Actes and monuments of matters most speciall and memorable, happenyng in the Church. [vol. 2, part 1] with an vniuersall history of the same, wherein is set forth at large the whole race and course of the Church, from the primitiue age to these latter tymes of ours, with the bloudy times, horrible troubles, and great persecutions agaynst the true martyrs of Christ, sought and wrought as well by heathen emperours, as nowe lately practised by Romish prelates, especially in this realme of England and Scotland. Newly reuised and recognised, partly also augmented, and now the fourth time agayne published and recommended to the studious reader, by the author (through the helpe of Christ our Lord) Iohn Foxe, which desireth thee good reader to helpe him with thy prayer.

¶The Letter of the L. Protector answering to Winchester.

YOur letters dated the 21. day of May as concerning 2. bookes new set forth by one Bale, and certayne sermōs preached here, were with conuenient speede deliuered vn∣to vs. And like as in your letters to Edw. Uaughan of Portesmouth, so in those to vs we perceiue that you haue a vigilant and diligēt eye, and very fearefull of innouatiō, which as it cannot be blamed, proceeding of one which is desirous of quiet, good order, and continuance of the godly state of this realme: So we do maruell that so soone, so far of, and so playnely, you canne heare tell and say of so many thinges done here, which in deed we being here and atten∣dant vpō the same cannot yet be aduertised of. The world neuer was so quiet or so vnite, but that priuily or openlye those iij. which you write of, Printers, players, and Prea∣chers, woulde sette forth somewhat of theyr owne heades which the Maiestrates were vnwares of. And the whiche already be banished and hath forsaken the realme, as suffe∣ring the last punishmēt, be boldest to set forth theyr mind. And dare vse their extreme licēce or liberty of speaking as out of the handes or rule of correction, either because they be gone, or because they be hidde. There hath foolishe and naughty rimes and bookes bene made and set forth, of the which as it appeareth you haue sene more then we, and yet to our knowledge to many be brought, but yet after our minde it is to sore and to cruelly done to lay al those to our charge, and to aske as it were account of vs of them all. In the most exact cruelty and tiranny of the Bishop of Rome, yet Pasquill (as we here say) writeth his mind and many times agaynst the Bishops tyranny, and some time tou∣cheth other great princes, which thing for the most part he doth safely, not that the Bishop alloweth Pasquils rimes and verses specially agaynst himselfe, but because he can∣not punish the authour, whom either he knoweth not, or hath not. In the late kings daies of famous memory, who was both a learned, wise, and polliticke Prince, & a diligēt executor of his lawes. And when your Lordshippe was most diligent in the same, yet as your Lordship it selfe wri∣teth, and it is to manifest to be vnknowne, there were that wrote such leud rimes, and plaies as you speake of, & some agaynst the kinges proceedinges, who were yet vnpuni∣shed, because they were vnknowne or vngotten. And whē we do wey the matter we do very much maruel why that, about iack of lentes leud balad, and certayne as it was re∣ported vnto vs, Godly sermons (whiche be euill in your letters ioyned together) you be so earnest. When agaynst D. Smithes booke being a man learned in the doctors & scripture which made so playne agaynst the kinges high∣nesse authority. And for the furtherance of the Bishops of Romes vsurped power, your Lorship neither wrote nor sayd nothing. And as it appeared you be so angry with his retractation (which frankly w^tout feare, dread cōpulsion, or imprisonmēt onely with learning & truth ouercommed, he came vnto) that you cannot abide his beginning, although hauing the very woordes of scripture. Except peraduen∣ture

you thinke that the saying of Dauid, omnis homo men∣dax, cannot be enterpreted, euery man is a lier, which how soeuer your Lordship taketh it at pleasure, it appeared vn¦to vs then of him taken but godly to declare the infirmitye of man, and the trueth of God and his word. And we are not able to reason so clerkly with you, & yet we haue heard of the subtle difference of lying and telling of a lye, or as it is in latin called mentiri and mendacium discere, but if your Lordship be loth to be counted mēdax, which belike he hath interpreted a lyer, or a lying man, and thinke it a matter of combate, he was deceiued in the interpretation, and it is a matter for clerkes to dispute of, we woulde haue wished your Lordshipp to haue written agaynst his booke before, or now with it, if you thinke that to be defended which the author himselfe refuseth to auerre: your Lordship writeth earnestly for lent which we go not about to put away, no more then whē D. Smith wrote so earnestly y^t euery man should be obedient to the Byshops. The Maiestrates by and by went not about to bring Kinges and Princes and other vnder theyr subiection. Writers write theyr fantasy, my Lord, and Preachers preach what eyther liketh them, or what God putteth in theyr heades. It is not by and by done what is spoken. The people buyeth those foolish bal∣lads of Iacke a lent. So bought they in times past, par∣dons, and carroles and Robbin hoodes tales. All be not wise mē, and the foolisher a thing is to some (although not to the more party) it is the more pleasaunt and meete, and peraduenture of the sermons there is, and in deed there is (if it be true that we haue heard) otherwise spoken and re∣ported to you, then it was of the preachers there and then spoken or ment. Lent remayneth still my Lord, & shall god willing till the kings highnes with our aduise and the re∣sidew of his Graces counsel take an other order, although some light and leud mē do bury him in writing, euē as the kinges Maiesty remayneth head of the Church, although by subtle meanes some traytors haue gone about and day∣ly do, to abuse the kinges Maiesties supremacy, and bring in the Bishop of Romes tyranny, with other superstition and Idolatry. On both sides great heed is to be taken, and as your Lordship writeth, we are set in a paynfull rome, to reforme all lightnes and leudnes, to the which we do en¦deuour our selfe to the best of our power, although not so cruelly and fiercely as some peraduenture would wish, yet not so loosely that there needeth such exclamation or great feare to be. We doe study to doe all things attemperately, and with quiet and good order. And we woulde wish no∣thing more then your Lordship to be as ready to the refor∣mation of the one, as of the other, that neither superstition, Idolatry, or papacy, should be brought in, nor lightnesse, nor contempt of good order to be mainteined. They both take beginning at small things, and encreaseth by litle and litle at vnwares. And quiet may be as wel broken with ie∣losy, as negligence, with to much feare or to much paciēce. No wayes worse then when one is ouer light eared, the one way, and deafe on the other side. Rumors by space and times encrease naturally and by that time they come at you as it appeareth, they be doubled & trebled. We do perceiue your diligent eye towards vs,* 1.1 & we will wish (& trust you haue) your faythful hart to vs, our most harty desire & con∣tinuall prayer to God is to leaue this realme to the kings highnes at his graces age by you written, rather more flo∣rishing in men, possessions, wealth, learning, wisedome, & Gods religion and doctrine if it were possible and Gods will, then we found it. And that is our whole intent, & es∣peraunce to the which we refuse no mans helpe, as know∣eth God in whom we bid you hartily fare well.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Quiet may be as well broken by Ielosie as by negligence.