Divine Peccatum Schismatis tendit contra vnitatem siue Ecclesiae siue Capitis formaliter The crime of Schisme tendeth against the vnitie either of the church or head formally that is as it is the church vnder that head or the head of that church And therefore if one doubt reasonably whether this particular person be the Pope or no and thereupon do not acknowledge himfully for the Pope hee incurreth not thereby the crime of Schisme no though he erre in iudgement because there wanteth the formalitie of Schisme which is this to refuse him as hee is vndoubtedly the Pope C. 27. And finally the famous Lawyer Nauar Schisma peccatum est quo quis se seperat ab vnitate Ecclesiae nolendo subesse ei vel membris eius quatenus sunt eius Schisme is a sinne whereby one seperateth himselfe from the vnitie of the Church by refusing to be vnder it or the members thereof in regard they are the members thereof So that by the iudgement of all the learned this is an vndoubted veritie That a man cannot be a schismaticke vnlesse hee haue a voluntary or entended rebellion against the Pope and the Church with this formalitie as hee is the Pope or head and the church a body or members vnder him that is in one word vnlesse he refuse to acknowledg him for his head and to communicat with the members because they be vnder him perceiue you this Gent. Yea very well Priest Hereupon it is manifest that we could not possibly be Scismaticks by our delay Gent. I see no such consequence Priest Doe you not you know that our delay to accept of the authoritie and to submit our selues to the Archpr. was not because we denied the Pope to be Pope and our head nor that we refused to obey him as our head nor for that wee would not admit the authoritie and Man said to be instituted by him formally because they were sayd to be instituted by him Vpon these respects and formalities we delaied not and yet without these we could not possibly be Schismaticks But the whole controuersie stood in this That the authoritie was inconuenient for our Church and that it was doubtful VVhether in truth the authoritie was instituted by the Pope or not This was vncertaine I say the Iesuits and Archpriest on the one side had no Bull no Breue no Apostolick letters no authenticall Instrument as is vsuall in all matters both of great lesser moment proceeding from that See and which in graunts of extraordinarie Iurisdiction and Prelacie is absolutely necessarie before any bee bound in conscience to obey them they had no such thing to shewe for proofe of that they claimed and would violently inforce vpon vs as his Ho. fact and wee on the other side partly for want of this Apostolicke VVrit and Testimonie partly vpon other great reasons had good cause to doubt that his Hol. was not acquainted with it yea the particulars of the authoritie implied in them so many and so great inconueniences that we thought it needfull to delay the acceptance thereof till his Ho. should haue better information of our Churches estate and thereupon either recall the authoritie if it were his deed or in time reforme and change it into some other more commodious to our afflicted Church So that their propounding or promulgating this authoritie being insufficient no way binding vs in conscience we bare off to receiue it because it was vncertaine and very likely not to haue bene instituted by the Pope The inconueniences also which it brought with it were no little cause of our delay and we bare not off because we refused to be subject to the Pope as Pope or head of Christs Church or to this or any superioritie he should ordaine ouer us as our supreme Pastor which yet wee must haue done before we had incurred the crime of Schisme Perceiue you now how the case standeth and how farre off we were from being Schismaticks Gent. Very well Pr. Nay further we were so free from that crime and all the least disobedience to the See Apostolicke in that delay of ours and of this neither the Iesuits nor Archpr. could be ignorant for they were priuie to our whole course and actions in that matter and they had also our owne word and hand-writing for submission in al things which were certainly notified vnto vs to be his Ho. his deed that for men of their profession learning modestie and experience to condemne vs yea in the secrecic of their owne conscience to be guiltie of schisme or the least disobedience cannot bee defended by any reason from the grieuous sinne of temeritie and rash judgment But for them by their toungs penns and practise to display and cast abroad in the world the turpitude of this infamie for crimes faigned against vs by themselues and neuer once committed in thought by vs and this also before the Church had examined and censured our case this this fact of the Iesuits Archpriest as it cannot possibly bee excused nor escape the note of vncharitable audacitie extreame crueltie in them so of necessitie must it bring woonder to all posteritie and be horrible in the sight of all honest men VVhen they vrged the admittance of the authoritie with so many threats and in so violent a