wordes might seeme to import as much as the Earle desired whereas in deede the authoritie which this authour saith both parts are agreed vpon is not yet determined For Cardinall Bellarmine and his Bellar. de Rom. Pont. lib. 5. cap. 4. side are fully resolued that the Pope hath no such authoritie directly and that consequently he must either haue it indirectly in ordine ad spiritualia or not at all and è contra the authours who oppose themselues to that opinion are as confident that he hath no authoritie in temporalibus except hee haue it directly so as how can it be said they are Carer de authorit Rom. Pont. lib. 2. cap. 5. 8. agreed when both sides are so peremptorie that he hath no such authoritie at all except he haue it saith the one side directly saith the other side indirectly And for his further answere hereunto he referreth himselfe to that which before hee hath set downe in the 63 68 69 76 88 90 and 91 Sections 98 As it was obserued in the 42. Section that all princes for denying the Popes supremacie though otherwise they professe the Gospell are tearmed heretickes by the Romish Catholickes so although they liue neuer so orderly according to their lawes without inflicting any other punishments vpon offenders then are agreed vpon by the Common-wealth they are accounted tyrants if for the repressing of Popish errours they doe at some times giue way to the execution of such Lawes as are made against them And none are more violent herein then such as were borne and bred vp amongst vs in England as Stapleton and William Raynolds if they were the authors of the two bookes intituled De iusta abdicatione Henric 3. and De iusta Reipuh Christianae in Reges impios haereticos authoritate who affirme that all power at this day which is auerse from religion De iusta abdic pag. 11. Rossaeus pag. 106. meaning the Romish religion is tyrannie and that they are tyrants that doe vse their kingly power to the imposing vpon their Subiects of that faith which they terme hereticall and for example of such tyrants one of them alledgeth K. Henry the 8. Edward the 6. and Queene Elizabeth The consequences of which assertions are as Idem pag. 157. well in their opinions as in the opinion of many other that are of that sect that euery such tyrant may be depriued of his kingdome and if neede be murthered by his Subiects yea by euery priuate man if hee haue fit opportunitie after that he is declared by the Common-wealth as some say to be a tyrant or by the Pope as others affirme Whereby all kings and princes that mislike the Popes tyrannie and sundrie his corruptions are by him and his priests infinitely dishonoured and no one way more then by inciting their subiects to rebellion vnder pretence of religion which ought to be the surest band of duety and obedience In consideration whereof it being told this Examinate that it was all one to his Maiestie whether by the Popes doctrine hee were to be deposed from his Crowne vnder either of these false pretences that he is an hereticke or that he is a tyrant and that thereby his Subiects are no longer to obey him but may beare armes against him and offer violence vnto his sacred person as well in the one case as in the other and that therefore it stood him in hand seeing he professeth himselfe to be a true subiect to deliuer himselfe from these traiterous conceits he the said Examinate answered as followeth saying 99 That in his iudgement if it be true as this Examinat beleeueth it is that the Pope hath no authoritie by any Sentence whatsoeuer to depose a King for heresie as before he hath at large declared nor to absolue his subiects from their Allegeance it is also as true a fortiori that hee hath no authoritie by any Sentence or iudgment whatsoeuer so to determine any king to be a tyrant as that thereby his right to his kingdome should in any sort be empeached or his subiects set at liberty to rebell against him or to offer any hurt vnto his person 100 That he knoweth what diuers haue written as touching tyrants wherewith hee saith it is impertinent for him now to intermeddle affirming notwithstanding that in his iudgement no king who in the course of his gouernement doth obserue the lawes established in his kingdome and doth not otherwise afflict his subiects either by violence rapine crueltie impositions exactions or by any other vnlawfull meanes but as he is bound giueth way to the execution of his lawes and onely vseth the ancient prerogatiue of his Crowne can in any true construction be rightly iudged a tyrant though some of his said lawes doe tend to the punishment of Catholickes and to the maintenance of the religion which he professeth diuers Emperours being in their times notable gouernours and promoters of their Empire to the great good of their subiects in temporall causes though otherwise they were great enemies to Christianitie 101 That no King who commeth to his Crowne by succession as being the right heire thereof may lawfully vnder any pretence of tyrannie bee deposed or resisted by his subiects either iointly assembled together or otherwise by any secret machinations or treacheries of manie few or of any one and that as touching this point either of iudging a king to be a tyrant or dealing with him thereupon as is before mentioned he is altogether of Master Blackwood his opinion who writing against sundry traiterous positions of Buchanans tending to the effect before obiected doth proue very sufficiently these points that ensue viz 102 That no subiects can arrogate to themselues Blackuodaei Apolog pro Regibus pag. 56. any part of Regall authority without committing of treason except the same bee delegated vnto them by the King and that then also they are to vse the same authority no otherwise then in such sort and so long as the King doeth willingly permit them That our Kings here in this land are no way obliged Pag. 106. to the people for their kingdome but haue all their power and Empire from God and are onely bound to giue an account to him of the discharge of their office and duetie their kingdomes belonging to them iure haereditario by right of inheritance so as no sooner Pag. 178. is one King dead but the next heire is actually king no ceremonie or Coronation or other circumstances adding more to his right then hee had before That the Oath itselfe which they take at their Coronation being made to God and not to the people doeth not Pag. 221. any way empeach the interest they haue iure sanguinis Pag. 224. by their birth 103 That forasmuch as the kings subiects his Pag. 211. c. Clergie Nobles and Commons cannot assemble together in Parliament without the kings Writte vnder paine of treason by the olde lawes nor when they are
non habere Imperialem Ciuilem potestatem ad libitum ex suo appetitu deponendi Regem nostrum That the Pope hath not an Imperiall and Ciuill power to depose our King when he pleaseth and at his owne appetite suggesting that the said oath had no other meaning and that this sense was thrice insisted vpon before hee this Examinat tooke the said oath and allowed of by the Magistrate whereas the words of the oath which he this Examinat tooke for ought that appeared to the contrarie without any equiuocation or mentall euasion whatsoeuer are cleare and manifest viz. That the Pope neither of himselfe nor by any authoritie of the Church or See of Rome hath any power or authoritie to depose the King The oath saith that the Pope hath no power by any authoritie of the Church or See of Rome viz neither Imperiall Ciuill nor Ecclesiasticall whereas this Examinat telleth the Cardinall that he onely sware against his Imperiall and Ciuill power whereby he might not so proceede with his Maiestie 17. With these particular exceptions this Examinate being somewhat troubled desired againe that before he came to the answering of them he might a little as by the way bewayle himselfe and his present estate which he did in manner as followeth saying That it was no little griefe vnto him to be apprehended and cast into prison that thereupon he hoped his former troubles and oppositions against him would haue ceased that notwithstanding as matters are prosecuted and his proceedings interpreted hee receiueth nothing but discomfort from each side that his friendes might haue bene content to haue expounded his oath in the best part and the rather because they perceiued hee found thereby that he had giuen some reasonable contentmēt to the State for the ease of his imprisonment being an old man and troubled with many bodily infirmities and for the auoyding of some further extremities that Cardinall Bellarmine might well haue forborne his Letter vnto him as also his sharpe censures of him as if by taking the said oath hee had fallen with Peter in denying his Master and with Marcellinus who offered a false sacrifice and that thereby he this Examinate had brought in question one of the chiefe heads of faith and foundations of Catholicke religion that hee the said Cardinall might easily haue foreseene that albeit there had beene no copies of his Letter taken before it came to him this Examinate yet that such a vigilant eye is had ouer him in prison as that it is almost impossible for him to haue kept it vndiscouered especially there being such bruites of it cast abroad as there were euen by those that should haue concealed it that likewise the said Cardinall might not onely well haue thought that if it happened his Letter to be diuulged more hurt then good was likely thereof to ensue except he thought it fit to bring him this Examinate into greater hatred then he was before which could not auaile the common cause and to prouoke his Maiestie to some greater extremities then of his most milde and temperate disposition he is inclined vnto but likewise that it was his this Examinates part in all duety to answere his Letter which would be also as it hath now fallen out as impossible his case considered for him this Examinate to performe with any secrecie as it was that his the said Cardinals Letter should come vndiscryed vnto this Examinate that as hee greatly suspecteth the Cardinals said Letter was cunningly opened before it came to his this Examinates hands so he is perswaded that his answere vnto it will be vsed in the like sort before it come to the Cardinall and the rather he so thinketh for that he findeth alreadie the copie of it by skill and practise to be as soone published abroad here in England as this Examinate could dispatch it for Rome which doth greatly perplexe him and what may be the issue of it he knoweth not but feareth as he saith the worst at al hands that notwithstanding come what shall come his hopes being past which were neuer great his libertie restrained neuer to be recouered the graue expecting him which he most desireth no ioyes nor comforts but in his blessed Sauiour he is resolued with patience to expect and vndergoe it that these and many other such courses held with him do oftentimes exceedingly grieue and trouble him in that men abroad and at libertie haue no more care of poore men imprisoned for those causes which they would seeme most earnestly to affect and that thus hauing eased a litle his heart and referring himselfe and his cause to God he will now addresse himselfe to answere all the partes of the obiection aboue mentioned syncerely and truely from the bottome of his heart as becommeth a true Catholicke priest and as he is perswaded in his conscience without any equiuocation or euasion and without regard or feare of any mens persons or of any inconuenience or further danger that might thereby ensue vnto him or of any slanderous imputations which he doth easily foresee will be heaped vpon him of purpose to discredite both him and that which he findeth he must needes acknowledge except he should wilfully denie the trueth or shew himselfe obstinate and peruerse against lawfull authority which his present estate and conscience will not permit 18 And therefore now as touching his this Examinats signification vnto Cardinall Bellarmine that the effect of his oath was Summum Pontificem non habere Imperialem ciuilem potestatem ad libitum ex suo appetitu deponendi Regem nostrum That the Pope hath not an Imperiall and ciuill power to depose our King when he pleaseth and at his owne appetite he will as he saith answere the same not in grosse but by degrees saying first That amongst diuers prerogatiues attributed to the Pope in temporalibus in temporalties this is one which cannot be well denied by any viz. that the Pope is truely lord of all the temporalties belonging to the Bishopricke of Rome Within the compasse whereof there are some who haue included England and Ireland and one especially whose memorie this Examinate doth greatly honour but yet he must needes acknowledge his ouersight in that point Thus hee writeth Without the approbation of the See Apostolicke none can be lawfull King or Queene Admonit to the Nobilitie by Card. Allen 1588. pag. 8. of England by reason of the ancient accord made betweene Alexander the third the yeere 1171. and Henry the second then King when he was absolued for the death of Saint Thomas of Canterbury that no man might lawfully take that Crowne nor bee accounted as King till hee were confirmed by the Soueraigne Pastor of our soules which for the time should be this accord afterwards being renewed about the yeere 1210 by king Iohn who confirmed the same by oath to Pandulphus the Popes Legate at the special request and procurement of the Lords and Commons as a thing most
