as it were a New-song before the Throne and before the foure Beasts and the Elders and none could learne that Song except these hundred foure and fourtie thousand to wit these who are bought from the earth for they who were bought and redeemed by the precious Blood of Christ from among the rest of the world and so were no more of their number were onely able to learne and vnderstand these voyces for vnto them onely it apperteineth Where first God promised that he should shortly destroy that Tyrannie which voyce of God is here described by resembling it to the sound of many waters as Dauid doeth and to the roaring of the thunder And where next the thankes thereof is giuen by the Saints and Angels in singing the praises of God as earnestly and cheerefully as if it were but a New-song and to represent the harmonie thereof they sing to the concords of the harpes and instruments in the presence of God sitting in his Maiestie and compassed about with the foure Beastes and foure and twentie Elders of whom ye heard mention made before 4 These attendants on the Lambe are these who are not defiled with women to wit not guiltie of spirituall adulterie for they are Virgines as Christ called them in the parable of the Lampes these follow the Lambe whithersoeuer he goeth for they goe not astray from his footsteps neither to the right nor the left hand and those are they who are bought from among men and are the acceptable first fruits vnto their Father and his Lambe 5 And in their mouthes was found no guile for they are inculpable before the Throne of God because the Lambe hath fully payd their debts for them 6 Then I did see another Angel flying through the middest of heauen hauing the Eternall Euangel in his hand that he might preach the same to all the inhabitants of the earth euen to all nations tribes tongues and peoples for euen as ye heard before in the sixt Trumpet of the reuiuing againe of the two Witnesses who were slaine by this tyrannicall and hereticall Monarchie so now the same was declared vnto me by this Angel who when this Tyrannie is in the greatest pride as ye haue heard flies through the middest of heauen to be publikely heard and seene by all hauing with him these eternall glad tidings to preach them to all the earth to wit God shall in the end of this Tyrannie while it is yet triumphing raise vp and send his Angels or messengers who shall publikely teach the trewth and refute the errours of this tyrannie before the eyes of the Sunne and the Moone to the saluation of a part of euery countrey and to double condemnation of the rest through making them inexcusable who wil not turne in time 7 And their exhortation shal be this which then I heard the Angel say with a lowd voyce Feare God and render him all glory for the day of his iudgement comes at hand adore him therefore who made heauen and earth and seas and fountaines of water to wit all things good and euill and the particular applications that these Witnesses shall make of this generall doctrine to the times of corruption that they shall be in shall be this that I heard two Angels folowing declare of whom the first said 8 It is fallen It is fallen Babylon that great City because she gaue to al nations to drinke of the Vine of wrath of her fornication or spiritual adulterie to wit that great Monarchie called Babylon because it leades and keepes the soules of men in spirituall thraldome euen as the Monarchie of Babylon led and kept the people of Israel in a corporall captiuitie that Monarchie I say shall be suddenly destroyed for it is to be noted that as there is no distinction of times in the presence of God but all things are present vnto him so he and his Angels calleth oftentimes that thing done that is shortly and certainly to be done thereafter which forme of speach ye wil sundry times heare thus vsed hereafter That Monarchie I say then shall shortly be destroyed and that iustly because she hath abused a great part of the earth by intising them to be senselesse as if they were drunken and to embrace her errours and idolatries or spirituall whoredome For as men are entised by whores to leaue their owne spouse and enter in to them so shall they perswade the nations to leaue their societie with their spouse IESVS CHRIST and onely settle their saluation vpon her and for the committing of this spirituall whoredome this Monarchie is here called Shee Chap. 17. and afterward the great Whore and the reason that they shall giue why they make this warning shall be in these words which I heard the third Angel proclaime to wit 9 For whosoeuer shall adore this Beast any longer or his image or take his character on his forehead or his hand as ye heard before 10 He shall for his iust reward and punishment drinke of the Wine of the wrath of God yea of the pure and immixed wine thereof powred out in the cup of his wrath And he shal be tormented with fire and brimstone to wit he shall be cast into hell the torments whereof they doe signifie and that in the presence of the holy Angels for they shall beare witnesse against him in the sight of the Lambe for the Lambe shall iudge and condemne him 11 And the smoake of his torments shall mount vp in all worlds to come to wit he shal be vncessantly tormented for euer For all these that adore the Beast and his image and hath the character of his name shall not haue rest day nor night to wit they shal be perpetually tormented without any release or reliefe 12 And in these dayes when the Witnesses shal be making this exhortation in these things shall the constancie of the Saints or faithfull be tried and by this triall shall they be knowne and discerned that obserue and retaine the Commandements of God and the faith of Iesus the Sauiour 13 Then I heard a voice from heauen saying to me Write Blessed are the dead that die for the Lords cause hereafter so sayes the Spirit for they rest from their trauails and their workes follow them This voyce from heauen did by these wordes declare vnto me that these Witnesses who should make this exhortation that ye haue heard should be persecuted therefore by that spirituall Babylon but that these should be happiest who lost their liues for so good a cause for the confirmation whereof the holy Spirit sayes Yea and subioynes the reason to wit because both they rest from these continuall labours and troubles that they were alwayes subiect vnto in the earth and in recompense thereof their workes follow them for as faith is the onely leader of men to heauen and so goes before them so according to the greatnesse and honour of their calling in earth if they discharge it well they are rewarded in heauen
former vision for the seat and throne of God and his Lambe shall remaine in this holy Citie for euer and all his seruants shall be there seruing him eternally by thankesgiuing and praises 4 And they shall see his face and be euer reioycing at his presence hauing his name written vpon their foreheads as yee haue often heard 5 And no night nor darkenesse shall be there at all neither haue they need of lampes nor of light of the Sunne nor any materiall light for the Lord God makes them bright as yee haue heard alreadie and they shall reigne there in all glory for euer and euer 6 Then the Angel after all these things had beene reuealed vnto me sayde vnto me for the confirmation of them All the wordes of this Prophecie are trew and faithfull and the same Lord GOD who inspired from time to time his holy Prophets to forewarne his Church of things to come hee also sent his Angel vnto mee that by me hee might reueale vnto his seruants these things that are shortly to come to passe 7 Loe I come shortly sayth the Lord happy is hee therefore that obserueth and obeyeth the wordes of the Prophecie in this Booke 8 And I Iohn am he who haue heard and seene these things I declare you my name the oftener lest the authority of the Booke should be called in doubt through the vncertaintie of the Writer And when I had heard and seene these things I fell at the Angels feet that shewed me them with mind to haue adored him 9 But he said vnto me See thou doe it not I am thy fellow-seruant and one of thy Brethren the Prophets although I be an Angel and one of them which keepeth and obeyeth the words of this Booke adore thou therefore God to whom all worship onely appertaineth By this my reiterated fall and offence notwithstanding that lately before I had committed the same and was reprooued for it and warned to forbeare it as ye heard before I am taught and by my example the whole Church of the great infirmitie of all mankind and specially in that so great an offence of the adoring of creatures whereof God is so iealous as he saith in his Lawe and vpon consideration of man his infirmitie in this point not I but the Spirit of God by me in the very last words of one of my Epistles saith Deare children beware of Idoles and in this I insist so much not without a cause For I know that Babylon in the latter dayes shall specially poison her followers with this spirituall adulterie or idolatrie as ye haue heard mention made in this Booke 10 And the Angel said vnto me Seale not the words of the Prophecie of this Booke for the time is at hand Yee heard before how I was commanded to seale that which the seuen Thunders spake because it was not lawfull for me to reueale the same but now on the contrarie I am commanded to write and forbidden to seale these Prophecies because I am appointed to reueale the same in respect that the time of their accomplishment is at hand 11 And hee also said vnto mee Despaire thou not of the effect of this Prophecie although it profite nothing the wicked but to make them the more inexcusable For God hath fore-signified that he who doeth harme notwithstanding this Prophecie shall yet continue his wrongs and hee who is filthie shall yet notwithstanding this remaine filthie euen as on the other part it shall confirme and encrease the iust man in his iustnesse and the holy man in his holines for it is not the words of Prophecie spoken but the Spirit which is cooperant with it which makes the seed of faith to take root in any mans heart 12 Loe I come speedily saith the Lord IESVS and bring my reward with me to render to euery man according to his workes as ye haue heard before 13 I am A and Ω the beginning and the end the first and the last as ye haue heard already 14 Happie are they who obey and keepe Christes commandements that they may haue right and part in the tree of life for by obeying they shall be made Citizens of that holy Citie of the which that is the food and that they may enter at the gates to that Citie for the gates shall be readie and open to receiue them 15 But without this Citie as debarred thence shall bee Dogges to wit all prophane liuers fornicators sorcerers murtherers and idolaters and all who loue and make lies and shortly all who continue in any kind of knowen sinne without repentance 16 IIESVS saith the Lord sent my Angel to reueale these things to Iohn that they might be testified to you the seuen Churches I am the root and off-spring of Dauid and I am the bright morning Starre to wit the fountaine of all your glorie 17 And the Spirit and the Bride saith Come to wit the Church for they for their deliuerance wish his second comming to be hastened and Christ for the loue he beareth them hath graunted them their request and he that heares it let him say Come for it becommeth all the faithfull to wish it And he that thirsteth let him come to wit he that would drinke of the water of life let him craue earnestly the dissolution and latter day And let any who will receiue the water of life freely and for nothing as ye heard before 18 And I protest vnto all that shall heare the words of the Prophesie of this Booke that if any man adde vnto it any thing God shall make all the plagues in this Booke to fall on him 19 And if any man take away any thing from the words of the Booke of this Prophesie God shal take his part away out of the book of life and out of the holy Citie and out of these blessings that are written in this Booke For whosoeuer in coping or translating this Booke adulterateth any waies the Originall or in interpreting of it wittingly strayes from the trew meaning of it and from the analogie of Faith to follow the fantasticall inuention of man or his owne preoccupied opinions he I say that doeth any of these shal be accursed as a peruerter of the trewth of God and his Scriptures 20 And now I will conclude with this comfort vnto you to wit He euen Christ that testifies these things that ye haue heard he I say doeth say Surely I come shortly Euen so come Lord IESVS to hasten our deliuerance 21 The Grace of our Lord IESVS CHRIST be with you all and all your successours in trew doctrine by the which both yee and they may be so strengthened in the trewth that by your resisting all the temptations contained in this Booke and constantly perseuering to the end yee may at last receiue that immortall Crowne of glorie mentioned in the last Vision AMEN A FRVITFVLL MEDITATION CONTAINING A PLAINE AND EASIE EXPOSITION OR laying open of the VII VIII IX and X. Verses of the
to seeke out newe cities and to disconer newe nations ouer whom to beare Soueraigne sway and rule there had remained more enemies to the State then subiects and friends Cypr. cont Demetr Cyprian also against Demetrianus None of vs all howsoeuer we are a people mighty and without number haue made resistance against any of your vniust and wrongfull actions executed with all violence neither haue sought by rebellious armes or by any other sinister practises to crie quittance with you at any time for the righting of our selues Certaine it is that vnder Iulianus the whole Empire in a manner professed the Christian Religion yea that his Leiftenants and great Commanders as Iouinianus and Valentinianus by name professed Christ Which two Princes not long after attained to the Imperiall dignitie but might haue solicited the Pope sooner to degrade Iulianus from the Imperiall Throne For say that Iulians whole army had renounced the Christian Religion as the L. Cardinall against all shew and appearance of trewth would beare vs in hand and contrary to the generall voice of the said whole army making this profession with one consent when Iulian was dead Socr. lib 3. cap 19. Theod. lib. 4. cap. 1. Sozom. lib. 6. cap. 1. Wee are all Christians yet Italie then persisting in the faith of Christ and the army of Iulian then lying quartered in Persia the vtmost limit of the Empire to the East the Bishop of Rome had fit opporunitie to draw the sword of his authoritie if hee had then any such sword hanging at his Pontificall side to make Iulian feele the sharpe edge of his weapon and thereby to pull him downe from the stately pearch of the Romane Empire I say moreouer that by this generall and sudden profession of the whole Caesarian armie Wee are all Christians it is clearely testified that if his armie or souldiers were then addicted to Paganisme it was wrought by compulsion and cleane contrary to their setled perswasion before and then it followes that with greater patience they would haue borne the deposing of Iulian then if hee had suffered them to vse the libertie of their conscience To bee short in the matter S. Augustine makes all whole and by his testimony doth euince that Iulians armie perseuered in the faith of Christ August in Psal 124. The souldiers of Christ serued a Heathen Emperour But when the cause of Christ was called in question they acknowledged none but Christ in heauen When the Emperor would haue them to serue and to perfume his idols with frankincense they gaue obedience to God rather then to the Emperour After which words Page 82. the very same words alleadged by the L. Cardinall against himselfe doe follow They did then distinguish betweene the Lord Eternal and the Lord temporall neuerthelesse they were subiect vnto the Lord temporall for the Lord Eternall It was therefore to pay God his duetie of obedience and not for feare to incense the Emperour or to draw persecution vpon the Church as the L. Cardinal would make vs beleeue that Christians of the Primitiue Church and Bishops by their censures durst not anger and prouoke their Emperours But his Lordship by his coloured pretences doeth manifestly prouoke and stirre vp the people to rebellion so soone as they know their own strength to beare out a rebellious practise Whereupon it followes that in case their conspiracie shall take no good effect all the blame and fault must lie not in their disloyalty and treason but in the bad choice of their times for the best aduantage and in the want