[Sidenote: Fryth.] ¶ The name is of great antiquite, althoughe you lyste to iest. For they were called bretherne before our Byshoppes were called Lordes, ād had the name gyuē thē by Christe sayenge, Mat. xxiij. All ye are bretherne. And Luc. xxij. Cōfyrme thy bretherne. And the name was cōtynued by the Apostles, & is a name that norysheth loue ād amyte. And very gladde I am to heare of their greadye affectyon in wrytynge out the worde of God, for by that I do perceyue the prophesye of Amos [Sidenote: Amos. ] to haue place, which sayth in the person of God. I wyll sende hōger ād thurste in to the earth, not honger for meate nor thurste for drynke. But for to heare the worde of God. Now begynneth the kyngdome of heuē to suffer vyolēce: [Sidenote: Mat. 11.] Now rōne the poore Publicanes whiche knowelege them selfes synners, to the worde of God, puttynge both goodes and bodye in [Sidenote: Luc. 18.] Ieoperdye for the soule health. And though our Byshopes do calle it heresye, and all them heretyques that honger after yt, yet do we knowe that it is the Gospell of the leuynge God, for the health and saluacyon of all that beleue. [Sidenote: Rom. 1.] And as for the name doth nothynge offende vs, though they call it heresy a thousande tymes.[Sidenote: Act. 24.] For saynte Paule testyfyeth that the Pharysees and Prestes whyche were counted the very churche in hys tyme, ded so call it, and therfore it forseth not though they, rulyng in their rowmes, vse the same names. [Sidenote: More.] ❧ Which yonge man I here say hathe latelye made dyuers other thynges that yet ronne in hoker moker so close amonge the bretherne that there cometh no copyes abrode. [Sidenote: Fryth.] ¶ I answere, that surely I can not spynne, and I thynke no man more hateth to be ydle than I do. Wherfor in suche thynges as I am able to do, I shalbe dylygent as longe as God lendeth me my lyfe. And if ye thynke I be to busye, you may rydde me the sooner, for euen as the shepe is in the bochers hādes ready bounde & loketh but euen for the grace of the bocher when he shall shedde hys blode: Euen so am I bounde at the Byshoppes pleasures, euer lokynge for the day of my deathe. In so moche that playne worde was sent me, that the chaunceloure of London sayde, it shulde coste me the best bloode in my body, which I wolde gladly were shedde tomorowe, yf so be it myght open the Kynges graces eyes.