Selected quad for the lemma: cause_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
cause_n	apostle_n	bishop_n	church_n	1,754	5	4.4354	3	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A19310	The copies of certaine discourses, which were extorted from diuers, as their friends desired them, or their aduersaries driue them to purge themselues of the most greeuous crimes of schisme, sedition, rebellion, faction, and such like, most vniustly laid against them for not subscribing to the late authoritie at the first sending thereof into England in which discourses are also many things discouered concerning the proceedings in this matter abroad.	Bishop, William, 1554?-1624, attributed name.	1601 (1601)	STC 5724; ESTC S108677	103,141	192

yeares no maruaile though simple witted men who desire not to straie from the holie steps of our forefathers were at the first not a little amazed at it and could not be so verie easilie induced to approue it This also besides the noueltie of it being much more odious and intollerable as it was then proposed then anie other gouernment that our predecessors had euer liued vnder For hauing full and absolute power to punish rigorously and that as it were at pleasure and discretion it had no facultie ioyned with it or abilitie to benefit or do anie good at all no not so much as vpon amendment of the partie punished to restore vnto him againe that hee had taken away from him before If now he haue more ample authoritie he may thanke our complaints which were no smal cause of it And herevnto his Iniunctions whereof more in an other place that Priestes should not meete together priuilie in our countrie that they should not secretlie send vnto their friends ouer the sea whereas openlie they can doo no such thing as all the world knoweth and tell vs I pray you when and where euer you heard of such an Ecclesiastical gouernment in anie Christian countrie before that sacred Priests the free children of God his familie so greatlie priuiledged by all good Christian Princes should be I know not by whom in such a seruile sort yoaked Againe this punishing authoritie cannot be wel practised in England during this heate of persecution and therefore seemed to be frustrate and giuen in vaine for by the Canon lawe which is the common rule of spirituall causes as by all other lawes no punishment ought by sentence of Iudge to be inflicted vpon the offender not confessing the action before he be by order of lawe conuicted Confession of the fault is sildome in that Court or neuer to be expected wherefore lawfull defence is to be graunted vnto anie person accused before he be condemned But no processe according vnto order of lawe can be framed followed so long as we haue hotte persecutors laying waite euerie where to apprehend vs. For to omit all other difficulties which in practise will be founde to be verie manie where can a safe place be found to assemble the parties their witnesses Proctors together and there to hold as it were an Assize for the determination of their controuersies which to be necessarie Lancelot a man singularly seene in both lawes and authour of the institutes of the Canon law setteth downe which he taketh out of the Canon lawe Extra de appell cap ex parte tua see also the glosse there which both require a secure place both for the parties Proctors and witnesses or else holdeth them for excused if they appeare not Institu L. 3. Tit. s. § Locus in these words Tunc enim ius dicenti impune non paretur si locus citatione designatus pestilens sit aut alias pro citato male tutus Then may a man freely not obey him that ministreth iustice whē the place in the citation assigned is infected with the plague or otherwise not safe for the partie cited Now euerie Catholicke knoweth that there is no place in our Country free from daunger for Priests to assemble together such diligent watch and ward being laide in euerie shire to apprehend them And who will be so simple as to allow them a hall in his house for their pleadings whereby he that cannot start doth cast himselfe into a hundreth perills of loosing not onely all his goods and libertie but his life also and inheritance A place of assurance then cannot in these times be appointed for the appearance hee therefore is warranted by lawe not to appeare although he be cyted by his lawful magistrate And so no action can be commenced much lesse determined by this authoritie of the Arch-priest and consequently such penall power is to small purpose in our Country This subordination then being extrauagant without example of antiquitie hatefull as hauing power to punish but not to pleasure and scarcely possible to be now practised in our Countrie had we not great reason to certifie his holinesse of the inconueniences of it and in humble sort to sue vnto him for remedie and redresse before hee put to his hand vnto the confirmation of it And this you must needs much more easily grant if you consider how this subordination was procured and gotten for it seemeth to haue bene by false information which alone is sufficient to ouerthrow the whole authoritie My proofe shal be pregnant taken out of the verie letters Patents of the Archpriest where are these words Rationes pro illa subordinatione ab ipsis Sacerdotibus Anglis redditae S.mo