honor est in honorante say Deuines in exposition of the princely Prophets speech Omnis honor regis ab intus in fimbrijs aureis c. And for that the questioÌ„ is not of admittance into the nuÌ„ber of nobles or geÌ„tles but being once matriculated cataloguated registred in that KaleÌ„der whether that then being but a Gentleman of proper merite onely and not of bloud coat-armor or auncestrie the foresaid wants and defects do more disable the subiect wherein they are inherent to aduancement ecclesiasticall or ciuill that is whether a Priest by function or an Esquire by creation ought more to conceale and hide his faults and which of them may be soonest hindred from preferment to higher dignities as from an ordinarie Priest to be a Pastor Vicar Deane Archdeacon Bishop c. and from a Gentleman of coat-armor to be a Knight Baron Lord baron Vicount and Earle c. Wherein because it is presupposed that they are both in the way to preferment the one as a consecrated Priest by his spiritual the other as a created Esquire by his temporal gentrie the difference by consequent must needes follow thereupon to be this that being once admitted by dispensation legitimation c. those things most in request with a Priest afterward must be learning vertue gouernment c. None of which in our speech of meanes to aduancement are so exactly required in a temporall Gentleman and on the other side the graces and abilities expected at a temporall mans hand must be parentage valor comelinesse of person and wealth sufficient to maintaine his estate c. which may cause his good fortune by marryage and otherwise none of which are required so precisely in a Priest and perhaps not at all necessities his preferment standing not vpon mariage or ostentation of his wealth friends and temporall abilities but vpon the managing of the thing he hath or is to take in hand wherein wisedome prudence and other ciuill politicall and morall vertues are required And so by consequent it followeth that as both are to maintaine their honour renowne and credite to the vttermost so both may conceale such defects as may hinder the same preferment which otherwise might and would accrew vnto them alwaies respecting time place person and other circumstances as may preiudice either one or other thereby which to explane how that may happen I will set the case downe in these few examples following Saint Augustine rightly called the Apostle of England because sent hither by blessed Saint Gregorie the Great to conuert as he did this countrie to the Catholike Romane faith sending for the Welch or Briton Priests fallen into Apostacie and Pesagianisme to come to conference with him concerning sundrie of their heresies and grosse errors obseruing well his actions and behauiour towards them vpon the speech of a false prophet or Pelagian Hermit they all that came to parlee presently left him before the first encounter because he did not rise and giue them the chaire place or honor point at their meetings mightily condemning him for an arrogant proud man But yet was it no pride in him at all because he both came in all humble wise submitting himselfe to the meanest in all Kent vntill he had conuerted them and also for that he should by giuing them place coming as he did an Apostle haue preiudiced the See Apostolike and the Popes Holinesse from whence as an ambassadour with Legatiue power he came and also he should therein haue preiudiced the Regall Maiestie of King Ethelbert of Kent by name who then hauing receiued the Catholike Romane faith at Saint Augustines hands whom for that cause his Maiestie had highly priuiledged they did not send for him but he sent for them by authoritie from the said King who afterward also compelled them to receiue the same faith and to renounce their heresie with the death of two thousand Monks of Bangor Abbey at one time procured by the King of Kents exciting the King of Northumberland and others to warre vpon them c. Conformable to this example in another kind may very well be the secular and Seminarie Priests comming into England with like Apostolicall authoritie as did Saint Augustine and therefore as they are to humble themselues in all respects wheresoeuer they come in England as he did in Kent vnder any ciuill magistrate vnder her Maiestie and not to contend for a cappe or a knee where is readie prepared for them a racke and a halter by course of lawe in this land through the Iesuites mischieuous practises bringing all the rest to be had in iealousie thereby so are and ought they to stand vpon points when they come in place where their priesthood is called in question Aâ—â—â—e 〈◊〉 with 〈◊〉 weâ—l â—e two â—â—â—â—ble â—â—â—â—â—â—es of 〈◊〉 N◠〈…〉 boâ—â— hâ—â—â—â—â—d aâ—â—bâ—â—h 〈◊〉 â—â—all men Th◠〈◊〉 was aâ—â—oâ—re shewâ—â— by the Lord â—â—d Dâ—cre â—o Capt. Stukeâ—â—y whâ—ch Stukeâ—â—y tak ng vpon him to be â—n extraordinary gâ—â—aâ— person desireâ—â—he â—â—â—le Dacre is 〈◊〉 on a time to gâ—ue him countenance and the place of 〈◊〉 where eâ—â—â— hâ— staâ—â—◠〈…〉 checks 〈◊〉 it told hiâ— â—oâ— and further if he once esteâ—ed to take either place or titlâ— of honor vpon him in his presâ—nce he would maâ—â— him know him selfe as too â—reat â—n indignity 〈◊〉 so highly â—â—scenâ—ed of that honor he was of 〈◊〉 hâ— bloud to be suffered thâ—t be should well know that honour consisted not in popular applause nor yet 〈◊〉 excesse furâ—â—it of worldly â—ches The other example was of a Noble mans son who being prisoner to a Knight fâ—r that the said Knight had enâ—red into some â—â—aiâ—â— with 〈◊〉 concerning hiâ— Noble bloud be tooke him by the sleeâ—e as they wâ—re in goâ—â—g ouer a stile passing ouer before him said Know you Sir H.B. I am W. sonne of W Lo. S. and though I gaue you place before yet hereafter I will not neither can I without preiudice of my house and honour do it c. and vsed with contempt either of their function or of the Sea Apostolike by whose authoritie they pleade Marrie yet herein also with a different respect had to an aduersarie of an other profession and religion whom in these times to contend withall it were in vaine and but an occasion of moe dangers many blasphemies greater sinnes and to one that is of the same religion the secular Priest is of A verie fit example agreeing whereunto was of late shewed by one secular Priest to three sundry persons all Catholikes and one a Priest Iesuited to the first being a Gentleman but yet meaner of calling then either of the other he gaue place at table hand wall and stile because he saw it proceeded of simplicitie inciuili lâ— rudenesse in him though perhaps entermingled with some spice of sâ—lâ— conceit and sawcinesse and withall there came no contempt of Priesthood direâ—tly thereby The second hauing also before time alwayes giuen place because he was
sequell of proper kind as we now handle them that the one followeth the other as the shadow doth the body there is nothing said in the last generall Quodlibet of state but it hath a relation to this of succession So as it can not be otherwise imagined but that the Iesuites haue a further drift and intend a greater mischiefe then all the world dreames of to make princes state gouernment and all authoritie seeme odious to the multitude Therefore I affirme and say absolutely as in my hart I thinke it that their proceedings therein are neither religious catholike christian nor dutifull but very barbarous impious and dishonest which I prooue first by testimony of holy writ Thou shalt not speake euill of the prince of thy people said the wise Salomon amongst his many Prouerbes Secondly Curse not the king no not in thy thought said the great Preacher in his ecclesiasticks and to the same purpose are the two great princes of the earth Saint Peter his words in his first Epistle and Saint Paule his speech by an Epistle to Titus Thirdly againe if any action can beare two constructions charity bindeth a man to take the best But princes haue neuer had more cause then now they haue by the Iesuites practises to be iealous of their estates ergo it ought to be construed in the best sense a man may if their gouernment be contrary to our likings Fourthly besides kings proceedings are oft aboue the capacity of the subiects and are not by them to be scanned or sifted much lesse to be slaundered and depraued Fiftly furthermore kings being the fathers of their country if they should haue in their proceedings any nakednes their subiects shew themselues to be of the generation of Cham that will not rather couer then detect them But such are the Iesuits vnnatural harts and greedie desire of soueraignty as it seemeth nothing doth more delight them then to find in a prince or priests coate some thing to make them seeme odious to their subiects or ghostly children Sixtly also the honour of our countrie ought to be more deere vnto vs then our owne credites or estimation nay oftentimes then our liues themselues ergo how can it be chosen but that the Iesuites being so ambitious in seeking their owne glory so greedy of their owne praises and so deeply affecting soueraigne dominion should not condemne themselues in their owne consciences in detracting and calumniating their soueraignes It is therefore most manifest and true as I haue often said and must haue often cause to repeate the same that of long time the grauest sort of the secular priests in England haue vtterly disliked such pamphlets and railing treatises and bookes as haue bene set out to the dishonour of her Maiesty and state here The booke that Doctor Saunders writ De schismate and his other De visibili Monarchia we wish with all our harts that they had neuer seen light Diuers of father Parsons books letters and treatises we haue and do from our very harts vtterly condemne them as conteining many seditious and trayterous points and being very full of slaunderous speeches and impudent calumniations Andreas Philopater being the fruits of father Parsons and father Creswell we hold to be fraught till it almost burst againe as some of my brethren elsewhere haue noted with all Iesuiticall pride and poyson And as touching the Exhortation before mentioned printed 1588. it is so detestable a treatise as all posterity cannot choose but condemne father Parsons for a most scurrilous traytor If he had beene brought vp amongst all the ruffians and Curtizans in Christendome he could not haue learned to haue writ more vilely prophanely and heathnishly Furthermore in that father Parsons and his fellow father Creswell do glory in their said booke that they haue caused not onely it but also master Saunders treatise De schismate to be translated into the Spanish toong and do reioyce that thereby the Spaniards are brought already into a greater detestation of her Maiestie her gouernment proceedings then they had before I thinke they glory in their owne shame and that they are to be accounted by all true catholikes to be most vile and trayterous persons that they dishonor priesthood and are as right Iesuits as insolencie and hatred can make them And so I conclude that the Iesuits practises and intents in wresting their Soueraignes and the state affaires in euery politicall morall and humane action to the worst sense is neither agreeing to Christian iustice catholike charitie nor bounden dutie of true subiects but like rebellious traytors to bring all into vprore that they may haue al crownes kingdomes gouernments succession state inheritance and all at their pleasure THE II. ARTICLE VVHether may not Iesuits although they are religious men and therefore excluded from dealing in publike secular affaires yet for all that which hath beene said imploy themselues in matters of state thus farre scil to direct and appoint the forme of the ciuill gouernment to set downe who ought to succeed to alter the ancient lawes of their countrie to decide and determine difficulties that may rise concerning all and euery competitors title in way of succession by birth blood c. to the crowne and to innouate all things vnder the pretence of gods glory and the promoting of their owne societie Or whether are not all these imputations so many vntruthes and calumniations THE ANSWERE I Hold it as I said before altogether vnlawfull for them to deale so in state matters and by consequent indecent First for that it is against the rules of their orders and very presumptuous for any of them to medle with the succession to the crowne at all Secondly it doth repugne from the very nature of all religious profession which is a seperating of men from the actions of the world Thirdly it tendeth to that which we most condemne in our common aduersaries For the consequence will be hardly denied it is lawfull for cleargy men to mannage ciuill causes ergo it is lawfull for temporall men to manage causes ecclesiasticall For wrest it and wring it aswell and which way soeuer we can possibly deuise yet will it alwaies be iudged of our aduersaries an assertion most euident and absurd to be denied that temporall men should not haue as great authoritie in church causes as Iesuits monks or friers at least if not also as other secular and ecclesiasticall persons should haue in causes ciuill Fourthly I shall not much need to trauell in this point bicause the Iesuits themselues do digest nothing woorse then to heare themselues charged with it for it is a practise with them to do all things vnder hande and to be as little seene in them as possiblie they can deuise And therefore as I haue often told you no lesse for the most part that which they go about they do it by other men or by feined names that if any inconuenience should happen they might either lay the blame vpon
of Spaine is more intollerable then these such idle speculations before mentioned For it is grounded not only vpon the said most sottish speculation against all the kings that liue but likewise vpon a most slanderous traiterous lie in making all the kings Queenes that haue been for aboue two hundred yeeres in this land to haue bene vsurpers tyrants traitors and I wot not what And that which doth not a litle moue my patience this bastardly Iesuite doth father this traiterous assertion vpon that worthy person Cardinal Allane from whom I durst be sworn he neuer had them nor so vile a cōceit euer harbored in his brest Whilest I haue bene diuers times thinking of this fellowes writings touching these such like matters I haue wōdred with my selfe how possibly he could be so blind as not to foresee that when kings should vnderstand what a plot he hath laid for the ouerthrow of all authority by setting vp and aduancing a popular furie they should find thereby verie iust cause giuen vnto them to detest both him and all the generation of Iesuits or any other catholikes whosoeuer that should teach or defend such bloodie traiterous doctrine But I haue stood too long vpon this point if you can procure Master Charles Pagets booke against father Parsons you shall finde the foxe so vncased and left so naked of all honestie wisedome or iudgement touching these points as you may well thinke my paines herein to haue beene needlesse except you will remember that my drift is onely to let you vnderstand that father Parsons and his fellowes are great intermedlers with matters of state and succession especially concerning the English crowne which when they shall be out of all hope euer to obtaine I am verily perswaded there will some of them run mad about it they are so extremely egar vpon it and in such a desperate iealousie and feare of loosing it And therefore will I proceede therein a little further by his Masterships leaue For as the said father Parsons hath laide his plot when England shall be Spanish how the ancient lawe of this realme shall be abrogated and the ciuill law aduanced in the place thereof so hath the prouident gentleman another treatise of reformation in store how to establish amongst vs when that time shall come the ancient lawe termed Lex Agraria Bicause that as it seemeth his mastership is of opinion that the nobilitie of England haue too large and great possessions and therefore by one of his rules in the said reformation their abilities and what they shall yeerely spend must be limited vnto them as also what retinue they shall keepe and what their diet shall be The like course he hath also ordained for the Bishops and clergie they must be put to their pensions and the ouerplus is to be at the direction of the Iesuits to be imploied by the appointment of their Generall resident alwaies in Rome propter bonum societatis and ordine ad Deum Of all which follies although I haue told you in part before yet they comming so fitly to hand as best agreeing to this Quodlibet of succession they can doe no harme to be repeated againe But now if any man thinke it impossible that these fellowes should be thus bewitched with these vaine conceits let him but consider the nature of pride ambition and libertie into what a fooles paradise they are able to cast any manner of persons or professions that are possessed with them They can hardly thinke of any thing but they account themselues woorthy of it and able by their wits to effect it euen the very supreme power and church of S. Peter such is their ambition And for their libertie they are men exempted frō the iurisdiction of all the superiors of the clergie sauing to their owne officers whereby as lawlesse libertines they write doe and say what they list and dreame of I know not what Iesuiticall monarchie And thus farre of this generall point that those men doe not slander the Iesuits that charge them to be greater statists then they would be accounted and thereby to transgresse all ancient orders of religious persons and to shew themselues as runnagates and degenerated from their owne profession THE III. ARTICLE VVHether is it profitable or expedient for the church of God that the Iesuits as father Parsons in sundrie of his writings and so generally all the rest in effect of that societie and some other of their humor should oppose themselues so much as they doe against princes in extenuating their authoritie vpon euery occasion and eftsoones by telling the world what small interest and hold they haue of their kingdomes as that in this case and that case or if they doe this or will not doe that then foorthwith dominium amittitur all is lost they cease to be kings and what else if they escape with their liues it shall please their fatherhoods to tell vs. THE ANSWERE I Thinke their course therein to be neither profitable nor expedient for the church but on the contrarie very pernitious and dangerous and especially in these our daies First bicause I doe not finde that the Apostles sent by our Sauiour Iesus Christ to preach the Gospell did inculcate any such matters or points either of doctrine or policie yea in their writings for ought I see there is no such thing expressed neither doe I remember that any historie doth tell vs of any such course but rather the quite contrarie to haue beene held by them Secondly the heathen kings both before the comming of Christ and in the Apostles times did suppose their titles to their kingdomes to bee much more firme and their subiects being both learned and wise men skilfull in all humane knowledge and lawes did thereof assure them terming them to be the verie life and soules of their kingdomes And it was accounted in the primitiue Church a great slaunder to the Gospell catholike doctrine of the church of Christ when some did report that the doctrine of the Christians was iniurious to the empire or ciuill magistracy as tending to the diminishing of their right and authority Thirdly if either the Apostles in those times or their successors afterwards in the Primitiue Church should haue written or preached of these matters as now the Iesuites doe they would out of question haue beene cut off presently It is true that although they tooke a very mild course yet they indured great persecutions and were very many of them put to death But if they had beene of the Iesuites spirit it is not probable that any but the Iewes who had trayterous harts to the Empire would euer haue indured to haue heard them speake We see that if their enimies could but deuise some litle shew though most falsely that they touched Caesars authority it was sufficient to cry out against them that they were not worthy to liue Nay how sought they to haue intangled Christ himselfe by their question of tribute
