A sight of the Portugal Pearl, that is, THE ANSWER OF D. Haddon Master of the requests unto our sovereign Lady Elizabeth by the grace of God queen of England France and Ireland, defender of the faith. etc. against the epistle of Hieronimus Osorius a Portugal, entitled a Pearl for a Prince.  
Translated out of latin into english by Abraham Hartwell, Student in the kings college in Cambridge.   

Ad amicum P. Sextum.  
A. H.  
QVod me (Sexte) rogasdun conor dicere, ludum:  
Paparūque (puto) fulmen inane putas.  
Priscis papicolis plus an minus Anglolovani,  
Deteriora ferant an meliora rogas.  
Cum dico, meliora: negas ridesque. papismo  
Qui meliore valet deteriore valet.  
Tuque idem rides cum dico, deteriora:  
Tam spurcis peius deteriusque nihil.  
Plus nonuis (quamuis corradant omnia) posse,  
Nonuis (cum rapiant omnia) posse minus.  
Ergo eadem scribunt, pucris irrisa fabrisque,  
Quaeque omnis passim novit & odit homo.  
Cur eadem scribunt, Latijque opprobria cultus,  
Anglo ter mittunt proijcienda solo?  
Cur modo pulsa recèns mittunt pellenda, Latini,  
Ac non omniloqui, dogmata vana Petri?  
Esurit externus praelus, praelique magister:  
Haec, inquis, lucri (Sexte) repertavia est.   

To Master Shacklock.  
BEfore I open my mouth unto you (M. Shacklocke) I may do right well to advertise the godly reader in any wise not to be ignorant of the occasion by you ministered, 
Look master Shaklockes' preface unto his translation.  in your unadvised preface and Epistle unto master D. Haddon, that he may duly consider your deservings, and also the necessity of this mine answer. Which I would willingly so frame that I might keep as much within the limits of modesty as you are without. And that so much the more, because I easily conceive, that which I willing lie and dutifully conceive, how that these serious matters, nay rather divine and heavenly mysteries, ought not by our lewdness thus to be profaned, turned into Comical brawls, made quarrels of contention, & singularity. And yet, lo, these matters of weight, this word of power, this gospel of newness of life is made so gamesome a thing, that in steppeth Danus and Syrus to determine between doctors. I speak not now against the liberty of good profession, in any estate or degree, lest it might be said, I spoke against the known truth. Truth and sooth it is, that God may be & is glorified by the rich poor, high low, young old. But where are face beyond reason, taunts beside occasion, triumph without conquest, rash claims of prerogative, assurance of your own doings, contempt of other not only meant but also blazed in writing, in word ungodly, in deed uncharitable, unfruitful unto yourselves, unpleasant unto your own dear friends, & commonly laughed at, the Actor though he swear for himself, shall uneath save his honesty. Wherefore let us think it (as it is) a piece of duty to speak within a compass, considering that if our own name and fame be by any man rashly impugned, we account it violence, we complain that we are injuried. Namely if I should begin with your beginning (M. Shacklock) and call you as you call yourself, a mortar maker, a dirt dauber, a carman or basketbearer, I suppose you would think I do you small worship, yet (of a bluntness) I can skarcelye take you otherwise then you are. Only I marvel who is master of the works in lovayne, that suffereth every prating pioneer and inferior labourer to use his tongue for a pytcheforke, and to bestow such dirty dealings upon men of renowned learning and worthy authority. But that you shall not think you have cast any man into an agony, I send you word from Cambridge, that nothing is so heavily taken, as the whole is unseemly in a man of your occupation. A labourer quoth you? not in all Erasmus de copia so fit a title. Even so (as you have showed yourself) for all the world, is operarius taken in Tully 1. de oratore. There were in Tully's time, in thou'rtart of Rhetoric certain upstarts, which of that excellent science made nothing but a vain clattering, & became operarii, that is, not men of learning, but plain mechanical or handcraft Orators, lyplabourers. When such artificers step in, they give men occasion to scour old rusty proverbs such as these: A sow gave a leap, a popyniay piped, an ass brayed, a match made between an Eagle and a jackedawe, a Sourer above his latchet. etc. And this I speak not for your translation, which had it not been (as it is) hemmed in with your ungentil and loveles additions, might have less displayed the imbecility of your invention. Thinks, being both an Orator and a Poet, you should not have been ignorant that plain dunstable raising is the sclenderest shift in all Rhetoric. This your blind boldness with so worthy a man (without all good proportion as I may say) maketh many men muse who appointed you for a Captain, and withal putteth them in mind of the old proverb: Multitudo imperatorum Cariam perdidit. While every peasant matched himself with pieces, the whole land of Caria went to wreck. And yet this is the vain and preposterous practice of our masters, Lovainers. Vain in that they think a matter singularly handled when it is well craked, preposterous in defaming those persons whose puissance they inespecially dread & fear. Turn yourself unto better matter master Shacklocke, and as for Osorius his nerte ishew, do not so preiudiciallye forspeake it, lest you lay to much upon the man's shoulders. And if you love to stick in comparisons, look ix. degrees lower, and there seek you a playfellow. As for your lavishing Epistles, if you sent them for a taste of your wit, I will say no more, but they have been considered. Only (of modesty) sit not an uncalled judge between D. Haddon and Osorius, not that you are unworthy, but for inclination. To be short, understand (I pray you) that you are wished to go too some matter, or if you have none other faculty but that is already showed, to stay yourself until your muse be better schooled. Surely sir, to say none otherwise then your own catorcozins say, you have taken neither the best way nor the wisest. And the most mild excuse that can be made for you is, that in this doing, you do but savour of the soil, & feed the natural vain of your ancients, Lovainers. Whose people blinding plays & stratagemmes in sowing of rumours, defaming of the persons, hastninge of printed papers, might not (of reason) so well like them, in that they are but crepitacula, children's toys. But (by gods good grace) they shall be seen one by one, and such a view is already taken of some of them, that none need be deceived, no not the little ones. As for those your darts in your Preface, or rather presumptions of the Religion not yet revealed unto you (such as these, the smoke of ignorance in England, great flames of heresies burning men's souls, furious fyeres, misty vales of heresies, false doctrine, cockering boat of sismaticall noisomeness, wavering fantasies, sydewinde of devilish suggestion, cold north-wind of dissension or discord. etc.) with such other largises of your pleasure, and taunts some of a foot and an half long, joined with so small show of learning and advisement, have (I assure you) encroached very little or nothing unto you, but rather make men now doubt of your knowledge, and inquire of your manners. As for your learned comparison, I will leave it (in the next leaf) to the discrete judgement of the reader learned and unlearned, praising god for this sweet little treatise, and (notwithstanding your ungentle dealings) requiring nothing but the fruit of reasonable and godly judgement. Which that it may not (after your example) be builded upon vain words or any private inclination, more than an orderly and due conference of both authors. D. Haddon & Osorius, I have used in mine epistle unto the reader a plain and evident way, such as seemed meet and pertinent in my simple judgement, & that (I trust) no man can (without suspicion) defame. Which my doing so indifferent and by you forced, I trust D. Haddon will pardon, and consider the necessity. Who because he hath been absent about our English affairs in Bruges above the date of your doings, I doubt first whether he have hard of you, then whether he would have you once looked after, or your melancholy any more provoked. But I trust (even for god's sake & the simple professors) he will be content to see how your great words now (as from time to time) in the trial will be consumed. Far you well, from Cambridge  
A. H.   

¶ THE PREFACE.  
IT IS FULL WELL known, that Hieronimus Osorius of Portugal, by the help of Shacklocke, speaketh now as plain English as we ourselves, and thinketh to prevail by course, as much now with the unlearned, as before with the learned. And so doth he. He deceiveth now his dear friends on both sides, as well the learned as thunlearned. But it could not otherwise be, and his epistle was not either at the first compiled, or at the last translated so much for argument as for eloquence. Forsooth in the virtue of the seven sciences, they will openly vanquish & confound this new found art of gospellinge. They first found out the holy land of Rome by geometry, 
Look in m. Shacklock's preface his needless advancing of his own parti, with the imbacing of the contrary.  they laid siege unto the whole world by Cosmography, they tied together their service by Arithmetry, fenced it with bulwarks of logic. etc. And now in rhetoric they only pass, even in master Ri. Shacklock's own judgement. As for divinity, I will tell you what. it is so handled of ii men, in ii books, within these ii years, that better it had been the gospel had never peped out, so many thousands of protestants books had never been borne, so many hundredth martyrs had never cast away themselves in England, the Bible had never spoken inglyshe word, S. Paul had never uttered his mind so bluntly, the ten Commandments had never perked in the pixis place, the communion table had never been so wavering and movable, the church or temple of god had never been so profane for lack of censing and sparginge. Yea it had been better for S. Peter to have been Pope of Rome, and to have left good testimony thereof. For it shall be proved unto his face, 
Vain boasting rumours commonly sown by Papysts among the people.  yea though it wear never so. you will not think, you can not imagine what shall be proved, more than ever was proved, yea x. times more than ever was true. And all this shall come De profundis. Yet there is more, and that I guess by master shacklock's needles translation. No latin writer a papist but shallbe Englished shortly, no English writer a protestant but shallbe confuted, no proof but shallbe reproved, no reproof but shallbe proved. Nothing so soon imprinted but shallbe matched with a contrary print, nothing wag but it shallbe seasoned on, nothing so soon set out, but it shall have an onset. And all in haste, in speed: or else were all disgraced. Then must the gospel needs fall down, Papistry be hoist up and restored again, room made for idolaters throughout all Inglande, letters fly in haste from the M. of the Posts, the sincportes all be spread open, ships pressed, 
As had Ulysses, sailing toward Ithaca.  and a side wind knit fast in a woolsack to be ready at an hour. All this may be. For, I tell you, an impossibility with a papist is no strange thing. That is, is not: and that is not, is. And that cannot be, shallbe. And many things are there, that pass our simple wits. As for example: the Popish bishops wear endued with bishoprics, and were thereof lawfully defeated, and our bishops are now in possession, by as good authority royal warranted, and yet are the Papistical bishops the dew owners, yea no man may say, nay: and it hath been pleaded by the common law. For example again: one papist findeth deep fault with the moving and removing of the Communion table, and crieth out upon thinconstancy of these protestants: and yet another for the proof of his Pyx, may without spot of unconstancy allege, that here it was hanged up, there it was harboured in a Chapel, in some place it was clasped up in a little ship of silver or gold, 
M. Shaklockes' idle comparison in his preface.  and otherwhere otherwise, To the purpose nearer: Osorius hath shaken all England, Osorius hath spoken enough to turn water into wine, no man goeth from the reading of Osorius without remorse. D. Haddon he passeth as far as this passeth that, and nothing passeth I can not tell what. And yet doubt I not (by the grace of god and patience of the reader) straight way to prove a contrary conclusion. And for that purpose have I collected out of Osorius his whole book many flowers of this his chivalry, wherewith in M. Shacklock's simple judgement he hath so triumphed over the truth, and won unto himself the laurel of all eloquence. Which I have severally written that every man may take thereof a second view, & (that done) define me eloquence.   

