The Confutation of the Misshapen Answer

Crowley, Robert

TextBaseEarlyTudorEnglish
RCCon6082
2008
STC 6082
Ringler 6082, TP 514 ('Good readers all ...') and 2125 ('What meaneth this gyse...'). The work comprises Crowley's prose 'Confutation' of the 'Aunswer' by Myles Hoggard (TP 514) to the anonymous 'Ballade' (TP 2125), which Hoggard quotes and answers stanza by stanza. D8 cancelled without apparent loss of text.

The Confutation of the mishapen Aunswer to the misnamed, wicked Ballade, called the Abuse of ythornsuperscript-e blessed sacrame[n]t of the aultare ... [by] Miles Hoggard ...
London: John Day and William Seres,[1548].



Composition Date: 1548 [Sig A1].







sig: [A1]
The Confutation of the mishapen Aunswer to the misnamed, wicked Ballade, called the Abuse of the blessed sacrament of the aultare. Wherin, thou haste (gentele Reader) the ryghte vnderstandynge of al the places of scripture that Myles Hoggard, (wyth his learned counsall) hath wrested to make for the transubstanciacion of the bread and wyne.
Compiled by Robert Crowley. Anno .1548.
sig: [A1v]

¶To the Reader
AFter I had perused this fonde answere (christian Reader) and perceiued howe greately the papistes gloried therin thinckeinge (yea and mak[i]ngletter dropped out theyr crakes) that no man should be able to confute it, or if any man shoulde take in hande to writewrite] writte 1548 agayne, he shoulde be aunswerede in lyke maner: I thought it my diutie (amongeste other my labours for the sitteynge forth of the trueth of the christian fayeth) to ouerthrowe thys theyr bullwarcke, that these proude philistians maye knowe that the Lord of hostes hath not lefte his churche so destitute of the good gyftes of the spirite, but that the verie little ones (of his armie) are able to driue them from al theyr holdes, and cause them to flee when theyr stouburne stomakes wyll not suffer them to yelde to the trueth[.] The spirite of the lyueinge God leade the in the waye of trueth, that thou be not deceiued by these false dissemblinge hypocrites, which vnder the name catholike fayeth woulde stil mayntayne the Romishe ruffe See OED ruff, n. 6 ='pride', 'vainglory' and Kin[g]dome Kingdome] Kindome 1548 of Antichriste.

AMEN.
sig: A2

¶The preface to the reader.
This is Hoggard's preface, quoted by Crowley

GOod readers all, of eche degre
To you I make, humble request
When that you do this reade or se
To iudge my minde vnto the best
5 And blame me not, though I ernest be
In this hig[h]e point of our fayth highe] hige 1548
Which now, so many enmyes hath.

All thinges, sayeth Paull, that written be
Are written playne for our learnyng
10 Then syth in scripture thus we se
That Christe to vs was so louinge
Not onely death for vs sufferinge
But also left vs his flesh and bloude
Of bodye and soule to be the foode

15 Namely to suche as worthely
Receyue it with a fayeth perfete
That Christ is ther soule and bodye
Whom the Iewes slewe wyth greate despyte
Without which fayeth as I resyte
20 They do receyue it damnably
Not deserninge oure Lordes bodi[e]

Good reader muse not on this thynge
How by thy reason it shoulde be
For that in errour will the bringe
25 Yf thou by reason seeke to se
Howe God can worke this misterie
Canst thou vyle dust at thys ceason
Measure Gods worke by thy reason

Thou art man, but a creature
30 Wylt thou with thy maker contend
Howe he can worke at his pleasure
Aboue that, thou canst comprehend
He hath made the vnto suche ende
That thou by fayth, to him shoulde cleaue
sig: [A2v]
35 Aboue reason, for to beleue

Therfore I do, the aduertyse
Thy reason ther, to captyuate
It is no reasons exercyse
With, howe, to knowe the perfyte rate
40 Howe God doth worke, in this estate
Therfore agayne to the I saye
Thou oughtest him in fayth to obey

Thus ende I now my preface
Desieringe you good readers all
45 The perfyte fayth for to embrace
The whych is most catholicall
And if in this answere you shall
Fynd any faute, I it commyt
To such as can, truely mende it.


