safety of his Conscience sweare vnto the Articles and branches of the Oath touching that poynt XXVIII Heere then wee see that all Ciuill Obedience and humble acknowledgment of all Temporall Duety is offered to his Maiestie by his Catholicke Subiects in most ample manner that can be deuised or that is offered to any Christian Catholicke Prince lyuing And if this be not accepted then is it euident that more is required then meere and only Ciuill Obedience as heere is often auouched XXIX And now for so much as it is said heere in like manner That very many of his Ma. ties Subiects that were Popishly affected as well Priests as Laycks did freely take the same Oath which he calleth A blessed successe froÌ„ God of this godly and wyse intent in deuising and proposing the same I shall be forced also to say somwhat of this matter before I passe any further And first of all concerning the freedome wherby it is heere said That priests and Laycks did freely take the same no man I thinke will deny but that the taking of this Oath is proposed by the Statute it selfe vnder paine of the losse of all goods and lands and perpetuall imprisonment to him that shall refuse it which is the very same freedome and no other that a merchant hath in a teÌ„pest eyther to cast out his goodes into the sea for lightening his ship or to be drowned himselfe And though Aristotle in his Ethicks do seeme to hold it to be Simpliciter inuoluntarium simply against the will of the doer and Catholicke Deuynes That it is Inuoluntarium secundum quid in part inuoluntary and simply voluntary for that all circumstances considered he resolueth fynally to be the best to cast out his goods and saue himselfe yet all agree in this that freedome is taken away by this constraint of the passion of feare For that freedome requyreth full liberty to both extreames or obiects that are proposed which is not in our case For that the displeasure of the Prince the losse of goods and liberty the ruyne of his family the terrour and perswasion of his friendes are heauie poyses and do mightily preponderate on the one side and consequently the mention of this freedome might haue beene pretermitted for so much as no constraint of humane will can be greater then this And yet is it said in the Oath that he must do it both willingly and hartily and as he belieueth in Conscience Let the discreete Reader consider what coherence there is in their tale XXX Secondly as for that multitude of Priests Laycks which he sayeth Haue freely taken this Oath as their freedome was that which now I haue mentioned and a principall motiue as may be presumed the desyre they had to giue his Ma. tie satisfaction and deliuer themselues and others so much as lay in them from that inference of disloyall meaning which vpon the denyall therof some do vse to make so I cannot but in charity assure my self that they being Catholicks tooke the said Oath for so much as concerneth the Popes authority in dealing with temporall Princes in some such lawfull sense and interpretation as being by them expressed and accepted by the Magistrate may stand with the integrity and sincerity of true Catholicke doctrine and faith To witt that the Pope hath not Authority without iust cause to proceed against them Quia illud possumus quod iure possumus saith the law Our authority is limited by Iustice. Directly also the Pope may be denyed to haue such authority against Princes but indirectly only in ordine ad spiritualia and when certayne great importaÌ„t vrgent cases concerning Christian religion fall out which we hope will neuer be betweene our Soueraigne and the Sea Apostolicke for so much as they haue past already many yeares though in different Religions in peace and quietnes euen since his Ma. tie began first to raigne XXXI But concerning the generall Question to deny simply and absolutely That the Pope is supreme Pastour of the Catholicke Church hath any authoritie left him by Christ eyther directly or indirectly with cause or without cause in neuer so great a necessity or for neuer so great and publicke an vtility of the Christian Religion to proceed against any Prince whatsoeuer temporally for his restraint or amendment or to permitt other Princes to doe the same this I suppose was neuer their meaning that tooke the Oath for that they should therby contradict the generall consent of all Catholicke Deuines and confesse that Gods prouidence for the conseruation and preseruation of his Church and Kingdome vpon earth had bene defectuous for that he should haue left no lawful remedy for so great and excessiue an euill as that way might fail out XXXII Wherefore for so much as some such moderate meaning must nedes be presumed to haue bene in those that tooke the Oath for safeguard of their Consciences if it might please his Maiesty to like well and allow of this moderation and fauourable interpretation as all â—orreyne Catholicke Kings and Monarchs doe without any prejudice at all of their safety dignity or Imperiall preheminence I doubt not but he should fynd most ready conformity in all his said English Catholicke Subiects to take the said Oath who now haue great scruple repugnance oâ— Conscience therin both for that the chiefest learned men of their Church doe hold the same for vtterly vnlawfull being mixed and compounded as it is and the voyce oâ— their chiefe Pastour to whome by the rules of their Religion they thinke themselues bound to harken in like câ—ses hath vtterly condemned the same and the very tenour of the Oath it self and last lines therof are That euery one shall sweare without any Equiuocation or mentall reseruation at all that is to say hartily willingly truely vpon the true faith of a Christian. Which being so they see not how they may take the said Oath in truth of CoÌ„scieÌ„ce for so much as they find no such willingnes in their harts nor can they induce themselues in a matter so neerly concerning the Confession of their faith to Equiuocate or sweare in any other sense then from his Maiesty is proposed and therefore doe thinke it lesse hurt to deny plainly and sincerely to sweare then by swearing neither to giue satisfaction to God nor to his Maiesty nor to themselues nor to their neighbours And so much of this point XXXIII There followeth an other which is the third about this matter where this Apology saieth That God did blesse this godly deuise and intent of making and vrging this Oath by the admittance thereof by so many Priests Laâ—cks c. Which blessing if it be a blessing must concerne eyther the takers or the exhibitours or both But for the takers what inward blessing of comfort in conscience they may haue receaued thereby I know not But for outward blessing I see small for they remaine either in prisons
