the Religious howses Hee would create your protestants words and mayntayne 40. Earles 60. Barons 3000. knights and 40. thowsand souldiers with skilfull captaines and competent mayntenance for them all for euer out of the auntient church reueneues and the people should bee noe more charged with loanes subsidies and fifteens Of all these blessings and benefites wee are spoyled and by your Religion depriued And not onely wee that now bee catholicks in England but all faythfull soules allready departed out of this world and those that ar not yet borne if they shall bee of the posteritie of those holy founders to bee prayed for to the end of the world by those Religious fowndations and al pore hungry bodyes â—ere releiued with those donations which â—otestant tymes haue conuerted to vanities â—d that which is vnchristian to persecute the â—eligion which fownded these holy howses â—nd with such vehemency and cruelty wee ar â—ersecuted as you haue before acknowledged our lawes records registers our miseries â—alamities and martyrdomes haue published â—o all the world Edw. howe 's in his historial preâ—reface in kinge Henry 8. All this you doe vnto vs vnder pretence â—hat wee will not forsake our holy Religion â—oe firmely and vndoubtedly proued by soe â—any vndeniable testimonies in your owne â—udgments that wee cannot bee deceaued exâ—ept God which is vnpossible can deceaue â—s And in remayninge and persisting wherein â—nd following and frequentinge that order which it prescribeth the sacrifice and Sacraments which it vseth wee shall by your best â—earned protestants writing with your publick â—riuiledge bee sure to bee saued when contraâ—ywise if wee should bee soe gracelesse as for â—eare of torments and afflictions to harken vnto you in matters of Religion the same your â—est learned protestant Bishops and others asâ—ure vs agayne wee shall come into a fallible â—eceaueable and actually erroneus Religion â—nd consequently shall bee damned for euer â—oue prot Bish. persuas Feild l. of the church pag. â—7 182 Couel def of Hooker pag. 68.73.76 Feild pag. 69. willet Antilog pag. 144. Theater of greaâ— Brit. Saxons Sam. Daniel hist. c. Feild pag. 20â— Isaac Casaub praef respons ad Gard. Peron Doâ— persuas Morton Apolog. part 2. pag. 315. willâ— Antilog praef to the Read vniuersities answeare 〈◊〉 the mill pet Confer at Hampt pag. 47. Protest Râ— lat of that conference printed by Ioh. windet in thrâ— seuerall copies 1.2.3 And if God and the truth of his holy causâ— mayntayned in our bookes against you haâ— not inforced and necessitated these your publicke writers thus publickly to condemnâ— you and forwarne vs from communicatingâ— with you in these affaires yett the lamentable and desolate experience it selfe in your parlaments of king Henry 8. k. Edward 6. Q. Elizabeth c. crieth out vnto the world that all the parlaments and princes supreame heads of Religion by you haue beene deceaued and deceaued all that followed them in these things Kinge Henry 8. was the first parlament of k. Henr. 8. after an Reg. 22. and was herein contrary to all antiquitie contrary to k. Edward his sonne parlam Edw. 6.1.2.3 daughter Elizabeth parlam 1. Elizab. iniunctionis of Q. Eliz. an 1. and kinge Iames. Articles of Relig. ann 1562 and to himselfe by diuers parlaments and his Religion dead with him and condemned by you Kinge Edward was contrary to his father his sister to you and to himselfe in diuers publicke parlaments and his publick iniunctions Queen Elizabeth was in the same â—se of contradiction to her father brother to â—u and herselfe by publicke practice parlaâ—ent proclamations and iniunctions in lesse â—me then three quarters of one yeare And â—uchinge that peece of her first parlament â—herein shee condemned the masse there was â—ot one diuine Bishop or other that gaue coÌ„â—ent or could giue it vnto her but all against â—nd their extrauagant proceedings therein were such as they bee related by your owne â—ntiquaries Cambden Howes and others â—hat Paganisme Turcisme Epicurisme Iudaisâ—ne Atheisme or any other heresie might as â—asely haue beene settled here as protestaÌ„tisme was which is not here to bee entreated King â—ames our present soueraigne is generally taâ—en to bee to too wise and learned to learne Religion of such Tutors Cambden in Apparat. â—d Annal. in Annal. in Elizabeth Howe 's histoâ—iall preface in Q. Elizabeth and others Kinge Henry the 8. desired at his death as â—rotestant histories sufficiently insinuate and â—iuers then liueing in his Court haue testified â—o bee reconciled to the church of Rome and â—n one of his laste Acts the inscription of his Tombe doth playnely omitt and relinquish â—or euer his pretended supreamacie And in his â—ast will and testament Howes supr in k. Henr. 8. â—towe an vlt. Henr. 8. in his laste will testameÌ„t â—rdeyned preists masses soe odious now and cheifest cause pretended of our perfection to continue in England to the end of the world willinge and chardgeinge the words of his will prince Edward his sonne all his executors all his heires and successors that should bee kings of this Realme as they will answeare before almightie God at the dreadfull day of iudgment that they euerie of them doe see it performed Exempl an 1. Edw. 6. die 14. Februar Kinge Edward 6. was but a child but both hee and his protectors by which hee was ruled should haue beene ruled by this will yet as protestants vle to doe presently breaking it for their worldly ends and breingeing in the protestant Religion Foxe to 2. Acts and monum in k. Henr. 8. and an 1. Edw. 6. The cheife Actor and Author of those proceedings the Duke of Northumberland Lord protector when hee came to dy renownced protestant Religion for heresie and as your protestant histories tell vs Stowe histor an 1. of Queen Mary and others was reconciled vnto and dyed in the vnitie and faith of the Romane church For Queene Elizabeth shee as some noble men and diuers ladyes of honor can informe you and some haue soe testified died noe good protestant neither could endure the sight of her protestant Bishops at that time protested in her life to the lady Saint-Iohn widowe to the Lord Oliuer Saint-Iohn of Bleâ—soe Deus testis soe shee confidently related and said see could shew that Queenes letters to that purpose that she would haue liued a Catholike but for her ouer-ruling Protestant Counsaile naminge some of them no happie members of this kingdome which your Proteâ—tant historians giue way vnto that she did very often before such men by politick deuises withâ—rew her from it frequent the Sacraments of Confession of the blessed bodie of Christ Masse â—nd the rites of Catholike Religion Edw. Howes historicall preface in Queene Elizabeth and proâ—ested in publicke Parlament neuer to vexe or â—rouble the Romane Catholikes concerning any difference in Religion Like was the case of William Cecile Lord Burleigh hir great Counsailor both â—or his Religion in that time and at his death charged his
