The true copies of the letters between the reverend father in God John Bishop…The true copies of the letters betwene the reuerend father in God Iohn Bisshop…

Now forasmuch as you make this a great foundation against us, that we vary from y• Primitive Church, and thereby make y• simple souls ween that we were in the wrong side, here I pray you show your opinion whether we are bound to do all things which ⟨image 33⟩we find by sufficient authority were in ure in y• Primitive Church. And because you shall not be herein squeamish, I shall here begin to show you mine.

NOw forasmuch as you make this a great foundation against vs, that we varie from y• Primitiue Church, and therby make y• simple soules wene that we were in the wronge side, here I pray you shew your opinion wether we are bounde to doo all thinges whyche ⟨image 33⟩we finde by sufficient authority were in vre in y• Primitiue Church. And bicause you shall not be herein squemish, I shall here begin to shew you mine.

I am of the opinion that the Council of Constance was in this matter. I think it an error, I am bound to do as y• Primitive Church did, where the Church customably used the contrary. I reckon an trample no bond. I deny not, but those examples were to be followed, & not to be broken at every mans will and pleasure, until by common assent, other order were taken. But if you seek old writers and find me that the Church these sire hundred years observed no• many things. which were practised, and accounted for good, holesun•, and holy, in the Primitive Church, and thereby deem us in error, this were a wrong judgment. For the church of Christ hath his childhood, his manhood, and his hoar hairs: and as that that is meet for a man in one age, is unmeet in another: So were many things meet, requisite, & necessary, in the primitive church, which in our days were like to do more har then good.