MY dutie in most humble wise remembred . May it please your Grace to vnde : stand , that whereas there hath beene a late controversie raised in the Temple , and persued by M. Travers vpon conceit taken at some words by me vttered with a most simple and harmelesse meaning in the heate of which persuit , after three publique invectiues silence being enioined him by authority ; he hath herevpon for defence of his proceedings , both presented the right Honorable LL. and others of Her Maiesties privie Counsell with a writing , and also caused or suffered the same to be copied out and spred through the hands of so many , that welnigh al sorts of men haue it in their bosomes ; the matters wherewith I am therein charged being of such qualitie as they are , and my selfe being better knowne to your Grace , then to any of their HH. besides ; I haue chosen to offer to your Graces hands , a plaine declaration of my innocencie in all those things wherewith I am so hardly and so heavily charged , least if I still remaine silent , that which I doe for quietnesse sake be taken as an argument that I lacke what to speake truely and iustly in mine owne defence .

2 First , because M. Travers thinketh it is expedient to breed an opinion in mens minds , that the roote of all inconvenient events which are now sprung out , is the surly and vnpeaceable disposition of the man with whom he hath to doe , therefore the first in the ranke of accusations laid against me is my inconformitie which haue so little inclined to so many and so earnest exhortations and conferences , as my selfe he saith can witnes to haue been spent vpon me , for my better fashioning vnto good correspondence and agreement .

3 Indeed when at the first , by meanes of speciall welwillers , without any suit of mine , as they very well knowe , ( although I do not thinke it had been a mortall sinne in a reasonable sort to haue shewed a moderate desire that way ) yet when by their indeavour without instigation of mine , some reverend and honorable , favorably affecting me had procured her Maiesties grant of the place , at the very point of my entring thereinto , the evening before I was first to preach , hee came and two other Gentlemen ioined with him : the effect of his conference then was , that he thought it his duty to advise me not to enter with a strong hand , but to change my purpose of preaching there the next day , and to stay till he had given notice of me to the Congregation , that so their allowance might seale my calling . The effect of myne answer was , that as in place where such order is , J would not breake it ; so here where it never was , I might not of mine owne head take vpon me to begin it ; but liking very well the motion , for the opinion which J had of his good meaning who made it , requested him not to mislike my answer though it were not correspondent to his mind .

4 When this had so displeased some , that whatsoever was afterwards done , or spoken by me , it offended their taste , angry informations were daily sent out , intelligence given far and wide what a dangerous enimy was crept in , the worst that iealousie could imagin was spoken and written to so many , that at the length some knowing me wel , and perceiving how iniurious the reports were which grew daily more & more vnto my discredit ; wrought meanes to bring M. Travers and me to a second conference . Wherin when a common friend vnto vs both , had quietly requested him to vtter those things wherewith he found himselfe any way grieued , he first renewed the memory of my entring into this charge by vertue only of an humane creature ( for so the want of that * * A meer formalitie it had bin to mee in that place whe●eas no man had ever vsed it before me ; so it could neither further me if I did vse it , nor hinder me if I did not . formalitie of popular allowance was then censured ; ) & vnto this was annexed a Catalogue , partly of causlesse surmyses ; as that I had conspired against him , & that J sought superiority over him ; & partly of faults which to note I should haue thought it a greater offence then to commit , if I did account them faults and had heard them so curiously observed in any other then my selfe , they are such sillie things ; as praying in the entrance of my sermons only & not in the end , naming Bishops in my prayer , kneeling when I pray , and kneeling when I receaue the Communion with such like , which I would be as loath to recite as I was sory to heare them obiected , if the rehearsall thereof were not by him thus wrested from me . These are the conferences wherewith I haue beene wooed to entertaine peace and good agreement .

