immunitat in 6. nos iustitiam nostram saith he ecclesiae sponsae nostrae nolentes negligere argument 90 The ancient fathers neuer called the pope vniuersall bishop for n Lib. 4. ep 32. Gregory the first doeth much mislike that title and calleth it sacrilegious and profane and a certeine councell of Africa cited by Gratiam dist 99. c. primaesedis importeth that the bishop of Rome should not be called vniuersall but now euery lousie frier made pope will be called vniuersall bishop and the papists dare not deny him this title argument 91 Ancient Christians neuer called the pope god nor supremum numen in terris but the canonistes doe not sticke to call him and honor him as God as appeareth by the chapter satis dist 96. and by Augustine Steuchus in lib. de donat Constantini and Stapleton in his epistle dedicatory before his booke intituled doctrinalia principia calleth him supremum numen in terris that is the soueraigne god of the world argument 92 In ancient time the church was gouerned by the lawes of councels and Christian emperors as appeareth by the acts of councels and lawes of Iustinians Code it appeareth also that in the time of Charles the great and his sonnes the church was gouerned for externall matters by lawes of princes but now the popes exclude both emperors kings and princes and take on them the sole gouernment of the vniuersall church argument 93 In the councell of Constance it was holden that the councell was aboue the pope the same also appeareth for that diuers popes haue answered and some haue béene deposed by councels but now the papists holde contrary and say that the pope is aboue the councell neither doe they allow any councels to be authenticall but such as are called and confirmed by the pope argument 94 The apostles their successors were subiect to emperors princes and paid tribute vnto them the apostle S. Paul taught all bishops and priests to be subiect to higher powers but now they hold that the pope is aboue all princes and kings whatsoeuer Papa est dominus dominantium saith o In c. ecclesia vt lite pendente Baldus ius regis regum habet in suos subditos and p De pontific Rom. lib. 5. Bellarmine holdeth that the pope hath power to depose kings and to take their crownes from them argument 95 The apostles and their successors in ancient time exhorted subiects to obedience now the popes of late haue exhorted subiects to rebellion as appeareth by their execrable bulles against Henry the 8. king of England and his daughter Elizabeth now reigning against Henry the 3. of France and against diuers emperors argument 96 In ancient time bishops spoke reuerently of kings and princes and in the q C. 83. canons of the apostles the censure of deposition is inflicted vpon such of the clergy as vtter words of reproch against princes but now the popes raile against princes as is euident by their wicked bulles and when railing will not serue by assassins and murdrers hired and aposted they séeke to cut their throates as appeareth by the fact of Iames Clement that murdred Henry the 3. Chastell that assaulted Henry the 4. of France and diuers assassins hired to kill our noble Quéene argument 97 Before Gregory the firsts time the popes made no bishops either in England or France or Germany or Afrike or Asia but al nations and prouinces were frée from his vsurpations neither did any bishops sweare fealty to the pope but now all this is quite changed and the pope claimeth a generall power to ordeine bishops ouer the world and maketh them r C. ego N. de iurtiurando sweare fealty vnto him as to their souereigne argument 98 In S. Cyprians and Augustines time the bishops of Afrike would suffer no appeales to be made to Rome now Bellar. disputeth that it is a point of the popes right to heare appeales out of all the world argument 99 Now also the papists make the pope supreme iudge in all causes and controuersies of faith but the ancient church nâ—uer imagined that such matters could be decided without a councell argument 100 The pope now Å¿ C. vnam extr de maior obed challengeth both swords but our Sauior Christ taught that his kingdome was not of this world and the apostle Paul said that the weapons of his warfare were not carnall The ancient bishops of Rome certes neuer vsed swords nor souldiers but sincerely taught the Gospel argument 101 Vntill Boniface the ninth his time the city of Rome was either vnder the emperors or vnder her owne magistrates as Å¿ Lib. 2. de schism Theodoric à Niem testifieth is it not then strange that the emperor will suffer his imperiall state and empire to be holden from him which is so lately vsurped and by fraud intercepted by the pope argument 102 It is not long since the pope began to weare a triple crown and to be borne on mens shoulders and to tread on princes necks and to make others to kisse his pantofle Let Robert Parsons shew that this was done before Gregory the seuenth and Celestine the third argument 103 Neither is it many hundred yéeres since the pope challenged annates and tooke money of archbishops for their palles argument 104 The popes prouisions reseruations translations and other extraordinary dispensations were vnheard of in the ancient church argument 105 Finally whether we respect the foundations of popish religion or the doctrine of the Law and Gospel or the doctrine and ceremonies concerning sacraments praiers and the worship of God or the gouernment and lawes of the popes chamber chancery and consistory we may boldly say that so much as we reiect in this church is nothing els but a packe of nouelties CHAP. III. That the papists are no true catholikes nor holde the catholike faith if they beleeue the popes decretals and his schoole diuinitie IF false teachers as they secretly broch erronious doctrine so would openly manifest their malicious and wicked natures we should not néed so watchfully to looke to their procéedings nor so earnestly to exhort all Christians to beware of their deceits and entisements but séeing like wolues in shéeps clothing they come abroad with the names of catholiks and catholike religion and abuse simple people I thinke it very necessary to take this maske from their false visages and to shew that they are woluish papists and not Christes shéepe or true catholiks the which that we may with all plainnesse and sincerity performe we will first declare what is meant by the catholike church which we professe in our Creed and next what is the catholike faith which euery Christian is to embrace and with all constancy to mainteine The catholike church therefore is the vniuersall societie of Gods saints and it comprehendeth all the faithfull from the beginning vnto the end of the world This catholike church saith S. a In Psal 56. Augustine is
flocke by teaching and that he doth administer the sacraments of the Lords supper and baptisme orderly and ordinarily as other bishops doe wherein I beléeue he will faile Fourthly I haue proued that the pope is Antichrist aduanced aboue all that is called God and the principall Patriarke of Antichrists kingdome But light and darkenesse shall as soone concurre as the tyrannie of Antichrist and the office of a bishop in one person I haue prooued that he is Antichrist in my fift booke de Pontifice Rom. against Bellar. which because he so aboundeth in learning and I haue none I would pray him to answere with his great learning and especially séeing it maketh so much for the credit of his father the pope that begot him on a strumpet the hore of Babylon his maships mother A braue fellow he is no doubt that is so well borne of father and mother And if his stomack wil brooke no latin let him refute my answere to Parsons wardword if not all yet so much as toucheth the Pope Finally the Pope is an heretike an apostata and a most notorious simoniacal person entring by brigues and faction and composition with the Spanish king and cardinals as is notorious to the world and appeareth in euery coÌ„claue and is not dissembled by popish writers but such by canoÌ„s albeit otherwise bishops are suspended froÌ„ ordaining bishops or coÌ„ferring orders That they are heretikes it cannot be denyed vnlesse Owlyglasse can shew that the points we haue handled in the 4. chapter of our former discourse are no heresies which if he be able to shew I doubt not but the pope for his paynes will make him cardinall That the Pops are apostatates it apeareth for that they haue declined from the ancient faith as I haue likewise declared in my former challenge That they are simoniacal creatures their buying and selling of the papacy and of all ecclesiasticall liuings of masses of sacraments of faculties doth manifestly declare and that this is a common fault of Popes it appeareth by their rules of chancerie by the Penitentiaries taxe Vid. regul Cancellar paenitent by the glosses of their canons by Albericus de Rosate in verbo Roma by Theodorica Niems treatise of schisme by baptist of Mantua and all stories that write any truth Neither is this a faulte of late crept into that see queÌ„ dabis mihi de tota maxima vrbe saith Bernard lib. 4 de consid ad Eugenium quite in papam receperit pretio seu spe pretij non interueniente He signifieth that the Pope was chosen by simony without simony certes no cardinall can sée to finde the Popes chayre By this it may also appeare that the Romish church hath no true bishops or priestes for first they are ordained by the Pope that is no bishop Secondly the Bishops neither preach nor administer the sacraments nor accompt that any parte of their episcopall function Thirdly Pope Ioane had noe power to ordeine Bishops or priestes being a woman But all that haue liued in the Church of Rome along time haue béene ordeined by none but such as were ordeined by her or by bishops that were made by her Fourthly all préests are ordeined to sacrifice for quicke dead As appeareth by Machabeus in lib. de missis episcoporum pro ordinibus conferen dis Bellarmine also saith that preistes are made by these words accipe potestatem offerendi sacrificlum that is receiue power to offer sacrifice Which is no sufficient ordination nor giueth préestes power either to preach or administer sacraments but rather a power in ancient time neuer belonging to préests as I haue proued against Bellarmine in my booke de sacrificio missae Fiftly no simoniacall persons or heretikes haue power to order others and if they doe it their ordination by canons is declared voyd they are pronounced irreguler and this I thinke Owlyglasse will not deny but he will answere percase that the Popish bishops are neither heretikes nor simonicall persons let him therefore if he will make his answere good make answere to my obiections concerning the heresies and simonyes of the Church of Rome Sixtly the popish bishops are all slaues of Antichrist as appeareth by their slauish oth c. ego N. de iureiurando If then the pope be proued Antichrist and the aduersary of Christ and his Church his adherents caÌ„not be déemed true bishops Finally albeit the Popish Church had a certaine forme of ordination and bishops and préestes so called yet nether can the ordination be accouÌ„ted lawful being contrary to canons nor can they be déemed true bishops and priests that neither preach that which Christ commanded nor obserue his commission nor administer the sacrameÌ„ts according to Christs institution Oftentimes also the Pope hath ordeined boyes ignorant persons vtterly vncapable of episcopall function bishops and preests And such being so ordeined neuer did any part of ministeriall function if then the Romish Church be like her bishops then as she hath false and defectiue bisshops so is shee a false and defectiue Church But saith Owlyglasse Pag â—2 the councell of Trent hath made such holsome decrees concerning the diligent and often teaching and preaching of bishops and preests as Master Sutcliffe can finde no iust cause of complainte But if he had let downe these wholsome decrées he would haue béene much ashamed of the decrées themselues and more of the slender exequution of them For Concil Trid. Sess 5 c. 2. they decrée that bishops shall teach by theÌ„selues or others so that by this rule women may be préests for they may teach by others this may be fulfilled if bishops neuer teach at all Beside that we doe not reade that the first bishops of Rome did preach by others or set vp louzy fryers to prate in pulpits as now is the fashion of the Romish Church Our Sauiour Christ bad his Disciples preach themselues or els he would not haue sent them And S. Peter preacheth himselfe and vsed no deputation for the matter as now the Romanistes doe furthermore now the execution of this lawe is so neglected that I doe not beléeue that Owlyglasse albeit he hath well frequented all corners of Rome hath heard the pope preach And when the old Cardinall of Lorrein offerd to preach he was derided for his labor of all his compagnioÌ„s so vnséemly a thing it séemeth for a Cardinal bishop to preach He answereth further That I would be loth that our church should continue no longer then bishops doe their duties in preaching and feeding But he doth wrong our bishops to compare them to Romish prelats that neither preach nor thinke that preaching belongeth to them and for the most parte vnlesse it be some frier or foxe inroabed with bishops apparell preach not nor speake more then stockes and images in Churches He doth also mistake me much if he thinke that I conclude that any congregation is not the true church where bishops doe not their duties For that is
conuinced by actes of the councell sent from diuers places to haue foisted in a false canon into the actes of the councell of Nice His agents auerred that the councell of Nice had decréed vt si episcopus accusatus fuerit iudicauerint episcopi regionis ipsius de gradu suo deiecerint eum appellasse episcopus videatur confugerit ad beatissimum ecclesiae Rom. episcopum voluerit audiri c. That the appeale should be receiued but the whole councel did take him in the very act of forgerie The same also may be proued by the true actes of the councel and by all authenticall writers that report the actes of that councel truely falsification 14 Paschasius one of the Popes agents in the 16. action of the councel of Chalcedon according to instructions giuen him alleadged a piece of a counterfeit canon of the councel of Nice beginning thus Ecclesia Rom. semper habuit primatum That these words are foisted into the sixth canon of the couÌ„cel it appeareth by the view of the canons themselues as they are set downe not onely by Ruffinus in his ecclesiastical history but also by Peter Crabbe Surius Carranza and other Romanists falsification 15 The 36. canon of the sixt synode is thus reported in the â—omes of councels and in Carranza Renouantes quae à sanctis patribus 153. qui in hac regia vrbe conuenerunt 630. qui Chalcedone conuenerunt deceâ—nimus vt thronus constantinopolitanus aequalia priuilegia cum antiquae Romae throno obtineat in ecclesiasticis negotijs vt illa emineat secundus post illam existens post quem Alexandrinorum metropolis numeretur deinde Antiochiae post eum Hierosolymitanae ciuitatis But this canon is diuersly falsified by the Romanists for first they cut out certaine wordes as they are found in the 18. canon of the greeke copies of the actes of the councell of Chalcedon and this canon of the sixth synode they turne contrarie to the meaning of the Fathers setting it downe in these termes C. Renouantes dist 22. Renouantes sancti constantinopolitani decreta concilij petimus vt constantinopolitana sedes similia priuilegia quae superior Roma habet accipiat nec non in ecclesiasticis rebus magnificetur vt illa sed haec secunda post illam existens prius quam Alexandrina sedes numeretur deinde Antiochena post eam Hierosolymitana Thus is it set downe in the canon lawe corrected by Gregory the thirteenth and yet differeth much from the originall but in all auncient copies we reade non tamen in ecclesiasticis rebus magnificetur vt illa which is a farre greater corruption then the other falsification 16 The fift councell of Carthage c. 3. determineth that bishops and priests and deacons should abstaine from their owne wiues 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is as Balsamon interpreteth it teÌ„pore vicis suae or during the time of their turne of seruice to make the best of it yet can it not signifie propria aut priora statuta Yet the Romanistes dist 33. c. placuit haue falsiffed the canon adding subdeacons that were left out of the canon and making this canon absolutely to exclude Bishoppes Priestes and Deacons from their wiues at all times falsification 17 In the councell of Milâ—uis c. 22. African priests deacons and inferiour clerkes are forbidden absolutely to appeale beyond the seas But Gratian like a falsary hath added to the canon