Heauen and not in the Pix was counted heresie and for that cause men were called before your Clergie and branded to the slaughter Our stories are full of examples out of your owne Registers that reading of Scriptures was accounted heresie not to stand vpon many vnder Longland Bishop of Lincolne Agnes Welles was conuented and amongst other things examined whether Thurstan did euer teach her the Epistle of S. Iames or the Epistles of S. Peter and S. Paul in English Thomas Earle was likewise chaeged for hearing the Epistle of S. Same 's read in English Agnes Ashford of Chesham for teaching Iames Norden certaine sentences of Scripture as Teend ye not a candle and put it vnder a bushell but set it on a candlesticke that it may giue light to all in the house such like To Robert Pope Iohn Morden and his wife was obiected that they recited the tenne commandements in English To Iohn Phips was obiected that he was very ripe in the Scriptures Ienkin Butler appeached Iohn Butler his owne brother for reading to him in a certaine booke of the Scripture and perswading him to hearken to the same what should I stand to number vp any more which vnder this one Bishopâ— for reading them selues or hearing read some part of the Gospels Acts or any the Epistles or Reuelation were called into question of life The like proceeding was vsed by other Bishops and namely by Tunstall then Bishop of London before whom many were conuented for that holy heresy of reading the Scriptures In number of whom one going to be burned for an heretike and seeing the booke of the Reuelation bound to the stake to be burnt with him which happely he had diligently read being thereto moued with that sentence Blessed is he that readeth and they that heare the words of this prophecie spake with a lowde voice these words O blessed Reuelation how well is it with mee that I shall be burnt with thee Infinite such examples might be shewed not onely in our owne countrie but in forraine kingdomes I will alleadge onely one example of a godly Bookeseller of Auignion in France The Bishop of Aix with other Prelates passing through the streets euerie one leading his Minion vpon his arme and buying vp such filthie pictures and rimes as were then to be sold they came where there was a Bookeseller setting out French and Latine Bibles to saile at which sight they being much moued said to the Booke-seller darest thou be so hardie to set out such marchandise to sell here in this Towne Dost thou not know that such bookes are forbidden To whom the Booke-seller answered is not the holy Bible as good as these goodly pictures that ye haue bought for these Gentlewomen Which speech so offended the Bishop of Aix that he brast forth into these words I renounce my part of Paradice if this be not a Lutheran So commaunding him to be apprehended he was by the Prelates attendants most despitefully handled some crying out a Lutheran a Lutheran to the fire with him to the fire with him some beating him with their fistes some pulling him by the beard others by the haire that the poore man was all embrued in blood before he came to the prison The next morning being brought before the Iudges in the presence of the Prelats the selling of bibles in French was laide to his charge he was asked whether he knew not the Bible to be forbidden in all christendome saue onely in Latine To which he answered that he knew the contrarie and that he had sold many Bibles in the French tongue with the Emperors Priuiledge with other words reprouing their forbidding of Gods most holy bookes which he ordained for the instructing of the ignorant and for the reducing againe into the way such as haue gone astray the charitable Prelates cried out haue him to the fire without any more words the Iudge yet paused willing him to acknowledge those Prelates to be true Pastors of the Church which he denying that he could doe with a good conscience sith they reiected the holy bookes of God he was immediatly condemned to be burned and the selfe same day executed and for a signe and token of the cause of his condemnation he carried to the place of his execution two Bibles hanged about his necke and so exhorting the people to read the Scriptures he was for this cause onely cruelly put to death Who then can doubt but that the Romish Clergie are the true heires and successors of those cruell Tyrants Antiochus Dioclesian Maximinus c. Who like them haue burned in the fire not only the Scriptures of God but also the bodies of them that read therein and that to them it may be applied that which is written in the Machabees The bookes of the law which they found they burnt in the fire and cut in peeces Whosoeuer had a booke of the Testament found by him or who soeuer consented vnto the law the kings commandement the Bishops may we say was they should put him to death by their authoritie I had thought this gentleman had runne himselfe out of breath in charging me with lies and fictions but now follow foure more saith he but I say his loude quadruple lye shall cleare and discharge me of all The first is that I say Ignorance was held by them to be the Mother of Deuotion a strange accusation and grieuous slaunder no doubt to charge those men with nourishing the people in ignorance whom all the world knoweth to haue vsed strange meanes to bring them to knowledge For what meant they by the costly setting vp of many faire and well guilded Images in Churches Was it not that they might be laye mens bookes and by reading on them they might attaine knowledge What Pius the fift goodman was he not most carefull the people might be edified when as it is written in his high commendation in a procession he was not carried on mens shoulders as Popes vsed to be but he went on foote to the great edifying of the people Now if the Pope will vouchsafe to goe on foote to the end to edifie the people thereby how can it be thought he would haue them bread in ignorance But Sir if you will not forceablie writhe and wrest my proposition to extend it to ignorance absolutely but vnderstand it as it is euident to be meant of the ignorance of the Scriptures yourselfe I hope will free me from any fiction herein and will acknowledge that Doctor Fulke doth iustly charge your Rhemists who setting forth the new Testament in English if that which is pestered with so many obscure words may be called an English translation and yet excusing themselues for being of that erronious opinion that the Scriptures should be alwaies in our mother tongue or that they ought or were ordeyned by God to be read indifferently of all That Doctor Fulke I say doth iustly charge them that they are afraide
