for his honour make to the edification of virtue and the maintaining
of Christ's faith, whereof your Highness is defender in name, and hath been
hitherto indeed a special protector.

"Furthermore, where there be found in the said supplication, with mention
of your Grace's person, other griefs that some of the said laws extend to
the goods and possessions of your said lay subjects, declaring the
transgressors not only to fall under the terrible censure of
excommunication, but also under the detestable crime of heresy:

"To this we answer that we remember no such, and yet if there be any such,
it is but according to the common law of the Church, and also to your
Grace's law, which determine and decree that every person spiritual or
temporal condemned of heresy shall forfeit his moveables or immoveables to
your Highness, or to the lord spiritual or temporal that by law hath right
to them.[236] Other statutes we remember none that toucheth lands or goods.
If there be, it were good that they were brought forth to be weighed and
pondered accordingly.

"Item as touching the second principal article of the said supplication,
where they say that divers and many of your Grace's obedient subjects, and
especially they that be of the poorest sort, be daily called before us or
before our substitutes ex officio; sometimes at the pleasure of us, the
ordinaries, without any probable cause, and sometimes at the only promotion
of our summoner, without any credible fame first proved against them, and
without presentment in the visitation or lawful accusation:

"On this we desire your high wisdom and learning to consider that albeit in
the ordering of Christ's people, your Grace's subjects, God of His
spiritual goodness assisteth his church, and inspireth by the Holy Ghost as
we verily trust such rules and laws as tend to the wealth of his elect
folk; yet upon considerations to man unknown, his infinite wisdom leaveth
or permitteth men to walk in their infirmity and frailty; so that we cannot
ne will arrogantly presume of ourselves, as though being in name spiritual
men, we were also in all our acts and doings clean and void from all
temporal affections and carnality of this world, or that the laws of the
church made for spiritual and ghostly purpose be not sometime applied to
worldly intent. This we ought and do lament, as becometh us, very sore.
Nevertheless, as the evil deeds of men be the mere defaults of those
particular men, and not