manner as they did all that yeare before the comming of the Popes Breue we alwaies told them this and we deliuered it them in writing First that we admitted of whatsouer the Pope had done already or would doe in time to come in our Church Againe that wee would presently and without delay receiue the new authoritie and submit our selues vnto the Archpriest if they could shew vnto vs the Popes letters and certainely make it knowne by any Apostolicall writ or authenticall instrument that the authoritie was instituted by him Thirdly we would in fact also doe the same without the shew of any Apostolicall letter if the Archp. and two of the Iesuits would sweare vnto vs and avow it vpon their priesthood that this authority was ordained ouer vs by the Pope or that his Ho. was acquainted with euery particular thereof Againe if they refused all these wee offered further presently to obey the authoritie vpon condition they would agree with vs to send one or two of either side to Rome which might informe his Ho. of the state of all and bring vs certaine word what his will was we should doe in every thing These proceedings and offers of ours will for euer yeeld a firm and irrefragable testimonie of our sinceritie priest-like comportment and innocencie in this cause moreouer protect and keepe safe our good names from the slaunders of our aduersaries in all degrees of schisme or disobedience wherewith their ill affected minds by many sleightie shifts and deceitfull pretences so earnestly labour to staine them and to bereaue vs of our credite a treasure without which we desire not to liue on earth Gent. Made you
his good pleasure what he would haue vs to do and to bring vs word thereof Gent. These were good causes of going to Rome if these were all they deserued neither imprisonment nor banishment nor in any sort should they haue beene hardly vsed or denied audience Surely they had committed some other fault Priest None at all surely Fa. Parson feared least if they should haue had free audience they would haue detected his cunning dealing with the Pope in procuring the new authoritie with our Church in imposing it so violently vpon our Cleargie and haue finally ouerthrowne all his plots laid for oppressing our priests the aduancement of his soietie in England For this cause hauing Cardinall Caiet readie to enforme and effect whatsoeuer hee would mooue him to he maliciously informed the Pope against our priests shut vp all the wayes of audience and got them taken and committed to close prison before euer they were heard at the last banished Gent. They were brought before the Cardinall Caietane and another Cardinall in the English Colledge and then heard what they could say Pr. After seuen weekes close imprisonment they were called before them indeed their examinations taken by Fa. P. of many impertinent matters were read and after there was a shamefull slaunderous libell exhibited against them and read by M. Haddocke and M. Aray two English priests suborned by Fa. P. and readie for whatsoeuer he would bid them doe to serue his turne which yet our priests could not bee permitted to haue a copie of nor to aunswere vnto And for their maine businesse it was nothing at all to the purpose spoken of Gent. VVhy did not your priests deliuer their businesses to the Cardinals at that time Priest Because they were not called forth for that end but as malefactors to answere to whatsoeuer Fa. Par. had deuised against them And they saw neither time nor place fit to deliuer it where the iniquitie of Fa. P. so much preuailed and all justice and indifferencie was abandoned especially they perceiuing Fa. Parsons without discontenting Cardinall Caietane by so doing disposed to deride and make to seeme contemptible both the men and whatsoeuer they said in any thing that crossed his humour They asked the Cardinall if hee condemned their comming to the See Apostolicke about the affaires of their Church He said no it was lawfull VVhy then are we thus punished said they Not for your comming but because you haue thereby and by your contentions scandalized many in England And in the sentence of the Cardinals the crimes for which they were banished are specified to be neither schisme nor rebellion nor enormious disobedience to the Pope or Arch-priest but because they had had contentions in England with men of their owne order whether justly or injustly they had these contentions it is not declared that so vntrue a calumnie might goe more currant in those doubtfull speeches whereas no bad or vnjust dealings of theirs in Englād could be proued against them before those Cardinals but all matters were shuffled vp and done just as Fa. P. would haue them Gent. VVhereby it seemeth that this controuersie of yours was neuer at that time discussed or mentioned at all in Rome Pr. They there neuer had it in question or speech whether we were schismaticks or rebellious or enormiously disobedient for our bearing off to accept the authoritie before the comming of the Breue And therefore you may see by this what little truth is in the Iesuits