childe of mortal man but a childe of perdition the aduersarie of Christ Iesus hath no such power as papists pretend to depose princes And the same may bée prooued euen by the examples alleaged in this place by the Noddie himselfe For neither did Peter nor Paul which notwithstanding had a farre greater authoritie then any pope of Rome depose Tiberius Caligula or Nero nor is it founde in holy Scriptures that any high priest of the Iewes deposed any king or discharged any subiects from their obedience If hée knew anie such matter done why doth hée not alleage his author and the names of the parties Nay it is not to bée prooued that anie mortall man can dissolue the bond of a lawfull oath or disannull that obligation that is mutuall betwixt princes and subiects Neither is the knight to bée condemned for a prince-idolater for so saying But the knaue his aduersarie and his consorts are iustly to bée condemned as pope-idolaters For not onely they a C. satis dist 96. call him in expresse termes God and giue vnto him diuine power in translating of kingdomes but also they acknowledge his iudgements to bée infallible and say that the pope and Christ haue but one Consistorie and the same authoritie and power At Rome the people and priests like beastes fall downe and worship him euen as the idolatrous Israelites worshipped the golden calfe in the wildernesse Do you then thinke this man to bée wise that so slenderly and barely toucheth so great a matter which the grand masters of the Romish synagogue with all their learning are not able to prooue Or may hée bée thought very sober where hée taketh on him to shew that papists are her Maiesties good friends and neuer sought her destruction euen there to iustifie pope Pius his hostile actes that not onely sought to depriue her of her state but also to destroy her and to confesse that they are the popes adherents and allow his iurisdiction howsoeuer wée are to thinke of others this assuredly is most apparant that the author of this railing treatise is a professed enimie of the state For hée doth not onely disallow all courses taken for her Maiesties safetie and the safetie of this kingdome but taketh on him to iustifie rebels and to defend publike enimies Do you not then take this fellow to bée a woorthie mediator to obtaine grace for Recusants and papists But to leaue to shewe his malice and treason that euery where is apparent and to procéede in our discourse after hée had in a sleight manner touched the popes act hee denieth that English papists so soone as her Maiestie was in full possession of the crowne began to fret and chafe and consequently to practise against her And his reason is For that it was twelue yeeres ere the excommunication of Pius Quintus came out against her But his defence is voide of truth his conclusion voide of reason The first is apparent not onely by the writings of the papists oppugning her gouernment by their flight ouer seas but also by the obstinacie of the prelates all refusing to crowne her but one and by their secret conferences packings both amongst themselues and also with the pope and other forreine princes Neither may wée thinke that the Quéene of Scots did then claime the crowne of England or that the French sent ouer forces into Scotland without their priuitie But of this wée haue alreadie spoken The second is prooued for that the excōmunicatiō of that impious pope was not the first cause but the extremitie of the rancor malice of papists Neither was the same procured but by great sute and labour when all other practises failed Lastly it is certaine that the rebellion that after broke foorth in the north was long before plotted diuers consultations had how to dispossesse her Maiestie of the crowne and to alter the estate Sanders in his slanderous and lying treatise of Schisme a Lib. 3. de schism confesseth that the popish prelates vpon the first alteration of religion Had determined to excommunicate the Queene and enterdite the land and that afterward misliking that course they referred the matter to the pope who vpon their solicitation procéeded to excommunication and open hostilitie To prooue that the papists were not cause of the popes hatred against England he is not ashamed to say That the Queene began with the pope and not he with her and that the pope was incited by English protestants not by papists to proceed against her He affirmeth also That hee had great reason to take this course against the Queene and this land and that first for that not onely the body of religion was changed that had endured a 1000. yeeres before and that contrarie to expectation promise but also diuers statutes made against him in opprobrious termes and the catholike body of England forced to sweare against him and secondly for that the prelates adhering to the pope were therefore all depriued and some of them imprisoned And Thirdly for that papists were inhibited to flie the realme and these that remained were enforced to participate not onely these othes but also to eate new sacrament-bread against their consciences And Fourthly for that the pope was traduced in pulpits and schooles as antichrist and scoffed at in plaies as author of many ridiculous fooleries And last of all For that this change was an example to countries round about vs to attempt the like In which discourse there are many weake reasons and diuers strong and impudent leasings For first albeit some occasion had béene giuen by vs to mooue the cholericke popes to anger yet doth it not follow that they had iust cause of anger nor that the papists did not stirre vp the coles and enflame their wrath against vs. Secondly admit princes shoulde offende either against Religion or iustice yet neither hath the pope nor any bishop any authoritie to depose them from their kingdomes Christ gaue his apostles no such power Nay himselfe challenged no earthly kingdome The apostles taught no such doctrine Nor did the holy bishops of the ancient church euer claime any such iurisdiction Nay the popes themselues before Gregory the seuenth did not presume either to depriue princes or to meddle with their kingdoms But if the tyrāny impietie of princes grew vnsufferable thē was the same either redressed in the parliament assembly of the estates of the realme or else by some that had lawful power by the custome of the countrey As for the popes claime it is not onely contrary to all antiquitie but to rules of state and so absurd that men in greatest blindnes of antichrists kingdome could not endure it For what can be deuised more absurd thē that a ribald frier or a humorous Italian should take on him to depose princes of other countries Thirdly what reasons soeuer forreine tyrrants pretend to offer violence to christian princes yet that is no excuse for the subiects either
Further it woulde not be forgotten how much it gréeueth the Spanish nation that they haue béene disturbed by vs in their trade to the Indies and pursued by our shippes euen to their owne doores The enterprises also of Portugall and Caliz are no small corrosiue to their hautie harts And no doubt they sée how that to secure their Indies and their owne countries both of Spaine and Flaunders and the partes adioining they haue no meanes but by making warres vpon vs. But suppose the Spaniards shoulde neither respect their profite honor nor safetie or that they woulde by conclusions of peace prouide for themselues and their owne indemnitie yet what assurance can wée haue either that any peace will bée concluded or that it will certainly bée performed when the Spaniards a Pope Pius 5. and Sixtus 5. excommunications take hold of them if they should dare not once treate of peace with vs being excommunicated by the pope without expresse licence nor may performe their grants further then shall please the b The canonists giue him power to dispence with oathes and dissolue contracts and he chalengeth that power as may appeere by Paulus 3. his bull against k. Henry the eight pope Is it likely that the pope will suffer the very foundations of his authoritie to bée shaken to gratifie vs Or will he reuoke so many sentences of excommunication and decretals as haue béene made against her Maiesty and her subiects that we may now enioy a firme peace When was euer any such thing done Nay the popes authoritie standing in many places how can any such matter bée done If then the pope cause his Iubiley and indulgences to bée preached and published in Spaine against vs and if hée offer full remission of sinnes to all that will take armes or send foorth soldiers against England do wée not thinke that there will bée a great stirre in Spaine Do wée not know how much the Spaniardes are addicted to these opinions and how they beleeue that the pope hath Saint Peters keies and power either to send men to heauen or to hell Great reason therefore had our good knight hearing of great preparations made in Spaine and combinations of c There are troupes of them sent ouer into England daily popish priestes dispersed euery where in England and considering the state of both nations to giue the alarme to his countreymen and to exhort them to prepare themselues to resist so great and violent an enimie as ment the vtter subuersion of the state and the destruction of our most déere countrey Neither had our aduersarie any reason to take this in dudgeon or to mislike their forwardnesse that armed themselues vpon their princes cōmandement resolued thēselues to fight for their prince their countrey their religion their liberty their lawes their wife their childrē their friends their goods and whatsoeuer they now enioie by this gouernment but that hée declareth himselfe a traytor to his prince and countrey and an vtter enimie to true religion and that hée hath renounced all affection toward his nation to ioine himselfe to Spaniardes Italians Mores and barbarous people culled out of diuers countries and thought fit to be emploied in this seruice against vs. Neither woulde hée haue declared so much to the worlde had hée not well answered his name and shewed himselfe a Noddy not knowing how euill it beséemeth him that ioineth with publike enimies to pretende loue and friendship to his owne nation And therefore