The Rescuing of the Romish Fox, Text (1 of 3)

The Rescuing of the Romish Fox · Text (1 of 3)

THE RESCVER OF THE ROMISHE FOX AND hys whelpes, agaynſt the hunter & hys houndes.

THe examination of a prowd praeſumptuous hunter / who under a crafty praetence of huntyng the romiſhe fox / breakethe the pale of the encloſed park / and with hys raſheand knauiſhe houndes entendethe to deſtroy the dere of the ſame.

The Hunter

All Good and indifferent men whiche hauehave ſene my huntynge can beare me recorde that the intent and purpoſe of it was to fynde out the romiſhe fox / and to proue that he was ſtill abydynge in Englonde / and that ye maſter gardinere with your companiones did manteyn and holde hym ſtill in the realme / contrari to the kyngis commandament / whiche appoynted yow to dryue hym clerly out of all places of hys dominion. And yow alſo yowr ſelfe in thys your examination grant that it is the biſſhop of romis doctrine that i write agaynſt but that it is not there for tobe caſt away / becawſe he hathe tawght & ordened it. There fore i hunt the fox in dede and not praetende to hunt hym as ye ſay. But how chanceth thys / that yow / whome with youre other felows i hauehave in my huntyng accuſed of idolatri / of hereſi and mantenance of the fox / the kyngis enemi / that in the ſtede of an anſwerer / ye ar now becumed my examiner / and iudge / and your own iudge alſo? It is far agaynſt all reſon that ye whiche hauehave long bene my open enemi / and ar my aduerſarie in thys cauſe ſhal be now alowed to be an examiner and a iudge of me and mi accuſation / whether i accuſe you ſufficiently orno / ſeyng that hatrede blyndeth all examiners and iudges. It is as far wyde from all ryght that ye ſhal be allowed to be an examiner and a iudge vponupon the accuſation made agaynſt your ſelf / ſeing that as Plato ſayethe / no man canbe an equal & indifferent iudge of hym ſelfe / for eueryman is blynde in that thyng whiche he louethe / Therfore it were more ſemyng that ye ſhuld leue of your examination / and anſwere to youre accuſation / Ye reſemble miche in maners your holy father pope iuly the ſecund / whiche after that he was dede and depoſed from hys popedom / (as it is writen of hym (commanded ſaynt peter ſo imperiouſly to lete hym in at heuen gates / as he had wont to cō mande hys ſeruantes when he was alyue / euerdremyng of hys old ſtate as thoge he hadbene a lordely pope ſtill / ſo ye maſter gerdiner / the comune examiner of all them that ar accuſed for breakyng the traditiones ordened by your popiſhe fathers / whether the tranſgreſſion be don in your dioceſe or your brother bonors (whiche wold be better but for yow) when it is at the laſt ones cū mede to your courſe to he accuſed of hereſi and idolatri your oun ſelfe / ye dreame ſtill that ye ar an examiner / as ye had wont to be / as Iulius dre med ſtill thatt he was pope / If thys be not ſo it is lykely that of a ſet purpoſe ye will not ſeme to be accuſed of hereſi and idolatri and of the mantenance of the fox / leſte any other beſyde me ſhulde ariſe here after and accuſe yow of the forſayde crymes as i do / and then the accuſationes of ij ſhulde be allowed / or at the leſte ſhuld betaken for a comon reporte / and then it ſhuldbe harde for yow / withe all the hally watter that ye made thes ſeuen yeares / to purge poure ſelfe from the fame of a popiſhe heretike / as ye can not euen at thys houre withe all the learnyng and law that ye hauehave clere your ſelfe from the thyng it ſelf whiche makethe a popiſhe heretike / Therfore for feare ye ſhuld be accuſed here after of papiſtri hereſi and Idolatri and that my accuſation ſhuld nether be taken for a witnes nor an increaſe of the comon fame that ye be a popiſhe heretik / ye make your ſelf an examinet / diſſemblyng that ye ar accuſed / of the crymes aboue reherſed / Where as ye call me a proud preſumptuous hunter / he that knew bothe yow and me and ower lyuynges & ſaw youre mule / your iely ſtyropis your gentle men goyng before yow in theyr ueluet cotes / your daly apparel and myne your caſtyng of your noſe in the winde ly ke as a ſtorke doth in hyr neſt / wold ſay (or ellis i am deceyued) that i had good occaſion to ſay / hypocrite or diſguiſed player pul firſte ſurthe the beame of thy own ey & then take own the mote of myne. Wherfore am i proude? my houndes hauehave no ueluet colars / my nettes ar not of ſilke / I can not geſſ whi that i ſhuld be called proude except it be for huntyng of the proude fox your father whiche makethe emperoures and kynges kyſ his fet / and yow whiche hauehave ſo many proude ueluet cotes goyng be fore yow eueryevery day. What mean ye by your ſayng that i break the pale of the incloſed parke? What meane ye by the pale / and what is thys parke? So far as i can ſpye / ye mean by the parke / the Chirche of englonde / and by the pale / the unprofitable & letworde ceremonies whiche were ones thurſt in to the chirche by the Biſſhop of rome Telme for what intēt hauehave yow and your fathers made thys pale of youres / for the chirche of englonde / to hold in / or to hold out ſumthyng that ſhuld not cū in? If ye hauehave made your traditional / and ceremonial / pale to kepe the dere within it that they may not go furthe to get them ſelues ſum good meat abrode / whē as ye ether gyne them non but contagious meat / or lok up theyr good meat from them (as ye dyd of late when ye tooke the worde of God from / them and commanded them in payn of deathe to eat your ſtollen brede that is to kepe your traditiones) ye do the thyng your ſelfe whiche ye lay falſely un to my charge / that is ye kill ſum of the kyngis dere withe poy ſo ned meat and other ſum withe hungre. If your pompons pale be made to holde out / ye hauehave welobteyned your purpoſe / for wiche your ceremonies and mannis inuentiones / whiche ye grant that the pope hathe made / ye hold out the worde of god whiche ſhuld only be the meat of all the deare of thys parke / and the true preachers of the ſame / for hally water muſt be coniured / and caſt about / then it muſt be expounded what it me anethe / legendes / ſequences ſecretes colates ante mes litanies and dirges for the dede muſt ether be ſayde or ſong / the cros muſt be crepto an kiſſed aſſhes and hally brede muſt be taken / palmes and candelles muſt be borne / thes ceremonies muſt hauehave theyr tyme to be don and expounded in whiche tyme / the word of god myght be red and expounded / but if ether of bothe muſt be left undon the worde of god muſt be left of / for the ceremonies ar rekened to be goddis ſeruice as the worde of god is not rekened / How many preachynges ar on Chriſten mes day nay it is to dere a day or to hye a feſte to preache on it / & the holy ceremonies may not be left of for the prechyng. I heard ones an indifferently well learned diuine ſay on a Chriſten meſſday / a ſhort ſermon wolddo well to day / as a long ſermon were not alowable / for hyndering of the ceremonyes whiche ye call god dis ſeruice / If a preacher cum from oxford or cambridge / frely to preache the worde of god to the peple / & require to be heard / the preſte uſeth to gyne thys anſiuere to the preacher / if he ſmell any thyng of the new learnyng / we muſt thys day rede the ſix articles other wiſe called gardiners goſpel / and ſo the preacher goethe away / Therfore your traditional pale holdeth out in dede. If that ye ſay that your pale holde the out here tikes / the contrari is true / for loykyn of an werp that arche heretike / the ſpoylers / & the dauidianes with all other ſuche ſectes with all theyr folowers kepe all the ceremonies that ar kept in Englond and mo to / and alow them as decent rites / and yit for all that thys pale of your ceremonies cannot hold out / damnable and deteſtable hereſies and heretices out of thos parkes wher of they ar the pales / Thys pale of youris after my iudgement is not the pale of our engliſh chirche / or at leſte ſhuld not be / but it is the pale of the poe pis pyn fold / where in / ye and your felowes ſet all them agaynſt theyr willes / whiche hauehave agaynſt your myndes / taſtede of the corne of goddis vnmingled worde / your pale may be called the pale of the popis gardin / where of byſſhop ſteuē ye ar gardiner / and there in ye compell all men to worke & to eat of your popiſhe wedes in payne of deathe / The pale of all the rede dere of chriſtis hyrde / is the word of god / which wil holde all that argood / with in theyr boundes / if they will not kep them with in ther boundes the chefe keper wereth not a wodknyfe in vayn / To breake thys pale were playn felony / but to break your popiſhe pale and to ſet it all in a fyre in my mynde were a dede of charite no leſſ thē the dede of Ezechias / which brake the braſen ſerpent / for he that ſhuld breke / your pale / ſhuld delyuer many a pore pryſoner pituouſly pyned with in youre popiſh pynfold. And where ye ſay that i intend to deſtroy the dere of the parke that is the kynges ſubiectes / it is not true for i intend only to hunt out the fox and to fynde out hys fautors and manteyners / If ye fele your ſelf in ieperdy of your lyfe by my huntyng / then ar yow ether the fox or on of hys manteyners / for theyr ar no other in ieperdy by my huntyng.

The reſcuer

Syth it hathe pleaſed allmyghty God / autor of unite to raduce thys realme to perfect accorde and agrement in the truthe / and by good polytike lawes / hathe under the ouly autorite of the kyngis maieſti encloſed / and as is were imparted / the derebeloued ſubiectes for theyr ſauegarde / with in the forche and ſtreynghe of the ſame / how mych is it to be lamented / to ſe arrogance in the eyes of the ſayde ſubiectes / as with breache and uiolacion of the ſayd lawes / to make a tumult and a clamor / under pretence of huntynge the fox that is all redy dryuen out / therby to moue and troble the hartes of the good peple / and to corrupt ſuche other as be eaſy for theyr ſimplicite to be ſeduced.

