worde then â—aint Iames maketh you an answere to that sayâ—nge how that by the worde this chyrche was begoten Then nedes muste we graunte that the worde of god wâ—s before any chyrche was Al this chyldesh reason ye wote well whyche Tyndale hath begoten hym and whyche he bryngeth out of Tyndales chapyter and fathereth yt vppon saynt Iames be yt neuer so quicke iÌ„ another mater is yet in this as touchyng them agaynst whome he preacheth yt clene quayled in the trauayle and vtterly borne dede whyle they agaynste whome he preacheth saye not precysely that the chyrch was before the gospell nor byfore goddes worde but onely saye that the chyrche was byfore the gospell and goddes word was put in wrytynge And that his reason is dede as I say yt is hym selfe that preached yt perceyueth and therfore he goth farther and draweth nerer to the mater and sayth ye but some wyll not be content wyth this answere but they wyll saye that the chyrche was before that this worde was wryten of any man and yt was admytred and alowed by the chyrch and so was the chyrche before his worde ye but yet I wyll say to you agayne how that this word was writen before the chyrch was yâ— and yt waâ— not wryten by men but yt was wryten by god our sauyour afore the begynnynge of the worlde aâ— wytnesse saynt Ponâ—e â–ª where he sayth to the Hebrewes Dabo leges meaâ— c. I wyl geuâ— my lawâ— sayth god into theyr hertes in theyr myndeâ—â—â—all I wryte yt Beholdâ— how god gaue yt them at the begynnyng in theyr herteâ— and wryt yt in theyr myndes and they exercyses his lawe wryten in theyr hertes in dede and in effecte Thus may ye se that at the begynnyngâ— god wrote his lawes in theyr hertes and therfore mâ—ste we nedes graunte that the worde of god was taught to them longe or euer the congregacyon taught yt For you se that by the word we were begoteÌ„ therfore the worde must nedes be before we were begoten or elles how coulde the worde begetâ— vâ— By these wordes good readers ye se that hym selfe perceyueth that all his other wordes were not wurth a ryshe bycause they came not nere y â— purpose nor any thyng towcheth them agaynst whom he precheth them And therfore seynge that Tyndale is by myne answere therin proued a fole he goth as ye se ferther than Tindale went But ther in the nerer he cometh to the poynte the more he proueth hym selfe to go the ferther froÌ„ reasoÌ„ For what reasoÌ„ hath he y â— in arguyng agaynst other sayth but the same y â— they say Now all that euer he sayth in these wordes saye we against whom he precheth theÌ„ And we not onely saye the thynges that he sayth nowe that is to wytte that goddys worde was ere euer it was wryten and that it was wryten in hartes ere euer it was wryten in bokes but these be also the thynges that we specially lay agaynst him whose sayd chapyter thys preacher wolde wyth these wordes defende For syth the gospell oâ— Cryste and the wordes of god that are now wryteÌ„ in bokes were all wryten in hartes byfore they were wryten in bokes and yet were at that time of the same strength and authoryte that they be now we saye to Luther and Tyndale all such oher heretikes that they say false in that they preche teche that meÌ„ are bouÌ„deÌ„ to byleue nothyng but if it be wryteÌ„ in bokes syth god is at his liberty to geue his word in to hys chyrch euen yet at thys daye by hys owne mouthe thorow thinspyracyon of hys holy spyryte sent therunto by hym selfe abydynge euer therin at y â— prechyng of the chyrch wryte it iÌ„ y â— hertes of y â— herers as well as surely as euer he gaue hys word to his chyrche by hys apostles and wrote it in the peoples hartes at theyr prechynge at suche tyme as it was yet vnwryten in any of thapostles bokes And ouer this we tell them that the same chyrch by onely which chyrch they now know whyche bookes be those thaâ— haue the word of god in them that the apostles and euange tystes haue wryten the same chyrche I say doth tell them that the wordes of god which god wyll haue vs byleue be not all wryten in those bokes but some parte styll remayne onely writen in hartes as before the bookes wryten they dyd all to gyther And we tell them that Tyndale muste as well byleue the chyrche in tellynge hym whyche be those wordes of god y â— yet remayne vnwryten as he doth must byleue it in tellyng hym whyche be those bokes in whyche the wordes of god are wryteÌ„ And therfore good reders what thynges in thys worlde coulde thys precher haue deuysed worse to brynge forth agaynst me for Tyndals defence than those wyth whych as ye se Tyndale is most cleâ—ely confounded But nowe shall ye se that this precher perceyueth it wel inough hym selfe And therfore after that he hathe sette forth Tyndals reason dyssymuled myne answere that I haue made to it and so before hys audyence wrestled a whyle in the darke where for lacke of syghte of the mater they myghte se how he fell he waxed yet halfe wery therof at last and somwhat ashamed to leste he were peraduenture spyed fayne wolde he therfore haue shakeÌ„ of the mater rydde him self out honestly and therfore in conclusyon he cometh downe to thys Some peraduenture wyll say that the chyrche was before this worde was wryten in bokes of paper and parchement and suche other thynges and that the chyrch dyd admit them to be rede of them which they thought necessary to loke on theym They wyll saye that the chyrche waâ— before this was done â–ª ye but what thyng 〈◊〉 this to the purpose or what shall we nede â—o stand arguynge of this mater It is playne ynough to all men that hath eyes to se eares to heare how the word of god was before any chyrch was how the word of god was writen afore yt was wryten in any bokes or tabuls and therfore what shall we nede to dyspute thys mater But good forde yf yt had not ben wryten by the euaÌ„gelysles in those days how shold we do in these dayes the whiche brynge forth the scrypture for theym in dede and yet they wyll bere theym in hand that yt is no scrypture and yf yt had not ben wryten in bokes then Not wyth standyng ye may perceyue how the word was or euer the chyrche was the worde begate vs and not we the worde and also yt was wryten or euer the chyrche alowed yt to be wryten Here haue ye sene good readers after longe wrestelynge wyth me what shyft this precher maketh to shake y â— mater of For seynge that he can in no wyse defende Tyndalys reason he wold at laste fayne shake of the questyon And in dede the questyoÌ„ as Tyndale frameth
