certaintie of faith For if traditions bée not certainly knowne of the aduersaries and if diuers ancient traditions be now growne out of vse how can the faith that is built on traditions be certaine Further the ancient fathers do not onely testifie the Scriptures to bée sufficient but also condemne vnwritten and vncertaine traditions Electa sunt quae scriberentur saith Saint a Tractat. 49. in Ioan. Augustine quae saluti credentium sufficere vide bantur b Aduer gentes Athanasius saith That the holy and diuine Scriptures are sufficient to instruct vs in al truth And diuers others testifie the same What saith c Regul 80. Basill is the propertie of a faithfull man Forsooth to beleeue with certaine fulnesse of minde whatsoeuer is conteined in Scripture and neither to reiect any part thereof nor to adde any newe thing vnto them Saint d Lib. de parad c. 12. Ambrose saith Wee may no more adde to Gods commandements then take from them And although the fathers talke ofttimes in commendation of traditions yet either they meane such things as are now conteined in Scriptures and from them to bée deriued and deduced by firme conclusions or else such matters as concerne order and decencie and yet do they not account of these as of diuine precepts Si aut in euangelio praecipitur aut in apostolorum epistolis saith e In Epist. ad Pompeâ—um Cyprian aut in actibus continetur obseruetur diuina haec sancta traditio Whereby it appéereth that other traditions which were not written were not had in like reuence and that the faith of papists that resteth on these vncertainties is most vncertaine Further the papists do builde their faith vpon most fabulâ—us martyrologies and lying legendes For vpon these narrations doth stande the holinesse of those saints whom they canonize and worship In these legends wee read of the moouing yea and speaking of stockes stones of restoring not onely dead men but also dead beastes to life of apparitions of Christ of the blessed virgine and of saints and infinite more miracles and prophecies then are conteined in holie Scriptures All which notwithstanding any absurditie ensuing our masters of Romish traditions must néedes receiue if they beléeue either traditions to bée the worde of God or else giue credence to f C. Sancta dist 15. Gelasius for hée saith That the histories of martyrs and their suffrings are to be receiued Gesta sanctorum martyrum saith Gelasius recipimus Let it therefore bée considered whether this faith can bée catholike that is builte vpon such fabulous vanities which not onely the strangenesse maketh suspected of vs but also euen of papists themselues g Ibid. Gelasius condemneth the legend of George of Cyricus and Iulitta of Abgarus of the inuention of the crosse and of Saint Iohn Baptistes head a Contra donat Constant Laurentius Valla laugheth at the follie of these legendes b Canto 29. Dante calleth them fooleries and vaine fables c In his historie to Clement the 7. Machiauel saith That these new myracles are repugnant to old christian religion The Germaines among other gréeuances account the vanitie of these fabulous legendes They do also take themselues bound to beléeue the doctrine of the church of Rome For this to d In praefat analys ante relect princip doctrin Thomas Stapleton séemeth a very firme foundation of his popish faith And as he supposeâ—h the voyce and testimony of this church is most certaine and infallible This sure we find by experience that they e C. ad abolendam de haereticis condemne for heretickes and most cruellie murder all that dissent from the church of Rome in matter of sacraments Nay they do ground their religion vpon the popes decretalles Decretales epistolae saith f C. Sancta dist 15. Gelasius quas beatissimi papae diuersis temporibus ab vrbe Romana pro diuersorum patrum consultatione dederunt venerabiliter recipiendae sunt The popes they honor as their supreme iudges and say they cannot erre Vnto them they haue recourse in all difficulties as vnto a rocke immooueable Stapleton doth g Princip doctrin lib. 6. teach That the pope is the principall subiect of ecclesiasticall authority and is not ashamed to write that his authority is the foundation of religion In hac docentis hominis authoritate saith h In praefat ante relâ—ct princip doctâ— he in qua deum loquentem audimus religionis nostrae cognoscendae fundamentum necessariò poni cernimus O noble religion that is founded vpon so firme and holy a foundation as is the popes holy authority But sure catholike it cannot be For neither the ancient church in times past nor the easterne and Africane churches did euer acknowledge any such foundation Neither do they account the popes authority onely to be the foundation of their faith but also for Christ the corner stone substitute the pope and make him the rocke of the church and of their faith For at his handes they receiue the scriptures and all the principles and pointes of their faith and account his determination more certaine then the letter of Scriptures Bellarmine calleth the pope The foundation and corner stone of the church i In praes ante lib. de Pontif. Rom. and commonly by the rocke Matth. 16. they vnderstand not Peter onely but the popes of Rome which they imagine to be his successors Matters strange new absurd and most contrary to catholike faith To the vulgar latin translation they giue more authority then to the originall bookes of the ould testament in Hebrew and of the new testament in Greeke For that translation they make authenticall and do not giue like authority to the originall bookes That translation they will not haue any to reiect but the originall bookes themselues calumniate and reiect Which course is neither catholike nor reasonable Saint a In epist ad Sâ—niam Fretel ad Damasum Hierome saith That in the old testament in matters of doubt concerning the translation we must haue recourse to the Hebrew as to the fountein in the new to the Greeke Ad exemplaria Hebraea Graeca à latinis recurratur b Lib. 2. de doctr Christ c. 10. saith Augustin Hilary writing vpon the 118. psalme confâ—sseth That the latin translation cannot satiâ—fie the reader They holde also The doctrine and determination of priestes and Iesuites and others sent by the pope to be no lesse the foundation of Christian religion then Christ and his doctrine For so doth c In praef ante relect princip doctr Stapleton in expresse termes determine and generally they d C. ad abolendam de haeret condemne such for heretickes As the prelates and bishops do adiudge to be such Which is nothing else but to make the determination of popish prelates the foundation of the popish church But Christ sending foorth his disciples to preach commaunded them to teach all nations and withall
perswasions caused Stanley and his regiment most shamefully to betray Deuenter nay to betray the honour of his country and his prince and to turne to the enemy And that it might appeare to be his act he was not ashamed publikely in a booke written to defend this treason and dishonour For which cause king Philip gaue him liuing and pension and the pope at length gaue him the title of a Cardinall and called he was Cardinall of Saint Martin in Montibus to shewe that he sought no low matters but would flye to the top of the hilles He was also called Cardinall of England for that he meant to be legate of England and to betray it to the pope For these base seruices he was estéemed both of the Spanish king and pope but alwaies as a traytor and perfidious enemy to the prince and state Which as it appeared alwaies so especially in anno 1588. For then was he appointed to come into England with the Spanish army for the subuersion and vtter desolation of that which should haue béene his most déere country Nay it is apparent that this war was especially stirred vp by him and his consortes at home and abroade Sixtus Quintus a The declaration of the sentence of Sixtus Quintus saith he Solicited by the zealous and importunate instance of sundry the most principall persons of English catholikes hath dealt earnestly with diuers princes and specially with the potent king catholike of Spaine that he will emploie his forces to the deposition of the Queene and correction of her complices Hee b In his letters to the nobles and people of England sheweth that diuers English Did come also in the Spanish armie and nauie and that hée himselfe woulde be present to mediate that the English might bée well entreated of the conquerors at the least that they might haue their throtes cut gently Hée c Ibidem curseth all those That shoulde fight for their prince and countrey and not take part with forreine enimies He exhorteth all to rise and fight against the Quéene If you should d Ibidem saith hée sit still or refuse to helpe the Spaniard or seeke to vphold the vsurper so he calleth the Quéene or her complices you shall encurre the angels curse