to theyr factioÌ„ or that shal be ready to exequute any mischieuous enterprise against the state the papistes wil deny themselues to be in this case But what should any man trust denials that remembreth Percies and Catesbyes and Garnets late treasons 12. If we beleeue not rules of state yet let vs consider in what daunger states stand that haue in theyr bowels many Iebusites Massepriests and their complices ready to execute the popes will by examples and precedents of former times And first let vs remember how many enterprises were made by them in the late Queenes dayes of famous and blessed memory to bring their country vnder the commaund of strangers Next what attemptes they made against that innocent princes life Thirdly what libells they set out to the disgrace of the principall gouernors of the state Fourthly let vs consider what stirrs and rebellions they raysed in the dayes of King Henry the 8. King Edward and Queene Elizabeth Fiftly it may not be forgotten how they made a league in France against the king and cruelly murdered King Henry the third and empoysoned diuers that stood in their way Sixtly the massacres of Fraunce and cruell executions in Flanders shew what they wil do here if once they thinke themselues strong enough Seuenthly if we forget all the rest yet may we not forget Percies late treason who in the ruines of the Parliament house meant to bury both King and state and to massacre all Christians opposite to the popish faction Lastly if of nature papists were quiet yet will the Pope neuer suffer them to rest vntill he haue his will Our last reason of state against Popery is for that the same is both enemy to princes and most grecuous to christian subiects which remayneth now in particular chapters to bee handled Chap. 12. That popish religion is enemy to kings THat popish religion is enemy to all kings professing a contrary religion J think the papistes themselues will not deny For experience sheweth that they persecute such both with armes and laws and censures Neither do they only make opeÌ„ wars vpon them but also by priuy murdrers empoysoners seek to destroy them as may be proued by many particulars And now if any maÌ„ reply say that neither Clement the 8. nor this pope now raiguing tooke this course against his Maiesty and other christian kings professing true religion we aunswer first that it is vncertain how far the pope was engaged in Percies late treason and what secret practises popes both haue and do continually set forward And secondly that want of occasion and meanes hath rather hindered their violent and furious courses then any change or alteration of their former resolution in oppugning their opposites But suppose his maiesty and the state were not of a contrary religion to the pope yet it shall be prooued that popery is aduerse to Kings that like well inough of that religion For first all kings liuing vnder the popes obedience are the popes subiects Boniface the 8. declareth it in the chapter vnam sanctam ext de maior obed where he saith it is necessary to salnation for all men to be subiect to the Pope Now what greater indignitie then to make kings the popes vassalls and subiects Secondly Bellarmine lib. 5. de pontif Rom. c. 6. sayth that the pope hath power to take away kingdomes from some and to bestow them on others The same doctrine is also maintained by Robert Parsons in his seditious book of titles He doth also traiterously affirme that the people may sometime lawfully proceede against princes VVilliam Rosse in his book de iustareip supra reges impios haereticos authorit c. 2. affirmeth impudently that the right of all the kings and kingdomes of Europe is layde vpon this foundation that the state or people may depose their kinges But grant this and then are kings tenants at the popes and peoples will For what is more easy then to impute grieuous crimes to princes if the pope or seditious mutins lift to quartell with them Thirdly Bellarmine lib. 5. de pontif Rom. c. 6. determineth that it is not lawfull for Christians to tolerate a king that is an infidell or an heretike if he go about to draw his subiects to his religion The papists therefore as we see are taught to make it a matter of conscieÌ„ce to depose their kings and the massepriests set them on to rebellion Pius the fift excommunicated all such as would not take armes against Queen Elizabeth and Clerke and VVatson first and lately Percie and Catesbie and theyr complices attempted the Kings destruction albeit they say he is not declared excommunicated Nay admit a Prince were not aduerse to the pope in religion yet if the Pope pretend any matter of quarrell vnto him his subiects are stirred against him and hee is excommunicated as may appeare in the Duke of Ferraraes case excommunicated by Clement the 8. because he wold not deliuer vp into the popes hands his dukedome of Ferrara Fourthly suppose a king keepe good correspondence with the Pope yet he is not within his kingdome as papists teache to make ecclesiasticall lawes nor may refuse to obey the popes ecclesiasticall lawes But he is no soueraign king that eyther receiueth lawes of other or hath no power to make lawes for his subiects in matters of externall Church gouernement Fiftly where popish religion reigneth there the clergie is exempt from the kings courts and gouernment Bellarmiue in his treatise de exempt Cleric setteth down these propositions first that Clerkes in ecclesiasticall causes are freed from the commaund of secular princes by the law of god Next that Clerkes are not to bee iudged of secular iudges though they transgresse temporall lawes and lastly that princes in respect of Clerkes are not souesaigne princes Eâ—eanuel Sae in his first edition of Aphorismes for confessaries saith that the rebellion of a Clerke against his King is not treason because hee is not the kinges subiecte His words are these Clerici rebellio in regem non est crimen laesaema iestatis quia non est subditus regis So wee see that the doctrine of popery maketh kings but half kings and depriueth them of a great part of their subiects Sixtly the Pope in c. quia nonnulli de immunitate ecclesiae exempteth the goods and possessions of Clergy men from tolle and custome Doth it not appeare then that Popish religion depriuing the King of halfe his reuenewes doth also weaken his estate and make him oftentimes vnable to defray his ordinary charges 7. In all states where popery is professed a greate part of the kings reuenewes is taken from him and bestowed vpon the pope and his kingdome is thereby much impouerished Finally did the King neither respect his Royall authority nor his enemies yet if he meane to secure himselfe from the hads of Cuttorotes and priuy empoisoners he may not endure the king-killing Iebusites nor the popes proctors that stirre vp warres against princes
