Certain letters, translated into English, being first written in Latin. Two, by the reverend…Certayne letters, translated into English, being first written in Latine. Two, by the reverend…

But you object / that seeing we have here found place of rest, here also we must receive the judgment of our doctrine and faith, if we will have the same lawfully known and approved, &c. Here come many things to be considered. First what if the rest and breathing / which here we enjoy / come unto us / not by the Ministers (of whom you speak) but by the Magistrates: which we do always and every where acknowledge with thanks. Secondly what if these ministers (men indeed learned and wise) should be of the same mind with you / that they would not hear or speak any thing concerning our faith and cause: inasmuch as they would not be either intercessors, or examiners, or Judges? Furthermore / what if our Confession of faith have ben exhibited to them above three years since / that by them it might either be approved / or the errors (if there be any) convinced? What if some of them have denounced us as heretics and schismatics? What if they have received certain articles full of lies and slanders / spread abroad against us / and yet to this day have not given us a copy of them / no though they were desired? What if upon occasion offered we have dealt with them touching certain corruptions yet remaining in their Churches / which notwithstanding they would not so much as acknowledge? And finally / what if we after the concealing and not regarding of all these things / have now again this last year delivered them the Confession of our faith in writing / before it was put forth in print? You see what we could answer in this behalf: but we would rather have burned these things in forgetfulness / if you had not so urged us as from you they might not now be concealed. Pardon you therefore and let them also (we entreat) pardon us / that we speak freely: for you would have us speak / yea you constrain us against our will to write these things / which we would have covered in silence / hoping hereafter for better. Besides these / we answer also that in the preface before our Confession is signified / that not here only but almost every where we are traduced as heretics / and schismatics: and that therefore it concerned us / to declare our faith and cause not to these only but unto all.

But you object / that seeing we have here found place of rest, here also we must receive the judgment of our doctrine and fayth, if we will have the same lawfully knowen and approved, &c. Here come many things to be considered. First what if the rest and breathing / which here we enjoye / come vnto vs / not by the Ministers (of whome you speak) but by the Magistrats: which we do alwayes and every where acknowledg with thanckes. Secondly what if these ministers (men indeed learned and wise) should be of the same mynd with you / that they would not heare or speake any thing concerning our fayth and cause: inasmuch as they would not be eyther intercessours, or examiners, or Iudges? Furthermore / what if our Confession of fayth have ben exhibited to them above three yeares synce / that by them it might eyther be approved / or the errours (if there be any) convinced? What if some of them have denounced vs as hereticks and schismaticks? What if they have received certayne articles full of lyes and sclaunders / spread abroad against vs / and yet to this daye have not gyven vs a copy of them / no though they were desyred? What if vpon occasion offered we have dealt with them touching certaine corruptions yet remayning in their Churches / which notwithstanding they would not so much as acknowledg? And finally / what if we after the concealing and not regarding of all these thinges / have now agayne this last yeare delyvered them the Confession of our fayth in wryting / before it was put forth in print? You see what we could answer in this behalf: but we would rather have burned these thinges in forgetfulnes / if you had not so vrged vs as from you they might not now be concealed. Pardon you therfore and let them also (we intreat) pardon vs / that we speak freely: for you would have vs speak / yea you constreyne vs against our will to wryte these things / which we would have covered in silence / hoping hereafter for better. Besydes these / we answer also that in the preface before our Confession is signified / that not here only but almost every where we are traduced as heretickes / and schismaticks: and that therfore it concerned vs / to declare our fayth and cause not to these only but vnto all.