that be busiest to pull it downe I haue thought good therfore as a faythfull subiect staying my whole trust of well doing vpon the well continuing of thys blessed estate without other respect or rather prospect beyond it to disclose in briefe collection of the common brute of good and honest men that loue thys estate and be carefull for it so much as I haue noted or rather common experience euident truth hath opened concerning the dispositions of sundry dangerous thinges doinges and persons agaynst God the Quéenes highnesse the Realme and her most noble gouernment to the entent that vpon laying abrode of their faultes them selues may be reformed or her highnesse by warning so armed as they may be lesse dangerous that is to say more restrayned and dishabled and her maiesties true subiectes more strengthened and emboldened Surely all true Christians and all true Englishe subiectes ought to beleue and may wel know that these are true conclusions First that euery papist that is to say euery one that beleueth all the Popes doctrine to be true is an enimie traytor agaynst the maiestie and honor of God agaynst the crownes and dignities of all kinges and temporall princes and against the wealth and safetie of all ciuile kingdomes policies and common weales Item that euery such English Papist is a traytor to the Quéene of England and hateth her life wisheth the alteration of her gouernement and liueth in hope of an other world which euen by an ordinary byword it is sayd that them selues doo call theyr Golden day Item that euery such Englishe Papist is a speciall traytor to the realme of England and hath no regarde into what slauerie conquest subiection to foren tyrannie dishonor or other miserie it be throwen so that theyr false idolatrous and supersticious religion be restored with libertie to spoyle and murder without respect of dignitie age sexe learning reuerence honestie or nature Item that no clemencie gentlenesse benefites or louing dealing can winne a Papist while he continueth a Papist to loue her maiestie how much so euer he dissemble nor bring them to ascribe theyr safetie to any her benefites nor to any prayse of her owne goodnesse but either to theyr own dissimulation practise and falshed which some call cunning or to the holinesse of theyr cause for whom God forsoothe so prouideth as his anoynted ones may not possibly by any law or at least execution of law be touched where in deede if they continue still vnpunished it must be thought that God so purueyeth ▪ because the punishmentes of this world are not sufficient for them But yet in the meane time it serueth to make them vnexcusable by whose default so dangerous wolues remayne in the flocke Item that Papistrie hath this propertie of heresies contrarie to the nature of Gods truth that is to be throwen down with aduersitie and to florishe with indulgence and lenitie Item that as it is reason that the owner of a shepebiter mastife knowing his dogs qualitie should either hang vp his dog or paye for the shéepe that his dog worieth so those that haue notorious Shepebiters murderers of Gods flocke in theyr custodie and power must make theyr accompt either to hang vp or otherwise dispatch their curres or ells to answere to God for the bloud of his shéepe both such as they haue destroyed and such as they may destroy by any possibilitie hereafter Item that all aduises to great personages to persuade neutralitie or an enterteyning of contrary sides in religion with vncertaintie of countenance and fauor is the way to supplant assured safetie to make sure enimies and vnsure frendes to yle open to parasites traytors to be vnknowen to other and to be vnhable to discerne what other be to them Item that timorous policie is the worst policie that may be what soeuer the cause be good or bad and worst of all it is in best causes wherein as her maiestie hath neither want of constant magnanimitie nor cause of feare so is it méete that her enimies haue no stomake to contemne her nor by excesse of clemencie to misconstrue her goodnesse as lacke of daring Item that by the great nouelties and alterations of times that haue happened within our memorie there is risen a common policie among people to ioyne to strong and safe sides whereby they are aliened from the fearefull and therefore it is to be prouided that there be a boldnesse of safetie to serue the Quéene truely and zelously and an assurednesse of danger to her enemies Item by boldnesse and sharpe execution vpon enemies the frendes are encoraged and contrariwise if the dangerous traytor be not remoued the true subiect may be left in perill and thereby the rest of good subiectes disabled or at lest discouraged to venture so farr agayne and the fréedome of consultation in the meane time for preseruing the prince empeched Item that it is truely sayd Improbum hominem praestat non accusasse quam absoluere It is better not to meddle with a dangerous noughty man than to let him goe for what were it els than to set a house a fier and runne away by the light Item that occasions and fitte opportunities ouerslipped are not recouerable Item that many times it is as small an offense to geue a warrant to kill a true man as to pardon a murderer or traytor as a wise shepeherd will rather geue leaue to a hunter to kill the best lambe in hys flocke than to let goe a foxe or a wolfe Item that the liues of kinges and princes are the liues and soules of theyr kingdomes and common weales whereby they are to consider that in being prodigall of theyr owne safeties in excesse of clemencie to traitors or in securitie of exposing theyr persons to perils Largiuntur ex alieno they be liberall of that which is not theyr owne to geue Item that no traytor is more perilous than he that wresteth the law to rayse an vnderminer of the princes crowne to her danger Item that he is iustly to be suspected that shall practise with any vayne deuise of pacification or colored clemencie to rebator blunt the edge of the princes sworde or so to tye it in the scaberde that it may not be drawen for her defense as if such qualifiers hiders and clokers should séeke to abuse that most reuerend and holy signe of maiestie to no good ende or other end than God ordeined it Item that God can not well take it if he be lesse zelously serued than the diuell that there be lesse feruencie shewed by truly learned princes for auauncing of Gods honor against his enemies than hath ben by abused and deceiued princes for setting vp of the kingdome of the diuell and Antichrist Item that Gods commandementes of placabilitie and forgeuenesse extend to our owne enemies but not to his enemies against reuenge of priuate displeasures and not against seueritie sharpe execution in cases of Gods honor and common weales wherein is