albeit peace bée a gladsome matter and much to bée desired yet wee haue no reason either to harken to this trecherous friers tale or ouer farre to trust to parlies or offers of peace made by the Spaniardes Oftentimes swordes may bée couered vnder branches of laurell But this our superiors will looke vnto whom it specially concerneth vnto whose care I report me This is sufficient to shew how little wée are to trust the Spaniard whom our aduersarie so much aduanceth Now it followeth that I shew briefly that we haue lesse cause to feare him then to trust him which may euidently appéere by these particulars First our soldiers giue no place to the Spaniards if they may méete them vpon equal termes as experience triall in diuers encounters doth plainly declare It is not long since our troops encountring them hand to hand betwixt Ostend and Newport gaue them a greater foile then they haue receiued within our memorie The effects do plainly shew it séeing they haue béene quiet euer since Our mariners are without comparison better men at the sea then theirs and more able and skilfull in managing of their ships and better do they vnderstand the nature of these seas and the situation of Ilandes portes and harbors in these partes then the Spaniards Our ships are better of saile and better accommodated for shot and great ordonance then those of the Spaniards And being assisted with the fléete of our associates of the Low countries farre superior to any fléete in the world If the Spaniards come into these seas we haue both the seas the harbors and portes fauorable and may haue present supply of any thing wée want which they being farre from home cannot looke nor hope for If the Spaniard come into these seas hée cannot long continue héere without encounter nor depart at pleasure the windes being commonly southerly and westerly But if our fléete should go into the Indies with any strength they might either take any Iland or porte or saile along the coast and returne with more commoditie They can winne little by vs but blowes for that our riches are not great nor easie to bée come by But if in the Indies or in Spaine we ouercome them our spoile cannot choose but be great their trade being for golde and siluer and things of great value If any suppose the Spaniard to be inuincible considering our want and his aboundāce of treasure he must thinke first that as his reuenues are great so his imployments are many and that he wanteth oftentimes mony to pay his souldiors and set his ships to sea Nay he wanteth mony to pay his debts and defray necessary charges insomuch as king Philip the second was cōstreined to play a Anno Dom. 1575. 1597. as appeereth by the record of his proclamations bankeroupt twise or thrise in his time and his souldiers for want of pay haue beene forced to rauage the country and to mutine against their commaunders Secondly albeit we want the Indian mines yet we want not meanes both to pay our souldiers and mariners nor to furnish them both by sea and land nor canne want sufficient prouisions of all sorts if we list to establish a certaine course of procéeding for the continuance and maintenance of the warres Thirdly it is not mony that fighteth nor hath principall vse in warres but men iron munition and necessary prouisions Neither do monyed men spoile the poore but the poore armed souldier maketh a spoile of him that
among themselues Nay the contention betwéene Caluin and Luther is not so great but that popish doctors haue greater As for our selues all of vs professe the doctrine of Christ Iesus according to that rule that was established by common consent of the church of England from which if any digresse he is no more to be accounted of our societie then the papists that are of the popes retinue Lastly where he calleth our religion Parliament religion hée speaketh like himselfe that is falsely and slanderously For albeit the same be receiued by authoritie of the prince and state yet is it Christs religion and not the princes The a Lâ—unctos Cod. de summ Trin. sid Cath. emperors Gratian Valentinian and Theodosius decréed That all people of their gouernment should hold the doctrine of Peter the apostle taught by Damasus bishop of Rome and Peter bishop of Alexandria and that they should beleeue one God three persons and yet I hope this Noddie will not call the faith of the Trinitie An imperiall faith And thus much in answere of his obiection of parliameÌ„t faith and of supposed diuisions amongst vs. But if hée had considered how that all the authoritie of their Romish faith as it differeth from ours standeth vpon the authoritie of late popes and of the late conuenticle of Trent and that both the grounds and positions of it are either nouelties or old condemned heresies and was in Quéene Maries times established more by parliament then by authoritie of the apostles and how many and diuers sectes they haue among their monkes and friers and b About the matter of the sacrament of the Lords supper they haue not so few as 200. diuers opinions diuers opinions among their schoolemen and how their late writers dissent both from fathers and schoolemen and among themselues I thinke hée woulde haue spared either to haue obiected vnto vs our dissensions or to haue talked of the authoritie of our religion To discredite the report of spirituall blessings bestowed on vs he a P. 5.6 saith further That before this change we beleeued the catholike faith of Christendome deliuered by the vniuersal church grounded vpon that rocke that cannot faile now beleeue onely either other mens opinioÌ„s or our owne fancies which choice is properly called heresie and héere hée thinketh to haue argued like a great doctor But first as his doctrine is strange so his stile is new and fantasticall For although hée sweate hard in séeking yet shall hee not finde that any one doctor saith That the vniuersall church doth deliuer to euerie priuate man the catholike faith for as schoolemen might teach him Actiones sunt suppositorum and it is not the whole kind but some one or other that doth this or that action Secondly most vntrue it is That either poperie is the catholike faith of Christendome or that the apostles or their catholike successors taught those errors of poperie which wee condemne Thirdly he doth vs wrong where he saith That our doctrine is diuers from the catholike faith of Christendome For whatsoeuer Christ or his apostles taught or is deliuered in the confessions of faith or créedes generally receiued of Christs Catholike church that wée beléeue and receiue refusing no point of catholike doctrine and all priuate fancies opinions heresies whether of popes or other heretikes and false teachers we renounce condemne and anathematize Héereof it followeth that the doctrine and faith of the church of England is most catholike and certaine being grounded vpon the apostles and prophets Christ Iesus being the corner stone which is a firme rocke against which the gates of hell cannot preuaile Grounded it is I say vpon the writings of the apostles and prophets endited by Gods holie spirite and thereunto not onely Councels and fathers but also the aduersaries themselues for the most part giue testimonie But the blinde papists haue deuised and receiued both new grounds of their religion and new doctrine which standeth onely vpon the authoritie of this pope and that pope whose fancie and opinion is all the certeintie they haue This is that rocke or rather banke of sand whereon the miserable papists faith is built For what the pope determineth that they hold to be the determination of the vniuersal church vpon his credite they receiue the scriptures Nay without his determination a Stapletonde author eccles they denie the scriptures to be authenticall b Princip doct lib. 9. c. 12. Stapleton teacheth that the church that is the pope at all times hath power to approue and taxe and consigne the bookes of holy scriptures In another place he c Ibidem lib. 11. c. 4. holdeth that vniuersall tradition is the most certaine interpreter of scriptures Generallie they hold that the pope is supreme iudge in all controuersies of faith and manners and that he is the iudge that cannot erre Hereof that followeth which this noddie obiecteth to vs That the faith of papists is built vpon the popes fancie and opinion which altering from time to time the faith of the Romish church is variable like the moone and vnstable as the sea Trusting to the popes determination from the Angelickes they haue receiued the worship of angels from the Collyridians the worship of the holy virgin Marie from the Carpocratians and Simon Magus and their disciples the worship of images from the Manichées and other heretikes prohibition of meates and dislike of mariage of priests and from other heretikes other damnable opinions So that their faith is not the catholike faith of Christendome but méere heresie grounded vpon the fancie and opinion of most wicked and vnlearned popes But d P. 6. saith this Noddie Why should you beleeue more your owne opinions then Caluin concerning the Queenes supremacie Luther concerning the reall presence and Beza in the church gouernment I answere first that these mens priuate opinions concerne not fundamentall points of faith And therefore that they are not to bée brought foorth for instance in this cause where we talke of the foundations reasons of Christian faith Secondly I deny that Caluin did deny the Quéenes supremacie in ecclesiasticall matters as we hold it For neither did he subiect princes to popes or priests in matter of their royall gouernment nor did hee denie princes power to establish ecclesiasticall lawes nor to command for Gods truth or to prouide for the setting foorth of true religion or redressing of disorders in churches or priests which are the principall points of supreme gouernment of princes in their realmes and dominions Neither do I thinke that any ancient father of the church did euer denie this power to princes Sure I am that many haue allowed it The reason why Caluin did once mislike the title of king Henry the eight was because hée was perswaded that hee had challenged all that power which the pope arrogateth to himselfe as head of the church wherein after that he was better informed he changed his stile and
