so surpassed theyr opposites that they forbear not to reproach unto them theyr povertie weaknesse and coldnesse in that kind as being forced to take the Catholicks books to supply therein Which as on this side it cannot be altogether denyed to be true so on the other side it had greatly beene to bee wished that those bookes of Christian Resolution and exercise had beene the fruits of the Consciences rather than of the wiâ—ts of those that made them which in some of them as PARSONS by name to haue bene otherwise besides the rest of his actions unsutable to those Resolutions some of the more zealous also in their way haue not forborne to confesse that by perfourming of so good works with a good mind to a good end and conforming their owne liues and demeanours accordingly they might haue prepared mens minds to an hope of a thorough reconciliation whereas now by using holinesse it selfe for a meere instrument of practises and to win men to their partie they cannot but driue the world into such a labyrinth of perplexities and jealousies as to suspect always their policies and despaire of their honesties A second thing whereby the Protestant part hath so greatly enlarged hath been their well Educating of Youth especially in the Principles of Christian Religion and pietie wherein their care and continuance is even at this day in many places very worthy to be commended of all and imitated by them who haue hither to bene more remisse in that kind than were requisite the education of youth and sowing in those pure minds the seeds of vertue and truth before the weeds of the world do canker and change the soyle being by the consent of the most renowmed wise men in the World a poinct of incomparable force and moment for the well ordering and governing of all kinds of States and for the making of Common-wealths ever-flourishing and happie And as good education is the preservation of a good state so all kind of education conforming to the Lawes and Customes in being upholdeth states in the tearmes wherein they are the first seasoning with opinions and accustomances whatsoever being of double force to any second perswasions and usages not comprising herein those nimble and quick silverd braines which itch after change liking in theyr opinions as in their garments to bee noted to be followers of outlandish fashions as being of a more refined and sublimited remper than that theyr Country conceipts can satisfie Herein then the Papacie being taken short by the Protestants even as in the former and mightily over-run ere they were aware thereof notwithstanding as difficulties doe rather kindle than daunt the generous spirits and adde that to theyr diligence which was wanting in their timelinesse so these men haue bestirred themselues so well therein to follow the trace which theyr adversaries had led them that in fine they haue in some sorts outgrowne them in it and quoted them in all one onely excepted that they respect not much the instruction of the children of the meaner sort as being likely to sway title whereas the Protestants seeme in religious instruction indifferent to both But for the rest what is it they haue omitted what Colleges for theyr owne what Seminaries for strangers to support and perpetuate theyr factions and practises in theyr enemies dominions haue they not instituted almost in all parts of Christendome and mainteine still at theyr owne and favourites charge Is it a small brag which some of their side doe make that theyr English Seminaries abroad send forth more Priests than our two Vniversities at home doe Ministers Behold also the Iesuits the great Clerks Politicians and Oratours of the World who vaunt that the Church is the soule of the World the Clergie of the Church and they of the Clergie doe stoupe also to this burthen and require it to bee charged wholly upon their necks and shoulders In all places where-ever they can plant theyr nests they open free Schooles for all studyes of humanitie To these flocke the best witts and principall mens sons in so great abundance that wherever they settle other Colleges become desolate or frequented onely by the baser sort and of heavyer mettall And in truth such is their diligence and dexteritie in instructing that even the Protestants in some places send theyr sonnes unto theyr Schooles upon desire to haue them proue excellent in those arts they teach Besides which being in truth but a bait and allurement whereto to fasten theyr principall and finall hooke they plant in their schollars with great exactnesse and skill the rootes of theyr Religion and nourish them with an extreame hatred and detestation of the adverse partie And to make them for ever intractible of any contrary perswasion they worke into them by great cunning and obstinacie of mind and sturdie eagernesse of spirit to affect victorie with all violence of wit in all theyr concertations Than which no greater enemie to the finding of truth which being pure and single in his owne nature and author appeareth not but to a cleare and sincere understanding whom neither the fumes of fierie passions doe misten nor sinister respects or praejudices sway downe on eyther side from the pitch of just integritie Neither thinke I any unfitter sort of men in the world to bee employed in the contemplation and search of