crimes wherof both my selfe and diuers others of our brethren are accused I rereferre the matter to your iudgement to discerne whether we be guiltie of them or no. If you doubt of the truth of my relation I desire none other triall then the testimonie of mine accusers who if they denie any one word that I haue vttered by way of narration I can easily procure such proofe thereof as they shall not denie vnlesse they will denie themselues If my deductions arguments or suppositions vsed in yeelding reason for our not admitting M. Blackwells authoritie vpon the onely receit of Cardinall Caietaines Letters and that for so doing we incurred no note either of schisme or disobedience to his holinesse if they I say need any proofe I will vndertake to make them most euident Wherefore according to these grounds I humbly beseech you to passe your opinion and yeeld your iudgement of our cause And if the grounds prooue true your iudgement conformable therevnto may remaine firme but if they prooue otherwise your iudgement notwithstanding shall not be faultie for he that iudgeth according to his euidence is not culpable of any errour This good Sir I request because I desire to know your opinion of our cause which if you giue according to these grounds I shal easily vnderstand whether you wil condemne or cleare mee my brethren of the crimes obiected for I am sure I haue not erred in declaring the state of the matter If this which I haue said be not sufficient for your full satisfaction I hope it wil suffice at least to suspend your iudgement of vs vntill further triall be had of our cause which being had in any indifferent manner and if we being conuicted do not acknowledge our fault and make competent satisfaction then do not spare to account of vs as Heathens Publicans But our aduersaries purpose not to put the matter to any indifferent tryall or to ende it by any equall meanes but to decide it by strong hand might and violence by perpetuall oppressing vs with infamous slaunders of schisme faction and the like thereby to depriue if it can be our brethren abroad of all conuenient entertainment and to debarre vs in prison of necessary reliefe to the ende that necessitie may compell vs to yeeld to their desires the inequalitie of which proceedings I beseech you with indifferēcy to cōsider Sometime it is seen that a partie wilfully bent to contend is iustly compelled to admit an equall compremise and to stand to the arbitrement of an indifferent Iudge but it was neuer seene where iustice and conscience ruled and muche lesse amongst such as ought to be the rule of other mens consciences that the partie willing to stand to anie indifferent tryall should bee compelled by violence to agree vnto the desire of his aduersary how iust or vniust soeuer it be and that without any further sentence but onely because his aduersary must haue his will Good Sir we are heere in this place diuers in great want in so much that besides our debts to the keeper we haue not to defend vs from the iniury of the winter weather whereof that you may haue some special taste I doo you to vnderstand that since Trinitie Terme wee haue receiued no more from London from whence the chiefest part of our reliefe commeth then will suffice for three weekes charges with him that can husband his matters best And this shal be sufficient to insinuate vnto you our wants hoping that as opportunitie serueth you will concurre to the relieuing thereof confidently hoping withal that God for whose cause we suffer not onely of the cōmon aduersary but also of those who ought to be our friends wil giue vs patiēce whatsoeuer crosses befal vs to beare them to the end For mine owne part they may by their violent proceedings make me yeeld my breath and life which by Gods grace I shall if need require willingly sacrifice for the defence of iustice equitie and mine owne innocencie but my consent to these vniust dealings by Gods assistance they shall neuer extort out of me If any one to whom you shall thinke good to impart this as I am not against the imparting it to any so that you keepe the originall your selfe shall vndertake to improue me of any vntruth I will either satisfie his obiections euen to your own iudgement or else I will acknowledge mine errour Take this good Sir for a taste of our internall and domesticall troubles wherewith I imagine you are not much acquainted and therefore are you worse affected to our cause and as you shall giue me hereafter occasion you shall vnderstand more for this is but a small thing in respect of that which this matter affordeth But I feare I haue bene too tedious in this so disgustfull a discourse but let I pray you the hard tearmes my good name is brought into plead my pardon for my tediousnesse and the equitie of my Plea procure me your fauour and so in all humble sort I take my leaue Yours euer in all true Christian affection Anthony Champney SIr if you do not consider diligently the haynous Post scriptū enormitie of schisme imposed vpon me you will peraduenture condemne me of too much precisenesse if not of contention for labouring to defend my selfe from the note thereof and will thinke that I ought rather to suffer some small infamie then by opposing my selfe so earnestly to repell the same to procure a further breach between mine accusers and my selfe to both our harmes and to the offence of others But if you consider first to admit the infamy of this slaunder though it were of it selfe but small were in some sort to giue occasion to mine accusers to heape vpon my head greater wrongs hereafter for he that will offer wrong in one thing will do the like in an other if occasion serue you shall finde it to be neither wisedome nor pietie to giue place to such beginnings Secondly the condition of mine estate requiring a most entire fame I should both wrong my selfe and slaunder my function if I should admit any blemish or blotte therein which I may by mine owne endeuour wipe away and therefore to purchase peace at such a price I hold it not lawfull for Non est faciendum malum vt eremat bonum Euill is not to be done that good may ensue And as S. Augustine saith Qui famam suam negligit crudelis est Hee that neglecteth his good name is cruell But if thirdly you cōsider the intrinsical enormitie of this crime you will easily excuse mine endeuour in clearing my self therof from all note of contention For amongst all other sinnes against our neighbour schisme is the greatest and the pennalties which the Church hath alwaies inflicted on such as haue bene guiltie therof proue the same to weet excommunication and seperation from all vse of Sacraments as appeareth by diuers auncient Canons also in Bulla caenae which being graunted
bee you doo mislike in me my firme standing against the troublesome of this house first and against you and your companiō afterward that came in defence of the former troubles if it be so you and I do differ in iudgements for I do thinke that vigour and fortitude to bee so necessary and commendable which is required to stand in confractione as the scripture tearmeth it against vnquiet striuing spirits as without it no good in any gouernment can be expected and albeit in some it cause alienations of affections as you signifie yet in others it worketh the contrarie and that which most importeth it vpholdeth truth vertue and Gods cause And I would aske you now againe as sometimes here in presence I did in what case do you thinke our common cause of England had beene at this daie if no man had resisted the designements of the troublesome in this place or if your endeauours after them had taken place ¶ Let vs example but one example you talked before your restraint heere with the Commissary of the Inquisition and you gaue him such a relation of English matters as afterward when M. Doctor Haddock and M. Martin Array had talked with him also and informed him as they thought of the very truth of matters he told an honourable man of Rome and a great friende of mine that foure English Priestes hauing talked with him they had taken from him all list to beleeue any Englishmen or matters more they told him so different tales and yet all of them would seeme to be men of zeale well then if you had bin let alone by his holinesse to deale with all the Cardinalls and great men of Rome in like sort would you not haue brought our common cause in a pretie plight trowe you and your selues also ¶ Moreouer it appeareth by your papers and depositions yet extant that you tooke the way first to discredit so much as in you lay M. Blackwell the first man of all your order that euer was yet in authoritie and of those parts and merittes that all English men know yea in the very matter of his faith for that an heriticall proposition was laid to his charge Secondly were to be discredited such English Priests as stood with him who are the principall of your coat and with them all Iesuites but chieflie those that are known to haue laboured most in the common cause and by whose intercession Catholique Princes haue bene most mooued to assist hetherto the same and what would haue followed of this Further the Protector himselfe must haue bin changed if all designments in your papers had taken place the Seminaries must haue beene taken from the gouernment of Iesuites the whole societie called out of England and albeit you proposed not in words al these points together when you came how matters stood yet were they mentioned as is to bee seene in your papers from your partners in England and you see that now they begin to be giuen abroad againe in places where you or M. Ch. are or haue beene and vttered discontentment ¶ And if all these points had bene brought to passe by you or at least that other point wherevpon you stood so much heere to haue two Arch-priests in England not subordinate the one to the other but each one absolute with his traine of subiects vnder him opposite the one against the other would not all our cause haue comen quicklie to ruine and shall those then that haue stood against these ruines be accounted sterne and rigorous