FINIS

The confutacion

¶In this preface of yours ... rest of prose text omitted
sig: A6
This is Hoggard's preface, quoted by Crowley
OF late a new balad came to my hand
Compyled by a false christen man
As it is easye for to vnderstande
In that so madly he doth the thinge scan
5 Whiche he reproueth, but here-after whan
Ye do reade the answere it shal apeare
What deuilishe doctrine he hath written here

And because hys errour shalbe sene playn.
Eche staff of hys ryme I wyl answere so
10 That then he shall haue no cause to complayne
For all hys hole prosesse as it doeth go
I wyll wryt forth and not adde one worde mo
In th'answere wherof, he shall se euident
How wyckedlye hys tyme in it he hath spent

15 And nowe for hys matter to enter in
As after foloweth it doeth begin.

The confutacion.

You enter into your mattier ... rest of prose text omitted

sig: [A7]

The ballade.

What meaneth this gyse,
I woulde faine here
Straunge sightes in my eies,
there do apere
Defended wyth lies,
boeth farre and nere
Greate ruth it is.

sig: [A7v]

The answere

5 What this man doeth meane is here straunge to me
For if he be christened then dare I say
That that thinge which he maketh so straunge to be
Syth he, he came to reason euery day
The sacrament he sawe honoure alwaye
10 But if he be a panym, than truely
I blame hym not muche for his greate outcrye


The confutacion

Your answere declareth ... rest of prose text omitted

sig: [A8]

¶The balad

I se men honour,
Both breade and wyne
For christ our sauiour,
which he left for a sign
To the beleuer,
Of hys death deuyne
15 Lorde amende thys


The answere.

Who-euer hearde beaste so shamefully ly,
No Christen man doth honour breade or wine
For nether kynds be there thoughe to our eye
They do so apere, yet fayeth doth defyne
20 Christe hole to be ther by hys power deuine
To whom the godhede is knit ther Ioyntlye
Whome we are bounde to honoure of dewtye


¶The confutacion

Here you wyll hange your-selfe ... rest of prose text omitted

sig: [B2v]

The Ballad.

Wonderful syghtes,
I coulde declare
I loked in the pixte
Dome gods I sawe there pixte: =pyx; dome: =dumb
25 Made of the priests,
Which sinners are
sig: B3
Liuinge amyse.


The answere

Wonderfull it is vnto a pagane
How a pure virgyn shoulde bring forth a child
But easye it is to a Christian man
30 Which hath this, how from his reasone exilde
Obeyinge to fayeth on which he doeth bylde
So if this man woulde reasone captiuate
He shoulde not ieste after thys folishe rate

Dome gods it pleaseth thys wretch them to cal
35 The hostes he meaneth which are consecrate
Because they speake not nor be sene vital
Ergo, they be dome: o beaste intoxicate
Yf Christe coulde be sene ther after that rate
That he walked here, wher were then thy faith
40 Wher eye, may perswade, faith hath no merite


¶The Confutacion,

You go about to make the matter ... rest of prose text omitted

sig: [B6v]

The ballade.

From sinners seperate,
Gods son is, saith Paul
Hygher then heauen-seate,
Aboue the powers al
How with sinful hand make,
His body then you shall
Syr prists tell me thys


The answere.

45 Truth it is that christe is vp ascended
How can sinful hands then make him say you
Who-euer so sayde or that defended
Truely none, nor at thys tyme doth nowe
But thys trueth all christen men doeth auowe
50 That after the wordes of God ther spoken
Christes fleshe is ther that for vs was broken


¶The confutation

Here you answere as though ... rest of prose text omitted

sig: [B8v]

¶The balad

Thou sayest by thy coninge
that thou makest him
Who hath made of nothyng
Both the and thi kyn
Heauen earth and al-thynge,
conteined ther-in
55 What lye is thys


The answere

A great lye surely of your owne makinge
Ye can do it well as here doth appere
It semyth that the diuil dyd kepe you waking
That so shamefull wil lye wythout fere
60 His seruaunte you are whose badge ye do bear
The whych is lyeng, and our Lorde doth saye
That the diuell is father to lyers alwaye


¶The confutacion.

Well answered and muche to the purpose ... rest of prose text omitted

sig: C1

¶The Ballad.

Tho[u] wylt say with spede,
It is not our acte
The worde in this ded[e], dede] ded 1548
taketh effecte
65 Wyth the I prosede,
that thus dooste obiecte
Answere me to this


The answere.

The priestes that do say it is not our acte
But god by the word is worker of all
They that so hath sayd no true iugement lacke
70 For so it is as after proue I shal
The priest by authority spiritual
But as a minister doth execute
And god his creature doth ther transmute


The confutacion.

