An exhortation to all men to take heed and beware of rebellion: wherein are set forth the causes, that commonly move men to rebellion, and that no cause is there, that aught to move any man thereunto, with a discourse of the miserable effects, that ensue thereof, and of the wretched end, that all rebels come to, most necessary to be red in this seditious & troublesome time, made by john Christoferson.  
¶ At the end whereof are joined two godly Prayers, one for the queens highness, very convenient to be said daily of all her loving and faithful Subjects, and an other for the good & quiet estate of the whole realm.  
¶ Read the whole, and then judge.   

¶ To the most excellent and virtuous Queen, mary by the grace of GOD, Queen of England, France, and Ireland, and defender of the faith, john Christoferson her graces chaplain, & daily orator wisheth a long, a quiet, and a prosperous reign with the daily increase of all godly virtue.  
Like as there be many and sundry diseases (most gracious Sovereign) which chancing to a man's body, so sore many times trouble and vex the same, that they not only put it in great peril and danger of death, but also at length kill and destroy it altogether: So in a realm or common wealth (which may well be compared to a man's body) there are many sore sicknesses, that oftentimes so grievously noye the same, that if remedy be not found out betime, they not only put it in great danger of perishing, but also in conclusion work the utter ruin and destruction thereof. And as when the body is sick, Physicians by friends are diligently sought for, and medicines to cure the sickness be with all speed prepared: So in a realm or common wealth, that is with any sore sickness infected, every one that favoureth the same, is bounden to seek remedy therefore. For if friends for a private man's sake, will (when his body is diseased) gladly take pains both to learn what disease he is troubled with, and also to get ●ome good physic for him, to th'intent he may be delivered from his disease, and restored to his health again, much more all those, that love their country & the common wealth thereof, whensoever it is with any troublesome sickness annoyed, ought earnestly to travail: first to know what the sickness is, and then to provide some wholesome medicines to put it away, yea and to seek all means possible clearly to del●uer their country from all peril & danger thereof. We read in the excellent Historiographer Herodotus, 
Herodot. in his bo●e called Clio, which is the first book of his story.  how that the babylonians made a law, that whensoever any man fell sick amongs them, he should be carried into the market place, and there lie, to th'intent that he might demand of every one, that repaired thither, whether they had been troubled with the like disease, & how they were cured & made hole, so that the sick man lying there, might by the same means, that they had used, be delivered from his sickness, and recover his health again. And by that law also every man that came thither was bound both to ask the man, what sickness he had, and also to show him. if he knew any remedy, that were good for it. By the example whereof every one, that heartily loveth his country, & earnestly tendereth the health & wealth of the same, whensoever he seeth the body thereof (which lieth open before all men's eyes) with any kind of disease infected▪ & hath learned what the sickness is, and either by experience, or otherwise can tell, what is good for it, is bound in conscience to declare it, to th'end that his country which is so vexed, may find some relief, and far the better by it. For he must consider, that in relieving the whole body, he relieveth himself to, being a member thereof. For like as when the body is sick all the members be partakers of the grief and pain, that it suffereth: So again when the body findeth any ease, the membres to find great relief therein. Wherefore I for my part because I plainly see, that the body of my country (which I do greatly lament) hath been lately sore troubled with the grievous sickness of rebellion, and as yet perhaps hath some seditious folks in it, thought it my most bounden duty to set forth in writing such a poor medicine for the relieving of the same disease, as I judged meet & convenient therefore. And albeit there be many remedies▪ which be noted of learned men & good writers, whereby this grievous disease is wont to be cured: 
Remedies against rebellion.  as diligent inquisition, that no unlawful assembles be gathered: as grave and wise council, that when such are made they may be shortly by policy dissolved: as reasonable conditions for the dissolving thereof to be offered: as force of arms when as no other means will serve: as due execution of justice upon all such, as be offenders therein: as taking away of the causes, whereof rebellion commonly groweth: and as that all such, as have rebelled, be spoiled of their harness, wherewith they defended themselves in the time of rebellion. with diverse other such like remedies, yet in mine opinion no more fit remedy can there be found, than that seditious men's hearts by gentle exhortation may be thoroughly persuaded: first that in rebelling they most grievously offend their lord God, & so put their souls in jeopardy: secondarily that they go about thereby to destroy their bodies, which shall therefore be put to a most vile and shameful death: thirdly that they shall lose all that they have, by means thereof, undo their wives and children, & disfame all their posterity: last of all that they shall be occasion, that their country shallbe most miserably spoiled, and come to utter ruin: For no man is so far from all reason (I trust) or so blinded with malice, that will not either with the fear of God's plagues, or with the danger of his soul, or with the death of his body, or with the care, that he taketh for his wife and children, or with the loss of his goods, & his good name to, or with the destruction of his country be moved to take heed alway, and be well aware, that he never adventure for any cause at all to rebel against his prince, whom he is by God commanded most humbly to obey. And we read in good writers, that many rebellions have been appeased by the good & discrete exhortations of wise and learned men. For the people of Rome, when they were gathered together in a hill, 
Cicer. de 〈◊〉 ora.  called the holy hill, near unto the river of Aniene, three mile from the city, & were fully minded to make rebellion against their rulers, Marcus Valerius by a wise & an eloquent oration that he made, brought so to pass, that their hearts were by & by so well pacified, that they quietly departed every one home to their houses. The like did Lucius Valerius Potitus at such time, 
Cicer. de ●●ar. orat.  as the people of Rome had conspired the death of the senators: for by his grave & discrete exhortation, that he made unto them, he so handled the matter, that their furious rage was out of hand not only abated, but also thoroughly assuaged. Was not the soldiers likewise of Publius Scipio, 
Li●i●s decad. ●● lib. 8.  which made a sore rebellion in their camp, quieted only by an oration made by the same Scipio? Therefore this remedy of exhortation have I prepared to relieve the sick body of my country, which is not yet throughly recovered of the disease of rebellion, but hath (I fear me) even still some rebellious hearts within it, which have need of such a medicine to cure them: most heartily beseeching all my country men to take it in good part, and accept good will, where as lacketh ability. For although there be many learned men in this realm, who for their excellent knowledge and wisdom could much more connynglye have made this medicine▪ then I, & so have tempered it with the goodly powders of perfit eloquence, that it should perhaps have wrought much more effectuously in the patientes body, and been more able to have cured the disease thereof, yet none is there, that for the fervent love he beareth to his country. would either more gladly have attempted it, or more willingly to his power accomplished the same. Wherefore my sure trust is, that both your highness (most gracious sovereign) to whom I offer this my little treatise, and all other your grace's loving subjects, for whose be hoof I have written it, will gently accept my pains bestowed therein. And if it so come to pass, that my labour not only be allowed of your grace, as I doubt not, but also work in the reader's hearts thereof such an effect▪ as I wish it may, then shall I think that I have received a worthy recompense for mine endeavour. For neither gain, for which (God knoweth) I pass not, nor commendation, for which I look not, moved me hereto, but only the hearty affection, that I own to my country, & my bounden duty unto your highness, who of your bountiful goodness where as I was destitute of all aid and succour, hath so liberally provided for me, that now I may without care serve God, go to my book, & do my duty in that vocation, to which God hath called me. Which I beseech God I may do to his glory, and your grace's honour, for whose quiet and prosperous reign I shall not cease most earnestly to pray my life enduring.  
Your highness chaplain and daily orator john Christoferson.   

An exhortation against rebellion.  
ALbeit (most dear and well-beloved country men) many things both there be at this present, & also have been now of late years in this our native country, that would greatly pity any faithful and true english man's heart to consider, as our outrageous misbehavioure in worshipping of God, our abominable blasphemy against him, & his blessed spouse the catholic church, our wicked geasting and railing against the holy Sacraments thereof, our detestable swearing by all the members of our saviour jesus Christ, our presumptuous hearts puffed up with untolerable pride, our greedy covetousness, that can never be satisfied, our extreme oppression of the poor and needy, our malicious hatred one against another, our bribery, extorsion, and our false dealing: for all which (except we earnestly repent us and amend betime) God will power down his vengeance upon us, & with some miserable plagues miserably destroy us, yet nothing is there in mine opinion, that every good man ought with weeping tears so sore to lament, as to remember such deadly dissension & discord, as of late hath been among us, and as yet is, insomuch, that one cruelly seeketh to shed an others blood, & one doth rejoice in an others destruction. Whereby we well declare, that both the fear of God is banished from us, wherewith a Christian man's lusts and affections should be bridled, and charity also, which is the bond of perfection, utterly broken among us: for if we feared God, we would not so boldly break his holy will and commandment, who hath most streyghtlye charged us, that we beware of sedition & shedding of blood. Or if we loved one another, as we ought to do, we would not one be glad of another's displeasure, & one seek another's death, but contrariwise, one rejoice in another's welfare, and one study to defend another, one gently bear with another, and labour by brotherly love to join ourselves together again, whom discord hath so piteously torn asunder. But we far like a naughty surgeon, that doth not go about to cure the wound of his patient, but layeth such plasters unto it, as may increase it, and so prolong the time, to th'intent that he may gain more money thereby: for wheresoever we find but a little sparkle of dissension, we so kindle it and set it on fire, that it turneth into a great flame, insomuch that where as before it might have been quenched with small travail, now it is almost unpossible too quench it.  
Such folks as go about so wicked an enterprise, 
Makers of dissension.  do little remember salomon's words, where he sayeth thus. 
Prove. 6.  Six things there be, that our Lord God hateth, and the seventh his soul doth specially abhor: Proud high looks: a lying tongue: hands, that shed innocent blood: an heart, that forgeth noughty devices: feet, that be ready to run unto mischief: a deceitful witness, that uttereth lies: and one, that soweth discord amongs brethren. Now therefore seeing, that we be all brethren, partly by reason we profess one faith, and partly that we all be borne & brought up in one country, whosoever they be, that seek to set us at debate, they heap up the hatred of God against them: for such (as Solomon hath told you) the soul of our lord God doth utterly abhor. Let them be well assured, that albeit they be spared at God's hand for a season, to th'intent that they may forsake their sin betime, and heartily be sorry therefore, yet if they walk forth in their wickedness, they shallbe paid home at length for altogether, & then bewail the time, that ever they were borne: and say with Hieremye the Prophet: 
Hier. 20.  Cursed be the day of our birth, and cursed be the time, that our mother brought us into the world: and wish still for death, and shall not die. This kind of men doth continually travail to make strife, not only betwixt neighbour & neighbour, betwixt children & their parents, betwixt husbands and their wives, betwixt servants and their masters, but also betwixt subjects & their Prince, and encourage them both to grudge at him, to disobey him, & also to make open war in the field against him. And to th'intent that they may move men more easily to such a mischievous enterprise, 
The words of rebels.  they cloak the matter with a goodly pretence, and tell them, that they intend nothing else, but to deliver the poor commons from oppression, to restore them to their old liberties, to cause the fermes that be enhanced, to be let for the old rent, and the common pastures, that be taken in by gentlemen, to be laid open again, and to see that justice be executed in all parts, where as now money only (as they say) maketh a man's matter either good or bad, & whosoever will speed his suit, must give large rewards, so that the poor man, be his cause never so just, shall have a fall. They tell them beside, that every man is bound to love his country, and to seek for the preservation thereof, that the good state of it do not decay by means of evil rulers & counselors. As for their Prince (they say) they will die and live with him, & they mean no more harm to him, than they do to their own souls. Be not these I pray you goodly painted words to blind the simple people withal, yea and able to make men think and say to, that such folk mean well, & are faithful English men, and tenderly love their country? But it shallbe wisdom for every one of us herein to follow the example of the great wise man Ulysses, who sailing by a dangerous sea, wherein were certain monsters called sirens, 
Homer. libr. 12. Odyss.  (which were wont with their sweet & pleasant songs to allure the passengers to approach unto them, and then to drown them & their ships to) both caused himself to be fast bound to the mast of the ship, & also with wax stopped the ears of all his fellows, that were in company with him, to th'intent that neither he, nor they should fall in any peril by hearing of their sweet voices. For if we suffer our ears to be open, and let such gay glozing words enter thereat, we shall surely be deceived, as they be, that hear the sugared voices of the sirens, & shall run or we beware into extreme danger, both of body and soul. For these folks because they have cast away the fear of God, 
The fashions of rebels.  which worketh in men's hearts humble & dew obedience to god & their Prince, and also are either so desirous of honour, or so far forth gone in obstinate heresy, that they pass not. what wickedness they attempt: they run forth headlong to all kind of mischief, and because they love well to have company, they travail by all means to draw other with them, & to make than as mad as they themselves be: And to th'intent they may more easily win them, they fall to flatter them, & so (as the common proverb is) with fair words would make fools feign, & tell them one thing, when they intent another, & say they seek their wealth, when in deed they seek their destruction: for it hath been a common practice always amongs the captains of rebels, to give the simple people gay words, & with subtle drifts to entice them to mischief. Therefore let all subjects, when soever they are by any such cursed counsel provoked to rebellion, and that they hear the authors thereof utter such goodly fair words to persuade them, think verily that those men are the devils ministers, and that they mind nothing else, but the destruction both of their Prince▪ and their country to. But here let us consider, if their purpose were good, as they would make men believe, whether they ought to go about by force & rebellion to bring it to pass, or rather to suffer their wrongs patiently, and pray God heartily to revenge them, yea and with an humble heart confess, that such plagues are justly fallen upon them for their offences, and earnestly beseech God to pardon them, and to deliver them from misery, when his will is: for our lord God sayeth unto all such, 
Rom. 13  as are wrongfully oppressed, that they must refer their wrongs unto him, 
Psal. 49.  and he will revenge them: And call upon him in their tribulation, and he will aid and comfort them. But of this I purpose hereafter to speak more at large. And now will I first briefly note both in what points rebellion consisteth, and also the causes, that move men specially to rebellion, & then see whether there be any cause at all, that ought to move them in any wise thereto.  
There are three points, 
Three points, wherein rebellion standeth,  wherein rebellion against a Prince chief doth consist: murmur and grudge of mind, malicious and slanderous words, and open force of arms and violence: Of the first grow privy conspiracies, & misconstruing of all matters: of the second false rumours, and railing libels: of the third mortal war and cruel bloodshed.  
The causes that specially move men to rebellion, 
The causes of rebellion.  as the excellent and great learned Philosopher aristotel writeth, are lucre, 
Polit. 5.  loss of goods, honour, dishonour, wealth, fear, contempt, and diversity of manners or countries, where unto we may very well add, the diversity of opinions and religion.  
And now to begin with the first cause, and so to come to the rest in order, those that for lucre and gain make rebellion, 
Lucre  are of two sorts, either they be poor and desire to wax rich, or else they be rich, and are not contented but still would have more, & think them happiest, that are richest, so that their minds are always unquiet, & care not by what means they get goods, so they may be satisfied.  
Such folks oftentimes do make sedition, thinking thereby to come to their purpose. For the poor trust to be made rich by the spoil of the wealthy, 
Poor men.  whereupon a great number of late years not only in foreign realms, 
The rebels of Neathfolke.  but also here at home among us being blindly persuaded, that all men's goods ought to be common (which is an opinion most wicked and damnable) thought they should do god high service, if they ridded all gentlemen out of the way, rob them of their riches, and made every man equal with other.  

rich men.  The rich likewise, whose hearts the uncurable disease of covetousness hath so sore infected, because they can no otherwise come by more riches, lay their heads together, and with folly so flatter themself, that they think with a little money to make so many men, that none shallbe able to resist their pestilent purpose, and so shall they get more richesses upon one day▪ then they had gathered all their life before.  
Other there be, 
Loss of goods & oppression.  that for loss of gods, as for that they have been, or are with taxes and tributes sore oppressed, do desperately adventure to make rebellion, and will either by force ease themselves of such oppression, and win their liberty, that they hope for, or else lose all that they have, and their lives to.  
Some folks are so ambitious, that all be it percase they be worthy no honour, 
Ambition & desire of honour  yet will they seek always possible to come by honour, and when no way else can be found, whereby they may achieve their devilish desire, run they headlong to rebellion, & either with wickedness will they win the horse (as the proverb is) or else lose both the horse and the saddle to, to their utter confusion.  
Again many there be, that when they have been in great honour, 
Loss of honour.  and be either through their own demerits, or otherwise deprived thereof, are so sore bitten by the stomach, that nothing is there, that can content them, but they fume and frete, and far like mad men, in so much that being weary of their lives, they care not what become of them, and much rather had they adventure some wicked enterprise, and therein to die, then longer to live in such heavy misery, & often repeat they with them selves this sentence of Cicero: 
Epist. ●a●li. 6. epi. 3  when a man is not, as he hath been, there is no cause, why he should desire to live, and then go they forward in their frantic folly, & setting all upon six & seven, think to be revenged by traitorous rebellion.  
Certayne are there, that wealth maketh so wanton, that they wish for war to prove their valiantness, 
wealth:  and they count peace to be cause of idleness, & that it maketh men hodipekes and cowards. Therefore (say they) men must have war for the trial of their manhood. Such folks when they can pike any pretenced quarrel against their Prince, they think it but a pastime to make sedition.  
Some also have there been in the world, 
Fear of punishment.  that for fear of punishment for their offences committed, became rebels, & much liefer had they to fight it out, then to fall into the hands of those, that had authority to punish them: and because they were well assured, that if they were once taken, they should die some shameful death, counted it better to take their adventure in the open field, & rather so to die with honour (as they thought) them both to be pined in prison, and also to suffer death with shame.  
Sometime rebellion chanceth, 
Cont●pt.  by reason that the prince is a person of no good qualities, but is peradventure deformed, or crooked, or hath little wit and less experience, or is a cowardly caitiff and dastard, or is corrupted with all kind of vice. For when the subjects plainly perceive these defaults in the Prince, they begin to contemn & despise him, and much desiring to have a change, they fall to make insurrection, and either by openforce, or privy conspiracy they seek to rid him out of the way, trusting thereby to get them a better governor: for so was both Sardanapalus spinning among women slain, 
Arist. Polit lib. 5.  and Denyse the less also because he was a drunkard, by Dion with th'advise of the people killed.  
Many times also ariseth sedition, by means that men be of diverse manners, 
Diversity of manners and countries.  diverse countries, and diverse sorts of religion: for every man loveth him, that is like in conditions to himself, and hateth the contrary: so that faithful friendship springeth of likelynes in manners: for whosoever is not delighted with such fantasies as we be delighted with, we can in no wise heartily love him.  
The same happeneth amongs such, as be of diverse countries: for it hath oftentimes been seen, that in cities where two sorts of people being of diverse nations have dwelled, because that one could not bear another, they have caused notable sedition, as we read of the Troezenians & Achaean in a city called Siba●is, and of the jews and gentiles in Jerusalem, & of the Catanianes and Siracusanes in Sicily, of the Scots and Pictes in scotland▪ and of the saxons & britons here in England.  
The same cometh often to pass, when as men be of diverse opinions, 
Diversity of opinions and religion.  concerning their faith and religion: for albeit that many other matters make one to hate another, yet nothing is there. that breedeth so deadly hatred, as diversity of minds, touching religion: which thing caused many notable and cruel commotions in the noble city of Alexandria.  
And if it so be, that the Prince be of one faith, and many of his subictes of another, although he be never so good a ruler and governor otherwise, yet can they by no means favour him, by reason of his religion, but sore grudge and repine still at him, & study always that they can, to withdraw the hearts of all men from him, and at length when they see occasion, openly rebel against him.  
Thus have you heard shortly the special causes, that move men to rebellion. Then let us now well weigh, whether any of these, or any other, that a man can imagine, ought in any wise to make men arise & rebel against their Prince and governor.  
If men be poor and needy, and think they have wrong, because they have no more good, 
Rebellion of poor men for iucre and riche●.  and therefore will by force shift for themselves, and hazard their lives rather, than they will live any longer in such poverty, such have forgotten God, and do not remember, 
Prou. 2●  that our Lord (as Solomon saith) made both, the rich and the poor. And this they must consider, that there be degrees in every common wealth, which be necessary for the good state thereof: and some be higher, & some be lower, as it pleaseth God to appoint them, & the one can not lack the other. For like as in a natural body there be some members of more excellency than the rest, partly for the preservation of it & partly for the beautifying thereof: So there be in every realm and common wealth rich and poor, gentlemen and simple▪ rulers and subjects. And every one are placed in their degree. And as necessary is it for the poor to have men of higher estate to defend them from the assaults of their enemies, as it is for men of honour to have poor men to toil & travail for them: for we see, that the high trees in every forest do defend the underwood from all stormy and violente blasts. And albeit that percace great men sometimes do not defend the poor, as they should do from wrongs, but rather do them wrong themselves: yet let the poor pray God to amend them, & by that means seek for remedy, and not repine against them, and so be disappointed of all remedy. Beside this poor men (me think) should be right glad of their estate, seeing that they be much more farther from danger, then great men be, as daily experience doth teach them.  
Again if they would well weigh with themselves, for what purpose men be made poor by the hand of God, & that many good folks are pinched with poverty to prove their patience withal, to thin tent that they may be more perfit: and many evil too are punished therewith for their sinful life to make them amend, and that god always doth all for the best, and maketh men either rich or poor, as he knoweth is most meet for them, they would patiently suffer their poverty, & thank God heartily for it, and of the misery that their bodies are bewrapped with. they would make a sovereign medicine to heal their sick and sinful souls withal. And if they would learn this one lesson of saint augustine, & practise it, I doubt not, but they should make their punishment medicinable. 
Super Psal. 99  The lesson is this. My son if thou weep, weep with devotion, weep not wi●h grudge, nor weep not with any token of stubborn pr●de: why weepest thou I pray th●e? because thou sufferest painful misery? That is a medicine for thee, and no punishment: It is to correct thee, and not to damn thee: Go not about to put the scourge from thee, if thou wilt not be put from the heritage of heaven, which is prepared for thee. 
De ue●. Apo. Se●▪ 28.  And again he saith in another place thus: Let not thy poverty aggrieve thee, because thou can find nothing, that is so rich as it. ●or what treasure can be compared with heaven, which is the reward of poverty? 
Epist. a● Heb. ho● 18.  And S. chrysostom sayeth: None is richer than he, that willingly loveth poverty, and embraceth the same with a glad and joyful heart. Therefore let such as be in poverty, learn to suffer it patiently, and quietly bear such temporal punishment, that they may be rewarded therefore eternally. And whensoever their deadly enemy the devil doth make them grudge at their poverty, & moveth them either by robbing, or by rebellion to seek for riches, let them remember, that if they either rob their neighbour, or rebel against their Prince: first their bodies by the law shall justly be put to most vile and shameful death, and after their cursed souls, that have wrought such wickedness against the express commandment of God, shallbe by most horrible fiends perpetually pined in hell. But some sinful wretches will not let to say, that for an hour hanging they will not live in care all their whole life. Such miserable folks I fear me (I pray God they do not) think that their bodies and souls die both together, and that there is no other life but this: But alas they shall find after their departing hence such a life, or rather such a miserable death, wherein they shall continually die, and never be dead, insomuch that they shall most wofullye cry: woe be unto us, that when we lived in the world passed, we would never think upon this world, that was then to come. Wherefore let men that either be borne in poverty, & so continued, or have been rich, and by their misdemeanour are fallen into poverty, remember these lessons, & so shall they well perceive, that neither aught they to grudge at their poverty, which is sent them for their soul's health, nor go about to spoil, or make rebellion▪ which be plainly against the commandment of God: for he saith, Thou shalt not steal or rob. And saint Paul saith: 
Rom. 13.  That every man ought to obey that higher powers, because they be ordained of God: and whosoever withstandeth the power, withstandeth the ordinance of God. If they then will withstand God's ordinance, they wrestle with their better, and shallbe shortly overthrown to their great confusion. For what became of the beggary army of Viriatus a thief & a robber? Albeit that they (because they were poor and looked to get goods by rebellion) wrought much woe to the Romans, against whom they rebelled, 
Oros. lib. 5. Cap. 4.  and sore spoiled the noble country of Spain, yet at length were they by Fabius overcome, and their captain by the trains of his own men was murdered. We read also of a great number of slaves, that rose in Sicilia who being persuaded, that by rebellion they should both win their liberty, & also be come rich men, 
Oros. lib. 5. ca 9  made a sore commotion, and sore troubled the country of Sicily, and some parts of Italy to, where they had a great number to join with them. But in conclusion they were rewarded accordingly: for at a town in italy called Sinuessa, iiij. thousand of them were killed, and at Minturne an other town in italy four hundredth were hanged. Such like luck had the poor slaves, that rose in Sicily, when Rutilius was Consul: for when Rutilius had taken Taurominium and Aetna, two of the strongest holds, that the rebels had to succour them, there were slain above twenty thousand of these slaves and rebels. The cause of which war (as Orosius writeth) was miserable and wretched: for if (as he sayeth) these slaves had not been resisted, their masters and rulers had been utterly undone and destroyed. And yet neither part had any cause to triumph: for both in the great and heavy miseries, that this war brought with it, and also in the unlucky gain that was gotten in the victory, even those that wan the victory, had as great a loss, as those that lost the field. Wherefore no cause hath any man to rebel for poverty sake, and thereby to make himself rich, seeing that poverty is the way to perfection. (as I said before) and rebellion leadeth a man to destruction of both body & soul: who then is so mad, or hath so little regard of his own health, that will forsake that state, which God hath sent him for a remedy, wherewith to save his soul, and by unlawful means seek for that state, that the devil driveth him to, thereby to damn his soul?  
As for rich men if they rebel to increase their riches, 
Rebellion of rich men to increase their riches.  their cause surely is much worse than y● cause of the poor▪ which is (as you have heard) very nought to: for such have no need at all, as the poor have, except we call those needy, that are never contented, and so all covetous wretches may be well called needy. But these folks have no need to seek for living, because they have enough, or else a great deal to much. And if they had need, yet need is no cause (as we proved before) to move a man to fall to rebellion. For albeit that greedy gaping for gods is dangerous, And all they that desire to be rich (as witnesseth saint Paul) fall into temptation, 
1. Tim. 6  and into the devils s●are, and into many vain & noisome despres, which drive men down to utter ruin and destruction, yet those that by violence travail to be rich, shall at length lose their riches, and become poor or they beware. For the holy Prophet sayeth, woe be to thee y● spoileth men by force, 
Esa. 33.  for thou Shallbe spoiled. 
I●ac. 2.  And Abacuc the Prophet saith likewise, That because thou haste rob much people, they that shall remain, shall rob thee, And beside this all rich folk that by reason of their greedy desire are moved to make commotion, should consider with themselves. that the government of a Prince is the safeguard of all their riches: for when government is taken away, the laws are trodden under men's feet, and every seditious person will do what him liketh, because he feareth no punishment. So the robbery then shallbe thought well gotten good, and he that hath most if he be feeble and faint hearted, shall shortly have least, and he that hath no thing, if he be strong & courageous, shall soon become a rich man. Then is it not better for rich men evermore to beware of rebellion, and so quietly to enjoy that, that they have, then for greadynes of getting more by some mischievous enterprise to lose all that they have? For he were a very foolish merchant, me think, that when he passeth by the sea, & hath a fair wind to drive him to the common haven, where he should arrive, would leave his common course, and trusting that by sailing through a certain dangerous sea, he should come to a country, where he should find much riches, and although he were in manner assured, that in that perilous passage he should drown his ship and himself to, yet would he adventure, and so lose all the substance, that with great travail he had gotten before. Wherefore all they that by rebellion seek to be rich, seek in deed to be poor: insomuch that such have no cause, why they should rebel, but great cause have they, why they should by all means avoid rebellion, both for that they most grievously offend their lord God thereby, & also that when soever it chanceth they stand in danger of losing all that they have, and their lives to. And as for riches, saying it oftentimes hurteth many that have it, and that it is a great care both safely to keep it, and godly to bestow it: I marvel, that men either make so much of it, or will by unlawful means go about to get it. 
Augusty. e●●. 140.  For saint augustine sayeth, That if we lack worldly riches, let us not by wicked ways seek it here in this world, and if we have it, let us by good deeds doing lay it up in heaven. Which thing considered, let all rich men content themselves with that, that they have, and care more for the well bestowing of it, then for the getting of more, and always beware, that neither by rebellion, nor by no other unlawful means they seek for riches.  
