Protestation, Tract
THE PROTESTATYON OF MARTIN MARPRELAT
Wherin not wih standing the surprizing of the printer, he maketh it known vntounto the world that he feareth, neither proud priest, Antichristian pope, tiranous prellate, nor godlesse catercap: but defiethe all the race of them by these presents and offereth conditionally, as is farthere expressed hearein by open disputation to apear in the defence of his cause against them and theirs
Which chaleng if they dare not maintaine aginst him: then doth he alsoe publishe that he never meaneth by the assitaunce of god to leaue the assayling of them and theire generation vntill they be vterly extinguised out of our church
Published by the worthie gentleman D. martin marprelat D. in all the faculties primat and metropolitan
THE PROTESTACION OF Martin the great
Thou canst not lightly bee ignoraunt good reader of that wich hath latly fallen vntounto some things of mine, wich were to be printed, or in printing: the presse, leteres, workmen and all, apprehended and caried, as male factors before the magistrat, whose authoritie I reverence, and whose sword I would fear were I as wicked as our Bb are. These events I confes doe strike me, and giuegive me iuste cause to enter more narrowly into my selfe, to see whethere I bee at peace with god or no: but vtterlye to discouredg me from myne enterpize, a greater matterre then that coms to, I hope shall never be able. The state of the poor men that are taken, I do bewayle, not becaus thye can hurte mee, for I assure thee they knowe not whoe I am, but in asmuhc as I feare the tirauny of our wicked pristes, will do that against them wich neithere the worde of god do the warrante, not lawe of the land doth Permitt
For as ther hatrede unto the caus is without ground, so ther cruelti to thos that profess the same is withe out measure. Therfore good readere, if thou heere of any mean or compassionable punishmente inflicte de vponupon them (who to say the truth hauehave deserved non at all, I mean the print ers) I would never hauehave thee stande to expostulate with our Bb: for this vntimly leniti of theirs, for whom I dare take myne other (for I knowe them soe well) that if there fall out any good to those poore men thrughe the providence of god, and the gracious elemency of the majestie, they for their parts are no more guilty, or accessary vntounto it thē the Spanish unquisitors them selues. For in deed in this one point they are of my mynd vz. That reformatiō can nor well cum to out church withe out bloud. And that noe bloud can hansomely be spilt in that cause, vnlese they them selues be the buchers, and horse leaches to drawe it out. Thou seest evidently they claim that as a piece and portion of their in heritaunce But tell them from me: that we feare not men who can but kille, the bodye: because we feare that god who cā cast both body and soule into vnquenchable fire. And tell them alsoe this. This the more bloode the churche loseth the mor lif and blood it gets When the fearfull sentence pronounced against the persecuters of the truth is executed vponupon them, I would then gladly know, whether they who go abont thus to sheade our bloode: or we whose blood cryeth for vengeance against them, shall hauehave the worst ende of the staffe. We are sure to posses our soules in everlasting peace, when soever we leav this earthly tabernacle: & in the mean tyme we know: that an haire of our heade can not falle to the grounde without the wil of out heaven lye father: who of his greate mercye loueth vsus in, and for our Saviour Crist Iesus, and that with a louelove as farr passing the louelove of a naturall father towarde his children, as he who so loueth vsexcelleth all carthly parents. This perswation being steadfastly enrgafted in theire harts, who either now or hear-after shalbe trodled for this cause will be a comfort to them in the midest of all their distresses.
