A letter written by Cuthbert Tunstall late Bishop of Duresme, and john Stokesley sometime Bishop of London, sent unto Reginalde Pole, Cardinal, then being at Rome, and late bishop of Canterbury.   

A letter written by Cuthbert Tunstall, late Bishop of Duresine, and john Stokesley, sometime Bishop of London, so acknowledged and confessed by the said Cuthbert, about 14 days before his departure out of this his natural life, in presence of the most Reverend father in God MATTHEW archbishop of Canterbury and others, which letter was sent by the same two Bishops, to Reginalde Pole Cardinal, being then at Rome, and of late archbishop of Canterbury.  
FOr the good will that we have borne unto you in times passed, as long as you continued the kings true Subject, we can not a little lament and mourn, that ye neither regarding the in estimable kindness of the kings highness heretofore showed unto you in your bringing up, nor the honour of the house that ye be come of, nor the wealth of the Country that ye be borne in, should so decline from your duty to your prince, that ye should be seduced by fair words and vain promises of the Byshope of Rome, to wind with him: going about by all meanes to him possible, to pull down and put under foot, your natural Prince and Master, to the destruction of the Country that have brought you up. And for a vain glory of a red hat, to make yourself an instrument to set forth his malice, who hath stirred by all means that he could, all such Christian Princes as would give ears unto him, to depose the Kings highenes from his kingdom: and to offer it as a pray to them that should execute his malice, & to stir, if he could, his Subjects against him, in stirring & nourishing rebellions in his realm, where the office and duty of all good Christian men, & namely of us that be Priests, should be to bring all commotion to tranquillity, all trouble to quietness, all discord to concord, and in doing the contrary, we show ourselves to be but the ministers of Satan, and not of Christ, who ordained all us that be priests, to use in all places the legation of peace, and not of discord. But sins that can not be undone that is done, second it is to make amends and to follow the doing of the prodigal son, spoken of in the gospel: who returned home to his father, and 
Luke. 15.  was well accepted, as no doubt ye might be, if ye will say as he said in knowledging your folly, & do as he did, in returning home again from your wandering abroad in service of them, who little care what come of you, so that their purpose by you be served. And if you be moved by your conscience, that you cannot take the king our master as Supreme head of the Church of England, because the bishop of Rome hath heretofore many years usurped that name universally over all the Church, under pretence of the gospel of Matthew, saying: Tues Petrus, & super hanc petram aedificabo Ecclesiam meam: 
Mat. 18.  Thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my Church. surely that text, many of the most holy and ancient expositors, wholly do take to be meant of the faith than first confessed by the mouth of Peter, upon which faith, confessing Christ to be the son of God, the Church is builded, Christ being the veri lowest foundation stone, when rupon both the Apostles themselves, & also the whole faith of the Church of Christ, by them preached thorough the world, is founded and builded, and other foundation none can be, but that only, as Saint Paul saith: Fundamentum aliud. etc. No other foundation 
1. Cor. 3.  can any man lay, besides the which is Christ jesus. And where ye think that the gospel of Luke proveth the same authority of the Bishop of Rome, saying: Rogavi pro te Petre, ut non deficiat fides tua: & t●aliquando conversus, 
Luke. 22.  confirma fratres tuos. Peter, I have prayed for thee, that thy faith should not sail: and thou being once converted, confirm thy brothers. Surely that speaketh of the fall of Peter, known to Christ by his godly prescience, whereof he gave him an inkling that after the time of his fall, he should not despair, but return again & confirm his brethren, as he ever, being most fervent of them, was wont to do. The place doth plainly open itself that it can not be otherwise taken, but this to be the very meaning of it, & not to be spoken but to Peter. For else his successors must first fail in the faith, and then convert, and so confirm their brethren. And whereas ye think that this place of the gospel of john, Pasce oves meas, Feed my sheep, was spoken only to Peter, which words make him shepherd over all, and above all: S. Peter himself testifieth the contrary in his Canonical epistle, where he saith to all priests: Pascite qui in vobis est gregem Christi, 
1. Petri. 5.  fede the flock of Christ which is among you, which he had them do by the authority that Christ had put them in, as followeth, Et cum apparuer it princeps pastorum, percipietis immarcessibilem aeternae gloriae coronam, And when the chief Shepperde shall appear, ye shall receive the incorruptible crown of eternal glory. The same likewise Saint Paul in the Acts testifieth, saying: Attendite vobis & universo gregi, in quo vos posuit 
