¶ A copy of the letters/ wherein the most redoubted & mighty prince our sovereign lord king Henry the eight/ king of England & of France/ defensor of the faith/ and lord of Irlande: made answer unto a certain letter of Martin Luther/ sent unto him by the same/ and also the copy of the foresaid Luther's letter/ in such order/ as here after followeth.   

¶ first a preface of our sovereign lord the king/ unto all his faithful and entirely beloved subjects.  
¶ Copy of the letter/ which Martyne Luther had sent/ unto our said sovereign lord the king.  
¶ The copy of the answer of our said sovereign lord/ unto the same letter of Martin Luther.   

¶ Henry the eight by the grace of god/ king of England & of France/ defensor of the faith/ and lord of Irlande: unto all his faithful and well-beloved subjects/ greeting.  
IT hath seemed to us always/ our entirely be loved people/ that likewise/ as it appertaineth to the office and estate of a king/ diligently to procure the temporal wealth/ and commodity of his subjects: So doth it of duty/ more especially belong to the part and office of a christian king/ over and besides/ his labour/ pain/ and travail/ bestowed upon the provision of worldly wealth and quiet for his people: far yet more fervently to labour/ travail and study/ by all the means and ways to him possible/ how he may surely keep/ establish and confirm/ and spiritually set forth and further/ the hearts and minds of his subjects/ in the right religion of god/ and true faith of Christ/ by whose high providence & especial bounty/ they were for that purpose/ chiefly committed unto his governance. For albeit so/ that our saviour Christ hath in his ecclesiastical hierarchy most ordinately set & provided/ and appointed the spiritual fathers and curates/ most especially to solycite/ procure/ and have in charge/ those things that appertain by faith or other spiritual virtues/ to the weal and salvation of his chosen children/ which been christian men: yet is there no man but he well wotteth/ that the temporal princes/ concurring with them and setting their hands thereto/ and overseeing and ordering them to execute the charge/ which god hath elect them to/ every prince in his own realm/ the matter shall both much better & moche faster come forward. The proof where of/ hath evidently appeared in times past/ for soon after the beginning of Christ's church/ the conversion of kings to the faith/ briefly turned all their realms with them: And where the opposite was used/ there neither grace/ virtue/ nor other good work could flourish or increase/ but always where lacked faith/ there reigned heresies/ sensuality/ voluptie inobedience/ rebellion/ no recognition of superior/ confusion/ and total ruin in the end. Which things/ by the great wisdom of our noble progenitors well perceived/ they have of their virtuous mind and princely courage/ as well by the making of good and sharp laws/ requisite for that intent/ as by due execution of the same/ not without the putting of their own bodies/ sometime in the adventure of battle/ done their effectual devoir to withstand and repress from time to time/ the pernicious errors and heresies/ that else had of likelihood/ as well by wycclyffe/ as other abominable heretics/ been deeply rooted in this realm. And surely we for our part nothing so moche desire/ as the furtherance of you our well-beloved people/ in the honour and service of almighty god and not only to follow and ensue the fruitful examples of our noble progenitors/ but also to put ourself in devoir in that point (if we may) to pass them/ especially sith there never was in any of their times/ so moche need thereto/ as to our great grief displeasure and heaviness/ it is now. For we doubt not/ but it is well known to you all/ that Martin Luther late a frere Augustyne/ and now run out in Apostasy and wedded/ hath not only scraped out of the ashen/ and kindled again/ almost all the embres of those old errors and heresies/ that ever heretic held sith Christ was borne hitherto: but hath also added some so poisoned points of his own/ so wretched/ so vile/ so detestable/ provoking men to mischief/ encoraging the world to sin/ preaching an unsatiate liberty/ to allecte them with all/ and finally/ so far against all honesty/ virtue and reason/ that never was there erst any heretic so far void of all grace and wit/ that durst for shame speak them. We therefore seeing these heresies spread abroad/ and inwardly sorrowing so many christian souls to run to ruin/ as hath done in other regions/ by the occasion of such pesty lent errors/ intending for our part/ somewhat to set hand thereto/ wrote after our mean learning/ a little treatise/ for the assertion and probation of the holy sacraments: In which we reproved/ and as we trust sufficiently refuted and convinced the most part of the detestable heresies of the said Luther/ contained in his abominable book/ entituled de Babilonica Captivitate. For anger and fury whereof/ upon two years after/ Luther wrote and sent out against us a book/ nothing answering to the matter/ but all reason set aside/ stuffed up his book with only furious railing/ which his book we regarding / as it was worthy/ contemned and not would vouchsafe any thing to reply/ reputing ourself in Christ's cause/ not to good with a right mean man to reason or contrary/ but nothing meetly fruitless with a lewd Frere to rail. So came it than to pass/ that Luther at last/ perceiving wise men to espy him/ learned men to leave him/ good men to abhor him/ and his frantic favourers to fall to wrack/ the nobles and honest people in almain/ being taught by the proof of his ungracious practise/ moche more hurt & mischief to follow thereof/ than ever they looked after/ devised a letter to us written/ to abuse them and all other nations/ in such wise/ as ye by the contents thereof/ hereafter shall well perceive. In which he feigneth himself to be informed/ that we be turned to the favour of his sect. And with many flattering words/ he laboureth to have us content that he might be bold to write to us in the matter/ and cause of the gospel: And thereupon without answer had from us/ not only published the same letter and put it in print/ of purpose that his adherentes should be the bolder/ under the shadow of our favour/ but also fell in device with one or two lewd persons/ borne in this our realm/ for the translating of the New testament in to english/ as well with many corruptions of that holy text/ as certain prefaces/ and other pestilent gloss in the margentes/ for the advancement and setting forth of his abominable heresies/ intending to abuse the good minds and devotion/ that you our dearly beloved people bear/ toward the holy scripture/ & to infect you with the deadly corruption and contagious odour of his pestilent errors. In the avoiding whereof/ we of our especial tender zeal towards you/ have with the deliberate advise of the most reverend father in god/ Thomas lord cardinal/ legate de Latere of the see apostolic/ archbishop of york/ primate and our Chancellor of this realm/ and other reverend fathers of the spyritualty/ determined the said corrupt and untrue translations to be burned/ with further sharp correction & punishment against the keepers and readers of the same/ reckoning of your wisdoms very sure that ye will well and thankfully perceive our tender and loving mind toward you therein/ and that ye will never be so greedy upon any sweet wine/ be the grape never so pleasant/ that ye will desire to taste it/ being well advertised that your enemy before hath poisoned it. Over this/ where as we before had intended/ to leave Luther to his lewdness/ without any further writing: yet for the frustrating and avoiding of his malicious fraud/ whereby he intendeth to abuse the world/ with a false opinion of our favour toward him/ we letted not eft sons/ to write him an answer/ of his more subtile/ than either true or wise writing. After which letter written and sent him/ sith we perceived and considered farther/ that he had by sundry false inventions/ laboured to sow some of his venomous seed amongs you/ our well-beloved people/ and hath besides that/ sought the means to make you believe that he were untruly spoken and written of/ and that he is not married/ nor that he doth not write or teach such execrable heresies/ as men report that he doth/ which himself knoweth to be of such a sort/ as your good christian ears would abhor to here: And for that cause/ would for a beginning/ till he might enter in farther credence and favour amongs you/ bring you in the mind/ by the mouths of some that set forth his matters/ that he were neither such man as he is made/ nor saith such things/ as men saith he doth.  