Allegeance necessarily answere concerning the positions following whether he doeth allow them or disallow them the same being the effects of the Popes Excommunications euen ante Sententiam latam before Sentence denounced which are likewise contrary to his former iudgement 43 The Canon Lawes sayth no meane man Card. Allen against the execution of Iustice pa. 87. being authenticall in the lawfull tribunals of the Christian world doe make all heretikes not onely after they bee namely and particularly denounced but by the Law it selfe ipso facto as soone as they bee heretikes or de iure excommunicated for the same to bee depriued of their Dominions And another of little lesse credit then the former writeth thus Hinc inferatur Philop. pag. 194. vniuersa Theologorum at Iurisconsultorum Ecclesiasticorum Schola est certum de fide quamcunque Principem Christianum si a Religione Catholicâ manefestè deflexerit alios auocare voluerit excidere statim omni potestate ac dignitate ex ipsâ vi iuris tum humani tum diuini hocque ante omnem sententiam Supremi Pastoris ac Iudicis contra ipsos prolatam subditos quoscunque liberos esse ab omni iuramenti obligatione quodei de obedientia tanquam Principi legitimo praestitissent posseque debere stvires habeant istiusmodi hominem tanquam Apostatam haereticum ac Christi Domini desertorem reipub inimicum hestemque ex hominum Christianorum dominatu oijcere ne alios inficiat vel suo exemplo aut imperio à fide auertat Atque haec certa definita indubitata virorum doctissimorum sententia doctrinae Apostolicae conformis planè ac consona est That is Hereupon the whole Schoole of Diuines and Canonists doth inferre and it is certaine and of faith that any Christian Prince whatsoeuer if hee shall manifestly deflect from the Catholicke Religion and endeuour to withdraw others from the same doeth presently fall from all power and dignitie by the very force of humane and diuine law and that also before any Sentence of the Supreme Pastour and Iudge against him denounced and that his subiect whatsoeuer are free from all obligation of that oath which they had performed for their allegeance vnto him as to their lawfull Prince and that they may and ought if they haue forces to eiect such a man as an Apostata an hereticke and a backslider from the Lord Christ and an enemy to the Common wealth out of all dominion ouer Christians lest hee infect others or by his example or commandements auert others from the faith And this certaine definite and vndoubted opinion of the best learned men is wholy agreeable and consonant to the Apostolicall doctrine And to this purpose diuers others of the same humour might be alledged 44 Whereupon this Examinate at the last though he was hardly drawen vnto it in respect of the persons whose wordes were cited much honoured and reuerenced by him did giue this answere saying in effect as he did concerning the authors whose assertions were propounded vnto him in the next precedent obiection viz. That these men had their particular opinions as hee hath his but confesseth that these their assertions last mentioned are farre from his iudgement vtterly denying them to bee the inferences of the schoole of all Diuines and Ecclesiasticall Lawyeers or that they are either de fide of faith or certaine or defined or the vndoubted opinions of the most learned men agreeable to the doctrine of the Apostles Besides whatsoeuer this Examinate hath formerly said touching his reasons sent to Rome or out of Syluester or touching the present estate of this Kingdome or his former iudgement that an Excommunication cannot warrant any such kinde of proceedings of subiects against their Princes be they Hereticks or Apostates or whatsoeuer they be doth iustle directly with these assertions and therefore hee saith that hee doth vtterly reiect them accounting them great staines and blemishes vnto Excommunication if they bee made the effectes thereof 45 Here it falling out aptly to come to the point indeed mentioned Sect. 35. the same was pressed For whereas it is cleare by this Examinates confession that they of the Romish church haue not onely amongst them Excommunication of Princes but likewise as hee hath before shewed out of certaine their authenticall writers an Eradication and vtter extirpation which must as it appeareth be effected not by Excommunication but by vertue of the Popes authority either as he is directly Dominus Temporalium that is the chiefe Temporall Lord vnder Christ ouer all the world or indirectly in ordine ad spiritualia in order to things spirituall forasmuch as both of them doe tend to one end and are equally pernicious and trayterous to all Regall Principalitie and authoritie it being litle to the purpose to detract from Excommunication that it hath no power to depose kings or to absolue their subiects from their Allegeance if there be left in the Pope another kinde of power after that by his Excommunication he hath cast kings to the deuill in his owne idle conceit then to eradicate them likewise and throw them out of their kingdomes and to authorize and incite their subiects to all secret conspiracies treasons rebellions and trecheries against their Soueraignes this Examinate was heere againe vrged vpon his allegeance to his Maiestie and as there was any trueth to bee expected at his hands to set downe his iudgement touching this point of the Popes pretended Soueraigne power in Temporalibus in ordine ad spiritualia in order to things spirituall as he hath done before concerning the other pretence of his direct authoritie 46 With this point this Examinate as it seemed being much perplexed said that now indeed the matter was followed to the quicke and therefore desired that it might be sufficient for him to acknowledge that in his iudgement the Pope hath authoritie to Excommunicate when there is cause the greatest King in the world profesing Christianitie but sayth hee for his other power in ordine ad spiritualia in order to things spirituall it cannot touch his Maiestie 47 Hereupon for that this Examinate had often before desired that hee might speake of things by degrees not in grosse it was thought fit to proceed herein with him accordingly And therefore hee was first put in minde what he had before said in the beginning of this his Examination concerning his iudgement of the obedience due to princes by the precepts of Christ and his Apostles Sect. 2 of the continuance of the said precepts of his dislike that any should imagine either Christ or his Apostles in their said precepts to haue temporized as willing Christians then liuing vnder persecuting Emperours to obey no longer but vntill they were able by force to suppresse them Sect. 3 and so as aboue more at large it doth appeare and being thereupon demaunded whether hee continued still in the same iudgement without any equiuocation or euasion whatsoeuer he thereunto
first three hundred yeres after Christ likewise his vtter dislike of sundry assertions propounded vnto him Sect. 49 some whereof maintaine contrary to Tertullians relation how Christians stood then affected that in those dayes armes might lawfully haue beene borne against the Emperours if the professors of the Name of Christ had beene able and some as touching sundry other vnsound and vncatholike matters in them contained concerning the losse of Kingdomes c. vpon excommunications Sect. 39 and also his opinion of the time when the deposing of Kings and absoluing their subiects from their alleageance were first made adiuncts to excommunication for ought he hath read Sect. 52. But yet he is contented as he saith a little further to enlarge himselfe according to the motion propounded and to that end affirmeth that hee doeth concurre in iudgement with these authors following and so out of his pocket-notes set downe their words in this maner 60 Apostoli nihil vi gerebant tantùm vtebantur gladio spiritus neminem agebant in exilium nullius inuadebant facultates Haec omnie Erasmus non minùs disertè quà m verè That is The Apostles did nothing by force they onely vsed the sword of the spirit they draue no man into exile they entered vpon no mans possessions All this saith Erasmus no lesse elegantly then truely Costerus in fidei demonstrat pag. 96. Si aliqui Reges cum populo se tradiderunt Romanis Pontificibus vt traditur de Anglis nihil ad nos Non tamen opinor quòd Angli vllo modo permitterent Pontificem destituere suum Regem alium constituere nunquam enim aliquem Romanorum Pontificum hoc facere permiserunt That is If any Kings with their people haue subiected themselues to the Bishoppes of Rome as it is reported of the English but vntruely as this Examinate hath before shewed that toucheth not vs. And yet I doe not thinke that the English would by any meanes permit the Pope to depose their King and constitute another for they neuer suffered any of the Bishops of Rome so to doe Iohan. Maior in 4. Sentent distinct 24. quaest 3. De ratione potestatis laicae est poenam ciuilem posse infligere vt sunt mors exilium bonorum priuatio c. sed nullam talem poenam ex institutione diuiná infligere potest Ecclesiastica potestas imò nec incarcerare vt plaerisque doctoribus placet sed ad solam poenam spiritualem extenditur vtpotè excommunicationem Reliquae autem poenae quibus vtitur ex iure purè positiuo sunt That is It is of the nature of lay power to bee able to inflict ciuill punishments as are death exile losse of goods c. but the Ecclesiasticall power cannot by the diuine ordinance impose any such punishment nay not imprison as the most Doctors doe hold but is extended to spirituall punishment alone as Excommunication The other punishments which it vseth are meerely out of positiue Law Iacobus Almain de Dominio naturali ciuili in vltima editione Gersonis pag. 696. 