The hunter

To thank allmyghty god for all hys benefittes whiche he hathe ſent uſ / and to knowledge that they cam from hym / when we hauehave the beneſittes / it is i grant well don / and thankefully / but if therſites the fowleſt of xv thowſande and mo / ſhuld thank God for hys beateous and well fauored face / ſhuld he not trifle? Euen ſo do ye to thank God for it that ye hauehave not / that is for accorde and agrement in the truthe / when as the thyrd parte of the realm diſſentethe from the other ij partes in the cauſe of religion / There ar x thowſande and mo honeſt men in englonde whiche in theyr conſciences diſſent from yow / & hate with all theyr hartes your falſ doctrine / whiche ye ſo erneſtly withe worde and writyng do defende / There ar biſſhoppes in inglond & many honorable men of the tē peralti whiche diſſent from yow and all thē that uphold the popiſhe doctrine that ye defende / There is not a citi nor a great town in all englonde where in ar not many that diſſent from yow in doctrine & wold openly ſpeake agaynſt yow if they durſt / your ſeruātes of late wold hauehave the pope hede oſ te chirche / the biſſhop of cātorberies ſeruātes will hauehave the kynge ſupreme hede in hys oun realm / is not here / good agremēt? The moſte parte / of all the learned men both of oxforde and cambrydge whiche hauehave bene brougth up in the boſum of the holy ſcriptur / wold be delyuerde gladly of the unberable burdē of ſeruile cerimonies / where withe they ar bothe hyndered, from theyr ſtudy and the laymen ar hyndered from hearynge of the worde of god / The more then moſte parte of vnlearned mattenmūblynge ſacrifieers whiche can do nothyng ellis but / play in ceremonies and / caſt hallywater with all them hauehave takem any degre in the canon law / ſaue a uery few (truely i know non) wold hauehave the popis cere moties to continue ſtill and yit ye ſay that theyr is ſo good agrement in the truthe / The cok and the fox ar enemies on agaynſt an other / the fox lo uethe not the cok / be lyke becauſe he with hys crowyng / bewrayethe the fox when he wold on the night cum to worry hennes / Then when all the cokkes ar dede / or ellis put to ſylence / the fox rekeneth that he hathe good peace that he may worry hennes & chikkinges and do what ſo euer he lyſt / noman ſpeakyng on worde agaynſt hym Go ye ij footed foxes after that ye haüe kylled iij well crowyng cokkes at a caſt for crowyng only a gaynſt yowr doctrine / and hauehave pulled all the fethers of ij cokkes of kynde / and hauehave put them to ſylence / & hauehave brought the mater ſo to paſſ that nether cok nor hē nor chikking for feare of theyr ly ues dare ſpeake one worde agaynſt your deueliſh doctrine / and that no man may examin your doctrine whether it be argeyng with the worde of god or no / ye reken that the yr is good agreament and peace of opiniones / in the realme / There is i grante great accorde and agrement among yowe traditionerres / and that non of yow diſſenteth from an other / in popiſtri / but how can ye agre to gether in the truthe whiche perſecute the truthe and forbid it to be red / leſte by redyng of it men myght ſpye out your noughty lyvyng & deueliſh doctrine? The ſcripture is as it were the lyght of the day the preachres ar as cokkes & wate chemē / theues & murderers hate bothe / therfore hauehave ye forbyddē the ſcripture / to be red openly in the chir che / & put preachres to ſilence or kill them that be wray your vngodlynes / What agrement is thys in the truthe? Where ye ſay that god hathe inclo ſed thekyngis derebeloued ſubiectes only under the autorite of hys maieſtie / by good polytike lawes / what meāe ye by thes lawes? meane ye god dis polytike lawes or man̄is polytike lawes? By thes polytike lawes ye cannot underſtande the law of moſes / nether the law of the goſpel / for ye mean of ſuche lawes as ye accuſe me here after to be a tranſgreſſor and a breaker of / in the huntyng of the fox / in thes wordes / with uiolatione of the ſayd lawes / to make a tumult under the pre tence of huntyng the fox / but in my huntyng of the fox i wrote only agaynſt thos ceremonies & traditiones whiche ye can̄ot deni but the biſſhop of rome hathe made / therfore ye mean by your politike lawes of whos tranſgreſſion ye accuſe me / nether the lawes of the new teſtament nor the olde / but the ceremonies and traditiones / whiche the biſſhop of rome hathe ordened. If that i had writen in my huntyng agaynſt the lawes of moſes / or the goſpel / ye myght hauehave found out ſum excuſe for your ſelf / but now ſeyng that i wrote only agaynſt the popis ceremonies / i gather of yow thys / that ye ſay that god hathe incloſed & as it were inparked / the kyngis dere beloued ſubiect es / vnderunder the authorite of the kyngis maieſti alone / by the ceremonies & traditiōes which ye grāt that the pope hath ordened / for other polytike lawes can ye not meane of in thys place / I beleue that all the ſubiectes of all kynges and emperourers ar encloſed under theyr autoxite alon / bi the euerlaſtinge worde of good / and not by any corruptible polytike law of man / for as man is corruptible ſo is all that he makethe / then if the kyngis ſubiectes be encloſed ūder hys autorite by mā nis polytike lawes / whē thes lawes is broken (as he that maked a law may breake the ſame agayn) the kynges ſubiectes ar no longer under hyſ auto rite / wherby ye gyue mē occaſion to gather of yow that yemeāe that the kyng is ſupreme guerner of all hys ſuciectes & all hys / ar under hys autorite alon / by the popis cerēonies & traditiones / Is not thys a ſuer grounde that ye byld the kynges ſupremeci upon? Hathe not the kyng autorite ēoghe of the ſcripture for to māteyn hysſupremeci with al but that he muſt be fayn to fet ſum of the popis ceremonies to help the ſcripture whiche were not able to do it alōe? What a craſty for is thys to ſay that ceremonies encloſe the kynges ſubiectes under hys autorite alone / for that intent that the kyngis hyghnes ſeing that hys ſuprēicie were fortified with ceremonies / ſuld be the redier to fortifi thē agayne / Mark alſo ā other ſubtiltie of the fox / where as in my former hūtyng i made ſuche argumētes agaynſt the popis ceremōies & traditi ones as he could not ſolute / now becauſe he ſeyng that he cānot defēde the pope ūder the nāe of ceremonies & traditiōes / now calleth hym good polytike lawes where with the kyngis ſubiectes ar incloſed under hys autorite alō / & after thys meruelous trāſformatiō / he makethe the popis ceremonies the kyngis polytike lawes / Marck alſo how that he wold makethe pope the kyngis frēde whi lſi he makeththe popis ceremōies māteyners of the kyngis ſupremeci / for whē as the pop & hys doctrine ar al on / if the popis ceremonies māteyn the kyngis ſupremeci / the pope doth the ſame / Is not the kyngis hyghnes myche bound to maſter gardiner for purcheſſyng hym ſuch a frende? Now ſyr tell me / if ye cā / whiche of thes polytike lawes that i hauehave writen agaynſt hauehave encloſed the kyngis ſubiectes under hys autorite? If that there be no polytike lawes whiche i hauehave writen agaynſt that incloſeth the kyngis ſubiectes under hys autorite alon (as iam ſuere ye can ſhew non that i wrote agaynſt) then muſt ye be taken as ye hauehave bene many a day / for an impudent & an vnſhamefaced lyer Becauſe ye ſay that i breake good polytike lawes / & therwithe make a tumult and a clamor / let me know i pray yow whiche good polytike lawes i hauehave broken and i ſhal knoledge my offence & take the poniſhement worthy for ſuche an offence / I wrote agaynſt a ſorte of popiſhe ceremonies / & vngodly tradiciones / but that i remembre i neuer in all my booke wrote agaynſt one polytike law / A polytike law is an ordinance deuiſed by wiſe men for the profit of a citie or a cuntre / or a comon welth / Suche ordinances did not i ones touch in my booke / let them be iudges which hauehave red the book / And that thys manis lying may be more manyfeſte i will ſhorthy per uſe and go thorow all the traditiones whiche i hauehave ether made mention of or ſpoken agaynſt in my boke / What polytike law is it to command all the peple of a realme / to knele before a pece of molten or caſten ſyluer to crepe to it / and to kiſſ it / and to ſyng Crucem tuam adoramus Domine, lorde we worſhip thy croſſ? What polyci is it to go ſo erneſtly about to dryue the deuel out of acorn or ij of ſalt whiche noman eatethe / and to coniure the deuel out of the hally water fat where noman ſaylethe and to ſuffer hym to be ſtill / in the great heapes of ſalt wher with mennis meat / is ſeaſoned / and to let hym tary ſtill vn coniured in the great ryuers / and brode ſe / and in the alefattes? It were a more polytike law to ſend thes coniuiurers to the ſalt pannes and to the brode ſe wher into we ar ſuer that the deuel ran ones with the ſwyne of the gergeſenes / then to make ſuch a beſynes a bout a litle water and ſalt / whiche muſt bothe be caſt way al to gether and neuer cummeth in any mannis belly. What polycye is it to deſyre of god to gyue a new vertu uuto ſalt to hele burnyng agues / and to water to hele cold dropſies and other colde diſeaſes? What polytike law is it to orden that chirches ſhalbe conſecrated for the ſacramentes and for goddis worde & then a non after to make a place of them to rede polytike lawes in and all deuelyſh doctrine that antichriſte cā deuiſe? What polici is it to rrcey ue the ſacrament of Chriſtis body and blood whiche was ordened to be reuyued in the remnmbrā ce of Chriſtes paſſion / to take it for ſik horſe / and in the remembrance of dedemē? What polytike ordinance is it to ſyng dirge ether to bryng damned ſowles out of hell or ellis to rayſe mē from death tolyfe agayn? Thys is a praty polyci to deſerue remiſſiō of ſyn̄es by the mixtur of bothe the partes of the Sacramēt to gether / What polytike law is thys that the pſalmes whiche were ordened for the maker and creator ſhal be ſong in the honor of the creatures? What polytike lawes ar thes that amā may not as wel prays god in lent in he brew as in latin / & that all the yeare thorow meſſes matines diriges euenſongas ſhall be ſong in a tong that noman underſtandeth ſauyng they that ar learned? What polytike laues ar thes that the lay menſhal hauehave but the half of Chriſtis ſupper / and that the preſtes ſhal hauehave the hole Sacrament / and that the water of the font ſhal be halloweyd / as thoge the element took away original ſin / and to hold ſtyngkyng water half a yeare and more / and to put in the coldeſt day of all winter a yong tendre infant in it / ouer bothe hede and eares / where by many childer ar loſte and many cache ſuch / diſeaſes as they can not claw of as long as they lyue agayn) Is it not a praty polytike law that thoghe a preſte hauehave the frenche pox or the cankre that he muſt ſpit in the childes mouthe / What polytike law is it to ordeyn that a man may eat ſo mich fiſhe at one mele as wold ſerue for ij and to call that faſtyng and to forbid to eat an vnce of fleſhe & to ſuffer men to eat iiij poundes of the dayntieſt fiſſhes that can be found / and to ſuffer the moſt noriſſhyng fruites an ſtrongeſt wynes that can be goten to be receyued? What good polytike law is it to commande men to beleue that no preſte nether any other man / can make an vn aduiſed uow after xxj. years of theyr age? What polytike law is it to lok up mariages from preſtes all theyr lyfe tyme / and from all laymen alſo for the hole halfe yeare? ſaue ſix wekes / and to ſet the ſtewes open all the hole year no day that i her tell of except? If any man thynk that thys is not true red it that is writen of thys mater in your comon man̄ual in thes wordes / Traditio uxorum, & nuptiarum ſolennitas certis temporibus fieri prohibentur, uidelicet ah Aduentu Domini uſ que ad octauas Epiphaniae. ſix wekes and ſix dayes ar betwene / Et a Septuageſima uſ que ad octauas paſchae, x. wekes / Et a Dominica ante Aſcenſionem Domini uſ que ad Octauas Pentecostes, iiij wekes. Now put to thes the frydayes embryng days and Apoſtellis euens / and ye ſhall fynde that the hole half year is lokked up from mariage ſaue vj. wekes. What polytike laws is it to command the preſte toſyng ſaynt Maries merites bryng us vn to the heuenly kyngdom / and to deſyre god that Petronilla and diuerſe other ſayntes ſhuld do the ſame? What polytik lawes ar thes to orden that myndeles pypes ſhall play that Chriſten men ſhuld ſyng / and ſay / with theyr hartes? to make altares for ſacrifices when all ſacrifices ar all redy ſufficiently offered vp that ar neceſſari for our ſaluation / and god requirethe of uſe no other ſacrifices but the ſacrice of our own bodyes and of our prayers? What polytike lawes is the popis canon law which maketh Antichriſte under hede of the hole Catholike chirche whiche is Chriſtis ſpouſe / aboue all emperouers and kynges and all other lauful polytike gouerners? Now hauehave i reherſed all the maters of religion / which i ether wrote agaynſt in my huntyng or reerſed to be of the popis makyng / whiche of all the ceremonies & traditiones that i hauehave rekened here hathe incloſed the kyngis ſubiectes under hys autorite / alon? Whiche of all thes that i hauehave writen agaynſt ar ether good ciuile or polytike lawes? Not one / where fore your lordſhip lyeth ones agayn where re yeſay that i make a tumult withe the uiolation of good & polytike lawes. If they be polytike lawes / what do they in the chirche? for theyr is no place for them but for the worde of god alone / ne ther were the chirch bare if alle your polytike lawes were in the popis bellies frō whence they cāe / for where Chriſtis chirche is richely repleniſſhed with Goddis worde / there can no man iuſtly complayne that the chirche is naked and bare as ye canoniſtes meane it ſhuld be if your fathers traditiones were caſten all out of the chirche with your father / And if ye wold ſay that your polytike lawes manteyn & fortifi goddis worde beſyde that i hauehave proued agreat ſorte of them clerely contrari vntounto goddis worde / and the reſt hynderance unto the preachyng