ARTICLES DEVISID by the whole consent of the kings most honourable counsel, his graces licence obtained thereto, not only to exhort, but also to inform his loving subiectis of the truth.   

¶ The kings most honourable counsel to the residue of his loving subjects.  
SIns it is the part of all honourable and elect persons chosen by the prince, when they do declare and utter matters of weight, to observe an equity and truth in uttering of them, and to show benevolence to the people, which be under their prince, in admonishing them of things, which are necessary for them to know: We therefore the king our sovereigns most faithful counsellors and subjects, with hole assent and by his licence have thought most convenient and necessary to intimate unto you (the rest of his subjects) these articles following, for your better erudition and knowledge, and to open unto you truly the manifold injuries done unto our king and sovereign, which (we being his true and faithful subjects) may in no wise sustain or suffer: But study and endevoyr ourselves by all ways to us possible, to redoube and requite the same, and to take the injuries and wrongs done to his person (in whom is all our wealth and joy) more earnestly, than if it were done to us alone. And so shall we do according to our duties, and thereby deserve merit of god, to whom most humbly we pray, that he will vouchsafe to have, support, defend, and keep under his wing and tuition our most noble prince, the queen, now being his wife, with their issue, and all us his true and loving subjects.  
Quia in te domine speramus.  

The first Article.  
first the mere truth is, that no living creature, of what estate, degree, or dignity so ever he be, hath power given him by god, to dispense with god's laws, or law of nature. Which thing is confirmed and determined in our princes case, by an infinite number of well learned men strangers, by the most part also of all the most famous universities of Christendom: And specially, and above all (to our estimations) the hole clergy of this realm. Whereupon and in discharge also of his conscience, being authorized by act of parliament our Metropolytane archbishop of Canturbury, hath adjudged the first matrimony, to be contrary to God's laws, & thereby not lawful, & this present matrimony now enjoyed, laufulle and perfit. Wherefore we all (that be our princes true subjects) ought in this his just & true matrimony, to live and die with him, and his, of this venture come, or coming   

The two Article.  
SEcondly, the counsels of nice, Melyvence, and African, with others also, have determined, that causes of strife or controversy, being once begun in any region, shall there, and in the said region, be finally determined, and none other where, expressly denienge the courts of beyond the see, to oblige any man to appear at them for divers weighty considerations in them expressed, which notwithstanding the bishop of Rome by some men called Pope, the usurper of god's law, and infringer of general counsels, hath hitherto wrongfully detained at Rome, and would do still, except otherwise our prince and his parliament had provided, his great and weighty cause, contrary to all right and conscience, to the utter undoing of this realm. Which things the prince and his whole parliament considering, and taking some light upon the foresaid general counsels, and weighing also other wise and politic reasons, thinking verily this amongst other considerations, that it were not meet that the inheritance of this realm should depend upon the bishop of Rome, or any other strangers will & pleasure, which other by affection, meed or fear, might and would order it after his worldly affections and appetites, as it well appeareth this holy bishop of Rome would: have made a commodious and wealthy law lately, both for us & him, By which, good people (living within the limits of true matrimony within this realm) shall not by malice, or evil will be so long detained and interrupted from their right, as in times passed, they have been, Nor injust matrimony shall have his unlawful and incestuous demoure, as by delays to Rome, it was wont to have, which may evidently apere now, by that, that our Princes weighty and long protracted cause of Matrimony, hath now here his final and prosperous end, with brief success of issue all ready had, and other like to follow, laudes be unto god, th'only worker of the same: with which issue both you and we, must both live and die, according to our allegiance.   

