Reproof of Howlets Untimely Shrieking, Part 1 · Section 3
4 THe lawe made by Protestants, prohibiting the practise of other religions besides their owne, allotteth outStraightnesse to Catholikes the same punishment to all them, that doe any way vary from the publike communion booke, or otherwise say seruice then is appointed there, as it doth to the Catholikes for hearing or saying of a masse. And although the worlde knoweth, that the order set downe in that booke, bee commonly broken by eueryevery Minister at his pleasure, and obserued almost no where: yet small punishment hath euer insued thereof. But for hearing of a Masse, were it neuer so secrete, or vttered by neuer so weake meanes: what imprisoning, what arraigning, what condemning hath there beene? The examples are lamentable, and many fresh in memory and in diuers families will be to all posteritie miserable.
5 To this nowe ifwee adde the extreeme penalties, layde vponupon the practise of certaine particulars in the Chatholike religion, as imprisonment perpetuall, losse of goods and landes, and life also, for refusall of an othe against my religion: death for reconciling my selfe to God by my ghostly father: death, for giuing the supreame pastor supreame authoritie in causes of the Church: death, for bringing in a Crucifix in remembrance of the crucified: death, for bringing in a seely payre of beades, a medall, or an Agnus Dei, in deuotion of the Lambe that tooke away my sinnes: whiche penalties hauehave not beene layd vponupon the practise of other religions: your Maiestie shall easily finde to bee true, so much as I hauehave saide, which is, that the Catholike religion, where in wee were borne, baptized, and breede vp, & our forefathers liued & died most holyly in the same, hath founde lesse fauour and tolleration, then any other newer sect, or religion what soeuer.
6 And albeit the worlde doth know, howe that the great merciemercy and clemencie of your Maiestie, hath stayed oftentimes, and restrained these penalties, from their execution, & from the ouerthrowing of diuers men, whom otherwise they might and woulde hauehave oppressed: yet notwithstanding (as I hauehave said) there want not very pitifull exāples abroad, which woulde moue greatly, and make to bleede that Princely and compassionable heart of your highnesse, if their miseries in particular were knowen to the same: especially it being in such subiectes, as loued and doe louelove most tenderly your Maiestie: & for such a cause, as lieth not in them to remoue, that is, for their conscience and iudgement in religion.
ANd because to verifie your infamous, lie, and sclander in this behalfe, you adioyne hereafter particular examples of two learned Bishoppes that are principall dealers in the high Commission for Ecclesiasticall causes vnderunder her Maiestie: thoughe they need not my cleering to her Maiestie, and the state that put them in trust, yet to open your impudent vanitie, and to satisfie such as be not to muche affectionate to your side for the dealing both of the state and them, let vsus heare what your Authour and friende in this Treatise, ye present to her Maiestie, saieth hereof. When a Catholike doth come before the Commissioners,Fol. 16. page 2. there is nothing asked of him, but when hee was at Church? and if he will promise to goe to Church, commonly they accompt him a sufficient conformable man, that is to hauehave yeelded sufficiently vntounto them. Here is rigorous execution; Is there not I pray you? here is great extremitie, & cause hatefully, and contemptuously to quote in your margēt M. Couper, & M, Elmer. Ah M. Howlet, what shoulde I say, God giuegive you his grace, and make you an honest man. Againe, sediciously and deuilishly, comparing the high Priests and Magistrats of Iurie with this state, and likening their proceeding to a sweete charme. Thus he writeth in text and margent. What if the high Priestes and Magistrates shoulde hauehave saide vntounto them: well, we are content that you liue with your conscience, so you kepe it to your selues, and trouble not the state,Marke this supposition and applie it to our time. & so that you will (for obedience sake) some time come to our Synagogues shewing your selues, comformable men to our proceedings. Nay what if they shold hauehave said: some of youThe maner of dissē bling Schismatiks liuely expressed. also, for outward shew, (keeping alwaies your cōsciēces to your selues) must flee this odious name of Christians, & seeme to cōmunicate now & thē with vsus, in our sacrifices & ceremonies: we are cōtēt also, that som of you shalbe our officers & iustices of peace, coūsellers & the like, so that you will somtimes (for orders sake) punish some of those indiscret fellows of your religiō, which can not be contēted to keep their cō sciences to thēselues: so you wil also giuegive some prety, sharpe charge inO dānable dissēbling this is done by many in englād. Liuing to a mās own cō sciēce, by leauing him selfe … conscience. your circuites, sessiōs, & assēblies (alwais keping your cōsciēces to your selues (& if some of you also wil somtimes, step vp into the pulpet, and speake, three or foure earnest words against this religion, it shalbe very gratful vntounto vsus, especially if you wil affirme it with an othe which wee hauehave deuised for ye same purpose, & this doing we assure you that you shall liue quietly to your own cōsciēces, & we shal accoūt you for good subiects. If I say, ye Magistrats of Iury at that time shold hauehave giuē to the apostls & other christiās this sweet charme, do you think that they cold hauehave abidē to heare it al out, whose hearts did rise & swel at two words only that they spoke, for the intreating of them to holde their peace.
