The 22, off Marche ma • ſter Glauburge came to the Engliſhe Churche and ſhewed the congregation / that it was commaunded them / by the magiſtrate • (when by his procurement the church was graunted) that they ſhulde agree withe the frenche churche bothe in Doctrine and ceremonies / and that they vnderſtood howe the fallinge from • hat order had bred muche diſſention amonge them. Therfore / • e ſtrait • y charged and commaunded that from thenc foorthe they ſhulde not diſſent from that order / yff they did / as he had opened the churche dore vnto them / ſo woulde he ſhutte it againe. And that ſuche as woulde not obey therunto ſhulde not tarie within that citie / willinge them to conſulte together owte off hande and to geue him an anſwere before he departed. D. Coxe / then ſpake to the congregation in this wiſe / I haue (ſaithe he) redd the frenche order and do thinke it to be bothe good and godly in all pointes / and therfore wiſhed them to obaie the magiſtrates commaundement wherupon the whole congregation gaue conſent / ſo as before the Magiſtrate departed the churche / D. Coxe / leuer / and whittingham made reporte vnto him accordingly. D. Coxe alſo at that preſente requeſted that it woulde pleaſe him / notwithſtandinge their ill behauiour) to ſhewe vnto them his accuſtomed fauor and goodneſſe / whiche he moſte iently and louinglie promiſed.

At the nexte meetinge off the congregation that order was put in practiſe / to the comforte and reioycinge off the moſte parte. Neuertheles / ſuche as woulde ſo faine haue had the booke of England / lefte not the matter thus. And for that they ſawe Knox to be in ſuche credit withe many off the congregation / they firſte off all aſſaied by a moſte cruell barbarous and bloudie practiſe to diſpatche him owte off the waie / to thende they might withe more eaſe attaine the thinge whiche they ſo gredely ſought / whiche was the placinge of their booke. They had amonge them a booke off his intituled an admonition to Chriſtians written in the Engliſh tonge / wherin by occaſion he ſpake off the Emperour / off Philip his ſonne / and off Marie then Queene off Englande. This booke cericine off them preſented to the Magiſtrates / who (vpon receipte off the ſame) ſente for whittingham and aſked him off Knox their Miniſter / what manner off man he was: whittingham anſwered that ſuche a one their was amonge them and to his knowledge bothe a lerned / wiſe / graue and godly man. Knox accuſed off treaſon. Then one off the Magiſtrates ſaied vnto him / certaine off your countrie men haue accuſed him vnto vs Laeſae Maieſtatis Imperatoriae, that is off high treaſon againſte the Emperour / his ſon̄e / The places in all were 8. and the Queene off England / here is the booke / and the places whiche they haue noted / the true and perfect ſence wheroff we commaunde yow (ſub pena pacis) to bringe vnto vs in the latten tonge at one off the clock in the after noone / which thinge he did accordingly / at whiche time (after certeine communication amonge themſelues / they commanded that Knox ſhulde preache no more till their pleaſure were farther knowen. The wordes concerninge the Emperour were theis / ſpoken in the pulpit in a Towne off Buchingham ſheere in the beginninge off Queene Maries raigne / as by the ſaied booke apearethe where it is ſaied O Englande Englande / yff thow wylte obſtinately returne into Egipte / that is / yff thow cōtracte mariage / confederacy / or leage with ſuche princes as doo maintaine and aduaunce ydolatrie / ſuche as the Emperour (who is no leſſe enemie to Chriſt then was Nero) yff for the pleaſure and frindſhip (I ſaie) of ſuch princes thow returne to thine oulde abhominations before vſed vnder P • piſtery: then aſſuredly (O England) thow ſhalt be plaged and brought to deſolation by the meanes off thoſe whoſe fauour thow ſekeſte / and by whom thow arte procured to fall from Chriſte and ſerue antechriſte. There were other 8. places / but this was moſt noted / in that it touched the Emperour. But it ſeemed the magiſtrates abhorred this bloudly / cruell / and outragious attempt / for that when as certeine off Knox his enemies folowed hardly the Magiſtrates to knowe what ſhuld be donne with him / they did not onely ſhewe moſt euident ſignes of diſlikinge their vnnaturall ſuite / but alſo ſent for maiſter Williams and Whittingham / willinge them / that maiſter Knox ſhuld departe the City. The baniſhment off Knox. For otherwiſe / (as they ſaide) they ſhuld be forced to deliuer him / yff the Emperour his counſaile (whiche then lay at Auſburge) ſhuld vppon like information ſend for him.

The 25 off marche maiſter Knox the night before his departure made a moſte comfortable ſermon at his lodginge to 50. perſons or there abowte / then preſent / which ſermō was of the deathe and reſurrection off Chriſte / and of the vnſpeakable ioyes whiche were prepared for Goddes electe / whiche in this liffe ſuffre trouble and perſecution for the teſtimonie off his bleſſed name. The next daie he was brought 3. or 4. mile in his waie by ſome off ſome off thoſe vnto whom the night before / he had made that exhortation / who with great heauines off harte and plentie off teares cōmitted him to the lorde.

The verie ſame daie beinge the 26. Many off the lerned men were now come from al places. off marche one Adulphus Glauburge (A Doctor off lawe and nephew to Maiſter Iohn Glauburge the Senator) whom D. Cox and the reſt had wonne vnto them / ſent for wittingham / and tolde him that there were preſented to the Magiſtrates thre Docters / 13. batchelers off deuinitie beſides others / and that the magiſtrates at their ſuites had graunted them the full vſe off the Engliſhe booke cōmaunding and charginge him therfore not to medle any more to the contrary. This Adulphus was before this tyme a great fartherrer off the churche and the orders off the ſame howe ſo euer he was turned. for (as he ſaied) it was fullie concluded that ſo it ſhuld be. And ſuppoſing that Whittinghā woulde let it what he might / the next daie againe he ſent for him home to his howſe where he gaue the like charge (D. Coxe and other preſent by whoſe procurement the ſame was donne) Whittingham anſwered / that yff it were ſo concluded / he woulde willingly obaie / not dowtinge / but that it might be lawful for him and others to ioine themſelues to ſome other churche. But D. Coxe beſought the lawier that it might not ſo be ſuffred / wherto whittingham anſwered that it woulde be to great crueltie to force men contrary to their conſciences to obate all their diſorderly doinges / offringe / that iff it woulde pleaſe the Magiſtrates to geue him and others the hearinge / they would diſpute the matter againſt all the contrary parte and proue that the order whiche they ſought to eſtabliſhe / ought not to take place in anie reformed churche. The D. off lawe made a plaine anſwere that diſputation there ſhulde be none / vſing his former wordes off charging and commaundinge not to deale farther in that matter.

Marck the placing off the Engliſhe book and off the reiecting thother. When as the congregation harde off the cruell and more then tirannicall dealinges off this Doctor / Maiſter Gilby and others withe him / were ſente to maiſter Iohn Glawburge (by whoſe commaundment as ye harde / they had receiued the frenche order) puttinge him in remembrance off the ſame and ſhewinge him that certeine lately come amonge thē had ſought (as they were crediblie enformed) to ouerthrowe their churche by placing the Engliſhe booke amonge them. To this maiſter Glauburg made anſwere / that he was enformed howe that bothe partes were full agreed and contented / and that theruppon he had committed the whole matter to the lawier his couſen. Marck this practiſe. Then he aſked for whittingham: it was anſwered that ſtrait charge was geuen him that he ſhuld medle no more in that matter. The magiſtrate aſked againe off whom he had that commaundement / and when it was tolde him that the Doctor his couſen had geuen him that charge / he then began / verie gentlie to perſwade with maiſter Gilby and the reſt that they ſhulde be contented / and he would ſe that nothinge ſhulde be vſed but that which ſhuld be tollerable / and ſo maiſter Gilby withe the reſt departed.

The 28. off marche D. Coxe aſſembled all ſuche as had byn Prieſts and Miniſters in Englande to his lodging and there declared howe the Magiſtrates had graunted them the vſe off the Engliſhe booke / and that he thought requiſite that they ſhulde conſulte together / At lenght they agreed vppon the name Paſtor. whom they thought moſte meete to be Biſhop / Superintendent or Paſtor withe the reſt off the officers / as Seniors Miniſters and Deacons. Wherunto maiſter Chriſtopher Goodmā anſwered that his opiniō was / that they ought firſt to agree vpon ſome perfect an godly order for the churche / and therto to haue the cōſent of the congregation wherby it might appeere / that they contemned not the reſte off their brethern: And farther / to proceade to the electiō which he thought alſo ought not to be attempted withowte the conſent off the whole churche. To this was anſwered that for the order / it was already determined / and other order then the booke off Englande they ſhulde no • haue / ſo that the perſwaſions off Goodman nothinge at all preuailed nether in one thinge or other / yea / the proceadings off ſundrie perſonnes (whiche I coulde name) were ſuche as if there had bin nether orders / officers / or churche there / before their comminge / or any promes to be kepte off their partes / after they came / as maie more plainly apeere to the reader by this lette folowinge / written by maiſter Whittingham to a frinde off his in Englande / whiche letter is (off his owne hande) to be ſeene.

WHere as maiſter whittingham in this his letter makethe mention off a churche graunted them bothe at Baſill and Geneua / it is to be noted that he himſelff was the man whiche the oppreſſed congregation required to trauel therin and through goddes great mercy obtained it with great fauour / who (in his iourney) paſſed by Zurik to knowe off Maiſter Bullinger what he thought off the booke off Englande for that he (who had raported to maiſter Williams / Whittingham. Gilbie and others / that Cranmer Biſhop off Canterbury had drawen vp a booke off praier an hundreth tymes more perfect then this that we nowe haue / the ſame coulde not take place / for that he was matched withe ſuche a wicked clergie and conuocation / with other enymies) Euen he / I ſaie / yet ſtood in this that maiſter Bullinger did like well off thingliſhe order / and had it in his ſtudy. But when Whittingham had demaunded that queſtion / Bullinger tolde him / that indede Maiſter H and Maiſter C. aſked his iudgemente concerninge certeine pointes off that booke / as Surples / priuate baptiſme. Churchinge off wemen / the ring in mariage / with ſuche like / whiche / (as he ſaied) he allowed not / and that he nether coulde yff he woulde / nether woulde yff he might / vſe the ſame in his churche / what ſo euer had byn reported.

Whittingham paſſinge from thence to Geneua / maiſter Caluin ſhewed him a letter ſent from D. Coxe and from 14. more off Franck. in whiche letter / they partly excuſed them ſelues that they put order in their churche withowte his coūſaile aſked / and partely reioycīge for that they had (as they ſaide) brought the moſte parte that had withſtande their doynges to their opinion / which not withſtandinge / was farr otherwiſe.

They wrote alſo / that they had elected a paſtour / 2. Miniſters. 4. Seniors. and 2. Deacons / &c. but howe parciallie they proceaded in their elections (thoſe that were in office / nether diſcharged / nor yet their conſents required) I leaue to the conſciences off them whiche ſawe thoſe diſorders.

To this letter off thers the contentes wheroff are aboue touched / maiſter Caluin anſwerethe in this wiſe.

WHen the Paſtour had redd this letter openly to the congregation and was deſired to knowe when they ſhulde haue an anſwere / he ſaied vnto them that ſo farre as he perceiued / it required none but that whiche might preſently be made / whiche was / that they might departe ſeinge they were ſo minded. It was replied that for ſo muche as it was manifeſt that they had byn ſlaundered not onely by letters into diuers partes / but alſo / by ſome that then were preſent / who had affirmed their departure to be a ſchiſme / and farther / that they coulde finde no indifferency at their handes: it was thought neceſſarie to commit the hearinge off that controuerſie to lerned and indifferent iudges / by bothe partes to be choſen wherby the faulte might appear where it was in dede / and ſo they either excuſed or founde giltie.