Portingals and Spaniards continued kept the honours point for Martiall exploits these latter yeares but who shall carie away the price in the cadences of the Spaniards God only knoweth Thus came the foure Patriarkes of Hierusalem Antioch Alexandria and Constantinople by succession of honor wealth and fame in Gods Church to rise and fall one after another and now all decayed dead and gone from their auncient state renowne and dignitie in the Church of God here militant on earth Thus came all Monasticall Heremiticall and religious orders of Saint Anthony of Saint Basill of Saint Augustine of Saint Hierome of Saint Benedict of Saint Bernard of Saint Dominicke of Saint Frances of Saint Clare of Saint Briget and sundrie other religious orders of men and women to haue their generation and corruption by the freedome left of God in humane actions and mans choise to be good or bad vertuous or vicious and to rise and fall by succession one after another by merited fame and iust desert of their life manners and graces giuen and employed by them to Gods glorie In few thus came the spirituall Knighthoods of the Templers the Knights of Saint Iohns the Knights of Rhodes and now of Malto by a lineall succession of fame renowne and worthinesse to haue panigericall histories set foorth of their prayses And the like is of later orders and societies of Carmelists Carthusians Capouchians Theatines Iesuits Bonhommes c. all which set vpon the worlds Theater represent a mournfull tragedie of mans miserie how like to flowers they haue now one and then another order companie or societie burgened blossomed bloomed and flourished and yet subiect to the fates of free-will in all humane wights their deriuatiues are strayed abroad haue left and are gone from the obedience deuotion pietie pouertie chastitie charitie humilitie patience and religious zeale which was in the primitiues and founders of their Orders What shal we say more the whole body mysticall of Christ consisting of the three estates Ecclesiasticall Temporall and Monasticall do auerre the Peripateticall Prince his principle to be true in all things depending vpon chance and chaunge concerning the conuersion of countries people and nations to the Catholike faith For was not the generation or beginning of the Mosaicall law a plaine corruption fall and decay of the law of nature all the Gentiles presently vpon the Orient rise bright shine and flourish of the Israelites Church and their Hebrew Monarchie being giuen ouer into infidelitie and Idolatrie contrarie to the law of nature vnder which the faithfull had liued aboue two thousand yeares without distinction of Iew or Gentile vntill this Mosaicall law began And when for the Iewes sinnes and offences the period of their Monarchie and end of their synagogues and temples honour and religion came did not then the primitiues of the East Church amongst the Christians carry away the auriflambe of all religious zeale After that when the heauie cadens of the East Church came did not also then the Sonne of iustice tanquam sponsus procedens de thalamo suo spread abrode the bright beames of his spouses glorie in a transparant light throughout these our West Ocean cloudes of heathenish darknesse and giue to these Northren Isles the prerogatiue regall of Prime-birth to his inheritance if the Britons and afterwards the English Saxons could haue kept it When by succeding turnes the most part of Asia and Affricke was corrupted and fallen away and all Europe conuerted to the sacred Apostolicall Romane faith when Monasteries began in this North Christian world to be built and great multitudes of Monkes Friers Canons regulars Nunnes and other sacred Saints and holy persons to consort themselues together when Emperors Kings Queenes Princes Lords and Ladies of all degrees fled from their regall Palaces to priuat Cels and left the triumphes of their conquests the trophees of their loues and pompes and pleasures of their Courts to who so would possesse them when here an Anchoresse there an Hermit and in euery wood wild and desert some sacred virgine valed inuested interred dead to the world was to be found when all fertile soyles all places of pleasure profite and content all earthly wealths and reuenues of most woorth were turned into Abbey and Church lands liuings and liuelyhoods when holy emulation was who might giue most all gaue of the best and made this flourishing Isle our Ladies dower when Kings and Queenes Priests and Prelates Lords and Ladies Monkes and Friers sacred Virgins and chast Matrons and all sorts of persons knew their duties first to God to his Church to her Priests then to their Prince to the Commonwealth and to her Peeres and lastly each one to another how when and where to commaund or obey when all things sorted to so sweet a sympatheall harmonie in English hearts as England by a prerogatiue royall of grace diuine merited to be called Anglia chara Deo gens when flying fame of their rare Angelicall conuersation had fronted the coasts of furthest countries and occupied with great admiration of mind the mouthes of most men in the world when England Fraunce and Flaunders Italy Bohemia and Germany Spaine Portugal and Hungary Sicilie Naples and Cyprus Denmarke Poland and Sweden Scotland Ireland and Norway did striue for a supremacie to carry away the garland of vertue deuotion and religion on all sides Then inimicus homo enuying at mans felicitie to conforme by permission diuine Gods concurrence with secondarie causes to the Philosophers prescript of generation and corruption in tract of time corrupting all these Northren and Westerne parts of the world with contention ambition Turcisme heresie and Pharisaisme a new generation of Catholike truth and religion begins to labour and bring soorth their children amongst the Indians Antipodies and new found world before vnknowne vnto these Northren and Westerne parts discouered first by Portingals and Friers and after proceeded in by Spaniards and Iesuits And now listen what followed Amongst many other cadences and fals the heauiest of all the rest hath bene iudged by many to haue bene our English calamities begun at first by the ambitious aspires of Cardinall Wolsey who affecting the highest Soueraigntie in causes Ecclesiasticall on earth made a great breach by his contrarie plotting betwixt King Henry the eight of famous memorie and the Sea Apostolicke And afterward when vnder her Maiestie Queene Elizabeth our Soueraigne now regnant sundrie persons of rare indowments graces and abilities had retired themselues to places of studie and seruice of their Lord God beyond the seas where they liued in diuerse Seminaries and Colledges leading there a right Monasticall and religious life in a most perfect state of religious profession calling and order as both all other religious Orders and Ecclesiasticall persons that conuersed with them or knew their manner of life and whereunto their whole studie tended did acknowledge somtimes in teares proceeding after their returne hither in simplicitate cordis with all humilitie patience
woman or not c. and withall to bring arguments sillogisticall enthimematicall and inductiue or exemplarie pro contra for auerring and impugning of the same then to put foorth a question whether a Seminarie Priest or a Iesuite ought sooner to be credited esteemed of and followed whether a Iesuite be a good or a bad man whether their doctrine be erronious trecherous and seditious or not whether it be lawfull to call a knaue a knaue an hereticke an hereticke a traitor a traitor a bastard a bastard c. or not and how when where and vpon what occasions such questions doubts and interrogatories may and ought to be proposed and answer made pro contra agreeing to humane conceit morall capacitie and iust censure of and in such cases cannot iustly incurre any reprehension or blame Besides this kind of proceeding shall as I haue said both driue the true conceipt of matters the better into peoples hearts heads and eares and yet not exasperate any by galling words which positiue discourses in accusations do ordinarily occasionate and cannot be auoyded further then the ripping vp of truth in things necessarie to be knowne must needs stirre and moue the guiltie constrained by this meanes to hold vp his hand at barre and to haue his wounds launced searched and discouered to the very naked heart in open sight This then being the summe of what I intend to write and here propose to no other end as I take my sweet Sauiour and all his holy Angels and Saints to witnesse then to deliuer the ignorant out of errour to giue to the tersacred Apostolicall Romane Church faith and Religion their due and to make known what loyaltie what seruice what deare affection ought to be in euery subiect euen by authoritie of all lawes of God or man in defence of their Prince countrie and state where they liue I will hold the indifferent dispassionate and diligent Reader with no longer discourse of a Preamble but leauing all to his best conceipts and desiring no euill opinion sinister construction or hard censure to passe of my well meant indeuors I commit his sharpe wits or her swift thoughts to the speedie encounter of this Bucke of the first head in the quest at euery Quodlibeticall relay set in the pursuit of their game LENVOY THE contents of this booke shall appeare in the Table of the Articles meane while be pleased gentle Reader to take these rules to guide you in this Discourse First be not hastie to censure of any part or parcell vntill you haue read the whole booke throughout if you will be free from partialitie and rest reformed of errour and quieted in Catholike vnitie loue and peace Secondly if you find in some Page the names of particular persons places c. expresly set downe and in other Pages concealed take the reason cause thereof to be this to wit that in the concealement the respect is had to the hurt that might be done by opening such matters men time place words writings c. and againe in the expresse discouery of them the respect is had to the common cause hindred by concealement of such persons actions c. Thirdly take this for a rule infallible that no secret is written of here in particular which was not before publikely knowne aswell to our common aduersaries as to our owne company and that aswell by letters taken as by their owne confessions in publike manner whom the fact concerned Fourthly be not too curious in these two points vz. if you find sundry faults escaped by the Printer as quae for quod Malto for Malta anno primo for actione prima and many such like which the prudent Reader may correct by the sense and vpon his owne knowledge without setting downe Errata here for euery particular Againe if you find some words more sharpe and biting then in your conceit is requisite yet do not for that condemne either the whole Booke which respecteth the matter whereupon all our company in effect do agree and not the words sentences or phrase of speech which respecteth the humour of euery man with such a difference as almost impossible to please all mens veines or symbolize with their methods conceits and meanings neither yet do you vpon dislike of such speeches or of the Author condemne the cause or the rest of his brethren for what is more common then for one man to giue censure and iudge of a case thus and for another so and withall euen in points of most importance a controuersie decided in sacred synode is set downe infallibly true but the Scribe notwithstanding in adding a reason of his owne in explaning the Text or Canon may commit a great sinne and grosse errour and yet not the decree of the Councell to be euer the worse thought of or of lesse credite THE ARGVMENT OF THE first Generall Quodlibet FOrasmuch as all these 10 Quodlibets consisting of 10 Articles a peece haue a relation to the good or harme done in and to the Church common-wealth the heads of both and principall members either specificall or indiuiduall in either of them by the Iesuits faction and confederats in casting of plots for their purpose and most aduantage aswell by plausible perswasions in passages of speech as also by countermined platformes in practicall conspiracies I thought it good to giue you to vnderstand as a point of importance necessary to be knowne that all and euery of these Quodlibets and Articles are of such speciall matter as they are not to be tearmed Metaphisicall conceits or coniectured inuentions of speculatiue knowledge but are in very deed Phisicall practicall and knowne things which rise in question and are talked of euery where of Cleargy and Laity Catholikes and Protestants men and women nobles and gentiles boyes and girles home-borne subiects and aliens or strangers yea what part of Christendome nay of the whole Macrocosme this day almost is free or exempted from the knowledge or hearing of what I meane to discusse and reason of in briefe no nation vnder the cope of heauen but shall find thēselues touched and to haue an interest part and portion in some one or other of these questions quodlibetical articles here proposed For which cause the first Quodlibet offered as an obiect to the eyes of the ignorant seemeth sitly to be tearmed a Quodlibet of plots by scandale and offence taken by some Pharisaically or Iewishlike and therefore not to be regarded by others superstitiously or rather too scrupulously and therefore necessary to be informed of the truth and reformed of their errour as being in the originall scandale not directly giuen but onely taken of their infirmity and weake iudgement and vnderstanding for a prudent wise and sound Catholike or other person of stayd wit censure and conceit will neuer be scandalized at these contentions or the like And therefore haue I placed it in the first ranke and before all other as an introduction to take away all scruple out of
crow so fast ouer all Surely were I a Iesuite and vnpriested I would neuer abide one hower in their order for feare of afterclaps Well I will be no blabbe nor do wish to be the Prophet of their destruction but fiat iustitia ruant coeli they haue had their time of defaming disgracing and accusing let them giue vs ours of defending THE IIII. ARTICLE VVHether is it lawfull to set out the Iesuits in their proper colours to vse satyricall and biting words and writings against them and to detect them of all such vices as may humble them and breed in peoples hearts a true conceit of them euen as they are and none otherwise better or worse Or else fitter to conceale from the worlds eare all such things as yet are not discouered of them and only to defend in mild answers c THE ANSWERE ALL Priests and others that are not of that seditious Iesuiticall and Spanish faction are bound in charitie as now the case stands to detect them to the vttermost First for a caueat to the ignorant multitude seduced by them hereafter to beware of them Secondly per legem talionis returning their malice foule detraction defamation calumniation obloquie and what not inuented by them against the innocent vpon their own heads Thirdly for that the same legifer Who willed the patient if smitten on the one eare to offer the other did also allow it as iust and lawfull that in what sinne soeuer a man had sinned in the same he should be punished and with like measure to his brother giuen it should be remeasured to him againe Fourthly for this cause it was that our Sauiour Christ himselfe although he acknowledgeth that the Scribes and Pharisees sitting in Moses chaire were in their doctrine to be obeyed that is so long as they remained visible members of and in Gods church they ought to be obediently beleeued in all points of doctrine concerning the Catholike faith yet for their corrupt manners lewd life and hypocrisie with how many vaes and woes to you Scribes and Pharisees did he come vpon them How many hypocrites how many progenies and vipers broodes and how many Sathans and begotten of the diuell did he tearme them yea and sometimes also euen his owne beloued Apostles And haue not all the saints and seruants of God vsed the like libertie of speech when occasion was giuen and time was for it Reade Saint Paules Epistle to his Timothe to his Corinthians to his Galathians c. Reade the Ecclesiasticall histories of the words of Saint Iohn the Euangelist of Saint Policarpe of Saint Anthony of Saint Chrysostome c. yea reade but for proofe hereof sundry of Fa. Parsons letters bookes libels and pamphlets together with sundrie Satyricals of Maister Blackwels though silly man I verily thinke he wrote some things against his conscience at the instigation of those seeming top of wits willing precise Pythagorists the Iesuits In the which libels pamphlets and Satyres seeing you shall find a manifest but most vnlawfull libertie of speech to detract the innocent then à fortiori no reason but those should be discouered in way of iustice and common charitie who hold an vniust charter of another mans good name fame and life tearing it in peeces with their toungs euery houre at their pleasure as though the fee simple of all mens acts words and thoughts were in their gift to raise and let fall the price of all at their deuotion Fiftly this discouery made by the secular cleargie and Seminarie Priests of the Iesuits trecherous abuse of Synonamaes Epithetons phrases tialitie and simplicitie to be made such a dotterell as the Iesuits cannot chuse but laugh in their sleeue to thinke how they can draw wind and make him willingly to speake write or act what they please with or against himselfe without all sense honestie modestie conscience religion vnderstanding or learning Insomuch as it appeares by this that his simplicitie is so great that he stands in such awe of them and so much and wholy at the Iesuits deuotion to stand or fall that if they should send vnto him or will him to set out an edict that all crowes were white he would commaund all vnder paine of excommunication to subscribe vnto it For how is it possible otherwise that in a case so manifest as this is scil the Iesuits write directly infamous libels against both Catholicke Priests and against the whole Common-wealth of their natiue land and against all in generall of both states ecclesiasticall and temporall and the Seculars write onely Apologies in a iust defence of all these this being the case on both sides how is it possible that a halfe witted man vnlesse ouercome with partiall fauour or feare should erre so grossely and palpably in the sight of all the world as to suspend excommunicate c. or at least make it be giuen out so or winke at the brokers of it to haue it thought that the Priestes bookes may not be read and yet the Iesuits bookes may nay shall be commended vnto both men and women of purpose to be read as most excellent rare and learned matter scil for to bring their necks into the halter well if God pardon maister Blackwell this fault there is good hope he will pardon all his offences yet is it vincibilis yea and Crassa ignorantia in the highest degree of grosnesse Secondly Maister Blackwels authoritie is onely if he haue any and not lost all by abuse of it in causes ecclesiasticall concerning Religion c. and therefore let him looke to the case of premunire for his accepting of an vnheard of soueraigntie contrarie to the order prescribed by the ancient lawes of this kingdome as some do hold and for his intermedling in allowance of the Iesuits libels and statizations and not threaten the seculars in that wherein he hath nothing to do Thirdly if his authoritie extended as it is pretended to inhibite and forbid all kind of bookes but such as he should approue allow and licence yet in all reason it hath this limitation viz where he himselfe is not a partie or if not so yet in an action of life and death of soule bodie honor or good name he cannot forbid any whosoeuer to write or speake in defence of anie the said liues and to cleare himselfe if he can neither can he yet forbid or forwarne any one to reade or heare any thing that may saue the life of the innocent And therefore the most inhumane vnchristian vncatholicke vniust and vncharitable part that euer was heard of to stop or seem to stop the Priests Apologies written in defence of their good names taken away by the Iesuits an act so cruell vnnaturall and contrarie to all lawes diuine or humane as the Popes Holinesse cannot dispense with any one to fulfill it no more then to dispense with any one to kill himselfe either bodily or ghostly as the not writing of these Apologies or the like were at least the
