be preferred in England And as touching the College of Rhemes this I saie that I spake more of mallice then of truth and so in likevvise the College of Rome vvas falsely accused by me And as concerning M. Doctor Allen I say in conscience that I knovv or haue heard by the man nothing els but innocencie his religion excepted 7 Besides these vve vvill proue him to be a periured person not onely for that he is in relapse falne againe into those heresies vvhich he abiured publickly solemnely voluntarily at Rome 4. yeres since but for that he promised vpon his othe when he was a student in the English College at Rome that he vvould take holy orders and go into England and there to teach the Catholick faith vvhensoeuer he should be sent by his superiors which promis confirmed vvith an oth he hath broken not vvithout great scandall The seuenth article is true and I haue incurred periurie for that at Rome I liued as an hypocrite being neuer in hart of the Romane religion 8 Moreouer vve obiect to him that he abused the Pope vvith craft and deceipt vvhen vnder pretence of sicknes and that he could not awaie vvith the aier of Rome he desired leaue of his holynes to come to the College at Rhemes there to follow his studie and to be made prieste and to that ende requesting and receiuing of his holynes 50. crovvnes of gold but assoone as he had gotten the money thus fraudently he vvent straight into England As concerning the eight article it is graunted I defrauded the Pope of 25. crownes giuen vnto me in vvay of Viaticum to bing me to Rhemes For al these articles being thus graunted by me Iohn Nicols I am right sory and submit me self vnder the feete of any such as I haue maliciously and greuously offended God knovveth I spake these things vvith a desire to be promoted rather then vvith a minde to vtter the truth God be merciful vnto me and pardon me and al those vvhom I haue thus offended vvilfully I crie mercie and beseech them for Christ his sake to forget such iniuries so impudently committed against them partly by Sathans prompting partly by the countenāce of others in commending such stuf By me Iohn Nicols Englishman M. Stubs gaue me the matter of my booke in the Tovver intituled The recantion of Iohn Nicols c. M. Vvilkinson did vvrite in the margent the notes and also added to that vvhich I vvrote and corrected the faults by me escaped Moreouer I told my Lord Treseurer about alhallowtide last past Anno Domini 1582. these vvordes that follovve If it may pleas your honor I am right sorie that I haue such bookes put forth that conteine more falsehood then truth My lord ansvvered that the Papist found out that I lyed Vvhen I confessed to M. Kirkby in the tovver that it repented me in vvriting such bookes as vvere contrary to the truth M. Lucas Kirkby reported these my vvords to M. Reignolds of Oxford vvho made reporte thereof to Sir Frauncys Vvalzingham vvho being certified of this thing vvrote or sent to M. Lieutenant of the Tovver of London that I should be sent for and examined face to face before M. Kirkby to knovv vvhether it vvas so or not as Sir Frauncis vvas certified Vvhen I came to the Tovver M. Kirkby vsed these vvordes to me vvhen he saw me Speke the truth quoth he and shame the Diuel So I vvill quoth I doubte not thereof M. Kirkby was examined apart and I ansvvered truly if I had been permitted by M. Lieutenant so to do For vvhen I said so I told M. Kirkby that I vvrote those bookes for ambition say not so quoth M. Lieutenant vvrite quoth he to his Secretary after this manner That he vvas sorie that he vvrot his bookes so rudely as he did Vvhen M Reignolds in the presence of Doctor Humfrey told me that he vvould proue to my face before M. Doctor Humfrey M. Kirkby being called before them that I had vttered such vvords as that I vvas sorie that my bookes were published conteinning more vntruth then veritie and that I said I vvould forge no more against the Papists neither in print nor pulpit Vvhich thing vvhen M. Lieutenant heard he had him hold his peace and talke no more thereof By me Iohn Nicols THE SATISFACTION OF LAVRENCE CADDEY TOVCHING his frailties and fall from the Catholike Church at his retorne into England IF there be any Catholicks in England or out of England that heard of my speach or recantation at Paules crosse which was in the yere of our Lord 1581. These are to certifie them that it vvas directly against my conscience and that I vvas neuer of that Religion that then I pretended as God shal saue me at the general day of Iudgement For I will shew plainely and manifestly that of my inward defection from our Mother the Catholick Church there were neuer any effectual causes vvhereby it may most cleerely appeere that invvardly I vvas neuer since my first reconciliation to the Catholick Church an heretick For either I invvardly separated my self from the Catholick Church because I thought some points