And good reader whosoever thou art I would not hauehave thee discouraged at this that is latlie fallen out. Resone not frome the successe of thinges vntoe the goodnesse of the causse. For that savourethe too much of the fleashe. yf in be houlding the state of the lowe coutreys, & of Fraunce thou wouldest hauehave so resoned with thy self thou mightest easylie hauehave giuen the holye religion of god the slipp 20 yers agoe. Thou must think that in thease successes though they be manye tymes lamentable to the children of god, yet the Lord him selfe hath a specy all hand to trye it maye be who theye are, that with a double face, and who with a siuule hart doe affecte the cause. As to the presente action howsoever ther may escape me some coruption in the handling. Let them be well assured it vas not vndertaken to be intermitted at everye blast of euill successe. Naye let them knowe that by the grace of god the last yeare of martinisme, that is, of the discrying and displaying of L Bb shall not be, till full 2 yeas after the last year of Lambethisme: that is, so ioyning most godles proceadings vntounto to the maintenaunce of an Antichristian and vnlawfull callings in gods churche aginst the knwn truth: for that in deed is righlycaled Lambethisme or Cooperism chuse you whether.
And be it knowne vntounto them that Martinisme stands vponupon an other maner of fundat on, then ther prelacy doth or can stand. Therofe yf they will needs ouerthrowe me, let them goe in hand with the exdloyte, rather by prooving the lawfullnes of their places: then by exercising the force of ther vnlawefull tyranny. For one again I feare not ther tyranny. And one sound syllogism (wich I tell you is dainty ware in a bishopes breast) brought in for the poofe of their vnlawfull callings, shall more dismay & sooner enduce me to giuegive over my course then a thousand warāts a thousad pursevants, a thousand threts and a thousand racks wich course because they take not, therefore all theire other drifts, & devises are to non othere end, then to shewe the greate care and skilie they hauehave to carye awaye all the blowes but what get they by thertirannye: seeing it is truth and not violence that most vphoulde their places? Doe they not knowe that the more violence they vse, the more breath they spende. And what wisdome were this trowe ye for a man that had coursed him selfe windlesse, to atempt the recoverye of his breath by running vp, and downe to find ayre? So you know he might soon hauehave as much life in his members, as L Bb hauehave relligion and conscience in their proceedings.
The whol issu of ther forc & bloodthurstie attemptes doth nothing els but witnes againste them that they are the children of those fathers, who neuer as yet durst abide to hauehave their proceedings examined by the word, and me thinks they should be ashamede to hauehave it recordede vntounto ages to come, that they hauehave evere shuned to meintaine theyre cause, eithere by open disputation, or or by any other sounde conference or writing. Let me be ouerthrown by any of these wayes, and I doe here by these my writings publikly protest, that I wil neuer molest L. bishopp againe while I liue, but wil with very great vehemencie, to the vttermost of my endeuour, maintain them and their cause, as euer I did oppugne the same; otherwise I do with the like constancie and resolution protest, that by the aide and assistance of God, I wil neuer leaue the displaying of them and their proceedings vntil they bee made as odious in our Churche and common wealth, as that they be thought of al sorts, vnworthie to be hardoured therein.
And this offer of mine so reasonable and in eueryevery respect so easie to be yeelded vntounto, if they refuse; who seeth not therein a secrete implying, and a close graunting of the desperatnesse and miserie of their cause? which shaketh and quiuereth, and shrinketh as it were, in …he sinowes, to thinke that there shold …e any buckling towardes; and there…ore doth wisely shift of all honest and lawfull meanes of triall, as hauing nothing to vpholde it, but tyrannie and blood.
Nowe because they woulde gladly know Martin, I wil here set them down a waye, whereby they maye not onelyonly know him, but (that which is more delightfull vntounto them; they may quench their thirst with his blood if they wil:) prouided that they bee able to make their cause good against him by the worde of God.
I doe therefore by this my protestation, make it knowne to the whole church of England, especially vntounto our magistrats, more especially vntounto our gracious soveraign, and vntounto al posterities to com, that I who do now go vnderunder the name of Martin Marprelate, do offer personally to apear, and there to make my self knowen in open disputation, vponupon the danger, not onlie of my libertie but also of my life, to maintaine against all our bishops or any els whosoever, that shal dare in any Scholastical manner, to take their parts: the cause of the church government, which is now in controversie betwixt me and our prelats: so that I may have this condicion following inviolablie kept & obserued, vz. That for appearing, or for anye thinge that I hauehave eyther published or caused to be published in this cause, I be not delt with, or molested, except thei overthrow me by the worde of God, which if they doe, confusion be vponupon me if I doe not yeelde. But if in this encounter I overthrowe them (as I make no question of it, if they dare abide the pushe) then they to trusse vp and be packing to ROME, & to trouble our church no longer. Provided also, that if any of the Puritanes wil ioyn with me, & venture their liues in the cause, it maye be lawfull for them to come in freely against these dragons in disputation.