But now let us see what cause they have to rebel, that be sore oppressed with taxes, 
Rebellion for oppression in hope of liberty.  and tributes, with polling & pilling, with rents raised, and with pastures enclosed: such perhaps have cause to complain, but no cause at all to make rebellion: but put the case that y● prince be a naughty man, and so sore infected with the sin of covetousness, that he passeth not how he come by money, so that he have it, & so polleth the people with sore subsidies to satisfy his unsatiable avarice withal, must men therefore being thus piteously pilled, revenge their own quarrel, and rebel against him, and go about so to set themselves at liberty, or rather put their whole matter to god, & pray to him earnestly, to be their succour. For it is written of the children of Israel, when they were in Egypt, 
Exod. 5.  and were with intolerable labour and travail very sore afflicted by Pharaoh, king of that country, how that they went unto him, & complained of their grief, & made humble request, that they might be more easily dealt with, but nothing got they at his hand, but a froward answer: And albeit that they could have no remedy, yet would they not rebel against him, but went to Moses and Aaron, & made their complaint to them, & said: Our lord look upon us. and judge our cause: by reason whereof Moses said to god: why lord d●ste thou suffer thy people thus to be troubled? Then said our lord god to him again: 
Exod. 6.  Tell the children of Israel, that I will both lead them out of the painful prison of the Egyptians, wherein they be so sore afflicted, and also deliver them out of their thaldome and bondage▪ If men that be under an evil prince, would earnestly weigh this story, they might learn two profitable lessons of it: one to make their complaint to the prince, and humbly desire him to relieve them, and not by force to resist him, and rashly to rebel against him: another to commit their matter to god, and complain to him, and trust surely, that he will at length deliver them from their trouble, as he did the children of Israel. Again the children of Israel, 
judic. 3.  when they were made slaves to Chusan Rasathaun the king of Mesopotamia, and lived under him in sore servitude the space of viii year, they went not about to rise against him, and so to deliver themselves out of bondage, but called to GOD for help and succour, and he delivered them by the help of Othoniel. And after that likewise when they were brought into bondage by Eglon, 
I●d. 3,  the king of Moab, and lived under him in great thraldom & misery xviij whole years together, they made no insurrection against him, that by that means they might be delivered, but humbly suited to God for aid: who mercifully looking upon them, delivered them by the hands of Aod, the son of Gera. Wherefore if it chance at any time, that an evil Prince hath the government of a realm, let the people first make their humble petition to the prince, and beseech him to be favourable to them: and if that will not avail them, to seek then to his counsel, and complain unto them, desiring them to give him good advertisement and entreat him to be good to his subjects: for oftentimes good counsel may do much in such a case. And let them never contrary to gods will & pleasure, either judge of their Prince's conditions, because God is his judge, nor seditiously lift by their sword against him, but following the example of the children of Israel, let them wholly refer their cause to God, & make their humble petition to him to be relieved, and they shall vndoub●edlye at his hands have remedy. Furthermore it were wisdom too think, yea & we must needs believe it to, that Princes are appointed by God: for Solomon saith in the person of wisdom, 
Prove. 8.  which is God himself, That by me kings have their rule. And then to ponder well with ourselves, for what purpose God hath sent us such a wicked prince, whether through our naughty life we have deserved to have such a naughty ruler, or that God hath suffered him to reign over us for a trial of our patience. If we have deserved by our naughty demeanour to have such one, as it may well be, that we have, (for job saith▪ 
job. 34.  that god sendeth a naughty dissembling ruler for the sins of the people) then let us do penance betime, and by fervent prayer ask God heartily of pardon, & desire him, that when he hath well punished us, to be merciful unto us, and deliver us from our misery, & always earnestly beseech him to give the prince grace to amend: for so shall we both help to save him, & ourselves to. Again if such one be suffered to rule over us for a trial of our patience, them least we lose our patience, & the reward thereof which all, let us patiently bear him, & by patiented suffering increase our patience. Furthermore if be, that we be by him so sore afflicted, that we can not possibly bear such a burden any longer, then must we call to God for help and comfort▪ At which time without doubt he will say thus: 
Psal. 11.  For the misery that the needy suffer, and the lamentation that the poor make to me, I will now arise. 
job. 36.  And so (as job sayeth) he will deliver us from our oppression. In such adversity we may not look to be delivered, when we will ourselves, but we must tarry God's pleasure, having sure trust, that he will deliver us at length: for Solomon writeth thus. 
Pro. 20.  Tarry for thy Lord God, and he will deliver thee. Like as the husbandman by & by after he hath sown his ground looketh not to reap the fruit thereof in all haste, but tarrieth for a season: So we, when we have made our petition to god, we must patiently abide his pleasure, and he will surely send us secure, when he shall think it most convenient for us. Thus by prayer and patient suffering shall we obtain our purpose: And not only that, but shallbe highly rewarded to at god's hand for our godly patience. Therefore all such as are for a season with sore payments or with enhanced rents, or by any other means sore oppressed, let them never by unlawful ways seek their delivery, & so be the cause of their own destruction, saying that they may be well assured, that by prayer and patience they shall not only have their request, but also great thanks of god, to whose will they holy betook them. For if a man were set fast in a close prison, and there sore panged with painful torments, the same man if so be, that he had a sure promiss of him, that had authority to deliver him, that he should not only come forth thereof at a certain day, but should besides have some liberal reward to recompense his grievous punishment, that he had so patiently borne, were he not then worse than mad, if he would go about either to fight with the gailour, adventuring with the jeopardy of his life to get out by strong hand, or else to dig up the foundation of the prison, or to break out, & so perhaps fall in hazard of hanging? wherefore whosoever is thus troubled, and longeth for the day of his delivery, let him pass on the time with patience for a while, and take good comfort in his care, because he is assured, that god will at length mercifully deliver him. But some men will say percase we shallbe dead, or the day come. It may be so in veri deed, and therefore much less need they to pass for their tribulation. For if death come, then shall they be not only of good comfort, because they have borne their trouble patientli, but also glad of their pains passed, because that then shall they be rewarded for them. Yet some there be, into whose heads these things will not sink, but they say still, why should we be obedience to a naughty prince, or why should he have all, and we little or nothing? These have not learned S. Peter's lesson, 
1. Pet. 2.  that men ought to obey not only good godly princes, but also such, as be threwed & rigorous. For that is very commendable, if a man suffer trouble, and that wrongfully to, because he knoweth the same to be acceptable before GOD. Nor they have not red the fable of the belie and the other members of the body, 
Liu. Dec. 1. lib. 2.  which Menenius Agrippa recited unto the people of Rome, when as they began to rebel against the consuls and chief rulers of the city, & were all ready gathered together in the hill called Aventine, which fable is written in Livy after this sort.  
At such time as the membres & parts of the body did not, as they do now agree altogether which one consent, but every member used his own counsel, and could speak for himself, the rest of the members much grudging, that by their care & travail all things should be sought & gotten for the belly's use, and that the belly should do nothing, but lie at his ease in the midst of them, and enjoy such pleasures, as they had prepared, conspired, and agreed together, that from thenceforth neither the hand should lift the meat to the mouth, nor the mouth should receive it, nor the teeth should chowe it. Wherefore while as for this displeasure, they went about to tame the belly with hunger, all the members and parts themselves, yea and the whole body to, was in a manner clean consumed. Whereupon it well appeared, that the ministry and service of the belie is not idle or vain, but that it nourisheth the other parts, aswell as it is nourished itself, because it spreadeth abroad into all parts of the body the blood, which is cause of our life and strength, and the same when the meat is digested, is divided into the veins to. Thus telleth Livy.  
Christ's disciple, and I pray God I set at nought all things visible & unvisible, to th'intent I may win my Lord jesus Christ. As for burning in a hot fire, as for to be hanged upon a cross, to be assaulted of wild beasts, to have my bones all to wrinched and frushed, to have my members cut all in pieces, to have my whole body gronden with millstones, yea and to have all the torments, that the devil can divide, to fall upon me, I pass not, so that I may win my sweet saviour jesus Christ.  
Here you may perceive the stout courage of Christ's mighty champion, & the sore brunts that he was most glad to abide for the obtaining of that heavenly victory. For he knew, that after this sort only should Christ's soldiers fight. Likewise did the holy and blessed martyr Polycarpus, 
Euseb 〈◊〉 lib. 4.  when men were sent to take him, and to bring him to the offices of that country, that he might be tormented for Christ's faith, came down to them, & with a pleasant and mild countenance talked with them, and commanded a table, and great plenty of meat to be prepared for them, and prayed them to eat & make good cheer: & desired them, that in the mean season he might have licence to pray. Which done, he did not resist them, nor went about to prepare a company of men (which he being so well loved in that country, might belike easily have done) to fight with them, & so to save himself from their tormentrye, but most meekly & gently went he forth with them, and after long talk, that he had with the officers, as touching his faith, most freely & frankly in a great audience of people defended it. Whereupon all the people cried, this is the great doctor of Asia, the father of the christian men, and the destroyer of our Gods. Let him be burned quick. So when the fire was made ready, he most willingly loosed his girdle himself, and put of his clothes. And when they would have nailed him fast to the stake: no, said he, let me alone, as I am. For he that giveth me strength, to endure the hot flames of fire, will, I doubt not, give me grace steadfastly to stand by it without any nailing. So that they did not nail him at all, but only bound his hands behind him. That done, he made his fervent prayer to GOD. Which once ended, they set the stack of wood on fire, where was seen a wondered miracle. For the flame of fire like to a sail cloth puffed full of wind, compassed his body much like a vault, and his flesh within was like burning gold. And there was felt a sweet odour coming from him like frankincense lie killed, and the other by a conspiracy murdered in the common counsel house of Rome. Therefore ambition may be well compared to a viper, whose belly the young vipers, 
Aristot. lib. 6. de histor. anim.  that she hath conceived, eat out, and so destroy her. For every ambitious wretch that seeketh by sedition to obtain his purpose, when he hath conceived his traitorous devices, & goeth about to put them in practice, he according to the viper's example is by the same brought to his destruction. 
2. reg. 15.  So did it happen to Absalon in old time which having a very ambitious mind, sought by all means possible to withdraw the hearts of the people from his good godly father king David. And standing at the entering in of his father's gate, said unto every one that came thither as a suitor: of what city art thou, or what is thy matter? Which when he had heard, me think (quoth he) thou sayest good reason: but alas that I were a judge, that all men that have any matter in suit, might come unto me to th'intent, that I might give just judgement in his behalf. And unto every one that came unto him, and hayist him, he put forth his hand, and not only lovingly embraced him, but kindly kissed him to, supposing by that means to win the hearts of the people. Which done, he gathered a great army, and made rebellion against his own natural and most loving father, thereby to dispossess him of his crown. But in the field a great number of his men were slain, and he himself riding through a thick wood, was taken betwixt the bows of a tree, and piteously hanged by the here of his head. So that through his presumptuous ambition, which he thought to satisfy by rebellion, he came to a miserable & wretched end. Wherefore all ambitious folks, that adventure such cursed enterprises, let them look for the like, if they take not heed, & beware betime. For what brought the wretched tyrant Maximus to utter ruin, but that in the Emperor Theodosius days, 
Socrates lib. 5. hist ecclesias.  when Valentinian (to whom th'empire of the West parts appertained) was but a child, he made a sore rebellion, & was in good hope by force of arms to obtain th'imperial crown. But Theodosius th'emperor being at the same time in the east parts, sore aggrieved with those news, gathered a great power to fight against this rebellious tyrant Maximus. And came in all haste to Melane, where the tyrant was. Then the soldiers of Maximus hearing of the coming of th'emperor Theodosius, were sore afraid of the matter, & straight way took Maximus among them, bound him, and led him by and by to Theodosi● us. Who anon after received the reward of his rebellion, unto which his ambitious heart had brought him. 
Socra. lib. 5. histor. ecclesias.  Again what a wretched end had Andragathius, an ambitious wretch, who by a privy conspiracy killed Gratianus th'emperor? Did he not in conclusion as soon as he heard, that Maximus his master was put to death, leap into a river, and drowned himself? We read also of one Eugenius a tyrant, 
Socra. lib. 5. histor. ecclesias.  that in the said emperors days blinded with ambition, adventured too conspire the young Emperor Ualentinians death. And that he might more easily bring his matter to pass, he used the counsel and aid of Arbogastus, a man meet for such a purpose. These two together wan with fair words and large promises themperors chamberlains, and made them kill their own lord and master. Which done, Eugenius obtained th'empire of all the West parts. Wherefore Theodosius assoon as he was certified hereof, taking the matter very grievously (as he had good cause) straight way prepared an army against him, and made as much haste toward him, as he could possibly. And when the armies met together, and that Theodosius host was in the field sore discomfited, Theodosius falling down upon his knees in the midst of the army, prayed God most heartily to aid and succour him in that dangerous conflict. And by and by all the darts that were cast, and the arrows that were shot by Eugenius soldiers against Theodosius men, were with a vehement wind driven back again upon themselves: and the arrows of Theodosius soldiers came also upon them with much more violence, wherewith when Eugenius see his men sore endangered, running with all speed to Theodosius, fell down at his feet, most humbly beseeching him of pardon. But or ever he had made an end of his tale▪ he was miserably slain of the soldiers.  
Many more stories could I recite for the prove hereof, but these at this present shall suffice▪ seeing that by these only every man may plainly perceive, that all those, that seek for honour by rebellion, come at length to a miserable and a wretched end. And thereby it well appeareth, that their cause is most wicked & damnable. For commonly whensoever men take any enterprise on hand▪ if their cause be just, God will prosper them therein, but if their cause be nought▪ then shall they speed accordingly.  

Pro. 5.  For as Solomon writeth, Wicked men Shallbe catched in their own cursed devices, and fast fettered in the bounds of their offences. Put the case that honour would make a man good, as it many times doth the contrary, should thou then labour to be good by unlawful means, or rather be good before that thou might be better, when thou comest to honour. 
Rome. 3.  Fro● we must not (as saint Paul writeth) do evil, that good may come thereof, but we must (as the holy Prophet David monisheth us) eschew evil, 
Psal. 33.  and do good, & every day ware better & better, & think that when we are best of all, we be bad enough. Moreover me think we should rather wisely despise worldly honour, then wretchedly desire it, both because that those, that have it, many times, if they used not well, are in danger both of body & soul through it, & also that whosoever cometh to it, by reason of their short & transitory life, they shall not long enjoy it: 
Epist. 82.  and beside this, (as Seneca saith) Riches, honour, authority, & such like, which be in our conceit much esteemed, and yet of themselves be very vile, do withdraw us from that thing, which is certain, and yet have they nothing in them so gay and precious, that should allure our minds so to esteem them, but only because we use to set much by them. For they are not praised, because they be desired, but they are desired, because they be praised.  
Now if so be, we be desirous of honour in this world, then saying (as we read in Aristotle) that honour is the reward of virtue, let us earnestly study for virtue, & undoubtedly we shallbe rewarded with honour. Let us fear god, which is the root of wisdom and virtue, and honour shallbe given us without our seeking. But if we will walk in the paths of unrighteousness, & go about to win us honour by wicked ways we shall at length have shame thereby, and great dishonour. For the Scripture saith, 
Eccle. 10  that the seed of men, that fear God, Shallbe honoured, and such as transgress gods commandments, shall have dishonour and shame. And who I pray the transgress and break the commandment of GOD more, than rebels, saying that all men are straightly commanded to honour their Prince, & obey him? Thus we see, that honour ought to cause no man to make rebellion, but all those that desire it, must go the right way to it, that is to say, by virtue. There were in old time at Rome. i●. temples, th'one called the temple of honour, and tother the temple of virtue: and no man could come to the Temple of honour, except he passed thorough the temple of virtue. And Saluste sayeth, 
Sallust. in coniur, ●atil.  that a good man goeth the right way to honour: but a wretch, because he lacketh good qualities, travaileth to get it by subtle drifts, and crafty devices. Therefore whosoever longeth to get honour, let him practsie himself in the school of virtue, and he shall not fail to come by his purpose.  
The same is to be considered of all such, 
Rebellion for the loss of honour.  as through their own demerits, or otherwise are put from their honour. For if they be justly deprived, than no cause have they to grudge or complain. And if they be wrongfully, let them commit their matter wholly to God, and he will surely revenge them. For GOD revengeth the quarrel of all those, that suffer injury, 
psal. 100LS.  and (as David sayeth) showeth them mercy, and righteously judgeth their cause.  
If they have justly deserved such a fall, than the best is to thank God heartily for it, & to think that thereby they shall learn to fear God, to acknowledge his justice, and to know themselves to, which they percase would never have done, if such a chance had not happened.  
And if they patiently bear their adversity & become better by it, both god will promote them to honour again, and every good man will have pity upon them, will love them, much esteem them. and be glad to do for them. So that no cause have they to be sorry for such a profitable and lucky loss. for as much as by the loss of transitory honour they have won them gods favour, and thereby sure to have eternal honour: yea & whereas before by their misdemeanour they were so hated, and utterly despised, now they are heartily loved of all men, and much esteemed: for albeit that every man, that is in adversity, if he patiently suffer the same, is much pitied, yet men of honour in such like case are much more lamented. And therefore Cicero saith, 
Orat. pro le. Manil.  that the misery and heavy chances of princes and noble men most of all other move men's hearts to pity. Why will then such folks seek any other remedy to recover their honour, than patience, seeing that thereby they shall get themselves very honour in deed, whereas they had but the shadow of honour before. For although that men be honoured, that have great possessions and lands, be they never so bad, yet those only deserve honour, that live a godly life, and embrace all kind of virtue. In which point, if a man be surely persuaded, both will he be content with a mean estate, what honour soever he have had, and think to that he lacketh no honour, if he have the favour of god, which far passeth all worldly honour. But when a man is put from honour, either that he hath deserved it, or else that the rulers unjustly so order him, & can in no wise patiently bear it but seeketh to revenge his quarrel by rebellion, than men that something perhaps esteemed him before, begin to abhor him, & all the world, except those, that be his complices, cry out upon him, So that if he be never so noble a man borne, he shallbe from thence forth of all men despised, and his house & family with all his posterity thereby much desteyned. For when any of his children after his death falleth at words with any person of estimation, he shallbe called by and by a traitors son. Which word will pierce him to the very heart, because he perceiveth his stock so sore dishonoured. Which things deeply considered, these that be in such case, if they have any regard either to their bounden duty to Godward, or to the safeguard of themselves, or to the estimation of their stock, must needs quiet their minds, and content themselves with the state that God hath sent them.  

Rebelliō●ōmynge of wealth.  As for those that fall to rebellion through wealth, I need not to speak of them, because that either some of the foresaid causes, or else some of those that follow, do commonly much more move than, than their wealth, so that with those lessons, that partly go before, & partli come after, they may, I trust, be satisfied.  

Rebellion for fear of punishment.  Now as for such, as make rebellion for to avoid any danger or punishment, when they labour to eschew the lesser danger, or ever they beware, they fall into the greater. For if they have committed any offence, that deserveth punishment. if so be they patiently suffer the punishment, and think that they are worthily punished, than men will pity them, & thank god for them, and wish them well, and well report them. In so much, that by their punishment they shall please God, & recover their estimation again. But such as for fear of punishment, which they have most justly deserved, will spurn against it, & to avoid it, will make rebellion, where as by patient suffering they might easily have made amends, & ●o saved themselves and their estimation to, now most worthily shall lose both, & provoke the indignation & wrath of God against them. But if so be they did remember, that men ought not to lea●e them, that have power to kill only the body, 
Mat, 10.  but him▪ that may cast both body and soul into the painful pit of hell, they would never for the saving of the one, put in adventure the losing o● both. Were not he, I pray you, a very fool, that would rather, than he would lose one poor penny, lose all that he hath, and for the avoiding of one days punishment, and that with out any danger of his life at all, would lie lingering all the days, that he hath to live in a most grievous and painful prison? Or were not he well worthy to be sick, that rather than he would take a medicine, which should put him to pain but for a while, continue in his sickness still, and at length put his life in jeopardy thereby? What causeth a wise master of a ship, when he is in danger, willingly to cast out some of his goods, but that he had liefer lose some part for saving of the rest, then lose altogether and himself to? Wherefore all such as fear punishment, it is better for than with a short punishment to pay their ransom, than which unlawful eschewing thereof, fall in danger of perpetual punishment. cause then have they none, if they well consider, to make rebellion for fear of punishment.  
Some there hath been in the world, 
Rebellion coming of contempt  that by reason they did see their prince lack good qualities, or for that he was crooked or deformed, or that he was a naughty vicious liver, have rebelled, because they thought by the means to get them another. But such little remembered the sayings of Solomon & job, that I recited before, of which the one telleth us, that kings and rulers be appointed by God: and the other, that God oftentimes sendeth a naughty dissembling Prince for the sins of the people. For if the prince lack good qualities, it is not our part to find fault with him, but to desire GOD to send him better. Or if he be deformed, we blame the work of God, if we dispraise him. For he made not himself, but god made him. Or if he live vitiouslye, we be bound to pray God heartily, that he will vouchsafe to amend him, and to send him good counsel, that may and will earnestly admonish him. As for to rebel against him, because God's law, and the laws of man to do expressly forbid it, we ought evermore to avoid.  
But now let us well weigh the cause of those, 
Rebelli● for religion.  that rebel for religion sake, which is thought to some a most urgent & weighty cause. Here men will say, that if they be constrained by superior pours to forsake any part of their faith, by which they are well assured to be saved, that then they must rather obey God, than man: and put their lives in jeopardy, rather than they will leave their religion. This is very well said, and every Christian man must so do.  
But how should we obey rather God than man, or how ought we to put our lives in jeopardy? Must we take the sword in our hands, and play the part, that Peter did at the taking of our Saviour? shall it not be said then unto us, 
Mat. 26.  as it was said to S. Peter at the same time, Put up your sword? For whosoever taketh a sword, intending to smite therewith, shall perish by the sword▪ Had not Peter, think you, as good cause to defend his master Christ, as any man hath to defend his faith and religion? Yes truly. For if we have any cause to defend our faith by the sword, then as good cause had saint Peter therewith to defend our saviour, the author of faith. Why did not the holy Apostles, when they were commanded, 
Act. 9  that they should preach no more in Christ's name, & that they were beaten for the same, defend themselves by strong hand, and fight with their enemies in such a good quarrel? Or why did they patiently suffer persecution, and went their way, much rejoicing, that they were thought worthy to suffer rebuke and displeasure for the name of jesus? It is not in this war, that men make for their Lord Christ, as it is in the war betwixt prince and prince. For in the war of worldly princes, such always get the victory, as either by force beat down their enemies, or by policy put them to flight. But in Christ's war, those win the field, that bear away the strokes, & he that suffereth most, getteth the most noble victory. For the blessed martyr Ignatius, 
Euseb. histo. eccles. lib. 3.  when he was conveyed out of Syria to Rome by ten rigorous and rough soldiers (whom for their cruelty he calleth ten leopards) and was miserably torn in pieces by wild beasts▪ got a more excellent victory, than ever did either Scipio Africanus, or Pompeius Magnus, two of the most noble captains of the Romans. And yet did he never either grudge at the matter, or give them evil words, or lift up his hand to smite either man or beast, but most fervently desired to be beaten & buffeted, to be assaulted himself & tormented. For by that means was he assured, that he should receive at Christ's hand the victorious crown in martyrdom, as it doth well appear by his own words in an epistle, that he wrote to the Romans, 
Euseb his j●o. eccle. li●. ●.  wherein he saith thus. Would to god I had the beasts, that are prepared to devour me, whom shortly to find out is mine earnest desire: whom I shall flatter & make much of, to th'intent they may out of hand devour me. For I would not they should so handle me, as they have done other, whom for fear they did not once touch. But if so be they be loath to meddle with me, I shall provoke them to tear me. Pardon me good friends I pray you, for I know, wh●t is expedient for me. Now begin I to be Christ's  
So surely it fareth in a common wealth, when as the people grudge, that their heads & governors live at ease, and eat up all, as they think, that they with much toil and travail have gotten, judging him to be an idle and an unnecessary member, & therefore do they conspire & rebel against him. So that thereby it cometh to pass, the with miserable spoil & cruel bloudshede the members of all the common wealth are in short space most miserably consumed & wasted. Therefore let no man, that either loveth god, his country, or himself, when as he is oppressed, go about to seek remedy by rebellion, seeing that both his cause is very nought and that thereby he shall not only provoke God's wrath against him, but also put his country and himself to in jeopardy of destroying.  

Rebellion for ambition, and desire of honour.  But now there be an other sort, that are so sore inflamed with ambition & desire of honour, that they think every hour a day, and every day a year. until they may win their wicked purpose. They be like to men that be sick of a fervent burning fever, which drink still, and ever are dry, and the more that they drink, the more they desire to drink: Even so it fareth with ambitious folk, which if they come to any worshipful estate, are not so contented, but labour by all manner of means still to climb higher: & when neither by flattery, nor friendship, nor liberal rewards they can satisfy their wretched desire, then fall they to conspiracy, & follow the steps of cursed Catiline, 
Sallust. in coniur. Catil.  which made men ween, that he minded to reform the common wealth of Rome, & restore the liberty thereof, when he intended nothing else, but to put down the noble and wise rulers of the city, and place himself & his complices in their honourable rowines. But he was shortly spied out, and by the wise policy of Cicero clean disappointed of his purpose. What made Caesar and Pompey the great to make civil war, but only ambition? For as the good historiographer Dion sayeth▪ 
Vide Epit●nen Di●●is in ui●● Pompeij  albeit that many other causes of that sedition were reckoned to be, yet the very cause in deed was their great desire of honour. For the same writer reporteth, that Pompey would be inferior to no man, and Caesar desired to be above all men. Therefore caring nothing what became of their noble country, they thought to try their manhood in civil war. And so was law laid down, and might was made right, and a rough soldier was more esteemed, than a grave counseyler. But both twain had an evil end. For the one (Pompey I mean) was miserably at length put to flight, & in conclusion cruelly kensence. At length, when the officers see, that the fire would not burn him, they commanded the hangman to thrust him through with a sword: Out of which wound there issued so much blood, that it quenched all the fire, insomuch that it made the people greatly to marvel. Thus this glorious martyr by his patiented suffering won the field, and got a most glorious victory.  
Likewise a blessed Martyr, 
Euseb. histo. recles. lib. 5.  whose name was Sanctus, when he was with all kind of torments by the wicked paynims assaulted, to th'intent that he should deny CHRIST, and forsake his faith and that he joyfully suffered all, & constantly stood in his profession, and thereupon at length had hot burning plates of brass laid to his bare naked body, wherewith his skin was so sore blistered, and bowned up, that no man could know him, and after that because his enemies purposed to vanquish him, was tormented a fresh, when his body as yet was all full of blisters, this blessed martyr I say, gladly suffering all these bitter brunts, got a more glorious victory, than ever did the great conqueror Alexander. For Alexander got only a worldly estimation, the shortly doth fade & fall. But Sanctus with his painful passion won himself such renown and glory, as never shall perish: Alexander by shedding of other men's blood became a conqueror. But Sanctus by shedding of his own blood got this noble victory. Alexander had alway with him in his wars a great and huge host of men. But Sanctus armed with sure aff●aunce in God, fought the field alone without aid and help of any man. Alexander overcame only his worldly enemies, but Sanctus overcame both worldly and ghostly. So that such as valiantly fight in Christ's war, get a more glorious victory in suffering themselves, than the most courageous captain of all the world getteth in beating of other. Wherefore whosoever will fight for his faith, must fight after this sort. He must not by money or fair words gather together an host of men, and so make his party good, but he must by fervent prayer seek for help and aid at God's hand, and so prepare him to the battle. He must not put upon him an helmet of steel, but he must put upon him the helmet of health. He must not arm himself with an habergeon of iron or silver, 
Ephe. 6.  but he must arm him with the habergeon of faith and charity. He must not take a sword in his hand of man's making, 
1. thess. 5.  but he must take the sword of God's spirit, which is the word of GOD. And when he is thus armed, he must not rashly uncalled step forth, and offer strokes to his enemies, but he must first either moved by the spirit of God, offer himself, as many martyrs have done, to suffer death, or else be called forth for the trial of his faith, and then gladly go, and abide most grievous and bitter torments, rather than he will deny any part of his faith.  
Thus the blessed and holy martyrs of Christ did always in such a like case. For those that suffered persecution in the two cruel tyrants days Decius, 
Euseb. his sto. eccle. li. 6. &. 7  and Valerian, when the paynims went about by violence to destroy the faith of CHRIST. they made no conspiraces or rebellions against those wicked princes, nor put no harness upon their backs to fight openly in the field with them, nor intended not by force to withstand their devilish devices, but meekly offered themselves to die for our saviours sake, and besides they so embraced their enemies. that tormented them, that they prayed God most earnestly to pardon them.  
So did also the godly martyrs, 
Euseb. his sto. eccle. li. 8. &. 9  that were cruelly persecuted by Diocletian & Maximine, two most fierce & frantic emperors. For when they did see not only their churches pulled down to the ground, but also many christian men violently hailed and pulled to worship Idols, albeit that they were sore dismayed with the matter, yet would they not gather themselves together, and make rebellion, and by that means defend both their faith and themselves to, lest they might so lose the glorious crown of martyrdom, that christ their head captain had prepared for them. But when time came, that they should be examined concerning their faith, they freely confessing the same, offered themselves to be put to painful tormentrye, which they were far more glad to go to, than any man is to go to a feast. We read also a very notable story of the inhabitants of Edessa: 
Socra hi●stor. eccle. lib. 4.  It chanced on a time that the Emperor Valens, which was an heretic of the Arrians se●te, & bare deadly hatred against all catholic folk, came thither, and commanded all the folks of that city, because they were very catholic, and hated his opinion, that they should not upon pain of death come together to pray. Yet they not withstanding his commandment the next day after came to the church, as they were wont to do. And when th'emperors lieutenant accompanied with a great number of soldiers, minded upon the emperors commandment to put them to death, a poor woman with her child burst through the midst of the soldiers, purposing posing to go to the church. Wherewith the lieutenant being sore offended, called her to him, & asked her, whither she ran so fast: And she answered, to the church, whereunto other folk resorted. Then the lieutenant said. hast thou not heard, that the emperors lieutenant will kill all, that he shall find there? Yes verily, said the woman: & therefore I make haste, that I may be found among them. Which when the lieutenant heard, he much marveled at the madness (as he thought) of those, that so notwithstanding th'emperors commandment, repaired together to the church. Whereupon he came to th'emperor, & told him, that they were all very ready & willing to die for their faith. These folks albeit they were a great number, yet would they make no resistance, but meekly offered themselves to suffer death for their faith, & so to declare their obedience both to god, and to the prince to. saint Ambrose likewise writeth of the citizens of Melane, 
Ambros. ad Marcel Soro●●pi●t. 33.  where he was bishop▪ that when themperor young Ualentiniane would have had them to have delivered up their churches into the hands of Auxentius an heretic, and the rest of his adherentes, they refused to do his commandment, & yet nevertheless would they not by force withstand or rebel against him, but went & made humble suit unto him▪ and said: We come to make request unto your grace (most noble Emperor) and not to fight with you. As for death or punishment we fear not, but we humbly beseech your highness to be good unto us. Thus to do, sayeth saint Ambrose, is meet for christian men, to th'intent that both peace may be sought for, and also the constant maintenance of faith and truth shall not for danger of death be given over. Thus writeth Saint Ambrose. Likewise did the soldiers, 
Socr●. pistor. eccle lib. 3.  that were of Julian th'emperors guard, of whom a great number (amongs which were Jovinian, Ualentiniane, and Ualens, who were Emperors afterward) when as they were commanded either to forsake their faith, and to do sacrifice to Idols, or else to leave their ●owmes, and get them out of the court, were not only contented to lose their rooms, but also all their goods and lives to for the defence of their faith. And not once did they murmur or grudge at the matter, nor went not about to rebel against julian, being a wretched tyrant, but were right glad to suffer wrong for Christ's sake. And thus all godly and blessed folks use to obey rather God than man, and are well contented to die for the maintenance of their faith: which rule every good christian man ought alway to observe. For when the prince commandeth him to forsake his faith, then must he prepare himself to suffer all kind of torments, rather than to fall from God, and his faith. But if the devil do move him to rebel and fight against his Prince, and tell him that so he shall obey God, do him good service, and defend his faith, then let him remember, that he is commanded by the holy word of God, to be obedient not only to good princes, but to noughty princes to, and then let him tell the devil, that he lieth, because all men are bidden to be obedient by express and plain words of the scripture.  

