148 THE LIFE OF 



CHAP, was penned in the name and for the vindication of the 

 XIL English Protestants, against a book written by Knox the 

 Scot, entitled, A Blast against the Government of Women. 

 Wherein he spake much and vehemently concerning the 

 unlawfulness of women^s government, and for fighting 

 against and dethroning of Princes, if they opposed and 

 persecuted religion, and earnestly excited the people there 

 unto, out of hatred to Queen Mary and her persecutions. 

 This was a doctrine the true English Protestants in these 

 times utterly disowned ; and therefore it behoved them at 

 this juncture especially to clear themselves of by some pub 

 lic testimony. And this Aylmer did in this book, and 

 threw such principles rather upon the Papists. And hence 

 in a place in his book he took occasion to declaim against 

 the Popish Bishops, and their lascivious living, and their 

 secular wealth, and spake in these words ; (which Marpre- 

 late, and after him Will. Prin, made use of against even 

 Antipathy, the Protestant Bishops;) &quot; Come off, ye Bishops; away 

 Part 4 !! &quot; w i tn y our superfluities : yield up your thousands : be 

 &quot; content with hundreds, as they be in other reformed 

 &quot; Churches, where be as great learned men as you are. 

 &quot; Let your portion be priest-like, not prince-like. Let 

 &quot; the Queen have the rest of your temporalities and other 

 &quot; lands to maintain these wars [against the French, that 

 &quot; now threatened the nation much] which you procured, 

 &quot; [meaning the Popish Clergy, in compliance with King 

 &quot; Philip,] and your Mistress [Queen Mary] left her [Queen 

 &quot; Elizabeth] embroiled in ; and with the rest to build and 

 &quot; found schools throughout the realm ; that every parish 

 &quot; church may have his preacher, every city his superin- 

 &quot; tendent, to live honestly and not pompously : which 

 &quot; will never be unless your lands be dispersed and be- 

 &quot; stowed upon many, which now feed and fat but one. 

 &quot; Remember that Abimelech, (as he goes on,) when David 

 &quot; in his banishment would have dined with him, kept such 

 &quot; hospitality, that he had no bread in his house to give him 

 &quot; but the shewbread. Where was all his superfluity to 

 &quot; keep your pretended hospitality ? For that is the cause 



