A GODLY AND Faithful Retractation made and published at Paul's cross in London, the year of our Lord God 1547. the 15. day of May, by Master Richard Smyth Doctor of divinity, and reader of the Kings majesties lecture in Oxford.  
Revoking therein certain Errors and faults by him committed in some of his books.  
Londini, Anno Domini M. D. XLVII.  
Cum privilegio ad imprimendum solum.   

¶ A godly and Faithful Retractation made and published at Paul's cross in London, In the year of our Lord God M. D. xlvij. the xv. day of May, by M. Richard Smyth Doctor of divinity and reader of it in Oxford.  
THe holy Prophet David (good christian audience) saith right truly: Omnis homo mendax. That is to wit: Every man is a Liar of his own corrupted nature: The which thing how true it is, th'elder & best Writers in the Christian Church, do evidently declare, because they all have erred in their books. Wherefore the great Clerk saint Austen, in an Epipistle written to Marcelia writeth of himself; Vos qui me multum diligitis, si talem me asseritis, ut nunquam in scriptis errasse me dicatis, frustra laboratis, nec bonam causam suscepistis: facile meipso judice superamini, quoniam non placet mihi cum a charissimis meis talis existimor, qualis non sum. That is to say: Ye that love me much, if ye said that I am such that ye affirm that I never erred in my writings or Books, ye labour in vain, ye have not taken in hand a good cause: ye are easily overcome, I myself being judge: For it pleaseth not me when I am esteemed such a man of my moast dear friends as I am not. Here we see that this blessed father saint Austen was not ashamed to confess his error in writing: which thing he did not by words only, but also in a certain Book wherein he wrote very many things in which he confesseth that he was deceived. This Book is called in Latyn, Liber Retractationum: And in English, a Book of Retractations or Revocations, of such things which he wrote amiss & erred in. Shall I now be ashamed to acknowledge myself to have been deceived in my Book of Traditions? Am I worthy to be resembled or compared to this noble ancient Doctor of Christ's church? Will ye not believe S. Austen in other points of our Religion because he erred, & also confessed his error in diverse and sundry things of his books? To be short, who of all the Writers of books erred not? S, Ambros, S, Hierome, Chrisostome, Hilary, Cyprian, Origen, Tertulian, and all the other Doctors of the church were deceived in some points of their Books, as learned men do well know. Why therefore may not I err, or why should I be ashamed too confess mine Error and too revoke it? Ought not every good man and woman too be sorry for my fall in this my Book, and too rejoice with me acknowledging the truth in this matter of man's Traditions, Precepts, Ordinances, Rites, Ceremonies? Who saith not that I have a just cause to excuse my weakness and fault, and ask of you mercy? which I trust I have obtained of the Kings gracious highness, and his most honourable Counsel: by whose goodness and clemency I am here admitted and suffered too show mine Errors and Faults in my book of Traditions, which I made of late entitled thus: A brief Treatise, setting forth diverse truths, necessary both too be believed of Christian people and kept also, which are not expressed in the Scripture, but left to the Church by the Apostles Traditions, made and set forth by Richard Smyth, Doctor of Divinity and Reder of it in Oxford. Which Book I do Reprove & Revoke in divers Faults in it, of the which I will a non recite certain particularly, and then I shall give unto you a true and General Doctrine of all those things of which I do entreat in that my Book, that thereby you may well perceive & see, after what sort they ought too be taken of Christian people that no man err therein,   

first, Whereas I speaking in my book of Traditions, of the authority of bishops in making laws and ordinances, which the people ought to obey, I did say & teach in this wise: That men ought to obey the bishops commandment in all things lawful, upon pain of everlasting damnation. And that these words of Matthew: Do as they bid you, but not as they do, be understand not only of things contained in Scripture, but also of the Church's ordinances besides Scripture made by the Ministers of the Church, although the said Ministers do abuse their authority for their own be nefite and profit. And further, where I taught that it is more convenient that the people obey their bishops commandments & Decrees although it be but in a thing indifferent of itself and not commanded by God, than that servants should obey their masters, or children their fathers and mothers.  
And finally, where I said concerning the same matter: That as subjects be bound to obey and fulfil their Prince's Laws, which are not contained in God's Laws being not against it, even so be Christian people bound too obey & do that which their Bishops biddeth them do. All these sayings I do now Revoke, Disannul and Condemn as erroneous and false. And do profess and acknowledge first that the authority aswell of the bishop of Rome, whose authority is justly and lawfully abolished in this Realm as of other Bishops & other called the ministers of the church, consisteth in the dispensation and ministration of God's word, & not in making Laws, Ordinances and Decrees over the people beside God's word without the consent and authority of the Prince and people.  
