[A 2r:] To the Reader.

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Because I with great griefe haue nowe often heard, (most dere Reader) that
the highly learned and no lesse godly, ientle1 and louing man Phillip Me-
lancthon is highlye belyed, in that a great sorte openlye saye that he hath de-
(5)nyed the trueth, or (that I maye vse their owne wordes) recanted (whiche
thyng they saye onely to hyndre the furtheraunce of Gods trueth), I coulde do
no lesse, but turne into our Englyshe speache, and also put out, this litle trea-
tise of his: not so muche for the defence of his moste named and knowen fa-
mes sake (which he hath yet hitherto kepte vndefiled, so that euen the grea-
(10)test enemyes of the gospell neither coulde nor haue saied otherwise of hym)
as for the coumfortyng of many godly [A 2v:] and christen hertes,2 whiche
haue bene not a lytell dismayed and discouraged thorow3 suche lyes. And
verely not without a cause, for this denying would do more harme to the
trueth in these last and most perelouse tymes, than any tongue or penne can
(15)expresse. And God of his goodnesse, bountefull mercye, and great power,
graunt, that that neuer chaunce. At this tyme also, thankes be to god therfore,
he hath not onely not denyed the trueth, but also after his olde accustomed
christen manier, plainelye confessed and acknowleged it: whiche thyng this
his answere to the Interim, ynough4 witnesseth.
(20)And although this his writing be shorte, and answere not to al the poyntes of
the Interim (for that would aske great labour, and long tyme) yet it playnely
answereth to [A 3r:] the greatest misuses and to the very senowes5 of the
Romebushops moste tyrannouse kyngdome contayned in that boke.
He also sheweth tokens ynoughe in the booke, that he will at leasure largelier
(25)write vpon manye poyntes thereof. I receiued also a letter with this treatise,
from another godly and learned man,6 wherin is writen, that other and diuers
learned men in Dutchlande, be in hand to shewe their meaning in writing, as
touchyng the same, so that we maye be of muche better comforte then our
papistes would gladly se, yea then manye of the good and faithfull christen
(30)be, that that Interim will be withstanded, and not so sone7 and easely recea-
ued8 as the papistes hope, and many christen feare. This I saie chiefelye
caused me to putte out this litle boke, at this time.
[A 3v:] But for that there be haply9 many that know not what that Interim
meaneth, for some haue not seen it, and some haue not harde10 of it, ye and
the moste vnderstande not the worde, as they that vnderstand no Latine, or
not very well, neede dryueth11 me to shewe bothe what it is, and also the
meanyng of the worde. Interim is a booke, whiche was at the Emperoures
Maiesties commaundement, prynted and put forth about the begynnyng of
(5)June this yere of our Sauiours birthe, 1548,12 wherein is commaunded that al
the Cities13 in Dutchlande that haue receaued the worde of God and made a
chaunge of Ceremonyes accordyng to the word, shal reforme their Churches
agayne and turne to the old popishe ordinaunces, as a dog dothe to that he
hathe spued out, or a washen swyne to the myre.14
(10)[A 4r:] Thus haue ye15 harde what it is. Now heare what the worde signifyeth
or betokeneth:
Interim is as much to saye, as 'in the meane season', or, 'in the meane while'.
And therefore haue they christened the childe and geuen him this name,
because they wyll that we kepe all the thynges commaunded and contayned
(15)in that booke, in the meane while from this highedutche parlament holden at
Außburg16 till there be a generall councell holden. There they thynke, (but
God sitteth aboue in heauen, and thynketh happly otherwyse)17 to make the
matter worsse. For because it had been an hastye worcke to haue chaunged
all thynges at once, they of their great (I had almoste sayed) greuouse18 and
(20)merciless mercy haue borne with vs in two thynges, that is to saye, in the
Maryage of priests, and receiuing of [A 4v:] the communion in both the
kindes. But how long? Forsoth Interim, that is, in the mean while till the
Generall Councell come. And thynke then to beare no longer with vs, no nor
with Christe himselfe, for then they thynke to be so strong, that neyther
(25)Christe himselfe nor all that wyll abyde by hym, shall be able to withstande
them. This is the meanyng of the worde in Englyshe.
Unto this Interim and the meaning thereof a hathe thabouea named Phil.
Melancthon answered, and written this present treatise, and sheweth to what
thinges a christen man may agre, and whiche thynges may be chaunged, and
(30)whiche not; in which treatise the reader shall well perceaue, that he nether
hath denied the trueth that he hathe thus long taught and acknowledged, nor
yet thinketh to doe: whiche vertu and high gyfte [A 5r:] of God, the almighti
father of our lord Jesus Christ increase in him and all the christen to the
honour and glory of his holy name, increase of his knoweledge, and sauing
of many soules.
Amen.
At London in Edward
(5)whitchurch house by
John Rogers.
1. Augusti.
1548.