hencefoorth I shall beare faith and trew Allegiance to the Kings Highnesse his Heires and lawfull Successours and to my power shall assist and defend all Iurisdictions Priuiledges Preeminences and Authorities granted or belonging to the Kings Highnesse his Heires and Successours or vnited and annexed to the Imperiall Crowne of the Realme So helpe me God and by the Contents of this booke And that the iniustice as well as the error of his grosse mistaking in this point may yet be more clearely discouered I haue also thought good to insert here immediatly after the Oath of Supremacie the contrary conclusions to all the points and Articles whereof this other late Oath doeth consist whereby it may appeare what vnreasonable and rebellious points hee would driue my Subiects vnto by refusing the whole body of that Oath as it is conceiued For he that shall refuse to take this Oath must of necessitie hold all or some of these propositions following That I King IAMES am not the lawfull King of this Kingdome and of all other my Dominions That the Pope by his owne authoritie may depose me If not by his owne authoritie yet by some other authoritie of the Church or of the Sea of Rome If not by some other authoritie of the Church and Sea of Rome yet by other meanes with others helpe he may depose me That the Pope may dispose of my Kingdomes and Dominions That the Pope may giue authoritie to some forreine Prince to inuade my Dominions That the Pope may discharge my Subiects of their Allegiance and Obedience to me That the Pope may giue licence to one or more of my Subiects to beare armes against me That the Pope may giue leaue to my Subiects to offer violence to my Person or to my gouernement or to some of my Subiects That if the Pope shall by Sentence excommunicate or depose mee my Subiects are not to beare Faith and Allegiance to me If the Pope shall by Sentence excommunicate or depose me my Subiects are not bound to defend with all their power my Person and Crowne If the Pope shall giue out any Sentence of Excommunication or Depriuation against me my Subiects by reason o◠that Sentence are not bound to reueale all Conspiracies and Treasons against mee which shall come to their hearing and knowledge That it is not hereticall and detestable to hold that Princes being excommunicated by the Pope may be either deposed or killed by their Subiects or any other That the Pope hath power to absolue my Subiects from this Oath or from some part thereof That this Oath is not administred to my Subiects by a full and lawfull authoritie That this Oath is to be taken with Equiuocation mentall euasion or secret reseruation and not with the heart and good will sincerely in the trew faith of a Christian man These are the trew and naturall branches of the body of this Oath The affirmatiue of all which negatiues Touching the pretended Councell of Lateran See Plat. In vita Innocen III. doe neither concerne in any case the Popes Supremacie in Spirituall causes nor yet were euer concluded and defined by any complete generall Councell to belong to the Popes authoritie and their owne schoole Doctors are at irreconciliable oddes and iarres about them And that the world may yet farther see ours and the whole States setting downe of this Oath The Oath of Allegiance confirmed by the authoritie of ancient Councels did not proceed from any new inuention of our owne but as it is warranted by the word of GOD so doeth it take the example from an Oath of Allegiance decreed a thousand yeeres agone which a famous Councell then together with diuers other Councels were so farre from condemning as the Pope now hath done this Oath as I haue thought good to set downe their owne wordes here in that purpose whereby it may appeare that I craue nothing now of my Subiects in this Oath which was not expresly and carefully commaunded then by the Councels to be obeyed without exception of persons Nay not in the very particular point of Equiuocatiō The ancient Councels prouided for Equiuocation The difference betweene the ancient Councels and the Pope counselling of the Catholiques which I in this Oath was so carefull to haue eschewed but you shall here see the said Councels in their Decrees as carefull to prouide for the eschewing of the same so as almost euery point of that action this of ours shal be found to haue relation agreeance one with the other saue onely in this that those old Councels were careful and strait in cōmanding the taking of the same whereas by the contrary he that now vanteth himselfe to be head of al Councels is as careful strait in the prohibition of all men from the taking of this Oath of Allegiance The words of the Councell be these Heare our Sentence Whosoeuer of vs Concil Tolet. 4 can 47. Anno 633. or of all the people thorowout all Spaine shall goe about by any meanes of conspiracie or practise to violate the Oath of his fidelitie which he hath taken for the preseruation of his Countrey or of the Kings life or who shall attempt to put violent handes vpon the King or to depriue him of his kingly power or that by tyrannicall presumption would vsurpe the Soueraigntie of the Kingdome Let him bee accursed in the sight of God the Father and of his Angels and let him bee made and declared a stranger from the Catholique Church which hee hath prophaned by his periurie and an aliant from the companie of all Christian people together with all the complices of his impietie because it behooueth all those that bee guiltie of the like offence to vnder-lie the like punishment Which sentence is three seuerall times together and almost in the same wordes repeated in the same Canon After this the Synode desired That this Sentence of theirs now this third time rehearsed might bee confirmed by the voyce and consent of all that were present Then the whole Clergie and people answered Whosoeuer shall cary himselfe presumptuously against this your definitiue sentence let them be Anathema maranatha that is let them bee vtterly destroyed at the Lords comming and let them and their complices haue their portion with Iudas Iscarioth Amen And in the fifth 1 Concil Tolet. 5. Can. 7. anno 636. Councell there it is decreed That this Acte touching the Oath of Allegiance shall bee repeated in euery Councell of the Bishops of Spaine The Decree is in these wordes In consideration that the mindes of men are easily inclined to euill and forgetfulnesse therefore this most holy Synode hath ordained and doeth enact That in euery Councell of the Bishops of Spaine the Decree of the generall 2 Synod Tolet 4. vniuersalis magna Synodus dicta Synod Tolet. 5. cap 2. Councell which was made for the safetie of our Princes shall bee with an audible voyce proclaimed and pronounced after the
comming to wit instructed and inspired by Satan to bee his embassadour and to teach his false doctrine to the counterfeit church as well as the true Pastours are the Embassadours of God to the true Church He is called Abaddon or Apollyon because as hee is both a spirituall and ciuill Monarch so he destroyes and killes both body and soule as I tolde you in the fourth seale where hee is called Death for the same cause that hee is called heere Destroyer 12 One woe is past and loe two come after for this which by the fift Trumpet is declared is the first of the three last and greatest plagues whereunto I wished you to take speciall heed and therefore take good heed to the other two blasts of the trumpets that follow 13 Then the sixt Angel blewe and I heard a voice comming from among the foure hornes of the golden Altar that stands euer before the eyes of God saying these words to the next Angel that had a Trumpet Loose these foure Angels bound at the great water Euphrates 14 Now the summons and warning being giuen by the sixt blast of the trumpet of the sixt and fearefull plague that was to come this command of Christ which is the voice here mentioned comes to the sixt Angel commanding him to doe as ye now haue heard For although the trumpet was alreadie blowen yet the execution followes not while Christ command and permit it for these foure Angels mentioned here are the same who were standing before vpon the foure airths of the earth ready to destroy the same who were then as you heard stayed by Christ while first he had sealed his owne who now being all sealed because this is the last plague that is to come vpon the world except that of the consummation Christ therefore commands them to be loosed for they were before stayed as it were bound to the effect they might now put in execution these things which they were ready to doe When they were stayed it is said they were bound at the great riuer Euphrates alluding hereby to the history of Balthasar in Daniel for as Euphrates diuided Babylon from the Persians and the Assyrians which they crossed when they slew Balthasar so this command of stay giuen to these Angels by Christ was that great riuer Euphrates beyond the which they were bound for they had no power to crosse it and to plague the world while first all his chosen were sealed and that hee had loosed and permitted them as by this command here is done 15 And so these foure Angels were loosed who were readie at