of the Churches doctrine to be false or for the euel life of the Catholicks For the first although I neuer studied diuinitie but as much as some Cathecumini do and the yonger schollers that are yet in the course of Philosophie or other prophane sciences yet I am not I thanke God so dull of vvit but I can Iudge somewhat of Religion and of the difference betwene the Catholicks and the Protestants by the sermons of learned men which I haue here to fore frequented by the cōuersation I had vvith learned Fathers vvhich daily did expound the harder points of Religion and often did dissolue diuers folish and childish Sophismes of hereticks Whereby I knovv and truly euer since my first conuersion did knovv that euery point of the Catholick religion is conformable to the vvord of God although the hereticks do falsely say that they are grounded vpon the bare traditions of men and to me it is euident that there is no article of the Catholick faith novv called in doubt which may not be proued by diuers places of the scriptures or by most cleere sequell inuincebly deduced and gathered of the same And where the aduersaries say that either the Catholicks do recite places out of the scriptures vvhich are not authētical or els if they do allege places out of the true scriptures that they expound them falsely according to their ovvne fancies I vvas neuer since my first reconcilement so simple or necligent of my saluation as not to see that to be an vsual stale euasion of al old hereticks For this I knovv that Luther that provvde Lucifers Primogenitus or vvhat other singular sectarie soeuer being but one man although he had ben most holy in the sight of men as in deede he vvas most vnholy and vvicked both before God and man ought not to iudge
The cause why I came not to Rhemes was because I was ashamed of my self Your Pacience is greater then my mallice Your wordes proceeding from brotherly charitie do declare with what spirit you are endewed Laurence Caddey vvho deliuered my former letter vnto you hath affirmed the fore said things to be true and that with an other he also can witnes into what speaches I burst forth vvhen I vnderstood this your charitie If it be true M.D. Allen that you haue so great care of my soule that your Reuerence vvould not sticke to trauaile to what place soeuer to saue it do you your endeuour then to saue it For if my soule be saued by your meanes you shall saue your owne soule also as holy writ saith but if I doo perish bodie and soule by your carelessnes and negligence you are to render accompt thereof at the daie of Iudgement I am emprisoned and that worthely and am fedd hitherto more delicatly then I haue deserued I do appeale to your worship and not to the Popes Nunce And if you will promis me by your letters that the faults vvhich I haue by any meanes whatsoeuer committed against any man shal be forgiuen me and that no man shal pursue me to death for the crimes that I haue committed I will come to Rhemes yeld my self into your hands if you deny me this my bloud shal be required at your hands and you shal be the cause of the losse of my soule I esteeme not this transitorie life I am content to dye and that euery daie Oh if I felt once my soule to be endewed with vertue religion staied vpon Gods holie word no man vvould be more glad then I should be Many report that I haue no religion in me and they saie truely in respect of my vvorks for I am ouerwhelmed with many abhominable vices I say thus much haue often said it out of the pulpit That I doo firmely beleeue whatsoeuer is vvritten in the old and new Testament If the Sergants were drawing me to the fire or gallowes I would not beleeue any other thing My life is like a shadowe I crie to you worshipfull Sir and full of charitie out of the prison of Roan to assist me whiles yet I liue If you complaine of my books I will retract that which is false I will shewe the cause vvhy I wrot so I vvill open my mind aboundantly so far as the limites of truth will permit M.D. Allen albeit I haue greuously offended that notwithstanding I commit the care of my soule vnto you I know not vvhat the Pope Cardinals and others in authoritie ar determined to do with me if they thinke it best to take vengeance on me for the iniuries vvhich I haue vniustly donne vnto them the lords will be donne they know where to finde me let them put their designes in execution hardly but for all that I hope better of their charitie Being brought into these distresses I beseech you D. Allen to assist me with counsel and al other works of charitie and you shal thereby heape to your self a treasure in heauen and shall binde me to be yours foreuer I am not obstinate God grauÌ„t I may be sauued after this life I haue written Fare you well and pray for me a greuous sinner for as long as I liue I will hope M.D. Allen render good for euil and by so doing you shal be Christe his disciple For so Christ did so he taught By me Iohn Nichols Englisman your louer POst scriptum The spirit doth fight against the flesh and the flesh against the spirit and for a time the spirit being ouer whelmed with the flood of sinnes doth yeeld vnto the flesh but I hope that the spirit will get the victorie and weaken the force of the flesh God be merciful vnto me Imprisonment is a meanes by which I may finde the way to heauen M. D. Allen helpe me vvith your aduice whiles time is partely because you are a Christian man partly also because you are my country man I reade your bookes and am not weary of reading I haue gained great comfort consolation by reading them I will reade still and will refuse no conference with any Roman Catholik I haue written and novv expecte your fauorable answere as I hope to my saluation 18. Feb. 1583. By me most greuous sinner Iohn Nicols vnvvorthy to liue DOctor Alane contra Papam Cardinales Episcopos quaecunque scripsi scripsi ambitionis causa quae audiueram in Italia de moribus Papae Cardinalium Episcoporum aliorúmque inter agrestes inopes homines literis in Anglia mandaui nullum librum aedidissem Deus est mihi testis nisi Praeses Castri Londinensis me ad scribendum prouocasset Partim tunc temporis grandipromissione delusus partim appetens interituram gloriam a me publicè scripta sunt ea praesertim de moribus Papae Cardinalium Episcoporum totiusque ecclesiastici ordinis quae fama acceperam à viris non fide dignis libertate mihi eo tempore concessa paulo post resipui me nequiter scripsisse Domino Lucae Kirbeoâ—am vita defuncto cum in carceribus detentus fuerat confessus sum Multa scripsi multa feci quae scribere aut facere negaui prorsus antequam Praeses Turris Londinensis saepe minatus sit Grauissimum torquaris tormentum quam acerbam poenam pati meafragilis caro abhorruit Illius igitur inuentionem atque voluntatem executus sum quod imperabat scripsi feci sic locutus sum non ex malitia sed ex impulsu non ex praua voluntate sed ex satanica suggestione Multa scripsi falsò quae scripsisse poenituit me antequam ex Anglia tanquam profugus ob enormia peccata mea quae conscientiae meae magnam inquietem diu noctu iniecerunt discesseram Nun quam in Anglia steti coram Iudice aut alio quouis magistratu taÌ„quam testis coÌ„tra quemuis Catholicum Romanum quando in iudicium vocati sunt ex proposito abfui Londino Papa Cardinales Episcopi alij Catholici Romani in me multa contulerunt beneficia quae ingratitudine recompensaui sed causa ostenditur metus grauissimi supplicij magnifica promissa me à Deo auocauerunt si vos viri dignissimi in eodem periculo versaremini nescio quid faceretis Nihil aliud audire potui in carceribus quam has minas Fac sic aut satellites te ducent torqueri maluissem si dixisset suspendi Non bona res est corpus isto cruciatu longius fieri per duos fere pedes quam natura concedit Narratum est mihi modus torquendi cum audiueram timor horror istiusmodi supplicij me omnino vicit in meaexaminatione Quorum voluit ille Praeses aut sernus illius nomina scribi scripsi Georgius Peccam aeques auratus in Catalogo fuit Papistarum Iudex Southcotus alij multi mihi ignoti ad nomen ad
personam antequam ad castra Londini veneram in meo Catologo suggestu praedictorum locum occupauerunt inter caeteros Romanae religioni addictos Si captus non fuissem cunctis Papistis indicassem interrogaÌ„tibus me causam scribendi talia mendacia in mea examinatione Ego fui scriptor sed Deus scit alios fuisse autores Si mea fragilit as me non excusabit appello ad misericordiam vestram qua munitos esse dicitis ostendite tunc illam pro amore Dei liberate me non vrgeatis me sicut caeteri loqui scribere contr a conscientiam meam postea cernetis sine impulsu quod liberè fatebor veritatem D. Alane grauiter te offendi sed tamen dico quod recumbo in tuam clementiam De religione nihil dico quod scriptura docet nullum excipio librum neque veteris neque noui firmiter credo nihil aliud credam facite mecum quod vultis comburite suspendite interficite decapitate ego idem sum si veritatem noÌ„ habeo Christus est veritas ostendat mihi veritatem aperâ—at oculos meos D. Alane Odovvenus Hoptonus Praeses Castri Londinensis minis iussit vt examinationem iuxta voluntatem illius scriberem Quando nomina Papistarum patefeci quorum quam plurima nomina nunquam ante audiueram eos fautores Papae Reginae Scotorum acerrimos inimicos Regiae Maiestatis virorum à conciliÃs omnium illorum qui defensores sunt religionis quae publicè in Anglia docetur asserere non vererer Et omnes illi de quibus mentio facta est nobiles generosi fuerunt Hoc si à te factum erit Regina promouebit te inuenies me promptissim um fore ad te iuuandum Cuncti proceres te magno prosequuntur amore nihil indigebis Mittam tecum seruum Oxonium ibi sustentaberis centum Marcas singulis annis dabo operam vt adipiscaris sine dubio pingue sacerdotium tibi dabitur Si hoc non praestabis grauissima poena