truth than these hote men and headie who being sodaine in theyr actions rise lightly on that which commeth first to hand and beeing stiffe in their resolutions are transported with every praejudicate conceipt from one errour into another having neither the patience they should to weigh all points diligently nor the humilitie to yield up theyr owne fancies to reason neyther yet that high honourable wisedome as to know that truth being the marke they professe to striue at in the overthrow of their errours they attaine the summe of their desires and remaine Conquerours by beeing conquered Yea sundry times haue I seene two eager disputers loose the truth and let it fall to the ground betweene them which a calme-minded hearer hath taken up and possessed But these Iesuites praesuming perhaps of the truth before-hand and labouring for no other thing than the advauncing of theyr partie endeavour as I said by all meanes to imbreed that fiercenesse and obstinacie in theyr schollars as to make them hote prosecutors of theyr owne opinions impatient and intractable of any contrary considerations as having theyr eyes fixt upon nothing saue onely victorie in arguing For which cause to strengthen in them those passions by exercise I haue seene them in their bare Grammaticall disputations enflame theyr schollars with such earnestnesse and fiercenesse as to seeme to bee at the poinct of flying each in th 'others faces to the amazement of those straungers which had never seene the like before but to theyr owne great content and glorie as appeared Over and aboue all this they haue instituted in their Schooles a speciall fraternitie or congregation of our Lady
againe And as for the Administratour so much suspected who prolls as some say in these practises for his owne greatnesse his authoritie is but short and to expire within three yeeres Then for the having of an Emperour of some more indifferent Family though theyr desire bee in that poinct of all other greatest yet theyr hope I suppose is least And that which is seemes to bee grounded upon the Elector â—â— Colen eyther if the old Elector GEBARDVS TRVCHESIVS should liue so long whom in that case they might by force restore to his place from which he stands now by force ejected yet retaines his claime still and style of Elector or if some other of that sea might be induced to follow the steps of two of theyr antecessours who haue turned Protestants of which course that place will bee alwayes in daunger by reason of such vicinitie and intermixing of theyr State with Protestant Princes besides that in Colen it selfe the Religion hath already â—ooting or at leastwise might bee drawne to that civill indifferencie as in regard of preserving theyr freedome of Election to chaunge once in an age that Familie of Austria wherein the Empire having continued these seven descents may in time bee established as by praescription And lastly for the Iesuites theyr great Patron and planter the old Duke of Bavaria hauing now as is said retired him selfe into their College and resigned his state to his son MAXIMILIAN who it is thought doth disfavour them as much as his Father doted on them this and other such chaunges may giue stay to theyr proceedings But to leaue these hopefull speculations on both sides and to take matters in â—earmes they stand now and may so continue the benefit which the Papacie may expect from the Empire is rather to keepe matters in that stay they are than any way to restore it where it hath bene dispossessed For although these Turkish warres should cease which is not unlikely considering the calme nature of both the Emperours who take more delight in Chambers than Fields yet shall our Christian Emperour be inforced still in fortifying and mainteining garisoâ— all along his frontiers confining sundry hundred long leagues with the Turke so to exhaust his owne treasure and employ his people as that he will not be able to do els-where any extraordinarie matter without help extraordinarie which is never too ready And time which may produce many accidents in his favour may also produce in his disâ—avour as many and so many more as the ground out of which in those parts they may grow is manifoldly larger against him than for him Now for the Low-Countries the Papacie hath two thirds with it and of the Swissers and Grisons two thirds against it of â—â—e Swissers also the Protestants are lightly the wealthier and the Papists the more war-like which may suffice for those parts Of Fraunce how much the better it is knowne unto us at home so much the lesse shall I need to speake much in his place Neither is it very easie to proportion the partiâ—â— â—…son they of the Religion are so scattered in â—…s Yet in Poieton they haue a most all in 〈◊〉 an halfe in Languedoc 〈◊〉 and other West-mariâ—iâ— Provinces a 〈◊〉 strong part as likewise in sundry mediâ—e â—an of which Delfinat the chiefe But whatsoever be the proportion of theyr number to theyr opposites which is manifoldly inferiour not one to twentie theyr strength is such as theyr warres haue witnessed and especially that at this day after such massacring them so generall a rising of the whole Realme against them by the utmost extremitie of fire and sword to exterminate them they are esteemed to bee stronger than at any time heretofore in