¶ We therefore our well-beloved people/ not willing you by such subtle means/ to be deceived or seduced/ have of our especial favour toward you/ translated for you/ & given out unto you/ as well his said letter written to us/ as our answer also/ made unto the same: By the sight whereof/ ye may partly perceive both what the man is in himself/ and of what sort is his doctrine: which two things/ if ye well ponder/ ye shall soon understand his doctrine so abominable/ that it must needs make the man odious/ and show him to be nought were his living in appearance never so good/ and the man himself of his living so openly nought & vicious/ that his open vices and boldly boasted wretchedness/ must needs make his doctrine suspected: And though it bore as fair a visage of holiness/ as it now beareth a shameless open face/ of bold presumption in sin/ far over large/ and in mischief to great and wide spread/ for the good vysar of Euaungelyke liberty to cover it/ but not/ as he would that you should understand it: which things by your wisdom's/ our well-beloved people once perceived/ as in this little work I verily trust ye shall/ I doubt not but your goodness shall with god's grace/ take such fruit thereby/ as shallbe to the comfort of your souls/ to the rejoice of all good men/ to the let of his mischievous purpose/ and to your eternal joy here after: And if you do (as I trust verily ye will) not descant upon scripture/ nor trust to much your own comments and interpretatyons/ but in every doubt that shall insourge/ learn the truth and incline to the same/ by the advice of your pastoral fathers of the soul/ it shall not only encourage well learned men to set forth and translate into our mother tongue/ many good things and virtuous/ which for fear of wrong taking/ they dare not yet do: but also that ye/ by the good use thereof/ shall take much good and great spiritual profit/ which thing in you perceived/ shall give occasion that such holy things/ as evil disposed persons by false and erroneous translation corrupted/ deliver you to your imminent peril & destruction/ good men and well learned may be percase in time coming the bolder/ truly & faithfully translated/ substantially viewed and corrected/ by sufficient authority to put in your hands/ to your inward solace and ghostly comfort/ to the full extirpation of all seditious errors/ increase of your devotion and charitable faith to god/ establysshment of god's grace/ and favour towards you/ & thereby good works with your diligent endeavour more plenteously springing in you/ your sins remised & forgiven you by his mercy: ye shall not only in heaven attain those inestimable rewards / that your merits can not of their own nature/ but of his liberal goodness/ with virtue of his passion deserve/ but also by your good prayers and intercessyons/ living virtuously in the laws of god/ and this realm cause sooner universal peace in christendom/ to ensue & follow: which thing in earth should be most desired of all true christian men next after heaven/ to which place of joy our lord send me with you/ where I had liefer to be your servant/ than here your king.  
valet.   

¶ The letter of Martin Luther.  
¶ Unto the most mighty and noble price/ lord Henry the viii king of England & of France/ his most benign lord. GRace & peace in christ Iesu/ our lord and saviour. Amen.  
Nat withstanding most noble king/ & excellent prince/ that I ought of reason to be afraid/ tattempt your highness with letters/ which am well knowing unto myself/ that your highness is most grievously displeased with my book/ which I not of mine own courage/ but by the instigation of them that died not well favour your highness/ foolishly & hastily set forth: nevertheless/ I have good comfort & stomach to write/ not only because of that your kingly clemency/ which is daily so much told of unto me/ both by words & writing/ of very many men/ that seeing you be yourself mortal/ I can not think you will bear enmity immortal: but also for as much as I have by credible persons been informed/ that the book made out against me in the name of your highness/ is not the kings of England as crafty Sophisters would it should seem: which/ when they abused the name of your highness/ considered not in what peril they put themselves/ by the sclaundring of a king/ and especially above other/ that monster & comen hate of god and men/ the car-Cardynall of york/ that pestilence of your realm: Wherefore/ I am now so sore ashamed/ that it irketh and abasheth me to lift up mine eyen afore your highness/ which have suffered myself to be with such lightness moved against such & so great a king by those works of wickedness/ namely being myself but dregs and a worm/ which had aught only by contempt/ to have been either overcomyn or let alone: Also an other thing is/ which seriously caused me being never so vile/ yet for to write/ because your highness beginneth to favour the gospel/ and wax not a little weary of that sort of ungracious folks. Verily that was gospel in deed/ that is to say/ glad tidings unto my heart: wherefore I prostrate myself with these letters/ unto the feet of your highness/ as humbly as I can device/ and beseech for the cross and honour of Christ/ that your highness would vouch safe to incline some thing/ and pardon me/ in whatsoever I have offended your highness/ like as Christ prayed and commanded us also/ one to forgive another his debts: Moreover/ if your highness think it not to be refused/ that I make out another book/ and therein unsay my former writing/ & now on the contrary side/ honour the name of your highness/ please it your majesty to give me some mild token/ & there shallbe no tarrying in me/ but I shall do it most gladly/ for though I be a man of no reputation/ in comparison of your highness: yet might we trust that no small fruit should grow unto the gospel and the glory of god hereby/ if I might have liberty to write in the cause of the gospel/ unto the king of England. In the mean season our lord en increase your highness/ as he hath begun/ that you may with full spirit/ both obey and favour the gospel: and he suffer not your regal ears and mind to be holden with the mischievous voices of those mermaids that can nothing/ but cry that Luther is an heretic: and it may like your highness to consider what harm can I teach/ that teacheth none other thing/ but that we must be saved by the faith of jesus christ/ son of god: which for us suffered/ and was raised again/ as witnesseth the gospel and the epystols of the apostles/ for this is the heed and foundation of my doctrine: upon which aftwarde I build and teach charity toward our neighbour/ obedience unto the heeds and rulers of countries/ and finally to crucify the body of sin/ like as the doctrine of Christ commandeth: what ill is in these chapters of doctrine? yet let the matter be looked upon/ let it have hearing and judgement first: why am I condemned/ neither heard ne convict? Furthermore/ where I rebuke the abusion of pope's/ which teach other than these foresaid chapters/ and not only other/ but also clean contrary/ and in the mean time leaning themself upon pomp/ money their belies/ ye/ & kingdoms/ principalytees/ & every man's richesse/ doth not the very comen people perceive this & damn it/ and their own selves be constrained to confess it? why do they not amend themselves and teach well/ if they will be without hate & blame? Also your noble majesty seeth/ how great princes in Almaigne favoureth my party/ and thanked be god/ would I should not be condemned/ unto whose company and number/ I pray Christ he add & adjoin your highness/ and separate you from those tyrants of souls. Now/ what wonder is it/ though Cesar and certain princes be sore against me? Doth not nations murmur against our lord and his Christ? As the second psalm saith people study/ kings of the earth consppyre/ and princes come together/ in so much/ that it is more to be marveled at/ if any prince or king favour the gospel/ and I desire with all my heart inwardly/ that I may once have cause to rejoice & make congratulation of this miracle in your highness/ and I pray god/ by whose favour and assistance. I writ this letter/ that he so work with my words/ that the king of England may be made shortly/ the perfit disciple of Christ and professor of the gospel/ and finally/ most benign lord unto Luther. Amen. Some answer/ if it may like your highness I look after/ mild and benign:  
At wyttemburch/ the first day of Septembre/ the year of our lord/ a. M.d.xxu Most humble subject unto your regal majesty/ Martin Luther/ his own hand.   

¶ The answer of the most mighty & noble prince king Henry the viii king of England & of France/ defensor of the faith and lord of Ireland/ unto the letters of Martin Luther.  
YOur letters written the first day of Septembre/ we have received the twenty day of March: In which ye writ yourself/ to be sorry and ashamed/ that ye foolily & hastily/ not of your own mind: but by the instigation of other/ such as little favoured me/ did put out your book against me/ with which ye know yourself that ye have sore offended me/ And therefore have cause to be in dread and shame to write unto me. Nat withstanding/ ye say that ye be the more bold now to write unto me/ not only because ye perceive my benignity such/ that considering myself a man mortal/ I will not bear immortal enmity: but also for as much/ as ye by credible information/ understand that the book put forth in my name/ for the assertion of the Sacraments was not mine own/ but fraudulently devised by false Sophisters/ to mine ignominy and rebuke/ and specially by the cardinal of york/ whom ye call a monster/ odious to god & man/ and the pestilence of my realm: And therefore ye say/ that ye be now ashamed to lift up your eyen to me/ that have of lightness so suffered yourself to be moved against such a king/ which natwithstanding/ ye write that ye be forced and compelled earnestly to write unto me/ because that I have now begun to bear favour to the gospel/ which is (as ye say) joyful tidings to your heart/ wherein ye beseech god to increase me/ that I may with hole heart obey and favour the gospel: And that he suffer not mine ears to be occupied with the pestilent voices of those Serenis/ which can nothing else do/ but cry out that Luther is an heretic.  