You saye you wyll proue ... rest of prose text omitted


The Ballade.

What word hast thou noddy,
Wherwith Christ did make
75 Of bread his body,
As thou dost crake
Wyth all thy study,
An answere take
And tell me this.


The answere.

Without great studye th'answer is made
Me-thynke ye presume very hye
80 This is my body Christ playnely sayde
You dare be so bolde to saye he doth lye
Not so syr, say you that worde say not I
Yet doth your wordes proue, syr bi your licence
That to Christes wordes ye geue no credence.


¶The Confutacion,

An answere (you saye) is made ... rest of prose text omitted

sig: [C2v]

¶The ballad.

85 Hoc est corpus
Meum, you bryng
Wher-wyth ye clocke vs, clocke: =cloak; or =cluck? see OED clock v2.
Under your wynge
But for your purpose,
It serueth nothynge
Who seyth not thys?


¶The answere.

Hoc est corpus meum fyrst Christe in brought
sig: [C3]
90 And to all hys apostels gaue the power
As ministers to do, that him-selfe wrought
By the wordes spoken to them at that houre
Which wordes are stronger then castel or towr
And so shall enduer vnto the laste daye
95 When all gods enemies shal vanyshe awaye


The confutacion

Not much vnlyke is thys ... rest of prose text omitted

sig: [C3v]

¶The ballad.

To be the worde.
Naimely of giuing
Which christ our Lord,
Spake to his beleueing
Disciples at borde,
as they were sitting
Their faith to encrease


The answere

100 Christe promest his disciples before
That the bread that he would geue to them al
Was his fleshe which he for euermore
Would giue for the life of al men mortal
Firste at his maundy by power supernal
105 He fulfilled his promise geuing than truely
To them his owne pure natural bodie

Secondly Christe on the crosse him-selfe gaue
In his one bodi as he walked here one: =own
And so suffred ther al man-kinde to saue
110 But at his maundy as it dyd apere
He gaue the same body, but this in minde bere
Not as on the crosse, rightely to define
But vnder the forme of pure bread and wine


The confutacion

Here you thinke to shew ... rest of prose text omitted

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¶The ballad.

He is but a beast,
knowyng ryght nought
115 Which saith that hoc est,
Are wordes to make ought
Thys is manyfest,
In a wyse mans thought
Wher knowledge is.


The answere.

He is but a beast I maye saye ryght wel
Whiche wyll saye that God who is almighty
120 In sayeinge, thys is, dyd not truely tell
That, that he coulde do, but rather did lye
What beast is he this, that dare playne deny
Yf god say, this is, it is not so sayeth he
Because reason wyll not ther-to agre

125 What and if God wylde a thynge done to be
Aboue course of nature and yet god woulde
That man shoulde do it thoughe no word had he
But onely a deede as Moyses olde
sig: [C5]
God bade him lay downe the rode he dyd hold
130 Whiche when he had done it was a serpente
Then taking it by the tayl as is told
Yt turned to a rodde euen continent

God sayde to Moyses this shoulde be the sygne
To declare his power before kyng Pharao
135 The whiche after he dyd by the power deuyne
Wythout anye word that scripture doth show
This doth your hygh reason cleane ouer-throw
That, hoc est, can not be words to make ought
Much more then no wordes, ye wil say I trow
140 Chiefly being spoken by hym that al wrought

Yea spoken by hym, that I graunte saye you
Well, that obiection I wyll deferre now


The confutation

You answere euen as you ... rest of prose text omitted

sig: [C5v]

The ballad

If I say to the,
This is my head
It must so be,
Before I so sayde
sig: [C6]
145 Or els with a lye,
I haue the fed
Understandest thou thys.


¶The answere

Ye for-soth syr, but nowe if ye should tel
Thys to a dome beast then durst I depose then] theen 1548
That he coulde skantly vndersta[n]de you well vnderstande] vnderstade 1548
150 For he can nether iuge, head, eye, not nose
But tell thys to a man, and I supose
He would thynke you to be ful dronke or mad
To point him to knowe his legge from his hose
For he would thinke in that he ful knowlege had

155 But nowe my knowlege may me here begile
For may-hape, ye be a man of grauite
And therfore agayne I wyl turne my style
And wyl speake to you in thys thinge sadly
By your example ye meane ful madly
160 That christ pointed to his bodie natural
What scripture haue ye I would know gladli
That christe ment not ther-of the breade at all

Yf in the scripture that wyll not be founde
To beleue your fancie I am not bounde
165 Mary, your example your parte trew to trye
Sayth if [c]hrist ment not so, he made a false lye christ] thrist 1548


The confutation

I can not a little maruaile ... rest of prose text omitted

sig: [C7]

¶The ballad.

