haue procured Al vvhich is so absurd and barbarous an attempt that it needeth no further confutation Euerie childe and simple man or vvoman doth knovv that it is a good thing to build a Church or a College and to gaine soules and that pulling dovvne and hindring of such vvorkes is very naught and wicked Againe it is a most knowen thing and none of the malcontenrs can possibly denie it that F. Parsons for his part hath most painfully and frutfully laboured to helpe his countrie aboue tvventie tvvo yeares already that is since the English College in Rome vvas founded In procuring vvherof his part was not least vvith D. Allen and D. Levvis agreing in his intention with vvhosoeuer vvas most sincere In England he did more good in tvvo yeares then I thinke anie of his emulators haue donne in tvventie or are like to doe in al their life For one example let his lerned and vertous bookes testifie written against Hanmer and Charck and in detection of Iohn Nicols and the reasons vhy Catholiques refuse to goe to the Protestants Church And especially the Christian Directorie first set forth vvith the title of Resolution so often printed since and stil desired A vvorke worthie to be in al languages and in al mens hands By which innumerable Catholiques haue ben and daily are much confirmed conforted and edified Schismatikes and Heretikes continually conuerted as very manie doe daily reporte of themselues that they vvere conuerted by reading F. Parsons booke of Resolution After his going out of EnglaÌ„d which vvas doutles as manie good effects haue shevved by Gods special prouidence as vvas D. Allens going thence also vvhen he had donne much good he first got tvvo thousaÌ„d ducats of gold which do make six hundreth pounds starling euerie yeare to Dovvay College then residing in Rhemes He procured also a College for English children in Evv. Aftervvards tvvo more notable Colleges for English scholars and tvvo other residences for English Priests in Spain An other College likevvise in Flanders vvhen by reason of the vvarres in France that of Evv ceased And which may haue place vvith the greatest and most difficult vvorke or a◠〈…〉 College of Rome to a mirrour or spectacle of right Collegial peace mutual loue great vertue and of much increase in learning which a few yeares agoe vvas fallen into extreme danger of vtter ruine by dissolution of the members and tumultous contempt of superiors and good orders I omit here his redeming of manie English captiues from fire gallovves and gallies vvith his charitie in procuring them reliefe and manie of them sufficient meanes to liue and manie other good deedes both in general to his vvhole nation and to innumerable particular persons By this that is already said euerie one may sufficiently see vvhether it be good that the chiefe of our Ecclesiastical Hierarchie in England and his freinds and subiects should agree vvith this father and al the Societie or that they should picke quarels and make vvarrs against them contemne and abandon al the good vve haue and may haue by them Which in dede vvere to hinder the best meanes of increasing the Catholique faith in our Countrie and consequently to hold heresie there the longer an so I end this point and come to the last In vvich I am to declare betvven vvhom this controuersie remaineth And this also is partly donne alreadie For seing the special drift of this contention is to haue the Archpriest remoued from his office and the Iesuits out of England and from al Engliâ—h Seminaries it is euident that the controuersie is betvven the Archpriest vvith al asvvel Iesuits as other Priests and Catholiques that alovve or like of the Ecclesiastical subordination lately restored in England and the malcontents vvith their partners that oppugne or dislike the same and not betwen the Iesuits and the Seminarie Priests vvhich can in no other sence be iustified then one may say an Egyptian is white because his teeth are vvhite At least it is as false as vvas the report made to king Dauid that al his sonnes were slaine vvhen only Amnon vvas slaine and no more As I 2. â—â— 13. vvil novv further demonstrate that the truth may appeare and the Seminarie Priests speaking absolutly of the chiefest best and farre greatest part from the begining of the first Seminarie to this day may be clered from this iniurious sclander First therfore when D. Allen began this holie vvorke he had a chiefe care to haue his College vvhere ther vvas also a College of Iesuits that therby he might the better haue their continual consel and help spiritualy and temporally in al his affaires And namely that the students might frequent the holie Sacraments and some lessons in the fathers College which they did continually til both they and the Iesuits were driuen from Doway by the procurement of heretiques for their more zealous profession of the Catholique Religion then the vulgar sorte of Catholiques commonly shevv Which wel shevveth the good agreement betvven the Iesuits and the Seminarie at that time The same is also manifest by that D. Allen in his returne from Rome before he had yet begunne his College so gladly ioyned himself in companie vvith F. Maximilian de Capella of the same Societie Doctor and Reader of Diuinitie in their