and malediction vpon the land of Meros and be as deepely excommunicated as shee is He discourageth and fraieth all those that woulde fight for their countrey and e Ibidem saith Fight not for Gods loue least you be damned And to the entent to make her Maiestie and this gouernment most odious hée hath published against her the most execrable and malicious libell that either by malice coulde be deuised or by wordes vttred Naie he raileth against all honest men that were likely to take her part And of these libels hée had caused whole barrels to bée embarqued for England But God ouerthrowing the Spanish nauie hée thought it wisedome to conceale the malice of the popish faction and to trusse vp his fardels and sende his libels backe to Rome least the libell might worke a contrarie effect then that for which it was deuised This expedition dissolued this hungrie cardinall returned to Rome loden with shame and reproch for that his wicked counsels tooke no better effect In the end the pope perceiuing he could do no more mischéefe to his countrey and that he was rather a burthen then otherwise made small account of him Whereupon ensued his death either vpon gréefe or percase some other secret occasion So hatefull was his life and his death miserable and shamefull In all his life he sought the ruine of his natiue countrey and therefore Gods will was that he shoulde die inglorious in a strange countrey Séeing then these were the qualities and proceedings of Gardiner and Allen who doth not detest the memory of two such wicked monsters The Noddie in this encounter saith what he can both in their excuse and praise but if he had thought that any woulde haue come against him I beléeue he woulde haue kept silence Hée saith first That none was further from blood and crueltie then Gardiner to prooue it alleageth That it proceeded onely from his gentle nature that some of the greatest protestants in Queene Maries time were not called to accompt and that he laboured to saue the Lord Sturton condemned for murdring of Harguill the Lady Smith burned for killing her husband and the duke of Northumberland condemned for rebellion Further he telleth vs How a certaine bracelet came to his handes containing the secret of Wyats action and yet that he neuer vrged the knowledge gotten thereof to the Lady Elizabeths perill she beeing then an obiect of loue and compassion rather then of enuy and hatred And much idle talke he spendeth about these matters but his pleading is of that nature that his owne friends must néedes acknowledge that he wanteth shame in auowing notorious vntruthes and common reason in alleadging such matters as either make against him or at the least nothing for him For wherein could he shew himselfe more shamelesse then in praysing Gardiner for his mildenesse and gentle nature when so many particulars as we haue before set downe do declare him to be most cruell and sauage not sparing any that stood well affected to that religion which he hated Beside that did he not séeke the death of the Lady Parre last wife of king Henry the eight and the Lady Tyrwhit the Lady Lane and Lady Harbert her thrée wayting women Did he not procure the king to set his hand to the articles against the Quéene and meant to haue procéeded further had not she by her modest cariage and answers pacyfied the kings anger It is also euident that he pursued doctor Barnes and diuers other good men euen to the very death Neither was Anne Askew tormented first and then burned without his priuity Wherefore if diuers principall protestantes as they are called or rather Christians were not called to accompt it was rather want of ability then will that was neuer wanting in Gardiner to shed innocent bloud For he that caused one Quéene to be slaughtered vpon false criminations and sought the death of an other especially ayming at the greatest while Bonner and his companions were butchering of the lambes and lesser shéepe of Christes fold we may not thinke that he meant to forbeare any No either it was the kings pleasure that would not haue his seruants butchered or else the strength or the wise cariage of the parties that kept them out of Gardiners hand that delited in nothing more then bloud Likewise it is a notorious vntruth that eyther by a bracelet or by any other signe Gardiner was able to prooue the Lady Elizabeth consenting to Wiats attempt But if he had but had the least argument of disloyalty against her she could not haue escaped his hands For albeit there was no colour yet did he seeke to suborne witnesses against her promise life to Wiat if he
heard them say that it was lawfull to kill the king for that hee was out of the Romish church and that it was not lawfull to obey him nor holde him for king vntill he shoulde be approoued by the pope Hée affirmed the same likewise in his second examination and for that wicked attempt was executed Ghineard did not onelie allow and praise the execrable murder committed by Iames Clement a Dominican frier vpon Henry the third but also affirmed That Henry the fourth if hee were not killed in the warres must bee killed otherwise and in diuers bookes and papers written by him prooued That it was lawfull to kill kings declared by the Pope to bée out of the church Finallie for this wicked doctrine the Iesuites were b In the monument erected in Paris banished France As a pernitious sect teaching that it was lawfull for any to kill kings and as it is conteined in the arrest against them As perturbers of peace and enimies of kings Christ neuer taught subiectes to breake their faith giuen to their princes nor to rise in armes against them nay the ancient Christiās albeit they neither c Tertullian apologet ad Scapulam wanted meanes nor opportunity yet did they neuer go about to take away the crowne from eyther infidels or apostataes or heretickes but rather obeyed them and prayed for them But Iesuites they hould that it is lawfull for subiectes to take armes and to rebell against their princes and teach that the pope hath power to loose them from the bond of their allegiance This doctrine Parsons and Campian meant to haue practised in England And Claudius Matthew anno 1585 did practise in France being a principall worker of that rebellion that was made against Henry the third The rebelles of Paris that held out against their kings were principally directed and comforted by Comolet and other Iesuites Nay when mony victuals grewe scarce in Paris yet woulde not the Iesuites suffer the rebelles to giue ouer but rather came into the trenches and brought with them of their owne store to giue to the soldiers By the practises of this seditious sect the cities of Perigueux Agen Tholose Verdun and diuers others tooke armes against the king In Scotland all late stirres haue béene raysed by the practise of Crichton Gourdon and Haies Iesuites Neyther is any thing doone in the rebellion of Ireland but by their direction and counsell Christ neuer taught children to shew themselues vnnaturall and vnkinde to their parents or women froward and rebellious to their husbandes But these steale children from the parentes and conuey them where they are neuer more heard of as is apparent by the example of Airault of Angiers his sonne and infinite others In Friburg they perswaded the women to deale with their husbandes to entertaine a practise against the cantous of contrary religion and when they could not otherwise obtaine it by the counsell of Iesuites they refused to lye with their husbandes The first Christians were examples of méekenesse bounty liberality to the poore of gentlenesse and clemency and all virtue These counterfeit Christians that call themselues Iesuites are proud hauty disdainfull couetous cruell vindicatiue While they perswaded the Duke of Bauier to go on foote to visite the reliques of some saint these gallantes road in wagons The princesse of Tyrole built the Iesuites a house hard by hers but it was not long before they had gotten into the princes palace and thrust her into their owne meane house Likewise did they exclude the bishop of Herbipolis out of a church which himselfe had built for them They encroch not onely vpon the liuinges of secular priestes and take away their tithes and prebendes but also vpon all other regular orders They aduance themselues and despise others those that confesse themselues to other priestes they accompt litle better then Atheistes In Milan they onely beare the sway in hearing womens confessions and did the like at Venice vntill they were forbidden By meanes of their confessions they haue drawne to themselues excéeding great riches empouerishing many rich houses and leauing little to the widowes and orphanes Maldonat a Iesuite of Paris caused the president Monbrum S. Andrè through his perswasions in confession to giue the Iesuites all his mooueables and halfe his reuenues The president Goudran of Dijon