now we finde too true Queene Marie LIII AFter K. Henrie the eight succeeded in the yeare 1546. King Edward the sixt his sonne a child of nine yeares olde which childe wanting the vse of perfect reason and vnfit to gouern him self was the first Protestant Prince that euer was in England and turned the Roman religion which his Father had left though maimed in one principall point to open Protestancie Not for the miracles or rare vertues of the Preachers therof or their conuincing their aduersaries in disputation as King Ethelbert changed his Paganisme into the Roman religion as is before shewed but because the Lord Protector and his complices thought it most sutable to their humors and most fit for their aspiring pretences But how vnfortunat this exchange was not onely to the soules of this King and principall Actors therin but also to their liues and bodies yow may reade in Stow The ill end of the kringets in of Probestancie where yow shall see that the very same yeare 1548. that Proclamation was made for receauing in both Kindes the Lord Admirall a cheefe agent in the change of religion though brother to the Protector and Vnkle to the King was beheaded for a Traitor And the next yeare 1549. VVhen Proclamation was made against Masse sone after also was Proclamation made against the Protector him selfe the principall author of the change and he cast into the Tower And in the yeare 1552. when the newe seruice booke of Common prayer begun in Pauls the said Protector was beheaded And the next yeare the King died and the Duke of Northumberland an other principall actor in the change of religion though against his own conscience as he openly declared at his death was beheaded for treason and Cranmer and Ridley and other fauorers of that change were depriued of their Dignities and sone after burnt This was the rufull end of the first setters vp of Protestancie For maintenance wherof albeit a new Queene was proclaimed Nobles sworne and the strength of England gathered yet in short time almightie God ouerthrew it again without any bloodshed by one vertuous woman Q. Marie Protestancie ouerthrone by a vvoman vvithout any bloodshed Vertue of Q. Marie Author of danger positions l 2 cap. 14. Her Rom. Religion In the arraignment of F Garnat D Doue lib. of Recusancie vvil haue Bellarm. to be a Protest or at lest no perfect Papist who all the time of her life liued so chastly and religiously that all her enemies could not to this day fasten the least suspicion of vice vpon her And whome euen Protestants write to haue Bene of nature and disposition verie milde and pittifull VVhich argueth that they wel deserued the seueritie which shee shewed towards them And so earnest a Roman Catholick shee was as the Protestants write of her that there was Not these thousand yeares a more obedient daughter to the Church of Rome than she was VVherby yow may iugde of the impudencie of Doctor Reinolds who in his Confer pag. 583. denieth not onely all the former Princes but euen Queene Marie euer to haue alowed the Popes absolute spirituall supremacie or as he speaketh the Popes Monarchie but onely to haue granted him such a preheminence as the Duke of Venice hath in that state But with her in the yeare 1558. ended all the glorie of Catholick Princes of England Who except King Henrie 8. for a few yeares and King Edward 6. had continewed from the yeare 598. till the forsaid yeare 1558. the space almost of a thousand yeares And after rose a new kind of Protestancie differing from that of King Edward the childs time Not as I said before through any miracles or strange vertue of the Preachers therof or their ouercomming their aduersaries in Disputation but against the will of all the Bishops and a great parte of the Nobilitie by the counsel of meere Lay men and the authoritie of a woman who was induced to make this change not for zeale of religion which shee little regarded but to assure her state the more because shee feared if she acknowledged the authoritie of the Church of Rome her birth might be called in question But of the cause maner and meanes of erecting Protestancie we shall speake more in the second booke Epilogue HItherto gentle Reader thou hast heard 53. Princes of England successiuly beleeuing and professing the Rom. Catholick faith besides 70. and more others who reigned ouer certain partes of England whiles it was deuided into diuers Kingdoms whose names onely I will here set downe Kings of Kent 13. Ethelbert Edbald Ercombert Egbert Lotharius Edricus VVithâ—ed Edbert Edilbert Alriâ—us Edilbert-pren Cuthred and Baldred Kings of the East Saxons 9. Sebert Sigebert Sigher S. Sebba Sighard Senfred Offa Sclred Swithed Kings of Eastengland 13. to wit Redwald Carpwald S. Sigebert Egris Anna Ethelere Ethelwald Adulph Elwald Beorna Ethelred Saint Ethelbright S Edmund kings of middle England 17. Namely Peda Vulpher Ethelred Coenred Ceolred Ethelbald Bernred Offa Egfert Kenulph Saint Kenelm Ceolwulph Bernulph Ludecan VVithlof Bertulph Burdred Kings of the Northpart of England 18. Edwin Saint Oswald Oswin Oswi Egfrid Alfrid Ostred Kenred Ostrie Ceolwulph Egbert Ostwuld Mollo Alred Ethelbert Alswald Ostred Athelred and some kings also of the South Saxons Consider I pray thee now the number of these kings which is aboue 120 far aboue the smallest number of two Protestant Princes Consider their sex and age who almost all were men and of mature yeares VVheras of the Protestant Princes one was a childe the other a woman Consider their wisdome and valour in which they were inferior to no Princes in Christendome Consider their vertue which was so great as there are more Kings of Ingland Saints than of all Christendome besides Consider the end for which they first embraced the faith which was nether to enioy their lust nor to get any Church goods nor to assure their temporall state but to gaine heauen Consider the Counsellors whose aduise they followed herein were not ignorant and laye men but vertuous and learned Diuines Consider the motiues which drew them to the Catholick religion to witt rare vertue great learning admirable miracles of their first preachers Finally consider how long they continewed in their faith to wit almost a thousand yeares and how almost in euery Kings time here liued some notable men who with rare vertue and miracles haue confirmed their faith Consider I say all this and then iudge whither the Catholick religion of so many and so worthie Kings or the Protestant faith of one Child and one woman be more likely to be good and to come from God Can we thinke that so many Princes of mature yeares and iudgment should be blinde rather then one child a woman that these could see that in so few yeares which all they could not perceaue in a thousand That these two should hit vpoÌ„ Gods truth for temporall endes rather thaÌ„ they for spirituall That that should be
banishe all reason discreation and wisedome No surelye 12. I would to God protestantes would consider with what confidence and securitye of coÌ„science we may aunswere and appeare before god at the latter day for our faith For if any faith or beleife of Christianitye be laudable or excusable before God Conuersion of our Nation to the Cath. faith prophetied of surelie our is Because we haue taken no new faith but to omitt all externall profes and keepe within the compasse of our nation we retayne that faith of Christ Boeth Histor Stâ—t lib. 9. pag. 159. Bale Cent. 1. cap. 61. to which that our nation should be conuerted from ther Paganisme was prophetied and foretold by holie men as both Catholikes and Protestants record that faith which our forefathers and nation receaued aboue a thousand yeares agoe and from great learned and holie men lawfullie sent and rightlie ordered to preach it which all christendome then and euer since held which the aduersaries of it then and now confesse to haue bene sufficient to saluation and finallie which was contested by God by true and confessed miracles Causes of Catholicks confidence for their faith And therfor we may confidentlye say to god in the day of iudgment that if we were deceaued in our faith vertue learninge lawful mission right order consent of Christedome confession of aduersaries heauenlie miracles and consequentlie Gods owne testimonie haue deceaued vs which is also gether impossible And contrariewise I would Protestants would thinke with what feare they must come to render account to God Causes of distrust of Protestants for forsakinge so auncient a faith and the faith of their forefathers for so long time which so great learninge so much vertue so lawfull mission so right orders such consent of christendome such acknowledgment of aduersaries such diuine miracles did comend vnto them for a new faith neuer hard of by their forefathers nor commended vnto them selues by any of the forsaid titles but rather discommended by the contrarie as comminge from an ignorant and vicious man neither lawfullie sent nor rightlie ordered and which was contrary to the faith of christendome condemned by all the cheifest aduersaries and wholie destitute of all miracles or diuine testimonye Surelie if want of learninge of vertue of lawfull mission of right orders of consent of Christianytie of confession of aduersaries of attestation from God Nay if ignorance vnlawfull comminge naughtie orders Doctrine condemned of christendome and of the chifest aduersaries be like as they are most like to deceaue then surelie our Protestants be deceaued 13. Open therfor your eyes for Gods sake my most deere Countrimen and be not wilfully deceaued for wilfull ignorance doth not excuse but increase your fault before God And consider that we exhort you not to a new religion but to a most auncient and as it is commonly tearmed the old religion not to a strange religion but the religion of our owne Countrie Prelates and forefathers for almost a thousand yeares together Not to an vntryed Religion but that which hath bene tryed so many hundred yeares and by which it is confessed of our aduersaries that diuers haue bene saued and are yet saued Our first Christian forefathers had good reason to relinquish the Pagan stuperstition of their progenitors and to imbrace the Christian Religion See this proued lib. 1. cap. 4. 5. 13. 23. which Saint Austin and his fellow labourers preached vnto them because they saw it taught by great learned and vertuous men to worke great pietie and godlines in them that imbraced it and to be confirmed from God by assured miracles such as Britons then and Protestantes now confesse to be true miracles And we their children haue the same motiues and besides the experience and approbation of one thousand yeares continuance to abide and perseuer in the same religion But what cause alas had you my deare countrymen Protestants to foresake so auncient See all this proued lib. 2. c. 6. 7. 8. 12. 14. so godlie a Religion of your forefathers and embrace this new what excuse or colour of reason can you make of this your condemninge your Ancestors for blind and their religion for follie Did you see their religion confuted by publicke disputatioÌ„ No. Did you see yours defended by such rare learned men as neuer were in England before No. Did you see it preached by such vertuous men as neuer England had before No. Did you see it bringe forth such vertuous effects and holie life as neuer was the like before No Dâ—d you see it published by men that had better proofe of ther commission and orders from God than any had heer to fore No. Did you heare it to be more approued of the rest of Christendome than before No. Did you know it to be approued for good of aduersaries more than the religion before No. Finallie did you see it confirmed by more certaine and true miracles than was the auncient Religion No. What reason then can you giue either to men now or to God at the day of Iudgment of your forsakinge your forefathers faith so grauelie so aduisedlie and prudentlie embraced of them and so long time continued but a vayne pretence of Gods word wronglie vnderstoode which euery Hereticke can and doth giue and which when it is opposite as it is heere to true vertue lawfull mission right orders and vndoubted miracles is as is shewed before and shall more heerafter but a vayne colour shew and shadowe of reason much lesse able to defend your doinges either before men now or God at the latter day I will heere make an end onelie requesting you for Gods sake to lay all passion aside whiles you reade this booke but peruse it with as great diligence and desire of your owne Good as I composed it and presented it vnto you And God who is the Authour of all truth graunt that it worke that effect in you which him selfe desireth farewell my most deare Countrymen this 6. of Ianuary 1609. TO THE READER TVVo onelie meanes Gentle Reader hath allmightie God giuen vs to be assured of truth Tvvo onely vvaies to be certaine Science Beleef The one by Science of euident truth which we our selues do know The other by Beleefe of euident authoritie of others who in like manner do know and whose testimonie we haue no iust cause to mistrust And therfor as he who should reiect euident reason should both be vnreasonable in fightinge against reason and iniurious both to God and himselfe by refusinge a meane which God hath giuen him to atttayne to truth VVhy good authoritye aught to be beleued So likewise he who should reiect euident Authoritie should both do against reason which biddeth him giue creditt to such authoritie and be iniurious to God and him selfe by castinge away such a meane as God gaue him to assure him selfe of such truth as by himselfe he could not know and finallie should be an enemie to humaine societie which
founder of their Church and consequently that their religion and Church is a deuise and inuention of man Wherupon what will follow euery one seeth And as Luther was the Author of Protestancy in Germany so also from him it spred into England and other Countries not only by means of his books but also by his and his scholers Melancthon Pomeran others particuler letters written to English men and by the example of the German ProtestaÌ„ts which as Stow saith King Henry 8. followed in reiecting the Pope And finally because Tindal who is termed the Apostle of England went as Fox saith pag. 983. Tindal the Protest Apostle of England taught by Luther into Germany and there had conference with Luther Wherupon the said Fox saith pag. 1013. that from Germany Luthers Gospell began to spread his beames here in England And so wee may iustly account Luther the Author or founder of ProtestaÌ„t religion in our English Nation Protestancie came out of Germanie into Engl. And howsoeuer some will obstinatly deny against all the forsaid profes that Luther was the Author of their religion but it was forsooth before Luther though they know nether where nor in whom nor can produce any witnes yet neither doth any nor can any deny K Henrie â— in Sledan lib. 8. fol. 1â—2 saith Protestant came into England out of Germaniâ— but that this late reuolt of our English Nation from the See of Rome came originally from Luther as the vnion ther of to the said See aboue one thousand years agoe proceded from Saint Austin which sufficeth me to compare the vnion in faith of our English Nation with the See of Rome with the disunion therof VVhat is shevved of luther the like may be prooued of Calvin or anie other Sectmaister of our time Besides our ministers say Luther differeth from theÌ„ in no substantiall point Iuel Apol Feild of Church Reinolds Confer VViclef no Protestant in their two principall Authors S. Austin and Martin Luther And thus hauing shewed that there was no Protestant liuing ether in England or other wher when Luther began let vs see whether ther had bene any in England in times past CHAP. II. That VVicklefe and his followers were no Protestants 1. ALbeit Protestants challeng some few others who liued about Wicklefs time yet because their greatest hope is in him and his followers in so much that Doctor Fulke answere to a Counterf Catholick pag. 24. saith that he weeneth that we will not deny VVicklef to haue bene of their Church I will for breuity sake omit the rest 1 VViclef knevv not so much as the foundatioÌ„ of Protestancie and shew that euen Wicklife and his companie were far from being Protestants First because to hold iustification by only faith is as is before shewed lib. 1. cap. 21. by generall consent of Protestants the head the soule the foundation of their Church and religion And as Luther saith Praefat Epist ad Galat. As many as hold not this doctrine are either Iewes Turkes Popish or Hereticks But Wicklef and his mates held not iustification by only faith VViclef held not iustification by onely faith For as Melancthon cheefest scholler to Luther writeth Epist ad Fred. Micon inter Epist Zuinglij pag. 622. He nether vnderstood nor held the iustice of faith Besides nether Wicklef nor any of his followers were euer accused by any of the Catholick Inquisitors of those times of that point albeit as Fox saith pag. 750. their inquisition was so strait that no article could be mentioned amongst them but it was discouered Moreouer many of Wicklefes bookes are yet extant and neuertheles no Protestant hath yet found this their fundamentall Article of iustification by only faith in any of his bookes How then could Wicklefe be a Protestant who knew not so much as the head soul and foundation of Protestancie 2 VViclef holdeth diuers things condemned by ProtestaÌ„ts 2. Secondly Wicklef held diuers things which Protestantes condemne as that if any Bishop or Priest be in deadly sin he doth neyther order consecrat nor baptize which Fox pag. 400. sayth can hardly be defended See more of his Articles in Concil Constanâ—â—â—n And that so long as a man is in deadly sin he is no Bishop ot Prelat in the Church of God That temporall Lords may according to their ovvne vvill and discretion take avvay the temporall goods from the Church men vvhensoeuer they do offend which articles Fox pag. cit defendeth no otherwise then by saying that preaduenture they vvere not so strictly ment of him as they were gathered Moreouer Fox pag. 414. amongst other articles of Wiclefe citeth these To enrich the Clergie is against the rule of Christ There is no greater Heretick or Antichrist than the Clerke who teacheth that it is lawfull for Priests and Leuits of the lavv of grace to be endued vvith teÌ„porall possessions To which Stow Anno. 1376. addeth this other That neither King nor any seculer person could giue any thing perpetually to any person of the Church Further more as Fox hath pag. 392. he extolled the perfection of pouerty of the begging Friers and as Stow saith l. cit adioyned himselfe to them And the cause why he inueighed against the Church was as there Stow saith because he had bene depriued by the Archbishop of Canterb. of a benefice that he vniustly as was said was incumbent vpon VVhy VViclef impugned the Cath. faith Lastly Fox pag. 410. setteth downe a letter which he wrote to Pope Vrban 6. Anno 1382. which was about three yeares before he died wherin he confesseth the Pope to be Christs Vicar on earth and addeth thus If I haue erred in any of thes points I will submit my selfe to correction euen by death if necessitie so require Diuers other points which Protestants detest are collected out of his books by the Author of the Protestants Apologie for the Roman Church pag. 106. And more of Wicklefs wicked life and doctrine you may see in walsingham histor pag. 188 206. 302 ypadig pag. 139 142. 3. 3 ProtestaÌ„ts refuse VViclef PaÌ„taleon Melancthon Thirdly diuers Protestants refuse VVicklife for one of theirs and account him an Heretik As Pantaleon Chronall pag. 119. placing VViclife amongst Hereticks saith thus of him VViclife vvith the Lollard preacheth his heresie in England And the foresaid Melancthon epist cit I haue looked saith he into VVicklefe vvho maketh a great adoe about this controuersy of the Eucharist but I haue found many other errors in him by vvhich vve may iudge of his spirit Surely he neither vnderstood nor held the iustice of saith He foolishly confoundeth the Gospell and ciuill affairs nor perceaueth that the Gospell giueth vs leaue to vse the pollicie of all nations He laboreth to proue that Priests shold haue no proprietie He vvill haue no tithes paid but to those that teach He sophistically and very seditiously cauilleth of ciuill dominion In like manner he sophistically cauilleth
Luther was sent ordinarily by man some say that he was sent by his Magistrat and Prince the Elector of Saxonie 5 Sleid. Engl. lib. 1. fol. 10 saith the D. vvas at first displeased vvith Luther and fol. 22. the D. professeth not to montaine Luhers doctrin See fol 26 But this can not be First because Frederick then Elector at the first nether encouraged saith Fox pag. 771. nor supported Luther but often represented heauines and sorrow for his procedings Secondly because the Elector was a Romā Catholick when Luther begā a whil after How then cold he first send Luther to preach that doctrine which before Luther he nether beleued nor knew of Thirdly because power to preach is supernaturall and mere spirituall because it pertaineth to care of soules and their direction to a supernaturall end But the power of Magistrates is naturall ciuil and pertaineth to direction of men to their natural end as common to Heathen as to Christian Princes And who will say that Heathen can send men to preach and giue them care of soules Againe who can giue power to preach and administer the Sacraments may also himselfe preach and administer Sacraments for none can giue what he hath not himselfe But woemen may be Princes who yet can not preach Therfor Magistrats can giue no power to preach And this diuers learned Protest do grant For Bilson l. of obed approued by publik authority p. 296. plainly saith that their Bishops haue not their authority frō the Prince and that the Prince giueth then not Commission to preach but only liberty and permission Bilson And 303. The charge saith he which the Preachers and Bishops of England haue ouer their flock procedeth not from the Prince And p. 322. Princes haue no right to call or confirme preachers which he repeateth p. 323. And Fulke in 1. Cor. 14. Fulk The authority saith he of ciuil Magistrates doth giue Bihops nothing that is peculier to Ecclesiastical Ministers Finally howsoeuer soueraigne Princes cold send men to preach yet subiects as that Prince Elector was to the Emperor cold not against their soueraignes will send any And therefore Luther nether was nor cold be sent first to preach of Duke Frederik Luther not sent by anie Protestant Church 3. For this cause other say that Luther was sēt by his Church So Fulk in Ioan 10. But this is easily disproued by what hath bene shewed before cap. 1. by the Protestants confession of the nullity or at least inuisibility of their Church befor Luthers preaching For howsoeuer he might be confirmed of a Church which himselfe founded Ther must be a Protestant preacher befor ther be a Protest Church and no Church can send her first preacher yet cold he not be first sent to preach of a Church which before he preached was not at all or at least was not visible Wherfore I demand whē the people sent Luther to preach Protestancy whiles they were Rom. Catholick But that can not be for no man will send one to preach opposit doctrine to his Or after that Luther by his preaching had made them Protestants But then had he preached before he could be sent of them and they could not be his first senders 4. Others finding no Protestant people or persō who could send Luther to preach Protestancy before he preached it are faine to flie to their vtter enemies to wit the Roman Church and say that she first sent Luther So D. VVhitak cont Dur. pag. 820. Sutclif Answere to Except pag. 88. Feild l. 3. of the Church c. 6. 39. Fulk in Rome 10. and English Potestants commonly thought some of them be ashamed to affirme it in plaine termes Luther not sent of the Rom. Church Their only reason is because no other can be found to send Luther But if they meane of sending to preach Protestancie it is most false and incredible False because both P. Leo 10 and Emper. Charles 5. then spirituall temporall heads of the Rom. Catholicks forbad Luther to preach Protestancy and the one condemned him as an heretik for so doing the other outlaueth him And incredible it is that the Rome Church shold send a man to preach a religion so opposit to hers as Protestācy is this were for her to set one to cut her own threate And if they meane of sending to preach Papistrie that auaileth them nothing For I hope they wil not say that authority or Commission to preach one religiō is authority to preach the contrary or that the Roman Church when she gaue Luther authority to preach Papistry ment to giue him authority to preach Protestancy any more than Protest Bishops when they giue their Minister authority to preach Protestancy meane to giue thē authority to preach Brownisme or Anabaptisme Besids that the purer sort as our Ministers teach that Popish Priests haue no calling as you may see in Penry against some pag. 31. And in truth al Protestāts shold teach so if they would speak cōsequētly to their own doctrine VVhat Church can send men to preach Gods vvore is Gods Church For if she haue authority power to send men to preach the word of God then is she the Church of God for sure it is that God gaue this authority to no other cōpany but to his own Church only And Protest in going out of this Church impugning her wēt out of Gods Church impugne her Moreouer if the Ro. Church gaue Luther his authority to preach she also could take it away For as willet saith wel Synopsis p. 203. authority of preaching in Ministers may be restrained or suspēded by Church gouerners we see the practise herof towards the silēced Ministers By what authority then preached Luther after he was fordidden by the Rom Church Finally if Luther had his authority to preach frō the Rom. VVhat confusion vvill fall vpon Protest if they saie their first preachers vvere sent by the Rom. Church Church which in the opiniō of Protestāts is the whoare of Babilō the Church of Antich the Sinagog of Sathā Luther his Ministers must needs be miniōs of the Babiloniā whore officers of Antich Ministers of Sathan in their preaching execute the function which he whore Antichrist Sathan bestowed vpon them 5. Herupō others vtterly despairing to find out any cōpany or person to whome they might hansomly attribute the sendind of Luther fly to extraordinary sending by God alone saying that Luther their first preachers were sent only of God thervpon call thē Apostles or Euangelists So Cal. 4. instit c. 3. § 4. the sinod at Rochel An. 1607. art 32. others yea the Declaratiō of disciplin printed at Geneua 1580. pag. 139. saith plainly that in our dayes there was no place of ordinary calling therfore the Lord extraordinarily stirred vp as it were certain new Apostles to lightē the world again with the light of the Gospel Luther not sent extraordinarily
cannot stand vnles men do creditt one an other in thinges wherin they haue no cause to distrust them for what should we know of things past before our time or of thinges done out of our sight if we would not beleeue such as were present and knew them and ether by word or writing haue reported them to vs. How should we know such to be our parents but by beleefe How should any matter be tryed in Law but by beleefe of mens wordes or writinges what familiaritie humayne societie or frendship could stand if we admitt not beleefe VVherfor abbeit it be a fault to beleeue vpon light or small testimonie which kind of beleeuers the scripture tearmeth light of hart as it is a fault to assent to any friuolous reason yet contrariwise it is a greater fault not to giue credit to euident sufficient authoritie as it is not to yeild to euident reason For in beleuinge vpon weake authoritie we do but preiudice our selues but in not beleeuinge sufficient authoritie we hinder our selues from knowledge of truth discredit our owne reportes to others do against reason which as well bindeth vs to yeild to euident authoritie as to euident reason discredit our neighbors and cut in sunder the very sinowes of humane frendship and societie lib. de vtil Cred. cap. 16. VVherfor wel said S. Austin that though it be miserable to be deceaued by authority yet most miserable it is not to be moued with authoritie And most vnreasonably do some Ministers Hovv manie things vvhich are not in scripture are yet to be beleued say that they are not bound to beleeue the great vertues or miracles of Saints in times past though neuer so authentically recorded because they be not in scripture Indeed if we vrged them to beleue these thinges with diuine and christian faith they might haue some colourable excuse of such speech because as they say all poyntes of christian faitb are in scripture But sith we vrge them onelie to giue humane beleefe to such matters either they must shew some cause why the authority of such writers is not sufficient to giue humane credite vnto the thinges by them recorded or they must reiect all humane authoritie all mens wordes or writinges and beleeue nothinge but what either God hath written or them selues haue seene for if Scripture must be the onelie square of all our beleife both humane and Dyuine we must beleue nothing but what God haeh written no not that such were our parentes that ther are Turkes Moores ar any such thinge as the Scripture mentioneth not Or if we admitt as we must needes that humane authority by either word or writinge may be sufficient for vs to beleue thinges with humayne faith as vve beleue such to be our parentes and the like vve must not thinke it reason to reiect a thinge because it is not in Scripture Inconueniences of not beleuing mens authoritie but vve must allso shevv some reason vvhy such authoritie as testifieth it is not sufficient for a vvise man to giue credit vnto or els we must confesse our selues to be vvilfull to reiect sufficient authoritie vvithout yea against reason to be in iurious to God and our selues in reiecting a meane vvhich he hath bestovved vpon vs for to knovv truth Iniurious to our neighbours in discreditinge them vvithout cause and finallie pernicious to all good frendshipp and societie vvhich vvithout beleefe of humane authoritie cannot stand And to preuent Ministers that they shall not delude the Reader by sayinge that the authoritie vvhich I alleadge for vvhat I say of Saint Austin and Luther is not sufficient Onely Protestāts alledged for vvhat is said of Luther I beseech him to consider that the Authors vvhich I alleadge for vvhat I say of Luther are onelie Protestantes uch as by other Protestantes are greatlie commended for albeit I might iustlie alleadge the testimonies of Catholiques against Luther as I shew heerafter lib. 2. cap. 1. yet partelie to avoyd all cauills but principallie because Protestantes testifie ynough against him I omitt this aduantage And the vvitnesses vvhich I produce for vvhat I vvrite of S. Austin are partelie the said Protestants partely Catholikes but such Catholiques as some of them are great Saintes some great Clarkes some lyued vvhen the thinges vvere done vvhich they vvritt some vvere domesticall some forrayne and all vvere before this controuersie betvvene Protestants and Catholikes arose and all are greatlie esteemed of Protestants as shall appeare in the Catalogue ensuinge and finallie all are contested and approued in their testimonies of diuers Protestants as shall appeare heerafter VVhich kind of testimonie I hope no indifferent man guided vvith reason vvill account vnsufficient And for other obstinat persons who as S. Hierome saith are wount shutting their eyes to denie what they will not beleue I wrot not this vvorke for as S. Austin aduiseth vs vve should rather pray for these kind of men than reason vvhith them For vvhat Readers this booke is vvritten But novv let vs come to the Catalogue of the Catholike vvriters and after of the Protestantes A CATALOGVE Of the cheife Catholike vvriters Vpon whose testimonies the Authour relieth for what he writeth of Saint Austin A ALCVIN liued in the eight age after Christ which was the second of the conuersion of our Nation to the Christian faith He was scholler to S. Bede and Maister to the famous Emperor Charles the great of whom what high esteeme Protestants make you may see Infra lib. 1. cap. 12. B BEDA liued with in the first hundred yeares after the conuersion of our Nation and therfore might well learne the truth therof How greatlie he is accounted of by Protestantes both for vertue and learninge you may read lib. 1. cap. 12. cit onelie because his testimonie is that vpon which I principallie relie in what I say of S. Austin I would heere add what Godwin in the life of Tatwin Archbishop of Canterburie saith that His historie is the most auncient that England hath worthie of credit And that Cambden in Britan. pag. 12. giueth him this testimonie that he is Inter omnes nostros scriptores veritatis amicus amongst all our writers a frend of truth And what himselfe hath in his Epistle to King Cealwulph to put as he saith all that heare or read it out of doubt of the veritie therof that vvhat he writeth of S. Austin and his fellowes he learned of Albinus a man saith he of great learninge brought vp vnder S. Theodor Archbishop and Adrian both men of great worship and learning which thinges saith he the said Albinus knew partely by writinge partlye by tradition of Elders and sent to me by Nothelmus Bale Cent. 2. cap. 8. calleth this Nothelmus a learned and graue man who after was Archbishop of Canterburie Besides this the said Historie vvas approued by the said King Cealwulph and by all writers since and is the verie fountayne of all our English Chronicles whose credit depend
