chosen kingdome and that the Ecclesiasticall Romanes ioyned with some number of ignorant people seduced by them haue this right of election whereof thou speakest such proues are not in the strength of all your Sorbonne Beholde then the first reason sufficing to declare the falsehood of thy Commentarie And so I come forward to the second drawen from the nature of the people ouer whome the aforesayd king ought to bee appointed where Moses saith thus Thou shalt not set ouer them c. Inferring by this Pronoune that amongst these priuiledges and speciall graces which God woulde giue vnto his people he would giue them a king hauing the quality of a brother and making profession of the same religion which they did for the better distinguishing and separating them from other nations the which should carrie the same common markes of alliance and adoption Gen. 17. and also for want whereof it was sayd in Genesis that euerie man childe not circumcised should be cut off This was not then neither hath beene sithence common to anie other nation for all men knowe that God by the preaching of his Gospell hath neuer called at once whole nations to the knowledge of him and that for the most part he hath rather and first of all conuerted the subiects yea the meanest sort from amongst the sayd subiects as the Apostle witnesseth to the Corinthians where it appeareth 1. Cor. 1. that the faithfull had neither right nor power to appoint a king ouer themselues of theyr religion It behoueth vs then to holde this resolution for a maxime in diuinitie that God onely calleth whome he pleaseth to the knowledge of his truth and giueth the kingdomes of the earth to whom it seemeth him good sometimes to a beleeuing Prince and sometimes to an Infidel The soueraigne God sayth Dauid hath power ouer the kingdomes and there placeth whome he will therefore after Nabuch◠donosor hee placed Balsasar Darius Cyrus all Pagans As also sithence the death of Iesus Christ of long continuance he hath rather called Pagan Princes to gouerne the Empire than Christians the which succeeded one another by the ordinance and pleasure of him euen as Saint Paul taught the christiās Rom. 13 saying that there is no power but of God that those which doe resist resist the ordinance of God From thence it insueth that if anie one opposeth himselfe against God when for the cause of religion hee would depose the soueraigne princes which hee hath placed and hath not called to the knowledge of him Examine then this reason whiles that Ipasse to the third point which goeth altoge ther against thee so good an aduocate art thou Beholde how thou wouldest inferre that because it was forbidden to the Israelites to admit anie heretike for their king that the same ought to be sayd and vnderstood of all Christian people To the which I aunswere denying the proposition and the illation together beginning at the first thou canst not denie but the most parte of the kings of Iuda and of Israel haue beene heretikes as theyr idolatries and abhominable sacrifices doe witnesse recited in theyr actes the which kinges for all that were not deposed from theyr crownes On the other side therefore thou shalt bee constrayned to confesse that the Christians much lesse then ought to depose theyr kinges for causes of heresie Luk. 20. Rom. 13. Tit. 3 seeing that the commaundement of Christ and his Apostles doe forbidde the same as hath beene and shall bee seene And for the fourth reason I silie that the king being a Christian man baptised and nourished in the Christian Church if hee doeth fall into some errour or defaulte deseruing a grieuous censure ought not for the same cause to bee reputed as a stranger whiles that hee maketh some profession of the same religion or whiles that hee witnesseth his loue towardes the same for the which cause Saint Paule speaking of Excommunication which hee calleth 2. Thes 9 marked by the Letter sayeth Conuerse not with him to the end that hee may be ashmed neuerthelesse hold him not as a common enemie but rather admonish him as a brother If thou oughtest to doe this to the meanest in a realme much more then to the soueraigne in neglecting whereof thou shewest thy selfe such a one as thou art Finally this lawe is quite contrarie to that of thine when as thou doest hinder the waie which doeth establish kings at this daie as well approued of God as the ancient lawe of the Iewes the difference beeing onely in the aforesayde circumstances and not in the substaunce of the matter From whence it proceedeth that thou doest resist the ordinance of God when thou doest reiect him which hath right and calling to raigne ouer Fraunce beeing approued and receiued by the naturall and lawfull officers of the Crowne hauing right and commaundement so to doe To conclude from the aforesayd reasons then it followeth that this lawe of Moses is not generall but of old time particular to the Iewes As in deede thou canst not produce anie one example out from the primitiue church thereby to saie that that hath interpreted and vnderstood this text so seeing that that