of it / i ſay that the worde of god / whiche cam in to the world / all polytike braynes as yours ar / laboryng all that they cold / to hold it out / bothe withe lawes and diuers kyndes of dethes nedethe no polytike lawes to manteyn it / for as all thynges that lyue ar noriſſhede withe the ſame where of they be made / as the wiſe man ſayethe / ſo the lawes whiche ar of god and cum from hym / ar only noriſhed / & man teyned by allmyghty god / and receyue no noriſhement / nether ſubſtance of any manis ordinance / Then do princes manteyn godes worde as Micheas heth in them when they ſe that it is diligently and ſyncerely preached / whiche thyng when they do / it hathe no nede / maſter gardiner / of your fathers traditiones and yowris / to manteyn it & to further it. Where as ye ſay that i make a tumult & a clamore and ſeduce the peple / thys ſklander suffer i comon withe the prophetes withe Chriſte and hys apoſtelles & all other good men whiche euer at any tyme aſſayd to deſtroy / & driue away / olde and longe roted idolatri / or any other deueliſhe doctrine. Euen ſo do ye now unto me as the maſters of a certayn mayd whiche had in hyr an euel ſperit / did unto Paule / Thys made whiche had thys ſpirite in hyr / brought no ſmal aduantage unto hyr maſters by prophecyinge / and when Paule cam by with hys companiones / ſhe folowed them and cryed and ſayd thes men ar the ſeruantes of the hyeſt god / whiche ſhew yow the way of helthe / an thus did ſhe many dayes / but Paule not abydyng that / turned hym and ſayd unto the ſpiret i commande the by the name of Ieſu Chriſte to go out of hyr / and in the ſelf houre he went out / but hyr maſters ſeyng that the hope of theyr aduantage was gone / took Paul and Silas an brought them to the court or lawhouſe to the ruelers / and they delyuered them vp to the officers ſayng thes men troble our citi / and yit ar they iewes and teache ordinances that we whiche ar romanes ought not to receyue and kepe / and then was the appoſtelles bet and ſcorged / The biſshop of romis canon law withe hys deuelyſhe ceremonies entred into the chirche of Englond and brought no ſmal aduantage unto the pope the maſter of thys doctrine and to hys childer / of the ſame law and traditiones / all ye that hauehave in Englonde the biſſhop of romis mark in yowr crownes receyne miche profit and aduantage / and thoghe i know that your father the pope in hys ceremonies and canon law aloweth with hys voice Chriſtis doctrine / yit ſeyng that i know that he doth that for that intent that / he may tary ſtil in the chirche & be undryuen out to flatter preachers with all / and to purches credence unte hys … …octrine / i thynck that for all hys namyng … Ieſu and flatteryng of the Apoſtelles / that hys hole heape of Traditiones is to be caſtenn out / And as the romanes appeched paule and hys companiones of a tumult and of trublynge theyr city / becauſe they ſaw that theyr vantage was loſte when the ſpirit was caſt out / ſo ye fautors of the romiſhe doctrine feryng that your pom…s ſtate ſhuld be miniſſhed if the popis traditio…es / ſhud be dryuen out with the pope / ye accuſe me of a tumult and a clamore / becauſe i wold hauehave the biſſhop of romis doctrine whiche is a fals ſprete of propheci / ētred in to the chirche / caſt clerly all together out of the chirche / And whether i hauehave bene accuſed by yow and youres / to the rulers and hauehave ben poniſſhed openly or no / my tormentoures whiche ar yit a lyue / can teſti fi / and if i were at thys hour with in your reche / i ſhuld not eſcape ſo lyghtly as paule and ſilas did / If ye ſay unto me as Ahab ſayd unto Ely the prophete / art thow he that troblethe all Englonde? i anſwe yow as Eli anſwered Ahab / I troble not Englōd butthow and thy fathers howſe / betauſe ye hauehave left the commandementes of god and thow goeſt after baal / Thys is no new thyng then that falſe prophetes & maeteyners of idolatri / do call them that labor to dryue idolatri away / troblers and ſeducers of the comon welthe / Now is it tyme to cum unto that poynte where yeſay that the fox is dryuen out all redy / If he be driuen out all redy ye grant that he was once amnoge yow / Then if ye durſt anſwere me directly to my queſtion i wold ax yow whether the fox whiche ye hauehave dryuen out all redy was the biſſhop of romis body or hys dodoctrine / if ye ſay that he was the biſſhop of romis doctrine / ye make a lye agaynſt your ſelf for ye ſay that hys doctrine is good and worthy to beholden and that only ſo miche of hys doctrine is to be reiected as was worthely to māteyn hys autorite to be reiect / and all hys doctrine was not to manteyn hys autorite / then was not all hys docrine after yowr mynde worthy to be reiect / & that whiche ye reken good that hold ye ſtill / Then i wil reaſon with yow thus / the popis doctrin and the pope ar all one / but ye hold all the popis doctrine ſtill ſauyng the ſupremeci / and ij or iij trifles mo er go ye hold ſtill the hole pope ſauynge hys ſupremaci and ij or iij trifles that ye hauehave taken from hym. If that a duke commanded hys hunt to kyl a certayn fox in a wod whiche had kylled many of hys fyghtyng cokkes / and other pullen / if the hunt ſhuld only cut of the foxes eares / and clip of hys nayles and ſo let hym go / were thys fox kylled / had thys hunt kept hys maſters com̄ande ment? no. And whi? for his maſters mynde was that he ſhuld fyll no mo cokkes. Then who will ſay that ye hauehave kylled or dryuen away the romiſhe fox / whiche hauehave only pared of hys ſupremite / & hold all the reſte of the fox ſtill / and call them heretikes whiche only barked at ſuche ordinances as ye grant your ſelf ar of the foxes makyng? ye grant your ſelf that the popis doctrine contrari to the ſcripture is the pope / and ſuche hauehave i proued in my former booke that ye hold ſtill / then is it not true that ye ſay that the fox is dryuen away all redy / The fox / ſay ye / is all redy dryuen out / and ſo ſayethe the fox him ſelf. But x. thouſand enemies of the fox / ſayethe that he is not dryuen out and i whiche was thriſe bitten in Englonde withe the fox ſence that tyme / that ye ſayd he was dryuen out / ſay / that he is not dryuen out / whether ſhal more credence maſter gardiner begyuen vntounto me & to x. thouſande mo or to your father the fox and to yow in whoſe howſ of late a yong fox or ij was foūde as ye camot your ſelfe de ni? The properti of a fox is to be wylye and crafty / & when he is in ieperdi of dethe / to fayn hym ſelf dede all redy / that ſo he may eſcape / as it chāced ōce in the north cuntre / A certayn four foted fox / lept in at a wyndow in to a hows in the cuntre whos walles was deper with in then with out / and when he was ones in / he worried all the wyues hennis and cokkes of the howſe / the good wyfe in the mornyng betyme ſpying hyr hennes and chikkinges all worried / looked a bout hyr and ſpyed the fox & all to knokked hym on the pate with a knoke / tyl he gaped and lay downe as dede / the wyfe trayled hym owt to the myddyng / for dede wher to cam all the neybores and childern of the ſtrete to wonder at the fox / but after that the old folck was gon / none ſtandyng about hym but childern / the fox toke hym to hys fete and ran away to the wod / and kylled hennes afteras he dyd before. So the ij foted fox your father for a pretence can ſay that he is dryuen out of Englond all redy / for feare that men ſhuld go more crueſtly a bout to dryue hyme out in dede / when as he lurketh ſtill in your howſe and ſuche other canoniſtes houſes / where as he gitteth comonly a litter or ij of yong fox whelpes eueryevery yeare / Therfore where as ye ſay that he is all redy dryuē out / ye do that / but to ſaue hym / as a couetous and theuiſhe old wyfe ſayd to a warryner for the ſauyng of hyr cat Thys cat was a conny worryer and did myche harme in the warren / the warriner catched the cat at laſt / and hanged hyr up with polecattes & other murderers of conyes / as the cat was in hā gyng hyr maſtres whiche had eaten many a good rabbet of the cattes catchyng / and fayn wold hauehave eaten mo / ſayd to the warriner / ſyr thys cat i warrand yow is well enoghe hanged / i pray you gyue me hyr that i may make me a ſtomingere of hyr ſkin / the cat lept ſtill and the wyfe euer ſayd ſhe is dede inoghe / when the cat ſtirred no mor the wyfe knowyng that a cat was a beſte that page missing not ſhortlly dye / axed the cat ones agayn / and bare the warriner in hand that ſhe was thorowly dede / Was it not lyke but that thys wyfe hoped that ſhe ſhuld hauehave hyrcat alyue agayne if the warriner had dō no more to the cat after that ſhe had axed hyr? euen ſo ye ſay that the fox is al redy dryuen away / that noman ſhuld go any more aboute to dryue hym out in dede / for ye know that if the romiſhe fox be no more kylled in Englond then he is kylled yit / that he may well aryſe up agayn and do as he had wont to do in Englonde in tymes paſte / Seynge ye ſay that he is dryuen out all redy at what tyme was he dryuen out / or he was not dryuen out at all / as far as i can gather in yowr booke ye mean that then was he dryuen out or ellis neuer / when he was firſt no more ſuffered to be called ſupreme hede of the chirche in Englonde / But after that tyme i will proue yow / that he was in Englonde / ther fore is he not dryuen out at all / There was certayn yong foxes found in Englond certayne in in your howſe / and certayn in other biſſhoppes howſes / whom / we call papiſtes / of whiche ſum ran away / and ſum was taken and wold not deny theyr father till they dyede / In that hole where as yong foxes ar found whelped and brought up muſt ther nedis a fox be or lately hauehave bene / but in your hows and in other of your felowes howſes ſence the popis ſupremeci was taken from hym / was found certayn yong foxes whelped and brought vp / it foloweth therefore that ſence the tyme that the popes ſupremecie was taken from hym that the pope was in Englonde and gat childer in your felowes howſes / If ye anſwere that the foxes whelpes wer gotten in Englond before that tyme / how happeneth that ye hauehave ſuche a …ely noſe to ſmel out an heretike if he be a great way from yow / and yit cannot ſmel out a papiſt whiche is in company with yow more then ſeueu yeares? ye ſtop be lyke the one ſyde of your noſe / becaus ye will ſmell non / or becauſe the ſauour of a papiſt is ſo naturall and pleſant unto yow that it greuethe yow not / and therfore complayn not to any man of that ſmel / as men only uſe to complayn of ſuche ſmelles as pleaſ them not / How happeneth it that if thes whelpes were gotten ſo long a go that they were all found in thos biſſhoppes howſes whiche ar▪ manteyners of ceremonies and mannis traditiones and not in the biſſhoppes howſes whiche ſet no ſtore by your fathers ceremonies and ar called fouorers of the new learnyng? It is eaſy to know the cawſe for as byrdes of on kynde and color flok and flye allwayes together / ſo the papiſtes will euer be to gether / that on may euer help another / not only with numbre as ſterlynges do when they ar aferde of the hauk / but alſo to conſult & take counſel together how theyr ſect myght be beſt promoted manteyned & ſet forward / I dowt not but theyr ar ſum noble men in Englond whiche wil reſon thus with yow one day / in thys biſshopis hows whiche is a manteyner of mannis traditiones / was found one neſt of papiſtes & in that biſshopis howſe whiche is a manteyner of man̄is rraditiones was found an other neſt of papiſtes and ſo withe the thyrde biſthop & ſic de ſin gulis, and ſo withe all the teſte of them that ar man teyners of ceremonies / ergo all the biſshopes how ſes of Englond whiche ar manteyners with gardiner of mannis traditiones ar neſtes of papiſtes and theyr ſwarmes of ceremonies / ar the fox holes and couers where in the yong foxes brede and the old hyde them in tyla better tyme cum If that ye anſwer maſter gardiner / that ye bewrayed your ſeruanres as ſoun as ye knew that they were papiſtes / i reken that for that caus ye bewrayed them that a beuer biteth of hys ſtones as ſum write / or ellis for the ſame cauſe that on tom ſtory ſteelgate bewrayed hys ſonnes at the ſeſſioues in neuwcaſtel / Tom ſtory was a ſtrong thefe and had iiij tall felowes to hys ſonnes whiche was as well learned in theuery as he was / tome heard tell that he was complayned / of & therfore haſted out of the town / but as he was goynge furth he met ſodenly with the ſherif & therfore he fearyng that he ſhuld be taken hym ſelf ſayd vntounto the ſherif maſter ſherif / if ye wold fayn take theues lay hādes on ſum of my ſon̄es for by my ſawl they ar fals theues & i can̄ot do with all / the hang mannes will not be rueled by me / Euē ſo ye whiche teache your ſeruātes all the tym that they ar with yow ſo diligently ceremonies and mannis traditiones whiche ar the uery ſedes of popiſtris and make then withe your example hate all them that hate papiſtrye / when ye ar complaynid of & accuſed of papiſtri your ſelues then for the ſauegard of your ſelues offer up your ſeruantes / and when ye ar blamed for holdyng ſuche in your howſes and that ye hauehave not taght them better / ye ſay ye cannot do with all / But i meruel thogh men wink and ouerſe your doynges if god poniſh yow not on day for bryngyng up your ſeruantes ſo vngodly and popiſhely / as he poniſſhed ely the preſte for the ſlak lokyng to the amendment of hys ſonis maners / I reken uerely that if that excellent yong mā germane gardiner had ben broght up in the biſſhop of cantorberries houſe as he was in youris / that he ſhuld neuer hauehave bene a papiſt / and comne to that dethe that he cam to / Ther fore let all men take hede how they put theyr chylder to ſcool to yow / leſte they learn of yow the leſſon in your houſe that germane did / & make the ſame ende that he made / yow ſay that the for is all redy dryuen out & i ſay that he is in Englond ſtill / let uſ nuw ſe how well ye can proue that he is dryuen out all redy / hys deuelyſh doctryne remanyng ſtill and by yow and youres ſo manfully manteyned.