or rather cōstant pious yea friendly towards your selues for that with the ruine of the common cause yours also and all other Priests should be inuolued and now God be thanked by the good order which his holinesse hath setled all is well ended and remedied if men can be contented and now Priests haue their head and subordination and Iesuites also theirs and both are happilie vnited together and all strife is ended in England to Gods great glorie and our common good I hope and his holy name be euer blessed for the same ¶ And as for the gouernment of this Colledge here in Rome whether it be Spanish or Italian I know not but sure I am it tendeth all to vnion peace loue vertue and learning that do the schollers finde by the effects hauing receiued more cōfort quiet true mirth and gaine of learning in one moneh sithence the reformation then in some yeares before as for youthes to come vnto it let no man haue care for would to God we had so much maintenance as we could haue choise of schollers to enioy it and no wise Catholique is there in England or else-where that hearing of this chaunge and reformation wil refuse to send his children hither if he loue them and may be in hope to haue them placed for the words or writings of any such to the contrarie as M. Ch. threatneth who shal bemonethe lack of liberty And if M. Ch. or anie other should attēpt to put any thing in print of matters passed heere as our friend writeth is threatned but I cannot beleeue that any such intent can be the matter would easily be answered for that here remaine authenticall registers of all that passed by publique authoritie ¶ Well good Sir I will end then and pray you to be a mean as I know your nature to be more moderate and you promsed it here also that things may rest as they were and are well ended without renewing of further griefes as both in wisedome and conscience and vnder your oathes also and vpon paine of censures both of you are bound and surely if these things should be true which before I haue alleadged to be written hither by credible relators whose Letters are here extant I cannot see how either of you that should bee cause of so false and dissentious reports can be safe in conscience for very great sinne and grieuous censures also but I hope they will not proue true ¶ And as for the request you make in your Letter to mee to deliuer you from the false report written hence to Flaunders and thence to your partes againe that you should confesse heere to haue beene moued onlie by ambition to take your last action in hand I will deliuer you most willingly from anie thing that I haue written or willed others to write for as you saie I did euer attribute your attempt rather to errour and lack of consideration then to ambition wherein you may see I was not rigorous but yet seeing your matter passed by diuers mens hands and knowledge I cannot let them to thinke speake or write what they iudge best yet do I suppose verilie that none would saie or write that you confessed so much here tho I haue heard diuers speake and suspect so much vpon the sight of your papers for that seeing in diuers papers and scrolles of your fellowes which you brought open with you you were proposed for Bishops and in
in this action shal be brought into more danger of the extremitie rigour of the lawes then otherwise we should in that the authoritie is alreadie thought by the Counsell to be of purpose erected for the better effecting of such designements and so shall we being brought within the compasse of other mens actions be hanged for kingdomes and matters of state and the glory of our cause therby diminished if not cleane extinguished to satisfie other mens pleasures serue their turnes Besides al this by the opiniōs of diuers men of iudgment in the lawes of our Country this our case may and will be drawne within the compasse of an olde law enacted aswel by our Catholick Bishops Prelates as by the Prince aboue 300. yeares agoe vz. the lawe of Premunire because it is an externall iurisdiction brought into this realme against the will notice of the Prince Country which made the late reuerend Bishop of Lincolne Doctor Watson to refuse all externall iurisdictiō offered him ouer his fellow prisoners although once he had lawfull Episcopall iurisdiction within the Realme and was vnlawfully depriued thereof Fitfthly consider we beseech you for the satisfying of your consciences in this most vniust slaunderous report made against vs of schisme that there can be no schisme where there is a resigned will of obedience We protest and vow all obedience due vnto Gods Church and all her lawfull authoritie and therefore can be made no schismatikes possibly If they vrge against vs that we obey not this authoritie let them shewe vs that it is a lawfull act of the Church and we obey If they tell vs of Letters from the Cardinal we answer them that no man is bound to beleeue the Cardinall himselfe without Bull or Breue in matters of so large cōsequence concerning the Church What reason then is there that his graces bare Letters the contents wherof drew on so general extreme persecution vpon our necks should be allowed of by vs as a sufficient proofe of the delegation If they say that the Cardinall is a person of singular credit and not to be distrusted we answere them that we impeach not his credit standing onely vpon our owne right and iustice for our full satisfaction from his holines of his absolute will pleasure herein whose least commaund shall euer binde vs though with hazard or losse of our liues To thinke that his holinesse accounteth vs so base and abiect a Cleargy or so vnworthy members of Gods church that we deserue not his ordinary notice in matters of so great moment which is but a cōmō processe in matters of farre lesse weight proceeding frō that See were both in it self ridiculous iniurious also to his holines We could also vrge that his hol as yet hath had no informatiō at all from vs our messengers being preuented of audience clapped in close prison by Father Persons procurement but onely frō them who are but one and the aduerse part in this controuersie which you know is against all right and equitie and in which case being but a matter of fact his Holi for want of due sufficient information may proceed with error to the preiudice of the innocent part although vnwillingly and by him not intended in which case Appellations alwaies are permitted for further information in matters thus in question Consider now sincerely deare Catholickes these reasons propounded and enter not too too rashly into condemnation of vs your spirituall Pastours who haue alreadie in part and are stil readie to spend our bloud for your sakes but haue patience with vs a little vntil you see the end of these matters and the iudgements of his Holinesse herein which we hope you shall shortly see and perhappes in the ende you shall finde that we whom by sinister informations and suggestions you are now ready altogether to condemne haue bene and are your greatest friends in withstanding suche proceedings as haply may concern your selues as neare if not more neare then vs although you perceiue not nor see so much And in the meane season as we labour for your good so pray you for vs and the common good Farewell from them that thirst your good Other reasons to the same purpose by another vnder the forme of a Letter SYr your priuate occasions which you recommend to my care I haue so tendered that euery thing is as forward as any diligence of mine can set it and in my last haue explaned to the full the course I tooke which I trust is cōformable to the directions you sent mee and will I hope haue the successe that both you and I desire The progresse of the matter you shall vnderstand as occasion serueth In the end of your Letter you make mention of a diuision lately growne amongst vs who should be examples of loue and vnion and laments the bitter fruites sprung thereof as pernicious to many a Christian soule Whereof diuers friends of mine by name are charged to be some cause for that they were not ready at first to yeeld to the late authoritie of Maister Blackwell nor as yet can be brought to acknowledge the same Truly Syr for that you are my friend and I throughly acquainted with the origine processe of the difference I thought it my part for your better information discharge of my blamelesse friends briefly to set downe what is done in this matter and vpon what ground and then to leaue the censure of it to your prudent consideration To build sure I lay this foundation that it is neither pietie nor true obedience at the first sight to admit any authoritie but such as is orderly procured and lawfully promulgated in such sort that subiects may remaine morally sure that it proceedeth frō the true fountaine of superioritie truly enformed which of it selfe is so manifest that it needeth no proofe for the contrary were to open the way to all forgeries and intrusions and in fine the ouerthrow of all Canonicall proceedings Here hence followeth that which true prudence and vertue doo dictate that when any new and extraordinary authoritie is published they whom it concerneth before that by acceptance they approue it should of dutie looke and examine whether it be accompanied with the conditions aboue mentioned and so admit or reiect it as discretion conscience shall require To the purpose in both these conditions of lawfull authoritie this we speake of is feared to hault and not without great presumption And for that to handle both at large would exceed the limits of a Letter and a defect in either doth sufficiently warrant their proceedings I wil leaue the first for that must needs touch particular persons and their actions which without further occasion and very iust I am loath to do and shew briefly how the manner of promulgation is in no way sufficient but rather full of suspition and giueth iust occasion of distrust And first the credit of this promulgation dooth wholly hang