the houre the day the moneth and the yeere to slay the third part of men to wit they were ready at the very moment prescribed to them by God to destroy all men except such as were sealed ouer whom they had no power and such as were reserued to the destruction of the last plague to wit the consummation and so the third part was left to them to destroy Now followes the plague of the sixt trumpet 16 And first I saw an armie of horsemen the number whereof were two hundred thousand thousand for I heard the number reckoned this double great number signifies that there shall be raised vp at one time two great Monarchies and seats of Tyrants one ruling in the East and another in the West who shal cruelly persecute the Church 17 And in this vision likewise I saw horses whose riders had brestplates of fire of Hyacinth and brimstone and the heads of the horses were like the heads of Lions and from their mouthes came fire smoke and brimstone noting that with fiery rage smokie pride and pretences and loathsome and wicked courses these two Monarches the one secular the other Ecclesiasticall shall conquer and possesse the greatest part of the world These horses are a part yet not the least part of the forces of one of these Monarches in whose description it is most insisted because he is the Destroyer of whom it is spoken in the fift Trumpet where hee is named Abaddon These horses and their riders are the last order and sect of his Ecclesiasticall swarme Their brestplates to wit their worldly defence is composed of fire that is persecution of the body for they shall haue greater credit at the hands of Princes then all these grashoppers spoken of in the fift Seale and so shall vse their forces to defend themselues therewith They are composed of the Hyacinth for as this herbe is darke and of a smoking colour and bitter to the taste so shall they be defended and maintained by the craft of their darke and bitter heresies which in the third Trumpet are called Wormewood as here they are called Hyacynth and they are composed of brimstone which signifieth the loathsomnesse and stench of sinne and the flame and force of hell fire to wit Satan the authour of the one and ruler of the other shall by all maner of craft defend them as his speciall instruments and the last vermine bred and come vp from the smoke of the bottomlesse pit And they shall not onely haue power to defend themselues by these three meanes but they shall also pursue and persecute the faithfull which is meant by their horses heads like to the heads of Lions that is able to deuoure The meanes whereby they deuoure are the same whereby they defend themselues to wit by the power of Princes to persecute the bodies by false and hereticall bragges and sleights which are here called Smoake and by the drifts and frauds of Satan in diuers fashions to deceiue and inflame the soule which craft of Satan is here resembled to brimstone 18 By these three plagues are slaine the third part of men to wit by fire smoake and brimstone which came out of their mouthes to wit their malice and strength shall be so great as they shall vse all meanes wherewith the third part of men shal be destroyed although these meanes shall not be vsed by them onely to worke this great destruction with 19 For their strength is not in their mouthes onely as ye haue presently heard but it is also in their tailes for their tailes are like the tailes of serpents hauing stings whereby they doe harme In this they shall be like vnto the grashoppers 20 But not the lesse the wicked shall be so hard hearted as the rest of them who were not destroyed by the plagues of this trumpet shall not repent nor desist from the workmanship of their hands to wit from Idolatry and adoring of deuils and of images of golde of siluer of brasse of stone and of wood who neither can see heare nor goe whereof this hereticall Monarch is the punishment 21 Nor yet will they repent them nor desist from breaking the second Table by slaughters sorceries fornications thefts whereof that other Monarch who onely persecutes the body is the reuenge scourge and plague CHAP. X. ARGVMENT Iohn heares the explication of these mysteries which was written
by this that the persecution of this Destroyer shall last the halfe to wit it shall reigne about the midst of the last aage of this whole weeke which begins at his incarnation and first comming and ends at his last comming againe which because it is the last period it is here compared to a weeke 3 But I shall giue that holy towne to two witnesses of mine who clothed with sackecloth shall prophesie the space of one thousand two hundred and threescore dayes for these my successours he shall raise vp as witnesses to wit a sufficient number of them for out of the mouth of two or three witnesses euery word is confirmed to witnesse that their doctrine is false who persecute the Church which he shal giue vnto them for he shall make them their patrons to defend and feed them by the power of the true word and they shall preach repentance to that counterfeit Church and therefore they are said to be clothed in sackecloth And to assure vs to our great comfort that in all the time of blindnesse God shall euer be raising vp some of these two witnesses against the hypocriticall Destroyer and to comfort and confirme his true Church it is said They shall prophesie the number of dayes that yee haue heard which is correspondent iustly to the moneths before mentioned to wit they shall not leaue off to witnesse all the time of the Antichristian kingdome 4 These witnesnesses are two greene Oliues who anoint the Elect with that holy oyle and two Candlestickes as Christ said to enlighten the world with their brightnesse who are set downe and doe their office in the presence of him who is Lord and ruler of the earth 5 And if any shal presse to harme them fire shall come out of their mouthes and deuoure their enemies for whosoeuer will doe them any hurt himselfe must be slaine so to wit the holy Spirit who is the fire in their mouth shall accuse and cause to be destroyed with the second death all them that either persecute them or will not heare or obey their doctrine 6 These witnesses haue power to shut heauen that it raine not in the dayes of their prophesie and they haue power ouer the waters to turne them into blood and to strike the earth with euery kinde of plague so often as they please for hee shall authorize them and their message with as sure testimonies as the shutting of the heauen and stay of the raine was vnto Elias so long as he forespake it should be so and as vnto Moyses the turning of the waters into blood and the striking of the earth of the land of Egypt with diuers and sundry plagues 7 But these shall be witnesses by their death as well as by their life For how soone any of them shall haue runne that course in the earth which God hath appointed them they shall be persecuted ouercome and slaine by that beast the Angel of that bottomlesse pit and king of the locusts and that great towne seat of the Monarchy shal publikely put them down as malefactours 8 So as their dead bodies or carkeises shall lie in the streets thereof And this towne is spiritually called Sodom because of the spirituall adultery to wit Idolatrie that it shall commit and maintaine and spiritually Egypt because it shall oppresse and intollerably burthen the soules of the chosen euen as Egypt captiuated the bodies and burthened the backes of the people of Israel and in that towne also was our Lord crucified for where Christs members are put to death for their Masters cause as this towne and Kings therof shal do there is Christ himselfe crucified in effect and his crucifying shal be as wel imputed to them as to Iudas who betrayed him 9 And men of all tribes peoples tongues and nations shall see their carkeises the space of three dayes and a halfe and they shall not be suffered to be buried in sepulchres 10 And the inhabitants of the earth shall be glad and reioyce for their slaughters and shall send gifts one to another in token of ioy because they are made quit of these two prophets who tormented the indwellers of the earth for the whole world who are not in Sancto Sanctorum shall not onely suffer but allow that these witnesses be not onely slaine but also be so cruelly vsed an contemned as not to be suffered to be buried amongst others And the whole earth shall reioyce at their death because that euen as Achab blamed Elias for troubling of Israel so shall the world thinke these witnesses troublesome vnto them because they discouer vnto them their shamefulnesse and call them to the repentance thereof 11 And thus shall they be contemned for the space of three dayes and a halfe to wit of three yeeres and a halfe which signifies that during the space of the Antichrists reigne they shall be thus vsed but after the space of three dayes and an halfe the Spirit of life comming from God shall enter into them and they shall be set vpon their feete and a great feare shall fall vpon them that did see them before 12 And they heard a great voice from the heauen saying vnto them Come vp bither then they ascended vp into heauen and their enemies saw them