ters, and to c?sider our inward troubles at home, we heare, to the great griefe of our hart, that M. Luther a newe rayser vp of olde and damnable heresies:MarginaliaRather a new raser vp of the olde doctrine of the Patriarches, Prophets and Apostles. first after the fatherly aduertisementes of the See Apostolique: then after the sentence also of condemnation awarded agaynste hym, and that by the assent and consent of the best learned, and of sundrye Vniuersities also: and lastly after the Emperiall decree of our wel beloued sonne Charles, electe Emperour of the Romanes, and Catholique kyng of Spayne, beyng diuulged through the whole nation of Germanie, yet hath neither bene by other restreyned, nor of hym selfe hath refrayned from his madnesse begunne, but dayly more and more forgetting and contemning all Christian Charitie and godlynesse, ceaseth not to disturbe and replenish the world with newe bookes, fraught full of errors, heresies, contumelies, and seditionMarginaliaTermes without truth. (whether vpon his owne head, or by the helpe of other) and to infect the countrey of Germanie, & other regions about, with his pestilence, and endeuoreth styll to corrupt simple soules, and manners of men, with the poyson of his pestiferous tongue:MarginaliaEuill called good: and good euill. and (whiche is woorst of al) hard for his fautors and supporters, not of the vulgare sort onely, but also diuers personages of Nobilitie: insomuch that they haue begunne also to inuade the goodes of priestes (which perhaps is the chiefe ground of this styrre begun) contrary to their obedience which they owe to ecclesiastical and temporal persons, and now also at last haue growne vnto ciuile warre and dissention among them selues, which thyng how vnfortunately it falleth out now, at this present season, especially, amongest vs Christians, you maye soone repute with your selues and consider. For although the Apostle hath tolde vs before, that heresies must needes be, that they vvhich be tryed, may be made manifest,  

&c.Marginalia1. Cor. 11. yet was there neuer time, either so vnconuenient to raise vp heresies, or so necessary for the repressing therof, when any such are raysed, as now. For whereas the deuil, the perpetual enimie of mankind, roryng in the shape of a Lion,  

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This is an allusion to 1 Peter 5:8.

by the power of the Turkes, doth continually inuade the flocke of Christ, howe can we then resist the violent inuasions of hym, oppressing vs without, so long as we nourish at home the same deuyl, vnder the colour of a wily dragon, sowyng such heresies,MarginaliaWho soweth these heresies. but he which will not let the Scriptures take place. discords, and seditions among our selues: And albeit it were in our power easily to v?quish these forreine aduersaries, yet were that but labor lost, seruyng to no profite, to subdue our enemies without, and at home with heresies and schismes to be diuided.

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We remember, before the tyme of our Papacie, when we were in Spayne, many thinges we hearde then of Luther, and of his peruerse doctrine. Whiche rumors and tidynges, although of them selues they were greeuous to be hearde, yet more greeuous they were for this, because they proceeded out of that countrey, where we our selfe, after the fleshe, tooke our first beinnyng:  

but yet this comfort we had, supposing that either for the iniquitie, or els for the foolishnesse thereof being so manifest, this doctrine woulde not long holde: reputing thus with our selfe, that such pestiferoursMarginalia* He meaneth the doctrine of Iohn Hus translated into Germaine. * plantes translated from other countreys into Germanie, would neuer grow vp to any proufe in that grounde, whiche was euer woont to be a weeder out of all heresies and infidelitie. But now since this euyl tree (whether by Gods iudgement correctyng the sinnes of the people, or by the negligence of suche as first should haue resisted suche beginnynges) hathe so enlarged and spreade his branches so farre: you therefore, both princes, and people of Germanie, must this consider and prouide, least you, whiche at the first springyng vp of this euyl, might pereaduenture be excused as no doers thereof, nowe through this your ouermuch sufferaunce, might be founde vnexcusable, and seeme to consent to that which you do not resist.

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Here we omytte and passe ouer, what enormitie, and more then enormitie, this is, that such a great & so deuoute a nation, shoulde by one fryer  