D. N. probatae fuerunt The reasons by the English Priests themselues exhibited for that subordination vnto his holinesse were well liked Marke I pray you how this subordination was obtained at the suite and perswasion of the Priests in England Now I appeale vnto the consciences of my louing bretheren the Priests then in England whether euer they had heard of anie such stratagem or straunge subordination before they felt it as it were clapped on their shoulder sure I am for the most part of them howsoeuer they were M. Iames ●tand who had giuen his name to be a ●esuite and was the man who by Fa. Parsons sub●rnation im●loyed himselfe in this action confessed before diuers priests ●t his return ●hat he had ●n interpre●atiue consent of the Priests in England drawne afterwards to accept of it by flatterie fraude or threats that they neuer dreamed of it before they sawe it so farre off were they from deuising and tentering perswasions vnto his holinesse for the admitting of it I will not deny but that some one Priest who had bene in England being then idle in Rome might by euill counsaile and subornation take vpon him to be sent of the whole bodie and so contrary vnto conscience and good order speake in their names that neuer sent him But what was graunted vpon such vntrue suggestion euery man knoweth to be of no force and validitie and that we in England had iust cause to certifie his holinesse by trustie messengers how we were greatly abused by thē who vsed our names to obtain that exorbitāt deuise which we neither desired nor liked but rather that it would please his holinesse to establish among vs that sound Ecclesiastical Hierarchy which was instituted by the wisdome of God had bin euer sithence in time of persecutiō as wel as in peace obserued in all Christian Nations that he would I mean giue vs Bishops the successors of the Apostles and onely ordinary Pastours of God his Church who might confirme consecrate oyles and bring many other of God his blessings among vs. But not to digresse from my purpose The third cause why this subordination did mislike vs was for that it came not authentically from his holinesse by Bull Breue or any other lawfull instrument but

THE Copies of certaine discourses which were extorted from diuers as their friends desired them or their aduersaries driue them to purge themselues of the most greeuous crimes of schisme sedition rebellion faction and such like most vniustly laid against them for not subscribing to the late authoritie at the first sending thereof into England In which discourses are also many things discouered concerning the proceedings in this matter abroad Dicit piger Leo est in via Prouerb 26. The slothfull excuse themselues saying There is a Lyon in the way Imprinted at Roane by the heires of Ia. Walker 1601. The Preface to the Reader THe differences and disagreements are such which in these fewe yeares last past haue bred and daily grow to more and more perfection in that kind to so great a disgust of all sincere Catholickes not onely here in England but also in the principall if not in all the parts of Christendome whither the worthie fame of their memorable acts for the restoring of their natiue Country vnto the Catholicke faith hath come that it is high time to giue them some taste of these matters who are so disgusted by laying before them the true cause and grounds of this lamentable dissention and to discouer how colourably the common enemie of God and his Church hath proceeded to the disturbance first of Gods Priests then to the mutual dislike of Catholickes among themselues and of such Priests as against whom by wrong informations they are violently led and let not to vse both tongue and penne in most vngratefull manner Some being asked by others what might be the cause of so great a strife among the Priestes haue simply answered that the cause is for that the Priests being but secular men will not humble themselues or be directed or gouerned by the Iesuites who are religious but what truth soeuer is in this cause of all other it must not be giuen for such a subiection euen in the eares of those who desire it soundeth so absurdly that they endeuour rather to haue it then to heare of it and both M. Blackwell in his Letters to the Cardi. Caietan dated the 10. of Ianuary 1596. and F. Parsons in his Letters against M. Doctor Bish and M. Ch dated the 9. of October 1599. labour to put this conceit out of mens minds how euidently soeuer the practise in Wisbitch to make Fa. Weston the Iesuite superiour ouer the secular Priests who then were in durance for the Catholicke faith pursued both by the knowne and couert Iesuites and all other their fauourites doth proue it as also a Libell giuen abroad by the Authour thereof himselfe to admonish others to beware of such Priests and by no meanes to haue any dealing with them in spirituall matters euen to the disturbing of them out of their places of residence as vnfit guides for soules who had not a dependance of the Iesuites And not long since another of their fauourites letted not to say that those Priests who are not vnder the Iesuites gouernment are no better then the Ministers Many more proofes may be made hereof out of the speeches of many other their fauourites who giue counsell to all that are afflicted