I WAS, I assure you (moste noble Princesse) here to fore sufficientlie prouoked to the loue of youre Maie­stie and highnes, when I herd say howe muche you dyd preuaile in witte, how greately you had profited in Greke and Latten, and howe you did ioyne youre Princely dignity with liberalle learning and knowledge: But after that certaine men brought me worde, that you wil­lingly did reade my workes,Hys booke intituled De vera nobilitate. my former good will was so muche increased to­warde you, as in wordes I am not able to vtter. Whether thei tolde me that vnfaynedly, or that they ment to curry fauor with me, I am not able to say, but this I am assured of, that I toke greate pleasure at theire sayinges, and be­thought my selffe howe in writing I might wytnesse my moste louing and [Page] moste lowly hart toward you. For I mistruste not, but with the same fa­uoure with which you reade my wor­kes (if it be true, that you be not a lit­tell delighted in reading them) you will interteine these my letters.

Specially, seing those other my wor­kes doe concerne the common profit of all men, but these my letters intend cheifely the mayntenaunce of youre estate, and the auauncement of youre Royall Maiestie. The whiche thing, thoughe I shall not be able to cōpasse, yet my good will is not to be displea­santly taken of you. For why? mightie Princes are wont not so much to haue an eye to the worth of the thing which is presented to them, as to weygh the hart and the good meaning of the pre­senter. For seing the suerest defence and furnyture of Princelye renome, dothe stay vppon the frendeshipp and trustines of men, howe can that be mis­taken [Page 7] of them, which thei perceaue to procede of a hartie loue and speciall fidelitie? and that here I may make an entraunce to my writing, I am wont many tymes to merueil with my self at the prouidence of God in appointing kinges,The mer­ueilous prouidēce of God in kyngly re­giment. that to a multitude of people al most innumerable, made of so sondry natures, greatly disagreing one with an other, he hathe gyuen suche a mynde, that it will haue an eye cheifely to one, that it will be kept in awe at the com­maundment of one, that it will suffer it self as it were to be tyed short with the lawes and procedinges of one. In so muche that whereas men often ty­mes aboute other thinges, with dead­lye hatred do warr among them selues, and outeragiously disagree, yet in this one pointe (for the moste parte) with greate consent of myndes, they cleaue and holde together. And as I greatly wunder at this, so I accompt those kin­ges, [Page] which at the appointment of that highe and euerlasting king, do execute so worthie and paynefull an office,The pree­minence of kynges ab­oue other persones. to be men farr surmounting in all kinde of vertue, and all together indued with godly perfection. For there is nothing greater or more honorable, nothing so hard and paynefull to attchyue, as to brydell the affections of men, to cutt a way filthie desires, to mainteine inno­centie, with rewardes to encorage ver­tue, with punishment to discorage syn, and fynallie in establishing peace and quietnes, to make the hole common wealthe to florishe and abounde with all commodities. Seing no man is a­ble to performe those thinges, but he which is indued with heauenly grace, surely they which worthily behaue thē selues in theire kingly vocation, are to be accompted in the number of the heauenly citezins, and worthie to be reuerensed as certeine godes among [Page 8] men. If so be notable men, when they gyue them selues wholy to preserue the cōmon wealthe, and do vprightly, wi­sely and discretly rule their kingdome,A woman wysely ru­ling is mo­re to be merueiled at then a man. be muche merueiled at, surely when a woman shall do the like, she shall gyue men greater occasion to merueile. For what is more to be wondred at, then to beholde in a woman a manly con­stantie, in a virgin an horehedded pru­dence, in greate aboūdance of richesse, greate praise of temperaunce and mo­desty? What can soner astonish a man, then to see the tendre and deintie na­ture of a woman to be trimmed and decked with so many vertues, that she is able to vpholde the burden of the whole realme, and to be haue her selfe in that office with greate commenda­tion, which is scantly brought to passe withe the aduise, prouesse, fidelity and autority of many excellēt men? Wher­fore (as it is to be hoped) if you will [Page] so ordre the cōmon wealthe, that you will not swarue frō the vertue of youre auncetoures, who only embraced god­lynes, you shal so farre go beyond them in greatnes of renome, as it is a grea­ter matter for a young woman to rule a Realme wyselie and stoutelye, then for men whiche are strengthned with rype yeares and experience. If there were euer any woman of excellēt ver­tue, which with a noble corage hathe bent her selfe to the care of the com­mon wealthe, and by that carefulnes and gouernement,A wyder wyndowe of win­nyng im­mortal fa­me opened to oure Quene of Englande then to any Prince here to fore. hathe wonne great cōmendation, youre Kingdome hathe happened to you in suche a tyme, and you haue gottē suche a matter to wor­ke on, that if you will constantly take in hand those affaires, which well be­come that princelie disposition which glistreth in you, with the brightnes of youre noble prayse and worthie doin­ges, you shall ouershadowe and darckē [Page 9] the greate actes of moste mighty prin­cesses. And that we may boldly warrāt the whole Christian cōmon wealth, thus muche of your grace,Causes of good hope in oure noble Quene. many cau­ses do moue vs. For you are indued with a singular wytte. You are learned in the preceptes of moste noble scien­ces: you are praysed aboue all others for gentlenes and mekenes, which well beseme youre comelye bewtie: and as for those prayses which are due to constancie, you well think, that you ought not to denye them, or put them from you. Therefore if you will not neglect and forget youre selfe, you shall set a good stay in the common weale, you shall bring all those mischeifes, which disquiet it,Greate danger in vn­skilful ru­ling the ship of the Englishe common weale. to an end: and you shall pur­chase youre selfe euerlasting commen­dation. But on the other syde, if in su­che stormes and hurly burlies, you shall go any thing a wrye, and shall vnskill­fully [Page] rule the stearne of youre charge▪ it is an hundred to one (which God forbid) but that the shyp of this youre common wealthe, dashing against hid­den and secret rockes, shal be all to bro­ken: and the passingers which be com­mitted to youre charge, shall vtterlye perishe and be cast awaye. Therefore seing you be in that taking, that either you must wyn greate honour with the safety of your whole realme, or become a laughing stock with the ouerthrowe of your common wealthe, I thinke that no riches nor treasures ought to be so deare vnto you,No riches to be pre­fered be­fore faith­full coūcell that you sholde prefer them before faithfull councell, which intendeth the staying and assu­ring of your kyngdome. But perchaūce you will saye to me,An obie­ction. doe you thinke me so ill bestead of frendes and coun­celloures, that you neede nowe to tell me what I sholde doe? or haue you so [Page 10] muche vacant tyme from the affaires of Portugale▪ that you can intend to take care for the matters of England? I thinke verily,The aun­swer. there be in England ma­ny wyse men, greately to be commen­ded for theyr vertue and godlynes, to whome if you will gyue eare, you shall prouide verye well for youre self and youre realme, and trimlye mayntayne youre princelye porte and estate.A goodly similitude. But like as thei which be muche gyuen to gather goodes, allthoughe they haue greate riches layed vp in store at ho­me, yet for all that do not refuse golde and siluer, which is brought vnto them from other places, and loke howe ry­cher they wax, so muche the more they couet to haue theire good heaped and encreased: euen so wyse Kinges, whose treasure ought rather to consist in the prudent aduise & faythfulnes of good men, then in the aboundaunce of mo­ney, [Page] although they haue store of coun­cell. Yet if those riches, which they este­me aboue all other, by any meanes be augmented, they ought not to sett it light, or despise it. Nether neade they to care, whether he which coūcelleth them, be a countrie man borne, or a straunger, but of what intent he taketh suche an office vpon hym. Beside this, councells gyuen of forenners, many ty­mes are least to be suspected. For ma­ny treasons are wrought against Prin­ces of theire howseholde seruauntes,Inimici hominis do­mestici eiꝰ. Matth. 10. many craftie fetches are attempted in the court for loue of lucre, many thin­ges are couered with the cloke of dis­simulation, partly to curry fauoure, and partly for feare of falling in to daunge­rouse displeasure: so that there be very fewe, whiche dare frelye speake their mynde to Princes: last of al, I adde this, that I think no Christian Prince a forrener [Page 11] or a straunger, but I professe my selfe to be beholding to all, but cheife­lye to you, whome afore all other for the hope which I haue conceaued of your gentlenes, I haue sett before myne eyes only to be worshipped and reue­rensed.

But that I may come to that, which I haue taken in hande, two thinges specially are to be cōsidered of all Kinges,2. thinges of Kynges to be con­sidered. first the worthines of the office which thei beare, and secōdly the weightynes and paynefulnes in fullfilling that of­fice. As for the worthynes of it, it is so greate,The wor­thines of kingly of­fice. as greater can not be imagined in this lyfe. For all Kynges for theyr owne parte, are the Vicares of God his authority, for it is as it were the office and roume of a God, that one man among all the rest, sholde so farr excell, that all with one agrement of mynde, sholde yelde them selues to be ledd and [Page 11] defended of hym, and that they sholde beleue, that the strongest bulwarkes of theyr life, welfare, and worshyp, doe rest in his wysdome, manhode; and ho­nestie. Now, as touching the difficultie of theyr office,The diffi­culte of Kyngly office. it is vnspeakable. For if it be an hard matter to rule al affec­tions, to brydle vnhonest desires, to subdue the vnruly motiōs of the mynd, and to keepe the whole state of the mynde in suche a frame, that nothing arise, which with any boysterouse blast may shake or disquiet it, then what ado is it for one not only to wayne hym selffe from his owne wyll, but also to tame and qualifie the affections of the whole people, after suche a sorte, that no oute rage or vprore burst oute of theyr vnruly myndes, which may set the whole cōmon wealthe oute of ordre?

Therefore he which is charged with such an office, as requireth first that he [Page 12] sholde kepe hym selfe in ordre, (for it☜ can not be, that he sholde assuage other mens lustes, which can not tempre his owne,) and secondly, that with reason he sholde alay the trobles of the whole common wealthe, that as muche as in hym lyeth, he sholde make all his sub­iectes sober and discrete, and that he sholde warde them with the defence of all vertues, I saye, suche a man is to be aided and socored with the helpe, not only of man, but also of God, to the in­tent, that the thing which he hath lu­styly purposed, he may luckyly perfor­me. But that I may first intreate of man his helpe (which neuerthelesse is con­teined in the ayde and assistaunce of God) I think,How necessary good men be for Kynges. that all the riches & pos­sessions of Kinges, which with greate indeuoure are to bee sought after, ought to staye vpon the wysdome and honestie of good men. For no Prince [Page] is able by any meanes, either in warr to get the victory, or in peace to mayn­taine his honoure, either in his affai­res to behaue hymself politikely, or in his leasure continewe quietlye, which is not as it were walled with the com­pany of good men. For howe shall he be able with his owne eyes to see to all thinges, which Kinges ought to looke to? Or howe with his owne eares can he heare the complaintes of all clien­tes? Or with his owne mynde and cō ­sideration, studie for so many thinges, as be requisite to preserue the cōmon weale?

Therefore many are to be called to take parte in the ordring of the kyng­dome,what mā ­ner of men kynges sholde call to theire councell. whiche be men bewtified with the iewells of kyngly qualities, that is to say, iustice, temperance, manhode, sagenes, stedfastnes, liberality, and wys­dome, in which one vertue, all thinges [Page 13] which are prayse worthie be contey­ned. Yea these men must be of suche wysdome,wise men. that thei be able to trye oute all thinges narrowly, and by former causes long before to prouide, for thinges which may ensue afterwarde.

Theire trustines muste be suche,Trustie men. that no bribes, or aduauntage, may leade them a syde from doing their duty, and maintayning the truthe. They ought to be of so valyaunt a corage,Stoute mē. that nothing may dismay them frō sayng that playnely, whiche may be healthfull to the cōmon weale.A trim si­militude. For like as sick men often tymes lothe and abhorre holsom medicyns, if thei be bitter and vntothe­some, and long after those thinges which be enemies to theire healthe, euen so nowe and then Princes being sore sick and diseased in theire sowles, refuse the phisick of true councell, and are delighted with counterfet fynes of [Page] lying, and deceaueable lickersomnes of flatterie. So it cometh to passe, that all be it in the beginning they take a pleasure, yet in the end, they bye theyr rashnes, and folly, with hartbreake and sorowfulnes: and as nothyng is more godly then truthe, so nothing is more healthfull for the common weale. For what other differēce is there betwene wyse men and fooles,Difference betwene wyse men and fooles. but that wyse men with ernest trauaile, purchase to them selues thinges which are good in dede: but foles being beguyled with false appearaunces, hunt after thinges which haue a shewe of goodnes, and in dede be very vaine trifles, and mocke­ries: and so at length whilst they couet false worship, and seke after deceipt­fully pleasures, they be branded with the marck of fowle shame, and be tor­mented contynually with the worme of theire wicked conscience. Therefor [Page 14] all the trade of a blessed life consisteth in truthe, and all wretchednes standeth vpon lying and dissimulation. For which cōsyderation, all Princes which doo wishe the safetie of theyr cōmon weale, and desire to cōtinewe and vp­holde theyr honour, ought all wayes to pretend this, bothe in worde and worcke to wytnesse this, that nothing is more deare vnto thē, then the bright beames of veritie. So they shall set all good men free from feare, and holde shameles flaterers noses to the gryn­stone. The which thing that they may more easely compasse,what Kynd of mē Princes sholde banishe frō them. it is neadefull that they enriche and highely aduaūce good and true meaning men, but as for nawghtiepackes, coyners of lyes, and forgers of flearing tales, thei ought to abandon them farre from theyr ac­quaynetaunce, and to think them vn­worthie of any prefermēt. For all flat­terers [Page] be sworne enemies to the truth, back frendes to all good men, verie poison of Princes, and not only deadly foes to the whole c̄munaltie, but also malishiously mynded against God hym selffe. For he which wrastleth against the truth, wrastleth against the mightie ruler of all thinges, who is the only and euerlasting veritie. Therefore these naughtie and pestilent persones, are to be put out of all cōceipt, to be kept a loofe from climing to honoure, to be excluded from all companie and fami­liaritie, yea to be banished as farre as there is any land, lest the infectyon of theire myschefe, sholde spreade it selffe to the vtter vndoing of Kinges, and waste the whole cōmon wealthe, with a remedilesse consumption. But on the other syde, thei which euer speake the truthe, neuer double or dissemble, but esteme true vertue more then worldly [Page 15] ryches▪ and drawe the lyne of theire whole lyfe, by the square of wysdome and honestie, they I say, if they kepe thē selues secrete, be to be pulled oute of theire prime closettes, will they nill they, drawe they back neuer so muche, they are to be brought acquaynted with kinges, and to haue whole heapes of ryches bestowed vpon them. For those ryches of Kynges,Fidelitie the suerest treasure howse of Princes. be in better assuraūce, which be laied vp in the fi­delitie of good men, then those which be horded and couched vp in theire cofers. For beyng layd vp in the trea­sure howse, thei breede the cancker of enuye, but being sette a broade to the vse of good men, they make the Kyng to be well spoken of, and fortifie his estate, with the faithful hartes of good men. Beside this, riches closed and che­sted vp, may ether be caried away of theues, or be lasht oute and made ha­uock [Page] of, through the falshode of the kepers. But the remembraunce of a good turne, is rooted for euer in thāk­full myndes, & can not be plucked out by any mans pilfrie. More ouer, it is to be consydered, that they which by no false or sowle fetches; but by true vertue and fayre conditions, cam to be familiar with their Kinges, doe thinck that of duetie they ought to bestowe those riches which they receaued of theyr Kynges▪ to the profit of them by whome they enioye them. But they, whiche by hypocrisy,The pro­perte of hypocriticall honor hunters. haue obteyned great wealthe of Kinges, for so muche as they gape al for gaines, as sone as they spy, where more aduauntage is to be gottē, they forsake theyr kinges, yea they betray them, and some tyme byd them battayle. Whereby we may ga­ther, howe mad all Princes be, which not regarding good men, bestowe [Page 16] riches and promotions vpon wicked persones, and put all theyr honoure in the credit of them, whome couetous­nes will not suffer to be trusty & faith­full. But they which be of suche wyse­dome, that displacyng naughtie men, doo call good menne vnto them, and make them partakers of theyr coūcels and charge, doe prouide very well for theyr honoure and safetie. For it can not be, that the Safegarde of Pryn­ces shoulde be betrayed of them, who holde fidelitie more deare, then all the wealthe of the world: nether can theyr honour be stayned with anie spotte of reproche, when it shall appeare, that they be fastned in the frendshippe and familiaritie of vnculpable men. For as nothing bringeth more shame to Kin­ges, then the companie and familiari­tye of rakehells, so the frendshippe of good men, doth greatly increase [Page] theire glory and renome.