61. Here this Examinat being tolde that although he hath to some good purpose repeated what he had formerly said and a litle more enlarged himselfe then before in that hee hath acknowledged that what the Pope can doe more then Excommunicate he hath it ex iure purè positiuo meerely by positiue Law yet considering that he made no scruple to shew his dislike of the opiniō touching the Popes pretended authoritie in temporalibus directly in the 20. Sect but seemed loath to deliuer his iudgement concerning the other opinion of the Popes authoritie in Temporalibus in ordine ad Spiritualia indirectly in order to things spiritual it was further vrged against him that if he be indeed of Bellarmines minde in the points by him cited out of his booke it seemeth to be impossible that he this Examinat being a graue and learned man should thinke that that which Bellarmine hath said vpon very weake and simple grounds God knoweth for proofe of the Popes indirect authority in ordine ad Spiritualia is of sufficient force and moment to ouerthrow all that hee hath written before in his second third fourth and fifth Chapters of his said booke one of them being countenanced for offending too much with the word directè his arguments being in effect simple and absolute because it is most apparant to euery man that will not wilfully hoodwinke himselfe that hee the said Bellarmine hath giuen the Pope such a blow and deadly wound by many his so sound and substantiall arguments against his pretended direct authority as all the courses how indirect soeuer that can be deuised by the finest wits will neuer bee able to salue and cure it And therefore this Examinate was required very strictly herein to expresse himselfe more clearely 62 Whereupon this Examinate saith that he must indeed needs confesse and acknowledge that he hath wished with all his heart that either Cardinall Bellarmine had not intermedled with that question of the Popes authoritie in temporalibus indirectly or els that hee had bene able if it haue any trueth in it to haue handled it more pithily and throughly that the weakenes of his arguments for that point compared with the positions set downe by this Examinat out of his said booke as is aforesaid hath beene an especiall cause as he thinketh why many of later times doe so earnestly labour to refell them as foreseeing that if the Popes authority in temporalibus to depose Kings c. should stand vpon this point viz. that he had it but indirectly the same would be subiect to great hazard considering the oppositions in these dayes to the Church of Rome and that therefore insomuch as the thing it selfe viz. whether the Pope hath any authoritie at all to eradicate and depose Emperours and Kings for any cause which is aimed at on both sides aswell by them who affirme that he hath such an authoritie directly as by those who say hee hath it not directly but indirectly is notwithstanding left as yet vndetermined by the Church hee this Examinate desireth that hee may not bee further vrged to interpose his opinion otherwise then he hath done already in matters of so great moment and difficultie 63 This onely as appertaining hereunto he saith that he is much grieued to see the Popes Supreme authority in causes Ecclesiasticall so much entangled with these pretences of another supreme authority in temporalibus to be held directly and immediatly of Christ or indirectly per accidens and by a certaine consequence as if otherwise Christ should not haue sufficiently prouided for the necessitie of the Church nor furnished the Pope with abilitie to discharge his duetie considering that without these deuises so much insisted vpon though with very great vncertaintie to the great in dangering of the Popes vniuersall charge ouer all Churches in Spiritualibus Saint Peter and his successors did sufficiently prouide for the necessitie of the Church when the
the vineyard of the Lord had taken deepe roote and that the spouse of Christ which at the first had no papps became to bee of mature age and that all that while for the space of 350. yeeres the said power did lie in Martyrdome and blood vntill afterwards the foundations were laid and the walles were built vp and that then the same began to shew it selfe in blessed Syluester and his Successors But withall he addeth that the vse and exercise of the Popes said actuall and casuall authoritie and iurisdiction is not great in the Pope That if we consider the Idem ibidem pag. 89. Popes care of spirituall things he is so occupied in them being heauenly matters as hee can scarcely intende to those things that bee terrestriall That in Kings and Emperours the vse of temporall power is more frequent because the matters that they deale in are not heauenly but terrene Mary saith hee their swords notwithstanding Idem ibidem pag. 98. and all their temporall power are at the Popes commaundement in that hee is the Lord of the whole Christian world to whose iurisdiction all other iurisdictions are subiect and referred as to the first fountaine from whence they flow And in another place likewise he saith that the preseruation both of particular and vniuersall iustice belonging to the Popes Idem ibidem pag. 105. 106. office for asmuch as he cannot be attentiue to such terrene affaires lest applying himselfe to these small matters hee might leaue celestiall things vndone hee dealeth in such sort with Emperours Kings and Princes for his owne assistance as Iethro taught Moses who following Iethroes counsell did appoint Iudges to deale in temporall causes that hee might more freely apply himselfe to those that were spirituall he the said Pope hauing notwithstanding in himselfe power and authoritie to correct the errours of such Emperours Idem ibidem pag. 98. Kings and Princes and to iudge of their excesses as there should bee cause For saieth Mancinus further though Princes are free within their proper territories Idem ibidem pag. 120. and may freely vse their power and authoritie yet they haue their boundes and limits which they must not passe and there is a meane in the vse of it which they are bound to obserue but if they exceede their measure and passe their line then it is the part of Christs vicar in whom is the top of both authorities to take knowledge of their proceedings and to remedie them and that in matters of greater difficultie and weight Appeales doe therefore lie from all Kings to the Pope as when mens rights are ouerthrowen they are to flie to the supreme Iudge whose office is to iudge such causes 109 So as this Examinate saith hauing thus deliuered truely the effect and substance of Mancinus iudgement touching this point set downe by him the said Mancinus at large and with great varietie according to their opinions who concurre with him concerning the Popes inherent authority and iurisdiction ouer all the world directly in causes temporall it doth appeare what his and their conceit is of the casuall practise of that great authority And he confesseth it to be this in effect viz that Emperours and Kings holding their authority as from the Pope they are to him as Moses his Iudges and rulers were vnto him and that therefore when it happeneth or falleth out casualiter that the Pope holdeth it fit to depose any King from his Crowne and kingdome to absolue his subiects from their Allegeance to authorize them to beare armes against their King so deposed to command them vnder paine of Excommunication so to doe in that being deposed he is no more their King or otherwise when hee holdeth it conuenient to correct and punish any other Kings for dealing vniustly with their subiects vpon complaint made vnto him as vnto the chiefe Iudge if they persist in so doing he may so deale and proceede with them euen as Moses might haue done vpon any complaint brought vnto him in some such like cases against any of his Iudges and rulers deputed vnder him And furthermore that if a King so deposed by the Pope will needs keepe his Kingdome still if his subiects notwithstanding the Popes commandement to the contrary will not be induced to beare armes against him nor to withdraw their obedience from him but will still honour obey and serue him or if other Kings will so far contemne the Popes authority when vpon Appeales made vnto him they doe persist in oppressing their subiects so as the Pope is driuen vpon their contempts to take the like course with them then in those and the like cases saith Mancinus and others the Pope being the highest Mancinus ibidem pag. 232. Bishop and Christs vicar and glistering with regall dignitie may without all doubt if hee will moue armes proclaime warre and excite men himselfe to battaile and it is also generally by these men held that the Emperour and all other Christian Kings and Princes are at the Popes commandement and beck to draw their swords and to vse all their forces for the putting in execution of his said Sentences to the suppressing of the said obstinate Kings and the transferring of their kingdomes vnto some others 110 Here this Examinate being asked what difference there was betwixt these mens opinions who hold that the Pope may thus proceede with Kings and princes by vertue of his authoritie in all temporall causes directly but casualiter that is in such cases as are aboue expressed when casually they happen and the other side who although they deny that the Pope hath any such authoritie directly yet they affirme as it hath beene oft aboue mentioned that he hath power to depose kings and to transferre kingdomes in ordine ad spiritualia indirectly per accidens by a certaine consequence incidently secundùm quid secundariò per consecutionem accessorily and casualiter that is when such occasions are offered hee this Examinate answoreth that he must needes confesse there is no difference at all betwixt them in respect of their iudgement touching the lawfulnesse of the Popes authoritie to proceede casualiter as is aforesaid with such obstinate princes but onely this that the one part supposeth this authoritie to be inherent in the Pope as hee is Christs vicar which the other denyeth but saith notwithstanding that he hath it though not inherent in him yet indirectly by a consequence because all kings and princes when they are baptized doe promise and vndertake inclusiuè that they will for euer maintaine the Church be obedient to the Pope and at his commandement for the suppressing of all such persons whosoeuer as shall oppose themselues against the Catholicke faith Insomuch that Cardinall Bellarmine Bell. de Rom. Pon. lib. 5. cap. 6. euen in the same Chap. where hee remembreth the Popes dealing in temporall causes incidenter cà sualiter incidently and casually although he acknowledgeth that the Pope as hee is Pope