The three Article.  
THirdly, it is to be taken for a truth & equity agreeing with learning, that an excusatour in any bishops court of the world, the party either not being bound personally to appear there (as by all learning our prince is not at Rome) or being impedite by any other lawful causes, which they by their own law have limited, should be admitted to answer for the part, against which equity, the bishop of Rome hath also rejected our princes excusatour, which injury although it be not yet put in execution against any other person (saving our prince and king) yet that example shall remain for a precedent, in prejudice of all princes and potestates. Wherefore, we would advise them briefly to look upon it, and we and ye the rest of his subjects, so to detest this great injury done to our prince, and consequently to us, that the bishop of Rome, and all his, shall see, that except it and all other injuries done to our prince and sovereign, be shortly redoubed, we will revenge it to the uttermost of our power, and in so doing, we do but our duty, yet surely we doubt not but it shall be very acceptably taken by our prince and king.   

The fourth Article.  
fourthly the right believe of all true christian people is, that the general counsel (lawfully gathered) is superior and hath power over all bishops and spiritual powers, not excepting the bishop of Rome. In confirmation of which opinion the approbate counsel of Basil saith these words: Who so ever opponeth himself obstinately against this truth, is to be taken by all true christian people, as an heretic. Wherefore, loving friends, let us so handle ourself both in words & deeds, that we be not taken, for any fond scruple in this trap, and let not herein our eyes be so blinded, nor our ears made so deaf with the sayings or preachings of any papists, that we run headlong against the true believe of all right Christian people.   

The fift Article.  
FIftly, by the law of nature it is granted and admitted for lawful, that a man being grieved, vexed, or troubled injustly, may appeal from the bishop of Rome, to the general counsel, which so being, then specially such liberty is most convenient for princes, and they not to be rejected therefro, nor it is not a thing by them to be neglected or omitted, which have but two ways principally where none other can prevail, to attain right the one against the other, that is to say, in causes concerning the soul and mere spiritual, appellation to the general counsel, In temporal, the sword only, except by mediation of friends, the matters may be compounded, so that who so ever would go about to take away any of these natural defences from them, is to be manly withstand both by the prince and his subjects. And thereto, we be animate by our right father, which redeemed us, our lord jesus Christ, in that he saith, Obey ye princes above all, and then their deputies, not giving power to any other within their rules and dominions.   

The vi article.  
Sixthly after that appellations be lawfully made from the bishop of Rome (which calleth himself pope) unto the general counsel, he is bound by the law neither to do, ne attempt any further process, in prejudice of the appellant, which, if he do, by the foresaid laws, his doings can not prejudice the appellante, and also it standeth void, The effect of which law must now take his strength in the benefit of our prince, except to great injury be ministered unto him. For our prince and king, according to the liberty of nature and constitutions of general counsels (as afore) hath both provoked and appealed to the general counsel next ensuing, rightfully congregate, from the usurper of god's laws, and infringer of general counsels, which calleth himself Pope. In the which our princes doings, all just and true christian men, I doubt not, will support and maintain him, which provocations & appellations also standing in force, and being intimate to the person of the said usurper (as in deed they be) sequestreth him rightfully from all manner of process belonging or in any wise appertaining to our princes fact and matter, in any of his courts. Other diabolike acts & statutes by some of his predecessors made, as hereafter shall appear, not withstanding. Wherefore, what censures, interdictions, or other his cursed inventions, what so ever they be, aught to be despised and mannefullye withstand, for they be nought in deed, and we (so doing) shall have for our buckler, the latter and better part of this verse ensuing, And the maligners, the fore part of the same, 
Psal. 36.  which is, Quoniam qui malignantur exterminabuntur, sustinentes autem dominum, ipsi here ditabunt terram.   

