crimes wherof both my selfe and diuers others of our brethren are accused I rereferre the matter to your iudgement to discerne whether we be guiltie of them or no. If you doubt of the truth of my relation I desire none other triall then the testimonie of mine accusers who if they denie any one word that I haue vttered by way of narration I can easily procure such proofe thereof as they shall not denie vnlesse they will denie themselues If my deductions arguments or suppositions vsed in yeelding reason for our not admitting M. Blackwells authoritie vpon the onely receit of Cardinall Caietaines Letters and that for so doing we incurred no note either of schisme or disobedience to his holinesse if they I say need any proofe I will vndertake to make them most euident Wherefore according to these grounds I humbly beseech you to passe your opinion and yeeld your iudgement of our cause And if the grounds prooue true your iudgement conformable therevnto may remaine firme but if they prooue otherwise your iudgement notwithstanding shall not be faultie for he that iudgeth according to his euidence is not culpable of any errour This good Sir I request because I desire to know your opinion of our cause which if you giue according to these grounds I shal easily vnderstand whether you wil condemne or cleare mee my brethren of the crimes obiected for I am sure I haue not erred in declaring the state of the matter If this which I haue said be not sufficient for your full satisfaction I hope it wil suffice at least to suspend your iudgement of vs vntill further triall be had of our cause which being had in any indifferent manner and if we being conuicted do not acknowledge our fault and make competent satisfaction then do not spare to account of vs as Heathens Publicans But our aduersaries purpose not to put the matter to any indifferent tryall or to ende it by any equall meanes but to decide it by strong hand might and violence by perpetuall oppressing vs with infamous slaunders of schisme faction and the like thereby to depriue if it can be our brethren abroad of all conuenient entertainment and to debarre vs in prison of necessary reliefe to the ende that necessitie may compell vs to yeeld to their desires the inequalitie of which proceedings I beseech you with indifferēcy to cōsider Sometime it is seen that a partie wilfully bent to contend is iustly compelled to admit an equall compremise and to stand to the arbitrement of an indifferent Iudge but it was neuer seene where iustice and conscience ruled and muche lesse amongst such as ought to be the rule of other mens consciences that the partie willing to stand to anie indifferent tryall should bee compelled by violence to agree vnto the desire of his aduersary how iust or vniust soeuer it be and that without any further sentence but onely because his aduersary must haue his will Good Sir we are heere in this place diuers in great want in so much that besides our debts to the keeper we haue not to defend vs from the iniury of the winter weather whereof that you may haue some special taste I doo you to vnderstand that since Trinitie Terme wee haue receiued no more from London from whence the chiefest part of our reliefe commeth then will suffice for three weekes charges with him that can husband his matters best And this shal be sufficient to insinuate vnto you our wants hoping that as opportunitie serueth you will concurre to the relieuing thereof confidently hoping withal that God for whose cause we suffer not onely of the cōmon aduersary but also of those who ought to be our friends wil giue vs patiēce whatsoeuer crosses befal vs to beare them to the end For mine owne part they may by their violent proceedings make me yeeld my breath and life which by Gods grace I shall if need require willingly sacrifice for the defence of iustice equitie and mine owne innocencie but my consent to these vniust dealings by Gods assistance they shall neuer extort out of me If any one to whom you shall thinke good to impart this as I am not against the imparting it to any so that you keepe the originall your selfe shall vndertake to improue me of any vntruth I will either satisfie his obiections euen to your own iudgement or else I will acknowledge mine errour Take this good Sir for a taste of our internall and domesticall troubles wherewith I imagine you are not much acquainted and therefore are you worse affected to our cause and as you shall giue me hereafter occasion you shall vnderstand more for this is but a small thing in respect of that which this matter affordeth But I feare I haue bene too tedious in this so disgustfull a discourse but let I pray you the hard tearmes my good name is brought into plead my pardon for my tediousnesse and the equitie of my Plea procure me your fauour and so in all humble sort I take my leaue Yours euer in all true Christian affection Anthony Champney SIr if you do not consider diligently the haynous Post scriptū enormitie of schisme imposed vpon me you will peraduenture condemne me of too much precisenesse if not of