The reſcner

But thus ſtrangely the deuel ſetteth furthe hys malice / and hunteth ſumtyme roryng lyke alyon to deuoure the good / ſomtyme ſleyghtly lyke the fox / whome he pretendeth to chace away / And ſeing it hathe pleaſed the kyngis maieſti / thys hunter may be examined / & for want of the preſence of theman / to conſydre the chefe poyntes & matters of the booke / i truſt ſo in differently to handle the examination / as what ſo euer name the man hathe he may appere to yow / of ſuche ſorte as hys book wel examined / dothe playnly declare / the man calleth hym ſelf wraghton / & pretendyng in the begynnyng of hys booke to write ſuche matter as he wold hauehave cum to the kyngis maieſties knowledge / he can not be content to attributto that ſtile to hys maieſti where withe the hole realme hathe trewly agreede hys hygnes ſhuld be honored / to be ſupreme hede of the chirche of Englond & irelande / Thys can hauehave no pretence of ignorance and ſimplicite / but it is a playn declaration of pryde and arroganci. In hys preface to the kyngis maieſti / he confeſſethe hys ignorance of huntyng whereby he beleuethe to hauehave the more learnyng whiche of what ſorte it is ſhal after apere.

The hunter

Where as ye call me proud & arrogant / becauſe i call not the kyng our maſter the ſupreme hede of the chirche of Englōd and irlande whiche i owght to hauehave don becauſe the hole realm hathe gyuen it ūto hym / ye declare your ſelf more to be a blood ſekyng & aflatteryng canoniſte thē a learned diuyne / for a learned diuine wold hauehave reproued my fact if it had bene vnlawfull / by & by withe a text or ij of the ſcripture & / not hauehave cited the multitude for autorite / as old wyues do for lak of ſcripture / whē they wold mā teyn any old ſuperſtition which hathe bene long uſed of many / If the kyng be therfor lawfully hede of the chirche of Englonde & ire lande / becauſe the hole realme hathe agreed ther to / thē when all the hole realm cōſented that the pope ſhuld be called the hede of the chirche of Englonde he was lawfully called the hede of the chirche of englōde / If it be a good argumēt to ſay the hole realme do the it ergo it muſt nedis be true. A litle before ye hauehave bylded the kyngis ſupremeci vponupon the popis traditiones / & here ye bylde it vponupon a multitud of mē / hauehave ye no better fundaciō for it / thē ſo…itrow it will ones break out that ye hold in ſo cloſly / But to the pur poſe agayne / when as ſupreme gouernoure in earthe under god / betokeneth as myche as ſupreme hede dothe / and is as honorable a terme for the maieſti of a kyng as the other is / what nede ye make ſo myche beſynes a bout a worde when as i hauehave gyuē the kynge in the title that i gaue hym ſo myche honor as is lawful to gyue unto any erthly man by the worde of god / Where as i named hym ſupreme gouernour under god / i excluded bothe emperour & pope & all other that myght ſeme to hauehave any hy autorite / or myght derogate any thyng from the kyngis ſupremite. And be cauſe ſupreme gouernour ſemed unto me a more honorable title and more becomly for a kyng then to be called hede of the chirche as antichriſt callethe hym ſelf / and certayn wanton perſones where as i hauehave bene therfore call the kyngis hyghenes pope of Englond becawſ ye gyue hym the title that the pope hade / i changed that terme in to a better / and hauehave taken the occaſion of mokkyng of our prince a way / But leſt ye or any other / ſhuld thynk that i ſhuld deny that the kyng is ſupreme hede of the chirche of Englond and irelonde / i hold as well as ye do that he is ſupreme hede of the chirche of Englond and ireland / if ye under ſtande by thys worde chirche an outwarde gatheryng to gether of men and wymen / in a polytike ordre / But if ye take thys worde chirche in the ſignification that it is taken in the xvj. of Matthew / and to the Epheſianes the firſt and fift / and to the Coloſſianes the firſt chapter / i deny that the kyng or any erthly man / may be called hede of the chirche ſaue only Chriſte for the chirche that is ſpoken of in the xvj. of Matthew of that nature that the gates of hell can not preuale agaynſt it then he that muſt be the hede of that chirche / muſt be ſuche on as the gates of hell cannot preuale / for the body and the hede muſt be of one nature / but we ar ſuere of no mo ſuche but of Chriſte alone / therfore / ar we only ſuer that Chriſte is the hede of that chirche / The kyng our maſter hathe ſuche autorite gyuen hym of god as all other kynges hauehave and hauehave had and nether more nor leſſ but nether the Emperour nor kyng herode in Chriſtes tyme was ghoſtly or myſtical hed of the chirch but only polytike hedes of the chirche therfore / our maſter is only politike hede of the chirche of Englonde and not miſticall and ghoſtly hede of it / An euel prince and a uitious lyuer hathe as mych autorite gyuen hym of god as a good and a uertuous / and all a lyke / but eueryevery uitious kyng is a membre of the deuel / and no membre of the deuel can be hede of Chriſtes myſticall body whiche is the chirche / then can no prynce be a myſticall or ſprituall hed of the chirche whiche is Chryſtis myſticall body / But leſte we ſhuld reſon without a ſuer grounde / heare what the ſcripture ſayethe of the hede of the chirche / Paul unto the Epheſianes in the firſt chapter writetht thus of Chriſte god hath ſubdued all thynges vnderunder hys fete and hathe gyuen hym to be an head aboue all thynges / to hys chirche whiche is hys body / So far Paul / then is the chirche Chriſtis body / was kyng herode the virgine Maries myſticall hede / and ſpirituall hede of the Apoſtelles and of the reſt of Chriſtis chirche? or was the Emperour the ſpirituall hede of Chriſtes chirche in thos dayes? if ye ſay nay / no more is any man in earth now hede of Chriſtis myſticall body whiche is the chirche Paul alſo to the Epheſianes in the v. chapter ſayethe / the huſband is hede ouer hys wyfe as Chriſte is hede of the chirche but a good huſband will hauehave no mo hedes of hys wyfe / but hymſelf alone / ſo nomore will Chriſte hauehave any mo hedes of hys myſtical body and hys ſpouſe the chirche but hym ſelf nether is it nedeful to hauehave any ſpirituall / vnderunder hede of thys hys myſtical body for lak of hys preſence for he hath promyſed us that he will be with us unto the ende of the world / And as cōcernyng ſpirituall maters Chriſte gaue unto peter as myche autorite as he gaue unto any kyng or Emperour that ether is or was or ſhall be / when he gaue hym the keyes of the kyngdom of heuen but he made not peter nether any other of the Apoſtelles nether Chefe hede of the chirche / nether vnderunder hede of it / therfore ar nether Emperoures nor kynges popes nor biſſhopes nether vnderunder nor ouer ſpiritual hedes of the chirche whiche is Chriſtes myſtical body / To conclud i hold that the kyng our maſter is the ſuprem polytike hede vnderunder god both of all the ſpiritualti / and alſo of the temperalty of England and irelande and that there is nether ſpirituall nor politike hede in earthe aboue hym / nether biſſhop kyng nor emperour / If thys be not enoghe that i gyue unto the kyngis hyghnes tell me what more is to be gyuen by the ſcripture and i ſhal be glad to gyue hym it.

The reſcuer

The man pretendeth to hunt the romiſhe fox / and aſſigneth ij places ſpecially one vnderunder the aultare / & another under the chalice where by he declarethe where at he ſhoteth Albeit he wold gladly diſſemble it / yit he cannot utterly hyde it he is angrie withe the aultare / & withe the chalice / and fareth as miners do that intend to throw down ther neyborres howſ pretēdyng to fynde an othar / ye may ſown ſe wherfore he ſeketh that fyndeth fault in the altare and chalice but let uſ heare the man ſpeake / & examin hys reſones whether ther be any reſon in thē. Thus he begynneth hys huntyng ye lordly biſſhoppes etc.

