Grace and peace from God y^e father of ou¦re sauiour Iesus Christ be with youre most noble and excellent grace for euer. Amen

IN most humble wise complay¦neth vn to youre grace youre cōtinuall Orator Robart Bar¦nes / of the intollerable iniu∣ries / wronges and oppressions where wyth the bisshoppes of youre royalme vexe and haue vexed / contrary vn to the wor∣de of god and their awne lawes and doctours / not onlye me but also all true preachers ād pro¦fessours of the same / as they did in condemnyn¦ge me for an heretyke: whiche thinge they were not able to proue by the scripture of god / nor yet shall not / yff it wold please youre grace in∣differently (accordinge to the office wher in god hath sette you) to here the small as well as the great and to susteyne youre pore orator agēst their violence and strength.

God I take to recorde that I am ryght so∣rye to make this complaynte vnto youre grace agenst them / yf I coulde coniecture any other meane to cause them to redresse their intollera∣ble oppressions / where with they dayly oppres∣se youre pore and true subiectis / so sore and so violently that wyth out doute (yf youre grace se not shortly a remedy) god must nedys pu∣nish. For I doo not beleue that euer he will suf¦fer longe so great tyrannye agenst his worde & so abhominable liuing as they liue / and that in the name of Christ and his holy churche / verely we do not reade in any memoryes that oure fa¦thers haue lefte vs / that euer the people were Page  [unnumbered] vnder so greate tyrauny as now youre pore sub¦iectis be vn to them. It ys so farre come that what so euer he be / hye or lowe / poore or ryche / wyse or folish that speakyth agenste theyr hy∣pocrysy (which they calle holynes) Ambiciō / pry¦de dignite (which they calle honoure of the chu¦rch) or vycious liuyng (whych cā not be cloked) he ys eyther made a traytour vn to youre gra∣ce or an heretyke agenst holy church / as though they were kynges or God. This may youre mo¦ste exce• grace perfytly knowe if you calle to remem••aūce those men that they haue had to do with •s it not a maruelous courte that they haue? these was neuer man accused afore them of heresy were he lerned or not lerned but they founde hym giltye. ys not that a maruelous co∣urte that neuer hath innocentes? what courte within youre realme maye saye this agayne? ād yf any man speake of gods lawe and right cōsci¦ence agenst thys damnable tyranny / lyttle wyll they stycke to make hym as heretyke. And yf y^t wylle not helpe (to coloure ād mayntayne theyr oppressyon (than adde they •asone agenst you¦re grace though he be neuer so trewe a subiect and all vnlykly to make ony resystaunce or to thynke any evyll vn to youre grace: notwyth∣standinge they wyll not be a shamed to laye vn to hys charge that he wolde make an insurrec∣cion in youre londe.

Nowe yf yt please youre grace lett vs con∣syder to what ende thys vncheritable and vn∣ryghtuous accusacion of the bysshoppes is in∣uentyd.