¶ A warning agaynst the dangerous practises of Papistes and specially the parteners of the late Rebellion ¶ Gathered out of the common feare and speche of good subiectes Vox populi Dei vox Dei est Sene and allowed THe state of this Realme considered and specially such accidentes touching the same as late troubles haue ministred do make it dayly more and more euident how precious and how deare a iewell is the safetie of the Quéenes most excellent Maiestie our most louing and beloued soueraigne Lady Compare the time of her most noble and gracious gouernement with ages long agoe passed and specially with the miserable and dangerous dayes immediatly preceding her most happie comfortable reigne call to memorie the weaknesse perils wherin the common weale stoode before her highnesses comming to the crowne wey the infinite benefites both bodily and ghostly that the whole realme and all her subiectes haue and do daily receaue by her meanes thinke vpon the greuous and vnspeakable miseries that we all shalbe like to susteine by losse of her vnualuable presence it shall be plaine that he is wilfully blinde that can not sée he is wickedly malicious that will not acknowledge he is obstinately stone harted that shall not with sorrow and trembling déepely imprint in carefull hart those motions and thoughtes that such consideration shall lay before him Remember the quiet of conscience the comfort of true seruing of God the fréedome of the Realme the deliuerance from foreine thraldome of soules the escape of the heauie yoke of strange dominion the recouerie of welth the benefite of peace the common and egall distribution of iustice the familiar cherishing of Nobilitie the good preseruing and loue of the Commonaltie the mutual and tender kindnesse at home the amitie and awe abroad the swéete enioying of all these commodities match herewith the danger and feare of losing them how can it then be but that the minde shall be marueilously distracted Great and full of diuersities are the sittes of a passioned louer but yet greatest where reason ruleth least Farre greater to a good minde must be the panges of consideration in thys case but yet greatest where reason ruleth most The silly louer is transported as they complaine poore soules in their dities somtyme with ioyes of hys enioying sometyme with feare of his forgoing there is no meane or order of his excessiue affection and all is because the abused creature hath set his felicitie in a wrong conceite But if such vaine short repentable and feble delite of fansie haue such force vpon the minde of man how much more ought the déepe wise naturall and true impression of the eternall comfort of soule the good and safe estate both of the common weale and of the priuate hauiour of him selfe and of those thinges and persons that he holdeth dearest yea and of hys posteritie for euer worke more mighty violent and continuing effectes in the minde of an honest good man that setteth hys thought vpon iuste and assured groundes All these contemplacions can not but fill a good Christians and a good subiectes eye with sight and knowledge how vnestimable a treasure our Quéene our I say Quéene Elizabeth is to the Realme of England and the same can not but pearce hys hart with strong feare and care for her preseruation so farre as surely it were able as in the dumme borne sonne of Cresus to breake the stringes of a tyed toung to drawe speach out of the most barbarous and rudest subiect to crie out at her highnesses perill and with such noyse as he is able to make though it were but as a goose of the Capitole to geue warnyng to the watchmen of the toure of all our safeties This hath moued me to forget how vnskilfull and how vnapt I am to treate of matters so farre aboue me and onely to remember how méete it is for all men to thinke of those thinges that touch them so nerely Neyther do I altogether allow of the manerlinesse of that good fellowes curtesie that would not vnlocke a gate to the kyng but made the kyng to staye there while he ranne two miles to fetch a more worshipfull man to open it And farre more discommendable had such good maner ben if the kyng had then ben nerely and egrely pursued by an enemye When traiterous affection so boileth in subiectes hartes as it can not be conteined in stomake but must breake out into open rebellion when the very humor that féedeth such treason is so strong and so angry that neyther lenitiues of clemencie and bountie can allay it nor purgatiues of honestie and loyaltie can expell it it is hye tyme to looke to the health of the body When the furie of treason outrageth so farre that it ouerfloweth all the banke◠of discretion and all the boundes of remembring theyr owne perill when they drawe euery ambitious popular witte into their fellowship lyke an eatyng canker or infecting sore when they can not tary the auantage of theyr owne tymes the ripenesse of their deuises the redinesse of their aydes the fitnesse of seasons nor other circumspections of policie when the stay or seuering of their heades can not holde them but that like an Adder when her head is cut of they will still be wrigling with theyr tailes and threaten a stinging when being vanquished they yet finde some newe resorters vpon olde hopes surely it must néedes appeare to be a wonderfully malicious poyson of treason that possesseth them and so a great necessitie to know who be enuenimed with it the causes of the disease and the signes of the infection that conuenient cure may be applied or