acknowledge professe testify declare in my Conscience that the Pope neither of himself nor by any authority of the Sea or Church of Rome hath any power authority to c. doth not this include eyther beliefe or vnbeliefe Againe I doe further su eare that I doe froÌ„ my hart abhorre detest abiure as impâ—ous here icall that damnable doctrine position That Princes which be excommunicated and depriued by the Pope may be deposed c. Doth not heere the swearer promise not to belieue that doctrine which he so much detesteth How theÌ„ doth the Apologer so grosly forget and contradict himself euen then when he goeth about to proue contradictions in his Aduersary XXVI It followeth consequently in the Oath And I doe belieue and in Conscience am resolued That neyther the Pope nor any person whatsoeuer hath power to absolue me from this Oath or any part therof These wordes are plaine as yow see And what will the Apologer say heere Is nothing promised in those wordes to be belieued or not to be belieued XXVII But now we come to the contradictions of Cardinall Bellarmyne wherof the Apologer taketh occasion to treate for that the Cardinall affirmeth in one part of his letter That neyther his Maiesty of England nor any Prince else hath cause to feare violence from the Pope for that it was neuer heard of from the Churches infancy vntill this day that any Pope did commaund That any Prince though an Hereticke though an Ethnicke though a Persecutour should be murthered or did allow the murther when it was done by an other Which assertion the Apologer to improue bringeth in examples first of doctrine that Bellarmyne himself doth hold That Princes vpon iust causes may be deposed by Popes and then of facts That diuers Emperours haue bene deposed and great warres raised against them by Popes as Bellarmyne in his workes doth confesse and cannot deny and consequently doth contradict himself But surely this seemeth to me a very simple opposition or contradiction For who doth not see that these things may well stand togeather are not opposite and may be both true That Popes vpon iust causes haue waged warres against diuers Princes and Potentates and yet neuer caused any to be vnlawfully made away murthered or allowed of their murthers committed by others For may not we say iustly that warlike Princes are no murtherers though in the Acts of warres theÌ„selues many haue bene slaine by their authority and commandement Or may not we deliuer our Iudges of England from the cryme of murther though many mens deathes haue proceeded from them by way of Iustice No man I thinke will deny it XXVIII And so if some Popes haue had iust warres with some Princes Kinges or Emperours or haue persuaded themselues that they were iust in respect of some supposed disorders of the said Princes as here is mentioned the warre and other hostile proceedings of Pope Gregory the seauenth against the Emperour Henry the fourth this is not contrary to the saying of Cardinall Bellarmyne That no Pope euer commaunded any Prince to be murthered or allowed therof after it was done by an other For as for that which heere is affirmed by the Apologer That the Pope was inraged at the Emperour Henry the 5. for giuing buriall to his Fathers dead corps after the Pope had stirred him vp against his Father and procured his ruyne neyther proueth the matter nor is altogeather true as heere it is alleadged Not the first for this proueth not that the Pope eyther commaunded or procured this death which Bellarmyne denyed Not the second for that the two Authours by him cyted in his margent to wit Platina and Cuspinian doe not auerre the same For in Platina I finde no such thing at all and Cuspinian his wordes are plaine to the contrary That when Henry the Father was dead and buried in a Monastery at Liege his Sonne would not make peace with the Bishop of that place called Otbert except the dead body were pulled out of the graue againe as it was and so remayned for fiue yeares XXIX And againe Cuspinian writeth That the report was that Gregory the 7. did before his death absolue the Emperour but that his Sonne Henry the 5. and his followers neuer left to sollicite the succeeding Popes vntill he was excoÌ„municated againe thereupon had afterward this Christian buriall denyed him And how then is all this ascribed to the Pope which proceeded from the Some against his Father Our Apologer saith That he was sett on by the Pope to rebell against him but this his witnesses affirme not For Cuspinian saith that it was Suasu Marchionis Theobaldi Berengarij Comitis Noricorum Ottonis sibi ex materna sâ—irpe cognati And in this commonly agree all other Authors as Vrspergensis who then liued Crantzius Sigonius Nauclerus and others And why then is this so vniustly layed vpon the Pope What Author can he bring for it that auoucheth the same Why is it couertly cast in as though this matter apperteyned to Gregory the seauenth who in his life had warres with Henry the fourth but yet dyed before him Heere then nothing is so apparent as the desire to say much against Popes with neuer so litle occasion and lesse proofe But