MarginaliaAn. 1558.It was euen so in the primitiue Church: MarginaliaThe purenes of þ^e Primitiue Church how long it cōtinued, & wherby.For it florished and continued in all purenes as long as the ministers were of small wealth and sought not their particular profite, but the glory of God onely. For since the Popes began to be princelyke, and to vsurpe the dominion of the Empire vnder the colour of a false donation of Constātine, MarginaliaThe false Donation of Constantine.they haue turned the Scriptures from their true sense, and haue attributed the seruice to them selues which we owe to God. MarginaliaExhortation to the king to seise vpon the temporalities of þ^e Clergie.Wherfore your Maiesty may seise with good right vppon all the temporalties of the benefices, and that with a safe conscience, for to employ them to their true and right vse:

MarginaliaThe riches of the Popes Clergie, how it ought to be employed.First for the findyng and mainteynyng of the faithfull Ministers of the word of God, for such lyuyngs as shalbe requisite for them, accordyng as the case shall require: Secondly for the entertainement of your Iustices that geue iudgement: Thirdly for the relieuing of the poore, and mainteinaunce of Colleges to instruct the poore youth in that which they shall be most apt vnto. And the rest, which is infinite, may remaine for the interteinment of your own estate and affaires, to the great easement of your poore people, which alone beare the burthen, and possesse in maner nothyng.

In this doyng, an infinite nūber of men, and euen of your nobilitie, which liue of the Crucifix, should employ them selues to your seruice and the common wealthes so much the more diligently, as they see that ye recompence none but those that haue deserued: Where as now there is an infinitie number of men in your kyngdome which occupy the greatest and chiefest benefices, which neuer deserued any part of thē. &c. And thus much touchyng the superfluous possessions of þ^e Popes Lordly Clergy. Now proceding further in this exhortation to the kyng, thus the letter importeth.

MarginaliaThe malitious and lying slaūders of þ^e Papistes to bring the true Gospellers in hatred with Princes.But when the Papistes see that they haue not to alledge for them selues any reason, they assay to make odious to your Maiestie the Lutherans (as they call vs) and say: if their sayings take place, ye shalbe fayne to remaine a priuate person: and that there is neuer chaunge of Religion, but there is also chaunge of Princedome: A thyng as false, as when they accuse vs to be Sacramentaries, and that we deny the authoritie of Magistrates, vnder the shadow of certein furious Anabaptistes which Sathan hath raysed in our tyme to darken the light of the Gospell: For þ^e histories of the Emperours which haue begon to receaue the Christian Religion, and that which is come to passe in our tyme, shewe the contrary.

MarginaliaConstantine confirmed in his kingdome the more, by receauing the Gospell.Was there euer Prince more feared and obeyed then Constantine in receauing þ^e Christiā religiō? was he therfore put frō the Empire? No, he was therby the more cōfirmed & established in þ^e same, & also his posteritie which ruled them selues by his prouidence. But such as haue fallen away and followed mens traditions, God hath destroyed, & their race is no more knowen in earth: So much doth God detest them that forsake hym.

MarginaliaExamples of England and Germany, how Princes lose no honour by the Gospell.And in our tyme the late kynges of England and Germanie, were they constrayned in reprouyng superstitiōs, which the wickednes of the tyme had brought in, to forsake their Kyngdomes and Princedomes? MarginaliaThe Popes religion more noysome to the state of Princes, then the doctrine of the Lutherans.All men see the contrary: and what honour, fidelitie, and obedience, the people in our tyme that haue receiued the reformatiō of the Gospell, do vnto their Princes and superiours. Yea I may say, that the Princes knew not before what it was to be obeyed, at that tyme when the rude and ignorant people receaued so readily þ^e dispensations of the Pope, to driue out their own kinges & naturall Lordes.

