THE Recantation made at Paul's Cross, by William Tedder Seminary Priest, the first of December, Anno. 1588. PSALM. 118. Impulsus eversus sum ut caderem, et Dominus suscepit me. I was sore shaken that I was like to fall, but the Lord hath upholden me. whereunto is adjoined: The recantation or abjuration of Anthony Tyrell, (sometime Priest of the English College in Rome,) pronounced by himself at Paul's Cross the next Sunday following, in the same year. Seen and allowed according to the order appointed. AT LONDON, Printed by john Charlewoode, and William Brome. Anno. Dom. 1588. ❧ To the Christian Reader. BEfore you come to the reading of this my recantation, I thought good to advertise you, first of the cause that moaned me to publish it in print, which is the satisfaction of all my Countrymen. First, of them that were present at the pronouncing of the same, for though they did hear me speak in that place where I did utter it, yet heard they not all that here is set down, for the shortness of time caused me to omit that which I did. Secondly, I have added something more than was in that copy: such are most of the authorities noted in the margin, out of the Scriptures, and certain verses, which here I have put down. thirdly, I thought it not sufficient to have pronounced it in one place: I know it had been sufficient for the assembly there present: But, my desire is, that all her majesties Subjects wheresoever, though they heard me not, should have if it please them, a copy of my Recantation in their hands. First to peruse for their satisfaction. Secondly to praise God for mine effectual conversion. I am now to entreat the Christian Reader, not to consider so much the style wherein I have written it, as the affection wherewith I did write it: and when you have seen the same, I beseech you to pray God to continue me in that good work, which his majesty hath begun very graciously in me. Your hearty well-willer William Tedder. ¶ The Recantation of William Tedder Seminary Priest, pronounced by himself at Paul's Cross, the first of December. Anno. 1588. ALthough even from my childhood in a manner, I have been nuzzled up in the faith or rather error of the Church of Rome, (both my Parents being vehemently addicted to the same) Yet my fault was so much the greater, because I did not only obstinately, but also in a manner desperately persist in that Synagogue against mine own conscience. For I was always distracted in mind with doubts of the greatest points of that Religion. As of the Pope his authority. The doctrine of transubstantiation. The presumption of free-will. The fancy of purgatory. The derogatory sacrifice of the Mass, and such like. In the which opinions I waded so far, that if the help of the Lord GOD had not been at hand, it had been to mine utter ruin and ●●●●asion. But seeing it hath pleased God to call me back again, I will say as David said: Psal. 94. If the Lord had not helped me, it had not failed but my soul had been put to silence. Again, I was in greater fault, for though I thought they could prove these Articles by authority of Counsels and Fathers, and as they bear men in hand by good reasons, yet could I find not so much as the ground of one word for them in the holy Scriptures. And thus being overwhelmed with so great waters, Psal. 69. I was constrained to say with the Prophet: I stick fast in the deep mire where no ground is, I am come into deep waters so that the floods run over me. Three causes there were which kept me so long in mine obstinacy and errors, which being compared with the cause of my returning again, are of no force at all, because they were foolish and of men: the other, was only of God, whose thoughts are not as the thoughts of men. The first of these causes which turned me so far from the way, was the great delight that I had in the study of Natural Philosophy. And in this point I was persuaded, that I should more profit in the parts beyond the Seas, than here at home in mine own native Country, and therefore, partly by the instigation of my Father, and partly for the desire that I had to see foreign Countries, and most of all for the love that I bore unto the study of Philosophy, I repaired unto the Countries beyond the Seas, little considering the dangers that might ensue thereof, as the displeasure of God, the displeasure of my gracious Prince, and the offence of all my Countrymen. The second cause, was the fear of worldly shame and temporal discredit, for I feared that then, which I find now to be true: which is, that they which were once my friends, would become my mortal enemies, which by experience I know. I did not consider then, or else I cared not for that sentence of our Saviour: Luk. 12. Every one that confesseth me before men, the son of man shall confess him before the Angels of God. And he that denieth me before men, he also shallbe denied before the Angels of God. This was the cause that made me to take a preposterous way, turning all things to mine own credit, when I should have turned them to the glory of almighty God, Matt. 6, for our Saviour saith: First seek the kingdom of God and the righteousness of the same, and all other things