Blakwell to frame his owne answeres according to his owne minde to offer vnto his further consideration sundry other speeches of his said authors and some others of the like authoritie the same being as pertinent to his purpose as the former by himselfe alledged where they say as followeth 27 That the supreme Iurisdiction temporall Franc. Bozius de temporali Ecclesiae Monarchia lib. 1. cap. 3. fol. 52. Idem lib. 1. cap. 7. fol. 98. throughout all the world doeth belong to S. Peters successors so as one and the same is the Hierarch and Monarch in all things That Christ left the Church to be gouerned by the best forme of gouernment but the best forme of gouernment is the absolute Monarchie euen in all temporall things therefore Christ left his Church so to be gouerned That the keyes of heauen Idem lib. 2. cap. 14. Idem lib. 3. cap. 1 fol. 394. were giuen to Peter therfore of all the earth That the right of dominion and prelation of infidels may iustly by the sentence and ordination of the Church be taken away because Infidels by reason of their infidelitie do deserue to lose their power ouer the faithfull That the Church hath receiued that power ouer Idem ibidem cap. 14 fol. 530. nations which Christ according to his humane nature receiued of the Father but Christ receiued absolutely of the Father all power in temporalibus therefore the Church likewise receiued it by participation of his fulnesse That the supreme power coactiue in all Idem ibidem cap. 16. fol. 537. temporall things belongeth to Ecclesiasticall persons by the diuine lawe reuealed and expressed in the Scriptures That kings anointed with holy oyle are called Idem fol. 676. Idem lib. 5. fol. 823. as vassals of the Church That by reason of the supreme Monarchie in all things temporall lawes may be made by the Church and kingdomes taken away for iust causes 28. That kings and principall Seculars are not immediatly of GOD but by the interposition of holy Tho. Bâ—zius de iure status lib. 1. cap. 6. fol. 37. Idem ibidem fol 52. Idem lib. 3. cap. 5. fol. 277. Church and of her chiefe Bishops That warlike and militarie compulsiue power is giuen to the Church ouer kings and princes That if it be found sometimes that certaine Emperours haue giuen some temporalties to the highest Bishops as Constantine gaue vnto Syluester this is not to bee vnderstood that they gaue any thing which was their owne but restored that which was vntustly and tyrannically taken from the said Bishops That Christ committed to Saint Peter the carrier of the keyes of eternall life the right both of the Idem lib. 4. cap. 1. fol. 319. terrene and celestiall Empire as Pope Nicholas saith from whom we haue it that he is without doubt an hereticke that taketh away the rights of the terrene and celestiall Empire committed by Christ to the Church of Rome and saith it is lawfull so to doe and for that he shall be an hereticke in such his assertions 29 That the Pope is called vniuersall iudge king Isidor Mosc de maiest militant Ecclesiae pag. 27. Idem pag 77. Idem pag. 95. of kings and lord of lords That the Pope is consecrated as the great Priest and crowned as a king because he hath both powers That the Pope doeth vse his power after two sorts either absolutely or ordinarily absolutely when he derogateth from lawes in abolishing them ordinarily when he vseth lawes Whence this rule is giuen that the Pope vseth the Counsell of his Cardinalles when he will liue by his lawes But if hee will vse the plenitude of his power then he disposeth of matters without the Counsell of his Cardinals sith his power is of God and not of the Colledge of Cardinals That not onely all faithfull people but likewise Infidels Idem pag. 96 and euery naturall creature is subiect to the commandement of the Pope he is to bee worshipped of all men and for this cause he receiueth of all the faithfull adorations prostrations and kissings of his feete That Idem pag. 92. vnto the Pope as to the Pastor of the Church and the Bishop of that holy See and by reason of his Dominion and excellencie is giuen adoratio duliae the worship giuen to Images and Saints That the Bishop of Idem pag. 99. Rome in signe of his Empire and kingdome doth vse vpon his head a Regall Diademe and in token of his Priesthood and Pontificall Maiestie a Miter That Idem pag. 677. Emperors and Kings may bee compelled to keepe their oathes taken in their coronation and confirmation in that by vertue of such an oath they are made the Popes subiects 30 That by the law of God and nature the Priesthood doeth ouer-top the Empire and both Iurisdictions Henrie Gandauen apud Carer pag. 128 ouer spiritualties and temporalties and the immediate execution likewise of them both depend vpon the Priesthood both by the law of God and of nature That Antoninus apud Carer pag. 130. they which say the Pope hath dominion ouer all the world in spiritualties but not in temporalties are like the Counsellers of the king of Syria who said The Gods of the mountaines are their gods and therefore they haue ouercome vs let vs fight with them in the plaines and valleyes where their gods dwel not and we shall preuaile against them 3. Reg. 20. That the sonne of God hath declared the altitude of the Ecclesiasticall power being as it Aug. Triumph apud Carer pag. 130. were founded vpon a rocke to be aboue all principalitie and power that vnto it all knees should bee bowed of things in heauen in earth and vnder the earth or in Idem ibidem pag. 132. hell That secular powers were not necessarie but that Princes might performe that through terrour of discipline which the Priest cannot effect by power of doctrine and that therefore if the Church could punish euill men Imperiall and secular principalitie were not necessarie the same being included potentially in the principalitie Apostolicall 31 That there are diuers powers of men giuen by Carer de pot Rom. Pont. pag. 142. God and diuerse authorities all which doe depend vpon the highest authoritie meaning the Popes and thence as the starres from the sunne doe receiue their light That the Imperiall power concerning the administration Idem pag. 145. of temporall matters doeth proceed from the Pontificall power as the light of the Moone doeth from the light of the sunne That as God is the supreme Idem pag. 150. Monarch of the world and the gouernour of all temporalties productiuè gubernatiuè by producing and gouerning them though of himselfe he be not temporall and of the world so it must be confessed that although his Vicar the Pope hath originally and of himselfe the dominion ouer all temporalties yet he hath it not by immediate execution but doeth by his
held by the law of God cum recta fide with a right faith 35 But here it being obiected that although the said oath was framed to meete with the opinion before by him mentioned yet that this his restraining of it thereunto doeth not attaine to that which he knew was intended by it For in his said letter to the Cardinall he doth cite sundry authors which speake of another kinde of authoritie ascribed to the Pope and tending by a nice distinction to this effect that in ordine ad spiritualia in order to things spirituall and indirectly all kings and princes with their kingdomes and countries are subordinate and subiect vnto him insomuch as if he see cause and that kings and princes will not be aduised by him in matters of the Church apperteining to their saluation he may not onely Excommunicate them but proceeding by degrees depose them absolue their subiects from their oathes of Allegeance and rightfully commaund them if neede be to beare armes against them which is as lewd and traiterous an opinion as the former and doeth tend to the same end with it though vnder diuers pretences So as if hee tooke the oath but with relation onely to the first opinion leauing himselfe free as touching the second it was all one as if he had not taken it at all and therefore being pressed to cleare this point he answereth as hereafter followeth 36 First he doth acknowledge the obiection to be very pertinent and rightly collected out of his letter confessing this second opinion not to come behinde the first either for the earnestnesse of those that defend it or for their learning and sufficiencie being such indeede as doe in credite farre ouersway the estimation of their opposites Cardinall Bellarmine himselfe hath laboured much in it and these authors following doe ioyne with him in that point Henricus Iohannes Driedo Iohannes de Turre crematâ Albertus Pighius Thomas Waldensis Petrus de Palude Cardinall Caietane Franciscus Victoria Dominicus Soto Nicolaus Sanderus to which number this Examinate saith he could adde diuers others as Martinus Aspilcueta Couarruuias c. Of which opinion Cardinall Bellarmine saith that it is communis sententia Catholicorum Theologorum the common opinion of Catholicke Diuines albeit Alexander Carerius and Rodericke Sancius doe affirme as much for the other In this number this Examinate confesseth that he did range himselfe in his late letter to the said Cardinall as inclining rather to his side then to the other being notwithstanding bound to neither of them vpon any danger of declining from the Catholicke faith So as if now hee vse his libertie therein as touching his Maiestie hee hath as he supposeth Cardinall Bellarmine himselfe for his author therein 37 For where there is this clause in the oath of Allegeance I doe further sweare that I doe from my heart detest and abiure as impious and hereticall this damnable doctrine and position that Princes which be excommunicated or depriued by the Pope may be deposed or murthered by their Subiects or any other whatsoeuer Cardinall Bellarmine saith that it was neuer heard of ab intio nascentis Ecclesiae vsque ad haec nostra tempora vt vllus Pontifex Maximus Principem vllum quamuis haereticum quamuis Ethnicum quamuis persecutorem caedi mandauerit from the first birth of the Church vnto these our times that any Pope euer commaunded any prince though an heretick though an Ethnicke though a persecuter to be slaine And that therefore the feare which is pretended of the Kings life if the Bishop of Rome had the same authoritie in England which hee hath in other Christian kingdomes is vaine and that all pretences tending that way are but stratagemata Satanae the deceits of Sathan The which affirmations of the Cardinals being true the same for ought this Examinate seeth doe iustifie the said part of the oath by him taken euen the very same which of all other parts in it is most misliked by many Catholickes in England For it must needs be granted generally that were it not in respect of the Popes excommunication of Kings and princes his deposing of them from their Crownes and his absoluing of their subiects from their Allegeance it could neuer be lawfull for any of them to rise vp against their lawfull kings and Soueraignes vnder whom they were borne And it is all one in this Examinats iudgment for the Pope to command a king to be murthered as to doe and commaund that whereby the same is by others of duetie to be effected And then it followeth out of the Cardinals words that it can neuer be lawfull by the Popes authoritie either direct or indirect for any subiect vpon any pretence whatsoeuer or vnder the countenance of any authoritie to excommunicate and depose Kings or absolue their Subiects from their Allegeance to lay violent hands vpon his Souereigne which is in effect that part of the oath aboue mentioned whereunto this Examinate did sweare 38 Furthermore because it was againe tolde this Examinate that this his last answere to part of the said oath stood after a sort but vpon an inference of the Cardinals meaning and was no way sufficient to satisfie the aforesaid obiection hee this Examinate renued his former desire of proceeding by such degrees as hee himselfe thought most fit for the discharge of his duety both to God and his Maiestie and thereupon saith that he beleeueth in his conscience that the Pope is S. Peters successour and the head of the Catholick Church and that although materiall and worldly keyes may open and shut vpon fauour and friendship yet the keyes of the kingdome of heauen doe respect no mens persons be they poore or rich noble or ignoble high or low kings or subiects so as in his iudgement none may be exempted from the Popes Excommunication when there is iust cause vpon due consideration of all circumstances to inflict it adding thereunto that hee holdeth it to be the duety of all Christian kings and princes to submit themselues in causes of religion to the Bishop of Rome as vnto their chiefe Bishop and Pastor of their soules Which profession thus made this Examinate desired that one point in his former Examination published in print might here be receiued as part of his answere to the obiection aboue specified Sect. 16. 39 For there this Examinat as he truly saith M Blakwels Exam. pag. 18 19. Being vrged to explicate himselfe touching the sence he relied vpon out of his Maiesties words when he took the oth of Allegeance in that it was said hee might so vnderstand them as not withstanding his oath that dutie which was expected was no way satisfied because his Maiesties meaning was euident that hee did account it to proceed from appetite and rashnesse in any of the Bishops of Rome whosoeuer who presuming to Excommunicate any King should by the same either absolue his Subiects from their obedience or excite them to beare Armes against him or authorize