of conscience King Iames in Parlament therefore of himselfe he did not thinke vs worthie to be persecuted or inthralled but rather lightned of those miseries as his next wordes a warrant I was so far from encreasing their burdens with Roboam as I haue so much as either time occasion or lawe could permit lightned them And in his censure against Conradus Vorstius the Dutch heretike recounting the differences betweene protestants and vs hee findeth not one for which we may be persecuted but the contrary At his comming in he set the Catholikes and Priestes at libertie gaue free pardons vnto all of them both priests and others that would sue them foorth and paye foure or fiue Nobles at the moste for them to the Lorde Chancellour In those pardons hee remitted both the guilt and danger from priesthood and much more then any of vs had transgressed in he stiled vs as our dignities discentes or callings were gentlemen priestes or of what degree dignitie or preeminence soeuer he were his belooued subiects which wordes and state are incompatible wtth the name of Treason in those pardons hee pardoned whatsoeuer could be in any rigour interpreted to be within the daunger of that Lawe both our comming into England and abyding and remayninge heere so that by pardon being dead they cannot possiblie be reuiued because the graunt is irreuocable Our comming in was but one indiuiall acte and offence in Lawe and so remitted cannot be offence our continuance and remayning so long as we doe not reiterate it againe by going foorth and comming in the second time is also but one particular singular and indiuidual action without discontinuance one ens fluens as all such not interrupted be an hower a daye a weeke a moneth a yeare a life an age and the like This all philosophie common reason whereon our common law is and must be founded teacheth vs. Thus diuers protestāt good lawyers haue answered thus his Maiestie esteemed when hearing of a priest named M. Freeman put to death for his priesthood by the Iudges of Warwicke soone after his Maiesties comming hither with signe of sorrow answered Alas poore man had he not foure nobles to buye his pardon by which he concluded that a priest being pardoned for his priesthood could not after for being a priest be put to death or tearmed a traytour or indanger his friends and receauers but was a free and lawfull true subiect from that imputation His Maiestie also allowed the times of Constantine for times of true Religion and the Roman Church then and after to be the true our mother Church and not to be departed from Then wee may not so vnder-value the learning and iudgement of our learned and Soueraigne in diuinitie and histories but he well knoweth which no learned man is ignorant of that in the time of Constantine the Church of Rome had the same holy sacrifice of Masse and the same holy sacrifycing priesthood which now it hath which I will hereafter demonstrate by the best learned protestant antiquaries of this nation as also that the Church of Rome at the reuolt of King Henry the 8. was the same in all essential things which it was in that prefixed time of Constantine And to be liberal to my needy protestant contrymen in this case I say that the Church of Rome the Religion of the Priests of England their priesthood and sacrifice of the Masse is the same which were in Rome and in this Iland also in S. Peters time in euery age without interruption since then vnto these dayes of Protestants And if we may beleeue Isaac Casaubon the stipendarie champion for the Protestants of England who saith ab ore regis accepi and haec est Religio Regis Angliae c. Isaac Casaubon contra Cardinal Peron Pag. 50.51.52 I haue it from the Kings mouth this is the Religion of the King this is the Religion of the Church of England The fathers of the Primatiue church did acknowledge one sacrifice in christian Religion that succeeded in the place of the sacrifice of Moses The sacrifice offered by Priests is Christs bodie and the same obiect and thing which the Romane Church beleeueth These and such things troubled the heads of some great Protestant persecutors in England their consciences being guiltie of some-what not good that they coulde not enduer the least clemency of his Maiestie towards his loyall and truest catholike subiects but olde stratagems and tragedies of Queene Elizabeths time must needes be renewed and playde againe to bring not only the Catholikes of England but their holy religion if possiblie it could be done into obloquie especiallie with his gratious Maiestie and thereupon an execrable and most damnable treacherie by gunpowder was to be inuented for a few wicked desperatly minded men to doe whom many protestants tearmed papists although the true Priests and Catholikes of England knew them not to bee such nor can any protestant truely say that any one of them was such a one as their lawes and proceedings against vs name Papists Popish recusants or the like What he was papist or protestant rich or poore noble or vnnoble of Courte or countrey that was inuentor of this horrible deuise I will not discusse but referre all indifferently minded men and of iudgement able to discerne the probable trueth in such a cause to the historie and circumstances thereof as they are set downe by the Protestant historian M. Ed. How 's histor of Engl. in King Iames. But to graunt to our Protestant persecutors for arguments sake that which I may not and they will as hardly proue that this wicked interprise was first inuented by Catesby and some of his consorts and that diuers of them were papists and had acquaintance with the chiefe Iesuite then in England who at least in confession knew of this conspiracie did not reueale it that there were foure of this cōpanie arraigned for the conspiracie three gentlemē though two of these Fauxe and Keyes were but seruing men as the fourth Thomas Bates styled yeomā that one Knight and three Esquires concealed it of which the Knight was so ignorant that as the Protestant relator of this matter saith at his death he spake these wordes Howes supr in Sir Edward Digby If he had knowne it first to haue bene so fowle a treason he would not haue concealed it to haue gayned a world Which he could not haue truely said if he had knowne it in particular in it selfe a most horrible damnable thing and the rest as this author writeth dyed penitent and besought all Catholikes neuer to attempt such a bloodie acte being a course which God did neuer fauour nor prosper Those that were vp in tumult with Catesby were as the Protestants relateth Howes supr neuer full fourscore strong besides many of their houshold seruants no doubt papists if their maisters were so forsooke them how erlie yet they diuulged many detestable vntruths against the king state