I call thee here againe (good reader) to witness the indifferencie of my challenge and offer, and to iudge what accounte thou oughtest to make of our present Church-gouernement by lord archbishops and bishops, vponupon the refusall of the former condition by thē; and whether thervpon, I may not iustly and lawfully proclaime the victorie ouer them in manner following.
Be it knowne vntounto all states, Churches, and Vniversities vnderunder heauen; and vntounto all men, eyther present or to come, of what estate or condition soeuer: that in asmuch as M. Fenners, & M. Penties syslogismes, whereby Doctor Bridges his booke is confuted, and the cause of reformation vnanswerably prooued. M. Trauers, M. Cartwrights, & M. Gilbyes, the Demonstration of discipline, the Abstract, the Counterpoyson, M. Tindall, M. Frith, M. Barnes, M. Hooper, M. Pilkington, M. Foxe, and M. Martin Marprelates writinges, together with other learned discourses mo; whereby the corruption, and the vnlawfulnes of the places, and proceedings of L. bishops, are shamefully laide open vntounto the worlde, are as yet vnanswered; and likely to be no otherwise confuted, then with slanders, ribaldry scurrillity, reuiling, imprisonment, and torture: and inasmuche, as they dare not maintaine their cause against mee by open and publike disputation; that therefore they doe manifestly confesse their cause and procedings to be clean foild, ouerthrown, and made euen with the grounde, in suche sorte, as beside whorish impudencie, halter, axe, bonds scourging and racking, with suche other weapons, as were bequeathed vntounto them by their forefathers, the auncient enemies and persecutors of the Churche, they hauehave not left any instrument to defend themselues.
And let thē be sure, seeing they dare come to no lawfull way of try all with me, that there shall not be ap post in any great streete or place of concourse, almost in the lande, but I will make an affixe; and set vp this my foresaide declaration of the victorie hadde ouer them, to their shame: and I will also make forraine nations ring of their villanies and vngodlines, if the publishing of their doings in latine can doe it.
And as for my self, my life, and whatsoeuer els I possesse, I hauehave long agone set vp my rest, making that account of it, as in standing against the enemies of God, and for the libertie of his church it is of no value in my sight. My life in this cause shalbe a gayne to the church, and no losse to my selfe, I knowe right well: and this is al the reckning which by the assistance of the lord I wil make as long as I liue, of al the tormēts they hauehave deuised for me. I am blamed of many in this mine attempt, not onelyonly for throwing my selfe into great daunger; but also for the vtter vndoing of my wife and children. I do thanke thē with all my hearte, for their care ouer those poore soules, and commend thē for their secresie and wisdome, that in knowing my wife and my childrē, they hauehave not by shewin their vnmeasurable louelove towards them, discouered me You see what it is when wise men hauehave the handlinge of a matter. I perceine if these men were not verye prouident and warie, that Martin could not bee long vnknowne. For I tel you, if a mans wife and children be once knowne, it is not possible that he can be secret any long time; and yet me thinkes, that all their wisdome, and al their care ouer my wife and children whē the matter is wel wayed, is scant woorth three strawes. For what if Martin had neyther wife nor childe in all his life, are they not then something too much ouer wayned in their owne conceit, who giuegive out, that he hath both. Wil you beleeue me then if I tel you the truth? to put you therefore out of all doubt, I may safely protest vntounto you with a good conscience, that howsoeuer the speech may seeme strange vntounto many, yet the very truth is, that hitherto I neuer had wife nor childe in all my life: not that I neuer meane to hauehave anye; for it may be, notwithstanding all the rage and barkinge of the Lambetheticall whelpes, I may be married, & that ere it belong.
