Page:The Life of Sir Thomas More (William Roper, ed by Samuel Singer).djvu/197

 mined by any generall counsayle, I remember not. But this I remember well, that notwithstanding that the feaste of her concepcion, was than celebrate in the church (at the least wyse in diuers provinces) yet was holy S. Bernarde, whiche, as his manifold bokes made in the lawde and prayse of our ladye dooe declare, was of as deuoute affection towarde all thinges sowning toward her commendacion, that he thought might well be verifyed or suffered, as any man was liuinge; yet, I saye, was that holye deuoute manne, agaynste that part of her prayse, as appereth well by a pistle of hys, wharein he ryghte sore and with gret reason argueth theragainst, and approueth not the institucion of that feaste neither. Nor he was not of thys mynde alone, but many other well learned menne with hym, and ryghte holye menne too. Nowe was there on the tother syde, the blessed holye byshop Sayute Anselme, and he not alone neither, but many well learned and verye vertuous also with him. And they bee both twayne holye sayntes in heauen, and many moe that wer on eyther side. Nor neither parte was there bounden to chaunge theyr opinion, for thother, nor for anye prouinciall counsayle eyther. But lyke as after the determinacion of a well assembled general counsayle, euerye manne had bene bounden to give credence that waye, and confirme theyr own conscience to the determinacion of the counsayle generalle, and than all they that helde the contrarye before, were for that holdynge oute of blame, so if before suche decision a man had agaynst his own conscience, sworn to mayntayn and defend the other side, he hadde not fayled to offende God very sore. But marye, if on the tother side a man wolde in a matter take a way by himselfe vpon his owne mynde alone, or with some few, or with neuer so many, agaynste an euident trouth appearynge by the common fayth of Crystendome, thys conscience is verye damnable., Yea, or if it be not euen fullye so playn and euident, yet if he see but himselfe with farre the fewer parte, thinke the tone way, agaynste farre the more parte of as well learned and as good, as those are that affyrme the thing that he thinketh thinking and allyrmynge the contrarye, and that of such folke as he has no reasonable cause wherefore he shoulde