let vs go forward XXX In the second place he produceth the approbation of the slaughter of the late King of France by Pope Sixtus in his speech in the Consistory But no record of credit eyther in Rome or elswhere can be found to testify that any such speech euer was had by Pope Sixtus And I vnderstand that diuers Cardinalls are yet liuing who were then present in the first Consistory after that newes arriued who deny that Sixtus euer vttered any such words as of the allowance of that horrible fact though he might and did highly admire the strange prouidence of God in chastising by so vnexpected a way so foule and impious a murther as that King had committed vpon a Prince Bishop and Cardinall and those neerest of bloud vnto his Maiesty of England without any forme of iudgment at all And that a spectacle heerby of Gods Iustice was proposed vnto Princes to be moderate in their power and passions for that in the midst of his great and Royall army and corporall guardes he was strangely slaine by a simple vnarmed man when nothing was lesse expected or feared Nor can any thing be more improbable or ridiculous to be imagined then that which is heere affirmed by our Apologer and yet he saith he is sure therof That this friar which killed the King should haue bene canonized for the fact if some Cardinalls out of their wisedome had not resisted the same No such thing being euer so much as imagined or consulted of as many doe testify who were then in Rome So as nothing is more common here then bold assertions without wittnesses XXXI And the
none of these two wayes God doth concurre to the committing of a synne XLII But there is a third way of concurring tearmed Occasionalicer occasionally or by giuing occasion which improperly also may be called Morall and this is When God seeing an euill man euill-disposed to doe this or that synne though he doe not concurre therunto by any of the foresaid two wayes of assisting or commaunding the action to be done yet doth he by his diuine prouidence and goodnes make occasions so to fall our as this synne and not that is committed and consequently it may be said That almighty God without any fault of his or concurrence in any o◠the forsaid two wayes hath bene the Occasionall cause of this synne As for example we read in Genesis That when the brethren of Ioseph were obstinately bent to kill him God by the pulling by of certayne I smaelites Merchants of Galaad gaue occasion of his selling into Egypt so as he was herby some Occasionall or Morall cause of this lesser synne for eschewing the greater but not in the former sense of Morall concurrence which includeth also commandement XLIII This Occasionall concurrence then though in some large sense it may be called also Morall yet is it much different from the former and consequently the one may be affirmed and the other denyed without any contradiction at all And so this second obseruation against Cardinall Bellarmyne is wholy impertinent for that Contradictio must be in eodem respectu eiusdem which heere is not verifyed For that when the Cardinall saith in the first place That God doth not cōcurre Morally to synne he meaneth by cōmaūding or counselling the same whē in the later place he graūteth That God doth cōcurre somtymes Morally he meaneth by giuing occasiō only for this synne to be cōmitted rather then that which is a plaine different thing XLIIII And of the same quality is the third Contradiction set downe by the Apologer in these wordes All the Fathers teach constantly saith Bellarmyne that Bishops doe succeed the Apostles and Priests the seauenty disciples And then in another part of his workes he affirmeth the contrary That Bishops doe not properly succeed the Apostles But whosoeuer shall looke vpon the places here quoted shall fynde this to be spoken in diuers senses to witt that they succeed them in power of Episcopall Order and not in power of Iurisdiction and other extraordinary priuiledges so as both those doe well stand togeather And the like I say of the 4. contradiction obiected which is That Iudas did not belieue yet in an other place That Iudas was iust and certaynly good which is no contradiction at all if we respect the two seuerall tymes wherof Cardinall Bellarmyne doth speake prouing first out of S. Iohns Ghospell by the interpretation of S. Hierome that Iudas at the beginning was good and did belieue and then by other words of Christ in the same Euangelist vttered a good while after the Apostles vocation That he was a dyuell and belieued not And who but our Apologer would found a cōtradictiō against so learned a man as Bellarmyne is vpon a manifest Equiuocation of tymes wherby he may no lesse argue with Bellarmyne for calling S. Paul an Apostle and persecutour and Nicolaus an elect of the holy Ghost and yet an Heretick for that the one was a Persecutour first and then an Apostle and the other first a chosen Deacon by the holy Ghost and afterward an Hereticke possessed by the diuell as most do hould XLV But I should doe iniury as before I said both vnto Cardinall Bellarmyne and my self if I should goe about to answere these supposed contradictions at length To the Cardinall in preuenting him that will doe it much better Vnto my self in spending tyme in a needles labour for so much as euery one of meane iudgemēt that will but looke vpon the bookes and places themselues heere cyted will discouer the weaknes of these obiections and that they haue more will then ability to disgrace Cardinall Bellarmyne XLVI After the obiecting then of these deuised contradictions our Apologer returneth againe to exagitate yet further the foresaid saying of Bellarmyne That neither his Maiesty nor other King hath need to feare any daunger to his Royall Person by acknowledging the Popes spirituall authority in his Kingdome more then other Christians and Monarches haue done heretofore or doe now in other Kingdomes round about him who admitt the