least more than five hundred years, and that even to the
present day the churches of the Greeks and of many other
languages neither have been nor are yet under the Pope.
Besides, as often remarked, it is a human figment which is not
commanded, and is unnecessary and useless; for the holy
Christian [or catholic] Church can exist very well without
such a head, and it would certainly have remained better
[purer, and its career would have been more prosperous] if
such a head had not been raised up by the devil. And the
Papacy is also of no use in the Church, because it exercises
no Christian office; and therefore it is necessary for the
Church to continue and to exist without the Pope.

And supposing that the Pope would yield this point, so as not
to be supreme by divine right or from Gods command, but that
we must have [there must be elected] a [certain] head, to whom
all the rest adhere [as their support] in order that the
[concord and] unity of Christians may be preserved against
sects and heretics, and that such a head were chosen by men,
and that it were placed within the choice and power of men to
change or remove this head, just as the Council of Constance
adopted nearly this course with reference to the Popes,
deposing three and electing a fourth; supposing, I say, that
the Pope and See at Rome would yield and accept this (which,
nevertheless, is impossible; for thus he would have to suffer
his entire realm and estate to be overthrown and destroyed,
with all his rights and books, a thing which, to speak in few
words, he cannot do), nevertheless, even in this way
Christianity would not be helped, but many more sects would
arise than before.