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…

Besides all these matters wherewith they charge us, they are wont also to add this one thing, which they enlarge with all kind of spitefulness: that is, that we be men of trouble, that we pluck the sword and Sceptre out of Kings hands: that we ar••e the people, that we overthrow judgement places, destroy the laws, make havoc of possessions, seek to make the people Princes, turn all things upside down: and to be short, that we would have nothing in good frame in a common wealth. Good lord, how often have they set on fire Princes hearts with these words,¹ to the end they might quench the light of the Gospel in the very first appearing of it, and might begin to hate the same or ever they were able to know it, and to the end that every magistrate might think he saw his deadly enemy, as often as he saw any of us. Surely it ⟨image 52⟩should exceedingly grieve us to be so maliciously accused of most heinous treason, onlesse we knew that Christ himself, the Apostles, and a number of good and Christian men were in time past blamed and envied in manner for the same faults. For although Christ taught they should give unto Cesar that which was Caesars, yet was he charged with sedition in that he was accused to devise some conspiracy and to covet the kingdom. And hereupon they cried out with open mouth against him in the place of judgement, saying: If thou let this man scape, thou art not Caesars friend.

Besides all these matters wherewith they charge vs, they are wōt also to add this one thinge, which they enlarge with all kinde of spitefulnes: that is, that we be men of trouble, yt wee plucke ye sword and Scepter out of Kinges handes: that we ar••e the people, that we ouerthrowe iudgemente places, destroy the lawes, make hauocke of possessiōs, seke to make the people Princes, turne all things vpsyde downe: and to be short, yt we would haue nothinge in good frame in a common welth. Good lorde, how often haue they sette on fyre Princes heartes with these words,¹ to thend they might quēche the light of the Gospell in the very firste apperinge of it, and might begin to hate the same or euer they were able to know it, and to the end that euery magistrate might thinke he saw his deadly ennemy, as often as he saw any of vs. Surely it