yeares no maruaile though simple witted men who desire not to straie from the holie steps of our forefathers were at the first not a little amazed at it and could not be so verie easilie induced to approue it This also besides the noueltie of it being much more odious and intollerable as it was then proposed then anie other gouernment that our predecessors had euer liued vnder For hauing full and absolute power to punish rigorously and that as it were at pleasure and discretion it had no facultie ioyned with it or abilitie to benefit or do anie good at all no not so much as vpon amendment of the partie punished to restore vnto him againe that hee had taken away from him before If now he haue more ample authoritie he may thanke our complaints which were no smal cause of it And herevnto his Iniunctions whereof more in an other place that Priestes should not meete together priuilie in our countrie that they should not secretlie send vnto their friends ouer the sea whereas openlie they can doo no such thing as all the world knoweth and tell vs I pray you when and where euer you heard of such an Ecclesiastical gouernment in anie Christian countrie before that sacred Priests the free children of God his familie so greatlie priuiledged by all good Christian Princes should be I know not by whom in such a seruile sort yoaked Againe this punishing authoritie cannot be wel practised in England during this heate of persecution and therefore seemed to be frustrate and giuen in vaine for by the Canon lawe which is the common rule of spirituall causes as by all other lawes no punishment ought by sentence of Iudge to be inflicted vpon the offender not confessing the action before he be by order of lawe conuicted Confession of the fault is sildome in that Court or neuer to be expected wherefore lawfull defence is to be graunted vnto anie person accused before he be condemned But no processe according vnto order of lawe can be framed followed so long as we haue hotte persecutors laying waite euerie where to apprehend vs. For to omit all other difficulties which in practise will be founde to be verie manie where can a safe place be found to assemble the parties their witnesses Proctors together and there to hold as it were an Assize for the determination of their controuersies which to be necessarie Lancelot a man singularly seene in both lawes and authour of the institutes of the Canon law setteth downe which he taketh out of the Canon lawe Extra de appell cap ex parte tua see also the glosse there which both require a secure place both for the parties Proctors and witnesses or else holdeth them for excused if they appeare not Institu L. 3. Tit. s. § Locus in these words Tunc enim ius dicenti impune non paretur si locus citatione designatus pestilens sit aut alias pro citato male tutus Then may a man freely not obey him that ministreth iustice wheÌ„ the place in the citation assigned is infected with the plague or otherwise not safe for the partie cited Now euerie Catholicke knoweth that there is no place in our Country free from daunger for Priests to assemble together such diligent watch and ward being laide in euerie shire to apprehend them And who will be so simple as to allow them a hall in his house for their pleadings whereby he that cannot start doth cast himselfe into a hundreth perills of loosing not onely all his goods and libertie but his life also and inheritance A place of assurance then cannot in these times be appointed for the appearance hee therefore is warranted by lawe not to appeare although he be cyted by his lawful magistrate And so no action can be commenced much lesse determined by this authoritie of the Arch-priest and consequently such penall power is to small purpose in our Country This subordination then being extrauagant without example of antiquitie hatefull as hauing power to punish but not to pleasure and scarcely possible to be now practised in our Countrie had we not great reason to certifie his holinesse of the inconueniences of it and in humble sort to sue vnto him for remedie and redresse before hee put to his hand vnto the confirmation of it And this you must needs much more easily grant if you consider how this subordination was procured and gotten for it seemeth to haue bene by false information which alone is sufficient to ouerthrow the whole authoritie My proofe shal be pregnant taken out of the verie letters Patents of the Archpriest where are these words Rationes pro illa subordinatione ab ipsis Sacerdotibus Anglis redditae S.mo D. N. probatae fuerunt The reasons by the English Priests themselues exhibited for that subordination vnto his holinesse were well liked Marke I pray you how this subordination was obtained at the suite and perswasion of the Priests in England Now I appeale vnto the consciences of my louing bretheren the Priests then in England whether euer they had heard of anie such stratagem or straunge subordination before they felt it as it were clapped on their shoulder sure I am for the most part of them howsoeuer they were M. Iames â—tand who had giuen his name to be a â—esuite and was the man who by Fa. Parsons subâ—rnation imâ—loyed himselfe in this action confessed before diuers priests â—t his return â—hat he had â—n interpreâ—atiue consent of the Priests in England drawne afterwards to accept of it by flatterie fraude or threats that they neuer dreamed of it before they sawe it so farre off were they from deuising and tentering perswasions vnto his holinesse for the admitting of it I will not deny but that some one Priest who had bene in England being then idle in Rome might by euill counsaile and subornation take vpon him to be sent of the whole bodie and so contrary vnto conscience and good order speake in their names that neuer sent him But what was graunted vpon such vntrue suggestion euery man knoweth to be of no force and validitie and that we in England had iust cause to certifie his holinesse by trustie messengers how we were greatly abused by theÌ„ who vsed our names to obtain that exorbitaÌ„t deuise which we neither desired nor liked but rather that it would please his holinesse to establish among vs that sound Ecclesiastical Hierarchy which was instituted by the wisdome of God had bin euer sithence in time of persecutioÌ„ as wel as in peace obserued in all Christian Nations that he would I mean giue vs Bishops the successors of the Apostles and onely ordinary Pastours of God his Church who might confirme consecrate oyles and bring many other of God his blessings among vs. But not to digresse from my purpose The third cause why this subordination did mislike vs was for that it came not authentically from his holinesse by Bull Breue or any other lawfull instrument but
facultie to confirme and to consecrate oyles whereof our countrey standeth in very great need might be giuen vnto some of our auncient Priests with diuers such like which were not vnknowne vnto you wherefore I maruell with what conscience you can say that wee brought no matter of substance or worth our trauell Secondly out of the premisses followeth that the loue of God his cause the zeale and earnest desire of some good order for peace vnitie mooued mee at the earnest request and solicitations of many godly and graue Priests to forgoe the company of my deare friends to contemne mine owne ease and commoditie and to put my selfe vnto the paine daunger and part also of the cost of such a long perillous iourney and not ambition as many of your dependants haue with euill conscience bruted abroad in diuers coasts and one of the societie an especiall correspondent of yours did not blush to write that we in Rome had confessed that nothing but ambition incited vs to this iourney of which I certified you in my former Letters and you writ that you cannot beleeue that any body would giue out any such impudent reports but I assure you that I haue seene it written and can haue their Letters produced when time shall serue to confront the shamelesse spreaders of such slaunderous rumours And albeit you cleare me of that crime most willingly as you write yet as men that speake hollowly and not from the heart you giue forth some suspitions out of other mens speeches and lay downe in their names your reasons for confirmation of them The first is that in the papers we brought with vs there were voyces for our promotion I answere that with those papers I was not much acquainted as one that neither gathered them nor carried them and full well I knowe and protest that by accord among our selues it was determined before I resolued to take that iourney that they which were sent should not accept of any preferment willingly although it were offered them least they should giue their euill willers occasion to carpe at them rather to seeke their owne particular then their generall good Their second reason is for that in a foolish Letter de