_An answere defensorie vnto the effects of the same Epistle._
Maister H. The manner of your writing seemeth vnto mee verye straunge, and the circumstaunce such, as I promise you, wherewith I was neuer acquainted. I am not a little greeued to thinke that you shoulde in that peremptorie sort you doe, attribute vnto mee the name of so base and vnfitte a dealing. I would well you and your informer vnderstoode: that it is not my practise to vse that cunning, which you like to tearme by the name of shifting, neither (by whatsoeuer necessitie constrained) doe I inure my selfe vnto the same. It is an olde Prouerbe, _Where the hedge is lowest, there euerie man is readie to goe ouer_. The verifying whereof appeareth in you, who hauing no more certaintie then your meere imaginations to suspende mee, doe iniuriouslie obiect my necessitie, as beeing the onelie meane wherewith to disgrace me. Whie, maister H. dooth it therefore followe because I want, that my minde must of force become maimed with such treacherie? You are deceyued, and they guesse much awrie, that in such hatefull manner doe go about to abuse mee. What argument call you that, that for because you reuealed your counsell to vs two, and it liketh you to preferre by certaine allowaunce the others reputation and abilitie before mee, that therefore I haue deceyued you? Whie if you list to suppose a trueth on my side (as lawfullie you might doe) were there not as much reason that I for mine honestie, as hee for his brauerie shoulde as indifferentlie bee censured? But your probable coniectures you will saie doe entice you, the one whereof is the time wherein none coulde preuent you. Was not I pray you that other in Towne as well as I, though hee altered his lodging? And suppose that euerie daie wee were both heere since, may it bee vnpossible that another might endammage the matter as well as we? But I had speciall conference with the partie, and the place and person without that occasion, of no likelihoode by mee to bee frequented. Had I conference? Is that a thing so maruellous? Am I so farre estraunged from honestie, that I may not haue speech with a man, but to worke my friend villanie? Alacke man, whie, I was neuer so fearefull of mine one keeping secretes, that I woulde haue denied it if you had asked mee, neither doe I much force if your owne eyes doe witnesse the cause when I next speake with you. In saying the place and person was before time by mee vnused, you speake iniuriouslie, for your owne selfe doe knowe, that both he and the rest, were to mee knowne before time, and that verie familiarlie. To conclude, I wish you to bee perswaded, that in rewarding mee with such conceytes as these, you shall doe mee but small courtesie, and ill requite my faythfulnesse by vpbrayding mee with my necessitie, that woulde haue endeuoured all meanes possible to pleasure you. And as touching anie infamie to me redounding herein, I woulde I could as well cleare all my offences to God-warde, as I can free my selfe of this suspition, and that with as great honestie, as others most maliciouslie haue sought to defame mee, and then no doubt my account should be a great deale lesse then it is, when euer the Almightie by his eternall summons should call me. In resolution whereof, I ende this answere. The of. &c.