A confutation of a popishe, and sclaunderous libelle in forme of an apologie: geuen out into the courte, and spread abrode in diuerse other places of the realme. VVritten by VVilliam Fulke, Bacheler in Diuinitie, and felowe of S. Ihons Colledge in Cambridge.

The aunswere.

A man may doubte for al your protestatiō whether your wit, learnyng and conscience bee so persuaded of all the premisses, as you∣pretēde: of which some be so absurde, that no man of any witte or learnyng canne be per∣swaded in theim. And whereas you thinke you haue aunswered the common obiection that you haue nothing to saie, I suppose by the iudgemente of wise menne you haue rather confirmed the same, that either you haue nothyng to saie, or that which you saie is nothing to the purpose. Youre fidelitie in the allegations shoulde better haue appea∣red, if you had noted the places at the firste, which either must bee imputed to fraude or to lacke of bokes that it was omitted, but by notyng of some places it shoulde seeme you wanted no bookes, and your streight keping I suppose is not suche, but you might haue had bokes if you list. You cōclude your Apo∣logy with an odious diffamatiō of the whole state of our princes gouernemente, which if it haue failed in anie poincte, it was in ouer muche clemencie shewed towardes suche as you are. It cannot be denied, but menne of good profession are oftentymes wicked in li∣uyng, and many of no profession be a slander to those of true religion. But howe soeuer

menne be malicious and vngodly bente, the state alloweth theym not, but punisheth theim, that by order of lawe are conuicted to be suche. Wherfore to make suche an out¦crie, as though nothing but murther oppres∣ssion, filthines and all kinde of vngodlines, yea nothing els but a confusion of al wicked∣nes were openly mainteined: it sauoureth neither of truthe, nor of the spirite of God, nor of the affection of a good subiect. If Nero Domitian or Heliogabalus raged in the world, with what other Rhethorike would you haue painted out their regiment then this that you haue abused againste this pre∣sent gouerment? the praise whereof if the present age enuie, the posteritie will mer∣ueile at it, when neither in memorie nor in monumentes beyng compared without af∣ffection, the like shall euer be founde before it. God geue all true Subiectes grace to bee thankefull for it, and so to behaue them∣selues therein, that through his mercie it maie be many ye∣res more, most happe∣lie continued.