AN EPISTLE OF THE MOST mighty & redoubted Prince Henry the viii by the grace of God King of England and of France, lord of Ireland, defender of the Faith, and supreme heed of the church of England, next under Christ, written to the emperors majesty, to all Christian Princes, and to all those that truly and sincerely profess Christ's religion.   

IN THIS EPISTLE BOTH the causes are plainly declared, why the Kings hyghenes ought neither to send nor go to the Council indicted at Vincence, and also how perilous a thing it is for all such as profess the true doctrine of Christ, to come thither.  
HEREUNTO ALSO IS ANnexed the Protestation made the last year by the Kings higness, his whole Counsel and clergy, as touching the Councille inde●tted at Mantua etc.  
¶ Reed both o Christian Reader, truth is coming home, long afore being in captivity, step forth and meet her by the way: if thou see her presence, embrace her, and show thyself glad of her return.   

HENRY THE, VIII, BY THE grace of God king of England and of France etc. saluteth the Emperor, Christian princes, and all true Christian men, desiring peace and Concord amongs them.  
WUHERE as not long sithence a book came forth in our and all our counsels names, which both contained many causes, why we refused the Councylle, than by the bishop of Rome's usurped power first indycted at Mantua, to be kept the xxiii day of May, after prorogued to november, no place appointed where it should be kept. And where as the same book doth sufficiently prove, that our cause could take no hurt, neither with any thing done or decreed in such a company of addict men to one sect, nor in any other council called by his usurped power, we think it nothing necessary, so oft to make new protestations, as the bishop of Rome and his courts by subtlety & craft, do invent ways to mock the world by new pretenced general councils. Yet not withstanding because that some things have now occurred, either upon occasion given us, by change of the place, or else through other considerations, which now being known to the world, may do much good, we thought we should do, but even as that love enforceth us, which we own unto Christis faith and religion, to add this epistle: And yet we protest, that we neither put forth that book, neither yet we would this epistle to be set afore it, that thereby we should seem less to desire a general Councille, than any other prince or potentate, but rather more desirous of it, so it were free for all parts, and universal. And further we desire all good princes, potentatis, and people, to esteem and think that no prince would more willingly be present at such a council than we, such a one, we mean, as we speak of in our protestation, made concerning the council of Mantua. Truly as our forefathers invented nothing more holier than general councils, used as they ought to be, so there is almost noothing, that way do more hurt to the Christian common wealth, to the faith, to our religion, than general councils, if they be abused to Luke'S, to gains, to the establishment of errors. They be called general, & even by their name do admonish us, that all Christian men, which do descent in any opinion, may in them openly, frankly, and without fear of punishment or displeasure, say their mind. For seeing such things as are decreed in general councils, touch equally all men that give assent thereunto, it is meet that every man, may boldly say there, that he thinketh. And verily we suppose, that it ought not to be called a general councylle, where alonely those men are hard, which are determined for ever, in all points, to defend the popish part, and to arm themself to fight in the bishop of Rome's quarrel, though it were against god and his scriptures. It is no general Council, neither it ought to be called general, where the same men be only advocates & adversaries, the same accused and judges. No it is against the law of nature, either that we should condescend to so unreasonable a law against ourselves, either that we should suffer ourselves to be left without all defence, and being oppressed with greatest injuries, to have no refuge to secure ourselves at. The bishop of Rome and his, be our great enemies, as we and all the world may well perceive by his doings. He desireth nothing more than our hurt, and the destruction of our realm: do not we than violate the judgement of nature, if we give him power and authority to be our judge? His pretended honour first gotten by superstition, after increased by violence, and other ways, as evil as that: his power set up by pretence of religion, in deed, both against religion, and also contrary to the word of god: his primacy, borne by the ignorancy of the world, nourished by the ambition of bishops of Rome, defended by places of Scripture, falsely understand. These iii things we say, which are fallen with us, and are like to fall in other realms shortly, shall they not be established again, if he may decide our cause as him listeth? If he may at his pleasure oppress a cause most righteous, and set up his, most again truth? Certainly he is very blind, that seeth not, what end we may look for of our controversies, if such our enemy may give the sentence. We desire, if it were in any wise possible, a council, where some hope may be, that those things, shall be restored, which now being depravate, are like, if they be not amended, to be the utter ruin of christian religion. And as we do desire such a councyll, and think it meet, that all men in all their prayers, should crave and desire it of god: even so we think it pertaineth unto our office, to provide both that these popish subtleties hurt none of our subjects, and also to admonish other Christian princes, that the bishop of Rome may not by their consent abuse the authority of kings, either to the extinguyshing of the true preaching of scripture (that now beginneth to spring, to grow, and spread abroad, either to the troubling of princes liberties, to the dimynishinge of kings authorities, and to the great blemish of their princely majesty. We doubt nothing but a reder not partial, will soon approve such things, as we writ in the treatise following, not so much for our excuse, as that the world may perceive both the sundry deceits, crafts, & subtleties of the papists, and also, how much we desire, that controversies in religion may once be taken away. All that we said there of Mantua, may here well be spoken of Vincence. They do almost agree in all points. Neither it is like, that there will be any more at this Concille at Vincence, than were the last year at Mantua. truly he is worthy to be deceived, that being twice mocked, will not beware the third tyme. If any this last year made forth toward Mantua, and being half on their way, than perceived, that they had taken upon them that journey in vain, we do not think them so foolish, that they will hereafter ride far out of town to be mocked. The time also, and the state of things is such, that matters of religion may rather now be brought farther in trouble, as other things are, than be commodiousely entreated of, and decided. For where as in manner the hole world