¶ Secondly, I say & affirm that no bishop nor none of the Clergy assembled together have authority to make any Laws or Decrees besides God's Law over the people without the consent of the Princes and the people: and if they do make any such, no man is bound to obey them.  
¶ Thirdly, I say that in those countries, where by the authority of the Prince they have made any such Laws, th'authority of those Laws, doth not append and hang of the Bishops and the Clergy, but of the princes & chief heads in every country  
¶ Fourthly, I say & affirm that within this Realm of England & other the kings Dominions, there is no Law, Decree, Ordinance or Constitution ecclesiastical in force and available by any man's authority, but only by the Kings majesties authority or of his Parliament.  
And where in any foresaid book of Traditions, I said that tenths of Benefices be dew only to them that do preach and teach the Scripture, and also that he that serveth not he Altar nor preacheth not the Gospel can not justly live by the tenths, but is in conscience bound to restore the profits and fruits taken thereby: Which my sayings as it lieth in words & sentences is seditious and slanderous to the Kings majesties procedings and the Laws and Ordres of this Realm, which have granted tenths and Tithes to many Ley persons: Therefore this my saying as it may be taken, & justly by the words and sentences as they be put, I will not nor intend to defend nor aveere the same: but I require that I may put them and declare them gently, that I meant not in these my sayings of any Lay men, to the derogation of the Laws and Statutes of this Realm: but I meant only of Curates and priests which receiving their Tithes, do not their duties accordingly.  
And where also in my said book of Traditions, and likewise in my book of the Sacrifice of the Mass, I following Damascene and other Ancient Authors, wrote, that the Disciples of Christ did make certain Canons, which saint Clement did gether together and put in writing, and that these same Canons must be taken for the Apostles doctrine and teaching, and their words without doubt to be believed & kept as that which is contained expressly in scripture. Now having red many things, which at that time I had not diligently marked & weighed: I do think, affirm, and confess that doctrine to be not true, but a vain, unlawful, unjust, and unportable burden to Christian consciences: And that those Canons pretended to be of thapostles making and gathered of saint Clement, not to be made of thapostles: or if they were, not to be made otherwise than but for an order in the Church for that time, not ever for to endure whereof many at this time in no wise be too be observed: And those which do remain, not to be of that force as God's law to charge men's consciences otherwise, then as man's Ordinances and Policy which may be taken away by Superior powers aswell & with so little scruple of conscience as other of them which many years a go were taken away, & to sum clean contrary laws made  
In the said book of Traditions also I said & affirmed, that Christ and his Apostles taught and left to the church many things without writing which we must both believe steadfastly & also fulfil obediently under pain of damnation ever to endure. Amongst the which I rehearsed by name a great number to be obeyed, kept & followed: as the observation of Lent from flesh or wine, the keeping of the Sacrament in the Pyx, the receiving of it at the priests hands, the hallowing of the water in the Font, the thrice dipping of the Child in the water at the christening, the putting on of the Chrisom, the Consecration of the Oil, & Anointing of the christened child, the hallowing of the Altars, the praying towards the East, the Sensing of the aultare, the Washing of the hands, & saying Confiteor, and lifting up of the Sacrament at the Mass, the making of Holy Water, That the. xii Apostles (every man a peace for his portion) made the Crede, & many more besides these. And after like sort I spoke of Canons, Decrees, and Ordinances of bishops and general counsels.  
Now I do confess the said doctrine as concerning thobserving of the said Traditions under that pain, to be false and Tyrannical, an unjust, unlawful, and untrue burden of men's consciences, not fit to be taught, preached, or defended,  
Likewise of the believing of things where I did say, that there are diverse things not expressed in the scripture which we are bound to believe equally with those things which arr written in Scripture, in the number of which I did confusely & indiseretely for an example bring some of the afore rehearsed and other many. As concerning many things in my book put, and the more number there by me reckoned and named I affirm and say to be false, and in no wise true, but very dangerous and unjustly, onerous to the consciences of christian men: and too be true only in those Doctrines which necessarily may be gathered, & consequently do follow too the words and sentences in Scripture, so that in effect they may be justly counted to be in scripture, though the very form of words be not there: Of the which in my Book is very few, yet some I did rehearse: as Baptismus puerorum, Descensus Christi ad inferos, Virginitas Marie, Trinitas personarum, Processio Spiritus sancti, and a few other.  
And because I would declare the true acceptions, dignity and authority of scripture too be distinct, diverse, & of higher, surer, more stable and firm order and credence, than the other unwritten Traditions & Assertions, wandering in th'observation of many years, & the church's canons and Decres, ordinances and traditions left by succession.  
