Though you are no doubt, singular patron and teacher by far the most dear, about to hear complaints – most serious complaints – about me from many, even perhaps from those who previously supported me with an attitude by far the most kind and well-disposed – and complaints so devised -- and as if proven by most sure affirmation -- as to extort belief from you though you resist and to leave me alone with no room for trustworthiness hereafter. Yet I persuade myself and I promise myself concerning your sound judgement¹Prudentia. and fairness that the persuasions of none, however much they agree, could now at length engender in you any other opinion about me than the one which has now become quite familiar to you from that long association with me – but particularly since you know that that saying of the poet has always held good: obsequiousness begets friends; truth begets hatred.²Terence, Andria 68. Terence was a favourite quarry for the compilers of Colloquia, but it is interesting to note that another well-known, but less aphoristic tag from the same play is alluded to in Goodman’s petition to Elizabeth (p. [115]). That might suggest that he knew the Andria at first-hand, but perhaps no other play of Terence. He was compelled to say that by persistent observation of manners, but I am compelled to say it by the experience which I have undergone. For I have perceived – and perhaps more than I should wish – how hard it is to obstruct the counsel of the flesh and how it is not at all safe ever simply to speak the truth, even among those who profess the truth. Nor do I say this as if I were establishing merely my own view, for I know how little there is in me in which I am able to trust, but rather because those things are open and exposed to the eyes of all because of which some people were so hostile to me and – to speak the truth – inflicted no small injury on me.

For when certain useless ceremonies and impure abuses had been set aside and our people had come together – and that on the advice and at the bidding of the magistrates with regard to the other things in our book which were to be restored and also to the effect that subscription be made to the articles which England most recently promulgated³I am not sure of the reading. I have written and translated Anglia (nominative); the form of the final –a is then rather unusual, but compare erga (p. [58], line 21). Angliae (locative) would be possible, but there would then be no explicit subject for the verb promulgavit. – openly making exception for the present of those by which any could properly be offended, and moreover they were being read publicly so that all could hear and think about them, nonetheless our more expert [p. 57] and more learned men determined that in the matter of choosing their ministers no one was to have a vote in that election who had not previously subscribed to all the articles and ceremonies, even to those which had by common verdict previously been left out. And, what is more cruel, it was on no other stipulation than that they were all matters of indifference – both those which they had judged were not to be used and those which they had determined still to retain. But as for me, since I was not able to be brought to subscribe on this stipulation, that all ceremonies – both those which had been rejected and those which were to be retained – were of their own nature matters of indifference – three or four days later, in the presence of a crowded church, the pastor called me by name, demanding the reason why I had not subscribed. That action of his could not in any way be acceptable, either on the grounds that so small a matter would be better handled in private or on the grounds that in my view he demanded something that was unjust. For, though I was prepared to subscribe, with the exception of only two articles, nor did I at all doubt what pertains to doctrine but rather most fully agreed with them, yet they judged that this my subscription was in no way to be admitted – to such an extent that for this reason alone they shut off the table of the Lord, so that I should not communicate with the brethren, though I had previously made application for that from them and I had asked them privately that they carefully examine the matter and think about it among themselves – whether for such a reason they ought to forbid sacred communion to anyone. The articles were numbers 35 and 36. The former article required the approval of all ceremonies which are contained in the book of common prayer. When they were correcting the book and would by common consent free us from the observation of certain ceremonies, it seemed to me most absurd, not to say cruel, still to bind people by subscription to these same things, especially since they are superstitious and impure and not to be defended by those who require the simple purity of the Gospel. The other article is about the title Supreme Head, which has been assumed, and so forth. I did not subscribe to it, because it ought not to be applied to a Christian king without some disgrace and because our king defended by nothing other than the abuse of that title certain absurd things – namely, first-fruits and tithes and indulgences for forbidden foods and that sort of thing. Since they too were offended by that article, I