behauiour against King Henry his father who finding his sonne Iohn to be numbred amongst his enemies in a certaine schedule exhibited to him thereupon sickned with griefe and gaue his sonnes Gods curse and his which he would neuer release till his dying day 7. King Henry the third was not punished with ciuill warres for opposing himselfe against the Pope but rather for being too much ruled by him for after that in a Parliament held at Oxford in the 42. yeare of his raigne he had condescended to certaine auncient lawes and ordinances whereunto he had before refused to yeeld and for conseruation whereof those douzen peeres which hee speaketh of were ordained the King Ann. 44. procured an absolution of his oath from Rome whereby he had before obliged himselfe to maintaine the said auncient lawes whereupon followed those intestine warres betweene the King and his Nobles in the which the King and his sonnes were taken This contention then was caused not for the Kings disobedience to the Pope but his too great confidence in the Popes authoritie to absolue him from his oath to abrogate the lawes enacted 8. True it is that many miseries and calamities as ciuill warre famine strange diseases happened vnder the raigne of Edward the second and he himselfe at the last lost first his Crowne and then his life but as vntrue it is that these troubles fell vpon him for medling too farre against the See of Rome It is most euident in histories that he was deposed for misgouernment following the counsell of couetous cruell and wicked persons Pierce Gaueston and the two Spencers in whose quarell he in a short space put to death 22. of the greatest men in the realme 9. The like cause is shewed in histories of the great troubles that happened betweene Richard the second and his Nobles and of the great miserie he fell into namely his negligent administration of the commonwealth the intolerable exactions of his officers his crueltie in causing his owne Vncle Thomas of Woodstock and other Nobles to be cruellie put to death for these and the like causes he was deposed and depriued of his Crowne and regall dignitie It was not then his medling in ecclesiasticall iurisdiction as this wisard calculateth but his loose vniust and carelesse gouernment that wrought him this wo. And if it were enacted in this Kings time that Vrbane the Pope should be acknowledged for head of the Church as is here affirmed small reason there was in this discourser to exemplifie this King for his disobedience to the See of Rome which is the scope of all this senselesse section 10. King Henry prospered well in all his affaires after he tooke vpon him to be the supreme gouernor in Ecclesiasticall matters so did his sonne vertuous King Edward the 6. so did not Queene Mary nothing had good successe almost that she enterprised whose raigne was shortest of all her predecessors vnlesse it were vsurping Richard He therefore speaketh vntrulie and vncharitablie that King Edward was not vniustlie punished in his fathers fault for neither had his father of famous memorie faulted herein nor himselfe punished for the same but blessed of God with a godlie raigne and an happie end And thus hath this fabulous chronicler held vs with a long tale feeding the reader with his owne fansies for among all these examples by him produced he hath not verified his coniecture in any one of them that they were punished of God for resisting the papall iurisdiction But the contrarie may easily be shewed that no Kings had worse successe then they which were deuoted to the papall vsurped authoritie and none better then they which impugned the same and for the proofe hereof I will not go farre from home And first concerning the euill hap of Princes made slaues to the Pope other countries yeeld plentifull choice of examples as of Ladislaus King of Bohemia a great enemie to the doctrine of Iohn Husse who died sodainely of the Pestilence Another Ladislaus much about that time King of Polonia at the incitement of Eugenius the 4 brake truce made with Amurathes the great Turke was miserablie slaine Rodolphus rebelled against the Emperour Henry the 4 being set vp against him by Gregory the seauenth and was slaine in battaile The strange ends and bloudie deaths of Henry the second Charles the ninth Henry the third Kings of Fraunce great patrones of popish religion are very well known the first slaine with a shiuer of a speare as he iusted against Montgomery the second dyed of bleeding at the eares and nose and diuers other parts the third was murdered by a Frier But leauing to make mention of forraine stories this one Island of Britannie doth afford sufficient supplie who was more deuoted vnto the Pope and Popes religion before the Conquest then Offa and Edgar and yet none were more punished in their posteritie King Offa first gaue the Peter-pence to Rome he founded the Abbey of Bath and of S. Albons and was himselfe at the length shorne a Monke he most vniustly caused Ethelbert King of East-Angles who gentlie came vnto him mistrusting nothing to be beheaded But what befell the posteritie of this Offa not one of them prospered Eg fredus raigned but foure moneths the rest that succeeded were either slaine or expulsed Kenulphus Kenelmus Ceolwulphus Bernulphus Ludecanus Withlacus of the which Ceolwolfus was banished all the rest were slaine the last two Kings of Offa his race were Berthulfus and Burdredus which were expulsed of the Danes and so the Kingdome of Mercia was extinguished This Offa had a daughter called Ethelburga which was maried to Brithicus King of West-Saxons which first poisoned her husband then she fled into France and became Abbesse of a certaine Monasterie from whence for committing adulterie with a Monke she was expelled and ended her dayes in pouertie and miserie And such successe had Offa his posteritie Edgar was a great friend to the Pope and one of the greatest Patrones of Monkerie he restored and new founded 47. Monasteries but it fared full euill with his posteritie his base sonne Edward was slaine by the counsaile of his step-mother Queene Alfrede his other sonne Ethelred was expelled his Kingdome by Swanus the Dane and constrained to liue in exile in Normandie his sonne Edmund surnamed Ironside was forced to deuide his Kingdome with Canutus the Dane Since the Conquest Richard the first was much addicted to the Church of Rome and the Ministers thereof he tooke his scrip and staffe at Canturburie to go in pilgrimage to Ierusalem to recouer the holie land as they called it from the Infidels and he betooke the regiment of his Kingdome to William Longshamp Bishop of Ely the Popes Legate In Palestina he fought many battailes prosperouslie yet returning home he was taken captiue by the Duke of Austria and sent to the Emperour paying for his raunsome an hundred thousand
but before his comming there were in England other Bishops who depended not vpon the Romane Bishops neither did acknowledge Augustines authoritie and refused to yeeld obedience vnto him 4. In the very receiuing of popish priesthood the Masse-priests bind themselues to be subiects to the Romane Bishop in spirituall things and so denie the lawfull authoritie of the Prince in causes Ecclesiasticall The Iudasites beside do enter into a vow of obedience to execute whatsoeuer their superior shall command them to do by vertue of which vow many treacherous conspiracies haue been contriued yea they haue a speciall vow of mission whereby they bind themselues to go whither soeuer the Pope shall send them Who seeth not how fit an engine this is to draw them on to practise against both King and Countrie as hath been seene in England but to their owne cost hitherto thanks be to God and I trust shall be so still 5. Popish priests and Deacons are not deemed traytors for their absolutions or any other priestly function but because they do receiue priesthood by authoritie of a forrain Potentate claiming iurisdiction in England and who as a temporall aduersarie hath displayed his banner in the field against the Prince the maintenance of whose authoritie is iudged trayterous 6. To receiue orders in forraine countries simplie is not made treason for the Church of England receiueth such Ministers as were ordained in other countries professing the same religion as at Basile Geneua in Germany But eyther in the realme or without the realme to be ordained by any authoritie deriued or pretended from the See of Rome is by the law decreed to be treason because therein they which are so ordered acknowledge and receiue the Popes vsurped power and authoritie in England who is an enemie both to Prince and countrie wherein they are guiltie of treason 7. Though in some free cities in Germany in Greece vnder the Turke Seminarie Priests be tolerated that is no president for England neither can it stand with the policie of this kingdome to admit any such mixture And in that they are not there taken for traytors the case is not like for if they had practised there against the life of the Prince and state of the countrie as in England there is no question but they would haue taken the like order with them Neither in England for more then twentie yeares was it made treasonable to be made a Popish Priest till such time as the state perceiued that their entring into the land seducing of subiects conspiring together tended to the subuersion and ouerthrow both of Prince and countrie And it can not be but that the Pope should haue an intent to bring England vnder his temporall gouernment whatsoeuer he intendeth in other countries seeing both the Iudasites and Priests acknowledge that the Pope hath indirectam potestatem in temporalib hath an indirect power euen in temporals by force of armes to restraine Princes and to reforme them and to dispose of Kingdomes 8. This article is wholie vntrue for neither are the Lecturâ—s read in the Iesuites Colledges very commendable when one Maldonat a Iudasite in one publike Lecture proued there was a God by naturall reason and in another that there was none And Parsons would haue had his traiterous booke of titles publikely read in the Colledge at Rome to the Students as his fellow priests report What the professors of the Iesuites Colledge are and how affected to the Ciuill gouernment may appeare by their treacherous attempts Varade a Iudasite in France approoued the wicked treason of Barriere against the King so did Commolet who openly in his Sermons sayd they wanted but an Ehud Walpoole a Iesuite deliuered a poisonfull confection to Squire ann 1597. to destroy the Queene Parsons before that with other of the Spanish faction practised with Lopez to the same deede As is their practise so is their doctrine Parsons maintaineth as a principle that necessitie of true he meaneth his Cacolike religion is required in all pretenders to the Crowne whereby he meaneth that no title should be admitted though neerest by bloud and lawfull succession vnlesse the profession of the Romane faith were coincident to it Guignard made a booke wherein he maintained that to kill offenders he meaneth Princes that stood not for them was meritorious Chastell one of their schollers that was executed for attempting the Kings death maintained before the Iudge that in some cases it was lawfull to kill his King At Salamanca in Spaine these conclusions were resolued vpon by the Diuines of the Iesuites Colledge that all Catholikes did sinne mortally that tooke part with the English against Tyrone in Ireland that they which did fight against the Queene were by no coÌ„struction rebels c. These and such other positions were subscribed by Iohn de Sequenza Emmanuel de Royas Iasper de Mena professors of Diuinitie in the Colledge of Iesuites there and by Peter Osorio preacher there What a brasen face now hath this fellow that sayth there is no professor lecture doctrine in their Colledges contrarie to the English gouernment and what manner of prayers they vsed to make for Queene Elizabeth we may iudge by these their practises and opinions And if it were not so that these Schooles and Seminaries are corrupters of youth the Court of Parliament of Paris vpon the apprehension of Iohn Chastel who stroke the King with a knife in the face who was a student of the Iesuites Colledge of Clairemont would not haue decreed the whole companie of priests students there as corrupters of youth disturbers of the common quiet enemies of the King and state to auoid within three dayes out of Paris and within 15. dayes out of the Realme 9. We grant that when the Pope was in his ruffe many Kings made slaues vnto the beast yeelded vnto his vsurped iurisdiction in affaires ecclesiasticall but of auncient time it was not so for the good Kings of Iuda Dauid Iehosophat Hezekiah Iosias had the chiefe stroke in religious causes So had the Christian Emperours Gratianus Valentinianus Theodosius Martianus that made lawes concerning the faith Likewise the Christian Kings of the Gothes in Spaine decreed ratified and confirmed ecclesiasticall lawes as Reccaredus Guntranus Sisenandus Reccesinuthus Eryngius as is extant in these Synodes Prouinciall heere alleaged 10. To haue free accesse to Rome only to see the Citie and the behauiour of the people may by Princes in their discretion to their subiects be permitted though I thinke it be hard for any with a good conscience in regard of the publike offences there occurrent so to do but to bring from thence a crucifixe or a picture as a marke of the beast can not be but dangerous which although it be not treason in England though a disobedience yet Adam Damlip for a lesse matter by Winchesters procurement was condemned of treason for receiuing a French crowne of Cardinall
so ample in iurisdiction that no temporall Prince Christian or Infidell no professor of regiment in ecclesiasticall causes c. was by many degrees possessed of so large a regiment 8. Our priuate Priests the most reuerend and learned fathers of the societie of Iesus are honoured of the greatest Princes in the world c. The disswasion 1. NEither doe I defend that religion that diuideth the militant and triumphant Church in robbing God of his honour in giuing it to Angels and Saints against their wils who refused to bee worshipped here in earth as the Angell of Iohn and Peter of Cornelius And therefore God requireth no such honour to be giuen vnto them so that as our Sauiour saith of Moses There is one which accuseth you euen Moses in whom ye trust euen so the Angels and Saints shall be witnesses and accusers of popish superstitious worshippers who honour the creature in steed of the Creator But the religion which Protestants professe and I defend doth make but one familie in heauen and in earth Ephes 3.15 ioyning them together in an holie societie and communion we in earth giuing thankes for them whom God hath deliuered from these terrene miseries and they longing to see vs also with the whole Church to be made partakers of their ioy As Cyprian saith Magnus illic charorum numerus nos expectat parentum fratrum filiorum de salute sua securi de nostra solliciti A great number of our friends doth there looke for vs of our parents brethren sonnes secure of their saluation and sollicitous for ours Other entercourse betweene the Church militant and triumphant there is none neither of our prayers to them that were superstitious for the Lord saith Call vpon me in the day of trouble and I will deliuer thee Psal. 50.15 nor of their help and assistance to vs that were superfluous God is able alone and sufficient to defend his Church as the Angell saith None holdeth with me in these things in the defence of the Church but Michael your prince which is Christ. Dan. 10.21 2. Which doth not that wrong to the faithfull departed to thrust them downe into the extreame paines of purgatorie which they say exceede all the paines of this life when as the Scripture saith that they which dye in the Lord doe from thencefoorth rest from their labours and all teares are wiped from their eyes They neede not therefore any reliefe from the liuing being in ioy and happines 3. Which doth not make any representation of Christ by Images for wee are commaunded not to corrupt our selues in making any grauen image or representation of any figure Deuter. 