their King All these doe comfort the French say they to presume that this mysterie vpon the Crosse was in fauours of them Againe the Spaniard doth take it vnto him because he hath done so many things for extension and securing of the Catholike faith affronting the Turke in all quarters and planting Christian Religion among the barbarous Indians but the secret of the mistery say they is that the power which is prophesied in the Apocalyps doth pertaine to the sea Apostolicall and to the person of the Pope To him who keepeth my works to the end will I giue power ouer al Nations he shal rule them with a rod of Iron and as the vessell of a Potter shall they bee broken saith the Spirit of God in that place whereby is meant the Pope who onely of all men cannot erre I haue alwaies sufficiently cleered to your Lordship the mindes and practises of the Fathers of the Primitiue Church in this poynt of Princes Now that I may not seeme to caluminate the Iesuite I will summarily shew how he hath peruerted this doctrine and poysoned it with his Absynthium Next I will relate how his preuarication and falshood is impugned by Catholike Romans themselues the French Church and that famous Palladium of Sorbon And lastly I will discourse a little of the dessigne of this pernicious doctrine which is a diuellish plot of feareful ambition by length of time to draw the whole world vnder the superstitious hyerarchy of Rome both in temporality and spirituality if it bee not preuented There be three grounds of this doctrine tied together in one chaine which in effect be but one thing teaching the Soueraigne power of the Pope ouer Princes which power is extended by three Armes power ouer their soule to excommunicate power ouer their states and crownes to depriue and power ouer their bodies to giue warrant to kill them which indeed is all the power the Pope doth claime on earth For as touching his being aboue generall Counsels it is but all one with his being aboue Christian Princes to whom belongeth the authoritie to conuocate and rule Counsels I will omit for breuities sake to speake of any other writer among the Iesuits but onely of Bellar who is their predominant plannet Touching the persons of Kings saith hee vpon this point the Pope may not albeit there be iust cause depose them in the same sort as he doth Bishops that is to say as a ciuill ordinarie iudge Neuerthelesse saith he he may as a Soueraigne Prince spirituall if it be necessarie for mens soules change kingdomes taking from one giuing them to another the first possessor being excommunicate as we shall prooue saith he pag. 1081. of that booke imprinted Anno 1601. Then for proofe he doth introduce all the treasonable enterprises of Christian people which are not onely contrary to Gods will in his holy word but are detestably abhorred by the relation made of them in ciuill histories Cap. 7. of the same wherby one may manifestly note that the intestine calamities of Christendome these many yeeres past rising from this wicked vsurpation ouer lawfull Christian Princes hath bene the truest cause of the encrease of the Mahometan Empire And it is maruellous to see how Bellarmine doth there so impudently striue to confirme that extrauagant of Vnam sanctam de maiorit obedient so solemnely condemned by the greatest part of the Romane Clergie chiefly by the French Church Like as the whole bodie of the Iesuits vnder one generallitie maintaine the same in an Apologie of theirs set foorth to the same end vnder the Title of the Veritie defended and in the last impression of the same pag. 42. for by that Extrauagant if the Pope should transgresse to thunder excommunication vniustly against the best Princes yet no mortall man might take notice of it nor craue it to be reformed but not content to deale this way with pretended hereticall Princes he laieth an ambush before the best most vertuous Kings he keepeth ouer their heads Virgam vigilantem In this manner he doth exempt generally from Regall Iurisdiction whatsoeuer Ecclesiasticall persons contending by many instances and iterations of words to confuse that Text of Saint Paul Omnis anima subdita sit superio potestat Let euery soule be subiect to superiour powers for there is no power but of God and the puissances which be are ordained of him which he doth repeat in this sort whosoeuer doth resist power doth resist the ordinance of God and shall receiue Iudgement of God saith he reseruing the Equiuocating of the Text because he would haue vs to thinke that all Supreame power is in the Pope vpon this Text Chrysostome doth obserue that these are not onely spoken of the Laicke but for the Religious yea and for the Apostles themselues saith he But Bellarmine saith in the same Treatise pag. 255. that the Pope hath taken all Ecclesiasticall persons from the power of Princes secular So that they are no more their subiects saith he which in effect is no other then to build a forraigne state within a Kings Realme and so doth he himselfe affirme in the same place It is saith he as if a Prince should set ouer a part of his Dominion vnto a stranger for then hee behoued to loose it Thereafter he saith the lawes of Princes albeit they be not contrarie to Gods word yet can they not bind a Religious person except it be ad directionem non autem ad coactionem pag. 269. of the said clericall exemption concluding pag. 271. that the Prince doth lose the Clergie and is no more their Soueraigne maintaining it so obstinately that he doth obuiat such things as might be obiected in the contrary If saith he yee hold it an iniury done to Kings to spoyle them of their authoritie which they had ouer those men before they entered into the Clergie I answere that he that inioyeth his owne right doth wronge to no man one may choose such a calling as he thinkes meetest for himselfe therefore hee who entereth into the order Ecclesiast doth no iniurie to Kings albeit the King lose a subiect per accidens by that act saith he This Clericall exemption hath a strange consequence that the attemps of Religious men against their natiue Princes shall be no Treason because they are not their Subiects The assassinate of Iaco Clement no treasonable murther And the Iesuite Emanuel Sa in his Aphorismes of confession doth plainely hold it treating of this word Clericus saying Clerici Rebellio non est crimen laesae maiestat is quia non est subditus Regi The Rebellion of a religious man is no act of Treason whatsoeuer he doe because he is not a Kings subiect And againe glosing vpon the word Princeps Rex Potest Rex priuari per Rempublicam ob Tyrannidem cum est causa aliqua iust a elegi alius a maiore parte populi The King for Tyrannie may be depriued by the Common