Fyrst if there be any man y^t preach / dyspu¦te / or put forth in writtinge any thynge not tow Page  iii chynge them / though yt be neuer so blasphe∣mous agenst god and hys worde / they wyll not ones be moued therewith: the examples therof are so playne that yt nedeth no proufe. youre grace maye se what blasphemous rubrykes they alowe agenst the bloude off chryst / what shamfull and abhominable pardons they tolle∣rate and admytte / what disputatyons they do maynteyne to proue the pope a god and noo man as theyr conclusyons and questyons be playne in theyr awne lawes That the pope ys nother a god nor a man. And that the pope ys no man / And whether the pope cane syn or not? and that no man may condemne the po∣pe though he bringe innumerable soules to hel∣le by hys occassyon. Agayne let any man but ones speake agenst theyr cloked ypocrysye / or neuer so lytle a thynge that longeth too them whych shulde hyndre theyr abhomynacyons: and there can no scripture / no place / no mas∣tershyp nor excuse in the world saue / but they must eyther to open shame or cruell deeth. So that yt ys playne that theyr cruelnes ser∣ueth to no nother ende / but as they shuld saye yf that ony man wyll take in hond too prea∣che the veryte / and the true goospell off th∣eyr Master Chryst purely wherby those thyn∣gys that we take on vs / that ys oure honour oure dygnyte / oure worldly promosyon / oure dylycyous lyuynge / oure gorgyous aparele / ou¦re sumptuous palases / breuely all thynge that we vse to oure pastyme and pleasure shall be manyfest too euery man / that we doo yt con¦trary to the worde off god. Soo that they shall knowe opynly by manyfest scryptures oure f•yned hypocrysy / and that we ought Page  [unnumbered] not to be lordes of the parlament / nor to haue no place of worldly honour amonge the people nor to haue dominion ouer them / nor that any thynge shuld be orderyd after oure wyl but on¦lye a•ter y^e worde of god / nor that we shuld me¦dyll in ony causes but alonly in reding and pre∣achinge of the worde of god / wyth greate stu∣dye diligence and labour / yee and thereof be cō∣tent to haue but a pore lyuing / yee and so pore that we shall be constrayned oft tymis both to hunger / to thrust and to suffer greate colde / as Christ and his appostles were. Nowe rather than this shulde come to passe we had lever ga∣ther oure strength to gether ād oppresse by vio¦lence as many as wyll holde wyth this lerning be he kynge / duke / lorde / Barone / Knight / Mā / woman / or childe. So that they / yf it plese you∣re grace / go aboute to make the insurrexion to the mayntaynyng of their worldly pompe and pryde / and not the trew preacher: for he inten∣dith to mayntayne nothinge but the worde of god and that with suffering persecucion (as y^e nature of the worde ys) and not wyth persecu∣ting / and ys also neyther able nor likly nor wyl∣ling yf he might to make any resurrexion agēst youre grace / for he maketh no striuinge (yf he be the trew preacher of god) nor fyghtynge for this worlde / but sufferith the childern of the world to enioye these worldly thynges / and in∣tendeth alonly to bring in to light the most glo¦rious and heuenly worde of god / but that wyll not the bisshops (the childern of the world) suf∣fer / whych had rather seke and proue all the cra¦fte suttilty and falshode that they can invent / than these thingis shuld by the worde of God come to lyght / so that they wylle make y^e insur∣rexion Page  iiij / and not y^e preacher. Notwythstondyng they ar not a shamed / thus falsly to lay it to the preachers charge / and all by cause they wolde make youre grace to mayntaine ther maylycio∣usnes. So that vnder the pretence of treason / they might execute y^e tyrānye of their hartis on lye. For who ys that that wolde be a traytou∣re / or mayntaine a traytoure / agenste youre mo¦ste excelent and noble grace? I thynk no man / ye• and I knowe suerly that no man can doo yt / wyth out the great dyspleasure of the eter∣nalle god. For. S. Paule commaundeth strayte¦ly vnto alle chrysten / to be obedient in all thyn∣ges vn to their princes / saynge on this maner / * Lett euery man submytte him selfe to the aucto¦rite off y^e hye power. For who so euer resystyth the power / resystyth the ordynaunce off god / & they that resyste shall receyve to them selues dā¦nacyon. Also. S. Peter confermyth thys / * sayn¦ge: Submytte youre selues vn to all maner or∣dinaunce off mā for the lordes sake / whether yt be vn to the kyng / as vnto the cheffe hed / eyther vn to dukes as vn to thē that are sent off hym for the punishment of evell doars / but to the prayse of them that do welle. Here (most noble prynce) no man is except from the subieccyon of youre most excellent powre / neyther the biss∣hops / nor yet no nother man. Not wyth ston∣dyng yff they were so trewe in dede as they pre¦tend in worde / Thys gospelle shulde they prea¦che them selfe faythefully / puerly / and syncere∣lye to the people / as Paulle commaundeth Ti∣tus / and in hym alle bysshops in these wordes. Vvarne them (sayth he) that they submytte them selues to prynces and to powers / and to obeye the offycers Thys are they commaunded Page  [unnumbered] not allonly to obserue them selues / but also to teache the people to obey theyr prynces, whyche thynge yff they dyd faythefully in dede / as they dyssemble in worde / than they wolde not make so holy marters of them / that haue dyed agenst the liberte of prynces / in defendyng of their glo¦rie / as they haue done. Vve haue many y^t be made sayntes for rebellinge agenst prynces / & for defendyng of theyr fayned spirituall lyberte though yt were in sauing a theuysh preaste frō the gallous / whyche had deserued dethe / ye and for defendynge of their temporall possessyons / and that preastes shulde be fre / ād all their goo¦des / not bounde to paye trybute. For these ar∣tycles haue they made many holy sayntes / but whā made they one for defendinge of gods wor¦de and y^e kyngys prerogatiue / whiche ys alow∣ed by godes word? Neuer one in all their liues nor neuer wyll. where fore youre grace may se and perceaue / that they be but dyssemblers and hypocrytis / ād nether trewe in worde nor dede. For yf they were / youre grace shulde haue mo∣re auctoryte than you haue in youre realme / ād they shulde haue lesse in the worlde and more in the worde / but they neyther teache it thē sel∣ues / nor suffer (with their wille) other men to teache it. For if any mā take in honde to teache y^e people / y^t there is no tēporal power with in y^e realme but in youre hōde allōly / anon they a¦re ready to accuse hī of heresie / by cause he spe∣keth agēst y^e libertyes of holie churche / and they wil lay to his charge y^e lawes (as they cal thē) of y^e churche / whiche be none other / but dreamis of their owne inuēciō / made agēste gods lawe & his holy ordinaūces / & cotrarie to y^e prerogat•¦ue of alle noble princes. This will I proue by / Page  v lawe y^t they haue / * whose wordes be these. zacha¦rias did deposse y^e kinge of fraūce / not allōly for his iniquite / but also by cause he was vnprofy∣table for so greate a power: and set in his stede Pipinū y^e Emperours father / & did asoille alle fraūce of their othe & alegiaūce / y^t they had ma¦de vnto y^e olde king / y^e whiche thing / y^e holy chu¦rche of rome dothe oft timis / by her auctorite How think youre grace by this law? is this the¦ir obediēce y^t they will shewe / & also lerne other mē to be trewe subiectes to their prince / ād they be first rebellious traitours / & yet wil they accu¦se al other men of treason. I wolde knowe of• them all / who hath deposed anye kynge sythe Chrystes passion sauinge they onlye? who wyll be kynges fellowes / ye and cōtrollars / sauynge they only?* ys not this a subtyle crafte of Anty∣christ / to warne other men off heretykes and of traytours / ād in y^e meane ceasone while mē stō∣de lokynge for traytours / cometh he in and pla∣yth the parte of an open traytoure / sauyng on∣lye that he coloureth his name / and calleth him selfe / a trewe subiect / & is readie to accuse other men of treason / that he myght escape him selfe / but he is suer / that he will neuer accuse none of them / that speake agenst the auctoryte of pryn∣ces / and geue to him full auctorite / But yf any man / doo begynne but to open hys mouth / for to declare that he hathe no tēporall power / thā rageth he / ād cryeth out treason treason: But let vs returne to their lawe / ād se how they cā proue it by gods worde / ād how it stōdeth with their trewe subiecciō / Is this resonable / y^t y^e po¦pe / ād they (being by gods lawe but subiectis) shall deposse a king? Vvhat exāple haue they of oure master Christ / or of any of his apostles? Page  [unnumbered] what scripture haue they to helpe them?* How dare they be so bolde / as to depose a kyng / why¦che is ordenyd of god / yee and by hys holy wor¦de / hauyng none example / nor scripture for thē? Be they aboue god and hys blessyd worde? But they wyl saye / that the kyng was a wyked man / I answere / the cronycles / geue contrary wytnes / how that he was a very good man / ād ryght symple: and by cause he was so symple / therfore Pipinus whyche had all the rule vn∣der hym / thought hym silfe better worthy to ru¦le than the kynge / and so wrote vn to the pope and desyred hym to geue sentence / whether he was better worthy to be kyng that had all the paynes and labours / or he that had no laboure Now the pope / to make Pipinum his frende / gaue sentēce wyth hym / and deposed the other and made hym a monke. Thys can I welle pro¦ue by good cronycles Now lett youre noble gra¦ce consyder / yff yt were ryght / not only to depo∣se such a kinge but also to make hym a monke? Thys haue they done wyth other noble kyn∣ges / and no doute / but that same or worse / wyll they attempte to doo vn to youre grace / yff you dysplease them / and at the leste they wyll doo their vtter most. Lett all the hole rable off thē / tell youre grace / when a trewe preacher off chr∣ystes gospell dyd suche a deade; There is no officer that hathe nede to be a frayde off Chry∣stis gospell / nor yet of y^e preachers ther off / For they wyll geue them auctoryte tēporalle / But off these preuy traytours / can no man be to wa¦re. you may se by experience / how in a maner by their preuy treason they haue gotten in to their handes / halfe youre royalme. But lett vs graunt thē / that the kynge was a wyckyd mā. Page  vj The scripture commaundeth vs / to obey to wyckyd princes / and geuyth vs none auctorite to depose thē / who was more wycked than He∣rode / and yet. S. Iohan sufferyd deethe vnder hym. who was wyckedder than Pylate? And yet Christ did not put him doune but was cru∣cified vnder hym. Breuely whyche off all y^e prin¦ces were good in the appostles dayes? and yet they deposed none. So that gods worde / and the practyse off oure Master Chryst / and hys holy apostles are openly agenste them. More over their owne glosse sayeth that he was not deposed / by cause he was vnsuffycient / but by cause he was wanton and lecherous wyth we∣men. O my lordes yff you be not afrayde of the vengeaunce of god / at the leste take a lyttle sha¦me of the worlde vn to yov / that haue so longe tyme wyth so great tyrannye defendyd these lawes that be so opynlye agēst gods ordinaun¦ce / agenst gods worde / and agenst the commen ordynaunce and consent of all the worlde. And this thynge haue yov done / to the greate iniu∣ry off noble princes / to the intollerable subduyn¦ge off all noble bloude / to the oppressyon off their trew subiectes / to the dystruccyon off alle commen welthes. And fynalle to the damna∣cion off many a Chrystened soule. Tell me by youre faithe / doo you beleue that there is a ly∣uyng god / that ys myghtye to punysh hys eny¦myes? yf yov beleue yt / saye vn to me can yov deuyse for to avoyde hys vengeaunce / whyche be so opynly cōtrayrye to hys worde? what an∣swere thinke yov to make to hym? Thinke yov that he will suffer youre worde to be harde / & lette hys godly worde be dyspysed? Thynke yov that yt will be suffycient for yov to saye / Page  [unnumbered] that they be the lawes of holy churche? Thyn∣ke you y^t he will be thus taught off yov? Than were yt tyme to plucke hym downe / ād sett you vpp. Naye my lordes he ys no chylde / nor you shalle fynd yt no chyldis game / thus to tryfle & playe with hys holy word and hys blessyd ordi∣naunce / ye and that to the dyspysyng / of the ma¦ker bothe of heuyn and erthe. Saye what yov wyll / ye are not able neyther by crafte / nor sub∣tyltye (and yet be you falce ynough) to defende thys matter / neyther a fore god / nor yet afore oure noble prince / nor a fore any mā off lernyng that wyll be trewe to hys prince: for whiche wa¦ye so ever you turne you / oure Master Christ / and all hys blessyd apostles be agenst you / and will openlye accuse you / that yov be contrarye to their worde / and to their dede. Answere ye to them / answere not to me. yff I holde my pea¦ce / they wyll speake. Nor yt will helpe you but lyttle / to crye after youre olde maner heresy / he¦resy / a Traytour / a traytour: for now you crye agēst youre selves / and off those thinges they doo accuse you. Doo yov thinke yt with the or¦dinaunce of god / that you shall depose a kinge by cause he lyuyth in advoutrye / or ys a lech∣erous man? If you thynke yt a lawfull cause / why doo you not preache yt opynly? why doo you not laye yt to kingis charges? why suffer you them to be kingis that lyue in aduouttry? why do you not put youre lawes in execution? you saye they be the lawes of holy churche / and there by may you depose princes. But yff you will put them in execucion / than were yt moche better / to be a bysshop or a preaste / than to be a kinge / or a duke.