¶ ye writ also/ that ye would I should consider/ that there can be no harm in your doctrine/ sith ye teach (as ye say) nothing else/ but only that man must needs be saved/ in the faith of jesus Christ: And that upon this foundation/ ye build charity to your neighbours and obedience to your governors/ with the crucifying of the body of sin: And in these ye desire to be herd/ moche marveling that ye be condemned unherde and unconuyct: Than after your accustomed manner/ ye rail upon the church of Rome: boasting that many princes of Almaigne take your part/ & that it is no marvel/ though the Emperor & some other princes and people pursue you/ but rather were it wonder that any would hold with you/ for as much as alway princes and people be (as ye say) enemies to Christ: wysshinge/ that ye might once see that miracle/ that by god working with your good words/ I might be fully turned to be one of those that might favour the gospel/ and be a favourer of yours: requiring and beseeching me in divers parts of your letter to pardon you/ that ye have offended me by your book/ and offering yourself/ if it so stand with my pleasure/ that ye will write & put out another book to my praise/ recanting and revoking all such words/ as ye have in your other book written to the contrary/ affirming also/ that no little fruit were like to grow thereof/ if ye might have leave/ at liberty to write to the king of England/ concerning the gospel of god. ¶ These be Luther all things/ which were in your letter contained: In which/ as we right well perceive your covert fraudulent purpose/ so shall we on the otherside/ after our accustomed plainness (lest your crafty ways might abuse good simple folk) to every point give you true and open answer.  
¶ where ye writ/ ye be ashamed of your book written against me/ I am not very sure/ whereout ye say true therein: but of one thing I am very sure/ that ye have good cause to be ashamed/ not only of that book/ but also of a great meinie more than that/ they being such as they be: nothing else containing/ but errors and heresies/ neither by reason nor learning proved/ but only by shameless boldness affirmed: Allowing yourself/ to be as good or better author/ than any afore your time hath been/ or be now. And as touching your book written against me/ who so solicited or provoked you to put that forth/ rather seemed to have been your evil willer/ than mine/ your book being such as the maker could thereof have but rebuke/ and mine thereby be much honoured: Against which book of mine your book declared/ that ye could find no wise word to write/ nor allege author of substance against it/ which thing is enough (as I think) for the readers or hearers/ to discuss/ which of us is in the righter faith: And although ye fain yourself to think my book not mine own/ but to my rebuke (as it liketh you to affirm) put out by subtle sophisters: yet it is well known for mine/ and I for mine avow it: and as for the rebuke/ though ye dissimule it/ yet may all the world well perceive/ how much it fretteth your stomach: that not only my work/ hath so highly to mine honour been approved of many wise and good men/ but specially of that holy see apostolic also/ of whom saint Hierome reckoned it sufficient/ that his faith were approved/ in which nevertheless/ if any good thing be/ I do ascribe it to him/ of whom all goodness cometh/ and not to me: How beit/ this delighteth me not a little/ that as simple as my book was (for I know well enough mine own imbecillyte) yet so much more feeble was your cause/ that my book for so far as it touched (that is to wit/ the Sacraments of Christ's church) not only clean wiped away/ all that ever ye had blasphemusly written against them before: but also/ all that ever sithence ye ꝑniciously have written against them/ and drove you to the writing of that furious book/ by which all the world well perceived/ that ye were for anger fallen (as who saith) in a very frenzy: In which book/ all wit/ learning/ and honesty forgotten: ye nothing allege but mere scurrilyte/ furious babbling brawling/ and convytious railing: where as I refelled your erroneous opinions (not without charity and labour of your amendment) by effectual reason and evident scripture: not interpreted after mine own fantasy (as ye do by yours) but by the old holy fathers of Christis church/ not meddling therein/ with any of those whom ye call Sophysters/ which be men in deed/ good/ virtuous/ & cunning: Whom ye therefore call Sophisters/ because that every substantyall reason/ by which they confound your folly/ ye would were enfamed/ under the name of Sophistry.  
¶ And where as your pestilent tongue is so lewd/ to rail upon the most reverend father in god/ the lord Legate/ cardinal of york/ our chief counsellor & chancellor/ it grieveth him little (I wots well) to be railed upon/ with that blasphemous tongue/ that raileth and rageth against Christ's hole church/ his saintis/ his apostles/ his holy mother/ and himself/ as it evidently (as well by many parts of your pestilent books/ as by the furious actis of your faction) appeareth: And his fatherhood now is & shallbe so moche in more cordial favour with me/ In how moche I perceive him to be the depar in the hatred of you/ or other such as ye be: whom where ye call/ the pestilence of my realm/ I purpose to give you no rekning/ what manifold good fruit my realm & I receive by his faithful diligence/ labour/ travail and wisdom: Howbeit/ all other things set a part/ it well appeareth/ that his fatherhood is in this one point/ to my realm very good and wholesome in that he conformable to my mind and according to my commandment/ studiously purgeth my realm from the pestilent contagion of your factious heresies: with which among/ there entereth some in to my Realm right sick/ out of such placis as your unwholesome breath hath infected/ whom as they have be founden/ we have by the wholesome and good diligence of the said most reverend father/ not only kept of from thinfecting of our own people/ but have also with right charitable handling/ helped and cured them: For as for our own subjects we trust in gods help/ have & shall have/ little faith in your erroneous opinions/ what soever hope ye be put in/ either by other ways/ or by one or two Freres apostates/ ron out of our realm/ reigning in riot & unthrifty liberty with you/ of whom we reckon our Realm so well rid/ that if there were any more such here (as we trust there be not many) we would ye had them to.  
¶ It is a glad tidings to your heart/ ye say/ that I now have begun to bear favour to the Gospel/ as though I had never favoured the gospel before: Howbeit that I have not so late (as ye make for) begun to love & reverently read the Gospel/ though ye list to dissimule it: yet/ ye right well perceive/ by that I have all ready by the plain gospel disproved evidently/ some of your pernicious heresies/ whereby ye well find/ that this is not the first time that I have intermeddled me with the said gospels/ wherefore weet ye well/ the Gospel long hath been/ and ever shallbe/ my chief study: as the doctrine most wholesome to every man that will/ in the study thereof/ use a way contrary to that that ye do: Which in the interpretation thereof/ use to follow your own fantastical invention/ against all the world beside/ contrary to the counsel of the wise man/ that saith: 
Fili ne innitaris prudentiae tuae et ne sapiens videri velis in occulis tuis.  Son/ lean not unto thine own wit/ nor take not thyself for a wise man: But as for me/ I well know and knowledge/ that I am unable of myself to the understanding thereof/ and therefore calling for god help/ most humbly submit myself to the determination of Christ's church/ and interpretations of the old holy father's/ whom his goodness plenteously lightened with learning/ illumined with grace/ furnished with faith garnished with good works/ and finally/ with many miracles declared their faith and living to like him: Where ye on the contrary side/ setting all these old saints at nought/ and villainously blaspheming their memories/ procuring the detraction of their honour/ lest the reverence and estimation of their holy lives should stand in your light/ admit no man's wit but your own (which only you admit in all thing) and descending a manifest folly for wisdom/ a open false heresy for a truth/ have nothing else to stand by/ but only cry out that the scripture is evident for your part: and that all that ever took it otherwise/ were but fools: Were they never so many/ never so wise/ never so well learned/ never so holy: And when ye have thus well & worshipfully quit yourself in words/ than instigate and set out rude rebellious people/ under pretext of evangelical liberty/ to run out and fight for your faction.  
¶ If any man had so little wit to doubt/ which of these two ways were the better/ yours now new begun/ or the faith of the old fathers: our saviour putteth us out of doubt/ where he saith: 
Ex fructibus eorum cognoscetis eos.  By their fruits ye shall know them: For of them no man doubteth/ but they were good men & of holy living/ serving god/ in fasting/ prayer/ and chastity: And all their writing full of charity/ and of you/ men doubt as little/ when they see that all your doing began of envy & presumption/ proceedeth with rancour and malice/ blown forth with pride and vainglory/ & endeth in lechery: And therefore/ cloak ye never so much your doctrine/ under the pretext of evangelical liberty: not withstanding/ that I know how slander mine own learning is/ yet is it not so slander/ that ye can make me believe that ye mean well/ when ye speak fast of the spirit/ and fall all to the flesh: When ye make/ as ye would exhort all the world to live after the gospel/ and than exhort men fro chastity/ to which the gospel effectually counseleth: and forsake yourself/ your vowed chastity/ promised and dedicate to god/ to the keeping and observance whereof/ all holy scripture bindeth you.  
¶ ye write that ye be ashamed to lift up your eyen to me/ for that ye should of lightness suffer yourself to be so sore moved by thinstigation of evil folk to write such a book against me: But I much marvel in good faith that ye be not in earnest ashamed to life up your eyes and look/ either upon god or good man/ that have suffered yourself by the devils instigation/ to fall in that lightness of wit/ that for the folly of your flesh/ ye being a Frere have taken a Nun: & not only violate her (which if ye had done among the old romans that were paynims/ she should have been buried quick/ and ye beaten to death) but also which moche worse is/ have openly married her/ & by that means openly abuse her in sin/ with the wonder of the world and abominable contempt/ as well of the sacrament of matrimony/ as of your both vows of chastity. And that worst is of all/ where ye should be ashamed & sorry for this heinous deeds/ in stead of repentance ye take therein pride/ and so far be fro the desire of forgiveness of your own sin/ that ye by your books/ exhort other unthrifts thereto.  
¶ And in this doing/ it is no marvel/ though ye would that men had no reverence to the old holy fathers. For who so believe that they were good/ must needs perceive that ye be nought which both teach and do so manifestly the contrary of their deeds and doctrine. For who can like a freres marriage/ if he set aught by saint Hierome: for to them that hath vowed chastity/ saith this holy man 
Voventibus non solum nubere/ sed etiam velle damnabile est.  / it is damnable/ not only to wed in deed/ but also to will or wish it. Reed well his epistle written to the Nun that was gotten with child/ & his other to the Deacon that died that sinful deed: And therein/ & in other like letters and holy writing of old holy father's/ learn to repent your own faults/ rather than in making books for the defence of your unexcusable sin/ to draw by your evil example & ungracious counsel/ more wretched company with you to the devil.  
¶ ye that so much boast yourself of holy scripture/ I marvel ye can set so little by your vow/ when ye read therein this holy saying: 
Si quid vovisti deo ne moreris reddere displicet enim deo infidelis promissio.  If thou have any thing vowed to god/ delay not the performing thereof: for an unfaithful promise displeaseth god.  
Reed ye not also there these words: 
Vovete & reddite/ dno deo vestro.  To your lord god make ye vows/ and fulfil them? What say ye by these words 
Quum votum voveris dno deo tuo non tardabis reddere: quia requiret illud dns deus tuus et si mortuus fueris reputabitur etiam tibi in peccatum.  / when thou hast made a vow to thy lord god/ come of and perform it: For thy lord god will have a rekning thereof. And if thou die/ it will be laid to thy charge for a sin? But ye reckon I trow/ holy vows of fasting and chastity/ servile ceremonies of Moses' law/ for your writing and living/ seemeth to reckon the evangelical liberty of the new law/ to stand in living after liking: but the prophet isaiah said/ that in that time (meaning the time of Christ's law) they shall vow vows to our lord and perform them 
In die illa vota vovebunt domino et soluent / she wing that vows should have in Christ's law more strength/ & be better kept/ than in the old law: Whereof god showed example/ when he took vengeance upon Ananias and his wife for that they had broken their vow to god/ in keeping aside some of their own money/ Whereupon holy saint Gregory/ as though he might seem to speak to your leman and you (for wedding was it none that ye were wedded with) saith in this wise. 
Ananias deo pecunias voverat/ quas post victus ꝑ suasione diaboli subtraxit. Sed qua morte mulctatus est scis. Si ergo ille mortis periculo dignus fuit/ qui eos quos dederat nummos deo abstulit. Considera quanto periculo in divino judicio dignus eris qui non nummos sed temetip̄m deo oimpotenti cui te sub monachali habitu donaveras subtraxisti.   Ananyas vowed money to god/ which he afterward overcomen by the devils enticement withdre we/ but what death he was punished with thou knowest. Than/ if he was worthy death/ that took away fro god again/ that money that he gave him: Consydre/ how great peril in god's judgement thou shalt be worthy/ which hast taken from almighty god/ not money/ but thine own self/ whom thou gavest unto him/ when thou tookest the habit of a monk. 
What say ye Luther? What saith your lewd leman to this? If ye knowledged your sin for sin: If ye were for your sin sorry/ though ye fill by frailty yet were there hope of amendment/ as was in Mary Magdalene/ david/ and many other: but now what hope is there of you/ if ye persist in the defence of your fault/ with the boasting of your lewdness/ when ye call your vice virtue/ and the virtue vice/ Fall ye not in this doing/ deep in the malediction/ that isaiah spoke of/ when he said: 
We qui dicitꝭ bonum malum/ & malum bonum/ ponentes tenebras lucem/ et lucem tenebras amarum in dulce/ et dulce in amarum.  Woe may ye be that call good evil/ and evil good/ putting darkness to be light/ and light to be darkness/ bitter for sweet/ & sweet for bitter? Now/ when ye regard all these scriptures nothing/ when ye wrist them to your unreasonable appetite/ when ye contemn the interpretations of holy fathers thereupon/ when ye set at nought their wholesome doctrine/ confirmed by their virtuous living: and against all these/ set your own sensuality/ and with brutal reasons/ rail against all vows (so manifest and heinous an heresy/ that there neither hath been herd a greater or a more open) yet ye pray god that he suffer not mine ears to be occupied with the pestilent voice of those Serenys/ which can no thing else/ but cry out that Luther is an heretic. Where as I know in this behalf no greater Serene/ than your own works/ which almost cry nothing else in mine ears/ than that Luther is an heretic: so far forth/ that I moche marvel/ how ye may for shame say to me/ that ye teach no thing/ but that the salvation of man must needs arise by the faith of jesus Christ/ the son of god/ that for us suffered his passion and rose again/ and that upon this foundation/ ye build and teach charity toward our neighbours/ and obedience toward the rulers/ & the crucifying of the body of sin.  
¶ Would god Luther/ that these words of yours were as true/ as I know them for contrary: For what charity build you upon faith/ when ye teach that faith alone without good works sufficeth: For albeit that in your book made against me/ waxing for shame half weary to here thereof: ye laid to my charge/ that I did therein miss report you/ yet died ye not only make none earthly answer to your own words/ which I laid to your charge/ openly proving in you/ that detestable heresy: but also said the same again in the self book/ In which ye pretend yourself to have been wrongfully charged therewith before/ saying: 
Sacrilegium est et impietas velle deo placere per opera et non per solam fidem.  That sacrilege it is & wickedness/ to have any will to please god by good works/ and not by only faith: which words be as open/ as those that ye wrote before in Babilonyca/ where ye writ this sentence: 
Ita vides quam dives sit homo christianus sive baptisatus qui etiam volens non potest ꝑdere salutam suam qu●●tiscunque peccatis nisi nolit credere. Nulla enim peccata eum possunt damnanare nisi sola incredulitas/ cetera omnia/ si radeat vel stet fides in promissionem divinam baptisato factam/ in momento absorbentet per eandem fidem.  Thus thou seest (say ye) how rich is a christian man/ or he that is baptized/ which though he would/ can not lose his salvation/ by any sins/ be they never so great: but if he will not believe/ for no sin can damn him/ but only lack of believe/ for as for all other sins/ if there stand still or come again faith and credence in gods promise/ that god made to his sacrament of baptism/ they be supped up in a moment by the same faith. These words of yours show so manifestly what ye mean/ that there neither needeth nor booteth▪ any gloze: It can receive no colour/ but that contrary to Christ's words 
Angusta est via que ducit ad celum.  / the way is straight and narrow that leadeth to heaven/ ye/ with your evangelical liberty/ make a broad and easy way thither/ to win you favour of the people/ teaching that it shallbe enough to believe gods promise/ without any labour of good works/ which is far fro the mind of saint Paul/ which teacheth us a faith that worketh by love and also saith. 
Si estis infide christi vos ipsi probate.  If ye be in the faith of Christ prove you that: which proof can not be/ but by good works: For as scripture saith: 
Qui operatur justitiam acceptus est deo.  He that worketh righteousness/ is accepted with god: And saint johan speaking/ against such seductours as beguile men with a vain idle and a deed faith/ saith: 
Filioli nemo vos seducat/ qui facit justitiam justus est.  My children/ let no man beguile you/ he that justly doth/ he is just & righteous/ for else to believe of your fashion/ without good works & boldly to live in vice and wretchedness/ with presumptuous hope/ that your faith shall sup up all your sins it is a faith worse than devilish/ For as saint james saith: 
Tu credis qd unus est deus/ et demones credunt et contremiscunt. in hoc te minus mali sunt quia non times.  Thou believest that there is one god/ so doth devils/ and tremble for dread: In this they be not so evil as thou/ for thou fearest not.  
