ALthough euen from my childe­hoode in a manner, I haue béene nose­led vp in the faith or rather error of the Church of Rome, (bothe my Parents béeing vehemently addicted to y ^e same) Yet my fault was so much the greater, because I did not onely obstinatlie, but also in a manner desperatly persist in that Sinagogue against mine owne consci­ence. For I was alwaies distracted in minde with doubts of the greatest points of that Religion. As of the Pope his authoritie. The doctrine of transub­stantiation. The presumption of fréewill. The fancy of purgatorie. The derogatorie sacrifice of the Masse, and such like. In the which opinions I waded so far, that if the helpe of the Lord GOD had not beene at hand, it had béene to mine vtter ruine and [...]asion.

But séeing it hath pleased God to call mee backe a­gaine, I will say as Dauid said: Psal. 94. If the Lord had not helped me, it had not failed but my soule had beene put to silence. Againe, I was in greater faulte, for though I thought they could prooue these Articles by authoritie of Counselles and Fathers, and as they beare men in hand by good reasons, yet could I finde not so much as the grounde of one worde for them in the holy Scriptures. And thus béeing ouerwhelmed with so great waters, Psal. 69. I was constrained to say with the Prophet: I sticke fast in the deepe myre where no grounde is, I am come into deepe waters so that [Page 8] the floods runne ouer mee.

Thrée causes there were which kept me so long in mine obstinacie and errors, which béeing compared with the cause of my returning againe, are of no force at all, because they were foolish and of men: the o­ther, was onelie of God, whose thoughts are not as the thoughts of men.

The first of these causes which turned me so farre from the waie, was the great delight that I had in the studie of Naturall Philosophie. And in this point I was perswaded, that I shoulde more profit in the partes beyond the Seas, then here at home in mine owne natiue Countrey, and therefore, partlie by the instigation of my Father, and partlie for the desyre that I had to sée forraine Countries, and most of all for the loue that I bare vnto y ^e studie of Philosophie, I repaired vnto the Countries beyond the Seas, lit­tle considering the daungers that might ensue there­of, as the displeasure of God, the displeasure of my gracious Prince, and the offence of all my Countrey­men.

The second cause, was the feare of worldly shame and tēporall discredite, for I feared that then, which I finde nowe to bee true: which is, that they which were once my fréendes, would become my mortall e­nemies, which by experience I know. I did not con­sider then, or els I cared not for that sentence of our Sauiour: Luk. 12. Euery one that confesseth me before men, the sonne of man shall confesse him before the An­gels of God. And hee that denyeth mee before men, hee also shalbe denied before the Angels of GOD. This was the cause that made mee to take a prepo­sterous waie, turning all things to mine own credit, when I should haue turned them to the glorie of al­mightie God, Matt. 6, for our Sauiour saith: First seeke the king­dome [Page 9] of God and the righteousnes of the same, and all other things shalbe giuen vnto you. Thus think­ing to get credit by mine obstinacie, I did loose the fauour of God, the loue of my Soueraigne y ^e Quéenes most excellent Maiestie, and the good will of all true subiects, which I hope to recouer againe, by this my frée Recantation, and my further conuersation from henceforth in my Countrey.

The third cause, was the tickling of vaine glo­rie, and this cause I am sure doth detaine most of the contrarie side in their peruerse obstinacie, howsoe­uer they bragge that they séeke nothing by their dea­lings but the glorie of God. For, I was not mooued a little to submitt my selfe to her Maiesties mercie, and to embrace the knowledge of the true fayth, see­ing the wicked counsell and deuillish deuises of the Pope and his Children, against the Quéenes most excellent Maiestie, and our most déere Countrey. Which counsels I thought they woulde neuer haue put in execution. But when I saw that great prac­tise come to passe, I meane y ^e inuasion of this Land, God so moouing me (as héereafter I will manifest) I thought vtterlie to forsake them, although couertlye for vaine gloryes sake I continued a while amongst them. I thought it then a goodly thing, and woorthy of commendation for mee, to defend an euill cause by probable reasons. Yet I knew it was an hard thing for Anaxagoras to prooue that Snowe was blacke, or yncke white, 1. Cor. 1. and for me to prooue light to be dark­nes, or darknes to be light. For it is written, I wyll destroy the wisedome of the wise, and cast away the vnderstanding of the prudent.