forsoothe he might say that he had such authoritie because he could write to those who had it M. Black being subdeligated by the Cardinall as it appeareth by the Cardinalls Letters to make a peace where there was no warre if there had bene any need should haue sought such meanes onely as were necessary therefore and not haue chalenged of the Priests an obedience in all things which neuer any Prelate presumed to do neither did he when he was tolde of his large demaund amend the matter so well as some do weene in limiting his former speeches to obedience in all things which might tend to peace for as it is said before such a delegatiue authoritie as was giuen vnto him by the Cardinalls Letters will allow him no more then what is necessarie to effect that for which hee is deligated If it should be true which F. Parsons saith in the 17. Paragraffe that M. Black was touched in the very matter of his faith and offereth to proue it by certaine depositions yet extant at Rome that an hereticall proposition was laid to his charge I doubt their foundation for their going to Rome will hardly bee shaken Diuers Priests not long before comming from Rome did testifie that his holinesse would not constitute any authoritie without the assent of the Priests in England and the Priests were well assured that they had not sent any as then to deale with his holinesse in their names but what was done was rather done by the open and couert Iesuites and afterward salued by M. F. Iames Stand that hee supposed the Priests would consent to that which he would doo without their knowledge If the Cardinall had written nothing in particular concerning this authoritie but what he had testified had bin the Popes direct order yet all who write what credit the testimonie of a Cardinall beareth in matters preiudiciall to a third affirme that it is not sufficient Before any Apostolicall Breue appeared for the confirmation of this authoritie it was suspected that it was not the Popes order yea and afterward prooued if the Popes Commissary imployed by his holinesse at Rome in this matter be an honest man for he told the two Priests who were sent to Rome seuerally in their persons from the Popes owne mouth that his holinesse did not appoint it and gaue this reason from his holinesse because he would not aduenture to haue his authoritie contemned in England by the Priests To conclude if before the Breue was made the authoritie might without offence haue bene said not to haue bene of the Popes appointing what offence was it not to accept of it If it were saide to be from the Pope where were his Letters to testifie it without which men are not only not bounde to admit a farre lesse Prelacie ouer them thē this but are sharply to be punished if they do admit it subiect themselues vnto it as it appeareth in that extrauagant of Pope Boniface the 8. Iniunctae nobis de electione And thus much for the challendge of their enterprise to be of contradiction without any foundation at all Let vs now returne to F. Parsons who forgetting himselfe what hee had promised in the 5. Paragraffe that was not to let any thing which touched the Pope to tunne with false and iniurious reports against all truth and equitie although content to pretermit what concerned himselfe plaieth the Proctor altogether for himselfe to the little honour of the Popes holinesse For in this paragraffe it is set downe that after 17. dayes of the two Priestes persisting in their obstinacie which was no other then is shewed in the 9. paragraffe his holinesse willed them to be retired to some place of custodie in respect of their offence and their allegations to be there examined whether they were worth the hādling or no. Which comming to F. Parson his knowledge hee intreated that their retirement might rather be with secrecie in the English Colledge then with more infamie in any other place So that F. Parsons heere laieth to the Popes charge that hee caused the two Priests first to be imprisoned for their offence and afterward to haue it tried whether they had committed any offence for if it had so fallen out that their allegations had bene worth the handling what offence had they committed in comming to Rome to deale with his holinesse about them But the Pope foresawe perchance as F. Parsons saith in the 8. paragraffe that they were not worth the handling Then was this no cause of their imprisonment which F. Parsons alledged But perchance it was no certaine foresight such as F. Parsons noteth in the 8. paragraffe but only a suspition as he affirmeth in the 10. paragraffe Then was this no iust cause to vse two Priests with infamy who had many yeares aduentured their liues in defence of the Popes honour and dignitie of the Sea Apostolicke But afterward perchance it so fell out that their allegations were founde not to be woorth the handling Let vs suppose that which was not that they were permitted to deale together or with other and could bring nothing worth the handling What then shall we to saue the Pope from false and iniurious reports as F. Parsons pretendeth say that the Pope was ignorant of this saying hee who loueth daunger shall perish in it and like sychophants affirme that his holinesse may do what he will before he see or know any cause why hee should doo it and really defame them against whom he hath nothing but an imagination that it might be they deserued it had they bene imprisoned vpon colour of somewhat to be laide against them somewhat in this kind might haue bin iustified but comming as plaintiffes supplicants or appellants they were to be heard or at least to be suffered to deale together in their businesse and for F. Parsons to pretend that two Priests comming to his Holinesse as in dutie they were bound to do in any difficulties of the Church were cast with infamy into prison before they were heard what they had to say that they should haue bene cast in prison with more infamie had not F. Parsons intreated for them is not to pretermit that which concerneth himselfe and to stop iniurious reports gainst the Pope as he pretēdeth in the 5. paragraffe but to heape false and iniurious reports against the Pope and to fall into most absurd praise of himselfe And if F. Parsons did tell them what benifites he bestowed vpon them when they were with him I dare presume that they would not be so vngratefull as not to giue him thankes for them although perchance not so greatly from their hearts as if he had let them alone Before they departed out of England or were knowne who they were that should goe the speech was rife in some mens mouthes that they should be cast in prison when they came to Rome so that F. Parsons wit was not so highly to be commended in that he could foresee what
dated the 20. of February 1599. stuffed too shamefully with vntruthes Among which rehearsall is made of many speeches which are said to haue bene vttered by M. Martin and his fellow Proctor before they exhibited their libel as to vse their own words being biddē to speak as Proctors whereas in truth neither of thē spake any one word good or bad either of thēselues or as biddē by any other The libel being read by F. Titch the Iesuite M. Bish was very earnest to haue the Proctors put to their oathes that no falshood was conteined in the Libell to which the Cardinall Caietan made answere that they were not to sweare but to prooue what should be denied then was the whole Libell denied and a copie thereof demaunded that answer might be made vnto it but when the Proctors sawe the resolution of the two Priests they humbly desired with knee on ground that no copie should be deliuered but that all things should be shut vp in peace to which the Cardinal Caietan made answere that it was peace which the two Priests sought for and presently the two Proctors hauing readily what and against whom to obiect wrangled a little with the two Priests and particularly M. Martin Array vrged against M. Ch. that and no other thing namely that they intended to haue the Protector chaunged which in the aforesaid Letter of the 20. of February hee or F. Parsons rather vnder his name affirmeth that because the Cardinall was present and satte as Iudge they would not vrge for verie shame of their English ingratitude After this litle wrangling conference the Proctors were dismissed and the two Cardinalls calling M. Bish and M. Ch. nearer vnto them declared that they found no cause against them only this they thought in their conscience that these two Priests had vnaduisedly taken this iourney because thereby they had scandalized many in England to which the Priests made this answere that if they had giuen any scandall they were sorrie readie to giue satisfaction which M. Martin in the aforesaid Letters doth cōfirme but that he putteth it in a wrong place for he putteth it as if it had bene said by the Embassadors as he termeth them after they had heard his and his fellowes falsly vaunted of obiections before they gaue vp the Libell and the Libell it selfe which was read against thē against which saith M. Martin or F. Parsons vnder his name among other his most shamelesse vntruthes they were able to say litle and willing to say lesse but asked pardon if they had giuen scandall c. If these men could haue perswaded themselues that neither M. D. Bish nor M. Ch. should euer haue seene these Letters or haue come to controll these shamelesse vntruthes and wicked detractious speeches where they were so boldly spread abroad yet had they remembred there had bene a God they would haue had some feare if no reuerence vnto him but these be those of brasse who put themselues forth as a wall for the house of the Lorde of a flie and would be accounted constant and pious yea and friendly as F. Parsons vrgeth in the 18. paragraffe towards these two Priests Within lesse then a weeke after this arraignment Maister Ch. was brought to M. D. Bish his Chamber where after they had imbraced each other they were carried each betweene a couple of Iesuites among all the students as a beginning of their libertie no other cause being pretended of M. D. Bish his longer imprisonment then that he had to the Cardinalls discontentment vsed silence when he was