¶ And verily/ with that opinion of your only faith/ ye put away all fear of god/ when ye say that a man though he would never so fain (how ungratius soever his dedis be) can not be damned/ but if he will not believe: than/ if this were true/ there should no man need to fere god no manner away/ neither by fere of his judgements nor just punishmentꝭ/ nor by initial or filyall. For what needeth a man to fere god/ if only believe may save him/ or what booteth a man to fear hell/ or to labour for heaven/ or to fear the displeasure of almighty god/ if a bare faith may save his soul. And also/ where as ye put clean away by your assertions/ all fear of god's judgement from the induction of the sacrament of penance/ & would that only by love we should attain the same/ herein ye would do great wrong to all sinners/ though ye by your works pretend them favour/ for ye would take away one of the best means to attain the very perfit love of god/ which love in himself/ includeth a certain fear. And I fear me/ that in the pilgrimage of this present life/ love is right seldom very sure if we set aside all fear/ & make ourself to sure: For as holy scripture saith: 
Ad quem respiciam dicit dns nisi ad humilem et quietum et timentem sermones meos.  Unto whom saith our lord shall I look but upon an humble man and a quiet/ and him that dreadeth my words/ by which appeareth well/ that without dread of god's words/ he will not look upon a man: whereunto well accordeth the words of scripture/ which saith: But if thou hold thyself continually in the fear of god/ soon shall thine house be subverted. Thus may ye see Luther what so ever ye say fear may not well in this world be for borne/ but if we would have god turn his face from us/ & our house over turned upon our heed/ & surely in scripture/ who so that readeth shall well find that the gifts and callings of god/ be divers and in sundry ways divided/ amongs which/ servile dread is one/ and yet all to one end/ without which mediations & means/ the sinner can not always attain at the first/ that perfit charity that causeth salvation. Wherefore what worse counsel can ye give to sinners/ than to advise them to leave/ those remedies & means/ by which they may be pulled from sin/ & graciously drawn to god: And of truth there is not lightly any other way/ by which men be drawn more often/ nor yet in the beginning more strongly/ than by that fear that is cast in to the heart/ by the deep consideration of the terrible pains of hell/ which thing was the very cause/ for which our merciful Saviour did cast that fear before the eyen of his blessed apostles/ when he said unto than: 
Timete eum/ qui quum occiderit habet potestatem mittere in gehennam.  dread him/ which when he hath killed/ hath also power to cast in to hell/ and therefore when this was said to the apostles: let no man think this fere a thing of so little weight to silly sinners/ & not yet so verily penitents in deed/ as devising thereupon and going about to be. To whom/ what can be more wholesome than fear/ which as scripture saith/ 
Timor expellit peccatum.  putteth sin out/ and 
Qui sine timore est/ non poterit justificari.  he that is without fear can not be justified. And ye would have fear of god's judgement and puysshment/ not only taken fro contrition/ which is the most common way that draweth men from sin: but also to the end/ that men should in sin presume upon their faith/ ye would have all fear taken from the love of god: where as holy scripture reckoneth fear a way/ to attain the love of god/ for he saith. 
Timor domini initium dilectionis.  The fear of god/ is the beginning of love/ ye and also threateneth (as I have said) that except thou keep thyself continually in the fear of god/ thine house shall soon be subverted. The scripture besides this well declareth also/ how great strength fear hath toward faith/ when he saith: 
Qui timent dominum non erunt in creduli verbo illius/ qui timent inqirent que beneplacita sunt ei.  they that fear god will believe his word/ and they that fear him/ will seek and ensertche/ what things stand with his pleasure. And yet over all this/ holy scripture teacheth us that wisdom/ also taketh his beginning of fear/ for he saith: 
Initium sapientie timor dni.  The beginning of wisdom is dread of god. Lo Luther/ here ye see that fear which ye set so little by/ the holy scripture (by which ye make/ as though ye set moche) joineth not only with wisdom and faith but also to love/ during the time that we wander in the pilgymage of this world/ and not without good cause For surely/ when a man is by the fear of god's judgement withdrawn from the following of sin (which turneth his mind from god) he is & needs must be/ the more fit both to love god/ and be beloved of him. For which cause/ the holy prophet david/ perceiving the great profit of that necessary fear/ heartily prayed god/ that this fear might not only besent him: but also strongly/ with his grief and pain stricken in to him/ crying to god in this wise. 
Confige in timore tuo carnes meas a judiciis enim tuis timui.  Rote or fastyn in my flesh/ thy fear/ for I have been afeard of thy judgements: so showeth he/ that he hath not only feared gods judgements/ but he desireth also to have that dread deeply fastened in in his heart. And whereto would god have given us warning of hell/ and threaten us therewith/ except the fear thereof should have been/ as it were a bit or a bridle to refrain us from sin/ and to bring us and preserve us in charity/ and his favour. Wherefore/ sith it is evident that ye take a way this fear/ and openly write against good works/ contemning in penitentes all satisfaction: How shameless are ye to write that ye upon faith do edify charity/ when as I have expressly proved by your own writing that ye build upon your faith right nought but evil works in teaching that only faith alone sufficeth and manifestly contemn good works/ and give boldness largely to work evil without fear/ teaching that faith alone shall sup up all our sins/ namely as ye define your faith/ where ye say 
Fides esse nullo modo potest nisi sit vivax quedam et indubitata opinio qua homo certus est super omnem certitudinem se placere deo se deum habete propitium & ignoscentem in omnibus q fecerit aut gesserit.  that faith can not be in no wise/ but if it be a certain lively & undoubted opinion/ by which a man is certain above all certainty that he pleaseth god/ & that god hath him in favour/ and pardoneth him in all that ever he doth/ by which words ye command an high presumptuous faith/ willing men to reckon and account themself not only sure of god's favour/ but also so highly in his favour/ that they may be bold to offend him/ as though he will for man's only faith/ pardon and forgive all their faults.  
And that such a faith will as ye wrote in Babilonica/ sup up all their sins which faith is contrary to that/ which old doctors teach: for holy Isodoresaith/ 
Frustra sibi de sola fide blanditur qui bonis moribus non utatur.  that man which will not use no good deeds doth foolishly flatter himself with a bare faith. And also saint Augustyne affirmeth/ that 
Fides appellata est ab eo qd fit. due syllable sonant quum dicitur fides/ prima a facto secunda a dicto. interrogo te ergo utrum credas dicis credo fac qd dicis et fides est.  faith beareth his name in latin of two syllables/ the one belongeth to the deed/ the other to the saying. I ask the saith saint Augustyne/ whether thou believest or nay/ thou answerest ye: than do as thou sayest/ and than hast thou faith. But what availeth to lay you the words of your avoury saint Augustyne/ out of whose order ye be run in apostasy: Whereto should I lay you the authority of any of the old holy father's/ whom ye setting all at nought/ dare boldly contend and affirm that there is none other way to faith/ nor that faith is none other manner thing/ but such as ye define wrong/ which your wrong definition of faith/ albeit ye would have it bear a cloak/ and be taken as though it were form and perfected with charity: yet shall ye never make any man that knoweth the right faith of Christ in that point to believe you when you make your faith care so little for good works/ and so lightly supping up all sins that it must needs give all mischievous unthrifts a great audacity and boldness of ungracious living/ For upon the other side the blessed apostle saith/ in them that are of age the very true faith is that/ which worketh with love: And saint johan also saith 
Qui diligit deum/ mandata eius habet et servat.  / he that loveth god/ hath and observeth his commandments/ so after both their minds/ the one of faith the other of love/ ye must of necessity (as holy scripture saith: Decline from evil and do good/ and not to rest in that idle and arrogant faith/ by which ye think and imagine yourself sure and certain/ above all certainty/ that god is well pleased with you and either approveth or pardoneth/ all that ever ye do: For if that were so that holy man job/ which was of gods own mouth called so good and righteous/ that there was none like him in the earth/ would never have been so timorous and fearful/ as to have said: 
Verebar omnia opera mea sciens ꝙ non parceres delinquenti.  I feared all my works/ well witting that thou sparest not the sinner.  