shallbe given unto you. Thus thinking to get credit by mine obstinacy, I did lose the favour of God, the love of my Sovereign the Queens most excellent Majesty, and the good will of all true subjects, which I hope to recover again, by this my free Recantation, and my further conversation from henceforth in my Country. The third cause, was the tickling of vain glory, and this cause I am sure doth detain most of the contrary side in their perverse obstinacy, howsoever they brag that they seek nothing by their dealings but the glory of God. For, I was not moved a little to submit myself to her majesties mercy, and to embrace the knowledge of the true faith, seeing the wicked counsel and devilish devices of the Pope and his Children, against the queens most excellent Majesty, and our most dear Country. Which councils I thought they would never have put in execution. But when I saw that great practice come to pass, I mean the invasion of this Land, God so moving me (as hereafter I will manifest) I thought utterly to forsake them, although covertly for vain glories sake I continued a while amongst them. I thought it then a goodly thing, and worthy of commendation for me, to defend an evil cause by probable reasons. Yet I knew it was an hard thing for Anaxagoras to prove that Snow was black, or ink white, 1. Cor. 1. and for me to prove light to be darkness, or darkness to be light. For it is written, I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and cast away the understanding of the prudent. But now, seeing it hath pleased almighty God, to call me to the knowledge of his truth, 2. Cor. 11 in detestation of this vain glory, I will say with the Apostle: Si gloriari oportet, quae infirmitatis meae sunt gloriabor, that is, If I must needs boast, I will boast in mine infirmity. 2. Cor. 12 And again, Libenter gloriabor in infirmitatibus meis, ut inhabitet in me virtus Christi: that is, I will gladly boast in mine infirmities, that the power of Christ may dwell within me. Thus have I briefly declared the causes which drove me out of the way, and caused me to delight in vanities, and follow lies so long, Psal. 4. that if God's grace had not been, I had been clean cast away. But, now I say again, Impulsus eversus sum ut caderem et dominus suscepit me, Psal. 118 I was sore shaken that I was like to fall, but the Lord hath upholden me. But here you will ask me the cause of so sudden a change: I answer, that I know no other but the grace of almighty GOD, the which worketh when and as it pleaseth him. This grace have I often refused for the causes before alleged: me thought I heard him say unto me daily, Ecce sto ad ostium et pulso, Apo. 3. Behold I stand knocking at thy doors. Yet was I not ashamed to thrust him out, and to let in his adversary the devil. I heard him cry within me, Cant. 5. Aperi mihi soror mea, amica mea, Columba mea, immaculata mea, caput meam plenum est roar, et cincinni mei guttis noctium: Open unto me my sister, my friend, my Dove, my unspotted, my head is full of dew, and my locks with the drops of the night. I heard him give me these loving titles, but I refused him & gave him this answer: Ibidem. Expoliavi me tunica mea, quomodo induar illa? Lavi pedes meos quomodo coinquinabo illos? I have put off my coat, how shall I put it on again? I have washed my feet, how shall I defile them again? Thus continued I, until he by his grace so sweetly and forcibly prevented me, that whether I would or not, at length he compelled my rebellious will to obey. So that I which once did so little account of the true and ancient faith, that I counted it for an heresy: now I see evidently, that without the same there is no way to salvation. Therefore, if ever you pitied any man's case, I beseech you have compassion upon mine, considering that it is a thing incident to man's nature to err and to sin, but to continue and persist in it, is the part of the devil. I freely do confess & acknowledge that I have sinned against God, my Prince, Gen. 6. and my Country, as a man whose nature is prone, & the thoughts of whose heart is always bend to mischief, I persisted in mine errors a long time, as one that followed the suggestions of the Serpent, rather than the inspirations of the spirit of God. But by his motion, I am returned again to the sheepfold of Christ. Wherefore I request you all, for the tender mercies of God, that you would receive me that return again, following the steps of our Saviour: Luk. 15 who disdained not to receive Publicans and sinners: who left 99 sheep in the wilderness and went to seek one that was lost. I have been like the prodigal Son, which loosely and wantonly spent his portion in riot & lust, and was compelled to eat such meat as the Hogs did. All this have I done, I have spent that Talon which God gave me, in maintaining the harlot of Babylon, in upholding the chair of pestilence, I mean the Church of Rome, I have fed myself with the swill and dregs of men's inventions and traditions, forsaking the fountain and food of God's word. All this I have done: but at the last being by hunger compelled, I cried out with that prodigal child, saying: Pater peccavi in caelum et