CERTAIN SENTENCES COLlected out of Osorius in english.  
AFter that by the naughty persuasion, and Bedlam boldness of some, men for soak that religion which from the Apostles time, even to our age hath continued invincible, that they might walk in that path, which with a show of licentiousness did draw foolish and unadvised men unto it, I say, after that this new devised religion was spread abroad by means of many seditious sermons, and erroneous books, we have seen shamefastness suddenly to be shaken of, honesty to be chased out of the country, man his law and God his law to be trodden under foot, holy things to be profaned, godliness to be jested at, boldness every where to scape scotfree, unshamefastness ☞ to be maintained, many opinions contrary one to the other, to be scattered abroad, the unity of christ to be torn with suits of divers sects, and in every place where these mad men have come, the fire of horrible discord to have been blown up.  
Out of this root have sprung deadly displeasures, ☞ often uproars, perilous dagger drawings: hereof many bloody battles have been fought, many slaughters done, many spoils committed, many men's possessions destroyed with fire and sword.  
What cruelty appeareeth in many of them, which have been the authors of these opinions, with what disdainful arrogancy do they jest up and down, with what malipertnes and cursed speaking they rail upon good men?  
☞ Add now hereunto, the breach of laws, the contempt of rule, the hatred of kingly authority, the unmerciful treasons which these men most divelyshly devise against Princes. Reckon here also, their secret whisperings, when they cast their heads together how to destroy and undo their kings, whilst most shamefully they work their woe, for whose wealth and good estate, they ought to serve and call upon God.  
☞ All these people pleasers, for so much as they te men of no wisdom or discretion, but be led with an inordinate desire of liberty, they love not law, they defy justicers, they wish in their hearts that kings were at the devil, that they without controlment might live as they list.  
☞ They covet to be set fire from law & order, that they may be bond slaves to their own will & naughty affections, is there any man can deny this?  
☞ Doth not every man see that they shoot all at this mark, that Princes being dispatched out of the way, there might be none left which should once say, black is their eye? Therefore some kings they have poisoned, some they have attempted to kill with the sword, and have cast many mischievous fetches, how to pull them out of their seat.  
It is the intent and meaning of this new devised religion, by hook or by crook to seek the death of those Princes, which will not forsake the religion in which they have been virtuously and wisely brought up, to come to the lure of the mad people.  
The end of this sect, is overmuch liberty, which can be kept in no order, than the which, nothing can be more contrary to the office and regiment of kings.  
The ignorant people, so soon as they have gotten people pleasing captains, which with their railing sermons may puff them up as it were with windy blasts, and raise mighty waves of folly and madness, etc.  
At the last being grown to a headd, it will ☞ pull kings out of their throne, and so when it is to late, they shall see that they have bred their own bane, which they shall not be able to remedy when they would.  
Doth not this sect every where stir up sedition? ☞ doth it not break the bands of all justice and laws? doth it not resist rule & kingly regiment? doth it not put all men in hope of to much lewd liberty? For where is rule most despised? where are the Princes had in most derision of the common people? surely in those places where this pestilent learning doth get the upper hand. Therefore if this mad enterprise taken mischievously in hand of these people pleasers, and unadvisedly winked at of Princes, shall grow to a ripeness, which way so ever it taketh, it will quite overturn all the ☞ defence and strength of kingly estate.  
This sect is the undoing of common wealths, ☞ the marring of good manners, the spoiling of kingdoms, and the destruction of all kingly honour.  
What manner a fellow was this Luther? surely that I may speak the best of him, he was a man neither sober, neither discrete, but ☞ headlong, rash, mischievous, seditious, and of all other the greatest people pleasure, and what manner of men were they which afterward sprung out of his school as out of a well? undoubtedly, bold, standing in their own conceit, puffed up with pride.  
How cometh it to pass that god now contrary to his accustomed manner, should overhip simple and humple men, and show them this new and strange light, which have no ☞ spark of shamefastness or modesty?  
How cometh it to pass, that these fellows who as it appeareth by many tokens, be given to worldly delights, have only most wittily spied out that which was unknown to so holy fathers.  
They which are not to be reverenced for any notable virtue, be not able to perform that which they do pretend.  
O These be men worthy to be wondered at, & with cap and knee to be worshipped.  
They forsooth, have mortified all their senses with faith, they have parted the foul from the body, neither do they only defy man his nature, ☞ but also they despise all the authorities of holy men. For being loosed from the links of naughty desires, they be flown up in to heaven, that they may behold none other thing but god, and that they may make none other of their council but the holy ghost.  
If their shameful doings, do disprove their shameless sayings, shall we believe them, so often as they make their vaunt that they follow only the word of God? 
Prove yourselves by this rule.  for if in all their doings they do according to God his word, than they follow not covetousness, hatred, wrath, ambition, but they be all together made perfect with virtues which springe out of the word of God. If they be not endued with such heavenly virtues, then do they lie in saying, that they only and altogether do frame themselves to the word of God, for wickedness and the word of God can not dwell together. Therefore either they direct not their life after the word of god, either they do not commit any abominable or shameful sin, for if they sin shamefully, and abominably, undoubtedly they be not squared to the word of God.  
They commit many heinous offences and sins, as all the world can witness, therefore ☞ it is false to say that they be governed with God his word, and the inspiration of the holy ghost.  
Now then, I would willingly hear of them whether these many years they have wrought any notable feat, which may enforce us to confess that they ground only upon the word of God.  
O say they, we will rush in to those houses, in which holy virgins being enclosed, day and night do sing hymns to the glory of god, and pray to Christ for the good estate of kings and princes, 
Many fair words, where indeed was the contrary  and for the safeguard of the whole commonalty. We will pull down the fences of shamefastness, we will break open the enclosures of charity, and we will no longer suffer well favoured virgins to be barred of their solace and pleasures, to lack the comfort and aid of their children, and to spend their young years in sorrowful solytarynes, and miserable unfrutefulnes.  
We will make a law for Monks, or solitary livers, whose houses we will pull down likewise, or let them out to higher, it skilleth not to what lay men, and charge them under pain ☞ of death that hereafter, none presume for religious sake, to wrestle continually against his lecherous lusts. For why? It is an heinous offence, and in no sauce to be borne withal.  
Who doth not see, when the religious rules which be contained in the Pope's constytutions, be taken away, that all fear is put to fiyght, and licentious living doth reign with out controlment? As who would say (say they) we shoot at any other mark, then to pull all fear out of men's minds? For we be the ☞ patrons of perfect liberty, and it is so far of, that we will suffer those which be our descyples, to stand in awe of any thing, that we will quite set them free from fearing of God. For the which thing verily our scholars are much beholding to us, for it was to sore an heart break day and night to fear god, and by that means, to pine away with consuming carefulness. Therefore we have commanded all those that believe in Christ, to set cock on ☞ hoop, and cry care away. For we bear them in hand, that faith is of such force, that laying once hand of it, though he be never so mischievous a lyin of the devil, yet he may warrant himself the favour of Christ, and bless everlasting.  
I pray thee, who ever was such a people ☞ parasite, so serviceable to please the madness of the common sort, that he durst be so bold as to encourage men from fearing of god.  
Such people pike thanks, have oftentimes rejected the rule of princes, have disannulled laws which abridged and restrained the people of their wanton wishes, with promising them to live as they list.  
None of them all did once open his mouth, ☞ or make any proffer to persuade the people.  
These men from true religion, have fylched all fear, which might keep men within the lists and bounds of their duty.  
Our men, which crack that they came out of god his bosom, and know all his secrets, do ply the box busily, that they may seal christian ☞ men a quittance from all fear of god, and so make them like blind bayards boldly to leap into the myar of all mischief.  
They seem to have this drift in their heads, hat they may stop all the high ways of health and salvation, that they which be shackled with any sin, may have no safe passage or entrance. For if they have shaken of all fear, which of them will sigh for his sins?  
That faith, by persuasion of which, any man warranteth himself everlasting bliss, setting apart sorrowfulness for his sins past, leaving of to do good works, and hath the love of charity clean quenched in him, 
Replying upon a maisterles error.  I say that faith, is not worthy the name of faith, but rather to be called foolish hardiness, headlong hastiness, and proud presumptuousness.  
Moreover, all men may see that the profit of wholesome repentance, is taken away, that the ardent love of charity is made key cold, when men take this for a sure staff to lean on, that their sins be not forgiven, for their mourning, for their godly sorrowing, for any holy working, but rather that in so doing, they heap new sins upon their old.  
☞ They take it to be a sin to lament for their sin, and they hold that no good work can be done without sin.  
What reason is it, that I for the sin which I did not of mine own accord (for I was constrained of necessity to do it) should suffer everlasting pains? or what right is there, that I should be rewarded with everlasting joy, for that faith which I kept only enforced and spurred forward of god, without any will or diligence of my part? And that which is horrible, and to be detested, if we will lean to these jolly fellows authority, all the cause of ☞ iniquity is to be laid to God his charge.  
They have also removed out of the way for stumbling, all modesty and obedience, by the which all Christian men did stand in awe of the chief ruler of the Church: it hath made all the laws of the Church of none effect: it hath wiped away the fear of god: it hath chased away sadness conceived for sin: it hath grated out the grief which the guilty conscience did smite into men's minds for their offences: it hath made men slack to do good works.  
The more any man doth apply himself to ☞ this doctrine, the wurser he waxeth, the more he flouteth those which be plain and right dealing men, the more he is set on fire with hatred against common peace and quietness, and is puffed up with most fantastical vanities. For he taketh that wisdom upon him which never man could yet obtain. And so standing in his own conceit, what so ever toy taketh him in the head, that he so earnestly doth defend, as if he should allege any word coming out of God his own mouth, with so headlong boldness he disquieteth all things, as in deed he should seem to covet nothing more them to see an hochepoche made of all the world.  