College in Dovvay whose good aduises and special commendations to diuerse charitable men much furthered the same good beginings Aftervvards F. Antonius Possiuinus and F. Oliuerius Manereus most affectionatly concurring vvith their informations to their General and he and they commending the state of the English College to Pope Gergorie the thirtenth obtained his monethly pension for them After this againe the Catholique kings pension which is greater then the Popes vvas not only procured by F. Parsons commendations and trauel as is noted before but also by his industrie most especially or by F. Creswels or some other of the fathers it is stil payd which vvith manie other notorious examples of greate benefits which D. Allen and his Seminarie haue receiued of the Fathers do vvel declare the mutual liking sincere loue intire affection and confident dealing betvven him and the Societie and betvven al his and al their true folovvers and freinds The same is vvel testified also on the Cardinal his part for though he vvas not able to requite them in other good turnes yet he euer gratfully acknowleged the great good our countrie reapeth by the holie Societie as is to be seene in most of his printed bookes specially in his Apologie of twelue Martyrs in his Answer to the pretensed Iustice of England and most particularly in his Apologie written by him iointly in defence of the charitable indeuors of the Societie and of the Seminaries In which elegant booke next to the worthines of Gods cause he most amply commendeth good Pope Gregorie the thirtenth and the holie Societie of IESVS Moreouer touching his most gratful affection towards F. Parsons omitting other innumerable proofes his letters written
against the Pope Cardinals Archpriest of England Iesuits and Seminarie Priests charging them with Idolatrie Superstition much false doctrine with Treason against the Quene and Realme and with dissentions also betwen Iesuits and Seminarie Priests al false and impious sclanders as he plainly told them nothing at al pertaining to the Indictmēt wherupon his liefe depended about the time when he was made Priest Concerning which point after a few vncertaine coniectures were alleaged which agreed il and proued nothing against him vpon the onlie testimonie of M. Sauil Baron of the exchequer who was also his Iudge affirming that he knew him in Oxford some years after the time mentioned in the new statute and then not taken for a Priest he was denounced Guiltie and condemned to death as for hiegh Treason And a graue Catholique Matron was also indicted of felonie and condēned to death for receiuing him into her house As if she also had knowē him in Oxford to haue bene no Priest and afterwards made Priest who knewe him not at al but a smal time before he was taken in her house Finally after earnest perswation to go to their Church which she vtterlie refused she receaued her Croune of Martyrdome according to the Gospel whosoeuer receaueth a prophet in the name of a prophet shal receaue the reward of a prophet And albeit there semed lesse probabilitie to peruert the venerable Priest yet they omitted not to vrge vnto him the vsual tentation that if he would go to their Church he might injoy both liefe and libertie and be praeferred also amongst them Al which he constantly contemned in respect of Gods honour his ovvn◠saluation and edification or destruction of manie by his example And so in Easter vveke the 28. of March he also receiued his glorious croune And to their other impertinent talke both before and after his sentence he also ansvvered briefly that in the Catholique Romane Religion which he professed and for vvhich he was readie to dye there is neither Idolatrie nor-Superstition nor falshoode nor contrarietie of doctrin And though there be dissentions somtimes amongst Catholiques either Priests or others yet those differences are not in Articles of their faith but in other matters of some particular Iurisdiction right or title spiritual or temporal and the like And that for his ovvne part he had no such controuersie vvith anie Catholique nor breach of charitie vvith any person liuing vvhosoeuer Which was for him at that time a very sufficient answer And much hath bene said and vvritten also these late yeares of the puritie and vnitie of the Catholique doctrin Neuerthelesse here it shal not be amisse gentle reader to adde somwhat more in explication of his answer touching the differences rissen amongst some English Catholiques vvhich our Aduersaries so reprochfully obiect to al. For albeit the perfect are neuer scandalized yet the vveake often are and some do mistake Psal 118. v. 165. the case and some doubtles are guiltie of great fault in making or in nourishing this debate Al which wil be more clere if first calling to mind the state of Catholiques before this controuersie begane vve then consider vvhence it proceded vvherin it consisteth and betvven vhom it is And to this purpose it semeth necessarie that we beginne from the last general reuolt from the Catholique Religion in our Countrie Which vvas in the first yeare of this Quenes raigne For she comming to the Croune in the end of the yeare 1558. vvithin few monethes after a Parliament vvas called vvherin vtterly aganst