words when they affirme that our cause was heard and sentence giuen against vs in Rome Gent. VVhy haue they tampered so much in these matters against you Pr. Oh they be Iesuits they must be stirring and the true causes are these They would not be subordinat in any manner to ordinary prelats in England as to Bishops Suffraganes c. but beare themselues the greatest sway in the gouernment of our Church and disposing of all things To exclude therefore all ordinarie prelates which were to bee chosen by voices and common consent of our cleargie they preuented vs secretly by getting an Archp. to rule ouer all except themselues This authoritie was of their owne deuising the man preferred thereto of their own election in whose gouernment also and actions they prouided that themselues should haue a principall stroke that forsooth in euery matter of importance the Archp. should haue the aduise and direction of the head Iesuit in England Thus their wils should be fulfilled without checke in all they listed to attempt or desire Now after they had by false suggestion by many wayes procured this new authoritie and brought vs all into their bondage it behooued them to hold it by violence and strong hand which they had contriued by such cunning for their owne particular without respect of conscience or charitie The end I told you of admaiorem dei gloriam which is cheefely by the aduancement of their societie salueth all odde dealings Gent. It were more time that wee proceeded to some other matter for I should vnderstand this more by reading the censure and letter you spoke of Pr. Let vs so doe what is the next The fourth Slaunder Gent. The report is all ouer That you bee aduersaries or enemies to the Iesuits which are known to be religious men of singular vertue and perfection and to whome aboue all men our nation is most bound and many things are said of your hard dealing against them Pr. I pray you let vs heare all and I shall satisfie you in euery point as well as I can Gent. I shall speake all as it commeth to my remembrance Priest Doe so but for this you haue said what ground haue they to proue vs their enemies or in what are wee their enemies say they I know some haue said and written That wee are enemies to their religious perfection Gent. I also haue heard the same of their dearest fauourites Priest This is a rash and vncharitable calumnie For no man can be an enemy to religious perfection but thereby he falleth from Gods grace For albeit no man out of vow be bound vnder mortall sinne to obserue the Euangelicall counsels yet can no Christian hate the obseruers of them or become their enemie for that respect but hee offendeth mortally thereby If therefore it be certaine that we be their enemies it is no lesse certain that the cause is not any part of religious perfection to be noted in them for otherwise should we be enemies also to the religious men of other orders as to Dominicans Franciscans Benedictines Carthusians and the rest in all the which no man except a Iesuit will denie as much religious perfection to bee found as is among the Iesuits yea we should be more enemies to all them than to Iesuits if this were the cause that mooueth vs in this case For all these haue the essentiall vows of pouertie chastitie and obedience as well as Iesuits and it is to bee supposed that they obserue
businesse causeth such admirable alteration that admit heretofore one had been reputed and shunned as a bad companion or holden for a daungerous spie and traitor by our aduersaries and their fauorites admit hee were such a one as had publickely renounced his Catholicke religion and in open court renied the Pope and authoritie of the sea Apostolicke admit hee were such a one as by his whole life had giuen monstrance of Atheisme yet his exquisit diligence his intemperate stickling his furious zeale in blazing euery where our vndeserued infamies graceth him afresh and maketh him worthy the name of a good fellow and to be reckoned by our brethren persecutors in the rank of a reasonable honest man thogh perhaps this good conceit fame must stand no longer than this peece of their vilest seruice shall endure Your selfe good Sir with all your Catholicke neighbors can witnesse with vs how hetherto wee haue concealed from you and kept secret all the matter of these contentions being most vnwilling and in troth very scrupulous though in our own iust defence to impart vnto you any little portion of the cause or controuersie the notice whereof might certainely trouble your minds and breed you scandale but could not benefit you in the smallest degree Neither the matter only was thus carefully kept from you but the parties also with whome wee had this lamentable conflict least vpon the long triall you haue had of our painefull trauels and sincere conuersation among you nothing agreeable to these slanders you might take the smallest aversion or any hard conceit against the persons of our aduersaries that beare the name of religious men and Catholicke priests But now that you are already made acquainted with this contention