D. bancroft's RASHNESS INRAYLING AGAINST THE CHURCH OF SCOTLAND, NOTED IN AN ANSWER TO A LETTER of a worthy person of England, and some reasons rendered, why the answer thereunto hath not hitherto come forth.  
By I. D. a brother of the said Church of Scotland.  EX MULTIS PAUCA. 
AT EDINBURGH PRINTED BY ROBERT WAL DE-GRAVE. ANNO. 1590.   

A PROOF OF D. bancroft's RASHNESS AGAINST THE CHURCH OF SCOTLAND.  
MEN of any sound judgement (good Sir) that hard or read that declamation made at Paul's Cross the 9 of February, 1588. in time of Parliament, by RICHARD BANCROFT, D. of Divinity, and chaplain, etc., (as he will needs be styled) and afterward enlarged by him, and set forth in print, may easily perceive that (small regard had to godly edifying, by the right cutting of that worthy text of Scripture. Believe not every Spirit, etc. 1. JOHN. 4. 1. which then he took to entreat) he made the whole drift of his speech, to serve his intended turn, for a bitter invection against the godly brethren of England, who urge Reformation of that Church, and chief, the removing of that heavy bondage of Antichristian government by lofty Lords, wrongfully called Bishops, (an hurtful relic of Romish confusion) & restoring in the place thereof, the joint administration of Christian Discipline by the Ministers and Elders of the Church, which is most clearly proved by them and others, to be established by the word of GOD, to continue to the coming of the Lord jesus Christ: whose godly endeavours, when for a while he hath laboured to improve, after his manner, he leaveth the matter in question at last altogether, and setteth himself against their persons, and travaileth with tooth and nail (as they say) to bring them into extreme hatred with the supreme Magistrate, as men who by this their new government (so it pleaseth him to speak of it) intent no les matter than high Treason and rebellion, by overthrowing her Majesty's authority in Ecclesiastical causes, and highly derogating thereby, to her supremacy in that case, to the apparent endangering of her person and state in the end, except good order be taken with the matter in time: Then the which, what can be more odiously affirmed, and more worthy of extreme punishment, if it be true.  
But how doth he prove all this gear I pray you? even from his own fear forsooth, which riseth upon his falsely conjectured suspicions, without all grounds of truth, to wit, that as outlandish means & practices have been traitorous and rebellious, in erecting and establishing of this new government (as he speaketh) so he feareth, that they, who so exactly, and with such hot pursuit, follow the outlandish precepts in this case, will fall to the same means in England, pag. of his book 83. 84. and lest his credit should come in question, for abusing his auditors with untruths in this matter, he will not seem to speak any thing without his warrant: and therefore finding nothing to charge the good brethren at home withal in this case: (such is the mercy of GOD toward them, that the very adversary himself, seeking matter of accusation against them, can find no hole in their coat, do his best, but by his unwilling silence, is compelled, in a manner, to justify their dewtifull modesty, in seeking Reformation hitherto.) Not being able than I say, to find any thing against the brethren of England in this case (for otherwise they should have heard of it, ye may be sure) he rangeth abroad, and as a stranger curious in an other Commonweal, making choice, especially of Scotland, he setteth upon it with all his main, assuring himself of sure proof of his purpose from thence, Pag. 72. In doing whereof, as he most outrageously upbraideth our whole ministery, & Christian Discipline of our church, with a cartful of calumneiss, utered against them both: So he cannot refrain himself from most reproachful slandering of the K. Majesty himself, as after shall be seen, and disdainful contemning of the whole inhabitants of the land. A perilous practice (whose Chaplain so ever he be) against the happy amity between the two Realms, especially now, in these dangerous days, wherein our common peace is so highly endangered, aswell by the domesticque male-contens and conspirators at home, as by the foreign detected enemy abroad: good men in the mean time pillars, as it were, and chief intertainers thereof, daily waxing fewer and fewer in both the lands.  