For me thinks this should be inough that two onelyonly of the Metropolitanes of the lande, shoulde continue mayden (though I feare scarce virgine) priestes. But whensoeuer I am maried, it would do me good at the heart, to see a dozen of good and honest L. bishops daunce at my wedding, sauing that as M. Tindall hath verye well noted, Practize of Prelates, page 374. It is not possible naturally, there should be any good and honest L. bishopp. Well, howsoeuer it goes with me, you see howe little cause as yet, my wife and children hauehave to feare that antichrist of Lambeth & his instruments.
To omitte these matters, will they know indeede why I feare them not, & wherefore they ought not to terrifie thee (good reader, if the Lord hath bestowed vponupon thee the same minde that he hath vouchsafed mee?) Why surely it is, because they against whom I deal, hauehave so prouoked the anger of God, and the prayers of his Churche against thē, as stand lōg they cannot; if eyther lord be true of his promise, or the praiers of the Churche made in sayth; can be hearde. Of both which I make no question. Hereunto you may ad, that I feare them not, inasmuche as the ende wherefore I hauehave taken this worke in hand, was onelyonly the glory of God, by deliuering of his Churche, from the great tyrannie and bondage, wherewith these tyranntes doe oppresse the same. I delt not herin, as the Lord knoweth, because I woulde please my selfe or my reader, in a pleasant vain of writing. If that bee the thing I sought or seek after; then let my writings be buried in the graue of all proud prelates; that is, neuer mentioned in the church of God without detestation. Euen so was it as farr from mee that by sharpening my penne against them, I shoulde thereby (as some foolishely giuegive out) make away for my selfe, or other great men vntounto their liuinges and promotion. For if the possession and enioying of a good conscience but for one day alone, be not more deare to me then all their vngodly pompe, and ambicious preheminence; then let mine aduersaries prey vponupon me, and let my reward be nothing else, but the very bitternesse of their malicious heartes. I hauehave I thanke God of mine own, wherwith I am better content, then they are, with all their spoile and robberie. And if I wanted, I coulde tell howe to liue in an honest calline, with better credit in the Churche of God, then all the L. byshopps of England doe: and I may safely saye, it is so far from me, to bringe the Churche liuinges into the hands of any but the ministers, and officers thereof; that I can no more abide Church-robberie in a temporall man, then I can brooke sacriledge in a presumptuous priest: as I hate the on, so I abhorre the other.
But as concerninge the laying open of their bishopprickes to the spoyle of such cormorāts as gape for their down fals, thereby only to enrich themselues I greatly muze, that our prelates wil be so ouersene as to charge me therwith. For it is well knowne, that none of thē all, no not the proudest prieste in the lande, doth so cumber himselfe, in caring how he should liue that comes after him: but that now al of them begin pretily, either of their wonted louelove to themselues, or of ther natural spight to their successors; to take such charitable order, as that if they maye hauehave their wils, I hope ther shal not be much left in a while, to allure anye couetous Courtier to the spoile. Wherein, no disprayse to any, I must needs commende for their forecast in this pointe, a couple of as arrant bishops (for it were pitie to bereaue the deuil of his due commendation) as anye the land yeeldeth. The men, or rather beasts that I mean, are Iohn London, and Thomas Winchester: whereof the one at Fulham, the other by Whitney in Oxfordshire; hauehave so contended in throwing down Elmes, as if the wager had bene, whether of them shoulde most hauehave impouerished their bishoppricks. And yet I blame not Mar-Elme, so much as Cooper for this facte: because it is no lesse giuen him by his name to spoil elmes, then it is allotted him by the secrete iudgement of God to mar the church. Whereas a man of M. Coopers age, & occupation, so wel seene n that trade, might easily knowe, that tubs made of greene timber, must needs leake out of al cry. And yet now I consider with my selfe; I do not so greatly maruell at the matter: For he that makes no conscience to be a deceiuer, and a false prophet in the buildinge of the Churche; will not sticke for his gaine, to be a deceifull workeman in making of tubbs.
