M. Hardinge. The .3. Diuision.
Muche might be alleged for proufe of hauinge seruice in the Greeke and in the Latine Chur∣ches, longe before the first sixe hundred y••••••es were expired, whiche is not denied. The thinge that is denied by M. Iuel is this. That for the space of sixe hundred yeeres after Christe, any Christian people had their Seruice or Common Praiers, in a tongue they vnder∣stoode not. Whiche they of his side beare the worlde in hande, to be a hainous errour of the Churche, and a wicked deceite of the Papistes. And I saye, as I saide before, that 67* 1.1 the Seruice was then in a tongue whiche some people vnderstoode, and some vnderstoode not. I meane, the Greeke tongue, and the Latine tongue. For that it was within the sixe hundred yeeres, in any other Barbarous, or Vulgare tongue, I neuer reade, neither I thinke M. Iuel, nor any the best lear∣ned of his side is hable to prooue. To be the better vnderstanded, I cal al tongues Barbarous and Vulgare, biside the Hebrew, Greeke, and Latine.
The Gospel, and the faith of Christe was Preached, and set foorthe in Syria and Arabia by Paule: in Egypte by Marke: in Ethiopia by Matthew: in Mesopotamia, Persia, Media, Bactra, Hyr∣cania, Parthia and Carmania by Thomas: in Armenia the greater by Bartholomew: in Scythia by Andrew: and likewise in other Countries by Apostolike men, who were sente by the Apostles, and their nexte successours, as in Fraunce, by Martialis sente by Peter: by Dionysius sent by Clement:* 1.2 by Crescens, as Clement and Hierome writeth: and by Trophimus S. Paules Scholer, and by Nathanael Christes Disciple, of whome he at Arclate, and this at Bourges and Treueres, preached the Gospel as some recorde. In our Countries here of Britaine by Fugatius, Damianus, and others sent by Eleutherius the Pope and Martyr, at the request of Kinge Lucius, as Damasus writeth in Pontificali.* 1.3 Other Countri••s where the Greeke and Latine tongue was commonly knowen, I passe ouer of purpose. Nowe, if M. Iuel, or any of our learned aduersaries, or any man liuinge coulde shew good euidence and proufe, that the Publike Seruice of the Churche was then in the Syriacal or Arabike, in the Egyptian, Ethiopian, Persian, Armenian, Scythian, Frenche or Bri∣taine tongue: then might they iustly claime prescription against vs in this Article, then might they charge vs with example of antiquitie, then might they requier vs to yeelde to the manner, and au∣thoritie of the Primitiue Churche .68* 1.4 But that doubtlesse can not appeare▪ whiche if any coulde shew, it woulde make muche for the Seruice to be had in the Vulgare tongue.