Christendome and farre more then they will allow to the poore prisoners at Wishich or to students at home or other places where the Seminary and secular Priestes liue vnder them and therefore rightly called their prisoners as kept so streightly that they may not recreate themselues together nor two of them haue any speech or conference without a third with many like Turkish cruelties which these tyrants vse against the English Priestes whilest they liue in all iollitie wealth and pleasure themselues there as in all other bookes and Apologies you may find set out at large of that matter Seuenthly they professe no continuall silence nor solitarie life as sundrie religeous do and keepe it most strictly thinking it a death to come foorth of their Cels and Cloisters into the world to haue any speech medling or sight of any worldly thing But they quite contrarie professe such a popularity secularitie temporalitie and all mundane kind of life and medling in worldly affaires as wonder it is how euer they haue time to thinke of God or any good Saint Eightly they professe neither chastitie nor yet obedience more then any other religious order doth yea no more in very deed their manner of performing obedience to their superiour considered then euery secular Priest doth And if a man go to the wayes and meanes of performance of this their vowe of chastitie and obedience it is farre inferiour and more imperfect vncertaine and dangerous in them then in any or the most part of other religious orders Ninthly if their perfection consist in this that they labour in preaching teaching conuersion of soules ministring of Sacraments managing of causes with Princes and ciuill persons and therefore as diuines say quia maius est illuminare quam illuminari so they affirme that they haue taken a state of most perfection that way vpon them and indeed they take so much vpon them in that behalfe as they seeme to arrogate an Apostolicall power and authoritie reserued to themselues alone therein speaking it in plaine tearmes that the seculars ought not to meddle in such affaires but content themselues like sillie simple men with hearing confessions at most or onely saying of Masse for as for confessions I wis they will not with their good-wils permit that a secular Priest should take the confessions of any vnlesse it be of meane persons and poore folkes where no gaine nor commoditie is to be had but at Gods hand onely yet by these worshipfull Rabbies leaues if they vsurpe secular Priests places and authority and thereupon challenge a degree of perfection vnto them before and aboue all other then would I know from whence they haue that gift to illuminate and power and authority of preaching teaching hearing confessions and other like Ecclesiasticall iurisdictions For as for their managing of Ciuill and Martiall causes as inuasion of kingdomes raising of rebellions defamation of Princes and bringing all into a popular contempt that are not themselues or dependent on them and the like absurdâ—ties as they haue receiued no such commission from God nor his Church but directly from the common enemy of mankind as suggested by him and after bred in their itching ambicious idle working braines so no secular will wish seeke or accept of that their seditious turbulent and bloudy office vnfit of all other for Priests to deale in out of their hands It is therefore of the former Ecclesiasticall iurisdictions lawfull authorities whereof I speake would know from whence of whom they haue them Either they must haue them immediatly from God or else from man To say they haue them immediatly from God I thinke they will not but yet if they dare say so as who can tel what giddy heads puffed vp with swelling pride impudency insolency wil say or do when it stands theÌ„ vpon to stand to their tacklings or else haue all their followers disciples forsake them then first it wil be demanded per quaÌ„ regulam do they proue it Secondly what testimony or witnesse haue they for it Thirdly how when in what place was this new institution of Ecclesiastiques promise granted confirmed ratified Fourthly by what signe tokeÌ„ wonder or miracle shal we know it is from God immediatly for miracles we must haue for confirmations of all new doctrine approbation of ancient Catholike traditions customes orders Thirdly what manner of man vbi gentium where was he borne whose sonne was he where and how was he brought vp how liued he how died he that was the first author or illuminate of this innouation and change Sixtly and last of all after all these things are examined and knowne and that with helpe of an Aesopian fable they can bring vs into a conceit of a Lucean Tower to be firmely built in the imaginatiue horescope of their wandring zodiacke yet will they all be proued by this meanes to be flat forerunners of Antichrist and Archinuenters of new Puratinisme worse then euer yet was heard of or else made to do publike pennance throughout all Churches in Christendome confessing before the whole world as I pray God graunt them grace humility and patience to do it what blind guides and seducers of innocent hearts they haue bene leading many soules into eminent danger of perdition by arrogating to to much vnto themselues c. Againe if they say they haue this authority and by consequent are in state of perfection aboue the seculars by institution and gift of and from the Pope his Holinesse and Sea Apostolike then it will be replied by necessary sequele vpon them First that the Pope himselfe must needes be thereby of a more perfect life then they are which in no wise they will yeeld vnto yea arrogating an extraordinarie familiaritie with God to be due to them alone and a kind of impossibilitie of errour in their Synodall consultations called vnder and by their Generall their speciall prerogatiue and meanes to bring any one to perfection they are so farre from yeelding or granting it at least equally with them to his Holinesse is such as they haue preached openly in Spaine against Pope Sixtus the last of all holy memorie and rayling against him as against a most wicked man and monster on earth they haue called him a Lutheran hereticke they haue termed him a wolfe they haue said he had vndone all Christendom if he had liued and in few Card. Bellarmine himself as Iudge Paramount being asked what he thought of his death answered Qui sine paenitentia viuit sine paenitentia moritur proculdubio ad infernum descendit and to an English Doctor of our nation he said Conceptis verbis quantum capio quantum sapio quantum intelligo descendit ad infernum Well let this passe as a comfort to seculars to be ful of imperfections as vnworthie creatures to be iustly censured of by these worthie perfectiues that dare iudge their chief Pastor which no sacred Sinode nor OEcumenicall Councell either wold either
potent Kings Christian and Catholike did verily thinke they would haue pulled them downe and stoned them in the streete Thus you see what perfection these mortified men are come vnto and whereunto their ostentation of obedience to their superior doth tend Obedience indeed is a speciall vertue but one swallow makes no Sommer one vertue makes no creature perfect in his life one onely defect makes a priuation but all helpes must concurre to euery perfection Vnitas est principium numeri sed vnus vel vnitas non est numerus nisi abusiuè sumptus The fiue foolish virgins they did watch they liued chast they were obedient they were diligent they were carefull they carried lampes with them burning with indiscreet fire of zeale but they wanted oyle of charitie to keepe in the heate and make it perfect and therefore were they reiected with nescio vos Well yet admit this obedience of the Iesuits to weare the garland of perfection and merite the crowne of glorie what then Is there none hath equall part with them or may none be as perfect as any of them by this same meanes Yes questionlesse Saint Augustine our Apostle was sent by Pope Gregorie surnamed the Great for his many rare excellencies and graces into this flourishing Isle of England nolens volens with commaund not to returne vntill he had conuerted this people and nation to the Christian faith or else lost his life in defence of the same And he came by vertue of his Holinesse commaund and vnder obedience worthily perfourmed the same to his great merite How many Monks and Friers and other both secular and religious persons haue gone and do go continually with like authoritie when occasion is offered and vnder the same vow of obedience which these Iesuits make their vaunt of It were too long to stand to number them with what authoritie and vnder what other obedience vnlesse a more perfect kind do Seminarie Priests come into England saue onely this alone Where is then the difference of this great perfection which is in the Iesuits aboue all other Priests or orders of religion Where it is I know not but where the contrarie is I can giue a shrewd guesse at it It was said of old Cucullus non facit monachum It is not the death but the cause that makes a Martyr And we say now that meate makes and cloth shapes and manners makes a man and that all these faire shewes and flourishes in Academicall vertues may be without impeachment in their causes and yet stark nought in the effects produced by them And because saith the Philosopher that ex effectibus cognoscitur causa therefore by demonstration à posteriori it wil be proued that the Iesuits state of perfection is starke stinking nought and their ostentation of obedience meere hypocrisie and a seditious arrogant vaineglorious deluding of simple people with their vsurpate authoritie Is it alwaies a vertue and merite in those qui trans mare currunt to hazard their liues in forreine lands going either voluntarie or vnder obedience by commaund of their Superior If the Iesuites say it is not as it is not indeede then it followeth that they must graunt O that men wold but giue now and then an impartial glaunce vpon the Iesiu s protects and principles of their absurdities then should they see it luce clarius thâ—â— they abâ—â—e euery vertue grace and meane left vs to worke our saluation by cum â—â—more tremore simplicitate cordis who doth or can deny but that the three Euangelicall vertues of chastitie pouerty and oâ—eâ—ience are of counsell onely not of precept a in the Gospel and of precept not of counsell after a vow 〈◊〉 God hath past of them and yet â—oth wâ—ies they 〈◊〉 be and are often abus d to â—uâ—ll eâ—â—â—â—â—s apâ—â—eâ—â—â—â—â—â—ne in 〈…〉 seâ—â—â—â—â—â—â—ons that 〈…〉 it is the intention not the action that occasioneth the merite In respect whereof we say and true it is by generall opinion of all men that two Christians going into the warres together against the Turke and both of them there slaine the one may die a blessed martyr the other be damned to hell without redemption and then by consequent they must needes graunt that though the cause seeme neuer so iust yet the intention may mar all that that which is known only to God alone during the time of hanging the same cause the same is known to man after the effects haue discouered it And so their ostentation of mortification obedience perfection of state and I know not what is in pollicie by them to be kept silent for burst it out once into the effects it will proue nothing but auarice extorsion cousinage trecherie and treason If they affirme which were grosse that the very act of going vnder obedience be meritorious and makes the habituated therewith perfect then I inferre that vpon such a generalitie Mithridates filling all the Adriaticke seas with Pirates to molest the Romane Nauies and to breake their forces did cause a high merite to redound by that act to his couragious souldiers for feare makes cowards couragious in extremities though questionlesse many of them went for obedience which had rather haue wished themselues halfe hanged to haue sit still at home slept in a sound skin amongst their wiues and children So a merchants factor going by commandement of his maister into Turkie Barbarie Persia or elsewhere committing himselfe to Neptunus mercie to winds and waues and all aduerse fortunes of sea and land yet because those that are bound they must obey and perhaps though vnwilling to haue taken that voyage in hand of himselfe yet going on his maister his cost and charges he takes it vpon him with great alacritie and ioy of mind and by consequent meriteth greatly thereby if this principle hold true with the Iesuits And a number of the like examples may be brought to shew their grosse errour or rather the fond opinion of many that thinke vpon their inueigling perswasions that a Iesuite hath taken vpon him the most perfect state and vocation of life of any other whosoeuer Whereas in very deede it is especially as now they vse it the most imperfect of all other a very platforme canuase and deuise how to strengthen and enrich themselues with wealth friends and insinuating of theÌ„selues into Princes Courts and affaires and thus forsooth for obedience sake these humble soules must passe into India Turkie England Scotland and all nations and be remoued sent for and posted euer like merchants indeede that trafficke where most gaine is to be made by interchaunging of merchandize from one Mart hauen promontorie or Monopole to another and so another sent in his place thither againe or perhaps none at all if no commoditie be to be reaped thereby either by holding in of some friends that would slip from them or else by meanes of giuing intelligences of affaires in those coasts necessarie to be made knowne And thus much for these pure
yet any one wise man no nor sound Catholike or good Christian in the world vnlesse he were either a Ieseuit in re or in spe or a broker for them THE VII ARTICLE VVHether any other profession or religious order haue done like good for instructing of youth or conuerting of countries to Gods Church or reformation of life and manners of such as liue in the Church as the Iesuits haue or not THE ANSWERE LIke as I told you before the Iesuites intrude themselues into both secular religious and temporall Princes affaires and must euery one of them be Rector chori Dominus fac totum and an absolute superlatiue in all things or else all is naught So herein they challenge a prerogatiue royall to themselues alone so farre beyond all measure of copartnership with any other as they haue bene bold to affirme that religion had vtterly quailed if they had not bene yea the Catholike Church in eminent danger to haue bene quite extinct and ouerthrowne In so much as they haue not feared to affirme that the Pope erred de facto in the reconciliation of the French King which great no lesse impudency and insolency then arrogancy and impiety in them as it may be put amongst others of their malepart errors and vsurpate censures so know they to their owne perdition shame and confusion that the Church of God hath no need of them But let them all as I pray God for their wretched soules sakes that too many of them do not proue ranke heretikes yet for the Catholike saith and Church of God neither they neither portae inferi preualebunt aduersus eam and that he qui potens est ex lapidibus suscitare filios Abrahae can raise vp better more learned prudent and perfecter and purer then any pure illuminate amongst them out of the very ashes and dust of seculars or other religious bodies when they are all dead and gone to the place prepared for them And therfore in answer to the Article I say First that as it hath alwayes bin seene hitherto in Gods Church at the rising of any new and extraordinary sect or opinion in religion that God hath stirred vp some certaine person or order of religion to be a curbe to that new sect or heresie as is cleare by S. Benedict by S. Dominicke by S. Augustine by S. Thomas Aquinas and sundry others and yet not these such as without whom the Catholike faith had bin extinct or the Church of God ouerthrowne So reâ—rend a regard was alwaies had of both secular and religious persons as no Noble or other Peere of highest honor in this laÌ„d but would haue had their childreÌ„ yea their heires brought vp in Bishops pallaces or Abbots monasteries vnder those spirituall guides before euer any Iesuit came within ken of humane knowledge Yea some Bishops in England are recorded to haue had 7. or 8. Earles with other Noble mens sonnes attending vpon theÌ„ at one time not that any Bishop did expect seruice at their hands but that it was thought fit to traine them vp these in their youth c. So no question of it but the Iesuits at the first institution of their society did much good in these dangerous times of heresies sects and innouations wherewith the Christian world was and is yet intangled more is the pitty but yet being far inferior to the aboue named religious orders as the church of God could theÌ„ haue bin without theÌ„ so now much more without these yet done aswel perhaps better as now the case staÌ„ds theÌ„ she hath done by their helpes meanes Secondly for their instructioÌ„ of youth c. I haue told you inough before it is but a double diligence like to a Beares loue to his whelpes to pray for his owne paunch And yet take it in best sense there haue bin are wil be youths brought vp better then they do both by secular religious teachers wheÌ„ they shal be far to seeke Mary that it is so now for the present it proceeds of one of their former trickes of gaining credit fame as by alluring sweet natured youths vnto them withall in stopping by disgracing speeches other meanes that none whom they can hinder shal be gouerned taught or instructed by any but themselues Yea was not this one speciall cause of foisting in the Iesuites readers into the Romane Colledge and other places was not this one speciall cause to hinder the Benedictines religious intent charitable designments when they offered to haue brought vp and maintained 30. English youthes from time to time to prepare them for their natiue country Which these Momists Zoilists Aristerkists and enuious Iesuits could not endure to heare of was not this the cause of their Archpriests late command that no youth should go ouer to any Colledge without his approbation testimony giuen of him to the fathers Yea and withall hath not this bene the cause that many fine yong Gentlemen haue lost their wits haue bene made vncapable of all gouernment either in the Church or common-wealth euer after Let one William Tempest as fine a youth one who had as many signes of a generous hart and gentle bloud in him as any that euer went out of England in this age be a heauy spectacle as it cannot chuse but be so to all his friends for all others to looke vpoÌ„ wheÌ„ they are moued to send their children to be brought vp vnder Iesuits Thirdly concerning their paines taken in conuersion of countries I pray you what nation is there that is wholly conuerted by their only meanes They entred Polony and streight there followed vpon it a rebellion against their Soueraigne in conclusioÌ„ the Danskers wold not admit him to be their King vnlesse he wold cast off that seditious society that had raised such mutinies against the Cleargy They pierced India thrust out the Dominicans Augustinians other poore religious Friers in fine made the Spaniards become odious to that straÌ„ge people natioÌ„ They ruled the rost ouer al in France And wherunto tended all their seeming religious indeuor but treason to the king rebellion in his subiects population ruine destruction of their natiue country common-wealth They came here into England and no sooner had they set foote on shore but presently their harts were inflamed with flashes of conspiracies how to top the highest place They haue residence in Spaine and how mightily haue they labored to wring the bucklers out of the Dominicans haÌ„ds for possessing the chaire to teach at Salamanca And with the like busie turbulent seditious heads is Germany Bohemia Cicily Italy and Rome it selfe molested pestered and disquieted Therefore as they haue neither conuerted any countrey directly and by their owne only labours but peruerted many a deuout soule by sinister dealings so neither haue they done halfe that good in any place wheresoeuet they yet came as sundry both secular religious Priests haue