hath taught and practised altogether contrarilie And as for that that thou addest that the king hath bene condemned by the iudgement of the Church it is answered that one Bishop of Italy assisted with his Romish Consistorie neither is neither can represent the vniuersall Church dispearsed throughout the whole world And furthermore that hee of Rome can haue power no where but in his owne diocesse as the auncient Doctours doo witnesse Chap. 23 amongst whom Basile in his booke intituled The solitarie Life sayth That all Bishoppes doo binde and absolue equally as well as Peter The ninth Canon of the councell of Antioch Can. 9 carrieth as much where it is likewise said that euerie Bishop hath power and authoritie ouer his owne diocesse The Romane Bishop ought therefore to content himselfe with his owne at Rome and not to vsurpe ouer all those of France where he hath nothing to doo as hereafter more at large shall be discoursed and proued Now I come to the other text by the which thou dost alleadge that it is lawfull for thee to kill thy king if thy credite could doo the same It is expressed in the fiue and twentith of Numbers Num. 25. that the Lord commanded Moses to take all the heades of the people and hang them vp before the Lord agaynst the Sunne which had committed fornication and idolatrie with the Moabitish women wherof thou dost conclude that the king ought to be hanged as culpable of such a crime This is a leagued hangman that sayth so and I answere that this example is nothing to the matter or to the purpose Beholde therefore the supreame magistrate is not therby to be punished and much lesse to be reiected Secondarily as well the diuines as the politicians do affirme that it is
anihilate the obedience or dutie which Christians doo owe them as it appeareth by the same text where Saint Paul doeth not permit the Corinthians to digresse from their obedience for that cause so farre off is he then from that that he commandeth in other places 1. Tim. 2. Kom 13. that praiers shoulde bee ordinarily made for them and to honor them and paie them tribute And furthermore that because the Apostle in this place doeth indeuour to take awaie the scandale which the Corinthians had giuen it should followe by the counsell of this venerable leaguer that in stead of one shoulde spring mo then one hundred But this is a knowen thing that the deciding of a particular wrong hath no communitie with the generall administration of a whole realme for wee may well for our owne right or wrong in giuing place to our selues proceede without scandale or sedition but the putting a king frō his kingdom can neuer be so done and to be short the one is permitted the other is forbidden the one is in our power the other not Consider then this sottish fashion of arguing It is lawfull for mee in respecte of my businesse to choose him that I would then is it lawfull for subiectes in renouncing theyr king to choose such a one as they thinke good because the other is not of theyr religion This is well à simili I praie you what incongruities are there What diuine or polititian woulde reason thus Doest thou not see that besides this thy wickednes intaking a waie the seepter from him to whome the Lord hath giuen it that it is not so easie a thing as thou doest make it to rauine vp the pray from the lyon Oh how thou wouldest bite and rend in peeces if they counsell coulde attayne so much Thou sellest mans bloud good cheape Also what Paradoxe is it when as thou saiest that it were better to chuse one of the moste contemptiblest amongst the Catholickes and make him king Doest thou not perceyue that heere wee ought to reason of the naturall Frenchman beeing valiant which will neuer practise the prouerbe Ab equis ad asinos Out of the hall into the kitchin Furthermore that such a little king shoulde bee a poore vnaduised Icarus Virg. the which the heate of the sunne in a moment woulde cause to fall into the sea And not beeing therewith contente to haue called the king an Ethnicke and Hereticke but moreouer thou namest him one that is fallen a relapse and an Apostata To the which thou hast beene already sufficientlye aunswered else where besides that which by and by shall be added It behooueth thee to proue sound and examine the trueth of matters and not falsly to deface the Magistrates giuen of God by odious wordes beeing inuented at pleasure against thy conscience Behold the answere to thy first Article the which declareth thee to be a seditious slaunderer and dooth cause thee to checke thy selfe of the faulte the which thou doest falsly impute vnto thy king for that that it is heresie to wrest the holy scriptures so as thou doest in causing subiects to turne from the obedience which they owe vnto their soueraignes And as for those which do obiect that the last kinges were not admitted to the crowne of France but by the administration of the Romish ceremonies the which doe require as some say that the king that now raigneth might enter in by the same gate wee aunswere that such ceremonyes ought not anyething at all