declared your mynde, what you thought in that matter. What do you desire any more? Also out of the territory of the Duke of Millaine, there was present the Archbyshop of Millaine, who albeit, he be no Ambassadour, yet how famous a Prelate he is, you are not ignoraunt. When he had spoken these wordes, the Archbyshop beyng somewhat moued, sayd vnto hym. My Lord Cardinall, you supply the roome of a President no better, then I do the place of a Dukes Oratour, and began to taunte hym with many wordes.MarginaliaThe patience & answere of Arelatensis. But the Cardinall (as he was a mā most paciēt: & would not be prouoked to anger by no meanes) sayd: this is it that I euen now desired. For if the Archb. be an Ambassadour then hath the Duke no cause to cōplayne, which had his Oratour presēt at the discussyng of those matters.

I passe ouer other Princes, because they do not complayne. Notwithstandyng the most Christian Kyng of Fraunce, had there the Byshop of Lyons, a graue and sober man his Ambassadour at the disputation. As for other princes, I see no cause why they should be taried for, which knowyng the Councell to be cōgregate for such matters as pertaine vnto fayth, do not thinke it absurde, that the doubtfull matters of fayth should be declared in the Councell: Whereunto, if they had bene willyng to come, they would haue bene present or this.

Why this matter should neede so much discussyng, as some will haue, I do not vnderstand. For if I be well remembred, Panormitane and also Ludouicus, haue oftentimes affirmed in this place euē the very same thing which the conclusions signifie. And if any of them now will go about to gaynesay it, it will happen vnto them, as it dyd vnto Didimus.MarginaliaDidimus reprehended that which was in his owne booke founde. To whom, when as on a time, he repugned agaynst a certaine history, as vayne and friuolous, his owne booke was deliuered vnto hym, wherin the same was written: So likewise these two menMarginaliaHe meaneth Panormitane, & Lodouicus the Prothonotary. (meanyng Panormitane & Ludouicus the Prothonatory) Albeit they be most excellently learned, & eloquent: yet may they be confuted by their owne writynges. Besides this: there are Synodall Epistles and decrees of this Councel, which are full of such cōclusions. What is it then whereupon any difficultie can be raysed? What is it that may be impugned? Shall we now bryng that agayne in doubt, which hath so often bene declared, affirmed, and decreed? But (they say) the Princes and Ambassadours are absent which are Byshops, by whose presence the decrees should be of more authoritie. Well, they are not onely absent which are gone to Mētz: but almost an infinite number of others, dispersed throughout the whole world: whom if we should tary to looke for, nothyng at any tyme should be decreed. They are all called vnto the Councell: they might haue come if they would. To those that are present power is geuē, and they ought to debate these matters. If any man wil say, that they which are absent, are about the affaires of the common wealth: truly, we sent them not thether, but they went rather agaynst the will of the Councell, then with the consent therof.

And admit that they had bene sent by the Councell: yet were not our power so much restrained, but that we might reforme the Church, for otherwise there should neuer any thyng be done in the Councell: for somuch as alwayes some are sent out by the Councel, and some are alwayes to be looked and taryed for, and therfore either we must do nothyng at all, or send out no Prelates from the Councell. Where as he sayd that Prelates and specially Byshops are contemned, that is most farre from the truth, for they haue the chief and first places. They speake first, and geue their voyces first of all vnto all thynges: and if so be they do speake learnedly and truly, all the inferiours without any gaynsaying, do soone folow their mynde.

Neither peraduenture shall it be founde vntrue, that there was neuer any Synode, which did more amplifie the power and authoritie of byshops then this. For what haue the bishops bene in our dayes, but onely shadowes? Might they not well haue bene called shepheardes without sheepe? What had they more then their miter and their staffe, when as they could determine nothyng ouer their subiectes? Verely in the primatiue Church, the Bishops had the greatest power and authoritie: but now was it come to that poynt, that they exceded the common sort of Pristes onely in their habite and reuenewes.MarginaliaMarke, O ye bishops, the coūcell of Basill cōtendeth for you & ye will not vnderstand it. But we haue restored them agayne to their old estate, we haue reduced the collation of benefices agayne vnto thē: we haue restored vnto thē the confirmatiō of electiōs: we haue brought agayne the causes of the subiectes to be heard, into their handes, & haue made them Byshops which were none before. What cause is there thē, that the Byshops should say, they are contemned of the Coūcell? Or what iniurious thyng haue we at any tyme done vnto them? But Panormitan sayth, that for somuch as most bi shops are on his part, and few agaynst him, the conclusion is not to be determined by the multitude of the inferiours, But let Panormitan remēber himselfe that this is no new kynde of procedyng.