cannot wonder enough why they were demanding subscription. But my conclusion is nothing other than that the hand approves in writing what the tongue had rightly rejected before. But they say that they do this by the authority of the magistrates. But in fact that is not true. For their principal man, Dominus Globerdus,⁴In the ‘supplication’ beginning on p. 48 of the MS, he is called ‘Mr Jo. Globurge’; in Troubles begonne at Franckford, p. VI, he is ‘Maister John Glawberge one of the chiefest Senators’. He himself signs letters to Calvin as ‘Ioannes a Glauburgo Senior’ (Epp 2341 and 2424). did not, in the first place, judge subscription to be so necessary. Then, he judged that this condition was to be applied, in these words: with the exception of those things that have been removed or are to be removed. This did not move our people at all to relax their order in any way; on the contrary, of their charity both in private and in public with great haughtiness and boldness of speech they called all those who think the other way disputatious, troublesome folk, and sectarians. Now, to show that there are some things which can be certainly proven by the word of God and necessarily concluded from the scriptures, of which there is nonetheless no mention in explicit words in the scriptures, I adduced for the sake of example the baptism of infants. And Dominus Whitehead⁵David Whitehead = Garrett no. 441. denied that. He at once seized this opportunity and said openly that because of this his judgement of me was the worse and that he did not want to try to confute an Anabaptist without open and explicit words – which he said with great persistence that he would show, even in the case of the example that had been produced, but which he is never able to do; yet by his words he provided the occasion of evil suspicions about me, as if I denied the baptism of little children. Let him well see to that.⁶That is, ‘I’ll leave that to him.’ I know that these things will be exaggerated for Your Piety – and far otherwise than the matter really is. But, in keeping with your propriety and fairness, do not [p. 58] be too ready to give credence; rather, repose trust in Dominus Nowell,⁷Presumably Alexander Nowell = Garrett no. 300, rather than his brother. a man notable for piety and uprightness, who is both able and – I do not doubt – would wish to tell the truth without any party bias. From him you can hear not only what pertains to me, but everything else – both the things that offended us and the things that offended others. This only will I say – that I take it badly that those people who demanded your judgement on the ceremonies to be accepted or to be rejected abused your authority and your name.

For they said openly, in my presence and quite often, that out of all of them none displeased Your Piety apart from those three – concerning vestments, genuflection, and the position at the north end of the table. Therefore many were offended, since they knew that still there were others far more absurd than these. But I, who knew that this was not true, said that you had also read out to me those points from the letter that was sent to Dominus Cox and that not only about those things had you spoken, but that you had in addition added other things too and that you had set out for me all the other ceremonies of that sort and that, accordingly, they do not do well who use your authority – contrary to your intention and judgement – to defend all other ceremonies, however absurd. Therefore, here you see full well, most esteemed teacher, how cautiously one must deal with such people in such a business, since they are ready to abuse the authority of any one at all in order to defend superstition. Were I to report the sequence of events, the offended feelings, the very sharp denunciations in sermons, it would be a long business – and it would be better for you to hear it from others.

Accordingly, here will I make an end, and I pray for all happiness for you. If I am able to serve you in any matter, I promise my efforts in good faith, and I will preserve toward you – though all were opposed – the same disposition I always have hitherto, even if they should alienate your disposition toward me – which I am confident will never happen – by any kind of lies.

Farewell. I take leave of you in the Lord. I greet from my heart and take leave of  Julius T.⁸Terentianus. from my heart.⁹The MS reading appears to be dni D. V. Julium T. et ana Sal. et / S. I am very uncertain about both the reading and the expansion of this line. I have suggested something, but without any conviction. The problem is partly the abbreviations themselves and partly the hand, especially in the contraction which I have (with much uncertainty) read as ana. I wonder if the vagaries of the hand here might reflect a more careless or more hurried hand in the exemplar? In any event, salutem dico vobis would be an unexceptionable farewell formula, but (1) I’m by no means sure that’s a V and (2) that theory assumes a switch from a you singular to a you plural. The accusative Iulium requires a verb to govern it, so in order to supply one I have guessed saluto et salutem dico in the sense ‘hail and farewell’. For what it’s worth (which here isn’t much), Capelli’s Abbreviature gives ane = animae and SAL = Salute.