mulct aberis consule tibi igitur Et hanc ob causam partim metu ductus partim adulatione victus hoc in me quadrauit adagium Quid ipse aiebat confirmaui promissum illius iuramento perstrictum fuit Haec quae exaraui adeò vera sunt vt nihil verius Videte homines qua mecum Tragedia vsus est ille Praeses Quamprimum veneram in conspectum D. Odovveni Hopton ductus cum satellite confessus sum me illius religionis fuisse tamen hypocrisi maxima me vti voluit paratus eram in die Dominico istius hebdomadae qua captus eram in ecclesiam venire mea sponte tamen iussit vt apparerem reluctari seruus illius iussus fuit trahere me ad ecclesiam quasi inuitus fuissem ex his paucis colligite plura De bulla affix a parietibus Rhemis hoc noÌ„ audeo consirmare sed ita fama volauit inter alummos Papae in Collegio Anglicano Romae sito vtrum ista excommunicationis bulla contrae nostram â—eginam Elizabetham renouata fuit ex integro impressa Romae prorsus ignoro sed ignoscite mihi quae tali modo temere falso scripsi feci Quae literis mandantur me libera sponte sine compulsione vlla vt conscientiam meam liberam redderem in praesentia Gulielmi Iohnson Georgij Robinson mand at a sunt in carcere Rothomagensi in die Sabbati 19. Februarij An. 1583. Ioannes Nicolaus DOctor Allen what things soeuer I haue written against the Pope Cardinals and Bishops I wrote them through ambition and such things as I printed in England touching the manners of the Pope Cardinals Bishops I had heard them in Italie of peisantes and poore men I had neuer published any booke God is my witnes if the Lieutenant of the Tower of London had not prouoked me to write for I vvas partly deluded at that time vvith great promises partly also pricked forward with desire of vaine glorie Such things haue ben vvritten by me pubickly cheefly touching the manners of the Pope Cardinals Bishops and of the vvhol Clergie vvhich I had by report of men of no credit But as sone as I had obteined my libertie incontinent I amended my former fault and coÌ„fessed to M. Luck Kirby novv executed but then a prisoner that I had vvritten very lewdly I wrote many things I did many things the which I vtterly denied either to write or to do before that the Lieutenant of the Tovver threatened me and that often to rack and torment me vvhich greuous punishmentes my fraile flesh did abhorre And therefore I did but execut his vvill and inuention Whatsoeuer he commaunded that I wrot that I did so I spake not of mallice but by constraint not of euell vvill but of deuellish suggestion I vvrote many things falsly and it repented me that euer I vvrote them before I departed out of England as a runnegate for my enormeous sinnes vvhich vexed and disquieted my conscience daie and night excedingly I neuer appeered before any Iudge or other officer in England as a vvitnes against any one Romane Catholick in so much that vvhen they vvere araigned I absented my self from London of purpose The Pope the Cardinals the Bishops and other Catholick Romanes haue bestovved many benefits vpon me and I haue requited them vvith ingratitude but I haue shewed the cause feare of greuous punishement and magnificall promises withdrew me cleene from God If you vvorthie men had ben in the like danger I knovv not what you vvould haue doÌ„ne I could heare nothing els vvhiles I vvas in prison but these threates Do so or els the Officers shal carry-thee to be racked I had leuer he had said to bee hanged It is an euel thing to haue my bodie by these tortures to be made two foote longer then euer God made it They recompted vnto me the manner and order of racking vvhich vvhen I heard the feare and horror of this kinde of punishement did quite ouercome me in mine examination I vvrote dovvne into my booke the names of such as the Lieutenant or his seruant vvould haue me write Sir George Peckam knight vvas in the rovvle of the Papists Iudge Suthcot and many other whose names and personnes vvere vnknovvne to me before I came to the tovver occupied a rome in my rovvle among the rest that vvere addicted to the Roman religion and that by the suggestion of the forenamed If I had not ben apprehended I vvould haue answered all Papists that vvould haue asked me for vvhat cause I vvrote so many lies in my examination That I vvas the writer in deede but God knovveth other men vvere the Authors If my frailtie vvill not excuse me I appeale to your mercie vvhere with you say you are fenced shevv it then and for the loue of God set me at libertie afterwards you shall see that I vvill confesse the truth freely vvithout all