spirits vvhich sought to alter the state her course and to enter into bloud but all was 7 Onely the malcontent faction of papists vvas so filled filled with feares and suspitions at home with 8 Shame come to the Pope and his adherents that occafinned them The losse hath lighted vppon them already wars and diuisions abroad and with continuall frights and allarmes of strange attempts either against 9 Looke vvho these attempters vvere and you shall finde them to haue been either papists or Atheists set on by papists her person or state and in fine when her treasure was 10 This may be truly of firmed of her Maiesties enemies and their states But not of England as I hope his Maiesty vvill vvitnesse But vvere vve hurt by the vvars yet should not this cause vs to loue papists that mingled heauen and earth and stirred the vvorld against vs to vvin their purpose exhausted her subiects and kingdomes extreamely impouerished and all the kingdomes almost about vs disgusted and in open tearmes of iealousie and 11 Much to their ovvne losse and paine as the sequell had declared if the king had not giuen them peace hostilitie with her she began againe to thinke of her former fortunate dayes and to incline to a 12 It is rather madnesse then mildnesse to spare either professed enimies or secret traitors milder course as the onely meanes to setle her and her Realme in peace security and former prosperity which times compared together do demonstrate that the seuerity of lawes made against Catholikes were the 1 Lavves made against papists are the onely bands that hold the flate together and the best meanes vve can vse to contrecarre the mischiefs in â—eded by them forerunners of infinite mischiefes and miseries And least your Maiestie beholding such bloudy and strange lawes made against vs with their 2 They vvere alvvaies most slovvly executed rigorous execution by the space of so many yeares in so long a Raigne as was that of our late Queen might thereby coniecture that such new and neuer hearde of decrees could not without vrgent or notorious occasions haue beene inuented constituted and so seuerely executed least this apprehension of these former proceedings might make the like impression in your mind and auersion from vs we humbly craue your Maiesties gratious eares and attention And when you shall reuiew and consider deeply the lawes made against vs compare them with the objected crimes that then some ouerture may be proposed to the present Parliament for clearing the lawes by reason which is the soule of the law to them that distinction may be made by iustice betweene the innocent and guilty persoÌ„s for howsoeuer the late (a) The reason that might moue the late Queen to make lawes against Catholikes Queen might haue pretention to make them both by reason of her 3 A shamelesse slander It was only a deuise of the popish faction illegitimation by her own Father in publique Parliament notoriously diuulged and the jealousie she euer stood in of the Queen your gratious Mother both for the back and alliance she had with Fraunce and the right she semed to haue by the 4 The Pope is the Church to these men and by the same reason his close stoole may be their chappell But if they giue the Pope power to excommunicate princes and to depose them these popes churchmen are but mean subiects sentence of the Church pronounced against the diuorce of her Father and the diuers censures and 5 Very vvickedly and saucily and treacherously aliovved by papists excommunications promulgated against her Yet your Maiesty of whose rightfull succession and most lawfull and legitimate possession of this Crowne 6 Then is Parsons and his follovvers more diabolically disposed tovvards the king then Satan himself For they haue long impugned and denyed the kings title to the crovvn of England Satan himselfe being put to his shifts can make no doubt or difficulty against whom no 7 VVe report vs for disproofe of this to certain discourses set out by Parsons and Coluil CoÌ„petitor either hath or had purpose or power to contend (b) Vide D. Giffords coÌ„mission and MoÌ„sieur de Be thunes letters whom the 8 This Sea of Rome is a sea of abhominations and mischiefes And therefore it is not much materiall vvhat is regorged out of such a guise of impieties But that the Pope hath not excommunicated the King it hath proceeded rather from fear then loue or any indeauor of Gifford or Bethune His predecessorr got nothing by excommunicating Queen Elizabeth and lesse vvold the Pope novv vvin by censuring his Maiesty Sea of Rome is so far from censuring that she hath 9 VVhat thè vvhore of Babilon doth his Maiesty hath no cause to like This is certain the Pope nener censured Clerk nor WatsoÌ„ nor Percy nor Digby nor Garnet and the rest that sought the subuersion of the state already censured all those that shal any way seek to giue you any disturbance or molestation and with whome all the Princes in Christendom are in perfect peace and amity and whom Catholikes haue as yet no way 1 Hath the king no reason to be offended vvith the tumults practises of papists in Scotland England vvhy then vvas WatsoÌ„ hanged and order taken to persecute the Scottish rebells vvhy vvas the lavv executed against Faux and Digby other traitorous papists offended but by all meanes endeauoured to serue satisfie and content (a) His Maiesty hath no such reason to continue the lawes against Catholikes as the late Queen had to inact them Your Maiesty we say for these respects hath no such apparant cause to continue those lawes as the late Queen had to inact them the reasons and foundations of those lawes being by this happy mutation of state time and persons vtterly 2 Neuer as long as the king professeth true religion or refuseth to become the popes vassall remoued If then Dread Soueraign we haue been are and will be as we haue and will demonstrate as loyall 3 As the leaguers vver to Henry the 3. of France vvhose throat they cut Or as Percy and Catesby of late vvere to our King faithfull and affectionate to your Maiesty your predecessors and posterity and euen to those Princes that dealt most hardly with vs and to the good and peaceable estate of our Country as any sort of your Maiesties subiects within the Realme of our Ranke whatsoeuer we see not how by authority we can be driuen to forsake our Catholike 4 Your faith is proued neither to be Catholik nor your fathers faith Fathers faith and beleefe vnlesse authority can by reason 5 Authority is one thing reason another These iumble both together conuince vs that our faith is infidelity our Religion superstitron and the seruice we vse Idolatry or the 6 This is proued and all your brabling obiections ansvvered