The hunter

Where ye ſay that i hunt the fox vnderunder the chalice / and therby mean that i hunt agaynſt the Sacrament / your lordſhip lyethe as ye had wont to do / for i ſay not that the fox is vnderunder the chalice / but i ſay that i truſt that if the kyng fynde the fox vnderunder the chalice / that he will no more ſuffer hym to hauehave ſauctuarj there / then Salomon ſuffered ioab to hauehave any ſanctuarij of the aultare / When i ſay thoghe ſteuen gardiner had brought up of hys coſtes / all the lordes children of Englond / yit i truſt for all that / if he can be proued a papiſt / that the kyng will poniſh hym as he hathe deſerued / dothe it now folow that i hauehave ſayd that ye hauehave brought up all the lordis childer in Englond? at your coſtes? i reken nay / So it foloweth not that i hunt the fox under the chalice becauſe i deſyre the kyng to let hym hauehave no refuge there. Howbe it if the fox ſchuld crepe ether in to / or under the chalice as he crept in to the canon of the meſſ / from whence the kyng fet hym out / & i ſhuld hunt hym out of the chalice or from in under the chalice it foloweth not that i were angry withe the chalice or intended any hurt to the Sacrament therfore / ye do not ſay the truthe wher ye ſay that i hunt the fox under the chalice and your meanyng is as falſe where ye priuely meane that intend to write agaynſt the Sacrament / I ſought the fox among yow biſſhoppes & preſtes / & was he not of late found in your ſecretari whereas he hathe bene ſo long ſecretely hyd? ye diſſemble that i ſought hym among yow / and yit the title of my book teſtifieth that i ment that he was among yow / i ſought the fox alſo in the chirche and a bout the altare where as i thought that he was / and there i am ſuere he is and hathe taken ſanctuari and will theyr ſo long abyde tyll Solomon take hym by uiolence away from the altare and poniſh hym acordyng to hys deſeruynges.

The reſcuer

He aſkethe whether the kyngis maieſti banniſſhed the popes name hys purſeand hys doctrine.

The hunter

Thys biſſhop is no more aſhamed to lye then a beſte is aſhamede to go barefot / for i ſayd thes wordes only that folow / hoo ye lordly biſſhoppes & ye clene fingred gentlemen of the clergy / is not the fox of rome otherwiſe called papa among yow? What was the pope that the kyng commāded yow to dryue out of Englonde? When as thes wer my wordes / ar ye not aſhamede to ſay that i ax the kyngis maieſti whether he hath bannyſſhed the popis purſe / name / and doctrine? Ar ye lordelly biſſhoppes and the cleene fingerede gentle men of the clergye the kyngis maieſti? it apperethe playnly that ye meane ſo / or ellis ye wold not iudge that to beſayde unto the kyngis maieſti / what ſoeuer is ſayd unto yow and to the reſte of the clergye / let men that hauehave leyſure here of gather more of your meanyng. Moreouer i axed not whether the kyngis maieſti banniſſhed / nether whether ye proud prelates banniſſhed the popis name / purſe and doctrine / (for i knew well that the popis doctrine was ſtill vnbanniſſhed among yow) but i axed of yow foxes whelpes / what was the pope that the kyng commanded yow to bannyſh away / and wher as i ſay / commande to bannyſhe / ye make bannyſhe alone / as to cōmand to banniſhe / & to bāniſhe folowed by & by from the maſter to the ſeruant / If that your banniſhe had bene all one with the kyngis cōmand to bāniſhe / & the on had folowed cōſe quētly of / the other / we had had no nede at thys tyme to babble ſo mych of that beſtis bamiſſhemēt.

The reſcuer

And by thys diſtribution the mā makyng hym ſelf an ſwere to eche membre & parte deuyſeth hym ſelf matter there upon to triumphe / But if an other ſhuld anſwer hym / he wold ſay that the kyngis maieſti banniſſhed not the biſſhop of rome / ether for hys name alone / for hys purſe alone or for hys doctrine alone / but for all to gether.

The hunter

Here ye anſwer nothyng to the purpos for the queſtione was not whether the kyng had banniſſhed the pope for hys name purſe or doctrine / but it was whether the pope whiche the kyng commanded yow to dryue out of Englonde / was the popis name or hys doctrine or hys purſe / and ye make no anſwer to that queſtione / but to the great diſhonor of the kyng and of the hole realm anſwer / that the kyng hathe banniſſhed the pope for hys purſe / Is not thys a ſwete hearyng to heare on of the kyngis counſel to ſay that the kyng hathe banniſſhed the pope for hys purſe? And then ye ſay that he hath banniſſhed the pope not for hys purſe alone but for hys purſe name and doctrine all together.

The reſcuer

And not for all to gether ſo as all to gether were nought but for all to gether ſo far as he miſuſethe thē. And as touchyng hys name ſo far as it ſhuld ſignifi a ſuperiorite / aboue all princes and chalenge a dominion in thys realme / ſo far is the name of pope banniſſhed / But els the god man pope of trumpyngton may in Englond lyue quietly / for the name was neuer abhorred but as it brought a wrong perſuaſione of the biſſhop of rome / by that name / where as els the biſſhop of rome / men call hym ſtill withe out danger / And as concernyng hys purſe as it was worthely expelled / ſo was it not becauſe any mony myght be taken of the ſpiritualti by theyr iuſt ſuperioures / but becauſe it myght not be iuſtly taken of hym that was nether ſuperior / nether yit did any thyng for it.

The hunter

Se as the fox runnethe out and in as it were in a ſophiſtri maſe / ſum tyme bakward and ſum tyme forwarde / that my houndes ſhuld not fynde hym / How beit i gather thys of hys ſayng that the popis purſe and hys doctrine abyde ſtill in Englonde only ſo myche of them taken away as the pope hathe abuſed and that the reſt of the popis doctrine and hys purſe whiche gardiner & hys felowes can occupy well / may lawfully tary ſtill in Englonde /

The reſcuer

And as concernyng ſuch doctrine as was under hym taught it was neuer under ſtand of any good man that all that whiche was taught ether by the biſſhop of rome / or vnderunder hys autorite / was hys own doctrine / & to be caſt away / but only that whiche was worthely to manteyn hys auctorite to be reiect with hym.

The hunter

The fox thoghe he be uery wyly in kepyng of hys own conſel / yit hathe he once vttered hys meanyng / and holdethe that only thos doctrines of the byſſhop of rome ought to be put away where withe he manteyneth hys ſupremecie / for he ſayethe only / whiche worde excepteth all other / and therby hemeaneth that all other doctrines teache they neuer ſo myche idolatri / ſuperflition and deueliſhnes / ought to continu in Englōd ſtill. Is not thys to cut of the foxes eares and to let hym worriſhe pe'ſtill at hys liberti? yis i thynk ſo.

The reſcuer

And it whiche was good to be reteyned and kept / not becauſe it was hys / but becauſe it is good / Shall not we confeſſ Chriſte the ſon of god becauſe the deuel ſayd the ſame?

The hunter

To anſwer ſhorthy to all thys ſuperfluous bablyng of thys biſſhop in my huntyng i dyd not ſay that all thes doctrines that were taught under the biſſhop of rome were nought / but thys was my argument. The popis doctrine / is the pope / and ye hold ſtill the popis doctrine ergo ye hold ſtill the pope. If that the pope or any of hys taught the worde of god / that was not hys doctrine / but the doctrine of god / whiche is eiher conteyned in the new Teſtament or in the olde / and agaynſt ſuche doctrine hauehave i not ſpoken / nether wold i ſuche to be caſtaway / thoghi he and hys had taught it / but ſuch doctrine wold i only to be driuen a way withe the pope as the pope hathe ordened only and not Chriſte / and is ether playn manifeſt contrary to the writen worde of god or ellis uayn / idle ſuperfluous and hynderance to the prechyng of goddis undouted worde / Now bable on as long as ye leſte.

The reſcuer

Finally the biſſhop of rome was expelled nether fox hys name only hys purs only / ne hys doctrine only but for all to gether / ſo far as eche of them exceded from the treuthe whiche is only mynded / all noughty doctrine is expelled withe the biſſhop of rome / and not becauſe it was hys but becauſe it was nought / It were pity that euel men ſhuld hauehave ſuche a ſtroke in thynges of the world / and moche leſſ of god / that what good thynge one medled withe / ſhuld be called by and by nought / Kyng richarde the thyrde / au uſurper in thys realme / brak the truſt committed unto hym / by hys brother / concernyng the preſeruation of hys childer / And yit cauſed an act of the parlement after to be made in hys tyme / that feoffes of truſt ſhuld do acordyng to theyr truſt / The autor we iuſtly hate / & yit we make myche of the law whiche is good & reſonable / Wherfore the fundacion of thys mannis reſonyng to reproue or reiect any ordinance becaus our enemy ether made it or uſed it / is uery ſlender and foliſhe. God can be the auctor but of goodnes / Amongeſt men that is nought is nought who ſoeuer hathe uſed it / and that / that is good is good who ſoeuer hathe abuſed it. And therfore there cannot be a more fond maner of prouyng then to ſay thys is nought / and whi ſo? for ſuch a man medled with it / ſuche aman uſed it ſuche a man commanded it / to be obſerued.