doeth auow it from his heart that hee doeth abhorre detest and abiure as impious and hereticall this damnable doctrine and position that Princes which be excommunicated by the Pope or are depriued by him of their kingdomes by this pretended authoritie in Temporalibus either directly or indirectly in ordine ad spiritualia whether the said authoritie be termed spirituall or temporall or mixt or howsoeuer it is or may be termed may be deposed or murthered by their subiects or any other whatsoeuer notwithstanding any commaundement direction or aduise directly or indirectly giuen to the contrary by any manner of person whosoeuer and notwithstanding any exposition or declaration of the Popes interpretatiue will that if any in zeale by reason either of the said Excommunication or depriuation or of them both wil either aduenture to take vp armes against such a King or to lay violent hands vpon his person the Pope is bound by his office to approue it because the same did tend to the execution of his Sentence and to the promoting of the end he aimed at 82 That hee also doeth beleeue and is in his conscience resolued that neither the Pope nor any person whatsoeuer hath power to absolue him of this oath or of any part thereof whereby he might truely thinke himselfe discharged in any one point of his Allegeance before by him professed and that therefore hee doeth renounce all Pardons and Dispensations in that behalfe 83 And that lastly hee doeth plainely and sincerely acknowledge as in the presence of God and vpon his Allegeance to his Maiestie that what hee this Examinate hath deliuered and is here set downe in this his Examination the same doeth conteine his true iudgement so farre as his learning reacheth without any equiuocation or mentall cuasion or secret reseruation whatsoeuer and is to be vnderstood according to the expresse words as they are set downe and according to the plaine and commonsense and vnderstanding of the same 84 But heere againe it being obiected that albeit he this Examinate hath very well discharged his duetie as well in his expressing his iudgment in the points aboue propounded vnto him that of the Popes Supremacie in causes Ecclesiastical some other touches of certaine things not appertaining to the oath of Alleageance excepted yet forasmuch as the same doeth depend vpon this vncertaintie whether the Pope will define it to bee a matter of faith and accordingly then to be acknowledged by Popish Catholickes that hee may depose Kings and deale with their subiects as is aforesaid and that thereby his Maiestie and all other Christian Kings and Princes as their occasions fall out shall still rest vnassured of the loyaltie of their subiects and of their owne safeties it was necessary that hee this Examinate should also cleare this point for answere whereunto he saith as followeth 85 That hee did not imagine any such matter would haue bene propounded vnto him because it is well knowen to all that bee learned that no man can iudge before hand de futuris contingentibus of future contingents and therefore he desired that he might be forborne 86 But hereunto this reply being made that although there can bee no certaine iudgement de futur is contingentibus soil contingant vel non contingant whether they shall happen or not happen yet of a certaine and determinate thing propounded what might be thought of it if it should happen there may before hand a direct and sure iudgement be giuen For example it is futurum contingens whether euer any King and Parliament in ENGLAND will make a Statute to restore to the Pope his Supremacie here as fully as euer he had it and yet it is not to bee doubted but that he this Examinat if he were now asked whether in his iudgement such a Statute were lawfull and iust or not and might accordingly be put in execution he would out of question answere before hand affirmatiuely and euen so it being told this Examinate that hee might doe in the case propounded after some deliberation thus he answered viz 87 That as hee writ vnto the Cardinall although it should be determined to be a point fidei formaliter of faith formally that the Pope might deale with Princes as is aforesaid and were accordingly so to be receiued in thesi in the generall position yet this question propounded in hypothesi by way of particular supposition an Papa habeat potestatem deponendi Regem nostrum rebus in co statu quo nunc sunt permanentibus apud nos whether the Pope haue power to depose our King matters continuing with vs in the state wherein now they are he this Examinat saith now as he writ then that the determination of this question touching his Maiestie should only be of that which is fidei materialiter of faith materially quia esset determinatio de quaestione quae in rebus creditis accidit proinde non diceretur determinatio de fide sed de tali materiâ because it should bee the decision of a question which hapneth about things beleeued and therefore is not to be said to bee a determination touching Faith but concerning such or such a matter wherein because as hee hath before obserued out of Syluester and Couarruuias the Pope may be deceiued hee this Examinat saith that in his iudgment let them define at Rome what they list in this matter yet if the same should be offered to be practised against his Maiestie it ought not to bee entertained receiued or obeyed by any of his Maiesties subiects the same tending not to edification but to destruction 88 Against this answere such exceptions being taken as are before set downe after some further enforcing of them with many circumstances and repetitions of sundry points by him before acknowledged hee was at the last content further to enlarge himselfe in maner hereafter ensuing affirming viz That in his iudgement the Pope will neuer determine it to bee a matter of faith for Catholickes to beleeue that hee hath authoritie to depose Emperours or Kings to absolue their subiects from their Allegeance and to authorize them either to disobey them or to beare armes against them because hitherto when it might haue beene better done and with lesse scandall and inconuenience it hath not beene so defined notwithstanding that the Popes themselues in their owne persons and the citie of Rome it selfe haue bene in greater danger and perill then they now are and this Examinatis fully resolued that the present Pope and the Cardinals his assistants are as graue wise and prouident now to foresee what euill and inconuenience might grow to the Church by such a resolution as euer any of their predecessors were in times past 89 That he is fully perswaded that as it doth tend to the expressing of the supereminent excellencie of the iustice of God to say that he cannot doe any thing that is vniust and of the great honour and dignitie of Kings and Princes to affirme of them
that Reges non possunt esse serui Soueraignes cannot bee vassals so it doth no way derogate from the high dignitie and calling of the Bishop of Rome but rather doth greatly aduaunce it to say that because hee cannot erre there are therefore many things which hee cannot doe For example euen in the point questioned as the Pope cannot determine it to be lawfull vnder any pretence whatsoeuer for a man to commit adultery with his neighbours wife no more can he determine it to bee lawfull vnder any pretence whatsoeuer for any of his Maiesties subiects to beare armes against him both of them being against the morall law of God which the Gospel doeth in no one point preiudice Nor as he cannot by any determination or resolution vpon any pretence whatsoeuer make a sonne to bee no sonne during the life of his father no more can he make the borne subiect of any king not to be his subiect so long as the king liueth 90 That he is also altogether of this opinion that whereas the defining of the Popes said vndetermined authoritie to depose kings c. standing vpon this issue that either he hath indeede no such authoritie at all or else that he hath it as being dominus temporalium directè the lorde of temporall things directly or as dominus temporalium in ordine ad spiritualia indirectè the lord of temporall things in an order vnto spirituall things indirectly forasmuch as such a determination must of necessity include the condemnation of the opinion either of Cardinall Bellarmine and of that strong side that taketh his part which may breede some further trouble or of Cardinall Baronius and those that ioine with him being many and increasing dayly more and more with great confidency that they haue the trueth which no doubt will bee found inconuenient considering that their positions doe much more tend to the honour of the Church of Rome then those that are mainteined as peremptorily by the other side he this Examinate is of this opinion as he saith that there will neuer be any such determination as hath bene obiected or at least that it will not bee for many yeeres yet to come whilest there is so strong opposition concerning the manner how and in what sort Christ gaue Saint Peter that authority if he gaue it him at all viz whether directly or indirectly immediatly or by a certaine consequence except it may bee held to be sufficient leauing both the sides mentioned contending amongst themselues without any certaine grounds firme reasons impregnable testimonies either of Scriptures or Ancient Fathers first agreed vpon by the Church and concluded so to define as is imagined which this Examinate is fully assured the Pope and Cardinals being men of such excellencie and wisedome will neuer attempt 91 That although it may peraduenture bee confidently giuen out as it hath bene vntruely by many already that the Pope to haue authoritie to depose kings c. is defined at Rome to be held as a point of faith thereby still to keepe on foote the ancient opinion since Gregorie the seuenths time of the Popes authoritie in that behalfe for the good of Christian kings and Princes that they might be the rather induced to continue in some awe and feare if they did not their dueties belonging to Christianitie yet hee this Examinate thinketh it very necessary that no Catholicke should giue any faith to that report except he may see the same authentically so confirmed and euident as the Canon lawes in a case of such importance doe require which this Examinate is fully perswaded they shall neuer see or that if any such thing should happen to fall out this Examinate is verily perswaded it will not bee a generall resolution touching the Popes authoritie to depose kings c but onely to the point in question nowe amongst Catholickes here in England that it is not lawfull to take the said oath of Allegeance and then this Examinate further saith that the same will bee built vpon this false ground that the oath of Allegeance doeth include the oath against the Popes supremacie in causes Ecclesiasticall as he foreseeth already by the Cardinals letter vnto him and by the said Cristanouic who hauing set down the said oth at large writeth thus Quod iuramentum De Primatu Regis in spiritualibus And what oath Of the kings Supremacy in causes spiritual that therfore if any such resolution come authentically as is aforesaid the same as all Catholickes are to iudge of the Popes sinceritie being procured by surreption and false suggestions ad destructionem to destruction no Catholicke is bound to be ouer-ruled by it but the same notwithstanding euery Catholicke may safely and lawfully take the saide oath of Allegeance if according to the Statute in that behalfe made hee be required so to doe 92 That also whatsoeuer may fall out at Rome either touching the said oath of Allegeance or the Popes authoritie in temporalibus without any mention of it therin whether he hath it directly or indirectly the same will not be more amply set out and declared then it was before by Boniface Bonifac. de maior obedientia vnam sanctam the 8. where he writeth in this sort In hac eiusdem potestate duos esse gladios spiritualem viz temporalem Euangelicis dictis instruimur Nam dicentibus Apostolis Ecce duo gladij hîc in Ecclesiâ scil cùm Apostoli loquerentur non respondit Dominus nimis est sed satis Certè qui in potestate Petri temporalem gladium esse negat malè verbum attendit Domini proferentis Conuerte gladium tuum in vaginam Vterque ergo est in potestate Ecclesiae spiritualis scil materialis That is We are warranted by the wòrds of the Gospel that in his power were two swords the one spirituall the other temporall For when the Apostles saide Beholde here are two swords meaning in the Church sith the Apostles spake it Christ replied not it is too much but it is enough Assuredly whosoeuer denieth that the temporall sword is in S. Peters power he doth not wel marke the speech of Christ saying Put vp thy sword into the sheath Therefore both swords are in the power of the Church as well the temporall as the spirituall And a little after Veritate testante spiritualis potestas terrena instituere habet iudicare That is Trueth it selfe testifying that the spirituall power is to order and to iudge earthly affaires according to the prophet Ieremies words Ego constituite hodie super gentes regna caetera quae sequuntur I haue set thee this day ouer nations and kingdomes c All which particulars notwithstanding for the setting out of that Constitution purposely made against the king of France Clemens the fift shortly after made another constitution to the empeachment of the former wherein he writeth thus Nos Regi regno per definitionem declarationem bonae memoriae Bonifacij Papae 8