Nevertheless, so eager is the man in the matter, that before he will not bring his stick to the fire, he will not spare to speak evil, even, of those things which he knoweth not, and very boldly, though most rashly, build up an ugly heap of most slanderous accusations against our said Church, and that upon the false testimonies of the frivolous reports of other men, and chief of two, the very bare naming of whom, where they are known, is sufficient enough of itself, to discredit whatsoever is alleged in their names: For as touching the former of them, corruptly and falsely called Bishop of S. Androis, 
P. Adamson  it is much better that the legend of his lewd life be buried in eternal oblivion, than that Christian ears should be polluted with the unsavoury mention thereof. Although it is not hard to guess, the whole course of his proceed (as a Lion may be known by his claws) by one spe●iall action. For what will that man be ashamed to do, that durst father his own forgery upon the Lord's lieutenant the K. Majesty himself, and that in a matter of no less importance, than the declaration of the meaning of some acts of Parliament, which howbeit it was but his own declaration (as his Majesty hath plainly witnessed by his own hand writ yet extant to be seen) and not the Kings. Yet durst he be bold to give it out in the kings name, as though, he had been the very undoubted author thereof: If this be not to play the falsary forger, & that in the highest degree, let the Chaplain himself be judge.  
But here he will reply, that this is but our Minister's affirmation (who saith he, page 75. dare say what they list.) Otherwise, as the declaration is the Kings: so, as for the King, he is not altered. Ictus piscator sapit, etc. Whereby he will not only have that counterfeit and bastard declaration bound on the kings back, whether he will or not: But before it shall not be so, he dare be bold, in the same page above cited, to charge his Majesty with deep dissimulation, while in effect, he affirmeth, that howbeit the king by his writing, speaking, and actions, would seem to approve the present exercise of that same discipline, which so flatly is condemned in that foresaid declaration: yet he doth not approve it in heart, because (saith the Chaplain) he is not altered, to wit, from that thing which he would have him to have set down in that declaration, flat contrary to his present practice, allowing it after all the ways foresaid. In the which saying, he necessarily doth imply deep dissimulation to be in his Majesty, while he will have him to condemn that in heart, which in deed so manifestly he doth allow: let it be judged then, whether it be our ministers that speak as they list, or he.  
It had become his person and place to have spoken & written, at the least, more reverently of his Majesty, how uncharitably so ever he had judged of him in his mind: yea, charity would have made him think with himself (if there had been a spunk thereof within him) that now being of perfect age, and years of discretion, he is christianly moved in singleness of heart, by his authority to approve that christian discipline, which now he clearly seethe to be so well warranted by the word of God, which perhaps in his minority & none age (being misled by crafty men) he did not so perfectly understand. But let not his majesty, nor any prince, look for any better dealing at the hands of any of his coat, when their honour, & these men's profits come into their way to be balanced.  
But God be praised, it hath pleased his majesty, not to wink at this malapert calumny, but to note it with a coal, to their confusion that allowed of that lie, while by his own hand writ, set down in the margin of bancroft's book, page foresaid, just over above these his most impudent assertions. For the K. he is not alte red: Ictus Piscator sapit. his crown & their sovereignty will not agree together, most plainly he declareth the singleness of his heart in this behalf, flat contrary to these impudent assertions in the words following.  
MY SPEAKING, WRITING, AND ACTIONS, WERE AND ARE EVER ONE, Without DISSEMBLING, OR BEARING UP AT ANY TIME, WHAT EVER I THOUGHT.  
Whereby, as he purgeth himself of all dissembling in times past, so he protesteth, that his speaking, writing, and actions in approving the present exercise of Discipline, are fully agreeing to his thought & mind, and therefore he concludeth in these words following.  
Ergo CASTS THE LIBEL, nequid asperius.  