For you maye lyue in whordom / or in any Page  vij other vngracious lyuyng / ye and that to the de¦struccyon off many mens soules / and yet no man so hardye to repreue you / as youre awne lawe dothe openlye commaunde in these wor∣des.* Iff the pope doo drawe wyth hym innume¦rable people on a hepe to the deuyll of helle / the¦re to be ponyshed for euer / yet shall no mortalle man presume / to repreue hys synnes / for he mu¦ste iugde alle men / and may be iudged off no mā &c̄. Lykewyse haue you an other lawe in your decretales / y^t no laye man maye repreue a prea¦te. &c̄. How thinke yov by these lawys / * yff they be not off the deuylle / telle me what ys off the deuyll? you wyll bothe repreue / yee and also de¦pose princes / but yov wyll neyther be deposed / ner yet repreued off any mortall man. what thynke you youre selues godes? But how can you depose a kyng / and yt lyeth not in youre powre to make a kyng / For eyther he ys borne a kyng / or he cometh to yt by elecciō / or he wyn∣nethe yt victoriously by swerde. which way so euer he cometh by yt / you can not make hym. And wyll you depose hym for fornicacion / how wolde yov handyll kynge Dauid / * and kynge Solomon / wolde you depose them by cause of advoutrye / So doo yov more than the prophe∣te Nathan durste doo.

But lett vs come to Herod / * that kept hys brothers wyffe / wolde yov depose hym therefo∣re? Than doo you more than. S. Iohan durste doo. For he durste no more do but repreue hys vyce / and dare yov depose hym. But lett vs go forth wyth youre lawe / what auctoryte had the pope and you / to sett Pipinū in y^e roume And not rather to lett the kyngedom chose Page  [unnumbered] them a kynge. Oure Master Christ sayd / hys kyngdō was not off this worlde. But you wyll be above kynges in thys worlde / and not allon¦ly depose them / but also sett in newe at youre pleasure. More ouer by what auctoryte dyd y^e pope dispence wyth the royalme off their othe? youre lawe sayth / that the holy church of Roo∣me / is wonte so to doo. I pray yov off whome hath she lernyd thys same wonte? who hath geuyn her thys auctoryte? Can she dyscharge vs of oure obedience that we owe to oure pryn¦ces? is not thys off the lawe of god? Stondeth yt not also wyth y^e lawe of nature? yee doo not turkes and infydels faythefully obey to theyr prynces? Is not the prynces powre off god? ād wyll you depose this powre? or cā you dyspēce wyth thys lawe?* S. Peter lerneth yov y^t you are more bounde to obey god & his lawe / thā to mā / but yov lytle regarde. s. peters saynge. wher¦fore what say yov to yo oure alone law? whose wordes be these? Therebe certayne men which saye / * that the pope may alle wayes make new lawes. The whyche thynge we doo not allonly denye / but we doo stedfastly afferme / that whe¦re oure lorde / and hys appostles openlye / or els holy fathers folowyng them haue defyned any thyng / that there the pope maye make no new lawe. But rather is bound / to confyrme y^e thyn¦ge that is a fore preached wyth hys bloude. &c̄. Vvhat saye yov to thys law my lordes / that ta¦keth a way from yov all maner off power off those thyngis that be openly in holy scripture / and commandeth you also to dye for the defen¦ce of yt. Nowe / ys not the prynces power open¦lye in holy scripture? Are not we commaunded by godes word / to obey all maner off prynces? Page  viij Are not we bounde to kepe oure othe by the worde of god / that we haue made to oure pryn¦ce? Thys may be proved by youre awne lawe / * saynge. Vve must kepe vn to prynces and po∣wers fayth and reuerens. &c̄. My lordes here¦y•d not / fidē / and oportet / And how come yov wyth youre dispensacion for oure othe and sa∣ye non oportet / that we are not bounde to be o∣bedient to oure prynces / yff you dispence wyth vs. How can yov dyspence wyth vs of oure o∣the / seynge yt ys agenste godes lawe? But pa∣raduenture yov wyll answere as youre glos∣se dothe / * that ye may be defendyd that the po∣pe maye dyspence in those thynges that be agē¦ste the appostle / but not in those thynges that pertayne to the artycles the faythe. &c̄. By thys lawe / the pope may dyspence / that euery man shall haue two wyues. He may also geue vs licence to lyue in aduoutrye / and to robbe / and to kylle▪ he maye also dyspence wyth vs / y^t we shalle owe none obedyence to oure prynce / nor kepe no faythefulnes towarde hym / but rebelle and be traytours agenste hym (That ys the in¦tent of youre glosse in this place) for there ys no¦ne of these / that be artycles off the faythe. Here may men se / what teachers yov haue byn / and also be toward god and hys holy appostles / ād towarde youre noble prynces. The truth ys yov were neuer wonte lenger to holde with thē thā they dyd maintayne youre carnalle desyers and doo those thynges that you commaunded them to doo. Thys coulde I well prove both by auncient cronicles / and also by the practes off youre awne lawe / yff it were not to longe a processe. But thys dare I well saye / and that vnder the payne off loosyng my lyffe / that yff Page  [unnumbered] yt shall chaunce oure moste noble prince (ād off youre partye shalle he want none occasiōs) ou¦re to displease yov / or els to restrayne youre car¦nall appytytes / whiche you call the lybertyes off the churche / or to dymynyshe youre wordly ry∣ches / whych yov call the goodes of the churche / Than shall hys grace welle knowe / ye and al∣so feale yt / that there is no faythefulnes in yov But that yov wyll be contrarye in all youre de∣des / to youre fayned wordes that yov now spe∣ke. I praye god that I maye be a lyer. But I knowe youre lordeshyps so well / that you wyl not of youre honoure suffer me to be a lyer. And yff hys grace beleue not me / lett hys grace re∣ade all hys cronycles / and not allonly them / but all other noble princes cronicles. And hys grace shall neuer fynde that they were trewe chylder¦ne off obedyence / yff their prince dyd dyspleasse them. I thynke thys be experyence ynough. Al∣myghtye god forbyd / that euer they shulde ler∣ne yov by any more experyence. But lett vs re∣turne to youre lawe / how are they able to defēd yt by fore your grace? Are not they traytours / that will make any power with in youre royal¦me / not allonly so good as youres / but aboue youres? Is yt not agēst youre prerogatiue? Is yt not agenst the commen assent off the royal∣me? who cā deny thys cōmē proverbe / but they only. On god / and on kyng. But what signify¦eth youre royall Croune / * that youre royalme geueth you? Vvhiche ys vnderneth worthely and suffycientlye fulfylled wyth youre graces bed / And so fulfylled / y^t vnderneth can no man∣hed come in / so longe as youre graces ys there: that ys / no man maye by ryght vsurpe any auc¦toryte that belongeth to youre grace wyth out Page  ix treason. Furthermore / your crowne ys close a∣boue / sygnifiyng / that in erth ys there no no∣ther superior powre y^t belongeth to Englond. Now where wyll my lordes the bisshops come in to this Crowne? yff they come vnder / they must thruste out youre graces hed / for y^e Crow¦ne ys to lyttle for bothe youre hedes. yff they come aboue / so breke they the clossenes off you∣re Crowne / and lye also in youre graces necke / sygnifiyng / that they wyll oppresse youre gra∣ce. Lett them answere to thys / as well as they can. I wolde not gladly defende so evell a cau∣se as theyrs is. Vvhat wyll they saye to. S. Paule / that was a bysshops as well as they / ād neuer the lesse obedyent vnto temporalle pryn∣ces / ye and that vnto infidels. And not alonlye he / but all hys ordinaunce. All hys wrytyn∣ges / and all his bisshops dyd agre to the same. And yff they wyll dispice. S. Paule / by cause he was but a begger / and no lorde off the parla∣ment what wyll they say to oure Master Chri¦ste oure mighty / gracious / and excellent prynce / was not he obedyent vn to Pylate that was an infydelle / and in auctorite muche lesse than youre grace / dyd not he obey in bodye and goo¦des / dyd not he paye tribute vn to Cesar / was not he crucifyed / vnder Pons Pylat / was not he a spirituall man / was not his cause rygh¦tuous / was not he mighty to defende his cause was not he worthy to be exempted / was he not annoynted (I meane not with oyle but wyth the holy gost) so well as they / and yet wolde ke∣pe the order / that was sett by hys heuynly fa∣ther. Dyd not he sore rebuke Peter / that wolde haue defended his cause / and sought for suche carnall lyberte / agenste the power off princes / Page  [unnumbered] Dyd he not clearly take a waye / the temporall swerd from hym? we neuer rede that euer he drewe yt after / and yet we reade that he had causys suffycient. And now commyth Peters successoure / and he wyll drawe yt out / and hed pryncis there with. who gaue master vicare au¦ctoryte / to doo that y^e the parson durste neuer doo / ner coulde neuer doo yt / was his cause ne¦uer so ryght (ye though yt were to defēd christ) wyth out greate rebuke of his master. Thus youre grace maye se / how they do vsurpe / bo∣the the name of christ / and off his holye appost∣les / but they neyther agre in worde nor dede. what dothe yt profyte / to call an open whore an honest woman / the name can not make here honest / * so lykewysse (as their lawe saith) They be not the chyldern off holy men / that sytte in y^e romes of holy men / but they that doo their wor¦kes. &c̄. Also in a nother place. The seate dothe not make a preaste / but y^e preast maketh y^e sea∣te. The place dothe not sanctifie the man / but the man sanctifyeth the place / All preastie be not holye / but all holye men be preastes. &c̄. Nowe yff youre grace wolde follow their aw∣ne lawe / what were they lesse than bysshops? Take a way theyr seate / that is their worldely pompe and pryde / their outwarde shynynge / & their glorious name / and what remayneth in them / Surelye not one poynte that belongethe to a bisshope / Thys may youre grace well doo / there is neyther lawe nor consciēce can lett you ye bothe the lawe of god / and also conscience do¦the bynde you to doo yt / how can youre grace otherwyse be discharged / except yov sett other men in their romes / that wille doo those thyn∣ges / that belongeth by holy scripture to byss∣hops Page  x to doo? There out commith their name / why shulde they not also be hounde to lyue there after? youre grace hathe taken some off them from the bochers staulle and made them bysshops / you haue taken some out of the carte and sett them in Peters Chayre / who can de∣nye but this youre grace maye doo? (All ways providyd that they doo those thynges that be¦longeth to their office by the worde of god / or els youre grace is in daunger.) But who can proue / that they are worthye off thys dignite / that youre grace hath heuen them? moche les∣se to be youre controllars / yee and also to be a¦boue all youre lawes / and to haue auctorite to deposse you. But yf youre grace wolde doo thē ryght / you shulde returne them home ageyne / the bocker to his staulle / The begger to hys wallet / the carter to hys whyppe / and than as∣ke them yff they be of the church? and what ex∣empcion they haue from youre obedyence? and from youre lawe / and what auctorite to depos∣se kynges? But as for thys / youre grace can or∣der yt moche better / than I cane deuyse. I saye yt for no nother purposse / but for to declare youre graces power / and youre goodnes towar¦de them / and lykewyse their vnworthynes / and ingratitude / agenst youre most noble grace.

