julius. 
I knew never a deal/ nor I had leisure thereto, having so many battles/ but I have freres enough, if this pertain to our matter  Pet. 
Therefore it is like enough thou hast won many to Chryst, with thy good living.  Gen. 
Ye rather to hell, and that great plenty.  Petrus. 
Wast thou clear and shining with miracles?  jul. 
Thou speakest of such matters as were clean out of use with me.  Pe. 
Hast thou been accustomed to pray purely, and busily?  jul. 
What trifles he prateth.  Pet. 
Or was thou wont to macerate, or subdue thy body with fastings & watches?  Gen. 
No more of these matters I pray thee, to this man/ lose not thy labour.  Petrus. 
I never knew other ornaments of a right bishop, if this man hath other more like to the apostles: let him show them forth.  julius. 
Truly it is far unfitting that the great conqueror julius (which was never yet over come) should now give place to Peter/ to speak no ferther, a poor fisher, and in manner a very beggar. Nevertheless because thou shalt know what a great prince thou settest nought by, here me three or four words. ¶ first of all I am borne in Liguria/ neither I am no jew as thou art/ with whom I am sorry that I have had so moche likeness to/ as that I was once a pilot of a ship.  Gen. 
That is nothing to be sorrowed for. For here in is moche difference between you/ for he fysshed to get a poor living/ thou were wont at a little wage offered thee, to pluck down that sails:  julius. 
Moreover of Sixtus which was doubtless the greatest pope.  Genius. 
He meaneth his greatness in mischiefs:  jul. 
I was his nephew by his sister/ and first promoted by his special favour, & mine own policy, to spiritual dignities/ than after climbed up, as it were by stairs, to the height of a cardinals hat. After exercised with many sharp storms of fortune, being thereto tossed up and down, which most cruel chances/ and beside many other diseases. I had also the kings evil. To be short, I swarmed all full of the french pocks. Beside all this I was a banished man, odious, condemned abject of all men, and almost past all together/ yet I never mistrusted 〈◊〉 be the greatest bishop/ such a courage had I ever. But as for thou waste afraid at the voice of a maiden/ and was glad to deny thy master. A woman took clean away thy stomach. It fortuned contrary wise to me/ for there was a wise woman, or sortylege, that put me in all this trust/ which in the time I was drowned in all my misfortunes, whispered me pri●yly in the ear, saying: Stand stiffly, & be of good courage julian. be not aggrieved, whatsoever thou do or suffer/ thou shalt once be crowned with three crowns/ thou shalt be king of kings/ and lord of lords. Neither my hope than her prophecy deceived me. For to that I came wrestling thorough many cares: no man supposing any lykelynes in me/ partly by aid of the frenchmen, succouring me in my exile/ and partly with an inestimable power of money, made by usury. Neither it came to pass without great policy.  Pet. 
What policy was it?  jul. 
That is to say not without many promised benefices/ and that by sure covenant/ with great craft for to find sureties for the same purpose. For truly it had been to much for rich Crassus to have paid so great a some of money at ones. But I speak these things to the in vain, which every auditor doth not well perceive. I have now rehearsed the how I crept up to mine office. Now in mine office I handled myself in such wise, that there is never one among all the old bishops, which in respect of me appeareth worthy the name of bishops/ neither there is any of the new bishops to whom the church, yea Christ himself is so much bound as to me.  Genius. 
How straight this be'st playeth Thrasoes part.  Petrus. 
I marvel what end thou wilt make.  jul. 
For truly I (with many new found offices, as they call them) have highly increased and enlarged the pope's treasury. I found (than after) means how bishoprics might be bought without simony: For it was decreed by my predecessors, that he which chanced to have a bishopric, should depose or lay down his office: Which words I did interpret in this wise. Thou art commanded to give up thine office: but that is not given up which thou haste not: thou must buy therefore that office which thou mayst give up. By this policy every bishopric was worth to me six or seven thousand ducats/ beside all such exactions as been asked customably for bulls. Moreover, I gate great vantage of the new money, wherewith I filled all Ytaly: Neither I ceased at any time from gathering riches, perceiving right well (without that) that neither holy nor profane dominion could have been rightly done without that. But and to speak of greater points of my practice, I restored and delivered up Bonony than in habit with the bentivoles. To the see of Rome I overthrwe in battle the Ueniciens, never vanquished before I had almost take in a snare the duke Ferrare, long vexed with battle. The schismatic council I deluded in good time/ feigning an other council/ and so put away one mischief (as the common saying is) with an other. Last of all I drove the french men (than sore dreaded of all christendom) clean forth of italy/ & was purposed likewise to do the spaniards (for I did holly so intend) if the fatal sentence of god had not taken me out of this life/ But see here, how courageous a stomach I showed. I began to view diligently the borders of high France. I let than grow my white beard, when all thing was in desperation. But full suddenly cometh a golden messenger showing that at Ravenna a certain thousands of French men were slain. At such tidings/ julius revived again. Moreover I lay three days for deed. Also I felt no life at all myself, but here (both above all other men's hope, and mine also) I revived again. So great is my authority and power, with my other policy, that there is at this day never a christian prince, but I can cause him to make war/ notwithstanding they be never so sure inleged. For an example, I broke the last band and leyge (Which the cameryckes made between my holiness, and other princes. That is to say the french king, & the king of romans) so craftily, as though there had never been mention of it. ¶ Beside all this I kept so great an host/ garnished so many glorious and shining triumphs/ so many jolly maskeryes/ so divers buildings/ and yet I left l C.M. ducats at the time of my death/ intending to prove higher maistryes, if that jew my pysician (that by his sorcery did prorogue my life) could have prolonged me any more. But would god now some magic could restore me to life, that I might yet finish such things, as I did gorgeously begin. Albeit at the point of death I was most busy to provide, that battles which I had graciously begun in all parts should not cease by my death. And I laboured that the treasure which I left might be saved for the same purpose, this was my last words at my departing. Now disdeynest thou to open Christ's gates, to a bishop deserving so moche, both of Chryst, and his church. He shall more marvel at these things that perpendeth and considereth by what wisdom & policy I brought all these matters to pass, having no other help at all, as other be commonly wont, nor of my kin. For I knew never my father, which thing I say to my praise/ nor by beauty, for every man abhorred my ugly face/ neither by any learning, which I never tasted/ nor by bodily strength, which chanced me in like manner, as I have describe before. Neither by favour of age/ for I did all these things being an old man. Not by the comen fryndshyp for every man hated me. Nor with any clemency or gentleness, which being so hard hearted, that I would often be so cruel against some, to whom all other were wont to be entreated by.  Petrus. 
Good lord, what a tale is this?  Gen. 
Although this appear to an other man hard to bring to pass, yet it is but a trifle to him.  julius. 
But notwithstanding that fortune, age, ꝑsonage of body. To make few words, both goods and men were against me. I (having no other aid but mine own wit and money) have done these great and valiant feats in few years. Leaving also so moche aid to my posterity, that they may have enough to do withall● for the space of ten years. I have spoken these things of myself, & that very truly/ but nothing to that I could say. But if one of my rethoricyens handled the matter, thou shouldest say thou heardest a god, and no man.  Petrus. 
most valiant warrior/ for so moche as all these matters which you show me be to me very strange, and such as I never heard of before. I pray you to pardon mine ignorance and rudeness, & that it be not grievous to your highness to make an answer plainly to me, in such things as I will ask of you. What be these goodly minions that follow you?  jul. 
I keep them for my pleasure.  Pet. 
What be these black company all full of scars?  jul. 
They been soldiers, and their captains: which have been manfully slain in battle for love of me and the church. Some in the siege of Boleyn le grace/ & many also at the battle against the Uenyciens. A great sort at the siege of Ravenna, to whom heaven is due by covenant. For I promised them long ago, by my great bulls, that all they should i'll straight to heaven, that fought for the maintenance of julius power, how soever they lived before.  Pe. 
Therefore to my imagination they were of this good fraternity, that hath been very often grievous to me, or thou came hither, showing forth their foolish bulls. Howbeit they made no such facing as to enter in by force.  jul. 
Therefore as fer as I can see, thou wouldest not suffer them come in.  Petrus. 
I trowest thou? no never one of the lineage. For truly so hath not christ taught me, to admit any that bringeth such instruments. But to them that hath clothed the naked, and feedeth them that be an hungered/ given drink to the thirsty, and visiteth the sick, and help poor prisoners, and harborowe the harbourless. For seeing he would, they should be excluded that hath prophesied in his name/ that hath cast forth devils/ that hath wrought miracles. thinkest thou than that they shall be let in, that bringeth hither nothing but a bare bull in the name of julius.  jul. 
Ah, what if I had known this before.  Pet. 
I wot well what ye would have done, if any of your friends had come from hell, and showed you these things/ ye would have proclaimed open war against me.  julius. 
