<■ — L U 
 
 
 OF THK 
 
 tfiaa(Dii(D(3(i(3&ii sauauiaaia^ 
 
 AT 
 
 PRINCETON, N. J. 
 SAMUEL AG NEW, 
 
 OF PHILADELPHIA, PA. 
 
 BR 757 .M373 1842 ?S ^ 9 *" 
 Marprelate, Martin 
 An epistle to the terrible 
 priests of the Convocation 
 

 Puritan Otsripltnr Crnrts. 
 
 AN EPISTL1. 
 
 ro 
 
 THE TERRIBLE PRIESTS 
 
 or i hi: 
 
 CONVOCATION HOUSE; 
 
 BV 
 
 MARTIN MAR-PRELATK Gbntieman. 
 
 i-vf=prtntrU from tfjc lilarfc lifttrr OUioh. 
 
 AN INTRODUCTION AND NOTES 
 
 LONDON: 
 JOHN PETHERAM, 71. ( HAN< BR1 LAN1 
 
 1842. 
 
INTRODUC 
 
 The original, from which the following trad is re- 
 printed, is a small quarto volume, in black letter, of 
 52 pages. There are several tracts which bear the 
 general title of Martin Mar-Prelate, Martin Senior, 
 Martin Junior, &c, but this, which is the M Epistle, 
 and another, called the "Epitome," are frequently con- 
 founded together, arising probably from the Bimilaritj 
 of appearance in the titles, the first paragraph in 
 being exactly alike, and the second very similar, though 
 in other respects they differ; and, whereas the " Epis- 
 tle" was printed "oversea," the "Epitome" (which is 
 a continuation of the Epistle) was " Printed on the 
 other hand of some of the Priests," both without date, 
 though it must have been towards the end of 1 
 which may be collected from several circumsta 
 mentioned in the tracts themselves ; and, from th< 
 appearance of the type, they were most probablj 
 printed by Richard Schilders, at Middleburgh, in Z 
 land. Another reason, perhaps, why these two tracts 
 are so frequently confounded together, may arise from 
 both having been written against the same work, nan 
 " Dr. John Bridges' Defence of the Government of the 
 Church of England for Ecclesiastical Matters against I 
 Treatise of Ecclesiastical Government," &c, I m 
 of 1500 pages, the bulk of which, in more than one 
 instance, appears to have excited Martin's spl< i 
 
IV INTRODUCTION. 
 
 The authors of Martin Mar-Prelate were never dis- 
 covered ; it is, however, probable that John Penry, 
 " the hot-headed Welshman," as his enemies called him, 
 was the author. He confessedly wrote several works 
 on behalf of the Puritan cause, and in 1593 suffered 
 death for them. 
 
 In the following tract the reader will have an opportu- 
 nity of judging of the manner in which the other works, 
 announced in the Prospectus, (should sufficient encou- 
 ragement be given to continue them,) will be published. 
 In the text I have faithfully adhered to the original 
 copy, both in orthography and punctuation ; in the 
 notes to the giving some few particulars for illustrating 
 the allusions in the text. Although some of the words 
 to be met with are now obsolete, the readers, into 
 whose hands it will come, will hardly require a glos- 
 sary of them. The same care in the text, and, I trust, 
 even more attention in the notes, will be given to the 
 subsequent publications. 
 
 In conclusion, I must disclaim any personal or poli- 
 tico-religious feelings in bringing once more before the 
 world these curious productions of by-gone times. Per- 
 sonality and scurrility were used freely by the Martin- 
 ists and their opponents ; and however much it is to be 
 wished that they had written with a gravity and deco- 
 rum more suited to the object they had in view, I could 
 only give that which I found, faithfully and unre- 
 servedly, and this I have done. 
 
 J. P. 
 
 London, Sept. 20th, 1842. 
 
Oh read ouer D. Iohn Bridges, for it is a worthy work 
 
 Or an epitome of tin ' 
 
 fyrste Booke of that right worshipful! vo- 
 lume, written against the Puritanes, in the defence 
 of the noble cleargie, by as worshipfull a prieste, [oho 
 
 Bridges, Presbyter, Priest or elder, doctor of Diuillitie, 
 
 and Deane of Sarum. Wherein the arguments 
 
 of the puritans are wisely prevented, that 
 
 when they come to answere M. Doctor, 
 
 they must needes say something 
 
 that hath bene spoken. 
 
 Compiled for the behoofe and overthrow 
 
 of the Parsons, Fyckers, and Currats, that have lemt 
 
 their Catechismes, and are past grace : By the 
 
 reverend and worthie Martin Marprelate 
 
 gentleman, and dedicated to the 
 
 Confocationhouse. 
 
 The Epitome is not yet published, but it shall 
 
 be when the Bishops are at conuenient leysure to 
 
 view the same. In the meane time, let them 
 
 be content with this learned Epistle. 
 
 Printed oversea, in Europe, within two fur- 
 longs of a Bounsing Priest, at the cost and 
 charges of M. Marprelate, gentleman. 
 
TO THE 
 
 RIGHT PUISANTE, AND TERRIBLE PRIESTS, 
 
 MY CLEARGIE MASTERS OF THE CON'FOCATION-HOUSE, 
 
 WHETHER FICKERS GENERALL, WORSH1PFULL PALTRIPOLITANE, 
 
 OR ANY OTHER OF THE HOLY LEAGUE OF SUBSCRIPTION : 
 
 THIS WORKE I RECOMMEND VNTO THEM WITH ALL MY HEART, WITH 
 
 A DESIRE TO SEE THEM ALL SO PROUIDED FOR ONE DAY, 
 
 AS I WOULD WISH, WHICH I PROMISE THEM 
 
 SHALL NOT BE AT ALL TO THEIR HURT. 
 
 Right poysond, persecuting and terrible priests, the 
 theame of mine Epistle, vnto your venerable master- 
 domes, is of two parts (and the Epitome of our brother 
 Bridges his booke, shall come out speedily). First, 
 most pitifully complayning, Martin Marprelate, &c. 
 Secondly, may it please your good worships, &c. 
 
 Most pitifully complayning therefore, you are to vn- 
 derstand, that D. Bridges hath written in your defence, 
 a most senceles book, and I cannot very often at one 
 breath come to a full point, when I read the same. 
 
 Againe, may it please you to giue me leaue to play 
 the Duns for the nonce as well as he, otherwise dealing 
 with master doctors booke, I cannot keepe decorum 
 persona*. And may it please you, if I be too absurd in 
 any place (either in this Epistle, or thai Epitome) to 
 ride to Sarum, and thanke his Deanship for it. Because 
 I could not deal with his booke commendablie according 
 to order, vnles I should be sometimes tediously dunsti- 
 call and absurd. For I haue heard som cleargie nan 
 
 B 
 
2 AN EPISTLE TO THE TERRIBLE PRIESTS 
 
 say, that M. Bridges was a verie patch and a duns, 
 when he was in Cambridg. And some say, sailing 
 your reuerence that are Bb. that he is as very a knaue, 
 and enemy vnto the sinceritie of religion, as any popish 
 prelate in Rome. But the patche can doe the cause of 
 sinceritie no hurt. Naye, he hath in this booke won- 
 derfully graced the same by writing against it. For 
 I haue hard some say, that whosoeuer will read his 
 booke, shall as euidently see the goodnes of the cause 
 of reformation, and the poore poore, poore nakednes of 
 your gouernment, as almost in reading all master Cart- 
 wright's workes. This was a very great ouersight in 
 his grace of Cant, to suffer such a booke to come out. 
 For besides that an Archb. is very weakely defended by 
 masse Deane, he hath also by this meanes prouoked 
 many to write against his gracious fatherhood, who per- 
 haps neuer ment to take pen in hand. And brother 
 Bridges, mark what Martin tels you, you will shortly 
 I hope haue twenty fistes about your eares more the 
 your own. Take heed of writing against Puritanes 
 while you liue, yet they say that his grace woulde not 
 haue the booke to be published, and if you marke, you 
 yOu shall not finde seene and allowed in the title of the 
 booke. Well fare old mother experience yet, the burnt 
 childe dreads the fire : his grace will cary to his graue 
 I warrant you, the blowes which M. Cartwright gaue 
 him in this cause : and therefore no maruell though he 
 was loth to haue any other so banged as he himselfe 
 was to his woe. Others say that Iohn Cant, ouersawe 
 euery proofe. If he did, then he ouersaw many a 
 
OF THE C0NF0CAT10N HOUSE. 
 
 foule salecisme, many a senceles period, and far more 
 
 slanders. Slanders my friends ? I thinke so. For what 
 will you say, if our brother Bridges, and our cosen 
 Cosins, with manye others, haue had their grace of the 
 Bb. ad practicandum in Flanders? Howe could their 
 gouernment stand, vnles they should Blander their bre- 
 thren, and make her Maiestie beleeue, that the Church 
 gouernment prescribed in the worde, would ouerthrow 
 her regiment, if it were receiued in our Church, and 
 that the seekers of reformation, are a sort of Malcon- 
 tents, and enemies vnto the state. 
 
 Item may it please your worthy worshipps, to receive 
 this curteously to favour at my hand, without chollei or 
 laughing. For my L. of Winchester is very chollericke 
 and peeuish, so are his betters at Lambeth, and D. 
 Cosins hath a very good grace in iesting, and I woulde 
 he had a little more grace, and a handful or two more 
 of learning, against he answer the Abstract next. Naj 
 beleeue me, it is inough for him to answere the Counter- 
 poyson. And I am none of the malicious sectaries, 
 wherof Iohn of London spake the last Lent, 1588. in 
 his letters written to the Archdeacon of Essex, to forbid 
 publike fastes. Ha, ha, D. Copcot are ye there, why 
 do not you answere the confutation of your sen no 
 at Pauls crosse ? It is a shame for your grace Iohn of 
 Cant, that Cartwrights bookes haue bene now a dozen 
 yeares almost vnanswered : you first prouoked him to 
 write, and you first haue receiued the foyle. It you 
 can answer those books, why do you Buffer the Puritans 
 to insult and reioyce at your silence. If you cannot. 
 
 b 2 
 
4 AN EPISTLE TO THE TERRIBLE PRIESTS 
 
 why are you an Archb. He hath prooued the calling 
 to be vnlawfull and Antichristian. You dare not stand 
 to the defence of it. Now most pitifully complayneth, 
 M. Marprelate, desireth you either to aunswere what 
 hathe beene written against the gracelesnes of your 
 Archbishoprick, or to giue ouer the same, and to be 
 a meanes that no byshop in the land, be a Lord any 
 more. I hope one day her Maiestie will either see that 
 the L. Bb. prooue their calling lawfull by the word, or 
 as Iohn of London prophesied saying, come downe you 
 bishopps from your thousands, and content you with 
 your hundreds, let your diet be pristlike and not prince- 
 lik, &c. quoth Iohn Elmar in his Harborow of faithful 
 subiects. But I pray you B. Iohn dissolue this one 
 question to your brother Martin : if this prophesie of 
 yours come to passe in your dayes, who shal be B. of 
 London ? And will you not sweare as commonly you 
 do, like a lewd swag, and say, by my faith, by my faith 
 my masters, this geare goeth hard with us. Nowe may 
 it please your grace with y e rest of your worships, to 
 procure that the Puritans may one day haue a free dispu- 
 tatio with you, about y e cotrouersies of the Church, and 
 if you be not set at a flat non plus, and quite ouer- 
 throwen, ile be a Lord B. my selfe : looke to your 
 selues, I thinke you haue not long to raigne. Amen* 
 And take heed brethren of your reuerend and learned 
 brother, Martin Marprelate. For he meaneth in these 
 reasons following I can tell you, to proue that you 
 ought not to be maintained by the authoritie of the 
 Magistrate, in any Christian commonwealth : Martin is 
 
OF THE CONFOCATION HOUSE. 5 
 
 a shrewd fellow, and reasonetli thus. Those that are 
 pettie popes and pettie Antichrists, ought not to be 
 maintained in anie Christian commonwealth. But euerie 
 Lord B. in England, as for ilsample, Iohn of Cant. Iolm 
 of London, Iohn Excetor, Iohn Rochester, Thomas of 
 Winchester. The B. of Lincolne, of Worcester, of Pe- 
 terborow, and to be briefe, all the Bb. in England, 
 Wales, and Ireland, are pettie popes, and pettie Anti- 
 christes. Therefore no Lord B. (nowe I pray whatmala- 
 thee good Martin speake out, if euer thou !^ 1 ,}^." 
 
 diddest speake out, that hir Maiestie and the that cannot 
 
 r be content 
 
 counsell may heare thee) is to be tollerated in to stand by 
 
 and here. but 
 
 any christian common welth : and therefore they must 
 neither Iohn of Cant. Iohn of London, &c. are tleman Low 
 to be tollerated in any christian commonwelth. ' " 1 "''' 
 What say you now brother Bridges is it good writing 
 against Puritanes. Can you denie any part of your 
 learned brother Martin his syllogisme. We denie your 
 minor M. Marprelat say the Bb. and their Lookethe 
 associats. Yea my learned masters, are you booke.^.a,,. 
 good at that? what do you brethren? say me ^ [j?*?. 
 that againe ? do you denie my minor ? And lin c 13. 
 that be all you can say, to denie L. Bb, to be pettie 
 popes, turne me loose to the priests in y* point, for I am 
 olde suersvie at the proofe of such matters, ile presently 
 marre the fashion of their Lorships. 
 
 They are pettie popes, and pettie Antichrists, whoso- 
 euer vsurpe the authority of pastors ouer them, who by 
 the ordinance of God, are to bee vnder no pastors. 
 For none but Antichristian popes and popelings euei 
 
 b 3 
 
6 AN EPISTLE TO THE TERRIBLE PRIESTS 
 
 claimed this authoritie vnto themselues, especiallie when 
 it was gainsaid, and accounted Antichristian, generally 
 by the most Churches in the world. But our L. bishops 
 vsurpe authoritie ouer those, who by the ordinance of 
 God, are to be vnder no pastors, and that in such an 
 age, as wherein this authoritie is gainsaid, and accounted 
 Antichristian, generally by all the Churches in the world 
 for y e most part. Therefore our L. Bb. what sayest 
 thou man, our L. bishopps, (I say) as Iohn of Canter- 
 burie, Thomas of Winchester (I will spare Iohn of Lon- 
 don for this time, for it may be he is at boules, and 
 it is pitie to trouble my good brother, lest he should 
 sweare too bad) my reuerend prelate of Litch- 
 
 AI IMtirprc- 
 
 late you put fielde, with the rest of that swinishe rable, 
 
 thequestion are pettie Antichrists, pettie popes, proud 
 in the con- pre ] ates intolerable withstanders of reform- 
 
 clusion ot r ' 
 
 your syllo- a tion, enemies of the gospell, and most 
 
 gisme. 
 
 couetous wretched priests. This is a pretie 
 matter, y* standers by, must be so busie in other mens 
 games : why sawceboxes must you be pratling ? you are 
 as mannerly as bishops, in medling with that you haue 
 nothing to doe, as they do in taking vpon them ciuill 
 offices. I thinke for any maners either they or you 
 haue, that you were brought up in Bridewell. But it is 
 well that since you last interrupted me (for now this 
 is the second time) you seeme to haue lernt your Cato 
 de moribus in that you keepe your selues on the mar- 
 gent. Woulde you be answered ? Then you must 
 know, that I haue set downe nothing but the trueth in 
 the conclusion, and the syllogismes are mine owne, 
 
OF THE CONFOCATION HOUSE. 7 
 
 I may do what I will with them, and thus holde you 
 content. But what say you my horned masters of the 
 Confocation house? you denie my minor againe I know. 
 And thus I prooue it. First 
 
 That our Prelates vsurpe their authoritie. 
 
 They vsurpe their authoritie, who violently and vn- 
 lawfully, retaine those vnder their gouernment, that 
 both woulde and ought (if they might) to shake of that 
 yoke wherewith they are kept vnder. But our Lord 
 bishops retaine such (namely other pastors) and vnlaw- 
 fully vnder their yoke, who both woulde and ought to 
 reiect the same. For all the pastors in the land, that 
 deserue the names of pastors, are against their wil 
 vnder the bishops Jurisdictions. And they are vnlaw- 
 fully detained by them, because no pastor can be law- 
 fully kept vnder the pastoral (I meane not the ciuill) 
 authoritie of any one man. Therfore our Bb. and 
 proud popish, presumptuous, profane, paultrie, pestilent 
 and pernicious prelates, bishop of Hereforde and 
 all : are first vsurpers to beginne the matter withal). 
 Secondly 
 
 Our Prelates claime this authoritie ouer those, who by 
 the ordinance of God, are to be vnder no Pastors. 
 
 That is, they claime pastorall authoritie ouer other 
 ministers and pastors, who by the ordinaunce of God, 
 are appointed to be pastors and shepheards to feede 
 others, and not sheep, or such as are to haue shep- 
 heards, by who they are to be fedd and ouerseene : 
 whiche authoritie the bishops claime vnto themselues, 
 For they say that they are pastors of al the pastors 
 
 b 4 
 
8 AN EPISTLE TO THE TERRIBLE PRIESTS 
 
 within their dioces. And take this of M. Marprelates 
 worde, that there is no pastor of pastors, but he is a 
 pope. For who but a pope will claime this authoritie. 
 Thirdly, 
 
 This authoritie of our L. Bb. in England, is accounted 
 Antichristian of the most Churches in the worlde. 
 