A VISION OF BALAAMS ASSE VVHEREIN HEE did perfectly see the present estate of the Church of ROME Written by PETER HAY Gentleman of North-Britaine for the reformation of his Countrymen SPECIALLY OF THAT TRVLY Noble and sincere Lord FRANCIS Earle of ERROL Lord HAY and great Constable of SCOTLAND Ioan 8. 32. The truth shall make you free LONDON Printed for IOHN BILL Cum Priuilegio 1616. TO THE KINGS MOST EXCELLENT MAIESTIE MOst Gracious and most sacred Soueraigne It is not without diuers reasons that I haue not boldly made a Dedication to your Maiestie of this Treatise put foorth for the good of your Maiesties subiects and hauing so much neede to be strongly armed now while as like vnto a weake Barke vpon a raging sea it entereth on the Theater of the World to speake of the peace and vnion of the holy Sanctuary amidst so many furious Giants of contradiction as are now in the Church of God This heauenly voice of Christian harmony hath neuer bin heard but followed with a malignant Echo of proud and vehement Spirits qui pascuntur syllogismo sicut boues feno who delight to feed vpon Disputes as Oxen on hay in such a desperate Paroxisme that they will not lose the reputation of one crooked syllogisme for the peace of whole Christendome yet the world doth neuer want some Phaenix who is content to burne her earthly fame to ashes in that pure fire of Christian loue to bring foorth some seedes of peace So that I do expect no other but to heare my cries contumeliouslie re-echoed that my conceptions of the reconciliation of Rome shal be esteemed not only Paradoxall but smelling of atheisme and that my proiects for perfect vnitie in matter of Ecclesiasticall policie and ceremonies within your Maiesties kingdomes shal be said to be a craftie and cunning preparation for superstition to re-enter into the Church of which vnchristian oblatration the first alarmes haue been sounded in my eares so hardly while my Copie was newly deliuered to the presse that I would haue retired it if I had bin one of those who liue in the aire of popular applause as in their naturall element who like to Narcissus will rather die for loue of their owne image then suffer one blow for so noble a common cause But when I consider how many odious calumnies our Sauiour and his Apostles did suffer for plantation of this peace of the Gospell I hold it a mans truest commendation and comfort if for the sake of the same he may say with S. Paul to the Corinthians that he fought with beasts in the maner of men Seldome is it indeed that goodnes is made the scope of our actions and in this corrupt age this vpright vertue of pacification hath neuer bin seen vpon the stage but waited with an infortunate Genius wee may witnesse those sweete ingines of Cassander of Erasme of Iunius of Paraeus of Causabone and other Pacificators And certainely I thinke it is a sillie vertue that for so braue an end cannot in the conscience of an honest deed with a sterne countenance out-face a guiltie Calumniator for such a Treatise as this can neuer be altogether fruitlesse if it were but to giue aire enough for discouering and venting of malicious humors that lurke in ill affected men And howsoeuer the matter shall worke two things did mightily encourage me first knowing that vnder the godly and gracious Reigne of your Maiestie in whose eares Moderation and Wisedome do constantly dwell an Aristides will be permitted to breath freely without feare of Ostracisme or banishment Next the priuate testimonies which I haue had of the presence of Gods holy Spirit to informe and to confirme my conscience whiles I did labour about these do giue me great hope that they shall haue sufficient auctoritie with good men to purge me from these vglie and odious aspersions And therefore for the first I did rather chuse to betake my selfe to the candor and nobility of my cause to the patience of those benigne and blessed Spirits who haue mooued before me this diuine argument de amahili Ecclesiaconcordia then presumptuously to thrust in your Maiesties bosome my hazardous endeauours the chiesest protection whereof must be to be acceptable of God whiles they are vngracious to men Alurements to Chatholike pacification Inducements to absolute vnitie within the Church of this I le Defence of the Orthodoxall policy of the Church gouernment Apologie of the most lawfull authoritie of my soueraigne Prince Perswasions to so worthy and so deare a Nobleman to vendicate himselfe from the bondage of Idolatry and such like sacred theames as be treated heere are able to preserue my reputation from blemish or suspition vnlesse that Archiecalumniator the Iesuite doe edge his bloody pen against me who seeing hee doth not spare to bend his murthering tongue against your Maiestie who is the Mirror and Miracle of the world his malediction or malscription can procure nothing but glory to such as I am The second reason of my non dedication to your Maiesty is that although it be ingens materia superba inscriptio a most stately and glorious subiect to write of Christian harmony yet it commeth in my hands as an excellent Lute to vnskilfull fingers in which respect I knew my paines to be vnworthy of your Maiesty as also by reason of my base and humble stile which flieth low inter aues palustres and is not composed of those Aquiline penns which can soare neer vnto the Sunne Thirdly I did not wish that any peintured dedication to your Maiesty should hide the true face of my labours and make that to be esteened mercenary which is most sincere Fourthly the whole treatise it selfe is no other then a sacrifice of my deuotion to your Maiesties seruice consisting of the most cleane and costly peeces that I could chuse to offer all tending to perswade your Maiesties people that the prosperity of the Church and the felicity of this kingdome haue no sure fundament now but such a firme coniunction as doth reserue no sparkle color nor pretext of seperation hereafter If that Great King out of the conscience of his Tyrannie and proud ambition did say in his time that he was none of his who did not fauour the Monarch asmuch as Alexander how much more need haue Princes now adaies that we should all insinuate vrge write preach and crie that he is not an vpright Subiect who doth not loue both the Royall person and the Royall Maiestie in these dangerous times while as a spirituall ambition hath so poysoned the soules of men by this Chymique Theologie of the Iesuite who presumeth as it were to Metamorphose nature and superinduce a new face vpon the World spiritualising the grounds of State and temporalising the condition of Religion making Popes absolute ouer Monarches and vsing Kings like to the Shepheards dogs who are beaten and chased away when they are not vigilant and barking to his pleasure that it is to
of his Church and a conspicuous marke of his extraordinarie grace vouchsafed vpon this great Kingdome I say extraordinarie for if the Papall Bishops while they doe impugne the truth of Gods word forbidding marriage to authorise the doctrine of their coelibat they do not the lesse contaminate the same with lewd and open pollutions and your Grace all in contrarie while you doe stand for the Euangelicall libertie of Matrimanie you doe in the meane time by the puritie of your life practise the perfection of the cloysterrall Caelibat taking vnto you that religious word of the more innocent and vertuous ages Si placet licet I thinke it is a cleere mirrour wherein the world may see that it is the good spirit of God who doeth freely distribute his extraordinarie giftes to such faithfull Prelates as worship him according to the trueth of his word and that no vsurped authoritie of Popish or humane traditions can doe so much And since there is no better meanes to make your GRACES Excellent and spirituall partes tanquam Thus redolens in Templo Domini as was said of that worthie Priest Symon Onia to smell as a sweete perfume in the LORDS house then by continuing your delight to cherish the studie of vertue where it is found in the most remote partes of the land which is indeede a sauorie presage of that perfect vnitie which God doeth dispose to bee in the whole Church of the same Therefore let it please your GRACE to receiue these first and tender Seedes of my publike Seruice to God to my most Sacred Soueraigne PRINCE and to this Common-wealth whereof you are the first vitall member and so to nourish them by the kindly ayre of your vertuous spirit that they may bee found to produce a happie fruite that is to say a fruite which hath not aborted nor hurt his bearer by vntimely partting with it but comming to maturitie prooueth