nisi forte sedem Romanam appellauerint that is vnlesse they appeale to the fee of Rome which is quite contrary to the meaning of the canon And therefore Gregory the thirteenth in his bookes of the canon lawe hath set downe these wordes in an other letter but he rather hurteth then helpeth the matter testifying that all the Romanists that alleadged or vsed the canon thus before his late correction were falsaries falsification 18 In the councell of Laodicea the Fathers can â—5 forbid Christians idolatrously to worship angels ad angelos idololatriae abominandae congregationes facere But the Romanists being guilty in their owne conscience of the idolatrous worship of angels for angelos haue set downe angulos as appeareth by Surius Carranza and diuers late editions of councels Now that this is a falshood it is to be proued by the testimony of Chrysostomes homilies and Theodorets commentaries vpon the Epistle to the Colossians and Bellarmine in his first booke de cultu sanctorum cap. 20. falsification 19 Pius the fift in a certaine contention betwixt him and the Emperor Vita di Pio. 5. in literis to helpe his owne cause doth most falsely alleadge a canon of the councell of Nice whereby he would prooue that by the determination of that councell the Pope of Rome was made Lord and gouernour of all Princes that bore the name of Christians and that the councell did anathematise all that dare say contrary E sentenza saith he di tutti theologi è canonisti è determinatione de concilij massimamente del Niceno Ch' il succcessor di san pietro sia signore è rettore di tutti i principi del nome christiano de tutte le prouincie tutte le genti anathematizando chiunque cio ardisse contradire A wonderfull great principalitie certes if he should he made gouernour of all christian Princes of all prouinces and nations But this principality is grounded vpon no other foundation then lewd lies and forgeries For in the actes of the Nicene councell there is no such matter as may appeare both by the testimony of Ruffin and confession of Surius Carranza Bellarmine and Baronius that are not able to shew vs any such act in the Nicene councell We must therefore pray Robert Parsons otherwise Howlet and his disciple Owlyglasse to shewe vs this noble canon alleadged by Pius their holy Father vnlesse they meane that the world shall be made acquainted with the impostures and falsifications of the Romish church For as lawes determine they are falsaries that shall adde to lawes constitutions and canons and are as falsaries to be punished L. si quis falsis ff ad l. cornel de falsis Si quis saith Modestinus falsis constitutionibus nullo authore habito vtitur lege cornelia aqua igni interdicitur falsification 20 But it nothing els were yet the counterfeit donation which the Popes of Rome pretend to haue béene made by Constantine is sufficient to conuince them of falsification for therein by a tricke of forgery they claime not onely a souerainty ouer the whole cleargy but also a great part of the Westerne empire And so stifly doe they stand in the maintenance of this grant that they will hardly bee induced to heare the contrary Augustine Steuchus in a large volume goeth about to defend it But notwithstanding all his pleading he is a simple fellow that doth not sée this grant to be counterfeit and very bolde if not impudent that will defend it as doth the glosse set out by Gregory the thirtéenth
founders falsification 2 Gregorie the fourth saith that all bishops causes and the discussing of matters of religion belōgeth to the apostolike Romane See as the head of all Churches the place frō whence the Church tooke her beginning cum nulli dubium sit saith hée quod non solum pontificalis causatio C. praeceptis dist 12. sed omnis sanctae religionis relatio ad sedem apostolicam quasi ad caput ecclesiarum debeat referri inde normam sumere vnde sumpsit exordiū Anatorious lye For the law went out of Sion and not from Rome and bishops causes were handled in times past in councels and not before the bishops of Rome There also were matters of faith decided and not by the Romish bishops as this lying Pope affirmeth Nay the causes of the bishop of Rome himselfe as wel as of all other bishops were handled in councels falsification 3 Vnder the name of Athanasius the Church of Rome c. Septuaginta dist 17. teacheth that the counsell of Nice published 80. canons which were reduced afterward to the number of 70. according to the number of 70. disciples and that the copie brought to Alexandria was burnt by heretikes But authenticall stories doe refute this lye and shew that there were onely 20. Canons established in that councell Beside that Luke 10. Luke saith that Christ sent 72. disciples As the old latin transtation hath Thirdly if the canons were 80. it were a méere falsity to cut of or reduce 80. to 70. Finally of the burning of the canons of the Nicene counsell there is no recorde in any authenticall writer falsification 4 Marcellus saith that these words Psal 81. ego dixi dij estis are spoken of Preestes And thereby would proue them to bée aboue magistrates Si seculares in publicis iudicijs saith he C. synodum dist 17. libellis vtuntur appellatorijs quanto magis sacerdotibus haec eadem agere licet de qubus dictum est ego dixi dij estis The Pope therefore may bee conuinced of notorious lying and forging by all interpreters and not only by the text it selfe falsification 5 Vnder the name of Leo. c. ita dominus dist 19. They teach that Peter was assumed into an inseperable bond of vnitie with Christ hunc in consortium indiuiduae vnitatis assumptum id quod ipse erat voluit nominari a matter vntrue and blasphemous and vnworthy to be vttred by Leo. For albeit Christ consist of two natures yet no man euer yet sayed beside this counterfect◠Leo that Christ and Peter made one person falsification 6 Anacletus saith that Peter was made bishop when Christ sayd to him thou art Peter and vpon this rocke I will builde my Church and the gates of hell shal not preuaile against it C. innouo dist 21. and I will giue thee the keys of the kindome of heauen He saith also that the rest of the Apostles made Peter their prince ceteri vero apostoli cum eodem pari consortio honorem potestatem acceperunt ipsumque principem eorum esse voluerunt But this second poynt is refuted by the whole tenor of the euangelical history and the actes of the Apostles recorded by Saint Luke For in no place we finde where the Apostles did ordaine or make Peter their prince or gouernor Nay we rather finde where Christ made all the Apostles equall The first point is contradicted also by the words of Christ who in the future tence said Dabo tibi and not Do tibi Bellarmine also holdeth that Peter in this place receiued nothing but a promise quorum verborum saith he planus obuius sensus est lib. 1. de pontif Rom. 10. vt intelligamus sub duabus metaphoris promissum Petro totius ecclesiae principatum Hee speaketh of the sence of the words rehersed by Anacletus and by his exposition it appeareth that Anacletus sayd vntruely that Peter was made bishop by christs words vttred Mat. 16. which may also be proued by Turrecremata in his treatise de ecclesia Finally all the Popes agents hold that Peter receiued the primacy from Christ and not from the Apostles falsification 7 Gelasius saith that the Church of Rome obtained the primacie not by any ordinances of synodes C quamuis dist 21. but by Christes owne words in the Gospell A matter most vntrue For the scriptures speake no where of the primacy of the Romish Church neither can it be proued out of the wordes tu es Petrus alledged by Gelasius Neither doth euery prerogatiue of Peter belonge to the Church of Rome Nor had the apostle Peter any such high primacy As the Pope nowe claymeth and practiseth falsification 8 Pope Nicolas saith that Dioscorus was not condemned for matter of faith C. in tantum dist 21. but for denouncing an excommunication against Leo bishop of Rome But the actes of the 2. councell of Ephesus being in fauour of Eutyches and the councell of Chalcedon do reproue him and playnly conuince him of vntruth The same also may be gathered by the chapter Canones dist 15. And therefore the glosse to salue this lye saith we must so vnderstand Nicolas his words as if he had sayd that Dioscorus was not condemned for matter of faith onely which was no part of Nicolas his meaning falsification 9 Omnes siue patriarchij cuiuslibet apices siue metropoleon primatus aut episcopatuum Cathedras vel ecclesiarum cuiuslibet ordinis dignitates C. omnes dist 22. saith Nicolas the Pope instituit Romana ecclesia But he telleth a grosse vntruth for the scriptures tell vs that the Apostle Paule ordeined bishops in Crete Ephesus and diuers places both in Europe and Asia and ecclesiasticall histories tell vs that neither the Church of Ierusalem nor Antioch nor other easterne Churches nor their dignities were founded by the Church of Rome Finally the actes of councels tell vs that councelles did appoynt the seuerall limits of bishops diocesses did enlarge their dignityes according to diuers occasions and that emperours and the dignities of greate cityes did adde dignity to the bishops falsification 10 The same Nicolas also affirmeth that Christ gaue to Peter terreni simul caelestis imperii iura that is the right both of the kingdome of heauen and kingdome of earth Ibidem But our Sauiour Christs words shew that he gaue him no earthly kingdome but promised him onely the keyes of the kingdome of heauen Nay if he be Christes vicar then he must clayme no earthly kingdome For our Sauiour Christs kingdome was not of this world falsification 11 Anacletus affirmeth that Peter and Paule were both crowned with Martyrdome in one day and at the same time C. sacro sancta dist 22. a matter denyed by Prudentius peri steph hym 12. Arator in Act. Apost lib. 2. and the author of the 18. Sermon de sanctis that goeth vnder Saint Augustines name and diuers others falsification 11 Pope Nicholas saith that Constantine called the bishop of Rome God Constat à pio principe
the images of our lady of Loreto of the crosse and such like If they say that the image of Christ is to be worshipped with the honour due to Christ improperly as Bellarmine teacheth lib. 2. de imaginib c. 23. It may be replied that the Gentiles were neuer so stupid as to say that properly as much honor is due to the image as to the originall Finally if you méet with any of Bellarmines opinion lib. de imaginibus c. 6. that thought Xenaias to be the first that found fault with the worship of images you may boldely reproue him by the testimony of Lactantius Hierome Epiphanius Augustine and other fathers before cited Vnlesse therefore Robert Parsons and his consorts can well answere our arguments and fortifie their owne simple excuses shifts and distinctions it will appeare both by testimony of scriptures and fathers and also by diuers good arguments that the papists are idolaters nay it will appeare they can no better answere for themselues then the heathen idolaters in ancient time is it not then maruell that such grosse idolatry should créepe in among Christians it is so certes but much more is it to be maruelled that so grosse an abuse being detected should either be defended or tolerated CHAP. VI. That such papists as within the compasse of her maiesties reigne haue bene executed to death haue died for treason and other capitall crimes and not for religion and therefore are to be detested as malefactors and not honored as martyrs HItherto we haue discoursed of matters of religion and I hope so as it may appeare to euery man not altogether either irreligious or possessed with preiudice that the papists are neither true catholicks nor good Christians I haue therein also discouered not only the vanity of Parsons his pleading in his Ward-word that taketh that as granted which is the principall question but also the simplicity of this wooden Oulyglasses dealing that not daring to answere our arguments doth notwithstanding still in his exceptions vsurpe the name of Catholicks Catholicke religion as due to himselfe and his consorts being nothing lesse then either catholicke or Christian now therefore to fill vp this discourse it followeth that we consider a litle the ouâ—ward ciuill cariage of this faction and what we are to thinke either of those that heretofore haue broken their necks in the Popes seruice or else yet continue well affected toward his cause and generally what all true subiects are to looke for either at their hands or the hands of their partakers and adherents and this for that Robert Parsons in the first chapter or incounter of his Ward-word doubteth not most impudently to affirme that many honorable and worshipfull gentlemen haue indured continuall and intolerable affliction for perseuering in their fathers faith and that aboue a hundred priests haue bene tortured hanged and quartered for the same cause the same man also in the conclusion of his encounters doth insinuat that albeit they were charged with treason yet they died as martyrs Allen likewise that perfidious traitor to his prince and country in his a Ad pâ—rsequutores Anglos treatise against the execution of iustice doone vpon diuers priests and friers and their adherents taken in notorious treasons doth exclaime against the state and charge our gouernors with persecution iniustice tyranny and extreme cruelty as for his clients he beareth vs in hand that they were cleare of treason and without all iust cause died for matter of religion and conscience onely and not for treason or practises against the state and concludeth that therefore they are to be esteemed as holy martyrs and not as leud traitors the detector also in his disiointed exceptions is talking of crosses and persecutions where he and most of his consorts liue at ease and in all security in good houses and haue laisure to write and opportunity to print such pamphlets and idle toies as that which he hath of late published argument 1 First then I say that albeit late lawes gaue occasion to detect the Popes agents that of late haue bene executed to death in England yet they deserued death as offending in cases of treason both so adiudged by the ancient lawes of this land and also for the most part by the lawes of all nations for first it is treason to stirre vp forrain enemies against the prince or state the statute of 25. Edward the 3. c. 2. doth so account it condemning all of treason that shall goe about to leuy warre against the kings and queenes of this land Likewise it was adiudged by the Romane lawes Maiestatis crimine tenetur saith Vlpian ad legem Iuliam maiest l. 1. cujus opera consilio dolo malo consilium initum fuerit c. quo quis contra remp arma ferat The same course is now taken in Spaine with such as attempt to leuie warre against the king either within or without the realme as is apparent by the booke called El fuero real Tit. de la guarda del rey those also that counsell or abet such as attempt any such matter are by that law condemned as traitors Neither is the practise of France diuers from other nations in this point Finally no Romane may so much as once attempt to raise warre against the pope albeit he hold nothing but by vsurpation but the popes sergeants and officers seize vpon him as a traitor neither will any pretence or allegation of conscience serue to excuse his treason or to exempt him from punishment But such agents of the pope as haue beene executed hitherto in England for his cause either haue themselues béene persuaders of the pope and Spanish king and others to make warre vpon her Maiesty and their countrey or els haue ioined with Englefield Allen Parsons Holt Owen Morgan and other principall moouers and stirrers for an inuasion and were directed by them and sent into England and other places for that purpose and this may be proued first by the Bull of Pius Quintus procured at the instance of diuers English fugitiues and by them sent abroad into England and sent into the king of Spaines countrey as a motiue for him to inuade England and as it were a trumpet that sounded fire and sword against vs. secondly all the practises and exercises of the seditious seminaries in the Low-countreys Spaine and Rome haue tended to the stirring vp of forren nations against vs as is confessed by diuers priests and testified by scholars and may be prooued by some notes of their exercises which we haue to shew Thirdly Sixtus Quintus anno 1588. in his sentence declaratory or rather declamatory against the Quéene doeth say that at the earnest solicitation of certeine principall English men which he calleth catholikes he had proceeded against her Maiesty and had enioyned the Spanish king to execute his Bull of excommunication and deposition against her and to come with great forces against England fourthly Allen in his traitorous letters to the nobility