And not only that, but I should have cursed thee, as black as a coal.  Pet. 
But go forth/ wherefore art thou all in armour?  jul. 
As though thou knewest not that both the swords pertained to the highest byss●op, except thou wilt have men fight naked.  Petrus. 
Truly when I occupied thy room, I knew no sword at all, but the sword of the spirit/ which is the word of god.  julius. 
But Malchus will tell an other tale, whose ear thou cut of. I trow without a sword.  Pet. 
I remember and know that right well. But than I fought for my master Christ. Not for myself, for my masters life. Not for money, or temporal dignity. And than I fought being neither pope nor bishop. And at that time when the keys were only promised me, but not received. Neither I had received yet the holy ghost. And notwithstanding at that time I was commanded to put it up again/ and monysshed openly, that such manner of fighting, was not sitting for priests, neither for any christian man. But these things shall be more meet for an other place. Why dost thou so much boast thyself to be a L●mbarde/ as though it were any thing material to the vicar of Christ what country man he be.  julius. 
Yes surely/ for I think it the highest kind of love to advance and magnify my country. Therefore I write this title in all my coins of money/ pictures in all vaults, and walls.  Petrus. 
Ergo he knew his country, which knew not his father? But at the first I thought thou hadst mente of the heavenly Jerusalem/ the country of believers, & of the only prince of the same/ by whose godly power, they which be there desireth to be sanctified/ that is for to say, made clean. But what meaneth this addition? Sixtus nephew by his sister, whom I marvel never came hither, namely when he was the high bishop, and cousin to so great a duke as thou art. Wherefore tell me I pray thee, what manner of fellow was he? Was he any priest?  jul. 
I promise the he was a valiant warrior, & of an high religion/ that is to wite of saint Frances order.  Pe. 
In deed I knew sometime Frances, one of the best size among the lay fee/ and an utter despiser of riches/ pleasure/ & worldly ambition. But hath that poor creature gotten him now such great rulers under him?  jul. 
As far as I perceive, thou wilt not that any man shall rise to promotion. Truth it is, that Benet was once a poor monk/ nevertheless his posterity or successors, be now so rich that we pope's do envy them  Pet. 
Very well. But return to thy matter of Sixtus nephew.  julius. 
I said for the nonest, to stop their mouths, which affirm liberally that I was his son/ and begotten on his sister.  Pet. 
Liberally spoken in deed. But what of that, say they not truly?  jul. 
How soever it be, it is not for the pope's honour, whereto specially I must have regard.  Petrus. 
To speak of regardy●ge, surely me thinks that honour could not be more regarded, than if they did nothing th●t might justly be laid to their reproach. But I require, and adjure thee/ and that by thy pontifical majesty, to tell me without fabling. Is this way (that thou tellest me now) ●he comen trade & means to come to the high papacy.  jul. 
Well I wot there was no other fashion in many years, ogles he that succeedeth me, be made otherwise. For after that I had my purpose/ by and by I sent a bull under lead to warn them, least any man should enter in to the honourable see, by such means. And also renewed the said bull a little before my death. How much it shall prevail, let them care that need hath.  Pet. 
I suppose there could no man describe the mischievous corrupt fashion, better than thou. But one thing I marvel of, how any can be found that will take the office upon him/ saying that it is so painful to keep, & dangerous to come by/ when I was the bishop I could scarcely enforce any to take on him the office of a poor priest, or deacon.  jul. 
It was no great marvel. For that time the state or condition of the by●shops and other fathers was nothing else but labours/ watchings/ fastings/ preaching/ and often times death. But now it is all hole a kings life, and better. Therefore who is it/ if he have any tru●t at all to vanquish/ that would not go to hand gripes for so sweet a life.  Pet. 
But tell forth, what said thou of Bonony. Went it out of the faith, that it needed to be restored to the see of rome.  jul. 
Peas that was no matter.  Pet. 
Perchance the commonalty decayed by the misgovernance of Bentinofus.  jul. 
No in deed. For at that time the city was most in his flowers/ repaired, and illustrate with many goodly buildings. And therefore I was more greedy over it.  Pet. 
I perceive the matter now. Did he not than come in by a wrong title?  jul. 
That was not the matter. For he came to it by the favour of the hole body of the town.  Pe. 
Than the Bononyes would not suffer him to be rule over them?  julius. 
Yes marry. They held stiffly with him/ and were almost all together against me.  Pet. 
What than was the cause?  jul. 
Plainly this was all the matter. Because he governed in such wise, that there came but a few thousands of the unreasonable sums of money, which he gathered of the cyrezyns to our treasure house. Beside all this it was a very necessary thing so that, which I went about. And so by help of the French men, and many other which I enforced thereto with the thondrebolte of my curse, I voided him and his the town. I put in their rooms cardinals and bishops to rule the same/ so that no part of the profits might escape the see of Rome. another cause was, that the chief title and honour of the empire of Rome appeared ell together to be theirs. But now are set forth in every part of the town our images/ our titles be red/ our tokens and monuments of victory be worshipped/ and in many sundry places standeth a julius of stone or brass. To be short if thou had seen with what a regal pomp and triumph I entered in to Bonony, perchance thou wouldest the less have set by all the triumphs of octavians or Scipions/ and that it was not without a cause, that I enterprised so far. For thou might have seen there the very church milytaunt & tryumphaunt, both at ones.  Pet. 
Therefore when thou reigned (as I perceived) that fortuned which Christ commanded us to pray for, in the Pater noster. Let thy kingdom come to us. Now I pray thee, what heinous displeasure had the poor Uenyciens done to thee?  julius 
Fyr●t of all they followed all together the Greeks, and made me their laughing stock/ speaking ever all they could to my reproach.  Pet. 
But was it true or false that they spoke.  jul. 
What matter is that? It is plain sacrilege once to whisper of the bishop of Rome, except it be done to his praise. Moreover, they bestowed all their benefices at their own pleasure. Nor they would suffer no apples hither, nor buy any dispensations. What need many words? They vexed the see of Rome 〈◊〉 such wise, that it could not be suffered Which moreover withheld a great part of thy patrimony.  Pet. 
Of my patrimony? I pray the what patrimony tellest thou me of? that left all together and poorly followed poor Chryst.  jul. 
I speak of certain towns that belong to the see of Rome. For so it pleased the most holy fathers to call a particular part of their possessions.  Pe. 
Truly ye have gotten moche lucre and advantage to my great slander. And dost thou therefore call this an intolerable hurt?  jul. 
What else?  Pe. 
Ye but was their manners to be suffered? or their love toward god decayed?  jul. 
tush, thou speakest of trifles/ the matter is this. They withheld from us yearly infinite thousands of duccates, which had been sufficient to find an armyryall.  Pet. 
Be my troth a great loss to such an usurer. But that same duke of Ferrare, what had he done?  jul. 
What had he done? A churl of all churls: whom Alexandre the vicar of christ had in ●uche favour (though he was but of base blood) that he married one of his daughters to him/ & gave thereto great possessions, for her dowry. And yet nothing at all remembering his humanity & kindness ever barked and whyned against me/ calling me often scismatyke/ buggerer/ & frantic fellow. And furthermore, he claimed many tributes/ which albeit they were but small/ yet a diligent curate would not utterly despise them.  Gen. 
Nay, a crafty merchant.  jul. 
But to come to our matter/ it was somewhat expedient to that which I went about, to have that goodly town coupled to our patrimony/ because it lay commodyously for us, therefore I was purposed (that ones brought to pass) to give it to a kinsman of ours/ a fellow very active, and bold enough to attempt any manner of thing, for the advancement of the church,/ which slew not long ago the cardinal of Papia with his own hand, for my pleasure but as for his daughters husband is contented well enough.  Pet. 
What here I? Hath also the high bishops wives, & children?  jul. 
They have no wives of their own, but what strange thing is it for them to have children/ sith they be men as other be, and no geldings?  Pet. 
But tell me what caused that scismatyke counsel.  jul. 
It were very tedious to recite all from the first beginning, therefore I shall touch the affect as briefly as I can.  
¶ Certain persons began to wax weary of the court of Rome, they reported, that all together was corrupt which filthy lucre. With prodigious, and abominable lechery. With privy poysonyngꝭ/ sacrilege/ murder/ simony/ and other unlawful merchandise. They said also, that even I myself was a symoniake/ a dronkerde/ a buggerer/ puffed up with a worldly spirit. And all together such a one, that hath unthryftely occupied the room/ and to the great confusion of all the christianyte. And so these matters out of frame must be (in gods name) redressed, by a general counsel. They said thereto, that I was sworn to sommonde a general counsel within two years after I took my honour/ and that upon this condition I was made pope.  Pe. 
But was it truly said?  jul. 