of taking a trew sight of their owne weakenesse Let stirring spirits be trained vp in such practicall precepts let desperate wits be seasoned with such rules of discipline and what need we or how can wee wonder they contriue Powder-conspiracies and practise the damnable art of parricides After Iulian his Lordship falles vpon Valentinian the younger who maintaining Arrianisme with great and open violence might haue bene deposed by the Christians from his Empire and yet say wee they neuer dream'd of any such practise Heere the L. Cardinall maketh answere Pag. 82. The Christians mooued with respect vnto the fresh memory both of the brother and father as also vnto the weake estate of the sonnes young yeeres abstained from all counsels and courses of sharper effect and operation To which answere I replie these are but friuolous coniectures deuised and framed to ticle his owne fancie For had Valentinianus the younger beene the sonne of an Arrian and had then also attained to threescore yeeres of aage they would neuer haue borne themselues in other fashion then they did towards their Emperour Then the Cardinall goeth on The people would not abandon the factious and seditious party but were so firme or obstinate rather for the faction that Valentinian for feare of the tumultuous vproares was constrained to giue way and was threatened by the souldiers that except hee would adhere vnto the Catholikes they would yeeld him no assistance nor stand for his partie Now this answere of the L. Cardinall makes nothing to the purpose concerning the Popes power to pull downe Kings from their stately nest Let vs take notice of his proper consequence Valentinian was afraid of the popular tumult at Milan the Pope therefore hath power to curbe Hereticall Kings by deposition Now marke what distance is betweene Rome and Milan what difference betweene the people of Milan and the Bishop of Rome betweene a popular tumult and a iudicatorie sentence betweene fact and right things done by the people or souldiers of Milan and things to be done according to right and law by the Bishop of Rome the same distance the same difference if not farre greater is betweene the L. Cardinals antecedent and his consequent betweene his reason and the maine cause or argument which we haue in hand The mad commotion of the people was not heere so much to bee regarded as the sad instruction of the Pastour of their good and godly Pastour S. Ambrose so farre from hartening the people of Milan to rebel that being Bishop of Milan he offered himselfe to suffer Martydome If the Emperour abuse his Imperiall authority for so Theodoret hath recited his words to tyrannize thereby heere am I ready to suffer death And what resistance he made against his L. Emperor was onely by way of supplication in these termes Wee beseech thee O Augustus as humble suppliants we offer no resistance we are not in feare but we flie to supplication Epist. lib. 5. Epist 33. Againe If my patrimony be your marke enter vpon my patrimony if my body I wil goe and meet my torments Shall I be drag'd to prison or to death Epist lib. 5. I will take delight in both Item in his Oration to Auxentius I can afflict my soule with sorrow I can lament I can send forth grieuous groanes My weapons against either of both souldiers or Goths are teares A Priest hath none
of our Catholike Religion then if it should bee granted the Church hath decided the said points without any authoritie c. Mee thinkes the L. Cardinal in the whole draught and course of these words doeth seeke not a little to blemish the honour of his Church and to marke his religion with a blacke coale For the whole frame of his Mother-Church is very easie to be shaken if by the establishing of this Article she shall come to finall ruine and shall become the Synagogue of Satan Likewise Kings are brought into a very miserable state and condition if their Souereigntie shall not stand if they shall not bee without danger of deposition but by the totall ruine of the Church and by holding the Pope whom they serue to be Antichrist The L. Cardinall himselfe let him be well sifted herein doeth not credit his owne words For doeth not his Lordship tell vs plaine that neither by Diuine testimony nor by any sentence of the ancient Church the knot of this controuersie hath bene vntied againe that some of the French by the Popes fauourable indulgence are licensed or tolerated to say their mind to deliuer their opinion of this question though contrary to the iudgement of his Holinesse prouided they hold it onely as problematicall and not as necessary What Can there be any assurance for the Pope that hee is not Antichrist for the Church of Rome that she is not a Synagogue of Satan when a mans assurance is grounded vpon wauering and wilde vncertainties without Canon of Scripture without consent or countenance of antiquitie and in a cause which the Pope by good leaue suffereth some to tosse with winds of problematicall opinion It hath beene shewed before that by Gods word whereof small reckoning perhaps is made by venerable antiquitie and by the French Church in those times when the Popes power was mounted aloft the doctrine which teacheth deposing of Kings by the Pope hath bene checked and countermanded What did the French in those dayes beleeue the Church was then swallowed vp and no where visible or extant in the world No verely Those that make the Pope of Soueraigne authoritie for matters of Faith are not perswaded that in this cause they are bound absolutely to beleeue and credit his doctrine Why so Because they take it not for any decree or determination of Faith but for a point perteining to the mysteries of State and a pillar of the Popes Temporall Monarchie who hath not receiued any promise from God that in causes of this nature hee shall not erre For they hold that errour by no meanes can crawle or scramble vp to the Papall See so highly mounted but grant ambition can scale the highest walls and climbe the loftiest pinacles of the same See They hold withall that in case of so speciall aduantage to the Pope whereby he is made King of Kings and as it were the pay-master or distributer of Crownes it is against all reason that hee should sit as Iudge to carue out Kingdomes for his owne share To bee short let his Lordship be assured that he meeteth with notorious blocke-heads more blunt-witted then a whetstone when they are drawen to beleeue by his perswasion that whosoeuer beleeues the Pope hath no right nor power to put Kings beside their Thrones to giue and take away Crownes are all excluded and barred out of the heauenly Kingdome But now followes a worse matter For they whom the Cardinall reproachfully calls heretikes haue wrought and wonne his Lordship as to mee seemeth to plead their cause at the barre and to betray his owne cause to these heretikes For what is it in his Lordship but plaine playing the Praeuaricator when he crieth so lowd that by admitting and establishing of this Article the doctrine of Cake-incarnation and priuie Confession to a Priest is vtterly subuerted Let vs heare his reason and willingly accept the trewth from his lips The Articles as his Lordship granteth of Transubstantiation auricular Confession and the Popes power to depose Kings are all grounded alike vpon the same authoritie Now he hath acknowledged the Article of the Popes power to depose Kings is not decided by the Scripture nor by the ancient Church but within the compasse of certaine aages past by the authoritie of Popes and Councils Then he goes on well and inferres with good reason that in case the point of the Popes power be weakened then the other two points must needs bee shaken and easily ouerthrowen So that hee doeth confesse the monstrous birth of the breaden-God and the blind Sacrament or vaine fantasie of auricular confession are no more conueyed into the Church by pipes from the springs of sacred Scripture or from the riuers of the ancient Church then that other point of the Popes power ouer Kings and their Crownes Very good For were they indeed deriued from either of those two heads that is to say were they grounded vpon the foundation of the first or second authoritie then they could neuer bee shaken by the downefall of the Popes power to depose Kings I am well assured that for vsing so good a reason the world will hold his Lordship in suspicion that he still hath somesmacke of his fathers discipline and instruction who in times past had the honour to be a Minister of the holy Gospel Howbeit he playeth not faire nor vseth sincere dealing in his proceeding against such as he calls heretikes when hee casts in their dish and beares them in hand they frowardly wrangle for the inuisibilitie of the Church in earth For indeed the matter is nothing so They freely acknowledge a visible Church For howsoeuer the assembly of Gods elect doth make a body not discerneable by mans eye yet we assuredly beleeue and gladly professe there neuer wanted a visible Church in the world yet onely visible to such as make a part of the same All that are without see no more but men they doe not see the said men to be the trew Church Wee beleeue moreouer of the vniuersall Church visible that it is composed of many particular Churches whereof some are better fined and more cleane from lees and dregs then other and withall we denie the purest Churches to be alwayes the greatest and most visible THE FOVRTH AND LAST INCONVENIENCE EXAMINED THE Lord Cardinall before he looketh into the last Inconuenience vseth a certaine preamble of his owne life past and seruices done to the Kings Henry the III. and IIII. Touching the latter of which two Kings his Lordship saith in a straine of boasting after this manner I by the grace of God or the grace of God by mee rather reduced him to the Catholike religion I obtained at Rome his absolution of Pope Clement 8. I reconciled him to the holy See Touching the first of these points I say the time the occasions and the foresaid Kings necessary affaires doe sufficiently testifie that he was induced to change his mind and to alter his religion vpon the strength of other
any petitions or Grieuances to be deliuered obscurely or in the darke but openly and auowedly in your Publique house and there to be presented to the Speaker And as to the matter of your Grieuances I wish you here now to vnderstand me rightly And because I see many writing and noting I will craue your pardons to holde you a little longer by speaking the more distinctly for feare of mistaking First then I am not to finde fault that you informe your selues of the particular iust Grieuances of the people Nay I must tell you ye can neither be iust nor faithfull to me or to your Countreys that trust and imploy you if you doe it not For true Plaints proceede not from the persons imployed but from the Body represented which is the people And it may very well bee that many Directions and Commissions iustly giuen forth by me may be abused in the Execution thereof vpon the people and yet I neuer to receiue information except it come by your meanes at such a time as this is as in the case of Stephen Procter But I would wish you to be carefull to auoide three things in the matter of Grieuances First that you doe not meddle with the maine points of Gouernment that is my craft tractent fabrilia sabri to meddle with that were to lesson me I am now an old King for sixe and thirtie yeeres haue I gouerned in Scotland personally and now haue I accomplished my appâ—enticeship of seuen yeeres heere and seuen yeeres is a great time for a Kings experience in Gouernment Therefore there would not bee too many Phormios to teach Hannibal I must not be taught my Office Secondly I would not haue you meddle with such ancient Rights of mine as I haue receiued from my Predecessors possessing them More Maiorum such things I would bee sorie should bee accounted for Grieuances All nouelties are dangerous as well in a politique as in a naturall Body And therefore I would be loth to be quarrelled in my ancient Rights and possessions for that were to iudge mee vnworthy of that which my Predecessors had and left me And lastly I pray you beware to exhibite for Grieuance any thing that is established by a setled Law and whereunto as you haue already had a proofe you know I will neuer giue a plausible answere For it is an vndutifull part in Subiects to presse their King wherein they know before-hand he will refuse them Now if any Law or Statute be not conuenient let it be amended by Parliament but in the meane time terme it not a Grieuance for to be grieued with the Law is to be grieued with the King who is sworne to bee the Patron and mainteiner thereof But as all men are flesh and may erre in the execution of Lawes So may ye iustly make a Grieuance of any abuse of the Law distinguishing wisely betweene the faults of the person and the thing it selfe As for example Complaints may be made vnto you of the high Commissioners If so be trie the abuse and spare not to complaine vpon it but say not there shall be no Commission For that were to abridge the power that is in me and I will plainely tell you That something I haue with my selfe resolued annent that point which I meane euer to keepe except I see other great cause which is That in regard the high Commission is oâ— so high a nature from which there is no appellation to any other Court I haue thought good to restraine it onely to the two Archbishops where before it was common amongst a great part of the Bishops in England This Law I haue set to my selfe and therefore you may be assured that I will neuer finde fault with any man nor thinke him the more Puritane that will complaine to me out of Parliament aswell as in Parliament of any error in execution thereof so that hee prooue it Otherwise it were but a calumnie Onely I would bee loath that any man should grieue at the Commission it selfe as I haue already said Yee haue heard I am sure of the paines I tooke both in the causes of the Admiralty and of the Prohibitions If any man therefore will bring me any iust complaints vpon any matters of so high a nature as this is yee may assure your selues that I will not spare my labour in hearing it In faith you neuer had a more painefull King or that will be readier in his person to determine causes that are fit for his hearing And when euer any of you shall make experience of me in this point ye may be sure neuer to want accesse nor ye shall neuer come wrong to me in or out of Parliament And now to conclude this purpose of Grieuances I haue one generall grieuance to commend vnto you and that in the behalfe of the Countreys from whence ye come And this is to pray you to beware that your Grieuances sauour not of particular mens thoughts but of the generall griefes rising out of the mindes of the people and not out of the humor of the propounder And therefore I would wish you to take heede carefully and consider of the partie that propounds the grieuance for ye may if ye list easily discerne whether it bee his owne passion or the peoples griefe that makes him to speake for many a man will in your house propound a Grieuance out of his owne humour because peraduenture he accounts highly of that matter and yet the countrey that imployes him may perhaps either be of a contrary minde or at least little care for it As for example I assure you I can very well smell betweene a Petition that mooues from a generall Grieuance or such a one as comes from the spleene of some particular person either against Ecclesiasticall gouernment in generall or the person of any one Noble man or Commissioner in particular ANd now the third point remaines to bee spoken of which is the cause of my calling of this Parliament And in this I haue done but as I vse to doe in all my life which is to leaue mine owne errand hindmost It may bee you did wonder that I did not speake vnto you publikely at the beginning of this Session of Parliament to tell you the cause of your calling as I did if I bee rightly remembred in euery Session before But the trewth is that because I call you at this time for my particular Errand I thought it fitter to bee opened vnto you by my Treasurer who is my publike and most principall Officer in matters of that nature then that I should doe it my selfe for I confesse I am lesse naturally eloquent and haue greater cause to distrust mine elocution in matters of this nature then in any other thing I haue made my Treasurer already to giue you a very cleere and trew accompt both of my hauing and expenses A fauour I confesse that Kings doe seldome bestow vpon their Subiects in making them so particularly
