A replie vnto M. Hardinges ansvveare by perusinge whereof the discrete, and diligent reader may easily see, the weake, and vnstable groundes of the Romaine religion, whiche of late hath beene accompted Catholique. By Iohn Iewel Bishoppe of Sarisburie.

M. Hardinge. The .13. Diuision.

The peril of it is knowen by sundry examples bothe of times paste, and also of this present age. For out of this roote hath spronge the secte of the Valdenses,* 1.1 otherwise called Pauperes de Lugdu∣no. For Valdo a Marchaunt of Lions their firste Authour, of whom they were named Valdenses, being an vnlearned Laye man, procured certaine Bookes of the Scripture to be translated into his owne lan∣guage, whiche when he vsed to Reade, and vnderstoode not, he fel into many errours. Of the same welspringe issued the filthy puddles of the Sectes called Adamitae, or Picardi, Bogardi, and Turelu∣pini: and of late yeeres beside the same secte of Ad••mites newly reuiued, also the Anabaptistes, and Suenckfe••dians. VVherefore that Edicte, or Proclamation of the woorthy Princes Ferdinando, and E∣lizabe••th Kinge, and Queene of Spaine, is of many muche commended, by whiche they gaue streighte ••••mm••undement, that vnder greate penalties noman shoulde translate the Bible into the vulgar••

••p••nishe tongue, and that noman shoulde be founde to haue the same translated in any wise. These and the like be the reasons and considerations, whiche haue moued many men to thinke, the settinge foorthe of the whole Bible, and of euery parte of the Scripture in the vulgare tongue, for al sortes of persons to reade without exception or limitation, to be a thinge not necessary to Saluation, nor other wise conuenient nor profitable, but contrarywise dangerous and hurteful.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Valdense••.