doctissimi most learned men as Saint Beda saith lib. 2. c. 2. Yet Saint Austin feared not twise to challeng them all to publick disputations S. Austin confuted most learned Hereticks and at the first ouercame them and at the second they durst not as it seemeth encounter with him The like disputations had after S. Laurence and other of S. Austins fellowes in the I le of Man with Scottish and Irish Deuines and wrote also to the Britons as saint Beda lib. 2. c. 4. speaketh worthy letters and fit for their Degree Protestāts confesse S. Austin and his fellovves learning Cooper Yea the Protestants them selues when they are voide of passion confesse saint Austin and his fellowes to haue bene great scollers For B. Cooper Chron. an 599. saith that Austin Iohn Mellit and others were godly and wel learned men Holinshed Holinshead an 596. calleth saint Austin and his fellowes learned men And Godwin in vita Honorij saith Godvvin Honorius a fellow and successor of saint Austin was very learned and some tymes disciple of Saint Gregory And in vita Laurentij that S. Laurence his immediat successor was a wel learned man That Deusdedit who was an English man scoller to saint Austin was very famous for his learning and other vertues And if the scoller were very famous what may we think of the Maister Bale Yea Bale him selfe cent 13. c. 2. saith that saint Laurence successor and fellow of saint Austin was very skilfull in logick and other Philosophie 3. But how think yow doth Bale proue that saint Austin was ignorant of scripture or his questions voide of all knowledg of the Gospel Surely not at all But it must suffice that this Aristarchus hath so iudged But perhaps it displeased Bale that saint Austin should in them enquire aboute the ceremonies of Masse VVhy S. Austins questions vvere vnsauorie to Bale and about the offering vpon the Altar of saying Masse after pollution in the night or of receauing the blessed Sacrament after a man hath carnally known his wife which questions no maruell if they seeme vnsauorie to Bale and voide of all knowledg of his new Gospel Indeed the questions are not of any profound diuinitie but of practical matters about the gouernment of the Church and holy ceremonies and administration of Sacraments in which matters the greatest Deuines vnles they haue bene practised therin as S. Austin had not bene in his monasterie are not alwaies the most skilful Besides that Saint Austin proposed those questions to saint Gregory not vpon ignorance but vpon humilitie and desire to be directed by him euen in smallest matters This saint Gregory him self testifieth in these words in Beda lib. 2. c. 23. I doubt not but yow haue required Counsell in these matters and I think also I haue alredy made yow answer herein S. Austin could haue ansvvered his ovvne questions Yet that which your selfe could say and think herein I think yow would haue it confirmed with my answer The like account made the French Ministers of Caluin as appeareth by the Surueie of the holy discipline c. 3. p. 43. in these words As any doubtes did arise amongst them concerning Church causes though they were but very simple and such as any student of meane capacity and iudgment might very easely haue satisfyed yet no man but M. Caluin for his tyme and M. Beza afterward was accounted of sufficiency or able to dissolue them Yow heare what simple questions the French Ministers sent to Caluin and Beza and yet without any preiudice of their opinion in learning And why should not S. Austin do the like And surely I here admire the goodnes of God towards our Nation that he would Saint Austin should enquire such small matters of S. Gregory and that his questions should remaine to our dayes both to shew vs by our first Apostle what account we should make of the resolution of the Sea Apostolick VVhat account S. Austin made of the resolutions of the See Apostol and as S. Irenaeus lib. 3. c. 3. wrote aboue 1400. yeares ago in all difficulties recur to her and also to assure vs that S. Austin who in so small matters would do nothing of himselfe but by the direction of S. Gregory would much lesse vary from him in matters of faith or religion And consequently that the faith which he taught our Ancestors was the faith of the greatest Doctor that euer since S. Peter sate in the Church of Rome Belt VVoful cry p. 3. and by the confession of Protestants was as famous and as learned a man as euer was Bishop of Rome yea omnium Pontificum Of all the Bishops of Rome the most excellent for life and learning Bale cent 1. c. 68. Which thing wel cōsidered can not but breed great comfort in them who had the faith of their Forfathers deliuered to them by S. Austin and as great discomfort in them who haue forsaken it And thus much of S. Austins learning now let vs see his vertue CHAP. V. That Saint Austin was a great Saint and holy man IF Ministers were before vnwilling to grant that S. Austin was our first Preacher or a learned man much more loth they are to confesse that he was a holy man And not without cause because therby they perceaue it will follow that his faith was the true faith of Christ For as S. Paul saith Rom. 10. The iust man liueth by faith Heb. 11. without faith it is impossible to please God By hovv manie kinds of testimonies S. Austins great holines is proued But I will prooue not onely by the testimonie of them that saw and knew S. Austin but also by the testimony of his Maister his own life and death by publick and priuat testimony of them that liued with him by all kind of writers following by the vertuous life of the Church which he founded and finally by the confession of diuers Protestants that S. Austin was a saint and vertuous holy man 2. As for S. Austins Maister Ambros lib. 2. de Virginibus saith Hovv vertuous S. Austins Maister vvas The first spur to learning is the excellēcy of the Maister And no doubt but the example of an excellent Maister is a great spur to vertue And what Maister ether in that age or long before or after could S. Austin haue had comparable to S. Gregory who for his great vertue and noble acts is surnamed the great whome S. Isidor lib. de viris illustrib c. 7. who knew him saith S. Isidor was by compunction ful of the feare of God in humilitie cheefest and endued with such light of knowledg as the like was not then nor before 8. Councel Tolet. And the 8. Councel of Toledo doubteth not to prefer him in morall doctrine before all other Doctors S. Ildefonsus S. Ildefonsus also lib. de vir illustrib c. 2. writeth that he excelled so high in perfection of all vertues as setting
Ethelvverd After S. Beda liued Ethelwerd who lib. 2. cap. 1. writeth That by the prayers of S. Austin Bishop our Sauiour Iesus Christ sheweth innumerable miracles to his faithful at whose Tombe vnto this day no small miracles are wrought Malmesb. Huntingt vvestmon Capgraue To these witnesses we may ad Malmsb lib. 1. Pont. Hunting l. 3. westmō an 603. and Capgraue also who in the life of S. Austin writeth That there were none or few in S. Austins company who had not the gift of curing that they lightned the darknes of the heathens no lesse by miracles than by preaching And he addeth that S. Austin cured all the weak and sick that were brought vnto him or visited of him Protestāts confesse S. Austins miracles 4. Thirdly amongst protestants Fox lib. 2. pag. 116. writeth that when the King had wel considered the honest conuersation of their Austin and his fellowes life Fox and mooued by the miracles wrought through Gods hand by them and in the margent putteth this note Miracles vvrought by God for the conuersion of this land he heard than more gladly pag. 118. he mentioneth S. Gregories letter testifying Saint Austins miracles and pag. 119. he saith that Beda Cestrensis Huntington Iornalensis and Fabia testifie the forsaid miracle of the blind man Godvvin Godwin in the life of S. Dauid I doubt not but God affoarded many miracles to the first infancie of our Church Nether therfor would I be to peremptory in derogating to much from such reports as we see no reason why they may not be true And in the life of S. Austin Austin wrought a miracle by healing a blind man for confirmation of his doctrine Holinshed in Descript Brit. King Ethelbert was persuaded by the good example of S. Austin and his company and for many miracles shevved to be baptized And pag. 602. Austin to proue his opinion good vvrought a miracle by restoring to sight one of the Saxon Nation that vvas blinde And the same miracle acknowledgeth Stow Chron. pag. 66. and of forrein Protestants Hemingius in exposit psal 84. parte 1. cap. 6. Stovv Hemingius 5. Concerning the witnesses which I haue produced to testifie that S. Austin wrought these things which wee call miracles The qualities of the sayd vvitnesses for S. Austins miracles I would haue the Reader to consider first that some of them were then liuing as S. Greg. the Britons and Authors of the Epitaph Others liued after as the rest Secondly some were forrein as S. Greg. others Domestical in England Thirdly some are publick as the Epitaph others priuat Fourtly some were enemyes to S. Austin as the Britons the others freinds Fiftly some were great Clercks as S. Greg. S. Beda and some of the Britons who by their learning could iudg of the miracles others of lesse account Sixtly some were great Saints as S. Greg. and S. Beda were who would not deliuer an vntruth or vncertain fables for true and certain miracles others of meaner qualities Seuenthly some were eye witnesses as the Britons and they enemyes too who would finde what falt they could and the authors of the