and people of England and Ireland doeth confesse that the pope and Spaniard were solicited by himselfe and diuers other English men to inuade this land and this is also knowen by the negotiation of Englefield Parsons and other English both with the Spanish king and also with other princes to this purpose fiftly Parsons to draw on the king of Spaine to enterprise this warre told him that his name being Philip Norway he could not chuse but haue good successe his reason was for that our countrey had a prophecie that betwixt Bostons Bay and the pile of Foudray should be seene the blacke nauy of Norway which as he perswaded the king should returne victorious The same man also in a letter to a certeine noble man of Scotland declareth that he had béene with most princes in Europe to moue inuasions and warres against vs. sixtly the emperor that now is vpon their informations hath professed himselfe our enemie and set out diuers prolamations against our nation by means whereof our merchants in his dominions haue susteined great losses seuenthly Allen and diuers fugitiue English were busie anno Domini 1586. and 1587. with the duke of Guise and other Frenchmen to induce them to concurre with the Pope and Spaniards in the warre against England The English papists at that time in a certeine treatise called Vn aduertissement des catholiques Anglois aux catholiques Francois doe endeuor to stirre them vp against vs charging them with this slacknesse and imputing their euill successe thereunto Le crime d'endurer Iesabel ta voisine say they Plonger an sang Chrestien te destruit peu a peu They confesse also that themselues are scorned of all nations for suffering an hereticall Queene as these hereticall traitors call her to reigne An eight argument to prooue this point may be drawen from the infamous libels set out against our nation partly by Parsons and Creswell and partly by Worthington Gifford other fugitiues tending to no other end than to stirre the whole world to take armes vp against vs. finally the practise of D. Story with the duke of Alua the oration of Allen made to Gregory the 13. Sanders his negotiation with the same pope Parsons his running vp and downe these twentie yeeres and vpward from nation to nation the agencies of Holt and other Iesuites and priests with the duke of Parma the plots taken about Crighton a Iesuite concerning the inuasion of England and the clamours of English fugitiues from time to time in the eares of all Christian princes and now lately the attempt of D. Juan d' Aquila in Ireland onely set forward by English and Irish priests and fugitiues against her Maiesty doe all plainly declare that these fugitiues from time to time haue bene the firebrands to set their owne natiue countrey on a flame if any would haue hearkened to their promises and this point albeit the same touch not all that haue béene executed or are yet aliue in England of the popes faction principally yet it toucheth either all or most of them as being a betters counsellers scholars slaues or companions of these principall stirrers all of them comming from Allen and Parsons and other principall agents in this businesse and so cléere it is that English fugitiues were the principall motiues of the inuasion anno 1588. and of D. Juan d' Aquila his attempt that the Spaniards impute most of their euill successe to their lies and false informations of our weaknesse and it is said that diuers of them begin to be hatefull to most Spaniards for this cause argument 2 Secondly it is treason to stirre vp sedition or rebellion against the prince or state or to concurre with those that goe about to mooue rebellion or stir vp sedition The words of the Romane lawes are cleere Maiestatis crimine b L. 1. ff ad l. Iulian maiestatis saith Vlpian tenetur is cuius consilio doloue malo factum est vt armati homines cum telis lapidibusue in vrbe sint conueniántue aduersus remp locáque occupantur vel templa quóue coetus conuentúsue fiant hominésque ad seditionem connocentur He is guilty of treason saith Vlpian by whose counsell or cunning procurement armed men with weapons come together against the state and sease places of aduantage or that causeth metings and and assemblies to raise vp sedition By this law those are also condemned qui milites solicitauerint concitauerÃntue quo seditio tumultúsue aduersus rempub fiat that is which shall solicite or cause souldiers to mutine or reuolt or stirre against the state as for example the traitour Allen did with Sir W. Stanley and the souldiers of Deuenter Likewise by the statute of the 25. Edward the 3. c. 2. those are adiuged traitors that shall take armes against their prince or countrey either within the realme or without in which case also are all rebels and seditions persons that shall rebell against their gouernors or that shall be aiding or consenting thereunto And in the Spanish lawes del fuero real tit de la guarda del rey it is enacted that none be so hardy by word deed or aduice to oppose himselfe against the king or his state or to make an insurrection or practise of rebellion against him or his kingdom either within the realme or without Que ninguno no sea osado por fecho ni per dicho ni por conseio de yr contra el rey ni contra su sennorio ni hazer alleuamiento ni bollicio contra el ni contra seu reyno en su tierra ni fuera su tierra This is also law both in France Germany and all countreys neither will the pope suffer any of his dominions notwithstanding that hée holdeth them by vsurpation and without lawfull title to consult against him or mutinously to stirre vp such as liue vnder him to rebellion but he presently chastiseth them as traitours Innocent the seuenth who succéeded Boniface the ninth that not yet three hundred yéeres agone first vsurped the temporall gouernment of Rome as c In lib. de schism Theodoricke a Niem and other d Paulus Langius in Chronic. Citizensi stories testifie caused diuers citizens most cruelly to be murdered albeit they did but againe redemand the authority that was committed to the popes in trust Platina he maketh mention of this murder writing of Innocent the seuenth though concealing the true cause he saieth they were executed for sedition Vndecim ciues saith Platina reip suae labenti in negligentia pontificis consulturi statim necantur è fenestrÃsque deijciuntur quod diceret eo modo tolli seditiones If then a pretence of sedition be cause sufficient for the Pope to procéed against his subiects with what face can he or his adherents blame her Maiestie if shee doe chastice her mutinous seditions and rebellious subiects shall it not be lawfull for her and for this state to doe that which all princes and states doe practise and take to be
most lawfull e Theodorick Niem lib. 2. de schismae 36. Vrbane the sixth vpon pretence of a conspiracy against himselfe put diuers of his cardinals to death and proceeded with all rigour against such as were but a little suspected of practising against him neither did his aduersarie Clement vse a milder course against such as were taken practising against his faction f Iouio in vita de Leon. 10. Leo the tenth spared not Cardinall Petrucci but put him to death most cruelly for vttering some words tending to the alteration of the state of Siena although that city was no part of his dominions but onely recommended vnto him finally Clement the fift by the aide of the French king abolished the whole order of the Templars and of late the whole order of the Humiliati was suppressed and dissolued and diuers of them executed to death for a practise against the state of the Romish church and shall the Romish church and her agents be suffered without punnishment to practise against this state or can any reasonable or indifferent man iustly finde fault with the execution of such persons as haue bene taken practising the very aduersaries I thinke albeit very bold yet will not be so impudent to affirme it for hetherto their pleading hath bene that the massepriests and other Romanists are cleare from such practises Let vs sée therefore whether they speake truly or no. and albeit we should greatly wrong the state if we should dispute this point as a matter doubtfull yet let vs I say briefely touch it for satisfaction of the ignorant especially such as are strangers and vnacquainted with the triall of such priests friers and other the popes agents as haue bene executed in England as offending in cases of treason I say then that no one priest Iesuit or other papist in England hath beene executed for treason but he hath bene found guilty of practising against her Maiestie and the state or at the least aiding and assisting and intertaining of such practisers and seditious persons and that diuers of them haue either stood armed against the state in open rebellion or else ioined with the rebells and assisted them to their vttermost power and meanes and this appeareth first by faculties granted to Thomas Harding about the yeere 1567. for the reconciliation of the people to the pope and for the disturning of them from their obedience to the Prince for whatsoeuer the pretence was the end was sedition and rebellion he being appointed for nothing else but to be a forerunner of that filthy friers Impius Quintus his excommunication against the Queene secondly it is proued by the rebellion in the north anno 1569. which was stirred vp by one Nicholas Morton and other seditious priests thirdly by the rebellion and treason of the duke of Norfolke stirred vp by the pope as appeareth by the report of Hierome Catena in the life of Pius Quintus fourthly by the erection of two seminaries of treason the one erected at Doway anno 1569. and another at Rome anno 1579. or thereabout which were receptacles of such scattered and lost priests as had bene in rebellion and open schooles to teach treason to malcontent papists fiftly by the rebellion of the earle of Desmond in Ireland raised by the solicitation of Sanders the popes legat and set forward by diuers seditious priests and friers and other malcontents sixthly by the faculties of Parsons and Campian and their companions which came to make a way for the execution of the Popes bull seuenthly by the iudgement of Sanders and Bristow who commend these rebels and put them into the catalogue of martyrs Sanders in his 7. booke of his visible monarchy saith that the purpose of the earles of Westmerland and Northumberland and their followers in the northren rebellion was to bee praised albeit they had no succcesse nobilium illorum laudanda erant consilia he doth also call the rebellion pium institutum fidei confessionem that is a godly and deuout resolution and a plaine confession of the Romish faith neither doeth hée esteeme of them that were executed for that rebellion otherwise then of holy martyrs Bristow likewise in his fiftéenth motiue putteth the earle of Northumberland the two Nortons and two massing priestes called Woodhouse and Plomptree and others that were executed as principall actors in that rebellion in the catalogue of martyrs for now the pope doeth account rebellion for his cause good religion and celebrateth the memory of traitors for martyrs an eight argument is ministred vnto vs by the most scandalous and traitorous libell set out by Allen and printed not without the helpe of Parsons they say and other English traitors wherein they by all the meanes they can deuise doe exhort her Maiesties subiects in England and Ireland to take armes against her to seaze vpon her person and to deliuer her into the hands of her enemies they endeuour also to perswade them to forsake their allegeance and to ioine with forreine enemies The 9. argument may be drawne from the practise of Charles Paget with the earle of Northumberland anno domini 1583. that by all meanes solicited him to reuolt and to ioine with the French against the State The 10. is ministred vnto vs by the treacherous plot of Parsons and Hesket to draw in Ferdinand the late earle of Darby into action The 11. is grounded vpon the insurrection of Tyrone and the rest of that rascall rout stirred vp by Monford a priest yet lurking in England and diuers other seditious agents of the pope The last is that dangerous attempt of the late earle of Essexe which maketh my heart to bléed in respect of some priuate causes as oft as I remember it and moueth many to woonder that he should be made an instrument by these firebrands of sedition to set vp that religion which I thinke he neuer loued and my arguments are prooued good for that no one of those that haue béene executed for the popes cause can be named but either he was an agent in some of these practises or allowed them or were priuy vnto them nay I doe beléeue that if the question were asked of any Iesuit or Iesuited priest or any of their adherents he would not disallow the popes act or the acts of his agents in stirring vp rebellion in England and Ireland especially for matter of religion what others would doe I know not but hitherto we finde that they speake honorably of Card. Allen as of their foster father yet was he the most notorious and seditious traitor that euer this land bred Robert Parsons onely excepted that Parsons and Campian knew of a rebellion or change intended it is apparent by their petition to the pope wherein they doe onely prouide for their consorts rebus sic stantibus that is so long as the state of things did continue in termes as then it stood a certeine g Quod lib. 9. art 10. secular priest affirmeth that no
cause how is it then possible that either they should draw their swords against her Maiestie or allow them that do it and not be guilty of attempting against her person Thirdly Holt the Iesuit Worthington and other priests perswaded first a certeine Irish man called Patricke Collen afterward one Yorke Williams to murder her Maiestie and this the secular priests in Holt his consorts in a certeine treatise intitled important considerations n Pag. 33. doe confesse to be true they do also o Ibidem coÌ„fesse that Edmund Squire was drawen by the perswasion of Walpoole a Iesuite to a like vilanous attempt against her Maiesties owne person Parsons in his Wardword likewise confesseth that he was acquainted with the resolution of a certaine gentelman as he calleth him that came ouer to kill the Queene neither néed we to make any question but that diuers priests and Iesuits and others either p One Bifley a priest confessed that it was lawfull to kill the Queene being excommunicate by the pope and denied not that he himselfe would doe the act if he could his confession is extant to be seene allowed or were acquainted with the most execrable treasons of Parry Sauage Lopez Squire Babington and such like vnnaturall monsters that attempted and intended most cruelly to murder empoison and destroy their liege Souereigne the rest they are scholars and agents of the pope and his wicked consistory and of Parsons and other Iesuits and traitorous priests and combined with them and therefore guiltie as farre as the others in this point of treason Allen in his wicked letters to the nobilitie and people of England and Ireland declareth that there were diuers English priests in the Spanish army ready to serue euery mans spirituall necessitie by confession counsell and all consolation in Christ Iesus and the same is confessed also in diuers treatises set out by secular priests but how could they be in the army of publike enemies and not attempt against her Maiesties person if occasion serued or how can any allow or like of such fellowes or such attempts that wish not the destruction of her Maiesty fourthly cardinall Allen in his most slandrous libel directed to the nobility and people of England and Ireland doth by all his best retoricke endeuour to perswade all papists to take armes against her Maiesty to lay hands on her and to deliuer her into the hands of her enemies but what priest or papist in England did not much depend on him while he liued nay most of them were his scholars and the rest conuersed with him and receiued diuers letters and instructions from him fiftly it is confessed that diuers priests now in England were either in the Spanish army or in their ships or appointed to follow the army anno 1588. and that diuers others were put aboord the Adelantadoes ships that came for Falmouth anno 1597. and 1598. If then they came with forren enemies and were in their troupes it is no question but they meant to attempt against her Maiesties person it is also apparent that all their receiters and abetters and such also as allow their act and this opinion are likewise guiltie of this point of treason Finally in a certeine house where Dauid Engleby a traitourous priest was taken these q They are to be seene in the memorials of the councell of Yorke resolutions