is that some be corrected by losse of goodes, some by stripes some other more sharply, and some more easly: yea, & whē sharpee correction is to be executed, yet that must be done with charity, and with no fury: for in punishing offenders this is the cause and ende wherefore they are punished, bicause they should be saued & not perish in hell fire. And so ought discipline to proceede in correcting the faithfull, as doe good Fathers in punishing their children, whom both they chasten for their euill; and yet being chastened, they looke to haue them their heires, and thinke to leaue them all they haue, notwithstanding they correct them sometimes in anger. Therefore this charitie must be kepte in mind. And in the correction there is a measure to be had, so that the mind neuer do anything without the rule of reason. Ye adde moreouer with what recompence of measure those things ought to be required againe which be stollen out of Churches. But God forbid that the Church should euer require againe with increase, that which is lost in outwarde thinges, and to seeke her gaine by endamaging other.

Marginalia5. Interrogation.Item, whether two brethren may mary two sisters, being far of from any part of kindred?

MarginaliaThe aunswere.This in no part of scripture is forbidden, but it may well and lawfully be done.

Marginalia6. Interrogation.Item, to what degree of kyndred may the matrimony of the faythfull extende with their kindred, or whether is it lawfull to marry with the stepmother and her kinsfolkes?

MarginaliaThe aunswere. In what degree of kindred a man may marry.A certaine terrene law amongst the old Romaines doth permit, that either brother or sister, or the sonne & daughter of two brethren may marry together. But by experyence we learne, that the issue of such mariage doth neuer thryue, nor come forewarde. Also þ^e holye law of God forbiddeth to reueale the turpitude of thy bloude or kindred.

Wherefore necessary it is, that in the third or fourth degree the faithfull may lawfully marry, for in the seconde as being vnlawfull, they must needes refraine. To be copled with the stepmother is vtterly abhominable, for it is written in the law. Thou shalt not reueale the turpitude of thy Father. Forsomuch then as it is so written in þ^e law and they shall be two in one flesh: the sonne then that presumeth to reueale then the turpitude of his stepmother, which is one flesh with his Father, what doth he then but reueale the turpitude of his owne father. Likewise it was forbidden and vnlawfull to mary with thy kinswoman, which by her first Mariage was made one flesh with thy brother.MarginaliaBy this rule the mariage of Kyng Henry with Queene Katherine Dowager. was vnlawfull. For the which cause Iohn þ^e Baptist also lost hys head, and was crowned a Martyr. Who though he dyed not for the confession of Christ: yet for so much as Christ saith: I am the truth, therfore in that Iohn Baptist was slayne for the truth, it may be sayd his bloud was shedde for Christ.

Marginalia7. Interrogation.

Item, whether such as be so coupled togither in filthy and unlawfull matrymony ought to be separated and denied the partaking of the holy Communion.

MarginaliaThe aunswere.Because there be many of the nation of English men which being yet in their infidelitie, were so ioyned & coupled iu such execrable mariage: the same comming now to faith, are to be admonished hereafter to abstaine from the like, & that they kuow the same to be greuous sinne. That they dread the dreadfull iudgement of God, least for their carnall delectation they incurre the tormentes of eternall punishment. And yet notw^tstanding they are not to be secluded therefore from the participation of Christes body and bloud, lest we should seme to reuenge those things in them which they before their baptisme, through ignoraunce did commit.MarginaliaA discrete saying of Gregory to be noted. For in this time the holy Church doth correct some faultes more feruently, some faultes she suffereth againe through mansuetude and mekenes, some wittingly and willingly she doth wink at, and dissemble: that many times the euil which she doth detest, through bearing and dissembling she may stop & bridle. All they therfore which are come to the faith, must be admonished that they cōmit no such offence. Which thing if they doe, they are to be depriued of the Communion of the Lords body & bloud. For like as in them that fall through ignoraunce, their default in this case is to be tollerate: so in them againe it is strōgly to be ensued, which knowing they do nought, yet feare not to commit.

Marginalia8. Interrog.Item, in this I desire to be satisfied, after what maner I should deale or do with the Bishops of Fraunce, and of Britaines.