the protestants condemne some other Iesuits for this matter and among them Father Baldwyne yet hauing him prisoner diuers years vnder their strictest examination they at last dismissed him as innocent and guiltlesse therein that with honour And how-so-euer the case stood with the accused Iesuites we are euideÌ„tly taught by these greatest authorities that both priests and catholikes were vpon this pretence most vniustly persecuted although besides all these reasons wee by publicke consent both of Archpriest best learned cleargie and Catholikes presented and offered to maintaine our cause innocencie in these humble petitions and first to his maiestie in this maner TO THE MOST EXCEL-CELLENT and mightie Prince our gratious and dread Soueraigne IAMES by the grace of God King of great Britaine France and Ireland in the yeare 1605. iustifying the Innocencie of Catholikes and trueth of their holie Religion against all best learned protestant aduersaries Most gratious Soueraigne THe late intended conspiracie against the life of your royall maiestie the life vnion rule and direction to these vnited kingdomes was so heynous an impietie that nothing which is holy can make it legittimate no pretence of Religion can be alleaged to excuse it God and heauen condemne it men and earth detest it innocents bewaile it the nocent and vnhappie delinquents themselues in repentance haue lamented it and your dutiful religious and learned Catholikes Priests and others which haue endured most for their profession holde it in greatest horror and will sweare protest promise and performe to your Maiestie whatsoeuer loyaltie obedience and dutie is due from a subiect to his temporall prince by the word of God lawe of nature or hath bene vsed by the subiects of this kingdome to any your christian progenitors from the first to the last acknowledge and render to your honorable counsel and all magistrates in ciuill causes so much honor reuerence and submission and to all other protestant subiects like amitie and neighbourly affection as if they were of the same Religion which we professe Yet this is the miserable and distressed state of many thousands your most loyall and louing subiectes dread liege for their faithful dutie to God and a Religion taught in this kingdome and embraced by all your progenitors and our ancestors so many hundred yeares that euery aduersary may preach print against vs and make their challenge as though either for ignorance we could not or for distrust of our cause wee were vnwilling to make them answere or come to triall when quite contrarie we haue often earnestly and by all meanes we could desired to haue it granted with equal conditions against the most selected and best learned doctors of that Religion And at this present when your chiefest Protestant Clergie Bishops and others is assembled wee most humblie intreate this so reasonable a placet that although they will not as we feare euer consent to an indifferent choyce opposition and defence in questions yet at the least to auoyde the wonder of the world they will be content that we may haue publike audience of those articles opinions and practise for which we are so much condemned and persecuted If we shall not be able to defend or proue any position generally maintained in our doctrine to be conformeable to those rules in diuinitie which your Maiestie and the protestant lawes of England we can profer no more haue confirmed for holie the canonicall scriptures the first generall councels the dayes of Constantine and the primatiue Church let the penalties be imposed and executed against vs. If we performe it or this petition may not be admitted we trust that both our office to God and dutie to our Prince is discharged in this poynt Your royall person and that honorable Consistory now assembled are holden in your doctrine to be supreame sentencer euen in spiritual busines in this kingdome we therefore hope you wil not in a Courte from whence no appeale is allowed and in matters of such consequence proceede to iudgement or determine of execution before the arraigned is summoned to answere hath receaued or refused trial is or can be prooued guiltie If we be condemned and our cause be iust and religion true it is God not man against whom you proceede in sentence If our profession be erroneous and yet for consent with so manie nations and so long continuance it is lesse vnpunished you onely pardon the frailtie and ignorance of earthly men and fight not with the heauenly Denie not that to vs your euer true and obedient subiects in a religion so auntient which your collegued princes the King of Spaine and the Archduke do offer to the so many yeares disobedient Netherlandes vpon their temporall submittance in so late an embraced doctrine that which the Arrian Emperours of the Easte permitted to the Catholikes Bishops priestes Churches tolleration what the barbarian Vandals often offered and sometimes truely performed in Africke What the Turkish Emperour in Greece and Protestant Princes in Germanie and other places conformable to the examples of Protestant rulers not vnanswerable to your owne princely pietie pittie and promise no degust to any equally minded Protestant or Puritane at home a iubâ—ly to vs distressed a warrant of securitie to your Maiestie in all opinions from all terrours and dangers From which of what kinde soeuer we most humblie beseech the infinite mercie of Almightie God to preserue your Heighnes and send you your Queene and posteritie all happienesse and felicitie both in heauen and earth Amen Another petition of the Catholiks of England to his Maiestie at the same time REmember most worthie Prince not onely howe grieuous but how general the penalties against your catholikes be enacted and yet new threatnings be made that new more strange as nec inter geÌ„tes shall be ordeyned The bodies honors reputations and ritches of the husbands to be punished for their wiues religion and soules to which they are neither husbaÌ„ds nor superiours children to be taken froÌ„ their parents parents to be depriued of their education which Catholike princes doe not and in conscience cannot offer to Iewes themselues though in some opinions the slaues of Christians Children seruants kinsmen and neighbours to be made hired espials to betray their parents maisters kindred in things as vnlawful which the whole catholik world honoreth for holie Commendable arts functions of physicke and which haue no connexion with religion to be put to silence in catholikes The seuere penaltie twentie pounde a moneth for not monethly professing the protestant faith in churches when in all diuinitie the precept of profession of true and vndoubted faith in se ex se bindeth but seldome is to be encreased And others of such condition too many here to be mentioned and too grieuous and vnnatural we hope in your princely opinion to be concluded by a kings consent vnder fauour for all wee instance in one most heauie and generall in those of our deceased Queene All Priestes though neuer
