Whole Works, Petition

Whole Works · Petition

p. 183A Supplication vntounto the most gracious Prince King Henry. viij.

¶ Grace and peace from God the father of our Sauiour Ieſus Chriſt be with your moſt noble and excellent grace for euer. Amen.

The complaynt of Doctour Barnes made to K. Henry the viij. agaynſt the Lordly Byſhops & Prelates of Englād.IN moſt hūble wiſe cōplaineth vntounto your grace your continuall oratour Robert Barnes, of the intollerable iniuries, wronges, and oppreſſions wherwith certaine Byſhops of your realme vexe and hauehave vexed, contrary vntounto the worde of God, and their ownelawes, and doctors, not onelyonly me, but alſo all true preachers & profeſſors of the ſame, in condemning them for heretickes, as they did me: whiche thing they were not able to proue by the Scripture of God, nor yet ſhall, if it would pleaſe your grace indifferently (according to the office wherein God hath ſet you) to heare the ſmall as well as the great, and to ſuſtaine your poore Orator agaynſt their violence and ſtrength.

God I take to recorde that I am right ſory to make thys complaint vntounto your grace againſt them, if I could coniecture any other meane to cauſe them to redreſſe their intollerable oppreſſions, wherewith they dayly oppreſſe your poore and true ſubiectes, ſo ſore and ſo violently, that without doubt (if your grace ſée not ſhortly a remedy) God muſt néedes puniſhe. For I doe not beléeue that euer hée will ſuffer long ſo great tyranny againſt his worde, and ſo violent oppreſſion of true Chriſten mē, as they doe now vſe, and that in the name of Chriſt and hys holy Church. For verely wée doe not read in any memoryes, that our fathers hauehave left vsus, that euer the people were vnderunder ſo great tyranny, as now your poore ſubiectes bée vntounto thē. Now it is ſo farre come, that what ſoeuer hée bée, hye or lowe, poore or riche, wiſe or fooliſhe, The tyrannous gouerment of the Byſhops of England.that ſpeaketh agaynſt them and their vicious liuing, hée is either made a traytor vntounto your grace, or an hereticke agaynſt holy Church, as though they were Kings, or Gods. This may your moſt excellent grace perfectlye know, if you call to remembraunce thoſe good men that they hauehave had to doe with. Is it not a maruelous court In the Byſhops court no man can be founde Innocent.that they hauehave? wherein there was neuer man accuſed of hereſie, were hée learned or not learned, but they found him gilty? Is not that a maruelous court y^e neuer hath innocentes? What court within your realme may ſay thys againe? And if any mā ſpeak of Gods law and right conſcience, agaynſt thys damnable tyranny, little will they ſtick to make him an heretick. And if that will not helpe (to colour and maintaine their oppreſſion) then adde they treaſon againſt your grace, though hée bée neuer ſo true a ſubiect, and all vnlikly to make any reſiſtaunce, or to thinke any euill vntounto your grace.

Now if it pleaſe your grace, let vsus conſider to what ende this vncharitable and vnrighteous accuſation of the Byſhops, yea rather of y^e diuell is inuented.

Firſt, if there bée any men y^e preach diſpute, or put forth in writing any What ſoeuer is not agaynſt the Clergye, thoughe the ſame be neuer ſo wicked, yet finde they no fault therewith.thing not towching thē, though it bée neuer ſo blaſphemous againſt God, y^e bloud of Chriſt, and his holy worde, they will not once be moued therew^t, the examples thereof are ſo playne y^t it néedeth no proufe. Your grace may ſée what blaſphemous rubrikes they allow againſt y^t bloud of Chriſt, what ſhamefull & abhominable pardōs they they tollerate & admyt, what diſputations they doe mayntaine to proue y^t Pope a God & no man, hauing theſe wordes, That the Pope is neyther p. 184God nor man. And whether y^e Pope In vi. Cap. Quo. in ver … Papa. Diſt. xl. Ca. Si Papa.can ſinne or not? & that no man can condemne the Pope though hée bring innumerable ſoules to hell by his occaſion. Agayne let vsus conſider, that if any mā but once ſpeake agaynſt their cloked ipocriſie, or againſt neuer ſo litle a thing y^t longeth to them by the which their abhominations ſhoulde be diſcloſed. And we ſhall euydently Whoſoeuer ſpeake agaynſt or preache agaynſt any of their abuſes and abhominations, her …ſt nedes bee caught and moſte ſhamefully and cruelly hādled and tormented.perceaue that their can no ſcripture, no place, no maiſterſhip, nor excuſe in the world ſaue, but hée muſt eyther to open ſhame, or cruell death. So that is playne that their cruelnes ſerueth to no other ende, but as they ſhould ſaye, yf that any man wyll take in hād to preache the verety, and the true Goſpel of their Maiſter Chriſt purely wherby thoſe winnings ſhould be deminyſhed, wherwith we mayntayne our honour, our dignity, our worldly promotion, our delicious lyuing, our gorgious apparel, our ſūptuous pallaces, our lordſhips, breifly all things that we vſe to our paſtime & pleaſure ſhould bée manifeſt to all mē, y^e we not only get theſe thinges by falſe fayned holynes in deceyuing and robbing the people of their goodes, but alſo y^e dyſpendyng of them to bée abhomynable, and contrary to the ordynance and worde of God. Now rather then this ſhould come to paſſe, we had leuer No power nor potentae maye hinder the gayne and profites of the Clergygather our ſtrēgth togither & oppreſſe by vyolēce as many as wil hold w^t this learning, bée hée King, Duke, Lorde, Baron, knight, man, womā, or childe. So that by there practiſe it is euident to all that will ſée: that it is they that goe about to make inſurrection to y^t mayntayning of their world ly pompe, and pride, and not the true preacher, for hée entendeth to mayntayne Is y^t falſe preacher is a perſecuter, ſo the true preacher is a ſufferer.nothing, but to bring to light the moſt glorious & heauenly word of God, which by them hath béene darkened and kept vnderunder, and that with ſuffering perſecution, as the nature of the worde is) and not with perſecuting, for he maketh no ſtryuyng (yf bée bée the true preacher of God) nor fighting for this worlde, but ſuffereth the children of the worlde to enioye theſe worldly thinges. Not withſtandyng they are not aſhamed thus falſly to laye it to the preachers charge, and all becauſe they would make your grace to mayntayne their maliciouſnes. So that vnderunder the pretence of treaſon, they myght execute the tyranny of their harts. For who is hée that would bee a traytour, or mayntaine a traytour, agaynſt your moſt excellent and noble grace? I thinke no mā yea & I know ſurely that no man can doe it, without the great diſpleaſure of the eternall God. For S. Paule cōmaundeth ſtraightly vntounto all chriſtians, to bee obedient in all thinges, on this manner: Let eueryevery man ſubmyt Roma. 13.himſelfe to the auctoryte of the higher power. For whoſoeuer reſiſteth the power, reſiſteth y^t ordinaunce of God, And they that reſiſt, ſhall receiue to them ſelues damnation. Alſo S. Peter confirmeth this ſaying: Submit your ſelues vntounto all manner 1. Pet. 2.1 Pet 2of ordinaunce of mā for y^t Lords ſake, whether it be vntounto the king, as vntounto their chiefe head, eyther vntounto Dukes as vntounto them that are ſent of hym for the puniſhment of euell doers, but to the prayſe of them y^e doe well. wherfore The ſcriptures in the common toung teach all obediēce to the rulers, and is not the mouer of ſedition.if eueryevery man had the ſcriptures, (as I would to god they had) to iudge eueryevery mans doctrine, then were it out of queſtion, that the preachers therof, eyther would or could make, or cauſe to bée made any inſurrection againſt there Prince: ſéeyng the ſelfe ſame ſcriptures ſtraytely commaundeth all ſubiectes to bée obedient vntounto their Princes, as Paule witneſſeth, ſaying: warne them (ſayth hée) that they ſubmit them ſelues to Prynces and to powers, & to obey the officers.

Now how cā they that preach and The Goſpell of Chriſt is not y^e cauſe of inſurrection.exhort all men to thys doctrine cauſe any inſurrection, or diſobedience againſt their prince. But let vsus goe further, and conſider the preachers, which onelyonly hauehave preached the word of God, and marke if euer they were occaſion of diſobedience or rebellion agaynſt princes.

Firſt call to mind y^e old Prophets, No Prophet that euer ſtyrred vp the people agaynſt the Prince.and with a ſingle eye iudge if any of thē eyther priuely or apertly ſturred vp the people agaynſt their Princes.

p. 185Looke on Chriſt, if hée ſubmitted not hym ſelf to y^e hye powers: Payde Chriſt ſubmitted himſelfe to the higher powers.hée not tribute for all hée was frée, and cauſed Peter likewyſe to pay? Suffered not hée with all pacience the puniſhmentes of the princes? yea death moſt cruell, although they did hym open wrong, and could finde him gilty in no cauſe.

Looke alſo of the Apoſtles (which both taught and wrote the doctrine of The Apoſtles obeyed the Princes.Chriſt, and in their liuing followed hys ſteppes) and if euer they ſturred by any occaſion the people agaynſt their princes, yea if they themſelues obeyed not to all princes, although the moſt part of them were tyrauntes and infidels.

Conſider likewyſe thoſe Doctors, which purely and ſincerely hath hādled All true preachers teach obedience to the Prince.the worde of God, either in preaching, or writing, if euer by theyr meanes any inſurrection or diſobedience riſe among the people agaynſt their princes: But you ſhall rather finde, that they hauehave béen ready to lay downe their owne heades, to ſuffer with all pacience, whatſoeuer tyranny any power woulde miniſter vntounto them, geuing all people example to doe the ſame.

Now to conclude, if neither the Scriptures, neither the practiſe of the preachers thereof teacheth, or affyrmeth that y^e people may diſobey their princes, or their ordinaūces, but contrarywyſe teacheth all obedience to bée done vntounto them, it is playne that thoſe Byſhops or rather Papiſtes, doe falſely accuſe thoſe true preachers and ſubiectes: which thyng woulde appeare in eueryevery mans ſight, if by their violence, the word of God were not kept vnderunder.

Now is this y^e doctrine that I doe preach and teach, and none other, as concerning thys matter, God I take to recorde, and all my bookes & writinges that euer I wrote or made. And onelyonly I allow and fauour them, whiche furthereth thys doctrine of Chriſt, and of thys I am ſure myne aduerſaries, or rather aduerſaryes to Chriſtes doctrine, muſt beare mée witneſſe.

But now as wée hauehave bréefly touched the doctrine that the true preachers preach to the people, both by worde, writing, and practiſe of them: So let vsus ſomewhat touch y^e doctrine and practiſe of the Pope, and the Papiſticall Biſhops, and then let eueryevery man ſéeke out y^e heretickes, and traytors to their princes.

Firſt, where the preachers onelyonly of the worde of God, preacheth and teacheth all men to obey their princes and their ordinaunces, according to the wordes of S. Peter. There the In 6. Lib. 1. titulo. 33. de matori obedientiae cap. Solite.Pope and the Papiſticall Biſhops, contrary vntounto the minde and facte of Saint Peter, expoundeth S. Peters wordes ſaying: that S. Peter meaned not hym ſelfe, nor his ſucceſſors, The Pope falſifyath the Scriptures.but hys ſubiectes. And by this falſe interpretatiō excludeth him ſelfe with hys, frō all obedience to princes. And yet not ſo content, but craftely drawing all other ſubiectes from the obedience of their princes, ſayth to them alſo, that y^e wordes of S. Peter were not ſpoken as a cōmaundement, but as a counſell.

And by this crafte, if any prince eſpye hys falſehode, and of conſcience goe about to reproue him, then by his The Papiſtes teach diſobedience to Princes.falſe preachers, and maintainers of hym, he lightly withdraweth y^e hartes of the commons from their prince, affirming the cōmaundement of God to bée but a counſell, and at the leaſt wyſe his authoritie to bée ſufficient to diſpence with all y^e cōmaundementes of God. And thus (the people being ignoraunt, becauſe they lacke y^e word of God to iudge eueryevery doctrine by) they delude their wittes.

