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 Sir John Cheke and Sir Thomas Smith. 127 am founde colde in that that perteigneth to Goddes honour, if any reasonable man be founde in the same hote. What I have doone I have witnesses ynoughe. I did it not by whispcringes in eares; but in the universite before alle the lerned men, in the consesse before alle the Bushoppes, in the parlia- ment before alle the Lordes and commons. And yet now they wille make me a neutralle, which I never yet was, sith I was borne ; nor, in somme, of other opinion of religion then I am now. The which I take only the gifte of God. Nor I never knewe of my kynne by my father's side either neutralles or papistes, but all enclyned to the truthe, and Gospell, both olde and yonge, in the first and before libertie given, and so knowen and noted. Yf I shulde degenerate now, or knowe it not, it were to me straunge. To be wrong- fully blamed it must nedes greve me. But, having confidence in the goodnes of your grace, whom I knowe right welle and cannot doubt of, I am thus bolde as to write, for whom I serve with alle my hart, power, and mynde, and whom, next God, and my Prince, with my Lordes grace as I am bounde, I most love and honour. I cannot but desire to have a good estimacion of me, whereby I shulde be most animated, and as were put in comfort and harte, which knowen, alle labours whatso- ever I shalle take shalle appear but light. As contrary, if I knowe it to be otherwise, my harte yet and love shalle not faile, as dewty byndcth, but dismay shall make heavy that welle accepting wolde make light. And for any thing of the thinges before rehersccl, or any other that can be objected unto me, I most humbly doo require but to aunswer unto them ; and for one of my most lowlie rcquestes I make this, that it wolde please your grace to heare the informer and rne toginther, and your grace so to be judge. I doo not doubt, but, the truthe appering, I shall finde your grace my good Ladie and Mistres, and me mych quieted of that wherewith I have benc long greaved. Indorsed in the hand of Cecill, S r Tho. Smyth to y e Duch. of Som r sett : to ichich Strype has added, By way of Apology and justification of himself against slaunders reported of him to her Grace. Wrot about y year 1550.