contention for labouring to defend my selfe from the note thereof and will thinke that I ought rather to suffer some small infamie then by opposing my selfe so earnestly to repell the same to procure a further breach between mine accusers and my selfe to both our harmes and to the offence of others But if you consider first to admit the infamy of this slaunder though it were of it selfe but small were in some sort to giue occasion to mine accusers to heape vpon my head greater wrongs hereafter for he that will offer wrong in one thing will do the like in an other if occasion serue you shall finde it to be neither wisedome nor pietie to giue place to such beginnings Secondly the condition of mine estate requiring a most entire fame I should both wrong my selfe and slaunder my function if I should admit any blemish or blotte therein which I may by mine owne endeuour wipe away and therefore to purchase peace at such a price I hold it not lawfull for Non est faciendum malum vt eremat bonum Euill is not to be done that good may ensue And as S. Augustine saith Qui famam suam negligit crudelis est Hee that neglecteth his good name is cruell But if thirdly you cōsider the intrinsical enormitie of this crime you will easily excuse mine endeuour in clearing my self therof from all note of contention For amongst all other sinnes against our neighbour schisme is the greatest and the pennalties which the Church hath alwaies inflicted on such as haue bene guiltie therof proue the same to weet excommunication and seperation from all vse of Sacraments as appeareth by diuers auncient Canons also in Bulla caenae which being graunted
cause of this diuision now in England is not for any resistance in the Priests against the superioritie as many forward and euill taught people perswade themselues cry out against the priests that they are disobedient But the cause of this diuision is for that the Priests will not acknowledge that in the time of their forbearance to subscribe to the authoritie which was no longer then vntill they sawe the Breue they were factious seditious rebellious Schismatickes enormiously disobedient in continuall mortall sinne practising their function in irregularitie and pretending to absolue from sinne without faculties or iurisdiction meete therevnto worse then South-sayers and Idolaters c. If therefore sufficient reasons may be giuen why the Priests did forbeare to subiect themselues before they sawe any Letters from his holinesse concerning this authoritie it will both appeare how greatly they haue bene iniuried both by the Archpriest Iesuites and their euill nurtured children and how necessarie this course of publishing in this sort is for the purging of the other Priests from those slaunderous speeches and here by the way do we aske of those pious Catholiques for so they must be tearmed howsoeuer they deserue it when they charge and perswade themselues that they choake the Priests with disobedience what it is that they meane by this disobedience if they meane therby that the Priests do not acknowledge M. Black for their Arch-priest and superiour they may if it so please them correct this their vnderstanding and from henceforth either beleeue that euery man dooth acknowledge him or else name who doth not and let him in particular be called in question for it for this generall prattle that they are disobedient is so vnsauourie a shift vnlesse they could discend to particulars that a man with litle honestie would quickly perceiue how it doth taint his breath If by disobedience in the Priests they do meane the not yeelding or conforming their vnderstanding to the Arch-priest his vnderstanding they exact this obedience to the Arch-priest either because that he is learned or because that he is a superiour but neither of these respects conuince any such matter as that the refusing to be so conformable should bring with it schisme sedition faction rebellion c. Not the first which is in regard of his learning For although that many in England for modestie sake onely make no comparisons with him for his learning yet without offence we may say that there are many beyond the seas farre his betters and much more learned who haue decided this question for vs against him so that the conceit only of being an Arch-priest or in authoritie is left for them to iustifie these most iniurions calumniations against vs. If then they exact this obedience in Priests to the Arch-priest in respect that he is a superiour and because that he is a superiour they imagine that euerie man who will not thinke as he thinketh and do what he commaundeth is a Schismaticke a rebell factious seditious c. These who are so ignorant must be taught and such as are contented at this time to make shewe of so grosse ignorance must be put in mind that authoritie is not an infallible rule of truth in all who haue authoritie and consequently that no man is bound in all things to beleeue or execute what euerie man in authoritie ouer him shall put vpon him In how many things not onely Arch priests but their superiours also