Yea, it was troth in deed. Nevertheless I loosed myself from that oath/ when I thought most expedient. For what is he that will doubt any thing to swear a main, to come to such a booty? Godliness may be reverenced otherwise/ as one julius/ such an other as I am/ was wont to say most elegantly. But mark the boldness of these losels: and see to what point the matter came. Nine cardinals shrunk from me at ones. They showed me they would have a counsel, & cited me to be there/ & prayed me to sit as resident or judge. When they could not bring me to the point/ they sent out a general commandment every where, by the authority of Maxymilian the emperor/ & also by the authority of Lewes the french king, the twelve of that name, because the hystoriens wytneseth, that in times past the counsel was wont to be summoned by the emperors of Rome. I quake in speaking it/ how greatly they indevore them to cut asunder the cote of Christ without any seam/ which his crucifyers left hole.  Pet. 
But was thou such a fellow as they reported thee?  jul. 
What matter is it, if I were? I was the high bishop. But I put case I were more tyrannous than the Cercopyans/ more foolish than Morichus/ or most ass in the world/ yea more filthy than a comen sink/ who soever keepeth this key of power, it is meet he be had in reverence, as Christis vicar, & to worship him as most holy father in god.  Pet. 
Ye, though he be an open misdoer?  jul. 
That forceth not. But to be plain, it is not convenient, that he which is in gods stead in earth/ & representeth all hol●ly as it were a god among men, should be rebuked, or evil spoken by of every vile fellow.  Pe. 
But the comen reason crieth against this, that we should judge well of him whom we see do openly evil, or say well of such as we perceive to be nought.  jul. 
I am content, every man think what he list, so he say well, or else hold their peace, For truly the bishop of rome may not be rebuked, no not of a general counsel.  Pet. 
This is one thing I am assured of● who soever is in Christis stead here in earth, aught to be as like to him in living as can be. And so likewise to lead all his life, least any thing may be reprehended in him, or least any person (of his deserving) might speak evil of him. It is not well which pope's & bishops, if they be come to enforce and constrain men, rather which threatening than with good deeds to speak well of them, whom thou canst not laud without ly●nge● whose greatest glory is, the const●ry●●● seylence of such as think ●uyl of them. But answer me hereunto. I pray the may not the pope (it ●e ●e a pestilent caitiff, & a capitain of mischif) be in no wise deposed●  jul. 
Oh, wise man? who should depose him, which is the highest of all?  Pe. 
Marry so m●●he the rather ought he to be put down. For the gr●●●e● man, the more mischief may he do. And to prove ●hat, the law civil doth not only depose an emp●rour for his evil ruling, but also willeth hi● to be put to death. ●, what an unhappy condition and sta●e is the church in, which must ●e constrained to sustain a bishop of rome, doing what mischief soever he list, & may in no wise bliss us from such a cruel tyrant.  jul. 
That reason is nought worth For if the bishop of Rome might be put down, it must be done by the authority of a general counsel. yea, & beside this, a counsel can not be holden without the pope's consent/ for else it is but a conventicle, & no counsel. But if so be it be gathered in most due manner, yet nothing at all may be ordained & decreed, but if the pope be willing thereto. Therefore the next way I know to surpress a pope is an absolute power, whereby (if it should be tried) one bishop is able to do more than all the hole counsel. Therefore it is evident, that he may not be deprived his patrimony for any manner offence.  Pe. 
No? not for murder.  jul. 
No if he killed his father.  Pe. 
Nor for adultery.  Iu. 
Enough of such words: Not if he had lain with his sister.  Pe. 
Neither for wicked simony.  jul. 
No not for vi C. symonyes.  Pet. 
Not for poisoning.  jul. 
No, nor for no sacrilege neither.  Pe. 
Nor for blaspheming against god?  jul. 
I say no.  Pe. 
What if he had done all these together?  jul. 
It forceth not. For put thereto (if thou wilt) vi C. more, and worse if thou can feign them, & join them all together/ yet may not the high bishop of Rome be put out of his place, for them all.  Pe. 
Thou tellest me of a dignity which I never heard of before/ if he only may be as naughty as he list, & no man correct him. And also a more new unhappy case of the church, if it may in no wise drive out so abominable a monster/ but be constrained to worship and keep such a bishop, as no man would suffer to keep his horses.  jul. 
Some say that he may be put out for one thing alone.  Pe. 
For what goodness is that? For as for naughtiness, it can not, if these things before rehearsed can be no causes.  Iul 
For heresy/ and yet must he be openly convict. But that is but a fable/ and hurteth him not a point/ and this is the reason. ¶ For first of all, he may at his pleasure abrogate the law, if he like it not. And again/ who dare accuse his highness of heresy? namely, being so strong in power, and having so moche aid. Moreover, if it chance him to be thirst down by the counsel, yet hath he a good remedy, as to revoke his heresy, if that he may in no wise deny it. To make short, there be a thousand stertinge holes for to escape out easily at them, without he be all together a stock and no man.  Pe. 
But tell me by thy popish dignity, who made all these goodly laws?  jul. 
Who else but the bishop of Rome, wellheed of all laws. And yet may he at his pleasure both abrogate & expound, writhe, & wrest them how soever he seemeth best, for his profit.  Pe. 
An unhappy pope by my truth, which may delude, not only a counsel, but also god himself. Nevertheless against such a wretch as thou hast described to me even very now. That is to say an open maintainer of mischief/ a dronkerde/ a manqueller/ a symoniake/ a poisoner/ a ꝑiurer/ an extorcyoner/ a open buggerer. A counsel is not so much to be desired, as all the multitude armed with stones to kill him, as a comen pestilence of all the world. But go forth & tell me, for what cause thou abhorrest so much a general counsel?  jul. 
Nay, but first of all, ask this one thing of great princes of the world/ wherefore they hate great semblees, & temporal parliaments. Sure the cause is, that at the great confluence of so many honourable prelate's, the dignity of the pope is something shadowed, & suffereth some damage. And it fortuneth ever in such semblees, that they which be of great learning & judgement, their cunning maketh them bold to speak, such as have a clear conscience speak more liberally than is expedient for us. And likewise some there be called to great office and rule, which use their authority and power to the uttermost. Among whom cometh commonly many, which sore disdaineth our glory. And at their coming be of this intent, that they would pair away part, both of our authority & richesse. The worst of all is, that there sitteth neither better nor worse, but he thinketh that he may speak leefully against the pope, by reason that he is one of the counsel, which else durst not once say, buff. Therefore I knew never counsel that chanced so well, but the pope hath had some of his feathers plucked/ whereunto thou may bear witness thyself, whiles thou have clean forgotten, For although your counsel holden at jerusalem, were but for trifling matters, neither of hole empires, & kings ransoms, as ours be now. Yet james was not afraid to add a great piece of his own mind, after thou hadst given sentence. As it is evident in the xu chap. of the acts. For when thou hadst clean delivered the gentiles all together fro the burden of Moses' law, james reasoning after thee, excepted fornication, cloaked blood, and eating of things offered to idols. Correcting as it were thine ordinance & power. In so much that some there be at this day moved by this example, that say, james had the authority of the pope, & not yu.  Pe. 
Thinkest thou than that the kingly majesty of one high bishop is rather to be preserved, & maintained in high estate and wealth, than the hole multitude, & commonalty of the christian people.  jul. 
Let every man provide the most for his own singler profit and advantage, we do work for ourselves.  Pe. 
But & if so be that Christ had do●e in likewise the same, than should we not have had any church at all, whereof thou boastest thyself to be only the heed. And surely I do not perceive by what rea●on he which will be esteemed as the vicar of god, may embrace a manner of living clean contrary But tell forth now, by what pretty policy & shift thou dasshedest out of countenance the foresaid scismatyke counsel as thou callest it.  jul. 
Forsooth I will tell the truly, understand it well if that thou canst. ¶ first of all Maxymilian the emperor, for so they do call him, likewise as he is very treatable. And albeit that he had summoned by his solemn & accustomed messengers a counsel. Yet notwithstanding I led him an other way, by such means as I will not speak of. Moreover I persuaded by a little policy certain cardinals in such wise, that they were glad to deny that thing before notaries & wytnese, which they had confirmed before by their open wrytingis.  Pet. 
And might that be suffered?  jul. 
Wherefore not, y● the pope approve the same?  Pe. 
Than it recketh little of taking an oath, saying he will dispense which all at his pleasure.  jul. 
Nay, to speak the truth plainly, that was somewhat beyond good fashion/ but there was no better shift to be made. Beside this, when I espied it would come to pass, that by the envy of the counsel I should in many places be thirst under feet, namely when it was prowlgate, not to exclude me. But they prayed me in the humblest wise to sit as resident in the counsel. Merke what a pretty wile I found here, following the trade of my predecessors. I likewise appealed to the counsel next to come complaining, and feigning cause, that neither the time nor place which they appointed was convenient. And by & by summoned a counsel to be kept at Rome. where I supposed none other would come, but julius friends, or that would be entreated, for so I learned by many examples. And in all haste to this purpose I created many such cardinals, which I thought meet for to bring my matters about.  Gen. 