her needle and is now of his Maiestie esteemed as a most pretious Iewell Therefore since wee are compassed about with such a Clowd of Witnesses albeit these are but a little handfull in comparison of the infinite multitude that might be produced Since we haue the examples of all the Mightie-men of the World euen from the beginning thereof vnto this day who haue striuen as much to get a Name for their writings as fame for their doings haue affected as much to be counted Learned as Victorious and to be reputed of as much for their wise Sayings as for their worthy Deeds Why should it bee thought a thing strange in this time that his Maiestie whom GOD hath adorned with as many rare perfections of Nature and Arte as euer he did any that wee read of I except such as were Diuinely inspired should lend the world a few leaues out of the large Volumes of his Learning J commend the wisedome of our Aduersaries who hauing assayed all meanes the wit of man is able to inuent to incline his Maiestie to like of their partie and finding by all their Tricks they haue got no ground would at last put his Maiestie to silence and gaine thus much of him at least that since he will doe nothing for them yet that he would say nothing against them Therefore they cry out against his Maiesties writing and vpbrayd him more for that hee doeth write then they doe for any thing that hee hath written Jt is ynough to wonder at that Rex scribit These people are wise in their generation and haue learned by long experience that as the Kingdome of CHRIST is the Gospel of peace so it hath bene from the beginning spread more by the Pennes of the Apostles then by the power of Princes more propagated by the sweet writings of the ancient Fathers then it could bee suppressed by the seuere Edicts of Emperours and of late their Kingdome hath bene more shaken by a poore Monke then it hath bene able to recouer by the helpe of Mighty Monarches Therefore since the writings of poore Schollers haue so raised the Kingdome of CHRIST and so discouered the Mysterie of Jniquitie they do well to feare what may follow vpon the Writings of so great a King They liue securely from bleeding by his Maiesties Sword but they are not safe from being blasted by the breath of his Maiesties Bookes Jf they could bring it about therefore to calme and quiet his Maiesties Spirit from working vpon them that way as they see his Maiesties sweetnesse to bee farre from drawing of their bloods the other way they would deeme it a greater Conquest then all the conuersions of the Kings of the East and West-Indies they tell vs so many tales of For they looke vpon his Maiesties Bookes as men looke vpon Blasing-Starres with amazement fearing they portend some strange thing and bring with them a certaine Influence to worke great change and alteration in the world Neither is their expectation herein deceiued for we haue seene with our eyes the Operation of his Maiesties Workes in the Consciences of their men so farre as from their highest Conclaue to their lowest Cells there haue bene that haue bene conuerted by them and that in such number as wee want rather meanes to maintaine them then they minds to come to vs. But to conclude this point that Kings may write Giue mee leaue to offer you this Meditation How many are the wayes that men doe inuent to perpetuate their Memorie Insomuch that mortall-men haue made themselues Gods when they were dead that they might be adored as if they were aliue Wherein is the Impetus of Nature so strong as in the affection that propogates to Posteritie Wherefore serue Pictures but to continue our features Why doe men bestow so much cost in sumptuous Buildings but to leaue a Monument of their Magnificence To what end doe we erect Holy-houses and Hospitalls but to possesse mens mindes with the Deuotion of our Soules And shall wee blesse a King when wee behold him in his Posteritie Shall wee admire his features when wee contemplate them in his Pictures Shall we wonder at his Magnificence when we gaze vpon it in his stately Edifices and may wee not as well bee rauished when wee see his sharpe Wit his profound Judgement his infinite Memorie his Excellent affections in his admirable Writings Certainely it is a peruersnes to esteeme a man least for that whereby hee liues the longest to value him more for the outward worke of his hand then for the inward operation of his minde to esteeme him more for that which instructs but little then for that which shall edifie for euer What now remaines of Caesar so famous as his Commentaries What of Cicero as his Orations How comes Aristotle to be of more authoritie then Alexander Seneca then Nero The Triumphes and Victories of the one are vanished the Vertues of the other remaine in their perfect vigour And though all other Monuments by time consume and come to nothing yet these by time gaine strength and get authoritie and euer the more ancient the more Excellent Hauing now deliuered my opinion that J thinke it neither vnlawfull nor inconuenient for a King to write but that he hath the Liberty that other men haue if hee can get the leysure to shew his abilities for the present to perpetuate his Memory to Posterity to aduance his praise before his owne People and gaine Glory from others but especially to giue Glory vnto GOD. J will craue leaue to descend to an other Consideration for it may be there will not be so much fault found with a King for writing as for the matter or Subiect whereof he treates For Personages of their eminent Degree and State must not spend their paines on poore purposes nor write so much to try their witts on triuiall thinges as to winne themselues Honor by the Excellency of their subiect Jndeed if I were worthy to aduise a King hee should meddle very sparingly and but vpon important Causes with Polemicalls Hee should not often fight but in the field for put the case a King writ neuer so modestly that there be not in a whole Booke one word ad hominem nor any touch of his Aduersary in any personall infirmity yet J know not how it comes to passe that in all Controuersies a solide answere to an argument is a very sufficient occasion to make an Aduersary wonderfull angrie And so long as there are diuersity of Opinions there will neuer want matter for Confutations And in these Replications the person of a King is more exposed and lyes more open then the person of a poore Scholler can doe for as he is a farre greater marke so he may farre more easily be hit And though they misse him and can hit vpon nothing iustly to bee reprehended in him yet they doe thinke it Operaepretium to make a Scarre in the face of a King Whereas on the contrary if a King
to be euill at the first or else being of the grosser sort runne directly to the diuel for ambition or desire of gaine and plainely contract with him thereupon PHI. But me thinkes these meanes which ye call the Schoole and rudiments of the diuel are things lawfull and haue bene approued for such in all times and aages as in speciall this science of Astrologie which is one of the speciall members of the Mathematiques EPI There are two things which the learned haue obserued from the beginning in the science of the heauenly Creatures the Planets Starres and such like The one is their course and ordinarie motions which for that cause is called Astronomia Which word is a compound of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is to say the law of the Starres And this Art indeed is one of the members of the Mathematiques and not onely lawfull but most necessary and commendable The other is called Astrologia being compounded of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is to say the word and preaching of the Starres Which is diuided into two parts The first by knowing thereby the powers of simples and sicknesses the course of the seasons and the weather being ruled by their influence which part depending vpon the former although it bee not of it selfe a part of Mathematiques yet it is not vnlawfull being moderately vsed suppose not so necessarie and commendable as the former The second part is to trust so much to their influences as thereby to foretell what common-weales shall flourish or decay what persons shall be fortunate or vnfortunate what side shall winne in any battell what man shal obtaine victorie at singular combate what way and of what aage shall men die what horse shall winne at match-running and diuers such like incredible things wherein Cardanus Cornelius Agrippa and diuers others haue more curiously then profitably written at large Of this roote last spoken of springs innumerable branches such as the knowledge by the natiuities the Cheiromancie Geomancie Hydromancie Arithmancie Physiognomie and a thousand others which were much practised and holden in great reuerence by the Gentiles of old And this last part of Astrologie whereof I haue spoken which is the root of their branches was called by them pars fortunae This part now is vtterly vnlawfull to be trusted in or practised amongst Christians as leaning to no ground of naturall reason and it is this part which I called before the Diuels schoole PHI. But yet many of the learned are of the contrarie opinion EPI I grant yet I could giue my reasons to fortifie and maintaine my opinion if to enter into this disputation it would not draw me quite off the ground of our discourse besides the mis-spending of the whole day thereupon One word onely I will answere to them and that in the Scriptures which must be an infallible ground to all true Christians That in the Prophet Ieremie it is plainely forbidden to beleeue or hearken vnto them that prophesie and fore-speake by the course of the Planets and Stars CHAP. V. ARGV How farre the vsing of Charmes is lawfull or vnlawfull The description of the formes of Circles and Coniurations And what causeth the Magicians themselues to be wearie thereof PHILOMATHES WEL ye haue said farre inough in that argument But how prooue yee now that these Charmes or vnnaturall practiques are vnlawfull For so many honest and merry men and women haue publikely practised some of them that I think if ye would accuse them all of Witch-craft ye would affirme more nor ye will be beleeued in EPI I see if you had taken good tent to the nature of that word wherby I named it ye would not haue beene in this doubt nor mistaken mee so farre as ye haue done For although as none can be scholers in a schoole and not be subiect to the master thereof so none can studie and put in practise for studie the alone and knowledge is more perillous nor offensiue and it is the practise onely that makes the greatnesse of the offence the Circles and Art of Magie without committing an horrible defection from God And yet as they that reade and learne their rudiments are not the more subiect to any schoole-master if it please not their parents to put them to the schoole thereafter So they who ignorantly prooue these practiques which I call the Diuels rudiments vnknowing them to be baits cast out by him for trapping such as God will permit to fall into his hands this kinde of folkes I say no doubt are to be iudged the best of in respect they vse no inuocation nor helpe of him by their knowledge at least in these turnes and so haue neuer entred themselues into Satans seruice Yet to speake trewly for mine owne part I speake but for my selfe I desire not to make so neere riding For in my opinion our enemie is ouer craftie and wee ouer weake except the greater grace of God to assay such hazards wherein he preases to trap vs. PHI. Ye haue reason forsooth for as the common prouerbe sayth They that sup keile with the deuill haue need of long spoones But now I pray you goe forward in the describing of this arte of Magie EPI Fra they be come once vnto this perfection in euill in hauing any knowledge whether learned or vnlearned of this blacke arte they then begin to be wearie of the raising of their Maister by coniured circles being both so difficile and perillous and so come plainely to a contract with him wherein is specially contained formes and effects PHI. But I pray you or euer you goe further discourse me somewhat of their circles and coniurations and what should be the cause of their wearying thereof For it should seeme that that forme should be lesse fearefull yet then the direct haunting and societie with that foule and vncleane Spirite EPI I thinke yee take me to be a Witch my selfe or at the least would faine sweare your selfe prentise to that craft Alwayes as I may I shal shortly satisfie you in that kinde of coniurations which are contained in such bookes which I call the Deuils Schoole There are foure principall parts the persons of the coniurers the action of the coniuration the words and rites vsed to that effect and the Spirits that are coniured Ye must first remember to lay the ground that I tolde you before which is that it is no power inherent in the circles or in the holinesse of the names of God blasphemously vsed nor in whatsoeuer rites or ceremonies at that time vsed that either can raise any infernall spirit or yet limitate him perforce within or without these circles For it is he onely the father of all lies who hauing first of all prescribed that forme of doing feining himselfe to be commanded and restrained thereby will be loth to passe the boundes of these iniunctions as wel thereby to make them glory in the impiring ouer him as I said before as
when hee plainely speakes vnto them at other times for their prophesying is but by a kind of vision as it were wherein he commonly counterfeites God among the Ethnicks as I told you before PHI. I would know now whether these kinds of Spirits may onely appeare to Witches or if they may also appeare to any other EPI They may doe to both to the innocent sort either to affray them or to seeme to be a better sort of folkes nor vncleane Spirits are and to the Witches to be a colour of safetie for them that ignorant Magistrates may not punish them for it as I told euen now But as the one sort for being perforce troubled with them ought to be pitied so ought the other sort who may be discerned by their taking vpon them to prophesie by them that sort I say ought as seuerely to be punished as any other Witches and rather the more that they goe dissemblingly to worke PHI. And what makes the spirits haue so different names from others EPI Euen the knauerie of that same diuell who as he illudes the Necromancers with innumerable feined names for him and his angels as in speciall making Satan Beelzebub and Lucifer to bee three sundry spirits where wee finde the two former but diuers names giuen to the Prince of all the rebelling Angels by the Scripture as by Christ the Prince of all the diuels is called Beelzebub in that place which I alleaged against the power of any hereticques to cast out diuels By Iohn in the Reuelation the old tempter is called Satan the Prince of all the euill Angels And the last to wit Lucifer is but by allegorie taken from the day Starre so named in diuers places of the Scriptures because of his excellencie I meane the Prince of them in his creation before his fall euen so I say hee deceiues the Witches by attributing to himselfe diuers names as if euery diuers shape that he transformes himselfe in were a diuers kinde of spirit PHI. But I haue heard many moe strange tales of this Phairie nor ye haue yet told me EPI As well I doe in that as I did in all the rest of my discourse For because the ground of this conference of ours proceeded of your speering at me at our meeting if there was such a thing as Witches or spirits and if they had any power I therefore haue framed my whole discourse onely to proue that such things are and may be by such number of examples as I shew to be possible by reason and keepe me from dipping any further in playing the part of a Dictionarie to tell what euer I haue read or heard in that purpose which both would exceede faith and rather would seeme to teach such vnlawfull artes nor to disallow and condemne them as it is the duetie of all Christians to doe CHAP. VI. ARG. Of the tryall and punishment of Witches What sort of accusation ought to be admitted against them What is the cause of the increasing so farre of their number in this aage PHILOMATHES THen to make an end of our conference since I see it drawes late what forme of punishment thinke yee merite these Magicians and Witches For I see that ye account them to be all alike guiltie EPI They ought to be put to death according to the Law of God the ciuill and imperiall Law and municipall Law of all Christian nations PHI. But what kinde of death I pray you EPI It is commonly vsed by