the Archdeacons and other of higher degree haue done amisse and swarued from the truth and who vpon earth is warranted from erring but one and not he in all things how absurdly then should this point be vrged that the Priests are Schismatickes rebellious c. for not conforming themselues in their vnderstanding to an Archpriest And if the simpler sort of Catholiques cannot vnderstand this reason sufficiently grounded vpon too many examples recorded in all Ecclesiasticall Histories we would demaund of them when they are commaunded to doo that by such as are in authoritie vpon their alleageance which in conscience they cannot doo whether they be rebellious factious seditious c. in not obeying this commaundement or by what reason they may in not obeying resolue their consciences that they are not rebellious c Doubtlesse either they must confesse that they are rebellious c. in not obeying the commaundment of those who are in authoritie or else that it is not a sufficient proofe of rebellion that men do not in all things as others in authoritie commaund them and to runne for refuge to cases and particulars is to flie touch for hauing before spoken of this particular case which is in question among vs we presse now onely this point that authoritie is not so infallible a rule of truth in all to whom it is most it stly deriued as those must be condemned as factious rebellious sediticus schismatickes c. who will not conferme their vnderstandings to their conceits who are in authoritie because they are in authoritie These points and those which hereafter will be touched wee doo not set downe as men that would make sheepe iudges of their pastours but as men desirous that their bretheren and children would not be so violently carried as they are both against dutie and charitie but suspend their iudgements in these matters and so beare themselues towards all as they may hereafter make a good answere for their behauiour towards them who haue after so deare a rate sought to saue their soules and now request that their long sufferance be no preiudice vnto them nor warrant to loosse tongues to enlarge themselues with contumelious speeches against them whose cause the discourses following wil both conuince all who are desirous not to be misled in a matter of so great consequence that it is iust and that they haue also iust cause to publish the same for the better instruction of such as with whom they may not be suffered or admitted to conferre about it yet without touch of any more then the matter it selfe and occasions ministred doo most necessarily require Yours in all true hartie affection Certaine Considerations to satisfie such as either are or may be by any sinister informations or ill conceipts incensed against vs or alienated from vs because we haue not yeelded our selues to the designments wills of others in subscribing to this late authoritie FIrst we desire all good Catholickes to consider indifferently what we be that deferre our subscription to this authoritie that we be Priests therfore in reason should know to what we were boūd in this case Againe that our present vocation which is to labour euē vnto death in sauing of souls and therefore not like to be altogether carelesse in matter of so great weight as this authoritie is pretended of our own good being so carefull of the good of others Further that for many yeares we haue bestowed our selues in this haruest and therefore in all likelyhood should somewhat knowe what
in this action shal be brought into more danger of the extremitie rigour of the lawes then otherwise we should in that the authoritie is alreadie thought by the Counsell to be of purpose erected for the better effecting of such designements and so shall we being brought within the compasse of other mens actions be hanged for kingdomes and matters of state and the glory of our cause therby diminished if not cleane extinguished to satisfie other mens pleasures serue their turnes Besides al this by the opiniōs of diuers men of iudgment in the lawes of our Country this our case may and will be drawne within the compasse of an olde law enacted aswel by our Catholick Bishops Prelates as by the Prince aboue 300. yeares agoe vz. the lawe of Premunire because it is an externall iurisdiction brought into this realme against the will notice of the Prince Country which made the late reuerend Bishop of Lincolne Doctor Watson to refuse all externall iurisdictiō offered him ouer his fellow prisoners although once he had lawfull Episcopall iurisdiction within the Realme and was vnlawfully depriued thereof Fitfthly consider we beseech you for the satisfying of your consciences in this most vniust slaunderous report made against vs of schisme that there can be no schisme where there is a resigned will of obedience We protest and vow all obedience due vnto Gods Church and all her lawfull authoritie and therefore can be made no schismatikes possibly If they vrge against vs that we obey not this authoritie let them shewe vs that it is a lawfull act of the Church and we obey If they tell vs