doth this pacyfyer to and wyll of hym selfe I wene do well ynough yf he vse to the contrary none euyll couÌ„sayle As touchynge hereâ—ykes I hate that vyce of theyrs not theyr persones and very fayne wolde I that the tone were destroyed and the tother saued And that I haue toward no maÌ„ any other mynde then thys howe lowdely so euer these blessed newe bretherne the profâ—ssours preachâ—rs of verycye bylye me yf all the fauour and pytye that I haue vsed amonge theym to they re amendement were knowen yâ— woâ—de I warrauÌ„t you well and pâ—ayne appere wherof yf it were requysyte I coulde bryng forth wytnesses mo then men wold wene And sure this one thynge wyll I be bolde to say that I neuer founde any yet but had he ben neuer so bad nor done neuer so myche harme byfore yet after that I founde hym ones chaunged and in good mynde to mende I haue ben so gladde therof that I haue vsed hym fro thens forth not as an euyll man or an abiect nor as a strauÌ„ger neyther but as a good man and my very frende Howe be yt bycause yt were neyther ryghte nor honestye that any man sholde loke for more thaÌ„ke then he deserueth I wyll that all the world wyt it on y â— tothersyde that who so be so depely grounded in malyce to the harme of his owne soule and other mennes to and so set vppon the sowynge of sediciouse heresyes that no good meanes that men maye vse vnto hym can pull that malycyouse foly oute of hys poysened proude obâ—tynate harte I wolde rather be content that he were gone iÌ„ tyme then ouer longe to tary to the destrucâ—yon of other Finally as for the authour of y â— boke of dyuisyoÌ„ bycause he ê“fesseth these heretyâ—ues opynioÌ„s for heresies as thei be I truste in all his other thynges hym selfe meaneth but well but partely may be by some pytyfull affeccyon ledde And some thynges he sayth but vppon report and somethynges affermeth peraduenture as of hym selfe bycause of y â— fyrme câ—edence that he therein hath geuen to some that were not so credyble as he toke theym fore But in conclusyon what so euer he be for aâ—y thynge that I perceyue in his boke he shall I trust in conclusyon be founden no suche maner of man as folke shold of reason reken to bere vnto the weale of the prynce and the realme any better mynde theÌ„ I. How be yt yf his wytte and hys lernynge fynde a better waye then not onely I whyche am but a playne soule and can inuent no neweltyes but am content to stande to the olde order and lawes but also then all they whyche for this realme in specyall and for the whole chyrche of Cryst in generall haue made those prouysyons of old I neyther can nor wyll forbede any man to folowe hym But thys wyll I be bolde to counsayle euery man to whose parte so euer any suche chaunge shall perteyne fyrste that they haue as I dout not but they wyll a good christen mynde to the mayntenaunce of Crystes catholyke fayth that they therin stande by the olde wythout the contrary chaunge of any poynt of our olde bylyefe for any thynge brought vppe for newe not onely by Luther Tyndale Fryth or frere Barons but also yf there wolde as there neuer wyll an angell as saiÌ„t Poule sayth come out of henyn preche a contrary new Secundely for as myche as these newe fathers of these new bretherne lyke as they make falsed treuth treuth falsed and fayth heresies and heresyes fayth so do call also the newe olde and the olde newe not lettynge to call in theyr bookes that fayth but new whyche them selfe confesse in the same bookes to be more old than thage of eyght hundred yere I wyll aduyse you therfore good readers for the trewe takynge of the olde fayth and for the dyscernyng therof from all newe to stand to the common well knoweÌ„ bylyefe of the comon knowen catholyke chyrche of all chrysten people such fayth as by your selfe and your fathers and your grauÌ„defathers you haue knowen to be byleued and haue ouer that herde by them that the contrary was in the tymes of theyr fathers theyr graundefathers also taken euer more for heresye And also ye y â— rede but euyn in englysshe bookes shall in many thynges perceyue the same by storyes fyue tymes as farre afore that we must also for the perceyuynge of the olde fayth from newe stande to the wrytynges of olde holy doctours sayntes by whose exposicyoÌ„s we se what poyntes are expressed in the scrypture and what poyntes the catholyke chyrche of Cryst hath bysyde the scrypture receyued kept by the spyryte of god and tradycyon of hys apostles And specyally must we also stande in this mater of fayth to the determynacioÌ„s of Crystes catholyke chyrche Now yf any man wyll bere other in haÌ„de that this poynt or that poynt is not determyned or that the holy doctours of y â— chyrche wryte not in such wyse but the contrary than who so euer is not of suche lernynge as to perceyue by hym self whither of those two saye trewe that holde therin contrary partys than except the artycle be a playne open knowen thynge of it selfe not dowted of before let hym not be lyght of credence in the byleuynge eyther the tone dysputer or the