MarginaliaAn. 1556. March.tur, & fautores, & receptores, & defensores eorum: nec non & qui de cætero seruari fecerint statuta edita & consuetudines, contra Ecclesiæ libertatem, nisi ea de capitularibus suis intra duos menses, post huiusmodi publicationem sententiæ fecerint amoueri. Item excommunicamus statutarios, & scriptores statutorum ipsorum, nec non potestates, consules, rectores, & consiliarios locorum, vbi de cætero huiusmodi statuta & consuetudines editæ fuerint vel seruatæ: nec non & illos qui secundum ea præsumpserint iudicare, vel in publicam formam scribere iudicata.MarginaliaExtran. De Sententi. et re iudic. Nouerit. That is to say: we excommunicate all heretickes of both sexes, what name soeuer they be called by, and their fautors and receptors and defendors: and also them that shall hereafter cause to be obserued þ^e statutes & customes made agaynst the liberty of the church, except they cause the same to be put out of their recordes and chapters within two monethes after the publication hereof. Also we excommunicate the statute makers and wryters of those statutes, and all the potestates, consuls, gouernours and counsellours of places where such statutes and customes shall be made or kept: and also those that shall presume to geue iudgement according to them, or shall notify in publicke forme the matters so iudged.

Now by these lawes, if the Bishop of Romes authority which he claimeth by God, be lawfull: all your graces lawes and customes of your realme, being contrary to the Popes lawes, be naught, and as well your maiesty as your Iudges, Iustices, and all other executors of the same, stand accursed among heretickes, which God forbyd. And yet this curse can neuer be auoyded (if the Pope haue such power as he claimeth) vntill such time as the lawes and customes of this Realme (being contrary to hys lawes) bee taken away and blotted out of the law bookes. MarginaliaThe Popes lawes and the lawes of England do vary, how and wherein.And although there be many lawes of this realme cōtrary to the lawes of Rome, yet I named but a few: as to conuicte a Clarke before any temporall Iudge of this realme for debt, felony, murther, or for any other crime: which Clarkes by the Popes lawes be so exempt from the kings lawes, that they can be no where sued, but before their Ordinary.

MarginaliaCases wherin the Popes lawes repugne agaynst our lawes.Also the Pope by hys lawes may geue all bishopriks and benefices spiritual, which by þ^e lawes of this realme can be geuen but onely by the king and other patrones of the same, except they fall into the lapse.

By the Popes lawes Ius patronatus shall be sued onely before the ecclesiasticall Iudge: but by the lawes of this realme, it shall be sued before the temporall Iudge.

MarginaliaProuision against the Popes lawes by premunire.And to be short, the lawes of thys Realme doe agree with the Popes lawes like fire and water. And yet the kinges of this Realme haue prouided for their lawes by the Premunire: so that if any man haue let the execution of the lawes of this realme by any authority frō the Sea of Rome, he falleth into the Premunire.

MarginaliaThe prouiso of the Pope agaynst our Premunire.But to meete with this, the Popes haue prouided for their lawes by cursyng. For who so euer letteth the Popes lawes to haue full course within this realme, by the Popes power standeth accursed. So that the Popes power treadeth all the lawes & customes of this realme vnder his feete, cursing all that execute them, vntill such tyme as they geue place vnto his lawes.

But it may be sayd, that notwithstāding al the Popes decrees, yet we do execute styll the lawes and customes of this realme. Nay, not all quietly without interruptiō of the Pope. MarginaliaMarke this well.And where we do execute them, yet we do it vniustly, if the Popes power be of force, and for the same we stand excommunicate, and shall do, vntill wee leaue the execution of our owne lawes and customes. Thus we bee well reconciled to Rome, allowing such authority, whereby the realme standeth accursed before God, if the Pope haue any such authority.

These thinges (as I suppose) were not fully opened in the Parlament house, when the Popes authority was receiued agayne within this realme: For if they had, I do not beleue that either the kyng or Queenes Maiesty, or the Nobles of this realme, or the Commons of the same woulde euer haue consented to receiue agayne such a forrayne authority, so iniurious, hurtfull, & preiudiciall as well to the crowne, as to the lawes and customes & state of this realme, as wherby they must nedes acknowledge them selues to be accursed.