summe so strong that neither haue theyr adversaries I â—ow any great hope and themselues no feare to bee borne downe by warre That the practises of peace by partialitie and injustice in theyr suits lâ—â—igious which hath already sorely bitten and afflicted theyr estates by depriving them of place of Office and Honour in the Realme by confining the exercise of theyr Religion into chambers or remote corners did not impoverish abase and disharten theyr partie and so withdraw those from them which would otherwise sticke to them this is that which they haue misdoubted and which by the Edict now passed and verified they haue sought to remedie But looking a little more attentiuely into this partie I find that as conscience in what Religion soeuer doth even in the mists of errour breed an honestnesse of mind and integritie of life and actions in whom it settleth of so divine and pure vertue is the loue of the Creatour which is the ground of all that merit the name of religious so also that in them which affect the greatest singlenesse and in a manner a very carelesse simplicitie in theyr Religion as contenting them selues with the possession of the rich treasure of truth and for the preserving of it or them selues recommending those cares to God onely yet tract of affliction much miserie often over-reaching by subtiltie of adversaries doth finally purge out those grosse-witted humours and engender a very curious and advantageous warinesse in all theyr proceedings having learned by experience the wisedome of that Aphorisme that a small errour in the foundation and beginning of all things doth proue in the proceeding and end of them a great mischiefe As hath fallen out in these men who doe as farre here out-goe their opposites in all civill pollicies as in other places they of theyr religion are lightly out-gone by them Which next unto divine blessing which accompanieth good causes where wickednesse or wilfull witlessenesse doth not barre against it I accompt the chiefe reason of theyr present strength and assurance By theyr providence in theyr capitulations by theyr resolutenesse in theyr executions by theyr industrie and dexteritie in all occasions presented they haue possessed them selues of an exceeding great number of strong Townes and places there is scant any office or estate can fall void but they lay in by all meanes to get into it they haue their Synodes for theyr Church-affaires their Conventions and Councells for their Civill theyr people is warlike so will they continue theÌ„ Theyr onely want is of a Prince of the Bloud to grace them For as for Leaders a matter of so main importance they are still aboue theyr adversaries having besides those three of principall and knowne name sundry other in Gascoignie of lesse place and degree but in skill and prowesse not inferiour to the best In fine they haue learned the wisedome of Spes sibi quisque and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the contrary whereof before brought them so neere to theyr ruine But now touching the weakenesse of them of the Romane Religion in comparison of that strength which theyr multitude should promise much more may bee said First one great part of them are in heart of the Reformed Religion though for worldly respects they hold in with
the very same plagues which haue ruined the glory and grace of Christendome should now also infect the graund-Enemie thereof namely Effeminatnesse and Avarice whereof the one is the corruption of all sound deliberations and the other the quailer of all manly executions which prevailing in his state as they doe at this day giue hope that his tyrannie draweth towards his period and for this present provide so that a weake defendant may shift better having but a cowardly assailant the matter would haue growne to that extremitie by this time as would haue called the King of Spain with all his forces to some more honourable enterprises than hee hath hitherto undertaken And this is the bridle which holds in the Papacie with all his followers from any universall proceeding by force against the Protestants who herein are greatly advantaged aboue them in that eyther theyr opposites lye betweene them and the Turke or theyr Countries costing so much as they doe towards the North are out of his way and no part of his present ayme But these advantages and disadvantages of the Papacie aequally weighed I suppose this disadvantage more mischievous for the present as proceeding from outward force in the hands of an enemie and the other advantages more stable for continuance as springing from the inward strength of theyr owne wealth and order This then beeing so and that all things considered there falls out if not such an indifferencie and aequalitie yet at leastwise such a proportion of strength on both sides as bereaveth the other of hope ever by warre to subdue them seeing as the Proverbe is a dead woman will haue foure to cary her forth much lesse will able men bee beaten easily out of theyr homes and since there is no appearaunce of ever forcing an Vnitie unlesse Time which eates all things should bring in great alterations it remaineth to bee considered What other kinde of Unitie poore Christendome may hope for whether Vnitie of Veritie or Vnitie of Charitie or Vnitie of Perswasion or Vnitie of Authoritie