tother thoughe they wolde bothe preche hygh prayses of theyr owne connynge and saye that bysyde all theyr mych worldely busynesse they hadde spent many yeres about the studye of scrypture and bost that theyr bokes of dyuynyte were worthe neuer so myche money or that by the spyryte they were inspired and wyth the celestyall dew sodaynly sprongen vp dyuynys as lustye freshe and grene as after any showre of rayne euer spronge any bedde of lekes Lette no man I say be lyght in byleuynge theym for all that but let hym by my pore coÌ„sayle pray god inspyre hym self to byleue and folow the thynge that â—â—aye be hys hygh pleasure and lette hym therupon appoynt with hym selfe to lyue well forth with to beginne well gete hym self a good goostely father and shryue hym of hys synnes than concernyng the questioÌ„ aske aduyce and counsayle of those whom hym selfe thynketh bytwene god hys new clensed coÌ„scyence for lernyng and vertue moste lykely without any parcyall lenynge indyffereÌ„tly to tell hym treuth And thus farre I saye for the fayth it selfe bycause I here some men myche speke boste that they wyll labour for declaracyons of heresye whyche as me semeth is a thynge that lytell nedeth For I neuer wyste any man in my lyfe putte in trouble for any poynte of heresye but suche poyntes as were for heresye well and openly knowen among the comon pâ—ople And saynt Poule sayth y â— heresyes be manyfest and open so that he thought as it semeth that there neded none other declaracyon than the comon receyued fayth of the chrysteÌ„ peplâ— to the
but as properly as that was preched yet wold I rather abyde the perell of bredynge wormes in my bely by eating of flesh without brede then to eate wyth my meate the brede y â— I wyste well were poysoned And of trouth good reader this worde of his was one of the moste proude and presumptuouse and therewyth the most vnwyse to that euer I harde passe the mouth of any man reputed and taken for wyse For when the thynge had ben examyned consydered condempned by suche as the iudgement and the orderyng of the thynge dyd apperteyne vnto that false poysened traÌ„slacyon was forboden the people it was an heyghnouse presumpcyon of one man vppon the truste of his owne wyt to geue the people corage and boldenesse to resyste they re prynce and disobey theyr prelates and geue theÌ„ no better staffe to stande by then suche a bald poysoned reason that poysened brede is better theâ—â— no brede For â—yrste I pray you how prâ—ueth â—e that poysened bred were better then no brede I wolde wene yt were as good to forbere meate starue for hunger as to eate ratâ—is bane and dye by poyson but yf the precher proâ—e me that it were better for a man to kyll hym selfe then dye But now falleth he in double foly for fyrst hys proper wyse worde can haue no wyt therin but yf he proue that y â— people must nedes perishe for lacke of spyrytuall foode eâ—cepte the scrypture be translated into theyr owne tonge Now if he say and afferme that then euery fole almoste may fele the mannys foly For the people may haue euery necessary trewth of scrypture and euery thynge necessary for them to know concer nynge the saluacyon of theyr soules trewly taught and preched vnto theym though the corps and bodye of the scrypture be not translated vnto them in theyr mother tonge For ellys hadde it ben wrong wyth englyshe peple from the fayth fyrste brought into this realme vnto our own dayes in all whyche tyme byfore I am sure that euery englyshe man and woman that coulde rede yt hadde not a boke by theym of the scrypture in englyshe And yet is there I dout not of those folke many a good saued soule And secundly also yf the hauynge of the scryputure in englyshe be a thyng so requysyte of precise necessyte that the peoples soules sholde nedes perysh but yf they haue it translated into they re owne tonge then muste there the most part perishe for all that except the preacher make farther prouysyon besyde that all the people shall be able to rede yt when they haue yt of which people farre more then four partes of all the whole dyuyded into tenne could neuer rede englyshe yet and many now to olde to begynne to go to scole shall wyth goddes grace though they neuer rede worde of scrypture come as well to heuen as sone to as hym seit peradueÌ„ture that preched y â— wyse word Many haue thought yt a thing very good profitable that y â— scrypture well and trewly translated sholde be in the englyshe tong And all be yt that many ryghte wyse and well lerned bothe very vertuouse folke also bothe haue bene and yet be in a farre other mynde yeâ— for myne owne parte I both haue bene and yet am also of the same opynyon styll as I haue in my dyaâ—oge declared yf the men were ameÌ„ded and the tyme mete therfore But that it were a thynge of suche precyse necessite that the peoples soulys muste nedes perysshe but yf that be had and that therfore we sholde suâ—er rather such a poysoned translacyoÌ„ then none and wylfully kyll our selfe wyth poysen rather thenne we wolde take holesome mete iÌ„ at our mouth but yâ— we maye fyrste haue it in our own haÌ„des thys herd I neuer any wise man say no nor fole neyther â–ª tyll Tindale came forth wyth his new traÌ„slated scrypture translatynge the truth of Cryste into false Luthers heresyes And yet whan the bretherne haue herde such a wyse word in a sermone that worde vse they to take solempnely for a sure authoryte and saye that all the longe reasons of syr Thomas More is here answered shortely wyth one worde But now haue I with mo wordes than one made you playne and open the foly of that wyse worde And whan so euer he that preched it can herafter again wyth many mo wordes than I haue here wryteÌ„ proue his worde wysely spoken let hym kepe