D. Cox / at lenght / tolde them that their letter ſhulde be conſidered off / and an anſwere ſhulde be geuen them the fridaie after. On fridaie the 30, off Auguſte bothe partes mette: The Paſtor (accompanied with the Miniſters and elders) ſpake this vnto them. It ſeemeth very fonde that arbytrers ſhuld be apointed to take vpp ſtrife that maie come hereafter / as your letter ſignifieth. And furthermore / ye write / yff anie offence be taken or geuen / whiche ſemethe as ſtrange / for this worde (yff) importethe a dowte / ſo that yff ye dowte it is but follie to apointe arbitres. fynally / to excuſe your departure / yow call them vnlerned whiche iudge it a ſchiſme but (ſaithe) he) terme it as yow lifte yet can yow not let men to think. And yff arbitres ſhuld pronounce it to be none / yet mennes opinions will be di ••• s.

Now • he • fore / your anſwere ſhall be / that iff anie man be offended either with any priuate mā / or publiquely / let him or them complaine to vs / or yff they refuſe vs / to the Magiſtrat.

As for Arbitres / we will appoint none. Then ſpake whittingham and ſaied that it was to him no ſmall wonder that men of ſuche lerninge and wiſedome ſhuld ſo ſhrink in a moſte equall requeſte / and ſo / withowte all reaſon to cauill where no matter was offred. For / as concerninge (ſaithe he) the firſte pointe / it was not vnknowen to them that at that time / thorough their occaſion / their was no ſmall contention / and that ſeinge they had geuen ſuch offence it coulde not be but that mennes mindes were moued.

And therfore / to thende that contention ſhulde growe no farther / Arbytres were very neceſſary / who neded not to deliberate (as he ſaied) off thinges to come whiche were vncerteine▪ but as the letter truly purporteth / off iniuries longe agoo begonne / yet continued / and here after not like to be ended excepte ſome good meane were vſed to ſtaie their ſlanderous letters and falſe reportes / to the vtter periſhinge and loſe off mennes Good names. VVittinghā here interrupted. And where ye ſeeme to be ofended that the letter ſhulde call them vnlerned / whiche terme oure departure a ſchiſme (yow omitt ſaide D. Coxe the 2. pointe / whiche is off no ſmall importaunce) to whom he anſwered that he thought he did them a pleaſure in omittinge thinges of ſo ſmall value / notwithſtandinge / he woulde obaie his will but (ſaithe he) as touchinge this worde vnlernedly / it was not vnaduiſedly placed. For either they be withowte lerninge / and therfore maie be ſo called in dede / or yff they beare the name off lerninge / yet in this they ſhewed their vnſkilfulnes for as muche as euery departure from a congregation was not a ſchiſme / nether were anie that departed for iuſte cauſes ſchiſmatikes as we (ſaith he) will proue vnto yow / yff yow will take oure reaſonable and moſte equall offre. Naie / ſaithe the paſtor / Arbitres in this point can litle availe for be it they iudged it none / yet mennes thoughts are free / and we knowe that all men be not off one mynde in ſacraments and predeſtination / ſhulde men therfore take arbitres? Alſo ſaith he maiſter Caluin and Bullinger / are againſt yow. To this was anſwered / that thoughtes / yff they were not grownded vpon Goddes worde / were euell / neither was this controuerſie off like force withe the matter off the Sacraments and predeſtination / notwithſtanding / woulde to God that not onely the difference in thoſe articles but alſo in all other whiche be off waight and importaunce might be decided by the authoritie off Goddes worde and arbytrement off godly lerned men. But men maie iuſtly ſuſpecte your cauſe to be nought whiche refuſe the iudgments off the wiſe and godly.

And where yow ſaie that Caluin and Bullinger are againſte vs / yow abuſe your ſelff and there names / for we knowe bothe what they and other wryte as touchinge this matter.

Then the Paſtor aſked what ſchiſma was but a cuttinge off from the body / and that it was Caluins definition. To this Whittingham anſwered that he woulde vndertake firſte / to proue that definition to be falſe / and ſecondly to be nonone off Caluins definition for yff euery cuttinge off from the body ſhulde be a ſchiſme / then yow and all other whiche once had ſworne to the pope and now haue refuſed him are ſchiſmatiques. Then the paſtor added / from a churche well reformed. Anſwere was made that a churche well reformed muſte be builded vppon the doctrine off the Prophetes and Apoſtles / the vnitie wheroff S. Paule comprehendeth in theis wordes: one god / one faithe / one baptiſme / not beggerly ceremomies and obſcurations / although that ſundry cauſes beſides moued them to departe. Then Maiſter Treherren / aſked whither the donatiſts were not ſchiſmatiques.

Yes / ſaith Whittingham and alſo heretiques / but yow are deceiued yff yow thinke that they ſeperated them ſelues for ceremonies. It is manifeſt ſaid Treherren / that the churches off Aſia were excommunicate as ſchiſmatiques for that they kepte not Eaſter at the ſame time that the Romaine churche did. And it is no leſſe euident ſaid Whitthingham that Ireneus and other godly men aſwell off that time / as ſithens haue ſharply reproued and condemned Pope Victor for the ſame.

Here D. Coxe put Whittingham in remembraunce that he had not anſwered to the faultes off the letter. Whittingham tolde him / that as touchinge that poore worde (yff) he marueled howe it coulde Miniſter anie cauillation / ſeinge / the text ioininge therto was ſo plaine / whiche declarethe bothe the offences by yow geuen and by vs taken. And alſo your conſciences beare yow witnes / the thinge to be moſte true excepte a man will be wilfully blinde / and finde a knot in a ruſhe / ſo that that worde (yf) mente not that we do / dowte who were oppreſſed with infinit wronges / but iff they woulde diſſemble ſo farre that they m • ght ſeeme to dowte theroff / yet / at the leaſte / they woulde abide the tryall theroff before theis Arbitres. But here the diſputation brake vp with this plaine and finall anſwere that arbitres they ſhuld haue none / and that yff they founde themſelues greued / they ſhulde ſeeke remedy where they thought Good and he the Paſtor withe the reſte off the congregation woulde anſwere them.

The nexte daie the Paſtour / D. Coxe / maiſter parry and maiſter Aſheley ſent for Whittingham / Thomas Cole Iohn Fox / William Kethe / Roger harte / Iohn Hilton with certeine other / demandinge off them what ſhulde be the cauſe off their departure. Whittingham made anſwere that the daie before they had declared ſufficiently / and yet woulde farther ſhewe reaſons / yff they would permit the controuerſie to Arbytrement. And to the intent they ſhulde not counterfait ignorance (amonge other) theis were ſome cauſes firſte / their breach off promes / eſtabliſhed with inuocation off goddes name: 2. Their ordreles thruſtinge themſelues in to the churche. 3. Takinge awaie the order off diſcipline eſtabliſhed before their comminge and placinge no other. 4. The accuſaſion off maiſter Knox their godly Miniſter off Treaſon and ſeekinge his bloude 5. Their ouerthrowinge off the common order / taken and commaunded by the Magiſtrate 6. The diſplacinge off officers withowte anie cauſe alleadged. 7. The bringing in off Papiſticall ſuperſtitions and vnprofitable Ceremonies whiche were burthens yokes and clogges / beſides other thinges / whiche / yff they woulde abide the triall they ſhulde heare at large. When he and ſome off the reſt had rendred their reaſons for their departure to this effecte / certaine warme wordes paſſed to and fro from the one to the other / and ſo in ſome heate departed.

Not many daies after the oppreſſed churche departed from Franck. to Baſill and Geneua / ſome ſtayinge at Baſill as maiſter Fox with other. The reſt came to Geneua where they were receiued withe great fauour and mutche curteſie / bothe off the magiſtrates Miniſters and people. So ſoone as they entred their churche / they choſe Knox and Goodman for their Paſtor / and Gilby requeſted to ſuplie the rome till Knox returned owte off france.

The lerned men whiche came from all places to Frank. abowte this matter (when they had donne that whiche they came for / they returned againe from whens they came / and ſome to other places / where they might ſaue charges / and not to be either burthened or bownde to the excerciſes of the congregation / ſo that / the exile whiche was to many a poore man full bitter / greuous and painefull / was (to ſome off the greateſt perſecutours off their poore brethetn (as it were / a pleaſant progreſſe or recreation.

But nowe it ſhall be neceſſary to declare what order was taken in this newe erected congregation for the proſperous continuance off the ſame / whiche thinge to do / I cannot by a better meane then placinge here this letter folowinge whiche maiſter cole (late deane off Sarum) wrote to a frinde off his / whiles yet he ſtaied (behinde his company) in Franck. amonge them, his letter is yet to be ſeene.

SHortly after thies thinges to wete / the 6. off Ian. When as maiſter Whithead gaue vpp off his owne good will / as he ſaide / the paſtorall office / Maiſter horne was in the election to ſuccede him / who proteſted that he woulde not medle therwith / till he were cleared off certeine ſuſpitions which ſome had bruted to the diſcredit off his miniſterie / and obtaininge his requeſte / he withe the Seniors entred the churche the firſt off marche Anno Domini 1556. were they receiued all ſuch perſons (as members off that churche) which were contented to ſubſcribe and ſubmit themſelues to the orders off the ſame. From whiche tyme forward the troubles and contious were ſo ſore amonge them / that who ſo ſhall well waie it with due conſideration / I ween / he ſhall think it to be the iuſte iudgement off our righteous God that fell vpon them / for ſupplantinge a churche there before them in great quietnes and off muche ſinceritie.

To the Article off 2.13. Sept. Horne. Iſaac. Chambers. VVilford. with diuers others. Min • ſters off like charge and authoritie we think we haue good • eaſons to require that there be no moo in the ſpeciall burthen and charge paſtorall then one / to whom the others ioyned with him for preachinge off the worde and miniſtringe the Sacraments ſhall not in cure and charge / gouernment and preheminence / be in all reſpectes coequall.

To • he 1.We ſe not by the ſcriptures / that anie authoritie is geuen to anie one aboue others / but rather to the contrary.

As concerninge olde wryters / To the 2 • 3.4. Hales. VVhithead Nowell Mullins. VVattes Crowley Boetley Pedder. Parry VVilſon▪ Sorby. Bedell. Fauconer. Railton Crawley Aſhley Sutton Raulings Beſt and diuers others. To the 5. we knowe that Ierome expreſly declarethe that in the beginninge the churche was ruled equally by manie. But after when ſchiſmes began to ſpringe the chiefe authoritie was geuen to one for authorities ſake / and by mannes ordinaunce rather then by deuine authoritie / wherfore we cōclude that as for ſchiſmes the firſte order of many was left ād one chiefe apointed: So nowe for the auoidinge of tyrānie a worſe euell in the churche then ſchiſmes / whiche / as apearethe by the Biſhop of Rome is grownded vppon one / we thinke it good to returne to the firſte order off two or moo equall miniſters accordinge to the inſtitution off the Apoſtells as Saint Ierome teacheth. And that thoſe lerned men who do moſte earneſtly maintaine the gouernment off one / confeſſe that vntill the tyme off Dionyſius / who was after Chriſte 300. yeres and more / the Regimente was equally committed to manye. And as for the newe / there be examples off the beſte churche to the contrary. And Maiſter Caluin in the 8. Chap. off his Inſtitutions the 42. and 52. dyuiſions Declarethe expreſly that there were From the beginninge more Miniſters off the worde and that it is but off mannes ordinaunce that one was afterwarde made chieff.