Mat, ●6.  And our Saviour Christ himself hath given us a plain example thereof. For when saint Peter would have defended him with the sword against his enemies, he said to him thus: Dost thou not think, that I can make request to my father, and that he will send me more, then. xi● legions of Angels to help me? Therefore to be obedient, and to suffer for our faith, is God's holy will and pleasure. But we never read neither in Scripture, nor in no holy writer. that we should either for our faith, or for any other cause rise and rebel against our prince, nor arm o●r self to fight with him in the open field. For whosoever do so, 
Rom. 13  they (as witnesseth saint Paul) seek their own damnation. Yet notwithstanding if the prince command any thing contrary to the will of GOD, neither must we do it, lest we highly displease God, nor we must not by force of arms resist the Prince, lest we damn our own souls, but both we must obey God in sticking fast to our faith, and we must obey the Prince to, I mean not in doing his commandment, which is damnable, but in patiented suffering of painful torments, that he will put us to, by reason we refuse to do that, that he biddeth us. For thus willeth the scripture us to do, and thus hath all good godly men done in time paste, and will do still even to the worlds end. Yet let men be well aware, 
We must weigh, whether our faith be sound or no.  and take good heed, whether their faith, that they will suffer for, be sound or no. For many due hath herein been sore deceived. We read in Eusebius story of Montanus a pestilent heretic, 
Euse. histor. eccle lib. 5.  that when he and his adherentes were conuyc●ed of their heresy, and so confounded, that they had nothing to say, they began to boast, that they had many martyrs of their sect, & that that was a sure argument, that they had the spirit of god. Unto whom it was answered, that that was not always true. For certain other sects of heretics there be, that have their false martyrs, but yet for all that we will not agree with them, and say that they have the truth of their side. For the Marcionites, which do deny Christ, say that they have very many martyrs. Thus writeth Eusebius. Likewise now of late years, since Wicliffe here in England, Hus in Boheme▪ Luther in Germany, and Occolampadius amongs the Swichers began their he respes, 
Our f●●se martyrs.  many have there been in England, France, Germany, and in other countries to, that stiffly standing in their fond opinions, have been burned at a stake. By reason where of among them, that favoured such false doctrine, they were taken for martyrs.  
But such folks little consider, what saint augustine sayeth in an epistle, that he writeth to Festus, as touching the Heretics called Donatists in this wise. What is more wretched, or more perverse, than that men (as the Donaristes do, which boast themselves, that they suffer persecution) will, when they be punished for their wickedness, not only not be ashamed thereof, but look to be praised therefore. Who truly are so enueygled either with a marvelous blindness, or with a damnable presumption, that they will not know, or else they make, as they did not know, that the pains, that the martyrs do suffer, do not make them true martyrs, 
●span; maketh no● martyr●▪ but the cause. 1. P●t. ●.  but the cause, wherefore they suffer. For what thank shall men have, as saint Peter sayeth, if they suffer as sinners, and be well buffeted and beaten therefore? Then what reward shall those have, that being infected with heresy, will rather die, then revoke the same? But many the see the outward conversation of diverse of them the pretenced virtue and holiness, 
●he 〈◊〉 crisis of heretics  the zeal that they seem to bear to God's truth, the simpleness, that appeareth in their life, the contempt of the world in appearance, the steadfast sticking in their opinions even to then during of most grievous torments, do not only say, but think to, that they be very saints, and will not let openly so to call them. Yet shall it be very necessary for those folks to take diligent heed, lest they be not by such hypocrisy far deceived. For it is not the outward virtuous behaviour only, that maketh a man perfect and holy, nor it is not his stiff sticking in error and blindness, that maketh him a martyr. Wherefore such men as pretend such holiness, are most of all other to be taken heed of, 
● heretic of honest life is most peritious.  by reason that they seeming holy to the world, most easily deceive the people. For Origen in an homely upon the xvi chap. of Ezechiel sayeth thus.  
In my judgement an heretic of honest life, is much more perilous & noisome, and his doctrine hath much more authority than his, whose naughty life doth defile his doctrine. For he that leadeth his life in vice, can not easily allure the people to heresy▪ nor can not by the shadow of holiness deceive the simple hearers▪ But he that is given to perverse doctrine, & is an enemy to the doctrine of health and salvation, and yet for all that is of an honest and sober behaviour, intendeth nothing else, but to apparel himself with the cloak of an honest pretence & a sober life, and to cover his crafty devices with it, to th'intent he may the more deceive his hearers.  
Therefore let us most diligently beware of heretics, that be of honest and virtuous behaviour, whose life percase the devil rather than God, hath so form and framed. For as fowler's lay bats to allure birds withal, to th'intent they may more easily catch them, so the devil hath a certain pretenced honesty, that is to say, a snare to deceive men's souls withal▪ to th'intent that by such honesty such meek behaviour, & such righteousness, he may more easily catch men's souls, & by false preaching bring them into the snare. For the devyill fighteth by diverse subtle trains▪ to th'end that he may destroy mankind.  
Thus writeth Origene of the pretenced virtue of heretics. 
The pretenced cōs●antie of heretics  Which as he adviseth us, it is necessary for us to eschew, lest it at the length deceive us. Now as for their earnest sticking in their lewd opinions, is no ●ause, why any man should the▪ more credit them. For we read of diverse anabaptists, which is a sec●e of heretics as 〈◊〉 as the 〈◊〉 which have suffered sond●y kinds of sore torments, yea and death to, rather th●n they would refuse their abominable heresy. 
joan. Gastius de Anabap●● starum erro. lib. 1.  For in a city of Germany called Passakia, eight of this see● were burned upon one day, and abode the ●●hole flames of fire with such patience, as they made all men▪ that were present, to wonder at them. amongs whom was one man, that had two sons burned with him, whom he most earnestli exhorted, that they should never for fear of the fire, nor for the untolerable pains, that they suffered therein forsake their opinion. And oft recited unto them the martyrdom of the blessed Maccabees.  
Again at a certain place beside the river of Rheue, ●iue Anabaptists in their floryshinge age, for their heresy were cast into the said river, and drowned. Which when they were led to their death, 
In the same book  not once shrank at the matter. At Basile likewise two chief ringleaders of this sect, when they were led through the city, & beaten with rods, cast their eyes upon him, that bet them, with a merry countenance, and exhorted him stoutly to do his office in that behalf. For we (said they) most gladly do suffer for christ and the true understanding of his word in baptism. Now than whenas we see folks suffer great punishment with such wonderful patience, & pretend that they suffer for god's word, shall we say by and by that such be martyrs, and take example of them to stick to heresy, and so cast away both our bodies and souls? No no god forbid, that any christian man should do so, & through the naughty example of the devils false martyrs, become as mad as they. For if constant and patient suffling were ●noughe to make martyrs, than should Turks be martyrs. For we read of certain Turks, 
joan. Gastius de erro. Ana baptistar.  that had burned a good part of Transilu●n●● and Wulachi●: which were taken prisoners by Chrystenmen. Who when as they should be put to execution, and be beheaded at 〈◊〉 they were offered their pardon▪ if so be they would forsake. Mahomates law, and become christian. But never one of them would take y● offer, but most stiffly standing 〈◊〉 their wicked profession, willingly went to their death. Wherefore let no man, either when he seeth an heretic fly out of his country, because he will continue in heresy, or is banished for the same, say that he is a confessor, and suffereth persecution for the truth, or when he seeth him gladly go to the fire, & patiently suffer it, say that he dieth a martyr, and that twenty thousand will rise of his ashes, but let him be right sorry in his heart and lament, that the devil was so great with him that he could make him suffer the hoa●e flames of fire for his wicked opinion, and so led him straight to the fervent flames of everlasting fire. And let him exhort all men to take heed betime, how they enter into heresy, lest their ghostly enemy lead them so far forth in it, that they shall never turn back again from it. And let neither such suffering of heretics, nor their pretenced holiness by any means deceive us. Nor let us not think, that any such things, how gay soever they seem in the sight of some men, can in any wise avail the doers of them, because they be done not only against the church of God, but also without the circui●ie & unity of the same, and be contrary to the catholic faith thereof.  
For if such folks would bestow all that they have in helping the poor, 
No good deeds anay●eth, that are done without the catholic church.  or if they would tame their bodies which fasting and abstinence, or if they so loved their neighbours, that they would be content to suffer death for their sakes, or if they were so earnestly bent to prayer, that they would not cease to pray continually, or if they had such a zeal to preach, that they would most diligently occupy themselves in that behalf, yet should they bestow all their travail in vain, if so be they have forsaken the catholic church, and the true faith thereof. 
De fid. ad Pet.  For. S. Augustyn saith, that neither baptism, nor any works of mercy can profit a man with out the fellowship of the catholic Church. 
De baptis lib. 4. contru. donat  And in an other place he sayeth, that those works, that appertain to the Church, if they be done without the church, they avail nothing to our salvation, because that with out the unity of the church of god, there is no salvation at all. The blessed martyr saint Cyprian writeth likewise, 
Desimpli● pralat.  as touching the same point thus: Such as are gathered together without Christ's church, think they, that when they be so gathered together, that they have Christ with them? All such, if so be they be slain for confessing Christ's name, the blots, that they be defiled with all, are not washed away with the effusion of their blood. For the heinous and sore sin of discord is not purged from them by suffering a painful passion. 
No man can be a martyr, that is ●oute Christ's church.  And a martyr can no man be, that is not in the church. Nor no man can come to the kingdom of Christ, which hath forsaken the church, that shall reign with Christ. Then best it is for every man, that minded to be saved, if he fall in trouble for his faith sake, first to consider deeply, whether he be a member of Christ's church, 
Faith is to be tried & how.  and then to weigh well, whether his faith agreeth with the catholic faith or no. And in weighing thereof let him not stick only to his own judgement, which may soon deceive him, but follow the judgement of those, whose doctrine hath ever from time to time been by the whole church of God well liked & allowed. 
The spirit to be tried.  And beside to try the spirit, wherewith he is moved, whether it be of God, or otherwise. Which may in deed be very easily tried. For if it be of God, 
God's spirit.  it will not resist the authority of the church, nor labour to disannul the same, but will always submit itself thereunto, as to the true spouse of christ, and gladly embrace the doctrine thereof, as the doctrine of health and salvation. 
The devils spirit.  But if it be the devils spirit, it will then contemn the authority of the Church, and will travail to tread that under foot, and lewdly oftentimes belie it to, and rage and rail agyanst the godly order thereof, and blaspheme the blessed mysteries and sacraments therein, and call fasting and praying superstition, and call all them work wongers, that meddle with any such matters And presumptuously will take upon it to judge of the deep secrets of the scripture, and despise the doctrine of the old holy fathers & doctors of the church, & will say that they were men, & both might & did err, and that men must believe and read nothing but scripture, & allow none interpretation thereof, but such as they gather themselves by confering place with place, & that every man ought to be his own judge in that behalf. Such a spirit of all those, that be membres of Christ's catholic church, & purpose so to continue, & be saved at length, is to be utterly avoided, lest like a snake, when it hath ones gotten in the head, it draw the whole body after it, and so be the destruction of all them, that receive it. For such a spirit will at length move men to disobey their prince, if he be a godly catholic man, yea and openly to rebel against him. And hereby it may easily be perceived, that it is not the spirit of God, because it stirreth men to fight against God. For whosoever maketh war against his prince, he maketh war against God, forasmuch as the prince is (as I said before) appointed by God. And like as if a worldly prince should ordain an officer, and give him full authority to examine causes, and to execute suffice under him, whosoever should withstand this officer, & go about to fight with him, should be worthily taken for a traitor, and should have, as he had deserved. So truly saying, that God hath appointed the prince to be his officer and minister of justice here in earth, what man soever rebelleth against him, is a false traitor to God, and except he repent betime, he sha●● receive the reward of a traitor in hell. Besides this the foresaid spirit may be well known by the doctrine, that cometh from it. For the doctrine there of is full of pride and presumption, 
The doctrine of the devils spirit.  full of hypocrisy, full of blasphemy. It is also contentious, stubborn and unpatient, it is licentious and carnal, it is for the most part grounded upon lies, & blind ignorance. 
The doctrine of God. jac. 3.  But the doctrine and wisdom that cometh from heaven, (as saint james sayeth) first it is pure, secondarily it is peaceable, & beside it is gentle, and obedient: it is also full of mercy and good works: it will not judge other: finally it is simple and unfeigned. Therefore whensoever we be tempted to receive any new doctrine, 
New doctrine how it is to be ●●eyed.  let us weigh well not only who are the teachers thereof, and whether itself have the qualities of the wisdom and doctrine, that the holy Apostle sayeth, cometh from heaven above, but also what fruits springe out of it. For if we perceive both the ministers thereof to be good godly men, and favourers of Christ's catholic church, & also▪ the doctrine itself to be peaceable, gentle, obedient, and merciful, and finally that it bring for the such fruits, as saint Paul calleth the fruits of the spirit, 
Ga●. 5.  that is to say, Charity, joy, peace, long suffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, and temperance, then may we be bold to embrace it, as the doctrine of GOD coming from above, and to frame our faith, and believe according to it. But contrary, if not only the doctrine, that is taught us to be busy, unquiet, heady, disobedient, and cruel, but also the ministers thereof be high minded, presumptuous, enemies to the church of Christ, railers and jesters, lewd in their preaching, & morelewd in their behaviour, authors of carnal liberties, and maintainers of the same, yea and beside this, if the fruits of their preaching be such, 
Gal. 5.  as the blessed Apostle Paul calleth the works of the flesh, that is to we●e, adu●utrye, horedo●e, filthiness, wantonness, worshppping of Idols, witchecraffe, hatred, strife, emulation, anger▪ debate, dissension, sects envy, murder drunkenness, riotous banqueting, & such ●ike, then must we think▪ that such doctrine is sown abroad by our deadly enemy the devil, to poison our souls withal. And we must be well aware, that we taste not thereof, lest it seeming to us pleasant and sweet at the first, work in us at the length a sour and sorrowful effect. For if we be once infected with it, hardly shall we be delivered of it. For it is a common saying in England, that frenzy, heresy, & yelousie are hard to be cured. And if it remain still within us, it will in conclusion so corrupt our silly souses, that they shallbe in danger of death everlasting. Therefore let every man that loveth his soul, and is desirous to save it, take heed of perverse doctrine, & neither lean to much to his own will and judgement, lest thereby he be foul deceived, nor adventure to stick fast in the defence of a false faith, and to jeopardy both body and soul therefore. For if he stand in it to the shedding of his blood, although he please himself never so much therewith in this life, yet shall he not fail to receive the reward that is prepared for obstinate blindness in another life. Of such folk there be two sorts: 
Two sorts of stubborn heretics.  one that hath spiced consciences, & of a foolish fervent zeal, that they have to their fond opinion, being persuaded, that they be in a truth will rather lose all that they have & their lives to, then any thing relent in their pretenced truth. And no marvel it is, forasmuch as both they be so with presumption blinded, that they will follow no man's judgement, but their own. & also so wedded to their will, that they count all other men's counsel vain madness & folly. By means where of they judge lies to be truth, darkness to be light, lewdness to be learning, fantastical folly to be perfit wisdom, blasphemous babbling to be pure preaching, vain words to be wise reasons, pestilent heresy to be wholesome doctrine, just punishment for the same to be persecution, obstinate stubborness to be patient constancy, and death for false faith to be martyrdom. So that they may well say by reason of their uncurable blindness these words of the holy Prophet Isaiah. 
Esa. 59  We have looked for the light, and ●o here is darkness, we have sought for clear brightness, & have walked in cloudy mists, we have groped for the wall like blindemen, and like folks that have lost their light, we have touched the same. We have stumbled At noo●● day, as though we had ●●●ked light, and have been beset with darkness, as though we had been dead. For who, I pray you, seeketh more for the light of truth in appearance, than these men do▪ Yet when they have long looked for it, 
Truth is only in the church of God.  they find it not, because that where it is, that is to say in the Church of God, they seek it not. Therefore after their long seeking▪ they may well say, lo here is darkness. They seek also the clear brightness of the Gospel, but by reason they take a wrong way to come to it, they never come near it. For all such folk leaving the high way of the catholic faith, do take the path of pestilent heresy. And when they are once well entered into their journey▪ 
The by-ways of heresy.  they find many by-ways, & one sayeth this is the way, and another saith, that is the way, and the third findeth the third way, and every one taketh his own way, in so much that after they be gone out of the high way, they never meet together again, nor never one of them findeth the 〈◊〉 truth of the Gospel, that he seeketh for, except God send him grace to return back to the high way again. For they that intend to come to the clear light of the truth must follow th'example of the children of Israand 
The way to truth.  say as they said to the king of Edom, 
Num. 20  we will go the common high way, and turn neither on the right hand, nor on the left hand▪ By which common high way is understanded the way, that leadeth a man to truth & life. And if a man know not this way, & that one tell him this is it, and another tell him that is it, how shall he then do ●o learn it. 
The guide to truth is the catholic church.  Sure guide hath he none, but only the holy catholic church, the true spouse of Christ. Therefore let him learn the way of her, & then shall he not fail to go right in his journey.  
Again that sort of men, that I a little before told you of, like blindemen they grope for the wall, whereof Christ is the corner stone, but they never find it. And sometime they stumble upon some piece of it, but they never come within in it, by reason that they will not once open their eyes to find out the door, that leadeth a man into it. Yea and if there come any good man to the door, and spy them thus sometime groping, and sometime stumbling, and bid them open their eyes, and come to the door, they go forth groping still, and tell him, that they see very well, and that he is blind himself, and move him to come to them▪ and grope as they do. For they fear nothing, but that at length they shall find out the true door. Thus for ought that any good charitable man can do, they will not leave their groping, till in conclusion they percase stumble upon some peevish wicket, 
wicliffe's wicket.  such one as Wicliffe made for his church, when he had forsaken the church of Christ. And then think they themselves well sped, and believe that that is the true door, where in deed it is but a very wicket made only to wind men into the mayse of heresy, in which they shallbe alway seeking, and never find end, saving the woeful end, that the wicked fiend leadeth all them to, that have forsaken the common way of the Catholic church, and walk still forth in the perilous paths of pestilent heresy.  
Another sort is there, 
The second sort of stubborn heretics.  that because they have either by preaching, or else by writing setforth and maintained heresy before, they will stick fast to it, lest if they should recant, and return home to the catholic church, they should be taken for light and unconstant men, and so lose their estimation. Be not these very wise men trow you, that albeit they know, that the truth is against them, and that they have laboured by all means to subdue the same, yet nevertheless forasmuch as they will seem constant, they will not receive the truth, but stand stiffly in their opinion▪ and rather suffer death both of body and soul, than they will acknowledge their error and blindness? Might not the Prophet Heir my speak unto them, 
Hiere. 5.  as he did in old time to the jews after this ●orte. Hear you foolish people, which be heartless, and have eyes and see not, & ears & hear not. For these folk both see and hear the truth, and yet for wilful pride will they neither see it, nor hear it. They be very like to a foolish man, that goeth a journey, & when he hath taken the wrong way himself, and caused other to follow him to, at length albeit he perceiveth▪ that he hath gone amiss, yet nevertheless will he hold on still, rather than turn to the right way again, because he will not ●eme to his company to be deceived. But such folk forget (I think) that for the saving of their worldly estimation, they shall lose their estimation with God, and so fall in danger to be damned for ever. But if so be they should repent their folly, & return to the catholic faith, of whom (I pray you) should they lose estimation▪ which they study so much to save? Of none in deed, save only of those, that be blinded, as they be. What great loss than shall they have, if they lose the estimation of such, as be nought? Me think rather, that they should much gain by it. For like as a merchant that getteth a great deal of gold for a little lead, winneth much, and waxeth very rich thereby▪ so those that for losing the commendation of evil men, win themselves the praise of good men, hath undoubtedly a great au●untage. Why do they not follow the example of Hector, 
Ci●er. in epist. ad Catonem. li 14. epist. 〈◊〉.  which said, that he was glad to be praised of him, that was a man worthy of praise himself. If they would so do, what a great comfort then should they conceive in their hearts seeing that they might be well assured, that both all good godly men would much commend them, if they meekly acknowledging their error, would be sorry for it, and God himself to, would be gracious and merciful to them. By means whereof, they should not only increase their estimation in the world▪ but also save their souls, which should otherwise have perished.  
Therefore for such a faith, as they hold, let neither then, nor no man else, that either feareth GOD, or loveth his own soul adventure to suffer death. And if they be troubled for it, and peradventure shut up in prison, let them not then glory in their fetters, as though they were Apostles, and writ letters of comfort one to another in an Apostles style after this sort, Grace and peace be with you from god our father, and the Lord jesus Christ, nor let them not exhort one another to stick fast in their fond opinion, and say good brother in the lords name show yourself now to be the true minister of god in maintaining his holy word, nor let them not craftily cover their contagious heresy with such a gay coloured cloak, lest they both deceive themselves, and a great many more to, for whose souls they shall make answer, but let them call to remembrance the words of saint Paul, that he writeth to the Corinthians, which be these: Such false apostles are crafty workmen, 
2. cor. 11.  and fashion themselves to be like Christ's apostles: and no marvel is it. For satan chanceth himself into the form of an Angel of light. Therefore it is no great wonder then, if his ministers fashion themselves like to the ministers of justice. And when they have throughly weighed these words, let them mark well, whether they be not such like themselves, as saint Paul speaketh of, and so spying at length their wrong faith, let them never stand longer in it, nor think that they are wiser than all the world beside, but like good children with weeping tears return to their mother the church, humbly ask her spouse mercy, & desire him to pardon their folly. For except they do thus, let them never look to be God's children.  
Because that as saint Cyprian sayeth, 
Cyp●lan. in epist.  no man can have god his father, except he take the Church for his mother. Now then seeing, that for such a fond faith no man ought to put himself in any trouble, much less ought he to make rebellion for the maintenance of it. For if it be true, (as we have proved before) that for the sincere and true faith of Christ no man may without danger of damnation adventure to rebel▪ then much less ought he for a false faith to rebel and rise against his prince. Wherefore when as for any cause that can be imagined, our adversary the devil, the author of discord moveth us to rebellion, let us then remember, that no cause is there▪ (as we have declared before, for which a man may make rebellion, & so shall we always vanquish the devil, be obedient to our prince, and therein obey god to, and finally eschew the devilish and detestable crime of rebellion, which bringeth all those, that adventure upon it, to utter destruction and ruin. Now most dearly beloved country men, seeing that hitherto we have both opened the causes, that commonly move men to rebellion, and also proved, that for none of them, nor no other beside them, men must rebel, it shall be well done hereafter to consider likewise the causes. which have now of late made men to rebel against our most gracious sovereign Lady the Queen, and to give all men warning to take heed from hence forth of such a wicked and cruel enterprise. 
The causes of 〈◊〉 rebellion.  Wise men that have well weighed this matter, reckon two causes specially, that made men this last time make rebellion: One, to deliver our country from the oppression of strangers, as it was reported, and another to restore again Luther's lewd religion, which god and the Queen's highness had lately banished out of the realm. Which two causes may be well referred to the causes declared heretofore, seeing y● in effect they be included in them. Yet forasmuch as it is necessary at this present particularly to speak of them, I shall hereafter set them forth at large, to th'intent that all men's hearts may be the better quieted in that behalf.  
The first cause was only a cause pretenced, and was thought to many men somewhat reasonable, and thereby was not a few deceived with the goodly colour thereof. For when the simple people heard, that the head captain of this rebellion, intended nothing else, but to stop the spaniards from entering into this realm, and to bring to pass, that no foreign prince should marry with the queen's highness, lest we should by that means (as he said) be made bondmen and slaves contrary to the nature of all English men, and that he loved the Queen's grace & all her subjects, as his own life, and sought nothing, but that should be to her honour, and the commodity & wealth of the whole realm, they thought it was a good godly purpose, & were by & by persuaded therewith, and said that there was no man, that was faithful and loving to his country, but he would be glad to spend his blood in such a good quarrel.  
Thus were the silly folk, that knew not the very cause, why this rebellion was made, by this subtle pretence foully deceived. And like poor birds▪ that in a great snow can get no meat, with this bait were (or ever they wist) catched to their great confusion. But put the case. that this had been their intent in deed▪ should they therefore have gone about to make rebellion, and where as they be commanded by GOD to obey the Queen, their most lawful head and governess, should they rule her, and in a matter wherein every body both by God's law and man's hath free liberty to do, as him liketh, should they by force like rigorous tyrants, constrain her to satisfy their fantasies, in that behalf, and to marry whom they would appoint her? Who hath so much authority (I pray you) in making other folks marriages, as the parents have in marrying of their own children? And yet for all that, they may not compel them to marry, whom they list, but they must have their consent therein. 
〈◊〉. 24  For so did Laban and Bath●ell, when their daughter Rebecca should be sent with abraam's servant to be married to Isaac, saying thus. Let us call the girl, and ask her mind. And when she came, they asked her: Wilt thou go with this man? who answered: I am well contented to go. Therefore seeing the children, which ought to be at the parent's commandment, must agree and consent to their own marriage, shall not princes then, to whom all subjects are bound to be obedient, be at liberty to appoint their own marriages? 
What marriage i●.  And again because the marriage is a joining together of a man and a woman freely and lawfully made for the bringing forth of children, how can it freely be made, when either the man, or the woman is by force constrained thereunto. And lawful matrimony can it not be, except it freely be made by the full consent of both parties. 
Super Mat. hom 32.  For S. chrysostom sayeth▪ that carnal copulation maketh not matrimony, but the will & consent of the parties. Then forasmuch as both by God's law and man's it plainly appeareth, that matrimony can not be good, except it be made by the free consent of the parties, let no true subject think much, that the queens highness hath bestowed herself, where she liketh and loveth. No no every one that loveth her grace heartily, will be glad that she marrieth such one, as she may hereafter take pleasure and comfort in. If her grace should have married one that she could not have fantasied, it should so sore have aggrieved her, that she would have wished to be out of the world. And besides that, it should have been occasion of contention betwixt them, whereby God should have been highly displeased. 
Cap. 3.  For wheresoever (as witnesseth saint james) is envy and contention, there is unstableness and all wicked works.  