same Authority and haue done euen from the beginning of their Christianity without any such dangers of murther incurred therby Wherupon this Apologer maketh a large new excursion numbering vp a great Catalogue of contentions that haue fallen out betweene some Popes and Emperours the said Emperours receaued hurtes domages and dangers therby and consequently had cause to feare contrary to that which Bellarmyne writeth XLVII And in this enumeration the Apologer bringeth in the example of the Emperour Henry the 4. brought to doe pennance at the Castle of Canusium by Pope Gregory the seauenth as also of the Emperour Fredericke the first forced by Pope Alexander the third to lie agroofe as his word is on his belly and suffer the other to tread on his necke Of the Emperour Philip that is said to haue bene slaine by Otho at the Popes motion and that in respect therof the said Otho going to Rome was made Emperour though afterward the Pope deposed him also Of the Emperour Fredericke the second excommunicated and depriued by Pope Innocentius the fourth who in Apulia corrupted one to giue him poyson and this not taking effect hyred one Manfredus to poyson him wherof he dyed That Pope Alexander the third wrote to the Soldane to murther the Emperour sent him his picture to that effect That Pope Alexander the sixth caused the brother of Baiazetes the Turkish Emperour named Gemen to be poysoned at his brothers request and had two hundred thowsand crownes for the same That our King Henry the second besides his going barefooted in pilgrimage was whipped vp and downe the Chapter-howse like a schoole-boy and glad to escape so too That the Father of the moderne King of France was depriued by the Pope of the Kingdome of Nauarre and himself I meane this King of France forced to begge so submissiuely the relaxation of his excommunication as he was content to suffer his Embassadour to be whipped at Rome for pennance XLVIII All these examples are heaped togeather to make a muster of witnesses for proofe of the dangers wherin Princes persons are or may be by acknowledging the Popes Supreme Authority But first in perusing of these I fynde such a heape indeed of exaggerations additions wrestings and other vnsyncere dealings as would require a particuler Booke to refute them at large And the very last here mētioned of the present King of France may shew what credit is to be giuen to all the rest to witt That he suffered his Embassadour
more full answere if I should deteyne my selfe long therin IX The preamble beginneth with The monstrous rare nay neuer-heard of treacherous famous and infamous attempt plotted within these few yeares heere in England of the powder-treason infinite in cruelty singular from all example crying loudly for vengeance from heauen c. All which Eplthetes for due detestation of so rash and heynous an attempt Catholicks no lesse then Protestants do willingly admit though for singularity from all examples if we respect Speciem non Indiâ—â—duâ—m that cannot be like to an other in all poynts there be recounted in Historyes many attempts of the same kynd and some also by Protestants in our dayes as that of them who in Antwerp placed a whole barke of powder in the vaulted great street of that Citty where the Prince of Parma with his nobility was to passe and that of him in Hâ—ge that would haue blowne vp the whoâ—e Counsell of Holland vpon priuate reuenge as also that of 〈◊〉 in Scotland where the like 〈◊〉 of powder was layd for the cruell murther of his Ma. ties Father which not succeeding his death was achieued by an other no lesse bloudy and barbarous violence X. But why I pray yow is this wofull attempt of those vnfortunate Gentlemen so often brought in agayne and repeated almost in euery corner of this Booke Are they not executed that were culpable therof And are not other Catholicks deliuered from the guylt therof by the long and diligent search of Iustice made thereabout The Minister himselfe confesseth in his very next lynes Teh equity of his Ma. tie to be such as he professed in his Proclamation Parlament-speach that be would not vse other Catholicks the worse for that wherof it followeth that he held them for guytlesse that all those pressures both of cosciences externall afflictioÌ„ which since that tyme they haue suffered and do at this present were designed before that and begunne also to be put in execution as indeed they were and that the powder-treason was not a cause of these afflictions but an effect rather that is to say that those Gentlemen forseeing or knowing the course that was designed to be taken and partly also put in practice resolued vpon that miserable Medium to their owne destruction and publike calamity XI But alas is there no end of exprobration against the Innocent for the Nocent No compassion No commiseration If the clemency of his Ma. tie in his gratious Proclamation as heere is confessed gaue security that notwithstanding that headlong action of those few Catholycke Gentlemen None of the profession should be the worse vsed for that cause how commeth it to passe that so many aggrieuances haue byn heaped vpon them euer since and are daylie both by infamous libels published against them as appeareth by the former T. M. his flauÌ„derous Discouery and others mentioned in the Answere therunto as also by the new Oath deuised for the vtter ouerthrow both in soule if they take it against their conscience and of body goods and estimation if they refuse it How come so many searches of their houses spoyle of their goodes apprehensions of their persons afflictions of their tennants seruants friends so many citations attachments vexations and molestations that dayly do flow vpon them as if they were the only malefactours of the Land XII And now I pray yow let vs see how this second T. M. if he be Authour of the Booke as he is presumed doth speake of this Oath as of a thing of no pressure preiudice at all