Boner. In dede Saint Peter saith so. Why then I aske of you what your iudgemente is of the sacrament of the aulter?

phil. My Lorde, saint Ambrose sayeth that the disputacion of fayth ought to be in the congregation, in the hearinge of the people, and that I am not bound to render accompt there of to euery man priuately, onles it be to edify. But now I cannot shewe you my mynd, but I muste run vpon the pikes in daunger of my life therfore. Wherfore as the said doctor said vnto Valentinian the Emperoure, so saie I to your Lordship. Tolle legem et fiet certamen.  

Take awaye the lawe, and I shall reasō with you. And yet if I come in opē iudgemēt, wher I am bound by the lawe to aunswere, I truste I shall vtter my conscience as freely, as anye that hath come before you.

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Boner. I perceyue you are learned. I would haue suche as you be about me, but you must come and be of the Churche. For there is but one Churche.

phil. God forbid I shuld be out of the church. I am sure I am within the same: for I knowe as I am taught by the scripture, that there is but one catholike church, vna columba, vna sponsa, vna dilecta. One Doue, one Spouse, one beloued congregation, out of the which there is no saluation.

Boner. How chaunseth it then that you goo out of the same, and walke not with vs?

phil. My Lorde, I am sure I am within the bondes of the churche, whereupon she is builded, which is the woord of God.

Boner. What age are ye of?

phil. I am foure and fourty.

Boner. you are not nowe of the same faythe your Godfathers and God mothers promised for you, in the which you were baptised.

phil. yes that I thanke God I am. For I was baptised into the fayth of Christe, which I now hold.

Boner. How can that be? there is but one fayth.

phil. I am assured of that, by saint Paule, saing that there is but one God, one fayth, and one baptisme, of the which I am.

Boner. You were xx. yere a go of an other fayth, then you be now.

Phil. In dede (my Lord) to tell you playne, I was then nullius fidei, of no fayth, a neuter, a wicked lyuer, neyther hote nor colde.

Boner. Why, do you not think that we haue now the true faith

phil. I desire your Lordship to hold me excused, for answering at this time. I am sure that Gods woorde throughlye with the primatiue churche, and all the auncient writers do agree with this faith I am of.

Boner. Well, I promise you I meane you no more hurte than to myne owne person. I wil

wyll not therefore burthen you wyth youre conscience as nowe. I maruaile that you are so mery in prison as you be, synging and reioycing as the prophet saith, exultantes in rebus pessimis,  

reioycing in your naughtynes. Me thynketh you doo not well herein. You should rather lament and be sorye.

phil. My Lorde, the myrth that we make is but in singing certaine psalmes, according as we are cōmaunded by S. Paule, wyllyng vs to be merye in the Lorde, singing together in Hymnes and Psalmes. And I trust your lordship cannot be displeased with that.

Boner. We may say vnto you as Christ sayd in the Gospel: Tibiis cecinimus vobis, & non planxistis.  

And ther my lord stumbled, & could not bring forth the text, & required his Chaplaines to helpe, and put him in remembrance of the text better. But they were mumme.

Phil. And I recited oute the text vnto hym, which made nothing to hys purpose, vnlesse he would haue vs to mourne, because they, if they laugh, syng still sorowfull thynges vnto vs, threatening fagottes and fyre.

We are my Lorde, in a darke comfortles place, and therefore it behoueth vs to be mery, least as Salomon saith, sorowfulnes eate vp our hart. Therefore I trust your lordshyp wil not be angry for our singing of psalmes, since S. Paule sayth: if anye man be of an vprighte mynde, let him syng. And we therefore, to testifye that we are of an vpright minde to God (though we be in misery) do syng.

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Boner. I wil trouble you no further as now. If I can do you any good, I will be glad to do it for you. God be with you good maister Philpot, and geue you good nyght. Haue hym to the cellar, and let hym drynke a cup of wyne.

Thus I departed, and by my lordes Register I was brought to his cellar doore, where I dranke a good cup of wyne. And my lordes Chaplaine M. Cousyn folowed mee, takynge acquaintance, sayinge that I was welcome, and wished that I would not be singular.

phil. I am wel taught the contrary by Salomon, saying. Væ soli,  

wo be vnto hym that is alone. After that, I was caryed to my Lordes Colehouse agayne, where I with my syxe fellowes do rouse together in the straw, as cherefullye (wee thanke God) as other doo in theyr beds of downe.

Thus for the thyrd fyt.  

BOner. Mayster Philpot, it hath pleased my Lordes to take paynes here to day, to dyne with my poore Archdeacon, and in the Dynner tyme it chaunced vs to haue communication of you.