Epitaph others by report Lastly some are Catholicks some Protestants And what greater variety of testimonies or better qualified witnesses would we aske to beleeue a thing than these be 6. This great weight and varietie of witnesses we haue to beleeue that S. Austin did these things which are accounted miracles No author before our Daies nor reason against S. Austins miracles wether they be true or false which we shall see anon And to the contrary ther is no Author forrain or Domestical eye witnesse or other freind or foe Catholick or Protestant before our daies nor any reason at all besides that which Fulk Anotat in Io. 14. giueth against S. Austins miracles Se more of this in the preface to the Reader sup and Fox lib. 2. pag. 122. against other miracles vz. That they are not in scripture therfor they are not bound to beleeue them As if God were bound to write all the miracles which he worketh or we not bound to beleeue with human faith of which alone we speak in this matter that which is auouched by so sufficient human authoritie vve bound to belevve vvith humane faith vvhat is deleuered vvith sufficient authoritie as we can take no iust exception against it either for skil to know the truth or for will to speake it If not then farwel all human beleefe which can require no more than so fufficient human authoritie Inconueniences of not belevving humane authoritie farwel all human authoritie which can affoard no greater certaintie farwel all human conuersation which cannot stand without the beleefe of such authoritie and let vs beleeve nothing but what God hath written or our selues haue seene Let vs not beleeue any Records or Histories of times past See S. Aust lib. de vtil cred cap. 12. no that euer there was such a man as S. Austin And for times present let vs beleeue no Iurie nothing done in far Contries nothing done out of our presence no not that such were our parents because none of these are written in Gods word but are deliuered to vs by human authoritie to which as they say we are not bound to giue credit Thus yow see to what inconueniences this kind of sensles reason would lead vs if we should follow it in other lyke matters But besides it is fond in it selfe for it is taken from negatiue authoritie which kind of argument saith Iuel Art 2. Diu. 13. Vnles it be in consideration of some other circumstance is so simple as that a verie child may soone answer it And iustly Negatiue authoritie no authoritie for negatiue authoritie is no authoritie and silence no witnesse Whervpon the law saith Qui mutum exhibet nihil exhibet especially when the silence is of such which had no cause to speake of the matter as the scripture had none to fortel S. Austins miracles And therfor to argue from such negatiue authoritie is to argue from noe authoritie and to seeme to vse reason when indeed ther is none For who would suffer a Malefactor against whome many honest men haue deposed to clear him selfe because diuers standers by say no thing against him Would their silence which in any mans iudgment maketh no more for him than against him be preferred before the depositions of diuers witnesses omni exceptione maiores And so besids that the scripture was written many hunderd yeares before S. Austin was borne and therfor could not speak of his miracles but by prophecie the silence therof in his miracles maketh no more against them than for them For as it affirmeth them not so nether doth it denie them And therfor as Fulk argueth The scripture affirmeth not S. Austins miracles therfor they were not An other might with as good reason say The scripture denieth them not therfor they were But leaueth them
to the authoritie and credit of those that report them Which as hath bene shewed is as great as can be required to human beleefe and therfor bindeth vs to giue human credit vnto them S. Austin For as S. Austin said wel lib. de vtil cred cap. 16. It is miserable to be deceaued by authoritie but most miserable not to be moued by it A part of beasts not to be moved vvith authoritie Because to be deceaued ether by probable reason or sufficient authoritie is a thing incident to man But not to be moued with conuincent reason or such sufficient authoritie as no iust exception can be taken against it hauing no reason or authoritie to the contrarie is the part of a beaste vncapable of reason or authoritie 7. For this cause perhaps some will grant that S. Austin did these things That S. Austins miracles vvere true miracles which are reported of him but yet will say that they are not true miracles but false such as may be done by nature arte or the Diuels helpe But against these I oppose First that they say this without the authoritie of any ancient writter at all or any other before our dayes See Alan Copus Dial. 5. cap. 18. Secondly they say it without any reason taken from the miracles them selues For the sudden cure of a blinde person whome the Britons could not cure what suspition giueth it of a false miracle That he was blind the Britons saw that they could not cure him them selues experienced Thirdly I oppose the manes wherby S. Austin cured him which was as Beda testifieth lib. 2. cap. 2. By prayer to the Father of our lord Iesus Christ beseeching that he would restore light to the blind person that by corporal illumination and lightning of one man his spiritual grace might kindle many Which meane of prayer to God is quite opposit to the working of false miracles which is by calling vpon the Diuel Fourthly I oppose the ende for which most of S. Austins miracles were done which was to draw Pagans from Infidelitie to Christianitie and from vice to vertue as the effect did shew But the Diuel would do nothing and much lesse a miracle to draw men from Infidelitie and vice to which he enticeth them all he can or to Christianitie and vertue from which he driueth them by all meanes that in him lyeth Therfor S. Austins miracles came not from the Diuel And this trial of miracles by the end of them protestants allow as the true touchstone to try them by As Fox Acts pag. 351. where he crediteth the miracle wrought in the king of Tartaria his child which when it was born was vgly and deformed and being Christened became faire and bewtifull Because saith he it serued to the conuersion to the Christian faith to which vse properly all true miracles do apertain And yet that faith to which that King was brought and for which that miracle was wrought was Papistical as Bale granteth cent 4. pag. 303. 8. Fiftly I oppose the admirable and by Protestants confessed holines of Saint Austin and his fellowes What affinitie or commerce had such great vertue with the Diuel From which how far he was so far was he from working those miracles which Austin and those vertuous men did Sixtly I oppose the iudgment of S. Gregorie Beda and other learned and holy men hitherto who accounted them for true miracles Who if learning or vertue can descrie false miracles were as like to descrie them as any now liuing yea better because many of them were present and might consider many circunstances which might help them to finde out the truth which now we do not know Seuenthly I oppose the iudgment of the Britons amongst whome ther were as S. Beda saith plures viri doctissimi and who all were opposit to S. Austin and therfor they wanted nether skil nor wil to discouer the falsitie of his miracles if any had bene Lastly I oppose the confession of the fornamed Protestants who hauing duly considered all circunstances haue not onely iudged but confessed written and subscribed that S. Austins miracles were true miracles wrought as Fox speaketh through the hand of God 9. For this perchance some may be perswaded to confesse that both S. Austin wrought these wonderous things which are recorded of him That a miracle can not be vvrought to confirme an vntruth and also that they be true miracles and yet may say as Fulk doth Annot. in Marc. 9. That Hereticks may work miracles to confirm their erroneous opinions That is direct blasphemie against God For a miracle can not be wrought but by God his diuine power who vseth it as a seal to confirm his Doctrin with Whervpon S. Paul 1. cor 12. called miracles signes of his Apostleship And marc 16. they are called confirmations from God and our Sauiour Io. 5. calleth them a greater testimonie than S. Iohn Baptist And biddeth the Iewes if they will not beleeue him beleeue his miraculous works And S. Austin lib. de vtil cred cap. 14. saith that Christ by miracles got authoritie by authoritie deserued credit by credit gathered multitudes by multitude got antiquitie by antiquitie strengthned Religion Certain it is therfor that as God can not contest or confirme a lye so he can not with hereticks cooperat to a miracle to confirme their erronious opinion Wherfor as our Sauiour sayd to the Iewes If I cast out Deuils in the finger of God suerly the Kingdom of God is come amongst yow So might S. Austin say if I by the finger of God work miracles surely the Kingdome of God is come amongst yow That S. Austin vvrought miracles for confirmation of that vvhich protestāts denie 10. The last euasion which any Protestant can finde why he should not beleeue the doctrine of S. Austin confirmed of him by true miracles is that which Fulk also giueth 2. cor 12. To wit that we are not certain whither his miracles were to confirme any of that corruption which he brought in To which I reply that this is but a ghesse of a distrustful mind For who tould him that S. Austin wrought no miracles for confirmation of that which he accounteth corruption Secondly that God in conuersion of Infidels vseth not to work miracles for confirma ion of euery Article of faith but to authorize the Preacher for a true messenger of God and the faith and religion which he teacheth for his diuine truth and way of saluation And this Saint Austins miracles did proue sufficiently and it is all wee seeke Thirdly I say that S. Austin wrought a miracle to confirm that which Protestants now account corruption For the ende for which he cured the blind man in the sight of the Britons was as S. Beda saith lib. 2. cap. 2. that they should conforme them selues to the holy Roman Church namely in administring of baptisme But the maner of administring of baptisme which S. Austin exhorted the Britons to was