in these turmoyles to submit themselues to the Iesuites Other some who perceiue well that if this should be maintained to be the true cause of so scandalous a schisme in Gods church it would redound to the eternall disgrace infamie of such as by whom they hauing conceiued some foolish hope of preferment they had rather that they should indeed beare the sway haue the gouernment of the Cleargie although it were vnderhand then be said either to seeke it or to haue it giue out that the cause of this diuision among the Priests is for that some Priests mooued either with ambitiō or desire of contradiction will not subiect themselues vnto their lawfull superiour appointed by his holinesse and confirmed in authoritie ouer them by his Breue sent into England for that purpose and these haue from time to time both written and maintained in most iniurious manner to possesse the more perfectly such as are too readie to thinke no calumniation too greeuous euen against those who haue best deserued of them that these Priests are schismatickes seditious rebellious c. euen to the diuiding for this cause of parents and their children men and their wiues brothers and sisters and whole housholds while the one retaining that reuerend respect of their long knowne and tried ghostly fathers for learning wisedome and vertue is assailed by the other with these most wicked suggestions and false calumniations and forced either to liue a discontented life or to break friendship and against their owne consciences make semblance at the least that they conceiue hardly of such as they very well perswade themselues wil not commit so great offence against God and his Church in whose defence they haue spent many yeares and remaine still resolute to shead their dearest bloud That therefore no errour be hereafter in any man who will not too much affect ignorance in such things as concerne not onely his particular good but the Common cause of God his Church which whiles the Cleargie liueth at some variance in an euill affected Countrey cannot doubtlesse but be very greatly preiudiced therby it is thought expedient yea necessarie that the cause of this dissentiō be with truth and sinceritie declared made knowne to the world that our actions and the reasons thereof being weighed with equall ballances truth may take place the offerers of the wrong may be discouered the vniustly afflicted may be relieued and that ease at the least by these meanes may be procured which would not come of so long sufferance The strife and dissention at this day too great and scandalous in England is maintained by the Arch-priest the Iesuites their adherents against those Priests who did forbeare to subiect themselues vnto the Arch-priest constituted in authoritie ouer all the Seminary Priests in England and Scotland by a Cardinall who was Protector of the English Colledge at Rome and afterwards honoured with the title of Protector of England for the which forbearing to subiect themselues at the first making knowne of this authoritie the Priests were accused of schisme sedition faction rebellion c. All which calumniations were forgiuen by the Priests so grieuously iniuried and a peace made to the great comfort of all Catholiques when his holinesse Breue was presented vnto them but this peace was soone after broken by the meanes of the Iesuites who reuiued the same calumniations against the Priests and by the Arch-priest who did not onely auerre the assertions of the Iesuites but published also that he had receiued a resolution from the mother Citie to vse his tearmes which avowed that the refusers of the authoritie noting by this phrase the Priests who did forbeare for a time vpon causes seeming iust to them to accept thereof were Schismatickes So that the

9. paragraffe or the Cardinall Burghese promised them all the furtherance hee could giue them in their matters as I am credibly informed he did Thirdly it is not likely that the two Cardinalls not knowing what was to be saide would vpon a bare suspition charge them with an enterprise of contradictiō without any foundation at all vnlesse F. Parsons will say that they had such a foresight as hee attributeth to the Pope in the 8. paragraffe or that hee had plotted such a Common-wealth as wherein could be no errour or the least cause of exception either against the authoritie or Officers for how else before men were heard could there be such a iudgement in such as were esteemed wise men and thought fit to be pillers of Gods Church What foundatiō there was for them to build vpon I will leaue to a more Clearklike discourse for a fewe complements sake briefly note some points of many which I haue seene to shewe how lightly F. Parsons laieth his foundation vpon he knew not what for the iustifying of himselfe in that action and what was done by his meanes The first for a foundation is noted that the Cardinall did shewe in the selfe-same Letters wherein he made M. Black an Arch-priest and gaue him his authoritie that the motiue hereof was a most false wicked and ignominious suggestion made to the Pope against the Seminary Priests and the Catholiques and therefore the thing therevpon graunted meerly voide Secondly the Cardinall affirmeth onely in the same Letters that he had commaundement from his holinesse to vnite