ex illis and not a Raphael of another order c. And as the Chapter of Cannons chuse their Deane and not the Priests dispearsed in parishes the Deane Chapter and Priests of each Bishoprike their Bishop and not the inclused Monkes of that Dioces the Dominicans their Prior and not the Franciscans the Iesuits their prouincial and not the Benedictines the Aldermen and City of London their Maior not the Iustices c. and onely in hell amongst heretikes ordo negligitur ergo the Iesuits appointing vs a superior do imitate one of these 6 His letters to Rome against his brethreÌ„ egor defence of the Iesuits coÌ„uince him to be vnus ex vel subditus illis ergo coÌ„tra ius imponitur nobis c. 7 He publickly professeth partiality as in his bitter letters to maister Benson to maister More and to sundry others and that he maintaines them in all things ergo vt iniquus iniustus iudex deponendus 8 His authority was vnhonestly procured because we were neuer made acquainted therewith hauing è contrario formerly imparted our minds vnto them c. vnlawfully confirmed because by the Cardinal at Parsons suite both our enemies and vniustly executed because by Iudges of their owne cause and therefore all three Cardinall Parsons and Blackwell intrusers into our haruest vsurpers of his Holinesse authority and tyrants ouer vs and our countrey 9 That it was directly a plot cast of Parsons by and for the Iesuits to expell or bring all Priests vnder them patet ex bulla qua instituitur praecipue vt pacem habeant cum Iesuitis ergo ad interitum omnium aliorum c. 10 That it was foisted in by Parsons procurement only vpon a point of extremity to colour his impiety and to stop the discouery of his treacherous mind towards his countrey appeareth For it came iumpe at that time when both in Spaine Italy the Low-countries his dealings began to be odious for his tyrannie against all Priests and lay persons that consented not to his Iaponian kingdome and in England his bookes and all his and their dealings being by Catholikes generally disliked and by secular Priests condemned and reiected as full of ambition bloudshed infamy and ruine intended to our whole countrey it was time to set vp such an Archiprate or else had the Iesuits faction bene quite pulled downe for euer which though he haue but a blind name of authority yet it serueth to hold tacke till by inuasion or otherwise the Iesuits may worke their feate for inhauncing of kingdomes c ergo vtterly by all English to be deiected 11 That setting M. Black priuate life aside which now I omit he is vnfit if such authority were lawfully graÌ„ted to be chosen for a head ouer so great a multitude of fine wits many more graue ancient and learned then himselfe especially in times of so many dangers and full of diuersities and differences in al things besides religion learning and this is most plaine for that he is wel knowne to be a man of no reach only he hath read studied sundry positiue authors whereby he can speake or write sentences euill couched together God wot out of others But of himselfe he neuer knew what discourse writing to great persons or of matters of weight or what ciuill conuersation or gouernment meant For hauing a charge onely of a widow Gentlewoman with whom he liued he neuer conuersed with any to learne either wit knowledge or experience in any thing or how to behaue himselfe in company discourse or otherwise to sift out any matter or yet to know how to do iustice in his office further then his booke told him which often causeth error through want of practise and experience to know the custome of times and places c. which may alter quite his book cases as applyed by a correspondencie to another purpose Which grosse ignorance a man shall find almost in euery letter he writes wresting this and that sentence Canon author and authoritie quite contrarie to another act matter sence and meaning then euer thereby was intended which I should rather thinke came of his simplicitie then of wilfull error were it not that he is become so proud peremptorie and scoffing contemptuous in his exorbitant letters words and all his other actions since this immerited authority came vpon him ergo by Parsons rule of deposing or chusing gouernors M. Blackwell is vnfittest of an hundred and consequently to be deposed for his insufficiencie though otherwise he had absolute authoritie 12 That M. Blackwels simplicitie and vnaptnesse to gouerne sheweth plaine the great mischiefe and ruine of our countrie intended by chusing of him is manifest For who in pollicie would attempt that which the Iesuites go about by any but such as wanting wit to enter into their drift should thinke euery word to be an oracle or else to be the Gospell that they speak and then vpon this ground Catholikes hauing tender consciences must thinke it a sinne irremissible to resist c. 13 That the Iesuits pollicie was maruellous dexterous in choosing one by profession a secular Priest and not a knowne Iesuite and consequently none fitter then M. Blackwell vz. First otherwise they had opened their own ambition to all the world Secondly they could not in honestie and with any face haue spoken for themsâ—lues as others may do for them Thirdly they may hereby colour all their trecherie for if it fadge not well the head is a Seminarie or secular Priest if it hap to their wish he is by them set vp ergo at their appointment Fourthly they may as they do more stoutly defend him then themselues 14 That a greater persecution is and must ensue by M. Blackwels Archpresbitery then euer came to Catholikes by the ciuill magistrates vz. First for that it opens the way to all rebellion freeing euery one to speake or do what they list or can against any except Iesuits all vnder pretence of zeale in taking forsooth the Popes part by defending M. Blackwels authority and esteeming of all that resist it to be Schismaticks or worse Secondly wheras before som few were infamed by priuat oppositions against the Iesuits now all that obey not M. Blackwell are so persecuted by these Parsonians railing and slaundering toungs as none can liue free Thirdly it breeds that contempt as euery boy and girle are in manner of esteeme of priesthood become Haywoodists Wisemanists and I could tell you what worse perdee to put no difference but all secular as well laitie as clergie c. Fourthly it makes vent for inuasion both of England and Scotland the Archpriests twelue assistants being dispersed in euery corner with the laity to worke by North and by South perswading it to be for the Scots good to ioyne with Spaine ergo mightily he is to be resisted 15 That the plot was laid long ago for the Archpriest videl by their olim dicebamur and other forgeries of theirs First
appellationem factam manis est excommunicatio or as saith the glosse Nemo potest excommunicari 2. That admit there had beene no appeale yet could no excommunication suspension c. binde them in the case proposed in foro conscientiâ—e quia litterae impetratae suggesto mendacio non nocent eis contra quos impetrantur c. sententiae contra leges canonesue perlatae debent vtique pro infectis haberi c. 4. Lastly a question doth rise heere out of this article whether in foro exter an excommunication suspension c. do alwaies binde or not The Archpriest is knowne directly to haue no such authority as he master Parsons giuâ—â—ut he hath to excommunicate suspend c. neither was his holinesse priuâ— to his vsurpate intâ—nt on in taking more vpon him than he hath graÌ„ted ergo ad placâ— tum whether any will obey him in the points in question or not c. vers gra whether if by meanes made to his holinesse on the Iesuits and Archpriests behalfe there should a precept briefe or bull be obteined to command all Catholicks to be at master Blackwels command and to obey him in all things sub paena excommunicationis suspensionis amissionis omnium facultatum c. were it to be obeied or not To which I answere first that it were as is saide before scil to suffer patiently that iust torment inflicted vpon them if knowne directly that it were his holinesse will and intent to haue it so by refraining from the Sacraments and thus much propter obedientiam piae iurium ecclesiam eiusque cap. Rom. po tum ad euitandum scandalum which in this case might happen to the infirme and weake Catholicks iudgeing it to proceed of contempt and disobedience to the sea Apostolick if they should presume to come at the holy altar or frequent any Sacraments being excommunicated c. though neuer so wrongfully and iniustly Secondly that notwithstanding such an excommunication yet the said seculars and their adhaerents might proceede as before either in prosecuting the appeale begun or beginning a new and following of the same Note that the Archpriest cannot haue authoritie from the Pope to stop all appeales froÌ„ him to the Pope and by consequence thâ—ugh in Blackwell had authority to excommunâ—cate suspend c. in all thinges which he hath not neither daâ—e take it vpon him to defend he hath so yet were his excommunication void both in foro conscientiae ecclesie in this case of forbidding appeales wherein so free al men were from any bond to obey as they were bound to disobey it and reiect him as an Antipape notwithstanding any command or authority to the contrary vntill such time as the truth of their cause were made knowne to his holinesse and that they had receiued his resolute answere Which had no such censure could be incurd because the wrong accrewing in ius suum by making the Archpriest aboue himselfe it were not in the Popes power to giue him such an authoritie and remaine Pope after it for that the passage of an appeale must alwaies be from an inferior to a superior ergo if master Blackwell haue authoritie to command that none shall write nor send nor seeke for iustice from him to the Pope nor and by consequent then it followeth to any other but whom he shall assigne as his charge giuen to the apellants to goe into the Low countries c. includes so much arrogancie and vsurpation of a supremacy at least vnder paine of excommunication c. then it followeth that he the said Blackwell is the supreme head of the church Catholike at least heere in England from whom there is no appeale to be made but all iniuries to be borne off with head and shoulders neither will his or the Iesuits excuse for him serue their turns to say the seculars appeale is but about friuolous light matters in themselues proceeding of a seditious stubborne disobedient obstinate contentious spirit not well established in the grace of God c. In all which cases it were expresly against the Canons to disobey him or to appeale from him as from say they their lawfull superior and by consequent that he may command them not to trouble his holinesse with such brabling matters c. I say this neither will neither shall serue his turne For if they be but trifles or wranglings A Bishop cannot authorize his chaplein a king his secretary not the Pope his protonotary in things wherein the so authorized depriues the authorizer of his superioritie ouer him and withall of the chiefe act of iustice and title of his dignity and honor belonging to his person or place but must withal make him by that act his superior bicause no duals in popedomes kingdoms or Bishopr ckes but all singles as one in one c. then haue the seculars the woorst of it being sure to be sharpely punished when the plea shall come before his holinesse but if otherwise it will prooue then videant ipsi Iesuitae cum suo Archipr But howsoeuer be it so or be it not yet the seculars affirming that it is of matters of most moment that euer hapned in this age as both by these 10. Quodlibets and sundry other bookes written of this subiect may and will appeere it is neither Blackwell nor Garnet nor Parsons nor Lucifer nor who is the prowdest of them to face it with greatest impudency that shall dare presume to be iudge therein or stoppe it from comming to his holinesse but shall be noted for an Antipope at least Thirdly I say further that suppose there were neither Rex nor summus Pontifex in all the world as for the space of 2000. yeeres or thereabout it was so the first borne sonne of euery family being that while vnder the law of nature both king and priest in authoritie without the name and that all gouernment on earth were as it should be in that case Aristocraticall yet did not that hinder but that still a subordinate power shoud be aswell in the church as common-wealth and lawe and iustice there take place in order so as alwaies an appeale might be lawfull and not deniable from an inferior person court corporation common-wealth or what name title or authoritie soeuer to a superior but not on the contrary in any of these without preiudice of the predominant and so from one to another till it come to the chiefe and highest court Yea this kinde of subordination is euen in the lawes themselues the Ciuill lawes or lawes Common heere in England which equall the lawes Ciuill being inferior to the lawes Canon or municipall in this lande as is cleere by a plea which ordinarily may be remooued from the common Law into the court of Chauncery and the law Canon inferior to the law of Nature and Nations which commonly is taken to be one with Natures lawe and againe the lawe of Nature to the Law of God as it is giuen written
or otherwise left in the Church dictante spiritu sancto therefore called the Law diuine bicause it is of diuine institutioÌ„ Though in very deed the law primary of reason depending vpon synderisis the Law diuine or of God relatione ad creaturas and also the Law of nature be often taken for all one vpon which coniunctions diuisions and distinctions I haue treated at large in the answere to the first part of Parsons Doleman and therefore thereupon we will not now stand Onely this is inough to know for the present that all humane lawes are subordinate to natures Lawe and natures Lawes to the Lawe Primary of God himselfe which we call Diuina voluntas or the aeternall Lawe and by consequent the legifers of the same lawes are so subordinate one vnder an other as when a case comes once to the highest Legifer on earth there is thence no further appeale to be made but all wholy left to Gods iust iudgements Primam enim sedem nemo iudicare potest Out of these grounds then I gather these corolaries First that the Popes excommunication c. for any matters vnder his Pontificall iurisdiction and power although vniustly inflicted were to be obeied in not ministring nor receiuing of any Sacrament vntill the party were absolued c. Secondly that no excommunication can stoppe any man from seeking of iustice Thirdly that no excommunication of his for disobedience to his holinesse selfe in things commanded by him contra ius diuinum vel naturae doth or can take place either in foro conscientiae vel ecclesiae bicause these lawes and legifers are aboue him and his law Fourthly that master Blackwell and his Iesuits with all those of their faction are ipso facto thought to be excommunicated for vsurping the Popes authoritie c. Fiftly that he can debarre no man froÌ„ appealing to the Sea apostolike for any cause whatsoeuer the worst being the appellants if the cause be naught as thereby incurring sometimes an excommunication suspencion c. Sixtly that it is meere calumniation falshood and slander for that seditious faction to giue out that any one of the Catholikes are excommunicated Seuenthly that neither he nor any Iesuite in England dare for their liues stande to it to affirme that all or any of the appellants are excommunicated for that action Eightly that he is a flat antipope in presuming to command any not to seeke for iustice against him to the Sea apostolike and the like is for his and his Iesuiticall faction in their extreame arrogancy in blazing it abroad that it is an act of disobedience contempt c. Ninthly that no such authority can be giuen him as to command any to obey him in all things Tenthly that not the Pope himselfe can command any in and by such generall termes of obedience in all things Eleuenthly that if the seculars had beene iustly excommunicated for any matter depending vpon the appeale it had and ought to haue holden still hanging the same appeale bicause no dispensation can be granted where the partie is bent to continue in that state for the prosecuting whereof the excommunication suspencion c. past against him Twelfthly that if the seculars had beene excommunicated for any other matter independent vpon the appeale there is not a priest in England almost but hath authority to absolue him and so doth it shew the malice of the Iesuits to be so much greater seeing no such thing but that if it were yet an absolution did free them againe they notwithstanding doe driue conceits into the peoples harts as though they remained still in a damnable state which is as much to say as they cannot be absolued the grossest absurdity and greatest impiety that euer was heard of euery one seeing and knowing that the greatest heretike that is may be absolued and restored to his former state againe And therefore they denying this benefite to a Catholike priest shew themselues flat vsurpers as before and a woorse thing besides 13. That there is no question to be made of it but if it be possible the Iesuits will procure an excommunication against the seculars to confirme their former false reports and slanders that they were excommunicated c. before 14. That no excommunication on the inuadors behalfe doth bind any man to take his part against his prince and countrey 15. That to this day was there neuer any excommunication suspencion interdiction c. gotten from the Sea of Rome and denounced against any Prince person common-weath or other state on the behalfe of any one ceteris paribus like to this procured already by the Iesuiticall faction against their Prince and countrey on the behalfe of Spainiards 16. That as the prudent Greeke appealed from Alexander furious to Alexander sober and bishop Crostate from Pope Adrian priuate to Pope Adrian publike and as Summus pontifex in cathedra Petri so may the seculars notwithstanding any decree set downe by his holinesse to the contrary by wrong information giuen appeale euen from the Pope as Clement vnto his holinesse as Peter on their owne and their Prince and countries behalfe THE ARGVMENT OF THE SEVENTH GENERAL QVODLIBET THe reasons alledged in the last Quodlibet against the mischieuous plots and practises aswell in esse as intended by the Iesuiticall intruded authoritie of Blackwels vsurpate Archpresbytery ministreth occasion to speake in this place of matters concerning aswell the seculars as the Iesuits proceedings with and on the behalfe of the catholike Church and common-welth Of which subiect there are two distinct Quodlibets occurring fitly to our purpose to be discussed and reasoned of and both of them tend to one end but by a diuersitie of plots casting in the way and manner of progresse to the thing they ayme at on both sides And therefore shall the first be a Quodlibet of plots by religion that is in what sort and how farre both seculars and Iesuits do and may deale on the behalfe of Gods church for conuersion of their countrey and re-establishing of the catholike faith and religion The other generall Quodlibet shall be of State affaires as how they either do or may meddle therein on the behalfe of their countrey pretending religion as the ground of all the controuersie THE SEVENTH GENERALL QVODLIBET OF PLOTS by Religion THE I. ARTICLE VVHether the seculars or Iesuits seeke more soundly the conuersion of their countrey from all schisme and heresie THE ANSWERE IT is without all question the seculars seeke it more soundly sincerely religiously and Apostlelikely pêª for that the seculars take the very direct course that our Sauior Christ left for and to all his apostles to imitate scil First to seeke the conuersion of soules by preaching and teaching and good example giuing by word and action Secondly by doing all things gratis taking onely things necessary for their maintenance and relieuing of their present wants Thirdly not fishing after vnlawfull gaines to inrich themselues by couine and hypocrisie or other meanes Fourthly
but will be commended to all posteritie let them looke to the danger that may ensue and so I leaue them to their best thoughts had of those matters fearing least some of them will too truely verifie the saying that a Counsellour at lawe is as wise as a dawe vnlesse he be amongst fooles c. For I was not ignorant at the writing heereof how some Iesuiticall lawyers that seeme some body and are taken so to be both schismatike some and catholike others haue not onely refused themselues but made others refuse to deale heerein Sed videant ipsi THE VII ARTICLE VVHether seeing many both catholikes and schismatiks doe mightily dislike this discouery of the Iesuits secret faults admit it were true and that the Iesuits had giuen iust cause for their iniuries and wrongs done to the seculars both which their fautors deny and therefore account this writing and setting out of bookes with such bitter sharpe gauling words to be nothing else but infamous libelling or Ouidian inuectiues or Horatian Satyriques of purpose to banish at least the Iesuits out of this land could there then any danger of body or soule come to the Iesuits by relinquishing of them with a generall consent of all both catholiks and schismatiks for schismatiks are most deluded and easeliest inueagled with fabulous reports giuen out of them to follow and ioyne with Priests for securing of her Maiesties royall person and her realme and auoidance of all incombrances or iealousies to be heereafter had of catholikes her highnesse euer most loyall subiects or whether their indangering if any were by this meanes would not indanger the whole realme or no THE ANSWERE IF a man will not be caried away with wordes and winde but will deepely enter into the consideration of things so as by proofes and probates he doth find most like to be true he cannot choose but thinke this question friuolous as wholy depending vpon these weak grounds and too too grosse conceits of any halfe witted body to be possessed or interteined scz First that it is not possible for such things to be true as is heere and in other bookes discouered of the Iesuits and by this rash resolue they giue more sanctitie to these Iesuits then to the Pope himselfe who hauing greater Note here differentiam actus liberi arbitrij All angels diuels and mortal men haue free will by creation but the angels onely ad bonum can not sin if they would the diuels ad malum cannot do good men ad vtrum libet may either do good or euill as they list because as yet in via whereas the other two are in patria assigned vnto them to liue the one to die the other therein for euer moe and more effectuall helpes meanes then any or all the Iesuits in the world to be good sound constant and firmely confirmed in vertue yet none denies but in matters of life and manners he may be an euill man the catholike faith and beleefe of his holinesse freedome from errour being onely in matters of faith and Vt est Petrus yea if this were so scz incredible that such horrible crimes should be committed by the Iesuits then followeth it withall that they want freewill and haue not potestatem ad vtrumlibet but are like angels confirmed in grace so by consequent must they be saints in heauen whose ghosts or spirits walke heere amongst vs. For otherwise it implicates a contradiction Saint Augustines sentence standing infringible allowed of by common consent of doctrine that there is no sinne committed in the world or euer hath beene but I or he or she or any humane mortall wight may commit the like be it as horrible loathsome and vnnaturall seeming against the course of kinde as can be imagined This therefore is peoples error put into their heads by these new illuminates Secondly it is but an accustomed coggerie of the Iesuits to make these bookes and writings against them seeme odious and such a deed as neuer was done before their drift therein being onely to continue their credite with the laitie to increase the contempt had in all men of the seculars and to perfect their mischieuous platforme cast for the destruction of their prince and countrey thereby which drift of theirs may easely be perceiued of any halfe witted body that doth but consider that if such things may be and that the Iesuits be men and therefore fraile and as subiect to fall into sinne as others are then sure it cannot be otherwise chosen but that they are guiltie of all these crimes laid to their charge and knowing not in all the world how to excuse or defend themselues if it come to triall the seculars vrging so vehemently as they do they haue no other shift but to stop the peoples eares eies and vnderstanding from comming to the knowledge of these matters Which stoppage can be by no other meanes then to make these bookes and writings set out to discouer them to be holden for infamous libels and Satyricall inuectiues neither to be read nor answered And this is a second false surmise or coggerie of the Iesuits to keepe the ignorant in error Thirdly whosoeuer shall reade and examine these 10. Quodlibets and other bookes written against the Iesuits from point to point shall finde that there is no such detraction slander or bitter speech vsed as they talke of nor so much as perhaps were necessary to discouer as the case stands for that the particulars of any one mans priuate life and actions as they are priuate with correspondencie had to the generall or common cause are not as yet touched but the cause so handled agreeing to the diuersitie of men matter time and place discussed of in these Interrogatories so as the answere may passe currant and apparant couertly exactly disioyntly without either interruption of iustice on the one side violated by concealing things necessary to be made knowne for cleering of the innocent fiat enim iustita ruant caeli or without breach of charitie on the other side hindred by reuealing of secret faults of any one impertinent to the manifestation of what ingenerall is intended And heere I account the secret faults which are needlesse or not at all to be opened to be whoredome drunkennesse robbery on the high way or in secret burghlary and the like offences which come of passion or frailtie of man And againe I account these publike common or generall faults though committed by priuate persons which rise of pride ambition c. may either indanger the church or common-wealth or hinder the common cause by taking away the life of any publike person or aduancing any one to hinder the same or finally be the cause directly or indirectly of leading ignorant people into errour or misconceit contrarie to the doctrine of the catholike church and resolute beleefe of euery obedient childe and member of the same And of this latter kind are the detractions and defamations if any be