That is alleadged off the reformed churches in Germany the multitude ought to ſerue no more for one / then the beſt reformed churches / for two miniſters off the worde.

As concerninge Nicene councell it is before anſwered / To the 6. and in that they decreed there ſhulde be but one / it conſequenquently folowithe that before the ſaide decree there were many.

And iff thoſe godly fathers were nowe lyuinge and did ſe how Antechriſte is eſtabliſhed vppon one / they woulde more gladly returne to the firſte order off many equall for the auoidinge off that moſte horrible miſchieff. As they then did for the auoidinge off Schiſmes appointe euery citie one.

Negligence is no more in two then one. habilitie off welldoinge thinges is more in two then in one. To the 7. Yea, but though he did ſo then he will not doo ſo nowe I warrant yow. And ſikneſſe beinge ſo riffe in this citye / it is as muche as 2. can well doo / and one maie be ſicke. And one maie wil fully and ſuddenly leaue his flocke

Wherfore / two be neceſſary / ells / in the ſuddaine ſicknes off one onelie Miniſter / when manie other be ſike alſo / dewe viſitation off the ſike is not well ſeene to and preachinge omitted / as it hathe chaūced in oure churche / yea / and although we haue many. And therfore reaſon tellethe vs that it is expedient to haue two rather then one.

Item / where it is prouided that the Miniſters ſhall by themſelues or their deputies diſharge the ſermons and other their dueties when neceſſarie caſe ſhall ſo requyre: we ſaye it is ſuperfluous. for a neceſſarie cauſe nedethe not to be prouided for by lawe: beſides that the alowinge off deputies by lawe made for that purpoſe openethe a windowe off negligence to the miniſters in the executinge off their office.

A lawe dothe well prouide that ſuche maye be in a redynes whiche ſhall ſerue in neceſſitie / It is prouided in manye cities / by a lawe that in dreade off fier euerie man haue a bucket off water at his dore / whiche is a thinge neceſſarie. And vniuerſally the multitude off good lawes be grownded vppon cauſes neceſſarye. Wherfore / we think that poſition / that neceſſarie cauſes nede not to be prouided for by a lawe / ought to be taken for no lawe: and where it is alleadged that it openethe a windowe off negligence to the Miniſters / it is not ſo / for the appointemente off thoſe deputies apperteinethe more to the Seniors them to the Miniſters by oure diſcipline.

Item / in the Article of Catechiſme / we think it is ſuperfluous and tedious to haue 2. Catechiſmes in one after noone And alſo think that Maiſter Caluins Catechiſme ought to be vſed no otherwiſe with vs then it is in Caluins churche that alloweth and vſeth the ſame.

The firſt Catechiſme is onely ordred for the children and is but an examination and appoſinge off them. The other is not onely for children but for all the congregation / &c.

Now / for ſo muche as the reaſons and anſwers are verye long and yet ſome off them repeated / in Maiſter Hornes obiections to the diſcipline whiche he offred vpp to the Magiſtrate / I will here paſſe them ouer and come to the ſaied obiections / and the anſwers off the church to the ſame.

WE come to that nowe (right honorable S.) whiche we were charged to doo by your commaundment and appointement: that for as much as for the apeaſinge and finall puttinge awaie off the contention betweene vs and oure brethern / we ſhulde ſhewe why we diſſente from them / and cannot proceade in the ſame paſſage and waye that they doo: We ſhall ſo open vnto yow oure defence and cauſe euen as we deſier to be iuſtified bothe in oure cōſciences and before god. Howbeit / we are verye ſory that your H. Hathe lym • ted vs ſo ſhorte tyme / ſo as in a cauſe whiche (for the waightines ād difficultie off it) ought to be debated vppon with more leaſure / and verie manye thinges to be wayed to and fro / we muſte off force in a manner holde oure peace and ſay nothing.

But oure truſte is that your. H. will heareafter / remedy this diſpleaſure / in grauntinge vs longer tyme that we maye more amplie hereafter confirme oure cauſe / whiche we are forced to ſet foorthe naked and with owte anie defence at all whiche we will moſte gladly doo and deſier that we maie freely be permitted to doo. This is the thinge that we often ſought for when we conſulted amonge oure brethern for the correctinge and amendinge off oure diſcipline / that / as longe as the matter and cauſe was in conſultation / we might ſo longe poliſhe and finiſhe more at large that was alleadged / to adde vnto all oure ſentences / before the ſentences brought in / and to ſtrike owte and take awaie from them yff ought ſemed worthie to be taken awaie / albeit any thinge were put in / as firme and eſtabliſhed by oure ſubſcription: Whiche thinge we nowe eftſonnes deſier moſte earneſtly at your H. Handes. that for as muche as nothinge is yet concluded and determined by your H. there be no ſuch preiudice obiected vnto oure cauſe / but that we maye confirme all oure allegations with firme and available argumentes.

And in deede / ſeinge we muſte nowe intreate in order off thoſe thinges whiche we reprehende and condemne in oure bretherns made Diſcipline: This we firſt reprehend vniuerſally / that any other alteration or innouation off thinges ſhuld be in oure affaiers then ſuche as ſerue onely to the correctinge and amendinge off that Diſcipline whiche hathe byn heretofore receaued and vſed in oure churche. Wherin / we will ſeeme alſo ſomewhat to ſatiſfie oure bretherns curious mindes. This we ſaie / bicauſe there is almoſte nothinge that we think is to be innouated with ſuche poſte haſte and in dede / there are many and waightie cauſes whiche do alltogether pull vs backe from theis innouations / and byd vs ſtick ſtill to oure olde diſcipline / and not for the pleaſure off ſome men / and contrary alſo to your commaundement (geuen for the amendinge and not for the makinge off any newe Diſcipline) to contemne and caſte away that whiche ſo many haue alowed.

IN the tytle and entrance vnto their Diſcipline we reproue this as plaine falſe in tha • they ſaye the booke off their diſcipline was collected by 15. Horne. Yet olde blind father lidford being an almes man, was forced by the B. off L. to ſ • bſcribe to the booke off prayer, among others, more blynde then he. men appointed do doo the ſame by the congregation and the authoritie off the Magiſtrate / and ſo exhibited afterwarde vnto oure congregation by the ſame • 5. men. For it was bothe collected before the matter was committed vnto them and confirmed before hande by many mennes handes ſubſcribed.

Touchinge the 42. Whiche approued this diſcipline and confirmed it by ſubſcribinge / this we maie alleadge there are 24. off thē whiche lyue off other mennes liberalitie and almes / ſo as they maye ſeeme rather to followe other mennes wills / and to be inclined to their pleaſures: ſpecially / ſeinge ſo large and ample promiſes aſwell to liue at libertie as to haue their ſlender liuinge releued / haue byn made to this intent.

Maiſter Horne and Maiſter Chambers denie the booke off diſcipline to be collected by the 15 men / bycauſe they beinge VVhithead. appointed off the 15. haue labored by all means that nothinge ſhulde be donne for the ſettinge off the congregation at a quyet ſtaye. And when they perceiued that they could not hinder it / they came not with the reſte / the 2. laſte daies accordinge to appointmēt ſo as by that meanes / ſome of the iuſte nō ber off 15. men ſhulde be wantinge. was not the booke therfore bothe Lawfully collected and lawfully exhibited to the congregation bycauſe 2. or 3. off the appointed men withdrew themſelues againſte right and equitie? What ſhulde be determined in anie affaires / yff the matter ſhuld tarie / till alltogether (not one except) ſhulde agree throughly in all pointes? Where they ſaie the booke was collected before this matter was committed to the 15. men is it a plaine ſlaunder. Maiſter Horne and Maiſter Chambers might be iuſtly aſhamed to caſt pouertie in oure bretherns teeth nowe in exile (and that before the Magiſtrate) and to lye ſo openly / that 24. off oure company that ſubſcribed lyue off other mennes almes. And yff ſo manye poore men haue forſaken Maiſter purſe bearer Chambers is it not a plaine matter that they haue byn euell intreated at Chambers hande before tyme? But where they gather that the poore men ſeeme to haue folowed other mennes myndes in ſubſcribinge to the Diſcipline / rather then their owne: it is fondly gathered: in aſmuche as on the contrary parte it is moſte true that they whiche (were they poore men) folowid not Chambers when he ranne a Waye with the bagge / regarded their conſcience more then the lyuinge forſomuche as bothe they and all other might be certeinly aſſured that they ſhulde moſte greuouſly offend not onely the purſe bearer Chambers but allſo two or there other off the richer ſorte off oure congregation. But howe muche more iuſtly might we returne this accuſatiō (which they falſely bend againſte oures) vpon M. Horne and M. Chamb. and manye other off their nomber whiche haue folowed Chamb. in runninge awaye from the congregation / bycauſe he caried and ſhewed them a well ſtuffed powche / as it were a ſtandard to followe▪ for neither Maiſter Chambers nor Maiſter Horne durſt euer haue departed from the congregation as they haue done but vppon truſte off the powche / which the one hathe allwayes borne / and the other hath byn euer an vnſeparable waiter vppon / where ſo euer it were caried: and and yet in the meane while / this gaye fellowe Horne / from alofte contemneth ſo great a company off his countrie men / as beggers and caitiues in compariſon off himſelff.

But in caſe there be ſo many amonge vs that liue off other mennes almes / as Maiſter Horne and Maiſter Chambers do reaſon. And ſeinge Maiſter Chambers tooke vppon him eſpecially at the intreaty off Maiſter Horne / the charge off gathering godlye mens almes publickely in the name of the churche / for the relieff the off poore off oure congregation as it is already knowen vnto many and ſhall hereafter by the whole matter ſeuerally ſetforth / be moſte euidently knowen to moo: what mercie and pitye is this off thers towardes their brethern to leaue ſo many miſerable people behinde them / contrary to their promeſſe made to the congregation / and to runne awaie not onely from the congregation / but alſo owte off the cytye ſnappinge awaie the bagge with them (whiche conteinethe many mennes almes gathered for the poore in the name off the congregation / and to leaue them all deſtitute / and alſo to leaue certeine preachers appointed by them (whiche haue ſerued the churche a yere and moore / and to whom they promiſed that they ſhulde lack nothing) in a great deale off de • t to other men for their neceſſary bourde▪

And where they playe ſuch prankes / they caſte o ••• brethern in the teeth ſtill with pouertie / by the waie off reproche / before the Magiſtrate. Let them go too therfore / ſeinge their pleaſure is ſuche and nomber their owne cōpanye and leaue owte their ſeruauntes / their boyes / and ſuche as depende vppon Chambers purſe (for he hathe made it his owne / and dedicated it to his owne propertie) and let them tell vs then / howe many there be left on their parte / yff they be not aſhamed to tell howe manie they be: Where we did comforte our poore brethern to oure power whom Chambers running awaye with the bagge Had made aſtoniſhed / and woulde haue had them vtterly diſcouraged / they lay it to oure charge as euell done: what is there manifeſte declaration els but that the poore of our congregation ſhuld be vtterly deſtitute not onely of relieff but alſo off all hope of reliefe whiche hathe euer bin the vttermoſte comforte off ſuche as be in myſerie.