coram te, Luk. 15 iam non sum dignus vocari filius tuus: Father I have sinned against heaven and before thee, I am not worthy to be called any more thy Son. This confession moved his Father to compassion, who lovingly embraced him, received him willingly, and cherished him tenderly. So I desire you not to refuse me, though I come late home, receive me again, and have compassion. For our Saviour Christ saith, Matt. 5. Beati misericordes quoniam ipsi misericordiam consequentur, Blessed are the merciful for they shall obtain mercy. And truly to have compassion is a thing wherein a man doth follow the example of almighty GOD, for Christ himself doth say, Luke. 6 Estote misericordes sicut pater vester misericors est, Be you merciful as your Father is merciful. Receive me I beseech you which was a fugitive, as one that repenteth, as one that desireth rather to be an abject in God's house, Psal. 84. then to dwell in the Tabernacles of sinners. His name therefore who hath so mercifully called me, be blessed for evermore. But now I will come to the purpose, that is, to recant and renounce such errors, as heretofore I have maintained, desiring God, that as it hath pleased his heavenly goodness to give me the grace to forsake them, so it would also please him, to give me the gift of perseverance to continue, that I may no more fall into them again. You know it is the nature of the Serpent, to keep his head whole though he put his body in danger for the defence of the same: but, if a man once bruise his head, he can no longer endure against him but he must of necessity die. And I can no better compare the huge and wieldy mass of Papistry to any thing, then unto a Serpent, therefore in renouncing of it I will begin with the head. The first Article of the Pope. The Papists do think, and I did think the same, that the Pope was Christ his Vicar, and supreme head of the universal Church here upon the earth militant. This Article being mightily upholden, and stoutly defended, they think none other of their Bulwarks can be shaken. They think also that he hath such a prerogative, that he cannot err, whereof riseth this presumption in deposing of Princes, degradation of Bishops, excommunication of all sorts of people without respect, and of most light occasion. Hereof he presumeth to prescribe Laws to the whole Church, the which forsooth without his dispensation must be inviolable, Sub pena excommunicationis. And whosoever doth break them, if it be Emperor, King, Queen, or what Prince soever, he must be deposed, such wickedness hath he practised against the queens most excellent Majesty, to his utter shame and confusion, that the Proverb may be fulfilled, God sendeth a shrewd Cow short horns. But his holiness, if it please you, is not contented with this: he challengeth to himself so great a prerogative, that he will make and deface Articles of the Faith at his own will and pleasure. Gratian. Quia Dominus Deus noster Papa. Hereof it ariseth, that in that Synagogue, scarce any of the Say people can tell what they believe: for being asked a reason of their faith, they say nothing else, but thus believeth the Church, thus saith the Pope. Whereas in deed, the reason of our Faith should be taken from the word of God, for as the Psalmist saith: Omnis homo mendax, Psal. 116 Every man is a liar. And therefore it shall suffice me that the Pope is a man, and consequently a liar, and may not only err, but also hath already erred, which if I desired not to be brief I would prove, unless by this his supreme usurped authority he be deified or made a God, which thing to confess is not only impudency but also intolerable blasphemy. I therefore do here utterly detest, abjure, and renounce him, with all his excommunications, interdictions, suspentions, degradations, depositions, irregularities, and a thousand such like trifling thunderbolts. I pronounce also his doctrine, not to be according to the holy Scripture, but contrary unto it, and therefore I do freely and joyfully recant it, thanking GOD that it hath pleased his divine Majesty to deliver me from the slavery of that Tyrant, desiring him also that I may not fall into his subjection again. 2 Of the Mass. Next unto this is their blasphemous doctrine of their Propitiatory sacrifice, which they call the sacrifice of the Mass. This Mass I once did devoutly think upon, heard with great attention, and with great reverence I did celebrate, only because I thought it was indeed a sacrifice, propitiatory both for the living and the dead: when as the Scripture plainly testifieth, 1. Pet. 4. that Christus semel pro peccatis nostris mortuus est, justus pro iniustis, ut nos offerret Deo, mortificatos quidem carne, vivificatos autem spiritu. Christ once died for our sins, the just for them that were unjust, that he might offer us up to God, mortified in flesh, but quickened in spirit. Hitherto also doth all the Epistle to the Hebrews tend. It was also commanded the High Priest in the old Law, that he should enter into Sancta Sanctorum but once in the year, which similitude the Apostle, in the same Epistle, applieth unto the only sacrifice which Christ offered for our sins upon the