of will where our good workes are necessitate where the predestination of God taketh away all election and indifferencie By which and such like positions as Protestants teach it followeth that no Article of Religion can be certaine no Religion can be nothing is to be accounted sinne nothing reckoned for vertue For who can certainely beleeue that which most certainely is vncertaine or false or who can either praise or discommend that which is doone whether the doer wil or no How can such actions be rewarded or punished How can that soule be immortall and performe religion which should want free and reasonable operations the arguments and pledges of immortality But I defend a religion so measured as before that by no possibilitie any Decree can be vntrue a Religion that so concordeth the eternall praescience and predestination of God with the temporall cooperation of man that it both leaueth the first infallible and yet prooueth the temporall action appetite delight or consent to any things to be voluntary free and in the power of man to be effected or omitted praised or discommended rewarded or punished as the nature thereof deserueth Not that Religion which hath raised such dissentions that it hath taken all vnitie and communion of Saints away diuided the millitant and triumphant Church and dishonored both depriuing Angells and glorified soules of that honor their excellencie and dignitie with God requireth men in earth the militant church of that helpe and assistance it needeth and alwayes had from them as inferiour causes from superiour all pitty and compassion of those that liue and be in state of merite from the patient Church of the faithfull departed and spoyled them of that reliefe they euer receiued of those that liue and made such hauoke and confusion euen among the liuing that no man regardeth other euery one almost of a different and diuided minde from the rest in these things and neuer at concord with himselfe but vppon euery new conceipt differing from his former assertion in continuall combate and controuersie with his owne will and vnderstanding and so no communion and participation one with an other no care of offence and iniuries no minde of satisfaction for wrongs and iniustices no cōbination of comembers no penance no restraint from sinne where the passion of Christ hath bin so long vaunted and triumphed of that except in most sacrilegious and blasphemous swearing by the instruments of our redemption no memorie at all thereof is left no signe or token to put vs in minde no image or representation no commemoratiue sacrifice or signification of so many paines miseries and mysteries as our Sauiour indured and wrought for our redemption where no order or hierarchicall subordination no consecration or distinction of callings and vocations is except the letters patents of a temporall Prince can giue that to others which is not cannot be in the giuer But that Religion which as it is vnited and one in it selfe in earth consisteth of a most perfect hierarchicall regiment of Pope Patriarkes Archbishops Bishops Priests Deacons Subdeacons Acolathists Exorcists Lectors and other Vnder-officers euery one in his roome and dignitie and the meanest of all by calling and consecration of greater honour than any ministeriall preferment among Protestants being no reall thing but an ens rationis an Idoll of the minde as the making of Pursuvants Apparators and such Officers appoynted by others where our POPE which is so odious in England is so ample in iurisdiction in all the worlde that no temporall Prince christian or infidell no ruler or professor of regiment in ecclesiasticall and spirituall causes at this time or any heeretofore either is or was ' by many degrees possessed of so large a regimēt· And our priuate Priests namely the most reuerend and learned Fathers of the Societie of IESVS so contemptible in our country are honoured of the greatest Princes of the world by their preachings paines haue added so many kingdomes both to the spirituall regiment of Christ and temporall gouernement of Catholike kings Our Catholike kings be most mightie and they which regarde vs most the most rich puissant and greatest Princes of the worlde Our religion religeth and bindeth together as the name importeth not onely kingdomes and menne in earth but God and his Catholike seruants the triumphant militant and patient Church no duety is omitted no compassion or pitty wanting where the mysterie of our redeeming is so esteemed and remembred that no festiuitie no office or parte of diuine seruice is celebrated in the yeere but representeth vnto vs one benefite or other no ceremony is vsed in the holy sacrifice of Masse no action of the Priest no ornament or attire hee weareth no benediction hee giueth no signe of the Crosse hee maketh but hath his religious signification and preacheth vnto vs his introite to the Altare his actions there his returne from thence the very vestments wherewith he is adorned the putting of them on the wearing of them in that celebration his putting them off his Amice Albe Girdle Manciple Stoale Vestiment and all hee vseth speak nothing but Christ crucified the maner of his oblation the cloth wherewith he was blindfolded the white garment putte on by Herode the cordes and whippe wherewith hee was bound and scourged the purple vestment wherwith he was deluded and that mysticall and most holy sacrifice his bloody and cruental oblation vppon the Crosse no action gesture prayer or the least ceremony either in word or deede silence or otherwise but bringeth a religious lesson and meaning and tendeth to instruction no benefite that Christ bestowed vppon man from the first instant of his conception left vnremembred but one time or other celebrated Not that Religion which denieth al things and properties of Religion as their opinions all negatiue doe witnes that hath taken away and conuerted from common and spirituall religious vses to priuate and temporall pleasures and preferments all monuments and foundations of deuotion and places of religious exercise leauing and vsing nothing necessary to mans saluation But that Religion whose opinions against these men are all affirmatiue professing deuotion and one acte of pietie or other that hath founded Churches Schooles Colledges Monasteries and places where Christian learning euer was or is exercised at this day that obserueth all things and wanteth or omitteth nothing belonging or that can be required to true Religion I defend that most holy and religious worship which I will prooue by aboue an hundred arguments and all kinde of inuincible reasons diuine and humane naturall and supernaturall to be the onely true and lawfull reuerence which we owe to God by which we were labij vnius spake one language and one Religion vntill that confused Babel was begunne in Germany from whence so many different tongs and confusions in Religion haue proceeded SECT VI. What mooued the Authour to dedicate his Worke to the Councell WHerefore right Honorable although the endes and offices
the more than miserable liues and deathes of Luther Oecolampadius Caluine Swinglius Cranmer and others of their Cleargy and speake only of Princes The first Protestant Duke of Saxony and Lantgraue of Hesse were dispossessed of their regiments and committed to prison The Prince of Condie in Fraunce and the Admirall there the one pittifully put to death the other like Iesabel cast downe headlong his legges broken his body cutte in peeces drawne like a dog through the streetes and hanged vppe for a spectacle at the place of common execution For Flaunders the Prince of Orange miserably slaine by a priuate man and in the time of his greatest triumph and ioyes For Scotland Iames the bastard dishonorably put to death In Denmarke Christine their king deposed of his kingdome enclosed in a caue with yron barres and consumed to death And least any manne may fondly perswade himselfe that the Kings and Rulers of England haue a Charter of immunitie from such vectigalles and impositions as God hath layed vpon those Princes I will recite all the Kings of our Nation that presently occurre to my memory that haue opposed themselues against it and what effect their opposition had In the beginning these Kings Ethelbertus Adelwaldus Kingilsus Edwine Peda Sigebertus and Redwalde opposed themselues against the faith and iurisdiction of that See and the doctrine of religious Monkes sent from thence but they were all conquered and subdued without any force of armes so submitted themselues that Kingilsus and Sigebertus became religious monasticall men king Ofricus and Eanfridus were apostataes from the Roman faith but they were miserably put to death And those three Kings