¶ Now where ye writ that faith must be lively/ that grant I well/ but how can it be lively without love and he loveth not god/ as the evangelist saith/ that keepeth not his commandments/ nor he that is of age keepeth not the commandments/ that laboureth not in good works: Whereupon it well and consequently followeth/ that your faith setting good works at nought/ can in no wise be lively/ but must needs be such a faith/ as saint james the apostle reproveth/ where he saith: 
Fides sine operibus mortus est.  Faith without good works is deed. Over this/ if that be true that yourself affirm in your sermons of the precepts/ that god commandments/ namely the ninth and the tenth can of no man (be he never so good) in any manner wise be kept contrary to that/ that Christ seemeth to mean/ where he saith 
Jugum meum suave est et onus meum leave.  / my yoke is soft and easy/ and my burden light/ but as I said/ if ye say true that gods commandments can in no wise be kept/ & god is not loved/ but if his commandments be kept/ nor life is there none in faith/ except that god be loved/ say not now that of your own words ye fall again to the first point/ that faith which (as ye say) must needs be lively/ ye bring it in to such case that it must needs be deed/ but your intent may facilly be perceived: For as your works do show/ ye would either that men should presume to believe that faith were as an instrument to provoke men to sin/ and to give them boldness that faith shall sup up all their sins/ how great soever they be/ to the intent that men should neglect good works/ and remain in high presumption/ which is contrary to scripture which saith: 
O presumptio neqissima unde creata es.  O most wicked presumption/ whereof were thou made/ or else ye set it in that high prick/ though with imꝑtinate terms/ which few or none can attain unto/ bringing in thereby men in to desperation/ to the intent that desperation once rooted/ all care of good living laid a part they should run out at large in to all kind of vytiousnesse/ and than ye might say by them as saint Paul saith/ ad Ephe. 
Desperantes semet ipsos tradiderunt impudicitie in operationem immundicie oins in avariciam.  They dispeyringe/ have given themself to lechery/ and the working of all uncleanness/ which thing ye procure under pretence of liberty. And also the saying of holy job/ which saith to desperate folks/ 
Non credit frustra errore deceptus quod aliquo precio redimendus sit.  he believeth not vainly deceived by error/ that he should be redeemed by any price/ whereby men may perfectly perceive your doctrine & preaching expressly nought/ which would give to men no mean way in faith but either that/ which the blindest may perceive nought/ or that way which the best can scant attain/ nor neither by the one way nor the other/ nothing else procure or go about/ but to find the means/ that either the boldness of faith obtained/ or the despair of obtaining might drive men in to a bold liberty of lewd living/ which is the only thing that ye labour to bring in custom under the name and cloak of evangelical freedom. And this is the charity/ that ye build upon the foundation of your deed faith.  
¶ Now where ye writ/ that ye build upon your faith obedience toward governars/ who seeth not how shanelesse an untruth ye writ therein/ when there is no man but he knoweth how obstinately ye teach that no christian man can be bound by any laws/ of which the governors be ministers: And also how ye set at nought/ all the holy general counsels that ever have been of Christ's church: For the execution of which/ your ungracious heresy/ ye with other detestable heretics/ burned up the holy Cannons with open derision and rude uplandish people by you incensed/ have risen in plumps against their governors/ to their own destruction and your shame.  
¶ How can ye for shame say that ye build upon your faith the crucifying of the body of sin/ when ye build upon your deed faith/ the negligence of prayers/ the vilypensyon of holidays/ the contempt of fasting days/ and finally all thing in effect/ which christian men by the commandment of Christ/ and ordinance of his holy church/ crucify the body of sin by.  
¶ Also how can ye say that ye teach and exhort men to crucify the body of sin/ when ye teach that sinful heresy/ that man hath no power nor liberty in his will to do any good with all: For who shall study to do any good or care what evil he doth/ that were once thoroughly persuaded in him self/ that he neither can any good thing do by himself/ nor working with gods grace any thing to do toward it/ nor that in any evil work his own will doth any thing at all but the necessity of god's will worketh all together/ which he can neither let nor further. This heresy/ the very worst that ever was/ and most highly touching the justice of god/ seemeth to be the very rote/ whereof all other mischievous demeanour & outrage of your ungracious faction springeth/ whose boldness and temeryte ye arm with the excuse of god's ordinance/ and inevitable necessity/ and thus you would approve your false opinions/ setting forth & preaching some certain places of scripture obscurely written/ extorted by you for your purpose/ some clear against you which ye nevertheless without shame contend that they make for you/ wherefore I marvel greatly (if you had either wit or shame) that you durst have that boldness to affirm that abominable and unreasonable heresy against the doctrine of so many good men/ of so many wisemen/ of so many cunning men/ of so many holy men against the hole consent & agreement/ not only of Christ's holy church/ fro the beginning thereof to this day/ but also/ against all common reason of all the hole world/ fro the first creation of the world hitherto (saving that of late Wicclyffe began it afore you) and against innumerable places of holy scripture/ manifestly showing the contrary to your opinion/ whereunto ye can set no colour of which sith they be so rife & thick in every part of scripture/ in vain were it here to bring you many/ therefore one or two shall suffice for a sample. For what can be more open than these plain words 
Proposui vobis vitam et mortem/ benedictionem et maledictionem elige ergo vitam ut & tu vivas et semen tuum.  / I have set before you life and death/ good blessing & malediction/ chose therefore life that thou mayst live/ & thy progeny also: what election is there I pray you where liberty lacketh? how standeth choice with necessity? In likewise/ where it is openly said unto man/ by god putting both good and bad punishment/ and reward in choice of man's fire will/ saying thus: 
Apposui tibi aquam et ignem ad quod volveris porrige manum tuam.  I have set before thee/ fire and water/ to whether thou wilt put forth thine hand and in likewise this: 
Ante hoinem vita & mors ꝙ placuent ei dabitur illi.  Before man I have put both life and death/ wherther shall please him shall be given him. What meaneth here his will & putting forth his hand/ if he have no liberty of choice? Whereto bad saint Iohn that the jews should do penance? Whereto bad Christ the adulteress that she should sin no more? Whereto commanded he all men to keep his commandments/ if men could neither of themself perform them/ nor with his aid and help do any thing toward them? When god told them/ that good and bad was put in their choice/ did god tell them a true tale or a false? if ye say that he said not true/ than take ye credence from all his promises by faith/ which only credence ye say/ sufficeth to salvation. And on the other side/ if it were true/ than must ye be needs untrue that teach the contrary/ so that in this matter I see none other question/ but whether we shall believe Christ or you/ except ye will say (as I see nothing so far out of reason/ but ye be ready to say it) that god spoke it in sport/ but neither is that the grave and earnest manner of his majesty/ and in this thing also he spoke marvelous earnestly/ and showed them their free liberty/ as the very cause of their just punishment/ if they broke his behest/ declaring and testifying his rightwise justice/ to the end that no man should of his goodness conceive so pestilent opinion/ as to think the thing that ye now preach/ which is/ that his clemence hath that tyrannous nature to punish any man without desert/ as it were only for a cruel pleasure. And therefore/ when ye be so far fallen in to the pit of pestilent heresies/ that ye can find in your heart to conceive that detestable opinion of god/ which no good man can find in his heart to think of an other/ there needeth none other proof to declare what ruinous building ye rear upon the false foundation of your unfaithful faith.  
