excellently well, and fruitfully preached the Gospell in the pulpit, do now as well fayle in the congruitie of the Latine tounge, as in the other science naturall. For as it was heard, thrise in one lecture you sayd appetitis, that is to say pronouncyng the middle syllable long, which thyng not onely the maisters, but also the young scholers vnderstoode. And many other faultes ther were in your Grammer, whiche for shame I dare not recite. I send vnto you these fiue conclusions.

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Marginalia5. Conclusions sent. The first conclusion. It is an infallible veritie that the wordes of the foure chiefe doctours  

, expounding the holye scripture according to the veritie which the wordes do pretend, are to be holden and kept.

The second: He which importeth any equiuocation out of any of the Doctours expounding, for the coulouryng of his text, his equiuocation is alwayes to be left.

The thirde: No peruersion of any reprobate is able to turne the congregation of the elect from the faith, because al thinges that shal come to passe, are eternally in God deuised and ordayned for the best, vnto the Elect Christians.

The fourth: Like as the mysticall body of Christ is the congregation of al the Elect: so Antichrist mystically is the church of the wicked and of all the reprobates.

The fift: The conclusions of Swinderby, be agreeable to the fayth in euery part.

¶ This letter was thus subscribed.

By the spirite of God, sometyme visi-
tyng you.

☞ Besides this epistle aboue prefixed, there is also found annexed with the same, a deuise of an other certayne letter counterfeyted vnder the name of Lucifer prince of darkenes: writyng to the Pope and all popish Prelates, persecutyng the true and right Church (with all might and mayne) to maintayne their pride and domination in this earth, vnder a colourable pretence and visor of the catholique Church, and succession Apostolicall. Which letter although it seemeth in some authors to be ascribed to Ockam, aboue mentioned: yet because I find it in the same Register of the church of Herford conteyned, and inserted among the tractatiōs of Walter Brute, and deuised (as the Register saith) by the Lollards: I thought no meter place, then here to annexe the same, the tenour wherof thus procedeth in wordes as follow.  

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MarginaliaThe epistle of Lucifer to the proud prelates of the popes clergie. I Lucifer prince of darcknes and profound heauinesse, Emperour of the high mysteries of the Kyng of Acharont  

, Captayne of the dungeon, Erebus kyng of hell, and comptroler of the infernall fier: To all our children of pryde, and companions of our kyngdome, and especially to our princes of the Church of this latter age and tyme (of which our aduersary Iesus Christ, accordyng to the Prophet, sayeth: I hate the Church or congregation of the wicked) send gretyng, and wish prosperitie to all that obey our commaundements, as also to those that be obedient to the lawes of Sathan already enacted, and that are diligent obseruers of our behestes, and the preceptes of our decree.MarginaliaThe difference betwene the byshops of the primitiue church and of the latter church. Know ye that in tymes past certayn vicars or vicegerentes of Christ, folowyng his steppes in miracles and vertues, liuyng and continuyng in a beggerly life, conuerted (in a maner) the whole world from the yoke of our tirrany, vnto their doctrine & maner of lyfe: To the great derision and contempte of our prison house and kyngdome: and also to the no little preiudice and hurt of our iurisdiction and authoritie, not fearing to hurt our fortified power and to offend the maiestie of our estate. For then receiued we no tribute of the world, neyther did the miserable sort of common people, rushe at the gates of our deepe dungeon as they were wont to doe with continuall pealyng and rappyng,MarginaliaHumilitie edifieth.
Pride destroyeth. but then the easie, pleasaunt, and broad way, which leadeth to death, lay still without great noyce of tramplelyng trauailers, neyther yet was trode with the feete of miserable men. And when all our courtes were without suters, Hell then began to houle: and thus continuyng in great heauines and anguish, was robbed and spoyled. Which thyng considered, the impaciēt rage of our stomack could no longer suffer, neyther the ougle rechelous negligence of our great Captayne generall could any longer indure it. But we, sekyng remedy for the tyme that should after come, haue prouided vs of a verye trimme shift: For instead of these Apostles and other their adherentes whiche drawe by the same lyne of theyrs, as well in maners as doctrine, and are odious enemies vnto vs:MarginaliaPlacing of proud prelates the cause of all mischiefe. We haue caused you to be their successours, and put you in theyr place, which be Prelates of the Church in these latter tymes, by our great might and subtiltie, as Christ hath sayd of you they haue raigned but not by me. Once we promised vnto hym all the kyngdomes of the world if he would fall downe and worship vs, but he would not: saying: my kyngdome is not of this world, and went his way, when the multitude would haue made hym a temporall kyng.MarginaliaThe Church neuer well gouerned since the Deuils offers were taken of the Churchmen. But to you truly which are fallen from the state of grace, and that serue vs in the earth: is that my promyse fulfilled, and all terrene thinges by our meanes which we haue bestowed vpon you, are vnder gouernment. For he hath sayd of vs as ye know: The prince of the world cōmeth. &c. and hath made vs to raigne ouer all children of vnbeliefe. Therfore our aduersaries before recited, did paciently submitte themselues vnto the princes of the worlde, and dyd teache that men should do so, saying: Be ye subiect to euery creature for Gods cause, whether it be to the Kyng as most chiefest. And agayne: Obey ye them that are made rulers ouer you. &c. For so theyr maister commaunded them, saying: The kinges of the heathen haue dominion ouer them. &c. But I thinke it long till we haue powred our poyson vppon the earth, and therfore fill your selues full.MarginaliaPride in prelates noted. And now be ye not onely vnlike those fathers, but also altogether contrary vnto them in your lyfe and conditions, and extoll your selues aboue all other men.MarginaliaPopish prelates neither geue to God, not to Caesar, that which belongeth to God and Caesar. Neyther do ye geue to God that which belongeth to hym, nor yet to Cesar that which is his:MarginaliaThe double iurisdiction of the popes 2. swords commeth of Lucifer. But exercise you the power of both the swordes, accordyng to our decrees, makyng your selues doers in worldly matters, fightyng in our quarell, intangled with secular labours and busines: And clyme ye by little and litle from the miserable state of pouerty, vnto the highest seates of all honours, and to the moste princely places of dignitie by your deuised practises, and false and deceitfull wyles and subtelty: that is by hypocrisie, flattery, lying, periury, treasons, deceites, simony, and other greater wickednes then which our infernall furies may deuise.MarginaliaThe outragies of the popes clergie described. For after that ye haue by vs bene aduanced thither where ye would be: yet doth that not that suffice you, but as gredy starulings more hungry then ye were before, ye suppresse the poore, scratch and racke together all that comes to hand, peruertyng and turnyng euery thyng topsie toruey: so swollen, that redy ye are to brust for pride, liuyng lyke Lechers in all corporal delicatnes, and by fraud directing all your doynges.MarginaliaDominos.
Sanctos.
Sanctißimos. You chalenge to your selues names of honour in the earth, callyng your selues Lordes, holy, yea and most holy persons.

