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
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
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
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
that if any man desireth to see and behold any company of knaues vsurers dissolute persons and deceitfull men let him enter into any citty of Professors of the Gospel and he shall finde enow of such among Pagans Iewes and Turkes and other infidelles men can scarcely be found so disobedient or stubborne among whom all honestie and whatsoeuer doth sauour of virtue is dead and no reckoning is made of any sinne Iacobus Andreas vttereth his opinion of them in this manner among them no amendment or emendation is thought vpon they liue an Epicurean and altogether beastly life in place of fasting a custome of eating and excessiue rioting in banquetting and bawdery hath succeeded in place of almes oppression and extortion ouer the poore for prayer blasphemy against the holy name of God insteed of humilitie pride elation and most filthie exceeding superfluitie Io. Riuius saith that the wickednes of thē hath encreased to the astonishment of all men No man seeketh after God no man blusheth at the violating of his commandements euery mans life is polluted with great sinnes and wickednesse I dare affirme saieth hee that in this corrupt and wretched age of ours all manner of vices haue so encreased that hardly greater wickednesse can be for what sin or wickednesse at this day is wanting which if it raigned this age might be saide to be more vngodly for that respect and although to iudge rightly hereof in euery age there hath beene riotousnesse sumptuous feastings costly dinners and suppers surfetting drunkennesse whoredome adultery oppression iniury neglecting of well dooing and other such wickednesse which euery man in his time hath found fault withall as Seneca saith and no age that hath beene voyde of sinne yet loosenesse of life neglect of order and discipline outrageous wickednesse hath in this our age so encreased and gotten strength that it appeareth euen Atheisme and Epicurisme hath inuaded the life of man and as it were beareth dominion among Christians lawes take no force lust ruleth altogether for what thinke you they beleeue the soule is immortall who liue in maner as beastes or bee they perswaded there be either rewards for the godly in heauen or punishment in hell appoynted for sinners who in euery thing dread not to violate the commandements of God run altogether headlong into sin euen as thogh they did either thinke that God were but a vaine and fained thing or beleeue that when the body dieth the soule likewise perisheth and commeth vnto nothing such be the testimonies of Nennon Simonius Schinmideline others of the chiefest originall Protestants of their fellow professors I will cite more hereafter when I will prooue those which giue this euidence of the rest to be worst of all themselues SECT III. How all these errours and abuses proceede by dis-vnion from the Catholicke Church WHerefore that which so many priuate and publike writings affirme abroad and at home which euery man seeth and feeleth to be true and those principall Protestants recorded of their Disciples in the prime and flourishing time the very zenith and highest of their exaltation when the reformers of others should haue giuen some example and shew of reformation in themselues I trust it will not be offensiue for me a Catholike subiect of England after so many yeeres of experienced encrease of their impieties and in their withering and decaying age euery thing with them growing worse and worse to affirme to be true Then most Noble as ordinary effects proceede from ordinary causes so extraordinary and straunge things such as this kinde of iniquitie so wicked so vniuersall and erroneous is must haue some vnwonted cause more than is vsuall in christian men I will not be so seuere a Sentencer against them as their confederate Iohn Riuius is to say that they be Atheists Epicures and deniers of the soules immortalitie and thereby thinking there is no religion in the worlde no life after death no reward of vertue or penalty for vice haue giuen themselues ouer to all kinde of sinne Neither wil I enter to so bloody a iudgement in this place reseruing it to bee discussed heereafter against these men as their owne generall and common approoued doctrine especially in England that true faith and good workes are inseparable condemneth such men for infidells and misbeleeuers But to reserue these and such arguments as may be inforced by that which is spoken to their proper place and prosecute my present intent it is manifest by the Babilonical diuision which is in the vnderstanding of this people that they haue forsaken the true faith religion and rule thereof which can be but one and by the grosse impieties which haue taken so quiet possession of their liues that they are so far from al interest either of reforming errors of the mind or abuses of life in others by which in the beginning they claymed title to a new religion that they haue beene the onely cause of so many infidelities Atheismes Epicurismes Iudaismes Mahumetismes and other intollerable sinnes offences which are daily by their owne confession before practized among them for when and where the infallible rule and censure of supernaturall difficulties is denied and euery man left to his owne priuate deduction and deceiptfull iudgement farre vnable to descipher supernaturall mysteries what hope can be had of truth what probabilitie of agreement who wil be encoraged to seeke for veritie where it is impossible to be found If it were