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And for popes, that supply the place of Christ, if they should endeavor to imitate His life, to
wit His poverty, labor, doctrine, cross, and contempt of life, or should they consider what
the name pope, that is father, or holiness, imports, who would live more disconsolate than
themselves? or who would purchase that chair with all his substance? or defend it, so
purchased, with swords, poisons, and all force imaginable? so great a profit would the access
of wisdom deprive him of--wisdom did I say? nay, the least corn of that salt which Christ
speaks of: so much wealth, so much honor, so much riches, so many victories, so many
offices, so many dispensations, so much tribute, so many pardons; such horses, such mules,
such guards, and so much pleasure would it lose them. You see how much I have
comprehended in a little: instead of which it would bring in watchings, fastings, tears, prayers,
sermons, good endeavors, sighs, and a thousand the like troublesome exercises. Nor is this
least considerable: so many scribes, so many copying clerks, so many notaries, so many
advocates, so many promoters, so many secretaries, so many muleteers, so many grooms, so
many bankers: in short, that vast multitude of men that overcharge the Roman See--I mistook,
I meant honor --might beg their bread.