together these Priests and Catholiques which were at that false suggested variance and therefore when that vnion was made he had discharged his office and by this Commission had no more to do if then this vnitie wil be sufficiently proued to haue bene betweene the Priests and the Catholiques before this authoritie was giuen in England this authoritie was voide Thirdly the Cardinall being no Bishop at all much lesse ouer all England and Scotland where was a Catholique Arch-bishop nor shewing any authoritie by which he could make an Arch-priest ouer all the English Priests residing in England and Scotland had litle reason to looke that the appointment of this authoritie by him should be taken without mouing any question Fourthly it was so straunge a thing that one Priest should haue so ample an authoritie ouer all the rest of his fellow Priests as they might iustly aske how it came to passe and shew what inconuenience they knew was likely to ensue thereon Fiftly the Cardinall being deligated to make this peace was not to vse al means that he could or shuld seeme conuenient vnto him or best for his purpose but onely such as without which such a peace could not be wrought as the chiefest and perchance all writers vpon this matter doo generally affirme and so interpret that which is said of a delegatiue authoritie that it is stricti Iuris Sixtly it is euident that those who were said to haue dealt with his holinesse about this matter were not of the secular Priests in England but Iesuites either professed or vowed or at least such as had giuen their names to be Iesuites for in this action F. Parsons was the principall and M. F. Iones stand the instrument who being in a secular Priests habit deluded the Pope and pleaded as sent by the Priests in England or with their consent of which afterward being chalenged for his audacious attempt he confessed before many Priests he did but presume Seuenthly the authoritie was meerly an afflictiue authoritie to punish the Priestes without any power to repaire the harme it might do to them and to punish them extreamely as by taking away their faculties and suspending them from the Altar by which offices they liue and not by any benifices which remaine to Priests in other Countries after such proceedings and in the hardest dealing they haue somewhat allowed them for their maintenance and now least that some being thus debarred from vse of their function should in respect of their preaching receiue some charitie from Catholiques they are forbidden by the Arch-priest to preach The suggestions being made as appeareth by the Cardinalls Letters that a strife was betweene priests and Catholiques this authoritie ouer the one part onely seemed a very friuolous thing for in the Cardinalls Letter there is no authoritie giuen but ouer the Priests Ninthly the Arch-priest by this authoritie giuen vnto him might vnder a colour of hauing more good done else-where remoue any Priest out of any house soeuer and thereby endanger both the Priests by driuing thē to such new acquaintance as should be readie vpon euery surmise of trouble turne them going to goe seeke aduentures and also the Catholiques by thrusting vpon them as often as he list such as he had desire to preferre or to compell them to keepe no Priests in their houses Whereas the Arch-priest was appointed by the Cardinalls Letter to choose his assistants among the auncientest of those who had their abiding neare vnto him where at that time he was to aduise with them in his proceedings he contrary to this made his choise of such as might serue him in place rather of Promooters or Informers what was done in farre parts then in place of Councellors were sildome or neuer made priuie to his actions In the choosing also of these his Councellors to assist him in this his gouernment I am not heere to touch his partiallitie further then this as he said himselfe the dislike in any man of any matter in the Iesuites was a sufficient let for him to be a Councellor or an assistant The controuersies which were in England being betweene the Iesuites and the Priests the Archpriest in his instructions annected to his commission was willed to aduise with the superiour of the Iesuites and to followe his counsell in this his gouernment of the Priests The Arch-priest had no authoritie at all ouer the Iesuites betwixt whom and the Priests were all the controuersies which were in England and therefore his authoritie was no fit meane to make a peace in England where really there was need When the Arch-priest proposed or made knowne to the Priests what authoritie was giuen vnto him he vsed so litle truth therein as should an other propose the faith of Christ in that sort and should bee hanged for his labour he would prooue but a foolish Martyr and howsoeuer the matter is now slubbered ouer it was at that time so manifest as there was no shift for it but open confession to M. Col. and M. Ch. Either the Arch-priest himself did knowe what his authoritie was or he did not If he did not what should the Priests doo in that case If hee did the Priests had the greater reason to suspect euil dealing by his affirming at the first that he had such and such authoritie and not long after denied it and small God wot is the satisfaction which is giuen for this that