Act. 20.  spiritus sanctus, regere Ecclesiam Dei, give heed to yourself & to the whole flock, wherein the holy ghost hath set you to govern the Church of God. Where in the original text, the word signifying Regere, to govern, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, the same word that was spoken to Peter, Pasce, fede, for it signifieth both in the scripture. And that by these words he was not made & constitute shepherd over all, it is very plain by the fact of saint Peter, which durst not enterprise much conversation amongst the Gentiles, but eschewed it as a thing unlawful, and much rather prohibited then commanded by Gods law, until he was admonished by the revelation of the sheet full of divers viands, mentioned in the Acts of the Apostles, where if Christ by these words, Pasce oves meas, Feed my sheep, had given such an universal governance to Peter, than Peter being more fervent than other of the Apostles, to execute Christ's commandment, would of his own courage have gone with out any such new admonition, to Cornelius: except peradventure you would say, that Peter did not understand the said words of Christ, for lack of the light which these latter men have obtained to perceive, and thereby understand the words of Christ to Peter, better than Peter himself did. And strange also it were to condemn Peter, as an high traitor of his Master, after his Ascension (as he in deed were worthy) if his Master had signified unto him that the bishops of Rome, by his dying there, should be heads of all the Church, and he knowing by these words, Pasceoves meas, Feed my sheep, not withstanding his masters high legacy and commandment, yet would sty, as he did from Rome, until his master encountering him by the way with terrible words, caused him to return. And because this history peradventure might not waghe against an obstinate mind to the contrary, what shall we faith to the words of saint Ambrofe, declaring & affirming as great & as ample primacy to Paul, as to Peter, upon these words of Pauler Qui operatus est Petro. etc. he that wrought for Peter. etc. Thus he writeth, Petrum solum nominat, & sibi comparat, quia primatum ipse acceperatad fundandam ecclesiam: se quoque pari modo electum ut primatum habeat in fundandis Ecclesijs Gentium. Et paucis interiectis. Ab hijs itaque (videlicet Apostolis) qui inter caeteros clariores erant probatum dicit Paulus donum quod accepit à Deo, ut dignus esset habere primatum gentium, sicut habebat Petrus in praedicatione circumcisionis. Et sicut dat Petro socios viros egregios inter Apostolos, ita sibi iungit Barnaban, qui divino judicio ei adiunctus est: gratiam tamen primatus sibi soli vindicat concessam à Deo, sicut & soli Petro concessa est inter Apostolos, dederuntque sibi invicem dexteras. etc. Et Paulo post. Quis auderet (inquit Ambrose) primo Apostolo resistere, nisi alius talis, qui fiducia electionis suae sciens se non imparem, constanter improbaret quod ille sine consilio fecerat? Which may thus be englished: He nameth Peter only, and compareth him to himself, for he received a primacy to build a Church, and that he in like sort was chosen to have a primacy in building the Churches of the Gentiles. And shortly after it followeth. Of the Apostles he sayeth, his gift was allowed which he had received of God, that he might be found worthy to have the primacy in preaching to the Gentiles, as Peter had in preaching to the jews. And as he assigned to Peter for his companions, which were the chosen men amongst the Apostles, even so also doth he take to himself Barnabas, who was joined unto him by Gods judgement, yet did he challenge still to himself alone the prerogatyne of primacy which God had granted him, as to Peter alone was it granted among other of the Apostles. So that the Apostles of the circumcision gave their hands to the Apostles of the Gentiles, to declare their concord in fellowship, that either of them should know that they had received the perfection of the spirit in the preaching of the gospel, and so should not need either other in any matter. And shortly after, who should dare resist Peter the chief Apostle, but an other such a one, which by the confidence of his election might know himself to be no less, and so might reprove boldly that thing which he inconsiderately had done. etc. This equality of dignity of Paul, which S. Ambrose affirmeth by Scripture to be equally committed to Peter and Paul, S. Cyprian and saint Jerome do extend to all the Apostles. Cyprian saying thus: Hoc erant utique & ceteri 
De simplicitate clericorum.  Apostoli, quod fuit Petrus, pari consortio praediti, & honoris & potestatis. Undoubtedly, all the rest of the Apostles were the same that Peter was, endued with like equality of honour and power. And saint Jerome thus: Cuncti 
Contra Io●inianum.  Apostoli claves regni celorum accipiunt, & ex aequo super eos Eccle siae fortitudo fundatur: All the Apostles received the Keys of the kingdom of heaven, and upon them as indifferently & equally is the strength of the Church grounded and established. Which Saint Jerome also aswell in his commentaries upon the Epistle to Tite, as in his Epistle to Euagrius, showeth that these primacies long after Christ'S ascension, were made by the devise of men, where before, Communi clericorum consilio, singulae Ecclesiae regebantur, etiam Patriarchales: By the common argrement of the clergy every of the churches were governed, yea the Patriarchal churches The words of S. Jerome be these. Sciant 