doth but lightly touch the continued malice of the popish faction against her Maiestie euer since her first comming to the crowne and that rather to warne the carelesse subiect to take héede of such an enimie and to point at such pernicious traytors then to hurt such as haue béene and yet are abused by the craft and practise of others and are not themselues actors nor factious nor malicious to their countrey To hurt quiet men albeit abused by false colour of old religion it was no part of his purpose But séeing this simple Noddie hath no more reason but to bare and touch that wounde which béeing séene and touched must néedes gréeue many and shame all the faction of papists that haue shame to heare their owne and their consorts most abominable practises discouered I am content to méete him in this encounter and examine whether it bée true or no that is commonly reported concerning the practises of papists against her Maiestie and this state If any mislike this course let him deale with the Noddie that drew mée into it For mine owne part I was vnwilling to quarrell with them but séeing they will néedes stande vpon termes and challenge others I coulde not choose but answere Neuer any thing in this Realme did more displease the papistes then the match betwixt king Henry the eight and her Maiesties mother the Lady Anne Bollenne for thereby not onely the popes authority to dispence in causes of Matrimony but also to iudge in causes of princes was called in question Further they beganne to feare least the king that was a prince of heroicall courage would haue taken occasion vpon this abuse offered him to haue looked into the whole cause of religion Here began the hatred against her Maiestie which this faction hath borne her euer since and which by many attempts against her parents and her selfe they haue declared Clement the seuenth albeit he had receiued many fauours from king Henry and had promised otherwise yet whether wonne by perswasions of Charles the fift then béeing emperor or else mooued with the interest that himselfe had in it declared the kinges mariage to be voide and the issue of that mariage vnlawfull The which sentence was giuen Anno 1533. some little tyme before she came into the world So that it is no maruell if now they hate her which not onely in her parents but also in her lawful right was persecuted before she came into the world Not long after Paul the third did furiously thunder out a sentence of excommunication against Henry the eight depriuing him of his kingdome and againe declaring the mariage with the Lady Anne Bollen to be void and her children to be illegitimate With that fury did he prosecute that innocent lady and her children sparing nothing which might serue to worke both their destructions And when he could do nothing of himselfe he neuer ceased by Winchester and other his agents to pursue the cause vntill such time as they had caused an act of Parliament to bée made against both the mother and the daughter and brought the innocent Ladie her mother to her end and which is more gréeuous they loaded her with many slanders and reproches not onely in her triall but also in an act of parliament How vniustly God best knoweth and the king himselfe acknowledged with great griefe at his death as a Cosmograph lib. 16. Theuet a writer no way partiall hath testified Plusieurs gentils-hommes anglois saith hée speaking of king Henry the eightes death m'ont asseurè qu'il eut belle repentance des offenses par luy commises estant a l'article de la mort et entre lez autres choses de l'iniure et crime commise contre la dicte roine Anne de Boulan faulsement vaincue et accusee de ce qu'on luy imposoit It suffised not the enimie to take away an innocent ladies life but they tooke away also her honour and good name by diuers imputations which God the most iust iudge knoweth and I trust one day will more plainly declare Afterward it pleased God to put in the kings minde to reuerse the act that debarred her Maiestie of her right which hée did by his last will This so néerely touched the papists that as it shoulde séeme they haue abolished it thereby endeuoring to take away all monuments and records whereby her right might bée prooued This rancor of theirs did especially shew it selfe against her during the raigne of Quéene Mary For although her beautie vertue good carriage and many excellent parts wherewith God had endued her might haue mooued any to loue her yet in these men these excellencies and especially her religion wrought contrary effects For doubting least Quéene Mary hauing no issue should leaue the kingdome to her and fearing that shée woulde asswage their pride and tyrannie against Gods saints and abolish their superstitious abuses and hereticall doctrine they sought by all meanes to cut her off from the crowne The pope hée coulde not suffer his sentences and decretals to bée reuersed his adherents coulde endure no reformation of religion to bée established Gardiner charged her as an abbettor to Wyat and said shée had intelligence with him And this our aduersarie doth also signifie by his Mysticall bracelet and other darke surmises As if it were likely that a poore yoong maiden destitute of friends and meanes and in the handes of her enimies could helpe them any thing or that Wyat would communicate a counsell of such danger to her that percase might vtter it and no way coulde helpe him Howsoeuer it was he practised with diuers to accuse the innocent Lady and percase if God had not holpen her had effected his purpose That she held Quéene Mary and the state in suspence and care our aduersary denyeth not What then more probable then that they should séeke to disburthen themselues of that care and iealousie There are diuers that testifie that they had diuers consultations against her Doctor Storie shewed plainly That the papists committed a great error in that cutting of the boughs they had not strooken at the roote When either for shame or else because they could finde no probable cause against her they could not spill the innocent Ladies bloud it is certaine that they fayned Quéene Mary to be with childe to the intent that some supposed childe might be found to succéede Quéene Mary and to preuent the Ladie Elizabethes right All this notwithstanding it pleased God many of her enimies being taken away that shée shoulde possesse the crowne at what time a man woulde haue thought they woulde haue ceased to pursue her against whom they coulde not preuaile Yet euen then did they also shew their malice and first they caused the Quéene of Scots to claime the crowne to beare the armes of England Then by the way of Scotland the French began to threaten and to inuade her countrey and had procéeded further but that her Maiesties forces did shut them vp
to beléeue that the popes excommunications are to bée executed and this is their common doctrine But suppose our aduersarie shoulde teach papists to contemne the popes authoritie which hée is not like to do yet would not his exhortation worke any effect For alwaies vpon the popes excommunication haue wars and rebellions ensued where the pope hath had any authoritie This was the beginning and motiue of the bloody warres of the popes against Henry the fourth and fift and the two Fridericks and against Otho Philip and Lewis of Bauier emperours of Germanie And no other cause can be assigned of the insurrections against king Henry the eight other excommunicate princes In vaine therfore doth this Noddy go about to reconcile the subiects obedience with the excoÌ„munications of the pope They neuer did nor euer coulde agrée hitherto Fire and water may percase bée reconciled but these two cannot Neither do I thinke that hée meaneth to reconcile them Onely hée desireth some respite vntill by our negligence either the papists may get a head or forreine enimies haue made their prouisions ready For how little affection hée beareth to the prince and state it appéereth throughout all his defence In this place hée goeth about to smooth and as farre as hée dare with the safetie of the cause in hand to defende the insurrection in the north of England anno 1569. the rebellions in Ireland the practises of Charles Paget and Francis Throgmorton and diuers other attempts against her Maiestie and the state Whereas the earles of Northumberland and Westmerland rose in armes in the north and spoiled all that quarter and purposed not onely the destruction of the prince but also the subuersion of the state and the bringing in of strangers as appéereth by the negotiation of Ridolpho as it is set downe in pope Pius the fift his life hée saith They onely gathered â—heir tenants togither and without battaile or bloudshed retired As if they had ment nothing but to méete at an ale-stake or May-game Doctor Sanders raised a rebellion in Ireland Francis Throgmorton not onely reuealed the secrets of the state to Bernardin Mendoça and practised with him how to draw in forreine enimies but also had his finger in other treasons Charles Paget began a practise about the coast of Sussex was the ouerthrow of Henry earle of Northumberland and afterward continued practising what mischéefe he could against his countrey The late earle of Northumberlandes actions were openly declared in the Starre-chamber to be dangerous The last earle of Arundell was taken as hée was passing ouer to the enimies And yet all these treasonable and dangerous practises are by him either lightly passed or else coloured Hée saith that Francis Throgmorton died for hauing a description of some portes in his chamber But his owne confession testifieth that hée was touched for far greater matters and I haue partly pointed at the same Hée saith The earle of Arundell was condemned onely for hearing of a masse and that he had cause to reioice that he was condemned for such a treason As if it were so spirituall and glorious a matter to heare a masse Assuredly in times past masses were no such glorious matters when they were solde to all commers for thrée-halfe-pence a péece and vnder As for the earle hée had great cause to commend the clemencie of this gouernment or else hée had well