Cross. The which because he hath once done, I think it unlawful to have any more propitiatory Sacrifices then that one of our Saviour Christ. And therefore that which they call the propitiatory Sacrifice of the Mass, I think it rather to be a derogatory blasphemy to the passion of jesus Christ. And for that cause I deny that either it is a Sacrifice, or available for the living, much less for the dead. I do also from henceforth utterly denounce it to be wicked, and an Idol. Transubstantiation, 3 Of transubstantiation, and real presence. a term invented in the Lateran Counsel, under Pope Innocentius the third of that name, to establish an other error as gross as itself, that is to say: The Real presence of Christ his body in the Sacrament (as they call it) of the Altar: is contrary not only to Faith, but also to natural reason. For the holy Scripture teacheth us, that Christ is ascended into heaven, Mar. 16. & sitteth at the right hand of God. And also that it was thought convenient that heaven should contain him, not according to his divinity, which is incomprehensible, Act. 3. but according to his human nature which is circumscriptible, or to be contained in one place, for he took not only the body of man upon him, but also the passions of a natural body, and therefore hath his proper place. But if they will needs have him present in many places at once, they must also deny that he hath a body, and consent to the Eutychian heresey, and say there was a commistion of the divine and humane nature, which Athanasius in his Creed denieth, Athanasius in Symbolo. saying: Neque commistionem passus, neque divisionem, neither suffering mixture nor division. Yet of this matter was I never so fully persuaded, but that still I had some doubt of it. And now I renounce it, craving pardon of God, for defending that which I always doubted of. The number of the Sacraments in the Church, 4 Number of Sacraments. I acknowledge is no more than two, that is to wit, Baptism, and the Lords Supper, and these two I find to be instituted by Christ himself in the holy Gospel. The other five which they add, which are, Confirmation, Penance, Extreme unction, Order, and Matrimony: Because I know not where to find them, neither by the institution of Christ, nor in the Gospel or New Testament, I count them not for Sacraments: for I think none to have authority to make Sacraments but God only, and therefore those two I think to be Sacraments and none other. 5 Prayer to Saints. They make a great striving and struggling to maintain Prayer, and invocation to the Saints departed, thinking the mediation of our Lord and Advocate jesus Christ insufficient for us: This invocation, I did think being in that Synagogue, to be a necessary and a convenient thing, although for the same I could find no ground in the word of God. Yet one thing in the same, being as I thought then an abuse, I knew not how to excuse: and that was the invocation of divers Saints for divers purposes. As, one against the plague, as S. Sebastian. An other against the tootheake, as S. Appolonia. Another against the falling sickness, as S. Christopher, and divers other. As though almighty God could not hear us but by the help of these Saints. And thus in calling upon them, we derogate from the glory of almighty God. But they say, they desire them but to pray for them, and ask no other grace at their hands. Then would I gladly know of them why they use these verses in their office of S. Peter ad vincula. Solve iubente deo terrarum Petre cathenas, Qui facis ut pateant caelestia regna beatis. In English thus, O Peter loose as God commands, from us the earthly chain, The which to blessed men dost make, the gate of heaven plain. ☞ And in a Hymn of the same. jam bone pastor Petre clemens accipe, Vota precantum et peccati vincula, Resolve tibi potestate tradita, Qua cunctis caelum verbo claudis aperis. In English thus. Now shepherd good, o Peter mild receive, The vows with prayer which we yield to thee: By that same power which God to thee did give, Which makest the skies be shut, and wide to be. One thing I marvel at, that as yet the adversaries being in controversy, whether the Saints do see God or not, and yet granting that Saints cannot hear the prayers of the living but by the sight of God, why so obstinately they defend this point? And now, whereas before I counted it necessary & convenient, I count it vain, and superfluous, and take it for an error. Again, prayer for the dead, 6 Prayer for the dead is a point of great Religion amongst them: which Article they ground upon an other, no less absurd than itself, and that is Purgatory, which Purgatory I see not how they can defend by Scripture, though they seem contentiously to wrest certain places of the Scripture, from the true meaning of the same unto their own meaning, and all to defend this gross error of theirs. For they say that those souls that depart out of this life with any venial sin, or else with the Relics of mortal sin: must needs be purged after this life before they can come to Heaven. This is a gross error and is taken out of the Poet Virgil, for in that place where he bringeth Anchises, to instruct his Son Aeneas of their state in hell, he speaketh on this sort. Quin et supremo cum lumine vita reliquit Non tamen omne malum miseris, Aeneid. 