MarginaliaThe Greeke Church sound and sincere in doctrine.Neither are we ignoraūt (if it please your holynes) that lyke as we Grecians for our partes do labour in all respectes to keepe and obserue the sinceritie of true fayth and doctrine, not to erre ne swarue in any part or poynt from the statutes of the blessed Apostles and aunciēt fathers: so the Church lykewise of old Rome, doth for her part labour also (we know well) to folow the sincere veritie of Christian doctrine, and thinketh her selfe to erre in nothyng, nor to neede any remedy or reformation. And this we know, is the iudgement and saying of both the Churches, aswell of the Greeks, as of the Latines. For no man can see any spot in hys owne face, without he stoupe downe to the glasse, or els be admonished by some other, whether hys face be blotted or no. MarginaliaHe exhorteth the Church of Rome to looke her face in Gods glasse that is, to trye their doctrine by gods word.Euen so haue we many great & fayre glasses set before vs, first the cleare Gospell of Christ, the Epistles of the Apostles, & diuinitie bookes of aūcient writers. Let vs therfore looke in them well. They will shew euery mans mynd & iudgement, whether he go right or wrong. The God of peace treade downe Sathan spedely vnder our feete. The author of peace confound the sower of discord. He that is þ^e cause of all goodnes destroy the hater of that which is good, and which giueth cause of offense and sclaūder. And he which is God of al ioy and peace, send to vs, which are the shepheardes of his shepe reasonable, the aungell of peace and messenger of great glad tydynges, as he did in the Natiuitie of Christ, to the shepheardes of brute shepe and vnreasonable, and make vs worthy to sing that ioyfull song of Gods prayse: Gloria in excelsis Deo, & in terra pax, hominibus bona voluntas, and to receaue one an other with an holy kysse. The grace of our Lord Iesus Christ, and the peace of God the father, and the communiō of the holy spirite be with you alwayes. Amen.

MarginaliaAn other letter of Germanus Patriarch of Constātinople to the Cardinals.AN other letter the sayd Germanus Patriarch of Constantinople wrote also the same time, to the Popes Cardinals, wherein he first commendyng them for their wisedome and counsell, and shewyng what vtilitie commeth by good counsaile giuyng: for somuch as God (sayth he) many times that he hydeth from one, inspireth to an other, so that the good thing which by þ^e almighty God is sonderly dispensed to diuers, through common counsell and cōference, spreadeth to the publicke vtilitie of many. &c. After this eftsoones he begynneth to exhort them, that they like charitable ministers and discret coūsellours will take in hand the spirituall armour of God, to cast downe the stoppe and partition walle of the olde discorde betwene the Greekes and Latin church, and that they will be a meanes to the Byshop of Rome, that they which so long haue bene disseuered by dissension, may now be conioyned in vnitie of peace in brotherly charitie and communion of faith.

Concernyng which matter I haue (sayth he) already written to his holines. And now I besech the kyng of heauen, which tooke the shape of a seruaunt, to helpe his miserable seruauntes: and was exalted vpon the crosse to raise them vp which were fallē into the profūditie of desolation, that he wil vouchsafe to put frō your hartes all elation of minde, extollyng it selfe ouer & aboue the vnitie of your brethren and felow seruaunts, and to lighten your consciences with the true light of vnderstandyng, that we may altogether agree in one, and that there be no schisme amongest vs. Let vs therfore as we are instructed, so abide in one minde, that it be not sayd of vs, as it was of the Corinthians before vs: I hold of Paul, I of Apollo, I of Cœphas, and I of Christ: Marginalia1. Cor. 1.but that all we as we hold the name of Christ, and are called Christians, so may also abide in that wherein we are instructed in one mind, that is, to folow loue and charity in Christ Iesus, hauing alwayes in our hartes the wordes of þ^e Apostle, saying: One Lord, one Fayth, and one Baptisme.

And now to be plaine with you in that I haue to say, I shall desire you not to be offended with me in vttering the truth as a frend vnto you. The wordes (sayth Salomon) of a wise man telling truth, be like to nayles which be driuen in deepe. And truth, for the most part, breedeth enemies. And therfore though I am partly afrayd, yetwil I simply cōfesse þ^e truth vnto you. MarginaliaThe tyrany and oppression of the church of Rome, is the onely cause of breakyng vnitie betwene the Greeke Church and the Latin.Certes this diuision of Christian vnitie amongest vs, procedeth of no other cause but onely of þ^e tyranny, oppression, & exactions of the Church of Rome: which of a mother is become a stepdame, & hath put her children from her whom long time she nourished (after the maner of a rauenyng byrde which driueth her young from her): which children how much the more humble and obedient they are to her, the lesse she estemeth them, and treadeth them vnder foote, not regardyng the saying of the Gospell: Who so humbleth him selfe shalbe exalted.

