propositions Otherwise the Court will proceed against the transgressours as men guiltie of Treason and disturbers of the publike quietnes This aboue said Decree and the Decreed were pronounced in the presence of the Fathers Ignace Armand Charles de la Toure in the absence of Peter Cotton Fronton da Duc and Iames Sirmund And the Decree was put in execution before the great Stayres of the Pallace the 27. of Iune 1614. A Copy of a Letter which is said to be written by the most Reuerend and right Honorable Lord the Popes Nuncio at Brussels to Mr George Birket Arch-presbyter then liuing Very Reuerend Sir and as a brother most beloued in Christ THere came into the Citie of Rome a Theologicall Disputation concerning the Oath of Allegiance the third worke published vnder the name of Widdrington After it was there diligently examined our most Holy Lord declared that hee in no wise accepted of the Dedication of that booke and that he thought the Author of it was neither a child of the church nor a Catholike and further that all Catholikes should abstaine from the reading thereof Of these things I was certified some few daies since by letters of the congregation of the vniuersall Romane Inquisition by the commandement of his Holinesse to the end that I should write thereof especially to your Reuerence that you may signifie the same to the Catholikes there and according to your wisdome make it known vnto them God defend your Reuerence with his heauenly custodie From Bruxells the 26. Nouemb. 1613. Of your Reuerence most louing and respectiue To the Letters which are spread abroad among vs no name is subscribed A COPY OF ROGER WIDDRINGTONS Purgation To the most Holy and most Blessed Father Pope PAVL the fifth ROGER WIDDRINGTON an English Catholike wisheth euerlasting happines 1 THere came vnto my hands some few daies since most blessed Father a certaine Decree of the Sacred Congregation of the right Honourable Cardinals of the Holy Romane Church who are deputed for the examining of bookes dated the 16. day of March of this present yeere 1614 and printed in Rome by the printer of the Apostolicall Chamber vvherein two bookes written by me in sinceritie and simplicitie of heart are by name but yet onely in generall words without naming any crime either in particular or in generall at which many doe maruell altogether condemned and forbidden by the commandement of your Holinesse And the Author of them vnlesse he shall forthwith purge himselfe is threatned to bee punished with Censures and other Ecclesiasticall punishments 2 But what manner of purging your Holinesse doth expect at my hands who am the Authour of those Bookes and of what crime I ought to purge my selfe seeing that in this Decree there is no crime either in particular or in generall obiected against me of which I should purge my selfe neither is my conscience priuie to any crime for the making or publishing of those bookes I can not verily in any wise perceiue I know that certaine Doctors misinterpreting my words haue in their publike writings falsely and very iniuriously not to speake a more heinous word I pray God to forgiue them impeached me of certaine crimes by whose instigation I know not whether your Holinesse hath beene mooued to condemne those bookes but considering that both they are my Aduersaries in this controuersie and that they are mooued as I thinke rather by affection then by solide reason and also that they do foulely corrupt my words and wrest them to a most bad sense and neuer intended by mee as I could most cleerely demonstrate to your Holinesse if it vvere now a conuenient time I doe not thinke that so great authoritie is to bee giuen either to their sayings or writings of what learning or dignitie so euer otherwise they be that they are of force to binde mee either to embrace their opinions especially being grounded vpon so weake foundations or not to defend my innocencie from their false accusations in such an exceeding great crime as heresie is 3 And that your Holinesse may cleerely perceiue that I haue alreadie in these bookes which are forbidden by your commandement purged my selfe as much as is sufficient for a child of the Catholike Church I thinke it necessarie to repeate againe with as much breuitie as may be in what manner I haue in those bookes made profession of the Catholike faith which in my opinion aboundantly sufficeth for the purging of my selfe from all imputation of heresie errour or any other crime which doth depend on these and for what thing I made Supplication to your Holinesse in that Disputation of the oath of Allegiance that thereby your Holinesse may manifestly perceiue that some persons not of the meanest degree although perchance with the ignorant sort