 As of the Heluetian, the Scottish, French, Bohemian, 
 and the Churches of the low countries, the Churches of 
 Polonia, Denmarke, within the dominions of the Count 
 Palatine, of the Churches in Saxonie, and Sweuia, &c. 
 which you shall see euidently proued in the Harmonie 
 of the Confessions of all those Churches, Section the 
 eleuenth. Which Harmonie, was translated and printed 
 by that puritan Cambridg printer, Thomas Thomas. 
 And although the booke came out by publike authoritie, 
 yet by your leaue the Bishops haue called them in, as 
 things against their state. And trust me, his grace will 
 owe that puritane printer as good a turne, as hee paide 
 vnto Robert Walde-graue for his sawciness in printing 
 my frend and deare brother Diotrephes his Dialogue. 
 Well frend Thomas I warne you before hand, looke to 
 your selfe. 
 
 And now brethren byshops, if you wil not beleeue 
 me, I wil set down the very words of the French con- 
 fession, contayned page 359. of the Harmonie. We 
 beleeue (saith the confession, art 30.) that all true pas- 
 tors, in what place soeuer they be placed, haue the same, 
 and equall authority among theselues, giuen vnto them 
 vnder Iesus Christ the onely head, and the chiefe 
 alone vniuersal bishop : and that therefore it is not 
 
OF THE CONFOCATION HOUSE. Q 
 
 lawfull for anye Churche to challenge vnto it selfe, 
 dominion or soueraignty ouer any other. What an 
 horrible heresie is this, wil some say, why ? gentle 
 Martin, is it possible y l these words of the French con- 
 fession should be true ? is it possible that there ought 
 to be an equallity betweene his Grace and the Deane of 
 Sarum, or som other hedge priest: Martin saith it ought 
 be so, why then Martin if it shoulde be so, howe will 
 the byshops satisfie the reader in this poynt ? 
 
 Alas simple fellow whatsoeuer thou art, I lift well tare 
 
 agoodglose. 
 perceiue thou dost not mark the words of the 
 
 confession : My good brethren haue long since taken 
 order for this geare : For the Confession doth not say 
 that all Pastors, but that all true Pastors, and all Pastors 
 that are vnder Iesus Christ, are of equall authority. 
 So that all men see that my brethren, which are neyther 
 true Pastors, nor I feare me vnder Jesus Christ, ar not 
 to be of equall authority. And because this doth not 
 touch them, I will end this whole learned discourse 
 with the words of Pope Gregorie, vnto Iohn bishop of 
 Constantinople (for I haue red som thing in my dayes 
 which words you shall finde in our owne Englishe Con- 
 fession, written by a bish. page 361. of the Harmony. 
 The Popes words be these, "He is also the king of 
 pride, he is Lucifer, which preferreth himself Put tl 
 before his brethren, he hath forsaken the JftggJ?* 
 favth, and is the forerunner of Antichriste." bury u sucb 
 
 * ' a one. 
 
 And haue not I quited my selfe like a man, 
 and dealt very valiantly, in prouing that my lenied 
 brethren the L. bishops ought not to be in any christian 
 
 b 3 
 
10 AN EPISTLE TO THE TERRIBLE PRIESTS 
 
 common wealth, because they are pettie Popes, and 
 pettie Antichristes. But what doe you say, if by this 
 lustie syllogisme of mine owne making, I proue the 
 Popes once more for recreations sake. 
 
 Whosoeuer therefore clayme vnto themselues pastorall 
 Why Mar- authoritie ouer those Christians, with whome 
 meanest* 1 tnev cannot possiblie at any time altogether 
 thou? Cer- j n ^ same congregation sanctifie the Sab- 
 
 taineiy aa © » 
 
 thou takest DO th : they are vsurpinp; prelats, Popes and 
 
 that course . , r © r c 
 
 hut a while, pettie Antichrists : For did you euer here of 
 
 thou wilt set . . 
 
 thy good anye but ol Popes and dumb ministers, that 
 
 their wits woulde challenge the authority of Pastors 
 end * ouer those Christians, vnto whom they could 
 
 not possiblie on the Sabboths discharge the dutie of 
 pastors : But our L. Bb. challenge vnto themselues 
 pastorall authoritie ouer them, vnto whom they cannot 
 possiblie on the Sabboth, discharge the duty of Pastors, 
 vz. ouer people inhabiting diuers shires distant asunder, 
 with whom, gathered together on the Sabboth, they 
 cannot by order of nature, performe any dutie of Pas- 
 tors : Therefore all the L. Bishops in England, Ireland 
 and Wales (and for the good wil I beare to the reue- 
 rende brethren, I will speake as loud as euer I can) All 
 our L. Bb. I saye, are pettie Popes, and pettie vsurping 
 Antichristes, and I thinke if they will still continue to 
 be so, that they will breed yong Popes and Anti- 
 christes : per consequens, neyther they nor theyr broode, 
 are to be tollerated in any Christian common wealth, 
 quoth Martin Marprelate. There is my judgment of 
 you brethren, make y e most of it, I hope it will neuer 
 
OF THE CONFOCATION HOUSE. 1 1 
 
 be worth a byshopricke vnto you : reply when you dare, 
 you shall haue as good as you bring. And if you durst 
 but dispute with my worship in these poynts, I doubt 
 not but you should be sent home by weeping crosse. 
 I wold wish you my venerable masters for all that, to 
 answere my resons, or out of doubt you will prooue 
 pettie Antichristes, Your corner caps and tippets will do 
 nothing in this poynt. 
 
 Most pitifully complayneth, Martin Marprelate, vnto 
 your honorable masterships, that certayn theeues, hauing 
 stolne from dyars in Thames streat, as much cloth as 
 came to 30. pound, did hide the sayd cloth in Fulham, 
 which is a place within the territories of the Lord dumbe 
 Iohn, who by occupation is Lord Bish. of London : 
 The theeues were apprehended, the cloth came within 
 your douches Don Iohn of London, and al is fish that 
 comes to the net with your good honor. The theeues 
 being taken, the dyars came to challenge their cloth : 
 Iohn London the bishop, said it was his owne, because 
 it was taken within his owne Lordship. But sayth he, 
 if the cloth be yours, let the law go vpon the theeues, 
 and then ile talke farther with you : wel, one or two of 
 the theeues were executed, and at their deathes con- 
 fessed that to be the cloth which the bishop had, but the 
 dyars coulde not get their cloth, nor cannot vnto this 
 day, no though one of their honors wrote vnto him to 
 restore the cloth vnto the poore men. What reason 
 were it he should giue the their own, as though he 
 could not tell how to put it vnto good vses as well its 
 the right owners. It is very good blew, and so would 
 
 b 6 
 
12 AN EPISTLE TO THE TERRIBLE PRIESTS 
 
 seme well for the liueries of his men, and it was good 
 greene, fit to make quishions and couerings for tables. 
 Brother London, you were best to make restitution, it 
 is playne theft and horrible oppression : Boner would 
 haue blusht, to haue bene taken with the like fact. 
 The popish sort your brethren, will commend this vnto 
 posteritie by writing assure your selfe. The dyars 
 names are Baughin, Swan and Price : They dwell at 
 Mybooke the old swan in Thames streat, I warrant you 
 with a wit- Martin will be found no lyar, he bringeth in 
 "^ s h b i ^ re nothing without testimonie. And therefore 
 commission. J haue set downe the mens names and the 
 places of their aboade, y l you of this conspiration house 
 may finde out this slaunder of trueth, against the L. of 
 good London. It was not therefore for nothing (Iohn 
 of London I perceiue) that Mistris Lawson the shrew at 
 Pauls gate, and enemie to all dumb dogs and tyrannicall 
 Prelates in the land : bad you throw downe your selfe 
 at hir Maiesties feet, acknowledging your selfe to be 
 vnsauory salt, and to craue pardon of her highnes, be- 
 cause you had so long deceiued her and her people : 
 You might well ynough craue pardon for your theft, for 
 Martin wil stand to it, that the detayning of the mens 
 cloth is plain theft. 
 
 Riddle me a riddle what is that, his grace threatened 
 to send Mistris Lawson to Bridewell, because she shewed 
 the good father D. Peme, a way how to get his name 
 out of the booke of Martyrs, where the turnecoat is 
 canonized for burning Bucers bones : Dame Lawson 
 aunswered, that she was an honest Citizens wife, a man 
 
OF THE CONFOCATION HOUSE. 13 
 
 well knowen, and therefore bad his Grace an he would, 
 send his uncle Shorie thither. Ha ha ha : Now irood 
 your grace you shall haue small gaynes in medling with 
 Margrete Lawson I can tell you. For if she be cited 
 before Tarquinius Superbus D. Stanop, she will desire 
 him to deal as fauorablie with her in that cause, as he 
 would with Mistris Blackwell, tse tse tse, wil it neuer 
 be better with you mistris Lawson. 
 
 Sohow, brother Bridges, when wil you answere the 
 booke intituled, an answere to Bridges his slanders : nay 
 I thinke you had more need to gather a beneuolence 
 among the Cleargie, to pay Charde toward the printing 
 of your booke, or els labour to his grace to get him 
 another protection, for men wil giue no mony for your 
 book, vnles it be to stop mustard pots, as your brother 
 Cosins answer to the Abstract did. You haue bin a 
 worthy writer as they say of a long time, your first 
 book was a proper Enterlude, called Gammar Gurtons 
 needle. But I thinke that this trifle, which sheweth 
 the author to haue had some witte and inuention in him, 
 was none of your doing : Because your bookes seeme to 
 proceede from the braynes of a woodcocke, as hauing 
 neyther wit nor learning. Secondly, you haue to your 
 mediocritie written against the Papists : And since that 
 time, you haue written a sheete in rime, of all the names 
 attributed vnto the Lorde in the Bible, a worthy monu- 
 ment : what hath the hedge priest my brother written 
 anye more ? O is, I crye him mercy, he hath written 
 this great volume which now I haue in hand against his 
 brethren. The qualities of this booke are many, M. I). 
 
1 4 AN EPISTLE TO THE TERRIBLE PRIESTS 
 
 sheweth himselfe to be very skilfull in the learning of 
 oh and Sol, if euer you red olde Fa-Briccot upon 
 Aristotle : M. Deanes manner of writing and his, are 
 not much vnlike, Doctor Terence of Oxforde and this 
 Doctor, may be neere of kindred for their learning. 
 There bee periods in this learned booke of great reason, 
 though altogether without sence. I will giue you a 
 proof or two, page 441. "And although" (sayth the 
 Doctor) "Paul afterward, 1 Cor. 1. 14. mentioning this 
 Sosthenes, Crispus, term him not there, the archgouer- 
 Crispafwas nour of tne I ewes Synagogue, yet as it farther 
 one of the a pp eare th, Acts 18. 17- by Sosthenes, who 
 P les - was long before a faythfull Christian, and as 
 
 some alledge out of Eusebius lib. 1. cap. 13. he was 
 also one of the 72. Disciples chosen by Christ." 
 
 Fleering, ieering, leering : there is at all no sence in 
 this period. For the words (yet afterward) vnto the 
 ende, M. D. minde was so set vpon a byshopricke, that 
 he brought nothing concerning Crispus to aunswere the 
 word (yet) Therefore I will helpe my reuerende brother 
 to make the sentence in this sort. And although, &c. 
 yet afterwarde my learned brother, D. Yong, Bish. of 
 Rochester, hauing the presentation of a benefice in his 
 hand, presented himselfe thereunto, euen of meere good- 
 wil. I Iohn of Rochester, present Iohn Young quoth 
 the bishop. Nowe iudge you good readers, whether 
 Martin sayth not true, that there is too much cousenage 
 now a dayes among the cleargie men. 
 
 This sentence following of M. Deanes, hath as good 
 sence as the former, page 655. The D. citeth these 
 
OF THE CONFOCATION HOUSE. 15 
 
 wordes out of the learned Discourse. " God graunt that 
 in steede of ordinarye formes of prayers, wee may haue 
 preaching in all places." And in steede of Amen, God 
 forbidd saye I, quoth the Doctor, with another prayer 
 to the contrarye, (nowe marke my masters, whether you 
 can finde anye sence in this contrarye prayer, for I 
 assure you reuerende Martin can find none) "if it be 
 his good will not so much (good lord) to pun- ,.,. . . 
 nish vs, that this our brethrens prayer should D. owne 
 
 r J . words. 
 
 be graunted." If this be a senceles kind of 
 
 writing, I would there were neuer a Lord bishop in 
 
 England. 
 
 And lerned brother Bridges, a man might almost run 
 himselfe out of breath before he could come to a full 
 point in many places in your booke, page 69. line 3. 
 speaking of the extraordinarye giftes in the Apostles 
 time, you haue this sweete learning. " Yea some of 
 them haue for a great part of the time, continued euen 
 till our times, and yet continue, as the operation of great 
 workes, or if they meane miracles, which were not ordi- 
 nary no not in that extraordinary time, and as the hipo- 
 crites had them, so might and had diuers of the papists, 
 and yet their cause neuer the better, and the like may 
 we say of the gift of speking with tongs, whowho , 
 which haue not bin with studie before learned, Dean take 
 
 breath and 
 
 as Anthonie, &c. and diuers also among the then to it 
 
 againe. 
 
 ancient fathers, and some among the papists, 
 and some among vs, haue not bene destitute of the 
 giftes of prophesying, and much more may I saye tin's 
 of the gift of healing, for none of those giftes or graces 
 
16 AN EPISTLE TO THE TERRIBLE PRIESTS 
 
 giuen then or since, or yet to men infer the grace of 
 Gods election to be of necessitie to saluation." 
 
 Here is a good matter deliuered in as good Grama- 
 ticall words : But what say you if M. Do. can prooue 
 that Peter was prince of the Apostles ? That is popery 
 Both these (q uoth Martin) to begin withal. Nay but 
 poynts are what say you if he proueth that one priest 
 
 set down _ x 
 
 page 448. among the residue, may haue a lawfull supe- 
 riour authoritie ouer the vniuersall bodye of 
 the Church, is not this plaine treason ? Is forsooth, if a 
 puritane had written it : But Mas Deane of Sarum that 
 wrote these things, is a man that fauoreth bishops, a 
 nonresident, one that will not sticke to play a game at 
 Cards, and sweare by his trothe : and therefore he may 
 write against the puritans what he will, his grace of 
 Canterbury will giue a verye Catholike exposition there- 
 of. This geare maynteineth the crowne of Canterbury, 
 and what matter is it though hee write for the mainte- 
 naunce thereof, all the treason in the world. It wil 
 neuer come vnto hir Maiesties eare, as my friend Ter- 
 tullus in the poore Dialogue that the bishops lately 
 burned hath set downe. His grace is able to salue the 
 matter 'well inough : yea my brother Bridges himselfe 
 can aunswere this poynt. For hee hath written other- 
 wise, page 288. line 26. in these wordes : " Neither is 
 all gouernment taken away from all, though a moderate 
 superior gouernment be giuen of all to some, and not 
 yet of all in all the Churche to one, but to one ouer 
 some in seuerall and particular Churches." The Deane 
 wil say, that concerning the superioritie of bishops this 
 
OF THE CONFOCATION HOUSE. 17 
 
 is the meaning. As concerning the treason, written 
 page 448. it may be the foxe D. Perne, who helped 
 him as they say, to make this worthy volume, was the 
 author of it. 
 