Which is as much to say, as, wherefore the D. assertions are untrue, to use no rougher terms, which after his accustomed manner, is subscribed as followeth:  
I. R. That is, jacobus Rex.  
Which words uttered in Scottish after this sort, if the Chaplain shall go about to misconstrue, or wrangle from this his true meaning, his M. hath faithfully promised to give him such a categoricke, and simple answer by a plain lie in round english, as shall make him, and all his maintainers in this cause, to be ashamed that ever they meddled with this matter. Thus god recompenseth the foolish, while he maketh deceit to return into the heart of them that forge evil.  
And touching that truthless TURINUS, of whom the Chaplain had the pattern of this pagean: he is presently as far out of his majesties favour (let the Bishopists of England trust the intelligence given by him to them of the contrary, so much as they lift) as ever before he seemed to be in it. But whether he shall receive the like recompense in the end, that that his predecessor did, at the the hands of that worthy emperor Alexander Severus, while being fastened to a stake, the crier stood thus crying to the people, smoke he sold, and with smoke he is punished, it resteth to his majesties discretion to consider.  
But yet I think that so the Chaplain will not let go his hold: but will allege that in no wise he is to be blamed for building upon the testimony of this his author, in that declaration at least (what ever the man be otherwise) seeing, so publicly & universally, in a manner, it was received by many of his betters, for the K. own declaration, in so much, that it was printed again, & reprinted with a most odious preface at London, without any controlment, in so far as it concerned us, red, & remarked diligently by many, & vigilantly insinuated to the view of some chief personages of the state, who were made so to like of it, & to think it to be of truth, like to some new gospel, that some, not of the most inferior of such, who are called children of the most high among them, have not spared, as we hear, to take boldness thereby of late, in their public judiciary trials reproachfully, to upbraid our countrymen, in the persons of such as were tried before them, comparing them to Scottish men, who when the K. proclaimed a feast, would needs have a fast, or contrariwise, when the K. would have a feast, they proclaimed a fast, alluding to that false narration, touching the banqueting of the French Ambassador, set down in that counterfeit declaration. And last of all, for the perpetual triumphing memory thereof against us, it was insert, word for word, in the Chronicle of England, compiled by HOLINSHED, and published to the posterity in print. To the which I answer, that as the multitude of offenders authorizeth not an error: so he should not have followed a multitude to do evil, much less should he have added evil to evil, and done worse than any that went before him: but before the publishing of so weighty a matter after such a manner, he should without partiality have examined the truth of the thing to the bottom: and not otherwise so impotently have suffered himself, to have been carried away through the apish Imitation of men, perfectly known to him to be partially affected in this case: yea, and to speak further, howbeit the most part of the things contained in that slanderous libel, after due trial, had been found true, yet charity would rather have buried, even, the multitude of sins, than so bitterly have blown abroad some oversights, to the reproach of a whole reformed church. What could the veriest Papist of them all have done more?  
But what should be said to a belly that hath no ears, that poor DEMAS (if he be no worse) hunting appearandly for promotion to some Prelacy (as the manner is) is so incorporate with that company of climbers to preferment (as they call it) and embracers of this present world, that he is as corrupt, & partial in this case, as the proudest of them: so that of one, ye may learn all: Otherwise, if there had been but a spunk of sincere judgement in him: as worthily he might have suspected that marvelous heap of most horrible accusations, to have been incredible in a Church, namely, where so long the truth hath been sincerely preached and professed: So, he needed not to think it any strange or new thing, for crafty miscreants, haviug credit in Court, and church, to find the means many times, to abuse the names of Princes and excellent men: yea, and of God himself, as cloaks to cover their devilish, and naughty devices. Whereof, let these examples be witnesses, to wit, of JOAB, IESABEL, HAMAN, GEHASI, the old Prophet of Bethel, and all the false Prophets, false Apostles, and false teachers that ever spoke, or speak the vision of their own heart, and not out of the mouth of the Lord: and who ran and run when the Lord hath not sent them.  