Here I do declare, set forth, confess, affirm, and assert my true & steadfast opinion, belief and faith in these things propounded & uttered unto me as concerning scripture written, and other Traditions unwritten and not declared in the said holy Scripture.  
The scripture of th'old and new Testament written by th'inspiration of the Holy ghost concerning our belief, is too be believed, accepted & taken as an undoubted truth, not to be altered, reformed or changed by any man, nor to be minished nor abrogate by any custom, but under peril of damnation to be believed, and under the same danger to be followed, having authority given unto it by almighty god, taught & inspired by the holy ghost depending of no man's authority, nor violable or defesible by any power, otherwise then under the peril & danger of eternal damnation.  
Such things as in the Acts of the Apostles or any other place of Scripture, as for a time was taught and setforth for an introduction of the weak in the faith, not to remain for ever, as faith increased was abrogate, none otherwise than it was thauthors mind and intentes they should those that concerned eating, drinking, covering or discovering of heads, or such other extern rites and ceremonies, rather concerning an order among men outwardly to be for a time observed, than an eternal law to rule and govern the soul.  
Such things as sometime be called traditions not expressly and by words found in holy scripture, but which may necessarily and well be gathered of holy scripture, are to be believed and followed, in somuch & as far as they may truly be gathered of the scripture, or consequently do follow the words and intentes of the same.  
Traditions pretended to be made of thapostles, & by some authors ascribed to them as concerning things to be believed not found in scripture directly nor necessarily, & directly consecuting & following to scripture, lawfully & without peril of damnation may be doubted of, & also denied and refused by the superior powers, & such as have Authority in the church.  
There be many things ascribed to thapostles, & called traditions deduced from the time of thapostles & read in the name of old Authors, and set forth under the pretenced title of their name, which be feigned, forged & nothing true, full of superstition and untruth, feigned by them which would magnify their own power and authority, as is the Epistles of Clemens, Anacletus, Evaristus and Fabianus, & other which arr set forth by the bishop of Rome and his complices, which be forged, feigned and of none authority nor to be believed, but counterfeited by them: who with the colour of antiquity would magnify that usurped power of the bishop of Rome.  
Traditions of the church, whether they be in deed or have been counted so ancient that they have been used from the beginning of the church & the time of th'apostles, or else have been appointed and prescribed of later days by Decrees of the bishop of Rome or other bishops or by general counsels concerning superiority of one bishop over another: Watching, Fasting, Kneeling sensings, Anointing, Blessings and all other such Rites, Ceremonies and comen Orders to be used in the church of God, doth not bind but where they be received, and by disuse may be abrogate, or by contrary law made in any country by th'authority of the superior powers many be clean taken away, & other Rites, Canons, Traditions & Ceremonies brought in for them with out any danger of sin or grudge of conscience. And with any such last afore rehearsed, the Kings majesty for the time being may either of lawful and just cause, or of his mere goodness without any cause dispense or absolve, any man from being bound to them.  
And the said person with whom the superior powers have dispensed with all, and so made free from them, may use his said liberty with out any danger of sin or scruple of conscience, either to the Kings majesty which gave liberty, or to him which hath obtained the liberty or Dispensation. None otherwise than in any other act, statute or proclamation made by human policy, the Kings majesty and the high powers may. When contrary wise that that is God's law and commanded by scripture always to be observed, no man can dispense with it, nor give any man liberty to break it, under danger of sin & corruption of conscience.  
This is my full, firm, and stable belief as touching the scripture written, & Traditions unwritten, & what thing soever I or any other heretofore have preached, taught, written or indited to the contrary of these my assertions & belief now declared unto you: or if any man hereafter (which God forbid) should preach, teach or set forth any thing which is not consonant & agreeing to these aforesaid articles and assertions, believe good hearers, and know you surely, that it is a false, untrue & devilish doctrine and ungodly usurpation upon the holy Scripture, contrary too the true, pure, and Catholical doctrine of Christ's church. In the which faith and belief contained in the said. vi. Assertions, I do intend good hearers with the grace of almighty God to live by Christ, and all my hope is also too die therein if need shallbe. And whensoever God shall call me thereunto (his grace assisting) I shallbe ready.   

AND now concerning another book which I made of the Sacrifice of the Mass, where the moast chief and principal article of our faith, and moast directly pertaining too the redemption of our sins and to our salvation is: That our saviour Christ jesus by his moast precious death and effusion of his moast precious blood upon the cross did redeem man kind, taking away our sins, pacifying the indignation of his father, and cancelling thobligation that was against us: In which Sacrifice making unto his father, our said saviour Jesus' Christ as saint Paul saith plainly to the Hebrews, was not a priest after the order of Aaron, forasmuch as he was of another Tribe: and also, that priesthood was imperfect and unprofitable bringing nothing too perfection: But our saviour Christ made his sacrifice upon the Cross perfectly, absolutely, and with the most highest perfection that could be, somuch, that after that one oblation and sacrifice for sin made by him but once only, neither he nor any other creature should at any time after, make any more oblations for the same. And for as that saint Paul saith, he was called an eternal priest of the order of Melchysedeth, and not of Aaron.  
