refuse them. But lest peraduenture mē shall thinke vs to folow our senses to much, and that we, moued by smal or no iust causes, forsake the authoritie, cēsures, Decrees, and Popishe Councels, we thought it best here to shew our mynde to the whole world.

MarginaliaEnglandWherfore we proteste before God and all men, that we embrace, professe, and will euer so do, the right and holy doctrine of Christ. All the Articles of hys fayth, no iote omitted, bee al so deare vnto vs, that we would much sooner stād in ieoperdy of our Realme, then to see any point of Christes religion in ieoperdye with vs. We proteste that we neuer wēt from the vnitie of this fayth, neither that we will depart an ynche from it. No, we will much sooner lose our lyues, then any Article of our belefe shall decay in England. We, whiche in all this cause, seeke nothyng but the glory of God, the profite & quietnes of the world, proteste that we can suffer deceyuers no longer. MarginaliaEnglandWe neuer refused to come to a generall Councell: no, we promise all our labour, study, and fidelitie, to the settyng vp of troden trouth, and troubled Religion, in their place againe: and to do all that shall lye in vs, to finishe such controuersies as haue, a great whyle to long, vexed Christendome. Onely we will all Christē mē be admonished, that we cā suffer no longer, that they be estemed willyng to take away errours, which in dede, by all the wayes theyr wittes will serue them, go about this alone, that no man, vnder paine of death, may speake agaynst any errour or abuse.

We would haue a Coūcell, we desyre it, yea and craue nothing so oft of God, as that we may haue one. MarginaliaWhat aBut yet we will that it be such, as Christen men ought to haue, that is, franke and free, where euery man, without feare may say hys mynde. We desire that it be an holy Councell, where euery man may go about to set vp godlynes, and not apply all their study to oppressyng of trouth. We will it be generall, that is to say, kept at such tyme, and in such place, that euery man whiche seketh the glory of God, may be presente, & there frankely vtter his mynde. For then it shall seme generall, either whan no mā that dissenteth from the Byshop of Rome, is compelled to bee from it, or when they that be present, are not letted by any iust terrour, to say boldly that they truly thinke. For who would not gladly come to such a Councell, except it be the Pope, his Cardinals, and Popishe Byshops? On the other side, who is so foolish, where as the chief point that is to be handled in this Coūcell, is the Popes owne cause, power & primacie, to graunt that the Pope should reigne, should be iudge, should be President of this Coūcell? MarginaliaThe PopeIf he whiche in deede, can neuer thinke hym selfe able to defend hys cause, before any other Iudge, be euermore made his owne iudge, and so controuersies not decided, but errours set vp, what can be deuised in the common wealth of Christēdome more hurtfull to the trouth, then generall Councels?

And here to touch somwhat theyr impudent arrogācye, by what law, power, or honest title, take they vppon them to call kings, to sūmon Princes to appeare, where their Bulles commaunde them? MarginaliaThe PopeIn tyme past, all Councels were appoynted by the authoritie, consent, and commaundement of the Emperour, Kynges, and Princes: Why now taketh the Byshop of Rome this vppon hym? Some will say, it is more lykely that Byshops will more tender the cause of religion, gladlyer haue errours taken away, then Emperours, Kyngs, or Princes. The world hath good experience of them, and euery mā seeth, how faithfully they haue handled religious matters. Is there any man that doth not see, how vertuously Paule now goeth about by thys occasion to set vp his tyranny again? Is it not like that he that chooseth such a tyme as this is, to kepe a Councell, much entendeth the redresse of thynges that now are amisse? MarginaliaThe Popethat hee seketh the restoryng of religion that now calleth a Councell, the Emperour and the Frēche kyng, two Princes of great power, so bent to warres, that neither they, nor any other Christen Prince can, in maner, do any thyng but looke for the end of this long warre? Go to, go to byshop of Rome, occasion long wished for offreth her selfe vnto you: take her, she openeth a wyndowe for your frendes to crepe in at. Call your Cardinals, your owne creatures, shew thē that this is a iolye tyme to deceiue Princes in.