Tametsi multorum quaerimonias easque gravissimas de me auditurus sis proculdubio Patrone / Singularis et praeceptor longe charissime, et eorum fortassis qui mihi antea animo longe / benignissimo et propenso favebant: sicque compositas et quasi certissima asseveratione / comprobatas ut vel repugnanti tibi fidem extorquerent, neque mihi uni ullum posthac / fidei locum relinquerent [middle point] Tamen ita mihi persuadeo et polliceor de tua prudentia et / aequitate, quod nullorum persuasiones quantumvis consentientes aliam de me opini-/onem, quam quae ex longa illa consuetudine mecum tibi iam satis innotuit nunc tan-/dem ingenerent. potissimum vero cum scias semper locum obtinuisse illud poeticum, / obsequium amicos veritas odium parit. quod illum ut diceret assidua morum obser-/vatio coëgit, me vero quam expertus sum nuper experientia [middle point] Sensi enim, et fortasse / plus quam vellem quam durum sit carnis consilio obstare, quamque minime tutum / veritatem simpliciter quandoque etiam inter veritatis professores eloqui. Neque haec di-/co quasi meam solius sententiam comprobem, scio enim quam parum id sit in me de / quo possum fidere, sed quod aperta sint et oculis omnium exposita ob quae adeo / mihi infensi nonnulli fuerunt ac (ut verum dicam) non levi iniuria me affecerunt. / Nam postquam sepositis quibusdam inutilibus caeremoniis et impuris abusibus conve-/nissent nostri, idque consulto et praecipiente magistratu de reliquis in libro nostro resu-/mendis, atque etiam ut articulis subscriberetur quos Anglia[?] postremo tempore promulga-/vit, excipientes interim palam eos quibus ulli merito offendi potuissent; et propterea / publice legebantur ut omnes audirent et de illis cogitarent; nostri nihilominus periti-/ores doctioresque / [p. 57] ores doctioresque viri in eligendis suis ministris callide decreverunt ne ullus in ea / electione suffragium daret, qui antea articulis omnibus et caeremoniis non subscrip-/sisset; iisque quas antea communi sententia omiserunt: et quod crudelius est non alia / conditione quam quod indifferentes essent omnes tam quas non utendas iudicarant, quam quas adhuc retinere decreverant. Me vero qui hac conditione quod omnes / caeremoniae tam reiectae quam retinendae sua natura indifferentes essent adduci / non poteram ad subscribendum, tribus aut quatuor post diebus coram frequenti ec-/lesia [sic] nominatim Pastor advocavit, cur ego non subscripserim rationem postulans. / Quod ipsius factum nullo modo placere potuit, vel quod privatim tantilla res trans-/igeretur melius, vel quod iniquum mea sententia postulavit. Nam[?] cum paratus / essem ad subscriptionem duobus articulis tantum exceptis, neque omnino dubitarem / quod ad doctrinam attinet, sed plenissime cum illis consentirem, hanc meam subscrip-/tionem nullo pacto admittendam iudicarunt. adeo ut propter hanc solam cau-/sam mensam Domini intercluserunt, ne cum fratribus communicarem, tametsi id antea / ab illis postulassem, illosque privatim rogassem ut re diligentius examinata secum / cogitarent an ob talem causam cuiquam deberent sacram communionem interdice-/re. Articuli fuerunt numero 35 et 36. Prior articulus omnium caeremoniarum / approbationem quae in libro communium precum habentur exigebat, quem cum illi / corrigebant, nosque a nonnullarum caeremoniarum observatione communi consensu / liberarent, mihi visum fuit perabsurdum ne dicam crudele iisdem adhuc ma-/nuum subscriptione homines alligare, praesertim cum superstitiosae sint et im-/purae, neque ab iis qui simplicem evangelii puritatem requirunt defendendae. / Alter articulus de usurpato