A defence of the Apologie of the Churche of Englande conteininge an answeare to a certaine booke lately set foorthe by M. Hardinge, and entituled, A confutation of &c. By Iohn Iewel Bishop of Sarisburie.

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A defence of the Apologie of the Churche of Englande conteininge an answeare to a certaine booke lately set foorthe by M. Hardinge, and entituled, A confutation of &c. By Iohn Iewel Bishop of Sarisburie.
Author
Jewel, John, 1522-1571.
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Imprinted at London :: In Fleetestreate, at the signe of the Elephante, by Henry VVykes,
Anno 1567. 27. Octobris.
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Subject terms
Jewel, John, 1522-1571. -- Apologia Ecclesiæ Anglicanæ -- Early works to 1800.
Harding, Thomas, 1516-1572. -- Confutation of a booke intituled An apologie of the Church of England -- Controversial literature -- Early works to 1800.
Church of England -- Apologetic works -- Early works to 1800.
Church of England -- Doctrines -- Early works to 1800.
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http://name.umdl.umich.edu/A04468.0001.001
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"A defence of the Apologie of the Churche of Englande conteininge an answeare to a certaine booke lately set foorthe by M. Hardinge, and entituled, A confutation of &c. By Iohn Iewel Bishop of Sarisburie." In the digital collection Early English Books Online. https://name.umdl.umich.edu/A04468.0001.001. University of Michigan Library Digital Collections. Accessed June 15, 2024.

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The Apologie, Cap. 23. Diuision. 2.

And yet, as though al this were too litle, thei would needes haue made al the Realme Tributarie to them, & exacted thēce yeerely most vniuste and wrongeful taxes. So deere coste vs the frendeship of the Cittie of Rome. Wherefore, if they haue gotten these thinges of vs by extortion, through theire fraude, and suttle sleightes, we see no reason, why we maie not plucke awaie the same from them againe, by lawful waies, and iuste meanes. And, if our Kinges in that darke∣nesse, and blindenesse of the former times, gaue them these thinges of theire owne accorde, and liberalitie, for Religions sake, beinge moued with a certaine opinion of their fained holinesse: now, when the igno∣rance and erroure is spied out, maie the Kinges theire Successours take them awaie againe, seinge they haue the same Authoritie, the Kinges theire Auncestours had before. For the gifte is voide, excepte it be allowed by the wil of the geeuer: and that cannot seme a perfit wil, whiche is dimmed, and hindered by erroure.

M. Hardinge.

As for Peterpens, and what other so euer summes of monie were yeerely paide to the Churche of Rome, whiche were not by extorcion suttil sleightes by the Popes gotten, as ye slaunder, but freely and discretely by the prince and the realme* 1.1 for a greate cause graunted, it is not a thing that so mutche grieueth the Pope, as your departure from the true faith and Churche dothe, as it maie wel appere by that whiche happened in Queene Maries raigne. In whiche time although the Pope were acknowledged▪ yet him selfe neuer was knowen to haue demaunded his Peterpens, or any other yeerely paimentes againe. But what is this to your schismes and Heresies? This healpethe you nothinge for an∣sweare to the hainous crime of your Apostasie. The liberalitie of our countrie to the see of Rome,

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whiche is the mother of al the VVeaste Churches,* 1.2 hath ben so smal in comparison of certaine other Realmes, as with the honoure of the Realme it might not seme to finde it selfe greued therewith. Yet here ye sette a gnatte to an Elephante, and make greate adoo about a litle. The Realme is not so mutche enriched by retaininge that smal summe from the Pope, as it is dishonored by your vndiscrete talke, saueringe altogeather of miserie and niggardnes. Ye shoulde haue shewed better stuffe at leaste in thende of your booke. The laste acte of a fable, by rules of Poeterie shoulde be beste. Ye haue done like a foolishe Poete, making your ende so badde. The Pope seeketh not your monie, he seketh you He seeketh the safetie of your soules.* 1.3 He seeketh, like a good shepherde, howe to reduce the streied shepe of Englande vnto the folde of Christes Churche, God graunte we maie see his good intente happe∣ly acheued.

The B. of Sarisburie.