whereof Saint Bede writeth for their apostacie besides other manifold temporall punishments were blotted out of the Genealogie and Catalogue of the Kings of England neuer remembred or numbred among them Such was the wonderful desolation of the disobedient Brittish Kings and their nation for their disobedience to the Roman See onely in the paschall obseruance and manner of shauing the crownes of Priests as Saint Bede doth witnesse prophecied against them by Saint Augustine and recorded by the same Saint Bede Galfridus Guilielmus Malmesburiensis Foxe and others that at one time eleuen thousand of their Monks defending that repugnance were slaine by the Pagan souldiers their whole nation distressed and depriued of all regiment in their owne countrey by their owne hired souldiers their kings dispoyled of principality to this day and made subiects to them whose Soueraignes they were King Edwine before the conquest opposed him selfe to som iuridical proceedings of the Popes of Rome and banished Saint Dunstane his Archbishop of Canterbury but he was deposed died miserablie with infamy and in his life his brother Edgar was chosen and crowned King William surnamed the Conqueror spoyled all the monasteries of England of their golde and siluer neither sparing Chalice nor Shrine and in his last voiage in Fraunce burned our Ladies Church in Meux two Anachorets which were enclosed therein but he encouraging his men to maintaine the fire was sodainely stricken with sicknesse his entralls were strangely broken and he died with misery and to him that had beene so great a conquerour in his life after his death a priuate gentleman drawing his sworde denied buriall in his owne Country and Towne Cane of Normandy and in the very house himselfe had founded and in his life there was such famine and dearth in England that men were enforced to eate horses cats dogs and that which nature abhorreth the flesh of men such outragious floudes and inundations destroyed the country that not onely townes were ouerflowne but the very high hills themselues were surrounded made soft and consumed And after him his next successor and sonne William called Rufus afflicted the Churches and Monasteries of England with grieuous oppression maketh a decree against some iurisdiction of Pope Vrbane in England and exiled Saint Anselme Archbishop of Canterbury for his defence thereof but hee was not left vnpunished his naturall brother Robert duke of Normandy and others his neerest kinsmen and Nohility raised and maintained wars against him the Welchmen inuaded and spoiled Glocester Shrewsbury and other parts of England and tooke the I le of Anglesey and the very insensible creatures rebelled against him and called for vengeance the earth at Fynchamsteed in Barkshire flowed forth with blood the winde in one tempest ouerthrewe sixe hundred and sixe houses in his chiefe Citty of London the sea surrounded and ouerwhelmed al the lands that belonged to his friend the earle of Goodwine and is called Goodwine sands to this day and that the death of such a Prince might be aunswerable to his life and deserts the morrow after the feast of Saint Peter in August whose successour Pope Vrbanus hee had so persecuted before hee was slaine by his seruant and friend sir Walter Tyrrell shooting at a Deere and being wounded in the breast fell downe dead neuer spake worde and his owne men and retinew presently forsooke him scarcely any remaining to take care of his body but it was layd vpon a Colliers cart and so drawne with one seely leane beast from that place of the forrest where he was slaine to Winchester Mention is made in the statutes of the supremacie of king Henry the eight King Edward the sixt and Queene Elizabeth that title to be the auntient right of the Kings of England and yet neuer any king or gouernor before king Henry the eight chalenged any such prerogatiue except in the inuesture of Bishoppes as Edmerus seemeth to insinuate of this king William Rufus and his next successor was enforced to reuoke as the same Authour dooth witnes Then that which was so strangely punished of God in the first challenger and refused by his whole posteritie let others Iudge whether it was a right or a wrong And his next successour and brother K. Henry the first so long as he perseuered in his brothers steps let those decrees of his to be in force was tossed and turmoyled with manifolde afflictions both of vnnaturall warres seditions and vnwonted punishments so that hee was conquered with the very prick of his owne conscience to make his submission and reuoke those former constitutions of his brother King William enacted and brought in against the Ecclesiasticall libertie and was neuer quiet either in body or minde vntill he had effected it Like was the case of king Henry the second challenging to himselfe iurisdiction in the criminal causes of the Cleargie contrary to the prerogatiue of the Constitutions of the Apostolicke See of Rome vnder whose time Saint Thomas Archbishop of Canterbury their earnest patrone was put to death and after the excommunication promulged against the king for those proceedings hee was most pittifully scourged and afflicted both with externall and vnnaturall domesticall warres and other miseries his owne naturall sonne taking Armes against him the father against the sonne and sonne
all those Schooles by institution offer weekely or daily sacrifice for our nation where prayer is continually made by deputed persons for her Maiestie where so many publike prayers processions fasting disciplines and austerities are vsed to that end The rules and gouernement there consent with the auntient foundations of our Cambridge and Oxford the Religion there vsed the doctrine there taught the Priesthoode and other Orders there taken sacrifice offered prayers that bee made Sacraments that be frequented Lawes that bee obserued all things there practized be the same which so many renowned Kings of England euer professed and defended as conformable to their temporal regiments and to which our Qu. Elizabeth by the fidelitie of a Prince by solemne oath and all greatest security an absolute Ruler can giue hath indebted her selfe to obserue at her Coronation And what disobedience or want of duety can it be to deny to her or any temporall Prince Supremacy in ecclesiasticall causes a preeminence so distinct and independing of the ciuil gouernement And it euer was so far fro treason to deny it to any of our Kings or Queenes that not onely all English subiects but our Kings themselues euer approoued it in the Roman See And neuer any temporall Turke Tartare Goth Vandall or impious ennemy of Christ heretike or infidell challenged it as belonging to their temporall stile and no Protestant Prince at this day except in England eyther claimeth to him selfe or maketh it treason to giue it to the Pope of Rome Neyther dooth or euer did any or these professed ennemies to that See condemne for a temporall disobedience to appeale thither in spirituall causes or maketh it a matter of state to goe on pilgrimage to Rome or bring a Crucifix Picture or any halowed thing from thence which can be no busines of a commonwealth But all other Christians of the worlde euen such as bee vnder the Turkish regiment or any other whether they be Iacobites in aboue forty kingdomes Nestorians Maronites in Libia and Phoenitia Armenians Georgians Suryans Mozarabes Indians vnder Peter Iohannes in seauentie and twoo kingdomes or any others besides all Catholike and Christian kingdomes in this or other partes of the world haue free accesse without prohibition of their Princes either to Rome Ierusalem or any place where Christ is or hath beene reuerenced And in the dayes of the greatest temporall honour and renowne of England vnder the most glorious English Princes it hath beene so farre from disturbance or indignitie to our temporall state to goe that iourney and fetch or receiue such things from thence that our most puissant and triumphant Kings themselues haue performed those offices in their own princely and royall persons as our Protestant Writers be witnesses Howe honourable those Princes were for those and such offices as also how dishonourable with men and strangely punished of God not only al Kings of England but of other nations which practized any thing offensiue to that Roman iurisdiction I haue declared before If wee should enter into comparison of this kingdome now Protestant eyther with it selfe vnder Catholike regiment or with forraine Catholike kingdomes my sentence is true whether wee consider the glory of king Henry the eight and this kingdome before his fall or their infamie and dishonours after or the short or turbulent season of king Edward the