(who relinquishing the Catholique fayth and Christian religion, whiche he before professed, playeth the Apostata, and hath lyed to God) be now seduced from that way, which firstMarginalia * Christ and his Apostles taught vs, that we are saued by Fayth onely in the Sonne of God: the same doth Luther preache, and the Pope denieth. Holy Martyrs and fathers in the olde tyme ministred the Communion in both kindes to the people, and taught that fayth was necessarie, in receauing the Sacrmamentes: the same doth Luther affirme and the Pope denyeth. The olde waye of the Fathers was this, that they neuer had anye aduocates and mediatours but Christ alone, and that they neuer solde the merites of Christes passion for money. In the same waye doth Luther now walke, wheras the pope hath deuised a new waye to walke in for money, with an hundreth other * Christe our redemer and his blessed Apostles haue opened vnto vs, which so manye Martyres, so manye holye Fathers, so manye greate learned menne, and also your owne foreelders and old auncitours, haue alwaies hitherto walked in: as though only Luther had al wyt and cunnyng, as though he onely nowe first had receyued the holy ghost (as the heretique Montanus vsed to boast of hym selfe) or as though the Church (from whi che Marginalianew deuises, new sectes, & new ordinances which the olde fathers neuer knewe.Christe our sauiour promised hym selfe neuer to depart) hathe erred hytherto alwayes in darke shadowes of ignorance and perdition, tyll nowe it shoulde be illuminate with newe resplendent beames of Luther. Al whiche thynges, there is no doubt, but to suche as haue iudgement, wyll seeme ridiculous, but yet maye be pernicious to simple and ignoraunt myndes: and to other whiche beyng werye of all good order, do gape styl for newe chaunges, may breede matter and occasion of suche mischiefes, as partly your selues haue experienced already. And therefore do you not consider (O princes and people of Germanie) that these be but prefaces and preambles to those euylles and mischiefes, whiche Luther with the sect of his Lutherians, do intende & purpose hereafter?Marginalia * The doctrine of Luther hath bene preached in Germanie, aboue these 40. yeares, and yet is there neuer a Prince nor Magistrate, nor Cityzen in Germanye, God be praysed, whiche by the doctrine of Luther, is worse by one halfepenye: wheras by the pope, good reckenyng hath bene made, that Germanye hath bene worse by 3000000. Florens by the yeare. out of the territorye of the Bishop of Mentz, amounteth to the Pope, for the Archbishops Palle 26000. Florens. In the counsell of Basill it was openlye declared that ix Millions of Gold were gathered in the tyme of Pope Martyn, and translated to Rome. Pag. 698. Now let the Princes of Germanie consider this. * Do you not see plainly & perceyue with your eyes, that this defendyng of the veritie of the Gospell, first begun by the Lutherians to be pretended, is now manifest to be but an inuention to spoyle your goodes, whiche they haue long intended? Or do you thinke that these sonnes of iniquitie do tende to any other thyng, then vnder the name of libertie, to supplant obedience, and so to open a generalMarginalia * The preaching of Christian libertie of the soule, breaketh no ciuile order touchyng the outwarde Obedyence of the bodye: But the Pope woulde haue the soules of men in hys bondage, and therfore he can not abide this inward libertie of the spirite to be touched, for that were agaynst the popes purse and profite, which were an heresie intolerable. * licence to euery man, to doo what hym listeth? And suppose you, that they wyl any thing regard your c?maundem?ts, or estemeMarginalia * This is no good consequent: Luther burned the popes stinckyng decretalls: Ergo he will not stycke also to burne the bookes of the ciuille lawe. * your lawes, whiche so cont?ptuosly vilipende   the holy Canons, and decrees of the fathers, yea & the moste holy Councelles also (to whose authoritie the Emperours lawes haue alwayes geuen roume and place) and not only vilipend th?, but also with a diabolicall audacitie haue not feared to rent them in peeces, and set them on a lyght fyre?   They which refuse to render due obedience to priests, to bishops, yea to the hie Bbshop of all, and which dayly before your owne faces make their booties of church goodes, and of thinges consecrated to God: thinke you that they wil refraine their sacrilegius hands fr? the spoyle of laymens goodes? yea that they wyll not plucke fr? you whatsoeuer they can rap or reaue?   Marginalia The persecuting pagans in the olde tyme did obiecte to the olde Fathers of the Primatiue church, the blasphemies of Thyestes supper, and of the incest of Oedipus: the worshipping also of an Asses head pag. 54. 39. In muche like sort doth the pope here lay vnto Luther, riots, rebellions, and all mischiefes he can deuise, not because they be true, but because he would haue the worlde so to beleeue. Finally to c?clude, how can you hope that thei wil more spare you, or hold their murdring hands fr? your throtes, which haue ben so bould to vexe, to kyl, to slay the Lords annoynted which are not to be touched? Naye, thinke you not c?trary, but this miserable calamitie wil at length redounde vpon you, your goodes, your houses, wyues, children, dominions, possessions, and these your t?ples, which you hallow and reuerence, except you prouide some speedy remedie against the same.  

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Wherfore we exhorte your fraternities, nobilities, & deuotions of all and singuler in the Lord, and beseech you for Christian charitie & Rrligion (for which religion your forefathers oft tymes haue geuen their bloud, to vpholde and encrease the same) and notwithstanding require you also in vertue of that obedi?ce, whiche al Christians ow to God & blessed S. Peter, and to his vicar here in earth,Marginalia Obedience to God, and to Saint Peter, and to his vicare, do not well matche together by the Scripture: forthe obedience to the Creator is one and the obedience to the creature is an other. that settyng aside all other quarels and dissensions among your selues, you conferre your helping hands euerye man to quenche this publique fire, and endeuour and study the best way ye can, howe to reduce the sayd M. Luther and all other fautors of these tumultes and errours, to better conformitie and trade both of life and faith. And if they which be infected, shal refuse to heare your admonitions, yet prouide the other part, which yet remayneth sound, by the same contagion be not corrupted. He to whom al secretes of men are open, dooth knowe howe we both for our nature, and also for our pastoral office, whereto we are called, are muche more prone to remit, then to reuenge. But when this pestiferous canker can not with supple and gentle medicines be cured, more sharper salues must be proued, & firy searings: the putrified members must be cut of from the bodye, least the sound partes also be infected. So God dyd cast downe into hell the schismaticall brethr?Marginalia * Let the Pope followe the worde of God, as Moses dyd, and be sent of God expreslye, as Moses was: And then let Luther be punished as Dathon, and Abyron were. Agayne, if the Pope * Dathon and Abiron.  

And hym that whould not obey the

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