of theire Prince and country But now that we are so farre vrged we shall God willing make it appeare that their Popish deuises are nothing but a pack of nouelties latelie brought into the Romish church that their Religion is full of heresies impieties and blasphemies and lastly that diuers of their practises are full of Salt peter and most dangerous to the state and that their importunate desires are repugnāt both to reasons of religion state and also to modest and ciuill cariage My sole request to thee shall be that thou woldest be please to compare our answer with the lay papists petition and to iudge according to proofes We seeke for trueth we defend the Kings prerogatiue and state Let no man therfore shut his eies against that light by which we may see truth nor bee carelesse in matters so nerelye touching the safety of the King and state neither let any papist bee offended with vs while we seeke his saluation Non ideo vobis displiceamus saith Saint Augustine to certein Donatists epist 204. ad Donatum quia reuocamus errātes quaerimus perditos and so wee say also to the simple and abused papists Let vs not displease you because we seek to call you from your errors and to gaine that which is lost We doe not hate you as our Countrimen but we detest your errors being humorously affected to forraine superstition In speaking also for common peace and safety we seek your peace The petitioners say they are resolued and pretend reason of their resolution But nothing is more fantastical or foolish then to resolue vpon false suppositions and to build without firme foundation neither is any thing more sottish then to seek that which being granted would turne to theire dishonoure and hurt if not destruction To confirme the weake and to recall those which goe astray wee haue done our best endeuour wee haue also defended the honor of religion his maiestie and the state as became vs. The rest wee referre to gods grace beseeching him so to enlighten all christian mens heartes with the knowledg of his eternall truth that not onelie the professors of religion may stand firm against the glozing perswasions of seducing and seditions Iebusites and Masse-Priests but also such as encline too much to error and superstition and nowe seeme malcontented maye be gathered into the true Church and shew themselues true subiects embracing truth and perseuering therein to their liues end A BRIEFE EXAMINATION OF The Lay Papistes late petition directed to his royall Maiestie Anno. 1604. Chapter 1. The resolution of the petition apologeticall of the Lay papists together with a somme of the answer made vnto it COmmonly we see by experience that excuses going before accusations doo argue a secret confession of the faultes of guiltie consciences Jf nothing els did shew it yet this and diuers other petitions and Apologies directed by diuers Masse priests and Papists vnto his royall maiestie who neither chargeth them nor proceedeth againste them for those matters which they goe about to couer and excuse do prooue it sufficiently For what reason haue they to make so many defenses and excuses if they did not knowe in their consciences that there are certaine matters wherewith they deserue to bee charged doo the defendants vse to make their answers before the accusers exhibit their bills or articles But suppose their consciences were cleare yet their wordes do argue plainly that neither for their faith towards god nor for their fidelity to his maiestie they stand vpright in the common reputation of their countrimen For if they did what should they need to publish such Apologies wherein they pretend to giue his Maiestie an accompt of their beleefe and religion and a full and ample securitie and satisfaction of their fidelities and submission againe if their cause were so cleere why doo not Massepriests come foorth and shew themselues and why should the lay Papists be so sparing in giuing the King his prerogatiue and so lauish in ascribing his right to the Pope Lastly what meant Percie and his companions to attempt so bloodie an execution and all papites to pray for the good successe of matters designed To forbeare to speake of the quality of their cause which we shall haue more occasion to do hereafter first we are to vnderstand what their intention is in this their Apologeticall Epistle and next what forme they keepe in their proceedings Their request is first that penall lawes made heretofore against Massepriestes recusantes and their abettors may be either reuersed or suspended And next that Popish religion and the teachers thereof may be tolerated vpon a certaine forme of submission And lastly that his maiesty wold be pleased to accompt Papists for his good subiects and to suspect the rest Matters all of verye hard disgestion and verie difficult to be proued or granted Yet what dare they not attempt to obtaine a toleration of their wicked abuses first they threaten the King Chapter 3 with an intimation of their numbers forces and intelligences bothe at home and abroade not forgetting to bragge of their qualities and merites Next they alleadge certaine reasons of their resolution in popishe religion Thirdly which to vs seemeth very admirable considering their manifold rebellions and treasons against their princes coūtries both in England and elsewhere and the late horrible treason then in brewing they stand vpon high termes of theire loyall carriage and fidelity Fourthly albeit the same be without the cōpasse of their apologeticall petition yet they run out into a long accusation of the professors of true religion therein inuoluing his maiesty the gouernors of the state as it were ridiculously making them to answer that must be their iudges Lastly they offer a form of submissiō pretēd to giue vs sufficient security for the Kings life for the preseruation of the state of which the first declareth their obedience to be very bare onelie voluntarie the second argueth theire pride to bee insupportable which vndertake to capitulate with the King and thinke their worde and bonde sufficiente for the securitie of such a king and state But wee must vnderstand that nowe they were conceiting theire horrible treasons and that they ment to burne their bonds and the parties to whom they stood obliged This is the substance of their pleading For the better garnishing whereof they propose reasons firste of their former silence next of the breach of their silence in this petitiō apologeticall albeit we haue iust cause to wonder how they can well speak of silence when so many of their consorts haue neuer ceased their babling and scribling about this obiect how they dare pretēd reasons of this petitiō that is so deuoid of weight reason wisedom Beside these reasōs Iohn Lecey commeth in with a prologue in commendation of the actours in this Pageant and certaine banished Masse-Prestes stād in the rereward with an epilogue to the Lords of his maiesties