Cap. 1. super. Titum.  ergo episcopi se magis ex consuetudine quàm dispensationis dnicae veritate, presbyteris esse maiores: Let the Bishops understand, that they be greater than other priests, rather of custom, then by the virtue and verity of the lords ordinance. And in his epistle to Euagrius he hath like sentence, and addeth thereunto: Vbicumque fuerit episcopus, sive Romae sive Eugubij, sive Constantinopoli. etc. Wheresoever a Bishop be, either at Rome, or at Eugubin, or at Constantinople. etc. he is of all one worthiness, and of all one priesthood. And that one was elected which should be preferred before other, it was devised to the redress of schisms, lest any one challenging to much to themself, should rent the church of Christ. These words only of saint Jerome, be sufficient to prove that Christ by none of these three texts (which be all that you and others do allege for your opinion) gave to Peter any such superiority, as the Bishop of Rome by them usurpeth. And that Peter nor no other of the chief Apostles did vindicate such primacy or superiority, but utterly refused it. And therefore gave pre-eminence above themselves to one, that though he be sometimes called an Apostle, yet he was none of the. xii. as Eusebius in the beginning of his second book called Historia ecclesiastica, doth testify alleging for him the great & ancient clerk Clementem Alexandrinum saying thus. Petrus, jacobus ac johannes post assumptionem salvatoris, quamuis ab ipso fuerant omnibus pene praelati, tamen non sibi vendicarunt gloriam, sed jacobum qui dicebatur justus, Apostolorum Episcopum statuunt: Peter, james & john, after Christus ascension into heaven, although they were by him preferred well nigh before all other, yet they challenged not that glory to themself, but decreed that james, who was called justus, should be chief bishop of the Apostles. By these words it is clear, that james was the bishop of the Apostles, not because, as some men do gloze, he was elected by the Apostles, but because he had thereby primacy & honour of a bishop in je rusalem, above the rest of the apostles. And one thing is especially to be noted, and also marveled at, that the bishops of Rome do challenge this primacy alonely by Peter, and yet Saint Paul which was his equal, or rather superior by scripture in his Apostolate amongst the Gentiles, whereof Rome was the principal, suffered at Rome where Peter did, & is commonly in all the church Roman, joined with Peter, in all appellations and titles of pre-eminence: And both be called Principes Apostolorum, The chief of the Apostles. Upon both is equally founded the church of Rome, the accounting of bishops of Rome, many years agreeth thereunto. For Eusebius sayeth, that Clemens tertius, 
Lib. 3. cap. 21.  post Paulum & Petrum, pontificatum tenebat: That Clement was the third bishop after S. Paul and Peter: Reckoning them both as bishops of Rome, And yet therein preferring S. Paul. With like words saying of Alexander bishop of Rome, that Quinta successione post Petrum atque Paulum, plebis gubernacula sortitus est: Alexander obtained the governance of the people by succession, the first bishop after Peter & Paul, Irenaeus also, as Eusebius reciteth, that Fundata & aedificata Ecclesia beati 
Lib. 5. cap. 6.  Apostoli, Lino officium episcopatus iniungunt. After the church was once founded and builded, they charged Linus with the office of the Bishopric of the holy apostle. Whereby appeareth, that they both jointly constituted him Bishop of Rome, and received only their Apostle ship enjoined unto them by Christ. And therefore if the bishops of Rome challenge any pre-eminence of authority by Peter, they should aswell, or rather by Paul, because they both founded it, and both there preached, and both there suffered: Resigning first that bishopric to Linus, and all at ones. And if ye will peraduentur lean to the former preaching there by Peter, which by scripture can not be proved, yet then at the least saint Paul and his successors in Epheso, should have like prima ciether, be cause he founded first that church, though Saint john after that did build it: as witnesseth Eusebius, saying: Ecclesia quae est apud Ephesum, à Paulo quidem fundata 
Lib. 3. cap. 23.  est, à johann verò aedificata: The church which is at Ephesus, in deed was founded of Paul, but it was builded of S. john. And so Peter should have no other primaci in Rome, but as Paul had in Epheso, that is to say: to be counted as the first preachers and converters of the people there to the faith of Christ. And aswell might all the bishops of Ephesus, challenge the primacy of all nations, both Gentiles & jews by S. Paul Apostolum Gentium, their founder, as the Bishop of Rome by S. Peter, Apostoluntantum circumcisionis, in case he were the first founder, challenging primacy over all. But undoubtedly this primacy over all that the Bishops of Rome of late do challenge, was not allowed nor yet known nor heard of amongs the ancient fathers, though they had the church of Rome in high estimation, aswell for the notable virtuous deeds, that the clergy there did show and exercise abundantly to their neighbours, as witnesseth the said Eusebius, alleging there the epistle that Dionysius 
