My Lordis, I tawght nothing but the worde of God. I remember that I
have red in some places in Sanct Johnne and Sanct Petir, of the which
one sayeth, "He hath made us kingis and preastis;" the other sayeth, "He
hath made us the kinglye preasthode:" Wharefoir, I have affirmed, any
man being cuning and perfite in the word of God, and the trew faith of
Jesus Christ, to have his power gevin him frome God, and not by the
power or violence of men, but by the vertew of the word of God, the
which word is called the power of God, as witnesseth Sanct Paule
evidentlie ynewgh. And agane, I say, any unlearned man, and not
exercised in the woord of God, nor yit constant in his faith, whatsoever
estaite or order he be of; I say, he hath no power to bynd or loose,
seing he wanteth the instrument by the which he bindeth or looseth, that
is to say, the word of God.
After that he had said these wordis, all the Bischoppes lawghed, and
mocked him. When that he beheld thare lawghing, "Lawgh ye, (sayeth he,)
my Lordis? Thowght that these my sayingis appeir scornefull and worthy
of derisioun to your Lordschippis, nevertheless thei ar verray weightye
to me, and of a great valow; becaus that thei stand not only upon my
lyif, bot also the honour and glorie of God." In the meantyme many godly
men, beholding the wodness and great crueltie of the Bischoppis, and the
invincible patience of the said Maister George, did greatlie mourne and
lament.