An ansvvere to the fifth part of Reportes lately set forth by Syr Edvvard Cooke Knight, the Kinges Attorney generall Concerning the ancient & moderne municipall lawes of England, vvhich do apperteyne to spirituall power & iurisdiction. By occasion vvherof, & of the principall question set dovvne in the sequent page, there is laid forth an euident, plaine, & perspicuous demonstration of the continuance of Catholicke religion in England, from our first Kings christened, vnto these dayes. By a Catholicke deuyne.

The Attorney.

There is no subiect of this Realme, but being truly instructed, 3 1.1 by good, and plaine euidence, of his ancient and vndoubted pa∣trimonie, and birth-right (though, he hath for some tyme by ignorance, false persuasion, or vaine feare, byn deceiued, or dis∣possessed) but wil consulte, with learned & faithful Coūselours for the recouery of the same. The ancient and excellent laws of England, are the birth-right, and most ancient and best inheri∣taunce, that the subiects of this Realme haue. For by them, he inioyeth not only his inheritaunce, and goods in peace and

quietnes, but his life, and his most deere countrey in safty. And for that I feare, that many of my deare countreymen, (and most of them of great capacity, and excellents parts) for want of vn∣derstandinge of their owne euidence, do want the true know∣ledg, of their ancient birth-right, in some points of greatest im∣portance: I haue in the beginning of this my first worke directed them to those, that will not only, faithfully counsell, and fully resolue them therin, (such as cannot be daunted with any feare, moued by any affection, nor corrupted with any reward) but also establish and settle them, in quiet, and lawfull possession. Vpon iust grounds to rectifie an error in a mans owne minde, is a worke of cleere vnderstanding, & of a reformed will, and fre∣quent with such, as be good men, & haue sober, and setled wits.

Notes

• 3 1.1

  Birth-right of lavves.