acquainted with their state If I had not more then cause you may be sure I would be loth to trouble you But what he hath affirmed in this vpon the honour of a Gentleman whom you neuer had cause to distrust for his honestie that doe I now confirme and auow to be trew in the word and honour of a King And therein you are bound to beleeue me Duetie I may iustly claime of you as my Subiects and one of the branches of duetie which Subiects owe to their Soueraigne is Supply but in what quantitie and at what time that must come of your loues I am not now therefore to dispute of a Kings power but to tell you what I may iustly craue and expect with your good wills I was euer against all extremes and in this case I will likewise wish you to auoyd them on both sides For if you faile in the one I might haue great cause to blame you as Parliament men being called by me for my Errands And if you fall into the other extreme by supply of my necessities without respectiue care to auoyd oppression or partialitie in the Leuie both I and the Countrey will haue cause to blame you When I thinke vpon the composition of this body of Parliament I doe well consider that the Vpper house is composed of the Seculer Nobilitie who are hereditary Lords of Parliament and of Bishops that are liue Renter Barons of the same And therefore what is giuen by the Vpper house is giuen onely from the trew body of that House and out of their owne purposes that doe giue it whereas the Lower house is but the representatiue body of the Commons and so what you giue you giue it aswell for others as for your selues and therefore you haue the more reason to eschew both the extreames On the one part ye may the more easily be liberall since it comes not all from your selues and yet vpon the other part if yee giue more then is fit for good and louing Subiects to yeeld vpon such necessary occasions yee abuse the King and hurt the people And such a gift I will neuer accept For in such a case you might deceiue a King in giuing your flattering consent to that which you know might moue the people generally to grudge and murmure at it and so should the King find himselfe deceiued in his Caloule and the people likewise grieued in their hearts the loue and possession of which I protest I did and euer will accompt the greatest earthly securitie next the fauour of GOD to any wise or iust King For though it was vainely saide by one of your House That yee had need to beware that by giuing mee too much your throats were not in danger of cutting at your comming home yet may ye assure your selues that I will euer bee lothe to presse you to doe that which may wrong the people and make you iustly to beare the blame thereof But that yee may the better bee acquainted with my inclination I will appeale to a number of my Priuie Councell here present if that before the calling of this Parliament and when I found that the necessitie of my estate required so great a supply they found me more desirous to obtaine that which I was forced to seeke then carefull that the people might yeeld me a supply in so great a measure as my necessities required without their too great losse And you all that are Parliament men and here present of both Houses can beare me witnesse if euer I burthened or imployed any of you for any particular Subsidies or summes by name further then my laying open the particular necessities of my state or yet if euer I spake to any Priuie Councellour or any of my learned Councell to labour voyces for me to this end I euer detested the hunting for Emendicata Suffragia A King that will rule and gouerne iustly must haue regard to Conscience Honour and Iudgement in all his great Actions as your selfe M. Speaker remembred the other day And therefore ye may assure your selues That I euer limitall my great Actions within that compasse But as vpon the one side I doe not desire you should yeeld to that extreame in giuing me more then as I said formerly vpon such necessary occasions are fit for good and louing Subiects to yeeld For that were to giue me a purse with a knife So on the other side I hope you will not make vaine pretences of wants out of causelesse apprehensions or idle excuses neither cloake your owne humours when your selues are vnwilling by alledging the pouertie of the people For although I will be no lesse iust as a King to such persons then any other For my Iustice with Gods grace shal be alike open to all yet ye must thinke I haue no reason to thanke them or gratifie them with any suits or matters of grace when their errand shall come in my way And yet no man can say that euer I quarrelled any man for refusing mee a Subsidie if hee did it in a moderate fashion and with good reasons For him that denies a good Law I will not spare to quarrell But for graunting or denying money it is but an effect of loue And therefore for the point of my necessities I onely desire that I be not refused in that which of duety I ought to haue For I know if it were propounded in the generall amongst you whether the Kings wants ought to be relieued or not there is not one of you that would make question of it And though in a sort this may seeme to be my particular yet it can not bee diuided from the generall good of the Common wealth For the King that is Parens Patriae telles you of his wants Nay Patria ipsa by him speakes vnto you For if the King want the State wants and therefore the strengthening of the King is the preseruation and the standing of the State And woe be to him that diuides the weale of the King from the weale of the Kingdome And as that King is miserable how rich soeuer he bee that raines ouer a poore people for the hearts and riches of the people are the Kings greatest treasure So is that Kingdome not able to subsist how rich and potent soeuer the people be if their King wants meanes to mainaine his State for the meanes of your King are the sinewes of the kingdome both in warre and peace for in peace I must minister iustice vnto you and in warre I must defend you by Armes but neither of these can I do without sufficient means which must come from your Aide and Supply I confesse it is farre against my nature to be burthensome to my people for it cannot but grieue me to craue of others that was borne to be begged of It is trew I craue more then euer King of England did but I haue farre greater and iuster cause and reason to craue then euer King of England had And though
the faithfull who though they be otherwise in enmitie among themselues yet agree in this respect in odium tertij as did Herod and Pilate Sixtly the compassing of the Saints and besieging of the beloued City The false Church euer persecuteth declareth vnto vs a certaine note of a false Church to be persecution for they come to seeke the faithfull the faithfull are those that are sought The wicked are the besiegers the faithfull the besieged Seuenthly Scripture by Scripture should be expounded 2. King 1.10 11. in the forme of language and phrase or maner of speaking of fire comming downe from heauen here vsed and taken out of the Booke of the Kings where at Elias his prayers with fire from heauen were destroyed Achazias his souldiers as the greatest part of all the words verses and sentences of this booke are taken and borrowed of other parts of the Scripture we are taught to vse onely Scripture for interpretation of Scripture if we would be sure and neuer swarue from the analogie of faith in expounding seeing it repeateth so oft the owne phrases and thereby expoundeth them Eightly of the last part of the confusion of the wicked euen at the top of their height and wheele we haue two things to note One that God although he suffereth the wicked to run on while their cup be full yet in the end he striketh them first in this world and next in the world to come to the deliuerance of his Church in this world and the perpetuall glory of the same in the world to come The other note is that after the great persecution and the destruction of the pursuers shall the day of Iudgement follow For so declareth the 11. verse of this same Chapter but in how short space it shall follow that is onely knowne vnto God Onely this farre are we certaine that in the last estate without any moe generall mutations the world shall remaine till the consummation and end of the same To conclude then with exhortation It is al our duties in this Isle at this time to do two things One to consider our estate And other to conforme our actions according thereunto Our estate is we are threefold besieged First spiritually by the heresies of the antichrist Secondly corporally generally as members of that Church the which in the whole they persecute Thirdly All men should be lawfully armed spiritually and bodily to fight against the Antichrist and his vpholders corporally and particularly by this present armie Our actions then conformed to our estate are these First to call for helpe at God his hands Next to assure vs of the same seeing we haue a sufficient warrant his constant promise expressed in his word Thirdly since with good conscience we may being in the tents of the Saints beloued City stand in our defence encourage one another to vse lawfull resistance and concurre or ioyne one with another as warriors in one Campe and citizens of one beloued City for maintenance of the good cause God hath clad vs with and in defence of our liberties natiue countrey and liues For since we see God hath promised not only in the world to come but also in this world to giue vs victory ouer them let vs in assurance hereof strongly trust in our God cease to mistrust his promise and fall through incredulitie or vnbeliefe For then are we worthy of double punishment For the stronger they waxe and the neerer they come to their light the faster approcheth their wracke and the day of our deliuery For kind and louing true and constant carefull and watchfull mighty and reuenging is he that promiseth it To whom be praise and glory for euer AMEN A MEDITATION VPON THE xxv xxvj xxvij xxviij and xxix verses of the xv Chap. of the first Booke of the Chronicles of the Kings Written by the most Christian King and sincere Professour of the trewth IAMES by the grace of God King of England France Scotland and Ireland Defender of the Faith THE TEXT 25 So Dauid and the Elders of Israel and the Captaines of thousands went to bring vp the Arke of the Couenant of the Lord from the house of Obed-Edom with ioy 26 And because that God helped the Leuites that bare the Arke of the Couenant of the Lord they offered seuen Bullockes and seuen Rammes 27 And Dauid had on him a linnen garment as all the Leuites that bare the Arke and the singers and Chenaniah that had the chiefe charge of the singers and vpon Dauid was a linnen Ephod 28 Thus all Israel brought vp the Arke of the Lords Couenant with shouting and sound of Cornet and with Trumpets and with Cymbales making asound with Violes and with harpes 29 And when the Arke of the Couenant of the Lord came into the Citie of Dauid Michal the daughter of Saul looked out at a window and saw King Dauid dauncing and playing and shee despised him in her heart THE MEDITATION AS of late when greatest appearance of perill was by that forreine and godlesse fleete I tooke occasion by a Text selected for the purpose to exhort you to remaine constant resting assured of a happy deliuerance So now by the great mercies of God my speeches hauing taken an euident effect I could doe no lesse of my carefull duety then out of this place cited teach you what resteth on your part to be done not of any opinion I haue of my abilitie to instruct you but that these meditations of mine may after my death remaine to the posteritie as a certaine testimony of my vpright and honest meaning in this so great and weightie a cause Now I come to the matter Dauid that godly King you see hath no sooner obtained victory ouer Gods and his enemies the Philistines but his first action which followes is with concurrence of his whole estates to translate the Arke of the Lords couenant to his house in great triumph and gladnesse accompanied with the sound of musicall instruments And being so brought to the Kings house he himselfe dances and reioyces before it which thing Michal the daughter of Saul and his wife perceiuing she contemned and laughed at her husband in her minde This is the summe THE METHOD FOr better vnderstanding whereof these heades are to be opened vp in order and applied And first what causes mooued Dauid to doe this worke Secondly what persons concurred with Dauid in doing of this worke Thirdly what was the action it selfe and forme of doing vsed in the same Fourthly the person of Michal And fiftly her action THE FIRST PART AS to the first part Zeale in Dauid and experiēce of Gods kindnesse towards him moued Dauid to honour God The causes moouing Dauid passing all others I note two One internall the other external the internall was a feruent and zealous mind in Dauid fully disposed to extoll the glorie of God that had called him to be King as he saith himselfe The zeale of thy house it eats