making his testament by their practises gaue onely halfe a crowne to his sister and to the colledge of Iesuites seuen thousand pounde French money in rent In Bordeaux they haue ruined the house of Bollans and impaired the state of the house of Large baston They haue gotten into their societie the onely brother of the Marques of Canillac lieutenant of the king in Auuergne In the countrey of Grisons they haue perswaded a seely old man called Lamberting to sell all hée had and to take their habite who gathering twentie thousand duckats ment to giue all to them from his onely daughter So cruell they are that they spare none that is repugnant to their purposes Maffaeus complained that the elder Iesuites managed all matters absolutely but hée was sent for his labour into Portugall They brought Harbort and Glisel two famous preachers in Vienna in danger onely enuying their excellencie How many they haue vpon small causes brought into the Inquisition the recordes testifie It is death to speake a word against them One Lupus a Franciscane in Milan calling them False prophets escaped hardly with his life Cardinal Borrhomeus restreining their encrochments was by them accused before the pope Of their forced chastitie what fruites insue I referre me to the report of Hazenmyller and others that haue liued amongst them I hope they do no otherwise then other monkes before them And if they had béene so chaste as they pretend the Venetians woulde not haue dissolued the colledge of yoong gentlemen in Padua where these fellowes were teachers and regents for auoiding of publike scandale Neither hath the Noddy our aduersary either iust exception to auoide this accusation or witte to cleare his Clients Gretzerus hath long trauailed to purge his companions of this slaunder but all in vaine And therefore small reason hath this petit companion to attempt that wherein his betters haue failed But séeing he hath gone about to face out matters let vs consider of his allegation In defence of the Iesuites of Paris charged with the allowance of the act of Iohn Chastel that attempted to murder king Henry the fourth he saith That the said Iohn Chastell examined vpon the torture constantly denied that any Iesuite liuing was priuy to his intention of killing the king or had giuen him therein counsell courage or instruction and that his father beeing examined did likewise deny it But the recordes of his examination which are yet to be séene do affirme flat contrary as before I haue shewed And the sentence of the court of parliament of Paris doth plainely porport that this fact was attempted by the Iesuites counsell and instruction
and therefore was it ordered That they should depart out of Paris within three dayes and out of France within fifteene dayes after notice to them giuen as corrupters of youth perturbers of publike peace and enemies of the king the state Iohn Chastel also himselfe cōfessed That Garet a Iesuite did teach him these lessons which made him resolue to kill the king Yea and that the father and sisters of the young man with teares and bitter tearmes detesting the Iesuites did declare further that it might appeare to posteritie that this was the doctrine of Iesuites that they taught the saide Chastell a pillar was set vp in the place where this desperate murderer and parricide dwelt testifying the same and mentioning that this was the cause of their expulsion out of France In that Monument the Iesuites are called Mali magistri and their colledge Schola impia and their religion called Noua malefica superstitio Further the Iesuites in a certaine apologie published presently vpon their expulsion out of France do not denie Iohn Chastels attempt to be lawfull or contrary to canons but rather conformable vnto them and that they endeuour to prooue by Sixtus Quintus his bul against the king and refute the sentence of the court against the saide Chastel as vniust He procéedeth further in cléering the Iesuites saith That Iohn Garet Chastels master being tortured denied that the Iesuites were priuie to this fact and that thereupon by publike testimony of the magistrate he was declared innocent Wherein he declareth himselfe very impudent howsoeuer the other was declared innocent for I haue shewed before by diuers arguments that the Iesuites were both priuie to this fact and did publikely defend the doctrine Nay the a Of the parliament of Paris register wherein his confession is recorded and the sentence of the court doth declare that the said Garet being a Iesuite was the teacher of that wicked doctrine which Chastell ment to execute therefore by publike sentence Was hee banished France and his goods confiscated Let it then bée considered with what conscience this woorthy Warder affirmeth that Garet was declared innocent by the magistrate Hée saith also That Iohn Ghineard Iesuite was put to death for that in his studie this question Whether it be lawfull in any case to kill a tyrant was found disputed on both sides without resolution But the a In the processe against Ghineard register of the court of parliament of Paris doth conuince his impudent lying For there it is testified that The saide Ghineard was founde seazed of diuers bookes composed by him and written with his owne hand conteining the approbation of the inhumane murder of Henry the third Beside that the court of Parliament of Paris enioined him to confesse That hee had wickedly spoken and determined that if Henry the fourth was not slaine in the wars hee must be slaine otherwise Finally his owne hande writing which hée acknowledged vpon his examination doth shewe that he did not onely propound the question in Thesi but resolued it in Hypothesi Neither doth our aduersarie doubt to accuse the Parliament of Paris of great iniustice for executing the saide Ghineard Seeing he saide no more then Thomas Caietan Sotus and other scholasticall diuines and Philosophers in times past As if scholasticall diuinitie and Philosophers fancies were warrant sufficient for men to kill princes or for Christians to attempt any thing Beside that the case of the Iesuites and of ancient writers is diuers These onely thinke it lawfull to kill such tyrants as by oppression and force inuade a kingdome The Iesuites account all tyrants that resist the popes tyrannie and are by him excommunicate Olde writers for the most part speake in Thesi against vsurpers But Ghineard the Iesuite spoke in Hypothesi and determined b In papers of Ghineard That it was lawfull to kill Henry the 3. and Henry the 4. which all the world acknowledgeth to be lawfull kings the popish faction onely excepted The fact of Iames Clement that murdred Henrie the third this Ghineard calleth Heroicall and a gift of gods spirit Speaking of king Henry the fourth he saith thus If he die not in the warres let him be slaine some otherwaies Hauing done with the Iesuites of France he goeth about to answere for the Iesuites of Doway and the low countries that as Peter Panne confessed himselfe Perswaded and hired and furnished him with a knife to kill Count Morice And this action he calleth a fiction denying that euer the Iesuites had any such intention But the matter is all too plaine to be faced out with flearing wordes The poore man was taken seased with a strange fashioned knife béeing examined he voluntarily confessed both his owne fault and by whome he was induced to do that wicked act He continued in his confession and was executed for his treason at Leyden The magistrates of Leyden do testifie so much and there is no cause why any part of this narration should séeme vntrue For no man hath reason to accuse himselfe or others vniustly especially where it goeth vpon the perill of a mans life Nor is it likely that any should suffer death for matter feined and supposed and without proofe Certes if any doubted of the matter before b Sica tragica Costers and this Noddies defence is so simple that it may greatly confirme him in this truth They alledge certificates to disprooue Peter Pannes confession But what credite can such writinges deserue that may bée forged for any thing wée knowe and béeing admitted to haue béene written yet appeare to haue beene extorted by the Iesuites and made by men fauouring their faction Beside that they séeme to bee graunted without due proofe and procéeding and yet neither conclude against Peter Panne nor his confession First it is alleaged That hee was no papist at all But that is a fiction without all colour For why should not he be reputed a papiste that was continually among them and neuer had tast of any other religion Secondly our aduersarie saith He was a drunken vagrant and madde fellow As if he were not therefore more likely to enterprise such a made action He telleth vs further That Peter Panne was a man extreamely well affected to Count Morice But how canne this be prooued seeing it appeareth by the processe made against him that he neither knew him nor euer had séene him before his comming into Holland Is it not extreame folly to imagine any such extremity of affection without cause or proofe Fourthly he would beare vs in hand That the Iesuites had no cause to desire Count Morice his death Why then did the Iesuites séeke his fathers death and perswade men to kill the Quéene of England and the French king Do not men of euery faction desire those taken out of the way that are opposite to their designes Fiftly he denieth that Peter Panne euer prouided butter for the colledge of Iesuites as is conteined in Peter