They make all things in worse case than they found them: they banish shamefastness, and ☞ let carnality range lose abroad, and taking away the fear of God, without punishment they give men leave to live so wickedly as they ☞ list.  
☞ So it cometh to pass, that wilfulness doth more vehemently burst out, that lecherous life doth more soon consume men's riches, that boldness doth more brag, and goeth about more heinous enterprises. For what shall I speak, how dangerous trtuaylinge it is by the high ways for fear of robbing? what shall I reckon the disagreinges & furious fallings out which reign every where? what shall I set out the conspiracies, treasons, & murders enterprised against Princes?  
☞ The more this religion increaseth, the greater offences are committed, and more unshamefastly attempted even of those which desire to be called the disciples of such masters.  
☞ These men leaning to their own wit and invention, take upon them to be doctors and teachers.  
☞ These men with their naughty example and licentious doctrine, do set men's teeth more on edge to all kind of unhappiness.  
☞ These men for the most part do teach their scholars, pride, cruelty, scolding and cursed speaking.  
☞ These men enjoining no penance or penalty to them which are laden with sin, do hearten and encourage them to all unshamefastness.  
☞ These men do surrender their scholars fast bound to bodily delights, to the intent they may wait, and give attendance upon their lecherous lusts.  
These men, for so much as every one according ☞ to his own fickle fancy, doth blab out and tell for truth what so ever he doth dream of, and by means of that are dispersed into diverse & innumerable sects, they break peace, they raise up debaytes, and procure bloody battles.  
They put out all shamefastness and religion, ☞ and they enter no sooner into any place, butt strait way contempt of laws buddeth out, wantonness, wilfulness, madness, cruelty, and other mischiefs do corrupt good manners, and raise uproars and hurly burlies among men, have they such brazen faces, that they dare once open their mouth, and speak of the Gospel?  
What other way is their into heaven, but ☞ that which is opened with good works, and with excellent innocency of life.  
He which under the name of godliness, doth strive against the exercise of godliness, and deeds of charity, doth not lead us to everlasting life, but bloweth the cools of unquenchable fire, intending to make us roast meat for the devil.  
They quite them from of all fear, which be defiled with soul sins, and they warrant all them which be at dagger drawing with godliness, that all things shall chance well & luckily unto them.  
Which of them to the intent he might turn away the destruction hanging over his dear friends, hath with many tears bowed god to take mercy?  
☞ Which of them did ever burn so with charity, that for the life of other he would offer himself to death?  
Neither the Prophets, neither the Apostles, neither other most holy men, whom God did make partakers of his counsels, have come to that degree of most high perfection, with leading their life in such pleasures, as these dainty toothed and sugresop gentlemen be delighted with all, but rather in marvelous and excellent holiness of manners, in incredible sharpness of life, in many labours, watchings, prayers, weepings, in such eager desire of heavenly things, in such fervent charity, that they desired to be killed, and to be tormented with most grievous pains, so that other might ☞ be saved. Of the which virtues, where as these men have not one sparkle, but live so, that it may appear by many tokens, that they take delight in those pleasures which the common sort of men do covet, and that they be given to those enticements, and provocations, which natural appetite doth greatly desire. etc.  
If by means of this religion, rashness, unshamefastness, uncleanliness of life, doth more boldly fly round about, if untolerable pride and arrogancy be much more established than it was before, if seditions, contentions, & fallings out, be more easily stirred up, if traitors be more ventrouse to lay violent hands upon their Kings, and to lay wait how to murder their princes, if neither shame, neither ☞ fear, neither awe of God his displeasure, can hold them from doing of mischief, which have yielded themselves up to this new doctrine.  
This learning, suffereth the lusts to run ☞ at riot, and that which is next door to it, provoketh headlong to all kind of wickedness.  
This puffeth up men's hearts with pride, and teacheth them to despise all antiquity, ancient religion, and holiness of old tyme.  
This learning doth break peace, and teareth the body of Christ his churceh, with inwardly consuming and wasting sedition.  
They disagree with themselves most inconstantly, they to day hold one opinion, 
In moving and removing the Communion table.  to morrow an other, clean contrary one to an other, and can not rest long in one mind, and that is the devils duty, to scatter and pull a sunder, those which agree well together, and to break the band of all faithful and fryndly fellowship,  
Seing the doctrine of these goodly Gospelers, doth raise upprores, doth break peace, doth spread one sect into innumerable sects, & causeth one sect to be at defiance with the other, is it not plain that their religion is not drawn by Christ his rule, but all together is invented according to the crafty devise of subtle Satan.  
What greater argument can we have, than their deadly hatreds, their contentions, their ☞ stamblinge by the ears, their tauntinges and ribaldry railings,  
☞ They have this fetch, that they may quite take away all the knowledge of god.  
They so far leap over the lines of ungodliness, that they not only hate the Cross of christ, and in stead of God worship their own lusts and wickedness, but also believe that the lord and Creator of all things, whose power and right judgements, even the devils in hell and damned souls do fear, either ☞ not to be, or else not to rule and govern the whole world?  
Alas, they are so far gone in madness, and tumbled heedlong into all folly, that so often as it taketh them in the head, with wicked words, ☞ they scoff and mock those things, which be written of god his judgements, as though they were but Canterbury tales and grim vizards only devised to fray young children.  
☞ Certainly that religion which causeth pride, provoketh anger, letteth the lusts lose, defileth the soul with sin, taketh away shamefastness, removeth the fear of God, worketh treason against kings, troubleth common peace, bloweth the coal of hatred, thrusteth our minds down to the earth ward, and drowneth them in the seas of worldly troubles, is no religion, but false, pestilent, and damnable.  
Alluring the people with a jolly show of to much liberty, it armeth them against officers, against their kings authority and regiment, and hardenth the hearts of the multitude with a false persuasion of Religion.  
If it did only procure destruction of kings, so that it brought no danger and damnation to the soul, and by all means did not overthrow the law of God, it were some thing to be wrne withal. But this is greatly to be lamented, ☞ it putteth out the love of virtue, the brightness of honesty, the light of most true religion and devotion, defileth all commendable comeliness with unpure living, and utterly stoppeth us for entering into everlasting glory.  
There is no more sworn enemy to Princes, ☞ then that is: besibe thae, it doth undo the people which covet it, and spoileth them of all liberty.  
I have plainly proved, that by means of ☞ this religion, men be enticed to wantonness, to unshamefastness, to unlawful lusts, that troublesome tumults and dissensions be stirred up, that many naughty enterprises be taken in hand, that innumerable mischiefs be forged, and last of all, that the remembrance of godliness is quite blotted out.  
They have not only left the Christtan common weal unheled, but also wheresoever they came, they have bestowed their travel to this ☞ end, (chat if there were any health in it) to take it away, and to infect all the members of Christ his Church with most uncurable diseases and maladies.   

The Preface.  
THus, reading M. Shacklock's triumph in the behalf of Osorius and other his leaguelowlers, joined with so universal disabling of all gospelers and namely D. Haddon, I thought good to make this search, which I have here set before all men's eyes, taking the beginning thereof at Osorius his first proposition or entrance unto his matter, and so continuing the chase unto his pitiful conclusion. Which collections run so much on one figure called Rixa or Conuicium, & are such declamatory and general stuff, that a man may truly say, they have one especial property, that is, they may serve more martyrs than one. For even so, as he in these his centons or fragments impugneth our religion, might he thunder against Herostrotus for burning the Temple of Diana, even so against the wilful murder of Orestes, Nero, Mithridates, Cambyses: even so against the sensuality of Xerxes or Sardanapalus: against whom and what he pleased, even so. beside that in divers places he marvelously mistaketh our doctrine, beating down manfully that we never set up, like a counterfeit Hercules, making monsters unto himself which he may easily vanquish, and so losing his days labour to the great pity and compassion of the godly reader. thus much (and what so ever else) whether it may be truly said or no, let other men judge. This I dare depose, that there is not half so much here uttered, as is forced by thimportunity of his Subscriptor M. Shacklock. In the whole what I have pretermitted (that excepted which you shall here find by D. Haddon confuted) let every man look. few Doctors (I warrant you) or scriptures, which in Osorius his Epistle are very strange gests (and as they stick not commonly to say, in that engine of policy needed not. Which his Epistle so trusting (as you would say) unto a mother strength, all good helps of Scriptures, Doctors, or councils set apart, for eloquence so well thought of, by the translator so priced, & that singeth in the ears of all Papists so incomparable harmony, (for so much thereof as I have laid together in my preface) I dare avouch it to contain so needles brawls, idle & frivolous replies, contrariety with gods holy word iii fowl faults, regarding either the man or the martyer, that (as you may see in the margin,) I thought them worthy to be pointed at. Which iii whether they be there to be found or no, I beseech the reader to look, freely deposing that I have in those collections used plain dealing, not changing or adding one jot, only here and there pretermitting that I thought needless. What I have done is all for Master Shacklock's sake. I will not go far, nor utter that which I hardly contain, only for Master Shackelocke a little courtesy. Now in good faith, have I not for his good comparison, very good occasion to take one of his funeral verses, 
The beginning of a brainsick verse of in. Shacklock's. of the burial of b. Scot, in Louvain.  and sing Hei mihi ridiculis? What no comparison? not of charity? not so much as a wide comparison? no favour? no bowels of mercy, but stark nought in comparison of you and yours? I fear me I see your face and facing even through your vizard. I see how all men see, that at Louvain it hath been agreed on, not to stick for craking, I see, (that is, is not) a proverb that will never fail in them. Yet have we one vein of comfortable blood, that they shall never persuade all, never shall the devil go further than his chain. They may do what they will and can. Their books and bodies have they and must have at scope under antichrist's banner, according unto the Prophecies, and wide wounds both in word & deed must we bear for a time. Yet of modesty, let not M. Rich. Shacklock so churlishly set himself against M. D, Haddon, every peasant against every Peer, every jangler against every sage, every shackled Papist against every good gospeler. O, this is a secure persuasion, & the high way to blind bussardly boldness, some thing to say and to think well of themselves. And this rule (I may say) is now well taken up. Else would not such a man as M. Shacklock, having seen such streams of bloodshed in his native country, of poor pined Protestants, 
An other of Master Shacklock's funeral verses, lacking nothing but wit & matter.  have crossed over the seas, & there have piped up: Haeresis effuso nondum satiata cruore. That is: heresy hath not yet drunken blood enough. Neither would Osorius ever have wasted wind with this vain question, which of us ever offered himself unto death. Osorius I say, always ignorant in our English affairs, 