brought all to be had in ielousie And sure if it were for none other cause yet were this alone sufficient to mooue all catholikes to vrge the Iesuits exile out of the land that our aduersaries might hereafter haue no excuse in putting any to death for religion vnder pretence as now caeteris paribus considering the occasions by some giuen whereof we will treate in the next Quodlibet of State they haue had iust cause to prosecute all alike not knowing who was innocent of state matters and conspiracies and who was free Therefore doe I conclude that this speech is but a meere coggerie and Machiuillian deuise of the Iesuits faction to breake of this intercourse and cleerely to take away all meanes of libertie to any seculars or other catholikes that is not for their tooth to the vttermost THE IX ARTICLE VVHether any assurance or hope be of the conuersion of our countrie by this course taken by the seculars sooner then by that the Iesuits take all this while the Iesuits affirming that all that they do or intend against their country proceeds of pure zeale and meere intent and meaning they haue to set foorth Gods glorie And by consequent though some are possessed with Machiuillian deuises on their side for to serue their owne priuate turnes withall and others perhaps on the seculars to serue themselues also yet forasmuch as all in both or either company are not of one humor nor mind in the particulars then holding them for a faction for the present the seculars for their countrie the Iesuits for Spaine whether the contention in generall be not or at least may be thought to proceede of true zeale to the glorie of God and spirituall good of their countrie or not and how their intents being many of both parties in generall very vertuous wise learned and discreete men yea and no doubt but far from treason or conspiracies in themselues howsoeuer they are or may be corrupted in virtute principalis agentis may be interpreted in seeking the one partie for conuersion of their countrie by inuasion and possessing of the land with strangers The other with apostolicall manner and accustomed course of preaching teaching martyrdome c. THE ANSWERE THis article conteining sundry interrogatories represents a memorable discourse I once did read in Sir Anthony Guiueraes writings Which for that it may fitly be applied to our purpose concerning this contention betwixt the seculars and Iesuits I will first set it downe at large to the same effect he hath left it to posteritie to looke vpon and then apply it to our particular case and cause The summe of his speech consists of this point to wit how that the contention which amongst the wicked is naught as proceeding of rancor malice and reuenge the same amongst the good and otherwise sincerely vertuous is commendable as proceeding of zeale true pietie and perfect charitie euen in the middest of their hart breaking broiles The sequele ensuing vpon his speech is this that if there haue been in heauen high ambition in paradise too much curiositie in the Apostles schoole a contentious desire of soueraigntie in the indubitate seate of infallible truth three and twenty schismes already past sometimes two otherwhile three Popes though but one Summus pontifex and he holy and Peter in opposition by different elections one against an other and so continuing the schisme 3. 7. 20. 30. 40. 50. yeeres together some lucidum interuallum passing now and then betweene ere it was ended Emperors and kings and the mighties of the world interchangeably standing in a faction now with one then with an other sometimes with most infest warres yea cruell deathes of the vanquished Antipapes and perturbers of the Churches peace which with all those tempestuous stormie blasts could not be blowne vp nor faile in faith standing the oracle irreprooueable ego rogaui pro te Petre vt non deficiat fides tua c. Then neither is it to be wondered at in these contentions if some wicked Iesuits of Luciferian ambition Euauistian curiositie Iudastiall desire of gaine contempt of ordinarie authoritie stir vp strife cause rebellion and make inuouations of ancient customes and new gods amongst the people set vp an Antipape golden calfe or Archpriest and commit all impietie vnder colour of religion and yet with Core Dathan and Abiram saucily presume to tell both Moses and Aaron Pope and Prince state ecclesiasticall and temporall that they take too much vpon them nay that they are seditious disobedient and factious that speake against them for so doing and that they are but trifles which they make so much adoe about Neither is it to be iudged that all haue dipt their hands a like deepe in these contentions or intentions on the Iesuits side though all alike dangerous that concurre with them or are agents for them as I said before both to the Church and common wealth by reason of the aide and furtherance of the conspirators and principall agents which in this case they yeeld in the intent of the plot-casters to the ouerthrowe of all gouernment religion and authoritie but in their owne intent at least in many of them to the setting vp of religion againe in our countrie simply and plainly some of them no doubt thinking it impossible to be brought to passe but by inuasion and conquest of the land and this onely by false perswasions of the Iesuits whose intents many deuout both men and women thinking to be sincere good iust and conformable to the lawes both of God and the catholike Church doe hereupon prosecute their purpose as being led away with indiscreete zeale Of this sort of catholikes then is the question here to be made Whether their course supposing one or two Iesuits be of that minde and go no further gaping after gaine honor or renowne which Parsons and other of their chiefe ambitious practitionall state Iesuits aime at or the seculars course be of more assurance for the conuersion of our countrie which of them is most conformable to catholike doctrine and beleefe and what examples can be brought on either side This is the point I now stand vpon and the effect of the Spanish Bishops and cronicle before mentioned tends to this end in forme following Amongst the many visions which good Daniell had one was of the two gardian angels of the Hebrues empire and the Persian monarchie two nations vowed enimies one to the other the former being transported by the latter and led captiue out of Babylon into Susan in change of the conquerors imperiall place and regall throne In this Babylonian transmigration Daniels Hebdomades beginning to take their place in working in the hart of Cyrus for deliuerie of Gods people out of captiuitie a question rose and thereupon a great contention followed with hote disputes amongst the heauenly spirits concerning the Iewes deliuerie out of bondage scil whether it were more fitting to Gods glorie to mooue the Persian hart to grace and fauor at
ecclesiae as all doe grant it and experience of all ages hath approoued it true the latter not for that surceasing excepts against heretikes in such proceedings who by authoritie of holy writ may iustly be constrained with force of the temporall sword to receiue the faith of Christ and his catholike Romane Church wherein they were baptized and out of which they are now most pernitiously fallen to their damnation To this the former againe makes reply that that is in a case of lawe and strategeme of warres when the plaintif as a soueraigne hauing right on his side may haue strength and power at hand sufficient to defend his iust quarrell and Gods cause but where and when the poore afflicted catholikes are the weaker part and in subiection vnder their natiue prince they must not tempt God with miracles sed in patientia possidebunt animas suas expecting the time that God hath appointed either to ease the afflicted of their heauie persecution by calling them to his mercie or else to mooue the aduersarie as here he did king Cyrus c. Here againe the latter doth vrge very vehemently against the former that it is their fault if they be not of strength ynough For if all would side one way run one course ioyne together of one part they were able to match their aduersaries at all assaies but bicause they fauor heretikes and their titles more then catholikes as some the Scots king others the house of Derbie others that of Huntington others of Hartford and others the Lady Arbella c. therefore is Gods cause weakened and the catholiks quarrell quailed But to this yet againe the former makes reioinder professing that if they had millions on their side for thousands on her maiesties yet they hold it were not lawfull for them by force of armes to gaine the garland that they run for as afterward it shall appeere and vtterly denying that they fauor any heretike as an heretike or their titles vnder that pretence but as remembring how diuers princes and great monarches haue been conuerted to the catholike Christian faith and withall considering that neither the king of Scots nor yet any of the rest were euer any speciall persecutors of vs or our religion but rather fauorable to many catholikes as is well knowne not forgetting this besides that it were an act of iniustice in vs especially being priuate persons either to manage a false title as the Spaniard hath none other or impugne a knowne right as all the world knoweth it rests confined within the Albion I le But admit it were reuealed to any priuate man that the Spanyard or any other forraigne prince should preuaile and cary away our English crowne out of the land so as we should neuer haue king regnant ouer vs hereafter as some old prophecies many say haue foreshewed that our deere countrimen brothers sisters and friends the flower of Englands youth the beautie of our Ladies Widowes Wiues Virgins of all degrees should be prostituted prophaned rauished and led captiue into strange lands the sore persecution of Gods seruants the blasphemies heresies execrable schismes of this age and our owne sinnes in generall vrging Gods wrath against our whole Nation to take so sharpe yet ordinary reuenge for such offences as some say also hath bene spoken of long agone to come to passe in this our vnfortunate age or that we should haue such a change of state gouernment common wealth and all as the chiefe soueraigntie should be in an alien prince Spanyard or Burgundian Netherlandian or the like and the Lords spirituall and temporall gouerning ouer vs for the time to be of that foraigne prince his Nation and the Iesuits or fathers as they terme themselues of the societie to be their Interpretors for our English Welsh Irish and Stots nation as both letters and witnesses besides inuincible probats otherwise are extant to shew that Master Parsons and his confederates goe about such a matter and a sermon himselfe once made at Rome insinuates no lesse but that by tyrannicall subiecting the Seminary there to be vnder his societie he expounded the prophecie he there spoke of in his intent and meaning to be directly vnderstood of himselfe and his company that they should be those long gownes which should raigne and gouerne the whole Isle of great Britaine Of which societie there being some of all or the most part of all Christian Nations hauing once this land giuen them by and vnder the Spaniard as they hope for to make it a Iapponian Island of Iesuits but stay they haue not yet Iapponia in their handes then should we haue as many languages in this Isle and the auncient Inhabitants dispersed into as many countries as there should be prouincialls of that societie for it were no policie to let vs all liue here together nor yet leade all captiue into one prouince or kingdome Yet let God worke his will in these things be it true or false that any such heauines be reuealed what then Shall I therefore be the bloodie instrument to worke it of mine owne head without Gods speciall designement so to doe Shall I shew my selfe so vnnaturall inhumane and cruell harted as to write bookes to perswade to vse all possible meanes to bring my natiue country into bondage and slauerie Shall I of a grudge or desire of reuenge vpon some particular person or persons or for some priuate gaine to my selfe or my owne peculiar company banish from my hard nay stonie nay flintie nay adamantine hart all pittie compassion charitie remorse and naturall affection to that which next to my maker and his spouse I am by all lawes in chieefe to esteeme of the bond of loue loyaltie and dutie being greater to my prince and countrie then to my parents or deerest friends And whereas euen tyrants in such like cases haue been mooued to lenitie shall I haue no conceit of the wringing of hands of the sighes and teares of the weepings and wailings of the skrikes and cries of so many sweete yoong and tender babes of both sexes Shall I haue no feeling of so many mothers bleeding harts of so many noble ladies and other yoong maides of generous birth gentle blood and free education for all rare parts indowments and abilities of nature and fortune fit to be princes peeres now to be left desolate or bestowed on euery base fellow not woorthy to be their seruant Shall I take vpon me to be an actor an orator or a broker in laboring to bring that old blinde prophesie to effect which saith When the blacke fleete of Norway is come and gone then lords shall wed ladies and bring them home Shall I be the efficient instrumentall cause or causa sine qua non of so many great worshipfull honorable and princely heires to be disinherited of so many vpstart squibs of forraigne nations to start vp in their places of so many false textes forged glosses fained lawes of God of nature and of man to disprooue all
answere to the Interrogatory which is of many members I say First that it pertaines to all secular and ecclesiasticall persons equally and indifferently be they catholikes protestants or puritanes to deale in state affaires in two cases the one is for the rectifying of mens and womens consciences and instructing all such as are of their flocke and liue vnder their charges how they are to behaue themselues to God their prince and their countrey when and in what cases bound to acknowledge obedience to the one or the other either coniunct or a part and what is to be done in times of persecution ciuill warres or forraigne inuasions and the like the other is for making giuing and promulgating of lawes publishing of bookes and prescribing or setting downe of orders to be obserued and therewithall deliuering a genuine true and literall exposition of the same For although all these thinges be absolutely in the prince who onely may make lawes c. and is the direct legifer to all his subiects and others liuing within his dominions or vnder his allegiance any where as appointed by God himselfe for that purpose when he said Per me reges regnant legum conditores iusta discernunt yet forasmuch as there is a dependencie of lawes and legifers one vpon another as I tolde you before in the 7. Quodlibet and for that it was said in holy writ of olde that Labia sacerdotum custodient sapientiam legem requires ex ore illius quia angeli Domini exercituum sunt which wordes expressely appointing priestes to be expositors of lawes are to be taken as they may concerne Gods honour and what in conscience they doe binde vnto how the so obliged subiects may be dispensed withall therein and how not in any wise Therefore this being the office of the clergie to explane to prince and people what the law of God and man is and how farre a temporall prince may goe in making of lawes without repugnancie to the lawe diuine It followeth that as their knowledge and experience must needes be greater then the Lords temporall in al such cases because it is their direct studie so also if any booke be to be written or lawe made giuen c. their interest vnder their prince is the greatest and most of all other therein and so by consequent in these two cases the secular clergie or eccclesiasticall persons in this sense for instruction of others and by reason of their more learning and knowledge then more temporall persons orderly haue or commonly can haue may be said to deale in state matters of what profession soeuer they be Secondly as for the secular priests heere in England in these heauie times of their frownd on state although they may lawfully deale in the premisses yet must it be with a prouiso which wanting they indanger themselues and those they liue and conuerse withall Yea and bring all other catholikes to be suspected and had in iealousie thereby And that is First not to take vpon them by word or writing to impugne the parliamentall lawes and statutes made Secondly not to controll either peremptorily or otherwise the present gouernment of the state Thirdly not to impeach the dealings or proceedings of any one of her Maiesties honorable Counsel or high commissioners in state affaires Fourthly not to meddle directly or indirectly with disposing of the crowne this way or that way or appointing out of successors thereunto Fiftly not and much lesse to stirre vp further strife as hereafter will be prooued that the Iesuits haue diued too deepe ouer head and eares in all these things Sixtly but a secular priests office being neither of Court nor Counsell is in these cases onely to admonish all good catholikes to beare Christ his crosse with patience Seuenthly not to meddle in writing printing or procuring the publishing of any such booke libell or pamphlet as may mooue exasperate or touch the present state in any of these points before specified Eightly and further their office is by the way of mediatorship and humble sute to procure by all possible satisfaction standing firme and inuiolate their function and faith to her Highnesse and those in authoritie vnder her that those sharpe penall lawes made against innocent and harmeles harts to the cause and shedding of much guiltlesse bloud that hath beene spilt for the Iesuiticall offences may either be abated and infringed by some new prouiso made or else all wholy repealed by parliamentall acte or otherwise dealt in as in her Maiesties wisedome and high prudence of her honorable Counsell shall be thought meetest for mitigation of our generall afflictions Ninthly and besides this the seculars office is to instruct euery catholike what they ought to thinke and what to doe and say in these cases if they shoulde chance to come before the ciuill magistrate Tenthly and last of all if any booke be set foorth of state as those are which concerne succession of the crowne detraction of the present gouernment detection of any publike person in authoritie defamation of the bloud royall of the land blasphemies against regall maiestie and the like or any speech or practise for inuasion of the land excommunication of our Soueraigne and getting consents for aduancement of an alien prince to write acte speake or otherwise to deale against such persons and their treacherous designements to confute their false erronious and seditious bookes of those subiects to conferre or haue intercourse with the aduersaries howe to preuent those mischieues that hang ouer the whole realme In these and all such like cases may seculars statize that is deale in state affaires how to preuent mischieuous statizers of their purpose and practises but no further and so farre onely by conniuence for the good of our common cause and safetie of our countrey Thirdly now for the Bishops and others of the clergie heere in England they no question representing the ecclesiasticall state may deale in moouing instructing expounding diuulging or doing any the like acte perteining to prime-membred numbred and accounted on state as much and so farre as the same state doth authorize them vnder that title and name to deale in Fourthly the like might be said in some sense for the Puritanean Consistorie representing the ecclesiasticall state in Scotland were not that their grounds rules and principles of their gouernment Oglogerchian iust like to the Iesuiticall platforme did vtterly ouerthrowe both states ecclesiasticall and temporall and brought both head and members of the body politicall to be a plebeian hotch potch of popularitie voide of all name nurture or nature of any state And by consequent the puritanes in England are in the same predicament for state matters that the Iesuits are in both nought vnlawfull detestable and directly to be called statists or rather statizers against the present state That this is so of the Iesuits shall be treated of in all the ensuing articles and for the present that it is none otherwise to be conceiued of