and with the parties also and this not by vs but by the Iesuites the Arch-priest and the double industrie of their Agents and that againe contrary to the very law of God and Nature they heape vpon vs dayly new infamies before our cause be heard or by any forme of iust triall and proceeding we bee found guiltie and convicted in the least crime of hundreds wherewith they vnconscionably charge vs. It is needfull that we repell so notable iniuries that wee stand in orderly defence of our good names and innocencie and that we let you know the truth of our cause to the end that this present disturbance of your peace and the greeuous scandale giuen throughout the realme by these contentions may redound to them or vs as either they or we shall bee found by iust examination and indifferent iudgement to haue been the authors and causers thereof And truly Sir wee would haue been vnwilling and very loath to haue defended our owne good names in any publicke manner because we could not possibly doe it without touching the imperfections of our owne deare brethren which in these hard times of persecution and in this lamentable affliction of our Church for the Catholicke faith we earnestly desire to spare and not to touch though with any reasonable losse to vs if our brethren would haue taken vp themselues in any time or haue kept any measure in afflicting vs. But you see our silence hath been so long our patience so great that thereby we haue not onely suffered much detriment in our credits and estimation throughout the realme but moreouer we haue lost many friends which through ignorance of our cause the violencie of religious men and seminarie priests with their adherents noted to run against vs are fallen from vs. This patience of ours also hath made which is the worst our aduersaries more audacious and violent in their vniust courses In all which proceedings of theirs we could neuer hope for stay or stint till they had vtterly ouerwhelmed our good names vnlesse in time we should make some lawfull resistance and encounter which though perhaps we haue vndertaken it too late yet we doubt not but in time we shall recouer some part of our losses and at the least in the iudgements of honest vertuous and indifferent persons bee freed from the infamies after they shall haue once examined and aduisedly waighed the cause on both sides without partiall and blinding affections In this onely our aduersaries haue the aduauntage of vs that they can easily couer the wrongs they doe vs with a plausible cloake and name of their religion and authoritie and with inuectiues against vs as against enemies to their order and disobedient to our owne superiours which two bad dispositions if thorow their slaunders they be once beleeued or conceiued to raigne in vs they must procure of necessitie vnto vs the auersions and hatred of all Catholicke people and honest natures VVe be Catholicke priests and albeit our carriage in Gods worke hath beene heretofore neuer so good and irreprehensible yet the very bare name or coat of religion and the very remembrance of authoritie swaieth much in mens opinions to the discredite of any that contend with religious persons and superiours although their cause bee neuer so iust and the actions of the religious or superiours bee most iniurious But yet who is he that experienced but a little in the affairs of both former and present ages can bee ignorant that the religious by too much seeking themselues may swarue from the perfection of charitie which they professe to run at and that men placed in authoritie may also transgresse the lawes of equitie in the execution of their office and then they are accustomed in the worst sort to oppresse their subiects when they most pretend iustice and in strongest manner sound forth the cries of their authoritie for better colouring therby their vniust violence And surely the abuse of authoritie is not to be feared nor suspected more at any time than when in controuersies refusing or hindering all iust all indifferent all ordinary triall by laws or comprimise they leane wholly to their authoritie and striue alone by it to ouerbeare and subdue their subiects And in like maner also the religious are then to be doubted most of sincere dealing when only by a vaine-glorious conceit or vaunt of their religious estate and perfection they iustifie themselues before the world and would beare out all they doe against their neighbours Thus farre in part we talked besides the answeres I made to euery particular report you told me of which I will here set downe and to auoid the tedious repetition of quoth you quoth I will deliuer the same vnder the names wee haue by our severall callings both of vs true Catholickes I a secular priest and you a VVor. lay Gentleman VVe began and did proceed as followeth Gent. The Iesuites with the Arch-priest and all their followers report that you and your adherents were schismatickes and rebellious to the sea Apostolicke and that still you are disobedient persons to lawfull authoritie and your superiours placed ouer you Pr. They report thus indeed but vnlesse they can prooue vs guiltie of these crimes their reports ought by all good