M. Dorman that for lack of great findeth small faults in D. haddon's book.  although a fear and friend of his will take stomach if he be so termed. Wherein I remember who leapt at a fly, and catched nothing fast in his teeth. Even that young Caluinist and old Papist that vouchsafed to call the History of their own late tyranny, a dunghill of stinking martyrs. A thing soon said. And yet is that notable chronicle (so lightly termed) such a monument as shall unto the worlds end, not with words, but lively records of torments, imprisonment and horrible murder of good persons and virtuous refute all their lip labour. Avaunt with this your barking after your bloody bits, you monstrous howling wolves. You have by your accursed cruelty given matter unto that history which now maketh you to yearn, which causeth your teeth to grate & chatter in your mouths. You yourselves made those Antychristian fierce, you beheld the naked bodies burning so long as the sinews would contain them, and now they are all lies, or else you are liars. Which registers and rolls of your cain's acts, require and challenge, by strong reason, to be believed, because they babble not romish bastard miracles coming after the date, but testify unto all generations to come thaccusations, tormenting and tossing of good men by the hand of their stepmother the flesh and the world, from pillar to post, from pain & agon● unto death. Which things are such as daily happen, and are commonly practised of the evil against the simple and just. Whereof also are witnesses yet living infinite, and partly that were partakers of the same in their flesh and blood, having set apart all will and vanity of lying and fabling, much used in times passed of the wanton and idle Cloisterers. Who being always warm and quiet, nor hearing of any such blusteringes and tempests, turned themselves unto lewd & light inventions, the right fruits of monkish idleness. Now sir, what bitchfox was it that bibbed up all the blood? heresy. heresy? what mean you by that, papystry? no marry, but the gospel so called. Fie, M. Shacklock, for pure shame. Mentiris egregien. the gospel (I dare say) hath been a sour masters: Haec vapulando illa verbarando, usque, amhae defessae sunt. Charm your raving muse until she be sober and utter truths. Play not the hypocrite thus both to bite and whine. As for cruor (that is blood) it is the papists peculiar and lineal badge. popelings they are of whom it is written: Effuderunt sanguinem sanctorum et in eo inebriati sunt: They shed the blood of saints, and sucked thereof, until they wear drunken. We silly souls on tother side always suffering, and ever forbearing, the sword now put into our hands, strike not one stroke, being content to bear in our banner the fish called Gladiolus, a sword fish, which hath growing in his forehead a long sword, but he lacketh a heart, he woundeth not, he striketh not, ne proffereth one blow. But let go the rest, and wink we at the rest of that licentious style. I beseech thee (good reader) to accept this my translation of M. D. Haddon against M. Hieronimus Osorius, & to gather by due conference of every parcel, all dew and Christian fruit. Considering that all pain either of writing or translating is employed to quench thy thirst, and to give the a deep taste of that sweet word which must be thine endless comfort. And let it not come to pass, that when the incessant pain and travail of godly learned men desiring even to sweat their blood for thy sake, tendeth all unto thine edifying and instruction, thou still continue deaf & blind, tarrying nothing but god's vengeance and wrath perpetual. So both read and hear, that thou keep one eyes fixed on the word of god, who is thy best father & will not beguile thee. the sons of men are deceitful, but god is truth. Neither attend unto the preaching Papist, that monstrous Sphynx, which hath already beaten & bounced thee with the stone in one hand, and now offereth bread with the other. Take heed, I say, of that bread. it is offered with the left hand. Repose thy trust in god, & take unto thy souls use that parcel of his divine pleasure, that is contained in this little treatise. Far well and remember to worship in spirit and truth. Dat. at Cambridge the xxvij of May. 1565.  
Abraham Hartwell.   

GVALTER HADdon English unto Hieronimus Ossorius a Portugal wisheth health.  
I Have perused your epistle, master Hieronimus, which is directed principally unto the queens most excellent Majesty, but (in that it is in print and walketh commonly in every man's hand) toucheth all universally. You are (I confess) in words and sentences a likely workman, and thereupon have presumed accordingly, that you a private man, disneighboured from us by sea and land, & in our affairs unacqueynted, have so homelily opened your mouth unto the queens highness, strained the authority of our laws, & charged our whole realm with a certain ungodly & loathed newness. Wherefore you must of reason pardon me, that I an English man borne, one of the queens majesties suppliants, & informed in my country fashions, do make you answer, and use my pen somewhat frankly, not so much upon an angry pang, or a bitter contentious heart, as to correct this your mistaking of the english state, sprung of false surmises, and to restore the truth unto them, whom peradventure this your letter hath perverted. And to give you plain understanding that I am not blown up with anger, but of duty moved, I confess your kind of writing worthy singular commendation, and besides give you thanks that (being so well endued) you have extolled our renowned Queen, whose excellency although it far surmount the heaps of your praise, yet a foreign testimony beautified with eloquence, no doubt is very plausible. Of th'estate of a Monarchy you play the Philosopher handsomely within the bands of knowledge, & reason deeply of the choice of Religion, but sir, in both you have a foul fault, that is, overcharging & beating our ears with things vulgarly known, and plenty of proofs where no doubt is. This way first taken, your pen by stealth creepeth on to the purpose, namely to rifle such religion as (by your saying) we have received. And, lo, how in the very entrance you wittingely trip, or rather take a clean fall through gross ignorance of our English customs, fathering upon the multitude & common people the ratefyinge of our Religion authorized by public decree, and feigning the exclusion of the Royal estate from affairs of the Church. Where as with us it is an unfallible custom, that no law come forth whereunto the whole common wealth shall stand bound, bu● the people first give their voices thereunto, secondly as well the temporal nobility as the clergy do subscribe, & last of all the prince confirmeth it. The contrary if any man have whispered in your ear, then are you both in fault, he for his loud lie, and you for swift credit. But if you have builded this out of your own brain, to disfygure our laws as raw & halting, invented of peasauntes, I may say it was done of small courtesy, before you have given us half a taste of your matter, to blow out upon our english laws so heinous a slander. Then followeth a weighty and strong supplication to the queens grace, that if you can by sound reason and open proof lay before hereys in religion what is pure & unleavened, that then her grace would not be so stiff and unmovable, but yield herself, acknowledge the blazing light of the truth, and be contented of you to be guided out of the wyndinge by walks of error. Herein you speak reason, and therefore I require the like of you, that if I try this your accusation to contain more wrangling then good argument, less truth than stomach, double malice for single reason, no fryndely conference grounded on religion, but a plain taunt compounded of slanderous words, hereof when I have made a solemn proof, that then I may give free sentence of you, that you are too busy a servitor in a foreign Realm, unadvisedly carping, where no man knoweth less than you. You step in with a deadly complaint, exaggerate with most select and precious words, how certain routs of men (God knoweth who, and where they be) have revolted from the apostolic truth, and fetched in a new faith, a stranger unto us, craking of liberty, yea such a one, as is most pestilent, swelling with the waves of mischiefs out of all number. Then fall you upon the authors thereof, over whom you thunder and lighten with such thick flasshes & taunting terrible claps, as though they were in earth of all other most detestable. Where are these your monstrous babes of Religion? which be they? how long have they continued? or how might I come to the knowledge of them: where are such wonders to be found under the shape of men? what do they, how do they? how did you first know them? Certify us of the things, point to the persons, subscribe the time leave not out one circumstance, that we may have some sure ground to pitch upon, and so to sustain your encountering. You hallow as loud as you can against religion, with her captains you will fight, you speak bitterly unto both, and are content to show us neither of them, what it is, where it is. This your accusation is to be pitied, which if I dash in the teeth with one contrary word, must needs commend it self unto silence. You cry, nay you make an outcry, and that full ruthfully, that there is a fourine of religion newly admitted, accursable, detestable, abominable, whose authors are unhallowed persons, ruffians, sorcerers, undoers of common wealths, and professed enemies of mankind. I on tother side do depose that there is nothing less, I credit you not, I demand your proof. Now what say you? what prove you? You cry with open mouth, there is no wickedness but you have the terms of it, which (I smell) you had gathered together, therewith to deface your imagined Religion, and to wound such persons as no man knoweth but yourself. Now surely, to disquiet with such change of taunts, even to the prince's face, the most famous Isle in Christendom, to you unknown, upon the false jangling either of our ilwillers or your parasites, and not to determine either the crime or persons, argueth in a man small advisement, & foul misspending of time in belying of other. But to go further: you term this our Sect by the name of a people pleaser, cavilling that they do not subdue vices, but set men on fire with sensuality, yea with madness, and that there are examples enough of their sorcery and treason against princes. A horrible allegation, yea a detestable kind of men, if there be any such living. If there be no such at all, then great is the rashness of thaccuser, in an estate wholesomely settled, to raise such upperores. Marry (to speak a truth) now that you have uncovered unto me this plat of poisoning and conspiracies, looking a little back unto the records and histories of our predecessors, I begin to call to mind Henry the fourth of that name, Emperor, unto whom a Monk of monstrous and wicked monckysh cruelty, even in their late godefyed Eucharist ministered poison, whereupon he died, and whose counsel was intermeddled herein, the histories do tell. By the like accursed enterprise of the like ghostly person, was king john of England murdered, as our chronicles do testify. But to stick in the recital of particulars, especially unto you, is needles, who bordering nearer upon such practices than I, may of likelihood, with more speed learn out of the Registers of your near neighbours, what poisoned drafts have walked too and fro, between the supernatural demi-gods and proud patrons of the Romish church, and how or by whom the principal seed of wars have been sown throughout all Realms christened. But I will not proceed in accusations as you do, nor urge you with suspicions, but in most humble sort will lift up my hands unto the everliving god, sounding out unto him all thanks possible, that hath vouchsafed to put a side the deep mists of the former times, with the sonnlyght of his gospel risen up among us, through thignorance whereof, and former affiance in blind superstition we wallowed in the sink of sin without any remorse, thinking all to be ransomed, what so ever we did in our life wickedly, by a leaden charter of popish pardon, and the muttringe of prayers which we understood not. Then came the authority of the holy scriptures, thundering at the door of our ears, and sent into our consciences such shivering and fear, that now we fix our whole trust and ankerholde in the free mercy of God, all humane inventions rejected and set a part, always having an eye to the counsel of the Prophet, to fashion & shape our conversation unto holiness and righteousness. Which being so, I marvel what should be th'end of your tedious discourse unto the Queen wherein you wish all Princes to provide and to be in continual watch, lest through this new borne sect (not yet by you