fire but that is an indifferent thing to be vsed in euery countrey according to the Law or custome thereof PHI. But ought no sexe aage nor rancke to be exempted EPI None at all being so vsed by the lawfull magistrate for it is the highest point of Idolatry wherein no exception is admitted by the law of God PHI. Then barnes may not be spared EPI Yea not a haire the lesse of my conclusion For they are not that capable of reason as to pactise such things And for any being in company and not reueiling thereof their lesse and ignorant aage will no doubt excuse them PHI. I see ye condemne them all that are of the counsell of such craftes EPI No doubt for as I said speaking of Magie the consulters trusters in ouer-seers interteiners or stirrers vp of these craftes-folkes are equally guiltie with themselues that are the practisers PHI. Whether may the Prince then or supreame Magistrate spare or ouer-see any that are guilty of that craft vpon some great respects knowen to him EPI The Prince or Magistrate for further trials cause may continue the punishing of them such a certaine space as he thinkes conuenient But in the end to spare the life and not to strike when God bids strike and so seuerely punish in so odious a fault and treason against God it is not onely vnlawfull but doubtlesse no lesse sinne in that Magistrate nor it was in Saules sparing of Agag 1. Sam. 15. and so comparable to the sinne of Witch-craft it selfe as Samuel alledged at that time PHI. Surely then I thinke since this crime ought to be so seuerely punished Iudges ought to beware to condemne any but such as they are sure are guiltie neither should the clattering report of a carling serue in so weightie a case EPI Iudges ought indeede to beware whom they condemne for it is as great a crime as Salomon saith To condemne the innocent Prou. 17. as to let the guiltie escape free neither ought the report of any one infamous person be admitted for a sufficient proofe which can stand of no law PHI. And what may a number then of guilty persons confessions worke against one that is accused EPI The Assise must serue for interpretour of our law in that respect But in my opinion since in a matter of treason against the Prince barnes or wiues or neuer so diffamed persons may of our law serue for sufficient witnesses and proofes I thinke surely that by a farre greater reason such witnesses may be sufficient in matters of high treason against God For who but Witches can be prooues and so witnesses of the doings of Witches PHI. Indeed I trow they will be loath to put any honest man vpon their counsell But what if they accuse folke to haue bene present at their Imaginar conuentions in the spirit when their bodies lye sencelesse as ye haue said EPI I thinke they are not a haire the lesse guiltie For the Diuel durst neuer haue borrowed their shadow or similitude to that turne if their consent had not beene at it And the consent in these turnes is death of the lawe PHI. Then Samuel was a Witch For the diuell resembled his shape and played his person in giuing response to Saul EPI Samuel was dead as well before that and so none could slaunder him with medling in that vnlawful arte For the cause why as I take it that God will not permit Satan to vse the shapes of similitudes of any innocent persons at such
our Myne vnto the Wal and about Candlemas we had wrought the Wall halfe through And whilest they were in working I stood as Sentinell to descrie any man that came neere whereof I gaue them warning and so they ceased vntill I gaue notice againe to proceed All we seuen lay in the House and had shot and powder being resolued to die in that place before we should yeeld or be taken As they were working vpon the wall they heard a rushing in a cellar of remoouing of coales whereupon we feared wee had bene discouered and they sent mee to goe to the cellar who finding that the coales were a selling and that the cellar was to be let viewing the commoditie thereof for our purpose Percy went and hired the same for yeerely rent Wee had before this prouided and brought into the House twentie barrels of powder which we remooued into the cellar and couered the same with billets and faggots which were prouided for that purpose About Easter the Parliament being prorogued till October next wee dispersed our selues and I retired into the Low countreys by aduice and direction of the rest aswell to acquaint Owen with the particulars of the plot as also lest by my longer stay I might haue growne suspicious and so haue come in question In the meane time Percy hauing the key of the cellar layd in more powder and wood into it I returned about the beginning of September next and then receiuing the key againe of Percy wee brought in more powder and billets to couer the same againe and so I went for a time into the countrey till the 30. of October It was further resolued amongst vs that the same day that this acte should haue bene performed some other of our confederates should haue surprised the person of the Lady ELIZABETH the Kings eldest daughter who was kept in Warwickshire at the Lord Haringtons house and presently haue proclaimed her Queene hauing a proiect of a Proclamation ready for that purpose wherein wee made no mention of altering of Religion nor would haue auowed the deed to be ours vntill we should haue had power ynough to make our partie good and then wee would haue auowed both Concerning duke CHARLES the Kings second sonne we had sundry consultations how to seize on his person But because wee found no meanes how to compasse it the duke being kept neere London where we had not forces ynough wee resolued to serue our turne with the Lady ELIZABETH THE NAMES OF OTHER PRINCIPALL PERSONS THAT WERE MADE PRIVIE AFTERwards to this horrible conspiracie Euerard Digby knight Ambrose Rookwood Francis Tresham John Grant Robert Keyes Commiss Notingham Worcester Suffolke Deuonshire Northampton Salisbury Marre Dunbar Popham Edw. Cooke William Waad ANd in regard that before this discourse could be ready to goe to the Presse Thomas Winter being apprehended and brought to the Tower made a confession in substance agreeing with this former of Fawkes onely larger in some circumstances I haue thought good to insert the same likewise in this place for the further clearing of the matter and greater benefit of the Reader THOMAS WINTERS CONFESSION TAKEN THE XXIII OF NOVEMBER 1605. IN THE PRESENCE OF the Counsellors whose names are vnder-written My most Honourable Lords NOt out of hope to obtaine pardon for speaking of my temporall part I may say The fault is greater then can bee forgiuen nor affecting hereby the title of a good Subiect for I must redeeme my countrey from as great a danger as I haue hazarded the bringing of her into before I can purchase any such opinion Onely at your Honours command I will briefly set downe mine owne accusation and how farre I haue proceeded in this businesse which I shall the faithfullier doe since I see such courses are not pleasing to Almightie God and that all or the most materiall parts haue bene already confessed I remained with my brother in the countrey from Alhallontyde vntill the beginning of Lent in the yeere of our Lord 1603. the first yeere of the Kings reigne about which time master Catesby sent thither intreating me to come to London where hee and other my friends would be glad to see me I desired him to excuse me for I found my selfe not very well disposed and which had happened neuer to mee before returned the messenger without my company Shortly I receiued another letter in any wise to come At the second summons I presently came vp and found him with master Iohn Wright at Lambeth where he brake with me how necessary it was not to forsake our countrey for he knew I had then a resolution to goe ouer but to deliuer her from the seruitude in which shee remained or at least to assist her with our vttermost endeuours I answered That I had often hazarded my life vpon farre lighter termes and now would not refuse any good occasion wherein I might doe seruice to the Catholicke cause but for my selfe I knew no meane probable to succeed He said that he had bethought him of a way at one instant to deliuer vs from all our bonds and without any forraine helpe to replant againe the Catholicke Religion and with all told mee in a word It was to blow vp the Parliament house with Gunpowder for said he in that place haue they done vs all the mischiefe and perchance God hath desseigned that place for their punishment I wondered at the strangenesse of the conceipt and told him that trew it was this strake at the root and would breed a confusion fit to beget new alterations But if it should not take effect as most of this nature miscaried the scandall would be so great which Catholicke Religion might hereby sustaine as not onely our enemies but our friends also would with good reason condemne vs. He told me The nature of the disease required so sharpe a remedie and asked me if I would giue my consent I told him yes in this or what els soeuer if he resolued vpon it I would venture my life But I proposed many difficulties As want of an house and of one to cary the Myne noyse in the working and such like His answere was Let vs giue an attempt and where it faileth passe no further But first quoth hee Because wee will leaue no peaceable and quiet way vntryed you shall goe ouer and informe the Constable of the state of the Catholickes here in England intreating him to sollicite his Maiestie at his comming hither that the penall Lawes may be recalled and wee admitted into the rancke of his other Subiects withall you may bring ouer some confident Gentleman such as you shall vnderstand best able for this businesse and named vnto mee master Fawkes Shortly after I passed the Sea and found the Constable at Bergen neere Dunkirke where by helpe of master Owen I deliuered my message Whose answere was that hee had strict command from his Master to doe all good Offices for the Catholickes and for his owne part hee thought himselfe
hencefoorth I shall beare faith and trew Allegiance to the Kings Highnesse his Heires and lawfull Successours and to my power shall assist and defend all Iurisdictions Priuiledges Preeminences and Authorities granted or belonging to the Kings Highnesse his Heires and Successours or vnited and annexed to the Imperiall Crowne of the Realme So helpe me God and by the Contents of this booke And that the iniustice as well as the error of his grosse mistaking in this point may yet be more clearely discouered I haue also thought good to insert here immediatly after the Oath of Supremacie the contrary conclusions to all the points and Articles whereof this other late Oath doeth consist whereby it may appeare what vnreasonable and rebellious points hee would driue my Subiects vnto by refusing the whole body of that Oath as it is conceiued For he that shall refuse to take this Oath must of necessitie hold all or some of these propositions following That I King IAMES am not the lawfull King of this Kingdome and of all other my Dominions That the Pope by his owne authoritie may depose me If not by his owne authoritie yet by some other authoritie of the Church or of the Sea of Rome If not by some other authoritie of the Church and Sea of Rome yet by other meanes with others helpe he may depose me That the Pope may dispose of my Kingdomes and Dominions That the Pope may giue authoritie to some forreine Prince to inuade my Dominions That the Pope may discharge my Subiects of their Allegiance and Obedience to me That the Pope may giue licence to one or more of my Subiects to beare armes against me That the Pope may giue leaue to my Subiects to offer violence to my Person or to my gouernement or to some of my Subiects That if the Pope shall by Sentence excommunicate or depose mee my Subiects are not to beare Faith and Allegiance to me If the Pope shall by Sentence excommunicate or depose me my Subiects are not bound to defend with all their power my Person and Crowne If the Pope shall giue out any Sentence of Excommunication or Depriuation against me my Subiects by reason o◠that Sentence are not bound to reueale all Conspiracies and Treasons against mee which shall come to their hearing and knowledge That it is not hereticall and detestable to hold that Princes being excommunicated by the Pope may be either deposed or killed by their Subiects or any other That the Pope hath power to absolue my Subiects from this Oath or from some part thereof That this Oath is not administred to my Subiects by a full and lawfull authoritie That this Oath is to be taken with Equiuocation mentall euasion or secret reseruation and not with the heart and good will sincerely in the trew faith of a Christian man These are the trew and naturall branches of the body of this Oath The affirmatiue of all which negatiues Touching the pretended Councell of Lateran See Plat. In vita Innocen III. doe neither concerne in any case the Popes Supremacie in Spirituall causes nor yet were euer concluded and defined by any complete generall Councell to belong to the Popes authoritie and their owne schoole Doctors are at irreconciliable oddes and iarres about them And that the world may yet farther see ours and the whole States setting downe of this Oath The Oath of Allegiance confirmed by the authoritie of ancient Councels did not proceed from any new inuention of our owne but as it is warranted by the word of GOD so doeth it take the example from an Oath of Allegiance decreed a thousand yeeres agone which a famous Councell then together with diuers other Councels were so farre from condemning as the Pope now hath done this Oath as I haue thought good to set downe their owne wordes here in that purpose whereby it may appeare that I craue nothing now of my Subiects in this Oath which was not expresly and carefully commaunded then by the Councels to be obeyed without exception of persons Nay not in the very particular point of Equiuocatiō The ancient Councels prouided for Equiuocation The difference betweene the ancient Councels and the Pope counselling of the Catholiques which I in this Oath was so carefull to haue eschewed but you shall here see the said Councels in their Decrees as carefull to prouide for the eschewing of the same so as almost euery point of that action this of ours shal be found to haue relation agreeance one with the other saue onely in this that those old Councels were careful and strait in cōmanding the taking of the same whereas by the contrary he that now vanteth himselfe to be head of al Councels is as careful strait in the prohibition of all men from the taking of this Oath of Allegiance The words of the Councell be these Heare our Sentence Whosoeuer of vs Concil Tolet. 4 can 47. Anno 633. or of all the people thorowout all Spaine shall goe about by any meanes of conspiracie or practise to violate the Oath of his fidelitie which he hath taken for the preseruation of his Countrey or of the Kings life or who shall attempt to put violent handes vpon the King or to depriue him of his kingly power or that by tyrannicall presumption would vsurpe the Soueraigntie of the Kingdome Let him bee accursed in the sight of God the Father and of his Angels and let him bee made and declared a stranger from the Catholique Church which hee hath prophaned by his periurie and an aliant from the companie of all Christian people together with all the complices of his impietie because it behooueth all those that bee guiltie of the like offence to vnder-lie the like punishment Which sentence is three seuerall times together and almost in the same wordes repeated in the same Canon After this the Synode desired That this Sentence of theirs now this third time rehearsed might bee confirmed by the voyce and consent of all that were present Then the whole Clergie and people answered Whosoeuer shall cary himselfe presumptuously against this your definitiue sentence let them be Anathema maranatha that is let them bee vtterly destroyed at the Lords comming and let them and their complices haue their portion with Iudas Iscarioth Amen And in the fifth 1 Concil Tolet. 5. Can. 7. anno 636. Councell there it is decreed That this Acte touching the Oath of Allegiance shall bee repeated in euery Councell of the Bishops of Spaine The Decree is in these wordes In consideration that the mindes of men are easily inclined to euill and forgetfulnesse therefore this most holy Synode hath ordained and doeth enact That in euery Councell of the Bishops of Spaine the Decree of the generall 2 Synod Tolet 4. vniuersalis magna Synodus dicta Synod Tolet. 5. cap 2. Councell which was made for the safetie of our Princes shall bee with an audible voyce proclaimed and pronounced after the