is after such sort troubled with wars, so encumbered with the great preparations that the Turk maketh, can there be any man so against the settling of religion, that he wool think this time meet for a general Council? undoubtedly it is meet that such controversies, as we have with the bishop of Rome, be taken as they are, that is much greater, than that they may either be discussed in this so troublesome a time, or else be committed unto proctors, without our great jeopardy, all be it the time were never so quiet. What other princes will do, we can not tell, but we will neither leave our realm at this time, neither we will trust any proctor with our cause, wherein the whole stay and wealth of our realm standeth, but rather we will be at the handling thereof ourself. For except both an other judge be agreed upon for those matters, and also a place more commodious be provided, for the debating of our causes, all be it all other things were as we would have them, yet may we lawfully refuse to come or send any to this pretended council. We will in no case make him our arbyter, which not many years paste, our cause not hard, gave sentence against us. We will that such doctrine, as we, following the scripture, do profess, rightly to be examinid, discussid, and to be brought to scripture, as to the only touch stone of true learning. We will not suffer them to be abolished, ere ever they be discussed, ne to be oppressed, before they be known: moche less we will suffer them to be trodden down being so clearly true. No, as there is no jot in scripture, but we wool defend it, though it were with jeopardy of our life, and peril of this our Realm: so is there no thing, that doth oppress this doctrine, or obscure it, but we will be at continual war therewith. As we have abrogated all old popish traditions in this our realm, which either did help his tyranny, or increase his pride: so if the grace of God forsake us not, we will well foresee, that no new naughty traditions be made with our consent, to bind us or our realm. If men will not be willingly blind, they shall easily see even by a due and evident proof in reason, though grace doth not yet by the word of Christ enter into them, how small th'authority of the bishop of Rome is, by the lawful denial of the Duke of Mantua for the place. For if the bishop of Rome did earnestly intend to keep a councyll at Mantua, and hath power by the law of God, to call princes to what place him liketh: why hath he not also authority, to choose what place him listeth? The bishop chose Mantua, the Duke kept him out of it. If Paul the bishop of Rome's authority be so great, as he pretendeth, why could not he compel Federicus, Duke of Mantua, that the Councylle might be kept there? The duke would not suffer it. No, he forbade him his town. How chanceth it, that here excommunications fly not not abroad? Why doth he not punish this Duke? Why is his power, that was wont to be more than full, here empty? wont to be more than all, here nothing? Doth he not call men in vain to a Councylle, if they that come at his calling, be excluded the place, to the which he calleth them? May not Kings justly refuse to come at his call, when the Duke of Mantua may deny him the place, that he chooseth? If other princes order him as the Duke of Mantua hath done, what place shall be left him, where he may keep his general Council? Again. If Princes have given him this authority, to call a Councille, is it not necessary, that they give him also, all those things, without the which he can not exercise that his power? Shall he call men, and will ye let him find no place to call them unto? Truly he is not wont to appoint one of his own Cities, a place to keep the council in. No, the good man is so faithful and friendly toward other, that seldom he desireth princes to be his gestis. And admit he should call us to one of his cities, should we safely walk within the walls of such our enemies town? were if meet for us there to discuss controversies of religion, or to keep us out of our enemies traps? meet to study for the defence of such doctrine as we profess, or rather how we might in such a throng of perils be in safeguard of our life? Well, in this one act the bishop of Rome hath declared, that he hath none authority upon places in other men's dominions, and therefore if he promise a Councille in any of those, he promiseth that that is in other man to perform, and so may he deceive us again. Now if he call us to one of his own towns, we be afraid to be at such an hosts table. we say, better to rise a hungered, then to go thence with our bellies full. But they say, the place is found, we need no more seek where the Council shall be kept. As who saith, that, that chanced at Mantua, may not also chance at Vyncence. And as though it were very like, that the Venetians, men of such wisdom, should not both foresee, and fear also that, that the wise Duke of Mantua seemed to fear. Certes, when we think upon the state, that the Venetians be in now, it seemeth no very likely thing, that they will either leave Vincence, their city, to so many nations, without some great garrison of soldiers, or else that they being else where, so sore charged already, will now nourish an army there. And if they would, doth not Paulus himself grant, that it should be an evil president, and an evil example, to have an armed Councille? How so ever it shall be, we most heartily desire you, that ye will vouchsafe, to read those things, that we wrote this last year touching the Mantuan Councille. For we nothing doubt, but you, of your equity, will stand on our side against their subtlety and frauds, and judge (except we be deceived) that we in this business, neither gave so moche to our affections, neither without great and most just causes, refused their councils, their Censures, and Decrees. Whither these our writings please all men, or no, we think, we ought not to pass moche. No, if that, that indifferently is written of us, may please indifferent readers, our desire is accomplished. The false and mistaking of things, by men partial, shall move us nothing, or elles very little. If we have said aught against the deceits of the bishop of Rome, that may seem spoken to sharply, We pray you, impute it to the hatredde we bore unto vices, and not to any evil will that we bore him. No, that he, and all his, may perceive, that we are rather at strife with his vices, than with him, and his: our prayer is, both that it may please god, at the last to open their eyes, to make soft their hard hearts, and that they once may with us (their own glory set apart) study to set forth the everlasting glory, of the everlasting God.  
¶ Thus mighty Emperor Far ye most heartily well, and ye Christian Princes, the pylors and stay of Christendom, Far ye heartily well. Also all ye, what people so ever ye are, which do desire, that the Gospel and glory of Christ may flourish, Far ye heartily well.  
¶ Given at London out of our Palace at Westmynster, the eight of Apryll, the nine and twenty year of our reign.   

LONDINI IN AEDIBUS THOMAE BERTHELETI REGH IMPRESSORIS. EXCUS. ANNO. M.D.XXXVIII.   

CUM PRIVILEGIO.