of people they doe greatly impaire my credite yet they doe also bring your Holinesse into no small obloquy both among prudent Catholikes and especially among those who are Aduersaries to the Catholike faith whiles they are not afraid to diuulge not so circumspectly in my iudgement as is fitting that your Holinesse did in good earnest auouch that you thought the Authour of that Disputation to bee neither a Catholike nor a child of the Church whereas the Author doth professe himselfe both to be a Catholike and a child of the Catholike Romane Church and submitteth most humbly that Disputation and all his other writings to the iudgement of the Holy Catholike Romane Church neither that you would accept of the Dedication of that booke whereas that Dedication as it is manifest by the Epistle of the Author written to your Holinesse was onely a most humble Supplication of the Author and of other Catholikes vnto your Holinesse that your Holinesse as being the supreme Pastour of the Catholike Church and whose office is to instruct and confirme the sheepe of Christ in the Catholike faith would bee pleased to instruct them in the Catholike faith in those things which your Holinesse had declared by your Breues to be cleerely repugnant to faith and saluation And that your Holinesse did speake the aforesaid words both of the Authour and also of the Dedication some here giue forth that your Holinesse his Nuncius then residing at Brussels did signifie as much to Mr George Birkâ—t the Arch-priest who was then liuing and that the same Nuncius did withall affirme that he was certified some few daies since of those things for so bee the expresse words of the Nuncius his Letters a These Letters were dated at Brussels 26 Nouemb. 1613. which are spred abroad among vs by Letters of the Congregation of the holy Romane vniuersall Inquisition by the commandement of your Holinesse to the end that hee should write thereof especially to his Reuerence that he according to his wisedome should signifie as much and make it knowne here to Catholikes 4 First therefore I the Author of those Bookes did protest That I composed them being mooued thereunto for the zeale of God of Religion
by the law it selfe permitted to speak somewhat more freely so that I speake truely and modestly this new kinde of condemning the books of Catholike Authours and of commanding the Authour to purge himselfe being made by such a publike Decree and vnder paine of incurring the penalties contained in the Councell of Trent and in the Index of forbidden bookes without naming any crime either in particular or in generall for which they are condemned and of which the Author should purge himselfe considering that the same punishment is not appointed in the Index for reading without distinction all sorts of forbidden bookes neither doe all crimes require the same purgation doth make both the See Apostolike odious to the Aduersaries of Catholike Religion who will easily from hence take occasion to perswade themselues that the Bishops of Rome are wont to reiect at their pleasure and to suppresse violently by threatnings and not by arguments those opinions which they doe not like and to promote by fauours not by reasons those opinions which are pleasing vnto them and also doth little satisfie prudent Catholikes who can hardly perswade themselues that the sacred Congregation of the right Honorable Cardinals who are deputed for the examination of bookes to whose informations your Holinesse giuing credit as we vndoubtedly doe imagine hath condemned those bookes and ordained that the Author shall be seuerely punished vnlesse he forthwith purge himselfe if they could haue found in them any proposition which is certainely knowne to bee hereticall erroneous or repugnant to sound doctrine they would haue passed it ouer with so great silence and contrarie to to the vsuall manner of the See Apostolike in condemning the bookes of Catholike Authors but of such especially who are commanded to purge themselues as by innumerable examples which are extant in the tomes of the Councels and in the Buls of Popes I could demonstrate command the Author to purge himselfe onely in generall words vvithout shewing him any crime either in particular or in generall of which hee should purge himselfe 19 I therefore the Authour of those bookes whom the Sacred Congregation by the commandement of your Holinesse hath enioyned to purge my selfe but as yet I know not of what crime a most dutifull child of the Catholike Romane Church and of your Holinesse in spirituals and withall a most faithfull Subiect of the Kingdome of England and of our Soueraigne Lord King IAMES in temporals being summoned before your Holinesse his supreme tribunall to purge my