That is to say of the most unthrifts,  jul. 
And again this counsel, whiles it had been summoned by me, had been no counsel at all. And yet for all that, it was not greatly expedient for my matters that such a company of bishops/ and abbots should come thither. Among whom it could not be thought, but that some should be godly & well disposed persons. Therefore I gave them warning to spare their purses: and every country should send but one or two at the uttermost notwithstanding when I perceived this devise scant sure enough/ and that those few of so many sundry provinces should all together amount to over great a number for me. I sent them word about the time that they were preparing them to take journey, to defer their coming for that tyme. And that the counsel should be prorogued unto an other tyme. Feigning for the same prorogation many probable and apparent causes/ and again by such manner of pollycyes all luche things dashed. I preventing ones again the day prescribed held a counsel at Rome/ with such alone as I provided for the same intent. Among whom also if there was any that durst be so bold to descent fro me. yet I was sure that the proudest of them all durst not resist me. I was so far above them all in artillery & soldiers. Now I brought this scismatyke conventicle of France in such hatred, by this manner that followeth. first I sent out letters against the counsel which was kept in France, to every country/ where I made mention of our most holy counsel holden at Rome, cursing their counsel/ calling it oftentimes, the conventicle of Satan/ the devils parlyamenthous/ a conspiracy of schismatics, against the holy church.  Pe. 
I think those cardinals, which were the authors & doers of that wicked counsel must needs be false traitors.  jul. 
As for their falsehood I let pass. But the chief captain of all this business, was the cardinal of Rouen, who ever applied himself (by what a popish holiness I wot not) to redress the manners of the church, and likewise showed his tender love in divers places/ but death happily took him, to whom succeeded a spanish cardinal, a good liver, well aged and a doctor of divinity, which people be wont to be unfrendly to the pope's of Rome.  Pe. 
But had your man, which thou namest to be learned in divinity no probable reasons to lay for that which he did.  jul. 
Yes, to many. For he said that there was never so unquiet a world as it was at those days. And that the church had never more need to have her sickness cured and healed. And therefore (he said) it was my duty to help it with a general counsel. Also that I had taken mine oath at my creation, to sommonde it within two years after. Yea, so to be bound by virtue of mine oath, that I might in no wise be dispensed therewith. No not by the consent of the collleyge of cardinals And that it had been often put in remembrance of my brethren the cardinals, & instantly desired. Also often instaunsed by great princes/ and how I could in no wise here of it. In so much they said, that every man might see, as long as julius was living, there was no likelihood to have any counsel. Thereto they alleged against me the examples of the counsels holden by our predecessors, to bind me thereto. And alleged moreover certain auntike laws, to prove that I & mine adherentes did refuse a connsel. And thereupon that the very authority to let call it did pertain unto them. But for so moche as other princes did also (for the pope's pleasure) wink at the matter/ that than the authority to somonde the counsel did rest only in the emperor of Rome, the which was wont in time past to command it at his own will. And to the french king, which by the title of most christian king was wo●te to bear a stroke in the same.  Pe. 
But did this doctor and cardinal with his part takers use in their writing to the no such fashion as did become them.  jul. 
No marry they/ the villains were wiser in this behalf than I wol●e they had been. They handled the thynng of truth very abominably with great soberness. And they did not only refrain from evil words/ but they did never so much as named me, without an honourable preface desiring and praying me for saints and souls, that I would (according as it beseemed me, and for the performance of mine oath) sit as judge over the counsel/ and help to cure the diseases reigning in the church. Nor a man can not think in what envy I was brought by their meek & cold fashion/ specially because they saused all their writings in with holy scripture, whereby it seemed some well learned men were procured for that purpose. They joined hereto the commendation of fasting/ prayer/ watching with other good deeds, to th'e●tent they might the rather thrust me down with the title of holiness.  Pet. 
Under what pretence didst thou than sommonde a counsel?  jul. 
Under as goodly as might be. I told them that I was minded, first of all to correct the heed of the church, that is to say myself. Than after the christian princes. And last of all, the hole commonalty.  Pe. 
Surely I here of a goodly pastance. But now I am desirous to here the conclusion, of all together. And also it should please me well to here what the divines in Sathanas parliament decreed.  jul. 
Most miserable and abominable matters: my heart riseth to remember them.  Pe. 
But I pray the may they not be spoken?  jul. 
Forsooth not well/ they be far worse than sacrilege, or heresy. Against which if I had not set to my helping hands in time: yea both with weapon & w●t, the dignity of the church had been clean cast down under foot.  Pe. 
I am with child for to here of them.  jul. 
Yea, but I quake for to speak of them. These most ungracious wretches went first about to bring the holy church (most flourishing now both in dominions & inestimable richesses) to her old beggary & miserable poverty wherein she was in the apostles time, and to bring the cardinals (Which in all worldly port, at this day passen far all kings christened) to some poor life. That bishops abbots, & other prelate's should live moche more scarcely, & to be content with few waiting men and horses/ and as some say whores. And that the cardinals should not so universally swallow up both byshoprykes/ abbeys/ & benefices. And that no man should keep two bishoprics. And that such priests as would heap benefice upon benefice till they had vi. C. at ones/ and care not if they might be suffered, should be corrected, and be content with such a living as might suffice a sober and honest priest. An other was, that neither pope/ bishop/ nor priest, should be made for money, favour, or flattering service/ but only for his pure life. But if the contrary should chance, that he should by & by be deposed. Yea that it was also lawful to thrust out the pope also, if he were known an evil liver. And that drunken and lecherous bishops should be put from administration. That priests which were openly known whoremongers and misdoers, should lose, not only their benefice, but also be gelded/ with many such like (I am weary to show all) which were only to load us which holiness taking away our richesse & dominion.  Pe. 
What was ordained against these in your holy counsel at Rome.  jul. 
Me thinketh thou hast an ill remembrance. I told the before that mine intent was nothing else but under the pretence of a counsel (as the proverb saith) to drive forth one peg with an other. My first sitting was driven forth with certain ceremonies, & auntyke customs, which pleased me well enough, although they were nothing at all material. There were two solemn masses, one of the holy cross an other of the holy ghost, as though that all together should be conduced & led by his holy inspiration. Than after was made a goodly oration, all to the laud of my holiness. In the next sitting I cursed as deeply as I could those scismatyke cardinals pronouncing, as damnable, accursed, and heresy, all those things, the which they had decreed, or should decree. At the third meeting I did excommunicate or curse the realm of France/ and changed the Martes fro the cite of Lions. And nevertheless in the said interdiction, I excepted by name certain places of the said realm. And all this was to alyene and turn the hearts of all the people from their king. And to raise some rebel & sedition among themselves. And for to confirm the same, I sent out the curse under my bulls of lead, to such princes & governors as I perceived propense and bowing toward our pretenced factions and seditions.  Pe. 
But did they nothing else?  jul. 
That thing was done which I desired, for if our devices be regarded I know I have the victory As for those three cardinals which were so stiff against me in those naughty matters, I with all solemnity belonging thereto, deprived their cardynalshyps. I have also given all the pensions of their benefices to other being friendly to me/ so that they can never be restored to them again. Themselves I have given to sathan, moche rather willing to burn them clean up, if I might catch them.  Pe. 
Marry, but yet for all that, if all be as thou dost say, the decrees of that schismatical parliament seemeth to be moche more holy, than is thy holy synod, whereof I see nothing else at all, but tyrannous threatenings/ cursings/ and great cruelness mingled with mischief and deceit. And if so be that Satan was in deed as thou sayest, the author of the said parliament. Surely me thinketh the devil goeth more nigh unto Christ than the sorry ghost, the holy ghost I would say, whom ye boast the moderator of your holy counsel.  jul. 
Nay but take good heed what thou sayst. For in all my bulls I have cursed all such which favoureth by word or deed that same false conventicle.  Pet. 
Oh, caitiff/ he is yet the same old julius. But what was the and of this business?  jul. 
In this case I left it, whereto it shall come let fortune rule.  Pet. 
Truly the schism remaineth still.  jul. 
Ye marry I warrant thee, & that most perilous.  Pe. 
And hadst thou (being gods vicar) rather have so horrible a schism than a true counsel.  jul. 
One schism ꝙ he? by my mother's soul, a hundred such rather than I would be constrained to keep their ordinances, & to make them account of all my life.  Pe. 
Thou knowest thyself so guilty.  jul. 
What matter is that to thee?  Pe. 
It is surely so, the matter might well enough have been unmoved. But who thinkest thou shall have the victory?  jul. 
