¶ Hereby it is plaine (as Polydor saith) how the bishops in those daies were blinded with coue|tousnesse and ambition, not considering that it was their duties to despise such worldlie pompe, as the people regard, and that their calling required a stu|dious endeuour for the health of such soules as fell to their charge. Neither yet remembred they the sim|plicitie of Christ, and his contempt of worldlie digni|tie, when he refused to satisfie the humor of the peo|ple, who verie desirouslie would haue made him a king, but withdrew himselfe, and departed to a mountaine himselfe alone. They were rather infec|ted with the ambition of the apostles, contending one with another for the primasie, forgetting the vo|cation where to Christ had separated them, not to rule as kings ouer the gentiles; but to submit their necks to the yokes of obedience, as they had Christ their maister an example and president.

Compare 1577 edition: 1 ¶ Here is to be noted,The first vse of parlements in England. that before this time, the kings of England vsed but sel|dome to call togither the states of the realme after any certeine maner or gene|rall kind of processe, to haue their consents in matters to be decreed. But as the lords of the priuie councell in our time doo sit on|lie when necessitie requireth, so did they whensoeuer it pleased the king to haue any conference with them. So that from this Henrie it may be thought the first vse of the parlement to haue proceeded, which sith that time hath remained in force, and is continued vnto our times, insomuch that whatsoeuer is to be decreed touching the state of the commonwealth and conser|uation thereof, is now referred to that councell. And furthermore, if any thing be appointed by the king or any other person to be vsed for the wealth of the realme, it shall not yet be receiued as law, till by au|thoritie of this assemblie it be established.

Compare 1577 edition: 1 Now bicause the house should not be troubled with multitude of vnlearned cõ|moners, whose propertie is to vnderstand little reason, and yet to conceiue well of their owne dooings: there was a certeine order taken, what maner of ecclesiasticall persons, and what number and sort of tem|porall men should be called vnto the same, and how they should be chosen by voices of EEBO page image 39 free holders, that being as atturnies for their countries, that which they confessed or denied, should bind the residue of the realme to receiue it as a law. This coun|sell is called a parlement, by the French word, for so the Frenchmen call their pub|like assemblies.