Heere is good & gentle stuffe: But sweet charmes, terrible tempests, & such persecution as neuer was felt nor hearde tell of in Englād before. Her royall Maiestie, her vpright laws against popery, & other such false religiōs, her graue, wise, & godly Counsellors, & ye ministers of her Maiesties Iaws, with other of the state here, neither feare nor regarde your false accusations, nor your impudent slanders, they can not reach to come nere thē, they pitie rather your wāt of discrettō & modestie yt I say no more. You can not accuse or charge her … Iaws or ye ministers therof, but you touch her honour too nere, who giueth her royall assent to all lawes here made: her Maiesties Iawes, counsellors, & ministers wt better accord draw all in one line, & one way then you seeme to allow or like of. That her maiestie in yt sight of all ye world (as you confesse) hath shewed you so great mercy & clemency, that doeth but encrease your debt & dutie, and aggrauate your fault ye more, who so vnkindly & vnnaturally recompence her highnesse great goodnes, by withdrawing your selues from ye alleagians & obedience which you owe to God & her Maiestie, which shee requireth also at your handes, & duty bindeth you to perfourme: you pay & couer all wt faire flattering wordes & dissimulation, nothing else commeth from you to her Maiestie. It hath bin of her Maiesties godly inclination and good nature, not of your deserts, yt … hath so oftē pardoned & so long forborne you. She hath not nor doth not ouerthrow, nor alter her good laws prouided against poperie and treason. If you be not too too obstinate & miserable, let former clemency moue you to amende, els, take things as they fall out: her Maiesties laws & the penalties thereof stand not for …. Abuse not your self & other M. Howlet. To sean pollitique lawes & ye execution therof is not our profession, yours I meane, as I take it, & mine, Their godly wisedomes yt make & execute yt lawes ye now plaine of, are aboue our reach: you take too much vpō you, being a priuate man & not of counsel of making these lawes so vndutifully to checke & cōtroule ye same, you might like a good obedient subiect, take heede of incurring the penalty, & consider by ye execution therof, yt the end was to represse popery, massing, &c. If you will not heare my counsell, you might heare your owne fellowe in his discourse, or your selfe in ye latter ende of the discourse: which, for ye most part thereof is twise set down for failing: That the catholike Church hath alwaies taught her childrē that (how hardly so euer their prince shold deale with them) yet are they boūd to beare it patiently, & to obey him for consciēce sake, as substitute of God, & placed in that roome for their punishmēt, if they rule not wel, we … not to the subiect to iudge of. You louelove to tel what ye catholik church …, & therby shew yt ye Popish church is not yt true catholike church: you come not frō the Pope of Rome hither wt this lesson, you hauehave another cōmission. There was little space of time betweene the ariual of the Italian & Romish souldiers in Ireland and the flight hither of such spirituall birdes … the Pope, as you are, your chalenges and bookes were …, & this treatise, as fast as mightbe, afterward published: iwis you might, if it so pleasd you aforde as much reuerēce in truth to her …, & the ciuillPopish Vbi … ibi & mā dandi … caeteros manet … di nece … state vnderunder God in gouerning ye cōmon welth outwardly, as you doe in the false Hier archie to your Popish … &c. with commanding authoritie, & laying vponupon …, obedience with necessitie. Your malapert importunitie hath drawen and … mee of duty & zeale, to speake thus farre for clearing & defence of her maiesties wholsome iawes, & the execution thereof by her ministers, rather then yt any need required the same, except it be in respect of ye simpler sort. And yet M. Howlet, let me be bold to tell you that euen in this place where you so inueighe agaynst the terreur of lawes against your religion, yee iustifie greatly the moderation and equitie of her Maiesties lawes, and cannot denie but there hath been to great mildenesse vsed towards you in respect of the naughtines of your religion, thus you say: the Law made by Protestants prohibiting the practise of other religions besides their owne, allotteth out the same punishment to al thē that do any way varie from the publike Communion booke, or otherwise say seruice than is appointed there: as it doeth to the Catholikes for hearing or saying of a Masse. What hauehave you to plaine of in yt fauourablenes of this law towards you; Is this straightnesse to Catholikes; what more equitie and bearing with? woulde you in these times hauehave an Immunitie, to be exempted from all lawes and penalties? I blame you not, yee so fast and so many waies indanger your selues by breache of lawes, that yee neede this remedie greatly: but yee deserue it ill; the penaltie and the execution of the lawe is that yee plaine of, and yet is no more done than lawe, if alwaies so much. It grieueth you, that other fare not as hardly as you. The comparison is odious, the cause is not equall, your minde also is enuious, your opinion and affection parciall. An enuyous man, they say, pyneth away at another mans welfare, Is your eye euil, because her Maiestie is good? Murmure not, you hauehave no wrong. They that are iustly punished, when other of grace and fauour are spared, cannot plaine of Iniustice, as though they had wrong. It is a priuiledge that God in his matters, and Princes, States, and other ciuile Magistrates, hauehave in iniuries done vntounto them, by iustice to exact and execute penalties where they bee due, and by merciemercy sometime, to pardō and release offences done against their Persons, vponupon great consideration to some certaine, without doing any iniustice. Iustice & mercy, may goe & stand together, and both of them are seuered from extremitie and parcialitie. You might spare well ynough many of your exoruations and … figures; you neede not make such exclamation as you doe. You thinke that saying, and hearing of Masse is too hardly handled by our lawes heere. You weigh not the matter aright nor indifferently. First, what is the Masse? Next, what meane you to buy such Deuilishe tromperie so deere? Your Masse for both saying and hearing is iustly abrogated heere, as a thing, that in respect of the sacrifice thereof containeth blasphemie against God, is iniurious to Christs death and Passion, is an Idoll, erected directly contrarie to the institution of the Supper of the Lorde, and a meere profanation thereof, farced and stuft full of grosse superstitions, to poison mens soules with, so farre from edifying that it destroieth: that I speake nothing of the Apishe toyes therein containing great mysteries with you, fitter indeede for a stage then for the holie house of GOD. You heare briefly and in summe our opinion of your Masse. If you can say better for it out of Gods booke, let vsus heare that, and yee shall, God willing, heare of vsus againe. In the meane while for breuitie, because you do but touche it in passing, I surcease also, from doing that nowe which is so often and well done already, and rest thervpon, and to answere you, I denie your suppositiōs, till you bring vsus some proofe, which you doe not heere. If ye cannot liue without saying and hearing this abhominable Masse, plaine no longer of the miseries that yee willingly runne headlong into, the punishement is very moderate and gentle, nothing so harde as your desert is in this behalfe. It is your honour, as seemeth, you trauell to recouer your Helena, a rare perle, a precious iewell, mych good dite you with it, draffe is good inough for Swine. Refuse neither heate nor colde. Runne I pray you thorowe fire and water, to come to it, if yee needes will: but yee were better bee admonished and aduised: At least all the godly wise will, if it bee but for so hainously dishonouring God, and deadly wounding their owne soules.