good Subiects and such terrible firebrands of hell as would maintaine the like maximes which these Powder-men did Nay could there be a more gracious part in a King suppose I say it towards Subiects of a contrary Religion then by making them to take this Oath to publish their honest fidelitie in temporal things to me their Soueraigne and thereby to wipe off that imputation and great slander which was laide vpon the whole professours of that Religion by the furious enterprise of these Powder-men And whereas for illustration of this strong argument of his hee hath brought in for a similitude the historie of 1 Nazianzen in Iulian. â—â—ectiuâ primâ Iulian the Apostata his dealing with the Christians when as he straited them either to commit idolatrie or to come within the compasse of treason I would wish the authour to remember that although a similitude may be permitted claudicare vno pede The disproportion of the Cardinals similitude yet this was a very ill chosen similitude which is lame both of feete and hands and euery member of the body For I shall in fewe wordes prooue that it agreeth in no one point saue one with our purpose which is that Iulian was an Emperour and I a King First Iulian was an Apostata one that had renounced the whole Christian faith which he had once professed and became an Ethnike againe or rather an Atheist whereas I am a Christian who neuer changed that Religion that I dranke in with my milke nor euer I thanke GOD was ashamed of my profession Iulian dealt against Christians onely for the profession of CHRISTES cause I deale in this cause with my Subiects onely to make a distinction betweene trew Subiects and falese-hearted traitours Iulians end was the ouerthrow of the Christians my onely end is to maintaine Christianitie in a peaceable gouernement Iulians drift was to make them commit Idolatrie my purpose is to cause my Subiects to make open profession of their naturall Allegiance and ciuill Obedience Iulians meanes whereby he went about it was by craft and insnaring them before they were aware my course in this is plaine cleare and voyd of all obscuritie neuer refusing leaue to any that are required to take this Oath to study it at leisure and giuing them all the interpretation of it they can craue But the greatest dissimilitude of all is in this that Iulian pressed them to commit idolatrie to Idoles and Images but as well I as all the Subiects of my profession are so farre from guilt in this point as wee are counted heretiques by you because we will not commit idolatrie So as in the maine point of all is the greatest contrarietie For Iulian persecuted the Christians because they would not commit idolatrie and ye count me a persecutour because I will not admit idolatrie So as to conclude this point this old sentence may well be applied to Bellarmine in vsing so vnapt a similitude Perdere quos vult Iupiter hos dementat And therefore his vncharitable conclusion doeth not rightly follow That it seemeth vnto him that some such thing should be subtilly or fraudulently included in this Oath as if no man can detest Treason against the King or professe ciuill subiection except hee renounce the Primacie of the Apostolique Sea But how he hath suckt this apprehension out at his fingers ends I cannot imagine for sure I am as I haue oft said hee neuer goeth about to prooue it and to answere an improbable imagination is to fight against a vanishing shadow It cannot be denied indeed that many seruants of CHRIST as well Priests as others haue endured constantly all sorts of torments and death for the profession of CHRIST and therefore to all such his examples as hee bringeth in for verifying the same I need not to giue him any other answere saue onely to remember him that he playeth the part of a sophister in all these his examples of the constancie of Martyrs euer taking Controuersum pro confesso as if this our case were of the same nature But yet that the Reader may the better discouer not onely how vnaptly his similitudes are applied but likewise how dishonestly hee vseth himselfe in all his citations I haue thought good to set downe the very places themselues cited by him together with a short deduction of the trew state of those particular cases whereby how little these examples can touch our case nay by the contrary how rightly their trew sense may bee vsed as our owne weapons to be throwen backe vpon him that alledgeth them shall easily appeare And first for 1 2. Maccab. chap. 6. ver 18. Eleazar If the Arch-priest his ground of refusing the Oath were as good as Eleazars was to forbeare to eate the swines flesh it might not vnfitly be applied by the Cardinal to this purpose An answere to the Card example of Eleazar For as Eleazar was a principall Scribe so is he a principall Priest As Eleazars example had a great force in it to animate the yonger Scribes to keepe the Lawe or in his colourable eating it to haue taught them to dissemble so hath the Arch-priests either to make the inferiour Priests to take the Oath or to refuse it but the ground failing the building cannot stand For what example is there in all the Scripture in which disobedience to the Oath of the King or want of Allegiance is allowed If the Cardinall would remember that when the Church maketh a Lawe suppose to forbid flesh on certaine dayes he that refuseth to obey it incurreth the iust censure of the Church If a man then ought to die rather then to breake the least of Gods Ceremoniall Lawes and to pine and starue his body rather then to violate the Church his positiue Law will he not giue leaue to a man to redeeme his soule from sinne and to keepe his body from punishment by keeping a Kings politike Law and by giuing good example in his Person raise vp a good opinion in me of like Allegiance in the inferiour of his order This application as I take it would haue better fitted this example But let mee remember the Cardinall of another 2 1. Sam. 14.25 Oath inioyned by a King to his people whereby he indangered his owne life and hazarded the safetie of the whole armie when hee made the people sweare in the morning not to taste of any meate vntill night which Oath he exacted so strictly that his eldest sonne and heire apparant Ionathan for breaking of it by tasting a little hony of the top of his rodde though he heard not when the King gaue that Oath had well-nigh died for it And shall an Oath giuen vpon so vrgent an occasion as this was for the apparant safetie of me and my posteritie forbidding my people to drinke so deeply in the bitter cup of Antichristian fornications but that they may keepe so much hony in their hearts as may argue them still espoused to me
thereof since those which immediatly follow are so much derogatorie to the diuine Maiestie And againe My 6 Epist 52. writings be strengthened by the authoritie and merit of my Lord most blessed S. Peter We 7 Epist 89. beseech you to keepe the things decreed by vs through the inspiration of God and the Apostle most blessed S. Peter If 8 In serm 2. in die anniuer assum suae any thing be well done or decreed by vs If any thing be obtained of Gods mercy by daily prayers it is to be ascribed to S. Peters workes and merits whose power doeth liue and authoritie excell in his owne Sea Hee 9 Serm. 3. in die anniuer assump suae was so plentifully watered of the very fountaine of all graces that whereas he receiued many things alone yet nothing passeth ouer to any other but hee was partaker of it And in a word hee was so desirous to extoll Saint Peter that a messenger from him was an 10 Epist 24. embassage from Saint Peter 11 Epist 4. any thing done in his presence was in S. Peters presence Neither did he vse all this Rhetoricke without purpose for at that time the Patriarch of Constantinople contended with him for Primacie And in the Councell of 12 Concil Chalceden Act. 16. Can. 28. Chalcedon the Bishops sixe hundred and more gaue equall authoritie to the Patriarch of that Sea and would not admit any Priuiledge to the Sea of Rome aboue him but went against him And yet he that gaue so much to Peter tooke nothing from Caesar but gaue him both his Titles and due giuing the power of calling a Councell to the Emperour as it may appeare by these one or two places following of many If it may please your 13 Epist 9. Theodosie godlinesse to vouchsafe at our supplication to condiscend that you will command a Councell of Bishops to be holden within Italy And writing vnto the Bishop of Constantinople Because the most clement 1 Epist 16. Flan. Emperour carefull of the peace of the Church will haue a Councell to be holden albeit it euidently appeare the matter to be handled doeth in no case stand in neede of a Councell And againe Albeit 2 Epist 17. Theodosie my occasions will not permit me to be present vpon the day of the Councell of Bishops which your godlinesse hath appointed So as by this it may well appeare that hee that gaue so much to Peter gaue also to Caesar his due and prerogatiue But yet he playeth not faire play in this that euen in all these his wrong applied arguments and examples hee produceth no other witnesses but the parties themselues bringing euer the Popes sentences for approbation of their owne authoritie Now indeed for one word of his in the middest of his examples I cannot but greatly commend him that is that Martyrs ought to endure all sorts of tortures and death before they suffer one syllable to be corrupted of the Law of God Which lesson if hee and all the rest of his owne profession would apply to themselues then would not the Sacrament be administred sub vnâ specie directly contrary to Christs institution the practise of the Apostles and of the whole Primitiue Church for many hundred yeeres then would not the priuate Masses be in place of the Lordes Supper then would not the words of the 3 Bellar. de sacra Encharist lib. 4. cap. 14. Canon of the Masse be opposed to the words of S. Paul and S. Luke as our Aduersarie himselfe confesseth and cannot reconcile them nor then would not so many hundreths other traditions of men be set vp in their Church not onely as equall but euen preferred to the word of God But sure in this point I feare I haue mistaken him for I thinke hee doeth not meane by his Diuina Dogmata the word of the God of heauen but onely the Canons and Lawes of his Dominus Deus Papa otherwise all his Primacie of the Apostolike Sea would not be so much sticken vpon hauing so slender ground in the word of God And for the great feare he hath that the suddennes of the apprehension the bitternesse of the persecution the weaknesse of his aage and other such infirmities might haue been the cause of the Arch-priests fall in this I haue already sufficiently answered him hauing declared as the trewth is and as the said Blackwell himselfe will yet testifie that he tooke this Oath freely of himselfe without any inducement thereunto either Precibus or Minis But amongst all his citations Some of Sanders his worthy sayings remembred hee must not forget holy Sanderus and his visibilis Monarchia whose person and actions I did alreadie a little touch And surely who will with vnpartiall eyes reade his bookes they may well thinke that hee hath deserued well of his English Romane-Church but they can neuer thinke but that hee deserued very ill of his English Soueraigne and State Witnesse his owne books whereout I haue made choice to set downe heere these fewe sentences following as flowers pickt out of so worthy a garland 4 Sand de visib Monar lib. 6. cap. 4. Elizabeth Queene of ENGLAND doeth exercise the Priestly acte of teaching and preaching the Gospel in ENGLAND with no lesse authority then Christ himselfe or Moses euer did The supremacie of a 5 Sand de clau Dauid li. 6. c. 1. woman in Church matters is from no other then from the Deuill And of all things in generall thus he speaketh The 1 Sand. de visib Monar lib. 2. cap. 4. King that will not inthrall himselfe to the Popes authoritie be ought not to be tolerated but his Subiects ought to giue all diligence that another may be chosen in his place assoone as may be A King that is an 2 Ibidem Heretike ought to be remooued from the Kingdome that hee holdeth ouer Christians and the Bishops ought to endeauour to set vp another assoone as possibly they can Wee doe constantly 3 Ibidem affirme that all Christian Kings are so farre vnder Bishops and Priests in all matters appertaining to faith that if they shall continue in a fault against Christian Religion after one or two admonitions obstinately for that cause they may and ought to be deposed by the Bishops from their temporall authoritie they holde ouer Christians 4 Ibidem Bishops are set ouer temporall kingdomes if those kingdomes doe submit themselues to the faith of Christ We doe iustly 5 Sand. de clan Dauid li. 5. c. 2. affirme that all Secular power whether Regall or any other is of men The 6 Ibidem anoynting which is powred vpon the head of the King by the Priest doeth declare that hee is inferiour to the Priest It is altogether against the will of 7 Sand. de clan Dauid li. 5. c. 4. Christ that Christian kings should haue supremacie in the Church And whereas for the crowne and
Sam. 7.14 Sonnes of the most High nay Gods 14 Psal 82.6 exod 22.8 themselues The 15 1. Sam. 24.11 Lords anoynted Sitting 16 2. Chro. 9.8 in Gods throne His 17 2. Chro. 6.15 seruants The Angels 18 2. Sam. 14.20 of God According to his 19 1. Sam. 13.14 hearts desire The light 20 2. Sam. 21.17 of Israel The 21 Isa 49.23 nursing fathers of the Church with innumerable such stiles of honour wherwith the old Testament is filled whereof our aduersary can pretend no ignorance And as to the new Testament Euery soule is commaunded to be subiect vnto them euen for 22 Rom. 13.5 conscience sake All men 23 1. Tim. 2.2 must be prayed for but especially Kings and those that are in Authoritie that vnder them we may leade a godly peaceable and an honest life The 24 Rom. 13.4 Magistrate is the minister of God to doe vengeance on him that doeth euill and reward him that doeth well Ye must obey all higher powers but 25 1. Pet. 2.13 especially Princes and those that are supereminent Giue euery man his due feare 26 Rom. 13.7 to whom feare belongeth and honour to whome honour Giue 27 Mat. 22.21 vnto Caesar what is Caesars and to God what is Gods 28 Iohn 18.36 Regnum meum non est huius mundi 29 Luk. 12.14 Quis me constituit Iudicem super vos 30 Luk. 22.25 Reges gentium dominantur eorum vos autem non sic If these examples sentences titles and prerogatiues and innumerable other in the Olde and New Testament doe not warrant Christian Kings within their owne dominions to gouerne their Church as well as the rest of their people in being Custodes vtriusque Tabulae not by making new Articles of Faith which is the Popes office as I said before but by commanding obedience to be giuen to the word of God by reforming the religion according to his prescribed will by assisting the spirituall power with the temporall sword by reforming of corruptions by procuring due obedience to the Church by iudging and cutting off all friuolous questions and schismes as 31 Euseb lib. 3. de vita Constantini Constantine did and finally by making decorum to be obserued in euery thing and establishing orders to bee obserued in all indifferent things for that purpose which is the onely intent of our Oath of Supremacie If this Office of a King I say doe not agree with the power giuen him by Gods word let any indifferent man voyd of passion iudge But how these honourable offices styles and prerogatiues giuen by God to Kings in the Old and New Testament as I haue now cited can agree with the braue styles and titles that Bellarmine giueth them I can hardly conceiue 1 De laicis cap. 7. That Kings are rather slaues then Lords 2 De Pent. li. 1. cap. 7. That they are not onely subiects to Popes to Bishops to Priests but euen to Deacons 3 Ibidem That an Emperour must content himselfe to drinke not onely after a Bishop but after a Bishops Chaplen 4 Ibid. de Cler. cap. 28. That Kings haue not their Authoritie nor Office immediatly from God nor his Law but onely from the Law of Nations 5 De Pont. lib. 3. cap. 16. That Popes haue degraded many Emperours but neuer Emperour degraded the Pope nay euen * De Rom. Pontif lib. 5. cap 8. Bishops that are but the Popes vassals may depose Kings and abrogate their lawes 6 De laicis cap. 8. That Church-men are so farre aboue Kings as the soule is aboue the body 7 De Pont. li. 5. cap. 18. That Kings may be deposed by their people