The following is a double-faced creed first published in The Weekly Pacquet of Advice from Rome in 1679. This was called the “Jesuits’ Creed” in England.
Why is it called a double-faced creed?
This creed would suit either the Catholics or the Protestants depending on how the lines are read. For Catholics, read downward in single columns, and Protestants, each line straight across the double columns. Thus, this is also known as cross-reading.
| I hold for sound faith | What England’s church allows, |
| What Rome’s faith saith | My conscience disavows. |
| Where the king’s head | The flock can take no shame, |
| The flock’s misled | Who hold the Pope supreme. |
| Where th’altar’s dress’d | The worship’s scarce divine, |
| The people’s bless’d | Whose table’s bread and wine. |
| He’s but an ass | Who their communion flies, |
| Who shuns the Mass | Is Catholic and wise. |
Here is the Latin version:
| Pro fide teneo sana | Quae docet Anglicana, |
| Affirmat quæ Romana | Videntur mihi vana. |
| Supremus quando rex est | Tum plebs est fortunata, |
| Erratiecus tum Grex est | Cum caput fiat papa. |
| Altari cum ornatur | Hunc morem qui non capit, |
| Populus tum beatur | Cum mensa vina panis. |
| Cum mensa vina panis. | Who their communion flies |
| Missam qui deseruit | Catholicus est et sapit. |
In fact, it’s hard to understand
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Yeah, it can be quite complicated
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I like that. Clever!
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Interesting indeed!
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I’ve never heard of this before. Pretty clever.
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Thanks for reading.
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Dear Mr. Law,
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With thanks again and wishing you a nice day now,
Paul Motwani.
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Fascinating, and very clever. Thank you for visiting my book blog earlier.
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