so dutiful or obedient be censured for traytours equally with the greatest offendor in the sinne of treason when many guiltlesse soules of that sacred order would not for thousands of worldes once consent to any such or far inferiour offence A thing most strange and beyond all example that men in respect onely of their calling and function and that function so reuerenced by all our forefathers should without further cause be condemned as guiltie of so detestable a crime We defende holy Priesthood to be a Sacrament which being ordained by God cannot be changed by man Pope Prelate or humane power but remaining in all things substance and doctrine the same which in those daies when it was so honorably esteemed of all your Christian progenitors and when our mother church kept her first integritie by your heighnesse iudgement as we are reddie to make defence It is the honour of our King in heauen most mightie Soueraigne for which we continue in combate that religion which the whole catholike world in all generall councels popes doctors and learned men haue euer professed wherein this nation as our Protestants acknowledge was conuerted all our Christian ancestry embraced and which all princes in the schoole of Christ of whom your Maiestie is descended mayntained in theÌ„selues in their subiects That which is so general caÌ„not be surreÌ„dred by a smal number of one kingdome It is not in the power of man to resigne the honour of God if it will please your Maiestie to vouchsafe vs licence to request and grace to obtaine that your owne princely sentence censure may stande that wee ought not to departe further from the Romane Church our mother Church by your iudgement than shee is departed from her selfe when she was in her best and florishing state And that the time of Constantine was incorrupted in religion wee humbly againe offer tryal before your heignesse with equall conditions of schooles against the most selected and chosen protestant Bishops and doctors of your dominions to prooue or defend any or euery substantial article which wee now professe to be agreeable vnto and not dissenting the knowne publike Catholike doctrine of that mother Church in those your mentioned incorrupted dayes of Christianitie And seeing the disfauour and penalties against laye Catholikes are grounded vpon their recusancie to be present at your protestant seruice wee humblie beseech it may be called to memorie howe they haue protested in seuerall supplications one to your Maiestie before the ende of the laste parlament and the other to Queene Elizabeth in the twentie seuenth yeare of her raigne to be builded onely vpon feare of offending God To which their so long and manifolde disgraces losses imprisonments and sufferings are sufficient witnesse And for further triall thereof haue offered to repayre to your Protestant Churches and seruice without further exception if the learned of your Religion can and doe prooue to the learned of their profession that it may be performed without offence to God which is so much in the opinion of all diuines as any Christian subiects can offer in this case Thâ—s if your Protestant Cleargie doe refuse or doe not satisfie so Christian a request we hope your Maiestie beeing wise learned iuditious and gratious will perceaue that the seueritie of the lawes against them for that cause is not to be put in practise These things in most humble manner wee commende to your heighest and mercifull consideration And so desiring of the Almightie to graunt all happinesse and prosperitie to your Maiestie and posteritie wee conclude in all dutifull subiection with that auntient Father Tertullian in Apollget Wee will faithfully serue you in your Pallace we will accompanie other your subiects in the market wee will ioyne with them in the fielde against your nemies onely to you we leaue the Churches These two petitions were printed and presented to his Maiestie in the Parlament when the new oath was enacted and the foure remembred Priests appointed by the Arch-priest then to performe that challenge or petition likewise at the same time was presented to the Parlament by the handes of Sir Francis Hastings and Sir Richard Knightly two Puritanes of that Parlament from the chiefe Catholikes of England with the allowance of the Archpriest and his cleargie this petition following to the same purpose The humble petition of the chiefe Catholike Recusants of England presented to the heigh Court of Parlament in the yeare 1605. by the handes of Sir Francis Hastings and Sir Richard Knightly then of that house of Parlament to both which it was deliuered by the said Catholikes THe proceedings of that heigh Court of Parlament in the daies of our late Queene Elzabeth against the Catholike subiects of this kingdome were for seueritie far beyond example which they hoped for manie most iust reasonable true causes were to receaue their ende when shee should cease to liue and by death determine her personall quarrells and contentions against the Religion and Apostolike power of the Sea of Rome Especially by the ioyful and happie entrance Coronation of our most honoured King Iames most free from those tearmes wherewith she was intangled at temporall peace amitie and vnitie with that holy Sea with the sacred Empyre all Christian Kings and Princes by vndoubted royal discent the most lawful legitimate and rightful King of all these his vnited kingdomes Wee that be Catholiques in England and had euer bene so true and faithfull to the onely vnited true title of him and his blessed Mother and neuer entred into any dissotiation against it assuredly hoped hee would not singularlie drawe his sword of persecution against vs his most dutiful faithful and obedient subiects in whom he could finde nothing to reuenge or punish for he publickly protested in that Court of Parlament his mind was euer free from persecution or enthralling his subiects in matters of conscience and the burthens of Catholikes were rather to be lightned then with Roboam to be encreased king Iames speach in parlament 1. sess 1. But seeing all this notwithstanding your Parlament now assembled contrary to our hopes and otherwise our deseruings as wee hope haue bene doth rather presage an intended increase then either ceasing or mittigation of these our miseries and extreame afflictions we feare least silence in vs might be taken as an interpretatiue yeelding or consente that we are not altogether vnworthely afflicted with so strange calamities for the world cannot otherwise in wisdome censure that such punishment by so heigh a iudgemeÌ„t should be imposed vpon men subiects friends and kinsmen so generally except guiltie of some most heinous or execrable fact or offence against God our King and countrey Wherefore you must giue vs leaue in this perplexed case to contest against you in the humblest best maner we may and leaue it a memoriall to potesteritie that if you persist or proceede in persecution vve protest before God and in our consciences vve shal be vniustly persecuted If