for diuers respects 8 De Pon. lib. 2. cap. 26. But Popes can by no meanes be deposed for no flesh hath power to iudge of them 9 De Pont. lib. 4. cap. 15. That obedience due to the Pope is for conscience sake 10 De Clericis cap. 28. But the obedience due to Kings is onely for certaine respects of order and policie 11 Ibidem That these very Church-men that are borne and inhabite in Soueraigne Princes countreys are notwithstanding not their Subiects and cannot bee iudged by them although they may iudge them 12 Ibidem And that the obedience that Church-men giue to Princes euen in the meanest and meere temporall things is not by way of any necessarie subiection but onely out of discretion and for obseruation of good order and custome These contrarieties betweene the Booke of God and Bellarmines bookes haue I heere set in opposition each to other Vt ex contrariis iuxta se positis veritas magis elucescere possit And thus farre I dare boldly affirme that whosoeuer will indifferently weigh these irreconciliable contradictions here set downe will easily confesse that CHRIST is no more contrarie to Belial light to darknesse and heauen to hell then Bellarmines estimation of Kings is to Gods Now as to the conclusion of his letter which is onely filled with strong and pithie exhortations to perswade and confirme Blackwell to the patient and constant induring of martyrdome I haue nothing to answere saue by way of regrate that so many good sentences drawen out of the Scripture so well and so handsomely packed vp together should be so ill and vntrewly applied But an euill cause is neuer the better for so good a cloake and an ill matter neuer amended by good wordes And therefore I may iustly turne ouer that craft of the diuell vpon himselfe in vsing so holy-like an exhortation to so euill a purpose Onely I could haue wished him that hee had a little better obserued his decorum herein in not letting slippe two or three prophane words amongst so many godly mortified Scripture sentences For in all the Scripture especially in the New Testament I neuer read of Pontifex Maximus And the Pope must be content in that style to succeed according to the Law and institution of Numa Pompilius and not to S. Peter who neuer heard nor dreamed of such an Office And for his Caput fidei which I remembred before the Apostles I am sure neuer gaue that style to any but to CHRIST So as these styles whereof some were neuer found in Scripture and some were neuer applyed but to CHRIST in that sense as hee applieth it had beene better to haue beene left out of so holy and mortified a letter To conclude then this present Discourse I heartily wish all indifferent readers of the Breues and Letter not to iudge by the speciousnesse of the wordes but by the weight of the matter not looking to that which is strongly alledged but iudiciously to consider what is iustly prooued And for all my owne good and naturall Subiects that their hearts may remaine established in the trewth that these forraine inticements may not seduce them from their natall and naturall duetie and that
take Radamanthus office ouer his head and to sit downe and play the Iudge in hell And all his quarrell is that either her Successour or any of her seruants should speake honourably of her Cursed be he that curseth the Anointed of God and destroyed mought he be with the destruction of Korah that hath sinned in the contradiction of Korah Without mought such dogs and swine be cast forth I say out of the Spirituall Ierusalem As for my Latine Answerer I haue nothing to say to his person hee is not my Subiect hee standeth or falleth vnto his owne Lord But sure I am they two haue casten lotts vpon my Booke since they could not diuide it the one of them my fugitiue to raile vpon my late Predecessour but a rope is the fittest answere for such an Historian the other a stranger thinketh he may be boldest both to pay my person and my Booke as indeed he doeth which how iustly either in matter or maner wee are now to examine But first who should be the trew Authour of this booke I can but guesse Hee calleth himselfe Mattheus Tortus Cardinall Bellarmins Chaplaine A 1 Being a proper word to expresse the trew meaning of Tortus throwne Euangelist indeed full of throward Diuinitie an obscure Authour vtterly vnknowne to mee being yet little knowne to the world for any other of his workes and therefore must be a very desperate fellow in beginning his apprentisage not onely to refute but to raile vpon a King But who will consider the carriage of the whole booke shall finde that hee writeth with such authoritie or at the least tam elato stylo so little sparing either Kings in generall or my person in particular and with such a greatnesse 1 P. 46. Habemus enim exemplaria Breuium illorum in manibus and 2 P. 63. Decernimus as it shall appeare or at least bee very probable that it is the Masters and not the mans labour especially in one place where hee quarrelleth mee for casting vp his moralis certitudo and pie credi vnto him Pag. 69. hee there grossely forgetting himselfe saith malâ fide nobiscum agit thereby making this Authour to be one person with Bellarmine But let it bee the worke of a Tortus indeed and not of a personated Cardinall yet must it bee the Cardinals deed since Master Tortus is the Cardinals man and doeth it in his Masters defence The errand then being the Cardinals and done by his owne man it cannot but bee accounted as his owne deed especially since the English Answerer doeth foure times promise that Bellarmine or one by his appointment shall sufficiently answere it And now to come to his matter and maner of Answere Surely if there were no more but his vnmanerly maner it is enough to disgrace the whole matter thereof For first to shew his pride in his Printers preface of the Politan edition of this elegans libellus hee must equall the Cardinals greatnesse with mine in euery thing For though hee confesseth this Master Tortus to bee an obscure man yet being the Cardinals Chapleine he is sufficient enough forsooth to answere an English booke that lacketh the name of an Authour as if a personated obscure name for Authour of a Cardinals booke were a meete match for answering a KINGS Booke that lacketh the name of an Authour and a Cardinals Chapleine to meete with the Deane of the Kings Chappell whom Parsons with the Cardinall haue as it seemeth agreed vpon to intitle to bee the Authour of my Apologie And not onely in the Preface but also through the whole booke doeth hee keepe this comparatiue greatnesse Hee must bee as short in his answere as I am in my Booke hee must refute all that I haue said against the Popes second Breue with equall breuitie and vpon one page almost as I haue done mine and because I haue set downe the substance of the Oath in foureteene Articles in iust as many Articles must he set downe that Acte of Parliament of mine wherein the Oath is contained And yet had hee contented himselfe with his owne pride by the demonstration of his owne greatnesse without further wronging of mee it had bene the more tollerable But what cause gaue I him to farce his whole booke with iniuries both against my Person and Booke For whereas in all my Apologie I haue neuer giuen him a foule word and especially neuer gaue him the Lye hee by the contrary giueth mee nine times the Lye in expresse termes and seuen times chargeth mee with falsehood which phrase is equiualent with a Lye And as for all other wordes of reproch as nugae conuitia temeritas vanitas impudentia blasphemiae sermonis barbaries cum eadem foelicitate scribendi cauillationes applicatio inepta fingere historias audacia quae in hominem sanae mentis cadere non potest vel sensu communi caret imperitia leuitas omnem omnino pudorem conscientiam exuisse malâ fide nobiscum agit vt lectoribus per fas nefas imponat of such like reproches I say I doubt if there bee a page in all his Booke free except where hee idlely sets downe the Popes Breues and his owne Letter And in case this might onely seeme to touch the vnknowen Authour of the Booke whome notwithstanding he knew well enough as I shew before hee spareth not my Person with my owne name sometimes saying Pag. 47. that Pope Clement thought mee to bee inclined to their Religion Sometimes that I was a Puritane in Scotland Pag. 98. and a persecutour of Protestants In one place hee concludeth Pag. 87. Quia Iacobus non est Catholicus hoc ipso Haereticus est In another place Pag. 98. Ex Christiano Caluinistam fecerunt In another place hee sayeth Neque omnino verum est Ibid. Iacobum nunquam deseruisse Religionem quam primò susceperat And in another place after that hee hath compared and ranked mee with Iulian the Apostate hee concludeth Cùm Catholicus not sit Pag. 97. neque Christianus est If this now bee mannerly dealing with a King I leaue it to you to iudge who cannot but resent such indignities done to one of your qualitie And as for the Matter of his Booke it well fittes indeede the Manner thereof for hee neuer answereth directly to the maine question in my Booke For whereas my Apologie handleth onely two points as I told you before One to prooue that the Oath of Allegiance doeth onely meddle with the ciuill and temporall Obedience due by Subiects to their naturall Soueraignes The other that this late vsurpation of Popes ouer the temporall power of Princes is against the rule of all Scriptures auncient Councels and Fathers hee neuer improoues the first but by a false inference that the Oath denyeth the Popes power of Excommunication directly since it denieth his authoritie in deposing of Kings And for the second point he bringeth no proofe to the contrary but Pasce
witnesse also the protestation of a great number of Professors of Leyden against him and many of the principall members as well Prouinces as Townes of the Vnited body of that State who haue accused him as before we haue said So as if for that purpose onely they brought him vnto their Vniuersitie they must needes acknowledge it hath had a very vnhappie successe HAuing now finished the discourse of our whole proceeding in this cause from the beginning vntill this present It remaineth that we set downe the reasons which perswaded vs to ingage our selues in alienâ republicâ in a businesse of this nature But wee haue done that already although but summarily and by the way For in that place where wee make mention of the bookes of Vorstius which were brought into our Kingdome wee yeeld three Reasons which mooued vs to take this cause to heart First the zeale of Gods glory to whom we are so much bound Secondly charity towards our next neighbours and Allies and Thirdly the iust reason we had to feare the like infection within our owne Dominions As concerning the Glory of God If the subiect of Vorstius his Heresies had not bene grounded vpon Questions of a higher qualitie then touching the number and nature of the Sacraments the points of Iustification of Merits of Purgatorie of the visible head of the Church or any such matters as are in controuersie at this day betwixt the Papists and vs Nay more If hee had medled onely with the nature and workes of GOD ad extra as the Schoolemen speake If wee say hee had soared no higher pitch although wee should haue bene very sory to see such Heresies begin to take roote amongst our Allies and ancient confederates Neuerthelesse wee doe freely professe that in that case wee should neuer haue troubled our selues with the businesse in such fashion and with that feruencie as hitherto we haue done But this Vorstius mounting aloft like an Anti-S Iohn with the wings of the Eagle vp to the Heauens and to the Throne of GOD disputing of his Sacred and ineffable Essence Quae tremenda admiranda est sed non scrutanda Which is to be trembled at and admired but not to be searched into confounding infinitie one of the proper attributes of GOD and immensitie sometime applied to creatures the essence and substance with the hypostasis disputing of a first and second creation immediate and mediate making GOD to be quale and quantum changing eternitie into euiternitie teaching eternitie to consist of a number of aages and in the end as a sworne enemie not onely to Diuinitie but euen to all Philosophie both humane and naturall denying God to be Actus purus and void of qualities but hauing in some sort with horror be it spoken aliquid diuersitatis aut multiplicitatis in se ipso etiam principium cuiusdam mut abilitatis That is to say Some kind of diuersitie or multiplicitie in himselfe yea euen a beginning of a certaine mutabilitie Let the world then iudge whether we had not occasion herevpon to be moued not onely as one that maketh profession of thereformed Religion but as a Christian at large yea euen as a Theist or a man that acknowledgeth a GOD or as a Platonique Philosopher at the least Secondly for the Charitie which we owe to our neighbours and Allies the Charitie of euery Christian ought to extend to all men but especially towards them that be of the Houshold of saith The States then being not onely our confederates but the principall bond of our coniunction being our vniformitie in the trew Religion we had reason to admonish them not to permit such dangerous Heresies to spring and take roote amongst them which being once suffered could produce no other effects then the danger of their soules a rent betwixt them and all other Christian Churches and at the last a rupture and diuision in their Temporall State which next vnder God can be maintained by nothing but Vnitie To which resolution we were the rather induced by the example of diuers other Prouinces vnder the dominion of the said States who did accuse Vorstius and perswaded Holland to send him away out of their countrey as before we haue declared It is trew that if Vorstius had beene a natiue of Holland as Iohn of Leyden was it had beene sufficient for vs to haue giuen them a generall warning of the danger and then to haue referred it vnto themselues to take such course therein as to them should seeme conuenient But this Vorstius being a stranger and sent for out of another Countrey to instruct their youth hee can challenge no such priuiledge by reason of his birth but that the States may lawfully discharge him whensoeuer they please And for his profession it is without doubt lesse dangerous to suffer a thousand Lay Heretiques to liue in a Common wealth for that is but matter of policie so long as they offend not in their speach and seduce not others then to haue so much as one Doctour that may poison the youth For Quo semel est imbuta recens seruabit odorem Testa diu The vessell will tastea long time after of that liquor wherewith it is first seasoned And what shall become of the litle brookes if their Fountaine be corrupted And from hence is deriued our third reason which perswaded vs to meddle in this businesse For if generally the youth of those Countreys our neerest neighbours should happen to be infected in what danger then were wee especially seeing so many of the yonger sort of our Subiects doe repaire for learning sake to the Vniuersitie of Leyden an Vniuersitie of long time famous but so much the more renowned for that within our remembrance it hath beene adorned with those two excellent personages Scaliger and Iunius It is furthermore to bee noted that the spirituall infection of Heresie is so much more dangerous then the bodily infection of the plague by how much the soule is more noble then the body which caused the Apostle S. Iohn when entring into a Bath he met there by chance Cerinthus the Heretique to turne backe againe vpon the suddaine for feare of infection Now if that great Apostle the beloued of Christ did so much feare the infection of Heresie as himselfe hath giuen vs a warning in one of his Epistles Ne dicas illi Aue Bid him not God speed haue not we then much more cause to feare the corruption of the youth of our owne Kingdomes But we very well know that some will say Vorstius is not rightly vnderstood that some consequences are violently wrested out of his words contrary to the intention of the Author that those things which he propounds scholastically by way of question should not bee taken for his owne resolution and admit pearaduenture hee may haue spoken in some phrases minùs cautè not warily enough yet that is but Logomachie contention about words and ought not to bee imputed vnto him for Heresie and besies