5 As for the vehement exhortations he speaketh of , I would gladly knowe some reason wherefore he thought them needful to be vsed . Was there any thing found in my speeches or dealings which gaue them occasion , who are studious of peace , to thinke that I deposed my selfe to some vnquiet kind of proceedings ? Surely the speciall providence of God , J doe now see it was , that the first words I spake in this place , should make the first thing whereof J am accused , to appeare not only vntrue , but improbable to as many as then heard me with indifferent eares , & doe J doubt not in their consciences cleere me of this suspition . Howbeit J graunt this were nothing if it might bee shewed that my deeds following were not sutable to my words . If J had spoken of peace at the first and afterwards sought to molest and grieue him , by crossing him in his function , by storming if my pleasure were not asked and my will obeyed in the least occurrences , by carping needlesly sometimes at the manner of his teaching ; sometimes at this , sometimes at that point of his doctrine ; I might then with some likelyhood haue beene blamed as one disdaining a peaceable hand when it hath beene offered . But if J be able ( as J am ) to proue , that my selfe haue now a full yeare together borne the continuance of such dealings , not only without any manner of resistance ; but also without any such complaint as might let or hinder him in his course ; J see no cause in the world , why of this I should be accused , vnlesse it be least J should accuse , which J meant not . If therefore I haue given him occasion to vse conferences and exhortations vnto peace , if when they were bestowed vpon me J haue despised them ; it will not bee hard to shewe some one word or deed wherwith J haue gone about to worke disturbance : one is not much , J require but one . Only I require if any thing bee shewed , it may be proved , and not obiected only as this is , That I haue ioined with such as haue alwaies opposed to any good order in this Church , and made themselues to be thought indisposed to the present estate and proceedings . The wordes haue reference as it seemeth , vnto some such things as being attempted before my comming to the Temple , went not so effectually perhaps forward as hee which devised them would haue wished . An order as I learne there was tendred , that Communicants should neither kneele , as in the most places of the Realme ; nor sit as in this place the custome is ; but walk to the one side of the Table , and there standing till they had receiued , passe afterwardes away round about by the other . Which being on a sudden begun to be practised in the Church , some sat wondering what it should meane , others deliberating what to doe : till such time as at length by name one of them being called openly thervnto , requested that they might do as they had bin accustomed which was granted , and as M. Travers had ministred his way to the rest , so a Curate was sent to minister to them after their way . Which vnprosperous beginning of a thing , ( saving only for the inconvenience of needles alterations otherwise harmelesse ) did so disgrace that order in their conceipt who had to allow or disallow it , that it tooke no place . For neither they could ever induce themselues to thinke it good , & it so much offended Mr Travers who supposed it to be the best , that he since that time , although contented himselfe to receiue it as they do at the hands of others , yet hath not thought it meete they should ever receiue it out of his , which woulde not admit that order of receiving it , and therefore in my time hath beene alwaies present not to minister but only to be ministred vnto .

