OF CHURCH CONTROVERSIES. 35 



rnyself touching the judgment of my lords the 

 bishops in this matter, by that which was written by 

 one of them, which I mentioned before with honour. 

 Nevertheless I note, there is not an indifferent hand 

 carried towards these pamphlets as they deserve ; 

 for the one sort flieth in the dark, and the other is 

 uttered openly ; wherein I might advise that side 

 out of a wise writer, who hath set it down, that 

 &quot; punitis ingeniis gliscit auctoritas.&quot; 



And indeed we see it ever falleth out, that the 

 forbidden writing is always thought to be certain 

 sparks of a truth that fly up into the faces of those 

 that seek to choke it, and tread it out ; whereas a 

 book authorised is thought to be but &quot; temporis 

 voces,&quot; the language of the time. But in plain truth 

 I do find, to mine understanding, these pamphlets 

 as meet to be suppressed as the other. First, be 

 cause as the former sort doth deface the government 

 of the Church in the persons of the bishops and pre 

 lates, so the other doth lead into contempt the exer 

 cises of religion in the persons of sundry preachers ; 

 so as it disgraceth an higher matter, though in the 

 meaner person. 



Next, I find certain indiscreet and dangerous 

 amplifications, as if the civil government itself of 

 this state had near lost the force of her sinews, and 

 were ready to enter into some convulsion, all things 

 being full of faction and disorder ; which is as un 

 justly acknowledged, as untruly affirmed. I know 

 his meaning is to enforce this irreverent and violent 

 impugning of the government of bishops to be a sus- 



