tood altogether in great need of a cunning
spokesman.

Now as for those things which by them have been laid against us, in part
they be manifestly false, and condemned so by their own judgments which
spake them; partly again, though they be as false, too, indeed, yet bear
they a certain show and colour of truth, so as the reader (if he take not
good heed) may easily be tripped and brought into error by them,
specially when their fine and cunning tale is added thereunto. And part
of them be of such sort as we ought not to shun them as crimes or faults,
but to acknowledge and profess them as things well done, and upon very
good reason.

For shortly to say the truth, these folk falsely accuse and slander all
our doings; yea the same things which they themselves cannot deny but to
be rightly and orderly done; and for malice do so misconstrue and deprave
all our sayings and doings, as though it were impossible that anything
could be rightly spoken or done by us. They should more plainly and
sincerely have gone to work if they would have dealt truly. But now they
neither truly, nor sincerely, nor yet Christianly, but darkly and
craftily charge and batter us with lies, and do abuse the blindness and
fondness of the people, together with the ignorance of princes, to cause
us to be hated and the truth to be suppressed. This, lo, ye, is the
power of darkness, and of men which lean more to the amazed wondering of
the rude multitude and to darkness than they do to truth and light; and
as St. Hierom saith, which do openly gainsay the truth, closing up their
eyes, and will not see for the nonce.

But we give thanks to the most good and mighty God, that such is our
cause, whereagainst (when they would fainest) they were able to utter no
despite, but the same which might as well be wrested against the holy
fathers, against the Prophets, against the Apostles, against Peter,
against Paul, and against Christ Himself.

Now, therefore, if it be lawful for these folks to be eloquent and fine-
tongued in speaking evil, surely it becometh not us in our cause, being
so very good, to be dumb in answering truly. For men to be careless what
is spoken by them and their own matter, be it never so falsely and
slanderously spoken (especially when it is such that the majesty of God
and the cause of religion may thereby be damaged), is the part doubtless
of dissolute and wretchless persons, and of them which wickedly wink at
the injuries done u