I wylle returne agayne to oure Master Christ / whan the multitude wold haue chosene hym kyng dyd he not flye?* So that he dyd not allonly lerne obedience in his doctrine / but also he dyd practice yt in his outward workes and lyuinge.

Fynallye / they shall neuer be able to pro∣ve to youre grace / but that Chryst and alle Page  [unnumbered] his apostles were subiect / to the temporal prin∣ces / bothe in bodye and goodes / and toke no no¦ther rule in this worlde / but only to preache y^e eternalle worde of god / and lefte all wordly ru∣le / vnto temporall princes / whether they were faythefull / or vnfaythefull. But now commyth oure spirituall fathers (So muste we call them allonly of customme and of no deseruynge) and wyll commaunde prynces to be sworne vn to them / and to defende them / and their lybertes / with all their gorgyousnes / and prowde digny∣tyes of this worlde. which othe / yff the prynces wyll not make to thē / they wyll interdyte theyr londe / and priuate them of theyr dignite / yee and also asoyle men off the othe / that they ma∣de to their prince. This ys opyn in their lawe / de hereticis.* Ad abolendum. How dothe thys agre wyth. S. Paulys commaundement / and wyth oure Master Christes factes? Is thys o∣beying to princes / to depelle them their royal∣me / yff they wyll not be sworne vnto them / Be these trewe subiectes. Is this the offyce of bys∣hops / Be these the successors of Peter / & Pau∣le. Be these the perfyt men that haue forsaken all thyng and followed Christ. Doubtles they forsake all thynges / that they can not gett. Be not these perfytt / forsakers. But they wyll sa∣ye that princes be bounde to be sworne / to defē∣de their churche / from heretykes or ells to be de¦posed. This ys yt that I lokyd for. Vvhom call you heretykes. Vvho shall iudge these men to be heretikes. After what lawe shall they be iud∣ged. yff you call them heretikes / that speke a∣genst youre lawes / and agenst youre libertyes / and agenst youre dignite / than are Christ and all his holy appostles heretikes. For they defen¦de Page  xj (pertinaciter as yov say) their lerninge agē∣ste youre lawes / and that not in one place / but in euery place / as yt ys open in holy scripture. But now yff you take them for heretykis that be agenst Christ and his holy worde / than ys y^e kynges grace sworne to expelle you his realme and to defend the churche from yov. For more contrary than yov be / can no man be. But the very truth ys / that yov doo intende to make the kyngis grace but youre hangeman (thys is a shamfull name for a prynce) but the shame be vn to you y^t are not ashamyd / to geue hym y^e very offyce off this name / yee and (by cause you will doo nothyng but shamfullye) also to mock hym / with a glorious title. For you make hym but a mynister of youre myschevous tyrannye so that so oftyn as yov haue condemned any man / agenst ryght and agenst godes law / for an heretyke: so oftyn must he come and receyve thys man off youre hande (for yov saye wyth the Iewes / that yov maye kylle no man) and so put hym to dethe / and not once denye yt / nor yet aske yov what he hath done to deserue de∣the / for yov are readye to answere hym / and sa¦ye (as the Iewes did. If he were not an evell doar we wolde not commytt hym to youre hon¦des. More getteth he not of you / for you be spre¦tualle men and may kylle no man / but he is bo¦und to doo yt by youre lawe / vnder the payne of losyng his royalme. So that he is bound / to crucifye chryst so oftyn as you crye Crucifige / Crucifige. Lett euery Christen prynce consyder in hys conscience / whether that the Iewes dyd not procede even on thys maner agenst Christ or no / yee that was more indyfferent than thys ys / for there Pylate was iudge / and here Page  [unnumbered] be they Iudgis / and princes be but seruaun∣tes. But I pray yov my lordes / where haue yov gotten thys auctorite ouer princes / to cō∣pelle them to swere to yov in ony cause / what and if the kynge wolde be an infidell / wolde yov expel hym? what can you do more bi right than lay the worde of god to him / ād the daun¦ger of hys infydelite? yov haue no auctorite to deposse hym / for Christenyd men must obey to vnfaythefulle princes / did not Christ this? did not Peter thys? did not Paule thys? dothe not the worde of god commaunde yov thys to do? saynge.

*Fere God / honour youre kynge / be subiect not allonly vn to them that be good and easy / but vn to them that be evell. Vvhat saye yov to these wordes? how can you avoyde them? how can yov auoyd the vengeaunce of god? But now if yt pleasse youre grace / they wil∣le laye to my charge / that I speke agenst the preuileges of holy churche / I will infringe the lybertyes of holy churche: I answere. I know no lybertyes nor preuyleges that holy churche hathe / but these that Christ hathe lefte here / Is thys libertye in his worde to do agenst chri¦stes holy worde and ordinaunce / and to folo∣we mens dremes? Is Christes holye worde / of so lytle effecte? why dyd not Christ than geue this lyberte in his worde to holy churche? Did he leue that to yov to do? Shewe youre commission.