to preiudice the diuine right because the necessitie doth present it selfe to reforme the Church This beeing heere admitted of all true diuines it shall also bee admitted that it is not reasonable so bring kings in subiection to superstitions beeing forbidden of God and much lesse to take away their politike administration which God hath giuen them ouer kingdoms for not obseruing the same The second Article NOw I come to the second Article of this leagued Doctor containing the Statutes Canons of the Councels to the which to be of the same nature and dependencie I will adde the seauenth comprehending the decrees of the Pope For these two Articles by a common consent do take in hand to excommunicate the king as an heretike with the nobles others that follow him in quality of fautors adherents of the heresie Therfore it is necessary to see whether such lightnings doe fall from heauen as sent from God or whether they came out of the depth as proceeded from Satan to knowe whether the children of light ought to feare them or not Let vs also be holde from the entraunce whether this tempester throwing his tempestes against the king doth shield himselfe as in former time with the pretence of heresie which if he doth we may annswere him in like sort as before how he ought to addresse himselfe to a sicke body moreouer that the remedie which he pretēdeth to giue to thē which might be holden of such a malady is pestiferous mortall and by consequence not to be receiued wherfore he shal answere to the names of such spirituall maladies not maintaine the heresie far off is it but to shewe that the Bishop of Rome nor any other in the manner of spirituall Phisitions haue neither calling right mandate or warrant to depose infidell Princes frō their kingdoms scepters Luk. 22. crownes which God hath giuen them seeing the ecclesiastical censures ought to do nothing but in spiritual punishments concerning religion not in politike causes of the world To the which ends we wil thus argue against such abuses tyrannies All that which is done in the church for the cause right vsage of christian religiō ought to haue the worde of God for obiect foundation 1. Cor. 3. for the authority of the same is altogether argued of in diuinity But the Canons of such Bishops the decrees of such Popes haue nothing for obiecte nor foundation but only the corruptible wil inuentions of corruptible men therfore it followeth that such Canons decrees do no carrye themselues to the right vsage of christian religion The Maior is proued by this generall maxime A Bishop can neither adde nor diminish to or from the holye scripture Deut. 4 1. Cor. 3. for that it pronounceth a curse against all men that shal take in hand to doe it forbiddeth to laye any other foundation but him which is already laide that is to saye Iesus Christ And like wise it shal be said to them that do otherwise who hath required these thinges at our handes Esa 1 they are an abhomination vnto me The Minor is thus proued God commandeth to approue Rom 13. 1. Tim. ◠acknowledge and respect all kings which he giueth to people of what religion soeuer they bee From whence it followeth that such decrees Canons doe oppose themselues against his commandements to the truth wherof these texts are witnesse And it shall come to passe
they are deliuered to Satan for the destructioÌ„ of the flesh to the ende that their soules may bee saued in the daye of the Lord. Seeing then that excommunication doth not seclude these heere from the hope of saluation much lesse then the heretikes seeing they are lesse withdrawing from the way of repentance than the excommunicates Nowe to shew that all those which do erre in some poynt of heresie are not so foule as this leaguer doth make them wee will produce two examples drawne from the worde of God The Corinthians did erre in one of the most principall articles of the christian fayth in denying the resurrection of the body a quallified heresie if there were euer any seing that it did abolish as S. Paule prooueth the whole benefite of the death and passion of Christ 1. Cor. 15. Let vs come to S. Peter who beeing better instructed than the faythfull Corinthians mistaking an Article of the Christian liberty and beeing vnknowne fell into a poynt of heresie because that after the death of Christ Act. 10. he thought it to bee a pollution of the soule and conscience to eat of all sorts of meat as if in such an abstinence did consist in a part of saluation for mankind quite contrary to that which S. 1. Tim. 4. Paule dooth teach when he sayth that God had created meates to the end that the faithfull which haue knowne the truth maye vse them with giuing of thanks Behold then heere a body of the Church and an Apostle heretikes euery one of them in a point of heresie Neuerthelesse they were not reiected of the church nor deposed froÌ„ their charges for the same Yea such opinions were not imputed vnto them for heresie because there was no obstinacie in them nor a wicked purpose to resist circumstances requisite for a formall heresie Euen as the auncient