Over this if we would thoroughly weigh, 
How the Queen's marriage came to pass.  how this marriage hath been brought to pass, we should have cause much to marvel at it, and not to grudge against it. For when as the Queen's highness was by the parliament house most humbly sued unto, that it would please her grace for the quietness and comfort of the whole Realm to take an husband, she was in wonderful doubt with herself, what she might do in the behalf. And great pain had she to apply her mind and fantasy that way, seeing that her grace had now so many years lived a pure virgin, and had great pleasure to live so still, and so would have continued, had it not been that by God's goodness she might in lawful marriage have issue, (for which it is our bounden duty earnestly to pray) to th'intent that all her loving subjects thereby might be satisfied, & the whole realm preserved in peace and quietness. And therefore seeing it was a thing most expedient for us, that her highness should marri, she forced herself contrary to her own fantasy thereunto. And to th'end that God might assist her godly intent fell to prayer, and most fervently called upon god (seeing that for our sakes she should marry) that it would please him to put her in mind of such one, as his glory might be anaunced by, and all her subjects have good cause to rejoice in. For as for worldly pleasure, whice folks commonly take in marriage, she nothing passed: but her care was only to marry with such one, as might through his singular virtue please god, through his great wisdom help well to govern this realm, and for his noble lineage be occasion of much honour and quietness to our country. As for beauty, strength of body, talnes of parsonage, and such like, to those had her highness no respect at all. Therefore while her grace made this godly & humble petition to almighty god, came there into her remembrance this noble prince of Spain. And soon after were ambassadors sent from the emperors majesty for that self purpose. So that it well appeareth, that the first motion of this marriage came of god, without the counsel or advise of any man. And we must also consider, that the hearts of princes (as we read in the proverbs of Solomon) be in the hand of god, 
P●o. ●.  and that he moveth the same that way, that him liketh. And then howsoever the matter seem in our sight, we ought to judge the best, and think that God by his heavenly wisdom hath done it for the best▪ and we must heartily pray him, that his will alway may be done in all such matters. For as he is the giver of all other good things, so is he most specially of a good marriage. And that may we learn of Solomon, 
Pro, 1●.  where he sayeth: An house & riches are given us of our parents, but a wise wife is given of GOD. Therefore it is every good man's part earnestly to pray to almighty God, that seeing that by his providence (as we verily trust) this noble marriage is made betwixt such two princely personages, it may please his goodness so to work in that behalf, as may be to the advancement of his glory, to both their honours, and hearts ease, and to the commodity and quietness of our country. But it was maliciously and falsely reported not long ago by the rebels (as I told you before) that the Queen's Highness would have married a stranger of set purpose to make us slaves. And they did not let to say beside after this sort. Shall men suffer this, 
The kentish rebels words.  or shall we have our heads thrust under a strangers girdle, & become his bondmen? Or shall we suffer our wives & daughters to be ravished by vile velaynes? What true English heart can abide this? And being thus vainly persuaded, rashly without any further deliberation fell they to open rebellion, & did much like, as the jews did in old time▪ which through the counsel of judas Gaulanites rebelled against the emperor of Rome. 
josep. de anti. li. 8. ca 1.  at such time as Qui●inus a senator was sent by th'emperor into Syria & judaea to sesse these countries For this judas Gaulanites (as josephus telleth) having a companion much like himself joined with him, moved the jews to rebellion, and told them, that this sessinge was for no other purpose, but that they should grant themselves to become bondmen & slaves: and therefore he exhorted all his countrymen to defend & maintain their liberty. For so (said he) should it come to pass, that if they had good luck, they should not only enjoy their own goods in much prosperity, but also being established. in their possessions, get great praise for their manhood. And that they must not look to be helped at God's hand, except that withal they would study to help themselves. The rascold people were glad to hear this, insomuch that thereby they were much moved to adventure this their wretched enterprise. Who for desire of lucre under the pretence of defending their liberty so much troubled their whole country, as it is not well able to be told. For where soever they came, they murdered men, and rob them and without respect killed, as well friends as enemies: and all such as were noble and notable men they rydded out of the way. And while as in a furious rage one slew another amongs themselves, foreign enemies did invade them, and great dearth and famine befell among them. This telleth josephus. So that whosoever will compare these two rebellions together, shall easily perceive, how both they themselves by their detestable enterprise wrought their own destruction, and God sent his vengeance upon them beside, as a scourge for their frantic madness. Wherefore if we will save our souls from damning, save our bodies from killing, save our country from spoiling, and avoid the great vengeance of god, let us from henceforth beware of rebellion. And surely persuade ourselves, that our gracious Lady & mistress the Queen, because she is the humble hand maid of God, elected and chosen by him to rule and reform this realm, which was so far out of order and ●rame, will go about nothing but that shallbe to gods glory, and the wealth of all us her loving subjects. For all her delight and pleasure is, to see gods glory advanced, and this her Realm recover the honourable state, that it hath been in time past.  
Now then considering her godly purpose in this behalf, it shallbe every good man's duty every day to pray heartily for her, that she may long live, & reign over us▪ & whensoever any enemies go about to assault her, most willingly to spend our goods & lives to in her defence. As for her marriage, let us (as I said before) refer the matter to God the author thereof, & to her own wisdom, which hath chosen it. For if we should rebel therefore, we should not only seem to be w●●er than god, that (as we verily trust) hath made the marriage, but also to know better than her grace, whom she should most love & like. Now where as some percase both hath said, & as yet do say, that this noble prince of Spain is a stranger, and therefore both they themselves grudge at the Queen, because she hath married him, and also make other by their noughty persuasion to grudge likewise, herein surely they not only declare their lack of knowledge, as touching their duty & obedience to her grace but also displease almighty god her defender. Therefore it should be very well done for all such to call to memory a story, that is written in holy scripture▪ as concerning the like matter. We read, how that mary and Aaron did sore murmur and grudge against Moses, 
Num. 12  because he married a wife, which was a stranger, & borne in Aethiope. With which their grudge God being sore aggrieved, smote mary with a leprosy, insomuch that by reason that she was so greatly infected with it, she seemed as white as snow, and was in danger thereby to be destroyed. Do we not think that God now is just, as he was then, and is as sore offended with our murmuring hearts against the Queen, as he was then with theirs against Moses, and will punish our wickedness, as well as he did theirs, and the more that we grudge, the more grievously will he plague us▪ Why then saying we have no just cause of grudge, do we not leave our grudging, for fear that we so displease god, that he will not only smite us with the horrible disease of leprosy in our bodies, but also punish our souls with everlasting fire.  
And albeit the private grudge that one beareth toward another, doth much provoke god's wrath against us, yet the grudge, that we bear toward our prince is much more grievous. 
〈◊〉. 14  For when the children of irael murmured against Moses and Aaron their rulers, because they ●eared to be destroyed of the inhabitants of jury at such time, as they should enter into it▪ and wished that they had died in Egypt, God was so sore displeased with their grudge▪ that he said to Moses, I will destroy them all with plague and pestilence, & make thee a ruler over a greater numbered of people, and much more valiant. Again when they went from the hill called Hor, 
Num. ●●  and were with their long travail sore wer●ed, and by reason thereof much muttered against god and Moses, and said, why hast thou brought us of out Egypt▪ that we should die in wilderness, god sent among them fiery serpents, which sore tormented them, and killed many of them insomuch that they came to Moses and said. We have ●ore offended in that we have spoken against GOD and the●.  
Therefore all they that for any cause grudge against the queens grace, let them look for such like plagues, if they do not amend, & let them learn by these examples to lay away their grudging hearts, and meekly to acknowledge their folly, to ask God mercy, and to say with the children of Israel, we have grievously offended, for that we have murmered against thee, O Lord, and against our most gracious Queen. And let them neither secretly in their hearts grudge against their Prince, nor openly in their words speak evil by her, but follow the counsel of Solomon, 
●ap. 1.  where he sayeth: Keep yourselves from grudge, which availeth nothing, and temper pour tongue, that it slander nobody. For all they, that either in their hearts conceive any malice toward the Queen, or grudge at her, or utter evil words against her, are as well to be committed rebels, as those that bear harness against her. For these be the three special points (as you heard at the beginning) wherein rebellion standeth. As for their muttering that they make for her marriage, if they knew, how the Prince of Spain is unto us no stranger, but one of the blood royal of England, by reason that his father the emperors Majesty, 
That the prince of Spain is to us no stranger.  that now is, both by his father side & mothers cometh of the Kings of England, they would perhaps (as they have just cau●e) lay it apart, and both thank god heartily, that hath vouchsafed by his divine providence to bring to pass, that such two noble personages, coming both of one stock and lineage, that is to say, of the most valiant and famous Prince King Edward the third, should for th'advancement of the noble blood of England be joined together in marriage, & also be very glad in their hearts to know, that such a noble progeny, as themperors is, hath sprung out of the race of the kings of England, but to th'intent that it may plainly appear, that this is of an undoubted truth, I shall set forth, as it were in a table for all men to look upon, the lineal descent both of the Queen's Highness, and also of the said prince from King Edward the third, which lineal descent have I gathered partly out of the stories of England, and partly out of the stories of Spain, to th'intent that the truth thereof should thoroughly be known to all mean  
Hereby may we well perceive, that the queens grace taketh no stranger to marry with, but such one, as both by father and mother cometh of the royal blood of England, and now at length is called home, as it were to his native country, insomuch that no true English man hath any cause to grudge at the matter, but great cause hath he to marvel at the wonderful providence of god therein, and heartily to thank him to, that he of his goodness both hath so advanced the noble blood of England abroad in the world, by raising up thereof so many noble princes to govern his people, & also now in the end hath sent unto us a noble prince of the same blood to be joined in marriage with the Queen's highness, to the great honour of our country and all our comforts. For what can be more honourable for us, then to join with such a prince, whose progenitors have been for their noble acts renowned throughout the whole world, and for their singular virtue most highly promoted? For many noble victories have they gotten, many countries have they subdued, and always by their force & policy defended the state of Christendom against our mortal enemies the Turks.  
And because they were so much esteemed for their excellent virtue, vj. of their family▪ that is to say, of the house of Austria, hath been of late days chosen to be emperors. Of whom two were called Albert, & other two Fredrick, the .v. was named Maximilian, and the uj Charles that now reigneth.  
Or what ●an be more comfortable to us, then that the Queen's highness should have a Prince to her husband, that cometh of such a noble stock? Who although he was borne in a strange country, yet to us, because he cometh of the royal blood of England (as I said before) neither is, nor aught to be taken, as a stranger. And if any man doubt of this, let him peruse the chronicles of England & Spain, and he shall find my words true. Again if we fear him, because he was borne in Spain, let us call to remembrance the two most famous and notable Emperors of Rome, trajan and Theodosius the great, both Spaniards borne. Who being promoted to the Empeyre, so, while they reigned, did govern the same, as ever since of all men in all ages, they have been most highly commended▪  
Let us beside read the lives of the Kings of Spain, and we shall perceive very many of them to have been of such wisdom and virtue, and of so singular good qualities▪ as they may be thought able too match the Princes and rulers of any other country beside. But now some do say, that the Spaniards be so proud and high minded, that no man can well away with their behaviour. And the same report oftentimes in other countries hath gone upon us, that we were both proud & stubborn. But put the case, that divers of them and of us to were such in deed, shall we by and by judge all the rest to be of the same sort? Such perhaps of both twain as lack wisdom, be for the most part of that condition. But surely they, that be wise, be all so sober, discrete and gentle. For wisdom always worketh such effects in those, that hath it.  
As for the prince himself, he is not only wise and sober, but also of a very gentle behaviour.  
And good cause surely hath he to be so. 
The prince's quali●ies.  For both hath he an excellent wit of nature, & also a father of singular wisdom to learn at▪ yea & grave counselors continually about him, whose sage and sober advise he is always ready and willing to follow. And nothing is there, that more declareth a man to be wise, then that he will stick to much to his own fantasy, but gladly both hear those, that be wise, and also follow their counsel. Now that he is of gentle behaviour well appeareth in that, that all his subjects so hearth love him, & are very loath to lack his presence, which thing they have of late well declared. For when it was known among them, that he should come to marry our queen, albeit they much rejoiced in the marriage, yet they much lamented, & took great sorrow for his departing, by reason that he hath at all times in all points so gently behaved himself toward them, & therefore they had rather have died, then that he should have departed from them. 
Three special virtues of the prince.  And three special virtues god hath given him to win men's hearts withal, liberality, mercy, and patience. For both to noble & mean men, to gentle and simple, to rich and poor he is so liberal, that all, that have to do with him, have great cause to bear him good will. And again if any man offend him, if he be sorry therefore, he is ready to pardon him, and mercifully to deal with him. And in these points he is very like to our most graous sovereign the queen, As for his patience that is so singular, that for the same he may well be compared with the sage and famous philosopher Socrates. For those that perfitly know him, report that no displeasure, misfortune, or adversity can move him, and that no man hath for any cause seen him at any time angry. And although that all other virtues are in a Prince very commendable, yet none is there, that is so much to be esteemed in him, as godly patience.  
Wherefore seeing this noble Prince of Spain is garnished with such goodly virtues, as the Spaniards have good cause to lament for his departing, so we English men have just occasion to rejoice for his coming. By means whereof we shallbe joined in sure amity with two or three noble countries▪ Spain, Flaunders, & the rest of low Germany.  
And great commodities hath this realm always received by traffic had with these countries, as all they, that use the trade of merchandise beyond the seas, can very well show us. For what a benefit is it for this realm to have free liberty to convey such things from hence thither, as we have plenty of, & to bring in those again from thence hither, that we have need of? Over this our country hereby shall greatly be strengthened, and well fortified against our ancient enemies, who are very sore displeased with this noble marriage, because they fear, that from henceforth they shall not be so able to work us displeasure▪ but that we shall be more able on tother side always by Gods help not only to defend ourselves, but also to give them an overthrow, & to revenge their malice against us. Wherefore saying that our enemies are so sore a grieved with this marriage, it is our parts, if we love our country, to be very glad of it. For our enemies evermore are sorry for our commodity, because that whatsoever is hurtful to us, they much rejoice thereat. For men for the most part are naturally inclined to be glad of their enemy's harms. Then let us not be sorry for that, that our enemies are sorry for, lest we seem to have the same affection, that they have, and so to hate our country, but because they be sorry, let us be glad, thereby declaring, that we heartily love our country.  
Let us follow the Spaniards example in rejoicing for this marriage. Who at such time, as sure tidings were brought into Spain, as touching the same, they were all so glad of it, as though they had received some joyful tidings from heaven. Which their great gladness they well declared at the coming thither of our Ambassadors, whom they received with such great honour, with so singular gentleness, and wonder full joy, as the like heretofore hath been very seldom heard of. Why then do not we the same, and show ourselves ready with as glad hearts to receive them?  
If perhaps our love toward them be so cold, that it doth nothing move us thereto, yet let either the honour of our own country, which we own specially to regard, or else the commodities▪ that we shall receive by them, some thing move us in this behalf.  
And such as at the first can not frame their fantasies so freely to do it, as it would be done, let them yet at the lest dissemble & bear them fair countenance unto such time, as they shall have cause by reason of their gentle behaviour, both to like and love them. Again sithen that the friendship and amity of their country is so necessary for us, me think, that we should both be right glad of them, and also much rejoice in that, which is cause thereof. And truth is it (as Herodotus writeth) that no one region or country is there, 
Herodot. in Clio.  that hath not oftentimes need both of the aid of any other, and also of the commodities thereof.  
Wherefore such folks, as are not contented with such a noble marriage, may be reckoned little to consider either the wealth of their country, or the Queen's honour. Again the conditions of the marriage, which be expressed in an Act of Parliament, made only for that purpose, are so honourable and so commodious for England, as all englishmen, that favour their country, are greatly bounded to give God hearty thanks for such a marriage. And there be also such provisions in the conditions thereof for the good and quiet behaviour of all those, that shall come in with the said noble Prince, that no man hath cause to fear any trouble at their hands.  
Let us then behave ourselves toward them, as it becometh us: And no doubt but that we shall find such gentle friendship in them▪ that we shall have just cause to love them, and gently to entertain them. And besides this no strange thing is it, that the queen marrieth with a foreign prince. For it is the common practice of all princes of the world in a manner to join marriage for the most part with foreign princes, both for to make sure friendship betwixt realm and realm, and also for the commodities that commonly ensue thereof. Yea and good stories make mention, that the like case, that the queens Highness marriage standeth in, hath oftentimes in other realms been seen. For Isabella daughter too john king of Castle, that was brother to Henry, when as her brother Henry died without issue, 
Tarapha. de orig. reg. Histo.  and that she was crowned Queen of Castle, by & by was joined in marriage with Ferdinand the .v. king of Arragon, & so was those two kingdoms that marriage made all one. Which Ferdinand so well and wisely governed those countries, that all men both heartily loved him, and greatly also commended him.  
Beside he expulsed out of that part of Spain, which is called Granade, the moor that had by force holden that country seven hundredth years. And over that he thrust out a great numbered of Saracenes and Turks, and banished with them their false faith, and after builded goodly churches to the glory and honour of God.  
Marry also daughter to Charles, Duke of Burgundy, being heir to her father, was married to Maximilian themperor a foreign prince. Who was for his excellent wisdom and virtue much renowned, and for his noble acts wan himself in the world great honour.  
Isabella likewise daughter to Ferdinand king of Castle and Arragone, after her brother john's, and her eldest sister Isabel's death, being the heir to the crown of Castle and Arragone, was married to Philip Arch. Duke of Austria, a foreign prince to. Who so nobly governed those countries, that all the people thereof did greatly honour him, heartily love him, and most humbly obey him.  
And many other such like marriages have been made in the world, which have had so prosperous success, that not only the parties, that made them, took much comforts therein, but also the countries, wherein they were made, received always much honour and commodity thereby. Therefore this marriage of the Queen's highness ought not to seem strange to any man, because the like in other realms hath oftentimes been made before. Again many marriages have been made at sundry times, (as both our own chronicles, and the cronitles of Spain do testify) betwixt the noble country of Spain and us, & good success have they had, and much friendship by means thereof hath grown betwixt us and them. And both the realms have much rejoiced therein, & waxed rich and wealthy thereby, insomuch that all good men and such as earnestly tender the good & prosperous estate of our country, these causes well considered▪ will reckon us happy, that only God, as it appeareth, hath thus honourably provided for us, and hath by this means renewed the old amity and friendship, that hath been betwixt England and Spain.  
But now as for those that rebelled of late, albeit that they pretended, that all their grief came of this marriage, & got them a Spanish cloak to cover their cursed devise withal, and so showed themselves disobedient to God and unkind to their prince, yet meaned they nothing less. For a man may be bold to say this, that if the prince of spain had been a favourer of heresy, and given to such fond fantasies, as these folks were themselves, howsoever he had been qualified otherwise, they would never have made rebellion for the matter, but with most glad hearts have received him, hoping thereby to have recovered their abominable and blasphemous heresy again. But because he is a catholic prince, a favourer & defender of Christ's church, and son to the emperors majesty, who always hath most earnestly maintained the catholic faith, they could not abide him, nor in no wise hear of his coming, fearing that thereby their wicked heresy should be banished out of this realm, and all the preachers thereof from thenceforth might put up their pipes, wherewith they had (as Mercury did with Argos) not only brought the people a sleep, 
Ovid. Metamorph. lib. 1.  but also afterward put out their eyes, and made them stark blind.  
Therefore the very cause of this last commotion was religion now by God and the Queen's highness brought again to the old ancient order and state, 
The very causes of our last rebellion.  appointed by Christ's catholic Church: against which these rebels dare so deadly hatred, that they had rather have lost their lives (as many of them have done) then to be brought to receive it.  
And because they minded to maintain their wicked heresy still, they purposed like most miserable and cruel wretches by force of arms first to put down the Queen's Highness, to deprive her of her crown, to rid her and all her faithful counselors out of the way, and then to have set up such rulers and counselors, as would have set forth heresy a fresh. And after that all the dispersed brethren, that be of heresies guild and fraternity should have repaired together again, and broached the dregs of their devilish doctrine to the people, as they had done before. But god, whose glory they minded utterly to desace, whose handmaiden they had contrived cruelly to kill, whose true servants they fully purposed with fire and sword to persecute, suffered them to run forth headlong to their own destruction, for when as they hoped surely to have their purpose, and came even to the very point, suddenly god or ever they were aware, lift up his mighty hand against them, and in a very moment vanquished them, and gave them into the hands of his faithful servant our sovereign lady the Queen. Who while the field was in fighting, was fervently occupied in praying. And when as tidings was brought her, that by treason all was lost, she like a valiant Champion of Christ nothing abashed therewith, said that she doubted not at all, but her captain (meaning thereby our saviour Christ) would have the victory at length, and falling to her prayers again, anon after had she word brought her, that her men had won the field, and that Wyate her enemies captain was taken.  
So that hereby every man may evidently see, that God would not suffer either such a virtuous Lady, and a pure virgin to be destroyed, or his catholic faith, which he had of late by her so graciously restored, to be by th'enemies of his church with violent force overthrown. Which thing he well declared likewise in the wonderful fall of the late Duke of Northumberlande, who rebelled both against the Queen's highness, and also against Christ's catholic Church. Which two miraculous victories are sufficient to make all men take heed, as they rebel either to destroy the true faith of our saviour Christ, or against such a godly head & ruler, whose great godly virtue may well be perceived in that, that she never goeth about any weighty matter, or attempteth any great enterprise, but first entereth she into her privy closet▪ and there upon her knees prayeth god most heartily, that he will of his goodness assist her in that she intendeth, and so bring her purpose to pass, that the same may be to his glory and the wealth of all her subjects.  
And whensoever she falleth into any trouble or danger, she faileth not to do the like▪ so that men may well think, that having god on her side, as both she most earnestly prayeth to have, and also it plainly appeareth, that she hath, she shallbe always able to give her enemies an overthrow, & say with the holy prophet David, 
Psal. 26.  mine enemies that troubled me are discomfited, and hath catched a fall. But alas what hard hearts have those, that if she were but a private woman, being so gentle of nature, so virtuous and so merciful, could draw their sword against her▪ and go about to shed such innocent blood? For albeit that all bloudeshedde is cruel and horrible in the sight of god, yet the shedding of so a pure virgins blood, is of all other most cruel and detestable. For both men's ears utterly abhor to hear it, and god himself is moste grievously offended with it.  
Do we not read of cruel paynims, that when they had gotten the upperhand of their enemies in battle, and murdered many men therein, always had compassion of the the women, and virgins specially, upon whom they would lay no violent hands. As it is written of Alexander the great, 
Plutarch in vita Alexandri.  who when he had overcome Darius in the field, and taken two daughters of his, because they were virgins, he had pity upon them, and very mercifully and gently entreated them, and with most friendly words & great honour entertained them. What should christian men then do with such as be virgins, should they, if they were their deadly enemies, go about to shed their blood? No no they should spare them, and for pure pity they should pardon them to. For the Children of Israel were commanded, 
Deut. 20  that when they besieged any city, they should first offer peace to the inhabitants thereof. And if they refused it, than should they kill all the men, that were found within it, the women and young tender babes always excepted. So that seeing all women were excepted, the virgins by this commandment in the dangers of war, were always kept harmless.  
Then forasmuch as virgins, that be our enemy's children, must have mercy showed them, how should men use those virgins, that never offended them, that be their friends, yea that most heartily love them? Or after what sort should we behave ourselves toward our gracious Lady & mistress, a most pure and perfit virgin, who loveth every one of us as her own life, who most carefully travaileth to enrich us, & set us at quiet. Who desireth to live only for our wealth and commodity. For to die were much more acceptable to her, (as she saith oftentimes) then to live in this miserable and wretched world.  
Which earnestly considered, great cause have we to adventure our goods, lives, and lands in her highness defence, and to do, 
2. Re. 15  as one Ethai Getheus did to king David, when his son Absalon rebelled against him.  
This Ethai when he heard of David's trouble, repaired to him with speed. To whom David said: Why comest thou from thy place and mansion? Thou comest but now, and art constrained to go forth with us. But it is best for thee to return home, and take thy retinue with thee. And for thy gentleness and fidelity toward me, I pray GOD requite thee. To whom answered Ethai. As true as God liveth, and as true as your grace liveth, wheresoever you shall become, there will I your servant be, and take such part, as you shall do, and with you to die and live.  
Such hearts ought all faithful subjects to bear to their Prince▪ that they uncalled should most gladly offer their service, when occasion serveth and be well contented to adventure their lives in such a good quarrel, and so to tender their head and governor, as the child is bound to tender his mother. And were not he to be counted a cruel wretch, that would kill his own mother▪ as did Orestes? Then seeing that our noble Queen is to every one of us, as a most tender and loving mother, how miserable a man should he be, that would once lift up his hand to destroy her? For albeit that it is a most heinous and detestable act for a man to shed his own private & natural mother's blood, yet much more heinous & horrible is it for one to go about the destruction of her, that is the mother of a whole realm. And we should herein follow th'example of the simple bees, which so tender their king & governor, that if he have miss his way, they will diligently seek for him, smell him out, and follow him to such time, as they have found him. And when he waxeth old, and is not able to fly, they bear him upon their backs, and if he die, then depart they all from that place. Doth not nature herein teach all subjects to tender & love their prince, as the poor bees do their king? And besides this we ought to consider, that she is the anointed of God, as all lawful Princes and governors be, and that we are commanded in scripture, that we lay no violent hands upon them that be anointed. 
psal. 104.   
And herein ought we to follow th'example of the holy Prophet David. Who when he was persecuted by king Saul, 
1. Re. 24  and constrained for safeguard of his life to fly to rocks, and there to hide him, & all his retinue in a den, and that Saul entered into the same den to do his natural easement, and that David's men said to him, that now the day was come, that GOD had promised before, that Saul should be given into his hands, went to Saul, and did no more, but privily cut away the edge of his cloak. And yet his conscience was so aggrieved for that deed, that he said to his men.  
GOD be merciful to me, and suffer me never to lay hands upon my Lord Saul, the anointed of God. For I swear, that as surely as God liveth, that I will never lay my hand upon him, being the anointed of God. But he shall for me die either by the plague of God, or by natural death, when his day cometh, or be killed in battle. God forbid that ever I should once stretch forth my hand to hurt him, being God's anointed.  
Such a conscience had David, and so heinous an offence thought he it to lay hands upon him, that cruelly persecuted him, and was his deadly enemy. But alas what a sore troubled conscience ought such folks to have, as minded cruelly to murder their most gracious sovereign Lady the queen, who so heartily loved them, who was always so careful for them, and tendereth their wealth and commodity no less, than her own? How unkind folks be those, that hateth her, that loveth them, and goeth about to reward kindness with killing, and to destroy her, that studieth always possible to save them? These men remember little the words▪ that God said to Cain, when he had killed his brother, 
Gen. 4.  The blood of thy brother crieth up to me from the earth. Wherefore thou Shallbe accursed upon the earth, which is opened and hath drunk up thy brother's blood.  
And in another place he sayeth: 
Gene. 9.  Whosoever sheddeth man's blood upon earth, his blood Shallbe shed. And albeit that the killing of every private person is horrible in the sight of god, and is never fusfred unpunished, yet the kill of a prince is much more detestable, & those that adventure that wicked act, escape not at length some miserable & wretched end. For what became of Abimelecke, the (to th'intent, 
judic. 9  that he might be king himself) killed his threescore & ten brethren, that should have ruled and reigned in Sichem with him? Was he not at the last miserablely killed by a woman? For when he assaulted a tower, & came to the gate thereof to set it on fire, a woman having in her hand a piece of a broken millstone, hurled it down at his head, and therewith dashed out his brains? Thus was this wretch rewarded for his wretched enterprise. Came not the like punishment upon those, 
2. Re. 2. 2. Re. 4.  that killed Isboseth the king of Irael upon his bed, as he was sleeping? whose head afterward they brought to David, thinking thereby to get thanks at his hand, because than he should be king over all Israel. But David highly displeased with the murder, commanded his men straight way to kill them, and to cut of their hands and feet, and hang them over a pond in Hebron.  
What need I here to recite you the story of Achitophel, 
2. Re. 17  who when Absalon rebelled against his father King david, said unto Absalon thus:  
I will appoint myself twelve thousand men, and this night will I pursue thy father King David, and I will set upon him now, being ●ore wearied, and faint. And when all his men are fled from him, and he left alone, then will I kill him.  
But to what conclusion came this coursed counsel and cruel intent of his? when as David had escaped this danger by means of privy messengers, that were sent by certain secret friends of his, Achitophel perceiving, that his counsel was not done, got him home to his house, and like a miserable wretch hanged himself. And so was he most justly plagued for his rebellious and cruel device. 
P●lydore Sir Thomas More knight in the life of king Richard the third. Edward Ha● in the first year of king. Richard the third.  Or what shall I need here to call to memory a story written in our own chronicles of king Richard the third. Who when he was Duke of Glocestre, because he would be king himself, put the children of Edward the four which were the true and lawful heirs of this realm into the tower, and after like a most cruel tyrant, caused them to be smored betwixt two feather beds? But what became of him after? Was he not within short space slain in the field by king Henry the seventh, & so justly rewarded for the cruel bloudeshedde of those innocent children? Therefore let no man, that either killeth the anointed of God, or else purposeth to kill him, think that he shall escape unpunished, but let him assure him self, that though he avoid danger for a season, yet shall he at length be paid home with double punishment. And let him learn by these examples to eschew such an heinous offence, & whensoever he is by the devil provoked thereto, let him pray to God (as David did) and say: Lord be merciful to me, and suffer me never to lay hands upon my sovereign, nor to contrive any traitorous devices against the anointed of God. For so shall he disappoint the devil of his purpose, and save himself from peril of perishing. And if the devil will not thus cease (most loving country men) but still stir up our hearts to make rebellion, yet let us consider, that what cause soever he putteth in our heads, and laboureth to make us believe, that it is a good cause, we ought never to believe him, both because that whatsoever he telleth us▪ it is but a lie, by reason that he is the father of lying, and also that no cause is there at all, for which we may justly make commotion.  
Yea and this will I say, that if ever we english men had cause to be quiet, and to love our head and ruler, now is the time. For those that be poor, if they be by any man wrongfully oppressed, the Queen's pleasure is, that they shall have justice, and recover their right. Or if they be rich, she is glad of it, and wisheth that they, (so that it be by honest means) wax more rich. If they be gentlemen, or men of honour▪ they may be assured to continue in their state and degree, so that they do their duty to godward, and bear always a faithful heart to their prince. But some percase will say, that justice is not so duly executed, as it ought to be: And that money and friendship maketh of a bad matter a good, and of a good matter a bad. And that there is as much bribery, and taking of rewards (which is a pitiful hearing) used now a days, as ever was.  
All this may be true, and yet the Prince nothing to be blamed therefore. For saying that her grace hath so often exhorted all such, as be in authority & office to minister justice without partiality, and to beware alway of taking of bribes, if any cause be unjustly determined, or any bribes taken for any matter▪ she is discharged thereof, and the burden lieth upon their backs, that is the ministers of justice, and whose hands are replenished with bribes and rewards.  
Therefore sithen that her highness travaileth by all means to see every man to have his right, and doubteth not by God's help, if God send her life, to redress things that are out of order, and so to provide, that all her loving subjects shall have a prosperous and happy life under her, me think, every one of us should most heartily love her, wish her long life and good health▪ pray God to assist her, and to send her strength to vanquish her enemies, and not to hate her, not to wish her death, not to rebel against her, not to seek her blood, as men of late have done. For than might a man▪ that heartily loveth both her grace, and us, say thus very well in her behalf unto us.  