For hauing spoken of the former asseueration of his Ma. tie That none of that profession should be worse vsed for that cause he adioyneth presently Only saith he at the next sitting downe againe of Parliament a forme of Oath was framed to be taken by all his Ma. ties Subiects wherby they should make cleere profession of their Resolution faithfully to persist in his Ma. ties Obedience according to their naturall allegiance To the end that heerby his Ma. tie might make a separation of his Subiects c. by which exception of Only a man may well perceaue that this Minister maketh litle accompt of taking or not taking this Oath for so much as he supposeth Catholike people to haue receaued no hard vsage therby though they be brought into such extremityes as either they must sweare against their owne iudgements conscience in diuers pointes appertayning to their Religion or indure his Ma. ties heauy displeasure with losse of all that in this lyâ—e is dearest vnto them which no Catholicke man can auoyd now in England but he that maketh no scruple to sweate or vnsweare whatsoeuer turneth him best to his commodity or Superior Authority doth impose vpon him XIII But against this you will say that two thinges heere are alledged and auouched in his Maiesties behalfe by the Authour of this Pamphlet the one that He intendeth no persecuâ—ion against Catholickes for conscience cause but only desireth to be secured of them for Ciuill Obedience Which if it be so I see not but that the matter may quickly be ended for that I presume no Catholicke in England will deny to sweare all cyuill obedience that he oweth to his Maiesty or that any subiect hath euer in former Catholicke times sworne to their leige Lords or Princes or do in other countryes at this day The other is That very many sayth he of his Maiesties subiects that were Popishly affected as well Priests as Laycks haue freely taken the same Oath wherby they both gaue his Maiestie occasion to thinke the better of their fidelity likewise freed them selues of that heauy slaunder So he And then followeth immediatly that his Maiesty punisheth none for Conscience cause so they exhibite Cyuill Obedience And why then are men kept in prison after they haue taken this Oath Why are M. Blackwell and M. Charnocke deteyned styll by the L. of Canterbury Why are Recusants punished fyned for Recusancy though they take the Oath of Allegiance Is not Recusancie a cause of Conscience Do you see how these things do hold togeather XIIII To returne then to this Booke the writer saith That the Dyuell could not haue deuised a more malitious tricke for interrupting this so calme and clement a course then by sending hither and publishing a Breue of the Pope counter-maunding all them of his profession to take this Oath therby sowing new seedes of iealousy betweene his Maiesty and his Popish Subiects c. But what was the calme clement course before all men know For first men were vexed spoyled imprisoned for Recusancy then was the Oath deuised to afflict their Consciences and in these afflictions what should Catholicks do They first consulted the case which Learned men at home then also abroad And albeit at home some were moued in respect of the compassion they had of the present perill if it were refused
things or not If it be lawfull as I neuer heard or read it doubted of then why is the Pope so vniust and cruell towards his owne Catholicks as to commaund them to disobey their Soueraignes lawfull commandement If it be vnlawfull why hath he not expressed any one cause or reason therof But this Dilemma is easily dissolued or rather falleth of it self both his pillers being but broken reeds framed out of false suppositions For that the Pope neyther denyeth it to be lawfull to obey the Soueraigne in Cyuill and Temporall things nor doth he command Catholicks to disobey their Prince his lawfull commādements but only where they be vnlawful to be performed as he supposeth them to be in the taking of this Oath Wherof he expresseth sundry causes and reasons I meane so many as the Oath it self cōteyneth points cōcerning Religion to which end he setteth downe the whole Oath as it lyeth with intimation that those points cannot be sworne with integrity of Catholicke Religion good conscience which is sufficient for a Iudge who disputeth not but determineth So as hereupon to make illation of the Popes vniust and cruell dealing towards Catholicks by this his decision as though he sorbad Ciuill Obedience is to buyld vpon a voluntary false ground supposing or rather imposing the Pope to say that which he doth not and then to refute him as though he had said it indeed And is this good dealing LVIII But yet he goeth forward vpon the same false ground to buyld more accusations against the Pope saying That if the foundation of his exhorting Catholicks to beare patiently their tribulations be false as this Apologer auoucheth it to be then it can worke no other effect then to make him guylty of the bloud of so many of his sheep whome he doth thus willfully cast away not only to the needles losse of their liues and ruyne of their famylies but euen to the laying on of a perpetuall slander vpon all Papists As it no zealous Papist could be a true Subiect to his Prince and that Religion and the Temporall Obedience to the Cyuill Magistrate were two things incompatible and repugnant in themselues Thus he LIX But who doth not see that these be all iniurious inferences inforced vpon the former false suppositions to witt That Catholicks suffer nothing for their Conscience That there is no persecution at all in England That there is nothing exacted by this last oath but only and meerly Cyuill Obedience and that in this the Pope exhorteth them to disobey the Temporall Prince in Temporall dutyes and thereby giueth iust occasion to the Prince to vse his sword against them and consequently that he is cause of the effusion of their bloud and of the