the vvilles of al the Lords spiritual auouching that they did not nor vvould not consent to change the state of Religion the Lords temporal and Commons tooke vpon them and de facto pretended to abolish al authoritie or Iurisdiction of the Bishop of Rome in England abandoned the holie Sacrifice of Masse and other Catholique Offices and in place therof restored the nevv forme of Seruice instituted in the second yeare of K. Edvvard the sixt but augmented altered and corrected for so they speake and further in most peremptorie and arrogant manner did in Gods name but vvithout commission from God earnestly require and charge al the Archbishops Bishops and other Ordinaries that they should indeuour themselues to the vttermost of their knovvledges to see the same put in execution threatening them vvith Gods vvrath and punishinent if this good and wholsome Law for sooth were neglected Al which holie Bishops obeying God rather then men vvere presētly depriued of their Bishopriques and al other constant Clergimen of their spiritual liuings and benefices Heretiques or such as yelded to the parctise of Heresie put in their places And diuerse also of the Laitie sharply punished for not conforming themselues to these nevv procedings In which state though the same Catholique Prelates stil kept their titles and right as vvel of their dignities as of their holie functions which could by no meanes be taken from them yet did they not exercise any publique Iurisdiction but expecting better times al the Bishops and most of the old clergie haue ended their liues in prison banishment or in other poore state al more or lesse restrained and persecuted Wherby the Ecclesiastical Ierarchie of the Church of England for lack of succession of ordinarie spiritual Pastors did vvholy decay and cease yet continually there remained some constant Catholiques and some few Catholique Priests which ministred the holie Sacraments and supplied in priuat and secret sorte other necessarie Offices vvithout anie subordination of one to an other vvithin the Realme the Sea Apostolique graunting 〈…〉 facultie to the worthie Confessor the Bishop of Lincolne and others to subdelegate such as vvere found fit to heare Confessions and to absolue also in Cases reserued as nede should require And furthermore this good seede of Catholique Religion conserued by Gods goodnes vvas also vvel vvatered and prospered much by sundrie good bookes written by diuerse learned and zealous men in defence of the Catholique faith wherby not only these Reliques vvere confirmed and stayed therein but some also conuerted from schisme and heresie But in the first tene years most men stil hoping of a change or toleration litle industrie vvas vsed for making more Priests to serue our countrie in this greate desolation til the renovvmed Doctor Allen aftervvards Cardinal most prudently foreseing the great defect of a succession of Priests vvithout vvhom no Sacrament could be duly administred no Sacrifice offered and consequently no Religion long remaine but al turne to Heresie Apostasie and Atheisme found meanes by Gods special prouidence in the yeare of our Lord 1568. to erect in the vniuersitie of Doway with the approbation of Pius Quintus a College of English students vvho by yelding themselues to Collegial discipline and to a set forme and course of studie with public exercise might attaine more vertue zeale and knovvledge and so be made Priests and returne into their Countrie as aboue foure hundred haue since donne to the
his vvisdome sinceritie and long experience to be a Counseller then anie of them or that he had not as particular knovvledge as anie of them hovv things stood in England They excluded M. Hugh Ovven M. Thomas Fitzherbert and aftervvards sir Charles Arundel and al others that agreed vvith D. Allen because they vvould not leaue him and the vvhole nation and hang vpon them For the same cause they could not abide sir William Stanley finding him to agree so wel with D. Allen sir Frances F. Parsons F. Holt M. Ovven and others and also because he is a soldiar and they better statesmen in their ovvne conceipts as though he being so renovvmed a soldiar vvere therfore lesse fit to geue his aduise hovv our countrie may be brought againe to the Catholique faith being othervvise a man of as sound iudgment as any of them and as al that knovv him and them can vvitnes as farre more sincere more vertuous more studious more laborious to help his countrie and al his countrie men as he is more valient in the waâ—â— then they are which is no smale difference They admitted the Earle of Westmerland to their Partie so farre only as he vvould concurre vvith them to oppose against and to ouerthwart other mens good labours but by no meanes vvould they take him for their chiefe Thomas Morgan vvas the beginner of al wherof it is called Morgans faction but M. Charles Paget vvas chiefe commander the Lord Paget vvas content to be ruled by them wherupon they complained the more that the Earle of vvestmerland vvould not be ruled also thus this contradiction began And vpon this ground they haue continued the same entertaining and imploying al malcontents they could get to yeald to their bend So far forth that vvithin tvvo or three yeares