Germanic c. 32. TORTVS Pag. 88. 5 Adde heereunto that Cuspinian in relating the history of the Turkes brother who was poysoned by Alexander 6. hath not the consent of other writers to witnesse the trewth of this History CONFVTATION The same History which is reported by Cuspinian is recorded also by sundry other famous Historians See Francis Guicciardin lib. 2. Histor Ital. Paulus Iouius lib. 2. Hist. sui temporis Sabellic Ennead 10. lib. 9. Continuator Palmerij at the yeere 1494. THE NOVEL DOCTRINES WITH A BRIEFE DECLARATION of their Noueltie NOVEL DOCTRINE Pag. 9. 1 IT is agreed vpon amongst all that the Pope may lawfully depose Hereticall Princes and free their Subiects from yeelding obedience vnto them CONFVTATION Nay all are so farre from consenting in this point that it may much more trewly be auouched that none entertained that conceit before Hildebrand since he was the first brocher of this new doctrine neuer before heard of as many learned men of that aage and the aage next following to omit others of succeeding aages haue expresly testified See for this point the Epistle of the whole Clergie of Liege to Pope Paschal the second See the iudgement of many Bishops of those times recorded by Auentine in his historie lib. 5. fol. 579. Also the speech vttered by Conrade bishop of Vtretcht in the said fifth booke of Auentine fol. 582. And another by Eberhardus Archbishop of Saltzburge Ibid. lib. 7. p. 684. Also the iudgement of the Archbishop of Triers in constitut Imperialib à M. Haimensfeldio editis pag. 47. The Epistle of Walthram Bishop of Megburgh which is extant in Dodechine his Appendix to the Chronicle of Marianus Scotus at the yeere 1090. Benno in the life of Hildebrand The author of the booke De vnitate Ecclesiae or the Apologie for Henry the fourth Sigebert in his Chronicle at the yeere 1088. Godfrey of Viterbio in his History entituled Pantheon part 17. Ottho Frisingensis lib. 6. c. 35. praefat in lib. 7. Frederick Barbarossa lib. 6. Gunther Ligurin de gestis Frederici and lib. 1. c. 10. of Raduicus de gestis eiusdem Frederici Vincentius in speculo historiali lib. 15. c. 84. with sundry others NOVEL DOCTRINE Pag. 51. 2 In our supernaturall birth in Baptisme wee are to conceiue of a secret and implied oath which we take at our new birth to yeeld obedience to the spirituall Prince which is Christes Vicar CONFVTATION It is to bee wondred at whence this fellow had this strange new Diuinitie which surely was first framed in his owne fantasticall braine Else let him make vs a Catalogue of his Authors that hold and teach that all Christians whether infants or of aage are by vertue of an oath taken in their Baptisme bound to yeeld absolute obedience to CHRISTS Vicar the Pope or baptized in any but in CHRIST NOVEL DOCTRINE Pag. 94. 3 But since that Catholike doctrine doth not permit for the auoidance of any mischiefe whatsoeuer to discouer the secret of Sacramentall confession he Garnet rather chose to suffer most bitter death then to violate the seale of so great a Sacrament CONFVTATION That the secret of Sacramentall confession is by no meanes to bee disclosed no not indirectly or in generall so the person confessing bee concealed for auoydance and preuention of no mischiefe how great soeuer Besides that it is a position most dangerous to all Princes and Common-wealths as I shew in my Praemonition pag. 333 334. It is also a Nouell Assertion not heard of till of late dayes in the Christian world Since the common opinion euen of the Schoolemen and Canonists both old and new is vnto the contrary witnesse these Authors following Alexander Hales part 4. qu. 78. mem 2. art 2. Thom. 4. dist 21. qu. 3. art 1. ad 1. Scotus in 4. dist 21. qu. 2. Hadrian 6. in 4. dist vbi de Sacramen Confes edit Paris 1530. pag. 289. Dominic Sot in 4. dist 18. q. 4. art 5. Francis de victor summ de Sacram. n. 189. Nauar. in Enchirid. c. 8. Ioseph Angles in Florib part 1. pag. 247. edit Antuerp Petrus Soto lect 11. de confess The Iesuites also accord hereunto Suarez Tom. 4. disp in 3. part Thom. disp 33. § 3. Gregor de Valentia Tom. 4. disp 7. q. 13. punct 3. who saith the common opinion of the Schoolemen is so NOVEL DOCTRINE Pag. 102. 4 I dare boldly auow that the Catholikes haue better reason to refuse the Oath of Allegeance then Eleazar had to refuse the eating of Swines flesh CONFVTATION This assertion implieth a strange doctrine indeede that the Popes Breues are to be preferred before Moses Law And that Papists are more bound to obey the Popes decree then the Iewes were to obey the Law of God pronounced by Moses NOVEL DOCTRINE Pag. 135. 5 Churchmen are exempted from the Iurisdiction of secular Princes and therefore are no subiects to Kings yet ought they to obserue their Lawes concerning matters temporall not by vertue of any Law but by enforcement of reason that is to say not for that they are their Subiects but because reason will giue it that such Lawes are to be kept for the publike good and the quiet of the Common-wealth CONFVTATION How trew friends the Cardinall and his Chaplen are to Kings that would haue so many Subiects exempted from their power See my Praemonition Pag. 296 297. Also Pag 330. 331. c. But as for this and the like new Aphorismes I would haue these cunning Merchants to cease to vent such stuffe for ancient and Catholike wares in the Christian world till they haue disprooued their owne Venetians who charge them with Noueltie and forgerie in this point A DECLARATION CONCERNING THE PROCEEDINGS WITH THE STATES GENERALL OF THE VNITED PROVINCES OF THE LOW COVNTREYS Jn the cause of D. CONRADVS VORSTIVS TO THE HONOVR OF OVR LORD AND SAVIOVR JESVS CHRIST THE ETERNALL SONNE OF THE ETERNALL FATHER THE ONELY ΘΕΑÎΘΡΩΠΟΣ MEDIATOVR AND RECONCILER OF MANKIND IN SIGNE OF THANKFVLNES HIS MOST HVMBLE AND MOST OBLIGED SERVANT IAMES BY THE GRACE OF GOD KING OF GREAT BRITAINE FRANCE AND IRELAND Defender of the FAITH Doeth DEDICATE and CONSECRATE this his DECLARATION THat it is one of the principall parts of that duetie which appertaines vnto a Christian King to protect the trew Church within his owne Dominions and to extirpate heresies is a Maxime without all controuersie in which respect those honourable Titles of Custos Vindex vtriusque Tabulae Keeper and Auenger of both the Tables of the Law and Nutritius Ecclesiae Nursing Father of the Church do rightly belong vnto euery Emperour King and Christian Monarch But what interest a Christian King may iustly pretend to meddle in alienâ Repub. within another State or Common wealth in matters of this nature where Strangers are not allowed to be too curious is the point in question and whereof we meane at this time to treate For our zeale to the glory of God being the onely motiue that induced
Papal power whatsoeuer and yet saith withall the Pope winketh at the French by his toleration to hold this dogmaticall point for problematicall And by this meanes the Martyrdome that hee affecteth in this cause will prooue but a problematicall Martyrdome whereof question might grow very well whether it were to be mustered with grieuous crimes or with phreneticall passions of the braine or with deserued punishments Fiftly he denounceth Anathema dischargeth maledictions like haile-shot against parricides of Kings and yet elsewhere hee layes himselfe open to speake of Kings onely so long as they stand Kings But who doeth not know that a King deposed is no longer King And so that limme of Satan which murthered Henry the III. then vn-king'd by the Pope did not stabbe a King to death Sixtly he doeth not allow a King to be made away by murder and yet he thinks it not much out of the way to take away al meanes whereby he might be able to stand in defence of his life Seuenthly Pag. 95.97 hee abhorreth killing of Kings by apposted throat-cutting for feare lest body and soule should perish in the same instant and yet he doth not mislike their killing in a pitcht field and to haue them slaughtered in a set battaile For he presupposeth no doubt out of his charitable mind that by this meanes the soule of a poore King so dispatched out of the way shall instantly flie vp to heauen Eightly he saith a King deposed retaineth stil a certaine internal habitude and politike impression by vertue and efficacie whereof he may being once reformed and become a new man be restored to the lawfull vse and practise of Regalitie Whereby hee would beare vs in hand that when a forraine Prince hath inuaded and rauenously seised the kingdome into his hands he will not onely take pittie of his predecessour to saue his life but will also proue so kind-hearted vpon fight of his repentance to restore his kingdome without fraud or guile Ninthly he saith euery where in his Discourse that he dealeth not in the cause otherwise then as a problematicall discourser and without any resolution one way or other and yet with might and maine hee contends for the opinion that leaues the States and Crownes of Kings controulable by the Pope refutes obiections propounds the authoritie of Popes and Councils by name the Lateran Councill vnder Innocent III. as also the consent of the Church And to crosse the Churches iudgement is in his opinion to bring in schisme and to leaue the world without a Church for many hundred yeeres together which to my vnderstanding is to speake with resolution and without all hesitation Tenthly he acknowledgeth none other cause of sufficient validitie for the deposing of a King besides herefie apostasie and infidelitie neuerthelesse that Popes haue power to displace Kings for herefie and apostasie hee proueth by examples of Kings whom the Pope hath curbed with deposition not for heresie but for matrimoniall causes for ciuill pretences and for lacke of capacitie Eleuenthly hee alledgeth euery where passages as well of holy Scripture as of the Fathers and moderne histories but so impertinent and with so little trewth as hereafter wee shall cause to appeare that for a man of his deepe learning and knowledge it seemeth not possible so to speake out of his iudgement Lastly whereas all this hath bene hudled and heaped together into one masse to currie with the Pope yet hee suffereth diuers points to fall from his lips which may well distast his Holinesse in the highest degree As by name where he prefers the authoritie of the Councill before that of the Pope and makes his iudgement inferiour to the iudgement of the French as in fit place hereafter shal be shewed Againe where he representeth to his hearers the decrees of Popes and Councils already passed concerning this noble subiect and yet affirmes that he doth not debate the question but as a Questionist and without resolution As if a Cardinal should be afraid to be positiue and to speake in peremptory straines after Popes and Councils haue once decided the Question Or as if a man should perorate vpon hazard in a cause for the honour whereof he would make no difficultie to suffer Martyrdome Adde hereunto that his Lordship hath alwayes taken the contrary part heretofore and this totall must needs arise that before the third Estate his lips looked one way and his conscience another All these points by the discourse which is to follow and by the ripping vp of his Oration which by Gods assistance J will vndertake tending to the reproch of Kings and the subuersion of kingdomes J confidently speake it shal be made manifest Yet doe J not conceiue it can any way make for my honour to enter the lists against a Cardinall For J am not ignorant how farre a Cardinals Hat commeth vnder the Crowne and Scepter of a King For well J wot vnto what sublimitie the Scripture hath exalted Kings when it styles them Gods Whereas the dignitie of a Cardinall is but a late vpstart inuention of man In the Preface to my Apologie as J haue elsewhere prooued But J haue imbarqued my selfe in this action mooued thereunto First by the common interest of Kings in the cause it selfe Then by the L. Cardinall who speaketh not in this Oration as a priuate person but as one representing the body of the Clergie and Nobilitie by whom the cause hath bene wonne and the garland borne away from the third Estate Againe by mine owne particular because he is pleased to take me vp for a sower of dissention and a persecutour vnder whom the Church is hardly able to fetch her breath yea for one by whom the Catholikes of my Kingdome are compelled to endure all sorts of punishments and withal he tearmes this Article of the third Estate a monster with a fishes taile that came swimming out of England Last of all by the present state of France because France being now reduced to so miserable tearmes that it is now become a crime for a Frenchman to stand for his King it is a necessary duetie of her neighbours to speake in her cause and to make triall whether they can put life into the trewth now dying and ready to be buried by the power of violence that it may resound and ring againe from remote regions J haue no purpose once to touch many prettie toyes which the ridges of his whole booke are sowen withall Such are his allegations of Pericles Agesilaus Aristotle Minos the Druides the French Ladies Hannibal Pindarus and Poeticall fables All resembling the red and blew flowers that pester the corne when it standeth in the fields where they are more noy some to the growing crop then beautifull to the beholding eye Such pettie matters nothing at all beseemed the dignitie of the Assembly and of the maine subiect or of the Orator himselfe For it was no Decorum to enter the Stage with a Pericles in his mouth but with the