sixt or for this present time what it is and what like to be which duety to her Maiestie chargeth me to leaue to the lamentable consideration of all men now and the pittifull experience of those which shall prooue it heereafter When contrariwise if wee enter into conceipt of Catholicke kingdomes ruled by that Religion and law which we defend they will be named the flowers of the worlde our neighbouring countries Fraunce Spaine Italie and others may be giuen for instance And to particularize in them that be most hated of English Protestants the Pope of Rome for a spiritual person and the Spanish King for a temporall Prince Is not the power and iurisdiction of the first extended by many degrees and whole kingdomes further and more glorious than euer was the Regencie of any spirituall superiour high Priest in Iewrie Caliphe of the Turkes Archflamine of the Pagans Archbishoppe of the Protestants or any their supreame head or gouernor in Ecclesiasticall causes in this or any other Nation neuer allowed further than one countrey and no man can question but the kingdomes riches and reuenews of the king Catholike are the greatest of any Monarch or Emperour in the worlde How the glory of all kingdomes was euer most when they most religiously embraced and maintained our doctrine I haue demonstrated at large in my Resolution no Article we defend prayer and adoration to Saints prayer for the dead restitution for wrongs and iniuries to those that liue obedience to Princes their iust and equall regiment the validitie of their lawes the force of good woorkes and their working the number grace and reuerence of Sacraments other holy things penance and punishment for sinne both in life and after with the rest being all affirmatiue positions teaching duety to God honour to Magistrates equalitie to all iniury and oppression to none the chiefest points of true regiment cannot be offensiue to a well ordered kingdome What quarrelles and contentions betweene Princes Kings and Subiects Nobles and Nobles and all estates haue beene comprimitted in England by the spirituall Romane authoritie now so hateful amōg vs which could by no other meanes be appeased the turbulent dealings in the time of King Henry the second so pacified the Barons warres quieted rigorous onerations imposed by Princes eased contentions and vnappeaseable warres of this kingdome with France and other Nations the like appeased and brought to end will witnesse What peace concord amitie and agreement in all estates the Protestants deniall of Restitution and Confession hath taken away what wrongs enmities and abuses it hath wrought the auntient loue neighbourly friendship christian charitie and peaceable agreement generally since then exploded among Protestant people are euidence for those bridles beeing broken what so conuenient meanes is either left or inuented by this generation to tame the inordinate passions of vnruly people How can the beginning of sinnes first inwardly hatched in the mind before they proceede to outwarde action to bee controlled by ciuill Lawes be stayed and preuented How can secret offences the mother and nurse of publike disorders be punished and destroyed Who can keepe Subiects from deuising against Soueraignes these from plotting against Subiects Subiects against themselues Who can now vmpire so many quarrelles euen with extraordinary and intolerable charges and abuses which the Consistory of Confession in euery parish so freely without bribe trouble or contention decided and rooted out For want whereof so many suites and actions in lawe such multitudes of Lawyers and their lately obtained riches haue ensued What abuses in their proceedings what vniust causes defended What iust and
of a religious spirituall common wealth be distinct and diuerse from those of a temporall and ciuil gouernment wherein you are supreame Lieutenants vnder our gratious Princesse and in that respect matters handled in the one doe not so properly appertaine to the iudgement and redres of those which rule in the other but are to bee decided and reformed by the gouernours of that profession to which they are belonging yet as the glory of the first cannot commonly bee maintained without the fauour of the second so this cannot rightly bee ruled without direction from the former for where there is no greater or more forcible motiue to keepe in order but feare of temporall correction for no temporall magistrate can punish eternally or after death which is onely a bridle against publike and notorious offences which may be denounced and proued by witnes as euery ciuill magistrate must proceed secundum allegata probata as matters are and can be alledged and proued and that which cannot so be determined can neither be punished or condemned but in secret men may practise all impietie without controlement if no Religion and dread of a diuine maiestie by his infinit wisedome knowing by his immutable iustice punishing secret sinnes were to keepe in awe Therefore as this cause I haue in hand is the most honorable of all that can be entreated so I am bolde to offer this introductory Epistle and defence thereof to your honours the most honourable and noble consistory of our nation and as it is most necessary to be considered in regard of duty to God and man which it teacheth so I tender it to you the supreame Deputies of our gratious Soueraigne whose chiefe care and solicitude must be in taking order for such causes because you are Christian magistrates and take vpon you the defence of the lawe of Christ which I here maintaine because you are sworne Councellers to assist our Princesse whose chiefe stile and title is granted to hir father King Henry the eight by Pope Leo the tenth defendor of the faith for defending the Catholike Romane Religion against Luther that Archprotestant which I here defend and to preuent all suspitious censures and conceipts of such as will imagine I goe about to present a worke vnlawfull by those lawes whereof you pretend defence in that respect you are the highest wisest and most honourable patrons of the lawes of our Country I humbly pray pardon vnder your protection to publish this worke because it is confirmed and demonstrated not only by al auncient lawes of England al lawes Papall imperial princely nationall of forren countries and former times but the present forcible lawes of England established by our Qu◠Eliz. to which I wil proue onely that Religion I defend to be conformable others repugnant therby condemned Wherfore most Hh patrons for I must challenge this title at your hands be my protectors the piety of my cause and complaint enclines to mercy our vniust persecution vnder your predecessors requireth amends and I hope at least shal receiue toleration by you hereafter the lawe of nature the lawes of all nations of all Princes of England it selfe in that state it is The lawe of God calleth vpon you and bringeth euidēce of this obligation to which you are bound when you were new borne and ruled by others you vowed it in Baptisme now you are rulers of others both them which so iustly demaund it as those which should and many would so willingly yeeld it your promise to God to his Church to your Country is to bee performed many or most of you being of age and discretion in the time of Queene Marie haue practised and professed it so many of your noble company as are admitted to the honorable order of the Garter haue sworne it you are all sworne councellors to our Queene which by title of inheritance and at here coronation by the oath and fidelitie of a Christian Prince hath obliged her selfe to maintaine it of that which is her office your place professeth performance your vow to God obedience and voluntary submission to his church fidelity to Prince promise and duty to Country compassion to vniustly oppressed calleth vpon you to see it done I demaund but iustice by those lawes which my Prince her nobles and other subiects your predecessors and you haue enacted For your wisedome you were chosen to gouerne your mercy exalted you where you may and ought to exercise most compassion iustice and equitie haue aduaunced you to that high seate of equal iudgement as you are wise as you are mercifull and must be iust take pitty vppon iust complaints And by the same titles I humblie craue you condemne me not before I haue shewed worthy cause of reproofe Neuer any Catholike subiect of England hitherto hath so much abused your Honors dishonoured the cause of his religion for which wee daily vndertake so many troubles and disgraces or disgraced and discredited himselfe to make so bolde a challenge except hee were able to performe it and my confident assurance is I shall not be the first vnhappy and vnaduised