Thus writeth your Authour in his booke, the hearingIn the …. of Masse is not onelyonly woorth the ventering of a hundred Markes or sixe moneths imprisonment, but also of an hundredThe hearing of Masse how well worth a hūdred Markes. thousand liues, if a man coulde loose eueryevery one for that cause sixe tymes: and an hundred tymes miserable is that man which for any worldely respect doeth depriue himselfe of so great a benefite, as the participation of this sacrifice is.
The lyke to this I say of the practise of the other particulars, that ye mention, and the penalties layed thereon, yet is it not harde to spye out your cloaking and colouring of thinges in speeche. It is vnnaturall, vnreasonable, vnconscionable, vnduetifull: It is against the lawe of GOD and man, and namely of this our Countrey, that an Englishe man shoulde refuse the othe of allegeance and obedience to our most naturall and dread Soueraigne, and vnderunder pretence of Religion giuegive it to that proude Prelate of Rome. If you hauehave any thing to say to the contrary bring it foorth, our answere you heare, our grounds and proofes are so pregnant, as if yee considered them wel, they might shame or winne you: but your religion possible hindreth you from reading the bookes on that side, as your Authours opinion is, least indeede that good shoulde come therof, and therefore it auaileth litle to wryte for you. What mischiefs hauehave beene wrought by your deuised eareshrifte? What is nowe sought thereby in your reconciliation? what the foundation and vse thereof hath afore time been? What a … and slaughter house to mens consciences? Is to well knowen at this day, to thinke it may bee set out with colours to commende it, the worlde waxeth too wise, to bee abused with such grosse absurdities, yee talke of a reconciling to God. I …, to say in trueth, to whome?
Yet in your reconcilement by your Ghostly father, your confiteor must go before his Misereatur. In reconcilemēt of your selues to her Maiestie and the State, take (at leastwyse if yee will followe no better) the worldly wise mans counsaile, if your stomackes bee come downe, confesse and submit your selues to merciemercy.
Yee talke much of death, as though yee suffered paineErranti, … medicina …. Cic. of death heere for your religion, yee repyne, are grieued, and offended that other hauehave not beene put to death, for practise of their religion, and yet doe I not knowe any of your side that hath suffered the same, as I sayde for his Religion, in all her Maiesties most happy raigne, vnlesse there hauehave beene founde besides seditious and trayterous dealing in the partie against her Maiesties RoyallAristotel. Salus … sita est in …. dignitie and personne, and the State of this …, which by wholesome lawes it behoueth her Maiestie to conserue as lyke a good mother of her Countreys, shee hath hithertoo done and still doth.
Yee say among other thinges it is death heere for geuing the supreme Pastour, supreme authoritie in causes of the Churche, Speake plainely, wee say it is for geuing away to the Pope, GOD his, and Christ his right and tytle, and for denying vnderunder them her Maiesties souerainety in her dominions. Wee say yee say vntruelie, as the woordes lye, It is so farre of from beeing death to giuegive to the supreme Pastor, supreme authoritie in causes of the Churche, that without checke of our Soueraigne, yea with her Maiesties good lyking wee doubte not, we heere maintaine and defende the same by the scriptures and ouerthrowe your proude Prelates vsurpation thereby. Yee shoulde therefore hauehave done that heere, dealing with her … at least, which you and your Author going by supposition lightly neuer doe, to wit: hauehave shewed who this supreme Pastour is, and hauehave proued the Pope to bee hee. In the meane whyle as we graunt the supreme & chiefe Pastor in Christ his Church, supreme and chiefe authoritie in causes of the same; so insteede of your Romame Pope; wee ascribe that title and office to Jesus Christe alone, by the warrant of GOD his hospirite and word, which call him Archpastor, or chiefe and Supreme Pastour, and finde not that title imparted in the newe Testament, to any in Churche Ministerie, much lesse to the Pope of Rome. If you nowe finde as good warrant for your Pope in God his booke, lay it vsus downe, and wee wil yeelde: But that neither hauehave you hitherto done, neither yet shall yee be able to doe, wrangle as long, and as much as yee will, your best daies are past.