4.16 Neither doth it presume to offer vp Christ in sacrifice as the Papall priesthood doth because the Scripture saith that Christ doth not offer himselfe often but he appeared once to put away sinne by the sacrifice of himselfe And with one offering hath hee consecrated for euer them that are sanctified But our religion prescribeth the holie Sacrament of the bodie and bloud of Christ to bee vsed according to his institution in his remembrance as our Sauiour himselfe saith Doe this in remembrance of me Whereupon it was thus concluded and resolued in a generall Councell Ecce viuificantis illius corporis imaginem totam panis scilicet substantiam quam mandauit apponi Behold the whole or all the image of that quickening bodie the substance of bread which he commaunded to be vsed We haue then no other commemoration or representatiue image of Christ but onely the Sacrament celebrated according to his owne institution As for blasphemous swearing by instruments of our redemption though too many among Protestants are addicted to that euill custome yet he might haue bin ashamed to obiect it to vs knowing how common a thing it is among Papists to sweare as it appeareth by their own Synode which thus complaineth Quo colore nunc consuetudo passim iurantium in omni negotio excusari possit non videmus With what colour the custome of such which sweare vpon euerie occasion can be excused wee see not Those sacrilegious oathes to sweare by the Masse by the crosse nailes bodie bloud of Christ his wounds by S. Peter S. Anne S. Mary and the rest where els had they their beginning but in Poperie Yea it seemeth that swearing by such is not onely vsuall among them but commendable also for one Sanpaulinus for reprouing one of swearing was suspected to be a Lutherane and thereupon further examined sifted condemned and burned at Paris ann 1551. 4. It is also vntrue that there is no consecration or distinction of callings among vs for both Bishops haue their consecration from the Metropolitane with his Suffraganes and Ministers their ordination from their Ordinaries by imposition of hands which ought to be and is assisted with other Presbyters The Prince doth not challenge any power or authoritie of the Ministrie of any diuine offices in the Church or to conferre orders or consecration but onely by the Letters Patents conferreth the temporalties of Bishoprickes the Metropolitane with his assistance consecrateth as other Patrones present to benefices and the Ordinarie instituteth And this hath been the ancient vse and custome of England and prerogatiue of the Crowne that licence should be demaunded of the King to chuse and his royall consent to be had after election made as it is euident in diuers ancient statutes 5. As for the Papall Hierarchie it is altogether imperfect and out of order 1. The office of the Pope is iniurious and Antichristian taking vpon him to haue iurisdiction and prerogatiue ouer all other Bishops contrarie both to the Scriptures which gaue vnto all the Apostles the same authoritie and to them al the keyes were equallie committed and power to binde and loose Mat. 18.18 And to the Canons for Nicen. 1. can 6. parilis mos the like custome and iurisdiction is decreed to the Patriarke of Alexandria as to the Bishop of Rome Chalcidonens action 16. equall priuiledges are yeelded to Constantinople which is called new Rome as to old Rome The like may be shewed out of the eight first generall Councels The offices of Archbishops and Bishops as wee condemne not absolutely when they are vsed not as titles of ambition but as holesome meanes to preserue vnitie as they should be exercised among Protestants so in the Papall policie wee mislike them being but the Popes creatures and fit props to vphold his Antichristian and vsurped power But concerning your seuen orders of Priests Deacons Subdeacons Acolythists Readers Exorcists Doorekeepers wee hold them as superfluous and vnnecessarie seruices The Apostle sheweth that Christ hath giuen some to be Apostles some Prophets some Euangelists some pastors some teachers for the gathering together of the Saints for the worke of the Ministrie for the edification of the bodie of Christ c. If these bee sufficient to
their soules with God and the resurrection of their bodies to come 4 It is Poperie rather that consisteth of negatiues as it is euident by their manifold oppositions to the doctrines before rehearsed as that the scriptures conteyne not all things necessarie to saluation that the Church can not erre that the scriptures are not fit to be read in the vulgar toong that the Pope is not Antichrist that faith onely iustifieth not that there be not two onely sacraments that Christ onely as one mediator is not to be inuocated These negatiues with a number more the Romane separation maintayneth And where they affirme and set downe any thing positiuely they affirme their owne fantasies the doctrine of the Trinitie onely and some few other points excepted and oppose themselues therein to the scriptures 5 First what if many Churches haue bene erected in poperie Were not many Temples also built in the time of Paganisme as at Rome to Diana to Honor. q. 13. to Matuta q. 16. to Bona. q. 20. to Saturne q. 42. to Horta q. 46. to Vulcane without the citie q. 47. to Carmenta q. 56. to Hercules q. 59. to Fortuna Parua q. 74. to Aesculapius without the citie q. 94. to Apollo at Delphos q. 12. to Ocridion at Rhodes q. 27. to Tenes at Tenedos q. 29. to Vlysses at Lacedaemon q. 48. with many other Not the building therefore of Churches Temples and other Monuments but the end whereto they were first founded maketh them commendable Secondly let it be considered to what intent these Monuments were erected in the popish time and so many Monasteries builded not for the most part of any true deuotion or to the honor of God but pro remedio animae pro remissione peccatorum in honorem gloriosae virginis for the remedie of their soule for the remission and expiation of their sinnes to the honor of the glorious Virgin As King Ethelstane after the death of his brother which he had procured builded in satisfaction two Monasteries of Midleton and Michelenes Elfrida for the death of Ethelwold her husband builded a Monasterie of Nunnes in remission of sinnes Queene Alfrith in repentance of her fact for causing her sonne King Edward to be murdered founded two Nunries one at Amesburie by Salisburie the other at Werewell let any man now iudge what good beginning those Monasticall foundations had Thirdly it will be an hard matter for them to proue that all the founders of Churches Colledges and other Monuments were of the Romane opinion 〈◊〉 â—eligion as now it is professed For Charles surnamed the Great who is said to haue builded so many Monasteries as be letters in the A B C held a Councell at Frankeford where was condemned the 2. Nicene Councell with Irene the Empresse that approued the adoration of Images which is now maintayned by the papall corporation In King Ethelstanes time the Prince was acknowledged to haue the chiefe stroke in all causes whether spirituall or temporall as it may appeare by diuers constitutions by him made for the direction of the Cleargie In this Kings raigne diuers Monasteries were builded as the Abbey of Midleton and Michelenes In King Edmunds time the opinion of transubstantiation was not generallie receiued but then newly hatched by certaine miraculous fictions imputed to Odo Vnder this King the order of the Monks of Bennets order increased and the Abbey of S. Edmundsburie with great reuenues indowed In King Edward the Martyrs raigne Priests were suffered to haue their wiues and were restored to their Colledges and Monks thrust out by Alpherus Duke of Mercia In this Kings time were founded the Nunries at Amesburie and Werewell I trust then that in these times when neither images were adored nor the Princes authoritie in ecclesiasticall causes abridged nor transubstantiation beleeued nor the mariage of Ministers inhibited all went not currant for Poperie as it is now receiued Fourthly this age of Protestancie for this 40. yeare in England vnder the happie regimeÌ„t of our late Soueraigne Queene Elizabeth hath beene more fruitfull of pious works in building of Hospitals Almes-houses free Schooles Colledges in the Vniuersities speciallie in Cambridge founding of fellowships schollarships erecting of Libraries speciallie the Vniuersitie Librarie at Oxford by the liberall charge christian care of Maister Bodlie a religious and well disposed Gentleman then any like space of time which can be named vnder the regiment of the papall Hierarchie See more of this elsewhere And concerning the godlie care of the foresaid vertuous and liberall Gentleman he deserueth to be compared either to Pamphilus which erected or Acacius and Euzonius which enlarged and amended the famous Librarie of Caesarea in whom that sentence of Hierome vttered of Pamphilus is now verified Beatus Pamphilus cum Demetrium Phalereum Pisistratum in sacrae bibliothecae studio voluit â—quare imagines ingeniorum quae vera sunt aeterna monumenta toto orbe perquireret Blessed Pamphilus equalizing Demetrius Phalereus and Pisistratus in taking care for Libraries he sought for the images of mens wits the only true and eternall monuments through the whole world 6 I suppose rather that all things requisite to true religion are wanting in Poperie where the people are nusled vp in ignorance no edifying in their Churches where all the seruice is muttered in an vnknowne toong no reading of scripture which should make them wise to saluation no comfort in prayer to saluation which they vnderstand not seldome receiuing of the sacrament and that but in one kind and so it is maymed and defectiue in the sacramentall effects where then there is no knowledge in themselues no edifying toward others no true prayer to God no comfort in meditation of scripture no strength in the celebration of the sacraments where men are taught not to relie only by faith vpon Christ but to trust in their merites not to rest in Christs mediation but to seeke for the intercession of Angels and Saincts not to be content with a spirituall worship of God but to prostitute themselues to dumbe Idols not to cleaue only to the scriptures in matters of faith but to runne vnto traditions How then doth this religion obserue all things nay rather how are not all things there wanting that are requisite to true religion And as the liuing haue small comfort so as little hope is there of the dead whose soules after they haue passed the troubles of this life they send to Purgatorie flames there to suffer more then euer they endured before like as a Ship hauing escaped the dangerous surges of the Sea should suffer wracke and be lost in the hauen Of such comfortlesse doctrine that saying of Plutarke is verified Death to all men is the end of life but to superstition it is not so for it extendeth feare beyond a mans life then hell gates are set open fierie streames and infernall riuers are let go and horrible darkenes
diuers of those auncient Kings became Monks yet neither was the Monasticall life so farre out of square as now it is they made it not a cloake of idlenes and filthie liuing a nurserie of idolatrie and grosse superstitions but they desired that life as fittest for contemplation and free frō the encumbrances of the world Diuers of the heathen Emperors left the Imperiall administration and betooke thēselues to priuate contemplation as Dioclesian Maximinian Lanquet ann Christ. 307. Neither doth this one opinion of the excellencie of Monasticall life shew them to be resolute Papists for it followeth not because they were Monks that consequentlie they held transubstantiation worship of images and the more grosse points of the Romish Catechisme 3 He shall not be able to proue the tenth part of that great number of 180. Kings either to haue themselues professed the now Romane religion or by lawes to haue prescribed the same to others some instances I will produce In King Lucius dayes not the Pope but the King was Gods vicar in his kingdome and it was his part to gather the people together to the law of Christ as Eleutherius Bishop of Rome testifieth in his epistle Cedde and Colman dissented from the Church of Rome about the celebration of Easter Wilfride about the same time confesseth that Images were inuented of the Deuill which all men that beleeue in Christ sayth he ought of necessitie to forsake and detest King Alfred or Alured translated the Psalter into English and he was instructed by Ioannes Scotus who writ a booke de corpore sanguine Christi which was condemned by the Pope in the Synod Vercellens being of Bertrams opinion against the corporall presence which fansie was not as yet receiued in the Church as is apparant by the sermon of Elfricus against transubstantiation In King Edward Athelstane and King Edmunds time the Prince had power to constitute ecclesiasticall lawes and to prescribe rules and orders for ecclesiasticall persons as may appeare by diuers of their lawes In King Edgars time Priests mariage was lawfull which began then to be restrayned Many lawes and acts haue passed since in open Parliament to restraine the iurisdiction of the Bishop of Rome to inhibite the purchasing of prouisoes frō thence arrests processes excommunications vnder paine of exile imprisonment forfeiture of goods and that not without expresse consent of the Clergie See Richard 2. ann 16. cap. 5. These then which allowed not the worship of images beleeued not transubstantiation gaue the Prince authoritie in spirituall causes approued the mariage of Ministers and the translation of the scriptures into the vulgar tongue restrayned the authoritie of the Romane Bishop may worthilie doubted of whether they were Papists 4 King Henry was so farre from repenting his proceedings against the vsurped Romane iurisdiction that if God had spared him life he intended a thorough reformation of Religion as was easilie to be seene both by his resolution for religion vttered not long before his death to Monsieur de Annebault the French Embassador and his answere made nearer to his death to Bruno Embassador to the Duke of Saxonie that he would take his part against the Emperour if the quarell were for religion 5 More vntrue it is that our late Soueraigne in the late dayes of persecution professed that religion with such deuotion The cruell and vnnaturall dealing toward her highnes then is a sufficient argument to conuince this large reporter of a great vntruth how she was sent for by commission in great extremitie of sicknes to be brought aliue or dead committed without cause to the Tower her seruants remoued from her straitlie examined her owne seruants restrayned to bring her diet denied the libertie of the Tower a strait watch kept round about her in danger to be murdered in continuall feare of her life her death by Winchesters platforme intended which by Gods prouidence she escaped Adde hereunto Stories desperate speech vttered in the Parliament house that he was not a little grieued with his fellow Papists for that they laboured onely about the young and little sprigs and twigs while they should haue striken at the roote c. All this euidentlie bewrayeth what opinion they had of her Maiesties resolution in religion and what she had of theirs In the meane time their cruell proceedings are laid open who if it were as this Coniecturer sayth would so persecute an innocent Ladie whom they commend for her deuotion 6.1 That euidence which he alleadgeth from M. Fox his mouth out of the Register booke of the Guildhall in London conteineth not the precise forme of the Princes oath to be taken at the Coronation which before I haue recited out of Magna charta but certaine monitions and instructions concerning the dutie of the King 2. He vseth great fraud in setting downe the words both inuerting the order and leauing out what he thinketh good as that the King ought to loue and obserue Gods commaundements then must he be an enemie to idolatrie and to the doctrines and commaundements of men such as many be obserued in the Romane Church Beside he sayth to maintaine holie Church whereas the words are to maintaine and gouerne the holie Church c. but they can not endure that Kings should rule and gouerne the Church 3. For the King to take his oath vpon the Euangelists and blessed reliques of Saints it sheweth not that the King did worship those reliques or sweare by them though he lay his hand vpon them no more then he doth sweare by the booke that putteth his hand vpon it or Abrahams seruant by his maisters thigh when he sware vnto him or Iacob by the heape of stones ouer the which he tooke his oath But as Ambrose well sayth Christianus imperator aram solius Christi didicit honorare A Christian Emperour hath onely learned to honor Christs altare And so Christian Princes haue learned to giue all religious honor to Christ and not to impart it to his seruants to make them sharers with their Maister Thus hath this sophisticall dialogist fayled as well in the probation of the assumption as in his enlarging of the proposition But whatsoeuer her Maiesties predecessors were she was not bound where they wandred out of the way to erre in their steps Iosias of idolatrous parents both father and grandfather was himselfe a religious Prince and a true worshipper of God Heathen stories will tell vs that noble Pericles came of an euill race Pompeius the great of despised Strabo Vlysses Aesculapius famous men of lewd parents The graue Poet also doth insinuate as much 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The sonne excels in vertues fame the parent euill of whome he came As of euill parents vertuous children may descend so out of superstitious antiquitie religious posteritie may issue and florish And as Ambrose well answered the obiection of Symmachus the Pagane Maiorum ritus