to giue ouer their olde impudent proposition That ignorance of the Scriptures is the mother of Popish deuotion For what meant the so strict forbidding to laye men the reading of the Scriptures in the vulgar tongue but that their deuotion should not growe of the knowledge but of the ignorance of the Scriptures flat contrarie to our Sauiours commandement giuen to the vnlearned multitude of the Iewes Search the Scriptures for in them you thinke to haue eternall life and they are they that testifie of me where the reason annexed to the Commandement sheweth to whom the Commaundement appertaineth euen to as many as it concerneth to seeke after eternall life and to know Iesus Christ and him crucified which is the laytie no lesse then the Cleargie contrarie also to the Apostles exhortation to the Colossians being laye men Let the word of Christ dwell plenteously in you Whereupon Chrisostome noteth Audite seculares omnes comparate vobis biblia animae Pharmaca c. Heare you secular or laye men euery one get vnto you Bibles the Phisicke of your Soule if you will nothing else at the least get you Testaments the epistles of Paul the Gospels the Actes to be daily and diligent instructors to you In a word contrarie to the spirite of the same Apostle in the Epistle to the Hebrewes who reproueth them that they were like vnto Children and vnexpert in the word of righteousnes whereas they ought to haue their wits exercised therein But ignorance of the Scriptures better pleaseth you in the people and shall leade them to such deuotion as maketh more for your aduantage Hence hath growne your deuice of fides Implicita a faith wrapped and folded vnder the obedience of the Church namely that it is sufficient though they knowe not distinctly what they ought to beleeue but obediently submit their vnderstanding to the Church beleeuing as the Church beleeueth though what the Church beleeueth they knowe not This Carbonaria fides is highly commended by Cardinall Hossius who farther teacheth the simple laye man that he should thinke it went very well with him if he could say by heart the Lords praier the Articles of beliefe and the ten Commaundements though he knew not the meaning of the words As for other knowledge if any asked him a question hee should answere that hee did beleeue the Catholike Church And this ignorance of the Scriptures as a fruitfull mother hath brought forth many a blinde daughter of gainfull deuotion to your kitchin what greater deuotion was either then esteemed to be or indeed what acte more for your aduantage then the building of Monasteries and Nunneries and the endowing them with great lands and reuenues And this deuoute daughter mother Ignorance of the Scriptures brought forth which as for the most part they were builded by Kings and great States vpon some great murder either by wane in the field or priuately committed at home so the cause was as in stories may be seene Pro remedio animae meae pro remissione redemptione peccatorum meorum c. For the reliefe of my soule for the redemption and forgiuenes of my sinnes c. Which blasphemous derogation to the death and passion of Christ Iesus the knowledge of the Scriptures would haue quicklie discouered Yea how Deuotion hath been separated from knowledge not in your laye people alone but in your Priests too whilest deuotion hath been so tyed to their daily saying of their Maâ—tins and euensong which without deadly sinne they may not leaue vnsayd whiles in the meane time they vtterly cast aside the Apostles commaundement Giue attendance to reading exhortation and doctrine in the answer of Iohn Lambert to the 25. Article to him obiected may partly appeare I will onely adde this one testimonie that by the confession of some of your owne coate which haue made any conscience of their carriageâ— may appeare how carefullie your deuoutest Fryers haue been to couple knowledge with their imagined deuotion Franciscus Sampson generall of the order of the Friers Franciscans reprouing both their ignorance and carelesnes hath these words Pratres mei dilectissimi à primordio nostrae Religionis floruit conscientia c. My beloued brethren in the beginning of our Religion there flourished conscience but our beauty by little little sliding away the first sillable was taken away and there remained Scientia science or knowledge but now our sinnes so deseruing the first sillable is againe taken away and we remaine Pura entia stipites statuae meere things which haue a being euen very stockes and blockes To adde further proofe in a case so manifest were to light a candle at noone day yet this I will adde ex abundanti If publike praier in the Church and congregation of the faithfull be a chiefe and principall part of Deuotion made you not Ignorance the mother of their Deuotion when as ye would not allow their publike praiers in a tongue that the people vnderstoode Yea your Cardinall Hossius vseth this reason to proue that the Church seruice should be in the Latine tongue rather then the vulgar because saith he since some vsed the vulgar and knowne tongue in Church seruice Deuotion hath not onely not been increased but diminished And our Countrey man but the Popes Champion D. Stapleton in an English booke that he writeth against Bishop Iuel confidently affirmeth that Deuotion is not furthered but hindered by a tongue that is vnderstoode In a word D. Cole Deane of Paules and one chosen not onely to maintaine the Papists assertions against the Protestants in the disputation at Westminster but appointed by the Bishops and other his Colleagues to be the mouth for them all whose speech in the end they all being asked did auow to be the mind and saying of them all euen he in that honorable assemblie of the Councell and Nobles and frequent concourse of the Commons did with great vehemencie maintaine this proposition in these words I say Ignorance is the mother of Deuotion And so Sir Encounterer you must be forced to take it both for a maxime minime though minimè tibi placet to confesse a truth The second fayned position wherewith it pleaseth this deepe Clerke to charge me is because I say your Syde holdeth that it is not for lay men to meddle in matters of Religion c. And for this after your olde railing fashion you charge me with subtiltie and impudencie my subtiltie you say I shew in this word meddle which may either signifie that lay men must not determine or define of matters of Religion or else not to meddle or care for Religion at all And surely Sir though I may giue you good leaue to take it in which fence you will for in the former sence you will not deny but that euen Princes are restrained to doe any thing in causes of Religion within their own dominions without