Wel then to say lo,
Thys is my body
Hath not made it so,
Thou seyst with smal studie
Wherfore shortely go,
Make other wordes redi
170 These wyl do no seruice.

sig: [C7v]

The answere.

Here lo ye triumphe like a noble syer
As though ye had proued al that ye speak
Which is that our sauioure christe was a lier
When that he dyd say when he bread did breake
175 This is my body, his power was to weake
He coulde not performe that he there dyd saye
He muste seeke other wordes that to conuaye.


The confutacion

Yet you harpe styl ... rest of prose text omitted

sig: [C8]

¶The ballade.

What if in scripture.
Were wrytten one lyne
Wherwith our sauiour,
Thy god and myne
180 Into thys nature,
Dyd tourne bread and wine
Couldest thou do thys?


The answer

What if in scrip[t]ure ther be one lyne scripture] scripiure 1548
As ther is in-[d]ede whiche I before tel dede] bede 1548
To proue that our Lorde both thy god and myne
185 Dyd consecrate hys body fleshe and fell
Agaynste them which chiefely ye do repel
Naye, amyte, say you that Christ did so do amyte: =admit
Coulde you mayster parsone do the same to

Ye for-soth syr, Christe dyd that for oure sake
190 And not for th'apostles at that tyme alone
For priestes for that purpose then he dyd make
Geuynge power to them al euerie-one
To consecrate hys body when he was gone
Sayenge do thys, in my remembraunce
195 Which to this day hath had continuance

Ye I graunte say you that the Lorde dyd saye
Do thys in mi commemoracion
Then is it no more that well se ye maye
But a remembraunce of christes passion
200 [......................................]A line has dropped out in 1548
It is lefte for a remembraunce I knowe
And yet christes true body as I wyl showe

The pascal lambe offred in the old law
Was of christes offeringe an onelye figure
sig: [C8v]
205 The rocke of stone out of which the Iewes saw
Water flowynge out, for them cl[ea]neletters broken and pure
Which stone figured christe as saith scripture
Then yf the sacrament be now no more
But a fygure onely, then these before
210 Were as good then as is the sacrament
But christ was a prieste muche more excellente
Which made amendes for our transgression
Leauynge his sacrament of suche perfection
That wher-as the other were figures onely
215 Hys is both a fygure and also truly
The same thynge that is figured therby
The whiche is christes naturall body
Thys to beleue I thynke ye wyll refuse
Ye wil rather leaue christ, and folow the Iewes
220 Sayeng how can this felowe gyue to vs
Hys fleshe to eate, it doth seme, ye do thus


The confutacion

Yet once agayne you wyll not ... rest of prose text omitted

sig: [D6]

¶The ballad.

Thou hast the word,
wherwyth god wrought
Man beast fish burd,
And all of nought
Canst thou good bloud,
Therwith make ought
225 That vnmade is.


The answere.
This heading is lineated with the previous line of text

We haue the same word I do playne confesse
And for al your gay talke so do not ye
The word whiche as saint Iohn doth expresse
Was the second person in trinitie
230 Without whom ther was nothing mad saith he mad: =made
By no wordes writen it was that he ment
But by his sonne, one with him in deitie
Which is with vs nowe in the sacrament

Yet happly here ye will to me obiect
235 And wil aske me if Moyses did not write
The veri wordes which by god toke effect
In createinge of man as he did resite
Yesse say I, wel then say you gone is quite
Al your hole matter which ye do defend
240 Excepte that your priestes wil stoutly stande byte byte: =by it?
That they by that word can worke to the same end

Wel hit forsoth and spoken lyke a clarke
Ye make as though ye walke in the light
But like one through-blind ye walke in the dark
245 For whom that in scripture hath any syght
Maye sone se that ye take not scripture righte
God made al this world we se of nothing
Doth it folowe that man can not by gods myght
Turn thinges from ther nature, god being wi[l]ling willing] wiling 1548

250 Now what gods wil is in the Sacrament
I haue tolde you before by his wordes playne
In the which the priest is but an instrument
For the wordes that christ spake he sp[e]akes againe speakes] spakes 1548
As christ him-self bad, which was not in vaine
255 For after the wordes our Lord by hys power
Creates noth[y]ng newe there that is certayne nothyng] nothpng 1548
sig: [D6v]
But brynge ther the presence of oure sauiour.