rightfull title or no he being by father Parsons definitiue sentence denounced an obstinate heretike and one of whom there was no possibilitie or hope of reclaiming from his hereticall opinions the said father Criton answered saying My Lord doubt you nothing thereof it is but father Parsons deuise to indanger his Maiesties person thereby knowing that the Scots are a false traiterous and a rebellious people quickly taking occasion to murther or otherwise rise in armes against their liege Lord and king True it is indeede that father Parsons and other English Iesuits and those that are of the Spanish faction haue laboured it much to haue the sentence denounced against his Maiestie but hitherto they haue not preuailed neither doe I thinke that euer you shal see it bicause no Scots wil seeke for it And Popes are alwaies sparing vnlesse they be mightily importuned vrged as both Pius quintus and Xistus quintus were by father Parsons and other Iesuits procurement against our owne Soueraigne and Queene Loe what euill hap England had to breede this wicked Iesuiticall broode that seeke their princes and countries destruction more egarly then any other Iesuits doe the nations and countrie where they liue THE VIII ARTICLE VVHether then bicause by the precedent article it seemeth very dangerous is it expedient for the Church in these latter daies of the world to excommunicate kings and whether was it a good and godly act in certaine of her Maiesties subiects such as desired to seeme more zealous then the rest to perswade Pius quintus to excommunicate her highnes and since also other Popes to renew the same twise THE ANSWERE VEry well said Saint Paule as earst I noted Multa mihi licita sunt sed non omnia expediunt For it is one thing to talke of the power authoritie and lawfulnes of excommunications and an other of the time place and persons when the sentence is denounced therefore as we say ex effectibus cognoscitur causa so by demonstration à posteriori it is manifest to all our woes that excommunicating of princes is not conuenient in this irreligious and most vnfortunate age Neither did they wel that either stirred vp Pius quintus first to excommunicate her highnes or these that since haue vrged other Popes to renew the same And therefore in answere to both the points of this article I hold the negatiue And for the first these are my reasons First when Saint Ambrose excommunicated the emperour Theodosius it was a time of greater zeale and otherwise Saint Ambrose might thereby haue procured vnspeakable detriment to the Church In my priuate cogitations hereof I haue assuredly often doubted whether Saint Ambrose deserued more commendation for his prouidencie in attempting such a matter or the emperor for his patience and obedience in taking the same in so good part But yet I hold it out of all question that if Saint Ambrose had inserted any such clauses into the said excommunication as of latter times are vsed and should in plaine terms haue deposed him or labored to haue had him deposed from his empire or absolued his subiects from their obedience the emperor would haue startled and I cannot tell but by all likelyhood he would not haue obeied it but rather haue put all to the sword that should haue withdrawne themselues from vnder his allegiance Secondly I finde certaine words in Saint Thomas which make me to maruell in that he saith out of the glosse that Princeps multitudo non est excommunicanda or as Rich. de Media Villa alledgeth the place neither the multitude nor the prince ought to be excommunicated And the most of the Schoolemen that write vpon S. Thomas in this place doe agree with him that a multitude is not to be excommunicated or if it be some hold that such an excommunication is void But let it be their error yet still they omit therein the other part as touching kings and princes and doe say nothing concerning the validitie of it in that place onely the said Richardus de Media Villa doth touch this point somewhat to our purpose for the inconueniencie thereof but in mine opinion very weakely for that any thing be it neuer so plaine may easily be so auoided A king saith S. Thomas ought not to be excommunicated that is saith Richardus but in maioribus peccatis for great offences As if we should thinke that euer S. Thomas thought so meanely of the wisedome iudgement and discretion of the Church that she would excommunicate princes for euery trifle Nay if that should be his meaning he had alledged the said place very ridiculously which is farre from Saint Thomas course and practise Thirdly besides whereas some inconueniences are made the impediments why a multitude may not be excommunicated there may very many moe reasons of mischiefes be obiected that doe ensue by the excommunicating of princes which consequently should stay that course likewise against them I haue prosecuted this reason onely disputatiuè non positiuè saluo semper meliori iudicio let S. Thomas meaning be what it shall his words are as I haue alledged them here in this place Fourthly it is no good prouidence in S. Augustines iudgement to excommunicate those that haue many followers to take their part or when the same may breede a schisme But it is very likely that kings and princes wil alwaies haue many followers to take their parts and that the same may beget more then a schisme Fiftly there was no probabilitie of any good successe that could be looked for by excommunicating her Maiestie as by experience might haue beene apparant by the excommunication denounced against king Henry 8. Sixtly I haue made mention before of inconueniences and mischiefes but if they may serue the turne to shew the inconuenience of an excommunication against kings and that I should enter into the enumeration of all the inconueniences and mischiefes which haue been the effects of both the said excommunications against her Maiestie and against her royall father it would appeere that there was neuer any excommunication more inconuenient and I should be exceeding tedious It may be sufficient that I remember vnto you as touching our own time how thereby her Maiesty and the state haue been more incensed both against the See of Rome and likewise against all catholikes priestes are become most odious the generall cause hath beene more impaired many dangerous questions and straight examinations haue thereof proceeded and to omit the rest infinite perplexities and quidities haue growne concerning the consciences of the weaker sort of catholikes when wherein and how farre they might professe their allegiance which haue intangled them diuersly and brought many of them into bands and other great dangers Seuenthly I am fully perswaded that there was yet neuer any Pope that did euer excommunicate any king or soueraigne prince but that afterward he sawe cause for the most part in his owne time if he liued any while to repent him of
any especially so neere her Maiestie as those were c. But amongst many woorthy examples and reasons alledged by these ancient fathers to the heathen emperors in the primitiue Church why they should grant libertie of conscience to Christians arguments deduced from policie ciuilitie humanitie and their owne princely benignitie for they not accustomed with matters of faith religion conscience being infidels onely morall ciuill politicall and humane respects such as some sparks of Synderesis the lawes of reason of nature and nations are in man were motiues to moone them to surcease from persecution or else nothing Of all the rest Athenagoras in his Apologie to the emperor Commodus on the behalfe of the Christians frameth his speech to the best construction and fitliest agreeing to the matter now in question to the iudgement of many on the English catholikes behalfe to our Soueraigne For the summe of Athenagoras speech consisting as it doth in this that one and a chiefe reason why the emperor should grant free vse and libertie of conscience to the Christians was for that his Maiestie together with all his predecessors freely granted the same freedome to all other sects sectaries professors of religion and worshippers of sundry gods and goddesses as far different in the worship done to and derogating from the Maiestie and honor of Caesar as the God of the Christians or worship done vnto him did or could any way differ or derogate And seeing that euery particular prouince countrie and people had their peculiar gods to themselues whom they worshipped with a kinde of singularitie vsed in one thing or other towardes them that others wanted where euer they went or liued either in the prouince of their birth or else transported to some region further of or nearer hand and yet neuer once examined nor asked the question why they did so then ab inductione Athenagoras did conclude euen iure gentium that the Christians throughout the emperors dominions ought to haue the like libertie tolleration and conniuence granted them Whereupon our catholikes in England bringing in an argument à simili that if there wâ—re reason why the Emperor should permit the Christian religion as well as other religions opposite to the Romane rites in gentilisme that were then allowed of with all their pluralities of like sort then say ours seeing her Maiestie permitteth Puritanes Brownists or Barowists Familians c. to liue quiet within her dominions it were agreeing as well to mercy suited alwaies best with maiestie as also to if not our iust yet our lawfull desires for to haue the like libertie or at least not to bee haunted with continuall searchings hazard of life ordinarie taxations and losses of lands and goods taken from them as the catholike recusants are and haue beene long in these vexations troubles and dangers from whence all other are free Amidst this argument they vrge further for that the emperors in those daies were heathen our Soueraigne a Christian their 's often strangers to the Romanes yea alwaies strangers to one nation or other ouer which they gouerned especially during the raignes of some thirty emperors euen vntill Constantine the great his time by reason that the emperiall crowne of Caesar went by meere election that while whereupon followed so many bloodie murthers massacrings and open warres against one another for aspiring to the emperiall soueraigntie Here one proclaimed emperor in the field by a rabble of vnruly soldiers there another denounced installed and crowned emperor by the Senate and he sometimes an Italian otherwhile a Spaniard otherwhile a Frenchman then a Britane borne in this lande and after that perhaps a Grecian c Whereas now our Lady and Soueraigne is of our owne nation birth blood education naturall incline and all things to mooue to lenitie Againe their pluralities of gods and diuersities of worships sacrifices and ceremonies tended onely to points of religion sects and opinions amongst themselues no way otherwise derogating to the imperiall crowne of Caesar But these in England which yet as I said are permissible differ not onely all of them in generall from the present church of England yea and one from another in matters of faith and points of religion besides as much as the catholikes do differ from the Protestants if not more but euen also in matters of state in the highest degree the Puritans as eagerly seeking and wishing the death of her Maiestie and both writing and speaking as boldly vnto her as any traytor euer did or durst speake to his prince and yet they are permitted to liue and enioy their liberty whereas the catholiks can not be any way endured which to nations abroad giueth no little cause of admiration Fourthly they otherwhiles turnd ouer their bookes wherein they had registred the imperiall decrees of Caesar and finding amongst other points of importance belonging to this great cause of our heauines and woonder how that euer so sore an affliction of catholikes should haue fallen out in our infortunate age and that in our natiue countrey and amongst our owne deerest and neerest friends by all coniunctions of lawes orders motiues they had there quoted how that in time of Arrianisme other afflictions persecutions of the church vnder Iulian vnder Valens vnder Constans vnder Constantius vnder Theodoret and others the like when the same emperors were fautors yea and earnest persecutuors protectors and patrons of the catholikes aduersaries and that all the Christian world was infected with those heresies which continued 400. yeeres ere they were quite extinct yet were these great Monarches and mighties of the world so far from inflicting such a generall affliction vpon all catholikes in those daies as now the English catholikes do sustaine that they thought it enough to haue them and that but in some places for to be depriued of their Benefices Bishopricks and other as well ecclesiasticall as temporall dignities and offices suffragating Arrian Bishops and others in their places without further taxes laide vpon them or other troubles and vexations in generall For what was done in speciall against Saint Siluester and Saint Siluerius martyr against Saint Basill and Saint Martin martyr against Saint Iohn and Saint Donatus both martyrs against Saint Athanasius Saint Chrysostom and others it was of priuate grudge and no generall cause Nay which was more euen those same emperors that persecuted the catholikes most yet often of their owne princely benignity and meere motion proceeding of their innate clemencie they would and did authorise graunt and make offer from their imperiall throne to sundrie catholike Bishops and other prelats euen vnder their hands For as I said before in places prouinces and countries further of though subiect to the Romane empire there was no question made of hauing catholiks or Arrian Bishops equally alike as the number of the one or other religions did sway most that they might vse their Episcopal iurisdictions and other rites and ceremonies agreeing to the custome of the catholike
church c. And at Millane at Antioch at Constantinople and elsewhere were sometimes offers and often graunts made to catholikes to haue their churches chappels to themselues apart from the Arrians and other infest enimies of the catholikes suffering them the saide clergie on both sides to do it by dispitions amongst themselues neuer persecuting any catholike for that cause vnlesse some speciall grudge or occasion of high displeasure taken by the emperors against some particular person which for the most part proceeded on the Arrians behalfe and suggestion made by them had mooued them to the contrary Which being so and that the princely disposition and royall hart of our Soueraigne is behinde none of the woorthiest emperors that euer sat enthronized with imperiall crowne for a flexible milde free nature and sweete incline to mercy bountie pittie grace pardon fauour and compassion taken of her subiects be as they be may in different affections of religion aliened from her together with her magnificencie liberalitie and maiestie equalling if not before them either great Alexander or Iulius the woorthy Caesar Of which two although it were said of the former in Greece and of the latter in Rome that Alexander the Conquerour in vsing liberalitie and Iulius Caesar in pardoning of iniuries none euer equald or at least went before them yet was it spoken and so it is vnderstood of precedent ages not of future heroeces we no way yeelding in our heauiest thoughts of hart burning griefes sustained to heare our noble Elizabeth prince peregall paramount and paragon the so admired at Saba of Europes England as all the world hath woondred at her more then ordinary indowments of princely nature otherwise accounted of then as a Sance-pere giuing place to none of former present or future times persons or ages for and in all points attending at the gates of royall honor or throne of regall Maiestie That then notwithstanding all this her Highnesse worne out subiects suppliants poore afflicted catholiks in her prisons in durance dangers and distresse euery where should haue so hard a happe as not onely to be depriued of all ecclesiasticall and temporall dignities offices preferments any manner of way which yet were more tollerable as a thing they nothing lesse expect wish for or desire it being so that both clergie and laitie of the catholikes take it as a sweete chasticement and fatherly scourge sent them from God to be humbled with so heauie a downefall but also which doth grieue them most to liue in sorrow heauines and suspition had of their vnattainted loyalties in generall for some priuate offences in speciall that they of al other should feele the force of these vnaccustomed frownes which pearce those harts the deepest whose faithfull seruices haue beene deerest to their Soueraignes in their owne and their forefathers daies That not one noble will speake for them that no solace should be left them no comfort euer affoorded them no hope at all this long time giuen them of euer receiuing a glympse or glance of those accustomed gracious smyles which ordinarily do flowe in pearld streames from lions hart of truest golde gushing out at siluer lymbecks of egles eies all royall in their rarenes That this should be all catholikes heauie case her highnes a prince and second to none in maiestie mercy and magnificencie her catholike subiects seconded with as fewe for seruice submission and loyaltie and yet that they should be put from time to time to such sore trials and indure so many calamities is a sutable cause with the rest of admiration and woonder Fiftly they sometimes cast their eies aside to Turkes to Persians to all Pagan prouinces to see if they can espie any one sect profession or professors of religion tossed turmoilde and tormented as the English are and throughout all this vaste Macrocosme they finde not one patterne sampler nor example left to posteritie to bee recorded like to ours The Sophy indeede hath a long time had great and mortall wars with the Ottomane race family and successors in the Turkish tribe so hath great Mogor great Cam of Catay Presbyter Iohn and other monarches adioyning and affronting him but yet omitting the generall contention amongst the Mahumetans about the heires of Ella and the body of Mahomet there is a libertie graunted for religion to all men in a sort more tollerable then in England is to be heard of for catholiks to enioy The very Turke who hath the straitest lawes forbiddeth indeed all talke disputation or controuersie to be about religion but yet he permitteth either Christians or any other to liue quiet vnder him vsing their owne rites seruice and ceremonies for paying a certaine yeerely tribute which is not much more then catholikes pay in England euen to their naturall Prince and Soueraigne and yet cannot haue the like securitie safetie and quiet from inferior officers but still in one place or other within her Maiesties dominions they are pild and pold to the vttermost So as when all is quiet at London then are they aloft in Yorkshire and throughout the North when quiet there then vp in Wales and the marches that way And thus persecution running per circulum the lande neuer wholly at rest and quiet these things manie learned men and others haue woondred at not knowing what were the causes Sixtly sometimes those graue and reuerend prelats cast backe their eies to these our latter ages and present times wherein now we liue and to the bordering kingdomes and princes round about vs to see whether any like to these our English miseries and catholike distresses can be found And in Germany howsoeuer there be some slacknes and dislikes at their Diets and election of their Caesar yet in ciuil conuersation one with another and for life gouernment and order the emperour though a catholike findeth as great seruice and concord amongst his subiects and they againe vse and enioy all their immunities freedomes and liberties with as great content and quiet liuing in one Prouince in one citie in one towne in one streete yea and in one house sometimes together of diffrent as if they were all of one minde faith and religion In Fraunce we see what libertie of conscience wrought Did it not as well animate the Hugonites to ioyne with king Henry of the house of Valois then a catholike in shewe howsoeuer the Iesuits censure of his hart as it did of like sort the catholikes to ioyne with the now most Christian and catholike king Henry the 4. then a Protestant yea did they not sticke as sure fast to his christian Maiestie as if he had been of their owne catholike religion profession that with as great alacritie of minde in regard of his present right to that crowne and their future hopes of his conuersion to their church and faith as afterward it hapned God sweetly so disposing that he who could not by rough handling be made flexible by experience of his subiects loyaltie is