champion died in contempt and ignominie being in his old age become ridiculous vnto children 3. The P. of Condie Oranges death are monuments of Popish treacherie not argumēts of Gods seueritie he might be ashamed thus to blaze and boast of the perfidious conspiracies of Papists against Protestant Princes and it is not farre from blasphemie to make that Gods act which the diuell wrought by his wicked ministers As though Iudas also betrayed not his master and brought him to his end note this also I pray you as a iudgement of God vpon Christ. 4. As for that godly Admirall of France he was as innocent Naboth suspecting nothing cruelly murdered but as Naboths blood was reuenged in Ahab and Iezabels blood so all the wicked instruments of this horrible and almost inexpiable massacre were iudged of God the bloodie end of Charles the 9. then King of Henrie the 3. then Duke of Aniow and of the Guises great doers in that bloodie enterprise are well knowne to the world I neede make no rehearsall of them Who seeth not how this blind fencer is beaten with his owne weapon and confounded with his owne examples 5. Whatsoeuer happened to Iames the bastard was not for any resistance against Rome but his owne misdemeanour was his ruine This Iames Hamelton the bastard if it be he whō he meaneth was condemned and beheaded and his bodie quartered for treason Quod certo die cubiculo effracto regem trucidare constituisset Because he had appointed vpon a certaine day to breake into the Kings chamber and kill him This was his offence But otherwise he was no enemie but a friend to the Church of Rome for in the same storie it followeth that few grieued at his death but his kinred and the Popish priests Qui in eius incolumitate omnium suarum prope fortunarum spem collocarunt Who in his safetie placed the hope of all their happie state But I marueile that this great trauailer making mention of the affaires of Scotland could forget the notable example of Gods iudgement shewed vpon Dauid Beaton Cardinall of S. Andrewes a cruell persecutor who was slaine in his bed and lay vnburied 7. moneths being at last raked vp in a dunghill this happened not I thinke for any disloyaltie to the triple crowned beast 6. Christierne King of Denmarke was deposed not for his gainesaying of the Papall iurisdiction but for his crueltie and misgouernment and in open Parliament was for his tyrannie depriued of his kingdome and his vncle Fredericke Duke of Holsatia chosen in his place 7. Penda Redwaldus Osricus Eaufridus were not punished for resisting the iurisdiction of Rome but for impugning the faith of Christ being Pagane Idolaters of the two latter Beda thus writeth Vterque sacramenta regni coelestis quibus initiatus erat anathematizando perdidit c. Both of them standing accursed lost the sacraments of the heauenly kingdome which they had receiued and yeelded themselues againe to be defiled idololatriae sordibus with the filth of Idols and they were both slaine of Cedualla King of Britons First then they were punished for their apostasie from the faith of Christ not from the fealtie of Rome Secondly they were rather iudged for holding the faith of the now Church of Rome in worshipping of Idols Thirdly yet if it were directly proued which he intendeth these arguments drawne from outward calamities which are cōmon both to good bad are but vncertaine for the same Beda also maketh mention of Edwine Oswaldus Sigebertus Egericus all Christian Kings the first slaine of Carduella King of Britons the other three by Penda a Pagan Prince 8. He saith further that eleuen thousand Monkes of Bangor were slaine of the Pagane souldiers for their disobedience in dissenting from the Sea of Rome only in the paschall obseruation and manner of shauing pag. 72. 1. Who seeth not this Popelings vncharitable iudgement who would haue them slaine as rebels which were in trueth put to death as Martyrs for preaching and praying for good successe against Ethelbertus a Pagane King of Northumberland 2. And is he not ashamed to sit in Gods place of iudgement to award so heauie a punishmēt for so smal a matter as dissenting about shauing of crownes c 3. But God suffered not this pitifull slaughter to go vnreuenged for cruel Ethelbert was slaine in the field by Christian Edwine ◠succeeded him 4. And because he talketh of shauing of crownes we reade also that Suanus the Dane tooke the citie of Canterburie and put to death 900. Monkes by tithing of them that is sauing euery tenth man aliue and 8000. of other persons were put to the sword likewise We may as well say that these religious persons had their crownes thus pared because they were shauen after the Romane fashion as that the other were slaine for not being so shaued 9. King Edwine was not deposed from his kingdome and Edgar substituted in his place for banishing of Dunstane as this Dunstanist supposeth but for his licentious life who in the same day of his coronation vsed the vnlawfull companie of a certaine woman whose husband he had slaine before Thus this trifler maketh euery thing serue his turne and would make vs beleeue that all iudgements and calamities which befell those Princes were inflicted for the Popes cause He is herein much like Colotes the Epicure who in a certaine booke taketh vpon him to proue that a man could not liue according to other Philosophers rules that there was no life but among the Epicures and so this Romane Epicure thinketh that there is no life nor safetie without the Epicurean fellowship of Rome But the law telleth vs In re propria nemo idoneus iudex No man is a fit iudge in his owne cause no more is he in this And so I proceede The fift Demonstration WIlliam the Conquerour William Rufus Henrie the 2. King Iohn Henrie the 3. Edward the 2. Richard the 2. are brought in as impugners of the Papall iurisdiction and for the same strangely punished of God from pag. 73. to pag. 79. These examples shall be examined in order The Remonstration 1. IT appeareth not in storie that William Conquerour did oppose himselfe to the Popes seignorie for hee caused Stigandus Archbishop of Canturburie to be depriued and Lanfranke a great champion for the Pope to be set in his place Indeede at his first conquest he dealt hardly with some Monasteries spoyling them of their gold and siluer but for that hee made amends For hee founded Battaile Abbey in Sussex and Selbie Abbey in Yorkshire the Priorie of S. Nicholas at Excester the Abbey of S. Stephen at Cane in Normandie He caused the Ladie Church at Meux in France to be burnt and two Anachoretes but the first was repayred againe at his charge the other were wilfully burnt because they perswaded themselues they ought not to leaue their Cell
factious crue and adulterous seede of that strumpet may in good time also bee dispatched thither to sucke their owne mothers breasts that both the bondwoman and her sonnes may be cast foorth and not be heires with Isaac And if they will with Iudas depart from the Ministers of Christ to the Pharisies we may wish vnto them Iudas end as one saith Iudas iuit ad Pharisaeos non iuit ad Apostolos iuit ad diâ—isoâ— diuisus perijt Iudas went to the Pharisies not to the Apostles he went to those which were diuided and being diuided in the midst perished And happie were it with the Church of England if it were honestly rid of such make bate companions that wee might dwell by none but good neighbours as it is said of Themistocles when hee offered his ground to sell caused it to be proclaimed that he had a good neighbour Now this aduersarie breaking off here his vncharitable accusations returneth to his former defence which how sillie and weake it is shall in the discouerie thereof appeare The fift Defence 1. WHat disloyaltie of behauiour to Commonwealths can be noted in Catholike religion doe wee not teach all dutie vnto Princes and superiours pag. 94. 2. What is there in that sacred function of Priesthood now treason by the proceedings of England that can be guiltie of so great a crime in the statute of treason in Edward 3. nothing is remembred but that which tendeth either to the betraying of King or countrie pag. 95. 3. What is in Priesthood now that was not in former times which euer in Parliament hath been reputed the most honourable calling c. the same Priesthood which was giuen to S. Peter and his Apostles the same which S. Augustine and his associates had that conuerted England pag. 96. 4. There is in that sacrament of Priesthood no renouncing or deniall of any authoritie in England no conspiracie to Prince no betraying of kingdome c. pag. 96. 5. That Priests do absolue from sinnes c. the cause is no temporall thing and yet it cannot be the cause of this treason for Deacons which haue no such authoritie are traytors by the same statute pag. 96. 6. That our Priests are consecrated in forraine countries is not the cause for in former times it hath been the greatest honour to our Clergie to be consecrated in those forraine countries and to be ordered in France to which we be friends and in England is equally treason pag. 97. 7. The Grecians and Germanes diuers in doctrine to the Church of Rome haue their Seminaries of Priests maintained by the Pope and yet they condemne not their Priests for traytors and it is as improbable that the Pope hath an intent to bring England vnder his temporall gouernment as it is vnprobable in those countries 8. How can those religious Schooles be such aduersaries c. where there is no Reader no professor no Lecture no doctrine against our English gouernment where prayer is continually made for her Maiestie The rules and gouernment there consent with the ancient foundations of Cambridge and Oxford pag. 98. 9. What disobedience can it be to denie to any temporall Prince supremacie in causes Ecclesiasticall a preeminence distinct c. which our Kings themselues euer approued in the Roman See which neuer any Turke or Goth or Vandale or Infidell challenged c. nor any temporall Prince vnlesse it be in England pag. 98. 10. The enemies to this See do not condemne it as a disobedience to appeale to Rome in spirituall cases to goe on pilgrimage to Rome to fetch any Crucifixe or picture from thence all Catholikes and Christians of the world without prohibition of their Princes haue accesse thither pag. 99. 11. Our most triumphant Kings haue performed those offices in visiting of Rome in their owne persons pag. 99. The Answere 1. DOe ye aske what disloyaltie there is in your Cacolike religion when by Popish doctrine Princes are not chiefe in their owne kingdoms ouer Ecclesiasticall causes and persons and the Pope hath authoritie by the same to excommunicate and depose Princes and absolue subiects from their oth of obedience And doe ye teach all dutie to Princes when the pestilent vipers the Iudasites doe hold that subiects ought to assist the Pope inuading a countrie by force for religion against their Prince and that they are bound to keepe secret the Popes designements to that end that they were no rebels which aided the Popes Cacolikes in Ireland against the Queene I would not so often alleage these matters but that this brablers confused tautologies can not otherwise be answered 2. There be other points in that statute beside betraying of King or countrie that are made treason as to violate the Kings wife or his eldest daughter or the wife of his eldest sonne but these matters are impertinent they serue only to shew the vntruth of his speech And euen by this statute popish Priests and Iudasites that maintaine a forren Potentate a knowne enemie to Prince and countrie are found to be traytors for they which are adherent to the Kings enemies in his realme giuing them ayde and comfort within the realme or elsewhere are by that statute iudged traytors 3. In popish Priesthood there are many things now which were not in former times as to haue power to make Christs bodie that it is a sacrament and hath an indeleble character their shauing greazing to haue dependance vpon the Bishop of Rome the vow of single life annexed to orders these things in the honorable calling of the Ministers of the Church the auncient and pure age of the Church did not acknowledge And though the popish priesthood for some hundred yeares past hath beene in great credite yet was it another manner of Ministerie which was honoured of the auncient Christian Emperors As the Bishops of the Nicene Councell whom Constantine so reuerenced that he would not sit downe till they had beckoned to him Meletius whose eyes lips and breast Theodosius kissed embraced Chrysostome whom Goinas the Goth did reuerence and caused his children to fall downe at his knees all these were Bishops of another order then the Popes creatures now are It is also a vaine boast that S. Peter had the same priesthood S. Peters presbyters were not Lords ouer Christs flocke as the Popes Clergie is 1. Pet. 5.3 Peter doth make himselfe a sympresbyter with the rest not lord ouer theÌ„ nor they to depend of him and confesseth Christ to be the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the chiefe shepheard 1. Pet. 5.4 he dare not arrogate that title to himselfe as the Pope doth In some respects they may haue the same priesthoode which Augustine the Monke had though as yet the sacrifice of Christs bodie was not annexed to the priesthood nor many yeares after for he came from Rome and sought the preeminence of that See
three proofes are produced First the multiplicitie of suites Secondly the multitude of statutes Thirdly the testimonie of Protestant writers that complaine of the impietie of these times pag. 8.9 For the first he appealeth to the testimonie of Iudges records of Courts c. contentions betweene tenant and tenant Lord and Lord Lord and tenant c. to the rich estate of so many Lawyers pag. 8. Ans. 1. Although the multiplying of suites and aptnes to goe to law and that for trifles be not commendable yet it is no sufficient argument to disable and make a nullitie of a Church for euen the Corinthians to whom S. Paul doubteth not to ascribe the name of the Church of God were contentious and full of quarrels as the Apostle saith vnto them Now therefore there is vtterly a fault among you because ye goe to law one with another why rather suffer you not wrong c. 1. Cor. 6.7 2. If suites haue encreased since the expulsion of the Popes iurisdiction out of England religion is not the cause thereof but other probable reasons may bee yeelded without any blame to the Church or Religion first because since the dissolution of Abbeys and the dispersing of those lands into many mens hands which before were vnited and annexed to those Corporations it could not otherwise be chosen but that questions about titles and priuiledges should grow as infinite were the suites which were commenced before betweene Abbots and Bishops the Priors and their Couents betweene one Cell and another which controuersies haue had their time and now begin to slake as Westminster Hall can testifie and in the next succeeding age are like to be fewer and we wish they may so be As for Lawyers wealth it is no disparagement to the Gospell though it may be a blot to their conscience if it bee not rightfully gotten neither are there many that haue of late daies gained so much by the law though some I confesse by the confluence of Clients and if I may so say the monopolie of causes haue gotten enough for it is thought that scarse the tenth man of the whole number that are called to the Barre do get their maintenance by it And it is well knowne that some of your friends and welwillers Frier Robert or Richard or what els the first letter of your name R. betokeneth haue helped to share and shaue in the law among the rest Secondly whereas many appeales were made to the Sea of Rome and infinite causes promoted thither Bishops fetcht vp their Chapters Priors their Couents by processe to Rome Archbishops their Suffraganes yea sometime the subiects their King Is there not great cause since this forraine course in prosecuting of suites was stopped that much more busines thereby be procured at home so that the floods of causes which streamed into that sea being turned an other way must needes make an inundation and ouerflowing of suites at home Thirdly the Gospell hath not caused such multiplicitie of suites but it is an abuse of this long peace which hath increased the wealth of the land and riches breede quarrels and make men impatient of wrongs I make no doubt but that in our neighbour kingdome of