King of a great part of his Subiects and in the Realme doth gleane out another Realme to himselfe yea challengeth to haue power to depose the Prince Againe the auncient Lawes of the Realme were hereby made to stand for cyphers the Lawes of the Realme will haue a Priest for debt to bee sued before a temporall Iudge but the Popes Lawe commeth and crieth the contrarie Patrones by the Lawes of the Realme should giue Benefices but the Popes Lawe setteth them besides All the dangerous consequences threatned to this Realme by that match it is not my purpose to set downe I will onelie adde a fewe verses made long since concerning that marriage by which the Reader may partlie see what is to be iudged of it Regi non Regi nupsit non nupserat Angla est Non Angla est grauida est non grauida est grauius est Parturit atque parit sic vos voluistis ouantes Nil tamen illa parit sic voluit dominus Duxerat ad paucos menses mox deserit idem Sponsa est mox vidua est sic voluit Dominus Irrita frustrentur semper sic vota malorum Perniciem patriae qui voluere suae A King she matcht yet not a King scant doe her married call English she is not English yet great not with childe at all She breedes and beareth in her wombe as ye triumph and braue Yet brings no childe into the world euen so the Lord would haue Philip a few moneths married her then leaues her with great speede A wife she is a widow straight the Lord had so decreed Euen so confounded be th' attempts of wicked Papists all Which of their natiue Countrie seele the ruine and the fall Now I come to the great fume and chafe of this hot Encounterer for that I say the Recusants cannot professe more loue and loyaltie to the Queene that now is then did Gardiner Boner and Tunstal to her noble Father and Brother which they did confirme by Printed bookes for Gardiner in his booke de vera obedientia c. where like a graue States-man and another Nestor hee takes vpon him to taxe mee either with ignorance in the matters of our owne Realme or with forwardnes to tell vntruthes His allegations are two the first that Gardiners booke de vera obedientia was written for feare of the Kings violent proceeding or not being well instructed perhaps in the controuersie of the Supremacie and that shaken with the frailtie of humane infirmitie hee shrunke with Saint Peter But he may remember that first Gardiner with sundrie others did take a voluntarie and solemne oath against the Pope as by the copie thereof yet extant may appeare wherein he sweareth purely of his owne voluntarie accord and absolutelie in the word of a Bishop c. Then he stayeth not heare but writeth his booke de vera obedientia for the Kings and against the Popes Supremacie which hee professeth to doe with long and mature deliberation and Boner in his preface before that booke perswadeth the reader to esteeme Gardiners censure and authoritie to be of more weightie credence in as much as the matter was not rashlie and at all aduentures but with iudgement and wisedome examined and discussed saying that a man may rightly call him Fabius that with his aduised taking of leasure restored the matter The second allegation is that for King Edwards Raigne it is a flat fable and fiction that I tell of Bishop Gardiners following the sway also of that time Gentle Sir Encounterer did not Gardiner againe in the Raigne of King Edward take a solemne oath against the Popes vsurped authoritie and subscribed to the Kings lawfull Supremacie 〈◊〉 in causes Ecclesiasticall within his owne Realme Yea did he not before King Edward flatlie preach against the Popes Supremacie as also against Images Ceremonies Munkeries Chauntries c. Therefore doe no more blasphemouslie compare Saint Peterâ— fall to Gardiners dissimillationâ— Saint Peter denied vpon the suddenâ— and within few houres 〈◊〉 Gardiner sware solemnly preached publikelie and wrote vpon long and aduised 〈◊〉 and so continued many yeares till 〈…〉 authoritie 〈◊〉 another course Concerning his sermon made at Paules Crosse vpon this text surgereâ— It is time for vs now to arise from 〈◊〉 I shall neede little to answere because it 〈◊〉 concerneth my former booke but how firâ—â—e soeuer your wisdomâ— thinketh that the time since King Henrie shaking of the Popes tirannie might be compared to a sleepe and the resuming of the Pope withall his wares to be an awaking yet what more like might then Poperie and the liuing 〈◊〉 vnto a sleepeâ—â— For as darkenes coâ—ereth all things in the night and men cannot walke safelie for want of light so Ignorance preuaileth in Popâ—â—â—e and the people are misled therein so that they cannot see which way they ought to walke because they are not permitted to exercise themselues in the Word which is a lanterne to our feete and a light vnto our steps and as in sleepe the hungrie man dreameth that he careth but when he awaketh his soule is emptie so in Poperâ—e the people being fed with mens traditions thinke themselues in good plight but when they are truelie wakened as Ionah by Gods spirite they perceiue that they were hunger-starued for want of the true foode of their soule the word of God In stead of all which large comparison of those times of King Henrie and King Edward to a sleepe and commending the Bishops wisdome for the choice of so fit a text I will set by way of opposition another euigilate or caueat to awake made to the Pope and his Clergie long before the profounde Sermon of this youâ—â— Bishop euen in the time of Henrie the fourth called the A.B.C. AWake ye ghostlie persons awake awake Both Priest Pope Bishop and Cardinall Consider wiselie what waies that ye take Daungerouslie being like to haue a fall Euery where the mischiefe of you all Farre and neere breaketh out very fast God will needes be reuenged at the last How long haue ye the world captiued In sore bondage of mens traditions Kings and Emperours you haue depriued Lewdly vsurping their chiefe possessions Much miserie you make in all Regions Now your fraudes be almost at the last cast Of God sure to be reuenged at last Poore people to oppresse you haue no shame Quaking for feare of your bloudie tyrannie Rightfull Iustice you haue put out of frame Seeking the lust of your God the Bellie Therefore â—â—dâ—re you holdlie ceâ—tifie Very little though you be thereof agast Yet God will be reuenged at the last But to looke backe a little vpon this famous Sermon in the long narratioÌ„ that you set down by occasion of this Sermon I must examine some few points wherin either this Proctor belieth the Bishop or the Bishop the King And first if it be true that he affirmeth that King Henrie the eight appointed Gardiner to be one of the sixteene Counsellors in his