Call yov thys a preuilege / to be agenst you∣re naturall prynce of the royalme / and to ma¦ke him subiect vn to yov which haue no tytle Page  xij of preheminence / but alonly of tyranny? Than hathe holy churche gottyn a goodlye lyberte. But what meane yov whan yov say / holy ch∣urche? yf yow meane youre selues onlye / than the kynges grace is muche bound vn to yov / that yov do exclude his grace and al his com∣mens out of holy churche / in to the whyche Christ hathe bought them with his most pre∣cious bloude. And if yov vnderstond by holy churche the wholle congregacion / than are all Chrystenyd men ād alle there godes exemptyd from the kynges grace and vndernethe yov / So that bi this meanys yov wil make his gra¦ce a kynge with out a royalme / and he shal ha∣ue the name / and yov shal haue the auctoryte and the foolke. But is thys Christes churche? Is thys holy churche that is so contrary to the lorde of all holynes? who hathe made her so holye? why dyd she not clayme this liberte / in christes and his holy apostles dayes? But now my lordis oure moste noble and gracious prynce commaundeth yov to answere / and to defende youre awne lawes / to defende youre li¦bertyes / and to laye for yov by what tytle you do vsurpe his graces power / seynge that yow be but his subiectis. He wille know by what auctorite yov do kepe any Courtes / or do ex∣ecute any commaundementes with in his ro∣yalme? what auctoryte yov haue to prove te∣stamentes / and to take of euery pound a ser∣tyn? and to geue letters of mynystracion / ouer those godes / that yov neuer laboured for? Vvhat tytle haue you there to? The mā was not youre subiect / and how come yov by y^e my¦nistracion of his goodes.

Page  [unnumbered]Also what auctorite haue you to defende youre temporall goodes with bothe swerdes? as yt is wrytten in youre lawe.* 15. q. 6. Auctori¦tatem. This is more than the kynges grace can doo / for he hathe but one swerde / and will you haue bothe? But what auctoryte haue you to punysh them that stryke preastes? And them that be bacbyters / and sclanderers? Further∣more by what auctorite de you cōmaund / that preastes shal not appere before temporall iud∣ges?* As yt ys wrytten in youre lawe. 23. q. 8. Conuenior. in the glosse. Also in a nother place 33. q. 2. Inter hec. Also by what auctorite / ha∣ue yov made that princes shal make no statute as concernynge the goods of the church. 23 q. 8 Conuenior in y^e glosse.* But yff ony thinge shal be geuyn vn to you / than the Emperoure and kinges haue sufficient power / but yff you shall paye any thynge to the mayntaynynge of the kynges grace and hys commen welthe / than no man hathe auctoryte wyth out youre consent. Haue you not wytched the world this longe ty¦me? But forthermore / the kyngis grace wolde knowe / by what auctorite you haue made that a preast shall not be sued afore a temporall iud∣ge for whoredom? These be the wordes of you∣re lawe.* But vn to you that be laye men / is le∣f•e no power for to iudge off preastes / nor yet to serche ony thyng of their liuing. &c̄.

My lordes maye no man iudge / of youre ly∣uyng but youre selues a lone? not the kynges grace / who hathe geuyn yov this exempcyon. who hathe geuyn you power to be iudges over bawdrie. Is bawdrye a spirituall cause / Dothe Page  xiii bawdrye belonge to spyrituall men? S. paul cal¦leth yt the worke of the fleshe?* and will you call yt a spirituall cause? It may well be spyrytuall of youre spryte / but I am suer it is agenste the sprete of god. But by thys meanys haue you a¦soyled a greate doubte whereat y^e kynges gra∣ce and all hys noble lordes haue often mused That ys / how yt came that there was so grea• wherdome and bawdrye / amonge them that b• called spirituall men? But now yt ys no won∣der / for bawdry ys a spirituall cause and belon¦geth onlye to the iudgement of bysshops. But shortly to oure purpose / The kyngis hyghnes commaūdeth yow straytely / to shewe hym by what auctoryte that you take causes out of his hye Court of complaynte / and to brynge them a fore yow / As who shulde saye yow wolde re∣dresse bothe the Kynges lawe / and also y^e sentē∣ce there of. And not alonly that / but you wyll Master the Kynges grace and his lawe. Short¦lye to recyte all the iniuryes and wrongys that you doo to y^e Kyngys hyghnes / to all hys no∣ble bloude and vnto all his trewe subiectis / yt were to longe a processe. wherefore breuely I re¦quire you by the faith y^t you owe to christe Ie¦sus / and by y^e othe y^t you haue made to y^e Kin¦ges highnes (if you be not dispēsed with all) y^t you āswere to these thinges: you can not denye but these thinges you do / wherefore what wyll you saie thereto / what āswere cā you make / ha∣ue you vpholdē these thinges so lōge / haue you shamed / troubled & killed so many of y^e Kynges trew subiectis for y^t thīg / which ye cā not defēde to be true? ād if you haue nothinge for you / but youre awne dreamis / they wil not helpe you. For they be accusyd with you. And therfore / y^e Page  [unnumbered] kynges highnes (if it pleased him) myght laye hie tresone to youre charge / and also the abomy¦nable cryme of heresye / whiche ys all ways in youre mouthes / yf a man speake but agēst you∣re olde showes. what say yow to these thingis: yff they be false / it is a smalle matter for yow to refelle them by holy scrypture / yf they be tre∣we / why geue you not place? you shall well kno¦we that I wyll defend ernestly Godes cause ād my prynces / and that not out off myne awne hed / but out off holye scrypture / whyche I doo neyther wrynge nor wreste / but onlye declare it by the practyce off oure most gracyous Master Christ Iesus / and of all hys holy apostles. Can you requyre any more. It not thys suffycyent probacion? Is not thys cause good? Is yt not ryghtuous? Is yt not to the honoure of god? Notwithstondynge I am sure that I haue ta∣ken thys matter in hond with you / to my grete daūger / yf you may haue youre wyllys / But he¦re do I set my lyffe / and body agenste youres / to defende thys matter agenst you / yf yt wyll plesse the kinges noble grace / to geue me fre par¦don and to defende me from youre vyolence / I aske no pardō of any trespasse / that you or any dedly enymye that I haue / can proue that I ha¦ue done agenste y^e kynges noble grace / but that alonly I am compelled to flye youre dedly and intollerabylle vyolence. But yf yt shall pleasse the kynges highnes to defend me frome youre vyolence in my ryght / I wylle dyscusse thys matter wyth you by Chrystes worde / And yf I be •uercome / I doo not refuse dethe / and soo shall you be shortly rydde off me / And yf yow be ouercome / yt were ryght that you shulde be punysshed. Not wythstondyng I wyll desyer Page  xiiii but amendmēt. wherefore Most gracious prin¦ce / Humbly ād mekely / I besech youre highnes and that in the name of oure sauioure Iesus Chryst / a fore whom you must geue an accump∣te off youre dignyte / Also I requier you by you¦re othe / that yow haue sworne to ryght and to Iustice / ye and also by all youre honour do I humbly beseche youre grace that you wyll de∣fende me in my right / as you wil be defended of Chryst Iesus from all youre dedly enymies ye not to defend me / but godes worde / and youre prerogatiue / So that I truste youre grace will not be dyspleased / with youre daylye bedeman / that he requireth you so ernestly / for he desireth of you nothinge but that that stondeth with go¦des honoure / with youre graces preheminence / and with good ryght and conscience / and al∣so with y^e othe that youre grace hathe made bo¦the to god and man. Thys wolde youre grace doo / though I dyd not requyre yt / The cause is not myne / but it is Christes veryte which wyll neyther be mocked nor yet ouercome / It is also youre prerogatyue / whiche deserueth defendyn¦ge and also audyence / Though there were no worde of god. I do requyre (as god shal Iudge me) no wordlye promosyon thereby / but alonly the verite of Christes worde / and of chrystes or¦dynaunce. Vvhiche thynge yf I can proue / I doubte not but youre graces conscience / wyll Iudge it right y^t I shulde be harde / youre grace hathe no nede of the bysshops no more than off me / but vn to Chrystes worde / youre grace ys bounde / vnder the payne of euerlastynge dam∣nacyon / from the whych neyther the bysshops / neither all their power / neither theyr pardons / Page  [unnumbered] neyther heuen nor erthe can delyuer you if you be foūde a transgressor. This is the veryte / lett them crake ād face / blaste & blowe / Praye / Sin¦ge • Curse / absolue / bringe in their custōs / bryng in their churche / bringe in their lawes with all their myters & their crossestaues / with all theyr spiritual honoure / they can not helpe youre gra¦ce but that the daunger shal remayne to youre graces parsone / if any thinge be amisse: but this youre grace knowith better than I can telle yt wherfore I wille returne agayne to the cause. It is openlye proued that oure master Christ / and all hys holy apostles were subiect / bothe in bodye and goodes to tēporall princes / And toke no temporall rule nor iurisdiccyon on thē whe∣refore I conclude / that what so euer they be y^t will be exempt from the tēporall power / Be ney¦ther Christes apostles / nor chrystes dyssyples / no nor yet trewe chrystened men / though they haue Chrystes and Peter and Paules name / an hundred tymes. For Chrystes wordes be playne whych sayth / * yow doo knowe that y^e lordys of the gentles haue dominacyō ouer thē but so shalle yt not be amonge yow. And these wordes were spoken to the apostles and can not be avoyded by alytle dystynccyon / as the bysshops are wonte too avoyde all holly scrypture. But what soo euer they saye / the practyce off oure Master Chryst and off all hys holy apostles wyll declare how they vnderston¦de yt. And moreouer to stope their mouthes I wyll shewe them how holy doctours vnder¦stode yt / * Orygene vppon thys texte / Omnis anima / sayeth on thys maner / All maner off synnes y^t god wolde haue punisshed / he wolde Page  xv haue them punyshed not by the bysshops and rulers of the churche / but by the Iudgys off y^e worlde &c. be not these wordes playne? S. Pau¦le sayeth / Omnis anima / ād origyn saythe / oīa crimina / So that S. Paule takethe awaye all men from their subieccion / And orygen taketh awaye all crymes from their correccion. what glosse can they make of these wordes a fore you¦re grace / ? yf they laye for them the olde custom ād their lawys I will laye a genst thē oure ma¦ster Christ S. Paule / S. peter & Origen. And I will denye their customs / their church and also their lawys. And this wil I not doo onlye / but I will proue yt bi their awne lawe that I may doo yt rightfully / These be their wordes.* He y^t doth dispisse the verite ād presume to followe y^e custome / eyther is envyous & malicious age¦nst hys bretherne to whom the veryte is ope∣ned / or els he is vnthankefulle towardes god by whose inspyracion his churche ys instruc∣te / for the lorde sayth not I am y^e custom / but I am the veryte &c. these wordes be playne agē¦ste all customs and al churches that be agenste the worde of god.* This same thynge haue they also in another place in these wordis / that sa∣me custom / that ys crept in vn to certayne mē / maye not lett but that the veryte must preuay¦lle and ouercome. For a custom with outh the verite ys but an olde erroure &c̄. These wordes be playne that all customs be but errours that be agenste the veryte. And as for to denye their churche I maye lawfully do yt / for that is not the churche that ys with out and contrarye to the worde of god for christis churche heareth his worde onlye / as christ sayth my shepe hea∣re my voyce / * and they follow not a straunger Page  [unnumbered] but flye from hym / for they know not hys voy¦ce. Also in a nother place / he that is of god here¦th the wordes of god / and therfore do not you here / * by cause yov be not of god. Here is yt op¦yn that they that be not of god heare not the worde of god nor be of hys churche / but of the churche of the deuylle whyche he dothe hate. Now haue I prouyd vn to youre grace / that I may ryghtously denye there churche / their lawys and their customs. Not with stondyn∣ge all thys / yet will I prove by their awne la∣we that they haue none auctorite tēporall / but al their auctorite ys allonlye in the ministraci∣on of godes worde whyche they do sore despy¦ce / these be the wordes of their lawe The chur¦che that knoweth no corporall wepons / * doth paciently abyd allonly god whyche is her defē¦der / whan it shalle plese him for to haue mer∣cy &c̄. Here is playne that the church knoweth no temporall wepons. Also in a nother place. The holy churche of god hath no swerde but y^e spirituall swerde / with the whych she dothe not kylle / * but quikkyn. These wordes be play∣ne / that the churche hathe no swerde but y^e spi¦rituall swerde. Now how comme the bisshops by the temporal swerd? Lyke wyse in a nother place. I may morne / I may wepe / I may wayl¦le agenst wepons / agenst sodyars / and agenst the Gothos.* For my teris be my wepons / for suche thyngis be the wepons of preastes / other¦wysse I ovght not nor I may not resyst &c̄. Here yov this my lordes? how that S. Ambr¦osse had none other wepons / but wepyngis ād prayers / and that he might not in ony wysse defende him selfe with other wepons.