cannot ordinarily depose princes euen for a iust cause yet hee saith that the Pope may change kingdomes and take them from one and giue them to another not as he is princeps Ecclesia politicus but as hee is summus princeps spiritualis when they hinder religion taking that course which bringeth detriment to mens soules will not otherwise be reclaimed 111 Vpon this declaration made by this Examinate vpon such apparant grounds and collections as he could not denie it was demanded of him what his iudgement was as touching the contents of it Whereunto he answereth that he hath elswhere sufficiently opened his mind in that behalfe where he hath often said that in his iudgment the Pope iure diuino hath no authoritie inherent in him or not inherent directly or indirectly whether it be termed spirituall or temporall or a mixt authoritie or howsoeuer it is or may be called to depose kings either for heresie or Apostasie or for any other cause whatsoeuer or to release their subiects from their obedience or to authorize them to beare armes against them or to excommunicate the subiects of any such kings that refuse to enter into any such disobedient rebellious and traiterous courses but continue their faithfull and loyall subiects notwithstanding hee should tell them neuer so confidently that such their former kings being by him deposed were no longer their kings or any other allurements or perswasions whatsoeuer to the contrary Whereunto this Examinate now addeth that in his iudgement it is a vaine conceit and repugnant to the Scripture for any to affirme that the Pope hath any power authoritie or iurisdiction either potentially or actually ordinary or casuall to deale with kings or princes or with their subiects as is aboue mentioned or to holde and maintaine that kings and soueraigne princes haue their regall authoritie from the Pope or that they are to him as the rulers and Iudges amongst the Israelites were to Moses or that hee hath any authoritie at all as he is Christs vicar and S. Peters successour to deale with kings and princes for any cause or at any time further then concerneth the health of their soules and the maintenance of the Catholicke faith by admonitions perswasions and good counsell and if those will not serue then by the spirituall censures of the Church and by S. Peters keyes only and not so neither but when it is apparant that such spirituall censures may in deede and truely turne to edification and not to destruction and that they may be vsed without hurt or danger of Catholickes either in their bodies goods or liues All further proceedings of the Pope with kings and soueraigne princes as the chiefe pastour of their soules this Examinate saith hee doeth vtterly dislike and prayeth from the bottome of his heart that hereafter they may neuer be practised 112 But heere this Examinate being put in mind of his own words aboue specified wher he acknowledged the Pope to haue casualiter some authoritie in temporalibus without the limits of S. Peters patrimonie though the same were not inherent in him and thereupon required to declare his meaning therein he saith that he neither had nor hath any other meaning then this that when any questions or controuersies arise amongst Kings Princes and such other great persons as they cannot amongst themselues compound but yet are contented to referre the decision or compounding of them vnto the Pope vnto whome they are all subiect in Spirituall matters hee the said Pope may lawfully in this Examinates iudgement vpon this occasion and so casualiter intermedle and deale in the said questions and controuersies and order them for the establishing of vnitie friendship and concord betwixt the said parties although the particulars so questioned or controuerted be meerely and altogether of temporall conusance And also this Examinate further saith that the Pope may so deale as he thinketh when any King Prince or other great person will bee content for the strengthning of his owne purposes in some especiall matter to desire the Popes approbation of it For example the King of Fraunce hauing left his former wife and married another had by her a Decretal lib. 4. cap. 13 qui filij sunt legitimi sonne and a daughter and being as it seemed in doubt that his sonne after him might in that respect receiue some preiudice in his Title to succeede him he the said King entreated the Pope for the legitimation of his issue whereunto hee yeelded the deciding of any mans right or interest to a Kingdome no wayes properly belonging to the Pope but casually as here it hapned when the King was contented to referre it vnto him and might haue done it himselfe but that he thought when the Pope ioined with him that which they did together would bee of greater force 113 This will appeare more plainely by Innocentius his owne words in an other suite of the same nature made vnto him where a Gentleman of Montpeliar hauing likewise put away his wife and married another by whom he had children Ibidem in glossa was encouraged by the example of the King of France to labour to the Pope of the legitimating of his children in like sort quatenus eis natalium obiectio ceu exceptio non noceret quo minàs sibi succederent that the exception against their birth might not hurt them but that they should bee his heires But Innocentius denying his suite amongst some other reasons why hee so did vsed these that the King of Fraunce had no superiour in his Kingdome in Temporall causes but this Gentleman was a Subject that the King of Fraunce might without any mans hurt referre the said matter to the Pope which this Gentleman could not doe in his cause that the King did neede the consent of no man for the approouing of that which the Pope had done on his behalfe whereas if he the said Innotentius should legitimate this Gentlemans children it would not availe him without the assent of the King or Lord his superiour that the King had power in that point to submit himselfe to the Popes iurisdiction which this Gentleman had not and that the King might in some mens opinions of himselfe haue legitimated his said sonne and daughter without any assistance from the Pope So as this Gentlemans cause was farre vnlike the Kings Hereof Innocentius himselfe did write to the said Gentleman in this sort Insuper cùm Rex superiorem in temporalibus minimè Ibidem Per venerabilem citatur à Bellar. de Rom. Pontif. lib. 5. cap. 3. recognoscat sine iuris alterius loesione in eo se iurisdictioni nostrae subijcere potuit in quo videretur aliquibus quòdper seipsum non tanquam pater cum filijs sed tanquam Princeps cum subditis potuit dispensare tuautem nosceris alijs subiacere vnde sine-ipsorum forsan iniuriâ nisi praestarent nobis assensum in hoc subdere te non posses That is Moreouer inasmuch as
the king doth acknowledge no superious in temporall causes hee might lawfully in that matter without any mans preiudice submit himselfe to our iurisdiction wherein as some hold he might by his owne authority not as a father with his children but as a prince with his subiects haue himselfe dispensed but you are knowen to be subiect vnto others and therefore without some iniury peraduenture vnto them except they should yeeld their assent you cannot in this case submit your selfe vnto vs And this is that casuall authoritie this Examinate saith which he attributeth to the Pope out of S. Peters patrimony in other Princes kingdomes for his dealing in those causes that are temporall and doe not otherwise belong vnto him to intermedle with as he is Christs Vicar but as they are compromitted and referred vnto him 114 It was here againe required of this Examinate that he should a little further open his mind in this point whether in his iudgement the subjects of any Christian king may lawfully referre any temporall causes especially such as either concerne the commonwealth or their king vnto the Popes determination without the kings consent because it is held by many as it hath been formerly touched in part out of Mancinus that they may when otherwise they can receiue no such ordinary course of Iustice as they thinke they ought or when they account it most expedient for the Commonwealth To which purpose sundry examples are alledged and amongst them this particularly of the proceeding once in France with their king Hildericus king of France reigning as it was thought vnprofitably and Pepinus in his gouernement vnder him greatly contenting the Realme the chiefe of the Nobilitie in their desire to remoue him and aduance Pepinus vnto his place being not ignorant that if they could procure the Pope who was then in these Westerne parts of great reputation to concurre therein with them it would greatly surther their designement and the better content both the people and the Clergie did send an Embassage 1◠Maior disi 24. quaest 2. 〈…〉 to Pope Zachary then Bishop of Rome desiring to know of him an ille deberet regnare qui otio torpebat an ille qui aestum dieiportabat whether he ought to reigne who was altogether idle or he that did indure the heate of the day To whom the Pope answered quòd posterior regnare deberet that the later ought to reigne Whereupon the Nobilitie deposed Hilderick and created Pepinus their king 115 Now forasmuch as this example is commonly vsed for an argument that the Pope may thus deale casually in temporalibus and that thereupon it is ordinarily concluded that the Pope by such a casualty may depose kings and set vp others in their roomes if hee this Examinate should meane that such a reference or compromitting of a cause to the Pope by one side without the assent of the other as it is not likely that Hildericus was euer willing to commit to the Pope his title to the kingdom whether he should remaine king or one of his subiects should get it from him were a lawfull occasion offered for the Pope to deale casually in temporalibus as an Arbitrator that which hee hath before said of his meaning how the Pope might deale in such like causes casualiter doeth crosse that which formerly he hath deliuered or rather indeed is flatly repugnant vnto it And therefore he this Examinate was vrged to explicate this difficulty 116 Whereunto for answere he saith That in his opinion this was a needelesse doubt in that his words before were plaine when he deliuered the answere of Innocentius to the Gentleman of Montpeliar hee this Examinate hauing neuer heard of such a kind of compromitting a cause to any by one part without the consent of the other and that therefore he holdeth it as vnlawfull for the Pope in such a kind of reference as aboue is specified without the Kings consent to take any temporall cause into his hands to be ordered by him as it was for him to haue made legitimate the children of the said gentleman as is before mentioned which Innocentius acknowledged he might not doe And as touching the example alledged for the deposing of Hildericus this Examinate further saith that he concurreth in iudgement with Iohannes de Parisijs Io. Maior Iacobus Almain Adam Blackwood with diuers others Blackwood apol pag. 201. 