well expressed) they tread awry. Doubt you not but that our Royal Queen is surely enough planted in all prosperity, & loving her people is eftsoons loved, feeling not one breath of these storms which you harp upon. Other common wealths have taken their rest, and presently I trust are in quiet. I know nothing unto the contrary, unless you object the late broil in France, which now is appeased, and whence the first blast thereof came it is a thing soon told. but sith you name nothing, let it go. There ensueth in your treatise a vulgar and old beaten quarrel of the frailty of this present life, which your advise is to contemn, & to make a way up into heaven, to set the world far from us, to th'end we may attain unto everlasting felicity. Then fall you into admiration, that herein we will cleave unto new shepherds, where as in your mind, the old may suffice. yet are you content to suspend your verdict, & that inquiraunce be made of our green Pastors newly chopped in, which will in no wise be counted newfangled, taking upon them (the schoolmen's drowsy dregs wiped away) to scour & cleanse the Church, and to trim it up according to thinstitutioninstitution of the apostles, so to represent unto all Christendom the verity founded in the gospel of jesus Christ, this long time overmaistered by covetise and ambition, to blaze with the starry brightness of holy scripture gods glory so darkened with man's dreams and fancies, to undo the yoke of superstition, & finally to re-edify the sincere worship of god after thancient rule & discipline of the primitive church. These men's profession you so well like, that you lout & scorn their enterprise: these be they whom you vex and toss at will, one while scoffing, another while fuming, now crying, and then yelling out. Very well. Now at length I see what new sect you mean, against whom you have so busily discharged and let fly all this eloquence. I have now espied your adversaries, whom you must needs have pruned of, and cast on the dunghill, as the very poison of a common wealth. Me thinks on the contrary side, that these preachers of the gospel are the servants of the highest god, sent even of God himself, to quicken our assedlike sloth in these slippery times and latter cast of the world, to spur our loitering, to refute our falsehood, & to check and taunt our wickedness. And therefore such men ought to be searched out of the prince, and had in estimation throughout the common wealth. See what difference is between your opinion & mine. Wherefore we must march on, and consider what you, (a grand doctor for a prince forsooth) can either allege truly, or untruly forge against gods reverend ministers and servants. And although (as it may be,) this slander proceed of some other: yet shall you bear double blame for rash credit, and more rash putting of the same in writing. I will not travise all the corners of your accusation, which almost poureth out nothing but an unfruitful ringing in painted words. Only I will run over your chief points, and, if I be able, shake the very pillars of this your accusation. first you say there must be note taken of the persons, because they promise frankly, and trial made what their ability is, what pith they have, what is their virtue and integrity of living. Then you demand whether in godly life they be more absolute than Athanasius, basil, Ambrose, Jerome, & Augustin wear. I wis there are many of them of incomparable learning and most godly demeanour, and I see nothing you bring, why they may not be equal with these ancient sages. But to bring you out of your odious comparisons, me think you move an unreasonable question in an unfit place. For I avouch that these our preachers wholly agree with those reverend fathers, tread in the same path, and exhibit all one tenor of Religion. If this be so, then make you a vain comparison between them that be friends, if it be otherwise, inform us wherein they disagree. S. Austin lamenteth that his time was so drowned with bloods of ceremonies, that christians were then in worse case than were the jews before them. Saint Jerome wisheth that the sacred scriptures, which were in your church so locked up & smothered, should be learned by heart both of women and children. S. basil employed all possible leisure upon that good work of learning and also teaching the gospel. And if the pampered monks of our time had lived in saint Basiles order, they had not been once touched. Athanasius his creed standeth in full estimation, & between him and our men no squaring. But I think I may be bold to keep these our ancients in reverence, until you bring contrary evidence. Of those ancient fathers of the church, seeing yourself able to bring nothing but their naked names, remembering yourself, you pass over unto the men of our age, and leaping first upon Luther, you tear the dead man in pieces, first calling him blind hazard, than a people pleaser, & last (for your pleasure) stark staring mad. This man of god whom you so falsely charge with frenseie, in open auditory and in presence of Charles th'emperor, exhibited a sober & discrete some of his faith. This frantic fellow in spite of all the wisest of your Church, stood all self and hail the space of xxx year, they notwithstanding all raging and caving for his death. Erasmus giveth this lunatic man no base record of innocency in these words: Luther's doctrine many do defame, his life all men extol with one consent. You say moreover he was popular. How expound ye that? If you call him popular that carketh & careth for the people's health, than no man is more. If you mean a prycker of rash lightness among the commonalty, read his book wherein he controlleth and taunteth the uproars in Germany, & leave your slandering. And that men may not think you have played this naughty part only in Luther, you recite other as though, after you have spoken the word, they were straight way transformed out of peerless godly men into most vile vyllaines. Among other I will name you two principal professors of the gospel, Martin Bucer, and Peter Martyr, which of god's good gift, arrived in this Island: Let all our cankered enemies lay together their heads. Let see what one thing even malice itself can note in these reverend graves amiss. O golden couple of greyheadded fathers of most happy memory, of whose learning right good witness we have, even the books by them compiled. whose pure conversation so many commend, as ever happened into their company. Wherefore (if you be wise) temper your tongue, and stay your style, and take heed of inconvenience. Deem not them so largely to be presumptuous persons, unadvised, and lofty, sith there is a number of them well known, than whom nothing can be found, more mild, sober, and advised. Two I have named, the like testimony might I give of whole hundreds. But the sober conversation of two persons, bruited far and near, may plentifully refel one particular man's rash and shameless cavillation. Then again you make transition unto our men's doctrine, mislykinge therein that they urge nothing but scripture, they call to counsel nothing but the holy ghost, rejecting and abandoning all humane authority. who if they did as you say, they should therein tread in the very steps of our saviour Christ, th'apostles, and old fathers that were in the infancy of the church. But it is far otherwise. They do sort and choose out the assertions of all approved interpreters of all ages, as declare their books, which are able unto all the world to detect this your falsehood. You scoff graciously, and (in your own fancy) prosecute an invincible reason against such perfectness of living, as our men take upon themselves, which you say by their abomination is hourly reproved. Untrue it is that they presume any jot beyond man's strength, and tother is an old slanderous cast, to defame men, not opening any one spot of their uncleanness. Name it if you can, what so ever it be, worthy this your stormy and vehement reply. If you can not, leave for shame, so pestilently to tattle against the reputation of most grave persons. You require to have it specified, in what one point our men have reformed thestate of the church. I need not tell you▪ you name enough yourself, saving that we differ in meaning. You lay unto our charge that Nuns & Monks cloistered to attend the service of God, & to continue in chastity, are now let out and fully licensed to all will: that their palaces are openly cried to sale, and how laws are come forth, that unto lust there be no let in Religion. O hoorishe impudency in lying, and will lawless beyond measure. We grant, and that freely, that upon advertisement of our pastors, we let fall unto the ground those dens of stinking poison, wherein were pestered up young wenches and silly boys, to such ruin of virtue in them, as for shame I can not discover. What was there in those shameful shops of sin, but only a pharisaical length of service in a strange tongue? as for other their mysteries they most livelily resembled unto us the drunken holly days of Bacchus. Whereupon God (no doubt) stirred up the minds of our countrymen, that these infinite routs & swarms shrouding in secret corners of abomination should be roused, by their exhortations, from sleep to work, from vice to virtue, & from their horrible practises of fornication unto lawful wedlock. Not that we enjoin any constraint of marriage, but plucking our conscience out of the yoke of man's traditions, we restore the liberty of the gospel, wherein the authority of jesus christ hath planted us, by the warrant of his word. Of their houses there were bestowed to good and godly use of schools, universities & hospitals. with the rest lawful order was taken, lest the swinish generation should once again tumble in their dirty dunghills. This was a worthy & singular blessing of god, whereby there is more abridged of the hellish tyranny of Satan, then by all your canons, laying them all together. You weep over the plucking down of ymagerie and tableworke, which monuments once displaced, you affirm that there is nothing left to inflame our spirits unto the contemplation of heavenly things. We on tother side remembering the gross ignorance even of late times, sorely mistrust dotage in idolatry, against the which there are plain texts, yea the gospel giveth us a watch word concerning images. Which were it not to be passed upon, yet among Christians ought the written word of our lord jesus Christ, to bear great sway, which pronounceth that God is a spirit, and that they stand in the right way of prayer that worship in spirit and trwethe, and such beadsmen the Lord loveth. This is the most wholesome way of praying, if we consider either the original or end of it, which needeth not thundersettinge of these outward ceremonial things, so to climb up unto the throne of God the father. Nay while our outward Adam is to much occupied, about these superficial stuff, the inward man waxeth keiecold, drinketh in the venomous juice of a bastardly Religion, foregoeth the sound fruit of heavenly meditation. Let us bind up all with examples: The former ancient church of apostles and martyrs had none of these your costly jewels, & yet was there most hot zeal burning in their breasts. In base times of religion, by foot and foot in stepped peintrie, and so died in the former love of god's service that was so kindled in men's hearts. At last rushed in the schoolmen's divinity by whole cartloades, a bird of an other nest, ugly misshapen with superstition: anon all places were stuffed with painted stocks and idols, which being every where rifely worshipped, the true & spiritual honour of God was trodden under foot. Now power out your Philosophy concerning the weakness of our capacity, extol your holy blocks until you sweat withal, yet is this deeply grounded in the scriptures, that the undoubted knowledge of god is in his word, and sincere worshipping in spirit. As for your pictures, where the spirit is present they need not, where that wanteth they avail not. It were a tedious matter for you to make of every thing a several discourse, and therefore with one breath you say that all holy service, ceremonies, and sacraments are by us clean sacked and destroyed. What is it that I hear? Is there living any such brood of divines, that spoileth and destroyeth all holy service, all ceremonies, all sacraments? Either it is so, or else must this be, as it is in deed, a shameful excess in lying. For foreign Churches I can gauge nothing, but I have a good opinion of them? Of our orders in divine affairs I will make you a brief account, not suffering you either to be ignorant yourself, or to bewytche other. First (because faith cometh by hearing) we send into all coasts of the Realm Preachers to edify the people in their duties toward God, and to instruct them in