wholesome to all those who taste it and leaueth the Tree in full vigour and reputation Your Graces humble and affectionate sermant P. Hay TO THE CHRISTIAN READER CHristian and curteous Reader this Treatise which I haue framed for the glory of God the comfort of his Church and the seruice of this common-weale wherein wee liue why it is Intituled A vision of Balaams Asse you may perceiue in the entry thereof It containeth in speciall these three First the cause of my voluntary recantation of Popery Secondly a cleere discouery of the tyranny of Rome mounted in our time to her Meridian or Altitude And of the treacherous trade and doctrine of the Iesuite who doth falsly maintaine the Papall Soueraigntie tending to the ouerthrow of Christian Princes and states Thirdly a discourse of the apparant approach of her reformation or downefall and of the probable meanes whereby the Lord God doth dispose the restitution of Christian people from the spirituall captiuity of this Babel with a sincere exhortation to you to honour aswell the meanes as the instruments whom God doth pointforth for the aduancement of this great worke as you haue them here set downe in particular In the which exhortation if any thing be that vpon the suddaine seemeth distastfull to you I do entreate you that you will not for that rashly reiect it but do taste it againe and againe remembring how oftentimes disgusts do grow rather by the distemper of our sence then by any fault which is in our meats As a diseased person must for the sake of his health controle his naturall appetite and as nature in generall who seldome doth erre by offering violence vnto her particular members for her common benefite doth proue a good Physitian to her selfe So if wee cannot straine our priuate humours for a publike weale wee are senselesse and cauterized members of the commonweale and our diseases when they come they shall be desperate and deadly It was a worthy saying of him who spake so Omnis magna lex habet aliquid iniquitatis that euery great law had something of iniquitie in it not that any expresse iniustice was in the law but because when so many liue within their own Spheares onely to themselues without respect to the commonwealth it is impossible to establish any great law which shall not bring displeasure to those particular members whose actions are not ruled by common equity common reason or common good If we doe grudge against our lawes or our lawgiuers because they are not pleasant to our peculiar taste we be farre inferiour in true vertue to the Ethnicks who thought it the chiefest mark of their vertuous mind and their greatest glory to remit proper losses proper grudges and proper opinions to the common wealth The precise Cato Vticensis who might haue brooked the first dignities vnder Iulius Caesar because it was not to his mind he chose rather to die then to liue distracted in opinion from the state That vpright Philosopher Socrates hauing in his choice to be banished or to die he embraced death saying that a man cast off from his common wealth was no more a man Is it not strange then amongst vs in whom that obscure light of nature which onely did guide them is made celestiall by the diuine splendor of Gods reuealed word to see that a Christian Pastor before he will quit singularitie of opinion and singularity of name to our common wealth spirituall to the peace and credit of our Church conforming himselfe to orthodoxall lawes established by the authoritie of a most Christian Prince a setled Church and well gouerned state he will first choose either to liue at home a seditious tribune In perpetuo obstrepitâ—… or a trasfuga exiled from his natiue countrey Certainely where there is no perfect vnitie there can be no perfect peace nor perfect loue and consequently no Church because these are the whole scope of the Euangell and of all true Religion Vnanimitie is the bond which maketh the Church strong Ecce circumdedi te vinculis saith God in Ezechiel Behold I haue hedged you about with bands It is the knot and sinnewes which tye the members of Christ together in one body and therfore is so diligently recommended by him to his Apostles and so oftentimes figured to vs in the old Testament by tipes By the vestiment of the high Priest wherof euery thing was tied to another all being but one piece By the Tabernacle wherof euery thing was iointed in an other the whole standing in coniunction for wee bee so called in the Apocal. Ecce tabernaculum Dei cum heminibus habitabit cuâ—…ijs The Tabernacle of God which dwelleth among men By the vessels whereof so many as were not closed together but were open in diuers pieces they were said by the spirit of God to bee vncleane as we see in the Booke of Numbers We are the vessels who be made by the hand of our heauenly Potter of whom Saint Paul saith Alia quidem in honorem alio verò vasa in contumeliam If we be
their faithfull obedience vnto all the Ostrogotti who did raigne in Italie among the which Theodoricke was so respected of the Sea of Rome chiefly of Pope S. Hormisda that they had almost canonized him as is written There was no seruice whereinto they did not obey those princes if they had any occasion to send any Embassadours they did vndergoe it as Pope Innocent the first tooke a legation from Alarico to the Emperour Honorius to negotiat his peace and to obtaine a dignitie to that Arrian King And further to declare how sacred they did hold their obedience to whatsoeuer King God did place ouer them they did vndertake Embassages from Arrian Princes in fauour of Artian Churches for conseruation of Arrians and in case of excommunication as Iean the second and Pope Agapet were imployed by Theodoric and Theodotus Now to him who will answere to this that these Princes were not excommunicate therefore the Church did serue them I replie that there was greater cause to excommunicate them then nor nowadayes is taken against Christian Princes and which is more we find the letters of Hormisda and others to Anastase as full of honor and respect as if he had beene free from the sentence of excommunication and of Gregorie the second to the Emperour Leon Iconomachus albeit he was excommunicate by that same Pope himselfe which things we must not imagine to haue bin done at randome or pro tempore but from good warrant appearantly since the iurisdiction spirituall is onely ouer the soules of men Church gouâ—…rnours ought not to transcend their ordinary bounds to meddle with the bodies or temporall states of Kings but their Fulmen Ecclesiasticum the thunder of excommunication should bee onely spirituall and like vnto the naturall thunder which can strike a man to the death without the meanest offence done vnto the apparell of his body For I would aske the Iesuite albeit the Church haue power ouer the Kings soule if it be so that they might rashly excommunicate him what right haue they for this ouer his kingdome and people If they haue why did Saint Paul in his time cry Querimus vos non vestra And why hath Saint Ambrose and Optatus Mileuitanus in his third booke Aduersus Parmenianum said That Emperours and Kings be within the Church but that the Empire is without it yea say they the Church is within the Empire in token that Antiquitie did exempt things temporall from the dint of excommunication when Pope Marcelline did sacrifice to Idols and Pope Honorio became a Monothelet Hereticke they were excommunicate but did not loose their Bishopprickes Pope Formose Bishop of Port was chosen successor to the same Pope who had excommunicate him And in the Counsell holden at Lions vnder Pope Gregorie the tenth it was concluded that Cardinals albeit excommunicate might