Lib. 4. ca 23.  Alexandrinus wrote to Sother Bishop of Rome, testifying the same: As for that city of Rome was the most ample and chief City of all the world, witnessing saint Cyprian, saying: Plane, quoniam pro magnitudine sua debeat Carthaginem Roma praecedere, illic maiora & graviora commisit: Certainly, because that Rome ought for her greatness excel Carthage, therefore there he committed the greater and more grievous offences which S. Cyprian also when he had done certain acts, yea and made certain determinations and statutes unto the Bishop of Rome, he did not submit them to his reformation, or judgement, but only signified his own sentences, to like him also. And yet adding thereunto, that if any Bishops, meaning aswell of Rome as of others which were of the contrary opinions to him, would otherwise think or do, he would not then his sentences should be to them prejudicial or compulsory, but to follow their own wits & customs, Tum quod unusquisque episcoporum habeat sui arbitrij libertatem, tum quod unusquisque praeposi tus rationem sui actus sit domino redditurus: Partly for that every one of the bishops hath liberty of his own will: & partly for that every governor shall make an account to God of his own deed. as it appeareth plainly in his Epistle to Stephanus and julianus. And in the third Epistle to Cornelius, towards the end, speaking of the refuge that one Felicissimus a Novatian after his condemnation in Africa made to Rome, he impugneth such appeals, saying: that, Quia singulis pastoribus porcio gregis esta scripta, quam regat unusquisque & gubernat, rationem suiactus domino redditurus, statutum est ab omnibus nobis, aequumque pariter ac justum censemus, ut uniuscuiusque causa illic audiatur, ubi est crimen admissum. Forasmuch as every pastor hath his flock by portion committed to him, which every one ought to rule and govern, and must give account to the Lord of his administration, it is decreed of us all, and we think it both meet and just, that every man's cause & play, should there be heard, where the crime is committed. This holy & excellent clerk & martyrs. Cyprian, would never have either impugned their refuges to Rome, from their own primates, or so obstinately holden & maintained his determinations in the councils of Africa, contrary to the opinions of the Bishop of Rome, & to their customs, without any submission by word or writing, if the primacy over all (which the bishops of Rome do challenge & usurp) had been grounded upon the plain scriptures, as you with some others do think. And it is to be supposed also, that he would in all his epistles to them, have called them Patres or dominos, Fathers or lords as superiors, & not always Fratres & collegas, brothers & fellows in office, as but his fellows: which yet more plainly doth appear by the Acts of the Councils of Aphrycke in S. Augustine's time, by the which it is evident, that though the faith of Christ, was by the Romans first brought into afric, as S. Augustine doth 
Epistola 16. 2.  confess, yet it was not red nor known, that the bishops of Rome used or challenged any exercise of sovereignty in afric unto this tyme. And yet then he did not challenge it jure divino, but Praetextu definitionis cuiusdam canonis in concilio Niceno: That is, by the right of god's word, but by the pretence of a certain canon supposed to be in the council of Nice. Which article could never be found, though it were then very diligently sought for through all the principal churches of the east and south: But only alleged of julius 
Vide duas Epistolas ad bonifacium. pp. 1. ot. conciliorum. Fol. 307. 308.  bishop of Rome, out of his own library. And you may be well assured, that if these in scriptures had made for it, neither the bishop of Rome would have left that certain proof by scriptures, and trusted only to the testimony of an article of that council doubted on unlikely to be found. Nor yet Saint Augustine with 
Dist. 16. Viginti.  his holy and learned company, would have resisted this demand, if it had been either grounded upon Scriptures or determined in that or other council, or yet had stand with equity, good order or reason. How be it, the largeness & magnificency of buildings of that City, and ancient excellency and superiority of the same, in temporal dominions, was the only cause that in the Counsels, (where the patriarchal seas were set in order) the Bishop of Rome was lotted in the first place, and not in any such constitution made by Christ, as appeareth well by that, that Constantinople, being at that time of this ordering of the patriarchal seas, by the emperors most amply enlarged, being before a small town, and of no renown, and by them most magnificently builded, and advanced worldly with all titles, Prerogatives and Privileges temporal like unto Rome, and therefore called Nova Roma, New Rome, was therefore advanced also to the second sea and place. Antiochia in the east, where Saint Peter first took the chair before he came to Rome, and christian men had there first their name given them. Yea, and jerusalem, which was the first mother city of our faith, and where Christ himself first founded the faith, rejected with Alexandria, to the third, fourth, and fift places, because at that time they were not in so high estimation in the world, though in the faith of Christ all they were ancients, and some of them mothers to Rome.  