of Letters from the Cardinal we answer them that no man is bound to beleeue the Cardinall himselfe without Bull or Breue in matters of so large cōsequence concerning the Church What reason then is there that his graces bare Letters the contents wherof drew on so general extreme persecution vpon our necks should be allowed of by vs as a sufficient proofe of the delegation If they say that the Cardinall is a person of singular credit and not to be distrusted we answere them that we impeach not his credit standing onely vpon our owne right and iustice for our full satisfaction from his holines of his absolute will pleasure herein whose least commaund shall euer binde vs though with hazard or losse of our liues To thinke that his holinesse accounteth vs so base and abiect a Cleargy or so vnworthy members of Gods church that we deserue not his ordinary notice in matters of so great moment which is but a cōmō processe in matters of farre lesse weight proceeding frō that See were both in it self ridiculous iniurious also to his holines We could also vrge that his hol as yet hath had no informatiō at all from vs our messengers being preuented of audience clapped in close prison by Father Persons procurement but onely frō them who are but one and the aduerse part in this controuersie which you know is against all right and equitie and in which case being but a matter of fact his Holi for want of due sufficient information may proceed with error to the preiudice of the innocent part although vnwillingly and by him not intended in which case Appellations alwaies are permitted for further information in matters thus in question Consider now sincerely deare Catholickes these reasons propounded and enter not too too rashly into condemnation of vs your spirituall Pastours who haue alreadie in part and are stil readie to spend our bloud for your sakes but haue patience with vs a little vntil you see the end of these matters and the iudgements of his Holinesse herein which we hope you shall shortly see and perhappes in the ende you shall finde that we whom by sinister informations and suggestions you are now ready altogether to condemne haue bene and are your greatest friends in withstanding suche proceedings as haply may concern your selues as neare if not more neare then vs although you perceiue not nor see so much And in the meane season as we labour for your good so pray you for vs and the common good Farewell from them that thirst your good Other reasons to the same purpose by another vnder the forme of a Letter SYr your priuate occasions which you recommend to my care I haue so tendered that euery thing is as forward as any diligence of mine can set it and in my last haue explaned to the full the course I tooke which I trust is cōformable to the directions you sent mee and will I hope haue the successe that both you and I desire The progresse of the matter you shall vnderstand as occasion serueth In the end of your Letter you make mention of a diuision lately growne amongst vs who should be examples of loue and vnion and laments the bitter fruites sprung thereof as pernicious to many a Christian soule Whereof diuers friends of mine by name are charged to be some cause for that they were not ready at first to yeeld to the late authoritie of Maister Blackwell nor as yet can be brought to acknowledge the same Truly Syr for that you are my friend and I throughly acquainted with the origine processe of the difference I thought it my part for your better information discharge of my blamelesse friends briefly to set downe what is done in this matter and vpon what ground and then to leaue the censure of it to your prudent consideration To build sure I lay this foundation that it is neither pietie nor true obedience at the first sight to admit any authoritie but such as is orderly procured and lawfully promulgated in such sort that subiects may remaine morally sure that it proceedeth frō the true fountaine of superioritie truly enformed which of it selfe is so manifest that it needeth no proofe for the contrary were to open the way to all forgeries and intrusions and in fine the ouerthrow of all Canonicall proceedings Here hence followeth that which true prudence and vertue doo dictate that when any new and extraordinary authoritie is published they whom it concerneth before that by acceptance they approue it should of dutie looke and examine whether it be accompanied with the conditions aboue mentioned and so admit or reiect it as discretion conscience shall require To the purpose in both these conditions of lawfull authoritie this we speake of is feared to hault and not without great presumption And for that to handle both at large would exceed the limits of a Letter and a defect in either doth sufficiently warrant their proceedings I wil leaue the first for that must needs touch particular persons and their actions which without further occasion and very iust I am loath to do and shew briefly how the manner of promulgation is in no way sufficient but rather full of suspition and giueth iust occasion of distrust And first the credit of this promulgation dooth wholly hang
