An answer to two treatises of Mr. John Can, the leader of the English…An answer to two treatises of Mr. Iohn Can, the leader of the English…

If Pope Pius the fourth, promised to Queen Elizabeth, that if she would reconcile her self to the Church of Rome, ¹and acknowledge the supremacy of that Sea; he for his part would bind himself to declare the sentence pronounced against her Mothers marriage, to be unjust; to confirm by his authority the English Liturgy; and to permit the administration of the Sacrament here in England under both kinds. It is no new thing for the Pope to permit, and confirm both, for his own sinister end, what he doth not like or approve. It is no strange matter that the Pope should prefer his supremacy, before the purity of Religion. And by the words of the offer, the promise of the Pope seemeth not to be extended to the whole Liturgy, and service of the Church, as it is established by Law, but to some part alone; perhaps as it was practised before the sacrifice of the Mass was abolished. For why should it be added, that he would permit the administration of the Sacraments in both kinds, if he would confirm the whole English Liturgy, as it is now set forth. After Queen Elizabeth was proclaimed, a Proclamation came forth, that the Litany, the Epistles and Gospels, the Decalogue, the Creed, and the Lords-prayer should be read in all Churches in the English tongue: but it was the fourteenth of May after, being Whitsunday, before the sacrifice of the Mass was abolished, and the book of the uniformity of common-prayer, and the administration of the Sacraments publicly received, but whether the whole Service be meant or no, it is not much material; for he could not confirm it, but he must condemn himself.

If Pope Pius the fourth, promised to Queene Elizabeth, that if shee would reconcile her selfe to the Church of Rome, ¹and acknowledge the supremacy of that Sea; he for his part would binde himselfe to declare the sentence pronounced against her Mothers marriage, to be unjust; to confirme by his authoritie the English Liturgie; and to permit the administration of the Sacrament here in England under both kindes. It is no new thing for the Pope to permit, and confirme both, for his owne sinister end, what he doth not like or approve. It is no strange matter that the Pope should preferre his supremacy, before the purity of Religion. And by the words of the offer, the promise of the Pope seemeth not to be extended to the whole Liturgie, and service of the Church, as it is established by Law, but to some part alone; perhaps as it was practised before the sacrifice of the Masse was abolished. For why should it be added, that he would permit the administration of the Sacraments in both kindes, if he would confirme the whole English Liturgie, as it is now set forth. After Queene Elizabeth was proclaimed, a Proclamation came forth, that the Letany, the Epistles and Gospels, the Decalogue, the Creede, and the Lords-prayer should be read in all Churches in the English tongue: but it was the fourteenth of May after, being Whitsunday, before the sacrifice of the Masse was abolished, and the booke of the uniformitie of common-prayer, and the administration of the Sacraments publiquely received, but whether the whole Service be meant or no, it is not much materiall; for he could not confirme it, but he must condemne himselfe.