INasmuche right worshipful Sir, as it is well knowen to all your neygh­bours, that you haue bene a worthie champion, and a bolde souldiar, that very manly hath stande and fought vnder the banner of Christes fayth, not beynge moued or driuen backe, neyther with the pestiferous blastes of Antichristes preachers, or yet in feare of peryll of the highe and mightie waues of this tempestrious sea, which vnsatiably hath swalowed vp many a cowardly heart, and ouerwhelmed many weake in fayth. Which constan­cie of your behalfe hath no lesse demerited, then Christ him selfe hath promised (as his Apostle saynt Iames dothe full well recorde) that is to saye, a crowne incorruptible. And therfore hath Christe him selfe willed all men to perseuere in fayth vnto the ende. Also monishinge all his, to beware and take hede of the false and deuillishe doctrine, that shalbe sowen in the ende of the worlde (saying) that therby many shalbe decea­ued, yea and the heartes of innocentes shalbe therby peruerted, as the Apostle doth wel testi­fie. We maye nowe in these oure dayes ryghte worshipful syr saye, that sede hathe bene sowen. But it is darnell in the stede of good corne. For the increase thereof is euil, and therfore the sede is the better perceaued. For the nature of dar­nell is suche, that yf it be receaued in what licor [Page] or meates, it wil cause the eater therof to iudge him selfe to be dusie in the braynes, as the expe­rience doth full well proue, that this darnel, the whiche hath bene receaued of manye, what car­nall vessels hath brought them selfes, as to saye into a madnes of minde, neyther fearynge God, dreading hell, obeying their kyng, or knowyng them selfes, as we maye daylye perceaue by ex­perience in their workes. For who haue redde of so many heresies, treasons, conspiracies, murders, false accusations, prowde attemptes, de­uillishe assaultes, fonde enterprises, lamentable crimes, and wretched ending, as hath bene sithe the time, that this darnell hathe entered into their brayne. Yet maye be well iudged by these people, that Legion the great deuil the monste­rous cockatrice hath layde her egges, and hath hacheged them, and hath brought forth her bir­des in an euill time, by whose poyson innumera­ble hath bene and is infected. Who happie good fyr is that man, that hath not entered into their wicked iudgement, neyther yet hath walked in their peruerse wayes, neyther yet hathe rested them selfes in theyr seate or pestilēt chayre. Yet doth these wicked byrdes chatter, and continu­allye saye: that all the cause of our plages hathe bene for that we haue not receaued gods word, as thoughe Goddes woorde was neuer in this realme before, and that Gods worde can not be receaued but in the Englishe tongue. But surelie good syr the rulers of the earth hath bene to blame for suffering so precious and holye aynell to be cast amonge swyne, sithe Christe him selfe [Page] hath warned vs the contrarye. And so it is an olde sayinge, that to muche familiaritie ingen­dreth contempte: yet will this wicked generati­so stiflye stande in argument, that it is necessa­rye, that al men shuld haue the Bibel and Testament in their mother tongue, as thoughe that all men being ordeyned to learne Gods worde, shoulde also be teachers. But surelye good syr theyr opinion is verelye false, as you shall well perceaue. Vza being appointed to driue the oxen that did beare the arcke of God, was not ordey­ned to touche the arcke. For as it is wrytten in the storie, because he didde staye the arcke wyth his hande, when it was in ieopardie of fallyng, he was stroken downe deade by the hande of God. Oza the kyng dyd also enterprise to incense the aultare, whiche was not his office to do, and therfore, he was strokē with leprosie in his face. Thus were they plaged, that didde presume to the office, not being called therevnto, although they did suppose to do God good seruice. Christ him selfe didde talke of the kingdome of heauen with Nicodemus a ruler in Israell, so dydde he with Zacheus, a man of worshipfull estate a­monge the Iewes, with the Centurion a capi­tayne, the yonge inheritour, the widowe of Ca­naan, the woman of Samarie, and with manye innumerable mo, yet did not Christ commaūde none of all these to preache the Gospell. Yet it was his good pleasure, that they shulde knowe it, when he healed the man, that was both dōme and deaffe: which doth figure those, that know not Christe, neyther can talke of his lawe. Yet [Page] when this man did knowe Christ, and could te­stifie of his grace and mercy, yet Christe did not sende him to preache, but to prayse God, & hym to magnifie: and when Christe did clense the le­pers, he didde not sende them to preache, but to shewe them to the priest, and gaue them charge to fulfill, that the lawe did commaunde them. And contrarye, when Christe had strokē downe Saule, and cōuerted him to Paule, he sent him to preache vnto the Gentiles, and Christ gene­rally sent his Apostles to preache to all creatu­res. And yf Christe shuld haue geuen that com­maūdement to all men, then all shuld haue bene preachers and no hearers: therefore euen as God hath set orders and degrees amonge hys Archaungels and aungels: and diuersitie of the light and brightnes of the sunne, moone, & eche other starre. Euen so he hath made some Patriarches, Prophetes, Apostles, Euangelistes, do­ctors, and teachers, and so diuerslye of estate of eche other degree amonge the people on the earth. For God him selfe euen from the first cre­ation, of stones, herbes, and fruites, that growe and sprynge yearely out of the earth, God hath made some of more vertue and worthie estima­tion then some. Lyke as the potter dothe not make all his vessels for one vse or purpose, but diuerse vessels to serue for diuerse vses, accor­ding to the will of the maker. And therfore it is Gods will, and also the counsell of the Apostle, that euery man should abide and walke in hys vocation and calling. And nowe good syr to conclude, for that I haue euer hearde, & well dothe [Page] knowe, that you haue bene faythfull in your of­fice, and iustelye hath walked in your vocation. I haue therfore dedicate this my simple worke in your name, therby declarynge my good wyll towardes the maynteynaunce of the true reli­gion, and also to do some thing to pleasure you, yf it were in my simple power. But to con­clude as I haue sayde, I beseche you good syr consider my good wyll, and lette it stande for a iuste facte.