vnderstoode that hee had committed greater faultes then hearing of a masse all which I forbeare to relate for the respect I beare to his house The iustice that hath béene doone vpon papists that haue béene conuicted eyther of rebellion or secrete practises with forraine enemies or other kindes of treason and felony he calleth Pressures vexations dishonors rapines slaughters and afflictions Dishonoring her Maiestie and the state and calumniating the iudges And yet were more true catholickes and religious christians executed within one yéere in Queene Maries time then trayterous papists since her Maiestie came to the crowne a Histor Genuens lib. 23. Bizarus and other strangers do greatly commend her Maiesties clemency her very enemies could neuer appeach her of cruelty The papists most cruelly murder those that are of a diuers religion albeit they yéelde obedience to their prince and desire to liue quietly Her Maiestie executeth none to death for popish religion nay least she should séeme to touch any for religion she doth oftentimes spare offendors guiltie of dangerous practises and treasons Likewise in drawing the obstinate to the church there is great moderation vsed Many offend few are punished and that very gently The papistes haue the greatest part of the wealth of the land in their handes Diuers rayling companions are still publishing libels to the dishonor of her Maiestie and the whole gouernment neither can this Noddy represse his malitious affection but he must néedes allow their dooings And yet the papistes are spared although neuer the more for his wise pleading Finally he commendeth the papistes for their patience But I thinke he meaneth the patience rather of Lombardes then of christians For they neuer had yet patience but when they were vnable to resist In king Henry the eightes dayes they made diuers insurrections in England The trumpets of sedition were monkes and friers In king Edward the sixt his daies they stirred in Deuonshire and Cornewall and all for want of their masse and holywater and such like trinckets The chéefe moouers thereof were likewise priests in Quéene Elizabeths time they made head first in the north parts and afterward in Ireland by the seditious practises of priestes and Iesuites either most or a great part of that country is in combustion Neither haue they omitted any opportunity to mooue new rebellions in England In Fraunce they conspired together against their lawfull kings Henry the third and fourth and neuer gaue ouer vntill they were ouercome by famine sword and other calamities and this is the patience of papists nay they say that if the first christians had had power they would haue deposed Nero Dioclesian and other persecutors a Lib. 5. de pontif Rom. c. 7. Quod si Christiani olim saith Bellarm. non deposuerunt Neronem Dioclesianum Iulianum apostatam ac Valentem Arianum similes id fuit quia decrant vires temporales Christianis So when papistes are too weake to resist then they are content to obey but giue them head and then beware Compare now the dooings and procéedings of our side with our aduersaries I hope there shal be no such wickednes found in our hands Diligently doth this fellow search matter against vs but findeth none To iustifie his consorts he telleth vs of Goodman but we do not allow his priuate opinion Beside that he doth not like rebellion but misliketh womens gouernment which opinion since himselfe hath retracted Secondly he obiecteth against vs Wyats rebellion But that was not for religion but for matter of state not against Quéene Marie but against strangers whose tyrannie hée
extr de Maior Obed. Boniface the eight teacheth That it is a point necessarie to saluation to bee vnder the pope b De ecclesia militante c. 2. Bellarmine holdeth him out of the church that is not vnder the popes obedience Nostra sententia est saith he ecclesiam vnam veram esse caetum hominum eiusdem christianae fidei professione eorundem sacramentorum communione colligatum sub regimine legitimorum pastorum ac praecipuè vnius Christi in terris vicarij Romani Pontificis This is likewise Turrians and Stapletons opinion If then a papist or cacolik must néedes obey the pope then must he necessarilie both allow his sentence of excommunication against the Queene and ioine with him in deposing her or else they are no partes of the Romish church But if they shall either so thinke or do they can bée no true subiects Secondly a Lib 2. de Pontif. Rom. Bellarmine teacheth that it is a matter of faith To beleeue that the pope by Christs ordinance hath succeeded Peter in the vniuersall gouernment of the church But hée that beléeueth so much as all papists are bounde to do cannot acknowledge the princes royall authoritie in ecclesiasticall causes nor exclude the pope from it and per consequent must néedes bée but a sorie subiect to her Maiestie Thirdly all papists are b Bellar. lib 4. de Pontif. Rom. bound to beléeue That the popes sentence in matters of faith is infallible and that what hée iudgeth is done by Christes authority in whose tribunall seate hée pretendeth to sit Necessarie it is therefore that all papists allow the popes sentence of deposition against her Maiestie If they denie it they are not of the right touch of papists if they grant it they are euill qualified subiects But what shall wée néede arguments to prooue this when as experience doth euidently prooue it vnto vs Is it not apparent how little reason her Maiestie hath to trust them In the beginning of her reigne the popish prelates refused to crowne her one onely excepted Afterward the popish clergie for the most part fledde out of the lande and left her By their solicitation the pope began to stirre against her Presently vpon his excommunication the rebellion began in the north These kinde of men stirred vp diuers rebellions in Ireland Neither haue they ceased at any time to enterprise either one deuise or other to hurt vs here in England Sir Francis therefore doth greatly diminish their deserts and spare them where hée saith onely They haue deceitfull harts And most fauorablie doth the state deale with them for refusing to come to church to serue God séeing their consorts do burne and murder godly men for not comming to their idolatrous seruice and abominable masse He calleth those that refuse to go to our churches The better and more religious sort of catholickes But he is not of God that refuseth to heare his word Neither are they to be tearmed catholickes that haue a priuate religion to themselues deuised by the pope nor are they truely religious that vnderstand not the principles of Christian faith nor will receiue true holesome and apostolike doctrine Now if any desire to know what they are by the markes of Antichrist in their whole life and profession he may vnderstand it Where it is said that some papistes Shew foorth a good outward ciuill cariage this Noddy wisely concludeth That sir Francis maketh light of good life and thereupon taketh occasion to runne out into a common place of good workes But héere was no place for him to trie his skill For sir Francis doth neither condemne good workes nor good life but rather the hypocriticall shewe of both where indeede neither is to bée founde Nay poore soules the papists do not so much as vnderstande what workes are good what not They say their Oraisons and Credo Aue Maria in Latin and vnderstand not what they say They créepe to the crosse and kisse it On fridaies they eate fish and absteine from white meates in lent They crosse themselues confesse their faults in the priestes eare put on haire cloth and follow such like fancies refusing to heare true doctrine and Gods truth And a Matth. 15. 23. So they make frustrate Gods commandements by their owne traditions Nay sometime they rebell against their lawfull princes and murder Gods saints and blaspheme his truth and yet thinke they do God good seruice when most plainely they transgresse his lawes As for our selues albeit wée do not attribute merite or iustification to works yet wée exhort all men to shew foorth their faith by their workes and to lead a holy life according to their holy profession Neither are we so barren of good workes but that we dare compare either with the glorious Iesuites or with the most perfect men of the popish faction or with their most holy popes As for Recusantes I know no works they do but such as if they were wise they would be ashamed of them Sir Francis Hastings as a true and honest patriote and like a religious gentleman noteth thrée pointes in Recusantes worthy consideration The first is The hurt they do the second is The hurt they would do if they were not restrained the third is Their deepe dissimulatioÌ„ He might also haue noted the hurts which already they haue doone and ioine their leud opinions with their wicked actioÌ„s And vary euery seueral point with manifold arguments examples But this which he hath alreadie brought is more then our aduersarie doth well answere Nay hée answereth almost nothing vnlesse wée take gibes and scornefull reproches for paiment Where sir Francis saith That the yoonger steere learneth of the elder oxe He saith It is a verse drawne from his plow and stall of oxen As if it were not lawfull and vsuall by naturall similitudes to expresse things morall or as if his holy S. Thomas did not sometimes draw similitudes from oxen and asses It is written in a Iâ—b 1. Iob That the oxen were plowing and the asses feeding by them That is as he b 2. 2. q. 2. art 6. Gregor moral 2. supposeth The ruder and inferior sort of people which are represented by asses must beleeue as their prelates do which are signified by oxen The similitude vsed by sir Francis is very fit For commonly Recusants are as rude as oxen and stéeres and as the Psalmist saith Vnderstand no more then doth horse or mule Nay as it is in the first of Esaie The oxe knoweth his owner and the asse his masters cribbe but these ignorant Recusants know not their God but for their gods adore angels and saints yea stockes and stones vnderstanding no more what they pray then do oxen and calues Beside that the confessors and yoong priests are so familiar with their wiues that they are made liker oxen then lyons But this idle vagabond frier that liueth idly vpon the sweate of other mens browes and disdeineth to labour
