"Father Francis?" I put in.
"Father Francis?" repeats Will, with a Shake o' the Head and a ruefulle Smile; "dost thou think, Meg, he coulde answer me if I put to him Pilate's Question, 'What is Truth?'"
"We know alreadie," quoth I.
Sayth Will, "What do we know?"
I paused, then made Answer reverentlie, "That Jesus is the Way, the Truth, and the Life."
"Yes," he exclaymed, clapping his Hands together in a strange Sort of Passion; "that we doe know, blessed be God, and other Foundation can or ought noe Man to lay than that is layd, which is Jesus Christ. But, Meg, is this the Principle of our Church?"
"Yea, verily," I steadfastlie replied.
"Then, how has it beene overlayd," he hurriedlie went on, "with Men's Inventions! St. Paul speaks of a Sacrifice once offered: we holde the Host to be a continuall Sacrifice. Holy Writ telleth us, where a Tree falls it must lie; we are taughte that our Prayers may free Souls from Purgatorie. The Word sayth, 'By Faith ye are saved;' the Church sayth, we may be saved by our Works. It is written, 'The Idols he shall utterly abolish;' we worship Figures of Gold and Silver...." "Hold, hold," I sayd, "I dare not listen to this.... You are wrong, you know you are wrong."
"How and where?" he sayth; "onlie tell me. I long to be put righte."