peccauerit modò semper rationes suorum dictorum modestè reddere paratus sit That is to say Euery man is a lyer yea more vaine then vanity it selfe God onely is trew c. Which seeing wee ought euer humbly to acknowledge in all great and weighty causes most of all ought we to confesse it in the most holy cause of our Faith insomuch as we should not therefore easily condemne euery thing which at the first seemes strange yea false and absurd vnto our eares nor on the contrary side ought wee foorth-with to approoue and that with an opinion of precise necessitie whatsoeuer is commonly receyued especially in matters abstruse and intricate whereof the knowledge is not necessarie to saluation In such poynts as these if any man shall say that such a King or Prince howsoeuer otherwise most godly and religious yea that many such Kings and Princes nay I will not except Bishops or the like Doctors of the Church haue in some sort erred I am of opinion hee shall not giue any iust cause of offence either to the Maiestie of Kings or to the dignitie of Princes and Bishops so as hee bee alwaies ready modestly to yeeld a reason for that which hee shall affirme In which words hee maintaineth two Principles First that euery man is a lyar aswell in matter of Faith as in any thing else and next that wee must not euer esteeme the vulgar opinion and that which is generally receiued in matter of Faith to be the trewest nor alwayes condemne euery opinion for absurd which at the first seemes vnto vs vncouth and new Now we pray you obserue that this man is not accused of small scapes and therefore beeing not charged with lesser peccadillos then those which before wee haue mentioned it necessarily followes that in his excuse hee must vnderstand the same points whereof he is accused And wee hope by the mercy of GOD that no Christian wee speake in this particular as well for the Papists as for our selues shall euer be found to erre in any of those maine points at the least wee will answere by the grace of God for one of those Kings whom he names in general And as for his new opinions which he would so gladly vent abroad the ancient Faith needes not be changed like an old garment either in substance or fashion Furthermore in the third page of his Preface hee vseth these words Sed neque plures vno aliquo semper hîc ditiores sunt Nemo igitur vnus sibi arroget omnia Nec numero plures vni alicui singulare quidquam inuideant Neither are many men alwayes richer in knowledge then some one man Let not therefore any one man arrogate all things to himselfe Nor let the greater multitude enuie a particular man for hauing some singularitie more then his fellowes The trew principle and foundation of the error of the Anabaptists taking away by this meanes all maner of gouernment from the Church For hauing first ouerthrowen the Monarchicall power of the Pope he sweepes away next all manner of power both Aristocraticall and Democraticall from the Church cleane contrary to the Apostles institution which ordeineth that the spirits of the Prophets should bee subiect to the Prophets For if one particular man may take vpon him such a singularitie as this how shall he bee subiect to Generall Nationall and Synodicall Councels For straight will he say vnto them Sirs yee haue no authoritie to iudge mee for I haue a singular gift aboue you all And in the fift Page these are his words Plamssimè enim persuasus sum Serenissimo Regi nunquam in animo fuisse nunquam in animo fore alienae conscientiae quod ne Apostoli quidem sibi vnquam arrogârunt fiue directè fiue indirectè siue per seipsum siue per alios vllatenùs dominari vel fidem nostram vlli humanae authoritati alligare velle For I am absolutely perswaded that it was neuer his Maiesties meaning nor euer will bee either directly or indirectly by himselfe or by others in any sort to ouer-rule another mans conscience which euen the Apostles neuer challenged to themselues nor did or will his Maiestie euer seeke to tie our Faith to any humane authoritie Whereby hee is plainely discouered to bee resolued not to bee subiect in any sort to the iudgement of the Church in those matters whereof hee is accused For hee knowes too well that the ancient Church hath established vpon necessary consequences drawen from the holy Scripture both a forme of beliefe and a forme of speach concerning the holy Mysteries aforesaid And this is the reason why hee will not in these points submit himselfe to the iudgement of any mortall man But vpon this occasion in the seuenth page of his Preface maintaines his Christian libertie in this maner Qui quidem humanas decisiones à Diuinis mysterijs scrupulosé segregem praesertim in audaces Scholarum hypotheses pro Christiana libertate interdum diligentiùs inquiram I who curiously make a separation betwixt the iudgements of men and the Diuine mysteries and especially according to Christian libertie doe sometimes more narrowly looke into the bold supositions of the Schoolemen As if the Schoole Diuines had bene too ventrous to explaine and to defend the Articles aforesaid already so established by the Church But we may trewly wish in that point as Bellarmine did touching Caluin Vtinam semper sic errassent Scholastici Would God the Scholemen had alwayes so erred For in the maine grounds of Christian Religion they are worthy of all commendation Reade Aquinas against the Gentiles But in matters of controuersie where they were to flatter the Pope in his resolutions and to auow the new ordinances and traditions of their Church there they yeelded alas vnto the iniquitie of the time and the mysterie of iniquitie which was euen then in working got likewise the vpper hand ouer them And as for this Christian libertie which he doeth vrge so much certainely he doeth it with no other intention but onely vnder this faire pretext to haue the better meanes and with more safetie to abuse the world For Christian libertie is neuer meant in the holy Scripture but onely in matters indifferent or when it is taken for our deliuerance from the thraldome of the Law or from the burden of humane traditions and in that sense S. Paul speaketh in his Epistle to the Colossians Quare oneraminiritibus Why are ye burdened with traditions But to abuse Christian libertie in presuming to propound a new doctrine vnto the world in point of the highest and holiest mysteries of GOD is a most audacious rashnesse and an impudent arrogancie Concerning which S. Paul saith Though an Angel from heauen preach vnto you otherwise then that which we haue preached vnto you let him bee accursed And Saint Iohn likewise commandeth vs that wee should not so much as say God speed to that man which shall bring vs any other doctrine as wee haue obserued before
to display the colours and ensignes of their censures against Princes who violating their publike and solemne oath doe raise and make open warre against Iesus Christ I grant yet againe that in this case they need not admit Laics to be of their counsell nor allow them any scope or libertie of iudgement Yet all this makes no barre to Clerics for extending the power of their keyes many times a whole degree further then they ought and when they are pleased to make vse of their said power to depriue the people of their goods or the Prince of his Crowne all this doeth not hinder Prince or people from taking care for the preseruation of their owne rights and estates nor from requiring Clerics to shew their cards and produce their Charts and to make demonstration by Scripture that such power as they assume and challenge is giuen them from God For to leaue the Pope absolute Iudge in the same cause wherein hee is a partie and which is the strongest rampier and bulwarke yea the most glorious and eminent point of his domination to arme him with power to vnhorse Kings out of their seates what is it else but euen to draw them into a state of despaire for euer winning the day or preuailing in their honourable and rightful cause It is moreouer granted if a King shall command any thing directly contrary to Gods word and tending to the subuerting of the Church that Clerics in this case ought not onely to dispense with subiects for their obedience but also expresly to forbid their obedience For it is alwayes better to obey God then man Howbeit in all other matters whereby the glory and maiestie of God is not impeached or impaired it is the duety of Clerics to plie the people with wholesome exhortation to constant obedience and to auert by earnest disswasions the said people from tumultuous reuolt and seditious insurrection This practise vnder the Pagan Emperours was held and followed by the ancient Christians by whose godly zeale and patience in bearing the yoke the Church in times past grew and flourished in her happy and plentifull increase farre greater then Poperie shall euer purchase and attaine vnto by all her cunning deuices and sleights as namely by degrading of Kings by interdicting of Kingdoms by apposted murders and by Diabolicall traines of Gunne-powder-mines The places of Scripture alleadged in order by the Cardinal Pag 66. in fauour of those that stand for the Popes claime of power and authoritie to depose Kings are cited with no more sincerity then the former They alledge these are his words that Samuel deposed King Saul or declared him to bee deposed because hee had violated the Lawes of the Iewes Religion His Lordship auoucheth elsewere that Saul was deposed because he had sought prophanely to vsurpe the holy Priesthood Both false and contrary to the tenour of trewth in the sacred history For Saul was neuer deposed according to the sense of the word I meane depose in the present question to wit as deposing is taken for despoiling the King of his royall dignitie and reducing the King to the condition of a priuate person But Saul held the title of King and continued in possession of his Kingdome euen to his dying day 1. Sam. 23.20 24.15 2. Sam. 2.5 Yea the Scripture styles him King euen to the periodicall and last day of his life by the testimony of Dauid himselfe who both by Gods promise and by precedent vnction was then heire apparant as it were to the Crown in a maner then ready to gird and adorne the temples of his head For if Samuel by Gods commandement had then actually remooued Saul from his Throne doubtlesse the whole Church of Israel had committed a grosse errour in taking and honouring Saul for their King after such deposition doubtlesse the Prophet Samuel himselfe making knowen the Lords Ordinance vnto the people would haue enioyned them by strict prohibition to call him no longer the King of Israel Doubtlesse Dauid would neuer haue held his hand from the throat of Saul 1. Sam. 26.11 for this respect and consideration because he was the Lords Anointed For if Saul had lost his Kingly authority from that instant when Samuel gaue him knowledge of his reiection then Dauid lest otherwise the Body of the Kingdome should want a Royall Head was to beginne his Reigne and to beare the Royall scepter in the very same instant which were to charge the holy Scriptures with vntrewth in as much as the sacred historie begins the computation of the yeeres of Dauids Reigne from the day of Sauls death Trew it is that in the 1. Sam. cap. 15. Saul was denounced by Gods owne sentence a man reiected and as it were excommunicated out of the Kingdome that hee should not rule and reigne any longer as King ouer Israel neuerthelesse the said sentence was not put in execution before the day when God executing vpon Saul an exemplarie iudgement did strike him with death From whence it is manifest and cleare 1. Sam. 16.23 that when Dauid was annointed King by Samuel that action was onely a promise and a testimony of the choice which God had made of Dauid for succession immediately after Saul and not a present establishment inuestment or installment of Dauid in the Kingdome Wee reade the like in 1. King cap. 19. where God commandeth Elias the Prophet to annoint Hasael King of Syria For can any man bee so blinde and ignorant in the sacred historie to beleeue the Prophets of Israel established or sacred the Kings of Syria For this cause 2. Sam. 2.4 when Dauid was actually established in the Kingdome hee was annointed the second time In the next place he brings in the Popes champions vsing these words Rehoboam was deposed by Ahiah the Prophet 1 King 12. from his Royall right ouer the tenne Tribes of Israel because his father Salomon had played the Apostata in falling from the Law of God This I say also is more then the trewth of the sacred history doeth afoard For Ahiah neuer spake to Rehoboam for ought we reade nor brought vnto him any message from the Lord As for the passage quoted by the L. Cardinal out of 3. Reg. chap. 11. it hath not reference to the time of Rehoboams raigne but rather indeed to Salomons time nor doeth it carry the face of a iudicatorie sentence for the Kings deposing but rather of a Propheticall prediction For how could Rehoboam before hee was made King be depriued of the Kingdome Last of all but worst of all to alleadge this passage for an example of a iust sentence in matter of deposing a King is to approoue the disloyall treacherie of a seruant against his master and the rebellion of Ieroboam branded in Scripture with a marke of perpetuall infamie for his wickednesse and impietie He goes on with an other example of no more trewth 1. King 19. King Achab was deposed by Elias the Prophet
the Oath of Allegiance Doeth not his Holinesse by this meanes draw so much as in him lyeth persecution vpon the backes of my Papists as vpon rebels and expose their life as it were vpon the open stall to be sold at a very easie price All these examples either ioynt or seuerall are manifest and euident proofes that feare to draw mischiefe and persecution vpon the Church hath not barred the Popes from thundering against Emperours and Kings whensoeuer they conceiued any hope by their fulminations to aduance their greatnesse Last of all I referre the matter to the most possessed with preiudice euen the very aduersaries whether this doctrine by which people are trained vp in subiection vnto Infidel or hereticall Kings vntill the subiects be of sufficient strength to mate their Kings to expell their Kings and to depose them from their Kingdomes doth not incense the Turkish Emperours and other Infidell Princes to roote out all the Christians that drawe in their yoke as people that waite onely for a fit occasion to rebell and to take themselues ingaged for obedience to their Lords onely by constraint and seruile feare Let vs therefore now conclude with Ozius in that famous Epistle speaking to Constantius an Arrian heretike Apud Athanâ—in Eâ—â—st ad solitâ—â— vitam aâ—gentes As hee that by secret practise or open violence would bereaue thee of thy Empire should violate Gods ordinance so bee thou touched with feare least by vsurping authoritie ouer Church matters thou tumble not headlong into some hainous crime Where this holy Bishop hath not vouchsafed to insert and mention the L. Cardinals exception to wit the right of the Church alwaies excepted and saued when she shall be of sufficient strength to shake off the yoke of Emperours Neither speaks the same holy Bishop of priuate persons alone or men of some particular condition and calling but hee setteth downe a generall rule for all degrees neuer to impeach Imperiall Maiestie vpon any pretext whatsoeuer As his Lordships first reason drawne from weakenesse is exceeding weake so is that which the L. Cardinall takes vp in the next place The 2. reas Pag. 77. He telleth vs there is very great difference betweene Pagan Emperours and Christian Princes Pagan Emperours who neuer did homage to Christ who neuer were by their subiects receiued with condition to acknowledge perpetuall subiection vnto the Empire of Christ who neuer were bound by oath and mutuall contract betweene Prince and subiect Christian Princes who slide backe by Apostasie degenerate by Arrianisme or fall away by Mahometisme Touching the latter of these two as his Lordshippe saith If they shall as it were take an oath and make a vowe contrary to their first oath and vow made and taken when they were installed and contrary to the condition vnder which they receiued the Scepter of their Fathers if they withall shall turne persecutors of the Catholike religion touching these I say the L. Cardinal holds that without question they may bee remooued from their Kingdomes He telleth vs not by whom but euery where he meaneth by the Pope Touching Kings deposed by the Pope vnder pretence of stupidity as Childeric or of matrimoniall causes as Philip I. or for collating of benefices as Philip the Faire not one word By that point he easily glideth and shuffles it vp in silence for feare of distasting the Pope on the one side or his auditors on the other Now in alledging this reason his Lordship makes