The vii Article.  
SEuenthely the sentence of excommunication, ought not to be executed by any minister of Christ's church, against any creature, except it be for deadly sin prohibit by god's law and scripture, nor yet then, except the party stand in contumacy or be heddye: how slenderly should we then esteem his censures and curses, which extendeth them upon us chiefly, because we have made wholesome laws, for the commodity and wealth of our prince and realm, secondly, because they do prejudicate his worldly appetites and profit, thirdly because our prince will not (contrary to his conscience, directed by God's law, and thopinions of the most part of all the best learned men in christendom, as afore is rehearsed) live an incestuous life & abominable? These things be so contrarious to equity, reason and justice, that by his doings it may appear, what manner a man he is, according to a text of scripture, which saith: Ex operibus eorum cognoscetis eos. 
Mat. 7.  Wherefore, we all (our princes true subiectis) ought to reckon, as reason and learning leadeth us, besides the due obedience to our prince, that the curse of him, which ministereth it injustly, as this is ministered, though it were within his jurisdiction, as it is not: shall redound to himself, and hurt no man else. Wherefore in this, let us all show ourselves like true and obedient subjects, not esteeming or hanging upon any living creature, save only our prince and king, according to an old proverb here in England, of old time paste, moche wont to be set by, & oft times by true men rehearsed, which is, One god and one king, minding thereby, that all other folkis doings should be despised, which in any point may be contrary to them, in confirmation whereof the prophet David sayeth these words, 
Psal. 36.  Inimici vero domini mox honorificati fuerint et exaltati, deficientes quemadmodum fumus deficient.   

The eight Article.  
EIghtly, it is the office of all manner of bishops, and a grant also indifferently made to them all by God, that they should first friendly admonish, and secretly reprove. Secondly, afore record charitably to reform (if they can) all manner of offenders of God's laws within their diocese, not using any compulsories, except the parties persist obstinate and in contumacy, which happening, then is it lawful for them to use censures and excommunications. And this manner of ways only, ought every bishop to use, all though the bishop of Rome, would them to do never so much to the contrary, for they be bound more to obey god, than man, Which office and ways, (according to his duty) our good bishop of Canturbury (now living) hath begun to show and follow. For first he apperceiving when he came to his dignity, that his prince and sovereign lived in unlawful and unfitting matrimony (according to his duty) meekly did admonish him, and therein also reproved him, exhorting him to leave it, or else he would do further his duty in it, So that at the last, according to god's laws, he did separate his prince from that unlawful matrimony. In which doing, we think that every true subject should much the better esteem him, because he would execute God's commandment, and set this realm in the way of true heirs. And how God herewith is pleased, we think it doth evidently appear by many things. First so briefly upon this latter and lawful matrimony, so soon issue had: Secondly, so fair wether, with great plenty of corn and cattal: Thirdly peace and amity lately sought by divers princes and potentatis, of our Prince: fourthly the pureness of air without any pestilential or contagious disease, by so long time during, which things we ought to thank god for, and to take them for demonstrations, that he is pleased, both with our prince and his doings. Wherefore, let us all that be his true subjects, both rejoice in it, and apply us accordingly to serve both god, him and his in it, according to our bounden duties.   

The ix article.  
NInthely, that where in deed by scripture, there is none authority ne jurisdiction granted more to the bishop of Rome, then to any other, Extra provinciam, yet because that sufferance of people, and blindness of Princis with their supportation hitherto, hath sustained the same, doing themselves thereby to great injury, it is thought now convenient, and more than necessary, to open the same to the world, to the intent it esteem not, ne honour him as a god, for fear of idolatry, he being but a man, and what manner a man, a man neither in life nor learning, Christis disciple, a man also, though the see apostolic were of never so high authority, contrarious, unlaufulle also by their own decrees, to occupy and enjoy his usurped place. For first he is both baste and came to his dignity by Simony, and now in denying the provocation and appeal of our sovereign lord the king, and supporting the diabolike decree of his predecessor Pius, is determined by a general counsel Vere haereticus, that is to say, an heretics.  
Wherefore, all we (being true christian people, he thus continuing) ought to despyce both him and his facts, and be no longer blinded with him, but give ourselves wholly to the observance of Christis law, in which is all sweetness and truth, adjoining with it the laws of this realm, utterly relinquishing the other, in which is nothing else, but pomp, pride, ambition, and ways to make themselves rich, which is much contrarious to his profession, our lord amend him, and give us grace no longer to be blinded with him. Amen.   
Finis.   

LONDINI IN AEDIBUS THOMAE BERTHELETI. M.D.XXXIII. CUM PRIVILEGIO.