whatsoeuer his superior commandeth If then the pope commaund as no doubt but hée hath and will there is no question but he must also come togither with his consorts with fire sword oppugne this lande and destroy the prince Fiftly it is ridiculous to dispute of his intention when wée may sée his hostile traytorous minde by his actions He hath abandoned his prince and country he adhereth to her Maiesties professed enemies In times past he and Campian came into this country with instructions and authority from publike enemies with a resolution to sée the popes pleasure executed and to make a side for his holy father Let him deny any part of this if he canne Nay let him but answere first whether he brought not a faculty from the pope giuing leaue to papists to obey her Maiestie so long as the state stood in tearmes as then it did and vntill the popes bull could be executed and next whether the popes sentence béeing declared and published he and all papistes were not purposed and bound to do their worst against her Sixtly he was among the Spanyardes that in the yéere 1588 came in hostile aray to cut her Maiesties throte and to destroy her people if they had could Lastly he alloweth the dooings of Cardinall Allen that the same time stirred vp all papistes to lay hands on her Maiesty and perswaded them to take armes against her and to assist the Spaniards Hée also knew a certaine Englishman that came into England with full resolution to murder her Maiestie and neuer reuealed so much If then hée take the Queene for his mother and the mother of her countrey as this discourser signifieth then must Parsons confesse that he is a parricide that séeketh to lay violent handes vpon his mother And if hée call this an odious and heinous crime as indeed it is then is hée guiltie of a most odious crime and is a most odious rebell This being his charge let vs sée his defence Let the examinations saith hée of Parry Sauage and such others be viewed ouer and see whether any of them do accuse father Parsons As if none were guiltie of these treasons but such as were named by their consorts Beside that suppose Parsons were no open stickler in these actions yet it is sufficiently knowne that such subtile practisers do deale by second and third persons Furthermore albeit hée coulde cleere himselfe of Parries Sauages and Ballards treasons yet can hée not so easily auoide the suspicion of Heskets practise For hée is charged by a A discouery of a counterfeit conference c. one of his owne religion to bée a practiser to set a foote the late Earle of Darbies title in which Hesket and others were agents Neither can hée answere his treasonable purpose in b Ibidem Dolmans booke Where he endeuoreth to conuey the crowne to strangers and his practises with priestes come into England to aduance the Infantaes title Nor can hée cléere his handes of the most execrable treasons contained in Andreas Philopaters discourse either written or published by him and Creswell his factor in the court of Spaine Secondly hée telleth vs How Parsons protesteth that hee was neuer giltie nor priuy to any attempt made against her Maiestie But his owne friendes as himselfe confesseth in a letter to bée shewed trust him not saying hée is a Machiuilian and a In the discouerie of a counterfâ—ct conference p. 34. one chargeth him That hee vseth dissimulation doubling and redoubling And the faction of priestes opposite to Iesuites now in England doth vtterly condemne the trickes equiuocations and coloured dissimulation of Iesuites as is noted in seueral notes and letters to be shewed against them If then his owne fréendes trust not his promises and othes how shall we beléeue his protestations Certes hée that will most wickedly practise such wicked actions he will also boldly denie them Yea and this foolish Noddy where he woulde cléere him doth cléerely conuict him For he denieth not but that Parsons was acquainted with a gentlemans purpose that resolutely ment either to take away the Queenes life or to loose his owne So it appéereth that such matters are consulted vpon which is the thing we say and that Parsons was acquainted withall which is by our aduersarie denied Indéede I confesse that wée are tolde that Parsons disswaded the foresaide murdrer But that are not wée bounde to beléeue Nay albeit hée had so done yet that is not sufficient to excuse him For such treasons are to bée detected and not onely hindred by all honest men Againe it may bée that Parsons either in regard of the gentleman that shoulde haue executed this murder or because such executions woulde bring domage to their cause not for loue to her Maiesty did disswade this shameful murder and assassinate For it appéereth both by his dealing with Hesket about the Earle of Darby and also by his practises with the yoong priests that come ouer out of Spaine for the preferment of the Infant of Spaine to the crowne of England and by his most scandalous writings vnder the false names of Dolman and Philopater which shall bée prooued to his face by witnesse to bée his dooings that hée séeketh nothing more then her Maiesties dishonor and destruction And that in treason hée is not inferior to Allen the Cardinall or any traytor these many yéeres executed at Tyborne Finally he a P. 71. compareth her Maiestie to Saul whom God declared vnwoorthy to reigne and from whom hée gaue the kingdome to Dauid Which sheweth plainly what a leude conceite this generation hath of her Maiesties title and gouernment But that they woulde spare her as Dauid spared Saule is a matter most vnlikely For it appéereth that the pope and the Iesuites and priests his agents and al their consorts haue by secret assasinors and empoisoners and also by open murdrers and cutthrotes sought her death and destruction And shall such agents of the pope and Spaniard as these bée still suffred to liue and bée still maintained in diuers principall places of this lande to practise Shall not wée take a course with Iesuites and priestes and their consorts that are thus bloodily minded against the prince and all that loue her or stande well affected to true religion Shall wée suffer them through our remissenesse or rather stupiditie to make a head as they haue done in Ireland where they are the onely originall causes of the reuolt albeit other matters are pretended and so to bring all in combustion héere as they haue done there alreadie Consider the sequele of these matters my déere countrymen and looke well to your owne safetie and if you respect not your selues nor your owne particular yet haue regard to the church of God and his true religion which you professe and shoulde defende if you bée truelie religious Respect the honour of your prince your nation your countrey Will you abandone your selues to the spoile of proud enimies that séeke
not haue kept secret Lastly where it is saide That the king had laide a plot for the destruction of the Ladie Elizabeth now Queene of England hée answereth That the worlde knoweth that the king at that day was her chiefe stay and defence and that for the reasons before alleaged and that finding her when he came into England in prison and hardly pressed about Wyats insurrection hee deliuered her and brought her to the court and yeelded her most carefull protection In the end hée concludeth That it is barbarous ingratitude not to acknowledge his fauour towards her But if this were a matter knowne to the worlde it were a great woonder if it shoulde neuer bée knowne in England where men haue greatest reason to know the same No no hée abuseth his Reader very much that imputeth the cause of her safetie to king Philip. For albeit for some causes hée had reason to respect her then when he hoped to haue issue by Quéene Mary yet afterward no doubt hée consulted and that for many and potent considerations to bée ridde of her Yea albeit her innocencie in Wyats cause was sufficiently knowne yet if God almightie had not béene her chéefe protector and stirred vp meanes for her safetie neuer thought of by man it was not the kings fauour that coulde haue defended or deliuered her But suppose God shoulde vse the king likewise for an instrument of her deliuerance yet did hée neuer any thing in regard of the Ladies innocencie but rather in regard of his owne