licensed to speake if he would after his examination was redde and vsed more courage when he had heard the Libell redde then was thought conuenient by them and no other cause was giuen of M. Ch. his longer imprisonment but that he should be punished for 3. or 4. dayes for companie after which they should be both set at libertie and permitted to deale in their businesse for which they went to Rome So that F. Parsons might haue deuised some other conceit for the auouching of the long stay before the sentence was giuē which came before it was looked for and yet it was 9. weeks in comming then that the two Cardinalls should staie diuers weekes to enforme his holinesse before they gaue sentence in their cause For first they gaue sentence when they were present in so much as both the two Priests and the students also in the Colledge vpon the Iesuites their owne reports expected that they should be verie shortly set at libertie Secondly it is vnlikely that the two Cardinalls should diuers weekes be debarred the Popes presence or denied audience or haue any great doubts in such a case as when they heard what was to be said against the two Priests they iudged that they found no other cause in them then is aforesaid And if the Cardinalls had bene so little gratious in the Popes sight as in diuers weekes they could not haue audience this matter being of no more importance then the Iudges the one a Diuine the other a Lawier after conference vpon the examinations read before them and the offer made by the two Priests to answere to what was libelled against them declared it to be a more milde restraint then close imprisonment for other 7. weeks would haue bene no euil edification to such as expected that no more rigor thē needs must should haue bene vsed at Rome against a couple of Priests who had many yeares aduentured their liues for the honour of the Church of Rome and dignitie of the Sea Apostolicke Fa. Parsons hauing in the 11. paragraffe shewed to what end the Cardinalls did come to the Colledge but not what was there done nor what sentence was either then or afterward giuen by them expostulateth how with any colour it might be saide that the two Priests had wrong c. Could hee forget that they were imprisoned with infamie before it was knowne whether they brought any thing worth the handling or no which himselfe confessed in the 10. paragraffe Did not he as a most vigilent Iaylor keep the keyes himselfe that they should not come together or vse any meanes to deale in the businesse in which they were ioyntly imployed Can hee be ignorant that when the two Proctors libelled against them they were so farre from being vnwilling to answere the Libell as their exceeding forwardnesse in this was pretended a sufficient cause to keepe the one in close prison at the least for a fewe dayes and the other because he was his fellow in this action Was his memory so short as he could not remember how that the Cardinall Caietan in his hearing at their arraignment cleared them from all things except only that they had offended some by this their iournie for satisfaction whereof they were willed to write into England which they performed to his present great liking although afterward he wrangled with them about the same Letters Can F. Parsons say that euer they
charge him that euer he did any harme to any Iesuite but to the secular Priests he did very much which could not stand with any good liking vnto them and if herevpon a Parenthesis should be made as impertinently as F. Parsons maketh his that falling frō God and dislike of the secular Priests or rayling against them commonly go together the Iesuites and their adherents would think that they were greatly iniuried who for a shewe onely for the better effecting of that which they intend seeme to beare good will to such secular Priests as will be guided by them and by now and then shewing themselues friendly in some small matters to some practise more boldly against the same parties or other their fellowes In the 15. Paragraffe he confesseth his folly hee might haue descended to somewhat more in particular then folly for hee adioyneth a shamelesse vntruth that the two Priests went to Rome in defence of the former troubles that were there But it should seeme by F. Parsons in this and in the 13. Paragraffe that he would faine possesse people with this wrong information and for his question which here he asketh in what case our common cause of England had bene if the endeuours of the two Priests had taken place I may boldly make this answere that doubtlesse it could not haue bin in a worse case then now it is In the 16. Paragraffe I can say little more then aske these questions what if the Commissarie of the Inquisition did not tell any honourable man of Rome a great friend of F. Parsons any such thing as he here relateth and what harme could the common cause haue taken among wise men if the two Priests had bene let alone by his holinesse to deale with all the Cardinalls and great men of Rome being but a couple of Priests and more easily borne downe when it should haue bene euident that they had nothing to say as F. Parsons would haue all men beleeue Was the Commissarie of the Inquisition and all the Cardinalls and great men of Rome so sottish in F. Parsons conceit as they would haue embraced so slender a cause as he would shewe this to be In the 17. Paragraffe many things are touched first an haeretical propositiō is said to haue bin deposed against M. Blackwell which if it bee true how is it said in the 8. Paragraffe that the Pope foresaw that they did not expect any matter of substance against his gouernmēt Of what substance against a mans gouernmēt in an heretical country such a deposition is any Catholique will easily see ought to reflect the more vpon it if it were in matters directly cōcerning his gouernmēt And how in the 10. Paragraffe can F. Parsons say that they had made a cōtradictiō without any foundation at all which the Cardinalls should at first suspect and after finde it to be true and also be ashamed that the two Priests came so long a iourney with so litle to say as he affirmeth in the 12. Paragraffe Secondly F. Parsons affirmeth also that the two Priestes would haue discredited such English Priests as stood with the Arch-priest and were the principall of their coat but in what it is not said perchance it is meant in that these two and other in not accepting of an authoritie pretended to come from the Pope without the Popes Letters or other sufficient testimonie might argue the other of an ouer-great forwardnesse in that they did without more examining of the matter yeeld vnto it but how the Iesuites are drawne hereby in discredit I conceiue not vnlesse perchance this authority being procured by the Iesuites it might be thought a disgrace vnto thē that being aduersaries to the secular Priests they might not be trusted to choose a superiour for them who should bee an Arbiter betwixt them which constuction I am induced to make both vpon the manner of F. Parsons bringing in the Iesuites with those Priests whom hee saith the two that went to Rome tooke the way to discredit and also vpon that which followeth in this same 17. paragraffe For I do not thinke that F. Parsons will attribute that which followeth to any but to himselfe who if himselfe be of any credit made choise of the Arch-priest as one that would runne with the Iesuites which were at variance with the secular Priests Those other things which F. Parsons in this 17. paragraffe saith should haue bene proposed would not haue bene proposed without some ground For the first the Protector was knowne to be allied to the contrary part and said to be ruled altogether against those whose Protector he pretended to be For the second the Seminaries were in perpetual garboyles and as nurseries of strife and debate betweene the Iesuites the secular Priests For the third the Iesuites who were in England aspired daily to that which became them not Which first was attempted by them at Wisbitch most manifestly and afterward was gotten after a more secret manner while one in the likenesse of a secular Priest beareth the name of a gouernour ouer the rest and the Iesuites rule him and them also Concerning the 18. paragraffe that question of hauing two Arch-priests in England was neuer proposed nor any thing else at Rome for the two Priests were not suffered to speak together about any thing but Fa. Parsons examining by how many meanes peace might bee kept in England was answered amōg other that were named that this might be one not that one should be opposite against the other as F. Parsons would make the world belieue but that the strife in Englande beeing betweene the secular Priests and the Iesuites and the Arch-priest guided by the Iesuites it was fit that there should be a secular Priest who was not gouerned by the Iesuites in the like authoritie with the Archpriest and that such lawes might be made that neither part would be ouer-hastie to offend other at which disputation Fa. Parsons ouershot himselfe fowly First in arguing that it was neuer seene that there should bee in any one country two superiors the one of thē not subordinate to the other for himself had procured the same in England by this new gouernmēt as appeareth by that the Arch-priest is not or must not be said to be subordinate to the superiour of the Iesuites nor this to him but this instance at his request was not vrged Then vpon an other instance giuen him of the Bishops of Canterbury Yorke he went about to proue a subordination betweene these Arch-bishops out of a foolish hardinesse of the Bishop of Yorke to take the vpper place of the Bishop of Canterbury at a Cōuocation in the time of Henry the second and the good Fa. would not in a long time vnderstand that that strife prooued no more that there was or is a subordination betweene these Arch-bishops then the strife betweene the two Embassadors of France and Spaine for the higher place when they meete doth proue that one of