termed his adoptiue child as is before said instructed of him in maners religiō Moreouer as Caius saith In reparandis ornandis c. In repairing beutifying enriching Monasteries he labored earnestly amongst which he builded two of great renoun But Fox reckoneth three one at Shasburie one at Ethling S. Cutbert encourageth the K. to recouer England the third at Winchester The cause of the building his Monasterie at Ethling was because he being almost quite vāquisht of the Danes and lying there hid for a time S. Cutbert appeared to him badd him be of good corage assuring him both of the present vision and future victorie ouer the Danes by a present miracle Profes of the truth of S. Cutberts vision to K. Alfred This vision was as is said confirmed then by a present miracle and by the perfect conquest of the Danes after following beleeued of this notable prudent King and testifyed as Fox p. 142. cōfesseth by Malmsb. Polichron Houed Iornalasensis others and yet is termed of him without any reason or testimony a dreaming fable onely as we may imagin because it is sayd to come from S. Cutbert For soone after p. 149. he crediteth a Vision of Egwin a Herlot albeit it haue nothing so good testimonie because therin is no mentiō of any Saint Finally this excellēt King in his preface before the Pastorall of Saint Gregory calleth him Christs Vicar sent almes to Rome Westmon An. 889. also to India to performe saith Fox p. 142. His vovv to S. Thomas vvhich he made during the tyme of his distresse against the Danes In this Kings time Burdred King of Merceland forsaking his Kingdom went to Rome A King goeth to Rome and Anno. 889. his Queene Ethelswitha followed him Hollemen in time of K. Alfred In this kings time also liued S. Grimbald whome king Alfred called out of France to teach in Oxford and S. Neotus Scientia saith Bale Cent. 2. cap. 1. In knowledg and manners excelling in counsel good in speeche wise by whose counsel Alfred founded a schoole at Oxford King Edward the elder XIX 8. IN the yeare 901. succeeded King Edward the Elder sonne to king Alfred The vvorthines of K. Edvvard son and reigned saith Malmsb. lib. 2. cap. 3 23. yeares others say 24. He gouerned the land saith Fox lib. 3. pag. 146. right valiantly in Princely gouernment and such like martial prowes he was nothing inferior to his Father but rather exceeded him subdued VVales Scotlād recouered all out of the Danes hāds The same saith Cooper An. 901. Stow p. 107. A great victorie Malmsb. l. cit Florent and Westmon An. 924 Houed p. 122. And Ingulph and Hunting lib. 5. say that in one battel he slew two kinges and 10. Earles of the Danes And Ethelwerd lib. 4. cap. 4. writeth that in all he slew 4. kings of them His Rom. Religion The Roman religion of this valiant and victorious Prince is euident First because as king Edgar his grandchild in an oration which Fox hath lib. 3. pag. 170. testifieth he accounted S. Dustan his Father helper and fellow worker in all things chose him as Bishop and Shepherd of his soule and keeper of his maners obeyed him in all things and preferred his counsel before all treasure Secondly because he obeyed the commandement of the Pope who threatned him excommunication if he procured diuers Bishopricks to be erected ex Malmsb. l. cit Cambden in Brit. p. 198. Thirdly because two of his daughters Edfled and Edburga became nōnes the third Ethelhild vowed virginitie ex Malm. l. cit Houed p. 421. Tvvo daughters of King Edvvard Nonnes and the third vovved virginitie And as Bale saith Cent. 13. c. 77. Gregorie a sonne of his became an hermit in Swiseland Fourthly because he toke awaye his brothers or his brothers sonnes wife from him because she had bene a Nonne Hunt lib. 5. Westmon An. 801. In his time liued the said S. Edburg his daughter Saints and S. Fristan Bishop of Winchester a man saith Godwin in his life highly esteemed of for his learning but much more for his great vertue and holines King Athelstan XX. The VVorthines of K. Ethelstan 9. IN the yeare 924. succeeded king Athelstan sonne to king Edward and held the Crowne 16. yeares ex Malm. lib. 2. cap. 6. He was saith Fox p. 147. Cooper An. 925. and Stow p. 107. a Prince of worthie memorie valiant and wise in all his acts and brought this Lād to one Monarchy For he expelled the Danes subdued the Scotts quieted the VVelchmen The like saith Bale Cent. 2. cap. 22. and also Catholick writers as yow may see in Malmsb. l. cit Hunt lib. 5. Houed pag. 422. His religion His Roman religion is most euidēt For going to the Battel of Brumford against many kings and innumerable enemies Ingulpg Florent An. 938. Hunt lib. 5. pag. 422. he visited saith Ingulph S. Iohn of Beuerley by the waye with great deuotion and God so blessed his deuotiō as in the battel he slew saith Malmsb the king of Scotts fiue kings more A vvonderfull victorie 12. Earles innumerable multitude of his enemies and got one of the greatest victories that euer Englishe wonne And in his return gaue great gifts and priuiledges to S. Iohn of Beutrley and made it a sanctuary for all Debters and Malifactors Ex Ingulph and Cambd. in Brit. pag. 636. Besides he was saith Ingulph and Malmsb greatly delited with a peece of the holy Crosse Hovv K. Ethelstad estemed reliques and Crowne of thorns which Hugh king of France sent vnto him Made S. Aldhelm his Patron Cambd. p. 210. Builded saith Fox pag. 149 the two Monasteries of Midleton and Mithelney for his brothers soule VVhy Kings builded monasteries VVherby saith Fox it may appeare that the espetiall cause of building Monasteries in those dayes was for the releasing sinnes bothe of them departed and of them aliue which cause saith he how it stādeth with Christs Luthers Gospel let the Christian Reader try with him self Thus Fox which confession of his may suffice to shew how all that kings tyme all the Realme was Roman Catholick All Christendom of the same faith vvith K. Ethelston And how all Christendome abroad agreed with him in religiō appeareth by the marriage of his sisters to the Emperor king of Frāce other Christiā Princes In this kings time befel a miracle in Duke Elfred whome the king sent to Rome to purge him selfe of treason by his oath before S. Peters sepulcher Miracle by S Peter But saith the K. in his charter which Fox pag. 148. Malmsb and others haue hauing taken his oath he fel before the Altar and was caried by the hands of his seruants to the English schole and the next night after he ended his life Then also liued Saint Birnstan Bishop of VVinchester Qui c. saith Florēt An. 932. Malm. Polichron
our speciall Letters Patents in the zeale of our faith haue giuen authoritie and licence vnto the forsaid Archbishops and all and euery of his Suffragans to arest all and euery one of them that will preach or mantain any such Conclusions repugnant vnto the determination of our holy Mother the Church And in other letâ—ers chargeth all not to hinder the Bishops of hereford in suppressing the Lolards Yea pag. 406. Edit 1596. Fox citeth a lawe made Anno 2. Richard 2. for burning of VVicklefists Thus saith Fox pag. 505. King Richard taking parte with the Pope and the Româ—sh Prelats waxed somwhat strait and hard to the poore Christians of the contrary side of VVicklef and saith that though none were burnt vnder him yet some were condemned diuers abiured and did pennance And pag. 513. saith King Richard those to serue the humor of the Pope K. Richard gathereth a Councel against VViclef VViclef condemned by 10 Bishopâ— 44. deuines 20 lavviers To this Bale Cent. 6. cap. 1. addeth that Wicklef was banisht for â—ome yeares And cap. 77. that Anno 1382. Wicklef was condemned by ten Bishops and fourty four Diuines and twenty Lawyers And cap. 82. saith that King Richard at the commandement of Boniface 9. Cent. 7. cap. 11. gathered a great Councell Anno 1392 against the Wicklefists And Fox pag. 507. K. Richard leaueth all to suppresse vviclefists and Walsingham An. 1395. others write that King Richard being in Ireland left all as sone as he heard increase of Lollards and calling the cheefe of them vnto him threatned them greatly if they followed Lollards any more and making one of them sweare therto the K. swore to him that if he broke his oath he should die a foul death So earnest was that King against those whome Protestants account now their brethren And albeit he consented to the Law made Anno 1391. against those that procured or brought any excoÌ„munication of the Pope against any yet that Law was not made to deny any point of the Popes authority but because as Polidor saith l. 20 many were vexed dayly for causes which they thought could not be known at Rome easely The King and Lords Temporal and Commons for the Lords spirituall recâ—amed as Fox witnesseth pag. 512. thought it expedient that in this point the Pope should not vse his authoritie Besides that when Pope Boniface 9. sent to haue these Lawes recalled the King saith VValsingham in Ypodâ—gmate Anno 1391. Vt silius obediens As an obedient child determined to fulfill the Popes demaundes but the Knights of the Parliament would not abrogate the Statute against Prouisors because they would not haue English Benefices at any time giuen to strangers And the times of King Richard were so manifestly Roman Catholick as the Kings Attorney in the araignment of Garnet calleth theÌ„ the midniâ—ht of Poperie Bale Cent. 6. cap 96. Saints saith that Almost all that were in those darck times did erre through ignorance of Gods lawe In this kings time dyed Saint Iohn of Bridlington whose life is written in Capgraue who saith Bale Centur. 6. c. 63. Caelesti Theologiae assiduus cultor adhaesit And VVilliam Fleet an Austin Frier who was canonized as Bale Cent. 6. c. 41. reporteth out of Sabellicus Henrie 4. XLV IN the yeare 1399. succeded king Henrie 4. granchild to king Edward 3. by Iohn Duke of Lancaster VVorthines of K. Henrie 4. and dyed Anno 1413. hauing reigned 14. yeares He was saith Polider lib. 21. of a great corage after the ende of ciuill warrs entertained all most gently His Rom. Religion The same hath Cooper Anno 1399. and Stow Chron. pag. 424. His Roman Catholick religion is most notorious For as Fox Acts pag. 523. and others write he made the Statute ex officio Where is apointed That who so euer is conuicted of Wicklefs heresie before his Ordinarie or Commissioners that then the Shriefes Maiers and Bay lifs of the Cittie Contrie or Towne shall take the persons after sentence is pronounced cause them openly to be burned in sight of the people And pag. 517. Fox setteth down the Kings Decree in parliament wherin he professeth to be zelous in religion and reuerent louer of the Catholick faith And minding to roote out all heresies out of his Kingdom And ther commandeth one VVilliam Santrey a conuict heretick to be burnt which perhaps is he whome Bale Cent. 6. cap. 75. saith was burnt in Smithfield An. 1401. In this tyme was burnt saith Bale Cent. 8. c. 5. that relaps William Swinderby a smith in London for denying the reall presence a Tayler the same yeare 1410. for the same cause Fox pag. 481. nameth his brother Iohn Badby burnt then who as VValsingham ypodig pag 174 who then liued writeth said that the Eucharist is not the body of Christ but worse than a toade or a spider And perhaps he is that VViclesist of whome that graue Author Thomas VValden who was ther present reporteth Tom. 2. c. 63. That standing befor the Archbishop Bishops in presence of the Duke of yorke many nobles Miracle fâ—â—â— not of the Bâ— sacrament he said that a Spider was more to be worshipped thaÌ„ the Eucharist and sodainly from the top of the Church came a great spider sought to enter into his mouth would scarce be kept out by any mans helpe Moreouer Fox Acts 5. 