Well, concerning the care that our prelates hauehave, in leauing of this behoouefull for their successours. I may truely saye, that were it not more for feare of law than for any conscience of the maintenance of the ministerie; the whol bishoppricke, euen to day before to morowe, woulde not yeelde a L. byshop so much, as might purchase him an handsome halter to hang himselfe with, as the Poet sayth. Therefore let them neuer taulke more for shame (as their T.C doth) of the care they hauehave that the churches maintenance should not decay. And as herein their spoile & robbery is apparant; on the other side; So their tyrannie and blood thirstie proceedinges against good men, is vnexcusable.
And as herein their spoile and robberie is apparent, so on the other side their tyrannie and blood thirstie proceedings is vnexcusable: and yet is the maner of their proceedings more intolerable and dangerous to the state, then their very practises themselues.
Firste you see they maye examine of what they will. For who can let them; when they be both sole iudges, & sole witnesse themselues, & none other by, but the poore examinate. To which effecte, what is the seate of iustice they commonly vse in these cases, but onelyonly some close chamber at Lambeth, or some obscure gallerie in London pallace? where according to the true nature of an euill conscience, that flyeth and feareth the light; they may iuggle & foyst in what they list without controlment; and so attempt (if they wil) to enduce the partie examined, to be of a conspiracie with them, to pull the crowne off her Maiesties head. And I put case they shoulde doe so (as here you see is a way laid open for them, to broach any conspiracie in the worlde) what remedie shoulde the partie that stands there alone hauehave, by apeaching or complayning? any other trowe you then this: he lyes like a puritan knaue; ile hauehave his eares; ile hauehave the scandalum magnatum against him: For he hath slaundered the hight commission, and the president of her Maiesties councel; Namely, my L. of Canterburies worship? and here behold the poore mans reward.
Secondly, you must lay you hand on the booke, and not knowe whereunto you must be sworn: yea, they be so honest, that they will compell you to accuse your selfe, or els you shall lye by it; which vngodly practise of theirs, sauoreth so ranckly of the Spanishe inquisition, that it is flatt contrarye to all humanitie, the expresse lawes of the land, and the doctrine of our Churche. For the law is so far from compelling anye to appeache himselfe in a cause wherein in eyther life, goods, or good name is called in question, that it altogether condemneth those for oppressours of the common libertie of her Maiesties subiectes; and for vnreasonable violators and wresters of all good order of iustice; that will vrge or require anye such thing at their hands, as may more at large appeare in a plaine Statute of the 25, of Hen. 8. in the tytle of heresie. And therefore men maye see what accounte they ought to make of those shamelesse speeches of that woorthye gray head, Mistresse Coopers husband: who as he hath bene long since, to old to blushe; so did he not let, openly to avouche; That before God, there was noe other waye of tryall, nor no state could stand and continue without it.
To conclude this point. It is too manifest, that 1. by these their priuate whisperinge examinations in corners, 2. by the othe thus administred at randome; 3 by the enforcing of men to accuse them-selues. Our byshopps with their wretched fauourers, may in time (as it is not vnlikely but they wil) bring one of these mischienous inconveniences vponupon her Maiesties best subiects: vz. eyther perpetuall imprisonment, losse of eares or some other lim: or els (as I said before) an enforcement to conspire the overthrowe of her Maiesties crowne and dignitie. Whether these matters be not worthie the consideration of the grauest councellors in the land, I leaue it to the iudgement of eueryevery true Englishman that loueth his Prince and the libertie of his countrie. But Martin is an intoller able busie fellowe, for molesting the state of the cleargie in this sort.
Now I hastē to other matters, where it may be, good Reader, thou wilt aske what was in that Pistle of mine? To tel thee true, I sigh to remember the losse of it, it was so prettie, and so witty. And I know if thou hadst it, thou wouldest laye it vp, among other thy honest recreations for thy delight.