For we so iudge of them,lyke loueth lyke. as they be, with whome they be moste familiar & cōuersant. Whereby we may cōclude, that those Kynges be not to be coun­ted riche and puissant, which possesse greate pyles of golde and syluer,what Kin­ges are to be counted riche. pre­tiouse stones gloriously glystring, great store of yuorie, many mynes of me­tall, and be Lordes ouer manye landes: but those rather, which be assisted with a numbre of men excelling in honestie and trustines, which be lincked in lea­gue, and frendshippe of all good men, so farre as shall become their Princely person and Royall maiestie. For all those thinges afore sayde, be seldome obteined withoute vertue,Vertue with oute riches is sufficient. but thei be neuer reteined withoute the succoure of vertue. But turne vertue naked oute of all the robes of riches, yet she will holde her owne, and make her bright [Page 17] beames, be sene a great waye of. Beside this,Riches with oute vertue be impotent. if riches haue not the ayde of ver­tue, they can help nothing, but rather stirr vp and kyndle the cole of couetous­nes in the hartes of many, to worke treason agaynst them, whome they see pufft vp with plentie of possessions.

But vertue alone, many tymes without reskue of ryches, preserueth the Prince hys estate, and doth auoyde the daun­ger, which hangeth ouer the common wealthe. But this may suffice, which we haue spoken, as concerning the healpe of man: now it followeth in ordre, that we sholde intreate of the ayde and as­sistaunce of God.

Therefore, if the honestie and faith­fullnes of good men be of suche force, that withoute theyr healpe, no Kyng­dome or common weale can long en­dure, then I praye you, what shall we think of the healpe of God? For God [Page] is he by whose Deitie, councell, wyll, kingdomes doo begyn,God is first to be sought for. be enlarged, & mayntayned: by whose wisdome they be kept in ordre, by whose helpe they be vpholden, and finally, by whose dis­pleasure they decay, ouerwhelme, and vtterly come to naught. Therefore a Prince, which will acquite hym selfe well in his office, and comlyly handle the rule committed to his charge, be­fore all thinges must kepe religion pu­rely and vndefyledly, and in his daylye prayers desire God to prosper hym, ac­compting al the happy successe in ru­lyng the realme, to stay vpon the ser­uice and pleasing of God. For first, if wisdome be so necessarie for Kinges, that without it, they can not haue so muche as a pece of a common wealthe, but they shall leaue all thinges topp feturuy, and seing wisdome borroweth her light of none other, then of that [Page 18] passing and vnspeakeable clearenes of the wysdome and spirit of God, by the which all thinges are led in the right way, and lightned, vpon what thinges sholde kinges more bestowe their stu­die, then in ernest bendyng themselues to religion, & purely praying for God his healpe and assistaunce? which thing if they doo,The effect which Kinges haue by seruing of God. suche clearenes of Godly wisdome, suche a brightnes of wonder­full vertue shall shoote oute of their myndes, that they shall not onlye dis­cerne what is right, honest, and pro­fitable, and knowe to trye what diffe­rence is betwene counterfet and cur­rant, but looke what so euer they per­ceaue to be right, that same they shall stedfastlye put in practyse. For the mercy and goodnes of God, worketh bothe these thynges in vs. For first it sheweth a moste cleare light to mā his mynde, and armeth hym with inuinci­ble [Page] valiantnes, so that by meanes of the one, he neuer trippes or treades a wrye, & by reason of the other, is not abashed of the daunger or troble, that the exe­cuting of his office bringeth with it.

For there is nothing so hard to come by, nothing so coūtregarded with in­gynes, which he shall not easely batter and beate downe, which is indued with Godly vertue. He must therefore spea­dily asuage all the brutishe mocyons of the mynde,what a Prince shold do which seketh for god his help he must wayne hymselfe of his owne wyll, he must scrape oute all the blottes and blemishes of vices, and so lighten all the state of his mynde with the brightnes of honestie, that a meruaillouse amiablenes, bewtie, and liuely image of God his holye spyrit, may clearely appeare in it. For it can not be, but he whiche in this lyfe so muche as is in man hys powre▪ with cleare eyes doth behold God, & dayly [Page 19] doth vewe that pearlesse fayrenes and bewtie, sholde be raueshed with the lo­ue of it, and force hym selfe ernestly to be lyke vnto it: specially, seing he can not attaine to resemble and be like vn­to it so muche by his owne labour and trauaile, as by the goodnes and graci­ousnes of God. And loe, oute of this likelyhood of mens myndes,The effect of the like­ly hood of mās mynd with god with the spirit of God, there springeth an euer­lasting band of amitye, which causeth God so to cleaue to mans sowle, that he will vouchsafe a gyltles and deuout­ly disposed mynde, plentifull to par­take of his Godly treasures. Therefore suche a mynde, he enformeth with coū ­cell, he wardeth with vertue, he com­passeth with conforte, and in all hasard doth defend it with his godly presence. Therefore they which be kyndled with the loue of true vertue,Vertue is ful of good hope. being hartned with this hope, though all the worlde [Page] be togeather by the eares, thoughe the grounde open with earthe quakes, yet they be not dismayed, but then most of all they trust God wyll succoure them: and when in mans iudgement all hope is past, they stand styffly in this belefe, that God will saue them harmeles.

Whereby we maye gather, that for so muche as mans nature is so feble, and that there ys no holde to be had in these transitorie and glyding goodes of the worlde, and that all oure lyfe stādeth in the gunshot of daūgers, cou­ragiousnes of mynd, and confidence of vnprenable strengthe to be founde in them only, which cōsyder that they haue God on theyr syde. Therefore seing no man can take vpon hym the office of a Kyng, without wonderfull wysdome, without a speciall token of worthynes, without the stay of an vn­conquerable stoutenes, and none of all [Page 20] these laudable vertues, grow oute of the grounde, but descend downe from heauen by God hys inspyration, it is playne that Kinges ought to employ all theyr care and office, to be of an holy and blameles religion. For they and none other, are to be reckned wy­se, dyscrete, and stronge, which are knyt with the knot of right religion to God, who is the author, and cheife­tayne of all wysdome, honestie, and va­liantnes.

But what shall we now say of iustice? can any man ministre it, onles he cast all his mynde vpō the rule of the euer­lasting lawe, and cōceaue in his mynde, the wel spring of righteousnes, and di­ligently marcke the ordre and seme­lynes, with the which that cheife ruler setteth all thinges in frame? and last of all, onlesse he gyue hym selfe wholy to the studie of God his lawe? surely it is [Page] impossible. For God only is the pythe, wisdome, and rule of the lawe: he is the beginning and rote of vpright dealing, and father of all iustice. By whose gra­ce, all holsome and profitable lawes be enacted, by whose procurement they be kept and preserued. Hereby it fol­loweth, that they only glystre with the brightnes of iustice, which fix theyr eye vpon that hyghe and euerlasting light. Verily oute of this agrement of mynde, by the which men resemble the iustice of God, and stretch all the strin­ges of theyr studie to profit the cōmon wealthe, the loue and hartie good wyll of men dothe growe, oute of this doth issue the commendation of myldenes and curtesie, oute of this (to be short) doth procede all the swetenes of most true pleasure and delight. For no bo­dyly pleasure is in any poynt to be cō ­pared with the pleasure which cometh [Page 21] of vnfayned honestie. For the pleasure of the bodye many tymes in a madnes is desired,The diffe­rence be­twene the pleasure of the body & the mynde and in twinkling of an eye vanisheth away, and afterward seareth the mynde with sadnes, and leaueth a print of shame behynde it. But that pleasure which true vertue doth breed, is chosen oute wisely, and is inioyed cōtinually, not able to be defyled with any lewde affection, or defaced with any villany, because it is farre from all infectiue filthines, and ioyned with ex­cellent honestie and comlynes, by rea­son of which, it cometh to passe, that theyr lyfe, which be lincked in loue with God, is not only adorned with Godly vertue, indued with greate ry­ches, and put in sure hope of euerlas­ting glorie, but also is replenished with stedfast and vnspeakeable ioy and cō ­forte, so that they may lawfully crie with that most fayntely Kyng, how [Page] greate is the plenty of thy swete com­forte, o Lorde, which thou haste layed vp for them which loue the? Therefor the loue and carefulnes of religiō, doth conteyne all these benefytes, with the which the laboures susteyned in ver­tuouse practise, are made more tolera­ble and easie, and requited with a cer­teyne exceding swetenes, and without the which, the Kyngdome can not be wel ordred. More ouer what a notable thing is that? that all the subiectes, ex­cept suche which through myschefe are growne to a monstrouse madnes and crueltye,Subiectes do loue & wyllingly obey reli­gious Princes. will greatly loue those Kin­ges, and vse muche fidelitie towarde them, if they se them deuoutely to em­brace religion? For it must neades be, that the picture of diuine fayrenes set before mennes eyes, sholde make them greately inamored, and cause euery bo­dye to be much delighted with it: and [Page 22] there is no mā which wyll let this sinck in his mynde, that he which feareth God and casteth all to please hym, will once forsake his fayth or shrinck from his seruice. Therefore partely because they perceaue hym learned in the pre­ceptes and conncels of God, and to be ernestly bent to care for the common wealth, partly because thei mistrust not his goodnes, and stand not in dought that he wil forget publike profit, whilst he licketh his owne fyngers, they wil­lingly obey hym, & in no wyse grudge to bee vnder hym. Nowe then, if no Realme, no Citie, yea no house can be vpholden without it be ruled, and the manner of ruling well, standeth in pure and perfect religiō, surely nothing may be inuented more profitable or hol­some then religiō, to kepe a multitude of men in awe, and good ordre. For what can more strengthen a ruler, then [Page] that all men may know and perceaue, that all his delight and studie is, to pro­fit the cōmon weale? for so it cometh to passe, that the common wealth hath him in admiratiō, loueth him, and with hartie good wil dothe yeld to his pro­cedinges. Otherwise they wil not long leade in his lyne, but as much as lyeth in them, they will striue to cut or snap it a sundre: for no regiment can long continew, which is rather established with feare of punishment, then with loue of vertue. If so be that agreement doth preserue and encrease the cōmon weale, but drawing diuerse wayes, doth teare it and minsse it all to māmockes, and the right religion of the Prince doth as it were glue his subiectes to­gether with this cōcorde, (for all with one consent do shewe obeisaunce to a religiouse Prince, and be redie at his cōmaundement) then without perad­uenture, [Page 23] all the saffegarde and suretie of the common wealthe doth beare it selfe vpon religion. Moreouer, that is not to be lightly weyghed, that vntrue subiectes will not be so bold to worke treason against theyr Prince, on whose syde they thincke God to be. Neither doe his enemyes ventre so sone to bid hym battell, whom they see to be way­ted on with the trayne and garde of God his healpe. For if they go aboute to worke wyles, or offre warre, they do it fayntly and fearefully, so that naugh­tye subiectes being taken with the mā ­ner, may suffer for their offence, or for feare be reclamed from theyr naugh­tienes, & enemies also may easily leaue of to moue warre and disquietnes.

For they willingly seke to be at one with them whose strengthe in warre they feare, whose fidelitye in peace they loue, and whome they know to be [Page] suche, that they neade not mystrust, leaste they shoulde breake the truce, which they haue well agreed vpon.

Laste of all, seing euery common we­althe dothe frame it self to the Princes fashiōs, if the Prince be a worthy wor­shipper of godlynes and religion, the whole cōmon wealthe muste neades lay fast holde vpon the same religion. The effect of true re­ligion. And religion trulye dothe restrayne naughtye desyres, it dothe kepe wan­tones vnder, it abateth pryde, it staieth rashenes and folishe hardynes, it ma­keth men discrete, and obedient, bothe to the lawes, and also to them which execute the lawes. For there is no­thing of more powre then the feare of God, to pull back out ragiouse desy­res, to cutt the combt of bragging and lightnes. For when we call to mynde, howe muche we be bounde to oure highe and most holy father for his be­nefites [Page 24] bestowed vpon vs, and what paynes be ordeined for them which de­fyle the bewtie of their sowle with syn and vncleanes, and when we conceaue in oure vnderstandyng, that there be no lurkyng holes whiche can hyndre the sight of God, seing those thinges, whiche Iye hyd vnder the yearth: yea euen very hell it selfe, which is wrap­ped with continuall darcknes, appeare brightly in his sight, I saye, when we weygh all these thinges with oure sel­ues we breake & disapointe our owne will, partly least we sholde offend hys eyes with fylthines, or shewe owre sel­ues vnthākfull towarde hym (then the which nothing is more greuouse) par­tely leaste we sholde shame oure sel­ues, and worke owre euerlasting wo, throughe owre owne abhominatyon: and so being reskewed by the healpe of God, we beare away the victorie van­quishing [Page] and putting to flyght all kynd of wickednes, for they whiche stand in awe of God his iudgementes, and feare to displease hym, be neuer forsa­ken of him, or left to shyft for them sel­ues. Therefor being assured of his cō ­forte, they easely kepe of the assaulte of concupiscens, from scaling and in­uading the mayne towre of reason. So then, it is an easie matter, to lyue or­drely, to doo as a man ought to doo, and to practyse all thinges which ver­tue dothe prescribe, when dyuellyshe desyres be quenched and subdued.