all the world a witnes that in deposing of Kings the Pope hath no eye of regard to the benefit and securitie of the Church For such Princes as neuer suckt other milke then that of Infidelitie and persecution of Religion are no lesse noisome and pernicious vermin to the Church then if they had sucked of the Churches breasts And as for the greatnesse of the sinne or offence it seemes to me there is very little difference in the matter For a Prince that neuer did sweare any religious obedience to Iesus Christ is bound no lesse to such obedience then if he had taken a solemne oath As the sonne that rebelliously stands vp against his father is in equall degree of sinne whether he hath sworne or not sworne obedience to his father because he is bound to such obedience not by any voluntarie contract or couenant but by the law of Nature The commaundement of God to kisse the Sonne whom the Father hath confirmed and ratified King of Kings doeth equally bind all Kings as well Pagans as Christians On the other side who denies who doubts that Constantius Emperour at his first steppe or entrance into the Empire did not sweare and bind himselfe by solemne vowe to keepe the rules and to maintaine the precepts of the Orthodox faith or that he did not receiue his fathers Empire vpon such condition This notwithstanding the Bishop of Rome pulled not Constantius from his Imperiall throne but Constantius remooued the Bishop of Rome from his Papall See And were it so that an oath taken by a King at his consecration and after violated is a sufficient cause for the Pope to depose an Apostate or hereticall Prince then by good consequence the Pope may in like sort depose a King who beeing neither dead in Apostasie nor sicke of Heresie doeth neglect onely the due administration of iustice to his loyall subiects For his oath taken at consecration importeth likewise that he shall minister iustice to his people A point wherein the holy Father is held short by the L. Cardinall who dares prescribe new lawes to the Pope and presumes to limit his fulnesse of power within certaine meeres and head-lands extending the Popes power only to the deposing of Christian Kings when they turne Apostats forsaking the Catholike faith and not such Princes as neuer breathed any thing but pure Paganisme and neuer serued vnder the colours of Iesus Christ Meane while his Lordship forgets that King Attabaliba was deposed by the Pope from his Kingdome of Peru and the said Kingdome was conferred vpon the King of Spaine though the said poore King of Peru neuer forsooke his heathen superstition and though the turning of him out of his terrestriall Kingdome was no way to conuert him vnto the faith of Christ Pag. 77. Yea his Lordship a little after telleth vs himselfe that Be the Turkes possession in the conquests that he maketh ouer Christians neuer so auncient yet by no long tract of time whatsoeuer can he gaine so much as a thumbes breadth of prescription that is to say the Turke for all that is but a disseisor one that violently and wilfully keeps an other man from his owne and by good right may be dispossessed of the same whereas notwithstanding the Turkish Emperours neuer fauoured nor sauoured Christianitie Let vs runne ouer the examples of Kings whom the Pope hath dared and presumed to depose and hardly will any one be found of whom it may be trewly auouched that he hath taken an oath
Execution a greater promptnesse was required As for the execution of good Lawes it hath bene very wisely and honourably foreseene and ordered by my predecessours in this Kingdome in planting such a number of Iudges and all sorts of Magistrates in conuenient places for the execution of the same And therefore must I now turne mee to you that are Iudges and Magistrates vnder mee as mine Eyes and Eares in this case I can say none otherwise to you then as Ezekias the good King of Iuda said to their Iudges Remember that the Thrones that you fit on are Gods and neither yours nor mine And that as you must be answerable to mee so must both you and I be answerable to GOD for the due execution of our Offices That place is no place for you to vtter your affections in you must not there hate your foe nor loue your friend feare the offence of the greater partie or pity the miserie of the meaner yee must be blinde and not see distinctions of persons handlesse not to receiue bribes but keepe that iust temper and mid-course in all your proceedings that like a iust ballance ye may neither sway to the right nor left hand Three principall qualities are required in you Knowledge Courage and Sinceritie that you may discerne with knowledge execute with courage and doe both in vpright sinceritie And as for my part I doe vow and protest here in the presence of God and of this honourable Audience I neuer shall be wearie nor omit no occasion wherein I may shew my carefulnesse of the execution of good Lawes And as I wish you that are Iudges not to be weary in your Office in doing of it so shall I neuer be wearie with Gods grace to take account of you which is properly my calling And thus hauing tolde you the three causes of my conuening of this Parliament all three tending onely to vtter my thankefulnesse but in diuers formes the first by word the other two by action I doe confesse that when I haue done and performed all that in this Speech I haue promised Inutilis seruus sum Inutile because the meaning of the word Inutilis in that place of Scripture is vnderstood that in doing all that seruice which wee can to God it is but our due and wee doe nothing to God but that which wee are bound to doe And in like maner when I haue done all that I can for you I doe nothing but that which I am bound to doe and am accomptable to God vpon the contrary For I doe acknowledge that the speciall and greatest point of difference that is betwixt a rightfull King and an vsurping Tyrant is in this That whereas the proude and ambitious Tyrant doeth thinke his Kingdome and people are onely ordeined for satisfaction of his desires and vnreasonable appetites The righteous and iust King doeth by the contrary acknowledge himselfe to bee ordeined for the procuring of the wealth and prosperitie of his people and that his greatest and principall worldly felicitie must consift in their prosperitie If you bee rich I cannot bee poore if you bee happy I cannot but bee fortunate and I protest that your welfare shall euer be my greatest care and contentment And that I am a Seruant it is most trew that as I am Head and Gouernour of all the people in my Dominion who are my naturall vassals and Subiects considering them in numbers and distinct Rankes So if wee will take the whole People as one body and Masse then as the Head is ordeined for the body and not the Body for the Head so must a righteous King know himselfe to bee ordeined for his people and not his people for him For although a King and people be Relata yet can hee be no King if he want people and Subiects But there be many people in the world that lacke a Head wherefore I will neuer bee ashamed to confesse it my principall Honour to bee the great Seruant of the Common-wealth and euer thinke the prosperitie thereof to be my greatest felicitie as I haue already said But as it was the whole Body of this Kingdome with an vniforme assent and harmonie as I tolde you in the beginning of my Speech which did so farre oblige mee in good will and thankefulnesse of requitall by their alacritie and readinesse in declaring and receiuing mee to that place which God had prouided for mee and not any particular persons for then it had not bene the body So is my thankefulnesse due to the whole State For euen as in matter of faults Quod à multis peccatur impunè peccatur Euen so in the matter of vertuous and good deedes what is done by the willing consent and harmonie of the whole body no particular person can iustly claime thankes as proper to him for the same And therefore I must heere make a little Apologie for my selfe in that I could not satisfie the particular humours of euery person that looked for some aduancement or reward at my hand since my entrie into this Kingdome Three kinde of things were craued of mee Aduancement to honour Preferment to place of Credit about my Person and Reward in matters of land or profit If I had bestowed Honour vpon all no man could haue beene aduanced to Honour for the degrees of Honour doe consist in perferring some aboue their fellowes If euery man had the like accesse to my Priuy or Bed-chamber then no man could haue it because it cannot containe all And if I had bestowed Lands and Rewards vpon euery man the fountaine of my liberalitie would be so exhausted and dried as I would lacke meanes to bee liberall to any man And yet was I not so sparing but I may without vaunting affirme that I haue enlarged my fauour in all the three degrees towards as many and more then euer King of England did in so short a space No I rather craue your pardon that I haue beene so bountifull for if the meanes of the Crowne bee wasted I behoued then to haue recourse to you my Subiects and bee burdensome to you which I would bee lothest to bee of any King aliue For as it is trew that as I haue already said it was a whole Body which did deserue so well at my hand and not euery particular person of the people yet were there some who by reason of their Office credit with the people or otherwise tooke occasion both before and at the time of my comming amongst you to giue proofe of their loue and affection towards me Not that I am any way in doubt that if other of my Subiects had beene in their places and had had the like occasion but they would haue vttered the like good effects so generall and so great were the loue and affection of you all towards mee But yet this hauing beene performed by some speciall persons I could not without vnthankfulnesse but requite them accordingly And therefore had I iust occasion to aduance some in
they buy by their purse or acquire by the selfe same meanes that you doe And as for the point of naturalizing which is the point thought so fit and so precisely belonging to Parliament not to speake of the Common law wherein as yet I can professe no great knowledge but in the Ciuill law wherein I am a little better versed and which in the point of Coniunction of Nations should beare a great sway it being the Law of Nations I will mainteine two principles in it which no learned and graue Ciuilian will deny as being clearely to be proued both out of the text it selfe in many places and also out of the best approued Doctours and interpreters of that law The one that it is a speciall point of the Kings owne Prerogatiue to make Aliens Citizens and donare Ciuitate The other that in any case wherein the Law is thought not to be cleare as some of your selues doe doubt that in this case of the postnati the Law of England doth not clearely determine then in such a question wherein no positiue Law is resolute Rexest Iudex for he is Lex loquens and is to supply the Law where the Law wants and if many famous histories be to be beleeued they giue the example for mainteining of this Law in the persons of the Kings of England and France especially whose speciall Prerogatiue they alleadge it to be But this I speake onely as knowing what belongeth to a King although in this case I presse no further then that which may agree with your loues and stand with the weale and conueniencie of both Nations And whereas some may thinke this Vnion will bring preiudice to some Townes and Corporations within England It may bee a Merchant or two of Bristow or Yarmouth may haue an hundred pounds lesse in his packe But if the Empire gaine and become the greater it is no matter You see one Corporation is euer against another and no priuate Companie can be set vp but with some losse to another For the supposed inconueniences rising from Scotland they are three Fourth First that there is an euill affection in the Scottish Nation to the Vnion Next the Vnion is incompatible betweene two such Nations Thirdly that the gaine is smal or none If this be so to what end do we talke of an Vnion For proofe of the first point there is alleadged an auersenesse in the Scottish Nation expressed in the Instrument both in the preface and body of their Acte In the preface where they declare That they will remaine an absolute and free Monarchie And in the body of the Acte where they make an exception of the ancient fundamentall Lawes of that Kingdome And first for the generall of their auersenes All the maine current in your Lower-house ranne this whole Session of Parliament with that opinion That Scotland was so greedy of this Vnion and apprehended that they should receiue so much benefit by it as they cared not for the strictnesse of any conditions so they might attaine to the substance And yet you now say they are backwards and auerse from the Vnion This is a direct contradiction In adiecto For how can they both be beggers and backwards in one and the selfe same thing at the same time But for answere to the particulars It is an old Schoole point Eius est explicare cuius est condere You cannot interpret their Lawes nor they yours I that made them with their assent can best expound them And first I confesse that the English Parliaments are so long and the Scottish so short that a meane betweene them would doe well For the shortnesse of their continuing together was the cause of their hastie mistaking by setting these wordes of exception of fundamentall Lawes in the body of the Acte which they onely did in pressing to imitate word by word the English Instrument wherein the same wordes be conteined in your Preface And as to their meaning and interpretation of that word I will not onely deliuer it vnto you out of mine owne conceipt but as it was deliuered vnto mee by the best Lawyers of Scotland both Counsellours and other Lawyers who were at the making thereof in Scotland and were Commissioners here for performance of the same Their meaning in the word of Fundamentall Lawes you shall perceiue more fully hereafter when I handle the obiection of the difference of Lawes For they intend thereby onely those Lawes whereby confusion is auoyded and their Kings descent mainteined and the heritage of the succession and Monarchie which hath bene a Kingdome to which I am in descent three hundreth yeeres before CHRIST Not meaning it as you doe of their Common Law for they haue none but that which is called IVS REGIS and their desire of continuing a free Monarchie was onely meant That all such particular Priuiledges whereof I spake before should not bee so confounded as for want either of Magistrate Law or Order they might fall in such a confusion as to become like a naked Prouince without Law or libertie vnder this Kingdome I hope you meane not I should set Garrisons ouer them as the Spaniards doe ouer Sicily and Naples or gouerne them by Commissioners which are seldome found succeedingly all wise and honest men This I must say for Scotland and I may trewly vaunt it Here I sit and gouerne it with my Pen I write and it is done and by a Clearke of the Councell I gouerne Scotland now which others could not doe by the sword And for their auersensse in their heart against the Vnion It is trew indeede I protest they did neuer craue this Vnion of me nor sought it either in priuate or the State by letters nor euer once did any of that Nation presse mee forward or wish mee to accelerate that businesse But on the other part they offered alwayes to obey mee when it should come to them and all honest men that desire my greatnesse haue beene thus minded for the personall reuerence and regard they beare vnto my Perion and any of my reasonable and iust desires I know there are many Piggots amongst them I meane a number of seditious and discontented particular persons as must be in all Common-wealths that where they dare may peraduenture talke lewdly enough but no Scottish man euer spake dishonourably of England in Parliament For here must I note vnto you the difference of the two Parliaments in these two Kingdomes for there they must not speake without the Chauncellors leaue and if any man doe propound or vtter any seditious or vncomely speeches he is straight interrupted and silenced by the Chauncellors authoritie where as here the libertie for any man to speake what hee list and as long as he list was the onely cause he was not interrupted It hath bin obiected that there is a great Antipathy of the Lawes and Customes of these two Nations It is much mistaken for Scotland hath no Common Law as here but the Law they
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