And last, touching the printing again and reprinting of that forged declaration at London, and joining it to the chronicle of England, where through some, whom the Lord hath called Gods, thinking all cock sure, take occasion of upbraiding the ministery of our Country when it pleaseth them: As these shall die ignominiously like men, except they repent: So, what honour those have procured thereby to their Country, & what credit to the chronicle thereof, let them brag of it, when the uprightness of our cause sufficiently cleared by this and the like writings, shall justify itself to their faces, and the true story thereof, that shall remain registered to all posterities, shall witness the honesty and dutiful dealing of our Church in all things, to their shame.  
Thus much then being spoken, touching the former of the Chaplains two witnesses: let us now come to the other, his inconstant Countryman (as he describeth him, 
R Browne  for as for me, he shall be no worse, than he himself maketh him) the naming of whom, belike, might do his cause more harm, than his testimony can do it good, and therefore he contenteth himself, with a very slender description of him: so that not without a note of reproach in the end he sends him packing in these words following. This man's opinion herein (saith he) I know willbe greatly contemned, because I think he hath been of an other judgement, etc. Howbeit let him find what favour at their hands he shall: I must indeed confess, that if this matter had only depended upon his report or opinion: I would not at this time have made mention of him. Whereby you see what a weathercock he maketh of him, and how rediculously he leaveth him, to beg credit where he may find it, for he can give him none. Here I omit to make mention of the jar, that is fallen out since between our Chaplain, and his suborned witness, for that, that upon no fair promise of recompense, he could procure new furniture at his hands, of some more particular matter against the new onset, that with long preparation he hath intended against us: Seeing then, that no man's pen nor tongue can more discredit this his second witness, than he doth himself (partly by the words above rehearsed, & partly by the D. words following in his declamation, where he flatly again maketh him to be of a changeable humour.) If he drink no better by his means, than he hath brewed, let him blame himself, understanding that evil advise is worst to the adviser: I will not speak at this time of the shameless falsehood that is alleged out of the testimony itself, which whensoever it shallbe particularly examined, will make the D. repent that ever he cited such a testimony, & specially, where most impudently it is affirmed, that he hath known the King in great danger, and fear of his life by their lordly Discipline, the contrary whereof, as it is clearly known to all the worthy persons, Ambassadors of England, who have had their long residence here among us, and private intelligence of all our affairs, after an other manner, than ever his wandering witness could attain unto: so is it many ways affirmed by the K. himself, and daily experience, God be praised, doth confirm the same.  
Both the Chaplains authors then, being such pretty fellows, as hath been declared, I trust it be not hard to be seen, how little credit is to be given to his declamation, grounded upon their railing reports (to leave the demonstration of the falsehood of the matter uttered by them, to the own time and place.) For he should have considered, that of how little credit soever he was himself, yet it behoved his witnesses to be free of infamy, according to the saying, a Proctor may be infamous, but not a witness. But it seemeth, that either he was not greatly careful of his own name, who would repose upon the cracked credits of such defamed persons, in so weighty a matter, or else he thought (as GYGES did, by means of his ring) to walk invisible, as in a cloud, that none could or would espy his nakedness. But good man, he is far deceived, as by the answer to his several asseverations (if need be) more thoroughly & sensibly he shall understand.  
It is easy then to be seen, how far short the Chaplain hath come in probation of the alleged treasonable outlandish practices, of men of the new government (as scoffingly he calleth the urgers of Reformation) whereof he would seem to take such fear, that except good order be taken to prevent the like at home, things will grow to some extremities, pag. of his book 83. And therefore I trust the Q. M. and her honourable Council, will see this surmised proposition of danger of outlandish practices, by the means of Christian Discipline, to be somewhat better proved, before they will fear any danger to ensue to their state through the same: yea, and I think, if they knew, but even so much, as here truly I have set down to you (Sir) in this short discourse, touching this matter, as the cause of christian discipline should even be the better liked of them all, seeing it, & the favourers of it, to be so shamefully belied: So the D. patrons in this case, should pride themselves but a little, of that slanderous declamation, & think them and their cause but smally beholden unto it, what ever hath been their opinion thereof before.  