But now, séeing it hath pleased almighty God, to call me to the knowledge of his trueth, 2. Cor. 11 in detestation of this vaine glorie, I will saie with the Apostle: Si [Page 10] gloriari oportet, quae infirmitatis meae sunt gloriabor, that is, If I must needes boast, I will boast in mine infyr­mitie. 2. Cor. 12 And againe, Libenter gloriabor in infirmitatibus meis, vt inhabitet in me virtus Christi: that is, I wyll gladlie boast in mine infirmities, that the power of Christ may dwell within me. Thus haue I bréefely declared the causes which draue me out of the waie, and caused me to delight in vanities, and follow lyes so long, Psal. 4. that if Gods grace had not béene, I had béen cléene cast awaie. But, now I saie againe, Impulsus euersus sum vt caderem et dominus suscepit me, Psal. 118 I was sore shaken that I was like to fall, but the Lorde hath vp­holden mee.

But héere you will aske mee the cause of so sud­daine a change: I aunswere, that I knowe no other but the grace of almightie GOD, the which wor­keth when and as it pleaseth him. This grace haue I often refused for the causes before alledged: me thought I heard him saie vnto me dailie, Ecce sto ad ostium et pulso, Apo. 3. Behold I stand knocking at thy dores. Yet was I not ashamed to thrust him out, and to let in his aduersarie the deuill. I hearde him cry within mée, Cant. 5. Aperi mihi soror mea, amica mea, Columba mea, immaculata mea, caput meam plenum est rore, et cincinni mei guttis noctium: Opē vnto me my sister, my friend, my Doue, my vnspotted, my head is full of dew, and my locks with the droppes of the night. I heard him giue me these louing titles, but I refused him & gaue him this aunswer: Ibidem. Expoliaui me tunica mea, quomodo induar illa? Laui pedes meos quomodo coinquinabo illos? I haue put off my coate, howe shall I put it on again? I haue washed my feete, howe shall I defile them a­gaine? Thus continued I, vntill hee by his grace so swéetly and forcibly preuented me, that whether I would or not, at length hee compelled my rebellious [Page 11] wyll to obey. So that I which once did so little ac­count of the true and auncient faith, that I counted it for an heresie: now I sée euidentlie, that without the same there is no waie to saluation.

Therefore, if euer you pittied anie mans case, I beséech you haue compassyon vpon mine, considering that it is a thing incident to mās nature to erre and to sin, but to continue and persist in it, is the parte of the deuill. I freelie doo confesse & acknowledge that I haue sinned against God, my Prince, Gen. 6. and my Coun­trey, as a man whose nature is prone, & the thoughts of whose hart is alwaies bent to mischiefe, I persi­sted in mine errours a long time, as one that follow­ed the suggestions of the Serpent, rather then the in­spirations of the spirit of God. But by his motion, I am returned againe to the shéepfold of Christ. Wherfore I request you all, for the tender mercies of God, that you would receiue mee that returne againe, fol­lowing the steps of our Sauiour: Luk. 15 who disdained not to receiue Publicans and sinners: who left 99. shéepe in the wildernes and went to séeke one that was lost. I haue béen like the prodigall Son, which loosely and wantonlie spent his portion in ryot & luste, and was compelled to eate such meate as the Hogges did. All this haue I doone, I haue spent that Talent which God gaue me, in maintaining the harlot of Babylon, in vpholding the chaire of pestilence, I meane the Church of Rome, I haue fed my selfe with the swill and dregs of mens inuentions and traditions, forsa­king the fountaine and foode of Gods worde. All this I haue doone: but at the last béeing by hunger com­pelled, I cryed out with that prodigall child, saying: Pater peccaui in caelum et coram te, Luk. 15 iam non sum dignus vocari filius tuus: Father I haue sinned against heauen and before thee, I am not woorthy to bee called anie [Page 12] more thy Son. This confession mooued his Father to compassion, who louingly embraced him, receiued him willinglie, and cherished him tenderlie. So I de­sire you not to refuse me, though I come late home, receiue me againe, and haue cōpassion. For our Sa­uiour Christ saith, Matt. 5. Beati misericordes quoniam ipsi mi­sericordiam consequentur, Blessed are the mercifull for they shall obtaine mercie. And truely to haue com­passion is a thing wherein a man dooth followe the example of almightie GOD, for Christe himselfe doth say, Luke. 6 Estote misericordes sicut pater vester misericors est, Be you mercifull as your Father is mercifull. Re­ceiue me I beséech you which was a fugitiue, as one that repenteth, as one that desireth rather to bee an abiect in Gods house, Psal. 84. then to dwell in the Taberna­cles of sinners. His name therefore who hath so mer­cifully called me, be blessed for euermore.

