office of obedience. Vnto the which letters he likewise doth aunswere agayne, by cauiling sophistication: and by mere affection, rather disposed to discord, then seeking sinceritie of truth. And forasmuch as in these two letters, the argument of Christian obedience on both sides is so debated by proofes and reasons, as may be profitable for the Reader to peruse and vnderstand: I thought therefore not to defraude the Englishe reader of the same, whereof peraduenture some vtilitie might be taken. The tenour of the Byshops letter to the Earle here foloweth.

Marginalia1090.
Ex appendice Mariani Scotui.VAltramus dei gratia id quod est, Ludouico sereinissimo principi cum instantia orationum, semetipsum ad omnia deuotissimum. Omni regno vtilis est concordia, desiderabilis est iustitia. &c. In English.

Valtrane by the grace of God beyng that he is: to Ludouike the noble prince, with instance of prayer offereth himselfe seruiceable to all things. To euery realm concord is a thyng profitable, and iustice much to be desired. For this vertue is the mother of godlines and the consecration of all honesty. Whosoeuer seking after ciuile dissention, & incenseth other to the effusion of bloud: he is a murtherer, and partaker with hym: who, euer gaping and thrusting for an others bloud, goeth about seking whome he may deuour. MarginaliaConcorde & iust obedience necessary in a common wealth.You therfore, considering with your selfe (most noble prince) how God is the God of peace, and not of dissension (so muche as in you doth lye) haue peace with all men. God is charitie, the deuill is hatred. The whole law & prophetes consist in loue and charitie. He that hateth and maligneth his brother, is a murtherer, and hath no part wyth Christ in the kingdome of God. This we read testified and and protested both by him which is the truth himself, & by him which was the scholer of the truth: who vpon the brest of the Lord (drinkyng a more ful draught of the veritie of the Gospel) reioyceth the citie of God with aboūdance of plētifull floods. In lyke maner the worthy vessell of election, who beyng rapt vp to the third heauen (not by man, but by reuelation of Iesu Christ) protesteth also, saying: let euery soule submit hymselfe to higher powers. There is no power sayth he, but of God. He that resisteth power, resisteth the ordinance of God. If that be true therfore, which certayne of our frendes do iangle among womē, & the vulgar sort, that we ought not to be subdued to kingly power: then is it false which the Apostle teacheth, that euery soule must submit himselfe vnder power and superioritie. But can the veritie lye? Or do we seke for experiment of hym, who spake in the Apostle, Christ the Lord? Or do we prouoke the Lord? Be we stronger then he? For what doth he, but thinketh himselfe stronger then the Lord, that resisteth the ordinance of God: for there is no power but of God. But what sayth the prophet? Confounded be all they, that striue agaynst thee O Lorde: and the men which repugne against thee, shall perish. MarginaliaDisobedience punished of God.Rodolphus, Hildebrandus, Egbertus, with many other princes, resisted the ordinance of God in Henry the Emperour. And lo, euen as they had neuer bene, so are they nowe perished: and as their end was euill, so their beginnyng could not be good.

Now therfore, for so much as they which be contrary to vs do earnestly striue agaynst vs with their owne argumentes, whereas of right (I dare referre me to your iudgement) we ought to vse the autoritie of Christ and auncient fathers, before that, which our aduersaries take out of their owne treasurie. And because I wil not refuse the order of law in this behalfe, let it be the ende of the stryfe: that eyther I may be openly shamed before the people, eyther els (the victory fallyng on my side) we may winne you to the obedience of our soueraign Lord the emperor. Also take you heede to this saying: if any man do preache otherwyse then that which is preached, let hym of you be accursed.MarginaliaCol.This curse I say, doth not procede from any newe prophane autoritie, but is thundered downe from the iij. heauen. And of them which know not the righteousnes of God, but go about to stablish their own righteousnes, and therfore be not subiect to the righteousnes of God: I maye boldly say, let such be accursed. So may you well say, confounded be all they that proudly rise vp agaynst the Lord: but thy seruaunt (oh Lord) shall reioyce, MarginaliaIohn.for as thou haste well sayd, without me you can do nothing, so in iudgyng of the wicked, thou doest not condemne the iust. MarginaliaRom.Who art thou that iudgest another mans seruaunt to his owne Lord whether he doth stand or fall.