6 Another order there was likewise devised but an order of much more waight and importance . This soile in respect of certaine immunities & other specialties belonging vnto it seemed likely to bear that which in other places of the Realme of England doth not take . For which cause request was made to some of her Maiesties Privie Counsell , that whereas it is provided by a statute there should be collectors & sidemen in Churches , which thing or somewhat correspondent vnto it this place did greatly want , it would please their HH. to motion such a matter to the Ancients of the Temple . And according to their honorable manner of helping forward al motions so grounded , they wrote their letters , as I am informed , to that effect . Wherevpon although these houses never had vse of such collectors & sidemen as are appointed in other places , yet they both erected a box to receiue mens devotion for the poore , appointing the Treasurer of both houses to take care for bestowing it where neede is , and graunting further that if any could be intreated ( as in the end some were ) to vndertake the labour of observing mens slacknesse in diuine duties they should be allowed , their complaints hard all times , and the faults they complained of , if Mr Alveyes priuate admonition did not serue , then by some other meanes redressed , but according to the old received orders of both houses . Whereby the substance of their H. letters were indeed fully satisfied . Yet because Mr Travars intended not this , but as it seemed an other thing , therefore notwithstanding the orders which haue beene taken and for any thing I know do stand still in as much force in this Church now as at any time heretofore : Hee complaineth much the good orders which he doth meane haue beene withstood . Now it were hard if as many , as any way oppose vnto these and the like orders in his perswasion good , doe thereby make themselues to be thought dislikers of the present state and proceedings . If they whom he aimeth at haue any otherwise made themselues to be thought such , it is likely he doth know wherein , and will I hope disclose to whom it appertaineth , both the persons whom he thinketh & the causes why he thinketh them so ill affected . But whatsoever the men be , doe their faults make me faulty ? They do if I ioine my selfe with them . I beseech him therefore to declare wherein I haue ioined with them . Other ioining then this with any man here I cannot imagin : It may be I haue talked or walked or eaten or interchangeably vsed the duties of common humanitie with some such as he is hardly perswaded of . For I know no law of God or man by force whereof they should be as Heathens and Publicans vnto me that are not gracious in the eies of another man perhaps without cause , or if with cause , yet such cause as he is privie vnto and not I. Could he or any reasonable man thinke it a charitable course in me to obserue them that shewe by externall courtesies a favorable inclination towards him , and if I spy out any one amongst them of whom I thinke not well , herevpon to draw such an accusation as this against him and to offer it where hec hath given vp his against me ? Which notwithstanding I will acknowledge to be iust and reasonable if hee or any man liuing shall shew that I vse as much as the bare familiar companie but of one who by word or deede hath euer giuen me cause to suspect or coniecture him such as here they are tearmed with whom complaint is made that I ioine my selfe . This being spoken therefore & written without all possibilitie of proofe , doth not Mr Travers giue me over great cause to stand in some fear least hee make to little conscience how hee vseth his tongue or penne ? These things are not laide against me for nothing , they are to some purpose if they take place . For in a minde perswaded that I am as he deciphereth me , one which refuse to be at peace with such as embrace the truth , & side my selfe with men sinisterly affected therevnto , any thing that shal be spoken concerning the vnsoundnes of my Doctrine cannot chuse but be favorably entertained . This presupposed it will haue likelyhood enough which afterwardes followeth that many of my Sermons haue tasted of some sower leaven or other , that in them he hath discovered sundrie vnsound matters . A thing much to be lamented that such a place as this which might haue beene so well provided for , hath falne into the hands of one no better instructed in the truth . But what if in the end it be found that hee iudgeth my words , as they do colours which looke vpon them with greene spectacles , and thinke that which they see is greene , when indeed that is greene whereby they see .

7 Touching the first point of his discovery which is about the matter of Predestination , to set down that I spake , ( for I haue it written ) to declare and confirme the severall branches thereof , would be tedious now in this writing , where I haue so many things to touch that I can but touch them only . Neither is it herein so needfull for me to iustifie my speech , when the verie place and presence where I spake doth it selfe speake sufficiently for my cleering . This matter was not broached in a blind Alley , or vttered where none was to heare it that had skill with authoritie to controll , or covertly insinuated by some glyding sentence .

8 That which I taught was at Paules Crosse ; it was not hudled in amongst other matters in such sort that it could passe without noting . it was opened , it was proued , it was some reasonable time stood vpon . I see not which way my L. of London , who was present and heard it , can excuse so great a fault as patiently without rebuke or controlement afterwardes , to heare any man there teach otherwise then the word of God doth , not as it is vnderstood by the privat interpretation of some one or two men , or by a speciall construction receaued in some few bookes , but as it is vnderstood by all Churches professing the Gospell , by them all and therefore even by our owne also amongst others . A man that did mean to proue that he speaketh , would surely take the measure of his words shorter .

9 The next thing discovered , is an opinion about the assurance of mens perswasion in matters of faith J haue taught he saith ; That the assurance of things which we beleeue by the word , is not so certaine as of that we perceiue by sence . And is it as certaine ? Yea , J taught as hee himselfe J trust will not deny , that the things which God doth promise in his word , are surer vnto vs then anything we touch , handle , or see ; but are we so sure & certaine of them ? if we bee , why doth God so often proue his promises vnto vs , as hee doth by arguments taken from our sensible experience ? Wee must be surer of the proofe then of the thing proved , otherwise it is no proofe . How is it , that if ten men doe all look vpon the moone , every one of them knoweth it as certainely to be the moon as another : but many beleeving one and the same promises , all haue not one and the same fulnesse of perswasion ? How falleth it out , that men being assured of any thing by sence can bee no surer of it then are , whereas the strongest in faith that liveth vpon the earth , hath alwaies need to labour , and striue , and pray , that his assurance concerning heavenly and spirituall things , may grow , increase , and be augmented .