But nowe I will come to the purpose, that is, to recant and renounce such errours, as heeretofore I haue maintained, desiring God, that as it hath plea­sed his heauenly goodnes to giue me the grace to for­sake them, so it would also please him, to giue me the gift of perseuerance to continue, that I may no more fall into them againe.

You knowe it is the nature of the Serpent, to kéepe his head whole though he put his body in dan­ger for the defence of the same: but, if a man once bruse his head, he can no longer endure against him but he must of necessitie die. And I can no better cō ­pare the huge and weldie masse of Papistrie to anie thing, then vnto a Serpent, therefore in renouncing of it I will begin with the head.

The first Article of the Pope.The Papists doo think, and I did thinke the same, that the Pope was Christ his Vicar, and supreame head of the vniuersall Church héere vppon the earth [Page 13] militant. This Article béeing mightily vpholden, and stoutly defended, they thinke none other of their Bulwarks can be shaken. They thinke also that hee hath such a prerogatiue, that he cannot erre, whereof ryseth this presumption in deposing of Princes, de­gradation of Bishops, excomunication of all sortes of people without respect, and of most light occasion.

Héereof hee presumeth to prescribe Lawes to the whole Church, the which forsooth without his dys­pensation must be inuiolable, Sub pena excommunica­tionis. And whosoeuer dooth breake them, if it be Em­peror, King, Quéene, or what Prince soeuer, he must be deposed, such wickednes hath he practized against the Quéenes most excellent Maiestie, to his vtter shame and confusion, that the Prouerbe may bee ful­filled, God sendeth a shrewde Cowe shorte hornes. But his holines, if it please you, is not cōtented with this: hee chalengeth to himselfe so great a preroga­tiue, that hee wyll make and deface Articles of the Fayth at his owne will and pleasure. Gratian. Quia Dominus Deus noster Papa. Héereof it ariseth, that in that Sy­nagogue, scarce any of the Laye people can tel what they beléeue: for béeing asked a reason of their faith, they saie nothing els, but thus beléeueth y ^e Churche, thus saith the Pope. Whereas in deede, the reason of our Faith should be taken from the word of God, for as the Psalmist saith: Omnis homo mendax, Psal. 116 Euery man is a lyer. And therefore it shal suffise me that the Pope is a man, and consequently a lyer, and may not onelie erre, but also hath already erred, which if I de­sired not to be briefe I woulde prooue, vnles by thys his supreame vsurped authority he be deified or made a God, which thing to confesse is not onely impuden­cie but also intollerable blasphemie. I therefore doe héere vtterly detest, abiure, and renounce him, with [Page 14] all his excommunications, interdictions, suspenti­ons, degradations, depositions, irregularities, and a thousand such like trifling thunderbolts. I pronounce also his doctrine, not to be according to y ^e holy Scrip­ture, but contrarie vnto it, and therefore I doo freely and ioyfullie recant it, thanking GOD that it hath pleased his diuine Maiestie to deliuer mee from the slauery of that Tyrant, desiring him also that I may not fall into his subiection againe.

2 Of the Masse.Next vnto this is their blasphemous doctrine of theyr Propitiatorie sacrifice, which they cal the sacri­fice of the Masse. This Masse I once did deuoutlie thinke vpon, hearde with great attention, and with great reuerence I did celebrate, onelie because I thought it was indeede a sacrifice, propitiatorie both for the liuing and the deade: when as the Scripture plainlie testifieth, 1. Pet. 4. that Christus semel pro peccatis no­stris mortuus est, iustus pro iniustis, vt nos offerret Deo, mortificatos quidem carne, viuificatos autem spiritu. Christ once died for our sinnes, the iust for them that were vniust, that he might offer vs vp to God, morti­fied in fleshe, but quickned in spirite. Hetherto also dooth all the Epistle to the Hebrewes tende. It was also commaunded the High Priest in the olde Law, that hee shoulde enter into Sancta Sanctorum but once in the yéere, which similitude the Apostle, in the same Epistle, applyeth vnto y ^e onely sacrifice which Christ offered for our sins vpon the Crosse. The which be­cause he hath once doone, I think it vnlawful to haue any more propitiatorie Sacrifices then that one of our Sauiour Christ. And therefore that which they call the propitiatory Sacrifice of the Masse, I thinke it rather to be a derogatorie blasphemie to the passy­on of Iesus Christ. And for that cause I denie that either it is a Sacrifice, or auailable for the lyuing, [Page 15] much lesse for the dead. I doo also from henceforth vt­terly denounce it to be wicked, and an Idoll.

