contempt of temporall goods his conuersation was with those Religious that had no possessions and ioined himselfe vnto the begging Fryers approouing their pouertie and extolling their perfection Euident tokens that hee had left the state of a Secular Priest and ascended to some higher degree of perfection But as it should seeme he was neither Monke nor Frier but talis qualis such as he was or as other perchance who came after him although they follow him not in all things For as it appeareth in our Chronicles hee preached against Monkes and other religious men that had possessions and taught such doctrine as hee was condemned for it in the Council of Constance as an heretike and his bones were taken vp and burned as is beforesaid Whereby also this authour is proued to forget himselfe very much to number him amongst the Clergie which is generally taken for such as are not onely in Orders but liue also in vnitie of the faith Wherefore purposing to tell a tale of emulation in the Clergie against the Religious he should haue taken some other to haue prooued it then Wickliffe who also by his pretence no doubt of greater perfection had forsaken the state of a Secular Clergie man as appeared by his habit and conuersation To these falshoods and couert calumnies against the Secular Priests this deceit of this author may be added That whereas the Chronicles doe mention that not only Iohn Wickliffe but foure doctors of diuinitie also one of euery Order of the begging Fryers ioyning with him were imployed by Iohn of Gaunt in his grudge against Bish Wickham of Winchester in whose defence the B. of London not Arundell as this author affirmeth but Courtney speaking as became him to doe Iohn of Gaunt threatned him also and swore that he would pull downe both the pride of him and of all the Bishops in England this author mentioneth onely the Secular Priest as he termeth him without any mention of the orders of Religion which were also imployed Moreouer it soundeth very foolishly that Iohn of Gaunt would set Iohn Wickliffe against the Monkes vpon an emulation which hee had against the Bishops their estates depending so little vpon the estate of the Monkes as when all the Abbyes in England were put downe the Bishops remained in as great honour as euer they did And wheras it is further said that the Abbey lands were taken from the Monkes and giuen to the maintenance of the crowne by the same emulation of the Clergie against the Religious in the time of K. Henry the eight it is most false the Abbyes being then put downe by a change of Religion which had not the beginning vpon any such emulation as this author affirmeth but vpon the perswasion of Longland B. of Lincolne the Kings confessor fortified by Card. Wolsey viz. that his Highnesse mariage with the Lady Katherine his brother Prince Arthurs wife was vnlawfull and against the word of God whereby the King being induced to seeke a diuorce but crossed therein with the Pope by Charles the fift nephew of the Lady Katherine and some others as well of the Laytie as the Clergie both Secular and Religious here in England it wrought in the King such a dislike of his Holines and others as it procured not onely the ouerthrow of the Abbyes but such a change in Religion as since the world hath seene Of this alteration therefore if any emulation were the beginning it was an emulation in the Cardinall who dealt with B. Longland to perswade the King as is mentioned and afterward did second him with all his might himselfe against the Emperour for hindering him of the Popedome and neither the sister nor the mother to ambition as this author would haue it but her daughter But the greatest folly committed by this author in this his exordium is not yet touched and that is that among all other histories impertinent to the cōtrouersie in question he would make his choyse of one wherein himselfe if we are not deceiued is notoriously disciphered Iohn Wickliffe was a Secular priest being a priest and neither Monke nor Friar and no Secular priest as differing from them in habit and conuersing with the religious Mendicants vnder pretence of greater perfection His followers tooke no name of him as both Monkes and Friers do of their founders and Sectaries of their Masters but went vnder the name which the common people gaue them to wit Lollards He was vsed as an instrument by Iohn of Gant to bring that to passe which this Duke had long conceiued in his mind For he saw saith the Historie Ioh. Stow. sup that it would be hard for him to obtaine his purpose the Church standing in his full state c. Wherefore he laboured first to ouerthrow aswell the liberties of the Church c. And to this end did Iohn Wickliffe bestow his talents for he was not onely eloquent saith the historie but also seemed to contemne temporall goods for the loue of eternall riches c. This authour being in a state which once was of Secular priests now no state of Secular priests not because he will be taken for either Monke or Frier or goe barefoote as Iohn Wickliffe did and his followers or basely clothed for these are outward mortifications which of what edification soeuer they are yet are not worthy of that honour which is due to the inward mortifications which lie hid and are not seene by the corporall eye But because Pope Gregorie the 13. hath so declared it yet so as he being filius populi as people say hath no other name but what the people giue him he is imployed not by Iohn of Gant himselfe in his owne person for this great Duke died aboue 200 yeeres since but by Iohn of Gant in some of his posteritie who hath somewhat to bring to passe which he hath long conceiued in his mind for the effecting of which this godly Father is busied in the corrupting the Cleargie of England or the vtter ouerthowing it which at this present he and his doe worke by taking from them their good name and fame and making them odious without iust cause to the people And to the end that he would be knowen not to haue spent his time idlely in Wickliffe his schoole he hath not onely imployed his tongue but his pen also and in his first platforme of Reformation hath ordeined that none of the Clergie shall possesse any temporall liuings but shall liue vpon such pensions as shall to certaine of his company and some secular Priests ioyned with them in their wisedome seeme necessary for their maintenance But let vs now see whether this authour can fit himselfe better in the next point In the beginning also saith he of this Queenes dayes the little affection which the Laitie did beare vnto the Clergie procured by some vnquiet spirits as also the small vnion of diuers Clergie men among themselues some holding with the heretikes and politikes by beate of faction