Vrbanus part was punished for his presumption dispoyled of his estate and kept in prison whereof he makes complaint himselfe in his 19. and 20. Epistles The L. Cardinall besides in my vnderstanding for his Masters honour should haue made no words of interdicting the whole Kingdome For when the Pope to giue a King chastisement doeth interdict his Kingdome hee makes the people to beare the punishment of the Kings offence For during the time of interdiction the Church doores through the whole Kingdome are kept continually shut and lockt vp publike seruice is intermitted in all places bels euery where silent Sacraments not administred to the people bodies of the dead so prostituted and abandoned that none dares burie the said bodies in holy ground More it is beleeued that a man dying vnder the curse of the interdict without some speciall indulgence or priuiledge is for euer damned and adiudged to eternall punishments as one that dyeth out of the communion of the Church Put case then the interdict holdeth and continueth for many yeares together alas how many millions of poore soules are damned and goe to hell for an others offence For what can or what may the faltlesse and innocent people doe withall if the King will repudiate his wife and she yet liuing ioyne himselfe in matrimonie to an other The Lord Cardinall after Philip the 1. produceth Philippus Augustus Examp. 12. who hauing renounced his wife Ingeberga daughter to the King of Denmarke and marrying with Agnes daughter to the Duke of Morauia was by Pope Innocent the third interdicted himselfe and his whole Kingdome But his Lordshippe was not pleased to insert withall what is auerred in the Chronicle of Saint Denis that Pope Caelestinus 3. sent forth two Legats at once vpon this errand Bochel pag. 320 Who being come into the assemblie and generall Council of all the French Prelats became like dumbe dogs that can not barke so as they could not bring the seruice which they had vndertaken to any good passe because they stood in a bodily feare of their owne bydes Not long after the Cardinall of Capua was in the like taking For hee durst not bring the Realme within the limits of the interdict before hee was got out of the limits of the Kingdome The King herewith incensed thrust all the Prelates that had giuen consent vnto these proceedings out of their Sees confiscated their goods c. To the same effect is that which wee reade in Matthew Paris After the Pope had giuen his Maiestie to vnderstand by the Cardinal of Anagnia that his kingdome should be interdicted vnlesse he would be reconciled to the King of England the King returned the Pope this answere that he was not in any sort afraid of the Popes sentence for as much as it could not be grounded vpon any equitie of the cause and added withall that it did no way appertaine vnto the Church of Rome to sentence Kings especially the King of France And this was done saith Iohannes Tilius Register in Court of Parliament of Paris by the counsell of the French Barons Most notable is the example of Philip the faire and hits the bird in the right eye In the yeere 1032. the Pope dispatched the Archbishop of Narbona with mandates into France commanding the King to release the Bishop of Apamia then detained in prison for contumelious words tending to the Kings defamation and spoken to the Kings owne head In very deed this Pope had conceiued a secret grudge and no light displeasure against King Philip before namely because the King had taken vpon him the collation of Benefices and other Ecclesiastical dignities Vpon which occasion the Pope sent letters to the King of this tenour and style Feare God and keepe his Commandements Wee would haue thee know that in Spirituall and Temporall causes thou art subiect vnto our selfe that collating of Benefices and Prebends doeth not in any sort appertaine to thy office and place that in case as keeper of the Spiritualties thou haue the custodie of Benefices and Prebends in thy hand when they become voyd thou shalt by sequestration reserue the fruits of the same to the vse and benefit of the next Incumbents and successors and in case thou hast heretofore collated any we ordaine the said collations to be meerely void and so farre as herein thou hast proceeded to the fact we reuoke the said collations We hold them for hereticks whosoeuer are not of this beliefe A Legate comes to Paris and brings these brauing letters By some of the Kings faithfull seruants they are violently snatched and pulled out of the Legates hands by the Earle of Artois they are cast into the fire The good King answeres the Pope and payes him in as good coyne as he had sent Philip by the grace of God King of the French to Boniface calling and bearing himselfe the Soueraigne Bishop little greeting or none at all May thy exceeding sottishnesse vnderstand that in Temporall causes we are not subiect vnto any mortall and earthly creature that collating of Benefices and Prebends by Regall right appertaineth to our office and place that appropriating their fruits when they become void belongeth to our selfe alone during their vacancie that all collations by vs heretofore made or to bee made hereafter shall stand in force that in the validitie and vertue of the said collations wee will euer couragiously defend and maintaine all Incumbents and possessors of Benefices and Prebends so by vs collated We hold them all for sots and senselesse whosoeuer are not of this beliefe The Pope incensed herewith excommunicates the King but no man dares publish that censure or become bearer thereof The King notwithstanding the said proceedings of the Pope assembles his Prelates Barons and Knights at Paris askes the whole assembly of whom they hold their Fees with al other the Temporalties of the Church They make answere with one voice that in the said matters they disclaime the Pope and know none other Lord beside his Maiestie Meane while the Pope worketh with Germanie and the Low Countreis to stirre them vp against France But Philip sendeth William of Nogaret into Italy William by the direction and aide of Sciarra Columnensis takes the Pope at Anagnia mounts him vpon a leane ill-fauoured iade caries him prisoner to Rome where ouercome with choller anguish and great indignation he takes his last leaue of the Popedome and his life All this notwithstanding the King presently after from the successours of Boniface receiues very ample and gratious Bulls in which the memorie of all the former passages and actions is vtterly abolished Extrauag Meruit Witnesse the Epistle of Clement 5. wherein this King is honoured with praises for a pious and religious Prince and his Kingdome is restored to the former estate In that aage the French Nobilitie caried other maner of spirits then the moderne and present Nobilitie doe I meane those by whom the L. Cardinal was applauded and assisted in his
the said Clergie were driuen to sue vnto the Pope for their pardon Bibliotheca Patrum Tom. 3. Hildebert Bishop of Caenomanum vpon the riuer of Sartre liuing vnder the reigne of King Philip the first affirmeth in his Epistles 40. and 75. that Kings are to bee admonished and instructed rather then punished to be dealt with by counsell rather then by command by doctrine and instruction rather then by correction For no such sword belongeth to the Church because the sword of the Church is Ecclesiasticall discipline and nothing else De consider lib. 1. cap. 6. Bernard writeth to Pope Eugenius after this manner Whosoeuer they bee that are of this mind and opinion shall neuer be able to make proofe that any one of the Apostles did euer fit in qualitie of Iudge or Diuider of lands I reade where they haue stood to bee iudged but neuer where they sate downe to giue iudgement Againe Your authoritie stretcheth vnto crimes not vnto possessions because you haue receiued the keies of the kingdome of heauen not in regard of possessions but of crimes to keepe all that pleade by couin or collusion and not lawfull possessors out of the heauenly kingdome A little after These base things of the earth are iudged by the Kings and Princes of this world wherefore doe you thrust your sickle into an others haruest wherefore doe you incroach and intrude vpon an others limits Lib. 2. cap. 6. Elsewhere The Apostles are directly forbid to make themselues Lords and rulers Goe thou then and beeing a Lord vsurpe Apostleship or beeing an Apostle vsurpe Lordship If thou needes wilt haue both doubtlesse thou shalt haue neither Iohannes Maior Doctor of Paris Dist 24. quest 3 The Soueraigne Bishop hath no temporall authoritie ouer Kings The reason Because it followes the contrarie being once granted that Kings are the Popes vassals Now let other men iudge whether he that hath power to dispossesse Kings of all their Temporalties hath not likewise authoritie ouer their Temporalties The same Author Comment in l. 4. Sent. Dist 24 fol. 214. The Pope hath no manner of title ouer the French or Spanish Kings in temporall matters Where it is further added That Pope Innocent 3. hath beene pleased to testifie that Kings of France in Temporall causes doe acknowledge no superiour For so the Pope excused himselfe to a certaine Lord of Montpellier who in stead of suing to the King had petitioned to the Pope for a dispensation for his bastard But perhaps as he speaketh it will be alledged out of the glosse that hee acknowledgeth no superiour by fact and yet ought by right But I tell you the glosse is an Aurelian glosse which marres the text Amongst other arguments Maior brings this for one This opinion ministreth matter vnto Popes to take away an others Empire by force and violence which the Pope shall neuer bring to passe as we reade of Boniface 8. against Philip the Faire Saith besides That from hence proceede warres in time of which many outragious mischiefes are done and that Gerson calls them egregious flatterers by whom such opinion is maintained In the same place Maior denies that Childeric was deposed by Pope Zacharie The word Hee deposed saith Maior is not so to bee vnderstood as it is taken at the first blush or fight but hee deposed is thus expounded in the glosse Hee gaue his consent vnto those by whom he was deposed Iohn of Paris De potest Regia Papali cap. 10. Were it graunted that Christ was armed with Temporall power yet he committed no such power to Peter A little after The power of Kings is the highest power vpon earth in Temporall causes it hath no superiour power aboue it selfe no more then the Pope hath in spirituall matters This author saith indeede the Pope hath power to excommunicate the King but he speaketh not of any power in the Pope to put downe the King from his regall dignity and authority He onely saith When a Prince is once excommunicated hee may accidentally or by occasion be deposed because his precedent excommunication incites the people to disarme him of all secular dignity and power The same Iohn on the other side holdeth opinion that in the Emperour there is inuested a power to depose the Pope in case the Pope shall abuse his power Almainus Doctor of the Sorbonic schoole Almain de potesi Eccl Laica Quest 3. cap. 8. De deminio naturali ciuil Eccl. 5. vlt. pars It is essentiall in the Lay-power to inflict ciuill punishment as death banishment and priuation or losse of goods But according to diuine institution the power Ecclesiasticall can lay no such punishment vpon delinquents nay more not lay in prison as to some Doctors it seemeth probable but stretcheth and reacheth onely to spirituall punishment as namely to excommunication all other punishments inflicted by the spirituall power are meerely by the Lawe positiue If then Ecclesiasticall power by Gods Lawe hath no authoritie to depriue any priuate man of his goods how dares the Pope and his flatterers build their power to depriue Kings of their scepters vpon the word of God The same author in an other place Quaest 1. de potest Eccles laic c. 12. 14 Bee it graunted that Constantine had power to giue the Empire vnto the Pope yet is it not hereupon to bee inferred that Popes haue authority ouer the Kingdome of France because that Kingdome was neuer subiect vnto Constantine For the King of France neuer had any superiour in Temporall matters A little after It is not in any place to bee found that God hath giuen the Pope power to make and vnmake Temporall Kings He maintaineth elsewhere that Zacharie did not depose Childeric Quaest 2. c. 8. sic nond posuit autoruat 〈◊〉 but onely consented to his deposing and so deposed him not as by authoritie In the same booke taking vp the words of Occam whom he styles the Doctor The Emperour is the Popes Lord in things Temporall and the Pope calls him Lord Quae. 3. c. 2. Quaest 11. can Sacerd. as it is witnessed in the body of the Text. The Lord Cardinall hath dissembled and concealed these words of Doctor Almainus with many like places and hath beene pleased to alledge Almainus reciting Occams authoritie in stead of quoting Almainus himselfe in those passages where he speaketh as out of his owne opinion and in his owne words A notable piece of slie and cunning conueiance For what heresie may not be fathered and fastened vpon S. Augustine or S. Hierome if they should be deemed to approoue all the passages which they alledge out of other authors And that is the reason wherefore the L. Cardinall doeth not alledge his testimonies whole and perfect as they are couched in their proper texts but clipt and curtaild Thus he dealeth euen in the first passage or testimonie of Almainus he brings it in mangled and pared he hides and conceales
