A.D. THE ENGLISH VOYAGES 



1558. 



after they were set up in the Church, and that they 

 were set there to a good intent : the one, for that they 

 were books for the simple people, to make them under- 

 stand the glory of the saints that were in heaven, & a 

 shape of them to put us in remembrance to cal upon 

 them, to be our intercessors unto God for us, for that 

 we are such miserable sinners, that we are not worthy 

 to appeare before God, & that using devotion to saints 

 in heaven, they may obtaine at Gods hands the sooner, 

 the thing that we demand of him. As for example, 

 said he, imagin that a subject hath offended his king 

 upon the earth in any kind of respect, is it for the 

 party to go boldly to the king in person, & to demand 

 pardon for his offences ? No, saith he, the presumption 

 were too great, & possibly he might be repulsed, and 

 have a great rebuke for his labour. Better it is for 

 such a person to seek some private man neere the king 

 in his Court, and make him acquainted with his matter, 

 & let him be a mediator to his Majesty for him, & 

 for the matter he hath to do with him, and so might 

 he the better come to his purpose, and obteine the 

 thing which he doeth demand : even so saith he, it is 

 with God and his saints in heaven : for we are wretched 

 sinners : and not worthy to appeare nor present our 

 selves before the Majesty of God, to demand of him 

 the thing that we have need of: therefore thou hast 

 need to be devout, and have devotion to the mother 

 of God, and the saints of heaven, to be intercessors to 

 God for thee, and so mayest thou the better obtaine 

 of God the thing that thou dost demand. To this I 

 answered, & said, sir, as touching the comparison you 

 made of the intercessors to the king, how necessary 

 they were, I would but aske you this question. Set 

 the case that this king you speak of, if he be so merci- 

 ful, as, when he knoweth that one, or any of his 

 subjects hath offended him, he send for him to his 

 owne towne, or to his owne house, or palace, & say 

 unto him, come hither, I know that thou hast offended 



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