for the vncurable some good order may be prouided that the head and hart may be preserued It is now hie time therefore when traitors them selues haue geuen warning of their owne treasons to search the confederacie yea and as miners follow the signes euery way as they spred in the ground till they be guided to the trunke or body of the metall so to followe the apparances of suspicions and likelihodes till it appeare plainely what light made the shadowe or what fire raised the smoke It is not good tarying till the flame mountyng in the ayre aboue the house teppe the principalls and pillers consumed and eche part so embraced with fire that no ayde dare approch do plainly declare the whole building past hope of recouery Fyres oftentimes negligently raked vp stickes endes not throughly quenched embers not regarded a candeles end not looked vnto haue brought many an honest man to pitifull calamitie I like therefore better the honest wisedome of those that study how the Queene may stand and not fall then the reaching policie of those that deuise how them selues may stand when the Quéene is fallen God preserue her highnesse long for her fallyng would make a Samsons poste with vs all yea and rightly a Samsons poste for no dout it woulde broose them too
blowen vp in Christendome that can not yet be quieted and all because the Pope hath instilled an opinion into his Papistes that Princes if he dispense with them are not bound to kéepe fayth and promise no not the word of a king wherby no peace can yet be assured Whereof yet riseth one good admonition to trust them no more and to be well ware of them and specially to thinke of this one particular that wicked persons which haue geuen occasion of dangerous rebellions against the Quéenes maiestie their chiefe and onely succour and refuge will neuer be witholden by any respecte from attempting or procuring to be attempted any most hie and hainous treason and mischiefes against our soueraigne Ladies safetie if auantageable opportunitie may serue them so long as such persons are infected with Papistrie and can thinke the Pope hable to pardon or rather willing to reward them yea so farre as they shall suppose them selues not onely to winne the kingdome of England therby but also the kingdome of heauen It is perilous to thinke what traitorous rage may do being armed with dronken superstition It is a sore thing to consider the impotentie of ambition specially when it is ioyned with the furie of reasonlesse loue The common experience is how dangerous those knottes of théeues be where there is a woman in the companie Thus is it plaine that for as much as the Pope claimeth such wrongfull vsurpation and tyrannie ouer kinges and realmes and sith Papistes holde that he saith true and claimeth but his right and can not erre in discerning it all such Papistes are traitors to all kinges and kingdomes As for the second conclusion which accuseth English Papistes of treason to the Quéenes maiestie it is sufficiently proued for that it is as a particular within a generall included in the former Yet for the speciall confirmation of it it hath certaine priuate and seuerall reasons It is well knowen how they sought her graces death in her sisters time what practises what fetches were vsed for it what examinations what searchinges were to finde color of her destruction yea if it be true which is credibly sayd how farre without color they proceded if God had not miraculously kept her to the preseruation of this Realme and the comfort of whole Christendome But to make some demonstration of their hatred to her maiestie by reason and after to descend to the examples and practises let vs examine the causes Whereas the Papistes holde that the Pope is head of Gods vniuersall Church and that such authoritie as the Quéene claimeth in England ouer ecclesiasticall persons and in ecclesiasticall causes as due to her highnesse in right of her crowne is not due to her but belonging to the Pope in so saying they must say that her maiestie claimeth an vniust tyrannicall power And whosoeuer shall so say though not in the same sillables is an vniust and an errant traitor and can not loue her that hath pulled downe him whom they call head of their Church Also where Papistes affirme the Chirch of Rome to be the true Catholicke Chirch of God and that as out of Noes Arke there was no safetie from drowning so out of the Romane Church there is no escape of damnation is there any hope that they so thinking can or do loue her highnesse that hath dismembred them from the body of that Chirch and plucked them out of that Cocklorelles boate Where Papistes holde the heresie of transubstantiation and the bread to be Christes naturall bodie the blasphemie of Popishe Masse to be an auailing sacrifice for quicke and dead the Popes pardons to be hable to deliuer them from hell and damnation is it likely that they loue her whom they thinke to depriue them of so great treasures Where the Papistes holde our whole forme of seruing of God which forme the Quéenes maiestie hath prescribed and deliuered to her subiectes to be schismaticall our lawes in spirituall thynges no lawes our sacramentes no sacramentes our Bishops no Bishops our Clergie no Clergie surely they thinke our Coronations no Coronations our Quéene no Quéene or at least they are sory she is so Where Papistes beleue a Purgatorie and that Masses Diriges and such other gainfull marchandise of the Popish Clergie be beneficiall for their frendes soules and their owne and do in the meane time imagine that theyr fathers grandsires grandames wiues and other frendes soules lie frying in vnexplicable tormentes and the Quéenes maiestie holdeth from them the onely meane to release them thinke you such persons grudge not at her excéedingly Where the Pope hath accursed the Quenes maiestie as an heretike and schismatike all those Papistes which suppose that the Pope hauing the disposition of Gods sentence and the thunderbolt of excommunication in his hand can not erre do also suppose that the Quenes highnesse our Quene Elizabeth I meane is not lawfull Quene of England for so must all Papistes hold that