certaine Libell lately published in Print in the name of the vnited Priests called A briefe Apologie supposed to be made by F. Parsons CHAP. 1. How the Authour of the Apologie playeth at All hid with the Reader and while hee is couered vnder the name of vnited Priestes he discouereth himselfe to be a Iesuit IT might seeme a very friuolous labour to examine the title of this Apologie if the Author thereof had not bene more curious in the like then there was iust cause and ouer carelesse also what entrance hee made to this present woorke of his vntrueths and poore shifts when impertinent discourses doe suffer him to fall into the matter in question which as at other times so here in the very title he peruerteth and possesseth his Reader that an Ecclesiasticall Hierarchie erected by his Holines was impugned by the books against which he writeth and for his pleasure termeth although most ignorantly Libels their Authors being alwayes ready to iustifie them both before God and the world And if his Reader might be so much fauoured by him as that hee might haue his leaue to peruse those bookes hee would soone perceiue how falsly this title is set to this Apologie the bookes intreating onely of the abuses of the authoritie and of the iust causes of the Priests their forbearance to subiect themselues to a superior of the Card. Caietans appointing before any letters came from the Sea Apostolike either in confirmation therof or to shew that the Cardinal had any such authority or commandement from his Holines to erect any such Hierarchy This Apologie is said to be written and set foorth for the true information and stay of all good Catholicks by Priestes vnited in due subordination to the right reuerend Archpriest and other their superiors As though those who had appealed from the Archpriest vpon iust cause did not remaine in due subordination to him and other their superiors to whom they had appealed But to let this calumny passe there hath bene inquity made of many who are the men here meant by these words Priests vnited c. and as yet we cannot heare of any who were priuie to the writing of it or setting it forth Some there are who confesse that their consents were asked to the setting foorth of some booke in their names the contents whereof they were not to know at that time and of most likelyhood it was to the setting out of this book but they denied to giue their consents thereunto Many suspect that this Apologie was not written by those Priests which are here made to father it but rather by those who haue alwayes made their commoditie by the disunion of the Priests And although it go forth in the name of many it is very probable that it was made by some one man For whereas one man setting out a booke may vse his phrase in the plurall number when he speaketh of himselfe wee suppose or we say it is seldome in vse that many ioyned together do vse in the like the singuler number as I pray you I suppose which here we reade in the Preface I shall in the first chapter I thinke I say in the third Chapter and in the sixt chapter I omit 〈…〉 But to let this also passe there are no weake coniectures that this Apology was made by some Iesuite who bewrayed himselfe before he was aware as may be seene in the 8. chapter of the Apologie Fol. 180. where the author hath these words Where about they aske this question concerning vs why should they be vnwilling to procure c. Copy 〈…〉 And if any man will take the paines to turne to that place cited by these Authors hee shall finde that the question was asked concerning no other then Iesuits and consequently that out of this place of the Apologie there is iust cause to take them for the Authors 〈…〉 An other coniecture there is that Fa Parsons in particuler is the author of this Apologie because in the common opinion of many who haue read his stile this is so like vnto it as it would be hard for any man to imitate it so neerely without the very same gift which he hath And the number of letters and such as they are do almost conuince that it is his doing For what occasion had any Priests here in England to enter into so many impertinent matters to their state and profession as are here by manuscripts testified which probably were not to be gotten by the first of Iuly after the publication of the bookes he vndertaketh to answere And F. Garnet the head of the Iesuits did almost discouer asmuch in a letter of his of the last of Iuly Anno 1601. to a Saecular Priest M. F. B. wherin he told him that the two printed books against which this Apologie is written should be God willing answered from Rome Such as had read Prou. 27. Laudet te alienus non os tuum Let an other man and not thine owne mouth praise thee might doubt whether F Parsons would so grossely commend himselfe as here he is commended were he not knowen to bee one who would not willingly that any mouth or pen of which he hath the gouernment should not shewe foorth his praises Some other might doubt whether it were his doing because of the diuerse Englishing of this sentence Hebr. 