MarginaliaWholesome remedy shewed agaynst the Popes pride.The true and onely remedy, Syr is, that ye cause to be holden a holy and free Councell, where ye should be chief, and not the Pope and his, who ought but onely to defend their causes by the holy Scriptures: that in the meane while ye may seeke out men not corrupted, suspected, nor parciall, whom ye may charge to geue report faithfully vnto you of the true sense of the holy Scriptures. And this done, after the example of the good Kynges Iosaphath, Ezechias, and Iosias, ye shall take out of the Church all idolatrie, superstition, and abuse which is found directly contrary to the holy Scriptures of the old and new Testament, and by that meanes ye shall guide your people in the true and pure seruice of God, not regardyng in the meane tyme the cauillyng pretenses of the Papistes, MarginaliaA blind shift of the Papistes to stop Princes from calling generall Councells.which say that such questiōs haue bene already aunswered at generall Councels: for it is knowen well enough, that no Councell hath bene lawfull since the Popes haue vsurped the principalitie and tyranny vppon mens soules, but they haue made them serue to their couetousnes, ambition, and crueltie: and

the contrarietie which is among those Councels, MarginaliaThe contrarieties in þ^e Popes Councells, enough for their disproofe.maketh enough for their disproufe, beside a C. thousand other absurdities agaynst the word of God, which be in thē. The true proufe for such matters is in the true and holy Scriptures, to the which no tymes nor age hath any prescription to be alledged agaynst them: for by them we receiue the Councels founded vppon the word of God, and also by the same we reiect that doctrine which is repugnaunt.

And if ye do thus Syr, God will blesse your enterprise, he will encrease and cōfirme your reigne and Empire, and your posteritie. If otherwise, destruction is at your gate, and vnhappy are þ^e people which shall dwell vnder your obedience. MarginaliaProphesie agaynst the French King.There is no doubt but God will harden your hart as he dyd Pharaos, & take of the crown frō your head, as he did to Iheroboā, Nadab, Baza, Achab, and to many other kynges, which haue followed mens traditions, agaynst the commaundement of God: and geue it to your enemyes to triumphe ouer you and your children. And if the Emperour Antonine the meeke, although he were a Pagan & Idolater, seing him selfe bewrapt with so many warres, ceassed the persecutions which were in his tyme agaynst the Christians, and determined in the ende to heare their causes and reasons, how much more ought you that beare the name of most Christian Kyng, to be carefull and diligent to ceasse the persecutions agaynst the poore Christians: seyng they haue not troubled, nor do trouble in any wise the state of your kingdome and your affaires: cōsidering also that the Iewes be suffred thorough all Christēdome, although they be mortal enemies of our Lord Iesus Christ, which we hold by common accord and consent for our God, redemer, and Sauiour: and that vntill you haue hard lawfully debated, and vnderstand our reasons taken of the holy Scriptures, and that your Maiestie haue iudged if we be worthy of such punishmentes: For if we be not ouercome by the word of God, the fires, the sword, nor þ^e cruellest tormentes shall not make vs afrayd. These be the exercises that God hath promised to his, and of the which he foretold should come in the last tymes, that they should not be troubled when such persecutions shal come vpon them. Translated out of the French booke intitled, Commentaries of the state of the Church and publicke weale. &c. pag. 7.

MarginaliaThe story and end of Henry. 2. the French King, that would not be warned.WHo soeuer was the author or authors of this letter aboue prefixed, herein thou seest (good reader) good counsell geuen to þ^e king. If he had had grace to receaue it, and had folowed the same, no doubt but Gods blessyng workyng with him, he had not onely set that Realme in a blessed stay from much disturbaunce, but also had continued him selfe in all florishyng felicitie of Princely honour and dignitie. For so doth the Lord commonly blesse and aduaunce such Kinges and Princes as seeke his honour, and submit their willes to his obedience. But commonly the fault of Kynges and Potentates of this world is, that beyng set about with Parasites, MarginaliaWhat cōmeth to kings that refuse good counsell.either they seldome heare the truth told them, or if they do, yet will they not lightly be put from their owne willes, disdaynyng to be admonished by their inferiours, be their counsell neuer so holesome and godly. Which thyng many tymes turneth them to great plagues and calamitie, as by plentyfull examples of Kynges destroyed, wounded, imprisoned, deposed, drowned, poysoned, &c. may well to them that read hystories appeare, but especially in this present example of Henry French kyng, the second of that name, is in this our age notoriously to be considered. Who beyng well warned before (as may seeme) would not yet surcease his cruell persecution agaynst the Lordes people, but rather was the more hardened in hart, and inflamed agaynst them, in somuch that he sayd to Anne du Bourg, one of the hygh Court of Parlament in Paris, threatnyng hym, that he would see hym burne with hys owne eyes. MarginaliaHenry. 2. French king, wholy set to persecute the church of Christ.Further, how his purpose was to extend hys power and force likewise agaynst other places moe, in persecutyng the Gospell of Christ, and professors therof, to the vttermost of his abilitie, I leaue it to the report of them, which in this matter know more