in naturall arts and sciences which be connaturall and proportionable to humane capacitie if there were so many opinions diuers and contrary as are among them in religion so that before hee could follow any hee must learne to confute all the rest what man would willingly professe that art as true though it were neuer so gainefull if it were obtained about learning whereof there is such dissention that three hundred to one hee should be deceiued By that reason in Arts Alchimie of making gold is ordinarily refused hauing brought so many to errour and beggery by the vncertaintie thereof although in it selfe it is woonderfull commodious For matters of antiquitie the diuersity of opinions about the originall of the Brittans in this land hath caused many to thinke there neuer was any Brute at all It is as manifest both by al Histories and Monuments that Saint Peter liued long and died at Rome as that William of Normandy surnamed the Conquerour came into England and subdued it or as any such antiquity can be and yet bicause as Protestants say there is difference betweene Saint Hierome Orosius and Fasciculus temporum about the time of his comming thither although they agree with the rest that hee liued and died there some Protestants are not afraide to affirme he was neuer at Rome For a like cause the whole Protestant Cleargie of England in their authorized Conuocation deny the Bookes of Machabees Iudith and Tobias to be canonicall scriptures So it chanceth in Sciences
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 muster bookes haue amounted vnto thirtie hundred thousands of able men to which if wee adde so many women making the number of threescore hundred thousands the summe will be fiue times so much that is thirty hundred thousand poundes by the yeere and to make a better esteeme of the Ministers progeny in expences lette vs suppose that in so many yeeres they haue only amounted vnto one hundred thousand of people and that euery person of that increased tribe spendeth but three pence in the day peny halfepeny a meale and to help this reckoning let vs forgiue their apparell and all other costs for nothing which is no vnequal dealing yet their expences in the yeare do make 547500. fiue hundred thousands seuen and forty thousands and fiue hundreds of poundes which is more than any victorious king of England spent in the continuall maintenaunce of a royall army and wil discharge more and greater wars than euer her Maiestie had and spare so many taxes raised vppon better subiects thus I could exemplifie in other Protestant excesses But to vrge many of these doctrines woulde bee too tedious therefore I will passe them ouer How their other actuall proceedings haue beene conformable to their words and teachings hath beene somewhat declared before and I may remit the Reader to the second parte of my Resolution in many chapters where I haue prooued euen by the Protestants owne confessions and testimonies that their behauiour and disobedience in commonwealths is worse then amoÌ„g Iewes Turkes Pagans or any Infidelles and whosoeuer at this time entereth into view of the manners of all conditions of Protestants both of this and other nations can not call it in question neither can it be imagined how amendment can be had eâ—cept a reformation of the originall of these abuses Protestant disobedient doctrine be made for like causes must haue like effects Now let vs examine whether such disobedience in doctrine or disloyaltie of behauiour to commonwealths can be noted in Catholike religion doe we not teach all duety vnto Princes and superiours what office either of Prince or inferiour Magistrate what estate or condition of men clergy or laytie what time peace or warres or any thing that can be said belonging vnto gouernement is not most sincerely deliuered by the Casnysts and Canonists of our religion and that consenting to the regiment of the most famous and honourable Kingdomes of the worlde gouerned by such constitutions Or is there any thing wee teach different or not agreeing to the auntient and most polliticke regiment of all christian Nations To beginne with that most reuerend function of Priesthood now treason by the proceedings of England as some Protestants alleadge what is there in that most sacred Religious dignitie that can bee guiltie of so great a crime Treason is the greatest offence that can be committed in England and is called with vs Crimen laesae maiestatis an offence that hurteth the Kings or Queenes Maiestie and Proditio a betraying because as appeareth by our auntient Lawes of King Edward the third where it is set downe what shal be treason nothing is remembred but that which tendeth either to the betraying of the King or countrey and so it is prouided by other lawes Alas what is in Priesthoode now that was not in former times that it must be so accounted in the dayes of one Queene which in the regiments of almost two hundred Christian Kings within this kingdome hath euer beene reputed both in parliament and elsewhere the most honorable calling next to the prince as the places of our great Priests or Archbishops are euidence Nothing is or can be changed in that sacrament howsoeuer the mindes and proceedings of Protestants doe change The same priesthoode which was giuen to Saint Peter and the Apostles the same which saint Augustine and his associates hadde that conuerted England the same which hath beene so honored of al English Kings since then is the same which this people is not ashamed thus to terme The same Sacrament vnchangeable the same power of order the same iurisdiction then except the state of England bee not the same it was