were also found that it is lawfull for papists to take armes against the Queene and further that they might doe with her person whatsoeuer pleased them they also resolue in flat termes that it is lawfull to kill the Queene but say the priests as matters now stand it is best not so much as once to speake of that matter so then all that are not blinde may sée the malice of this generation and no question but their followers in their superstitious opinions would not be farre behinde them in their leud and trecherous actions if occasion were offered neither can they otherwise do when the pope vpon whom they build their faith doth r Bulla Pij 5. aduersus Elizabetham excommunicate all that will not fight against the Queene argument 4 Fourthly it is treason in danger of forren inuasion or elâ— in the midst of the battell to forsake the prince or not to defend or mainteine his right Å¿ Liâ—ij lib. 1. decad 1. Metius Suffetius standing aloofe when Romulus encountred the enemy was seased vpon as a traitor and drawen in pieces with horses By the lawes of fees hée that forsaketh his lord in the battell t Lib 2. de feudis de caufis benefic amittendi as a traitor is depriued of his lands qui dominum suum saith the law cum quo ad praelium iuerit in acie periclitantem dimiserit beneficio se indignum indicauit Likewise it is adiudged treason not to declare any harme intended against our lord By the common lawes of England also and lawes of nations it hath béene alwaies accounted treason not only to oppugne the right of the king but also being required not to acknowledge it Suppose then all priests and papists were not actors either in opâ—n rebellions or in attempts made by forren enemies yet all of them denying the Quéenes authority being excommunicat by the pope and that refuse to acknowledge her lawfull title or to take her part against the pope who is now become an enemy and an inuader consorted with the Spaniard are notorious traitors But this is the case of the best of those that haue died for the popes cause Campian and his consorts being demanded whether they tooke the Queene to be lawfull Queene notwithstanding the popes sentence of excommunication and likewise whether Sanders and Bristow that mainteined the popes authoritie and the Queenes deposition to be lawfull was sound or not refused to answere directly and neither would they acknowledge her Maiesty to be their lawfull Queene nor promise to take her part if occasion serued nor would they condemne the popes fact nor disallow the traitorous doctrine of Sanders and Bristow and I do beléeue if our recusants in England were put to the question they would either accord with the priests or make very doubtfull answeres for the Queenes authority in ecclesiasticall causes they vtterly condemne and from the pope that is our enemy and hath displaied his banner iâ— open field against her Maiesty they will not be drawen Sherwin and some others did so answere as euery man might iudge that they meane to the vttermost of their power to defend the popes cause and to oppugne her Maiesties authority In Ireland we finde that papists are the men that vphold the rebellion and that serue her Maiesty very coldly though sometime enterteined in her seruice Were it then nothing els but this that the masse priests and their adherents refuse to acknowledge her Maiesties title and to serue her against forren enemies yet is that sufficient to shew them to be traitors
most vnwoorthy to possesse land and office that will not serue her Maiestie by whose fauour and clemency they enioy their lands and offices against the Spaniard or other forren enemy that séeketh to depriue both vs and them percase of lands liuing and life It may be that some papists will not beléeue this to be true of the masse priests and their adherents but if they list to read and sée what the secular priests confesse in their treatise of important considerations they will change their opinions argument 5 Howsoeuer they iudge of this point yet they will not deny that it is treason to adhere to forren enemies In the statute of 25. of Edward the third chap. 2. those that adhere to the kings enemies are adiudged traitors By the u El fuero real tit de la guarda del rey lawes of Spaine likewise it is made treason to ioine with the enemie and to yeeld him succour or helpe by any meanes and the like we may gather out of the Roman lawes ad legem Iuliam maiestatis l. 1. Finally reason may teach vs that they can not be our friends that adhere to our enemies and ioine with them but the masse priests and all that haue dealt hitherto in the popes and Spaniards cause haue adhered to forren foes and to the publike and professed enemies of her Maiesty and this state for first it is apparent that the Pope and Spaniard are publike enemies of the prince state Hostes ij sunt saith x ff de verborum signific l. hostes Pomponius qui nobis aut quibus nos publicè bellum decreuimus that is they are publike enemies either which make warres on vs or vpon whom we make warres The Gréeks of the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that signifieth warre doe call enemies 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which sheweth them to be enemies properly that make warres vpon vs. But the Pope and Spaniard from the yéere 1569. haue not ceased to make warres against the English nation Pope Pius the fift hauing a determination to recouer his authority in England and that rather by the sword than as Peter did gaine men by the word stirred vp Philip king of Spaine to ioine with him against our nation both of them sent money to aide the Northren rebels anno 1569. and were determined to haue sent an army into England vnder the conduct of the duke of Alua had not the practise of the rebels béene discouered and had not the rebellion béene suppressed before the succors came to them y Manolessa The Pope also afterward set vp the duke of Norfolke and sent him mony and encouraged him with great promises to execute his sentence and both these points are prooued not onely by the testimony of the letters of Pius Quintus as they are recorded by him that set out the report of his life but also by the testimony of the secular priests in their treatise called important considerations About the yeere 1578. Stukelcy was by the Pope furnished with money and souldiers to make some enterprise in Ireland and had done somewhat if Gods iudgements had not turned him into Barbarie where he made his end correspondent to his life That string being broken Sanders was sent as agent for the Pope to raise a rebellion in Ireland and not long after the Pope sent certeine forces into the same countrey that openly z Let Parsons shew that euer S. Peter did the like displaied his banners against her Maiestie and the English nation Anno 1588. both the Spaniards and Popes fléet came with fire and sword against England The duke of Parma likewise prouided great land forces against vs in the Low-countreys An. 1597. 1598. the Adelantado of Spaine set foorth twise or thrise from Corona with an intention to descend in the port of Falmouth and to take that countrey And lately Don Juan d'Aquila was sent with diuers regiments for the conquest of Ireland Likewise we for our defence haue since made some attempts against the Spaniard in Spaine in the Indiaes and in the Low-countreys And most of these matters are publikely knowen and can not be denied by the aduersarses themselues The secular priests confesse most of these things in their treatise of important considerations It can not therefore be denied but that both the Pope and the Spaniard are publike enemies of her Maiestie and the state The like may be said of Henry the 2. the French king during the warres in Scotland in the beginning of her Maiesties reigne and of the duke of Guise the duke of Alua the prince of Parma and others that at seuerall times haue done hostile acts against her Maiesty and the English nation Likewise it is a thing very manifest that all our masse-priests and their partakers and consorts haue adhered to the king of Spaine to the pope and to other forren enemies Vpon the first comming of the Quéene to the crowne diuers fled to the French king who pretending a right to the crowne of England for his daughter in law the Quéene of Scots proclaimed her in Paris Queene of England and Ireland not without the consent of some traitorous English as it séemeth Mortua Maria saith a De schi◠li. 3. Sanders Henricus Galliarum rex c. nurum suam Scotorum reginam Henrici octaui proneptim parisijs pro concione Angliae Hiberniae reginam declarandam curauit he sent also forces into Scotland to second his claime which no man may surmise he would haue done but that he was promised a party in England that the seminaries of Doway and Rome adhere to the pope and Spaniard it cannot be denied for of them they haue their maintenance and when the priests of the seminaries are déepely rooted in the grounds of vnnaturall disloialty and treason abroad they come with commission and meanes from them two home into England thirdly Sanders was sent by the pope as his legat into Ireland and both he and his consorts that were sent vpon that businesse were furnished with meanes from the pope and did wholly depend vpon him and on the king of Spaine fourthly it appeareth that the priests held the pope for the chiefe lord and did not so much as vouchsafe to call Elizabeth the Queene of England their Quéene petatur à summo domino nostro say Parsons and Campian in their faculties explicatio bullae declaratoriae contra Elizabetham ei adhaerentes let vs beseech say they our most high lord the pope to make an exposition of the bull against Elizaberh and all that adhere vnto her so it appeareth that they declare themselues opposite to the Quéene and all her true subiects and that they adhere to the pope it may out of that facultie also be gathered that all papists adhere to the pope for that these two prouide for them onely and exclude all the Quéenes subiects for the papists whom those two traitors call catholikes desire that the popes bull may binde
seuerity of the punnishment by law inflicted vpon such persons transfugae ad hostes saith the g L. si quis §. transfugae ff de paenis law aut viui exurantur aut furca suspendantur by this law it appeareth that our rinegued english Iesuits and priests haue great fauour that hitherto haue escaped the penalty of the law that adiudgeth men in their cases woorthy of such grieuous punnishment and certes séeing our aduersaries thinke it lawfull to burne men for transgressing the vaine traditions of men as for example for reading of an english testament for eating flesh in lent and such like they cannot say but such as seeke the destruction of their country and runne to forrain enemies deserue with all seuerity to be punnished that our masse-priests haue forsaken their countrey to flie to the enemies it cannot be denied nay in the cases of conscience resolued by Allen and Parsons cap. 1. cas 1. cap. 3. they are taught by prety equiuocations to deny their country argument 10 The Roman lawes adiudge him a traitor which fraudulently enforceth a man to to take an oth to doe an act against the state h L. cuiusque ff ad l. Iuliam maiest cuius dolo malo saith Sceuola iureiurando quis adactus est quo aduersus remp faciat likewise i L. quisquis c. ad legem Iuliam maiestatis Arcadius and Honorius pronounce him a traitor qui scelestam cum militibus vel priuatis vel barbaris inierit factionem aut factionis eius sacramentum susceperit vel dederit that is which shall enter into a wicked faction with soldiers with priuate men or barbarous nations or shall either giue or take an othe to maintaine that faction the Romans did therefore call conspirators Coniuratos because those that entended treason against the state did binde themselues one to another by an oth not onely to kéepe matters secret but also to prosecute the intended treason with effect If then the Iebusits and seminary men take an oth to their superior of blinde obedience as they call it to the Pope that they shall goe whether he will send them to the Spaniard to serue him faithfully to Robert Parsons to maintaine the title of the Infanta of Spaine how can they excuse themselues from treason in this point if they deny that they take such othe not onely their owne conscience but also the testimony of Nauarrus consil lib. 3. de regularib cons 1. and Ribadineira lib. 3. de schism c. 21. and the confession of diuers seculer priests in diuers treatises published against the Iesuits and their faction will plainly conuince them argument 11 Likewise as in warre enemies are discerned from friends by the word and some priuy note so traitors in ciuill dissention are knowen from true subiects by this that those haue their words and notes of faction whereby one of them knoweth another and as in warres those are taken for enemies that cary the enemies signal so in ciuill gouernment those are vndoubtedly traitors and enemies that are marked with the priuy signes of traitors and enemies the papists therefore that carie about with them their agnus dei their graines their consecrated beades and such other trash and are shorne and greased for the popes shéepe and Spanish seruants are vndoubtedly by all reason to be taken for traitors And if any reply that it is a ridiculous and strange law that men should be reputed traitors for bringing in or hauing the popes bulles and an agnus dei and blessed graines medalles and such toies it may be answered that not to haue these things simply is treason but to haue them as markes of faction and signes to discerne the heard of anthichrist from others and that doe the papists well know Allen also and Parsons in their hellish resolutions of cases of conscience affirme that such medalles and graines binde men in deuotion to the popes see which they call apostolike haec grana metalla benedicta say k Resolut c. 1. cas 2. they multum conferre possunt ad afficiendos populos erga apostolicam sedem againe to be shorne a priest and greased after the popish maner in it selfe is not so much treason as superstition and false religion but when it is knowen that such greased goates are signed for the popes and Spaniards agents in England to set forward the Spanish inuasion or the Popes cause he is very simple that doeth not vnderstand him to be a traitor whose pole is shorne by the pope and his faction and who carieth with him the marks of the Spanish faction argument 12 It is treason also to conspire the death and destruction of principall men about the prince that are his principall agents in the gouernment of the state and this is not only according to the lawes of England but also according to the Romane lawes l L. quisquis Cod. ad l. Iuliam maiestatis Arcadius and Honorius pronounce them guiltie of treason which shal by faction attempt to murder their principal counsellors or officers and the reason is for that they in doing iustice are but the princes lieutenants and doe nothing but his commandement in this point therefore the Iesuites and priests are no lesse guilty then in the rest the pope he excommunicateth not onely the Quéene but all that doe adhere vnto her and doe her seruice being therefore to execute the popes bull as calues begotten by the bull of Bashan the pope the priests and Iesuites must néeds séeke first the destruction of these principall men then of the rest furthermore we are giuen to vnderstand that one principall point of Parsons and other Iesuites consultations is how to procure certeine principall men to be either made away or disgraced in the meane while being not able to doe worse Parsons and Creswell vnder the title of Andreas Philopater and others haue set out most vilanous libels against her Maiesties principall counsellers officers and agents argument 13 It is also treason to betray her Maiesties armie or any part of her forces into her enemies hands or for a captaine or soldier to yéeld vp any towne deliuered vnto him to kéepe héerein therefore Stanley and Yorke and their followers shewed themselues to be notable traitors to deliuer vp Deuenter and their soldiers into the Quéenes enemies hands Allen also and all his schollars and followers that allowed that fact shewed themselues to be traitors in applauding to their disloialty and wickednesse argument 14 The latter Romane m Extr. feud c. qui sunt rebaelles emperors doe declare them to be rebels and disloiall traitors which either openly or conuertly doe the works of rebels or practise against the prosperity of the state in this case therefore are they that either oppugne or deny the princes right and title or else aduance the right of forrain potentates to dispose of the crowne or els which practise against the person of their soueraigne lord as saith Socinus the yonger lib.
