¶ A godly dialogue & disputation between Pyers ploughman, and a popish priest concerning the supper of the lord/ no less fruitful than necessary to be, noted of all christian men specially considering the great controversies & variances had therein now in your time ¶ i Corinth. i ¶ God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound things which are mighty. yea things of no reputacyou for to bring to nought things of reputation, that no flesh should presume in his sight IT chanced that this simple Pyers ploughman come to a certain house where as was a daner, prepared for the neighbours dwelling there about, At the which dinner were, iiii. priests amongst whom, was moche reasoning concerning the Sacrament of the Aultre, to be short one amongst these. iiii (to make the simple people believe that he was better learned then all his fellows) said and declared there that the sacrament was the very body and blood of christ Alleging further that great danger it was to receive yet unworthily. etc. where upon Pycets. ploughman, encouraged himself, yea was rather boldened and encouraged by the secret motion of the holy ghost (having this sentence of Christ before his eyes, that he that for saketh me before the world him will I forsake before mi farther which is in heaven▪ beginneth with the said priest) after this manner following. Master parson, by your patience I would ask you a question, in the way of communication priest ¶ Ask what ye will Pyers ¶ I pray the sir whether shall when receive the very self same body, which the blessed vergyn mary conceived in her whom●●e by the inspiration of the holy ghost at this holy time of Easter, or no? Priest ¶ We shall receive the same body Pyers I deny that priest Then shall we receive some other body pers That I deny also priest Now I perceive that thou art a rank heretic Pyers ¶ If I am and heretic than is S. Austyne and heretic. also priest ¶ S. Austen saith no such thing I trow how be it to say truth I have not greatly occupied myself in reading of his works Pyers ¶ Swear not master parson for I believe you well enough. I think you cumber but little your brains either with S Austin's wryntinges, or yet with the holy and sacred Bible. But I told you before, if I am an heretic. S. Austen is anheretyke also priest In what place. I pray the doth. S. Austyne speak these words? Pyers Learn to understand these few words, which, S. Austen writeth in a book entitled. Magistra sent enciarum jesum et non ipsum quod videbatur in cruce manducatur in altari Hoc est ipsum scꝪ, corpus quod videbatur in cruce manducabatur & no manducabatur Man ducabatur autem spiritualiter, it non carnaliter, that is that and not that body which was seen on the cross was eaten at the altar that is to say it is eaten and it is not eaten. After this man, nor is it eaten when it is minstred according to the institution of christ spiritually that is stead fastly to believe that we are redeemed and saved by the metites of Christ'S passion where of this sacrament is only a remembrance & is not eaten carnalle or fleshly as ye papists do rote & cry priest But for all that he is at the altar in the form of bread Pyers I deny that for if he where there under the form of bread the bread/ should, lose his taste? weight and colour. Where by may easily be parecyved that your saying is false. But his power when it is ministered and receyveyd according to the institution of christ, is there invisible so us Here to also appertaineth an other saying of. S. Austen, Crede et manducasti. That is believe and thou hast eaten. And thus I believe that the supper of the lords body, can be made no better by a good pressed, nor worse by a bad priest priest That I grant also pyers Syris not he both. God and man. priest Yea forsooth. paers But now master parson tell me (I pray thee, in how many places can he be as one time, concerning his godhead priest God occupieth no place Pyers That is truth for he is a spirit, and a spirit is where he will, And I pray t●● … may not, God be in every place although he occupieth noplace: priest yea forsooth. Pyers ¶ So I believe that God, is all in all things, as Pau●e witnesseth. And so he may be in all places where the. Sacrament is consecrated, according to the instruction of christ. priest ¶ All that is no less than truth Pyers, ¶ Gentle master parson: tell me I pray that, whether occupied that body which the bledssed virgin marry bore any place or no▪ Priest Ye mary did it good man pyers. Pyers How many places occupied the same body at one time Priest But one place at ones Pyers Did not the self same body suffer under ponce and was it not also crucified, dead and buried for our offences. priest Yea forsooth did he Pyers Did not that same body reman in the grave or sepulchre, whiles the spirit descended. in to hell? And was not the god head with the spirit in hell and remained not the godhead neue● the less with the body/ in the sepulchre or grave. Priest Yea forsooth it was even so Pyers Sir did not that self same body arise again, on the third day. And after his resurrectiou did not he eat of a broiled fish and of a Honycombe in a token that he was very man: priest It was even so Pyers Did not the body ascend in to heaven & sitteth he not at the right hand of the majesty of god, priest yea marry Pyers ❧ Now master parson, where is that body now? priest ¶ It is in heaven pyers ❧ Now tell me, I pray the did that body ever come down from heaven▪ sense it ascended, up into heaven/ priest ¶ No verily it never descended or came down sense, pyers ❧ Ergo to you master parson. then is not the same body that our lady bore ministered at the Aultet but only a remembrance of the same. as it appeareth: not onelte by my layingout also by powts priest For sooth, it were a strange matter to reason upon before the lay people. pyers ¶ No sir not so, It were a very godly and necessary matter to be reasoned and connuned of for by this means might the simple people learn to be ware of the leaven of such pharisees I will not say as you are for now thanks be to god ye are, come to the right way, but as a great fort, the more pity be ❧ The other iii priests said If these hobbes and rusticals be suffered to be thus busy, in reading of English heresy and to dispute after this manner with us, which are sperytual men we shallbe fain, to learn some other occupation or else we are like to have but a cold broth. Pyers. AMEN.