And if any man that perceaueth their crafte, of very louelove that hée hath to God and hys commaundementes, exhorteth the people to iudge the doctrine of thoſe Papiſtes by the worde of God: Anone they lay hereſie vntounto hys charge, laying for thē there Gods The doctrine of the Papiſt.lawe, ſaying: No man may iudge the Pope, no mā alſo may géeue ſentence aboue hys iudgement, but hée ſhall Diſt. xl. c. Si papa. 9. q. 6. ca. Cuncta. 30. q 1. cap. Ideo permitiudge all men vponupon earth.

Item, the ſeate of Rome géeueth ſtrength and might to all lawes, but it p. 186is ſubiecte to none.

Item, that the ſubiectes may bée diſobedient to their own Lordes, and In 6. Lib. 2. de ſen. & re iudic.that hee may depoſe kinges.

Item, that hée hath authoritie to breake all othes, bondes, and obligations 15. q. 6. cap. Alius.made betwéene any man of hye or lowe degrée.

Item, that the Pope hath power to interprete, declare, and to lay forth 26. q. capit. Quotiensthe holy ſcripture after hys own will, and to ſuffer no man to expound it contrary to hys pleaſure.

Item, that the Pope is a God vponupon In 6. de cōc. preb. ca. Ad Apostolatus in verb. continetur diſt. 40. cap. Si Papa.earth, ouer all, heauenly, earthly, ghoſtly, and worldly, and hée is all hys owne, and no man may ſay to hym, what dooſt thou?

Item, though the Pope were ſo euill, that hée lead innumerable mē by great heapes to hell, yet ſhall no man reproue him therefore.

¶ Now after that they had ſytten in the conſciences of men, with theſe & The ſhameleſſe doings of the Papiſtes.ſuch like abhominable doctrines, and had excluded mē frō y^e ſcriptures, as an vnlawfull thing to hauehave in their mother tonge, leſt they ſhould eſpye their diſceatfulnes: Then as mē paſt ſhame, being both without feare of God and man, ſpared not to put in executiō theſe abhominable doctrines inſomuch that they depoſed openly Princes, and Emperours, yea and aſſoyled all their ſubiectes from the obedience of them, the commaundement of God not regarded. But that my wordes ſhould the better appeare to all men, I ſhall recite ſome of their practiſes, both out of Autēticke crownycles, and out af their owne lawe.

¶ Zacharias did depoſe the king of …5. quest. 6. Alius item.Fraunce, not all onelyonly for his iniquitie, but alſo becauſe he was vnprofitable for ſo greate a power, and ſet t… The ſhamefull arrogā cie and tyranny of the Pope.his …éede Pipinum the Emperours father, and did aſſoyle all Fraunce of their othe and alleagyaunce that they had made …nto the olde king. The which thing, the holy church of Rome doth oftimes, by hir auctorite. &c.

¶ Now would to God your grace earneſtly would looke on this lawe, or at the leaſt, to ſuffer and géeue the worde of God into y^e handes of your ſubiectes to compare the obedience, that theſe men both preache and practice, to it. But fayne would I know of them all, who hath depoſed any king ſyth Chriſtes paſſion, ſauīg they onelye? who will bée kinges felowes, yea and cōtroulers, ſauing they only? Is not this a ſubtile crafte of Antychriſt, to warne other men of heretykes, A caſt of Antichriſt.and of traytours, and in the meane ſeaſon, while men ſtand lokeing fhr traytours, commeth hée in and playeth the parte of an open traytour ſauing onelyonly hée coloureth his name, and calleth himſelfe a true Byſhop, & is ready to accuſe other mē of treaſō, that he might eſcape hymſelfe, but hée is ſure, that hée wil neuer accuſe none of them that ſpeake againſt the auctorite of Princes. But if a man doe beginne but to open his mouth, for to declare that hee hath no temporall power, then rageth hée, and cryeth out, treaſon, treaſon. But let vsus returne to their lawe, & ſée how they can proue it by Gods word, and how it ſtandeth with true ſubiection. Is this reſonable, that the Pope, and Popes take vponupon them the depoſition of kinges.they (being by Gods lawe, but ſubiectes) ſhall depoſe a king? what example have they of our maſter Chriſt or if any of his Apoſtles? what ſcripture hauehave they to helpe them? How dare they bée ſo bolde, as to depoſe a king, which is ordayned of God, yea and by his holy worde, hauing no example, nor ſcripture for them? Be they aboue God & his bleſſed worde? But they will ſay, that the king was a wicked man, I aunſwere the crownicles geue contrary witneſſe, how y^e he was a very good man, and ryght ſimple. And becauſe hée was ſimple, Therefore Pipinus, which had all y^e rule vnderunder him, thought him ſelf better worthy to rule then the king, ſo wrote by a Byſhop, and by his chaplayne vntounto the Pope, & deſireth hym to geue ſentēce, whether he was better worthy to bee king, that had all the paynes and labours, or hée that had no labour & could doe nothing? Now the Pope. to make Pipinum his frend and truſting by that meanes to hauehave p. 187helpe of hym agaynſt the Emperour, with whō hée had then béene at variance, gaue ſētēce with him, & depoſed the other, and made hym a Monke: & that this falſhod ſhould not bée perceiued they fained that y^e king had béene a Mōke afore, called Samuell. This can I proue by good cronicles. Now let your noble grace conſider, if it were right, not onelyonly to depoſe ſuche a king, but alſo to make him a Mōke. Thus hauehave they done w^t other noble kinges, And no doubt, but that ſame or worſe, will they attempt to doe vntounto your grace, if you diſpleaſe them, and at the leaſt they will doe their vttermoſte. Let all the hole rable of thē tell your grace, when a true preacher of Chriſtes Goſpell dyd ſuch a déede? There is no officer that hath néede to bée afrayde of Chriſtes Goſpell, nor yet of the preachers thereof. But of theſe preuye traytours, can no man bée too wary. But let vsus graunt them, that y^e kyng was a wicked man. The Scripture commaundeth vsus, to obey We ought not to depoſe a king though he be wicked.to wicked Princes, and geueth vsus none auctoritye to depoſe them, as their owne gloſe teſtifyeth vponupon this text: Subdeti eſtote. Who was more wicked then Herode? & yet S. Iohn ſuffered death vnderunder hym, who was wyckedder thē Pilate? And yet Chriſt did not put hym downe, But was crucified vnderunder hym. Bréeflye, which of all y^e Princes were good in the Apoſtles dayes? & yet they depoſed none. So that Gods worde and their owne learnynge, and the practiſe of our Maiſter Chriſte, and his holy Apoſtels, are openly agaynſt them. Moreouer their owne gloſe ſayth, that he 1. Pet. 2.1 Pet 2was not depoſed, becauſe he was vnſufficient, but becauſe hée was wanton and lecherous with wéemen. O my Lordes, if you bee not afrayde of the vengeaūce of God, at the leaſt take a litle ſhame of the worlde vntounto you, that hauehave ſo long tyme with ſo great tyranny defended theſe lawes, that bée ſo openly agaynſt Gods ordinaunce, agaynſt Gods word, and agaynſt the common ordinaunce and cōſent of all the world. And this hauehave you done, to the great iniury of noble Princes, to the intollerable ſubduyng of all noble bloud, to the oppreſſion of their true ſubiectes, to the deſtruction of all common wealthes, and finally to the euerlaſtyng damnation of many a Chriſtened ſoule. Tell me by your fayth, doe you beléeue that there is a liuyng God, that is mighty to puniſh his enemies? if you beléeue it, ſay vntounto me, can you deuiſe for to auoyde hys vengeaunce, which bée ſo openly contrary to hys woorde? What aunſwere thinke you to make to hym? Thinke you that hée will ſuffer your worde to be heard, and let his godly word bee deſpiſed? Thinke you, that it will bée ſufficient for you to ſay, that they bée the lawes of holy Churche? Thinke you that hee will bee thus taught of you? Then were it tyme to plucke hym downe, and ſet you vp. Nay my Lordes hée is no childe, nor you ſhall finde it no childes game, thus to trifle and playe with hys holy word, and hys bleſſed ordinaūce, yea and that to the deſpiſing of the maker both of heauen and earth. Say what ye will, ye are not able by no learnyng, to defende this matter, neither afore God, nor yet afore our noble Chriſt and his Apoſtles are the ouerthrowers of the Popes, doctrine.Prince, nor afore any man of learnyng, that will bee true to his prince. For whiche way ſoeuer you turne you, our maſter Chriſt, & all his bleſſed Apoſtles bee agaynſt you, & will openly accuſe you, that you bée cōtrary to their worde, and to theyr déede. Aunſwere you to them, aunſwere not to me. If I hold my peace, they will ſpeake. Nor it will helpe you but litle, to crye after your old maner, hereſie, hereſie, a traytour, a traytour: for now you crye agaynſt your ſelues, & of thoſe thynges. Chriſt and his Apoſtles doe accuſe you. Doe you thinke it with the ordinaunce of God, that you ſhal depoſe a kyng, bycauſe hée lyueth in aduoultry, or is a lecherous man? If you thinke it a lawfull cauſe, why doe you not preach it opēly? why doe you not lay it to kynges charge? Why ſuffer you them to bee kynges, that lyue in aduoultry? Why doe you not put your lawes in executiō? You ſay they bée the lawes of holy church, p. 188and therby may you depoſe Princes. But if you wil put them in execution, then were it much better, to bée a Biſhop, or a Prieſt, thē to be a Kyng, or a Duke. For you may lyue in whoredome, or in any other vngracious lyuyng, yea and that to the deſtruction of many mens ſoules, and yet no mā ſo hardy to reproue you, as your own law doth openly commaunde in theſe wordes. If the Pope doe draw with Dist. ul. Si Papa.hym innumerable people on a heape to the deuill of hell, there to be puniſhed for euer, yet ſhal no mortall man preſume to reproue hys ſinnes, for hée muſt iudge all men, and may bée iudged of no man. &c. Lykewiſe hauehave De hereticis. Cū ex iniuncto. Et ſieut in.you an other law in your Decretals, that no lay mā may reproue a Prieſt. &c. How thinke you by theſe lawes, if they bée not of the deuill, tell me what is of the deuil? You wil both reproue, yea and alſo depoſe Princes, but you will neither bée depoſed, nor yet reproued of any mortall man. What thinke you your ſelues? Gods? But and ye will depoſe Kynges for fornication, how would you handle kyng Dauid? and kyng Salomon? would you depoſe them bycauſe of aduoutry? Dauid. Salomon. Nathan.So doe you more then the Prophet Nathan durſt doe. Briefly will ye bée content that the kyng ſhall depoſe you for fornication, then ſhall we ſhortly bee rydde of the moſt part of you.

But let vsus come to Herode, that Herode.kept his brothers wife, would you depoſe hym therefore? Then doe you more then S. Iohn durſt doe. For hée durſt no more doe, but reproue hys vice, and dare you depoſe hym? But let vsus go forth with your law. What authoritie had y^e Pope & you to ſet Pipinum in that rowme, and not rather to let the kyngdome chooſe thē a king? Our maſter Chriſt ſayd, hys kyngdome was not of this world. But you will bée aboue kinges in this world, & not all onelyonly depoſe them, but alſo ſet in new at your pleaſure. Moreouer by what authoritie did the Pope diſpence with the Realme of their othe? Your law ſayth, that the holy church of Rome is wont ſo to doe. I pray you of whom hath ſhe learned this ſame wont? who hath geuen her this authoritie? The Pope will diſpēce with y^e othe of obedience that ſubiectes make to their prince.Can ſhée diſcharge vsus of our obedience that we owe to our Princes? Is not this of the law of God? Standeth it not alſo with y^t law of nature? Yea doe not Turkes & infidels faythfully obey to their princes? Is not the Princes power of God? & will you depoſe this power? or can you dipēce with this lawe? S. Peter learneth Actuum. 5.you, y^t you are more bound to obeye God and his lawe, then man. but you litle regarde S. Peters ſaying. wherfore what ſay you to your owne 23. q. 5. Regū officium.lawe? whoſe wordes bée theſe? we muſt kéepe vntounto Princes and powers fayth and reuerence. &c. My Lordes here you not fidem and oportet. & how come you with your deſpenſation, for our othe, and ſay, Non oportet, that we are not bound to be obedient to our princes, if you deſpence with vsus. How cā you diſpence with vsus of our othe, ſeing it is againſt Gods lawe? Here may men ſée, what teachers you hauehave béene, and alſo bée toward God and his holy Apoſtles, and towarde your noble Princes. And y^e this thing may bée clearely knowne, I ſhall reſyte an other practyſe of yours.