selfe prostrate at your Holinesse feete doe humbly request you by the dreadfull Maiestie of God the Supreme Iudge of all First that your Holinesse will iudge that which is right and doe mee iustice and not giue credit onely to the informations of them who are my Aduersaries in this controuersie and haue foulely corrupted my words contrarie to my meaning but that you will examine my cause by your owne certaine knowledge and that you vvill make knowne vnto mee all those things or at the least wise some of them which in those bookes condemned by your Holiness commandement are cleerely known to bee repugnant to faith or good manners For I protest that I am most readie to correct those things which are to be corrected to purge what is to be purged to make more plaine what is to bee explained and to recall what is to bee recalled 20 Secondly that if your Holinesse after due examination of my writings shall find that you haue been mis-informed by some persons and that nothing is to bee found in those bookes which is repugnant to Catholike Doctrine as some perchance haue suggested to your Holinesse you will be pleased to recall that sentence of the Sacred Congregation published against mee and my bookes through euill information or vehement importunitie of some men or through misvnderstanding the true meaning of my words and that you will haue a care of my good name in that good sort as shall seeme fitting to your wisedome charitie and iustice and that you will account mee to bee a Catholike and a Childe of the Catholike Romane Church For that which I did vvrite in another place 〈◊〉 Disput 〈◊〉 Admonit 〈…〉 8. I doe here repeate againe I am a Catholike and a child of the Catholike Romane Church and if any man of what degree so euer hee be shall wrongfully accuse mee of heresie let him know assuredly that by the assistance of Almightie God I will by all those meanes which God and nature hath granted to innocent men to defend themselues to the vttermost of my power defend my selfe from their false accusations vntill the Church beeing fully informed of my opinion shall in plaine and particular words for no man can recall errors vntill he know particularly what they be condemne the same 21 Thirdly that your Holinesse will command that this my purgation and most humble petition may for future memorie be registred among the Acts of the holy Office of the Inquisition as the condemnation of my bookes is recorded as appeareth by the Decree it selfe that those who hereafter shall succeede in that Office may giue their sentence and iudgement as well of this my purgation as of that condemnation of my bookes and whether I am to bee accounted a Catholike and a child of the Church or an heretike 22 But if your Holinesse will not bee pleased to admit this my Purgation and most humble Supplication and to recall the sentence denounced vpon euill information against my Bookes and to haue a care of my good name which hath wrongfully beene taken away although I know right well that the same mercifull and great God who in times past preserued the credit of Robert Grosseteste Byshop of Lincolne with whom Pope Innocent the fourth being wonderfully offended i Mathew Paris ad annum 1253. §. diebus sub eisdem ad annum 1254. §. Hoc etiam anno Dominus Papa determined to cast his dead bones out of the Church and to bring him into so great obloquie that he should bee proclaimed throughout the whole world for an Heathen Rebell and disobedient for that hee had written to the said Pope Innocent in the spirit of humilitie and loue that hee would correct his frequent or accustomed Crebros â—os errores â—orrigeret errors although I know I say that the same God who is not an accepter of persons is able also to deliuer me from the vniust attempts and false informations of any whatsoeuer and to make knowne my innocency to your Holinesse and to the whole Christian World neuerthelesse prayers teares and patience ioyned with the testimony of a good conscience shall be my cheefest refuge and this shall bee my daily comfort that it is no whit lesse but rather more happy and gratefull to God to suffer persecution for Iustice sake at the handes of Kinsmen and of the same Houshold who in friendship and societie ought to bee more streightlie linked then of Strangers 23 Finally if in this my purgation which the Sacred Congregation by commaundement of your Holinesse hath enioyned me I haue offended any man as I hope I haue not by speaking any thing not with that circumspection as is fitting for wittingly and willingly I would giue no man any iust cause of offence I doe most humbly craue pardon both of your Holinesse for whose temporall and perpetuall felicitie I will continually pray vnto our most mercifull God and also of the whole Christian world From my Study in the Feast of S. Iohn Baptist 1614. A most humble Childe and Seruant of your Holinesse and of the Holy See Apostolike The Authour of the Bookes as aforesaid c. Errata Page 23. line 24. put out selfe Page 45. line 7. them Pag. 54. l. 2. writings pag. 59. l. 1. yeelding pag. 59. l. 18. manner