hold the Pope to say true for the Pope doth not so accept her And true it is that the refusall of the othe for the acknowledging her Maiesties supremacie ouer ecclesiasticall persones and in ecclesiasticall causes is for very good reasons to be suspected that for the most part it is but coloured with pretense of conscience for ecclesiasticall causes and to be thought that in very deede it dependeth chefely vpon this poynt that sith her Maiestie hath bene suspended excommunicated and declared out of the church by the Pope they thinke her Maiestie not lawfull Quene of England For the like example or preiudice haue the like Papistes geuen heretofore at many times and namely when Elizabeth Barton that hipocriticall harlot sometime called the holy mayde of Kent with whose false traitorous practises were fowly spotted and entangled More and Fisher the new Romishe Saintes published as a reuelation from God a traytorous article suggested vnto her by popishe Priestes and Monkes with whom she carnally and filthily liued that the Queenes Maiesties most noble father after a time by them limited was not King of England one houre in the sight of God The like interpretation did Papistes make of king Iohn And Papistes haue published that Gospellers whom they call heretikes ought not to haue any office among Gods people much lesse a kingdome And this poynt is well to be considered that they which take from the Quéenes maiestie the supremacie ouer ecclesiastical persones and causes do transferre the same iurisdiction to the Pope for they neuer yet bouch saued to geue it to any other ▪ and I am sure that after so many parables and examples of bées and beastes and other thynges they will not now haue any particular church hedlesse and destitute of a supreme gouernor either vniuersall like a monarch as they wold haue it or speciall vnder God of eche kingdome or dominion as Gods good disposition hath sorted it If then the Pope haue in theyr opinion any ecclesiasticall iurisdiction in
take vpon him to extend hys curse to the prince of our countrey and all the people thereof and that he hath power to discharge the subiectes of the realme from their fayth and allegeance and hath authoritie to binde theyr obedience to whome he will and is able to geue heauen to rebelles that shall venture theyr liues in wasting and destroying our countrey he I say that can yelde hys consent to these doinges thinkinges must néedes be a traitor to hys countrey And such a one is euery such English Papist as I haue described and can be none other if he hold the Pope for a true teacher and haue good opinion of of the Popes doctrine and examples And to defend that we ought to yelde our saythes or submission to the Pope is in generalitie to affirme all these mischiefes and treasons And such as be of that minde as all such Papistes bée can not in true iudgement be seuered from traitorous watchers to put the same in execution when so euer they may haue times and meanes to beare them harmelesse Let be called to minde the treasons of the clergie agaynst Henrie the second and specially the vile practises of the two traitorous byshops of Lincolne and Heresord agaynst Edward the second But principally how as I haue aforesayd the Dolphin of Fraunce by color of title geuen him from the Pope for King Iohns disobedience to that apostaticall seate inuaded and long possessed a great part of England how the deceaued barons of England both at that time specially at some other times seuerally at the Popes will and vpon pronouncing of his curse against the king forsooke their allegeance looke part with the frenchmen spoyled their owne countrey and like most vnnaturall children at an adulterous stop fathers bidding did thrust theyr swordes into their mothers bellie Remember Cardinall Poles message to the Emperor the rebellions raysed in that time and since the late practises in Queene Maries dayes to bring the realme in thraldome to the most insolent and intolerable nation and to transfer the inheritance of the crowne with not onely disheriting but also destroying the true and naturall heire their great sorrow that it was not performed the great trust that our Papistes in all their countenances and speches shewed them selues to haue of the good successe of Henrie the french king whome God tooke away before his accomplishment of thretened enterprises against this realme Let not be forgotten their glorienges in their champion of Guise It is yet fresh and raw in remembrance how openly they vttered their as it were applaudinges gratulations and cherefull significations of fauor to that side euen then when as it is well knowen the same familie of Guise sought vnder color of his kinswomans title and by that foren title which was made the title and fundation of this last rebellion to inuade this land to ouerthrow the Quéenes maiesties estate and to transport the crowne of our countrey to strangers Let it be considered what good practises these late Rebels haue had with strangers to the hazard of their countrie euen so far forth as they feared not in their proclamations with a litle colorable forme of pennyng to brag and put their confederates in hope of strangers coming to inuade and destroy the realme which by a prety gentle false terme they call reforming the realme Let it be well weyed what they meane to the realme that vnder colour of succeding do so far vndermine the head of our country that by raysing some to a hope of the next succeding they conuey the countenance fauour and supportation of a great corrupt nomber of suche as may frame them selues any hope of gaine that way to other persones that by such kindled ambition may be the more hastely enboldned Such mad hopes made lewd bokes to be published in print to entitle strangers to our crowne and to geue aduise to cherishe the amitie of Fraunce to this ende that the rebellious nation of England as they terme vs may by that meanes be tamed if we wyll not contentedly yeld to such subiection It is not nothing that the same bookes were ambiciously published in Paris and set vp vpon euery post and piller and by men of great place and charge