Horne. The next thinge nowe where in we agree not / is / that whiche is ſpoken off the 2. newe Miniſters. This they treat vppon in the 7. Article. Th • s we defende / that the ſcripture doth leane and inclyne rather vnto one / than vnto 2. whiche one / as he muſte not be aboue the reſte by lordeſhipp / ſo yet ought he to be aboue other in charge and in burthē / in as muche as he muſte nedes geue a greater accoumpte / then the reſte for the flock cōmitted vnto him and to his charge. Theis we are able to proue. Firſte / by the circumſtances off the places off ſcriptures conſidered / ſecondly / by the interpretacions off auncient fathers / and the beſt lerned men off oure tyme or latter daies. Thirdly / in the examples of the churches inſtituted by the Apoſtells / and moſt holy men after their tyme / foorthly / this newe order off 2. Miniſters or moo / hathe bene (as all the wyſeſte men haue alwaies reaſoned) the ſeeds ād fountains of all diſſentions and cōtentions. And like as for order ſake and for conſeruation off the churches in peace / oure elders thought / that one ſhulde neceſſarely be aboue the reſte: ſo alſo in this oure remembrance / the greateſt lerned men as Caluin / Brentius / and many other do think. Off theis matters the beſte inſtituted and reformed churches in Germany can alſo be the beſte witneſſes. Theis / we profeſſe that we bothe can and will more largely ſhewe as farther occaſion ſhal hereafter ſerue / whiche we cannot doo nowe for that we be lymited to ſo ſhort a time.

VVhithead. As concerninge the two Miniſters off the worde. We affirme that it is lawfull by the worde off God to haue either 2. or moo.

Where theis men ſaye the ſcriptures do leane rather to one that is to affirme onely / and to proue nothinge / where as Paule almoſte in all his Epiſtles writeth allwaies as vnto moo off equall authoritie in euerie churche and not as vnto one principall. Where they alleadge the ancient Doctors / Ierome whiche is the moſte diligent in H • ſtorie matters / reporteth moſte plainly that in the beginninge there were many / and afterwarde for the auoidinge of diſſentions / the chieff authoritie was cōmitted vnto one as the chieff. But yet ſaithe he / that was donne rather by the ſtatute off men then by the authoritie off God. Where they ſpeake ſo muche off the miſch • ffe off contention in the churche / we confeſſe it is a great euell / But that tyranny • s a more peſtiferous deſtruction to the churche / and that tyranny crept into the churche by one / the Biſhopp off Rome / maye teache vs at large. Therfore / for as muche as bothe waies / either by one or by moo / euells maie happen / we thought good to beware more diligently of the greater euell. Where they bringe in Caluin for one / we maruell with what face they can do that ſeinge it is owte off all dowte / that he vpon one daie and in one houre inſtituted two Miniſters off equall authoritie in all thinges in the Engliſhe congregation whiche is at Geneua. And alſo ſeinge that in the 8. chapter and 42. and 52. diuiſions off his Chriſtian Inſtitution / he declareth openly that there were from the beginninge moo miniſters off the worde off equall authoritie in the churche off Chriſte. Where they alleage the examples off the churches off Germany we alſo want not examples off the dutche churche at Emden wherin their be 3. Miniſters off the worde off equall authoritie. And off the frenche churche off this Citie / and off the Engliſhe churche off Geneua / yea and Caluin himſelff is counted ſuperior to his felowes not by authoritie off office / but in reſpect off his lerninge and me rites. Therfore in aſmuche as it is alſo permitted vnto vs by the magiſtrates app • intement / to chuſe one or moo: let them leaue their wranglinge for a thinge indifferent / as though i • it were for lyffe and lande. Where they profeſſe that they will make large proffe off this matter at leyſure / let them profeſſe theis gaye glorious promyſes ſo longe as they will / ſo they knowe the longer they labor in this matter / ſo muche leſſe ſhall they bothe ſhewe and bringe to paſſe

Horne. In the 8. Article Miniſters committ and aſſigne the burthen and cure (wherwith they are charged) vnto others with ouer muche facilitie: We demaund alſo this / whiche appeareth not plainly inough in their Diſcipline / to whom perteineth it to allowe their allegations and excuſes / when they will leaue their charges vnto others.

VVhithead. What inhumanitie is it / not to be content / that the miniſters off the worde (vpon waightie cauſes / as ſicknes or vrgent buſines off importance) ſhuld be eaſed off their burthens? as though they that fynde faulte at this nowe / permitted not the ſame to themſelues before / rough againſte other / and ouer fauorable to themſelues.

And where they demaunde vnto whom it perteinethe to allowe their lawfull cauſes / we wonder / that they / nother redde ioyntly in the ſame place the name off Seniors / to whom the matter is committed / nor remember that generall pointe in the 36. article / that the gouernement off the whole churche is committed to the miniſters and Seniors.

Horne. We allowe the tranſlatinge off bookes. But that ſo open a lawe ſhulde be made for that matter / that is the thinge we fynde fault withe. For it bothe conteineth that whiche is a peſtilent matter to oure congregation / by meanes off danger off ſuch as are wont to traueile as ſtrangers vpp hither vnto vs owt of Englande / as alſo it maie be reprehended in that it ſemeth to ſmell and tend openly to the priuate commoditie off ſome men.

Where it is ſignified that certeine bookes godly and fitt either to inſtructe / VVhithead. or comforte oure countrie men in this calamitie off oures and off oure countre / ſhuld be tranſlated in to our tonge then the whiche there can be nothinge more profitable or neceſſarie / they ſaie it is a peſtilente matter forſoothe / bicauſe it is ſo openly mentioned: as though by ſpeaking nothinge / it might be perſwaded that we do nothinge here but ſlepe for wher they add towching the priuate commoditie off ſome in ſo common a profit / we cannot geſſe what that meanethe in as muche as all men that haue in theis miſerable daies / yet hitherto cauſed bookes to be ſet foorthe in oure tonge haue rather loſt then wonne by them.

In the 16. Horne. Article the cuſtodie off the treaſure off the churche perteineth not neceſſarily to the Deacons by the worde off God. And at this daye many reformed churches do not obſerue it and moreouer it ſemethe more profitable vnto oure congregation to haue it otherwiſe. Fowrthly the moſte parte off the auntienteſt churches keepe a plaine other cuſtome.

Iff they be able to ſhewe ſo plaine a place in all the whole Scripture for anie other that ought to haue the cuſtodie off the treaſure off the churche as is in the 6. VVhithead. off the Actes off the Apoſtells / for the Deacones / we yelde vnto them. Yea / and Caluin ſhall yelde alſo (whoſe name they oftentimes wonderous confidently and falſely alleadge) who / in the • . Chapter off the Inſtitution off a Chriſten man in the 55. diuiſion / thinketh plainly as we doo / aſwell concerninge the cuſtodie / as the diſtribution off all churche mony and vtterethe the ſame in plaine wordes. In the primatiue churche / ſaith he / the Deacons receaued (euen as it was vnder the apoſtells) faithfull peoples dayly oblations and the yerely reuenewes off the churche / to thentent they ſhuld beſtowe them vppon true vſes. We deſier them nowe to ſhewe vs more plainly / vnto what other men that charge dothe rather belonge then to the deacons / &c. But they ſaye manie reformed churches obſerue not this / ād that it will be more profitable for oure congregatiō to haue it otherwiſe And that the moſte parte of the aunciēteſt churches keepe ſtill an other cuſtome This (as we ſayde before) is onely to affirme / and proue nothinge. But thus they doo a • moſte allwaies. But where they ſpeake off the auntienteſt churches / we beleue / they meane the popiſhe churches / but would not for ſhame vtter it: or ells let them ſhewe vs what auncient churches thoſe be / yet this we maye not ouerpaſſe how that they affirme that it will be profitable for oure churche to haue it otherwiſe: that is / that one / as it is nowe / haue the cuſtodie alone / know alone / and diſtribute the churche mony alone and make accoumpt alone / and to himſelff alone. But we are ready to proue either to the magiſtrate / or to the worlde (in caſe the Magiſtrate ſo permit it) bothe by teſtimonies / reaſons / and matters in dede / that this is not onely not profitable / but alſo it hathe and is vtterly pernitious / and to the plaine vndooinge off oure churche.

Horne. We fynde faulte / that the election off the Deacons is not free ynough. For the riche men muſte be allwaies taken. Alſo in that they ought to depend vppon the will and councell off the elders / where nowe agreat parte off the elders bothe liue and depende vpon the Deacons purce. There mouth therfore ſemethe to be ſtopped / ſo as they dare neuer reproue and ouerſore correcte the Deacons when they offende.

Horne. The miniſters ſhall be priuie howe muche monie ther is / but not howe it is beſtowed. This is agaīſte the cuſtome of the auncienteſt and beſte inſtituted churches / Yff Caluin be ſo in your iudgement I hope yow will allowe his 2. letters befor • . and contrary to the Iudgemente and mynde off the greateſt lerned men that be in theis daies as Caluin and others / whiche as they permit the diſtribution vnto the Deacons / euen ſo / will they haue it donne at the arbitrement and apoointment off the Elders.

VVhithead. The Miniſters (ſaie they) ſhall be priuie howe muche monie there is / but not how it is beſtowed. Where find yow in oure booke theis wordes: (but not how it is beſtowed?) And yet when he hath added it / off his owne / lorde / howe he triumpheth here off the cuſtome off the moſte auncienteſt churches / off the mindes off the greateſt lerned men / namely Maiſter Caluin / &c. In this matter the man truly ſemethe not to haue wanted ſpace and tyme wheroff he had to muche to write ſo fonde vanities / but that he lacked his eye ſight and ſome what ells beſides.

Albeit they would couer the matter / Horne. yet by makinge off lawes / they make al openly knowen: For they diſcloſe thus muche / that we ſende owte oure gatherers to bringe other mennes liberalitie vnto vs: whiche thinge ſhall bringe great daunger to many in as muche as the enemyes off oure religion will eaſilie coniecture from whom this ſo great libiralitie cometh.

There is a great fore ſight in theis men that they can reprehende that thinge in vs whiche they themſelues haue done nowe alreadie theis 3. VVhithead. yeres but it is wel knowē that they ſend owte their gatherers / no more then it is / that we be at Franckford. And then be addeth that the ennemies maye eaſilie coniecture from whom this ſo great liberalitie commethe. We wonder what he meaneth or howe muche it is that he calleth ſo great. Dothe Chambers at vnwarres meane the greatneſſe off his purce? for as for vs we haue yet hitherto ſent owte no bodie to gather / muche leſſe haue we receiued anie thinge by anye gatherer.

We w •• e not what they meane by the ſcoole. Horne. but howe ſo euer the matter is / it ſhall annoye vs verie muche / yff they builde vp ſo many thinges with ſo ſolemne a profeſſion / and ſhall bringe oure aduerſaries into ſuch a ſuſpition / that we receiue muche more off other men then commeth to oure handes in dede. And this ſhall comme off it that verie many ſhall for oure ſakes be moſte ſtraitly handled and examined.

What yff 2 or 3 Papiſtes liſte to lie / that we receiue many thouſands / VVhithead ſhall this breed great daunger to vs and others / and ſhal many be moſte ſtraitly handled and examined therfore? They maye faine daungers owte off euerie thinge iff they will. But he thinketh it woulde not be knowen that here are ſtudentes / lectures / and Diſputations / yff we had ſpoken nothinge off the ſcoole in oure diſcipline. For it was not knowen that there was a colledge off ſtudentes at Zurick before. It is a world to ſe howe circumſpecte theis men be in wordes / when they are minded to ſpeak any thinge againſt this oure fooliſhe ſymplicitie. For what madneſſe is it / to think that thoſe thinges whiche be euery daie open before mennes eyes are the more knowen / by one ſentence wrytten in a booke whiche verie fewe ſhall looke in.