A COPY OF THE DECREE WHEREIN TWO BOOKES OF ROGER WIDDRINGTON an English Cathotholick are condemned and the Author commanded to purge himselfe AND A Copy of the Purgation which the same ROGER WIDDRINGTON sent to his Holinesse Pope Paul the fift Translated out of Latine into English by the Author whereunto he hath also adioined an Admonition to the Reader concerning the Reply of T. F. c. and the condemnation of Fa Suarez booke by a Decree of the Parliament of Paris He that iustifieth the wicked and he that condemneth the iust both are abhominable before God Prou. 17. IHS Permissu Superiorum 1614. To the Reader THere came forth some few monethes since Christian Reader out of the supreme tribunall of the holy Inquisition a Decree printed at Rome by the Printer of the Apostolicall Chamber to be published throughout the whol Christian world wherein two Bookes which I wrote with a simple and sincere intention are condemned and the Author commanded to purge himselfe forthwith I haue obeyed their command and made forthwith my purgatition and haue done as much as lyeth in me to send it forthwith to his Holinesse But because that Decree is printed and published in euery place and the purgation which I haue sent is only in written hand lest Catholikes should perchance imagine that I haue not been carefull to fulfill his Holinesse command for purging my selfe I thought it necessarie to Print also and publish that manuscript purgation which I haue sent which otherwise without doubt would come into few mens hands that so the whole world may sincerely iudge as well of my purgation as of that condemnation of my bookes and whether I am to be accounted a Catholike and a child of the Church or an Heretike and an enemie thereof as some men very irreligiously yet vnder pretext forsooth of religion are not afraid I pray God forgiue them to giue forth speeches of me Thy brother and seruant in Iesus Christ ROGER WIDDRINGTON A Copy of the Decree A DECREE To bee published euery where made by the Sacred Congregation of the most Honourable Cardinals of the holy Romane Church specially deputed by our most Holy Lord Pope Paule the fifth and the holy Apostolike Sea for the examination of bookes and their permission prohibition purgation and impression throughout the vniuersall common-wealth THe Sacred Congregation of the most Honorable Cardinals of the holy Romane Church deputed for the examination of Bookes hauing seene a Booke falsly intituled An Apologie of Cardinall Bellarmine for the right of Princes against his owne reasons for the Popes authority to depose Secular Princes in order to spirituall good written by Roger Widdrington an English Catholike in the yeare of our Lord 1611. And another Book of the same Authour intituled A Theologicall Disputation concerning the Oath of Allegiance dedicated to the most Holy Father Pope Paule the fifth printed at Albionopolis in the yeare of our Lord 1613. hath iudged both the Bookes worthy to bee condemned and prohibited and by the commaundement of our most Holie Lord Pope Paul the fifth doth by this present Decree vtterly condemne and prohibite them in what language soeuer they are printed or to be printed and except the Author of them who professeth himself to be a Catholike do purge or cleere himselfe forthwith hee is to vnderstand that he shall bee throughly punished with Censures and other Ecclesiasticall punishments Furthermore it commandeth vnder the penalties contained in the holy Councell of Trent and in the Index of forbidden Bookes that none of what degree or condition soeuer be so bold from henceforth to print the foresaid bookes or cause them to be printed or keepe them with him in any sort or reade them Also it commandeth vnder the same penalties that whosoeuer haue them now or shal haue them hereafter he shall presently vpon the knowledge of this present Decree exhibite them to the Ordinaries of the places where he is or the Inquisitours In testimony whereof this present Decree was signed and sealed with the hand and seale of the most Honorable and most Reuerend Lord the Lord Cardinall of S. Caecilia Byshop of Alba the 10. of March 1614. P. Byshop of Alba Card. of S. Caecilia The place †for the Seale Regist fol. 50. Fr. Thomas Pallauicinus of the Order of Preachers Secretarie Printed in Rome by the Printer of the Apostolicall Chamber 1614. An Admonition to the Reader