of a lyon becom a lambe In few we see in Polony in Sweden in Scotland in Flaunders and euery where that catholikes are together with those of other professions sects and opinions vnlesse it be where onely the Consistorian Caluinian Cartwrightian puritans rule the rost and that a company of ministers or exorbitant superintendants ouertop both Prince prelate and all as in Scotland and at Geneua c. Otherwise all kings and princes of this age haue iudged it in pollicie the fittest wisest safest and most honorable and princely course they could haue taken to graunt libertie of conscience to their subiects Which seeing our soueraigne Queene Elizabeth hath not granted and yet is knowne to be in her owne high towring princely wisedome of as high a pitch sound and deepe conceite censure and iudgement in reach not to be seconded of any of these adding heereunto that for gouernment of her land for policie in her state for noblenes in her court her Highnes hath the choice of as fine delicate and daintie breed of gallant graue quicke wits as Europe nay as Afrike nay as Asia nay as the world this day enioyes The Italian the Spaniard the Polonian the Sweden the Moscouite the Turke the Persian and who not is willing to aduaunce her Maiesties meanest sort of subiects sometime to the highest types of honor to winne them wholy to be theirs to learne witte sleight and pollicie out of their practise and experience These Boreas blasted lads borne vnder the Britaine Ocean able to fire with their wits the hotte climatical Southerne Sages witnes our Stukeleyes our Candishes our Furbishers our Drakes our Hilles our Sherleys our Parsons c. All these circumstances duly weighed that this heauie yoke should be laide by so mercifull wise and prudent a prince vpon the weake neckes of her poore subiects with weight importable for them to carry vnlesse her highnes should stretch foorth her accustomed Atlantike armes of clemencie to support them before they sinke downe right vnder their burthen That this seueritie should be more vsed against catholiks in England then either any catholike king or prince of other professions either Christian or heathen vse against either subiects or forrainers of contrary religions vnto the said princes throughout the worlde this day This is the point which many stande vpon in admiring how euer things should haue come to that passe they are at in England concerning the affliction of catholikes and cannot finde out the causes This then to make manifest to all the world by an historicall discourse and that howsoeuer we haue matter enough against our aduersaries euen for religions sake yet neither to aggrauate more then is necessarie nor to accuse further then is expedient nor to excuse more then is conuenient nor yet to lay the fault of any that is faultlesse therefore shall it be made knowne that as the affliction of catholiks in England hath beene in very deed extraordinary as is heere set downe and many an innocent man lost his life so also hath the cause thereof beene extraordinary and so farre beyond the accustomed occasions of persecution giuen to any prince in christendome or monarchie that is or euer was in the world to this hower vnlesse the Puritanes of Scotland which may in some sort equall the offence heere to be set downe as rather it is to be woondred at all things duly considered that any one catholike is left on liue in England then that our persecution hath beene so great for name one nation I know none can vnder heauen where the subiects especially if they were catholikes euer sought the death of their Soueraigne though of a different religion frō them the conquest of their natiue land the subuersion of the state the depopulation of the weale publike the alteration change of al lawes customs orders in few the vtter deuastation desolation destruction of al the ancient inhabitants of their land in so vnnatural vnchristian vncatholike a maner as the Spanish faction haue sought it in our owne flesh and bloud against this realme which treacherous courses although they were but some fewe and those priuate persons offences and by consequent in a court of conscience and in rigour of iustice the rest neither acting nor concurring nor consenting to their conspiracies were innocent and no way to be vsed with that seueritie as many catholiks haue beene Yet forasmuch as the pretences of such practises were generall and common to all catholikes alike all maintaining one and the same opinion concerning what might be done by apostolicall power and authoritie and neuer talking of what was necessarie therefore was it that her Maiestie and the state standing on the other side affected in religion as they did had both cause to iudge secundum allegata probata in foro externo and also can not otherwise be thought of but that the circumstances on all sides considered as well making for her owne securitie as also for a Non-knowledge what catholiks were guiltie and who were free her Maiesties lawes and proceedings against catholikes haue beene both milde and mercifull And as we are to thinke in deed our happe now to be hard if no mitigation nor prouisoe should be made for the innocent now that the way and meanes is knowne for discouery of traytors distinguishing betwixt state catholiks catholike loyall subiects so also are we to giue her Highnes humble thanks for our liues that we were not al cut off whiles no difference was made put nor knowne betwixt the secular priests Iesuits that we haue been permitted to liue to this happy houre of manifesting our catholike cōstancy obedience to the See apostolike in al our actions and our naturall loyaltie and seruiceable harts to our Prince and countrey in all our proceedings in neither stayning our catholike religion with vnnaturall treason nor priestly function with factious dispositions and state affaires But of this matter I will heere be silent referring you to a treatise lately set out by my brethren intituled Important considerations c. whereunto I haue prefixed an Epistle By both which you may see at large what statizing by acts wordes and writings in most treacherous and treasonable manner hath beene against her Maiestie against the present state against the whole common-wealth against vs all without exception her Highnes loyall and naturall subiects of what religion soeuer we be which seeing her Princely hart hath forborne as no Soueraigne on earth would euer haue suffred the like to haue past vnpunished as she hath I must conclude and end as we began that her lawes and proceedings haue beene both milde and mercifull THE X. ARTICLE VVHether then the premisses considered is it fit that Catholiks should send their children and friends to be brought vp in the Seminaries beyond the seas or not If not then how should the salt of the earth be kept vncorrupted or the seede of priesthood be continued for restoring of the catholike Romane
no question if they had liued in our daies and withall vnder Englands alleageance they would either haue forborne or that speach haue qualified Touching Bannes though of this age yet a Spaniard he was and therefore his doctrine is lesse strange for this point But let that passe I blame him not for holding what opinion he list disputatiue bicause it is an ordinary matter so to doe yea and that in pointes of very great importance one scholeman holding an opinion in matters that are not directly of faith quite contrary and against one an other And so could I well haue borne with father Parsons if a schooleman as he is not he had beene to haue holden what opinion he listed in the schooles or for disputations sake concerning the conueniency or inconueniency of publishing this doctrine Marry withall I wish from my hart that he had left it there stil buried it in silence vnder his deske that it had neuer come within ken of an English eye nor within the sound of our aduersaries iealous eares But seeing that published it is by them and that in an other worse sense then either S. Thomas or Bannes euer dreamed of as tending wholy to a Puritanes popularity as hereafter shall be proued therefore must it needes follow to be a most pernitious doctrine and very vnfit to haue beene published to the world in these so dangerous times as wherein we all doe liue And by consequent it necessarily must and shall be improued and father Parsons iustly conuinced of treason and error for publishing of it like a right Puritane which I prooue by this discourse following Buchanan that archtraytor of Scotland in his booke De iure regni apud Scotos hath written at length to this very purpose against whom master Blockwood a woorthie man and a sound catholike did very learnedly oppose himselfe and hath at large confuted this monstrous conceite very substantialy All the Buchanans and Iesuits in Christendome will neuer be able to answere him in that point When Saint Paul saith Buchanan as master Blockwood alleageth his words commaunded the Romanes to obey the superior powers appointed by God he writ so In ipsa nascentis ecclesiae infantia cum christiani nec numero nec opibus nec authoritate valerent ac proinde eorum duntaxat ad quos scribebat non autem vniuersorum ciuium rationem habuisse In the infancie of the church saith this sacrilegious traytor to sacred Maiestie euer blasphemous Christians flourished not either in number or in wealth or in authoritie and therefore Saint Paul had onely respect of those to whom he writ that were not able to rebell and ment not that his precept should be held for a perpetuall lawe when Christians should grow afterwards to be of greater force Would not a man thinke he had heard a Iesuite all this while But let Buchanan go forward In those times Christians were faine to shrowd or hide themselues vnder the obedience of princes and magistrates though they were wicked and vnder the shadow of any kinde of dominion whatsoeuer bicause they were poore few of them citizens but strangers and for the most part such as had beene bondmen and the rest trades men and seruants that with great toile susteyned themselues And therefore Saint Paul admonished them vt temrori seruirent that they should dissemble for the time being mindfull of their condition and not peepe out of their holes much lesse seeke to trouble those that were in authority But if Saint Paul liued now adaies when not onely the people but princes do professe Christianitie and when Christians are equall both in number and strength to match tyrants he would command the multitude to inquire into the saide tyrants proceedings and as they saw cause to put them to death Thus far this Scottish bloodsucker and enimie to all regal soueraignty to whom father Parsons and the said Iesuits that writ of the deposition of Henry 3. are exceedingly beholden For he in his booke of succession and the other in their said discourse do follow him vp and downe step by step so directly as if they had purposed to haue professed themselues to be his schollers and to defend whatsoeuer he hath written were it neuer so desperate impious prophane and more then heathenish Thus you heare what the Iesuits doctrine is and how iumpe turne Turke and Puritane like they haue proceeded therein Now follow their grounds For the grounds and foundation of this Iesuiticall and Puritane doctrine of obedience till subiects haue force to rebell you may please to vnderstād that it is built vpon a new fond exposition of the Scriptures as partly you haue heard which is a very dangerous point and will giue our common aduersaries exceeding aduantage against vs in that hitherto we haue pretended to follow in all matters of controuersie with them that sence of the Scriptures which was generally receiued by the ancient fathers and haue greatly inueighed against their new expositions whereby they wring at woorst the written word that it may seeme to speake no other wise then they would haue it And that now the Iesuits in this case doe runne the same course it is manifest In testimonie whereof whereas the example of the Iewes by Ieremies direction vnder Nabuchodonozor hath beene generally held for a president for all christians if euer they shall happen to come into the like bondage so the practise of Christ concurring with it in paying tribute to Caesar a wicked king and commanding all men to do the like and with this precept also the rules of the Apostles fitly agreeing in prescribing all Christians of what calling soeuer generally to obey and performe all duties of subiects to all superior powers and particularly to kings as those being more excellent then the rest the ciuill magistrates being then likewise wicked persons and persecutors adding hereunto the generall expositions of the auncient fathers That the Apostles do speake in those places of such kinde of ciuill gouernors as heere we intreate of and that all Christians if they happen to liue vnder such like kings are to obey them and to submit themselues vnto all their temporall and lawfull commaundements it is cleere yet all this notwithstanding out come these new illuminates the Iesuits and as if they were become Caluinists they take vpon them with their new glosses to auoide and elude the true sence and ancient interpretations of all these places The Iewes say they were commanded diuinitus extraordinarily to obey and pray for Nabuchodonozor which ordinarily bindeth not Christ paide tribute and spake as a priuate person The Apostle Saint Paul ment that his precepts should be generally vnderstoode of obedience to good kings onely and Saint Peter when he commandeth all Christians to be subiect to the king quasi praecellenti that is saith one when the king doth excell in vertue and not otherwise and father Parsons in his booke of titles omit his absurd Appendix wherein he runneth riot
Iesuites and neuer to trust a word they speake in commendation of the Spaniard and discommendation of other people or nations compared with them as also vpō the said kings Queenes and Archduke and Duchesse c. When they pretend any thing either on the catholike church or the Iesuites behalfe and by consequent shall doe an act of high merite iustice prudence and policy if they I meane all other christian princes and states expell these seditious factions turbulent irreligious persons out of all their territories seigniories regalties and dominions that haue pesterd the Church of God with such wicked doctrine as the proiect of that booke imports As none will iudge otherwise of them but as of most conscienceles careles and bloody minded men when they shall heare first of one booke set out as Greenecote is wherein the Author doth manifestly demonstrate that no different religion be it heresie or whatsoeuer ought to depriue a lawfull heire in fee simple of his fathers inheritance being but a subiect and a forraigner then in princes rights titles to kingdomes it must and ought to hold saith father Parsons in that place bringing in sundry examples how that neither in England catholikes by that name were debard of their lawfull inheritance vnder her Maiestie since the change of religion here neither the Puritanes in Scotland vnder the Queene Regent a catholike there neither in Fraunce Germany or else where was it euer heard of that any were disinherited for religious causes c. and then againe of an other as Parsons Doleman is together with his Appendix Philopater and others that quite discard all heretikes as he termes them from all interest pretend or title to any crowne Noe not if in case hereafter they should be catholike at the attempting of such an exploit or when they should see there were no remedy This last conceite with these hote spirited Puritanian Iesuiticall faction is holden so farre wide and contrary to the former as if the parties be not catholikes euer at the instant when their fatherhoods would haue them be you fully assured for no zeale of religion but of meere machiuilian policy either thereby to exasperate them against others or others against them and so to bring all a flote in fire and sword which is the onely thing they long for they must be censured iudged and condemned presently for reprobates atheists impostors to be conuerted and men be they Princes or whosoeuer vtterly of God forsaken This doctrine when princes and other men of learning iudgement and experience in such pragmatical platformes do perspicuously looke into and withall perceiue that religion is abused and Gods holy name blasphemed as being not his honor but their owne vnder a maske of catholike zeale they wish for they enter further into a deepe detestation of their Pharisaicall proiects iealously had of their owne naturall subiects and princely feare of their royall estates When they heare a man pretend as father Parsons doth on Spaniardes behalfe make a claime neuer heard of in any age to another mans lands in whose actuall quiet and apparantly rightfull possession by lineall discent from the father to the sonne for many hundred yeeres space times and ages past it hauing continued is now diuoluted to the present incumbent or prince regnant from his auncesters whose state title and regall honour he hath possesseth and peaceably enioyeth that so ancient renowned indubitate a right should now be called in question and that vpon the bare worde of a claymorous claime exceeding al meane modestie and measure made by an arrant traytor to God his Prince his countrey and to all lawes of God of nature of nations or of man and generally misliked of by all graue discreete prudent learned wise religious true harted catholikes especially for this his sodaine camelion vnexpected vndeserued vngrounded exorbitant passionate apostrophall change of a foisted in pretend audaciously presuming without buls breue billet ticket worde or warrant of any authoritie to charge all men to allow admit ratifie and confirme without all gainesay controlment or contradiction such a Soueraigne as he the said father Parsons will appoint them otherwise to be noted for Atheistes fooles rebels malicious politikes and aduerse to his catholike Maiestie and forsooth the common cause this this is that most odious scandalous irreligious treacherous erronious doctrine which is so preiudicial to the king catholike and his pretended cause as whiles Spaine is Spaine England England Fraunce Fraunce and Rome Rome will it neuer be forgotten nor forgiuen nor the iealousie thereof put out of all princes harts So as iustly father Parsons may be pointed at for woorse then a fabling libeller and were woorthie were he not a priest to be set vpon the pillorie and that euen by his catholike Maiestie for bearing the world in hand that he was set on to write those libels by warrant and priuitie of the said surmised pretendor whereas all circumstances both in the same bookes and scheduls together with those plotcasters speeches in secret to their friendes and the many dangers damages indignities discommodities accrewing to the king and his royal estate doe argue quite contrarie This is that venemous law will pearce the king catholike to the very naked hart if his Maiestie permit it to passe currant without due punishment inflicted vpon the presumant scribe and speedie abolishment of so polypragmaticall a platforme no lesse dangerously cast then traitorously laide to intrap all princes in Christendome in a Templars snare and as preiudiciall if not more in chiefe to the crowne and safetie of his royal person to his family in esse and to his successors for euer hereafter as to any other prince or monarch whosoeuer For let his Highnes winke at this doctrine and seeme to authorize it and then what better warrant or more plausible can be deuised when minds of people in all nations as ruefull experience doth tell vs are now a daies so quickly exulcerated with grieuous sores of gustes and discontent easily corrupted with maladies of contention and hastely set on horsebacke with superfluous humors of nouelties innouations ambition disdaine reuenge thirsting after bloud desirous of liberty and greedily affecting soueraignty then thus to authorize all and euery Prouince vnder his gouernment to rebell against him at their pleasure and auouche maintaine and defend for lawfull all their outragious insurrections malepert mutinies and contagious crimes against his highnes and soundest part of his nobles and subiects euery where but especially in the Low countries vnder this counterfeited conference holden at Amsterdam amongst the States there Yea by this colourable doctrine of Fa. Parsons hotch potch prodigious common wealthes authority when it comes to reasoning standing the premises without the kings controlment they may lawfully auerre al their practises proceedings and deeds past they may admit his maiestie peacebly to gouerne and raigne ouer them with this condition that he shall mantaine the course by them begun for gouernment