Our Chronicles make mention, An. 1366.that in the time of Edward the iij. Pope Ʋrban dyd depoſe Perſe King of Spaine, becauſe hée was a vicious liuer, and ſet in hys ſtede one Henry a baſtarde. How thinke you, ſtandeth thys facte with Chriſtes doctrine? Byſhops captaynes of Rebelles againſt the Prince.which of vsus all that preach the Goſpell, hath gone about to doe princes ſuch a villanye? you doe the déede, and laye the blame to vsus. Doe you not remember, how that in the dayes of Henry the iiij, a captayne of your Church, called Richard Scroupe, Archbiſhop of Yorke, dyd gather an hoſte of men, & waged battell againſt hys kyng? but God the defender of hys ruler, gaue the king the victorye, which cauſed y^e traytor to bée beheaded. And then your forefathers with their deuiliſhe crafte, made the people beléeue by their falſe Chronicle, that at eueryevery ſtroke that was géeuē at the Biſhops necke, the kyng receaued an p. 189other of God in his neck. And where as the king was afterward ſtricken with a ſicknes, you made him and all hys ſubiectes beléeue y^e it was Gods puniſhmēt, becauſe hee had killed the Byſhop. And not thus content, but you fayned after hys death, that hée dyd miracles. Is not thys toe much, both to bée traytors to your king? and alſo to faine God to bée diſpleaſed with your king, for puniſhing of treaſon? finally to make hym a ſaint, and alſo that God had done miracles to the defending of hys treaſon? How is it poſſible to inuent a more peſtilent doctrine then thys is? Here is Gods ruler deſpiſed, and hereby is open treaſon maintained? Thinke you that God will ſhewe miracles to fortifie theſe thynges? But no doubt the prouerbe is true, ſuch lippes ſuch lectuſe, ſuch ſaintes ſuch miracles.

Here were many thinges to bée ſayd, but I will paſſe it ouer. I am ſure you doe remember how obediently Kynge Iohn was cruelly handled of the Clergy.you droue King Iohn out of his kingdome? And the very originall of the ſtrife was, becauſe there were iiij. Biſhops of England at variaunce with the kinges grace, and becauſe hée required a dymie of the pyed Mō kes of England, for to maintaine hys warre agaynſt the Iriſhe men, but they would géeue hym none. Wherfore after y^e king had ſped well in Ireland, hée reuenged him of y^e Monkes, and tooke of eueryevery place a certayne. For y^t which thing your forefathers, maintainers of your deuiliſhe doctrine, wrote vntounto their God y^t Pope, and cauſed him firſt to excommunicate the kyng, and afterward to interdicte the land, & gaue it to the French kinges ſonne, which was maintayned through your fathers, and your naturall king compelled to flée into Wales, and there to tarye till y^e time that hée was content to make agréement with your holy Idoll the Pope. The cōditions of y^e agréement were, that hée ſhould firſt géeue xl. M. marke to the iiij. Byſhops, and make reſtitution to the pyed Monkes agayne, and alſo ſhould géeue to Pandolphus the Popes Legate, a great ſumme of money. Finally, hée ſhould bée bound to géeue yearely to the Pope of Rome a certayne great ſumme of money, and hée and all hys ſucceſſors ſhoulde receaue the land of the Pope, and holde it in ſée ferme, and vntounto thys your fathers ſet their hādes & ſeales, binding them ſelues to tompell the Kynge Iohn poyſoned.king to kéepe thys contracte. But yet you were not ſo content, but afterward you found the meanes that this good kyng was poyſoned by a traytorous Monke of Swineſted, becauſe he ſhould ſay, that hée would make a halfepeny loafe worth xx. ſhillinges if hée liued a yeare. For the whiche Abhominable hypocriſie.word your holy Monke was moued, and went and confeſſed hym ſelfe to the Abbot, how that he would poyſon the king for thys, and the one deuill, as good as the other, the holy traytor abſolued the holy murtherer before the déede was done, and for thys holy murtherer is there founded v. maſſes for euer.

This is the bleſſed obedience of your holy Church. How would you cry? how would you yaulpe, if wée There is no ſuch ennemy to a true man as is a theefe.had handled a gentlemans dogge on this faſhion: but you can call vsus poore men traytors, and in the meane ſeaſon, you bring both king & kingdome into ſeruitude and bondage? What is treaſon? if this bée no treaſon? to bring ſo honourable a kinge, and hys lande into ſuch bondage, and compell hym to receiue his naturall and frée kingdome, of ſuch a vyllayne, and lymme of y^e deuell. What can bée ſaid or thought to defend this matter: you hauehave not all onelyonly done wrong to the kinge, but vntounto the yongeſt childe y^e lyeth in the cradell, y^e which by your meanes is bonde. And thinke it not ſufficient, to ſay that it is not your déede: for firſt you are the children of theſe fathers, and you hauehave alwayes alowed this acte. This hath béene blaſed, blowen, preached, and cryed out, and all your bookes full of this matter, and many a true mans bloud hath béene ſhed for ſpeaking agaynſt thys. And yet was there neuer none of you, y^e did euer preach againſt this damnable facte: but with full conſent p. 190with full agréement, both in worde, déede, and in wrytyng, you hauehave alowed this treaſon. Therfore I take you for the auctors, as well as your forefathers. I would not ſpeake how dampnable it is, to inſtitute maſſes, for a willing traytor, and murtherer: there was neuer no learninge that could allow this. But there is no remedy, hée that dyes agaynſt his king, and for the maintayning of your treaſon muſt néedes bée a ſaynt, if maſſes, bleſſinges, and myracles wil helpe, for all theſe bée at your commaundement to geue where you liſt. So that we pore men muſt bée accuſed of inſurrection and treaſon, and we muſt bere al the blame, we muſt bée driuen out of y^e realme, we muſt bée burned for it, and as God knoweth, there is no people vnderunder heauen, that more abhorreth, and with earneſter hart reſiſteth, & more diligenly doth preach agaynſt diſobedience, then we doe. Yea I dare ſay boldely, let all your bookes bée ſerched, that were written this. 500. years, & all they ſhall not declare the auctorite of a prince, and the true obedience towarde hym, as one of our litle bookes ſhall doe, that bee condemned by you for hereſy, and all this will not helpe vsus. But as for you, you may preach, you may wryte you may doe, you maye ſweare, againſt your Princes, and alſo aſſoyle all other men of their obedience towardes their princes. You may compell princes to bée ſworne to you, and yet are you children of obedience, and good chriſten men. And if ye dye for this doctrine, then is there no remedy but you muſt bée ſaintes, and rather then fayle, ye ſhall doe myracles. To proue this, I will tell you of a holy ſaynt of yours, of whom your legend The ſtory of Germaine one of y^e popes Saintes.and cronicles maketh mencyon, hys name, as ye call him is ſ. Germayne. So it chaunced y^e in the tyme of king Ʋortiger he came into England, into a place where the king lay, & deſired for hym & his company lodging. The king becauſe hée kept no cōmō Inne, would not receiue hym. So hée departed very angerly, and went to the kinges Neteherdes houſe, and there deſired lodginge, and meate, and drinke for hym and his companye. The Neteherde was contēt to lodge him, but hée ſayd hée had no meate for hym, ſauyng a yong calfe, that ſtode ſuckyng of the damme by the crybbe. The byſhop commaunded the calfe to bée ſlayne, and to bée dreſt, & brought A worthy miracle for the Popes Saintes.afore hym, and hée and his company eate it vp, and after commaunded the bones of the calfe to bée gathered togither and put in the calues ſkinne agayne, and to bée layde in the cribbe by the damme, and by and by y^e calfe ſtarte vp aliue agayne. The next day the byſhop went to king Ʋortiger, & reprooued him merueilous ſtraightly, becauſe hée would not lodge hym, and ſayde that hée was vnworthey to bée A kyng depoſed by a Saint, and a cowheard ſet vp in his kyngdome.kyng, and therefore depoſed hym, & made his Neteherde kyng in hys ſtede. Of the which Neteherde as y^e cronicles maketh menſion, came afterward many kings. This is writen by one called Petrus de netalibus, the which writeth the liues of all ſaintes I thinke no man will binde mée to proue this thing a lye, but yet it muſt bee preached, & taught in your church it muſt bée writtē in holy ſaints liues, & hée muſt bée a ſaynt that did it, and why? becauſe hée depoſed a king, and ſet in a Neteherde. Theſe ſhamefull and abhominable thinges doe you prayſe, and alowe: and in the meane ſeaſon, condemne vsus for heretickes, and for traytours. And if we chaunce (moued by the abhomynablenes of your doctrine) to geue you but one euyll worde, then all the world rekoneth vsus vncharitable. But as for my parte, I take God to recorde, afore whome I ſhall bée ſaued or damned, that though you hauehave done mée ſhamefull wronge, and intollerable violēce, yet with your owne perſons am I neuer diſpleaſed nor angry: but agaynſt that horrible deuyll y^e dwelleth in you, that is the cauſer, & auctor and mayntayner of ſuch abhominable doctrine, that is againſt God and his bleſſed worde, agaynſt hym (I ſay) is my quarell, and agaynſt hym doe I ſtriue, this is the truth, let men take my wordes as they will. Is it not abhominable, p. 191thinke you, ſo ſhamfully to depoſe princes? ſo to rebuke them ſo to handle them? to compell them to bée ſworne to you? and to holde their lands of you? & to bée your miniſters? to the greate diſhonour of the liuyng God, and blaſpheming of his bleſſed worde, and to the great diſpight of all noble potentates? Ye remember the Iuſt. li. ij. de ſen. & re iuds. ca. ad Apost.facte that is declared in your lawe of the noble Emperour Friderike, and that wretch Innocent the fourth: the thing was this. The Pope by y^e reaſō of certayne complaintes, made by the Fridericke the Emperour depoſed.Emperours enemyes, cited the Emperour to appeare at Rome, and becauſe the Emperour would not appeare, he curſed hym with booke, bell, and candell, and afterwarde depoſed hym, and commaunded the electours to choſe an other. This is the cauſe of your lawe briefely. But your text declareth certayne artycles agaynſt the Emperour, which bée theſe. The firſt Articles alleged againſt Friderike the Emperourthat hée had ſworne to kéepe peace with y^e church of Rome, which oth hée brake, ſayth y^e Pope. The ſecond that hee had done ſacrilege, in takyng 22. Gallyes laden with holy ſpiritual prelates the which would hauehave gone to y^e councell, gathered agaynſt the Emperour in Lugdune. The third, becauſe y^e Emperour was accuſed of certaine articles of hereſye, the which bée not ſet out. The fourth, becauſe that hee had not payed the annuall pencyon for the kingdome of Sicill (Sicill the which the Pope calleth the ſpirituall patrimony of S. Peter) in the ſpace of ix. yeares. For theſe ſame thinges dyd hée depoſe y^e Emperour and pryuate hym of all hys dignity, and aſſoyleth all hys ſubiectes of their othe and obedience, and commaundeth eueryevery man not to obey hym, but all men y^e eyther gaue hym councell, helpe, or fauour, to bée excommunicate & curſed. This is your facte, this is your déede, this is your doctrine, in this learning you bée promoted doctours, & vntounto this learnyng you are ſworne, theſe bookes bée read openly in your vnyuerſities. Marke now, which of vsus twayne bée traytours. Eyther you that doe depoſe Emperours, & kings for ſuch trifles, yea and alſo make a Note here the difference betweene the Papiſtes and Proteſtantes.lawe thereof, and ſwere vntounto it, and compell all other to ſwere vntounto it: or els we, that ſpeake agaynſt it, & ſay y^e you doe wronge both to God, to his bleſſed ordynaunce, and to all noble potentates. For Fyrſte, ye ought to bée vnderunder them, and not they vnderunder you, & more can you not doe but repreue by Gods worde their vnlawfull factes, but to depoſe them though they bée infydelles, and heretickes, hauehave you none authoritye. Ye ſée howe our maſter Chriſt, and all hys bleſſed Apoſtles did vſe them ſelues towarde vnbeléeuyng Princes, they neither depoſed them, nor yet cauſed them to bee ſworne vntounto them. What a matter is it to depoſe an Emperour, bicauſe hée layeth handes of a carnall Cardinall? Is not Paule and Peter, as holy as all the College of you? And yet for laying handes of them was no mā depoſed. What and if hée kéepe no peace? is that a ſufficiēt cauſe to depoſe hym? your owne law teſtifieth otherwiſe. The holy church xxxiij. q. q. Inter haec.of God hath no ſworde, but the ſpirituall ſword, with the whiche ſhe doth not kill, but quicken. Lykewiſe in an xxiij. q. viij Conuenter.other place, bleſſed S. Ambroſe ſayth, willyngly will I neuer forſake you, but if I bee cōpelled I may not reſiſt, I may ſorow, I may wéepe, I may wayle. Agaynſt weapons, agaynſt ſouldiers, agaynſt the Gothans, my teares are my weapons. For ſuch thynges bée the defence of a Prieſt, otherwiſe ought I not, nor may not reſiſt. &c. Bleſſed S. Ambroſe durſt not depoſe the Emperour, neither for laying hand of him, nor yet for hereſie, neither for defendyng the liberties of holy Church. But S. Ambroſe was a ſimple foole, & knew not what the liberties of the Church ment, nor yet what the holy ſpirituall fleſhe of Cardinals is worth, and therfore hée could do nothing, but wéepe & wayle. But & if hée had béene halfe ſo wiſe, as I read of a certaine Biſhop of Saliſbury was, hée had done more in The hauty mynde and loftie courage of a Byſhop.this matter.