The confutacion

Here you would seme ... rest of prose text omitted

sig: E1

The ballad

Yf with that scripture.
Thou canst not make
The least creature,
How wylt thou take
260 On thy weake nature,
Of bread to create
The Lorde of blysse.


The answere.

Ye thinke al proued that ye onely saye
And yet to saye trueth ye do but contend
By reason to kepe your fayth at a bay
265 Chargeinge men with that they do not defend
If we sayd that a makyng dyd depend
Of the priest or of god whiche we deny
Then had ye some cause your time thus to spend
Christ is ther but howe we seke not to spy

270 Therfore leaue of your folish blasphemy
It is agaynst our fayth catholyke and trewe
That euer christ shoulde be create anewe.


The confutacion

You seme to accompte ... rest of prose text omitted

sig: E2

¶The ballad

Hauinge no word,
of consecracion
Wherof the Lord,
hath mad relacion
275 Thou teachest abrode
thine owne inuencion
Which is amise


The answere

Who is more blind then those that wil not se
What botes it to shew you any scripture
sig: [E2v]
[Syth to no part therof ye wil agre]upper margin trimmed
280 Which to your reasone is harde or obscure
But yet once a ####ab#### gayne to do you pleasure
Ye shall heare if Christ made no relacion
In scripture of the consecracion

Christ to his dis[c]iples these wordes dyd saye disciples] disiples 1548
285 I longe to eate the pascall lambe sayth he
Wyth you my disciples for nowe is the day
Of the swete-bread, I praye you note and se
Howe the trueth wyth the figure doth a ####ab#### gre
Christe was the true lambe which the prophetes saw
290 Shuld truly fullfyl the Moysaical law

Christe eat the lambe ther-as the law did will
Then to showe that that law was expired
He ordaynde his lawe, that lawe to fulfil
Which whil[e] the world lasts shal not be finished while] whil 1548
295 That lambe was him-self which he ordained
To be offred dayly in remembraunce
Of his bitter death and paynfull suffraunce

Note here I praye you one thinge by the waye
Christ sayd I long to eate with you this daye
300 The passouer, by which he did declare
What great loue euer towardes them he bare
Which was not only the lawe to fulfil
But also to show them more of his wil
Which was that he woulde gyue vnto them all
305 The perfite pledge of the life eternal
Performing his promise made to them before
By geuing them his fleshe for euer-more
Among them so to be comunicate
That therby they shulde be incorporate
310 In hym than, and he in al them also
What greater loue coulde he to his people sho
But yet with this loue our lorde dyd not cease
For in his moste payne his loue did encrease
Remembring man-kind sayde, Sitio
315 Not onely for drinke, but mans health also,
sig: [E3]
Yt was that our Lorde dyd then so sore thruste thruste: =thirst
Se how this word [d]oth agre with the furste doth] both 1548
I long (sayeth christe) to eate the pascal with you
On the crosse, I thrust, in which I note nowe
320 That by these true wordes christe doth signifi
The desire that he had to geue his body
Accordinge to his promyse saying thus.
The breade that I wyll geue playne to discuse
Is my flesh, here lo was his fyrst promise
325 And at his maundy he fullfilled thys
Under forme of breade he dyd it ther giue
With spirit and lyfe wherby al such shoulde liue
As dyd receyue it by fayth worthily
On the crosse also he gaue his body
330 To suffer painfully he was there erecte
[....................................]A line has dropped out in 1548
Thus ye se that as christ dyd saye, I thurst
So dyd he before that he at the furste
Gaue himself (said I long) which words proueth to me
335 The furst body and the last both one to be

Christ at his last supper as I before saye
Toke bread and blessed it and brake it truly
Gaue [it] to his disciples and without stay it] ye 1548
Bad them take and eate this is my body
340 Then to shew them what body he ment, truely
He added these wordes to those he had spoken
Saieng, which for your sinnes shalbe broken

What body was broken for our trespas?
No signe of a body I thinke ye wyl saye
345 But euen the same body which borne was
Of the virgin mary, voyd this if ye may
Then toke christ the cup, bleste it the same waye
As before saing: this is my bloud truely
Which shalbe shed for the synnes of many