 Now brethren, if any of you that are of the Confoca- 
 tion house, would knowe howe I can prooue M. Deane 
 to haue written flatt treason, page 448. as I haue before 
 set downe : draw neere, and with your patience I will 
 proue it so, that M. Deane will stand to his owne words, 
 which I care not if they be sett downe: page 448. line 3. 
 Thus you shall read, " Doth S. Peter then forbid that 
 any one Elder should haue and exercise any superior 
 gouemment ouer the cleargie," vnderstanding the clear*- 
 gie in this sence, " if he doth not but alloweth it, and 
 his selfe practized it : the howsoeuer both the i C om- 
 
 i .i n ' li i mend thee 
 
 name, both ol gouerning and cleargy may be vet „. (utl] j, 
 
 abused, the matter is cleare, that one priest or p r jj 1 ;'] g °° 
 
 elder among the residue, may haue a superior tongue. 
 
 authority ouer the cleargie, that is, ouer all the vni- 
 
 uersall bodie of the church, in euery parti- Cleare 
 
 cular or seuerall congregation, and so not only yeawhowfll 
 
 ouer the people, but also ouer the whol order ln ,'. :m - v 
 a i ' Question 
 
 of ministers." thereof; 
 
 Would your worships knowe howe I can shew and 
 conuince my brother Bridges, to haue set downe flat 
 treason in the former words, Then haue at you Deane. 
 1 . It is treason to affirme her Maiestie to be T , a . , 
 
 Looke St;it. 
 
 an infklell or not to be contayned in the bodie 13. Eliza- 
 
 J betli. 
 
 of the Church. 2. It is treason to saye that 
 
 one priest or elder, may haue a lawful] superiour 
 
18 AN EPISTLE TO THE TERRIBLE PRIESTS 
 
 authoritie ouer hir Maiestie. Take your spectacles 
 then, and spell your owne words, and you shall finde 
 tliat you haue affirmed eyther of these 2. poynts. For 
 you affirme that a priest may haue a lawfull superior 
 authoritie ouer the vniuersall bodie of the Churche. 
 And you dare not denie her Maiestie to bee contayned 
 within the vniversall bodie of the Church. Therefore 
 to helpe you to spell your conclusion, you haue written 
 treason, if you will be as good as your writing : your 
 learned frend Martin (for no brother M. Deane if you 
 be a traytor) would not mistake you, and therefore say 
 what you can for your selfe : you meane not that this 
 priest shalbe ouer all the church : do you ? but ho we 
 shall we knowe that? forsooth because you saye that 
 this superioritie must be in euery particular or seuerall 
 congregation. Is this your aunswere brother Iohn ? 
 why what sence is there in these words ? One priest 
 may haue a superior authoritie ouer the vniuersall body 
 of the Church, in euery particular or seuerall congrega- 
 tion ? The vniuersal bodie of the Church, is now be- 
 come a particular or seuerall congregation with you ? 
 And in good earnest Deane Iohn, tell me howe many 
 orders of ministers be there in a particular cdgregation ? 
 For there must bee orders of ministers in the congre- 
 gation, where you meane this bounsing priest should 
 haue his superioritie, and because this cannot be in 
 seuerall and particular congregations : therefore you can- 
 not meane by' these words, ouer the vniuersall bodye of 
 the Church, any other thing, then the whole Church 
 militant : But you would mende your answere ? And 
 
OF THE CONFOCAT10N HOUSE. 19 
 
 say that this superior priest must be an Englishe priest 
 and no forrainer : As for ilsample, his grace ^ g00( j q. 
 of Canterbury is an English priest. Do you sam P le - 
 meane then, that his grace should be this superior priest, 
 who by Sir Peters allowaunce may haue a . „ 
 
 J J Sir Peter 
 
 lawfull superior authoritie ouer the vniuersall neueralow- 
 
 ed this. 
 
 bodie of the Churche ? Truely I doe not 
 meane so. And good now, do not abuse his graces 
 worship in this sort, by making him a Pope. Be it 
 you meane this hie priest should be no stranger, yet 
 your treason is as great or greater. For you will haue 
 her Maiesty to be subiect vnto her owne subiect and 
 seruant. And if it be treason to say that the Pope, who 
 hath princes and Cardinalls for his seruants, being far 
 better than were Iohn with his Canterburinesse, may 
 haue a lawfull superior authoritie ouer her Maiesty, as 
 one being contained with in the vniuersall bodie of the 
 Church : is it not much more trayterous to say, that an 
 Englishe vassall may haue this authoritie ouer his 
 Soueraigne. And brother Iohn, did Sir Peter his selfe 
 in deede practize this authoritie ? whie what ^^ be 
 a priest was he? Did he alow others to haue t,10S , e tl ' at 
 
 * can be bar- 
 
 this authority. Truly this is more then euer I barous as 
 
 t ^c\\ as 
 
 knew til now. Yet notwithstanding, I thinke mane 
 he neuer wore corner cap and tippet in all his 
 life, nor yet euer subscribed to my Lord of Canterbury 
 his articles : Now the question is, whom Sir Peter his 
 selfe nowe alloweth to be this bouncing priest? the Pope 
 of Rome yea or no ? No in no case, for that is against 
 the statute. For will my brother Bridges save that the 
 
20 AN EPISTLE TO THE TERRIBLE PRIESTS 
 
 Pope may haue a lawfull superior authoritie ouer his 
 Grace of Canterbury ? lie neuer beleeue him though 
 he saye so. Neyther will I saye that his Grace is an 
 His grace Infidell, (nor yet sweare that he is much bet- 
 cret me to ter ) an( ^ therefore M. Deane meaneth not that 
 affairSt m tne P°P e shoulde bee this highe Priest. No 
 conscience, brother Martin (quoth M. Deane) you saye 
 true, I meane not that the Pope is this priest of Sir 
 Peter. And I haue many reasons why I shoulde denie 
 him this authoritie. First he is a massemonger, that is, 
 a professed idolater. 2. He weareth a triple crowne, 
 so doth not my Lorde of Canterbury. 3. He hath his 
 seat in Romish Babylon in Rome within Italie : you 
 know y e nomber 666. in the Reuelation signifieth La- 
 tenios, that is, the man of Rome, or Ecclesia Italike, the 
 Italian church. Lastly, he must haue men to kisse his 
 toes, and must be carried vpon mens sh aiders, and must 
 haue princes and kings to attend vpon him, which shew- 
 eth his horrible pride. Sir Peters vniuersall priest and 
 mine, shalbe no such priest I trow, ka Mas Doctor. 
 No shall not Doctor Iohn, I con thee thank. Then thy 
 vniuersall priest, 1. must be no idolator, 2. must be no 
 proude priest, and haue neuer a triple crowne (and yet 
 I hope he may weare as braue a sattin gowne as my 
 Lord of Winchester weareth, and be as cholericke as he) 
 3. he must haue his seat out of Italie, as for fashion 
 sake, at Lambehith Hippo, &c. but at Rome in no case. 
 If I should examine these properties, I thinke some of 
 them, if not all, haue bene accidents vnto English priests. 
 For how many Bb. are there in England, which haue 
 
OF THE COXFOCATION HOUSE. 21 
 
 not either said masse, or helped the priest to say masse 
 or bene present at it ? As for the triple crowne, Pope 
 loan the English harlot hath woon it : So did Vrbane 
 the 5. an English man. And concerning pride, I hope 
 that our Bb. nowe liuing, haue to their mediocritie taken 
 order, that some Popes may be inferior vnto them, as 
 for ilsample, his Canterbnrinesse, &c. And I cannot 
 see how the planting of the chaire in Rome anye more 
 then Canterbury, can make a Pope. Seeing that Cle- 
 ment the 5. Iohn 22. Benedict 12. and all other Popes, 
 from the yeare 1306. vnto 1375. sate not in Rome, but 
 for the most part at Avinion in Fraunce. But notwith- 
 standing all this, out of your meaning masse D. such a 
 simple ingram man as I am, in these poynts, of vni- 
 uersall superior priests, I finde three differences be- 
 tweene my L. of Peterborough, or any other our high 
 priests in England, and the Popes holines: and 3. impe- 
 diments to hinder the Pope from being Sir Peters high 
 priest and yours, vz. his idolatrie, 2. his triple crowne, 
 3. his seat at Rome. But if Hildebrande Pope of 
 Rome, had beene a professor of the trueth (as his grace 
 Doctor turnecoats (Perne I shoulde saye) scholler is) 
 had worne no triple crowne, had bene Archbishop of 
 Canterbury (and I think we haue had Hildebrands there 
 ere nowe) then he might by the iudgement of the learned 
 Bridges, and the allowance of that Peter, which his 
 sclfe practized that authoritie, haue a lawful superior 
 authority ouer the vniuersal bodie of the Church. And 
 what a worthy Canterbury Pope had this bin, to be 
 called my Lords grease? Thus you see Brother Bridges, 
 
22 AN EPISTLE TO THE TERRIBLE PRIESTS 
 
 M. Marprelate an please him, is able to make a yongei' 
 brother of you : he hath before proued, that if euer you 
 be Archb. of Canterbury (for you wrote this foule 
 heape against the holy Discipline of Christ, (as Whitgift 
 did the like) in hope to bee the next Pope of Lambeth) 
 that then you shalbe a pettie Pope, and a pettie Anti- 
 christ : Nay he hath prooued you to haue deserued a 
 cawdell of Hempseed, and a playster of neckweed, as 
 weel as some of your brethren the papists. And now 
 brother Bridges once again, is it good writing against 
 the Puritans. Take me at my word, vnlesse you an- 
 swere the former poynt of Antichristianisme, and this of 
 treason, I will neuer write again to my bre[thren] the 
 Bb. but as to vsurpers and Antichristes, and I shall 
 take you for no better then an enemie to her Maiesties 
 Supremacie. And because you haue taken vppon you 
 to defend L. Bb. though you be as very a sot as euer 
 liued, (outcept dumb Iohn of London againe) yet you 
 shall answere my reasons, or else I will so course you, 
 as you were neuer coursed since you were a Symonical 
 Deane, you shall not deale with my worshipp, as Iohn 
 with his Canterburinesse did with Thomas Cartwright, 
 whiche Iohn, left the cause you defend in the plaine 
 field, and for shame threw downe his weapons with a 
 desperate purpose to runne away, and leaue the cause, 
 as he like a coward hath done : For this dozen yeares 
 we neuer saw any thing of his in printe for the defence 
 of his cause, and poore M. Cartwright doth content him- 
 selfe with the victorie, which the other will not (though 
 in deed he hath by his silence) seeme to grant. But 
 
OF THE CONFOCATION HOUSE. 23 
 
 I will not be this vsed at your hands, for vnlesse you 
 answere me, or confesse (and that in print) Ha, prieste 
 that all L. Bb. in England, Wales, Ireland, °?d5SS 
 yea and Scotlande to, are pettie popes, and trust me - 
 plaine vsurpers, and pettie Antichristes : He kindle such 
 a fire in the holes of these foxes, as shall neuer be 
 quenched as long as there is a L. B. in England. And 
 who but the worthie Martin can doe so valiantly. Page 
 560. master Deane bringeth in Aretius, to proue that 
 kneeling at the communion is not offensiue. And how 
 is the argument concluded think you ? for sooth euen 
 thus. Aretius saith, that in Berne they receiue the com- 
 mimio sitting or standing : therefore saith my brother 
 Bridges, kneeling at the communion is not vnlawfull. 
 I maruell whether he was not hatched in a goose nest, 
 that would thus conclude. 
 
 In another place, page 226. or thereabouts, he prooueth 
 that one man may haue two spirituall liuings, M . , 
 because the puritans themselues saye, that one Bridges 
 
 nowc rca- 
 
 charge may haue two ministers, to wit, a soneth in 
 t» -r-v a n E°°& earnest 
 
 Pastor and a Doctor. And these be some of for nonresi- 
 
 the good profes whereby our established go- 
 
 uernment is vphelde. 
 
 It would make a man laugh, to see how many trickes 
 
 the Doctor hath to coosen the sielie puritans in his book, 
 
 he can now and then without any noyse, Whatacraf- 
 
 alleadge an author clean against himselfe, magge*"* ' 
 
 and I warrant you, wipe his mouth cleanly, Dcanc - 
 
 and looke another w r ay, as though it had not bene he. 
 
 I haue laught as though I had bene tickled, to see with 
 
24 AN EPISTLE TO THE TERRIBLE PRIESTS 
 
 what sleight he can throw in a popish reason, and who 
 sawe him ? And with what art, he can conuaye him- 
 selfe from the question, and goe to another matter ? it is 
 wonderfull to thinke. But what would not a Deane do 
 to get a bishoppricke ? In this one poynt, for sparing 
 labour he is to bee admired, that he hath set downe 
 vnder his owne name, those things which (to speak as I 
 think) he neuer wrote himselfe. So let the puritans 
 aunswere when they will, he hath so much of other 
 mens helpes, and such contrarieties in this book, that 
 when they bring one thing against him out of his owne 
 writings, he wil bring another place out of the sayd 
 booke, flat contrary to that, and say that the latter is 
 his, and not the former. For the former, it may bee, 
 was some other friends, not so fullie seen in the cause, 
 as presbyter Iohn Bridges was. The reason of these 
 contrarieties was uery expedient : because many had a 
 hand in the worke, euery man wrote his own minde, 
 and masse doctor ioyned the whole together. 
 
 Nowe forasmuch as he hath playd the worthy worke- 
 man", I will bestow an Epitaph vpon his graue when he 
 dyeth, which is thus : 
 
 " Here lies Iohn Bridges, a worthie Presbyter he 
 was." 
 
 But what if he be a B. before he die ? what bre- 
 thren ? doe you not thinke that I haue two strings to 
 my bow, is vs haue I, and thus I sing, if he chance to 
 be a bishop. 
 
 " Here lies Iohn Bridges late Bishop, friend to the 
 Papa." 
 
OF THE COXFOCATIOX HOUSE. 25 
 
 I care not an I now leaue masse Deanes worship, and 
 be eloquent once in my dayes : yet brother Bridges, a 
 worde or two more with you, ere we depart, I praye 
 you where may a ma buie such another gelding, and 
 borow such another hundred poundes, as you bestowed 
 vpon your good patron Sir Edward Horsey, for his 
 good worde in helping you to your Deanry : go to, go 
 to, I perceiue you will prooue a goose. Deale closeliar 
 for shame the next time : must I needs come to the 
 knoledge of these things ? What if I should report 
 abroad, that cleargie men come vnto their promotions by 
 Simonie ? haue not you giuen me iuste cause ? I thinke 
 Simonie be the bishops lacky. Tarleton tooke him not 
 long since in Don Iohn of Londons cellor. 
 
 Well nowe to mine eloquence, for I can doe it I tell 
 you. Who made the porter of his gate a dumb minis- 
 ter ? Dumbe Iohn of London. Who abuseth her Ma- 
 iesties subiects, in vrging them to subscribe contrary to 
 lawe ? Iohn of London. Who abuseth the high com- 
 mission, as much as any ? Iohn London, (and D. 
 Stanop to) Whoe bound an Essex minister, in 200.1. 
 to weare the surplice on Easter day last? Iohn ]k makfl 
 
 London. Who hath cut downe the Elmea you weary©! 
 
 it dumbe 
 at Fulham? Iohn London. Who is a carnall John, 
 
 defender of the breache of the Sabboth in all leaue pcrsc- 
 
 the places of his abode ? Iohn London. 
 
 Who forbiddeth men to humble themselues in fasting 
 
 and prayer before the Lorde, and then can say vnto the 
 
 preachers, now you were best to tell the people, that 
 
 we forbidd fastes? Iohn London. Who goeth to bowks 
 
26 AN EPISTLE TO THE TERRIBLE PRIESTS 
 
 vpon the Sabboth ? Dumbe dunsticall Iohn of good 
 London, hath done all this. I will for this time leaue 
 this figure, and tell your venerable masterdomes a tale 
 worth the hearing : I had it at the second hand : if he 
 that tolde it me, added any thing, I do not commende 
 him, but I forgiue him : The matter is this. A man 
 dying in Fulham, made one of the bishopp of Londons 
 men his executor. The man had bequeathed certaine 
 Legacies vnto a poore shephearde in the towne. The 
 shepheard could get nothing of the bishops man, and 
 therefore made his mone vnto a gentleman of Fulham, 
 that belongeth to the court of requests. The gentlemans 
 name is M. Madox. The poore mans case came to bee 
 tryed in the court of Eequestes. The B. man desired 
 his masters helpe : Dumb Iohn wrote to the Masters 
 of requests to this effect, and I think these were his 
 wordes. 
 
 " My masters of the requests, the bearer hereof being 
 my man, hath a cause before you : in as much as I 
 vnderstande howe the matter standeth, I praye you let 
 my man be discharged the court, and I will see an 
 agreement made. Fare you well." The letter came to 
 M. D. Dale, he answered it in this sort. 
 
 " My Lorde of London, this man deliuered your let- 
 ter, I pray you giue him his dinner on Christmas day 
 for his labour, and fare you well." 
 
 Dumbe Iohn not speeding this way, sent for the sayd 
 M. Madox : he came, some rough words passed on both 
 sides, Presbyter Iohn sayde, master Madox was verye 
 sawcie, especially seeing he knew before whom he spake : 
 
OF THE CONFOCATION IIOl s I . 9; 
 
 namely, the Lord of Fulham. Wherevnto the gentle- 
 man answered, that he had bene a pore freeholder in 
 Fulham, before Don Iohn came to be L. then*, hoping 
 also to be so, when he and all his brood (my Ladle his 
 daughter and all) shoulde be gone. At the hi am 
 this speeche, the waspe got my brother by the nose, 
 which mad him in his rage to affirme, that lie would* 
 be L. of Fulham as long as he lined, in despight of all 
 England. Naye softe there, quoth M. Madox, excepl 
 her Maiestie I pray you, that is my meaning, ka dumb 
 Iohn, and I tell thee Madox, that thou art but a [acke 
 to vse me so : master Madoxe replying, sayd that in 
 deed his name was Iohn, and if euery Iohn were a [acke, 
 he was content to bee a Iacke (there he hit my L. ouer 
 the thumbs) The B. growing in choller, sayd y l mastei 
 Madox his name did shewe what lie was, for sayth hi . 
 thy name is mad Oxe, which declareth thee to 1> 
 vnruly and mad beast. M. Madox answered againe, 
 that the B. name, if it were descanted vpon, did most 
 significantly shew his qualities. For said he, you are 
 called Elmar, but you may be better called marelme, 
 for you haue marred all the Elmes in Fulham : hailing 
 cut them all downe. This farre is my worthy story, as 
 worthye to bee printed, as any part of Deane [ohna 
 booke, I am sure. 
 
 Item, may it please you that are L. Bb. to shewi 
 your brother Martin, how you can escape the d 
 a premunire, seeinge you vrge her Maiesties subiectfl to 
 subscribe, cleane contrary to the Statute 13. Elisabeth. 
 What haue you to shew for your Selues, for I tell yon, 
 
 c 2 
 
28 AN EPISTLE TO THE TERRIBLE PRIESTS 
 
 I heard some say, that for vrging subscription, you were 
 all within the premunire, insomuch that you haue bene 
 driuen closely to buie your pardons, you haue forfayted 
 all that you haue vnto her Maiestie, and your persons 
 are voyde of her Maiesties protection : you knowe the 
 danger of a premunire, I trowe ? Well but tell me what 
 you haue to shewe for your selues ? her Maiesties pre- 
 rogatiue ? haue you ? Then I hope you haue it vnder 
 seale. No I warrant you, her Maiesty is too wise for 
 that. For it shall neuer be sayde, that she euer author- 
 ized such vngodly proceedings, to the dishonor of God, 
 and the wounding of the consciences of her best subiects. 
 Seeing you haue nothing to shew that it is her Maiesties 
 will, why should any man subscribe contrary to statute ? 
 Forsooth me must beleue such honest creatures as you 
 are on your words ? must they ? As though you would 
 not lye : yes, yes, bishops will lye like dogs. They 
 were neuer yet well beaten for their lying. 
 