MarginaliaLuc. 18.Let modestie therfore somethyng tempere you, and let the auarice of the Court of Rome, although it can not wel out of the flesh which is breed in the bone, yet surcease a while, and let vs together condescend to the triall of the truth: which truth beyng found out on both sides, let vs constantly embrace the same.

MarginaliaThe old amitie and cōcorde betwene the east church & the west.For why, we haue bene altogether some tymes both Italians and Grecians in one fayth, and vnder the same Canons: hauyng peace ech with other, and defendyng one an other, & confoundyng the enemies of the Church. At what tyme many flying out of þ^e East partes (whilest that the tyrannie of the heretickes indured) made theyr concourse to vs, and were receaued, and part fled vnto you, that is, old Rome, as to a strōg tower of refuge: and so receaued they comfort in both places, and one brother was thus receaued into the bosome of an other by mutuall loue for their defence.MarginaliaAgapitus and Vigilius, fled to Constantinople for succour.Then after when Rome had ben often distressed by the barbarous and heathen nations, the Grecians were euer ready to rescue and deliuer them. Did not Agapitus and Vigilius flye vnto Constantinople by reason of the dissensions then at Rome, and beyng honorably receaued, were here defended vnder our protection? although the lyke kyndnes was neuer yet shewed of your part to vs agayne in our like necessities. Notwithstādyng we ought to do good to them also that be vngratefull: for so doth the Sea participate her calme and smoth tides euen vnto the Pirates. And so God causeth þ^e sunne to shine vppō the iust and vniust. But (alas for sorow) what bitter diuision is this that hath thus sequestred vs asonder? One of vs detracteth an other, shonnyng the company one of an other, as the damnation of his soule. What a mortall hatred is this come amongest vs? if you thinke we are fallen, then do you helpe to lyft vs vp: and bee not to vs as a stombling blocke to our bodely ruine, but helpers vnto the spirituall resurrection of our soules. So shal we acknowledge our selues bound vnto you to gyue you condigne thankes accordyngly.

But if the blame & first origine of all this offence procedeth from Rome, and the successours of Peter the Apostle: then read you the wordes of S. Paul to the Galathians: saying. MarginaliaPaul rebuketh Peter.When Peter came vnto Antioch, I withstode him in the face, bycause he was to be rebuked. &c. MarginaliaGalat. 2.Howbeit this resistance was no cause of any discorde or breach betwene them: but the cause rather of further search and profounder disputations, prouoking temporall agreement. For they were fast ioyned together in the bande of charitie in Christ, agreyng in fayth and conformitie of doctirne separated by no ambition or auarice. In which pointes would God we also were lyke vnto them. This to vs in our mindes gendreth a great offēce, that your gapyng so gredely after terrene possessions, scrape together all that you can scratch and rake. You heape vp gold & siluer, & yet pretend that you be þ^e Disciples of him which said: Gold and siluer haue I haue none. &c. MarginaliaActes. 3.You make whole kyngdomes tributary to you, and Kynges and Princes your vassals. You augment your Money by vsury, & by feates of Marchandise. You vnteach by your dedes, that which you teach in wordes.MarginaliaHe meaneth of the kyngdome of Englād and other kyngdoms moe which were made tributary to the sea of Rome.

MarginaliaThe immoderate auarice of the Court of Rome.Moderate your selues therfore with more temperāce, that you may be an example to vs and to all the world. Ye see how good a thyng it is one brother to helpe an other. Onely God alone nedeth no helpe or counsell, but men nede one to be holpen of an other. And were it not that I do reuerence the blessed Apostle Peter, the chief of Christes Apostles, and the rocke of our faith, MarginaliaPeters fayth shaken.I would here put you in remembraunce how greatly this rocke was shaken and remoued from the foundation, at the sight of a sely woman: and Christ of his secret purpose permitted the same, which by the crowyng of the cocke brought hym agayne to remembraunce of that which was foretold him, and raysed him from the slumber of desperation. MarginaliaPeter an ensāple of repētaūce.Then he beyng thus waked, washed his face with teares, confessing him selfe before God and all the world, to be a true paterne of repentaunce, which before