which only is the root of all love and faithful obedience under her Grace, and of all honesty, good life, and virtuous concord among her commons. And this we fear, lest the root being taken away, the branches will soon wither and be fruitless; and when the Philistines have stopped up the wellspring, the fair streams that should flow shall soon be dried up. All our watchmen, our true preachers, have taught us, that as long as we retained God's word, we shall have God, our gracious merciful Father; but if we refused, and cast off the Lord's yoke of his doctrine, then shall we look for the Lord's wrath and severe visitations to plague us, as he did the Jews for the like offences. And Paul saith (Rom. ii.), "God gave them the spirit of unquietness and uproar, eyes wherewith they should not see, and ears wherewith they should not hear, until this day;" and, as David said (Ps. Ixix. ), "Let their table be made a snare to catch them, and a stumbling-block to fall at. Let their eyes be blinded, that they see not, and bow thou down their backs always.”

O, merciful God! all this is come upon us, and daily more and more increased, and we fear at last it will so bow down our backs, that we shall be utterly destroyed; the troublesome spirit of uproars and unquietness daily troubleth men's hearts, and worketh such urquietness in all places, that no man that loveth quietness can tell where to place himself. Men have eyes, and see not how grievous an offence it is to cast off the yoke of God's doctrine, and to bear the heavy burden that unfaithful hypocrites lay upon us. We have ears, and hear not the warning of God's word calling us to true repentance, nor his threats against our impiety. Our most sweet table of Christ's word and most holy communion is taken away, and turned to a perilous snare, through the brawling disputations of men. And as

the idol of abomination betokened final subversion unto the Jewish nation, so we fear this setting aside of the gospel and holy communion of Christ, and the placing in of a Romish religion, betokeneth the desolation of this noble realm of England to be at hand. For the plagues of hunger, pestilence, and sword cannot long tarry; but except we repent, and turn again to the Lord, our backs shall be so

bowed, that the like horrible plagues were never seen. And no marvel; for the like offence was never committed as to reject and cast off Christ and his word, and, in plain English, to say, we will not have him to reign over us.

O Lord, how terrible is that which followeth in the gospel? "Those mine enemies that would not have me to reign over them, bring them hither, and slay them before me." (Luke xix.) God be merciful to us, and move the heart of the Queen's Majesty, and the hearts of her honourable council, and your hearts (Right Worshipful Commissioners), to weigh these dangers in due time, and to call God's word into your council, and then you shall see how it agreeth with this unreasonable commandment; and to be as wary to avoid the contempt of the eternal God, and dangers of the same, as you are prudent and wise in matters of this world, lest, if the Almighty be contemned, he stretch forth his arm, which no man can turn, and kindle his wrath, which no man can quench..

We have humbly opened to you our consciences, doubtless sore wounded and grieved by this commandment; and we meekly pray and beseech the Queen's Majesty, for the precious death and blood shedding of Jesus Christ our Saviour, to have mercy and pity upon us, her Grace's poor commons, faithful and true subjects, members of the same body politic, whereof her grace is supreme head. All our bodies, lands, goods, and lives, are ready to do her Grace faithful obedience, and true service of all commandments that are not against God and his word: but in things that import a denial of Christ, and refusal of his word and holy communion, we cannot consent nor agree unto it, for we have bound ourselves in baptism to be Christ's disciples, and to keep his holy word and ordinances; and if we deny him before men, he will deny us before his heavenly Father and his holy angels at the day of judgment, which we trust her benign Grace will not require of us.

And we humbly beseech her Majesty, that we be not enforced unto it; but as we serve her Grace with body and goods, and due obedience, according to God's commandment, so we may be permitted freely to serve God,

and Christ our Saviour, and keep unto him our souls, which he hath with his precious blood redeemed, that so (as Christ teacheth) we may render to Cæsar that which is due to Cæsar, and to God that which is due to God.

For we think it no true obedience unto the Queen's Majesty, or to any other magistrate ordained of God under her, to obey in things contrary to God's word, although the same be ever so strictly charged in her Grace's name.