In the tyme of kyng Richard the ſecond, it chaūced a baker of London p. 192to beare horſebread in a baſket, and there came a ſeruaunt of the Byſhop of Saliſbury, and tooke by violence a loafe frō hym. The baker aſked why hée dyd ſo, & hée made hym none aunſwere, but brake his head, & the pore felow cryed for helpe againſt this violence, whereby the people were moued in the ſtrete to come out, & kéepe the kinges peace, ſo that the Byſhops ſeruaunt was compelled to flye into a houſe: Neuertheleſſe the people moued at this great violence, cauſed the Conſtable to come for to take hym, & to bryng him to priſon, but anone the Maior and the Shriues came and pacified the multitude, and ſo departed, & did the Byſhops ſeruaunt no more hurt. Notwithſtandyng the Byſhop The pacience of Biſhops are ſoone turned to wrath.of Saliſbury, and the Archbyſhop of Yorke were ſo moued with the Citie, for makyng an aſaute to the Biſhops houſe, that they made ſuch a cōplaynt to the kynges grace, that hée put the Maior, and both the Shriues out, and ſet in a Knight called Syr Edward, to rule y^t Citie, and all this was done for a horſeloafe. What ſhall a mā ſay to the pacience of theſe ſpiritual men? They doe open violence, they breake the kynges peace, they robbe men of their goodes, yea & that in the kynges chamber, and alſo in the kynges hygh ſtrete, to the great diſdayne of iuſtice, to the rebuke of the kyng, and to the great diſpeaſure of his ſubiectes, and yet they can packe the matter ſo, that they bée white ſonnes, and other men muſt ſuffer for it. I can beléeue none otherwiſe, but that they hauehave witched the worlde, that men could neither heare nor ſée. For if this bée not a ſhamefull fact, I can not tell what is ſhamefull. It had becommed them a great deale better, to hauehave puniſhed their ſeruaūt in example of all other. But that was neuer the wont of the ſpirituall Churche, and yet they will accuſe all other men of inſurrection, but I dare ſay there was no rebellion in this Realme this v. C. yeares, if the kyng had diſpleaſed them, but they were at the begynnyng of it. We doe read in the time of kyng Henry the ſecond, that hée required of his ſpirituall Henry the ſecond.Byſhops, that none of them ſhould departe out of y^t land, but they ſhould finde hym ſureties, that they ſhould purchaſe nothyng, to the hurt of the kyngs perſon, & his Realme. But the ſpirite of the ſpirituall fathers would not agrée to it, but rather founde the meanes, that Pope Alexander the Alexander the thyrd.thyrd (the whiche was an vſurper of the ſea of Rome) condemned this article for hereſie, and afterward one of the Biſhops (but agaynſt his will) dyed for this, and ſuch lyke articles mo, and you declared him a ſtynkyng martyr, but of this holy martyr, I wil ſpeake more an other time. If this bée obedience to Princes, to intende and The true occaſions & matters that ſtyrre vp inſurrection agaynſte Princes.purpoſe to betray them, and their Realmes, then are ye the beſt obedient children that euer were. But if makyng of diſſention, debate, and ſtrife, & ſettyng men togither by the eares, aſſoylyng men of their othe towarde their Princes, may be cauſe of inſurrection, and treaſon: then are ye the maſter of all maſters, and the beſt conueyers of all iugglers. What true Engliſhe hart would thinke, but that the kynges requeſt was both godly & lawfull? what learnyng is able to defende the contrary? Standeth it not with our fidelity that we owe toward our Prince? yea with the truth that we owe to our father and mother? to our brethren and ſiſterne? and to all our coūtrey men? Doth not our othe made to our Prince, bynde vsus to it? & yet you will not agrée to it: but all your bookes muſt rather bee fulfilled with contrary doctrine, and all men muſt bée cōdēned for heretickes, that ſpeaketh agaynſt thē. Beleeue me, if I were your mortall enemy (as you reken me to bee, and as you hauehave wel deſerued, that I ſhould bée) I could ſo ſet out this matter, that all mē ſhould ſpytte at you: but I will vſe my ſelfe charitable toward you, and if the matter had not béene ſo haynouſly, and ſo violently hādled of you, I would not hauehave geuen you one ill woorde. But now let no man require of me, that I ſhould (vntounto ſuch an abhominable & deteſtable deuill, as hath brought in this wicked and ſhamefull learnyng p. 193and maners) put of my cappe, & make low curteſie, and geue fayre wordes, and ſay: God geue you good morow ſyr deuill, how fare you? I am glad of your welfare, and proſperity, your Lordſhip doth rule very graciouſly, and all men prayſeth you. I doubte not but God ſhall proſper you. I ſay, let no man require this of me: for I am, and will bée ſo taken, for his mortall enemy, wherſoeuer I doe finde hym, whether hée bée Lord, or Byſhop, ſauing peraduenture, if I ſpye hym dwelling in a Byſhoppe, I wyll not hādle him with ſo rough wordes, for the weaknes of certayne men, as I would, if I founde him in an other place. It were not vncharitable, if I recited here by name the innocent bloud, that you hauehave ſhed in my time, for the ſpeaking againſt your vnlawfull doctrine. Alas what fault coulde ye ſinde in good mayſter Bylney, whō ye hauehave caſt away ſo violently? I dare Maſter Bylney.ſay, there is not one among you (that knew hym, but muſt commende and prayſe his vertuous lyuinge. And though you had founde him with a litle faulte (the which I thinke, and hée were now aliue, ſhould be no faulte) alas would you caſt away ſo cruelly, ſo good a man? and ſo true a mā? both to God, and to his kyng? But I will returne agayne to my purpoſe, and ſhewe an other example, how you hauehave learned, and taught to ſet kings and kingdomes togither by y^e eares, for the maintenance of your dignities and doctrines.

Pope Ʋrban the vj. which was choſē in the yeare of our Lord 1378. Iohan Froſ. in Croni. ſuis.by ſedition, & violence of Romaines, which would hauehave no Cardinall of Fraunce, becauſe they woulde the Pope ſhoulde bee reſident in Rome. This Ʋrban (I ſay) deuiſing how to mayntaine his ſecte and part agaynſt his aduerſary, which was called Clement, of whoſe ſide y^e kyng of Fraūce helde, ſent to the kyng of England, Ed. the 3. (the which as than was not well content with the Frenche kyng) certayne Bulles contaynyng cleane remiſſion a poena & a culpa, for all them that would wage battayle againſt the kyng of Fraunce, & againſt them that were of Clementes ſide. And becauſe the kyng and his Lords Pope Clemēt againſt Pope Ʋrbane, and Ʋrbane againſt Clement, eche defiyng and curſing other.ſhoulde bée the willinger to take battayle on them, hée ſent a commaundement to the Byſhops, to rayſe of the ſpiritualtie a taxe, for to pay the ſouldiours wyth. Moreouer becauſe the Duke of Lancaſter had a tytle to the kyngdome of Caſtell, the which helde of Clementes ſide: therefore y^e Pope graunted, that part of this money ſhould alſo bée deliuered to hym, if hée would wage battayle agaynſt y^e kyng of Caſtell, promyſing hym alſo, that hée would ſtyrre the kyng of Portyngale (which than had alſo varyaunce with the ſayde kyng of Caſtelll) to warre agaynſt the ſayd kyng, and to the mayntaynyng of his warre, hée would graūt y^t kyng of Portyngale a demy of his ſpiritualty thorow all his Realme. How much was gathered in Portyngale, our ſtories maketh no menſion: but in London, and in the dioceſe was gathered a tūne of golde, and in the whole realme of England was gathered xxv. C. M. frankes, whiche makes in Engliſhe money. CC. lxxvij. M. vij. C. lxxvij. …. And becauſe this money was gathered of y^e ſpiritualitie, and by their diligence therefore the Pope ordayned Henry Spenſer the Byſhop of Norwych to bée the chiefe captayne of this warre: but or euer the Pope coulde brynge this matter to paſſe, he ſent to y^e king, to his Lordes, and to his Byſhoppes xxx. Bulles: So that at the laſt, thys foreſayd Byſhop of Norwyche was ſent foorth with a greate number of men, in the wages of the Church, And the Duke of Lankeſter likewiſe agaynſt the kyng of Caſtell. Theyr oth was geuen them, to fight agaynſt no man, nor countrey that helde with Pope Ʋrban. And our chronicle ſaith, that Pope Ʋrban would hauehave made peace betwene the Frēch king, and ours at the laſt. How thinke you? Popes the ſtyrres vp and procurers of warre and deſtruction of people & countreys.is not this a pretie practiſe, to ſet men together by the eares? and than to make them beleeue, that he woulde make a peace? Fyrſt we muſt hauehave cleane remiſſion to fight, and thā wée p. 194ſhall bée curſſed as blacke as a potte, if wée will make no peace, And why? becauſe the Pope hath hys purpoſe.

Is not this a goodly packyng of ſpirituall men? Is not here goodly obedience taught toward Princes? Bée not mens ſoules well fed wyth thys doctrine? Bée not theſe good fathers, that thus watcheth nyght and daye, for y^t cure and charge, that they hauehave of mens ſoules? Marke how charitable, and liberall that the holy Fathers bée, in diſtributing of Chriſtes merites? EueryEvery man that fighteth in his cauſe, ſhall hauehave cleane remiſſion a pena, & a culpa, and muſt néedes bée the childe of ſaluation. Let Chriſt ſay and doe what hée can, for the holye Church hath ſo determined. And that no man ſhoulde doubt of it, there bée xxx. Bulles graunted, and that vnderunder leade. And the Church of Rome Diſt. xix. Si. Ro. & enim vero & nul ifaſ. & ca. Sic omnes.can not erre, for the ſpirituall lawe ſayth: what the ſea of Rome doth approue, that muſt néedes bée allowed: and that, that ſhe reproueth muſt bée of no ſtrength. Likewiſe in an other place: So muſt the decrées of the ſea of Rome bée accepted, as though they were ſpoken by the godly voyce of Peter hymſelfe.