most earnestly defended when on our Quéenes Maiesties behalfe they were required to be suppressed I speake not yet of the worst bookes well knowen to the best persons This to doo is to shew vs a Sunne rysing to whose worship they would faine draw vs from our Sunne declinyng as they suppose No no our Quéene is our true Sunne and what soeuer shinyng thyng they wold set vp in her tyme it is no right Sunne but an vnlucky Comete And it is not yet noone I trust with our Sunne or if it be I hope yet God will lengthen the day to our Sunne for his honors sake as he dyd to Iosua and the rather shall all good subiectes haue cause so to hope it if the residue of the day may be so spent as Iosua spent it and for which purpose God dyd prolong it to rid the world of Gods enemies Let it be suspected what hopes of preuention anticipation most dreadfull mischief which I feare and abhorre to name the encouragement of such succedyng which is the worke of Papistes may minister where the onely person of our most deare and precious soueraigne Ladie standeth without any moe meane stayes of her most honorable and ioyfull issue betwene them and their desired effect the vtter vndoing of vs all and specially where the power of reuenge may by possibilitie fall into their handes for whose sake it should be attempted It is no small mischiefe danger and apallyng of fayth and courage when our prince must be defended agaynst those that by possibilitie may aspire to hope to haue colour to be our Princes them selues and to wreke it vpon good subiectes that serue our Quéene truely What kindnesse or naturalnesse will doo hath béen abundantly shewed already diuerse wayes And in the late murderous mischief a most foule president but a most perfect lesson this one thyng is much to be noted that it was here by rumor reported as done before it were done there which argueth that the conspiracie extended hither and how farre further or rather nerer is good to be quickly and earnestly searched and by the same example to be remembred what harme the losse of vsyng occasion hath bredde when it might haue so béen preuented that neither he had bene murdered nor the Quéene encombred I dispute no titles I haue no reache beyond our Quéene I can sée nothyng beyond our Quéene but a Chaos of miserie therfore I am lothe to looke so farr My onely care is as my prayer is all good subiectes ought to be for our Q. Maiesties preseruation What other title so euer be pretended be it good or bad if it shall once threaten danger to the Q. Maiestie whose title and
gouernance we know to be true and haue felt to be good I wish it destroyed and put out of hope least it hope to sone to fast to much to hye and ioyne with to many Record I pray you the anathemaes of the conspiracie of Trent theyr cruell and dangerous practises agaynst this realme and agaynst all other of Christian profession the Popes sentences agaynst our Quéene and Countrey and all this well liked of and holden for holy by our owne vnhappy Papistes Remember the deuises to put the same sentences and conspiracies in execution in Fraunce and Flanders all at one tyme. Consider the concurrence and euennesse of tyme of this rebellious enterprise in England and that late murderous and haynous attempt in Scotlande But to pyke a litle more good out of the late ill déede of horrible murder What say the Quéenes good subiectes to be the cause why after our rebelles vanquished the Regent was slayne that should haue bene done before to serue our rebelles and their conspiraters turne For sooth their traitors there and some conspiraters here Englishe or Scottish saw full well the sincere frendship of the Regent to the Quéene that notwithstandyng all the practises from hense to the contrarie he mynded to deliuer our rebelles whereby the counselles and complices both here and there must haue bene disclosed they politikely prouided by assent to murder that noble gentleman betimes whose bloud added to other bloudes so crye to God as it is perilous to draw to much into societie and partnershyp of those agaynst whom such bloud so crieth This is the common feare of good subiectes and to feare to much rather then to little may be more folly but it is lesse fault It may haue lesse cause but it hath more truth honestie and fayth Wey well if these be the meanes that my lordes of Northumberland and Westmerland and their company haue sought to bryng the vnityng of realmes and crownes and to worke the effect of theyr proclamations both for state and religion which doyng such men brag to be so beneficiall sith the same and the titles thereof reach not so farre as by any these meanes to make such vnityng in the person of our most noble Quene nor such attemptes for religion and other effectes can be atcheued with her likyng then what successe is to be looked for of theyr deuises and what marke is it to be feared they shoote at They and such other Papistes and ambitious practisers may perhaps iustly and truly say protest sweare that they entended not the effect of such purposes while her Maiestie liueth for it may be that they meane peraduenture that her hyghnesse should not lyue so long God preserue her to outlyue all them that haue lyued to long This example is terrible and would be profitably vsed You can not forget how the Pope claimeth and our Papistes do graunt him the superioritie ouer Ecclesiasticall persons Theyr obedience is thereby withdrawen from theyr Prince and from the seruice of theyr Countrey they exempted from theyr duties to the Prince and realme Like is the referryng of all ecclesiasticall causes to the Pope as to the supreme iudge and ruler Great wrong therby is done to the Realme great withdrawyng of the bodyes of subiectes from presence to serue and defende the Realme and great transportation of the treasure the foule examples whereof in pilfring and scrapyng within the Realme to serue the vnsatiable couetise of Rome appeareth by the many lamentable complaints in theyr owne histories with which enormities and oppressions as most burdenous and perilous to the Realme our Parlamentes and specially Conuocations haue before tyme found them