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The kynge ought to be feared as the roaring of a lyon: who so prouoketh hym bnto anger offendeth agaynst his owne sole. Prov.xx.2.

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Let not the booke of this law depart out of your mouthes. But recorde there in daye and nyghte, that you maye do accordynge to al that is wrytten therin. Josua, i. 8. Deut. xvii. 19.

TO THE MOSTE EXCELLENT PRINCE

EDWARD THE. VI.

By the grace of God Kyng of Englande, Fraunce and Irelande, Defendour of the Fayth, and in earth of the Churche of Englande and Irelande immediatly under God Supreme Heed, youre Graces humble Subiecte and Chaplayne Thomas Archebysshop of Canterbury, wissheth aboundance of al grace and godlynes with a longe and prosperous raigne.

IT is not vnknowen vnto the hole world (most excellent prince) that your graces father a kynge of mooste famous memorie of a feruent and ernest godly disposition and tender zele towardes the settyng forth of Goddes glorie, moste diligently trauaylled for a trewe and a ryght reformation and a quiet concorde in Christes religion thorowout al hys dominions, wherin vndoubtedly he brought many thynges to a godlye purpose and effecte, and dyd abolyshe and take away muche blyndnes and ignorance of God, many great errors, fonde and pernitious superstitions and abuses, that had crepte into thys churche of Englande, and Irelande a longe time. And I perceiuing that your magestie by thaduyse of youre moste dere vncle my lorde protector, and the reste of youre graces moste honorable counsel, is moste desyrous perfytly to finyshe and brynge to passe, that your father

dyd mooste Godlye begynne, do thynke that there is nothynge more necessarye, for the furtherance hereof, then that it myghte be forseen, howe the youthe and tender age of youre louynge subiectes, maye be broughte vp and traded in the trewth of Goddes holy worde. For it is thought not to me onely, but to manye others, that neyther your graces father shoulde haue been inforced in hys tyme, to haue taken so greate paynes for the reformation of Christes religion, neyther yet youre hyghnes in thys your time, shoulde nede with suche greate difficultie go about to further goddes cause and hys trewe seruice, with so many lawes, iniunctions and proclamations yf so greate negligence of theducation of the youth had not bene so much suffered, and the necessarie poyntes and articles of our religion and profession omitted of those whose office and bounden dewty was to haue moste diligently instructed the youth in the same. Or yf the aunciente and laudable ceremonie of Confirmation hadde continued in the olde state, and bene duely vsed of the ministers in time conuenient, where an exacte and strayghte examination was had of all suche as were of ful age, bothe of theyr profession that they made in baptisme touching theyr belefe and kepyng of goddes commaundementes, with a generall solemne rehersall of the sayde commaundementes and of all tharticles of theyr fayth. Surely there can be no greater hope of any kinde of persones, other to be brought to all honest conuersation of lyuynge, or to be more apte to set forth and mayntayne all godlynes and trewe religion, then of suche as haue ben from childhode noryshed and fed wyth the swete milke, and as it were the pappe of goddes holy

worde, and brydled and kept in awe with hys holy comare in youth maundementes. For commenly as we brought vp, so we continue in age, and sauer longest of that thynge that we fyrste receaue and taist of. And as a fayre table fynely pulyshed, tho it be neuer so apte to receaue eyther pyctures or wrytinges, yet it doth neyther delyte any mens eyes, neither yet profyte any thing, except the paynter take hys pensill, set to hys hande, and wyth labour and cunnyng replenyshe it wyth scriptures or fygures as apertaineth to hys science, euen so the tender wyttes of yonge chyldren, beynge yet naked and bare of all knowledge thorow the grace of God be apte to receaue goddes gyftes, yf they be applyed and instructed by suche schole maysters, as haue knowledge to brynge them vp and leade them forwardes therin. And what can be more apte to be grauen or paynted in the tender hertes of youthe, then Goddes holy worde? what can lead them a ryghter way to god, to thobedience of theyr Prince and to al vertue and honestie of lyfe, then the syncere vnderstandyng of Gods worde? whyche alone sheweth the waye howe to knowe hym, to loue hym and to serue hym. What can better kepe and staye them, that they do not sodenly and lyghtly fall agayne from theyr fayth? What can cause them more constantly to wythstande thassaultes of the Deuyll, the worlde and the fleshe, and manfullye to beare the crosse of Christ, then to lerne in theyr youth to practise the same? And verely it semeth no new thing that the children of them that be godly, should be thus instructed in the faythe and commaundementes of God, euen from theyr infancye. For Deut. xi. doeth not God commaunde hys people to teache hys

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