MarginaliaA raylyng answere to the former letter of byshop Waltram.THe Earle Lewys to the Lord Waltram, how soeuer vnworthy or vnmeete he be for the name. Like as a good man frō the good treasure of the hart bringeth forth good fruite, so doth the euill man from the euill treasure of the hart bring forth euill fruite. What arrogancie hath so possessed you, to prouoke my displeasure, with such iniurious contumelies? for in dede, those my good Lordes and spirituall fathers, which strengthen me in the way of righteousnes: you railingly call them, bloudy men lyke vnto sathan: and the wholesome lessons, which they teach, you say they are but dreames of the common people amongest foolishe women. Hath God any neede of your iudgement that you should speake leasings for hym? Iniquitie hath taught your mouth to follow blasphemous tonges: so that wel may the Prophet say of you, he would not vnderstand to do wel, he hath deuised wickednes vpon his bed. Although therfore you beyng altogether froward, haue onely spoken froward things: yet we haue determined to set a watch before your mouth, like as if a shameles person should stand vp before vs, and the worde of God doth prouoke vs saying. Answer a foole accordyng to hys owne folishnes, MarginaliaWell sayd, when ye are not able to withstand his wisedome, call hym a foole.
Note how the earle here calleth light darcknes & darcknes lyght.least he should seme wyse in his owne opinion. Shall folly speake & wisedome hold his peace? Shall lies be freely vttered, & truth compelled to kepe silence? Shall darkenes couer the earth, and shall not the Lord arise and shine? yea rather the light hath lightened the darkenes, and darkenes hath not comprehended it. In consideration hereof our hartes haue melted, and our zealous meditatiō hath set vs on fire. We therfore speake and cry, and the little foxes which vndermyne the Lordes vineyardes (as much as in vs is) we driue away, fearing the threatning prophecy. You haue not withstāded our aduersaries, neither haue you made a bulwarke for the defence of the houses of Israell, that you might be able to stand in battaile in the day of the Lord. Let them heare (I speake not to you which haue eares and heare not, eyes & see not, which haue made darke the light that is in you) but let them heare (I say) that be wel disposed, and haue eares to heare withall. As for you, you haue no vnderstandyng, and if you haue, you cloke it. MarginaliaHe hath vttered more reason then you are able euer to answere to.Neither haue you any thing to say, or to proue, by what reason we should be subiect to the Lord Henry whom you call Emperour. And yet (as it is gyuen vs to vnderstand) you go about to perswade, that of necessitie we ought to be subiect to him, and that by the argument of S. Paule. Let euery soule be subdued to the higher powers, for there is no power but of God, he therfore that doth withstand power, doth resist Gods ordināce. The which sentence of the Apostle, we say that you do euill conceiue, and therfore euil interprete: for if euery power be of God (As you do vnderstand) what is ment by that, that the Lord doth speake of some by the Prophet. They did reigne, and were not made Princes by me, and I knew them not. MarginaliaWhether euery power is to be obeyed or no.
Osee. 8.If euery power be of God as you take it, what is to be thought of that, that the Lord doth say: if thyne eye do offend thee, plucke it out, and cast it from thee. For what is power, but the eye? Certainly, Augustine in the exposition of this sentence of the Apostle, let euery soule: &c. doth say that if the powers do commaund any thing against God, then haue them in contempt: but yet neuertheles feare them. Is there anye iniquitie with God? is Christ the minister of sinne? God forbid. MarginaliaIf euery power which offendeth his subiectes is to be cast out,then hath this Earle made a fayre argument.What shal we therfore say? doth the Apostle preach cōtrary to the truth? Augustinus sayth no: one winde filleth many pipes of diuers tunes. Therfore let vs heare the Apostle agreeyng and expounding himselfe, and destroying his enemy and auenger. There is (sayth he) no power but of God. What followeth. He therfore (sayth he) that doth resist the power, &c. God forbid? doth nothyng follow: But what doth follow? Those powers which be ordeyned of God truly: that is it we loke for. O craftye tongue, O hart imagyning mischiefe. O consumyng breath that shall not returne, why has thou lyed to the holy ghost? Thine owne conscience shall accuse thee. Behold the wicked flieth and no mā doth pursue hym. Why would you suppresse the truth to the intent to deceiue? Why haue you stolne away the pithe and effect of this sentence? For if these wordes should be taken away from the midst of the sentence, it should lie contrary to it selfe, inconuenient, and halfe dead. The worde of the Lord is herein fulfilled. He that diggeth a pit for his neighbor shall fall therin himselfe. Verely you can neither excuse you of theft, neither auoyde the punishment due for the same. What (O vnhappy man) what shall you aunswer to the iudge, when he shall require an accompt of his seruants