Agaynſt theſe thinges dare I not ſpeake, for I would fayne bee taken for a Chriſten man: but yet I muſte bee ſo bolde to ſpeake one worde, the truth is, the deuill himſelfe hath blowen out theſe preſumptuous voyces. And yet mē muſt ſet both life, & ſoule on theſe wordes. For there bée xxx. Bulles of leade, to confirme the matter. And that is a weightye thynge. But when kyng Iohn, our naturall prince, ſhoulde hauehave had of the pyed Mōkes, for the defēce of this realme, but a ſmall ſumme of money. Than was there neuer a Bull to gette, nor yet one Byſhop in Englād, to preach on his ſide: But now CC. M. pound gathered in one Lent, and a greate deale more, & for the maintainaūce of y^e pope his holy fleſh. Was not this a marueilous ſubiectiō? that we ſhould ſuffer our ſelues ſo lightly to bée moued, to geue, not onelyonly ſo greate a ſūme of money? but alſo to ſend forth, in the defence of ſuch a wicked perſon, our naturall brethren, kinſemen, and countreymen? I dare ſay of my conſcience, that in fiue hūdred yeares, there was not ſuch a ſumme of money ſo lightly graunted, (were the cauſe neuer ſo great) vntounto our right naturall, and lege Lord. Ye I doe beléeue, that if the kynges grace at this ſame day, ſhould deſire of y^e ſpirituality, but halfe of this ſumme, I dare ſay How ready the ſpiritualtie is is to helpe the Pope.they wold neuer graūt him with their good will, nor there ſhoulde not bée found one Diuine in England, of the holy Popes Churche, that could and would proue by good Diuinitie, that the kyng might take it, and the ſpiritualitie were bounde to geue it.

Alas, what ſhall I ſay? beléeue me, I doe want wordes, to y^e ſettyng out of this matter: where is natural affectiō? where is naturall louelove? where is fidelitie? where is truth of hart, that men ought to hauehave, and to beare toward their naturall Prince? toward their natiue countrey? toward their fathers and mothers? toward their wiues and childrē? yea toward their liues? God of his infinite goodneſſe hath geuen vsus a noble Prince, to the maintaynyng and defence of all theſe thynges, and toward hym we hauehave litle or none affection. But vntounto this idole of Rome, are we ready to geue both body, and goodes, and the more we geue, the better we are content. Was not this a merueilous poueryſhyng to this Realme? to ſende out ſo many thouſandes? and to receiue nothyng agayne? but deceitfull Bulles? and ſhéepes ſkynnes? and a litle péece of leade? yea and worſt of all, to make men beléeue, that their ſaluation dyd hange on it? I dare ſay boldly, that if we poore men (which bée now condē ned for heretickes, and alſo for traytours againſt our kyng) had not béen, the Realme of England had not ſtād in ſo good a condition as it is, for men had béene bounde ſtill in their conſcience, What profite England hath by the Goſpell.for to obey this wretched idole. Who durſt hauehave kept y^e innumerable ſumme of money, within the realme, y^e yearely was ſucked out, by this adder, if our godly learnyng had not inſtructed p. 195their conſcience? Let all the Liberaries bée ſought in Englād, and there ſhall not be one booke writtē in. iiij. C. yeares, and (admitted by the Church of Rome, and by our ſpiritualtie) founde, that doth teach this obedience, and fidelitie toward Princes, and deliuereth our Realme, from the bondage of this wicked Sathan the pope, or els that is able to ſatiſfie, and to quiete any mans conſcience within this Realme: and yet I dare ſay, hée is not in Englād, that cā reproue our learnyng, by the doctrine of our maſter Chriſt, or els of his holy Apoſtles. Yea mē hauehave ſtudyed, and deuiſed how they might bryng our mighty Prince, and his noble Realme, vnderunder y^e féete of this deuill. There could bée nothyng handled ſo ſecretly within this Realme, but if it were, either pleaſaunt, or profitable to the Pope to know, then were all the Byſhops in England ſworne, to reuelate that matter to him. This may bee wel proued, by their ſhamefull, & trayterous oth, that they contrary to Gods law, mans law, and order of nature) hauehave In. vi. lib. ij. tit. de iure iurando c. Ego Epiſcopus.made to this falſe man, the Pope. The wordes of their othe, written in their owne law, be theſe.

I Byſhop. N. frō this houre forth, ſhalbe faithfull to S. Peter, to the holy The othe of the Byſhops made to the pope.Church of Rome, and to my Lord the Pope, to his ſucceſſours, lawfully entryng into the Popedome. I ſhall not conſent in counſell, nor in déede, that hée ſhoulde loſe either lyfe, or lymme, or that hée ſhould bée taken in any euill trap. His councell, that ſhall bée ſhewed vntounto me, either by hym ſelfe, or els by his letters, or by his Legates, I ſhall open to no man, to hys hurt, or damage. I ſhall helpe to defend & mayntaine the Papacie of the Church of Rome, the rules of the holy fathers (ſauyng myne order) agaynſt all men liuyng. I ſhall come to the Councell, when ſoeuer I bée called, onles I bée lawfully let. The Popes Legate I ſhall honorablye entreate, both goyng, and commyng, & in his neceſſities, I ſhall helpe him. I ſhall viſite yearely, either by myne owne proper perſon, or els by ſome ſure meſſenger, the ſea of Rome, onles I bée diſpenſed with. So helpe me God, and this holy Euangeliſt.

There hath béene wonderous packing vſed, and hath coſt many a thouſand mens liues, ere that the ſpiritualitie brought it to paſſe, that all they ſhould bée ſworne to the Pope, & owe none obedience to any man, but to him onelyonly. This matter hath béene wonderous craftely conueyed, for at the beginnyng the Biſhops were not ſworne ſo ſtraitely vntounto the Pope, as now. For I doe read in the tyme of Iſidorus in Decretis Gregoris mi noris c. In nomine.Gregory the thyrd, which was in the yeare of our Lord. vij. C. lix. how their othe was no more, but to ſweare for to kéepe the fayth of holy Church, and to abide in the vnity of the ſame, and not to conſent for any mans pleaſure to the contrary, to promiſe alſo to ſéeke the profites of the Church of Rome. And if any Byſhops did lyue agaynſt the olde ſtatutes of holy fathers, with him they ſhould hauehave no conuerſation, but rather forbidde it, if they coulde, or els trewly to ſhewe the Pope of it. This othe cōtinued a The Pope chaungeth the biſhops oth, as oftē as it maketh for his profite.great many of yeares, tyll that a mortall hatred ſprang betwene the Emperour, and the Pope, for confirming of Byſhops, than as many Byſhops as were confirmed of the Pope, did ſweare the othe, that I hauehave firſt written. For this othe, that Gregory maketh mention of, was not ſufficient: becauſe that by it, the Byſhops were not bounde to betray their Princes, nor to reuelate their counſelles to the Pope. The which thing y^e pope muſt néedes know, or els hee coulde not bring to paſſe his purpoſe, that is to ſay, he coulde not bée Lord ouer the worlde, and cauſe Emperours, and kynges, to fetch their confirmation of him, and to knéele downe, and kiſſe his féete. The which when hée had broght to paſſe, hée procéeded farther, Firſte kynges hee brought w^t violence vnderunder the Popes foote, & then Byſhops bee ſworne to maintaine it.adding more thinges in the Byſhops othe, to the maintayning of his worldly honour and dignitie, as it ſhall afterward appeare. But firſt wée wyll examine this othe, how it ſtandeth with Gods worde, and with the true obedience to our prince. I pray you p. 196tell me out of what Scripture, or els out of what example of our mayſter Chriſt & his holy Apoſtles, you hauehave takē this doctrine, to learne to ſwere to Saint Peter? or els to the Church of Rome? or els to the Pope? What néede you to ſweare to Saint Peter? ye cā neither doe hym good by your fidelitie, nor yet hurt by your falſhode. Othes be taken, that hée that the othe is made vntounto, might bée ſure of the true helpe, and ſuccour of hym that ſweareth, agaynſt all men that could hurte hym.

Now Saint Peter hath none enymies, and though hée had, yet is not hée afearde of them, neyther can you helpe hym, nor deliuer hym, if hée had néede. But the verytie is, that good S. Peter muſt here ſtand in the fore frunt, to make men afrayde with, and to make men beléeue that you are his frendes: but God knoweth, that you neyther fauour his perſon, lrarnyng nor lyuyng For if S. Peters perſon were here with his nette on his necke, I thinke you would bid hym walke beggar, if you called him not heretik. Why doe you not ſweare to folowe hys lyuing? and to preach and teach his doctrine? but that maketh nothing for your purpoſe. Therefore you ſwerre all onelyonly to S. Peters name. But wherein wyll you bée faythfull to S. Peter? to mayntane his worldly honours? dignities? or riches? you know well, hée ſayth, that hée hath forſaken all theſe thinges for Chriſtes ſake: & And for theſe thinges, I thinke hée will require none othe of you. Wherfore if you will néedes bée faythfull, & ſworne vntounto S. Peter, it muſte bée in mayntayning, and in defending ſpirituall thynges, as preaching of Chriſtes Goſpell purely, and ſincerely, mynyſtring truelye after the inſtitution of our maſter Chriſt, y^e bleſſed ſacramentes of holy church, and in vertuous lyuyng, geuing example to the holy church of Chriſte. But now if this bée your othe, truely you are periured, & worthy to weare papers, for you doe reken your ſelues to hye, and to honorable, to goe aboute ſuch ſimple thinges, as theſe bée. And therfore you hauehave applyed your ſelues, to The holy workes of Byſhops.other greater matters, as to chriſtening of belles, to halowing of churches, to bleſſing of candels, to conſecrating of holy oyle, to halowing of chaleſies, veſtementes, and aulters, and to geuing 40. dayes of pardon, to them that receiueth your bleſſings in the ſtreate, and to ſome that viſyte holy ſaintes, & ſuch like greate matters, which partayneth nothing to your othe. wherefore I doe recken, y^e after the true forme of your othe, we hauehave but few byſhops, but y^e bée periured or abiured (call it as you will) both againſt God, agaynſt S. Peter, and againſt their prince. It foloweth And to the holy church of Rome what néedeth this? what good can you doe to y^e holy church of Rome. Or what profyte is it to her, that you ſweare? where is any requeſt of her in holy ſcripture that you ſhoulde ſweare? Thinke you that ſhe will compell you by your othe to bée true to her? then muſt ſhee néedes ſue you of periurie if you breake your othe. But marke how y^e church of Rome is ſet in your othe. as the better perſon, before the Pope. wherefore it muſt néedes followe, that y^e Pope is vnderunder y^e church, and leſſe then the church, and no hed of the church, except you will make hym a third perſon, that neither pertayneth to S. Peter nor yet to holy Churche: but is a thyng of him ſelfe, and as your law ſayth: neither God, In Prohe. vi. ca. Quoni. in verbo Papa.nor man, but middle betwéene them both, that is as much to ſay, after my learnyng, as the deuill hym ſelfe.