said that they were made at Rome and by the Contents being conuinced that they were made in England could not deny it which sure cannot choose but make men more doubtfull of what he affirmeth in his owne affaires Now good Sir these reasons well weighed cannot but leaue any indifferent minde doubtfull whether this proceede from supreme authoritie or not which doubt cannot more quietly clearely and orderly be resolued then by sending men of conscience and iudgement to know his holinesse wil if he haue not decreed and appointed it to let him vnderstand the abuse take order for the reforming of it If he haue then to signifie wherein perchance he might be misinformed that therby he may the better redresse what is amisse or if after due information his wisedome shall think the course taken to be for the benefite of our cause and countrey then they carry a mind prostrate both How then could their delay be schisme they being alike ready to obey for themselues and in the name of the rest that ioyned with them in this action to accept and obey whatsoeuer the Apostolicall sea shall herein decree This course I know not what reason any man may haue to condemne as either rash or vncharitable much lesse why these men should be termed for their iust proceeding factious seditious schismaticall or the like Heereby also you may perceiue where the roote and true cause of the scandalous reports which daily come to your eares doth remaine notwithstanding the libertie of speech clamours and vniust exclamations of some who would haue it to be elsewhere I pray God that these men doo build vpon God almighty and not vpon their owne wittes and deuises Heere I say nothing of the iust exceptions that many make against the manner of procuring this authoritie which are neither fewe nor yet of small moment but these wil be deliuered in an other place by them that shall informe his holinesse and if occasion shall require and we be pressed therevnto you shall vnderstand them in an other Letter In the meane while take and peruse this with indifferencie and iudge as reason and conscience shall dictate Fareyewell Maister Champneyes Letter of the same argument to a Reuerend friend of his VEry Reuerend Syr As from my very cradle I acknowledge my self many wayes beholding vnto you for your manifold courtesies both towards me and other of my dearest friends so haue I had alwaies a speciall desire to yeeld such correspondence in my demeanour as I might neither giue you nor any other of my friends iust occasion to withdraw from me their friendly affection Neuerthelesse I gather by some speeches that passed not long since betweene you and a friend of yours and mine that you haue conceiued a worse opinion of mee then wittingly I haue deserued or willingly would deserue The sinister reports of some whose endeuours are different from their professiō hauing caused in you not onely a surmise but as it seemeth a strong and firme opinion that I am disobedient to the See Apostolicke and enemy to the Fathers of the societie and a contemner of the late authoritie of our Arch-priest These be the crymes wherewith I suppose both my selfe and diuers others are taxed or truer most iniuriously slaundered Being therefore very vnwilling to permit you to remaine in that opinion grounded vpon mere fictions and falsities I determined to make mine Apologie with you and to yeeld you reason for all my proceedings in these matters which being weighed in the equal ballance of your indifferent iudgement I nothing doubt but it will yeeld you full satisfaction and giue you some light to see how you haue hitherto beene abused by false informers I know it to be a difficult thing so to take away and remoue out of a mature minde a conceit which hath long without contradiction possessed it so to take it away I say as there remaine no scruple nor doubt thereof Yet when I doo consider on the one side your graue and sincere iudgement voyd as I verily thinke of all partialitie and on the other side the clearenesse and manifest truth of the matter I am to speake of I cannot almost doubt but so to satisfie these obiected crimes as that you will easily see both my selfe and others to haue suffered mightie wrong by the raisers thereof Let me therefore good sir craue onely this of you that you will not measure that which I shall say according to the preiudiciall opinion which you haue already framed of my person for so shall you easily preiudice the equitie of my Plea but let your iudgement proceed of the thing it selfe without respect either to my person or any other and so being voyd of affection shall it bee more free from errour If I say any thing that may leane vppon humaine creditte as matters of narration or fact I desire to bee beleeued no further then I can manifestly proue If I vtter matters of opinion or iudgement as arguments or reasons for any fact I desire no more then that they be measured according to the weight and truth they do containe This is so indifferent a demaund