assist the Pope his election by their vote and presence So modest were the Fathers in the point of Princely authoritie that Paulus Samosetanus against whom the Councell of Carthage was conuocate being deposed from Episcopall charge hee did yet possesse a certaine territory belonging to the Church but these Bishops demanded iustice thereof of the Emperour Aurelian albeit an Ethnicke because all that was ciuill and worldly did belong vnto the Empire The Church saith Augustine vpon Saint Iohn doth possesse no patrimonie nor goods but Iure humano Iure diuino she hath nothing This Iure humano is the Right Imperiall of Princes which being vsurped of any other it hath no more Title nor right vpon earth saith he So was it the constant meaning and doing of the ancient Fathers to thinke that they had nothing which they might refuse vnto the Emperours but the onely house of God Nor yet that saith Ambrose if I were assured that the Emperour speaking of Valens would not plant Arrians into it in which case onely I would presse to retaine it O what difference betwixt that and this blind ambitious and impudent age wherein Church rulers make open doctrine and profession to Master Princes lawfull and orthodoxall and to â—…reade vpon their neckes holie antiquitie would not aduenture to take from an excommunicate Bishop an house belonging to the Church but by the authoritie of the Emperour nor would not resiste the Emperoer by violence for the Temple of God to ane hereticke king although it were to giue it to heriticall pastoures whereas the plaine guyse of this time is to be Piscatores piscium non hominum and to abuse excommunication and the papall Thunder to spoyle a king of his cloathes to dethrone him of his kingdomes and to make him naked of his subiects Thirdlie we doe obserue of the primitiue Church that whensoeuer she did enioy good and godly Emperours they did not onelie not repute them as priuate members of the Church iudicable by the power Ecclesiasticall but contrarie they hold them chiefe members of their generall counsels vnder their misticall head Iesus Christ yeelding to them the authoritie of conuocation and whole exteriour Iurisdiction giuing them the tittle of common and externall Bishopes For we reade in Eusebius that Constantine the great was called so of the Church and said to bee brother vnto the fathers in which qualitie of a common Bishop he did exercise his power ouer the Church exteriorlie and ouer Bishops In like maner we find that in the Calcedonian councel the Emperour was called vniuersall Bishops yea Antiquitie did esteme no counsell supreame wherein an Emperour did not sit and praesidiat In all the appellationes of the primitiue Church which forme of Iudicatore is fittest to try where the maine sway of authoritie doth lie because it was absolute soueraigne and without declinatour hauing power against the Tyrannous gouernment of Popes against discords of other Prelats against vniust decrees of counsels themselues In all these appellations I say we finde that none was esteemed supreame but that wherein the Emperour did ouer rule as the only power vpon earth which is in dependant The first appellation we reade of in the Church was by Cyrillus Bishoppe of Ierusalem from the condemnatorie of one Counsel to another more general assisted sayth he with Seculare brachium with seculare power which he called a prouocation vnto a greater Iudgemement And so his cause was examined in the counsell of Seleucia As for the cause of Athanasius which did preceed that it was rather a remission of the processe to the counsell of Sardiâ—… then an appeale and went alwaies by the direction will of the Emperour Constantine to whom Saint Anthony write diuers letters directlie praying him for the restitution of Athanasius Saint Iohn Chrisost. in a second appellation did prouoke in the same tearmes with Cyrill to a higher iudge a more generall counsell assisted with imperiall authoritie as it cleare by a third appellation of Dioscorus Bishop of Alexandria the time of the counsell of Calcedon in which appeale he doth expresselie protest that the coniunction of the imperiall
serpentine insinuation that may serue to steale away our mindes from the puritie of Gods worship and from our dutifull obedience to our Soueraigne Princes Veâ—… aspidum sub labijs corum vnder their lippes is hidden the venome of Aspes De laquijs 〈◊〉 libera nos Domine Deliuervs O Lord from the snares of the Hunters Facti sunt quasi arcus dolosus They are made like a deceitfull bow Sicut deciâ—…la plena auibus it a Domus eorum Plenâ—… dolâ—… As the Fowlers Cage is full of birds so are their houses full of fraud To speake briefly of the Cabbal or secret Art of this Iesuistique trade it standeth in their constant obseruation of certaine sure and infallible policies for the exaltation of the Papall Chayre which is the mainescope of all their studies because one day they thinke to possesse it themselues as it hath already well neere fallen out to be so when in the election of the late Pope the conclaue did hang sixe dayes vpon Cardinall Bellarmine which whensoeuer it commeth to passe then they will preferre so many of their societie to the Cardinaltie that we shall bee sure neuer to see any more a Pope but Iesuistique The Maximes whereupon they doe build this fabrique bee specially these First they know that obedience and secrecie are the strongest meanes to maintaine a Sect and to compasse great plots therefore they haue sworne their obedience absolute not to the Pope nor to the Church but to their generall in omnibus per omnia tanquam Christo presenti as is said and therefore their arcana imperij the mysteries of their policies are most close and reserued from the world Secondly they know this to bee a true Maxime in gouernment that no great power can longer floorish then it doth make it selfe vseful necessary and formidable to neighbour States and finding that those things whereby the Popes were steadable and necessary to people and Countries such as their Dispensations Purgatoriall Indulgences force of excommunication Vniuersall title of Benefices ecclesiastique were become distastfull and hated of most men because of their open abuses and impieties and that wise Kings were begunne to prye into them chiefely those of England therefore the Iesuites to repayre this breach did inuent this pernitious doctrine of the Popes Supremacie ouer the temporalitie of Princes to the end that no King should finde himselfe secure but in the fauour and trust of Rome Thirdly they see that besides the aforesaide abuses two things did specially parrell the Papall Seat one was the Immundities and ignorance of the Cloyster religious men being giuen to their pleasures and not to pietie and learning which was the first occasion of the Lutherian seperation as we know another was that light and reformation did come into the Church by pastorall vigilance expressed by all meanes of most powerfull preaching disputing and writing in that age which hath followed since Luther for helpe of the first of these two the Iesuites doe professe such a puritie in their Celibate as to giue them their due is admirable Siue fuerit caste siue fuerit caute if it were not that the flames of raging ambition doe ordinarily extinguish these humide and beastiall passions in any man almost For helpe of the second wee see what a glory and pride of learning in all Sciences is in them as one said Imperâ—… um literarum est penes Iesuitas as if they had resolued to ouershoote our reformators in their owne bow and to bannish light out of the Church by the same armes that brought it in for this cause it iâ—… why they doe attackt