Transubstantiation, 3 Of tran­substanti­ation, and reall pre­sence. a terme inuented in the La­terane Counsell, vnder Pope Innocentius the thyrde of that name, to establish an other error as grosse as it selfe, that is to say: The Reall presence of Christe his bodie in the Sacrament (as they call it) of the Al­tar: is contrarie not onelie to Fayth, but also to natu­rall reason. For the holy Scripture teacheth vs, that Christ is ascended into heauen, Mar. 16. & sitteth at the right hand of God. And also that it was thought conueni­ent that heauen should containe him, not according to his diuinitie, which is incomprehensible, Act. 3. but accor­ding to his humane nature which is circumscripti­ble, or to bee contained in one place, for he tooke not onelie the bodie of man vpon him, but also the passy­ons of a naturall bodie, and therefore hath his proper place. But if they will néedes haue him present in manie places at once, they must also denie y ^t he hath a bodie, and consent to the Eutichian heresey, and saie there was a commistion of the diuine and humaine nature, which Athanasius in his Creede denieth, Athanasi­us in Sym­bolo. say­ing: Neque commistionem passus, neque diuisionem, ney­ther suffering mixture nor diuision. Yet of this mat­ter was I neuer so fully perswaded, but that still I had some doubt of it. And now I renounce it, crauing pardon of God, for defending that which I alwayes doubted of.

The number of the Sacraments in the Church, 4 Number of Sacra­ments. I acknowledge is no more then two, that is to witt, Baptisme, and the Lords Supper, and these two I finde to be instituted by Christ himselfe in the holye Gospell. The other fiue which they adde, which are, Confirmation, Penaunce, Extreame vnction, Order, and Matrimonie: Because I know not where to find [Page 16] them, neither by the institution of Christ, nor in the Gospell or Newe Testament, I count them not for Sacraments: for I thinke none to haue authority to make Sacraments but God onely, and therfore those two I thinke to be Sacraments and none other.

5 Prayer to Saints.They make a great striuing and strugling to main­taine Prayer, and inuocation to the Saints depar­ted, thinking the mediation of our Lorde and Aduo­cate Iesus Christ insufficient for vs: This inuoca­tion, I did thinke béeing in that Sinagogue, to bee a necessarie and a conuenient thing, although for the same I coulde finde no ground in the word of GOD. Yet one thing in the same, béeing as I thought then an abuse, I knewe not howe to excuse: and that was the inuocation of diuers Saints for diuers purposes. As, one against the plague, as S. Sebastian. An other against the tootheake, as S. Appolonia. Another a­gainst the falling sicknes, as S. Christopher, and dyuers other. As though almightie God coulde not heare vs but by the helpe of these Saints. And thus in calling vpon them, we derogate from the glorie of almightie God. But they say, they desire them but to pray for them, and aske no other grace at theyr handes. Then woulde I gladly knowe of them why they vse these verses in theyr office of S. Peter ad vincula.

In English thus,

☞ And in a Hymne of the same.

In English thus.

One thing I meruaile at, that as yet the aduer­saries béeing in controuersie, whether the Saints do sée God or not, and yet graunting that Saints can­not heare the praiers of the liuing but by the sight of God, why so obstinatly they defende this point? And nowe, whereas before I counted it necessarie & con­uenient, I count it vaine, and superfluous, and take it for an errour.

Againe, prayer for the deade, 6 Prayer for the dead is a point of great Religion amongst them: which Article they ground vpon an other, no lesse absurde then it selfe, and that is Purgatorie, which Purgatorie I sée not howe they can defende by Scripture, though they séeme contentiously to wrest certaine places of the Scrip­ture, from the true meaning of the same vnto theyr owne meaning, and all to defende this grosse errour of theirs. For they say that those soules that depart out of this life with anie veniall sinne, or els with the Reliques of mortall sinne: must néedes bee pur­ged after this life before they can come to Heauen.

This is a grosse error and is taken out of the Po­et Virgil, for in that place where hee bringeth An­chises, to enstruct his Sonne Aeneas of theyr state in hell, he speaketh on this sort.

