A Burgher. Most reverend Doctor, cut ye short the “know ye’s” an’ the “wherefores” and th’ “verbiations” an’ the “latinities” an’ come down from your high flown rostrum an’ tell us the church’s will. We be plain men.
Other Burghers. Well done, Big Gellert. Thou art in the right of it. Bravo! Gellert.
Ariald. Insolent Lump! would’st thou interrupt a doctor of Holy Church?
Gellert. Holy Church confound him and thee, too, thou sour-faced varlet! Who’s a talking of Holy Church? He is but a stray rooster from some mad convent, an’ thou his mate ranting on a mad doctrine. Holy Church teacheth no such damned doctrine. Be we fools?
Burghers. Well hit, Big Gellert, thou canst give him the latinities of it. Hit him back, old Pigeon!
Arnulph. Beware, thou impious Mountain of mortality, an’ ye foolish burghers lest ye insult in me a power that is behind me.
A Clerk. Come, come, get thee down, we want no such strange doctrines. We have had clergy, good men with wives and chicks i’ Milan, these centuries back, an’ we be no Sodom.
Arnulph. I know not your customs, but in the name of Holy Church, I Arnulph, hereby command ye on pain of deepest Hell hereafter, that ye abstain from all masses made or performed by any priest who continues in this unholy state, for I tell you be he priest, archdeacon, bishop or archbishop, he is accursed, and doubly accursed.
Gellert. Thine be a big curse indeed, an’ by ’r Lady, thou mouthest it well.