“Papists”, wrote English Protestant Nicholas Lesse in 1550, “although they were right nought for the soul, yet were they good and profitable for the body for civil commonwealths, for the maintenance of civil justice, and all good politic orders. But as for these [Anabaptists] they are neither good for the body nor for the soul: yea, they are most mortal enemies and cruel murderers to both.”‘

Lesse spoke for a good many. It was almost as if he, a “magisterial” Protestant supporting a compulsory state church, found Roman Catholics (the supposed arch-enemy) a good deal less frightening than Anabaptists, whom he called a “corrupt sort of heretics”. Lesse is perfectly frank that the reasons for his preference are political. Both Catholicism and Protestantism maintained “civil commonwealths” and sound political order. Anabaptism led to disorder.

Stumbled across this old essay from Meic Pearse originally published in Anabaptism Today.

Painting: stefan krikl

Tags:anabaptistanarchyCatholicMeic PearseProtestantsStefan Krikl