themselues to the confessions of great and chiefe personages and to the education of the most Noble youth wheresoeuer they are which they doe performe with a sort of myraculous dexteritie gathering out among them vnto their owne societie the most quicke subtill and vehement Spirits by whom tanquam per maxiâ—…s damones they doe the more easily surely and secretly infect all the corners of the earth with their perstiferous traditions Fourthly they holde this maxime which is lyke enough to be true that religion must shute out and floorish with a growing state and therefore presuming that of Spaine to be most disposed to monarchie they haue deuoted them selues to the seruice of that Crowne for two respectes one that with the dilatation thereof they also may prosper and encrease as they haue already by his meanes planted themselues into the Indes an other that hauing abused him to the ouerthrow of other christian princes he may in ende be the more weke himselfe and obnoxious to their tyrranie knowing how easie it will be for so skilfull craftesmen as they are to suggest rebellion and revolt in his owne dominions which are not coniunct and vnited but mightilie dispersed so that finallie they hope to conclude in their owne persones that scripture Homo spiraualis omnia indicat ipse a nemine iudicatur In such manner that we doe now cleerly see in them that which the great politicke Matchivell said in his tyme that if the pouertie of the Capuchines and clergie of the Iesuites had not come tymously in the Church of Rome to vpholde the papall dignitie and credite they had euen then fallen to the ground thus is it no calumnie but a most true prudent obseruation of this tyme to affirme that no age hath euer seene such fearefull fyrebrandes and terrours such errant starres so malignant and contrarious to christian felicitie as is that societie of pretended Iesuites They do obtrude vpon the world that pernicious doctrine of the papall power to excoÌ„municate to depriue to warrant murthers of kings to the effect that by length of tyme Popes being cunning to quarrel with neighbour Princes and to drawe their subiects from them their states may fall into the Ocean of this ambition which doeing is so open and manifest that in the histories of Spayne we finde it acknowledged that they holde Portugall of the societie of the Iesuites in the union of Portugall printed at Genua sol 197. 214. the chiefe drist of this doctrine hath beene against the kingdome of great Britan and against the French kings these many yeere since as we haue perceaued because in their designed monarchie they find much more difficultie to passe by these two then to haue ouer passed the pillars of Hercules wherevpon doth stand that great word of their glorie plus vltra because they went with the spaineyard to the Indies Brittane and France these be the two pillars which doe limitate this Iesuistick pryde and whereon they stil doe read this contrary Mottâ—… vsque ad metas which hath beene the cause why so manie treacherous attempts haue partly beene executed against King Henry the third of France and against that most heroicall Prince Henry the fourth whom I thinke the Lord hath suffered to fall into their bloudie handes because he did contemne the monitions which wer made to him
before for after his person had beene inuaded and he stricken in the mouth with a knife wherevpon the high parliament of Paris did pronounce the edict of their banishment and erected a pyramide to remaine the perpetuall testimonie of their villanous perfidie he did pardon them restore them and trust them and partlie I say these attempts haue ben in the great mercie of God preuented when they haue beene plotted against the life of our most gratious Soueraign as the whole world doth know namely by that diabolioal machination of thundering massacre bred in the tempestuous ayer of these infernall spirits the Lord God by a miraculous inspiration made his maiestie to foresee that hellish cloude of powder before the fire was yet broken out The memorie whereof should make this whole kingdome to shake for feare and to cry to God that it would please him to preserue his sacred person from these cruell Hunters because he is now the principall obiect of their malignitie and that prince of all the earth whom they doe most feare hate Seeing how God who hath raysed his horne hath also iustâ—…fied his exaltation by markes more like to Moses and Solomon then vnto Cyrus he hath not onelie holden his right hand and possessed it with monarchiall state strong feareful to his enemies as he hath done to Cyrus made numbers of strange nations who did before striue to depresse him come to honour and admire his regall throne come to aske of him the peace of their people which he hath done also vnto Cyrus saying The labour of Egypt the merchandice of Ethiopia and of the Sabines shal come to thee men of stature shal come to thee and fall downe before thy face saying God is surelie in thee which we haue seene come to passe by ouerflowing of his maiesties court with forraine people with forraigne riches and forraigne presents and by the glorious Spainyard his solicitation of his maiesties wisedome to further his peace with the Netherlands But the lord also hath granted vnto his maiestie the vnderstanding of Moses to build his tabernacle to restore vnto his people the primitiue Gouernment of the Church approoued by catholike antiquytie for a prognosticat that he intendeth to make him the instrument of farther reformation in Christendome And he hath granted vnto him Solomon like knowledge and learning to mayntayne by publicke wryts the riches of his royall Soueraignitie against all those insidious grounds of the craftie Iesuite which is the reason why I must boldly affirme it that there is none of that societie in the world who doth loue his person in other tearmes then Cicero loued Octanius when he called him bonum puerum colendum To proceede there is neither Prince prelate nor priest within the Church of Rome who hath not his displeasure against this doctrine derogatiue to kings except Italians Spainiards and Iesuites be cause that Papall supremacie doth challenge to be aboue the generall counsels taking from Catholike princes that libertie to conuocate them which was due to their predecessors in the primitiue church because it doeth debarre all Cardinalles except Italians from the papall dignitie because it is onely granted to the Iesuites to go through and plant religion hauing infinite priuiledges graunted vnto them for that cause which be hurtfull to all other order of secular and cloysterall priests This is the reason why of these three Italians Spaniards Iesuites there is not on who doth not eschew as a pest the meeting of generall counsels for howsoeuer they doe pretend this quod nunquam acquiescunt heritici they must be vnnecessarie say they because heretickes will neuer rest to the voice of counsels yet this is the misterie and trueth no cardinall must presume to sit in Saint Peters chayre but an Italian no king must ouerrule the consistorie in his election but the Spanyard whom also they thinke to deuoure in the end albeit now he thinketh himselfe their Dictatour in perpetuum and no prince but he may aspire to brooke an heriticall kingdome confiscat by the fulmination of Rome by which kinde of tittles he doeth enioy the Indies and Nauar as the like hath bene graunted to his father Phillip the second by Pope Pius Quintus who did excommunicate the late Queene of England nor no orders of Religion other then the Iesuites may be negotiatours in them or knowe the secretes of this gouernment whereof this is a mayne pointe to decline