lib. 2. c. 92. testifieth that he disabled heretiks tomake any testaments Eusebius de vita Constantini lib. 3. c. 62. 63. declareth that he prohibited the exercise of all hereticall religions and held heretikes and sectaries to be no better then traitors to himselfe and enemies to truth The Emperors Gratian Valentinian and Theodosius l. 1. Cod de sum trinit fid Cath. commaund all their people to embrace one religion the somme whereof they do set downe in forme of a law and in the law omnēs C. de haereticis they commaund all heresies to keep silence omnes vetitae legibus diuinis imperialibus constitutionibus haereses say they perpetuò quiescant Arcadius and Honorius as appeareth by the law Cuncti C. de haeret Manich. tooke away all churches from heretiks least they shold teach or doo the exercises of their false religion in them Theodosius the yonger and Valentinian his consort made diuers lawes against heretikes as we may read in Codice Theodosiano The like course was held by Martianus and Iustinian as is euidentlye declared by their lawes yet extante in the Code and nouells Finally if at any time Christian Emperors grew cold eyther in setting forth the true faith or in punishing or suppressing errors then we find that the auncient fathers fayled not both to admonish them of their duty and to reprehend them for their slacknesse Chapter 4. That to admitte the exercise of false religions formerlie forbidden is contrary both to christian policie and reason THE gentils by the light of reason perceiued that religion was not lightly to be changed and god dooth therein taxe his people by his prophet that they were more easily induced to change the euerliuing god then the Heathen nations were to chāge their gods They cōsidered that ther was but one truth cōstantly beleeued that their religion was true This was the reason why the Romanes did so violētly persecute the primitiue christians and refused the superstitious rites of Bacchanalia which priuilie began to creepe in among the people But Christians proceede vpon better groundes of policie in prohibiting the exercise of all false religions For firste they consider that the wrath of god is reueiled from heauen against such as with-holde the truth in vnrighteousnes But who doe herein offend more greeuously then they which either grant liberty to false teachers or winke at the exercises of a wicked and false Religion doe not they manifestly giue way to errors and stop the course of truth Secondly they know well that god despiseth those which despise him as we reade 1. Samuel 2. and that hee casteth such out of his fauour as are neither hote nor colde Jf then such as regard not to see god rightly serued rest despised and luke-warme professors are reiected how will it goe with such as are colde in setting forth true Religion and care not what false doctrines are stirring abroade in the world Thirdly they vnderstand the greeuous threatnings of the law against all idolatrous false worship of god I am a iealous god saith the Lord and will visit the sinne of the Fathers vpon the Children to the third and fourth generation of those that hate me Fourthly as there is but one god so they know that there is but one true religion Christian policie therefore may teach them to admit no religion but that which is founded vpon the writings of the Apostles and Prophets and which they are resolued is most true Fiftly diuersities of religions breed distractions of mens minds and diuers seditious stirres and tumultes as the leagues of France and practises of the popes agentes in France Flanders England Scotland Germany and other countries doe declare of late the Papists seeking to replant their superstition in Englād went about to set the land on a flame and to drown true religion in blood But wise politicks are by all means to roote out these seedes of Ciuil dissension Sixtly all changes in matters of state are dangerous But admitte a false and erroneous religion where nothing but the true faith hath been professed then no doubt but the chāge will be great Finally nothing is more absurd then to change lawes with out cause and to admitte a religion condemned by lawes and to restore such as are condemned by the state For that is rather a subuersion then an alteration both of lawes and state If then we respected nothing but the danger of state in the mutation of religion yet woulde all pollitick and wise men bee well aduised howe they admitted a newe and false religion contrary to that which hath formerly beene receiued by the state Chap. 5. That toleration of diners religions is contrary to the doctrine and practise of Papists BVT where the Pope and his adherents may fit as iudges little reasoning may serue to perswade thē to dislike of toleration of diuers religions For not onelie their doctrine but also their long continued practise condemneth it in the Chapter ad abolendam de haereticis They adiudge them Hereticks that dissent frō the Romish church in the doctrine of the sacramentes and such both by ecclesiasticall and by ciuill lawes they persecute to the death Nay oftētimes without forme colour of law they massacre them empoysō thē by all means seek to root out the race memory of them out of the earth Their goods they confiscat their liuings they take away their bodyes they burne and although malice doth oftentymes end with death yet such as are of a cōtrary religion all those that fauour them they persecute both aliue and deade killing those whom they can ouercome and cursing whome they cannot kill In France they massacred many thousāds without forme of law and gladly wold they haue massacred vs in England if theire treasons had not beene discouered Bellarmine lib. de laicis C. 18. determineth that it is not lawful for any magistrate or prince to grant libertie of conscience or toleration of religion to his subiectes He saith further that hee oughte to defend one onely religion with all his force Non licet vlli magistratū vel principi saith he consciētiae libertatem seu pacē religionis subditis suis concedere sed vnam tantum religionē sum ma vi defendere tenetur Posseuin his consort lib. 1 select biblioth 2.6 doth not onely deliuer the fame doctrine but also sheweth reasons why two religions may not in one state be tolerated Firste hee saith it is a diuelish inuention 2. that it is contrary to gods ordinance 3 that it repugneth against the law of nature 4. it is contrary to the substance and property of the christian faith 5. that it taketh away the truth and certainty of christian religion 6. that it taketh away the certaintie of gods deuire worship and of the Church 7 that it taketh away christian discipline 8. that it cutteth asunder the vnit ye of the church 9. that it is contrary to the worde of god 10.