though I will not burst out into any impatience as considering more what is fit for me to speake then for him to heare yet I hold that in the grieuous accusation of flatterie I ought not to be silent Therefore I allow it not onely for wittie but worthie to be imbraced for truth that which you alleadge concerning flatterers I hold the answere to the question no lesse true in the whole then in part The question was What beasts were most perilous And the answere is Of all wilde-beastes a Tyrant of tame-beastes a flatterer and if you can as easily free such as you seeke with might and maine to defend from the iust imputation of tyranny as I shall be able to cleare my selfe from any the least intention to flatter you shall doe more then euer any could doe for them before Antisthenes is reported to be wont to say he had rather haue rauens resort to his house then flatterers yeelding this reason that rauens do but pray vpon the carcasse being dead but flatterers deuoure both bodie and soule aliue To enterprise the enumeration of great States and Princes through flatterers vtterly ruinated were to vndertake an endles labour but as the verse hath Blanditiae plusquam dira venena nocent Sugred and sweet flatterâ—â—â—â—â—teth more Then deadly poyson thâ—â—gh thou drink great store So were it not hard to â—hew more seigniories and kingdomes subuerted by secret flatterie then by open hostilitie by how much the more earnestly I beseech the Lord that if her Maiesties Court cannot be altogether free from flatterers who as burres doe commonly hang vpon the sleeues of Princes yet by her princely wisedome she may alwaies espie them and finde them out saying as the Philosopher is reported that was Nephew to Plato Define adulari nihil enim proficis cum te intelligam leaue thy flearing and fawning thou preuailest nothing for I perceiue thee well enough But I pray you Sir N. D. where learned you that skill to take vpon you to affirme and proue that to publish the commendation of Princes vpon iust desert is flatterie I doubt me for all your desire to be thought a great Clerke it will trouble you and all your colleagues to fortifie this position But not to dwell long vpon this point disdaine not to heare what Democritus will tell you Rectè quidem facta laudare honestum est mala verò laudibus vehere adulterini est animi impostoris To giue due praise to good deserts is honest but to praise and extoll euill deeds argueth a corrupt and a couzening mind and therefore I doubt not with farre more ease to free my selfe from flatterie wherewith you falsely charge me for commending the good things of our land then you shal be able to auoid the iust imputation of an adulterous and deceiuing mind in deprauing Gods blessings with your Macheuilian wit and false interpretations And if I had leasure to stand vpon iust retortion of vniust accusations I could send you to the Popes Pallace where a man may finde more shamelesse flatterers then I thinke were euer to be found in any Christian Princes Court Panormitan as is by sundrie learned men alleadged shameth not to flatter your Pope so farre as to make him almost equall with God Excepto peccato Papa potest quasi omnia facere quae Deus potest Sinne excepted the Pope can in a manner do all things that God can doe Againe another clawbacke Non minor honor debetur Papae quam Angelis c. No lesse honour is due to the Pope then to the Angels for which cause he receiueth of Christian people adorations prostrating themselues on the ground and the kissing of his feete which the Angell would not permit by Iohn the Euangelist to be done to him Another Imperatoria Maiestas tantò est inferior Papa quantò creatura Deo The imperiall Maiestie is so much inferiour to the Pope as the creature is to God Others that he is Ens secundae intentionis compositum ex Deo homine And in a word the Canonists roundly in the Glosse Dominus Deus noster Papa Our Lord God the Pope Which blasphemous flattering speech Doctor Raynolds noteth that the Cardinals and others deputed by Gregorie 13 to reuise correct and purge out such things as by errour had crept into the Glosses annotations in the booke of decrees and decretals c. yet haue not only not remoued this blasphemie but not so much as giuen the least castigation vpon it belike because they thought that could not fit the Pope which the Apostle writeth of Antichrist that he doth sit as God in the Temple of God shewing himselfe that he is God vnlesse they should suffer a place to be extant wherein he is plainely called Lord God in a popish worke by the Papists themselues corrected printed at Rome and that at the Popes own speciall commandement and so much concerning your accusation of flatterie The which yet you labour to enforce because I take vpon me to speake of infinite blessings from Almightie God by her Maiesties gracious gouernment powred vpon this land and yet my selfe you say confesse a thousand feares and frights and imminent perils which hang ouer vs in these words I doubt not but you are men of wisedome and can easily conceiue what dangers we stand in by that which hath beene said before And againe The life of Religion Queene and Countrie is at the stake Verely if I should speake of the great blessings bestowed vpon this land in the happie establishing of true Christian Religion amongs vs and should think the contrarie I should iudge my selfe worthie to be taxed with so odious a crime as flatterie is For I will say as he in the Poet Odi etenim ceu claustra Erebi quicunque loquuntur Ore aliud tacitoque aliud sub pectore claudunt I hate as gates of hell who euer thou art That one thing say'st another think'st in hart But good Sir what contrarietie is there in my words May not a land be truly blessed from God in hauing a gracious Prince by whom Idolatrie is remoued and true Religion planted and yet for want of due acknowledgement of the Lords goodnes and true fruits of thankfulnes be by forraine enemies maligned or by home-traitors hazarded The remembrance of Iosiah saith Iesus Syrach is like the composition of perfume that is made by the Art of the Apothecary it is sweet as hony in all mouthes and as Musicke at a banquet of wine He behaued himselfe vprightly in the reformation of the people and tooke away all abomination of iniquitie he directed his heart vnto the Lord and in the time of the vngodly he established Religion Highly was Ierusalem blessed by the raigne of good Iosiah rooting out Idolatrie and restoring to the people the booke of the Law as is this land likewise by the like blessed Raigne of our gracious Iosiah and yet euen in his time for the Idolatrie committed