vvould be to your Consistorie vvhole Religion to impose and multiplie penalties vpon vs these offers considered for not doing those things vvhich by your ovvne knovvledge your best learned in diuinitie on vvhose vvordes and vvarrant you hazard your soules cannot nor vvill not take vpon them to maintaine as lavvfull for vs to doe But if so many suites supplications reasons and examples vvill not call you to a contrary minde but you haue set vp your resolution vvithout any ansvvere or defence by vs to be our accusers iudges and executioners and singularly vvithout any example at all in the vvorld either of Christians or others to persist in vehemencie of persecution against our religion let vs finde you so far to harken vnto vs that to retaine the name of lavve-makers you vvill retaine some proportioÌ„ anologie as all so named must doe vvith the most auntient lavve of God of nature nations and this kingdome not to punish tvvice one and the same offence If by strong hand you will haue that to be offence which vve assure our selues is so far froÌ„ that name and nature that the contrary is great and heigh offence to God Non consurgat duplex tribulatio and afflixi te non iterum affligam and againe Deus non punit bis in idipsuÌ„ And as a double punishments is not to be inflicted for one offence so by these lavves pro mensura delicti erit plagarum modus vvhich our auntient lavves in our great charter of England follovve Nullus liber homo amercietur sed secundum modum delicti ipsius saluo tenemento suo Magna Charta cap. 14. Peruse if it please you but the heades of the punishments prouided against vs for sundry respects questionable vvhether any offence or no and shal perceaue that your lavvs do not impose you or prosecute such seuere penalties by many degrees vpon sins that certainly and by al iudgements are confessed and acknovledged to be sinnes yea and great sinnes against the lawe of God nature all nations this Kingdome By this we hope you vnderstand that if you wil haue example either in heauen or earth to follow your persecutions must die or must diminish for we haue yeelded ful satisfactioÌ„ to all your pretended reasons to persecute vs. That which remaineth wee desire you to consider what a resemblance there is or should be betweene yours the heaueÌ„ly court froÌ„ whence the irreuocable law is proceeded with great terror published Woe to theÌ„ that make vniust lawes and writing haue written iniustice that in iudgemeÌ„t they might oppresse the poore and do violence to the cause of the humble of my people that widdowes might be their prey and the spoyle of fatherles So beseeching the almightie that in these and other causes in that heigh Court now in hand you may in such sort proceed as may be to his honor and glory the securitie good of his maiestie his of-spring posterity and this common wealth we leaue you to Gods holy protection Your wel-wishing Countrymen kinsmen alliance frieÌ„ds the Catholike RecusaÌ„ts of this realme of EnglaÌ„d An other also of the like tenure which here ensueth was then with the same assent subscribed with 23. handes of the chiefest Catholike gentlemen of England and presented to the chiefe Secretarie of estate potent in those times in court and councell and as the Catholikes then feared not equally effected towards them though neuer so innocent and wel-deseruing who was one of them who with other of the councell declared to diuers of these gentlemen as they confidently reported vpon their reputation that the Kings pleasure was they should paye no more the penaltie of twentie pounds a month for their recusancie and after when hee had perswaded his maiestie to the contrarie denyed his former assertion of the releace thereof although the gentlemen most sincere and iuste still insisted and maintayned that this messadge was so deliuered vnto them which also the then Earle of Northampton L. Henry Howard did freely confesse acknowledge to be most true And the same Catholiks were more then iealous that this practise of coÌ„spiracie was no great secret to that Secretary long before diuers of them that were actors in it and by him named Catholikes were acquainted with it We may not enter into iudgement where men are not defamed of such inuentions to entrappe those they doe not affect for the rest let M. Howe 's his historie of that matter make relation who it was a great protestant that had more or not much inferiour knowe ledge of it by his relation then some that wer-put to death for concealing it But howsoeuer the petition followeth in these tearmes TO THE RIGHT HONORABLE ROBERT Earle of Salisburie chiefe Secretarie of estate to his Maiestie the petition of the Catholicks of England IF the corrupted and obscured vnderstanding of men not knowing God could among other cloudes and mystes of ignorance be so far blinde in that wherein the lawe light of nature it selfe doth giue sufficient instructioÌ„ to all people and nations that Princes and rulers in authoritie are to be honoured and obeyed yet the heauenly and supernatural illumination doth clearly deliuer all Christians especially Catholikes from such darkenesse and want of dutie giuing knowledge that euerie soule must be subiect to superiour powers that God is he per quem reges regnant and he that resisteth power resisteth the ordinance of God Wherefore vvee your Lordshippes humble suppliants the Lay Catholiques of this Kingdome so long probationers for religious causes haue euer in our hearts wordes and workes abandoned all contrarie proceedings as a Babilonian building and insurrection against the might and commande of heauen damnable and rebellious vnto all regall and princely power peace and vnitie on earth Therefore being admonished by the vvisest King that there is as well tempus loquendi as tacendi and occasions of these times being such as inforce vs to speake least by silence vvee might be censured by some no equall minded-men vnto vs to be suspected criminal in that vvherein as al matters of that nature vve doe and euer did by long-knovvne experience stande most innocent vvee therefore protest concerning the late conspiracie that vvee doe condemne it for a most impious vnnatural barbarous and execrable offence against the lavve of nature the sacred vvord of God and the canons and practise of the holy Catholike Church wherein vvee doe liue to vvhich no pretence of holinesse no petence of Religion no pretence of priuate or publicke authoritie can giue vvarrant to make it lavvful And vvee take God to vvitnesse that vvee vvere neither consenting coÌ„spiring or priuie to that or any such wâ—ked designement but the very remeÌ„brance that any such enterprise should be intended or deuised by any maÌ„ especially bearing the name of a Catholik is the continuall sorrow of our hearts and among al tribulations the obiect of our greatest griefe And for this present and all future times we