For the rest wee reporte vsus to any indifferent bodie whether it bee more to God his glorie, and beseeming God his people, the Churche, to holde with the Scriptures that Iesus Christe alone, the sonne of God is the Arche and chiefe Shepheard, or without warrant of Scripture to giuegive the same to the Pope.
Nowe Syr, and when the Lawes of this Realme giuegive to the Princes heere their Soueraigntie, and require the subiects to acknowledge the same in this Church and Realme, and the Kinges and Queenes from time to time, challenge and accept the same, neither doe the one professe to giuegive, nor the other to take, Gods place or Christes from them, nor yet so much as to incroch vpō the Church ministerie, in taking authoritie to Preache, administer Sacraments, and execute other Church Ministeries & functions, yea by meanes of your malicious interpretation, the contrary is protested, but according to dutie from God, to maintaine and see those thinges doone by Pastours, and suche as to whome those charges likewise from God do appertaine, not admitting therewhilest, which is your griefe the immunities that the Popes aforetime hauehave giuen Cleargie men, in exempting them from the ciuil authoritie and iurisdiction. What hauehave faithfull subiects heerein to repine at? What hauehave they to plaine of? Yeelde with vsus vntounto it and yee shall finde wee hauehave all great cause to praise God for her Maiestie, and for ciuill authoritie, wee denie then that any forraigne Prince and Potentate, Ecclesiasticall or Ciuil (if yee will) is aboue her Maiestie and her people, in these her dominions, in any manner of causes, or hauehave to deale here, but vnderunder her, & by her leaue & liking. And to God his glory & our cōforts, hauehave we still wt all thākfulnes to obserue that her Maiestie doeth not sit in mens consciences, nor professe to make lawes to binde the same, as your supreme pastour doth: but leaueth cōscience to God, Christ, his spirite and worde, to be ruled and framed thereby, without further pressing the same, then the expresse woordè of God doth, in so much that for her Maiesties owne respect, in matters … vntounto her soule and conscience, she yeeldeth her selfe obediently, to heare, receyue, and obey, as eueryevery other christian, the voice of God and Christ speaking vntounto her in ye holy scriptures, by true pastours, and other ministers meere Church gouernours, leauing to them there seuerall charges whole, without diminishing any part therof, as reason is.
Nowe sir, if the Pope and Popelings, namely her Maiesties natural borne subiects, especially by their vnnatural styrres, to the danger of her Royall person, and the state of the Church and Realme, hauehave caused any lawes to be made that be preiudiciall to their attempts, let them thanke themselues and leaue their busie and perillous practises, & neyther pretend conscience where no good consciēce cā be, nor thinke yt the Prince hath to giuegive ouer her Royal prerogatiues, or to altar the state for their pleasure, this is the very state of this matter. If this can not call you home nor content you, we say further, that the supreme pastour yee hauehave made choise of (for it is not hard to guesse at your meaning, though your wordes be doubtfull) is a woolfe, or woorse then a wolfe. To giuegive your Pope supreme authority in this Church, besides that it is treason against her Maiestie and the state, it is to commit the poore lambes to no better then the rauening wolues keeping. Howe many good lambes, hee and his whelpes deuoured here in a very fewe yeeres, when he had last to doe with this sheepefolde, the memory and smart is yet freshe, and before … eyes. The more hauehave we to praise God for our dread soueraigne, ye in tender care of God his sheepe and lambs, and her maiesties, shee hath eased our neckes and shoulders of that yoke and hell like bondage. Besides this M. Howlet, where you giuegive to the Pope as supreame Pastour, supreame authoritie in causes of the Churche; yee had neede to explayne this some what playner for your owne religions sake and those of your side: as whether the Pope bee aboue the Counsell, or the Counsell aboue the Pope; Also, what ye call Churche causes; and whether yee denie his supremacie aboue Emperours, Kinges, and so foorth in other then Churche causes, or yee subiecte him to them? Whether as Peter his Successour yee giuegive him all Peter his Patrimonie and priueleges &c. and so because, as one Pope sayeth and your Cannon lawe approoueth, Christ committed to blessed Peter (no where) in deede, the right both of worldly and heauenly Empire, will yee abridge that or no?
