Marginalia1556. Iune.blyndnes and errour among the people.MarginaliaIgnorance wilfully maintayned.For afore the blessed reformation begunne by the most noble Prince of godly memorie the Queenes good father, and by our late holy and innocent kyng, her good brother finished: it is not vnknowen what blyndnes and errour we were all in, when not one man in all this Realme vnlearned in the Latine, coulde say in Englishe the Lords prayer, or knew any one article of his beliefe, or rehearse any one of the ten cōmaundements. And that ignoraunce, mother of mischiefe, was the verye roote & well spring of al Idolatrie, Sodomitical Monkerie, and whorish chastitie of vnmaried Priestes, of al whordome, dronkennes, couetousnes, swearing, and blasphemie, w^t all other wicked sinful liuyng. These brought in þ^e seuere wrath & vengeaunce of God, plagyng sinne with famine & pestilence: & at last the sword consumed and auenged all their impietie and wicked liuyng. As it is greatly to be feared, the same or more greuous plagues shal nowe againe folow.

MarginaliaSeruice in Latin not to be admitted.We can not therefore consent nor agree that the word of God and prayers in our Englishe tongue whiche we vnderstand, should be taken away from vs, and for it a Latine seruice, we wote not what (for none of vs vnderstand it) to be agayne brought in amongest vs, specially seeing that Christe hath sayde: My sheepe heare my voyce and folowe me, and I geue to them euerlasting life.

The seruice in Englishe teacheth vs, that we are the Lordes people, and the sheepe of his pasture: MarginaliaIohn 11.and God commaundeth that we harden not our hartes, as when they prouoked the Lords wrath in the wildernes, lest he sweare vnto vs, as he dyd sweare vnto them, that they shoulde not enter into his rest.

MarginaliaAgaynst Latin MattinsThe Seruice in Latine is a confused noyse: whiche if it be good, (as they say it is) yet vnto vs that lacke vnderstandyng, what goodnes can it bring? S. Paul cōmaundeth, that in the Churches al things should be done to edifying, whiche we are sure is Gods commaundement. MarginaliaIn the popes seruice there is no edifiing what fables be in it the Lord knoweth.But in the Latine Seruice nothing is done to edifying, but contrarely all to destroye those that are alredie edified & to driue vs from Gods word and truth, and from beleuyng of þ^e same, & so to bring vs to beleue lyes & fables, þ^t temptyng & prouoking God, we should be brought into that iudgmēt that blessed Paul speaketh of, saying: Marginalia2. Thess. 2.Antichrist shal come according to the woorking of Satan, with all maner of power and signes and lying wonders, in all deceyueablenes of vnrighteousnes in those that perish: because they haue not receyued the loue of the truth, that they might be saued. And therefore God wyll sende them strong delusion, that they should beleue lyes & be damned, as many as haue not beleued the truth, but haue approued vnrighteousnes.

Thus altogether drawen from God, we shall fall into his wrath through vnbeliefe, tyll he sweare vnto vs, as he dyd vnto the vnfaythfull Iewes, that suche Infidels shall not enter into his rest.

In the administration of the Lordes Supper, whiche we confessed to be the holy Communion, and partakyng with Christe and his holy Congregation, MarginaliaThe true vse of the Lords supper extincted.we haue learned Gods holy commaundements, and at the rehearsal of euery one of thē, to aske God mercy for our most greeuous transgressions against them, and to aske grace of God to keepe them in tyme to come, that the same may not only outwardly sound in our eares, but also inwardly by the holy ghost be written in our hartes.

We haue learned also the holy Prayer made for the Queenes Maiestie: wherein we learne that her power and authoritie is of God: therefore we praye to GOD for her, that shee and all Magistrates vnder her, may rule according to Gods word, and we her subiectes obey according to the same.

MarginaliaCauses why the Commissioners commaundement ought not to be receaued.Truely (most honourable Commissioners) we can not thinke these thinges euyll, but thinke them moste worthy to be reteyned in our Churches, and we would thinke our selues not to haue true subiectes hartes, if we should goe about to put away suche godly prayers, as put vs perpetually in memorie of our bounden obedience and duetie to God and our Rulers. For, as we thinke, at this present the vnquiet multitude had more neede to haue these thynges more often and earnestly beaten and driuen into them (specially geuen in many places to sturre and trouble) then to take from them that blessed doctrine, whereby onely they may to their saluation, be kept in quiet.

MarginaliaReceauing in both kyndes.Furthermore, we can not forsake that blessed partaking of the bodye and bloud of our Saueour Iesu Christes institution, ministred with suche godly prayers, exhortations, and admonitions, teaching vs the knowledge of GOD, the exceedyng loue and charitie of our louyng Redeemer Christe, breakyng his bodye vppon the Crosse for our sinnes, and sheddyng his moste precious bloud for our redemption, which we in eatyng that blessed bread, and drinkyng of that blessed Cup assuredly beleue that we receyue,

and be perfectly ioyned with Christe and his holy Catholike Church into one body, and into one vnitie and brotherly loue, wherby eche member faithfully embraceth other. We must needes cōfesse this institution of Christ to be most holy and godly, whereof we haue the onely comfort in conscience against sinne and damnation, with the assurance of saluation, and whereof hath ensued reformation of many haynous sinnes, muche lawing, strife and contention is ended: dronkennes, whoredome, and other vices, in some reformed: goodnes and vertue increased and nourished.