For who can auoide vncleanes, but he whiche with vndesyled eyes beholdeth that hyghe and euerlastyng honestie, trymnes and neatenes, which is in the bewtie of God? who shall be blame­les in ministring iustice, but he which dothe marke the fashion, ordre, and comlynes with the which that mighty [Page 25] Lorde ruleth all thinges, fytly placeth all thinges, and in their seuerall offices appoynteth all thinges? who wyll not sticke to put his lyfe in daunger, who in battaile will fyght stoutely & man­fully for the mayntenaunce of iustice, and in the common quarrell, but he which trusteth that God wyll be euer at his elbowe? and though he be slayne in the felde, yet trusteth that God hath not cast hym of, but rather beleueth for this short and fading lyfe, to be rewar­ded with an euerlasting lyfe, in which he shall enioy all felicitie in the com­pany of the blessed sayntes? Therefore if religion in tyme of peace, doth make men discrete and sobre, and merueil­lously agreing together in louable vni­tie, willing and redy to obey the lawes, and Princes procedinges, and in tyme of warre doth harten them aboue the common strength of men, and so ra­uisheth [Page] them with the loue of euerlas­tyng lyfe, that they wyll spend theyr blood and lyfe in theyr coūtryes cause, to the intent they may wyn heauen: is it not playne, that a King which hath an ernest desyre to doo his dutie to the vttermost, ought to set all hys care and studie in the well disposyng of religiō? For so he shall most royally abounde with the riches and ornamētes of ver­tues, and shall flow on euery syde with exceding glory which shall neuer de­cay, and in all doughtfull aduentures shall be strenghtned with the ayde of God, and shall receaue greate cōforte of the remembraunce of so many good dedes: neither shall he alone be in an happye case, but he shall make all the cōmon wealth cōmitted to his charge, partaker of hys happie and blessed lyfe: The charge of Kynges. in the which all the dutie and office of a Kyng doth consist. For what other [Page 26] charge hath a Kyng assygned hym ouer the cōmon wealthe, then that he shold make the cōmon weale florishe, and be in a blessed state? which no other wyse is brought to passe, but by a speciall de­uotion to vertue and religion.

But loke how muche the more reli­gion surmoūteth all other vertues, (for they all be borne of her, caryed in her armes, and dandled in her lap) so much the more it is to be feared,Heresye is an hypo­crite. least vice take vpō it the name of vertue and re­ligion, and vnder the pretence of holy­nes, may ouerthrowe and vndermynde all Godlynes. For as nothing is more cōtrary to vertue then hypocrisye, so it euidently doth bewray it selfe, in fayned and counterfeyte religiō. For horrible wickednes, cloking it selfe deceiptfully with the name of vertue, myndeth no­thing ells, but the rasyng of religion, and scrapyng of the remembraunce of [Page] God oute of mennes myndes. Here most noble Quene,Notable and hol­some coū cel to our noble Quene. I desyre you to cō ­syder the matter wysely: for seing you be clogged with so many cares, that by no meanes you be able by youre owne wytte to auoide suche snares, and so peryllous pytfals, whiche be layed for you, & all Christendome, and seing all the swey of your Kyngdome stan­deth vpon this one poynt, that you shold inbrace religion purely, that you sholde be assysted with the healpe of God, and that you shold kepe the real­me assigned to you, in good estate and prosperitye, nothing ought to be bet­ter welcome to you, specially in suche disagremēt of religion, then to be ad­uertised of matters of so greate impor­taunce, by a man which wysheth your grace verye well, which is farre from hope of all fylthie lucre, whiche also knoweth what belongeth to true reli­gion. [Page 27] I dare be bold to say thus muche vnto youre grace, that if I had mistrus­ted your wysdome and gentlenes, I wolde not haue bestowed laboure in writing these letters. For it had ben a poynte of great madnes, to take that in hand, which I haue vtterly dispaired of. But when youre wytte, learning, gentlenes, and good nature,The spoile of religiō in Englād is not to be imputed to oure graciouse Quene did bryng me in greate hope of youre honorable Maiestie, and when I vnderstode that the spoyle of religion, which is cōmit­ted in your realme, is not to be impu­ted to you, but to many men which being verbes actiue I knowe not of what mad moode, go about to pul in­sondre the fences and inclosures of all lawe and religiō, and that it is no God a mercye to them, but long of your graciouse goodnes, that any sparcke of Christian religion doth remayne, I dought not but you will be well plea­sed [Page] to here me speake. Wherefore in moste hartie manner,3. Wyse and godly re­questes to our royall Quene. I desyre you first that you will take these my enterpryses in good parte, (the which you shall do, if you will looke in to my heart oute of which proceadeth all that I doo:) secondly that before you haue readen all which I purpose to comprehend in this epistle, you will not gyue youre verdict either to the prayse or disprayse of them: last of all, I request you by the faythe which you owe to Christ, that if by the craftye councel of others, you haue conceiued any wrong opinion, if ryght reason shall confound it, if eui­dent truthe shall bewray it, if godlynes shall boult it oute, that you will not re­fuse the good grace of God, but wil­lyngly gyue credit to those reasons which you shall see to be more agrea­ble to Christian religion. For it is the poynt not only of a prowde and arro­gant [Page 28] stomake, but also the token of a dull and blockyshe wytte, (which faul­tes be very farre frō you) to be so ad­dicted to certayne chosen and singular opinions, beaton in to the heade by dayly crying and callyng on of wicked persones, that it can not be remoued from that opinion which it hath once taken in hand to defend. which thyng as in euery trade of lyfe, is beyond all God hys forbode, so in wrong religion which is taken of a heade, is most pe­rylous and daungerous. For the more trymme, excellent, and profytable any thing is in his right kynde, so the more vyle, beggarly, and hurtfull it is, when it is coūterfeit.Mark the manifolde miseries caused by the false preachers of oure tyme, The which I wold God we had not tryed in these troblesome dayes. For after that by the naughtye persuasyon, and bedlem boldnes of some, men forsooke that religiō which frō the Apostles tyme, euen to our age [Page] hath continued inuincible, and many being inuegled with paynted woordes, haue strayed from that way which the disciples of Christ dyd fyrst open, and many holy men in whome the holy ghost dwelled, dyd afterward enlarge, that they might walcke in that pathe, which with a shew of licētiousnes and pleasure, dyd drawe folish and vnadui­sed men vnto it, I saye, after that this newe deuised religion was spredd a­broade by meanes of many seditiouse sermons, and erronyouse bookes, we haue sene shamefastnes sodenly to be shaken of, honestie to be chassed oute of the countrie, man his lawe and God hys lawe to be troden vnder fote, holy thynges to be prophaned, godlynes to be iested at, boldnes euery where to scape skotfree, vnshamefastnes to be mayntayned, many opinions contrary one to the other, to bee scattered a­broade, the vnity of Christ to be torne [Page 29] with sutes of dyuerse sectes, and in e­uery place where these mad men haue come, the fyre of horrible discorde to haue ben blowne vp. Out of this roote haue spronge deadly displeasures, often vprores, perylouse dagger drawinges: hereof many blody battayles haue ben fought, many slaughters done, many spoyles cōmitted, many mennes posses­sions destroyed with fyre and sworde. And now, I pray, you who is so blynde which doth not see what crueltye ap­peareth in many of them, which haue ben the authors of these opinyōs, with what disdaynefull arrogancye they do iette vp and downe, with what maly­pertnes and cursed speaking they rayle vpon good men? Adde now here vnto, the breache of lawes, the contempt of rule, the hatred of Kyngly authoritie, the vnmercyfull treasons which these men moste dyuelyshly deuyse agaynst [Page] Princes. Recken here also, theyr se­crette whysperynges, when they cast theyr heades together how to destroy and vndoo theyr Kynges, and whilst most shamefully they worke theyr wo, for whose wealth and good estate, they ought to serue and call vpon God. For who hath so littell wytte, that can not perceaue, that this sect is alltogether for the peoples to the, & to feade theyr humoure, and that it is more fyt to styr vp & increase, then to asuage and di­minish theyr folly and madnes? But all these people pleasers, for so muche as they be men of no wysdome or discre­tīo, but be led with an inordinate desi­re of liberty, they loue not law, they de­fye iusticers, they wyshe in theyr hartes that kinges were at the dyuel, that they without cōptrolmēt might liue as they lyst. For they couet to be set free from lawe and ordre, that they may be bond [Page 30] slaues to theyr owne wyl and naughtie affectīos, is there any m̄a can deny this? haue not we had the proofe of it by ma­ny exāples? doth not euery mā see that they shoote all at this marke, that Prin­ces being dispatched oute of the way, there might none be left which shold once say, black is theyr eye? Therefore some Kinges they haue poysoned, some they haue attempted to kyll with the sworde, and haue cast many mysche­nouse fetches, how to pull them oute of theyr seate. But peraduenture some man wyll say,An heretis cal obiec­tion. this hath not chaunsed for any grudge which those good men haue borne toward Kynges, but only for the diuersytye and variance of re­ligion. And that it were not to be fea­red that the mad and mysheuouse mul­titude myght worke them any displea­sure, if Princes wold agree with them aboute ordring and appointyng of re­ligion [Page] [...] [Page 30] [...] [Page] He which will say thys, of ne­cessytie he must graunt,A Catho­lyke an­swer. that it is the intent and meaning of this newe deui­sed religion, by hooke or by crooke to seke the death of those Prynces, which will not forsake the religion in which they haue ben vertuously and wysely brought vp, to come to the lure of the mad people. Againe, he doth not wy­sely weygh, how that the end of this sect, is ouermuche libertye, which can be kept in no ordre, then the which, nothing can be more contrary to the offyce and regiment of Kynges. For a Kyng his offyce is, to cutte vp vice with the knyfe of punishment, but the vn­brydled people doo desyre to be dely­uered from the feare of all punishmēt. A Kyng is the executor,The office of a Kyng & the will of the peo­ple be con­trary. keper, and maintayner of the lawes, but the peo­ple as muche as it is able, with rashnes doth rent and al to teare them. A kyng [Page 31] studieth for peace and quietnes, but the people all together vnruly, doth seke troble and disturbaunce. Laste of all, a king doth not think, that all thinges are to be bestowed of euery man a ly­ke, but as euery man is more worthie then an other, so he rewardeth hym af­ter the rate of his desert. But the peo­ple, wolde not haue one better then an other, and desyreth to haue heauen and yearth mingled togeather. So that as in no sauce it can abyde anie superiours, so moost cheifely it hateth kinges to the deathe. For it can not away with any excellencie of more worthynes. and it stryueth all to this end, either to destroy Kinges vtterly, or els to bryng them in to a trappe of trobles. This I graunte doth not appeare at the fyrst, but as sone as a company of madde rakehels groweth to any strengthe or powre, then theyr boldnes being enco­raged [Page] with long sufferaunce, and winc­king at, bursteth oute to the vndoing & ouerthrowing of the Kynge his Ma­iestie. Therefore seing this is the na­ture of the ignorant people,The natu­re of the ignorant people. so sone as they haue gotten people pleasyng cap­taines, which with theyr railing sermo­nes may puff them vp as it were with wyndy blastes, and rayse mightie waues of foly and madnes, surely Princes doo vnwisely which doo not nyp wycked­nes in the hed, so sone as it doth begyn, but cherishe it with theyr sofftnes, and strengthen it with theyr bearing. For they do not perceaue that they make a rod for them selues, when they suffre that to spryng and increase, which at the last being growne to a hed, wil pul them oute of theyr throne, and so when it is to late, they shall se that they haue bred theyr owne bane, which they shall not be able to remedy when they wold. [Page 32] Wherefore then they shall drynke of the whyp for theyr madnes, as all other Princes doo, which take vpon then to further and mayntayne with publike authoritie, the folish fansye of the cō ­mon people. But peraduenture they wyll deny that this is a people pleasyng sect. Then what is a people pleasyng sect if this be not? doth it not euery where styrre vp sedityon?A profe that this new lear­ning is a people pleasing sect. doth it not breake the bandes of all iustice and lawes? doth it not resist rule and kingly regimēt? doth it not put all men in hope of to muche lewde libertie? For where is rule moste dispysed? where are the Princes had in most derisyon of the c̄o­mon people? surely in those places where this pestilent learning doth gett the vpper hand. Therefore if this mad enterprise takē myscheuousely in hand of these people pleasers, and vnaduy­sedly wynked at of Princes, shall grow [Page] to a rypenes, which way so euer it ta­keth, it wyll quyte ouerturne all the de­fence and strengthe of kyngly estate.

Beleue me (o Quene,) this sect which for oure synnes hath ouer run many partes of Christēdome, is the vndoing of common wealthes, the marring of good māners, the spoyling of kyngdo­mes, and the destruction of all kyngly honoure. But you will say, that you sett not so muche by your reigne, that for the loue of it, you wold lese the ryches of the euerlasting kyngdome, and that you wold willingly abyde any aduen­ture, that you might entre in to heauē. I will not meruaile if you will say this. For it is the poynte of a noble mynd, to despyse the fletyng pleasures of this short lyfe, & to be greatly in loue with immortalitye. For what goodnes is in thys lyfe? what part of it is quyt of daunger? what is it which is not hemd [Page 33] in on euery syde with sorowfullnes? as for laughinges, feastinges, mynstrel­sye, sportinges, dalyaunces, many gre­fes do follow them, and al delightes are ended often tymes with pitifull & la­mentable mysfortunes. And put the case, that all thinges chaunce as we wolde haue them, yet we must abyde the sharp shoure of death, which neuer is farre frō vs, but alway is at our back, and dayly pyncheth somethyng from oure lyfe. For it is a folly to thynke death then to drawe neare when it ma­keth an end of oure lyfe, and not to fele the force of it, when dayly it doth crop and by littell and littell wasteth oure lyfe. For euerye day, deathe dothe in­croche vpon vs, and what so euer parte of oure age passeth away, it is deuou­red by the crueltie of deathe. Therfore seing oure lyfe dothe so swyftly ebbe away, and in so lyttell cōtinuaunce of [Page] tyme, is subiect to so many grefes and miseries, & all greate possessions glyde away in a minute of an howre, what is a greater poynte of wysdome, then to sett at naught all the tryfles of this lyfe, and to gyue oure mynde to seke after heauenly and euerlasting thinges? Wherefore if this be your mynde, that thoughe you sholde hazarde all youre riches, you wolde not weygh it a straw, so that by such meanes you might pre­pare youre selfe away to heauen, I can neuer worthilye prayse the noble dis­position of your princely hart. Wher­for I gyue you councell, that if the ray­fers of this newe religion, can fynde out anye meanes, howe you maye come a nearer way to heauen, although great losse of goods shold follow you by their doctrine, you notwithstanding sholde make muche of them, and thynk them worthy of all preferment. For small [Page 34] thinges are not to be compared with greate, worldly thinges with heauenly, transitorie thinges with euerlasting.