 May it please your honorable worships, to let worthy 
 Martin vnderstand, why your Canterburinesse and the 
 rest of the L. Bb. fauor papists and recusants, rather the 
 puritans. For if a puritane preacher, hauing a recusant 
 in his parrish, and shall go about to deale with the recu- 
 sant for not comming to Church. Sir will the recusant 
 say, you and I will answere the matter before his grace, 
 (or other the high commissioners, as L. Bb. Seeuillaines 
 (I meane) popish doctors of the bawdie courts.) And 
 assoone as the matter is made knowne vnto my Lorde, 
 the preacher is sure to go by the worst, and the recusant 
 to carie all the honestie : Yea the preacher shalbe a 
 
OF THE CONFOCATION HOUSE. _' » 
 
 busie enuious fellow, one that doth not obserue tin 
 booke, and conforme himself according vnto order, and 
 perhaps go home by beggers bush, for any benefice he 
 hath to liue vpon. For it may be the Bb. will be bo 
 good vnto him, as to depriue him for not subscribing. 
 As for the recusant, he is known to be a man that must 
 haue the libertie of his conscience. Is this good dealing 
 brethren. And is it good dealing, that poore nun 
 should be so troubled to the chauncellors courte, that 
 they are euen wearie of their liues, for such horrible 
 oppression as there raignes. I tell you D. Stannop (for 
 all you are so proude) a premimire will take you by the 
 backe one day, for oppressing and tyrannizing ouer her 
 Maiesties subiects as you doe. 
 
 Doth your grace remember, what the Iesuit at New- 
 gate sayde of you, namely, that my Lorde of Canterbury 
 should surely be a Cardinally if euer poperie did come 
 againe into England: (yea and that a braue Cardinal] to I 
 what a knaue w T as this Iesuit? beleeue me I would no1 
 say thus much of my Lord of Canterburie, for a thou- 
 sand pound, lest a Scandalum magnatum should be had 
 against me: But well fare him that sayd thought is 
 free. 
 
 Pitifully complayning, is there any reason, (my Lords 
 grace) why knaue Thackwell the printer, which printed 
 popishe and trayterous welshe bookes in Wales, Bhoulde 
 haue more fauour at your graceh *se handes, then | 
 Walde-graue, who neuer printed book against you, that 
 contayneth eyther treason or impietde. Thackwell i^ at 
 libertie to walke where he will, and permitted to make 
 
 c 3 
 
30 AN EPISTLE TO THE TERRIBLE PRIESTS 
 
 the most he could of his presse and letters : whereas 
 Robert Walde-graue dares not shew his face for the 
 blood-thirstie desire you haue for his life, onely for 
 printing of bookes which toucheth the bishops Myters. 
 You know that Walde-graues printing presse and Let- 
 ters were takken away : his presse being timber, was 
 sawen and hewed in pieces, the yron work battered and 
 made vnseruiceable, his Letters melted, with cases and 
 other tooles defaced (by Iohn Woolfe, alias Machiuill, 
 Beadle of the Stacioners, and most tormenting execu- 
 tioner of Walde-graues goods) and he himselfe vtterly 
 depriued for euer printing againe, hauing a wife and sixe 
 small children. Will this monstrous crueltie neuer be 
 reuenged thinke you ? When Walde-graues goods was 
 to be spoiled and defaced, there were some printers, 
 that rather then all the goods should be spoyled, offered 
 money for it, towardes the reliefe of the mans wife and 
 children, but this coulde not be obtayned, and yet 
 popishe Thackwell, though hee printed popish and tray- 
 terous bookes, may haue the fauor to make money of 
 his presse and letters. And reason to. For Walde- 
 graues profession ouerthroweth the popedome of Lambe- 
 iiith, but Thackwels popery maintayneth the same. 
 And now that Walde-graue hath neither presse nor let- 
 ters, his grace may dine and sup the quieter. But 
 looke to it brother Canterburie, certainly without your 
 A lyrebrand repentance, 1 feare me, you shalbe * Hilde- 
 in deede. brand in deed> Walde-graue hath left house 
 and home, by reason of your vnnaturall tyrannie : hauing 
 left behinde him a poore wife and sixe Orphanes, with- 
 
OP THE CONFOCATION HOUSE. 31 
 
 out any thing to relieue them. (For the husband, you 
 haue bereaued both of his trade and goods) Be you 
 assured that the crie of these will one day preuaile 
 against you, vnlesse you desist from persecuting. And 
 good your grace, I do now remember my selfe jj ow i <nail . 
 of another printer, that had presse and letter clv 
 in a place called Charterhouse in London (in Anno 1587. 
 neere about the time of the Scottish Queenes death 
 inteligence was giuen vnto your good grace of the same, 
 by some of the Stacioners of London, it was made 
 knowen vnto you what worke was in hand, what letter 
 the booke was on, what volume, vz. in 80. in halfe 
 sheetes, what workemen wrohgt on the same: namely, 
 I. C. the Earle of Arundels man and three of his 
 seruants, with their seuerall names, what liberallitie was 
 bestowed on those workemen, and by whom, &c. ^ our 
 grace gaue the Stacioners the hearing of this matter, but 
 to this daye the parties were neuer calde in Coram lor 
 it : but yet by your leaue my Lord, vpon this inform- 
 ation vnto your honorable worship, the sta- fa nol he a 
 . , , very Pope 
 
 cioners had newes, that it was made knowne in ; ]vC(] tl) . lt 
 
 vnto the printers, what was done vnto your jj^^j 
 
 good grace, and presently in steed of the work kn*u«T- 
 
 which was in hand, there was other appointed, as they 
 
 saye, authorized by your Lordship. I will not save h 
 
 was your owne doing, but by your sleeue, it m , 
 
 J it/ v " u bindrwl 
 
 thought is free. And my good L. (nay you j 1( .,. M 
 
 shalbe none of my L. but M. Whitgift and J h ™ 
 
 you will) are you partiall or no in all your I"" 
 actions tell me ? yes you are I 1 wil stand to il .' did 
 
 . 1 
 
32 AN EPISTLE TO THE TERRIBLE PRIESTS 
 
 you get a decree in the high court of Starchamber onely 
 for Walde-graue ? if it bee in generall (and you not 
 partiall) why fet you not that printing presse and letters 
 out of Charterhouse, and destroye them as you did 
 Walde-graues ? Why did you not apprehend the parties, 
 why ? Because it was poperie at the least, that was 
 printed in Charterhouse : and that maintayneth the 
 crowne of Canterbury e ? And what is more tollerable 
 than popery ? Did not your grace of late erecte a new 
 printer contrary to the foresayd decree ? One Thomas 
 Orwine (who sometimes wrought popish bookes in cor- 
 ners : namely Iesus Psalter, our Ladies Psalter, &c.) 
 with condition he should print no such seditious bookes 
 „. . . as Walde-graue hath done ? Why my Lord ? 
 
 This is no ° J J 
 
 knauery my Walde-graue neuer printed any thing against 
 the state, but onely against the vsurped state 
 of your Paultripolitanship, and your pope holy brethren, 
 the Lorde B. and your Antichristian swinish rable, being 
 intolerable withstanders of reformation, enemies of the 
 Gospell, and most couetous wretched, and popish 
 priests. 
 
 Nowe most pitifully complayning, Martin Marprelate : 
 That the papistes will needs make vs beleeue, that our 
 good Iohn of Canterbury and they, are at no great iarre 
 in religion. For Reignolds the papist at Rheimes, in 
 his booke against M. Whitakers, comendeth the works 
 written by his grace, for the defence of the corruption 
 in our Churche, against T. Cartwright. And sayth that 
 the said Iohn Cant, hath many things in him, which 
 euidently shew a catholike perswasion. Alas my mas- 
 
OF THE CONFOCATION HOUSE. 
 
 ters shall we loose our metropolitan in this sort. Yet 
 the note is a good note, that we may take heed the 
 Spaniards steale him not away, it were not amisse if 
 her Maiestie knew of it. Wee need not fear (if we can 
 keep him) the Spaniards and our other popish enemies, 
 because our metropolitans religion and theirs differ not 
 much. In the article of Christes descending into hell, 
 theyiumpe in one right pat: and in the mayntenaunce of 
 the hierarchie of Bb. and ascribing the name of priest, 
 vnto them that are ministers of the gospel. I know not 
 whether my next tale will be acceptable vnto his grace or 
 not. But haue it among you my masters : M. Wigging- 
 ton the pastor of Sidborough, is a man not altogether 
 unknowen vnto you. And I think his worshipful) grace 
 got little or nothing by medling with him, although he 
 hath depriued him. My tale is of his depriuation, which 
 was after this sort. The good quiet people of Syd- 
 borough, being troubled for certaine yeares with the 
 sayde Wiggington, and many of them being infected by 
 him with the true knowledge of the gospcll, by the 
 worde preached (which is an heresie, that his grace 
 doth mortally abhorre and persecute) at length grew in 
 disliking with their pastor, because the seiiere man did 
 vrge nothing but obedience vnto the gospell. Well, 
 they came to his grace to finde a remedie hereof: 
 desiring him that Wiggington might be depriued. His 
 grace could find no law to depriue him, no although the 
 pastor defied the Archb. to his face, and would m>u 
 him no better title then Iohn Whitgift, Buch buggi 
 words, being in these daies accounted no lease then high 
 
 c 5 
 
34: AN EPISTLE TO THE TERRIBLE PRIESTS 
 
 treason against a Paltripolitan : Though since that time, 
 I think his grace hath bin well enured to beare the 
 name of Pope of Lambeth, Iohn Cant, the prelate of 
 Lambeth, with diuers other titles agreeable to his func- 
 tion. Well Sidborogh men proceeded against their 
 pastor, his grace woulde not depriue him, because he 
 coulde finde no law to warrant him therein, and he will 
 do little contrary to law, for fear of a premunire, vnles 
 it be at a dead lift, to depriue a puritan preacher. 
 Then in deed he will do against lawe, against God, and 
 against his owne conscience, rather then that heresie of 
 preaching should preuail. One man of Sidborough, 
 whose name is Atkinson, was very eger among the rest, 
 to haue his pastor depriue d : and because his grace 
 woulde not heare them but departed away, this Atkin- 
 son desired his grace to resolue him and his neighbours 
 of one poynt which something troubled them : and that 
 was, whether his grace or Wiggington were of the deuill. 
 For quoth he, you are so contrary the one from the 
 other, that both of you cannot possibly be of God. If 
 he be of God, it is certaine you are of the deuill, and so 
 cannot long stand: for he will be your ouerthrowe. 
 Amen. If you are of God, then he is of the diuell as 
 wee thinke him to be, and so he being of the deuill, 
 will not you depriue him ? why shoulde you suffer such 
 a one to trouble the Church. Now if he be of God, 
 why is your course so contrary to his ? and rather, why 
 do not you follow him, that we may do so to ? Truely, 
 if you do not depriue him, we will thinke him to be of 
 God, and go home with- him, with gentler good will 
 
OF THE CONFOCATION 1101 > 1 . .;.", 
 
 towardes him, then we came hyther with hatred, and 
 looke you for a fall. His grace hearing this 11mtln.11 
 logicke, was mooued on the sodaine yon must thinke, 
 promised to depriue Wiggington, and so he did. This 
 Atkinson this winter 1587. came vp to London, being 
 as it seemed afflicted in conscience for this fact, del 
 Wiggington to pardone him and offred to kneele before 
 her Maiestie, that Wiggington might bee restored againe 
 to his place, and to stande to the trueth hereof, to his 
 graces teeth. The man is yet aline, he may be senl 
 for, if you thinke that M. Martin hath reported an vn- 
 trueth. No I warrant you, you shall not take mee to 
 haue fraught my booke with lyes and slaunders, as Iohn 
 Whitgift, and the Deane of Sarum did theirs. 1 speak 
 not of things by heresay as of reports, but I bring my 
 witnesses to prooue my matters. 
 
 May it please you to yeeld vnto a suite that I ha 
 to your worships. I pray you send Wiggington home 
 vnto his charge againe, I can tell you it was ;i foule 
 ouersight in his grace, to send for him out of the North 
 to London, that he might outface him at his owne door. 
 He woulde do his Canterburines lesse hint if he irere at 
 Ins charge, then now he doth. Let the Templars haue 
 M. Trailers their preacher restored againe vnto them. 
 hee is nowe at leysure to worke your priesthood a iroe 
 I hope. If suche another booke as the Ecclesiast Dis- 
 cipline was, drop out of his budget, it wer I to. 
 the Bb. to lie a day and a night in little ease in tin 
 Counter. He is an od fellowe in folowing an argument, 
 and you know he hath a smooth tong, either in Latins 
 
 c G 
 
36 AN EPISTLE TO THE TERRIBLE PRIESTS 
 
 or English. And if my L. of Winchester vnderstood, 
 eyther Greeke or Hebrew, as they say he hath no great 
 skill in neyther : I woulde pray your priesdomes to tell 
 me which is the better scholler, Walter Trailers, or 
 Thomas Cooper. Will you not send M. Wyborne to 
 Northampton, that he may see some fruits of the seed 
 he sowed there 16. or 18. yeares ago. That old man 
 Wiborne, hath more good learning in him, and more fit 
 gifts for the ministery in his little toe, then many braces 
 of our Lord Bb. Restore him to preaching againe for 
 Except per- shame. M. Paget shalbe welcome to Deuon- 
 Greene? shire, he is more fit to teach men then boyes. 
 fielde. j mariieile with what face a man that had 
 
 done so much good in the Churche as he did among a 
 rude people, could be depriued. 
 
 Briefely, may it please you to let the Gospell haue a 
 free course, and restore vnto their former libertie in 
 preaching, all the preachers that you haue put to silence : 
 and this far is my first suit. 
 
 My 2. suit is a most earnest request vnto you, that 
 are the hinderers of the publishing of the confutation of 
 the Rhemish Testament by M. Cartwright, may be 
 published. A resonable request, the granting whereof, 
 I dare assure you, would be most acceptable vnto all 
 that feare God, and newes of wofull sequell vnto the 
 papists. For shall I tell you what I heard once, from 
 the mouth of a man of great learning and deepe iudge- 
 ment, who sawe some part of Master Cartwrights an- 
 swere to the sayde Rhemish and trayterous Raffodie 1 
 His iudgment was this. That M. Cartwright had dealt 
 
OF THE CONVOCATION HOUSE. 37 
 
 so soundly against the papists, that for the answering 
 and confuting of the aduersary, that one worke woulde 
 be sufficient alone. He farther added, that y a aduersary 
 was confuted by strange and vnknown reasons, that 
 would set them at their wits end, when they sec them- 
 selues assayled with such weapons, whereof they neuer 
 once drempt, that they sliould be stroken at. And wil 
 your grace or any els, that are the hindercrs of the 
 publishing of this worke, still bereaue the Church of so 
 worthy a Iewell : nay, so strong an armour against the 
 enemie. If you deny me this request, I will not threaten 
 you, but my brother Bridges, and Iohn Whitgiftes 
 bookes shall smoke for this geare, ile liaue my peni- 
 worths of them for it. 
 
 Now may it please you to examine my worthines 
 your brother Martin, and see whether I saide not true 
 in the storie of Gyles Wiggington, where I haue sit 
 downe, y l the preaching of the word is an heresie, which 
 his grace doth mortally abhorre and persecute, I can 
 prooue it without doubt. And first that he persecuted) 
 the preaching of the worde (whether it be an heresie or 
 not) both in the preacher and the hearer : the articles of 
 subscription, the silencing of so many learned and worthy 
 preachers do euidently shew, and if you doubt hereof, 
 let my worshipp vnderstand thereof, and in my next 
 treatize, I shal proue the matter to be cleare with a 
 witnes, and I hope to your smal commendations, that will 
 deny such a cleare point. On the other side, that he 
 accounteth preaching to be an heresie, I am do* to insist 
 on the proofe of that poynt. But first you must know, 
 
38 AN EPISTLE TO THE TERRIBLE PRIESTS 
 
 that he did not account simple preaching to be anheresie, 
 but to holde that preaching is the onely ordinary meanes 
 to saluation, this he accounteth as an heresie, this he 
 mortally condemned. The case thus stoode, Iohn Penrie 
 the welsheman (I thinke his grace and my brother Lon- 
 don, would be better acquainted] with him and they 
 could tell howe) about the beginning of Lent, 1587. 
 offered a supplication and a booke to the Parliament, 
 entreating that some order might be taken, for calling 
 his countrie vnto the knowledge of God. For his bolde 
 attempt, he was called before his grace with others of 
 the high commission, as Thomas of Winchester, Iohn 
 London, &c. After that his grace had eased his sto- 
 macke in calling him boy, knaue, varlet, slanderer, 
 libeller, lewde boy, lewd slaunderer, &c. (this is true, 
 for I haue seene the notes of their conference) at the 
 length a poynt of his booke began to be examined, 
 where nonresidents are thought intolerable. Here the 
 Lorde of good London asked M. Penrie, what he could 
 say against that kinde of cattell, aunswere was made that 
 they were odious in the sight of God and man, because 
 as much as in them lie, they bereaue the people ouer 
 whom they thrust themselues, of the ordinarie meanes 
 of saluation, which was the word preached. Iohn Lon- 
 don demaunded whether preaching was the onely meanes 
 to saluation ? Penrie answered, that it was the onely 
 ordinarie meanes, although the Lorde was not so tyed 
 vnto it, but that hee could extraordinarily vse other 
 meanes. That preaching was the onely ordinary meanes, 
 he confirmed it by those places of scripture, Rom. 10. 
 