tower and at the time of his banishment all men reported him to haue found singular fauours aboue the rest touching his prouision This Fa. also had many conferences with Sir Christopher Hatton and receiued fauours of him before hee was apprehended VVhat should we say hereupon that Fa. Hawood was a daungerous Iesuit Or rather that these extraordinarie fauours are not sufficient to proue a Iesuit or a priest to be daungerous Father Bosgraue another Iesuit found not he also extraordinarie fauours in prison and banishment whiles many a good seminarie priest was straightly handled put to death I hope we may truly say That neither master Bluet nor master Clarke nor any other of vs whom the Iesuits and Archp. would discredite by accesse and familiaritie with the magistrats haue as yet condescended so farre vnto them as that Fa. Hawood did and yet was he not defamed thereby to be a dangerous man VVe let passe the two ancient and famous Iesuits Fa. Langdale and another either of which had remained in the societie aboue twentie years before their Apostacie which argueth that al Iesuits be not Saints before they breake out of their order wee let these passe I say and come to Fa. Iohn Gerard who is said to haue found more fauourable entreatie by our common aduersary during the time of his indurance than any of our priests imprisoned in those time or than those which now they so much exclaim against he is said to haue ben absent from his prison and this by license 2 3 4. or mo nights and dayes together Gent. Thus much I also haue heard of him that hee had more fauour and libertie than all his fellow prisoners besides But this was procured as I heard by great bribes for he had alwayes greater store of money than all the rest Pr. I condemne not the man nor thinke him dangerous for so doing He found fauor among our enemies to haue libertie if he be to be excused or not to be judged daungerous because he procured it by his money then to find extraordinary fauour among the heretickes is no true cause why a Iesuit or a Priest should be thought daungerous And why should not our priests in this case be as free from slander and infamie if they can procure to themselues by other honest meanes without money the same or more libertie as a Iesuit that bought it with his mony I will not now rehearse what some magistrats in high place haue said of secret meetings conferences between some of the priuie counsell some Iesuits nor what some of the Iesuits entirest fauourits haue whispered to their friends concerning straunge plots and deuises for no trifles I wisse betweene the Iesuits some of high roome and dignitie in the State Be it true as they reported or be it false as spoken but for a brag to win the Iesuits mo friends and credit as men able to dispose of all it much forceth not all finally commeth to this issue That we be not daungerous men because we receiue extraordinary fauor of the state For if they also had conference and withall hold this principle themselues also should be dangerous men with vs which they will not graunt if they had not yet in their conceits and by these reports that they had when the case is their owne they thinke it no sufficient cause to account them daungerous for finding fauours and conferring with the priuie Counsell and so they acquit vs also of the same slaunder For there can bee shewed no disparitie nor reason why this may not be as free for a Catholicke priest as for a Iesuit Gent. You seeme to conclude this rightly vnlesse they wil say that their dealing with the priuie Counsell or the fauors they find of the State cannot bring them into suspition or obloquie to bee daungerous men as it must doe priests because they are religious mortified men fast and sure from corrupting or deprauing by the magistrates as priests bee not which are passionate men looser of life and more inconstant and therefore this daunger is more to be feared in them and lesse in the Iesuits Pr. It may well be that they carry no worse conceit of themselues nor better of vs than this and I dare vndertake for them that howsoeuer their charitie extendeth to vs their owne good word shall neuer be wanting to themselues But these chimericall conceits and fictions do not alter the nature of the thing we speake of And for seminarie priests in England it is manifest that they haue laboured in Christs vineyard with no lesse fruit consummated their courses in prisons and death with no lesse courage and zeale than any Iesuit hath done hetherto yea euen such priests as these perfect Iesuits reputed to bee most imperfect and with whom they haue had great contentions in the colledges beyond haue matched them in the performance of all Christian duties whē the triall was made by enduring prisons miseries and death But as the huswiues prouerbe goeth All these fathers geese must be swans They be Iesuits ergo peerelesse Gent. I perceiue you but what were you about to say of their friends Pr. No more but this that by slaundering vs to be dangerous men by reason of some fauors we are said to find at the priuie counsels hands they bring the same slaunder vpon their best friends Gent. How may this follow Priest Marry thus who knoweth not that diuers of the principall Catholickes in England for temporall estate are their best friends And who is ignorant againe that they haue found and receiue still very extraordinarie and singular fauours from sundry of the priuie Counsell such as no other Catholickes in England besides themselues can haue If these great ones be not daungerous persons by reason of their extraordinarie fauours why should they thinke vs and our friends to be if at any time wee reape the benefite Gent. I know no reason why they should vnlesse perhaps the Iesuits affection and conceit of the perfection of all such as they deale with make this difference where in truth there is none But yet they say that some of you goe voluntarily to the Bishop of London and haue dayly conferences with him and other our aduersaries which thing is very suspitious and hath not beene vsed by any Iesuite or any of their side Priest Indeed the Iesuits carry a higher conceit of themselues than they doe of our priests the same must others also carry of them how small ground or cause soeuer there be thereof or else farewell friendship and you are their aduersarie Correspondent also hereunto is the opinion and estimation which the Iesuits and their people haue of such every where as depend vpon them and haue yeelded themselues into their guidance in respect of all such Catholicks as deale onely with the seminarie priests For onely this dependance on them is cause ynough why they should bee thought mortified zealous perfect and saints and the rest for
spending their mouths in condemning and defaming priests for their conferences with the Counsell and Bishop than these religious men haue done and their disciples by their example and onsetting VVhat then auaileth a name and boast of religious perfection when in obseruing this ordinarie precept of not judging or not condemning rashly they are so farre short of matching the most of our imperfect priests that they haue scarsely gotten one step before the baddest Christians Could not their charitie find any one cause or reason for excuse of M. Bluet and M. Clarkes indifferent action till some worse effect appeared VVas it needfull for their charitie to preuent their ill doing which perhaps will neuer fall out with most reprochfull slaunders Infamies in the conceits of humble and charitable men come timely ynough vpon Catholicke priests after they haue certainely done the fault and in no wise ought to be cast vpon them before the crime bee committed It is no hainous trespasse in these extremities and wants of necessary releefe in prison which by the Iesuits and the Archpr. their meanes is vncharitably brought vpon them to sollicite the Counsell or Bishop for more enlargement or for continuance of the libertie they haue alreadie or to procure the like to their afflicted brethren If in this onely they haue found a little fauor why then might not a Iesuits charitie haue pretended or imagined this to bee the cause of their going and conference Again it is no crime to sue for their owne and their brethrens banishment if thē in these great and most grieuous miseries inflicted vpon them by the Iesuits and Arch-priest as slaunders penurie losse of faculties suspensions and the like vndeserued cruelties aboue the common persecution by their aduersaries in faith they seeke for their owne deliuerance by banishment might not the religious Iesuits and Archp. by this reason justifie or at least excuse their going to the Bishop YVhat if their intentions be to worke some good of these magistrats either for their conuersion or to make them more fauourable to afflicted Catholickes and better conceited of Catholicke courses yea or to procure some tolleration or other good to our church All these be lawfull ends and might be more easily and with lesse daunger of sinne supposed by charitable men to bee their businesse till some worse matter appeared than the baddest disposition and affair that emulous heads can deuise These and many moe causes of their conferences and accesse may bee without much labour thought vpon all or any one of which might be sufficient ynough to induce a timerous conscience to deeme the best or at least to stay it from the downefall of rash suspition judgement and defamation And to tell what I thinke I should not marueile any whit if her Majestie and her Counsell should doe M. Bluet M. Doctor Bag. M. Clarke and many of our seminarie priests more singular fauours and good turnes than these they haue done or they doe to the Iesuits considering they know we hope in the end our priests simply to deale in matters of religion only and no whit to entermeddle in state affaires nor to concurre with Fa. Parsons and his associates in their plotting about titles successors inuasions and disposing of the crowne and realme either in her Majesties time or after her decease An odious