13. Obedite praepositis vestris subiaccte eis which here is thus Englished Obey your Superiours and submit your selues vnto them And in his selfe-clawing Wardword wherein hee discouereth a piece of his disposition against some Catholiques he translateth it thus obey your Prelates and lie vnder them Perchance those who had the printing of this Apologie prefixed this sentence and we will imagine that they in recompence of his extraordinarie commendations of them requited him in that which he might blush to say of himselfe if at any time his vndeserued prayses may make him blush There is an other place of scripture taken out of the first to the Thess cap. 5. Rogamus vos fratres corripite inquietos We beseech you brethren represse those that are vnquiet amongst you which is apparantly abused in this place both by false translation and by being applyed against Cathol Priests because when they saw a thiefe they did not runne with him but stood and stand still as they are bound in conscience in the defence of their fame against those who most iniuriously had taken it away in some places and indeuoured to doe the like seruice elsewhere if they could It is set out permissu Superiorum that is by permission of the Superiors but as yet we cannot learne what superiors these are hauing most humbly requested the Archpriest to giue vs satisfaction herein as may appeare by a letter to him from M. Collington not long after we had a sight thereof It is very probable that no superiours dare auouch it for it containeth the most grosse vntrueths idlest shifts and
are cited in this 8. chapter fol. 98 beare date some the 27 of March some the 20 of Aprill some the 18 of May some the 30 of Iuly the soonest the foure and twentieth of March 1598 all which must needes argue not onely an egregious falshood in this Epistle-maker but a notorious impudencie in telling his Holinesse to his teeth that hee did make an easie and sweete Subordination vpon the letters and requests which he had neuer heard of nor possibly could they not hauing been written or thought vpon by the Inditors long after his Holinesse is sayd to haue thought vpon the Subordination and caused it to be made by the Card Caietane And as for the note in the margent fol. 101. it is not probable that a letter of that moment would not haue been set in the booke much sooner then any other With the like libertie this Epistle is continued His Holines is told that all good and obedient Catholicks were much contented and comforted with this subordination which is a most iniurious insinuation against many who to make no odious comparisons haue shewed themselues in all points as hath become the best most obedient Catholicks Neither are there any letters at all in the 9. Chap. of the Apol. of this thankesgiuing as the Pope is here told and those which are in the 8. cha are not from any of the Laitie but from some priests all whose names are for some causes omitted in this Apol. except the first subscriber the last which perchance was therefore thought necessary to be set downe to proue that at the least there were two to a letter and that the middle names might bee as many in number as are here supposed But it was a marueilous good chance that the first subscriber and the last were such as their names might be knowen But perchance vnder the name of all good and obedient Catholicks the English Clergie is also to be vnderstood of which a few saith this Epistle-maker not the twentieth part and those for the most part such as had bene troublesome before in Rome presumed to impugne the same subordination calling first in question the said Cardinals letters c. Fa. Parsons was told in Rome that doublesse the greater part of the priests was not contented with this subordination when for his purpose he vrged further how many the messengers did certainely know to approue their mission as appeareth Cap. 9. fol. 131. they not being willing to depose for more in this kinde then they had either spoken withall or receiued letters from them to this effect answered accordingly that they had certaine knowledge of some 14. or 15 which number is now deceitfully tossed vp and downe as though they had no knowledge of any more or did come in the name of so few against all the rest yet where there was iust cause if they had bene fewer yea if there had bene no more but those two who went to Rome they had ben enough because iustice hath alwayes more with it then against it But to this purpose if those 14 or 15 which were named by M. Charnock in his examination were here set downe the falshood of this felow would be euident to those who know the men when he suggesteth to his Hol. that they were for the most part such as had bene troublesome before in Rome Concerning the calling this subordination in question how it was procured how far forth it did binde before the Breue came and other difficulties which the priests had they haue not desired to haue them muttered in corners as may appeare by their bookes to which their aduersaries silence would haue beene somewhat more for their credit then their shuffling answere And as for the euill successe which their two messengers had whome at the first they sent to Rome all the world knoweth that not long after his Holines comming thither they were infamously apprehended by Iesuits and Sbirri all their writings were taken from them they were kept asunder in close prison and were not suffered to speake with any to aske counsell nor to see the Copie of such accusations as were put vp against them at such time as they did demand it to make their answere before the two Cardinals Caietane and Burghesius 17. Feb. 1599. and yet they were kept afterwards close prisoners vntill the 8. of April by which time all matters were concluded as their aduersaries would as appeareth by the date of the Breue which was the 6. of April 1599. The notorious falshood