the true worshipping of the same. Then have we an order of common prayer collected out of Scriptures, by Parliament (for so we term the consent of the three estates of our Realm) authorised, from the which we suffer no man to wander, forcing (with all diligence) two points, first the holy ghost to be obeyed, warning that whosoever open his mouth in the congregation, speak the word of God, secondly that in all things be found an unity without discord. The sacraments we cause to be ministered very precisely after the prescript of holy writ, and the lively pattern of the former Church, wherein the Lord jesus Christ first in his own person instituted them with his Apostles. And all these are propounded in the vulgar tongue, for that it is a brutish folly and plainly excepted in the testament, in the presence of God to clatter out that we understand not ourselves. The giving of orders, hallowing of wedlock, churching of childwives, visiting of the feeble, and burying of the dead corpses, we execute with solemn and public rites according to the verity in the Gospel, which we spice with ceremonies so far forth as all things may proceed in order and decently within our Churches, as we are certainly advertised out of the gospel. Of the times, places, days & other circumstances, we have made no alteration, neither in the whole body of religion innovated any thing, but that either abhorred from all reason, or was stained with open impiety. Thus have I ripped up unto you the rites and manners of our Church, which you see is clean stripped neither of holy service, sacraments nor traditions, but of each sort hath reserved so much, that who so chargeth us to be void of all, wanting in deed no parcel requisite unto the peculiar advancement of God's honour, shall shall offer us unreasonable injury. You say we have shifted of the yoke of the imperial Bishop, and you say well. It was to heavy and bruising, for either us or our fathers before us, any longer to sustain. Neither acknowledge we any one high superintendant, but only our lord jesus Christ, which honour the scriptures assign unto him alone. And herein do we not part Christ's coat (as you guess) but we touse and hale the Pope's gaberdine, neither unlock we the door unto sedition, but stop the high way, wherein upon his lawless bulls of lead we road step down into perdition. You rake together many unities, and thereof pack up an argument, that in any wise there must be in the Church one spiritual sovereign or high regent. What needs that? sith even in the soundest age of the Church there was one God, one faith, and yet notwithstanding had Peter one province, Paul another, and james another, and divers other had several charge, whereas the severing of the people was no breach to the unity in faith. In sequel of time, diverse prelate's of Rome were holy Martyrs, put to death by heathen Princes, usurping no other crown but the crown of martyrdom. As for this extraordinary popish regalty, they knew it not, and S. Gregory by name doth defy it. Wherefore if the most floryshinge time of the Church were void of this your Monarchy, we also may wesleave if out, nay we ought so to do, not only for the straight charge of the scripture, but also the suggestion of all good reason. We cannot abide to have the head so far distant from the body, especially having this sovereign power (for the which you labour so hard) here at home in England, that no need it is to seek any abroad. We have the full authority of a regal power, containing the whole virtue of king lie jurisdiction over the whole Realm. But this, this is it that you cry away withal, this hath set you in such a glowing, that unto Princes you impute sacrilege, because they extend their authority over the Ecclesiastical laws, & dare adventure to touch things consecrate. What I pray you, M. Hieronimus, come out of this trance, fie upon this impatience, in a professed wise man, let in a little breath, & cheer up your spirits, you shall see all things in a clear case. The queens majesty reigneth over all her subjects of England. And reason it is. So have the Frenchmen their French king, and the Scots their scottish sovereign. Yea, but she presseth in unto church matters. Not a whit. All politic affairs, are governed by civil magistrates, & spiritual matters by bishops. In spiritual exploits if any public order be to be taken, the divines determine the same, whose determination is by the queens Majesty authorized. Now what mislike you? under these ordinances did the kings of Israel (in those days) govern the proper and peculiar people of God. Then ensued the gospel, which also making in powers a distinction, first hoisteth up the Regal estate, and subdueth thereunto all other degrees, by the mouth of Peter & Paul, whose names and titles by false usurpation you derive unto thestablishing of your romish signory. As for you, you bid battle not only in behalf of the Romish Sceptre, but also for the holy holy decretals, whose abolishing you think hath been the utter decay of godly fear within men's hearts. Certes I always deemed that the fear of GOD had sprung by the virtue of holy scriptures, and not by the Romish decrees, by whose Canons I hear say whole routs have been enriched, but a slender sort trained to dread God rightly. Well, to yield you so much, that divers of your Canons teach reasonable good and wholesome moral doctrine (as I confess they do) what vantage you thereby? we admit both decrees and decretals in our Ecclesiastical consistories and courts, and of neither sort disannul any point saving th'author, and him reject we not as bishop of Rome, but as King of Bishops, and supreme head of our church. We yield unto no supreme head within England, but unto the queens highness, and out of foreign monuments, we borrow whatsoever may serve for the enhancing of godliness and virtue, yea whence soever it be. Not knowing this our custom, you bewail the ruin and decay of the decrees, which (so far forth as they vary not from God's word) stand with us in full virtue and force. You upbraid our preachers as the very fountains of unbridled and wanton liberty, and father upon them such a dissolute and wilful kind of talk, as the like never was in Epicurus or Diagoras. Whom being thus disguised in new colours of your invention, you lout & flout all at pleasure. Cal to mind, I beseech you, how your good master Cicero (he that lent you all your eloquence) saith it is ill dealing of jests with god, whether it be in sport or good sooth. If very nature did teach the gentiles this, than had you need being a Christian, to look with both eyes, what it is like a sycophant with scoffing to triumph against Chryst. But to the purpose, we are content (with Saint Paul) to build upon that liberty wherein Christ hath planted us. And this liberty of the spirit we qualify in such sort, that we make exception against the liberty of the flesh, as S. Paul again teacheth. We believe in the gospel, that everlasting death is far from them which are graffed in Christ jesus (adding also that followeth in the same treatise) whose walking is not after the flesh, but after the spirit. I do not rove out of the very letter, to take away all suspicion of treachery or juggling. S. Paul after long & serious disputations, concludeth that we are justified by faith, without the works of the law. Let us subscribe hereunto, and in no wise let us derogate from the gospel one jot: marry this is to be learned out of the same leaf, by a lively and chartable faith. These two thus linked together if we do hold and maintain, (as no doubt we do) you ought not to divorce them, & reply upon a maisterles error, which hath no Patron except it be yourself. It is no gentleman's practice (that I may use the terms of the Civil law) to catch th'one end of a statute, and there by to judge the whole matter.  
Mangle not our doctrine thus, but repeat it as it is. Which done, there shall ye see good works standing in their due reputation, & store or grave exhortations unto penitence, and last of all prove that (for lack of an adversary) you have made a very wise conflict with your own shadow. Forth ye go in your lycencyous style, horribly crying out, that through this dullness, nai madness of our men, all man's reason is clogged and tied up, free will hath no scope nor liberty, and all mankind made so bare and so blind, that there is little difference between a man and a stone, that they make god thauthor of sin, and bring all things to confusion and distemperance. Finally that it argueth injustice in god, to take vengeance of them whom he himself hath depraved. Suerelie I do not commonly yield to any pang: But this once I must needs be bold with you. You have uttered not only a dissardlye and unskilful cavillation, but blasphemous withal, and such one, as the very stones whereof you talk, if they could speak, would not cast out against our preachers. Dip your wit and understanding in a little scripture, and reclaim your error. God the father chose us in Christ before the foundations of the world were laid, that we might be holly & blameless in his sight. You hear recited out of the gospel this divine election, which you in words so grievously detest, and you hear the time also. Neither is that any necessary fruit of th election, to break down the pale unto all lusts and abomination (as you scoff most unreverently) but to make us appear holly and irreprehensible before the face of god by charity, as is word by word expressed in the gospel. God it is that worketh in us both the good will and the work of good will. In few words hath S. Paul clogged and captivated all our strength and power. How now? is there no difference between us and stones or stocks. O head made of a block that so would gather. S. Paul again calleth us joinct workers with christ, and commandeth us to labour about our own souls health in fear and trembling. How can that be (will you say) sith we leave all in gods hands: Learn how in iii words. I can do all things in Christ which doth fortify me. And S. Austin in other words compriseth the self same sentence very eloquently. God crowneth in us his own works. Now sir. Marck ye well the holly and twice holy purpose of god, surely fenced with the bulwarks and rampires of the Scripture? And can ye yet conceive how we make the providence of God not the mother of sin, but the nurse of all obedience? Let us have recourse unto the very fountains, which not withstanding that they flow with streams as sweet as honey, yet are your heart strings so intoxicate, that you have sucked thereout the black poison of adders and vipers. And that I may have inevitable process against you, I will recite the very word of the gospel. The children being yet unborn, when they had done neither good nor evil, that the purpose of god by election might stand, not by reason of their works but by grace of the caller, it was said, the elder shall serve the younger, as it is written. jacob have I loved, Esau have I hated. What says your wisdom unto this? Behold once again the purpose of god, which is by election: note the time, that is, the children being yet unborn. What shall we say in this case? Is there any unrighteousness with god? that doth S. Paul defy, Hieronimus Ossorius will abide by it. God by his own mouth said unto Moses: I will have pity upon whosoever I take pity, and will have compassion upon whom so ever I take compassion. Whereunto S. Paul addeth that it is neither in man's will nor cunning, but in the free mercy of God. and this doth he establish with the example of Pharaoh, and maketh final evidence, that god where he will taketh pity, and whom he will he maketh hard hearted. What say we hereunto? forsooth we let down the sail of our own judgement, and bow unto th'eternal providence of god lying so open in the scripture, and taking S. Paul's counsel by the way, remember that we are creatures. Neither do we chop logic with our creator, but walk in our vocation, betake ourselves unto our bounden duty, day by day crave with submission the grace of the holly ghost, permytt the residue unto the bottomless mercy of god, & in his mysteries wade no further, than we have placket. What says Hieronimus Ossorius? surely (saith he) if humane reason be so clasped up, all free deliberation forspoken, and our will hath from everlasting been gods prisoner, it must needs follow that the whole man is clean shriven of all judgement, yea of his senses, that he is no better than a stone, yea god is made the author of sin. and that against all good reason it is, that we should be punished for that sin which willingly we never committed. Do I bely one syllable of your words, do I misalleage one hear? do ye recognize the words of your own lips, other stark false or elles blasphemous? you are he, that proud peacock, checkmate