The feelings with which the bill was received by the world may be gathered most readily from two letters,--one written by an English nobleman, who may be taken to have represented the sentiments of the upper classes in this country; the other written by Philip Melancthon, speaking in the name of Germany and of English Protestantism struggling to be born. The signature and the address of the first are lost; but the contents indicate the writer's rank.[469] [Sidenote: Unanimity of the temporal peers.] "For news here, I assure you, never prince showed himself so wise a man, so well learned, and so catholic, as the king hath done in this parliament. With my pen I cannot express his marvellous goodness, which is come to such effect that we shall have an act of parliament so spiritual that I think none shall dare to say that in the blessed sacrament of the altar doth remain either bread or wine after the consecration; nor that a priest may have a wife; nor that it is necessary to receive our Maker _sub utrâque specie_; nor that private masses should not be used as they have been; nor that it is not necessary to have auricular confession. And notwithstanding my Lord Canterbury, my Lord of Ely, my Lord of Salisbury, my Lords of Worcester, Rochester, and St. David's defended the contrary long time, yet, finally, his Highness confounded them all with God's learning. York, Durham, Winchester, London, Chichester, Norwich, and Carlisle have shewed themselves honest and well learned men. _We of the temporalty have been all of one opinion_; and my Lord Chancellor and my Lord Privy Seal as good as we can desire. My Lord of Canterbury and all the bishops have given over their opinions and come in to us, save Salisbury, who yet continueth a lewd fool. Finally, all England hath cause to thank God, and most heartily to rejoice, of the king's most godly proceedings." [Sidenote: Spirit of English conservatism.] [Sidenote: Protest of Melancthon.] There spoke the conservative Englishman, tenacious of old opinions, believing much in established order, and little in the minds and hearts of living human beings,--believing that all variation from established creeds could only arise from vanity and licentiousness, from the discontent of an ill-regulated understanding. We turn to Melancthon, and we hear the protest of humanity, the pleading of intellect against institutions, the voice of freedom as opposed to the voice of order--the two spirits "between whose endless jar justice resides." [Sidenote: The shame of the king and the glory of the martyrs.] [Sidenote: The malice of the bishops against the truth.]