riple
crown full of labels, with sumptuous and Persian-like gorgeousness, with
his royal sceptre, with his diadem of gold, and glittering with stones,
was carried about, not upon palfrey, but upon the shoulders of noble men.
These things, no doubt, did Peter at Rome in times past, and left them in
charge to his successors, as you would say, from hand to hand; for these
things be now-a-days done at Rome by the popes, and be so done, as though
nothing else ought to be done. Or contrariwise, peradventure they had
rather say thus, that the Pope doth now all the same things, which we
know Peter did many a day ago: that is, that he runneth up and down into
every country to preach the gospel, not only openly abroad, but also
privately from house to house: that he is diligent, and applieth that
business in season and out of season, in due time and out of due time:
that he doth the part of an evangelist, that he fulfilleth the work and
ministry of Christ, that he is the watchman of the House of Israel,
receiveth answers and words at God's mouth; and even as he receiveth
them, so delivereth them over to the people: that he is the salt of the
earth: that he is the light of the world: that he doth not feed his own
self, but his flock: that he doth not entangle himself with the worldly
cares of this life: that he doth not use a sovereignty over the Lord's
people: that he seeketh not to have other men minister to him, but
himself rather to minister unto others: that he taketh all bishops as his
fellows and equals; that he is subject to princes, as to persons sent
from God: that he giveth to Caesar that which is Caesar's: and that he,
as the old bishops of Rome did without any question, calleth the emperor
his lord. Unless, therefore, the popes do the like now-a-days, and Peter
did the things aforesaid, there is no cause at all why they should glory
so of Peter's name, and of his succession.

Much less cause have they to complain of our departing, and to call us
again to be fellows and friends with them, and to believe as they
believe. Men say, that one Cobilon, a Lacedaemonian, when he was sent
ambassador to the king of the Persians to treat of a league, and found by
chance them of the court playing at dice, he returned straightway home
again, leaving his message undone. And when he was asked why he did
slack to do the things which he had received by public commission to do,
he made answer, he thought it should be a great reproach