MarginaliaThe Masse hath nothing in it but an heape of ceremonies.In the Latine Masse we neuer had no suche edifying, but only we sawe a great many of ceremonies and straunge gestures: as turnyng of the Prieste, Crossinges, Blessinges, breathynges, washyng of handes, and spreadyng abroade of his armes, with like ceremonies that we vnderstande not. And concernyng the Latine tongue, wherein the Priest prayeth, we wote not whether he blesseth or curseth vs. We are not partakers of the Sacrament, as Christes institution appoynteth we should be.

In the ministryng of the Sacrament, the Priestes alter the institution of Christe committyng theft and Sacrilege, robbyng vs of the Cup of Christes bloud, contrarye to Christes commaundement, saying: Drinke ye al of this.

MarginaliaThe people robbed of Gods worde.They robbe vs also of Gods woorde, speakyng all thynges in Latine, whiche nothyng edifieth vs eyther in fayth or maners. Christe commaunded not that his Supper shoulde be ministred in an vnknowen tongue: but for as much as fayth commeth of hearyng, and hearyng commeth of Gods worde, howe can we beleue Christes worde and promise made vnto vs in this holy Sacramente, saying: This is my bodye broken for you, and this is my bloud of the newe Testament, which is shedde for you, for the remission of sinnes, if the same promises of Christe eyther be not at al recited, or els so recited in Latine, that þ^e Congregation vnderstandeth not or heareth not what is spoken? Saint Paul saith thus, recityng the saying of Esay: As truely as I lyue, saith the Lord, al knees shal bow vnto me, al tongues shal geue prayse vnto God. MarginaliaPhil. 2.Also he saith: Al tongs must confesse, that Iesus Christe is the Lord, vnto the glory of God the father. The holy ghost came vpon the Apostles in fiery tongues, so that they spake the tongues of all nations vnder heauen. S. Paul ministred to the Corinthians and preached to them in their owne mother tongue, MarginaliaAll thinges done in the Church ought to be in a knowen tongue.and rebuked the bringyng in of straunge tongues into the congregations. We can not thinke it to be wel, that so holy an Apostle rebuked. And what soeuer vertue the Latin tongue hath to such as vnderstād it, to vs English men not vnderstandyng it, it is altogether without vertue and edifying, & therfore vnmeete for our Churches.

MarginaliaThat Priestes be not had in honour, it is their owne fault.The Priestes complayne, that we laye men loue them not, nor haue them in honour. But it is their owne fault. For howe should we loue them, that onely seeke to keepe vs in blyndnes and ignoraunce, to damne our soules, to destroy our bodyes, to robbe and spoyle our goodes and substaunce vnder a colour of pretensed holynes? We knowe (right honourable Commissioners) what honour is due to suche wolues, and how by the authoritie of Gods worde, such are to be fled, as pestilences to the Lordes lambes, whom they miserably dayly murder.

But we haue rather chosē by this our meeke supplication, humbly to desire the Queenes maiestie, & you her honorable Commissioners, to render Gods word againe vnto the Churches, & to permit vs freely to enioy the same. For we certainly know, that the whole religion lately set out by the holy saint of God, our late most deare kyng Edward, is Christes true religion, written in the holy scripture of God, & by Christ & his Apostles taught vnto his church. MarginaliaGods word and true religion cast out of the church in Q. Maryes tyme.Wherfore we can not allow with safe consciences this refusall of it, & casting of it out of our Churches, for as much as to refuse, cast of, and reiect it, is to cast of Christ hym self, and to refuse our part in his blessed body broken for our sinnes, and in his bloud shed for our redemption. Which thyng who so doth, the same without repentaunce can looke for no sacrifice for his sinnes, but must fearfully wayt for the iudgemēt and for that vehement fire that shal destroy Christes aduersaries. For if he that despiseth the lawe of Moses, is without mercy put to death vnder two or three witnesses: howe much more greeuous tormentes shal he suffer that treadeth vnder foote the sonne of God, and esteemeth the bloud of the Testament (whereby he was sanctified) as a prophane thyng, and contumeliously vseth the spirit of grace?

Wherefore, we moste humbly praye and beseeche the Queenes gracious Maiestie, to haue mercy and pitie vpon vs her poore and faithful subiectes, and not to compell vs to doo the thyng that is agaynste our consciences, and shall so incurably wound vs in hart, by bringyng into the Churche the Latine Masse and Seruice that nothing edifieth vs, and castyng out Christes holy Communion and Englishe