A brief apology of Thomas Cartwright against all such slanderous accusations as it pleaseth…A brief apologie of Thomas Cartwright against all such slaunderous accusations as it pleaseth…

Hic murus aheneus esto Nil conscire sibi, nulla pallescere culpa.

Keep thou still a good conscience, and let the clearness of thy heart, and innocency of thy hands be as a wall of brass unto thee, and leave the rest to the Lord, to do what seemeth good in his ⟨image 5⟩own eyes, And then if Satan do rage, or his instruments do revel or revile never so much, terming thee a drunkard, a mad man, a Traitor, a Conspirator, an Innovator, or what they will else, be not thou troubled or dismayed with it, but rather rejoice and give God thanks. For if thou be able truly to say with th'Apostle in the testimony of thine own hart, By honour and dishonour, By good report and evil report, ¹as deceivers and yet true, &c. Then (howsoever the bloodthirsty may gnash and grind their teeth at thee) thy conscience may be at peace: and thou mayest cheerfully answer thy good friends (that are peradventure aggrieved to see the falsehood and indignity of th'impositions laid upon thee) as Socrates did to his wife, Why my Masters would you have me suffer guilty, or be slandered and ill spoken of deservedly?

Keepe thou still a good conscience, and let the clearenesse of thy heart, and innocency of thy hands be as a wall of brasse vnto thee, and leaue the rest to the Lorde, to doo what seemeth good in his ⟨image 5⟩owne eies, And then if Satan doo rage, or his instrumentes doo revell or revile neuer so much, tearming thee a drunkard, a madd man, a Traitour, a Conspirator, an Innovatour, or what they will els, be not thou troubled or dismaied with it, but rather reioice and giue God thankes. For if thou be able truely to say with th'Apostle in the testimony of thine owne hart, By honour and dishonor, By good report and euill report, ¹as deceyuers and yet true, &c. Then (howsoeuer the bloudthirstie may gnashe and grind their teeth at thee) thy conscience may be at peace: and thou maiest chearefully answere thy good friendes (that are peradventure agrieued to see the falsehoode and indignity of th'impositions laied vppon thee) as Socrates did to his wife, Why my Maisters would you haue me suffer guilty, or be slaundered and ill spoken of deservedly?