or Vnitie of Necessitie there beeing so many other kinds and causes of concord A kind of men there is whom a man shall meet withall in all Countryes not many in number but sundry of them of singular learning and pietie whose godly longings to see Christendome reunited in the loue of the Author of theyr name aboue all things and next in brotherly correspondence and amitie as beseemeth those who under the chiefe service of one Lord in profession of one ground and foundation of faith doe expect the same finall reward of glorie which proceeding from the Father and Prince of peace rejecteth all spirits of contention from attaining it haue entred into a meditation whether it were not possible that by the travaile and mediation of some calmer minds than at this day doe usually write or deale on eyther side these flames of controversies might bee extinguished or asslaked and some godly or tollerable peace re-established in the Church againe The earnestnesse of theyr vertuous desires to see it so hath bred in them an opinion of possibilitie that it might bee wrought considering first that besides infinite other poincts not controversed there is an agreement in the generall foundation of Religion in those Articles which the twelue Apostles delivered unto the Church perhaps not as an abridgement onely of the Faith but as a touch-stone also of the faithfull for ever that whilest there was an entire consent in them no discent in other opinions onely should breake peace and communion and secondly considering also there are in great multitude on both sides for so are they undoubtedly men vertuous and learned fraught with the loue of God and of his truth aboue all things men of memorable integritie of hart and affections whose liues are not deare unto theÌ„ much lesse their labors to be spent for the good of Gods Church and people by whose joinct-endeavors and single and sincere proceedings in common conference for search of truth that honorable Vnity of Verity might be established But if the multitude of crooked side respects which are the only clouds that eclipse the truth from shining now brightly on the face of the world the only prickles that so enfroward mens affections as not to consider the best do cause that this chiefe Vnity find small acceptatioÌ„ as is to bee feared at least-wise that the endlesse and ill fruiâ—ts of these contentions which tend mainly to the encrease of Atheisme within of Mahometisme abroad which in obstinate the Iew shake the faith of the Christian taint the better minds with acerbitie and load the worse with poyson which breake so out into theyr actions which themselues thinke holiest namely the defence of Gods truth which each side challengeth that in thinking they offer up a pleasing sacrifice to Gods they giue cause of wicked joy unto his and theyr enemie that these wofull effects with very tediousnesse and wearinesse may draw both parts in fine to some tollerable reconciliation to some Unitie of Charitie at leastwise to some such as may be least to eythers praejudice Let the one giue over theyr worshipping of Images theyr adoring and offering supplications to Saincts theyr offensiue Ceremonies theyr arbitrary Indulgences theyr using of a language not understood in theyr devotions all which themselues will confesse not to bee necessary to bee orders of the Church and such â—s at pleasure shee may dispence with yea Pope CLEMENT the vij th gaue some hope to the French King that hee would not be stiffe in things of this qualitie and that respect of time might justifie the alteration and some of the latter Popes condiscend to them of Bavaria the Cup in the Sacrament hoping that would content them which since they or theyr successours haue againe inhibited on the other side let the Protestants such at leastwise as think so purge out that negatiue and contradictory humour of thinking they are then rightest when they are unlikest the Papacie then neerest to God when farthest from Rome let them looke with the Eye of Charitie upon them as well as of severitie and they shall find in them some excellent orders for governement some singular helpes for an encrease of godlinesse and devotion for the conquering of sinne for the perfecting of vertue and contrariwise in them selues looking with a more single and lesse indulgent Eye than they doe they shall find that there is no such absolute or unreproueable perfection in theyr doctrine and Reformation as some dreamers in the pleasing view of theyr owne actions doe fancie Neyther ought they to thinke it straunge they should bee amisse in any thing but rather a very miracle if they were not so in many For if those auncient Fathers and Sages of the Church with greater helpes beeing nearer the times of puritie with aequall industrie so spending theyr whole liues with lesse cause of unsinceritie having nothing to seduce them notwithstanding were not able in the weaknesse and blindnesse
