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I've been trying to correctly determine what the character of Thomas More is reading at the beginning of episode 3 of BBC's Wolf Hall. From the context and my pitiful knowledge of Latin, I understand it to be some book used by inquisitors, but my ignorance of Latin spelling and grammar makes it almost impossible to figure out the correct transcription. Here is what I have come up with so far, but if anyone would be so kind as to correct my transcription and offer an English translation, I would be very much obliged!

The passage seems to go something like this: "Querint veroit pseudo prophitae im populo sego detin vobis errint magistri mendeces. Qui introdu consectus perditionus et eum qui emet eos dominum megant super ducentes cibicelerum perditionum"

Here is the clip in question.

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  • Searching that phrase on YouTube, I find dozens of different clips—could you post a link to the particular one you're asking about?
    – Draconis
    Commented May 3, 2023 at 20:17
  • Of course, it's this one. I wasn't sure if the link would be displayed in my post :) youtube.com/watch?v=ghEu0hlPBjw
    – Cyril
    Commented May 3, 2023 at 20:19
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    I've edited that into the question; I'm not actually sure if new users can post links in their first questions or not. Welcome to the site!
    – Draconis
    Commented May 3, 2023 at 20:21
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    Thank you for the warm welcome Draconis!
    – Cyril
    Commented May 3, 2023 at 20:22

1 Answer 1

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This is from the New Testament of the Bible, 2 Peter 2. Translation from the 1611 KJV:

But there were false prophets also among the people, euen as there shall bee false teachers among you, who priuily shall bring in damnable heresies, euen denying the Lord that bought them, and bring vpon themselues swift destruction.

What is recited in the video clip is the Latin version as found in the Vulgate:

Fuerunt vero et pseudoprophetæ in populo, sicut et in vobis erunt magistri mendaces, qui introducent sectas perditionis: et eum qui emit eos, Dominum negant, superducentes sibi celerem perditionem.

The clue here was the mention of false prophets.

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  • Thank you so much njuffa! I knew it had to be scripture, but my own search gave no results! You're absolutely right, I did catch the "false prophets" but it seems my spelling let me down as I used an 'i' in place of the 'e' :D I need to brush up on my Latin, it seems I have a terrible ear for it, judging by my own transcription, so I'll be sure to explore this Stack Exchange and pick up what I can. Thanks again!
    – Cyril
    Commented May 4, 2023 at 5:37

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