discip mi. Xen. in Ages diligent and painefull vsing the aduice of such as are skilfullest in the craft as ye must also doe in all other Be homely with your souldiers as your companions for winning their hearts and extreamly liberall for then is no time of sparing Be cold and foreseeing in deuising constant in your resolutions and forward and quicke in your executions Pol. l 5. Fortifie well your Campe and assaile not rashly without an aduantage Xâ—n 1. Cyr. Thuc. 5. neither feare not lightly your enemie Be curious in deuising stratagems but alwayes honestly for of any thing they worke greatest effects in the warres Isoc ad Phil. Pla. 9. de leg Liu. l. 22. 31. Tac. 2. his Plut. de fort if secrecie be ioyned to inuention And once or twise in your owne person hazard your selfe fairely but hauing acquired so the fame of courage and magnanimitie make not a daily souldier of your selfe exposing rashly your person to euery perill but conserue your selfe thereafter for the weale of your people for whose sake yee must more care for your selfe then for your owne And as I haue counselled you to be slow in taking on a warre Of Peace so aduise I you to be slow in peace-making Isocr in Arch. Before ye agree looke that the ground of your warres be satisfied in your peace Polib 3. Cit. 1. Of. 7. Phil. Tat. 4. his and that ye see a good suretie for you and your people otherwaies a honourable and iust warre is more tollerable then a dishonourable and dis-aduantageous peace But it is not enough to a good King by the scepter of good Lawes well execute to gouerne and by force of armes to protect his people if he ioyne not therewith his vertuous life in his owne person and in the person of his Court and company by good example alluring his Subiects to the loue of vertue A Kings life must be exemplare Plan pol. 4. de leg and hatred of vice And therefore my Sonne sith all people are naturally inclined to follow their Princes example as I shewed you before let it not be said that ye command others to keepe the contrary course to that which in your owne person ye practise making so your wordes and deedes to fight together but by the contrary let your owne life be a law-booke and a mirrour to your people that therein they may read the practise of their owne Lawes and therein they may see by your image what life they should leade And this example in your owne life and person I likewise diuide in two parts The first in the gouernment of your Court and followers in all godlinesse and vertue the next in hauing your owne minde decked and enriched so with all vertuous qualities that therewith yee may worthily rule your people Plat. in Thee Euth For it is not ynough that ye haue and retaine as prisoners within your selfe neuer so many good qualities and vertues except ye employ them and set them on worke Arist 1. Eth. Cic. in Offic. for the weale of them that are committed to your charge Virtutis enim laus omnis in actione consistit First then as to the gouernment of your Court and followers Of the Court. Psal 101. King Dauid sets downe the best precepts that any wise and Christian King can practise in that point For as yee ought to haue a great care for the ruling well of all your Subiects so ought yee to haue a double care for the ruling well of your owne seruants since vnto them yee are both a Politicke and Oeconomicke gouernour Cic. ad Q frat And as euery one of the people will delite to follow the example of any of the Courteours as well in euill as in good so what crime so horrible can there be committed and ouer-seene in a Courteour that will not be an exemplare excuse for any other boldly to commit the like And therfore in two points haue ye to take good heed anent your Court and houshold first in choosing them wisely next in carefully ruling them whom ye haue chosen It is an olde and trew saying That a kindly Auer will neuer become a good horse Plat. 5. de Leg. for albeit good education and company be great helpes to Nature and education be therefore most iustly called altera natura Arist 2. oecon yet is it euill to get out of the flesh that is bred in the bone as the olde prouerbe sayth Be very ware then in making choice of your seruants and companie Nam Turpius eiicitur quà m non admittitur hospes Ouid. 5. de Trist and many respects may lawfully let an admission that will not be sufficient causes of depriuation All your seruants and Court must be composed partly of minors Of the choise of scruants such as young Lords to be brought vp in your company or Pages and such like and partly of men of perfit aage for seruing you in such roumes as ought to be filled with men of wisedome and discretion For the first sort ye can doe no more but choose them within aage Arist 1. 5. pâ—lit that are come of a good and vertuous kinde In fide parentum as Baptisme is vsed For though anima non venit ex traduce but is immediatly created by God Cic. ad Q frat and infused from aboue yet it is most certaine that vertue or vice will oftentimes with the heritage be transferred from the parents to the posteritie Witnesse the experience of the late house of Gowree Plat. 6. de Leg. Arist 2. oecon 1. pol. and runne on a blood as the Prouerbe is the sickenesse of the minde becomming as kindly to some races as these sickenesses of the body that infect in the seede Especially choose such minors as are come of a trew and honest race and haue not had the house whereof they are descended infected with falshood And as for the other sort of your companie and seruants that ought to be of perfit aage Plat. 6. de leg Isocr in pan Arist 5. pol. first see that they be of a good fame and without blemish otherwise what can the people thinke but that yee haue chosen a company vnto you according to your owne humour and so haue preferred these men for the loue of their vices and crimes that ye knew them to beguiltie of Dem. 2. ph For the people that see you not within cannot iudge of you but according to the outward appearance of your actions and companie which onely is subiect to their sight Plat. 7. de Rep. 3. et 12. de Leg. Arist 5. et 6. pobit And next see that they be indued with such honest qualities as are meete for such offices as ye ordaine them to serue in that your iudgement may be knowen in imploying euery man according to his giftes Psal 101. And shortly follow good king
bound in conscience so to doe and that no good occasion should be omitted but spake to him nothing of this matter Returning to Dunkirck with master Owen wee had speach whether hee thought the Constable would faithfully helpe vs or no. He said he beleeued nothing lesse and that they sought onely their owne ends holding small account of Catholicks I told him that there were many Gentlemen in England who would not forsake their countrey vntill they had tried the vttermost rather venture their liues then forsake her in this miserie And to adde one more to our number as a fit man both for counsel and execution of whatsoeuer we should resolue wished for master Fawkes whom I had heard good commendations of hee told mee the Gentleman deserued no lesse but was at Brussels and that if he came not as happily he might before my departure he would send him shortly after into England I went soone after to Ostend where sir William Stanley as then was not but came two daies after I remained with him three or foure daies in which time I asked him if the Catholicks in England should do any thing to helpe themselues whether he thought the Archduke would second them He answered No for all those parts were so desirous of peace with England as they would endure no speach of other enterprise neither were it fit said hee to set any proiect afoot now the Peace is vpon concluding I told him there was no such resolution and so fell to discourse of other matters vntill I came to speake of master Fawkes whose company I wished ouer into England I asked of his sufficiencie in the warres and told him wee should need such as hee if occasion required hee gaue very good commendations of him And as wee were thus discoursing and I ready to depart for Newport and taking my leaue of Sir William Master Fawkes came into our companie newly returned and saluted vs. This is the Gentleman said Sir William that you wished for and so we embraced againe I told him some good friends of his wished his companie in England and that if hee pleased to come to Dunkircke wee would haue further conference whither I was then going so taking my leaue of them both I departed About two dayes after came Master Fawkes to Dunkirck where I told him that we were vpon a resolution to doe somewhat in England if the Peace with Spaine helped vs not but had as yet resolued vpon nothing such or the like talke wee passed at Graueling where I lay for a winde and when it serued came both in one Passage to Greenwich neere which place wee tooke a paire of Oares and so came vp to London and came to Master Catesby whom wee found in his lodging hee welcommed vs into England and asked mee what newes from the Constable I told him good words but I feared the deedes would not answere This was the beginning of Easter Terme and about the middest of the same Terme whether sent for by Master Catesby or vpon some businesse of his owne vp came Master Thomas Percy The first word hee spake after hee came into our company was Shall we alwayes Gentlemen talke and neuer doe any thing Master Catesby took him aside and had speach about somewhat to be done so as first we might all take an oath of secrecie which wee resolued within two or three dayes to doe so as there we met behind S. Clements Master Catesby Master Percy Master Wright Master Guy Fawkes and my selfe and hauing vpon a Primer giuen each other the oath of secrecie in a chamber where no other bodie was wee went after into the next roome and heard Masse and receiued the blessed Sacrament vpon the same Then did Master Catesby disclose to Master Percy and I together with Iacke Wright tell to Master Fawkes the businesse for which wee tooke this oath which they both approued And then was M. Percy sent to take the house which M. Catesby in mine absence had learned did belong to one Ferris which with some difficultie in the end he obtained and became as Ferris before was Tenant to Whynniard M. Fawkes vnderwent the name of M. Percies man calling himselfe Iohnson because his face was the most vnknowen and receiued the keyes of the house vntill wee heard that the Parliament was adiourned to the seuenth of Februarie At which time we all departed seuerall wayes into the countrey to meete againe at the beginning of Michaelmas Terme Before this time also it was thought conuenient to haue a house that might answere to M. Percies where we might make prouision of powder and wood for the Mine which beeing there made ready should in a night be conueyed by boate to the house by the Parliament because wee were loath to foile that with often going in and out There was none that we could deuise so fit as Lambeth where Master Catesby often lay and to bee keeper thereof by M. Catesbies choice we receiued into the number Keyes as a trustie honest man this was about a moneth before Michaelmas Some fortnight after towards the beginning of the Terme M. Fawkes and I came to M. Catesby at Morecrofts where we agreed that now was time to beginne and set things in order for the Mine So as Master Fawkes went to London and the next day sent for me to come ouer to him when I came the cause was for that the Scottish Lords were appointed to sit in conference of the Vnion in Master Percies house This hindered our beginning vntill a fortnight before Christmas by which time both Master Percie and Master Wright were come to London and wee against their comming had prouided a good part of the powder so as wee all fiue entred with tooles fit to beginne our worke hauing prouided our selues of Baked-meates the lesse to need sending abroad We entred late in the night and were neuer seene saue onely Master Percies man vntill Christmas Eue In which time we wrought vnder a little Entry to the wall of the Parliament house and vnderpropped it as we went with wood Whilest we were together we began to fashion our businesse and discoursed what we should doe after this deed was done The first question was how we might surprize the next heire the Prince haply would bee at the Parliament with the King his Father how should wee then bee able to seaze on the Duke This burthen Master Percie vndertooke that by his acquaintance hee with another Gentleman would enter the Chamber without suspition and hauing some doozen others at seuerall doores to expect his comming and two or three on horsebacke at the Court gate to receiue him hee would vndertake the blow beeing giuen vntill which hee would attend in the Dukes Chamber to carrie him safe away for hee supposed most of the Court would bee absent and such as were there not suspecting or vnprouided for any such matter For the Lady ELIZABETH it were easie to surprize her in the Countrey by