The Pope hathe enriched him selfe, and gotten the treasures of the world into his owne handes, not by fraude, or guile, as you saie, but onely by the frée libera∣litie of Kinges,* 1.4 and Princes. Yet S. Augustine saithe, Non possumus dicere, Nemo nos inuasores arguit: violētiae nullus accusat: Quasi non maiorem interdum praedam à vi∣duabus blandimenta cliciant, quàm tormenta. Nec interest apud Deum, vtrùm vi, an circumuentione quis res alienas occupet: dummodò quoquo pacto teneat alienum: Wee cannot saie, No man chargeth vs with extorsion: noman accuseth vs of violence. For oftentimes of poore widowes a man maie geate more by flatterie, then by rackinge. And there is no difference before God, whether a man holde an other mannes goodes by open violence, or by guile: if the thinge, that he holdeth, be not his owne.

But how maie this by your learninge, M. Hardinge, be called the liberalitie of the Prince? He is liberal, that is frée in bestowing of his own. But you tel vs, that al the Temporal goodes of the vvorlde are the Popes, and not the Princes: and that the Prince hath nothinge, but by fauoure & sufferance of the Pope. Your Do∣ctours wordes be these,* 1.5 Papa est Dominus omnium temporalium: secundum il∣lud dictum Petri, Dabo tibi omnia regna mundi: The Pope is the Lorde of al tem∣poral goodes: accordinge to that saieinge of S. Peter (that S. Peter neuer spake: for they are the woordes of the Diuel) I wil geue thee al the Kingdomes of the world.

An other of your Doctours saithe thus, Dicunt, quòd solus Papa est verus Domi∣nus temporalium, ita quòd potest auferre ab alio, quòd aliâs suum est. Sed praelati caeteri, & Principes, non sunt Domini, sed Tutores, Procuratores & Dispensatores: Thei saie, that the Pope onely is the very Lorde of Temporal thinges so that he maie take from any man, that is his own. As for other Prelates, and Princes, thei be the ouerseers, and fermours, and ste∣wardes of wordly thinges, but not the Lordes. And Matthias Parisiensis saithe, that Pope Innocentius 3 called Kinge Iohn the Kinge of England, Vasallum suum, That is to saie, his féede man, or his Tenante: meaning thereby, that the Realme of England vvas the Popes, and not the Kinges. If al this be true, how can the Kings of England, in graunting any thing to the Pope, be counted liberal?* 1.6 Verily it is an easy kind of liberalitie for a man to geue that thing, that is not his owne.

But the Pope, yée saie, setteth no more by al his reuenewes out of Englande, then an Ele∣phante by a gnat: and that therefore, during the whole time of Queene Marie, he neuer demaunded of vs any manner of yeerely paimente. Wée must beare with your erroure herein, M. Har∣dinge, for that yee neuer were the Popes Collectoure, and therefore not mutche acquainted with his Bookes. Otherwise yée might haue remēbred, that Cardinal Poole, being not the Pope, but onely a Legate, or messenger from the Pope, had a thousande poundes paide him yéerely of one Bishoprike in Englande, towardes the prouision of his kitchin. Yee might haue remembred, that al the Bishoppes of Englande, paide the Pope the vvhole firste fruites of al theire liuinges: whiche by any common estimation, amounted to more sommewhat, then a Gnatte. And although I were neuer, neither skilful, nor curious in the Popes Collections, yet,

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as wel for the discouerie of so greate vntruthe, as also for the better satisfaction of the Reader, I haue thought it good, briefely, & by the waie to touche, what maie be founde in olde Recordes of good credite, touchinge the same.

Firste therefore the Archebishop of Canturburie paide vnto the Pope for his Annates, or Firste fruites, at euery vacation, tenne thousande Florenes: bisides o∣ther fiue thousande Florenes for the vse, and right of his Palle.

The Archebishop of Yorke paide likewise for his Firste fruites tenne thou∣sande Florenes, and, as it is thought, other fiue thousand Florenes for his Palle.

The Bishop of Elie paide for his Firste Fruites seuen thousand Florenes.

The Bishop of London paide for his First Fruites thrée thousande Florenes.

The Bishop of Wincester paide for his First Fruites xij. thousande Florenes.

The Bishop of Exceter paide for his Firste Fruites six thousande Florenes.

The Bishop of Lincolne paide for his Firste Fruites fiue thousande Florenes.

The Bishop of Lichefielde, and Couentrie paide for his Firste Fruites thrée thousande Florenes.

The Bishop of Herforde paide for his First Fruites one thousande, and eight hundred Florenes.

The Bishop of Sarisburie paide for his First Fruites foure thousande, and fiue hundred Florenes. And so the reaste, eche man accordingly after his rate.

Here is to be noted, that a Florene is an Italian Crowne, of the valewe of four shillinges and six pense sterlinge.

Thus mutche I haue noted onely for example. By these few the discréete Rea∣der maie easily gheasse the Exactions, and paimentes of the other Bishoppes.

The whole value of the Popes Firste Fruites throughout Europe,* 1.7 as I finde in one Recorde (although very vnperfite, for that it lacketh sundrie great, knowē, & notable Bishoprikes, as Durham, Carlile, Worcester, Norvviche, Bathe, Chi∣chester, whiche, with many other moe Archebishoprikes, & Bishoprikes, as wel within the Dominions of our Kinges of Englande, as also in sundrie other Chri∣stian Kingedomes, and Countries, are leafte vnreckened) ariseth to the Summe of twoo thousande thousande, foure hundred thrée scoare thousande, eight hundred fouretie and thrée Florenes.

Notwithstandinge yée make your Pope as bigge, as an Elephante, yet, M. H. these reckeninges are ouer huge, in any reasonable proportion, to be resembled to a gnatte. Here I leaue out the yéerely perquisites, that ye Pope made of his E∣lections, Preuentions, Dispensations, Pluralities, Trialities, Torquottes, Tole∣rations: for his Bulles, his Sales, his Signatures: for Eatinge Fleash, for Egges, for White Meate, for Priestes Concubines, & for other like marchandise. I knowe not what. The summe whereof not withstandinge amounteth to more then niene hundred thousand Florenes. As for your Smoke farthinges, & Peter pense, I make no reckeninge: by the vile, and contemptuous reporte whereof, ye shewe your self, not onely ignorante, & vnskilful, in that yée write, which argueth somme folie, but also iniurious vnto your Countrie. Reade Matthias Parisiensis, & yée shal find, bothe by what tyrannie, and treacherie, and also what masses, and intolerable summes of monie the Popes Ministers haue caried out of this Realme.

The Pope,* 1.8 saith he, beinge diseased vvith a Spiritual dropsie, that is to saie, with an vnquencheable thirst of monie, shooke out al the Priestes purses, & spoi∣led the Abbies of al theire Treasures.

Againe,* 1.9 The Pope made a Decree in Rome, that the goodes, and monies of al Bi∣shoppes, and Priestes decessed within Englande, shoulde be taken to his vse.

The Pope gaue straite commaundemente to the Bishoppes of England,* 1.10 that al Per∣sonnes, and Vicares beinge resident vpon theire Benefices, shoulde paie yeerely vnto him the thirde parte of al the valewes of theire saide benefices: And, that al Parsonnes, and Vicares,

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beinge not residente, shoulde paie vnto him yeerely the one fusse halfe parte of theire benefices. Al these paiementes to continewe, duringe the space of three whole yeeres. Whiche amoun∣teth at the least to the summe of a hundred and thrée scoare & x. thousand poundes.

The Bishoppes of England,* 1.11 after great, and forceable intreatie, agreed togea∣ther to geue the Pope a Contribution of eleuen thousande Markes.

At that time the poore Prior of Wincester was forced to paie yéerely three hun∣dred,* 1.12 threescoare and fiue Markes towardes the furniture of the Popes Table.

The Pope made a straite Decrée,* 1.13 that al Bishoppes Electe should immediately trauaile out of Englande to Rome, to attende vpon his Holinesse, as Matthias saith, Vt Romanorum loculos impregnaret, in ruinam Regni Angliae: To stuffe the Romaines purses, and to decaie the Kingedome of Englande.