might when the valiant Souldier of Iesus Christ Thomas Hawkes was before him and alleaging against the Popish manner of baptising both the addition of many ceremonies deuised by man as their oyle creame salt spittle candle coniuring of water c. as also that they wanted the chiefe thing meaning preaching alleaging the text Goe teach all Nations baptising them c. by and by replieth vpon Master Hawkes and taketh this exception against that allegation Thou speakest that because I am no Preacher And as if to taxe a Bishop for being no Preacher had been so hainous a matter though the man of God answered that he spake the text and meant not of him yet all his Doctors and seruants present spake with a loude voice making a great noise he speaketh it of you my Lord. And yet the latter part of King Henries raigne and the short but happie raigne of King Edward helped you to farre moe Preachers by their faint yeelding then in former times of Poperie haue been accustomed to be as is not onely apparant in this kingdome but in others if I had leasure to inlarge The onely example of Doctor Bassinet a man of great learning and authoritie in France shall suffice me at this time who in his first answere to the oration of the Bishop of Aix perswading to set vpon the Merindoâ—ians and as heretikes to destroy them confesseth his owne ignorance of true Religion till of late he fell to reade the Scriptures and yet he was a Iudge of heresie and with all his rash condemning of those whom they call Lutherans to death although he was content so farre to yeelde to punish them with fines and banishment which should speake too intemperately against the constitutions of the Church and of the Pope his words are thus Englished The cause why in conscience I am thus disquieted is this that now of late since I haue giuen my selfe more diligently to the reading and contemplation of the holy Scriptures I perceiue that the most part of those Articles which they that are called Lutherans doe maintaine are so conformable and agreeing to the Scriptures that for my part I can no longer gainsay them except I should euen wilfully and maliciously resist and striue against the holy ordinances of God albeit hitherto to maintaine the honour of our holy Mother the Church and of our holy Father the Pope and of our Order I haue consented to the opinions and doings of the other Doctors as well through ignorance as also because I would not seeme to attempt any thing against the will and pleasurâ— of the Prelates and Vicars generall Against which his confession when the Bishop of Aix replied thus Is there any difference thinkest thou betwixt heresies and blasphemies spoken and maintained against the holy Scriptures and opinions holden against our holy Mother the Church and contrarie to our holy Father the Pope a most vndoubted and true God in earth Art thou a Master in Israel and knowest not these things Doctor Bassinet more fully layeth open the generall and common blindnes and darknes of those times in these words Are not they those which haue forsaken Iesus Christ the fountaine of liuing water and haue digged vnto themselues pits or Cesterns which will holde no water Truly euen those they are which vaunt themselues to be the salte of the earth and yet haue no sauour at all which call themselues Pastors and yet are nothing lesse then true Pastors for they minister not vnto the sheepe the true pasture and feeding neither deuide and distribute the true bread of the word of life and if I may bee bolde to speake it would it not be at this present as great a wonder to heare a Bishop preach as to see an Asse flye Are not they cursed of God which glorie and vaunt themselues to haue the keyes of the Kingdome of Heauen and neither enter in themselues nor suffer them that would enter to come in c. By which and infinite other euidences may appeare that there is in a manner as great difference betwixt kingdomes professing the Gospell of Christ as this land now doth through Gods blessing and those that are subiect to Poperie as was sometimes betweene Aegypt and Goshen As for your allegation against those my speeches to passe by your bolde assertion that England had continued aboue a thousand yeares vnder that darkenes of Poperie the vanitie whereof is by sundry learned men discouered it is euident by Beda his plaine testimonie in these words Haec in praesenti iuxta numerum librorum quibus lex diuina scripta est c. This I land at this present according to the number of the bookes in which the lawe of God is written doth search out and confesse one and the selfe same knowledge of the highest truth and of the true height in liue tongues namely of the Angels of the Brittaines of the Scots of the Picts and of the Latines which in meditation of the Scripture is made common to all the rest Wherein he meaneth that the Latin tongue was common to all the learned of those foure peoples as the vulgars were to the vnlearned So that in former times this Iland had the Scriptures in their owne tongue to be a lanterne to their feete and a light to their steps and delighted not in ignorance of the Scriptures and in darkenes as of late as also the most and chiefest points of your blinde errors haue been hatched long since the time you prescribe as in the particulars of the patching together of the Masse by degrees and successiuely of the absurd doctrine of Transubstantiation with other like is by men of great learning and iudgment manifestly proued Yet by the way this I note that by your secret confession you yeeld almost 600. yeares to the truth we professe before your Religion was hatched seeing both your selfe and others commonly make claime for a 1000. yeares But to passe by this doth not this Encounterer strongly thinke you refute mine assertion of the darkenes in times of Poperie when he saith speaking of the state of this kingdome in those times And it was accounted then as wise learned valiant noble and flourishing a kingdome as France Italy Spayne c. An argument by which the Religion of the heathens may aswell be freed from darknes and ignorance For was not Rome when it had those lightes of learning and eloquence Cicero Crassus Hortensius and others as also those famous and wise both Counsellors and Captaines Marius Scilla Pompey Caesar Cato Scipio and such like was not I say Rome then accounted as wise learned valiant noble and flourishing a kingdom as France Italy Spaine or any other Christian kingdomes be at this day and yet it is true that their knowledge was ignorance and their light darkenes vnlesse the Apostle be deceiued who saith of them all generally Their foolish heart was full of darkenes and when they professed themselues to be
