¶ Here foloweth the Pre∣face of this booke.
BRother Rastell I thāke you that it hath pleased you to be so fa∣uourable vnto me a poore pri∣soner, as to shew me a copie of your booke whiche you haue written to confute my reasons and Scripture that I haue alledged agaynst Purgatory, for that hath caused me to make a subsidie defēce and bulwarke to my booke, whiche by Gods grace shalbe an occasion to open more light, although not to you, yet at the lestwise vnto them whose hartes the prince of this world hath not blinded but * 1.1 that the light of the Gospell and glorie of Christ may shyne in them. And where as you write and protest that you will bryng no Scripture agaynst me. But onely re∣hearse my Scripture agayne which I haue alledged vnperfeitly and woūde me with myne owne dartes, and will but euen do as one that playeth at tennes with an o∣ther tossing the balle agayne, I doe verye well admitte your similitude.
Notwithstanding you know right well that it is not inough for a man playing at tennes to tosse the balle agayne, but he * 1.2 must so tosse it that the other take it not. For if the other smite it ouer agayne then is the game in as great ieoberdy as it was before, besides that hee must take heede that he neither smite to short of the line not yet vnder, for then it is a losse and he had bene better to let it goe. And finally sometyme a man smiteth ouer and thyn∣keth all won, and yet an vngracious post standeth in the way and maketh the ball to rebounde backe againe ouer the corde & so loseth the game. And that wil anger a man, and I assartayne you that ye haue tossed neuer a ball but ye offende in one of these pointes, & yet besides that some tyme ye playe a touche of legerdemayne and cast me a ball which whē it commeth I perceaue to be none of mine, and all the court shall iudge the same. These poyntes shalbe declared when we come to them and now I will aunswere in order.