Truth it is, that the bishops 
Hist. tripped. Lib. 4. cap. 16.  of the Oriente, for debates in matters of the faith, amongs themselves made suits to the Bishop of Rome, but that was not for the Superiority of jurisdiction upon them, but because they were greatly divided. And those countries aswell Bishops as others much infected with the Heresies of the Arrians, whereof the w●ste was in a manner clear. And among the Orientes none were counted indifferent to decide those matters, but where all suspect of affection for one cause or other: wherefore they desired the opinions of the Bishops of the west, as indifferent, untangled with affections of any of those parts, and incorrupted with any of the Arrians, as appeareth by the Epistles of S. basil written in all their names for the said purpose. In the which also it is especially to be noted, that their suit was not to the bishop of Rome singularly, or by name: but as the titles do show, to the whole congregation of bishops of italy and France, or of the whole west, and sometime preferring the French bishops saying, Gallis & Italis, and never naming the Romans. And for a clear proof that the ancient Fathers knew not this primacy of one above all, we need none other testimony, but their determination in the council of Nice, that Alexandria & Antiochia, & universally all other primates, should have the whole governance of their confine countries, likewise as the byshope of Rome had of his Suburbicans. And this determination proveth also, that your three Scriptures mente nothing less, than this primacy over all. For god forbidden that we should suspect that council as ignorant of those plain Scriptures, to the which sith that time all Christendom hath leaned, as the anchor of our faith. And if you like to read the ancient ecclesiastical histories, there you may see, that Athanasius & other patriarchs did execute that primacy, as in making, consecrating & ordering of churches, Bishops & clerks in their country's east & south, as the bishops of Rome in that time did in the west & north. And if ye would yet any thing object against any of these witness, them for to eschew contention, & for a final conclusion, let the bishop of Rome stand to his own confession made many years passed by his predecessor Agatho, to th'emperor Constantine, Heraclius, and Tiberius, in his epistle written to them in his name, & in the name of all the Synods which he thought to be under the sea Apostolic, wherein soon after the beginning of the epistle, he comprehendeth them all under the name of the bishops dwelling in the north & west parts of their empire. So that there in his own epistle, he confesseth all his subjects or obedienciaries, to be only of the north & west: & so appeareth evedently by his own confesssion, that neither by gods law nor man's law he had to do with any person of the east or the south. And this his high sovereignty over all challenged, as you & others say, by scripture, as by his own confession quay led & brought to a little & strait angle. And this Agatho, was not a man unlearned, as appeareth by the acts of the vi. synod Constantinopolitane in the iiii. act, where in is written at large, & expressed the said epistle & confession. And afore the primacy of Peter, which ancient doctors speak of, that was only in preaching & teaching the faith of Christ, whithe he first among all the Apostles, and first of all mortal men, did express with his mouth. That primacy did so adhere to his own person, that it was never derived neither to any Successor, nor to other Apostle, but chiefly to himself: for all other professing after the same, speak it after him, who had professed it before. Moreover all the Apostles, as S. John saith, be fundamentes 
Apoca. 21.  in the heavenly jerusalem; & not Peter only. Moreover Cyprian affirmeth, as is aforesaid, that all the Apostles were of equal dignity & power. which all ancient authors likewise do affirm. For Christ gave the Apostles like power in the gospel saying: Ite, docete omnes Gentes, 
Mat. 28  baptizantes eos. etc. So and teach all nations, baptizing them. etc. And S. Paul as is said before, knew no other primacy given to Peter to preach in any place, but among the jews, as he himself had among the Gentiles: as he writeth to the Galathians, where S. Ambrose, as is afore said, affirmeth the same. And that the mother of all churches is jerusalem, as afore is said, & not Rome, the scripture is plain, both in the prophet Esay: De Zion exibit lex, 
Esd. 2.  & verbum Domini de jerusalem: Out of Zion shall the law proceed, & the word of the Lord out of jerusalem. Upon the which place S. Jerome sayeth, In Jerusalem primùm fundata ecclesia, totius orbis ecclesias seminavit: Out of the church first found in jerusalem, sprung all other churches of the whole world. And also in the gospel, which Christ before his ascension commanded his Apostles to preach over all the world, beginning first at jerusalem: So that the bishops of Rome universal power by him claimed over all, can not by any scripture be justified, as if ye have red the ancient father's expositions of the said scriptures, as we suppose you have sith your letters sent hither concerning this matter, and would give more credence to their humble and plain speaking, then to the latter contentious and ambitious writers of that high, and above the Ideas of Plato his subtility (which passeth as ye writ) the lawyers learning and capacity: we doubt not, but that ye perceive and think the same. And where ye think that the king can not be taken as supreme head of the church, because he can not exercise the chief office of the church in preaching and ministering of the sacraments, it is not requisite in every body natural, that the head shall exercise either all manner of offices of the body, or the chief office of the same. For albeit the head is the highest and chief member of the natural body, yet the distribution of life to all the members of the body, aswell tooth head as to other members, cometh from the heart, and is minister of life to the whole body as the chief act of the body. This similitude yet hath not his full place in a mystical body, although the scripture speaking of king Saul, saith: Cum esses paruulus in oculis tuis, 
