must I folowe, and wyth Gods grace wyll doo.

Therefore good Iohn, praye for me: and if thou seest me weake at anye tyme, comfort me and discourage me not, in thys my godly enterprise and purpose. Thus they came vp to London, and shortelye after maister Doctour Taylour presented hym selfe to the Bishop of Winchester, Stephan Gardyner, who at that tyme was Lord Chauncelor of England.  

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In fact, an arrest warrant for Taylor was issued by the privy council on 26 March 1554. The warrant was sent to Sir Henry Doyle, who lived near Hadleigh, and to William Foster, who lived in Hadleigh (APC V, 3); ergo, Taylor was in Hadleigh and arrested there and brought to London.

For thys hathe been one greate abuse in Englande these manye yeares that such offices as haue bene of mooste importaunce, and waite, haue commenly bene committed to Byshops and other spirituall men, wherby three deuylls mischefes and inconueniences haue happened in this Realm to the great dishoner of God, and vtter neglecting of the flocke of Christ the which thre be these.MarginaliaA great abuse in England. and 3 mischiefes c?ming there of.

First they haue hadde small leysure, to attend to their pastorall cures, but they haue bene vtterly neglected & vndone. The second is it hath also pufte vp many Byshops and other spirituall persons into such hawtines, and pride, that they haue thought no noble man in the Realme worthy to be theyr equall and fellow.

Thirdlye that, where they by this meanes knew the verye secretes of Princes, they beinge in suche highe offices, haue caused the same to be knowen in Rome, afore the Kings could accomplysh and bringe theyr ententes to passe in England: By thys meanes hath the papicy bene so maineteyned, and thinges ordered after their willes and pleasures, that much myschiefe and euyll hath happened in thys Realme, sometyme to the destruction of Princes, and somtyme to the vtter vndoing of many common wealthes.

Nowe when the Byshop Gardiner saw Doctor Taylor, he according to hys commune custome, MarginaliaByshoppe Gardiner like Byshope Caiphas.all to reuiled hym, callinge him, knaue, traytor, Heritique, with many other villanous reproches: MarginaliaDoctoure Taylours patience and magnanimityewhich al Doctor Taylour heard paciently, and at the last sayde vnto hym.

My Lorde (quoth he) I am neyther Traytour, nor hereticke, but a true subiecte, and a faythfull Christian man, and am come according to your commaundement, to know what is the cause that your Lordshyp hathe sent for me.

Then sayde the Byshop: art thou come, thou vyllayne? Howe darest thou looke me in the face for shame? Knowest thou not who I am?

Yes (quod Doctour Taylour) I knowe who ye are.

Ye are Doctour Stephan Gardyner Byshoppe of Wynchester, and Lord Chauncelor, and yet but a mortall man I trowe.

But if I shoulde be afrayde of your Lordlye lookes, why feare you not God, the Lorde of all? How dare yee for shame looke anye Christian man in the face, seynge ye haue forsaken the truthe, denyed our Sauiour Christe and hys woorde, and done contrarye to your owne othe and writyng?

Wyth what countenaunnce wyll ye appeare before the iudgement seate of Christe, and answere to your othe made, fyrste vnto kyng Henrye the eyght of famous memorye, and afterward vnto that blessed kyng, kyng Edward the syxt hys Sonne.

MarginaliaHerodes oathe. The Byshoppe answered: Tushe, tushe, that was Herodes othe,  

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I.e., an oath imposed by force.

Doctour Taylour answered: Shoulde I forsake the MarginaliaThe true churche of Christ, whereunto all menne ought to turne.Churche of Christe, whyche is founded vppon the true foundacion of the Apostles aud Prophetes, too approue those lyes, errours, superstitions, and Idolatries, that the Popes and theyr companye at thys day so blasphemouslye approueth? Nay God forbyd.

Let the Pope and hys retourne to oure Sauiour Christ and hys woorde, and thrust out of the Churches suche abhomynable Idolatries, as he mayntayueth, and then wyll Christen men tourne vnto him. You wrote truelye agaynste hym, and were sworen agaynste hym.  

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This a reference to Stephen Gardiner's book, De vera obedientia, first published in 1535 (STC 11584), which argued for royal, rather than papal, supremacy over the English church. A number of Marian protestants taunted Gardiner with having written this book, and illicit protestant presses in England published new editions of the work after Gardiner was made lord chancellor (STC 11585-7).

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I tell thee (quod the Byshoppe of Wynchester) it was Herodes othe,  

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I.e., an oath imposed by force.

Then sayde Doctour Taylour: but you shall not so be discharged before Christ, MarginaliaChrist will require laufull othes and promises.who doubtles will require it at your handes, as a lawfull othe made to your liege and soueraygne Lorde the Kinge, from whose obedience no man canne assoyle you, neyther the Pope nor none of hys.

I see (quod the Byshoppe) thou arte an arrogant Knaue and a very fole.

My Lorde (quod Doctour Tayloure) leaue your vnsemely raylynge at me, which is not semely for such a one in authority as you are. For I am a christian man