The Pope had the Tenthes of al the Spiritual Liuinges in Englande,* 1.14 duringe the space of tenne whole yéeres.

Rustandus the Popes Legate exacted intolerable great paimentes of the Clere∣gie of Englande in a Synode holden in London, as Matthias saith, Per scripta Papae plena iniurijs, & iniquitate, quae possent patientissimum cor virulenter sauciare: Al this he did by the Authorite of the Popes Letters, ful of iniurie, and iniquitie: Whiche were hable moste cruellie to wounde any harte, were it neuer so patiente. The Bi∣shoppes of London, & VVorcester answeared the Popes Legate, that thei would rather lese theire liues, then they woulde geeue theire consente to so open iniurie, and seruitude, & intolerable oppression of the Churche.

The Kinge had entred into an Obligation to paie vnto the Pope tvvoo hundred thousande Markes, bisides other fiftie thousande pounde ster∣linge, For paiement whereof, the Bishop of Herforde, beinge then the Popes A∣gente, had bounde the Bishoppes of Englande, before thei were ware. Sutche like pretie gnattes your Pope can straine, if Kinges and Princes wil geue him leaue.

Ioh innes Sarisburiensis,* 1.15 otherwise called Rupertus Carnotensis, in the fami∣liare talke, that he had with Pope Adriane. 4. saide thus vnto him: Ipse Romanus Pontifex omnibus ferè est intolerabils: Laeatur spolijs Ecclesiarum: quaestum omnem re∣putat pietatem: Prouinciarum diripit spolia, acsi Thesauros Croesi studeat reparare: The Pope is nowe becomme vntolerable almoste to al the worlde: He reioiseth in ye spoile of Churches: Al manner of gaine he counteth Holinesse: He maketh sutche hauocke of Kinge∣domes, and Prouinces,* 1.16 as if he had intended to repaire againe croesus Treasurie. A∣gaine, His Legates so rage, and rampe for monie, as if ye Infernal Furies were sent frō Helle to goe at libertie. What shal wée néede many wordes? Ambition, and Auarice haue no bottome. Matthias Parisiensis saith, In Romana Curia omnia possunt pecuniae: Monie maie doo al thinges in y Courte of Rome. And he calleth these vnsatiable prol∣linges of the Pope, Quotidianas Extorsiones, Daily Extorsions. Againe he saith, that the King of Englande, vpon a very friuolous, & fonde mater, made true paie∣mente vnto Pope Alexander the fourth,* 1.17 of niene hundred, and fiftie thousande Markes. VVhiche thing, he saith, is horrible, and abominable to be thought of. To be shorte, that yée maie the better viewe y bignesse, & quantitie of your Gnatte, Doctoure Boner hereof writeth thus: The Popes praie in Englande was so greate, that it came to as mutche almoste, as the Reuenewes of the Crowne.

Therefore Matthias saithe, Imperator reprehendit Regem Angliae, quòd per∣mitteret terram suam tam impudenter per Papam depauperari: The Emperour frendely reproued Henry the 3. Kinge of Englande, for that he suffered the Kingdome so impudently to be compouerisshed by the Pope.

Againe he saith, King Henrie the third made open cōplainte by this Embassa∣dour in the Councel of Lions in Fraunce, of the Popes innumerable Exactions.

Likewise he saith before,* 1.18 Rex Henricus 3. repressit impetum Legati. propter violentiam Denariorum: The Kinge staied the attemptes of the Popes Legate

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touchinge his intolerable greedinesse in prollinge for monie.

Yée sée therefore, M. Harding, neither is this gnatte so litle, as by your scorne∣ful comparison, to the greate dishonoure of this Noble Realme, yée woulde séeme to make it: nor is the griefe, and complainte thereof so newe, as yée beare vs in hande.* 1.19 Kinge Canutus, the Kinge of Englande almoste six hundred yéeres a∣goe, beinge at Rome, wrote home to the Archebishoppes, and Bishoppes, and States of the Realme, on this wise: Conquestus sum item coram Domino Papa, & mihi valdè displicere dixi, quòd mei Archiepiscopi in tantum angariabatur immensitate pecuniarum, quae ab eis expetebatur, &c. Also I haue made my com∣plaint vnto the Pope, and told him, that it match ••••sliketh mee, that my Archebishoppes shoulde be vexed with sutche vnreasonable summes of monie required of them.