OF THE CONFOCATION HOUSE. 39 
 
 14. 1 Cor. 1. 21. Ephes. 1. 13. This point being a 
 long time canuassed, at the legth his worship of Win- 
 chester rose vp, and mildly after his manner, brasl forth 
 into these words. I assure you my Lords, it is an i 
 crable heresie : An heresie (quoth Iohn Penry) I thanke 
 God that euer I knewe that heresie: It is such an 
 heresie, that I will by the grace of God, Booner leaue 
 my life then I will leaue it. What sir, (quoth the 
 Archb.) I tell thee it is an heresie, and thou shah 
 recant it as an heresie? Naye (quoth Penrie) aeuei bo 
 long as I Hue godwilling. I will leaue this storie for 
 shame, I am weary to hear your grace so absurd. \Y] at 
 say you to this geare my masters of the confocation 
 house? we shal haue shortly a good religion in England 
 among the bishops? if Paule be sayd of them to write 
 an heresie. I haue hard some say, that his grace will 
 speake against his own conscience? It is true. The 
 proofe whereof shalbe his dealing with another Welsh- 
 man, one M. Euans. An honorable personage, Ambrose 
 Dudley, nowe Earle of Warwicke (and long may he be 
 so, to the glorie of God, the good of his Church, and 
 the comfort of al his) in the singular loue lie bare to the 
 town of Warwick, would haue placed M. Euans there. 
 To the ende that master Euans might be receiui d with a 
 fauorable subscription, &c. he offered the subscription 
 which the Stat, requireth (wherevnto nun may subscribe 
 with a good conscience): The earl sent him with his 
 letter, to his gracelesnes of Cant, thinking to obtan 
 smal a curtesy at his hands. And I t i\\\ Bure, if he he 
 Ambrose Dudley, the noble Earle of Warwick* 
 
40 AN EPISTLE TO THE TERRIBLE PRIESTS 
 
 famous exploytes, both in peace and war, this whole 
 
 land hath cause to remember with thankfulnes) y l he is 
 
 able to requite your kindnes, M. Iohn Cant. O said 
 
 his grace to M. Euans, I knowe you to be worthy a 
 
 better place then Warwicke is, and I would very gladly 
 
 ^ ,, gratifie my Lord, but surely, there is a Lord 
 
 O Mon- ° J > J ' 
 
 strous hypo- i n heuen whom I feare, and therefore I can- 
 not admit you without subscription. Thus 
 the man with his poore patrone, the earle of Warwick, 
 were reiected by your grace, and the poore earle to 
 this day, knoweth not how to finde the fauour at your 
 hands, that the man may be placed there. I tell you 
 true Iohn Canter. If I were a noble man, and a Coun- 
 sellor to, I should be sicke of the splene : nay I could 
 not beare this at your hands, to be vsed of a priest thus, 
 contrary to the law of God and this land. It is no 
 maruell though his honor could not obtaine this small 
 suit at your graceles hands, for I haue hearde your owne 
 men say, that you will not be beholding to neuer a 
 noble man in this land, for you were the 2. person, &c. 
 Nay your own selfe spake proudly, yea and that like a 
 pope : when as a worthy knight was a suter vnto your 
 holines, for one of Gods deare children (whom you haue 
 kept and do keepe in prison) for his libertie. You 
 answered him he should lie there stil, vnles he would 
 put in sureties vpon such bonds as neuer the like were 
 hard of: and said further, that you are the 2. person in 
 the land, and neuer a noble man, nor Counsellor in this 
 lande should release him : Onely her Maiestie may 
 release him, and that you were sure, shee would not. 
 
OF THE CONFOCATION HOUSE. 1 1 
 
 Doe you thinke this to be he (I pray you) that was 
 
 sometime doctor Pernes boy, and carried his cloak-bagg 
 
 after him ? Beleeue me he hath leapt lustily ? And do 
 
 not you knowe that after it is full sea, there . 
 
 Is not this 
 
 followeth an eb ? Remember your brother ambitiotu 
 tt -r^. i-ii • wretche ;it 
 
 Hainan : Do you think there is neuer a the highest 
 
 Mordecai to step to our Gracious Hester, for 
 
 presenting the lines of her faithfullest and best subjects, 
 
 who you so mortally hate, and bitterly persecute ? I 
 
 hope you haue not long to raigne. Amen. And you 
 
 M. bishop of Worcester, how delt you with master 
 
 Evans in the same case ? Do you thinke that I do not 
 
 know your knauerye ? you could by law require no 
 
 other subscription of master Evans then he offered, and 
 
 yet forsoth, you would not receiue it at his handes, 
 
 vnlesse he woulde also enter into a bonde, to obserue 
 
 the booke of common prayer in euerie poynt, will law 
 
 permit you to play the tyrant in this sort bishop ? I 
 
 shall see the premunire on the bones of you one day for 
 
 these pranks. And the masmonger your neighbor the 
 
 B. of Glocester, thinks to go free, because in his sermon 
 
 at Paules crosse, preached 1586. in the Parliament time, 
 
 he affirmed, that beefe and brewesse had made him a 
 
 papist. But this will not serue his turne : woulde you 
 
 know what he did? why he conuented an honest draper 
 
 of Glocester, one Singleton, and vrged him being a lay 
 
 ma to subscribe vnto the booke. The man affirming 
 
 that no such thing cold be required of him by law, 
 
 denied to subscribe : Vpon his denial] the B. Benl him 
 
 to prison. Is it euen so, you old popish priest I dare 
 
42 AN EPISTLE TO THE TERRIBLE PRIESTS 
 
 you imprison lay men for not subscribing ? It were not 
 good for your corner cap that her maiestie knew her 
 subiects to be thus delt with. And if this be euer made 
 knowen vnto her, I hope to see you in for a bird. But 
 brother Winchester, you of all other men are most 
 wretched, for you openly in the audience of many hun- 
 dreds, at sir Marie Oueries church the last lent, 1587. 
 pronounced that men might finde fault, if they were 
 Oblasphem- disposed to quarrell, as well with the Scrip- 
 ouswretche. ture, as with the booke of Common praier. 
 Who coulde heare this comparison without trembling. 
 But lest you should thinke, that he hath not as good a 
 gift in speaking against his conscience, as my L. of 
 Cant, is endued with : you are to vnderstand, that both 
 in that sermon of his, and in another which he preached 
 at the court the same Lent, he protested before God, 
 
 A flattering anc ^ tne congregation where he stood, y* there 
 hypocnt. wag not m fa e wor ] c [ a ^ ^] HS day . na y there 
 
 had not bin since the Apostles time, such a nourishing 
 estate of a Church, as we haue now in England. Is it 
 any maruaile that we haue so many swine, dumbe dogs, 
 nonresidents, with their iourneimen the hedge priests, so 
 many lewd liuers, as theeues, murtherers, adulterers, 
 drunkards, cormorants, raschals, so many ignorant and 
 atheistical dolts, so many couetous popish Bb. in our 
 ministery : and so many and so monstrous corruptions in 
 our Church, and yet likely to haue no redresse : Seeing 
 our impudent, shamelesse, and wainscote faced bishops, 
 like beasts, contrary to the knowledge of all men, and 
 against their own consciences, dare in the eares of her 
 
OF THE CONFOCATION IIOl/^l . 43 
 
 Maiestie, affirme all to be well, where there is nothing 
 but sores and blisters, yea where the grief is euen deadly 
 at the heart. Nay saies my L. of Winchester (like a 
 monstrous hypocrite, for he is a very duns, not able to 
 defende an argument, but till he come to the pinch, he 
 will cog and face it out, for his face is made of seasoned 
 wainscot, and wil lie as fast as a dog can trot) I haue 
 said it, I doe say it, and I haue said it. And say I, 
 you shall one day answere it (without repentance) for 
 abusing the Church of God and her Maiestie in this sort. 
 I would wish you to leaue this villanie, and the rest of 
 your diuellishe practises against God his saintes, list 
 you answere it where your pieuish and chollerick siui- 
 plicitie will not excuse you. I am ashamed to think 
 that the Churche of England shoulde haue these wretches 
 for the eyes thereof, that woulde haue the people con- 
 tent themselues with bare reading onely, and holde that 
 they may be saued thereby ordinarily. But this is true 
 of our Bb. and they are afraid that any thing should be 
 published abrod, whereby the common people should 
 learne, that the only way to saluation, is by the word 
 preached. There was the last sommcr a little cat* - 
 chisme, made by M. Dauison and printed by W alde- 
 graue : but before he coulde print it, it must be author- 
 ized by the Bb. either Cante. or London, he went to 
 Cant, to haue it licensed, his grace committed it to 
 doctor Neuerbegood (Wood) he read it ouer in hallr a 
 yeare, the booke is a great one of two sheets of paper. 
 In one place of the booke, the meanes of saluation was 
 attributed to the worde preached : and what did he 
 
44 AN EPISTLE TO THE TERRIBLE PRIESTS 
 
 thinke you? he blotted out the word (preached) and 
 would not haue that word printed, so ascribing the way 
 to work mens saluation to the worde read. Thus they 
 doe to suppresse the trueth, and to keep men in ignorance. 
 Iohn Cant, was the first father of this horrible error in 
 our Church, for he hath defended it in print, and now 
 as you haue hard, accounteth the contrary to be heresie. 
 And popish Goodman, Abbot of Westminster, preach- 
 ing vpon 12. Rom. 1. said, that so much preaching as 
 in some places we haue is an vnreasonable seruice of 
 God. Scribes, Pharises, and hypocrits, that will 
 neither enter in [y]our selues, nor suffer those that will, 
 to enter into heauen. 
 
 May it please your Priestdomes to vnderstand, that 
 doctor Cottington Archdeacon of Surrey, being belike 
 bankerout in his owne countrie, commeth to Kingstone 
 vpon Thames of meere good will that he beareth to the 
 towne (I should say, to vserer Haruies good chear and 
 money bags) being out at the heeles with all other 
 vserers, and knowing him to be a professed aduersary 
 to M. Vdall, (a notable preacher of the Gospell, and 
 vehement reprouer of sinne) taketh the aduantage of 
 their controuersie, and hoping to borow some of the 
 vserers money : setteth himself most vehemently against 
 M. Vdall, to do whatsoeuer Haruie the vserer will haue 
 him : and taketh the helpe of his iourniman doctor Hone, 
 the veriest coxcombe that euer wore veluet cap, and an 
 ancient foe to M. Vdall, because (in deed) he is popish 
 dolt, and (to make up a messe) Steuen Chatfield, the 
 vicker of Kingston, as very a bankerout and duns as 
 
OF THE CONFOCATION HOUSE. 45 
 
 Doc. Cottington (although he liaue consumed all the 
 money he gathered to build a Colledge at Kingstone) 
 must come and be resident there, that M. Ydall may 
 haue his mouth stopped, and why ? forsoth because 
 your friend M. Haruie woulde haue it so : for sayth 
 Haruie, he rayleth in his sermons, is that true ? Doth 
 he rail, when he reproueth thee (and such notorious 
 varlets as thou art) for thy vsery, for thy oppressing <>i" 
 the poore, for buying the houses oner their heads that 
 loue the gospell, and the Lord his faythfull minister '. 
 (M. Vdall) And art not thou a monstrous atheist, a 
 belly God, a carnall wicked wretch, and what not. M. 
 Chatfield you thinke I see not your knauery? is vs do I, 
 you cannot daunce so cunningly in a net but I can spie 
 you out ? shal I tel you why you sow pillows vnder 
 Haruies elbowes ? Why man, it is because you would 
 borow an 100. pound of him ? Go to you Asse, and 
 take in M. Vdall againe (for Haruie I can tell, is as 
 craftie a knaue as you, he will not lend his money to 
 such bankerouts, as Duns Cottington and you are) and 
 you do not restore M, Vdall againe to preach, I will so 
 lay open your vilenes, y* I will make the very stoones 
 in Kingstone streets shall smell of your knaueries. 
 Nowe if a man aske M. Cottington why M. Vdall is 
 put to silence? forsoth saith he, for not fauoring the 
 Churche gouernement present. Doc. Hone I (Ottingtons 
 iourniman, a popish D. of the bandy court) saith by liis 
 troth, for making such variance in the town. M. Chat- 
 field seemeth to sorie for it, &c. Bui wli.it cause was 
 alleaged why M. Vdall must preach no longer X surely 
 
48 AN EPISTLE TO THE TERRIBLE PRIESTS 
 
 this onely ? that he had not my L. of Winchesters licence 
 vnder seale to shew : and because this was thought not 
 to be sufficient to satisfie the people : Hone the baudie 
 Doctor, charged him to be a sectarie, a schismatike, yea 
 he affirmed plainly, that the gospell out of his mouth 
 was blasphemie. Popish Hone, do you say so ? do ye ? 
 you are a knaue I tel you ? by y e same token your friend 
 Chatfield spent thirteene score pounds in distributing 
 briefes, for a gathering towards the erecting of a Col- 
 ledge at Kingstone upon Thames. 
 
 Wohohow, brother London, do you remember Thomas 
 Allen and Richard Alworth, marchants of London, being 
 executors to George Allen somtimes your grocer, but 
 now deceased : who came vnto you on easter Wednesday 
 last being at your masterdoms pallace in Londo, hauing 
 bene often to speake with you before and could not, yet 
 now they met with you : who tolde you they were ex- 
 cutors vnto one George Allen (somtimes) your grocer, 
 and among other his debts, we finde you indebted vnto 
 him, in the some of 19. pound and vpward, desiring you 
 to let them haue the money, for that they were to dis- 
 pose of it according to that trust he reposed in them. 
 Can B. face, You answered them sweetly (after you had 
 cofen or no P aw sed a while) in this manner : You are 
 like J0U ' raskals, you are villaines, you are arraunt 
 knaues, I owe you nought, I haue a general] quittance 
 to shew. Sir (sayd they) shew vs your discharge, and 
 we are satisfied. No (quoth he) I will shew you none, 
 go sue me, go sue me. Then sayd one of the mer- 
 chants, doe you thus vse vs for asking our due ? Wee 
 
OF THE CONFOCATION IIOtM . 47 
 
 would you should know, we arc no suche vile persons. 
 Done Iohn of London (hearing their answere) cried out, 
 saying: Hence away, Citizens? nay you are Dumb* 
 raskcals, vou are worse then wicked main- I" 1 "' ,- f 
 mon (so lifting vp both his hands, and Hinging Mewing, 
 them downe againe, said) You are theeues, you are 
 Coseners : take that for a bishops blessing, and bo gel 
 you hence. But when they would haue aims were d, his 
 men thrust them out of the dores. But shortly after, 
 he perceiued they went about to bring the matter to 
 farther tryial : he sent a messenger vnto them confessing 
 the debt, but they cannot get their money to this day. 
 What reason is it they should haue their mony ? hath he 
 not bestowed his liberallitie alreadie on them ? Can 
 they not be satisfied with the blessing of this braue 
 bounsing priest ? But brethren bishops, I pray vou tell 
 me ? hath not your brother Londo, a notable brazen 
 face to vse these men so for their owne ? I told you, 
 Martin will be proued no lyar, in that he saith that 
 Bb. are cogging and cosening knaues. This priest went 
 to buffets with his sonne in law, for a bloodie nose, 
 well fare all good tokens. The last lent there came a 
 commaundement from his grace into Paules Churchyard. 
 that no Byble should be bounde without the Apoeripha. 
 Monstrous and vngodly wretches, that to maintaine their 
 owne outragious proceedings, thus mingle heaiun and 
 earth together, and woulde make tin- Bpirite of God, t<> 
 be the author of prophanc bookes. I am hardly drawn 
 to a merie vaine from such waightie matters. 
 
 But you see my worshipfull priestes of this crue to 
 
48 AN EPISTLE TO THE TERRIBLE PRIESTS 
 
 whom I write, what a perilous fellow M. Marprelate is : 
 he vnderstands of all your knauerie, and it may be he 
 keepes a register of them : vnlesse you amend, they 
 shall al come into the light one day. And you brethren 
 bishops, take this warning from me. If you doe not 
 leaue your persecuting of godly christians and good 
 subiectes, that seeke to Hue vprightly in the feare of 
 God, and the obedience of her Maiestie, all your deal- 
 ing shalbe made know en vnto the world. And ise be 
 sure to make you an example to all posterities. You 
 see I haue taken some paynes with you alreadie, and 
 I will owe you a better tume, and pay it you with 
 aduauntage, at the least thirteene to the dozen, vnles 
 you obserue these conditions of peace which I drawe 
 betweene me and you. For I assure you, I make not 
 your doings known for anie mallice that I beare vnto 
 you, but the hurt that you doe unto Gods Churche, 
 leaue you your wickednesse, and ile leaue the reuealing 
 of your knaueries. 
 
 fHf 3 Conditions of Peace to be inuiolablie kept for euer, 
 betweene the reuerend and worthy master Martin Mar- 
 prelate gentleman on the one partie, and the reuerend 
 fathers his brethren, the Lord bishops of this lande. 
 