coloure of traditions they thrust vpon the Church not onelie diuers Fables and superstitious toyes but also a greate part of the errors of the church of Rome Finally they talke of Apostolicall and Ecclesiastical traditions and yet can not certainely deriue them eyther from the Apostles or from the Ancient catholike Church These foundations therefore are ruinous and rather serue to prooue the erroncous doctrine of Antichrist then the faith of Christe Iesus Canus in his booke de locis theolog among his principall groundes and proofes of christian religion reckoneth not only the acts of Councels and writings of the fathers but also the authority of schoolemen and canonists of profane writers and of humane reason yea of the popes and moderne church of Rome Now what I beseech you is more vncertaine then to rely vpon the vncertaine actes of councels and connterfact writings set out vnder the name of fathers Againe what is is more vnreasonable then to bring forth the pope his complices for witnesses or iudges in their owne cause Lex dei saith Athanasius Apolog 2. inimicum ne que testē ne que iudicem esse vult the lawe of God admitteth not our enemies to bee either iudges or witnesses Finally naturall reason is blind in the cause of true religion profane men write profanely These groundes therfore as they are faultie cannot serue for immoueable groundes of the christian fayth Cōmonly all papists doe build their faith not so much vpon holie scriptures as vpon vnwritten traditions popish decretals lying miracles feyned visions the Romish churches Practise But theire miracles and reuelations haue for the moste parte no better authoritie then from the forged and lying legendes of saintes the falshhood of their Decretalls and traditions is declared by the writings of auncient fathers the practise of the moderne Church is contrary to the apostolike and catholike church of old time For in that Church we neither finde any vniuersal pope with triple crown guard of Swizzars nor any Romish masse nor popish indulgences or purgatory or such like trash Vpon these false and erroneous grounds it is no maruell if they haue framed to themselues a most false and erroneous religion as may appeare by these particulars Concerning scriptures they teache that they are no perfect canon of our fayth and next that they are not authenticall to vs vnlesse they be consigned and deliuered to vs by the Pope and his adherents Thirdly they say that the Latin translation is authenticall which they doo not affirme of the originall books Fourthly they say they are obscure and hurtfull Lastlie they permit them not to bee read publikely in tongues vnderstood of the multitude But the Apostle 2. Tim. 3. sayth They are able to make the man of God perfite and none but heretikes as we may read in Ireneus euer accused them of insufficiency Secondly as lawes so scriptures haue receiued theyr strength from the author of them that is from the holy ghost And those are very absurd that do beleeue the Pope speaking in his decretalls and will not beleeue God speaking in holy scriptures Thirdly all the fathers prefer the originall books of scripture before the translations Fourthly the word of god in scriptures is called light and the food of the soule Who then that is not led by the spirit of Satan can repute them obscure or hurtfull Lastly neuer was it taught or hearde in auncient times that scriptures were publikely red in tongues not vnderstood Secondly they giue to Christ in the sacrament a body neither felt nor seen nor any way like to our bodies For what man J beseech you euer had a body that was in many places at once and yet filleth no place they holde also that being in his mothers womb he was vir perfectus that is a grown man and that as man he was omniscient and knew all things His office of mediatorship they communicate vnto the virgin Marie and other saints and to Angells and somtime stick not to call saints their redeemers as Bellarmine in his first book de iudulgentijs confesseth To make a treasure of indulgences they mix the merits of Christ and his saints together as if Christs merits were insufficient Their Massepriests as they say are after the order of Melchisedech Finally they make them mediators for Christs body as these words of the Masse declare suscipe hanc oblationem c. and again supra quae propitio sereno vultu respicere digneris That is receiue this oblation viz. of Christs body and blood And again Looke vpon it with a fanourable and serene countenance Of which doctrines no one is true and diuers are blasphemous and impious Thirdly they say the Pope is saint Peters successour and Christs Vicar albeit he neither teach the gospell nor administer the Sacraments nor resemble them almost in any thing Him also they make the heade spouse and foundation of the vniuersall church albeit he can shew graunte for none of these prerogatiues They teach further that he is aboue general councels and hath power to depose kings and that his lawes bind mens consciences but such doctrines are not only erroneous but also absurd Fourthly they cast out of the catholike church all that professe not their faith although elect to life and contrarywise make reprobate persons hereticks and wiched men professing the Romish faith and communicating with the Romishe church true members of christs body they hold also that the catholike church is alwayes so visible that euery man may see it and discerne it Finally they shut the catholike church within the limits of the Romish church Matters repugnaunte to holy scriptures and no way agreeing with the nature of the true catholike and apostolike church nor very well with reason Fiftly most falsly they teache that the Pope onely hath power to confirme generall councells and that no man els ought to summon them and praeside in them They hold also that the conuenticles of Laterane Constance Florence and Trent are comparable to the fowre firste generall councells Sixtly they make their followers belieue that the moderne church of Rome differeth not from the aunciente Romane Church and that the same is guided by gods spirit and cannot erre But their erroneous doctrine different from that which S. Paul taught the Romans declareth the contrary 7. Commonly they take to themselues the name of Catholikes yet their doctrine of the masse of their half communions adoration of the sacrament merites of congruity and condignity of Popish indulgences worshippe of images and such like was neuer receiued of the Christians of all times and places 8. Parsons in his booke of 3. conuersions giueth out that Saint Peter and Eleutherus did teache the moderne Romane faith to the aunciente Britones and Austen the monke to aunciente Saxons But hee faileth in his proofes and with a harde and bare face telleth nothinge but bare and improbable lies 9. They teache their followers to worship saintes and to say