Nowe then, what doe they bring with them of suche force to get heauē, that auncyent religion is to be forsakē, that the profit and highe estate of the kyng­dome is to be lyttell estemed? Perad­uenture some man wyll say:An hereti­call excu­sation. O yes, they bryng with them a great furtheraunce to heauen, and wonderfully to be com mended. For these men be not inuen­tors of nouelties as fond men do drea­me, but rather they laboure to restore all thinges which were decayed, to the perfection of theyre auncient and first institution: for it muche greueth them that the purenes of Christian religion, which Christ and his disciples dyd lea­ue behynde, is choked with many su­perstitions, and corrupted with many abuses: therfore they haue found out a [Page] [...] [Page 33] [...] [Page] [...] [Page 34] [...] [Page] notable way, how they may put down all superstition, and scoure oute all the blottes of Christian righteousnes, that so at the length, Christian religion may recouer the light and purenes which it had lost.A catho­like consy­deratiō cō ­tayning an excellent quyppe. Surely this is a worthy act, and deseruing immortall prayse. For what can be inūted either better, for the pro­fitablenes, or more excellent, for the worthynes, then in suche an infection and decay of good manners, in suche a spoyle and ouerthrow of all good thin­ges, for one to step furth inspyred with such vertue, that he can set a new glasse vpon olde manners, that he can heale thynges which are wounded, that he can repayre thinges fallen in to ruine, that he can clense religion frō all fylth, and make all holye thinges perfect?

Wherefore it is no meruayle, if many which were hartily in loue with god­lynes, dyd take the decay of true reli­gion [Page 35] heauely, and being intysed with suche goodly promises, dyd willingly follow whither those men dyd lead thē. But before they had lept so farre, they shold haue looked, of what abylitye these promysers had ben.what shold haue ben cōsydered ere credit had bē gy­uē to these fayre pro­misers. For as mer­chaunt men do measure euery man his fydelitye according to hys riches, for they neuer credit hym whome they think vnable to stand to his promyse, so in suche greate vauntes, regarde was to be had, not only with what woordes they dyd warrant, but rather muchemore it was to be weighed with discre­tion, whether they were able to per­forme and accōplyshe that which they had spoken. Therefore it was requisyte, that he which shold take vpon hym so great & notable an enterpryse, shold be a man of a meruaylouse vpryghteous­nes, sagenes, sobrietye, manly corage, stedfastnes, rauished with the loue of [Page] heauenly thynges, furnished and reple­nished with greate gyftes of the holy ghoste. More ouer thys is to be mar­ked, for so muche as in tyme past, there haue ben many most holye and wyse men, excelling in all kynde of godlynes and neuer any of them could fynde in hys hart, to further thys good intent of youres after suche sorte as these men haue fyrst inuēted, that it standeth with reason that these men which do take vpon them to fullfyll your desyre, after suche a newe and vnknowen fashyon, shold so farre passe those excellēt wor­thies in vertue, as thys maystrye which they haue taken in hand, is more to be praysed then all the thynges whiche those holy men dyd in theyr lyfe tyme. But I pray you, is there any of these men, more holy, more sobre, more stronge to godward, then Athanasius, Basyll, Ambrose, Ierome, Augustyne, or [Page 36] other fathers of most excelēt wysdome and religion? no doughtles▪ what then? could such a greate matter be brought to passe with meane and common ver­tue? it is not to be beleued. But let vs relent thus muche to them, and let vs graunt that it might be, that God in oure dayes wold reuele to them which were of meane behauyoure,Note. that kynde of doctrine inuēted to redresse and re­forme religiō, which was hyd from the holy fathers. Yet at the least, they must graunte, that he whome the wysdome of God wold set ouer suche an offyce, ought to be a man of indifferent ver­tue and godlines. For God is not wont to commit honorable offyces of holy­nes and honestie, to naughtie and wic­ked persons, & they can beare no sway among wyse men whose lyues are de­famed with dishonestie. Therefore al­though to the discharging of so weigh­tie [Page] an offyce, I did require not without a cause excellēt vertue and authoritie, yet for all that, because it might seme vnreasonable among suche dreggishe doctoures, to looke for the examples of vertue and honestie which was vsed in olde tyme, I will now content my selfe with meane vertue and authori­tie. Tell me therefore, who was he so discrete, so perfect of lyffe, and māners, that it was lyke that God dyd put hym in trust with this offyce? who was the beginner and founder of this learning? Luther the fyrst founder of this fond doctrine. who was the hedd carpenter of thys goodlye buylding? forsothe Luther. what māner a fellow was this Luther? surely that I may speake the best of hym, he was a man neither sobre, nei­ther discrete, but hedlong, rashe, mis­cheuous,Luthers lewde scollers. seditious, and of all other the greatest people pleasure, and what mā ­ner of men were they which afterward [Page 37] sprange oute of hys scole as oute of a well? vndoughtedly, bold, standing in their owne cōceite, puft vp with pryde, and (that I may say no wurse by them) men not so indued with vertue, that we being moued with their authoritie, shold forsake the rules of the religiō in which we were brought vp. Therefor how can it synk in to a wyse man his hed, that oure most holy Lorde,A questiō insoluble and able to choke all heretykes. which allwayes hath imbraced symple, lowly, and humble men, and hath lyghtned with hys brightnes the myndes of such as take nothing vpon them, now con­trary to his accustomed manner, shold ouer hyp symple and humble men, and shew them this new and straūge light, which haue no sparke of shamefastnes or modestie? Now I say, how cometh it to passe, that these fellowes who as it appeareth by many tokens, be gyuen to worldly delightes, haue only most [Page] wittily spyed out that which was vn­knowē to so holy fathers, kyndled with the loue of purenes, and as it were set on fyre with the desyre of godly know­ledge? But now I reason not of what authoritie they be. For it cometh to passe through the offēces of many, that men can not perceaue that they which are not to be reuerensed for any nota­ble vertue,Syn is the cause that men can not see the folly of fal­se teachers. be not able to performe that which they do pretend. Let vs therefor graunt, if it please them, that it may be by some meanes, that they which be not to be praysed for any excellēt ver­tue, and go not beyond others in the loue of Godlynes, may take in hande and accomplysh that which men most famouse for theyr vertue and Godly­nes were not able to bryng to passe.

Therefor after what sort haue they ob­teyned that?An excuse commonly vsed of all heretikes. Because (say they) those men whome you meane, although they [Page 38] dyd follow the spirite of God, and were ernestly bent towarde the woorde of God, yet they did leane to much to mā ­nes authority: but we thinck it vnseme­ly for vs to stick to the authority of mē, to be bound to the traditiōs of men, to weygh what is right & honest according to the reason and consyderatiō of men. we haue one only author and maister, namely God, and we make our accōpt, that oure lyfe is to be drawen after the rule of hys worde, and not after mēnes decrees, and ordynaunces.A trymironia against heritikes. O these be m̄e worthy to be wondred at, and with cap and knee to be worshipped. For they so speake as they now hadd not one iote of man hys nature in them, and as though they were not made of fleshe and bone as other men be. For they forsothe, haue mortifyed all theyr sences with fayth, they haue parted the soule frō the body, neither do they only [Page] defy man hys nature, but also they dis­pyse all the authorities of holy men. For beynge losed from the lynkes of nawghtie desyres, they be flowen vp in to heauen, that they may behold none other thynge but God, and that they may make none other of theyr coūcell but the holy ghost. If it be so, I take them in dede to be men of God, for as S. Paule wytnesseth, they be the chil­dren of God,A strong profe that the hereti­kes of oure time be not men of god as they wold seme. whiche bee led with the spyrit of God, and they which bee the children of God, questyonles bee fur­nyshed with godlye vertues. But now Syr, yf theyr shamfull doynges, do dis­proue theyr shameles sayinges, shall we beleue them, so often as they make theyr vaunt that they followe only the worde of God? for yf in all theyr do­inges they doe according to God hys worde, then they follow not couetous­nes, hatred, wrathe, ambityon, but they [Page 39] be all together made perfect with ver­tues which spryng out of the worde of God. If they be not indued with suche heauenly vertues, then doe they lye in saying, that they only and all to gether do frame them selues to the worde of God, for wyckednesses and the worde of God can not dwell together. Ther­fore eyther they dyrect not theyr lyffe after the worde of God, eyther they do not commit any abhominable or sha­mefull syn, for if they syn shamefully, and abhominably, vndoughtedly they be not squared to the worde of God. But they commyt many hyduouse of­fences and synnes, as al the worlde can wytnesse, therfore it is false to say that they be gouerned with God hys word, and the inspiration of the holyghoste.

But let vs leaue this darke kynde of disputyng, and demaūde of them some token of this worde of God, whiche [Page] they all wayes be chatting on. There­fore you shal giue me leaue (o Quene) that I maye searche and ransake all this matter so farr, tyll it appeare howe trymly these men do handle the Ghos­pell.A chalēge chokyng al heritikes. Nowe then, I wolde willinglye heare of thē, whether these many yeares they haue wrought any notable feate, which may inforce vs to confesse that they grownde onlye vppon the worde of God. Well sayde, (wyll they saye) but you knowe that it is the office of God his worde,A common clok which heritikes vse. (as it is written in Ie­remye) before it buylde newe, to pull downe the olde buyldynges, before it grafte frutefull trees, to pluck vp by the rootes, those which be barren and vn­profytable. I knowe it well: therefore I looke and stand as it were in a mase, to beholde what you pull downe, and what you roote vp with this your good ly attempt, that at the length I may see [Page 40] Christ his howse raysed vp, and his gar­deyne bewtifully set, with the heauenly graftes of all manner of vertues. Go to nowe, bestyrre you a pase, plye the mat­ter tyll you sweate, that you may be a­ble to fynyshe a worke of suche excel­lencie. Do as muche as in you lyeth, to ouerthrowe the walles of Satan, to pull downe pryde, to refrayne angre & cur­sed speaking, to picke oute all the brys­tles of vncleane and fylthye desyres, to plucke vp by the rootes all occasyon of stryffe and debate, that so at the laste you may laye the foundations of Chri­stian humilitye and lowlynes, and that you may plant sobrietie of lyfe, & cha­stitie, ioyned with moste pure religyō, & that you may set the graftes of Christian loue and charitie. You gyue good councell say they: but before this, there is an other thyng that we wyll destroy and pull downe. In the name of God. [Page] what thing is that so heynouse and de­testable, that you wyll fyrst endeuoure youre selfe, to dispatche that oute of the way, before you vtterly ouerthrow these so pestilent poysons of mākynd? O saye they, it is a greuouse thynge, an vntolerable thing,The fyrst spoyle of heretykes. a secret myschefe, and for the abhominablenes of it, to be quyte rased out of all remembraunce. For we wyll rushe in to those howses, in which holye virgins being inclosed, day and night do syng hymnes to the glory of God, and praye to Christ for the good estate of Kynges and Pryn­ces, and for the sauegarde of the whole communaltie. We wyl pull downe the fences of shamfastnes, we wyll breake open the inclosures of chastitie, and we wyll no longer suffer wel fauoured vir­gyns to be barred of theire solace and pleasures, to lack the comfort and ayde of theire children, and to spend theire [Page 41] younge yeares in sorrowfull solytary­nes, and miserable vnfrutefullnes. In faithe, I allowe this youre charitie and louing kyndnes. What wyl you do mo­re?The secōd spoyle of heritikes. Then we will make a law for Mon­kes, or solitary lyuers, whose howses we wyll pull downe lykewyse, or let them oute to hyer, it skilleth not to what lay men, and charge them vnder payne of deathe, that here after, none presume for religious sake, to wrastle cōtynually against his lecherouse lustes. For why? It is an heynouse offence, and in no sauce to be borne withall. What do I heare? Doest thou reclame men to the streightnes of religion,Note a god ly defence of ppetuall chastitie. which was in the primitiue churche, which so busily doest destroye that thing whiche was muche to be merueyled at in the pri­mitiue churche, and which contayned the image of heauenlye purenes? For what is more meruailouse, thē subduing [Page] the lustes, which withdrawe the mynde from contemplation of heauenly thin­ges, to thincke wholy on the fayrenes of God, & to be rauished with the loue of his diuinitie? It is an hard matter, say you. Yea if you please, let it be of all other most hard, so that we vnderstand, that the harder it is, the more it auaun­ceth the glory of God, which hathe so strengthened oure feble nature, that for loue of purenes, it is able to resyst that tickling pleasure, with which natu­rally we be intangled, and being wonne with the swetenes of heauenly delight, can forsake and lothe all bodyly plea­sure. Therfore if any man rauished with the loue of godly lyfe, and to the intent he may gyue hym selfe to the consyde­ration of heauenly thynges, shall kepe hym self from the moste troblesome cares of marryage▪ if any virgyn infla­med with the loue of euerlasting glory [Page 42] and honestie, with an ernest good will, shall take that vppon her which is sel­dome sene and hard to performe, and shall of her owne accorde, inclose her selffe in a religyouse howse, that so be­ing voyde of all other cares, she may be coupled to Christ with a more streight and holy band of professyon, and by the spyrit of Christ, to whom she hath offered her selffe, shall constantlye re­frayne all vncleane and vnchaste desy­res, is there any man so farr from ho­nesty, so muche an enimye to the glo­ry of God, that he wyll detest it as a greuouse and abhominable offence? Surely suche a man is to be suspected. For euen so (as Athanasius and other holy men do,A iuste cause to suspect the new teachers of oure tyme. make mentyon) dyd the heretikes of olde tyme. With the lyke hatred, they did persecute chastitie: with suche rage, they dyd disquyet the mo­nasteries of religyouse virgyns. And as [Page] muche as lay in them, wolde not suffer that ther shold be any, which according to the councell of Christ, for the loue and desyre of the heauenly kyngdome, might forsake all carnall pleasure, and by contynuall worshipping of God, might in holynes bothe of bodye and sowle, here in yearthe, followe and re­semble the conuersation of the sayntes which be in heauē. But now, I wyll stay my selffe. For it is not reason that I sholde bewayle that which is taken a­way, before I see what is set vp in the place of that which is pulled downe. For as yet there may be hope, that the worthynes of the thing which shall be brought in, may make amendes for the thing which is put oute. Now then,The third spoyle of heritikes. go on. What hathe this worde which you bragg on so muche ouerthrowen, be­syde all this which we haue spoken of? Forsothe all the pictures of Sayntes, all [Page 43] the signes of Christ his crosse, all payn­ted tables in the which any thing was set oute, which might put vs in mynde of the mercy of God, or of any notable vertue. Neither hereafter wyll we in any wyse suffer the image of oure Sa­uyour Christ, or symilitude of his holy Sayntes, to be set in any open or secret places. And this doing, certainlye cau­seth me to suspect, that these men mynd no lesse, but by lyttell and lyttell to pull all remembraunces of Christ oute of our myndes. For seing nothing is more conuenient to quicken oure memorye then sygnes and images,A true de­fence of images. and seing this is oure especyall dutie, allway to think on God, & to remembre his benefytes cōtinually, and for so muche as in thys lyfe we haue so many lettes, which ma­ke oure myndes to stray from so godly and necessary cogitations, I pray you then, what offence is it to haue those [Page] remembraunces euer before oure eyes, which may often styrr vs vp to remem­ber the mercye and kyndenes of God, and make our myndes more sharpe to­warde the loue of Godlynes? But we may fynde faulte with this folly of thei­res, when we shall perceaue that they bryng no better salue with them to re­medy the weakenes of man, which may more depelye prynt the benefytes of Christe in the hartes of the vnlearned people,The four­th spoyle of herety­kes. thē this beholding (as they say) of dome images. Is there any thing els that your fyngers itche at, tyll you haue it downe? Yea mary is there. We wyll make hauock of churche goodes, of ce­rimonies, and of all the sacramentes▪ Loe also, thys is a thyng, which sholde make a man quake for feare. wylt thou (o heritike) abolyshe the holye ordy­naunces which Christ hath ordeined? which his Apostles haue appoynted to [Page 44] be obserued? which holy churche hath allowed? which do rote in our myndes the remembraunce of Christ,A Godly defence of the cerimonies and sacramentes. by oft re­peting his benefytes, with the which we haue fastened our selues vnto hym as it were with a true loue knott, by meanes of the which we be clensed from syn, we be hartned with heauenlye foode, and be defended with the ayde of vn­uincible vertue? For what other thing wolde the Turcke and other infydells doo? Oh it is a miserable, a greuouse, a lamentable case, and not to be borne withall of a Chrystyan man, to be be­reued of such holy comfortes, through which he remembreth that often tymes he hath receaued the benefytes of God his grace, and that which is more ody­ouse, to be bereued of suche Christian comfortes, by the councell, study, pro­curement, and endeuoure of Christian men. Tushe you do but tryfle (say they) [Page] which do thinke that our holynes and ryghteousnes doth consist in these ce­rymonies,An heriti­call obiec­tion. whereas in deed, it all to ge­ther resteth in the grace and mercy of Christ. As who sholde say, we knewe not that: as who sholde saye, we haue readen nothing, we haue hard nothing, no heauenlye bryghtnes at anye tyme hath shyned vpon vs, or that this is the fyrst tyme, that anye suche thing was tolde vs. Beleue me,A catholi­ke confes­sion cōcer­nyng oure iustificatiō we neuer dough­ted that all the cause of oure iustifica­tyon, was to be imputed to the mercy of God, and the most holye merites of Christ. Notwithstanding we defend this, that we can not withoute greate trespasse leaue those thinges vndone, which the same author of our saluation hathe ordeined, as meanes to make vs more fyt to be partakers of his diuine benefytes, and to strengthē our weak­nes with all ayde and assistaunce.