What should I speake of your Reliques, yee may say of all as yee doe of one (a seely paire of beades) seely and single stuffe surely. Why make yee such accompt of this seely ware, that is but tromperie and trashe, cast such baggage from you, and there is an ende of all troubles for that.
Yee talke of the Catholike religion, and of your owne religion, saying: my religion. Lieth the Catholike religion and yours in these pointes, in deede M. Howlet, yee heere name; will yee needes lie in perpetuall prison, leese goods, landes, and life for the same; After by eareshrift to your Ghostly father, yee bee discharged of lawfull and duetifull obedience to our Soueraigne as vice gerent in God his place, to whom yee owe obedience for conscience sake, as to God him selfe, whose roome she possesseth, as the substitute and Angel of God (thus speake ye some tymes) to yeelde the same to a Priest and proude prelate, to a forrainer, and forerunner, to Antichrist, if not himselfe, rather to the Pope of Rome that hath nothing to doe with Englishe subiectes (after this inuerted and peruerted othe and bowe: You call it your reconciliation) Lieth your religion, I say, in a masking Masse, in a crucifixe, Medall, agnus Det, and such other images; yee call them lay mens bookes, in a seely payre of beads (so you speake your selfe) and such other reliques? then woulde I surely hauehave all men consider well the dayly exercises of our Religion which is Catechising and instructing of youth and the ruder sort in ye Articles of the beliefe, the tenne cōmandements, the Lord his prayer, and other the principles of christian religion: preaching and hearing preached God his holy woorde, ministring and receiuing the Sacramentes of Baptisme, and ye Lord his supper, according to Christ his holy institution in the Gospel; prayers to God for necessities, and thankesgiuing for benefites, with confession of sinnes, and of our faith also: and singing of Psalmes, &c. These are the vsuall and ordinarie exercises, and the principal of our religion in our dayly meetings, kept among Englishe men in the Englishe tongue. Nowe let these be compared with your exercises that you set vsus heere downe, and with the other ceremonies of your Catholique Romane Churche, and their Latine seruice at this day, and then let iudgement hardly bee giuen whether of the two bee more to God his glorye, the Churches, that is, God his peoples edification to heauenwarde, and as God his religion best grounded on his holy worde, as comformable thereto, and so consequently to be receiued and imbraced with all thankfulnesse to God and our soueraigne. I am perswaded (M. Howlet) that as in your motiues for alteration, in so bad and corrupt a religion as yours is, you moue very litle her Maiesties resolute and setled conscience on better groundes then yours, for all your cunning and sugred speeches: so this well weighed and rightly, your friendes reasons, and your glosing will gaine as litle to your side.
I can not followe particularly all your impudent … & slāders without vsing to much vnseemely tearms, in geuing you that you deserue, I will but touche so much as I shall thinke requisite, the things that seeme needefull vntounto me, for the readers satisfaction and admonition. I cannot let passe that ye say heere, we were borne, baptized, & bred vp &c. in the Catholike Religion: still ambiguitie of speeche: but I guesse at your meaning, you meane your selfe and your fellowes I suppose: for we renounce and vtterly denie, with thankes to God, that wee or any of vsus were baptised in Popishe, or in any man his religion. Wee were baptised, In the name of the Father, of the Sonne and of the holy Ghost, in the name of Christ and into Christian religion: and therefore is Baptisme called Christening and Christendome, not Popening and Popedome. I will not calculate your age M. Howlet, and yet it may bee, you were borne and bred vp in the time of the Gospel, and profession of this religion, many of your side I am sure were, & yet shal not neede to be rebaptised, as though yee had been baptised, in heretical religion, by your opinion. You were baptised, wee hope, In the name of the Father, & of the Sonne, and of the holy Ghoste: for eueryevery Popishe Priests forme in baptising, wee hauehave not to answere, looke you vntounto it.