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The Bishop of Winchester hath truly taught in this point, in his book of True Obedience, that true obedience is in the Lord, and not against the Lord, as the apostles answered before the council at Jerusalem, commanding them no more to preach in the name of Jesus. 'Judge you (said they) whether it be right in the sight of God to hear you rather than God." And again, they said, "We must obey God rather than man." Wherefore we learn that true obedience is to obey God, King of all kings, and Lord of all lords, and for him, in him, and not against him and his word, to obey princes and magistrates of this world, who are not truly obeyed when God is disobeyed, nor yet disobeyed when God is faithfully obeyed.

Tobias disobeyed not his king, although, contrary to his commandment, and contrary to the usage of all others, when they went to Dan and Bethel, he went unto Jerusasalem, and worshipped in the temple of the Lord. The three young men in Babylon, refusing Nebuchadnezzar's commandment, pleased God more than the whole multitude that obeyed; and Daniel, that prayed to the God of heaven, contrary to king Darius's commandment, bare a more true and faithful heart to the king, than those wicked counsellors that procured that wicked law, or those that for fear or flattery obeyed it. Which two (fear and flattery) have ever destroyed true obedience to God and man; when wicked men (that care not if the devil were worshipped, so they might get and obtain riches, promotions, dignity, and worldly glory) turn to and fro, as every wind bloweth, and weak and frail men, fearing loss of goods, punishment, or death, do outwardly in body that which their hearts and consciences inwardly abhor, and so outwardly disobey

God, and in heart dissemble with man, which dissimulation we think worthy the hate of all men, and most uncomely with Christian men.

Wherefore we humbly beseech the Queen's Majesty, with pity and mercy to tender the lamentable suit of us, her poor subjects, which be by this commandment sore hurt, and wounded in our consciences, and driven to many miseries, and, by the malicious attempts of wicked men, suffer great wrongs and injuries, slanders, loss of goods, and bodily vexations. We think not good, by any unlawful stir or commotion, to seek remedy; but intend, by God's grace, to obey her Majesty in all things not against God and his holy word. But unto such ungodly commandments as are against God, we answer with the apostles, "God must be obeyed rather than man." If persecution shall ensue, which some threaten us with, we desire our heavenly Father, according to his promise, to look from heaven, to hear our cry, to judge between us and our adversaries, and to give us faith, strength, and patience, to continue faithful unto the end, and to shorten these evil days for his chosen's sake; and so we faithfully believe he will.

Notwithstanding, we trust the Queen's gracious and merciful heart will not suffer such tyranny to be done against her poor, innocent, faithful, and obedient subjects, that daily pray unto God for her; which have no remedy in this world but to sue unto her Highness, our most gracious and benign Sovereign; whom we pray and beseech, for the dear blood of Christ, to pity our lamentable case and hurt of conscience, and to call back all such commandments as are against God's honour, as the good Kings Darius, Ahasuerus, Trajan, Theodosius, and divers others have done, and permit the holy word of God and true religion (set forth by our most holy and innocent King Edward) to be restored again unto our churches, to be frequented amongst us. So shall we grow and increase in the knowledge of God and of Christ, in true repentance and amendment of life. So shall we exhibit true obedience to our lawful magistrates, and all superiors ordained of God: So shall love and charity (of late through this command

ment so decayed) be again restored, the honour of her regal estate the more confirmed and established, and godliness and a virtuous life among her loving subjects increased and maintained.

And we most heartily pray you (Right Honourable Commissioners) to be means unto the Queen's Highness and to her honourable council, that this our humble suit may be favourably tendered, and graciously heard and granted. And we shall not cease day and night to pray unto the heavenly Father long to preserve her Grace, and all other magistrates, in his fear and love, and in prosperous peace and wealth, with long life and honour, Amen.

Your poor suppliants, the lovers

Of Christ's true religion in

NORFOLK And Suffolk.

The confusion of mind pervading this supplication upon the right of rulers to interpose their authority in religious matters, reminds one of the lamentations of Latimer in his conference with Ridley, not long before their martyrdom. "The greater part in my time did bring forth six articles; for then the king would have it so, being seduced of certain. Afterward the greater part did repel the same, our good Josias willing to have it so. The same articles now (alas!) another great but worse part hath restored. O what an uncertainty is this! But after this manner most commonly are man's proceedings. God be merciful unto us. Who shall deliver us from such torments of mind?"

(K.)

MARTYRS AND CONFESSORS

OF NORFOLK AND SUFFOLK

DURING THE REIGN OF MARY.

ROWLAND TAYLOR, LL.D., suffered at Hadleigh, February 9th, 1555.