¶ Nor I touch not these heresies of yours for any purpose/ to dispute upon them: For I both know them for such as against every one of them were matter enough/ not for a long letter/ but for many long books: and also/ for such as be so plainly and so fully dampened/ reproved/ and rejected already/ and upon the bare hearing in every good man's ears so damnable in themself/ that they need not to be now disputed upon/ nor should be disputable or doubtful/ and moche less credible/ although (as saint Paul saith) An angel would come from heaven and preach them/ being so contrary to the gospel and faith/ that Christ hath taught his church/ from the beginning hitherto. Nor if they were as doubtful and disputable for you/ as they be undoubtedly clear against you/ yet am I long sins at appoint / no more to vouchsafe to dispute any man with you/ sith I have had so good experience of you/ how clean ye set all reason aside/ and fall all to railing: For which I have determined (which I shall surely keep) as for any dispytions/ to leave you to your lewdness/ albeit other folk me think have as well of other places/ as of our own realm answered you/ & somewhat handled you/ as ye be worthy/ after your own fashion/ saving that they among plain words/ tell you reason/ where ye used only railing and as yet/ ye answer none of them one word/ against whom ye would not so long have hold your peace/ were it not that ye perceive yourself so plainly concluded/ that ye could not write against them again for shame: but and if ye hap hereafter to wax shameless again for anger/ some of them I think/ will not miss yet eftsoons/ Luther/ ones to show you your self again: But as for m●/ neither purpose I to write any more to you/ nor at this time would not/ ne were it that I perceive by your letter/ your fraudulent purpose/ by which ye would abuse the world/ as though ye knew me for turned to your sect: wherein I would have given you short answer without any touch of your heresies in specialte/ had ye not be so shameless to write that ye teach no thing else/ but that men must be saved in the faith of Christ/ with charity builded thereupon/ and obedience and crucifying of the body of sin/ which your shanefull and shameless lying/ hath driven me so to show & specify one or two of your open heresies/ that every man may perceive how far they be of another kind than the faith of our salvation or charity/ or obedience/ or crucifying of the body of sin/ which ye say be the only things that ye teach/ and yet have I nothing touched/ the great high hope of all your other heinous heresies/ which yet more plainly declare and prove your shameless untruth/ in writing/ that ye teach nothing else/ but the faith of our salvation/ charity/ obedience/ and crucifying of the body of sin: For when ye so plainly write against the sacraments of Christ's church/ when ye dam chastity in priests/ deny all holy orders/ join breed with the body of Christ/ take from all men the benefit of the mass/ rail against the holy Canon of the same: when ye make women confessors and ministers of all sacraments/ and make them consecrate the body of Christ: When ye teach so little difference between our blessed lady and your lewd Leman: When ye blaspheme Christ's holy cross: When ye teach that there is no purgatory/ but that all souls shall sleep till the day of doom/ that sinners may be hold for so long/ with a thousand shameful heresics beside/ Are ye not now a shamed/ to say that ye teach nothing else/ but that man must be saved by the faith of jesus Christ? When ye go about in deed to destroy the faith of jesus Christ/ who if he had come to teach such ways as ye teach/ he had not comen to call the world fro bad to good/ nor had been a teacher of virtue/ as he was in deed/ but a very patron of sin/ whereof the contrary/ he did well show in suffering the punishment of the cross for the only redemption and remission of our sins. How might ye for shame (if there were any in you) writ unto me such things/ knowing that I not only have reed these things in your books/ but have over that manifestly to your open shame & rebuke/ convicted you in many parts of the same/ as substantial well learned men do judge.  
¶ All which notwithstanding/ it is wonder to see/ with what boldness ye desire to be herd/ and (as though ye had never been herd hitherto) show yourself much to marvel why ye should be condemned/ neither being herd nor convicted. Have ye not been heard face to face before the pope's Legate in Almaigne? Have ye not been herd in open dispytions in Saxony? have ye not been overmuch heard/ by your erroneous and blasphemous books over largely spread/ through the world? & yet ye allege yourself not to be herd/ but condemned without conviction: ye may be safe enough from all condemnation/ if there be first requisite such a conviction/ as yourself will confess for a conviction: but of troth/ ye have been convicted oft enough by sundry cunning men (and as wise and well learned men reckon) by my writing also/ which was confirmed by the approbation of the see apostolic/ the which thing though your pride will not perceive/ yet your dealing doth confess/ sith ye never hitherto could ne did answer thereunto/ by any substantial reason/ but only by lewd railing.  
¶ If myself knew not the matters whereof ye be condemned/ yet could I no thing doubt/ but ye were justly condemned/ seeing that ye were condemned by our holy father the pope and the holy college of cardinal's: whose justice and indifference/ there will no wise man any thing mistrust/ for the lewd railing of a simple frere/ angry with his own just condemnation/ and namely such as ye be/ whom no reason can satisfy/ none authority can move/ nor believe no man but your own wit/ whom only ye believe in all things/ contrary to the wise man's counsel/ which saith: 
R●●● sapiens esse apud semetipsum.  Stand not to well in your own conceit: And he saith also/ that there is moche more hope of a fool than of one that taketh himself for so wise. 
Uidisti hoinem sapientem sibi videri: magis illo spem habebit insipiens  When ye were also condemned by divers unyversitees/ & among other/ by the famous university of Paris: why should I mistrust your condemnation: and though I had myself (as I said) nothing known of your matter/ namely sith yourself condescended to stand and obey to the judgement of Paris/ but perceiving your errors so manifest/ that ye could have none hope in the judgement of any man/ good and cunning/ At your personal being at Wormace/ where ye were by the emperors majesty condemned in plain parliament/ ye were/ ye said/ content to dispute/ but ye refused utterly upon your dispytions/ to stand to any man's judgement. Now when I see that ye order yourself in this wise/ neither stand to the judges that ye condescend upon/ nor to the judgement of the Emperor/ with such number of cunning men as he hath and than had about him: nor to the judgement of the Pope/ and the church of Rome/ but furiously appeal from the Pope to the next general counsel/ and that with a sta●●yng hole/ farther adding/ such as should next be congregate in the Holy ghost: And yet after that/ openly detract & deny the power of all general counsels/ whereby well appeared/ that in conclusion/ ye would stand to none at all: how could I than (as I said) mistrust your condemnation: All this your order considered/ albeit I had nothing else heard and understanden of your matter: but no we knowing your matters myself/ and well perceiving them/ for such as they be/ plain and evident heresies/ of such sort/ as I have rehearsed you some/ as ye say ye marvel that ye can not be herd: so I much marvel more that you can so say/ and that any man is in those opinions content to give you any hearing at all/ as though they should now doubt/ whether those things be true or not: which as articles of our faith/ all Christ's church believeth/ and hath continually believed this fifteen hundred years before/ as appeareth by the doctrine of Christ and his blessed Appostels/ with many other holy doctors and saints/ writing in sundry times consonant in one faith/ fro Christ's days unto yours/ of which holy saints/ & interpreters of the scripture of god/ sith ye contemn their writings/ I see not by what reason ye can desire that we should believe yours/ or what fruit could come of your writings/ so clean contrary to the fruitful writing of theirs: And therefore where ye say there were great hope of no little fruit to the gospel/ and glory of god/ if ye might have leave and liberty/ to write unto me thereof: surely/ than had ye need to write clean the contrary/ of such things as ye have written already/ and seem likely to write by your letter/ for by that ye have hitherto written/ the gospel of Christ hath take no fruit/ but by the pestilent blast of your venomous mouth/ hath had much goodly fruit utterly spilled and rotten/ and many a fair blossom perished/ that would have been sweet fruit/ if such a catterpyller had not devoured them.  