infamy of Catholicke Religion as though no Catholicke by his Religion could be a true Subiect to his Temporall Prince All which suppositions being vtterly mistaken and not true the more often they are repeated the more exorbitant seemeth the ouersight of the wryter And in my opinion the very same might haue bene obiected vnto S. Cyprian and other Fathers of the Primitiue Church that they were guylty of so many Martyrs bloud willfully cast away and of the ruyne of their familyes and other inconueniences by exhorting them not to doe against their Consciences nor to yield to their Temporall Princes Commandements against God and their Religion no not for any torments that might be layd vpon them nor for any losses that might fall vnto them of goods life honour same friendes wife children or the like which were ordinary exhortations in those daies of persecution as by their Bookes yet extant doth appeare LX. Neyther is it sufficient to say that those tymes and ours are different for that the things then demaunded were apparantly vnlawfull but these not for that to vs that are Catholicks these things are as vnlawfull now as those other were then to them for that they are no lesse against our Consciences in matters of Religion For why should it be more damnable then and indispensable to deliuer vp a Byble or new Testament for examples sake when the Emperour commaunded it then now to sweare an Oath against our Conscience and Religion when our Temporall Prince exacteth it For that this perhaps is called the Oath of Allegiance Who knoweth not that the fayrest tytle is put vpon the fowlest matter when it is to be persuaded or exacted And he that shall read the Historyes of that tyme and of those auncient afflictions shall see that Act also to haue beene required as of Obedience and Allegiance and not of Religion being only the deliuery vp of materiall bookes and yet did the whole Church of God condemne them for it that deliuered the same and held for true Martyrs all those that dyed for denying thereof for that they would not doe an Act against their Consciences LXI Well then to draw to an end of this second paragraph about the two Breues of Paulus Quintus two things more writeth this Apologer whereunto I must in like manner say somewhat The first is That Pope Clemens Octauus sent into England two Breues immediatly before the late Queenes death for debarring of his Maiestie our now Soueraigne of the Crowne or any other that eyther would professe or any way tolerate the professours of our Religion contrary saieth he to his manifold vowes and protestations simul eodem tempore and as it were deliuered vno eodem Spiritu to diuers of his Maiestyes Ministers abroade professing all kyndenes and shewing all forwardnes to aduance him to this Crowne c. Wherein still I fynde the same veyne of exaggeration and calumniation continued by the Apologer For hauing procured some knowledge of those two Breues I fynde them not sent into England togeather nor immediatly before the late Queenes death but the one diuers yeares before shee dyed and the other after her death and this to different effects For in the first the Pope being consulted what Catholicks were bound to doe in conscience for admitting a new Prince after the Queene should be dead for so much as some of different Religions were or might be pretenders he determined that a Catholicke was to be preferred not thinking as may be presumed to preiudice therein his Maiesty that now is of whome vpon the relations and earnest asseuerations of those his Maiestyes Ministers abroad who heere are mentioned he had conceaued firme hope that his Highnes was not farre from being a Catholicke or at least wise not altogeather so alienate from that Religion or professours therof as reasonable hope might not be conceaued of his conuersion though in regard of not preiudicing his Tytle in England the said Ministers auouched that it was not thought expedient at that tyme to make declaration therof LXII This was auerred then how truly or falsly I know not But many letters and testifications are extant hereof which were the cause of those demonstrations of Clemens Octauus to fauour
suspicion of so absurd an opinion and so contrary to all the ancient Fathers Heere then yow see how matters are strayned That which Cardinall Bellarmyne speaketh only of Nicolaus Lyranus vpon so iust occasion as this was is extended by our Apologer to often many and all sortes of Fathers Is this good dealing How can the Apologer defend himself in this place from willfull exaggeration and voluntary mistaking In the other place cyted by him lib. 2. de Christo cap. 2. there is no such matter at all But let vs see some other like examples LXXVI Pag 108. he setteth downe this generall odious proposition-out of Bellarmyne That Kings are rather slaues then Lordes And may a man thinke this to be true or likely that so rude a proposition should come from Bellarmine Looke vpon the place by him cyted lib. 3. de Laicis cap. 7. yow will maruaile extremly at this manner of proceeding For that in this very place yow shall fynd that the Cardinall doth most exalt and confirme by Scriptures Fathers and other arguments the dignity and authority of the cyuill Magistrate among Christians And in the next precedent Chapter before this cyted he hath this begining The fourth reason saith he to proue the lawfulnes and dignity of the Cyuill Magistrate against the Anabaptists is from the efficieÌ„t cause to witt God the Authour therof from whom it is certayne that Cyuill power proceedeth as S. Augustine proueth throughout his whole fourth and fifth bookes De Ciuitate Dei and it is euident by the Scriptures for that God saith By me Kings do raigne c. LXXVII So Bellarmine and then passing to the next Chapter heere cyted which is the seuenth he proueth the same by another argument which is That in the state of Innocency if Adam had not synned wee should haue had