Doctors haue noted aswell as the Schoolmen affirming that he is no heretike that doth simply erre if there commeth not a wicked purpose betweene and an obstinacie to striue and stand against the trueth To the which promise is alleadged that which S. Augustine sayth I may erre but I will not be an heretike If these considerations doe purge as well the Church of Corinth as an Apostle why not then also a king when as he doth but onely say that the Romane Church doth erre in certaine points A proposition which hath lesse cause to be charged with heresie than the former Notwithstanding let vs graunt such a proposition the Romane church hath neede of reformation be erroneous we may aunswer as before That for not beeing set forwarde with willing purpose of the heart to the end to stand against the trueth it ought not to be imputed heresie If thou doest replye that it is vppon mallice and obstinacie that the king doth maintaine suche a proposition I will aunswere thee as I haue doone elsewhere returning thither Who will bee so wicked to say that the king doth intermeddle or hath intermedled and with a malitious will against his conscience in the cause of religion What profit could come vnto him by the same Leauing then this frenzines vnwoorthy any aunswere I will passe to the thirde Article vppon the which wee neede no more to insist than in the others going before forasmuch as the generall and necessary anweres to this subiect haue beene already produced which will helpe the solution of the Articles following The third Article THe third Article commeth to this poynte that the Catholickes which doe accompany the king doe breake the naturall law in the acte of religion that which the barbarous nations neuer did For this confirmation and commendation of which Article this author alleadgeth diuers examples drawne out of the Pagans shop from whence hee conoludeth that such Catholickes are worse than they because they accompany a king that is not of their religion Therein is contayned two poyntes The first resteth in the knowledge and propertie of the law of nature in the which is the question The second in the nature and force of the examples Therfore we ought first to know what it is to say the naturall law in matter of religion To this purpose therfore S. Paule sayth 1 Câ—â— 2. that the naturall man doth not comprehend the things of the spirite of God because they are vnto him as foolishnes he cannot vnderstand them Wherupon it followeth that for the vnderstanding of them he ought to be otherwise than naturall that is to say Ephe. 5 that he ought to haue some thing from aboue beyond the gifts of the humane soul That which in other places the same Apostle calleth the spirit of reuelation and the eye of the vnderstanding being inlightned Much more then the naturall man will affecte his naturall religion which is not but of the world therfore the further from the true ordinance of God considering that it is foolishnes vnto him so consequently can neuer comprehend it if the supernaturall gifts of the holy spirite doe not come between From whence it coÌ„meth to passe that to imbrace the true religion being supernatural he ought rather to go against the law of nature than to followe the course and conduction of the same It appeareth then that thou doest very badly apply thy naturall lawe in the case of religion But if thou doest reply that by the lawe of nature thou doest vnderstand an inseperation and inclination to be borne nourished together with man tending to the good and preseruation of mans life Vppon such an interpretation thou doest shew thy selfe without comparison to be a greater transgresser of this lawe than those vpon whom thou doest falsely impose such a crime Behold the law of nature requireth that one should be gentle and tractable towards his countriman Which doth demonstrate amiably that the difference in religion dooth desire examination and conference The same lawe abhorreth ciuill warres and dooth lament and detest the effusion of mans bloud it desireth also the good and quiet of her neighbor following the ancient prouerb which saith that man is God to man To be short the law of nature wisheth generally a peaceable estate to the end that all men ought to liue in concord amitie equitie iustice and blessednes Cicero called these things Lib. de scien Sequi naturaÌ„ ducem the following nature as a guide from whence it proceedeth that thou and thy like leagued companions in writing councelling and pursuing the contrary declare your selues to bee enemies to nature and violaters of the lawe And as for the other point touching the example of the Pagans and their zeale concerning their religioÌ„ I dare say that if thou with pride of heart haddest vndertooke to reason in the behalfe of Satan to the ende to commend all the wicked religious which hee hath brought into the worlde thou couldest not haue better proceeded to haue pleased him then in exhorting euerie Countrie to follow the religion which it hath found in
