THE Quenes moost excellent Maiestye , hauynge harde of diuersitie of opinions in certayne matters of religion amongest sundry of hir louing subiectes , and beyng very desirous to haue the same reduced to some godlye and chrystian concorde , thought it best by th aduise of the lordes and others of hir priuye counsel , aswell for the satisfaction of persons doubtful , as also for the knowledge of the very trueth in certayne mater of difference : to haue a conueniente chosen nomber of the best learned of either parte , and to conferre togyther their opinions and reasons , and therby to come to some good and charytable agrement .

And hervppon by hir maiestyes commaundement , certaine of hir priuye counsel , declared this purpose to th archbishop of yorke ( beynge also one of the same priuye counsell ) & required him that he wolde imparte the same to some of the bishops , and to make choise of . viii . ix . or . x. of them , and that ther shuld be the like nomber named of thother parte : and further also declared to him ( as than was supposed ) what the matters shuld be : And as for the tyme , it was thought mete to be assone as possible might be agreed vpon . And than after certayne dayes past , it was signified by the sayde archebyshop , that ther was appoynted by suche of the byshops to whom he had imparted thys matter . viii . persons , that is to saye . iiii . byshops and. iiii . doctours , who were content at the Quenes maiesties commaundement to she we their opinions , and as he termed it , render accompte of their fayth in those matters which were mencioned , and that specially in writynge , althoughe he sayde they thought the same so determined , as ther was no cause to dyspute vpon them . It was hervpon fully resolued by the quenes maiesty with th aduise aforesayd , that according to their desire , it shuld be in writing on both partes , for auoydyng of muche altercation in wordes , and that the said bishops shuld bicause thei wer in aucthorytie , of degree superiours : fyrste declare their myndes and opinyons to the matter , with their reasons in writynge , and the other nomber being also . viii . men of good degree in scooles , & some hauinge ben in dygnitye in the churche of Englande , if they had any thing to say to the contrary , should the same day declare their opynions in lyke maner . And so eche of them should delyuer their writynges to thother , to be consydered what were to be improued therin , & the same to declare agayne in writing at some other conuenient daye , and the lyke order to be kept in all the rest of the matters : al this was fully agreed vpon with th archbishop of yorke and so also signified to both parties . And immediatlye herevpon , dyuerse of the nobility and states of the realme , vnderstanding that suche a metynge and conference shoulde be , and that in certayne matters wherupon the courte of parliament consequentlye following some lawes might be grounded : they made ernest meanes to hir maiestie , that the partyes of thys conference , myght put and reade their assertions in th englyshe tonge , and that in the presence of them of the nobility and others of hir parlyament house , for the better satisfaction & inhabling of their owne Iudgments to treate and conclude of suche lawes as myght depende herevpon . This also beyng thought verye reasonable , was signifyed to both parties , and so fully agreed vppon , and the day apoynted for the first meting to be the Friday in the forenone being the laste of March at Westminster churche , where bothe for good order & for honour of the conference by the Quenes maiesties commaundement the lordes and others of the priuy counsell were present , and a great part of the nobility also , and notwithstandyng the former order appoynted and consented vnto by bothe partes , yet the bisshop of Winchester and his collegees alleging they had mistaken , that their assertions and reasons shuld be wryten , and so only recited out of the booke , sayde their booke was not ready then writen , but thei were ready to argue and dispute , and therfore they would for that tyme repeate in speache that which they had to say to the first proposicion . This varyacion from the former order and specyally from that which them selfes had by the sayde archebyshop in writing before required , addinge thereto the reason of the apostle , that to contende wyth wordes is profitable to nothing , but to subuersion of the hearer : semed to the Quenes maiesties counsell some what straunge , & yet was it permitted without any great reprehension , bycause they excused them selfes with mistakinge the order , and agreed that they woulde not fayle but put it in writynge , and accordyng to the former order , delyuer