man to doe it Pardon noble Patrons peremptorily without al exception I vndertake to proue directly not only by al other arguments but by the Parliament laws proceedings of Qu. Elizab. that the Religion those men profes as confirmed by thē is false euen by them that we defend to be true euen by those groundes and decrees I will prooue thereby That Christ is really present in the blessed sacrament of the Aultare that Saints and Angels are to be reuerenced and praied vnto that there is a Purgatory that prayer almes and other good deeds are auaileable for the faithful soules departed which had not perfected penance and satisfaction in this life that onely faith iustifieth not that good workes are meritorious before God that there is an externall Priesthoode and sacrifice in the church of Christ that wee are not iustified by an imputatiue iustice but grace and iustice are inherent and internal things that the Sacraments of Christ giue grace that there be seauen Sacraments in number Baptisme Confirmation Eucharist Penance Extreame vnction Orders and Matrimonie and all other matters of moment in controuersie betweene them and vs. Which when I haue performed no obiection can be made against the allowance of my petition And because I was sometimes demaunded of your predecessours in that place beeing conuented before them for professing this Religion I still defend what reason should mooue me then very yong in yeares borne of parents conformable to the time in and vnder the Protestant regiment of Queene Elizabeth brought vp in that Vniuersitie and other places which were alwayes least fauouring of that beliefe all which things were either knowne before or acknowledged by me to that assembly to be of a different and contrary opinion when if I would haue beene of the same profession I might haue beene regarded as others of my
her royall Maiestie hath receiued life being hir crowne kingdome and diademe won and conuerted vnder Kings Ethelbertus Adelwaldus Kingylsus Edwine Peda or Wiferus Sygebertus and Redwalde her most noble and renowned christian catholike Predecessors Kings of England vnited by king Egbertus augmented and enlarged by so many Henries Edwards and others known Catholike Kings by whome so many immunities fauours and priuiledges were graunted to our religion So many altares churches chappels monasteries and places of professing Papistry as Protestants name it were founded and prouided in the first time of our conuersion from Idolatry and the very Primitiue dayes of christianitie in England The Churches of saint Paul in London of Canterbury Winchester Lincolne Westminster and others the common Schooles of Cambridge by king Sigebert the vniuersity of Oxford by king Alfrede the monastery of Gloucester by king Ofricus the monastery of Hetesey by king Oswye who assigned possssions for twelue more monasteries in Northumberland the monastery of Saint Martine in Douer by king Whitred the abbey of Lestingey by king Oswalde sonne to Saint Oswalde the abbey of Abington by king Cyssa the monastery of Ely by Queene Etheldred wife to king Elfride the monastery of Chertsey by king Edgar the abbey of Peterborow by king Ethelwalde the abby of Bardney by king Etheldredus Glastenbury by king Iâ—a the monastery of Winchcombe by king Kenulfus the abbey of Saint Albons by king Offa the abbey of Ethelingsey and nunnery of Shaftersbury by king Alfrede and fortie monasteries by king Edgar all which were edified and founded in the time of our Primitiue Church and within two hundred yeeres of our first conuersion as Fox himselfe acknowledgeth What donations and free giftes were graunted to the English Clergy by those first christian kings the donations of king Ethelwulfe Ethelbalde and others were to be free in their lands and territories from secular seruices and payments tributes and taxations to Kings c. that all churches and monasteries should be absolued from al publike vectigales works and burdens that they might therby more diligently serue God by how much they were more alleuiated of those seruices Such likewise were the graunts of Kings Sigebertus Cissa Edgar Etheldredus Offa Aluredus for the praying to God and Saints for the soules of them and their posteritie So that no man can doubt of what faith they were except it bee a question whether hee that prayeth to Saints prayeth for the dead offereth sacrifice of Masse graunteth church liberties honoreth the See of Rome buildeth altares monasteries and nunneries for Monks and Nunnes and foundeth these things be a Papist or a Protestant And it is so manifest that these holy and sanctified kings were popish and moonkish men as they tearme them and of our religion that presently vpon their beleeuing in Christ the greatest care and study they had was to prouide ornaments and necessary furniture for that profession And among the Saxon Kings within the space of two hundred yeeres as Foxe himselfe with others reporteth in the English Primitiue church nine Kings at the least King Kingylsus Iue Colulfus Eadbertus Ethelredus Kenredus Offa Sebbi and Sigebertus voluntarily forsooke their kingdoms professed monasticall life and liued monkes in vow of pouertie chastity and obedience and for that most religious action as our ennemies themselues acknowledge were most highly honoured and commended of all historians and still to this day for that cause are more glorious both to themselues and our nation then the other of our Kings how honorable soeuer The wordes of that history which Foxe in his Monuments citeth to that end are these Religion did most clearely shine insomuch that Kings Queenes Princes and Dukes Consuls and Barons and rulers of Churches incensed with desire of the kingdome of Heauen labouring and striuing among themselues to enter into monasticall life into voluntary exile and solitary liuing forsooke all and followed God And no man can deny it to bee true all Historians report it all Monuments Antiquities auouch it Wherefore my assurance is that my gratious Soueraigne and prudent Princesse clayming all things by their title cannot be offended for defence of the faith of all her noble christian progenitors and ancestors vntill now Besides so many christian kings of the Brittons about thirty in number from Lucius the first to Cadwall ader and of the English or Saxon Danish and Norman nation a hundred and fiftie kings from the conuersion of Ethelbertus Adelwaldus or Ethelwaldus Kingilsus Edwine Peda or Weda or Wiferus Sigebertus and Redwalde the first christian Kings of rhe Saxonish Septarchie most wise prudent vertuous and triumphant Princes which both they themselues embraced and maintained with all zeale and deuotion and promulged and deliuered by al lawes and constitutions to their posteritie Kings and subiects to be beleeued Which her Maiesties father K. Henry the eight although denying the Romane iurisdiction obserued in all his life and of denying that iurisdiction at his death repented of king Edward the sixt an infant more needing to be taught than to teach I say nothing and my Soueraigne that is in the time of her sister Qu. Mary professed with much deuotion and after her death at and after her owne coronation in the fidelitie oth and promise of a Prince according to our antient lawes and titles of Kings of England hath obliged and indebted her selfe to protect and defend And for defence whereof as appeareth by the statute of Westminster the first and other authenticall Recordes all those regall and princely prerogatiues which were graunted by the free subiects of England to their Kings her Catholike predecessours and which she still enioyeth by that title were granted and confirmed as euery one may reade in the kings prerogatiues and statutes in the titles of such principalities as were then and for that reason and intent giuen vnto them as the priuiledges of alienations auowsons citations corporations escheats fooles forfeitures franchises deodands intrusions mort dauncestries partitions pateÌ„ts primer seisins prouisions tenures wards seruices releefes wrecks and other preeminences Therefore this defence of those holy and euer most honorable kings can not be offensiue to my wise and prudent Princesse hauing clayming and pretending all tide and interest shee hath either to temporall or spirituall dignitie as heire and successor to their regall right and authoritie And to descend lower to those which haue bin benefited by those Princes you first my noble Patrons that possesse those honourable offices and dignities you enioy them by their institution they the first donors and founders of those preferments that life and beeing which you haue I meane not onely your honorable orderly and peaÌ„ceable life and liuing in gouernement of their prouision but that very naturall life it selfe wherein you communicate with all other reasonable men in some sort you possesse by them for if those Princes had not aduaunced your auncestors to honours and nobility