But what meaneth it, that you ſweare onelyonly to the holy Churche of Rome? will you bée traytours to the holy Church of Conſtātinople? or els to the holy Churche of England? Or doe you thinke other Churches not holy? tell vsus what you meane? for it ſéemeth a marueilous thyng, and alſo a ſpeciall thyng, that you make ſuch an othe all onelyonly to the holy Church of Rome, naming none other church. Why are you not rather ſworne to kéepe? and to féede? to noriſh? and to bée true to your owne Church? of the p. 197which you hauehave taken cure & charge? As S. Peter commaundeth you: Sée 1. Pe…. 5.that you féede Chriſtes flocke, which is among you. For of theſe you hauehave taken your name, lyuyng, and dignitie. You are called Byſhop of Wincheſter, of London, and of Lyncolne, And of theſe you are fed, but theſe bée forgotten in your othe, and theſe you litle regarde, but to mayntayne the holy Churche of Rome, that geueth you neuer a peny, but robbeth all other Churches, you muſt bée ſtraitly ſworne. And why? Antichriſt muſt hauehave a cloke for his treaſon. For now if hée bée a traytour, hée is to bée excuſed, Byſhop Fiſher otherwiſe called B. of Rocheſter. anſwered that hee was ſworn to y^t Pope, and therefore hee woulde not ſweare to y^e kinges ſupremacye.why? for hée is ſworne to it. But ſhall I tell you what I doe take out of it? The truth is, that you ſweare, to betray, to kil, and ſlay all members of all other Churches, ſauyng thoſe, that liueth after the whoredome, and miſchief, that is vſed in Rome. For if you ſhould bee bounde to ſéeke out in Rome, Chriſtened men, and thoſe that doth liue after the liuyng of holy church, I thinke you ſhould finde but few. Yea and vntounto thoſe, you would thinke ſcorne to bée ſworne, Ergo, it muſt folow, that you are ſworne to the worſt ſort of Rome, and that your holy Churche of Rome is taken for ſuch a ſorte, as liueth agaynſt God, agaynſt his bleſſed worde, agaynſt the liuyng of holy Apoſties, agaynſt the cōditiōs of our holy mother y^e church. I could ſay, in all whoredome, in all oppreſſion, in all Sodomytrie, in all murther, in all pōpe, & pride, ſumma ſummarum, in all maner of miſchief, what toung cā tell, or hart can thinke. But I will not ſay ſo, for men would reken me vncharitable, and to vehement. Neuertheleſſe all the worlde knoweth, that you doe recken your ſelfe, by the vertue of your oth, boūde to no men: but vntounto ſuch, as in very déede, liueth after this vngracious maner: and yet will you bée faithfull, and true vntounto them agaynſt all men. Yea I dare ſay, if that their conſcience had A true deſcription of the leudnes of the Byſhops of Rome.not cōdemned them of ſuch miſchief, they would neuer hauehave deſired this aſſiſtence of you, or els hauehave thought it neceſſary to hauehave required an othe of you. But the veritie is, they bée naught, and hauehave néede of mayntainers in their miſchief. And alſo ſuſpect you, not to bée true, except you made an othe to them, yea and ſcarſly then, onles that you in very déede, at tyme and place conuenient, doe betray your Princes, for that is y^e cauſe of your othe, and other profite hath not the kyng by it. I will bée reported by all practiſe that euer came out of your othe.

It foloweth, And to my Lord the How commeth the Pope by the name of Lord.Pope. I would gladly learne, where the Pope hath got the dignitie of a Lord. This thyng is litle regarded of my Lordes the Byſhops, to bryng in ſuch a worldly dignitie, yea they will ſay, it is but a trifle, and mocke men for ſpeaking agaynſt it. But the truth is, if they durſt as much now, as in times paſt, they would burne for this litle trifle, the beſt Lord in England. For I dare ſay, it hath coſt many a mans lyfe, or euer they brought the Pope to Lordſhyp. Bleſſed S. Peter (whoſe ſucceſſour the Pope boaſteth him ſelfe to bée) knew nothing of this Lordſhyp, for bée ſayth vntounto hys felowes, 1. Pet. 5.1 Pet 5they ſhall not exerciſe no Lordſhyp ouer the congregation. And likewiſe S. Paule durſt not take vppon 2. Cor. 8.2 Cor 8him to commaunde, as a Lord, collections to bée made for poore men, but mekely deſires thē without any Lordſhyp. Alſo in an other place: Let no 1. Cor. 4.1 Cor 4man iudge vsus, but as the Miniſters of Chriſt. Bleſſed S. Paule rekeneth him ſelfe but a miniſter, & a ſeruaunt: And yet y^e day hath béene, that he was ſo good, as my Lord the Pope. Our maſter Chriſt, that came to teach both Peter, and Paule, learned his Diſciples Math. 20.Matt 20not to vſe thē ſelues as Lordes, but as ſeruauntes. And marke the occaſion that hée had.

There bée two newe Diſciples brought vntounto him, and the old (beyng not yet perfite) thought ſcorne, that theſe two ſhould ſit aboue all other, y^e one of the right hand, and the other of the left hād: But our maſter Chriſt reproueth this proude ſtomacke of theirs, very ſtraitely, ſaying: How y^e Princes & rulers of the infidels hath p. 198power ouer their ſubiectes, but ſo ſhal not ye. For hée that will bée greateſt amōg you, ſhal bée leaſt. Here our maſter Chriſt learneth none hypocriſie, that they ſhold bée called leſt in name, and bée greateſt in very déede: but hée will that this doctrine ſhalbée expreſſed in their déedes. My Lord the pope, calleth him ſelfe in woordes, the ſeruaunt of all ſeruauntes: but in very déede hée wil bée Lord ouer all Lords. Seruus ſeruorum.Yea and my Lordes Byſhops, will bée ſworne to hym, as vntounto a Lord, & they wil reken them ſelues periured, if they burne not all them, that will take the Pope but for a ſeruaunt. Is not this a marueilous hypocriſie? to The Pope is a monſtrous hipocrite.bée called ſeruaunt of all ſeruauntes? and yet deſire for to bée taken as Lord and Kyng ouer all Kynges? Yea and vntounto this bée our Byſhops ſworne, becauſe they wil bée obedient to their Princes. But and their conſciences were rypped, you ſhould finde no mā ſit there as a Kyng, but my loſell the Pope. And we poore men muſt bée cō demned, for reprouyng of this. And why? Ʋerely becauſe my Lords hauehave ſworne to hym, agaynſt their Prince, and all his true ſubiectes.

But howe ſtandeth it with your othe toward your Prince, for to bée ſworne to the Pope? which is not all onelyonly an other Lorde: but alſo contrary, yea and as the worlde now is the greateſt mortall ennemy, that our Prince hath. For I dare ſay, that if What good minde Clement the Pope bare vntounto kyng Henry the viij.this wretched Clemēt could drowne our noble Prince with one worde, it ſhoulde not bée longe vndone, ſine Clementia. The common ſayinge went in Hamburgh, that this caytyfe hath not al onelyonly excōmunicated our noble prince, but alſo geuen away the kingdome to an other. And this facte muſt you defende, for you are ſworne to y^e Pope. Yea I dare ſay, if you had conuenient occaſion, you would declare your fidelitie. I doe Iudge after your factes, that you hauehave done to kinges in tymes paſt, whenſoeuer that you had power & might to bring to paſſe y^e which you hauehave conceiued agaynſt your Prince. If you thinke I iudge a myſſe, or els doe you wrong. let me bée put to my proofe, and you ſhall ſée, what an heape of holy factes y^e I will bring you out of your own chronicles and bookes, for the which you will bée lauded, and prayſed hyely, that you hauehave ſo faythfully ſtucke vntounto this dā nable Idole of Rome. Yea I dare ſay it had béene hereſie within this two yeares, to hauehave written, or ſayd thus much agaynſt the lymme of the deuyll on our princes ſide. This all y^e worlde can teſtefye, wherefore I thinke you will put me to no tryall. But to your othe. Howe doth it ſtand with your allegyance toward your prince, to bee ſworne to the Pope? your owne lawe ſayth, that a lege man can make none In. 6. lib. 2. de ſenten. et re iudicata. ca. pastoralis in verbo homo que .othe of fydelytye, to none other man, but to his owne kinge.

Moreouer you doe remēber your othe made vntounto your prince, wherein you doe renounce all clauſes, wordes and ſentences, made vntounto the Pope, which may bée hurtfull or preiudiciall to his highnes. How agréeth theſe ij. othes? you may ſet them togither as well as you cā: but I know no waies Excuſe the Byſhops periurie who can.to auoyde your periury. For the very truth is, that the kinges grace, and his councell, conſidering your othe made to the Pope, to bée periudiciall to his regall power, cauſeth you, in your othe afterwarde made vntounto him to reuoke thoſe thinges that you hauehave afore ſworne to y^e Pope, & to declare that his grace & his counſell did reckon your othe made to y^e pope to bée againſt him, therfore he maketh you to reuoke it by name, naming the ſame othe, & alſo the ſame Pope. So that you may clearely perceiue, how that our prince doth ſuſpect you, for your Byſhops be aſſoyled of their oth towarde their prince, but neuer from othe made to the Pope.othe making. And in very déede, the popes meaning & yours was none other: but for to betray y^e king and his realme. And therfore as ſoone as there was any variance, betwéene y^e king & y^t pope, thē were you firſt of all, aſſoyled of your allegyance dew vntounto our king, and that abſolucion, was blaſen and blowen, preached, and taught, throughout all the world, & all dores and poſtes muſt bée decked with papers and bulles, for your diſcharge. But for to helpe your Prince, you could neuer bée diſcharged of your hereticall, p. 199& trayterous othe made vntounto the Pope, agaynſt your Prince. Here neither Peter nor Paule can helpe, nor there is no key y^e can open that locke.

O Lord God how hauehave we beene blynded thus trayterouſly to handle our naturall Prince? But how this Caterpiller is come to bée a Lorde, and hath brought kinges vnderunder hys féete, I will ſpeake (God willyng) after this in a peculiar treatyſe. It foloweth, and to his ſucceſſours, lawfully and regularly entryng in. After what lawe? I reade in your owne Di. 23. Qui epiſcepus ex conſilio. 4. Cartha.bookes of law, after which me thinketh there bée very few byſhops made wherein I finde among all other good thinges, that hée ſhoulde bée chaſte of lyuyng, méeke, gentle to ſpeake to, mercyful, wel learned in y^t new & olde teſtamēt, and y^e we ſhoulde not forbyd maryage, nor ſhould blame the eating of fleſhe, and ſhould alſo beléeue, that all maner of ſynnes, as well actuall, as original, bée clerely forgeuē in baptyſme. How many of theſe things the Popes holines is indewed with all, and how many hée aloweth, his owne bookes, and déedes wil teſtelie. Wherfore I recken that your othe doth not meane this laws, nor yet y^e lawe that bleſſed S. Paule writeth of. For then I recken, that by the vertue of 1. Timo. 3. Tit. 1.Titus 1your othe, you hauehave not béene bound to one Pope this 400. yeares, ſo that it muſt folowe, that you hauehave other lawes, then bleſſed S. Paule ſpeaketh of, or the councell of Charthaginence to choſe your Pope by: the which as farre as men can recken, by common experience, and practice, bée theſe,

In primis, Hee that ſhall bée able to Who is lawfull to be Pope.bée Pope, muſt bée a vēgeable tyraūt, neuer kéepeing peace, but all wayes warryng for the defence (as yée call it) of S. Peters patrimonye. To ſuffer no Prince to dwell in reſt by hym but to ſnatch his poſſeſſions, to the vnholy Church of Rome. To ſet princes together by the eares, tyll they bée both weary, and then to take y^e matter in his hande, and neuer to make an ende, tyll both partyes hath geuen ſome poſſeſſiōs to his holy fatherhed: to aſſoyle the ſoules, that hath bene ſlayne through his packyng. And hée The popes wickednes deſcribed at large.that dare moſte boldelye, and with leaſt ſhame, depoſe Princes, without a cauſe, hée is beſt able to bée pope. He that can by any trayne, craft, or ſubtyltye, bring vnderunder hym any byſhop, or any ſpirituall perſon, or inuent any newe clauſein their othe, hée is to bée alowed afore other. Moreouer, hée y^e kéepeth feweſt women, and hath moſt of them, that you wote of, hée is holyeſt, & apte to bée head of your church. And hée y^e can moſt tyranouſly burne mē for preaching of y^e Goſpel, and hée hym ſelfe to take no labours therein. Item to burne prieſtes y^e mary wiues and hée hym ſelfe, to liue in all myſchefe, & whordome: yea in ſuch abhominablenes, as no man may with honeſtye ſpeake (you knowe what I meane) this man I ſay, hath a good teſtimony, afore his ſpirituality, that hée is a lawfull man to that office.