In English thus.

This Article therfore with the rest, is supersti­tious, vaine and ridiculous.

7. Workes of Supere­rogation,Workes of supererogation as they call them, are so vaine and foolish, that I meruaile that wyse­men at anie time will confesse any such to bee. For the holie Scripture sayth, that when we haue doone all that we can, we must call our selues vnprofitable seruaunts. Truelie for my part, I knowe not why they should so bind God vnto our works, that if wée doo them, he cannot choose but saue vs. For all that we can doo commeth from God, and we are bound to followe, and accept of the good inspirations of him. But this worde Supererogation, dooth signifie that the worke which we doo, is more then we are bound to doo, which taketh awaie the grace of God as the Pelagean dooth, and fortifieth our fréewill so much, as though it had neuer béen lost. But truely I think and beléeue our Fréewill to be so wounded, that not onely it is not able to doo more thē we ought, but al­so it can not performe y ^t which we ought to doo. Let them of the aduersary part contend and wrangle ne­uer so much to the contrarie. The grounde of thys [Page 19] their vngrounded doctrine, Luk. 10. is taken out of the Para­ble of the Samaritane, which tooke compassion vpon him, who discending from Ierusalem to Iericho, was wounded by Théeues. For paying the Hoste of the house for his charges, he told him that whatsoeuer he laid out more thē he had giuen him, at his return he would pay him againe. Yet consider they not, that in that Parable our Sauiour exhorteth vs to mutu­all loue & neighbourly charitie, and that euery man is bounde to doo good vnto his neighbour in time of néede.

They denie that faith is sufficient to iustifie vs in Gods sight, without our owne merits, 8 Good woorkes. contrary to the doctrine of the Apostle in his Epistles to the Ro­maines, and Galathians. For good works are indeede required at our handes, not as the cause, but as the effect of our iustification. And for this cause workes are required at our hands, to be a testimonie of our Faith, and a cause that other men may giue the glo­rie vnto God: for our Sauiour saith, Math. 5. Sic luceat lux vestra coram hominibus, vt videant opera vestra bona et glorificent Patrem vestrum qui est in caelis. So let your light shyne before men, that they may see your good works, and glorifie your Father which is in heauen. Then is it consequent, that our iustificatiō commeth no waies of our selues, but onely by faith in Christ Iesus.

After this followeth a most ridiculous doctrine, 9 Indul­gences and pardons. of the Popes Indulgences and pardons, wherein he dooth most insolently arrogate to himself, the dispen­sations of Christ his passion, applying that to the for­giuenes of sins, the forme of which hath an arrogant kind of spéech, as thus. If a man fast one Friday with bread and water, he shal haue plenarie indulgence, and if he fast so on another day, his pardon shalbe limit­ted [Page 20] for certaine yéeres, as 10000. &c. or some such like, or els a pena et culpa. I alwaies thought these trifles vaine, but now I sée the blasphemie of them. For it is scant possible to get these great Indulgen­ces, but by wearing a paire of Beades, or a Graine, Medall, Crucifixe, Picture, Agnus Dei, or such like tromperie. It would be too tedious to set downe the manifold kinds of these. Indulgences, which al tend to one ende, that is, to the lessening of the vertue of Christ his passion.

10 Images. Exo. 20.The seconde commaundement plainly forbiddeth vs to make or to haue any grauen Image, or y ^e like­nes of any thing to worship it. But the aduersarie excommunicateth them that denie the necessitie of Images in Churches, as it is to be séene in dyuers of their Counsels. For say they, it is lawfull, not onlie to retaine them, but also to worship thē. The which if it be not against the seconde commaundement, let them looke vnto it, I for mine owne part doo sée it, and am ashamed that euer I was so blockish, as to thinke a block or a stone to bee necessarie or godlie, I thought it so once, but nowe I cannot be so perswa­ded. For he that hath any reason in him to discourse, or sence to perceiue, cannot be so void of reason, or so sencelesse as to exhibit honor or reuerence to a senc­lesse Image, when the same Image, if it had sence, would not onely refuse that worship, but also would willingly fall downe to worship or adore the work­man that made it.