e Matth. 28. gaue them in charge To teach what he had commaunded them The f Gal. 1. apostle pronounceth him Accursed that should teach otherwise then the Galatians had receiued By the law of Moses the Sanedrin or chiefe tribunal in Hierusalem had soueraigne authority in iudgement yet might not those iudges pronounce sentence g Deut. 17. But according to the law of God The which doth argue that popish religion is built vpon groundes most absurd and contrarie to religion Finally some do stand much vpon ancient fathers and councelles and the first churches practise and haue not doubted to attribute much vnto them But now finding by experience that these do not much make for them and that the fathers themselues do wholy relie vpon the scriptures they flie wholie to the authority of the pope and to the late church of Rome and perceiue that vnlesse they may sit iudges in their owne cause the same cannot stand But héerein it may plainly appeare that they are no catholikes For ancient catholikes attributed most to scriptures and vsed the testimony of fathers and of the ancient church to declare the true sence and meaning of scriptures But a Sâ—ss 4. conciâ— Trâ—d these admit no sence But that of holy church as they call it which is nothing but the priuate fancy of soâ—e foolish pope Fourthly as in the foundations of Christian religion so likewise in diuers points of faith the papists do plainly declare themselues to bée no catholikes For first in the obiect of faith they mainly differ true catholikes beléeue in God onely Faith saith the b Rom. 10. apostle is by hearing and hearing by the worde of God c De diuin nomin c. 7. Dionyse saith That faith hath for his obiect the most pure and alwaies being truth that is God And euery Christian rehearsing his faith confesseth That he beleeueth in God the father the sonne and the holy ghost and in no creature But the papists beléeue in angels and in saints and call vpon them For as the d Rom. 10. apostle saith How shall they call on him on whom they haue not beleeued To them also they make confession of their sinnes and from them they looke for helpe and all things necessary as may bée shewed by infinite particulars Further they beléeue the determinations of the pope to be true and trust in him as in the rocke of the church e In opusc contra error Graecor Thomas Aquinas saith that it is a matter of faith to beleeue the determination of the pope Ad fidem pertinet saith he inhaerere determinationi pontificis summi in his quae sunt fidei imò in his quae spectant ad bonos more 's And this is also the opinion of f Summa Siluest in verb. fides Siluester Prierius They beléeue also whatsoeuer is taught by the church of Rome Ad fidem pertinent omnia quae sunt in doctrina ecclesiae saith g Ibidem Siluester Prierius and hée gathereth the same out of h 2.2 q. 5. art 3. Thomas Aquinas and that is their common opinion holding the traditions of the church in equal estimation with the worde of God all which can neuer bée prooued to haue béene beléeued by true catholikes For neither can it bée shewed that in publike liturgies they haue called on saints and on angels as the church of Rome teacheth or confessed their sinnes to them or beléeued in the pope or church of Rome Againe true catholikes beléeue that Christ Iesus was true man and had a body like to ours in height bredth thicknesse and that he filled the place where hée was as do our bodies We must beleeue saith a De essentia diuinitatis Augustine that the sonne of God according to his deitie is inuisible incorporeall and incircumscriptible but according to his humane nature that he is visible corporeall and locall b Contra Eutych lib. 4. c. 4. Vigilius saith That Christ is contained in a place according to his humane nature and that this is the catholike faith Illud corpus saith c Dialog 2. Theodoret habet priorem formaÌ„ figuram circumscriptioneÌ„ vt semel dicam corporis substantiam So likewise saith d Ad Thrasimund li. 2. c. 5. Fulgentius SiveruÌ„ est corpus Christi loco potest vtique contineri But the papists do assigne him a body inuisible impalpable and such a one as is incircum scriptible and without the dimensions of height bredth depth A bodie that may be conteined in infinite places at once yet not continued to it selfe as is the nature of Continua quantitas Finally a mans whole body that is without all qualities of a body may be contained in euery little part of a consecrate hoste increasing and diminishing at the priestes pleasure Further euery catholike Christian beléeueth that our Sauiour Christes true body is ascended into heauen and there remaineth e Ioan. 16. Hée tolde his disciples before his passion That he must leaue the worlde and go to the father And in another place f Iohn 12. That they should not alwaies haue him with theÌ„ In the first of the Acts we learne That hee is taken vp from vs into heauen And the apostle S. g Act. 3. Peter doth plainely declare That the heauens must conteine him vntill the time that all things be restored And this also the fathers plainely teach vs According to his diuine nature saith h In Matth. tractat 33. Origen he is not absent froÌ„ vs but he is absent according to the dispensatioÌ„ of his body which he tooke i Lib. 10. super Luc. 24. S. Ambrose saith That neither on the earth nor in the earth nor after the flesh we ought to seeke Christ if we will finde him Saint Augustine saith k Tractat. 50. in Ioan. Hee hath caried his bodie into heauen although he hath not withdawne his maiestie from the worlde l Homil. 21. in euangel Gregory the first doth plainly affirme That Christ is not heere by the presence of his flesh The flesh of Christ saith Vigilius writing against Eutyches lib. 4. c. 4. when it was in earth surely was not in heauen and now because it is in heauen certainly it is not in earth Neither did euer any ancient father teach otherwise But the papists do teach that Christes true body and flesh is both in heauen and earth and vpon euery altar at one time and that hee is touched and receiued not of men onely but also of mise and dogs and other beasts which to true catholikes séemeth not onely absurd but also abominable All true catholikes firmely beléeue that thâ—â—r sinnes are forgiuen them for Christ his sake and that they shall atteine eternall life according to these two articles of the créed which euery one professeth saying Credo remissionem peccatorum vitam aeternam God he Hath promised and sworne as the a Heb. 6.
and lewde companion according to his deserts My selfe also doe commende vnto them this whole cause and doubt not but they will maturely consider the pride of the enemie and the necessitie of iustice that all magistates good subiects wil concurre with them in this case Clemencie and debonnairetie is very coÌ„mendable but to suffer either Gods honor to be violated through idolatrie or superstition or the Christian magistrates life or person to be endangered or the commonwealth to be vndermined for want of due punishment of offenders is not to be termed clemencie but rather a remissenesse and dissolution of gouernment neither well agreeing with religion nor ciuill policie l 1. King 15. Asa king of Iudah is commended for that his hart was vpright with the Lord al his daies yet was it no smal blemish to him that he put not downe the high places where the people had established another worship then that which the Lord had appointed Manasses likewise although vpon his returne from Babylon he reformed religion and setled matters in Gods temple yet is he m 2. Chron. 33. noted for that he suffered the people to sacrifice in high places For idolatrous worship is not to be suffered in any corner nor by conniuencie to be dissembled Neither is it policie to giue too much libertie to such as giue open signes of malcontentment and either secretly vndermine the state or publikely transgresse lawes That state saith n In orat Aeschin Aeschines is good for nothing that hath no strength to represse offenders against lawe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Neither is there any greater maladie in a state as saith Euripides then when malcontents and offenders are suffered to flourish 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Tullie saith that dangerous and disobedient subiects are with mulctes imprisonment and corporall punishment to be restreined Magistratus saith o Lib. 3. de legibus he nec obedientem noxium ciuem multâ vinculis verberibusque coercento Neither can any commonwealth be maintained but where there is a correspondence of punishment to transgression of lawes Noxiae par poena esto saith a wise p Cicero lib. 3. de legib politike And so respectiue were the Romaine lawes in this point that where by sleight or want the offender could not haue the penaltie of the lawe laide vpon him they gaue power to the magistrate to lay an extraordinarie punishment vpon him that no offence might escape vnpunished Generaliter placet saith q L. quoties ff de poenis Vlpian in legibus publicorum iudiciorum vel priuatorum criminum qui extra ordinem cognoscunt praefecti vel praesides vt eis qui poenam pecuniariam egentes eludunt coercitionem extraordinariam inducant To spare rebels and traitors doth cause diuers inconueniences It discourageth loyall subiectes to aduenture in defence of the state it maketh the rebels more insolent it giueth more opportunitie to forreine enemies to practise and finally the example of sparing some doth embolden other euill disposed persons to attempt the like It is an olde saying Impunitas magna est peccandi illecebra Finally the lawe of God doth put a sword into the magistrates hand not for naught but to maintaine honest men and to punish the wicked Now as it is not safe nor profitable to let rebelles and traytors passe without due iustice so it is not religious nor pious to suffer hereticall and false teachers and spreaders of sectes and diuisions to escape vnpunished God hath r Deuter. 