offer professe and promise as great ample true and faithful obedience loyaltie dutie to his Maiestie as though he were a Prince of our owne religion as much as any our auncestours in this Kingdome did yeelde to any his heighnes progenitors Kings and Princes thereof or as is required of Catholike subiects in other countries to their Protestant rulers or as any Protestant subiects obserue or performe to their Protestant or Catholike Soueraignes in ciuill obedience That neither vvee can offer nor his Maiestie or estate require more of vs all worlds and generations of meÌ„ Catholikes Protestants Christians Pagans whatsoeuer in this and all other Kingdomes past present and to come wil witnesse for vs. And for our sinceritie dutifull and obedient meaning herein wee appeale to all our persecutors their most strict politicke and cunning inquiries and examinations of our behauiour and carriage from time to time by which vvee stand as clearely vnspotted as irreprehensible as irreprooueable as dutiful in all ciuil respects and duties as any Protestant in this Nation Therefore Right honorable if some fewe vnhappie men of our religion haue made traÌ„sgression of their alleageance we hope it shal be no motiue to change your graue and vnresolued minde from thinking it vndue to impose a burthen vpon innocents for the fact of the guiltie according to your owne excelleÌ„t speeche heeretofore vsed and now at this present Solum necis artifices arte perire sua And your Lordships most christian desire of one vniformitie in true religion in this kingdome bringeth no smale hope vnto vs that now at last our so-long and many times in humble maner requested petitions concerning our not comming to your churches may by your honourable mediation to his Maiestie be brought to tryall by the learned of both parties whether without committing sinne it may be done by vs which wee take to be the onely meanes to bring this kingdome to your so-much desired vniformitie in religion For if your Protestant novv assembled or best learned doctors can and doe prooue it lawfull to our learned diuines vve absolutely offer to performe it vvithout delay or further exception And may it please your Lordship to call to minde the ordinarie knowne practise of Catholikes and Protestants in France Heluetie Germanie and other countries where they communicate in ciuill societies and not in churches and spirituall communications vvhich pleadeth that our refusull is not singular but hauing ground and patronage both from Catholiques and Protestants in this point Our confidence now is that his Maiestie your honour and the state will not take this our humble and necessarie petition in euill parte considering that catholique Emperours Kings of France and other Princes haue granted the like to their Protestant subiects and this in those countries vvhere no other Religion theÌ„ the Catholique Romane Religion hath bene publicklie exercised at any time since their first conuersion from Paganisme All these petitions being presented according to their titles at that time though the two first to his Maiestie were printed and the booke after his maner answered by D. Norton a Protestant Bishoppe yet he neuer tooke notise of either of those petitions or any one sentence of them and the Parlament was as silent for that presented vnto it Onely this Secretaty was so much distasted with the gentlemen that subsigned it that hee tolde M. Anthony Skinner who presented it vnto him that if they were present he would set them all by the heeles a punishment for rogues not for men of their worth and reputation There was no other answere made to these petitions but onely this the oath was enacted and after prosecuted with such violence as the world can witnesse such accompt and regarde hath bene made of our miserie by these Protestants Whether any reformatioÌ„ may be found in the pretended reformers of religion for Catholikes to follow And first of King Henry the 8. with whome neither Catholikes nor Protestants now ioyne in Religion NOW seeing if we be in errour we cannot possible by all meanes we can work procure that the learned protestant bishops and doctors who haue controlled all the christian world in their secret assemblies will vndertake to instruct a few Priests of England but suffer in their proceedings many thousandes of Catholikes by this meanes to be tyrannized ouer both in bodies and soules let vs returne to the first founders of this religion in England The father King Henry the 8. his yong sonne and daughter and see if wee can finde any motiue in their proceedings to mooue vs from our error if we be in error And first to begin with the first the father in this new Religion and spirituall power all Protestant antiquaries Foxe Parker Stowe Holinshed Cambden Howes and the rest entreating of this matter assure vs both that King Henrie the 8. and his fit instrument Cranmer for a cleargie man were the principall and first actors in this Tragedie Foxe tom 2. in Henr. 8 and Cranmar Parker antiq Brit. in Cranm. Stow hist. in Henr. 8. Holinsh. ibi Theater of great Britâ—in eod Howe 's historial praef Cambd. praef hist Eliz. c. and the occasion King Henry tooke to make his reuolt from the Church of Rome because the pope would not consent for his putting away his wife Queene Katherine that holie Ladie of Spayne For before that time king Henry was so obedient a childe to the Sea and Religion of Rome that by the pen of the blessed Bishop Fisher whom hee after put to death for denyal of his assumpted Supreamacy in his owne name he defended them against the scurrilous bookes of Martin Luther and was for that stiled by the Pope Defensor fidei defendor of the faith Henr. 8. l. cont Luther which his Maiestie King Iames still vseth by vertue of that donation One of late among the rest with greatest warrant speaking of this his first reuoult hath these wordes Hovves historicall praeface to his Hist. in Henry 8. This was done after the king was deuorced from Catherine of Spaine his first wife with whom he had liued aboue twenty yeares and by her had fiue children The cleargie nor parlameÌ„t notwithstanding the Kings importunitie would neuer yeelde to the diuorce by reason they could not finde any iust cause The King made Cranmar Archbishop of Canterbury who was very apt and ready to performe the Kings will and he denounced the sentence of diuorce Then the King contrary to the good liking of all men marryed Anne Bulleyne by whom he had the Ladie Elizabeth And then by acte of Parlament made it treason against all men that should say the marriage was not lawful And presently after her birth he pickt a quarrell against Queene Anne and then repealed the former acte made a new acte of Parlament whereby it was enacted that it should be heigh treason for any to iustifie his former marriage to be lawfull and the next day after her behedding he marryed her hand-maid
