curious in matters not apperteyning vnto me, and I write but of credible reporte. God be thanked for the number that they had, or haue, howe many or howe fewe soeuer they are.
Touching the number of preachers throughout England, I cannot write any cer∣taintie, but of this Uniuersitie bycause I haue some experience, you shall giue me leaue to speake as earnestly in truly commending of it, as you haue done in vntruly and vnkindly defacing and slaundering it. The number of knowne preachers, which this vniuersitie hath bredde since the beginning of the Quéenes Maiesties reygne to this time of the yeare of our Lord Anno. 1573. are at the least. 450. besides those that haue bin called to that office after their departure from hēce, and are not yet knowne to me. The number of preachers that be now in this Uniuersitie remayning is. 102. and no doubt but God will encrease the number of them dayly more and more. Al∣though it must be confessed, that the factions and tumults which you and some others haue made in the Churche, do discourage a great number from the ministerie, cau∣seth many to contemne it, and thinke the calling to be vnlawfull, and therefore to ab∣steyne from it. Moreouer I know by experience, that some of you deuise and practise by all meanes possible, to styrre vp contention in this Uniuersitie, to disswade men from the ministerie, to bring such as be sober, wise, learned and godly preachers into contempt, and to make a confusion, and diuide euery Colledge within itselfe. But howsoeuer hitherto you haue preuayled (as you haue preuayled to much) yet I trust you shall neuer throughly bring to passe that which you desire. And I doubt not, but that your vnduetifull, vnciuill, and vncharitable dealing in this your booke, your ma∣ny errours and foule absurdities conteyned in the same, hath so detected you, that ho∣nest, discréete, quiet, and godly learned men will no more be withdrawen by you, and such as you are, to any such schisme or cōtention in the Church: but rather bend them selues against the common aduersarie, and séeke with hart and mouth to build vp the walles of Ierusalem, whiche you haue broken downe: and to fill vp the Mynes that you haue digged, by craft and subteltie to ouerthrow the same. And howsoeuer some will still be way wardly disposed, yet I doubt not, but that if such as be in authoritie will do their duties, they may by conuenient discipline, either be kept within the bonds of modestie, or else remoued from this place, wherein of all other places, they may do most harme.
For the Innes of Court what they would do I know not, howbeit I think very few haue gon from this place thither, whiche had euer any purpose in them, to enter into the ministerie. And surely from that place where I am, I haue not knowne any go to the Innes of Court, in whome there hathe appeared any kind of inclination to the ministerie. What store of fit preachers those Innes would yeld, if your Church were framed, I know not, but I thinke, that some of thē would not refuse the spoile of this. I doubt not but that there are many in the Innes of Courte well affected in religi∣on: God continue them and encrease the number of them, and giue them grace to take héede that they be not seduced by ouermuch credulitie in themselues, and pre∣tensed zeale in others.
What Galene and Iustinian would do, may be doubted, for, though both Galene and Iustinian haue forsaken our ministerie, yet do they kéepe such liuings as they had in the respect of the same, and are so farre from yelding of tenthes, that they can be well content to receiue tenthes.