had made an attonement with their aduersaries and forgiuen all those slaunders and detractious proceedings which were practised against them and neither of themselues or stirred vp by M. Bish and M. Ch. haue they reuiued all that which F. Parsons heere confesseth to haue bene dead forgotten or ended Did not rather F. Rob. Ion. a Iesuite no great fauourer or bemoaner of M. Bish and M. Ch. their case broach this diuision again and renew the soare which was if not cleane healed yet forgotten and the offendors forgiuen by publishing that the Priests who did forbeare to admit M. Black for their superiour vntill they sawe the Breue in his confirmation were Schismatikes and that all those who should not hold the same were vnder the censures of the Church Did not M. Black soone after both approue the same paradox of F. Ion. the Iesuite and furthermore publish a resolutiō sent as he said from Rome eyther by Father Wasord or F. Titch both Iesuites which avowed the same with many Edicts and prohibitions vnder paine of incurring the censures that the Priests should not defend them selues from this most absurd iniurious calumniatiō Was it so necessary that there should be tumults in England which must be said still no doubt to be betweene the secular Priests and the Catholiques that the Iesuites must stil giue the onset although for to auoyd blame in the opinion of such as will blinde themselues their enterprises haue bene so prosecuted by couert Iesuites who were not knowne but as secular Priests by the Arch-priest as they are generally taken for quarrels among the secular Priests Can F. Parsons say and not thinke to be laughed at that these stirres are reviued by default of M. Bish and M. Ch. their not prudent bearing themselues or that the Iesuites and the Arch-priest were stirred vp by them as men who would seeme to fauour or bemone their cause But had peace long continued in England which was feared that it would had it bin in their power who were so maruellously iniured some iudged that they should misse somewhat at which they aimed and therefore they set all things worse then they were before We hope we shal now shortly at the least see to what end they did it Concerning the 23. paragraffe I cannot say what either straungers or others did iudge of the two Priests cause they themselues must answere how they found such as with whom they talked yet if it be true which F. Parsons relateth in the 16. Paragraffe it is very likely that they tolde some tale which caried some weight with it or else both the Commissarie of the Inquisition had litle reason to vse such words as F. Parsons there saith he did and F. Parsons lesse cause to feare least their dealing with all the Cardinalls and great men in Rome would to vse his owne tearme bring the common cause in a pretie plight He vaunteth here but falsely and iniuriously against the principall of our Nation eyther in Flaunders or England who should complaine of the ouermuch lenitie vsed in ending of the cause that none but vpō passion or misinformation did bemone thē The iudgement of the two Cardinals Caietan Burghese I saw in their letters of the 21. of April 1599. to the Rector or vicerector of the english Colledge and that was that it was not expedient that the two Priestes should by and by returne vnto those parts where they had maintained controuersies with other of their order Wherefore they commaunded the two Priests that for a time they should not presume to goe without license into the Kingdomes of England Scotland and Ireland I haue bene credibly enformed that neither of them were euer in Scotland or Ireland and therefore could not maintaine any controuersies there in parsonall presence but if they did maintaine any it was by Letters which they might doo notwithstanding this prouiso from other parts also neither can I learne that euer they mainteined any such in England but if they had in my simple iudgement it was no good reason why therefore they should be debarred Scotland and Ireland and although this were the iudgement which was specified by the aforesaid Letters yet there was an other iudgement also that they should not be both in one Regiō as it should seeme for although in the Cardinall Burghese his Letters of the 15. of September 1600. to M. C. it is insinuated that they might choose their place of banishment and confinement which is a confession that because they had controuersies in some one place not certainely set downe where if wee looke into the aforesaid mentioned Letters of the 21. of Aprill 1599. or because by their returne into England some controuersies might haue growne there as appeareth by Cardinall Burghese his Letters of the 15. of September 1600. they must be banished out of all places in the world but one where they must liue in relegation God knoweth how long for neither is there any certaine time set downe for this yet in the answere vnto it written by M. C. the 4. of Noumber following I read that he was not suffered to be in Fraunce as he had made his choise and if this was not cause sufficient for honest men truly enformed of the ending of their cause to bemoane them sincerely and from the heart yet with this circumstance at the least it might be that no prouision being made for them to sustaine life they were banished out of all such places where they might haue meanes to liue vpon a supposed cause neuer proued against them or a bare suspition of what might heereafter bee vnlesse to goe to Rome to preuent great controuersies be said to be to maintaine cotrouersies or to giue a suspition that they would make controuersies when as that thing by which probably they might assure themselues that controuersies would growe came from Rome and was no where to be remedied but at Rome And it will appeare by those authenticall Registers in Rome if any be kept that they sought with all submission to his holinesse to knowe his will in a cause not made knowne by any Letters before from him or by any sufficient testimony otherwise that it was his order In the 24. Paragraffe F. Parsons would seeme to giue good counsell although in all that goeth before he sheweth how litle he careth to follow any but rather aduentureth to say or doo what commeth into his minde and seeketh afterward to perswade such as against whom he worketh to haue patience and say nothing but be peaceable not to finde fault or blame any his proceedings least that tumults arise thereon as who did resolue rather to goe through with whatsoeuer he attempteth then to recall or reclaime himself at any time when he hath done amisse for proofe whereof he caused this Letter as it appeareth in the 6. Paragraffe to be cōmunicated to others beside those to whom it was writtē who shuld also publish it further without any
shame as it is to be feared of the follies or conscience for the vntruthes conteined therein and with as much breuitie as the matter would suffer declared in this Censure DOCTOR BYSHOPS AN swere to Fa. Parsons Letter of the 9. of October 1599. YOur Letters Father of the 9. of Octob. came late vnto my hands being by you sent about as it were in circuit open to be read coppied out by diuers others before they should come vnto me Meete it was surely that so odde a storie might not runne the ordinarie course of vulgar Letters but against the propertie of missiues and contrary also to common ciuility be communicated first to others and last to him vnto whom they principally belong Yet truly when I heard of others the purport and contents of them I had no great delight to looke vpon them but let them lie by me more then a moneth ere I read them once ouer so vnwilling haue I alwaies bene and yet am to giue my minde to such troublesome businesse which is like to drawe me from a desired repose into the lists of an vnpleasing dispute and that with those who pretend to be as in equitie they should be my verie good friends I had also long before often heard of many slaunderous rumors raised of me vniustly and seene some flying Letters stuffed full of misconstruction of my actions yet I remained silent not without the offence of diuers honest and wise personages for that I spared to write in defence of my owne innocencie and to purge and cleare my selfe from iniurious calumny But I knowing my poore credit to be a matter of small moment and fearing least to treate of such a pittifull subiect might be some hinderance vnto the Catholique cause did preferre the common good before my priuate interest our blessed Lords honour before mine owne reputation leauing vnto his omnipotent diuine dispositiō the successe and euent of the whole matter And so putting vp patiently those iniuries passed ouer the time in silence quietly vntill that now Father you haue by addressing such Letters vnto mee rowsed mee as it were out of my quiet Lodge and doo presse mee either to acknowledge for true that which I take in many pointes to swarue much from the truth or to declare and shewe what I knowe concerning those matters Wherefore being verie sure that the honour of God his cause cannot be stained by a true defence of my selfe his poore seruant from dishonour and that it needeth not as the Prophet saith our lying but is rather by truth and equitie vpholden maintained I will set downe the veritie of that affaire as before almightie God my iust Iudge most sincerely and withall so temperately as that no vpright and in different Reader shall haue reason to be offended with me Yet to speake after my manner plainly I cannot Father but mistrust least you will not take it well for you haue alreadie shewed your selfe to haue bene mooued with my former Letters which only had friendly requests and admonitions how much the more are these likely to trouble you which carry in them also free yet friendly reprehensions which vnto a high and hotte stomacke are of much harder digestion But to mittigate the matter consider I pray you how vnwillingly and as it were enforced by your selfe I come at length to set penne to paper and what liberties by God and all good men are allowed vnto all sorts of persons speaking in their own defence and then remembring how you haue