generall Counsels least these abuses should bee vrged to bee reformed least the King of Great Brittaine should vrge the restitution of Patriarchall libertie for the weale of the Catholike Church least a French King vrge the residence againe of a Pope in Auignion least both should concurre to controle this vsurped fiske of Rome so leasl the fruits of this forbidden Tree of their domination should be made common to all Princes alike and to all Cardinals alike the which mysterie most clearely did appeare in the Sessions and circumstances of the Counsell of Trent for the Emperour Charles the fift being a wise and religious Prince and most studious by all meanes to pacifie the broyles of his Countreyes of Germanie mooued by the Lutheran reformation hee did by obstinate instance hardly obtaine from the Pope the Conuocation of that Counsell which as the Historie saith so soone as it was graunted him Tam citâ—… compedes Pontifici iniectos existimaâ—… he thought that hee had put the Pope into chaines hauing his whole designe to reforme the Church of Rome in matters of gouernement of manners and of grosser points of worship by aduise and concurrence of the whole Christian Embassadours and Commissioners there without respect to the Cardinals of Rome who for all that did so Italiniâ—…e and circumuent the Embassadours Tramontani as they call them making the French Embassadours to beleeue that the Emperour did vrge some secret course for himselfe with the Pope enforming as much againe to the Embassadour of the Emperour against the French they procured in priuate both their warrants in writ without knowledge the one of the other that nothing should be mooued in that Counsell but from the mouth of the Nuncio of Rome whereupon did follow that nothing was disputed there but points of meere doctrine and these most rigorously concluded while as that good Emperour had resolued to heale the Scandalized world as is well vnderstood by that conference in Germanie which is called the Emperours Interim where hee himselfe did condescend to the Matrimonie of Churchmen to the administration of the Sacrament both in bread and wine and other points which be holden hereticall in Rome and during all his life time he did mightily lament the deceit of that Counsell which is to bee verified by diuers Autographicall letters that is to say written with his owne hand and yet extant in the custodie of a Nephew of him who was French Embassadour at Trent in the foresaid Counsel called Pibracke dwelling at Paris as I take it But
they did more surely schoole the sonne of that Emperour Phillip the second and this Phillip now of Spaine whom they haue really incorporate into the seate of Rome making him to thinke that he is perpetuall Dictator as is said and the Popes onely sonne and heire And because all this discourse is of experience I will tell your Lordship how this was very quickely noted to me by a certaine entercourse which did happen to me Being at Millaine in Lombardie I did behold vpon the Gates of that Citie the Armes of Charlequint gloriously planted with many stately inscriptions among the which this was to be read Ad plantandam fidem ad colligenda Regna dispersa à Deo destinatus Destinate by God for the plantation of the faith and for the vnion of dispersed Kingdomes of the world when I did obiect to one of my acquaintance of good vnderstanding that Destinatus ad plantandam fidem was rather a title Apostolicall then Imperiall Hee replyed to me that it was Apostolicall for said hee that Trinitie of the Godhead which is in heauen of Father Sonne and holy Ghost hath deputed here below another Trinitie for earthly gouernment vnder whose obedience all power must bee ranged the Pope the Father the King of Spaine the Sonne and the Societie of the Iesuites the holy Ghost so that the Inscription is thus to bee construed said hee The Iesuite who takes vpon him to bee the onely Plantator of the faith being as the holy Ghost of this Trinity sent forth among stranger Princes to seduce their people to rebellion by sowing into their hearts the seedes of superstition and sedition which so soone as that Prince or King doth offer to punish the Pope who hath the place of the Father he doth excommunicate him and lastly giue commission to the King of Spaine to inuade his Dominions who hath the place of his onely Sonne and heyre who only of all Princes doth vnderstand the right Cabbal of the Court of Rome and is onely destined to execute that which is appoynted in the Councell of his Father so that hee also is Apostolicall saide this Gentleman who was a Frenchman and a true enemie to the Spaniard as may be seene by this ingenious and pretty conceit Thus it is no more a mysterie but reuealed to all the world which way the ambition of this Beast doth tend first debarring from the benefit of generall Councels Lutherans of whom some were cruelly burnt against their safe conduct and publike faith of the world secondly debarring Protestants which ought not to bee because they haue still called for reformation thirdly debarring the Catholike Romane Clergie it selfe giuing out for doctrine that the Pope is aboue all generall Councels which is done so impudently that the Cardinalls Barronio and Bellarmino haue not beene ashamed to condemne that great Panormitan Bishop because from this text Omnis anima subdita sit Superioribus potestatibus he prooueth the Pope to bee subiect to generall Councells and finally not onely spoyling Christian Princes their powers to conuocate Councells debarring them also but vsurping ouer their authorities temporall and inuading their States and liues I haue detained your Lordship so long vpon this point of the Papall Soueraignity and of the Iesuiticall trade quia plurimi interest because it concernes your Lordship you I say and all those who be of your profession chieflie who be of your Lordships Noble rancke it concernes you neerely to bee well informed heere this is the very place of danger it is the insatiable mouth of the deuouring Monster of our Age it is the gulfe which hath swallowed puissant Kings and flourishing Kingdomes This venemous doctrine is like vnto that Lady of whom Tacitus writeth called Locusta whose singular skill to temper Poyson so that when it was most deadly it wrought most vnperceiuedly made her to bee called Maximum instrumentum imperij A great and necessary Instrument of the Empire and much made of vnder Nero. This doctrine doth attrappe and snare the liues of greatest Monarkes before they can be aware It is a drinke of some new Cyrce changing men into brutall Beasts that they haue no more sense of humanitie or respect what shall say to themselues their wiues and children no that is small but not to their sacred Princes nor to our common Mother their Natiue Countreye not caring to cast into the mouth of this Monster millions of innocent soules nor making no account to sprinckle the Altars of their Cyrce with the annoynted bloud of their Soueraigne Kings yea before she should want her nefand and barbarous sacrifice they will offer vnto her the bloud of their owne hearts let vs remember Clement Rauiliacke Persie and his wretched complices So pittifully are they enchaunted with constant and desperate madnesse We must be afraid of the Iesuite and of his potion he will tell vs that constancie in faith is able to ouercome all things as it is indeed when it is inspyred by the good Spirit of God but alas he will tell vs that constancy to prosecute great actions or enterprises is like to an hecticke feuer which scarcely is felt at the first assault but by continuance it ouerthroweth the strongest bodies He will tell vs that oftentimes God doth