MarginaliaThe clergies duety in the parlament.But none could open this matter well but the Clergye, & such of them as had red the Popes lawes, wherby the Pope had made himself, as it were a God. These seeke to maintaine the Pope, whom they desired to haue their chiefe head, to the intent they might haue as it were a kyngdome and lawes within them selues, distinct frō

the lawes of the crowne, and wherewyth the crowne may not medle: and so being exempted from the lawes of the realme, might lyue in this realme lyke Lords and kings, without dammage or feare of anye man, so that they please their high and supreme head at Rome. MarginaliaThe Clergie of England more addicted to the Pope then to their true allegeance to theyr Countrey.For this consideration (I weene) some that knew the truth, held their peace in the Parlament, whereas, if they had done their duties to the crowne and whole realme, they should haue opened their mouthes, declared the truth, and shewed the perils and daungers that myght ensue to the crowne and realme.

And if I should agree to allow such authority within this realme, whereby I must needes confesse that your most gracious highnes, & also your realme should euer continue accursed vntill ye shall cease from the executiō of your owne lawes and customes of your realme: I could not thinke my selfe true, either to your highnes, or to this my naturall coūtrey, knowing that I do know. Ignoraunce, I know, may excuse other men: but he that knoweth how preiudiciall and iniurious the power and authority which he challengeth euery where, is to the crowne, lawes, and customes of this realme, and yet will allowe the same, I cannot see in any wyse howe hee can keepe hys due allegiance, fidelitie, & truth, to the crowne and state of this realme.

MarginaliaThe thyrd cause why he could not allowe the Pope.An other cause I alledged, why I could not allow the authority of the Pope, which is this: That by his autority he subuerteth, not only the lawes of this realme, but also the lawes of God: so that whosoeuer bee vnder hys authoritie, he suffereth them not to be vnder CHRISTES religion purely, as CHRIST dyd commaund. MarginaliaThe popes religion is against Christes religion.And for one example I brought forth, that whereas by Gods lawes all Christian people be bounden diligently to learne his word, that they may know how to beleue and lyue accordingly, for that purpose he ordained holydaies, when they ought, leauyng apart all other busynes, to giue thē selues wholy to know & serue God. MarginaliaWhy Latine seruice ought not to be restored in England.Therfore, Gods wil & cōmaundement is, þ^t whē the people be gathered together, þ^e Ministers should vse such language as þ^e people may vnderstand and take profit therby, or els hold their peace. For as an harpe or lute, if it giue no certaine sound that men may know what is stricken, who can daunce after it? for all the sound is in vayne: so is it vaine and profiteth nothing, sayth almighty God by the mouth of S. Paule, if the Priest speake to the people in a language which they know not: For els he may profit him selfe, but profiteth not the people, sayth S. Paule.

But herein I was aunswered thus: that S. Paul spake only of preachyng, þ^t the preacher should speake in a toūg which the people did know, or els his preachyng auayleth nothyng. But if the preaching auaileth nothyng, beyng spoken in a language which the people vnderstand not, how should any other seruice auaile thē, beyng spokē in þ^e same lāguage? And yet that S. Paul ment not only of preachyng, it appeareth plainly by his owne wordes. For he speakyng by name expressely of praying, singing, laudyng, and thankyng of God, and of all other thynges which the Priestes say in the Churches, whereunto the people say Amen, which they vsed not in preachyng, but in other Diuine seruice: that whether the Priestes rehearse the wonderful workes of God, or the great benefites of God vnto mankynd aboue all other creatures, or giue thankes vnto GOD, or make open profession of their fayth, or humble confession of their sinnes, with earnest request of mercy and forgeuenes, or make sute or request vnto God for any thyng; then all the people vnderstandyng what the Priestes say, might giue their mindes and voyces with them and say Amen, that is to say, allow what the Priestes say, that the rehearsall of Gods vniuersall workes & benefites, þ^e giuyng of thankes, the profession of fayth, the confession of sinnes, & the requestes & petitions of þ^e Priestes & of the people, mght ascend vp into the eares of God all together, and be as a swete sauour, odour, & incense in his nose: and thus was it vsed many hundred yeares after CHRISTES Ascension. But the aforesayd thinges can not be done when the Priests speake to þ^e people in a lāguage not knowen, and so they (or their Clarke in their name) say Amen, but they can not tell whereunto: Where as S. Paul sayth: How can the people say Amen to thy well saying, when they vnderstand not what thou sayest?

And thus was S. Paul vnderstāden of all interpretors, both the Grekes and Latines, old and new, schole authors & others that I haue red, vntill aboue xxx. yeares past. At which tyme one Eckius, with other of his sort, begā to deuise a new exposition, vnderstandyng S. Paul of prea-