grauem virum in quibus famam honorem Collegij Anglorum multiplici mendacio conuitio calumnia detractione grauissima laesit dicens praedictum Collegium docere committere omnia mala quod viderit oculis suis continuo in Collegio fieri quae nimis sunt dictu turpia horrenda vt ita falcissima calumnia patres societatis Iesu qui illud Collegium Romae regunt ipsorum discipulos collegij alumnos infamia notari Quantum ad sextum hoc respōdeo Istiusmodi literas scripsi sed superbia animus cupiens in Anglia promoueri ad scribendum me duxit Et quantum ad Collegium Rhemense hoc dico quod plus ex malitia quam ex veritate dixi sic alterum Collegium quod est Romae falsò à me accusatum est Et de Doctore Alano in conscientialoquor nihil aliud scio aut audiui quam innocentiam sua religione excepta 7 Praeterista periurij crimen ipsum incurrisse probabimus non solum ex eo quod post publicam solemnem voluntariam haereseon abiurationem Romae ante quadriennium factam relapsus sit in abiuratas haereses sed ex eo quod interposito tureiurando promiserit cum Collegij Romani alumnus esset se suscepturum sacros ordines in Angliam profecturu ad propagandum fidem Catholicam quandocunque à superioribus id esset sibi mandatum Quod promissum iureiurando confirmatum iam ipse eum ing enti scandalo irritum fecit Ad septimum articulum respondeo Illum articulum esse verum incurri periurium quia Romae vixi vt hypocrita nunquam existens in religione Cathelicae Romana praesertim corde 8 Porro obiicimus illi quod Pontificem dolo male fraudauerit quando sub pretextu aduersae valetudinis quod aërem Romanum ferre non potuerit petiit à sua Sanctitate veniam eundi ad Collegium Rhemense vt ibi studia prosequeretur sacerdotium susciperet in eum finem postulans accipiens à sua Sanctitate 50. aureos cum ille accepta per fraudem hac pecunia recte profectus est in Angliam Ad octauum articulum respondeo me defraudasse Papam 25. aureor um quos mihi dedit in via viatici vt Rhemos peruenirem sed Rhemos non veni recta in Angliam profectus sum Ob omnes praedictos articulos sic à me Ioanne Nicolao concessos dolor magnus me tenet sub pedibus cuiusque quem sic malitiosè grauiter offendi me ipsum prosterno subiicio Deus scit animo euadendi fortunatus promotionibus quam desiderio veritatem loquendi ductus Deus sit mihi misericors propitius ignoscat mihi pariter cum illis quos sic temere impieo ffendi Peto vt omnes illi qui per me offensi sunt pro amore Christi tantae iniuriae immerito illis illatae obliuiscantur partim hanc tetigi culpam Satanae suggestu partim quod multilaudauerunt ea quae sic impudenter scripseram Per me Ioannem Nicolaum Anglum 1 WEe doo accuse Iohn Nicols first for that he made infamous libels and set them downe in print against Princes publicks persones and Colledges vvhich infamous libels came to the handes of many in his most Christian Maiesties Dominions and haue blemished the good name of many a man I Iohn Nicols Protestant the xx of February An. Domini 1583. doo answere as followeth That I meane to do nothing for feare nor fauor as touching the first article I confesse that it is a truth that I am accused of 2 In these bookes he doth accuse falsely and slanderously many Cardinals by name of most filthie crimes obiecting vnto them vvhoredonne and most wicked acts and that of meere mallice against the sacred function As touching the second I confesse that I wrot so but vpon the report of levvde persons 3 In the same vvritings he dooth accuse sediciously and reprochfully the Popes holynes of iniustice theste roberye and al iniquitie naming certen roberies particularly vvhich he hath fained him to commit To the third article I agree that I haue written so but of ambition and mallice but euen as I haue receiued by reporte that the Pope did somevvhat as is vvritten of him by me of men that sauored not his proceedings which things aftervvard vpon better aduisemēt I did not nor do allovve 4 In his foresaid bookes he hath accused most holy and innocent men most vniustly and as him self confessed aftervvards most falsely of treason and conspiracie against their princes persone so that through his and his companions false witnes many that is to saie xij most religious men or more were put to most cruel death And vve desire you to enquire of him vvhether he falsly accused them of his ovvne mallice or induced therevnto by others and vvhat they vvere that therevnto induced him To the fourth thus I answere that I alvvaies denied to bring forth any euidence against any one persone that suffered in England for religion but I insinuated in my booke that diuers in the College at Rome vvished the death of the Queene and diuers others as is specified in that booke and in that article I added more then truth is And as cōcerning the names of honorable personages as my Lord of Leycester my Lord Burleigh Sir Frauncys Vvalzingham c. which men I neuer heard accused or threatened by any of the College but vvere for ambition and preserment sake forged 5 He hath falsly and maliciously accused the English College now by his maiesties fauor residēt in Rhemes that they did publish in Rhemes the Bull that Pius V. set forth against the Queene of England and that they did fasten it vpon the gates and vvals of that citie by occasion of