presidētijs incerto autore a request is made that wee should bee made not Bishops onely but Arch-bishops forsoothe and such a ragmans rowle there is in it of which is the first dignitie after the Bishop which is the second and so as farre as I remember vnto aboue twentie that any foole almost may see that Letter to haue bin contriued to worke our disgrace and so as a fiction not worth the answering Their last reason was for that in an other Letter of I know not whose the phrase is of your L L for your Lordships but this Letter would neuer be shewed although it were most instantly desired because they said it to be from a very friend of ours a general answer vnto these Letters is that it is easie for those that list to deuise what Letters wil best serue for their turnes and then make great matter out of them But howsoeuer it were yea admit that all were true as they say yet nothing else can be prooued out of them then that many wished and desired our preferment whereof whosoeuer would gather that wee were ambitious and desirous of honour I will boldly say that his wits begin to faile him if they euer were good For the humblest men in the world and those that were farthest off from ambition were euer thought most meete and were most desired to take the charge and dignitie of the best seates God make me as free from all vaine desire of worldly promotion as were S. Barnard S. Francis S. Thomas of Aquine and such like most learned and vertuous and withall most meeke and humble personages who neuerthelesse were greatly desired euen of the greatest to take vpon them great and high dignities In a word it was no ambition in vs that others wished and desired our preferment And as I afore said their wits weare apace and are neare the wane that of so vaine and light surmises iudged vs ambitious and their consciences fowly cankered and corrupted who of so weake and slender presumptions went about by writing or speaking to impaire our credits and to hurt our good names Heere I would finish this part but that I take it very expedient and almost necessarie to touch by the way vntill a fit confutation come which will be shortly if the Author supposed will auouch it as one of the best of the societie thinketh he will not Fa. Maior to touch I say in a word or two a sawcie rude and vnlearned discourse intituled Contra factiosos in Ecclesia Listers Treatise because the drift of it is to proue that we were so farre off from hauing good cause to send to Rome about that matter that we were all Schismatickes who did not at the first sight of the Cardinalls Letters receiue the Archpriest without anie more adoo to haue cōmitted many other enormious crimes I am sorie to see such a base peece of work so childishly handled to proceed from one who if hee did not despise others that might haue sometimes bene his good masters as Dwarffes in diuinitie Homūciones enim vocat take himself to be some huge Giant were to bee esteemed to haue much better skill in schoole diuinitie thē he at his first comming to light amongst vs hath made shewe of And trulie I had rather thinke it to proceed from some other not so honest a man and a meaner scholler it is so void of learning so full of arrogant approbrious tearmes and hath so many pergoes and properoes odde interrogations and preposterous exclamations All which are nothing vsuall among schoole-men Well whosoeuer it be besides diuisions the penalties that ensue of schisme and much other impertinent stuffe it hath but one bare ground of that badde assertion which seemeth also to hang vpon gimballes as they speake in my Country for it standeth vpon a proportion or similitude this it is in forme That is schisme in the Ecclesiasticall state which is rebellion in a ciuil Common-weale but in a ciuil state it is rebellion not to receiue a temporall magistrate chosen by the King and recommended by his Letters therfore it was schisme not to receiue a spirituall magistrate elected by the Pope and by his Letters sent vnto vs. This is his argument in substance framed in as good order as it can be but it concludeth not nor prooueth any thing at all for to speake plainlie all the propositions parts of it be faultie the Maior or first proposition taken of a similitude is verie feeble for Argumentum a simili as the learned hold Magis valet ad ornandū orationem quam ad aliquid probandum it serueth more properly to trimme vp and florish out a matter that is well prooued then to be the maine ground of a
THE Copies of certaine discourses which were extorted from diuers as their friends desired them or their aduersaries driue them to purge themselues of the most greeuous crimes of schisme sedition rebellion faction and such like most vniustly laid against them for not subscribing to the late authoritie at the first sending thereof into England In which discourses are also many things discouered concerning the proceedings in this matter abroad Dicit piger Leo est in via Prouerb 26. The slothfull excuse themselues saying There is a Lyon in the way Imprinted at Roane by the heires of Ia. Walker 1601. The Preface to the Reader THe differences and disagreements are such which in these fewe yeares last past haue bred and daily grow to more and more perfection in that kind to so great a disgust of all sincere Catholickes not onely here in England but also in the principall if not in all the parts of Christendome whither the worthie fame of their memorable acts for the restoring of their natiue Country vnto the Catholicke faith hath come that it is high time to giue them some taste of these matters who are so disgusted by laying before them the true cause and grounds of this lamentable dissention and to discouer how colourably the common enemie of God and his Church hath proceeded to the disturbance first of Gods Priests then to the mutual dislike of Catholickes among themselues and of such Priests as against whom by wrong informations they are violently led and let not to vse both tongue and penne in most vngratefull manner Some being asked by others what might be the cause of so great a strife among the Priestes haue simply answered that the cause is for that the Priests being but secular men will not humble themselues or be directed or gouerned by the Iesuites who are religious but what truth soeuer is in this cause of all other it must not be giuen for such a subiection euen in the eares of those who desire it soundeth so absurdly that they endeuour rather to haue it then to heare of it and both M. Blackwell in his Letters to the Cardi. Caietan dated the 10. of Ianuary 1596. and F. Parsons in his Letters against M. Doctor Bish and M. Ch dated the 9. of October 1599. labour to put this conceit out of mens minds how euidently soeuer the practise in Wisbitch to make Fa. Weston the Iesuite superiour ouer the secular Priests who then were in durance for the Catholicke faith pursued both by the knowne and couert Iesuites and all other their fauourites doth proue it as also a Libell giuen abroad by the Authour thereof himselfe to admonish others to beware of such Priests and by no meanes to haue any dealing with them in spirituall matters euen to the disturbing of them out of their places of residence as vnfit guides for soules who had not a dependance of the Iesuites And not long since another of their fauourites letted not to say that those Priests who are not vnder the Iesuites gouernment are no better then the Ministers Many more proofes may be made hereof out of the speeches of many other their fauourites who giue counsell to all that are afflicted in these turmoyles to submit themselues to the Iesuites Other some who perceiue well that if this should be maintained to be the true cause of so scandalous a schisme in Gods church it would redound to the eternall disgrace infamie of such as by whom they hauing conceiued some foolish hope of preferment they had rather that they should indeed beare the sway haue the gouernment of the Cleargie although it were vnderhand then be said either to seeke it or to haue it giue out that the cause of this diuision among the Priests is for that some Priests mooued either with ambitiō or desire of contradiction will not subiect themselues vnto their lawfull superiour appointed by his holinesse and confirmed in authoritie ouer them by his Breue sent into England for that purpose and these haue from time to time both written and maintained in most iniurious manner to possesse the more perfectly such as are too readie to thinke no calumniation too greeuous euen against those who haue best deserued of them that these Priests are schismatickes seditious rebellious c. euen to the diuiding for this cause of parents and their children men and their wiues brothers and sisters and whole housholds while the one retaining that reuerend respect of their long knowne and tried ghostly fathers for learning wisedome and vertue is