the State of Christian Princes you cannot defend your selues by so sleight a reason Those troubles that were in King Henrie and King Edwards raigne proceeding chiefely not from your onely suffering with groaning as you say but from the treacherous disloyall hearts of Papists who were the chiefest actors therein doe conuict you of such crimes as I haue charged you with And euen these rebellions so often attempted in the latter end of King Henrie the eight and the raigne of King Edward the sixth doe testifie of your admirable patience and loyaltie I maruaile with what face you can commend your Catholikes and compare them with Protestantes for loyaltie and willing subiection to Princes when with your owne penne you shew your forwardnes in euerie Princes raigne to rebell and yet cannot trulie charge vs with any one rebellious practise in the maintenance of true Religion As our doctrine is farre different from yours in the honouring of Magistrates so are our behauiours loyall and obedient what doctrine did euer attribute so much to publike authoritie of Magistrates as doe the Protestants or who euer attributed lesse to Magistrates or deposed moe Princes then you Papistes you may crie with Athalia treason treason but wise men know who be the traitours indeed You would faine perswade your reader that in Queene Maries time we shewed our disposition and forwardnes to rebell and to this purpose you compare her short bloudie raigne with the long and peaceable gouernment of our gracious Soueraigne But as both Wyat and the rest were carried by other perswasions then the maintenance of true religion to deale so rashly and vnsoundly as they did so there is no reason that some priuate actions and opinions generally condemned by our doctrine should preiudice all Protestants You haue great cause to complaine of our rebellions when you can recken vp but one poore insurrection and that vpon other grounds then religion and such a one as was suppressed without the spoile or hurt of anie of the Queenes side But you that blush not to affirme that our chiefe Protestants in Queene Maries time were not troubled when our soueraigne that now is was then much vexed and that none were then forced to renounce their olde Religion when scarce anie suspected of true Religion could be suffered to liue quietlie though they shewed publikely no dislike of Popish Idolatrie no maruaile though you slaunderously doe charge vs with rebellious disposition As for your commotions and reuels you say haue been made in other countries by those of the Religion I leaue both you and them to their Apologies in print wherein you shall finde that none of them did holde that eyther Pope or other might depose Princes or dispence with Subiectes for their obedience to their lawfull Soueraignes And because it pleaseth you to disport your selfe after your gybing manner with me Sir Francis and your not Saint Francis let me in earnest tell you that Sir Francis would not for all his worth that you could proue him to carrie so turbulent seditious and traiterous a mind against Queene and Countrie as this your Ward-word sheweth you to doe and so well instructed is he in the doctrine of the Gospell which teacheth obedience as if his dearest friend in affection or the neerest of kinne to him in bloud should lift vp an hand of disloyaltie against his Soueraigne they are neither friends nor kinsfolkes to him and hee professeth himselfe a mortall enemie to them And for your blasphemous Saint Francis seeing it delighteth you to name him let me call to your remembrance what you may finde in the booke of conformities of him in which he is made another Iesus in type and figure and is matched with Christ from point to point and his miracles with Christes miracles of whom it is there also written that he repented him for deuising of his habite because God had reuealed to him that out of his order Antichrist and his sect should come and so Sir Francis leaueth you to honour your Saint Francis at your pleasure as a fit Saint for you to adore in your Pope-holie worship Your last colour and excuse for defence of your Rebels and Traitors is as simple as the rest you would gladlie perswade vs that the two Earles did but defend themselues when there was no force they needed to feare if they had feared God and continued to liue like good subiects and had not disloyallie intruded themselues not onely to controule but to correct the godlie gouernment of the Queene and State But they were set on by the Bull of Pius Quintus and Doctor Mortons peswasion seeking by force to set free the Catholikes and to restore Catholike Religion Doctor Saunders confesseth no lesse They fled presently you say without blowes or bloud shed but that might be thought the badnes of their cause and the feare that God did strike into their hearts at the sight or hearing of the Queenes Armie and not for want of desire to proceede further but as I lament their fall so I wish from my heart they had neuer been so misled As for the two next Traytors by you mentioned Francis Throgmorton and Charles Paget whom you labour likewise to excuse the first receiued his iust censure by the course of Iustice and that is a iust proofe to all honest men of his treasons yet seeing you seeke so shameleslie and vnhonestlie to extenuate his fault I heartilie praie the reader to way your owne confession against him You say he had the description of certaine Portes found in his Chamber that hee had some intelligence with the Queene of Scots with Barnardin Mendoza the King of Spaines Ambassadour Why Sir Encounterer haue you forgotten that Mendoza in steede of performing the honorable parts of a well accepted Ambassadour did most treacherouslie seeke to betraie both the Queene and State by practising all that he could to set vp the Queene of Scots and doe you not remember that it was high time to cut off this Scottish Queene who ceased not dailie to practise the death of our deere Soueraigne and doe you thinke there could bee any good meaning in Throgmorton to collect Plots and descriptions of our Portes hauing intelligence with the Queene of Scots and Mendoza and an Inuasion being plotted and purposed against vs from Spaine And if nothing else had been proued against him can the height of your wit and iudgement in State matters whereof you so much glorie cleare him from being a Traitor But it is well known to the Honorable of our land and those whom they employed to examine him that his owne confession conuinceth him of more then it pleaseth you to set downe and by this all the world may see and perceiue your disloyall and dishonest meaning both to Queene and State in thus colouring treasons and defending Traitors But you will needes free Charles Paget also another traitour and whose fault you say was nothing but that