doe so for although that during the flourishing of this hereticall and bypocriticall Monarchie the trew Pastours no sooner appeared then they were put to death yet at the last this Monarchie shall begin to decay when the three yeeres or the three dayes and an halfe thereof shall be expired and then shall the Spirit of life from God to wit the holy Spirit sent from God worke mightier in the latter Pastours of these dayes so as in them shall the by-past Martyrs be reuiued and their doctrine shall take roote in the hearts of many and their reasons shal be so pithie as the Antichristian sect and the rest of the world shall know as perfectly that they shall preuaile as if they heard God call them to heauen to reward them there for their victory Neither shall they haue power of their liues for God shall mooue the hearts of many to defend them in such glory and safetie as if they were mounting vp to heauen in a cloud and they not able to hinder them 13 And then at that time shall be a great earthquake to wit great tumults among nations and the tenth part of the citie shall fall This citie is diuided in tenne parts to shew it is the same Monarchie that shall afterwards be described by a beast with ten heads And by the falling of the tenth part thereof is meant that diuers nations shall shake off the yoke of that Monarchie and so a part of the strength of that citie shall decay and there was slaine in that earthquake seuen thousand men to wit a great number of men shal be slaine in these tumults and the rest were afraid and gaue glory vnto the God of Heauen for these tumults
protest to serue for a shew of my learning and ingine but onely moued of conscience to preasse thereby so farre as I can to resolue the doubting hearts of many both that such assaults of Satan are most certainely practised and that the instruments thereof merits most seuerely to be punished against the damnable opinions of two principally in our aage whereof the one called Scot an Englishman is not ashamed in publike Print to deny that there can be such a thing as Witch-craft and so maintaines the old errour of the Sadduces in denying of spirits The other called Wierus a German Physition sets out a publike Apologie for all these crafts-folkes whereby procuring for their impunitie he plainely bewrayes himselfe to haue bene one of that profession And for to make this Treatise the more pleasant and facill J haue put it in forme of a Dialogue which I haue diuided into three Bookes The first speaking of Magie in generall and Necromancie in speciall The second of Sorcerie and Witch-craft and the third containes a discourse of all these kinds of spirits and Spectres that appeares and troubles persons together with a conclusion of the whole worke My intention in this labour is onely to prooue two things as I haue already said The one that such diuelish artes haue bene and are The other what exact triall and seuere punishment they merit and therefore reason I What kinde of things are possible to be performed in these Arts and by what naturall causes they may be not that I touch euery particular thing of the Diuels power for that were infinite but onely to speake scholastickely since this cannot be spoken in our language J reason vpon genus leauing species and differentia to bee comprehended therein As for example speaking of the power of Magiciens in the first booke and sixt Chapter I say that they can suddenly cause be brought vnto them all kinds of daintie dishes by their familiar spirit since as a thiefe he delights to steale and as a spirit he can subtilly and suddenly ynough transport the same Now vnder this genus may be comprehended all particulars depending thereupon such as the bringing Wine out of a wall as wee haue heard oft to haue bene practised and such others which particulars are sufficiently prooued by the reasons of the generall And such like in the second booke of Witch-craft in speciall and fift Chapter J say and proue by diuers Arguments that Witches can by the power of their master cure or cast on diseases Now by these same reasons that proues their power by the Diuell of diseases in generall is aswell proued their power in special as of weakning the nature of some men to make them vnable for women and making it to abound in others more then the ordinary course of nature would permit And such like in all other particular sicknesses But one thing I will pray thee to obserue in all these places where I reason vpon the diuels power which is the different ends and scopes that God as the first cause and the diuell as his instrument and second cause shoots at in all these actions of the diuel as Gods hang-man For where the diuels intention in them is euer to perish either the soule or the body or both of them that he is so permitted to deale with God by the contrary drawes euer out of that euill glory to himselfe either by the wracke of the wicked in his iustice or by the triall of the patient and amendment of the faithful being wakened vp with that rod of correction Hauing thus declared vnto thee then my full intention in this Treatise thou wilt easily excuse I doubt not aswel my pretermitting to declare the whole particular rites and secrets of these vnlawfull arts as also their infinit and wonderfull practises as being neither of them pertinent to my purpose the reason whereof is giuen in the hinder end of the first Chapter of the third booke and who likes to be curious in these things he may reade if he will heare of their practises Bodinus Daemonomanie collected with greater diligence then written with iudgement together with their confessions that haue been at this time apprehended If he would know what hath bene the opinion of the Ancients concerning their power he shall see it well described by Hyperius Hemmingius two late Germane writers Besides innumerable other neotericke Theologues that write largely vpon that subject And if he would know what are the particular rites and curiosities of these blacke Arts which is both vnnecessary and perillous he will finde it in the fourth Booke of Cornelius Agrippa and in Wierus whom-of J spake And so wishing my paines in this Treatise beloued Reader to be effectuall in arming all them that reade the same against these aboue mentioned errours and recommending my good will to thy friendly acceptation J bid thee heartily fare-well IAMES R. x. DAEMONOLOGIE IN FORME OF A DIALOGVE FIRST BOOKE ARGVMENT The exord of the whole The description of Magie in speciall CHAP. I. ARGVMENT Proued by the Scripture that these vnlawfull arts in genere haue bene and may be put in practise PHILOMATHES and EPISTEMON reason the matter PHILOMATHES IAm surely very glad to haue met with you this day for I am of opinion that ye can better resolue me of some thing whereof I stand in great doubt nor any other whom-with I could haue met EPI In what I can that ye like to speir at me I will willingly and freely tell my opinion and if I proue it not sufficiently I am heartily content that a better reason carry it away then PHI. What thinke ye of these strange newes which now onely furnishes purpose to all men at their meeting I meane of these Witches EPI Surely they are wonderfull And I thinke so cleare and plaine confessions in that purpose haue neuer fallen out in any aage or countrey PHI. No question if they be true but thereof the Doctours doubts EPI What part of it doubt ye of PHI. Euen of all for ought I can yet perceiue and namely that there is such a thing as Witch-craft or Witches and I would pray you to resolue me thereof if ye may for I haue reasoned with sundrie in that matter and yet could neuer be satisfied therein EPI I shall with good will doe the best I can But I thinke it the difficiller since ye deny the thing it selfe in generall for as it is said in the Logicke schooles Contra negantem principia non est disputandum Alwaies for that part that Witch-craft and Witches haue beene and are the former part is clearely prooued by the Scriptures and the last by daily experience and confessions PHI. I know ye wil alleadge me Sauls Pythonisse but that as appeares will not make much for you EPI Not onely that place but diuers others But I maruell why that should not make much for me PHI. The reasons are these first yee may consider that Saul beeing