and robbers are not these gallant fellowes then trow you that suppose the Queenes iustices to be like pirates and robbers and that pirates and robbers may as well spoile men by the high way as they deale with priests according to her Maiesties lawes Finally no hereticks nor miscreants can iustly be reputed martyrs albeit they die for their false conceites and opinions the Donatists died desperatly so likewise did the hereticks called Euphemitae which for the multitude of their supposed martyrs would needs be called Å¿ Epiphan haeres 80. Martyriani yet did the church of god no otherwise account of them then as of leud hereticks and not as of martyrs as appeareth by the testimony of Eusebius Epiphanius Augustine and other fathers We read also in histories that Turks Tartares Mores oftentimes die most resolutely or rather desperatly for the blasphemous opinions of Mahomet that the t Matth. Paris Assassins that were a sect of desperate cutthrotes like to the Iebusits that desperately would aduenture to dispatch whomsoeuer their generall commanded them to murder suffered death most willingly and constantly and this they accounted a speciall point of their bloody religion yet it were mere madnesse to repute such fellowes martyrs why then should the papists that haue broken their necks and died for the popes cause whom we haue clearely proued to be hereticks be accounted martyrs nay why should rebels traitors and Assassins such as Parrye who by the Cardinall of Comoes letters the popes promises was enduced to lay violent hands on her Maiestie such like wicked men be named martyrs if because they are put in the popes calender it may be easily replied that as at Rome they are put in the popes calender so at Newgate such places they are put in the hangmans calender further it is Christs trueth and not the popes faction that maketh martyrs Those therefore that died in the popes quarrell are traitors and not martyrs and that will be the case also of all their consorts if they passe that way which I would haue not onely all Iesuits and massepriests to consider but also all those that like their humors and opinions neither is it materiall that grace hath bene offered to some that haue bene executed for treason if they would haue renounced the pope his trecherous doctrine and faction for that sheweth not that the parties to whom this grace was offered were no traitors but rather her Maiesties great clemency that was willing to pardon all of whom any hope might be conceiued that they would become good subiects so likewise if a man should offer pardon to an Assassin it doth not proue that such as murder men vpon a leud conceit of wrong religion died as martyrs If then the papists be not the true church I trust all true Christians will avoid them if their doctrine be neither ancient nor catholicke I hope true catholicks will no longer suffer themselues to be abused by them if they be hereticks they will I trust for very shame forbeare to impute heresies to true Christians if massepriests be idolaters I hope religious Christians will take order with them as godly kings did with Baals priests finally if massepriests and the popes agents haue so farre engaged themselues in treason I hope all true subiects will learne to detest popery not onely in regard that it is a false religion but also because it is a packe of leud opinions borne out with all fraud vileny and treason which because it floweth from the forge of Antichristes authority and inuention let vs beséech God to reueale dayly more and more the man of sinne that such as now are abused by him may forsake him and serue God in spirit and trueth according to his holy word And thus much may serue for the declaration and iustification of my challenge it resteth now that I answere my aduersaries exceptions and cauils An answere first vnto such exceptions as by a certaine namelesse and worthlesse fellow are taken to the Challenge precedent and next vnto the same parties most idle obseruations Thereto also is added a briefe of certaine notorious falsifications and vntruthes of the Papists Chap. 1. An answere to Owlyglasses exceptions concerning thirteene vntruthes supposed to be contained in M. Sutcliffes Chaâ—lenge Sect. 1. The first supposed vntruth cleared IN 19. pages of my challenge and all direct contrary to the doctrine of Papists Owliglasse cannot find so much as any occasion of cauill In the 20. pagâ—rapiâ—… numb 10. in my former and in the latter cap. 4 numb 43. bee taketh holde of this that I say That the Papists vse exorcismes blowings salt spittle halowed water annoyntings light and diuers ceremonies neither vsed by the Apostles nor practised by the ancient Church And this sayth he is an vntruth so manifest that Caluin doth confesse it Owlyglasse talking of vntruths in others himselfe vttereth two grosse vntruths in the first charge But what if it be true and what if Master Caluin do not confesse that which I say to bee vntruth Is not Owlyglasse where he goeth about to detect me of one vntruth manifestly takeÌ„ in a tray and detected to haue vttered two vntruthes in one breath he cannot though he would denie it Well then let vs see first whether my wordes containe vntruth and next whether Caluin confesseth so much or no. Of my proposition there are two partes First I denie that the Apostles vsed these ceremonies now in question and secondly I denie that they were practised by the auncient Church of Christ Iesus Now against the first part of my wordes Owliglasse can obiect nothing neither doth hee so much as touch it But weÌ„t he about to alledge any thing yet the Hystorie of the Actes of the Apostles and Christ his institution would refute his allegations For in neither of the two are any such ceremonies to be found Agaynst the second part he alledgeth Caluins wordes Instit lib. 4. ca. 15. art 19 for exufflations halowing of water annoynting and light and for exorcismes in baptisme he produceth Nazianzen For salt hee quoteth the words of Origen For spittle he citeth the wordes of Ambrose and the name of Petrus Chrysologus But neither doth Caluin nor any of these fathers mention either the vse of the Apostles or practise of the ancient Church nor doth any father speake of all these ceremonies together nor can the practise of the Romish Church in the signes and formes of these ceremonies be iustified by fathers either to haue béene in the whole Church or in any one singular Church nor to come nearer to our aduersaries can any one concludent argument be drawne out of any of the Fathers agaynst that which I teach Caluin sayth He knoweth how ancient the ceremonies of exufflation Lib. 4. instit ca. 15 num 19 halowing of water of annoynting and lights is Which if I should confesse yet could not Owlyglasse conclude that such ceremonies were vsed in the time of the
decreeth that due honour is to be giuen to Images but not so as that wee are to put trust in them as the Gentiles did sometimes But what if the Papists regarde not the decree of this absurd conuenticle And what if the Papists doe more trust in the Image of the Ladie of Loreto then the Gentiles did in the Images of Aesculapius or Mercurie Wist not Owliglasse then confesse that his consortes doe put some trust in these Images But that is apparent for they beleeue shee is able to doe more then euer the Gentiles beleeued that Aesculapsus or Mercurie was able to doe Furthermore the Gentiles did excuse themselues that they did not worship their Images mateâ—ially but rather the persons represented by their Images as appeareth by Lactantius li. 2. ca. 2. and Augustine in Psal 11â— and doth not this selfe same excuse serue the Papists likewise It is apparent by all their writings and Bellarmine and Gregorie de Valentia haue no better defence for this their Idolatrie in their treatises of the worship of Images That the Papists do pray vnto Saints and offer their praiers before their Images it cannot be denied Bellarmine calleth Saints Deos per participationem Lib. 3. de cult sanct c. 9. Votum saith he non conuenit sanctis nisi quatenus sunt dij per participationem That is vowes are not conueniently made to Saints but as they are gods by participation I trust therefore hereafter Owlyglasse will not charge me with desperate vntruth in this point nor vrge me to exhibit proofes for the more I bring the more shame will fall vpon his face In the meane while I would haue the Papists to obserue for their learning that Owlyglasses metaphores are drawne either from gamesters as here Page 20. 21. where he talketh of playing at barestake and laying downe sufficient pawnes or from women Page 6. as where hee talketh of more towe to our Rockes Which sheweth that he is a better gamester then a disputer and is as much conuersant in womens closets as in his study Wherefore if Recusants be wise they will take better heede hereafter howe such compagnions come neare their houses that are so well acquainted with their wiues rockes and frockes to say no more Sect. VI. That the Popes decretales before Gregorie the 7. his time had no force of lawe THe sixt exception which Owlyglasse taketh against me p. 22. is for that I say that before Hildebrands time which otherwise is called Gregorie the seuenth the Popes decretales had no force of lawe This saith Owlyglasse is vntruth And he prooueth it by a certaine decree of Pope Hilarie that liued long before Gregorie the seuenth who threatned all with danger of their state that should violate either diuine lawes or the decrees of the Apostolike see and by a constitution of Gelasius c. sancta Romana dist 15. where he determineth that the Popes decretales are with reuerence to be receiued But his proofes are too weake to conuince me of vntruth For first neither of these authorities are authenticall seeing it is not likely that Hilarie would match the Popes decretales with Gods lawes nor the Church of Rome neglect Gelasius his decree concerning apocryphal writings if his authoritie were so great as is pretended Secondly albeit Hilarie threaten yet it appeareth not that his threats were regarded Thirdly it is one thing to accept mens letters with reuerence and another thing to accept them as lawes Fourthly it is a ridiculous thing to require men to beleeue the Popes in their own cause Fiftly lawes are not enacted by letters nor recorded in scrowes but solemnly established by publike seales and monuments that giue them credite which Owlyglasse cannot shew to haue beene practised in Hilaries or Gelasius his decretales Finally the state of the Church was not such then as that the Popes could command or binde all Churches by their letters That therefore which he saith is nothing But I doe alleadge the testimonie of the Records of the church of Rome which containe no ancienter decretales then those of Gregorie the seuenth as appeareth by the book of Bulles called Bullarium Secondly Bellarmine that is a man of greater knowledge then Owlyglasse doth faile where hee goeth about to prooue that the Popes had power alwaies to make lawes For his records lib. 2. de pontif Rom. c. 19. are weake and all of them refuted in my answere to him Cod de sum Trin. fid Cath. de episc audient acta concil Finally it is euident that for diuers hundred yeares Emperors and councels made lawes and not the Popes and that this course continued vntill such time as Popes by suppressing the authoritie of both preuailed and vntill the power of Antichrist began to shew it selfe in Gregorie the seuenth In this point therefore Owlyglasse sheweth himselfe ignorant of the storie of the Church and not onely vagrant from his purpose Sect. VII That the fasts of the synagogue of Rome their vsual formes were not established by the ancient Church IN the seuenth article of his supposed vntruthes because Owlyglasse could not otherwise fasten the lie vpon me conueniently hee doth curtall my words with an c. and mangleth my sentence applying that to one particular which I direct to diuers matters I say that if we seeke all antiquitie we shall not finde where the church of Christ hath commanded vs to keepe this Popes day and that Popes day and to abstaine froÌ„ worke on S. Francis and S. Dominicks and other canonized Friers daies or where the same hath enioyned Christians to heare masse or to fast lent and embre daies vigils of Saints other tides according to the fashion of the Church of Rome But our aduersarie doth vnhandsomely place my wordes thus as if I had said that if we seeke all antiquitie we shall not finde where the church of Christ hath enioyned Christians to fast lent and embre daies and vigils of Saints c. But if he had done me right he should haue added these wordes and other tides according to the fashion of the Church of Rome Which if he had done my wordes would haue giuen him no occasion of cauill For then neither out of the 50. canon of the councell of Laodicea nor out of the 63. canon of the fourth councell of Carthage nor Hieroms epistle to Marcella nor S. Augustines sermon de tempore nor Leo nor Epiphanius his wordes nor any other authoritie by him alleadged could he haue brought any thing to contradict my assertion neither doth master Willets confession any whit relieue him The Councell of Laodicea doth not establish the fast of lent nor saith any thing of choyce of meates or the manner of fasting but would that men should fast vpon thursday before Easter Which argueth that before that time that day was not necessarily fasted Besides that the Councell hath nothing concerning embre daies or fasts on vigils of Saints and therefore short of my aduersaries purpose Finally
Father for the sinnes of quicke and dead 8 that christians are iustified by greasing which they call extreme vnction and by all other Romish sacraments 9 that the Diuell is coniured out by the blasphemous Romish exorcismes 10. that the pope is head and monarch of the Church 11 that it is sinne to eate flesh vpon imbre dayes 12 that the popes decrées are the foundation of the faith and other such like points of popish doctrine 10. If hee be not able really and playnly either to iustifie his owne cause or to disproue ours as he walketh by night himselfe so he may do well to keepe his conceits secret and to talke of them by night rather then by day credit he can winne none by his vaine babling rayling or lying Finally either let him acquit himselfe like a braue fellow or els desist from his odious termes of odious stuffe paued faces desperat dealing treachery legerdermain Pag. 86.87.82 false packing crafty conueyance filthie fardle of fowle lyes and such like And let him not thinke that he shall winne any thing with such courses For nothing can be deuised more odious and desperate then the cause of the wicked préestes of Baal Neither did euer any sect vse more cogging iugling or lewd impostures then the Papistes to conclude this point nothing is more easie theÌ„ to declaime against the Pope and the préestes of Baal and their impostures fraudes vilenyes superstitions trecheries blasphemies and all their abominations I would therefore aduise this paltry fellow to beware that he giue me not iust occasion to take the like course against his consorts I assure him I shall make all the packe of them infamous to posteritie In the second obseruation he saith further that hee will touch one lye of mine and that he saith is knowne to be one both to Spayne and Italy But vnlesse Spayne and Italy doe vnderstand English in which toung I wrote it can hardly be knowne to these two countries vnlesse by Spayne and Italy he vnderstand bastardly and vnnatural rinegat English which are either Italianated or turned Turke or Spanish beside that it must néeds be a strangelye that hath filled two so great contries and not vnlike their phantasticall corpus domini that is really in Spayne and Italy and euery altar as the Papish fansie at one time Let vs therefore heare him tell this wondrous lye and by his testimony the only lye of all my booke set out against these lying and traytorous wardeword Page 84. framed by Robert Parsons He saith that I affirme that Cardinall Allen was in the Spanish armado he should say armada in the yeare 1588 and that I repeat it diuers times and namely as he quoteth in the margent reply p. 61. p. 98. 