The second reply of Thomas CartwrightThe second replie of Thomas Cartwright

Whereupon we may gather / this to have been a cause of this scarcity / that it being left always in the discretion off the Bishop / whether he would have any moe Bishops: through Ambition it came to pass / that the number off Christians increasing / they would not suffer the people to have moe bishops / but ordaining them Elders / and Deacons / together with the name off the Bishop / retained unto them selves a great part off the authority / and government to other belonging. And this is ¹that which that excellent Martyr of God William Tyndale / shortly noted: when the multitude off Christians increased, and the church was endowed with great possessions: the bishops made them substitutes, which they called priests, and kept the name of Bishop unto them selves. And how unhappily it was left in the Bishops choice / ether to suffer another bishop to be instituted or no / in his diocese: may appear by this shameful ambition / which even then began to show it self. For so far was it / that they would depart with any already gotten: that they ²assayed to encroach (and sometimes by strong hand) upon the bounds off others: as appeareth by the manifold debates / which they had one with another / about their precincts / testified in the book of Councils.

Wherupon vve may gather / this to haue bene a cause of this scarcitie / that it being lefte alwaies in the discretion off the Bishop / vvhether he vvoulde haue any moe Bishops: throwghe Ambicion yt came to passe / that the nombre off Christians increasing / they woulde not suffer the people to haue moe bishops / but ordeining them Elders / and Deacons / together with the name off the Bishop / reteined vnto them selues a greate parte off the autoritie / and gouernement to other belongyng. And this ys ¹that vvhich that excellent Martir of God William Tindall / shortly noted: vvhen the multitude off Christians encreased, and the church vvas endovved vvith greate possessiōs: the bishops made thē substitutes, vvhich they called preistes, and kept the name of Bishop vnto them selues. And how vnhappely it was lefte in the Bishops choise / ether to suffer another bishop to be instituted or no / in his diocese: maie appeare by this shameful ambition / vvhich euen thē beganne to shew yt selfe. For so far vvas yt / that they vvoulde departe vvith any already gotten: that they