10 The Sermon wherein J haue spoken somewhat largely of this point , was long before this late controversie rose betweene him and me , vpon request of some of my friends seene , & read by many , & amongst many , some who are thought able to discerne : and J never heard that any one of them hitherto hath condemned it as containing vnsound matter . My case were very hard , if as oft as any thing J speake displeasing one mans tast , my doctrine vpon his only word should bee taken for sower leven .

11 The rest of this discoverie is all about the matter now in question , wherein hee hath two faults predominant , which would tyre out any that should answer vnto every point severally : vnapt speaking of schoole controversies ; and of my wordes sometimes so vntoward a reciting , that hee which should promise to drawe a mans countenance and did indeed expresse the parts at leastwise the most of them truly , but perversely place them , could not represent a more offensiue visage , then vnto me my owne speech seemeth in some places as he hath ordered it . For answere wherevnto , that writing is sufficient wherein J haue set down both my words and meaning in such sort , that were this accusation doth depraue the one , and either misinterpret , or without iust cause mislike the other , it will appeare so plainely that J may spare very well to take vpon me a new and a needlesse labour here .

12 Only at one thing which is there to be found , because Mr Travers doth here seeme to take such a speciall advantage , as if the matter were vnanswerable , hee constraineth me either to detect his oversight , or to confesse mine owne in it . In setting the question betweene the Church of Rome and vs about Grace and Iustification , least J should giue them an occasion to say , as commonly they doe , that when wee cannot refute their opinions , we propose to our selues such insteed of theirs as we can refute , J tooke it for the best and most perspicuous way of teaching , to declare first , how far we doe agree , and then to shew our disagreement ; not generally ( as Mr Travers his words would carrie it , for the easier His words be these . The next Saboth day after this M. Hooker kept the way he had entred into before , & bestowed his whole hower and more only vpon the questions hee had moved and maintained . Wherein hee so set out the agreement of the Church of Rome with vs and their disagreement from vs , as if wee had consented in the greatest and waightiest points , and differed only in certaine smaller matters . Which agreement noted by him in two chiefe points , is not such as he would haue made men beleeue : The one , in that hee said they acknowledge all men sinners , even the blessed Uirgin , though some of them freed her from sinne : for the Councell of Trent holdeth that shee was free from sinne : Another in that he said , They teach Christs righteousnesse to be the only meritorious cause of taking away sinne , and differ from vs only in the applying of it . For Thom. Aquinas their chiefe schooleman & Archbish. Catharmus teach that Christ tooke away only originall sin , and that the rest are to bee taken away by our selues yea the Councell of Trent teacheth that the righteousnesse whereby wee are righteous in Gods sight is inherent righteousnesse , which must needs bee of our owne workes , and cannot be vnderstood of the righteousnesse inherent only in Christs person & accounted vnto vs . fastning that vpon me , wherwith saving only by him J was never in my life touched ; ) but about the matter only of iustification for farther J had no cause to medle at that time . What was then my offence in this case ? I did as hee saith so set it out as if wee had consented in the greatest and waightiest points & differed onely in smaller matters . Jt will not bee found when it commeth to the ballance a light difference where we disagree , as I did acknowledge that we doe about the very essence of the medicine wherby Christ cureth our disease . Did J goe about to make a shew of agreement in the waightiest points , and was J so fond as not to conceale our disagreement about this ? J doe wish that some indifferencie were vsed by them that haue taken the waighing of my words .