France suites haue beene multiplied and Lawyers thereby farre more aduantaged since the appeasing of the ciuill warres then in many yeares before which change can not be layed vpon their religion which is not there changed but vpon the alteration of the times This then is not an effect of the Gospell but a defect in those that know not to make vse of this peace and abundance procured by the Gospell 3 This obiection of vnkind and vnnaturall suites and debates doth most fitlie rebound vpon their owne heads for neuer was the Clergie fuller of stomacke nor more readie to reuenge and apt to quarrell then vnder the yoke of Poperie What contentions then hapned sometime betweene the King and the Archbishop as between King William and Lanfranke King Henry the first and Anselme King Stephen and Richard Henry the second and Becket King Iohn and Ste. Lancton King Henry the third and Boniface sometime between Archbishops and their Suffraganes Bishops and Monks Deane and Chapter secular Priests and Monks betweene Friers of one sort and Friers of another Such were the sturres and broyles betweene the Archbishop of Canterburie and Richard of Yorke betweene Lanfranke and Archbishop Thomas betweene Theobald A. B. of Canterbury and Siluester Abbot of S. Austens betweene William of Canturbury and Ieremias Prior betweene Boniface Archbishop of Canterbury and the Canons of S. Paule betweene the said Boniface and the Monks of S. Bartlemew that sate there in harnesse in his visitation betweene the Abbots of Westminster and the Monks of the same house between William of Winchester and Boniface of Canterburie betweene the said Boniface and the Canons of Lincolne betweene the Monks of Canterbury Canons of Liechfield a number of such hote contentions and friuolous quarels might be produced which haue raigned in Poperie what Bishops sea what Abbey Nunrie Chappell what Church cathedrall conuentuall or collegiate was free from these broyles And as these contentions were many so they grew vpon small occasions as betweene Boniface of Canterbury and the Canons of Lincolne for giuing of a prebend betweene Edmond of Canterbury and the Monks of Rochester for the election of the Bishop between Gilbert of Rochester and Robert the Popes Legate for sitting at his right hand betweene the Abbot of Bardney and the said Robert for the visitation of the Abbey betweene William of Elie and the Canons of Yorke for not receiuing him with Procession Thus the Popish Clergie vpon the wagging of euerie strawe were readie one to offend an other And concerning vnnaturall suites among kinsfolks brethren parents and children and for vnsufferable abuses he might for shame here haue held his peace seeing all these haue so abounded and ouerflowed in Poperie when the husband became a betrayer and persecutor of his wife as Iohn Greebill of Agnes his wife a poore woman that was burned at Exceter was persecuted of her husband the father betrayed his children as Woodman his sonne Richard the children accused their parents as Christopher and Iohn Greebill their mother Agnes Greebill children were constrained to set fire to their parents as Ioane Clearke to her naturall father William Tilsworth and the children of Iohn Scriuener did the like the brother conspired his brothers death as Alphonsus Diazius a Spaniard most trayterouslie sent vp his man with a Carpenters axe wherewith he killed his brother Ioannes Diazius at Nuburge in Germanie himselfe staying and waiting belowe till the bloudie act was performed Who seeth not now how shamelesse and impudent these men are to obiect these things to the Protestants vntruly which are verified and iustified vpon themselues Such vnnaturall and wicked practises as these are shall they neuer be able to produce against vs. This accusation
Priests do rightlie conclude to be false and vnchristian Ibid. 4 Parsons affirmeth that the consideration of Catholike religion is the principall point in the succession to the Crowne Manifest fol. 63. a. And he seemeth to conclude that succession by birth and bloud is neither of the lawe of God or nature Quodlib p. 30. The Priests hold the contrarie that Catholikes are not bound to stand for a Catholike competitor vnlesse there concurre the right of succession Reply f. 76. a. 5 The Priests affirme We are most confident not onely in the excellencie of our Priesthood but also in the assurance that we in the execution haue a sufficient direction of Gods spirit 6 Parsons calleth this high presumption of heretikes and denieth both that by their character only Priests were made secure from erring and so consequently the sacrament of orders not to conferre grace which is a popish ground as also that they cannot haue such assurance of Gods spirit Manifest fol. 87. a. b. 7 Parsons saith that in Gods high prouidence we find the necessitie and ineuitabilitie of many accidents Manifest fol. 100.1 The Priests say these words taste vnsauourie if not hereticallie to put absolute necessitie and ineuitabilitie in those actions which are subiect to mans wil and reason Replie fol. 98. a. 8 Parsons saith that this position that the life and estate of secular Priests is more perfect then the state of religious men which the Priests maintaine is refuted and condemned not onely by Thomas Aquinas but by S. Chrysostome and other writers of that time Manifest fol. 104. b. 9 The Priests call Parsons interpretation of that place of S. Iohn Trie the spirit c. false and hereticall thereby leading his Reader into a presumptuous error of iudging all both men and matters Replie fol. 101. b. 10 The Priests hold that the Pope as an Ecclesiasticall Magistrate hath no power to moue warre for religion against any tēporal Prince or for whatsoeuer cause or pretence c. and that they would oppose themselues against him if he should come in person in any such attempt and that they will reueale whatsoeuer they shall know therein Imp. consyd p. 38. Parsons full like himselfe calleth these positions pernicious erronious hereticall Manifest f. 13. b. 11. The Priests doubt not to say that the Pope was not endued with the worthie gift of the holy Ghost tearmed discretio spirituum discerning of spirits and that he was deceiued in setting vp the Archpriest Relat. p. 57. Imp. consyd p. 11. Parsons stifly maintaineth the Pope not to haue erred herein Manifest 76. b. In diuers other points these two Popish sects doe differ as may bee gathered out of their late polemicall writings and inuectiues set foorth by one against the other And three hundred more of these contradictions and diuersities of opinion in matters of faith and doctrine which haue been and are in the Romane Church might be brought foorth but that it were needlesse these fewe examples being sufficient to conuince the aduersarie of error and superfluous this being elsewhere in another worke performed whither I pray the Reader to haue recourse Is not this then a shamelesse man that hath told vs so many lies together and blusheth not to abuse such honourable persons with his Frierly glosses if his necke were not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an yron sinew and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 his face brasse as the Prophet saith he would neuer haue faced out such manifest vntruths But he may be very well compared to raging and running brooks which as Basile saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as they runne carrie euerie thing along which they meete with So doth this bragger huddle vp together whatsoeuer is in his way be it true or false And they thinke it a good piece of seruice if they may with straining and ouerreaching bolster out a bad cause much like to some that Hierome speaketh of who thought they might make bold with their disciples Nos qui necdum initiati sumus audire debere mendacium ne parnuli lactentes solidioris cibi edulio suffocemur And that we which are hardly yet entred must heare lyes least being yet but little ones and sucklings wee might be choaked with stronger meate But though their disciples are credulous and will beleeue them vpon their word they haue small reason to thinke that wise and graue persons will be so easily deceiued The third Probation IN the third place the Epistler seemeth to reason thus that if a man may doubt to giue assent to any religion where there is such diuersitie this being but a speculatiue consent of faith onely exacting an agreement of the vnderstanding how much more doubt and difficultie wil be made c. for the obtaining of heauen c. His reason if it be any standeth thus It is an hard matter among Protestants to make choice of the right faith which consisteth onely in the vnderstanding Ergo it is an harder matter among them to obtaine heauen The Solution 1. IT is no hard matter among Protestants to discerne of the true religion seeing they make the Scriptures the rule of their faith but among Papists it is doubtfull seeing they refuse to bee tried onely by the Scriptures which they blasphemously affirme not to containe all things necessarie to saluation but they runne vnto vncertaine and doubtfull traditions and so as the Apostle saith they measure themselues by themselues where then the rule is crooked such as are their humane traditions how can that be straight which is measured by it But we say with Augustine Regula est illa Our rule is the will of God contained in the Scriptures stet regula quod prauum est corrgatur ad regulam Let the rule stand the word of God and let that which is amisse be corrected according to that rule 2. Neither is there such diuersitie of opinion or multitude of diuisions among Protestants and thereupon such manifest and apparant daunger of a false election as is shewed before And it is an absurd and grosse thing in a disputer still to begge the thing in question He may take himselfe by the nose and his fellow Friers that make among them aboue an hundred sects one holdeth of Francis another of Benedict another of Austine another of Ignatius the founder of the Iesuites like as among the Corinthians some held of Paul some of Apollo some of Cephas So that that saying of Hierome fitteth the Popish professors Nunc quoque mysterium iniquitatis operatur garrit vnusquisque quod sentit Now the mysterie of iniquitie worketh and euery man pratleth his owne fansie 3. Neither is faith onely an act of the vnderstanding and a speculatiue consent If your Popish faith bee nothing els the diuell may well be one of your Catholikes for hee in his knowledge and vnderstanding beleeueth there is a God and consenteth that the Scriptures are true and the historie of
edifie the Church and to labour in the Ministerie then are these Popish degrees vnnecessarie and not giuen of Christ neither belonging to the ministerie of the Gospell And if they will needes bring in Doorekeepers to bee an order of the Clergie why not Sextins also Belringers graue-makers Church-sweepers Waxe-chandlers water-bearers whip-dogs and what you will for all these there is vse of in the Church and so for seuen orders wee shall haue twice so many This is the goodly Hierarchie which this Ignatian Nouice boasteth of 6. I doubt not but the meanest office of the Gospell is more honorable before God then the greatest Antichristian dignity which are plants not of the Lords planting and therefore shall be rooted out The indeleble character which they say is by their Popish orders imprinted in the soule of the receiuer whereby they are made partakers of Christs priestly power and really distinguished from others is indeede nothing but an Idol of the minde and an imaginarie phantasie for spiritually in the soule and before God there is no difference betweene the Priest and the people Christ hath made vs Kings and Priests vnto God his father and all Christians are a chosen generation a royall Pristhood And as for your ens rationis it is the very opinion of some Papists that the character of Priesthood is no reall qualitie of the minde but onely rationalis respectus a relation or rationall respect Durand Scotus holdeth that it cannot be prooued by any manifest testimonie of Scripture Gabriel doubteth whether the Church haue defined it They are your owne Church-seruitors Sextins Doore-keepers Church-sweepers that are made no otherwise then Purseuants Apparitors c. The Ministers of the Gospell though they are not really distinguished from the people by any inherent qualitie of greater holines and more merit yet are diuers in the ecclesiasticall Oeconomie and dispensation of the Church in their different functions and offices whereunto they are set apart first by the probation and examination of their gifts Secondly by the imposition of hands with prayer of the Elders and pastors Thirdly by their endowment and abilitie of gifts for the execution of their Ministrie all which the Popish priesthood wanteth 7 A manifest vntruth it is that the Pope hath had more ample iurisdiction then any Prince Christian or Infidell for the halfe of those countries neuer submitted themselues to the Popes deuotion which were vnder the Emperours obedience Constantine the great had commaund ouer all Europe Africa all Asia minor Arabia Armenia Phrygia as it may appeare by the assemblie of Bishops called by the Emperours authoritie out of all these countries to the generall Nicen Councel And at this time both the great Turke in Europe and Asia and Prester Iohn in Africa haue larger dominions and greater authoritie then euer the Romane Bishops haue had That iurisdiction which now the Pope hath is thankes to God brought into a narrower compasse though it bee too much and I trust shall euery day bee more confined And whatsoeuer power hee hath or euer had ouer other Churches is but vsurped for Peter from whom he claimeth was but the Apostle of the Circumcision S. Pauls lot was ouer the vncircumcision 8. This last article containeth nothing but vntruth For neither haue these Ignatian fathers which cal themselues proudly of the societie of Iesus conuerted by their preachings many kingdomes to the regiment of Christ but rather subuerted and corrupted them in faith The Spaniards tyrannie hath subdued the poore Indians not the Iebusites hypocrisie though they tell vs of many fabulous and lying miracles wrought by Xauiere and other of that order in those coasts as hath been shewed before Indeed it is well knowne how they haue attempted to reduce diuers kingdomes to the temporall gouernment of the Pope-catholike King of Spaine by their treacherous conspiracies and wicked deuices to take away the liues of Princes Such were the accursed attempts of Commolet a seditious Iebusite in France and Varade another false brother of that order cōfederate with Barriere to take away the life of the now King of France and of Guignard and Guerret Iebusite Priests conuicted of treason and Iohn Chastel brought vp in that societie who was worthily executed for attempting the Kings death In England such haue been the practises of Saunders Allen Campion Parsons Walpoole with diuers other of that ranke who by their traiterous plots haue practised against the life of our late Soueraigne to bring this famous Countrie into slauish seruitude to Spaine which I assuredly trust shall neuer be And these are the fruites of the preaching and paines of this irreuerent order Vntrue also it is that they are honoured of the greatest and richest princes in the world for the renowmed King of France who in riches puissance and greatnes is not inferiour to any Christian Prince neither honoureth or fauoureth them but the whole order for working against the peace of that state was by decree of the Parliament of Paris anno 1594. exiled and expelled that nation Let it also be noted by the way that this Ignatian and Iebusited brother much like the rest of his order counted the Queene of England his then Soueraigne none of the great puissant rich or Catholike Princes for I thinke he is not so blinded to imagine that either her Highnes then or his Maiestie now and the state fauoureth them or hath any cause so to doe That Iesuites are so familiar with some Princes that haue giuen their power to the beast I do not maruell seeing this hath bene prophecied of before for they are the frogs that come out of the Dragons mouth that goe vnto the kings of the earth Reuel 16.13.14 But if such Princes were not blinded or had but like experience of their cloaked holines and mysticall impietie as their neighbour Princes haue they would soone find thē to be vnfit Courtiers but more vnwholesome Counsellors And me thinks these Polypragmon friers ietting in Princes Courts and intermedling in State-affaires are much-what like to limping Vulcane in Homere that taking vpon him to be a skinker to the Gods a great laughter sodainely was taken vp among them But it were happie that such Princes would take counsell of thēselues and not endure to be caried away with these seditious frierlie humors Hieromes counsell were good to such Verba ei de alieno stomacho non fluant faciat quod vult non quod velle compellitur Let not their words and sentence depend of anothers will but let them do as their owne mind moueth them not as an others humor forceth them As for the noble kingdomes of England Scotland Fraunce they haue sufficient experience of this kind of vermin no more to be bitten by them But as Pythagoras gaue this precept to his schollers not to tast of such things as had blacke tayles that is not to conuerse with men of