202. who writing of that fact say that it was not lawfull that the Pope did yeeld to an iniury and was not ignorant the example to be pernicious so to let slacke the raines to the people for the changing of Scepters and to preferre a stranger with the iniury of their own lawfull king that this fact being singular ought to obtaine no force of a law that wee are to liue by lawes and not by examples that we ought not so much to regard what is done as what ought to be done 117 That the Nobility of France sent to the Pope because the Vniuersitie of Paris did not then Ioh. Maior in lib. 4. sent dist 24. apud Gersonem flourish insinuating that if it had they had gone no further but relied vpon their iudgement that where it is said that Zacharie did depose Hildericke it is thus to be vnderstood viz that he was aliqua causa motiua a certaine mouing cause why the Noblemen of France deposed him that from such particulars quae ex deuotion ad Ecclesiam non debito juris fiunt which are done of deuotion to the Church and not by any right of law nothing is to be drawen in consequence as neither from many other examples where Emperours did chuse the Bishops of Rome and likewise that some Bishops of Rome had beene deposed by Emperors and as the Ecclesiasticall historie reciteth many Bishops did referre their complaints to Constantine ex quibus nullum potest sumi argumentum from which examples no argument can be drawen 118 That the Canon Alius dist 15. q. 6. which Iacobus Almain de potest Eccles laicâ quaest 2. cap. 8. Magna glossa Canon Alius dist 15. q. 6. saith that Pope Zacharie deposed the king of France and placed Pepin the father of Charles in his roome is thus to bee vnderstood Zacharias deposuit Regem id est deponentibus consensit Zacharie deposed the king that is gaue his consent to them that deposed him that then there was no Vniuersity at Paris the same beeing afterwardes erected in the dayes of Charles the great and that thereupon there being few learned men in France they had recourse to the Pope sic deposuit id est consensit vti possent deponere sic non deposuit authoritatiuè that so he deposed Hildericke that is he gaue his consent that the Nobilitie of France might depose him and that the Pope did not depose him by any authority 119 That the Pope did neuer depose the king of Ioh. de Parisiis de potest regia
Papali cap. 13. France except that which Zacharie did in the deposition of Hildericus may bee expounded deposuit id est deponentibus consensit sicut exponit glossa Zacharie deposed the King that is hee gaue his consent to those that did depose him as the glosse doth expound it that from such singular facts of deuotion to the Church or to the person or of fauour or for some other cause and not in right of law arguments may not bee made that whereas it is read in histories that Boniface obtained of Phocas the Emperour that the Church of Rome should be the head of all Churches because the Church of Constantinople did write herselfe so it might bee collected by such a like argument that it appertained to the Emperour to transferre the primacie of one Church to another as likewise whereas Isidore saith that Constantine the Emperour did decree that the See of Rome should hold the principalitie ouer the foure chiefe Sees Antioch Alexandria Constantinople and Hierusalem God forbid that thereupon we should say that the Church of Rome hath her Primacy ouer Churches and the disposition of them from Emperours So as this Examinate saith that which was done as touching the deposition of Hildericke the king of France doth no way alter his opinion before shewed touching the Popes authoritie in temporalibus casualiter when they are lawfully referred vnto him as in the Sect. 113. he hath specified 120 Here this Examinate was put in minde of certaine wordes of his in the said 113. Section where saying that the Pope as hee is Christs vicar could not otherwise deale in temporalibus casualiter then as here he hath said he seemeth to insinuate that in some other respect hee might deale in temporall causes with Kings for the deposing of them and proceeding with their subiects as hath bene before diuers times mentioned And the rather it so seemeth in that he hauing before cited out of Mancinus how the Pope hath authoritie to proclaime warre and so become a man at armes did let that point passe him without answere vnto it 121 For satisfaction whereof this Examinate saith that in his iudgement it is as lawfull for the Pope to make warre within his own Territories which he holdeth as a Temporall Prince when he is driuen thereunto through the disobedience of his subiects or in their defence against other Princes as it is for any King or ciuill State so to doe vpon such or the like occasions and that Iacobus Gretzerus saith well if this Examinate doth rightly vnderstand him to this purpose and to the iustification of all in effect which this Examinate hath set downe throughout the whole course of this his Examination touching his deniall of the Popes authoritie either directly as he is Pope or indirectly in ordine ad spiritualia as he is Summus Princeps spiritualis the Supreme spirituall Prince to depose Kings and release their subiects from the oathes of their allegeance c. where he writeth in this sort Cogit Pontifex Romanus poenis externis spiritualibus vt Excommunicatione Gretzerus defens controuers Bellar. colum 1404. item poenis externis temporalibus corporalibus quà ipse est Princeps politicus quà Principum politicorum opem implorare potest vt haereticorum petulantiam licentiam poenis temporalibus compescant that is That the Bishop of Rome hath authoritie to compell men by outward spirituall punishments as by Excommunication and also by outward temporal and corporal punishments as he is himselfe a ciuill Prince and as he may implore the assistance of other ciuill Princes that they may represse by temporall punishments the wantonnesse and liberty of heretikes 122 And this Examinate also further saieth that for ought he can Iudge whereas some exceptions were taken to the Popes sending of certaine small forces into Ireland about the yeere 1580. to assist the Earle of Desmond Cardinall Allen in answere of them doth politically iustifie that his fact where hee writeth in this manner The chiefe Bishops of Christs Church our supreme Pastors in earth by Gods prouidence and by the graunts of Card. Allens answere to the English Iustice pag. 144. our first most Christian Emperours and Kings and by the humble and zealous deuotion of the faithfull Princes and people afterwards haue their temporall states dominions and patrimonies whereby they most iustly holde and possesse the same and are thereby lawfull Princes temporall and may most rightfully by their Soueraigntie make warres in their owne and other mens iust quarrell as occasion shall vrge them there vnto 123 By reason of diuers particulars deliuered by this Examinate in this his answere to the last doubt propounded vnto him it was first demanded of him whether in his iudgement the Pope hath authority to command any king being held for a Catholicke to take armes against any his neighbour kings deemed by him for heretickes for the suppressing of them by temporall coertions when the Pope shall iudge it fit because it might seeme very strange for any man to conceiue that Christ euer gaue to S. Peter any iurisdiction authoritie or power in fauour of religion to set kings together by the eares It might haue some probabilitie that if a king who disalloweth of the Popes supremacie and of many other corrupt points of popish doctrine should send his forces into any other temporall princes dominions to make warres of purpose to abolish the Popes authoritie and plant there the reformed religion by him professed then in this case the Pope might sollicite some other kings adioyning to oppose them selues make warres against him But to imagine that when a King proceedeth no further then to order matters in his owne kingdome by the aduise of the States thereof both Ecclesiasticall and Temporall as it shal be iudged by him and them most expedient any Bishop or Spirituall person whosoeuer may take vpon him to proclaime or excite warre and thrust other kings to assaile him by force in his owne kingdome and countrey euery such conceit wanteth authoritie in the new Testament and hath no example for many yeeres in the purest and best times of the Church and besides it is repugnant to that which this Examinate hath before deliuered For kingdomes being neither founded vpon faith nor grace how can they be shaken vnder pretence that either of them is impugned Christianitie may well be thought to binde a king who reckoneth himselfe subiect to the Bishop of Rome in spirituall causes in them to submit him selfe vnto him but to command him to make warre and thereby hazard peraduenture his owne kingdome or spend the blood either of his owne Subiects or of the subiects of any other Christian King when the Pope thinketh good is a very bloodie and an vnchristian opinion 124 Vnto this question and the parts thereof this Examinate saith that he beleeueth that all Christian Kings and Princes are bound to doe what they can for the maintenance of the Catholicke faith
in their times doe pretend Christ indeed and so also his Apostles went from place to place from citie to citie and from countrey to countrey preaching and planting the true Catholicke faith which containeth the doctrine of obedience to Kings and Soueraigne Magistrates And where there was one Christian then if there had bene a thousand and so proportionably for euery one neither Christ nor any of his Apostles would haue moued them to any armes or disobedience against the ciuill Magistrates although they were at that time very great persecutors and impugners of the Gospel The like may also be said for the ages succeeding when such going from place to place and preaching as doctor Stapleton speaketh of would of a certeintie haue beene vtterly condemned And how glad saith hee this Examinate should I haue beene if these kindes of positions now vrged vpon me had beene left to Buchananus and such of his followers as haue runne that race And therefore he humbly desired that he might be no further troubled with these vncatholicke and bloudie nouelties the same being most repugnant to the duety and office of a true Catholicke priest and the rather because his intermedling so much with them though hee could not wel choose except he should haue spoken against his conscience doeth tend more he feareth to his particular discredite then as many men doe now stand affected to any such religious vse or edification as this Examinate wisheth that all his words and workes might euer effect and attaine vnto 145 Here it being held conuenient to demand of him this Examinate whether he thought that vpon the occasion offered vnto him and charge laid vpon him in his Maiesties name to deliuer his conscience and iudgement as well in these last points propounded vnto him as likewise in all the premisses of this his Examination hee should by the discharging of