For before Pius Quintus his excommunication giuing her ouer for a prey and setting her Subiects at libertie to rebell it is well knowne she neuer medled with the blood or hard punishment of any Catholique nor made any rigorous Lawes against them And since that time who list to compare with an indifferent eye the manifold intended inuasions against her whole Kingdome the forreine practises the internall publike rebellions the priuate plots and machinations poysonings murthers and all sorts of deuises quid non daily set abroach and all these wares continually fostered and fomented from Rome together with the continuall corrupting of her Subiects as well by temporall bribes as by faire and specious promises of eternall felicitie and nothing but booke vpon booke publikely set foorth by her fugitiues for approbation of so holy designes who list I say with an indifferent eye to looke on the one part vpon those infinite and intollerable temptations and on the other part vpon the iust yet moderate punishment of a part of these hainous offendors shall easily see that that blessed defunct LADIE was as free from persecution as they shall free these hellish Instruments from the honour of martyrdome 5. But now hauing sacrificed if I may so say to the Manes of my late Predecessour I may next with Saint PAVL iustly vindicate mine owne fame from those innumerable calumnies spread against me in testifying the trewth of my behauiour toward the Papists wherein I may trewly affirme That whatsoeuer was her iust and mercifull Gouernement ouer the Papists in her time my Gouernement ouer them since hath so farre exceeded hers in Mercie and Clemencie as not onely the Papists themselues grewe to that height of pride in confidence of my mildnesse as they did directly expect and assuredly promise to themselues libertie of Conscience and equalitie with other of my Subiects in all things but euen a number of the best and faithfulliest of my sayde Subiects were cast in great feare and amazement of my course and proceedings euer prognosticating and iustly suspecting that sowre fruite to come of it which shewed it selfe clearely in the Powder-Treason How many did I honour with Knighthood of knowen and open Recusants How indifferently did I giue audience and accesse to both sides bestowing equally all fauours and honours on both professions How free and continuall accesse had all rankes and degrees of Papists in my Court and company And aboue all how frankely and freely did I free Recusants of their ordinarie paiments Besides it is cuident what strait order was giuen out of my owne mouth to the Iudges to spare the execution of all Priests notwithstanding their conuiction ioyning thereunto a gracious Proclamation whereby all Priests that were at libertie and not taken might goe out of the countrey by such a day my generall Pardon hauing beene extended to all conuicted Priestes in prison whereupon they were set at libertie as good Subiects and all Priests that were taken after sent ouer and set at libertie there But time and paper will faile me to make enumeration of all the benefits and fauours that I bestowed in generall and particular vpon Papists in recounting whereof euery scrape of my penne would serue but for a blot of the Popes ingratitude and iniustice in meating me with so hard a measure for the same So as I thinke I haue sufficiently or at least with good reason wiped the * Magno cum anims moerore c. teares from the Popes eyes for complaining vpon such persecution who if hee had beene but politickely wise although hee had had no respect to Iustice and Veritie would haue in this complaint of his made a difference betweene my present time and the time of the late Queene And so by his commending of my moderation in regard of former times might haue had hope to haue mooued me to haue continued in the same clement course For it is a trew saying that alledged kindnesse vpon noble mindes doeth euer worke much And for the maine vntrewth of any persecution in my time it can neuer bee prooued that any were or are put to death since I came to the Crowne for cause of Conscience except that now this discharge giuen by the Pope to all Catholiques to take their Oath of Allegiance to me be the cause of the due punishment of many which if it fall out to be let the blood light vpon the Popes head who is the onely cause thereof As for the next point contained in his Breue concerning his discharge of all Papists to come to our Church or frequent our rites and ceremonies I am not to meddle at this time with that matter because my errand now onely is to publish to the world the Iniurie and Iniustice done vnto me in discharging my subiects to make profession of their obedience vnto mee The intendement of this discourse Now as to the point where the Oath is quarrelled it is set downe in fewe but very weighty wordes to wit That it ought to be cleare vnto all Catholiques that this Oath cannot bee taken with safetie of the Catholique Faith and of their soules health since it containeth many things that are plainely and directly contrarie to their faith and saluation To this the old saying fathered vpon the Philosopher may very fitly bee applied Multa dicit sed pauca probat nay indeed Nihil omnino probat For how the profession of the naturall Allegiance of Subiects to their Prince can be directly opposite to the faith and saluation of soules is so farre beyond my simple reading in Diuinitie as I must thinke it a strange and new Assertion to proceede out of the mouth of that pretended generall Pastor of all Christian soules I reade indeede and not in one or two or three places of Scripture that Subiects are bound to obey their Princes for conscience sake whether they were good or wicked Princes So said the people to 1 Iosh 1.17 Ioshua As wee obeyed Moses in all things so will wee obey thee So the 2 Iere. 27.12 Prophet commanded the people to obey the King of Babel saying Put your neckes vnder the yoke of the King of Babel and serue him and his people that yee may liue So were the children of Israel vnto 3 Exod. 5.1 Pharaoh desiring him to let them goe so to 4 Ezra 1.3 Cyrus obtaining leaue of him to returne to build the Temple and in a word the Apostle willed all men 5 Rom. 13 5. to bee subiect to the higher powers for conscience sake Agreeable to the Scriptures did the Fathers teach 6 August in Psalm 124. Augustine speaking of Iulian saith Iulian was an vnbeleeuing Emperour was hee not an Apostata an Oppressour and an Idolater Christian Souldiers serued that vnbeleeuing Emperour when they came to the cause of CHRIST they would acknowledge no Lord but him that is in heauen When hee would haue them to worship Idoles and to sacrifice they preferred GOD before
conclusion of all his examples The Cardinals paire of Martyrs weighed he reckoneth his two English Martyrs Moore and Roffensis who died for that one most weightie head of doctrine as he alledgeth refusing the Oath of Supremacie I must tell him that he hath not been well informed in some materiall points which doe very neerely concerne his two said Martyrs For it is cleare and apparantly to be prooued by diuers Records that they were both of them committed to the Tower about a yeere before either of them was called in question vpon their liues for the Popes Supremacie And that partly for their backwardnesse in the point of the establishment of the Kings succession whereunto the whole Realme had subscribed and partly for that one of them to wit Fisher had had his hand in the matter of the holy 8 Called Elizabeth Barton See the Act of Parliament maide of Kent hee being for his concealement of that false prophets abuse found guiltie of misprision of Treason And as these were the principall causes of their imprisonment the King resting secure of his Supremacie as the Realme stood then affected but especially troubled for setling the Crowne vpon the issue of his second mariage so was it easily to be conceiued that being thereupon discontented their humors were thereby made apt to draw them by degrees to further opposition against the King and his authoritie as indeede it fell out For in the time of their being in prison the Kings lawfull authoritie in cases Ecclesiasticall being published and promulged as well by a generall decree of the Clergie in their Synode as by an Acte of Parliament made thereupon they behaued themselues so peeuishly therein as the olde coales of the Kings anger being thereby raked vp of new they were againe brought in question as well for this one most weighty head of doctrine of the Pope his supremacy as for the matter of the Kings mariage and succession as by the confession of one of themselues euen Thomas Moore is euident For being condemned he vsed these words at the barre before the Lords Non ignoro cur me morti adiudicaueritis videlicet ob id Histor aliquet Martyrum nostri seculi Anno 1550. quòd nunquam voluerim assentiri in negotio matrimonij Regis That is I am not ignorant why you haue adiudged mee to death to wit for that I would neuer consent in the businesse of the new mariage of the King By which his owne confession it is plaine that this great martyr himselfe tooke the cause of his owne death to be onely for his being refractary to the King in this said matter of Marriage and Succession which is but a very fleshly cause of Martyrdome as I conceiue And as for Roffensis his fellow Martyr who could haue bene content to haue taken the Oath of the Kings Supremacie with a certaine modification which Moore refused as his imprisonment was neither onely nor principally for the cause of Supremacie so died hee but a halting and a singular Martyr or witnesse for that most weighty head of doctrine the whole Church of England going at that time in one current and streame as it were against him in that Argument diuers of them being of farre greater reputation for learning and sound iudgement then euer he was So as in this point we may well arme our selues with the Cardinals owne reason where he giueth amongst other notes of the trew Church Vniuersalitie for one wee hauing the generall and Catholique conclusion of the whole Church of England on our side in this case as appeareth by their booke set out by the whole Conuocation of England called The Institution of a Christian man the same matter being likewise very learnedly handled by diuers particular learned men of our Church as by Steuen Gardiner in his booke De vera obedientia with a Preface of Bishop Boners adioyning to it De summo absoluto Regis Imperio published by M. Bekinsaw De vera differentia Regiae Potestatis Ecclesiasticae Bishop Tonstals Sermon Bishop Longlands Sermon the letter of Tonstall to Cardinall Poole and diuers other both in English and Latine And if the bitternesse of Fishers discontentment had not bene fed with his dayly ambitious expectation of the Cardinals hat which came so neere as Calis before he lost his head to fill it with I haue great reason to doubt if he would haue constantly perseuered in induring his Martyrdome for that one most waighty head of doctrine And surely these two Captaines and ringleaders to Martyrdome were but ill followed by the rest of their countreymen for I can neuer reade of any after them being of any great accompt and that not many that euer sealed that weighty head of doctrine with their blood in England So as the trew causes of their first falling in trouble whereof I haue already made mention being rightly considered vpon the one part and vpon the other the scant number of witnesses that with their blood sealed it a point so greatly accompted of by our Cardinal there can but smal glory redound thereby to our English nation these onely two Enoch and Elias seruing for witnesses against our Antichristian doctrine And I am sure the Supremacie of Kings may The Supremacy of Kings sufficiently warranted by the Scriptures wil euer be better maintained by the word of God which must euer be the trew rule to discerne all waighty heads of doctrine by to be the trew and proper office of Christian Kings in their owne dominions then he will be euer able to maintaine his annihilating Kings and their authorities together with his base and vnreuerend speaches of them wherewith both his former great Volumes and his late Bookes against Venice are filled In the old Testament Kings were directly 1 2. Chron. 19.4 Gouernours ouer the Church within their Dominions 2 2. Sam. 5.6 purged their corruptions reformed their abuses brought the 3 1. Chron. 13.12 Arke to her resting place the King 4 2. Sam. 6.16 dancing before it 5 1. Chron. 28.6 built the Temple 6 2. Chron. 6. dedicated the same assisting in their owne persons to the sanctification thereof 7 2. King 22.11 made the Booke of the Law new-found to bee read to the people 8 Nehe. 9.38 Dauid Salomon renewed the Couenant betweene God and his people 9 2. King 18.4 bruised the brasen serpent in pieces which was set vp by the expresse commandement of God and was a figure of Christ destroyed 10 1. King 15.12 2. king 13.4 all Idoles and false gods made 11 2. Chron. 17.8 a publike reformation by a Commission of Secular men and Priests mixed for that purpose deposed 12 1. King 2.27 the high Priest and set vp another in his place and generally ordered euery thing belonging to the Church-gouernment their Titles and Prerogatiues giuen them by God agreeing to these their actions They are called the 13 2.