selues meruelously agreued And yet this heuie ouerchargeable yoke must be reduced agayne by our Papistes yea and our new angeles of Louaine with whom the euil sprites at home do accord can terme these intollerable exactions but a small pitance or trifle to acknowledge our good will to our mother church and can call the reasonable mislyking or iust gronyng thereat as a niggardly grudgyng Liberall men I assure you and no maruell for they be of hys faction that sometyme bragged that the aduauncyng of hym selfe to the throne of Rome should cost hym all England So small a thyng these Papistes accompt it to venture all England at a cast And good reason haue they for they venture it at the perill of other mens losses for whosoeuer reigne here by their treason they are lyke to kéepe or increase theyr wealthes and dignities Let it be thought vpon how much these fellowes esteme the common knot of fidelitie to the Prince whereby the peace of the land is holden together and eche mans due propertie is preserued which beleue that the same faith is dissoluble at the will of a foreine priest Let also this descendyng gradation be considered concernyng Papistes and their hope how true they will be to their Countrey that are not true to God how true they will be to their good Prince that are not true to their Countrey how true they will be to any subiect that are not true to their Prince and thereby let theyr confedrates beware that they be not made bottels first filled then emptied afterward hanged vp by the walles Let the Duke of Buckingham in king Richardes tyme and infinite other beate this wisdome into theyr head to know how ill a tyrant or one that atteyneth a crowne by mischiefe and wrong can beare to liue detbounden to those that aduaunced hym or subiect to their reproche being once fleshed in mischiefes by theyr helpe how litle conscience he maketh to procede further and specially vpon them whom he knoweth in hys conscience in ioynyng with hym to haue well deserued it Let them well digest the vicont of Melunes admonition on hys death bed to the English barons in the beginning of the reigne of king Iohns heire And let them neuer say that they the late rebels and theyr complices had no such intētion to ouerthrow her Maiesties estate sith the thinges expressed in their first proclamation can not be done while her Maiesties estate continueth who hath so honorably oft protested to preferre Gods truth aboue her crowne and lyfe which God long preserue Let all Englishmen thinke of this and beleue it as experience hath taught it that where Monkes and religious persons changed their surnames and had many other solemne ceremonies at their professions which they sayd dyd signifie their vertuous renouncing of worldly and carnall fansies the same pretense of signifiyng was vtterly false like the pretense of refusing the othe to the Quéene and the very true meaning such as is proued by the consequence of their déedes was no other but that euery perfect Papist doth take vpon him a zeale for defense of their God the Pope and his heresie to throwe away all due and naturall beneuolence and fayth to Prince Countrey parentes frendes and all those iust and
thynges great hardnesse yet is it so recompensed and ouerweyed to vs in the fréedome and ioy of our consciences that we must and will still loue her how much more then beyng our so good louyng and beneficiâ—ll seueraine It is we that depend vpon her it is we that thinke it shalbe more easy and better for vs euen in respect of our worldly life and benefites though there were not a greater prospect beyond to die at her fote in her defence than to ouerliue her Maiestie the same being expressed by her enimies Gospellers be they whom though her maiestie can by no meanes make to cease to loue her yet by ouermuch cherishing of Papistes she may make lesse strong to defend her Our case is such as her Maiestie may be assured of vs that we stand for her not only as for our Prince our louing soueraigne our mother our countrey our hauiours possessions but also for the liues and that most is for the seules of our selues our wiues our children posterity for euer If any of this part haue bene seduced by Papistes as perhaps there be error I hope it is and not malice And as it is error so is it mete to be forsaken as error I meane not onely forsaken in pursuing but also in defending succoring pacifiyng and helping For let such make their accompt to finde no truth defence mercy nor kindnesse in Papistes when they get aboue howsoeuer their present turne be serued To late shall they wish for the good Prince whom their own follies shall haue lost Let them remember the policies of Charles vsed with Maurice and other for assurance of religion against the confederates of Smalcald Let them remember the Fremingham promises for not altering religion Let them remember that the very promisers eyther in dede shall not be hable or will be glad to say they are not able to kepe promise with them or if they would faine kepe promise they may hap to be sent after their predecessors Let them remember the keping of edictes and word of a king in other places by meane of persons somewhat allied Let them remember that them selues shall not dare to chalenge such promises no more then the Crane his reward for pulling the bone out of the wolues throte Let them remember they shall haue to do with such as thinke not themselues bound to kepe faith with them nor any of our side can haue a dispensation at their pleasure It is we therefore that pray God to geue her Maiestie iudgement and all timely meanes of intelligence to discerne her â—â—nemies and courage to vse such opportunities of times as God throweth vpon her It is we that with thankes to God do acknowledge that God hath so guided the successe of this late rebellion as if he should haue sayd to her maiestie â—oe daughter al though necessitie of mine ordinance and the disposition of thinges for my glorie which shalbe in the end also your benefit be such as there must be a traitorous rebellion in your realme yet this will I do for you you shall vnderstand it in tyme you shall haue the meanes