compassion their teares shed for their brethren Martyred vnder tyrannous hereticall Kings euen by stirring vp within their Courts and Cabinets a Brutus an Aeod inspired with courage and constancy to reuenge his owne cause God of his mercy preserue Christian Princes from these brutish spirits That Brutus is a dangerous fellow be where he will wee read of Brutus that he did glory in the murther of Caesar in these termes Non solum non Caesari sed ne patri quidē meo si reuiuiscat concesserim ego totius orbis terrarū liberator vt me patiente plus legibus ac Senato possit I the deliuerer of the whole world would not on onely not suffer Caesar but not my owne Father to doe these things yet this was but a cause of state and he was onely an hereticke in policie if he then would haue murthered his Father as he did in effect for he was thought the naturall sonne of Caesar albeit not lawfull what shall we then looke for from these brutish beastes of our age who haue a cause of conscience and an errour in their soule which once being infected with that diuelish pride to be called deliuering Aeods of Gods people what is so hainous that they will not perpetrat Brutus was much beloued and bound to Caesar yet that would not keepe vp his hand from impious paricide hee was among the first of his percussors that Cesar saide to him Tu etiam fili Brute This mentall reseruation of mens mindes this wicked equiuocation of their maners it maketh that complaint of Momus against Iupiter to seeme more iust now then euer before why hee did not make an open window into the breast of man that the deepe of his heart might be
these iniquities and idolatrie that wee may call it like vnto that monstrous Minotaure kept in the Labyrinth of Daedalus Alter a parte hominem alter a parte bouem when the mother of this monster went in to see it her naturall affection did neuer suffer her to behold the beastly part of it It is iust so with many men when they are brought where they may haue a perfect discouerie of this forged and monstrous worship their naturall inclination to superstition will neuer permit them to behold the wicked and impious parts of it and therefore as multitudes who entred within that Labyrinth were deuoured of that monster because they knew not the way to returne till Theseus did deuise a meanes of retreat by tying a thread to the entire by the one end and carrying the other with him he did come backe by the same Euen so who doth eter within the mysticall Labyrinth of these cunning and craftie superstitions deuised by many Dedalean artificers he is neuer able to make recourse nor to saue himselfe vndeuoured of that monster without he be tyed to the thread of Gods word And he who is so shall not onely passe most securely through the most secret places thereof but as Dauid got out of the hands of Goliah that speare wherwith he slew him so shall he bring as many arguments from that which he shall see among them as shall suffice to confound themselues wee slide into errors peece and peece and peece and peece we must recoile from them we are not to looke for suddaine and miraculous conuersions for that blow comming from heauen which strooke S. Paul to the ground suddainely draue the diuell out of him for that diuine light which in an instant remoued the darkenesse of his soule and made him crie Lord what wilt thou I am heere The dayes of miracles are past we haue Moses the Prophets and Apostles we must follow the rule of Christ Scrutamini Scripturas search the Scriprures because they giue testimonie of me The way of conuersion to Gods truth is by diligent Reading of his word by diligent hearing of the preachers of the same by diligent prayer who doth hold the bookes of holie Scripture insufficient hee reades in vaine who prayeth with the Church of Rome which thinkes she cannot erre she hath no need of reformation such Pharisaicall prayers are also in vaine And therefore I meane now to giue your Lordship a Christian aduise first by telling your Lordship by what naturall defects many men lie ouer in this blindnesse Secondly by shewing vnto your Lo that which happened vnto my selfe and by what meanes and degrees I was freed from those errors wherein you are And thirdly by pointing vnto your Lordship out of these a way which I would wish you to follow in particular for your helpe for the first I say that the diuell seekes craftily to ouerthrow vs with our owne weapons also hee worketh vpon the infirmities of our nature he maketh aduantage of our naturall weakenesse he assalteth the walles of our minds there where the breach is likeliest as he wil sooner tempt a man of a fierce and tygrish disposition to commit murther then him who is naturally milde modest and meeke so I hold this ignorance of men giuen ouer to Idolatrie to proceede from one of those two faults in themselues either it is a naturall inclination to superstion that while they will not beleeue the holy Scriptures to be sufficient they will giue faith enough to the most ridiculous Aniles fabulae of the legendaries to the relation of a Straw miracle pretended to bee done heere or there in which kinde of foolishnesse I must say some of our Catholicke Romanes within this kingdome bee the poorest men vnder the heauen Well Pharaoh did see in the myracles of Moses the finger of God working Ego te constituam Deum Pharaonis but he gaue more credit to the Magicall miracles of his Sorcerers and why because his heart was hardned Let vs beware of this fearefull Iudgement therefore which I haue told your Lordship doth follow vpon Idolatrie to be abandoned of the Lord vt credant mendacio qui non crediderunt veritati that they may beleeue lyes and follies who would not beleeue the truth Indura cor populi huius occoeca occulos claude aures c. Obdurate the heart of this people close their cares blinde their eyes that they doe not heare see nor vnderstand lest they turne to me and I heale them saith God to the Prophet Or next this obstinate and wilfull ignorance wherein men cannot be broken no not from one point of most grosse things it proceedes as we haue obserued in many forbearing to iudge so of your Lordship from a secret selfe-loue glorying to be called constant and inflexible Surely constancie and good resolution it is a Cardinall vertue and perseuerance in faith is the height of all Christian vertues but beleeue me this sort of constancie is a despightfull pride it is to haue that which all the herefiarches haue had hereticum ingenium an hereticall inflexible and rebellious ingenie of Nature such were Manicheus Marcion Arrius Pelagius c. Such an heretike was not the good Father Augustine who fell but Timide and Languide into the Manichean opinion and was easily againe reformed by his good and toward nature by the inspiration of Gods Spirit willingly to heare the Sermons disputes and conferences of the holy Saint Ambrose Secondly I will tell your Lordship syncerely by what steps it pleased God to grant me retreait foorth of this fearefull Labyrinth of Idolatrie your Lordship hath heard how I already did distast these things which I did see in Italy but that did not serue the turne it was indeede a good beginning vpon my backe comming to France and new conference with that famous Protestant Mounsieur Causabon resident then at Paris in the seruice of the late King with whom I was familiar before who now finding me somewhat better disposed hee did farre second those beginnings of mine saying to mee that howseeuer it was the tricke of the Consistorie of Rome to deny any cause of reformation on their side and to disclaime generall Councells yet if it pleased God to inspire the hearts of Princes to challenge that auhoritie ouer Ecclesiasticall gouernment which was due to their Predecessors in the primitiue Church that the body of the Catholike Church might be easily reformed he told me that designe of Charl. 5. as I haue relared it vnto your Lordship he told me that two Emperours his successors Ferdinand Maximilian did much labour for the same In token whereof there be yet extant numbers of their letters sollicitatory to that most graue and profound Doctor of the Romane Church George Cassander most zealously entreating him touching his opinion of the deciding of Christian Controuersies which Booke with diuers other learned Treatises of other pacificators he gaue me to read as also these Theames written De auferibilitate
