mere inuentions of idle brained Popes, brought into the church of their imaginations, without commaundement or ensample either of Christe, or of his Apostles. And there is not one word in the Bible that truely alleged, mainteineth them nor any Doctor of antiquitie before S. Austens daies, as it hath ben diuers tymes sufficientlye proued before al the whole parliament and conuocation of this realm. Yet these being mere traditions of Bishops, are set out for goddes commaundementes: and the Quenes authority (geuen to her of God to maintaine his word) must be abused to put downe Goddes word: and you righte honorable Iustices and kepers of lawes and ryghteousnes are also abused and made the Bishops apparitours, to set forth such Romish trash, as is to Christes dishonour, & against the supreme authoritye of the regall estate of thys Realme. And we poore subiectes, for speakyng of that which is truth, and our bounden allegiance, are daily punished, rayled vpon, and noted for sedicious, and not the Quenes frendes.

But God (who is blessed for euer) knoweth that they slaunder vs, and pull the thorne oute of their owne foote, and putte it in ours. For the searcher of heartes knoweth, that we beare a faithfull and true heart vnto her grace, and vnto all her procedinges, that are not agaynst god and his holy word. And we daily pray vnto the heauenly father, to lightē her graces royal hart with the glorious light of his Gospel, that she may establish and confirme that religion, that her graces brother, our most deare king did set out amongst vs: and so gouerning & ruling this her realme in the feare and true way of god, she may long liue, and with prosperity, peace & honour raigne ouer vs.

But we cannot thinke those menne to seke either Gods honour, or her graces prosperity, or wealth of the realme, that take from her graces faithful subiectes Gods worde, whiche only is the roote of al loue and faithful obedience vnto her grace, and of al honesty, good life and vertuous concord among her commons. And thys we feare, least the roote being taken awaye, the braunches wil soone wither and be fruitles. And whan the Philistines haue stopped vp the welspring, the fayre streames that should flow, shall soone be dried vp. All our watchmen, oure true preachers haue taught vs, that as longe as we reteyned Gods worde, we should haue God our gracious merciful father: but if we refused and cast of the Lordes yoke of his doctrine, then shal we looke for the Lordes wrathe and seuere visitation to plage vs, as he dyd the Iewes for the like offēses. And Paul saith: god gaue to thē the spirit of vnquietnes or vprore, eyes wherewith they should not se, & eares wherwith they shold not hear vntil this day. And Dauid saide: let their table be made a snare to take thē withall, a trap to catche them, and a stumbling block to fall at. Let theyr eyes be blinde, that they see not, and bowe thou down theyr backs alwaies. O mercifull god, al this is now come vpon vs, and daylye more and more encreaseth, and we feare at laste it wyll so bowe downe our backs, that we shall vtterly be destroyed. The troublesome spirite of vprores and vnquietnes, dayelye troubleth mennes heartes, and woorketh such vnquietnesse in all places, that no manne that loueth quietnesse, can tel wher to place him selfe. Menne haue eyes and see not, howe gre-

uous offense it is, to caste of the yoke of goddes doctrine and to bear the heauy burthen that vnfaythful Hipocrites laye vppon vs. We haue eares and heare not the warnynge of Goddes woorde, calling vs to true repentaunce, nor his threates agaynst our impietie. Our most swete table of Christes woorde, and most holye communion, is taken away, and turned to a most perilous snare through the brawlyng disputatiōs of men. And as the Idoll of abhomination, betokened fynall subuersion vnto the Iewish nation: so, we feare, this settyng asyde of the Gospell and holy communion of Christ, and the placyng in of Romish religion betokeneth desolation to be at hand of this noble Realme of Englande.

For the plagues of hunger, pestilence, and sweorde cannot long tarye: but except we repēt and turne agayne to the Lorde, our backs shall be so bowed, that the lyke horryble plages were neuer seen. And no maruayle: for the like offēse was neuer committed, to reiecte and caste of Christ and his woorde, and in plaine Englishe to saye: we wyll not haue hym to reigne ouer vs. O Lorde, howe terrible is it that followeth in the Gospel? Those mine enemies that would not haue me to reigne ouer them, bring them hither, and slay them before me. GOD be mercyfull vnto vs, and moue the Quenes Maiesties heart, and the heartes of her honourable Counsayle, and your heartes (ryght honorable Commissioners) to wey these daungers, in due time, and to call Goddes worde vnto your counsayl, and then you shall see, how it agreeth with this Bishoplike commaundemēt: and to be as ware to auoyde the contempt of the eternal God and daungers of the same, as you are prudente and wyse in matters of this worlde: least if the almighty be contemned, he stretch forth his arme, whiche no man can turne, and kindle his wrath that no man can quench.

We haue humbly opened vnto you oure consciences, doutlesse sore wounded and greued by this commaundement: and we mekely pray and beseche the Quenes Maiestye, for the precyous death and bloudshed of Iesus Christ our sauior to haue mercy & pity vpon vs her graces poore commons, faithfull and true subiectes, mēbers of the same body polityke, whereof her grace is supreme head. Al our bodes, goodes, landes, & liues are ready to do her grace faithfull, obediēt, and true seruice, in all commaundementes that are not agaynst God and his worde: but in these thynges that import a denyall of Christe, and refusall of his woorde and holye communion, we cannot consent not agree vnto it. For wee haue bounde oure selues in baptysme to be chrystes dysciples, and to kepe hys holy worde and ordinaunces. And if we denye him before men, he wyll deny vs before his heauenly father and his holy Angels in the day of iudgement: whiche we trust her benygne grace wyll not require of vs.

And we humbly beseche that we be not enforced vnto it, but as we serue her grace wyth body and goodes and due obedience accordyng to Gods commaundement: so we may bee permitted freely to serue God and Christ our sauiour, & kepe vnto him our soules, which he hath with his precious bloud redemed: that so (as christ teacheth) we maye render to Cesar that is due to Cesar, and to god that is due to god.