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Thus, eyther by violence ye rauen, or els by ambition, subtilly ye pilfer away, and wrongfully wrast, and by false title possesse those goods which for the sustentation of the poore members of Christ (whom frū our first fall we haue hated) were bestowed and geuen: consumyng them as ye your selues lyst,MarginaliaThe lasciuious and whorishe lyfe of the Romishe clergie. and therwith ye cherish and maintayne an innumerable sort of whores, strumpets, and bawdes, with whom ye ryde pompously lyke mighty princes, farre otherwise goyng, then those poore beggerly priestes of the primatiue Church. For I would ye should build your selues riche and gorgeous palacies, ye fare like princes, eatyng and drinking the most daintiest meats, and pleasauntest wines that may be gotten: ye hoord and heape together an infinite deale of treasure, not lyke to him that sayd, gold and siluer I haue none, ye serue and fight for vs according to your wages. O most acceptable societie or fellowship, promised vnto vs by the Prophet, and of those fathers long ago reprooued.MarginaliaThe whorishe latter Church of Rome. Whilest that Christ called thee the Sinagogue of Sathan, and lykened thee to the mighty whore which committed fornication with the kinges of the earth, the adulterous spouse of Christ, and of a chaste person made a strompet. Thou hast left thy first loue and hast cleaued vnto vs. O our beloued Babylon, O our citizens, which from the transmigration of Ierusalem, came hether:MarginaliaPope successour not of Simon Peter but of Simon Magus. we loue you for your desertes, we reioyse ouer you, which contemne the lawes of Symon Peter, and imbrace the lawes of Simon Magus our frend, and haue them at your fingers endes, and exercise the same publiquely, buying and sellyng spirituall thynges in the Church of God, and agaynst the commaundement of god. Ye geue benefices and honors by petitiō, or els for mony, for fauor, or els for filthy seruice.MarginaliaWicked and vnworthy ministers admitted in the Popes church. And refusing to admit those that be worthy to ecclesiasticall dignities, & preferring those that are vnworthy, you cal vnto the inheritāce of gods sanctuarie,MarginaliaVnworthy bestowing of benefices. baudes, liers, flatterers, your nephues, & your own children, & to a childish boy, ye geue many prebends: the lest wherof ye deny to bestow vpon a poore good mā: ye esteme the person of a man & receiue giftes, ye regard money and haue no regard of soules. Ye haue made the house of God a

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