weaknesse of untruth and dishonestie which being rotten at the heart abate the force of whatsoever is founded thereon their outward means were sufficient to subdue a whole world Now as in every Art and Science there is some one or few first propositions or theoremes on the vertue whereof all the rest depend so in their Art also they haue certein Head Assertions which as indemonstrable principles they urge all men to receiue and hold And those are That they are the Church of GOD within which great facilitie and without which no possibilitie of Salvation that divine praerogatiue graunted to them aboue all other Societies in the world doth preserue them everlastingly from erring in matter of Faith and from falling from God that the Pope Christs Deputie hath the keyes of Heaven in his custodie to admit in by Indulgence and shut out by Excommunication as hee shall see cause that the charge of all Soules being committed to him hee is thereby made Soveraigne Prince of this world exceeding in power and Ma tie all other Princes as farre as the soule in dignitie doth exceed the body and aeternall things surmount things temporall and seeing that the End is the rule and commaunder of whatsoever doth tend unto it and all things in this world are to serue but as instruments and the world it selfe but as a passage to our everlasting habitation that therefore he that hath the soveraigne menaging of this high end and the honor to be the supreame Conductor unto it hath also power to dispose of all things subordinate as may best serue to it to plant to root out to establish to depose to bind to loose to alter to dispence as may serue most fit for the advancement of the Church and for the atchieving of the Soules faelicitie wherein whosoever oppose against him whether by Haeresie or schisme they are no other than very Rebels or seditious persons against whom hee hath unlimited and endlesse power to proceed to the suppressing ruining and extinguishing of them by all means that the common-wealth of God may flourish in prosperitie and the highway to Heaven be kept safe and open for all Gods loyall and obedient people In these poincts no doubt or question is tolerable and who so joyne with them in these shall find great connivence in what other defect and difference soever this being the very touchstone at which all men are to be tryed whether they bee in the Church or out of the Church whether with them or against them And by this plot haue their witts erected in the world a Monarchie more potent than ever any that hath been before it a Monarchie which entituling them De jure to all the world layeth a strong foundation thereof in all mens consciences the onely firme ground of obedience in the world and such a foundation as not onely holdeth fast unto them whatsoever it seazeth on but workes outwardly also by engines to weaken and undermine the state of all other Princes how great soever and that in such sort as by possessing themselues of the principall places in the hearts of their subjects as being those from whom they receiue their principall good even the happinesse of their soules to incite them vpon very conscience against their naturall soveraignes at pleasure and by writ of excommunication to subdue or at the leastwise greetly to shake whom they list without fighting a blow without leavying a Souldjer and lastly a Monarchy which as it was founded by meere wit so needeth not any thing but meere wit to maintaine it which enricheth it selfe without toyling warreth without endangering rewardeth without spending vsing Colleges to a great purpose as any other can fortresses and working greater matters partly by Schollars partly by swarms of Friers than any else could ever do by great garisons and Armies and all these maintained at other folkes charges for to that rare poinct haue they also proceeded as not onely to haue huge rents themselues out of all forrein states but to maintaine also their instruments out of other mens devotion and to advance their favorites under the fairest pretence of providing for Religion to the very principall praeferments in forrein Princes Dominions That no man thinke it strange if finding the revenew of skill and cunning to bee so great and her force so mightie especially where shee worketh upon simplicitie and ignorance they enclosed heretofore all learning within the walls of their Clergie setting forth Lady Ignorance for a great Sainct to the Laietie and shrining her unto them for the true mother of Devotion And assuredly but for one huge defect in their policie which was hard in regard of their owne particular ambitions but otherwise not impossible to be avoyded that they chuse their Popes lightly very old men and withall indifferently without any restraint out of all families and nations whereby they are continually subiect to double change of government the successor seldome prosecuting his antecessours devises but either crossing them through envieor abandoning them upon new humour it could not haue bene but they must haue long since beene absolute Lords of all which defect notwithstanding so strong was their policie by reason of the force of their cordiall foundation that no Prince or Potētate ever opposed against them but in fine even by his owne subjects they eyther mastered him ututterly or brought him to good conformitie by great losse and extremitie till such time as in this latter age the untruth of the foundation it selfe being stoutly discovered hath given them a sore blow and chaunging in great part the stare of the question hath driven them to a reenforcement of new inventions and practises Howbeit those positions being the ground of their state and the