was offered them to discharge him all the answere he could procure from them was but this that Whereas a Proposition was made on the behalfe of his Maiestie of Great Britaine in the assembly of the Lords States Generall of the Vnited Prouinces by Sir Ralph Winwood his Maiesties Ambassadour and Councellour in the Councel of State in those countreys exhibited in writing the 21. of the moneth precedent the substance thereof being first amply debated by the Deputies of the States of Holland and West-Frizeland and thereupon mature deliberation had The said Lords States Generall in answere to the said Proposition haue most humbly requested and by these presents doe humbly request his Maiestie to beleeue that as for preseruation of the libertie rights and priuiledges of the Low-Countreys against the vniust tyrannicall and bloody courses contrary thereunto practised for many yeeres vpon the consciences bodies and fortunes of the good Inhabitants of all qualities of those Countreys by the Spaniards and their Adherents they haue been constrained after a long patience many Remonstrances Requests and other submissiue proceedings vsed in vaine to take armes for their necessary defence when they saw no other remedy as also to craue the assistance of his Maiestie particularly and of other Kings Princes and Common wealths by whose fauor but principally by his Maiesties they haue since continually susteined for many yeeres with an exceeding great constancie and moderation as well in prosperitie as in aduersity a heauie chargeable and bloody warre many terrible and cruell encounters notable Battailes both by land and sea matchlesse Sieges of a number of Townes Ruines and deuastation of Cities and Countreys and other difficulties incident to the warre So doe their Lordships alwayes confesse that in specie the chiefe and principall reason which hath moued them at first to entertaine and since to maintaine the said resolution hath beene the foresaid tyrannie exercised vpon the consciences bodies and goods of their people by introduction of the Inquisition and constraint in matter of Religion For which respects their Obligation to his Maiestie is greatly increased in that after so many demonstrations of affection fauours and assistances in the pursuite of their iust cause his Maiestie is yet pleased like a louing Father to assure vnto them the continuance of the same Royall affection and assistance by taking care that the trew Christian reformed Religion bee purely and sincerely taught within their Countreys aswell in Churches as in Schooles For which the Lords States Generall doe most humbly thanke his Maiestie and will for their parts by all lawfull meanes endeuour so to second his sincere and Christian intention in this particular as his Maiestie shall receiue all good contentment As concerning the businesse of Doct. Vorstius principally handled in the foresaid Proposition the Lords States Generall to make the matter more plaine haue informed themselues First that the Curators of the Vniuersitie of Leyden according to their duetie and the ancient custome euer since the foundation of that Vniuersitie hauing diligently made inquirie for some Doctor to bee chosen into the place of Diuinitie Professor there at that time voyd after mature deliberation were giuen to vnderstand that at Steinford within the Dominions of the Counts of Tecklenbourg Bentem c. who were of the first Counts that in Germanie had cast off the yoke of the Papacie Idolatrie and impure religion and imbraced the reformed Religion which to this day they maintaine there did remaine one Doct. Conradus Vorstius who had continued in that place about fifteene yeeres a Professor of trew Religion and a Minister and that the saide Conradus Vorstius for his learning and other good parts was much sought after by Prince Maurice Lantgraue of Hessen with intent to make him Diuinitie Professor in some Vniuersitie of his Countrey Moreouer that hee had sufficiently and to the great contentment euen of those that are now become his greatest aduersaries shewed with a Christian moderation his learning and puritie in the holy knowledge of Diuinity against the renowned Iesuite Bellarmine And that the sayd Conradus Vorstius was thereupon sent for by the Curators aforesayde about the beginning of Iuly 1610. which message beeing seconded by letters of recommendation from his Excellencie and from the deputy Councelors for the States of Holland and Westfrizeland vnto the sayd Counts of Tecklenburg did accordingly take effect In the moneth of August following the said Election and Calling was countermined by certaine persons to whose office or disposition the businesse did nothing at all belong which being perceiued and the sayd Vorstius charged with some vnsoundnesse of doctrine the Curators did thereupon thinke fit with the good liking of Vorstius himselfe that as well in the Vniuersitie of Leyden as at the Hage he should appeare in his owne iustification to answere all accusers and accusations whatsoeuer At which time there was not any one that did offer to charge him In the moneth of May following sixe Ministers did vndertake to prooue that VORSTIVS had published false and vnsound doctrine who afterward beeing heard in full assembly of the States of Holland and Westfrizeland in the presence of the Curators and sixe other Ministers on the one part and Vorstius in his owne defence on the other part and that which could bee said on either side to the seuerall points in their seuer all refutations respectiuely The said Lords States hauing grauely deliberated vpon the allegations as well of the one part as of the other as also heard the opinions of the said Ministers after the maner and custome of the sayd assembly could not see any reason why the execution of that which was done by the Curators lawfully and according to order ought to bee hindred for impeached In August following there being sent ouer hither certaine other Articles wherewith Vorstius was charged and dispersed in little printed Pamphlets amongst the people the sayd Lords States entred into a new consultation and there resolued that Vorstius according both to Gods Law the Law of Nature and the law written as also according to the laudable vse and customes of their country should be heard against his new accusers concerning those Articles there layed to his charge And moreouer it was generally declared by the States of Holland and Westfrizeland there assembled as euery one of them likewise in his owne particular and the Curators and Bourgmasters of Leyden for their parts did specially declare That there was neuer any intention to permit other Religion to bee taught in the Vniuersity of Leyden then the Christian Religion reformed and grounded vpon the word of God And besides that if the sayd Vorstius should bee found guilty in any of the aforesayd points whereof hee was accused that they would not admit him to the place of Professour The Deputies of the sayd Lords States of Holland and Westfrizeland further declaring that they doe assuredly beleeue that if his Maiesty of Great Britaine were well informed of the trew circumstances
of this businesse and of their sincere intention therein hee would according to his high wisedome prudence and benignitie conceiue fauourably of them and their proceedings whereof the Lords States Generall are no lesse confident and the rather for that the said Deputies haue assured them that the Lords States of Holland and Westfrizeland their Superiors would proceede in this businesse as in all others with all due reuerence care and respect vnto his Maiesties serious admonition as becommeth them And the Lords States Generall doe request the said Lord Ambassadour to recommend this their Answere vnto his Maiestie with fauour Giuen at the Hage in the Assembly of the said Lords States Generall 1. October 1611. BVt before wee had receiued this answere from the States some of Vorstius books were brought ouer into England and as it was reported not without the knowledge and direction of the Authour And about the same time one Bertius a scholler of the late Arminius who was the first in our aage that infected Leyden with Heresie was so impudent as to send a Letter vnto the Archbishop of Canterbury with a Booke intituled De Apostasia Sanctorum And not thinking it sufficient to auow the sending of such a booke the title whereof onely were enough to make it worthy the fire hee was moreouer so shamelesse as to maintaine in his Letter to the Archbishop that the doctrine conteined in his booke was agreeable with the doctrine of the Church of England Let the Church of CHRIST then iudge whether it was not high time for vs to bestirre our selues when as this Gangrene had not onely taken holde amongst our neerest neighbours so as Nonsolùm paries proximus iam ardebat not onely the next house was on fire but did also begin to creepe into the bowels of our owne Kindome For which cause hauing first giuen order that the said bookes of Vorstius should be publikely burnt as well in Pauls Church-yard as in both the Vniuersities of this Kingdome wee thought good to renew our former request vnto the States for the banishment of Vorstius by a Letter which wee caused our Ambassadour to deliuer vnto them from vs at their Assembly in the Hage the fifth of Nouember whereunto they had referred vs in their former answere the tenor of which Letter was as followeth HIgh and mightie Lords Hauing vnderstood by your answere to that Proposition which was made vnto you in our name by our Ambassadour there resident That at your Assembly to bee holden in Nouember next you are resolued then to giue order concerning the businesse of that wretched D. Vorstius Wee haue thought good notwithstanding the declaration which our Ambassadour hath already made vnto you in our name touching that particular to put you againe in remembrance thereof by this Letter and thereby freely to discharge our selues both in point of our duetie towards God and of that sincere friendship which wee beare towards you First We assure Our selues that you are sufficiently perswaded that no worldly respect could moue Vs to haue thus importuned you in an affaire of this nature being drawen into it onely through Our zeale to the glory of God and the care which Wee haue that all occasion of such great scandals as this is vnto the trew reformed Church of God might bee in due time foreseene and preuented Wee are therefore to let you vnderstand that Wee doe not a little wonder that you haue not onely sought to prouide an habitation in so eminent a place amongst you for such a corrupted person as this Vorstius is but that you haue also afforded him your license and protection to print that Apologie which he hath dedicated vnto you A booke wherein he doeth most impudently maintaine the execrable blasphemies which in his former hee had disgorged The which wee are now able to affirme out of our owne knowledge hauing since that Letter which wee wrote vnto our Ambassadour read ouer and ouer againe with our owne eyes not without extreme mislike and horrour both his bookes the first dedicated to the Lantgraue of Hessen and the other to you We had well hoped that the corrupt seed which that enemie of God Arminius did sowe amongst you some few yeeres since whose disciples and followers are yet too bold and frequent within your Dominions had giuen you a sufficient warning afterwards to take heed of such infected persons seeing your owne Countrey men already diuided into Factions vpon this occasion a matter so opposite to vnitie which is indeed the onely prop and safetie of your State next vnder God as of necessitie it must by little and little bring you to vtter ruine if wisely you doe not prouide against it and that in time It is trew that it was Our hard hap not to heare of this Arminius before he was dead and that all the Reformed Churches of Germanie had with open mouth complained of him But assoone as Wee vnderstood of that distraction in your State which after his death he left behind him We did not faile taking the opportunitie when your last extraordinary Ambassadors were here with Vs to vse some such speeches vnto them concerning this matter as We thought fittest for the good of your State and which we doubt not but they haue faithfully reported vnto you For what need We make any question of the arrogancie of these Heretiques or rather Atheisticall Sectaries amongst you when one of them at this present remaining in your towne of Leyden hath not onely presumed to publish of late a blasphemous Booke of the Apostasie of the Saints but hath besides beene so impudent as to send the other day a copie thereof as a goodly present to Our Arch-Bishop of Canterbury together with a letter wherein he is not ashamed as also in his Booke to lie so grossely as to auowe that his Heresies conteined in the said Booke are agreeable with the Religion and profession of Our Church of England For these respects therefore haue Wee cause enough very heartily to request you to roote out with speed those Heresies and Schismes which are beginning to bud foorth amongst you which if you suffer to haue the reines any longer you cannot expect any other issue thereof then the curse of God infamy throughout all the reformed Churches and a perpetuall rent and distraction in the whole body of your State But if peraduenture this wretched Vorstius should denie or equiuocate vpon those blasphemous poynts of Heresie and Atheisme which already hee hath broached that perhaps may mooue you to spare his person and not cause him to bee burned which neuer any Heretique better deserued and wherein we will leaue him to your owne bristian wisedome but to suffer him vpon any defence or abnegation which hee shall offer to make still to continue and to teach amongst you is a thing so abominable as we assure our selues it will not once enter into any of your thoughts For admit hee would proue himselfe innocent which neuerthelesse he cannot