[Page 45] Moreouer we affirme, that so oft as we duly ministre the holy sacramentes, we do sensiblye perceaue, that those holye mysteries were assigned and appoynted of him, by the which, he wold often put vs in mynde of hys greate goodnes, by the which, he might in a māner lay be­fore oure eyes, the paynes which he fuffred for vs. By the which, he might more ernestly styr vp oure faith, and to be short, by the which, he might more plentyfully styll in to oure hartes the dewe of hys grace. we truly which do receaue greate comforte of those thin­ges, which the more we be occupied in executyng of them, the more we fele Godly deuotion to encrease in vs, do worthily bewayle suche thynges to be taken away of you, onlesse you, as of duty you ought, do restore better thin­ges in theyr place. Is there any thyng els, in pulling downe of the which, you [Page] may brag of your dyligence? Yea cer­teynely very many. For where so euer we come,The fyft spoyle of heretykes. we stretche all the strynges of oure wyt to thys end, that we may deface the autoritie of the Prestes and Bishops, that we may delyuer the peo­ple from thraldome of the Pope, and that we may disanull all there lawes and ordinaūces, that there may be nothing to let a Christyan man of hys libertie. And I pray you, what other thyng is this, but to rypp Chryst hys cote, to breake the ordre which he hathe made, to disquyet the peace of hys churche,4. notable argumētes for the su­premacye. to cast innumerable bones of debate, to set men to gether by the eares? For 1 as there is one faythe, one religion, one churche, so is it nedefull that it be ruled and gouerned chefely by the authori­tie of one. Otherwyse, there shall ryse 2 manyfolde yea infinyte religyons one contrary to the other, and cōtrary churches [Page 46] shall be mayntayned, whiche may not be nombred. For euery man wyll inuēt a churche, according to his owne fantasye. Then the which thyng, what can be imagined more confuse & oute of ordre, more contrary to the lawes and commaundementes of Chryste? More ouer lay to thys that when Pre­stes be dryuen oute and thrust from 3 their roumes, whē the autoritie of the Pope is despysed, and trodden vnder foote, then temporall Prynces, agaynst all God hys forbode, take vpon them to rule matters of religyon, to medle with holy thinges, and by suche sacri­ledge do heape vpon them God hys heauye displeasure. Againe, who do the 4 not see, whē the religyouse rules which be conteined in the Popes constituti­ons, be taken away, that all feare is put to flyght, and licentiouse liuyng dothe raigne withoute comptrollement? As [Page] who sholde say (say they) we shote at any other marcke,Mark this bragg of hereticall teachers cōcerning securitie. then to pull all feare oute of mens myndes? For we be the patrones of perfect libertie, and it is so farr of, that we wyl suffer those which be our disciples, to stand in awe of any thyng, that we will quyte set them free from fearing of God. For the which thing veryly our scollers are muche be­holdyng to vs, for it was to sore an hart breake day and night to feare God, and by that meanes, to pyne away with cō ­sumyng carefullnes. Therfore we haue cōmaunded all those which beleue in Christ, to set cocke on hoope, & crye care away. For we beare them in hand, that fayth is of suche force, that laying once hand of it, thoughe he be neuer so mischeuouse a lym of the dyuell, yet he may warrāt hymselfe the fauoure of Christ, and blysse euerlasting. So that there is nothing which sholde make a [Page 47] man a fearde,Note well this lear­ned confu­tation of securitie, with a strōg profe that Chri­stian men ought to stand in feare, con­trary to the Protestāts cōmon preachinges. if he be harnessed with this faythe. What is this which sown­deth in myne eares? Wylt thou take awaye the feare of God? Wylt thou shake of that awe which the iudgemētes of God beate in to the hartes of men? I pray the, whoeuer was suche a people parasite, so seruiceable to please the madnes of the common sorte, that he durst be so bolde as to encorage men from fearing of God? In deede, suche people pyke thankes, haue often tymes reiected the rule of Princes, haue disa­nulled lawes which abridged & restrey­ned the people of their wanton wyshes, with promisyng them to lyue as they lyst, they wōne the greatest sorte vnto them, that thei might make a way vnto their tyrannicall and vsurped autoritie: but that they sholde not feare the iud­gement of God, none of them all dyd once open his mouthe, or made anye [Page] proffer to perswade the people. For they dyd knowe well inoughe, that the man which dyd not feare God, wolde not abyde to be vnder the rule and o­bedience of any man. For take away the feare of God, how coulde you knowe a man frō a beaste? or that I may tou­che the truthe nearer the quyck, what beaste is so outeragyouse and horne­mad, which is to be compared in mad­nes to suche a man, which hathe no feare of God before hys eyes?

But nowe mark,Oure pro­testantes wursse thē the ethni­kes cōcer­ning this opinion of securite. howe greate oddes is betwene these Bible bablers, & those men which being all together wyde of true worshipping of God, in olde time dyd ordeyne common wealthes? they, forsomuche as they dyd wysely consy­dre, that with oute the feare of God, the people coulde not be kept in law­full subiection, dyd institute false and feyned religions: these men from true [Page 48] religion, haue fylched all feare, which myght kepe men with in the listes and bowndes of their dutie. Those other, which perhappes beleued not that God had any regard to worldly affaires, yet they dyd beate the feare of God in to the hartes of the rude people: but oure men, which crake that they came oute of God his bosome, and knowe all hys secretes, doo plye the box busyly, that they may seale Christian men a Qui­tāce from al feare of God▪ and so make them lyke blynde bayardes boldely to leape in to the myar of al mischefe.

nowe for all this, I do not yet reason how well they behaue them selues, but I declare what cause they do gyue men to thynk yll of them. For they seme to haue thys dryft in theyr heades, that they may stopp all the hyghe wayes of healthe and saluation, that they which be shackled with any syn, may haue no [Page] saffe passage or entraunce. For if they haue shaken of all feare, which of them wyll syghe for his synnes? who wyll bewayle his offences committed? who wyll hartily hate & abhorr his nawgh­tynes? who from the bothome of his harte, wyll long after honestie and ho­lynes? who falling groueling at Christ his fete, with teares wyll aske forgyue­nes for his mysdoynges? who wyll go aboute to take oute the stayninges of his synnes with allmesse dedes,An hereti­call obiec­tion. & other workes of mercye? What (say they) doest thou put the holynes of our iu­stifycation in weping and wayling, in sobbyng and syghing at the remem­braunce of oure synnes? Yea surelye. And that I sholde so doo,A catholi­ke answer. I am not led with any lyght autoritie, but with the determination of holy scripture. And that you be not of that iudgement also, I doo not a lyttel meruail. O (say they) [Page 49] wepyng is a wytnesse of the weakenes of faythe:An here­ticall re­ply. and as for mennes workes, thoughe they be done with neuer so godly a zeale, yet as a man wolde say, they be so rotten at the rote, and so de­pelye stayned with sokynge fylthynes, that they can neuer be scoured or made cleane. We therfore consyderyng these thinges wysely, by no meanes doo ac­knowledge oure saluation to stand in wepyng, or in dedes of charitye,A catho­like solu­tion. but in fayth onlye. These sayinges make me more to merueile thē I dyd before. For this faythe, which by meanes of Christ his merites, maketh vs to haue accesse vnto God, dothe followe the lawe of God, dothe cleaue to his wordes, and dothe not say nay to the commaundy­ment of our master Christ. Therefore for so muche as the lawe of God wil­leth vs to wepe, so oft as we slyp in to any syn, & seing that all the Prophetes [Page] [...] [Page 48] [...] [Page] [...] [Page 49] [...] [Page] with lowde voyces do crye vnto vs, that we sholde clense oure spotted sowle with sorrowing and sobbyng, with workyng and performyng mercyfull dedes of charitie,O Osorius if you we­re fellowe of Trinitie colledge in Cābridge, you shold lese your fellowship as I knowe who dyd, for saing so in a dis­putation. seing the sone of God hym selfe dothe say playnelye, that all they which refuse to do penaunce, shall vt­terlye peryshe, and forwarneth vs, that they which wyll do good workes, shall entre in to euerlastyng lyfe, but they which worke wyckednesse, shall be tor­mented with euerlastyng fyar, I con­clude, that the office and dutie of fayth is, to mourne, to lament, to conceiue an ernest hatred agaynst the accouste­med synnes, with a burnyng desyre to returne from the byway of wickednes, to the hyghe way of honest and chari­table conuersation. Which all thynges truly faythe doth worthylye performe, so oft as it is quick and lyuely, and not faynting or ouercharged with the bur­den [Page 50] of bodylye and carnall desyres. Not that she chalengeth any thing to her selfe, but because she knoweth by godlye inspiration, that they onlye de­serue the greate mercye of God, which repent them of their former fylthynes, & with ernest affection do rendre them selues vp to the following of God his lawe. Therefore that fayth, by persua­syon of the which, any man warranteth hym selfe euerlastyng blysse, setting a parte sorrowfullnes for his synnes past, leauyng of to doo good workes, and hath the loue of charitye cleane quen­ched in hym, I say that fayth, is not worthy the name of fayth, but rather to be called folyshe hardynes, hedlong hasty­nes, and prowde presumptuousenes. Moreouer, all men may see that the profyte of holsome repentaunce, is ta­ken away, that the ardent loue of cha­ritie is made key cold, when men take [Page] thys for a sure staff to leane on, that theyr synnes be not forgyuen, for theyr mourning, for theyr Godly sorrowing, for any holy workyng,Luthers opinion. but rather that in so doing, they heape new synnes vpō theyr olde. For they take it to be a syn to lament for theyr syn, and they hold that no good worke can be done with out syn. Therfor this is a doctrine wor­thy to be wondered at, which hath so malypertly taken in hand to set furthe suche incredible thynges, and yet wold haue men to gyue them credit. Is there yet any thyng ells, so much to be mer­ueiled at? so muche quoth you? Yea which wyl cast you in to suche a mase, as the head of Medusa sene at vnwares could not more quickly turne men in to a flynt stone.The sixth spoyle cō ­mitted of the here­tikes. I pray you, what is that? forsothe they bynd mānes reason as it were to a poste, they spoyle hym of lyberty to take councell, they wrap [Page 51] hys wyll in fatall fetters, they bereaue man all together of iudgement, and all perceaueraūce, and they strype hym so cleane of all free wyll, that there is no difference betwene hym and a stone.

For of all those thynges, which men cast in theyr mynde, take in hand and put in practyse, whether they be aught or naught, they make God the causer of them, they impute it to fatall neces­sytie, and say that it was predestyned that they shold so do before they were borne. Which saying if it be true, then is there no councell to be taken in af­faires of thys lyffe, then there is no iud­gement, no prayse to do well,Note here a goodlye reprofe of fatall ne­cessitie taught of oure Pro­testantes. no shame to syn, no vse of iustice, then with oute a cause, any rewarde is apoynted for honestie, and it is agaynst reason, that theyr shold be ordeyned any punishmēt for syn. For what reason is it, that I for the syn which I dyd not of myne owne [Page] accorde (for I was cōstreyned of neces­sytye to do it) shold suffer euerlastyng paynes? or what ryght is there, that I shold be rewarded with euerlasting ioy for that fayth which I kept only enfor­ced and spurred forward of God, with oute any will or dyligens of my parte? And that which is horrible, and to be detested, if we will leane to these ioly fellowes autoritie, all the cause of ini­quitie is to be layde to God hys charge. For so they reason, that he without any choyse or respect, only because it plea­sed hym so, before all worldes, hath appoynted who sholde be hys, whome he wolde crowne with euerlastyng glo­rie, and who shold be cast awayes, which he wolde torment with euerlastyng pu­nyshment. In the which theyre asser­tion, I fynde fault bothe with theyr constancie, and also their wysdome.