concerning the Reply of T. F. c. 1 THis Decree of the Sacred Congregation as it is thus translated into English I haue Courteous Reader taken out of M. T. F. lately published whose vnsound and insufficient handling this Controuersie but yet somewhat cunning and colourable and therefore easie to blinde the eyes of the simple I will God willing ere it be long most clearely but modestly discouer In the meane time thou maiest very plainely perceiue the weaknesse of his Discourse to omit his intemperate and vncharitable bitternesse if thou dost but consider the true state of the Controuersie which is betwixt vs and that all his Replies must be either euident demonstrations or inuincible authorities to which no probable answer can be giuen otherwise he onely beateth about the bush and will neuer prooue that which he pretended to conuince and wilt also be pleased but sleightly to reade ouer the Appendix to my Theologicall Disputation wherein I fully answered all the arguments which Fa Suarez bringeth to demonstrate the doctrine for the Popes power to depose Princes to be a point of faith which Doctrine as this Authour confesseth is the maine question between him and me and therefore for the better confirmation of his Reply hee nakedly vrgeth all Fa Suarez arguments but concealing his name which I in that Appendix haue already fully satisfied 2 For first I plainely declared the reason of that distinction which I alledged betwixt the Popes power to command temporals and to punish temporally by way of coërtion which distinction seemeth greatly to trouble this Author because he perceiueth that it satisfieth the chiefest Arguments which are vsually brought from the authoritie of many Canons and from the nature and effects of Excommunication to prooue that the Pope hath power not onely by the priuiledges of Princes but also by Christ his institution and by consequence of his Pastorall office to dispose of temporals and to inflict temporall punishments by way of coërcion 3 Secondly I shewed that Marsilius of Padua whom with other enemies of the Church Suarez affirmeth to haue first impugned this Doctrine of deposing temporall Princes by the Popes spirituall authoritie was not by Catholike writers of former times accounted an heretick for that he did impugne this Doctrine neither do those Authours who relate Marsilius his errours as Castro Prateolus D. Sanders and others note this for one that the Pope hath not power to depose Princes which is an euident signe that before this our miserable age that Doctrine for the Popes power to depose Princes was not
contayned in the Oath are repugnant to faith and saluation 14. Now I beseech your Holinesse to iudge first whether I the authour of those bookes who haue professed my selfe to bee a Catholike and a child of the Catholike Romane Church and haue subiected all my writtings to her iudgment and Censure with that submission that whatsoeuer should not bee approoued by her I would disprooue condemne and haue it for not written ought bee adiudged by the Supreme Pastour and Father of the Catholike Church to bee no Catholike nor a child of the Catholike Church If I bee no Catholike doubtlesse I must bee an heretike defend obstinately seeing that heresie cannot be without obstinacy some Doctrine contrary to the Catholike faith But I to say nothing at this time of the Doctrine which I mainetained in those bookes which if it were cleerely hereticall why did not that sacred Congregation condemne those bookes as hereticall protested to write nothing obstinately but with an humble and submissiue mind and ready to recall my errour as soone as I should perceiue that I had erred in any thing I confesse indeed that I may erre but by God his assistance I will neuer be an heretik And if perchance in any thing I haue erred it is no errour of malice or obstinacy but of ignorance and infirmity For I will neuer by God his protection wittingly and willingly defend any thing at all which I shall know to bee contrary to sound Doctrine or to the Catholike faith 15. Secondly concerning that which some men to no small scandall to Catholike Religion and to the great disgrace of the See Apostolike especially among those who be Aduersaries to the Catholike Religion doe giue out that your Holinesse should say that you would not accept the Dedication of my disputation concerning the Oath or rather the most humble Supplication of me and of other Catholikes as I haue shewed before this onely at this present I will say that we English Catholikes are doubtlesse most miserable who dayly enduring so many discommodities of this life for the Catholike faith which wee professe and hauing prouoked his Maiesty a Prince otherwise most mercifull who professeth the