whereby they should accomplish their entent in your owne power you shall make your owne match you shall haue the choyse to name the parties your selfe that shalbe the leders and doers of it euen the weakest of credit wit and power that you can chose to withstand you you shall chuse the tyme when they shall attempt it the most vnseasonable for them either to procede in their owne doinges together or for hauing aide to resort to them either of foraine enemies or domesticall traytors you shal chose the place where you would haue it begon such as lyeth best for danger of contagion of other easiest for your selfe to enclose hardest for your enemyes to come to and nearest borderyng vpon your best foreine frendes they shall want furniture your selfe shall haue abundance your good and true counsellers shall nobly and truely stand by you your nobilitie shalbe prouoked to reuenge dishonor slanderous suspitions throwen vpon them by the rebelles and therby shall haue cause to striue who may best serue you your good subiectes shall euery way shew theyr zeale in your seruice your poore clergie shall poure out theyr deuout prayer for you and I will heare them I will guide the successe to your victorie your enemies shalbe so snared as the victorie well folowed the treason well examined the faultie well remoued the roote well cleane hewed vp you may sit frée from traitors whyle you lyue and your good true counsellers and subiectes may be set in safe abilitie and encouraged to serue you truly and stand faythfully and boldly by you Sée now that you fayle not me nor your selfe and neither by missuser nor nonvser forsake me nor lose the benefites that I haue so prouided for you We therefore acknowledge all these things to haue so come to passe and dout not that her Maiestie will euer with inuincible constantie so prouide that those most noble Counsellers be mainteyned to serue God and her without feare and be so cherished as they may with delite and frée carelesnesse and assurednesse of their owne estates from perill of reuenge or any other assault bend them selues wholly to studie for her highnesses preseruation We pray God to geue her Maiestie euer the hart to suspect his truth whatsoeuer he be if any euer be as I trust there shall not that shall practise to abate any credite of these most true counsellers or shall insinuate or geue any aduise to stay the true and perfect serching of the bottome of these treasens to forbeare the full destruction of the roote thereof or to extenuate her Maieâ—â—ies perill and to say to euery such a one if any smoke or glimse of signification may thereunto leade et tu ex illis es Thou art also one of them We confesse it is time and we pray that all her Maiesties subiects by othe and al other good meanes may be assured vnto her and that al titles all bondes knottes â–ª alliances colours and pretences to her Maiesties danger may be cut of what shew soeuer they make knowing and hartely desiring it may be remembred that no common law of nations no title of anoynted or what soeuer face they set vpon it may be warrant for for any perilous creature Papist Bishop Priest runaway gentleman marchant or other man or woman to be dangerous to her Maiestie in her own realme We know well that a gallon of Rats bane in an Apothecaries shop will not hurt a man halfe so much as an ounce in his bellye We are not so madde to haue such a fonde longyng for the flesh pottes of Egypt for marie marie bones that we wold with the rebellious Iewes desire to returne againe to the land of Egipt the house of bondage forein slauerie both of body soule to suck them and that not for lacke but for lothing of fine natural
and holesome foode We pray that we may once see euery title destroyed whatsoeuer it be either in ciuill respect or ecclesiasticall that hath or shall any way threaten her Maiesties danger that hath or shall any way clayme the crounerom frm her hed or her power out of her hand that hath or shall seke any dispossession of her estate and the inuasion of her land specially the titles and lewd hopes of Romish Popes that haue by notorius wickednesse excedyng the olde Romane Emperours shewed them selues vnmete to lyue among Christian people much lesse to gouerne them that haue by murrible and vnnaturall murders and hoactise of poysoning and other mischieues shewed that them selues and their Papistes are not to be wonne with kindenesse to be true to the Queene that could not be holden by nature from slaughter of tâ—eir own as by many euident histories appeareth yea where their treason may be rewarded with a kingdome yea with the kingdome of heauen those fained and wicked titles we say of Romish vsurpation that haue interrupted the blessed yeaâ—e which we haue so long enioyed that haue drawen into conspiracie alliance knottes of fauour those of whom her Maiestie hath well deserued that hath armed the rebell against lour most good swete soueraigne Ladies life croune and dignitie and put weapon in traytors handes to cut true subiectes throtes and vtterly to destroy the wealth safetie and honor of England We pray that we may see when those that shall wrest or procure to change law to erect the courage of any dangerous Viper to such endes or to any aspiring hope of preuenting and vndermining vnder whatsoeuer colour name preteÌ„ce or shew in proclamation or otherwise or to the safegard of their persones that haue so attempted may be declared and executed as enemies to this estate and to the Quenes safety We pray that we may se such laws prouided for her highnesses preseruation the same so executed without restraint or slacknesse for any respect as the hope of Papistes such as be enemies to God the Quéene and the realme may if they repent not be cut of for euer We pray to liue to sée that none may haue place office nor accesse into her Maiesties court nor houshold no nor once to her presence that shall not be well knowen to fauour both God and her so far as any circumspection and policie may prouide it We pray God that we may once sée the administration yea and studie of law and iustice wholly taken from those that shall not be knowen to fauour