that if I should doubt the graunting thereof I should in mine opinion offer you no small wrong I will therefore Sir deteine you no longer with vnprofitable circuits of wordes but I will come to the matter and whatsoeuer I shall say in mine owne behalfe in this affaire you may vnderstand it of others that bee of the same opinion with mee therein The former accusations to weete that I am disobedient to the see Apostolicke an aduersary to the Fathers and an impugner of our Arch-priests authoritie are all grounded vpon one and the selfe-same foundation which I thinke I shall easily shewe to be both friuolous and false and consequently ouerthrowe whatsoeuer is built therevpon howsoeuer some men do labour to fortifie the same not by the probabilitie of any reason or equall debating the matter but by confidence or rather impudent infaming of such as labour to defend the truth All these accusations therfore are forged vpon this one principle because forsoothe I did not acknowledge M. Blackwells authoritie vpon the receit onely of Cardinall Caietaines Letters wherein he affirmed that the Pope had giuen vnto him authoritie to appoint a gouernment ouer the Seminary Priests in England For this cause I am saide to resist the Popes authoritie and because the Iesuites were the procurers of this delegation therfore am I counted their aduersary because I did not accept of the thing and meanes to establish it which they thought good of And lastly because I did not acknowledge M. Blackwell for my Ecclesiasticall superiour vpon the forementioned testimonie I am said to be an impugner of his authoritie Loe Syr here is the whole ground of all the former accusations neither doo I thinke they laie any thing else to my charge If they doo when I may know it I will either satisfie their obiections or acknowledge
a long discourse of a friend of yours sent out of Englande after your departure you two by name were appointed to bee Arch-bishops Primates and that besides this a principall man of your side writing to you certain notes about your message vseth the phrase of your LL. with his owne hand yet here to be seene it was much to be suspected what motion moued you ¶ But as I said now all is ended and this and all the rest will easilie die and be forgotten as alreadie I trust all is forgotten on all hands if you and M. Ch. do beare your selues well and prudentlie and do staie and not stirre vp such as do seeme to fauour or bemone your cause which though you terme by the phrase of all sorts of people in your Letter yet must you not deceiue your selues for that finallie all those sorts must be reduced to a verie small number in respect of others that do condemne your action ¶ Heere in Rome you prooued how the grauest sort of people both straungers and others iudged of your cause after they had heard and examined the same I shewed you also the Letters and subscriptions of manie of the chiefest and most principall of our Nation in Flaunders and England and since that time I haue receiued manie more and manie complaining of the ouermuch lenitie vsed in ending of the cause how then do all sorts of men crie out of the rigour or iniustice vsed towards you but in truth it is a verie vncertaine thing to depend vpon the speeches of men diuers speake faire and will bemone a man to his face when their harts are farre otherwise and some being discontent or in passion themselues vpon other groundes are glad to take such occasions as this of yours is to disburthen their stomackes of their owne griefes others euill enformed at the beginning vpon pittie doo bemone you which afterwards vpon knowledge of the truth wil change their mindes and crie crucifige ¶ The onelie way is to depend of God and of a good conscience and to wish well to all and speake euill of fewe and to doo the good a man may for all sorts without respect what they will saie or do again and finally to haue patience with whatsoeuer falleth out and this rule I do counsel to you and do meane by Gods assistance to follow it my selfe wishing no worse to you and yours then to my owne soule as he is witnesse who is maister of vs both to whose holie protection I do most affectually commend you and my selfe to your holie praiers and sacrifices From Rome this 9. of October 1599. Yours euer most readie to serue you Robert Parsons This Letter of F. Parsons did the Arch-priest send abroad by his Agent with an Iniunction to those to whom it was carried that they must beleeue all that was contained therin assuring them that it was most true notwithstanding hee had made a seuere Edict not long before against all such as should diuuldge anie thing set out for the space of two yeares before wherein the credit of anie Ecclesiasticall person of the English Nation should particularly by name be touched How many faultes were in this action of the Arch-priest it is not for me to discypher but it is verie manifest that in this Letter of F. Parsons the credit of two English Priests by name are very much wounded and as it should seeme by the censure following the Letter deserueth