MarginaliaThe aunswere.As touching the Bishops in Fraunce, I geue you no authoritie or power ouer them. For the Bishop of Arolas, or Orliance hath by the olde tyme of our predecessours receiued the Palle, whome now we ought not to depriue of hys authoritie. Therefore when your brotherhoode shall goe vnto the Prouince of Fraunce, what soeuer yee shal haue there to doe with the Byshop of Orliance, so do, that he loose nothing of that which he hath found and obtayned of the auncient ordinaunce of our foreelders.Marginalia25. q. 2. cap. in Balliarum. But as concerning the Bishops of Brittayn, we commit them all to your brotherhoode, that þ^e ignoraunt may be taught the infirme by perswasion may be confirmed, the wilful by authoritie may be corrected.

Marginalia9. Interrog.Whether a woeman being great with childe, ought to be baptised, or after she hath children, after how long time she ought to enter into the Church. Or els that which she hath brought forth, least it should be preuented with death, after howe many dayes it ought to receaue Baptisme. Or after howe long tyme after her childebyrth is it lawfull for her husband to resorte to her? Or els if she be in her monthly course, after the desease of women, whether then she may enter into the Churche, and receaue the Sacrament of the holy Communion? Or els her husband after the lying with hys wife, before he be washed with water, whether is it lawfull for him to enter the Church, and to draw vnto the mistery of the holy Communion? All which thinges must be declared and opened to the rude multitude of Englishmen.

MarginaliaThe aunswere.The childing or bearing woman, why may she not be Baptised: seeing that the fruitfulnes of the flesh is no fault before the eyes of almighty God? For our first parentes in Paradise, after they had transgressed: lost their immortallitie by the iust iudgement of God which they had takē before. Then, because almighty God woulde not mankinde vtterly to perish because of hys fall (although he lost nowe hys immortallitie for hys trespasse) yet of hys benigne pietie, left notwithstanding to hym the fruit and generation of issue. Wherefore the issue and generation of mans nature, which is conserued by the gift of almighty God, how can it be debarred from the grace of holy Baptisme?

As concerning the churching of women after they haue trauailed: where ye demaund after howe many dayes they ought to goe to the Church, this you haue learned in þ^e old law, that for a man child. 30. dayes, after a womā child. 66. dayes be appoynted her to keepe in.MarginaliaThe Churching of woemen. Albeit this you must take to be vnderstād in a mistery. For if she should þ^e houre after her trauayle enter into the Churche to geue thankes, she committed therein no sinne. For why the lust and pleasure of the flesh, and not the trauaile and payne of the flesh is sinne. In the coniunction of the fleshe is pleasure, but in the trauaile and bringing forth of the child is payne & gronyng. As vnto the mother of all it is sayd: In sorrow thou shalt trauaile. Therefore if we forbid the woman after her labour to enter the church, thē what doe we els but count þ^e same the punishment geuen vnto her, for sinne?MarginaliaHe speaketh here after the custome of the tyme. Therefore for the woeman after her labour to be baptised, eyther that whiche shee hath trauailed foorth (if present necessitie of death doth so require) yea in the selfe same houre, eyther shee that hath brought foorth, eyther that which is borne in the same houre when it is borne, to be baptised we doe not forbid.

Moreouer, for the man to company with his wife, that he must not: before the child that is borne be wayned. MarginaliaMothers that nurse not their owne Children reprehended.But now there is a lewd and naughty custome risen in the conditiō of maryed folks, that mothers do contemne to nourse their owne children, which they haue borne, but set them to other woemen out to nourse: whiche seemeth onely to come of the cause of incontinency. For while they will not contayne themselues, therefore they put from them their children to nourse. &c.

As concerning the woman in her menstruous course whether she ought to enter the Churche? To this I aunswere: she ought not to be forbid. For the superfluitie of nature in her ought not to be imputed for any fault, neyther is it iust that she shold be depriued of her accesse to the Church, for that which she suffereth agaynst her wil. And if the woeman did well, presuming in touching the Lords coate in the tyme of her bloudy issue: why then may not that be graunted vnto all woemen infirmed by the fault of nature, which is commended in one person done in her infirmite? Therefore to receaue the misterie of the holy communion, it is not forbidden them. Albeit if she dare not so farre presume in her great infirmitie, she is to be praysed: but if she do receaue, she is not to be iudged. For it is a point of a good minde in some maner to knowledge hys sinnes there, where is no sinne: because manye times that