running in a maze and not knowing where he is he speaketh contraries affirming vnawares what he before vntruely denied that the Magistrates chiefe care and sollicitude must be in taking order for such causes he meaneth of religion pag. 49. lin 13. And thus as Augustine fayth Impij in circuitu ambulant qui in gyrum it nunquaÌ„ finit c. The vngodlie walke in a maze as he that goeth in a compasse neuer is at an end And thus this obliuious discourser runneth himselfe out of breath saying and vnsaying for if the Magistrates chiefe care must be in taking order for causes of religion how do they not properly belong to the iudgement and redresse of those which rule in the common-wealth Much like he is to the roape-maker in Purgatorie who as fast as he twisteth the roape an asse behind deuoureth it So his wrested speeches as the ouer-runnings of his mouth are licked vp by a contrary breath Now right honorable this Popes-creature at the first discouereth himselfe he is his grand-masters factor to engrosse all ecclesiasticall causes to his vnholines and would cut your honors short both of iudgement and power in matters of religion And thus full well like a wise Orator he doth wisely at the first exasperate them to whom he would insinuate himselfe But go on my Lords in your honorable course to whom I do not only wish all excellent knowledge and iudgement in religion as S. Paule said vnto King Agrippa I would to God that not only thou but all that heare me to day were both almost and altogether such as I am c. but prosperous successe also in the defense thereof And I say with Hierome to euery one of your honors Cur qui in seculo primus es non in Christi familia primus sis Why should ye not that are chiefe in the world be chiefe also in Christs familie 2. Motiue Because you are sworne Councellers to assist our Princesse whose chiefe stile and title is graunted to her father King Henry the 8. by Pope Leo the 10. defender of the faith for defending the Catholike Romane religion against Luther c. The remooue 1. This title to be defender of the Church or faith was due vnto the Prince and giuen to the Kings of England long before King Henry in Edward the Confessors time Illos decet vocare reges qui vigilanter defendunt regunt ecclesiam Dei It is meete to call them Kings that vigilantly defend and gouerne the Church of God 2 Her Maiestie according to her princely stile hath shewed her selfe in deede while she liued a most constant Defender of the faith and to none of her predecessors was this stile more truely giuen for it is not conteyned in her Maiesties stile to be defender of the Romane or Papall but simplie of the faith 3 What if it were bestowed vpon King Henry for writing against Luther c. that famous King did not receiue it in that sense or at the least reteined it not neyther is it now annexed to the imperiall Crowne in that regard for writing c. which concerned the King only then being not his succession nor yet as a gift from the Pope but as a right due to all Christian Princes to defend the faith What the occasion first was of this title it skilleth not neither by whom nor for what it was taken vp so long as it is not a vaine title but the Princes proceedings are answereable to the stile 4 The heathen Emperors of Rome first vsed in their stile to be called Pontifices maximi High Priests as it may appeare by the Epistle of Antoninus Pius to the people of Asia yet the Christian Emperors continuing that stile to be named Pontifices maximi as Flauianus Valentinianus pontifex Inclytus Flauius Marcianus pontifex Inclytus c. yet were not bound by their stile to maintaine the idolatrous religion of the Pagane Emperors from whom it was descended but they in another sense did call themselues high priests as hauing the chiefest care of the Christian faith as the other had before of idolatrie So the Queenes highnes then and the Kings Maiestie is now called a Defender of the right Christian faith howsoeuer their predecessors might be defenders of another religion And as Pilate did write Christ King of the Iewes ignorantlie confessing the truth so did the Pope name the King of England Defender of the faith prophecying as Caiphas against himselfe and foretelling vnawares that the Princes of this land should become true defenders of the faith indeede 5 This title of Defender of the faith is more truly annexed to the Crowne of England then the stile of Holines to the Popes chaire and of Catholike to the King of Spayne who I could wish indeede were that which they are called But I feare me these titles do agree vnto them euen as the titles of benefactors and of Sauiours were vsurped of Antiochus and the Ptolomies which were cruell tyrants And as Dionysius the yonger called his daughters by the names of vertue chastitie iustice being an enemie to them all Who herein are like vnto those qui titulos potentiorum praedijs suis affigunt who the better to hold their lands do entitle great men with them against which fraude Arcadius made a lawe And as Augustine sayth Haeretici ad defensionem possessionis suae Christi titulos ponunt sicut nonnulli faciunt in domo sua c. Heretikes to defend their possession pretend the title of Christ as many vse to do in their houses entitling some great men with them to keepe them from wrong Ipse vult possessor domus frontem domus suae de titulo alieno vult muniri He will be the owner of the house himselfe yet will haue another beare the name So the Pope will be the master of faith himselfe yet pretendeth the name of Christ of holines of Catholike religion So are not our late Queene and now soueraigne Lord defenders of the faith but their Christian proceedings thankes be giuen vnto God are answerable to their honourable titles The third motiue Our vniust persecution vnder your predecessors requireth amends and I hope at the least shall receiue a toleration The Remoue 1. The punishment which hath been inflicted vpon treacherous Iudasites is no more persecution then for felons and murderers to be executed at Tiburne they suffer worthily for their traiterous conspiracies and practises shamelesse men they are that complaine of persecution when as they hold most traiterous positions against the Prince and state as whereas the secular Masse-Priests professe if it bee in truth that if the Pope should attempt by force of armes to inuade the land they would resist him in person and that if they knew of any designements by the Pope to enter by force c. to reforme religion they would reueale it to the State Disloyall Pâ—rsons in the name of that
baptisme to acknowledge their Church and faith But this is a manifest error for as Augustine truly saith Non omnes qui tenent baptismum tenent ecclesiam sicut non omnes qui tenent ecclesiam tenent vitam aeternam All which hold baptisme doe not hold the Church as all that hold the Church doe not hold eternall life Wee confesse then that the Church of Rome hath legitimum baptismum lawfull and true baptisme in substance sed non legitimè but not rightfully or lawfully as Augustine distinguisheth And Aliud est habere aliud vtiliter habere It is one thing to haue it another to haue it profitablie Baptisme may without the Church be had but not profitablie or fruitfully had Wheresoeuer baptisme is had it is the baptisme of Christ not of men of the author not of the Minister and therefore it bindeth to the faith of the first institutor not to the doctrine of the corrupt imitator Neither yet doe the Papists baptize those againe which were initiated by that Sacrament among Protestants and afterward became Apostataes neither doe they thinke them to be tied by that baptisme to the Protestants faith as this Apologist confesseth he was borne in the Queenes raigne of parents conformable to the time pag. 52. and so baptized vnder the Gospell yet hath plaid fast and loose with vs notwithstanding that bond 2. Vntrue it is which in the next place is boldly affirmed for diuers of their Honours were borne since the raigne of King Henry the 8. and so not of yeeres then to discerne Some of them were in that time of the faith which they now professe The rest may say with S. Paul euery one for himselfe What they were in time past it maketh no matter to me Galath 2.6 By this rule neither Saint Paul that had been a circumcised Pharisie should haue been become a preaching Apostle nor yet Titus an vncircumcised Grecian a baptized and beleeuing Christian if a profession first receiued might not vpon better iudgement be reiected or an opinion once entertained might not with more mature aduice be reuersed As though a plant disliking the ground might not be remoued or the ayre for a mans health that is sickly chaunged Augustine to this purpose saith well that was chalenged of the Donatists because he had been a Manichee quantum ille accusat vitium meum tantum laudo medicum meum The more he blameth my disease I commend my Phisition The obiecting of former error doth tend to the praise of the reformer 3. The honourable Knights of the Garter neuer tooke any such oath to bind themselues to the obedience of the Papall faith but rather the contrarie as may appeare by the oath prescribed by statute to bee ministred vnto all her Maiesties officers and ministers whereby they acknowledge the Queenes highnes to be supreame gouernour in this Realme c. in all spirituall or ecclesiasticall causes as temporall and that no forraine Prince Prelate or person hath or ought to haue any iurisdiction power c. within this Realme Thus this slie merchant would entangle their Honours with repugnant oathes as though they should sweare one thing when they are enstalled into the honorable order of the Garter and the quite contrarie when they are sworne of the Councell 4. And as true it is that our late Queenes Maiestie did oblige her self by oath to maintaine the Popish religion which is a most notorious slaunder of her Highnes there being no such thing contained in that princely oath as shall afterward be shewed and her Maiestie hauing giuen her royall consent to the booke of Articles of religion confirmed by act of Parliament and to diuers statutes made for the abrogation of the Papall iurisdiction Thus wee see how disloyallie this Popes creature behaueth himselfe to his Prince being not farre from the imputation of periurie as though her Maiestie should haue promised one thing vpon her oath and performed the contrarie The Preacher aduiseth not to curse the King in thy thought But these malepart popelings dare aduenture not onely to thinke but to speake and practise euill against their Prince An euill requitall for her princely clemencie toward them of whom we may say as Ambrose of Theodosius Quasi parens expostulare malebat quam vt iudex punire c. vincere volebat non plectere Who had rather as a parent expostulate with them then as a Iudge punish them winne them rather with fauour then winnow them with rigour if her Highnes had not been otherwise by their vnnaturall proceedings prouoked And as Cleomenes said to the Argiues that vpbraided him in like manner with periurie It is in your power to speake euill of me but in mine to doe euill to you So these men doe not consider that for their lewd leasings her Highnes might haue iustlie recompenced them with sharpe proceedings The fift Motiue Neuer any Catholike subiect of England hitherto hath abused so much your Honours dishonoured the cause of religion for which we daily vndertake so many troubles c. to make so bold a challenge except he were able to performe it and my confident assurance is I shal not be the first vnhappie and vnaduised man to doe it The Remoue What your successe hath been in your challenges and how well ye haue performed the defence of the Popish cause is well knowne to the world which of your writers hath not been answered to the full or who is there of you that hath not been ouertaken in that he hath vndertaken Your great patrones Harding Saunders Bristow Martin Campion Stapleton with the rest haue had their hands full But which of you hath reioyned vpon B. Iuel D. Fulkes D. Whitakers D. Sutcliffes replies Your offers are brags rather then bickerings false charges rather then true chalenges There is saith the Wiseman that maketh himselfe rich and hath nothing Prou. 13.7 And such are those braggers that thinke no mens writings comparable to theirs and scornefullie rather contemne then soundly confute any thing brought against them You could doe little if you might not bragge but your vaine confidence wil soone faile you and your swelling words will soone abate and your vaine crakes will cracke vpon your owne heads as Hierome saith Cito turgens spuma dilabitur quamuis grandis tumor contrarius est sanitati The rising â—ome is soone dispersed and great swellings shew no soundnes Cicero well said Oratores imperitos ad vociferationem vt claudos ad equum confugere That vnskilfull Orators vse outcries as lame men horses the one cannot go vnlesse he be carried the other can say nothing vnlesse hee crie out And set the lowd outcries vaine bragges and bold facings of our aduersaries aside what are they and what is their cause It is not so among disputers as they say it is with Bee-masters That is iudged to be the best hiue which maketh the greatest noyse
you say you haue not gained much by it For neither our Prince then nor Church did ascribe any vertue to the signe it selfe or adore and worship it as Papists do The signe of the crosse may be vsed in banners and streamers and set into the Diademe of Princes as a ciuill signe of honour as Ambrose if that oration be his writeth of Helena Sapienter Helena egit quae crucem in capite regum leuauit Helena did wisely in rearing vp the crosse in the head of Kings And though this signe is not any waies to be adored neither yet doe we thinke it ought to be contemned As that law of Honorius was commendable wherein the Iewes are prohibited speciem crucis incendere to burne the fashion of the crosse And that of Theodosius which decreeth a great punishment to him qui in solo vel scilice crucem depinxerit which painteth the crosse in the ground or pauement to trample and tread vpon it Or if any should vse the signe of the crosse which notwithstanding wee allow not as in Basils time not with a superstitious opinion of it or confidence in it but as an outward testimonie of their inward faith as Basile saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That they which trusted in the name of the Lord Iesus Christ were marked with the signe of the crosse Whosoeuer shall vse the signe of the crosse in any of these manners is yet farre off from Popish superstition And I am verily perswaded that if his Maiestie or the Church of England did thinke that the ciuill reuerent significant vsing of the crosse without a superstitious opinion of it were in deede or could iustly be taken as a badge or cognisance of Poperie as it hath bin an offence to many good Christians it should bee more sparingly vsed and may in time if it seeme so good to his Maiestie without preiudice of the truâ—h or religion be wholy remoued that there might not be the least exception taken against our Church But this quarrell picker according to the saying will play at small game before he will sit out and so doth he here by fastning his hold of so small an occasion Her Highnes then and his Maiestie now and the Church of England holdeth a reall and true presence of Christs bodie to the faith of the worthy receiuer in the Sacrament but her Highnes was not perswaded of any grosse carnall presence as is euident by her royall assent to the articles of religion therefore herein her Maiestie was much abused and slaundered 4. Lastly whereas the Romane profession is altogether repugnant to Princes prerogatiues as in that it alloweth the Pope to excommunicate Princes to depose them to transferre their Crownes appeales to bee made to the Pope from the Prince that the Pope may absolue subiects from their oath of fealtie that the Pope not the Prince in his owne kingdome is supreame in all Ecclesiasticall causes that the Pope inuading a kingdome by force vnder pretence to reforme religion is to be assisted against the Prince all which positions the Iesuites the Popes parasites doe hold as it may appeare in their seditious bookes and answeres to the Secular Masse-priests And