taken in accusing of vs a rethoricall license you cannot in equitie and reason but approue and like in vs defendants a modest Christian libertie of speech And so desiring you to prepare your selfe vnto some small patience I come now to the answere of your Letters In the beginning whereof you write that no one Letter appeared as then from mee to you accusing my long silence and within ten lines after you say that that weeke you receiued a Letter from me of an old date to the which you answere What Riddle I pray you may this be No Letter appeared from me to you when you began to write and yet that week you had receiued a Letter from mee what was the Letter you receiued inuisible that it appeared not in his likenesse when you receiued it Yet it appeareth by your particular replie vnto the parts thereof that you had throughly seene and perused it To say that after you began your Letter you were a weeke ere you came vnto the tenth line of it that mine came in the meane season were ridiculous What then remaineth but that in the first period of your Letter there is either some egregious equiuocation or euident vntruth which fell out by God his prouidence as I take it verie fitly to forewarne your Readers what credit they may giue vnto much of that which followeth For if in the verie first lines they find such apparant vanitie voluntarily vttered without anie iust cause let them iudge what conclusion and dubling is like to be deuised when it will serue for an aduantage Correspondent vnto this ouersight is that bad construction which you make of my former letters but that it sauoureth a litle more of an vncharitable minde In them I gaue you to vnderstand that they by whom I passed not all sorts of people as you report misliked much of your rigorous dealing and therefore desired you for the loue of our generall cause to vse more mildnesse You hereof inferre that I am fallen into temptation and much changed from that I was In this your collectiō I find two faults the one in that you insinuate that then I spake placentia but that now I writ acerba There indeed I often refrained franckly to speake what I thought because it was like to do you small good and more then like to do me much harme yet I manie times to your selfe and to those who would tel you all greeuously complained of your seuere and rigorous kind of carriage towards your countrimen of all sortes much vnseeming as me thought your priuate person more dissonant from your holy profession and very ill suting both with the times we liue in and the parties you haue to deale withall The other fault more fowle in my opinion is that of a friendlie admonition you gather a falling out because I went about to perswade you to be more milde kinde and curteous towards your own countrymen who otherwise endure sorrow inough you iudge me fallen from your friendship into a daungerous temptation and to haue incurred many I know not what greeuous sinnes and censures but I am not greatly dismaid at these your bigge words and terrifying consequents when as I finde them to be as this is erronious in the light of nature and condemned euen by the Heathen Philosophers who like well approue and commend as verie dutifull among deare friends not onlie exhortations which I then vsed for the loue I bare you but also
yeares no maruaile though simple witted men who desire not to straie from the holie steps of our forefathers were at the first not a little amazed at it and could not be so verie easilie induced to approue it This also besides the noueltie of it being much more odious and intollerable as it was then proposed then anie other gouernment that our predecessors had euer liued vnder For hauing full and absolute power to punish rigorously and that as it were at pleasure and discretion it had no facultie ioyned with it or abilitie to benefit or do anie good at all no not so much as vpon amendment of the partie punished to restore vnto him againe that hee had taken away from him before If now he haue more ample authoritie he may thanke our complaints which were no smal cause of it And herevnto his Iniunctions whereof more in an other place that Priestes should not meete together priuilie in our countrie that they should not secretlie send vnto their friends ouer the sea whereas openlie they can doo no such thing as all the world knoweth and tell vs I pray you when and where euer you heard of such an Ecclesiastical gouernment in anie Christian countrie before that sacred Priests the free children of God his familie so greatlie priuiledged by all good Christian Princes should be I know not by whom in such a seruile sort yoaked Againe this punishing authoritie cannot be wel practised in England during this heate of persecution and therefore seemed to be frustrate and giuen in vaine for by the Canon lawe which is the common rule of spirituall causes as by all other lawes no punishment ought by sentence of Iudge to be inflicted vpon the offender not confessing the action before he be by order of lawe conuicted Confession of the fault is sildome in that Court or neuer to be expected wherefore lawfull defence is to be graunted vnto anie person accused before he be condemned But no processe according vnto order of lawe can be framed followed so long as we haue hotte persecutors laying waite euerie where to apprehend vs. For to omit all other difficulties which in practise will be founde to be verie manie where can a safe place be found to assemble the parties their witnesses Proctors together and there to hold as it were an Assize for the determination of their controuersies which to be necessarie Lancelot a man singularly seene in both lawes and authour of the institutes of the Canon law setteth downe which he taketh out of the Canon lawe Extra de appell cap ex parte tua see also the glosse there which both require a secure place both for the parties Proctors and witnesses or else holdeth them for excused if they appeare not Institu L. 3. Tit. s. § Locus in these words Tunc enim ius dicenti impune non paretur si locus citatione designatus pestilens sit aut alias pro citato male tutus Then may a man freely not obey him that ministreth iustice wheÌ„ the place in the citation assigned is infected with the plague or otherwise not safe for the partie cited Now euerie Catholicke knoweth that there is no place in our Country free from daunger for Priests to assemble together such diligent watch and ward being laide in euerie shire to apprehend them And who will be so simple as to allow them a hall in his house for their pleadings whereby he that cannot start doth cast himselfe into a hundreth perills of loosing not onely all his goods and libertie but his life also and inheritance A place of assurance then cannot in these times be appointed for the appearance hee therefore is warranted by lawe not to appeare although he be cyted by his lawful magistrate And so no action can be commenced much lesse determined by this authoritie of the Arch-priest and consequently such penall power is to small purpose in our Country This subordination then being extrauagant without example of antiquitie hatefull as hauing power to punish but not to pleasure and scarcely possible to be now practised in our Countrie had we not great reason to certifie his holinesse of the inconueniences of it and in humble sort to sue vnto him for remedie and redresse before hee put to his hand vnto the confirmation of it And this you must needs much more easily grant if you consider how this subordination was procured and gotten for it seemeth to haue bene by false information which alone is sufficient to ouerthrow the whole authoritie My proofe shal be pregnant taken out of the verie letters Patents of the Archpriest where are these words Rationes pro illa subordinatione ab ipsis Sacerdotibus Anglis redditae S.mo D. N. probatae fuerunt The reasons by the English Priests themselues exhibited for that subordination vnto his holinesse were well liked Marke I pray you how this subordination was obtained at the suite and perswasion of the Priests in England Now I appeale vnto the consciences of my louing bretheren the Priests then in England whether euer they had heard of anie such stratagem or straunge subordination before they felt it as it were clapped on their shoulder sure I am for the most part of them howsoeuer they were M. Iames â—tand who had giuen his name to be a â—esuite and was the man who by Fa. Parsons subâ—rnation imâ—loyed himselfe in this action confessed before diuers priests â—t his return â—hat he had â—n interpreâ—atiue consent of the Priests in England drawne afterwards to accept of it by flatterie fraude or threats that they neuer dreamed of it before they sawe it so farre off were they from deuising and tentering perswasions vnto his holinesse for the admitting of it I will not deny but that some one Priest who had bene in England being then idle in Rome might by euill counsaile and subornation take vpon him to be sent of the whole bodie and so contrary vnto conscience and good order speake in their names that neuer sent him But what was graunted vpon such vntrue suggestion euery man knoweth to be of no force and validitie and that we in England had iust cause to certifie his holinesse by trustie messengers how we were greatly abused by theÌ„ who vsed our names to obtain that exorbitaÌ„t deuise which we neither desired nor liked but rather that it would please his holinesse to establish among vs that sound Ecclesiastical Hierarchy which was instituted by the wisdome of God had bin euer sithence in time of persecutioÌ„ as wel as in peace obserued in all Christian Nations that he would I mean giue vs Bishops the successors of the Apostles and onely ordinary Pastours of God his Church who might confirme consecrate oyles and bring many other of God his blessings among vs. But not to digresse from my purpose The third cause why this subordination did mislike vs was for that it came not authentically from his holinesse by Bull Breue or any other lawfull instrument but