Horne. The ſhamefaſtnes off manie / is vnſhamefaſte ynough / and to be often diligently examined. And we thinke it neceſſarie that nothinge be donne in this behalff withowte conſent off the elders / who as they beſte knowe the ſtate off euerie man ſo they can and ought to make an exhortation at the diſtributing apte and fit for euery mannes diſpoſition.

VVhithead The ſhamefaſtnes off ſome is almoſte ſo farre attempted off ſome ſhameles men that their harte is clene caſte downe. For theis diſcreete diſpoſers off other mennes almes / haue by paſſing to muche on monye vtterly caſte awaye men / yea / bothe together the monie and men. And yet in the meane while / theis that withowte all ſhame / reaſon of ſhamfaſtnes forſooth / whom rather then thoſe that haue any ſparke off honeſte ſhamefaſtnes left / woulde go vnto / they had rather almoſte die / yea / theis ge •• le and ſhamfaſte diſpoſers haue with their odious behaui ••• d ••• en many men off notable good wittes and towardneſſe / ſome to the printinge howſe / ſome to be ſeruinge men / and to runne into England againe / with the perill bothe off bodie and ſoule. But off this caſe off euell handlinge / we ſhall commence matter againſte thies men (yff god will) and the magiſtrate geue vs leaue / to thentent that good men maye be the more ware henſfoorthe that they committ not their liberall almes ſo eaſilie to anie one mannes fidelitie hereafter.

The lawe ordeined for thoſe that trauell by the waie ſhall call vnto vs all ſuche as be the moſte idle perſons and the verieſt vnthriftes / Horne. and alſo Papiſtes whiche will fame themſelues to be Religious that they may be holpen as we haue lerned by experience.

The trauelour off oure nation hauinge neede by the waye to be holpen on his iourney (yff the treaſure off the churche will beare it) pleaſe not theis men. They ſaie / VVhithead. they haue lerned by experience that idle perſons and vnthriftes and alſo papiſtes are called hither by this meanes. By what experience / we beſeche yow? before this lawe was made or ſithens? yff they were called hither before this lawe was made / they were no • called by occaſion off this lawe. Let them ceaſſe therfore to impute vnto a lawe / that prouideth onely for thoſe that be godly and needie / thoſe thinges that naugtie packes haue euer hitherto donne and will do ſtill hereafter.

Horne. It is not an almes / but a compulſion. Beſides this / off theis that are founde to be the ſetters foorth off theis lawes their are not paſte 17. or 18. Whiche haue competent ynoughe to liue vpon and to ſuſtaine themſelues. And off them there woulde not onely fiue geue heretofore / when collections were made / and the ſumme off all their diſtributions came neuer to 1 • . Dallers / they gaue ſo ſparingly and ſo ſlenderly. And parhappes their is ſome what herein to keepe back and and fray awaie all ſuch as be off the richer ſorte from vs that they came not hither / when they ſhall ſe ſo fewe riche dwell amonge ſo manie poore / whiche neuertheles ſhalbe compelled to ſuſtaine and beare verie great charges at ſundrie contributions.

VVhithead. It is not a compulſion / but an almes. For no man is conſtrained otherwiſe then his owne good will and habilitie is / and that that is off good will / is no compulſion. And there ſhall no man off the richer ſorte (that is godlie) be fraide awaie from vs by this meane / in as muche as ſuche as be godlie ſeeke off there owne accorde / whom they maye doo good vnto. And wher they obiecte vnto vs againe the ſmall nomber off oures / whiche haue competent ynough to lyue vpon themſelues / theis ſhulde be ſome men off mightie habilitie that woulde haue the magiſtrate perſwaded / that other are but beggers in compariſon off them. paraduenture Horne / whiche is the deuiſer here off / is admitted vnder hande into the felowſhipp off the purce with Chambers and theroff it commethe his ſo great ſwellinge / ſuch loftyneſſe and contempte off others: And where he addethe that there were but fyne that gaue at the collections before tyme / and the ſumme off that they gaue / came ſcarſe to 13. Dallers / it is a matter worthie to be knowen For abowte an halff yere paſte and more when Horne and Chambers had geuen warninge openly for certeine thinges that they were offended at / we wote not what / that they woulde geue ouer their Eccleſiaſticall miniſteries / whiche is no noueltie for them to doo nowe / afterwarde they went abowte to gather euerie mannes almes to the intent they might ſeeme at their departure from their miniſteries like good huſbandes of other mēnes liberalitie to haue left ſomethinge vnto the churche. But ſeinge they gathered to this ende / and it was perfectly knowen to all men that their gatheringe was for this cauſe / certenly / we meruaile that there was ſo muche as one that woulde gaue anie thinge / or that the ſumme whiche they gaue / growed to ſo muche as 13. not Dalers but hallers or phēninges. But Chambers and Horne were not ſo euell knowen at that tyme: nowe yff they lyſt to aſſaie / they ſhall proceiue / that there is not one / that will pu • them in truſte with ſo muche as a myte. And yet ſins they departed from the congregation / there hathe bin more geuen (by the grace off god) vnto the poore / then Horne and Chambers haue geuen off their owne / all the daies off their liffe.

This lawe hathe theſe diſcōmodities: that firſte / Horne. it diſcloſeth the thinge ouermuche / that thoſe whiche were wont to be liberall vnto vs / are moſte deſirous to keepe cloſe / ſecondly / it is preiuditiall to priuate men whiche haue felte manie mennes priuate beneficence. Thirdly it nippeth and thwitethe awaie a great deale off that liberalitie / whiche might come to vs / in that we ſo appointe a ſtrange collectour / and vnknowē to the geuers. Fourthelie it dothe wonderous ſuſpiciously importe the infamie off certeine that haue vſed theis labours. Fiftlie / it ſhall ſtrike a feare and a terror vnto the geuer when he muſte ſe ſo manye handes ſubſcribed to publick letters and by this reaſon they ſhall be eloigned from vs that would gladly ſuccor the poore.

Sixthly / it ſhalbe excedinge hurtefull to other congregations / and a loſſe to all other baniſhed men / wherſoeuer they are diſperſed. Finally / thes ſo openly ordeined lawes ſhall ſignifie vnto oure Queene that we noriſhe and ſuſtaine oure congregation by hir ſubiectes. And that ſhall off neceſſitie cauſe / that they whiche were wont to geue vs ſome what ſhalbe moſte diligently ſought owte to their vndooinge and oure moſte peſtilente plage.

VVhithead Here is maniefolde fyndinge off faulte as in a matter off moſte waightie importance / and wherwith Maiſter Horne and Maiſter Chambers are wonderfully rubbed on the gall. But paſſinge ouer the firſte member as vaine / and mingled with others / we will firſte ſpeake of the ſeconde. Yff this be to the preiudice off priuate men / what haue yow Maiſter Horne and Maiſter Chambers done / whiche nowe a greate while haue by your meſſengers and letters ſtopped all the priuate almoſes off all men / and drawen them into your owne handes? And that yow / Maiſter Horne / threatned owte off the pulpit that yow woulde do / and that yow woulde make poore miſerable men to eate haye. Where they ſpeake off an vnknowen collectour / we anſwere / that the leſſe he ſhalbe commonly knowen / the leſſe daunger ſhall he cauſe to them / that he ſhall haue to doo with all. For thoſe collectors off yours / are nowe by this your diligence in gathering (would to god ye were as liberall in diſtributinge) and by theis your cloſe and moſte diſcreet means / ſo knowen / that no man dare bydd them god ſpede / muche leſſe talke withe them.

Therfore it is wonderous fyne / that Maiſter Horne hathe forged here cōcerninge an vnknowne colectour▪ where he ſaithe that a feare and a terror ſhall be ſtricken into ſuche as ſhall ſee manie names ſubſcribed / we vnderſtande not howe that cā be. It ſemeth he woulde ſaie / that oure meſſagers wil ſhewe not oure names but the meſſagers names ſubſcribed. Furthermore / we demaunded off Chambers and Horne / why they haue done the ſame nowe theis 3 yeres / and compelled men • o ſubſcribe againſt their willes. A ſmall fault in theis daies. In them this is a godly matter in vs an horrible abhomination.

Where he ſaith / that this will be exceedinge Hurtefu • l to h • r congregatiōs / certeinlie / it hathe bin a moſt an vndooinge bothe to our congregation and others tha • M Horne and M. Chambers haue in this behalff done yet hithertoo / For one while they ſaie / they haue gathered alonely for this congregation: When any bodie off an other churche (ye muſt vnderſtand) craue ought off them An other while they boaſte that they haue a great deale for other congregations / that is when they be offended with vs as they are nowe moſte greuouſly. For nowe (we beleue) they will ſaie plainly they haue nothinge for oure poore / therfore though they ſpeake it not / yet / they ſhewe openly by their dedes that they haue all to themſelues / and keepe all to themſelues. Where he ſaithe / the Queene ſhall vnderſtande by this meanes that oure congregations are noriſhed by hir ſubiectes▪ how ſo? Doo we name Engliſhe men? or vniuerſally all good men by whoſe liberallitie the poore off oure congregation be noriſhed? But the Queene will ſuſpecte ſome thinge off hir ſubiectes. O fine witt • e men: She ſuſpected nothinge forſoothe before we wrote this diſcipline. That / that he hathe in the fourth place ſet as i • were / in the middle ranke in ſaftie / we ſawe not▪ therfore / we will ſpeake off it laſte But this is the greuouſe matter off all / and that whiche alone tormenteth theis men in dede. for other cauſes are pretended / but this is the verie thinge whence (as the man ſaithe) comethe all this anguiſhe and anger too / forſoothe it wilbe ſuſpected (ſaieth he) iff ſome other collecte in the name off the congregation / that we like not Chambers collection / nor Hornes and his diſtribution. Hereoff will all theis waightie diſcommodities growe / that they two (ye muſte vnderſtande) maie not be in ſo great authoritie with all men / nor be ſuch buggarddes to the poore yff they maye not beare the bagge alone. O greuous and intollerable euilles that will growe off theis ſuſpitions. In dede they make an ende off all this place withe plaine tragicall termes: this geare (ſaith he) ſhall cauſe vndooinge and a moſte peſtilent plage vnto the congregation.

We wonder that he cried not owte alſo▪ o heauen / o earthe / o neptunes ſeas / but where they feare them ſelues ſo muche off ſuſpitions / we beleue / they maie be owte off paraduenture in a while. For all men will with in a ſhorte time (as farre as we ſee) geue ouer to ſuſpect what manner off men Horne and Chābers be. Finally what faulte ſo euer they finde with vs in all this adoo touchinge the meſſager to be ſente / they themſelues haue vtterly forced vs by extreamitie and violence to attempte it. For ſeinge Chambers wou • d geue nothinge being preſent / but vnto certeine off his owne / and is nowe runne awaie with the purce / we are vtterlie conſtrained to take this waie / that oure poore periſhe not for famine.

Horne. This is amiſſe / that the Deacons are bownden to viſite the poore onely / to knowe iff they neede: ſeinge it is chieflye required that they maye exhorte / that they maie comforte / that they maie relieue ſuch conſciences as be ſick and burthened with ſynnes. A man maie aſke them where it apeareth by plaine wordes off the ſcriptures / that it is the Deacons office to receiue and keepe the treaſures off the churche / and that they alone ought to excecute and accompliſhe this office.