Iane Seymor and then declared the Ladie Elizabeth to be illegitimate Thus word by word this Protestant historian Then by this such like proceedings as first bringing the cleargie into danger of Premunire threats importunities and such practises as these Protestants tel vs Parker Stow Hollinshed Theater vt supr procuring the title of Supremacie to himselfe in matters ecclesiasticall This Protestant antiquarie thus proceedeth in this Kings proceedings The king obtained the Ecclesiasticall supremacie into his particular possession and therewithal had power giuen him by parlament to suruey reforme the abuses of al Religious houses parsons But the King because he would go the next way to worke ouerthrew them and razed them Whereat many the Peeres and common people murmured because they expected that the abuses should haue bene onely reformed and the rest haue still remained The general plausible proiect which caused the Parlaments consent vnto the reformation or alteration of the Monasteries was that the Kings exchequer should for euer be enriched the Kingdome and nobilitie strengthened and encreased and the common subiectes acquitted and freed from all former seruices and taxes to witte that the Abbots Monkes Friers and Nunnes being suppressed that then in their places should be created fourty Earles threescore Barons and three thousand Knights and fourtie thousand souldiers with skilfull captaines and competent maintenance for them for euer out of the antient church-reuenewes so as in so doing the King and his successors should neuer want of treasure of their owne nor haue cause to be beholding to the common subiect neither should the people be any more charged with loanes subsidies and fifteenes since which time there haue bene more statute laws subsidies and fifteenes then in fiue hundred yeares before and not long after that the King had subsidies granted and borrowed great sommes of money and dyed in debt and the forenamed religious houses were vtterly ruinate whereat the cleargy peeres and cōmon people were all sore grieued but could not helpe it He also supprest the knights of the Rhodes and many faire hospitals This was done after the king was diuorced from Catherine of Spaine his first wife He began his raigne prodigally reigned rigorously liued proudly and dyed distemperatly Through feare and terrour he obtained an acte of Parlament to dispose of the right of successiō in the Crowne and then by his last will and testament contrary to the law of God and nature conueyes it from the lawful heyres of his eldest Sister marryed to the king of Scotland vnto the heires of Charles Brandon and others thereby to haue defeated preuented and suppressed the vnquestionable and immediate right from God of our gratious Soueraigne king Iames. At his death he was much perplexed and spake many things to great purpose but being inconstant in his life none durst trust him at his death Thus your Protestant historian hath described this first protestant supreame head of the church in England They that desire more knowledge of him may resort to his owne statutes the Protestant Theater of Britanie Sir Walter Raleigh his preface to his historie of the world and a booke of the tyrants of the world published by the Protestants of Basile where they may find him a supreame head among them statut Henr. 8. ab an Regni 21. Theater of Brit. in Henr. 8. Walter Ral. histor of the world praef lib. of Tyran Basil And his ghostly father Cranmer his chiefe instrumēt in those moste execrable sinnes for a Cleargie man was not inferiour vnto him Hee was as your first protestantly ordained Archbishoppe Parker in his life with others witnesseth both the mooued and moouing instrument of this king in this and many other his wicked designements Hee was of all the Religions of King Henry the 8. Edward the 6. He diuers times swore to the Pope and was forsworne Hee swore to King Henry the 8. and was forsworne when he swore otherwise to king Edward his sonne and was publickly prooued a periured man he was a chiefe executor of king Henrie the 8. his will and within 24. houres of his death a chiefe breaker thereof He was a continued felon vnto him in his life married against his lawes making it felony in such men hee was for chastitie to my reading the first last and onely trigamus a Bishoppe husband of three wiues in the world He counterfeited the hands and seales of 50. conuocation men and among the rest of the blessed martyr Bishop Fisher He gaue chiefe consent and swore that Edwarde the 6. a childe of nine yeares old was supreame head of the Church had al iurisdiction spiritual in himselfe Parker antiq Britan. in Cranmer Foxe tom 2. in Cranmer Stow histor in Har. 8. Holinsh. Hist of Engl. ibid. Theater of great Britanie in K. Henr. Godwyne Catalogue of Bishops in Canterburie in Tho. Cranmer Stow Holinsh Theater Foxe and others in Q. Marie and Edw. the 6. Harpesfield in the life of B. Fisher and all that Cranmar had he receaued from him yea your Protestants witnesse by the Protestant Confessions themselues of Heluetia Bohemia Belgia Augusta Wittenberge and Swe that boyes could not take or giue such power Th. Rogers pag. 140. artic 23. Confess Heluet Bohem. Belg. August Wittenb c. If any thing now controuersied defended sworne vnto can make a man an heretike Crāmar professing and swearing vnto them all was an hereticke and traytor to God If conspiracie open hostilitie and rebellion to his true and lawfull prince Queene Marie doth make a man a traytor to his Soueraigne If to be hissed in the publicke schooles of Oxford in publike disputation after all these changes doth conuince a man vndertaking so many matters to be a man vnworthie and ignorant If to recant heresie fall to it againe putteth a man in case of relapse of heresie all these thinges be written of this Archbishop Archactor Architector Arch-hereticke Arch-traytor Arch-periured prophane wretch of your Religion by your owne writers here cited and were publickly to the eternal infamie of that vnhappie and gracelesse man and his followers therein prooued against him Therefore although King Henry the eight did rather differ from the Church of Rome in matter of Iurisdiction spiritual by his claymed Supremacie as your protestants testifie and his lawes are witnesses Stow histor in Henr. 8. Holinsh and Theator ibid. statut of K. Henrie 8. c. thē any way in matter of doctrine Catholiks cannot in conscience by your Protestants ioyne either with him or you therein beeing the first as they haue assured vs that euer claymed it in this kingdome and procuring it in so vile vnlawful maner as your historians haue declared and practizing it to his wanton and ambitious ende against his owne conscience For al the foundatiōs of our Religious houses being pro remedio animarū to say Masse pray for their posteritie for euer For the honor of God the most blessed Virgin and other Saints as all our