Firste then, there was set downe for thy learning; the true, proper, and naturall definition, or rather description of Martinisme, to this effect. That to be a right Martiniste indeede, is to bee neither Browniste, Cooperist, Lambethist, Schismatike, Papist, atheist, traytor nor yet L. byshop; but one that is at defyaunce with all men; whether he bee French, Ducth, Spanish, Catercap, pope or popeling, so far forth as he is an enimy to God and her Maiestie. Wherevpon I remember, I did then aske the reader, whether it were not good being a Martiniste: and as I did then, so do I still heartely reioyce to think that all the honestest, and best affected subiects her Maiestie hath, will one day become Martinists.
Then among al the rimers and stage plaiers, which my Ll. of the cleargy had suborned against me. I remember Mar-Martin, Iohn a Cant. his hobbie-horse, was to his reproche, newly put out of the Morris, take it how he will; with a flat discharge for euer shaking his shins about a May-pole againe while he liued. Here-abouts I placed D. Vnderhil and D. Wood of Alsolne colledge, to be chaplaines vntounto a certain chaste Ficker of Hell, called sir Iames King, of Harford-shire; and some-where it was, that I so sliued Dick Bancroft ouer the shulders, as his chaplainship is neuer able to recouer his credite, if that Pistle of mine be once published. Nexte to this (as I take it) followed a preamble to an Eblitaph vponupon the death of olde Andrewe Turne-coate, to be song antiphonically in his graces Chappell, on wednesdayes and Frydayes, to the lamentable tune of Orawhynemeg.
Then was there a certaine vulnerall Sermon of olde Lockwood of Sarum, vponupon the sodaine and vntimely death of his saide brother Pearne, wherein he did vndertake for him, that he was neuer puritane in his life, but alwayes an orderly man, and a maintainer of the state of the cleargie.
And if his grace did appoint anye other to preach at his old good masters funeralls, but onelyonly this quick-witted Bridges, he was certainly fowly ouer-seene. For there would hauehave bene such a messe, and such a match, such a payre of saints, the one liuing, and the other deade; as I beleeue the Legend-aure woulde not yeelde the like: both olde standardes, both proculstants, both catercaps, both priests, both deans, both hypocrites, both asses: why sans merciemercy said I, &c. but alas, chaue haulfe forgotten the rest.
After this, I had a fling at these puritanes, concerning whome, my desire is, that wherein I am faltie, ye puritanes would set me downe the particulars. It is odds, I shall some way or other heare of it. For albeit there hauehave bene some iarres of vnkindnesse betwixt vsus, yet I would hauehave you know, that I take the worst of you, in regarde of his calling, to be an honester man, then the best L. bishop in christendom. The report goeth, that some of you hauehave preached against me, and I beleeue it in part; well looke to it, for I may happen be euen with you in this manner: I will not rest till I hauehave learned what it is that yee hauehave said of me; and if I finde it to be a iust reproofe, I will mend my falt, be as angrie as ye will: if vniuste, trust vntounto it, I will holde on my course, and there is one rappe more then ye looked for.
The next prettie thing to this, was to my remembrance, Chaplain Some confuted with the balde sheath of his own dagger, wherein al his short cuts, latine Apothegs, and childishe Pen-an-inkehorne prouerbes, were wholly inuerted vponupon himselfe. I then said, & so say I still, that if it were not for those whom our bishopps hate and persecute, it is knowne they would make a mad piece of confuting of the Brownisses and other sectaries amongest them: as may appeare by that whiche they suffer to come out so nakedly, and patchedly against them, by this father Robert of theirs. And this is he that hath crazed his braine at Lambeth, and his conscience at Gyrton; whose balde writings without sappe or edge, vnworthye of a boye of 12. yeare olde; hauehave (I am perswaded) made and will make (if it bee not looked vntounto) more Brownistes in our church, then al that euer they hauehave hitherto published themselues.