princes of the earth This is no meruaile then seeing the Pope challengeth power also ouer the Angelles Let vs continue the examination of this Article The Author addeth by exclamation and parenthesis that for the cause of heresie such canons doe disgrade euen to the Pope desiring to affirme notwithstanding that hee is erected aboue all Monarkes of the earth What greate admiration is this as if it were not knowne that all men receyuing a charge of the Bishop receyueth it with condition to bee deposed If hee becommeth an heretike the word of God doth declare it manifestly and the euill is that in thy place the practise doth oppose it selfe Admit this yet it is denied that hee may take in like manner frō the kings of the earth Tit. 3. because that amongst other thinges their charge is different from the ecclesiastical because they haue receiued their politike administration without such condition But if it doth fall out that a prince should be censured touching the depriuing him of the goods honors of this world it belōgeth to a politike conuocation of estates not to ecclesiastical persons And proceeding the Monke addeth that these Canons do absolue release all subiectes from the obedience that they owe to their Lordes or kinges being heretikes Now for the answer It hath been said proued against such iniustice that God raigneth ouer kingdoms establisheth those whom he pleaseth be they faithful or infidels I haue called thee saith the lord to Cirus Isay 45. although thou hast not knowne me and I haue named thee by this name to the ende to make the nations subiect vnto thee This is here saide of Pagan princes Now let vs enter into the cōmon-welth of Israel where the church of God was and where all the kings ought to haue made profession of the true religion There were found many heretikes before and after their comming to the kingdom neuertheles not one of them was euer deposed for heresie To bee shorte neither the Prophets Iesus Christ nor his Apostles haue euer taken away Ier. 27. Luk. 20. Rom. 13. or abolished the dignities and pollicies of the world for such respects but rather haue maintained and confirmed such magistrates in commaunding to giue to Pagan Princes the things which God hath ordained assigned for them Heere thou doest reply that seeing that we ought rather to obey the creator than the creature if it commeth to passe that the seruice of the king doth detract vs from the seruice of God wee ought to leaue the lesse to obey the greater The answere is that this maxime is verefied in it selfe but very badly applyed to that which is the question beeing considered that they doe obey the creator which do obey his commaundements as concerning their dueties which they owe vnto their soueraigne Magistrate And if for the cause of religion he would draw thee from the seruice of God then the Prophets Iesus Christ and his Apostles commaund thee not to digresse from it so farre off is it that thou shouldst roote him out that contrariwise thou oughtest to pray to God for him because hee hath the hearts of Princes in his handes and otherwise Prou. 21. Math. 10. they commaund thee to endure persecution or to flie and go some where else If these be not thy proceedings thou art no disciple of Christ Let vs see how thou doest borrow the examples following The first is of the bande of wiues towardes their husbandes The second is of children towardes their fathers The third is of seruantes towardes their maisters Where thou saiest that in the case of heresie such bands do cease and from thence thou dost inferre that for the same cause the band of the subiectes towardes their Princes ought to cease Now for aunswere I say that the antecedent is false and that the consequence is not true Beginning at the first example thou doest alleadge and apply falsly for the text sayth word for word That if any woman hath married an infidell and if hee is content to dwell with her let her not depart from him 2. Cor. 7. Where it is added what knowest thou woman whether thou shalt saue thy husband or not that is to say by praiers instructions and good conuersations It is well sayd in the text that if the infidell or vnbeleeuer will departe let him departe But such a seperation commeth not from the beleeuer but from the vnbeleeuing Behold how thou doest falsly alleadge the worde of God And in respect of the second example all men know that amongst the dueties of the worlde the obedience of children towards their fathers be they beleeuers or vnbeleeuers is so generally and profoundly imprinted in the brest of mankinde that aswell the lawes diuine as humane doe commaund it alwayes without exception so clearely that to dilate these thinges by examples and textes is to sowe nothing else but wordes of wisedome in vaine Terent. A Pagan would aunswere that nature could not breake this duetie If some of your Canons haue giuen him such great authoriti◠as thou talkest of it may bee aunswered that the anthors of them were worse than infidelles And as for the third example taken from slaues Mat. 5. which may in case of heresie saiest thou in like sorte abandon theyr