Saint Ihon Baron of Bletsoe and Sr. Henry Carey Lord Hounsdon Qui singuli à pontificia Religione alieni all which were alienated from the popes Religion all which that Queene and her pauculi intimi very fewe that consented vnto her knew by that meanes would giue their voyces in parlament to what shee should desire and not content with this proceeded soe in these indirect courses that as your protestants haue written Cambden Annall pag. 27. plures è protestantibus data opera è comitatibus tum è ciuitatibus burgis fuisse electos Norfolciae ducem Arundeliaeque Comitem inter proceres potentissimos in suam siue rem siue spem Ceciliumque sua solertia suffragia emendicasse The papists complayned that more protestants of sett purpose were chosen out of Countries cyties and burroughts and the Duke of Norfolke and Earle of Arundell moste potent amonge the nobilitie eyther for their owne good or hope by the Queens promises of marriadge or such things and Cecyle by his cunninge had begged voyces And to helpe and further soe bad a cause the Queene herselfe your protestants words openly protested at that tyme in parlament that shee would neuer vexe or trouble the Romane Catholicks concerning any difference in Religion Neyther did this Queene or hir pauculi intimi Cecile and Bacon take this straunge course in hand for dislike of catholick Religion for your Antiquary telleth vs of Q. Elizabeth herselfe ad Romanae Religionis normam sacra audiret saepius confiteretur Missam permisit post mortem Mariae litanias Q. Elizabeth heard masse after the Romane order often went to confession and after Q. Maryes death allowed masse and litanies Cambden in Apparatu pag. 13. The like is as well knowne of those her intimi at that tyme. But they had other little laudable ends by protestant proceedings now thus expressed by your cheifest Antiquary Cambden in Annal. Rer. Anglic in Elizabeth pag. 21.22 Nonnulli ex intimis Consiliarijs in aures assiduè insusurrarunt mollissimo ingenio virgini dum timerent ne animus in dubio facillimè impelleretur actum de ipsa amicis esse conclamatum de Anglia si pontificiam authoritatem in dispensando aut alia quacunque re agnosceret duos pontifices matrem illegittimè Henrico 8. emptam pronuntiasse inde in eorum sententia iam lata Scotorum Reginam ius in Regnum Angliae sibi arrogare pontificem sententiam istam nunquam rescissurum Some of her inward Counsaylors did dayly whisper into her eares beeing a mayden of a moste tractable disposition while they feared least her minde in doubt might most easely bee driuen forward to marry with king Philip of Spayne and soe continue the catholicke Religion that shee and her frendes were vndone if shee should acknowledge the popes authority in dispenseinge or any other matter For two popes had allready pronounced that her mother was vnlawfully marryed to Henry 8. and soe in their sentence denownced the Queene of Scots did challendge right to the kingdome of England And that the pope would neuer recall this sentence And agayne Prospexit huiusmodi matrimonium ex dispensatione contrahendo non posse non agnoscere seipsam iniustis nuptijs natam esse Shee thus perceaued that this marriadge with king Philipp of Spayne her Systers husband to bee by the popes dispensation must needs acknowledge that shee was borne in vnlawfull wedlocke And they knew alsoe that shee remayning a catholicke must seeke for the popes dispensation of this her birth not onely made and declared illegitimate by the pope but by her father himselfe and the whole parlament and Title to the crowne giuen her onely by the will and testament of her father parlament Henr. 8. of Illeg Lady Elizab. against which in this case your protestant hâ—an thus exclaymeth Howes histor preface in Henry 8. through feare and terror Henry 8. obteyned an Act of parlament to dispose of the right of succession to the crowne and then by his last will and testament K. Henry 8. in his last will and Testam contrary to the law of God and nature conuayes it from the lawfull heires of his eldest sister marryed vnto the kinge of Scotland vnto the heires of Charles Brandon and others his daughter Elizabeth and of these others thereby to haue defeated preuented and supprest the vnquestionable and immediate right from God of our gratious soueraigne kinge Iames as if it had beene in the power of his will or of the parlament to disenherite and preuent the diuine free guift and grace of almightie God by which the kings of this land doe hold their crownes Thus your protestant and priuiledged historians by which is euident that this proceedinge by such exorbitant courses concerning ReligioÌ„ was not for loue or likinge of their protestant Religion further then yt gaue them licence and libertie to doe and liue as pleased their sensuall appetites which the church and Religion of Rome would not allowe And yett all these sinistre and prophane proceedings not withstandinge to insist in your protestants words in chaungeing Religion in that her parlament Howes historial preface in Q. Elizabeth In this parlament notwithstandinge the presence of the Queene to countenance their bad cause with the apparant likelyhood of hir longe life and hope of issue to succeede her yett the maior part exceeded the minor but in sixe voyces at which time to wringe out consents the Queene openly pronounced that shee would neuer vexe or trouble the Romane Catholicks concerninge any difference in Religion Which promise of hirs was as well performed as that condition of her fathers before of bestoweinge the church reuenewes for as your protestants haue related her persecutions which soe vnprincely and vnchristianely in her name and power of that straunge claymed supreamacie in a woman and such a woman equaled or exceeded those of Nero and Dioclesian infensiue tyrants and enemyes of Christianitie Syr Edwyn Sandes in Relation of the state of Religion And in that parlament yt selfe where shee spake these words and proceeded to cruell inflicted penalties against those Romane Catholicks as all our holy Bishops were depriued imprisoned or exiled soe were all other ecclesiasticall parsons that would not doe as pleased her Stowe histor an 1. Elizab. Holinshed Theater ibid. Cambd. in Annalib Rerum Anglicarum in Elizab. Parlament 1. Elizabeth greate forfaictures and punishments imposed vppon all that should heare masse or not bee present at her new deuised seruice premunire losse of lands goods and perpetuall imprisonment and losse of life alsoe with note of Treason to them that would not acknowledge that spirituall supreame power in her of which shee was soe far vncapable in the iudgment of her owne protestants that diuers of them wrote and published to the world that a woman could not bee a supreame gouernor in things temporall Knoxe Godman and other protest against the Regim of women and they were soe violent herein both in England and