testament to gouerne his Sonne and the Realme how happened it that Sir Anthonie Browne was so earnest and importunate a sutor to the King to haue Gardiner put into his Will againe when he was put out And why did the King bid him holde his peace and trouble him therewith no more For if hee were in he would trouble them all and if hee moued him any more for Gardiner he would also put him out Is not this an argument that the King reposed great trust in Gardiner for the gouernment of his Sonne and the Realme Another thing you say Gardiner vttered in his Sermon that King Henrie in his latter time was inclined to reconcile himselfe to the Pope But I would the Bishop had had more wit to speake truth and lesse skill in lying for it is apparant that not long before the Kings death hee with his owne mouth answered the Ambassadour of Frederick Duke of Saxonie that if the quarrell of the Duke his master were nothing else against the Emperour but for Religion he should stand to it stronglie and hee would take his part Nay more then this as the worthie Archbishop of Canterburie Doctor Cranmer a man farre more inward with the King then Gardiner was doth testifie the King but little before his death resolued talking with the Archbishop and French Embassadour that he and the King of France within one halfe yeere would not onely change the Masse in both the Realmes to a Communion as it is now vsed but vtterly to haue banished the Bishop of Rome his vsurped authority Yea they were so throughly and firmely resolued in that behalf that they minded also to exhort the Emperour to doe the like in Flaunders and other his Countries and Seigniories or else to breake off from him A third thing in this discourse you alleadge that Bishop Gardiner was wont to say of King Henrie that after he left to loue that person which by Gods law and mans law he was bound to loue aboue all others to wit his first wife and Queene he neuer loued anie person heartilie and constantlie after Whereunto I shortly answere that concerning his often changes of his wiues putting som to death and others away I will not take vpon me to answere at all But to Gardiners report I answere that this his mutabilitie proceeded not hereof because he ceased to loue the first but because he first loued where he should not namely his owne brothers wife against the voice of God and nature as crouching and glosing Gardiner who flattered with the issue of this vnlawfull match not in word onely but in publike writing professed to the whole world vtterly condemning the former mariage with his brothers wife and approuing iustifying the second with Queene Anne In his booke De vera obedientia he writeth of that point to this purpose And amongst these Sith there is commaundement that a man shall not marrie his brother's wife what could the King excellent Maiestie 〈◊〉 otherwise then he did by the consent of the people and iudgement of his Church that is be diuorced from vnlawfull marriage and vse lawfull and permitted â—â—â—â—â—â—tion and obeying as 〈◊〉 it 〈◊〉 conformablie 〈◊〉 commaundement cast off her whom neither law nor right permitted him to haue and take him to chast and lawfull marriage Wherein although the sentence of Gods word whereto all things ought â—â—sâ—oupe might suffice yet his Maiestie was contented to haue the assisting consents of the most notable graue men and the censures of the most famous Vniuersities of the whole world and all to the intent that men should see he did both that he might ought to do vprightly seeing the best learned most worthy men haue subcribed to it shewing therein such obedieÌ„ce as Gods word requireth of euerie good and godly man so as it may be said that both he obeyed God and obeied him truly c. Hitherto Gardiners words Who reading this discourse of Gardiner concerning the kings first vnlawful his second lawful mariage would euer haue suspected such mutability in the man so suddainely to turne the Cat as the Prouerbe is in the panne approuing that which before he openlie condemned and condemning that which before he publikely approued or who noting this his inconstancie and not this onely but the other of condemning and abiuring the Popes Supremacie and earnest maintaining of it againe will not thinke him a verie Proteus which can change himselfe into all shapes serue all times sooth all Princes affections with â—it aio negat nego And so I leaue your wauering Bishoppe and come to your constant Cardinall About whom you professe to be verie briefe but if you had not spoken in his defence at all you had shewed yet some loue of truth and hate of treason for as wicked Sheba blew the trumpet of sedition against Dauid so hath this your Cardinall done against her Maiestie In my former booke I charge him that though he seemeth to wish that Doctor Saunders and Doctor Bristow had spared to speake so much in defence of Puis Quintus his Bull against her Maiestie yet he both affirmeth that these two learned men of great zeale and excellencie had their speciall reasons to doe so And in another treatise Viz. his defence of Sir William Stanlies act in giuing ouer Deuentre to the King of Spaine he doth as fully approue the Bull as anie of the other which though I condemne as good cause I should being a point of so high treason as that the Queene being by the Pope deposed is no longer Queene noâ— to bee obeyed yet you answere for him smoothly that he must needs be of like iudgement with Saunders and the rest and that he might speake his mind plainely being in the place and dignitie that he was when occasion should be offered Which in other words is as much to say as your Cardinall must needs be of the iudgement that the Queene was no longer Queene after the Bull published neither might her Subiectes obey her But yet it was good pollicie to speake sparingly of that point and for the Papistes to yeeld for a time outward obedience to auoide the daunger of the law till a fit time might come either by open force or secret treason to put the Bull in execution And so much doe the faculties granted by Gregorie the thirteenth to Parsons and Campion import which is further warranted by Saunders going after into Ireland with Italian and Spanish forces to haue depriued her Maiesty of that kingdome which fact as you cannot deny so will you not shew to detest in a subiect against his Prince because it was for your Pope For a further defence yet of your Cardinall you alleadge the example of childrens sorrow to see their parents at iarre that the yonges sort are fitter to weepe and mourne then to determine the controuersies and that the elder sort may speake more freely and interpose their iudgements