also which here is suggested to his Holinesse in these words Who that is the two Priests finding not such successe * At Rome there as they required their fellowes in England for remedie began to deale more closely with the Counsell telling them as hath appeared since by the euent and by their latter bookes that this subordination was not for Religion but for State practises as in this Apologie is declared more particularly And in the margent is set this note Apol. cap. 10.12.13 But whosoeuer wil examine the tenth Chapter he shall find a few idle and doubtfully proposed assertions or rather foolish coniectures which are in as great neede to be proued as this is here In the twelfth Chapter there is not one word wise or other to this purpose In the thirteenth Chapter there is some proofe brought for that which is here proposed to his Holinesse But the proofe is such as it would haue made a man of little modestie to haue blushed with the very conceite thereof Marke I pray you what a narration there is fol. 209. For this is it which is ment as may appeare by this marginall note D. Bagshaw But aboue all other meanes the fowlest is and ought most to mooue a good conscience their ioyning secretly for a time but after more openly and now most euidently with the common enemie and persecuter First as before you haue heard as soone as euer they vnderstood that their two messengers were restrained in Rome and not like to preuaile then D. Bagshaw was sent for from Wisbich to London to treat with the Councell c. The Pope is tolde in this Epistle that the Priests deale closely with the Councell but in the Apologie the Catholikes are told that it hath bene secretly for a time but after more openly and now most euidently The Priests haue alwayes bene readie to giue an account in what and how farre they haue vsed that fauour which her Maiestie and the honorable Councell are said to haue shewen vnto them and all men are to thinke that they would not haue gone to Rome if they had done any thing which Catholike priestes might not doe But marke I pray you the substantiall proofe to which his Holinesse is referred and let it be duely examined As soone as euer they vnderstood that their two messengers were restrained in Rome and not like to preuaile then D. Bagshaw was sent for from Wisbich to London to treate
instructions and falsely inserted among those which were sent vnto the Archp. from Rome this instruction made that euery one should set his hand against that Memoriall And this did the new Archpriest euen when he was taken in the maner of falsifying his instructions so vrge vpon M. Collington M. Charnocke when he sent for them to make knowen his authoritie as he threatned them grieuously if they would not subscribe against it affirming that they should answere this their bearing off from that action in some publike Court where they should repent it Afterward also it was so followed as M. Henry Henslow was imployed to perswade them where M. Collington was then resident to turne him out of their house And he performed his office with such immodest termes and with such extreme fury as he well discouered whereunto this new authoritie did tend And thus much to shew that it was farre ynough both from slander and falshood which was said of the Iesuites their indeuours to gouerne the secular Priests against their wils and how they did canuase for names against the Memoriall and pressed the Priests so farre as they were constrained to vse figures as some of them haue since confessed to satisfie the importunitie of the Iesuites and their factours This also is here to be remembred that the man named to haue bene sent ouer by the Priests into Flanders to accuse the Iesuites was not sent by them but returned thither from whence he was sent into England to vnderstand whether the Iesuits did vse themselues no better in England among the Priests then they did at Rome among the English Students for to this ende he was imployed by the Card. Toledo as he affirmed and had letters to that effect of the Cardinal who was much auersed from the Iesuits their actions in the College And although he brought not these letters with him into England which was a cause that many giue no credite vnto him yet he brought some testimonie thereof and that he was imployed into England by the Cardinal and could not returne any other answere then what was most apparant by the diuision at Wisbich that the Iesuites as ambitious men would gouerne the Priests against their wils When his Holinesse saw this manner of proceeding saith this authour that is to say how he should be inforced to confirme these Prelates which the Secular priests would haue chosen and how the Iesuites were slandered and purged by the most of the Priests in England he willed the Card Protector to call vnto him F. Parsons and other Englishmen in Rome to see what remedie was best for these disorders They answered that the only way which seemed good to them was to giue them a Superior or Prelate of their owne Order and to deliuer thereby the Iesuites from these calumniations which his Holinesse yeelded vnto after diuers monethes consultations c. Here then we are solicited to conceiue that the ground of this new authoritie was his Holinesse care to remedy the disorders which he perceiued to be in England by such letters as were written vnto him namely against this Memoriall and that after diuers moneths consultation it was appointed But we haue alreadie shewed sufficient to prooue this a notorious falshood For as we haue prooued out of this Apo. fo 98 the first letters which were written to this effect were written the 24 of March 1598. which was after the Cardinals letter of the institution of the Archpriest as appeareth by the date thereof which was the seuenth of March 1598. as it is to be seene fol. 102. and consequently diuers moneths after that his Hol. is said to