Furthermore, hée that is a whores Clement the Pope was the ſonne of a Curtiſan.ſonne, as our holy father is now, and can finde the meanes, that. 12. men will forſwere them ſelfe, that hée is lawfully borne, as this holy Clement dyd. This is a fitte father, for ſuch children. Finally, hée y^e can geue moſt mony, and bye y^e greateſt part of cardinales of hys ſyde, hée is beſt worthy to bée called Pope, & to ſit on Peters ſtoole. For it can not bée vnknowen to you, how y^e Thomas Woulcy, an holy piller of your Church, woulde hauehave béene Pope, whē this Clement was choſen, and did offer for it a reſonable peny: But Clement daſſhed hym out of conſayte with. 20000. li. more then hée offered, and ſo hée was iudged beſt worthy, and entered in lawfully, and regularly, and vntounto him our biſhops bée ſworne, and obedient. And why becauſe they will hauehave ſuch a head, as they bee members: for how coulde els their kingdome ſtand? For If Popes ſhoulde bee choſen after S. Paules rule. then all y^e vayne trompery of y^e clergie were clearly ouerthrowne.if one ſhould bee choſen, after the rule of bleſſed S. Paule, or els after the lyuynge of theſe newe heretykes, which bée ſimple and poore, and care not for no dignityes, nor will neuer ſwere, nor fyght, and would rather mary a wyfe of their owne, then take p. 200other mens, and alwayes ſtudying, & preaching Gods worde, ſéeking onelyonly the honour of God, and the profyt of his neighbour, and will bée ſubiect and obedient in all thinges (deſiring none exception) to his prince. This man I ſay, ſhoulde bée vnlawfull, & not eligible, for hée were able to deſtroy y^e whole kingdome of y^e papiſtes and not worthy to receiue an othe of my Lordes y^e byſhops, which will not gladly be periured for ſuch a mās ſake. For he were able to deſtroy y^e whole church of Rome, vntounto the which our Byſhops hauehave béene before ſworne. It foloweth in your othe, I ſhall not conſent in counſell or in déede, that they ſhoulde loſe eyther lyfe or member, or that they ſhoulde bée taken or trapped, by any euill meane. What néede you to ſweare thus vntounto the Charitie by…deth all men to thinke well one of another.Pope? doth not the order of charitie binde you thus to vſe your ſelfe towarde all men? that is to ſay, neither to hurt them, nor to harme them, neither to intrappe them, nor betraye them. But all men muſt bée betrayde and with crafte and ſubtiltie vndone, for the mayntenaunce of thys one wretched perſon. The truth is, that neuer man ſpake againſt this popet, but you deſtroyde him, and betrayde him. But this popet hath blaſphemed and betrayde all poteſtates, and yet you were neuer againſt hym. And why? becauſe you be ſworne to hym. And you will kéepe your othe, bée it right or wrong.

But in your laſt othe, which hath béene newely made, is added thys clauſe. That no man ſhould lay violent bandes vponupon them in any wyſe, or any wrong ſhoulde bee done vntounto them by any maner of colour. This part is newly brought in, ſince the The fleſhe of the pope is now much more holy, then in tyme paſt it hath beene.fleſhe of the Pope hath béene ſo holy, that no man might touch it but harlottes. Chriſten men muſt patiently ſuffer iniuries and wrōges, but your head will forſweare that point, and mayntaine himſelfe through your power againſt all men. How neare that this is the Apoſtles liuing, all Chriſten men can well iudge. It foloweth in your othe. Their counſell that ſhal bée ſhewed vntounto mée, either by theyr letters, or by their meſſengers, I ſhal open to no man to their hurte or damage. Let Princes beware, whan the pope ſendeth coūſelles vntounto you, for the meaning is to betraye them. For all the worlde knoweth that the pope and you doth litle regarde, what the beggars of the worlde doth handle: But what Emperours, kyngs, and Dukes doth handle, that muſt you let, and deſtroye. For that is the Popes counſell. And you may ſhewe it to no man, No not to your kyng. And why? becauſe you are ſworne to the pope.

But what ſay you to your othe made vntounto your prince? wherein you ſweare, that you ſhall be faithfull and true, and beare vntounto him aboue all creatures, louelove, and fauour, to lyue and to dye with hym, and to open vntounto him all maner of counſelles, that may bée hurtful vntounto his grace. Now is it well knowne, that the pope hath The Pope doth practiſe counſailes againſt the honourable ſtate of Princes.done and dayly doth handle ſuch coū ſelles, as bée againſt our princes honour, and conſeruation. And yet you may neyther tell it to your prince, nor let it. And why? becauſe you be ſworn to the pope, and for ſworne to your prince. Tell me when any thyng was opened vntounto our prince, by you, that the pope had handeled in counſell agaynſt our prince. Of this thing I will take recorde of his noble grace, whether I ſay true or falſe. And yet muſt I bee accuſed of treaſon. And why? becauſe you are ſworne to the pope, And I am true to the kyng. It foloweth. I ſhall helpe to defend and mayntaine the papiſtry of Rome, againſt all men, ſauing myne order. And in your new othe, now in oure dayes made, is added. The regalles of Saint Peter. What and in all mē bée contained your prince? you muſt néedes defend him. And why? becauſe ye bée ſworne to the pope, & forſworn to your prince. For your othe to your prince, is to defend him with all your wit & reaſon againſt all men. Now muſt you forſake one of them, And your practiſe hath béene alwayes to forſake your prince, and ſticke to the p. 201pope. For of your othe made to your prince, you hauehave béene oftentimes aſſoiled. And as your lawe ſayth, the …. queſt. vi. c. Alius.Church of Rome is wont ſo do doe. But of your othe made vntounto y^e pope, there is no abſolution, neither in heauen nor earth. Neither was it euer Here is ſpecially to bee noted the practiſe of Prelates. For ſuch are the doyngs of the holy father of Rome that for the rebellion agaynſte princes, hee woulde geue abſolution but for matter agaynſt his popedome, there was neuer abſolutiō might bee obteyned.redde, heard, nor ſéene, that there could bée any diſpenſation for it.

Let mée bée reported by all y^e bookes that euer were written, and by all the bulles that euer were graunted, and by all the experience that euer was vſed. And if I bée found falſe, let mée bée blamed. And yet I am ſure many mē will recken, that I ſpeake vncharitably. But I would faine learne of all y^e charitable mē in England, with what other Engliſh wordes I coulde declare this intollerable or ſubtile treaſon, thus long & ſhamefully vſed againſt my prince, which is neceſſary to bée knowne. And I am compelled by violēce to declare both my confeſſion and learning in this cauſe. For mē hath not béene aſhamed to report, that I would (which am but a wretch and poore ſimple worme, and not hable to kill a Catte, though I woulde doe my vttermoſt) to make inſurrection againſt my noble and mighty prince, whom (as God knoweth) I doe both honour, worſhip, louelove, and fauour, to the vttermoſt power of my hart, and am not ſatiſfied, becauſe it is no more. This I ſpeake afore God. Let him bée mercifull vntounto mée as it is true. And if I were not ſo true in mine hart, it were not poſſible for mée ſo earneſtly to write agaynſt thē, whome I doe recken to handle vnfaythfully, and vntruely wyth theyr prince, yea againſt both Gods lawe, and mans lawe. The very truth is, I can ſuffer, (through Gods grace) all maner of wronges, iniuries, and ſclaunders: but to bée called an hereticke agaynſt God, or a traytour againſt my prince, he liueth not, but I will ſay, hée lieth. And wil bée able ſo to proue him, if I may bée reported by my workes or déedes, by my conuer ſation or liuing, or by any thinge that euer I did.

But vntounto my purpoſe: the Byſhoppes doth ſweare one othe to the pope, and an other contrary to their prince. And yet they will bée takē for good and faithfull children. And I poore man muſt bee condemned, and all my woorkes for hereſy, and no mā to reade them vnderunder the payne of treaſon. And why? becauſe I write againſt their periurie towarde their prince. But how commeth S. Peter The popes Regales.by theſe regalles, that you are ſworne to defende? ſeing that he was neuer no kyng, but a fiſher? All the worlde knoweth, that regalia belongeth to kinges, and to like power of kynges. Why are you not rather Peter was acquaynted with hys nettes, but not with Regalles.ſworne to defend Peters net, and his fiſherie? the which thinges hee both hadand vſed, & neuer regalles. But theſe thinges will not maintayne the holy Church of Rome, and therefore ye ſweare not to maintayne them. But what meane you by that ſentence: Sauing mine order? why ſay you not, ſauing my kinges pleaſure? Your gloſe ſayth, you may not defend In Ʋerbe. ſalue ordine.theſe thinges with weapons. But oh Lord God, what vnſhamefulneſſe is this? thus to delude with wordes all the whole worlde? Men knoweth, that when the Pope hath néede of your helpe, there is no men ſooner in armes then you are, if you call armes harneys, bylles, & glaues, ſwordes, and gunnes, and ſuch other thyngs. Doe you not remember how ſoone the Byſhop of Norwiche, Henry Spenſer, was in armes to defende pope Vrbane? It were but foly to recite examples.

In the yeare of our Lord. 1164. was there a controuerſie betwéen the kynges grace, & the Byſhops of England, for certaine prerogatiues belō gyng to the kyng. Wherfore the king Theſe Articles bee now graunted and are none hereſie.required an othe, and a confirmation of the Byſhops, as concernyng thoſe Articles and prerogatiues. But aunſwere was made of the Biſhops, that thoſe prerogatiues, cum omnibus prauitatibus in regio ſcripto contentis, were of none effect, nor ſtrength, bicauſe they did forbyd to appele to the Court of Rome, onles the king gaue licence. And bicauſe that no Byſhop might p. 202goe at the Popes callyng out of the Realme, without the kynges aſſent. And bicauſe that Clerkes ſhould bée conuented in criminall cauſes afore a temporall iudge. And bicauſe the The Prelates can not abyde to vſe obedience to their prince.kyng would heare matters, as cōcernyng tythes & other ſpirituall cauſes. And bicauſe that it was agaynſt the ſea of Rome, and the dignitie of the ſame, that a Byſhop ſhould bée conuē ted afore y^e kyng. Briefly, they would not bée vnderunder the kyng, but this addition ſhould bée ſet vntounto it, Saluo honore Dei, & Eccleſie Romane, & ordine noſtro, that is, we will bée vnderunder your grace, ſauyng the honour of God, of the Churche of Rome, and of our order. The cauſe why they dyd except theſe thynges, was this, as they them ſelues graunt: For kynges receiued their authorities, and power of the We hauehave beene leade by blynde guydes.church, but the Church receiueth her authoritie of Chriſt onelyonly, wherefore they conclude, that the kyng can not commaunde ouer the Byſhops, nor abſolue any of them, nor to iudge of tythes, nor of Churches, neither yet to forbyd Byſhoppes, the handlyng of any ſpirituall cauſe.

Is not here a marueilous blyndneſſe and obſtinacie agaynſte theyr Prince? They will make it agaynſt Gods honour, to obey their king, and The kings power is immediatly of God.are not aſhamed to ſay in the kynges face, that his power is of them. But I pray you whether was kynges before Byſhops? or Byſhops before kynges? You ſhal finde, that God had long admitted kynges, or any Biſhop (as you take hym) was thought of. Doth not the holy ghoſt commaūde, that we ſhould honour kynges? Alſo 1. Pet. 2.1 Pet 2in an other place. Let all men bée vnderunder the high powers, for the power is Roma. 13.of God, and hée that reſiſteth the power, reſiſteth Gods ordinaunce. Here bleſſed S. Paule ſayth, that kynges power is of God, & not of Byſhops. Furthermore, what reaſon is it to defende the Popes prerogatiue agaynſt He that defendeth the Pope agaynſt hys ſoueraigne Lorde or Lady is a vnnaturall ſubiect.your Princes? Is not your Prince nearer, and more naturall vntounto you, then this wretch the Pope? But here is a thyng, y^e maketh me to marueile. When you ſweare to the Pope (Sauyng your order.) Is as much to ſay, as you ſhall not vſe no weapons: but els you ſhall bée ready and obedient in all thynges. But when you ſhall ſweare to your kyng, then (Sauyng Sauyng of order hath two ſignifications.your order) is as much to ſay, as you hauehave authoritie to confirme kynges, and to bée their felowes, and neither to bée obedient vntounto them, nor yet to aunſwere to any Iuſtice before them, but clearely to bée exempted, and they not to medle with you, excepte they will geue you ſome worldly promotion. If I would vſe my ſelfe as vnchatariblye agaynſt you, as you hauehave handled me, doubtles I could make ſome thyng of this, that ſhold dipleaſe you. How would you cry? and how would you handle me poore wretch, if you had halfe ſo much agaynſt me, as this is? But I will let you paſſe, God hath preſerued mée hitherto of his infinite mercy agaynſt your inſaciable malice, and no doubt but hée ſhall doe the ſame ſtill. I will returne to your othe.