110. But what if I did not once name the Spanish armada when I talke of Allans comming against his contry was not this lying companion armed with a Vizor of impudency where he talketh of lying to lye so grossely I hope his best frends will not deny it well then let vs sée what my words are that Owlyglasse taketh hold on I say in my reply p. 62. that anno 1588. diuers rinegat English and among the rest Cardinall Allen came with the Spaniardes to fight against their countrie I say againe pag. 98. that Cardinall came with the Spaniardes anno 1588. With fire and sword to destroy this lande In my challenge p. 110. I say cardinall Allen and not so little as a hundred preistes came with the Spanish army And out of these words he gathereth that I say he was in the spanish armada but he was blind that could not sée that there is great difference betwixt an army and an armada that signifieth a fléete betwixt the Spanish forces and the Spanish fléete And a great wonder it is that an hispaniolized english masse préest should no better vnderstand either spanish or English Although then it were true that Cardinall Allen was not in the fléete yet was he to come with the Spanish Armie Neither is there any vntruth in my wordes as appeareth by the testimony of Allen himselfe in his wicked libell to the nobilitie and people of England and Ireland where he writeth thus I hope euerie man will beleue Allen himselfe and his owne words before the base fellow our aduersarie that was not priuy to all his treasons Thus much my good Lords and deare friends I haue thought good to forewarne you of the whole cause of these present sacred warres and of his holinesse and Catholike maiesties sincere intention therein both their incomparable affections towards our nation whereof I could giue you farre more comfortable intelligence if I were personally present with you as I trust I shall be verie shortly For that is fully meant by his holinesse and by his maiestie and of me so much desired that euerie short day seemeth a long yeare till I enioy you in our Lord. Note I pray you that by the Popes speciall appointment and the king of Spaines good liking that vnnaturall Cardinal was to come with the Spanish army against his countrey Note also how much this traytor desired this inuasion and howe that he thought euery short day a yeare vntill it was accomplished He saith also that the Pope preferred him to a high function intending to send him as his legat with full commission and commandement to treate and deale from time to time as well with the states of the Realme as with his holinesse and the kings maiestie for the sweeter managing of this godly and great affaire Doe you not sée and is it not plaine by the Cardinals owne confession that this swéete Cardinall was appointed a principall commander in that swéete action wherin he swéetly intended to cut our throates And yet this sowre varlet in sowre termes giueth me the lie for making him one of these inuadors that meant to destroy this our natiue countrey which all honest men of which Owlyglasse is none with all their power ought to defend against such traitors as Allen was But saith Owlyglasse Card. Allen was neuer out of Italy but eyther at Rome or at Grotta Feâ—rata Suppose he were not yet might he be of the party and so farre engaged as I related for the Spanish forces and army was not then drawne togither but part was in the lowe countries and France and no small parts yet remaining in Italy and Spaine And certes if the Cardinal was not come in person to the army yet was he of the army and to come with it as appeareth not onely by his owne wordes but also by the testimony of many others that well knew it and in not comming he was to be taken as a desertor and so to be punished But that he that was in the way towards England and when he heard of the discomfiture of the Spanish fleete turned aside to wéepe at Grotta Ferrata deseruing rather to be strangled as a traytor in Cauea Ferrata then to take the fresh ayre
at Grotta Ferrata if that were materiall it will be verified by diuers priests if they be asked on their othes Why any man should beléeue this lying compagnion that speaketh without proofe or probabilitie there is neither colour nor cause He excepteth also against that which I say of the number of Priests that were likewise to come with the Spanish army and thinketh that a hundred Priests could not then bee found there being then but two Seminaries Rome and Rhemes and not aboue fiftie in both But he should be an eloquent fellow that could perswade me to beléeue that lying mate without all proofe Why I should beleeue the contrary I can alleadge good reasons For first this being the ende of the erection of the Seminaries to reduce England vnderneath the Popes yoke we are not to doubt but that all the English of the Seminaries should haue béene emploied in that action and the whole sinke of treason let out Secondly albeit in the Seminaries there were not so many Priests to be found yet might that number haue béene filled vp by diuers other priests that liued here and there dispersed Her Maiesty hauing dismissed and banished aboue fiftie priests that deserued death by her lawes rather then banishment not past two or thrée yeares before These therefore and others should haue come into England Neither would that barking curre Stapleton haue fayled if he could haue séene opportunitie to hurt those against which he had so long barked Thirdly diuers priests now in EnglaÌ„d testifie that many priests were to come with the Spanish forces Finally Allen in his wicked libell reporteth that priests came with the Spanish forces to serue euerie mans spirituall necessities But how could that be vnlesse the number were competent Among the rest I am enformed that R. Parsons should haue come with his assistants and whole councell of reformation and that to auoide idlenesse in the meane time he holpe to write and publish the most wicked declaration of Sixtus quintus against her Maiestie It may be also Owlyglasse had an ore if not in the fléete yet in the army or els was in England to attend the comming of it Let him therefore thanke God that he is not sought out and punished as a traytor that endeuoureth to plead the cause of traytors And let all indifferent men iudge whether I haue not said truely and he most falsely both concerning Allen and the Priests The third obseruation as he saith is that my dealiâ—… doth declare the weakenesse of the cause I maintaine the little conscience I possesse and small learning I am maister of For so it pleaseth our great maister Owlyglasse in a pang of popish zeale to rayle And his reasons are for that a good cause needeth not the helpe of lies and a good conscience will not be strained beyond the limits of truth and sinceritie These venerable sentences the execrable Iebusites and massepriests pare and pole most dispiteously as their poling indexes expurgatorie and their treatises in the Popes cause plentifully declare nor pare nor pole the venerable sentences of antiquitie nor a man of learning frame such arguments as flie ouer his aduersaries and may be driuen backe vpon his owne head And this he speaketh standing vpon his tiptoes and looking vpon himselfe very prowdly and verily beléeuing that he hath spoken very brauely and almost eloquently But if he had better looked vpon himselfe his conscience and cause he would haue extended more fauour to vs his poore friends himselfe being a sot of 24. carats and deuoid of all learning and conscience hauing giuen proofe of his learning in his miserable detection and hauing his conscience grounded on the cases of conscience resolued by Allen and Parsons and Peter Nauarrus that teach men against all conscience to play the villaines and so a man stand for the Pope to sweare and forsweare and finally to doe what a man list so he haue the Popes faculties for it And what face had he to talke of sinceritie his cause standing vpon falsifying of fathers lying of legends counterfaiting traditions rayling vpon innocents cogging of fabulous histories and vpon deuising of fraudes and impostures to abuse the world His want of learning I say is proued by his weake and base talent of writing wherein it appeareth he could not so much as tell how to frame a sentence or how to vnderstand the things he handleth Alleadging but two words of latin pag. 30. he sheweth he can no latin vsing the plurall for the singular saying prope initia where a latinist would haue said prope initium or rather in principio quoting one verse he marreth it pag. 4. his testimonies are Hierom Verdussen and English almanacks such proofes as a man may haue three or foure for a groate his arguments are such as I haue declared in my answere His want of conscience may I say appeare by the most damnable resolutions of cases of conscience of Nauarrus and other Romish casuistes and especially the resolutions of Allen and Parsons Vide resolut casuum conscientiae nationis Anglicanae per A. P. two rather diuels then diuines teaching nothing but how their schollers may forsweare themselues deny their names and profession and play the traitors in which cases of conscience Owlyglasse without conscience séemeth to be well practised The third is made manifest by the fabulous lies of Caesar Baronius lying Romish legendes counterfeit canons and writings lately published and such euidence as I shall in part hereafter discouer and that to the great griefe of this detector if he be not a man stupide altogether and sencelesse This also doth touch the cause of poperie in generall for if a good cause néede not to be supported with lies and fables then is the Popes cause very bad that cannot stande without lies If a good conscience will not be strayned beyond the limits of truth and sinceritie nor pare nor pole the venerable sentences of antiquitie then hath Bellarmine and Parsons no good conscience For Parsons maketh no conscience to tell any lies as I haue prooued in my answere to his woodden wardword and the priestes haue notoriously prooued in all their bookes against him and his trecherous faction Againe then haue the Iebusites no conscience that lie and falsifie according to the rules of their order and that most shamefully Le catechisme de Iesuites as is proued in their Catechisme Thirdly then hath the Pope no conscience that by his lewde and trecherous indexes and by his Talmudicall traditions and peruerse expositions hath taken a course to corrupt both scriptures and fathers If they haue no learning whose arguments conclude not effectually but may be retorted backe vpon the faces of the proponentes then if Owlyglasse be iudge neither hath Bellarmine nor Stapleton any learning For in diuers of our treatises we haue made their arguments to rebound backe vpon them As for my selfe I referre my cause to be tried by any indifferent man that shall reade Owlyglasses obiections
there hath béene some difference betwéene priuat persons about ceremonies and gouernment and that without disagréement in religion yet now all that quarrell to the great griefe of Owlyglasse and his consorts is ended and all godly christians iointly concurre to the repressing of the seditious massepriests and their adherents that by faction and heresie seeke to vndermine both the Church and state In this obseruation he goeth about also to prooue that I doe not séeme to allow the doctrine established in this church of England But as in the rest so in this Owlyglasse doth but trifle I doe holde I confesse that baptisme is not so necessarie but that diuers may and haue beene saued without it especially where there is no contempt committed in procuring it Further I doe beléeue that it is vnlawfull for women to take vpon them to administer baptisme and doe aduise in case of extremitie all christians to procure the ministers presence Thirdly I doe vtterly condemne the doctrine of the papistes concerning their limbus patrum Fourthly I doe much mislike their superstitious stationary obambulations about the limits of parishes for the blessing of new corne and their superstitious letanies and ceremonies vsed in the fame Fiftly I deny that euer the catholike church had any precepts or canons to forbid mariages on such daies and in such sort and for such respects as the Romish Church doth practise Sixtly I doe beléeue that Luthers opinion absolutely considered in it selfe is not a fundamentall point of religion especially if we giue his wordes a fauourable construction Finally I accompt none to be true christians and professours that make no conscience of sinne and liue not according to their profession But what of all this doe I therefore teach contrarie to any point of doctrine maintained by the church of England so Owlyglasse my good friend would insinuate But his proofes are simple and his assertions most false He saith Page 111. that the Church of England teacheth that baptisme is necessarie to saluation But the booke which he alleadgeth out of which he cannot bring one word to prooue his saying doth conuince him both of lying and impudencie Secondly he affirmeth that to deny womens baptisme is contrarie to religion established But it is not contrarie to his religion to lie and face out lies most impudently Thirdly to prooue that our church beléeueth limbus patrum he should haue alleadged our confession and not a certaine verset of the créede in méeter Beside that in that verset nothing is said but that Christ illuminated those that sate in darknesse which is nothing to limbus patrum a place that cannot be illuminated as papistes holde Further that verset may be rather an exposition of the words of the song of Zacharie Luke 2. of the illumination of the ignorant and of the like wordes of the Prophet Esay chap. 9. then an assertion of limbus pactum Fourthly the papists in their perambulations of parishes vse to blesse or rather to exorcise corne and to say most wicked litanyes They vse also diuers superstitious ceremonies which vnlesse Owlyglasse prooue to be allowed by our Church he will prooue himselfe a cogging compagnion Fifthly he talketh of prohibitions of the solemnizations of mariages at certaine times but he alleadgeth neither lawe nor record to prooue that our Church alloweth either the doctrine or the ceremonies of the Romish congregation in this point And there whither he sendeth vs we finde nothing but the testimonie of an Almanacke Sixtly albeit the church of England doth not holde Luthers real presence of Christes body in the sacrament yet cannot the detractor shewe but that his opinion may be reconciled with the Christian faith if a man will not vrge those points that follow of that doctrine too seuerely and further percase then at the first Luther himselfe allowed them If a man doe gather what doth followe of it then is the doctrine dangerous as I and others confesse Finally he doth not so much as go about to shewe that I haue deliuered any thing contrary to the doctrine of our Church where I affirme that good life is as well required in a true professour as true faith Why then is this point touched in this place Doth it grieue him that I touch the filthy Sodomiticall priests and friers and shut that abhominable generation out of Gods church It séemeth so and therefore to requite me he saith that this doctrine may touch me for that I haue falsified and maliciously corrupted the fathers But if I haue cleared my selfe of all those matters that he hath laide to my charge I hope the vanitie of his collection will manifestly appeare to all indifferent men But hee poore ideot appeareth not but séeing the Romish Church and diuers of her principall pillers to be charged with notorious lies and falsifications passeth away in silence and is not able to answere one worde Nay hee leaueth his clients in the briers and signifieth for ought he can doe they must pleade for themselues Wherefore to leaue off further to vrge this distressed followe that is able to say nothing for the defence of them whom he doth principally fauour I may well conclude séeing the arguments which I brought in my Challenge stand immooueable and the detectors exceptions are prooued to be vaine and friuolous first that the Romish church is not the true Church of Christ Iesus Secondly that the religion of Papists is neither auncient nor catholike Thirdly that all papists maintaining the doctrine of the Pope and his adherents are heretikes Fourthly that such as embrace popish religion are idolaters Fifthly that all the Popes adherents and agents that haue suffered for his cause in England are to be reputed no better then disloyall traytors and not as some would haue it Martyres Finally that my aduersary by his friuolous obiections hath much confirmed and strengthened our cause against which he was not able to obiect any one thing of moment and iustified my allegations being not able to take any iust exception against any thing said by me nor to obiect any thing which is not fully answered CHAP. IIII. Of diuers falsities committed by the Popes and Church of Rome IF our aduersarie had well remembred his promise he ought not onely to haue conuinced me of vntruthes corruptions contradictions and falsifications according to the title of his pamphlet but also of maliciousnesse and wilfulnesse for so he vaunteth he will I challenge the challenger saith he of many malicious vntruthes Cap. 1. pag. 8. and many palpable and wilfull falsifications But when it commeth to performance of corruptions he saith nothing contradictions he toucheth slenderly vntruthes and falsifications he can by no meanes fasten vpon me The qualitie of maliciousnes and wilfulnesse being a matter purposed and fully promised he vtterly forgot In the rest how poorely he hath demeaned himselfe by my answere to his whole dispute it will appeare But suppose I had either mistaken a report misalleadged a place yet
