A reproufe, written by Alexander Nowell, of a booke entituled, A proufe of certayne articles in religion denied by M. Iuell, set furth by Thomas Dorman, Bachiler of Diuinitie: and imprinted at Antvverpe by Iohn Latius. Anno. 1564. Set foorth and allowed, according to the Queenes Maiesties iniunctions

Dorman. Fol. 14.

Finallie, if at that tyme thei flattered the kyng, and gaue hym that whiche neither thei coulde geue, nor he receiue, and abused his good nature to the destruc∣tion of so many notable men, as for the onely refusall to saie as thei saied, by moste exquisite & painfull tor∣mentes, lost their liues: saie vnto them, that thei yet at length acknowledge their faulte, and admonishe that good Ladie our maistres that she consente not to vse that title, whiche because it belongeth to Christe, she maie not haue, or if thei thinke and wil stande in it that she maie without offence, that thei doe yet at the least confesse, that reason of theirs to be verie weake and of no strength: Christ is head of the churche therefore it maie haue none other. Excepte thei will perhaps saie, that he is heade of all other Churches, and hath onelie left oures headlesse, so that because he is not head ther∣of, wee are out of the feare of fallyng into that incon∣uenience of hauyng many, and maie therefore choose some one emongest our selues whom we liste.

Nowell.

Who thei were that flattered kyng Henrie, and a∣bused his good nature, I haue touched before: who as thei moste deceipfullie dissembled with hym, so did thei after moste cruelly by all exquisite and painfull tormē∣tes

put to death such as did not slatter their prince, but dealed sincerely with him, and would not therfore geue his enemie, a foraign false vsurper, the title due to their said prince. And in bothe these poinctes, the false flatte∣ring of their soueraigne, & abusyng of his good nature, and in murthering moste cruelly their felow subiectes, thei did shewe the naughtinesse of their owne nature. The Queenes maiestie vseth no title, but suche as of good right she maie vse, as shall in place conuenient be d••ely proued. The reason of th'Apologie, Christ is the onely head of the vniuersall churche, therefore there is, nor can bee no one earthly head ouer it, is not weake, but as good as is this reason: God is the onely head o∣uer the whole worlde, therefore there is, nor can bee no one onely earthly head ouer it: which, as I thinke, is no weake, but a good, and strong reason, and well confir∣med by perpetuall experience. And againe this reason, Though Christ be the onely head ouer y^e whole church, yet maie he haue, and hath his ministers vnder hym, head gouernours of seuerall churches: is as good, as is this: Though God be head ouer all the world, yet hath he seuerall kinges, & head gouernours vnder him in e∣uery countrey: whiche I thinke, bothe reason & experi∣ence will allowe, as bothe reasonable & true. But that one man should haue the gouernaunce of al, will trou∣ble M. Dormans braine to make it seeme reasonable (but onely to suche as is himsef) as the Pope attēpting to put it in experience, hath by his ambition, crueltie & auarice, troubled, oppressed and robbed all the worlde: whiche M. Dorman, & suche as he is, doo maintaine, as reasonably and well doen: Non quia honestū, aut pro∣babile, sed quia vtile, not for that it is honest, reasonable or probable, but bicause it is profitable to Popishe pre∣lates, partakers of suche polling & spoile of the worlde.