350 What bloud did christe shedde for our sakes
I thinke ye wyll saye his bloud natural
This agaynst your errours very much makes
Which to a ####ab#### voyde be able ye neuer shal
sig: [E3v]
Then christe bad them do this in his memorial
355 What (this) was it that he bade them do
Was it not to blesse, to breake, and to geue to

And to speake the same words that he ther spake
When he the bread into his hand did take
Which wordes were the words of consecration
360 And then bad that on the same facion
His apostles shuld do, nowe thus ye se
That the true wordes of consecrac[i]on be consecracion] consecracton 1548
In scripture, though you those wordes skan
To be but only th'enuencion of man
365 Yet one worde of Christe to mind here I call
Christ to declare that the law moisaical
He wolde hole fulfyl for the which intente
He toke the cup and sayed these wordes euidente
This is my bloud in the newe testament
370 Sygnifieng that the olde lawe was spent Sygnifieng] Syggnifieng 1548
With al the bloud of beastes which did figure
The bloud of Christ aboue al blo[u]ds most pure blouds] blods 1548
Now marke then, if that when christ did playn say
This is my blud, shuld meane none other way
375 But in figure only, what were it more
Then the figures of the olde law before
Not yet so much nether if ye marke wel
For in the olde lawe as I before tel
Uery bloud to figure, christes bloude truly
380 They did offer, vpon the which thinge I
Gather that and if the wyne be wyne still
That Christe at supper did the lawe fulfyll
Wyth a figure of bloud, which cannot be
For a figure is fulfilled we do se
385 In the veritie and not in figure
Chefly in thys thyng ye wyl graunt I am sure
This holy sacrament god did fore ####ab#### se
A great comforte for all his people to be
For whych he ordeyned a priest and kyng
sig: [E4]
390 The same trueth to figure in his offering
Christ is a priest sayeth Paul after the order
Of Melchisedech, now note here further
Melchesedech was both a priest and king
So was christe also as recordeth writtinge christe] christes 1548
395 Melchesedech was a king and yet truly
No mencion is made of his progeny
Which doth signifie that christ was a kynge
His father vnknowe without beginning
Melchesedech was kinge as scripture sayth
400 Of Salem, which as saynt Paul plainely hath
To the Hebrwes that, that doth signifi
A kyng of peace, to whome he dyd applye
Christe our sauiour and ye besyde this ye: =yea
Melchesedech of Christ a figure is
405 In this pristhode, for as scripture doth saye
He brought forth to Abraham in the waye
Bread and wine, In which acte scripture doeth him call scripture] scriptture 1548
The priest of the most hie god eternal
Christ likewise gaue the formes of bread and wine
410 Of which Melch[e]sedech was but a signe Melchesedech] Melchsedech 1548
Here may-hap one thing ye wyl aske of me
Wher saynte Paul doth note them thus to agre
For nether the prophet ther nor S. Paul
Of breade or wine speakes not one word at all
415 But doth Melche[se]dechs priesthod applye Melchesedechs] Melchedechs 1548
Unto christe when that he moste painfully
Dyd offer vp his fleshe and bloude most pure
Unto his father this is playne scripture
All this is true, I wyl it not denye.
420 Yet for my purpose agayne to replie
To Melchesedech, note here that he cam
Forth with breade and wyne to mete Abraham
Giuing thankes to God for his victori
Which to his pristhod perteined truly
425 Then that being his order howe can ye
D[e]nie christe of the same order to be Denie] Dinie 1548
sig: [E4v]
Sith vnder the kyndes of breade and wyne he
Gaue his body, this in scripture we se
And though s. Paul do no bread or wine name
430 Doth he deny Christes priesthode in the same?
Nay forsoth for as of Christ is spoken
He gaue the body which is broken
For our synnes at his last supper ye knowe
And then what though s. Paul nothyng show
435 Of bread and wyne, yet their priesthodes agre
So much the more, if this well noted be
Melchesedech dyd not offer wyth bloud
And yet dyd he fygure Christes presthod
When he on the crosse offered his bodye
440 Unto his father with his woundes bloudye
Howe shoulde that be and no bread or wine there
Yesse forsoth the scripture wyll it wel beare
Syth Christ gaue hys bodye as I before saye
Under those fourmes because thei shuld alwai
445 Remember his death by that sacrament.
Which death the breade and wyne dyd represent
That Melchesedech offred, here ye se
Howe both their priesthodes herein do agre
For Melchesedechs order dyd attend
450 Unto Christes offring on the crosse at the ende
Which offring ther done was done once for al
To be offred so, agayne he neuer shall.