This (if you know him not) is the verye same Doctor, that in publishing 3. prettie treatises, hath so handled the matter, by a Geometricall dimension, that the last (if it be well scanned) is the same with the first, & the middlemost, all one with them both: the man in all likelihoode, neuer goeth without a little saunce-bell in his pocker; and that doth nothing els but Ting, Ting, Ting; and what doth it Ting? if you giuegive good eare, nothing els I warrant you; but My sermons, My writings, My reasons, My arguments; & al is My, My, My; as if the depth of all learning, were included in the chanell of his braine. This is euen he, that let him write as many books as he will (thogh he should neuer so much disguise himselfe, & conceale his name) yet we should be sure to knowe him by one of these rapping figures; Eyther by hittinge the white, or by missinge the Butt; or by Resting on his reason; or by 32. dozen of full points; or by som such broken wooden dishe or other.
Then was there recorded a braue agreement which martin of his curtesie is contented to make with the bishops, whiche agreement was taught once in the pulpit, by a certaine lame Ficker of Warwicke, a chaplaine of their owne stampe. His text was out of Matthewe; agree with thine aduersarie quicklie. Wee hauehave an aduersarie said he, who is that? the Diuell; how shall we agree with the Diuell? euen thus said he, and if you marke it is a good lesson: Shake him off, neuer come nigh him, nor hauehave nothing to doe with him. Euen so, ile bee bounde that my selfe, and all the puritans shall agree with the byshops while the worlde standes; on this condition, that we shake thē off, neuer come nigh them, nor hauehave nothing to doe with them.
Twere pity to forget Martins Tolbooth in the middest wherof, were many rare conceits; as a great asshen chaire, wherin Iohn a Bridges was placed by patent during his life; and Leonarde Wright appointed to keepe it cleane, by scarping and rubbing the feet of it; Round aboute this Tolboothe, were placed a foule ranke of Catercaps, conferring & disputing hotly, about the thirde declension, the churching of women, or such like matters of life and death. On the first fourm, sate in ranke, Iohn, Iohn and William; on the seconde. Richard, Richard, and Thomas; on a third, Iohn William and Marmaduke, &c.
After this followed some-thing, a large confutation of Friar Freguevil, & of wringlefaced Wrighte; within which compsse, were contayned, 1 a manifest proof, that reformation importeth the ouerthrow of the state of the clearge, & that according vntounto the doctrine of our church: 2 an antithesis between our Sauiour Christ, & that cursed pope of Lambeth, Iohn Whitgift: 3 a proof of many of those theses which that vnhappie boye of mine published so vntimelye: but as for him and his elder brother, together with that blinde asse Pasquill, I will hauehave them talked with elswhere: with these & such like points with an honourable mention of all noble souldiors; a complaint of the losse of my papers, and the miserie of sea iournies I ended my Pistle, being the first Tome of more warke for the Cooper. And here also I end this my protestation. Desiring thee (good reader) accordinng vntounto thy place, to be carefull of the reliefe and deliuerance of the distresled printers. In requitall whereof, if thou canst but learne the day of my marriage (for as I protested vntounto thee without all fraud and ambiguitie, I was neuer as yet married in my life) thou shalt be better welcome vntounto me, then the best Lord Catercap of them all, and so tell them from me when thou wilt.
Page 6. line 23. read single for siuule, page 21. there is some-thing twise set downe, mend that thy selfe if thou wilt, for I promise thee I cannot. Yet heare me a word afore thou goest, an thou be a goodfellow, commend me to George Bullen Deane of Liechfield, by these 4, tokens: 1 The wind is south, the wind is south: 2. that he lately taught in Coventree, that men might fal from grace 3 that taking himselfe with a fault in the same sermon, he said, there I lyed there I lyed 4 being at another time in the pulpit, hearing his dogg cry, he out with this text; whie how now hoe, can you not let my dogg alone there; come Springe come Spring.
End of the text · Martin Marprelate, Protestation (1589)