souls, and the worst examples of all the worst things. These things are
clearer than the light to all men; and the Church of Rome, formerly the
most holy of all Churches, has become the most lawless den of thieves,
the most shameless of all brothels, the very kingdom of sin, death, and
hell; so that not even antichrist, if he were to come, could devise any
addition to its wickedness.

Meanwhile you, Leo, are sitting like a lamb in the midst of wolves,
like Daniel in the midst of lions, and, with Ezekiel, you dwell among
scorpions. What opposition can you alone make to these monstrous evils?
Take to yourself three or four of the most learned and best of the
cardinals. What are these among so many? You would all perish by poison
before you could undertake to decide on a remedy. It is all over with
the Court of Rome; the wrath of God has come upon her to the uttermost.
She hates councils; she dreads to be reformed; she cannot restrain the
madness of her impiety; she fills up the sentence passed on her mother,
of whom it is said, "We would have healed Babylon, but she is not
healed; let us forsake her." It had been your duty and that of your
cardinals to apply a remedy to these evils, but this gout laughs at the
physician's hand, and the chariot does not obey the reins. Under the
influence of these feelings, I have always grieved that you, most
excellent Leo, who were worthy of a better age, have been made pontiff
in this. For the Roman Court is not worthy of you and those like you,
but of Satan himself, who in truth is more the ruler in that Babylon
than you are.

Oh, would that, having laid aside that glory which your most abandoned
enemies declare to be yours, you were living rather in the office of a
private priest or on your paternal inheritance! In that glory none are
worthy to glory, except the race of Iscariot, the children of perdition.