nothing sutable with the grauitie and waight of the matter which required much more mature deliberation Moreouer when by word of mouth he broached the same his authoritie vnto certaine Priests he to amend the matter withall added thervnto somewhat of his owne and being forthwith taken tardie hee did presently cōfesse that he indeed put therto somewhat as honest Priests on their oathes will testifie This gaue a great presumption that the matter was contriued by their friends and that they might adde or diminish at their pleasure Which is more probable if we call to mind and marke what instructions he gaue forth at the first as receiued from the Cardinall Among others were these that Priests should not meet secretly together that they should not send any priuie messages ouer the seas that they should take in good part whatsoeuer was either written or spoken against them and such like which are not in the rowle of his instructions sent him from the Cardinall as euerie bodie may see and I can by producing a true copie of them when need shall be euidently demonstrate and besides are so voide of reason so odious and intollerable in our Country especially at this time when Priests cannot meete together or do any thing but in secret that a babe might plainly feele them neuer to haue proceeded from his holinesse or from anie noble free or compassionate heart but to sauour of I know not what base minde too too much addicted to terror crueltie and seruitude I will that I be not ouerlong omit diuers other pregnant forcible reasons which we had of sending vnto Rome this onely I may not leaue behinde which of it selfe were a sufficient cause to sue and speak for redresse in season vz. that in the whole drift of this subordination extreame partialitie was apparantly shewed which as the world knoweth was no good meanes to appease all parties to ende their debates the onely cause pretended of this lately erected authoritie namely to accord the Priests and Iesuites as the Letters Pattents specifie Now that controuersies be wel decided and all honest parties agreed it was meete perdie to choose vpright and indifferent Iudges and Arbiters who should without fauour feare loue or hatred waigh euerie mans cause vprightly in the ballance of equitie and without respect of persons giue sentence according to iustice This is a principall in iudgement so cleare by the light of nature that it is graunted of verie Pagans yet in our cause very badly obserued for both the Arch-priest and his counsellours vnto whom the determination of our causes are to be referred were all chosen by the one partie with a speciall prouiso that no one be admitted vnto that number who did not greatly fauour the same partie howe contrary soeuer they were vnto the other partie it imported not yea perhaps the more earnestly bent against them the rather elected Had not trow you the other poore partie iust cause to refuse such Vmpeeres and Iudges that were so alienated from them and such fauourites of the aduerse partie and to preuent the vniust sentences that were like to follow of this partialitie to flie in time for refuge vnto their lawfull superiour And if in all pettie iudgements euery priuate man is allowed by lawe an exception against a partiall Iudge how much more is the same to be graunted vnto many auncient graue worthie men in a generall cause of a Country Two proper points of pollicy I obserue in this election the one in choosing the Officers so plyant to their pleasures that they may be the more readie to runne byaz when it will serue their turnes And yet because men are mutable to hold them in awe their authorities might be taken from them what time soeuer the Cardinall thought good as in the points it is to be seene but let this goe because I touched it before the other peece of pollicy yet more fine is that the Arch-priest himselfe who is appointed to giue iustice vnto both parties hath power only ouer the one partie none at all ouer the other so that the one he may by censures seuere punishment constraine to stand to his definitiue sentence but the other needs not to care for him any further then that he may vse him to plague his aduersarie Vt sibi caueat loco These hardy champions hold it not sufficient to haue the fauour of the Court for them but for feare of after claps wil haue also their persons exempted from the principal magistrate and reserue themselues onely to their owne Fathers iudgement which must be sought for also farre inough off from Rome and that in forme of supplication if I mistake not much the Arch-priests instructions Here seemeth to be the place to answere to that sentence of yours Father where you tel vs in good sadnesse that many yeares you demaunded with your friends for this subordination I beleeue you surely considering that neither you would haue yours comprehended in it and yet you would haue the appointing of all the Officers and ordering almost of all matters belonging to it But say you it was thereby to deliuer the Societie from that calumniation vsed to be laid against them that they would gouerne the Priests against theirs wills and you had some reason so to say if you had suffered the Priests to haue chosen their gouernours according to their owne wills desires but you putting in and choosing such commaunders as at your becke should be readie to doo whatsoeuer you will doo manifestly prooue that saying to be no calumniation but a plaine demonstration of your incroaching vpon the gouernments of priests much further then your profession or vocation doth require For by the ordinarie course of the Church religious men are to be gouerned by some of the lay Cleargie and not the Cleargie by them Well to drawe towards the end of my former part this subordination being both straunge in the Church of God hatefull of itself and not to be exercised in our countrey in these times it being also procured as it seemeth by false suggestion authorized by him that was not knowne to haue any such authoritie and finally by partiall election of the gouernours tending vnto the oppression of many notable personages who had excellently well deserued of our countrey by their long and fruitfull trauells yet remaineth euident and most manifest that wee had sundry iust lawfull and great causes in humble sort to sue vnto our superiours for a mitigation or alteration of it and for establishing of some better and more fit for our countrey Whereof appeareth first how vaine that vaunt of yours is where you say that we came and brought nothing with vs and that you were ashamed to see that wee had taken so long a iourney and had so litle to say when besides the causes before mentioned we had many other points also of importance in our message As to desire and sue for Bishops or at least that the
facultie to confirme and to consecrate oyles whereof our countrey standeth in very great need might be giuen vnto some of our auncient Priests with diuers such like which were not vnknowne vnto you wherefore I maruell with what conscience you can say that wee brought no matter of substance or worth our trauell Secondly out of the premisses followeth that the loue of God his cause the zeale and earnest desire of some good order for peace vnitie mooued mee at the earnest request and solicitations of many godly and graue Priests to forgoe the company of my deare friends to contemne mine owne ease and commoditie and to put my selfe vnto the paine daunger and part also of the cost of such a long perillous iourney and not ambition as many of your dependants haue with euill conscience bruted abroad in diuers coasts and one of the societie an especiall correspondent of yours did not blush to write that we in Rome had confessed that nothing but ambition incited vs to this iourney of which I certified you in my former Letters and you writ that you cannot beleeue that any body would giue out any such impudent reports but I assure you that I haue seene it written and can haue their Letters produced when time shall serue to confront the shamelesse spreaders of such slaunderous rumours And albeit you cleare me of that crime most willingly as you write yet as men that speake hollowly and not from the heart you giue forth some suspitions out of other mens speeches and lay downe in their names your reasons for confirmation of them The first is that in the papers we brought with vs there were voyces for our promotion I answere that with those papers I was not much acquainted as one that neither gathered them nor carried them and full well I knowe and protest that by accord among our selues it was determined before I resolued to take that iourney that they which were sent should not accept of any preferment willingly although it were offered them least they should giue their euill willers occasion to carpe at them rather to seeke their owne particular then their generall good Their second reason is for that in a foolish Letter de presidētijs incerto autore a request is made that wee should bee made not Bishops onely but Arch-bishops forsoothe and such a ragmans rowle there is in it of which is the first dignitie after the Bishop which is the second and so as farre as I remember vnto aboue twentie that any foole almost may see that Letter to haue bin contriued to worke our disgrace and so as a fiction not worth the answering Their last reason was for that in an other Letter of I know not whose the phrase is of your L L for your Lordships but this Letter would neuer be shewed although it were most instantly desired because they said it to be from a very friend of ours a general answer vnto these Letters is that it is easie for those that list to deuise what Letters wil best serue for their turnes and then make great matter out of them But howsoeuer it were yea admit that all were true as they say yet nothing else can be prooued out of them then that many wished and desired our preferment whereof whosoeuer would gather that wee were ambitious and desirous of honour I will boldly say that his wits begin to faile him if they euer were good For the humblest men in the world and those that