hope of their glorie in them they admit no shadow of alteration but endeavour still per fas nefas even by all Meanes in the world to strengthen them and among their manifold Adversaries hate them most of all other who haue laboured most in sapping of that foundation And seeing that by reason of this bookish age they haue not that helpe of ignorance which in times past they had they cast about gently to soake and settle them in mens perswasions and consciences another way They tell men that the very grounds whereon we build on our perswasion of the truth of Christianitie it selfe are no other than credible that the proofes of the Scripture to bee the word of God can be no other at this day than probable onely it being unpossible for any wit in the world to produce an exact necessarie and infallible demonstration either that S t. PAVL had his calling from aboue or that those Epistles were of his owne writing so likewise in the rest And that the chiefe proofe wee haue thereof is the testimonie of the Church a thing which even their adversaries are forced to confesse Now that this probable perswasion of the truth of Christianitie doth afterwards grow into an assurednesse thereof this issueth
in the way of perswasion to insinuate their desire and to worke their desein In considering wherof there commeth into my mind that diversitie which a wise Philosopher hath intimated in the witts of men that some are of so sharp deep and strong discourse that they yield not their firme assent to any thing till they haue found out either some proper demonstration for it or some other certein proof whereon to ground it assuredly other are by nature so shallow and weake in that facultie that they feare always errour in working with it and therefore doe more willingly accord to whatsoever some of account for wisdome do barely affirme than to any thing that reason alone which they suspect enforceth Now these later exceeding the other as farre in number as in worthinesse and honour of nature they are exceeded by them The Romanists taking a course so fitting to the seeble and fearfull humour of this sort do greatly sway with them wheras if they meet with one of the former more tough constitution that will not be caried away with these plausible declamations nor yield his assent in grosse without particular examination they bestow small cost on him as having small hope to prevaile Wherein I hold them wise in the rules of policie that having found by certeine and infallible experience that the ignorance of the Laietie was the chiefest and surest sinew of their greatnesse and glorie they now being not able to keepe them longer in that blind ignorance doe cunningly endeauour so to lead them out of the former as to enter them withall into a second kind of ignorance that being not content to see utterly nothing at least wise they may bee perswaded to resigne up their owne eysight and to looke through such spectacles as they temper for them This being the maine ground-worke of their policie and the generall meanes to build and establish it in the minds of all men the particular Ways they hold to Ravish all affections and to fit each humor which their jurisdiction and power being but perswasiue and voluntary they principally regard are well-nigh infinite there being not any thing either sacred or prophane no vertue nor vice almost no things of how contrary condition soever which they make not in some sort to serue that turne that each fancie may be satisfied and each appetite find what to feed on Whatsoever either wealth can sway with the lovers or voluntary povertie with the despisers of the World what honour with the ambitious what obedience with the humble what great imployment with stirring and mettald spirit what perpetuall quiet with heavie and restiue bodies what content the pleasane nature can take in pastimes and jolitie what contrariwise the austere mind in discipline and rigour what loue either chastitie can raise in the pure or voluptuousnesse in the dissolute what allurements are in knowledge to draw the contemplatiue or in actions of State to possesse the practick dispositions what with the hopefull praerogatiue of reward can worke what errours doubts and daungers with the fearefull what chaunge of vowes with the rash of estate with the inconstant what pardons with the faultie or supplies with the defectiue what miracles with the credulous what visions with the fantasticall what gorgeousnesse of shews with the vulgar and simple what multitude of Ceremonies with the superstitious and ignorant what prayer with the devout what with the charitable workes of pietie what rules of higher perfection with elevated affections what dispensing with breach of all rules with men of lawlesse conditions in summe what thing soever can prevail with any man eyther for himselfe to pursue or at least-wise to loue reverence or honor in another For even therein also mans nature receiveth great satisfaction the same is found with them not as in other places of the world by casualtie blended with out order and of necessitie but sorted in great part into severall professions countenanced with reputation honoured with prerogatiues facilitated with provisions and yeerly maintenance and eyther as the better things advanced with expectation of reward or