pronounce in the like case Mala est impia consuetudo contra Deum disputandi siuè seriò id fit siuè simulatè It is an euill and a wicked custome saith hee to dispute against God whether it be in earnest or in iest Now my Lords I addresse my selfe vnto your Lordships and according vnto the charge which I haue receiued from the King my Master I coniure you by the amitie that is betwixt his Kingdomes and your Prouinces the which on his part will continue alwayes inuiolable to awaken your spirits and to haue a carefull eye at this Assembly of Holland which is already begunne ne quid Respublica detrimenti capiat That the Common wealth take no harme which vndoubtedly at one time or other will be turned vpside downe if you suffer such a dangerous contagion to barbour so neere you and not remoue it out of your Prouinces assoone as possibly you may The disciples of Socinus with whose doctrine he hath bene suckled in his childhood doe seeke him for their Master and are ready to embrace him Let him goe bee is a Bird of their owne feather Et dignum sanè patellâ operculum A couer fit for such a dish On the other side the Students in Diuinitie at Leyden to the number of 56. by a duetiful Remonstrance presented vnto the States of Holland the 16. of October the last yeere did most humbly beseech the said States not to vse their authoritie in compelling them to receiue a Professor who both by the attestations of the Diuinitie Colledges at Basil and Heydelberg as also by manifest euidence out of his owne writings is conuinced of an infinite number of Heresies These reasons therefore namely the proofes of so many enormous and horrible Heresies maintained in his Bookes the instance of his Maiestie grounded vpon the welfare and honour of this Countrey the requests either of all or of the most part of your Prouinces the petitions of all the Ministers excepting those onely which are of Arminius Sect should me thinkes preuaile so farre with my Lords the States of Holland and we hope will so farre preuaile as they will at the last apply themselues to the performance of that which both the sinceritie of Religion and the seruice of their Countrey requireth at their hands Furthermore I haue commandement from his Maiestie to mooue you in his Name to set downe some certaine Reglement in matters of Religion throughout your Prouinces that this licentious freedome of disputation may by that meanes be restrained which breeds nothing but Factions and part-taking and that you would absolutely take away the libertie of Prophecying which Vorstius doeth so much recommend vnto you in the dedicatorie Epistle of his Anti-Bellarmine the Booke whereof his Patrons doe boast so much To conclude his Maiestie doeth exhort you seeing you haue heretofore taken Armes for the libertie of your consciences and haue so much endured in a violent and bloody warre the space of fourtie yeeres for the profession of the Gospel that now hauing gotten the vpper hand of your miseries you would not suffer the followers of Arminius to make your actions an example for them to proclaime throughout the world that wicked doctrine of the Apostasie of the Saints To bee short the account which his Maiestie doeth make of your amitie appeares sufficiently by the Treaties which hee hath made with your Lordships by the succours which your Prouinces haue receiued from his crownes by the deluge of blood which his subiects haue spent in your warres Religion is the onely sowder of this Amitie For his Maiestie being by the Grace of GOD Defender of the Faith by which Title hee doeth more value himselfe then by the Title of King of Great Britaine doeth hold himselfe obliged to defend all those who professe the same Faith and Religion with him But if once your zeale begin to grow colde therein his Maiestie will then straightwayes imagine that your friendship towards him and his subiects will likewise freeze by little and little Thus much I had in charge to adde vnto that which his Maiestie in his owne letters hath written vnto you You may bee pleased to consider of it as the importance of the cause doeth require and to resolue thereupon that which your wisedomes shall thinke fittest for the honour and seruice of your Countrey But our Ambassadour hauing after a delay for the space of diuers weekes receiued this cold and ambiguous answere vnto our Letter and Proposition that is to say That The Lords States Generall hauing seriously deliberated vpon the Proposition which was made vnto them by our Ambassadour the fift of Nouember as also vpon our Letters of the sixt of October deliuered vnto them at the same time did very humbly giue vs thankes for the continuance of our Royall affection toward the welfare of their Countreys and the preseruation of the trew reformed Christian Religion therein And that the said States Generall as also the States of Holland and Westfrizeland in their seuerall assemblies respectiuely hauing entred into consultation with all due reuerence and regard vnto vs concerning those Articles wherewith Doctor Conradus Vorstius was charged the Curators of the Vniuersitie of Leyden did thereupon take occasion to make an order prouisionall that the said Vorstius should not bee admitted to the exercise of his place which was accordingly performed So as vpon the matter hee was then in the Citie of Leyden but as an inhabitant or Citizen And that in case the said Vorstius should not bee able to cleare himselfe from those accusations which were layd to his charge before or in the next Assembly of the States of Holland and Westfrizeland which was to bee holden in February following the Lords States Generall did then assure themselues that the States of Holland and Westfrizeland would decide the matter with good contentment And therefore forasmuch as at that time there could be no more done in the cause without great inconuenience and distaste to the principall Townes of the said Prouinces our Ambassadour was required to recommend thus much in the best manner he could vnto vs and with the most aduantage to the seruice of their Countrey Vpon the coldnesse therefore of this Answere which hee feared would giue vs no satisfaction hee thought it was now high time to consider what the last remedy might bee whereof vse was to bee made for the aduancement of this businesse and perceiuing that hee had already performed all the rest of our commandements excepting onely to Protest in case of refusall and esteeming such a cold answere accompanied with so many delayes to be no lesse in effect then an absolute refusall hee thereupon resolued to make this Protestation in their publique assemblie which hereafter followeth MY Lords The Historiographers who haue diligently looked into the Antiquities of France doe obserue that the Aduocates there in times past were accustomed to begin their pleadings with some Latine Sentence taken out of the holy Scriptures I
the spirituall Pastor of soules forsooth pulles the cloake of a poore sinner from his backe by violence or cuts his purse and thereby appropriates an other mans goods to his priuate vse It is to be obserued withall that when the Emperours were not of sufficient strength and Popes had power to beard and to braue Emperours then these Papall practises were first set on foot This Emperour notwithstanding turned head and peckt againe his Lieutenant entred Rome and Gregorie 3. successor to this Gregorie 2. was glad to honour the same Emperour with style and title of his Lord witnesse two seuerall Epistles of the said Gregorie 3. written to Boniface and subscribed in this forme Dat. 10. Cal. Decem Imperante Dom. pijssimo Augusto Leone à Deo coronato magno Imp. anno decimo Imperij eius Examp. 7. Dated the tenth alends of December In the raigne of our most pious and religious Lord Augustus Leo crowned of God the great Emperour in the tenth yeere of his raigne The L. Cardinall with no lesse abuse alleadgeth Pope Zacharie by whom the French as he affirmeth were absolued of the oath of all egiance wherein they stood bound to Childeric their King And for this instance he standeth vpon the testimonie of Paulus Aemilius and du Tillet a paire of late writers But by authors more neere that aage wherein Childeric raigned it is more trewly testified that it was a free and voluntarie act of the French onely asking the aduise of Pope Zacharie but requiring neither leaue nor absolution Ado Bishop of Vienna in his Chronicles hath it after this manner The French following the Counsell of Embassadors and of Pope Zachary elected Pepin their King and established him in the Kingdome Trithemius in his abridgement of Annals thus Childeric as one vnfit for gouernement was turned out of his Kingdome with common consent of the Estates and Peeres of the Realme so aduised by Zacharie Pope of Rome Godfridus of Viterbe in the 17. part of his Chronicle and Guauguin in the life of Pepin affirme the same And was it not an easie matter to worke Pepin by counsell to lay hold on the Kingdome when he could not be hindered from fastening on the Crowne and had already seizd it in effect howsoeuer he had not yet attained to the name of King Moreouer the rudenesse of that Nation then wanting knowledge and Schooles either of diuinitie or of Academicall sciences was a kind of spurre to make them runne for counsell ouer the mountaines which neuerthelesse in a cause of such nature they required not as necessary but onely as decent and for fashion sake The Popealso for his part was well appaied by this meanes to draw Pepin vnto his part as one that stood in some neede of his aide against the Lombards and the more because his Lord the Emperour of Constantinople was then brought so low that hee was not able to send him sufficient aide for the defence of his territories against his enemies But had Zacharie to deale plainely not stood vpon the respect of his owne commodity more then vpon the regard of Gods feare he would neuer haue giuen counsell vnto the seruant vnder the pretended colour of his Masters dull spirit so to turne rebell against his Master The Lawes prouide Gardians or ouerseers for such as are not well in their wits they neuer depriue and spoile them of their estate they punish crimes but not diseases and infirmities by nature Yea in France it is a very auncient custome when the King is troubled in his wits to establish a Regent who for the time of the Kings disability may beare the burden of the Kingdomes affaires So was the practise of that State in the case of Charles 6. when hee fell into a phrensie whom the Pope notwithstanding his most grieuous and sharpe fits neuer offered to degrade And to be short what reason what equity will beare the children to be punished for the fathers debilitie Yet such punishment was laid vpon Childerics whole race and house who by this practise were all disinherited of the Kingdome But shall wee now take some view of the L. Pag. 25. Cardinals excuse for this exemplarie fact The cause of Childerics deposing as the L. Cardinall saith did neerely concerne and touch Religion For Childerics imbecillity brought all France into danger to suffer a most wofull shipwracke of Christian religion vpon the barbarous and hostile inuasion of the Saracens Admit now this reason had beene of iust weight and value yet consideration should haue beene taken whether some one or other of that Royall stemme and of the Kings owne successors neerest of blood was not of better capacity to rule and mannage that mighty State The feare of vncertaine and accidentall mischiefe should not haue driuen them to flie vnto the certaine mischiefe of actuall and effectuall deposition They should rather haue set before their eies the example of Charles Martel this Pepins father who in a farre more eminent danger when the Saracens had already mastered and subdued a great part of France valiantly encountred and withall defeated the Saracens ruled the Kingdome vnder the title of Steward of the Kings house the principall Officer of the Crowne without affecting or aspiring to the Throne for all that great step of aduantage especially when the Saracens were quite broken and no longer dreadfull to the French Nation In our owne Scotland the sway of the Kingdome was in the hand of Walles during the time of Bruse his imprisonment in England who then was lawfull heire to the Crowne This Walles or Vallas had the whole power of the Kingdome at his becke and command His Edicts and ordinances to this day stand in full force By the deadly hatred of Bruse his mortall enemie it may be coniectured that he might haue bene prouoked and inflamed with desiré to trusse the Kingdome in his tallants And notwithstanding all these incitements he neuer assumed or vsurped other title to himselfe then of Gouernour or Administratour of the Kingdome The reason Hee had not beene brought vp in this new doctrine and late discipline whereby the Church is endowed with power to giue and to take away Crownes But now as the L. Cardinall would beare the world in hand the state of Kings is brought to a very dead lift The Pope forsooth must send his Physicians to know by way of inspection or some other course of Art whether the Kings braine be cract or sound and in case there be found any debilitie of wit and reason in the King then the Pope must remooue and translate the Crowne from the weaker braine to a stronger and for the acting of the stratageme the name of Religion must be pretended Ho these Heretikes begin to crawle in the Kingdome order must bee taken they bee not suffered by their multitudes and swarmes like locusts or caterpillers to pester and poison the whole Realme Or in a case of Matrimony thus Ho marriage is a Sacrament touch