were farthest off from ambition were euer thought most meete and were most desired to take the charge and dignitie of the best seates God make me as free from all vaine desire of worldly promotion as were S. Barnard S. Francis S. Thomas of Aquine and such like most learned and vertuous and withall most meeke and humble personages who neuerthelesse were greatly desired euen of the greatest to take vpon them great and high dignities In a word it was no ambition in vs that others wished and desired our preferment And as I afore said their wits weare apace and are neare the wane that of so vaine and light surmises iudged vs ambitious and their consciences fowly cankered and corrupted who of so weake and slender presumptions went about by writing or speaking to impaire our credits and to hurt our good names Heere I would finish this part but that I take it very expedient and almost necessarie to touch by the way vntill a fit confutation come which will be shortly if the Author supposed will auouch it as one of the best of the societie thinketh he will not Fa. Maior to touch I say in a word or two a sawcie rude and vnlearned discourse intituled Contra factiosos in Ecclesia Listers Treatise because the drift of it is to proue that we were so farre off from hauing good cause to send to Rome about that matter that we were all Schismatickes who did not at the first sight of the Cardinalls Letters receiue the Archpriest without anie more adoo to haue cōmitted many other enormious crimes I am sorie to see such a base peece of work so childishly handled to proceed from one who if hee did not despise others that might haue sometimes bene his good masters as Dwarffes in diuinitie Homūciones enim vocat take himself to be some huge Giant were to bee esteemed to haue much better skill in schoole diuinitie thē he at his first comming to light amongst vs hath made shewe of And trulie I had rather thinke it to proceed from some other not so honest a man and a meaner scholler it is so void of learning so full of arrogant approbrious tearmes and hath so many pergoes and properoes odde interrogations and preposterous exclamations All which are nothing vsuall among schoole-men Well whosoeuer it be besides diuisions the penalties that ensue of schisme and much other impertinent stuffe it hath but one bare ground of that badde assertion which seemeth also to hang vpon gimballes as they speake in my Country for it standeth vpon a proportion or similitude this it is in forme That is schisme in the Ecclesiasticall state which is rebellion in a ciuil Common-weale but in a ciuil state it is rebellion not to receiue a temporall magistrate chosen by the King and recommended by his Letters therfore it was schisme not to receiue a spirituall magistrate elected by the Pope and by his Letters sent vnto vs. This is his argument in substance framed in as good order as it can be but it concludeth not nor prooueth any thing at all for to speake plainlie all the propositions parts of it be faultie the Maior or first proposition taken of a similitude is verie feeble for Argumentum a simili as the learned hold Magis valet ad ornandū orationem quam ad aliquid probandum it serueth more properly to trimme vp and florish out a matter that is well prooued then to be the maine ground of a
any were scandalized at this our orderly repaire vnto our ordinarie superiours let the wise iudge whether it were Scandalum datum or acceptum I should now according to the order I proposed examine and confute sundrie false calumniations which you let fall by the way as that we deposed we had nothing else to say and that wee could not name a dozen Priests for vs and as your followers amplifying such flying tales reported wee had not halfe a dozen that gaue vs their suffrages when we had twentie nine in writing with vs some of them speaking also for others and yet neither sought for many nor staide about that matter but contenting our selues with some of the most auncientest most learned and of best reputation in our Countrey trusted to the waight of reason which we had on our side and to the equitie of the magistrates before whom we went to present our selues Againe how ridiculous was it to expect of them that are to be so narrowly searched when they passe out of the Countrey that they bring their testimonies with them in great sheetes of paper as though the vertue of witnesses lay in the bignesse of the paper and that we should haue brought some Princes Letters patents with a broad Seale at them whereas the magistrates are our enemies These and many such like I will leape ouer that I may at length come to an end and if my Letter seeme long let the blame be imputed vnto yours which in answere to halfe a dozen lines grew into two sheetes of paper and a halfe if it be thought too sharp let it be well waighed whether men first hardly vsed in fact and afterwards by wordes and Letters much damnified in their credits haue not iust cause to write roundly and if you like not to be so freely reprehended be not so lauish of your penne for vnlesse my foresight faile me you are like hereafter to be no more spared of many then you spare others Wherefore to drawe vnto a conclusion apply to your selfe some part of the good counsell you gaue me in the latter end of yours haue patience with whatsoeuer falleth out and perswade your selfe that he which offendeth many is sure to be offended by many wherefore holding your selfe within the bounds of your religion meddle with other mens matters as litle as you may and if for the common good of our countrey you please to be doing take rather the way of mildenesse which winneth mens hearts then of rigour which lightly offendeth all Follow the noble prudent and admirable steps of that rare ornament of our countrey and singular light of the Catholique Church Cardinall Allen who carried himselfe so courteously towards all men so charitably and withall so wisely that he was able to haue done with vs Priests what he would most easily and did hold the Laie Gentlemen in such a reuerend and louing awe that albeit some of them were verie prone to contentions quarels yet his authoritie and counsaile so brideled and raigned all exorbitant humors that in his time to his perpetuall praise no great flames of dissention burst out especially amongst vs Priests when you taking the contrary course of seuerity haue made an open breach amongst vs alreadie and God knoweth what may fall out heereafter if you looke not vnto it in time which because you are wise I hope you wil do and so shall you purchase vnto your selfe much more good will and quietnesse in this life and better assurance if I be not farre deceiued of euerlasting repose ioy in the life to come the which with all my heart I wish you and so humbly commending my selfe vnto you I take my leaue the 10. of Aprill Anno. 1600. Yours in his praiers William Bishop A LETTER OF Mr. MV TO Father Parsons WEll well Fa. Parsons I pray God send you a more sincere and quiet spirit I finde that true daily more and more which oftē I haue heard good Cardinal Allein Father Holt and others of your owne coate report of you that you were a man of too violent and hard a nature It were high time that you should permit your selfe vs to carrie our gray haires in peace to our graues The trouble and scandall you haue wrought in our Church these late yeares by your polliticke courses doo quite cancell all your former desert Was our peace and vnion made at the comming of his holines Breue and the most iniurious calumnie of schisme and enormious disobedience to the See Apostolicke raised and cōtinued most presumptuously against vs our ghostly children by your societie here to the greeuous scandall of our whole Nation was it I saie put vp by vs and for loue of peace and vnion forgiuen that presently after we had receiued the authoritie and submitted our selues to it you and yours might more safely and liberally renew the infamie against vs and by the Arch-priestes authoritie assured to you in whatsoeuer you listed to attempt against any at your pleasures persecute and oppresse vs You haue in the highest degree dishonored iniured Peters Chaire whiles by your cunning you so enormiouslie abused our bretheren as good doubtlesse as your selfe appealing and comming in all humble dutiful manner to the Apostolicke See defaming them and auerting his Ho. minde from them as from vile and badde persons by your vntrue reports before they came and procuring a most impious and horrible thing to be recounted for perpetuall yet hateful memorie of your fact them to be imprisoned as notorious malefactors before they had bene heard stopping vp all meanes of accesse to his holines and your selfe playing their Iaylour a fit office doubtlesse for so well disposed a religious person and finally procuring their hard banishment to no lesse dishonour to the See Apostolicke abused by your information then to your owne perpetuall ignominie And whiles you haue done all this by abuse of the supreame authoritie through your vnconscionable and vntrue informations you giue all our Nation here cause enough neuer to admire or hereafter to exclaime against the iniquitie of aduersaries who may truly iustifie themselues in their hard proceedings against vs by these vnconscionable courses of yours A lamentable case that now by the polliticke shifts of one person of religious profession orderly appealing to S. Peters Chaire must be thought a trespasse and punished as a greeuous crime Our statute of Premunire may well be repealed now Father Parsons a Iesuite hath laid a plot sufficient enough to hinder appellation or accesse to the See of Rome Is it possible this iniquitie of yours should be kept secret from the world Is it possible his holinesse and the gratious Cardinalls you haue so notably abused should neuer be brought to knowe the innocencie of vs whom you haue thus wronged and persecuted in our bretheren and neuer can cease to afflict Will they neuer thinke you finde out your deceit and by iust discussion of our cause relieue our miseries and repay you