13. established a sharpe law against false prophets that shall entise men To go after other gods or shall go about to turne men from the Lord their God He commaundeth the magistrate to put them to death and Å¿ Ibidem forbiddeth priuate men To pity them or keepe them secret The apostle writing to the Romaines t Rom. 16. exhorteth them To marke such diligently as should cause diuision and offences among them contrary to the doctrine which they had learned and to auoide them The u L. omnes Cod. de haeret Manich. emperors Gratian Valentinian and Theodosius put hereticall teachers to perpetuall silence and charged inferior officers not to winke at them x L. cuncti ibid. Arcadius and Honorius depriued them of all exercises of their false religion y L. Ariani ibidem Theodosius and Valentinian the younger banished Arians Manichees and all heretikes out of the Romaine empire And for this cause did saint z Lib. 1. cont epist Parmâ—n c. 6. epist 166. Augustin highly commend the emperors iustice and a Epist. 62. teach That it was necessary that hereticall teachers should be repressed and corrected Certes if lawes had beene executed against popish priests Iesuites and other friers and false teachers neither would they haue insinuated themselues into this kingdome and into Ireland with that boldenesse nor could so many simple soules haue beene seduced to the eternall destruction of their soules and of some of their lâ—ues nor should they so much haue encreased the popish faction as some where they haue done I doubt not but magistrates both see those inconueniences and will remedy them And therefore I neede not to vse many words in this behalfe But because of late a certaine presumptuous and proude Iesuite calling himselfe N.D. hath taken vpon him not onely to plead for Iesuites and priests but also for forreine enemies and notorious rebelles and traytors aduancing the cause and power of the enemie and by a strange metamorphosis of words turning traytors into true subiectes and rebellious heretikes into martyrs and by his painted glosses burnishing out heresie superstition and idolatry for true religion catholike faith Gods true worship I haue vpon zeale I beare to Gods truth and loue I owe to her Maiesty and my country and not least of all for that harty affection which I beare to all my Christian countrymen whome these false teachers apparelled in sheepes clothing with their counterfeite sheepes blayting seeke to abuse vndertaken to answere all his pleading to iustifie the honest and religious intention of that noble knight Sir Francis that first aduentured to speake against them and to shew in generall that our enemies are no such bugs as we neede to feare them nor english fugitiues such innocents as they are pretended nor the factious papists so honest men that we are far to trust them And because he shall not complaine that we refuse any indifferent triall I haue thought it not amisse to vndertake his challenge and to meete him at euery turne and in euery encounter following him pase by pase and ioyning foote to foote He would percase bring it to another triall Vbi collato pede dimicandum est or as Virgil saith Vbi haeret pede pes densúsque viro vir and we refuse not when we shall see him and his consortes come against vs in plaine field But in the meane while we are to try our cause with words and
no more eare to these hispaniolized English combined with traytors for the destruction of the country For he canne hardly séeme honest whome such rinegued traytors so highly do praise In the end of this chapter he goeth about to teach his disciples the recusantes how farre they are to yéelde obedience to their prince But if his teaching be no better in schooles then in these encounters I doubt he will make but few good schollers First he doth not shew vs whome he taketh for a lawfull prince which for determination of this controuersie would certainly be knowne For if he do not beléeue that a prince excommunicate by the pope and by him deposed is to be reputed lawfull and to be obeyed notwithstanding the popes spite then whatsoeuer he talketh here of obedience to princes concerneth her Maiestie nothing a P. 88. Secondly he would haue recusantes to serue their prince With body goods and life Where we are to note that he neither mentioneth the heart nor the inward affection Do we not then thinke that the recusantes will do her Maiestie good seruice that are deliuered vnto her without soule hart or harty affection Thirdly least vpon his promise they might perhaps be too forward in seruice he draweth them backe with a limitation and teacheth that their seruice and obedience is to stretch no further Then to iust causes of which he maketh eyther the recusantes themselues or the pope their holy father to be iudge So that her Maiestie if the pope procéede against her is to looke for no seruice at the recusantes handes Nay Allen in his traytorous exhortation to the nobility and people of England and Ireland hopeth to draw them to assiste forreine enemies against her Behould I pray you this goodly doctrine Fourthly he teacheth That Christian princes haue no more commaund nor authority in ecclesiasticall causes then heathen magistrates for that Christ altered nothing at all in temporall gouernement But that is a position contrary to the law of God to the practise of Gods church and most absurd sencelesse The law of God referreth ambiguous matters aswell to the iudge or prince as to the priests or leuites For in the Sanedrin of which that law is the foundation the soueraine magistrate was chiefe b Deut. 17. and the king was commanded To read in the law that he might kéepe it by his authority restraining offendors In auncient time vnder the law the kinges and soueraigne magistrates gaue lawes to priests leuites and not contrarywise In the church of Christ for a thousand yéeres or more there were no lawes obserued but those of princes Bellarmine would fetch it higher but his proofes faile him In their Bullary which containeth a summe of the popes lawes they begin with Gregorie the seuenth but in truth Gregorie the ninth was the first that gaue authoritie of lawe to the popes constitutions and gathered them into the booke of decretals Before this time bishops priests deacons and the whole church was a Cod. de sum trin fid â—ath tit sequentib gouerned by the lawes of Christian princes as appéereth by the lawes of Constantinus Magnus ValentiniaÌ„ Gratian Theodosius Arcadius b Ansegisus de leg ib. Caroli Ludouic Charles the great Ludouicus Pius and diuers others And certes very absurd it were if heathen princes that are strangers from Gods church shoulde haue as much authoritie as Christian magistrates that are principall parts thereof and to whom the execution of Gods law is committed Neither is it materiall that Christ altered nothing in the office of magistrates for it did alwaies belong to the magistrate that was of the church to gouerne the church in externall matters and to sée true doctrine published and the sacraments sincerely administred by those to whose office it appertained So we sée that by this false position he would exclude her Maiestie from all gouernement in ecclesiasticall causes and that notwithstanding his pretence of teaching obedience he teacheth flat disobedience to princes ecclesiasticall lawes and their commaundements Fiftly he c P. 88. teacheth That ecclesiasticall and temporall gouernment is so distinguished that he that ruleth in the one ought not to rule in the other The which doth vtterly ouerthrow the popes temporall kingdome which our aduersary would so willingly maintaine For why should he gouerne a kingdome pretending to be a bishop rather then a king gouerne a particular church of one nation in externall causes especially Secondly we do deny this distinction of authority vpon which our aduersaries fancies are founded And our reason is for that in Christian common wealthes where the same persons are members both of the church and common-welth there the chéefe gouernours ought to haue care both of church and common-welth and most absurd it were if the prince which is a principall member of Gods church shoulde haue no gouernment therein and that inferior persons shoulde haue supreme command ouer the prince Sixtly hée doth insinuate that the pope is Christs vicar the apostles successor in supreme gouernment of the church And this hée teacheth is Recusant schollers least percase they shoulde faile to obey him But this is nothing else but to draw her Maiesties subiects from their due allegiance and to perswade them to listen to the pope as pretending to bée Christs vicar and the apostles successor and supreme gouernour and head of the vniuersall church of Christ which is quite contrarie to his faire pretenses and purpose in this place where hee shoulde perswade the Recusants to obedience towarde their prince Beside that it is so false as nothing more Let this Noddy if he canne shew foorth the popes commission eyther for his vicegerentship or for his pretended apostolicke office and supreme gouernement let him prooue it vnto vs or else forbeare impudently to assume it and to affirme it wée doe shew that bishops are the apostles successors and yet that is no preiudice to the princes supreme authority nor neuer was What then is that which hée bableth of the pope that is neither bishop nor the apostles successor Finally hée affirmeth That ecclesiasticall gouernment stood distinct from ciuill 300. yeeres after Christ and that euery emperour and mortall prince conuerted to the faith and entring into the church submitted themselues to this ecclesiasticall gouernment and so continued vntill certaine heretikes confounded all And so still cunningly hée speaketh for the popes authoritie and secretly disableth not onely her Maiesties power in ecclesiasticall matters but her title also to the crowne standing as shée doth excommunicate by the pope He doth also abuse his reader with the ambiguitie of ecclesiasticall gouernment For if by ecclesiasticall gouernment he meaneth the power of the keies consisting in the censures of the church and power of priestly function which is properly ecclesiastical we grant that such ecclesiastical gouernment belongeth not to princes so that they are to execute the same in their owne persons But if by