those parents of whom you are discended and haue receiued being had not bin matched together for so great disparitie betweene them and so you had neither enioyed honour dignitie life or any being at all So that howe much or whatsoeuer you can chalenge to haue you are indebted vnto them And the rest of the nobilitie of England though not chosen to that high credite and fauour of our Princesse yet whatsoeuer it is they haue landes castles mannors titles of dignitie they possesse it by their ordinance as euery Cittizen his priuiledge and immunitie euery countrey vplandish man his quiet and orderly gouernement and protection And that miserable people of England that vntruely challengeth the name of Cleargie among Protestants whatsoeuer honour Archbishop Bishop Deane or inferior order or degrees and titles in Schooles as Doctors Bachilors and Maisters and places of learning Vniuersities Colledges or Learning it selfe or their Bishoppricks Benefices Churches Houses Donations Priuiledges or any other thing they can name was deriued from our Catholike Kings Princes and those that were of that Religion Sigebertus Kingylsus Ethelbert Ofricus Wiferus Etheldredus Oswye Wbykred Oswalde Cissa Edgar Ethelbalde Iua Kenulfus Offa Aluredus Ethelwulfe Edwarde and others before the conquest and such as raigned after to the Protestant regiment no Protestant Prince enriched many spoyled churches Wherefore seeing all estates in England Soueraigne and subiects of euery condition and calling haue receiued and doe enioy so many and irrecompensible fauours from those Catholike Kings and by as many obligations are bound and endebted to so honourable and immortall benefactors no person can be so vnmindfull of duty or irregardfull of gratitude to be displeased with my defence of them which euery English-man is so much obliged to defend And if it appertaine to the title and iurisdiction of christian Kings such as no man can denie them to haue beene to determine matters and questions of Religion as the English Protestants maintaine then if I should bring no other argument but the decrees and constitutions of those holy and learned Kings to proue my entent it ought to be admitted especially ioyning therewith the authority and consent of the still forcible lawes of my euer honored Princesse for in so dooing I shall prooue my Religion by that ground whereby onely it is impugned by the Protestants of England assigning the temporall prince for the time being to haue supreame authoritie in that cause and of what credite soeuer the Statutes of the Protestants are in this question touching her Maiesties catholike predecessors it was in all vpright iudgement vnpossible they should be deceiued For if God giueth ordinary or extraordinary assistaunce to Kings and Princes either for their owne vertuous endeuours and sanctity or for the pietie learning and number of them by whome they are counsailed and aduised there is no comparison but rather Protestant princes should erre then they the zeale and deuotion of those Kings catholike I haue cited before and Protestant writers Pantaleon Foxe and others acknowledge many of them to be glorious Saints in heauen whither false Religion could not bring theÌ„ And to giue example it is written not onely by English both Catholike and Protestant but forraine Historians that king Aelfred builded the monastery of monkes in Ethelingsey and that of nunnes in Shaftesbury he founded the vniuersitie of Oxford hee translated the lawes into our English tongue and diuerse other profitable Bookes for the instruction of his subiects hee diuided the foure and twenty houres of the day and night into three equall partes eight houres he spent in writing reading and praying eight houres in sleepe and other bodily prouision and the other eight houres in hearing and dispatching the causes and complaintes of his subiectes Such was the exercise of Kings in those catholike times as all Historians and Registers are witnesse and their constitutions themselues contained among the Lawes of Saint Edwarde reported by Foxe and yet to be seene in Guilde Hall giue euidence wherein is contained that King which dooth not such things in his owne person is not woorthy the name of a King and that hee ought to take his solemne oathe vppon the Euangelists and blessed Relickes of Saints before the whole state of his realme to execute such things and maintaine the holy Church with all integrity and libertie according to the Constitutions of his Auncestors and Predecessors before he be crowned of the Archbishops and Bishoppes and that he ought to haue vnder him three seruants as vassails fleshly lust auarice and greedy desire This was the integritie exercise and profession of those Princes so that if these â—ters must bee referred to Princes iudgements in regarde of themselues it is not likely they were permitted by God to bee in errour which performed all things both for the aduauncing his honour and the publike peace which was the rigorous execution of their duetie If wee considder what counsaile and aduise they vsed as in matters of warre they consulted with such expert and valiant captaines as were both a securitie at home and a terrour to forraine Nations and in causes of peace and publike gouernement with the most prudent wise and sage men iudges and others of our nation as the wordes of the auntient donations of our Kings Cum consilio Episcoporum Principum by the counsaile of Bishops and Princes and as all Monuments and the teste of euery Writ in law to this day wil declare so concerning matters of practicall conscience the greatest offices as Chancellor priuie Seale and Treasurer which be the chiefest places of confidence and conscience were alwayes executed in those dayes as Maister Fox reporteth by the Claergie and Bishoppes of England And touching matters of Faith and Religion they had alwayes of their priuy Councel the most holy vertuous and learned Bishops of their time such were Saint Cedde Saint Anselme Saint Dunstane Saint Thomas of Canterbury Saint Thomas of Hereford Lanfrancus and others to their Kings and whatsoeuer any publike decree of religious causes was to be enacted or receiued in parliament the whole Cleargie of England in their Cardinals Archbishops Bishops Suffragans Abbots Priors and other chiefe ecclesiasticall persons ten to one in number to the parliament ministery of this time was alwayes present and no decree of faith euer concluded but by the generall consent of the whole christian worlde generall councells and the vniuersall Church of God which can neuer be seduced so that no possible place of errour was left for those kings except God would which he could not permitte the whole world to be deluded To which if wee adde so many supernaturall signes and miracles as are written confessed by Protestants themselues in the liues of Saint Oswable Saint Edmunds Saint Edwards Lucius Kingylsus Iua Ceoluisus Offa Sigebertus and other knowne catholike kings of England shewed by God to testifie the trueth of their Religion in earth and
the greatnes of their glory in heauen and whereof some for the sanctitie of those Princes are hereditary to their posteritie not by any desert of Protestants as the miraculous curing of that naturally vncurable disease thereby called the Kings or Queenes euill obtained by the holines of Saint Edward euery man must say that eyther God immutable and vndeceiuable hath giuen testimony to falshoode which is vnpossible or else that their Religion was true which is most certaine And if it shoulde not bee tedious to your Honors I would craue to enlarge this Argument by the vnhappy successe of those Princes which in any sort haue opposed themselues to that holy See of Rome where the Vicar of Christ and his viceregent in religious causes liueth and as we haue seene before all those kings of England that haue beene the greatest fauourers of that faith and most obedient to that See to be most happy and glorious so contrariwise wee shall perceiue all Kings that haue shewed repugnancie to him for that religion no christian King of England before this time denied to haue had the most vnfortunate and dishonorable life and end and that Apostolike gouernour to haue alwayes beene conquerour That holy See from the first Bishop thereof Saint Peter to Clement the eight that now raigneth hath had two hundred thirty and sixe Popes and hath beene assaulted by al forraine and domesticall enemies the gates of Hell haue beene set open against it and