Cyuil subiection and gouernment and consequently it caÌ„not be thought to be euill or brought in by sinne or for the punnishment of synne as the Anabaptistes affirmed but must needs be of God from God True it is saith he that seruile or slauish subiection was brought in after the fall of Adam and should not haue byn in the state of Innocency but cyuill subiection should And then he sheweth the differences betweene these two sortes of gouernment and subiections to witt that the one which is the seruile tendeth wholy to the vtility and emolument of him that gouerneth and nothing to them that are gouerned But the other which is cyuill and politick tendeth principally to the profit of them that are gouerned therby So as if there be any seruitude saith Bellarmine but he meaneth not slauish in this Ciuill principality it falleth rather vpon him that gouerneth the people to their owne vtility then vpon the subiectes that receaue the said vtility therby And so are Bishops called the seruantes of their flockes and the Pope himselfe The Seruant of seruants and S. Augustine vpon those wordes of our Sauiour in S. Matthews Ghospell He that will be made first or chiefe among you must be the seruant of all the rest doth proue at large that In Ciuili Principatu magis sâ—ruus est qui praeest quà m qui subest In a Ciuill Principality he is more a seruant that gouerneth to other mens profit then he that obeyeth to his owne LXXVIII This is all that Cardinall Bellarmyne hath about this matter wherin he doth scarce name a King as yow see but Bishops and Popes to be seruants in the gouermeÌ„ts of those whome they gouerne though he include good Kings in like manner putting this difference betwene a good King a Tyrant out of Aristotle That a good king gouerneth to the profit of his Subiects wherin he is their seruant in effect though not their slaue as this man odiously vrgeth and a Tyrant that turneth all to his owne vtility without respect of those whome he gouerneth And is this so absurd doctrine Or doth this iustify the Apologers outragious proposition That Bellarmyne affirmeth Kings to be rather slaues then Lordes Who would not be ashamed of this intemperate accusation LXXIX And now there remayne eleuen places more of like quality alleadged by the Apologer out of Cardinall Bellarmynes workes which being examined by the Authors wordes meaning and sense haue the same want of sincerity which the precedent had The second is That Kings are not only Subiects to Popes to Bishops to Priests but euen to Deacons This is a playne cauill for the fault if any be falleth vpon S. Chrysostome and not vpon the Cardinall whose wordes are these S. Chrysostome in his eyghtie and three Homilie vpon S. Matthewes ghospell doth subiect Kings and Princes in Ecclesiasticall matters not only to Bishops but also to Deacons For thus he speaketh to his Deacon Si Dux quispiam si Consul si is qui Diademate ornatur c. If a Duke if a Consul if one that weareth a Crowne commeth to the SacrameÌ„t vnworthily restrayne him and forbid him for that thou hast greater power then he What fault hath Cardinall Bellarmine heere in alledging the words and iudgement of S. Chrysostome LXXX The third place is That an Emperour must content himself to drinke not only after a Bishop but after a Bishops Chaplin But these wordes are not found in Bellarmine but are odiously framed by the Apologer out of a fact of S. Martyn Bishop of Tewers in France related by auncient Sulpitius in his life that he sitting one day at dynner with the Emperour Maximus and the Emperours officer bringing a cup of wine to his Lord he would not drinke therof first but gaue it to the Bishop to beginne who accepting therof and drinking deliuered the said cup to his Priest to drinke next after him thinking no lay-man to be preferred before a Priest saith Sulpitius But what doth this touch Bellarmine that doth but relate the Story May he in truth be said to â—rouch that an Emperor must be coÌ„teÌ„t to drinke after a Bishops Chaplin Who seeth not this violeÌ„t inforcemeÌ„t LXXXI His fourth place is this That Kinges haue not their Authority nor office from God nor his law but from the law of Nations Good God! what desyre is here descried of calumniation Let any man read the two places here quoted and he will blesse himselfe I thinke to see such dealing For in the first place his wordes are these Principatus saecularis c. Secular Princedome is instituted by maÌ„ is of the law of Nations but Ecclesiasticall Princedome is only from God and by dyuine law which he meaneth expresly of the first institution of those Principalyties or Gouernmentes for that at the beginning God did not immediatly appoynt these particuler and different formes of Temporall gouernment which now the world hath some of Kinges some of Dukes some of Common-wealthes but appoynted only that there should be Gouernment leauing to ech nation to take or choose what they would But the
strong effectes both in iudgments and affections Admiration for that no such thing was euer expected vnder his Maiesties gouernment for many causes strong effectes for that they worke great alterations both in the one and the other In iudgment for that wise men fynd not any reason eyther of Religion or State why such extremityes should be pursued with such rigour at the instigation of partyes interessed to the euident danger of so great and honorable Kingdomes who if in wills they were vinted as they are in one Prince and Gouernour their forces were both admirable and dreadfull In affections for that the compassion which naturally doth accompany our brethrens afflictions especially for a cause that we most esteeme and loue to wit our Religion must needes worke the contrary effect of inward auersion both in Princes people abroad notwithstāding they hold externall amity and friendship for the tyme. LXXXVIII I let passe the generall obloquies and murmurations that are to be heard