Most dearly beloved country men, what cause have we to hate our most lawful lady & mistress, placed by god in the government of this realm, and by all our consents established in the same? What goeth she about, that should so aggrieve us? Doth she not, as much as lieth in her, labour to advance the glory of god, which is the especial office of every good Christian prince? Doth she not travail to defend Christ's true faith, whereby every one of us trusteth to be saved? Doth she not maintain the Catholic church of god, and the laudable ordinances thereof?  
Doth she not seek always possible to bring all those that be infected with heresy, to their dear mother again, the spouse of Christ, whom they had of late utterly forsaken? Doth she not study all that she can to save us both body and soul? Yea and she heartily wisheth every one of us as well to far▪ as she would herself. And such is her goodness, that she provideth rather for our profit▪ then for her own. Beside this she by all means seeth the good laws of this Realm to be duly observed. She giveth also most strait charge to all her officers to execute justice. She monisheth all them that be in authority, to beware of bribery, & taking of reward. And she exhorteth all the clergy of this Realm to be diligent in doing their duties. She moveth the nobility, that they be gentle unto us, & that they by no means go about to hurt us, or with fines & in comes impoverish us? What would we have her highness to do? She laboureth for us, she liveth for us, and she ruleth for us. For else why should her grace take the untolerable pains, that she doth, but for us? She breaketh many a sleep, that we may sleep quiet lie. She taketh much care & anguish to avoid us from care. She tosseth and turmoileth herself, to set us at ease. She taketh no pleasure in this life, but only for our commodity. For what cause should she desire to live▪ saying she hath such a painful life, but only to save our lives? Or why should she not wish to be gone out of this misery, and to be at rest with our Lord & saviour jesus Christ▪ but that she would fain, or she went hence, deliver us from misery? Her highness is appointed by almighty God to govern us. For what purpose I pray you? To seek her own pleasure, to satisfy her own lusts, to study for her own private wealth? No no she knoweth that God requireth of her, and of all Princes likewise, that they feed the people, that they nourish them, that they promote the good, and punish the bad: That they love their subjects, and look diligently to them. If we did consider, what grievous cares, what broken sleeps, what fearful dreams, what doubtful counsels, what storms and troubles she hath for our sakes, we should have just cause heartily to thank her grace, that she would leave the quiet state of life, that she was in before, and take this unquiet state upon her, that she now liveth in.  

Plutark.  There was a king in old time, that cast down his crown upon the ground, and said these words to those, that were present with him. If a man perfectly knew, and with all well considered, what sorrowful cares are under that royal crown, he would never take the pains once to take it up. Therefore think this, that the pains be hers, and the pleasure is ours.  
Then how unkind, or rather how hard hearted are we, if we go about to reward her kindness with displeasure, and to be ungentle to her, that is so gentle to us, to fight against her, that laboureth to defend us, to seek her death, when she seeketh our life, to contrive like cruel wretches to destroy her, seeing y● her highness so earnestly travaileth to save us. Of late we were in bondage and god hath delivered us by her. We were oppressed with all kind of misery, and god hath most graciously looked upon us. We should have been made like pesauntes of France, that is to say, velaynes and slaves, if god had not had compassion upon us through her. And yet doth her highness challenge no part of the praise, but referreth it all to god, who specially deserveth it. We were before every day afeard to lose all that we had, and stood in danger thereof, but now may we quietly rest, and think that we shallbe assured to enjoy our own. For oppression is banished by justice, and right taketh place by the law. What cause have we then to grudge at her grace, to conspire against her, to lift up our sword as cruel wretches to murder her. Alas what a deadly malice have we in our hearts, to desire her blood, seeing that she sore sigheth and lamenteth, if any of us miscarye? But some will say perhaps. that her marriage doth displease them. Why so I beseech you? Doth not she intend to enrich us thereby? Doth not she travail (as you have heard before) to get much honour to this our country again, Which hath (as David sayeth) been a mocking stock to all other countries about it? 
Psal. 43.  If her grace knew, that any displeasure should come to this realm by her marriage, (for so he● grace said openly in the guild hall in London) she would rather never marry while she lived. For God did marry her (said she) to this region, when she was anointed and crowned our Queen. And as he is an evil husband, that seeketh the wives displeasure, so is he an evil ruler, that worketh the woe of his subjects. Therefore be we well assured, that she neither doth, nor intendeth to do that, that is like lie to hurt this realm, or to hinder the commodity of any inhabitant thereof, but much to advance it, and by God's help to reduce it to the old estate▪ and honourable estimation again. As for strangers we need not to fear. For if they do any injury to any subject of hers, they shallbe punished by the laws of this realm, as we be. And if they behave themself gently, as it is very like that they will, we shall have cause to love them to join friendship with them, and to make much of them. For so shall we deserve thanks both of them▪ & at god's hand to, who willeth us that we offend not, or hurt any stranger. And if her grace marry after her own fantasy, me think we should bear with her, if we love her. For if she should constrain any of us to marry one, that he could not love and like, he would be little contented with it. Wherefore let us content ourselves with that, that she doth in this behalf, and pray God heart lie, that this her grace's marriage may have such success, as both God may be pleased therewith, and we receive benefit thereby, and her highness take comfort therein. We have been well pleased in time past, the her noble father should marry strangers, and have joyfully received them. Wherefore we might (me think) be much better contented with her grace's marriage, saying that the noble Prince that she marrieth, albeit he seemeth to be a stranger, yet because he cometh of the noble blood of England (as you have learned before) is in deed no stranger. And again that our Lord God only moveth her thereto for her comfort (as we trust) and all ours to. But I fear the the matter the we grudge at, is not the marriage, but her faith & religion, in the maintenance where of she hath always from her tender age hither to constantly stand: & mindeth by god's assistance to continued in the same to her lives end. For it is not a faith newly invented, and set forth of late days▪ but begun by Christ, taught by his Apostles and their successors, confirmed with the blood of all holy martyrs, established by the consent of all good godly writers, and universally received of the whole Catholic church of Christ. Which earnestly to stick to▪ she feareth not: by which to be saved, she doubteth not: & which constant lie to defend, she ceaseth not. And be we well assured, that she would not forsake it (as her highness hath oftentimes both in word and deed declared) if she knew certainly, that she should lose the crown of this realm therefore, and her life to. For whosoever they be that loseth any thing for gods cause and his true faith, they shall win a hundredth times more for it, and be glad of their loss for such great g●ynes. And this would her highness neither say, nor do, except she knew surely the truth to be on her side▪ and that god is pleased therewith: Which he hath well declared unto her highness in these two notable victories, that of his goodness he hath sent her of late. If she had been an adversary of his truth, and of his holy word, as some folks report her, he would never have so aided her, & so mightily always against the assaults of her enemies, defended her, But thus much may her highness say without boast, because it is not for her own glory, which she nothing regardeth, but only to declare god's goodness toward her that she hath▪ as became the poor handmaid of God continually since she was a child, from time to time embraced both our Saviour Christ's doctrine, which is the door unto truth, and the catholic faith of his church, which is the staffs of salvation, and so loved both twain, as she did little esteem worldly honour, or life either in comparison of them. For whensoever she was either by gentle exhortation, by fair promises, yea or by threatening (as sometime she was) moved to forsake the catholic faith, & to leave of the godly ordinances of the church, she never would relent, but setting all worldly things at nought, and caring nothing for the malice of men, mynnded rathe● to die for the defence of her faith, then to live in honour with the forsaking thereof. And this hath her grace done not of herself only, but by thassistance of God's grace, who hath always aided her. And mercifully accepted her poor service herein, and hath both favoured her therefore, & so will do still, and not forsake her, as she feareth not, and daily she beseecheth him heartily, that he do not: And not only her, but all other that embrace the same faith, because it is y● faith of his blessed spouse the church▪ whose lips be sweeter to her husband Christ, 
Cant. ●.  than honey combs. Whose tongue is as pleasant as milk and honey. Therefore most dearly beloved country men) this cause, why we ought specially to love her grace▪ because it is for our soul's health, let it not be occasion to hate her. For if we knew surely, as she doth▪ what pleasure we should have in it, what profit we should take of it, & what danger we should avoid by it, we would most harteli thank her highness, who by god's help had brought us again to it. But the mists of the cloudy and cursed doctrine of Luther & his adherentes have so dimmed our sight, that we can not see it, & some of us there be (more pity is it) that will not see it. But I pray god we may shortly see it, and return unto it, and say with David, we will go into the house of god, 
●●al. 121.  which is the Catholic Church. Approach unto it, and GOD will approach unto us, because he is within it. And fear GOD, and he will favour us, and be obedient to her grace, our lawful prince and governess▪ and then she will not fail most tenderly to love us, to labour and travail for our wealth and commodity. And albeit that some of us have of late murmered against her, yet let the example of other that did so before, and are plagued by gods just judgement for their grievous offence, be a warning for us to take heed. And let us obey her, not for fear, but for veri love. For in deed to punish us is her great grief, because she would that the least here of our heads should perish. Therefore let us not force her grace to that, that her nature doth abhor. Nor give her occasion to say, as her noble progenitor king Henry the .v. said after the rebellion made against him by Richard the Earl of Cambrige, 
Polyd. lib 22.  & Henry the lord Scrupe, and Thomas Grace after this sort.  
Consider, said he, the rash folly of these folks: they persecute me, who night and day to th'uttermost of my power enforce myself to profit the common wealth: And to that end I toil and travail continually, and study always, that I can, to do good to all my subjects, and think myself borne for that purpose. But I pray god, that there be never one among you, whose traitorous heart I may worthily blame, and say, that he had rather have me destroyed, than his country to be in good state preserved, and in honour increased. These words said Henry the .v. to his subjects. Which I trust verily hereafter we will never give our▪ gracious Queen occasion to say. But contrariwise, much to commend us to rejoice in our obedience▪ to take comfort in our peace and quiet behaviour: Which shallbe acceptable to god, thankful to her grace and very profitable for ourselves to.  
Now then (most dear & loving country men) seeing that we are well assured, that our most gracious lady the Queen by reason of her godly virtue, wherein she excelleth, and for the great fervent love, that she beareth to every one of us, she will thoroughly perform these things, we have great cause to give god most heartily thanks▪ the sent her unto us, & hath so graciously dealt with us for her sake. For it seemeth, that as God said to the children of Israel in King David's time, 
2. Reg. 5  I will by the hand of my servant David save my people of Israel from the hands of the Philistians, and all their enemies, so sayeth he now to: I will by the hand of mine humble handmaid mary save my people of England from the assaults of their enemies. If we were oppressed by her, if we were spoiled through her means, or if we were cruelly handled at her hand, then might men have something to say. But no such matter is there. For her grace is so gentle, so buxom, so merciful, so liberal, of so god lie conversation & excellent virtue, that if she were among Turks, Saracenes, or jews, she would undoubtedly win their hearts, & cause them both heartily to love her, & also to be ready to defend her. How ungentle then may we be thought, that can not love such a gracious lady, & with glad hearts be obedient to her? But the very matter of all our grudge is (as we were told a little before) her catholic religion. Which how good and godly it is, we may easily perceive, if we compare it with that, that hath been now of late years among us.  
It is grounded upon the consent of all Christ's catholic church, which is the sure foundation of truth. Tother is grounded only upon the consent of a few in corners, and yet never one of them agreeth with another. The religion that the Queen's grace maintaineth, is fiftenne hundredth year old: this new religion is scarcely two hundredth years old. The catholic religion is, and hath been universally received througheoute the whole world: This of theirs hath been received but here and there in a few places, and of all the world beside condemned. And Vincentius a good holy writer thinketh, that these be the special points to try religion (that is to say) the ancientness of time, the universal receiving of it, 
Vincent. lib. adver sus prophanashae resum novirates.  and the whole consent of the church. For thus he writeth. In the catholic church we must take diligent heed, that we stick to that, which is in every place, always, and of all men believed. For this in deed is catholic▪ as the word itself doth plainly declare, which verily containeth all universally. But this shall we do, if we follow the universal faith, and believe the ancientness of time and the whole consent of Christ's church. And now for the universal believe, that shall we follow after this sort. If we think that faith to be true, which all Christ's Church throughout the world doth confess. As for ancientness of time, that shall we follow, if we in no wise go from the senses & interpretations of scripture, that we manifestli know to have been commonly used and allowed of the holy and ancient fathers. The whole consent of Christ's Church shall we follow, if we submit ourselves to the ancient determinations and sentences either of all bishops, priests, and doctors, or else at the lest of all most al. And the same writer a little after teacheth us how to know a true christian Catholic man thus. He is a true catholic man in deed, which loveth god's truth, his church, and the body of Christ: which also preferreth nothing, that is to say▪ neither any one man's authority, nor love▪ nor wit, nor eloquence, nor knowledge of philosophy, before godly religion and the faith catholic, but despising all these, and sticking stead fastly and surely to his faith, thinketh that he is bounden to hold and believe only that, the he knoweth the catholic church of old universally to have holden and maintained. And let him suppose surely, that what new and strange doctrine or order soever is covertly and craftily brought in by any one man, either beside the minds of all holy and godly men, or else utterly contrary to them is brought in, not for to increase men's devotion & religion, but only to tempt them with all. Thus by the words of this godly author, who wrote above a thousand years ago, we may easily perceive, what sort of religion men ought to follow. Again the authors of the catholic religion are the apostles, and their successors: As Ireneus, justinus martyr▪ Cyprian, Clemens Alexandrinus, Origene, S. Hierom, S. Ambrose, S. augustine, S. Chrisostom, Basil, Gregorius Nazianzene, cyril, with infinite many more. The authors of this new sect, are Wic●ffe, Hus, Luther, Oecolampadius, Zuinglius, Bucer, Bullinger, calvin, and a great rabble beside. The authors of Christ's true religion were Martyrs, confessors, and holy saints all: The authors of this new religion were Apostatas that is to say, such as had been monks and friars, which broke their vows, cast of their coats, became like lay men, married nuns, called them wives, and so lived in abominable incest. The authors of the catholic religion were ●●ke, gentle, lowly, full of virtue, and godly conversation, despicers of the world, and the vanities thereof, chaste, avoid of ambition and covetousness, given all to fasting, prayer, and almose deeds. The authors of our new doctrine were proud, stubborn, presumptuous, of small virtue, and that only in appearance, lovers of the world, and much delighted with the pleasures thereof, lecherous, and carnal, greedy of honour, and of getting of goods: slack in praying▪ more slack in fasting, and altogether negligent in good deeds doing. For they thought fasting was Popery, and prayer superstition, & good deeds to avail us nothing at all. The authors of the catholic faith and religion were careful for peace, desirous of unity, favourers of obedience, and maintainers of all good order. The authors of our late religion, were causers of war not only betwixt prince and prince▪ but also bitwixte princes & their subjects, breakers of the unity of Christ's catholic church, sowers of sedition, workers of disobedience, and bringers in of all confusion & disorder: captains of carnal liberty, & defenders of the same. Of these ii sorts of men whom ought we give more credit to trow you? Shall we better trust Wicliffe, that because he could not come by the bishopric of Worcester, forsook Christ & his church, and became an heretic: or holy Ireneus, who for the maintenance of Christ's faith and his church forsook both his bishopric and his life to? Or shall we better believe Hus, that was a professed friar, and had vowed chastity, obedience, and wilful poverty, and after broke all, became a married man, and preached heresy in Boheme: Or S. Cyprian, that when he was a young man, was taken in love with a young woman, and after most earnestly repenting him thereof, lived chastely all his days, and ended his life by martyrdom? What shall we say to Luther that lewd lying friar, who because he could not obtain the preferment of a pardon, which he would have had thordering of, laid away his cote and his honesty to, passed not a pin for the breach of his vow. And then began he to babble and rail against the authority of the church, and the Sacraments thereof▪ And anon got he himself a 〈◊〉 Nun, so that men looked, that Antichrist should have been borne betwixt those twain, because that it had been said of old, that Antichrist should be borne betwixt a friar and a Nun. And here in folks were not much deceived: For albeit that Antichrist himself was not borne betwixt them, yet they brought forth a forerider of his, called false doctrine, which hath poisoned a great many, and prepared their hearts to receive their master antichrist. Shall we then trust better this licentious limitour, then S. Jerome, that commendeth unto us chaste life and virginity, and lived himself all his life time in perfit chastity? But to compare them one by one▪ it were to long, and yet not necessary. For you may learn by these what the rest be. Look upon the lives of both sorts, and you shall find the one to be corrupt, sensual and vicious the other to be pure, sober, & virtuous. Consider their doctrine. The one is pernicious, lewd, and carnal, the other is wholesome, substantial and godly. Read their books, and you shall perceive in the one blasphemy for blessing, railing for reasoning, and malice for modesty. And in the other, reverent speaking, sound knowledge, and an humble spirit. And this is certain, that whatsoever this new erroneous writers have, that is good, they have taken it out of the old writers. And whatsoever is nought, as the most part is, that is their own. Therefore if a man purpose to learn virtue, to learn good knowledge, & to learn the truth, let him read the old writers, and he shallbe satisfied. For as Plantus saith, that old wine and old comedies be best, so may we well say, that old writers far excelleth the new, by reason that the one sort are, as it were pure fountains, out of which these other being like rivers, are derived and drawn. And Cicero writeth, that it is great folly for a man, 
●● Acad. ●●●st.  that may come to the fountains, to 〈◊〉 to the rivers. But scarcely may we compare these new naughty writers to rivers, because they be more like to standing pools. For the longer they continue, the more corrupted they seem, and more fo●kes they infect. But a river the longer that it runneth, the better is it purged, and purgeth other things withal. Now then seeing, that this late religion and sect came out of these new-fangled writers, I much marvel, why men, that mind to be saved, will so much esteem it, and put their lives in jeopardy for it. If a man would well way it, he should easily perceive it to be nought, by reason of the naughty fruits, that are sprung out of it. Let our own country only be taken as an example herein. 
A discourse of the fruits, y● sprung of our new religion in England. Division from the catholic church.  When sensual lust of the body, and self will, (two meet mates for it) had ones brought it into this realm, the first thing that he took in hand, was to cut us of, and divide us from the whole universal church of god. And where as we were in deed but a member before, it would make us a whole body, and join thereunto such a head, as the like in all the world hath never been heard of, in so much that our church became as monstrous, as ever was either Chimaera or Centaurus, that the poets speak of. Which once done, every man (as Isaiah sayeth) waxed wise in his own conceit, 
Esa. 5. Presumption.  and so presumed to search for the secret mysteries of GOD. For as soon as they had the scripture translated into english (albeit very untruly as it well appeareth! in a great number of places, then begun they, 
Socrae. histor eccles. lib. 2.  as the Arrians did in Constantius days, to reason and dispute, & every man thought his own judgement best, and every day in a manner would he have a new judgement, and contemn all other folks judgement beside, and say that the holy fathers and writers authorities was but men's traditions, and that they all were oftentimes deceived. As for to seek any doctrine of God at their hands, it should be but folly. For every man was taught by the spirit of God said they: And so reckoned they themselves, that they were well enough learned, & that they were able to expound the holy scriptures of God of their own brains. And when they were once thus persuaded, 
The title of a good judgement  they were called men of a good judgement, which was a great commendation at that time: a goodly title to cloak their naughty purpose withal. But how good a judgement was it, I pray you, that judged bad to be good, vice to be virtue, and contagious heresy to be wholesome doctrine. It is an old saying and a true, that blind men can judge no colours. But verily this is as true. that blind ignorance can not judge of sound learning. Would we not call him a Physician of a naughty judgement, that would when he had seen a sick man's water, that were sore sick in deed, say that this man is not sick, but he is I warrant you hole and sound: So when we heard in time passed a new brother say, that a presumptuous ignorant fellow, was a learned man, and of a good judgement, might we not well say again, that such a man's judgement was to be much mistrusted. For he that would tell me, that a man, that had a pocky face, had a goodly fair visage, might not I say to him, that he were foul deceived. But what if he would bring another as blind as himself, to say the same, than had I good cause to say, as a good homely servant said once to his master, that would needs bear him down in a false matter, well master well I will not say you lie, because it be cometh me not, but never the less I wot, what I wot. If a man had got himself this goodly title, that he was of a good judgement, then if he were very ignorant, he should be called learned, if he were but a fool, he should be taken for a wise man, if he were but a very babbler in deed, he should be taken for a ready witted fellow: & were he never so lewd in behaviour, yet should he be counted a right honest man. For this good judgement, that I spoke of, was a cloak to cover all noughty conditions. More over a watcheword had they, that they might be known from other. For than would they not say, our lord save us, as all christian men use to say, 
The lord  but the lord save us. Whereby they would be known to have a several lord of their own. And albeit that S. Paul very oft useth this speaking (our Lord) to declare that all we Christian men do serve one Lord and master, 
Our lord  & that we be of one household, that is to say, of one church, insomuch that we may most conveniently say (our Lord) because we be all children of one father, and servants of one master, and knit together with the bound of charity, yet would these folks never say (our Lord) which they said was a papistical term, but (the Lord) which declared them to be favourers of gods word, as they thought. And this term was so universally used, that the poor beggars had got it by the end, by reason that begging thus (for the lords sake have pity upon the poor) they thought the sooner to speed, & you shall hear it of many of their mouths as yet. Nevertheless the term of itself is good and godly, if it be not abused for such a naughty purpose. For the holy Scripture both in the old testament and the new to, very often speaketh so. But surely for all christian men, when they speak of god, it is most convenient to say, our lord which is a term of mutual love, concord and unity. When they had ones learned this wacheword than began they to talk of the liberty of the gospel, and to exhort men earnestly to embrace the same. But what was this same liberty of the Gospel, 
Liberty of the gospel amongs our new brethren what it signifieth.  was it ought else, but the liberty of the flesh? For the devil their master had taught them this lesson, that they should give to wicked devices godly names: as to call carnal liberty, 
Godly names for wicked devices.  the liberty of the Gospel: abominable heresy, true doctrine: scripture falsely interpreted▪ Goddess word: an● arrogant spirit, the spirit of God: bold presumption, a godly zeal: a blasphemous raylour, a worthy preacher: books full of heresy, good godly books.  
And what followed this licentious liberty? 
fasting abolished  Was not then all fasting abolished? Would not men then, as Eustathius did, an heretic condemned in a general counsel holden at Gangris, 
Socra. histor eccle lib. 2.  break all fasting days appointed by the church, and some would fast upon the sunday, and upon friday, which hath ever since Christ's time been duly kept, in stead of fasting they fell to delicate feeding, and in stead of chastising the body, nourished it with deynteouse meats, and so made it well at ease? And if they had had but mean simple cheer all the week before, that day would they have their capons, coneys▪ chickens, and such fine meats to tame their bodies withal. And whosoever would not thus do, he favoured not God's word, as they said, but was enemy to the truth, & a papist to. And they would bid men to dinner upon the friday, to th'intent that they might allure them to eat flesh. For if they could once bring them to that, they thought they would wax shortly favourers of God's word (as they termed it) that is to say, of their heresy. Was not this (trow you) a goodly memory of Christ's payniull passion, 
Why we fast upon the friday.  that he upon the friday suffered for us? were not these folks well contented to subdue their carnal lusts as that day, and to offer up to god the sweet sacrifice of fasting and prayer, thereby to give him most hearty thanks for the grievous torments, & sorrowful death, that he suffered as that day for our redemption, for which end the catholic church of god hath most godly appointed that day always to be fasted? No no, where such good cheer was kept, there was small remembrance (I fear me) of Christ's holy passion. For to think thereupon, was to sour and bitter sauce for such sweet and pleasant meats. Was not this a goodly means to make the flesh obedient to the spirit, and to prepare men's hearts humbly and reverently to serve their lord god? Hereof came it to pass, 
Married priests.  that lecherous priests, that loved no fasting, said: they must needs have women which they called wives. For it is not possible (said they) for a man to live chaste. That might be truly said in deed of them, that sought not the means, whereby to live chaste. For seeing that fast they would not, and for prayer they cared not, and for study they much passed not, which be special helps to live chaste, no marvel was it, though they were provoked to leave their chaste life, and fall to wiving. But if so be they had tamed their tykkell lusts with oft fasting, and called upon God by earnest praying, they should never have fallen to such fond folly, for which they are now at God's hand most justly plagued. And I pray god, as they be worthily plagued, so they may humbly acknowledge the same, and with weeping eyes ask God mercy betime, that a greater plague fall not upon them at length. Let them consider their wicked act in marrying, and their abominable incest and adultery therein, & beside that their noughty doctrine, which they have taught since they had women, and how that they would not let to preach what men would have them, because they had now gotten their purpose. And men that were then in greatest authority, (perceiving their folly) thought they should get them to say what they would, when as ones they had given them licence to marry. And because these lewd priests should not lack company, the devil moved such religious folks, as were of an ungodly conversation, 
religious folks married.  that when they were ones set abroad, & had cast of their cowls, they should seek all means possible to satisfy their sinful lusts. Whereupon many of them became preachers of this new doctrine, and made the people believe, that licentious living (as I said before) was the liberty of the Gospel, to th'intent that the breaking of their solemn vows, which they had made to god, their taking of women, whom they named wived & their voluptuous pleasure, which they most earnestly sought for, might be well liked and allowed of the people. For like as those, that be delighted with carding and dicing, much travail in persuading other, that they intend nothing, but honest pastime, and that pastime is necessary for all men to drive away fantasies withal, so these religious, that I speak of, when they had tasted of the cup of carnal concupiscence, they told men, that they sought nothing, but the liberty of the Gospel, and following the footsteps of their master Martin Luther, became as stout and stubborn Apostatas, as ever he was himself. And these were the great pillars of our new English church, whereupon men grounded their faith, and upon whose backs they hang their salvation: whose names I could rehearse, if it were necessary, & whose licentious living I could easily describe. But both twain every man in manner knoweth without any telling. And I pray GOD, as they know them, so they may take heed of them, and as S. Paul warneth utterly fly from them, yea (and as they have good cause) sore repent, that ever they knew them. When these folks had gotten this fleshly liberty, than heresy went forward apace. But if they well weigh, how many have been deceived by them, and how sore, except they repent, they shallbe punished for every of them, they (me think) should have good cause to put sack cloth upon them, and to lie them down at the church door, as one Grebolius did, and pray all men, 
Socra. lib 3. histor. eccles.  that enter in there to tread upon them, as being unsavoury salt. And after in open audience to confess their false doctrine, that they have preached, and willingly to recant the same, and give all men warning to beware of it, and to return to their mother the Catholic Church again. And thus both to pacify God's wrath against them, and also to bring all such to the sure and sound faith of the Church, as they have through their wicked preachings utterly divided therefrom. Moreover hath not this carnal liberty brought to pass likewise, that men that abhorred fasting, being delicately fed, would to satisfy their wanton lusts, be divorced from their wives, yea and after marry again, 
Folks divorced did marry again.  their wives being as yet alive? And had they not masters, that would teach them this, and preach the same openly, and make books in maintenance of such abomination? Which masters told them, that there were two sorts of fornication, for which men or women might be divorced, one carnal, & another spiritual. Carnal, as when the wise had committed adultery with another man, or the husband with another woman. Spiritual, when the woman▪ or man was a papist, and an enemy to God's word, as they called it. For which two kinds of fornication men and women to. might lawfulli (said these jolly masters) be divorced, and marry again. So that both the husband, whensoever him list, might at his pleasure cast of his wife and take another, and also the wife in like manner take another husband. Was not this very wholesome doctrine, I pray you, and meet to be preached in pulpits, set forth in books, and the authors thereof worthy to be compared with Saint Paul (as they were of many) for their famous preaching? God give grace to all christian people to beware of such masters, lest by them they be led or ever they be aware▪ straight to the devil the great master of all such mischievous doctrine: of which as he is the first father and founder, so all they, that either teach it, or embrace it, shall in conclusion, except they earnestly repent, be partakers with him of the painful pit of hell. Besides this, it would pity any good man's heart, to think, what disorder & disobedience came of this liberty. 