All that is as it pleaseth fortune. Nevertheless we have more money in our party, for as for France is now with long wars sterke beggared. England which I suppose be my friends, hath yet hills of gold untouched. But this I may be sure of: If France have the victory as god forfend, there must needs be a great and horrible change. Than shall our holy counsel of Rome be called the conventicle of sathan, and I an idol of a pope. And the holy ghost is all together theirs/ & we have done all ●y the spirit of sathan. But surely I have yet great trust in my money, which I have left.  Pet. 
But what chanced than at the length against the french men & their king, whom your pdecessours adorned and decorate with the title of most christian, namely when thou canst not denay, but through their aid & help thou hast not only be succoured in thy poverty, but also exalted to this dignity moche above any king or emperor, by whose aid thou didst recover Bonony with other cities, & vanquished the Uenicyens, never overcome before. But how chanced the to forget all together so great kindness, & so lately done? broken so many leagues.  jul. 
It were to long to tell that this tale from the beginning. But for to make few words, I began nothing newly of my part, but that which I was so long before with child within my mind I began to attempt. Which thing I had also (for lack of portunite, & many other causes) dissembled unto the tyme. For troth it is, I never favoured hertely the french nation. no more doth any Italyen en●tyerly favour any foreign nation (as we call them) any otherwise, but as the wolf doth the lamb. But I being not only an Italyen, but also a jenuay, did so long keep those rude people my friends, as I had need of their aid & succour, which hitherto was necessary for me. Where in the mean time I both suffered, dissembled, and imagined many m●●●rs. But as shortly as all my matters were brought to such effect as I would have them/ than reimaned nothing but that I should show me what I was in deed. And thrust out the filthy forysters clean out of Ytaly.  Pe. 
What manner of beasts be they which thou callest barbariens & forysters?  jul. 
They be men as other be.  Pe. 
Be they men say●t thou, & be not also christened.  jul. 
And also christian men to. But what is that to the purpose?  Pe. 
Ergo, they be christian men. But peradventure without laws and learning/ living ●●estly.  jul. 
Without learning qd he? Marry sir they exceed us both in learning & riches/ whereat we do most envy  Pe. 
What meaneth this word barbariens? Why speakest thou not?  Goe 
I will tell thee, for he is ashamed. Ytalyens because they be begotten of the vilest cast aways of all other nations, resorting among them, being the pump of all filthiness: yet out of their gentiles learning, they conceived such a furious pride, as to call other country men barbaryens & forysters. Which word is more heinous to them than to be called a murderer of thy parentis, or sacrilegian  Pet. 
So it appeareth. Nevertheless in as much as Christ died for all manner of men, having no more respect to one man than an other. furthermore in so much as thou professest the to be the vicar of Christ, wherefore then diddest thou not favour alike all them whom Christ hath not forsaken, but redeemed with his blood.  jul. 
I can be centented to favour, ye even the yndiens/ africans/ ethiopiens/ & thereto the greeks: if they would fortify me, and acknowledge me their prince by some customary duties. But as for all these iij. co●ntrees we refused & shaked of long sith/ and next after the greeks, for because the wretches were so covetous, and would but little reverence the pope's power.  Pe. 
Than I see well that the see of Rome is as it were the comen barn of all the world.  jul. 
A great matter surely, if we reap temporal goods of all men when we be ready to sow our spiritual seed to all men.  Pe. 
What spiritual seed dost thou tell me? For hitherto I here nothing of the but fleshly sede/ perchance thou drawest men with thy holy doctrine to Christ.  jul. 
There be enough beside me, to preach if they will, which I do not inhibyte, so long as they bark not against our power & profit.  Pe. 
What if they be enough. what thereof?  jul. 
What? For what cause doth the commons give to their heeds what soever they do demand? but to knowledge that they possess what soever they have by licence of their princes, yea though they received never of them one mite, even so what soever the profane sort hath any where pertaining unto godliness, that must be imputed unto us, as our deed/ yea albeit we do but slumber all our life tyme. And yet also beside all this, we do give most large indulgences, & pardons. And that for a very small sum of money. And moreover we do also dispense after the same wise, in great weighty matters. We give our holy blessings, in every place where we come/ yea and that all together Gratis.  Pe. 
I do not know, what so moche as one of all these matters doth mean. But return again to the effect of the purpose. For what manner of cause did thy holiness so moche despise these aliens, & barbariens? as thou callest them. So that thou hadst rather set all on heaps, than to suffer them still in Ytaly.  jul. 
I will tell the. All these barbarous sort (but in especial the french men) be very perstitious. And as for the spaniards dyffers not moche from us, neither in language nor manners: Yet notwithstanding I would have utterly exiled them as well as the other, to th'intent that we might have used all together our own fashion, without any check.  Pe. 
Doth the barbarous curs, as thou callest them, worship any strange gods beside Christ?  jul. 
Nay, but they worship him but to curiously. I● so moche that I do wonder right greatly to see how grievously they be offended with a sort of old words, the which of a truth in time past hath been much accustomed amongst us but as now they be clean left out of use.  Pe. 
But perchance they were some unthrifty words of conjuration.  jul. 
Marry thou mayst say that again, for their manners were simony, blaspheming of almighty god zodomite/ Intoxication, or poisoning/ sortilege.  Pe. 
Peas man.  jul. 
Nay, they abhor such matters, as much as thou dost.  Pe. 
Well, as for such names I let pass, but the things self doth so moche reign among you as I thy●ke in any country in the world.  jul. 
Neither those barbariens are all without vice. But because they be infect with other maladies, they wink at their own, and cry out upon ours. And we on the other side do favour our own did, & abhor theirs. We esteem poverty none other wise than a great offence, and to be eschewed of all men, though it force not how. They contrary wise think it a point of a scarce good Christian to abound in riches, though they be gotten without fraud or guile. We dare not so much as one's name drunkship. Nevertheless the Almains thinketh it a light fault. yea rather a merry jape or pastaunce than offence. Albeit we will not so much differ for this, if we agreed in all other matters/ they abhor greatly usury/ nevertheless we think no manner men under heaven, so meet for the church of Rome. As for buggery, they reckon so detestable, that if so be a man do but onhis name it, they think both the air and son, by & by infected, and also polluted. But we Italiens be not all together of that mind. As for simony whose name was long sith gone and banished, they flee as the devil doth holy water/ against which they had made certain laws, though they be now out of use, albeit here in our conceit is somewhat differing/ & many such other they be infect which, which be clean contrary to our fashion of living. In so much than as we be so contrary to them in our manner of life: so moche more necessary it is to keep them from knowledge of our secretis, The more they be ignorant of our manners; the more praise they will give us. For if they once knew the secrets of our court, they would surely utter them to our rebuke. For how ever it fortune/ they be somewhat quick in reproving their neighbours faults. They write cursed biting books against the abusing of some of their country. They preach and cry every where, that the see of Rome is not the see of christ, but rather the great pump of Satan. They dispute of mine authority and power, whether I came by the popedom by reason of my good living, or no. Also if I ought to be taken as god's vicar or not? And so first of all by this means they dimynishe the good opinion that the people had in us/ and so consequently abateth our authority and rule. For before such brabblings, the people herd never other thing of us, but that we did bear the room of Christ/ & that we had the next authority to god/ yea rather check mate with him. But by reason of such unprofitable opinions, the church sustaineth intolerable damage. For we utter now fewer dispensations, and such other wares, and be fain to sell them better cheap. Also our rent & casualtees is less levied of bishoprics/ abbotshyppes/ and other benefices. Yea and the people payeth with much worse will that which is required of them. To be short, our rents on every side decayeth, our fairs and markets waxeth barren. And that is most of all to be lamented, our dreadful darts be less and less feared. But if their malipertnes come to such a wilful and beastly boldness, that they dare one's say that the pope being cursed of god, can hurt no man with his curse, and so despise cursings/ than it will shortly come to pass, that we shall surely die for hunger, but if they be kept farther of from reasoning of such matters, and rather be brought in fear of our curses. For than such is the nature of such stubborn lowtes, that they will have us in great awe and reverence. And so shall we with our bulls and other instruments (if they be discreetly handled) order all things as we would have it.  Pe. 
It is an heavy case if th'authority of the pope and bishops depend upon this hazard, only that if their naughty living were known, they were even utterly undone. For when we lived upon earth truly we coveted nothing more than that all that we did might be known, yea that which we did in our privy chambers. For we were most regarded when our lives were most manifest and known. But one thing I pray thee/ be the princes so godly now adays, as thou reportest them/ or do they so much fear the priests: as to run one upon an other, even at the beck of such an holy plate, as it might be thyself? For in my time I remember well, they were the extremest enemies we had.  jul. 