13 Yea but our agreement is not such in two of the chiefest points , as J would haue men beleeue it is : and what are they ? The one is J said , They acknowledge all men sinners even the blessed Virgin , though some of them free her from sinne . Put the case J had affirmed that onely some of them free her from sinne , and had delivered it as the most currant opinion amongst them , that shee was conceaued in sin : doth not Bonaventure say plainely , Omnes ferè ; In a manner all men doe hold this ? both he not bring many reasons wherefore all men should hold it ? Were their voices since that time ever counted , and their number found smaller which hold it , then theirs that hold the contrary ? Let the question then be whether J might say the most of them acknowledged all men sinners even the blessed Virgin her selfe . To shew that their generall receiued opinion is the contrarie , the Tridentine Councell is alleaged peradventure not altogether so considerately . For if that Councell haue by resolute determination freed her , if it hold as M. Travers saith it doth , that shee was free from sin , then must the Church of Rome needs condemne them that holde the contrarie . For what that Councell holdeth , the same they all doe and must hold . But in the Church of Rome who knoweth not that it is a thing indifferent to thinke and defend the one or the other ? So that by this argument ; the Councell of Trent holdeth the Virgin free from sinne , Ergo it is plaine that none of them may , and therefore vntrue that most of them doe acknowledge her a sinner were forcible to overthrowe my supposed assertion , if it were true that the Councell did hold this . But to the end it may clearely appeare how it neither holdeth this nor the contrary I will open what many do conceiue of the Canon that concerneth this matter . The Fathers of Trent perceived that if they should define of this matter , it would be dangerous howsoeuer it were determined . If they had freed her from her originall sinne , the reasons against them are vnanswerable which Bonaventure and others do alleadge , but especially Thomas whose line as much as may be they follow . Againe if they did resolue the other way , they should controll themselues in an other thing which in no case might be altered . For they professe to keepe no daie holie in the honor of an vnholie thing ; and the Virgins conception they honor with a * * This doth much trouble Thomas holding her conception stained with the naturall blemish inherent in mortall seed . And therefore hee putteth it off with two Answers ; the one that the Church of Rome doth not allow but tolerate the Feast , which answer now will not serue ; the other that being sure shee was sanctified before birth , but vnsure how long a while after her conception , therefore vnder the name of her conception day , they honour the time of her sanctification . So that besides this they haue now no soder to make the certaine allowance of their feast , and their vncertaine sentence concerning her sinne to cleaue together . Thomas 3. part . quaest. 27 art. 2. ad 2 m & 3m. Feast ; which they could not abrogate without cancelling a constitution of Xystus quartus . And that which is worse the worlde might perhaps herevpon suspect , that if the Church of Rome did amisse before in this , it is not impossible for her to faile in other things . In the end they did wisely quote out their Canon by a middle thred , establishing the feast of the Virgins conception , and leaving the other question doubtfull as they found it : giving only a caveat that no man should take the decree which pronounceth all menkind originallie sinfull , for a definitiue sentence concerning the blessed Virgin . This in my sight is plaine by their owne words , Declarat haec ipsa sancta Synodus &c: wherefore our countrymen at Rhemes mentioning this point are marvelous warie how they speake ; they touch it as though it were a hot cole : Many godly devout men iudge that our blessed Annotat. in Rom 5. See 9. Lady was neither borne nor conceived in sinne . Is it their w●nt to speake nicely of things definitiuely set downe in that councell ? In like sort wee finde that the rest which haue since the time of the Tridentine Synod writen of originall sinne , are in this point for the most part either silent or very sparing in speech ; and when they speake either doubtfull what to thinke , or whatsoever they thinke themselues , fearefull to set downe any certaine determination . If I be thought to take the Canon of that councell otherwise then they themselues do , let him expound it whose sentence was neither last asked nor his pen least occupied in setting it downe . I meane Andradius whom Gregory the 13. hath allowed Lib. 5. defens . fidei . plainely to confesse , that it is a matter which nether expresse evidence of Scripture , nor the tradition of the Fathers , nor the sentence of the Church hath determined ; that they are too surly and selfewilled which defending either opinion , are displeased with them by whom the other is mainetained ; finallie that the Fathers of Trent haue not set downe any certainetie about this question , but left it doubtfull and indifferent . Now whereas my wordes which I had set downe in writing before I vttered them were indeed these , Although they imagin that the mother of our Lord Iesus Christ were for his honour and by his speciall protection preserved cleane from all sinne , yet concerning the rest they teach as wee do that all haue sinned . Against my words they might with more pretence take exception because so many of them thinke she had sin : which exception notwithstanding , the proposition being indefinite and the matter contingent , they cannot take , because they grant that many whom they count graue & devout amongst them thinke that she was cleere from all sin . But whether Mr Travers did note my words himselfe , or take them vpon the credit of some other mans noting , the tables were faulty wherein it was noted : All men sinners even the blessed Virgin . When my speech was rather All men except the blessed Virgin . To leaue this ; another fault he findeth that I said , They teach Christs righteousnes to be the only meritorious cause of taking away sinne , & differ from vs only in the applying of it . J did say & do , They teach as we doe , that although Christ be the only meritorious cause of our iustice , yet as a medicin which is made for health doth not heale by being made , but by being applied : So by the merits of Christ there can be no life nor iustification without the application of his merits : But about the manner of applying Christ , about the number & power of meanes whereby he is applied we dissent from them . This of our dissenting from them is acknowledged .