cultu sanctorum c. 23. aloweth these speches of friars speaking to a woodē crucifix thou hast redeemed vs thou hast recōciled vs to thy father he confesseth also in his 1. booke de iudulgentijs that saints may be called redeemers Thomas Waldensis in his prologue ad Martinum quintum applieth these wordes of the Apostle Lord saue vs wee perish to the pope 14. Bonauenture or rather some falsary vnder his name applieth those diuine prayses which the prophet in the Psalmes giueth to god to the virgin Mary 15. Of the scriptures most commonly they speak most blasphemously sometime calling them a nose of waxe sometime a deade letter sometime a killing letter sometime comparing them to Aesops fables Kellison in his suruey p. 158. saith the deuill doth wrap himselfe from top to toe in scriptures as if the word of god were the habit of the diuell He that list to see diuers other blasphemous doctrines sayinges of the pope and his complices let him reade the two bookes de antichristo et eius ecclesia latelie set out by Master Powel a young man learned zealous and paineful that hath at large handled this argument in the meane while we may see that such as professe christian religion and true piety haue noe reason to like that religion in which Christ is notoriously blasphemed and so many impieties conteined Chap. 11. That toleration of popery is contrary to reasons of state FVrthermore with small labor it may be shewed that popery is a religion full of contradictions absurdities and fooleries and so contrary to holy scriptures and the catholike faith of christians as darknesse to lighte falsehood to truth and black to white But this short answere will not admitte any such large discourse beside that all these poyntes are at large prooued in the suruey of popery published in answere to Kellisons inuectiue Suruey Now therefore it shall bee sufficient to shew that as popery is contrary to the rules of Christian religion so it si no lesse repugnant to reasons of state and derogatory both to the Authority of Kinges and to the libertie of Christians That popish religion is contrary to reasons of state and politicke gouerne ment it apeareth firste for that the same is idolatrous wicked false and contrary to gods true seruice nowe what state can long continue that either receiueth such a wicked religion or else is carelesse for the establishment of gods seruice Them that honoure me saith the Lord. 1. Samuel 2. I will honor and they that despise me shall bee despised The Apostle also Rom. 1. sheweth that the wrath of god is reueiled frō heauen against all vngodlines and vnrighteousnesse of men which withold the truth in vnrighteousnesse Secondly it is alwaies dangerous to change lawes and to reuerse matters heretofore orderly passed But if popish religion were tolerated then shoulde all those lawes cease that concerne the articles of religion the book of common prayer the forme of administration of sacramentes the kinges royall authority in ecclesiasticall causes the ministers of gods worde and sacramentes and the postessions of the church Finally many things now well ordered would then bee called in question if then lawes be the bands that conteine the common welth in order who seeth not that a greate dislolution of state woulde followe if Popish religion were tolerated Thirdly the pope claimeth power to dispose of kingdomes and to depose kings and all his true disciples doe maintain his Claime Js it then possible that any state should ether liue vnder such a tyranny or tolerate such professed enemies of state Fourthly the same man pretendeth right to giue lawes to the state especially in ecclesiasticall causes and to dispose of the liuings of the church But I thinke noe state will giue this power to straungers and enemies that hath liberty to refuse it Fiftly we reade that pope Paule the third in his bulle of excommunication against King Henry the eighte King of Englānd commanded his subiects to take armes againste him gaue away his true subiects as slaues to those that coulde take them dissolued all bondes wherein any stood bound to him or his subiects as is euidently aparent in the words of his bulle recorded in Sanders de schismate the collector of his Bulles and this authority all pops claime and al papists must defend But it is strange that any state should endure such indignities offered to princes and theire subiects Sixtly no man can serue the pope and his prince and countrye especially beeing in opposition with the pope howe then can the state admit such as depend vpon the pope and are ready to exequute his commandementes and take them selues bound to do it vpon paiue of damnation Nay Percie and other papists of late without his commaundement as they say were in a fayre way to ouerthrow the state 7. To restore banished men to acquite condemned persons to let prisoners loose that are in custody by order of law is the moste extreme condition that lost common wealths may be drawn vnto as Tully saith lib. 5. in Verrem perditae ciuitates saith he desperatis omnibus rebus hos solent exitus exitiales habere vt damnati in integrum restituantur vinctisoluantur exules redusātur But toleration of popery doth bring all these incommodities with it shold we then basely subiect our selues to enemies and traitoures take that course which no state euer yeelded vnto vnlessethe same were brought to extreme and desperate termes 8. No state can admitte such as depend vpon forreine enemyes and intertaine intelligence with them For that were to imbrace within our bosomes the enemies of state But that is the case of the archpreest of the Iebusites Massepreests gunpouder traytors and all their adherents 9. No state can be well gouerned by two gouernors and two diuers lawes For as there is but one principall gouernemente In a state so ought there to be but one authority and one law but if papists bee tolerated then the pope must aswell be obeyed as the king and the popes laws be ioyned with the kings lawes furthermore the common wealthe will prooue a monster not onelie with two heades but also with two soules and two diuers kindes of proceedings 10. The bonds of state are lawes the bonds that tye subiects to their princes are othes of allegeance and loyall affection towardes them But papists being dispensed with all by the pope respect neither lawes of state nor othes of allegeance nor loue due to princes Howe then can any state tolerate such fellowes as respect nether bonds of state nor duty nor obligation toward their lawfull princes 11. Lawes punish such as contriue the murther of priuate persons and much more such as are ready vpon euery occasion to stirre sedition should then then the state tolerate such as vpon the Popes commandement and warrant nay vpon the word of a seditious Massepriest shall thinke it lawfull meritorious to murther empoyson any that shal be opposite