VVhithead. Let the Deacons viſit all ſicke folke vn • uerſallie yff they will and exhorte them and comforte them / we forbid thē not. Onely we ſhewe that they are bownden by reaſon off their office peculiary to haue charge off the poore. VVhithead Where they ſaie it is chiefly required that deacons ſhuld exhorte and comforte the ſicke conſciences off them that are diſeaſed: Iff they ſaie they be bownde to doo that by reaſon off their office / let them proue it / that they doo not onely ſaie all thinges. But yff they reſpecte Chriſtian pitie towardes their brethern / neither doo we exempte from the Deacons / that whiche is the common dewtie off all Chriſtians. But for as muche as they haue burthened the Deacons before / with vnneceſſarie charges as concerninge the office off Deacons / by reaſon wheroff they fraied manie from that right godlie office off Deacons / we haue thought good to declare what thinges they be whiche properly appertaine to the Deaconſhipp / and what be the common dewties off all Chriſtians. And leaſte theis men might iuſtlie complaine as touchinge the lake off exhortinge and comforting the ſicke / that matter is ſufficientlie prouided for by the miniſters off the worde vnto whom that charge dothe chiefly appertaine and by other lerned men alſo. And to that queſtion that they harpe vpon againe / it is throughly anſwered in the 4. Article In that they require plaine wordes off ſcrip • ure off vs we cannot meruaile ynoughe / ſeinge they neither proue or ſhewe anie thinge / either by plaine wordes or obſcure wordes: but as thoughe we were ſcollere and they ſcoolemaſters off Pithagoras rule / they onely ſaie and affirme all thinges and confirme nothinge. But they promeſſe they will doo it at leaſure and god before. And that is ynoughe we trowe.

The time is ill appointed. Horne. it were a great deale better after the marte / for the auoidinge off rumor and blowinge off diſſentions whiche maie ariſe as it is nowe in example.

The time is appointed well ynough. VVhithead For theis diſſentions are not to be imputed to times / but to men. And we truſte that we ſhall by the grace off God haue henſfoorthe goodmen that ſhall quietlie geuerne the churche in the tru • feare off god and loue to their brethern.

Horne. The 44. Article ſpeaketh manifeſtly againſt the edicte off the Senate. For there it is ſpecified by theis clere and manifeſte wordes. Furthermore the Senate off this honorable citie hath decreed / that iff their ariſe anie diſſention or contentions amonge the ſtrangers / concerninge Religion or their Diſcipline / they be ſett at one with all diligence by the miniſters and Seniors ſpecially for this cauſe / leaſte thoſe whiche profeſſe themſelues to be baniſhed mē owte of their countrie for true Religions ſake / vtter an euell token what their minde is by reaſon off ſuch controuerſies and debates. And in caſe the matter cannot be apeaſed before the miniſters and elders let them knowe that the Senate off this citie will take order therein / who as reaſon is / will looke moſte ſharply vppon the Authors off ſuche troubles.

VVhithead. It is not againſt the meaninge off the edicte / as it was declared by the Magiſtrates themſelues in oure churche before all the congregation the laſte off February / by the mouthe off Maiſter Valeran polaine / and the ſaide Magiſtrates / (ſeinge the ſentence pronounced by the ſaide Maiſter Valeran and written owte by vs / allowed it / according wherunto / this decree is all together ſet foorth.

This lawe dothe not ſufficiently forſee and prouide for the quietnes off the congregation / Horne. vnle • in this greater parte / the paſtor and ſeniors be included / whoſe authoritie men ought not to bringe into ſuch cōtempte that we woulde ſo eaſilie reiecte them. The multitude is off their owne diſpoſition / ouermuche licentious and grudginge at euerie ſuperior power and this lawe is alſo againſte the edicte off the Senate.

Iff the miniſters and Elders wilbe preſent no man warneth them: yf they will not / VVhithead. who wil force them againſte their willes? It is impertinent that he ſaith / they be eaſilie reiecte / whiche will not come when they be deſired / or when they be preſent departe vppon their owne will. Where he ſaithe / that this decree is alſo contrarie to the edicte off the Senate / it is not ynough / excepte he proue it.

The ſubſcribinge is ouer hardly and conſtrainedly done ſpecially in ſo often alteration and innouation off lawes as as they ſpeake off. Horne.

The ſubſcribinge is not ouer hadly nor conſtrainedly done but ſo muche the leſſe hardly and cōſtainedly / VVhithead. in that there is an eaſie waye ſhewed to redreſſe Yf anye thinge be done amiſſe: Where theis men would haue their decrees to be reputed for holie ſacred cānons whiche maie not be moued. And as for this ſubſcribinge / whiche they ſay is ſo cōſtrained and harde / beſides that it is prouided for by the edicte off the Senate / it is required alſo in their oulde diſcipline and inſtitution.

The authoritie off the paſtor and Seniors is all wiped awaie. Horne. For euerie thinge is referred to the confuſed multitude of the congregation.

Horne. This Lawe is alſo contrarie to edicte off the Senate.

VVhithead. This ſhulde not be ſaide but ſhewed.

Horne. The aſſemblie off 4. 6. 8. or 10. is troublouſly done and withowte order / and will ſtyrre vpp newe tumultes daily in the congregation. Such lawes as this condemne the authoritie and counſaile off the Elders.

Horne and Chambers condemne the aſſemblie off 4. 6. 8. VVhithead. or •• . men for peace mak • nge: Where they haue almoſt everie daie theis 3. monethes gathered corner creepinge aſſemblies to diſturbe the peace of the church.

Horne. The 59. article is manifeſtly repugnant againſt the 56. Article.

This lawe alſo is againſt the edicte off the Senate. Horne.

It is not againſt the meaninge off the edicte / VVhithead. as it is declared in the anſwere to the 15. Article. For it was declared by the right honorable and godly Magiſtrates openly in oure churche / that they thought nothinge leſſe then to impeche the lawfull authoritie off the congregation. And except the congregation whiche geueth authoritie to miniſters be ſuperior to the miniſters / they are not nowe miniſters / but lordes off the congregation / as to adde no further.

In this place we deſier that oure olde diſcipline maie be looked vpon / that we maie ſe whither it be / Horne. to be ſo lightly caſte awaie / ſeinge it proceeded off ſo lerned men / and ſhall with a meane amendinge be farr perfecter then this newe Diſcipline.

Where they deſier that the olde Diſcipline maie be looked vppon / we anſwere / the more they ſhall looke vpon it / VVhithead. the more euedently ſhall the naughtynes and imperfection off it appeare / And it ſhall alſo more plainely appeare howe muche the cōgregation hathe bin beholdinge to them that haue reteined ſuch an vnperfit diſcipline ſo lōge in the churche / onely / by cauſe it permitteth all to the paſtor. Where they ſaie that the Diſcipline proceded off ſo lerned men / yet / the ſame that wrote it / (were they neuer ſo well lerned) confeſſe themſelues both that it was gathered in haſte / and geuen to the congregation as imperfit / onely for a tyme. Where • hey ſpeak off the amending off that Diſcipline / we marueille that it neuer came into their minde before.

Horne. That concerninge teſtamentes in this daungerous worlde is a pernitious Lawe.

VVhithead. We cannot tell what ſerpente the lawe concerninge Teſtamentes hathe lurkinge vnder the herbe. They ſaye it is a pernitious lawe / and they onely ſaye ſo / But we ſaie it is verie wholſome / and profitable againſt the fraude off falſaries and to the ſuccours of the fatherles and widdowes.

Horne. Quietnes is not ſufficiently prouided for by this meanes / in aſmuche as it is commaunded (as it were) that euerie one ſhuld looke and ſtudy for an innouation.

VVhithead. Quietnes / is prouided for ſufficiētly / in as muche as the matter muſte paſſe quietlye and peaceablie / and alſo by writings mennes conſciences / are alſo neceſſarely prouided for / that in caſe any thinge be founde in the Eccleſiaſticall ordinaunces vngodly or diſagreinge / or ells vnprofitable for the church it maie be chaunged ſtraight waies / ſo as mennes pleaſures be not holden for holy / ſacred / and vnmouable as the papiſtes would.

In all this adoo / Maiſter Horne and Maiſter Chambers go abowte nothinge ells but to diſquiete the cōgregation / VVhithead that Horne might rule the roſte ouer all: Chambers beare the bagge alone / and they 2. together exerciſe a moſte vnworthie lordſhipp ouer the poore / and by them all other / and that they might haue no certeine diſcipline / but that their pleaſures might be holden for lawes / and that nothinge ſhulde be thought right or ſtād in force but what they doo / yet hithertoo / and the ſame they go abowte nowe: And it ſemethe they haue vtterly determined either to eſtabliſhe a tyrannie / or to leaue no common wealth at all in the congregation. Where Horne and Chambers make reherſall here off the purginge off offences comitted by vs / they ought iuſtly to haue byn aſhamed to make mention off offences ſeinge they haue neuer left for theis 3. or 4. Monethes to lade themſelues with wicked doinges And as for occaſion of offence and ſlander geuen to good and godly men and to oure aduerſaries and goddes enemies the papiſtes high reioicinge and pleaſure / they accuſe vs theroff ſo falſely / as they themſelues haue geuen the occaſion in dede.

For they coulde neuer abyde to haue anye thinge amended nor themſelues to be admoniſhed off any thinge / or to be cōmoned withall in anie wiſe. But for the moſte light / yea / no cauſes in dede / they forſooke their miniſterie ſtraight waies / the paſtor forſooke the flocke / the Treaſorer the poore and bothe forſooke the churche and moued others by their example to do the ſame.

Neither was it ynough for them to geue ouer their owne functions but they muſt drawe other preachers and readers with them alſo / to the intent the congregation ſhulde by this meanes be deſtitute off Goddes worde / and vtterly ſcattered as thoughe it colde not poſſiblie ſtande withowte them. And when they had forſaken their owne churche / they haunted / partly the french churche and partly / the dewtche churches and ſo raiſed rumors abroade and ſpred oure diſſentions / firſte / though this citie and then thorough other cities off Germany. And laſt off all / when they wolde not come to the churche in the marte time / but by the Magiſtrates commaundement / neither coulde they then be quiet they ſpreed the like rumours almoſte throughowt all Europe.

Then I hope, it may be now ſpred againe withowt offence, all thinges wel waied. And when they haue plaied theis prancks themſelues / they charge vs with their owne faultes and go abowte to laie the infamie vppon vs whiche they themſelues haue ſtirred vp. Iff yow ſhall crie owte that olde matters are reherſed by this meanes / yow ought to haue abſtained from prouokinge vs hereunto: neither to haue mentioned offences committed / olde ſubſcriptions / ne yet to haue called vs vs backe thus to the olde diſcipline the fountaine off all contentions.

The reſte off oure conſentinge brethern we coulde not call together vnto this ſubſcribinge / Horne. by reaſon off ſhortnes of time / whoſe names ſhall be put afterward hauinge your H. licences therto.