haue entred into this consultation as appeareth in this present place of the 1. chap. and in the 8. Chap. fol. 98. But perchance we tooke this author at the worst when we construed his words in this manner as though he had said that his Hol. had vpon these letters aduised vpon some subordination after diuers moneths resolued vpon this whereas this author after mention of these letters and other matters sayth only in this sort When his Holines sawe this manner of proceeding he willed the Cardinall c. We are therefore to request the indifferent reader to turn to the 8. cha of the Apol. where no such shift cā be vsed to auoid this foule dealing The cha beginneth in this manner When his Hol. heard the former state of matters in England Flanders and other places and of the murmurations of some against the Fathers of the societie set downe aswel in the abouesaid cōtumelious Memoriall as by diuers other letters relations which came to the Protectors sight and by him was related to his Holines and namely when he receiued great store of priuate and publicke letters out of England against the said Memoriall of Fisher and some one with aboue 100. hands at it other with 40. and 50. all in fauour and commendation of the Fathers c. his Holines after mature deliberation resolued c. And because hee will not come without his proofe what cause his Holines had to institute this subordination or rather to giue order to the Cardinall for it as hee sayth hee hath set downe in the margent a note of the letters which caused this consultation See sayth he in the margent the letters of the Northerne Priests 24. Mart. 1598. and others 20. Apr. and others after 30. Iul and others of the South in great number 18. Maij and of the quiet sort of Wisbich 27. March 1598. and who without blushing can reade this and take it as a cause of a determination vppon the 7. of March 1598. for then was the authoritie instituted as is acknowledged fol. 102. much lesse of a consultation diuers moneths before as is here saide fol. 7. And thus hee goeth forward with a certaine shamelesse boldnesse not caring what he sayth knowing belike that his fauorites will swallow any thing easily which he proposeth vnto them yet doeth he too much forget himselfe in this place where he sayth that it was not thought expedient for his Holines to write himselfe for auoiding suspitions and troubles of the state of England for by this he will sufficiently purge those priests of all disobedience to the Sea Apostolike who did not subiect themselues to the newe authoritie vpon the comming of the Cardinals letters by which the authoritie was instituted But this is elsewhere sufficiently handled and prooued to be free not onely from schisme or disobedience but from all sinne also yea though it were true that his Holines gaue full commission as here it is saide to the Card. Caietane the Protector to appoint the authoritie with conuenient instructions For his Holines not writing himselfe as here it is cōfessed how should the Priests take notice thereof that it was his acte which together with the Archpriests misdemeanour in the promulgation of his new authoritie other matters also was the cause why the Priests did at their
peace made gaue out that they who should hold opinion dogmatizando that the priests were not schismatikes should incurre the censures of holy Church which the Archpriest did not onely not controll being told thereof but bare the Iesuit out in his wicked assertion And furthermore published a resolution which he sayd hee had receiued from the mother citie by which the priests were condemned as schismatikes and it was high time for the priests not onely to complaine of intolerable iniuries but to seeke for satisfaction also in such places where they were by these meanes defamed which when it would not be granted they made an offer to come to dispute the case with promise most humbly to aske pardon of the Archpriest and the Iesuits if it could be proued that they had been schismatikes and desire to be restored to their good name if in case they could not be proued to haue been such But this offer of dispute was also reiected and they were threatned who should goe about to defend their good names thus most vniustly harmed whereupon they sent to the Vniuersitie of Paris that by the resolution of learned men such as they imagined a company of punie felowes would haue regarded this question might haue bene ended But when these silly men saw this resolution for the priests they were worse then euer they were and the Archpriest did forbid all sorts vpon grieuous penalties to maintain that resolution by word or writing directly or indirectly whether it were giuen vpon true information or otherwise as though those learned men hauing true information as the Archpriest here supposed were so much to be contemned as no man without incurring grieuous censures might defend their opinion in the question proposed for these are the words of the decree made by the Archpriest 29. Maij 1600 whether it be truely giuen or forged whether vpon true information or otherwise And these proceedings of the Archpriest compelled the priests to make their Appeale to his Holines which beareth date the 17 of Nouember 1600. And it was made not onely for them who set their names vnto it but for others also who seeing the affliction which hung ouer the secular priests and fearing not without iust cause that their turne would come afterward were desirous of redresse but dared not to shew themselues in the action in respect of the hard measure which they saw offered to their brethren who were in actuall persecution by the Iesuits and Archpriest And when this Apologie was published in England it was knowen that long before the publishing thereof the priests were gone ouer to prosecute their Appeale and had presented themselues before the Nuntius in Flanders who was in commission