these all being directly repugnant to the prerogatiue royall of the Crowne as it hath been adiudged by by publike acts of Parliament not of late onely since the reuiuing of the Gospell but euen while Poperie raigned and that by the expresse consent of the Popish Clergie How is not this man to be thought to be past all shame that perswading to Poperie saith hee will teach nothing contrarie to the Princely dignitie c. Wee may say truly to him which Petilian the Donatist vntruly obiected to Augustine that he had ingenium Carneadis Academici Carneades the Academikes wit who disputed Nigras niues esse cum albae sint nigrum argentum c. That snow was blacke and siluer blacke whereas they are both white so he goeth about to perswade things that are quite contrarie We need not here follow the counsell of Seneca Quaedam falsa veri speciem ferunt dandum semper est tempus veritatem dies aperit Some false things make a shew of true wee must giue some space for time trieth the truth But the falsenes of these improbable speeches appeareth at the first we neede no time to descrie them The second Apologie FRom pag. 55. to pag. 66. the Apologist runneth as it were in a maze now in and now out as though he had lost himselfe in a wood I will doe my best to trace him and finde him out I shall not neede to follow him in all his wandrings and turnings nor to answere all his tautologies and vaine repetitions but I will gainecope him and crosse him the next way and reduce his idle and superfluous speeches into some order and forme All these leaues containe but one argument which may be collected thus Her Maiestie and the state are bound to maintaine the religion of her famous noble Christian progenitors Kings and Queenes of this land But they were all knowne to be of the Romane religion and as he himselfe saith Papists pag. 59. lin 7. Ergo. First let vs see how he proueth the proposition or first part of this argument and then how the second 1. Many of them were holy Saints and miraculously witnessed of God to be in heauen euen by Protestants testimonie c. whom the Protestant Ministers must needes condemne to hell and damnation if they will leaue any little hope for themselues to be saued for one heauen cannot possesse them both The Antilogie 1. IF this were a good argument then Christians borne at their first conuersion of idolatrous parents in many ages succeeding together should neuer haue changed their religion but continued in Pagane idolatrie still for feare of condemning all their progenitors to hell neither Constantine the great in the Romane Empire nor Lucius in England should haue become Christened Kings If Idolatrous parents be in state of damnation shall the children tread in their steps to goe the same way The scripture teacheth otherwise that though the father dye in his iniquitie yet if he beget a sonne that seeth all his fathers sinnes which he hath done c. he hath not lift vp his eyes to the idols of the house of Israel nor defiled his neighbors wife c. he shall not dye in the iniquitie of his father but shall surely liue 2 If the sonne be bound to his fathers false religion as idolatrie superstition wherein he erred least he should thinke him to be condemned he were likewise obliged to imitate his auncesters vices and corruptions of life as adulterie oppression violence whereby they were polluted should a man certainely condemne himselfe to belieue that his predecessors are vncertainely saued Their sinnes being of ignorance might be pardoned whereas the sonnes seeing his fathers sinnes and not amending are more surely sealed 3 That
are as much magnified by Protestant Historiographers as by any or because they were disposed to iustice personallie sate in iudgement c. pa. 56. li. 26. made good lawes that therefore in matters of religion they might not erre and be deceiued The mercie of Antoninus Pius that said he had rather saue one Citizen then destroy a thousand of his aduersaries the charitie of Adrianus that neuer saw poore man whom he did not relieue the gentlenes and clemencie of Titus who neuer dismissed any man from him without hope to obtaine his suite the iustice of Alexander Seuerus who when he met any corrupt iudge was readie to thrust his fingers in his eyes Iulians liberalitie which built Hospitals for strangers gaue great store of wheate and wine for reliefe of the poore people These noble vertues much to be commended in Princes do not therefore iustifie Pagane idolatrie to the which they were addicted And to exemplifie this matter in Christian Emperours Constantius was a iust and temperate Emperour yet an Arriane Anastasius otherwise a good Emperour yet erred about the Trinitie who published that men should worship not three but foure persons in the God-head Iustinian a wise and iust Emperour yet infected with the heresie of Eutyches who held that Christ had two persons and so in effect made two Christs In like manner might diuers auncient Kings of England be men of noble and excellent vertues and yet carried away with the errors of those times in matters of religion 3 Neither were they the freer from error because they were assisted with Dunstones Anselmes Lanfranks Beckets they were so much the more like to be deceiued because they were ruled by such superstitious deceiuers for if the blind leade the blinde they are both like to fall into the ditch As for Cedde who is numbred with the rest as he was some hundred yeares before them so in iudgement he was vnlike them as shall euen now be shewed Neither was vertuous King Alured wholie for them or of that faith which the Church of Rome now holdeth as followeth presently to be declared 4 We do not thinke that the whole Christian world can be or was euer deceiued but God alwayes therein in some part or other had his Church which held the truth though the same not alwayes glorious and visible to the world and so we doubt not but that in all ages and times since our Sauiours ascension there haue beene that professed the Gospell Neither can it be shewed that euer Poperie possessed the whole Christian world But concerning Generall Councels we know they haue erred and may erre againe As the generall Councell of Antioch where Athanasius was condemned Another at Antioch wherein the heresie of the Macedonians was confirmed the Synode Arriminens concluding for Arrius the second Ephesine that fauoured Eutyches and diuers other generall Councels haue erred as is confessed by our aduersaries And not only those assemblies of heretikes and their fauorites but euen of Catholikes by the confession of the Papists themselues haue erred as the generall Councels of Constance and Basile which decreed that Generall Councels had authoritie aboue the Pope which the Ignatian Diuines hold to be an error For ought then that hath yet been alleaged the auncient Catholike Kings of this land were not priuileged from error and therefore in matters of religion they might be deceiued So then though Abimelech sayd to the people What ye haue seene me do the like yet in religious affaires it is no sufficient warrant to do as others haue done afore But like as sayth Ambrose in militarie affaires the sentence of men therein exercised and experienced must be expected Quando de religione tractatus est cogita Deum So when religion is treated of thinke vpon God God in his word must be consulted with Mens errors in faith are no more to be imitated then their faults of life for herein should we be like Dionysius followers who because he was dimme-sighted they fayned themselues to be so stumbling one vpon another The Apologie THe supernaturall signes and miracles written as is confessed by the Protestants themselues in the liues of Saint Oswald S. Edmunds S. Edwards Lucius Kingylsus Offa Sigebertus c. testifie the truth of their religion whereof some for the sanctitie of those Princes are hereditarie to their posteritie not by any desert of Protestants as the miraculous curing of the naturallie vncurable disease called the Kings or Queenes euill obtained by the holines of S. Edward pag. 66. lin 12. deinceps The Antilogie 1 TO this argument of miracles I haue answered before that they are no certaine demonstration of a true religion because the Paganes also boasted of miracles done amongst them And whereas the heathen are supposed to haue forged many things so it is not to be doubted but that many of these miracles giuen in instance were the dreames and fictions of idle and fabulous Monks as Berinus walking vpon the sea hauing not one threed of his garment wet and how Aldelmus caused an infant of nine dayes old at Rome to speake to cleare Pope Sergius suspected to be the father of that child and how he drew a length a piece of timber that went to the building of the Church in Malmesburie The like tale goeth of Egwine who hauing fettered both his feet in yrons fast locked and cast the key into the Sea to do penance vpon himselfe for certaine sinnes committed in his youth a fish brought the key to the Ship as he was sayling homeward from Rome Of like truth is that fable of Bristanus Bishop of Winchester who as he prayed walking in the Churchyard for the soules of men departed whē he came to these words requiescant in pace a multitude of soules answered againe Amen I report me now to the indifferent reader whether we haue not iust cause to suspect the credit of these legend miracles 2 But these miracles which he sayth were wrought by those Christian Kings being admitted he shall neuer be able to proue that these were of the Popish Church or beliefe Lucius Oswald Iua Ceolulfus with others as in the next defense in the answere to the probation of the assumption shall God willing be made plaine 3 Whereas he nameth Offa and Sigebert among the miracle-makers he hath committed a great ouersight or vsed a cunning sleight to face out the matter with bare names for Offa by the entisement of his wife was accessorie to the cruell death of King Ethelbert who came peaceablie to sue for the mariage of his daughter and therefore it is not like that God would endue a murderer with such a miraculous gift But the cause is soone coniectured why the Popes Clergie doth so much honor the memorie of Offa for in part of penance and satisfaction for that wicked acte he gaue the tenth of his goods to the Church builded the Monasterie of S.
to many moneths yea not to many dayes Leo 2. Benedict 2. did not pope it aboue tenne moneths Benedict 10. nine moneths as many Benedict 11. Alexander 5. eight moneths Christophor 1. Lando 1. seauen moneths Leo 6. as many Celestinus 2. sixe moneths Ioannes 19. fiue moneths Romanus 1. three moneths Benedict 5. Gregor 8.2 moneths Some of their Popedomes are reckoned by dayes as Siluester 3 was Pope but 49. dayes Adrianus 5. fortie dayes Pius 3.27 dayes Bonifacius 6.25 dayes Damasus 2.23 dayes likewise Marcellus 2. Sosimus 2. twentie dayes Celestinus 4. eighteene dayes Stephanus the successor of Zacharias three daies And is not now this bragger ashamed to obiect the breuitie of the Imperiall dominion Concerning the number of Popes since the declining time of that Sea from Gregory 1. you shall finde for one Emperour two or three Popes There haue beene vnder Queene Elizabeths raigne not fewer then 8. or 9. Popes And because it may be answered that Princes do raigne by succession and so many come very young to the Crowne Popes enter by election and are aged when they are chosen let comparison be made betweene the Papacie and other Episcopal seas to the which also men of grauitie and yeares are elected you shall finde three Popes to one Bishop As to giue one instance for many in the Archiepiscopall Sea of Canterburie There haue been since Augustines time who was sent into England by Gregory 1. about ann 600. and odd onely 73. Archbishops But Popes since Gregory 1. there are numbred almost 200. for he was the 64. Bishop of Rome and there haue beene in the whole number 240 Bishops of that Sea or thereabout Wherefore as Ambrose well answered Symmachus who thus obiected Vnde rectius quam documentis rerum secundarum cognitio venit numinis Whence better may the presence of the Gods be knowne then by prosperitie saith Ambrose Odi bimestres Imperatores terminos regum cum exordijs coniunctos I like not two-moneth Emperours and raignes ending and beginning together Many such two-moneth Popes may be produced and popping aside as soone as they are pooping Such infelicitie of the head doth giue no great cause to those Popes-creatures to brag of their prosperitie So that as Leosthenes said of Alexanders armie their Captaine being dead that it was like to blind Cyclops that groped with his hands hauing lost his ere so may the papall Hierarchie be resembled so often changing their head and as one said to Dionysius that a tyrannie was a faire sepulcher such is the Popedome as a pompous and garnished sepulcher wherein the Popes take their ease tyrannizing ouer the Church for their owne aduantage but in respect of any profitable worke in Christs Church they are as mued and closed vp in a sepulcher The third Demonstration THis Popes Chronicler goeth forward and telleth vs of diuers Kings and Emperours that haue been punished and some of them deposed from their Kingdomes for resisting the Sea of Rome as the two Frecards of Scotland Sanetius King of Portugall Bolislaus King of Polonia King Phillip of Fraunce the Empire translated for disobedience from the French to Otho the 3. Henry the 4. Frederike the 2. Otho the 4. Lodouike the 4. deposed The East Empire taken of the Turke Alibrettus King of Nauarre the two Henries of Burbon deposed and depriued pag. 69.70 I will examine these examples in order The Remonstration 1 FRequard the younger was striken of God with a painefull disease whereof he dyed not for his disobedience to the Pope but for his wicked life for he killed his wife and defloured his daughters and was therefore excluded from the communion of Christians his nobles were purposed to haue taken punishment of him but were stayed by Colmannus who told them that Gods vengeance was at hand and not long after he was wounded by a Wolfe in hunting and thereby fell into a strange disease and so died Thus Bucanane reporteth who is falsified to say that all this fell vpon him for his disobedience to Rome which beside that there is no such mention in the historie was not like seeing Colman himselfe dissented from the Church of Rome about the celebration of Easter as hath been before shewed and so might be touched himselfe for his disobedience to that Sea 2 Frequard the fiâ—st was indeede disgraded of his Lords and cast into prison and for sorrow slew himselfe yet this hapned not for any attempts against the Pope but as Bucanane sayth because he maintained factions amongst the nobilitie and the Pelagian heresie and the contempt of baptisme were obiected against him and as others write this iudgement befell him for his crueltie and negligence in the affaires of the common-wealth 3 If it be Sanctius the first whom he meaneth for diuers Kings of Portugall were of that name he was with the consent of Honorius the third deposed and the gouernment committed to one Alphonsus not for disobedience to the Pope sed propter ignauiam for his slothfulnes in the administration of the kingdome 4 Bolislaus being rebuked for adulterie of Stanislaus Bishop of Graccouia slue him and was depriued therefore of the Crowne by the Pope and fell into madnes Munster sheweth this to be the cause not his resisting of the Pope He might as well say that Pompilius a King also of Polonia who was deuoured of Mice with his wife and children which came from the bodies of those whom he had commaunded vniustlie to be slaine was iudged thus of God for his resistance to the Pope 5 Whatsoeuer befell Phillip of France is not to be imputed to any offence committed against the Pope but to his adulterous life who repudiating his first wife Bertha by whom he had children coupled to him Bertradam the wife of Iulio but howsoeuer it fared with him in the meane time Vrbane for his disloyaltie to Princes escaped not vnpunished who for feare of his enemies hid himselfe two yeares in the house of Peter Leo and so dyed But why omitted he to make mention of an other Phillip of France in the time of Boniface the 8. who more resisted the Popes authoritie then euer any King of France did he defeated the Pope of bestowing ecclesiastical dignities forbad any gold or siluer to be exported out of the land to the Pope who also thus wrote vnto the Pope To Boniface bearing himselfe for chiefe pastor little health or none Let thy foolishnes know that in no temporall things we are subiect to no man Was Phillip punished for being thus bold with the Pope No but Boniface himselfe smarted for his contempt of Kings for he was taken prisoner by King Phillips souldiers robbed of all his treasure forced to ride vpon an vnbroken colt with his face to the horse taile almost famished for meate if he had not been relieued by the almes of the towne of Anragum where he was and returning
