banner, and that all they whiche vpon priuate hatred or ambition, tooke weapon agaynst their enemie, one Christian to slay an other, such did not fight vnder the banner of Christ, but rather of Satan: and therefore concludyng his matter, he exhorted that Christen mē in their warres, would folowe Christ their prince and captaine, in fighting agaynst their enemies, rather then the example of Iulius, or Alexander. &c. MarginaliaColet called before the kyng.The kyng hearyng Colet thus to speake, and fearyng least by his woordes the hartes of his souldiours might be withdrawen awaye from hys warres whiche he had then in hand, tooke him aside, and talked with him in secret conference in his garden walkyng. Byshop Fitziames, Bricot, and Standish, who were his enemies, thought now none other, but that Colet must nedes bee committed to the tower, and wayted for his commyng out. MarginaliaD. Colet cōmended of þ^e king.But the kyng with great gentlenes interteynyng D. Colet, and byddyng him familiarely to put on his cappe, in lōg curteous talke had with him in þ^e garden, much cōmended him for his learnyng, & integritie of life, agreing with him in all pointes, but that onely he required him (for that the rude souldiours should not rashly mystake that which he had said) more plainly to explane his wordes and minde in that behalfe, which after he did: & so after long communication and great promises, the kyng dismissed Colet with these woordes, saying: let euery man, haue his Doctour as him liketh: this shall be my Doctour, and so departed. Whereby none of his aduersaries durst euer trouble him after that time.

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MarginaliaThe fundation of the schole of Paules.Among many other memorable actes left behind him, he erected a worthy foundation of þ^e schole of Paules (I pray God þ^e fruites of þ^t schole may aunswere þ^e foundation) for þ^e cherishing vp of youth in good letters, prouiding a sufficient stipēde as well for the Maister, as for the Husher, whom hee willed rather to be appointed out of the number of maried men, then of single priestes with their suspected chastitie. MarginaliaGulielm Lisius.The first moderator of this schole was Guliel. Lilius, a man no lesse notable for his learnyng, then was Colet for his foundation. MarginaliaEx Epist. Erasm. ad Iod. Ionā.Ex Epist. Erasm. ad Iodoc. Ionā. This Colet died þ^e yere of our Lord. 1519.

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MarginaliaGuliel. Grocinus.
Guliel. Latimerus.Not long before the death of this Colet and Lilye, liued Gulielmus Grocinus, and Gulielmus Latimerus, both English men also, and famously learned. MarginaliaThe iudgement of Grocinus vpon Hierarchia ecclesiast. Dionisii Areopag.This Grocinus, as he began to read in his open lecture  

in the Church of S. Paul, the booke of Dionisius Areopagita, cōmōly called Hierarchia Ecclesiastica (for the reading then of the holy Scriptures in Paules was not in vre) in the first entrye of his preface he cryed out with greate vehemencie against them who soeuer they were, whiche either denyed, or stoude in doubt of the authoritie of that booke: in the number of whom he noted Laurence Valla and diuers other of like approued iudgement and learnyng. But afterward the same Grocine, whē he had cōtinued a few weekes in his readyng therof, and did consider farther in him, he vtterly altered, and recāted his former sentence, protestyng opēly that the forenamed booke, to his iudgement, MarginaliaDionisius Areopag.was neuer written by that author whom we read in the Actes of the Apostles, to be called Dionysius Areopagita. Ex. Eras. ad Parisiens.

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The tractation of these ij. couples aboue rehearsed, do occasion me to adioyne also the remēbraunce of an other couple of lyke learned men: MarginaliaThomas Linacer.
Richard Paceus.The names of whom, not vnworthy to be remembred, were Thomas Linacer, and Richard Pace: whiche two followed much vppon the time of Colet & of Williā Lilye. But of Richard Pace, whiche was Deane next after the foresayd Iohn Colet, more cōuenient place shall serue vs hereafter to speake, comming to the storye of Cardinall Wolsey.  