maisters To aunswere that Saint Paule the Doctor of the Gentils doth tell thee that thou doest lye when hee commaunded seruantes in his time to obey theyr Maisters which were for the most part infidels saying Seruants Ephes 6. Gen. 14. obey them which are your Maisters according to the flesh for so Ioseph was obedient vnto Pharao and also to his first Maister and Abdias to Achab his Lorde which was an heretike 1. King 28. and moreouer an hypocrite and a persecutour of the Church If then because of religion priuate men maye not leese their right which they haue ouer their seruants much lesse then shoulde Monarkes leese the obedience and acknowledgement which is due vnto them from those whom the Lorde hath subiected vnto them by diuine and humane right otherwise I pray you what maner of arguing wold this be if a prince disobeyeth God in a pointe of religion then it is permitted to take his scepter from him Now I must enter into the great denth of the Romish excommunication by the Ministerie whereof this leaguer doth pretend to curse and roote out aswell the king as the nobles and other subiects which do take his part He saith then that if a prince be excommunicated the Canons doe forbid that any obedience should be giuen vnto him And comming from these to Hypothese he produceth the sentence of excommunication of Pope Sixtus the fifth of that name denounced against the king in the yeare 1585. the ninth of September beginning thus we do establish in the full power which the king of kinges hath giuen vs c. in the which are comprised the nobles and other Catholicks which do
the world without anie other knowing of the cause Tell me where hast thou learned this fashion of arguing It commeth not from the Apostles who in stead of commending the Ethnike religions by such examples did combat with and beate them downe by the authoritie of the word of God Ier. 2. True it is that in Ieremie God reasoning saith that his people are lesse constant in his truth than the idolaters are in their errours But the Prophet did not endeuor to the end to commend the perseuerance nor the obstinacie of the idolaters to the which in the meane time thou doest intend Thou takest then this fashion of arguing from the oracle of Apollo the which wicked creature did counsell the pagans in times past alwayes to reteine the religions receiued into theyr countrie from all antiquity without chaunging any thing Xenoph in his Com. Cicero dâ—â—egibus lib. 2. Knowest thou not that amongst the Pagans such examples are not concluded and much lesse amongst Diuines which do argue altogether by the worde of God Finally doest thou not knowe that the Gentiles did forsake theyr false religions by the preaching of the Gospell Thou hast done very fairely then in alleadging the Persians Greeks and Romanes in their paganisme to the ende that by their example a man should not inquire after the certaintie and assurance of the true religion Iohn 5. On our side wee see agayne the disciples of Christ with the contentes of his will written within his booke which is the worde of God which doth alwayes remaine But the religions of the Pagans Isay 40. are perished with theyr authors where it appeareth that thou shewest thy religion to bee more wicked than the Pagans did theirs for they neither would nor durst serue so much wickednes and crueltie as thou doest serue thy selfe with in that which thou callest the Romish Catholicke religion Let vs see now whether thou canst profit thy selfe any better in thy fourth Article or not But it will sooner bee found out that through a hotte disease thou wilt fall from the water into the fire The fourth Article THe summe of this may be drawn to this poynt that the Catholicks which do mayntaine the kings parte doe breake the statutes and fund mentall lawe of Fraunce For the proofe of which rupture this Doctor like vnto a mouse that hath but one wretched hoale neyther knoweth how nor can alleadge any other text or reason but a violent and bloudy statute or rather the default of a statute which the last Duke of Guize did wreste by constraint against the last king imitating beggers which doe begge almes with a two handed sworde My leaguerer then the better to fill his paper layeth foorth vnto vs here at large the vnderstanding of his pretended statute which hee calleth the fundamentall lawe of the Realme and the statute of vnyon solempnly sworne vnto by all the estates of the Towne of Bloys in the yeare of our Lorde God 1588. contayning these poyntes that is to saye that the king woulde holde sayth hee for an inuiolable lawe First that hee would lyue and dye in his Catholike Romish Religion Secondly that hee woulde imploye himselfe in good earnest by all the meanes that hee could to race our the heretikes Thirdly that all his subiectes shoulde sweare and binde themselues vnto the same condition And comming to the fourth that the king dying without children no heretike should be receyued to be either king or prince Beholde nowe the substance of the Article And first of all for aunswere It is demaunded who