likewise to make himselfe so to be trusted in these little things that he may haue the better commoditie thereafter to deceiue them in the end with a tricke once for all I meane the euerlasting perdition of their soule and body Then laying this ground as I haue said these coniurations must haue fewe or moe in number of the persons coniurers alwayes passing the singular number according to the qualitie of the circle and forme of apparition Two principall things cannot well in that errand be wanted holy-water whereby the deuill mockes the Papists and some present of a liuing thing vnto him There are likewise certaine seasons dayes and houres that they obserue in this purpose These things being all ready and prepared circles are made triangular quadrangular round double or single according to the forme of apparition that they craue But to speake of the diuers formes of the circles of the innumerable characters and crosses that are within and without and out-through the same of the diuers formes of apparitions that that craftie spirit illudes them with and of all such particulars in that action I remit it to ouer-many that haue busied their heads in describing of the same as being but curious and altogether vnprofitable And this farre onely I touch that when the coniured Spirit appeares which will not be while after many circumstances long prayers and much muttring and murmuring of the coniurers like a Papist Priest dispatching a hunting Masse how soone I say he appeares if they haue missed one iote of all their rites or if any of their feet once slyde ouer the circle through terrour of his fearefull apparition hee payes himselfe at that time in his owne hand of that due debt which they ought him and otherwise would haue delayed longer to haue payed him I meane hee carries them with him body and soule If this be not now a iust cause to make them weary of these formes of coniuration I leaue it to you to iudge vpon considering the long somnesse of the labour the precise keeping of dayes and houres as I haue said the terriblenesse of apparition and the present perill that they stand in in missing the least circumstance or freite that they ought to obserue And on the other part the deuill is glad to mooue them to a plaine and square dealing with him as I said before CHAP. VI. ARGV The Deuils contract with the Magicians The diuision there of in two parts What is the difference betwixt Gods miracles and the Deuils PHILOMATHES INdeed there is cause enough but rather to leaue him at all then to runne more plainely to him if they were wise hee dealt with But goe forward now I pray you to these turnes fra they become once deacons in this craft EPI From time that they once plainely begin to contract with him The effect of their contract consists in two things in formes and effects as I began to tell already were it not ye interrupted me for although the contract be mutual I speake first of that part wherein the diuel obliges himselfe to them By formes I meane in what shape or fashion he shall come vnto them when they call vpon him And by effects I vnderstand in what speciall sorts or seruices he binds himselfe to bee subiect vnto them The qualitie of these formes and effects is lesse or greater according to the skill and art of the Magician For as to the formes to some of the baser sort of them he obliges himselfe to appeare at their calling vpon him by such a proper name which he shewes vnto them either in likenes of a Dog a Cat an Ape or such-like other beast or else to answere by a voice onely The effects are to answere to such demands as concerne curing of diseases their owne particular menagerie or such other base things as they require of him But to the most curious sort in the formes hee will oblige himselfe to enter into a dead bodie and there out of to giue such answeres of the euent of battels of matters concerning the estate of commonwealths and such like other great questions yea to some he will bee a continuall attender in forme of a Page Hee will permit himselfe to bee coniured for the space of so many yeeres either in a tablet or a ring or such like thing which they may easily cary about with them Hee giues them power to sell such wares to others whereof some will be dearer and some better cheape according to the lying or true speaking of the Spirit that is coniured therein Not but that in very deed all deuils must be lyars but so they abuse the simplicitie of these wretches that become their scholers that they make them beleeue that at the fall of Lucifer some Spirits fell in the aire some in the fire some in the water some in the land in which Elements they still remaine Whereupon they build that such as fell in the fire or in the aire are trewer then they who fell in the water or in the land which are all but meere trattles and forged by the authour of all deceite For they fell not by weight as a solide substance to sticke in any one part but the principall part of their fall consisting in quality by the falling from the grace of God wherein they were created they continued stil thereafter and shall doe while the latter day in wandring through the world as Gods hang-men to execute such turnes as hee employes them in And when any of them are not occupied in that returne they must to their prison in hell as it is plaine in the miracle that CHRIST wrought at Gennezareth therein at the latter day to be all enclosed for euer Matth. 8. and as they deceiue their Schollers in this so doe they in imprinting in them the opinion that there are so many Princes Dukes and Kings amongst them euery one commanding fewer or moe Legions and impiring in diuers artes and quarters of the earth For though that I will not deny that there be a forme of order amongst the Angels in Heauen and consequently was amongst them before their fall yet either that they bruike the same sensine or that God will permit vs to know by damned diuels such heauenly mysteries of his which he would not reueale to vs neither by Scripture nor Prophets I thinke no Christian will once thinke it But by the contrary of all such mysteries as he hath closed vp with his Seale of secrecie it becommeth vs to be contented with an humble ignorance they being things not necessary for our saluation But to returne to the purpose as these formes wherein Satan obliges himselfe to the greatest of the Magicians are wonderfull curious so are the effects correspondent vnto the same For he will oblige himselfe to teach them artes and sciences which he may easily doe being so learned a knaue as he is to carry them newes from any part of the world which the agilitie of a Spirit
extraordinarily wrought by God wherin many things were inordinately done by a popular tumult and rebellion The occasion of the Tribunat of some Puritanes of such as blindly were doing the worke of God but clogged with their owne passions and particular respects as well appeared by the destruction of our policie and not proceeding from the Princes order as it did in our neighbour countrey of England as likewise in Denmarke and sundry parts of Germanie some fierie spirited men in the ministerie got such a guiding of the people at that time of confusion as finding the gust of gouernment sweete they begouth to fantasie to themselues a Democraticke forme of gouernment and hauing by the iniquitie of time beene ouer-well baited vpon the wracke first of my Grandmother and next of mine owne mother and after vsurping the libertie of the time in my long minoritie Such were the Demagogâ— at Athens setled themselues so fast vpon that imagined Democracie as they fed themselues with the hope to become Tribuni plebis and so in a popular gouernment by leading the people by the nose to beare the sway of all the rule And for this cause there neuer rose faction in the time of my minoritie Their formes in the State nor trouble sen-syne but they that were vpon that factious part were euer carefull to perswade and allure these vnruly spirits among the ministerie to spouse that quarrell as their owne where-through I was oft-times calumniated in their populare Sermons not for any euill or vice in me but because I was a King which they thought the highest euill And because they were ashamed to professe this quarrel they were busie to look narrowly in all my actions and I warrant you a mote in my eye yea a false report was matter enough for them to worke vpon and yet for all their cunning whereby they pretended to distinguish the lawfulnesse of the office from the vice of the person some of them would sometimes snapper out well grossely with the trewth of their intentions informing the people Their razing the ground of the princely rule that all Kings and Princes were naturally enemies to the libertie of the Church and could neuer patiently beare the yoke of Christ with such sound doctrine fed they their flockes And because the learned graue and honest men of the ministerie were euer ashamed and offended with their temeritie and presumption preassing by all good meanes by their authoritie and example to reduce them to a greater moderation there could be no way found out so meete in their conceit that were turbulent spirits among them for maintaining their plots as paritie in the Church whereby the ignorants were emboldened as bairdes to crie the learned Their pretence of paratie godly and modest out of it paritie the mother of confusion and enemie to Vnitie which is the mother of order For if by the example thereof once established in the Ecclesiasticall gouernment the Politicke and ciuill estate should be drawen to the like the great confusion that thereupon would arise may easily be discerned Take heede therefore my Sonne to such Puritanes verie pestes in the Church and Common-weale whom no deserts can oblige neither oathes or promises binde An cuill sort of seed-men in the State breathing nothing but sedition and calumnies aspiring without measure railing without reason and making their owne imaginations without any warrant of the word the square of their conscience I protest before the great