VOLUME 3

AN ANSWERE VNTO SIR THOMAS MORES DIALOGE

LOCATION
KEY Commentary Side Textual Bibliographic Scriptural

eth whether / because they abuse prayar / we shuld put all prayenge downe. Naye M. More / it is not like. Prayar is gods commaundement / and where faith is / there must prayar nedes be and can not be awaye. How be it / thinges that are but mennes tradicions and all indifferent thinges which we maye be as well with out as with / maye welbe put doune for their dishonouringe of god / thorow the abuse. We haue turned kissinge in the church in to the pax. We haue put done watchinge all night in the church on saintes evens / for the abuse. And Ezechias brake the brasen serpent .iiij. of kinges .xviij. for the abuse. And euen so / soch processions and the multitude of ceremonies and of holidayes to / might as wel be put downe. And the ceremonies that be left wold haue their significacions put to them & the people shuld be taught them. And on the sondayes gods word wolde be truly preached. Which if his holy church wold do / nether the Irish ner yet the welsh wold so praye. By which prayenge and other like blindnesse / Master More maye se / that buzssynge in latine on the holy dayes helpeth not the hertes of the people. And I wondre that M. More can laugh at it and not rather wepe for compassion / to se the soules for which christ shed his bloude / to perish. And yet I beleue that youre holy church wil not refuse at ester to receaue the tithes of all that soch blind people robbe / as wel as they dispence with all false gotten good that is brought them / And will laye the ensample of Abraham and Melchisedec for them.

xij.