no kindred, no affinity, nothing to do with it:  yet in their life and deeds they shew themselves no bastards, but right begotten children of the world; as that which the world long sithens had by his dear wife Dame Hypocrisy, and since hath brought them up and multiplied to more than a good many; increased them too much, albeit they swear by all he-saints and she-saints too, that they know not their father, nor mother, neither the world, nor hypocrisy; as indeed they can semble and dissemble all things; which thing they might learn wonderful well of their parents.  I speak not of all religious men, but of those that the world hath fast knit at his girdle, even in the midst of their religion, that is, of many and more than many.  For I fear, lest in all orders of men the better, I must say the greater part of them be out of order, and children of the world.  Many of these might seem ingrate and unkind children, that will no better acknowledge and recognise their parents in words and outward pretence, but abrenounce and cast them off, as though they hated them as dogs and serpents.  Howbeit they, in this wise, are most grateful to their parents, because they be most like them, so lively representing them in countenance and conditions, that their parents seem in them to be young again, forasmuch as they ever say one thing and think another.  They shew themselves to be as sober, as temperate, as Curius the Roman was, and live every day as though all their life were a shroving time.  They be like their parents, I say, inasmuch as they, in following them, seem and make men believe they hate them.  Thus grandfather Devil, father World, and mother Hypocrisy, have brought them up.  Thus good obedient sons have borne away their parents’ commandments; neither these be solitary, how religious, how mocking, how monking, I would say, soever they be.

O ye will lay this to my charge, that monachus and solitarius signifieth all one.  I grant this to be so, yet these be so solitary that they be not alone, but accompanied with great flocks of fraternities.  And I marvel if there be not a great sort of bishops and prelates, that are brethren germain unto these; and as a great sort, so even as right born, and world’s children by as good title as they.  But because I cannot speak of all, when I say prelates, I understand bishops, abbots, priors, archdeacons, deans, and other of such sort, that are now called to this convocation, as I see, to entreat here of nothing but of such matters as both appertain to the glory of Christ, and to the wealth of the people of England.  Which thing I pray God they do as earnestly as they ought to do.  But it is to be feared lest, as light hath many her children here, so the world hath sent some of his whelps hither; amongst the which I know there can be no concord nor unity, albeit they be in one place, in one congregation.  I know there can be no agreement between these two, as long as they have