6. nec funditus omnes Corporea excedunt pests, penitusque necesse est, Multa diu concreta modis violescere miris. Ergo excutentur paenis, veterumque malorum Supplina expendunt, aliae pautuntur inanes, Suspensae ad ventoes, aliis sab gurgite vasto Infectum eluitur scelks, aut exuritur igni, Quisque suos patimur manes, exinde per amplum Mittimur Elysium et pauci laeta arua tenemus. In English thus. And also when the pleasant life is gone with gladsome light, Yet every, mischief from those souls is not departed quite, Nor plague of body yet is gone, and so it needful is, That many things should them desteine which once have been amiss. Therefore they suffer punishment, & for offences past, They have their meed, of blustering winds, some feel the bitter blast And some in bottom of a gulf do wash their faults away, And some with flames of scorching fire, for passed sins do pay, Each one of us his pain doth feel, and then exempt from pain, We walk about these pleasant fields a very little train. This Article therefore with the rest, is superstitious, vain and ridiculous. 7. Works of Supererogation, Works of supererogation as they call them, are so vain and foolish, that I marvel that wisemen at any time will confess any such to be. For the holy Scripture saith, that when we have done all that we can, we must call ourselves unprofitable servants. Truly for my part, I know not why they should so bind God unto our works, that if we do them, he cannot choose but save us. For all that we can do cometh from God, and we are bound to follow, and accept of the good inspirations of him. But this word Supererogation, doth signify that the work which we do, is more than we are bound to do, which taketh away the grace of God as the Pelagean doth, and fortifieth our free-will so much, as though it had never been lost. But truly I think and believe our free-will to be so wounded, that not only it is not able to do more than we ought, but also it can not perform that which we ought to do. Let them of the adversary part contend and wrangle never so much to the contrary. The ground of this their ungrounded doctrine, Luk. 10. is taken out of the Parable of the Samaritane, which took compassion upon him, who descending from jerusalem to jericho, was wounded by thieves. For paying the Host of the house for his charges, he told him that whatsoever he laid out more than he had given him, at his return he would pay him again. Yet consider they not, that in that Parable our Saviour exhorteth us to mutual love & neighbourly charity, and that every man is bound to do good unto his neighbour in time of need. They deny that faith is sufficient to justify us in God's sight, without our own merits, 8 Good works. contrary to the doctrine of the Apostle in his Epistles to the Romans, and Galathians. For good works are indeed required at our hands, not as the cause, but as the effect of our justification. And for this cause works are required at our hands, to be a testimony of our Faith, and a cause that other men may give the glory unto God: for our Saviour saith, Math. 5. Sic luceat lux vestra coram hominibus, ut videant opera vestra bona et glorificent Patrem vestrum qui est in caelis. So let your light shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven. Then is it consequent, that our justification cometh no ways of ourselves, but only by faith in Christ jesus. After this followeth a most ridiculous doctrine, 9 Indulgences and pardons. of the Pope's Indulgences and pardons, wherein he doth most insolently arrogate to himself, the dispensations of Christ his passion, applying that to the forgiveness of sins, the form of which hath an arrogant kind of speech, as thus. If a man fast one Friday with bread and water, he shall have plenary indulgence, and if he fast so on another day, his pardon shallbe limited for certain years, as 10000 etc. or some such like, or else a pena et culpa. I always thought these trifles vain, but now I see the blasphemy of them. For it is scant possible to get these great Indulgences, but by wearing a pair of Beads, or a Grain, Medal, Crucifix, Picture, Agnus Dei, or such like trumpery. It would be too tedious to set down the manifold kinds of these. Indulgences, which all tend to one end, that is, to the lessening of the virtue of Christ his passion. 