With theyre constancie, because whe­reas [Page 52] they make theyre vaunt,This doc­trine of fa­tal necessi­tie maketh against the protestan­tes them selues. that they be the autors of libertye, they all toge­ther take awaye libertye. Except they wyll graunt that at the fyrst, they dyd teach men lycentiouse lyuing, and not libertie, and that afterwarde, they dyd deny them libertye, but not to lyue li­centiously: I allowe not their wysdome, because they troble them selues very greately, and neade not. For if before all worldes, God hath enacted, that we shold receaue that doctryne which they teache, to what purpose is it, euerye where to beate it in to mens heades with so many bookes, preachinges, dis­putinges, perylls, and greate trauayles? Except they will also say, that they be compelled with the selfesame necessi­tie to laboure, to watche, to haue con­flyctes with many men, and that to no end, and withoute any profyte. There be many other thynges whiche disgra­ceth [Page] thys worde of God, vnder whose banner these doughtie and polytyke souldyoures, do crake that they fyght. For it were an endles worke, and no­thynge necessary, if I sholde recken all, seing that whiche I haue sayde, is inowghe for oure purpose.

Nowe you see (o Quene,) of what force this Ghospell is, to throwe down and ouerturne those thinges, which we sely sowles dyd not onlye thinck to be nothyng hurtfull, but also to be so ne­cessary proppes of religion, that in such decay of al good thinges in these dayes, godlynes dyd seme to staye vppon the maintenaunce of them.Here En­gland can witnesse whether Osorius doth lye. It hath broken downe the howses of holye virgins, it hath put out that wonderfull example of continuall chastitye, it hath defaced and broken the sygnes which dyd often renewe the memory of God his good gyftes bestowed vpon vs, it hath quyte [Page 53] dispatched oute of the way holy orna­mentes, cerymonies, the sacramentes, with the which many mortall men were greatlye styrred vp to the loue of im­mortalytie. They haue also remoued out of the way for stumblyng, all mo­destye and obedyence, by the which all Christian men dyd stand in awe of the cheife ruler of the church: it hath made all the lawes of the church of none ef­fect: it hathe wyped away the feare of God: it hath chased away saddnes con­ceiued for syn: it hath grated oute the grefe which the gyltie conscyence dyd smyte in to mennes myndes for theyr offences: it hath made men slacke to doo good workes: fynallye whereas it dyd allure all men to lybertie, it hathe taken away libertye. What remayneth nowe? Forsothe that we may see, what these conyng craftes men with theyr di­ligence haue restored in the place of [Page] those thinges, which they haue taken away. For suche men of God, and my­nisters of his holy worde, because they haue abolysshed those thinges, which dyd some good, displeased as they say, for that they had a smacke of supersti­tion, of necessitye must restore muche better and more holye thinges, if they wyll stand to theyre promysse.

For we seeing what that word of God which they preache, hath pulled down, and rooted vp, is it not requisyte, that we shold behold what it hath buylded & planted in steade of it? Now what is it that they haue repayred & renewed? what is it that they haue sowne? what profyte is there which the world doth fele by them? surely none at all. I see what is toppled ouer, but I see not what is sett vp agayne. I see what is ra­sed, but I see no good thing as yet ray­sed. But (will they say) do you thynk, [Page 54] that it is but a smal matter, to restrayne the wanton manners of men, with the strayght disciplyne of the primityue church, and to restore Christian reli­gion with greate trauayle, to that per­fection from the which now of late for the most parte it is flyded? Surely I take that to be no small matter, but a thyng of suche excellency, that if you performe it, I will beleue verily, you be men of God, and angels flowne down from heauen. Therefore let vs see this.A question to put the protestātes to silence. haue you taken in hand to embr̄ace mekenes and humilitye with an ernest and feruēt affection? haue you cast far from you the bytter gall of deadly ha­tred, of rayling and cursed speakyng? haue you crucifyed your fleshly desyres, that they being quenched, you may more easylye lyft vp youre mynde to thyncke of heauenly thynges? haue you shewed any meruaylouse token of ver­tue [Page] and godlynes, by the which we may perceaue the auncyent bryghtnes of the Ghospell, and the paterne of that most pure holynes and charitye, vsed in olde tyme? no, I assure you. But the more any man doth apply hym selfe to thys doctryne,Howe the disciples of this doc­trine pro­fytt. the wurser he waxeth, the more he flowteth those which be playn and ryght dealyng men, the more he is set on fyre with hatred agaynst com­mon peace and quyetnesse, and is puf­fed vp with most fantastycall vanityes. For he taketh that wysdome vpon hym which neuer man could yet obteyne. And so standyng in hys owne cōceite, what so euer toy taketh hym in the heade, that he so ernestly doth defend, as if he shold alleadge any worde co­myng oute of God hys owne mouth, with so headlong boldnes he disquye­teth all thynges, as in dede he sholde seme to couet nothyng more, then to [Page 55] see an hochepoche made of all the world. Therefore which way so euer they crepe in to mennes bosomes, that they may vtter theyr Ghospel vnto the vnlearned people, they are so farr from mendyng mennes manners, that they make all thynges in wurse case then they found thē. For they banish sham­fastnes, and let carnalitie raunge lose abroade, and takyng away the feare of God, without punishment they gyue men leaue to lyue so wyckedly as they lyst. So it cometh to passe, that wylfull­nes doth more vehemently burst oute, that lecherouse lyfe dothe more sone consume mennes ryches, that boldnes doth more bragg, and goeth aboute more heynouse enterpryses. For what shall I speake, how daungerouse tra­uaylyng it is by the hyghe wayes for feare of robbing? what shall I recken the disagreinges and furyouse fallynges [Page] oute which raygne euery where? what shall I sett oute the conspiracyes, trea­sons, and murders entreprysed agaynst Princes? But you will say, these euells were allway in all common wealthes. no man sayth nay to that. But I wold haue those myschefes redressed with thys youre so holsome and profytable doctryne. The which thing, because it doth not bryng to passe, but rather the more it encreaseth, the greater offen­ces are committed, and more vnshame­fastly attempted euen of those which desyre to be called the discyples of such masters: it is a strōg argumēt that they were not styrred vp to preache by the secrete workyng and inspira­tion of the holy ghoste.A notable cōparyson betwene the aūcient teachers, and oure new start­vp Gho­spellers. But consider what difference is betwene the olde professors of the Ghospell and these which beare men in hand that thei fol­lowe theyr foote steppes. They re­ceiued [Page 56] of God the doctrine, with the which they gaue lyght to the worlde: these men leaning to theyr owne wit and inuention, toke vpon them to be doctors and teachers. They, brydled the ryotouse manners of men with seue­re punishement, gyuing also a meruai­louse example of innocēcie and chas­titye: these men with theyr naughtie example and lycentiouse doctrine, do set mennes tethe more on edge to all kynde of vnhappynes. They, exhorted men to humility, to lowlynes, mekenes and pacyence: these men for the most part doo teache theyr scollers, pryde, crueltie, scolding and cursed speaking. They, dyd aswage the oute ragyouse desyres of men with puttyng them in mynde to feare God, and councelled them, which had fallen into any syn, to weping, fasting, & praying: these men inioyning no penaunce or penaltie to [Page] them which are lodē with syn, do hartē & encorage thēto all vnshamefastnes. They, by all meanes possible, dyd with­drawe men from bodyly pleasures, that they myght the more be inflamed with the loue of heauēly thinges: these men do surrender their scollers fast bounde to bodyly delyghtes, to the intent they may wayte, and gyue attendaūce vpon their lecherouse lustes: fynallye, they, seing they were all of one mynde, for so muche as they were the discyples of one master, that is to say, of the holy ghoste, so that one coulde not iarr frō an other, dyd knyt men to gether with the sure bond of peace, and dyd fasten the good willes of all mē, with the glue of mutuall loue and frendeshyp: But these men, for so muche as euery one of them according to hys owne fyckle fansye, dothe blab oute & tell for truth what so euer he dothe dreame of, and [Page 57] by meanes of that are dispersed in to diuerse and innumerable sectes, they breake peace, they rayse vpp debates, and procure bloody battailes. In olde tyme none of those, whiche I haue spo­ken of, did minystre poysons, none wyl­lyngly did shake the sworde against his country men, none did take councell to destroy theire Princes, none did be­haue hym selfe wantonlye or vndiscre­telye vpon his ale benche. And where­as they did excell in all the prayses of moste noble vertues, yet this vertue was to be merueiled at in them, that they wolde pray to God for the healthe and wealthe of suche as did them greate wronge: being rayled on, they did not gyue fowle language agayne: when in­iury was done vnto thē, so sone as they were able, they did a good turne to thē which harmed them: being cast in to mysery▪ they wyshed no euell to those, [Page] which against lawe and conscience dyd vnmercyfully handle them: seruauntes dyd serue theyr masters with greate trustines: souldyours in battayle for the saffegarde of the common wealth, dyd fyght manfullye, and in tyme of peace they did not refuse the cōmaundiment of theyr Princes, so farr as they com­maunded nothing contrary to the lawe of God: but rather obeyed all rulers, as the ministres of God, allthough theyr lyfe disagreed from Christian religion. Therfore they so behaued themselues, that nether in peace, nether in warr, ne­ther when they were at leasure, nether when they were occupyed, nether in pryuate busynes, or in cōmon affayres, they myght commyt any thyng which myght set the common weale oute of ordre, or gyue men occasyon to be of­fended through their synfull and wyc­ked example. I let passe to speake of [Page 58] the fastynges, heare clothes, watchyn­ges, with the which they dyd coole the heate of theyr burnyng desyres, and constreyned the body to be obedyent to the fowle. I wyll saye nothing of the ryches, whiche they dyd bestowe on the releuyng of the poore. What neade I make mentyon of theyr day­lye prayers? What sholde I make re­porte of that ernest zeale, with the which theyr hole mynde was set so fast vpon God, that althoughe bodyly they dwelled here vpon yearth, yet spiritu­ally they were caryed vp in to heauen? Who can expresse those teares, which they did pore out longyng for the hea­uenlye kyngdome? Who can vtter in wordes those syghes, which they did of­ten drawe, from the bothome of theyr harte, for that they were all togeather rauyshed with the loue of God? I say [Page] nothing of them which with an inuin­cyble corage for the honour of Christ did suffer hangyng, burnyng, rackyng, and other newe fownde tormentes.

Also I ouerpasse them which to the in­tent that they might better allway gyue attendaunce vpon Christ, & haue more leasure to study heauenlye thinges, did withdrawe them selues from mennes company, and led theyre lyfe in soly­tarye and desert places among wylde beastes, in such sharpnes, nedynes, and pynyng dyet, that they made all men astonished to see them, or here of them, whereas notwithstandyng they being comforted with the ioy of heauenlye thinges, did easylye endure watchyng, hungre, and nakednes. I speake of the common godlynes of those Christians whiche lyued next after the Apostles tyme, in whome the most ernest loue of vertue, honestye, charitye, and mo­destye [Page 59] did florishe. Let these godlye Ghospellers restore these thinges,How oure Ghospel­lers might get them credit. let them reclayme men to these manners, let them leade vs back to these rules, for the moste parte left of these manye yeares, & let them bryng to passe both that they them selues and all their fol­lowers abstayne from vices, & followe those godly vertues in which holy men of olde tyme did greatelye excell, and then men may beleue that they be au­thors of the Ghospell. But if they be not able to performe any of these thin­ges, but rather they put out all shame­fastynes & religion, and that they entre no soner in to any place, but strayght­way contempt of lawes buddeth oute, wantones, wylfullnes, madnes, crueltie, and other myschefes do corrupt good manners, and rayse vprores and hurly­burlyes among men, haue they suche brasen faces, that they dare once open [Page] their mouthe, and speake of the Ghos­pell?The Gho­spell prea­ched in En­gland at thys day is a wylye Ghospell. O wyly and deceitfull Ghospell. For outewardly it pretendeth oure fe­licitye, and priuilye it worketh oure destructiō. It putteth vs in hope of ly­bertye, and in dede layeth vpon vs the yoke of moste miserable bondage. It allureth vs with the coloure of present pleasure, and afterwarde freteth vs with many cares and greate heuynes. It pro­miseth that it will shewe the ryght way to heauen, and in the end it tumbleth men which hope for help of it, hedlong in to hell. For what other way is there in to heauen, but that which is opened with good workes, and with excellent innocencye of lyfe? Therfore, he which vnder the name of Godlynes, dothe stryue against the exercise of Godlynes, and dedes of charitye, dothe not leade vs to euerlastyng lyfe, but bloweth the coles of the vnquencheable fyar, inten­dyng [Page 60] to make vs roste meate for the dy­uell. Marke I pray you,Note here by what note you may know the true Ghospell from the false. with what wor­des by the Prophete Ieremy God tea­cheth vs to try, which is the true Ghos­pell, and which is the false: Gyue no eare (sayth he) to the Prophetes, which prophecy vnto you pleasaunt thinges, and in dede do deceaue you. For they tell you but the dreames of their owne head, and not of the worde of God.