as they vnderstood to determine this matter And whereas it may be sayd that the booke was printed before thus much was knowen this answere also may be made that in the like case where an vntrueth was printed in the 12. Chapter fol. 201. they did find a meanes to clap on a piece of paper that it should not bee read being a relation no more false then this was But if they should haue taken this course throughout the booke to haue pasted paper where there were vntrueths vttered there would haue been very little to haue read in the Apologie And therefore perchance they resolued rather to aduenture all their credit at once by letting the booke goe vncorrected of those falshoods which are contained in it then not to do the harme which they intended The like folly and falshood also is that which is here inserted of M. Charnocks Appeale for as we had sufficient testimony from beyond the seas his Appeale was prosecuted in due time and moreouer that he was long since freed from the sentence of the two Cardinals And wheras it is furthermore sayd that M. Charnocke appealed frō the sentence of two Cardinals after that he had accepted it and sworne to the obseruation thereof it is most vntrue for no oath was euer demanded of him concerning that sentence It was onely shewed by Fa. Parsons first to him and afterward to M. Bishop who had his liberty foure or fiue dayes before this sentence was seen And all the oathes which were taken were taken by Acarisius the Fiscall when M. Bishop was deliuered out of prison which acte of the Fiscals was of none effect as not hauing Commission to do any thing in that cause as Fa. Parsons affirmed when hee shewed this sentence of the Cardinals alleaging for proofe out of the same letters that the declaration of the Cardinals mind was committed to the Rector or Vicerector of the English Colledge But of these matters and the falshood vsed therein we shall haue occasion to write more at large in answere to the ninth chapt And while these Appeales did and doe hang all obedience is shewed which may bee shewed without preiudice of the Appeale or which is to be vsed to notorious detractors and vnconscionable defamers of Catholike priests Neither is there any other libertie or freedome sought for by any then such liberty as belongeth to Christians and of the which Catholike priests are most vnchristianly depriued and they onely seeke to liue in reputation due vnto their estates and to maintaine the same by all lawfull meanes How falsly also this is inserted by this author that liberty is sought and not triall of the cause I commit to the iudgement of all men of any sence who vnderstand how that the priests are gone to Rome to his Holines to haue the case decided But nor resting here nor contented with this freedome during the dependance of the sayd Appeales they haue proceeded sayth this author to greater disorders which is to publish in print most iniurious contumelious and infamatory bookes and libels as before hath bene sayd without particular name of author without licence of Superiour and other circumstances of modesty right and conscience required in such attempts c. This good fellow presumeth much of his readers ignorance fauour or patience For as it appeareth by the Archpr. his letters to M. Collinton he reiected the appeale by other his acts he hath declared that those who had put their names vnto it had incurred the penalties of his decrees He also hereupon sollicited some not to receiue the Sacraments at the appellants hands as may appeare by his letter of the 16. of April 1601. to a gentleman where thus he writeth This I write to make you priuie of the great spirituall danger wherein you and all that receiue any Sacraments of M. Oswald Needam may be if it be so that he hath subscribed vnto a seditious pamphlet coloured with the name of an appeale With what face then doth this fellow in the Archpriests behalfe vrge the dependance of the appeale or what freedome is that with which hee would that the appellants should haue bene contented if there was iust cause to appeale in what a poore case would the Archpriest bee if that there were put
in execution against him which is due vnto the refusers of iust appeales and contemners of the sea Apostolike whither the appeale was made And if the appeale were not a iust appeale how foolishly is it here vrged that the Priests not resting here nor contented with this freedome during the dependance of the same appeales they haue proceeded to greater disorders which is to publish in print most iniurious contumelious and infamatory bookes and libels without particuler name of Author without licence of superior c. The causes of this publishing haue bene diuersly touched by many who haue proued that it was most necessary for the procuring of an vnfeined peace lest matters being shuffled vp as once before they were the Iesuits should breake out at their pleasure as they did once before not long after the peace was concluded And being backed with the authoritie of the Archpriest bring new quarels euery day worse and more grieuous then the former And whereas here it is particularly vrged that during the dependance of the appeales these bookes were published it is easily answered because the archpriest shewed no reuerence to his Holines and to the sea Apostolicke but denied the dimissory letters which were demanded of him reiected the appeale as a seditious pamphlet and proceeded against the appellants as if the appeale were no otherwise to be esteemed as wee haue immediatly before proued and all Catholicks can testifie as much who haue bene warned not onely from receiuing Sacraments of the appellants but also from being present at their sacrifice because they set their hands to that appeale And therefore it was iudged necessary that all Catholicks should be informed of the trueth and how the case stood in this present controuersie