Eliz:     Again, you suffer many ministers to preach what they list, and to minister thesacraments according to their own fancies — some one way, some another — to the breach of unity; yea, and some of them so curious in searching matters above their capacity as they preach they wot not what: that there is no hell, but a torent of conscience; nay, I have heard of there be six preachers in one dicese the which do preach six sundry ways. I wish such men to be brought to conformity and unity, that they minister the sacraments according to the order of this realm and preach all one truth; and that such as be found not worthy to preach, to be compelled to read homilies such as were set forth in our brother King Edward his time and since. For there is more of learning in one of those than in twenty of some of their sermons. And we require you that do not favor such men being carried away with pity, hoping of their conformity ; for they will be hanged before they will be reformed.

Archb. of Canterbury:     Madam, for mine own part, I will look into these things as well as I can. But, madam, some things will escape and be amiss; and when it is so, I would every man were charged with his own fault and not the fault of one or two to be laid unto all.

William Cecil:    Truly, my lord, her majesty hath declared unto you a marvelous great fault in that you make in this time of light so many lewd and unlearned ministers. I do not burden them that are her, but it is the Bishop of Lichfield and Coventry that I mean, who made seventy ministers in one day for money: some tailers, some shoemakers, and other crass men. I am sure the greatest part of them are not worthy to keep horses.

Bishop of Rochester:     It may be so, for I know one that made seven in one day. I would every man might bear his own burden; some of us have the greatest wrongs can be offered. But, my lord, if you would have none but learned preachers to be admitted into the ministery you must provide better livings for them.

Archb. of Canterbury:     We complain, in these days, of darkness in time of light, of ignorance in the time of learning, of want of preachers in the time of plenty. To have learned ministers in every parish is, in my judgement, impossible. Thirteen thousand parishes in England — I know not how this realm should yield so many learned preachers.

Queen ELiz:     Jesus! Thirteen thousand! I think the time hath been there hath not been four preachers in a diocese. My meaning is not you should make choice of learned ministers only, for they are not to be found, but of honest, sober, and wise men, and such as can read the Scriptures and Homilies well unto the people. [And she rose, thanked the bishops, and bade them farewell.]