8. saith that this King was the first of all English Kings that began the burning of Christs VViclef Saints for standing against the Pope That K. Henrie burnt VViclefs Saints is euident But he was not the first which burnt such as stood against the Pope as appeareth by what hath bene sayd of Edward 3. K Henrie 4. vvholie bent to the Pope And finally he concludeth that this king was bent altogether to vphould the Popes Prelacie And therfore in his Considerations Considerat 10. saith Protestants rather dyed than liued in the dayes of King Henrie 4. And when the Lollards or Wicklefists requested him as saith Walsingham An. 1410. either to alter or mitigate the forsaid Statute he answered them that he would rather inforce it And when they proposing to him the same bait VVhat baite the VViclefists Proposed to K. Henrie 4. to ouerthrovv religion The like offer made Protestants vvhich Syr Thom more confuted as Protestants did to King Henrie 8. desired him to take away the Church liuings because with them he might maintain 15. Earles 1550. Knights 6200. Squirs and 100. Hospitals he detesting their malice commanded them to silence King Henrie 5. XLVI IN the yeare 1413. succeded K. Henrie 5. sonne to King Henrie 4. and died An. 1422. hauing reigned 9. yeares The rare vertues of K Henrie 5. He was saith Polidor lib. 22. the onely glorie of that time then whome none borne ether for greatnes of courage or for vertue was more famous or excellent whose loue euen yet remaineth amongst men The like commendations giue to
beginning he could haue obtained neuer so litle of the Pope he would straight haue bene quiet yet Luther him selfe epistol ad Leon. 10. saith Luther offered to recant vvhat he had vvritten touching pardons I promised silence to Caietan and to make an end of my cause if the same were commanded to my aduersaries And then saith he the matter stood in very good termes but he began to command me recant and then it fell into much worse estate VVherfore what after followed came not by the fault of Luther but of Caietan 2 Sleid. l. 1. fol. 10. saith he submitted him self also An. 1519. Sleid. lib. 1. fol. 17. See Sleidan lib. 1. fol. 1. 5. of Luthers submission to the P. and Church of Rome who suffered me not to be silent when I then most desired And ibidem after this againe he saith I yeelded to your authority and was readie to be silent And fol. 5. an other time he offered silence at request of his Friers Here Christian Reader I appeall to thy coÌ„science whether this man who so often offered to suppresse his new doctrine so he were not bound to recant it intended by preaching it any glorie of God Nay whether by offering to suppresse it he did not condemne both himselfe and his doctrine Was his cause good which he speaketh was at best when it was to be supprest and put to pepertuall sileÌ„ce and became worse when his silence was not accepted and what followed therof he wold not haue imputed to himselfe was it Gods cause which he wold haue buried in silence if he had not bene bound to recant was it Gods cause which was at the best when it was to be suprest became worse wen it was published and wherupon ensueth such euils as Luther wold not haue imputed to him Surely this sheweth that to be time which D. Empser an eare witnes auouched that-he publikly said That this matter was nether begun for God nor shold end for him Luthers protestation that he began not for God was it not his pride which could not brook the shame of recanting or his aduersaries triuÌ„phing ouer him which made him go forward to that which his Cnoscience told him was ill begun 4. VVhat then will you say meaÌ„t Luther by his preaching against Indulgences The end for vvhich Luther began Protestantisme Surely no other thing than for a time to spite the Dominican Friers and to hinder their credit and gaine which hauing hindred by his new doctrine he ment to haue proceded no further therin if he had not bene bouÌ„d to recaÌ„t what vpoÌ„ spite against others he had preached For wheras the Austin Friers had bene wonte to publish the Indulgences which the Pope sent into Germany the Archb. and Prince Elector of Mentz appointed the DominicaÌ„ Friers to publish those which were sent in the yeare 1516. Herupon Luther and diuers of the Austin Friers were sore offended And Luther more impatient than the rest for to spite the Dominicans began first to preach and after to publish conclusions against the valour of indulgences That this was the true cause of Luthers new preaching beside the testimonie of al Catholick writers appeareth partly by what hath bene already said partly also by what shall be rehearsed further out of Protestants Cooper Sleid. lib. 1. fol. 1. For Cooper in Chron. writhus An. 1517. Leo Bishop of Rome according to the manner of his Predecessours sendeth downe general pardons and licence of other things into Germany By occasion wherof Mar. Luther an Austine Frier of VVittemberg first began to preach to the people against Indulgences Note how he confesseth that P. Leo his sending pardons was no new thing or peculiar to him but the custome of his Predecessors yet that Luther tooke occasioÌ„ therof to preach against them which argueth that not the pardons themselues gaue Luther occasion to preach against them before but some thing peculiar to those pardons to wit the publication of them not by Austin Friers as the former pardoÌ„s were published but by the Dominicans For. protestants in their publik letters in Sleidan lib. 8. pag. 110. saie that all this dissentioÌ„ in religion sprung of that some too much extolled indulgences 5. And this cause Fox insinuateth a litle more plainly pag. 771. where he saith Luther was moued vpon the sermons of one Tecelius a Dominican Frier who caused the Popes indulgences to be caried about the couÌ„trie to publish coÌ„clusions against them Loe the Dominicans their sermons or rather their reputation which they got by publishing the indulgeÌ„ces and not the indulgences themselues moued Luther to preach against indulgeÌ„ces And what I pray you should make Luther to impugne indulgences then more then before and to impugne indulgences before any other point of Catholick faith but that the Dominicans had thâ—n not before the publishing of them and they were made peculiar publishers of them of no other point of religioÌ„ And that you may yet more clearly see that no dislike of the indulgeÌ„ces themselues moued Luther to impugne them Fox l. cit confesseth that Luther in the beginning did not vtterly reiect indulgences but required a moderatioÌ„ in them Luther offered to recant vvhat he had vvritten touching pardons Sleid. Eng. lib. 1 fol. 9. Sleid. lib. 1. fol. 2. 5. Luther at first accounted indulgences lavvfull And the Author of Paralip Vspergen addeth that at first he did but lihgtly striue against them only for disputation sake yea Luther himself in one of his Articles set downe by Fox pag. 1167. saith thus Indulgences are in the number of those things which are lawfull And l. de Captiu I did not thinke saith Luther indulgences to be vtterly cast away And Sleidan his scholer addeth histor lib. 13. that he scarce knew what the name of indulgences meant when he first began to preach against them How then could indulgeÌ„ces be the cause of his reuolt from the Cath. faith But as the wise man saith that by the Diuels enuie death entred into the world So may we say that by Luthers enuie against the DominicaÌ„s Protestantisme entred into the world And as enuie of other mens good moued Luther to begin this tragedie so his owne pride which wold not permit him to recant what he had wickedlie taught made him to proceed as appeareth by what hath bene said already And Luther him self confesseth in Sleidan l. 13. that the Popes excommunication of him made him to defend his doings and set forth many books and Fox pag. 771. VVhat made Luther mantaine his doctrin writeth that the rage of Frier Tecelius who called him Heretik made him to mantaine the matter So that not Gods glorie or the goodnes of his cause but euen as him self his best freinds excuse him other mens supposed iniuries moued Luther to mantaine Protestancie The manner of Luthers proceding in ProtestaÌ„tisme His inconstancie 6. As for the maner how he proceded in his
to England which were inestimable within two years after to wit An. 1540. imposed a great tax vpon both Clergy Layty as neuer was heard of before in England as yow may read in Stow other And withall coined base mony in great aboundance which was after called downe to halfe valowe Protestancie at first entrance vndid English men soules bodies goods houses Churches monuments Thus yow may see how Protestancie or rather one pointe therof to wit The deniall of the Popes supremacie altered this K. from a liberall and clement Prince to a most cruel couetous maÌ„ how it entred into our CouÌ„try not only with the losse of our Contrymens soules but also of their goods and liues made such hauock of meÌ„ weemeÌ„ of churches houses ancient Monuments stately buildings as if some fury had come out of Hel or somme mortall enemy had gon roging vp down our Contry ProtestaÌ„ts vvish of Geneua and Beza Surly who well considereth this may say of ProtestaÌ„cy as BaÌ„croft in his suruey c. 3. saith of Geneua It had bene better for this IlaÌ„d if neuer English maÌ„ nor Scotish maÌ„ had bene acquainted there And of Luther as he c. 8. saith of Beza those Churches that followe Bezas humor may iustly wish he had neuer ben born And the DaÌ„gerous Positioner l. 1. c. vlt. saith he thincketh the Scottish Ministers wrought more mischeefe in that Country in 30. years thaÌ„ the P. of Rome had done before in 500. 