which without printing could not conueniently haue bene declared especially where the matter is so hardly followed that no one of the Priests may bee suffered to speake for themselues And to this effect also were the Latine bookes printed that the Priests making their cause generally knowen in Christendome they might maugre their aduersaries come to haue audience where they desired and had once before failed when for auoyding of too much speech of strangers they went in a more priuate sort for a remedy of home miseries Neither ought any man to wonder at this good fellow when he calleth these bookes Libels for the spirit moued him in hope at that time that the Priests should be sufficiently debarred from comming to the place where now they are and being there ready to proue such things as are here to be obiected they doe conuince the vnderstanding of him who hath any and knoweth what belongeth to a libel that these bookes are no Libels against which this author inueyeth in these hote termes iniurious contumelious and infamatory bookes or libels But by that which followeth he doeth more discouer his folly He saith that the bookes were published in print without particuler name of Author without licence of superior and other circumstances of modestie right and conscience required in such attempts Alas good sir to omit in this place what want there is of other circumstances of modestie throughout all the Apologie if it be a necessary circumstance of modestie right and conscience to put to a booke some particuler name of Author where was your modestie right and conscience when you published this Apologie what particuler name of Author hath your booke Haue you not set it out in these general termes written and set forth by Priests vnited in due subordination to the right reuerend Archpriest and other their superiors And I pray you sir what particuler name is here and of what author Good sir turne once againe the bookes against which this Apologie is written and finde this circumstance of modestie right or conscience more wanting in their bookes then in the Apologie and then with lesse shame vpbraid the priests that they published in print without particular name of Author and other circumstances of modestie right and conscience But to giue a fuller satisfaction to our Reader We affirme that the books which were published by the Priests were published with more particular name of authour then this Apologie was if the particular name be that which bringeth the authour to be knowen who he was For first the Latine booke which was published in print and dedicated to his Holinesse is sayd to be exhibited by those Priests who were accused of Schisme and other crimes The English booke also which is intituled The copies of certaine discourses carieth as particular a name of authour in these words which were extorted from diuers as their friends desired them or their aduersaries driue them to purge themselues of the most grieuous crimes of schisme sedition rebellion faction and such like Now good sir I doe appeale to the indifferent Reader whether the authors of these two books for this Apologie meaneth none other as appeareth by the whole discourse thereof and particularly fol. 8. were more knowen by this description accused of schisme they shewing themselues publiquely in their owne defence then the authors of the Apologie by this description Priests vnited in due subordination to the Archpriest all the rest keeping their consciences to themselues that no man almost is sure who can be meant by this name And some of them who were so firmely reputed for such as the Archpriest and Iesuites aduentured to aske their handes or consents to somewhat which some doe thinke should haue bene vsed for the authorizing or giuing their consents to the setting out of this booke they tooke this priestlike courage vnto them as to deny to set their hands to that to which they were not to be made priuie And many more there are as many doe knowe who goe for such as are here set downe for authours of this Apologie who perchance haue their handes as deepe in the answere as any of the other But we will let this slip go hoping that this good fellow will be better aduised in his next booke how he taxeth men for that in which he doth offend himselfe if the fault which hee findeth may be called an offence But now concerning the other circumstance that the bookes were printed without licence of Superiour If this authour will tell vs whither we should haue gone neere hand to haue found an indifferent Superior we will acknowledge that there was some errour The Archpriest was not an indifferent Superiour in this case because he was a partie against whom the bookes were to be published so farre foorth as they concerned the controuersie betweene himselfe and the Priests and therefore he was not likely to giue them licence to print An other Superior they know not where to seeke in any reasonable distance to demād their licence Besides that to their remembrance they doe not finde any authority in his Commission to licence bookes to the print being no Ordinarie but a Subdelegate and for certaine purposes among which this is not reckoned for any
