“I acknowledge, that the Roman Catholic faith is unadulterated, godly, saving, and true; but that the Protestant, which I, of my own accord, have abjured, is false, erroneous, blasphemous, accursed, heretical, hurtful; that the Protestant religion is seditious, abominable, forged and devised. Since the Roman Catholic religion is, therefore, throughout, good and salutary, I curse all those who taught me these abominable heresies in both kinds; I curse my parents who educated me in the heretical faith; and, I also curse those who made the Roman Catholic faith so dubious and suspicious to me, as well as those who gave me to drink of the accursed cup; yes, I curse myself, and think myself accursed, because I made myself a partaker of this accursed heretical cup, [11] of which it did not become me to drink.
“I acknowledge that the Holy Scripture is imperfect, and is a dead letter, as long as it is not explained by the Pope of Rome; and that the common people ought not to be allowed to read it.
“I acknowledge, that a requiem, sung by a Romish priest, is more useful than a hundred sermons; and, on that account, I curse all those books which I have read, in which that heretical and blasphemous doctrine is contained; I also curse all the works which I read whilst I lived in this heretical faith.
“All this I do, with a sincere mind, confirm, as a public retraction of the heretical doctrine, in the presence of the reverend father W. and the other fathers of the convent of — and to the whole Roman Catholic church, male and female, that in these, and similar articles, is the true church.
“Moreover, I promise, that I will never more, through my whole life, return to this heretical doctrine of the sacrament in both kinds, although it should be allowable to do so. I also promise, that as long as I have a drop of blood in my body, I will not educate any child of mine in that accursed faith, nor will I consent he or she should be brought up therein by others, which I herewith promise.
“I also swear, that I will help to persecute this accursed heretical doctrine, secretly and openly, with words and works, the sword even not excepted.
“Lastly, I swear before God, the angels, and before all the congregation present, that if any alteration should take place either in church or state, I never will become an apostate from the Roman Catholic and godly church, either through fear or favor, and return again to this accursed heresy, nor will I receive the same.
“As a confirmation of my oath, I at the same time receive the holy communion: and I cause also this, my confession, written and subscribed with my own hand, to be made public in print, and the original thereof to be preserved in the holy archives of the church of —.” [Rather, synagogue of Satan.]
Should all the forms which men devise
Assault my faith with treach’rous art,
I’d call them vanity and lies,
And bind the Gospel to my heart.
FINIS.