3. Miserable successe after Protesancie Finally the succes which this King reaped by his alteration was most miserable For wheras before he was loued of English-men at home and feared of strangers abroad after this change made he was secure of neither For first Lincolnshyre men rose against him to the number of 20. thousand Commotions streight after Yorkshier men to the nuÌ„ber of 40. thousand And these insurrections being appeased the Yorkshier men twise after attempted an insurrection And from abroad he was accursed of the Pope and stoode in continuall feare that some forreigne Prince would inuade his Land Prophetie of F. Peto And as Frier Peto then tould him to his face openly in the Pulpit at Greenwich that if he proceeded in his course it woule befal to him as it did to Achab. that doogs should lick his blood there should not be one left of his issue to pisse against a wall The first wherof was seene to be fulfilled after his death when the lead wherin his body was wrapt whilst in the carriage therof to Winsor it stood in the ruins of the monastery of Syon broke and his blood ran out which the doggs lick vp as a graue writer reporteth out of their mouth that sawe it and the second we all now see to be accomplished 4. Catholick religion thus maimed in one point by King Henry was after his death heere turned into Protestancy First in K. Edwards time and after in Queene Elizabeth reigne But who considereth by what authority by what meanes whose procurment it was done A child first and after a vvoman authors of Protestancie in England may iustly think that it was not wrought by God For Protestancie was set vp not by the authority of any man but first by the authority of a child of 9. yeares ould scarce come to the vse of reason and not fit to gouern himself and after by the authority of a woman Meane onely vvil and teror The meanes by which it was set vp was nether miracle nor extordinarie vertue of the first preachers of it or their publick confuting by disputation their aduersaries as Catholick religion was set vp by S. Austin Frocurers laie men but meerely the will of the Protector in King Edwards time and of the Qeeene in her time and the terror of lawes Which meanes are more seeming as befitting Turkish than ChristiaÌ„ religioÌ„ And lastly the procurrers of this change were not Bishops or Diuins but ether wholly Laymen ignorant of Scripture diuinity against the will of all the Bishops as it was in Queene Elizabeths time or principally Lay-men against the consent of the best learned of the Pastors as in K. Edwards time And how little these men cared for religion but euen against their conscience sought their owne aduancements appeareth by the Duke of Northumberland a principall Doer in the alteration in K. Edwards time who stuck not to tell euen in that time to M. Anthonie Browne after created Vicount Mountaigue as I haue often heard of his honorable and vertuous Lady lately deceased D of Northumb confesseth that against his conscience he set vp the nevv region that he knew the Roman religion to be the truth but yet said he since we haue begon with this new run God run Diuel we wil go forward And that religion was but a colour of his ambitious pretences is also euident by what Stow writeth of him For fiâ—st he repeateth his Oration to the Lords wherin he saith that Gods cause and the preferment of his new word was the originall grownd of proclaming Queene Iane Sleidan lib 25. An. 1553. and after reciteth his words at his death where he professeth the Rom. Catholick faith and professed that he did not for hope of life but for conscience and acknowledged the euils then hapned to England to haue comen by the new religion By this iudg of the rest and now let vs return to Luther CHAP. VII That Luther was ignorant or meanly learned 1 Luthers yong years 1. THat Luther was but meanly learned wheÌ„ he first begaÌ„ ProtestaÌ„tisme I wil proue many waies First by his yong years for he was but 34. years ould when he began this new doctrine At what yeares men haue rather the ground of learning 2 Studied in no famous vniuers Fox p. 770. than are any way excellently learned Secondly he studied in no famous vniuersity nor vnder any notable Maister For the chefest place wher he studied was Erphord in Germany a place of no name and his Maisters names are so obscure as they are not knowne vnles we reckon his black Maister wherof we shall speack heerafter I might also adde that he was brought vp in a monastery because D. Whitak cont Dur. p. 733. saith what can we expect out of Monasteries but Monkish superstitions vnlearned 3 Corporal impediment of studie Thirdly he had a very great impediment of studie For tom 2. pag. 22. thus he writeth I dare not read two whole leaues togeather nor two or three lines of a psalme nor looke vpon any thing long For streight I haue a noise in my ears that I am faine to lay dovvne my head to the forme 2. Fourthly I proue Luthers ignorance by his doctrine For as Feild lib. 4 of the Church c. 24. graunteth His ignorant doctrin Luther made question of S. Iames epist of others Wittak cont Dur. p. 12. saith he vvrote disgracefully of it p. 20
Luther had testimonie of hâ—s â—â—other Zuinglius that he was imperitus vel nimis rudis Theologus an vnskilfull or too too rude a Diuine S. Austin reiected no part of Gods word Luther reiected diuers S. Austin taught no absurd doctrins Luther by the iudgment of Protestants taught many S. Austin ouercame the Britons amongst whome were plures viri doctissimi Luther as Catholiks write was ouercome in publick disputatioÌ„s of one Eckius S. Austin taught no heresies Luther as Protestants confesse taught diuers Finally S. Austin reuoked none of the doctrin which he once taught Luther reuoked coÌ„fessed his ignorance in many and weightie points Besides all this S. Austin was nearer to Christs time by 900. yeares and more than Luâ—her and therfor more likly to learn what Christ taught thaÌ„ Luther who was so long after Now therfor gentle reader lift vp the Ballance of thy iudgment with an euen hand considering that vpon this choice goeth thie eternall saluation or damnatioÌ„ weigh these two men equally and iudg whether is more full not of words or braggs but of learning Whether is liklier to know what Christ taught or to haue erred of ignoraÌ„ce VVhether were likly to haue bene blind whether to haue seene CHAP. II. S. Austin and Luther weighed according to their vertue or vice 1. THe due consideration of the vertuous life of the first Preacher or founder of Religion in any Country may giue to prudent men great light to descern whether his ReligioÌ„ be good or bad come from God or from the Diuel For albeit vicious men do often times preach and continew the religion which vertuous men first founded as we see that the Scribes and Pharisies in Christs time taught the Doctrin of Moyses WherupoÌ„ he bad the people to do what they taught and in the day of iudgment there wil be reprobats who haue prophesied in Christs name yet notwithstanding if we looke into the scriptures or Ecclesiastical Histories we shall not finde but that those whome God sent to be first founders of his religion in any Nation or Contrie were when he sent them vertuous and godly men Such a one was Moyses by whome he founded his religion amongst the Ieâ—es Mitissimus hominum qui sunt super terram The most mildest man that was on earth Such a one was S. Iohn Baptist whome he chose to first sound out the happy tidings of Christian religion to the world Such were his Apostles who forsooke all and followed him euen Iudas when he chose him for an Apostle as S. Cyril in 6. Ioan. Hierom l. 3. cont Pelag. and others teach S. Hierom proueth it inuincibly out of these words Ioan. 17. Father whome thou hast giuen to me I haue kept and none hath perished but the sonne of perdition For if God the Father gaue Iudas to Christ surely he was then good And it may be prooued out of the 54. Psalme where he is prophetically called a man of one mind said to haue walked in Gods house with conseÌ„t And before Christ would licence the Apostles to preach to Nations he bid them abide in Ierusalem til they were indued with vertue from aboue and made them as S. Paul speaketh Idoneos Ministros Noui Testamenti Fit Ministers of the new Testament Such also were those whome we call the Apostles of certain Nations as to omitt others S. Patrick of Ireland S. Ninian of Pictland S. Palladius the first Bishop of Scotland And the cause of this proceeding of God in chusing vertuous men to be the first promulgators of his lawe in any Contrie is manifould First because it is more honorable for him to chuse for instrumeÌ„ts of so notable a work of his as is the conuersion of a Nation from infidelitie to faith and from seruice of the Diuel to his seruice men that are like to him selfe rather than men that are like to the Diuel his owne children rather than the Diuels children his owne seruants rather than the Diuels slaues Secondlie it is more effectual for the end which God intendeth For albeit God could coÌ„uert a Nation to his faith without vertue or miracles of the Preacher or any other external help Yet because he disponit omnia suauiter disposeth al things sweetly he vseth these outward helps wherwith he knoweth men to be most draune to embrace his religion which are vertue and miracles Of which twoe though miracles be verie potent yet vertue is more poureful as S. Chrisostom sheweth by the comparison of S. Iohn Baptist and Appollonius Tyaneus Of whome the one wrought no miracles as the scriptur saith yet by his vertue stroke the Iewes into such admiration of him as they doubted whether he were not the Messias of the world And the other though he wrought many wonders yet had fewe or no followers And S. Chrisost doutâ—th not to say that if the Apostles had not liued vertuosly notwitstanding their great miracles the world would haue counted them but seducers And in the conuersion of our English Nation albeit the miracles of S. Austin and his fellowes did cooperat therto yet S. Beda l. 1. cap. 26. attributeth it cheefly almost wholly to the vertue holines of their life Thirdly this course is most proportionable agreable to the end for which God sendeth Preachers to any Contry For as the end of his seÌ„ding is vertue to be engrafted in that Nation so the meane most agreaâ—â— and sutable therto is vertue in the first preacher Wherfore howsoeuer the Successors or as S. Paule termeth them the Pedagogs in Christ be yet the first Preachers or Fathers of a Nation who according to Saint Pauls phrase had begotteÌ„ them in Christ ought to be very holy and vertuous men 2. And the contrary course of sending wicked vicious men for first preachers of doctrine is vsuall to the Diuell and wel be seeming him For albeit vertuous men may vpon ignorance fall into some one or more errors yet câ—n they not so longe as they keepe their xertue be enticed by the Diuel to forsake their true faith and worship of God vpon which all vertue is grounded But those who as Saint Paul speaketh of the Hereticks Hymeneus and Philetus haue already made shipwrack of a good conscience and abaÌ„doned vertue those the Diuell puffeth vp with a proude conceit of their owne learning and picketh out for Sectmaisters for teachers of new doctrines And therfore howsoeuer Archereticks may for a time dissemble vertue as S. Austin writeth of Pelagius yet mendacia as S. Cyprian writeth non diu fallunt Their Hypocrisy will not diu proficere sed insipientia eorum manifesta fiet Simon Magus before he became an Archereticke would haue bought Gods grace for mony Arius before he became an Archeretick was noted to be ambitious Berengarius before he broched his heresie was noted of enuie at other mens glorie Wicklef before he began his doctrine was noted of anger as writeth Godwin in the life of Archb. Simon