his duety therein grow to any discredite either with priests or Lay Catholickes and not rather that if all he had deliuered should happen to be published it would procure him more fauour and greater reputation with them he answereth that of the last point the increase of his credite he hath small hope and that he hath alreadie felt some experience of the former in that there being but a suspicion alreadie cast abroad that he continueth in the iustification of the lawfulnesse to take the oath of Allegeance the very conceit of it before they be acquainted with that which hee hath said in this his Examination doeth much offend many as hee hath beene informed and as in his priuate estate he doeth very sensibly feele Neither can he as he saith expect from them any thing else but discontentment and grudging against him whiles the Popes Briefes procured by surreption and false suggestions as hee thinketh in his conscience doe preuaile so much with them or vntill it shall please God to abate the heate of some spirits and replenish all their hearts with true knowledge in these matters and with greater humilitie and patience then now he saith he can well boast of 146 Lastly forasmuch as it is most euident to his Maiestie and the State viz how the Catholickes in England doe now stand affected how they do generally dislike the oath of Allegeance how of late fewe of the Laitie in respect of the multitude will yeeld to take it how since the Popes Breues came ouer the priests all of them almost doe impugne it and disswade all Catholickes from taking of it and how they labour and trauaile hither and thither preaching and teaching that the Pope hath authoritie to depose his Maiestie to absolue his subiects from their oathes of Allegeance to authorize them thereupon to beare armes against him and to machinate all the mischiefe they can against his State and Person that although his Maiestie be not excommunicated by name yet by their doctrine hee standeth excommunicate in generall termes by sundry Bulles in that hee alloweth not of the Popes Supremacie c. and that therefore if opportunitie serue they may set on foote any wicked designement against him And furthermore how when they professe obedience vpon any occasion it is but dissembled and doth bind them no longer but vntill they shall be able by reason of their numbers and strength to encounter his Maiestie without any great daunger to themselues How there are many youthes daily sent ouer beyond the seas to become Priests and being Priests are euery yere sent backe hither of purpose to increase the number and strength of the said Catholickes And how all such Priests by vertue of their office are bound to draw as many as they can from their Allegeance to the King and vpon euery fit occasion to stirre vp his subiects to mutinie and rebellion as is aboue mentioned Forasmuch it was said as these points and many other such like are very euident and manifest it was earnestly demaunded of this Examinate hee being a man of yeeres mature iudgement and good discretion as hee was reputed by the Pope himselfe it seemeth and many others when he was made Archpriest of England and an Apostolicall protonotarie what course in his wisedome and conscience he thinketh fit his Maiestie and the State should holde being resolued in religion as they are to withstand those euils which of necessitie in time must ensue except either by punishments they be out of hand preuented or that the Pope doe himselfe reclaime both Priests and Catholicks from such inordinate tumultuous and traiterous courses giuing them libertie so as they reteine still their opinions of his pretended Supremacie in spirituall causes to take the othe of Allegeance that thereby they may secure his Maiestie and the State of their obedience dutie and fidelitie both towards him in all causes and matters temporall and towards their natiue Countrey 147 Vnto all which particulars this Examinate answereth that this is a matter farre aboue his reach that he knoweth his Maiestie to be a King endowed with many singular vertues amongst the which his mercie and clemencie are very eminent that his Maiestie and the State are exceeding prouident to preuent all dangers that the number of Priestes is nothing if it bee compared to the number of Ministers which are and so will continue here in England that there is no likelihood that so few Priests in respect of the said Ministers should euer bee able to draw so many to the Pope as they haue power and meanes to withhold men from him that hee hopeth if euer the Pope may be truely informed of the State of England hee will inforce all Catholickes to holde a dutifull temper towards their Prince that it may be that in short time the heate of all disordered inuentions will bee quenched that although men of youth and vigour delighting in nouelties are likely enough to continue a while heady yet hee hath some hope that the grauer sort will haue recourse to the ancient practise of the sincerest Catholickes that generally all the Catholickes in
their Regall authoritie with the Ecclesiasticall thereby to strengthen Bishops in the execution of their offices with any purpose that the power Ecclesiasticall should swallow vp depresse or ouertop their temporall Soueraigntie Assuredly my deare brethren such cogitations as these are scandalous to Christianitie and ought to make no impression in your soules otherwise then to eschew them Baptisme doth worke no such alteration in kings or any other it tendeth to the destruction of the kingdome of Sathan but doeth no way empaire or subiect vnto any their temporall estates otherwise then as they shall be mooued in charitie and honour where they haue receiued spirituall blessings there to bestow their benefites and fauours temporall The coniunction of the Church with temporall kingdomes to make one Christian bodie doeth make no other transmutations nor confound their gouernments and functions they doe still remaine distinct as they did before so as neither can any Emperour King or ciuill Magistrate take vpon him the administration of the keyes of the kingdome of heauen nor the execution of any other parts of priestly duties nor any Priest Bishop or the Pope himselfe challenge in right of the Church and as they are Bishops any interest or power in the temporall sword to manage the same as they thinke fit either themselues or by others at their direction it being a power giuen onely by God vnto Kings and Princes to take vengeance on them that doe euill and to be yeelded vnto not because of wrath onely but also for conscience sake Neither may the words of God to the Prophet Ieremie where hee saith I haue set thee Ierem. cap. 1. ouer nations and ouer kingdomes to plucke vp and to throw out and to destroy and throw down to build and to plant be truely inforced to giue authoritie to his Holinesse for the transferring of kingdomes from one to another or to depose kings for any cause whatsoeuer or to absolue their subiects from their allegeance or to authorize them to beare armes against their Soueraignes or to roote out and destroy any kingdome king or prince vnder pretence of building or planting some other This was farre differing from the meaning of the holy Ghost which in my iudgement is more truely syncerely expounded by that worthy Cardinall Hugo Barcbionensis about 368. yeeres since whether you will take the meaning of it literally or mystically where he writeth in this sort I haue placed thee ouer nations Hugo Card. in Iere. cap. 1. and Kingdomes vt euellas i Iudaeos esse euellendos de terrâ suâ enuncies that thou mayest declare that the Iewes are to be caried by force out of their countrey destruas i ciuitatem Ierusalem destruendam terram eorum prophetes that thou mayest foretell the destruction of Ierusalem and of their countrey disperdas i eos disperdendos à principibus Chaldaeorū praedices that thou mayest preach vnto them their dispersion by the princes of the Chaldaeans dissipes i dissipandum esse praedices regnum Iudaeorum per captiuitatem that thou mayest foretell the destruction of the kingdome of the Iewes through their captiuitie And lest the Iewes might haue despaired therefore he doth not onely foretel their captiuity but likewise their deliuerance thence adding aedifices i ciuitatem reae dificandam nuncies that thou mayest assure them their citie shall againe be reedified plantes i Iudaeos adhuc plantandos esse in Iudae praedices that thou mayest foretell the Iewes that they shall bee againe planted in their owne land Hitherto the Cardinal for the literall sense of Gods words vnto Ieremie and then thus of them mystically That thou mayest pull vp vnprofitable berbes that is euill cogitations by contrition and destroy hurtfull delights with pure confession and dissolue sinnes ill growen together by competent satisfaction and breake asunder the bands of euill custome by good conuersation and build vpon a sure rocke by cumulation of merits and mayest plant the tree of life in thy selfe and in others virtutum radicatione by the ingrafting of vertues Out of question the Prophet Ieremie who best vnderstood the meaning of God when he spake vnto him did not otherwise ouerthrow kings or kingdomes or scatter or destroy or plant or build vp any kings people or nations in his time then as this worthy Cardinall hath literally expounded the said words neither may they be further extended either literally or mystically as of later times they haue been extended for such their proceedings with kings and princes as in the Oath of Allegeance are sought to bee preuented Not long since Cardinall Bellarmine did write a letter vnto me in dislike of my yeelding to take the said Oath and perswading of others therein to followe mine example where unto after my answere was made such plots were layed by them who haue their watches ouer me as the Cardinals letter it selfe and the copie of my answere vnto it were knowen and had from me and I was thereupon brought into a long and very strict Examination wherein I being drawen from point to point and pressed vpon my duetie both to God and to his Maiesty to discharge my conscience according to my knowledge I haue dealt as becommeth a true Priest a duetiful subiect to his Maiestie a faithfull seruant of God and an obedient childe to the Popes Holines and of the Catholike Church and doe very humbly pray you my louing brethren of all sorts and withall straightly charge you by the mercies of God and in the bowels of Iesus Christ as being your Arch-priest and thereby hauing yet authority for ought I knowe ouer you thus to write vnto you that if euer my said Examination doe come to your sight as I am verily perswaded it will you doe not dislike or impugne it but wholly conforme your selues and your conuersations by your due obedience to his Maiestie agreeably vnto it The yonger sort of Catholickes I know such as are subiect to passion and strength of sundry humours and in whom there is more feruencie courage and forwardnesse then true discretion iudgement and experience will when they see it mutter and peraduenture exclaime against me But I am better perswaded of you who are more iudicious and of the graue and wiser sort that no suggestions against me or wrested constructions of any thing by me deliuered either herein or in my said Examination may breede in you any offence being men better grounded and setled in the truth touching your obedience to his Maiestie then that hereafter you will euer giue eare to any of these or such like other intiseable perswasions of mens alluring reasons as that you are no longer to obey his Maiestie as dutifull Subiects are commanded by the Apostles but vntill you shall bee able without danger either of losse of goods or of your liues by reason of your numbers or of some direction from the Pope to beare armes against him or to machinate or put in practise any attempt