A view of a seditious bull sent into England, from Pius Quintus Bishop of…A viewe of a seditious bul sent into Englande, from Pius Quintus Bishop of…

When they were called before Kings, and Princes, and others of authority, and commanded to forsake the trueth they had learned, and the comfort which they took in the truth, they answered in this manner: O my gracious Lord, I would fain do your commandment: I am your subject: I have done faithful service with my body, & with my goods, but I cannot serve you against God: He is King of Kings, & Lord of Lords: He is my Lord, before whom I stand: I have ⟨p. 158⟩put my life in his hands. He hath forbidden me to do this thing which you command: I cannot therefore do it. Judge uprightly, whether it be meet to obey you, rather than God. My living, my wife, my children, and my life, are dear unto me. I am a man like others, and have mine affections. Yet neither living, nor wife, nor children, nor my life is so dear unto me as the glory of God. I am but a pore worm, yet am I the work of his hands. God hath put his word in my mouth: I may not deny it. I may not bear false witness against the Lord. My life is not dear unto me in respect of the trueth. I know if I should deny him to save my life, I should lose it: and if I lose my life for his sake, I shall find it. That which your authority shall lay upon me, is not done without his will. All the hairs of my head are numbered. I owe you obedience, I will not resist your power, for if I should resist, I should resist the ordinance of God. I am subject to you for conscience sake. I will ⟨p. 159⟩forsake my country, my goods, my children, and my self at your commandment. I will say to mine own flesh, I know thee not: only I can not forsake my Lord God.

When they were called before Kings, and Princes, and others of auctoritie, and commaunded to forsake the trueth they had learned, and the comfort which they tooke in the truth, they aunswered in this manner: O my gratious Lorde, I would faine do your commandement: I am your subiect: I haue done faithfull seruice with my body, & with my goods, but I cannot serue you against God: He is King of Kings, & Lord of Lords: He is my Lord, before whom I stande: I haue ⟨p. 158⟩put my life in his handes. He hathe forbidden me to doe this thing whiche you commaunde: I cannot therefore doe it. Iudge vprightly, whether it be méete to obey you, rather than God. My liuing, my wife, my children, and my life, are deare vnto me. I am a man like others, and haue mine affections. Yet neither liuing, nor wife, nor children, nor my life is so deare vnto me as the glorie of God. I am but a pore worme, yet am I the worke of his handes. God hathe putte his worde in my mouth: I may not deny it. I may not beare false witnesse against the Lord. My life is not deare vnto me in respect of the trueth. I knowe if I shoulde deny him to saue my life, I shoulde lose it: and if I lose my life for his sake, I shall finde it. That which your auctoritie shal lay vpon me, is not done without his will. All the haires of my head are numbred. I owe you obedience, I will not resiste your power, for if I shoulde resiste, I shoulde resiste the ordinaunce of God. I am subiect to you for conscience sake. I will