the matter they doe adde of their owne in their English translation the word Here which is not in the Latine to the end it may seeme to tie the Protectors office to the place it selfe which is most absurd to any man that will consider the meaning of these words which is that the Protectors office is giuen ouer any nation order of religion or the like to protect or defend them in all occasions with his Holinesse and his successors vnderstood by the words Sea Apostolike whether it be in the Court of Rome or out of Rome for when the Pope lay at Auignon in France for examples sake yet was the office of Protector also in vse And when Cardinall Caietane our late Protector was Legate in France and Polonia his office of Protectorship ceased not whensoeuer hee would deale in any matter c. and this is sufficent for this first point which seemeth to include both folly and audacitie In this story were first to be answered why apud nos is thus translated Here with vs But I wil leaue this to Grammer boies who know that this word apud doth import a place consequently in the very nature of the signification and as I thinke neuer vntill this day was this translation iudged faultie est apud me he is here with me or est apud illum hee is there with him and it cannot but argue a greater will in the Appendix-maker then power to finde a fault The rest of the story is as absurd for who did euer say that a Protector did leaue his office when he was out of Rome the priests words are that it did not stretch further then the Court of Rome which are true although the protector be in Polonia for although hee be there in person yet may hee deale by letters in the Court of Rome and at Rome and all this while although the man who hath authority be farre from Rome yet his authoritie in that kind stretcheth it selfe to deale no further then in the Court of Rome And put the case that the Pope should goe againe to Auignon and come no more at Rome this fellow will not denie that he remaineth still Bishop of Rome and that as Bishop of that Sea hee gouerneth the Church and consequently there must be the Court of Rome and not in Rome for that as I take it the Court is where the prince is and this way also are the words true which were vsed that the Protectors office stretched not it selfe any further then the Court of Rome wheresoeuer that Court is kept And this is sufficient for to shew the folly and audacitie of the Appendix-maker who would take vpon him to correct what it seemeth he vnderstood not In hoc Consistorio c. In this Consistory that is the College of Cardinals or the Popes Counsel saith Zechi de statu Illust D. Card. Num. 9. euery Prouince and congregation of regulars and kings haue their fathers gardians which are called Protectors who in the Consistorie doe propound the elections and other causes of the Prouince committed vnto them and answere to those who oppose against them And for the second sayth he about demurring vpon his Holines letters we iudge it to be of much more importance and far more perillous yea temerarious doctrine for if it be lawfull for any man as our brethren here auerre to demurre vpon his Holinesse letters with minde to giue a reasonable cause thereof afterwards what end will there be of strife what obedience what resignation of willes and iudgements to our Superiours commandements c. See how this ignorant companion vrgeth it as perillous and temerarius doctrine notwithstanding he was shewed in The hope of peace that it was most Catholike doctrine and according to the ordinances of holy Church and he was referred for his learning to the order of Pope Alexander the third Cap. Siquando de Rescriptis where the Pope writeth in this manner to the Bishop of Rauenna Si quando c. If at any time we direct any thing to your brotherhood which may seeme to exasperate your minde you ought not to be troubled and afterward hauing considered vpon the qualitie of that businesse for which you are written vnto either reuerently fulfill our commandement or signifie some reasonable cause by your letters why you cannot fulfill it for we will beare it patiently if you shall not doe that which hath been or shall be suggested vnto vs by euil insinuation There is in the same place another saying of the same Pope cited Cap. Cùm teneamur de prebendis dignit to the same effect and this poore fellow not being able to make any answere hereunto telleth his blind obedient a tale of obedience as though this Pope Alexander had exhorted men to disobedience when hee told them that they should giue him a cause by their letters why they did not or could not do as they were commanded by him In the eleuenth leafe for want of matter in the hope of peace he falleth into the Copies of discourses and according to the erronious vaine in which he was in the Apologie hee excepteth against that which is said by the Priests that authoritie is not an infallible rule of trueth in all who haue authoritie and out of that which is said that but one vpon earth is warranted from error and not he in all things And hereupon he inferreth thus how sayth he can our English people assure themselues but that this institution of the Archpriest was one of the things wherein he might erre By what Law Logicke or Diuinitie can this fellow shew that his Holines cannot vpon false information doe a greater matter then the confirmation of an Archpriest in the authoritie of an Archpriest It was woont to be no temerarious or perilous doctrine to affirme that a Pope could commit a sinne which is a greater matter then not to be well aduised in the institution of an Archpriest for the sinne groweth of frailtie in the man and euill aduise or information by which the Archpriest is instituted in his office may come from another in whome his Holinesse may repose a trust and be deceiued All the rest which followeth in this eleuenth lease is often answered in the priests bookes and lately more at large by M. Doctor Ely in his notes vpon the Apologie and by M. Collington in his iust defence c. and there is a reason giuen in the place quoted in the 11. leafe of that which is there brought out of the hope of peace And the fault or disgrace which this fellow would should light vpon his Holinesse concerning the institution of the Archpriest in that manner that it was the Priests haue alwayes layd vpon the informers who procured such dealing as was in a matter of so great moment neither haue the priests challenged the ordination at any time for a matter of plot as proceeding from his Holinesse but as it proceeded from the Iesuits who were known to