ecclesiasticall gouernment he meane power to direct cōmand in externall matters and to cause euery ecclesiastical person to do his function and to sée the church euery part thereof well ordred and abuses reformed it is most apparent that such gouernment appertaineth to princes and euer did both before Christs time and after and that no pope of Rome did euer meddle with any such matters before Gregorie the seuenth or Gregorie the ninth his time as before hath béene declared and shall against stronger aduersaries then this séely Noddy bée iustified Lastly they were no heretikes that giue to the prince this authoritie but those rather that giue power to popes to depose princes and discharge their subiects from their othes of allegiance as Sigebertus Gemblacensis speaking of the trecherous dealing of Gregorie the seuenth against Henry the fourth in expresse terms affirmeth and the Synode at Brixina assembled against Gregorie the seuenth determineth And thus wée see that this Noddy contrary to his intention hath intricated himselfe and his clients the Recusants in this cause Before this many men woulde haue thought that hee and his friendes the Recusants had béene of a better mind to her Maiestie and this state But now all the worlde may sée their whole purpose and intention verified by their owne masters doctrine and authoritie They serue the prince but not with hartie affection nor in all causes nor against euerie enimie They yéeld her no authoritie in ecclesiasticall causes nay they giue it cléere away to the pope Finally they make her subiect not onely to the popes excommunication but also to his sentence concerning her crowne and kingdome So it appéereth by their owne confession that they are but sory subiects and when the pope hath once gotten a side héere apparent enimies The same doth also appéere by their rebellions and practises against her Maiestie and the state and by their infamous libels set out by the pope by Sanders Allen Ribaldineira Rishton and diuers traytors which the Recusantes either approoue or do not disallow and lastly by the generall hatred that papists beare both against true religion and also against all that maintaine it or professe it Wherefore albeit I do not wish the punishments of papists aggrauated yet I say it is great weaknesse in vs either to suffer their insolency or not to secure our selues against their hatred and tyrannie But I need not vse many words to stir vp the magistrates to vigilancie They see these things and I doubt not will take a course not still to suffer their right to bée disputed or their actions disgraced and slandered and euery true patriot I hope I will concurre with their prince and not suffer the bowels of their countrey any longer by these vipers to bée gnawed The trecherous intention of this our aduersarie I haue opened so that I hope the quieter sort of Recusantes will not much trust him his malice against true religion is euery where apparent so that I trust honest men will héereafter learne to detest him and to prouide more carefullie against him and his consorts And so I dismisse him for this turne as a false traytor you may looke to his procéedings if you please as a false teacher CHAP. VII Of the pope of Rome and his vsurped authoritie and of N. D. his seuenth encountre IN the beginning of this seuenth encountre our aduersarie swelleth verie bigge and degorgeth very great words against sir Francis charging him With immodest rayling and calumniation and saying that he hath ouerlauished to the iniurie and slander of forreine potentates and nations abroad vsed opprobrious speeches against the sacred honors of annointed princes and the greatest monarkes of Christendome A man that readeth his loftie praeludium woulde haue imagined that some great matter had béene out of ioint that made him leape into this rage But when I saw that all this furie grew vpon some wordes vttred partly against the pope of Rome that is neither lawfull prince nor potentate nor honest man but onely a greasie priest or frier if so much and partly against the Spaniard who to serue the popes pleasure without desert of ours is become our enimie then I perceiued it was nothing else but a loftie tricke of iacke an apes that for feare of the whip leaped out of his little patience To storme against vs for defending our selues against the publike enimies of religion of the state of her Maiestie of our nation hée had no reason but that hée woulde shew himselfe enimie of religion the state Quéene and countrey Certes if hée had not declared himselfe an open enimie hée woulde neuer haue pleaded for publike enimies nor béene so much offended with those that speake in defence of his prince and countrey But let vs heare what slander it is that our accuser laieth to our charge First it gréeueth him excéedingly to heare that the pope should be called The man of sinne and that Antichrist of whom the apostle 2. Thes 2 speaketh And some reason he hath in regard of his owne particular to be offended For if the pope be Antichrist then is our aduersary a marked slaue of Antichrist a false prophet and an instrument of satan But how heinously the matter is taken it is not greatly materiall that the pope is very Antichrist we make no question neither should any doubt if they would well consider his procéedings For first the name of Antichrist importeth that taking the authority and place of Christ he should notwithstanding set him selfe against Christ Secondly the office of Antichrist is to set himselfe against Christ his kingdome Thirdly he shall excell in pride and arrogancy and take to himselfe diuine honors Fourthly notwithstanding his pretence of holinesse yet shall he excell in all impiety and wickednesse Fiftly he shall haue a face of brasse and pretend vnderstanding of all doubtes of religion Sixtly he shall appeare vpon the decay of the Romayne empire Seuenthly he shall rise out of the ruines of that state 8. Hée shall cause a great apostacie from the Christian faith and in his raigne there shall bee a generall corruption of mens manners 9. Although his kingdome shall be opposite to Christes kingdome yet shall he sit in Gods church and take on him the authority of the church 10. The seate of his empire shal be in Rome 11. His kingdome is represented by the purple whoore Apocalip 17. and by Babylon Apocalip 18. 12. Antichrist his impietie shall bée hidden and mysticall 13. Hée shall most gréeuously afflicte Christ his church 14. He shall rule in mens consciences 15. He shall make merchandise of mens soules 16. Hée shall bee like a lambe and yet speake like the Dragon 17. Hée shall take to himselfe the power of the Romayne Empire 18. Hée shall bring in a newe forme of Religion 19. Hée shall bée an authour and cause of many impieties and great corruption in manners 20. Hée shall in effect denie Christ Iesus 21. Hée shall pretend
subiect to lawes and not lawes to mens fancies as it is in the popes gouernement where all matters are referred to his determination Further he had dealt more wisely if he had passed ouer in silence this ordination by the holy ghost and succession from the apostles For if bishops appointed by the holy ghost and that haue right of succession from the apostles be to gouerne the church of God then must the popes of Rome lay handes off of this gouernement For neither can they shew commission from the holy ghost nor right of succession and truth of doctrine from the apostles Nay it appeareth they are rather wolues then true bishops and pastors and succéede Nero rather in killing and murdering then Peter in feeding and cherishing Christes lambes Neither is it sufficient for them to alledge that they sit at Rome For the Turkish priests sit at Hierusalem Antioche and Cesarea yet are they neither successors of Iames nor Peter that sometime taught in those places His third reason as he saith is drawne from the light of nature For because among the prelates of the church Christ would haue some subordination for auoyding schisme and confusion and because all philosophers held without controuersie that the monarchie was the best among all regiments he saith it is very probable euen by reason it selfe that Christ instituted a monarchicall gouernement in his church But first it is no small error in matters of spirituall gouernement to draw a patterne from humane reason that in spirituall matters is so blind and from philosophers that vnderstood nothing and to ground faith vpon probabilities and likelyhoods a Lib 2. de pontif Râ—m Bellarmine hath hitherto borne vs in hand that Christ instituted the papacy But this wise Noddy layeth the foundation of it vpon probability and humane reason Secondly it is absurd to thinke that the same gouernement is best both for church and common wealth For the church is Christes mysticall body and hath her head in heauen and is gouerned by diuine lawes The common wealth is a politicall body and hath her gouernors present with her here in earth and is gouerned by lawes of men There all commaund commeth from heauen here the most part commeth from men Thirdly albeit Christ would haue a subordination of officers in church gouernement yet maketh that nothing for the popes extrauagant power but rather against it For when Christ made his subordination b Ephes 4. 1. Cor. 12. set out the list of the officers of the church he gaue apostles prophets euangelistes pastors and doctors not so much as mentioning the popes holinesse which could not haue béene doone if the pope had bin constituted chiefe gouernor of Christ his church Lastly it is a bould and impudent vntruth to say that all philosophers held a monarchie to be the best forme of gouernment This simple hoddy Noddie hath neither read all nor many and therefore cannot tell But his fellowes could haue told him and their writings declare that Plato Cicero Philo Iosephus diuers others condemne monarchical gouernment and that Aristotle preferreth an aristocratical gouernment before a monarchicall Nay Bellarmine himselfe aboue all gouernments commendeth a forme mixed of diuers states and formes of common-welthes His fourth reason is very celestiall for Because God made Lucifer first head of the angels and afterward head of all diuels he beléeueth That one pope must necessarily be head of the catholike church So his first reason for the papacie was from man and humane reason the second is from the diuell of hell and his authoritie Is it not likely to prooue a braue gouernment that hath so strange a precedent Beside it is very vncertaine whether God established any such gouernment among angels as is supposed Nay it is not likely seeing Christ Iesus is head of angels and present with them that they haue any head but him In the 40. of Iob and 14. of Isay there is no such matter to bée founde as our aduersary pretendeth nor doth Saint Austin or any other father teach any such doctrine Mention is made of Michael and his angels Apocal. 