profite as the Noddy vnawares confesseth in his third encounter and as is very apparent by the procéedinges of the king in that action But what if the king shoulde do a fauour to any person is it barbarousnesse for all others not to acknowledge the same In ancient time those that receiued a benefite were déemed vnthankefull if they did not acknowledge the same and endeuor to requite it but our barbarous Warder will haue all condemned for barbarous and vngratefull that either know not or acknowledge not the kings fauour extended to others Other points of his answere I haue before touched and refuted The premisses considered he doth woonder How sir Francis his booke which hée termeth a libell could bee suffred to passe to the print especially conteining so reprochfull calumniations against so great and potent a prince as the king of Spaine is But rather it is to bée woondred that Parsons or any Iesuite shoulde once open their mouth to speake of calumniations and libels when their common course is by libels and slandrous writings to denigrate all such as oppose themselues to their factious courses Parsons is not onely a practitioner but also hath passed master in this facultie Against my Lord of Leycester hée a Leycesters common-welth began to play his masters prises yet was not that his first libell as his friends of Oxford know The booke which hée published vnder the name of Andreas Philopater toucheth her Maiestie and all her cheefe Counsellors very rudely beside that hée set out a booke against the old Lord Treasurer and his whole house After that followed Dolmans booke which hée will not denie to bee both calumnious and iniurious and to haue béene written by him Hée is also charged by a friend of his to bee a principall actor in the infamous libell set out anno 1588. by Allen against the Quéene at the least hée ouersawe the presses and diuulged certaine copies thereof Nowe hée hath set out this fencing Ward-word comparable to the rest of his satyricall writings for the bitternesse thereof A certaine a A discouerie of a counterfeit conference p. 6. priest of his owne religion doth call his booke of succession set out by Dolman An infamous babling cartell or libell Iohn b Discouerie of the errors of William Criton Iesuite Cecil a popish priest doth not onely taxe Criton a Scottish Iesuite for setting out a Satyr pasquinado and libell against himselfe and others but condemneth all these pestilent courses of libelling and killing practised by the Iesuites Neither do I thinke that any can allow Ribadineiraes booke of schisme As for sir Francis Hastings Watch-word it is a discourse of another nature conteining neither satyricall inuectiue nor iniurious calumniation but a iust accusation and declaration of our enimies most wicked and malicious purposes against vs which none can mislike but such as professe themselues either enimies to our nation or traitors to their prince In the end of this discourse hée goeth about to cléere king Philip the second Of all supicion of hiring Lopez to poison her Maiestie yea of being priuie and consenting to that execrable fact But hée doth his client no pleasure in mentioning that wherewith hée is not charged and refuting the charge so loosely as if hée were hired to betray the kings cause as hée hath héeretofore long gone about to betray his prince countrey Wée I say do not charge the king with any such matter but onely referre our selues to Lopez his confession and to Manoel Lois and Stephen Ferreiraes depositions and to the bil of exchange for fifty thousand crownes to be paid to Lopez The witnesses and parties do all blot the king and his principall agents in the Low countries the Count of Fuentes and Ibarra Such a great summe coulde not bée paide without the kinges notice héereto may bée added a certaine token or iewell sent from Christopher Moro the kings counsellor and a message from the king brought to Lopez by one Andrada But nothing doth bréede more suspicion then this Noddies defence for the king Hée saith That this matter coulde neuer probably be knowne to the king And why not Coulde neither Lopez himselfe by letters nor Andrada by message nor secretarie Ibarra tell him of the purpose It is no question Nay it is confessed and deposed that they did Secondly hée saith That Lopez neuer gaue any signification of any such matter But his confession in writing testifieth the contrary And many heard him say more then his confession importeth Thirdly hée alleageth That the king was not to haue correspondence with Lopez being a Iew. As if the Spaniards vse not to haue correspondence both with Iewes and Turkes to serue their owne turnes or if any coulde bée more fit to execute such horrible factes then Iewes and Infidels Lastly hée asketh If the king had no agents neere to plot such matters but he must be made priuy himselfe But it may bée answered that no warrant coulde bée graunted for so great a summe but by the king that would not let fiftie thousand crownes go for nothing and that Lopez woulde do nothing vnlesse hée had the kings warrant both for the money and his further preferment It is therefore no Turkish impietie to talke of such matters but a course Turkish and heathenish or woorse to do or consent to such execrable empoisonments Neither would Parsons haue taken vpon him the defence of the king in this foule fact if he
put foorth the constitutions of the apostles vnder the name of Clement which sauour nothing of the apostles diuine spirite and are likely to be the deuises of heretikes Thirdly they haue most shamefully corrupted the councels and haue not onely forged diuers new actes and péeces of actes but also newe councels In the sixt councell of Carthage the popes agents exhibited a counterfeit canon of the councell of Nice and were conuicted k Acta synodi Carth. 6. of that falshoode by authenticall copies sent from other churches Pius Quintuâ— when the emperour repined for that hée had made Cosmus of Florence duke of Tuscane alleaged for himselfe a forged canon of the councell of Nice E sentenza saith he l Girol Caten in literis Pij quinti. di tutti theologi è canonisti determinatione di concilij massimamente del Niceno che ' l successor di San Pietro sia signore rettore di tutti i principi del nome Christiano de tutte le prouincie tutte le genti anathematizando chiunque cio ardisse contradire Parsons may do well to exhibite this canon where the pope is made Lorde of all princes and prouinces and all excommunicated that dare say contrarie vnlesse hée will haue his holy father condemned of impious forgerie Ruffine and other authors say there were but twentie canons made in that councel But these good fellowes by a counterfeit letter of Athanasius woulde bring in a great number more Carranza saith many more canons were there established Where the second councell of Constantinople a C. 36. decréed that the sea of Constantinople shoulde bée equall to the sea of old Rome as appeereth by the actes both in Greeke and Latine in their b C. Renouantes dist 22. c. antiqua extr de priuileg decrées the popes haue turned this canon quite contrarie as if that councell had decréed that the sea of Constantinople shoulde not bée equall to old Rome The councell of c Carthag 6. c. 105. Carthage decréed against the church of Rome Vt qui ad transmarma putauerit appellandum à nullo ad communionem intra Africam reciperetur But Gratian in the chap. Placuit 2. q. 6. addeth these wordes Nisi fortè Romanam sedem appellauerit out of a certaine councell of Carthage that woulde haue priestes to abstaine from their wiues in proprijs terminis in the chap. Placuit dist 32. they haue put out proprijs terminis In the d Can. 35. councell of Laodicea where the worship of angels is forbidden they haue turned angelos into angulos and so marred the whole sence To end this point vnder the name of Syluester Syricius Gelasius and other popes they haue forged whole councels whereof in authenticall writings there is neither prooâ—e nor memoriall to bée found Fourthly their manifolde corruptions of the writings of the fathers cannot in fewe wordes bée described First vnder the names of fathers they haue published most childish toies vaine fables and vnlearned patcheries as by their additions to the works of Cyprian Origen Athanasius Basill Ambrose Hierome Augustine Chrysostome Gregorie and diuers others is euidently testified For Caesar Baronius Bellarmine and others do in part confesse so much and if they shoulde not yet woulde the stile and doctrine diuers from that of the fathers to whom they are ascribed conuince these treatises to bee misbegotten and not to belong to the fathers whose name they beare yet are they offended with those that censure these counterfeit sermons orations and treatises and cease not to vse them Next they haue taken diuers wordes lines and sometimes whole chapters out of the fathers