Catilines of our age when your Popes doctrine teacheth nothing else and they frame themselues in all things to obey him When Rebellions haue been raised within our owne bowels When her Maiesties life hath so many times been shot at and her Kingdome attempted to be inuaded And in the first two sundrie of your Recusants false fingers haue been set on worke and in the third the Inuaders haue promised to themselues and so published great assistance from them and both for Inuasion Rebellion and taking away of her Highnes life who haue been the very Catilines of our Countrie but they Doth not your Captaine and Cardinall Allen openlie blow the trumpet of sedition against her Maiestie teaching all English Papists this Catholike doctrine that since her excommunication and deposition by the Pope she hath no iust title or interest to her Crowne and Kingdome and that no Acte done by her authoritie since the publishing of that excommunication and deposition hath been or can be lawfull by the lawe of God or man and therefore that no man may lawfullie serue her in any action bee it otherwise neuer so iust If Catiline himselfe were aliue could hee more pestilentlie perswade to sedition then doth this Cardinall And are not they Catilines mates so many as yeelde to the perswasion of this Catilinarian Cardinall And what doth the dispensation graunted to Parsons and Campion teach our Papists Doth it not teach them to dissemble Consider the wordes of the dispensation where in the Bull of Pius Quintus all her Subiects are commaunded not to obey her and she being excommunicate and deposed all that doe obey her are likewise innodate and accursed which point is perilous to the Catholikes for if they obey her they are in the Popes curse and if they disobey they are in the Queenes danger therefore the present Pope to relieue them hath altered that part of the Bull and dispensed with them to obey and serue her without perill of excommunication which dispensation is to endure but till that it please the Pope otherwise to determine First they teach generallie that all which obey the Prince by the Pope deposed are accursed which if it be not a seditious and Catilinarian Doctrine let the Reader iudge Secondlie Papists are dispensed with that withâ—out daunger of the Popes curse they may obey thâ— Queene but is it that the Queene may be safe Nâ—â— care of their owne safetie procured this dispensatioâ— or are they taught to obey of Conscience and froâ— the heart Nay flatlie for feare because saith the â—â—â—pensation if they disobey they are in the Queenâ—â— daunger and this is contrarie to S. Paules Doctrinâ— who teacheth to obey the Magistrate not onelie for wrath that is feare of punishment but also for Conscience sake Lastlie how long are they permitted to obey in this sort No longer then the Pope please otherwise to appoint if the Pope send in secretlie some Iesuites to whispher in their eares that hee hath cancelled this dispensation or otherwise publikelie signifie it then by your doctrine they must disobey and rebell or else they are accursed And yet your corrupt construction cannot hereby hold against me that I accuse all Papists to be guilt of these crimes I neuer said it I neuer thought it for though it be euideÌ„t that your Popes doctrine doth teach it generallie to all men yet I assure my selfe we haue many of that professioÌ„ in recusancy who are in simplicity led by the line of their superstiiton very far which yet will not shake hands with them in their treasons either against her Maiestie or their countrie to please Pope or anie forraine Potentate whatsoeuer For that some Papists are not so perswaded of the Popes power that he hath authoritie to depose Princes we haue examples Hart plainelie writeth as before was touched that the opinion of them who hold the Pope to be a temporall Lord ouer Kings and Princes â—s vnreasonable and vnprobable altogether and that â—e hath not to meddle with them and theirs ciuillie â—â—ch lesse to depose them or giue away their kingâ—â—mes that is no part of his commission Yea furâ—â—â—r he confesseth that we giue no more to the â—â—eene by the title of Supremacie then Augustineâ—â—th â—â—th giue to all kings and to this Supremacie of her â—aiestie he subscribed Besides this there is a booke written by one Iohn Bishop a Recusant Papist prouing that the Pope cannot depose her Maiestie or release her subiectes of their alleageance to her In which he handleth these sixe propositions 1. That the Pope and all the Bishops and Priestes are subiect by the law of God to the temporall Magistrate in whose Realme and Dominion they do dwell 2. That they caÌ„not depriue christian princes of their principalities 3. That the Pope cannot loose subiectes of their naturall faith and obedience to their Prince 4. That it is no determinatioÌ„ of faith that the Pope may depose Princes 5. That the Canon made at the Councell of Lateran touching the deposing of Princes the which hath bred the greatest scruple in our English Romane Catholikes neither is nor euer was of force within this land 6. That the sentence pronounced against her Maiestie was neither lawfully nor orderlie done according to the Laterane Canon Therefore I am farre from imputing the crime of sedition to all Recusantes and as I doe not accuse all so can no man trulie excuse all for it cannot be denied but that verie manie haue been ouertaken with this humour by the perswasions of Iesuites and Seminaries as hath been proued before and from hence you may pike out your hard and heathenish hearts wherof you make mention As for the bare sense of an English heart which you snatch out of my words it is such an heart as hauing onely the light of nature without anie knowledge of the true God at all would not so brutishly seeke the life of their lawfull Soueraigne to the betraying of their countrie into the handes of straungers and such an honest heart I wish you at the least After this iangling railer hath vngorged his malicious stomacke against me for this my triple accusation as he will haue it he proceedeth and that with the gal of bitternes for the Ethiopian cannot change his blacknes to inuey against me for setting downe a position which both religion and nature it selfe doth teach vs the position is this That euerie Christian man ought to striue to keepe these three things sound within his breast his conscience before God his loyaltie to his Prince and his loue to his countrie Which after he hath frowardly and peruersely wrested to his owne fantasticall sense he breaketh forth into this exclamation what Atheist would euer say so and I say who but a wretched wrangler would euer cauill so for may not men be loyall to their Princes except they obey all their commaundements Or can they not be louing to their countrie except