BARROW. Let the faithful rule themselves.

ANDREWES. How?

REYNOLDS. Your Majesty.

He is increasingly uneasy.

BARROW. Let congregations choose their own ministers and pastors.

ANDREWES. So you would have a Church run by lowly ministers and pastors. Responsible not to any higher authority but their congregations.

BARROW. And the Word of God!

ANDREWES. And what is that kind of Church Government called?

CECIL (aside). At last the word is in the room. (Looks at a corner of the stage.) There it is: big, black and monstrous, elephant-size, a great trunk, claws, red eyes. Even I can see it and I have no imagination. And who will say the word first?

JAMES. Presbyterianism! (Looks at the same corner of the stage as CECIL did.) Yes, there it is. Ha!

REYNOLDS. Perhaps… the bishops could govern jointly with a presbytery of their brethren ministers and pastors of the Church…

JAMES. If you aim at a Scots presbytery, I tell you it agrees with a monarch as much as God agrees with the Devil! These Presbyterians want no bishops at all! Presbyterians would run all by committee, made up of themselves! They claim the King must be subject to the word of the Church. That is, to them. What, a king subject to a committee of fanatics? He could be removed! That is the path to anarchy and revolution. What stops it? The beauty of the Church of England, its great arch of bishops and archbishops, who accept the King is Head of the Church, appointed by God. I tell you: no bishops, no king!

He stands. They all kneel, heads bowed.

I will be blunt. And will, I warn you, if provoked, be bloody. I will have no talk of presbyteries, not one word! Only if I grow idle, lazy, fat, and senile and insane, why, then, I will set up a presbytery! Now think on!

JAMES abruptly leaves his chair and exits.

The DIVINES slowly stand.

CECIL (to ANDREWES and REYNOLDS). I thought that went very well.

They stare at CECIL who makes to exit then stays to overhear.

BARROW. We have done God’s work here! God’s work! The Antichrist’s Church will fall!

BARROW is shunned by the DIVINES who exit by one door, he by another.

ANDREWES and REYNOLDS alone, but for CECIL watching them from a distance.

ANDREWES. Why did you allow that wild man Barrow to come with you?

REYNOLDS. He speaks for many.

ANDREWES. But not for us, Reynolds. You and I may disagree on many matters…

REYNOLDS. We do. Altar rails. Take away the altar rails in church and we would have more agreement.

ANDREWES. Why are Puritans so obsessed with altar rails?

REYNOLDS. They are the symbol of priestly power. The priest stands behind the altar rail to give communion. He puts himself nearer to God than ordinary men. But we are all equal before the Almighty, no matter what robes we wear…

ANDREWES. Yes yes, but…