Discord and disobedience.  Would not the servants control their masters, and tell them, when they were chekked for leaving their business undone, 
Disobedience of servants to their masters..  that they had been occupied either in reading gods word, or in hearing some sermon, yea & so godly lessons had they learned, since they had tasted of this new doctrine, the very few of their masters could after trust them. And if the master were a catholic man, & one that feared god, then would his servant, if he were of a contrary judgement, handle him like award, and in manner make a lout of him, and do his business as he list, and when he list, and let it be undone, if he list.. For the master fearing, that he should have displeasure by him, durst neither put him away from him, nor once asmuch as rebuke him for any matter. After the same sort did children order their parents, 
Disobedience of children to their parents.  wives their husbands, and subjects their magistrates: So that the feet ruled the head, and the cart was set before the horse. For children when they had been brought up in school a while with some lewd Lutheran▪ then would they write letters to their catholic parents, and exhort them in the lords name to leave their papistry and blind ignorance, that they were in, and fall at length to follow god's word, and gladly to receive the truth. And if the parents would not follow this their childish advise, straight way would they not let to talk with their companions, and tell them, that their parents were blind papists. Yea and make a merry mocking stock of them, & lay: my father is an old doting fool▪ and will fast upon the friday, and my mother goeth always mumbling on her beads. But you shall see me of another sort, I warrant you. For I will never follow no such superstitious folly, nor walk in the Papistical paths of my parents. Were not men well at ease, trow you, when they had bestowed a great deal of money upon such graceless grafts, who neither feared god, nor reverenced their parents? Thus did men's wives to, that were become sisters of the new fraternity, 
Disobedience of wives to their husbands.  order their husbands. For where as the husband did not favour their sect, then would the wife no longer go to school with him in silence, 
1. Tim. 2  as Saint Paul biddeth her, but would boldly fall to teach him, and tell him of his duty. 
1. Cor, 14  And many of them were offended with saint Paul, that had commanded them, that they should hold their peace in the churches. For gladly would they have preached, if they might have been suffered, as some of them nevertheless did in corners. At which time also the devil, for the better furtherance of heresy piked out two sorts of people, that should in taverns and inns, at commentables, and in open streets set forward his purpose, as well as false preachers did in the pulpit: that is to say, minstrels and players of interludes. The one to sing pestilent and abominable songs, and the other to set forth openly before men's eyes the wicked blasphemy, that they had contrived for the defacing of all rites, ceremonies, and all the whole order, used in the administration of the beissed Sacraments. Then the scripture being in such folks hands, was sore studied not for amendment of life, which they never minded, but partly to maintain their loud heresy, wherewith they were infected, partly to control the priests, whom they had in great derision, and partly to find fault with other, when they had any occasion at all. For if a man were a good virtuous priest, he had been better a great deal to have lived among Turks and Saracenes, then among this kind of folk: 
mocking of priests  by reason that whensoever they met with him in any place, they would ask him: Now sir john where find you your Mass in scripture, or who gave you authority to make god? As though the priest by his own power had made Christ's blessed body in the holy Sacrament of the aultare, and not the holy word of God. And then would they say beside, it is pity, that any such popish wretch's lives, the thus have deceived Christ's flock. But now I warrant you must you turn your tippet, & lay away your old mumpsimus, and shut up your porteous and your Mass book to, and put away clean your purgatory Masses. You must now old fool go to school again, and learn a new lesson. And again whensoever they see one of his cote walk by the street, they would whistle and hem at him, & say, go walk in a mischief you bald headed knave. Yea & as yet this malicious mockers cease not in many places, when they can spy a priest, to play the like part. But think you, that such mockers shall not at length be plagued for their taunting of God's ministers, even as the children were, that mocked Heliseus the Prophet? 
4● Reg. ●  These children that I speak of, as Heliseus the anointed Prophet of God, went to bethel, came forth of the city, & mocked him, saying, walk up you bald headed whoreson, walk up. Who looking back, & seeing them, cursed them in the name of GOD: and by and by came two bears out of the forest, and tore in pieces two & forty of them. Therefore let all men take heed, as they mock the priests and ministers of God, whom they are bound to reverence both for Christ's sake, 
Luc. 10.  which saith, Whosoever despiseth you, despiseth me, and also for their office sake, which is so necessary for all men's health and salvation: And let them remember no more, but this one example of chrysostom, 
Lib 3. the ●●g. sacer The dignity and auchtoritye of priests,  who writeth thus. If a great prince would give this authority to one of his servants, that he should deliver out of prison, whom he list, & whom he list shut up in prison, would not all men, and that not without good cause, both fear him and reverence him to? How then should men honour the priests, which hath authority by Christ, king of all kings, committed unto them to louse men's souls out of the fetters of sin, and again to bind them, as they see occasion? And the same writer sayeth in the same work, that we can neither at our coming into the world become Christian without them, nor at our departing out of the world, receive the blessed sacraments of the altar, and aneyling without them. Which things considered, let no man, the either loveth Christ, which is the high Priest of all, and the author of priesthood, or loveth his own soul's health, and purposeth to be saved, mock the priests, lest they be worthily punished therefore, but reverence them, as God's shepherds here in ●arth, to whose cure men's souls are committed. And although they see some of them either lack good knowledge and learning, or to be light and lewd of behaviour, yet must they not contemn the office for the men's evil living. For if the officers under a Prince be of naughty conversation, we may not for that say, their office is nought and disobey the officers, but as the prince's officers humbly obey them, and as evil livers, heartily pray God to amend them. But to return to the Lutherans liberty, that we talked of before, was not all things through it brought so far out of order, that vice ruled virtue, 
Government turned upside down.  & foolishness ruled wisdom, lightness ruled gravity, and youth ruled age? So that the old men's saying was herein verified, that when Antichrist should come. the roots of the trees should grow upward. Was there not beside such deadly dissension for our diversity in opinions, 
Dissen●●●on for opinions.  that even amongs those, that were most very dear friends, 
Hatred & malice for opinions.  arose most grievous hatred. For the son hated his own father, the sister her brother, the wife her husband, the servant his master, the subject the ruler. And in every house, at every man's table, in every corner, in every street, at every tavern and inn, 
Unreverent reasoning of God's word.  at all times was there such unreverent reasoning of God's high mysteries, that those that met together friends, departed enemies, and sometimes were at daggers drawing for the matter. And then you should have heard, thou papist, and thou heretic. And in a small number of years it came to pass, that no neighbour could love another, no man do for another, no one agree with another. Thus was the members of Christ's Church by such devilish discord, 
The members of Christ's Church●●o●ne asunder.  miserably rend a sunder. Which thing deeply to think upon, would make any charitable man's heart to bleed. For if we should see before our eyes a man's body first to have the head cut of, than the fingers and toes, than the hands and feet, after the legs and arms, than the bowels piteously pulled out of the belie, and last of all, the rest of the body being thus mangled and maimed, cut in small gobbets and pieces, would we not think it a sorrowful and lamentable spectable to behold, and count these folks very cruel butchers, that thus cruelly had handled it? How much then ought we to lament, when we see the church, 
Colloss. ●  which S. Paul calleth the body of Christ▪ thus by debate & strife ruefully rend, & so mangled with mischievous heresy, that the beauty thereof is in manner utterly defaced. Might not we well say thus with the holy prophet Hieremye. 
Hier. 14.  Let our eyes never cease from weeping night nor day, because the virgin and daughter of my people is wonderfully bruised, and all to broken in pieces, and a most miserable plague fallen upon her. But now to make a brief rehearsal of the other naughty fruits, that came of this lose liberty, begun not the authors of it first with the basest ceremonies in the Church, 
The basest ceremonies 〈◊〉 taken ●waye.  and abolished them they could not tell why, and after went forth still even to the greatest mystery of our faith, and at length made up their mischief with the taking away of those. For first they did forbid holy bread and holy water to be used any longer, 
Holy bread and holy water what they signify.  two very godly and lively ceremonies: th'one to put us in remembrance, that as those pieces of bread be all of one loaf, so we be all members of one body, the is to say, of the catholic church, and knigge together in one faith and one charity: the other to cause us to call to mind the passion of Christ, with whose blessed blood we are sprinkled & washed from the filthiness of sin. And then they commanded Images to be plucked down in every church, 
Images pulled down.  which put us in memory of the holy lives of confessors, martyrs, and virgins: yea and they were not so contented. but they would have the Image of our saviour jesus Christ likewise spitefully to be hurled down, 
Christ's Image hurled down.  and either with fire to be burned, or with instruments broken all in pieces. And some sinful wretches were there, that digged up, 
Crosses in high ways why they were set up.  and overthrew the crosses in high ways, which were set up, partly to make men that passed by, remember Christ's death and passion, and partly to show them the right way, that knew not the same. Who I pray you would think, that these folks bore any good affection to our saviour Christ, which could neither abide his Image, nor the wholesome Sign of his cross. For like as if a man should come into the kings palace, and first rashly pull down the kings arms, then break them in pieces, and after tread them under his feet, no man would suppose, that such one loved the king, but that he were a rank traitor, and worthy to suffer a most shame full death, so if a man should enter into a church, which is as it were God's palace in earth, and there pluckedowne violently Christ's own Image, and either break it, or burn it, and set up the kings arms in stead thereof, because he would make him a God (as Caius th'emperor did in the holy temple of Jerusalem, where he caused his own Image to be set up, and would be called a God, & that the temple there should be named the temple of the goodly new jupiter Caius) I believe, that no good Christian man would judge him to be Christ's friend, but a wretched heretic, and an arrende traitor both to our saviour jesus Christ, and also to his blessed spouse the catholic Church. But truly great marvel is it, that such folks are not so plagued for their abomination, as was julianus Apostata, 
Sozomenus histo. eccle. li. 5.  which pulled down the Image of our saviour Christ, & set his own Image in the place, where it stood. Which Image of his was anon after with a thunder bolt, cut in sunder even by the middle, and hurled down to the ground, and he himself to for his wickedness came at length to a miserable and cursed end.  
But for what purpose was this done, trow you, of our goodly Gospelers? Was it not done only to put Christ & all his holy saints clean out of memory, as they were in deed (more pity is it) with a great many. For why doth many men desire to have the Images of their dear friends painted in tables, and hung up in their chambers, but because they would not forget them, either when they be absent, or else when they be dead. Doth not a lively image I beseech you, make folks remember the man, that is represented by it better, than a bare naked white wall? or when a man cometh into a house, and ●yndeth the Image of King Edward, whether doth he then more remember him, or when he goeth into another house, and findeth no Image of him at all? It was wont to be said, that such as were the kings very friends, would have the kings Image in their houses, both to make them remember their duties toward him, and also to declare their good will, that they bore him. But our Image breakers be like the jews, the deadly enemies of our Saviour, 
Beware Image break to be like the jews.  which can by no means abide any Image, either of Christ, or his saints, but they babble and rail against them, because they would have Christ and all his blessed saints clean put out of memory.  
After this was procession abolished, 
Procession what it signifieth.  which is a common prayer for the whole church, and by which is signified, that we be all Christ's soldiers, and having Christ's cross, as a banner going before us, do fight together by prayer against our ghostly enemy the devil. And here withal were censing▪ candles, ashes, and palms clean taken away, which be not dumb ceremonies, as the devils ministers call them, but very lively & godly ceremonies. For censing signifieth the offering up of the pleasant odour of godly prayer, 
Candles what they signify.  & thereat the priest desireth of God, that the prayers of all that be present, may ascend up into his sight, as the sweet odour of frankincense. And bright burning candles betokeneth Christ himself, which (as S. john sayeth) is the true lights that illumineth every man, 
joan. 1.  that cometh into the world. And so the good godly man Simeon upon Candelmasse day, when he met Christ in the temple, & took him in his arms, said: Now Lord thou lettest thy servant, 
Luc. 2.  according to thy promise, depart in peace. Because mine eyes hath seen the saviour of the world sent from thee. Whom thou hast prepared in the ●ight of all people to be a light to the gentiles and paynims, and great glory and renown to the people of Israel.  
So that by our candles bearing we declare, that our very light Christ, is come to lighten our souls▪ which were darkened with the black clouds of fowl filthy sin before.  
Again when we are marked with ashes in the forehead, 
Ashes what they signify.  we are plainly told therbi, what we be. That is to weet, nothing else, but as Abraham said, 
Gene. 12  very dust and ashes. And remembering the same, have good cause to lay away our pride, to become humble and meek, and every day to think upon our end, when as our bodies shall become vile worms meat, and all our goodly beauty be turned into dust.  
Now as for bearing of palms, 
Bearing of palms what it meaneth.  that is to put us in remembrance of Christ's coming to Jerusalem, when as the people cut bows of the trees, 
Mat. 21.  & cast them in the way, where he should pass, & that as we be glad to straw palms in the way▪ where Christ's most blessed body is presented, so we ought to garnish the house of our souls with sweet flowers, & first wash it clean with the clear water of wholesome penance, & then straw the pleasant Psalms of perfit faith & charity in it, with a sure hope of gods promises: & so prepare it, that it may please our saviour to say, 
Luc. 19  as he said to zacheus, this day must ● rest in your houses. Withal they took away creeping to the cross upon good friday▪ 
creeping to the cross  whereby every man declareth his humble obeisance to Christ: & as Christ our saviour as the day humbled himself to the death of the cross, 
Philip. 2  (as S. Paul" saith) so every christian man in remembrance thereof doth humbly creep upon his knees to the Image and sign of the cross there to do worship to Christ, the died for him upon the cross, & to give him most hearty thanks for the redemption of all mankind, which was done by him upon the cross. 
Hallowing of the foute.  Then was forbidden also the hallowing of the font, which even from the Apostles time had always been, (as it appeareth by Tertullian, Basile, & other good writers) which great reverence observed, because it is so necessari in the church of god.  
And therewithal went away all the other rites and ceremonies, that are used upon Easter even. When all these godly ceremonies were ridded out of the way, then in a furious rage like men beside their wits, fell they to pull down the holy altars, 
Altars pulled down.  where our saviours blessed body was wont to be consecrated, and the same there offered up, as a most pleasant sacrifice to God the father.  
And to make up their malicious mischief withal, plucked they down the pyx, 
The pyx  wherein the very body of our lord and saviour was reserved & kept. And some vile varlets, to th'intent they might do the devil their master better service, hurled the same blessed sacrament under their feet, & certain of them would not let to say, as the jews said to our saviour hanging upon the cross. 
Mat. 27  It thou be god, save thyself. But such shallbe well assured to be at length most miserably plagued, as the jews were, except they betime repent them of their abhomible wickedness and blasphemy. After this was the most holy and blessed sacrifice of Christ's body and blood in the mass taken away, 
The Mass taken away  wherein is comen prayer used for the whole catholic church of Christ, and for all states that be in it, and the very passion of our saviour is there lively represented, partli by the godly ceremonies, that be used therein, and partly by the decent apparel and vestiments, that the priest weareth in the celebration thereof. For all the clothes that Christ did wear at his blessed passion, 
The priests vestiments what they signify.  as the purpel rob, that was put upon him by the jews, the cords that he was bound withal, the cloth wherewith they covered his eyes, when they bet him, and the white garment, that he was clad with, when Herode mocked him, be by the priests vestiments represented. For the Ammesse, 
The Ammesse.  that the priest putteth upon his head, representeth the cloth, wherewith Christ's eyes were covered, when pilate's men buffeted him, & in mockage bad guess, who smote him, as we read in the xxij chapped. of S. Luke's Gospel. The white linen albe, 
The 〈◊〉  that he putteth next upon him, representeth the white garment, wherein Christ our saviour was clad, when Herode mocked him, as it is written by S. Luke in the twenty-three. chapped. The girdle that the priest putteth about him, 
The girdle.  representeth the whip, wherewith Christ was bet by Pilate, as we read in the xix chapped. of S. john. The stole that the priest putteth about his neck, 
The stole  representeth the cord or rope, wherewith our saviour was bound, when he was bet with whips as S. Mark declareth in the xv. Chapter of his Gospel. The fannel, that the priest putteth upon his left arm, 
The fangot.  representeth the rope, wherewith the jews did bind our Saviour jesus, when they brought him before Annas, as Saint john telleth in his gospel the xviij chapped. The uppermost vestiment, called the tunicle, 
The tuni●●e.  which the priest putteth upon him last of all, representeth the purple rob, that the jews put upon our lord and saviour when they said to him in mockage: Hail king of the jews. In so much that the priest, when he is thus appareled, and goeth to the altar, doth manifestly set before our eyes our sweet saviour jesus, when he suffered his painful passion, and went to offer up to his father his blessed body upon the cross for our redemption. In remembrance of which holy passion the priest representing Christ our high priest, whose priesthood continueth for ever, offereth up upon the altar the very same body to god the father, that suffered for us, & the very same blood, that was shed for us. So that whosoever desire to be partakers of that blessed passion, 
The hearing of Mass.  let them with most humble reverence come to mass, hear it with fervent devotion, and earnestly think upon the great and painful torments, suffered by our saviour for their sakes, which be represented therein. And give him most hearty thanks therefore, and desire him of pardon for all their offences committed in time past, and to give them grace to avoid all vice and sin from thenceforth. For thus shall they undoubtedli receive much fruit by hearing of Mass. And when their devotion serveth them, 
Receiving of the sacrament oftentimes.  to receive the most blessed sacrament thereat, were in they shall (if they worthily receive it) take singular commodity and comfort. And to do the same at lest at every solemn feast in the year, or oftener, if they be so disposed. For so we see the people commonly do in other Christian realms: Who first do confess themselves unto a priest, and then come they to receive that blessed food with such lowly reverence and earnest devotion, as a good christian man would much rejoice to see them. Which thing, I pray god, may shortly come to pass among us, and that we may both steadfastly believe it to be our saviour Christ's blessed body, as it is in deed, (and not as our last wicked and blasphemous communion book and all our new preachers most untruly and damnably taught us, that it was but bread only) and also devoutly and godly receive it to our soul's health and comfort. Now as for all the rites and ceremonies of the mass, and all the prayers contained therein, they are so godly, and so well placed, as all the world is not able to invent the like, nor so well to dispose and set them together: as all good men, that will deeply weigh them, and consider the order of them, shall easily perceive. As for such, as have most wickedly called the Mass a Maskarye, and the priests vestiments, 
Mockers of the Mass.  masking clothes, and mocked all the ceremonies thereof, and spit at them, & did smite the priests, may well be compared with Pilate'S men, who (as we read in S. Mathewes Gospel) bowing down their knees, 
Mat. 27.  mocked our saviour Christ, spit at him, & smote him upon the head. For surely it is not unlike, that if Christ were here among us personally present in a man's likeness and nature, as he was then among the jews, but that these ungodly folks would take the jews part, and mock him, as they did, seeing that they play the very same parts with his priests and ministers▪ that represent him unto us, that the jews in old time did play with him. But our Lord grant, that they may espy betime their ●●rye and madness, that the miserable plagues that fell upon the jews for their mocking of Christ, fall not likewise upon them for mocking of his priests & ministers. But many grudge and are offended, that the Mass, 
Divine service in Latin.  and all other divine service is in latin, so that when they be in the Church, they do not understand, what the priest sayeth. I would gladly ask one question of such, why they come to the church, whether to hear, or to pray: they will answer, I doubt not, to do both. For there they both learn their duty by hearing of sermons, and also practise it by diligent and servant praying. Now then saying, that to do our duty is much better, then to learn our duty, because that every man learneth, to this end, that he may practise, although both twain be good and necessary, yet the one far passeth the other. And the one may be gotten in short space with small travail, but the other asketh long time, and much pain to get it. As concerning which purpose we read a notable story of one Pambo, 
Socra. hist eccle. li. 4  a man utterly unlearned who on a time came to learn a psalm of the psalter. And when he had heard the first verse of thee. xxxvii●. psalm, which is thus much to say in English. I have determined with myself, that I will so direct and order my life, that I do not offend with my tongue: departed, and would in no wise hear the second verse, but said, that one verse was sufficient, if he could practise it in deed. After that when he had taught him this verse, did rebuke him, because he had not seen him now the space of six months, he answered▪ that he had not as yet in deed learned that verse of the Psalm. Again along time after▪ one of his familiar friends demanded of him whether he had learned his verse, and he said: Now or xix years passed, and truly, as yet. I have scarcely learned to practise it. Whereby it well appeareth, that a man may learn as much upon one day, at one sermon, as he can well learn perfitly to practise in a whole year. Wherefore I have oftentimes much marveled at us English men of late, that we came to the church at the time of our English service to hear only, and not to pray ourselves. By means whereof many folks are so enured, that they can hardly frame themselves as yet to pray in the church, which, as our saviour saith is the house of prayer. 
Mat. 21.  And most meet were it for folks coming to the church, to pray earnestly themselves, and both to think upon their sins. wherewith they have offended their lord god, and to be sorry for them, and to desire god to forgive them, yea and beside to give him hearty thanks for all his benefits bestowed upon them, and to beseech him to assist them with his grace against the assaults of their adversary the devil. For thus ought men to spend the holy day, and thus ought they to bestow their time in the church of God, when they come thither. For what did Anna the daughter of phanuel, (who had lived with her husband vij years, and after his death continued widow, till she was four score and four years old, and so died) is it not written of her by S. Luke, 
Luc. 2.  that she departed not from the temple, but served God there night and day in fasting and praying? The Evangelist telleth not, that there she was occupied in hearing, but that she was occupied in praying. Many hear and either they shortly forget, what they have heard, or else if they remember it▪ yet they do not practise it: and one hour spent in practising, is more worth to us, than twenty spent in hearing. Therefore when they come to Church, and hear the priests, who sayeth common prayer for all the whole multitude, albeit they understand them not, yet if they be occupied in godly prayer themselves, it is sufficient for them. And let them not so greatly pass for understanding, what the priests say, but travail themselves in fervent praying, and so shall they highly please God. Yea and experience hath plainly taught us, that it is much better for them not to understand the common service of the Church, then to understand it, because that when they hear other praying with a loud voice in the language, that they understand, they are letted from prayer themself, and so come they to such a slackness and negligence in praying, that they at length (as we have well seen of late days) in manner pray not at al. And let them first think this (for it is undoubtedly true) that the divine service here in England hath ever been in latin since the first time, that the faith was among us received (save only this vi or vij years last passed). And then how godly the people all that while were disposed, how many virtuous and holy men & women have been within this realm, and how God did in all things prosper us. And read who so list the godly ecclesiastical story of saint Bede, and he shall find my sayings herein most true. By which story he shall learn beside, how the same faith, the same form of religion, the same rites and ceremonies, that we now use in the church, have been since king Lucius days (in whose reign the faith was first received in England) continually used. 
Bed hist. eccle. li. ● cap. 4.  And either must we grant this, that there was never any godly men in this realm, never one soul saved, never any grace of God among us, never the assistance of the holy ghost with us, (which no good, nor reasonable man either can, or will grant) if this be not the true faith and belief (whereby men's souls shallbe saved), that now is amongs us. For where true belief is not, there is not God, nor none of his grace, nor no part of his holy spirit. And therefore if this be a false faith and belief that we now have, than god both is, and hath been most unkind, not only to us, but to all Christendom beside, which is in the same belief, that we be: seeing that he hath not before these vij years last passed, revealed & opened his truth unto us, but suffered both us, and all our progenitors and elders to, yea and all Christendom, ever since Christ's incarnation even to these latter days to live in blindness, and to let us continue still in danger of damnation. But God forbid, that any man might justly, either think or say thus, For then might we, coming before our saviour Christ at the day of judgement, if we should for our belief be there condemned, answer that we were not to blame, nor worthy of damnation therefore: because that his blessed spouse the Catholic church, had from time to time taught us this belief, & that he had promised to be with his church to the worlds end. Which promise caused us alway to give credence to his holy Church, which we thought could not err, nor be deceived in any matter concerning our faith. Therefore no man hath cause to judge this religion, that we now have, to be nought, and so to think, that the worshipping of Christ's blessed body in the sacrament is idolatry (as many of late have most wickedly both believed and taught) and by that means condemn all our fathers, grandfathers, and the rest of our elders, which have so believed, but very good cause hath he to suspect the religion, that hath been brought in of late, yea and utterly to abhor it, both for that he seeth so plainly before his eyes the abominable fruits, that it hath brought forth in this realm, and also that he knoweth, that it was never received in this realm before these last vij years paste, save only that wicked Wyclyffe had in corners taught the same in king Edward the thirds days, which his doctrine ended in notable treason, even as this did that was lately received among us: as after I shall more plainly declare. But some say that they would have us believe, 
The trade of the primitive church.  and live according as men did in the primitive church. How was that I pray you? was it as we have been taught of late in believing▪ that Christ's blessed body in the sacrament is but a piece of bread, & to abolish the Mass, to cast away praying and fasting? No no: Hear, I pray you, 
Beda hist. ecles. lib. 1. cap. 26.  what saint Bede sayeth, concerning the state of the primitive church.  
When as S. augustine & his fellows, that were sent by saint Gregory hither into England to preach, had gotten them a place in kent to sojourn in, they followed the Apostolical trade of living, that was used in the primitive church, that is to say, they practised themselves in continual praying, watching and fasting, in preaching the word of life to all that they could, in despising all worldly goods, as not appertaining unto them, in taking those things only of them, whom they preached to, that was necessary to live withal, in living according to their preaching, and in having a prompt and ready mind and will, both patiently to suffer all kind of trouble, and also to die for the truth, that they preached. By occasion whereof many believed, and were christened, much esteeming the simplicity of their innocent life, and the sweetness of heavenly doctrine.  
And there was near unto the head city there toward the east a Church of saint Martyne, which had been builded, while as the Romans dwelled in England, in which church the Queen, wife to king Edilberte (whom we said before was a Christian woman) was accustomed to pray. And in the same church sayncte augustine and his fellows repaired together to sing, to pray, to say Masses, to preach, and to christian.  
Thus writeth saint Bede, how saint augustine and his fellows observed the order and trade of the primitive church. This was done here in England almost a thousand year ago. And the same form of religion both was before, and after even to our days evermore kept & used among us. And here we find fasting, praying, watching, singing, and saying of Masses, which saint Bede calleth the Apostolical trade of life, that was in the primitive church▪ But our preachers of late when they talked of the primitive church, which they would have had us to follow, they meaned no other church, but the malignant church of Wicliffe, Husse, Luther, Decolampadius, & of such like heretics. But to return to our former purpose, concerning the wretched fruits, that came of this doctrine, when altars were pulled down, and mass put away, then were all churches without any law, spoiled of all their ornaments, 
The churches spoiled.  as of copes, vestiments, aulter-clothes, corporaxes, chalishes crosses, candlesticks, censers, cruets, books, and all other things belonging thereto, and the same put to profane uses, as to hangings of beds, curtains, cusshins, and other such like. And some men made jolly mocking and gea●t●●ge, and called them the priests masking clothes, as we told you before. But I beseech our lord God, that such spoilers of the church, may repent & make amends for their spoil, that they have not the like end, that one julianus had, who was uncle to the naughty emperor julianus Apostata▪ 
〈◊〉 5 hist 〈…〉  Of whom Sozome●nus writeth, that he minding to take away the precious ornaments and jewels of the Church of Antioch in Syria, which were a great sort in number, and to increase themperor's treasure withal, caused the church to be shut up, that no man should resort thither, insomuch that all the clergy apperteynng to that church, fled away, saving one priest only, whose name was Theodorius, whom julianus caused to be taken, because he could tell, where the ornaments of the Church were, and first made him to be sore beaten, & after to be panged with many sore torments, and at length to be beheaded. Which done, the said julianus after he had rob the church, & taken all the holy ornaments away, in great despite did straw them upon the ground, sat him down upon them, and so declared his spiteful malice against them. Whose privy members and the necessary parts beneath did by and by putrefy and rot, insomuch that the flesh being rotten, turned all into worms, and his sickness was so great and grievous, that it passed all physicians power to cure it. So that at length after many painful pangs he made an end of his wretched life. Thus by the hand of GOD was this wicked man for the robbing of Christ's church worthily plagued. By whose example let every Christian man learn three points: first that he rob not the church of any holy ornaments appertaining thereto. secondarily that he put them not to any profane use, as this julianus did. Thirdly that he do not make a mocking stock of them, and unreverently handle them▪ lest the same plague, that befell to the said julianus, fall upon him likewise.  
Then was the holy order of priesthood utterly disannulled, 
The order of priesthood taken away  so that the name of a priest should not be any longer used, but such as should preach and minister sacraments, should be called ministers, & not priests, and that they should be appareled like lay men, so that a minister should not be known from a lay man, but all should be a like: which never was seen in the church of God from Christ's time hitherto, but only amongs heretics.  
Then was there means found, that there should be many such ministers. For exhibition was begged by certain to be bestowed in the universities. Which once gotten, they bestowed it only upon such, as either were infected with heresy, or else in whom men had good hope, that they would in time be heretics. And thus was folks hired to forsake Christ's catholic faith, and not only to deceive themselves, but many other beside. Would to god that men were as well willing now to give exhibition to set forward godly learning and virtue, as they were then to set forth vice and heresy. But to come to our purpose. Then became those, that were lewd & unlearned very worthy preachers, 
Lewd preachers  yea & such as had never been at any university, would teach the people, and preach unto them, and were never sent, and boast of themselves, that they had the spirit. Truth is it, they had the spirit of error and blindness. And the more blind that they were, the more bold and shameless were they, so that the saying of Hier●mye the Prophet might be well verified in them: 
Hier. 3.  They had the shameless forehead of a drab▪ and would not be ashamed at al. For he that was most ignorant, was most bold, so that such did well prove the old proverb to be true, that none is bolder, then blind baiard. This sort of men stepped stoutly into the pulpit, and caring neither for God nor devil, killed more souls upon one day, than all the naughty physicians in England had killed bodies in twenty years: and always had they in their mouths God's word, God's word, & some of them called it god's book, whereas their doctrine was nothing else, but lies and fables forged of their own brains, and scriptures falsely translated, and more falsely expounded, according as they had learned of Luther, Bucer Decolampadius, Bullinger, calvin, and such like heretics.  
And all their preaching or rather babbling was spent in railing against the order of Christ's church, 
Our new preachers doctrine.  against Images and candles, against Mass and matins, against purgatory and praying for the dead, against free will and praying to saints, against crosses and bells, against copes and vestiments, against the Blessed Sacraments, whereof the most part were by them taken away, and the rest were so handled, as would make any good man's heart sore to lament therefore. Over this much prating made they of only faith, that thereby we were justified, 
Only ●ayth preached.  whereof they talked so long, that at length a great many had no faith at al. And in these matters were they so well practised, that when they talked of them in a pulpit, they seemed to the people very eloquent. But if they at any time took occasion (as they did very seldom) to speak of death or deadly sin, or of the fear of God, and his terrible judgement, or of good works as of prayer, fasting, and almose, they were so barren in their talk, that their auditors thought them altogether unlearned, as they were without fail. For so have many of them coming to their trial, well declared of late.  
And although they lacked sound learning, 
The presumption of our new preachers.  yet lacked they no arrogant presumption. For some of them would not let to boast, that they were singularly learned in Latin, greek, & hebrew, and say, that they had red over all the ecclesiastical writers, and often times allege them for their purpose. But how I pray you? 