assailed by the other with these most wicked suggestions and false calumniations and forced either to liue a discontented life or to break friendship and against their owne consciences make semblance at the least that they conceiue hardly of such as they very well perswade themselues wil not commit so great offence against God and his Church in whose defence they haue spent many yeares and remaine still resolute to shead their dearest bloud That therefore no errour be hereafter in any man who will not too much affect ignorance in such things as concerne not onely his particular good but the Common cause of God his Church which whiles the Cleargie liueth at some variance in an euill affected Countrey cannot doubtlesse but be very greatly preiudiced therby it is thought expedient yea necessarie that the cause of this dissentiō be with truth and sinceritie declared made knowne to the world that our actions and the reasons thereof being weighed with equall ballances truth may take place the offerers of the wrong may be discouered the vniustly afflicted may be relieued and that ease at the least by these meanes may be procured which would not come of so long sufferance The strife and dissention at this day too great and scandalous in England is maintained by the Arch-priest the Iesuites their adherents against those Priests who did forbeare to subiect themselues vnto the Arch-priest constituted in authoritie ouer all the Seminary Priests in England and Scotland by a Cardinall who was Protector of the English Colledge at Rome and afterwards honoured with the title of Protector of England for the which forbearing to subiect themselues at the first making knowne of this authoritie the Priests were accused of schisme sedition faction rebellion c. All which calumniations were forgiuen by the Priests so grieuously iniuried and a peace made to the great comfort of all Catholiques when his holinesse Breue was presented vnto them but this peace was soone after broken by the meanes of the Iesuites who reuiued the same calumniations against the Priests and by the Arch-priest who did not onely auerre the assertions of the Iesuites but published also that he had receiued a resolution from the mother Citie to vse his tearmes which avowed that the refusers of the authoritie noting by this phrase the Priests who did forbeare for a time vpon causes seeming iust to them to accept thereof were Schismatickes So that the
cause of this diuision now in England is not for any resistance in the Priests against the superioritie as many forward and euill taught people perswade themselues cry out against the priests that they are disobedient But the cause of this diuision is for that the Priests will not acknowledge that in the time of their forbearance to subscribe to the authoritie which was no longer then vntill they sawe the Breue they were factious seditious rebellious Schismatickes enormiously disobedient in continuall mortall sinne practising their function in irregularitie and pretending to absolue from sinne without faculties or iurisdiction meete therevnto worse then South-sayers and Idolaters c. If therefore sufficient reasons may be giuen why the Priests did forbeare to subiect themselues before they sawe any Letters from his holinesse concerning this authoritie it will both appeare how greatly they haue bene iniuried both by the Archpriest Iesuites and their euill nurtured children and how necessarie this course of publishing in this sort is for the purging of the other Priests from those slaunderous speeches and here by the way do we aske of those pious Catholiques for so they must be tearmed howsoeuer they deserue it when they charge and perswade themselues that they choake the Priests with disobedience what it is that they meane by this disobedience if they meane therby that the Priests do not acknowledge M. Black for their Arch-priest and superiour they may if it so please them correct this their vnderstanding and from henceforth either beleeue that euery man dooth acknowledge him or else name who doth not and let him in particular be called in question for it for this generall prattle that they are disobedient is so vnsauourie a shift vnlesse they could discend to particulars that a man with litle honestie would quickly perceiue how it doth taint his breath If by disobedience in the Priests they do meane the not yeelding or conforming their vnderstanding to the Arch-priest his vnderstanding they exact this obedience to the Arch-priest either because that he is learned or because that he is a superiour but neither of these respects conuince any such matter as that the refusing to be so conformable should bring with it schisme sedition faction rebellion c. Not the first which is in regard of his learning For although that many in England for modestie sake onely make no comparisons with him for his learning yet without offence we may say that there are many beyond the seas farre his betters and much more learned who haue decided this question for vs against him so that the conceit only of being an Arch-priest or in authoritie is left for them to iustifie these most iniurions calumniations against vs. If then they exact this obedience in Priests to the Arch-priest in respect that he is a superiour and because that he is a superiour they imagine that euerie man who will not thinke as he thinketh and do what he commaundeth is a Schismaticke a rebell factious seditious c. These who are so ignorant must be taught and such as are contented at this time to make shewe of so grosse ignorance must be put in mind that authoritie is not an infallible rule of truth in all who haue authoritie and consequently that no man is bound in all things to beleeue or execute what euerie man in authoritie ouer him shall put vpon him In how many things not onely Arch priests but their superiours also the Archdeacons and other of higher degree haue done amisse and swarued from the truth and who vpon earth is warranted from erring but one and not he in all things how absurdly then should this point be vrged that the Priests are Schismatickes rebellious c. for not conforming themselues in their vnderstanding to an Archpriest And if the simpler sort of Catholiques cannot vnderstand this reason sufficiently grounded vpon too many examples recorded in all Ecclesiasticall Histories we would demaund of them when they are commaunded to doo that by such as are in authoritie vpon their alleageance which in conscience they cannot doo whether they be rebellious factious seditious c. in not obeying this commaundement or by what reason they may in not obeying resolue their consciences that they are not rebellious c Doubtlesse either they must confesse that they are rebellious c. in not obeying the commaundment of those who are in authoritie or else that it is not a sufficient proofe of rebellion that men do not in all things as others in authoritie commaund them and to runne for refuge to cases and particulars is to flie touch for hauing before spoken of this particular case which is in question among vs we presse now onely this point that authoritie is not so infallible a rule of truth in all to whom it is most it stly deriued as those must be condemned as factious rebellious sediticus schismatickes c. who will not conferme their vnderstandings to their conceits who are in authoritie because they are in authoritie These points and those which hereafter will be touched wee doo not set downe as men that would make sheepe iudges of their pastours but as men desirous that their bretheren and children would not be so violently carried as they are both against dutie and charitie but suspend their iudgements in these matters and so beare themselues towards all as they may hereafter make a good answere for their behauiour towards them who haue after so deare a rate sought to saue their soules and now request that their long sufferance be no preiudice vnto them nor warrant to loosse tongues to enlarge themselues with contumelious speeches against them whose cause the discourses following wil both conuince all who are desirous not to be misled in a matter of so great consequence that it is iust and that they haue also iust cause to publish the same for the better instruction of such as with whom they may not be suffered or admitted to conferre about it yet without touch of any more then the matter it selfe and occasions ministred doo most necessarily require Yours in all true hartie affection Certaine Considerations to satisfie such as either are or may be by any sinister informations or ill conceipts incensed against vs or alienated from vs because we haue not yeelded our selues to the designments wills of others in subscribing to this late authoritie FIrst we desire all good Catholickes to consider indifferently what we be that deferre our subscription to this authoritie that we be Priests therfore in reason should know to what we were boūd in this case Againe that our present vocation which is to labour euē vnto death in sauing of souls and therefore not like to be altogether carelesse in matter of so great weight as this authoritie is pretended of our own good being so carefull of the good of others Further that for many yeares we haue bestowed our selues in this haruest and therefore in all likelyhood should somewhat knowe what
crimes wherof both my selfe and diuers others of our brethren are accused I rereferre the matter to your iudgement to discerne whether we be guiltie of them or no. If you doubt of the truth of my relation I desire none other triall then the testimonie of mine accusers who if they denie any one word that I haue vttered by way of narration I can easily procure such proofe thereof as they shall not denie vnlesse they will denie themselues If my deductions arguments or suppositions vsed in yeelding reason for our not admitting M. Blackwells authoritie vpon the onely receit of Cardinall Caietaines Letters and that for so doing we incurred no note either of schisme or disobedience to his holinesse if they I say need any proofe I will vndertake to make them most euident Wherefore according to these grounds I humbly beseech you to passe your opinion and yeeld your iudgement of our cause And if the grounds prooue true your iudgement conformable therevnto may remaine firme but if they prooue otherwise your iudgement notwithstanding shall not be faultie for he that iudgeth according to his euidence is not culpable of any errour This good Sir I request because I desire to know your opinion of our cause which if you giue according to these grounds I shal easily vnderstand whether you wil condemne or cleare mee my brethren of the crimes obiected for I am sure I haue not erred in declaring the state of the matter If this which I haue said be not sufficient for your full satisfaction I hope it wil suffice at least to suspend your iudgement of vs vntill further triall be had of our cause which being had in any indifferent manner and if we being conuicted do not acknowledge our fault and make competent satisfaction then do not spare to account of vs as Heathens Publicans But our aduersaries purpose not to put the matter to any indifferent tryall or to ende it by any equall meanes but to decide it by strong hand might and violence by perpetuall oppressing vs with infamous slaunders of schisme faction and the like thereby to depriue if it can be our brethren abroad of all conuenient entertainment and to debarre vs in prison of necessary reliefe to the ende that necessitie may compell vs to yeeld to their desires the inequalitie of which proceedings I beseech you with indifferēcy to cōsider Sometime it is seen that a partie wilfully bent to contend is iustly compelled to admit an equall compremise and to stand to the arbitrement of an indifferent Iudge but it was neuer seene where iustice and conscience ruled and muche lesse amongst such as ought to be the rule of other mens consciences that the partie willing to stand to anie indifferent tryall should bee compelled by violence to agree vnto the desire of his aduersary how iust or vniust soeuer it be and that without any further sentence but onely because his aduersary must haue his will Good Sir we are heere in this place diuers in great want in so much that besides our debts to the keeper we haue not to defend vs from the iniury of the winter weather whereof that you may haue some special taste I doo you to vnderstand that since Trinitie Terme wee haue receiued no more from London from whence the chiefest part of our reliefe commeth then will suffice for three weekes charges with him that can husband his matters best And this shal be sufficient to insinuate vnto you our wants hoping that as opportunitie serueth you will concurre to the relieuing thereof confidently hoping withal that God for whose cause we suffer not onely of the cōmon aduersary but also of those who ought to be our friends wil giue vs patiēce whatsoeuer crosses befal vs to beare them to the end For mine owne part they may by their violent proceedings make me yeeld my breath and life which by Gods grace I shall if need require willingly sacrifice for the defence of iustice equitie and mine owne innocencie but my consent to these vniust dealings by Gods assistance they shall neuer extort out of me If any one to whom you shall thinke good to impart this as I am not against the imparting it to any so that you keepe the originall your selfe shall vndertake to improue me of any vntruth I will either satisfie his obiections euen to your own iudgement or else I will acknowledge mine errour Take this good Sir for a taste of our internall and domesticall troubles wherewith I imagine you are not much acquainted and therefore are you worse affected to our cause and as you shall giue me hereafter occasion you shall vnderstand more for this is but a small thing in respect of that which this matter affordeth But I feare I haue bene too tedious in this so disgustfull a discourse but let I pray you the hard tearmes my good name is brought into plead my pardon for my tediousnesse and the equitie of my Plea procure me your fauour and so in all humble sort I take my leaue Yours euer in all true Christian affection Anthony Champney SIr if you do not consider diligently the haynous Post scriptū enormitie of schisme imposed vpon me you will peraduenture condemne me of too much precisenesse if not of contention for labouring to defend my selfe from the note thereof and will thinke that I ought rather to suffer some small infamie then by opposing my selfe so earnestly to repell the same to procure a further breach between mine accusers and my selfe to both our harmes and to the offence of others But if you consider first to admit the infamy of this slaunder though it were of it selfe but small were in some sort to giue occasion to mine accusers to heape vpon my head greater wrongs hereafter for he that will offer wrong in one thing will do the like in an other if occasion serue you shall finde it to be neither wisedome nor pietie to giue place to such beginnings Secondly the condition of mine estate requiring a most entire fame I should both wrong my selfe and slaunder my function if I should admit any blemish or blotte therein which I may by mine owne endeuour wipe away and therefore to purchase peace at such a price I hold it not lawfull for Non est faciendum malum vt eremat bonum Euill is not to be done that good may ensue And as S. Augustine saith Qui famam suam negligit crudelis est Hee that neglecteth his good name is cruell But if thirdly you cōsider the intrinsical enormitie of this crime you will easily excuse mine endeuour in clearing my self therof from all note of contention For amongst all other sinnes against our neighbour schisme is the greatest and the pennalties which the Church hath alwaies inflicted on such as haue bene guiltie therof proue the same to weet excommunication and seperation from all vse of Sacraments as appeareth by diuers auncient Canons also in Bulla caenae which being graunted
bee you doo mislike in me my firme standing against the troublesome of this house first and against you and your companiō afterward that came in defence of the former troubles if it be so you and I do differ in iudgements for I do thinke that vigour and fortitude to bee so necessary and commendable which is required to stand in confractione as the scripture tearmeth it against vnquiet striuing spirits as without it no good in any gouernment can be expected and albeit in some it cause alienations of affections as you signifie yet in others it worketh the contrarie and that which most importeth it vpholdeth truth vertue and Gods cause And I would aske you now againe as sometimes here in presence I did in what case do you thinke our common cause of England had beene at this daie if no man had resisted the designements of the troublesome in this place or if your endeauours after them had taken place ¶ Let vs example but one example you talked before your restraint heere with the Commissary of the Inquisition and you gaue him such a relation of English matters as afterward when M. Doctor Haddock and M. Martin Array had talked with him also and informed him as they thought of the very truth of matters he told an honourable man of Rome and a great friende of mine that foure English Priestes hauing talked with him they had taken from him all list to beleeue any Englishmen or matters more they told him so different tales and yet all of them would seeme to be men of zeale well then if you had bin let alone by his holinesse to deale with all the Cardinalls and great men of Rome in like sort would you not haue brought our common cause in a pretie plight trowe you and your selues also ¶ Moreouer it appeareth by your papers and depositions yet extant that you tooke the way first to discredit so much as in you lay M. Blackwell the first man of all your order that euer was yet in authoritie and of those parts and merittes that all English men know yea in the very matter of his faith for that an heriticall proposition was laid to his charge Secondly were to be discredited such English Priests as stood with him who are the principall of your coat and with them all Iesuites but chieflie those that are known to haue laboured most in the common cause and by whose intercession Catholique Princes haue bene most mooued to assist hetherto the same and what would haue followed of this Further the Protector himselfe must haue bin changed if all designments in your papers had taken place the Seminaries must haue beene taken from the gouernment of Iesuites the whole societie called out of England and albeit you proposed not in words al these points together when you came how matters stood yet were they mentioned as is to bee seene in your papers from your partners in England and you see that now they begin to be giuen abroad againe in places where you or M. Ch. are or haue beene and vttered discontentment ¶ And if all these points had bene brought to passe by you or at least that other point wherevpon you stood so much heere to haue two Arch-priests in England not subordinate the one to the other but each one absolute with his traine of subiects vnder him opposite the one against the other would not all our cause haue comen quicklie to ruine and shall those then that haue stood against these ruines be accounted sterne and rigorous or rather cōstant pious yea friendly towards your selues for that with the ruine of the common cause yours also and all other Priests should be inuolued and now God be thanked by the good order which his holinesse hath setled all is well ended and remedied if men can be contented and now Priests haue their head and subordination and Iesuites also theirs and both are happilie vnited together and all strife is ended in England to Gods great glorie and our common good I hope and his holy name be euer blessed for the same ¶ And as for the gouernment of this Colledge here in Rome whether it be Spanish or Italian I know not but sure I am it tendeth all to vnion peace loue vertue and learning that do the schollers finde by the effects hauing receiued more cōfort quiet true mirth and gaine of learning in one moneh sithence the reformation then in some yeares before as for youthes to come vnto it let no man haue care for would to God we had so much maintenance as we could haue choise of schollers to enioy it and no wise Catholique is there in England or else-where that hearing of this chaunge and reformation wil refuse to send his children hither if he loue them and may be in hope to haue them placed for the words or writings of any such to the contrarie as M. Ch. threatneth who shal bemonethe lack of liberty And if M. Ch. or anie other should attēpt to put any thing in print of matters passed heere as our friend writeth is threatned but I cannot beleeue that any such intent can be the matter would easily be answered for that here remaine authenticall registers of all that passed by publique authoritie ¶ Well good Sir I will end then and pray you to be a mean as I know your nature to be more moderate and you promsed it here also that things may rest as they were and are well ended without renewing of further griefes as both in wisedome and conscience and vnder your oathes also and vpon paine of censures both of you are bound and surely if these things should be true which before I haue alleadged to be written hither by credible relators whose Letters are here extant I cannot see how either of you that should bee cause of so false and dissentious reports can be safe in conscience for very great sinne and grieuous censures also but I hope they will not proue true ¶ And as for the request you make in your Letter to mee to deliuer you from the false report written hence to Flaunders and thence to your partes againe that you should confesse heere to haue beene moued onlie by ambition to take your last action in hand I will deliuer you most willingly from anie thing that I haue written or willed others to write for as you saie I did euer attribute your attempt rather to errour and lack of consideration then to ambition wherein you may see I was not rigorous but yet seeing your matter passed by diuers mens hands and knowledge I cannot let them to thinke speake or write what they iudge best yet do I suppose verilie that none would saie or write that you confessed so much here tho I haue heard diuers speake and suspect so much vpon the sight of your papers for that seeing in diuers papers and scrolles of your fellowes which you brought open with you you were proposed for Bishops and in
thankes he was like to haue First for their imprisonmēt in the Colledge Secōdly for giuing them the best Chambers in the house with such conditions Thirdly cherishing them gratis that is at the charge of the Colledge Fourthly visiting them often especially at the first for he must needs be the Commissioner to examine them Fiftly making them good new gownes for the winter no doubt better then they had any who had none at all and with as much speed as after long seeking for cloath for the purpose they could be made and they were not ordinary good gownes for the winter for as they were not too hotte for the sommer so they were not too heauie for the winter and as I make no question but that he deserued thankes for his good will in this so I doubt not but that they gaue him thankes for them Sixtly giuing them a Father to be a Notary gratis for nought who at the Commissary his appointment that was F. Parsons might write what he would haue written and blotte out what he would haue blotted if it did not fadge to his minde Seuenthly procuring the Iudge to come to the Colledge c. Which if F. Parsons did examine them himselfe possibly was very sildome and that only for a fashiō If F. Parsons 1. were apprehended by the means assistants of his aduersaries 2. caried to their owne house 3. locked vp and kept sure inough frō speaking with any body but at their discretion 4. examined by them his examination also taken as it should please thē A good new chamber a good new sommer gowne for the winter a gratis cherishing the sauing of him from spending his money and taking many iournies about the streets could not as I suppose so dull these his aduersaries wits but that they might easily foresee how many more thanks they were like to haue for their labour after that they had once made a friendly parting Perchance F. Parsons expected such an after applause as some Priests did make in England for their superiour who had authoritie to chastise them onely and at his pleasure in most grieuous sort The 11. Paragraffe asketh a long discourse I will heere onely touch it as briefly as I can and the matter will suffer me to passe it ouer First they were kept from Pen and Inke from the 29. of December vntill the 17. of Februarie following although they had often requested it Secondly they might haue said what they would at any time as well as at their examination for their tongus were at libertie inough had time and place bene conuenient for it which F. Parsons was often told when hee tooke vpon him to be a stickler in the matter and would know what they could say and if that they were willed vpon their oathes to speake and answere to such questions as might be asked it doth not therfore follow that they did say all that they could either because they were perchance released of their oath takē by the Commissary appointed by his holinesse vpon some consideration for example that they did accept of F. Parsons to be their examiner who thrust himselfe into that office and was suspected that he would abuse it as in truth he did or else because they perceiued that all was not written which they said nor that which was so written so faithfully written as they deliuered it a Iesuite being the examiner who was a partie and giuing them an other Iesuit to be the Notarie as F. Parsons confesseth in the 10. Paragraffe which being all the company which were present might and did deale as pleased them not onely with the two Priests whose Iaylors they were but with their examinations also which they tooke 3. They might also sweare that they had no more to say of moment in all matters handled not because they could say no more but because they sawe that they might hurt themselues being at their aduersaries deuotions but were not likely to do any good in the cause which they had to handle 4. They might sweare they had nothing to say because neither of them had any commission or was sent to deale in any thing seuerally but ioyntly and each with others helpe which they could not doo beeing kept close prisoners and so as one might not come to the other If the Iudge of whom F. Parsons speaketh who was no other then the Fiscall or Commissarie afore mentioned and the two Cardinalls came to the Colledge one day to examine them as F. Parsons heere saith to the end that they might be sure of all and satisfie both themselues and the two Priests they might haue done well to haue examined them which they did not but onely heard first some part of M. Bish his examination who presently after without any question asked him more then whether he would adde any thing to his examination was shut vp as before Then M. Ch. was called for and some part of his examination read after which being licensed to speake he vsed some words to the so great liking of the two Cardinalls that had it not bene for company-sake he had bene set at libertie the same day as both M. Bish and hee were told by the Iesuites afterward for as they pretended the Cardinalls did not take well M. Bish his answere that he had nothing to say when he was licensed after his examination was read and therefore commaunded him to close prison and M. Ch. also for company and they thought that they did not M. Ch. any iniury by making him a close prisoner againe because M. Bish his silence displeased thē once and his earnestnesse at an other time After that F. Parsons and F. Titch a couple of Iesuites the one the Examiner the other the Notarie were all the company that was present at this arraignment with the two Cardinalls except M. Acrysio who came thither as if he had before supplied the place of an Examiner had read what they thought good and M. Ch. dismissed for a time into an outer-chamber where the Cardinalls Retinew was and some Iesuites was F. Parsons called at the doore to F. Owin a Iesuite who during this time was vice-iaylor in F. Parsons place to bring forth M. Bish and M. Ch. together and the Proctors for the Arch-priest F. Owin fetched M. Bish to M. Ch. who had not met for the space of seuen weekes in which time they had bene kept close prisoners and after they had imbraced each other they went in together before the Cardinalls with M. Doctor Haddocke M. Martin Array The two Proctors who after notice giuen vnto the Cardinalls by F. Parsons what they were as though the Cardinalls had knowne neither the men nor the office they then had at their Qu. as it should seeme deliuered vp in a dumbe shewe a Libell or Bill of complaints and accusations against M. Bish and M. Ch. without any words whatsoeuer M. Martin Array saith or F. Parsons vnder M. Martins name in his Letters
sport themselues with King by your leaue now the great ones euery hand-while do crie A new King a new such an one as if F. Parsons his word be of any credit hee shall thinke to be the most likely to carry it from the rest which might be thought to haue bene spoken in iest had not some of his fellowes practised the same in France who while the king who now is was in daunger of being debarred that kingdome were most earnest against him and stood most stoutly for other who were likely to haue it but when they sawe him brought into Paris they were the first religious that went to congratulate him although not long after there were such proofes against them that one was publikely executed for treasō against his Ma. person the rest banished those parts of France And here also it appeareth howe greatly they wanted matter against the two Priests that to prooue them to meddle more in matters of state and to offend now the present state then by any other way that was then knowne they are driuē to so miserable a refuge as to say that one principall point of Commission deliuered in writing to the two Embassadors as they terme them was that no bookes should be admitted that offended the present state of England in matters of state or exasperate the aduersaries Ergo they medled in matters of state but to omit their not ouerwise illations there is no truth in their relation For when they were asked by F. Parsons what bookes were ment in particular they said that they ment all such as their petition did include and being intreated by F. Parsons in particular to say whether the booke of succession were not ment for one answere was made that it was one which did much offend and to the reply which was foolishly made why that booke should offend more then other which are named in this postscript they answered to F. Parsons that they named this no more thē any other as appeared by their petitiō although iust exception might be taken more against this then any other because it did conuince that thing to be true which our aduersaries alwaies obiected against Priests that was that they dealt in state matters and that the Councell being so well assured thereof and able to giue so good a satisfaction for their proceedings might afflict Catholickes more then euer they did although they did not descend to this particular cause thereof or proofe against them the Spaniards hauing often attempted by warres to inuade our Country to which this booke doth intitle them In this I am somewhat longer then I entended because I would note what libertie F. Parsons and his followers do vse in their pennes who being to this effect answered to those questions in the postscript scornfully and contrary to their own knowledge affirme that their spiritual maisters so terming the 2. Priests were not able to make any answer to their profound questions and conclude most absurdly therevpon that the two Priests discouered themselues to deale more in matters of state and offend the present state then by any other way that was yet knowne If some Iesuites exhorting their hearers to abstaine from sinne or more particularly from all sinful dissimulation falshood as a thing hatefull to God hurtfull to their soules and a mortall enemie to all humane fellowship should be asked whether they ment such a sinne or such a dissimulation in particular and after answere made that they ment that and all the like should be vrged why that more then the like and were not able to giue a reason thereof how would it followe that these spirituall maisters were hipocrites which is to vse dissimulatiō in the highest degree or to be the notablest dissembling companions that euer were knowne Could the Iesuites trow you admit this consequence as true although they should know in their conscience that the consequent were most true Thus no othervvise play these pious and constant champions against the two Priests and as the spirit moueth them sometime the Embassadours sometime their spirituall maisters being to make petition that no bookes should be admitted that offended the present state in matters of state or exasperate the aduersaries and not able to answer why this booke should be more blamed then any other as they say although most falsely and impertinently to their petition prooue Statists Scotists in faction as they tearme them and readie to set vp a knowne Hereticke and to meddle more in matters of state then euer any was knowne to do Would any Scotist or Sotist haue made such a reason it would best fit a Sottist that neither cared what Scotus said or Sotus but runne vpon omne vtile honestum that which may make for our purpose be it what it will be that is pietie that is constancie that is state and religion also And thus much for the 4. point touched in the 13. Paragraffe To the fift it may be answered that the message of the two Priests being about other matters then the Iesuites quarels at Rome with the Students F. Parsons might haue made some better excuse for the Pope his honor which he vndertook in the fift Paragraffe to defend and also haue somewhat remembred how boldly he had in this same Paragraffe demaunded what audience was denied thē But ouer shooes ouer bootes In the 14. Paragraffe he beginneth as he saith to make his owne defence in which he speaketh for himselfe and in commendation of his owne good nature and for proofe of his good carriage towards the two Priests he referreth them to that which before he had said which I know not whether it argue folly or forgetfulnesse or both One good deed here he doth name cōcerning a lapsed priest which being penitent for his fault went to Rome to the Inquisitiō which you shall seldome heare by any Iesuite when he hath forsaken the Catholique faith of which if a man might without offence make a coniecture hee might thinke that the Iesuites their fall without some speciall miracle is incurable as many examples may be giuen of some in England some in Geneua some in other places and they growe to be the most notorious companions that liue but for the Priests who are much talked of if any of them do faile heere in England for the most part they haue had alwaies remorse of conscience after the first heat and so haue liued vntil they could finde some opportunity to rise againe and some of them hauing failed perchance in respect of discontentment vpon the hard dealing of the Iesuites or their adherents who vnder one pretence or other doo vse to trie whether the Priests be confirmed in grace haue spent their speeches against them happily not without cause which is no proofe for the Iesuites goodnesse more then it were an argument for the goodnesse of the diuell that many yea wicked people raile against him but for that man in particular I thinke F. Parsons cannot
nothing sutable with the grauitie and waight of the matter which required much more mature deliberation Moreouer when by word of mouth he broached the same his authoritie vnto certaine Priests he to amend the matter withall added thervnto somewhat of his owne and being forthwith taken tardie hee did presently cōfesse that he indeed put therto somewhat as honest Priests on their oathes will testifie This gaue a great presumption that the matter was contriued by their friends and that they might adde or diminish at their pleasure Which is more probable if we call to mind and marke what instructions he gaue forth at the first as receiued from the Cardinall Among others were these that Priests should not meet secretly together that they should not send any priuie messages ouer the seas that they should take in good part whatsoeuer was either written or spoken against them and such like which are not in the rowle of his instructions sent him from the Cardinall as euerie bodie may see and I can by producing a true copie of them when need shall be euidently demonstrate and besides are so voide of reason so odious and intollerable in our Country especially at this time when Priests cannot meete together or do any thing but in secret that a babe might plainly feele them neuer to haue proceeded from his holinesse or from anie noble free or compassionate heart but to sauour of I know not what base minde too too much addicted to terror crueltie and seruitude I will that I be not ouerlong omit diuers other pregnant forcible reasons which we had of sending vnto Rome this onely I may not leaue behinde which of it selfe were a sufficient cause to sue and speak for redresse in season vz. that in the whole drift of this subordination extreame partialitie was apparantly shewed which as the world knoweth was no good meanes to appease all parties to ende their debates the onely cause pretended of this lately erected authoritie namely to accord the Priests and Iesuites as the Letters Pattents specifie Now that controuersies be wel decided and all honest parties agreed it was meete perdie to choose vpright and indifferent Iudges and Arbiters who should without fauour feare loue or hatred waigh euerie mans cause vprightly in the ballance of equitie and without respect of persons giue sentence according to iustice This is a principall in iudgement so cleare by the light of nature that it is graunted of verie Pagans yet in our cause very badly obserued for both the Arch-priest and his counsellours vnto whom the determination of our causes are to be referred were all chosen by the one partie with a speciall prouiso that no one be admitted vnto that number who did not greatly fauour the same partie howe contrary soeuer they were vnto the other partie it imported not yea perhaps the more earnestly bent against them the rather elected Had not trow you the other poore partie iust cause to refuse such Vmpeeres and Iudges that were so alienated from them and such fauourites of the aduerse partie and to preuent the vniust sentences that were like to follow of this partialitie to flie in time for refuge vnto their lawfull superiour And if in all pettie iudgements euery priuate man is allowed by lawe an exception against a partiall Iudge how much more is the same to be graunted vnto many auncient graue worthie men in a generall cause of a Country Two proper points of pollicy I obserue in this election the one in choosing the Officers so plyant to their pleasures that they may be the more readie to runne byaz when it will serue their turnes And yet because men are mutable to hold them in awe their authorities might be taken from them what time soeuer the Cardinall thought good as in the points it is to be seene but let this goe because I touched it before the other peece of pollicy yet more fine is that the Arch-priest himselfe who is appointed to giue iustice vnto both parties hath power only ouer the one partie none at all ouer the other so that the one he may by censures seuere punishment constraine to stand to his definitiue sentence but the other needs not to care for him any further then that he may vse him to plague his aduersarie Vt sibi caueat loco These hardy champions hold it not sufficient to haue the fauour of the Court for them but for feare of after claps wil haue also their persons exempted from the principal magistrate and reserue themselues onely to their owne Fathers iudgement which must be sought for also farre inough off from Rome and that in forme of supplication if I mistake not much the Arch-priests instructions Here seemeth to be the place to answere to that sentence of yours Father where you tel vs in good sadnesse that many yeares you demaunded with your friends for this subordination I beleeue you surely considering that neither you would haue yours comprehended in it and yet you would haue the appointing of all the Officers and ordering almost of all matters belonging to it But say you it was thereby to deliuer the Societie from that calumniation vsed to be laid against them that they would gouerne the Priests against theirs wills and you had some reason so to say if you had suffered the Priests to haue chosen their gouernours according to their owne wills desires but you putting in and choosing such commaunders as at your becke should be readie to doo whatsoeuer you will doo manifestly prooue that saying to be no calumniation but a plaine demonstration of your incroaching vpon the gouernments of priests much further then your profession or vocation doth require For by the ordinarie course of the Church religious men are to be gouerned by some of the lay Cleargie and not the Cleargie by them Well to drawe towards the end of my former part this subordination being both straunge in the Church of God hatefull of itself and not to be exercised in our countrey in these times it being also procured as it seemeth by false suggestion authorized by him that was not knowne to haue any such authoritie and finally by partiall election of the gouernours tending vnto the oppression of many notable personages who had excellently well deserued of our countrey by their long and fruitfull trauells yet remaineth euident and most manifest that wee had sundry iust lawfull and great causes in humble sort to sue vnto our superiours for a mitigation or alteration of it and for establishing of some better and more fit for our countrey Whereof appeareth first how vaine that vaunt of yours is where you say that we came and brought nothing with vs and that you were ashamed to see that wee had taken so long a iourney and had so litle to say when besides the causes before mentioned we had many other points also of importance in our message As to desire and sue for Bishops or at least that the
any were scandalized at this our orderly repaire vnto our ordinarie superiours let the wise iudge whether it were Scandalum datum or acceptum I should now according to the order I proposed examine and confute sundrie false calumniations which you let fall by the way as that we deposed we had nothing else to say and that wee could not name a dozen Priests for vs and as your followers amplifying such flying tales reported wee had not halfe a dozen that gaue vs their suffrages when we had twentie nine in writing with vs some of them speaking also for others and yet neither sought for many nor staide about that matter but contenting our selues with some of the most auncientest most learned and of best reputation in our Countrey trusted to the waight of reason which we had on our side and to the equitie of the magistrates before whom we went to present our selues Againe how ridiculous was it to expect of them that are to be so narrowly searched when they passe out of the Countrey that they bring their testimonies with them in great sheetes of paper as though the vertue of witnesses lay in the bignesse of the paper and that we should haue brought some Princes Letters patents with a broad Seale at them whereas the magistrates are our enemies These and many such like I will leape ouer that I may at length come to an end and if my Letter seeme long let the blame be imputed vnto yours which in answere to halfe a dozen lines grew into two sheetes of paper and a halfe if it be thought too sharp let it be well waighed whether men first hardly vsed in fact and afterwards by wordes and Letters much damnified in their credits haue not iust cause to write roundly and if you like not to be so freely reprehended be not so lauish of your penne for vnlesse my foresight faile me you are like hereafter to be no more spared of many then you spare others Wherefore to drawe vnto a conclusion apply to your selfe some part of the good counsell you gaue me in the latter end of yours haue patience with whatsoeuer falleth out and perswade your selfe that he which offendeth many is sure to be offended by many wherefore holding your selfe within the bounds of your religion meddle with other mens matters as litle as you may and if for the common good of our countrey you please to be doing take rather the way of mildenesse which winneth mens hearts then of rigour which lightly offendeth all Follow the noble prudent and admirable steps of that rare ornament of our countrey and singular light of the Catholique Church Cardinall Allen who carried himselfe so courteously towards all men so charitably and withall so wisely that he was able to haue done with vs Priests what he would most easily and did hold the Laie Gentlemen in such a reuerend and louing awe that albeit some of them were verie prone to contentions quarels yet his authoritie and counsaile so brideled and raigned all exorbitant humors that in his time to his perpetuall praise no great flames of dissention burst out especially amongst vs Priests when you taking the contrary course of seuerity haue made an open breach amongst vs alreadie and God knoweth what may fall out heereafter if you looke not vnto it in time which because you are wise I hope you wil do and so shall you purchase vnto your selfe much more good will and quietnesse in this life and better assurance if I be not farre deceiued of euerlasting repose ioy in the life to come the which with all my heart I wish you and so humbly commending my selfe vnto you I take my leaue the 10. of Aprill Anno. 1600. Yours in his praiers William Bishop A LETTER OF Mr. MV TO Father Parsons WEll well Fa. Parsons I pray God send you a more sincere and quiet spirit I finde that true daily more and more which oftē I haue heard good Cardinal Allein Father Holt and others of your owne coate report of you that you were a man of too violent and hard a nature It were high time that you should permit your selfe vs to carrie our gray haires in peace to our graues The trouble and scandall you haue wrought in our Church these late yeares by your polliticke courses doo quite cancell all your former desert Was our peace and vnion made at the comming of his holines Breue and the most iniurious calumnie of schisme and enormious disobedience to the See Apostolicke raised and cōtinued most presumptuously against vs our ghostly children by your societie here to the greeuous scandall of our whole Nation was it I saie put vp by vs and for loue of peace and vnion forgiuen that presently after we had receiued the authoritie and submitted our selues to it you and yours might more safely and liberally renew the infamie against vs and by the Arch-priestes authoritie assured to you in whatsoeuer you listed to attempt against any at your pleasures persecute and oppresse vs You haue in the highest degree dishonored iniured Peters Chaire whiles by your cunning you so enormiouslie abused our bretheren as good doubtlesse as your selfe appealing and comming in all humble dutiful manner to the Apostolicke See defaming them and auerting his Ho. minde from them as from vile and badde persons by your vntrue reports before they came and procuring a most impious and horrible thing to be recounted for perpetuall yet hateful memorie of your fact them to be imprisoned as notorious malefactors before they had bene heard stopping vp all meanes of accesse to his holines and your selfe playing their Iaylour a fit office doubtlesse for so well disposed a religious person and finally procuring their hard banishment to no lesse dishonour to the See Apostolicke abused by your information then to your owne perpetuall ignominie And whiles you haue done all this by abuse of the supreame authoritie through your vnconscionable and vntrue informations you giue all our Nation here cause enough neuer to admire or hereafter to exclaime against the iniquitie of aduersaries who may truly iustifie themselues in their hard proceedings against vs by these vnconscionable courses of yours A lamentable case that now by the polliticke shifts of one person of religious profession orderly appealing to S. Peters Chaire must be thought a trespasse and punished as a greeuous crime Our statute of Premunire may well be repealed now Father Parsons a Iesuite hath laid a plot sufficient enough to hinder appellation or accesse to the See of Rome Is it possible this iniquitie of yours should be kept secret from the world Is it possible his holinesse and the gratious Cardinalls you haue so notably abused should neuer be brought to knowe the innocencie of vs whom you haue thus wronged and persecuted in our bretheren and neuer can cease to afflict Will they neuer thinke you finde out your deceit and by iust discussion of our cause relieue our miseries and repay you
your deserts The clamours of innocent men will in time no doubt ascend vp to heauen and wee cannot but hope that our Lord Iesu whose worke we haue in hand and whose glorie wee seeke with innumerable vexations for his sake will once stirre vp and direct his Vicar to iudge and discerne our cause and to deliuer vs from your most violent and wrongfull oppressions In the ende it will be found we were no Schismatickes nor in the least point that may bee deuised by an vnconscionable head disobedient to his holinesse or any superiour he hath or shall appoint ouer vs. I am perswaded surely that God will haue you and your adherents knowne ere it be long For defame vs before wee come imprison vs at our arriuall keepe vs close from being seene or heard yet shall you not goe so away with your iniquitie we are resolued verily that with our good names you shal bereue vs also of our liues before we sit downe with this vndeserued calumnie Either will wee bee prooued no Schismatickes or found no liuing men We haue laboured what wee could that the controuersie might be taken vp and haue a quiet end among our selues before it were carried further This would not be graunted by you and yours but for our good endeuours they take from vs our faculties I might haue said you take whereby we liue we wish rather you had at once taken from vs our liues but we take it to be Gods prouidence that enforced to come to buckle with you once againe before S. Peters Chaire we may cleare our selues and discypher what your selfe M. Haddock and others of you are for better or lesse euill it is you suffer as you haue deserued then eyther the See Apostolicke be abused and deluded by you or our afflicted Church be thus exceedingly disturbed by men that are fledde from the worke and campe of Gods souldiers and some of you of no great edifying conuersation whiles they were among vs. Most glad we would be God is our witnesse if we might on all sides be at peace and sincere friendship one with an other but if you will not permit this Gods will be done we must defend our good names and our childrens as deare vnto vs as our liues in which the most of vs I hope finde no such sweetenesse how pleasantly soeuer you and yours liue among these innumerable aduersities as we can desire or delight to keepe them with the infamies you haue most vncharitably and vniustly laid vpon vs. We impute no fault nor blame to his holinesse or his Cardinalls in beleeuing your false informations against vs till wee come to speake for our selues for who not knowing your conditions but he may easily be enduced to beleeue what you say your age and gray hayres requiring a true tongue and your religious profession requiring also a sincere charitable and quiet disposition and not a turbulent reuengefull and craftie carriage in word or deed Iesu send vs all his grace and deliuer me and all good men from your mischiefe London 13. of Nouember 1600. Yours as you are to our Church I. M. FINIS Errata Page Line  2. 1. not heare not heare 3. 16. falce false 6. 7. Lincolne Doctor Lincolne Doctor 15. 9. instruction instructions 23. 23. pretendad pretended 33. 11. Cods Gods 43. 1. timely vntimely 54. 24. regained repaired 59. 19. praises phrases 65. 24. your LL. LL. 69. 5. to them thither  24. prison which prison with 70. 24. of for 73. 5. holines especially holines especially 74. 9. receiue relieue 77. 4. parsons How parsons how 82. 11. Conformation confirmation 86. 14. part onely part onely 87. 23. sildome seldome 89. 12. persons prisons 93. 11. fildome seldome 96. 1. was  19. Array The Array the  26. words whatsoeuer words whatsoeuer  29. 1599. stuffed 1599 stuffed 148. 12. tentering tendering 156. 14. of from of from 157. 19. yet it 160. Marg. Fa. Maior Fa. Maio. 163. 24. approbrious opprobrious 172 17. mee men 174 14 calumniatur calumniator