As touching their godly living, they be not (thanked be god) very superstitious. And as to our honour they regard not very moche/ but maketh us their laughing stockis, except some certain of spiced conscience/ which so moche feareth our thondrebolte & curse/ as though it could hurt them that deserved it not. And yet those same persons all together ignorant in the nature of the thing, be only moved of a mad spiced conscience, rote● by long custom of time. Some there be likewise, which for the hope they have to come to our riches/ and some for fear of us, do give place to our dignity. Other there be that think verily they shall come to an ill end, which in any wise doth hurt a priest, what manner a liver soever he be. And most commonly all men, the more gently they be brought up, the more they regard our ceremonies: provoked thereto by such pretty feats as we have devised, but to comen people they be as fables and disgysingꝭ. Nevertheless we practise more weighty matters by means thereof. For sometime we paint and set out the great princes of the world with glorious titles, calling him defender of the church, an other defender of the faith, though it be nothing so, & all such as will aid us, our well-beloved sons. They on the other side, call us in all their wrytingis most holy fathers, and sometime they submit them for to kiss our holy feet. Now and than in things of no estimation give place to our power, to the intent they might be called virtuous princes. We send to some hallowed roses/ caps of maintenance/ swords, & such other. And also long & large bulls to confirm their dignity. And they send again to us fair coursers/ men of war & money/ yea sometime fair young children. And thus one of us claweth an other, as mules be wont.  Pe. 
If they be so spiced conscience: yet I do not well perceive how thou shouldest so soon stir them up to so great wars, seeing thou hast broken so many truces with them.  jul. 
Yet if thou be able to perceive these things which I will tell the thou shalt perceive a conveyance far above any of thapostles.  Pe. 
Say on I will do my best endeavour.  jul. 
first of all my study was ever to know the natural inclination of all countries: but namely of princes & rulers, & in likewise their conditions, affections, power, & endevermentes/ which of them were friends, and which not. And so to use every & singular of them to our commodity & profit.  
¶ And to begin withal, I raised the french men against the Uenyciens/ renewing the old festered malice which had be betwixt them long before/ perceiving moreover the unsatiable lust of the frenchmen to amplyfy their dominion, & that the Uenyciens did unjustly withhold divers of their cities, whereupon I intermeddled my cause with theirs, & so took a part with France against the other, & so did Maximilyan also/ although he favoured them but faintly, not knowing any other means to redeem such fair towns as the Uenyciens withheld from him. But shortly after when the french men began to be more wealthy, than my will was, for (to say as I think) they had but over good chance at that tyme. I not long after found means to raise the king of Spain (a man of no great constancy) against them. Whose profit it also somewhat touched, that the french men's feathers should be blucked, and that for divers matters. But namely, least it might be their chance to flee in to his lordship of Neaples, and put him out. And albeit I loved in no wise the Uenyciens: yet for a face I made them my friends, to th'end I my might set them upon the french dogs. Which Uenyciens were not long before sore vexed of the french men. And again I made the emperor & them twain, whom a little before I had made all one. This I brought to corum, with certain of my letters to th'emperor, wherein I feigned the kings envy against th'emperor, & partly with money, which beareth ever a great stroke with such men as have need. After I had renewed again the festered wrath which Maximylian bare against the french curs, wherewith the man would have marvelously fret himself/ yea though he could in no wise revenge his cause. Over this I was perfit of the deadly enmity between the english men & the french men. Betwixt the scots also & the french men. Moreover I perceived the english nation very wealthy, fierce, and desirous of battle/ and that specially where any thing is to get/ & also somewhat superstitious, for the far distance from Rome. Finally they being somewhat wanton, half at sedition among themselves: so that I thought it easy enough to encyte them against the french men. All these pagyentes I played, for the advantage of the church. Than after I wrapped the princes in deadly wars which my crafty letters: not leaving so moche as one in all christendom unattempte to the same. Neither the king of Hongary/ nor yet of Po●tyngale/ nor the duke of Burgony, a man nothing inferior in dominion to many kings. But because that matter perteyn●d nothing to them, I could in no wise induce them to invade the french men. But one thing I perceived well, that if the other princes fell ones by the ears together, they should not be in quietness. Now these princes which by my practised policy made war one against an other received of me again for their good service glorious titles, to th'end they might be brought to believe that the more christian blood they shed, the more godly they appeared to defend the church of god. But that thou mayst the more commend my clean conveyance & happy chance/ the same time it fortuned the king of Spain held wars with the Turks, which turned to his great commodity, and profit. Yet he leaving all together came down which all his power to aid me against the french men. And although I had incitate the emperor against them, as I said before/ yet was he other wise bound by divers composicyons, between him and me. Albe it that he (by their manifold benefits and aid) had won again his towns in Ytaly. And beside all this, that he had moche to do of his own/ as to succour his nephew the duke of Burgony, against his mortal enemy the duke of Gelder's. Yet I brought to pass that he left his nephew in the briars: and took upon him (for my pleasure) to war against France And furthermore although there be no nation that passeth less upon the authority of the pope of Rome, than the english nation, as it is open to him that list to read & mark well the life of saint Thomas of Cauntorbury, & the constitutions of the old kings. Yet the same province, so impatient of all exactions and taxes, suffered for my pleasure to be shorn to the bare skin. To speak of the spiritualty of that realm, it is wonder to see how they were wont to withhold from the pope of Rome all they might, yet to aid me in my business were contented to pay exactions how painful so ever they were. Not merking very diligently what a window they opened to their lord and king, in so doing. And to speak the blunt truth the king and his nobylles was not than most circumspect to suffer such exactions to be gathered in his realm. ¶ But to show by what crafts I bronght these christian princes one against an other it were very tedious. Which princess no pope before me, could at any time stir up against the Turk.  Pe. 
It may chance that wars thus kindled by thee, may destroy all the world.  jul. 
Let them burn on hardly, so the dignity and possessions of the see of Rome may be kept safe. Howbeit I did all my devour to rid the italians from all wars/ and to cast all the business on the necks of other strange nations. Therefore let them strive as long as they list, we shall give them the looking on, and laugh them loudly to scorn.  Pe. 
Be these the acts of a good shepherd, or of a most holy father, taking on him to be called the vicar of christ?  jul. 
Why should they than cause a schism in the church of god?  Pe. 
Sin must then be suffered, if more hurt depend upon the medicine than remedy. But and thou hadst suffered a counsel to be, there could have been no schism.  jul. 
Speak no more of that. I had liefer have vi C. battles than one counsel. For what I pray you, if they had put me down, as a symoniake and a merchant of spiritual wares, & not the true vicar of god? What if so be they had uttered my life to the comen people people?  Pe. 
Admit thou were never so good a bishop, yet were it better thou lost thine honour wrongfully, than to keep it in such wise as it is to the great hurt of all christendom, if it may be said a dignity, which is bestowed to a very wretch/ but I should not call that given which is but rather sold, yea rather stolen. But it is comen even now unto my mind, that by the provision of god thou hast been his scourge to the french men, the which first of all brought the a pest and plague in to the church.  jul. 
I swear by my triple crown, and by my glorious triumphs, if thou break my patience, thou shalt feel mine omnipotent power.  Petrus. 
O mad Bedlam, what crakest thou of thy power, when I here nothing else hitherto, but an unpreestly and worldly capitain. Thou gloriest that thou art able to break peace between princes/ to cause battles/ to cause them murder one an other, which power belongeth to the devil/ not to Christ'S vicar, to whom it behoveth to follow as nigh as can be his example. There is in him (I grant) an high power as can be, but such a power as aught to be joined with most high wisdom, and knowledge of god's word/ and thereby at all times ruled. There aught to be in him the wisdom of serpents: but withal must be joined the simplycite of a dove. In the surely I see the image of power, coupled with great malice and foolishness: so that if the devil would make a deputy, he could choose none more meet than one like to the. Tell me if thou can, wherein thou did once fulfil the office of a true apostle?  jul. 
What can be more apostolic than for to increase the church of Chryst?  Pe. 
But if the church of christ be as it is in deed/ the christian people conglutinate and unied in Christ'S spirit, than me think thou hast all together subverted this congregation, in moving all the world to these most cruel bloodshedings/ to the intent thou might pass thy life in all mischief without any correction at all.  jul. 
We call the church the temple which is made with man's hand, & the priests also but in especial th● court of Rome, and me namely, which am the heed of the church.  Pe. 
But Christ made us ministers, & himself the heed, except any other heed be sprung out of late, because one is not ●uffycient/ But wherein is the church so much amended?  jul. 
Now thou comest to the matter/ this I will tell thee/ that same hungry and poor beggary church flourisheth now with all ornaments.  Pe. 
With what ornamentis? With a sure faith in Christ.  jul. 
Yet again thou playst jacke overthwart.  Pe. 
With holy preaching?  jul. 
Thou makest me weary of ye.  Pe. 
With contempt of worldly things?  jul. 
tush, let me speak. I say it is garnished with such as be worthy to be called true ornamentis: for these which thou spoke of be but words.  Pe. 
With what ornaments therefore?  jul. 