yet neuer any preuailed and because Christ hath spoken and promised it they shall neuer preuaile In the Primitiue age of Christianitie it was assaulted by the Pagan Emperours such as were Conquerours of the world and commanded all things and yet they could neither conquer nor commaunde it although they had put the greatest part of the first Popes to death but it subdued them in the end and their endes were miserable and the prophecie of Sybilla that the Fishers Hooke should subdue the Romane Empire and conquer the world was fulfild in the successors of S. Peter Rome was sacked spoiled by Halaricus Huns Gothes Vysegothes but that holy and indefectible See preuailed and vanquished Attila that surnamed scourge of God and vnconquerable captaine was miraculously caused to retire at the voyce of Saint Leo then Pope Rome was besieged by Limprandus but the very countenance of Pope Zachary enforced him to desist as Pantaleon himselfe confesseth The Saracens twice subdued Theophilus Emperour of the East and made Nicephorus his predecessour tributorie vnto them conquered Candy persecuted Affrike a great parte of Europe and Asia destroyed Italie burned the suburbes of Rome and yet Pope Gregory the fourth without force repelled them In the time of Luther the Duke of Burbon besieged Rome but beeing excommunicate the satterday before his desperate attempt hee was miserably slaine at the assault and died censured as Foxe reporteth and since such time many Protestants affirme Papistrie entred in that inuincible See hath beene oppugned and resisted with all the might and endeuours of the Kings Princes and supreame Regents of Germania Bauaria Persia Caesarea Saxonia Frisia Bulgaria Dalmatia Slauonia Morauia Normandia Dania Vandalia Polonia Prussia Hollandia Zelandia Hungaria Pomerania Noruegia Liflandia Lithuania Maiorica Granata Graecia Armenia the east and weast Indies Iapponia and so many vaste Nations in those partes of the world yet that little See of Rome and the faith thereof hath subdued them all and the poore Moonkes Freers and religious Priests sent from thence and that authority haue miraculously ouerthrown them That See was assaulted by Iulian the Apostata Emperour but how miserable was his end Valens and other Arrian and hereticall Emperours persecuted it but they were confounded The Graecians Armenians and Iacobines denied their obedience vnto it but were both in disputation condemned and after made vassalles to the infidell Turkish Empire In the primitiue Church before Constantine almost a hundred Pagan Emperours either truly elected or reputed persecuted it and al of them except ten or eleuen died miserably when the persecuted Popes put to death by them came not to the third part of that number Aboue foure hundred Archheretikes and their associates with all craft and subtiltie before Luther and the Protestant rebellion rebelled against it but they are so blotted out of memory that no mention is made of them but by Catholike writers impious politike and ambitious christian Kings and Emperors althogh not in matters of doctrine and faith yet in cases of iurisdiction haue wrastled with it but they all were maugre all their might and power put to foyle Frecardus king of Scotland warred against it but he had beene deposed of his nobilitie if Colmanus their Bishop had not forbidcen them wishing they should expect the vengeance of God vpon him for his disobedience which soone after came to passe for hee died morbo pediculari eaten with lice and his grandfather before him for the like disobedience was apprehended and imprisoned by his nobles and desperately killed himselfe Such was the end of Sanctius king of Portugall for his contempt to Pope Innocentius the fourth Bolislaus King of Polonia striued with Pope Gregory the seauenth but his body was cutte in peeces by his owne souldiers and cast to the dogges and no successour of his for the space of two hundred yeares could euer obtaine to be called a King except Vladislaus his next successor which could neuer procure his coronation Like was the successe of King Philip of France with Pope Vrbanus the second such was the end of the Emperours with their empire for disobedience to that See it was translated frō the French to Otho the third and the case of the Emperour Henry the fourth Fredericke the second with Pope Gregory the seuenth Honorius the third and Gregorie the ninth was not vnlike the first being lamentably depriued of his imperial dignitie and the second both spoyled thereof and pitifully strangled to death by Manifredus the bastard and left the Empire voyde by the space of eight and twenty yeeres Such was the recompence of Otho the fourth or fift and Lodowicke the fourth for their contention with Pope Innocentius the third and Clement the sixt how long the East Empire fauouring the Graecian Schisme against the Church of Rome hath beene drowned in the Turkish regiment euery one knoweth as howe their Emperour was miserably put to death and their emperiall citty Constantinople sacked and taken in the very festiuitie of Pentecost and the holy ghost concerning whose procession they are in error Iohn Alibrettus king of Nauarre contended with Pope Iulius the second and the twoo Henries of Burbon with Sixtus the fourth but the kingdome of the first was taken away and giuen to Ferdinando of Arragon and the two others were also deposed and depriued Thus I might write of other Kings and inferiour Princes that haue encountred with that See And concerning Protestants to omitte
against his father that as Edwardus liuing at that time dooth write all England did quake and tremble looking for nothing but extreame confusion and desolation for preuenting whereof no humane help either of wit or force could preuaile vntill the king admonished in a vision that no helpe was to be expected or had but to be reconciled to the Catholike Church which also his proued experience that had tasted all to no purpose taught him to bee true was enforced to humble himselfe reuoke his decrees seeke reconciliation vndergoe that penance which the See of Rome enioyned which euery man may reade in the history of Grafton a Protestant writer and such as such a Prince as Henry the second was would haue scorned to doe if any other remedy could haue preuailed And to giue euidence to all posteritie that these afflictions were layde vppon him of God for his disobedience to the Bishop of Rome vpon his submission reconcilement all his miseries had their end and ceased the very same day he was reconciled to the Church of Rome the earle of Flaunders which with an huge Army cum immenso exercitu had appoynted to inuade England presently strangely changed his minde and retired and the next day after the king of Scots that had made inuasion was taken prisoner in the field and put to raunsome King Henry his sonne for he had crowned him king before and his brethren were reconciled vnto him his subiects became obedient and he was restored to his pristine tranquilitie both of minde and body Like controuersie had K. Iohn with the See Apostolike but how he was punished of God euery man may know the Welch men tooke his castles destroyed his townes beheaded his souldiers his own barons made war against him his tresure was drownd the French men inuaded both Normandy and England hee was deposed and depriued of his crowne as Peter the Heremite had prophesied before he died miserably as all Historians write and was so odious after his death that his owne seruauntes spoyled him of his very clothes leaning his body starke naked and vnburied had not the Abbot of Croxton of charitie giuen it buriall His sonne king Henry the third opposed him selfe against Pope Innocentius the fourth but what plagues penuries and strange punishments hee and his country were oppressed with what prodigious and portenteous apparitions both by sea and land were seene what inundations of waters tempests of windes other torments were inflicted vpon him and his nation all Historians can witnes what rebellious warres and inuasions was he infested with how subdued by his owne Barons hee and his sonnes taken prisoners and brought in subiection to their owne subiects and hee that by his kingly office was to gouerne others enforced to bee a pupill to those he should haue ruled for twelue Rulers were assigned which were caled the douze peres to correct rule and gouerne and the king with his brethren were sworne to be obedient to that lawe It seemeth by some that king Edward the second medled too far against that See of Rome restraining the executing and exercise of the iurisdiction thereof in England but hee wanted not his punishments his people were afflicted with strange and extraordinary plagues his countries