False alleging of authors.  Either did they misconstrue and untruly expound the places, that they alleged, or at lest wise falsely alleged them or else cut the sentence in the midst, that it might seem to make for their purpose, and all that made against them left they clean out. And so like wise handled they the holy scripture to: as it well appeareth in sundry of their detestable and devilish books, whosoever list to search them. But they were not the first, 
Depraving of the holy scripture.  that thus went about to deprave both the scripture, and also the old ancient writers. For Asclepiades, Theodotus, Hermophilus, and Apollonius old heretics of Artemones sect, 
Euseb, lib 5. hist. eccles.  travailed much in corrupting the examples of holy scripture, to the intent, that they might bring scriptures to confirm their abominable opinions withal. And Denyse the bishop of Corinthe writeth thus of such like men. 
Euseb. lib 4. hist. ecclesiast.  At the request of certain brethren I wrote certain epistles, which the devils Apostles have filled full of cockle, darnil. For some words have they put out of them, and some added unto them, for whom the woeful curse of Christ at the day of judgement is reserved. And no marvel is it, though they went about to falsify the scriptures of our lord and saviour jesus, seeing that they have corrupted these poor simple writings of mine, which are not of such weight, as those be. Many authors could I allege to declare, that heretics have always played the like part both with the scriptures & the good interpreters thereof, but here it needeth not. Some other were there of our new preachers, whose presumptuous arrogancy might also be well known in that, that many of them would preach and were never sent. 
Preachers that were never seen.  And a great meany, that had in manner no learning, and as little wit, would start up into the pulpit, and tell the people, that the spirit moved them, and then would they blaspheme and rail, as though they had been possessed with an evil spirit, as in deed it is very likely they were. Such are well described of Saint Peter after this sort. 
2. Pet. 2.  These be wells without water, and mists tossed with whorle winds, for whom is reserved everlasting darkness. For by uttering their presumptuous babbling, they allure and catch such, as through the concupiscence of the flesh, are fallen in deed to follow wanton pleasures and continue in error. And they promise other men liberty, whereas they themselves are the very slaves of filthy corruption. Such godly masters because they ran and were not sent (as the prophet saith) came into the sheepfold of Christ not by the door, 
Hier. 13.  but an other way, so that Saint john the evangelist, if he had been alive, would have called them thieves. 
joan. 10  And a thief, as the same evangelist writeth, cometh for no other purpose, but to steal, to kill, and to destroy. For first did they steal Christ's sheep out of the fold, that is to say, out of the Catholic church, by carnal liberty, which (as I said before) they craftlye named the liberty of the gospel. Then killed they their souls with pestilence doctrine, and so at length by their devilish devices so blinded them, that they destroyed them all together. And when they had thus miserably handled them, they gloried in their graceless act▪ as though they had done god good service. But if they would remember what O●igene saith concerning such men, as they themselves be, and well weigh his saying, they should have good cause to leave their glorying in malice and blindness, and fall to bewail the miserable murder, 
Super epist●ad Roman.  that they in Christ's flock have committed. For he saith that the damnation of all those, that have either preached or written heresy, doth still increase to the day of judgement, that is to say, as long as the contagion of their heresy doth remain, and infect any man. For the more that perish through their doctrine, the more grievous shall their punishment be. Which sentence I beseech our lord god, that betime they may earnestly consider, and that either by reason, learning, and gentle exhortation, or otherwise they may be brought to acknowledge their error and blindness, to detest it, and to persuade other, that have been deceived by them, to forsake it. 
Lib. 3. epist. 2.  And let them hear, what S. Cyprian writeth to Maximus and Nicostratus after this sort. Think not (sayeth he) that you defend Christ's gospel, while as you divide yourselves from the flock of Christ, and from the peace and concord thereof, sithen that it is more fit for the valiant and glorious soldiers of Christ to be within their own tents, & there abiding to do, and provide for those things together with other, that are to be done and provided for: because that our unity and concord ought in no wise to be cut asunder. As for us, we can not forsake the Church, go forth of it, & come to you. Therefore we in all that we possible can, exhort and pray you, that you will return to your mother the church again. Which exhortation of saint Cyprian God give grace, that those, that have by heresy divided themselves from Christ's catholic church, may gladly hear, and thereby be persuaded to come home, and embrace the wholesome doctrine of their dear mother, the blessed spouse of Christ. For what a comfort should it be for themselves, yea and what a great joy for all good Christian folks, if they would forsake the synagogue of heresy, & repair to Christ's holy Church again. 
Epist. 12. lib. 2. Luc. 15.  For saint Cyprian writeth that, seeing that Christ sayeth in the Gospel, that there is in heaven the greatest joy, that can be, for one sinner that doth penance, how much more joy is there then both in heaven and in earth for such▪ as with glory and praise return to the church of God again: and by their example, by their faith, and trial, give occasion to other to return likewise. And as it should be great comfort for all good folks to see them return, so men ought by diligent preaching, by gentle exhortation, by fervent prayer, and by all means possible travail to make them return. And whosoever can by persuasion or otherwise pull any of them from their blind error, he shall have great thanks at God's hand therefore. For the bolye Apostle S. james sayeth, 
jac. 5.  That whatsoever he be, that turneth a sinner from the error, whereby he hath gone amiss, shall save the man's soul from death, and blot out a great many of his own sins.  
But to our purpose. Of these fo●kes preaching sprung all our sects and sundry opinions: which were so divers & many fold, that so many heads, so many opinions in manner were amongs us. And like as no fond opinion was there ever (as we read in Cicero) that was not maintained by some foolish philosopher, 
Cicero de divinat.  so no lewd heresy was ever invented, that had not some wise master here in England to set it forth, and defend it. For some held, that all things ought to be common▪ as the Anabaptists do. 
Sundry sects in England  Some said, that all things were ruled by destiny and by mere necessity, as the heretics called Genethliaci said: And so took they away man's free will. Some affirmed, that GOD was the author of evil, as we read of certain in Basilius Magnus days, which were without God. Some again took away the providence of GOD, as the Epicures do. Some believed not the resurrection of our bodies, following the heretics, which were named Severians. Some did maintain, that all should be saved, as the Origenians did. Some said, that Christ took no flesh of the blessed virgin mary, as did the Martionistes & Apollinaristes. Some taught, that he was less than the father, as the Arians of old had taught. Some denied, that he descended into hell, & said, that there was neither hell nor heaven. Some preached, that heaven was nothing else, but a quiet conscience, and hell a troubled conscience. Some would say, that men's souls do sleep to the day of judgement: and some believed that they were mortal. Some thought, that there was no predestination. Some said, that Christ died as well for his own sins, as for other men's sins. Some held, that a man having the spirit of god, might lawfully lie with another man's wife. Some affirmed, that the inward man did not sin, when the outward man sinned. Some said, that it was deadly sin to play at any game for money. Some taught that it was lawful for a man in a Christian comen wealth, without imposition of hands of any bishop to preach openly. Some were persuaded, that a man might become so perfit in this life, that he could not sin. But to conclude, I think verily there was almost no abominable or fond heresy, since Christ's time to our days, which was not in some folks heads now of late here in England. And thus have you heard (most entirely beloved country men) a breve rehearsal of the perilous and pestilent fruits that our new doctrine hath brought forth here in our country these few years last passed. By means whereof Christ's true religion hath been utterly defaced. Which truly I am right sorry to recite But (as josephus saith) I should do my country small pleasure to leave those miseries untouched in my words, that it hath suffered in deed. If a man should likewise reckon up the great incommodities, that hath chanced to the comen wealth of this realm by reason of the same doctrine, he should be very long and percase tedious to. But thus much will I say, and every man, that is about thirty years old, shall witness with me, that I say true, that before we forsook the whole catholic church of god, and made us a several and private church of our own, our commenwelthe was so rich, was in such good order. was so strong and mighty, that no other was there, considering the quantity of it, that might be compared with it. Again if a man would particularly recite the fails of diverse noble and gentle men, that partly by reason of the same doctrine have suffered since the first coming of it, 
Nobility destroyed through heresy.  he should make a long process. And saying that as yet they be fresh in men's memories, as it is not necessary to tell of them, so let them that be noble and gentle men by their example take heed of such wicked doctrine, lest if they in any point either further or maintain it, they following their foot steps stumble upon the same block and take a like fall. For it never came in any realm yet, where it hath not utterly in manner destroyed the nobility. As for example in Germany, where it hath now continued so long▪ ●t hath not only destroyed the rest of the commenwelth, but also the most part of the nobility. And in divers rebellions, that were made in that country, by reason of it, the rebels intended to destroy all noble and gentlemen, as it appeareth by their articles, which as yet remain in writing. For in the articles of the rebels that rose at Spiers, which articles be written by one Nicolaus Baselius and joined with the chronicle of joannes Na●clerus, the fourth is, that they intended to kill all the nobility, & all heads and rulers, to th'intent that they would be subject to no man, but live at their liberty. In an insurrection that was made under the pretence of the Gospel, in the year of our Lord, a thousand, five hundredth, twenty and two, in the same country likewise the rebels, because they would be under no obedience, purposed to disannul all laws, and put away judges, to rob churches and monasteries, to kill all noble men and gentlemen, because they would pay no more rents, customs, or taxes. Therefore it is all noble and gentlemen's parts to be well ware of such doctrine, if they either love to be partakers of heaven, or desire to keep their worldly estate, to continue in it, and to have their children quietly to enjoy it after them. For they may well perceive by these examples, that where it taketh place, it is the ruin & destruction of all nobility. Let them besides weigh well, what harm it hath done to their children, that were now of late brought up in it.  
And this wot they well, that the ring leaders of the Lutherans or rather Zwin glianes in king Edward's reign, sought always possible to corrupt all the noble and gentlemen's children within this realm. And either proprocured they, that they might be brought up in the court, or else that some new fangled schoolmaster might be put unto them, or else to be put to the universities, and there to be brought up under one of this new sect. For what purpose was this done, but only to maintain their mischievous errors withal, and to establish the same within our country for ever▪ But god by miracle hath overturned all their cursed devices, and suffered them by his divine providence to work their own confusion. Now then seeing that this erroneous doctrine hath so harmed both noble & gentle men themselves, and their children to, let them at length spy the wickedness of it, and help be time to banish it out of their country, and exhort their children to detest and abhor it. For so shall they make them to fear god, and serve him, to exercise virtue, and eschew vice, and to be humble and obedient to themselves to▪ As for the yeonianry of our country, 
The decay of the yeomanry  wherein did consist a great part of the force of this realm, it hath so notably decayed since the time, that this pestilent doctrine began first within this realm, that it would pity any true English man's heart to consider it. For where as the yeomen thirty or forty years passed, were well able to do their prince and their country very good service, when as any occasion required, and that every one of them did keep a substantial house, by reason that their rents than were very reasonable.  
Now since this perilous plague of heresy hath infected this realm, their rents hath been so enhanced. and they so miserably polled, that neither service were they well able to do for their prince and country, nor to keep any plenteful house for the relieving of their poor neighbours. For men that became Lords of such fermes, when as by reason of this lewd doctrine they had cast away in manner the fear of GOD and good conscience to, & in stead thereof had caught such covetous hearts, as would never be satisfied, and joined withal a large licentious conscience, which told them, they might go forth in their purpose with out any scruple at all, then doubled they their rents, and some tripled them, and took such incommes for their leases, as where able to beggar the farmers, that took them: insomuch that where as the farmers had been very wealthy before they came by this means to such need and necessity, that scarce were they able to pay their rent.  
The misery likewise that the poor commons have been bewrapped with since the rereceaving of this devilish doctrine, can no man without a long process thoroughly declare. For what with taxes and tributes, what with the change of our money and fall of the same, what with gressams and incommes, what with extortion and bribery, what with putting out of their farm holds and tenements, what with craft and false dealing, and what with all other kinds of oppression beside, they have been so sore impoverished, that better had it been for them to have died in their cradles, then to have lived to suffer such wretched and miserable calamities. For when conscience was banished and charitable hearts wa●ed key cold, then cared no man from the highest degree to the lowest, how he got goods, so that he had them, in so much that this saying of the holy Prophet Hieremye might be well verified in them, 
Hier. 6.  that every one from the lowest degree to the highest had given themselves to covetousness. And when this came thus to pass, they that were most mighty▪ were greatest oppressors▪ and like great fishes devoured the small. And oftentimes would they take work of artificers, wares & stuff of merchants, & differ the payment so long, that the poor artificers and merchants to, were in manner beggared thereby. And when they demanded their payment, they had of diverse a froward answer: in so much that the poorer a man was, more injury he suffered at their hands, and the unsatiable hearts of such covetous men could never content themselves. But woe be unto all such, except they betime repent them, and if there be any such, let them think, that at length they shall departed from all that they have, and remember, that they for all their gay and gorgeous apparel, they shall have no more, but a simple sheet to wrap their vile body in, and for all their fair buildings and sumptuous houses, a poor pit in the earth to dwell in.  
And withal let them learn one preatye lesson, that Eusebius writeth in the life of Constantine. This good Emperor Constantyne making an oration to a great company, that was gathered to hear him, specially inveighed and spoke against those, that were spoilers, and very covetous folks, saying thus: Will your greedy covetousness never have end? Then with a little staff that he had in his hand, he measured upon the ground the just length of a man, and said: If a man have all the riches in the world, & the whole earth in his possession, he shall at his end have no more, but such a small piece of ground, as I have here measured. Therefore let all greedy hearts remember this well, and leave their care, that they take in goods getting, and consider their duty in well bestowing of them, and think beside, how they have gotten them. For evil gotten goods (as Sallust sayeth) evil cheveth. Over this if they would compare their bodies and souls with their goods and riches me think they should beware to lose those things that be better, for those that be worse. For goods and riches be given us of god for the commodity and use both of our bodies & souls. And like as brute beasts are much better than grass, straw, and hay, which be ordained to nourish them: So is a man's body and soul more to be esteemed, than goods & riches. which be prepared for them. Who then is so unwise, that will for the saving of those things, that be much more vile, put in danger those that be far more precious? For both our bodies & souls are of such estimation in the sight of God, that for the recovery of them out of thraldom, he vouch saved to send down into the earth his only son, our saviour Christ jesus, by whose blessed blood, which far surmounteth all gold & precious stones, both our corruptible & frail bodies, & also our very sick & sore wounded souls are redeemed from endless damnation, & restored again to the celestial kingdom, which was from the beginning of the world prepared for them. Therefore saying, that god of his gracious goodness hath taken so much pains to save them▪ we through our folly and negligence ought not to travail to lose them, nor to put them in hazard, for the love that we bear to our well thy estate in this world, and so to change heaven with hell, joy with pain, mirth with sorrow, quietness with trouble, life with death, the▪ pleasant presence of god with the horrible sight of the devil, and the glorious company of angels and saints, with the hydious and fowl fellowship of fiends. In consideration whereof, because of the tender and unfeigned love, that I (as our lord knoweth) bear to the wealth and health of all my country men's bodies and souls, most earnestly beseech almighty God, that he will vouchsafe so to provide, that for evil gotten goods no man in conclusion perish, but that every man cast away his covetous heart betime, and begin to care for his end, and search the bottom of his breast, whether he perfectly believe, that both his body & his soul shall either ever live in joy inestimable, or ever die abiding moste bitter and painful torments. And remember as he came naked into this world (as job sayeth) so shall he naked depart out of it.  
Again amongs these three sorts of men, the nobles, the ●eomen, & the poor commons, since the time they had sole or only faith preached among them, 
Faith only.  they have had such a sel●e simple faith, that not one in manner could trust another. For as in old time a man's word was as sure as an obligation, so of late days words were but wind, & writings to, whereby some men not much wey●d. insomuch that when faith toward god was in manner utterly abolished, faith toward man was banished therewith, & all good works was through lewd preaching clean laid apart: Wherefore our faith aswell to god, as to man was so naked & single, that it might be very well called a faithless faith, & likened to a broken staff, that deceiveth all them, that lean upon it. And as our faith was very bad, so our works were no whit better. For there was never seen such malice & hatred, such deceit & subtlety, such pride & ambition, so that the unsatiable desire of honour was in conclusion so rooted in men's hearts, that it brought forth such notable treason, as y● like hath not been heard of in this realm before. And beside it hath stuffed diverse folks hearts which so deadly malice, that the wicked works, that are wrought by such well declare, that it is no doctrine come from god the father of light, (as I said before) but it (as S. james saith) is full of car●al affections of devilish. 
jac. 3.   
For seeing that such tumults, and such sedition among ourselves, such grudging against our prince▪ such blasphemy against god, such railing, and such vile words used against his ministers, are grown of it (as to call them foxes in the pulpit, yea & sometimes while they be godly occupied in preaching, to hurl daggers and to shoot gonnes at them) it is a plain argument, that it cometh from the devil, the author of malice, and is as it were some contagious venom spit out of his breast, to poison men's souls withal. Again the books, that be made by the maintainers of it, are altogether farced with lies, as it well appeareth by a little peevish book, containing the disputation made in the convocation house, wherein are scarcely two lines true together, as all the learned men, that were there present, can evidently testify. What should I speak of the false rumours that have been of late by the favourers thereof spread abroad in this realm, to provoke the people to grudge against the queens highness? What pestilent libels against certain of the queens most honourable counsel, yea and against her graces own person, have been cast in corners to sow sedition?  
Beside what mischievous misconstruing is there of acts, laws and statutes, and of all things in manner, that be set forth by the queens highness and her counsel? yea and will they not say, that when we have any evil wether▪ as to much rain, or to much drought, that it cometh because the word of god (whereby they mean their heresy) is suppressed among us? they will never say, as all good folks use to say, that it cometh, by reason of our sin and wickedness. But truth is it. that God plagueth this realm, and hath done▪ yea and yet will do, partly for our wretched lives, and partly for that such as be infected with heresy, will not acknowledge their error and malicious blindness, and turn to the church again.  
Over this are there not diverse, that for very stubbornness, will in against the laws of this realm, yea and against gods will, use the pernicious book of the last Communion, and teach the English catechism, to graft in children's hearts their blasphemous and abominable heresy? If men well consider these folks wicked malice, they have good cause to hate such devilish doctrine, while they live, and whensoever they hear any part of it, to stop their ears▪ that no such cursed blasphemy enter in at them. But to say very truth, it was in manner necessary, that it should be revealed, & opened in this realm. For no man would have thought, that ever any such incomuenience would have come of it, if they had not seen it present before their eyes. So that whosoever shall hereafter hear of the abomination of it, shall have just cause with all their heart to abhor it.  
Many more naughty fruits could I reckon up, that have sprung out of this new fond doctrine, but these are sufficient for my purpose, whereby every man, that is not stark blind may clearly see, that if there were any cause, that should move a man to rebellion (as there is none in deed) this were the worst of all other. For seeing that not only almighty god hateth this doctrine, because it is contrary to his holy word, contrary to his blessed spouse the church, contrary to the writings and authorities of all his blessed martyrs and confessors, and of all holy men beside, and contrary to the whole consent of Christendom, but also that is the utter destruction of all comen wealths wheresoever it cometh, it is no man's part to fight for it, to adventure his life in the defence of it, but rather to travail earnestly to abolish it, and to exhort all men evermore to beware of it. Wherefore whensoever the devil, who is the only author of rebellion, goeth about to persuade any man, that such doctrine is god's word, and that there is no other truth but it, and that he ought to stick fast to it, and fear not to suffer death for it, & if need be, to raise up rebellion, and boldly step forth, and fight stoutly against his prince in the maynteinance of it: Then may he well know, that it is neither the word of god, nor no truth is there in it, because the devil, who is the deadly enemy both of gods holy word and of all truth, not only moveth him to stick to it, but also with the sword against his prince manfully to defend it. But if he be by the devil thoroughly persuaded to rebel against his prince, rather than to forsake it, yet let him look or he leap, and call to remembrance the wretched end of all such, as hath for the like quarrel made rebellion. And first let him well consider the rebellions, that hath been made in Boheme for the same religion. When Wicliffe's wicked doctrine was conveyed out of England into Boheme, and there by john Hus translated into their vulgar tongue, & preached there by the same Hus, and one Jerome de Prage, a great numbered at length were infected with it, and because they minded to rule the whole country, and to subdue & destroy all, that were contrary to them in religion, 
Rebellion in Boheme for religion.  found they out a cruel captain very meet for their pestilent purpose (whose name was Ziska) under whom they wrought much mischief to that goodly country. 
Ziska.  And first builded they themselves a city, and named it Thabor. after the hills name, where our saviour was transfigured, 
Aeneas Syl. in hist c. 40. Histor Huss. li 5  because they thought, that in that city all truth should be revealed and opened. And after would they no more be called Hussites, but Thaborites.  
Then pulled they down churches and monasteries, & most miserably persecuted all catholic folk, and specially priests. Of whom some Ziska their captain caused to be burned quick, and some to be murdered with other tormentrye. and the privy members of some to be cut of, to th'intent that they should be a mocking stock to the people. Which cruel and detestable monster (for so Aeneas Silvius calleth him) because no men's power could vanquish him▪ God with his mighty hand at length for his manifold rebellion overthrew him. For as he was going to Priscovia to meet Sigismundus th'emperor, he was by the way suddenly taken with the pestilence, and so made he an end of his cursed life. After whose death the Thaborites got them a new captain, named Procopius: whose cruelty, spoil, and oppression the Lords & barons of Boheme well perceiving and greatly lamenting, thought such wickedness no longer to be suffered, but to put in adventure all that they had, and their lives to, rather than they would see their country by such rebels so miserably spoiled and wasted. Whereupon getting a great army together, met with them betwixt Broda & Buris, and set upon them suddenly, insomuch that the Thaborytes fled away apace. Wherefore Procopius their Captain, when he could by no persuasion keep them from flight, like a desperate wretch, run headlong into the thick of his enemies, where fighting a while, and sore vexing his enemies, at last with an arrow was shot through. And when the battle was ended, an infinite numbered of the Thaborites were taken prisoners, 
The miserable end of the rebels in Boheme.  and after put in great barns, the doors shut up. And because that country should no longer be troubled with such wretched people, the barns were set on fire, and they and the barns were burned up altogether. This woeful end had these seditious and cruel heretics, the maintainers of Wicliffe's and Hussis doctrine, by whose means the noble country of Boheme, was brought from a most honourable state, to very slavery, from great riches to very beggary, from good order, to utter confusion, from noble liberty to vile bondage, and from a royal kingdom to a wretched tyranny. We read likewise of the great rebellion, that was made in germany by the Lutherans, 
Look upon the chronicle of the books of burgundy, & the chronicle of Carion  called Bellum rusticum, which intended to have destroyed Christ's catholic faith, all the clergy, and all the nobility of germany, and never to have been under any rulers or governors any longer. For the devil and Luther together had taught them, that the liberty of the Gospel should not be subject to such tyrants▪ as th'emperor was: and Luther in his sermons called th'emperor a sack of worms, and said, that the great Turk was a wiser prince and a better, than the governors of our Christian comen wealth, and used commonly to say, Lord deliver us from such tyrants. Where withal the people being provoked to sedition, gathered together a great army, and if they had not been resisted betime, they had destroyed all germany. And when they came to the field, and were compelled to make battle, they fought wonderful fearslye, so that there were slain at sundry conflicts above an hundredth thousand men. And both the authors of all this mischief in the same battles were killed, and all the rebels beside were either slain, or taken prisoners. Such cruel bloodshed, and such manslaughter brought for the this cursed enterprise.  
What should I speak of a city in Germany called Munstere, 
Monasteri●●.  which before it was with the perilous plague of heresy infected, was a very rich and a wealthy city, and marvelously did flourish both for the prosperous estate. that it was in, and also for the honest behaviour, and civil manners of the people. But after that heresy was cropen into it, and that the people had received it, and a great numbered of them became Anabaptists, than would they no longer obey their prince, but become a free city. Then false prophets arose amongs them, and all good men were thrust out of the city, and spoiled of all that they had. After that made they a king amongs themselves, who most cruelly tormented all, that would not obey his denelish intentes & purposes, & hanged a great meany upon trees. But consider th'end of this rebellion. By and by after this, the city was besieged, and with in a short space taken to. In the time of the besieging whereof, they that were with in the city were so famished, that many of them were glad to eat the coverings of great books, that were covered with leather, & some of them eat their own children.  
And yet notwithstanding all this misery, some desperate wretches would not let to dance in the streets, and set forth spectacles and shows openly. As for to pull down churches and chapels, they counted it a good pastime. And they were sore aggrieved with images, that if they see any picture either in walls or in glaze windows. they would utterly deface it. But at length when the city was taken, both the lewd king, that they had made, and all his adherentes, were taken withal, and burned at a stack, and so received the reward of their wicked rebellion. If any man be desirous to know more of this story, let him read an epistle of one Antony Coruine, which he wrote to George Spalatine. What was the special cause (I pray you) of the great rebellion, that was made by the princes of germany against th'emperors majesty Charles the .v. that now reigneth, but only the maintenance of Luther's doctrine. For albeit they pretended many other causes to cloak the matter, yet in very deed (as Lodovicus ab Auila telleth, by whom the story is written) the principal cause was Luther's heresy, that they so much esteemed. But such as their cause was, such luck ●ad they. For albeit that th'emperors army was but small, and nothing to be compared in force and power with the Lutherans army, yet themperor putting his whole affiance in god, and trusting that he would assist him in maintenance of his church and catholic faith, got by gods help a very notable and marvelous victory. For both was john Federike Duke of Saxonye taken in the field, and Philippe the Landgrave of Hesse, yielded him ●elfe, which be two of the chief Princes of all germany. And as for the rest of the rebels, some were taken, & some were slain, & some put to flight. By these examples all men may evidently perceive, that such as have made rebellion for this naughty doctrine, have ever been miserably plagued at the end. But to let pass th'examples of foreign realms, and to come home to our own, as soon as the favourers of Wicliff's wicked heresy heard, that Hus and Jerome of prague two of Wiclifs chief scholars were condemned at Constance, and there burned for their heresy, they fell therefore into a ●uryouse rage. And first conspired against the bishops and priests, 
Polydor. hist. li. 22  & then like vile traitors against their liege lord and sovereign, king Henry the .v. because he was a catholic Prince, and a virtuous. And straight way made they open assembles, and determined to maintain their cursed doctrine by force of arms. Then got they them two meet Captains for such a purpose, john Oldcastell, and Roger Acton: and with a desperate company, which were assembled with them, made they hast to London, to th'intent they might take the city, and so there increase their army with men much like themselves, and in conclusion by that means put down the king. But the king being certified of the matter, thought it necessary to prevent them, and to be ready to set upon them before they should enter into the city. Who when he was well prepared for them, pitched his tents in a place meet for the purpose, and tarried for their coming. But the wretches assoon as they heard of the kings coming, straight way, as though they had lost the field, run away as fast▪ as their feet would bear them. Of whom some were taken in the flight, and by and by committed to the fire and burned. Anon after their two captains were taken, & cast in prison. Beside this, the tragical end of our last rebellion made by captain Wyatt, & his complices for the same religion, may be a sufficient warning for all men, as long as the world continueth, to beware both of such a detestable and devilish enterprise, and also of the perverse doctrine, that drove them unto it. And let every man, that is infected with the same doctrine, & looketh for a day (as a great meinie do) be well assured, that whensoever he adventureth the like act, he shall have a like day, that is to say, a day of his utter confusion. For God is all one, and faileth not to defend all those, that put their sure trust in him (as our most gracious sovereign Lady the Queen doth) and punisheth all such, as fighteth against his church, and against princes, which be his ministers. And whatsoever the matter be, that moveth him to rebellion, let him think surely, that the devil, that seeketh to destroy him both body and soul, hath put it in his mind. And let him wax wise betime thorough other men's harms. And if he will call to memory the words that certain of our rebels said at their death, 
The kentish rebels words at their ●eathe.  he shall have good cause to beware by their example. For diverse of them (as it is reported) said to the people, that were present, when they were put to execution after this sort. Good people, seeing that god for my most grievous offence committed against the queens highness hath thus worthily plagued me and punished me with this vile and shameful death, I beseech you all for your own safeguard, learn by mine example evermore to beware of rebellion. And specially against your most virtuous & most gracious sovereign Lady, that now reigneth over you, whom god (as it well appeareth) hath elected and chosen to govern you, & whom he ceaseth not daily with his mighty hand to defend against all her enemies. Wherefore all they, that goeth about to resist her, or to work any treason against her noble person, wittingly worketh their own destruction. For there is no deceitful drifts, or force of arms, that can prevail against the faithful servants of god. Therefore may I most miserably bewail my misfortune, that it was my chance to be one of that number, that contrary to God's will and pleasure, did rebel against such a gracious prince. And well may I say with a sighing heart, alas, that ever I was so mad, as to follow the pestilent persuasion of such, as moved me thereto. But now the act is paste, and it is not possible to call again yesterday. But notwithstanding that to late it is to amend the matter, yet it is not to late to repent. And remedy find I none, but only to be sorry for it, and heartily to beseech both almighty God to be merciful unto me, and the Queen's highness of her goodness to pardon me. And I exhort all you, that be present to beware by me, and that my plague may be a plaster for all them, whose hearts be wounded with wicked rebellion. And I pray God, that all english men may take heed by me▪ and learn to obey their Prince by mine example, and wax wise through my folly. Such like words said diverse of the late rebels at their death. But to be short, there was never rebellion yet, for what cause soever it was made, that ever had prosperous end.  