deceiued who say that Titus or Timothie had an extraordinary vocation for they were chosen by the Apostle and were the Schollers of S. Paul Quae accepi à Domino saith hee catradidivobis The things which were taught to mee by our Master Christ these haue I teached you Yea doe we not see how in the very time of the Apostles themselues when the extraordinary spirit was giuen to many there was iealous warnings among them against extraordinarie Pretenders Audiuimus quosdam ex nobis c. we heare saith the Apostle that some haue gone out from among vs who haue troubled you bidding you to bee circumcised quibus mandat a nulla dederamus to whom no coÌ„mandement was giuen An euident Argument that no man might enter into the Church without Apostolicall ordination notwithstanding the holy Ghost was frequently giuen and extraordinarily to manie by God himselfe immediately Briefely this extraordinary Vocation hath neuer in no time beene seene but accompanied with such miraculous graces as did sufficiently warrant it from doubt or calumnie which makes mee thinke that hee who is in this Libertine and corrupted age will pretend extraordinarie calling he had neede to qualifie the same by extraordinary markes The Lord God indeede who Master of all creation of all redemption and of all Reformation and for common doth worke by naturall and ordinary meanes in all these three when he will to shew his power and glory he will worke aboue and contrary to Nature and to her order as hee made the Red Sea to diuide for Moses and the Sunne to be fixed for his successour Iosua as he suffered by way of reformation the Asmoner to be for the time both Kings and Priests in one person as nature it selfe following the same doing of God her Soueraigne Lord albeit for the ordinary she worketh to procreation and generation of things yet sometimes she workes deuouring inundations and pestilent plagues which although they seeme to destroy yet they are necessary purgers of nature for the time euen so there hath beene in the beginnings of Christian reformation extraordinary things done by good men in case of so great exigence and necessitie as was but these extrauagant interims are neuer to bee drawen in rule The tyranny of Rome hath enforced that kinde of doing the cruell martyrdome first of Sauouarola and then of Hus for their cries of Reformation their deceiuing of Caroliu 5. and two succeeding Emperors in their designs of reformation their barbarous persecution of the Protestants of France and Germany by bringing vpon their neckes the Arms of the holy league for their protestation to haue the Catholike Church reformed These mad Christian people despairing of generall reformation by ordinary means and authoritie of Princes and Prelates to attempt it with some disorder and violence wherein some haue beene better some worse accoding to the diuers mindes and meanes of Reformatours in diuers places all tollerable for the time none perfect but that which hath beene done after these Iewish reformations whereof we speake and to speake ingenuously of all these which haue been it seemeth that no worse carriage hath beene in any then in those of Scotland and France albeit mooued by godly and reuerend men yet because they were attempted against the auctoritie Royall for the time which was the reason why they fell forth as a furious Northerne tempest threatning a common otherthrow in place to reforme Policie and Prelates they did destroy both enrage the people eiect the Prince shake the whole state and make their natiue Countries a bloudy stage of domestick and forraine ambition that it may be iustly said thereof as Cicero did reproach to the vnhappy Brut us Bona inâ—…o optima causa sed mihi crede foedissimè per acta a good cause yea a most good cause but beleeue it most miscreantly gouerned A much better act was that of George Prince of Henault who being but a ciuill man did reforme the Pontificate of Meresburgh For albeit he was not ordained by Pontificiall authoritie yet as he affirmes in his Apologie for that act he did procure vnto himselfe an ordinary vocation and canonicall Election by the whole Chapter of that Cathedrall Church who had their calling in the Church of Rome and did ordaine him a pastour with power by their aduise to reforme that seat for there be diuers of the Catholike Romane Cleargie who doe not hold euerie ordination vnlawfull which is not approoued of the Pope witnesse the late controuersie betwixt him and the Venetians for the Abbey of Policena where he did ordinate his Nephew Cardinall Burghesio they one of their own Citizens who did inioy it Better yet were these Reformations of Germany performed by Wicliffe Luther Bucer Farelluâ—… Viretus and others whereof some being questioned before the Emperor were neuer demaunded vpon their calling because they had gotten order within the Church of Rome yet perfectly good were none of these Germane reformations neither because the greatest part of them were onely Presbyters and had no Episcopall authoritie to reforme But of all these Reformations which haue beene lately in the Catholike Church that of England hath beene most vpright perfect and agreeable to the Architype of Ierusalem as you shall hereafter more cleerely perceiue where Prelates and Princes doe erre and Princes and Prelates againe to whom onely the authoritie did belong did reforme both themselues and the people retaining alwayes in their Church the Primitiue Ecclesiasticke gouernement with so many of their religious Rites and Ceremonies as were agreeable with Catholike Antiquitie and not contrary to Gods word resolued to part no further from Rome then she hath parted from the veritie which was the reason why this Reformation came not as a storme into the ayre nor in a Commotion but like vnto that Sibilus aurae tenâ—…is wherein the Lord was so that amidst the fearefull thundere and coruscations of Europe it did confirme the tranquility of that kingdome in a miraculous sort and did truely procure vnto the late Queene of blessed memorie that braue word Circundita Marte quiesco So that it might haue beene said of her feminine Raigne as it was said of the gowne of that great Orator Cuius sub iure togaque Pacificas sauus tremuit Catilina secures How many forraine machinations did she illude How many intestine Catelines did she surpresse how did shee cut the crust of the Spanish ambition with such dexterity as a second Iudith cutting off the head of Olophernes Cranmer Bishop of Canterbury Primat of the English Church Latymer Bishop of Wighorne Hooper Bishop of Glocestre Rialey Bi of London these were lawfully ordinate Bishops in the Church of Rome King Henrie the eight and his Successors Edward the sixt and Queene Elizabeth were lawfull Princes to both which according to the exemplar of Ierusalem and vnto that which was due to their Predecessors in the Primatiue Church did belong the power to reforme themselues and their kingdomes and Iurisdictions to