which wicked lye slaunder the studentes of that College did incure the highe indignation of their Queene As touching the fifth article this I saie that by light reporte of the yonger studentes I reported in my booke that the Bull of Pius V. was renued by the Pope Gregorie the thirteenth vvas fixed vpon the posts at Rhemes vvhich thing I knew asvvel as the infant of one daies age 6 And novv of late being here in Fraunce he vvrote not ten daies since open letters to a certain graue man in vvhich letters he did vvith many a lie reproche slaunder and greeuous detraction empaire the good fame and honor of the English College saying that the foresaid College dooth teach and commit al euels and that he hath seene vvith his eies that to be dōne continually in that college which are horrible things to filthie to be spoken so that by this most false slaunder he dooth defame both the fathers of the societie of Iesus vvhich gouuerne that College at Rome as also their schollers the studentes of that colledge As touching the sixth article this I ansvvere that I wrote such a letter but of pride a minde to
scriptures to be authentical or not authentical by his owne priuate vnconstant and variable spirit and refuse the Iudgement of the Church and General Councel vvhich determineth such things by the spirit of truth promised by Christs expresse vvord and so cleerely testified in scriptures to abide vvith the same to th' end of the vvorld And in truth it vvas a note sure enough for me to confirme my self in my forefathers faith and to condemne in my conscience the contrary sect of the Protestants that I heard by men of full credit howsoeuer th' English sectaries vvrith and vvrangled in the matter of late to saue their honesties that one heretick as Luther by his spirit denieth some bookes that our Caluinists accept to be Gods word by the iudgement of their spirit and I savv it plainely by mine owne late experience of them that they receiue and condemne admit or repell euen as they thinke good for the vantage of the cause and as may best serue for the defence of their deuellish doctrine Wherein truly I say for the reuerend respect and honotable dealing with the diuine booke of Gods word not withstanding the aduersaries pretending al reuerence towards the scriptures and tedious vaunting talking and tossing of them the Catholicks yet do so farre passe them in Religious keeping preseruing interpreting translating alleaging al other vse of holy vvrit as the true owner and occuper of any thing passeth the theefe and vsurper I beleeue it and haue had experience of it in both sides and therefore I speake it For the second that is th' exposition of scriptures I knew it was the property of al hereticks to abuse wrest and vvring them to vvhatsoeuer them selues list and particularly to the priuate sence of euery secte maister ech one for his owne erronious doctrine and the condemnation of his fellowes I haue heard vvith mine owne eares and seene vvith mine owne eyes that the scriptures sound al for Luther and against the Sacramentaries in Germany and in England and some other places al the Bible is at Caluins and Bezas beck and soundeth vvhatsoeuer they say against not onely the Catholicks or Lutheranes but against their ovvne booke of common praier actes and iniunctions published by authoritie the Puritanes there hauing reconced aboue an hundreth and sortie errors in th' English seruice against the scriptures vvhich I noted in the time of my being in England especially in London and Cambridge aswel the writers Preachers Readers and Disputers as most other schollers and prentises be puritanes condemning by Gods word that same seruice administration vvhich them selues daily resort vnto For vvhich who soeuer shall reade the writings of M. Vvhittakers or the disputes of Fulke Charke Vvalker and such other Ministers lately had in the Tower they shal find my vvords and obseruation true and shall see many points of puritanisme decided by them by coulor of scriptures against their ovvne authorized seruice all those things set out by authoritie I neede not stand to tell you now the Lutheranes expound this notorious text Hoc est corpus meum so farre othervvise then the Zuinglians and Caluinists that they haue prooued these by Gods expresse vvord hereticks and these them for the reciproke plaine carnal men and Idolaters both th' one and th' other vvrithing the sacred words to their owne erronious and damnable sect against the proper nature and plaine sense vvhich the letter the circumstance the conference of places the auncient fathers Councels and the vvhole Church expresly setteth downe Vvith this I haue marked that the Sectaries of our countrey and al other places being singular vaine-glorious louers of them selues and cherisers of their ovvne fantasies seeke for nothing but nouelties and in th' exposition of scriptures to finde out that which neuer