11 Com­munion in both kindsThey hold and defend that the Laye people may not receiue y ^e Communion vnder both kinds, which doctrine is repugnant to y ^e institution of Christ. For he said vnto thē that were present with him at hys last Supper, Take and eate, and drinke ye all of this. For though the aduersary say, that the Laye people [Page 21] haue not the priuiledge to receiue the Cup, because the Apostles who onely were present at that supper were Priestes, and not Laye men: it holdeth not, for by the same reason, a man may also barre the Laye people from receiuing of either kinde, for y ^e Apostles were Priests, and only present at the Supper, ergo it is vnlawful for any to be pertaker of that Supper but onlie Priests. And yet Christ himselfe in ano­ther place saith, Ioh. 6. Vnles you eate my flesh and drinke my blood, you shall haue no life in you. And these words he spake not only to the Apostles, but Turbis Iudeorum, to the company of the Iewes, and therfore I count their dealings iniurious to the people, their doctrine blasphemous, & their proofe to no purpose.

Finallie, all such Articles, 12 Dyuers other Ar­ticles. which are repugnaunt to the word of God: I vtterly refuse, as in speciall, the Seruice in an vnknowne tongue, the prohibiti­on of the reading of Scriptures to the Laye people, the forbidding of the translation of the same into a vulgare tongue, Pylgrimages, Vowes, and to con­clude, all such Articles, as are contrarie to the Arti­cles of Religion, set downe by publique authoritie, I doo vtterly renounce and abiure: and on the other side, I doo willingly, and without compulsion, and gladly with reuerence, receiue, embrace, and fréelie professe, the sayde Articles set forth by publique au­thority, as doctrine without superstition, and most agréeable to the word of God.

Thus haue I generally recanted mine errours in matters of Religion, and nowe, will I accuse my selfe and my dealings, touching my disobedience to­wards my Soueraigne the Quéenes most excellent Maiestie. I haue most stubbornly and wilfullye transgressed her Maiesties Lawes. Knowing first the offence of going beyond the Seas, and yet caring [Page 22] not for that, I procéeded further, and willinglie was priested at Rome. Thirdly, maliciously I came into my Countrey, with a will to seduce her Ma. Sub­iects from the true and sincere Religion, and make thē subiects to that tyranny, vnto the which I was my selfe subiect. Then being banished, I returned a­gaine into my Countrey, with the same intent that I came in first, and for these great faultes of myne I am most hartily sorrie, and in the bowels of Gods infinite mercy, I desire all them, that any waies by my meanes haue béene deceiued, & doo nowe repent, to forgiue me. Likewise those that haue not as yet their harts mooued by my example, to forsake theyr errours, and amend their opinions.

Thus first of all I aske forgiuenes of almightie God, whom like a most ingratefull & wilful wretch, I haue most gréeuously offended. First, in abusing his gifts, which of his fatherly goodnes he had be­stowed vpon me. Secondly, in refusing and reiecting his holy inspirations. And lastly, by prouoking o­thers to offend by my example. And all this haue I doone, not like vnto them, vnto whom our Sauiour promiseth a milder iudgment in the latter day: but like vnto them of whom S. Paule speaketh: Which when they knew God, Rom. 1. did not honor him as GOD was to be honoured, and therfore my damnation had béene the greater if I had persisted. But séeing that it hath pleased him, which hath preserued mee from my Mothers, wombe to call mee to his wonderfull light, I desire you all that are héere present, to giue him thankes for the same: for there is more ioy in heauen before the Angels of God, for the conuersion of one sinner, Luk. 15. then for 99. iust persons which neede no repentaunce. Desiring also his diuine Maiestie, that he would not remember mine olde wickednes [Page 23] and follie: Psal. 143 for if he would enter into iudgment with his Seruants, there shoulde none be iustified in hys sight. But that he would think on the passion of our Sauiour Iesus Christ, by the which hee hath most mercifully redéemed mee, desiring him also, that it hath pleased his diuine Maiestie, to call mee to the light of his trueth: so it woulde please him to bring al them which now do liue in blindnes, to the same. Secondly, with humble hart I aske forgiuenes of the Quéenes Maiestie, most humbly submitting my selfe to the mercy of so godly a Prince, whom when she called her Subiects to their duetie & obedience, not by seueritie and rigor of the Law, but like a pit­tifull mother, by mercie: I haue not onely not heard her, but also, (with sorrow I speake it) I haue con­temned and set light by.

Lastly, I aske forgiuenes of you that bee héere present, in whom I thinke that I sée all my Coun­trymen present: desiring you to forgiue all such of­fences, as I haue committed against GOD, the Quéenes Maiestie, and against you.

God saue the Queene.