14 Our agreement in the former is denied to bee such as J pretend . Let their owne words therefore , and mine concerning them be compared . Doth not Andradius O●●●od . lib. 3 plainely confesse , Our sinnes doth shut and onely the In 4 Sent. d. 1 ●u. 4. art 6. merits of Christ open the entring vnto blessednesse . And Soto , It is put for a ground , that all since the fall of Adam obtaine salvation only by the passion of Christ : howbeit as no cause can be effectuall without applying , so neither can any man be saved to whom the suffering of Christ is not applyed . In a word who not ? when the Councell of Trent reckoning vp the causes of our first instification , doth name no end but Gods glory and our felicitie ; no efficient , but his mercy ; no instrumentall , but baptisme ; no meritorious , but Christ . whome to haue merited the taking away of no sinne but originall is not their opinion : which himselfe wil find when hee hath well examined his witnesses Catharinus and Thomas . Their Jesuits are marveilous angry with the men out of whose gleanings Mr Travers seemeth to haue taken this , they openly Bellarm. Iudic. d●lio Concor . Menda● . 18. Nemo Catholicorum vnquam sic docuit ; sed credimus & profitemur Christum in cr●ce pro omni●●● omnino peccatu 〈◊〉 , 〈◊〉 originalibus , quàm actualibus . disclaime it , they say plainely , of all the Catholiks there is no one that did ever so teach , they make solemne protestation , wee beleeue and professe that Christ vpon the Crosse hath altogether satisfied for all sinnes , as well originall as actuall . Indeed they teach that the merit of Christ doth not take away actuall sinne in such sort as it doth originall , wherein if their doctrine had beene vnderstood , J for my speech had never been accused . As for the councell of Trent concerning inherent righteousnesse what doth it here ? No man doubteth but they make another formall cause of iustification then wee doe . In respect whereof , J haue shewed alreadie that wee disagree about the very essence of that which cureth our spirituall disease . Most true it is which the grand Philosopher hath Every man iudgeth well of that which he knoweth , & therefore till we knowe the things throughly whereof wee iudge , it is a point of iudgement to stay our iudgment .

15 Thus much labour being spent in discovering the vnsoundnes of my doctrine , some paines he taketh further to open faults in the maner of my teaching , as that I bestowed my whole howre and more , my time & more then my time in discourses vtterly impertinent to my text . Which if J had done it might haue past without complaining of to the Privie Counsell .

16 But J did worse as he saith , I left the expounding of the Scriptures and my ordinary calling , and discoursed vpon schoolepoints , and questions , neither of edification , nor of truth . J read no lecture in the Law or in Physicke . And except the bounds of ordinary calling may bee drawne like a purse , howe are they so much wider vnto him then to me , that he which in the limits of his ordinarie calling should reproue that in me which hee vnderstood not , and I labouring that both he & others might vnderstand , could not do this without forsaking my calling . The matter whereof I spake was such as being at the first by me but lightly touched , hee had in that place openly contradicted and solemnly taken vpon him to disproue . If therefore it were a schoole question & vnfit to be discoursed of there , that which was in me but a proposition only at the first , wherfore made he a probleme of it ? Why tooke he first vpon him to maintaine the negatiue of that which I had affirmatiue lie spoken only to shew mine owne opinion , little thinking that ever it would haue a question . Of what nature soever the question were of I could do no lesse than there explaine my selfe to them , vnto whom I was accused of vnsound doctrine , wherein if to shew what had beene through ambiguitie mistaken in my wordes , or misapplyed by him in this cause against me , I vsed the distinctions and helps of schooles , I trust that herein I haue committed no vnlawfull thing . These schoole implements are acknowledged by * graue and wise men 〈…〉 . not vnprofitable to haue beene invented ? The most approved for learning and iudgment do vse them with out blame ; the vse of them hath beene wel liked in some that haue taught even in this verie place before me ; the qualitie of my hearers is such , that I could not but think them of capacitie very sufficient for the most part to conceiue harder then I vsed any ; the cause I had in hand did in my iudgement necessarilie require them which were then vsed ; when my words spoken generally without distinctions had beene perverted , what other waie was there for me but by distinctions to lay them open in their right meaning , that it might appeare to all men whether they were consonant to truth or no. And although Mr Travers be so invred with the citty that he thinketh it vnmeete to vse my speech which savoureth of the schoole , yet his opinion is no canon , though vnto him his minde being troubled , my speech did seeme like fetters & manicles , yet there might be some more calmely affected which thought otherwise ; his private iudgement will hardly warrant his bold words , that the things which I spake were neither of edification nor truth . They might edifie some other for anie thing he knoweth , and bee true for anie thing he proveth to the contrarie . For it is no proofe to crie Absurdities , the like wherevnto haue not beene harde in publique places within this Land since Queene Maries daies . If this came in earnest from him I am sorie to see him so much offended without cause . More sorie that his fit should be so extreame to make him speake he knoweth not what . That I neither affected the truth of God , nor the peace of the Church . Mihi pro minimo est , It doth not much moue me when Mr Travers doth say that which I trust a greater then Mr Travers will gainesaie .