12. But that hée is head of all angels cannot out of those words be prooued As for our aduersaries themselues it is very vnlikely they shoulde know the oeconomy and gouernment of angels in heauen that will not sée what God hath ordeined concerning his church on earth Fiftly he affirmeth That God established a monarchicall gouernment in the church of the Iewes giuing them a high priest to direct all other priests and al synagogues in the world Wherein he bewraieth his great ignorance in matters of the people of God For in that state the chéefe authoritie for matters both ecclesiasticall and ciuill was in the councell of state which they called Sanedrin which was appointed by God himselfe Deut. 17. and iudged all causes and persons yea the high priest himselfe Afterward the chéefe commaund was in princes both concerning priestes and other church matters Salomon deposed one high priest and placed another all which maketh against the supposed gouernment of the chéefe priest They that list to sée these matters prooued out of Scriptures writers of the histories of that people let them read M. Sutcliffes treatise De Pontifice Rom. lib. 1. c. 5. 6. 7. 8. His sixt reason is drawne from the similitude of riuers trées and all creatures But he is much deceiued if he thinke all creatures to haue liked of monarchicall gouernement All birdes haue not one head no nor all beasts nor all trées Could he shew me who is the head gouernour of all owles or woodcockes he should worke a wondrous feat for the establishing of his holy fathers monarchie If not then his similitudes will shew him to be a Noddy and a woodcocke Which also appeareth in this that there is great difference in things naturall and politicall and that the papall gouernement is not like to those naturall things which he mentioneth His seuenth reason standeth vpon this ground That without a monarchie in the church schisme and diuision cannot be auoyded But that is but a point of his folly and ignorance For no doubt but God prouided against schisme when he gaue chiefe authority to the councell of state Deut. 17. And Christ prouided for the same likewise when he chose not one but twelue apostles and sent them abroade into the world with one and the same commission As for the humane deuises of popes they were neuer so sufficient remedies against this supposed mischiefe of schisme but that there hath fallen out among the popes some 22. or more schismes and infinite sects and diuisions among the members of the Romish synagogue Last of all he saith The church is compared to a well ordered army that must necessarily haue a knowne generall likewise to a house a sheepefould a ship the arke of Noe all which things haue one head gouernour But nothing is more preiudiciall to so great a gouernment then that
pity but he made him a sacrifice for the good of the Romish clergie and pope Pius did highly extoll this fact comparing king Philip most impiously and blasphemously to God almighty that gaue his sonne to be sacrificed for the redemption of mankind But to forbeare now to speake of the popes blasphemy and to speake of the Spanyards malice it is very apparent that king Philip while he liued professed himselfe an enimie vnto all that professed true and catholicke religion and especially to her Maiestie that hath alwaies according to her stile declared her selfe to be a defender of the faith and a principall maintainer of the professors of true religion and all true catholickes He hath also shewed himselfe an enimy to our whole nation entending with force to subdue vs and by all meanes to trouble vs. He hath taken many a In the embarguo anno 1586. honest men of our nation prisoners and confiscated their ships and goods without anie lawfull proclamation of warres Hée hath suffred diuers of Her Maiesties subiectes to bée murdred by the bloody Inquisitors contrary to all iustice Neither haue the rebels attempted any thing against the state either in England or b Iacobo Geraldino Cantabrorum ac Gallecorum manum concessit Andreas Philopater p. 134. Ireland but by his knowledge abettement and procurement The whole Spanish nation also hath drunke very déepe of that cup of hatred which the pope hath filled to their king Don Iuan de Austria while he was gouernor of the low countries did neuer cease to c This was a part of Escouedoes negotiation at his going into Spaine perswade his brother to transport an army into England here to make wars The duke of Alua before that was likewise desirous that his sonne might passe with forces into England for the aide of the northren rebells And that of long time hath béene a common argument for priests and friers to handle in their sermons They haue also d These pardons were found vpon diuers Spaniards ann 1588. preached indulgences and remission of sinnes and offred the same to all that would fight against vs accompting it percase meritorious to kill any of our nation If their iourney 1588. had succéeded either they had killed our people or made slaues of them to worke in their Indian mines or to rowe in their gallies or else to do other base and seruile worke our goods they had already swallowed in their hope and meant to haue deuided the land amongst them and to haue raigned here like great conquerors And albeit at that time they had no good successe yet haue they not giuen ouer their hope nor ceased to take all opportunities to worke vs either dishonor or domage I omit to speak of the wrongs they haue done to particulers albeit many gréeuous for that our dispute is about the disposition of the Spaniardes to our whole nation And yet many particular wrongs and actes of iniustice crueltie doe argue a great hatred to the English in generall But to forbeare to speake of particular actions and of generall attempts formerly passed it appéereth they meane not thus to giue vs ouer For out of Spaine there come priestes and others daily to practise treason against her Maiestie and the state It is not long since Squire was executed for a most horrible treason plotted in Seuile Neither can the shamelesse impudent denials and cauils of Iesuites and priests which they make at the processe against him either make that vndoone which is done or qualifie so foule a fact Nay admit the poore fellow shoulde erre in some circumstance yet no reason can be alleaged why hée shoulde accuse and charge himselfe in a matter that concerned his life wrongfully And to the entent there may bée a succession of traytors and conspirators which may make the way more readie for their intended inuasions and conquestes at common costes they maintaine two Seminaries of English fugitiues and traytors I know they pretend planting of popish religion but if that were their onelie marke they aime at why doth a Testified against him by priests in their memorials Parsons cause euerie one of them that come for England to take an oath that they shall to their vttermost power prefer the Infantaes of Spaines title to the crowne of England Is this no point of treason And doth not this flowe from some purpose of the Spaniard against our countrey and nation To make our nation hatefull Ribadineira a certaine ribaldly frier hath published a most odious discourse of schisme in Spanish wherein hée omitteth nothing that may procure vs dishonor or hinderance And yet these are the men whom our aduersarie commendeth and defendeth and vnto whom Cardinall Allen Robert Parsons and other Iesuites and priests that lurke among vs haue vowed their seruice Great reason therefore hath our nation where so violent enimies séeke to hurt vs and so malicious traytors endeuour to ensnare vs to watch and looke about Our aduersary crieth peace peace but war is in his hart hée may tell vs as long as hée listeth that the Spaniards are our good friends and meane vs no hurt at all But if wée list to arme our selues and preuent their malice wée may assure our selues if God be pleased that they neither dare fight with vs nor can bée able to hurt vs. These double toonged traytors pretend good dealing and vse many kinde wordes as if they loued their countrey but who can trust them that are so néere linked by oath friendship and opinion to publike enimies Finally now the Spaniardes and other publike enimies séeme to haue laide aside their armes but yet it is not safe to trust them After great calmes oft-times arise great stormes We must remember that king Philip the second was alwaies ready to execute the popes command and was still set on by the Iesuites Acosta in his booke of the new world calleth it Praeclarum Zelum in expugnandis debellandis fidei Romanae hostibus in praefa ad Philip. and commended for his zeale in oppugning the enimies of the Romish faith The whole Spanish nation is also much deuoted to popish religion and very ready to execute the popes commandements Wée must also consider that it is no argument of a disposition to peace that such great forces of men are continually leuied throughout most of the parts of Spaine and Portugall and that such numbers of ships of warre are either made of late or in making as wée haue not heard of manie yéeres before and that such care is had of prouisions of corne wine munitions and other things necessary for the wars as is not vsual I confesse that by reason of the kings large dominions and great occasions and affaires these prouisions are necessarie yet vnlesse hée had some extraordinarie purpose neither woulde his prouisions be so great nor should his men march toward Lisbone and Coronna nor his Magazins bée dressed in those parts that looke hitherward