that is nothing to the cause which by priuat mens errors cannot be eyther charged or preiudiced But if the Pope of Rome to whom the papists flie in all controuersies and extremities commit falsifications then is the cause of poperie quite ruined and ouerthrowne For he is the Sanders Rock Bellar. in praefat in lib. de pontif rocke and Bellar. ibid. lib 2. de pontif Rom. Stapleton doctrinal princip foundation vpon whom the papists build all their religion Againe if the Church of Rome haue practised these falsifications then is no trust to be giuen to her If both the Pope himselfe and the Church of Rome doe deliuer vnto vs lyes and fables then is the pope no vpright iudge but a lying hypocrite and the Church of Rome is not the true Church nor a mistris of truth but a mistresse of errors and lyes Let vs therefore sée whether the pope or Church of Rome may not in this poynt be more iustly charged then we and whether they be cleare of this fault or no. For that is a point farre more materiall then any thing which the aduersary can deuise against vs. Let vs also consider how Bellarmine Baronius and others the Popes agents haue acquited themselues in their narrations and allegations For so it may best appeare how vnaduisedly this detector began his quarell our aduersaries being so notorious offenders in telling vntruthes and committing most grosse and wicked forgeryes and wée so cleare and innocent at the least from all willfulnesse violence and malice if not from error L. qui testameÌ„tum ff ad leg Corneliam de falsis Whosoeuer shall conceâ—e or hide away a testament or take it from a man or shall blot it or adde by interlining or else shall forge or write a false testament or exhibite it or signe it or vse it and fraudulently reherse it is punishable as guiltie of forgery by the lawe Cornelia concerning forgery and falsitie And this is the determination of Paulus the lawyer and allowed by all men of vnderstanding and iudgement in law Qui testamentum amouerit celauerit eripuerit deleuerit interleuerit subiecerit resignauerit saith Paulus the lawyer quiue testamentum falsuÌ„ scripserit signauerit recitauerit c. legis corneliae Poena damnatur Those also are guilty and by this law punishable Ibidem quorum dolo malo id factum est by whose procurement and fraude any of the foresaid points are committed But the pope and Church of Rome many wayes offende against this lawe as is most euidente by many particulers falsification 1 First they do suppresse as much as they can the eternall testament of almightie God conteined in the bookes which we for this cause call the old and new testament For simply do they prohibit all translations of scriptures made by any of our doctors not without streite limitatioÌ„s do they permit chrâ—stiaÌ„s to haue scriptures translated into vulgar tonges by theÌ„selues publikely by no meanes will they haue scriptures red being translated into tonges vnderstood of the multitude And all these thrée points are manifestly proued by the index of prohibited bookes set out by Pius quartus and by the decrée of the councell of Trent speaking of our mens translations librorum veteris testamenti versiones viris tantum pijs doctis Index lib prohib regul 3. saith he iudicio episcopi concedi poterunt And afterwarde versiones noui testamenti c. nemini concedantur Speaking of vulgar translations of scriptures Ibid. regula 4. he saith hac in parte iudicio episcopi aut inquisitoris stetur vt cum consilio parochi vel confessarij bibliorum a catholicis authoribus versorum lectionem in vulgari lingua concedere possint So it appeareth they first absolutely forbidde al vulgar translations made by any of our doctors and Secondly with harde conditions grant licence that to very few to reade their owne vulgar translations of scriptures and Thirdly that they doe forbid all latin translations made by vs of the new testament and with conditions and limitations permit our translations of the old testament to be read and that of very few Concil Trid. Sess 22. c. 9. In publike liturgies of the Church they also signifie that scriptures are not to be read in vulgar tongues And by their practise we gather that they thinke the publike reading of scriptures in vulgar tongues to be nothing for their profit and purpose Who then seeth not that by al meanes the pope and Romish Church endeuore to suppresse Gods testament and shew themselues therein notorious falsaries falsification 2 Secondly they burne the holy scriptures vnder pretence of false translations as may be prooued by diuers witnesses and by their owne practise And I thinke they will not deny but that they haue burned scriptures traÌ„slated by our doctors wil defend it yet to corrupt or teare or spoyle a testament is the part of a falsary as these wordes declare si quis testâ—mentum deleuerit Neither could the lawe speake more playnely against Papistes vnlesse it had sayd si quis testamentum dei combusserit falsification 3 Thirdly they haue depriued the Lords people of the cup which our Sauiour Christ calleth the newe testament in his bloud hic est calix saith he nouum testamentum in sanguine meo Luc. 22. In the conuenticle of Constance they decrée vt sacramentum a laicis sub vna specie tantummodo recipiatur that is Sess 13. that lay men are to receiue the sacrament onely vnder one kinde In the conuenticle of Trent they pronounce them Anathema or accursed that shall say that the faithfull ought to receiue the sacrament vnder both kinds Sess 21. c. 1. 2. or that shal denie that they tooke away the cuppe from the communicants and ministred the communion vnder one kinde onely for iust and reasonable causes Whether then the Lords cup be the new testament or the seale of the new testament it is euident that the Pope and Church of Rome doe shew themselues to be notorious falsaryes the words of the law are cleare si quis testamentum celauerit amouerit c. that is whosoeuer doth concele or keepe a testament out of the way he is to be punished as a falsary the same also is apparant for that they goe about to breake the seale of Gods testament And although man cannot or will not punish this falsity in the Romish Church and in the masse préests yet God will assuredly punish so notorious a falsification of his eternall testament falsification 4 Fourthly the Pope and Romish Church haue added to Gods eternall testament corrupting the same by their traditions and makg ivnnwritten traditions equall to the canonicall scriptures omnes libros tam veteris quam noui testamenti Sess 4 concil Trid. say the Popes slaues assembled at Trent cum vtriusque vnus deus sit author nec non traditiones ipsas tum ad fidem tum ad mores pertinentes tanquam vel oretenus a Christo vel
alleadging the testimony of Anselme Deusdedit Leo nonus Petrus Damianus and such other forged deuises For first it is intituled Palea which argueth that it was thrust into Gratian and was for credit as light as chaffe Secondly this donation séemeth to be translated out of the legend of Syluester Thirdly all stories report contrary to this donation that Constantine was baptized at Nicomedia a little before his death Constantinus Nicomediae baptizatus est saith Theodoret paulò ante mortem Lib. hist 1. c. 32. distulerat enim vsque ad illud tempus in Iordane stuuio hoc promereri desiderans The same is also confirmed by the testimony of Eusebius Hierome Ruffin Socrates Sozomen and others But this donation doth signifie that he was baptized by Siluester and as it is in Siluesters legend cured of a leprosie and that before the warres with Licinius and Maximinus 4. This donation was granted as is sayd in the beginning of Constantines reigne But that cannot be true séeing it mentioneth ConstaÌ„tinople that was not so named nor founded by Constantine vntill long after In the Nicâ—ne councell Alexander was called episcopus Bizantij and Sozomen testifieth that Constantinople was founded in the height of Constantines prosperite 5. This donation preferring the bishop of Rome before the other patriarkes is playnly repugnant to the counsell of Nice that maketh all the patriarkes aequal 6. The bishop of Rome neuer enioyed any such prerogatiues as are giuen him by this counterfeâ—t grante either in Gréece or other places 7. He is called Vniuersalis episcopus by that grante yet did Gregorie the first refuse that title long after this time 8. The Popes now weare a triple crowne yet Siluester would not as this donation pretendeth weare an imperiall crowne 9. No authenticall history maketh mention of this great donation 10 Nay contrarywise histories relate that Constantines sonnes and successors did long after inioy those things which are in the gift preteÌ„ded to be deliuered to Siluester 11. Neuer were Constantine and Gallicanus consulls together Finally the rude and rascall stile and the circumstances of this grante nothing fitting Constantines time nor person nor yet the person of Siluester that yet scarce was secured from persecution doe playnly declare the same to be forged falsification 21 The constitution also of Ludouicus mentioned dist 63. c. ego Ludouicus Is most grosly forged For first the same contradicteth the donation of Constantine For what néeded this grant or donation if Constantine had giuen the same and much more before Againe if the Popes of Rome had béene in possession of this right the french that were greate benefactors to that see Theodiric a Niem Langius would neuer haue disturbed them 2. histories teach that vntill Boniface the 9. his time the popes were neuer possessed of the temporalties of Rome 3. there are diuers copyes extant of this grant as may appeare by Gratian and volaterran Geograph lib. 3. Which doe contradict one another But writinges repugnant one to another L. scripturae Cod. de fid instrument and contayning manifest contradictions deserue no credit Scripturae diuersae say lawyers fidem sibi iniuicem dero gantes nihil habere firmitatis possunt Neither can two contrary propositions be taken for true as lawyers hold in l. si is qui. § vtrum ff de rebus dub l. vbi pugnantia ff de regulis iuris 4. The Romanistes neuer did chuse the pope according to this grant nor did popes of late time grant that emperors had any authority to giue a forme for the election of the Pope Finally the rude and barbarous stile and termes of the grant and all histories that write of the gouerment of Rome about the time of this Ludouike do proue it to be conterfect falsification 22 The Popes also and their agents haue conterfected two certaine epistles vnder the names of Iustinian and Iohn bishop Rome which are now thrust into the code C. de sum trinit of fid Cath. s inter claras And are commonly alleged for the Popes authority and iurisdiction as appeareth by the disputes of Bellarmine and the fabulous narrations of Caesar Baronius the forgery is detected First by ancient manuscript bookes where these two epistles are not to be found as Alciat testifieth parerg lib. 5. c. 23. Secondly these epistles are repugnaÌ„t to the law next precedent For here the emperor doth signifie that he did then pubish this confession first L. cognoscere Cod. de summa Trinit fid Cath and sent it to Iohn bishop of Rome to be allowed or dissallowed wher-by the law precedent and law beginning cum saluatorem in the same title it is manifest that he had published the same a yeare before and sent it to Epiphanius bishop of Constantiople and to other Churches 3. Ado of Vienna in his chronicle and Platina in the life of Boniface the 3. testifie that the bishop of Rome was not called head of the Church before Phocas his time 4. the law decernimus C. de sancros ecclesijs and law Constantinopolitana in the same title doth giue that that to the bishop of Constantinople that is héere claymed by the bishop of Rome 5. Here the emperor promiseth to do nothing in causes ecclesiastical before he had made the bishop of RoÌ„e acquainted withall but that is refuted by the lawes called nouellae nu 6. 11. 123. concerning the creation and ordination of bishops the number of patriarkes archbisshops their iurisdictions and priuiledges and likewise by the nouel constitutions 3.5.16.58.133 137. al which concern mere ecclesiasticall causes Finally the letter being written in Gréeke to a Romayne bishop from a Romayne Emperor and translated after a most barbarous fashion doth playnly declare the same to be forged falsification 23 In the register of of Alexander the third vnder the colour of some counterfect grantes challenge is made by the popes to the crowne and souereinty of England it behooueth vs therfore to looke vnto the fingers of these impostors and falsaries that by one tricke of forgery are wonte to vsurpe a whole kingdome nouit prudentia tua saith Alexander the third Anglorum regnum ex quo Christi nomen ibi glorificatum est sub apostolorum principis manu et tutela extitisse his meaning is if he durst vtter it that the souerein dominion ouer England belongeth to the pope Whosoeuer list to read ouer Augustine Steuchus the popes bibliothecary or rather babling falsary shal find diuers counterfect instruments of the saÌ„e nature wherby the popes clayme the kingdomes of Croatia Aragon Dalmatia Denmarke Spayne Hungary Poland Russia yea and the empire of Rome to belong to their sea So gaynful hath the craft of forgery beene to that sée And so shamelesse are the popes agents in their forgeryes falsification 24 Most impudenly they make the Emperor Otho to sweare fealty to Iohn the 12. or as some recken the 13. dist 63. c. tibi domino A matter so against reason forged as
his meaning quoniam haec opinio tunc fuerat exorta saith Saint Augustine scilicet vt praecepta professa fide opera iustitiae contemnantur aliae apostolicae epistolae Petri Ioannis Iacobi Iudae contra eam dirigunt maximè intentionem vt vehementer astruant fidem sine operibus nihil prodesse These wordes Parsons translateth thus for that this wicked opinion of onely faith was sprong vp in the Apostles time by ill vnderstanding of Sâ—int Paul c. he addeth to Saint Augustines wordes wicked and where he speaketh of a sole faith or rather solitary faith deuoide of workes hee maketh him to speake against these that say that faith onely iustifieth or applyeth iustice vnto vs which Saint Augustine misliketh not for in that same chapter he saith that workes follow him that is iustified and go not before iustification falsification 10 Pag. 269. he alleadgeth a counterfeit writing vnder the name of Athanasius wherein Saint Anthonies the ermites life is described and of the liues of Paul and Hilarion supposed to be Hieromes but altogether false like Dolmans booke of titles falsification 11 In his directory page 353. he maketh Cyprian to say that Christ appeared to a bishop in the forme of a goodly young man He saith also Serm. de Mortalit that Saint Augustine did often vse to recount this example and alleadged Posidonius for his witnes He saith further that Cyprian writ a booke de Mortalitate But first this discourse is but one poore sermon and no booke Secondly it is vncertaine whether this sermon was his or no. Thirdly he saith not that Christ appeared but that a goodly young man appeared to that Priest Finally he lyeth of Saint Augustine as well as Cyprian and in his allegations forgeth as fast as if he were the sonne of a blacksmith and brought vp in his forge falsification 12 In the same place ridiculously he alleadgeth certaine sermons ad fratres in eremo which he fathereth most falsely vpon Saint Augustine and this his owne side as well as the learned men of ours could haue tolde him if he had but had so much sence as to vnderstand them In the two pages following he telleth certaine fables of the apparitions of good and bad angels and layeth them vpon Gregory the dialogiste and Bede whose bookes are much corrupted by monkes and such like falsaries falsification 13 To prooue purgatory he alleadgeth a certaine counterfeit booke that is attributed to Saint Augustine intituled de vera falsa poenitentia and a forged prayer supposed to be said by Saint Ambrose when he went to say masse and such like counterfeit stuffe as may be found in his directory pag. 369. and the pages following falsification 14 Lib. 1. p. 1. c. 11. of his directory he alleadgeth a place out of Saint Ambrose ser 2. in psal 118. where hee supposeth him to speake of popish purgatory but he speaketh of purging onely in this life and of such a purgatory as that some passed through it to hell But the papists teach that no man passeth out of their purgatory into hell He is therefore fitter to talke of the fire of his putatiue fathers forge then of the fire of purgatory which he shall neuer be able to prooue with any forgery falsification 15 Lib. 1. p. 2. c. 1. he maketh Saint Augustine to say confess lib. 6. c. 12. that his owne passions and the diuell would needes perswade him before his conuersion that he should neuer be able to abide the austerity of a vertuous life But S. Augustine hath neither any such wordes nor any such meaning For first he speaketh not of a vertuous life but of abstinence from mariage to attaine to wisedome Secondly he saith the Diuell or Serpent went about through him to perswade Alypius and speaketh nothing of the Diuels perswasions to himselfe Thirdly he doth not so much as mention austere life in that place neither is it so austere a matter to forsweare mariage as is pretended especially if God giue men grace to liue chaste The Iesuits and massepriests certes haue no reason to talke of austeritie of life albeit they forsweare mariage especially if they liue at ease and fare daintily and wallow in all filthinesse as they shall heare particulerly hereafter if they content not themselues with this present payment falsification 16 Likewise he citeth certaine Meditations and Sermons vnder the name of Saint Augustine pratum spirituale vnder the name of Sophronius the legend of Barlaam vnder the name of Damâ—scene and diuers other forged and counterfeit writings He doth also abuse both the scriptures and fathers most impudently as I shall at more leysure particulerly demonstrate Especially if he or any other dare vndertake to answere my challenge and to reply vpon my answere to his disciple Owlyglasse falsification 17 Fift reason of refusal Where Saint Paul 2. Tim. 4. speaketh of Alexander the copersmith he changeth his words and saith he commanded Timothy not to consent to Alexander the heretike And this corruption séemeth to be committed in fauor of his putatiue father the blacksmith whose occupation percase he was loth to sée disgraced falsification 18 Reason 6. Alleadging Saint Augustine contra Maximinum he séemeth to signifie that he wrote but one booke Againe he would make Saint Augustine to say that it was the fashion of heretikes to haue scriptures in their mouth But Saint Augustine in all his thrée bookes against Maximinus hath no such wordes nay himselfe in those bookes alleadgeth scripture often and reasoneth out of them and plainly signifieth that his instructions were drawne from thence De diuinis scripturis instructi saith he falsification 19 Reason 7. Speaking of the Pope hee giueth his reader to vnderstand that Cyprian de simplic praelat and epist 47. 