litle commendation for truth therein contained A censure vpon the Letter which F. Parsons writ the 9. of October 1599. to M. D. Bish and M. Ch. two banished confined Priests the one in France the other in Lorraine by the suggestions of F. Parsons for presuming to goe to Rome in the affaires of the Church Giuen by M. I. B. IN the first Paragraffe F. Parsons followeth a suspisition conceiued against M. Bish and M. Ch. because they did not write vnto him and yet confesseth in the second Paragraffe that the same weeke he had receiued a stale Letter from M. Bish so that hee might haue left out of the first Paragraffe this manifest vngrounded suspition and also this absurd vntruth soone after controlled euen by himself that no letter appeared as yet from M. Bish And M. Ch. beeing confined to a place where neither any ordinary Poste was for Rome or vsually passed as F. Parsons well knew he might with more credit haue pretended some other cause of so vniust a suspition as that the two Priests had forsakē their good minds fallen into knowne and acknowledged errours and broken promises made at their departure If Letters might miscarry in so lōg a way as was between Rome and them what ground was the not receiuing of Letters from them of those conceits If they will say that they must needs receiue all Letters which come to Rome directed to them so soone as they do come to them daily practise will conuince the contrarie howsoeuer he shuffleth off this contradiction that as yet no Letter appeared from M. Bish as F. Parsons affirmeth in the first Paragraffe and that he had that weeke receiued a stale Letter from him as hee confesseth in the second Paragraffe but it appeareth both in this former part of F. Parsons Letter and also in all which followeth in the same that F. Parsons thought it a great sinne for himselfe not to deserue blame What errours were acknowledged at Rome I know not but it is very likely that they would haue bene specified vpon so good an occasion as was offered to F. Parsons by M. Bish and is by F. Parsons touched in the 21. Paragraffe and if they should haue acknowledged themselues to haue erred in want of consideration doubtlesse I should as now it falleth out beleeue as much because they did willingly ouerslip an opportunitie of hauing a fit meane maugre their aduersaries to haue bene heard before they should haue bin cōmitted to prison which infamy as F. Parsons confesseth they were in the 10. Paragraffe In the second Paragraffe F. Parsons boldly without blushing saith that hee receiued a stale Letter frō M. Bish from whom in the first Paragraffe he saith as yet no Letter appeared and both by that Letter which was receiued and by that none at all as yet appeared it is gathered that M. Bish was fallen againe into a pit out of which as yet he neuer came since his first fall into it Those commendations of himselfe which F. Parsons tooke no great disgust to repeate meaning that these Letters should passe farre and neare as appeareth in the 6. Paragraffe were vsed by M. Bish perchance to trie if by fitting so well F. Parsons humour he might draw him to that which as it should seeme by M. Bishops reply was not in him What M. Doctor Cic. did write of others complaints I know not but so farre as without offence I may I thinke that it was a most lamentable case that two Priests comming as it became
nothing sutable with the grauitie and waight of the matter which required much more mature deliberation Moreouer when by word of mouth he broached the same his authoritie vnto certaine Priests he to amend the matter withall added thervnto somewhat of his owne and being forthwith taken tardie hee did presently cōfesse that he indeed put therto somewhat as honest Priests on their oathes will testifie This gaue a great presumption that the matter was contriued by their friends and that they might adde or diminish at their pleasure Which is more probable if we call to mind and marke what instructions he gaue forth at the first as receiued from the Cardinall Among others were these that Priests should not meet secretly together that they should not send any priuie messages ouer the seas that they should take in good part whatsoeuer was either written or spoken against them and such like which are not in the rowle of his instructions sent him from the Cardinall as euerie bodie may see and I can by producing a true copie of them when need shall be euidently demonstrate and besides are so voide of reason so odious and intollerable in our Country especially at this time when Priests cannot meete together or do any thing but in secret that a babe might plainly feele them neuer to haue proceeded from his holinesse or from anie noble free or compassionate heart but to sauour of I know not what base minde too too much addicted to terror crueltie and seruitude I will that I be not ouerlong omit diuers other pregnant forcible reasons which we had of sending vnto Rome this onely I may not leaue behinde which of it selfe were a sufficient cause to sue and speak for redresse in season vz. that in the