¶ Now where as ye rail of the faults of the court of Rome/ and the clergy/ I purpose not with a man of your authority to dispute moche there upon/ but how soever they be/ ye show yourself what ye be: and sith ye reckon yourself so great a gospeler/ it were well done/ that ye learned of the gospel/ to pull the beam out of your own eye/ ere ye spy a festue in another man's/ and that ye consider by them that of rancour and malice rebuked david/ what end they commonly came unto/ that rail upon their sovereigns: And that/ albeit ye should see the church some what serve/ that ye be not yet so bold and malapert/ presumptuously to take upon you to set your crooked hands to the righting thereof/ lest god so teach you courtesy/ as he taught him that set hand to the arch of god when it was swerved: How be it undoubtedly though ye list to rail upon the court of Rome/ yet it well appeareth upon your doctrine/ and your living that ye worst like in the church/ what so ever is best: for sith unthrifts and apostates/ that run out of religion and fall to fleshly delight/ be welcome to you/ and good religious folk be daily by your means expelled out of their places/ in which they were determined in chastity/ prayer/ and fasting/ to bestow their lives in god's service: & now those holy houses partly pulled down/ partly good & virtuous virgins put out/ left unto lechers/ and polluted with apostates/ under the name of marriage living in lechery: This dealing well declareth/ that ye hate no man for his vice/ but that ye rather hate than that be good and virtuous/ because they be contrary to your ways: & surely the great cause why ye murmur against the church of Rome is/ because ye see and were wood therewith/ that it hath condemned your heresies/ so that it may with reason answer you with holy scripture/ which saith: 
Non contra nos est murmur vestrum sed contra dominum.  your murmur is not against us but against our lord: And than shall it look up to Christ in heaven/ whose place it representeth in earth/ and shall against your heinous presumption graciously be herd/ saying: 
Presumentes de se et de sua virtute gloriantes humilias.  they that presume upon themself/ and glory in their own strength/ thou dost abate good lord: & surely there was never man borne (I trow) that set so moche by himself/ that had so little cause: but and ye were so wise in deed as ye stand well in your own conceit/ ye would not murmur against your amendment/ for as the wise man saith: 
Uir prudens et disciplinatus non murmurabit correptus  A discrete man & well taught will not murmur/ when his faults be showed him. I fear ye shall find it so/ that weening yourself so wise/ it will fall by you/ as saint Paul saith/ by the paynim philosophers 
Euanuerunt in cogitationibus suis obscuratum est insipiens cor eorum: dicentes se esse sapientes stulti facti sunt.  / They have done vainly in their inventions/ their foolish hearts were blinded/ calling themself wise men/ they were made fools. So ye rise high in your own heart/ and with great boast reckon yourself very rich of friends/ and namely of great princes/ that (as ye say) take your part in almain: but I ween ye shall find to prove true upon you these words of the Apocalypse/ which saith to the rich man these words: 
Tu dicis quia dives sum et locupletatus et nullius egeo et nescis quia miser es et miserabilis et pauper et cecus et nudus.  thou affyrmest to thyself/ I am rich and of great substance/ and have no need of nothing/ & yet thou knowest not that thou art a wretch/ and miserable and poor/ blind and naked: I think ere it be long/ our lord will of his high goodness provide/ that with such ways as ye take/ your unwise pride will in such wise abate/ that ye shall find yourself as poor and bare of all friends/ as ye be of grace and goodness/ and it beginneth already/ if ye have the wit to perceive it: For where ye boast of princes taking your part/ we here of none such; but have good experience that rude boistous people/ seduced with your sect/ have comen to great mischief/ by the valiant acquitayle of good and catholic princes in Almaigne/ that resisted your malicious faction there/ to their high merit of god/ honour of this world/ laud & praise of all good christian men: And where ye say/ it is no marvel though the Emperor and some other princes pursue you/ and that it were marvel if any prince or people were on your part/ rehersing the words of David: 
Gentes fremuerunt et populi meditati sunt inania astiterunt reges et principes conuenerunt in unum adversꝰ dnm et adversus Christum eius.  the gentiles have been angry/ and the people have devised in vain/ things have assembled/ and princes have gathered together against our lord/ and against his anointed Christ▪ These words make moche against you/ if ye say truth/ that the princes and people of Almaigne take your part/ as you in your letter do affirm for certain is it/ that your doing is in deed against Christ/ wherefore take your part against him who so will 
Qui habitat in celis irridebit eos et dominus subsannabit eos.  / he that dwelleth in the heavens shall laugh them to scorn/ and our lord mock them/ as he hath all ready proved/ by three or fourscore thousand of your faction/ which by his high punishment/ are/ & hath been slain.  
¶ Now where as ye so holily wish/ that god should in me so work with your words/ that I might (as it were by miracle) be converted/ and favour the gospel: Verily/ I profess myself to favour the gospel/ and that mind I pray god/ not only to continue/ but also daily to increase: but for as much as I well know/ that ye nothing else mean/ by the favour of the gospel/ but the favour of your own sect/ and would have your pestilent heresies taken for Christ's gospel: And sith I well wot also/ that our lord will himself work no miracles/ against the faith of his own son: Therefore/ ere the devil should work any such wonder in me/ that I should (under the cloak of Christ's gospel) favour Luther's heresies/ I would first wish/ that ye Luther and all yours/ were there where (except ye mend) ye & they be worthy.  
¶ Now as touching your worshipful gentle offer/ that ye would/ if I were so content/ make and put out another book/ to my praise & honour/ with revoking of such words/ as ye have written to the contrary/ All this labour I gladly remit you/ nor I desire none of your books/ to be written to my praise/ but would that ye should revoke your heresies/ and confess your errors/ & thereby give praise and glory/ to almighty god: For if ye persever in your heresies and lewd living/ ye can not more highly praise me/ than in dispraising: nor more highly dispraise me/ than in praising/ if it be true that Seneck saith: 
Tan turpe tibi sit laudari a turpibus: quamsi lauderis ob turpia.  It is as great a shame to be praised of naughty folks/ as to be praised for naughtiness. And therefore/ where as ye in divers parts of your letter write yourself sore ashamed of your book/ that ye put out against me/ laying the fault thereof/ to the evil instigation of other men/ humbly beseeching me of forgiveness prosterning yourself to my feet/ trusting that sith I am a man mortal/ I would not bear immortal enmity: Surely Luther/ albeit ye have taken yourself alway for so great a man/ in your own conceit/ that ye have in writing/ openly professed yourself/ that ye were & ever would be/ both quick and deed/ a perpetual enemy to the Pope (to whose highness I well know/ how far the estate of a king is inferior) yet never made I/ so great account of you/ that ever I would vouchsafe/ to reckon myself for your enemy: all beit I am to your heresies/ as great an enemy/ as any man. Nor all that ever ye wrote against me/ never moved me so sore: but that moche less/ submission on your part/ should content me/ than ye now offer/ if it were offered syncerley: But sith I perceive all your humble offres proudly powdered/ with the mainteynaunce of your former heresies: I am not Luther so blind/ but that I well perceive/ to what end intendeth your (not very well nor wisely cloaked) wiliness: by which (albeit that by the way ye sometime use yourself for lack of wit right contumelyously) yet labour ye with blandishing and flattery/ to get and obtain leave of us: that ye might under the pretext of treating the gospel/ with our good will and favour/ write hither to us boldly/ in the defence and/ fortifying of your abominable errors & heresies/ at your liberty: but if the nobles of Almaigne had (as would god they had) aswell foreseen your ways in time/ as I do/ ye should not there/ under the name of evangelical liberty/ have brought in to the country so moche destruction and mischief/ as ye have. Wherefore/ as ye feignedly beseech me/ by the virtue of Christ's cross (to which cross what reverence ye bear/ your unreverent treating and vile writing thereof/ openly declareth) that I would pardon your offences toward me/ so I Luther/ unfeignedly with a very christian heart/ advise and counsel you/ that ye prosterne yourself/ not at my feet/ but at gods/ and with his grace (which is ever at hand/ for them that willingly will not refuse it) ye do endeavour yourself to apply the freedom of your will (which ye now sinfully deny) to the calling for entry and increase of grace. And thereupon/ that ye so labour and enforce yourself to work with all/ that ye may first putting from you/ and sending in to some Monastery/ that silly wretched woman/ sometime the spouse of Christ: Whom ye to your both damnation/ abuse in sinful lechery/ under the pretext of lawful matrimony: than by all the days of your life/ to mourn/ bewail/ and lament/ the manifold heresies that ye have fallen in: the Innumerable heap of harms/ that your evil doctrine hath done/ the piteous destruction of all those bodies/ whom your evil incitation hath caused to be slain. And yet above all/ the most sorrowful loss and destruction/ of the infinite number of those silly soul's/ which your unhappy teaching hath sent in to damnation: And would our lord ye had such grace and ghostly strength/ that no fear of death/ could refrain you in the recompense of your old false errors/ but that willingly/ ye would press forth/ and preach now openly the truth/ accusing and condempnyng all your old heresies/ written in time passed/ and yet remaining in your heart/ to the furtherance of your duty/ and augmentation of Christ's very faith. Howe beit/ if the lack of grace/ and the infirmity of your flesh/ can not sustain that/ whereby ye dare not for dread of death/ revoke your errors presently among them/ where ye have sown them: yet/ disdain not to follow saint Peter himself/ though ye contemn his successors: Wherefore/ if ye dare not confess the truth but deny and forhis were Christ within/ gete you out at the least ways from them/ whom yourself have corrupted unlike saint Peter/ in that point: and bitterly weep for your sin/ with drawing yourself somewhere far of/ in to some religious place/ & there take recourse to the fountain of grace & remission/ our Saviour Christ: and there do penance for your sin/ where ye may revoke/ and in writing call again your old errors and heresies/ for the health and safeguard of your soul/ without any peril of your body: there/ with revoking and lamenting your former errors and evil lyvenge/ with the meek and humble hoop of gods great mercy/ with the gesture/ words/ and heart of the publican/ labour to procure by the good continuance of fruitful penance/ remission and forgiveness of your forepassed offences: of which your amendment and other by your means/ I would be as glad to here/ as I have been sorry to see you/ & by you so many more/ piteously spilt and lost.  
¶ Finis.   

¶ Imprinted at London in Fleetstreet by richard Pynson/ printer to the kings most noble grace.   

¶ Cum privilegio/ a rege in dulto.  
 printer's or publisher's device of Richard Pynson