neither foole nor wiseman found out before them and al this vvith a ridiculous boast of euery mans seuerall spirit gifte and knowledge vvhich to me and others that see their liues and learning and partly know their intention is a straunge case Hovv soeuer it be their exposition so nevv so improbable so inconstant so various so farre differing from the commeÌ„taries of al the fathers passing al these men in al grace and knowlege from the general Councels that not by particular fansie of a few but by vniforme consent of the most learned in the vvorld haue by Gods vvord truly through th' assistance of the holy Ghost vnderstood defined these things to our hands this consideration I say of their vngodly behauiour towards the holy scriptures the glorious Doctors the vniuersall Church of al ages and nations of which by my late being among them I haue enformed my self better then euer I could haue doÌ„ne by reading of bokes or here say hath fortified my faith against them I trust in God during life But because I professe not in this breif satisfactioÌ„ to dispute of the matter or arrogate to my self any profound knowlege in these things I for this point say no more but this that if I had ben partly bent to heresie when I vvent into EnglaÌ„d as I was not I speake it as before God the more I had ben coÌ„uersant with the ProtestaÌ„ts yea with the learnedsts amoÌ„gst theÌ„ the soner should I haue ben reclaimed froÌ„ that heresie For in other things though I may bouldly saie they haue the gifts of the mind as plentifully as any nation yet in diuinitie specially in these controuersies they are so bewitched that through the common malady of heresie vvhich by Gods iust iudgement of sinne and for saking th' obedience of his Church is euer ioyned vvith pitifull darkenes of vnderstanding especially in such as brag most of the light that when they bring but Sophismes to proue their religion they both thinke and bouldly aduouch that they are demoÌ„strations But here they wil exclaime after their manner and say they bring places of scripture wil charge me that I cal the scriptures Sophismes No God forbid for that were blasphemie but I call the false and childish exposition or the place either by false translation or exposition wrested a Sophisme the vvhich may sone be espied of him that hath any iudgement or common sense especially if God hath lightened his vnderstanding by the doctrine of the Catholick Church Besides if I had fauored heresies this would haue reuoked me to see some of those that on this side the scas were both counted know to be void of all good gifts and qualities of the minde not capable of any science yet at their retorne home to be admitted to be publick preachers and their vvords being nothing but knowne forgeries blasphemous lyes to be compted â—s Oracles and conclusions deduced out of th'expresse vvord of the Lord as they speke in our countrey One saith very vvisely of Aristotle that he vsed hard and difficult termes in Philosophie to driue awaie from the reading of his bookes those that vvere simple and vnlearned lest saith he Omnia
harpiarum more immundo contactu conspurcarent that is to say lest they should diminish and abase the reuerēd maiestie of philosophie by their foolish and doting expositions How soeuer it is in that facultie of Philosophie sure it is that the written vvord of God is full of profound mysteries yet is confidently bouldly and malepertly expounded now in England as vvel priuatly at euery table and tauerne as in the pulpits and common assemblies of simple and vnlearned artificers so that the lay people prentises especially and yong schollers assone as they can bid Caesar good morrow in Greeke or reade th' English Testamēt yea the women dare presume to dispute with the Clergie of the cheefest points of Religion and bouldly condemne the cheefest clercks in the vvorld Is not this I pray you a great abasing of th'excellēcie of the vvord of God surely if I had fauored heresies this would haue ben a sufficiēt motiue to haue reuoked me I could bring many moe strong reasons to this purpose but because I am a yong nouice in learning and because I thinke this vvhich I haue brought will suffice to proue that there vvas no cause of my invvard defection in respect of my particular knowledge I vvil here end this first point For the second that I had no cause to seperate my self from the Catholick church for the euel life of the Catholicks and to come to be a Protestant for their holynes I vvil shew it manifestly and yet no great profe vvil be loked for at my hands therein First suppose the Catholicks liued very euel as ill as their aduersaries purposely to deceiue the people faine them to do if I thinke the Religion to be good their euel life should neuer cause me to for sake it if a man should measure truth faith by the elle of vertu and innocencie in the professors follovvers of any sort in mans frailtie