of good works, that they be meritorious, hope of heaven, by that means they have so fleeced the commonalty, and spurred on this free superstitious horse, that he runs himself blind, and is an ass to carry burdens.  They have so amplified Peter’s patrimony, that from a poor bishop, he is become Rex Regum, Dominus dominantium, a demigod, as his canonists make him (Felinus and the rest), above God himself.  And for his wealth and [6417] temporalities, is not inferior to many kings:  [6418]his cardinals, princes’ companions; and in every kingdom almost, abbots, priors, monks, friars, &c., and his clergy, have engrossed a [6419]third part, half, in some places all, into their hands.  Three princes, electors in Germany, bishops; besides Magdeburg, Spire, Saltsburg, Breme, Bamberg, &c.  In France, as Bodine lib. de repub. gives us to understand, their revenues are 12,300,000 livres; and of twelve parts of the revenues in France, the church possesseth seven.  The Jesuits, a new sect, begun in this age, have, as [6420]Middendorpius and [6421]Pelargus reckon up, three or four hundred colleges in Europe, and more revenues than many princes.  In France, as Arnoldus proves, in thirty years they have got bis centum librarum millia annua, 200,000_l_.  I say nothing of the rest of their orders.  We have had in England, as Armachanus demonstrates, above 30,000 friars at once, and as [6422]Speed collects out of Leland and others, almost 600 religious houses, and near 200,000_l._ in revenues of the old rent belonging to them, besides images of gold, silver, plate, furniture, goods and ornaments, as [6423]Weever calculates, and esteems them at the dissolution of abbeys, worth a million of gold.  How many towns in every kingdom hath superstition enriched?  What a deal of money by musty relics, images, idolatry, have their mass-priests engrossed, and what sums have they scraped by their other tricks!  Loretto in Italy, Walsingham in England, in those days. Ubi omnia auro nitent, “where everything shines with gold,” saith Erasmus, St. Thomas’s shrine, &c., may witness. [6424]Delphos so renowned of old in Greece for Apollo’s oracle, Delos commune conciliabulum et emporium sola religions manitum; Dodona, whose fame and wealth were sustained by religion, were not so rich, so famous.  If they can get but a relic of some saint, the Virgin Mary’s picture, idols or the like, that city is for ever made, it needs no other maintenance.  Now if any of these their impostures or juggling tricks be controverted, or called in question:  if a magnanimous or zealous Luther, an heroical Luther, as [6425]Dithmarus Calls him, dare touch the monks’ bellies, all is in a combustion, all is in an uproar:  Demetrius and his associates are ready to pull him in pieces, to keep up their trades, [6426] “Great is Diana of the Ephesians:”  with a mighty shout of two hours long they will roar and not be pacified.