Where they complaine off ſhortnes of time in the ende as they did in the beginninge / VVhithead and that they could not by reaſen therof cal their cōſentinge brethern together to the ſubſcribinge: What meaneth that? For where they haue ſet to the names off them whiche dwell moſt farr aſunder and haue left owte almoſt none but the names off their owne ſeruants whom they haue allwaies at a becke / yet they could not call the reſt off their brethern together forſoothe / to the intent they might by this ſhift make a ſhewe to ſuche as knowe not the matter / off ſome multitude off men off ſome eſtimation whiche are leſte owte. And they deſier alſo as in a matter off waight that they maye ſet too the names off the others afterwardes. And as here in the ende / they vaunte a certeine ſhewe of ſome great multitude that will ſubſcribe: Euen ſo / in the beginninge and in many other places of their booke they make a great bragge as though they would exhibite ſome notable matter to the magiſtrate / ſo they maie haue time ynough geuen them to bethink themſelues. But maiſter Horne and maiſter Chambers ſhall with theis their mightie and great promiſſes bothe off ſubſcriptions declarations and confirmations bring • to paſſe as good as nothinge. But yet this they are deſirous to bringe to paſſe in the meane time / that whiles theis gaye glorious promiſes off thers be loked for / they may a longe time hinder the peace and quietnes off the churche whiche their onely deſier is to haue diſquieted. And iff it be poſſible that thei maie recouer a moſte intollerable lordeſhipp ouer the congregatiō or in caſe they cannot obtaine the chief ſtate in the cōgregatiō / that they may leaue the churche in worſte / or in no ſtate at all / but that they maye rendē it and all to ſcatter it. Theis be the deuiſes off Horne and Chambers. Theis be therfetches / right honorable and moſt righteous Magiſtrates. And yet we haue no diſtruſte but almightie god for his mercies ſake towardes oure moſt afflicted churche / and that your authoritie for your equities ſake and ſinguler beneuolence towardes vs / will withſtande the ſame.

And for as muche as we haue proued that one off theis thinges whiche they haue reprehended in oure diſcipline / be other againſt gods worde / or againſte good reaſon: and for as muche alſo as we are ready to proue / that all thinges conteined in oure Diſcipline / are taken owte either off Goodes worde or off the edicte off the Senate and Magiſtrate / either owte off their owne olde diſcipline which they ſtick ſo faſt vnto / either ells off the iudgement off good reaſon / we humblie beſeche the right honorable and righteous magiſtrates that they will vouchſaffe to confirme it with their authoritie.

Where as bothe partes gaue conſent that certeine others / very worſhippfull / ſhuld alſo deale in this controuerſie betweene them / to appeaſe (yff it might be) the ſame I haue here folowinge placed the order whiche they tooke for their quietnes.

The anſwere off the churche to this offre / or the effect off the ſame.

This controuerſie which yow haue now harde from the • 3. off Ianuary hitherto. I finde written by the handes off ſuch as are bothe lerned and off credit / but yet / I muſte nedes ſay / by thoſe that were parties in this broyle. And for ſo much as Maiſter Chambers in this controuerſie is very ſore charged amonge the reſte: who yet / was thought off manie wiſe and godlymen / to be verye godly / vpright / and honeſt / ād ſo no dowte he tooke his leaue of this lyffe: I haue therfore here thought good to place a letter whiche is yet off his owne hande to be ſeene / wrytinge the ſame in his owne defence touchinge theis matters ſo as the reader wayinge bothe the one and the other / maie vſe his iudgemente with diſcretion▪

Nowe / Whiles theis ſharpe and greuous contentions grewe more and more at Franckf. (as ye haue harde) manye thinges happened in other places whiche maie in this place be ſhortly touched / to the glory off god (I hope) and alſo / to the great comforte off the godlie / who maie by the ſame / beholde moſte euidently the maruelous prouidence off God towarde his poore afflicted and diſperſed churche.

After that M. Bartue and the dutches of Sulff. were ſaffely arriued at Wezell in Weſtphalia / the brute theroff was the cauſe that moo Engliſhe people in ſhorte time reſorted thither. M. couerdale ſent by the duke of bipont. It pleaſed god alſo / that M Couerdale (after that he had bin withe the kinge of Denmark) ſhuld come to the ſame Towne / who preached there no longe time / till he was ſent for by woulgange duke off bypont / to take the paſtorall charge off Bargzaber / one off his Townes off Germany at whoſe comminge to the duke / he made it knowē / bothe to himſelff and to other noble mē abowte him off M.B. and the dutches beinge in the lowe countries. They vnderſtādinge / the daunger that might come vnto them in thoſe partes / as alſo calling to remēbrance / what great curteiſie ſtrangers had founde in Englande at the dutches handes: made offre that iff they were forced to remoue or otherwiſe if it pleaſed them / The curteſie off the noble men off Germany to M. Bartuc & the D. o • Sulff. they ſhuld haue the Caſtle of Winchaim by Hedleberge within the liberties of Otto Henricus thē Palſgraue and a godly Prince / who moſt gladly (as well appeared) gaue cōſent to the ſame. M. Bartuc and the Dutches acceptinge this offre / lefte Wezeli and came vp to the ſaide Caſtle / ād there cōtinued / til leauinge Germany they traueled towardes the lande off Pole. The congregation that was at Wezell wantinge amonge them / partly the comforte whiche many off them had / by M. B. and my L. beinge there / and partly alſo other reaſonable cōſiderations mouinge them they left Wezel and folowed after: But paſſinge by Franckf. and perceauinge the contention to be amōge them ſo boilinge hott / that it ran ouer on bothe ſides / and yet no fier quenched: many had ſmall pleaſure to tarie there / but went to Baſil and other places / whiles M. Leauer made ſute to the lordes of Berna for a churche with in their dominions / whoſe letters he obtained with great fauour to all their ſubiects for the frindly entertainement off the Engliſhe nation. Theis letters obtained / M. Leauer / M. Boyes / M. Wilforde / M. Pownall and T. Vpchaier / came to Geneua to haue the aduice off that churche what was beſt to be done touching the erection off a new churche. They of Geneua / gaue god thanks for that it had pleaſed him ſo to incline the hartes off the lordes off Berna towardes them and gaue incouragemēt that they ſhuld not let ſlyppe ſo good an occaſion. M. I. Bodliegh (who was no ſmall ſtaie as well to that churche as to others) and W. Ke. he traueiled with them. And paſſinge thorough manie partes of the L. of B. dominion in Sauoy and Switzerland / they founde ſuche fauour in all places where they came / as verelie maie be to the great condemnation off all ſuch Engliſhe men as vſe the godly ſtranger (I meane thoſe who come for religion) ſo vncourteouſly.

M. Leauer and the company at lenght choſe Arrow for their reſtinge place / Engliſhe men placed at Arrow. where the congregation liued together in godlie quietneſſe amōge themſelues with great fauour of the people amonge whom for a time they were planted.

Horne and Chambers come to geneua. Not longe after this / Maiſter Horne and maiſter Chambers came by Arrowe to Geneua / ſeminge at that tyme to like verie well off thoſe congregations / (as the churche of Frank. alſo then did as apearethe by their letters afore) in ſo muche as the ſaid Maiſter Horne and Chambers / did diſtribute larglie to the neceſſitie of thoſe churches. So that it appeared that the olde grudge whiche had bin betweene the churche off Franck. and Geneua had bin cleane forgotten.

It came to paſſe not many daies after / that the lorde began to ſhewe mercy vnto Englande in remouinge Queene Mary be deathe / and placinge the queens maieſtie that nowe is (whom god longe preſerue) in the ſeate / the newes wherof / as it was ioyfull to all ſuche as were in exile / So it appeared that the churche off Geneua was not behinde the reſte / who / (after that they had geuen to god hartie thankes for his great goodnes) conſulted amonge themſelues and concluded / that (for ſo muche as there had byn iarres betwene them and other churches / abowt the Booke off common praier and ceremonies) it was now expedient and neceſſary not onely that vnfained reconciliation ſhulde be betwene them but alſo that they might ſo ioine together in matters off religion and Ceremonies / that no Papiſt or other enemie ſhuld take holde or aduantage by a farther diſſention in their owne countrie / Kethe ſent into Germany and Hel •• ia. whiche might ariſe in time to come / yff it were not in time foreſeen and preuented. To this ende was William kethe / one off the congregation choſen to do this meſſage / to them off Arrowe / Baſill / Strasbrough / Wormes / Franckford &c. And to them off Arrowe and Francford this letter was wrytten which folowith and ſubſcribed by the miniſterie in the name off the whole congregation.

NOwe when as W. Kethe was returned to Geneua with anſwer from the congregations and companies / that were diſperſed in ſundry places off Germany and Heluetia / the congregation (after that they had rendred their humble thankes to the magiſtrates for their great goodnes towards them prepared themſelues to depart ſauinge certeine whiche remained behinde the reſte / to witt to finiſhe the bible / and the pſalmes bothe in meeter and proſe / whiche were already begon / at the charges off ſuche as were off moſt habilitie in that congregation. And with what ſucceſſe thoſe workes were finiſhed / (eſpecially the Bible) I muſt leaue it to the Iudgementes off the godly lerned / who ſhulde beſt Iudge off the ſame.

But yff that Bible be ſuche / as no enemie off god coulde iuſtly finde faulte with: then maie men maruell that ſuche a worke / (beinge ſo profitable) ſhulde finde ſo ſmall fauor / as not to be printed againe. Yff it be not faithfully tranſlated / then let it ſtill finde as litle fauour as it dothe bicauſe off the inconueniences that a falſe tranſlation bringes with it. The Miniſters off Geneua in an Epliſte whiche they wrote / before the newe Teſtament haue theis wordes.

There is nothinge more requiſite to attaine the right and abſolute knowledge off the doctrine off ſaluation / wherby to reſiſt all heriſie and falſhod / then to haue the texte off the Scriptures faithfully and truly tranſlated / the conſideration wheroff moued them with one aſſent (as they ſaie in that Epiſtle to requeſte 2. off their brethern / to witt / Caluin and Beza / efſonnes to peruſe the ſame notwithſtandinge their former trauells. Beza alſo in his Epiſtle to the prince off condy and nobles of France hathe theſe wordes. Seinge then all theis controuerſies muſte be diſcuſſed by Goddes worde / I ſuppoſe that this thinge ought chiefly to be prouided for / that ſeinge all cānot haue the knowledge to vnderſtand the worde off God in theis peculiar languages / the Hebrue and the greek (whiche were to be wiſhed) that there ſhulde be ſome true and apte tranſlation of the olde and newe teſtamēte made the whiche diuers haue already labored to bringe to paſſe / but yet no man hathe hitherto ſufficiently performed it. For the olde tranſlation (whoſe ſo euer it is) although it ought not to be condemned / yet is it founde bothe obſcure vnperfect and ſuperfluous and alſo falſe in many places / to ſpeake nothinge off an infinite varietie off the copies. The whiche texte therfore many lerned and godly men haue labored to amende / but not with like ſucceſſe. And yet howe neceſſary a thinge this is / who ſo euer ſhall reade thoſe moſte lerned wryters off the gretians / and ſhall compare their interpretations (whiche are manie times farr from the purpos) with the Hebrue veritie / he ſhall confeſſe it with great ſorowe.

And the ſame euill was not onely hurtefull amonge the latten wri •• rs / but alſo the ignorance off the greeke tonge wherwit • many off them were troubled / whiles they did depend off the common tranſlation / they oftimes ſeeke a knott in a ruſhe (accordinge to the olde prouerbe) and fell into moſte fowle errors. This cauſe therfore hathe moued me to compare moſte diligently the diuerſitie off copies / and to waie the ſentences and Iudgementes off the moſte parte off the lerned men ſpecially off them that this age hathe brought foorthe / ſkillfull in the languages / who are moo in nomber dowteles and better lerned then the churche hath had ſithens the time of the Apoſtles / and ſo eaſe them ſome what that deſier a more pure interpretation.

