Thinke you that there can be continuall answeringe one another? when shoulde it after that sorte haue an ende?
Lich. Couen. It must be so in a disputacion to seke out the truth.
L. Keper. But how say you, my lord Abbot? Are you of the minde it should be red?
Abbot. Yea forsooth, my Lord, I am very well pleased with all. Harpesfeld beinge inquired his mynd, thought as the other did.
L. Keper. My Lords, syth that ye are not willing but refuse to rede your wryting after the order taken, we will breake vp and depart: & for that ye wil not that we should heare you, you maye perhaps shortly here of vs.
THus haue we declared, gentle reader, the order and maner of this communication or conference, at Westmynster, betwene these two parties, wherin if any law or order were broken, iudge (good reader) where the faulte was, and considre with all what these Papistes bee, frō whom if ye take away their sword and authority from them, you see all their cunning how soone it lyeth in the dust, or els why would they not abyde the tryall of writing? why would they or durste they not stand to the order agreed vppon? Whether should we saye ignorance or stubbernes to be in them more, or both together? Who fyrst being gently (as is sayd) and fauorablye required to kepe thorder appointed, they wold not. Then being secondly (as appeared by the lord Keepers woordes) pressed more earnestlye, they neyther regardinge the authority. &c. of that place, nor their owne reputacion, nor the credite of the cause, vtterlye refused that to doo. And finallye being againe particularlye euerye of them aparte distinctlye by name required to vnderstand their opinions therin, they al, sauing one (which was the Abbot of Westminster, hauing some more cōsideration of order, and his dutye of obedience then thother) vtterly and plainly denied to haue their booke red, some of them as more earnestly then other, some so also, some other more vndiscretly, & vnreuerētly then others. Wherupon geuing such example of disorder stubbernes, and selfe wyll, as hath not bene sene and suffered in such an honorable assembly, being of the two estates of this Realme the nobility and the commons, beside the presence of the Quenes Maiesties most honorable priuy counsell, the same assembly was dismissed, and the godly and most christian purpose of the Quenes maiesty made frustrate. MarginaliaByshoppes cōmitted to the Tower.And afterward for the contempte so notoriously made, the Byshop of Winchester and Lincoln, hauing most obstinatly both disobeyed common autority, & varied manifestly from their owne order, and specially Lincoln, who
[Back to Top]shewed more follye then thother: were condignly committed to the Tower of London, and the rest (sauing the Abbot of Westminster) stoode bound to make daylye their personal appearaūce before the counsell, and not to departe the City of London and Westminster, vntil further order were takē with them for their disobedience and contempte.
[Back to Top]Besydes the former protestation or lybell wrytten and exhibited by the Protestantes, concerning the firste question, there was also an other lyke writing of the said Protestants made of the seconde question, but not published, which if it come to our hande, wee wyll lykewise impart vnto thee.
As these bishops aboue named were committed to the tower, MarginaliaBoner cast in the Marshalseso Boner bishop of London, aboute the same tyme, was commaunded to the Marshalsea, where as yet hee both in hys blynde bloudy heresy, and also in his deserued captiuity remaineth, abiding the quenes pleasure. Gods pleasure, I beseche hym, so bee wrought on that person, that the Churche of Christes flocke, if they can take or looke for no goodnes of that man to come, yet they maye take of hym and of other no more harme here after, then they haue done already. We al beseche thee this O Lord eternal, per Christum dominum nostrum, Amen.
per Christum Dominum nostrum. Amen.
Not translated.
through Christ our Lord. Amen.
About this tyme, at the beginning of the florishing reigne of quene Elizabeth, was a parliament summoned, and holden at Westminster, wherein was much debating about matters touchinge religion, and great studye on both parties employed, the one to retaine stil, the other to impugne the doctrine and faction which before in quene Maries tyme had bene established. But especially here is to be noted that though ther lacked no industry on the papistes syde, to hold fast that, which they moste cruelly from tyme to tyme had studied, and by al meanes practised to come by: Yet notwithstanding, suche was the prouidence of God at that tyme, that for lacke of the other byshops, whom the Lord had taken away by death a litle before, the residue that ther wer left, could do the lesse: and in very dede, God be praysed therfore, dyd nothing at al in effect. Although yet notwithstanding there lacked in them neither wyll nor labour to do what they coulde, if their cruel hability ther might haue serued. But namely amongest al other, not onely the industrious courage of Doctr Story, but also his wordes in this Parliament are worthy to be knowen of posterity, who lyke a stoute and furious chāpion of the Popes syde, to declare hymselfe how lusty he was, and what hee had and would do in his maisters quarel, shamed not openlye in the saide Parliament house to brast out in such impudent sort of wordes, as was wonder to all good eares to heare, and
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