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…

All this notwithstanding ye have heard men, in times paste, allege unto you councils, doctors, antiquities, successions, and long continuance of time, to the contrary. And an easy matter it was so to do, specially before them, that lack either leisure, or judgement to examine their proofs. On a time Mithridates the king of Pontus laid siege to Cizicum, a town joined in friendship to the City of Rome. Which thing the Romans hearing, made out a gentleman of theirs, named Lucullus, to raise y• siege, After that Lucullus was within the sight of yt town, & showed himself with his company, upon the side of an hill, thence to give courage to the Citizens within, that were ⟨image 169⟩hesseged: Mithridates to cast th• into despair, and to cause them the rather to yield to him, made if to be noised, and bare them in hand that all that new company of soldiers was his, sent for purposely, by him, against the City. All that notwithstanding the Citizens within, kept the walls and yielded not. Lucullus came on, raised the siege, wanquished Mithridates, and slew his men. Even so, good people, is there now a siege laid to your walls: an army of doctors and councils, show them selves upon an hill: The adversary, that would have you yield, beareth you in hand, that they are their soldiers, & stand on their side. But keep your hold, the doctors and old catholic fathers, in the points that I have spoken ⟨p. 167⟩of, are yours, ye shall see the siege raised, ye shall see your adversaries discomfited, & put to flight. The Pelagians were able to allege S. Augustin, as for them self, yet when the matter came to proof, he was against them. Heluidius was able to allege Tertullian, as making for him self, but, in trial he was against him.

All this notwithstandynge ye hau ehearde men, in tymes paste, alledge vnto you councelles, doctours, antiquities, successions, and long continuaunce of tyme, to the contrarye. And an easye mater it was so to do, speciallye before them, that lacke eyther leysure, or iudgement to examine theyr proufes. On a tyme Mithridates the kynge of Pontus layed syege to Cizicum, a towne ioyned in frendship to the Citye of Rome. Whych thynge the Romanes hearynge, made out a gentleman of theyrs, named Lucullus, to rayse y• siege, After yt Lucullus was within the sight of yt towne, & shewed himself with his company, vpon the syde of an hill, thence to geue courage to the Citizens within, that were