rENRY. 63 any quietness to the church of God, and the state of my prince and kingdom, glad I am that I have a life to bestow in this service. I know not to what better use it could be employed, if it werepreserved ; and, therefore, in this cause, I desire not to spare it. Thus have I lived towards the Lord and my prince ; and, by the grace of God, thus I mean to die. Many such subjects I wish unto my prince ; though no such reward to any of them. My earnest request is, that her majesty may be acquainted with these things before my death, or, at least, after my departure. " Subscribed with the heart and hand that never devised or wrote any thing to the discredit or defamation,of my sovereign, Queen.Elizabeth. 44 This I take on my death, as I hope to live hereafter, " JOHN PENRY." In his excellent Confession of Faith, referred to in the above protestation, Mr. Penryopenly declares his religious sentiments, and most warmly avows his loyalty to the queen and government. Though the whole is too long for inser- tion, we cannot forbear transcribing a part of it, particularly that relating to his allegiance to her majesty. Because this was called in question, he declares, 44 I am not at this day, " nor ever was in all my life, either guilty or privy, in any " purpose, consultation, or intention, ofany sedition against, " or disturbance of, her majesty's royal state and govern- " merit. And ifI were.privy unto any such ungodly, undu. " tiful, and wicked actions or purposes, as might any way " impair or disturb the peaceable state of my prince and " country, I would reveal, disclose, and withstand the same, " to the utmost of my power, in all persons, foreign and " domestic, of what profession or religion soever they " might be. " Her supreme authority, within her realms and domi- nions, I acknowledge to be such, overall persons, and in all " causes, as no person, whether civil or ecclesiastical, may " exempt himself or his cause from the power and censure 44 of her laws and sword. I do also acknowledge, that her " majesty bath full authority from the. Lord, to establish " and enact by her royal power, all laws, both ecclesiastical " and civil, among her subjects : in the making of which " laws, the Lord requireth that those which are ecclesiastical " be warranted by his own written word, which contains " whatsoever belongeth to his worship ; and those which " are civil are founded on the rules of justice and equity. " This sovereign prerogative and authority of her highness,
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