An apology, or answer in defence of the Church of England concerning the state…An apologie, or aunswer in defence of the Church of England concerninge the state…

And yet they, albeit they had never so grievous and obstinate adversaries, nevertheless if they had come, at the least they should have had free liberty to speak & to be heard in the council.

And yet they, albeit they had neuer so greuous and obstinate aduersaries, neuertheles if they had come, at the least they shoulde haue had free liberty to speake & to be hearde in the councell.

But as for us, in as much as it is not lawful for any of our sort once to sit, or so much as to be seen in the assembly of these men, much less to be heard freely to speak: and on the other side, for as much as the Popes Legates, the Patriarchs, the Archbishops, the Bishops, the Abbots all conjured together, all fettered ⟨p. 56⟩in one fault, all bound with one oath, & only have place to sit, only have authority to give their voice, and in conclusion, as though they had done nothing, to submit all their judgements to the Popes will and pleasure alone: even to the intent that he who ought rather to have pleaded his own cause at the bar, should give sentence of himself: in as much, I say, as that old and Christian liberty, which in all Christian Councils ought chiefly to be maintained, is now in council utterly taken away, no good and godly man ought to marvel, if we do now at this time, that thing, which they see the fathers and Catholic Bishops did afore time, when like cause was offered: so that because in the council we can not be heard, & Princes Ambassadors are laughed to scorn, and we all, as though the matter were already dispatched and concluded, are before judgement condemned, if I say, we had rather tarry at home & commit the whole matter unto God, then to go to the place, where we shall neither have any place, nor yet any thing prevail at all. But as touching our own injuries, we can bear them patiently & quietly enough. But wherefore I pray you do they exclude Christian Kings and godly Princes from their councils? Why do they either so uncurtesly dispatch them out of their company, or reject them with such reproach: when that as though they were no Christian men, or were not able to judge, they will not suffer them to sit in council in causes of Religion, nor to know the state of their own Churches. Or in case they do intermeddle at any time by their authority, & do the thing which they may do, which they are commanded to do, which they are bound to do, and which we know David, Solomon, & other good princes have done: