dutifull obedience not reaching to the life of any of the Queenes Subiects for their opinion of Religion onely insomuch as the most resolute Papist were he assured in the dutie of his allegiance and not guiltie of any treasonable practise was not vrged by torture or extremities to abiure his opinion and Faith of Religion but might continue himselfe in safety vnder the assured protection of the Q. her mercifull lawes it being the purpose of the Q. and state to reclaime the disobedience of her subiects in respect of Religion by faire and not by forcible meanes and to effect that by the gratious meanes of mercy which the Pope others lesse merciful haue attempted by the violent meanes of Blood fire and Persecution Ninthly It is therefore mallice a verie slander to the Q. princely name that Gods enemies hers doe report her a persecutor of Gods Saints that her lawes were bloody tyrannous that many of that Religiō whom they call Saints haue in this kingdome suffered Martyrdome for the witnes of their conscience onely their being no one particular person I think in all the Q time that can truly be said thus to suffer death but either as actors or abettors of Treason the lawes hauing no authority to iudge them otherwise For though by the law they were rebellious and disobedient Subiects that would not cōforme themselues to the reformed Religion then established though by the Law they indured some easie punishment to make a difference betweene the dutifull vndutifull Subiects yet there was no Law so strict as to giue the sentence of death to any offending onely in Recusancie neither was there any law before this occasion of the Popes Bull to make any the professors of that Religion traytors vnlesse they were actors or abettors of conspiracie or treason in which cases the Protestants themselues were iudged with like seuerity Tenthly And vnles the prouidence of the state would haue slept and bene regardlesse of the Q. the state and state of Religion there could not haue bene lesse done thē was done for the security of al the purpose of the state being onely to preuent and not to reuenge the iniuries of the Pope and his adherents Eleuenthly It is wonder then the Papist should condemne that in our state for seuerity which in their own states is a mercie neuer practised for with them the least suspition to fauour or affect the Protestant Religion is persecuted with much seuerity let a man in other respects be neuer so deseruing or his place birth neuer so eminent if once he be conuict to be a Protestant it is assured death it is strange then they iudge vs persecutors when our iustice hath lesse seueritie then their mercy we but easily correcting that offence which they punish with death and they seuerely punishing that which we most easily pardon Twelfthly For how many with vs dare and doe fauour those dangerous instruments of state and how commonly dare men discouer their superstitious affections in common conference and often with earnest reasonings defending and damning according to their appetites whereas with them euery little circumstance is quarrelsome and presumptions many times are most seuerely punished 13. And this seuerity in them is assuredly verie considerable for their Pollitique State of Religion being one maine prop whereupon they repose their greatnesse for it is verie necessarie for them to vse all their forceable violence to suppresse that truth which in despight of violence like the palme will sprout and prosper vnder their grieuous oppressions And considering how the Protestant Religion notwithstanding their oppressing it hath spread it selfe into verie spatious limits they may well vnderstand how much more it should haue flourished if by their violent hinderances it had not bene letted in his prosperous growth But this bloody pollicie of theirs was not answerable to piety and holy reason for so could the wise Gamaliell teach them who withstood the bloody counsell of the Iewes who would haue persecuted the holy Apostles withall seueritie with this perswasion that if their cause were not good that then GOD would be enemie vnto it and so of it selfe it would fall and if it were good it would bee in vaine to resist it because GOD would support it against all resistance 14. The mercie of our English Lawes then in matters concerning Religion onely is an assured demonstration that our Prince our State and our Religion is mercifull and these demonstrations of mercie are no weake proofes that our Religion is most Catholike and Christian most Catholike because of conformity to the Primitiue Church and most Christian because the exercise of mercie is the best imitation of Christ himselfe the Lord and true patterne of the Catholike and true Christian beleeuer And therefore the Queene and the Parliament were both mercifull and prouident in concluding these statutes the which by no other cause but by the Papists themselues were occasioned 15. The purpose of the Statutes was this principally first to prohibit the bringing ouer of Bulls or interdictions from the Pope Secondly to restraine the Runnawaies and Trauellers beyond the Seas without license and to prohibit Iesuits and reconsiled Papists from returning into the Queenes Dominions vnlesse vpon their returne they would submit to such as by the State were authorized to that purpose Now how needfull it was for the Church and State of England to haue this prouidence for their security and peace I purpose in the next Chapter verie briefly to discouer Obseruations Diuine Pollitique Morall FIRST Such are onely and alwaies to be opposed as enemies to a Christian State as are so iudged by the sentence of Gods Word For seeing Christ who is the Word of his Father is our Generall in all spirituall conflicts we must onely and alwaies fight his battailes by his direction Secondly To restraine disorder and disobedience in subiects the State doth vsually resort to the wisedome of a Parliament for though the King by his Proclemations may command or restraine his Subiects he being that one particular in whose person the whole authority of the State consisteth yet doe Parliament Statutes the rather satisfie because they proceed both from the Kings authority and from the generall wisedome of the Kingdome Thirdly There is no man can liue in that indifferencie of fauour withall but that hee shall haue cause to make distinction of friend and enemie or if he be free from all enmity yet he shall finde difference in his friends and therefore he must distinguish them CHAP. XXVII Of what importance the Statutes in the 13. of the Queene were in respect of the Church and State FIRST In respect of the Church were they most important for the which they were principally enacted they did also much import the State because the prosperity of the Common-Wealth doth by a necessarie consequence
in retyring himselfe from the Popes seruice for at that time were all Christian Princes his seruants This Act of the kings was that which many Emperors and great Potentates desired might be done yet neuer durst attempt to doe or succesfully attempted it Such as was the Emperour Frederick Barbarossa who notwithstanding his greatnesse both of power and spirit yet failed he in his attempt though he neuer pursued any thing with greater stomack Also King Henry the Second of England who fayling in the fortunes of this businesse yeelded himselfe though valiant and princely to such base conditions of pennance as well may declare the greatnesse of the Pope that imposed them but with this King Henry the Eight it may seeme that God himselfe did conspire to make the worke prosperous and the king for being Gods instrument perpetually famous Secondly The first occasion of difference betweene King Henry and the Pope was the proceedings in the diuorse of Queene Katherine the kings first wife who before had bene wife to Prince Arthur his Brother wherein the Pope vsed such small regard to quiet the trouble of the kings Conscience as thereby the king and the State were very much offended and then such as did not fauour the faction of the Pope for so I may call it tooke the aduantage of time and grew bold to lay open to the king the deformities of the present time and the glory hee might purchase in restoring Religion to that purity which now in that holy profession was altogether defaced Thirdly Those occasions so moue the kings offence that hee sommons his High Court of Parlyament at Westminster laying before them his griefe which was the ouermuch power the Pope had in his kingdome and the small respect that hee and his State had from the Pope whereupon a Statute past by consent of the three estates whereby the king was made supreme Head ouer the Church of England aswell in ecclesiasticall as temporal matters cutting off al manner of Papal authority from the crowne of England And herein may appeare the greatnes of the king and the reuerence of his Subiects who framed themselues to the pleasure of the king in a matter of much difficultie and beyond all expectation And this was the benefit of Maiesty which begot in them such duty and awfull regard which to a remisse and familiar Prince had not beene granted Fourthly This grant of the kings Supremacie was the first mortall wound the Church of Rome receiued loosing at that time the best Crowne shee had in keeping whereby a president was giuen to all other Christian Princes to free themselues from the Captiuity of that Babylon with whose Fornications the whole Earth was made drunke And this Act of the State of England was so well approued in the Iudgement of Christendome as that many the best parts thereof in immitation of King Henry haue cast from them the bond of Papall authority yea doubtlesse so desired it is of all States as might it bee done with security their is no Prince or State either Religious or politique but doth so enuie the greatnesse of forraigne Supremacie as gladly they would bee cleered thereof finding many times to the great detriment of state the iniury of this power in interdictions and Papall curses as if wee reade the diuisions of Italy we may in them most cleerely iudge the inconuenience of the Popes vniuersall power the abuse whereof is so common in those states as that they are neuer obeyed but when there wanteth temporall power to withstand them And therefore did King Henry nobly performe his kingly Office and well defend the Catholike Faith in depriuing the Pope of that power wherewith the Christian Faith was offended Obseruations Diuine Pollitique Morall FIRST God doth what he list by what meanes he list so doth hee produce his miracles by causes naturally vnfitting and so this miraculous alteration in the state of Christendome was effected by the king his instrument who both in Nature and opinion was thought vnlike for such Religious effects being rather armed both by the Pope and Luther to oppose the enterprize So doth God snare the engine maker For the Wisedome of this World is but folly with God Secondly To obserue a iust proportion of state is good in all degrees but in a Soueraigne necessary yet hee that exceeds his state doth impaire his state and by taking more then his owne he doth loose his own CHAP. IV. Of what importance this Act for the Kings Supremacy was to the state of England in respect of Piety and Pollicy FIRST If we consider the trauells of men on earth and the continuall passage of all their actions we shall finde that euery particular man of Spirit or that hath but more then common vnderstanding directeth himselfe and his whole trauell to one of these two ends eyther to be Good or to be Great and according to his choice of these hee doth frame the practise of his life as if to goodnesse then is his care good and hee doth exercise those good meanes that may leade him to his good end For there is no way to attaine good end but by good meanes But he that aymeth at greatnesse the care of his life is much different for to him there is no direct way of lawfulnesse or honestie to runne in for he breaketh these limits and trauells in euery by passage how vnlawfullsoeuer and therefore they of this nature allow onely of this one principall that whatsoeuer may direct them to their end be it sinne or shame they giue it allowance Such was the resolution of that Tyrant who making Empire his desired end cared not to trauell thither in the steppes of his neerest blood so deepe as perhaps to damne himselfe And like vnto him are all such whose desires leade them to vnlawfull ends who resoluing to obtaine their desires resolue likewise vpon the practise of all vngodlinesse Secondly And this practise of euill men is in common construction called Pollicie whereby the name of Pollicie doth receiue much wrong by their grosse and sencelesse vnderstanding it for Pollicie may bee either good or bad according to the end whereto out of these considerations First the liberty that was recouered in the person of the Prince he resuming that absolute authority to himselfe which before was giuen to a stranger his enemy whereby the King did adde to his owne greatnesse and diminish the power of him that loued him not And how important this is to the prosperity of a State let the Iudgement of any sence iudge it Againe there is no State or Kingdome vnder the awe of Popish Supremacie that can be said truly to be a free State or the King thereof an absolute Prince because that Kingdome is subiugate and that King Subordinate to the power of another whereby the gouernement Monarchiall which of all others is most excellent cannot bee said to bee in
euen then did the King surcease from that Religious worke which with so much honorable successe he had begun Where it may seeme strange that a Prince of his greatnesse hauing the aduise of an honorable and wise councell should lay vpon his name the imputation of weakenesse not to goe forward with that whereto his honour was so much ingaged Thirdly But if we consider the time and the difference of opinions in those great men to whom the King did shew himselfe most gracious it will then appeare the businesse went forward or not according to the affection of the Kings Fauourites Fourthly As in the time of Cardinall VVolsey a man so great in the fauour of his Prince as that our English Chronicles cannot match him who in the time of his prosperity did so possesse the King as that the King may be said to saile with no winde but the Cardinalls the king being but the body to his soule he mouing it according to the pleasure of his owne appetite and therfore at this time was the king all Cardinall putting himselfe in Print to defend the Supremacie of Popes But this time did end with the Cardinals fortunes who being puft vp and high swolne with the spirit of ambition runne himselfe into strange contempts against the Maiesty of his Prince who finding him so Cardinallike in pride and vaine glory stript him of those honours which before he so lauishly had giuen him translating his fauour vpon Thomas Cranmer Arch-Bishop of Canterburie whom the king finding Religious honest and learned gaue his opinion good authority Fifthly And at this time the Protestants Religion began to haue the fauour of the Kings protection yet by reason of the peaceable Nature of this Man and because of many other important considerations of inconuenience the cause of Religion went not with that prosperity forward as otherwise it might For howsoeuer we may iustly conceiue of this learned man that he wanted neither spirit nor power to trauell in the most important affaires of State the which hee hath well declared by his resolute and learned proceedings in the Kings diuorse yet considering in what termes the State then stood and the particular condition of his State it will appeare that a necessary prouidence of his own security did inforce him to a violent patience and to silence and suppresse his zealous spirit which otherwise would haue ventured vpon much more hazard Sixthly For at this time Cranmer contrarie to the lawes then inforce was married and did liue with his wife to the great hazard of his life and this was one respect why hee suffered so much the practise of his enemies keeping good correspondence and indifferent fauour least his Mariage should be called in question whereby both his state and life had beene exposed into a danger most eminent Seuenthly And if any man obiect that these regards of Cranmer proceeded from his feare of temporall losse and that he fainted in the maine execution of his Christian Office I answer that no feare but a Christian prouidence was the cause of this warinesse For he might well know that if hee proceeded in the difference of Religion by violent and forcible meanes he should then haue had the whole power of the contrary faction bent against him and being by reason of his marriage within the danger of law it could not be auoided but the seueritie of the law should haue proceeded against him Eighthly Yet notwithstanding when the necessarie care of Religion did require him there was no respect could binde him from his earnest indeauours as may wel appeare by this most resolute opposing against the Statute of the sixe Articles So that Cranmer in true estimation hath well deserued and worthily acquitted himselfe of all imputation yet by reason of these occasions hee could not doe that which the opportunity of the Kings fauour did offer him Ninthly Vpon this aduantage Stephen Gardiner builds his strength who by obseruance and cunning insinuation shifting himselfe into the Kings fauour got great authority in the State and according to the nature of his working spirit troubles the waters of peace of fish for Romish Religion whereto in his heart he was much inclined And this man not like Cranmer but Matchiuellike grounded in the secrets of Pollicie seemes what he is not and is content to proportion himselfe to the fashions of the time with purpose to alter that fashion And this howsoeuer it were a thing very dishonest especially in the office of a Bishop yet was it a very pollitique Regard and that miste whereby he wrought all his inchantments for by his obseruance hee continued in the Kings fauour and by that fauour he erected the whole frame of his Policies Tenthly And from this cause had the sixe Articles beginning Articles so bloodie as the letters in them cannot number the blood which was shed in England for them whereby may appeare the greatnesse of Stephen Gardiners wit that could make the King sayle with a contrary winde and destroy that cause which before he had protected and this was notwithstanding Cranmer his opposite had then great fauour with the king and the highest authority and place in the kingdome Eleuenthly Another of the Kings Fauourites in those times of difference was Sir Thomas More then Lord Chancellor of England A gentleman in respect of his natural ornaments worthy of much honour for besides the beauty of his learning which in great personages is very deseruing he had so good a moderation and temper in all his actions as no aduersity could deiect him neither any prosperity make him lesse in the vse of regard and ciuill humanity And notwithstanding hee was diuers from me in that profession which I hold for truth yet because I write the truth of Historie it were very vnworthy in me to obscure the deseruings of any man into which error many others and especially such as haue recorded the passage of those times haue vnaduisedly falne traducing the persons of men for their opinions sake and making them altogether euill that in many commendable things were excellent And because that all good things are from God who giueth them according to the pleasure of his will it were therefore much iniury to obscure the goodnesse of God wheresoeuer it shall please him to place it and this I write in fauour of truth which may be well said to be the life and true mouing soule of all Historie Twelfthly This Sir Thomas Moore howsoeuer he was an enemy to the truth of the Gospell yet if we compare him with Stephen Gardiner the comparison will make Sir Thomas Moore lesse euill the other being so monstrous in his wicked practises for the one made conscience to equiuocate and dissemble himselfe of which the other made no reckoning Sir Thomas vtterly refusing the oath of Supremacie because in conscience he thought he might not take it Gardiner had the like
witnesse of his conscience yet did take it and therefore Stephen by dissembling saued his life which the other by plaine expressing himselfe lost So that both these though they conspire one end yet in themselues are they very diuerse the one with a manly resolution and with the witnes of his blood profest himselfe and his resolution the other by swearing and for swearing to banne and disclaime that which in his purpose was the marke whereto hee shot himselfe and his euill pollicies the one ending all opposition in his owne voluntary death the other by subtilty continuing his euill life that life being the death of many the deare Children of God 13. Another highly in the Kings fauour and most worthy of high fauour was the Lord Cromwell a man so resolute in the worke he had begunne as neuer any did pursue a holy businesse with better Spirit who notwithstanding the greatnesse of his enemies who after the fashion of all Courts enuie such most vnto whom the Prince is most gratious and then most when the degrees of honour are deriued vpon any of meane beginning yet so could this man rule the prosperity of his fortunes as neither in generall opinion was he thought proudly to delight them nor yet not to vnderstand what those honours were which the Kings fauour had giuen him So aduised was he in the passage of his honourable life as that use which seeth the least aduantage could neuer finde iust occasion though occasions were sought to scandalize his reputation in the generall opinion of good men And howsoeuer God did suffer the euill of his enemies to preuaile ouer his life yet neuer to the death of his honourable remembrance to whose Godly care all the louers of Religion in Christendome are beholding especially the English Nation he being a principall instrument whereby the King was moued to reforme Religion 14. In this mans time the Religious then liuing had great hope of prosperity in their holy cause aswell in respect of his diligence to that end directed as also of the Kings inclinable nature which did seeme to consent with the honourable desires of the Lord Cromwell intertaining him in all fauourable regard giuing him names and places of high honour whereby his godly cares went the better forward hauing the strength of the Kings authority which he applyed to no other end but that God might receiue honour in restoring the truth of his seruice and that the king might not receiue dishonour in abādoning the protection of faith whereof God by the sentence of his enemie had made him defēdor And this good cause did this good man prosecute with the best strēgth of his indeauor not regarding his life more then God that gaue it nor the honours of his life more then the honors of his king from whose boūty his honors were deriued 15. Thus we see the diuersity in the king whereby he grew remisse in following this holy care which was because of the diuersitie of opinions in those men whom the king most trusted in the state he suffering himself to be driuen against the currant of his owne streames by the violence of other mens perswasions 16. And here is offered a large consideration of the Kings Nature who notwithstanding his great spirit and his many other honourable deseruings he had this infirmitie That he would be induced to doe those things which were much disagreeing in themselues and to goe forward and backward in one course and suffer himselfe to be moued whether the violence of other mens affections would carrie him sometime for sometimes against Religion and by this he gaue an open demonstration of the weakenesse of his nature For there is no alteration in a State that is not dangerous and then is the danger most when the greate ones great in authority and neere in the fauour of the Prince deuide themselues For difference if it be not compounded by the awfull Maiesty of the Prince it will growe to faction by consequence to open breach And though the Prince so gouerne that they dare not come to open difference yet will they worke by conspiracie and secret practise the confusion of each other For where faction is there can be no assurance men wil seek to assure themselues though it be by the fall of others And this euill is best preuented by the prouidence of the Prince who when hee seeth deformity in the body of the State and that of necessity there must bee alteration to make such choice of instruments as best loue the cure least otherwise in steade of physicke they administer poyson and so not cure but destroy the body diseased 17. And this was the Kings error who though his purpose to reforme was good yet the course he tooke was not good making ill choice of particulers to whose trust he commended that businesse some of them being Protestants some Papists so that the King may bee said to build with one hand and to cast downe with another to reforme Religion and to deforme it againe And therefore this aduice I dare giue the best Prince in the world Let those you loue best and trust most be one in themselues and one with their Soueraigne and worke not vpon the foundation Truth by contrarie meanes for hee that so buildeth buildeth Babel that is confusion and not the walles of Ierusalem Obseruations Diuine Pollitique Morall FIRST to intertaine and beginne a Religious worke is both an honourable and a holy attempt but to finish it is more because it is possible that vnworthy men may vndertake and retire But Pietie is not Pietie if not constant For no vertue is rewarded but perseuerance Secondly To faint in the prosecution of a Religious cause is of all cowherdice the most shamefull and recreant because in all such quarrells God is our Generall and doth arme his souldiers in compleate security Thirdly A Prince that hath many about his person cannot but must haue much difference in their quallities his pollitique parte is to obserue and iudge the difference and to distinguish them to such seruice in the State as may make them emulous to exceede and not enuious to extirpe the prosperities of one another Fourthly It hath beene thought good Pollicie that in a Senate or Counsell of State it were good to haue men of opposite Iudgement because it doth prouoke both factions from exact declaration of their best indeauours This in a state meerely pollitique may haue pretence but in a Religious State it hath none because it is impossible to goe to one God in one truth by contrarie steppes Fifthly It were dishonourable and dangerous for a Prince that hath his state free and in quiet to dissemble or to deuide himselfe to contrarieties because hee that doth not declare himselfe certaine to one doth remaine suspected of all and doth giue a generall hope to generall varieties Sixthly The errour and vice is greater in
who so soone as euer he could moue was moued by the Spirit of grace to holy and good purposes The best proofe of this was his Princely care for Religion wherin at all times he approued himselfe both industrious and resolute and wherein he fortunately trauelled with much prosperity and honour The demonstration whereof is now visible in the face of Scotland that kingdome being by his Maiesties happy gouernment reduced to the first Christian Faith and to a better forme of Common-wealth than formerly it had The Church there being reformed and purged from popish Idolatrie which had profaned both that and all other Christian Kingdomes Secondly and in this the King deserued euerlasting memory and praise that he was the first Christian King in that Kingdome whose care gaue end to that miserie and by whom that Church had the truth of the Catholike Faith practised publikely and with the warrant of lawfull authority professed In which holy businesse the King was verie fortunate and for which God did make him fortunate in the passage of his Princely life assisting him in his lawfull attempts and confounding the wicked practises of bad men who banded against his Maiestie to destroy him And therefore before his Maiestie had the title of Defendor of the Catholike Faith did he faithfully defend it and aduised and enioyned his Princely Sonne Prince Henrie to defend it And thus did God prepare the Kings Maiestie and the Prince for the purpose of this holy businesse and by exercising them for the defence of Faith in the kingdome of Scotland to fit them for the like care in England wherein the King most gratiously begunne his gouernment and ended it and wherein we trust that his Sonne our gratious Souereigne that now is and his royall seed for euer shall in these kingdomes defend the most true most antient and most Catholike Faith Obseruations Diuine Pollitique Morall FIRST it is in vaine to indeauour things wherein God is opposite for no power can alter the purpose of his prouidence This hath instance in the Fortunes of these two kingdomes England and Scotland who haue euer laboured their seueral extremities to be vnited the which when Pollitie and the wisedome of State could not doe God without these meanes gaue it successe and in an instant bound these disagreeing nations in the bonds of vnseparable concord Secondly the King by publishing in print his opinion of Religion and his directions for Christian gouernement did thereby much confirme the hopes and hearts of the better part of our English people For it must needs be that if the contrarie faction the Papist did not withstanding this declaration of his Maiesties presume much vpon fauour at his entrance this presumption would in all likely-hood haue proued a practise and therefore was this Publike satisfaction a Religious pollicie that did both arme his friends and disarme his enemies Thirdly It is necessary many times to a mans Morrall reputation to maintaine his integrity by Apollogies and publike protestations For if the person be eminent and of publike Note his good or euill name will be likewise generall CHAP. XXXIIII In what particulers King IAMES our Souereigne that was principally defended the Faith FIRST It is often true that the alteration of the Prince is a cause that the State is likewise altered and that those things which formerly in the gouernement had great authority become not only neglected but also punishable and in great contempt And this though it bee not true in generall instance yet in euery change of a Prince it is either hoped of the bad or feared of the better sort of people Wee had particuler witnesse of that in our happie alteration happie because nothing but the very person of the Prince was altered the gouernement remained in like degrees of happines wherein Queene Elizabeth to her honourable renowne nowne left it yet then were there many euill and discontented persons who could hopefully perswade themselues that the opportunity was then offered which they expected and that the time serued to reintegrate them into fauour and to bring their cause vnder the safetie of the kings protection And though in respect of the Kings particuler there was little or no ground for any such hope his Maiestie hauing before hand declared himselfe in print how in the case of Religion he was resolued yet was there a generall hope in that contrarie faction whereby they imagined somewhat would be done if not to their absolute content yet to their great ease and to the lightning the burthen of their afflictions which in the Queenes time they worthily indured Secondly But that which is more strange and worthie of note that not onely the Papists had this hopefull imagination but their opposites also whom men commonly call Puritans had the like conceiuing they hoping their cause should finde such large allowance of fauour with the King that they and their opinion onely should haue the countenance and warrant of the Kings protection And that both the Papist and the regular Protestant should be iudged vnusefull and of necessity to bee excluded from the Catholike Church Thirdly And howsoeuer the successe of this came short of common expectation yet was this of much more likelihood then the other both because their controuersie was not for the matter of Religion but for order and for the manner of Ceremonie and circumstance onely and also because the gouernment of the Church of Scotland had neere resemblance with that which they desired whereby the King might the better or rather be induced to giue them and their request friendly intertainment Yet notwithstanding al these likelihoods and the hopes of either partie did the King incline to neither his Maiestie finding the Church of England as it was established to be the meane and vertue betweene these two extremities and that their desires were not for the peace and aduancement of the Catholike Faith according as both of them pretended and that these oppositions were either to be reconciled and so made friends or else opposed as enemies Fourthly And this may worthily seeme strange that these two irreconcileable opinions that of the Papist and this of the Puritane should both of them at one time expect supportation from one and the same Prince and from such a Prince as had before declared himselfe not to fauour them that these who neuer consent in any little resemblance should thus conspire and hope in one particular person And the reason was the seuerall perswations they had of the truth of their cause wherein the maintainers of both opinions could receiue speciall satisfaction in themselues and hopefully belieue to worke the King to that acknowledgement of truth wherein they themselues were resolued and wherein they thought was sufficient reason to satisfie or perswade any man Besides they might peraduenture frame speciall arguments of hope to giue them incouragement in hopefull
most Christian and most Princely labours are diuulged and laid open before the generall face of the world whereby that man of sin is with euidence discouered and all his painted Pollitique Religion laid nakedly open in the true formes of his false worship and whereby Christian Emperours Kings and Potentates are induced by the authorities of reason and particuler example to combine with God and Gods Lieftenants Christian Princes against all forreigne confederacie whatsoeuer These workes of Religious Learning in the King as they were of maruellous import and strength to the Catholike Cause so also they made much for the Kings sacred honour and will vndoubtedly remaine to all posterity as ornaments of his princely worth and inducements to inflame with sacred zeale the affections of his princely Progenie to honour and inlarge the reputation of Religion and Learning And howsoeuer his malitious lying enemie Tortus or the Cardinall his Master Bellarmine would disgrace the Kings sufficiencie in this kinde of learning and would therefore father his Maiesties worke vpon his Subiect of lesse authority yet are these iniuries both knowne and iudged by many thousands both of this and of other Nations that haue had experience of his extraordinary indouments the truth whereof it is not possible his owne Subiects can report without suspition of flatterie Eleuenthly I conclude then that the Kings Maiesty most noblely defended the Catholike Faith against all the enemies and principally against these two great ones the Papist and the Puritan Obseruations Diuine Pollitique Morall FIRST there was neuer any time wherein God had not some Patron to giue the cause of his Church Sanctuarie for though it be often in distresse it is neuer in destruction Secondly the Kings proceeding against the Papists and the Puritans did well distinguish the quallities of their offence and declare his owne integrity for though he proceeded against both yet with some distinction of fauour For the Puritan was the lesse enemie being enemie to the peace onely but the Papist both to the peace and truth of the Catholike Faith Thirdly Men measure the dgrees of loue and hate according to the quallity of the cause that moues the passion But in particular relations the personall respect doth often preuaile aboue the cause For passion is much more strong when it is vnited in one particuler Subiect rather than when it is deuided vnto a multitude CHAP. XXXV A remembrance of some particulers wherein God wonderfully defended King IAMES FIRST there was neuer any Prince in the world who had more cause to acknowledge Gods fauour then King Iames who trauelled his Princely life from his Cradle to his age thorow many dangerous fortunes whom God still supported against the most able and the most subtill practises of his enemies For if we reduce to memorie the many dangers of his life in Scotland and how in that kingdome his enemies did conspire against his life and State there is in that time and place matter enough of admiration But if that were not and that wee remembred his fortunes in England onely in those few yeares of his gouernement here wee shall finde matter of more than admiration and such conspiracie and damned practises as would amaze and with horror affright the hearts of tyrants and bloody practisers Secondly and for Scotland first to omit many of lesse note I remember that very dangerous conspiracie of the Gowries onely a practise brought to that ripenesse as that the King might seeme to be fast in the snare his enemies had laid to betray him yet did God in a trice breake their snare free the King and destroy the Diuellish deuisers of that proiect This story is well knowne and therefore it need not my report being alreadie related by such who haue had better cause to know the truth of euery circumcumstance and yet in this place doth it merit to bee named both for the rarenesse of the practise and for the greatnesse of Gods deliuerance Thirdly at the Queenes death also did God wonderfully assist the King and fauour the prosperity of his fortunes for at that time when the enemies of our State and the enemies of our Faith did hopefully beleeue that the enmity of these two kingdomes England and Scotland would vpon this occasion haue renued their antient quarrells and thereby haue interrupted the Kings peaceable entrance into this kingdome yet was the euent otherwise no little disturbance letting his Maiesties forward entring whereby God did mocke the expectation of his enemies and assuredly exceed the expectation of all men Fourthly that neuer to be forgotten treason of blowing vp with powder a destruction ment to the King the Queene the Prince the State the house of State the Church the Monuments of the Church the bones and Sepultures of Princes a destruction lesse mercifull then the generall Flood because more sudden and yet all most generall too the very naming whereof may serue for euer to prouoke the people of this kingdom to acknowledge their dutifull thankes to God by whose hand onely this mighty deliuerance was wrought Fifthly By these particulers out of many may appeare how God did wonderfully protect the person of that King suffering him to enter so farre into danger as that he might haue bene said to haue stood in the verie gates of death the match being readily prepared to fire that powder which if it had bene fired had committed the greatest Slaughter that euer at one instant of time happened May God therefore for euer be praised who preuented so great a destruction and let his prouidence be for euer admired who hath thus defended the Defendors of the Catholike Faith CHAP. XXXVI Of the diuersity of Religions FIRST the diuersity of Religions is one maine cause that deuideth the world into so many disagreements the maintainers of euery seuerall Sect disclaiming and persecuting al diuersity iudging such for prophāe out of Gods protection that conspire not with them in their opinion of Religion And heerehēce it is that the name of Iew or Turke is odious to a Christian the name of Christian odious to them they iudging vs and we iudging thē Anathemates cursed people Secondly neither is this contention onely in these opposites of Christian and heathen but the heathen among themselues and the Christians among themselues are deuided into many bitter differences the Turke against the Persian both against the Iew and so in many other particulars of the barbarous people Among the Christians also the Papist against the Protestāt the Protestāt against the Papist the Puritan against them both besides many other subdiuisions So that the Christians in these times haue as many seuerall Religiōs as the old heathen Pagans had Gods and that Idolatrie which the people of the old world committed by hauing multiplicity of Gods did the people of these times cōmit by their
and here may be generally noted from the Obseruations of all times that God doth neuer suffer the light of his truth to be vtterly extinct though many times in that degree of aduersity as that the eye of this world cannot see it This is euident in the sacred Stories of the Bible and also in the condition of these times whereof I write When ignorance and Error like a double vaile did blinde the face of Truth yet God whose eye of prouidence is euer open seeth the enuie of euill men And in the time of his good pleasure he taketh off this double Vaile and presents Truth naked to the view of all men as in the sequell of this History shall appeare most euident Secondly Here hence also we may note the instability of earthly things and how that Soueraignty and Empire the pollitique ends and the extremities of mens indeuours are built vpon vncertainties and most vnconstant turnings the which false foundation hath suddenly cast downe what many yeares much studie and many mens labours had erected Therefore is that principle of Pollicie not altogether without reason that Authority and Greatnesse of State receiueth strength by discords and Faction For it is both the nature of things and the trauell of men to indeauour alterations and to transpose things from the present condition wherein they are for from this cause all Empires haue had their beginning strength and death Thirdly It is a Morall respect that in our constructions we Iudge not properties by externall euidence only for vertue and merit is not giuen by Suffrage because it is often included in the farre inferior number and is often banished to pouerty and contemptible fortune Fourthly For as it is no proofe of truth to produce multiplicitie of witnesses where there is a necessary relation to fauour So vertues and morall deserts are not Iudged by common examples or opinions because both the one and other are not free and voluntary but forced on vs by the grosse and palpable flatteries of our infirmities Fifthly It is also a morall institution that men should somewhat disgrace themselues in their owne dignities not that their actions may indure disgrace but that their owne opinions exceede not in their owne estimations which error doth often make the most fortunate most wretched For if kingdomes Empires and the Catholike Church haue indured bad alterations Let no man dare to secure himselfe in their vncertainties CHAP. II. By whom and what meanes this Title Defendor of the Faith was giuen to the Crowne of England FIRST there is not in this last age of the world any thing more admirable or that better doth merit the memorie of writing then the reformation of Christian Religion reducing it to that purity of Doctrine wherein it was first deliuered And this in a double respect deserueth euerlasting memorie First the worthinesse of the act it selfe being the restoring of Religion to the purity of Doctrine whereby so much good doth redound to the state of Christendome as that greater cannot Religion being the key that doth open the passage to happinesse and the Ladder by which wee ascend the presence of God and holy Angels whereby we are interessed into Gods fauour and without which it is impossible to please God It is admirable also in respect of the manner and meanes whereby this worke was wrought being directed by the speciall power of Gods prouidence to the admiration of al them that truly consider it Secondly For the Act it selfe all the learned in the world are in controuersie whether thereby Religion was deformed or reformed To both which opinions many excellent learned men diuersly adhered whereby they deuide the vnity of Religion into these two diuersities Protestants and Papists either of these subdeuiding it selfe againe into many seueralls whereby the plaine and honest vnderstanding of men lesse learned are distract To see Religion which in truth is but one deuided into so many diuersities now because the handling of this doth rather belong to argument then History to a disputation rather than to a relation of the occurrents of Time I therfore leaue that as impertinent to this businesse and onely tie my selfe to relate the manner how Christian Religion was reformed and in speciall how by the Crowne of England this was done whereby that Nation hath all other Kingdomes of the Earth in the highest degrees of honour and reputation much exceeded it being the first that with victory dared to cast off that awfull and needlesse yoke of obedience to the seate of Rome Thirdly The first occasion hereof was in the time of Martin Luther who by his diligence in preaching and writing had got great estimation in Germany especially with the Duke of Saxonie because in his teaching he opposed the vsurped authority of the Pope and for detesting those grosse heresies which by long continuance in the Church had gotten a generall allowance among almost all men This Luther writ a booke entituled de captiuitate Babylonica so offensiue to the state of Papacie as the Pope and all his speciall fauourites were therewith very much displeased Whereupon King Henery the Eighth whether of his owne accord or by the perswasion of others I know not writ against Luther and in speciall against that booke of his de Capt. Babil in defence of the Popes Supremacie The purpose of the Kings booke beeing specially to conclude the doctrine of Pardons Secondly of the Popes Supremacie Thirdly of the Sacraments of the Church whether this was the Kings owne labour or that he onely Fathered it to giue it authority is not certainely knowne and diuersly beleeued Many thinke it was not and that his Fathering of it was onely a pollicie of state both to gaine himselfe a reputation in learning and that by this speciall demonstration the Pope might be tyed to the Kings fauour and assist him in his Warres against the French King and they haue these reasons of likely-hood that vpon the instant publishing the said Book the Pope did not only fauour the Kings enterprise but also gaue him many other witnesses of thankes and among many this aboue all that to his other titles of honour he added this aboue all that in remembrance of the Kings princely care for the State of the Catholike Religion hee and his Successors for euer should be stiled Defendors of the most Catholike Faith Fourthly And herein appeared the greatnes of the Pope at that time that the greatest Princes of Christendome thought themselues highly rewarded for their greatest trauells if the Pope should but giue them the allowance of his fauour or demonstrate himselfe in any particular kindnesse how small soeuer And this was a matter very considerable in that pollitique Religion to gaine such opinion of holines as made him reuerenced of the greatest Potentates For by this he often made exchange with great aduantage giuing them words for things and receiuing the seruices of men
so diuine was the heauenly composition of his Nature and so well ordered was his education as if both heauen and earth had desire to make him excellent and to make his Character an exact demonstration able to instruct the most excellent Christian Prince how to moderate betweene the power of Maiesty and the dutie of conscience For if State would iudge his Zeale and Religion his State he shall be found to deserue this high praise I giue him and both Religion and State would iudge him to be worthie and fit to gouerne a Religious State Fifthly This happie Prince in the little time of his gouernement gaue a large testimonie of his worth and did both exceed the expectation was had of him and inlarge their expectations that did hope well who though he was but young when hee entred his gouernement yet at his very entrance did he better the State labouring with admirable care and constance in the better reforming of Religion and for the safe protection of the Catholike Faith which Truth God willing in the processe of this Historie shall appeare most euident Sixthly And most Gratious Prince to whom I write and dedicate these labours let me with reuerence and exception of your Grace report my opinion that this Nation neuer had such a Salomon who in so poore a number of yeares had a like measure of those his rich treasures of Zeale VVisedome Loue and State Of the benefit that redounds to a State by a lawfull succession of blood CHAP. XII FIRST the benefit that redounds to a State by a lawfull succession of blood may appeare by the misery of many kingdomes and great states the which for want of succession haue indured the greatest extremities that could bee the examples whereof are very common in the stories both of Christian heathen kings Therefore I will onely produce one of the old world the mighty Alexander whose fortunes in the conquest of warre made the world tremble at his awfull name hauing subdued the greatest and best part of the earth yet leauing the conquest of his sword to his friends diuided and not to his owne succeeding blood entire wholy the Empire hee had got and thus left could not stand being not vnited in one soueraigne successor but deuided into parts whereof insued emulation and enuie and at the last vtter desolation which happily had not bene if Alexander had had a Sonne Alexander to haue succeeded in his Empire Secondly An example neerer vs both in respect of time and place is the Kingdome of France our Neighbour Nation A kingdome that hath indured the greatest extremities the misery of Warre could lay vpon it and this was onely occasioned by want of succession in blood the French King then not hauing Issue Male to succeed him in his Empire gaue occasion that the king of England Edward the Third made claime to the kingdome of France in the right of his Mother being suruiuing heire to Phillip sirnamed the Fayre to whom by the most allowable Law the Right must needs discend which the French vtterly withstand by reason of the salique Law which dis-inableth women in such inheritance yet hence hath proceeded the greatest alteration in that state that euer was the kings of England by many notable attempts and victories defacing the beautie of that famous kingdome which for largenesse of Empire and all other earthly blessings may bee said to bee the most soueraigne of all Christendome And therefore the spoyle of such a kingdome is very lamentable and the cause of that spoyle much to be condemned yea so great is the misery of that euill cause to that kingdome as that they still stand in the hazard of good or euill fortune expecting a dangerous warre whensoeuer the Maiesty of any English King shall please to make claime to that kingdome which both by succession and conquest is his owne Thirdly Within our selues also we haue notable examples of the misery of state when lawfull succession doth either faile or is by intrusion interrupted For vpon this foundation was builded that most famous quarrell betweene the two houses of Yorke and Lancaster a difference that made England to bleede in euery vaine neither could it euer be compounded vntill the succession of both those lines met in one particular whereby the Canons did know one vndoubted successor without competitor to whose seruice they might addresse themselues whereas before they were diuided into parts some adhering to this others to that as authority and loue could moue them whereby they broake their vnity to make a fraction and the truth of succession being doubtfully vnderstood was the cause that men were more easily drawne by perswasion to the bloody enterprize of Warre which happily had not bene or at the least not so violent if the right of inheritance had not bene interrupted by intrusion Fourthly But that most Worthie of note is the late time of Queene Elizabeths Reigne a Ladie worthy of best memorie who being vnmarried made her Subiects haue doubtfull expectation who should succeed her the which then was most dangerous when the Queene was past the hope of hauing naturall issue And this did not onely breede a Ielousie in the heads of her owne people but also gaue occasion that forraigne Princes had regardfull eye to the vncertaine conditions of those times and among them such especially as did most enuie the prosperity of our Nation For they might then hopefully beleeue that the Queene leauing the State in these vncertainties and as they thought to many Competitors it could not be but needs the glorie thereof would ruine by ciuill discord and part-taking and that then would a time bee offered them to reuenge and in rich themselues And how soeuer God hath preuented the euill which was worthily feared yet certainely euen then was the danger great and the euill hopes of our enemies vpon likely-hood conceiued neither is there any that hath vnderstanding in the affaires of State but will acknowledge the euēt of these times did exceed the expectation that all men had of them and that the Kings Maiesties comming in that last was was a worke of Gods speciall prouidence whereby he did direct those iudgements the which at this time did very much threaten our Nation Fifthly By those examples may bee vnderstood the danger that redounds to a state when succession doth either faile or is by intrusion interrupted the euill experience whereof is not onely to be found in the alteration of states but also in the subuersion of priuate houses For a Son is neerer in disposition and consent of Nature then one further off in the degrees of blood and for state such are most fit to succeed in gouernement that are the seede of Gouernours Nature traducing to them the Maiesty and iudgements of their Progenitors and for the fauour of the people that Prince or heire apparant hath
God they had lawfully gotten And therefore the honourable compounding of these differences doth conclude the wisedome and faithfull seruice of such as then did gouerne the state For if the Duke had bene ambitious and had aspired the soueraigntie he would neuer haue lost the aduantage of this occasion the time then seruing best to haue attempted it the body of the Rebellious wanting onely such a head to haue led them to any desperate attempt whatsoeuer And therefore howsoeuer his enemies did brand his name with dishonourable imputations it is very vnlikely the Duke should haue any such disloyall affections neglecting as I haue said these opportune occasions and being so strong in the fauour of the people Fourthly But that which did most discontent the King and threaten the state was the variance betweene the Lord Protector and the Barrons whose high place and honourable deseruing had got him much dangerous enuie in the State which hee by too much sufferance gaue aduantage to preuaile so farre as to his owne destruction For if the Duke by his authority had cut off the first beginnings of this euill he had preuented the mischiefe which thereof insued and so he might haue done that in the opportunity of time with ease which afterwards hee would most gladly haue done but could not with all the authority he had compasse because the opportunity was past and then he could not recall occasions which then flie from vs when they are not intertained For it be hooueth him of great place that would preuent the danger of enuie not to forbeare the cause of enuie which is goodnes but to destroy the first beginnings of enuie not to giue that euill weed sufferance which in short time will grow to a strength vncontroleable and then who so offers to strike shall but wound himselfe and like a bird in a trap locke himselfe more strongly in by striuing to escape And this assuredly was the Dukes error to suffer his enemies to grow to a strength he could not command and then being in their danger he sought by strong hand to rid himselfe wherein he found he was much deceiued to the losse of his life and to the glory of his enemies now from what cause this discord had beginning is diuersly imagined neither doth our English Chronicles determine it so that many seuerall coniectures diuersly interpret it some blame the Dukes improuidence and that he did not regard his owne security so much as the danger of his place required and therefore suffered his enemies to practise against him with all aduantage Others that his euill gouerning the State did so offend the Lords as in their honourable care of the State they sought redresse and that the Duke might either surrender his authority or else reforme the disordered course of his former proceedings to the more honour of the King and the better gouernement of the Common-Wealth others thinke that hee aspired the principality and thereby runne himselfe into the highest degree of treason which opinion is all malice and no Truth For questionlesse if the Duke had bene guilty of Treason his enemies would neuer haue condemned him of Felonie Lastly it is thought the cause was nothing but a practise of enuie which his honourable life and zealous care for Religion had procured him who aduancing his indeauour with all constancie for the reforming of Religion and trauelling in the state with much prosperity and honour hee by these meanes got a double enemie his religious care procured him the hatred of the discontented persons in the State which then were many and his honourable life got him enuie in the great ones who then couet to suppresse the growing reputation of any whose merit may challenge the highest degrees of honour for men enuie not the euill but the good of others and he alwaies is most subiect to be enuied whose vertuous life shall least deserue it Sixthly And from this cause was the vnfortunate end of the good Duke the Lord Protector whom his enemies did not destroy for his euill but for his honourable and vertuous life And this howsoeuer it had the course of orderly proceeding according to the tryall of law yet was that onely a colour to giue it some reasonable pretence whereby the common mouth of the vulgar might be stopped which in such cases is most daring and prodigall and surely it is very remarkeable that a Prince of his authority and greatnesse Vnkle to the King and protector of his person and state should bee thus forced to these hard extremities and that in a Kingdome which himselfe did protect to be arrested condemned and executed for Felonie and example so rare as no time can produce the like and such as may remember the greatest how subiect they be to the fall of Fortune who foyleth them most that fall from the highest dignities Obseruations Diuine Pollitique Morall FIRST God doth often suffer his owne cause Religion euen in the hope and prosperity thereof to indure contrary fortunes sometimes by intrusion of Errors often by the interruption of peace For without these tryalls of opposition and aduersity there can be no distinction of good and bad neither could it merit extraordinarie praise to be a Christian. Secondly In the Iudgement of Diuinity it doth not destroy the Truth of any cause to suffer iniurie and violence because the most sacred Sonne of God did indure them in their extremities Therefore are they deceiued that make temporall prosperity a note of spirituall Truth because Truth in this life may liue in banishment Thirdly It was a wicked policie in the kings enemies but powerfull to sow Discord in his neerest blood for by that meanes it was easie for them to gaine that which otherwise had bene difficult because such disagreements are most implacable that haue had power to destroy naturall affections for there is no hate like that which is translated out of loue Fourthly It is one of the most principall respects that should be in a Prince to be able to conteine his owne secrets and in all his important affaires to vnderstand more than he shall discouer for by this meanes hee shall both delude the purpose of him that would deceiue him and by Pollitique obseruations discouer designes farre off Fifthly Particular disquiets in a Morall life are ciuill warres that would destroy a blessed peace for as euery man is a little world So the order or disorder of that world hath resemblance and fit comparison with the state of this world CHAP. XV. A Discourse of the miseries of mans life vpon occasion of the Duke of Somersets death FIRST It is true that at our birth wee begin to die our life being no better then a continuall sicknesse which by many extremities leade vs to our graue the sanctuarie and house of Rest and therefore the best men haue least desired
in the world saue her sister the most famous Elizabeth who hath exceeded her and al the world in the honour of true deseruing Fourthly Yet notwithstanding all these rare excellencies of nature merit little but only pittie for if the best beauty of nature haue not the benefit of grace the greatest ornaments therof are then but punishment to them that so enioy them And therefore they that haue not the gifts of grace haue nothing of worth though they haue all that nature can giue them and happie had Q. Marie bene if nature had giuen her lesse and grace more because any little breath of Gods Spirit is more worth than all other blessings whatsoeuer For nature adornes the body grace the soule of euery one that hath it commonly where the power of wit great spirit is in any one Subiect not moderated by grace they are then meanes to make the enioyers of them most dangerous instruments because nature cannot moue it self to good but naturally to euill and as the naturall motion is more easie to the mouer than the violent So the gifts of nature are more inclinable to euill than to good ends being moued to euill by their owne proper motion but to goodnesse by the motion of grace which in all naturall things is violent against nature And therfore was the Q. more dangerous hauing so much of nature because she was therby armed for euill the want of grace making her runne her natural course her great spirit other naturall induments spurring her forward in her euill passage whereby she became enemie to her self mouing her self to her own destruction Fifthly But that which made Q. Marie monstrous in her euill was the two much credit she gaue to euill counsell suffering her selfe to be transported by the violent spirits of euill and reuengefull men who conceiuing a grounded displeasure for some hard vsage they indured in K. Edwards time now take aduantage to reuenge the cause for which they had indured displeasure these men like euill spirits breathed the spirits of indignation into the Queenes heart moued her to effect most bloodie horrible deeds to the great displeasure of God and dishonour of her princely place Sixthly for it cannot be imagined that a Ladie of her spirit being in humane respects mercifull compassionate would haue entred her gouernement with such tyrannie terror bearing in both hands destruction like Reuenge her self entring the stage of her gouernement with fire blood had she not bene moued thereto by euil perswasion Neither can it be but the Q. conscience would condemne the course of her violent proceeding that she would iudge the large effusioÌ„ of christiaÌ„ blood stood not with the honour of her name nor with the Truth of Religion yet so powerfull is the authority of them we trust especially in the case of Religion and conscieÌ„ce as that many times we suffer our selus to be led against our own perswasioÌ„s by a reuerence we beare to other mens opinioÌ„s Seuenthly And this no doubt was the cause why the Queene was so resolued in in her bloodie persecutions shee giuing credit to their perswasion whom shee reputed most Reuerend and Learned and they perswading her she could not discharge the office of her Soueraigne place nor defend the Catholike Faith but by the extirping the Protestant Religion which in their opinion was Heresie in the highest degree neither could shee as they thought suppresse the generall fauour that profession had got in generall estimation but by seuerity rigorous laws wherein they were farre deceiued For it is impossible that any Pollicie of man should be able to supplant Gods Husbandrie which he hath made prosperous the Truth whereof is manifest in the experience of these persecuting times when as the death of one holy man was the life of many God raising a holy generation out of the ashes of his holy Martyrs the Church not decresing but increasing by the stroake of persecution And in this case was the Queene counselled as Rehoboams was by his young states men to make the yoake of persecution heauie whereas her Father did chastise with rodds she should correct with scourges and this was the euill counsell wherewith the Queene was ordered for shee made her yoake heauier than all her Predecessors had done and in truth insupportable for any true Christian Professor Eightly And therefore this Counsell of theirs may haue Pollicie but no Piety for if the State in King Edwards time had vsed Gardiner and Bonner with like seuerity and had taken from them their euill liues which they had iustly forfeited then had not these euill Ministers bene the cause of so much blood shed neither happily should the Queene haue had any such as they to haue prouoked her to such dishonour and vngodly practise for it is needfull Pollicie that the haughty spirits of men that haue authority and greatnesse must either not be offended or being moued to offence must bee then made sure from taking Reuenge And it had bene good for the Christian State that the ambitious spirit of Winchester had either not bene discontented by his disgrace and imprisonment or being so offended to haue made him sure from reuengefull practise and if this had thus come to passe no doubt much Christian blood had bene saued which by his meanes perished Neither had the Queene come into that ignominy of blood and cruelty shee being in her own Nature rather inclined to pittie and mercifull respect then otherwise And therefore though the time of Queene Maries gouernement was the most bloodie persecution that euer was in this Land I thinke euer since it had a Christian Prince yet was this Ladie otherwise disposed in her owne Nature neither would shee haue made her name so monstrous in blood had not her conscience perswaded a necessity shee being so resolued by their perswasion who shee thought had authority to iudge her Obseruations Diuine Pollitique Morall FIRST Diuinity doth admit no distinction of men but the difference of good and bad for Gods fauour doth not look as mans doth men iudge by externall but God by internall euidence God is no accepter of persons but men accept nothing but the persons of men and therfore it is often seene that thus God and the world diuide their seueralls God markes his with Grace the world hers with Nature and Fortune Secondly It is a pollicie of long practise and large proofe that Priests Iesuites and men of spirituall function are appointed for State designes as the most pregnant and conuenient mâ—n for they haue this odds that besides their helps of learning and much experience they haue alwaies the reuerence of their profession which vndoubtedly with people of their owne faith doth gaine them and their perswasions extraordinary credit Thirdly It is a prouidence worthy of
the honour of Queene Elizabeth that howsoeuer the controuersie stood betweene the Low Countries and Spaine the offence was so great betweene vs and the Spaniard as may seeme to iustifie the Queene in her proceedings And therefore they who calumniate and bite her name causelesse doe like Doggs who barke against the Sunne which in despight of enuy and them will for euer shine vpon the face of the earth and her vertuous name like Vertue will appeare more glorious by the vitious opposition of enuie and from the false slanders of euill men shall arise her commendation 15. Therefore I dare boldly conclude that in this particular of the Low Countries the Queen did that was very iustifiable considering the circumstance of the Spannish warres and considering with what honour it hath beene done shee hath merited the highest honour that victorie and honourable armes can deserue And this truth no doubt the States themselues will witnesse with me who haue often triumphed in the Conquest of her victories and so will the Spaniards too whose experience hath made them know her well vnlesse that enuie and the remembrance of former quarrels prompt them with false constructions 16. In these and in many other particulars hath the Queen declared her selfe a most noble Defendress of the Catholike Faith whose cares were euer seruants to the necessities of such Christian States as would desire them whereby shee hath with much honourable applause spent the number of her fortunate daies and whereby shee hath most nobly defended the professors and the profession of the Catholike Faith Whose kingdome little England hath been a sanctuarie for holy and religious persons to flie to from all places of trouble and persecution and who hath euer bene willing able to offend the bad defend the better sort of people Obseruations Diuine Pollitique Morall FIRST To intend and prosecute our owne good onely doth not discharge the duty of a Christian conscience For Piety is like God who hath a generall reference to all creatures Secondly A Prince that doth support his distressed neighbour States in their righteous quarrells doth a worke both Religious and Pollitique Religious because the rules of conscience command such charitable supportations and Pollitique because his owne distresse may challenge from them the like retribution Thirdly Whatsoeuer is in any mans estate or power more than may suffice for the wel-being of his owne particular hee ought to conferre that with charitable beneuolence vpon common distresses only he hath liberty in the choise of his particulars CHAP. XXIX A remembrance of some particulars wherein God hath defended this Defendresse of the Faith Queene ELIZABETH FIRST It is most true that they who defend Gods quarrell shall in their iust quarrells bee defended by him and they who denie him in any seruice them will he denie the fauour of his protection For as God is most Iealous of his honour and hateth to be vnregarded of his Creature so is he wonderfully contented in the faithfull seruices of men abhorring in his diuine Nature not to double the recompence of such reward And therefore when God giueth commandements he giueth them with promise to reward the obseruers of them whereby holy men haue beene euer comforted with this assurance that God is most assured in his promises it being impossible to his diuine Nature to be either forgetfull or vngratefull Na rather so delighted he is with