And if a man would recite foreign rebellions, that have been done in other realms, he should be very long in the matter. But let us at this present go no further, but to our own country, and we shall find this, that I have said, to be undoubtedly true. For jacke Straw & Watt Tyler, 
jacke Straw.  Captains of the commotion, that was in Kente, in king Richard the seconds days, 
Polydor. hist. li. 20  when they had taken South work, spoiled it, broken up the prisons, let out the prisoners, and after rob the whole city of London, and killed meinie, both strangers and citizens, and joined to them all ruffians, thieves, slaves, and vile velaynes, that were within the city, at last the Lord Maior, whose name was William Walworth, and all the Aldermen of the city sore moved with the matter, gathered a company together well armed, and the said lord Maior, while all men prepared themselves to go against these rebels, having a company with him, at the kings commandment went into Smithfielde, where the rebels were. At whose coming the rebels being some what abashed, suffered him to enter in amongs them without any harm. Then the lord Maior took apart jacke Straw, pretending that he would be glad to make peace with him. But assoon as he had got him aside, in a great rage drew he his dagger, & killed him out of hand. Which when the rebels once perceived, they fled away apace, and in the flight many were taken, and many were slain: and so for their outrageous act received they worthy punishment.  
The like end had the great captain of the kentish rebels, called jacke Cade. 
Iack● Cade.  Which jacke in the reign of king henry the uj took Southwark, 
Polydor. hist. lib. 3.  and when he was assaulted of one Matthew Goth at midnight, stoutly resisted him, and drove him back to the bridge: and so hard pursued him, that he fled into the city again. Then jacke with his men set fire upon the houses, that were on the bridge: where was seen a lamentable spectacle to behold. For some flying the danger of the fire, ran upon the drawn sword of their enemies. Some piteously crying for help, were choked up with the smoke. Some that could not escape out of the houses, were miserably burned. Some to avoid the perilous flame, leapt down headling into the midst of Thames, & there were drowned. Somwere oppressed with the fall of the houses. O what a miserable sight was it, to see young children sprawling in the midst of the fire, & to hear them cry out so ruefully? Or what a cruel wretch was he, that had been the cause of such a cruel tragedy? Then the king seeing that these rebels could not by force be vanquished▪ made a proclamation, that all that would departed quietly home to their houses, should have their pardon, save only jacke Cade, the author of all the misery. Whereupon the rebels departed, & so was jacke Cade taken, & shortly after put to death, as he had well deserved. Further more what was the end of the great rebellion, that was in the North, in the time of king Henry the eight. Were not a great numbered of the rebels in conclusion hanged up? Had not also the rebels in Norfolk & Devonshire, in the reign of king Edward the uj such like success? were not an infinite numbered of them slain, and many after the battle was ended put to a vile & shameful death? Therefore let no man, of what degree soever he be, that adventureth to work such wickedness, think that he shall escape such like punishment, as these foresaid rebels have suffered: for God, which is the author of peace & concord, by whom all princes have their rule & government, will not suffer to escape unpunished such, as against his express will and commandment do make rebellion. Over this seeing that a Prince, 
2. Reg. 5  as god said to David, is appointed to feed & nourish the people, what an unkind subject is that, which travaileth to destroy the prince, who by all means seeketh to feed & nourish him? And if a man be never so high in honour being no prince, yet let him take himself but as a subject, and let him behave himself, as an obedient subject to, and always be well aware, that ambition creeping into his breast, move him not to covet the crown, lest therefore he be crowned at length with an hatched. And let him continually remember this witty and wise sentence of saint Gregory Nazianzene. 
In oratione de ●rdine.  Why goest thou about to make thyself a shepherd, being but a sheep? Or why labourest thou to be a head, seeing thou art but a foot? Or why wilt thou become a captain, where as thou art but a souldyar? That is a very ungentle sheep, that will go about to destroy the shepherd, who doth so carefully provide for it, and saveth it from the danger of the wolf. And so is that a wretched foot, that will labour to cut of the head, to th'intent it may become a monstrous head itself, seeing that the true head doth study so diligently to keep it from all harm and incommodity. Yea and an unkind souldyar is he, that will travail to put down his captain, by whose policy, wisdom, and force he hath at all times escaped the hands of his enemies. And as the shepherd is the defence of the sheep, the head of the foot, the captain of the souldyar, so in very deed the Prince is the tuition and safeguard of all his subjects. And our prince and governess the Queen, requireth nothing of us again but gentle & obedient hearts, which if we show unfeignedly toward her grace, we shall save our souls, our bodies, our goods, & our country thereby. For as disobedience damneth our souls, killeth our bodies, spoileth us of our goods, & destroyeth our country: So obedience is the health & safeguard thereof. What mischief, disobedience, 
The harm●s that c●me of rebellion's  & rebellion worketh in every country, where it cometh, we may easily learn by the examples before recited. For when rebellion reigneth, than peace which is cause of plenty is broken. Then all concord and unity, which bindeth the fellowship of men together, is clean taken away. Then all charity which is mother of all godly virtue, is banished out of men's hearts. Then all laws, wherewith the comen wealth is governed, is utterly disannulled. For then (as Seneca saith) law standeth only in force of arms. Then all officers that cause good order to be kept, and do minister justice, are displaced. Then grave wisdom and policy, whereby wholesome counsel is given, are thrust out of the doors, and rash folly and headiness take their places. Then all good order, which is the beauty of every comen wealth is trodden under foot, and misrule and confusion have the upper hand. Then followeth spoiling of men's goods. burning of their houses, cruel murder and bloodshed, ravishing of men's wives, deflowering of their daughters, rape, incest, & all beastly vice. Then fall they to set at nought all religion, to contemn God, and to blaspheme his holy name, & in conclusion destroy they themselves & their country to. For when men are by spoil sore impoverished, and their strength and courage by civil dissension greatly abated, then shall they be a prey for their enemies. And then shall it so come to pass, as Horace saith by Rome, 
Od. 16. apod.  that that noble city, which no foreign enemies could overcome, is now by civil war and sedition come to utter ruin. For like as in a man's body, if the fo●e should fight with the hand, the head with the neck, the back with the belie, and every part with other, the body should utterly perish, so a country, where the inhabitants make war one against another, & one seeketh to destroy another, must needs come to utter confusion. For the holy scripture can not be false, 
An●. 11.  which sayeth, That every kingdom divided within itself, Shallbe destroyed.  
And Gregory Nazianzene asketh▪ what is the worst thing & most noisome in the world: and by and by he answered: discord. And then asketh he again: What is the best? and straight he answereth, peace And Democritus a wise Philosopher sayeth, that civil dissension is dangerous and noisome for both parties. For it is the destruction as well of those that get the victory, as of those that lose it. For than cometh foreign enemies, and invade the country, and easily vanquish it. For like as when two dogs fight for a bone (as the proverb is) oftentimes the third cometh, and catcheth it from them both: So when two parts of a realm strive for the government, their enemies enter, and take it from them.  
For how wan William duke of Normandy this country of ours, 
Polydor. lib. 8.  but only through the sore dissension of two brethren, (whose names were harald, and Tosto) that contended for the crown. For the civil war & sore bloodshed that they made, by reason thereof, so abated the force and strength of this realm, that the said William arriving at the same time upon the coasts of England, easily entered into it, and after one battle fought with Harald, took it. Or how wan the Turk all grece, and took the goodly city of Constantinople, but only by means that the princes and rulers of that country could not agree within themselves. And I pray god that the deadly dissension and cruel war, that is now in Christendom amongs the princes thereof do not make away at the length for the Turk to subdue all the rest of Christendom. For nothing is there that maketh so much, for his purpose, as our civil war and discord. Therefore let us pray god earnestly, that it will please him to pacify the hearts of all christian princes. And all we, that be true English men, let us lay away our malicious hearts, and betime reconcile us one to another, and seek not the means to destroy our country by discord. For as mariners, that be in one ship together, if they fall at variance when they be upon the sea, and every one fight with another, and care not what become of the ship, it is likely that when the tempest cometh, they shall all perish, and their ship to: Even so when the inhabitants of one country are at debate within themselves, and pass not at all for the danger▪ that is like to fall to their country, then when they are by foreign enemies assaulted, they are by and by or ever they be aware overthrown and vanquished. And then God sendeth unto them the four plagues, that he said, he would send upon the children of Israel for their wickedness, 
Hier. 15.  that is to say, the sword to kill them, dogs to tear their bodies, birds of the air to eat them, and wild beasts of the earth to devour them. And after shall the whole country be spoiled of all her wealth and riches, and become a slave to her enemies, and repent her of her wickedness, when it shallbe to late, and cry with Hieremye, 
Hier. 15.  Why good Lord is my sorrow endless, and how chanceth it, that my plague is uncurable? Therefore let all true hearted English men for the love that we own to GOD, for the good will, that we are bound to bear to our prince, and for the fervent zeal, that we have to the safeguard of our country, refrain from discord, repress our rebellious hearts, and begin one to love another, one to do for another, and neither by discord make a way for our enemies, nor by malice wish them to come against us, but heartily love our most gracious sovereign Lady the Queen, and most willingly obey her, love our native country, and gladly spend our goods and lives in the defence thereof: & let this devilish dissension reign no longer among us, and consider that no comen wealth can stand, where it taketh place. For a house or family where discord is, doth never prosper, but by little & little it cometh to misery. Wherefore seeing that almighty God of his mere goodness hath sent us such a virtuous Lady to reign over us, and by her delivered us from bondage and tyranny, and by her brought us from blindness and heresy, and by her reconciled us to his spouse the Catholic Church again, and so by her saved both our bodies & our souls, it is all our parts to seek always possible to set us at peace and concord, which shall at length make our country to flourish a fresh, & to banish all malice and hatred, all division and discord, which hath been the cause of our misery. And first those that be of the clergy, 
The clergies duty.  as Bishops, priests, and other ministers, let them partly by diligent preaching themselves, partly by sending learned men to preach, & partly by godly visitations, call home the people to true faith again, and teach them the fear of god, which is far to seek in many men's hearts. For if they once fear GOD, then will they easily conform themselves to the godly order of Christ's church, and both serve God reverently, and also humbly obey their prince. For all these that so rage against the blessed spouse of Christ, and so blasphemously mock the ministers thereof, and so outrageously rail against the blessed mysteries & sacraments therein, and cast books and libels abroad, and disperse false rumours every where (as I said before) both to maintain their heresy, and also to sow sedition thereby, they neither love GOD, nor fear him, nor take any care for either soul or body, nor willingly will they obey their prince. For such verily are the children of Core. 
Num. 16  Dathan, and Abyron, who so sore grudged at Moses & Aaron for that they only should minister in the tabernacle of God. But let them, if ever they mind to be saved, repent them betime of their grievous grudge, & malicious hatred, that they bear to Christ's Catholic church, lest either the earth open and swallow them up, as it did with Core, Dathan, & Abyron, or else at length, when they shall departed this life, hell open (which God forbidden) and most miserably devour them. And let all other that well know them, follow the xample of the people, who saying when Core, Dathan, and Abyron were swallowed up, fled away. and said: Let us get us hence, lest perhaps the earth devour us likewise. Beside let the clergy not only in their preaching, but also in their living so behave themselves, as becometh the true ministers of God, to th'intent they may give such example of all godly virtue to Christ's flock, that the same flock being provoked by their good works, may become such like, as they be. 
Osee. 4.  For as the Prophet Osee sayeth, Such as the people be, such are the priests, and contrary wise such as the priests be, such are the people. For if the priests be nought, the people be also nought: but if the priests be honest, virtuous, and godly, the people following their example, will become like unto them. Let the noble and gentlemen also, 
Noble & gentlemen's d●●tie.  and all magistrates of this realm do their duties to God and to their prince, & see all those, that they have cure over, to be kept in good order, and to correct and punish, as appertaineth to their office, all them, that be stubborn & disobedient, and specially such as be rebels to God, and to his Catholic church: and then this realm shall not need to fear any civil war or rebellion: and they in so doing shall highly please GOD, do their prince very faithful service, and both get themselves great honour, and also preserve the honourable state, that they have gotten. But if they be slack herein, and wink at wicked folks acts, and namely at those, that be detestable in God's sight, and injurious to Christ's holy church, and the catholic faith, then shall they undoubtedly at length lose all their honour, lose their estimation, put their prince in danger, and their country to. For when men that be in authority, be slack in maintaining and furthering the Catholic faith, then by little and little groweth heresy, and spreadeth abroad, that at length, except men be well aware, it prevaileth, and destroyeth the country, where it reigneth. It is well compared by S. Paul to a cancer. For as a cancer, 
2. Tim, 2  if it be suffered increaseth daily, and so creepeth forward, that in conclusion it corrupteth the whole body: so heresy, whensoever it is entered into any comen wealth, it so goeth forward, if it be not repressed, that in the end it destroyeth the whole, as the xamples before rehearsed, do well declare. And truth is it, that no common wealth can stand, if religion be neglected. In consideration whereof all they, that in old time wrote of comen wealths, as Plato, Aristotle, Cicero, and many other beside, thought it most necessary for the governors of every comen wealth, chief to travail in establishing religion. Which done it should be easy to keep the people in good order. For the very paynims & infidels, to whom they wrote, having a great fear and a reverence to the false Gods, that they worshipped, were gentle, meek, humble, and very obedient to their rulers: So all Christian men without doubt, if they be keeped in the fear of God. and in the true religion of his catholic church, they will most willingly obey their prince, observe the laws of their country, and quietly behave themselves every one in their vocation.  
Over this let all parents have a diligent eye to the bringing up of their children in the fear of God, 
Parents.  in his holy service, & in all godly virtue, and teach them to obey God, to obey his Church, and their lawful prince. But if they themselves percase favour not Christ's church, nor the order thereof, and their children following their footsteps, do the same, and so continue in their folly, and rejoice in the same, let the children look for as wretched an end, 
1. Reg. ● and .4.  as ever had Helyes' children, and the parents to be punished for bearing with their children's offences, according as Hely himself was. Therefore let all parents take heed, and chastise thei● children in dew season. For if the children through the parent's default fall into heresy, or any kind of vice, the parents shall make answer for them, and shall at length suffer grievous punishment for not correcting them. 
Ephe. 6.  For S. Paul commandeth them to bring them up with due correction & discipline. Which if they do, they shall have loving and obedient children both to God, and their prince, and to themselves to.  

masters  Let also all masters take heed to their servants and prentices, that they learn to fear God, learn to fast and pray, and to lead a godly life, and not to follow their sensual appetite and carnal lusts, as a great sort do, and think that they be favourers of gods word, because they can take their liberty: and count themselves witty, if they can make a merry mock at the Mass, and at the ceremonies thereof, and geste at priests, Gods ministers, and prate and babble against the holy sacraments of the church, and the divine service done therein. But for such mockers (as witnesseth Solomon) God's judgements are prepared, 
Pro. 1●  and beating hammers for such fools bodies. But if all masters would do their duties in correcting their servants, they would not thus behave themselves, and provoke God's wrath against them. But it is to be feared, that such as the servants be, such be their masters. For if their masters were good & godly, they would never suffer their servants to be so naughty. For as a man y● as he rideth by the high way, letteth the bridle go, & suffereth his horse to break down hedges, and to destroy men's corn, it is not like, that he is unwilling, that such harm should there be done: even so a master that letteth his servant have his own swinge, and suffereth him to mock & geste at gods mysteries, no man will think, but that such one is well willing, that he should so do, yea & glorieth to in that he hath such a jolly man. But let him take heed, how he suffereth his servant so to run at large. For it is not unlike, that such servants besides other grievous enormities, will at length fall to spoil their masters, and so shall the masters be justly punished here in this life for the licentious liberty, that they give to them: yea and moreover both the master and the man shall one day, except GOD send them grace to amend, most earnestly repent them, and bewail the time that ever they were borne: and specially the master, because that having charge of his servant, and seeing him so far out of order, would never correct nor chastise him. Let all masters therefore betime take heed to their servants, all parents to their children, all superior powers to them, whom they have in their government, and cause them leave their contentious reasoning of religion, and fall to steadfast believing, and throughly persuade them, that in matters of our belief, our senses and reason must alway give place to faith. For so shall God be reverently served, so shall our most gracious and virtuous sovereign be duly obeyed, so shall all rebellion be easily avoided, so shall peace and concord reign among us, and so shall our country, that of late hath been most miserably spoiled, wax rich and wealthy again, and recover the honourable and noble estate, that it hath been in, in time paste. Therefore most heartily beloved country men, saying that GOD of his bountiful goodness hath of late been so merciful to us, and delivered us from most cruel tyranny by his dearly beloved handmaid, our most noble queen, and hath sent us such a mistress and governess, as this Realm hath not had the like, and that she so tenderly loveth every one of us, careth so much for us, studieth most earnestly, how to advance us, seeketh nothing else, but the wealth, safeguard, and honour of our country, taketh so great pains for our commodity, watcheth for us, prayeth for us, & most mercifully dealeth with us, let us altogether with one consent, most humbly obey her, most tenderly love her, & with our goods & our lives most willingly defend her. And because she is the very faithful servant of God, as both almighty God by miracle hath plainly showed, and also she in her most godly conversation doth daily declare, let us in all things follow her example, and become like unto her, and believe as she doth, fear GOD as she doth, serve God as she doth, and labour to keep his commandments as she laboureth, be merciful as she is, be lowly and humble as she is, be charitable as she is, cast away malice as she doth, be ready to help the poor as she is ready, be gentle to speak to, as she is gentle, keep our conscience clean as she keepeth hers, take heed of bribery, as she doth, abhor covetousness as she doth, hate oppression as she hateth it, hate debate as she doth, love one another, as she loveth us all, care one for another as she careth for us all, love all godly virtue as she loveth it, fly from all vice as she doth, & to be short, fashion our life to her life in all points, that the saying of Plato may be verified in us that such as the prince is, such are the people, and so undoubtedly shall we please our lord GOD, and seem to be thankful to him for his benefits bestowed upon us of late, please our gracious Queen, that is delighted with all goodness, please all good Christian folks, that long to hear of our virtuous behaviour, reconcile ourselves wholly to Christ's Catholic church, from which we have so long been divided, save our silly souls, which otherwise were like to have perished, save our bodies, which should have been oppressed with miserable servitude, save our goods, whereof we should have been utterly spoiled, save our country, which was likely to have been brought into perpetual thraldom, recover the honour thereof, which was altogether defaced, and both in this life live well & welthelye, and after our death receive at God's hand the crown of glory, that never shall decay, in his celestial and everlasting tabernacle.  
FINIS.   

A prayer for the Queen's highness, very convenient to be said daily of all her faithful and loving subjects.  
O Most gracious & most merciful lord, whose power is almighty. whose works are marvelous, and whose goodness is infinite, grant I beseech the to thy most humble hand maid Queen mary, our most gracious sovereign lady & mistress, such perfit and excellent wisdom, as thou vouchsafed to give unto Solomon, to the intent she may so govern this noble realm, that both thy glory may be advanced thereby, and all the people thereof may learn to fear and love thee, to obey her grace, to study for peace, to love one another, and to delight in virtue and godly conversation. Grant her also, I beseech the such strength, as thou did to joshua, who through thine aid and help overcame all his enemies, 
joshua. 1.  and safely conducted the children of Israel into the land of Behest, and say unto her, as thou saidest to him, Take a good heart and be strong, fear not I say, fear not, because that I, which am thy lord and god, will be with the in all thine affairs, to th'end she may (as joshua did) vanquish all her enemies, 
psal. 128.  and say with David, They have even from my tender age oftentimes assaulted me, but yet could they never prevail against me. give her beside (Good Lord) such trust and confidence in thee, that she may truly rehearse these verses of the prophet, 
Psal. 26.  God is the defender of my life, therefore whom shall I fear? GOD is my helper, 
Psal. 17.  and in him will I put my trust. And send her more over such grave and faithful counselors, as will both without flattery tell her the truth, and also give her such wise council, as shall be most expedient, not only for her grace's safeguard, which they are bound specially to care for, but also for the safeguard of all her loving subjects, whose wealth they ought also to consider, yea and for the good government of the whole realm beside, for which purpose they are called to that dignity. And withal send her highness such a good will to hear them, that as they be ready to give her good counsel, so she may be ready always to follow it. Save her (most gracious lord) from all privy conspiracies, and send her the grace before any peril fall to spy out all treason and traitorous devices contrined against her, that both the authors thereof may be duly punished therefore, and her grace's person preserved alway from danger. Good lord give her grace to beware of all flatterers and dissemblers, whose tongues uttereth pleasant words, when their hearts are full of grievous grudge and malice, and by thy goodness so bring to pass, as either her highness at lest may give no credit to them, or else they may utterly forsake their dissembling and flattery, and place truth in stead thereof. Most merciful lord, 
Gene. 21  who sent Sara a son, when she was very old, 
1. Re. 1.  who caused Anna the wife of Eleana by means of her earnest prayer to bring forth a child, 
Luc. 1.  & who gave unto barren Elisabeth well grown in years fruit of her womb, vouchsafe of thy bountiful goodness to send our gracious Queen fruit of her body, to th'intent that thy holy name may be glorified thereby, & her grace take comfort therein, and all our country by means thereof long continue in peace and quietness. O lord vouchsafe beside so to adorn her family and household with all godly virtue, that all those that be placed therein, may for their true faith and fervent devotion to God ward, for their faithful hearts, and due obedience to her grace, and for their earnest love and hearty affection one to another, be an example for all the whole realm to follow. Over this grant (I most heartily beseech thee) that all her subjects may remember the wonderful miracles, that thou haste now of late wrought for her, and the great benefits, that they have received by her, to th'intent that they may not only glorify thy name, and daily give the most hearty thanks for thy goodness, but also all murmuring & grudge laid apart, humbly obey her grace, lovingly embrace her godly laws, and think verily, that thou haste sent her to deliver this realm, both from heresy and blindness, and also from most miserable thraldom and tyranny, and persuade themselves, that whatsoever she goeth about, the same shallbe to their wealth and commodity, because thou lord, is always present with her. Uouchesafe also good lord for thy tender mercy sake, that as thou hast begun with her, and preserved her hitherto from the hands of the cruel enemies, so thou will continue thy great goodness toward her, and send her such grace, that she may not only continue in the virtuous trade of living, which she hath even from her childhood most diligently observed, but also daily more and more increase in all godly virtue, both for her own soul's health, and for our example beside. And grant her most merciful father a long reign for the wealth and commodity of our country, a prosperous reign for her own hearts ease and comfort, and a quiet reign for to avoid all murder and bloodshed, that both thy glory and true relireligion may be thereby advanced, and her grace also, and all we her loving subjects may live together in peace and unity, and with one voice praise and magnify thy most blessed & glorious name through our lord jesus Christ, to whom with the father and the holy ghost be all honour and glory world without end. Amen.   

A Prayer both for to give God thanks for his benefits bestowed of late upon this realm, and also to desire him to preserve the same in a quiet and prosperous estate.  
almighty and everlasting God, the maker of heaven and earth, and Lord of all creatures, by whose mighty hand the humble and lowly are advanced, & the proud and stubborn are thrust under foot, we thy servants give the most hearty thanks for thy great and bountiful goodness, which thou hast of late without our deserving bestowed upon us, both in delivering us from the cruel tyranny and bondage, wherewith we were of late oppressed, and also in restoring us again to our dear mother the Church of christ, and the catholic faith thereof. For which thy singular benefits, and gracious liberality, because we are in no wise able to render unto the worthy thanks, therefore we make our humble suit and request unto thee (O Lord) that it may please the for thy holy names sake, to accept our good wills in this behalf. And to give us grace all the days of our life to remember this marvelous work of thine, that partly by the devout and fervent prayer of thy humble handmaiden, our most gracious Queen, and other of thy people, and partly by the sure confidence and trust, that her grace evermore did put in thee, thou hast without the force & strength of men, put down not only her enemies, but also all those, that did both fight against thy blessed spouse the church, and travailed by all means to disannul all the godly ordinances thereof. Which wonderful and miraculous act, as thou hast most graciously begun, so we beseech the for thy tender mercies sake to go forward with it, so to establish it, as thy glory may be advanced thereby, and all the crafty devices and grievous assaults of the devil and his ministers clean over thrown and subdued. And now most merciful lord, thou, that art our head bishop and priest, grant that all our bishops, priests, and the rest of the clergy may so diligently occupy themselves in preaching to them that be ignorant, in good counsel giving to such as lack it, in exhorting those that be blinded, to return to the truth, in correcting the bad, that they may amend, in commending the good, that they may continue, that the ruins and decays of thy holy church may be repaired and builded up again. And over this that they may so virtuously order their life, and so devoutly behave themselves in all their doings, that the light of their good works may shine clear in the flock of Christ, to th'intent, that all that shall look thereupon, may praise & magnify thee, o lord, that vouchesafest to send us such pastors and guides. And so assist them (most merciful lord) with thy heavenly grace, that all worldly respects laid apart, they may freely open the truth, maintain the same, and what storms of adversity soever fall upon them, that they neither for loss of riches, or promotion, neither for fear of painful torments, or death itself serve in any point from the sound and sincere faith of the catholic church. And make them (good lord) as ready and willing in all that they may, to set forward the same faith, as false prophets and blind preachers have been of late to set forward perverse doctrine and heresy. give also unto the nobility of this realm such a zeal to the maynteynaunce of thy holy church, and such hearty good wills to the good government of this our country, and such chartable hearts to the poor commons. that both the godly orders, used in thy divine service, may be duly and reverently observed and kept, and also the whole realm by their wisdom, may be wisely ruled, and the poor, that have been of late days sore oppressed, may through thy liberal goodness be mercifully relieved. And grant them (O lord) always to care as much for the commodity of them, that be their tenants, as for their own, and so to love them, as the parents do love their children, and in no wise to pill and impoverish them. And thou (O lord) which art the giver of all good things, grant them such an earnest desire of virtue, and that they may so in their living practise it, as both they themselves for their own soul's health may please the therewith and also all those, that be under their rule, may be by their godly example provoked to follow the same. O most gracious lord, which art the author of peace and concord, power down upon all the people of this realm the pleasant dew of thy grace, and so mollify their hearts, that they may wax gentle, sober, meek, patient, and charitable, to th'intent that the deadly dissension that is among us, the great grudge and malice, that we bear one to another, may be utterly taken away, and give us (good lord) one heart and one way, as the Prophet sayeth, 
Higher, 32.  that amity, love, peace, concord & unity may reign in stead thereof. And send all such as be proud and stubborn humble and lowly minds, that they may acknowledge both themselves vile and wretched sinners, and the only to be their lord and god. Grant also (good lord) that those, that have greedy covetous hearts, may earnestly think upon their end, and consider not only, that nothing shall they carry with them out of this wretched world, but also that they shall render a most straight account to god, both how they have gotten their goods, and also how they have bestowed them. Therefore we beseech the to send them grace betime to repent them of their abominable covetousness, and to make amends to all them, whom for the satisfying of their unsatiable desires they have so miserably oppressed. Most mighty lord, which art the shield & defence of all such as put their trust in thee, so aid us against all foreign enemies, as both they may, when soever they shall assault us, be by thy helping hand overthrown and vanquished, and we thy servants continue in peace. Most merciful lord, which art the well of truth, and very truth itself, which art the author of light, and very light itself, give unto all such, as by the devils ministers persuasion have forsaken the truth, and fallen to heresy, and through blind ignorance and proud presumption have gone from the pure light of thy holy church, and cropen into the dark corners of cursed error, that they may through thy gracious goodness both be so touched in their hearts, that they will freely confess thy faith catholic, and also so illumined with the clear light of true knowledge, that they from henceforth most humbly will submit themselves to the godly order of their blessed mother the church catholic, whereunto when they be thoroughly reconciled, we beseech thee, that they may continue still in it, and evermore with glad hearts embrace all the wholesome rules and precepts thereof, to th'end that at length they may be partakers of thy glory with all the blessed saints in heaven. And moreover with a most fervent desire we do beseech thee, that it may please thy goodness, not only to purge this realm of all heresy & false doctrine, which have been the cause of all our misery, but also so to preserve us evermore from the same, that neither the devil with all his wily crafts, nor his ministers, with all their wicked endeavour, shall ever be able to ●rynge it into our country again. And thou lord that hath with thy blessing always endowed this realm, so bless us all at this present, that we may now and evermore be diligent in praising thy most holy name, in giving thanks to the forty goodness, in earnest penance doing for our sins, in asking forgiveness at thy hand, in calling for grace by fervent prayer, in relieving of the poor, in abstinence and fasting, in patiented suffering, in reconciling ourselves one to another, in doing good one for an other, in speaking well one by another, in agreeing in one faith and belief, that so we all being joined together with the bond of perfection, which is charity, & dwelling within one church here in earth, may at our death come & dwell with thee (good lord) in thy heavenly palace, and there with thy blessed angels and saints praise and magnify thy holy name world without end. Amen.   

¶ Imprinted at London in Paul's churchyard, at the sign of the holy Ghost, by john Cawood, printer to the Queen's highness.  
Anno Domini. 1.5.5.4. 24. julij.  
Cum privilegio Reginae Mariae.   

¶ Faults escaped in printing.  
Lief Side F●autes Corrected D. 6. 1. thaldome thraldom E●d. 7 1. vy up G. 4. 2. offices officers H. 4. 1. commanded commaunde●● I. 1. 1. whole hot I 5. 1. minded mindeth I. 8. 1. us to be busy us, be busy Eod. 2. liberties liberty K. 7. 2. chanceth changeth M. 5. 1. committed counted Eod. 5. 2. England, but England. ●u● N. 7. 1. Arch. duke Archduke Eod. 2. comforts comfort. O. 2. 1. destruction, for destruction. for Eod. 4 1, a pure pure a P. 6. 1. reward. rewards E. 8. 1. spectable spectacle Eod.  Chriss. Christ Eod. 2. mystery mysteries U. 4. 2. eyes hath eyes have U. 5. 1. we ●e. That we be, that Y. 8. 2. cokkel darnel cokkel ●a. ● 2. reasonable. Now. etc. reasonable, now Eod. 3. 1. where able were able Bb. 8. 2. were ●ore were so sore