The hunter

Becaus ye cannot conconfut my argumentes / whiche i hauehave made agaynſt the pope & hys traditiones / that ye myght ſeme to your frendes to ſay ſumthyng ye fayn an argument your ſelf as thoghe it were myne and reaſon ſtoutly with hiſtories & examples agaynſt it but all in vayn / & to no purpoſe / your argument whiche ye hauehave made in my name is thys / the pope hathe made the ceremonies of the chirche / ergo they ar to be caſt a way withe hyme / whiche argument thoghe it be not myne yit for as miche / as it is fathered on me / a litle added to it / i will make it myne and proue that if foloweth well enoghe. Neuer the leſſ that all men may ſe how unſhamfaced a lyer ye be i wil reherſe the argument that i made to proue that the pope was ſtill in englōd / The popis doctrine is the pope / but ye hold ſtill the popes' doctrine whils ye holde ſtill the ceremonies that he made / ergo ye hold ſtill the pope / and when as i cum to the tryall of the popis ceremonies i do not as ye falſly lyk one of the vnſham faced hore of babylones ſonnes / reporte of me / only ſay the traditiones ar to bē caſt away becaus the pope made them / but i proue bothe by teſtimonies of ſcripture and by naturall reſon that they ar nonght hauehave i brought no other argument agaynſt / coniuryng of hally water and ſalt / crepyng to the croſſ / agaynſt the forbiddyng of preſtis mariages / agaynſt / the robri of Chriſtis cope agaynſt the ſtewes / agaynſt the ſeruice / in latin / agaynſt the preſtes receynyng of the Gacrament to win ther by to other men remiſſion of ſinnes / but that the pope made them? I report me unto all them that hauehave red my booke whether i hauehave brought ſcriptur and reſon or no / i hauehave brought ſuch reſones as me thynke ye can not yit wype away withe all the ſophiſtri logike & law that ye hauehave / & as for the other ceremonies that i reſoned not agaynſt / i dyd not ſay that they wer therfore nought becauſe the pope made them as ye lie / but i wold they whiche were uery trifles in compary ſon of thos traditiones that i wrote agaynſt / ſhuld be eſtemed bi the other whiche ſemed miche more gorgiōs thē they were / not cōfutyng them becawſe bothe my book ſhuld hauehave bene to long and alſo they neded no confutation when theyr ibetters as they appered / wer proued to be nought / Now what will the ſtory of kyng Richard help yow? ſeyng your fundacion is fals. But i pray yow what an argument is thys / kyng richard beyng an euel man / made a good polytike law / ergo the pope thoghe he be an euel man may make a good doctrine that god neuer made / whiche is godly & neceſſari for Chriſtis chirche / Ariſtotel and Plato were infideles and made good polytike lawes for the comon welthe ergo they culd alſo make good and godly and neceſſari doctrines for Chriſtis chirche / Your argument foloweth not where ye argue an euel man may make good politike lawes for the body / ergo he may alſo make good and holſum doctrine for the ſoul / Thys maner of reſonyng from the leſſ to the more affirmatiuely / is alowed in no logike nor learnyng that euer i hauehave ſene / But leſte ye ſhuld make your excuſe and ſay / that your argument is from lyke to kyke / and as it were thus made / kyng richarde an euel man made a good polytike lawe ergo the pope may make a good polytike law / i will proue that ye take not thes ceremonies and traditiones for polytik lawes / which ar profitable for the gouernance of a coman welthe but for lawes for the ſoule / Eccleſiaſticall lawes / and for bothe promotors of goddis honor and for goddis ſeruice alſo / ye and more ouer i can proue that ye take thes ceremonies for the commandementes of god and make the breakers of them the breakers of goddis commandementes / whiche if i do / then procedethe your argument thus an euel man may make / good polytike lawes / ergo he can alſo make good lawes for mannis ſaule and ſo holſum doctrines for the chirche of Chriſte that if they were takē away all ſemelynes / & godlynes ſhuld be takē away withe them as ye ſay here after expreſſedly of takyng away of the popis cererionies / In yowr Catechiſme lately ſet out in the kyngis name writyng vponupon the fourth cōmandment ye ſay thus of the popis ceremonies agaynſt the whiche i hauehave writen / partely in my huntyng of the fox.) Lykewyſe do they all breake thys commādment / whiche do not obſerue but deſpiſe ſuche laudable ceremonies of the chirche as ſet forthe goddis honor / & appertayn vntounto good order to be vſed in the chirche / And ther fore concernyng ſuch ceremonies of the chirche as hauehave bene inſtituted by oure fore fathers / and be alowed by the princes or kynges of the dominiones as hallowyng of the font / of the chalice / of the corporace of the altare / & other lyke exorciſmes and benedictiones / ſprynklyng of holy water / gyuyng of holy brede / bearyng of cādelles / & palmes crepyng to the croſſ / and other lyke laudable cuſtomes rites & ceremonies / ar not to be deſpiſed / but to be obſerued.) Then can ye not ſay that ye meane by the popis traditiones polytſke lawes / for god gaue no cōmandment of polytyke lawes in the ten cōmandmentes / but left that in the liberti of Princes to make as many or as few as they thynk neceſſari for theyr ſubiectes / but ye weue thes ceremonies vnderunder the cōmandment of god / & to your great ſhame ye make thē commādmentes of god / for if the tranſgreſſion of ceremonies be the breakyng of goddis cōmandment / then muſt the kepyng of them be the kepyng of goddis cōmādment / & they muſt alſo be goddis cōmandmentes. If that a mā cum not to the chirche to krepe to the croſ / to bear candelles to heare meſ in atong that he vnderunder ſtā deth not / ſay not ye vntounto hym whi wilt thow not cum to goddis ſeruice? Is goddis ſeruice a polytike law? thē it is playn that althoghe ve once ſayd ſo / ye meane not by the popes traditiones polytike lawes. Now let vſſe whether thys argumēt foloweth or no. The pope only being / a man & that an euel / man brought in to Chriſtrs chirche & commāded to be kept / thes ceremonies & traditiones whiche ar not founde in any place of goddis worde ergo they ought to be caſt out of the chirche agayne / That the pop is amāye will grant me / but that he is only a mā your canō law wil deny / for it ſayeth that the pope may do that amā may not do that is to ſerperate whome god had copled to gether / that the pope is an euel mā & a falſ Prophet i dout whether ye will grant me thys / both with hart and mouthe or no i muſt therfore proue it as well as i can / He is the kyngis enemy & an uſurper of autorite vntounto hym ſelf that god gaue hym neuer / ergo he is an euel mā / but i will if i cā bryng a reaſon or two ſumthyng ſtrōger to proue that he is Antichriſt and a falſe Prophete & ther for that he is an euel man / He is Antichriſte whiche teacheth falſ and cōtrary doctrine ūto Chriſtis doctrine / & taketh it vpō hym which belongethe ōly vntounto Chriſte / the pope dothe ſo for he teacheth that Peter was hede of the hole catholike chirche ouer all kynges and Emperoures and aboue all the reſt of the Apoſtelles and that he is aboue all Emperoures and kynges and that they ar bound to obey hym and not he them / and that he beyng but a biſſhop hathe bothe the ſwordes / of the word / and of temporall correction / with many ſuche other falſe doctrines which becauſ they ar well knowen i nede not greatly to reherſe / That he is a falſe Prophete i proue it thus by the autorite of the Prophet Ezechiel whiche paynteth your father and yow ſo playnly as thoughe he had ſene yow bothe together / In the thyrtent chatpter he ſayethe thus / Son of man Propheci agaynſt the Prophetes of Iſrael / whiche prophecie / and ſay unto them that propheſi out of theyr oun hart heare the worde of the lord / Thus ſayeth the lord god / Wo be unto the fooliſh Prophetes which go after theyr own ſpret when as they hauehave ſene nothyng / Thy Prophetes (o Iſrael) ar made lyke foxes in the wildernes ye hauehave not gone up to the burſtynges / nether hauehave ye made an hedge for the houſe of Iſrael to ſtand in battale in the day of the lord. They hauehave ſene uanite / and a falſ propheci ſayng / the lorde hath ſayde / when as the lorde hathe nor ſent them / & they truſt that theyr worde ſhal ones be alowed / HaueHave ye not ſene a vayn viſion / and ſpoken a lying propheſi? And ye hauehave ſayde / the lorde hathe ſayd when as i hauehave not ſayd it / Ther fore ſayethe the lorde god / for as myche as ye hauehave ſpoken uanite / and hauehave ſene a lye / therfore ſayeth the lorde be holde here am i agaynſt yow / and my hand ſhall be agaynſt the Prophetes whiche ſe vanites and prophecie lyes / they ſhal not be in the ſecret priuite of my peple / and they ſhal not be writen in the nombre of the houſe of Iſrael / nether ſhal they cum unto the land of Iſrael. And ye ſhal know that i am the lorde / Now becauſe they hauehave deceyued my peple ſayng peace when there is no peace / and he byldeth a wall / and they playſter it ouer with an vnprofitable cruſte / Say vntounto them that make an vnprofitable plaſteryng of it that it ſhall fall / and ther ſhall be a ſhowre flowyng in / and ye ſhall fall with the ſtones of the hale / and the wynde of the tempeſt ſhall bruſt yow / And behold when the wall fallethe / ſhall it not be ſayd vntounto yow / where is the couer that ye layde ouer / I ſhall pul down the wall whiche ye hauehave couered with an vnprofitable cruſt / and i will daſhe it down to the grounde / and the fundacion of it ſhal be openly knowen and vncouered / and it ſhall fall / and ye ſhall be kylled in the myddes of it / and ye ſhall be taught to know that i am the lorde / And in the ende of the chapter he ſayethe thus / Becaus ye hauehave made ſad the ryghtuouſ mannis hart withe a lye / when as i dyd not make hym ſory / and ſtreyngthen the handes of the wikked that he return not from hys euel way / that he may be kept quik. Ther fore ye ſhal ſe no more vanite / and ye ſhall geſſ no more / but i will delyuer my peple out of your hande. Thus far Ezechiel / of whos wordes i gather that they ar falſ Prophetes whiche ſpeake vntounto the peple thos wordes and doctrines whiche they hauehave not receyued of god and yit make the peple beleue that theyre doctrine and wordes be of god and wounde good mennis conſciences where no ſin is committed / and confort euel men when as yit the wrathe of god is ouer them / but thes properties agre bothe to your father of rome & yow / ergo ye ar bothe falſ Prophetes / ye and your father ſay that a preſte may not mary by the law of god / that noman may be a preacher of goddis worde except hebe firſt benet / collat / ſubbecō ano decon or a ſacrificyng preſte / that it is dedly ſyn to eat fleſhe in lent and on the dayes that ye hauehave for bidden to eat fleſh on / except a man by apardon or a licence for monie / withe yow alſo is ſin / and yit can ye not proue that god hathe forbidden that ye forbid / ye hauehave nether ſcripture nor worde of god for yow but thes lyes hauehave ye ſpoken out of your own hartes and wounde and ſtrike the conſciences of good men with dedely feare for leuyng of ſuch thynges as god our law maker neuer commāded / ye ſay it is good to take Chriſtis cup from the laymen / to coniure hally water / to beare wilowes / and wex candelles / to crepe to the croſſ / to hallow chirches veſtmētes and chalices / to heare Meſſ Matines and euenſong in a ſtrange tong that the hearers vnderſtande not / to hallow the font and the paſcal and litle candelles / and fyre / to deſyre ſayntes merites to bryng vsus to heuen / that one man may deſerue remiſſion of ſinnes by the receyuyng of the ſacrament for an other / thes doctrines do ye teache and ſay / that all thes ar good werkes / and god is pleaſed withe thes workes when they ar don and offended when they ar left of and vndon / and thus do ye bothe comfor teuel men with your trifles / and wonde good men withe dedly feare where none ſhulde be / & ye ſpeake thes wordes and doctrines out of your oun hertes / and ye can not proue that god bad yow teache thes doctrines that ye teache / ther for bothe the pope and yow which be the pergetter of the popes wall ar falſ Prophetes / Be that is a tru Prophet is ſent of god / he is ſent of god that ſpeakethe the worde of god / and hathe the worde of god to ſhew for hym / then ſeing that your father the wall maker of the popiſh chirche / and yow the pergetter of the ſame / hauehave not the worde of god to ſhew for your doctrines / & yit ſay they ar good and neceſſary for the chirche / ar bothe falſe Prophetes then ſhall it not be a good argumēt to ſay / thys is the doctrine taught of a falſe Prophete whiche he neuer receyued of god / ergo it muſt be caſt away? Becauſe now in thys tyme we hauehave myche to do with mannis traditiones / and cererimonies / whiche god nether cōmanded / nor ordened / and ye ſay that they ar to be holdē in the chirche / and i cōtend that they ar to be dryuē out of the chirche let vsus ſe whether i can bryng better reſones for the banniſhement of mannis doctrines or ye for the mantenance of them / EueryEvery doctrine that the heuenly father hathe not ordened / muſt be pulled up by the rootes and caſt a way / but the ceremonies and traditiones that ye defende / did the henenly father neuer orden / there fore the ceremonies and traditiones that ye defende / muſt be pulled up by the rootes and caſt away. If he dyd orden them tell us what boke and chapter they ar writen in / I hauehave once proued that they ar of the popis makyng proue yow now and ye can / that they ar of goddis makyng / and till that tyme that ye hauehave proued that / they muſt be pulled up by the rootes and caſt away. EueryEvery ſtrange doctrine is to be ſhoned of Chriſten men and to be caſt out of the chirche / but eueryevery doctrine is ſtrange whiche is not conteyned in the holy ſcripture / ergo all doctrines that ar not conteyned in the ſcripture ar to be ſhoned of Chriſten men / and to be caſt out of the chirche / But none of thes traditiones ar conteyned in the holy ſcripture / there fore they ar to be ſhoned of all Chriſten men and to be caſten out of the chirche / acordyng vntounto the learnyng / of ſaynt Paule whiche ſayethe / hebrewes the xiii. let us not be caried about withe diuers and ſtrange doctrines. All thos preceptes ar to be banniſſhed out of the chirche / where to we ar forbidden to gyue hede / but vntounto the preceptes of men whiche refuſe the truthe ar we forbidden to gyue hede / therfore / all preceptes of men whiche refuſe the truthe ar to be banniſſhede out of the chirche / But the pope and hys papiſtes ar falſ pro phetes and refuſe the truthe / ergo all theyr preceptes ceremonies & doctrines ar to be banniſſhed out of the chirche. But the ceremonies and traditiones that ye defende ar the popis commandmentes / therfore euen becauſe they ar hys / beyng a falſ Prophete and not goddis commandementes / ar to be caſt out of the chirche acordyng to the learnyng of ſaynt Poul vntounto titus in the firſt chapter which ſayeth / rebuke them ſharply that they may be ſound in the faythe not gyvyng hede vntounto iewiſh fables and commandemētes of men whiche refuſe the truthe. If that we be forbidden in the ſcripture to kepe the commandemente bothe of our fathers by nature / and alſo by gouernance if they command any thyng concernyng religion that god hathe not commanded / moche more ar we forbidden to kepe the commandmentes of them that belong nothyng vntounto us / if they commande it concernyng religion that god hathe not commanded / But we ar forbidden to kepe our fathers commandementes concernyng religion if they command vsus any thyng that god hathe not commanded / Ezechiel the xx. chapter in thes wordes. In the commandementes of your fathers walk ye not and kepe ye not theyr iudgmentes / walk in my preceptes ande kepe my iudgementes / ergo myche more ar we forbidden to kepe the commandementes of them that belong nothyng to vsus when they command vsus to kepe that god hathe not commanded / But the pope hathe nothyng to do with vſus / ther for we ar forbidden to kep hys commandementes / when he commandethe vsus that god hathe not commanded be fore / but the ceremonies that ye defende ar the commandementes of the pope / therfore we ar forbidden of all myghty god to kep them. All the doctrines of thos men whiche for theyr falſe doctrine ar iuſtly exomunicated ar tobe dryuen away withe the men excomunicatede / But the pope for hys falſe doctrine is firſt iuſtly excommunicated of Paule / afterwarde of the germanes and laſte of our moſte noble Prince kyng Henry the eyght / ergo hys doctrine which is his / muſt be dryuen a way withe hym and not holdē ſtill as ye ſay / If ye ſay that Paule hathe not excommunicated hym heare what Paul ſayeth in the firſt chapter of the epiſtel to the Galathianes / if any man preache vn to yow any other thyng thē ye receyued / the ſame / be acurſed / but the pope preacheth other doctrine then the Galathianes learned of Poul / for they learned nothyng of Poul but that he had learned of god / be fore / for the pope teacheth hys owen doctrine and ceremonies which nether Paul nor he receydied of god / ther for the pope is acurſed and yit ſhall we hold ſtill hys learnyng? All the doctrines ar perilus for mannes ſoule and ar to be Caſten away / which when they ar taught / make the techers ther of to worſhip god in vayn / but all doctrines whiche ar the cōmandementes of men if they be taught make the teachers ther of to worſhip god in vayn / ergo all the doctrines whiche ar the cōmandementes of mē ar parillous for mannis ſoul and ar to be caſten away / but all the doctrines of the pope that i write agaynſt / and ye defend / ar the doctrines and commandmentes of men and only of men and that euel mē / ergo they ar perillous for mannis ſoule and ar to be caſten away / Now let in different men iuge whether ye hauehave mo reſones of autorite and weyght / takē out of the ſcripture to proue that an euel mannis doctrine ſhuld be holden in the chirche of Chriſte / or i hauehave to proue that all mānis doctrine thoghe they were as holy as Poule was or wer angelles of heuen if they hauehave not receyned it of god ought to be dryuen out of Chriſtis chirche. And becauſ ye harp miche on that ſtrynge that thoghe a man be euel and a falſ Prophete that he may bryng furthe not with ſtādyng good fruytes and make holſome doctrines / we will examin that ſayng a litle farther yit withe the learnyng of Chriſte whiche ſayethe thes wordes cōcernyng the mater that is in ſtrife betwene you and me. Beware ſayeth Chriſte of falſe prophetes whiche cum vntounto yow in ſhepis clothyng but with in ar rauenyng wolues / By theyr fruytes ſhall ye know them / So mē gather a grape of thornes / or of thiſtelles figges? EueryEvery good tre makethe good fruite / but a rotten tre bringeth furthe euel fruit. A good tre cānot make euel fruites / nether can a rottē tre bryng furthe good fruites. whether is the pope a rottē tre or no… if he be a rottē tre / ād yit ye ſay that he may bryng furth good fruites and make holſū doctrines / ether muſt ye be a falſlyer / or ellis Chriſtes worde is not treue Chriſte ſayethe alſo Matth. the xij Ether make the tre good ād hys fruite good / or make the tre and hys fruit euel / for the tre is knowen by the fruyte / ye generation of vepers how can ye ſpeake good thynges when as ye be euel / for of the abundāce of the hart the mouthe ſpeakethe. A good man bringeth furthe good' thynges out of the goood treſure of hys hart / and an euel man bringethe furth euel thynges out of the euel treſure of hys hart. Thus far hathe Chriſte ſpoken / Now i deſyre yow that ar reders to be iudges in thys mater / whether Chriſte whiche ſayethe that an euel man and a falſ Prophet cannot bryng furthe good fruites and doctrines is more worthe to be beleued withe the naked truthe / or maſter gardiner which ſayeth that the pope whiche is a falſ Prophete and an euel man may bryng furthe good fruetes and make holſome doctrines and neceſſari ceremonies and profitable traditiones for the chirche of Chriſte / withe hys hyſtories and bys oft repeted good good / and withe hys natural reſones.