God and since I am here as vpon my Testament it is no place for me to lie in that ye shall neuer finde with any Hie-land or Border-theeues greater ingratitude and moe lies and vile periuries then with these phanaticke spirits And suffer not the principals of them to brooke your land if ye like to sit at rest except yee would keepe them for trying your patience Xantippe as Socrates did an euill wife And for preseruatiue against their poison Preseruatiue against such poison entertaine and aduance the godly learned and modest men of the ministerie whom-of God be praised there lacketh not a sufficient number and by their prouision to Bishoprickes and Benefices annulling that vile acte of Annexation if ye finde it not done to your hand yee shall not onely banish their conceited paritie whereof I haue spoken and their other imaginarie grounds Parity incompatible with a Monarchie which can neither stand with the order of the Church nor the peace of a Common-weale and well ruled Monarchie but ye shall also re-establish the olde institution of three Estates in Parliament which can no otherwise be done But in this I hope if God spare me dayes to make you a faire entrie alwayes where I leaue follow ye my steps And to end my aduice anent the Church estate Generall aduice in behalfe of the Church cherish no man more then a good Pastor hate no man more then a proude Puritane thinking it one of your fairest styles to be called a louing nourish-father to the Church seeing all the Churches within your dominions planted with good Pastors the Schooles the seminarie of the Church maintained the doctrine and discipline preserued in puritie according to Gods word a sufficient prouision for their sustentation a comely order in their policie pride punished humilitie aduanced and they so to reuerence their superiours and their flockes them as the flourishing of your Church in pietie peace and learning may be one of the chiefe points of your earthly glory being euer alike ware with both the extremities as well as yee represse the vaine Puritane so not to suffer proude Papall Bishops but as some for their qualities will deserue to bee preferred before others so chaine them with such bondes as may preserue that estate from creeping to corruption The next estate now that by order commeth in purpose according to their rankes in Parliament is the Nobilitie although second in ranke Of the Nobilitie and their formes yet ouer farre first in greatnesse and power either to doe good or euill as they are inclined The naturall sickenesse that I haue perceiued this estate subiect to in my time hath beene a fectlesse arrogant conceit of their greatnes and power drinking in with their very nourish-milke that their honor stood in committing three points of iniquitie to thrall by oppression the meaner sort that dwelleth neere them to their seruice and following although they holde nothing of them to maintaine their seruants and dependers in any wrong although they be not answerable to the lawes for any body will maintaine his man in a right cause and for anie displeasure that they apprehend to be done vnto them by their neighbour to take vp a plaine feide against him and without respect to God King or common-weale to bang it out brauely hee and all his kinne against him and all his yea they will thinke the King farre in their common in-case they agree to grant an assurance to a short day
was offered them to discharge him all the answere he could procure from them was but this that Whereas a Proposition was made on the behalfe of his Maiestie of Great Britaine in the assembly of the Lords States Generall of the Vnited Prouinces by Sir Ralph Winwood his Maiesties Ambassadour and Councellour in the Councel of State in those countreys exhibited in writing the 21. of the moneth precedent the substance thereof being first amply debated by the Deputies of the States of Holland and West-Frizeland and thereupon mature deliberation had The said Lords States Generall in answere to the said Proposition haue most humbly requested and by these presents doe humbly request his Maiestie to beleeue that as for preseruation of the libertie rights and priuiledges of the Low-Countreys against the vniust tyrannicall and bloody courses contrary thereunto practised for many yeeres vpon the consciences bodies and fortunes of the good Inhabitants of all qualities of those Countreys by the Spaniards and their Adherents they haue been constrained after a long patience many Remonstrances Requests and other submissiue proceedings vsed in vaine to take armes for their necessary defence when they saw no other remedy as also to craue the assistance of his Maiestie particularly and of other Kings Princes and Common wealths by whose fauor but principally by his Maiesties they haue since continually susteined for many yeeres with an exceeding great constancie and moderation as well in prosperitie as in aduersity a heauie chargeable and bloody warre many terrible and cruell encounters notable Battailes both by land and sea matchlesse Sieges of a number of Townes Ruines and deuastation of Cities and Countreys and other difficulties incident to the warre So doe their Lordships alwayes confesse that in specie the chiefe and principall reason which hath moued them at first to entertaine and since to maintaine the said resolution hath beene the foresaid tyrannie exercised vpon the consciences bodies and goods of their people by introduction of the Inquisition and constraint in matter of Religion For which respects their Obligation to his Maiestie is greatly increased in that after so many demonstrations of affection fauours and assistances in the pursuite of their iust cause his Maiestie is yet pleased like a louing Father to assure vnto them the continuance of the same Royall affection and assistance by taking care that the trew Christian reformed Religion bee purely and sincerely taught within their Countreys aswell in Churches as in Schooles For which the Lords States Generall doe most humbly thanke his Maiestie and will for their parts by all lawfull meanes endeuour so to second his sincere and Christian intention in this particular as his Maiestie shall receiue all good contentment As concerning the businesse of Doct. Vorstius principally handled in the foresaid Proposition the Lords States Generall to make the matter more plaine haue informed themselues First that the Curators of the Vniuersitie of Leyden according to their duetie and the ancient custome euer since the foundation of that Vniuersitie hauing diligently made inquirie for some Doctor to bee chosen into the place of Diuinitie Professor there at that time voyd after mature deliberation were giuen to vnderstand that at Steinford within the Dominions of the Counts of Tecklenbourg Bentem c. who were of the first Counts that in Germanie had cast off the yoke of the Papacie Idolatrie and impure religion and imbraced the reformed Religion which to this day they maintaine there did remaine one Doct. Conradus Vorstius who had continued in that place about fifteene yeeres a Professor of trew Religion and a Minister and that the saide Conradus Vorstius for his learning and other good parts was much sought after by Prince Maurice Lantgraue of Hessen with intent to make him Diuinitie Professor in some Vniuersitie of his Countrey Moreouer that hee had sufficiently and to the great contentment euen of those that are now become his greatest aduersaries shewed with a Christian moderation his learning and puritie in the holy knowledge of Diuinity against the renowned Iesuite Bellarmine And that the sayd Conradus Vorstius was thereupon sent for by the Curators aforesayde about the beginning of Iuly 1610. which message beeing seconded by letters of recommendation from his Excellencie and from the deputy Councelors for the States of Holland and Westfrizeland vnto the sayd Counts of Tecklenburg did accordingly take effect In the moneth of August following the said Election and Calling was countermined by certaine persons to whose office or disposition the businesse did nothing at all belong which being perceiued and the sayd Vorstius charged with some vnsoundnesse of doctrine the Curators did thereupon thinke fit with the good liking of Vorstius himselfe that as well in the Vniuersitie of Leyden as at the Hage he should appeare in his owne iustification to answere all accusers and accusations whatsoeuer At which time there was not any one that did offer to charge him In the moneth of May following sixe Ministers did vndertake to prooue that VORSTIVS had published false and vnsound doctrine who afterward beeing heard in full assembly of the States of Holland and Westfrizeland in the presence of the Curators and sixe other Ministers on the one part and Vorstius in his owne defence on the other part and that which could bee said on either side to the seuerall points in their seuer all refutations respectiuely The said Lords States hauing grauely deliberated vpon the allegations as well of the one part as of the other as also heard the opinions of the said Ministers after the maner and custome of the sayd assembly could not see any reason why the execution of that which was done by the Curators lawfully and according to order ought to bee hindred for impeached In August following there being sent ouer hither certaine other Articles wherewith Vorstius was charged and dispersed in little printed Pamphlets amongst the people the sayd Lords States entred into a new consultation and there resolued that Vorstius according both to Gods Law the Law of Nature and the law written as also according to the laudable vse and customes of their country should be heard against his new accusers concerning those Articles there layed to his charge And moreouer it was generally declared by the States of Holland and Westfrizeland there assembled as euery one of them likewise in his owne particular and the Curators and Bourgmasters of Leyden for their parts did specially declare That there was neuer any intention to permit other Religion to bee taught in the Vniuersity of Leyden then the Christian Religion reformed and grounded vpon the word of God And besides that if the sayd Vorstius should bee found guilty in any of the aforesayd points whereof hee was accused that they would not admit him to the place of Professour The Deputies of the sayd Lords States of Holland and Westfrizeland further declaring that they doe assuredly beleeue that if his Maiesty of Great Britaine were well informed of the trew circumstances
