hatched out of the shell, nor did yet euer see any light: that is, in the time of the Apostles, in the primitiue age, in the tyme of Gregorie the first, & the old Romane church, when as yet no vniuersall pope was receiued publikely, but repelled in Rome, nor this fulnesse of plenary power yet knowen, nor this doctrine, and abuse of Sacramentes yet heard of. In witnes wherof we haue the old actes and histories of aūcient tyme to geue testimony with vs, wherein sufficiēt matter we haue for vs, to declare þ^e same forme, vsage, and institution of this our church reformed now, not to be the begynnyng of any new church of our owne, but to be the renewyng of the old aūcient church of Christ: nor to be any sweruyng from the church of Rome, but rather a reducyng to the church of Rome. Whereas contrary the churche of Rome whiche now is, is nothyng but a sweruyng from the churche of Rome,MarginaliaThe church of Rome reuolted from the Church of Rome.is partly is declared, and more shall appeare (Christ willyng) hereafter.

And where the sayd our aduersaries doe moreouer charge vsMarginaliaAn other obiection of the papists.with the fayth of our fathers and Godfathers, wherein we were baptised, accusing and cōdemnyng vs, for that we are now reuolted frō them & their fayth, wherin we were we were first Christened: To this we aūswere,MarginaliaAn answere to the obiection. that we beyng first baptised by our fathers & Godfathers, in water, in the name of the Father, of the Sonne, & of the holy Ghost, the same fayth wherin we were Christened thē, we do retaine, & because our Godfathers were thē selues also in the same fayth, therfore they cānot say that we haue forsaken the fayth of our Godfathers. &c. As for other points of Ecclesiasticall vses & circumstaunces cōsidered, besides the principall substauuce of fayth and baptisme, if they held any thyng whiche receaded from the doctrine and rule of Christ, therein we now remoue our selues not because we would differ from them, but because we would not with them remoue from the rule of Christes doctrine. MarginaliaNo man bound to follow the opinions of hys Godfathers in all poyntes vnlesse they be consonant in al things.Neither doth the Sacramēt of our baptisme binde vs in all points to the opiniōs of them that baptised vs, but to the fayth of him, in whose name we were Baptised. For as if a man were Christined of an heretique, the Baptisme of him notwithstandyng were good, although the Baptiser were nought: so if our Godfathers or fathers, which Christened vs, were taught any thyng, not consonant to Christiā doctrine in all pointes, neither is our Baptisme worsse for that, nor yet we boūd to folow thē in all thynges, wherein they them selues did not folow the true church of Christ.

Wherefore as it is false, that we haue renounced the fayth of our Godfathers wherin we were first baptised, so is it not true þ^t we are remoued from the church of Rome. But rather say, and (by the leaue of Christ) will proue that þ^e Church of Rome hath vtterly departed frō the church of Rome, accordyng to my distinctiō afore touched. MarginaliaThe church of Rome distincted frō the Church of Rome.Which thyng þe more euidently to declare, I will here compare þ^e church of Rome, with þ^e churche of Rome: And in a generall description set forth (by Gods grace (the difference of both the churches, that is of both þ^e tymes of the church of Rome: to þ^e intent it may be sene, whether we or þ^e churche of Rome haue more Apostated from þ^e church of Rome.

And here first I diuide the churche of Rome in a double consideration of tyme, MarginaliaTwo times of the Church of Rome considered and examined.first of those first. 600. yeares which were immediatly after Christ: and secōdly of the other. 600. yeares, which now haue bene in these our latter dayes. And so in cōparyng these two together, will search out what discrepance is betwene them both. Of the which two age and states of the Romane church, the first I call the primitiue church of Rome. The other I call the latter churche of Rome, countyng this latter churche from the thousand yeares expired after the binding vp of Sathā, to the time of his lousing agayne accordyng to the Prophesie of the xx. chap. of S. Iohns Reuelation, countyng these. 1000. yeares from the ceasing of persecution, vnder Constantinus Magnus, to the beginnyng of persecution of the churche agayne vnder Innocentius 3. and Ottomannus the first Turcian Emperour. And thus haue ye the churche of Rome parted into two churches, in double respect and cōsideration of two sondry states and tymes. Now in settyng and matchyng the one state with the other, let vs see whether the churche of Rome hath swarued from the church of Rome more then we, or no.