The reſcuer

As myche agreyng to the faciones amongeſt the florentines / whil they were in theyr comon welthe. When on demanded what he ſayd to ſuche a matter beyng then in conſultation / he loked about / and eſſpying out on of hys enemies ſayd / what ſo euer ſuche a man wold ſay poyntyng to hys enemy / he was of the contrari opinion. The kyngis maieſti lyke a noble prince hathe proceded in thys mater not vponupon faction / nor vponupon diſpleaſure / or enemite / but only truth & therfore hathe reiected the biſſhop of rome / ſo far as he ſwarueth from the truthe And ſo far as the truthe will beare / hys maieſti agreeth with all the world / intendyng by the expulſion of the biſſhop of rome not to confound the truthe / but to purge it from ſuche corruption as by the biſſhop of romis mantenāce did inſect it.

The hunter

Your meanyng is that the pope is to be ſo far reiected and banniſſhed away as he ſwarueth from the truthe and no farther / The biſſhop of rome is an heretike for ſtubbornly holdyng of doctrines contrari to the ſcripture / and he hys a traytour for makyng of hym ſelf hede of the chirche of Englonde / a boue the kyng. Other heretikes conuicted of hereſi arburnt with all theyr bookes thoghe they conteyn and hauehave with in them all the truthes and doctrines that ar in the hole bible / and all men that rede them ar taken for heretikes / and theyr bookes ar erneſtly forbidden / other traytoures conuicted once of treaſon / ar deſtroyed and put to deathe withe all theyr good qualites be they neuer ſo many … excellent. But the pope bothe an archeheretik of the ſect of papiſtes / and a fountayn of treſon / and an hede traytour whiche not only withe wordes deniethe the kyngis ſupremeci / but alfo beareth dedely hatered agaynſt the kyngis maieſti / and wold depoſe hym if hys poure were lyke vntounto hys will / by your procurement / hathe goten a ſpeciall pardon that thoghe he be a traytour and heretike / he may abyde ſtill in Englonde and that hys bookes whiche conteyn bothe hys treſon and hys hereſi may be red of all them that can rede them / and vnderſtand thē withe out all ſuſpition of hereſi and treſon / only ſo myche of hys traytourous doctrine and hereticall treſon banniſſhed away as ye hys childer iudge to ſwarue frome the truthe / whiche ar ſo blynded with the darnel of hys canon law that ye cā / not ſe it / How can ye be iudges in matters of truthe of Chriſten religion which hauehave not bene exerciſed and brought vp in the truthe / but in decrees / decretalles / extrauagantes / counſelles / clemētines and ſuche other popiſhe learnyng where of ye hauehave goten ſuche a taſte in the palates of your mouthes that what ſoeuer ſcripture cummethe in your mouthes it hathe a taſte by your wreſtyng of it / of the popis decrees and decretalles euen as he that hathe touched coloquintida or aloe / maketh all thyng that he touche the hauehave the taſte of them. So myche of the popis doctrine muſt be driuen away as ye thynk contrari to the truthe / the fox muſt be ſo long han ged tyll ye ſay he is hanged enoghe / and them muſt he be lette… down agayn / but half hanged / becauſe he is a clerke and can ſay hys nekverſe / To ſpeake in good erneſt i thynk that eueryevery man may ſe that is not wilfully blynde that the pope thoght he be a ſtranger and iuſtly cōuicted of ij great offences yit hathe more fauore ſhewed vntounto hym then any heretike or traytour being an Engliſman had ſhewed vntounto hym in Englonde thes vij. yeares. Therfore he hath yu fauorers in Englond.

The reſcuer

So as thys hunter chaſethe far at large / when withe the only biſſhop of romis name / he wold hunt out all / and deſtroy withe the bad the good alſo. And ſo he myght hauehave kept all hys ye hold ſtill / with out ye can other wiſe diſproue them / then becauſe the biſſhop of rome vſed them or willed them to be vſed / for they remayne not be cauſe he wylled or vſed them / but becauſ they be good. The man pleaſeth hym ſelf moche that he proueth by dyuerſ examples that lyke as Ariſtotellis doctrine is called Ariſtotel and Terences comedies Terence / ſo the popes doctrine ſhuld be called the pope. But herken agayn if Terence ſpak that Plato had ſpoken / whē terence were banniſſhed myght we not uſe the ſpeche ſtill of Plato / becauſe it cam ones out of terences pen?