witnesse also the protestation of a great number of Professors of Leyden against him and many of the principall members as well Prouinces as Townes of the Vnited body of that State who haue accused him as before we haue said So as if for that purpose onely they brought him vnto their Vniuersitie they must needes acknowledge it hath had a very vnhappie successe HAuing now finished the discourse of our whole proceeding in this cause from the beginning vntill this present It remaineth that we set downe the reasons which perswaded vs to ingage our selues in alienâ republicâ in a businesse of this nature But wee haue done that already although but summarily and by the way For in that place where wee make mention of the bookes of Vorstius which were brought into our Kingdome wee yeeld three Reasons which mooued vs to take this cause to heart First the zeale of Gods glory to whom we are so much bound Secondly charity towards our next neighbours and Allies and Thirdly the iust reason we had to feare the like infection within our owne Dominions As concerning the Glory of God If the subiect of Vorstius his Heresies had not bene grounded vpon Questions of a higher qualitie then touching the number and nature of the Sacraments the points of Iustification of Merits of Purgatorie of the visible head of the Church or any such matters as are in controuersie at this day betwixt the Papists and vs Nay more If hee had medled onely with the nature and workes of GOD ad extra as the Schoolemen speake If wee say hee had soared no higher pitch although wee should haue bene very sory to see such Heresies begin to take roote amongst our Allies and ancient confederates Neuerthelesse wee doe freely professe that in that case wee should neuer haue troubled our selues with the businesse in such fashion and with that feruencie as hitherto we haue done But this Vorstius mounting aloft like an Anti-S Iohn with the wings of the Eagle vp to the Heauens and to the Throne of GOD disputing of his Sacred and ineffable Essence Quae tremenda admiranda est sed non scrutanda Which is to be trembled at and admired but not to be searched into confounding infinitie one of the proper attributes of GOD and immensitie sometime applied to creatures the essence and substance with the hypostasis disputing of a first and second creation immediate and mediate making GOD to be quale and quantum changing eternitie into euiternitie teaching eternitie to consist of a number of aages and in the end as a sworne enemie not onely to Diuinitie but euen to all Philosophie both humane and naturall denying God to be Actus purus and void of qualities but hauing in some sort with horror be it spoken aliquid diuersitatis aut multiplicitatis in se ipso etiam principium cuiusdam mut abilitatis That is to say Some kind of diuersitie or multiplicitie in himselfe yea euen a beginning of a certaine mutabilitie Let the world then iudge whether we had not occasion herevpon to be moued not onely as one that maketh profession of thereformed Religion but as a Christian at large yea euen as a Theist or a man that acknowledgeth a GOD or as a Platonique Philosopher at the least Secondly for the Charitie which we owe to our neighbours and Allies the Charitie of euery Christian ought to extend to all men but especially towards them that be of the Houshold of saith The States then being not onely our confederates but the principall bond of our coniunction being our vniformitie in the trew Religion we had reason to admonish them not to permit such dangerous Heresies to spring and take roote amongst them which being once suffered could produce no other effects then the danger of their soules a rent betwixt them and all other Christian Churches and at the last a rupture and diuision in their Temporall State which next vnder God can be maintained by nothing but Vnitie To which resolution we were the rather induced by the example of diuers other Prouinces vnder the dominion of the said States who did accuse Vorstius and perswaded Holland to send him away out of their countrey as before we haue declared It is trew that if Vorstius had beene a natiue of Holland as Iohn of Leyden was it had beene sufficient for vs to haue giuen them a generall warning of the danger and then to haue referred it vnto themselues to take such course therein as to them should seeme conuenient But this Vorstius being a stranger and sent for out of another Countrey to instruct their youth hee can challenge no such priuiledge by reason of his birth but that the States may lawfully discharge him whensoeuer they please And for his profession it is without doubt lesse dangerous to suffer a thousand Lay Heretiques to liue in a Common wealth for that is but matter of policie so long as they offend not in their speach and seduce not others then to haue so much as one Doctour that may poison the youth For Quo semel est imbuta recens seruabit odorem Testa diu The vessell will tastea long time after of that liquor wherewith it is first seasoned And what shall become of the litle brookes if their Fountaine be corrupted And from hence is deriued our third reason which perswaded vs to meddle in this businesse For if generally the youth of those Countreys our neerest neighbours should happen to be infected in what danger then were wee especially seeing so many of the yonger sort of our Subiects doe repaire for learning sake to the Vniuersitie of Leyden an Vniuersitie of long time famous but so much the more renowned for that within our remembrance it hath beene adorned with those two excellent personages Scaliger and Iunius It is furthermore to bee noted that the spirituall infection of Heresie is so much more dangerous then the bodily infection of the plague by how much the soule is more noble then the body which caused the Apostle S. Iohn when entring into a Bath he met there by chance Cerinthus the Heretique to turne backe againe vpon the suddaine for feare of infection Now if that great Apostle the beloued of Christ did so much feare the infection of Heresie as himselfe hath giuen vs a warning in one of his Epistles Ne dicas illi Aue Bid him not God speed haue not we then much more cause to feare the corruption of the youth of our owne Kingdomes But we very well know that some will say Vorstius is not rightly vnderstood that some consequences are violently wrested out of his words contrary to the intention of the Author that those things which he propounds scholastically by way of question should not bee taken for his owne resolution and admit pearaduenture hee may haue spoken in some phrases minùs cautè not warily enough yet that is but Logomachie contention about words and ought not to bee imputed vnto him for Heresie and besies
