"What hindereth
you," I say, therefore, "that you be not gladly content, without
any deliberation at all, in this kind of persecution, rather than
to leave your faith, to let go all that ever you have at once?"
VINCENT: Since you put it unto me, uncle, to make the matter more
plain, that I should play that great man's part who is so wealthy
and hath so much to lose, albeit that I cannot be very sure of
another man's mind, nor of what another man would say, yet as far
as mine own mind can conjecture, I shall answer in his person what
I think would be his hindrance. And therefore to your question I
answer that there hindereth me the thing that you yourself may
lightly guess: the losing of the many commodities which I now
have--riches and substance, lands and great possessions of
inheritance, with great rule and authority here in my country. All
of which things the great Turk granteth me to keep still in peace
and have them enhanced, too, if I will forsake the faith of Christ.
Yea, I may say to you, I have a motion secretly made me further, to
keep all this yet better cheap; that is, not to be compelled
utterly to forsake Christ nor all the whole Christian faith, but
only some such parts of it as may not stand with Mahomet's law.
And only granting Mahomet for a true prophet and serving the Turk
truly in his wars against all Christian kings, I shall not be
hindered to praise Christ also, and to call him a good man, and
worship and serve him too.
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