Church as of secular Lords and to make ordinances for the confiscation of all priuate persons goods By this Canon the Kingdome of Naples hath need to looke well vnto it selfe For one duell it may fall into the Exchecquer of the Romane Church because that Kingdome payeth a Reliefe to the Church as a Royaltie or Seignorie that holdeth in fee of the said Church And in France there is not one Lordship not one Mannor not one farme which the Pope by this meanes cannot shift ouer to a new Lord. His Lordship therefore had carried himselfe and the cause much better if in stead of seeking such idle shifts he had by a more large assertion maintained the Popes power to dispose of priuate mens possessions with no lesse right and authoritie then of Kingdomes For what colour of reason can bee giuen for making the Pope Lord of the whole and not of the parts for making him Lord of the forrest in grosse and not of the trees in parcell for making him Lord of the whole house and not of the parlour or the dining chamber His Lordship alleadgeth yet an other reason but of no better weight Betweene the power of priuate owners ouer their goods and the power of Kings ouer their estates there is no little difference For the goods of priuate persons are ordained for their owners and Princes for the benefit of their Common-wealths Heare me now answere If this Cardinal-reason hath any force to inferre that a King may lawfully be depriued of his Kingdome for heresie but a priuate person cannot for the same crime be turned out of his mansion house then it shall follow by the same reason that a Father for the same cause may bee depriued of all power ouer his children but a priuate owner cannot be depriued of his goods in the like case because goods are ordeined for the benefit and comfort of their owners but fathers are ordeined for the good and benefit of their children But most certain it is that Kings representing the image of God in earth and Gods place haue a better and closer seate in their chaires of Estate then any priuate persons haue in the saddle of their inheritances and patrimonies which are dayly seene for sleight causes to flit and to fall into the hands of new Lords Whereas a Prince being the Head cannot bee loosed in the proper ioynt nor dismounted like a cannon when the carriage thereof is vnlockt without a sore shaking and a most grieuous dislocation of all the members yea without subuerting the whole bodie of the State whereby priuate persons without number are inwrapped together in the same ruine euen as the lower shrubs and other brush-wood are crushed in pieces altogether by the fall of a great oake But suppose his Lordships reason were somewhat ponderous and solide withall yet a King which would not bee forgotten is endowed not onely with the Kingdome but also with the ancient Desmenes and Crowne-lands for which none can be so simple to say The King was ordeined and created King which neuerthelesse he loseth when hee loseth his Crowne Admit againe this reason were of some pith to make mighty Kings more easily deposeable then priuate persons from their patrimonies yet all this makes nothing for the deriuing and fetching of deposition from the Popes Consistorie What hee neuer conferred by what right or power can he claime to take away But see heere no doubt a sharpe and subtile difference put by the L. Cardinall betweene a Kingdome and the goods of priuate persons Goods as his Lordship saith are without life they can be constrained by no force by no example by no inducement of their owners to lose eternall life Subiects by their Princes may Now I am of the contrary beliefe That an hereticall owner or master of a family hath greater power and meanes withall to seduce his owne seruants and children then a Prince hath to peruert his owne subiects and yet for the contagion of Heresie and for corrupt religion children are not remoued from their parents nor seruants are taken away from their masters Histories abound with examples of most flourishing Churches vnder a Prince of contrary religion And if things without life or soule are with lesse danger left in an heretikes hands why then shall not an hereticall King with more facilitie and lesse danger keepe his Crowne his Royall charge his lands his customes his imposts c For will any man except he bee out of his wits affirme these things to haue any life or soule Or why shall it bee counted folly to leaue a sword in the hand of a mad Bedlam Is not a sword also without life and soule For my part I should rather be of this minde that possession of things without reason is more dangerous and pernicious in the hands of an euill master then the possession of things endued with life and reason For things without life lacke both reason and iudgement how to exempt and free themselues from being instruments in euill and wicked actions from being emploied to vngodly and abominable vses I will not deny that an hereticall Prince is a plague a pernicious and mortall sickenesse to the soules of his subiects But a breach made by one mischiefe must not bee filled vp with a greater inconuenience An errour must not be shocked and shouldered with disloialtie nor heresie with periurie nor impietie with sedition and armed rebellion against GOD and the King GOD who vseth to try and to schoole his Church will neuer forsake his Church nor hath need to protect his Church by any proditorious and prodigious practises of perfidious Christians For he makes his Church to be like the burning bush In the middest of the fire and flames of persecutions hee will prouide that she shall not be consumed because hee standeth in the midst of his Church And suppose there may be some iust cause for the French to play the rebels against their King yet will it not follow that such rebellious motions are to be raised by the bellowes of the Romane Bishop to whose Pastorall charge and office it is nothing proper to intermeddle in the ciuill affaires of forraine Kingdomes Here is the summe and substance of the L. Cardinals whole discourse touching his pretence of the second inconuenience Which discourse hee hath closed with a remarkeable confession to wit that neither by the authoritie of holy Scripture nor by the the testimonie and verdict of the Primitiue Church there hath bene any full decision of this question In regard whereof he falleth into admiration that Lay-people haue gone so farre in audaciousnesse as to labour that a doubtfull doctrine might for euer passe currant and be taken for a new article of faith What a shame what a reproach is this how full of scandall for so his Lordship is pleased to cry out This breakes into the seueralls and inclosures of the Church this lets in whole herds of heresies to grase in her greene and sweet pastures
of his life in the city of Tours Certaine it is they neuer abandoned that Henry 3. nor his next successor Henry 4. in all the heat of reuolts and rebellions raised in the greatest part of the Kingdome by the Pope and the more part of the Clergie but stood to the said Kings in all their battels to beare vp the Crowne then tottering and ready to fall Certaine it is that euen the heads and principalls of those by whom the late King deceased was pursued with all extremities at this day doe enioy the fruit of all the good seruices done to the King by the said Protestants And they are now disgraced kept vnder exposed to publike hatred What for kindling coales of questions and controuersies about Religion Forsooth not so but because if they might haue equall and indifferent dealing if credit might be giuen to their faithfull aduertisements the Crowne of their Kings should bee no longer pinned to the Popes flie-flap in France there should bee no French exempted from subiection to the French King causes of benefices or of matrimonie should bee no longer citable and summonable to the Romish Court and the Kingdome should bee no longer tributarie vnder the colour of annats the first fruits of Benefices after the remooue or death of the Incumbent and other like impositions But why doe I speake so much in the behalfe of the French Protestants The Lord Cardinall himselfe quittes them of this blame when he telleth vs this doctrine for the deposing of Kings by the Popes mace or verge had credit and authoritie through all France vntill Caluins time Doth not his Lordship vnder-hand confesse by these words that Kings had beene alwaies before Caluins time the more dishonoured and the worse serued Item that Protestants whom his Lordship calls heretikes by the light of holy Scripture made the world then and euer since to see the right of Kings oppressed so long before As for those of the Low Countries and the subiects of Swethland I haue little to say of their case because it is not within ordinary compasse and indeed serueth nothing to the purpose These Nations besides the cause of Religion doe stand vpon certaine reasons of State which I will not here take vpon me like a Iudge to determine or to sift Iunius Brutus Whom the Lord Cardinall obiecteth is an author vnknowne and perhaps of purpose patcht vp by some Romanist with a wyly deceit to draw the reformed Religion into hatred with Christian Princes Buchanan I reckon and ranke among Poets not among Diuines classicall or common If the man hath burst out here and there into some tearmes of excesse or speach of bad temper that must be imputed to the violence of his humour and heate of his spirit not in any wise to the rules and conclusions of trew Religion rightly by him conceiued before Barclaius alledged by the Cardinall meddles not with deposing of Kings but deals with disavowing them for Kings when they shal renounce the right of Royalty and of their owne accord giue ouer the Kingdome Now he that leaues it in the Kings choice either to hold or to giue ouer his Crowne leaues it not in the Popes power to take away the Kingdome Of Gerson obtruded by the Cardinal we haue spoken sufficiently before Where it hath beene shewed how Gerson is disguised masked and peruerted by his Lordship In briefe I take not vpon me to iustifie and make good all the sayings of particular authors We glory and well we may that our religion affordeth no rules of rebellion nor any dispensation to subiects for the oath of their allegiance and that none of our Churches giue entertainement vnto such monstrous and abhominable principles of disloyaltie If any of the French otherwise perswaded in former times Richcrius now hauing altered and changed his iudgement doth contend for the Soueraignty of Kings against Papall vsurpation He doubtles for winding himselfe out of the Laborinth of an error so intricate pernicious deserueth great honour and speciall praise He is worthy to hold a place of dignity aboue the L. Cardinall who hath quitted and betrayed his former iudgement which was holy and iust Their motions are contrary their markes are opposite The one reclineth from euill to good the other declineth from good to euill At last his Lordship commeth to the close of his Oration and bindes vp his whole harangue with a feate wreath of praises proper to his King He styles the King the eldest Sonne of the Church a young shoot of the lilly which King Salomon in all his Royaltie was not able to match He leades vs by the hand into the pleasant meadowes of Histories there to learne vpon the very first sight and view That so long so oft as the Kings of France embraced vnion and kept good tearmes of concord with Popes and the Apostolike See so long as the spouse of the Church was pastured and fed among the lillies all sorts of spirituall and temporall graces abundantly showred vpon their Crownes and vpon their people On the contrary when they made any rent or separation from the most holy See then the lillies were pricked and almost choaked with sharpe thornes they beganne to droope to stoope and to beare their beautifull heads downe to the very ground vnder the strong flawes and gusts of boystrous windes and tempests My answere to this flourishing close and vpshot shall be no lesse apert then apt It sauours not of good and faithfull seruice to smooth and stroake the Kings head with a soft hand of oyled speech and in the meane time to take away the Crowne from his head and to defile it with dirt But let vs try the cause by euidence of Historie yea by the voice and verdict of experience to see whether the glorious beauty of the French lillies hath beene at any time blasted and thereupon hath faded by starting aside and making separation from the holy See Vnder the raigne of King Philip the Faire France was blessed with peace and prosperity notwithstanding some outragious acts done against the Papall See and contumelious crying quittance by King Philip with the Pope Lewis 12. in ranged battell defeated the armies of Pope Iulius 2. and his Confederates proclaimed the said Pope to be fallen from the Popedome stamped certaine coynes and pieces of gold with a dishonourable mot euen to Rome it selfe Rome is Babylon yet so much was Lewis loued and honoured of his people that by a peculiar title he was called the Father of the Country Greater blessings of God greater outward peace and plenty greater inward peace with spirituall and celestiall treasures were neuer heaped vpon my Great Brittaine then haue beene since my Great Brittaine became Great in the greatest and chiefest respect of all to wit since my Great Brittaine hath shaken off the Popes yoke since she hath refused to receiue and to entertaine the Popes Legats employed to collect S. Peters tribute or Peter-pence since the Kings of England