euery where almost in Christendome vpon this manner of proceeding and much more the publicke and priuate complaints outcryes and praiers that are made and offered daylie to heauen throughout all Catholicke Kingdomes lightly in all particuler Congregations Oratoryes Chappels meetings of zealous men that pray instantly to Almighty God for some remedy of these oppressions and persecutions of English Catholicks sufficiently as they thinke declared vnto thē to the whole world by the very printed Catalogues of English Statutes extant in Print against them for profession of their Religion for that by the view of those Statutes they do easily conceaue what enormous effectes do and must follow in the execution therof albeit they did not both heare see daily so many lamētable presidēts spectacles therin LXXXIX As for example there haue not passed many moneths since there were seene some threescore Priests more or lesse to omit others cast into banishmēt about one tyme wandring vp and downe throughout Christēdome according as euery man had occasion or necessity for their mayntenance gaue a lamentable spectacle to all nations to see mē of so good partes amiable aspects sweet behauiour naturall borne subiects of the Lād the most of them of very worshipfull parētage all of learned education cleere and deuoyd of any suspition of crymes that could be obiected vnto them for otherwise they should not haue bene dismissed in the flower of their age to be cast out of their natiue soyle for professing that Religion only wherby their said Countrey was first made Christian so continued vnder all their noble Princes Kings Queenes and Soueraignes Nobility and Communatly from the beginning of their Conuersion vnto this our age XC This spectacle I say presented to the eyes of most Nations of Europe moued men not a litle especially hearing them protest their duetifull affections to his Ma. tie and Realme in all Cyuill Temporall respects without seeking of any preferments dignityes riches or other emoluments by staying at home but only the rest vse of their owne Consciences in matters of Religion which Protestāts in many other Catholicke Countryes are suffered to inioy though with farre lesser reason in regard of the ancient right possession which ech part pretendeth for the vse of their said Religion XCI And since this tyme agayne there hath beene seene very lately another spectacle not much vnlike to the former though much more markable to wit a like number of Noble and Gentlemen with their followers and trayne passing in very good sort through sundry Countryes being lately retyred out of his Ma. ties Kingdome of Irelād for the selfe same cause of their Consciēce and Religion which when men do behold and heare them otherwise to speake honourably of his Ma. tie the State ascribing rather their afflictiōs to some vnder Magistrates in Ireland and Ministers that set them on it moueth more compassion and maketh men thinke and muse what may be the end of all this and whereunto fynally it may grow Whether the like may not be expected in tyme or doubted out of other partes also of his Ma. ties dominions vpon like angariatiō of Consciēces which points seeme to be of no small consideration and consequence to wise men though those that be the immediate causes therof will and must make light of all but the naturall yssue of such euentes are not vnknowne And if the occasioners therof were guylty of no greater fault but only to cast his Ma. tie the State into perpetuall cares about the same his Royall nature being inclined otherwise to sweetnes peace and tranquillity it were a great synne in them and scarce sufferable XCII Nor is the remedy heere attēpted by our Minister-Apologer of denying all and saying that there is no persecution nor hard dealing with any for matters of Religion no not in the late Queenes dayes when so many were so rackt and rented for the same any remedy at all but rather a doubling of the iniury to the afflicted with encrease of exasperation auersion of myndes as also a leesing of all credit with others that heare it eyther at home or abroad for that facts contrary to wordes do preponderate with all sober men and preuaile against the same XCIII And truely I cannot but wonder why this late Apology hath beene so greedily published by the Apologer both in English and Latyn to the world for that the Popes Breues being but written priuatly to the Catholicks of England for informing their Consciences in a matter of necessary doctrine about the lawfulnes or vnlawfulnes of taking the Oath and the Letter of Cardinall Bellarmyne being directed only to a priuate friend both of them might haue remayned also priuate if this attempt had not byn made of publishing the same But now being drawne by the Apologer into the Vniuersall Theatre of the world besydes that diuers will hold themselues obliged or at leastwyse prouoked to answere the same it will follow also that the vnlawfulnes of the said Oath to Catholicke Consciences will more be seene disputed condemned by all Vniuersityes Schooles Bookes Treatises of particuler learned men throughout all Countryes of Christendome that professe Catholicke Religiō Whervpon also the vniust violence inforcing men to sweare the same Oath vnder so rigorous paynes as are the losse both of goods libertie and therwithall to sweare in like manner that they do it willingly freely and without coaction will be censured no doubt for one of the greatest contradictions in it selfe and the most iniurious manner of proceeding with Christian men that euer perhaps was heard of in the Christian world XCIII And this now occurred to me deare Syr to write to you cōcerning my iudgmēt vpō this matter What more may be said to this Apologie when it shall come into the handes of learned men you will easily ghesse by these few notes that I haue heere laid togeather which conteyne but little in respect of that which may be written of