one copye therof wyth hym selfe for lesynge sende an other to me and than that copye that I receyue I wyll be bounden to eate it though the booke be bounden in bordes The .v. chapyter ANother saÌ„ple of such kynde of answerynge haue I sene made vnto the fyrste chapyter of my thyrde boke of Tyndals coÌ„futacyoÌ„ of whyche answere the bretherne boste greately and say that I am answered euyn to the poynt For thys worde was sayd vnto a frend of myne in great boste by a specyall sure secret brother of thys newe broched brotherhed wherupon when I had herde it I longed sore to se that answere For iÌ„ good fayth I had my self thought that I had so fully answered that chapyter of Tyndalys whyche is whyther the chyrche were before the worde or the worde before the chyrche that he sholde neuer wythout hys shame be able to reply whyle he lyued And therfore loÌ„gyng sore to se how I was answered now therin I requyred my frend to fynde the meanes yf he myghte that I myghte se the boke wenynge that some newe worke of Tindals hadde bene of late come ouer But afterwarde he brought me word that it was answered not beyond the see but here wythin the realme not by any booke specyally made agaynste it but in a sermon onys or â—wyes openly preched How be it not of a sodayn brayed but fore studyed and penned wherof the boke as a spyryte in close gooâ—h aboute secretely velut negotium per ambulans in tenebris amonge thys blessed bretherhed but I trust to turne it into demonium meridianum that euery man maye se hym somwhat more playne appere and shewe hym self in hys owne lykenesse Now is it so in dede that in that chapyter of Tyndals there be certayne lyuys lefte out in myne answere How be it they were of trouth left out by ouerfyght in the pryntyng whyche maye well appere by thys For in myne answere I so touche those wordes that the leuynge out of them maketh myne owne more darke and lesse perceyued And therfore are they content to fynde â—o fawte at the leuyng out of them but make as though all were in also bycause that myne answere is as they bost by that sermon so well substancyally confuted But now bycause I wold be lothe to be iudged by the onely bretherne and sisters of the false fraternite and to the entente they shall all well se that I fere not the iudgement of indyfferent folke I shall put abrode that all
he shall not saye â–ª that I bydde hym tâ—otte about for nought thys shall I profer hym that I wyll bynd my selfe for suerty and fynde hym other twayne bysyde of better substaunce then my selfe that for euery one of these whom he proueth wroÌ„ged hys ordynary or his other offycer by whome the wronge was done shall gyue thys pacyfyer all hys costes done aboute the profe and a reasonable rewarde bysyde And yet now though no man wolde gyue hym nothynge it were hys part perde to proue it for hys owne honestye syth he hath sayde so farre And thys dare I be bolde to offre to se the trouth openly proued After whych well proued onys to be as he sayeth men may be bolde to saye the thynge that they se proued trew therupon yf they lyft to cast suspecte some ferther fere of the lyke ye or of wurse yf they wyl I wyl not let theÌ„ But without any such thyng proued before there wyll no reason nor good conscyence bere it that we shuld suspecte that our prelates and ordynaryes in theyr iudgementes agaynste heretykes vse to do them wrong syth all y â— lawes bothe spyrytuall of the whole chyrch and temporall of this realme haue ordayned full fayth and credence to be gyuen to them therin whyche lawes to contrary now there appereth lytle cause consyderynge that the kynge our souerayne lorde that now is longe mote be hathe in hys tyme as prudentely as vertuousely prouyded for thys realme that it sholde haue suche prelates and ordynaryes as sholde in lernynge wysdome iustyce lyuynge be mete and conuenient therfore as any prynce hath noÌ„ber for noÌ„ber that hath reygned ouer thys realme I dare boldely say thys huÌ„dred yere and sholde in my mynde kepe my selfe a great waye within my boundes all though I wolde sette an other hundred to it But now lettynge thys pyece passe wherin I myght yet saye many thynges mo then I do wolde saue that the bretherne wolde than call me longe and wyll yet peraduenture say that I am scant shorte inough lett vs go ferther and spede vppe thys one chapyter of hys The .xxvi. chapyter ANd many other murâ—â—urs grudges besyde these that be before rehersed be amonge the people mo then I can reherse now but yet aboue all other me thynketh that it is most to be lamented and sorowed that spyrytuall men knowynge these grâ—dges and murmuracyons amonge the people and knowynge also that many lay men haue opynyon that a great occasyon therof ryseth by spyrytuall men and that they do no more to appease theÌ„ ne to order them selfe in no other maner for the appeasyng of them then they do For all that they do therin moâ—â—e commenly is this they take yt that they that fynde defaâ—te at suche abusyons and dysorder loue no prefies therfore they esteme that they do of malyce all that they do to destroye the chyrch and to haue theyr goodes and possessyons theym selfe and therfore they thynke it a good dede to se them punished so that they shall not be able to brynge theyr malyce to effect And therfore haue they punyshed many peâ—sons wihch mych people haue iudged them to do vpon wyl of no loue vnto the people And though spyrytuall men are bounde in thys case for appeasynge of these opynyons in the people whyche be so daungerous as well to syrytuall men as to temporall men that many soules stande in great peryll therby not onely to reforme theym selfe and to leue and auoyde all thynges that gyue occasyon to the people so to offende that may be charyte