For let any wise man judge, if one egg can be more like another, than the D. manner of reasoning is to that form: that REHUM SHIMSHAI, & the rest of the men bejond the river, used in a letter to K. ART AHSHASHTE, for hindering the building of jerusalem, EZ. 4. save only, that the judgement of them beyond the river, was found to be in the authentik books of the chronicles, according as was alleged by them: & our chaplains argument leaneth only upon the counterfeit, & forged chartales of known and confessed infamous persons, & a false Chronical grounded thereupon. Wherefore, if their authentic books of Chronicles, did not truly convince jerusalem to be a rebellious city to kings and provinces, of what force should this Chaplains infamous libel be (I pray you) against the good brethren of England, to prove that they will be rebellious to their Princes, if that christian discipline be admitted to have place within that land? For as jerusalem was not a rebellious city to kings & provinces indeed, howbeit the books of their Chronicles did bear so: So the exercisers of christian discipline in Scotland, are not necessarily to be accounted rebellious to the K. for exercising of the same, howbeit, the books of the register of the acts of Scotland did contain the same. How much less then, ought false surmised forgeries of known infamous men have credit in that case?  
And if the envy of the sect of the Nazarites urged by profane TERTULLUS, is not sufficient to bear down PAUL, as a seditious mover of the people, because he professed, preached, and followed jesus of Nazaret, whom the jews most injustly & wickedly slew, as a seditious person, and blasphemer, by the means of two suborned false witnesses, Why should the good brethren of England, that seek reformation, be charged with a mind hereafter of sedition, by the means of Discipline, because the Church of Scotland, in respect of the same Discipline exercised in it, is unjustly, condemned of sedition, by the high Priests of our days, two false witnesses being alleged for that purpose, by their TERTULLUS at Paul's Cross? I see no reason why they should. Let not the comparison be odious, because, I compare not the persons in themselves, but in the causes, which have their own likeness & agreement in some proportion. I have insisted the more in this matter, bicaus, your cause and ours, are most near linked together. For the adversaries would terrify her M. from admitting of christian discipline within her realm, for fear of like inconveniences to fall out thereby to her quiet government, which are falsely alleged to have fallen out by the same, to our K. & state. How be it, it be not good logic, to charge the good cause of discipline, with any infamy, by reason of the faults of the Ministers & favourers thereof, yea, even put case they were sufficiently proved, seeing that is but a sophism from the person to the cause, (as they say) How much less then, ought it to be condemned, when the adversaries are not able, do their best, to blot even the persons, by accusing of whom, they labour to condemn the cause. But I persuade myself, that all this their paralogizing, and false manner of reasoning shall help them, and hurt us as little in the end, as the sophistry of REHUM and his companions beyond the river, helped their cause, & hindered the building of the Temple: & as the smooth Rhetoric of TERTULLUS, prevailed not against PAUL, no more shall their course always prevail against the good cause in England. Wherefore, let GAI and ZACHARIAS do their parts faithfully, and without fainting, exhort all men according to their callings, to further this holy building, not doubting, but God in his time, shall move DARIUS fully to authorize the building of jerusalem: howbeit, through the injury of these days, men may be forced to leave of building for a season: And let PAUL stand stoutly to the defence of his just cause, saying confidently: Neither can they prove the things, whereof now they accuse me. Act. 24. 13. And TERTULLUS, & his maintainers shall find themselves disappointed, and PAUL by little, and little, shall grow to some greater liberty, and his cause shall prevail in the end.  