1. Reg. 15.  constituite caput in tribubus Israel: When thou wert but of small reputation in thine own eyes, I made the head amongst the tribes of Israel. And if a King amongst the jews, were Caput in tribubus Israel: hoc est hominum videntium Deum per umbram, tempore legis, multo magis princeps Christianus caput est in tribubus Israel, hoc est vere per fidem videntium Christum, qui est finis legis: The head in the tribes of Israel: that is of men which see God by a shadow in the time of the law, much more is a christian King head in the tribes of spiritual Israel, that is: of such which by true faith see christ which is the end of the law. The office deputed to the Bishops in the mystical body, is to be as eyes to the whole body, as almighty God saith to the prophet Ezechiel: Speculatorem te dedi Dom●i 
Eze. 3.  Israel. I have made the an over seer over the house of Israel. And what bishop so ever refuseth to use the office of an eye in the mystical body, to show unto the body the right way of living, which appertaineth to the spiritual eye to do, shall show himself to be a blind eye: and if he shall take other office in hand then appertaineth to the right eye, shall make a confusion in the body, taking upon him an other office, then is given to him of God. Wherefore if the eye will take upon him the office of the whole head, it may be answered unto it, It can not so do, for it lacketh brain. And examples showeth likewise, that it is not necessary always that the head should have the faculty or chief office of administration, you may see in a navy by sea, where the admiral, who is captain over all, doth not meddle with stirring or governing of every Ship, but every Master particular must direct the ship, to pass the Sea in breaking the waves, by his steering and governance, which the Admiral the head of all, doth not himself, nor yet hath the faculty to do, but commandeth the Masters of the ship to do it. And likewise many a captain of great Armies, which is not able, nor never could peradventure shoot or break a spear by his own strength, yet by his wisdom and commandment only, he achieveth the wars, and attaineth the victory. And where ye think that unity standeth not only in the agreeing in one faith and doctrine of the Church, but also in agreeing in one head: if ye mean the very and only head over all the Church our saviour Christ: Quem pater dedit caput super omnem Ecclesiam, quae est corpus eius: Whom the father hath set over all the Church, which is his body, wherein all good Christian men do agree, ye say truth. And if ye mean of any one mortal man to be head over all the Church, & that to be the bishop of Rome, we do not agree with you. For you do there err in the true understanding of scripture, or else ye must say, that the said council of Nice & other most ancient did err, which divided the administration of churches, the Orient from the Occident, and the south from the north, as is before expresed. And that Christ the universal head, is present in every church, the gospel showeth Vbi duo vel tres congregati fuerint 
Mat. 18.  in nomine meo, ego in medio eorum sum: Where two or three be gathered together in my name, there I am in the mids of them. And in an other place: Ecce ego vobiscum sum, usque ad con 
Mat. 28.  summationem seculi: Behold, I am with you, until the end of the world. By which it may appear Christ the universal head every where, to be with his mystical body the Church: who by his spirit worketh in all places, (how far so ever they be distant) the unity and concord of the same. And as for any other one universal head to be over all, then Christ himself, scripture proveth not, as it is showed before. And yet of a further proof, to take away the scruples, that peradventure do to your appearance rise of certain words in some ancient Authors, and especially in S. Cyrianes epistles, as the unity of the church stood in the unity with the bishop of Rome, though they never call him supreme head, if you preaslye weigh, and confer all their sayings together, ye shall perceive that they neither spoke nor meant other thing, but when the bishop of Rome was once lawfully elected and inthronizate, if then any other would by faction, might, force, or otherwise, (the other living and doing his office,) enterprise to put him down, & usurp the same bishopric, or exercise the others office himself. As Novatianus did attempt in the time of Cornelius, that then the said fathers, reckoned them good catholics that did communicate with him that was so lawfully elected, and the custom was one primacy to have a do one with an other, by congratulatory letters, soon after the certainty of their election was known to keep the unity of the church. And they that did take part or maintain that other usurper, to be schismatics, because that usurper was a Schismatic, for that, Quia non sit fas in eadem ecclesia, duos simul esse episcopos, nec priorem legitimum epm̄ sine sua culpa deponi: That it is not lawful for two bishops to be at ones together in one church. Nor that the former bishop being lawful, aught to be deposed guiltless, without his fault be proved. And this is not a prerogative of Rome church, more than of any other cathedral, special, patriarchal, or metropolitical church, as appeareth in the. iii. epistle of the first book, and in the eight of the second, and of the fourth book of Saint Cyprian to Cornelius. Whose words and reasons, all that peradventure might seem to conclude the unity of the church in the unity of the bishop of Rome, because they were all written to him in his own case, may aswell be written to and of any other bishop leefully chosen & possessed, who percase should be likewise disturbed by any factions of ambitious heretics, as the bishops of Rome then were. And where ye think the name of Supreme head under Christ given, attributed to the kings majesty, maketh an innovation in the Church, and perturbation of the order of the same: it can not be any Innovation or trouble to the Church, to use the room that God hath called him to, which good Christian Princes did use in the beginning when faith the was most pure, as Saint Augustine ad Glorium & Eleusium sayeth, Ait enim quidam: 
August. epist. 162.  Non debuit Episcopus pro consulari judicio purgari: quasiverò ipse sibi hoc comparaverit, ac non Imperator ita quaeri iusserit, ad cuius curam de qua rationem Deo redditurus esset, res illa maxime pertinebat One there is which sayeth, that a Bishop ought not to have been put to his purgation before the judgement seat of the deputy, as though he himself procured it, and not rather the Emperor himself caused this inquiry to be made, to whose jurisdiction, (for the which he must answer to God) that cause did especially pertain. Chrisostome writeth of that Imperial authority thus: Laesus est qui non habet parem ullum super terram, summitas & caput est omnium hominum super terram.  