Page  xviHow thinke yow / was not he of the churche? was not he preuileged of god as wel as ye? and yet coulde he not nor ought not defend hym nor medylle with the temporall swerde Moreover yt is open in yovre awne lawe .24. q. 4. Quesitum. That the temporal swerde / & the mynystracyon of the worde are of God / * and these too be dyuers and the one may not vsurpe others auctorite / the wordes of you∣re lawe be these. The mediator betwene god and man Christ Iesus / hathe deuydyd the of¦fices of bothe powers in to their proper actes and in to dystincte dygnityes / * wyllinge bi hys awne medycinalle meknes that mens hartes shulde be lyfted vpp / and not with mans pry∣de agayne to be drowned in these inferior thyn¦ges / so that christen Emperours (As conser¦nyng eternalle lyfe) shulde haue nede of byss∣hops / and lykwysse the bysshops (for the cour¦se allonly of these temporall goodes / shulde vse the Emperours lawys / so that the spirituall accion shulde be distyncted from the world∣lye courses / and he that shuld serue god shul∣de not wrappe him selfe in worldlye busynesses &c̄. Here is playne that youre grace must haue fulle power over al worldlye coursis / and the bysshops allonly mynistracion of the worde of God: and as youre grace maye not vsurpe to preache the worde of god / no more maye they vsurpe any power y^t belōgeth to youre swer¦de. This same sētēce haue they. di 96. c.* Cū ad verū. So y^t youre grace may opēly se by godis lawe / by their awne lawe / by the practice of o∣ure master christ & of his apostils and bi y^e expo¦siciō of holy doctours y^t y^e bysshops neither haue nor yet maye haue any power tēporal / but all Page  [unnumbered] ys allonly in youre graces honde / and you are bound to vse yt & to execute yt / in youre awne parson to the vttermost strength y^t God hathe geuyn yov. And in no wysse may youre grace geue this power or parte thereof vn to other men / for so doyng do yov breake the ordinaun¦ce of godes word and declare youre selfe a fore god that yov are vn worthy and not sufficient to minyster the honoure y^t god of heuyn hath frely geuyn vn to yov. This may not youre gr¦ace do / for that were as moch a fore god as tho¦ugh yov wolde controlle his ordinaunce / or els that yov wolde not mekelye a plye youre selfe with dyligēce to mynister that thyng that god hathe enioyned youre grace vn to. Not with stondynge / this may youre grace doo allonly yf the busynes be so greate that belongeth to youre administracion that youre grace can not alone discharge thē / than may youre grace cho∣se and assyne certayne other so many as shall be necessary / whyche shal dyscharge all maner of causes. All ways prouided / that these men shall be but mynysters and seruauntes vnder∣neth youre grace / and no kyngis: nor they ma∣y not vsurpe any power as kyngis by no lawe perpetuall / but al y^t they haue is by youre gra∣ces eleccion and assynement. More ouer these mē may not be of all maner of sortys / but they must be suche men as god hathe ordenyd there vnto / and that haue no nother particular admi¦nystracion. As Dukys Erlys / Barons and su¦che temporall lordes whych be ordenyd of god for that same purposse to helpe youre grace in alle suche tēporall causes. And it were vnright that youre grace shulde set a Duke to preache godes worde / and a bysshop to be a Iudge in Page  xvij westmynster halle. For the office of a bisshop is onlye to preach godes worde and there in to be a faythefull minister whyche thyng yf he doo / he is a trew bysshop a fore god / for the faythful administracion maketh him a bysshope ād not the name / neyther can the worlde make him A bisshop that dothe not preache truly Chrystes worde / but as oure master chryst saythe / A fore god they be but theuys and murtherars.* And vn to them be the wordes of the prophete writ¦tin / wo be vn to yov which do y^e worke of god dysseitfully / ād also S. Paule spekith in the na¦me of all bysshops saynge / w• be vn to me yff I preach not the gosspell / * for necessite ys put vnto me and an office is committyd vn to me So that if the bisshops do not preach the wor∣de of god / they be not necessarie / nor nedefulle vn to the bodye of christ wyche ys the churche. For what good dothe that member of the bo∣dy that dothe not his mynistracion. As what profite were yt to haue an yie / that wolde no∣ther se nor yet coulde se / or to haue afote that wolde neither goo nor coulde goo. The bodye were welle easyd yff suche mem∣bers were cutte a way / for they be but a burdē and a cumbraunce vnto the body. So lyke w∣yse be these bysshops that glorye allonly in the name and in the dignities of the worlde / as ou¦re bysshopes do / of whome y^e churche of god is nothyng lerned nor holpē / but allonly men doo lerne of thē / al pōpe and pryde / Disdayne / Sp¦ytefulnes / fornycacion / Advoutrye / Couituous¦nes / And how to oppresse oure poore bretherne And to blaspheme y^e blessyd name of god. The¦se be their workes and their examples y^t the ch¦urch of god may lerne of them / as al y^e worlde Page  [unnumbered] can testifye. And they that be their best frendes and wille lye for them with out shame can not proue a fore youre grace but y^t these thynges be trewe. Now if it pleasse youre grace to remē¦ber youre conscience / and thynke with in you∣re selfe whether that these bysshops be of God or none / And whether they ought thus to be sufferyd of youre grace or no whyche yf they were a mōge Infidilles colde not be thus suffe¦rid both to rage agenste god & also agenst man For doutles if there came an infidelle a monge vs that were lernyd in oure lawe / whyche is y^e worde of god / ād saw oure bisshops vse so frely their abhominabille pompe and pryde and vy¦cious lyuynge / there were no doute but that he wolde meruelle and rekkyn in hys consciens y^t we lyued bothe with out lawe of god ād of mā For there is noo lawe that can alowe their ly∣uinge / wherefore youre grace is bounde in con¦sciens to see a mendment / and to se them refor¦myd / and to sett them to do their mynistracy∣on that they be callyd vn to in the churche off god / and not so to steale and by vyolence to vs∣urpe / other mens administracions / and to dis∣pise their awne dutye. And if youre grace doo thus reforme them / no doute but you shall ha∣ue the fauore of god: ād prosper in al thynges / and haue a commen welthe welle ordered / and welthye and trewe subiectis and faythefulle at youre nede. For the ordinaunce of oure eter∣nal father is / that alle men hye and lowe / spiri∣tuall or temporal / ryche or poore / of what sta∣te so euer they be shall be obedient vn to their prince not in one thynge / but in al thynges (bo¦the in bodie and godis) that be not agenst the worde of god. So that if y^e kynges grace wol∣de Page  xviij requier any worldly ordinaunce over oure body or goodis / y^t is not agēst oure fayth / * we are bound to obey and to fulfylle yt Thys power was geuen to kynges of god ād not by mā / as it is opē in the boekes of the kyngis. So that it shal not be lawfull for no mā / with out daunger of his soule / for to breke yt. For this haue y^e apostles lernyd and fulfylled bo∣the in worde and dede. wherefore there may be no resystaūce / nor rebellion in ony wyse agenst oure prince for orderinge of these tēporal goo∣dis / no though he do vnryght / but all must be∣lefte to god and we must only suffer / and as for y^e wronge god shal punyshe yt at his pleasu∣re / but it belongeth not to vs to resyst. Therfo¦re do I now exhorte al trewe Christen men ād women out of y^e bottom of my harte and bi the blessyd name of christ Iesus whyche ys the iud¦ge of quycke & deed / whose iudgemēt no man cā a voyd neyther by myght / neyther bi power neither by wissedom nor by lernynge / neyther by deeth nor by lyffe / neyther by man nor by angel / neither by saynte nor by deuyll / neither by place hye nor love / that they do fullefille this ordinaunce of oure eternall father with al the strength of their hartes / and obey and also de∣fend their kynge at al tymys whan they be re¦quired / agenst al men / yee and if it were possibil for angels to rebelle agenst their kynge / that there also they / defend hym This do I beleue to be the truth / and thys is my consciens a fo∣re god / a fore whome I must answer at the generall daye of iudgement / where as no fal¦sehod nor hypocrysye can helpe. where fo∣re I doo protestate a fore God / A fore an∣gelle / a fore man and a fore heuen and erthe / Page  [unnumbered] and all them I cal to recorde that I beleue this to be the veryte / and therfore wyll I abyde the¦re by. And thys protestacyon make I / with out any worldly compulsyon / Alonly compellyd by the heuenlye worde of god.