they seduced tvvo Seminarie Priests to treate vvith them and to be imployed by them yea one of them at least to treate vvith Secretarie Walsingham And aftervvardes induced the same tvvo to write tvvo bookes the one against F. Parsons and al Iesuits the other against the Cardinal Especially against his Epistle vvritten in iustification of Sir William Stanley his rendring the Citie of Dauenter to the right Lord therof the king Catholique Which fact vvas not only iust lavvful and necessarie by the lavves of God and Nations in respect both of the place and of himself but also he had a particular licence for his person of the Earle of Lecester to depart from that seruice and to repaire vvhere he vvould for his better contentment which licence hath bene seene by some English Protestants Agents sometimes in Flanders and is to be shevved vvhensoeuer occasion shal require As yet this faction vvas but smale and greene amongst Catholiques in England for the tvvo foresaid Priests very shortly retired thence and verie fevv durst breake openly vvith their brethren nor with the Fathers so long as the Cardinal liued But presently vpon his death some other vnquiet spirits though prisoners for their faith hauing long exercised their good felovv prisoners with much patience more openly ioyned themselues vvith the same trublesome with whom they had secretly dealt before And so did also manie of the scholars in Rome against the Protector himselfe and their other Superiors Sodeinly becomming great states men as then they thought themselues For the better appeasing of which dissentions and preuenting the like al Catholiques generally desired to haue some Superiors and Subordination in the English Clergie But for so much as al former Subordination vvas vvholy interrupted vvithin the Realme it could not otherwise be restored but by the Sea Apostolique or by special commission geuen by his Holines for this purpose For novv in our countrie vve had neither Primat noâ— other Bishop nor Ordinarie of anie one Diocese nor anie Archpriest nor Vicargeneral nor Archdeacon nor Deane of anie Chapiter nor anie Chapiter nor other Ecclesiastical communitie at al nor so much as an ordinarie Pastor nor Vicar of anie parish but only priuat Priests vvho had subdelegat faculties in court of conscience only for administration of Sacraments and some other spiritual functions But these were no more a mystical bodie then certaine prouision of stone lime and timber are a house or a church before they be compact together and formed vvith vvalâ— and roofe for euen so vve were a certaine prouision of Priests ordained for restauration of our decaied Hierarchie but vvere not disposed of in anie subordination vnder a head And so had no possible meanes in our ovvne nation to make anie Prouincial Concel Synode Conuocation or Chapiter nor had anie electiue or decisiue voices or suffrages to choose supperior or other officer nor to determine anie thing iuridically And therfore for the due ioyning of Clergie men to make a Hierarchie none of them hauing further autoritie diuerse of the chiefest and eldest sort asvvel in England as in banishment humbly proposed this our case and desire to his Holines vvith such suggestions as to them semed most mete Manie thought it 〈…〉 â—â—crated for the better gouernment of our Church and most specially for administring the holie Sacrament of Confirmation though our Cardinal in his time vvas not of that minde for if he had it had bene done Finally after mature consultation his Holines resolued to make an Archpriest vvith tvvelue Assistants to gouerne the rest in England And vpon the particular information of the same chiefe and eldest sorte of English priests testifying the singular good talents vertue learning vvisdome zeale discretion and other good parts and considerable circumstances concurring praeeminently in the person of M. George Blackvvel this autoritie of Archpriest vvas laid vpon him to the great ioye and singular liking of al except a very fevv especially those that aspired to haue bene promoted themselues Who hearing by our Protectors letters that this Archpriest vvas constituted and tvvelue Assistants appointed deferred to submit themselues til they might see further confirmation therof from his Holines And shortly they sent tvvo messengers to Rome not so much to learne his Holines true meaning and intention for they knevv it already but thought they vvere not bound to acknovvledge it as to trie if they could procure this autoritie to be recalled or altered and specially to be remoued to some other person alleaging against their appointed Superiour nothing but meere falâ— hoods and that he agreeth too vvel vvith the â—esuits and specially vvith F. Parsons So the controuersie is novv come to this special point whether the R. R. Archpriest be a sufficient and fit man for the place he is in seing he agreeth vvel vvith the Iesuits and namely vvith F. Parsons and concurreth vvith them to gaine soules or that he shoud be remoued and some other put in his or in some higher place that disliketh of F. Parsons and other Iesuites and that the Iesuites should also depart out of England and be remoued from the gouernmeÌ„t of al English Seminaries euen from those which they