and marvellous discord in consequence of the quiet, peace, and
tranquillity in which this your realm hath been ever hitherto preserved
through your politic wisdom:

"To the first part as touching such discord as is reported, and also the
misdemeanour which is imputed to us and our doings, we trust we have
sufficiently answered the same, humbly beseeching your Grace so to esteem
and weigh such answer with their supplication as shall be thought good and
expedient by your high wisdom. Furthermore we ascertain your Grace as
touching the violence which they seem to lay to our charge, albeit divers
of the clergy of this your realm have sundry times been _rigorously
handled, and with much violence entreated by certain ill-disposed and
seditious persons of the lay fee, have been injured in their bodies, thrown
down in the kennel in the open_ _streets at mid-day_, even here within your
city and elsewhere, to the great rebuke and disquietness of the clergy of
your realm, the great danger of the souls of the said misdoers, and
perilous example of your subjects. Yet we think verily, and do affirm the
same, that no violence hath been so used on our behalf towards your said
lay subjects in any case; unless they esteem this to be violence that we do
use as well for the health of their souls as for the discharge of our
duties in taking, examining, and punishing heretics according to the law:
wherein we doubt not but that your Grace, and divers of your Grace's
subjects, do understand well what charitable entreaty we have used with
such as have been before us for the same cause of heresy; and what means we
have devised and studied for safeguard specially of their souls; and that
charitably, as God be our judge, and without violence as [far as] we could
possibly devise. In execution thereof, and also of the laws of the church
for repression of sin, and also for reformation of mislivers, it hath been
to our great comfort that your Grace hath herein of your goodness, assisted
and aided us in this behalf for the zeal and love which your Grace beareth
to God's church and to His ministers; especially in defence of His faith
whereof your Grace only and most worthily amongst all Christian princes
beareth the title and name. And for that marvellous discord and grudge
among your subjects as is reported in the supplication of your Commons, we
beseech your Majesty, all the premises considered, to repress those that be
misdoers; protesting in our behal