Lancashire, and a near kinsman of Holland's, who said, "I am sure
your honour means good to my cousin. I beseech God he may have the grace
to follow your counsel." Holland directly replied, "Sir, you crave of
God you know not what. I beseech of God to open your eyes to see the
light of his blessed word." After some private communication among the
commissioners, Bonner said, "I perceive, Roger, you will not be ruled by
any counsel that I or my friends can give."

The following speech of Mr. Holland we are induced to give unabridged,
as it contains a pointed charge, founded on the sins resulting from
false doctrines; and, besides, is in itself a well-digested and just
attack upon the tenets of popery.

"I may say to you, my lord, as Paul said to Felix and to the Jews, in
the 22d of the Acts, and in the 15th of the first epistle to the
Corinthians. It is not unknown to my master, to whom I was apprenticed,
that I was of your blind religion--that which now is taught, and that I
obstinately and wilfully remained in it, till the latter end of king
Edward. Having liberty under your auricular confession, I made no
conscience of sin, but trusted in the priests' absolution, who for money
did also some penance for me; which after I had given, I cared no
farther what offences I did, no more than he did after he had my money,
whether he tasted bread and water for me, or not: so that lechery,
swearing, and all other vices, I accounted no offence of danger, so long
as I could for money have them absolved. So straitly did I observe your
rules of religion, that I would have ashes upon Ash Wednesday, though I
had used ever so much wickedness at night. Though I could not in
conscience eat flesh upon the Friday, yet I made no conscience at all of
swearing, drinking, or gaming all night long: thus I was brought up, and
herein I have continued till now of late, when God hath opened the light
of his word, and called me by his grace to repent of my former idolatry
and wicked life; for in Lancashire their blindness and whoredom is much
more, than may with chaste ears be heard. Yet these my friends, who are
not clear in these notable crimes, think the priest with his mass can
save them, though they blaspheme God, and keep concubines besides their
wives, as long as they live. Yea, I know some priests, very devout, my
lord, yet such have six or seven children by four or five sundry women.

"Mr. Doctor, as to your antiquity, unity, and universalit