threwe the last king downe headlong into his last troubles The house of the Guize Who caused him shamefully and in daunger of his lyfe to come out of Paris The house of Guyze Who did afterwardes chase him from his other Towne of Chartres The Guyze Who seized himselfe of the most part of his Townes The house of Lorrayne Who mooued the Frenchmen to treason rebellion and reuolting agaynst the same king The same house Finally who constrayned the poore passengers to giue that by by force which they durst not refuse to Robbers which tooke them within Bloys Euen hee himselfe beeing guiltie of high treason a traiterous and wicked vsurper of the estate of the Lord. This was in the same time and state when the last Duke of Guyze demaunded of the last king suche an infamous and detestable raunsome The which this leagued Moonke calleth the Parliament and Statutes of Bloys and the fundamentall lawe of the Realme Patience I pray you Is there any thing more impudent more falsely named and more ridiculous than to call this rauening extortion and constraynte A Statute and a solemne and a fundamentall Lawe of a Realme Doest thou not know that in the making of a Lawe the free will of the lawgiuer is requisite And for want whereof the ordinaunce which shall bee made agaynst his will shall bee rather accounted rebellion and felonye than any iust and true Lawe If thou doest heere obiecte that the swearing of the King passed betweene in suche a Statute thou shalt bee aunswered in lyke sorte That is to saye that the swearing wherein GOD is taken to witnesse in things Deut. 2â— which in theyr owne nature ought to bee holye and iust requyreth likewise a free will that it maye bee thereby able wholesomely to foresee that it promiseth nothing vnto God but that which the conscience telleth vs must bee iustly promised and perfourmed For want whereof the swearing is not onely a nullitie but also ought to bee retracted as beeing made contrary to the institution and ordinaunce of God Whereupon it ensueth that hee which hath sworne rashly redoubleth his faulte if hee continueth and effecteth the same wicked swearing Then wilt thou replye that the King in suche a case ought not to sweare at all wherein I agree with thee but so that thou oughtest to consider that I detest and reprooue it in so much as the feare thereof dooth bring manie kinges to this passe for to sweare rather politikely in Greece than religiously in Iuda when matters doe concerne theyr estates and especially if they fall into anie apparaunt daunger of theyr liues But in such lamentable default why doest thou rather take an occasioÌ„ against the last king who was constrained through the feare of death than the Guyze who without any occasion did first shewe himselfe to bee periured towardes the king by his treason and rebellion And wherefore doest thou so narrowly search this faulte amongst kinges and Princes rather than amongst Popes which cal themselues the vicars of Christ Iesus which doe but sport or ieast at such oathes as this worthie saying doth testifie Heretico non est seruanda fides By and by hee will present a newe occasion to speake of an oath wherefore then wee saye for conclusion of the Article that euen as money beeing taken away by force by robbers theeues cannot bee called a gifte a present or an almes giuen
to shew himselfe chiefe of the Leaguerers nor the Leaguerers which are amongst the seditious Frenchmen to rebell agaynst theyr king The first example heereof is taken from the sodayne death of the two last Popes beeing dispatched by a letter of exchange hauing adioyned vnto it the Schisme which the same Spaniard had brought into the towne of Rome where I demand that if the king of Spaine be so affectioned vnto his religion wherefore doth hee not respect him whome hee holdeth and acknowledgeth as the lieuetenant of God and to be a spirituall Father One may see then that by such workmanships he would haue vs to vnderstand that whosoeuer shall not bee in the nature of a Spaniard shal neuer be accounted a good Romish Catholike Lastly the other example commeth from the towne of Soissons the Leaguers of the which by the ordinaunce of their superiours as they call them haue chased out the ladie Abbesse from the aforesoid Soissons being the kings Aunt where she hath alwaies beene preserued both from the one and the other notwithstanding that they knowe that she is the most ancient princesse of the bloud and reputed of all for the most zealous affectionate vnto the Catholike Romane religion which is in the world An euident token that a spirit which is the author of confusion and sedition doth vrge the furies of such Leaguers not the zeale of religion Poore Catholiks vnaduised which do affect so much that tyrannicall Spanish gouernment consider here the intention and purpose of your ecclesiasticall leaguers which do so much prise and praise the Inquisition of such a climate yea euen as of brideled calues if there bee anie perseuerance in such blindnesse Assure your selues most miserable French men that the most noble the most valiant