a certaine and definite Essence which may be applied in some kinde vnto God That God cannot rightly in euery sence be said to be infinite seeing that infinitenesse which is opposite to certaine definitenesse cannot indeed be attributed vnto God ¶ 4. Estne Deus in aliquo loco Est sed non 1 Pag. 3. l. 22 23. physico Verùm in spatio abstractissimè sumpto quod Deus suo diuino modo adimplet Is God in a place He is but not in a naturall place But in spatio abstractissimè sumpto which God after his Diuine maner doeth fill ¶ 5. Estne Deus corporeus 1 Pag. 3. l. 34. Propriè loquendo minimè corporeus est 2 Pag. 15. l. 6. Sed tamen nihil absurdi erit si Deo impropriè loquendo corpus ascribamus 3 Pag. 4. l. 3. nempè quatenus vocabulum Corporis impropriè latissimè pro verâ substantiâ 4 Pag. 15. l. 14. non prorsus absurdè sumitur 5 Pag. 15. l. 10. 3. iuxta latam significationem quae figurata impropria seu mauis catachrestica est Hath God a body If we will speake properly he hath none Yet is it no absurditie speaking improperly to ascribe a body vnto God that is to say as the word Body is taken improperly and generally and yet not very absurdly for a trew substance in a large signification which is figuratiue and improper or if you will abusiue ¶ 6. Estne Deus compositus è materiâ formâ 1 Pag. 5. l. 3. Nullo modo propriè loquendo Est tamen in sensu quodam improprio vel si mauis per 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 quandam per quam vocabulum Corporis item quasi materiae formae seu quasi compositionis ex genere differentiâ aliquando eidem attribui posse non immeritò alicui videatur Is God compounded of matter and forme By no meanes speaking properly Although it bee trew in a certaine improper sence or if you please by a certaine Catachresis by the which the word Body and as it were materia forma or as it were a Composition ex genere differentia may sometimes seeme to some and not without cause to be fitly attributed to God ¶ 7. Estne Deus immutabilis vt essentiâ sic voluntate Non est 1 Pag. 15. l. 15. vt essentiâ sic voluntate Id est non est aequaliter Is God vnchangeable in his Will as he is in his Essence He is not vnchangeable in his will as he is in his Essence That is not alike vnchangeable in the one as he is in the other ¶ 8. Estne Deus subiectus accidentibus 1 Pag 7. l. 8. Non vllis veris. 2 Pag. 7. l. 9. Tametsi per liberam voluntatem quaedam accidentia latissimè sic dicta tum ad se tum in se recipit Deus Is God subiect to accidents Not to any trew accidents Although God doeth by his Free will take to himselfe and into himselfe certaine accidents so called in the largest sense ¶ 9. An Deus per discursum conijcit de futuris Interdum 1 Pag. 7. l. 24. aliquatenus 2 Pag. 8. l. 9. discursum quendam instituit quasi de incertis conijcit 3 Pag. 7. l. 22. sed impropriè metaphoricè citraque omnem imperfectionem 4 4 Pag. 8. l. 2. Conijcit autem non coniecturâ qualis hominum esse solet sed planè diuinâ Doeth God coniecture of things to come by discourse Sometimes in some sort he frameth to himselfe a certaine discourse and doeth as it were coniecture of things vncertaine but improperly and metaphorically and without all imperfection And he doeth coniecture not in such sort as men doe but after a meerely diuine maner ¶ 10. Affectus amoris odij c. Deone propriè attribuuntur Propriè sed 1 Pag. 8. l. 16. vt pro veritate potiùs quà m pro vsitatâ nobisque notâ proprietate accipiendum sit 2 Pag. 9. l. 1. Nulli affectus cum humanâ infirmitate coniuncti propriè Deo attribuuntur verè tamen suo modo propriè hoc est pro suae non pro naturae nostrae proprietate The affections of loue hatred c. be they properly attributed vnto God or not Yes but so as ye take it rather for a veritie then for that property which is vulgarly vnderstood and knowne vnto vs. No affections accompanied with humane infirmitie are properly attributed vnto God yet trewly and in his owne kinde properly that is to say as they are proper to his nature and not to ours ¶ 11. Pater habetne peculiarem quandam seu quasi restrictam essentiam 1 Pag. 21. l. 13. Vox essentiae perinde vt Entis amplissimam significationem habet sic nihil omninò vetat vtramque non minùs ad personas diuinas quà m ad ipsam Deitatis naturam in sano sensu referri Hath the Father a certaine peculiar or as it were limited Essence The word Essence as well as Ens hath a very large signification and we may apply both of them safely in a good sence as well to the Diuine persons as to the nature of the Deitie it selfe ¶ 12. Suntne Patrum argumenta friuola pro aeternâ Christi generatione Siquidem 1 Pag. 14. l. 3. vnica vox quaedam ab initio inseratur argumenta à Patribus hactenùs aptata aut fallacia aut friuola sunt Be those arguments which the Fathers haue vsed to proue the Eternall generation of Christ friuolous or no If this one word quaedam some were added to the beginning of that position it were then trew that the arguments which the Fathers haue at any time applied to prooue the Eternall generation of Christ are either deceitfull or friuolous ¶ 13 Estne in Deo visio praesentium praeteritorum magis certa quà m futurorum praeuisio 1 Pag. 18. l. 19 20. Nota modestiam meam in verbo videntur opinionem duntaxat probabilem hîc afferri non autem dogmaticam assertionem Futura 2 Pag. 18. l. 29. contingentia comparatiuè loquendo etiam coram Deo dici possunt minus certa quà m praeterita praesentia Whether doeth God see things past and present more certainely then things to come Note here my modestie in this word videntur for in this place I deliuer onely a probable opinion and not a dogmaticall assertion Things future contingent speaking comparatiuely may be said to bee lesse certaine euen vnto God then things past and present By this may the Reader manifestly discerne that there is nothing which a man speaking in this fashion shall not be able to maintaine and by this meanes easily prooue quidlibet ex quolibet And certainely his manner of excuses and euasions are framed iust after the mould of the ancient Heretiques and namely of Arrius and Paulus Samosatenus when they saw themselues
Papal power whatsoeuer and yet saith withall the Pope winketh at the French by his toleration to hold this dogmaticall point for problematicall And by this meanes the Martyrdome that hee affecteth in this cause will prooue but a problematicall Martyrdome whereof question might grow very well whether it were to be mustered with grieuous crimes or with phreneticall passions of the braine or with deserued punishments Fiftly he denounceth Anathema dischargeth maledictions like haile-shot against parricides of Kings and yet elsewhere hee layes himselfe open to speake of Kings onely so long as they stand Kings But who doeth not know that a King deposed is no longer King And so that limme of Satan which murthered Henry the III. then vn-king'd by the Pope did not stabbe a King to death Sixtly he doeth not allow a King to be made away by murder and yet he thinks it not much out of the way to take away al meanes whereby he might be able to stand in defence of his life Seuenthly Pag. 95.97 hee abhorreth killing of Kings by apposted throat-cutting for feare lest body and soule should perish in the same instant and yet he doth not mislike their killing in a pitcht field and to haue them slaughtered in a set battaile For he presupposeth no doubt out of his charitable mind that by this meanes the soule of a poore King so dispatched out of the way shall instantly flie vp to heauen Eightly he saith a King deposed retaineth stil a certaine internal habitude and politike impression by vertue and efficacie whereof he may being once reformed and become a new man be restored to the lawfull vse and practise of Regalitie Whereby hee would beare vs in hand that when a forraine Prince hath inuaded and rauenously seised the kingdome into his hands he will not onely take pittie of his predecessour to saue his life but will also proue so kind-hearted vpon fight of his repentance to restore his kingdome without fraud or guile Ninthly he saith euery where in his Discourse that he dealeth not in the cause otherwise then as a problematicall discourser and without any resolution one way or other and yet with might and maine hee contends for the opinion that leaues the States and Crownes of Kings controulable by the Pope refutes obiections propounds the authoritie of Popes and Councils by name the Lateran Councill vnder Innocent III. as also the consent of the Church And to crosse the Churches iudgement is in his opinion to bring in schisme and to leaue the world without a Church for many hundred yeeres together which to my vnderstanding is to speake with resolution and without all hesitation Tenthly he acknowledgeth none other cause of sufficient validitie for the deposing of a King besides herefie apostasie and infidelitie neuerthelesse that Popes haue power to displace Kings for herefie and apostasie hee proueth by examples of Kings whom the Pope hath curbed with deposition not for heresie but for matrimoniall causes for ciuill pretences and for lacke of capacitie Eleuenthly hee alledgeth euery where passages as well of holy Scripture as of the Fathers and moderne histories but so impertinent and with so little trewth as hereafter wee shall cause to appeare that for a man of his deepe learning and knowledge it seemeth not possible so to speake out of his iudgement Lastly whereas all this hath bene hudled and heaped together into one masse to currie with the Pope yet hee suffereth diuers points to fall from his lips which may well distast his Holinesse in the highest degree As by name where he prefers the authoritie of the Councill before that of the Pope and makes his iudgement inferiour to the iudgement of the French as in fit place hereafter shal be shewed Againe where he representeth to his hearers the decrees of Popes and Councils already passed concerning this noble subiect and yet affirmes that he doth not debate the question but as a Questionist and without resolution As if a Cardinal should be afraid to be positiue and to speake in peremptory straines after Popes and Councils haue once decided the Question Or as if a man should perorate vpon hazard in a cause for the honour whereof he would make