ost prudent lord
Pope, and of him as oft as him listed; that satisfactory, that missal,
that scalary: they, I say, that were the wise fathers and genitors of
this purgatory, were in my mind the wisest of all their generation, and
so far pass the children of light, and also the rest of their company,
that they both are but fools, if ye compare them with these. It was a
pleasant fiction, and from the beginning so profitable to the feigners of
it, that almost, I dare boldly say, there hath been no emperor that hath
gotten more by taxes and tallages of them that were alive, than these,
the very and right-begotten sons of the world, got by dead men's tributes
and gifts. If there be some in England, that would this sweeting of the
world to be with no less policy kept still than it was born and brought
forth in Rome, who then can accuse Christ of lying? No, no; as it hath
been ever true, so it shall be, that the children of the world be much
wiser, not only in making their things, but also in conserving them. I
wot not what it is, but somewhat it is I wot, that some men be so loth to
see the abuse of this monster, purgatory, which abuse is more than
abominable: as who should say, there is none abuse in it, or else as
though there can be none in it. They may seem heartily to love the old
thing, that thus earnestly endeavour them to restore him his old name.
They would not set an hair by the name, but for the thing. They be not
so ignorant (no, they be crafty), but that they know if the name come
again, the thing will come after. Thereby it ariseth, that some men make
their cracks, that they, maugre all men's heads, have found purgatory. I
cannot tell what is found. This, to pray for dead folks, this is not
found, for it was never lost. How can that be found that was not lost? O
subtle finders, that can find things, if God will, ere they be lost! For
that cowlish deliverance, their scalary losings, their papal spoliations,
and other such their figments, they cannot find. No, these be so lost,
as they themselves grant, that though they seek them never so diligently,
yet they shall not find them, except perchance they hope to see them come
in again with their names; and that then money-gathering may return
again, and deceit walk about the country, and so stablish their kingdom
in all kingdoms. But to what end this chiding between the children of
the world and the children of light will come, only he knoweth that once
s