whole drift of this subordination extreame partialitie was apparantly shewed which as the world knoweth was no good meanes to appease all parties to ende their debates the onely cause pretended of this lately erected authoritie namely to accord the Priests and Iesuites as the Letters Pattents specifie Now that controuersies be wel decided and all honest parties agreed it was meete perdie to choose vpright and indifferent Iudges and Arbiters who should without fauour feare loue or hatred waigh euerie mans cause vprightly in the ballance of equitie and without respect of persons giue sentence according to iustice This is a principall in iudgement so cleare by the light of nature that it is graunted of verie Pagans yet in our cause very badly obserued for both the Arch-priest and his counsellours vnto whom the determination of our causes are to be referred were all chosen by the one partie with a speciall prouiso that no one be admitted vnto that number who did not greatly fauour the same partie howe contrary soeuer they were vnto the other partie it imported not yea perhaps the more earnestly bent against them the rather elected Had not trow you the other poore partie iust cause to refuse such Vmpeeres and Iudges that were so alienated from them and such fauourites of the aduerse partie and to preuent the vniust sentences that were like to follow of this partialitie to flie in time for refuge vnto their lawfull superiour And if in all pettie iudgements euery priuate man is allowed by lawe an exception against a partiall Iudge how much more is the same to be graunted vnto many auncient graue worthie men in a generall cause of a Country Two proper points of pollicy I obserue in this election the one in choosing the Officers so plyant to their pleasures that they may be the more readie to runne byaz when it will serue their turnes And yet because men are mutable to hold them in awe their authorities might be taken from them what time soeuer the Cardinall thought good as in the points it is to be seene but let this goe because I touched it before the other peece of pollicy yet more fine is that the Arch-priest himselfe who is appointed to giue iustice vnto both parties hath power only ouer the one partie none at all ouer the other so that the one he may by censures seuere punishment constraine to stand to his definitiue sentence but the other needs not to care for him any further then that he may vse him to plague his aduersarie Vt sibi caueat loco These hardy champions hold it not sufficient to haue the fauour of the Court for them but for feare of after claps wil haue also their persons exempted from the principal magistrate and reserue themselues onely to their owne Fathers iudgement which must be sought for also farre inough off from Rome and that in forme of supplication if I mistake not much the Arch-priests instructions Here seemeth to be the place to answere to that sentence of yours Father where you tel vs in good sadnesse that many yeares you demaunded with your friends for this subordination I beleeue you surely considering that neither you would haue yours comprehended in it and yet you would haue the appointing of all the Officers and ordering almost of all matters belonging to it But say you it was thereby to deliuer the Societie from that calumniation vsed to be laid against them that they would gouerne the Priests against theirs wills and you had some reason so to say if you had suffered the Priests to haue chosen their gouernours according to their owne wills desires but you putting in and choosing such commaunders as at your becke should be readie to doo whatsoeuer you will doo manifestly prooue that saying to be no calumniation but a plaine demonstration of your incroaching vpon the gouernments of priests much further then your profession or vocation doth require For by the ordinarie course of the Church religious men are to be gouerned by some of the lay Cleargie and not the Cleargie by them Well to drawe towards the end of my former part this subordination being both straunge in the Church of God hatefull of itself and not to be exercised in our countrey in these times it being also procured as it seemeth by false suggestion authorized by him that was not knowne to haue any such authoritie and finally by partiall election of the gouernours tending vnto the oppression of many notable personages who had excellently well deserued of our countrey by their long and fruitfull trauells yet remaineth euident and most manifest that wee had sundry iust lawfull and great causes in humble sort to sue vnto our superiours for a mitigation or alteration of it and for establishing of some better and more fit for our countrey Whereof appeareth first how vaine that vaunt of yours is where you say that we came and brought nothing with vs and that you were ashamed to see that wee had taken so long a iourney and had so litle to say when besides the causes before mentioned we had many other points also of importance in our message As to desire and sue for Bishops or at least that the