Clerk Brooke Percy Garnet and their confederates hearty affection we beare to your Maiestie and the commonwealth of your Potent Monarchie deserueth It is not our meaning most mightie Monarch being meerly lay men that make no profession of lettres to examine 4 They thinke to slubber matter ouer vvith out examination curiously and contentiously all that our aduersaries haue thundred of late against vs or to dispute with them in mood figure which combate we leaue to the diuines of both parts when your Maiesty shall thinke good thereof but with due respect to giue your Grace an accounte and reason of our beleefe and religion and a full and ample securitie and satisfaction of our fidelities and submission The answere to the first and second Chapter THus we see the causes of their silence and of theire speakeinge but wee cannot see that they are either true or sufficient the first reasons pretended for their silence are these as they tel vs. the coÌ„fidence of a good cause the testimony of an incorrupt conscience the memory of their coÌ„staÌ„t continuall affection to the vndoubted righte and title in remainder of the king to the crowne of England their zeale and promptitude shewed in his maiesties righte and pretention as they call it to the crown of EnglaÌ„d theyr forwardnesse in proclaiming his maiesty King of England and their generall ioy and applause at his maiesties enterance into the realme and for these reasons they say they haue in profound silence expected for some benigne remedy and redresse of their most greeuous calamities and afflictions But first what absurde fellows are these to talke of silence hauing of late time published so manye discourses libells rimes and pamphlets both in defence of themselues and in disgrace of others and presented so many petitions both to his maiesty and to all that could helpe them or were likely to fauour them Secondly if the Massepreestes and theire associates had a conscience so incorrupte as they pretend and such confidence in their cause as they boast why doe they fly the light and hide themselues in corners againe why doe they not make the goodnes of theire cause appeare and particulerly clear themselues of those hereticall and treacherous doctrins wherewith they stand charged they shew themselues most shamelesse when they defend the popes clayme in deposing kings and translating kingdomes and adhere vnto him as his sclaues and maynteine grosse idolatries and absurd nouel tyes to talke either of a good cause or of a good conscience Thirdly if they indeede had fauoured the kings vndoubted righte then woulde they not haue called it pretention nor put him in remainder as heere they doe Nor would so many of them haue fauoured Parsons and Coluill that haue oppugned the kings title in bookes published to the worlde nor haue receiued pensions and interteined intelligeÌ„ce with other clay mers and pretenders Fourthly those which fauored the Iebusites and spaniardes and pope did not then much applaude when either his maiesty was proclaimed king of England or firste entred into the realme But when they sawe the states forwardnes then whatsoeuer heauinesse lay at their hartes they were forced to set on the best face they cold and to do as others did though with smal alacrity as the deiected countenances heauy sighes and sobre cheare of diuers of them did declare Knowing the king to be of a religioÌ„ aduerse to the Pope by the rules of the Popes decretales which they regard as much as the holy scriptures they might not fauoure him nor consort with him if they had beene able to resist Lastly most vniustly they charge the state as oppressing the papists with greâ—uous calamities and afflictions whereas their consorts in Spaine and Italy with all cruelty spoyle and murder our brethren and the state doth only punish recusancy with pecuniary mulctes and very rarely and of few and of late tyme hath begun to exact them But had these fellowes so good a cause and conscience as they pretend yet should the same rather mooue theÌ„ to speak then to keepe silence For who is not bolld to speake in a good cause to mention the kings mother or the conspiracy of Gray and Cob ham they shold say of Clerk and Watson the principall contriuers of that plot they had no reason being the causes of her destruction drawing her indirectly into theire intricate practises most dangerous to her person and that conspiracy proceeding onely from the inuention practise of Papists The next causes of their silence were as they say the promises made by his maiestie both in publique and priuate the courteous vsage of certain recusants at Hampton courte and his maiesties speech the firste day of the parliament But these are matter that rather mighte moue them to open theire mouths and to giue thankes to his Maiesty for his vndeserued fauors then either to suppresse his prayses in silence or to mutinously to mutter and to vtter wordes of discontentment as if they had bene dealt withall hardlie and vniustly Furthermore they do bewray their vngracious and crooked nature that seeme to charge the king with breach of promise and alteration of his courses who promised more then they deserued and performed all that hee promised and altered not his course of Clemency though forced thereto necessarily by alteration of theyr lewde course and their agents importunity For his promises at Hampton courte which are principally vrged this I answere that in that place neither was any toleration of religion demanded nor any such matter promised nay the cause of the repaire of diuers recusants thither was the suspition conceiued of them as if they were guilty of the preests treason and not any new motion for toleration Thereuppon they prayed his maiesty to haue a good opinion of them being guilty of no other crime as they sayd theÌ„ recusaÌ„cy And he like a most gracious king father of his people answered that the same shoulde be no conuiction if other wise they d emeaned themselues loyally Had they beene as dutifull as his maiesty was benigne and gracious they woulde not haue entred into those plots and rebellions which some did afterward That his maiesty did neuer promise any toleration of popery at any other time a noble Counsellor did assure all that were present when Digby vpon occasion did mention and vrge the same at his arreignement His Maiesty saide hee as well before his comming to the crowne as at the very tyme and alwayes sence was so farre from making a promise or giuing hope of toleration that he professed he shoulde not endure the very motion there of by any whatsoeuer For his clement courses against recusaÌ„ts euil deseruing papists I need not say much the same being notorious to the world only J wish that this generatioÌ„ wold not abuse his clemeÌ„ cy but seeke to bee thaÌ„kful for his former fauors theÌ„ prouoke his iustice by their coÌ„tinued il carriage misdemenors secret plottings The