This order of procedyng, the Councell ordeined from the begynnyng, neither hath it bene chaunged at any tyme since. And this order Panormitane, in tymes past hath pleased you well enough, when as the multitude did folow your mynde. But now, because they do not follow your mynde, they do displease you. But the decrees of Councels are not so mutable, as the wils of men. Know ye moreouer, that the very same Byshops which do consent with you in worde do not cōsent with you in mynde, neither speake þ^e same secretly, which they now do opēly. They do feare that which you told them at home in their countrey: that except they would folow your mynde, they should displease the kyng.MarginaliaThis was a true Cardinall: out of whose mouth the veritie did speake, which feared not the threateninges of princes, neither sought any worldly glory or dignitie. They feare the power of the Prince, & to be spoyled of their temporalities: neither haue they free liberty to speake as is requisite in Councels. Albeit if they were true Byshops, & true pastours of soules, they would not doubt to put their lyues in venture for their sheepe, neither be afearde to shed their bloud for their mother the Church.

But at this present (the more is the pitie) it is rare to finde a Prelate in this world, which doth not preferre his temporalties before his spiritualties: with the loue wherof, they are so withdrawen, that they study rather to please Princes then God, and confesse God in corners, but Princes they will openly confesse.MarginaliaMarke what worldly pompe, dignitie, and wealth had brought the prelates to, in those dayes. Of whom the Lord speaketh in his Gospel. Euery one sayth he, that confesseth me before men, I will confesse him before my father which is in heauen. And contrarywise the Lord wil not confesse him before his father which is afeard to confesse the Lord before men. Neither is it true which Panormitan sayth, most byshops to be on his part: for here are many Byshops proctors, whō he doth not recken, because they are not of his opinion. Neither is the dignitie of the fathers, to be respected in the Coūcell, as he sayth, but onely reason, nor any thyng more to be looked for, then the truth:MarginaliaNote here the great godlynes & most christiā saying of this good byshop. neither will I for my part, preferre a lye of any Byshop, be he neuer so rich, before a veritie or truth of a poore Priest. Neither ought a Byshop to disdayne, if he be rude or vnlearned, that the multitude doth not folow him, or that the voyce of a poore learned and eloquent Priest should be preferd before his.MarginaliaTruth many tymes dwelleth vnder the ragged cloke. For wisedome dwelleth oftner vnder a bare and ragged cloke, then in rich ornamentes and apparell.

MarginaliaSteuen the first martyr. Wherfore I pray you my Lord byshops, do not so much contēne your inferiours: for the first which dyed for Christ, the which also opened vnto all other the way of Martyrdome, was no byshop but onely a Leuite. As for that which Ludouicus and Panormitane do alledge touching the voyces of Byshops, I know not where they haue it. Wherfore I desire thē that they would tell me, where they haue found it. But if we repeat MarginaliaNote the sinceretie of this good byshop, which stayed himselfe vpō the examples of the primitiue church, and not vpon customes & popes. the examples of old Councels, we shall finde that the inferiours were alwayes presēt with the byshops. And albeit that Ludouicus do forbyd vs the examples of the Apostles, I stay my selfe most vpō their doings: For what is more comely for vs to folow, then the doctrine and customes of the primatiue Church? It is sayd therfore in the. xv. chap. of the Actes of the Apostles: it seemed good vnto the holy Ghost and to vs. The which word (to vs) is referred vnto them which are before named, the Apostles and the Elders. Neither this word, (it seemed good) signifieth in this place consultation, but decision and determination, whereby it appeareth, that other beside the Byshops had determinyng voyces. In an other place also of the sayd Actes, when as the Apostles should intreate vppon any wayghty matter, they durst not determine by themselues, but the xij. called together the multitude.

Here Ludouicus saith, that it doth not appeare that the Apostles called other of necessitie: but I say vnto hym, how knowest thou þ^t they dyd not call thē of necessitie? But for so much as both partes are vncertaine: nothing doth prohibite vs to follow the Apostles. For seyng that all thynges were written for our learnyng, it appeareth that the Apostles would geue vs exēple, that in wayghty matters we should admit our inferiours. And therfore in all Councels which were celebrate & holden afterwardes: we finde that Priests were also present: as in the Councell of Nice, which of all other was most famous,MarginaliaAnthanasius being but a priest, and no bishop, vanquished an Archb. Athanasius beyng then but onely a Priest, withstode the Arrians, and infringed theyr argumentes: Albeit there were also other Priestes. And albeit mention be made of 322. Byshops, yet it is not denyed, but that the inferiours were there, whom I thinke to be omitted for this cause, for that they were almost innumerable: for as you know well inough, the denominatiō for the most part, is taken of the most worthy.