with god, whose sullen stomach saint Paul bitterly taunteth and beateth down, you being but an earthen vessel lately purtraited out of mould and clay, will know of the potter to what use he hath tempered you. Down, I say down with this presumption (if ye will be wiser than erst ye were) less of this arrogancy, remember ye are the handy work of your GOD, as we are all, leave at home your own award, and cast down before the footstool of god yourself & all that is yours in poorness of spirit. Or if you have purchased at god's hand any privy seal, or extraordinary faculty, which ye can by no means give over, keep it to yourself to have & to hold, suffer us with quietness whining wretches and puling souls swathed in sins, unburdened of all human affiance, or hope of drowsy deservings, wholly to cling unto the immortal providence and free offered mercy of our good god. At length after a volume of railing & uncharitable checks, you knit up a kind of conclusion, making a collection of those things, which our men have toppled down, the remembrance whereof maketh you to yearn, demanding what is set up in their place. Both which things I have already unwrapped unto you, but I will not stick for a word, In steed of leysie loytringe of miscreant hippocrytes under the misty cloak of superstition, is substitute the dutiful labouring in christian profession: for ranging lechery, the honourable state of wedlock: for the dreaming drifts of man's brain, the written will of god the father, and our Saviour jesus christ, & the therein comprised treasures of christian perfection. Here I would you had dated your reproachful and loveles letter. For although you are never wearied in darting out whole quivers full of sleeveless slandering and heedless hatred, yet irketh it me to recite them. To what end or purpose is it, thus without proof, pith, or likelihood to iterate in the ears of the Queen's highness, nay in the face of all Christendom to avouch so importune and so hedles errors. But I perceive you are inspired with that point of raging rhetoric whereof Tully maketh mention, that is, after one shameless shift to be clean shift of all shame. Wherefore seeing you so myldelye minded, I will hereafter tread in your own steps, and as I have already set my foot against your mysreportes, so will I fight against them unto the end. You give fierce assault with fresh words, but all your puissance leaneth unto old & stolen vices, such as be common unto all sorts of men. You chide their pride, you bid avaunt with their impudency, you find them guilty of robberies, poisonings, high treason, you bring upon them so long rolls of inditement as never did Cicero upon Verres, & in th'end you frame a reason, that the good virtue of their doctrine showeth itself unto all men's eyes in their execrable conversation. For (say you) of wholesome doctrine buddeth out amendment of manners, which rule because now it faileth, this fruitless & dry divinity of right should be rooted out. False is this your presumption of their lose living, which if it were true, yet should it never be gathered of your premises. There hath ever been darnel mingled with the wheat, never was there seed sown but it hath had diverse success, some choked up with thorns, some parched with the heat of the son. The Prophets were gain said by false prophets. Our saviour jesus Christ found a cruel Cayphas. the apostles were never free from the tyranny of Nero, no more were the Martyrs of latter years self from devilish Decians. But these proofs are too ancient. Come home I pray you unto your own church. In your own church is there not tripping commonly? Nay is there not frailty openly? yes, (say you,) then, say I, repeat your own reasons, which are either as weak as water, or else prejudicial unto yourself, and your pretenced church. This thus agreed on, if you ask where is the perfection of Angels, if you exact innocency as white as snow, in vain seek you in this vale of misery, the spirit without flesh. But if you will stand to the comparison of the living of our men and yours, or way their learning and knowledge in equal balances, we are at your beck, go too, compare them from the top unto the toe. And for a breathing while charm your taunting tongue, so like a wanton lavishing brainless brawls, dumb & mum in grave argument, nothing tasting of Scriptures, not once smelling of doctors, only running in main streams of reasonable good words, but of sententious pithines well-nigh destitute. Of the same stamp is that counterpoint of yours, which you have so curiously framed. On the one side whereof you reckon up in a rank th'apostles, whose renowned virtue and doctrine (as reason is) you have garnished with pretty pearls of words and sentences. On the other side have you placed our spirituality, whose outrageous naughtiness you curse as low as hell pit. Which peinted pageants of your eloquence (had you been as wise as you are taken) you should have hurded up until some other seasonable weather, for at this present you have lost a fair long tale. As for us although we may without prick of conscience affirm that the doctrine of our church cometh lineally from the apostles, and also the scriptures bear record that th'apostles themselves sometimes stumbled, and showed themselves to be but men, yet grant we that in each respect they far overwent the common frailty of man's nature. They were schoolmasters picked out by gods own wisdom, they had our saviour Christ among them even in their daily conversation, they were first possessed of the holy ghost, and therefore are their names unto us as names of dignity and reputation. Come unto latter times, one degree lower. Let your church show her face, and there let truth try whether of both is nearer cousin unto the apostles church, be it for integrity of life or doctrine. This bargain made, we will forthwith, sew our process with you, & therein give you a large licens to make the rows of your comparisons (if ye will) one hundredth fold. But I avail not, I find you nothing reasonable, you die if you be barred biting and backbiting, outrageously stretching your wyndepipe against our gospelling, and therein setting abroach all your sour eloquence. Storm until you stare, cry out while your jaws will hold, yet shall you not by importunity prove any other seed sown by our preachers, save only the lively ancient and sincere gospel. In the which point except your romish See bethink itself, by calamity and fatal desolation it shall once learn, at the time when we shall all appear at the dreadful assize of god's judgement, & in our own person give an heavy account of our faith, not out of decrees or decretals, which be your own sweet darlings, neither out of julius or Bonifacius his popish pedlerye, (whose authority so pleaseth you) but even out of this golden gospel, which you so sawcely deride, which you so long while pestered in your dark dungeons, which is by gods good inspiration, & the chivalry of our soldiers restored again unto all christian Realms. At that doleful day what will betide you, which have set your teeth so deep in us, which have laid violent hold upon the Prophet jeremy, & by force of arms, after much struggling and kicking, brought him to give evidence against our men. Let us here that man of god whom you have cited, and upon his prophecy examine the truth: beware, saith he, how you give care unto Prophets preaching pleasant things and beguiling you, uttering the fancy of their own heart, and not bringing their message from god's mouth, for so they speak which dyshonor me, peace shallbe with you, and unto those which walk after their own hearts lusts, they have said, no harm shall befall you. Here you triumph like a conqueror, here you cry we are taken half out half in. And I cry again as loud that herein your vizards are pulled of your faces, and how it may so be, I will descry it to all the world. In your temples reigneth this reastie peace, in your synagogues, and in none else, encampeth and keepeth sleeping holiday this devilish drowsing, wherein you have so hushed and rocked up all other, and then laid yourselves down by them, that neither you see the point of the sword leveled at your own heart, neither cry unto other to eschew the deadly stroke. The office of public preaching, so straightly required in the gospel, you have wholly bequeathed to certain silly & fruitless friars, who on prescript days declaim within their compass, further forth they speak not one word. In their exhortations they use such a length, with so small suit and change, that they much sooner seal up their eyes which be waking, then stir them up that are on sleep. O how quiet they be at their service and sacraments. first the people must stand without the rails of their roodeloftes, then sir priest whippeth up all in a tongue that no man understandeth. How shall the people know to address themselves to battle, when no man knoweth the sound of the trump. These are the words of s. Paul. Look unto the mass, that natural & sweet marrow of all your hollines. No man hath any part in that play but the priest, as for the poor people they may see for their love. The Scripture doth not there overcharge any man with hearing, but husheth on sleep all her exhortations. Ones in a year is the lords supper celebrated, well censed with ceremonies, God knoweth with what troubled conscience. And there lacketh one chief point which Christ's institution requireth, namely that his death should be had in remembrance until his coming▪ What maladies of sin soever have poisoned your folds, you apply no open soul sa●●e Private satisfaction is made by whispering in the priests ear, and if it be more than a venial trespass, the pope's leaden bull must be weighed down with silver. Of ceremonies there are so many, so suitable, so pompous shows, that to the outward man there can be no such paradise, but for the souls slender edifying, nay nothing but starving cheer. Thus are your holly orders displayed and laid open. Now may it please you to hear ours. first have we according to the very vein of the gospel daily preachings, whose authority either with the threats and menacings of the law breaketh our stubborn sinful hearts, or for the precious treasure of gods promises, doth allure us unto virtue. Which if any lewd persons more reckless than the rest, do contemn or set light by, them doth the Magistrate by constraint drive unto divine service, there to attend, not unto man's glosses, but unto the certain voice of god the father & our Saviour Christ, one while terrefying us and putting in fear the vile leprousye of our sinful flesh, another while spreading upon unto us the wide gates of mercy. Here unto are added so many Psalms & Hymns, and such variety of readings out of both Testaments, that whosoever among so heavenly peals of solace & comfort, cannot convey away one line for his own learning, is to be thought of all other most unhappy. Then followeth the last supper of our lord, of most worthy & unspeakable reverence, from no festival day excluded. There doth the minister with an audible voice call forth all such as have devoutly prepared themselves unto so heavenly a Table. Forth come the thereunto minded, humbling themselves on their knees severally, in the face of the congregation, and at a moment by public confession renounce all ungodly ways, & in unity of prayer betake themselves unto god's mercy. The minister pronounceth unto them certain principal and chosen sentences of scripture, either shooting at them the thunderbolts of god's vengeance for their polluted ways, or opening the flowing fountains of god's clemency, that the communicantes of that heavenly table may oftentimes quake and tremble, and at the last refreshed again with hope of pardon, receive a sweet comfort. If there be any whose defamed life may show a perilous example of parcialitye, or whose wickedness may no longer be borne, those do we excommunicate, that shame and destitution may reclaim them unto their duty. Here have I good occasion to frame a counterpoint, as you did before, which if I would do, I could have as good store of words to polished and adorn the same. lastly I would move a question whether of both divine services more pricketh and galleth all wickedness. Where is that husshinge at open impiety, that the prophet speaketh of, where is that deep silence & mumming? and on tother side what galling is to be seen of polluted consciences? with what nipping words are they wounded unto the heart? what piercing sentences are there to stir up their slow bloods? But I will leave all undone, I have proffered a taste of the matter, let him be judge that will. This (to conclude) I will be bold to say, that in one assemble at the holy Communion, there are deeper sighs & sobs, then in six hundredth of your riotous