For thus they speake to suche as do dis­honoure me. peace shall come vnto you. and to them which walcke after the wyckednes of their owne harte, no harme or peryll dothe hang ouer your heades. What shall we say now? Could the māner of these men be more play­nely set forth? coulde theyre vnshame­fastnes be better discouered? For they quite them frō of all feare, which be de­fyled with fowle synnes, and they war­rant all them which be at dagger dra­wing [Page] with Godlynes, that all thinges shall chaunce well and luckyly vnto thē. He sayeth moreouer by the Prophete: which of them was euer of coūcell with God, & hath sene or hard hym speake? It is certayne, that these wordes doo marke oute the Prophetes of oure ty­me, which do tyckle mennes eares with suche pleasaunte and delectable say­inges. For none of them hath lyued so perfectly, that by any meanes we may thynk that God hath made hym pry­uye of hys councel. For which of them hath so refrayned hys luste, that no syn dyd burst oute of it, to make men of­fended? which of them was euer of thys mynde, that he thought God hys wrathe to be appeased with fastyng, with continuall praying, and dedes of charitie? which of them to the intent he might turne away the destructiō han­gyng ouer hys deare frendes, hath [Page 61] with many teares bowed God to take mercye? Fynally, which of them dyd e­uer burne so with charitye that for the lyffe of other he wold offre hym selfe to death? and could fynde in hys hart to suffre in hys owne body the punish­ment due for the offences of hys whole countrye? For it is requisyte, that they to whome we sholde beleue that God hath opened all hys secretes,what man­ner of men God ma­keth his se­cretaryes. shold be men of no meane perfection, shold be men not fellow lyke with the common sorte, but that they should be men sur­mounting, and farre passing all others, and for many cōsyderations to be mer­ueyled at. For neyther the Prophe­tes, neither the Apostles, neither other most holy men, whome God dyd make partakers of hys councells, haue come to that degree of most hyghe perfectiō, with leading theyr lyfe in suche plea­sure, as these deyntie tothed and sugre [Page] sop gentlemen be delyghted with all, but rather in meruailouse and excellent holynes of manners, in incredible shar­penes of lyfe, in many laboures, wat­chynges prayers, wepynges, in suche egre desyre of heauenly thinges, in such feruēt charitye, that they desyred to be kylled, and to be tormented with most greouuse paynes, so that other might be saued. Of the which vertues, where as these men haue not one sparckle, but lyue so, that it may appeare by ma­ny tokens, that they take delyght in those pleasures which the cōmon sorte of men do couet,A lykely­hode that our protes­tauntes be not men chosen of God to fynde oute the truthe not know­ne before. and that they be gy­uen to those entysemētes, and prouo­cations, which naturall appetyte doth greatelye desyre, yet they so talke, as thoughe God had made them of hys coūcell, and as though not one worde scaped them, which they hard not and learned of God hym selfe. Therefore [Page 62] God in the place aforesayd, doth wor­thily curse such shameles chyldren, and doth threatē them greuous destructiō. And within a littell whyle after, he gy­ueth vs a notable marke,An other special no­te to know false pro­phetes frōtrue. how we shall knowe the false prophetes from the true, saying thus: if they had ben of my councell, and had vttered my wordes vnto the people, surely they shold haue turned them from thyer synfull wayes, and from theyr naughtye cogitations. Therefore as it appeareth by this ver­dict, whiche God gyueth, where true prophetes take in hand to teache & in­struct the people, many sodenly chaūge their myndes, and wax euery day better and better, and for the desyr of immor­tall glory, do forsake bodyly pleasures, do set naught by the delyghtes of this lyfe, and with a certayne cherefullnes do applye them selues to the studye of God his lawe. on the other syde where [Page] so euer false prophetes treade, by and by you shall see greater lycence to syn, lesse shame to do amisse, more abho­minable oute ragyng in all kynde of fylthynes: so that you may easyly per­ceaue, as the same Prophet in the same place in the person of God at large doth intreate, that theyr intent is to bury the studye of God hys lawe, and hys most holy relygion, in the graue of euerlastyng forgetfulnes. And truly this place of Ierymy is not heare alleadged of me without a cause, for by it we per­ceaue how we may knowe false and forged doctrine, from holsom true and vncounterfeyted doctrine. For if, synce this newe learning was brought in to Englād, there was also brought in with it, shamefastnes, honestie, and vpright lyuyng, if graue manners, constancie, strayght lyfe, laudable comelynes, and vertuouse behauyoure, were brought [Page 63] to lyght, if fydelytie towarde Princes, if agreement and loueable vnitye, was more assuredlye planted in subiectes hartes one towarde an other, if men be made more redye to practyse mer­cyfull & charitable workes, if the chur­ches be occupied with better or more holy relygion, if the remembraunce of Christ which dyed for vs vpon the cros­se, be more depelye printed in mennes myndes, so that manye for the loue of Christ his crosse, do laye a crosse vpon their owne neckes, to the end that they may stay the rage of those lustes which warre continuallye with the holynes of Christ, fynallye if a newe lyght be spronge oute, if a newe bewtie of god­ly vertues neuer sene before doth glys­tre in mennes eyes, then they whiche haue followed theyr whystle, seme not worthye so muche to be blamed. But if so be by meanes of this religion, [Page] none of all these thynges be brought to passe,what mer­chandise this scis­maticall ship hath brought in to Englād. but rather by occasyon of it, rashenes, vnshamefastnes, vncleanclines of lyfe, doth more boldely flye rounde aboute, if vntolerable pryde, and arro­gancye be much more establyshed then it was before, if seditions, contentions, and fallinges oute, be more easyly styr­red vp, if traytours be more ventrouse to lay violent handes vpon theyr Kyn­ges, and to laye wayte how to murdre theyr Princes, if neither shame, neither feare, neither awe of God hys displea­sure, can holde them from doynge of mischefe, which haue yelded them sel­ues vp to this newe doctrine, if all this synck or dunge hyll of myschefes, or at leaste, an increase and newe heape of euelles, be brought in with this lear­ning, withoute doubte it is not esta­blyshed by the worde of God as they prate in theyr pulpytes, but by the craft [Page 64] and subtylitye of our cruell enemy the deuyll. For the worde of God, com­maundeth shamefastnes and purenes of lyfe. But this learnyng, suffreth the lus­tes to run at ryot, & that which is next dore to it, prouoketh hedlong to all kynde of wyckednes. The worde of God,A cōpari­son betwe­ne the true worde of God and the prote­stantes worde. do the abate all arrogancye, and especially trayneth men vp in modestie: but this puffeth vp mennes hartes with pryde, and teacheth them to despyse all antiquitye, auncyent religion, and ho­lynes of old tyme. The worde of God, dothe make peace, and lyncketh men­nes myndes in loue, makyng them par­teners of all good thinges: but thys learnyng, do the breake peace, and tea­reth the bodye of Christ hys churche, with inwardly consumyng & wastyng sedition. For how can they be autors bothe of discorde and concorde, which nether agree with them selues, nether [Page] with other,The incō ­stancy of heretykes. which wander oute of the waye as well as they? which disagree with themselues moste inconstantlye? which to day hold one opiniō, to mor­row an other, cleane cōtrary one to the other, & cā not rest long in one mynd? Therefore seyng it is the propretye of Christ (as he hym selfe doth wytnesse) to gather in to one place those which stray a broade,The diffe­rence be­twene Christ his doctrine & the dyuel­les. to ioyne those which be of diuerse myndes, in an vniforme cō ­sent, mutuall beneuolence, and chary­tye, and that it is the dynells dutye, to scatter and pull a sundre, those which agree wel to gether, and to breake the band of all faythfull and frendely fel­loweshyp, and seyng the doctryne of these goodly Ghospellers, dothe rayse vpprores, dothe breake peace, dothe spreade one sect in to innumerable sec­tes, and causeth one sect to be at defy­aunce with the other, is it not playne [Page 65] that theyr religion is not drawen by Christ hys rule, but all to gether is in­uented according to the craftie deuyse of subtyl Sathan? For what greater ar­gument can we haue,A greate argument of false doctrine. then their dead­lye hatredes▪ theire contentions, theire scamblyng by the eares, theire taun­tynges and rybauldry raylinges? Christ doth not cause these euelles, but An­tichrist▪ For he is not the author of dissention, but of peace. Nowe laste of all, this is not to be passed ouer with sylence, at what marke these sundrye fectes & licentiouse pratinges do shore. Mary, they haue this fetche, that they may quyte take away all the knowledge of God. For seing that no religion a­mong them is so surely grounded,At what mark he­ritykes chefely shote. but it may easyly be ouerthrowen with the argumentes of other sectaries, for so muche as moste men be caryed aboure with euery winde, and be diuersely tos­sed [Page] with doubtfull and wandryng opi­nions, and can stay themselues vppon no certeine iudgement, when at the lengthe many perceaue the fondnes & vanitye of theyr opinions, which they once cōceiued, it cometh to passe that they make but a ieste of all religion, ether that they think, there is no God, or ells, that he hath no regarde what men doo here vpon earthe: then the which thing what cā be sayd or thought more beastelye, that they whiche once had bequethed and offred them selues vp to Christ, and were taught to know God, euen by the verye sone of God, after they had gone oute of the onlye true and ryght way, sholde so far leape ouer the lynes of all godlynes, that they shold not only hate the crosse of Christ, and in steade of God worshyp theyre owne lustes and wyckednes, but also beleue that the Lorde and Creator of all thinges, whose powre and ryght iudgementes, [Page 66] euen the dyuelles in hell and damned sowles do feare, ether not to be at all, or ells not to rule and gouerne the whole worlde? But you will perad­nenture aske, who is so beastely & past all grace, that can cōceaue in hys mynd so straunge and abhominable blasphe­mie? Surely, if you will marke well, you shall fynde,Secres be the steppes to atheis­me▪ that is, of denying that there is any god. that there hath bene many whiche clymyng vp by these sectes, as by certeine steppes and degrees, haue at laste ascended to the top of thys vn­speakable abhomination. For as in o­ther artes, no man can sodenly attayne to that perfection, for the which he myndeth to take paynes, but necessaryly he must begyn with his principles, and so ordrelye go one by lyttle and lyttle, and at laste growe to a rypenes, so in learning of naughtines, there be cer­teine begynninges, (and not Christ crosse) but Christ curse rewes, which [Page] if they be suffred to crepe forwarde, they wyll induce men as farr as is pos­syble, to the full knowledge of that vnspeakable myschefe. But who they bee,Our heri­tykes be gyltie of atheisme. whiche be gyltie of this greueous syn, they them selues do wytnesse wel inoughe by theyr workes. For if they thought, that God dyd forsee and re­garde all thinges, and sharpely punyshe synnes vpon yearth, they wolde ne­uer haue wrought suche wylye wayes, to seduce the people: But alas, they are so farre gone in madnes, and tumbled hedlong in to all folly, that so often as it taketh them in the head, with wicked wordes, they scoffe and mocke those thinges, whiche be wryten of God hys iudgemētes, as thoughe they were but Caunterbury tales and grym vysardes only deuysed to fray younge chyldren. But I haue bene longer then I purpo­sed. Yet for so muche as myne intent [Page 67] was to shewe you myne aduyse, howe to prouyde for those helpes, with the whiche you beyng assysted, you maye more stronglye establyshe youre kyng­dom, & that I myght declare vnto you that the cheifest stay, and furnyture of your Realme, consysted in the aduaū ­cement and mayntenaūce of religion, and that I myghte proue, that there is no presenter poyson to the common weale, then coūrerfeyted religion and hypocrytycall holynes, I thought no­thyng to be more agreable to my pur­pose, then to shewe certayne euydent tokens, howe you myght discouer the secrete deceptes, which lurcke vnder the happ harlottes cloke of forged re­ligion. For if you haue in remembraū ­ce those frutes of religion,A recapi­tulation of the frutes of true re­ligion and falfe. whiche be­fore I haue rehersed, you shall easyly perceaue, whiche is false religion. For if true religion doe beare downe ar­rogancye, [Page] ouercome angre, brydle fyl­thye defyres, restrayne intemperaunce, scrape oute the spottes of the mynde, preserue shamefastnes and modestye; brede the feare of God, make sub­iectes faythfull to theyr Princes, esta­blyshe peace, fasten mennes myndes in amyty, and inflame them with the de­syre of heauen, then certaynely that re­ligion which causeth pryde, prouoketh angre, letteth the lustes lose, defyleth the sowle with syn, taketh away shame fastnes, remoueth the feare of God, worketh treason agaynst Kynges, tro­bleth cōmon peace, bloweth the cole of hatred, thrusteth oure myndes down to the earthe warde, and drowneth them in the seas of worldly trobles, is no true religion, but false, pestilent, and damnable. Furthermore, I haue proued, that thys sect, (if so be, we may call it one sect, which is not only doubt­full, [Page 68] slyppery, but also diuerse, many­folde, and contaynyng in it innumera­ble other sectes) is all to gether popu­lar, and for the peoples pleasure. For alluryng the people with a ioly shewe of to muche libertye, it armeth them against Offycers, against their Kynges autoritie and regiment, and hardneth the hartes of the multitude with a false persuasyon of religion. And if it dyd onlye procure destruction of Kynges, so that it brought no daunger and dam­nation to the sowle, and by all meanes dyd not ouerthrowe the law of God, it were somethyng to be borne with all. But this is greatly to be lamented, that it putteth oute the loue of vertue, the bryghtnes of honesty, the lyght of most true religion and deuotion, defyleth all commendable comlynes with vnpure lyuyng, and vtterly stoppeth vs for en­tryng in in to euerlastyng glory. There­fore [Page] what is it that may now deceaue vs? Is it the autoritie of these teachers? But I haue playnely declared,The auto­rity of the protestan­tes should not moue vs to cre­dyte them. how farr the professors of thys learnyng be from true vertue, grauitye, and constancie of lyffe, and the perfection of moste pure religion. What then? Is it the lose ly­bertye of the people? But there is no more sworne enymye to Princes,the liberty of the peo­ple sholde disuade vs to beleue these new teachers. then that is: besyde that, it dothe vndoo the people whiche whiche couet it, and spoyleth them of al lyberty. For all thinges tru­lye, be preserued with kepyng a meane, and are destroyed with superfluitye & excesse. For as a Kyng, which not con­tentyng hymselfe with his lawfull kyng­dome, desyreth to be lorde ouer all the worlde, and dothe not only thinke to rule the roste in worldlye matters, but also casteth to haue thinges pertaynyng to God, obedyent at hys becke & com­maundyment, can not long enioy hys [Page 69] leyngdome, for so much as he shall both turne away from hym mēnes hartes, by reason of doing them manye iniuryes, and also shall get God hys moste heauy displeasure, euen so the people, which is not cōtented with the liberty which the law gyueth them, and for that cause breaketh all good ordre, moueth sedi­cyon, and waxeth woode, of necessyty at longthe, loseth that libertye whiche it might haue styll enioyed, with many other commodities and benefytes.

Therfore what now? Shall we follow this lore, because it leadeth vs to euer­lastyng lyfe? But I haue playnely pro­ued, that by meanes of this religiō,The pro­testantes promising vs euerlas­ting lyfe ought not to wyn vs. men be intysed to wantones, tovnshamefast­nes, to vnlawfull lustes, that troblesome tumultes and dissentions be styrred vp, that many naughtye entrepryses be ta­ken in hand, that inumerable myschefes be forged, and last of all, that the re­membraunce [Page] of godlynes is quyte blot­ted oute. The which thinges truly, do not conducte vs to heauen, but pytch vs hedlong in to the place of cōtinuall mysery and wretchednes. In the which thing trulye it appeareth, howe fayth­fully these Euangelicall teachers haue performed theyre promisse. For thys they professed, thys they proclaymed,The pro­testantes promise not per­formed. thys they promysed to bryng fullye to passe, that they wolde call back corrup­ted manners to the strayght rule of the Ghospell, and that they wolde restore that perfectiō & purenes of lyfe which was in the primityue churche.