writings and vnder colour of correcting haue quite corrupted the fathers As appéereth by their Rubarbatif or as they cal them expurgatorie indexes that are daily increased and may bée prooued further by comparing the old bookes with the newe editions approoued by the Cananites and Iebusites that cannot endure either truth or the professors thereof Another practise also they haue to abuse and disgrace the fathers of the church that they adde wordes now and then and alter the text of their true writings as also comparison of bookes will â—asily shew Fiftly vnder the names of the ancient bishops of Rome they haue published méere fooleries and false constitutions refuted plainly by the stories of the times wherein they liued by the estate of that church in time of persecution and by the barbarousnesse of the Gothike language wherein they are written sauoring of otherages and authors then those whose names they beare Of this stampe are the epistles that carrie the names of Clement Anacletus Euaristus Alexander Telesphorus Hyginius Pius and such like Sixtly for the enlarging of their dominion and authoritie the popes haue set out l C. Constantinus dist 96. first a false donation surmised to bée made by Constantine and therein they say hée gaue them Rome Italy France Germany and all the west empire and also most ample priuileges authoritie A matter so false and vaine as it may bée woondred with what saâ—e the popes can alleage so manifest a forgery being contradicted by the m Socrat. hist lib. 3. c. vlt. Sâ—xt Aurel. Victor Zosimus emperour Constantines testament and by ancient histories by the state of the Romaine bishops for many yéeres after and by the brutish and barbarous fashion and frame of the instrument and therfore disallowed euen by the n Antonin 1. part hist tit 8. c. 1. Cusanus de concord cathol 3. aduersaries themselues that haue either modesty or learning They haue also set out another donation vnder the name of o Ego Ludouicus dist Ludouicus almost to the same purpose but yet not so large as the other That the same is forged it may appéere both for that it contradicteth Constantines donation and for that the two diuers copies that are p Volater Geograph lib. 3. extant do contradict one another For writings that are diuers and derogatorie one to another make no strong proofe Scripturae diuersae fidem sibi inuicem derogantes nihil habere firmitatis possunt as saith the q L. scripturae Cod. de fid instrument emperour Neither can two contrarie propositions bée taken for true as lawyers holde l. sâ—is qui. § vtrum ff de reb dub l. vbi pugnantia ff de regulis iuris To giue colour also to the counterfect clayme made by the popes of Rome for their vniuersall power euer the whole Church they haue r Cod. de sum trinit fide cath l. inter claras thrust a counterfect epistle of Iustinian the Emperour and an epistle of Iohn bishop of Rome among the imperiall lawes of the Code whereby they would prooue that the Emperour here did subiect himselfe and the church of Constantinople to the bishop of Rome and made him head of the church That these letters are forged it may appéere First for that they are not found in
falsified and that himselfe found so many more as might double the foresaide number and doth offer to prooue them one by one to anie friend of master Foxes and so falling to multiplication he saith that if 60. be multiplied by a thousand and more according to the number of leaues of the booke there will fall out the number of 30000. falshoods and that master Foxes booke will exceede Iohn Sleidans in number of lyes But all this amounteth to nothing but vaine words When he commeth to his tryall he shall finde that neither the scholler nor the Rector is able to conuince master Foxe of falshood Which also may appéere by view of those leaues which he quoteth For therein master Foxe scarce quoteth any allegations but onely briefely noteth certaine absurd opinions held by papistes in which when Parsons shall come forth and speake de tracta persona he shall finde that master Foxe hath said truely and that those absurdities which he noteth follow indeed of popish doctrine If then those leaues where our aduersarie supposeth most falshood will be iustified against the calumniations of the rector of the English seminarie of traytors and all his disciples I beléeue his reckonings and accounts of falshoodes wiâ—l fall short at the time of the audit and that there will be twise so many found in Caesar Baronius and infinit more in the lying legends the stinke whereof is odious to al men of sound iudgement He taketh also exception against master Foxes calender as if he meant to canonize all there mentioned and chargeth him with other trickes and shifts But the calender was onely placed there to note the day of euerie mans triall and suffring and so far was he from shifting tricking that no man coulde deale more plainely as shall bee iustified against this Bragadoccio and his consorts come he foorth when he dare Nay the trickings and delusions of the whore of Babylon together with her bloodie cruelties which master Foxe hath layde open to the world shall yet be made more manifest if once they begin to quarrell Likewise we will bring forth so many lyes out of papisticall writers as shall make our aduersaries wearie of this argument Of Sleidan I néede not say much séeing he hath answered sufficiently for himselfe and ouerturned the cart loaded with lyes by his accusers against him Against master D. Fulke our accuser obiecteth nothing so that by rules of law this accuser is to be condemned of calumniation and D. Fulke to be discharged from further molestation And thus much may serue to shew the vanitie of our aduersaries crackes and bragges of the great mischiefe he meaneth to vs in conuincing vs as he hopeth of falsification For what should many words néede to answere so vaine a babler that albeit he accuse many and layeth to their charge a most heinous crime yet neither noteth nor prooueth any one point against them Beside that noting certaine places in master Foxe most ridiculously he would haue vs to answere before he obiect any thing or shew the points of falshood Which is a more abiurd course then that of Eureux against M. Plessis who of many places noted some and laide downe his reasons But this relator hath not his arguments yet framed So busie hée is about plotting some mischieuous deuise or treason CHAP. V. A briefe examination of the relators calumnious and vaine narration THe foundation of our answere béeing thus layd and the maine point of the aduersaries accusation concerning falsifications being cleared made firme against him I thought it not amisse to ioyne with him yet more closely and to examine the particulars of his narration For albeit the iustice of our cause and the vaine brags false dealing ridiculous cauillations of papists may sufficiently be discouered by that which already hath béene answered yet shal the same more exactly be prooued and discerned if we doe but lightly touch euery point of his pamphlet in order as it lyeth and as our lying aduersary hath couched it in his letters from Rome In the beginning of his aduertisements he yéeldeth two reasons that moued him to send the report of the conference passed in Fraunce so farre as from Rome into England The first was for that euery man vnderstood not the French tongue and few durst translate and diuulge such matters in English The second is that men might vnderstand the manner of the combate and true issue thereof and such things as passed therein from authenticall parties But these pretended reasons séeme to be full of ridiculous vanitie and voide of reason For albeit euerie man vnderstood not French yet might he either learne of others or himselfe reade the treatises published in English concerning that matter some time before the comming of this relation Againe it is a very ridiculous point to think that French matters are better vnderstood at Rome then in France or that we are like to haue better intelligence from Rome that as Petrarch called her is Fucina d'inganni e schola d'errori that is a forge of lyes and trecherous frauds and a schoole of errors and heresies and falshood then out of the place where these matters were executed which are héere reported Finally nothing can be deuised more absurd then to account Iames Peron his letters in his owne cause or the Popes Nuntioes letters in a matter that so néere touched the Pope to be authenticall or of any credit It is a common rule that no man is a sufficient witnesse in his owne cause And iust exceptions may be taken to al partial witnesses Wherefore to write froÌ„ Rome into England of French matters was a trick of foolerie to send the parties letters for authenticall testimonies was a ridiculous absurditie No it was no part of the relators intention either to haue truth knowne or authenticall narrations diuulged but rather with vaine reports lies sent from Rome that is now become a mistresse of lies to crosse and blemish truth and those that professe the same For which cause I haue also thought conuenient to entertaine the relator with this answer which I doubt not but Blackwel the archpresbyter or archtraitor and Walley the prouinciall of Iebusites in this countrey will send him a Fol. 2. 3. Afterward he goeth about to declare the qualities of the actors in this conference But it néeded not greatly For wée know the men farre better then he and that as the Lord of Plessis is a man of great worth and learning so Eureux is an apostate from religion and a vainglorious man He wrote once a booke of the insufficiency of the scriptures by which his learning was sufficientlie tryed and his ambitious humours discouered If he would write a litle thrée halfe peny pamphlet of the sufficiencie of the popes decretals he should highly deserue the popes fauor As for the relator he séemeth not well to know either of the parties where he saith that M. Plessis did write more cunningly and coueâ—tly then