to Rome for sorrow he dyed 6 Neither was the Empire translated from the French to the Saxons for disobedience to the Sea of Rome but the line of Charles ending in Chunrade the Emperour he appointed Henry the first Duke of Saxonie to succeede him in the Empire who yet was neuer crowned of the Romane Bishop his sonne Otho the first not Otho the third as this blind historian shuffleth at it was after his father admitted to the Empire which Otho to whom he supposeth the Empire to be translated did curb the Romane Bishops as much as any before him for he reproued Iohn the 11. for his adulterous life condemned him in a Councell and deposed him This instance then which he hath produced sheweth rather the euill successe of the Romane Bishops then of the Christian Emperours 7 This Otho the third to whom he saith the Empire was transferred was not such an obedient child as he thinketh to the Sea of Rome for he caused one Crescentius that had set vp Iohn the 17. to be Bishop of Rome to be put to death and the Bishop to be deposed and bereft of his sight and elected in his place Gregory the 5. 8 Henry the fourth was a most couragious Prince and of happie successe he raigned 50. yeares and in 62. battailes encountred his enemies Gregory the 7. assoyled most treacherouslie his subiects of their oath and set vp Rodolphus against Henry the fourth whom he ouercame in foure battailes and in the last Rodolphus was slaine Paschalis the 2. incited Henry the 5. against his owne father and mooued him most vnnaturallie to make warre against him during which warre the aged Emperour for sorrow died He might then haue spared this example which sheweth more the Popes pride and tyrannie then the Emperours miserie for about this time when the Popes thus ruffled with the Emperour a certaine Bishop of Fluentine taught that Antichrist was come 9 True it is that Frederike the 2. was strangled to death by his bastard sonne Manfredus set a worke as is supposed by Innocentius 4. who also poisoned Conradus the next Emperour Frederikes sonne being vnder the Popes curse and this treacherous parricide Manfredus was afterward for his good seruice rewarded by Alexander the 4. with the Kingdome of Sicily this example bewrayeth the Popes treacherie more then the Emperours infelicitie 10 Concerning the excommunicating and deposing of Otho the 4. Lewes the 4. King Alibret the Henries of Burbon c. the Pope was an agent in all these affaires and a iudge in his owne cause shewing himselfe the right Antichrist taking vpon him to depose Emperours and Kings at his pleasure Thus did Pope Zacharie depose Childerick King of France and set vp Pipinus in his stead Thus Innocentius the 3. serued King Iohn interdicting his whole realme causing him to surrender his Crowne Vrbanus 2. put downe Hugo Earle of Italy discharging his subiects of their oath Innocentius the 2. tooke the Dukedome of Sicily from the Emperour and made Roger King thereof Adrianus the 4. did excommunicate William King of Sicily and would haue deposed him of his kingdome if he had not been superior in battaile The same Adrian did excommunicate Frederike the first for setting his name before the Popes in writing This insolencie of the Popes and their tyrannizing against Kings and Emperours was iustlie suffered of God because they had giuen their power to the beast and helped to aduance his proud throne and are iustlie recompenced not for their disobedience to that Sea but for their disobedience to God in submitting their princely estate which is Gods ordinance to Antichrists coÌ„maund These calamities then not brought vpoÌ„ these Emperors by Gods handie worke but wrought by the Popes malice in his owne cause do conuince him of Antichristian tyrannie not them of disloyal obstinacie They may as well condemne Gedeons sonnes that were wickedly murdered and iustifie Abimelech that cruellie put them to death and magnifie Zimri that preuailed against the King his master and slue him And as well may the theefe that robbeth by the high way killeth boast of his good successe as these treacherous Popes that rebelled against the Emperours and Kings their Lords and Masters 11. In that Constantinople was taken in the festiuitie of Pentecost and of the holie Ghost concerning whose proceeding the Greekes are in error as he saith this sheweth that not for denying of the Romane iurisdiction but their corruptions in the Christian religion and for their idolatrous superstition as hath been before shewed that famous citie new Rome was surprised Let old Rome in time take heede least being partaker of new Romes corruption it taste not eare long also of their destruction for the Scripture saith Be not partaker in her sinnes that ye receiue not of her plagues Reuelat. 18.4 And I say vnto them with Hierome Maledictionem quam vrbi saluator in Apocalypsi comminatus est potes effugere per poenitentiam habens exemplum Niniuitarum Thou maist escape O Rome the curse threatned in the Apocalypse by repentance hauing the example of the Niniuites Seneca said well Fulmina paucorum periculo cadunt omnium metu Thunderbolts fall to the hurt of few to the feare of all So it were good for old Rome to feare that punishment which is fallen vpon new Rome for the same sinnes The fourth Demonstration HE telleth vs further of the miserable ends of Luther Oecolampadius Zuinglius Caluine Cranmer of the Duke of Saxonie and the Lantgraue taken prisoners of the pitifull deaths of the Prince of Condie and the Admirall like â—ezabel cast downe at a window of the Prince of Orange miserably slaine in Flaunders of Iames the bastard in Scotland dishonourably put to death of Christierne King of Denmarke deposed from his kingdome c. pag. 71. The Remonstration 1. LVther Oecolampadius Caluine as they were men of vertuous life so was their end not miserable but comfortable what railing Cocleus saith it skilleth not Sleidane Beza with others that had better cause to know them doe report no otherwise of them This blind Censor had forgotten the pitifull ends of some Popish champions of that time as of Hofmeister Eckius Iacobus Latomus which all three died roaring and raging in desperation 2. Zuinglius was slaine in the field dying in defence of the truth so was good Iosias wounded in battaile and thereof died Cranmer was put to death for the Gospell as Stephen was stoned for the faith of Christ you may as well vrge the examples of the one as iudged and punished of God as of the other 3. Much better was the Duke of Saxonies and the Lantgraues case that were persecuted of the Emperour and taken prisoners then he whose captiues they were for they would rather die then forsake their faith but the Emperour that great Charles the 5. the Popes stout
and caue in that extremitie This victorious Prince greatly repented with teares at his death of all his outragious deedes commaunding all his treasure to be distributed vnto Churches poore folks and Ministers of God and made a large confession of his sinnes before his death with an eloquent exhortation to his sonnes and Nobles forgiuing all men and opening all prison doores to them which were there detained what reason then had this Popish pickthanke so ill to requite this Prince so great a benefactor to the Papall professors Concerning the punishments noted to haue befallen this Prince as the great famine in his daies and of the breaking of his entrailes and the deniall of buriall the first was a iudgement rather vpon the whole land being by conquest made desolate then vpon him that did conquer it the second is no rare thing for a man by the leaping of his horse ouer a ditch to breake the rimme of his bellie as this Prince did for the third true it is that a gentleman forbad his buriall because it was taken by violence from his father where the Duke had founded the house of S. Stephen This wrong was done not for any priuate gaine but for the erection of that Church which the Papists count a meritorious work and yet the gentleman was compounded with and the bodie peaceably interred These were neither such extraordinarie iudgements and whatsoeuer they were might be laid vpon him for his transgressions not for his disobedience to the Sea of Rome But hath not this Popes hireling shewed great thankfulnes to such a liberall benefactor and principall founder who augmented enlarged nine Abbeys of Monks and one of Nunnes in Normandie and in whose time 17. Monasteries and 6. Nunries were builded as he himselfe confessed vpon his death-bed whom the Bishop of Ebroike commended in his funerall sermon for his magnificence valour peace and iustice Among many other this brabler had least cause to take exception against this valiant Duke 2. Concerning William Rufus 1. his resisting against the Pope was iust and vpon good ground because of his vnsatiable exactions alleaging this reason Quod Petri non inhaerent vestigijs praemijs inhiantes c. That the Popes follow not Peters steps gaping for bribes neither haue they his authoritie not imitating his sanctitie 2. Whereas he would not suffer Anselme without his licence to goe or appeale to Rome but for his stubborne behauiour banished him the King therein alleageth the custome of the land from his fathers time and all the Bishops tooke part with the King against Anselme 3. The death of William Rufus being slaine by the glaunsing of an arrow shot by one Tyrell as the King was hunting in the new forrest is noted by historians as a iudgement of God vpon him for his oppression As Richard an other sonne of William the father was slaine in the same forrest which he had made plucking downe Churches and dis-peopling towneships 30. miles about It was not then the Kings restrayning of the Popes vsurping but his own vsurping vpon other mens possessions that might be thought to incense the diuine wrath against him 3. It is also vntrue as this dreamer surmiseth that Henry the first could not be quiet in conscience till he had restored the Ecclesiasticall he meaneth Papall libertie for he reformed the too great libertie and licentiousnes of the Clergie and seemed little to fauour the vsurped power of the Bishop of Rome neither would suffer any Legate to come from the Pope vnlesse by himselfe required Beside he obtained of Calixtus the 2. that he might vse all the customes vsed before of his forefathers in England 4. Whereas this fabler affirmeth That neuer any Gouernor before King Henry the 8. challenged any such prerogatiue of supremacie except in the inuestiture of Bishops pag. 74. lin 20. This is a notable fiction as may appeare by the words of William Rufus to Anselme The custome sayth he from my fathers time hath been in England that no person should appeale to the Pope without the Kings licence He that breaketh the customes of the realme violateth the Crowne and power of the Kingdome 5. Neither is it true that such troubles befell Henry the 2. for his disobedience to the Bishop of Rome as forreine warres and busines abroad and the rebellion of his owne children at home But these troubles are by the best historians imputed to other causes as some make the originall thereof to be his refusall to take the protection of Hierusalem against the infidels being humblie sued vnto by Heraclius the Patriarke who in his Oration to the King foretold of the plagues like to ensue Others affirme that the King was punished for his licentious life for he was a great wedlocke breaker keeping a famous concubine called Rosamond after whose death he deteyned the daughter of Lewes King of France married to his sonne Richard and kept Ellanor the Queene in prison twelue yeares Neither is it true that after 〈…〉 reconciled to the Church of Rome that 〈…〉 but they rather then began for the 〈…〉 vpon his oath of the death of Thomas 〈…〉 certaine conditions from the Pope 〈…〉 of his raigne and immediately after followed 〈…〉 with his sonne Henry ann 1173. and with the Flemings and Scots ann 1174. of his raigne ann 20. or after others ann 22. It is therefore vntrue that the same day of his reconciliation the Earle of Fâ—anders retyred and the next day after the King of Scots was taken prisoner Neither immediatly vpon this reconciliation of the King were his sonnes reconciled and he himselfe restored to his pristine tranquillitie of mind and bodie for his sonnes Henry and Geffrey raised warre against their father againe ann 30. of his raigne and shot at him pearcing his vppermost armour though some semblance there had been before of their submission to the King And afterward in the 35. yeare of Henries raigne his sonnes Richard and Iohn leuied an armie against their father who for sorrow thereof dyed whose dead corps at the comming of Richard bled abundantlie at the nose thereby strangely accusing his vnnaturall proceedings against his father 6. Neither was King Iohn punished because he had controuersie with the Sea of Rome as is pretended for after he was released of his excommunication and absolued which was in the 15. yeare of his raigne and the land released of the interdiction which had continued 6. yeares then began his cruell warres with the Barons and Lewes the French kings sonne ann 17. 18. notwithstanding that the Pope tooke part with the King and excommunicated the Nobles and last of all he was poisoned by a Monke of Swinsted The cause of this strife betweene the King and the Barons is alleadged for that he would not vse the lawes of S. Edward And some part of his trouble may well be imputed to his stubborne
people of England haue greater cause not one but many both nights and dayes to awake to giue thanks vnto God for our deliuerance from troubles not so much felt as feared And thus also I haue at length dispatched that tedious and friuolous section THE EIGHT SECTION HIS DEfense to the honorable Councell and all other men of Nobilitie THis Section being as the rest confusedlie shuffled vp and as a rude chaos tumbled together I will if I can bring it to some forme not vouchsafing an answere to all his idle words and vaine repetitions which are not to be regarded as Aristotle well answered a certaine brabler who sayd O Philosopher I am troublesome vnto you with my speech no sayth he for I marked thee not The first Defence SVppose ye might contend in politike gouernment with many c. let it be some might be admitted fellowes in armes c. yet to that which is most or onely materiall in this question and controuersie of learning religion c. are too wise to make so vnequall a comparison to balance your selues with so many Saints most holie learned professed Diuines and Bishops c. pag. 80. lin 12. The Answere 1 THeir honors are much beholding to this cunning Caruer that he will allow them in matters of policie and of martiall affaires to equalize those in the popish times employed in both but in learning and religion they must come farre short of popish Bishops c. 2 But herein also I doubt not for true religion and knowledge of God that our honorable Lords Nobles farre exceed most of that shauen crue for who knoweth not that in a popish Bishop learning and diuinitie is not of the greatest regard Was not the Bishop of Cauaillon a profound Clerke that said to the Merindolians that Iâ— was not requisite to saluation to vnderstand or expound the articles of faith for there were many Bishops Curates yea and Doctors of Diuinitie whom it would trouble to expound the Paternoster and the Creede Such another learned Prelate was the Bishop of Dunkelden in Scotland that said to Thomas Forret Martyr that it was too much to preach euery Sonday for in so doing you make the people thinke that we should preach likewise He said further I thanke God I neuer knew what the old and new Testament was whereof rose a prouerb in Scotland You are like the Bishop of Dunkelden that knew neither old nor new lawe Such religious and deuout Bishops were some other in Scotland much about that time which held that the Paternoster should be said to Saints whereupon it was vsed as a byword in Scotland To whom say you your Paternoster I appeale now to the indifferent Reader whether our learned Nobles of England may not be compared in true learning and sound diuinitie with such vnlearned popish Bishops But I pitie this poore mans case that could play the Orator no better then at the first dash to alienate their minds into whose bosome he sought to insinuate himselfe forgetting that rule of Ambrose Qui tractaet debet andientium considerare personas ne irrideatur prius quam audâ—atur He that treateth of any thing must consider to whom he speaketh least he be laughed at before he be harkned to for Like as they that drinke bitter potions do loath the very cups so they which accuse at the first win no grace with their heaâ—ers The second Defence NExt this bold lad braueth