sufficiently proued, to be sincere and true either else seinge vs by ignoraunce to be in errour by refellinge or refutinge the same as heronious, may not only reduse vs to þ^e truth agayne, but also haue cause to iudge of this realme that this act passed not through truste in mens owne witts only, without respect had to the holy scripturs of God, but as men that had ignorantly faln and not obstinatly contemned the scriptures, so will it come to passe, that, if this act be good, the goodnes thereof shall be the more cōmon, and, if it be otherwise, it shall do the lesse hurt, yea and continue þ^e lesse while when other men not in thraldome or feare of this lawe, shall frely and out of good consciences write and shew what opinion they haue of it.

[Back to Top]

Vnto the which wordes of the said Brooke. No man tooke vpon him to make any direct aunswere, but yet firste one mayster Hall 

MarginaliaHall of Grayes Inne. a gentelman of Graies in acknowleginge, that he was not able to refell the obiections made againste the bill, for that hee lacked lerninge therevnto, said that he woulde onely speke his conscience, touchinge the passinge of that bill which he grounded he saide vpon this that he had red in cronycles, that some one prince of this realme had by lawes commaunded auricular cōfessiō to be vsed through al his prouinces and dominions an other prince the keping of this holy day or that, and to be short in cronicles amy be founde, said he, that the most part of ceremonies now vsed in the church of England, were by princes either first inuented or at the lest was established, and as we see the same do till this day continue.

[Back to Top]

Where if the subiectes receuinge the same ceremonies and rites of the church at their princes order and commaundemēt had bin against goddes law, or the princes commaundement to þ^e subiectes not a sufficient discharg in ther consciences before God for the obseruinge of them: I cannot thinke but the lerned clergy at those dayes (for in al ages some of the clergye were well lerned) would haue stand therein & proued to theire princes that it was not lawefull to commaunde such thinges. wherefore & for so much as, far the greater part of vs laye men are vnlerned in the scriptures and auncient doctoures, me thinketh it is the bounden deuty of vs that be subiectes to be obedient & redy to obserue all such thinges touchinge our religion as our prince.

[Back to Top]

For the time beinge specially with the consent of the bishopes and the rest of the clargye shall at any time please to set fourth for to be obserued or beloued, which his said commaundement with the clargies consent I verely beleue shall be a sufficient discharge for vs his louinge subiectes before the face of God, saidehe, for it is writen, obey your king. neuerthelesse I like rightwell so as it stoode with the kinges maiesties pleasure, the request that the gentelman made that spake last before, for the quietinge of many mens consciences, that is, that the lerned of this hovse might see the conferences of scriptures and the allegations of the auncient fathers which the bishoppes and the other lerned of the clargy brynge in for the passing of this act, or at the lest way if that cā not be obtained, that yet this act with al ther allegations might be printed in the latē tong whereby other nations might see vpon what ground we procede. but touching myne owne conscience I am sufficiently perswaded where vpon I haue shewed such simple resons as you haue harde.

[Back to Top]

His wordes ended Sir William Kingeston knight controler of the kinges house much offended with the saide Brookes wordes, stoode vp & said: MarginaliaThe wordes of sir William Kingston knight in the parliament. ientellman you ther, that spake laste saue one, I know not your name nor in deede I am not able to dispute with you, but in the stede of an argument I will say thus much vnto you.

[Back to Top]

Tell this tale the. xii. of Iuly next and I will bringe a fagot to helpe to bourne you with al. in which xii. day of Iuly that bloudy act shuld take place. This his eloquēt oration 

ended he sat him down again not w^tout that, that he offended in a manner the whole house and caused them to say it was very vnsemely that a gentelman of the house shuld so vngodly be vsed, where it was equally laufull for euery man reuerently to speake plainely his minde: besides that, nothing was spoken by him but the same was reuerently vttered, rather to try lerninge and truth of doctrine, thē anywise in contempt or displeasure against þ^t bill. Whereupon the speaker, verefienge as much, desired the saide Sir William Kingstō not to be offended, for he him self had don contrary to the order of the house, rather then the other.

[Back to Top]

But leuinge the parliament at Westminster I will leape to callis where the foresaide Lorde Lisley the kinges deputy there, whome we shewed to be the maineteiner of Damlip albeit he were him self of a most gentle nature and of right noble blode the base sonne of that noble prince, kinge Edwarde the fourth beinge fiersly set on, and incessantly entised by þ^e wicked lady Honor his wife) who was an vtter ennemy to Gods honor, and in Idolatrye hipocrisy and pride incomparable euyl, she being daily and hourly thervnto incited and prouoked by sir Thomas Palmer knighte, and Ihon Rookwoode Esquire, two extreme ennemies against Gods word, beginning nowe to florish at Caleis 

: these I say, with certain o-

[Back to Top]