inuaded his barons subiects arose in armes against him such spoilers and theeues infested his nation that noble men with their force could not trauaile with securitie such famine and hunger raigned that horse flesh was accounted for delicates dogges were stollen to be eaten and the parents did eate their owne children the theeues that were in prisons pulled in peeces such malefactours as were newly committed and deuoured them to vse Stowes wordes halfe aliue Such diseases and death ensued that the liuing were not able to bury the dead his owne wife Queene Isabell and his owne sonne after king Edward the third and his naturall brother Edmund of Woodstocke made warre against him putte him to flight subdued him and by common consent of parliament deposed him and elected Edward his eldest sonne to gouerne Like was the case of King Richard the second enterposing himselfe too far in those causes although hee neuer challenged any title of supremacie as the statute of king Henry the eight and Queene Elizabeth seeme to insinuate For by expresse statute as is yet to be seene among our Lawes he decreed that Pope Vrbane was the supreame head of the Church and so to be obeyed in England yet because hee medled too much in Ecclesiasticall iurisdiction what a troublesome and vnquiet regiment did he finde What ciuill insurrections of base persons as Wat Tiler Iacke Strawe and others in diuerse Countries at sundry times what extraordinary and strange quakings tremblings of the earth Was he not so odious that his owne vncle Thomas duke of Gloucester and the Earles of Arundell Warwicke Darby and Nottingham raised an army of forty thousand men and brought him to some conformity and after was resisted vanquished taken prisoner and imprisoned in the Tower by Henry duke of Hereford afterwarde king Henry the fourth depriued of al kingly dignitie and miserably putte to death What hath bin the historie of these things which our Protestant Princes since the new title of supremacie brought in by K. Hen. the 8 what crosses the said king suffered after in his life at his death after his death what befell to king Edward the sixt though an infant yet not vniustly punished in his fathers fault and what is like to be the euent therof hereafter I had rather others should write and shew their coniecture which I for reuerence to my Soueraigne will here omit thogh our owne Protestant Historians haue already committed much to writing which many may remember and euery man know to be true And my hope is my prudent Princesse will rather in her latter dayes immitate the examples of her noble predecessors king Henry the first and king Henry the second in recalling that which they did in their inconsiderate times and liued and died with honor then any or all of them that still persisting in their former course were punished both in themselues and their countrey which they should haue tēdred equally or more then themselues in such order as I haue recounted All the title she claimeth in religious causes her statute of Supremacie pretendeth to be deriued from her former auncestors neither can any man imagine how she can challenge by any other what interest was in them what successe they had that euer aduaunced any wee haue heard it to be such that no Prince either in prudence or pollicie can follow their example being all that persisted therein both strangely punished of God and accursed of men in this life and by all arguments of reprobation perseuerance in sinne finall impenitencie obstinacie and the like after death damned in hell for euer SECT VIII His defence to the honourable Councell and all other men of
Nobilitie COncerning you my honorable Patrons that wisedome and prudence which hath exalted you to that tipe of dignitie dooth tell you that you are not wiser in these causes than thousands of so wise learned vertuous and honourable predecessors in that place councellors to those holy kings suppose you might contend in politike gouernment with many or most that went before you let it be some might be admitted fellowes in armes with so many martiall and victorious men because in such cases you haue beene experienced yet to that which is most or onely materiall in this question and controuersie of learning religion and diuinitie you are too wise to make so vnequall a comparison to ballance your selues vntrained and vnskilfull in such faculties with so many Saints most holy learned and professed Diuines Bishoppes and others famous in the whole christian world such as great numbers of the councellors of those Princes were Therefore seeing it is the same vertue of prudence which teacheth and directeth what to doe and admonisheth what we are not able to performe it must needs put you in minde of the place you possesse the charge you haue vndertaken promise and fidelitie you haue giuen and I remaine assured the pietie mercie iustice and heroical munificence which be the vndiuided companions of that virtue the naturall gratitude you owe to so many descents of your noble predecessors benefactors and most zealous professours of the religion I defend will both conquer your wittes and mooue your willes As I haue prooued of the Kings of England in all former times those that were our greatest friends still enioy the greatest honor both in heauen and earth those that frinded vs least haue the least interest therein and those which were our enemies heauen earth are still at enmitie and variance with them so it was with your predecessours in that place and the auncestors of our whole nobilitie the examples are too many to be cited if any man desireth the view he may haue it in the catalogue of our vnfortunate Nobles and for Protestant councellors let him call to minde what an Agent Thomas Lord Cromwell was in these affaires how he was aduaunced thereby what spirituall lands yea offices hee hadde what fauour with Prince howe potent ouer subiects yet by that law which he had prouided for others himselfe was first that was thereby condemned not admitted to the presence of his Prince What was the tragicall and mournfull enterlude of the two Protestant Protectors of king Edward the sixt the chiefe pillers and first originalles of English Protestancie the Dukes of Somerset and Northumberland so basely disgraced put to death Who in the time of her Maiestie that is so violent an enemy against vs as Robert earle of Leicester yet the professors of that faith doe liue and he at the very time when hee hadde designed the most bloudy persecution against vs miserably died terrified with monstrous visions of diuels and now his name is not aliue Sir Francis Walsingham his deere friend was the mast cruel aduersarie for his degree which this time hath maintained against vs yet his miserable death his despairing wordes Lay me aside and let me be forgotten the illusions hee had at the same time and the filthy stinke and corruption of his body wanting all funerall pompe basely buried in the night will be an eternall infamy against him I coulde easily exemplifie in others both of the peaceable and martiall condition but I will not be offensiue to any of their families these which I haue recounted haue left few heires either of honour or their names behinde them Wherefore most honourable Patrons and you the rest of the wise and noble gentry of England Honor is the crest of your endowments Glorie is that you desire true honor and glory are onely or chiefly belonging to that honorable state which I defend this glory is truely in him that is religious hee is honoured heere of God by grace and in heauen by glory other honors be rather in men that honour than in them that be honoured And yet if your immortall appetites must needes possesse these mortall honors there is none you now enioy none you can desire which euer any of our Nation had but was deriued from the gifts donations and bounties of our Catholike Popes and Princes to your auncestors and predecessors and so to you by inheritance from the one and succession from the other It was neuer hitherto accompted dishonourable to any to be professor of that religion which made him glorious There haue beene many renowned families in England which haue brought foorth many glorious men and yet they which were most religious in our profession alwayes were and euer will be the chiefest honour of their houses Saint Guthlach the poore Eremite of Crowland was sonne to the noble Penwalde of the linage of king Ethelred and yet farre more honourable for his religion than natiuitie and nowe chiefly honoured for that cause So S. Suitbert sonne of the Earle of Nottingham and his Lady Berta whome Saxonie honoureth for the Apostle of that nation So S. Thomas Bishop of Hereford Chauncellour to King Henry