and vnfit occupation for religious men which by profession should haue left the world Gent. Left the world Nay Gods pitie I feare me rather that Saint Barnard toucheth them not a little when speaking of religious men hee sayth Itane mundum sibi semundo crucifixerunt vt qui antea vix in suo vico aut oppido cogniti suerāt modo circumeuntes provincias curias frequentantes regum noticias principumque familiaritates assecuti sunt Haue they so crucified the world to themselues themselues to the world that they which before were knowne scarsely in their owne street or towne now wandering about prouinces haunting courts they haue gotten the acquaintance of kings and the familiaritie of princes And againe Video post spretam seculi pompam nonnullos in schola humilitatis superbiam magis addiscere ac sub alis mitis humilisque magistri grauius insolescere impatientes amplius fieri in claustro quam fuissent in seculo quodque magis peruersum est plerumque in domo Dei non patiuntur habere contemptui qui in sua non nisi contemptibiles esse potuerunt I see some after they haue despised the pompe of the world to learne rather pride in the schoole of humilitie and vnder the wings of a mild and humble master to wax more proud and to become more impatient in the cloister than they had been in the world and which is most peruerse of all for the most part they disdaine to bee had in contempt in Gods house which in their owne estates could not be but contemptible If this concerne them let them looke to it and if it doe he telleth them from whence their euill springeth saying Nec aliunde haec omnia mala contingunt nisi quod illam qua seculum deseruerunt descrentes humilitatem dum per hoc cognitur inepta denuo sectari studia secularium canes efficiuntur reuertentes ad vomitum Neither proceed these euils from any other but that forsaking that humility wherwith they left the world whiles hereby they are enforced to follow again the vnfit studies of secular persons they become dogs returning againe to their vomit Pr. For these sayings of S. Barnard how it toucheth the Iesuits I will not trouble my selfe but as I said our not intermedling in matters of Estate may be a very great motiue to her Maiestie her Counsell why they should do vs moe pleasures and shew vs greater fauours than the Iesuits and such as runne their courses which cause being no fault in vs but a laudable thing and conformable to our function if we should reape fauours therfore they ought not in conscience to be turned to our reproch and infamie as though we were fauoured by them for some lewde demeanour and the Iesuits ought to blame themselues if for their dangerous tampering in things which belong them not they should finde some extraordinarie affliction or not the like fauours that three or foure semenarie Priests haue done Gent. Indeed there is no reason to the contrarie the jelousie of our magistrates and the State of our Countrey considered Pr. But now what benefits and fauours be these which any of ours receiue so extraordinarily aboue the Iesuits and their adherents Gent. The report flyeth That besides this libertie and fauour which M. Bluet and M. Clarke find that you all are maintained by the Lords of the Counsell that you want nothing and therefore are not to haue allowance or a part out of any common almes or money giuen for reliefe of poore Catholike Priests and prisoners Pr. VVhat thinke you of this report Gent. I thinke it very false Pr. I assure you
all them of the Spanish faction in Rome the hope wherewith he dayly feedeth them of bringing this to passe by his owne pollicies and the helpes he can procure in England causeth them to admire the man and him to be most highly esteemed among them Gent. It is very ridiculous if they should bee so simple as to think Fa. Parson to be able when the day commeth to set the crowne of England vpon whose head it pleaseth him or that he should haue so strong a partie in England as are of power to beare the best game away and dispose thereof at his pleasure Priest They neuer heard that hee was sonne to a blacke-smiths wife but take him perhaps to be some nobleman and allied with many great ones And indeed for his imperious carriage he may easily seeme to strangers to be better descended than in truth hee is For hee is exceeding bold of great vndertaking and can set out all he hath to the best shew Besides a kingdome is an object of that alluring qualitie as the very simple-wishing of a man thereto procureth liking and fauours much more the entiteling a prince thereto and deuising meanes to compasse the same Gent. It is so but Fa. Parsons is much esteemed of by most Catholickes in England yea and of many Protestants also by reason of his booke of Resolution and the Seminaries hee hath procured for our Nation Pr. As this booke of Resolution was a good work and woon him all the credit which was due to Granado that laid the platforme to Father Parsons hand and gaue him the principall grounds and matter thereof and which also was deserued by maister Brinckley for the penning as diuers report so no