An oversight, and deliberation upon the holy prophet JonahAn ouersight, and deliberacion vpon the holy prophete Ionas

¶To the most puissant Prince, and our most redoubted Sovereign Lord, Edward the sixth, by y• grace of God, King of England, France, and Ireland, defender of the faith, & in earth next, and immediately under God, of the Churches of England, and Ireland the supreme head. And also unto the most wise, godly, and most honourable Lords of his highness privy coū cel, his most humble, loving, and obedient subject John Hopper, elect and sworn Bishop of Gloucester, wisheth all grace and peace from God, with long, and the same most godly & prosperous reign over us, in all honour, health, and perpetual felicity.

¶To the mooste puisaunt Prince, and our most redoubted Soueraign Lord, Edward the syxt, by y• grace of God, Kyng of England, Fraunce, and Ireland, defender of the fayth, & in earth next, and immediately vnder God, of the Churches of England, and Ireland the supreme head. And also vnto the moste wyse, godly, and most honorable Lordes of his highnes priuie coū cel, his most humble, louing, and obedient subiecte Ihon Hoper, electe and sworne Byshoppe of Glocester, wysheth al grace and peace from God, wyth long, and the same most godlye & prosperous raigne ouer vs, in all honoure, healthe, and perpetual felicitie.

Among all other most noble and famous deeds of kings, and Princes, none is more godly, commendable, nor profitable to ⟨image 3⟩the common wealth, then to promote, and set forth unto their subjects the pure, and sincere religion of the eternal God, king of all kings, and Lord of all Lords. Then shall justice, peace, and concord reign, the door of Idolatry be shut up, vi the which hath entered all evil, and kings and kingdoms fallen into jeopardy, as the writings of y• Prophets do testify. But the more this noble fact is glorious, godly, and princely, the more difficile & hard it is. For the enemy of God & of all mankind, the Devil, customablye is wont to deceive the princes of the world, so that either they utterly neglect the religion of the true God as a thing foolish, and of no estimation, either provoke them cruelly to persecute it. If he can bring neither the one, neither the other of these to pas: he will do the beste de can to preserve a mixed, and mingled religion, that shall nether plainly be against, nor wholly with him: And so use the matter, that partly God's truth shall take place, partly the superstitious invention of man. The which mingled