 1. In primis, the said Lord Bb. must promise and 
 obserue, without fraud or collusion, and that as much as 
 in them lyeth, they labor to promote the preaching of 
 the worde in euery part of this land. 
 
 2. That hereafter they admitt none vnto the minis- 
 
OF THE CONFOCATION HOUSE. 1<J 
 
 terie, but such as shalbe knowen, both for their godli- 
 nesse and learning, to be fit for the ministcrie, and not 
 these neyther without cure, vnlesse they be Colledge 
 ministers of eyther of the Vniuersities, and in no case 
 they suffer any to be nonresidents : and that they suffer 
 M. Cartwrightes answere to the Rhemish Testament to 
 be published. 
 
 3. That neyther they nor their seruants, vz. their 
 Archdeacons, Chancellors, nor any other of the high 
 commission, which serue their vile affections, vrge any 
 to subscribe contrary to the statute 13. Eliza, and that 
 they suspend or silence none, but such, as either for 
 their false doctrine, or euill life, shall shew themselius, 
 to be vnworthy the places of ministers : so that none be 
 suspended or silenced, eyther for speaking (when their 
 text giueth them occasion) against the corruptions of the 
 Church, for refusing to weare the surplice, cap, tippet, 
 &c or omitting the corruptions of the booke of common 
 prayers, as churching of women, the crosse in baptisme, 
 the ring in marriage, &c. 
 
 4. That none be molested by them or any their afore- 
 said seruants, for this my booke, for not kneeling nt the 
 communion, or for resorting on the Saboth (if they 
 haue not preachers of their owne) to heare the word 
 preached, and to receiue the Sacraments. 
 
 5. Lastly, that neuer hereafter they profane excom- 
 munication as they haue done, by excommunicating 
 alone in their chambers, and that for trifles : yea l>< fore 
 mens causes be heard. That they neuer forbid publike 
 fasts, molest either preacher, or hearer, for 1> ing present 
 
 D 
 
50 AN EPISTLE TO THE TERRIBLE PRIESTS 
 
 at such assemblies. Briefly, that they neuer slander the 
 cause of reformation, or the furtherers thereof, in term- 
 ing the cause by the name of Anabaptisterie, schisme, 
 &c. and the men puritans, and enemies to the state. 
 
 These be the conditions, which you brethren bishops, 
 shalbe bound to keepe inuiolably on your behalfe. And 
 I your brother Martin on the other side, do faithfully 
 promise vpon the performaunce of the premisses by you, 
 neuer to make any more of your knauery knowne vnto 
 the worlde. And howbeit that I haue before threatened 
 my brother Bridges, in the cause of his superior priest, 
 and your Antichristian callings : notwithstanding, I will 
 write no more of your dealings, vnles you violate the 
 former conditions. The conditions you see, are so rea- 
 sonable, I might binde you to giue ouer your places 
 which are Antichristian : but I doe not, lest men shoulde 
 thinke me to quarrell, and seeke occasions for the nonce 
 to fall out with my brethre. Therefore I require no 
 more but such things as all the worlde will thinke you 
 vnworthy to liue, if you grant them not. And this I 
 doe the rather, because you should not, according to 
 your olde fashion, say y e my worship doth for mallice 
 lay ope your infirmities : nay I haue published not one 
 of your secret falts, what you haue not blushed to com- 
 mit in the face of the sun, and in the iustfiing whereof 
 you yet stand, these things onely haue I published. 
 The best seruants of God I know, haue their infirmities. 
 But none of the will stand in the maintenance of their 
 corruptions as you do, and that to the dishonour of God 
 and the ruine of his Church. You must either amend, 
 
OF THE CONFOCATION HOUSE. .", 1 
 
 or shortly you will bring our church to mine: therfon 
 it is time that your dealings were better looked vnto. 
 
 You will go about I know, to prone my booke to be 
 a libell, but I haue preuented you of y* aduantage in 
 lawe, both in bringing in nothing but matters of feet, 
 whiche may easily be prooued, if you dare denie them i 
 and also in setting my name to my booke. Well 1 offer 
 you peace vpon the former conditions, if you will keepe 
 them, but if you violate the either in whole or in part 
 (for why should you breake anye one of them) then your 
 learned brother Martin doth proclaime open war against 
 you, and entendeth to worke your woe 2. maner of 
 wayes as followeth. First I will watch you at euery 
 halfe turne, and whatsoeuer you do amisse, I will pre- 
 sently publish it : you shall not call one honest man before 
 you, but I will get his examination (and you thinke I 
 shall knowe nothing of the oppression of your tenants by 
 your briberie, Sec.) and publish it, if you deal not 
 according to the former conditions. To this purpoe 1 
 wil place a yong Martin in euerie diocesse, which may 
 take notice of you practizes. Do you think that yon 
 shalbe suftred any longer, to break the law of God, and 
 to tyrannize ouer his people her Maiesties subi. 
 and no man tell you of it? No I warrant you. And 
 rather then I will be disappointed of my purpose, I will 
 place a Martin in euerie parish. In part of Suffolk and 
 Essex, I thinke I were best to haue 2. in a parishe. 1 
 hope in time they shalbe as worthie Martins as their 
 father is, euery one of them able to mar ;i prelate. 
 Marke what wil be the issue of these things, if you stdl 
 
 i) 2 
 
52 AN EPISTLE TO THE TERRIBLE PRIESTS 
 
 keep your olde byas. I knowe you would not haue 
 your dealings so knowne vnto the worlde, as I and my 
 sonnes will blase them. Secondly, al the books that I 
 haue in store already of your doings, shalbe published 
 vpon the breache of the former couenants or any of 
 them. Here I know some will demand what these 
 bookes are, because saith one, I warrant you, there will 
 be old sport, I hope olde father Palinod D. Perne, shall 
 be in there by the weekes. Why my masters of the 
 cleargie, did you neuer heare of my books in deed ? 
 Foe, then you neuer heard of good sport in your life. 
 The catalogue of their names, and the arguments of 
 
 ,.. „ . some are as followeth. As for my booke 
 
 Mine Epi- J 
 
 tome is named " Epistomastix," I make no mention 
 
 readie. 
 
 thereof at this time. First my " Paradoxes," 
 
 2. my " Dialogues," 3. my " Miscelanea," 4. my " Va- 
 riae leiciones," 5. " Martins dreame," 6. " Of the liues 
 and doings of English popes," 7. my " Itinerarium, or 
 visitations," 8. my " Lambathismes." In my " Para- 
 doxes" shalbe handled som points, which the comon 
 sort haue not greatly considered of: as 1 That our pre- 
 lates, if they professed popery, could not do so much 
 hurt vnto Gods Church as now they do. 2 That the 
 Diuell is not better practized in bowling and swering 
 then Iohn of London is, with other like points. What 
 shalbe handled in my 2. 3. 4. 5. and 6. bookes, you 
 shall know when you read them. 
 
 Mine " Iterarium" shalbe a booke of no great profit, 
 eyther to the Church or commonwealth : and yet had 
 nede to be in follio, or else iudge you by this that fol- 
 
OF THE CONFOCATION HOUSE. 53 
 
 loweth. I meane to make a suruey into all the dioa 
 in this land, that I may keepe a visitation among my 
 cleargie men. I would wish them to keepe good rule, 
 and to amend their manners against I come. For I 
 shall paint them in their coulers, if I finde any thing 
 amisse : In this booke I wil note all their memorable 
 pranekes. As for example, if I finde anye priest to 
 haue done as Sir GefFerie Iones of Warwicke shire did, 
 that must be set downe in my visitations, and I thinke 
 I had need to haue many Scribes, and many reames of 
 paper for this purpose. The said sir Iefferie Iones, 
 committed a part verie well beseeming his priesthood, 
 which was after this maner. Sir Ieffry once in an ale- 
 house (I doe desire the reader to beare with me, though 
 according to M. Bridges his fashion, I write false En- 
 glishe in this sentence) whereunto he resorted for his 
 morning draught, either because his hostesse woulde 
 haue him pay the olde score before he should run any 
 further, or the new, or els because the gamesters his 
 companions wan all his monie at trey trip : tooke such 
 vnkindenes at the alehouse, that he sware he would 
 neuer goe againe into it. Although this rash vow of 
 the good priest, was made to the great losse of the ale- 
 wife, who by means of sir Iefferie was woont to haue 
 good vtterance for her ale : yet I think the tap had 
 great quietnes and ease therby, which coulde not be 
 quiet so much as an houre in the day, as long as Sir 
 Iefferie resorted vnto the house, how Bweete it was, 
 poore sir Iones felt the discommoditie of his rashe vowe. 
 Then alas, he was in a woe case, as you know : tor his 
 
 d 3 
 
54 AN EPISTLE TO THE TERRIBLE PRIESTS 
 
 stomacke could not be at all strengthened with the drink 
 he got abroad. But better were a man not to feele his 
 discommoditie, then not to be able to redresse the same. 
 Therefore at length sir Iefferie bethought him of a feat 
 whereby he might both visit the alestond, and also keepe 
 his othe. And so he hired a man to carie him vpon his 
 backe to the alehouse, by this meanes he did not goe, 
 but was caried thither, wherevnto he made a vow neuer 
 to go. I doubt not in my visitation, but to get a hun- 
 dreth of these stratagemes, especially if I trauell neere 
 where any of the vickers of hell are. As in Surrie, 
 Northampton, and Oxforde shires. And I would wish 
 the Purcivants and the Stacioners, with the Woolfe 
 their beadle, not to be so redy to molest honest men. 
 And Stacioners, I would wish you not to be so francke 
 with your bribes, as you were to Thomas Draper, I can 
 tell you his grace had need to prouide a bag ful of 
 Items for you, if you be so liberal. Were you so foolish 
 (or so malicious against Walde-graue) to giue that knaue 
 Draper fiue pounds to betray him into your wretched 
 hands : he brought you to Kingstone vpon Thames, with 
 Purcivants to take him, where he should be a printing 
 books in a Tinkars house : (your selues being disguised 
 so, that Walde-graue might not know you, for of Citi- 
 zens you were becom ruffians). There you were to 
 seek that could not be found, and many such iournies 
 may you make. But when you came to London, you 
 laid Thomas Draper in the Counter for cosenage. O 
 well bo wide, when Iohn of London throwes his bowle, 
 he will runne after it, and crie rub, rub, rub, and say the 
 
OF THE CONFOCATION HOUSE. 55 
 
 diuill go with thee. But what thinke you shalbe handled 
 in my " Lambathismes ?" Truely this, I will there 
 make a comparison of Iohn Whitgifts Canterburines, 
 with Iohn Bridges his Lambathismes. To speake in 
 plaine English, I will there set downe the flowers of 
 errors, popishe and others, wherewith those two worthie 
 men haue stuffed the bookes which they haue written 
 against the cause of reformation, in the defence of the 
 gouernment of Bb. I haue in this book as you shal em « . 
 gathered some flowers out of Iohn of Londons booke, 
 but my "Lambathismes" shalbe done otherwise I trow. 
 And now if it may please you of the Confocationhouse, 
 to here of any of the former books, then break the 
 league which I offer to make with you, but if you 
 woulde haue my friendship, as I seeke yours, then let 
 me see that you persecute no more, and especially, that 
 you trouble none for this booke of mine. For this must 
 be an especiall article of our agreement, as you know. 
 And Deane Iohn, for your part, you must plaie the fool 
 no more in the pulpit : we will end this matter with a 
 prettie storie of a certaine mischance that befell a B. 
 corner cap, as followeth. Okie doctor Turner (I meant- 
 not D. Perne the old turner) had a dog full of good 
 quallities. D. Turner hauing inuited a B. to his table, 
 in dinner while called his dog, and told him that the- B. 
 did sweat (you must think he labored hard oner his 
 trencher) The dogg flies at the B. and tooke of In- 
 comer capp (he thought belike it had bene a ch 
 cake) and so away goes the dog with it to his master, 
 Truely my masters of the cleargie, I woulde oeuer weare 
 
 d 4 
 
56 AN EPISTLE TO THE TERRIBLE PRIESTS 
 
 corner cap againe, seeing dogs runne away with them : 
 and here endeth the storie. 
 
 May it please you that are of this house, to tell me 
 the cause, when you haue leysure, why so many opinions 
 and errors are risen in our Church, concerning the minis- 
 ter)', and the ioyning with preaching and vnpreaching 
 ministers. To tell you my opinion in your eare, I 
 thinke it to be want of preaching, and I thinke your 
 worships to haue bene the cause of all this stir. Some 
 puritans holde readers for no ministers, som hold you 
 our worthy Bb. for little better then faire parchment 
 readers, and say that you haue no learning. Now whe- 
 ther readers be ministers or no, and whether our bishops 
 be learned or no, I woulde wish you brethren bishops, 
 and you brethren puritans, to make no great contro- 
 uersie, but rather labor that all euil ministers may be 
 turned out of the Church, and so I hope there shoulde 
 be a speedie ende of all those questions betweene you. 
 For then I doubt not, but that Lord bishops whereat the 
 puritans so repine, shoulde be in a faire reckoning with- 
 in short space, euen the next to the dore saue the 
 dog : and I see that you bishopps are well towardes this 
 promotion alreadie. And truely, though the puritans 
 should neuer so much repine at the matter, yet I tell 
 you true, I am glad that you are so esteemed among me. 
 And for mine owne part, I think my masters, that manie 
 of you our Lord Bb. and cleargie men, are men verie 
 notorious for their learning and preaching. And hereof 
 vnder Benedicite betweene you and me, (the puritanes 
 may stand aside nowe) I will bring you some instances. 
 
OF THE CONFOCATION HOUSE. 57 
 
 First his grace and my L. of Winchester hauc hem 
 verie notable clarkes, euer since M. doctor Spark e Bel 
 them at a non plus (some of their honors being present 
 in the conference betweene him and M. Trailers on the 
 puritans side, and the two Archbishops and the B. of 
 Winchester on the other side. D. Sparks argument 
 was drawn from the corruption of the translation of the 
 28. verse of the 105. Psalme, in the booke of Common 
 prayer, and the contrarietie of the translations allowed bv 
 the Bb. themselues. For in the book of Common prayer 
 you shal read thus : And they were not obedient vnto 
 his word (which is a plain corruptio of the text) in other 
 priuiledged English translations it is, And they were not 
 disobedient vnto his word, which is according to the 
 veritie of the originall. By the way ere I go any fur- 
 ther, I would know with what conscience, either my 
 brother Cant, or any els of our Bb. can vrge men to 
 allow such palpable corruptions by subscribing vnto 
 thinores meere contrarie to the word. Here also I would 
 shew by the way, and I woulde haue al my sonnes to 
 note, that their vncle Canterburies drift in vrging sub- 
 scription, is not the vnity of the church (as he would 
 pretende) but the maintenance of his owne pride and 
 corruption, which should soon come to y e ground, if the 
 worde had free passage : and therefore he prooueth the 
 same, by stopping the mouthes of y e sincere preachers 
 thereof. For if the vnitie of the Church had bene his 
 end, why hath not he amended this fault in all the books 
 that haue bene printed since that time, which now is not 
 so little as 3 yeares, in which time, many thousand of 
 
 d 5 
 
58 AN EPISTLE TO THE TERRIBLE PRIESTS 
 
 books of Common praier haue bin printed. If he had 
 other busines in hand then the amending of the booke of 
 Common prayer ? why had he not, nay why doth he not 
 leaue vrging of subscription vntill that be amended ? 
 Can he and his hirelings haue time to imprison and 
 depriue men, because they will not sinne, by approuing 
 lyes vpon the holy ghost (which thinges they cannot, 
 nor could not chuse but commit, whosoeuer will or haue 
 subscribed vnto the booke and Articles) And can he 
 haue no time in 3. or 4. yeares to correct most grose 
 and vngodly faultes in the print, whereof the putting 
 out of one syllable, euen three letters (dis) would haue 
 amended this place. But it lieth not in his grace to 
 amende the corruptions of the booke. Belike it lieth in 
 him to doe nothing but sinne, and to compell men 
 against their consciences to sinne, or else to bring 
 extreme miserie vpon them. If it laye not in him, yet 
 he might haue acquainted the Parliament (for there was 
 a Parliament since the time he knew this fault) with the 
 corruptions of the booke. And I will come neerer home 
 to him then so, in the Article concerning the gouernment 
 whereunto men are vrged to subscribe. You must (say 
 the Articles) protest that there is nothing in the minis- 
 tery of the Church of England, that is not according 
 to y e word, or to such like effect they speake. I say 
 that I cannot subscribe vnto this article, because con- 
 trary to the expresse commandement of our sauiour 
 Christ, and the examples of his Apostles, there be Lords 
 in y e ministerie, or such as wold be accouted ministers, 
 will also be called and accouted Lords, and bear ciuill 
 
OF THE CONFOCATIOX HOUSE. 59 
 
 offices, the words of Christ are those. The kinges of 
 the Gentils raigne oner them, and they that beare rule 
 ouer them, are called gracious Lords, but you shall not 
 be so, Luk. 22. 25. 26. I saye that out of this place, 
 it is manifest, that it is vtterly vnlawfull for a minister 
 to be a Lord : that is, for any L. B. to be in the niinis- 
 terie : and therefore I cannot subscribe vnto that Article 
 which would haue me iustifie this to be lawfull. Nowe 
 I will cease this point, because I doubt not but tlu* 
 Articles of subscription, wilbe shortly so made out of 
 fashion, that the Bb. will be ashamed of them them- 
 selues : and if no other will take them in hande, ile 
 turne one of mine owne breede vnto them, eyther Mar- 
 tin senior, or some of his brethren. 
 