The hunter

I ax of yow agayne whether thys terence was banniſſhed for euel ſpeakyng or for euel doynge? If he wer bāniſſhed fo: euel ſpeakynge and learned the ſame of Plato / when terence were banniſſhed it ſhuld not be lawful to vſe ſtill the ſpeche of Plato / But if terence were banniſſhed for euel doyng alone / & not for euel ſayng when terence were banniſſhed men myght folow Platoes ſpeche where it is good thoghe it had ones cummed out of terences pen / and he had uſed it / But what is thys to the purpoſe? Can ye proue that the doctrine that cam thorow the popis pen was not hys own / but the doctrine of the father of heuen? If ye can proue that the pope can iuſtly ſay withe Chriſte / the worde whiche ye heare is not myne but my fathers whiche hathe ſent me / i will alſo alow the popis doctrine as ye do / not becauſe it is hys but becaus it cam from god / but foras miche as nether ye no: he can proue that hys doctrine cam from god i will take yow bothe for falſ Prophetes as i hauehave don hyther to / Herken to me ones as i hauehave don to yow your ſayng is that Platoes learnyng that terence had vſed / were not to be caſt away when terence were banniſſhed thoghe it had cum med thorow terences pen well ſo beit. Wilyam tyndale wrote many bookes where in ar many true and godly ſentences / and ſaynges / whiche he had taken out of the holy ſcripture / and the hole new teſtament whiche is the vndouted word of god cam out of hys pen in to our engliſhe tōg willyam tyndale was banniſſhed out of Englond and burnt as an heretike in brabant / whether is it welland wiſely don or no / that hys bookes whiche conteyn ſo miche godly learnyng and the hole new teſtament whiche cam thorow hys pen / ar for bidden to be red and ſo banniſſhed for an hereſi or ij that ye ſay ar in in hys bookes / and for half a doſen fautes that ar in hys tranſlation? If it be euel don whi do ye not amend your doyng and whi ſuffer ye not hys bookes to be red whi blot ye not out the fautes of hys tranſlation / and condemne nomore Chriſtis learnyng becauſe it cam thorow W. Tyndalles pen? If it be well don that W. Tyndalles bookes and the new Teſtament of hys tranſlation ar forbidden to be red and ar banniſſhed away withe hym becauſe they hauehave ſum fautes or an hereſi or ij in them and ar cummed out of hys pen / then all the hole doctrine that euer the pope taught / withe all hys traditions and bookes whiche ar ſo full of hereſies and ſuperſtitiones / and hauehave ſo litle ſcripture in them / ought to be miche more banniſſhed away with the pope and ought to be forbidden to be red then tindalles bookes and the Teſtament of hys tranſlation ought now to be banniſſhed and forbidden. Is there any holyer doctrine in the popis law and in hys ceremonies and traditiones then is in the new Teſtameut of tyndalles tranſlation? ar there not as many hereſes in the popis bookes as in tyndalles? What reſon is it then that tyndallis bokes and the new Teſtament of hys tranſlation ſhall be banniſſhed away withe tyndal / and be forbidden to be red / and that the popis doctrine and ceremonies withe hys bookes ſhall not be banniſſhed withe the pope but ſhall be kept ſtill and red in the chirche as a new goſpel in the mother tōg that all the hole chirche may under ſtande his doctrine / and learn it when as Chriſtis doctrine muſt be ſayd and ſong in ſuch a tong as not one among an C. vnderſtandethe becauſe as it apperethe that few ſhuld learn it? Whether hathe tyndal now or the pope more fauor ſhewed vntounto hym in Englond? tyndall which is banniſſhed bothe bodely & withe all hys bokes & doctrine, both good ād bad or the pope / whos doctrine & bookes ar red & alowed / after that he is cōmanded of the hieſt pour vnderunder god to be banniſſhed out of Englond for his hereſi & treſon? If the pope hauehave not more fauor / then Chriſte hathe in Englonde / Why may the popis goſpel be red of all mē in Engliſh / and Chriſtis goſpel is forbiddē to be red in ēgliſh / and only a few of gētle and rich mē may rede it?

The reſcuer

Chriſte ſayd / Doctrina non eſt mea ſed eius qui miſit me patris, And miche more what ſo euer is good ſpokē / or uſed by any mā is of god.

The hunter

The comon heretike catcher is now becumned an open heretik hym ſelf / and a miniſſher of Chriſtis glori / & a preferrer of mē before god / for thus ſaiethe he / What ſo euer is good / ſpokē or vſed by any mā is myche more of god thē Chriſtis doctrine is. He ſayeth that the popis ceremonies ād traditiones whiche i write agaynſt ar good / thē ar they / by hys ſayng / miche more of god thē Chriſtis goſpel is. And therfore belike / he forbad that certayn men ſhall rede Chriſtis goſpel / & ſuffereth all that will to rede the popis traditiones / whiche he hath of late yeares ſet out at large interlaced here & there wit a pece and a pache of Chriſtis learnyng to purches more autorite vntounto thē / if that he had thought that Chriſtis learnyng had bene as miche of god as he thought the popis traditiones decretalles decrees & clementines he wold as well hauehave fuffered all mē that wold hauehave red Chriſtis goſpel / as well to rede it as he hathe permitted all mē wymē & childer that liſt to rede the popis ceremonies tradiciones decrees dectetal les & clementines / Now is it cūmedout at leughthe for what cauſ was there ſuch diligent inqueri made eueryevery quarter for the tranſgreſſiō of the popis ceremonies / & ſuche paynes of dethe ordened therfore / & ſo ſmall inquery & litle poniſhmēt ordened for the breakyng of the cōmandemētes of Chriſte. Now had Chriſte nede of the teſtimoni of Iohā baptiſt / nathānel / andre / & peter to beare hym witnes that he is the ſon of god / whyche if the popis proctour beleued to be true / he wolde ſay that Chriſtis good doctrine were as well and as myche of god as the good doctrine of any man / If that thys ſaynge of gardiner be vn examined and vncumpelled to be recanted as an abominable hereſi that Chriſtis doctrine is not ſo myche of god / as any good thyng vſed or ſpoken by any man is of god / then i ſay that he hathe gotten as they ſay in cambrydge agrace ab omnibus / and a licens to be a papiſt and an heretik and that no mannis accuſation agaynſt hym ſhalbe hearde.

The reſcuer

And hym ought we to make author of all good nes were it balaames aſſ that vttered it / If Chriſt be preachede ſayeth ſaynt Paule be it per contentionem or iudicium / let it hauehave place modo Chriſtus predicetur / Looke vponupon the trewthe & goodnes of the thyng ſettyng a parte the perſon that ſpeakethe / precheth / vttereth executethe or commandethe the ſame Ne ther was here to fore any man ſo mad / as expellyng a tyrant / wold caſt away withe hym both that whiche was good and that whiche was euel alſo.

The hunter

As we ought to make god autor of all goodnes ſo we ought to be ſure to aſſcribe and lay no thyng vn to hym but it that we know for a truthe is goodnes / or good / proue once that the popis ceremonies and traditiones ar good and then ſhall i ſay that they cam from god / but where is your profecye hauehave from the begynnyng of your book x. tymes ſayd the ceremonies and ordinances that i hauehave writen agaynſt / ar good good and good but other profe hauehave ye brought none / thynke ye that it whiche is a falſlye of it ſelf / ſhal by oft repetyng of it wax true? Is it poſsible to make of an euel thyng a good thyng by callynge if many tymes good? Is the oft and manyfold reherſyng of any thynge a ſufficient profe of the ſame? other profe brynge ye non / allearned diuine ſhuld hauehave brought places of ſcripture to hauehave proued that the traditiones whiche ye ſo oft call good had bene good / as i hauehave brought argumentes and textes of the ſcripture to proue that they ar nought and contrary to the ſcripture / But here i muſt pardon yow / for in dede the matters that ye defende ar ſo foliſhe triflyng and ſo cōtrari to the ſcripture that it is no meruel if ye can bryng no place of ſcripture / for them to defende them with / And where as ye ſay that there hathe bene noman ſo mad / as expellynge a tyran / wold caſt away with hym bothe that which was good and the bad alſo / whether ye meane of good profitable / or good pleaſant / or by creation / ye ſwarue far from the truthe / for allmyghty god the well of all wiſdome / commāded the childer of Iſrael when they ſhuld dryue out the he then kynges withe theyr folk of the land of promiſ / to dryue and put away with thē / all theyr lawes ceremonies and traditiones euen thē that were laufull / were they neuer ſo profitable or pleaſant for the comon welth / It is tobe thought that in ſo many citees & kyngdomes that there was ſum good politike lawes / and ſum profitable and pleaſant for a comon welthe / But for all that were they neuer ſo good ſo politike and profitable / god gaue the thys commandement vntounto the childer of Iſrael concernyng them / ſayng Leuitice the xviij. chapter After the cuſtom of the land of egypt where in y… hauehave dwelt ſhal ye not do / and after the maner of the land of chanaan wher in to i ſhal bryng yow ſhall ye not do / nether ſhal ye walk in theyr laufulles / ye ſhall do my iudgementes and kepe my preceptes and walk in them. And in the xx. chapter. Walk not (ſayethe allmyghty god) in the laufulles of the nationes which i ſhall dryue out before yow. Moſes goddis true ſeruant ſayethe alſo deuteronom ij the xij. chapter when thow art entred in / after theyr deſtruction / require not theyr ceremonies / ſayng as thys folk hath worſhippet theyr goddes / ſo wil i worſhip alſo. Thow ſhalt not do lykewiſe vntounto thy lorde god / That whiche i commande the / do thow only vntounto the lorde / put nothyng to it nether take any thyng from it / If the pope your father and yow had dwelt in the citie of Hierico or hay or any other ſuche lyke whiche moſes Ioſuc or Dauid deſtroyed / and had there / all your holy traditiones / laudable ceremonies / good and polytike lawes / promoters / and ſetters furthe of goddis honore / with your decrees decretalles / councelles and clementines / ſhuld Moſes Ioſue and Dauid hauehave ben mad men to hauehave deſtroyed all your good and polytike lawes & all your laudable ceremonies? Make me an anſwer vntounto thys queſtion? If they ſhuld hauehave bene mad / then men ar mad for doyng of goddis cōmandment. If they ſhuld not hauehave bene mad if they had deſtroyed all your fathers ceremonies and traditiones / whiche were not expreſſed in Moſes law / ād had cōmanded the peple to kepe and vſe only ſuche ceremonies and preceptes as were cōteyned in the writen worde of god / a prince whiche wold dryue out of hys realme at thys howre / the pope whiche is agreuous tyran / and an enemi vntounto goddis worde / if he droue out withe hym all hys ceremonies lawes and traditiones / ſauyng only them that ar expreſſed in the worde of god / he ſhuld be no more mad / thē Moſes Ioſue and Dauid was / whiche in theyr tyme dyd ſuche lyke / The xv. chapt. of the firſt booke of the kynges is playn agaynſt yow / where as god cōmandethe Saul to kyll man womā nuris ād childe / ox ſhepe camel and as / if that all thyng be good that god hathe created / the oxen ſhepe the camelles the aſſes ād yong childer was good ād yit god cōmanded thē not ōly to be expelled withe the tyran agag / but alſo to be deſtroyed and kylled withe hyme / thē mē may ſe how wyſely ye hauehave ſpokē whē ye ſayde that noman was ſo mad as eypellyng a tyrā wold dryue a way withe hym bothe it that was good and alſo the bad / The dede of kyng Saul in the forſayd chapter / Was miche agreable to your dede / in puttyng doun the pope and hys popiſtri / As god commanded Saul to deſtroy agag and with hym to deſtroy all hys / both man woman and child / ox / aſ camel and ſhepe / & yit he lyke a polytike felow / kylled not agag but kept hym quike and ſaued the beſt of the ſhepe and other cattal / and the beſt clothes & all thyng that was fayer and goodly to loke to / ſo when ye were commanded of the kyng our maſter to dryue away the pope withe all hys popiſtri / ye put down / a very ſmall ſorte of ſmal abuſis / but the pope hymſelf with the great abuſes ye hold ſtill and ſay that they ſet furthe goddis honor / as Saul ſayd that he kept the beſt of the ſhepe and cattale to make ſacrifices of to allmygcy god / But as allmyghty god perceyuing that Saul for couettouſnes ſaued contrari vntounto hys commandment agag and the beſt of the ſhepe and other beſtis / thoghe he cloked hys fact with the cloke of goddis ſeruice / depoſed Saule and for euer keſt hym out of hys fauor / ſo ſhuld our moſte noble Prince kyng Henry / folow god and do very well to depoſe yow and make yow a biſſhop quondam for breakyng of hys commādment / in holdyng ſtill the pope and the greateſt abominaciones that euer he ordened.