it out producing certaine examples of the hard haps of some Nobles among the Protestants as of the Lord Cromwell condemned by the law which he had prouided for others the Dukes of Somerset and Northumberland basely disgraced and put to death Robert Earle of Leicester miserablie died terrified with monstrous visions of Deuils Sir Frauncis Walsingham his miserable death despairing words filthie stinke of bodie basely buried in the night will be an eternall infamie against him The Answere 1 THe end of the Lord Cromwell was neither vnfortunate nor miserable making a vertuous and a godly end with confession of his sinnes and confidence in God and faithfull inuocation of his name he was attainted by Parliament misled and misinformed not condemned by any lawe of his owne making whome King Henry afterward wished to be aliue againe which he would not haue desired had he bene perswaded he was a traytor Thus wise Princes are sometime swayed with false reports and ouercome with flatterers and repent when it is too late But miserable indeede was the end of Bishop Fisher who was attainted by Parliament for practising with Elizabeth Barton called the holie mayd of Kent against the King who died in a bad cause giuing his life for the vsurped authoritie of the Pope against the lawfull calling of the King Such was the death of Sir Thomas Moore who dyed scoffingly and prophanely suffering for the like obstinacie and superstition How could he omit or forget these two notable examples of deserued miserie and obiect the much lamented case of that honorable Lord Cromwell dying in his innocencie 2 Concerning the death of the good Duke of Somerset it was no iudgement vpon him for his religion which as he had zealouslie maintained while he liued so therein he constantlie died But herein it might be that God chastised the ouersight of the Duke in condescending to the death of his brother the Lord Thomas Seymer wherein secretlie his owne ouerthrow was intended though he simply perceiued it not And again this is rather to be supposed a iudgement against that ambitious Duke of Northumberland who by his Machiauilian deuises cut off these two brothers the Kings Vncles to make a way for some of his to the Crowne as the euent of matters afterward shewed but he was ouertaken in his owne plots and suffered iustlie in the same place where the other good Duke by his meanes not two yeare before innocently ended his dayes 3 As for the Duke of Northumberland take him to your selfe for at his death he denyed the Gospell and in hope of fauour consented to the Popish religion and exhorted others to do the like whose recantation was presentlie published to the world Therefore let that Church challenge him in whose faith and communion he dyed his end full well declared that his religion was more for his owne aduantage then in conscience 4 That which is reported of the Earle of Leicester the credite thereof relying vpon this braggers bare word alleadging no author for it may with as great reason be by vs denyed as it is by him affirmed Yet admit it was so that he was in his sicknes troubled with fearefull visions that is not to be imputed to his religious profession but to his licentious conuersation wherein it is like enough he committed some things not beseeming a professor of the Gospell But he needed not to haue noted this if it were true as he saith for so strange a thing
maid in one of their chambers and these things were done in prison where it is most like if in any place their fasting and chastitie should be best performed I trow drunkennes commeth not by fasting and abstinence nor yet dallying with maides in corners 3 Concerning the great charge of Ministers progenie admit it come to so much in 40. yeare space as this Popes auditor hath layd his counters to fiue hundred thousand pound and odd as in deed it doth not as is before touched neither the number of them being so great nor the charge rising to such a summe but be it granted 1. may not the same obiection be vrged against any other order or calling of lawyers artificers labourers or such like might not euery parish in England spare an artisane or labourer some one or other whereas one Minister is necessarie for euery parish will not the progenie of any one either Tailor Shoomaker Weauer Husbandman through the land accounting for euery parish but one arise in like time to the like multitude And in his prophane and popish conceit are Ministers that draw the people to God no more necessary then botchers coblers hedgers c 2. If the ofspring of Ministers should all be of the same calling as the sonnes of the Leuites and Priests were and all be maintained of tithes and offrings as the other were they might with greater shew of reason be thought to be burdenous and yet the other were not but seeing they are dispersed into other callings and so diuerslie employed some in trades some in merchandise some in profession of learning some for the seas some for the warres and other seruices of the King the same exception might be taken as well against any other of the Kings subiects as against them 3. Who seeth not what a foolish reckoning he hath made he maketh account of an 100. thousand now after 40. yeares continuance and of 500. thousand pound now by the yeare increasing which he holdeth sufficient for the maintenance of warre and supplie of taxes c. But let him be asked what the number of the one was and the summe of the other 10.20.30 yeares since he must come short by so many parts and degrees of his account and yet so many yeares since the English warres began and subsidies were thought needfull to be leuied when as yet the increase of Ministers and of their charges came not to the fift part after that rate when as notwithstanding the yearely expences of the warres in Ireland and other places did rise to 200. thousand pound by the yeare 4. But what is this counter-casters meaning would he haue this summe of 500. thousand leuied yerely of the Clergie all their reuenues and liuings to a groat will not reach it wherefore would he haue it collected to maintaine warres and spare subsidies I trust they shall cease our greatest warres are like to be against the Pope and his adherents Let it be noted then that this popeling giueth counsell how warres might be maintained against the Pope his vnholie father who is the greatest enemie to this nation And for the sparing of subsidies and taxes raised vpon better subiects I answere first that both the occasion thereof the necessitie of warres being remoued and the Kings princely disposition so standing that he would haue subsidies rarely lifted vp I make no doubt but hereafter they will more sparingly be required that there neede no such supplie Againe the Clergie toward the raising of these subsidies were always most forward payed more for their number by fiue parts at the least then any of the Laitie for whereas they make not for their number the hundred part of the land and for their reuenew receiue nothing neere the tenth part so many impropriations being deducted yet their share in the subsidie was very neere the fift part of the whole if not more And therefore in this regard there were no better subiects then they as also in respect of their loyaltie in themselues and seruice to the Prince in retaining the people in due obedience But if they were no better subiects then trayterous Iesuites and Seminaries I say not it were no great matter if they were one hanged against another but if they were all shipped to the Sea and sent to the Indians and Cannibals or whither else so they were not in England I thinke the whole land would be in greater quiet and safetie 5. Lastly this cruell wretch sheweth himselfe another Haman who to haue the Iewes destroyed offered to bring in 10. thousand talents into the Kings cofers Esther 3.9 So this fellow offereth fiue hundred thousand pound to haue the Ministers and their ofspring rooted out like another Caligula that as he wished all the Romane citizens had but one neck that he might strike it off at once the same in his hart he desireth in the Ministerie of England But I doubt not but I shall sooner see the Frogs of Egypt that crauled in euery place with an East wind to be cast into the Sea then the Doues of the Church to be driuen to forsake their holes But whereas he addeth That the behauiour and disobedience of Protestants in common-wealths is worse then among Iewes Turks Paganes c. neither can it be imagined how amendment should be had except a reformation of Protestants disobedient doctrine be made pag. 94. His owne cauterized conscience knoweth that this is an abominable slaunder or fiction of Protestants but a true narration of Masse-priests and Iesuites for if Mortons rebellion in the North Saunders commotion to warre in Ireland Allen Parsons inuasion by the Spaniards Babingtons conspiracie Lopez poysoning Parries murdering be laid together with many other trayterous attempts both against Prince and countrie it will euidently appeare as cleere as noone day that neuer any such villanie was attempted against any Turke or Heathen Prince as hath been practised by those Papists And concerning doctrine Protestants teach obedience to Princes euen in Ecclesiasticall causes Papists denie it yea they maintaine monstrous positions that the Pope may excommunicate and depose Princes may absolue the subiects of their oth and fealtie that the Pope inuading a countrie for religion ought to be assisted by the subiects against the Prince that the Popes designement to inuade a countrie by force to the same end ought not to be reuealed to the state these are Parsons positions Adde vnto these the Iesuites conclusions at Salamanca that it was meritorious to assist the rebels in Ireland against the Queene that they which tooke part with the Catholikes against the Queene were by no construction rebels c. Wherefore seeing there can be no amendement or redresse of Popish trayterous practises till both they and their doctrine be auoyded the land we are to wish and hope in time that as Popish doctrine is already sent backe to Rome the mother thereof so the trayterous Iesuites and Priests and all their
Ethelburga wife to Edwine King of the Northumbers was not the daughter of Anna King of Eastangles but of Ethelbert King of Kent neither doe I finde that she became a Nunne so here are two vntruths couched together It may be he meaneth another Ethelburga the daughter of Offa which poisoned her husband Brighthricus K. of Westsaxons and fled into France where she was thrust into a Monastery from whence for playing the harlot with a Monke she was expulsed This belike is one of his sacred Nunnes Etheldred being maried to king Egfride refused to companie with him and hauing beene 12. yeares maried she forsooke her Lord and tooke the habit of a Nunne at the hands of Bishop Wilfride with whom she is thought to haue beene too familiar whom her husband had before deposed Was this one of your sacred Nunnes that contrarie to the Apostle the wife hath not power of her owne body but her husband 1. Cor. 7.4 refused to performe the duties of mariage and chose rather to be a Bishops virgin then a Kings wife Alfritha wife to K. Edgar was she that caused Edward the bastard sonne of Edgar being King to be murthered for which fact she built two Nunries and became herselfe a Nun This is another of his sacred Nunnes He telleth vs beside of one Kineswida or Kineswina one of that name there was wife to K. Offa by whose counsell and perswasion he caused Ethelbert K. of East-angles a learned and vertuous Prince to be slain Let her go also for another of his sacred Nunnes Are not our Ladies of England now much beholding to this Nunnes-Nouice to propound vnto them such examples to follow and I am out of doubt sayth he no Protestant Lady of England will or dareth to compare her self with the meanest c. What not to compare themselues with whores and murtherers such as some of these were you are like soone to perswade with such sweete motions 4. But more fearefull examples of the principall popish Ladies of England might be shewed then any can be produced of Protestant Ladies for the further euidence hereof I referre the reader to the 33. yeare of Henry the 8. And yet this is a simple argument to condemne the religion of Protestants because of afflictions for by this reason neither Moses law in the desert nor Christs Gospell in the time of Herod when nothing but tentations troubles and afflictions waited vpon Gods Church should find allowance 5 But it is yet a more absurd argumēt to moue our Protestant Ladies to embrace the Italian or Spanish religion because they follow their guise in apparell Is it not enough for them to trip but you would haue thē stumble and fall If a man chance to drinke a cup too much shall he not giue ouer till he be starke drunke because he is ouer the shoes must he be needes ouer the bootes They are not to be cōmended for the one but they might well be condemned for the other Indeede the Israelites first followed the East maners Isay. 2.6 and then also receiued their errors The land was full of Idols v. 8. But I trust that English religion shall sooner deuour Roman and Italian manners then these shall corrupt the other And it ought much to moue our English Ladies that they should not disguise themselues in the outward man after their fashions whom they are vnlike in their inward conditions not to imitate their conuersation seeing they abhor their religion as Hierome well saith Aut loquendum nobis est vt vestiti sumus aut vestiendum vt loquimur quid aliud pollicemur aliud ostendimus Let vs professe as our apparell is or be apparelled as our profession is why do we promise one thing and practise another with Italian and Romish religion let vs shake and cast off all other Italian toyes and fashions 6 And what if many honors and dignities haue bin confirmed by Popes Emperours c. doth that bind vs to be of their faith them must we also be Paganes for many Castles Cities townes honors priuiledges were founded and erected by them which Christians now inioy If from whom we receiue temporall benefites we should imitate in things spirituall neither should Iosias haue reformed religion comming of idolatrous parents both father and grandfather nor yet the Apostles haue embraced Christs doctrine being borne of parents obediēt to the Pharisaicall traditions nor yet K. Lucius in England descended of so many Pagane predecessors would haue receiued the Christian faith nor yet Constantine succeeding in the Empire so many vnchristned Emperours 7 Though Protestants make not Matrimonie a sacrament yet it is more honorable among Protestants then Papists Some of them call Mariage a profanation of orders they forbid mariage to be solemnized at certaine festiuall times in the yeare as not fit for such holie seasons they hold Mariage betweene Infidels not to be firme but that the mariage knot is dissolued if either of the parties become a Christian in these and diuers other such points they shew that they haue no great reuerent opinion of Mariage It is also a sclaunder that among Protestants Matrimonie is at the pleasure of the husband or diuorcements at their wils We only allow diuorce for fornication according to Christs rule not as the Church of Rome that allow separation between man and wife for the loue of Monasticall life sometime with consent sometime without as Etheldred did forsake her husbands companie and became a Nunne as was touched before They allow also separation of mariage for other causes as for infidelitie heresie the Protestants then allowing but one exception of fornication are freer from this accusation then the Papists are As for concubines and bastards though all Protestants in outward profession can not be excused yet they were both more vsuall in the popish Church Many of the Kings had their concubines Ethelbald his Iudith Edgar had his Elfleda Henry the 2. his Rosamund Edward the 3. his Alicia Edward the 4. Iane Shore And he might with shame enough haue concealed bastardie so much magnified in Poperie The Papall Bishops set vp Edward Edgars base sonne and for that time put by Egelredus the lawfull heire How many of their vnholie fathers the Popes haue been infamous for their concubines and bastards Sergius the 3. had a concubine called Marozia Iohn the 10. Theodora Gregor 7. Matilda Alexander the 6. had Iulia Farnesia Leo 10. Magdalena Paulus 3. Laura Sixtus the 4. did erect stewes for both sexes Paulus the third had 30. thousand harlots in Rome in a catalogue of whome was gathered to their ghostlie fathers vse a monthlie rent And as for bastards they abounded in that holie See Iohn the 10. was bastard sonne to Pope Landus Iohn the 11. the son of Sergius the 3. by the famous strumpet Marozia Innocentius the 8. had 16. bastards whom he openly acknowledged for his children whereas