WHEREAS the Workes of the ancient Fathers , and holy Councels , haue of late yeares beene most shamefully and wrongfully , manifestly and manifoldly corrupted and depraued , by authoritie from the Church of Rome to the maintenance of Poperie and superstition , is their sundrie Iudices Expurgato●● dayly pra●t●●e , and euidence of the fact it selfe , doth abundantly declare , the falshood and enormittes of whose noted corruptions , might within a verie short time , and for no great charges be di●couered vnto the sight of the whole world : May it therefore please all such as are vnfained louers of the truth of Religion here in England at this day professed and haters of all Romish corruptions , timely to prouide that there may not want due encouragement and maintenance for the effecting hereof by those orders following , or any other , which shall in the iudgement of the learned bee thought necessarie and conuenient .

1 First , there may bee sixe discreete and sober students in Diuinitie electe● chosen for this businesse ; such as are Batchelers of Diuinitie and haue alreadie entred int● the Ministerie .

2 These sixe so nominated and appointed , shall take a solemne and corporall oath , before they vndertake the worke , that they will faithfully and sincerely discharge their duties in this behalfe , truely relating and reporting the differences of the written Copies of or from the printed Bookes .

3 In this collation or comparing of Copies , they may obserue this order precisely , to take for printed Copies the last of the Protestant and Popish Editions : for the Manuscript or written Copies , to procure or get into their hands as many as can conueniently be had ; which are very ma●● throughout all England , and especially in both our Vniuersities , which are by confe●sion of the aduersaries , very true and correct copies .

4 Amongst so many written Copies , they shall chuse out foure of the most auncient and approoued Bookes , which shall bee exactly compared with the two before mentioned printed copies of the Fathers : the diuerse readings shall be noted in the margent of one of the printed Bookes . In places of greater moment and consequence in Religion , they shall consult all the auncient Copies , though they be neuer so many .

5 Hauing thus noted the differ●nces , one of them ( which shall be appointed for ouerseer of the whole businesse , and shall take vpon him the charge and burden ●●ereof ) shall gather and copie out into an other Booke , such places as shall bee thought most necessarie and conuenient to be reformed in the iudgement of the best learned Diuines , whose paines because they are to bee greater then the rest , his reward may be accordingly appointed .

6 To the end that they may ●o●e cheerfully and willingly bestow their paines in this so necessarie and profitable a businesse , they may haue such a reward and recompence assigned them , to be paid either quarterly , halfe yeare , or yearely at the furthest , as shall befit men that are ingenious studious , and which is cheefly to be regarded , Diuines .

7 By reason of this reward 〈…〉 they shall be bound to bestow at the least foure or fiue houres euery day in this collation ( Sundayes and holy dayes ●●●●pted . If any one by businesse , sicknesse , of otherwise shall be hindered from comming to the rest , he shall be bound at his owned ●●arges to find an other as sufficient as himselfe , which shall take the same oath that hee hath done .

8 Thus bestowing their pa●● for ●oure or fiue yeares together , without interruption or cessation , I make no doubt but that by Gods especiall grace they ●hall be able to bring the whole worke vnto a most happie and wished end

9 To the end that students D●●initie may neither long be detained from the fruit of their labours , nor be at too great cost and charges in buying the Workes of the Fathers againe , it may be so ordered , that as soone as the collation of any of the Fathers Works shall be finished , & renewed by the best Diuines , there shal be presently printed an Index in octauo , or quarto , which shal shew the corruptions of the printed copies of either Papists or Protestant Editions , which haue beene very lamentably abused in this kinde by too much trusting of the Papists .

10 The Manuscript or written copies , which shall be vsed in this Collation , shall after the collation is ended bee preserued , with all possible diligence and care , either in the priuate Libraries , of Colledges , & Cathedrall churches , or else in the publike Libraries of both our Vniuersities , as well for a perpetual Monument of this their paines taken : as also and especially for the further manifestation of their truthes and honesties in this behalfe . So that if any Papist shall question , the readings thereof , he may see the copies whether it be so or no.

11 Lastly , for the antiquitie and veritie of the written Copies which are with vs at this day extant in England , in great store : though many of them be such as haue beene many hundred yeares agoe brought ouer into England from beyond the Seas , and bestowed in our Libraries , and othe● written as aunciently by sundry Monkes and Friers here in this land , which were rather partiall against vs and our Religion men otherwise : yet we doe most willingly appeale vnto the truth of those Copies , and not onely vnto them , but vnto all other auncient Copies throughout Christendome wheresoeuer .