Likewise Matthias Parisiensis writeth of King VVilliam the Conquerour,* 1.20 Concipiens indignationem contra Papam, allegauit quòd nullus Archiepisco∣pus vel Episcopus de Regno suo, ad Curiam Romanam, vel ad Papam haberet respectum: Kinge VVilliam, vpon displeasure conceiued againste the Pope, said, that no Archebishop, or Bishop of his Realme, shoulde from thencefoorth haue regarde either to the Courte of Rome, or to the Pope.

Al this notwithstāding, yée saie, the Pope is an Elephant: & al these Summes, in Comparison of his treasures, are but a gnatte.

Verily, al these, and other far greater reckeninges the Realme of England is wel hable to defraie. Neither make wée any accoumpte of the monie, but of the de∣ceitful extorting of ye monie: neither is it dishonorable to ye Realme, to represse these lewde, & iniurious mockeries, and to preserue the subiecte from open spoile. Other Kinges, & Countries haue oftentimes donne the same. Ievves the Frenche King. whom,* 1.21 for his Holinesse, they haue made a Saincte, hereof complaineth thus, Exactiones impositas per Romanam Curiam, quibus Regnum nostrū miserabiliter de∣pauperatum est, leuari, aut colligi nullatenus volumus: These Exactions, or paimentes of monie laide vpon vs by the Courte of Rome, by meane whereof our Realme is miserably em∣pouerished, we wil not in any wise to be leuied, or geathered. The gaines, & pelferies, that the Phariseis made of the people, were not so greate. Neuerthelesse Christe saide vnto them,* 1.22 VVoe be vnto you, yee Scribes and Phariseis, that rauen vp poore vvidovves houses, vnder pretense of longe praieinge.

Rome, yée saie, is the Mother Churche of al the VVeast: & therefore, I trow, wée are bounde to paie, what so euer paimentes shée shal require. If wée allowe sutche simple reasons, then is the Pope likewise bounde to paie to the Churche of Hierusalem, what so euer paiementes she shal require. For Hierusalē is in déede ye Mother Churche, not onely of the Weaste, but also of al the whole worlde. Howe be it, it is a cruel Mother, that deuoureth vp her owne Children. S. Paule saithe, Non debent filij parentibus thesaurizare,* 1.23 sed parentes filijs: The Children ought not to laie vp treasure for theire parentes, but the Parentes for theire Children. But Iohannes Sarisbu∣riensis in his Polycraticon saithe, Roma nunc non tam matrem exhibet, quàm nouercam: Rome nowe sheweth her selfe not so mutche a natural Mother, as a Stepmo∣ther: For shee spoileth, and deuoureth her Children.

This Defender, yée saie, in makinge his ende so badde, hath plained the parte of a foolishe Poete. Here, M. Hardinge, wée haue good cause to thinke, your Diuinitie is waxen colde, séeinge you are thus driuen to pleade in Poetrie. But maie wée beleue, the Churche of Rome is growen so Holy, that monie is nowe becomme the vileste parte of al her Plaie? Certainely, if your Pope once lose his monie, al his Plai∣ers wil soone sit a colde.* 1.24 One of your owne Doctours saithe thus, Cessante ta∣li redditu, qui maximus est, attenta hodierna Tyrannide, Sedes Apostolica con∣temneretur: If this rente (of Simonie) whiche is very greate, were once staide, consideringe the Tyrannie of Princes, that novve is, the Apostolike See of Rome vvoulde

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be despised. In whiche woordes thus mutche is also to be noted by the waie, that what so euer Prince wil not suffer the Pope to take what him listeth, muste be taken, and iudged, as a Tyranne. Therefore Ioannes Andreae, one of youre greattest Canonistes,* 1.25 saithe thus, Roma fundata fuit à Praedonibus: & adhuc de primordijs retinet: dicta Roma, quasi rodens manus. Vnde versus, Roma ma∣nus rodit: quos rodere non valet, odit: The firste fundation of Rome was laide by Theeues: and hitherto shee sauoureth of her beginninge: and is called Roma, quia rodit manus. Thereof commeth the common verse, Rome bireth you by the handes. And vvhom shee cannot bite, them shee hateth.

The state of the Romaine Popedome spronge firste of monie, and encreased by monie, and standeth nowe, neither by Truthe of Doctrine, nor by seueritie of Discipline, nor by Praier, nor by Holinesse, nor by ought els, but onely by monie. Set monie aparte, and the Pope is equal with other Bishoppes. Codrus Vrceus saithe,* 1.26 Pontifex Maximus, si non Virtute, tamen Pecunia: The Pope is the great∣teste Bishop, although not in Vertue, yet at leaste in monie. Therefore wée maie saie of the Pope,* 1.27 as Diphilus sommetime saide of Pompeius, Nostra miseria Magnus es. Baptista Mantuanus, speakinge of the state of Rome, saith thus,

Ʋenalia nobis Templa, Secerdotes, Altaria, Sacra, Coronae, Ignis, Thura, Preces, Coelum est venale, Deusue:
Bmongeste vs, in Rome, Churches, Priestes, Altars, Masses, Crovvnes, Fire, In∣cense, Praiers, and Heauen are set to sale. Yee God him selfe emongeste vs maie be had for monie.

Budaeus saithe,* 1.28 Sanctiones Pontificiae non moribus regendis vsui sunt: sed, propemodum dixerim, Argentariae faciendae Authoritatem videntur accom∣modare: The Popes Canons serue not nowe, to guide mennes liues, but, if I maie so saie, they serue rather to make a banke, and to geate monie.

Bernarde of Clunice saithe thus,

Roma dat omnibus omnia dantibus:* 1.29 Omnia Romae Cum Pretio.
Rome geueth al thinges to them, that geue al thinges: Al thinges at Rome wil passe for monie.* 1.30 Euen in the Popes own Decretales yée shal finde it noted thus, Roma est Caput Auaritiae. Ideò omnia ibi venduntur: Rome is the Heade of al Couetous treacherie. And therefore al thinges there are set to sale.

Yea Thomas Becket him self, whom a litle before, yée called a Saincte, when, for his wilful disobedience, and Treason committed againste his Prince, he had for aide, and succoure, fledde to Rome, and sawe, that nothinge would be wrought there without monie,* 1.31 thus he wrote he wrote thereof to the Bishop of Menze: Mater Roma facta est Meretrix, & prostituta est pro mercede: Rome our Mother is becomme an Harlot, and for monie, and meede laiethe her selfe to sale. To be shorte, yée knowe, that our Fathers, longe sithence, were woonte to saie,

Curia Romana non captat Ouem sine lana:
The Courte of Rome wil not take the Sheepe without the fliese.

Therefore, M. Hardinge, your Poete concluded in good order, and went not so farre bisides his Rules. For, monie is bothe the First, and the Middle, and the laste Acte of al your Fable.

Christe sommetime thruste sutche Buiers,* 1.32 Sellers, Brokers, & Scorsers out of

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the Temple: But contrariwise, yée haue receiued in Buiers, and Sellers, & thruste out Christe: and so haue turned the House of God into a Caue of Theeues. S. Paule saith thus vnto the people of Ephesus,* 1.33 Argentum, & Aurum nullius con∣cupiui: I haue desired nomans Gould, or Syluer. Vpon whiche woordes, in the Glose it is noted thus, Per hoc Lupi cognoscuntur, qui talia concupiscunt: Hereby, they,* 1.34 that desire sutche thinges, are knowen for woulues. S. Hierome saithe, Quia Prophetae pecuniam accipiebant, Prophetiae corum facta est Diuinatio: For that the Prophetes felle to taking of monie, therefore their Propheste was becomme a Soothe saie∣inge: that is to same, it was of the Diuel, and not of God.

Thus, M. Hardinge, to conclude, what so euer faulte yee can finde with the Defenders Poetrie, Verily, by the iudgement of your nearest frendes, Monie was the beste paare of al your Fable.

Notes

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