We finde in your owne decrees, among other your corruptions of Gods holy orders & his Institution recorded euen in the ministring of this sacrament of Baptisme in the Latine tongue: that a Priest in Pope Zacharies time, baptised a childe, in too too barbarous, vntounto ward, and vile, a forme, as is set downe in the margine:*In nomine Patria, & Filia, & spiritua sancta. Therefore not withoutDe Consecrat. cause, bid I you looke to your Priestes and their doings aforeDist. 4. (… Baptizote. time. One may iudge there bee many holy things euill fauouredly … vp among you. I hauehave tolde you, the order of Baptizing in our Churches: for the circumstance of tyme, when; it is no great matter in this case, looke to the substance. Antichrist with all his corruptions and mischief coulde neuer ouerthrow the forme & substance of Baptisme hithertoo, not in the tyme of Poperie. Let your Antichrist take his corruptions, yt is his religiō. Let vsus thāke God for the substance of our Baptisme, that wee neede not be Baptised againe, reserued by God for vsus, and vntounto vsus, in spight of Antichriste and the diuell in all ages. To God greatly, yea wholly: To these wee are nothing beholding for the same, and as litle or lesse for the corruptions they mingled therewith. What ye meane when ye say: we were borne in the Catholike religion, is somewhat darke, in a thing is diuersly taken: consulte with your M. Aristot. we were borne, and you too in iniquitie, dead in trespasses andPsal. 51. sinnes, and are by nature the children of wrath aswell asEphe. 2. others. Thus speake the Scriptures. If you meane as I thinke yee doe, that wee were borne, your selfe and all, and Baptised in the tyme of Poperye, wee graunt it. But in or into Popishe religion, wee denie it. It is one thynge to bee Baptised in a Popishe tyme, and another in Popishe religion: keepe the woordes wherewith we were baptised. In the name of the Father, and of the Sonne, and of the holy Ghost. This is neyther Poperie nor Popishe religion. Here vponupon, wee say your argument and your fellowes is taken from Sophistrie, and is a Sophisticall and brabbling quarrell. You may easily finde the fallacion. Thus falleth the Bulwarke alone, and of it selfe, or is taken very easily, that yee imagine impregnaable, till it bee tryed or assaulted, wee see and heare well inough what accompt yee make of this argument abroade, to deceiue the simple. Distinguishe, whiche is not harde to bee done. Betweene God and the Diuell, Christe and Antichriste, Poperie and True Religion, Gods holy word,Looke better to your abrenun. cio say yee, Credo say ye, & … lo say …. and mens Inuentions. Let eche one hauehave that is proper to him, and it: And this argument (of being Baptised in the Catholike Romane religion, as these men speake, that is Popishe religion, as wee truely speake) will easily bee answered.
Her Maiesties clemencie, that yee talke of, and great merciemercy, as it hangeth not on your commendation, as needing the same; so both it, and the cares wherewith you disquiet her peaceable and quiet estate, and perce her tender heart (so much as in you lieth) should make your hearts to bleed in your bellies, rather then hers, if they were not harder then flint: neuer praise your louelove to her Maiestie, you are litle beholding to your neighbours, that neede to praise your selues: for no body els can. Say not, to excuse your peruerse wilfulnesse, that ye are not able to remooue the cause, because it is your conscience & iudgment in religiō. You hauehave framed your selues a conscience; ye may as well remoue it. Ye hauehave freewill …, yee say, on both sides. Yee could freely enough fall, arise as freely I pray you by reforming your conscience and iudgement. Lie not still in your owne myre, and say yee bee perplexed, because some of your doctours talke, and teache perplixetie that men are sometime brought into, whiche is but a foolishe opinion. We will pray to God, yee may remoue it or come out of that diuelish conscience, ye seeme nowe to pretende: but this therewhilest we warne you of, that yee take not the way, by abstayning from holy Church assemblies, where the proper meanes to winne you to God, is to be had.