He asked me, If I had ever confessed to any Friar?
I said, "No, for I do utterly defy them. For how can he forgive me my
sins, which is himself a sinner; as all other men are."
"Yes," said he, "he which confesseth himself to a Friar, who is a
Father, may have remission of his sins by his mediation."
"Which," I said, "I would never believe."
Wherefore seeing they could seduce me, by no means, to yield to
their abominable idolatry; the Secretary cried, "Away with him!" The
Inquisitor and he frowned very angerly on me for the answers which I
had given: and said, They would make me tell another tale.
So, at the ringing of a little bell, the Keeper came and carried me to
ward again.
At my first Examination, when the Keeper should lead me away; the
Inquisitor did bless me with the cross: but never after.
* * * * *
Two days after was I brought again, and set upon a stool before the
Inquisitor.
He bade me ask _misericordium_.
I told him, "I would crave mercy of JESUS CHRIST who died for my sins.
Other _misericordium_ would I crave none!"
Then he commanded me to kneel before the altar.
I said, "I would: but not to pray to any image. For your altar is
adorned with many painted images which were fashioned by the hands
of sinful men: which have mouths, and speak not; ears, and hear not;
noses, and smell not; hands, and handle not; feet have they, and
walk not--which GOD doth not allow at his altar, for he hath utterly
condemned them by his Word."
Then he said, I had been wrong[ly] taught. "For," said he, "whosoever
shall see these figures in earth may the better remember him in heaven
whose likeness it doth represent, who would be a Mediator to GOD for
us."
But I replied, That all images were an abomination to the Lord: for he
hath condemned them in express words by his own mouth, saying, "Thou
shalt not make thyself any graven image, &c."
"Yes," said he, "but we have need of a Mediator to make intercession
for us: for we are unworthy to pray to GOD ourselves, because we are
vile sinners."