An apology or answer in defence of the Church of England with a brief…An apologie or answere in defence of the Churche of Englande with a briefe…

And yet as though this were to little, they also burn the holy scriptures, as in times paste wicked king Aza did, or as Antiochus, or Maximinus did, and are wont to name them Heretics books. And out of doubt to see to, they would fain do as Herod in old time did in Jewry,¹ that he might with more surety keep still his dominion. Who being ⟨image 75⟩an Idumean borne, and a stranger to the stock and kindred of the Jews, and yet coveting much to be taken for a Jew, so the end he might establish to him and his posterity the kingdom of that country which he had gotten of Augustus Cesar, he commanded all the Genealogies and Pedigrees to be burnt & made out of the way, so as there should remain no record, whereby he might be known to them that came after, that he was an Alien in blood: whereas even from Abraham's time these monuments had been safely kept amongest the Jews and laid up in their treasury, because in them it might easily & most assuredly be found of what linage every one did descend. So (in good faith) do these men when they would have all their own doings in estimation, as though they had ben delivered to us even from the Apostles or from Christ himself, to the end there might be found no where any thing able to convince such ⟨image 75⟩their dreams and lies, either they burn the holy Scriptures, or else they craftily convey them from the people surely.

And yet as though this were to litle, they also burne the holye scriptures, as in times paste wicked kyng Aza dyd, or as Antiochus, or Maximinus did, and are wont to name thē Heretiques boks. And out of doubt to see to, they woulde faine do as Herode in oulde time dyd in Iewrie,¹ that hee myghte with more surety kepe still his dominiō. Who being ⟨image 75⟩an Idumean borne, and a straunger to the stocke and kinred of the Iewes, and yet coueting much to be takē for a Iew, so thende he might establish to him and his posteritie ye kyngdom of that countrey which he had gotten of Augustus Cesar, he commaunded all the Genealogies and Petigrees to be burnte & made out of the waye, so as there shoulde remaine no recorde, wherby he might be knowen to them that came after, that he was an Aliaunt in bloud: wheras euen from Abrahams time these monumētes had been safelye kepte amongeste the Iewes and layde vp in theire thresury, bicause in them it might easely & moste assuredly be found of what linage euery one did descende. So (in good faith) doe these menne when they woulde haue all their owne doinges in estimation, as though they had ben deliuered to vs euē from the Apostles or from Christe hymselfe, to thende there might be founde no where any thinge able to conuince such