M. Hardinge.
Ye alleage t'woo causes, The first is, lest by holding your peace, ye should seeme to graunte a fault. The second,* 1.1 which ye make more specialie because by no meanes ye could haue audience in the late ge∣neral Councel. Your second cause is false, as hereafter it shalbe shewed. Your first is naught, as that which sheweth youre pride, vaine glorie, and pertinacie. VVel. ye do but as Heretikes before you haue euer done. It must not be looked for at your handes,* 1.2 that ye acknowlege any fault. For that were Humilitie, which vertue al Heretikes be farre from &c. To geue a voice or suffrage, and vtter Sentence definitiue it per∣teineth onely to Bishops. Now ye be no Bishops, but some of you mere laie men, and most of you Apostates.
VVhether the Ambassadours and Diuines of the Princes of Getmanie and of the free Citties there. were at any time vpon any consideration of their misliked demeanour, or for any other iust cause re∣strained from the companie of the Fathers in the late general Councel at Tren••: Againe whether Pope Iulius the third prouided by any write that none of your sort should be suffred to speake in the Councel, the cause of recantation excepted: what ye say touching this mater, because ye say it without proufe. We haue found you in so many other pointes of greater importance so farre to steppe aside from truth. that for this we cannot beleue you. But that your selues by no meanes could haue audience in the Coun∣cel at Trent, and that the Ambassadours and Diuines of the Princes and free Citties of Germanie were from thence quite shutte out:* 1.3 how true that is. I reporte me to the three safe conductes. whiche the three Popes, vnder whom that Councel was holden, graunted forth and confirmed in that behalfe. VVherfore belie the councel nomore, complaining that ye coulde not there haue audience and be heard.
Ye yeld vp an accoumpt of your faithe in writing, ye say. But to whom doe ye yeld it vp? and by whom is it yelded? from whom commeth ye same? Do ye acknowlege no lauful ••udge, no lauful consilio∣rie in the whole world? Committe ye your whole mater to the temeritie of the people? VVhy haue ye not set your names to the Booke, that conteineth the profession of your faithe, and of your whole conscience.