be omytted and lefte but also to fasâ—e pray weare the heare geue almoyse and to do other good dedes for them selfe and for the people cryenge contynually to our lorde that these dyuysyons may cease and that peace and concorde may come agayne into the worlde yet yt appereth not that they do so but that they rather contynue styll after the olde course pretendyng by confederacyes and worldely polycyes and strayte correcâ—yons to rule the people and that ys greatly to be lamented and yt wyll be harde for theym to brynge yt so aboute But yf they wolde a lytell meken theym selfe and wythdrawe suche thynges aâ— haue broughte the people into thys murmur and grudge they shold anone bryng a new lyght of grace into the worlde and brynge the people to perfecte loue and obedyence to they re superyours And here me thynketh I myght say farther in one thynge and that is this that as longe as spyrytuall rulers wyll eyther pretende that theyr authorite is so hygh and so immedyatly deryued of god that the people are bounde to obaye them and to accepte all that they do and teache without argumentes resystence or grudgynge agaynste them or that they wyll pretende that no defaute is in them but in the people and wyll yet contynue styll in the same maner after the same worldly contenaunce as they do now and haue done late tyme paste the lyght of grace that is spoken of before wyll not appere but that bothe partyes shall walke in this darkenes of malyce and diuysyon as they haue done in tyme paste Hys other murmours grudges that he sayth he cannot now reherse he reherseth after many of theym in hys other chapyters whyche I wyll passe ouer vntowched bothe for that the more parte of them be such as euery wyse man wyll I suppose answere them hym selfe in the redyng and satysfye hys owne mynd wythout any nede of myne helpe therin for that some thinges are there also therin that are very well sayed and some also that be they good or badde I purpose not to medyll mych wythall as are the thynges that towche any lawes or statutes all redy-made be they of the chyrch or of the realme defende theym I am coÌ„tent to do yf I thinke them good But on the tother syde yf I thynke theÌ„ nought albe it that in place and tyme conuenyent I wolde gyue myne aduyce and counsayle to the chauÌ„ge yet to put out bookes in wrytynge abrode amonge the people agaynste them that wold I neyther do my selfe nor in the so doynge commeÌ„de any man that doth For yf the lawe were suche as were so farre agaynst the law of god that it were not possyble to stande wyth maÌ„nys saluacyon than in that case the secrete aduyse and counsayle maye bycome euery man but the open reprofe and redargucyon therof may not in my mynd well bycome those that are no more spyrytuall than I. And surely yf the lawes maye be kepte and obserued without perel of soule though the chaunge might be to y â— better yet out of tyme and place conuenient to put the defawtes of y â— lawes abrode among the people in wrytynge and wythoute any surety of the chauÌ„ge geue the people occasyon to haue the lawes in derysyon vnder whyche they lyue namely syth he y â— so shal vse to do may somtyme myssetake the mater
that spake against theyr mysseorder went about with those wordes to gete fro the clergye to theym selfe yf the clergye dyd I saye for thys cause of theyr own false imagyned suspycyon punysshe those many persons that this pacyfyer speketh of what thynge in thys worlde coulde they do that were worse and therfore syth that sayenge agaynste the clergy is an intollerable dyffamacyon but yf that be trewe I aske thys pacyfyer by what meane he proueth it trew And fyrste to shew that in some part at the lest hys wordes appere false euery man knoweth that some of those y â— haue ben punyshed haue ben such as neyther yf the clergy loste theyr landes shold haue any parte therof them selfe were of suche well knowen noughtynesse and lewde lyuynge bysyde that no good man coulde thynke it lykely that suche folke as they were shold do it for any deuocyon as was syr Thomas Hytton that was waxen a ioynour in many a daye neyther sayd maâ—ens nor masse but raged and rayled agaynst the blessed sacrament and Blofelde â—hapostata that was abiured in London and after rayled agaynste all relygyons at Ipswych and therupoÌ„ taken and emprisoned at Norwich and Bayfelde the monke and apostata that was as an aâ—â—ured and after periured and â—elapsed heretyke well and worthely burned in Smythfâ—lde these with diuerse such other as haue ben punysshed for heresye haue bene none suche as the clergy neded to punysshe theym for fere that they sholde gete from theym any parte of theyr landes to them selfe nor were of suche wysâ—ome lernyng nor vertu neither y â— the clergy could fere y â— any men of wyt or of authoâ—yte wold any thynge regard theyr wordes but onely that the clergy fered that by theyr meanes myghte growe the losse and destruccion of many lyght persons soules For yf thys pacyfyer wyll saye that the clergy fered lest those folke and many suche other lyke sholde conspyre gather togyther and pull all awaye from them by force I can not saye nay but suche a thyng myght in dede by long sufferaunce come aboute as well in thys lande as 〈◊〉 hath in other But than yf the clergye feted y â— thyng they fered for mo than them selfe For surely yf suche thynge sholde fortune as I truste it neuer shall those folke wolde not take onely fro the clergye but amonge other from some of theyr owne laye bretherne to such as haue aught to lese But thys pacyfyer wyll peradueÌ„ture say that though suche maner folke as euyll prestes apostatas that the clergye haue punysshed be none of those that they punâ—sshed for y â— cause but bycause they were heretykes in