10 Images. Exo. 20. The second commandment plainly forbiddeth us to make or to have any graven Image, or the likeness of any thing to worship it. But the adversary excommunicateth them that deny the necessity of Images in Churches, as it is to be seen in divers of their Counsels. For say they, it is lawful, not only to retain them, but also to worship them. The which if it be not against the second commandment, let them look unto it, I for mine own part do see it, and am ashamed that ever I was so blockish, as to think a block or a stone to be necessary or godly, I thought it so once, but now I cannot be so persuaded. For he that hath any reason in him to discourse, or sense to perceive, cannot be so void of reason, or so senseless as to exhibit honour or reverence to a senclesse Image, when the same Image, if it had sense, would not only refuse that worship, but also would willingly fall down to worship or adore the workman that made it. 11 Communion in both kinds They hold and defend that the Say people may not receive the Communion under both kinds, which doctrine is repugnant to the institution of Christ. For he said unto them that were present with him at his last Supper, Take and eat, and drink ye all of this. For though the adversary say, that the Say people have not the privilege to receive the Cup, because the Apostles who only were present at that supper were Priests, and not Say men: it holdeth not, for by the same reason, a man may also bar the Say people from receiving of either kind, for the Apostles were Priests, and only present at the Supper, ergo it is unlawful for any to be partaker of that Supper but only Priests. And yet Christ himself in another place saith, joh. 6. Unless you eat my flesh and drink my blood, you shall have no life in you. And these words he spoke not only to the Apostles, but Turbis judeorum, to the company of the jews, and therefore I count their dealings injurious to the people, their doctrine blasphemous, & their proof to no purpose. Finally, all such Articles, 12 divers other Articles. which are repugnant to the word of God: I utterly refuse, as in special, the Service in an unknown tongue, the prohibition of the reading of Scriptures to the Say people, the forbidding of the translation of the same into a vulgar tongue, pilgrimages, Vows, and to conclude, all such Articles, as are contrary to the Articles of Religion, set down by public authority, I do utterly renounce and abjure: and on the other side, I do willingly, and without compulsion, and gladly with reverence, receive, embrace, and freely profess, the said Articles set forth by public authority, as doctrine without superstition, and most agreeable to the word of God. Thus have I generally recanted mine errors in matters of Religion, and now, will I accuse myself and my dealings, touching my disobedience towards my Sovereign the queens most excellent Majesty. I have most stubbornly and wilfully transgressed her majesties Laws. Knowing first the offence of going beyond the Seas, and yet caring not for that, I proceeded further, and willingly was priested at Rome. Thirdly, maliciously I came into my Country, with a will to seduce her Ma. Subjects from the true and sincere Religion, and make them subjects to that tyranny, unto the which I was myself subject. Then being banished, I returned again into my Country, with the same intent that I came in first, and for these great faults of mine I am most heartily sorry, and in the bowels of Gods infinite mercy, I desire all them, that any ways by my means have been deceived, & do now repent, to forgive me. Likewise those that have not as yet their hearts moved by my example, to forsake their errors, and amend their opinions. Thus first of all I ask forgiveness of almighty God, whom like a most ingrateful & wilful wretch, I have most grievously offended. First, in abusing his gifts, which of his fatherly goodness he had bestowed upon me. Secondly, in refusing and rejecting his holy inspirations. And lastly, by provoking others to offend by my example. And all this have I done, not like unto them, unto whom our Saviour promiseth a milder judgement in the latter day: but like unto them of whom S. Paul speaketh: Which when they knew God, Rom. 1. did not honour him as GOD was to be honoured, and therefore my damnation had been the greater if I had persisted. But seeing that it hath pleased him, which hath preserved me from my Mothers, womb to call me to his wonderful light, I desire you all that are here present, to give him thanks for the same: for there is more joy in heaven before the Angels of God, for the conversion of one sinner, Luk. 15. then for 99 just persons which need no repentance. Desiring also his divine Majesty, that he would not remember mine old wickedness and folly: Psal. 143 for if he would enter into judgement with his Servants, there should none be justified in his sight. But that he would think on the passion of our Saviour jesus Christ, by the which he hath most mercifully redeemed me, desiring him also, that it hath pleased his divine Majesty, to call me to the light of his truth: so it would please him to bring all them which now do live in blindness, to the same. Secondly, with humble heart I ask forgiveness of the queens Majesty, most humbly submitting myself to the mercy of so godly a Prince, whom when she called her Subjects to their duty & obedience, not by severity and rigour of the Law, but like a pitiful mother, by mercy: I have not only not heard her, but also, (with sorrow I speak it) I have contemned and set light by. Lastly, I ask forgiveness of you that be here present, in whom I think that I see all my Countrymen present: desiring you to forgive all such offences, as I have committed against GOD, the queens Majesty, and against you. God save the Queen. Me ita sentire sicut scripsi testor Deum. Guilielmus Tedderus.