This faith ought every man and woman undoubtedly to believe and openly to profess upon pain of everlasting damnation, and also too die in this profession if case shall so require: The which moast wholesome & moast necessary doctrine of our faith I not diligently considering, as many times too right great clerks & learned men in much writing in like matters it hath chanced to say too far. The infirmity and weakness of men being such, that seldom in many words error hath escaped. So in my book of the Sacrifice of the mass, I did incircumspectly & rashly write and set forth too the people, that Christ was not a priest after the order of Melchisedech, when he offered himself upon the Cross too his father for our sins, but was a priest after the order of Aaron. And that when Christ did offer his own body too his father after thorder of Melchisedech t'appease his wrath, it may not be understand of the sacrifice of the cross, but of the sacrifice that Christ made at his Maundy in form of bread and wine: To the which in deed saint Paul's doctrine is contrary, both in other places, and in th'epistle and Hebreos very manifestly, against whom, who without doubt had the very spirit of God. Neither it becometh, nor I will not willingly teach or defend any thing: Wherefore you shall impute that, good Audience, too the frailty of man's nature, and too my negligent marking, having at that time rather a respect too a fantasy that then I had in my mind, than too the true and infallible doctrine of scripture. And moreover in the same my book, I said not only that the Sacrifice of the mass is the self same substance of Christ but also the self same oblation or offering of our saviour Christ's very flesh and blood which himself once offered to his father on the cross to appeal his wrath. And that the priests do continually and daily in the mass offer not only the self same body of Christ, but also to the same effect, that Christ did offer himself to his father at his Maundy. Of the which words and doctrine, if they be not very warily & circumspectly read, and more favourably taken then the words as they lie, may well bear, it might be gathered, that priests herein be equal with Christ. priests of thorder of Melchisedech, appeasing the wrath & indignation of the father of heaven, crucifying or offering Christ to the same effect that Christ in his own person did upon the cross, which is a blasphemy intolerable to be herd of christian ears. For Christ as saint Paul saith, was but once offered, once gave up himself for the redemption of our sins on good friday on the cross, nor never before nor after was offered for us, but in a sacrament and as a commemoration of the same.  
And so of the Maundy or Supper of our Lord, Christ himself saith Hec quotiescunque feceritis, in meam commemorationem facietis. Ones he died for our sins, and once again he rose for our justification. He dieth no more, & his sacrifice was so good so full, so pleasant, so precious to god, that there needed no more oblations to appease god, nor only for the sins past, but also for all the sins to the day of Doom.  
There need no more sacrifices, no more offerers, but as having a respect and a remembrance of that most holy, most perfit, and most entire Lamb, then & for ever offered up for us. But these before said I can not deny but spoken of me and written, And as I do not now like them, so at th'example of saint Austen and other good doctors, I am not ashamed to retract them, call them again, & condemn them. For when I followed mine own invention not directed by Scripture, I began as the nature of man is to wander, and at the last went clean contrary too God's word.  
Wherefore, I heartily exhort every man as touching matters of faith to found the same upon God's certain, true, and infallible word: lest by doing the contrary, they fall into superstition, idolatry, & other manifold errers as I myself sometime, and many other (although I do not come hither too accuse any man) yet I perceive of late time have done. Wherefore, these my two books, the one of the Sacrifice of the mass, and tother of the Traditions unwritten, in those points before rehearsed, & all other wherein they be not full consonant to scripture, I forsake & renounce as false erroneous, and against the true word of God. Requiring the good christian reder whosoever shall read them, to give no further credence unto them than I would myself: That is, not to take as undoubted truth all that is therein written, but as written of a man that sometime falleth: to be so far true as they be consonant to scripture, where they be not against scripture, to be human persuasion, which may either be so or not so, as the great reason shall lead: where they be not consonant to scripture to be erroneous and false, and that I much lament & am sorry that I wrote them in those points. And I desire every man that hath any of the said books, to beware of them, and to give no credence to them in all such things in them written, as be not consonant to the scripture, as they avoid occasion of error, and tender the truth of God's word and his glory. To whom be laud, praise, and honour Amen.   

imprinted at London in Paul's churchyard at the sign of the brazen serpent by Reynolde Wolf.