Now most gracyous prince / this is the con¦fessyon of myne obedience that I owe vnto you¦re grace / whyche bothe I and all trew chryste∣ned mē are bound to kepe. And this haue I de¦clared wyth open scrypturs of god and with y^e exposicions of doctours / the more dylygently / that I might stoppe the mouthes of myne ad∣uersaryes whyche wolde not els be a shamed too instructe youre noble grace / how that I wolde intend treason / and insurreccyon agen∣ste youre grace. But now youre grace may ly∣ghtly iudge whether that they be traytours y^t wyll mynyshe youre power / yee and almost ta∣ke yt cleare a waye / and not soo content except they be also youre fellowes wyth in youre aw∣ne realme / or els I that wyll be obedyent with all mekenes and lowlines vnto youre grace / ād also lerne all other men so to be and to geue vn to youre grace all maner off power erthlye vn¦der god: whiche thynge I do not now allonly lerne / but all ways did lerne that same and dyd intende for to haue proceded further in this cau¦se yff yt had pleasyd god that I myghte haue contynued / as myne artycles for the whyche I was condemned do openly declare and testyfye whyche thynge as sone as the bysshops percey∣ued / they thought yt was not good for them that I shulde contynue and therefore they toke me and condempned me for an heretyke / wyth out scrypture / agenste goodes worde / Agenst all good order / Agenst all good conscyens / agēst Page  xix all manhod. And not soo content / but put me to the greatyst shame that their hartys coulde deuyse ād afterwarde put me in preson allmost thre yearys / and yet not so content but sought all false / vncherytable and vnchrystyned mea∣nys too brynge me to dethe / the whyche no dou¦te but they had done yt / yff they had not feryd youre grace more than god.

It ys not to be doubted / but that youre grace and also all the worlde / hearynge howe they dyd vse me / wyll suspect and Iudge / that I haue done some intollerabylle cryme / and y^t I haue offendyd in heresye and too sore agenst god and hys blessyd worde / or ells the bys∣shops wolde neuer have soo handelyd me / thys all the worlde wyll thynke. For they be reue∣rent fathers and holy men / and great prelates off Christes churche / and men off great lernyn∣ge / and suche men that they will not of their ho¦nour / handyll any man so sore / except yt wers for a great and an vrgent cause. Truthe yt ys that all these thynges they wyll be / but howe honorable / and howe cherytable they haue byn vn to me / the cause wyll declare yt selfe / yff yt please youre grace no more but too rede the ar¦tycles for the whyche they haue condempned me. And that youre grace ād all the worlde my¦ght se them / I haue put them forthe in prynte I thynke youre grace shall not fynde manye thynges in them neyther agenst god nor yet agenst hys holy worde / but agenst theyr abo∣mynable lyuynge and damnable pompe and pryde be the moste parte off them all. Those ware the thyngys / that I toke in honde to dy¦stroye / but these thynges a fore god / and a fore Page  [unnumbered] all chrysten men / be very farre from heresy. Notwythstondge / yt was not possyble that I and all my frendes coulde deuyse any resona∣ble ende with them / but that I shulde spend all my lyffe in pryson / my trespace (as they sayd) was so great.