others and is one of the head pillers of our religion setteth out Eureux as a singular rare fellow a Hercules new come from hell a patriarch of the popes side â—scourse of â—â—rence â—eâ— and one that hath endeuoured to conuert others For Eureux is no other then I haue before declared Neither hath he conuerted any to religion but rather peruerted them seeking like Cacus to draw beastes backward into his denne of popery and there to hide them in darknesse Contrariwise the Lord of Plessis hath vsed all plaine and honest dealing in his writings and is therefore we confesse much prised among vs. And yet not so as we make him a piller of our religion which is not built vpon humane meanes and writings but vpon the word of God Neither doe we make such reckoning of his booke written against the Masse as if our cause did stand vpon that booke or any other mans worke Howbeit such are the grounds of his booke that as yet neither Italian nor French Iebusite nor other could ouerthrow it Manie curres haue long barked against it diuers priests fryers iâ— their chaires and in wine-tauernes haue spoken their pleasure against it But yet it standeth firme against the malice of many aduersaries and with sound argument cannot be ouerthrowne nor shaken Hauing talked his pleasure of the parties our relator descendeth to discourse of the occasions of the conference but hée should much dissent from himselfe if he should tell truth For where he saith that after that diuers examining the booke of the Lord of Plessis had found many most egregious falsifications and had cried out against them in pulpit the king diuers noble men that were protestants as namely the duke of Bullion Rosni Desguieres and others began to call vpon the triall of M. Plessis his booke for that it seemed to touch all their honours and of their religion especially There is scarce any shadow of truth or honest dealing For first the charge of egregious falsifications and of thousands of falshoods shall neuer be prooued against M. Plessis his writings But if we list to examine the lying decretals of popes the fabulous legends of the synagogue of Rome the cogging commentaries of Caesar Baronius the iangling disputes of Bellarmine his consorts we shall easily find here that number of falsifications which the aduersaries séek other where Secondly it is a most shamelesse vntruth to say that either the king or any other saue the Lord of Plessis himselfe and the Duke of Bullion that exhibited his supplication to the king did desire any such triall For if the king had called vpon this triall what should M. Plessis haue néeded to employ all his friends to procure that he might haue an hearing And what reason had either Rosni or Desguieres to deale in a matter that pertained not to theÌ„ Thirdly it is a ridiculous conceit to thinke that al these noblemens honours stood vpon the credite of a booke that was written by another or that our religion could not stand without the support of this treatise though otherwise neuer so excellent But this is but a tricke of Parsons cunning to aduance the fame of his supposed victorie It is also a most manifest vntruth that the king did shew great indifferencie in iudgement betwixt both parties For the world knoweth this conference was nothing but a packe with the popes Nuntio for the aduancing of the popes credite and the disgrace of the Lord of Plessis that the king made him selfe partie in the disputation against him and shewed all grace â—o Eureux denying all meanes of indifferent triall to the Lord of Plessis Neither doth he obserue more religion in relating the manner and issue of the triall where he saith that the day being appointed for the conference M. Plessis seemed to shrinke and vse delayes and that at the length he appeared with foure or fiue ministers on his side The same may be answered to Eureux his vainglorious letters who writeth that the victory of the combate betwixt the Lord of Plessis and him remained to the cacolyke church after many tergiuersations of M. Plessis and that sentence was prononced against him vpon euerie place and that those that came to assist him with one voyce condemned him Most falsly also doth the Popes Nuntio and another odde fellow write that M. Plessis was confounded in this combat and that those of the religion were more dismayed by the euill successe of this conference then if they had lost a battel of forty thousaÌ„d men Matters certes vntrue and very improbable For if M. Plessis had either shrunke or vsed any tergiuersatioÌ„ he would not so earnestly haue solicited this trial Nay albeit he perceiued the king to be made against him very plainly that the coÌ„ditions of the conference were so vnequal for him that scarce any would haue yéelded to theÌ„ yet did he resolue to procéed shut his eies against all difficulties bearing himselfe bold vpon his owne innocencie and refusing to heare those that willed him either to desist or to obtaine more equall conditions of tryall b A discourse of the conference at Fontainebleau But whatsoeuer M. Plessis did true it is that the Sorbonistes hearing of this quarrell aduised the popes Nuntio to take a course that it might procéede no further The popes Nuntio also dealt with the king for the hindering of the conference neither would he be satisfied vntill he was resolued that it should so procéed that the disgrace should fall on M. Plessis his side Finally Eureux being challenged priuatly made a publike matter of it as being vnable to deale hand to hand with his aduersarie and could neuer be drawn to performe his challenge either in refuting the whole booke or shewing 500. falsifications to be contained in the booke All that were present also can witnesse that M. Plessis had neither fower nor fiue nor any one to speake in his cause being still vrged not onely by his aduersarie whose arguments he weyed not but also by the king against whom his purpose was not to make himselfe partie Finally to whom the victorie belonged may appéere by that which hath béene said that he was condemned both by his owne friends and by the iudges and that our side was so dismaide as is reported is vtterly vntrue as both the euents and effects shew and those that were present are readie to testifie After this our relator taketh paines to set downe first the challenges on each side and M. Plessis his reply Next the kings letters Iames Perons owne report and the Nuntioes and an others letter sent to Rome Out of which I maruell what he is able to gather for his owne aduantage or not rather to his disaduaÌ„tage For by Perons offer made to M. Plessis in his answere to his challenge it appéereth that he hath fayled in performing it By M. Plessis his reply we gather that he could not obtaine any indifferent tryall