MarginaliaGeffray Chaucer.
Iohn Gower. Moreouer to these two, I thought it not out of season to couple also some mention of Geffray Chaucer, and Iohn Gower: Whiche although beyng much discrepant from these in course of yeares, yet may seme not vnworthy to bee matched with these forenamed persons in commendation of their studie and learnyng. Albeit concernyng the full certeintye of the tyme and death of these two, we can not finde:   yet it appeareth in the prologe of Gowers worke, intitled confessio Amantis, that he finished it in the xvi. yeare of kyng Richarde the second. And in the end of the viij. booke of his sayd treatyse he declareth, that he was both sicke and olde, when he wrote it: wherby it may appeare, that he liued not long after. Notwithstanding by certeine verses of þ^e sayd M. Gower placed in the later end of Chaucers workes both in Latine & Englishe, it may seme that he was alyue at the begynnyng of the reigne of kyng Henry the iiij. and also by a booke which he wrote to the same kyng Henry. By his sepulture within a chappell of the Churche of S. Mary ouers, which was then a Monastery, where hee and hys wife lye buried, it appeareth by his cheyne and his garland of Laurell, that he was both a knight, and florishing then in Poetrie. MarginaliaThe bookes of Iohn Gower.In þ^e which place of his sepulture were made in his grauestone iij. bokes, þ^e first bearing the title, Speculum meditantis. The second, Vox clamātis. The third, Confessio Amantis. Beside these, diuers Chronicles and other workes moe he compiled.

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Likewise, as touchyng  

the tyme of Chaucer, by his owne workes in the end of his first booke of Troylus and Creseide it is manifest, that he and Gower were both of one tyme, althoughe it seemeth that Gower was a great deale his auncient: both notablye learned, as the barbarous rudenes of that tyme did geue: both great frendes together, and both in like kind of studie together occupied, MarginaliaChaucer and Gower commēded for their studious exercise.so endeuoryng thēselues, and employing their tyme, that they excelling many other in study and exercise of good letters, did passe foorth their lyues here right worshipfully and godly, to the worthy fame and commendation of their name. Chaucers woorkes bee all printed in one volume, and therefore knowen to all men.   This I meruell,   to see the idle life of þ^e priestes and clergy men of that tyme, seyng these lay persons shewed them selues in these kynde of liberall studies so industrious & fruitfully occupied: but much more I meruell to cōsider this, how that the Bishoppes condemnyng and abolishyng all maner of Englishe bookes and treatises, which might bryng the people to any light of knowledge, did yet authorise the woorkes of Chaucer to remayne still and to be occupied: MarginaliaChauser a right Wickleuian.Who (no doubt) saw in Religion as much almost, as euen we do now, and vttereth in his workes no lesse, and semeth to bee a right VVicleuian, or els was neuer any, and that all his workes almost, if they be throughly aduised, will testifie (albeit it bee done in myrth, and couertly) and especially the latter ende of his third booke of the Testament of loue: for there purely he toucheth the highest matter, that is, the Cōmunion: Wherin, excepte a man be altogether blynde, he may espye him at the full. MarginaliaChaucers bookes.Althoughe in the same booke (as in all other hee vseth to do) vndershadowes couertly, as vnder a visoure, he suborneth truth, in such sorte, as both priuely she may profite the godly minded, and yet not be espyed of the craftye aduersarie: And therefore the Byshops, belike, takyng hys workes but for iestes and toyes, in condemnyng other bookes, yet permitted his bookes to be read. MarginaliaMen brought to truth by reading Chaucers workes.So it pleased God to blinde then the eyes of them, for the more commoditie of his people, to the entent that through the readyng of his treatises, some fruite might redoūde therof to his Churche, as no doubt, it did to many: As also I am partlye informed of certeine, whiche knewe the parties, which to them reported, that by readyng of Chausers workes, they were brought to the true knowledge of Religion. And not vnlike to be true. MarginaliaThe ploughmans tale in Chauser.For to omitte other partes of his volume, wherof some are more fabulous then other, what tale can bee more playnely tolde, then the talke of the ploughman?   or what finger can pointe out more directly the Pope with his Prelates to be Antichrist, then doth the poore Pellycan reasonyng agaynst the gredy Griffon?   Vnder whiche Hypotyposis or Poesie, who is so blind that seeth not by the Pellicane, the doctrine of Christ, and of the Lollardes to bee defended agaynst the Churche ofRome? Or who is so impudent that can denye that to be true, which the Pellicane there affirmeth in describyng the presumptuous pride of that pretensed Church? Agayne what egge can be more

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