dede yet many other haue they punysâ—hed for that cause that is to wytte bycause they mysse construed theyr myndes and rekened them for enymyes to the clergye for onely findyng of fawtes at the mysse order abusyons of the clergy And he wyll say as he sayth that not onely hym selfe sayth that the clergye haue punysshed many persons therfore but that also mych peple though they saye not so farre as he sayth â–ª that is to wytte y â— they punysâ—hed theym therfore wâ—l yet saye that they punysshed them rather of wyll than of loue to the people well yet the â—ame mych people yf this pacyfyer haue herde them so saye thouâ—h theyr so sayenge be grounded but vpon imaginacyon and gessyng at the secretys of other mennes myndes as â–ª hys owne imagynacyon is yet iudge they not so euyll as hym selfe doth For yf they iudge in that punysshemeÌ„t no more but lesse loue to the people then desyre to punisshement they iudge not yet that the punysshers dyd the partyes wronge as thys pacyfyer doth hym selfe that sayth the clergye mysseconstrued theyr myndes and vppon suche myssetakynge of theyr myndes for onely spekynge agaynste theyr mysseorder and abusyoÌ„s dyd therfore punysshe them And therfore lettynge as I sayd before hys mych people passe by about theyr other bysynesse I aske thys pacyfyer hym selfe syth he sayeth that the clergy hath for that â—ause punysshed many what nomber is the leâ—te that he calleth many For though very fewe be ouer many to be so wrongfullyâ— mâ—ssehandeled and punysshed â–ª for onely spâ—kynge agaynst mysseorder â–ª abusyons yetâ— eueâ—â—more thys worde many mustâ— nedes importe and sygnyfye some greter nomber â—erdye than one or two or thre And ouer this bycause the mater wheruppon this pacyfyer bryngeth yt in is for a â—ause of a greâ—t and in maâ—eâ— vniuersal grudge and diuysyoâ— nowe of late as he sayth sâ—rongâ—â— vppe and growen betwene the spyrytualtye and the temporâ—lâ—ye these many persones that he speketh of whychâ— haue ben so late for onely spekyâ—ge agaynst mysorder and abusyoÌ„s punyshed muste nedes â—e so many as that there haue ben some such so punyshed almoste in euery 〈◊〉 For elles he playn reâ—roueth his owne processe excuseth the clergye hym selfe vâ—ware and layeth no lytle â—auâ—e in the temporalty yf for the wrongfull demeanoure of one byshoppe or â—wayn in one peâ—son or â—wayne they wolde â—ere â—n vnyuersall â–ª grudge agaynste all the remanaunt Now to proue to whaâ— passe this pacyâ—yer coulde brynge his procâ—sse of his many persons so sore myshandeled and pâ—nyshed for onely spâ—kynge agaynste mysseorder and abusâ—oÌ„s of the clergy let this pâ—cyâ—yer peruse and reheâ—se by name all the dyocises of englande and wales therwyth I wene veryly that excepte London and LyncolnÌ„ he shal scante in any one of all the â—emanaunt fynde punyshed for heresye foure persons in fyue yere and in the more parte of them not fyue in .xv. yere nor delyuered into y â— seculare haâ—des in the most parte of them any one in .xx. yere And then â—f thys be thus all though whyche I trow no man thynketh of all those that in al the other dyocises haue ben punyshed were wronged euery chone yet were not so few lykely to haue made so great an vniuersall grudge as this pacyâ—yer speketh of For I suppose no man douteâ—h but that by one occasion and other mâ— men then so many haue misse happed to be in lesse space mysse punyshed in so myche space of the land by temporall men and yet hathe there not groweÌ„ any vniuersall grudge or dyuisyon agaynst any part of the people therby Let vs nowe then come to those two dyocises of LoÌ„don LyncolnÌ„ of those twayne fyrste to speke of LyncolnÌ„ as great a dyocise aâ— yt is â–ª and as many shyres as he hath wyth iâ— yt yet haue I not herâ—e of late many punyshâ—d for heresy amonge theym all But aboute a tenne yere a go to my â—emeÌ„bâ—auÌ„ce there weâ—e in that dyocise about 〈◊〉 or â—ourten abiured in oâ—â— town and at that tyme euerâ— man that I herde speke thâ—â— of eyther in y â— court or elles where appered very glad that suche a bed of snakes was so â—ound ouâ— and brokeâ— For then were there at that time no 〈◊〉 to puâ—te forth bookes and
false complaynyng to haue coÌ„ceyâ—â—â—d thys opynyon that hys 〈◊〉 of dyuysyon sheweth y â— is to wit â–ª that y â— clergy thynke that 〈◊〉 man that speketh agaynst theyr mysseorder and abusyons loueth no prestes and that therfore they haue punyshed many men whyche god forbede were trew For yf yt were surely they that so punysshed any one man for that cause that is to wyt bycause theym selfe conceyue a false suspicyon agaynst hym yt were pytye that they lyued But I thynke in good fayth that the prelates wyll neuer desyre to lyue lenger then tyl this pacyfyer proue that same false tale trew The .xxxix. chapyter I Sayed before that I wolde towche of thys boke and so haue I towched hys fyrste chapyter hole bycause it hath for the fyrste settyng forth the chyefe countenaunce of myldenes and charyte And yet what charyte there is therin whan it is considered I suppose you se. For no parte is there of the clergy that can please hym neyther prelates nor meane seculare prestes nor relygyouse persons not so mych as any one man as you may playnely perceyue by other wordes of hys in other places of hys louing boke And yet among al these fautes I se hym fynde none with them y â— ruÌ„ne out in apostasye but all the fautes be assygned in them y â— abyde in theyr professyon styll Nor I 〈◊〉 not in hys boke any cause of hys dyuysyon to be founden in the sowynge and settynge forthe of these newe sprogen heresyes And yet do they make and nedys muste make wher so euer they come the greatest dyuysyon that can be fyrst in opynyons and contraryouse myndes and