the most vertuous the most aduised the most wise the most learned the most iust and the most rich amongst you shall euermore vnder such a schoolmaster be accounted and holden as heretikes if it commeth to passe that ye bee not found in all things agreeable vnto maister Inquisitor Then ye shall vnderstand by them that the masse shall not saue you To this purpose two examples among a thousand which came vnto my knowledge a few daies sithence shall open this text It came to passe that two marchants of Gascoigne being in Spain and going by the high waie did contemplate and beholde an Image being much polished and verie faire and shining as bright as anie of their Countrie whereuppon they tooke occasion betweene themselues to demaund whether that matter whereof it was made was either of stone or wood This was inough to be sayd in Spaine they were heard by one of the Inquisitors and presently lead vnto a miserable prison wherein they remained the space of three whole yeres after notwithstanding any protestations or prooues they could make or bring for the triall of theyr being Catholiks And the other example is this A man of Poictou a great Catholike being at Lisborne seeing a great Priest beeing graue fayre and in good habite and marching accordingly this man began to saie thinking to haue praysed the Priest Beholde a Priest saith hee and not one of the durtie Priests of Poictou This being but once spoken which was inough immediatly this Poicteuni is heard vnderstood and therevpon lead presently in dome Petri into the popes prison where he was kept safe for the space of sixe moneths without knowing wherefore about the end of which tearme he was commaunded that he should not cal Priests Durtie any more There may be a whole booke composed of these tyrannies and vniust dealings These effects of the Inquisition will be found proued true and not thy conceit of anie Catholikes to bee punished by the magistrates of that religiō either in England or in Bearne as hath beene els where said Those to whome it appertayneth knowe that such offenders were punished in the quality of the seditious not as being religious From thence thou turnest for this seuententh time to leape vpon the authoritie of the Popes saying that the king is not the son of the church because he wold not kisse his pantable To the which I say againe that it hath beene proued vnto thee that it is enough for him that the Christian church is his mother that the Romish church cannot take frō him this liberty priuilege And for that thou doestalwaies feare some ecclesiasticall reformation neuer desiring any other religion than that which feedeth the belly thou threatenest the noblemen with their going to hell if they do not helpe to maintaine thy cause Hereupon harken I pray ye to the preacher I should loue it better saiest thou that ye were Huguenits so to see you fight for vs Catholiks Marke I pray ye he holdeth that the Huguenits are damned whereupon it followeth that hee should haue nothing to do with condemning of those Catholikes of whome he speaketh seeing that they should defend the kitchin his mother Behold also how he calleth the Huguenits to the same defence Thou art in thy triumph but goe to with thy Lyntill broth to the which thou doest allude To be short thou art greeued diuersly because the Noblemen which are the principall force of the realme will not vnderstand all this Thou hast bin told that they are indifferently bound aswel to defend their king as their cuntry together with their honors liberties piuiledges yea the more because they are bearded with the Spanyard an ancient enemy vnto whom ye would willingly sell htem Therefore remember thy selfe of the answer that was giuē to the robbers which pleaded against the merchantes for carrying weapons to defend themselues Thou doest heere repeat for the 70. time the difference hapned in France for religion The which here againe I say haue been moued by your clergie els where hath beene answered in so many sortes and so often that it is more than enough And now turne again thy leafe Thou dost heap vp afterwards proud maiesticall words of thine owne deuising thinking thereby the better to gette the Noblemen on thy side but thou oughtest to serue thy selfe with concluding reasons and not with affecting wordes throwne into the aire to the abandoning of all that which might happen to come after And how doest thou torment thy selfe in vaine on this side also it is to no purpose that thou doest propose vnto the aforesaide noble men the examples of the most excellent Romane knights as that of Sceuola amongst others Thou malitious blind doest thou not see that it was for the same cause of defence that Sceuola burnt his hand and that the others imploied themselues in the defence of their Countrie It is true that thou makest great account of the Iacobin that kild the last king the which thou doest produce againe as in a triumph vsing these great wordes One that was religious hath flaine the king of France hauing giuen testimonie of his zeale vnto all France O miserable