no difficultie to suffer Martyrdome Adde hereunto that his Lordship hath alwayes taken the contrary part heretofore and this totall must needs arise that before the third Estate his lips looked one way and his conscience another All these points by the discourse which is to follow and by the ripping vp of his Oration which by Gods assistance J will vndertake tending to the reproch of Kings and the subuersion of kingdomes J confidently speake it shal be made manifest Yet doe J not conceiue it can any way make for my honour to enter the lists against a Cardinall For J am not ignorant how farre a Cardinals Hat commeth vnder the Crowne and Scepter of a King For well J wot vnto what sublimitie the Scripture hath exalted Kings when it styles them Gods Whereas the dignitie of a Cardinall is but a late vpstart inuention of man In the Preface to my Apologie as J haue elsewhere prooued But J haue imbarqued my selfe in this action mooued thereunto First by the common interest of Kings in the cause it selfe Then by the L. Cardinall who speaketh not in this Oration as a priuate person but as one representing the body of the Clergie and Nobilitie by whom the cause hath bene wonne and the garland borne away from the third Estate Againe by mine owne particular because he is pleased to take me vp for a sower of dissention and a persecutour vnder whom the Church is hardly able to fetch her breath yea for one by whom the Catholikes of my Kingdome are compelled to endure all sorts of punishments and withal he tearmes this Article of the third Estate a monster with a fishes taile that came swimming out of England Last of all by the present state of France because France being now reduced to so miserable tearmes that it is now become a crime for a Frenchman to stand for his King it is a necessary duetie of her neighbours to speake in her cause and to make triall whether they can put life into the trewth now dying and ready to be buried by the power of violence that it may resound and ring againe from remote regions J haue no purpose once to touch many prettie toyes which the ridges of his whole booke are sowen withall Such are his allegations of Pericles Agesilaus Aristotle Minos the Druides the French Ladies Hannibal Pindarus and Poeticall fables All resembling the red and blew flowers that pester the corne when it standeth in the fields where they are more noy some to the growing crop then beautifull to the beholding eye Such pettie matters nothing at all beseemed the dignitie of the Assembly and of the maine subiect or of the Orator himselfe For it was no Decorum to enter the Stage with a Pericles in his mouth but with the
generall and maine grounds the principall things that haue bene agitated in this Parliament and whereof I will now speake First the Arrand for which you were called by me And that was for supporting of my state and necessities The second is that which the people are to mooue vnto the King To represent vnto him such things whereby the Subiects are vexed or wherein the state of the Common wealth is to be redressed And that is the thing which you call grieuances The third ground that hath bene handled amongst you and not onely in talke amongst you in the Parliament but euen in many other peoples mouthes aswell within as without the Parliament is of a higher nature then any of the former though it be but an Incident and the reason is because it concernes a higher point And this is a doubt which hath bene in the heads of some of my Intention in two things First whether I was resolued in the generall to continue still my gouernment according to the ancient forme of this State and the Lawes of this Kingdome Or if I had an intention not to limit my selfe within those bounds but to alter the same when I thought conuenient by the absolute power of a King The other branch is anent the Common Law which some had a conceit I disliked and in respect that I was borne where another forme of Law was established that I would haue wished the Ciuill Law to haue bene put in place of the Common Law for gouernment of this people And the complaint made amongst you of a booke written by doctour Cowell was a part of the occasion of this incident But as touching my censure of that booke I made it already to bee deliuered vnto you by the Treasurer here sitting which he did out of my owne directions and notes and what he said in my name that had he directly from me But what hee spake of himselfe therein without my direction I shal alwayes make good for you may be sure I will be loth to make so honest a man a lyer or deceiue your expectations alwayes within very few dayes my Edict shall come forth anent that matter which shall fully discouer my meaning There was neuer any reason to mooue men to thinke that I could like of such grounds For there are two qualities principally or rather priuations that make Kings subiect to flatterie Credulitie and Ignorance and I hope none of them can bee iustly obiected to mee For if Alexander the great for all his learning had bene wise in that point to haue considered the state of his owne naturall body and disposition hee would neuer haue thought him selfe a god And now to the matter As it is a Christan duety in euery man Reddere rationem fidei and not to be ashamed to giue an account of his profession before men and Angels as oft as occasion shall require So did I euer hold it a necessitie of honour in a iust and wise King though not to giue an account to his people of his actions yet clearely to deliuer his heart and intention vnto them vpon euery occasion But I must inuert my order and begin first with that incident which was last in my diuision though highest of nature and so goe backward THe State of MONARCHIE is the supremest thing vpon earth For Kings are not onely GODS Lieutenants vpon earth and sit vpon GODS throne but euen by GOD himselfe they are called Gods There bee three principall similitudes that illustrate the state of MONARCHIE One taken out of the word of GOD and the two other out of the grounds of Policie and Philosophie In the Scriptures Kings are called Gods and so their power after a certaine relation compared to the Diuine power Kings are also compared to Fathers of families for a King is trewly Parens patriae the politique father of his people And lastly Kings are compared to the head of this Microcosme of the body of man Kings are iustly called Gods for that they exercise a manner or resemblance of Diuine power vpon earth For if you wil consider the Attributes to God you shall see how they agree in the person of a King God hath power to create or destroy make or vnmake at his pleasure to giue life or send death to iudge all and to bee iudged nor accomptable to none To raise low things and to make high things low at his pleasure and to God are both soule and body due And the like power haue Kings they make and vnmake their subiects they haue power of raising and casting downe of life and of death Iudges ouer all their subiects and in all causes and yet accomptable to none but God onely They haue power to exalt low things and abase high things and make of their subiects like men at the Chesse A pawne to take a Bishop or a Knight and to cry vp or downe any of their subiects as they do their money And to the King is due both the affection of the soule and the seruice of the body of his subiects And therefore that reuerend Bishop here amongst you though I heare that by diuers he was mistaken or not wel vnderstood yet did he preach both learnedly and trewly annent this point concerning the power of a King For what he spake of a Kings power in Abstracto is most trew in Diuinitie For to Emperors or Kings that are Monarches their Subiects bodies goods are due for their defence and maintenance But if I had bene in his place I would only haue added two words which would haue cleared all For after I had told as a Diuine what was due by the Subiects to their Kings in general I would then haue concluded as an Englishman shewing this people That as in generall all Subiects were bound to relieue their King So to exhort them that as wee liued in a setled state of a Kingdome which was gouerned by his owne fundamentall Lawes and Orders that according thereunto they were now being assembled for this purpose in Parliament to consider how to helpe such a King as now they had And that according to the ancient forme and order established in this Kingdome putting so a difference betweene the generall power of a King in Diuinity and the setled and established State of this Crowne and Kingdome And I am sure that the Bishop meant to haue done the same if hee had not bene straited by time which in respect of the greatnesse of the presence preaching before me and such an Auditory he durst not presume vpon As for the Father of a familie they had of olde vnder the Law of Nature Patriam potestatem which was Potestatem vitae necis ouer their children or familie I meane such Fathers of families as were the lineall heires of those families whereof Kings did originally come For Kings had their first originall from them who planted and spread themselues in Colonies through the world Now a Father may dispose of his