the law of God and to acknowledge her Maiesties right that is head of law and iustice in the realme We pray God that her Maiestie and her Counsell may haue such particular knowledge of men that her enemies may be weakened and her frendes strengthned al auantages vsed for her safetie all neutrall aduises suspected for surtle vnderminings We trust it wil be so for God hath not drawen these late mischiefes into light for nothing But afore all thinges we pray God to send vs true repentance more ioyfull receiuing of his Gospel and more vertuous ensuing it least as we lost our best king with liuing ill so we may lose our best Quene with liuing worse And that therewith it may please him to direct all the doinges of her Maiestie and Counsell to procéede in their good aduauncing his glorie and preseruation of the state which without ielous circumspection for preseruing the Queenes most royall person can not be done and that such good meanes and prouisions as God offereth to that end be not refused or neglected which were to tempt God to forsake his cause to betray our noble Prince and to geue away or rather cast away the realme These be the dayly and nightly prayers of good subiectes And while we busie our selues with these praiers we do after our principall confidence in Godes goodnesse rest our selues vpon the trust of her Maiestie and her most honorable Counsell for whom we prayse God and to them we referre the guiding of vs and ours ready to follow them when we are commaunded with the vttermost of our power and perill knowing how they spare not their vttermost endeuour and perill with susteyning the most vnpleasant life God wot that may be for our sakes for our quiet profite and defense Consider these thinges ye that haue bene and haue not yet ceased to be such Papistes remember how in that state ye be neither true Christian men nor true English men wherby if ye repent not you are not worthy to liue in the kingdome of England and you are sure not to come in the kingdome of Heauen Let euery good thing moue you to truth and to your prefitte Let euery euill thing fray you from treason from eternall vndoing Learne religion of God alone render your allegeance to your prince alone liue in bond of countrey with English men alone Acknowledge how God hath sent his truth to shine vpon you her maiestie hath poured all benefites of her good gouernaunce among you her true subiectes desire euery way both in soule and body to be comfortable to you Put of onely the cankerd affection or rather passion of inhumanitie Doo but once come home from those articles that can not stand with out treason to the prince and state bynde not your selues your soules and fayth to the authoritie of any mortall and sinfull man geue euer infinitly to God resort faythfully to him pray deuoutely to him to shew you his truth by his owne worde And so I dout not but hauing once forsaken foreine subiections and being once so farre vnpapisted that ye may come into the number of true subiectes for the rest God shall accord vs and shall reueale vnto you sinceritie of all truth in time and in such time as shall be the greatest comfort that euer you felt in your liues And so yet till other errors be purged by Gods grace working by the hearing of his word we shall al goe vnder the gentle yoke of our naturall soueraigne there let vs draw louingly together and then saye and sing merily God spede the ploughe of England Amen ¶ God saue our Queene Elizabeth and confound her enemies ¶ Imprinted at London by Iohn Daye dwelling ouer Aldersgate These Bookes are to be solde in Paules churchyarde at the signe of the Crane The Q. precious The Queenes good gouernement Resest solliciti plena timoris amor A figure of the Northren rebellion Sero medicina paratur cum mala per longas inualüere moras True couclusions Not all Papistes traitors Which Papistes be traitors Learned Papistes wilfull traytors Treason offence against maiestie Treason against God Kinges should haue care of Gods honour Papistrie sede of ciuile treason Heresies punished by temporall law Mercie to punish Papistes Papistes traitors to kinges and kingdomes Traitorous doctrines of Popes for kinges and kingdoms Traiterous doinges of Papistes against kinges and kingdomes Pope teacheth to keepe no fayth Ladie of North. English Papistes traitors to the Q. Traian Papistes take not the Q. for Queene Papistes refuse the othe because they beleue not the Q. title to the crowne In the statute of her atteâ—â—nder Papistes draw obedience from the Q. Papistes meritorious treason Refusers of the othe mete to be well examined Popish dispensations to dissemble Interrogatories for Papistes Papistes traitors by statute Practises of Papists against the Q. Storie Lonanists Seditious writers Spreders of seditious bookes Spreders of rumors Good chirch will it neuer be Clubbe Basto Ouerthwart Papistes â—op c. Papistes counterfaiting Gospellers 〈◊〉 of the Q. good doinges Railers vp on the clergie Papists in places of credit A gentle prouerbe Let 〈◊〉 haue their wordes Treason the natural humor of Papistrie Traitorous prophecies Prognostications Gardiners traitorous sermon He did not foresee the fall of Rose pens to nothing Accipe nunc 〈…〉 et crimine ab vno â—â—ce omnes Filii huius mundi English Papistes traitors to England Romish religion Rebelles confedered with strangers Prouing of 〈◊〉 Plures adorant solem orientem quam occidentem Mutantem regna Cometen Nouissimus error peior priore Haud recte temporibus diuisa sunt tibi ista Daue Popish clergie no good subiectes Harding Wolsey Traitours not true to theyr owne fellowes Monckes forswore theyr countrey and naturall dutie Therefore many Bishops wold not be consecrate till they were made Monkes Cruelties of Papistes Clemencie can not winne a Papist â–ª Periuri que arte Sinonis Vnum nôris omnes nôris Papistes obedience vntrue Papistrie encreaseth by lenitie Papistes dangerousâ—â— cherished No crueltie for simple opinions Old shepebiters perilous to be kept Matters of facte not knowen but 〈…〉 Onely Christians true to the Queene Romane tyrannies and cruelties Treasons of Papists Good couÌ„sell to Papistes