the third sonne of the noble Cantilupus and Millicent Countesse of Yorke and Saint Ceadda councellor to King Alchfride Saint Dunstane and other religious councellors to our catholike Princes before named are nowe in all Histories and memories more honorable than any of that place that were not of their profession The only order of S. Benedict so renowned in our Nation hath had about twenty Kings and Emperours aboue an hundred great Princes many Popes sixteene hundred archbishops foure thousand bishops fifteen thousand famous men and fifteene thousand and sixe hundred most honourable canonized Saintes And such was the continuing and neuer fading honour that our religion gaue that our Kings Queens and greatest Princes thought it more honorable to bee religious than to seeke honour in temporall regiments It will be no easie thing for any Protestant to single foorth one auntient family of England of which there haue not beene many Bishops Abbots or religious rulers in our Countrey and yet those by all Recordes and Monuments are and euer will be more renowned than the others of their descent And to exemplifie these names and houses following either still now are or heretofore haue bene great in England Baldwine Hubert Kylwarby Peccam Stratford Offord Braidwarden Islepe Langhton Witlesey Sudbery Courtney Arundell Chichelsey Burchier Morton and yet those Archbishoppes of Canterbury which were of these names and families when they liued were the most honorable of their linage their place of dignitie highest among subiects and next vnto our Kings and now so long after their deaths they are more honoured and remembred with glory than any of their lines Thus I might alleadge of other persons and places And it is written in the life of that noble Saint Suitbert that the children of the greatest Princes and
reason haue alwayes and by all meanes propugned I knowe your Honours are wise and I trust no man will so much condemne himselfe in obstinacie to be of Luthers minde and if hee bee not he cannot be a Protestant which although hee euidently perceiued in his owne iudgement and manifestly confessed in his owne writings the whole christian worlde all times places persons and Authorities to bee against him yet hee obstinately proceeded in his singularitie The woordes of that gracelesse Luther are these How often hath my heart panted and reprehended me and obiected against mee What arte thou onely wise can it bee credible that all others doe erre and haue erred so long a time Haue all Generations so often euer been deceiued What if thou doost erre and bring so many into errour that shall bee damned for euer Arte thou onelie hee which hath the true pure worde of God Hath no man in the worlde the same but thou That which the Church of Christ hath hitherto defined and so many yeeres obserued as good doost thou ouerthrowe it as though it were euill and so doost dissipate by thy doctrine both Ecclesiasticall and Ciuill Common-weales Thus in those and other places his owne conscience and iudgement did accuse and condemne him of singular obstinate rebellion and disobedience to the Church of God as appeareth and he further declareth in these wordes I neuer put those thoughts and cogitations foorth of my minde that is that this worke and businesse hee meaneth his Apostacie had neuer beene begunne by mee For what a greate multitude of men haue I seduced by my Doctrine I neuer had a greater and more greeuous temptation than for my preaching because I thought with my selfe thou hast stirred vp all this tumult in which temptation oftentimes I haue beene drowned euen to Hell it selfe Thus his conscience so long as hee had any condemned him thus hee repented his disobedience and saide that hee hoped the Bookes which hee had written woulde bee burnt and infect no more But when the bridle of Obedience was altogether broken his Conscience extinguished and plumes of pride and sensualitie had mounted him so high and carried him so farre hee behaued himselfe in his spirituall apostacie as by the testimonie of Suetonius Iulius Caesar did in his temporall rebellion against the Romane state which in the beginning doubted whether hee should go forwarde or no but when hee hadde cast off shame brake out into this speach Iacta est alea My chaunce is throwne the matter is gone so farre that I can not retire therefore I must goe forwarde howsoeuer it falleth out Euen so Luther as you haue heard did in the beginning but when shipwracke was made of all shamefastnesse hee vttered his desperate and vnreasonable resolution of obstinate perseueraunce in these termes Because I haue entered into this cause nowe I must looke vnto it and of necessitie say It is iust If you aske a reason Doctour Martine Luther will haue it so Sic volo sic iubeo sit pro ratione voluntas So I will so I commaunde let my pleasure stand for a reason for wee will not be Schollers but Maisters and Iudges of Papists yea wee will once Proteruire insultare bee malaparte and insulte ouer them I Doctour Martine Luther an vnwoorthie Euangelist of our Lorde Iesus Christ do say and affirme this Article faith alone without woorkes dooth iustifie before God the Romane Emperour shall suffer it to stand and remayne the Emperour of the Turkes the Emperour of the Tartares the Emperour of the Persians the Pope of Rome the Cardinalles Bishoppes Priestes Moonkes Nunnes Princes Lordes the whole world with all Diuelles and they shall further haue hell fire ouer their heads and I will giue them no thanks for their paines let this be my instinct from the holy ghost of Doctour Luther and my true and holie Gospell This right Honourable was the spirite and ground wherevppon you see Protestancie was first founded by this it was builded by this it was and is continued As the Scripture witnesseth Pride Wine and Women are the originalles of Apostacie and so it was in Luther so it was in all these Authors of this innouation If Pride had not beene they had kept their vowe of obedience If wine delicacies and riches had not borne a sway they had continued their vowe of pouertie if women wantonnesse and carnall pleasures had not carried them away their vowe of chastity had not beene broken Protestancie founded vppon those three pillers had not bin knowne true Religion had not beene forsaken And yet experience hath prooued that all the pride and glorie of the worlde all the riches pomps pleasures and sensible delights that haue moued carnall men to oppose themselues against it cannot ouerthrowe it but Trueth is stronger than all and the Probleme which the nobles of Darius putte vnder the pillowe of their Prince to be disputed and argued when hee shoulde awake is performed Wine is strong the King is stronger Women are stronger aboue all things Trueth dooth ouercome For whatsoeuer pleasures riotous and banquetting delights honour ambition preferrement or the power potencie of King or Potentate coulde euer doe or wantonnesse and carnall solace or any thing else King or Queene man or woman coulde hitherto effect or bring to passe the verity of this Religion and onelie of this hath still preuailed My Honourable Patrons let this Schedule and Conclusion of the Persian Nobles bee putte vnder the pillowe of our Princesse if she sleepe and slumber too long shee is the oldest Prince since the Conquest awake her foorth of dreame and let this question of Religion bee nowe at last disputed in her time let equall audience bee had the whole Christian worlde twenty times in Gennerall Councelles hath giuen sentence for vs many thousands of Prouinciall Councelles haue pronounced iudgement that our cause is right al Christian Kings of England and other Nations in their Lawes and Parliaments haue ratified it to be iust all Popes Fathers Schooles Vniuersities Colledges of all ages haue pronounced their opinion on our side all Arguments humane and diuine miraculous and ordinarie yea all former Heretikes foure hundred in number all differing from Protestants in all or most matters wherein they disagree from vs haue approoued it and all these condemned Protestants Religion We haue offered them all trialles giuen them as great securitie and safe conduct as Popes Emperours and Kings coulde giue to come to disputation their owne Schooles condemned them and if clapping handes hissings and exclamations in place of disputation bee arguments of condemnation Foxe himselfe beareth mee witnes that their prime Protestantes Archebishoppe Cranmer and Bishoppe Latimer their principall Disputants were thus exploded and condemned in Oxford Wee neuer had so much as a peece of promise of our Princesse for any equalitie of Disputation what that in the time of her first Parliament was our Protestant Chronicles