ANd to begyn first MarginaliaThe first poynt.with the order and qualities of life: I aske here of this Romane Clergie, where was this Church of theirs which now is, in the old auncient tyme of the primitiue Church of Rome, with this pompe and pride, with this riches & superfluitie, with this gloria mundi, and name of Cardinals, with this praunsing dissolutenes and hooryng of the Curtisans, with this extortiō, bribyng, bying and sellyng of spirituall dignities, these Annates, reformations, procurations, exactions, and other practises for money, this auarice insatiable, ambition, in-tollerable, fleshly filthynes most detestable, barbarousnes and negligence in preachyng, promise breaking faythlesse, poysoning and supplantyng one another,MarginaliaThe enormities of life in the latter Churche of Rome described.with such schismes & diuisions, which neuer were more seen then in the elections and Court of Rome these 700. yeares, with such extreme crueltie, malice and tyranny in burnyng and persecutyng their poore brethren to death.

It were to long, and a thing infinite, to stand particularly vpō these aboue rehearsed. And if a man should prosecute at large all the schismes that haue bene in þ^e Church of Rome since the time of Damasus the first, which are coūted to the number of xviij. schismes. What a volume would it require? Or if here should be recorded all that this Sea hath burned and put to death since loosing out of Sathan, who were able to number them? Or if all their sleightes to get moneyMarginaliaPolicies and practises of Rome to get mony.should be described as processe of matter would require, who were able to recite them all? Of which all notwithstandyng, the most principall groundes are reckoned at least to xiiij. or xv. sleights.

MarginaliaXV. Practises of the newe Churche of Rome to get mony.First for Annates, or vacanties of Archbyshoprikes, Byshoprikes, Abbaties, Priories conuentuall, and other benefices electiue.

Secondly, for the holdyng and reteinyng of all other spirituall liuyng whatsoeuer, besides this which now the incumbent payeth for, or which he may hold hereafter.

Thirdly, new annates for all the same are required agayne, toties quoties, any one of all his spirituall liuynges be, or are fayned to be not orderly come by, whereby it hath chaunced diuers tymes three or foure Annates to be payed for one benefice.

Fourthly, for geuing out preuētiōs of benefites before they fall, and many tymes some one preuention to be geuē to diuers and sundry persons, by the office for money sake.

Fiftly, for resignations vpon fauour, whiche in many cases the Pope chalengeth to be reserued to him selfe.

Sixtly, for commendams.

Seuently, for compoūdyng with such as be absent frō their charge, and geue attendaunce about the Court.

Eightly, for infinite dispensations, as to dispence with age, with order, with benefices incompatible, as if the nūber be full, if the house be of such or such an order. Item dispensation for irregularitie, for whoredome & aduoutry, for times of mariage, for marying in degrees forbidden, or in affinitie canonicall, for Gossips to mary, for the which it hath bene sene in Fraūce a thousand crownes to be payd to Rome at one tyme, for dispensing with this canonicall affinite of Gossippes, as we call it, the same beyng yet not true, but fayned. Item dispensing for eatyng meates in tymes prohibited.

Ninthly, for innumerable priuilegies, exēptiōs, graces for not visityng, or visityng by a Proctor, for cōfirmations of priuileges, for transactiōs made vpon speciall fauour of the Pope, for permutations of benefices with dispensation annexed, or makyng of pensiōs, with such like.

Tenthly, for mandates graunted by the Pope, to Ordinaries, wherof euery Ordinary, if he haue the collation or presētatiō of x. may receaue one mādate, if he haue fifty, he may receaue ij, mandates, & for euery mandate cōmeth to the Pope about xx. ducates. And yet notwithstādyng so many are sold, as will come buyers to pay for them.

Eleuenthly, for the Popes penitētiarie, for absolutiō of cases reserued to þ^e Pope, for breaking & chāging of vowes for translation frō one monastery to another, also from one order to an other, for licēce to enter into certaine Monasteries, to cary about altars, with many other things of like deuise, pertainyng to the office of the Popes penitentiary.

Twelfly, for geuyng & graūtyng of innumerable Pardons and Indulgences, to be read not onely in publicque tēples, but also to be bought in priuate houses, and of priuate persons, in diuers and sundry respectes.

Thirtenthly, for makyng Notaries, and Protonotories, and other offices of the Court of Rome.

Fourtenthly, for grauntyng out Buls and Commissions of new foundatiōs, or for chaungyng of the old, for reducyng regular Monasteries, to a secular state, or for restoryng agayne into the old, & for other infinite rescriptes & writes, about matters dependyng in controuersie, & otherwise might and ought by the Ordinary to be decided.

Fiftenthly, for geuing the palle to Archbyshops newly elected, by reason of all whiche deuises (besides the first of the Annates) it hath bene accounted out of the kynges recordes in Fraunce, in the tyme of Ludouike the ix. (as testifieth Molineus) to the number of CC. thousand crownes, onely out of Fraunce payd & transported to Rome. Which summe since that time hath bene doubled & tripled, besides Annates and Palles, whiche all together are thought to make the totall summe, yearely goyng out of Fraunce to