 To go forward, his Lordship of Winchester is a great 
 Clarke, for he hath translated his Dictionaric, called 
 Copers Dictionarie, verbatim out of Robert Stephnnus 
 his Thesaurus, and ilfauored to they say. But what 
 do I speake of our bishops learning, as long as bishop 
 Ouerton, bishopp Bickley, bishop Middleton, the Deane 
 of Westminster, doctor Cole, D. Bell, with many others, 
 are liuing, I doubt me whether all the famous donsea be 
 dead. And if you woulde haue an ilsample of an excel- 
 lent pulpit man in deede, go no further then the B. <>t 
 Glocester nowe liuing : And in him you shall fade a 
 plaine instance of such a one as I meane. On a time 
 he preaching at Worcester before he was B. vpon Sil 
 Iohns day: as he trauersed his matter, and discoursed 
 vpon many points, he came at the length vnto the very 
 pithe of his whol sermon, contained in tlu- distinction .>t 
 
 d 6 
 
60 AN EPISTLE TO THE TERRIBLE PRIESTS 
 
 the name of Iohn, which he then shewing all his learn- 
 ing at once, full learnedly handled after this manner, 
 Iohn, Iohn, the grace of God, the grace of God, the 
 grace of God : gracious Iohn, not graceles Iohn, but 
 gracious Iohn. Iohn, holy Iohn, holy Iohn, not Iohn 
 ful of holes, but holy Iohn. If he shewed not himselfe 
 learned in this sermond, then hath he bene a duns all 
 his life. In the same sermon, two seuerall Iohns, the 
 father and the sonne, that had beene both recusants, 
 being brought publikely to confesse their faults, this 
 worthy doctor, by reason that the yong man hauing bene 
 poysoned beyond the seas with popery, was more 
 obstinate then his father, and by all likelihood, he was 
 y e cause of his fathers peruersenesse : with a vehement 
 exclamatio, able to pearce a cobweb, called on the father 
 aloud in this patheticall and perswading sort. Old 
 Iohn, olde Iohn, be not led away by the Syren sounds, 
 and inticements of yong Iohn, if yong Iohn will go to the 
 diuell, the diuell go with him. The puritans it may be,, 
 will here obiect, that this worthy man was endued with 
 these famous gifts before he was B. whereas since that 
 time, say they, he is not able to say bo to a goose. 
 You wey this man belike my masters, according to the 
 rest of our Bb. But I assure you it is not so with him. 
 For the last Lent in a sermon he made in Glocester 
 towne, he shewed him selfe to be the man that he was 
 before. For he did in open pulpit confirme the trueth 
 of his text to be authenticall, being the prophesie of 
 Isaiah, out of the book of Comon prayer, whiche other- 
 wise would (it is to be feared) haue proued Apocrypha, 
 
OF THE CONFOCATION HOUSE. 61 
 
 His text was, a childe is borne vnto vs, which after he 
 sweetly repeated very often as before, to the great 
 destruction and admiration of the hearers, Baying: A 
 child is borne, a child is borne, a child is borne vnto vs 
 this (sayth he) is proued you know, where in that 
 worthy verse of the booke of Common prayer. Thy 
 honorable true and onely sonne. Afterward, repeating 
 the same words againe : A childe is borne vnto vs, a 
 childe is borne vnto vs : here sayth hee, I might take 
 occasion to commende that worthy verse in our Latenie, 
 where this is made very manifest, that y e prophet here 
 speaketh. By thy Natiuitie and circumcision. What 
 should I prosecute the condemnation of this man, as 
 though other our Bb. and pulpit men haue not as com- 
 mendable gifts as he. 
 
 And once againe to you brother Bridges, you haue 
 set downe a flanting reason, in the 75. page of your 
 book, against the continuance of the gouernment which 
 the Puritans labor for, and I finde the same syllogismc 
 concluded in no mood : therefore what if I was ashamed 
 to put it downe ? But seeing it is your will, to laye on 
 the puritans with it as it is, put your corner cap a litle 
 nere a toe side, that we may see your partie coullered 
 beard, and with what a manly countenance, you giue 
 your brethren this scouring. And I hope this will please 
 you, my cleargie masters, as well as if I tolde yon how 
 our brother Bridges plaid my L. of Winchesters foole, 
 in sir Maries pulpit in Cambridg, but no word of that : 
 now to my reason. 
 
 Some kinde of ministerie ordained by the Lorde, waa 
 
62 AN EPISTLE TO THE TERRIBLE PRIESTS 
 
 temporarie (saith he) as for example, the Mosaicall 
 priesthood, and the ministerie of Apostles, prophets, &c. 
 But the ministerie of pastors, doctors, elders and dea- 
 cons, was ordayned by the Lord : Therefore it was 
 temporarie. 
 
 Alacke, alacke deane Iohn, what haue you done now ? 
 The puritanes will be O the bones of you too badd, 
 for this kinde of arguing, and they wil reason after this 
 sort. 
 
 1 Some man in the land (say they) weareth a wooden 
 dagger and a coxcombe, as for example, his grace of 
 Canterburies foole, doctor Pernes cosen and yours : you 
 presbyter Iohn Catercap, are some man in the land : 
 Therefore by this reason, you wear a woodden dagger 
 and a coxcombe. 2 Some presbyter prieste or elder in 
 the English ministerie, is called the vicker of hell. As 
 for example one about Oxford, another neere North- 
 ampton, and the parson of Micklaim in Surrie : But the 
 dean of Sarum Iohn Catercap, is some priest in the 
 Englishe ministerie : Ergo he is the vicker of hell. 
 3 Some presbyter priest or elder, preaching at Pauls 
 crosse 1587- tould a tale of a leadden shoinghorne, and 
 spake of Catekissing : and preaching at the Court on 
 another time, thrust his hand into his pocket, and drew 
 out a piece of sarsnet, saying, behold a relique of Maries 
 smocke : and thrusting his hand into the other pocket, 
 drew out either a linnen or a wollen rag, saying, behold 
 a relique of Iosephs breeches. But quoth he, there is 
 no reason why Maries smocke shoulde be of sarsnet, 
 seeing Iosephs breeches were not of silke. This prist 
 
OF THE CONFOCATION HOUSE. G3 
 
 being lately demanded whether he should be bishop of 
 Eli, answered that he had now no great hope to B. of 
 Eli : and therefore quoth he, I may say well inough, 
 Eli, Eli, Lammasabacthani. Eli, Eli, why hast thou 
 forsaken me. Alluding very blasphemously vnto the 
 words which our Sauiour Christe spake, in his greatest 
 agonie vpon the crosse. The same priest calling before 
 him one M. Benison a preacher, and would haue vrged 
 him to take his othe, to answere to such articles as he 
 would propounde against him, who answered saying, 
 brother bishop, I wil not sweare, except I know to 
 what ? with that the priest fell sicke of the splene, and 
 began to sweare by his fayth : quoth Benison, a Bishop 
 should preache fayth, and not sweare by it. This priest 
 being in his malancholicke mood, sent him to the Clincke, 
 where he lay till her Maiestie was made priuie of his 
 tyrannie, and then released to the priests wo. As for 
 example, the B. of Londoo did al those things and more 
 to : For lying at his house at Haddam in Essex, vpon the 
 Sabboth day (wanting his bowling mates) tooke his ser- 
 uantes and went a heymaking, the godly ministers round 
 about being exercised (though against his connnande- 
 ment) in fasting and prayer : But you Iohn Catercap, 
 are some presbyter priest or Elder: Therefore you pro- 
 phaned the word and ministerie in this sort. 4 Some 
 presbyter priest or elder in the land, is accused and 
 euen now the matter is in triall before his grace and his 
 brethren) to haue two wines, and to marie his brother 
 vnto a woman vpon her death bedd, slice being past 
 recouerie. As for example, the B. of sir Dairies in 
 
64 AN EPISTLE TO THE TERRIBLE PRIESTS 
 
 Wales, is this priest as they saye : But you presbyter 
 Iohn, are some priest : Therefore you haue committed 
 all these vnnaturall parts. 5 Some priest preaching at 
 the funeralls of one who died, not onely being condemned 
 by the lawe of God and of the land, for attempting 
 matters against her Maiesties person and the state, but 
 also dyed an obstinate and professed papist, and without 
 anye repentance for her enterprises against her Maiestie 
 and the state : prayed that his soule, and the soules of 
 all the rest there present, might be with the soule of the 
 vnrepentant papist departed. As for example, the B. 
 of Lincolne did this at Peterborough, August. 2. 1587- 
 But you are som priest : Ergo you made such a prayer. 
 6 Some priest in y e land lately made, or verie shortly 
 meaneth to make, as they say, an olde acquaintance of 
 his owne, Richard Patrick, clothier of Worcester, of the 
 reading ministery. As for example, his grace of Canter, 
 is this priest : But you brother Sarum are som priest as 
 wel as he : Ergo you haue thrust a bankerout clothier 
 in the ministerie. 7 Some priest hauing giuen a man 
 (whose wife had plaid the harlot) leaue to marie another, 
 desiring the man long after he had bene maried to 
 another woman, to she we him his letters of diuorcement, 
 with promise to deliuer them againe : But hauing re- 
 ceiued them, they are retained of him most iniuriously 
 vnto this day, and he troubleth the man for hauing two 
 wiues : as for example, the B. of sir Asse is this priest : 
 But you dean Catercap are som priest : Ergo you do 
 men such open iniurie. 8 Some men that breake the 
 lawe of God are traytors to her Maiestie, as for example, 
 
OF THE CONFOCATION HOUSE. 65 
 
 the Iesuites. But all our bishops are some men that 
 breake the law of God, because they continue in unlaw- 
 ful callings : Ergo by your reason they are traitors to her 
 maiestie, but I deny your argument, for there may be 
 manie breaches of the law of God, whereof they may be 
 guiltie, and yet no tray tors. 9 Some men that will not 
 haue their Lordships, and their callings examined by 
 the worde, are limbs of Antichrist, as for example, the 
 Pope and his Cardinals : But our L. bishops are some 
 men which will not haue their lordships and their call- 
 ings tried by the word : Therefore they are limbs of 
 Antichrist. 10 Some men would play the turncoats, 
 with the B. of Glocester, D. Renold, D. Perne (I vvil 
 let D. Goodman Abbot of West, alone now) But all 
 the L. bishops, and you brother catercap are some men : 
 Ergo you would becom papists againe. 11 Some men 
 dare not dispute with their aduersaries, lest their vn- 
 godly callings shoulde be ouerthrowen, and they com- 
 pelled to walke more orderly : But our Bb. are some 
 men : Ergo they dare not dispute lest their vngodly 
 callings and places shoulde be ouerthrowen. 12 Som 
 men are theeues and foul murtherers before God, as for 
 example, all nonresidents : Euerie L. bishop is a non- 
 resident : Ergo he is a thiefe and a foule murtherer 
 before God. 13 Some men are become Apostataes fro 
 their ministerie, sinners against their owne consciences, 
 persecuters of their brethren, sacriligious ('lunch rob- 
 bers, withstanders of the known trueth, for their owne 
 filthie lukers sake, and are afraid lest the gospel and 
 the holy discipline thereof should be receiued in euerie 
 
66 AN EPISTLE TO THE TERRIBLE PRIESTS 
 
 place : But our Bb. are some men : Therfore (by your 
 reson M. doctor) they are become Apostaes from their 
 ministerie, sinners against their owne consciences, per- 
 secutors of their brethren, sacriligious Church robbers, 
 and withstanders of the knowen truth, &c. 14 Som 
 priest is a pope, as for example, that priest which is 
 bishop of Rome is a Pope : But his grace of Cant, is 
 some priest : Therefore M. Bridges, by your maner of 
 reasoning, he is a Pope. You may see what harme you 
 haue done by dealing so loosely. I knowe not what I 
 shall say to these puritans reasons ? They must needs 
 be good, if yours be sound. Admit their syllogisms 
 offended in form as yours doth : yet the common peo- 
 ple, and especially dame Lawson, and the gentlewoman, 
 whose man demanded of her, whe she sat at the B. of 
 Londons fire : why mistris wil you sit by Caiphas his 
 fire ? will finde an vnhappy trueth in many of these 
 conclusions, when as yours is most false. And many of 
 their propositions are tried truths, hauing many eye and 
 eare witnesses liuing. 
 
 Men when commonly they dedicate bookes vnto any, 
 enter into commendations of those vnto whom they 
 write. But I care not an I owe you my cleargie mas- 
 ters a commendations, and pay you when you better 
 deserue it. In stead thereof, I will giue you some good 
 counsel and aduice, which if you followe, I assure you 
 it will be the better for you. 
 
 First I would aduise you as before I haue said, to set 
 at libertie all the preachers that you haue restrained 
 fro preaching : otherwise it shalbe the worse for you, 
 
OF THE CONFOCATION HOUSE. 67 
 
 my reason is this. The people are altogether discon- 
 tented for want of teachers. Some of them alreadie 
 runne into corners, and more are like, because you 
 keepe the meanes of knowledge from them. Running 
 into corners will breed Anabaptistrie, Anabaptistrie will 
 allienate the heartes of the subiects from their lawful] 
 gouernour. And you are the cause hereof. And wil 
 not her Maiestie then think you, require the hearts of 
 her subiectes at your handes, whe she shal vnderstand 
 that they are alienated (as God forbid they should) from 
 her by your means ? yes I warrant you. And if they 
 should put vp a supplication vnto her highnesse, that 
 their preachers might be restored vnto them, I doubt 
 not but they should be heard. I can tell you she tend- 
 reth the estate of her people, and will not discourage 
 their hearts, in casting of their suits, to maynetaine your 
 pride and couetousnesse : you were then better to set 
 the preachers at libertie, then to suffer your cruelty and 
 euill dealing to be made known vnto her. For so they 
 shall be sure I doubt not to preuaile in their suit, and 
 you to go by the worse. And try if her Maiestie be 
 not shortly mooued in this suit. To it my masters 
 roundly, you that meane to deale herein, and on my life 
 you set the prelats in such a quandare, as they shal not 
 know wher to stand. Now M. Prelates I will giue you 
 some more counsell, follow it. Repent cleargie men, 
 and especially bishopps, preach fayth Bb. and Bweare 
 no more by it, giue ouer your Lordly callings : reform 
 your families and your children : They arc the patterne 
 of loosenesse, withstand not the knowen truth no long 
 
68 AN EPISTLE TO THE TERRIBLE PRIESTS 
 
 you haue seduced her Maiestie and her people. Praye 
 her Maiestie to forgiue you, and the Lord first to put 
 away your sinnes. Your gouerment is Antichristian, 
 deceiue the Lord no longer thereby : You wil grow 
 from euil to worse vnlesse betimes you return. You 
 are now worse then you were 29. yeeres ago : write no 
 more against the cause of reformation : Your vngodli- 
 nesse is made more manifest by your writings : And be- 
 cause you cannot answer what hath bene written against 
 you, yeeld vnto the trueth. If you should write, deal 
 syllogistically : For you shame your selues, when you 
 vse any continued speach, because your stile is so rude 
 and barbarous. Raile no more in the pulpitt against 
 good men, you do more hurt to your selues, and your 
 owne desperat cause, in one of your rayling sermons, 
 then you could in speaking for reformation. For euerie 
 man that hath any light of religion in him will examine 
 your groundes, which being found ridiculous (as they 
 are) will be decided, and your cause made odious. 
 Abuse not the high c5mission as you do, against the best 
 subiects. The commission it selfe was ordained for 
 very good purposes, but it is most horriblie abused by 
 you, and turned cleane contrarie to the ende wherefore 
 it was ordayned. Helpe the poore people to the meanes 
 of their saluation, that perish in their ignorance : make 
 restitution vnto your tenants, and such as from whome 
 you haue wrongfully extorted any thing : Vsurpe no 
 longer, the authoritie of making of ministers and excom- 
 munication : Let poore men be no more molested in your 
 vngodly courts : Studie more then you doe, and preache 
 
OF THE CONFOCATION HOUSE. 69 
 
 oftener : Fauor nonresidents and papists no longer : la- 
 bor to clense y e ministery of the swarms of ignorant 
 guides, wherewith it hath bin denied : Make conscience 
 of breaking the Sabboth, by bowling and tabling : Be 
 ringleaders of prophanenes no longer vnto the people : 
 Take no more bribes : Leaue your Symonie : Fauor 
 learning more then you doe, and especially godly learn- 
 ing : Stretch your credit if you haue any to the further- 
 ance of the gospell: You haue ioyned the prophanation 
 of the magistracie, to the corruption of the ministerie : 
 Leaue this sinne. All in a word, become good christians, 
 and so you shall become good subiects, and leaue your 
 tyrannic And I would aduise you, let me here no 
 more of your euill dealing. 
 