Priesthoode must be honorarable not trecherous There is not any poynt of ciuill regiment in that sacrament being wholie spirituall and supernaturall nothing concerning a temporall common wealth no renouncing or deniall of any authority in England no conspiracie to Prince no betraying of a kingdome of whome no one worde or mention is made or can bee intended no matter giuen in charge no authoritie communicated but to offer sacrifice to pray to preach minister Sacraments and such priestly functions as the Pontificall will witnesse which are not preiudiciall to a commonwealth but such as the Ministers of England immitate the like as I haue prooued in other places That Priests doe absolue from sinnes and excommunications which they pretend the cause is no temporall thing and yet it cannot be the cause of this treason for Deacons which haue no such authoritie be traitours by the same statute That our Priests be consecrated in forraine countries neither can be or is the cause that this dignitie is now so vnwoorthily reputed for in former times it hath beene the greatest honour to our Cleargie to be consecrated in those famous Countries and all our Primitiue archbishops of Canterbury were so sacred at this time Priesthoode giuen in France to which we be friends and in England it selfe to which England must not be enemies is equally treason with these men as to bee ordered in Rome Spaine or any place most offensiue to our state of England And yet I woulde desire all States men to consider that the Graecians Germanes and other people hauing their doctrine diuers to the Church of Rome haue their Seminaries in the same City and their Priests maintained by the same Popes and ordered by their authoritie and yet the Princes of those Nations being Infidell Turkes for the greater part condemne not their Priests for Traitours but suffer them to be quiet without incumber admitting the exercise of their function as agreeable to common wealth And as it were a great absurditie to say that the Pope in releeuing the Catholike Students of Palestina Graecia Armenia and such nations shoulde doe it in hope to be temporall Lord of those Countries but only for loue to true religion so it is as improbable he should haue any such intent to England as vnprobable as the others to bee vnder his temporall regiment or howe can those religious schooles be such aduersaries to our English gouernement where neither Reader Professor or Student of Policie is or by the foundations and statutes of those places may be maintained No law order rule exercise lecture or disputation in any of those Seminaries that hath affinitie with such affaires where no one point or opinion in doctrine against our English or any other well gouerned commonwealth as is proued is practized But
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
pittifull complaints of the poore forsaken What dilatory plees non-suites vnnecessary essoines wagers of lawe false pleadings vnlawfull arrests wicked impannelling suborning and corrupting Iurors delayed false and corrupt iudgements and executions vnconscionable Writtes of errour against right such remooueings of sutes appeales and I know not how many shifts to defraude auoyde and with-holde true titles haue beene and are practised and vncontrolled by these Protestant doctrines which catholike Religion condemneth binding the wicked practisers of such iniustices to an equall amends and restitution to the parties grieued These and such abuses the lawe of Nature the lawe of Nations Canon Imperiall Prouinciall in all christian Nations doe condemne not onely in countries and kingdoms professing Christ they are disabled but exploded in al heathenish regiments of Iewes Turks Tartares Persians Indians and all antient law makers among the Romans Graecians Lacedemonians and others onely practised and not disallowed in Protestant regiments That portion of wealth which the religious Cleargy of England enioyed in Catholike times if Foxe may be beleeued amounted to the third part of the substance of our nation and was then employed concerning them to the necessaries of their poore chaste and single life the remnant was bestowed some for maintainance and defence of our Kings and country the Catholike Cleargy was then able and often did furnish maine armies to that end more then all the ministers of England and Abbey gentlemen are able or will performe the rest was in Religious vses the poore were relieued so many statutes against them and to burden the country were not knowne strangers were lodged pilgrimes entertained the sicke and maimed prouided for orphanes kept widdowes defended Was not this so offensiue parte of religious goods in Protestants iudgement better bestowed then in hunting hawking cardings courtings and such like almes to which the Protestant possessours haue disposed it Let vs speake of friends at home and abroade Catholike Religion kept and left England in friendship and amitie with the Popedome Empire Spaine and all countries in the world protestancy hath either set vs at open variance or suspitious peace withall Quarrels among countries and kings are euer grounded from behauiour of Princes publike magistrates and persons of regard in those states Protestants of England euer since their entraunce haue supplied those places priuate persecuted and reiected men such as Catholikes of England haue beene and are there esteemed cannot bee the origin of such contentions What should I speake of honours or other publike profits wherwith England was adorned by our Religion and whereof Protestancy hath dispoyled it Was it not an honourable quiet and secure preeminence to be at league with