doubt the libell he writ against the Earle of Leicester and the other against the old L. Treasurer and this worke of Succession whereby he entitleth the Ladie Infanta to the crowne of England with disgracing all other Titles and Competitors hath got him much hatred and discredit in England and Scotland If the booke were his it was well done and he deserued commendation for it and surely if he had gone forward with the other two parts as he promised hee had spent these twentie yeares and moe both more to Gods honour and the good of his countrey and to his own greater merit than he hath done by all his other polliticke stickling in matters of State or by his cunning his violent his contentious and his vnconscionable proceedings otherwise But his head was too busie and ouermuch prophaned and greatly it is to be feared his dealing considered in Spaine and in Rome also against our students and the two good priests we sent thether about this authoritie again his deceiuing the Pope by false information both in procuring the authoritie by incensing him against the priests that when he finished that booke of Resolution he made an end also therewith of deuotion sinceritie and honest dealing It is no certaine nor probable argument to proue a man to be a Saint or a vertuous and a good man because in times past he hath written a vertuous booke yea or because hee writeth one in the present For this abilitie consisteth principally in the power of a mans vnderstanding whereas vertue and goodnesse as well supernaturall as naturall resteth in the will and affecteth the operations thereof Lucifer that damned fiend was a Cherubin of highest intelligence hee and his wicked angels exceed all men in wit and knowledge and want no skill to contriue and make spirituall bookes of absolute perfection yet this great knowledge of theirs neithet maketh them good nor can argue them to be vertuous spirits as long as their will is peruerted The like we may say of Adam that neither his great graces wherein he was created nor his supernaturall gifts which remain after his fall in both which states he had sufficient skill to deliuer to the world as good doctrine as Fa. Parson hath done could proue him to be a good man when he had cast himselfe out of the state of grace into sinne and the fame is true also in euery learned man beeing in mortall sinne and in Fa. Parson himselfe if at any time since he hath beene in that damnable state by their sinne they are depriued of justifying grace and other supernaturall vertues depending therupon but their faith their hope and knowledge gotten before their fall remaineth still by which they may teach and write as perfect doctrine as before they could Yea I haue heard Doctor Stapleton report of certaine bookes written vpon the holy Scripture by Iohn Caluin that they contained excellent good morall doctrine and if the heresies entermingled therewith were cancelled that they might be read with great profite and pleasure and yet no Catholicke will denie but that Caluine notwithstanding all this was a great enemie to the Romane religion Did not Salomon write many deuine volumnes and yet afterwards he became a bad man Now let Fa. Parsons booke goe with that deserued commendations what hee was good or bad whiles hee writ it for hee might bee either I cannot judge and I will suppose the best but what hee hath been since his owne bad actions yeeld presumptions ouer-pregnant and probable that sometimes he hath been no Saint nor sincere honest man Gent. In my conceit it is a manifest signe of a defect in wisedome judgement and discretion for any so worthely to valew a man for one or many his good actions past that when after the same he doeth euill he will not beleeue or see it or else in manifest faults stand to justifie and defend him by reason hee was once a good man or had done well before For mens judgements should be conformable to the object or otherwayes they cannot be true and in this though the precedēt good actions ought to stay a man from rash judgement and to make euery one suspend his censure vntill he be assured of the fact yet when his euill doing is once apparant a wise man should not let his affection cary him away to judge blacke to be white or a man fall'n to vice to remaine still a saint Priest VVell then you see that Fa. Parsons booke of Resolution made aboue twentie yeeres agoe cannot justifie nor ought not to patronize his naughtie actions committed since no nor in the judgement of any man to prejudice our cause and vs in these contentions we haue with him Gent. In reason it should be so but yet the Seminaries in Spaine saint Omers erected by his means haue gotten him much credit cause men to thinke him the bestfriend our Countrey hath Pr. If men would judicially consider what he hath done in this point perhaps they would thinke worse of him and his actions than they doe For albeit there be now by his meanes moe Semenaries for our yong studients than before yet doublesse our Countrey reapeth much lesse benefit now by all than it did of old by the two onely of Rome and