 Giuen at my Castle between two Wales, neither foure 
 dayes from penilesse benche, nor yet at the West ende 
 of Shrofftide : but the foureteenth yeare at the least, of 
 the age of Charing crosse, within a yeare of Midsommer, 
 betweene twelue and twelue of the clocke. Anno ponti- 
 ficates vestri Quinto, and I hope vltimo of all Englishe 
 Popes. 
 
 By your learned and worthie brother, 
 
 MARTIN MARPRELATE. 
 
NOTES. 
 
 Page 3, line 16. D. Cosins hath a very good grace in testing] The 
 allusion is to the " Abstract of certain Acts of Parliament of cer- 
 tain Injunctions," &c, published in 1584, and which Dr. Cosins 
 replied to by authority of Archbishop Whitgift, in the same year. 
 The Counterpoyson was printed in 1584, which Dr. Copcot an- 
 swered in a Latin sermon, preached at Paul's Cross, in 1585. 
 The sermon does not appear to have been printed, for the author 
 of " A Defense of the Reasons of the Counterpoyson," 1586, tells 
 us, " the author of the Counterpoyson never could get the 
 answeres in writing, as nowe I haae got them. Since that I myself 
 have fallen uppon the whole sermon in writing, so that it seemeth 
 it goeth from hand to hande amongst those who delight in it." 
 
 P. 3, 1. 26. Cartwrights bookes] The controversy between Whit- 
 gift and Cartwright began in 1572 with the publication of the 
 "Admonition to the Parliament." According to Neal [Hist. 
 Puritans, i. 231. ed. 1822] it was drawn up by Field, a minister, 
 assisted by Wilcox, and revised by others. The authors pre- 
 sented it to the House, for which they were committed to New- 
 gate Oct. 8, 1572. The Admonition was, however, suffered to 
 be printed, and in the course of two years passed through three 
 or four editions. [Strype's Parker, 347-] The imprisonment of 
 Field and Wilcox occasioned the publication of a " Second Admo- 
 nition," written by Cartwright, and two other tracts, entitled 
 " An Exhortation to the Bishops to deal brotherly with their 
 brethren," and another " Exhortation to the Bishops to answer 
 the Admonition." The bishops, thinking it necessary to reply, 
 appointed Whitgift to the work, and, before it came out, it under- 
 went the revision and correction of Archbishop Parker, Dr. Pern, 
 Bishop of Ely, and Dr. Cooper, Bishop of Lincoln. It was enti- 
 tled " An Answeare to a certain Libel, entitled An Admonition 
 to the Parliament, 1572." Cartwright to this replied in 1573, in 
 "A Replye to an Answere made of Dr. Whitgifte againste the 
 Admonition to the Parliament." Whitgift then published " The 
 Defence of the Aunswere to the Admonition against the Replie of 
 T. C. 1574." The following year came out, " The Second Replie," 
 
NOTES. 71 
 
 and, in 1577, "The Rest of the Second Rcplie of Thomas Cart- 
 vuright agaynst Master Doctor Vuhitgifts Second Anavuer touch- 
 ing the Church Discipline." To this "Second Replie" do 
 
 answer was returned, and hence Martin, writing towards the 
 end of 1588, says, "You first provoked him to write, and you 
 first haue receiued the foyle ;" and, in allusion to the same sub- 
 ject at p. 22, " For this dozen yeares we neuer saw any thing of 
 his [Whitgift's] in printe for the defence of tins cause, and poore 
 M. Cartwright doth content himselfe with the victorie, which the 
 other will not (though in deed he hath by his silence) seeine to 
 grant." 
 
 P. 4, 1. 13. quoth John Elmar hi his Harborow of faith/iti su/>- 
 ieets.} Written in reply to John Knox's " first Blast of the Trum- 
 pet against the Monstrous Regiment of Women," it is entitled 
 '• An Harborowe for Faithful and Trewe Subiects against the 
 late blowne Blast, concerning the Government of Women, anno 
 MDlix. Strasborowe the 26 of April." 
 
 P. 8, 1. 13. Which Harmonie, was translated and printed by that 
 puritan Cambridg printer, Thomas Thomas.] A new edition of the 
 "Harmony of the Confessions" has recently issued from the 
 press, edited by the Rev. Peter Hall. Its value is much enhanced 
 by the addition of the Articles of the Church of England, 1562, 
 and of Ireland, 1615, the Judgment of the Synod of Dort, and 
 the Westminster Confession, with an Index to the Doctrines in 
 the Harmony. The editor, in a Note appended to the Intro- 
 duction, has thrown some discredit on the statement that Thomas 
 Thomas was the translator of the Harmony, but in the two direct 
 references which Martin has made to it, I find he is accurate : 
 and a fair inference may be drawn that in other respects his 
 testimony to a matter of fact maybe received. Thomas was a 
 Fellow, and Master of Arts, of King's College, Cambridge, and the 
 author of the Dictionary which bears the name of Thomas Tho- 
 masius, first published in 1588. He was licensed printer to the 
 University 3 May, 1582, but nothing of his is known before 1584. 
 This was occasioned by the Stationers' Company haying, on some 
 plea or other, seized his press. Another license was granted to him 
 Feb. 11, 1584. Strype [Annals 3. 4421 has given the following 
 account: "A new press had been set up at Cambridge, and in 
 1586 the Harmony, translated out of the Latin, was printing 
 there, which for some reasons was not allowed to be printed in 
 London. Whitgift sent his Letter to the Vice-chancellor 
 
72 NOTES. 
 
 Heads to cause the said book to be stayed from printing ;" it 
 was, however, published the same year, and it might be, as 
 Strype says, " after some review or correction of it," for it has 
 " alowed by publique authoritie " in the title-page, and that the 
 " bishops called them in " may be collected from the following 
 entry in the Stationers' Register A, quoted by Herbert, p. 1417, 
 under the year 1589-90, " Whereas all the seiz'd books were sold 
 to Mr. Byshop, be it remembered that 40 of them being Har- 
 monies of the Churches rated at ij s le peece, were had from him 
 by warrant of my Ld. of Cant, and remain at Lambeth, with Mr. 
 Doctor Cosens." 
 
 P. 8, 1. 20. Diotrephes his Dialogue]' See another allusion to the 
 same work at p. 16 : " as my friend Tertullus says in the poor 
 Dialogue that the Bishops burned hath lately set down." The 
 title is, " The State of the Church of England laide open in a 
 Conference betweene Diotrephes a Byshoppe, Tertullus a Papiste, 
 Demetrius a Usurer, Pandochus an Innekeeper, and Paul a 
 preacher of the Word of God," printed by Waldegrave, without 
 date, in 1588. See Note to p. 30, 1. 28. 
 
 P. 13, 1. 18. Gammer Gurton's Needle] Martin here is correct 
 when he tells the doctor this is none of his doing. The author 
 was John Still, Bishop of Bath and Wells, and though acted 
 before, " in Christes Colledge Cambridge," is not known to have 
 been printed until 1575. It is reprinted in Collier's Old Plays. 
 
 P. 25, 1 14. Tarleton] Allusion to this celebrated actor and 
 buffoon is frequent in the old dramatists. In 1583 he was chosen 
 one of the Queen's twelve players. He died Sept. 3, 1588. In 
 " A Whip for an Ape, or Martin displaied," 1589, he is thus 
 noticed, — 
 
 " Now Tarleton's dead the Consort lacks a vice, 
 For knave and fool thou must bear pricke and price : " 
 and again, in some Rhymes against Martin, — 
 
 " These tinkers terms and barbers jests first Tarleton on the stage, 
 Then Martin in his bookes of lies, hath put in every page." 
 
 P. 29, 1. 15. the Iesuit at Newgate] probably Edmund Campion, 
 who was executed in 1581, although Whitgift was not "Lord of 
 Canterbury" until 1583. 
 
 P. 30, 1. 9. John Wolfe] Was chosen beadle of the Stationers' 
 Company in 1587- According to Herbert [1170] he was in 
 special favour with the court of assistants, and chosen from his 
 
NOTES. 7.5 
 
 diligence in hunting out and giving intelligence of books disor- 
 derly printed. Herbert has given a catalogue of the numerous 
 books printed by and licensed to him. 
 
 P. 30, 1. 28. Waldegraue hath left house and lmm, ] An entry in 
 the Register of the Stationers' Company explains the cause of 
 proceeding against him. "May 13, 1588. Whereas Mr, Cal- 
 dock, warden, Thomas Woodcock, Oliver Wilkes, and John Wolf, 
 on the 16 April last, upon search of Rob. Walgraues house, dkl 
 seise of his and bring to Stationershall according to the late 
 decrees of the Starre-chamber, and by vertue thereof, a presse 
 with twoo paire of case.s with certain Pica Romane, and Pica 
 Italian letters, with diuers books entituled ' The state of the 
 Church of Englande laid open,' &c. For that Walgraue without 
 aucthority and contrary to the said Decrees had printed the said 
 book. Yt is now hi full Court, ordered and agreed by force of 
 the said decrees and according to the same, That the said books 
 shall be burnte and the said presse, letters and printing stuffe 
 defaced and made unserviceable." [Herbert, 1145, who gives the 
 Star-Chamber Decrees.] Waldegrave, after this, by the assist- 
 ance of friends, collected money, and commenced printiug at 
 Edinburgh in 1590, being printer to James VI. In that year he 
 brought out the Confession of the Church of Scotland, and on the 
 reverse of the title is the king's patent. [Given by Herbert, 1507. ! 
 Until James's accession to the crown of England, in 1G03, he 
 remained in Scotland, and then removed to London. The last 
 book which Herbert cpuotes as being printed by him in Edinburgh 
 is dated in 1600, but in 1602 I find his name to " Cartwright'a 
 Answer to the Preface of the Rhemish Testament," printed there 
 in that year. 
 
 P. 32, 1. 10. one Thomas Onrin] " Mar. 4, 1587-8. At a court 
 holden this day yt is ordeyned and decreed that T. Orwyn shall 
 from henceforth leave off from further dealinge with printinge 
 whatsoever till such time as the Master, Wardens, and four of the 
 Court of Assistants shall present his name to the High Commis- 
 sioners," & c - 5 which it appears they did, for on the 7th March 
 the Archbishop of Canterbury, the Bishop of London, Dr. Cosin, 
 and Dr. Walker addi-essed a letter to the Court of Station, r 
 which he was elected a printer, ami presented 14th .May to the 
 Archbishop and others, and admitted the 20th May, \:>)\H, to 
 printer according to the said decree. [Stationers' Register,!] 
 in Herbert.] 
 
 E 
 
74 NOTES. 
 
 P. 32, 1. 25. For Reignolds the papist at Rheimes in his booke 
 against M. Whitakers] The first Roman Catholic translation of 
 the New Testament into English, was printed by John Fogny, at 
 Rheims, in 1582, to which Whitaker replied in the same year, 
 and was answered by W. Rainoldes in " A Refutation of sundry 
 Reprehensions, Cavils and false Sleightes, by which M. Whitaker 
 laboureth to deface the late English translation, and Catholike 
 annotations of the New Testament, and the Booke of the Dis- 
 covery of heretical Corruptions. Paris, 1583," in 12mo. To this 
 Whitaker then rejoined in " An Answer to W. Rainolds' Refuta- 
 tion of Sundry Reprehensions," &c, 1585, in 8vo. 
 
 P. 35, 1. 26. If suche another booke as the Ecclesiast. Discipline'] 
 Strype [Annals, iii. 285] has given us the following account of this 
 work. " The Brief and Plain Declaration was written in Latin 
 in 1574, and reprinted in English 1584. It seemed to be printed 
 beyond sea. [ed. 1584.] Travers, I think, was the author. The 
 Epistle commendatory is T. Cartwright's," and the reason why it 
 was written in Latin, he says, was that it might be read by the 
 Queen, " who was delighted with things written in Latin." Ban- 
 croft, who lived at the time, has given us a more particular 
 account in his " Survey of the Pretended Holy Discipline," and 
 in his "Dangerous Positions," both printed in 1593. About the 
 year 1583, where before the platforme of Geneva (for it was left 
 at large in Cartwright's books) had been followed, now there was 
 a particular draught made for England, with a new form of com- 
 mon prayer therein prescribed. It was published the following 
 year, but there were found some imperfections in it, which were 
 referred to Travers to be corrected by him ; and being performed, 
 it came out again in 1586, but it was then severed from the book 
 of common prayer. About Sturbridge fair time, in 1 589, another 
 synod, or general meeting, was held in St. John's College, Cam- 
 bridge, where some other corrections and additions were made, 
 after which those present voluntarily agreed to subscribe it. 
 [See Bancroft's Survey, 66, and Dangerous Positions, 68, 89.] 
 Neal, under the year 1584, states, that " whilst printing at Cam- 
 bridge, it was seized at the press ; the Archbishop advised that 
 all the copies should be burnt as factious and seditious, but one 
 was found in Mr. Cartwright's study after his death, and reprinted 
 in 1644." [Neal, i. 358.] 
 
 P. 36, 1. 22. the Confutation of the Rhemish Testament may be 
 published'] Clark, in his Life of Cartwright, tells us, that on the 
 
NOTES. 7.', 
 
 publication of the New Testament at Itheims, Queen Elizabeth 
 sent to Beza, requesting him to answer it. Beza replied, that she 
 had one in her own kingdom far abler than he was to perform 
 such a work, mentioning Cartwright. In the preface to the Con- 
 futation, first printed in 1018, we have the following account : 
 "The first remarkable motive it seemeth came from Sir F. Wal- 
 singham, who herein as in other affaires, was accounted the 
 mouth and hand of the late Queen and State, by whom M. Cart- 
 wright was not onely incited to begin this busines, but assured 
 also of such aid as should be necessarie for the finishing thereof, 
 to which purpose he sent him an hundred pounds towards Un- 
 charges, which buying of books and procuring of writers was like 
 to bring upon him. This was about the year 1583, as appear, tli 
 by the date of M. Cartwright's letters in answer of the aforesaid 
 motive, which testifie also of the receipt of that hundred pounds." 
 Being also earnestly solicited by several eminent divines of Cam- 
 bridge, as well as the ministers of London and Suffolk, Cartwright 
 begun the work, and had made considerable progress, when 
 " thorough the envious opposition of some potent adversaries, he 
 met with so great discouragement and hinderances, that he was 
 moved oftimes to lay pen aside, as appears by the letter of 1 580 
 to a noble Earle and Privie Councellor of great note in answer of 
 a letter to encourage him in the work and to understand the for- 
 wardness thereof, and by another of 1590, wherein he certifieth 
 the said Earle that about four years before he had received com- 
 mandment from the archbishop that then was [Whitgift] to deal 
 no further in it, and yet upon special solicitation and encourage- 
 ments both by him and some other honorable personages he had 
 at last taken pen in hand againe ;" but, receiving new discourage- 
 ments from his great adversaries, together with his continual 
 employment in the ministry, he was prevented from finishing it. 
 The copy remained for 30 years in MS., and had become some- 
 what eaten by mice, so that, as published in 1018, the missing 
 parts, and all after Revelations xv., are completed from Fulke'a 
 work on the same subject. Pierce, in his Vindication, hints that 
 Queen Elizabeth furnished the money that Walsingham sent to 
 him; but if she had done so, the Archbishop would hardly have 
 interfered in opposition to her will. 
 
 P. 43,1.22. Tlierc wu tk lad tommer a l'"'- oatedkk 
 by M. Dauison] Herbert, in quoting the title, [p. 1588,] refl n to 
 Maunsell's Catalogue, p. 29 ; but a copy was in Rebels collection, 
 
 e 2 
 
76 NOTES. 
 
 [Bib. Heber. ii. p. 25,] the title of which is, " A short Christian 
 Institution made first for the use of a private family, and now 
 communicated by the Author to other Flocks and Families, by 
 J. D.," printed by R. Waldegrave, without date, in 1588. 
 
 P. 47, 1. 24. that no Byble should be bounde without the Apocri- 
 pha] Fuller [Ch. Hist. bk. ix.] states, that amongst other things 
 discussed at the assemblies of the Puritans was the question, 
 " Whether the books called Apocryphal were warrantable to be 
 read publicly in the church as the canonical Scripture ? " but it 
 must be evident to those who are acquainted with their history, 
 that they rejected the whole as uncanonical. In 1588 Martin 
 denounces it as an attempt to mingle heaven and earth together. 
 In 1592 we find the following language in a Petition to her 
 Majesty : " Sundrie of the Prelates do preach and take their 
 texts out of the Apocrypha, wherein they go beyond their com- 
 mission, unlesse the Apocrypha be a part of Scripture, as one of 
 the Bishops doth entitle it." [Petition, &c, 66.] In 1604 we 
 find, from the Apology of the Lincolnshire Ministers, that one of 
 their objections to the Book of Common Prayer was because " It 
 does too much honour to the Apocryphal writings, commanding 
 many of them to be read for first lessons under the name of 
 Holy Scripture." 
 
 P. 54, 1. 29. well bowlde, when John of London throwes his 
 boirte] An allusion to the favourite amusement of Bishop Aylmer. 
 For further particulars the reader is referred to Strype's Life of 
 Aylmer. 
 
 P. 55, 1. 22. olde Doctor Turner} Probably Dr. William Turner, 
 author of the English Herbal, a New Book of Spiritual Physik, 
 and other works. 
 
 THE END. 
 
 LONDON : 
 
 GILBERT AND RIVINGTON, PRINTERS, ST. JOHN'S SQUARE. 
 
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