The nintéenth. What should we speake of the Archbishops Court, sith all men know it, and your wisdome cannot but see what it is. As all other Courtes are subiect to this, by the Popes* 1.1 〈◊〉〈◊〉, yea and by statute of this Realme yet vnxepealed, so is it the filthie quaue〈1 line〉〈1 line〉ire, & poy∣soned plash of all the abhominations that do infect the whole Realme. We speake not of licences graunted out of this Court, to marrie in forbidden tymes, as in Lent, in Aduent, in the gang week, when ban〈1 line〉〈1 line〉ers and belles, with the Priest in his surplesse, singing Gospels and making crosses, raungeth about in many places, vpon the ember dayes and to forbidden persons, & in exempt places. We make no mention of licences, to eate white meate, and flesh in Lent, and that with a safe con∣science, for rich men that can buy them with mony, nor we say nothing how dearly men pay for them. 〈1 line〉〈1 line〉s for dispensations with beneficed voyes, tollerations for non reudents, bulles to haue two bene∣fices, to haue three, to haue more, and as many as they list or can get, these are so common, that all godly and good men are compelled with griefe of heart, to crie out vpon such abhominations. We omit excommunication for money, absolution for the same, and that by absoluing one for another, which how contrarie it is to the Scriptures, the complaints of many learned men by propositions in open scholes proposed, by wrytings in printed bookes set out, and by preaching in open 〈◊〉〈◊〉, haue bene sufficiently witnessed. To conclude, this 〈1 line〉〈1 line〉ilthie Court hath full power, togither with the authoritie of this pettie Pope, Metropolitane and primate of all England, to dispence in all causes wherein the Pope was wont to dispence, vnder which are conteyned more cases and causes, than we are able to recken. As for my Lordes grace of Yorke, we deale not with him. We referre him to that learned Epistle which Beza wrote vnto him about these matters.
I thinke this Court to be necessarie for the state of this Church and Realme: and if there be abuses in it, either in the law it selfe, or in the persons, I wish it were reformed. But the whole order of the Court is not therefore to be condemned, no more than it is of other Courts, which cannot be missed, and yet haue abuses in them. I confesse my selfe to haue little experience in such matters, and therefore I will speake the lesse thereof.
As I do mislike that there should be any time forbidden to marry in (for that can haue no good meaning) or any dispensations for boyes to keepe benefices, or excommunications and absolutions for money, for one man to be absolued for another, and if there be any other such like abuse: so do I vtterly condemne your vnseemely and vnchristian termes, as filthie quauemire, poysoned plash of al abhominatiōs, filthie Court, especi∣ally cōsidering wherof they be spoken, to whom, and by whom: they argue a scolding nature, & a stomack boyling with contempt of lawes* 1.2 & superiors. Neither can I suffer you to slaunder not that Court, but this Church, with manifest vntruthes, as you do when you say that banners, belles, and making of crosses, be allowed to be vsed in the gangweeke, and that the Archbishops court hath full power to dispence in all causes, wherin the Pope was wont to dispence: which both be most vntrue. I thinke in dispensations this Court goeth no further, than the lawes of the Realme do permit.
Agreeable to this spirit is your cōtemtuous speach, vsed to both the Archbishops, mē to be reuerēced not only in the respect of their yeres and authoritie, but of their singular wisdome, grauitie, learning, and sound religion also. Howbeit you reuerence them, as you do all other