Supremi Capitis nomine etc. Cui non subscripsi, / quod Christiano Regi absque aliqua ignominia applicari non debet, quodque Rex / noster nulla alia re quam nominis istius abusu quaedam absurda vendicavit / viz: primitias et decimas et indulgentias pro cibis interdictis et id generis. cui / articulo cum illos quoque offendebat, non satis admiror quare postulent subscrip-/tionem: ego vero nihil aliud conjicio quam ut manus scribendo approbaret, / quod lingua antea iure reprehenderat. At dicunt se autoritate magistra-/tus hoc facere. Sed non adeo vere: nam illorum praecipuus D. Globerdus pri-/mo non iudicavit subscriptionem tam necessariam; deinde hanc conditionem / adhibendam, his verbis; exceptis viz: demptis et demendis. quae nostros nil movebant / ut de imperio suo quicquam remitterent; imò contra sentientes omnes contenti-/osos, perturbatores et sectarios pro charitate sua tam privatim quam publice mag-/no cum supercilio et dicendi libertate vocarunt. Ego vero ut ostenderem quae-/dam esse quae certo probarentur verbo dei, et necessario ex Scripturis concluderen-/tur, quorum mentio expressis verbis nulla esset in Scripturis, Baptismum infantium / exempli gratia proferebam, et id negabat D. Whithed, statim hac arrepta occa-/sione dicebat palam eo peius se de me iudicare, neque conari se velle anabap-/tistam confutare absque apertis expressisque verbis, quod magna constantia dice-/bat se etiam in producto exemplo demonstraturum, quod nunquam potest[?]; an-sam tamen suis verbis male de me suspicandi, quasi parvulorum baptismum / negarem, subministravit. quam bene ille viderit. Haec scio amplificari [appears to be a short horizontal line] fore /tuae pietati, et longe aliter quam res sit. Sed tu pro tua modestia et aequitate / noli nimis / [p. 58]   noli nimis facilis esse in credendo, potius Domino Nowello fidem habeas insigni / pietate et probitate viro, qui et potest et velit (non dubito) verum dicere absque / ulla partium acceptione, a quo possis non solum quae ad me attinent audire, sed / reliqua omnia, tam quae nos offenderunt, quam quae alios. Hoc solum dicam, / quod me male habet quod tua autoritate et nomine illi abusi sunt qui tuam / sententiam de caeremoniis admittendis vel reiiciendis postulassent; dixerunt e-/nim palam me praesente et saepius, nullas tuae pietati ex omnibus displicere, / praeter tres illas, de vestibus, genuflexione, et statione in mensa ad partem / borealem. quare multi offendebantur cum scirent iis longe absurdiora fu-/isse adhuc reliqua. ego vero qui ista vera non fuisse sciebam, dixi te / mihi etiam illa capita epistolae ad Dominum Coxum missae recitasse, neque solum / de illis locutum, verum adiunxisse praeterea et caetera, mihique explicuisse te re-/liquas omnes eiusdem generis, proinde non recte facere eos qui tua autori-/tate idque praeter animi tui sententiam omnes alias quantumvis absurdas de-/fenderent. Quare hic observandissime praeceptor quam caute cum talibus / in tali negotio agendum sit optime vides, cum ad superstitionem defenden-/dam tam faciles sint cuiusvis autoritate abuti. Si ordinem rerum gestarum / si animorum offensionem, si concionum acerbissimas invectiones referrem / longum[?] esset, et melius ab aliis audies. Proinde hic finem faciam tibique om-/nia faelicissima precor. operam meam si ulla in re tibi inservire possum / bona fide polliceor, atque eundem animum quem hactenus semper, erga te / invitis omnibus servabo, quamvis tuum erga me quod nunquam fore con-/fido ullis mendaciis alienarent. Vale.  S[alutem d[omi]ni D[ico] V[obis]  Julium T. et an[im]a Sal[uto] et / S[alutem]