The confutacion

No man myght worsse ... rest of prose text omitted

sig: F5

¶The Ballad.

¶For Christ hath sayd
Thou canst not shape
One heare of thy heade,
whyte ether blacke.
455 How canst thou of bread,
Then gods sonne make
Whyche in heauen is.


¶The answer.
This heading is lineated with the previous line of text

Thys stafe I haue answerd playnly before
For styl ye be harping vpon one stryng
Therfore to thys I wyl answere no more
460 But pray vnto god that he wyll you brynge
Out of your errour, but thys is one thynge
Except ye beleue as sayth Esay.
Ye cannot vnderstand thys hye mystery


The confutacion

This stafe (you say ... rest of prose text omitted

sig: [F6v]

¶The ballad

A better mynde.
The Lorde graunt the
465 That thou mayst fynd,
hys verite
Which maketh the blind,
In soule to se
What hys wyll is.


¶The Answere.

I pray God gyue syght to those that be blind
Then trust I to se your conuersion
470 For none is ther blynder that I can fynd
Then you bee in youre mad opinion
All other people ye can crye vpon
That to beleue scripture they shuld agre
And none farther from it then you your-selfe be


¶The confutation.

The words of your, praier ... rest of prose text omitted

sig: [F7]

¶The Ballad.
This heading is lineated with the previous line of text

475 God graunt the, the part,
Of s. Paule to playe
I meane to conuert,
From the Romyshe way
And with a meke herte,
Gods truth to obaye
Who graunt the this.


¶The answere.

Your praier dependeth of a godly intent
480 Which is that ye woulde haue al men forsake
There catholyke fayth in the Sacrament
And your errour in the place thereof to take
But nowe for your part the better to make
Ye call the truth Romyshe as though that we
485 Had receiued it of the popyshe see


The confutacion

The authoure wysheth ... rest of prose text omitted

sig: [F8v]

The ballad

Lord graunt that our head,
king Edward the sixt
May bury that dead
God which is pixte
And get in his stead,
thy supper not mixte
With abuse popishe.


The answere

490 Lord graunt that king Edward which ouer vs hath
The chief primacie vnder christe Iesu
Truely to defend the catholike fayth
Which from the apostles dyd hole ensew
And all heresy and popishnesse to subdwe
495 That we may liue vnder his highnes so
In the catholyke fayth which is most true
That to the honour of god al thinges may grow

I wonder much how ye durst be so bolde
As to pray so for the kinges maiestie
500 That his highnes shoulde do as ye haue tolde
A deed before god of gr[e]ate iniquitie greate] grate 1548
Which is that the dead god pixte he may bury
Ye show your-selfe a true subi[e]cte in this subiecte] subicte 1548
Which doth point your king to such an office.


The confutacion

Here you wolde seme ... rest of prose text omitted

sig: [G1]

¶The ballad

505 That we may espie
In that signe and token
Wyth spirituall eie,
Thy body broken
And thy bloud plentiously
Shed as is spoken
To bringe vs to blesse. blesse: =bliss


The answere

Who wold thinke, lo, but that thys man ment well
510 Seing that he wyshith that we may al
Se christes death ther, for so sayeth the gospel
But yet marke hym wel and perceiue ye shall
That vnder the name of this worde spiritual
As his Ballad before doth playne expresse
515 And here a signe and token he doth it cal
Takyng it for no more hymselfe doth wytnes

But the catholyke fayth perfect and true.
sig: [G1v]
Is, we must beleue that in the sacrament
Is not onely a sygne wher-in we must vewe
520 The death of christe with a godly intent
But also that christe him-selfe is present
Fleshe and bloud, but how that he shuld be
Reason can not teach, therfore he must consent
Unto fayth, and then he shal it truely se

525 Nowe thus of this answere I make an ende
Prayenge god his grace to vs both to sende. grace] greace 1548

FINIS. Quod myles Hogherde.


¶The confutacion

You haue no more to saye ... rest of prose text omitted
sig: [G2]
Imprinted at London by Ihon Day and William Seres, dwellyng in Sepulchres Parish at the signe of the Resurrection a litle aboue Holbourne Conduite.
Cum gratia et priuilegio ad imprimendum sol[um]solum] sol[m]n 1548 .