55. and Chrysost lib. 2. de sacerdot Innocentius epist 93. apud Augustinum and Leo epist 84. and the Synode of Alexandria apud Athanasium and Theodoret lib. 2. hist c. 4. call the Pope the high priest of the Church the bishop of the vniuersall Church the pastor of the Church the iudge of matters of faith the repurger of heresies the examiner of all bishops causes and finally the great priest in obeying of whom all vnitie consisteth and by disobeying of whom all heresies arise But scarce doth he speake truely of any one of these fathers or councels as any man may sée both by examining the places and in my booke de Pontifice Rom. against Bellarmine would Parsons set downe the fathers words he might also sée it himselfe if he pleased falsification 20 Where he saith that the fathers of the primitiue Church with one consent affirme that the body and bloud of Christ was by Christ appointed to be offered vp daily for remission of sinnes of quicke and dead and quoteth Dionyse Ignatius Tertullian Augustine Chrysostome Gregory Hierome Cyprian and others with one breath he falsely alleadgeth them all as I haue particulerly demonstrated in my third booke de missa against
ignorantia contrahuntur coercitio u Ibidem l. legis virtus Modestinus teacheth vs that the life and efficacy of the law consisteth in commanding forbidding permitting and punishing take away execution and punishment and you not only ouerthrow the law but the state also Now if any offence deserue punishment then sure traitors may not thinke to escape that séeke to dissolue both lawes and state Treason saith x Rerum Graec. lib. 2. Xenophon is so much more dangerous by how much it is more difficult to take heed of traitors than of enemies with our enemies we may be reconciled but traitors are neuer to be trusted the offence being so great many extraordinary courses are taken in the repressing of treasons In hoc atrocissimo delicto saith a certeine y Clarus sententiar lib. 5. §. laesae maiest lawyer lex nonnulla specialia introduxit and commonly such persons are most hatefull I haue learned saith z In prometheo Aeschylus to hate traitors neither is any villany more hatefull than treason Traitors are common enemies to all men that loue the state or their liege Souereigne Omnium communis est hostis saith a Lib. 1. accusat in Verrem Tully qui hostis est suorum Who then would not hate them that wickedly consort themselues with the Pope and Spaniard against the state The prince hath principall reason to represse this faction for she carieth not the sword for nothing and if she should neglect the danger in regard of her owne particular yet will shée not neglect their safetie whose estate dependeth so much vpon the saftie of her person further she hath little cause giuen her to extend her clemency to this viperous generation and their adherents that shew extreme malice in séeking the destruction of her kingdome by bringing in forren enemies they haue also slandered her Maiesties noble father herselfe her friends her seruants and the whole state as appeareth by Sanders his booke of schisme by Andreas Philopater Didimus Veridicus and diuers other infamous libels set out by Parsons and other wicked Iesuites Finally no prince can endure such to haue the benefit of subiects that will neither acknowledge his souereignty nor submit themselues to lawes The ecclesiasticall state may not endure either Baals priests to set vp idolatry or false teachers to broch false doctrine and priuily to bring in superstition and heresie Her Maiesties councell assuredly will not winke at any practise or complot against their prince and country but with all seuerity will procéede against the authors of them and all their factious partakers The chiefe officers and nobility of the relme haue no reason to beare with them which by alteration of state séeke to depriue them of their honors and to dispose of their lands and goods at their pleasure neither is it the part of a generous and noble english minde to suffer themselues to be disgraced and ouerruled if not tirannized by Parsons his councell of reformation by Italians and Spaniards and the very scumme of all villany The reuerend iudges will neuer suffer such to escape vnpunished as séeke the subuersion of iustice neither may lawiers endure those that goe about to ouerthrow their countrey lawes and to bring in strange lawes and to rule all by force and violence as may appeare by Parsons trecherous plots and his most infamous councell of reformation All true subiects I suppose will rather die then suffer the tyranny of strangers and therefore I néed not animate either her Maiestie or the ecclesiasticall state or her councell or her chiefe agents or her nobility or iudges or the lawiers or the rest of her subiects to encounter and to resist the plots of these Iebusits and traiterous massepriests that séeke for the establishment of their massing ceremonies and most wicked religion to bring in strangers to cut their owne countrymens throtes to abuse their wiues and daughters and finally to destroy this flourishing kingdome and their owne most deare country the safety of the common welth as all politicks know and b Arist polit lib. 3. c. 3. teach is the common worke of all true citizens and well minded subiects and I doubt not but as all men detest such as oppugne the state so they will all ioine together and haue a vigilant eie to looke to their execrable plots entended against the state Finally reason and experience may teach the papists that howsoeuer some of them hope to win by shuffling of matters of state yet that most of them shall rather loose then winne they may also see that many haue lost their liues and liuings that haue bene practisers in rebellion and treason and forrain aides doe commonly first oppresse those that vse them and finally forsake them examples hereof they may sée in the rebellion of the north and of Ireland if they be not blinde and consider them they may if they will be led with reason Wherefore I doubt not but as all men may sée the treasons of priests and Iesuits and their adherents to be made manifest so they shall shortly sée the execution of lawes against them that such as haue bene executed for practising in the popes cause are no martyrs as papists giue out it may easily be proued for euen the aduersaries themselues will confesse that traitors against the prince and state are no martyrs vnlesse therefore Parsons can cleare his consorts of those points of treason which I haue declared and obiected and shew that they adhered not to forrain enemies nor had intelligence with traitors that sought the destructoon of the prince and state nor offended in any other points of treason before rehearsed he must néeds confesse himselfe and his consorts to be rather in state of treason then martyrdome Secondly martyrs died in time past for the testimony of Christ Iesus but such papists as haue bene executed in England of late yeares haue died for the maintenance of antichrists tyranny and packing with forren enemies and matter of treason against the prince and state and for other offences deseruing death and this is manifestly proued by the enditements framed against them by the depositions of witnesses confessions of the parties and the whole forme of their triall iudgement and execution neither is it materiall that some were accused for bringing in or hauing of medalles or graines others for being made priests by the popes faction others for reconciling men to the pope which are points as the papists say of their popish religion for albeit medalles and graines are not simply of themselues notes of treason yet seeing the pope doeth vse them as marks of his faction it were simplicity not to vnderstand that such as vse them are of his adherents Againe to be a priest simply in it selfe is no treason but if priests that are ordred by the popes faction take an oth of obedience to him that is our enimie and are bound to set foorth his cause for the regaining of England to his
obedience then to be made priest by the popes agents is argument sufficient to prooue a man to be a traitor likewise it is no treason simply to be addicted to the superstitions of the Romish church no more then it is to be Sarracen or Turke yet to bée reconciled to the Pope and to receiue absolution from his agents is treason he being a professed enemie of the state and vsing this reconciliation and colour of religion for a meanes to ouerthrow her Maiestie and this kingdome and to réestablish yet once againe his tiranny in England finally to obey good bishops cannot be euill interpreted but to submit a mans selfe to the pope that pretendeth to haue right to depose princes and to translate kingdomes from one to another at pleasure a matter repugnant to scriptures to the practise of the apostles and primitiue church and as Sigebertus Gemblacensis testifieth speaking of Gregory the seuenth his time a notarious and plaine condemned heresie cannot but preiudice the right of a prince in enmity with the pope prooue flat treason Thirdly the true martyrs of Christ suffered for defence of the trueth wronfully and therefore deserued the honour and title of martyrs and very high commendation that is thankeswoorthy saith saint c 1. Pet. 2. Peter if a man for conscience toward God endure griefe suffring wrongfully such were the martyrs of times past who suffred death because they would not deny the Lord Christ Iesus nor sacrifice to idoles but the popes martyrs suffer for practising with forren enemies and die for the Popes pleasure and desire nothing more then to set vp idolatry for conscience they cannot say they suffer vnlesse the make treason against their prince and countrey a matter of conscience and rule their conscience by the Popes will and make no conscience of idolatry or blasphemie neither can they say they are punished wrongfully being punished for their treasons rebellions and packings against the state with forren enemies whosoeuer therefore shall entitle and call these fellowes martyrs he shall greatly wrong religion and the state of martyrs and much resemble the Donatistes and other old heretikes Saint d Epist 68. Augustine saith of the Donatists viuebant vt latrones honorabantur vt martyres Alexander also an heretike of whom e Lib. 5. eccles Iust c. 17. Eusebius maketh mention liued as a thiefe and died for his deserts and yet by those of his sect was honored as a martyr such martyrs also are those of the popish sect for whatsoeuer reckoning their consorts make of them they were punished iustly for their offences and died for treason rebellion practising and packing with forren enemies Fourthly true martyrs are charitable and die in charitie for without charitie furious and Iesuiticall zeale to promote the Popes cause auaileth nothing if I giue my body to be burned saith the f 1. Cor. 13. apostle and haue not loue it profiteth me nothing now what charity thinke you had they that were emploied by publike enemies to the hurt and destruction of their liege Lady and most deare countrey Charity saith the g Ibid. apostle is patient gentle humble but these by force of armes sought to returne into their countrey and like fierce lions endeuor by conquest to subdue men to their opinions anno 1588 their common talke was of sharing of lands and liuings In Wisbich also all the stirres among the papists grew about superiority the Iesuits seeking to rule the rest refusing to be ruled by them Parsons they say hath an old prophecy how England must be ruled by certeine men in long blacke gownes and square caps that is by Iesuites and long he hath béene dreaming of a cardinals hat yet none falleth to his share in all the English colledges and seminaries the Iesuits by great stirres haue sought the gouernment h A discouery of Campian and his consorts Cottam an English Iesuite being condemned to die praid God that he would send downe fire from heauen to consume all the people that stood round about him to gaze on him and this is the gentlenesse and charitie of Iesuiticall martyrs when Sixtus quintus told the Iesuites that he wondred that none of their order were canonized for saints some of them answered that they sought honors in the church triumphant and not in the church militant such triumphant martyrs are these of the popes and Iesuits calender Fiftly true martyrs are men of a peaceable disposition and no way desirous of tumults and troubles l Lib. 3. contr parmen si supra memoratos saith Optatus videri martyres vultis probate illos amasse pacem in qua prima sunt fundamenta martyrij aut dilexisse deo placitam vnitatem aut habuisse cum fratribus vnitatem sine qua nullum vel nomine potest vel re esse martyrium his words in effect amount to this that none can be martyrs vnlesse they they be studious of peace and vnity if then the papists neither agrée with vs nor with themselues and are giuen much to contention and continually haue stirred vp warres and hurliburlies in diuers countries and haue like firebrands set most parts of Christendome on a flame as appeareth by their actions in England Scotland France Germany Flanders Suethland and other places why should such men dying rather be accounted martyrs then the contentious Donatists Sixtly the true martyrs of Christ Iesus died in time past for the true faith of Christ deliuered vnto vs in the apostles writings but the popish mastifs died for the popes excommunications for defence of his most vniust and tirannicall vsurpations according to such doctrine as they had receiued out of the popes decretales their masters dictates who then doth not maruell that any should be so bold as to call such obstinat fellowes that died out of the church for no point of faith were so much as once called in question martyrs cum deo manere non possunt saith Cyprian qui esse in ecclesia dei vnanimes noluerūt ardeant licet flammis ignibus traditi obiecti bestiis animas suas ponant nō erit illa fidei corona sed poena perfidiae occidi talis potest coronari non potest if then these good fellowes haue forsaken the church and linked themselues with enemies and traitors die they may for their treasons but crowned they shall not be as martyrs neither is it death but the cause that maketh christians dying to be estéemed martyrs Seuently no true martyr euer séemed more desirous of the applause and praise of men then of the glory of God good of Christes people fi ita martyrium fecerimus saith i In epist ad Galat. lib. 3. c. 5. Hierome vt nostras velimus ab hominibus reliquias venerari si opinionem vulgi sectantes intrepidi sanguinem fuderimus substantiam nostram vsque ad mendicitatem propriam dederimus huic operi non tam praemium quà m paena debetur perfidiae magis