obedience that most carefully he apprehendeth euery little seruice of men to reward it with infinite of benefits Secondly this truth is knowne both by holy examples and by testimonies most holy it is knowne also in the Queenes particular whom God did wonderfully protect against all the power of Hell Earth For I assuredly beleeue there was neuer any Christian Prince in the world against whom were so many practises diuelish proiects attempted her enemies cōtinually working against her either by their power or by their Pollicie either by forraigne or by ciuill warres either by open or by secret practises sometimes by inuasion sometimes by Rebellion by poyson often by conspiracie more often so that there was no weapon which in the wisedome of diuellish art might destroy her but it was brandished against her yet did God stand betweene her danger and bare off many times the blow of death at the instant when the destroyers arme was heaued against her and such as haue bene solemnly sworne to destroy her and haue vowed their resolutiō by taking the Sacrament though the opportunities of time and place serued them yet in the very act haue they fainted being daunted with the Maiesty of her heauenly presence And though the greatest Princes Potentates in Christēdome did combine themselues against her withall their power whereby there was continual practise on foot to destroy her yet did the hand of God leade her thorow all those dangers and made her trauell an honourable length of daies and then giue vp her soule in peace to his hands who had so wonderfully protected her Thirdly It was therefore fruitles and vaine to contriue against her whom God would defend by whose mighty deliuerance he had declared himself to fauour her some of which particulars I will remember the generall being to large an argument to discourse on Fourthly The storie of her heauie persecution the time of her Sisters gouernement is common to euery mans knowledge therfore I need not report the manner of that nor the manner of her Christian suffering it yet this is worthy of obseruation that at that time God did suffer her enemies to preuaile far but not to her destruction and it may seeme wonderful that considering Q. Marie did rule the State and Stephen Gardiner the Bishop of Winchester did rule her that both of them did most perfectly hate Q Elizabeth how the Queene could possibly auoid their euill malice Fifthly And though it be obiected that because of Queene Elizabeths innocence Queene Mary and the Bishop could not haue haue their purpose it is otherwise For the displeasure of a Prince disposed to Reuenge can in the fairest life finde foule occasions And when authority hateth the person of any one it is most easie to brand them with offences And this could Stephen Gardiner well vnderstand who had profited as much and more in the learning of pollicie than in piety and holy wisedome And therefore though the Queenes innocence was a cause of her safetie yet was there a greater cause the fauour of God which did defend her against the power of Pollicie which her innocence could not doe Sixthly after she was Queene when the storme did seeme to be past did it then begin againe with greater furie the Pope sending his turbulent spirits into this Nation to set the kingdome in combustion who by his interdictions and papall curses did ban the
proceeding both of them apprehending euery little circumstance of hope either in the King himselfe his Nature or fortunes Fiftly But the mercie of God which had wonderfully protected the Kings Maiestie in safetie and prosperous fortune against many dangerous practises did not now leaue him vnassisted but in this businesse of most important consideration lead him to an end full of honourable merit God giuing him so much of the wisdome of his Spirit whereby he was able to iudge and determine this maine Controuersie and whereby hee was able to iudge betweene light and darknes Truth and falsehood Order and disorder Religion and Idolatrie And according to this holy iudgement did the King in his election make particular choice confirming the doctrine of true Religion and the commendable order which in the Church hee found established and confuting by the iudgement of his owne mouth both these all the other enemies of Truth and order whatsoeuer Thus nobly prepared did his Maiestie defend the Catholike Faith against these two great enemies enemies both of them for the Papist hee is enemie to the Faith and the Puritan is enenemie to the peace of the Catholike Church enemies both yet not both alike enemies yet both dangerous and of much conuenience to bee opposed by the Defendor of the Catholike Faith the which his Maiestie did to his great commendation and to the honour of Almighty God For the Puritan first the order of the Kings gratious proceeding in this businesse is well knowne to the world by what lenity and fauourable meanes hee laboured to accord their disagreements and to vnite them to the peace and concord of the Church from which they had deuided themselues For though by the power of his high place he might haue forced their obedience and haue vsed the seueritie of correction and seuere Iustice yet would hee not knowing how stiffe and wilfull they were in their opinion and therefore to gaine them his Maiestie was content to vse any meanes to put off Maiestie and the authority of Greatnesse and in his owne person to giue their cause a fauourable hearing and himselfe to moderate and iudge their disputations and therefore were they allowed to make choice of the best able men among them to defend their opinion against whom were appointed of the Reuerend Bishops of this Land to answer and to satisfie their arguments in the hearing and determining of which Controuersie his Maiestie did declare himselfe to vnderstand as much in Religious Learning as the greatest Doctor in that presence he himselfe confuting and confounding all pretended reason alledged against the conuenient orders of the Church whereby at that time hee declared how well able hee was to defend the quarrell of Faith and Religion against all the Learning in the world And thus did the King discend his Maiestie to satisfie the peeuish obstinacie of the Puritan faction And whereas it is obiected that these proceedings against the Puritans did animate and incourage the Papist an enemie of greater importance and that it was euill order to begin reformation with the Puritans and to let the Papist passe as an enemie not regarded I answer the order was good and most conuenient and answerable to the rule of God himselfe For iudgement beginneth at the house of God and it is most needfull for him that would profitably reforme others first to reforme himselfe Sixthly And the body of this kingdome hauing the disease of disobedience in the chiefe memebers thereof it was orderly and most necessarie first to respect this care at home and then to intend businesse further of neither could the Papist bee incouraged by this for they might well know that if the King fauoured not the lesse he would not fauour the greater enemie and if he corrected the Puritan with rods he would whip them with scourges And for the Papist howsoeuer the Kings Maiesty did vse them with as much fauourable regard as any Prince in the world would his enemies yet was there a watchfull eye had to their proceedings and so strict a hand was held ouer them as to distinguish them from friends the Gouernours of State being most carefull to preuent whatsoeuer might be by them attempted not doing ought against them which might any way prouoke them to any vnlawfull practise Seuenthly and this was vpon good consideration because the Recusants in England had not yet attempted ought against the Kings person and State and therefore was it his Religious wisedome not to punish before they had offended nor with strict seuerity to restraine them before they had made some treasonable attempt whereby the proceedings against them might be the more iustifiable before the whole face of Christendome But they not content with much vnlesse they might haue all conspire the most damnable treason that euer by men or diuels was inuented the report whereof for the rarenesse is spread ouer all the world For at one blow they purposed to smite off the heads of all the honourable in this Nation all the Heads because all the Gouernours both principall and subordinate and all the Honourable because almost all the wise and Reuerend in the Kingdome should at one Blow haue perished Eighthly now how this Treason might haue offended a King disposed to Reuenge let the most patient minded in the world iudge it but how it did moue the Kings impatience or how his Maiestie reuenged it let the most enuious Papist iudge it For presently vpon the discouerie of this neere effected Treason the king by his Proclamations declared that he had no purpose to lay their offence vpon their generall cause of Religion nor that his Iustice should reach further then to the offendors themselues wherein hee gaue assurance of safetie to all such Recusants as in all other respects saue Religion were dutifull Subiects And though for the better security of the king and State there were some Statutes enacted for the better preuenting of the like dangers yet were they verie mercifull and farre from the Nature of Reuenge tending onely to defend and not to offend the quiet of any peaceable Subiect Ninthly And whereas the Oath of Allegiance is by many thought verie grieuous it is strange that any Christian iudgement should so thinke and that any man should dare to condemne that which God so highly commendeth and with some of their best Learned both allow as lawfull and haue aduisedly taken the which because it is by others largely disputed I passe ouer Tenthly Now the king to adde to all these Christian merits and to declare himselfe with most direct testimonies that his Princely care was principally for the Seruice of God and the aduancement of the Catholike Religion hee the Lord annointed vndertakes the quarrell of GODS cause concluding by inuincible arguments that Truth which Antichrist the Arch-enemie of the Catholike Faith had opposed These his