miserie of this life God should haue no people nor part in this world al being subiect to sin and danger in this mortal state But surely if wee should docide the matter by the difference of life behauiour and conuersation of both sides I vvere vvorse then an asse to determine for the Protestants against the Catholicks amongest whom the first Professors vvere Saincts and the cheef leaders and teachers aftervvard most holy and al these follovvers though fraile and sinfull men yet finding remedy by the medicinable Sacraments penaunce and discipline of the Church for their daily offences Where contrary vvise the very first authors of this Protestancy Luther Caluin Beza and the like or as them selues call them the restorers reformers of Religion vvere not onely vulgarly nought but of notorious infamous wicked life as their Ministers be in al coūtreies and their zelous followers not good in any place specially in Englād where they haue notoriously betraied their false faith by their foule fruicts Yea and vvhere it is knowne that their doctrine it self hath só altered to the vvorse al kinde of States and that their pulpits are nothing els but a schoole of sinne licentiousnes lust and liberty that al wisemen wonder at it and good men lament the case Who knoweth not that vertue deuotion godly life it self is bourthenous and hateful to the Protestants so far surely that they seeke as I haue seene not onely to abolish deface and destroy the bookes now or of ould written for defence and proofe of the Catholick faith which they may do vpon some pretence of errors conteined in the same but they burne vp al godly treatises and bookes of contemplation meditation and instruction of Christian life and manners conteining no dispute of religion at al as long sith they vsed a deuout treatise of the life and Immitation of Christ and now of late they openly burned a number of the bookes of prayer and meditation of prayer made by Levves of Granado together with the new Testament Assure your selues that they cānot abide such bookes of al others knowing that deuout praier onely penaunce and amendement of life vvill easily bring men from their pretēded Religion in which no such deuotions are found Neither if you marke vvell shall you euer finde that the learned of the Protestants writ or treat of any such argument al their doings are in pugnis verborum in strife emulation contention contradiction destruction They stand vpon quick dispatch and attribute al to Christ his passion without ether much meditation of it or conforming them selues vnto it Finally they haue turned the grace of Christ into carnal lust and licence To see these things which in England are so open and euident not so much profound learning is requisite as due consideration and some experience of other places vvhich if our Gentlemen students and others ether of the ynnes of Court or vniuersities or of what other place or calling soeuer might haue as diuers by trauelling ouer the seas to ether of the Seminaries or other Catholick schooles haue happely proued they should see vvhat difference of life manners education and behauiour there is betwixt the one and th' other This one thing I dare be bould to say for the Seminary of Rome where I most liued in mine absence from my countrey which therefore I knew best and vvhich the vvicked calumniators haue most sought to slaūder the youthes and students al there be as vertuous as any be in Christendome And let both Oxford and Cambrige giue me one such for hollynes of life and conuersation so long as they be there vnder the Protestants regiment as there be a number in the said Seminary and I promis you I vvill say in S. Peters in Rome al that I said at Paules crosse in London Not vvithstanding as I said al euel life maketh not nor proueth one to be an heretick for I am an offendor as other men and perhaps the cheef of many sinners but I haue found remedy mercie saluation in the Church in vvhich onely the holie Passion of Christ the cause of al remission is profitable and out of the same nothing but damnation though mans life seeme neuer so iuste and holy For this his blessed passions sake I trust he vvill nether now remember the sinnes of my youth nor this my exterior reuolt from his holy Church vvhich I professe as before to haue ben of frailtie against mine owne conscience and knowlege God that knoweth al things knoweth that I did it not for any liking I had of the Protestants either life or religion knowing both to be starke nought onely the Diuel by false and subtil persuasions vvas the cause of my outward defection First I had a seruent desire to see my parents and freends and because I vvas afraid they neither durst nor vvould receiue me for seare of the statuts I thought it good to play the hypocrite if that may be called hypocrisie to put on the habit and resemblance of wickednes with the Bishop of London that is to faine