But now let us come, according to your desire, to the causes why that declamation of D. bancroft's, so far as concerning Scotland, is not answered, wherein howbeit I am not to prejudge the church of Scotland, yet for your further satisfaction, I have thought good to set down the causes of the delay, so far as ever I could learn or perceive. And first you may be assured that it was not for lack of ability in the meanest of a thousand in scotlan to have confuted that calunnious chartale, fraughted with as many lies almost, as it hath lines, 
I. W.  that it was not answered: howsoever it pleaseth some of your grand DD. (very learned men, 
T. C.  ye may be sure, if they be not far deceived) reproachfully to point out some of our well approved brethren, and especially one, by the note, of like an unlearned, yea then, a very unlearned Scot: Whom yet notwithstanding they never heard nor saw, more than D. BANCROFTE did hear and see the Church of Scotland, and the things wherewith most rashly he doth charge it: But who is so bold, as they say, as blind bayard. Yet if any ARISTARCHUS among them, hath taken occasion of the writing of any brother here, so to speak, let it be judged by the learned, what just cause he had so to do: & I doubt not, but he shallbe found to have had little learning, and less conscience in so doing, which is spoken, not so much for the Apology of any man at this time: as to note the disdainful contempt of these haughty persons. For he must be of very rare learning, as not a few can bear me witness, in whom this sort (for I speak not of all) of the generation of Bishopists will acknowledge any learning to be, if once directly and seriously, he oppone himself to their pride: For as there is nothing, wherein they commonly boast themselves more, then in the beard, & show of learning: as though who forsooth but they only: So is there no shaft that oftener flieth out of their bag against others, than the boult of lack learning. Howbeit, if it were not for avoiding of uncomely, and unchristian rendering of reproach, for reproach, it were no hard matter shortly to decipher the profound science of those two especially, who were chief authors of that reproach, & to let them understand, of what form & class among the learned, learned men indeed, did ever esteem them to be, notwithstanding, all the windy volumes written by them: For Scribimus indocti doctic, etc. Howbeit, yet I deny not so much knowledge unto them otherwise, as shall be a witness against them, if they use it not better, & as might profit the Church in some measure, if they had grace to employ it to the right end.  
But to return to our purpose, as the answer was not delayed, for lack of sufficient qualified men amongst us for that, & for a greater purpose, God be praised, if need be: so it was thought needles, & superfluous, here amongst ourselves, where the truth of those things alleged in that Pamphlet were so clearly known, as there needed no other confutation of them, than the shameless impudency of themselves: And as for the answer, in respect of others, it was delayed first, as I take it, for avoiding of unhappy contention, that is wont to arise upon such occasions, whereby it might have come to pass, that dangerous alteration might have been wrought between the two Realms, as a godly and wise man of yours, commending the discretion of our men in that case, did not conceal, in a letter written to some of good account in our Country, not long ago. For the firebrand of self-love, and great ardency of men, in defending their own sayings & doings whatsoever, suffereth them not many times, so much to regard the truth and peace of the church, as their own stinking estimation: whereof, there is too great proof in manifold lamentable examples, aswell of antiquity, as of our own days, both far and near, to the timely admonition of us all, if advisedly we consider of the counsel of god's spirit, saying: The beginning of strife, is as one that openeth the waters, therefore or the contention be meddled with, leave off: Which howbeit more fitly, it may be applied to the adversaries (in this case) the pursuers then to our Church, yet no man I trust, can blame the ministery of scotlan, to regard it greatly, so long as there is any hope that the truth, and their innocency may be in faftie without their answer: otherwise, they are not ignorant, that, there is no les danger, always to keep silence, than never, as HILARY speaketh.  