To speake agēst prynces is at the most but treason / but to speake agenst these holy goodes ys bothe treason and also heresye / whyche ys y^e greatyst cryme in erth / & yf harte coulde deuyse any greater cryme yt shulde be layd vn to hym / suche heuenly parsons be these / It ys euell me∣dlynge for mortall men with immortall godes / for there ys no waye to make satisfacciō. This haue I well proued to my vtter vndoynge / for I beynge in preason made dyuers tymys mea∣nys vn to certayne off them / as vn to my lorde of london / fyrst that yt wolde pleasse hys holy∣nes / to speake wyth me / and yf he found me in any errours / that he wolde be so good as to tea¦che me / for I desyred to lerne the veryte and yff he founde me in none / I wolde desyre hys holy¦nes that he wolde laboure for me too my lorde Cardynalles magestye that I myght come out off preason / for I was a younge man / and yf I had made any faute for wante of descrecyon / lernynge / or wysdom / I wold gladlye in time to come by godes grace make a mendes / Allonlye my request was that he wolde be so good as to helpe / that I myght not lose and spend all my lyffe and youth in preason / but at the lest that I myght teache chylderne to wryte and to rea¦de / and lerne them theyr gramer / and soo too gett my lyuynge wyth truth and honestye / and not ydlye to lyue in preason. He made me an¦swere Page  xx that too speake wyth me he had none oc¦casyon / and I was the man that he neuer sawe and therfore he knew no cause why I shulde desyre too speake wyth hym / ād as for teachyn¦ge off chyldern he wolde neyther graunte me wyth in preson / nor wyth out. Moreouer yf it pleasse youre grace / at a nother tyme I sent cer¦tayne off my frendes vn to hym agayne / to the number of .viij. or .x. of the whyche a certay∣ne were aldermen and of the worshypfullest cō∣meners wyth in youre Citye of London / and men of so good substance that no courte wyth in youre royalme wolde haue refusyd them for twentye thousande poūde / these men I desyred in the waye off cheryte and for Chryst Iesus sa¦ke to go to my Lorde of london / and to desyre hym too be good lorde vn to me (for my cause was put to hym) that I might come out of pre¦son / and that he wolde take some cherytable en¦de wyth me / and what soo euer thynge that he wolde require off me lawfulle and resonable I wolde performe yt and therto fynde hym good suertyes. Thys thynge dyd youre faythfull sub¦iectes dylygently for me / Alonly off theyr cheri¦te and goodnes: but what answere they had / youre grace may knowe off the bysshope off london and off them / Neuer the lesse I dare well say (vnder youre graces fauour) that the greate Turke could not be moore cruell than the Bysshop off london was / though hys cru¦elnes were colered a lytle wyth holy hypocrysie For he wolde neyther graunt them any parte off their petycyon / nor yt gladlye heare them too speake for me / but soo handelyd them that they were bothe a frayde too speake wyth me Page  [unnumbered] and also to speake for me to any man / yee they were a frayde to geue me meate and dryncke. This is truth that I saye to youre grace They be men I truste a lyue and of great honestie for to testifie it / So that youre grace maye se / w∣hat cheritable fathers they be / what holy byss∣hops they be / what men of the church they be / that wyll nothinge but vengeaunce ād dystruc¦cion of their power brethern / and yff a man co∣me in their daunger there is no remedie nor no wayes to come out / nor no man maye labour for hym. So that yff a man pleasse them / than promysse they hym heuyn and erthe wyth all y^e frutes in them / yee and also god hym selfe. Cō∣trarye wise yf a mā displeasse them and speake agenste their abhominable lyuynge / a thousan∣de hellys are to lyttle for hym / and neyther frēd in heuyn nor erthe can helpe hym / no Chrystes bloud can not profite hym / but he must be dāp∣ned with out recover. I wyll passe ouer the la∣bour that I made to doctour Steuen / And to D. Allyn. For nothyng coulde helpe me / so that I am compelled by intollerable vyolence and opressyon to complayne vnto youre most noble grace / humbly and meklye beseching youre gra¦ce / for Christ Iesus sake / and in the honoure of god oure father in heuyn / that you wold call y^e matter a fore youre grace. And yf the bysshops can yet proue any heresye in myne artycles / I wyll refuse no maner of payne that youre gra¦ce shall iudge me worthye. Notwithstondyng (with youre graces fauoure) I haue bene suffi¦ciently punished for one trespasse. How be it / I call god to my recorde / that in my consciens I neyther intended heresy / nor yet lerned heresy in my sermone / and I doubte not / but their con¦sciens Page  xxj will also testifye the same. Moreouer yf yt plese youre grace / they know that I coulde bryng them good testimonye ād that to a great number out of the vniuersite / where I dyd pre¦ach and was continually .xx. yearis / that there was neuer man that harde by me any thyng le∣sse or more that was worthy after good cherite to be suspected for heresy. And yet my lordes haue thus cruelly condemned me for one ser∣mone / which they are never able to proue here∣sy by godes worde nor by holy doctours. Not∣withstondinge yff it were heresy / me thynketh christes word and his blessyd cheryte wolde mo¦ue suche holy fathers as they wyll be / not to ca¦ste a way a man for euer for once errynge / Se∣yng I offerd my selfe to be taught of them / and they are not abylle to make a man. Moreouer most gracious prynce / youre daylye orator had good testimonie / of his sermone from the best of the vniuersyte / vn to certayne men in wryt∣tynge. As vn to. D. Steuen a letter / from Ma¦ster Iohan puergould / which harde my sermo∣ne / whose testimony. D. Steuen can well repor¦te / vnto youre grace. Also the vicechauncelar dyd wryte a letter vnto a marchaunt of londō whan y^e cause had bene a fore hym .vj. wekys testifiynge / that there coulde none heresy be pro¦ved agenste me / and that he durst say / that I dyd intend none heresy. Furthermore yf it plea¦se youre grace / the bisshops knowe how y^e prin∣cipal clerkes of the vniuersite were with me / yf they durst haue spoken for them. But all my su¦bmissiō / all my wytnes / all my suertyes / all the∣se lernyd men / and all the lerninge that I coul∣de speake coulde not helpe / but I must nedes be an heretike / for I had spoken so muche (as Page  [unnumbered] they sayd) agenste the holy church. Vvherfore here be the articles followynge that were layd agenst me / and also the lerninge / that the byss∣hops layd agenst me / so nere as god hathe ge∣uen me remembraunce. This doo I not to gett any worldly vauntage or worldly promocion (as god is my iudge) for of all the worlde I cā make no more but meate and drynke / the which I doute not but god shal send me / for my dayly prayer ys / lorde geue me my dayly bred. whych I stedfastly beleue that he shal do for hys wor¦dys sake / where so ever I shall become. Neuer the lesse where so ever I be I shall be a faythe∣full and a trewe bedeman of youre graces (bet¦ter seruice can I not do youre grace.) But this doo I that youre grace may know / what tyrā∣nye the bisshopes vse vndernethe youre name / for the which your grace shal straytly answere a fore god. where fore humbly I beseche youre grace that in tyme to come you may so over se them that they doo not opresse poore men by ty¦ranny / as they haue done longe / and doo also dayly / and not alonly that / but they also lerne and compelle men to lerne / clearly and openly agenst Christes holly gospelle and the exposy∣cion of doctours. yee and agenst their awne la∣we / to the euer lastynge damnacion off many a christen soule / of the which thinges I haue part¦ly opened vnto youre grace in certayne arty∣cles that here folowe / which I haue proued by the invyncibylle word of god / and that not wrō¦ge after my sence / but after the exposycyon off their awne doctours / wherfore I doute not but y^t youre noble grace wyll defend this boke frō the tyranny of the bisshops tylle they be able to condemne yt with Christes holy word / and Page  xxij doute ye not but that the heuynly father and his mercyfull sone Christ Iesus / and the holy cōfortar / shall all ways defend youre most exce¦lencie & preserue you in his verite and kepe yov in all prosperite and honoure of this worlde / ād after this miserable lyffe shall they bring yov vn to an heuenly lyffe that neuer shall haue en∣de. Amen. Now most noble and excelent pryn∣ce / humblye / and with all mekenes of harte I de¦syre pardon of youre grace for that thynge that is eyther a mysse writen / or not with due ordre nor wyth due reuerence as yt ought to be to so noble a prince / for there is no faught in my harte / nor wyll / But allonly for want off lernyng / and experience in writin¦ge vnto so noble a prynce / thus Ie¦sus Christ kepe youre hygh∣nes euer. Amen.