it to the other parte , and so the said bishop of Winchester and his collegees appointed Doctour Cole Deane of Poules , to be the vtterer of their minds , who partly by speche onely , and partly by readyng of authorytyes wryten , and at certayne tymes beyng enformed of hys collegees what to say : made a declaracyon of their meaninges and their reasons to their first proposicion , which being ended , they were asked by the priuy counsel if any of theim had any more to be saied : and they said no. So as then thother parte was lycenced to shewe their myndes , which they did accordynge to the firste order , exhybitynge all that which thei ment to be propound , in a booke wryten , which after a prayer & inuocacion made moste humbly to almyghty god for the enduyng of theim with his holye sprite , and a protestacion also to stande to the Doctrine of the catholyke Church builded vpon the scripturs , and the doctrine of the prophetes and th apostles : was distynctlye read by one Roberte Horne bachelour in Diuinitye , late Deane of Duresme . And the same being ended with some likelyhod , as it seamed that the same was muche allowable to the audience : certaine of the Bishops began to saye contrary to their former answere , that they had now much more to say to this matter , wherein although they myghte haue ben well reprehended for suche maner of cauillacyon : yet for auoydinge of any more mistakinge of orders in this colloquy , or conference , and for that they shoulde vtter all that which they had to saye : It was both ordered and thus openly agreed vpon of both partes in the full audience , that vppon the Mondaye following , the Byshops shulde bryng their mindes and reasons in writing to the seconde assertion , and the last also if thei could , and first rede the same , and that done , thother parte shulde bryng lykewise theirs to the same . And beynge read , eche of theim should deliuer to other the same wrytings . And in the meane tyme the byshoppes shulde put in writyng , not onely al that which Doctour Cole had that day vttered : but all suche other matters as they anye otherwise could thinke of for the same , and as sone as they myght possyble , to sende the same booke touching that first assertion to the other parte , and they shuld receiue of theym that wrytinge whiche Mayster Horne had there read that day , & vpon Monday it shuld be agreed what day thei shuld exhibyte their aunswers touching the first proposition . Thus both partes assented thereto , and the assemblye quietly dismissed . And therfore vpon Mondaye , the lyke assemblye began agayne at the place and hower appoynted , and ther vpon what sinister or dysordered meaninge is not yet fullye knowen ( though in some part it be vnderstanded ) the bishop of Winchester and his Collegees , and especially Lyncolne , refused to exhibite or reade , accordynge to the former notorious order on friday that which they had prepared for the second assertion . And therupon by the Lord keper of the great leale , they being first gently and fauourable required to kepe thor der appointed , & that takinge no place , beinge secondly as it behoued , pressed wyth more earnest requeste : they neyther regardyng the aucthoritye of that place , nor their owne reputacyon , nor the credite of the cause , vtterly refused that to do . And finallye beinge againe perticulerly euery of theim a part distinctlye by name required , to vnderstand their opinions therin : they all sauing one ( which was the Abbot of Westminster , hauinge some more consideration of order and his dutye of obedience then thother ) vtterly & plainly denied to haue their boke read , some of theim as more ernestly then other , some so also , some other more vndiscretly , and vnreuerentlye then others . When vpon geuing such example of dysorder , stubbernes & selfe wyll , as hath not ben sene and suffered in such an honorable assembly , beynge of the two estates of this Realme the nobility and the commons , besyde the presence of t●● Quenes maiesties most honor●ble priuy counsel , y●e same assemblye was dismissed , & the godly & most christian purpose of the Quenes maiestye made frustrate . And afterward for the contempt so notoriously made , the Byshops of Wynchester & Lincoln , hauing most obstinatly both disobeied common auctority and varied manifestly from their owne order , & specially Lincoln , who shewed more folly then thother : were condingely committed to the Tower of London , and the rest ( sauyng the abbot of Westminster ) stand bounde to make daylye their personall apparaunce before the counsell , and not to departe the Cytye of London and Westminster , vntill further order be taken with theim for their disobedience and contempte .