Secondly, the answer was deferred, as I take it, in hope of due redress to be put to that offence by the Q. M. and her Honourable Counsel, who our men thought (as they think yet) esteemed so of their friendship, that they would not suffer them to lie under any opprobry unremoved, so far as lay in them, neither would suffer them to receive any injury uncorrected, at the hands of any whom they might command: For there are not many years past, since it pleased her M. not without signification of a thankful mind, by her letters, to acknowledge the Ministers of Scotland by name, to be her most loving & trusty friends in Christ (as yet God be praised they continued to this day, which is not unknown to her M. & faithful counsellors) in regard whereof, they yet expect the due amendment of that wrong, and that so much the more, as they have been put in hope thereof, from thence by writ, purposely written to that effect, from some great personages, who, howbeit now they rest from their labours (to the no small forewarning of the present state of England, if the matter be well marked) yet our men think, that they shall not lack such favour in that Counsel, as shall procure redress of that injury in due season, in respect of the good opinion they understand (and that even by writ of late) her Majesty and Counsel, yet retain of the Ministry of Scotland, & their christian friendship toward them, & that estate.  
Thirdly and last, a secret bridle of God (who ruleth the actions of men according to the dispensation of his providence) stayed them from answering, for causes known only to himself, as they so sensibly in a manner have perceived (especially they, who were privy to the matter) that the knowledge thereof, may sufficiently satisfy the mind of any modest man, who will acknowledge the provident dispensation of God to be such, as howsoever the heart of man purposeth his way, yet the Lord doth direct his steps.  
This much I thought meet (good Sir) to impart unto you, touching the dangerous rashness of D. BANCROFT, in slandering our whole Church so unadvisedly, after such a public manner, and that upon the naked reports, of two such infamous witnesses (partly, by manifest demonstration of treacherous dealing in one of them, and partly by his own confession, touching the other) as are not to have credit against any particular Christian, much les, against a whole Church, a King, and a Realm: As also touching the causes of the deferring of the answer thereunto, so far as I understand, which things, if they were known to the D. and his complices, (but even as here rudely they are set down) they might peradventure let them have experience (which is a fools, though not a foolish master) that they have run to far headlong into these slanderous and new devices: and so hereafter might learn more advisedly and charitably, to deal with their neighbours and brethren, who have deserved no such things at their hands: Yea, it is very like, if these same things were read, or summarily and shortly reported in her Majesty's hearing, either by yourself, or some other good Christian, who hath credit and favour about her royal person (For alack good princess, the true report of things, especially in these & the like matters, cometh seldom to her ears, a common calamity of princes, who commonly of all others in the world, are most destitute of faithful persons about them, truly and without flattery to inform them of the truth of matters as they are in deed.) If these things, I say, were truly known to her M. I surely persuade myself, that those lordly brethren of DIOTREPHES, who rule or rather tyrannize above their brethren with violence & cruelty, should be quickly charmed from authorizing such rash liberty of public railing, and defaming of a whole neighbour church, which always hath so well deserved of the present state of England, and their proud horns should be hastily hamered down, that they should not be able hereafter, to thrust with side and shoulder, and push all the weak with their horns, till they have scattered them abroad, and to make such havoc of the Church, by a disguised persecution, as presently they do: Yea this much at least, I doubt not should be granted, that (all bitter invection and persecuting of the good brethren of England, that are of the same judgement with us, 
A loving challenge of disputation,  surceasing) the controversy should be decided by the word of God in a lawful assembly, and brotherly conference, appointed by the supreme Magistrates to that effect: Otherwise, if this come not to pass (which God forbidden) as we must not cease to commend the troubled estate of those our christian brethren, to GOD in our private and public prayers, so must we not leave the just defence of our honest cause of Christian Discipline, which (touching the substance thereof, which chief is in controversy) hath no les warrant to be continued perpetually within the Church, under this precept of Christ, feed my sheep, then hath the preaching of the word, and ministration of the Sacraments, and so consequently floweth no more from the authority of the Civil Magistrate than they do, whatever formal professors in word, but not admitters of the yoke of Christ on their neks indeed, cry out to the contrary. This much (good Sir) I thought good by writ to answer to your letter, after this manner, here before set down, both to satisfy you and others, touching this matter in some measure, which if it shall seem good to you, ye, either by yourself, or by some other, may briefly impart unto her M. Farewell,  
from Edin. the 18. of September. 1590. Yours in the lord I. D.