O fooles: O wicked men. Maye we not iustlye so call you? Are ye not fooles, whiche beyng longe suspected, not onely of Princes, but of all Christen people in maner, that in no case you coulde bee brought to a generall Councell, playnely shewe the whole worlde, that by these your conciliables, your hut-ter mutter in corners, you take away all hope of a lawfull Catholicke and generall Councell? Are you not wicked, whiche so hate trouth, that except she be vtterly banished, ye will neuer cease to vexe her? MarginaliaTrouth may be pressed, it cā not be oppressed.The liuyng God is alyue, neither trouth his dearlyng, he being alyue, can be called to so great shame, cōtumely, and iniurie: or if it maye bee called to all these, yet can it come to none of them. MarginaliaThe Pope enemie to Christ.Who is hee that greuouslye lamenteth not, men to be of such shamefull boldenes, to shew apertely, that they be enemies vnto Christ him selfe? On the other side, who will not be glad to see such men as foolishe, as they be wicked? The world is not nowe in a light suspicion, as it hath bene hetherto, that you will no reformation of errours, but euery mā seeth before hys eyes, your deceites, your wicked mindes, MarginaliaThe Popes hatred agaynst the trouth.your immortall hatred that ye beare agaynst the trouth. Euery man seeth, how many miserable tragedies your pretense of an vnitie & concorde, hath brought into Christendome. MarginaliaThe Pope troubler of all Christen realmes.They see, your faire face of peace hath serued seditiō, and troubled almost, all Christē realmes. They see, ye neuer oppugne religion more, then when ye will seme most to defend it. They be sory to see, that great wittes, a lōg season, haue spente their whole strength in defence of deceites: reason to put his whole power to the promotyng of pride, and vngodlynes: vertues to serue vices: holynes to bee slaue to hipocrisie: prudencie, to subtilitie: Iustice, to tyrannie. They be glad, that Scripture now fighteth for it selfe, and not against it selfe. They bee glad, that God is not compelled to be against God: Christ agaynst Christ. They be glad, that subtilitie hathe done no more hurt to religion in tyme past, then now constancy doth good to trouth. MarginaliaThe Popes markes where to he shooteth.They see the markes, that ye haue shot at in all your Councells paste, to be lucre, money, gaynes. They see, you sought your profyte, yea, though it were ioyned with the slaughter of trouthe. They see, ye would euer, that sooner iniurie shoulde be done to the Gospell, then that your authoritye, that is to say, arrogant impudēcy, should in any poynte be diminished.

MarginaliaThe Popes craft in stealing a generall Councell.And we pray you, what maye Paule, the Byshop of Rome, seme nowe to goe about, which seinge all Princes occupied in great affayres, would steale (as he calleth it) a generall Councell? what other thyng, then hereby to haue some excuse to refuse a generall Councell hereafter, when tyme and place much better for the handelynge of matters of religion, shall be gyuen vnto Princes of christēdome? He will thinke he may then do as Princes now do. He will thinke it lawfull not to come then, because Princes nowe come not. We praye God, that we euer braule not one with an other for religion: and where as dissension is amongest vs, yet we for our partes, doe saye that we, as much as men maye, defend þ^e better part, and be in the right way. We pray God that þ^e world may enioy peace, & tranquillitie, & that thē we may haue both tyme and place to settle religion. For except fyrste Princes agree, and (warre laide aside) seke peace, he loseth his labour that seketh a generall Councell. If the Bishop of Rome may keepe his Councell whyle they thus be together, will not there bee made many pretye decrees? If they which would come if they had laysure, be absente, and we whiche, though we safely myght come, will not lose any parte of our ryght, trowe you, in all our absence, that the Byshop of Rome will not handle his profite and primacy well?

MarginaliaThe tyme and place pretely pyked of the Pope.Paule, howe can anye of ours not refuse to come to Mantua, through so many perylls, a Citie so farre set from England, so nigh your frendes, kynsmen and adherentes? Is he not vnworthye lyfe, that where he may tarye at home, will passe through so manye ieoperdies of lyfe? Cā he, which cometh to Cremona, a Citie not farre from Mantua, be safe, MarginaliaWhat an hereticke is among the papistes.if he be taken not to be the Byshop of Romes frende, that is (as the common sort of deceyued people doth interprete) an hereticke? And if there come to Mantua such a nombre, as woulde furnishe a generall Councell, may not Mantua seme to litle, to receyue so many gestes? Put these two together, all the way from England to Mantua, is full of iuste perils, and yet if ye escape all those, the very place where the Councell is kepte, is more to be suspected, then all the way. Do ye not knowe all ciuile lawes to compell no man to come to anye place, where he shall be in ieopardy of hys life all the way? We haue no safe conducte to passe and retourne by the dominions of other Princes. And yf we had a saufe conduct, yet should not we be charged with rashenes, that, where iuste terrour myght haue dissuaded vs from such a iourney, we cōmitted our selues to suche peryls? Surely, he that, the tyme beinge as it is, thinges stan-