pleade vnsufficiently But wée charge them with leud opinions held by all the papists and most wicked and abominable actions allowed by publike authoritie Further the papistes alleage the testimonies of Lindanus Staphylus Cochleus Rescius Reynoldes and their owne consorts fellowes to bée receiued as witnesses before no indifferent iudge for their basenesse leudnesse and partialitie But wée are able to conuince them by their owne recordes and by witnesses authenticall to be such as they woulde haue vs to bée and farre woorse too And if Parsons maintaine the contrary hée shall soone receiue his answere and perceiue his owne inabilitie and the weakenesse of his owne cause Further he obserueth in Luther That at the first hee contemned the fathers and that afterward when wee began to shew how the fathers did witnesse for our cause that we alleaged them falsly But neither did euer Luther contemne all the fathers but where they spoke contrary to the prophets and apostles nor shall this counterfeit relator shew that wée haue alleaged the fathers vntruly as I will bée alwaies readie to iustifie against him Hée noteth also That we make plaine demonstrations of distrust in maintaining our cause And that hée prooueth first For that diuers bookes written in English by papists were forbidden by proclamation Secondly For that by a statute it was made death to reconcile men or perswade them to the Romish faith Thirdly for that Streite orders were set downe to restraine the resort of people to the papistes that are prisoners in Wisbich But if these be arguments of distrust then are the papists most distrustfull and fearefull to haue their matters come in scanning For they forbid all our bookes to be solde among them And if any disswade from poperie or talk against it it is present death Neither may any talke with prisoners in the inquisition As for our selues we are but too confident in these causes For there is no bald lousie friers book commeth forth but it is commonly sold in Paules church yard and any learned man may buy any of their bookes publikely Yea diuers simple soules not being able to iudge are often times deceiued by them So that it were fitting more care were had in this point But the true reason why our superiours haue forbidden English bookes popish perswasions and common repaire to popish prisoners is for that diuers simple soules not being so well able to iudge haue by such meanes béene drawne not only into leud opinions but also dangerous practises of which we should not offend if we did take more care then we do Finally he noteth that we cannot abide confession satisfaction restitution or the like which is true if by confession he meane auricular coÌ„fession made in a priests eare and by satisfaction scourging a mans selfe or walking in pilgrimage with hope thereby to satisfie God for his sinnes and such like satisfactions and by restitution such summes of money as papists are enioyned in lieu of true restitution to parties offended to bestow vpon priests Iebusites and notorious traitors It is not long since these companions drew from a drie fellow a little before his death two thousand pounds with the which the Iebusites their consorts now make merrie But if order be not taken for such deuises to draw mony out of the subiects purses and to take away these means from traitorous practisers the same in the end will make this state very sorrowfull And therefore I doubt not but the magistrates and iudges will looke to that verie diligently In the meane while I hope I haue taken order with this Relators lying obseruations CHAP. VII An answere to our aduersaries two petitions annexed to his former relation WHat successe our aduersarie is to hope for in his petition annexed to the Ward-word I hope may in part appeere by our answere And yet not expecting an answere he hath presumed to come to her maiestie with a new petition and to vs with another So copious and fluent he is in his libels and petitions a Homer Iliad ◠〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He is like a flye or rather because he speaketh so much for Spaniards a Spanish mosqueta that albeit she be beaten off from a mans bodie yet is bold to come againe and bite And b Non missura cutem nisi plena cruoris hirudo Horat. leaue as it séemeth he will not vntill like the horseleach he hath filled himselfe with some mans blood First he desireth that her Maiestie would be pleased to admit such a tryall heere as passed in Fraunce of late assuring vs that the same would be pleasant to her Maiestie and all other assistants and verie briefe and easie As if Parsons the Iebusite and rector of the English seminarie of traytors were now verie carefull to yéeld satisfaction and contentment to her Maiestie and subiects that not long c Anno. 1588. since ioyned himselfe to the Spanish armie that came against vs and in the interim that the Spanish fléete was expected and while our commissioners were treating of peace holpe to make print and diuulge the most infamous d Aâ—lens letters to the nobilitie and people of England and Ireland libell against her Maiestie and her faithfull subiects that could be deuised or euer was set out in this kinde Furthermore euer since he hath béene busie either in stirring vp forrein enimies against vs or broching some treasonable practise against the state or writing seditious libels against one or other as appéereth by former proofes Nay when a certaine gentleman and one of the Spanish agents séeming more moderate then the rest disliked all practises for the murther of the Prince by the direction of Parsons others of his faction he had a cuchillada and dangerous blow with a falchion ouer the face as he was going to the church to heare masse An vnhappie masse might he call it if the blow had hit right He doth also much abuse his reader where he saith that the tryall will be briefe and easie and maketh a vaine brag offering himselfe to be the champion that must performe the challenge The first is euident for that they pretend so many falsificatious against vs and we haue so many false allegations and forgeries to charge our aduersaries withall and that most iustly that the examination cannot chuse but prooue long and difficult especially if they yéeld to vs that which they demaund themselues The second I thinke we shall finde true by experience For it is not Parsons I thinke that can performe all that is offered Nay little doth he vnderstand the galles of his owne cause that once dare obiect forgerie or falsification to others Beside that he is fitter to make a clerke to make libels and exhibit petitions then to make a good disputer to iustifie the popes broken cause In that he hath some prettie facultie in this we doubt of his abilitie His other petition is that some one or other would come forth against him and defend bishop Iewel Peter Martyr and M. Foxe whom hee purposeth as he pretendeth to loade with many and grieuous falsifications the points whereof we haue already e Chap. 4 noted and this I thinke is but a copie of his grimme countenance also and a Thrasonicall bragge For I do not thinke that he wil or dare put his cause vpon this trial Neither do I thinke that his consortes will come to an equall examination of all falsifications and coruptions passed on both sides for the causes that I haue f Chap. 1. alleaged Vnto both his petitions vntill further order be taken let him receiue this answere from me First that we very well like of such a triall here as passed lately in France For as the papists found themselues wronged or at least pretended to be wronged in M. Plessis his bookes so we doe say and offer to prooue that we are wronged nay that the whole world is wronged and abused by millions of forgeries and falsifications committed by Bellarmine Caesar Baronius Greg. de Valentia Suarez and their consorts yea by the popes of Rome whose sentences they hold to be infallible If then this pratling or rather scribling relator or any of his consorts do find himselfe agrieued with this assertion and offer as M. Plessis did in France being charged publikely with falsifying and corrupting authours by him alleaged I shall God willing either in publike schooles or els which is farre better in publike writing iustifie as much as I haue sayd and I take this to be the case of papists in England if they will obtaine that which M. Plessis desired in France Secondly I do offer my selfe partie do accept of Parsons his challenge do offer my self to proue that those men whom he challengeth haue dealt more iustly theÌ„ Bellarmine and Caesar Baronius and the rest of that side Nay I dare simply defend them against any crimination which this frapling frier hath to lay to their charge Let him begin when he dare In the meane while he may do well to answere the points deduced in the first chapter of this treatise wherein I haue charged not only priuate men but the whole synagogue of Rome with plaine forging and falsification and laid downe the particulars and not as the relator doth who hauing made a great bragge of falsifications shutteth vp his relation and iustifieth nothing Somewhat I had more to say to Parsons and to his associates the whole combination of them But I reserue it to some other time By this which alreadie is sayd I hope it will appeare that neither Iames Peron hath gained any thing against the Lord of Plessis nor Parsons hath reason to hope that he shall haue better successe against the Church of England God which is light truth grant all christians the light of his grace that they may not only sée the truth but also truly iudge what is truth and falshood And then I doubt not but it will appeare to them all that we are cleare of that crime which the aduersary imputeth vnto vs and that our aduersaries through the operation of errours beleeue lies and haue by all fraud and false dealing sought to oppresse the truth Laus Deo