He is offended that hath no peer at all upon the earth, for he is the highest potentate, and the head of all men upon earth. And Tertullianus ad Scapulam saith: Colimus ergo & imperatorem sic, quo modo & nobis licet, & ipsi expedit, ut hominem â deo secundum: & quicquid est à deo consecutum solo deo minorem, hoc enim & ipse volet: sic enim omnibus maior est, dum solo verò Deo minor est. Idem in Apologetico de Imperatoribus capite. 30. loquens ait: Sciunt quis illis dederit imperium, sciunt qui homines, qui & animas sentiunt, eum Deum esse solum, in cuius solius potestate sunt, à quo sunt secundi, post quem primi ante omnes, & super omnes Deos. We so honour and reverence the emperor in such wise, as is lawful to us and expedient to him, that is to say: as a man next and the second to god, of whom is derived all the power he hath, but yet inferior to god alone, for so is it his pleasure to have it. For thus is he greater than all men, while he is inferior but to God alonely. And the said Tertullianus in his book Apologetical speaking of Emperors: They know who hath given to them their government, they know what men they be themself, and understanding they have of man's souls, but so that they perceive that God is he alone, under whose only power they be, and take themself as second to God, after whom they be the chief before other, and above all the gods: Theophylacttus ad Romanos super illud: Omnis anima potestatibus sublimioribus 
Rom. 13.  subdita sit, Ait Apostolun hic universos erudire, sive sacerdos sit ille, sive monachus, sive apostolus, ut se principibus subdat.  
Let every soul be subject to the higher powers. Hoc est, Etiam si Apostolus sis▪ etiam si evangelista, tiam sie Propheta, aut quisquis postre more fueris: Non enim subvertit pie tatem haec subiectio. Et non simplicirer, Pareat inquit, sed Subdita sit. That is. Although thou art an Apostle, although an Evangelist, although a prophet, or what soever thou art, be subject, for this subjection overthroweth no godliness. And he saith not only, let him obey, but let him be subject. And if the apostles be subject to Princes, much more all bishops and patriarchs, yea the bishops of Rome and all other. And it is written in the chronicles: Dixit 
●. Par. 28.  David Salomoni: Ecce divisiones sacer dotum & Levitarum in omne ministerium domus domini, assistant tibi, & parati erunt. Et: David consti tuit 
2. Par. 16.  principem ad confitendum domino, Asaph & fratres eius. Et: Constituit josaphat in jerusalem Le vitas 
2. Par. 19  & sacerdotes, et principes familiarum ex Israel, ut judicium & causam dunin, iudicarent habitatoribus eius, praecepitque eis dicens: Sic agetis in timore domini, fideliter & cord perfecto. etc. David saith to Solomon: Behold, the priests and Levites divided in companies to do all manner of service that pertaineth to the house of God, shall assist thee and be ready. And in the. xvi. Chapter, David 
2. Par. 16.  did appoint chief to thank the Lord, Asaph and his brethren. etc. And josophat the king, did constitute levites & priests, and the ancient heads of Israel, that they should judge the judgement, and the causes of the Lord, towards all the inhabitants of the earth. And he charged them saying: Thus shall ye do in the fear of the Lord, saythfullye, and in a perfect heart. Rex constituit turmas sacerdotales & Leviticas, unum quemque in officio suo. Et sequitur. Ezechias praecepit populo ut darent partes sacerdotibus, qui dedit consequenter decimas. Et sequitur quod ad regem cum Azaria sacerdote pertinet omnis dispensatio domus dni; & eorum qui ad eam attinent. Et in fine: Fecit ergo Ezechias universa que diximus in omni juda, operatusque est bonum & rectum & verum cor●̄ domino deo suo, in universa cultura ministerij Domus Domini, juxta legem & caeremonias, volens requirere deum suum in toto cord suo, fecitque & prosperatus est. josias quoque constituit sacerdotes in officijs suis, man: davitque plurima. etc. Furthermore, Ezechias did appoint the priests and the levities in their order to wait by course, every man according to his office, whether priest or levity, for the burnt offerings, and peace offerings, and to minister and to thank, and to pray in the gates of the lodge of the lord. And Ezechias gave commandment to the people dwelling in jerusalem, that they should give their portions to the Priests & Levites, that they might attend on the law of the Lord. And that by the precept of Ezechias the king, and of Azarias the bishop of the house of the Lord, all things were done, to whom pertained all the dispensation of the house of the lord. And in the end it is said. Ezechias did all those things in all jury, he wrought that which was good, right and true before his Lord god, in all the furniture of the ministerte of the house of the lord, according to the law & ceremonies, desirous to seek his lor god wall his heart, as he did, and prospered therein. josias also did ordain priests in their offices, & commanded many things. By all which it may appear, that Christian Kings be sovereigns over the priests, as over all other their subjects, and may command the priests to do their offices, aswell as they do other: And ought by their Supreme office, to see that all men of all degrees do their duties, whereunto they be called, either by God, or by the King. And those Kings that so do, chiefly do execute well their office. So that the kings highness taking upon him as Supreme head of the Church of England, to see that aswell