so many and mighty christian Princes Were not all communions with them and their countries as ordinary to England and al estates thereof as to themselues had not our kings their legarde and continuing ambassadors in those dominions whereby peace was preserued quarrels preuented perrils auoyded the country in security warres but seldome and neuer of such continuance What historie doth make relation of so chargeable and prolonged wars of this kingdome with other nations as our late and present Spanish Flemish and Irish be What Nobleman ot Gentleman of accompt did not then and would not now desire both for his owne and countries honour and reputation to know other nations to bee present in the Courts of forraine potent Princes to learne language to see diuersities of people and manners to know their order of Regiment to winne experience What learning nurtriture and knowledge haue our gentry and nobility lost by that seperation What a blemish it is euen in some of highest order and in the greatest affaires of common wealth England findeth and forrainers are not ignorant and the great aduantage and highly esteemed preeminence of him or them in that place which hath enioyed it will witnesse Would not a souldier for his skill and honour in armes affect to know the order and discipline of their warres especially against Infidels and misbeleeuing Princes What scholler for his instruction in learning might not couet those vniuersities wherein for an Englishman to haue beene student or consecrated Priest now so odious was euer had for high honour and reputation Would not the marchants of England esteeme it both a priuate helpe to themselues and a publike profit to our nation to haue free trade and trafficke in their dominions Should not all England Nobles gentlemen meaner people and all estates of men Catholikes Protestants and whatsoeuer be desirous that we might alwayes bee free both from forraine and domesticall warres or if by any necessitie not in time preuented we shuld by probabilitie bee infested with the one coulde or would he wish to be afflicted with both Peace is to be desired strife to be auoyded friendes esteemed many and potent enimies to be feared If any man of indifferent sentence entereth into iudgement to consider the time of Protestancie which is past the present estate wherein England is and what wee are like to taste heereafter by such proceedings I doubt not but he will be of my opinion that it were better to be in such condition as it was in the two and twentieth yeere of King Henry the eight when this reformation or soone after beganne then euer it was by Protestancie since nowe is or by probability will grow to be in time to come For auoyding offence I will voluntarily omitte particulars of comparisons as also the conformitie of our catholike Religion to the true and equall interpretation of our present lawes both in the same regarde as that it demaundeth a larger treatie then this place alloweth These may now suffice for excuse not onely to your most Honorable Company but to all inferior and subdepending Magistrates principally such as persecute vs vnder the false pretence of our repugnancie to a lawfull and ciuill regiment for whose cause I haue both beene longer in this question and must be enforced heereafter to vse more speech of our obediēce to the English laws of this time than I otherwise had intended SECT IX The Authors defence to all honourable Ladies and Gentlewomen AND as I must not bee vngratefully vnduetifull to so many Catholicke Ladies and noble Gentlewomen of England our nurses and foundresses in former times so I desire pardon of that present sexe and condition not to be offended with my writing for I defend the faith and religion of all honorable holy and vertuous English Queenes Princesses Ladies and Gentlewomen I may not permit the Foundresses of so many Churches Chappelles Aultares Monasteries Nunneries Colledges and Religious places to bee reprooued for that pietie I cannot in conscience suffer such a triumphant and victorious company of that calling so famous for miracles and renowned for sanctitie as our greatest ennemies Fox Pantaleon and others acknowledge in them an euident argument of true Religion to be condemned nor the immortall fame of the soules of such to
wilfulnesse in errour I offer them wrong or no It is more agreeing to the lawe of God of nature nations reason humane ciuilitie conscience or whatsoeuer may bee termed and taken for a lawe when it dooth so chaunce that either all learned and holy men in the christian worlde that euer were in so many hundred yeeres in all times and places should bee condemned or else a few neyther learned nor vertuous but ignorant and wicked should be reprooued and disallowed that the most and first must be freeed and the least and last condemned Then lette the Ministeriall Cleargie of England yeelde mee patience for I defend the doctrine and opinion of all godly and famous professors of Diuinitie all Popes Fathers and Doctours that euer were in the Church all Councelles particular and generall all forren domesticall Vniuersities Schooles Colledges and places of christian learning since the time of Christ to Martine Luther where so many thousandes or millions of miraculously approoued holy Saintes haue liued and died in this profession and onely impugne a new poore lewde licentious and vnlearned company of Ministers of one Kingdome or age and such as in particular reasons I will demonstrate to be euident wilfull and ignorant mis-expounders false translators and alleadgers of holy Scriptures liars deceitfull hereticall maintainers of olde condemned heresies actually erring