And that it might be done with more profit I haue allſo added annotations / in the whiche I haue alſo compared together the diuerſitie off interpetations and as muche as I coulde I haue labored to make plaine and euident the ſence and meaninge off all the darke places / &c.

Thus farr Beza / by whoſe Iudgement and the reſt ye ſe / that to haue the holy Scriptures truly and faithfully tranſlated is a matter off no ſmall importaunce. Here might I touche a thinge parhapp worthe the hearinge yff hope were off redreſſe / whiche is / that yff the lerned were but one halff ſo earneſte zelous / and carefull / to ſe that the holy Scriptures in this Realme might be faithfully tranſlated and trulye corrected / as they are many tymes abowte matters nothinge ſo neceſſarie: I woulde not dowte to ſaie that they ſhulde do vnto god an excellent peece off ſeruice. For the moſte parte off oure Engliſhe Bibles are ſo ill tranſlated (as the lerned report) and ſo falſely printed (as the ſimple maie finde) that ſuche had nede to be verie well acquainted with ſcripture / as in many places ſhulde get owte the true meaninge and ſence. And it is high time to looke vnto this / conſideringe / that in moſte partes off this Realme preachers ye haue none / nor anie that can or will preache (verie fewe excepted) ſauinge certeine wanderers / amongeſt whom (and ſpecially in ſome ſheers) are ſuch ruffenly • ak • helles / and cō mō cōſen̄ers permitted and ſuffred / by whoſe preachings • the worde off truthe is become odious / in the eies off the people. Seinge then (I ſaie) that in moſte places / the miniſtery dothe ſtande and conſiſte of olde popiſhe preiſtes / tollerated readers and many newe made miniſters / whoſe readinges are ſuche / that the people cannot be edified / eſpecially / where one is tollerated to ſerue 2. or 3. churches ād turninge their backes to the people. I leaue to the conſidera • ion off ſuche (who haue to deale in this matter) what great ād intollerable miſcheiues maie come more and more / (by ſuffringe ſuche corrupted Bibles in churches and ells where) to the poore ſimple flock off Chriſte. But nowe to drawe to an ende. ye ſe (brethern) by this brieff and ſhorte diſcours / that the grudge wherupon this diſſention hangethe is paſte the age off a childe / and therfore maie (withowte offence I hope) be called an olde grudge / whiche / as it ſeemeth / was neuer yet throughly healed / as will more and more appeare / as this diſcourſe ſhall be from time to time continued / till it be brought euen to this preſent tyme / which time verely / is ſo extreame as the like hathe rarely bin hard off. For it is come to paſſe / that iff anie ſhulde but with a godly grief bewaile the imperfections that remaine and craue for redreſſe: yea / but ſuſpected / or ſhulde but by malice off an Atheiſt / a Papiſt / or Epicure be preſented: ſuch are not onely reuiled and taunted / ſkoffed at and termed by theis odious names off preciſian / puritain / contentious / ſeditious / rebell / traitor and what not: but alſo yff he come once in preſence off the Biſhopps / and ſubſcribe not to what ſo euer they will / then / (yf he haue liuinge) to be depriued / or whither he haue liuinge or not / be he lerned or vnlerned / be he man or woman / halt or blinde / to priſon he muſte / withowte all redemption.

I wil not ſaie that (in the meane time) ſuch as are turne coates and can chaunge with al ſeaſons / ſubſcribinge to what ſo euer / and can cap it can cope it an curry for aduantage / that ſuch / I ſaie / how ignorant / how vitious / and vngodly ſo euer they be / liue at their eaſe in all pleaſure and in ſome place are thought to be moſte meete men for the miniſterie. But this I maie be bolde to affirme / that / (although in very dede I neither do nor dare condemne certeine godly perſons / who off infirmitie / but yet with moſt ſorowfull and heauy hartes (as hathe well appeared by their moſt lamentable proteſtations with plentie off teares to their congregations) haue yelded to more then expedient it were they ſhulde / (prayinge the lorde to let them ſe it in time) yet / it maie not onely be ſaide / but proued too I truſte / that neither is ſubſcribinge allwaies a ſure note off good ſubiect nor yet the refuſall dew proffes off a rebell.

The greateſt Traitors and rebells that godly Kinge Edwarde had in the weſte partes / were prieſts / and ſuch as had ſubſcribed to the booke or what ſo euer by lawe was then in force / but for all their ſubſcribings / there was no ſkirmiſhe / where ſome off thoſe ſubſcribers left nor their karkaiſes in the filde againſte god and their prince. Plumtree and his fellowe prieſts off the northe / I dowte not but they were conformable and applyable to all orders and neuer ſtaggered at ſubſcriptions. But for all that / time tried their traiterous hartes.

But in all the ſturres whiche haue happened either ſithens the Queenes maieſtie came to the crowne or before I haue not hard off ſo m • che as one (miniſter or other) that hath lifted vp his hande againſt hir maieſtie or ſtate / whom it pleaſeth the enuious and malicious man / to terme preciſion / and puritain in great deſpite and contempt. In dede / this haue I founde oute and lerned / that euen ſuche as muſte be cōtente and patiently beare thoſe odious names of puritane preciſian / traitor / and rebell / haue yet bin the men / who moſte faithfully (in their callinge) haue ſerued the queens maieſtie and their country bothe with in the realme and with owte the realme in Garniſon and in filde / hazardinge their bodies againſt hargabuze and cannon / when as thoſe who nowe ſo furiouſly charge them both owte off pulpits and other places durſt not or at leſte woulde not in anie ſuch ſeruice off the prince and countrie be ſeene. For proffe hereoff / yff yow call to remembrance / who hazardid his liffe with that olde / Honorable Erle off Bedford when as he was ſent to ſubdue the popiſhe rebells off the weſte / yow ſhall finde that none off the clergie were haſtie to take that ſeruice in hande / but onely olde father Couerdale. When moſte likelode was off daunger betweene the Sko •• s and vs / the preacher to the ſouldiars was firſte Maiſter Sampſon / and afterward Maiſter Greſhopp when as the right honorable Erle off Bedford that nowe is had there the charge. The Erle off warwick at his beinge in Newhauen / had in dede with him certeine Miniſters for a time / but after that the Cannon came and began to roare / and the plage off peſtilence ſo terriblie to rage / then (I weene) not a Miniſter there left / but Maiſter Kethe alone. And whē as meanes were made to haue mo Miniſters ouer / to aide the ſaied Kethe (who had ſo muche to doo / what with preaching / and viſitinge the poore ſick Souldiars which were in no ſmall nombers) there coulde not be founde (as that right noble Erle can vppon his honor teſtifie ſo muche as one whiche coulde be brought to ſomuche comformitie / as to ſubſcribe to any ſuche ſeruice off the Queens Maieſtie.

When S▪ Henry Sidney had to do with the Popiſhe rebells pff Ireland. Maiſter Chriſtop. Goodman ſhewed his faithfull diligence in that ſeruice. When the Erle off warwick was ſent to ſubdue the popiſh rebells in the north-partes / the preachers off the Queens maieſties Army were Kethe / Temes / and ſtandon who offred themſelues in that ſeruice voluntarily with owte all conſtraynte. And thus it is euidente / that theis with a nomber moo who are now ſo ill thought off / as iff they were traitors and rebells / haue yet byn ſo farre off from bringe ſedicious / that they haue at all times aduentured their liues againſte ſeditious perſons and rebells / when as ſuche as nowe ſo hardly charge them bothe by worde and writinge / haue byn right hartely well content / to take their eaſe and reſte at home.

Conſideringe then / how many waies we are vniuſtly burthened and brought into hatred withowte iuſte cauſe / I ſuppoſed / that no godly man wolde be offended / yff by ſuch lawfull meanes as I might / I ſought bothe to purge my ſelff and the reſt off my brethern / from ſuch heinous and odious crimes as ſome would ſeeme to charge vs. And that coulde I not doo ſo well anie waie / as by the gatheringe together off this diſcourſe / wherin the indifferent reader ſhall finde / that the religion whiche we holde and profeſſe / is not onely the true ād ſincere religiō of Chriſte / and the ſelf ſame with all the reformed churches in Chriſtendome / but alſo that whiche this Realme hathe eſtabliſhed / touching the true doctrine comonly taught therein. By this diſcours alſo / yt maie be ſeene / bothe when / where / how / and by whom this controuerſie firſte began / who cōtinued it / who was on the ſuffring ſide and who readieſte to forget and forgeue / that godly peace and concord might be had. Nowe / iff anie ſhall ſeeme to be offended with this that I had don / I do moſte humblie beſeche them / to way well and expende with themſelues / firſte / whither I haue geuen them anie ſuche cauſe / yff it be for that I haue in this diſcours brought to light ſome thinge that might haue bin keept ſecret / (the contention beinge amonge brethern) to the ende the common enemie ſhulde not haue cauſe to triumphe; let this ſatiſfie them: firſte / that the wicked and common enemye cannot (for his harte) more tryumphe ouer the Godly then he dothe allready and that throughe owte this whole realme. Againe / the crueltie off Cain to Abell / off Iſmaell to Iſaac / off Eſau to Iacob / off the Patriarkes to their brother Ioſeph / the hot contention betweene Paule and Barnabas and Paule and Peter &c. all theis beinge knowne / to the worlde hathe turned notwithſtanding to the great glorie off God / as my aſſured hope is that euen this will alſo in the ende.

And therfore / as the lorde off heauen knoweth that the keepinge off theis thinges almoſte by the ſpace off theis twentie yeres in ſecret / might ſuffice to witnes with me that I had nowe no great pleaſure to vtter it / ſo I wote not howe it commethe to paſſe that euen in the middeſt off great ſtriuing / and ſtruglinge with my ſelff what to doo / I coulde not be by anie meanes reſolued / or ſe iuſte cauſe / why I ſhuld any longer conceale it.

Yff anie ſhulde thinke that I haue not with indifferencie / penned the ſtorie: I referre me (to ſatiſfie ſuche) to the iudgements and conſciences off thoſe perſons / who were the plaiers off this tragedie / (off bothe partes many yet liuinge) aſſuringe my ſelff that neither part ſhall be able iuſtlie to charge me / excepte it be for that in verie dede I haue ſought rather howe to couer manie thinges / then to laie them wide open to the worlde / as I nothinge dowte to proue iff I might be but harde indifferently / in ſo muche as in this diſcours I haue (aſmuche as I coulde) paſſed ouer the names off all where credit might ſeeme to haue bin impaired therby (ſauing onely off ſuche as were off verie neceſſitie to be noted for the better vnderſtanding off the hiſtorie.

To conclude: againſte the offences whiche ſome maie take at theis my trauells / I haue ſett the greate profit that this maie bringe to goddes churche and to the poſteritie / who beinge taught by other mennes harmes (yff they be happie) will lerne to beware the hope wheroff had greater force to puſhe my pen forwarde to the finiſhinge off this worke / then the diſpleaſures off certaine (ariſinge ſo far as I ſe off no grownd) coulde be to withdrawe me from the ſame. beſechinge almightie god ſo ſtrenghē me with his holie ſpirite / that what troubles or trialls ſo euer ſhall by the lordes good prouidence happen to me hereby / he will vouchſaffe to geue me a contented minde quietly and with patience to beare it / before whom I proteſte / that in wrytinge this diſcourſe I haue had reſpecte to his glorie / the defence off his ſacred truthe / the cleeringe / ſo farr as I might / off ſo many excellent lerned men (on whoſe neckes this ſturre is laied as authors off the ſame) and not that I haue willingly ſought the hurte / hinderance / or diſcredit off anie man.