afterwarde in feruour of language and contencyouse wordes and fynally yf it go forth long in playne sedycioÌ„ manslaughter and open warre And this faute of these heresies he myght as well haue layed vnto y â— clergye as some of the tother that he so sore speketh of yf he take heresyes for any For lyke as noughty prestes and noughty relygyouse persons haue all waye bene they that do those other fautes whyche vnder the â—ygure of Some say thys 〈◊〉 layeth to yâ—â— charge of the spyrytualty so haue noughty prestes and noughty relygyouse folke beynge amonge the clergye as Iudas was amonge Crystes apostles bytrayed the fayth of Cryâ—te bygonne and sette forth these vngraciouse heresyes as tast as feruently for theyr part as nowghty laye â—olke â—or theyrs and both twayne fyrst corrupte some of theyr company at home and after ruÌ„ne 〈◊〉 in apostasye and putâ—e abrode theyr heresyes in wrytynge And some men saye 〈◊〉 some preâ—ates haue not done all theyr partes in the repressynge and dewe punysshement of them And yet as great fautes as these be and suche as all the tempoaâ—tye sholde be most greued wyth grudge at and therfore shold be moste cause of thys dyuysyon yf there be suche a dyuysyon and that euery defaute that is in any noughtye persons of the spyrytualty be a cause of all moste an vniuersall dyuysyon and grudge of the whole corps of the temporaltye agaynste the whole body of the spyrytualtye yet I saye for all thys the booke of thys pacyfyer layeth no pyece of thys faute vnto the spyrytualtye but rather fyndeth faute cause of grudge dyuysyoÌ„ in the spyrytualty for ouer sore handelynge of them that are heretykes in dede and laboreth to abasshe the ordinaries with obloquy and put them in drede wyth fere of infamy and falsely bereth them in hande that they haue punysshed many persoÌ„s for a wronge suspicyoÌ„ falsely coÌ„ceyued in theyr owne myndes agaynste those whome they punysshed And thus farre hath he gone in his fyrst chapyter In whiche maner all be it I truste in god the man ment hym selfe but well yet I fere me some wyly shrew hath somwhat set hym a wry in the temperyng oâ— hys wordes The .xl. chapyter ANd veryly all be it as I sayd before I purpose not to medle wyth euery parte of hys boke y â— I thynke were well done for hym to amende yet in hys seuenth chapyter hys eyghte which twayne create all of these maters of heresyes for the great weyghte of the mater I shall not forbere to shew you some dyfference and dyuersyte bytwene hys mynde and myne An other occasyon of the sayde dyuysyon hath ben by â—eason of dyuers futes that haue ben taken in the spyrituall courtes of offyce that is called in latyn ex officio so that the partyes haue not knoweÌ„ who hath accused theym and theruppon they haue somtyme ben caused to abiure in causes of beresyes somtyme to do penaunce or to pay great sommes of money for redemynge theâ—of whyche vexacyâ—â— changes the partes haue thought haue come to them by the â—udges and the offycers of the spirituall courte for they haue knowen â—oâ—e other accuâ—ers and that hath caused myche pâ—ople in 〈◊〉 parties of thys realme to thynke great malyce and parcyalyte in the spyrytuall iudges And yf a man be ex officio broughte before the ordynarye for hâ—resye yf he be notably suspected of heresye he muâ—â—e purge hym selfe after the will of the ordynarye or be accursed and that is by the lawe extrade heretiâ—is cap. Ad abâ—sendam And that is thought by many to be a very harde lawe for a man may be susspected and not gylâ—ye and so be dryuen to a purgacyon wythout profe or wythout offence in hym â—r be accursed I wyll in thys poynt of coÌ„uentynge ex officio no ferther speke at thys tyme than concernynge the cryme of heresy For I am in good fayth loth to medle wyth thys boke of hys at all For loth am I any thynge to medle agaynst any other mannys wrytynge that is a catholyke man sauynge that it semeth me veryly that be thys man neuer so good yet if his minde were folowed in thys mater it wold wurke thys realme great harme and no good For surely yf the conuentynge of heretyques ex officio were lefte and chauÌ„ged into an other order by whyche no man sholde be called be he neuer so sore suspected nor by neuer so many men detected but yf some man make hym selfe partye agaynste hym as hys accuser the stretys were lykely to swarme full of heretykes before that ryght fewe were accused or peradeÌ„â—ture any one eyther For what so euer the cause be it is not vnknowen I am sure that many wyll geue vnto a iudge secrete enformacioÌ„ of suche thynges as though they be trewe yet gladly he wyll not or ê‘aduenture dare not be openly a knowen that the mater came out by hym And yet shall he sometyme geue the namys of dyuerse other whyche beynge called by the iudge and examyned as wytnessys agaynste theyr wyllys bothe knowe wyll also depose the trouth and he that fyrste gaue enformacyon also and yet wyll neuer one of them wyllingly make hym selfe an open accuser of the party nor dare peraduenture for hys earys And thys fynde we not onely