17 Now let all this which hitherto he hath said be graunted him , let it be as he would haue it , let my doctrine and manner of teaching bee as much disallowed by all mens iudgement as by his , what is all this to his purpose ? He alleadgeth this to bee the cause why hee bringeth it in : The high Commissioners charge him with an indiscretion and want of dutie , in that hee inveighed against certaine points of doctrine taught by me as erroneous not conferring first with me nor complaining of it to them . Which faults a sea of such matter as hee hath hitherto waded in will never be able to scowre from him . For the avoiding of Schisme and disturbance in the Church which must needes grow if all men might thinke what they list and speake openlie what they thinke ; therefore by a * * In the Advertisements published in the 7 , yeare of her Maiesties raigne . If any preacher or person , vicar , or curat so licensed shall fortune to preach any matter tending to dissention or to derogation of the religion and doctrine receaued , that the hearers denounce the same to the Ordinary or the next Bishop of the same place , but not openly to contrary or to impugne the same speech so disorderly vttered whereby may grow offense and disquiet of the people , but shall be convinced and reproved by the Ordinarie after such agreeable order as shal be scene to him according to the gravitie of the offence . And that it be presented within one moneth after the words spoken . decree agreed vpon by the Bishops & confirmed by her Maiesties authoritie it was ordered that erronious doctrine if it were taught publiquely should not be publiquely refuted , but that notice thereof shoulde bee giuen vnto such as are by her Highnesse appointed to heare & to determine such causes . For breach of which order when he is charged with lacke of duety , all the faults that can bee heaped vpon mee will make but a weak defence for him : as surely his defence is not much stronger when he alleageth for himselfe that , He was in some hope his speech in proving the truth and clearing those scruples which I had in my selfe , might cause me either to imbrace sound doctrine or suffer it to be imbraced of others , which if I did he should not need to complain ; that , It was meet he should discover first what I had sowne and make it manifest to be tares , and then desire their sithe to cut it downe ; that conscience did binde him to do otherwise than the foresaid order requireth ; that hee was vnwilling to deale in that publique manner and wished a more convenient way were taken for it ; that hee had resolved to haue protested the next Saboth day that he would some other way satisfie such as should require it and not deale more in that place . Be it imagined [ let me not be taken as if I did compare th' offenders when I do not , but their answers only ] be it imagined that a libeller did make this apologie for himselfe , I am not ignorant that if I haue iust matter against any man the Law is open , there are iudges to heare it , and courts where it ought to be complained of ; I haue taken an other course against such or such a man , yet without breach of duty for as much as I am able to yeeld a reason of my doing , I conceiue some hope that a little discredit amongst men would make him ashamed of himselfe , and that his shame would worke his amendment ; which if it did other accusation there should not need ; could his answere be thought sufficient , could it in the iudgment of discreet men free him from all blame ? No more can the hope which Mr Tarvers conceived to reclaime me by publique speech iustifie his fault against the established order of the Church .