Nowe you vnderstand, o Quene▪ how well they haue kept touche. For they haue not onlye left the Christian cōmon weale vnhealed, but also where­soeuer they cam, they haue bestowed their trauayle to this end, (that if there were any healthe in it) to take it away, [Page 70] and to infect all the membres of Christ his church with most vncurable diseases and maladyes. Therefore, how coulde any man farther ouer shote hym selfe,A greate oure shote in them which we­re seduced by these new doc­toures. then to be persuaded by these mennes autority, to go from the most auncient and holy religion, which was halowed with Christ his bloode, sealed with the tormētes of martyres, aduaunced with the diuine workes of godly wryghters, standing allway inuincible against the wycked attemptes of heritikes, and as­saultes of cruell tyrauntes, hathe re­mayned in the same state euen vnto these oure dayes, to imbrace a religion which is to be suspected for the newe­nes, which is defamed with the wycked lyuyng of the autors and teachers of it, which is lamentable for the destruction of all holy thinges, which is detestable for the horrible end which is shooteth at? The which religion truly, as it can [Page] be taken in hand of no man,The grea­test plague for herisie, shall lyght vpon kyn­ges. withoute miserable destruction, so kynges which suffre them selues to be abused and cor­rupted with it, shall be more greuousely plaged for it. For they do not only put theyr imperiall maiestie, the saffegarde of the common wealthe, their lyfe and theire honowre in greate hazarde, but that which is muche more myserable, and harmefull, they shall prouoke the greuouse displeasure of God towarde them, & shall suffre much more payne­full punyshement worlde without end. For the mo which following their euell example fall in to the lyke damnation, whome they ought to haue healed and preserued, the more greuouse and pai­nefull shall their tormentes be in hell fyre.A notable and terri­ble ampli­fication of S. Paules wordes. It is an horrible thyng, sayth saint Paule, to fall in to the handes of thely­uyng God. For to whome shall we run for succoure, if God hym selfe be oure [Page 71] enymye, in whose mercy all oure might and trust is? whose healpe we defyre in all aduersyty, and dystresse? on whome only we fasten oure eye, lokyng to be rescued, whē we be assaulted on euery syde? vnder whose buckler shall we stand to anoyde his blowe? in what dē ­nes or darcke dungeons shall we hyde oure heades, that we may not beholde his angry and displeased countenaūce? with the leaste: blaste of hys breathe the whole yearth is shaken, the hylles smoke beyng swyndged with the fyre of his terrible lyghtnynge, the heauen with greate thundre clappes sendyng oute flying flames, ouershadowing the yearthe with darcknes, shewing many other fearefull and terrible syghtes, dis­comforteth, amaseth, and astonisheth mortall men.

Therfore seeing he hath thus strong­lely weaponed nature to smyte feare [Page] in to vs, and to fray men from doing of naughtynes, what shall we thynke, he will doo, when he hym selfe shall come with all the hostes of heauen, and shall appeare in the clowdes, gyrded with iuste seueritye and indignacyon, co­myng to take veng eaunce of the eny­myes of hys moste holy religion? when with hys iudgement he shall treade vn­der foote all pryde, and worldly pom­pe, when he shall thruste oute of hys presence those, whiche haue bene ob­stynate synners, to be tormented with fyre, and moste cruell punyshementes, which neuer shall cease. He fayth the Scripture is the God of Goddes, the Lorde of Lordes, strong, myghtye, and terryble, whose iudgement nether with fauoure can be bowed, nether with rewardes or brybes be corrupted. Shall we not therefore feare hys iudge­mentes? shall we not quake at hys lo­ke? [Page 72] shall we not for awe of hym shake of all syn and inyquitye? More ouer, what if long before we be warned of hym with many sygnes,Many sig­nes shewed vs to repēt of the myseries which for wicked lyfe and heynouse offences▪ hange ouer all oure heades? shall we yet for all that not regarde God hys warnyng tokēs, and as a man wold say hys watche wordes? notwith­standyng these, shall we wallowe styll in oure myary manners? Truly, God gy­ueth (as Dauid recordeth) many syg­nes, the whiche also we see to happen in oure dayes, beeing admonished with the whiche, we may by chaungyng our eonuersation, auoyde the shot of hys bowe, which he hath bent agaynst the enimyes of hys religiō, and by true and syncere worshyppyng of hym, turne a­syde hys deadely arrowes. The which hys so greate mercye, if we shall with more boldenes and vnshamefastnes, [Page] abuse in contynuyng in oure naughty­nes, we shall as S. Paule sayth, heape vp the ryches of God his angre, and bring carte lodes of syn to encrease our euer­lastyng punyshemētes. Swete Iesu for­byd thys pytyfull destructiō from hys Chrystyan flocke,A Godly prayer. and comforte hys church so greuousely disquyeted with controuersies, and at laste ioyne them with it in vnity of mynd, which be ca­ryed from it with contrary opinions: and I besech hym, that he will not suf­fre suche an occasyon of reioysyng, to the mortall enymyes of hys name, with the losse and castyng away of so many sowles. For my parte truly, I thynk it my dutye, all way to pray for the saffe­gard of all Christendome, which only consisteth in the imbracyng of one re­ligion, in mutuall loue and agreement, in the felloweshyp and partaking of all God hys graces and holye blessynges. [Page 73] and whereas I am very sorye for other countryes, which haue deuyded them selues from the church, yet I am so tro­bled in mynde for the daunger which hangeth ouer this Realme of Englād,Alas that England shold be in such a ca­se, that fo­renners sholde so pytye it. that I can not in wordes vtter the care and thought, which I take in the be­halfe of it. For I take it very heauyly, yea it nyppeth me at the harte, that so floryshyng a countrye, furnyshed & re­plenyshed with all thynges, more ouer (if that make any thing to the purpose) knit very fast to this oure kyngdome of Spayne, both in nyghe kynred and also confederacie of long continuaunce, whiche hathe gyuen so many profes of godlynes, and in olde tyme hathe not shewed more notable feates of armes in battayle, then it hathe set forthe ex­amples of religion and holynes, worthy to be followed of the posterity, in these dayes seduced with the deceptes and subtyll suggestions of desperate doc­tours [Page] is in diuerse poyntes fallen in to folyshe and so dyuellyshe opinions.

But in so greate vexation of mynde, a certayne hope doth refreshe me, which I haue conceaued of your syngular wyt and especiall graciousnes. For it is the poynte of a notable wyt, to take hede before hand of eueles which may en­sue,There is cause of good cē ­forte in oure soue­reigne Quene. to forsake the wrong opinion, whē the falsehode is discouered, wyllyngly to receaue the truthe, when it is once knowen and tryed oute, and to thynk no honowre to consist in styff standyng in wrong opinions, but to beleue that it is moste honorable, easyly to bend & yelde to holsome coūcell. Also it is the dutye of excellent graciousnes, to haue a care for the hole countrye, & if neade requyre, with ventryng the lyffe, to de­lyuer it from all pernitiouse erroures. All the healthe of youre countrye stan­deth in youre handes. If you wyll take vppon you to reuenge religions quar­rell, [Page 74] if you wyll ioyne your selfe to the consent of the Catholyke churche, if you wyll mayntayne and cherishe aun­cient manners and good ordres, & ba­nyshyng naughtye men oute of youre courte,How oure gratiouse Quene may make an happy En­gland. and councell, shall intertayne good and godly men to assist you, no doubt by the healpe and furtheraunce of Christ, but you shall set your cōmon wealthe in a good ordre, and restore healthe, wealthe, and happy lyfe to all your subiectes. But if you wyll haue no regarde to vnderset those thinges which fall downe & go to decay, I am a fearde☜ to tell you what wyll become of you, and all youres. Also I wolde wyshe you to recorde this with your selfe, that he whiche preferreth hys owne honowre, before the honowre of Christ, and re­fuseth to employ all his endeuoure,Marck this and prayse God for suche hol­some coun­cell. to aduaunce Christ his glory, for feare of indaungeryng hym selfe, dothe often fall in to that myserye, which he inten­ded [Page] to scape, by wynckyng at wycked men, whiche robb and spoyle Christ of hys honowre and glorye. For it is the ryght iudgemēt of God, that he which maketh more accompt of hys owne glorye then of the glory of Christ, shold end hys lyfe in greate shame and dis­honowre. Contrarywyse, he which in respect of Christ hys glorye, setteth naught by hys owne ryches and estima­tion, attayneth to greate weathe ad­ourned with all worshipfull preferment and promotion. For suche a man get­teth allmightye God to be hys patrone and defendour, who neuer yet did for­sake his seruauntes, so that he maketh hys ryches & hys honowre in more as­suraunce, thē if he were garded or way­ted on with a mightye & strong armye. Therefor if you haue an ernest zeale to defend and preserue youre kyngdome, if you desyre to inioy immortall glory, hercken not so much what men tyckle [Page 75] you in the eare to be expedyent to strengthen and assure you, as what the lawe of God, the cause and considera­tion of hys moste holy relygyon dothe requyre of you. Cal to remembraunce with what a goodlye wyt, God hathe indued you, consydre with what lear­nyng and knowledge you be decked, in what roume you be placed, what an office and charge you haue taken vpon you, and you shall vnderstand that all those gracyouse gyftes,God hath bestowed so many gyftes of grace vpō our excel­lēt Quene, to set oute his glory. which you ha­ue receaued of God, you ought to vse and bestowe to the settyng forthe of hys glorye. For he which hathe blessed you with suche benefytes, if you wyll wholy yelde vp your selfe to hym, wyll assyste you with his grace, and wyl euer be redy at youre ellbowe to helpe you. For allthoughe you alone,Our migh­tye Prin­ces, able a lone to re­forme En­gland. sholde take in hand suche a greate entrepryse, to reclayme England to the aūcient fayth, what were not you able to bryng to [Page] passe, hauyng God before you, at your ☞ backe, and on eche syde of you? Add here vnto, that there be in thys youre realme, mo which fauoure the Catho­lyke religiō, and which be redy to suf­fre extreme punyshement, in the holy quarell of it, then there be which in­clyne to these newe foūde learnynges, and late vp starte opynions. Therefore there is no doubt, but what so euer you wolde haue done in this behalffe, you shall haue bothe God and man redy to further you. Weygh allso with youre selffe howe muche it shall redounde to youre honoure, that thys youre realme set oute of ordre & for the moste parte torne a sundre by the meanes of a fewe myscheuous persones, sholde by youre dylygence, returne to the auncyent bewtye,what an honorable thing it we re to oure puyssant Quene to rearesse religion in England. and recouer the ornamentes of godly conuersation, with the which in olde tyme it was trymly set forthe and decked. For all good men wyll speake [Page 76] and wryght good of you, youre actes shall be cronycled and regestred vp for euer, they which be not yet borne shall talke of you, and no age shall seace to syng songes in prayse and commenda­tion of you. For what victoryes are to be compared with so notable a dede?

what is able to purchase greater prayse and renowne? what more notable mo­numentes can be left to make youre name allway to be remembred? for it is not prayse worthie to kyll many thow­sandes of men, but to put wyckednes to flyght, vtterly to race oute and de­face syn, that is to be praysed, that is to be exalted: not to worke men myschefe and destruction, but to saue and dely­uer them, is the hyghe way to immor­tall glorye: not to ouerthrowe with force of armes many Cyties of foren­enymyes, but to preserue the natyue countrye for beeing ouerflowne with feaes of syn, or ouerrun with the run­nyng [Page] campe of vngodlynes, dothe wyn the golden spurres of glorye and re­nowne. For all other victories though they be in God his appoyntement, yet they be gotten with the dent of the sworde and helpe of man: but this of all other moste notable, is obteyned with godly and spirituall weapons: & those other victoryes are not gotten withoute bloodeshed, and a certayne lycēce or warrant to syn, but thys which I speake of, is gotten with the destroy­inge of syn, and the sauyng of men: wherefore of necessytye this passeth in worthynes all other, which be wonne with worldely weapons, shrightyng of souldyoures, & force of men, so farr as heauenly thynges excell thynges vpon earthe. Which thynge truly shall cause men so much more to meruayle, as it is an harder matter for the Princes of dar­kenes, & euerlastyng enymyes of man­kynde, to be vancquyshed of one wo­man, [Page 77] then one man to be conquered of an other. Therfore so notable prayse, shall not only allway be freshe in men­nes memories, but also it shall be set forthe and magnifyed of the blessed sayntes in heauen. Wherefore (o most noble Quene) euen for the bledyng woūdes of our Redemer Iesu Christ,A most ve­hement & Godly ex­hortation to our re­doubted Quene. for hys bloode shed for vs vpon the crosse, for his death & bytter passyon, by hys most gloryous victory, with the which he tryumphed vpon death, des­troying it and puttyng it to death, for that contynuall fyar, which he hath in­closed in the centre of theyearth, and with the which he hath stirred the har­tes of his seruaūtes to the loue of ver­tue and hatred of syn, for that moste ryghtwyse iudgement with the which he shall take vengeaunce of syn, and re­compence with euerlasting rewardes, those which haue helde a sound faythe and vndefyled religion, fynally for the [Page] loue of all holy thinges in the worlde, I pray and beseche you, seeing you haue so many helpes and furtheraunces to immortall glorye, that no let or hyn­draunce may be found in you. Fasten youre eyes vpon Christ mangled with woundes for youre sake, throwe your selfe flat before hys fete, imbrace hys crosse in your armes, and banyshe out of your countrye, thys hatred agaynst hys crosse,Enimies of the crosse to be ba­nished. whiche thys newe fangled fraternitye doth openly mayntayne.

Follow the foote steppes of holy men, and persuade your selfe that to be the ryght way, which Godly men indued with excellent vertue continencie, and purenenes,what fore­rūners our most cleare Princes shold fol­lowe and eschewe. being hyghly in the fauour of God, inspyred and taught with the holy ghoste, haue troden before you: not that which men blynded with selfe loue, leanyng only to theyr owne wyt, hedlong in folysh hardines, ouer whel­med with wyckednes, and dyuyded frō [Page 78] the vnitie of Catholyke churche doo persuade you to followe. The which thyng if you wyll doo, you shall vp­holde and encrease the ryches of your Realme, and that which is much more worthe, you shall with greate glory as­cend in to the Kyngdome of heauen. IESVS CHRIST the fountayne of all goodnes, the Lorde of all myght, long preserue youre grace in healthe, with increase of all honoure and Prin­celye aduancement.