raigne rule and authoritie as containing in it all three sorts of gouernment scil Monarchicall Aristocraticall Democraticall in matters of counsell and managing of common wealths causes but not in points of regaltie honor inheritance For there shal be neither title nor name nor honor giuen taken or done to any Prince Duke Marquesse Earle Vicount Lord Baron or the like all the Iesuiticall gouernors being puritan like seniours elders prouincials rectors ministers c. neither shall there be any succession by birth or blood to any honor office or magistracy from the monarch Pater Generall to the minor Pater minister but all shall goe by election and choice neither shall any title clayme or right of inheritance be made chalenged pretended intended or diuolued from the father to to sonne but all shall rest in this Presbyter Iohn or Pope-Monarchiall-Generals gift No noble knight Esquier or swayne possessing more then the monarch shall bestow vpon him as tenant at will for the time nor for terme of life iust like to the Turkes distribution of lands and honors And if any thinke that this is but a surmise let them reperuse what here passantly is written in these Quodlibets and confer if possibly they can get them Fa. Parsons bookes of titles together with his high counsell of Reformation and other passages in manuscripts and then doubtlesse they will be of my minde THE X. ARTICLE VVHether then seeing their intended gouernment is most Antichristian Tartarian Turcicall and Tyrannicall do they maintaine this their paradoxall pragmaticall and stratagemicall doctrine by any law reuelation or other authority saue onely their owne bare word will and commaund to haue it so or what is the ground of all these their strange courses THE ANSWERE STabat pro ratione voluntas was the chiefe ground of the disciplinary lawe why poore Todde was beaten in Rome vntill his bones aked knowing no cause in the world for the Iesuits to haue vsed him so And if any seeme so peremptory as to aske a Iesuite what authoritie he hath either concerning these or any other exorbitant extrauagant exlegall and extra ordinarie lawes rules customes or orders set downe obserued and kept amongst them let him looke for none other but a thunderbolt of excommunication or sharpe censure irremissibly to bee throwne against him they being such Lords lawlesse Sirs and legifers as cannot erre in any act word or thought of a matter of fact to be formed framed and fashioned by them and therefore high blasphemy to contradict these Demigods in any thing But if you aske them why such a law doctrine or order is set downe by way of submission admiration or humble acknowledgement of their powerable dignitie and woorthines aboue all other persons liuing on earth then to breede a greater reuerence dutifull regard and respectiue feare in you towards them they may happily tell you that they haue it by reuelation that as by speciall commandement from God their order or societie was miraculously instituted for this end so father Parsons was and is the prophet appointed to prophecie vnto vs a dismall change that the time is come wherein all lawes customes and orders must be altered and all things turned vpside downe and that they being the onely men that haue the name office and authoritie of Iesus by them it is that this maruellous change and alteration shall be wrought in such sort as from the beginning of the world was the like neuer heard of before to this present of the Iesuits precedencie Mary yet if you aske other men dispassionate vnpartiall and not speaking of affection by what law or authoritie they doe attempt and teach these things they will tell you they haue neither law diuine nor humane so to doe but a law irregular made by an exlegall legifer father Parsons by name who hath preiudiced iniuried and wronged by his infamous libels all lawes and lawyers customes states and orders For first he hath preiudiced the lawes common pontifical of nations of nature of God himselfe as in the premisses of sundry precedent Quodlibets may appeere Then he hath preiudiced the lawes municipiall of this noble Isle laboring to foist in to outward shew the lawes ciuill Romane of Caesar abolished aboue a thousand yeeres agoe by authoritie of the See apostolike at the instant sute of king Lucius with the general consent of all his noble Lords the woorthy Britaines then peeres of these two realmes He hath abused the law custome and order obserued in humanitie in fawning vpon the Austrian line vnder pretence to bring in the imperiall lawes of Caesar into this land but intending in very deede to thrust a law vpon vs neuer heard of before throughout the vniuersall world nor I think euer shall be put in execution vntill the comming of Antichrist that all run vpon wheeles with alteration and change He hath preiudiced the lawe of propertie in instituting gouernment gouernors and hereditarie princes to be ad beneplacitum populi and all other priuate possessiants ad beneplacitum suum He hath preiudiced the lawes ciuill and imperiall of Caesar bringing them in falsly alleged and one thing for another as a comment for a corps a code for a digest a glosse for a text a memoriall for a principle and a note of some allegation vpon a sute past on the behalfe of a client for a maxime in the lawes either vnauthentically defined or remaining litigious pliable to any opinion or else interpreted as father Parsons pleaseth to the most disgrace he can deuise to all Ciuilians applied by him against proximitie of blood to breede a diuorce of friendship and kinred by disturbing the lawfull course of succession by birth and consanguinitie prouided by lawes for passage of lands and inheritance after the law of propertie began in all nations Which violent intrusion of Caesars lawes thus abused and bolsterd out to the vtter ruine of many noble families irreuocably he hath no shift to ratifie and get it allowed of but to delude simple people to confirme it by sundry examples of banckrupt common wealths or rather disordered multitudes He hath abused and preiudiced all states common wealths nobles and gentiles of this and all other Christian nations by a temporized popularitie thrust in vpon them accomodating himselfe as he saith to the conditions manners and minds of the common people which euer do delight in noueltie and change Otherwise as he seriously noted had the Iesuites neuer bene so admired at in England as they are at this day But omnia rara sunt preclara amongst the mobile vulgus who seising quickly vpon this popular doctrine it presently imprinted a fauourable opinion and liking both of the man and the matter in their wauering harts as all the world seeth it and perceiuing they might by this popular doctrine of father Parsons controul disthronize and ouerthrow their soueraigne the state their landlords and all other nobles and gentiles as they listed and liked best hereupon then they inferd
tooke a farre better and more polliticke course in that they sought by disputation setting out of bookes and other priuate conferences to make as many close Catholikes which you quoth he call schismatickes as they can and yet not bring any of these into the Church vnlesse here one and there one as may seeme in pollicie conuenient for keeping a memorie of Catholike ceremonies and vse of sacraments and sacrifice To the same effect were the words of their great Polipragmon Fa. Parsons who audaciously durst presume to affirme that it stood not with pollicie to haue libertie of conscience graunted neither did he wish it that persecution should cease in England in afflicting of Catholikes which passages of speech drawne into one proposition setting Atheisme for a medius terminus betwixt that honorable Lords opinion and this disgracefull Iesuits censure all English hearts may conceiue in these words foure points of importance one that the Iesuites make religion a matter of State and pollicie to draw people vnto them by plausible hypocrisie and shew of zeale not a matter of conscience to direct them aright another that they care not how many soules perish so they may winne their hearts and affections vnto them for the time present either by admiring them for rare prudence learning and gouernment or adoring them for peerelesse pietie perfection and holinesse a third that in stead of meekenesse mercie and compassion which of all other ought to shine out most clearely in a religious heart these men haue put on a sterne harsh and cruell hardnesse void of all pittie mildnesse or remorse saue onely Cateolinian carrying their countenance in their hands to sob and smile in a trice and so care not what miserie affliction or persecution fall vpon poore distressed Catholikes in these heauie times of our common sadnesse whilest they liue secure who are the chiefe workers of our generall incestant calamities by their figure-flingings plot-castings and libellings against their natiue countrie and present state of English gouernment in other countries And the fourth and last is their mischieuous bloudie and vnnaturall practises in that it is apparant that the onely cause why they wish persecution of their poore afflicted country-men and brethren to continue and no relaxation leaue or libertie to be graunted them is of purpose to make our Soueraigne her honorable Councell and Peeres of the present State seeme more odious tyrannicall and hatefull to all Christian nations and thereupon to publish libels and other seditious pamphlets of conspiracies for conquests and inuasions And this is that good reuerend religious esteeme which the Iesuits brokers should indeed haue cried with an O yes in euery street court and corner that they haue merited of the Catholike church Englands commonwealth since their first comming into this land Thirdly I might adde as of all other articles so of this many sundry causes reasons and proofes of the Iesuits impietie but I must infringe my speech perforce to dispatch other matters onely this whosoeuer knowes the Iesuits practises as none liuing knowes them all and few but know too few of them may easily coniecture that where any of their faction may be heard speake and be beleeued there must needes be a stop stay and hinderance of that soules conuersion For they that haue the art to inchaunt the already conuerted to make them refuse the benefite of the sacraments to the endaungering of their soules rather then to come at any Seminary or secular Priest that is not a current of their damnable doctrine thinke you they haue not the same skill of figure-flinging to withdraw all those that want the serpeÌ„ts wit to auoid their charmes from comming at any such as are opposite against them Noâ— questionlesse they want neither art nor euill will nor yet malicious meanes to effect it as hauing vsed from the beginning more Machiuilean deuises Atheall practises in secret conference by their inferior Agents with Schismaticks yea and with our common aduersaries then with Catholiks they that can delude any one Catholik put him or her in feare and to haue a scruple of conscience to receiue any Catholike Priest that is not of their faction or at least not against them it is wonder if all Schismatickes be not ouertaken and misse-led in conceit by them THE X. ARTICLE VVHether then the case standing so as in all these 9. precedeÌ„t Quodlib articles it appeares most plaine that the Iesuits haue raised much sedition wrought great mischiefe occasionated sundrie afflictions of all Catholike Recusants and most mightily and daungerously eclipsed the Churches glorie Is it like that these contentions the premises considered will be any way beneficiall to Catholikes and the whole Church of God or else hurtfull c. THE ANSWERE This Quodlibeâ— deciphering the extreme malice and mischieuous intent of the Iesuits in the former Quodlibets discouered doâ—â— closely insinuate here what greaâ— griefe it will be hereafter to many deuout Catholikes to remember how mad and senselesse they were to beleeue that such and such Priests were suspended excommunicated c. and that none might come at them and onely vpon the bare word of a Iesuit or one of his faction Wherupon perceiuing that it was spoken of meere malice sacrilegious consinage of these hypocrites those that are now deluded by them will be readie to eate their owne nailes for anger that they should haue bene so credulous and vnkind in beleeuing their enemies false reports against their dearest friends and spirituall fathers that yet still are ready to spend their bloud on Gods behalfe for them ALthough for the time it may seeme hurtfull yet questionlesse when these masqued religious Iesuits are once made knowne what and who they are there can no harme come thereof but on the contrarie to euery one it will be very beneficiall in the end and as great a comfort to all true Catholike harts as now it is a griefe First for that it was neuer yet seene but that presently vpoÌ„ such deadly coÌ„tentions risen amongst Gods seruants and Priests there appeared some blazing starre comet or light of a rare bright shine of the Churches wonted glorie So was it in the coÌ„tention amongst the Apostles when they stroue together for a supremacie euen in our Sauiour Christ his presence So was it in the time of the Arrian heresie when the whole Church and chiefe prelates seemed to be at daggers drawing with infamous libels put vp by Bishops against Bishops Priests against Priests one religious against another before that pious Emperor of all worthie memorie Constantine the great and so hath it euer bene no doubt but now so it will be God sweetly so disposing Secondly of all Axiomes in Philosophie this is holden for one of the truest most certaine and infallible rule that nullum violentum est perpetuum VVherupon Christian Philosophers haue defined that though there were no Scripture nor Catholike church authoritie to confirme it yet by this phisical position
of causes it is not possible but the world shold make an end and a stay made of the planets course and heauens motion by reason that primum mobile in a tergiuersed violence of opposite race to the rest runs a course against the haire And of like sort by an argument of induction vel ab exemplo vel à comparatione it must needs follow that it is impossible for the Iesuits to hold out long running a most violent course in opposition against the whole Church of God and all the 3. estates ecclesiasticall temporall and Monasticall as will appeare at large by induction of particulars of their seditious and wrangling disposition faction and opposition against Popes Cardinals Bishops and other prelates and priests in the state ecclesiasticall against Kings Princes Peeres Nobles Gentles and all sorts of ciuill Magistrates in the State temporall against Canōs regular Monks Friers all other religious orders in the state Monastical that haue any liuelyhoods which they want for as a Capouchine once said his order liued quietest of any other with the Iesuits because the Iesuits would willingly haue all and the Capouchines would willingly haue nothing but euen to keepe soule and life together Thirdly when our Sauiour Christ imposed a necessitie to the coming of heresies he meant not onely to the end that hypocrites might thereby be deciphered and lewde seducers of others made knowne to the world for he knew them full well himselfe long beforehand but withall that thereby his spouse might appeare more beautifull sweet amiable and glorious For seeing none can be called properly an hereticke but such as first haue bene catholike either by birth of baptisme or after conuersion and education and none such draw any multitudes after their fall vnto them vnlesse during the time of their stand abode in Gods church they had gotten by a counterfeited holines an admiration of inconstant people to be had of them Therefore to the end that those who by their corrupt life and manners in the Church would not onely damne themselues but also draw many thousands by their externall shewes and pretences of pietie to hell with them should be stopped and preuented of their wretched course it hath euer pleased the Diuine goodnesse whose prouidence is neuer enough to be admired at nor his iustice trembled at nor his mercies magnified to let be cast a stumbling blocke in the way of reprobates whereby they might take an occasion to leape out of Gods church thereupon God shew his iust iudgements vpon them and all that leape out with them and his mercies vpon the remainder that after their impietie discouered would no longer be seduced by them And so in the rise and fal of euery one God is alwaies honored his church glorified and all Catholikes hearts greatly comforted and benefited Were it not the feare I haue to be too tedious I might here enlarge my selfe with a long discourse of all the principall heresies and Archheretickes that euer haue bene For had not Arius many worthy prelates all sound Catholikes at the first to take his part So had Donatus so had Nouatus so had Eutiches so had Dioscorus so had many hundreds of Arch-heretickes aswell as he yea and such stood on their side as before euer the contention was decided had glorified heauen with Saints beautified the earth with Martyrs reliques And yet we see it was neither an argument of their pietie because so many holy Ciprians and other blessed men and women sided on their side at the first neither yet a confirmation of their error at the last because one and he a Priest was of power to vexe trouble and torment the whole church of Affrick and another the Catholike church of Asia in his abortiue Primitiues after the whole christiā world infected with his heresies in many millions of his followers And howsoeuer it happen hereafter or whether the time be yet come of reuealing the full mistery of iniquity or that these contentions may minister occasion before all matters be decided of another sacred Apostolicall O Ecumenicall synode to be called or howsoeuer it may fall out hereupon to man vnknowne yet do I verily thinke it was Gods holy will and prouidence diuine that the Seminary Priestes should once come on the behalfe of the whole Church of God to buckle before Saint Peter with the Iesuits againe And they sooner then any other Ecclesiasticall Monasticall or temporall order society or company of none of all which they neede doubt at length but to haue a ioyfull furtherance comfort and assistance in their iust quarell because they of all other hauing merited most at the Iesuits hands as admitting of them to be readers in their Colledges receiuing them especially to be coadiutors with them in Christ his haruest yeelding to them nay seeking to subordinate themselues in a sort vnto them and that onely to win the peoples applause and a name fame and praise of them to passe aboue themselues notwithstanding they were not ignorant that they had farre their betters amongst them for euen a Sherwin Seminary Priest yeelded to tread a Iesuiticall path and yet he did farre surpasse a Campion Iesuit as all the world knew it and in few they were so obseruant or rather seruiceable vnto them in all things as what was there but a Iesuit might commaund in England euen if they would haue had a Priest his crowne to haue troden vpon there were then that would haue obeyed who now like angry sleeping dogs vnwillingly awaked by them will both barke bite and leape in their faces for a lesse audatious presumption And then on the other side considering the Iesuits great ingratitude insolency cruelty and inhumane tyrannie like storkes amongst frogges not contented with an vndeserued soueraignty vnlesse all were made their bondslaues to vse innocent harmelesse hearts as they haue vsed the Seminarie and secular Priests that possessed no earthly riches that had no worldly ioyes that sought no setled state in mundane mansions caducall that neuer dreamed of other dignities conquests or triumphes but ouer sinne schisme and heresie death hell and damnation how to make their vocation sure by seruing their Lord God with all feare and trembling in ministring of Sacraments to deuout soules This being their whole study and care ah here how can the sorrowfull sequels be remembred without Apostrophees of inconsolable griefes that now poore wormes they should be troden vnder foote in their owne corne-fields in the heate of their haruest and euen by those that they admitted to be their coadiutors and fellow-laborers and that in their owne natiue countrey hauing no other place certaine to relye vpon whereas the Iesuits haue their peculiar houses and Colledges in euery kingdome almost throughout the world And therfore of all other if to to greedy desire of soueraignty had not made them starke blind they would and might wel without their losse or hinderance haue permitted the Seminary other secular Priests