contrary But now as touchyng any new order concernynge heresyes wyth the chaunge of lawes before dyuysed for the repressyoÌ„ of them I haue nâ— more to say therin but aduysâ— euery good man endeuourâ— hym self to kepe well y â— lawes all redy made of olde excepte he se the cause of the makyng chauÌ„ged or some other great necessyte and that he se that poynt by more ordinary meanes proued than eyther by some say or they say or many say or ellys that he perceyue well at y â— leste that those folke which wold labour to chauÌ„ge them be better wyser bothe than euer were those y â— made them And thus fynysshe I thys mater concernynge heresyes besechynge our lorde and sauyour for hys bytter passyon that as hys holy sacramentes therof toke they re strength so by the prayour of all those holy sayntes y â— haue bothe by theyr holy doctryne and ensample of lyuynge some of them planted y â— fayth and some of theym in sundry tymes well watered the plantes so hym selfe wyll of hys goodnes specially now vouchsaufe as the warme sonne the â—ery eternall onely begotten sonne of hys eternall father to â—prede hys beames vppon vs and aspyre hys breth into vs and iÌ„ our hartes as saynt Poule sayth geue hys fayth strength and encreace The .l. chapyter NOw come I to the last â—â—wt that the brethern fynde in my bokes For as for one more that was shewed me wythâ—n thys seuen nyght I not so myche esteme as to vouchesauâ—e to answere that is to wyt where they reproue that I brynge in amonge the moste ernest maters fansyes and sportes and mery tales For as Horace sayeth a man maye somtyme saye full soth in game And one that is but a lay man as I am it maye better happely become hym meryly to tell hys mynde thaÌ„ seryously and solempnely to preache And ouer thys I can scant byleue that the brethern fynde any myrth iÌ„ my bokes For I haue not myche herde y â— they very merely rede them But as to the laste faute that they fynde which I was about now to speke of where as they saye that as concernynge the chyrch I haue not fulfylled my promyse I shall here fyrste put you in remembrauÌ„ce what my ê“myse was In the ende of my preface byfore Tyndals confutacyon these are my very wordes Nowe shall I god wyllynge at my nexte â—eysoâ— go farther in his boke and come to the very breste of all this batayle that is to wytte the question whych is the chyrch For that is the poynte that all these heretykâ— by all the meanes they may labour to make so darke that by theyr willes no man sholde wyt what they meanâ— But I trust to drawe the serpent out of his darke dâ—nne and as the poetes â—aâ—n that â—ercules drew vp Câ—â—â—erus the mastrffe of hell in to the lyghte where hys eyen dased so shal as I wiâ—h y â— grace of that lyght whyche illumyneth euery man that cometh into this worâ—de make you that maâ—er so lyght some so clere to euery man y â— I shall leue Tyndale neuer a darke corner to 〈◊〉 into able to hyde his hedde Then after that I laue so clerely confuâ—ed Tyndaâ—e coÌ„cernyng that poynt shall haue playnly proued you the sure and stedfasâ—e authoryte of Cristes catholike knowen châ—rche agaynste all Tyndales tryflyng sophysâ—ycacyons whyche he wolde sholde seme so solempne subtile insâ—â—ubâ—es whych ye shall se prouâ—d very â—rantyke folyes after this done I say before I go farther wyth Tyndale I purpose to answere good yonâ—e fathâ—r Fryth Now god readers who so lyst to saye that I haue not fulfylled thys promyse yf he rede not my boke I can not make hym se the thynge that he lyste not to loke on If he haue red it thynke hym selfe not satisfyed I can not make hym perceyue more then hys wyt wyll serue hym If he vnderstande it well and yet wyll say my promyse is not fulfylled I can not let hym for hys pleasure to lye But lette hym what so euer he be put in wrytynge what moueth hym so to saye and I shall than I dowte not make other folke perceyue that all my promyse in that poynt I haue fully pertormed more that is to wyâ—â— by as myche more at the â—este as all myne eyght booke amounteth For lyke as in the tother I haue fully coÌ„futed Tyndals chyrche so haue I in that booke confuted as for thys worlde the chyrche that frere Barns had falsely framed here also wherof I promised nothyng So that as towchynge the certentye of the chyrche and of y â— infallible doctryn therof who so rede and aduyse well thys worke of myne made for the confutacyon of Tyndale and therwyth rede and consyder y â— .vii. fyrst chapyters and the laste of my seconde booke of my dyaloge wheruppon Tindale made all his wurke I dowt not but he that thus wyll do shall fynde hym selfe fully satysfyed And therfore good crysten readers as for suche farther thinges as I haue in my sayd preface promysed I purpose to pursew at some other farther leysour But fyrste I thynke yt better to besâ—owe some tyme vppon an nother thynge and leuynge for a whyle bothe defence of myne owne fautes and fyndynge of other mennys in wrytynge thynke better to bestow some tyme about the mendynge of myne owne in lyuyng which is a thyng now for many men more necessarye then is wrytynge For of new boke makers there are nowe mo then ynough wherfore that all suche as wyll wryte may haue y â— grace to wryte well or at the leste wyse none other purpose then to meane well and as well wryters as other to amende our owne fautes lyue well I beseche almyghtye god to graunt vs and that all folke spyrytuall and temporall in this world lyuyng all good crysteÌ„ soules departed hence and yet not out of payne may for grace euery parte pray for other all y â— blessed holy sayntes in heuen bothe here for grace there for glory praye to god for vs all Amen ¶ Prynted by w. Rabell in Fletestrete in saynte Brydys chyrch yarde 153â— Cum priuilegio The fautes escaped in the prentyng of this Apology Fo. â—a â—inea The fautes The amendements 23 i xi lyuys lynys 25 ii i wordeÌ„ worde 34 ii xvii faller fall 35 ii xxii wryte wryte 39 i xiii oher other 40 ii viii myght se myght not se 44 ii xvi Gâ—eke Grece 51 ii xi conâ—oded meâ— confounded me 56 i xx hys this 58 i vi eâ—eccyon begynnynge If eleccion begynnynge yf 66 i xxi vntouâ—hed vntouched 66 ii xi the temporalty the teÌ„poralty 75 ii i for as as for 76 i vii spyrituall man but spyrytuall man to my knowelege but 76 i xv thiâ— of this daye of 77 i i there they 93 i xx she he 94 ii viii enter entre 95 i xiii after holy after this holy 1â—4 i xii euyll an euyll 162 i xviii