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…

But now sithens our very enemies do see and cannot deny, but we ever in all our words and writings have diligently put the people in mind of their duty, to obey their Princes and Magistrates, yea though they be wicked: For this doth very trial and experience sufficiently teach, and all mens eyes, whosoever and wheresoever they be, do well enough see and witness for us, that was a soul part of them to charge us with these things: and seeing they could find no n•w and late faults, therefore to seek to procure us envy only with stale and out worn lies. We give our lord God thanks, whose only cause this is, there hath yet at no time been any such example in all the Realms, Dominions and common weals which have received the Gospel. For we have overthrown ⟨image 54⟩no kingdom, we have decayed n• mans power or right, we have disordered no common wealth. There continue their own accustomed state and ancient dignity the Kings of our country of England, the Kings of Denmark, the Kings of Sovetia, the Dukes of Saxony, the Counties Palatine, the Marquises of Brandenburg, the Landgraves of Hessia, the common wealths of the Helvetians and Rhe•ians, and the free cities, as Argentine, Basil, Frankfurt, Uline, August and Nor•enberge, do all I say abide in the same authority and estate wherein they have been heretofore, or rather in a much better, for that by means of the Gospel they have their people more obedient unto them. Let them go I pray you into those places where at this present through God's goodness the Gospel is taught, where is there more majesties where is there less arrogance and tyranny? where is the Prince more honoured? ⟨image 54⟩where be the people less […] hath there at any time the […] wealth or the Church been […]? Perhaps ye will say, […] the first beginning of this […] the common sort every where […] to rage and to rise throughout […]. Allow it were so, yet Martin Luther the publisher and setter […] of this doctrine, did write […] behementlye and sharply against them, and reclaimed them home to […] and obedience.

But now sithens our very ennemies do see and cannot deny, but we euer in al our wordes and writinges haue diligētlie put the people in mynde of their dewtie, to obey their Princes and Magistrates, ye though they be wicked: For this doth very trial and experience sufficientlie teache, and all mennes eyes, whosoeuer and wheresoeuer they be, do well ynough see and wytnes for vs, yt was a soule parte of them to charge vs with these thinges: and seing they could fynde no nw and late faults, therfore to seke to procure vs enuye only with stale and out worne lyes. We geue our lorde God thanks, whose only cause this is, there hath yet at no tyme been any suche example in all the Realmes, Dominions and common weales whiche haue recciued the Gospell. For we haue ouerthrowen