With goodly palaces meet for kings/ with many goodly horses and mules/ with great bonds of men following their tails/ with armies well appointed.  Goe 
With fair whores and trusty bawds.  jul. 
With gold/ purple/ customs/ so that there is no king, but he might be counted as a beggar, if he were compared with the richesse & pomp of the pope. Never a man so ambitious, but he grant himself overcome in this behalf. No man so wealthy, but he may give us over hand. Neither any so great gains, but he may grudge at our riches. These be ornaments wherewith I have endowed and amplified the church.  Pe. 
But now tell me who first infected and surcharged the church with such ornaments which Christ would have kept clean from all worldly fashions.  jul. 
But what is that to our matter? We keep, occupy, and enjoy our possessions, and that is the surest way of all. Howbeit some say that Constantyne did give to Sylvester the pope the hole majesty of his empire: as his horse and harness/ chariot/ helmet/ girdle/ cote armour/ his guard/ sword crown of gold/ yea, and that of the most pur●st gold. His hole army with all manner of artillery belonging to war/ towns/ cities/ countries/ & kingdoms.  Pe. 
And be there any sure specyaltees of this liberal gift?  jul. 
None, but silly gloss joined to the decrees.  Pe. 
peradventure it is but a fable.  jul. 
That I conjecture myself. For who is he in his wit that would give so worthy an empire to his own father? but it pleaseth the church of Rome to give credence here unto/ and put to silence all that endeavoureth them to refel these.  Pe. 
Yet I here nothing saving worldliness.  jul. 
Truth it is, for thou dreamest yet of the state of the church as it was in thy time/ wherein thou with certain hungry bishops didst live very nedyly, subject to poverty, sweet, perils, and infinite jeopardies, and dangers/ but now process of time hath changed it to better. The pope of Rome is an other manner man now, than he was than/ as for thou wast but a syphre in augrym. What if thou didst see so many sumptuous temples/ so many thousands of fat benifyced priests/ so many bishops/ which may be fellows (both in their cychesse, & power) to kings. Such a sort of fair houses belonging to priests/ specially if thou didst see at Rome so many purple cardinals waited upon with legions of servants/ so many palfreys passing far any kings/ so many mules trapped with velvet, gold & pearl, and some of them shod with silver/ some with gold. Now if thou didst see the pope himself, sitting on high in a chair of clean beaten gold, and carried upon men shoulders/ and how all men fall down on their knees at the wagging of his finger/ the noise of the hagbusshes, the melody of the shawms, and trumppes: the clapping of hands of the people/ the shoutings/ all the streets shining with torches/ and how hardly the great princes of the world shall be admitted to kiss his blessed feet. If thou hadst seen the same priest of Rome setting a crown of gold upon the emperors heed with his feet/ notwithstanding he is the highest of the worldly princes (if laws written for the same be of any authority) howbeit he hath not moche more of that which he should have beside the shadow and ●ytle. These things I say, if thou hadst herd and also seen, what wouldest thou than say?  Pe. 
I would say, I did see a devilish tyrant, the enemy of Christ/ and pestilence of the church.  jul. 
Thou wouldest say other wise, if thou hadst but seen one of my triumphs. Whether it had been that wherein I was carried in to Bonony/ or such one as was at Rome, after I had overcome the Uenyciens/ or at my departing from the said Bonony to Rome again. Either that same which I caused to be made at Rome last of all, at the time when so many french men were slain at the siege of Rauen●a, above all likelihood/ and in manner possibylite. If thou hadst seen the goodly bond of men, all at ones in array/ the good palfreys/ so great an army all in complete harness/ their captains so well appointed/ so goodly a sight of fair & amiable boy's/ the torches and cresettes brennyuge in every corner/ the costly purveyance for banquetings/ the pomp of bishops/ the great & lusty port of cardinals/ the glorious monuments, & tokens of victory/ the ransoms & spoils gotten in wars/ the cry and shout of the comen people, & of the men of war/ the joy of them, and noise of their speech and feats/ the melody of the shawms/ the thundering of drums/ the bouncing & cracking of hagbusshes/ the plenty of money cast among the people. And if thou hadst therewith seen my holiness, the heed & author of all this goodly pomp, carried upon men's shoulders in a chair of gold, as though I had been god himself/ thou wouldest count the triumphs of both the Scipions Emilians, & all the emperors, but very beggary, in respect of my majesty.  Petrus. 
Oh, most gracious knight, thou hast rehearsed enough of thy chymiring triumphs/ in so moche that I utterly despise all those heathen princes, which your holiness hath vouched to me in comparison of you, which most like an holy father in Christ hast caused so many glorious triumphs. furthermore of so many christian men slain for your gracious pleasure, your grace being the author and causer of the slaughter of so many legions/ never won yet so much as one poor soul to Christ, neither with your preaching nor living. O, most fatherly love. O worthiest vicar of Christ, which contented to bestow thy life to save thy flock/ or else carest not for the maintenance of one pestilent caitiff, to destroy the hole world.  jul. 
Well, I see now thou speakest all this, because thou enuyest my glory/ and specially when thou remember'st how poor and beggarly a bishopric as thine was in respect and comparison of mine.  Pe. 
How darest thou most shameless wretch, compare & liken thy glory with mine, which is yet not mine, but rather Christ's. F●rst of all, if thou wilt grant me that Christ is the best, and the very prince, & sovereign he●d of the church, than is all thy pompous glory not o●es to be compared to mine. For he in his own person gave me the keys of his kingdom/ that is to say, authority to preach his law and gospel/ & committed unto me his sheep to be fed. He commended my faith with his own mouth. But as for thou art come to dignity by means of thy money/ by partial favour of men/ through deceit and subtilty. If a man so promoted may have the name of bishop, I have won to Chryst by preaching gods word many thousands of souls/ but thou with thy abominable living, hast brought innumerable to confusion. I taught Chryst to the romans, living before in all gentylite/ but thou hast been to the same romans a teacher of all gentylyte, & falls worshipping I healed such as were sick, with the shadow o● my body. I delivered men being possessed with devils/ restored the deed to live. And in every place that I came I was beneficial to all men. What like I pray the were done in all thy triumphs? I could with my word deliver whom I list to Satan. The experience whereof thou mayst see in Saphyra and Ananias her husband/ the fifth of the acts. Moreover what power soever I had, I spent it to the profit of every man. But thou was ever so unprofitable to all men as thou might be. Ye, what was that thou might not do to the comen confusion of all the world?  jul. 
I wonder why thou dost not recite among thy other honours, thy beggary & watchings/ travailings/ enprysonmentes/ fettering/ thy checks and rebukes/ beating, and scourging, with such like promotions.  Pe. 
Thou remē●rest me in good tyme. For herein I have more cause to glo●y than in any miracles. For Christ himself hath command us to rejoice & be g●ad in these things/ and pronounceth us all blessed, which patiently suffereth them. And so likewise Paul sometime my fellow, in the xi chap. of his second epistle to the corinthians, boasting as it were to them his valiant acts/ neither so moche as ones remembreth any towns won by force of arms, nor legions of men, slain with the sword/ neither how many princes he provoked and moved to war/ or any tyrannous or cruel statelynes/ but rather the dangers which he was in upon the see, his enpry●onmētes, his whippings, & scourgings, the perils of false brethren. These be the triumphs of a true apostle. These be those things which a captain of Christ should glory and rejoice in. He boasteth how many he hath begotten in Chryst/ how many he hath withdrawn from wickedness and ungodly living/ and not (as thou dost) how many. M. duccates he hath heaped together. Wherefore we now make everlasting triumphs which god in heaven/ honoured and praised both of good & evil. But contrary wise, as for thee, every man curseth, unless he be like to thyself, or else such as flatter the.  jul. 
I never heard of such rekenyngꝭ before.  Pe. 
I think the same. For how shouldest thou have any time to read over the holy gospels, and the epistles (which my brother Paul & I did write) being always busied about so many imbassades, so many legeys, accounts, so many armies and triumphs. The study of scriptures requireth a mind void of all worldly cares. The discipline of Christ doth also require a breast clean purged from the spot of all worldly business. Thou mayst be well assured that so great a doctor as Chryst was, came not down from heaven to teach us any vulgar or comen learning. The profession of a christian man is no idle time, nor without cares, as to despise all pleasures as things venomous/ & tread riches under thy feet as thou wilt do a clot of clay, to set nothing by this life in gods cause & thy neighbours. This is the profession of a true Christian. But for because these things seem intolerable to such as be not governed with the spirit of Christ. Therefore they deflect and torn them away to vain and unfruitful ceremonies/ and unto such a Chryst & heed, feigned by themselves, they countrefeyte a like body.  jul. 
What good thing than dost thou leave me, if thou take away my money/ deprive me of my kingdom/ spoil me of mine honour/ and bore me of pleasure.  Pe. 
By this reason thou countest Chryst himself a very wretch/ which although he was lord over all together, yet was made a comen laughing stock/ leading all his life in poverty/ sweat/ fasting/ hungres and thirst/ & finally died a most heinous death.  jul. 
He may perchance find some that will commend his life, but surely he shall find none now adays that would follow it.  Pe. 
Nay not so, for the very praise of his life, is the following of the same. Albeit troth it is that Christ doth not bereave any of his their good. But for such things as are falsely called good/ he enrycheth them with the true and eternal riches/ which he doth not before he have purged and take clean away their fleshly appetites. For even like as he was all together heavenly, so his will is to have his body/ that is to say the congregation of christian men knit together in his spirit, to be in all things most like to him, that is to wite, clean purged from all spots of worldliness. For else how can he be all one with him which sitteth in heaven most glorious and shining, if he were drowned over the heed in worldly filthiness, & dregs. But when he is ones purged from such pleasures, which be rather displeasures/ & moreover from all worldly affections. Than at the last Christ showeth forth his incomparable treasures, and giveth unto his a most sweet taste of his heavenly joys, for their voluptuous pleasures of this world, ever mingled with a sour sauce.  jul. 
What pleasures I pray the.  Pe. 
Esteemed thou the gifts of prophecy, entrepreting the scriptures/ the gift to work miracles: but as comen gifts, and no pleasure? Moreover supposest thou Christ himself but as a vile person/ whom who soever hath hath in his possession all together? Finally, one●es thou think that we here in this place do lead a miserable life.  jul. 
Ha, ha, ha. Than I see well, the more wretched life that a man doth live in the world/ the more delicately he liveth in Christ/ the more beggarly a man is here, the richer he is in christ/ the more abject that a man is here, the higher & more honourable he is in Chryst/ the less he liveth in this world, the more he liveth in Christ.  Petrus. 
It is surely so/ that Christ will have all his body be pure and clean/ and namely the ministers of his word/ that is to wite the bishops. And among them the higher he is, the more like he ought for to be to Christ and the less overcharged, and further from all carnal pleasures. But now I see clean the contrary, that he which will be esteemed highest in dignities/ and next of all to Christ himself, is most of all overwhelmed in all worldly filthiness/ as in riches/ dominion/ strength of men/ battles/ truces. As for all other vices. I let pass. And although thou be never so contrary to Chryst/ nevertheless thou abusest the title of Chryst, for the maintenance of thy devilish pride/ and under the pretence of him which despised the kingdom of this world, thou playest the worldly tyrant/ and being the right enemy of Chryst, thou requirest the right honour dew unto him. Thou dost bliss other, thy own self being cursed of god. Thou takest upon the to open the gates of heaven to other men, from whence thou art now thyself exclude. Thou consecrates● other/ thyself being unconsecrate? Thou excommunycatest other/ thyself having no communion or part at all with god or his holy saints. Tell me wherein thou dyfferest from the great Turk, save only because thou allegest the title of christ/ for clearly your intents and minds are both one, your beastly lives both like: saving thou art the greater morreyne of all the world.  jul. 
Wherefore sayest thou so, saying mine intent hath been ever to endote the church with all kind of goods? But there be divers which saith that Arystotle spoke of three manner goods/ whereof some be called the goods of fortune/ other some goods of the body/ and the rest goods of the soul. Wherefore I not willing in any wise to invert and transpose this division of goods, began first of all at the goods of fortune/ and perchance should have come by little and little to the goods of the soul, if that death coming the sooner upon, had not to rathe have taken me out of this world.  Petrus. 
Very rathe in deed, for because thou art but three score years old and ten But what deed were it to mingle water with the fire?  jul. 
Well, but and if these commodities lack, the comen people will not set a straw by us: Where as now they both fear and worship us. Which if they did not, the church of god should soon decay, and be overrun, unless she could defend herself against the violence of her enemies.  Petrus. 
It is nothing so, for if the poor christian people could espy in the & such other, the very gifts of god, as good living, wholesome doctrine, brenning charity, the true enterpreting of god's word, with other virtues requisite to the true vicar of Christ/ yea, and they would the rather worship thee, because they perceive the pure and clean from all worldly and evil affections. The comen wealth of all christendom should much the better increase, if such priests might reign which (with their sincere living, their utter despising of worldly pleasures/ riches/ dominions/ yea, & death if need were) would move both the ignorant people, and also them which hath not received the faith to marvel at their godly conversation. But now christendom is not only contract and brought in to a little angle, but also if thou look nearly, thou shalt find a great number of those few that be christened in names only. But tell me I pray thee, didst thou neu●r so much as one's consider in thy mind when thou was the high shepeh●rde of the church, how it began, & by what means it was augmented/ and also whereby it was established/ whether which bloody battles/ great treasures/ pa●frayes, & such other. Surely it was nothing so, but rather with pacy●ence/ blood of martyrs, as mine and other/ with patient suffering of enpryso●m●ntes, & other painful beatings. But thou callest the church enriched when the ministers thereof be even laden with worldly dominion. Thou callest it garnished and adorned, when it is polluted with gifts & pleasures of the world. Than thou callest it defended when all the world lieth by the ears for the rents and ammities of priests. Thou sayest it flouryssheth, when it is drunken in voluptuous pleasures. Thou sayest it is in good quietness/ when no man dare speak against it. And it aboundeth in wealthiness, or rather in vice and naughtiness/ but this hast thou taught the vexyble princes of the world, which blinded with their naughty learning, doth call their great robberies, and furious battles, the def●nce of Christ's church.  jul. 
To this day heard I never such things before.  Petrus. 
What did the preachers than teach the.  julius. 
I heard nothing at all of them, but high commendations/ thundering out my great virtues and praises/ with painted words, calling me the great jupiter, which caused all the world to quake, and fear with my thondrebolt/ yea, that I was a very god, the comm●● health o● all the hole world/ with many more.  Pet. 
No marvel at all truly, though none of them could season thee, saying thou was but folys●he, and unsavoury salt. For the office of the true vicar of Christ, is to preach and teach him purely to the people.  julius. 
wilt thou not than open the gates?  Petrus. 
To any other rather than to such a pestilent wretch. For to the in thy conceit, we be all no better than excommunicate persons. But wilt thou have a good and profitable counsel? Thou hast a company of worthy warriors, innumerable richesse/ thyself a wise builder/ therefore go build the a new paradise, but take heed it be well defended, that it be not beaten down of ill spirits.  julius. 
No sir. I shall do a thing that shall please me a little better. I will tarry a few months, till my company be better increased, and stronger/ and than I will return and drive you clean out of this hold with strong hand, unless you will yield you unto me. For I doubt not but within a short space here will be above lx M. slain in battle.  Petrus. 
O most pestilent wretch. O miserable church/ but come hither Genius, for I had leaver comen with thee, than with this horrible monster.  Genius. 
What say ye to me.  Petrus. 
Be all the bishops such?  Genius. 
Of truth a great part of them/ but this was the capitain of all mischief.  Petrus. 
Was it thou that moved this man to so many horrible deeds.  Genius. 
No for god, it needed not. For he ran so hastily of his own courage, that I could scarce over take him with any wings.  Petrus. 
Of truth I marvel nothing at all, that so few cometh to this place, when so pestilent caitiffs be governors of the church. notwithstanding the poor blind people I conjecture hereby: is not all together uncurable, that they give such honour to this foul stinking wydraught, for the bare title of bishop.  Genius. 
It is matter in deed/ but I must go straight away hence/ for my capitain hath becked upon me to follow him/ yea, and for my long tarrying hath shaked his staff upon me, therefore I will bid you farewell.   

¶ The translator to the readers.  
THis julius (good reder) reigned from the year of our lord. M. CCCCC. & three to the end of ix years and more, in such wise as appeareth in this dialogue. Which thing causeth me often to marvel at them that say, the Pope of Rome (as they call him) can not err. For compare his life to the living of Timothe, or Paul/ and I suppose thou shalt find very little agreeing. But Alas, in how miserable case were they which sat in the cart, when such a pheaton had it to govern at his pleasure. Wha● likelihood were betwixt him (whose study was to enchayne all the world in deadly malice) and them which cried evermore, that we should love our enemies, and pray for such as do persecute us. This julius gave his blessing, to encyte one to kill an other/ where the hole body of scripture teacheth us patience. But if we consider this sore scourge wherewith god punished us so many years, it is high time to submit and humble ourselves unto him which will give us to drink of the water, not which the venomous Natryx hath infect with her poison: but such whereof if we drink, it shall make in us a well of water, leaping in to eternal life: which christ grant us all. AMEN.   

¶ Imprinted at London by Iohn Byddell/ dwelling in Fleetstreet at the sign of the Son against the conduit. The year of our lord. M. CCCCC. & xxxv  
CUM PRIVILEGIO REGALI.