is time also the Lay Catholics of England printed
at Donay, "A Petition Apologetical," to James I. Their language is
remarkable; they complained they were excluded "that supreme court of
parliament first founded by and for Catholike men, was furnished with
Catholike prelates, peeres, and personages; and so continued till the
times of _Edward VI._ a _childe_, and Queen Elizabeth a _woman_."--Dodd's
"Church History."]

The narrative of this once celebrated conference, notwithstanding the
absurdity of the topics, becomes in the hands of the entertaining Fuller a
picturesque and dramatic composition, where the dialogue and the manners
of the speakers are after the life.

In the course of this conference we obtain a familiar intercourse with the
king; we may admire the capacity of the monarch whose genius was versatile
with the subjects; sliding from theme to theme with the ease which only
mature studies could obtain; entering into the graver parts of these
discussions; discovering a ready knowledge of biblical learning, which
would sometimes throw itself out with his natural humour, in apt and
familiar illustrations, throughout indulging his own personal feelings
with an unparalleled _naivete_.

The king opened the conference with dignity; he said "he was happier than
his predecessors, who had to alter what they found established, but he
only to confirm what was well settled." One of the party made a notable
discovery, that the surplice was a kind of garment used by the priests of
Isis. The king observed that he had no notion of this antiquity, since he
had always heard from them that it was "a rag of popery." "Dr. Reynolds,"
said the king, with an air of pleasantry, "they used to wear hose and
shoes in times of popery; have you therefore a mind to go bare-foot?"
Reynolds objected to the words used in matrimony, "with my body I thee
worship." The king said the phrase was an usual English term, as a
_gentleman of worship_, &c., and turning to the doctor, smiling, said,
"Many a man speaks of Robin Hood, who never shot in his bow; if you had a
good wife yourself, you would think all the honour and worship you could
do to her were well bestowed." Reynolds was not satisfied on the 37th
article, declaring that "the Bishop of Rome hath no authority in this
land," and desired it should be added, "nor ought to have any." In
Barlow's narrative we find that on this his majesty heartily laughed--a
laugh easily caught up by the lords;