A reply to an answer made of M. Doctor Whitgifte Against the admonition to…A replye to an ansvvere made of M. Doctor VVhitgifte Against the admonition to…

And in an other place he saith: therefore most dear brother / the plentiful ¹body or company of the priests / are as it were with the glue of mutual concord & band of unity joined together / that if any of our company be author of an heresy / and go about to destroy and rent the flock of Christ / the rest should help / and as profitable & merciful shepherds / gather together the sheep of the Lord: whereby it is manifest / that the appeasing & composing of controversies / & heresies was not then thought to be most fit to be in one bishops hand / but in as many as could conveniently assemble together / according to the danger of the heresy which sprang / or deep root which it had taken / or was like to take. And that there was in his time no such authority given / as that any one might remove the causes or controversies which rose / as now we see there is / when the bishop of the diocese / taketh the matters in controversy / which rise in any church within his diocese / from the minister and elders / to whom the decision pertaineth / and as when the archbishop taketh it away from the bishop / it may appear in the same third Epistle of the first book / where he saith after this sort. It is ordained / & it is equal and right / that every mans cause should be there heard / where the fault was committed. And a little after he saith: It is meet to handle the matter there / where they may have both accusers / and witnesses of the fault / which although it be spoken of them / which fled out of Africa unto Rome / yet the reason is general / and doth as well serve against these Ecclesiastical persons / which will take unto them the deciding of those controversies that were done a hundred mile of them.

And in an other place he sayth: therefore most deare brother / the plentifull ¹body or company of ye priests / are as it were with the glew of mutuall concorde & bande of vnitie ioyned together / that if any of our company be author of an heresie / and goe about to destroy and rent the flocke of Christ / the rest should helpe / and as profitable & mercifull shepheards / gather together the sheepe of the Lord: wherby it is manifest / that the appeasing & composing of controuersies / & heresies was not then thought to be most fitte to be in one byshops hand / but in as many as coulde conueniently assemble together / according to the danger of the heresie which sprang / or deepe roote which it had taken / or was like to take. And that there was in his time no such authoritie geuen / as that any one might remoue the causes or controuersies which rose / as now we see there is / when the byshop of the diocese / taketh the matters in controuersie / which rise in any church within hys diocese / from the minister and elders / to whome the decision pertayneth / and as when the archbyshop taketh it away from the byshop / it may appeare in ye same thirde Epistle of the first booke / where he sayth after this sort. It is ordayned / & it is equall and right / that euery mans cause shoulde be there hearde / where the fault was committed. And a little after he sayth: It is meete to handle the matter there / where they may haue both accusers / and witnesses of the fault / whiche although it be spoken of them / which fied out of Affrike vnto Rome / yet the reason is generall / and doth as wel serue agaynst these Ecclesiasticall persons / which will take vnto them the decyding of those controuersies that were done a hundreth mile of them.