the Titles of any that hath any possibilitye to the Crowne They were not Catholikes that made it treason in the same Parliament (a) Reconciliation treason to absolue from sinne and reconcile or to be so absolued or reconciled (b) Agnus Dei Beades or Crosses premunire A premunire to bring in any tokens called Agnus Dei or Crosses Pictures or halowed Beads or to haue or receiue them They were not Catholikes that the 23. of Queen Elizibeths Raigne made it treason (c) 23. Elizabeth treason to perswade men to the 1 Catholike religion to perswade men to the 1 Popery maketh many of her professors rather cuckold-like then Catholike Catholike religion and the losse of 200. markes to heare (d) 200 marks for saing 100 marks for hearing a maasse Masse or to pay xx pounde monethly so (e) xx pound a moneth for recusancy refusing to goe to the Protestantes seruice or the forfeites of x. pound monethly for such as should keepe any (f) x. pound a moneth for keeping a schoolmaster Schoolmaster not allowed by the Bishop of the Dioces and refusing to go to Church They were not Catholikes who made an act 27. of the sayd Queene by vertue whereof your gratious (g) 27. Eliz. the act was made which caused the death of his Maiesties Mother Mother lost her life and in the same Parliament it was made treason for all (h) In thesame year it was made treason to be a Priest and com in or remain in the land felony to receiue or relieue them Priestes or Religious men that had taken orders by any 2 These orders taken from the Pope and his adherents marking priests in the crovvn vvere the marks of Antichrist foraigne authority to remaine or come into this Kingdom and felony to relieue or entertain them It was made treason to be brought vppe in the Seminaries premunire to send thither anye reliefe In the 28. of the said Queene it was enacted that the two partes of the lands and leases of such recusants as shoulde faile to pay the xx pound a moneth in the Exchequor at the tearms prefixed shold be seazed into the Queens hands In the 35. it was enacted that euery (i) 25. Elizab. certaine recusants were by an act then made to abjure the Realme recusant aboue the age of sixteene yeares being not woorth twentie Markes exceeding his confined limittes should abjure the Realme and if hee refused to abjure or retourned after abjuration to be accounted a fellon Item that the partie shoulde pay ten pound a moneth that (a) Tenne pound a moneth for keeping a recusant in the house keeps any recusant in his house after warning In the same Parliament recusants are (b) The same yeare was the statute of confinements enacted restrayned to their certaine vsuall and common places of abode and are not to remoue aboue fiue miles thence without licence of the Bishop and two Iustices vpon paine of forfaiting of all their goods and all their free and coppyhold lands and annuities during life and all such recusants that had not lands of twenty marks value by yeere or goods of fourty pound if they conformed not themselues or repaired not to their places of limitation shall abjure the Realme By the course and contriuing of such capitall and cruel laws at the same time and in the same sessions aswell against Catholikes as against your gratious Mother it seemeth by all probability to persons esteemed of iudgement and great experience in the insighte of worldly drifts both in this Realme and in forraigne Regions that the principall marke which was aymed at in those times was at the selfe same season by seuerity and shadow of the same lawes an instance to ruinate and ouerthrow the (c) The person of his Maiesties Mother her right and Title and the Catholikes cause all shot at by the same lawes and at the same time person of your gratious Mother and her right and the professors of the Catholike religion supposing that those three must either stand or fall togither of necessity but non est consilium contra Dominum there is no councel against God her right and posterity hath God be thanked preuailed and the poore Catholikes from that time to this the more they haue bin oppressed the more they haue increased which cannot fall out otherwise vnlesse it proue false which God hath sayde by the mouth of his Saints and seruants Preciosa in conspectu Domini mors Sanctorum eius pretious in the sight of our Lord is the death of his Saints Et sanguis 1 These fellovves knovv not vvhat belongeth to martyrs that vvrite martirum and put Traytors in the catalogue of martyrs Martirum semen Ecclesiae the bloud of Martyrs the seed of the Church We accuse no man in particular in this case and could haue been content vlcus hoc intactum leuiter pertransire to haue sleightly past ouer this boch vntouched but that this respondent would needs deale with vs as Putifars (d) The libeller like Ioseph his Mistrisse and Susannaes iudges wife did with holy Ioseph or the carnall judges with the chast Susanna viz. put vs to our plunges and purgations for such crimes as were proper and peculiar vnto themselues Neuer was it heard of that in England or Scotland any Minister or Ministers euer suffered any thing for that gratious Lady or your maiesties Title but infinite are the (a) In Scotland Setons Gordens Simples Maxuelles families of the catholikes that haue suffered for them both As the Seatons the Gordens the Simples the Maxuells in Scotland the (b) In Englād Hawards Persies Pagets Treshams Throgmortons Salisburies Abington Winsor Havvards Persies Vauxes Pagets Treshams Throgmortons VVinsors Sclisburie Abington and diuers other worthy Gentlemen in this Land the shipwracks of whose opulent abundant states and fortunes are inuincible testimonies of the Libellers falshood and follie in this his obiection and of the constant fidelity of Catholikes to your Maiesty and al your race and predecessors in al their fortunes whatsoeuer And thus your Maiesty doth see the comparison of our former times and our precedent behauiours with our present affection and future assurance If then we be not rewarded and respected as all others are of other professions that haue done their duties as we did in aduancing your Maiesties affaires and acknowledging your rightfull Authority yet at the least we hope that it wil not be thought reasonable that we shold be left in the same 1 As long as you beleeue in the masse that is a masse of superstition idolatry and foolery you must needs be subiect to a masse of misery masse of misery which your maiesty found vs in at your entrance Make vs then Sweet Soueraign as able as we are willing to serue you not by new dignities and authorities but by restoring vs to our 2 In Spain and Italy our brethren that proses true christian