It foloweth. I ſhall come to the Synode when I am called, vnles I ſhall bée lawfully let. But why doe The Pope will hold a Councell where and whē it pleaſeth hym.you not ſweare to compell the Pope to call a Councell? ſeyng that it hath béene ſo often, and ſo inſtantly required of him, by many and noble Princes of Chriſtendome, yea, ſeyng that all Chriſtendome doth require with great ſightes, an order to bée taken, & ſet in the higheſt articles of our faith? But vntounto this you are not ſworne. And why? bicauſe it is agaynſt your holy popet of Rome. For if there were a generall Councell, both hée, & you do know, that there muſt néedes folow, both ouer him & you a ſtreight reformation. Therfore after my coū ſell ſay, that you can not come, for you bée lawfully let. It foloweth I ſhal honourably entreate the popes Legate, both going and comming, and in his neceſſitie I ſhal helpe him. I pray you ſée, and prouide well, that hée goe not a begging, as Peter did. And ſée alſo that he neither preach nor teach, but pyll and poull, with all miſchiefe, and vnſhamefaſtnes. And why? becauſe you are ſworne this to maintayne. p. 203It foloweth. I ſhall viſite yearely my ſelfe, or by ſome other meſſenger, the pope of Rome, vnles I bée diſpenced with of them. I pray you what pertaineth this to the office of a Byſhop, yearely to viſite Rome? Chriſt and the moſt of his Apoſtles, were neuer at Rome, and yet they were méetely good Chriſten men. But I reade in the traditions of the Turke, that certayne of them muſt yearly viſite their Mahomet. From whom I thinke, In. vi. lib. i. de maioritate & obedientia Dilecti filij, De iure iurando. ca. Ego in verbe ſingulis.you hauehave taken this cuſtome. Your owne law ſaith, that vntounto this clauſe muſt theſe biſhops all only bée boūde, that bée immediatly vnderneth the Pope. Now are not you ſuch, for you ſweare in your othe to the kyng, that you will immediatly take your Byſhopprick of him, and holde it all onelyonly of his grace. Wherefore then doe you here ſweare againſt your owne lawe? And alſo againſt your othe made to your prince?

Moreouer, you know that there was an olde cuſtome, in the dayes of kyng Henry the ſecond, that no Byſhop ſhoulde goe out of the Realme, without the kinges licence. Are you not bound to kéepe this cuſtome: but anſwere, that the Pope hath diſpenſed with you, and that you are not The Prelates will obeye the Pope, but not the Prince.bounde to kéepe any obedience towarde the actes that your prince maketh. Moreouer, I meruaile ſore, that you be all ſo ſtraitly ſworne of ſo long tyme, and neuer one of you that euer went in my dayes to Rome to diſcharge his othe. And why? becauſe you are diſpenſed with. But were it not as good to leaue it out of your othe at the firſt, ſéeing you entende not to kéepe it, as afterwarde to diſpence with you for it? No forſothe, for than the Pope coulde not bynde you to come to Rome at hys pleaſure, and betraye your kyng, & all his counſelles. But in your othe that is newly made, & that you hauehave ſworne laſte, is added. That if the pope bée on this ſide y^e mountaines, you ſhall viſite him eueryevery yeare. But if hée bée beyond the moūtaines, then eueryevery three yeares. One that knew not your practiſe and the circumſtaū ces of your factes y^e hath béene done, would litle ſuſpect this additiō. But the very truth is, there is a miſchieuous and abhominable treaſon in it agaynſt Princes. For if it chaunced the Emperour, or els any temporall Prince neare vntounto Rome, to fall at variaunce with the Pope, then dyd y^e Pope ſtraight runne into Fraunce, that is to ſay, on this ſide the mountaines, where you muſt viſite hym yearely. And why? Bicauſe your god is in diſtreſſe, and hath conceiued a deadly hatered agaynſt a Prince, and can not bring it to paſſe without your helpe and counſell. Wherefore you muſt come yearely. And alſo hée muſt know, through your betraying, how A deuiliſh practiſe of Prelates.your Prince is mynded, and whether hée bée addicted to his contrary parte or not. If hée bée, then muſt you betraye his counſell, and that yearely. And why? bicauſe the pope is on this ſide the mountaines. But and if hée bée in Rome, and hath all Princes neckes vnderunder hys gyrdell, then is it ſufficient that you come eueryevery thyrd yeare. For you cā at ones commyng, deuiſe as much treaſon, as Princes ſhall auoyde in fiue yeares.

But what belongeth this vntounto a Biſhop? that the Pope is on this ſide The Byſhoppes ſweare to viſite the Pope yerely.the moūtaines, or beyonde. If ye bée bounde by Gods law, yearely to viſite the Pope, then muſt you viſite him, where ſoeuer hée bée, though hée were either with God, or the deuill, And if you bée not bounde by Gods law, what a preſumption is it of him to bynde you? Yea what an ouerſight is it of you, to let your ſelfe thus to bée bounde? And what a wickednes is it of you ſo ſtraitely to kéepe this othe? to the which you are not boūde by Scripture, againſt your obedience made to your Prince, whiche is commaunded by Gods word? But I pray you what example hath either hée or you of bleſſed S. Peter, to bynde by the vertue of an othe, the other Apoſtles yearely to viſite him at Rome. All the world may perceiue, that this othe is inuented of inſaciable couetouſnes, that the Pope and you hauehave toward honours and dignities. And p. 204that is well declared by theſe wordes, that foloweth in your othe. The poſſeſſions The Pope taketh ſure order with his Byſhops for his owne gayne.of my Church, I ſhal not ſell, geue, lay to morgage, or make any feoffement, or by any other meanes alienate the ſame, without the counſell of y^e pope. But I pray you tell me one thing, why doe you not ſweare, that you ſhall neither bye, nor yet receiue any poſſeſſions to your church, nor you ſhall neither pill, nor poull, nor ſhaue, to encreaſe the poſſeſſions of your Church. But the truth is, all is fiſh that commeth to the nette with you. And if it come ones within your cloukes, it neuer cōmeth out agayne, thoughe the Kyng and his Realme ſhould ſtand in neuer ſo great néede. But to receiue all his lande, you are alwayes ready, and it is not agaynſt your othe.

I do not ſay thus, bicauſe I would ye ſhould ſell, or alienate the poſſeſſions of the Churche, but bicauſe I ſée that there is nothyng maintained by them, but all onelyonly your miſcheuous pompe and your pride. Your owne …ij. queſt. ij. c. Quatu. & de reditibus, &c. Moseſt.law commaundeth, that the fourth part of the ſpiritual goodes, ſhould bée diſtributed among poore men. And for that cauſe they bée called, Bona pauperum, but how litle their part is, all the world can teſtifie. Wherfore doe you ſweare, not to alienate your goodes, without the popes licence? The pope gaue them not to you, but the kyng & his ſubiectes. How commeth hée now to bée ſo neare of your counſell in alienating them? and the king is thruſt out, the whiche hath deſerued beſt to bée of your counſell. But doe you not remember your own law? the which xij. queſt. ij. c. non liciat Papa.doth forbid that the pope in any wiſe, or ſor any neceſſitie, ſhould alienate the goodes of the Church, except it bée old houſes, whiche can not bée kept without great charges. This is your owne law, and agaynſt this will you ſweare? Then muſt you néedes bée periured, for if you alienate your goodes with the Popes licence, then is this Decrée agaynſt you and curſeth you. Wherfore then put you this in your othe, ſeyng you can not alienate your goodes with his conſent, nor yet without it?

It foloweth in your new othe, decrées, ordinaunces, ſentences, diſpoſions, reſeruations, prouiſions, and commaundementes apoſtolike, with all my power I will obſerue, & ſhall and cauſe other men to obſerue them Theſe things were added, when this Idole was brought ſo highe, that no man durſte wynche agaynſt hym. and when hée might ſaye, and doe what he would. And as your lawe commaundeth, no man ſo hardye to aſke hym why hée doth ſo. Then began decrées, ordinances, depocytions, diſpoſycyons, In vi. tit. iiij. ca. ad Apost. in verbo conti…etur.reſeruations, prouyſions with like ſhamefulnes ſor to ſpring. and there is no remedy, but they muſt contynue? And why? Becauſe you are ſworne to kéepe them your ſelfe, and to compel other men alſo to kéepe them. And out of the kéepinge of this part of your othe, ſpringeth out an other ſentence that foloweth, which is this. All heretykes, ſyſmatikes, and rebelles, towardes our ſayd Lorde y^e Pope, to my power I ſhall perſecute and withſtand.

This is the cauſe that hath made This is the clauſe that mainteyneth the Popes pompe and glory. And this is that y^t to geueth him libertie ſay and doe what hee liſt.vsus poore men ſo great heretykes. For it can neuer bée proued, that euer we ſpake agaynſt God, or our king, and yet bée we heretikes. And why? Forſooth becauſe the Byſhops are ſworne to the Popes decrées, the which condemneth all them for heretikes, that ſpeaketh againſt his holynes, though hée bée as holy as my horſe. For hée ſayth hym ſelfe in his lawe, that hée nedeth not to bée holy hym ſelfe, but it is ſufficient, that hée ſytteth in an holy ſeat. Theſe be his wordes: who doubteth Diſt. xl. ca. Non nos.but hée is holy, y^e which is exalted to ſo great a dignitie? In whō though good workes of his owne merites be wantinge yet are thoſe good workes ſufficyent, the which were done by his predeceſſours. Ʋpon the which Gloſa in verbo quis.texte their gloſe ſayth, that if it bée openly knowen, that the Pope bée an aduoulterer, or a murderer, yet ought hée not to bée accuſed. &c.

Now we poore men can not ſuffre ſuch myſcheuous vyces, wherefore we muſt bée heretikes. But why? becauſe p. 205my lords y^e byſhops are ſworne to perſecute vsus. But neuertheles, I The preachers of the doctrine of Chriſte muſt nedes bee heretickes for the ſaid doctrine is agaynſt the Pope, and ſo they preach agaynſt the Pope, and therfore are heretickes.truſt to Gods grace, and the Kinges, that my Lordes the Byſhops, wyll not bée ſo hard, in this poynt of their othe, as they hauehave béene. And why? Becauſe mē may nowe come to their aunſwere. Surely, there bée many clauſes in his laſt othe added, that bée cleare iniury vntounto princes, & againſt Gods lawe, and mans lawe. And yet our Byſhops will ſwere them, yea & that, which is worſt of all, they will accuſe other men of treaſon & rebelliō, And there is no mā ſworne to treaſon, nor rebellion, but they onelyonly.

¶ Wherfore moſt gracious prince with all mekenes and lowlynes that is due to ſoe noble a prince, and alſo The writers petitiō of the kynges grace.that doth béecome a true ſubiecte to doe, I lowly and méekely require and deſire your grace, to Iudge betwéene the Byſhops and me, whiche of vsus is treweſt and faythfulleſt to God and to your grace. I ſpeake all onelye of thoſe that hath and alſo would nowe (if they durſte) defende the Pope, and his lawes. Agaynſt them I make this ſupplication, and agaynſt them hauehave I declared the learning and doctrine, that I hauehave both taught and wrytten. And as for my factes, & déedes, what I hauehave done agaynſt God and your grace, I require them to ſay their vttermoſt, that they can proue, or elles by your gracious fauour, I am bere preſente and offer my ſelfe to proue thē lyars, And that vnderunder any maner of payne, that your grace ſhal aſſigne. And agaynſt them I hauehave declared the learnyng and doctrine of theyr Churche, and alſo brought examples of their factes and déedes, with the whiche they hauehave put theyr doctrine in exerciſe. Nowe if they bée gréeued, or thinke thē ſelues wrongfully handled of mée, then I require no more of your grace, but indifferētly and graciouſly, to here both them and me, the which thing, no doubt as your grace doth knowe our heauēly father doth require of you. who preſerue your highnes in all honor & dignite.

Amen.