massings. Wherefore it was labour more than needed, out of the Prophet once again to inculcate, that no earthly man hath been of god's counsel, that no man hath seen or hard him open his mouth. But this pride is a bird of your own bosom, as I declared before. you it is that laboureth to be one of gods privy councillors. As for this controversy, whether telleth his tale out of god's book, you or we, the likelihood surely inclineth to us ward, which be continually searching and turning the scrptures. Your champions wavering with the winds upon the wide seas of glosses and interpretations, and tottering as it were in a slippery ground, walk in the wide deserts in great peril of losing their way. Well ones again you make bold with jeremy, not permitting the reverend prophet to rest. First you allege these words of his: If they had walked in my ways or had declared my will unto my people, surely they had revoked them from their evil ways, and from their wicked imaginations. Very well. Let us begin with jeremy, who was a famous Prophet, and no man will say the contrary. Did he scare all the jews from their vices: did he bow their backs, and win them all unto virtue? weigh and consider the whole time of his prophecy, and ponder withal the mournful groanings and wailing of his lamentations. with the forechosen people of god, this man of god easily prevailed, (for my sheep here my voice saith the gospel) as for the residue they were hardened. Did not Paul prove the like in the Romans & the Corinthians? Peter in the churches of Asia, and our saviour christ in infinite numbers of the jews, and namely in the Capernaites? Wherefore let jeremy go, and leave your trifling. Paul planteth, Apollo watereth, but God giveth th'increase. And (as s. Paul witnesseth) this shall be an infallible rule: God knoweth his own. We must labour with all intent, but what good gift so ever befalleth us, it cometh from above, and descendeth down unto us, from the father and god of light. But you still follow the chase, inculcating the lewdness unmeasurable of our men, that is, you inculcate your own cankered charity, and that which hath done you so much good service in this Epistle, a singular spirit of slandering. I say slandering, sith the most part of our men walketh in most perfect ways, and associateth unto the true worshipping of god many thousands, & as much abhorreth that accursed conversation of you pretended, as this your talk is void of all shame and modesty. And if you will do that is chief to be done, confer with the light of our gospel the palpable mists of your times, and consider what difference there is. Your last benevolence is, that our whole confederacy swimmeth in sects, & hath made unlawful conspiracies to pull in pieces all due worshipping of God. But notwithstanding your cavil, they are linked in perfect unity, which if you doubt, I betake you unto thapology set forth in the face of all Christendom, as an open and undoubted pledge of our Religion, disgrace it if you can. But you can not for your life, nor any of all your complices and adherents, howsoever within these few days one good man hath made his barking brags. Our men (God wotteth) intend no overthrow of religion, believing certainly in thimmortality of our souls. If there be any realm christian not thoroughly persuaded therein, turn your tale unto them: and if ye be not thus satisfied, call to mind that our men have given earnest of their profession, not alonely with their tongues and pens, but with exile, nakedness, pining, yea with spending their blood & life. Which surely they would not have done, if the grim terrors of this present life could have foiled them, or crazed their constancy in maineteining the known truth. But you say you have made longer discourse them you minded. Yea truly much longer than beseemed you, especially in the hearing of a most learned and prudent princess. Whose subtility in judgement might have put you in some honest fear if you had considered the ground of her good gifts. Whose highness continually is addict unto the reading of scriptures, the comparing of the most approved expositors, & drawing out of the opinions of the best divines, whose grace hath attained an excellency in the tongues, joined with readiness and quickness of reason, & all this she so governeth with Princely wisdom, as in a woman uneath is credible. She gladly frequenteth public sermons & by continual reading & hearing is so well applied, that her grace is no less able to instruct you then she needeth your instruction. Were you ever in hope that such a princess, of all other most godly & prudent, might by your smooth tale be corrupted, or with sugared words beguiled? It is nothing so, it is far otherwise, & they have foully abused this your kindness, whosoever sent you in for an open accuser, especially unto the queen's presence. But now have at your conclusion, wherein I think you will never conclude any thing. One fling more you must have at the fruits of our doctrine. As for the people themselves, those you require to be looked on, and by them must the religion be valued. What fruits (in God's name) misseth your church in us, that synagogue of all other most fruitless. But we refuse no challenge, your will be done. Compare England in what case it now is, feeding on the sweet Mannah of God's word, with that which was so monstrous to behold before, with ugly deformities of human traditions. Let us search the chronicles, let us discuss the chronography of our times, let the queens highness sit in judgement, and, conferring both times, give sentence accordingly. This offer if you refuse, then learn at my hands the present estate of England, and here after seal up your ears at the unhonest babbling of our enemies. A Princess we have of absolute power royal, in all points incomparable. Whose court is destitute of no ornament, touching either the honour of thestate sovereign, or the safeguard of the common wealth. The Archbishops & Bishops in their own persons perform the office of preaching, & lay their own hands unto the government of their Churches, always resident in them. No variance is there among the nobility, no breach of duty in subjects, peace and tranquillity through out the whole Realm. In these things perchance you have been misenfourmed. But your friend Cicero putteth you in mind, that every man speaketh his pleasure, but needles it is to credit every man. These our fell friends love well to blow out not that they know to be true, but that they wish to be true, because our good success and felicity is unto them a grievous eyesore. Therefore sir, cheer yourself, and set a part this sorrow so deeply printed in you breast for our sake. Take heed you strided not out of all patience, cast not yourself down I say. If all be well in Portugal, care not for England. But it is no marvel that you take these pains, sith we are of alliance and kindred. surely what knot of kindred so ever is between our kingdom and yours we gladly embrace it, and desire heartily to be nearer cousins, knit even in an heavenly league. But (I pray you sir) if we be so dear friends, as you say, and I believe you, what toy of friendship is it, thus unto the very crown to heap us up with accusations. How dare ye say that through us men are divorced from that right ancient & pure religion which was ratified by Christ's bloodshed & ever sense hath continued until these days, and led aside unto an other kind of religion both execrable and horrible. Do you think as you say? without doubt you do not. For in those ancient and flourishing times their was no Papacy or Pope's holiness, no leaden graces, no purgatory martes, no worshipping of Images, no gadding pilgrimages, no sacrifices for the quick & the dead in Masses, nor any such trumpery. These misshapes of religion what time they sprung, & who begat them you cannot but know, but that you dissemble & speak to please. Therefore notwithstanding the terrors that you thunder in the queens ears, with commemorations of God's majesty & the latter judgement, your long tale so inflamed with fiery words, hath not thauthority that followeth truth and efficacy. For why? into a malicious heart entereth no wisdom. As for your malice how savage it is and hartbent, it is evident not only in every leaf of your libel, but in one place beyond shame, whereas in pestilent words you denounce sedition & uproar, you cry to weapons, & blow up the bloody trumpet to Civil war. You require of the Queen's highness in post-haste, to tumble down the religion by common consent erected, and to make place for yours. The way thereunto (you say) is easy & ready trodden, for that the greater number inclineth unto you, that she shall purchase everlasting renown, & all the world will clap their hands for joy. This is your exhortation unto the Queen, a wicked & witless exhortation. What? no remedy, but forth with must we throw from us the heavenly doctrine of the gospel, wherein, saving one six years tempestuous rage, we have continued above thirty years, wherein the Queen's grace hath led all her life, wherein god hath given her a blissful & peaceable reign of five years, which was by consent of all estates published, whereof have issued decrees and laws of inestimable policy? This inculpable state of religion, the true pattern of gods due honour, on every side so circumspectly fenced & trenched by the queens majesty, shall one word even of one Portugal rive in pieces? shall the epistle of Hieronimus Osorius break the rank of it? were you ever in this hope yourself, or they that craved your helping hand? believe me you were unwise when you settled yourself unto this enterprise, & they were not well provided in wit that first moved you to so high matters. Writ as many thousand invectives as you please, call to counsel all our adversaries and ill willers, whom (as it seems) you have learned by heart. God will preserve our Queen out of their mouths, even that God that hath before often times been her deliverer. God will strengthen her in the verity of the gospel, even god that giveth her hourly strength, & for the avauncement of the testament and last will of his son our saviour christ, will endue her with honour that shall never perish. As for this your costly guarded theatre, with vaunting words piled up as high as heaven, neither is it so precious a pearl for a prince, or so well tuned a song as to move her to turn away from the truth evangelical, revealed unto her and her kingdom, and to set up new stages for your Popish bravery. Therefore you do like a natural orator, in the latter wing to place a whining conclusion, fetched from the depth of your faculty, wherein for the love of all holiness, and all hallowed things, you cry out and adjure our Queen to exterminate these new Apostles, and to retire unto your mother church, wherein you paint and set out the blessed beavye of virtues, with all fine and far fetched elegancy of speech, and yet (the more pity) all is not worth one half penny. Forsooth that you term upstart error, the Queen certainly knoweth it to be old furrowfaced verity, and for the same offereth up in humble wise her orisons & prayers, fully minded not to forsake it until death, no not at the hour of death, perfectly knowing that she shall out of the holy gospel of our saviour christ, render straight account of her government. And you she deemeth but a smatterer in gods word, if these things be strange unto you, or (if you will not know them) a deep dissembler, which fault was wont to be far from a Philosopher. Wherefore in my mind (good master Jerome) you may do much better in these religious matters, to see what divines can do, and to take up your place again among Philosophers & orators, whose mysteries you have better tasted of. Your style runneth in a good vein, & (to all appearance) nature hath done her part in you. Hereunto is added art, which hath set forward the dexterity of nature. These good aids of your studies employed upon your usual and acquainted matters, wonderful may be your commendation. I have seen your book entitled of nobility, fine with the finest. God grant you to reserve yourself unto such monuments, which breed none offence openly, but commodity and profit universally. Hereafter if you fall unto boasting, and mind too give fresh assault, take it as a forewarn, to come better fenced. What mortality so ever betide me, you shall find a number in England not alonely in the churches and universities, but also in the queens majesties Court, far surmounting me in science and knowledge, with you in all things comparable.  
(❀)  
God be glorified in all things.   

A fault escaped.  
In C. leaf. 8. page 2. line. 9 for eloquently, read elegantly.   

¶ Imprinted at London by William Seres dwelling at the west end of Paul's Church, at the sign of the Hedgehog.