contrary Religion to take displeasure against vs which of all the rest wee account most greeuous and hauing therefore for a long time beene and are dayly made a pittifull spectacle to this whole Kingdome now by humble petition crauing to be instructed by your Holinesse in those things which you by your Apostolical Breues haue to our most great temporall preiudice declared to be cleerely repugnant to the Catholike faith doe not onely not deserue so much at your hands as to bee heard herein but your Holinesse also doth forbid and condemne our petition and doth threaten the Authour to be punished with Censures and other Ecclesiasticall punishments vnlesse he purge himselfe very speedily yet after an vnusuall maner impeacheth him of no crime whereof hee should purge himselfe 16. For behold most blessed Father how miserable and to bee pittied is our case Our Kings most excellent Maiesty to whom by the law of Christ wee owe temporall obedience doth demaund of vs vnder paine of incurring most greeuous penalties an Oath which hee affirmeth to bee onely a temporall Oath and of Alleagiance your Holinesse to whom by the law also of Christ we are bound to obey in spirituals hath by your Breues altogether condemned the same as containing in it many things flat contrary to faith and saluation and hath withall declared that all those Priests who either doe take the said Oath or doe teach or shall teach that it may lawfully bee taken shall bee depriued of their faculties Wee English Catholikes being betweene these two narrow streights and fearing least that by auoyding the gulfe of Charybdis we should fall vppon the rocke of Scylla that is least that wee should not render to God or Caesar that which is their due doe most instantly request your Holinesse who is our Supreme Pastour in spiritualls and whose proper office is to instruct confirme the sheep of Christ in the Christian faith that you will bee pleased to shew vnto vs those many things or at least-wise one among those many which in this Oath are so repugnant to faith and saluation to the end that wee may both satisfie our owne consciences and also fulfill your Holinesse and his Maiesties command as much as in vs lyeth and Catholike Religion will permit And neuerthelesse your Holinesse doth not onely not admitte our petition wherein with all dutifull submission wee doe propound the reasons and arguments which are vsually obiected against and for the taking of the Oath to bee examined by your Holinesse and affirming nothing of our owne opinion but you doe also by the euill information of others as wee thinke wholely condemne the same without alleadging any crime either in perticular or in generall against it and doe declare that the Authour thereof or your humble petitioner except hee purge himselfe forthwith shall bee greeuously punished and neuerthelesse you make no mention of any crime at all whereof hee should purge himselfe 17 Is it perchance a crime for those that are in ignorance errour and doubt to haue recourse to the Supreme Pastour and Doctor of the Church to be instructed by him in faith and to propound with due submission the doubts and difficulties which trouble both their owne and other mens consciences to bee answeared and satisfied by him and that not in things of small moment but in such as vnder paine of incurring great penalties do belong to they eelding of due obedience to God and Caesar Is it a crime for childrē that are hungry to craue bread of their Father for sheepe that want Pasture to require foode of their Shepheard for Disciples that are ignorant to beseech humbly instruction of their Maister and Teacher Wee English Catholikes doe acknowledge your Holinesse to bee our spirituall Father Pastour and Maister and doe most humbly request to bee instructed by your Holinesse in the Catholike faith and in those many things which your Holinesse by your Breues hath declared to be cleerely repugnant to faith and saluation and your Holinesse doth damne and forbid our petition and doth ordaine after a maner altogether vnusuall that I the Authour thereof who in the name of the rest haue written and composed the same except I purge my selfe very speedily shall bee punished most seuerely For as I thinke in no tribunall on the earth this custome is to be found that any man is compelled by sentence of the iudge to purge himselfe vnder paine of incurring most greeuous punishments vnlesse the Iudge doe make knowne vnto him the crime for which if hee doe not purge himselfe hee is to be condemned Besides that it is impossible for one to purge himselfe of that crime whereof he is ignorant 18 And to speake freely the truth for now I being summoned before the highest tribunall on earth to purge my selfe am