spiritual men as temporal do their duties, doth neither make innovation in the Church, nor yet trouble the order thereof: But doth as the chief and the best of the Kings of Israel did, and as all good Christian kings ought to do. Which office good Christian emperors always took upon them, in calling the universal counseles of all Countries in one place, and at one time to assemble, to the intent, all heresies troubling the church, might be there extyrped: calling and commanding aswell the byshope of Rome, as other patriarchs and all Primates, aswell of the east, as of the west: of the south and of the north, to come to the said councils. As Marlianus th'emperor did in calling the great council of Chalcedon, one of the iiii. chief and first general councils, commanding Leo, than Byshope of Rome, to come thereto. And albeit Leo neither liked the time, which he would for a season should have been differred: nor yet the place which he would have had in Italy, where the Emperor by his own commandment had called it to Calchis in Asia, yet he answered th'emperor, that he would gladly obey his commandment, and sent thither his agentes to appear there for him. as doth appear in the Epistles of Leo to Martiane the Emperor. xli. xlvii. xlviii. and in the. xlix. epistle to Pulcheria Empress. And likewise desireth Theodosius 
Epist. 81.  th'emperor to command a council of Bishops to be called in Italy, for taking away such contentions and troubles, as at that time troubled the quietness of the churches. And in many more epistles of the same Leo, it doth manifestly appear, that themperors always assembled general councils by their commandments. And in the six Council general it appeareth very plainly, 
Actione. 4.  that at that time the bishops of Rome made no claim nor used tittle to call themself heads universal over all the catholic church, as there doth appear In subscriptione seu salutati one synodica suggestionis antedictae, Which is thus ad verbum: Pijssimis dominis & sereniss. victoribus & triumphatoribus, dilectis filijs dei & dni nostri jesu Christi, Constantino Magno imparotori, Heraclio & Tiberio Augustis, Agatho episcopus servus servorum dei, cum universis sy nodis subia centibus concili● apostolicae sedis. In the superscriptionor salutation of the foresaid synodical preamble, which is thus word for word: To the most godly Lords and most noble victors and conquerors, the well-beloved children of god, & of our Lord jesus Christ: to Constantine the great: Emperor, to Eraclius and Tiberius Caesar's, Bishop Agatho the servant of the servants of god, withal the convocations subject to the council of the sea Apostolic, sendeth greetings. And saith, expressing what countries he reckoned and comprehended in that superscription or salutation. It followeth that these were under his assembly, which were in the north and east parts. So that at that time the Bishop of Rome, made no such pretence, to be over and above all, as he now doth by usurpation, vindicating to himself the spiritual kingdom of christ, by which he reigneth in the hearts of all faithful people, and then changeth it to a temporal kingdom over and above all kings, to depose them for his pleasure, preaching thereby, Carnem pro spiritu, & terrenum regnum pro coelesti, in damnationem, nisi resipiscat suam. The flesh for the spirit, and an earthily kingdom for an heavenly, to his own damnation, if he repent not. Where he ought to obey his Prince by the doctrine of Saint Peter, in his first epistle saying: Subiecti estote omni humanae creaturae, 
1. Pet. 2.  propter deum, sive regi quasi praecellenti, sive ducibus tanquam ab eo missis, ad vindictam malefactorum, laudem verô bonorum: Be ye subject to every man's ordinance, for the lords sake, whether to the king as to the chief, whether to the dukes, as sent of him to the punishment of the evil doers, & to the praise of the good. Again S. Paul. Omnis omnia 
Rom. 13.  potestantibus sublimioribus sub dita sit, with other things before alleged. So that this his pretenced usurpation to be above all kings, is directly against the scriptures, given to the church by the apostles, whose doctrine, whosoever overturneth, can be neither Caput, nor Infimum membrum ecclesiae. Wherefore, albeit ye have heretofore sticked to the said wrongfully usurped power, moved thereto as ye write by your conscience, yet sithence now ye see further, if ye lust regard the mere truth, and such ancient authors, as you have been written to of in times passed, we would exhort you for the wealth of your soul, to surrender into the Bishop of Rome's hands, your red hat, by which he seduced you, trusting to have of you, being come of a noble blood, an instrument to advance his vain glory, whereof, by the said hat, he made you participant, to allure you thereby the more to his purpose. In which doing ye shall return to the truth, from which ye have erred. Do your duty to your sovereign Lord, from whom ye have declined. And please thereby almighty GOD, whose laws ye have transgressed. And in not so doing, ye shall remain in error, offending both almighty GOD, and your natural sovereign Lord, whom chief ye ought to search to please, Which thing, for the good mind that we heretofore have borne you, we pray almighty God of his infinite mercy, that you do not.  
Amen.  
FINIS.   

Imprinted at London in Paul's church yard, at the the sign of the Brazen serpent, by Reginalde Wolf. Anno Domini M. D. L X.  
Cum privilegio ad imprimendum solum.