and reerring in greatest questions and matters of Faith ensigned and marked with all tokens and badges which holy Scripture purtraiture Heretickes Seducers and Reprobate persons by that they learned their religion of the diuel himselfe that it was first deuised and after maintained for carnall libertie and wicked endes that they teach they know not what themselues contrary to holy Scriptures although we expound them by their owne rules of exposition contrary to their owne proceedings contrary to all authoritie humane and diuine contrary to all Lawes of God of nature nations particular Countries of all ciuill and politicke gouernement hauing nothing conducing to mans saluation or that can bring to heauen that by all iudgement of Christianitie those that died in that state without repentaunce except inuincible ignoraunce coulde excuse some simple Soules are condemned in hell yet seeing in this I shall dispute chiefly against the priuate Religion of one Nation in one onely time if I should leaue out the rest of the christian worlde in all ages and because England nowe hath a particular Religion to it selfe compare the sanctitie learning and authoritie of former Catholicke English Bishoppes and Diuines with our present Ministers I shall iustifie my cause to their great confusion As to giue example in our chiefest Metropolitane See Whether is it more equall and consonant to reason to giue credite for either the one or the other must be vtterly discredited to Thomas Cranmer the first Protestant Regent there Parkar and Grindal notoriously knowne not onely to haue beene of three diuerse Religions in substantiall poynts one against an other but euery one of them at diuerse times to please their Princes often in the greatest questions to haue differed from him selfe and they to haue beene of seauen or eight diuerse Religions for none of them was eyther burned for Protestancie or quartered for denying Supremacie or a Saint for life to speake the best renowned for learning for any monument or argument I coulde euer finde And to exemplifie in Cranmer their first and principle that was to condemne so many learned and holy Saints that had beene in that Archiepiscopall See and be a patterne to all his successors hee was condemned of high treason against his Prince prooued publikely periured and to haue counterfaite the handes and consents of fifty Cleargy men for the aduantage of his cause hee recanted his errour was in case of relapse and for ignoraunce was hissed and exploded in the common Schooles of Oxforde in publike disputations all which Foxe himselfe is enforced to graunt and can not deny Then whether is it more equall to giue credit to these than to Saint Augustine the Monke first archbishoppe there Saint Laurence Mellitus Iustus Honorius Deusdedit Theodorus Berctualdus Tacuinus and others three score and eight in number almost twenty to one many or most holy and learned men miraculously approoued of God and for pietie and learning admired of the whole worlde If they pretende the decrees of any Protestant Prince for exposition of holy Scriptures and proposition of Religion I haue cited almost twoo hundred to one before and in the lawes of that Prince which soeuer any Protestant will assigne eyther King Henry the eight King Edward the sixt or our Queene Elizabeth I will ouerthrowe them and prooue how euery one of them hath defined false and contradictory things to themselues which in some parte already appeareth in my last citations of Statutes If they alleadge their Vniuersities they are ouermatched in Catholike times at once Oxford hath had thirtie thousand Students all euer of the same minde with vs. For other Clergie men England Catholike had at the least if wee will coniecture by Fox his computation aboue a hundred thousand more than England Protestant is able to shew If they speak of sinods our sinods were greater in number of men tenne to one in number of assemblies two hundred to one If they speake of Parliaments and Lawes decreed there the excesse is more in both respectes If they vrge Scriptures and true sence of them by deduction by resorting to the originall tongues the Hebrew in the olde and Greeke in the new Testament comparing of places and examining circumstances which be their owne rules of exposition and the ground of their profession or howsoeuer the comparison is made the victory is ours Wee vse more Scriptures for numbers of Bookes more for diuersities of tongues than they and yet refuse none which they admit All our expositours of Scriptures haue beene continuall professed Students in diuinitie expert and acquainted with all Rules and meanes of true exposition diuerse of them most excellent Linguists and many naturall borne Greekes and Hebrewes and wee neuer receiued or beleeued any thing as a matter of Faith but that which the whole Catholicke Church which cannot erre had defined and receiued Their expositors of Scriptures were neuer to bee compared vnto these and at that time when their Religion was decreede and established out of Scriptures they must say there was not one person present which eyther vnderstoode Greeke or Hebrew or coulde vse any other of their Rules For their religion was first approoued in the first Parliament of our Queene Elizabeth where not one man learned in Diuinitie was present and had parlamentall voyce That wee Catholikes would wilfully erre is too wilfull impudencie to affirme it the profession of that Religion we defend is seuere and strict in regarde of that wee doe deny the punishmentes and penalties we vndergoe for our profession are many and greatest the temporall preferrement is none at all The contrary