borne with how bad soever with sweet and silent permission What pomp what ryot to that of their Cardinalls what severitie of life comparable to their Heremites and Capuchins who wealthier than their Praelats who poorer by vow and profession then their Mendicants On the one side of the street a Cloyster of Virgins on the other a stie of Courtizans with publike toleration This day all in Masks with all loosenesse and foolerie to morrow all in Processions whipping them selues till the bloud follow On one doore an Excommunication throwing to Hell all transgressours on an other a Iubilee or full discharge from all transgressions Who learneder in all kind of Sciences than their Iesuites What thing more ignorant than their ordinary Masse-Priests What Prince so able to preferre his servants and followers as the Pope in so great multitude Who able to take deeper or readier revenge on his enemies what pride equall unto his making Kings kisse his pantafle what humilitie greater than his Shriving him selfe dayly on his knees to an ordinarie Priest who difficulter in dispatch of causes to the Greatest who easier in giving audience to the meanest where greater rigour in the world in exacting the observation of the Church-Lawes Where lesse care or conscience of the Commandements og GOD To tast flesh on a Friday where suspition might fasten were a matter for the Inquisition whereas on the other side the Sonday is one of their greatest merketdayes To conclude never State never Government in the world so straungely compacted of infinite contrarieties all tending to entertein the severall humours of all men and to worke what kind of effects soever they shall desire where rigour and remisnesse crueltie and lenitie are so combined that with neglect of the Church to stirre ought is a sinne unpardonable whereas with duty towards the Church and by intercession for her allowance with respectiue attendance of her pleasure no Law almost of God or Nature so sacred which one way or other they find not meanes to dispence with or at least-wise permit the breach off by connivence and without disturbance But to proceed to the consideration of their more particular Proiects and more mysticall devises for the perpetuating of their greatnesse There was never yet State so well built in the world having his ground as theirs hath in the good-will of others and not standing by his owne maine strength and power that could longer uphold it selfe in flourishing reputation and in prosperitie than it could make it selfe necessarie to them by whom it subsisted all callings of men all degrees in common-wealths yea particular great personages then waning in their greatnesse when they decay in their necessarinesse to them from whom they haue it Which the Papacie nothing ignorant of nor neglecting hath by secret and rare cunning so deepely engaged and interessed from time to time the greatest Monarchs of Christendome in
with certeine select exercises and devotions into which it being a reputation to bee admitted it must cause in congruitie the forwardest of theyr schollars to fashion them selues by all meanes as to content theyr humours and so to bee received in shew into a degree of more honourable estimamation but in truth into no other than a double bond of assurance I shall not need here to insert their singular diligence and cunning in entising not seldome the most noble of their schollars and oftentimes the most adorned with the graces of nature and industrie especially if they haue likelihood of any wealthie succession to abandon their friends and to professe theyr Order a thing daily practised by them in all places yea wher-ever they espie any youth of rarer spirit they will bee tempering with him though he bee the onely sonne and solace of his Father Whereby though they draw on them much clamor and stomacke yet do they greatly enhaunce the renowme of theyr societie by furnishing it with so many persons of excellent qualitie or nobilitie whom afterwards they employ with great judgement as they finde each fittest Neither yet doe they here make an end with this part this order hath also theyr solemne Catechizing in theyr Churches on Sondayes and Holydayes for all youth that will come or can be drawne unto it that in no poinct the diligence of theyr adversaries may upbraid them But this poinct of theyr Schooles and instructing youth is thought of such moment by men of wisedome and judgement being taught so by very experience and tryall thereof that the planting of a good College of Iesuites in any place is esteemed the onely sure way to replant that Religion and in time to eate out the contrarie This course hold they in all Germanie in Savoy and other places and the excluding it from Fraunce is infinitely regretted and that which makes them uncerteine what will become of that Kingdome A third course that much advantaged the Protestants proceedings was their Offers of disputation to theyr adversaries in all places theyr iterated and importuned suits for publike audience and judgement a thing which greatly assured the multitude of theyr soundnesse whom they saw so confident in abiding the hazard of tryall being that whereof the want is the onely prejudice of truth and the plentie the onely discoverie and ruine of falsehood they standing in like tearmes as a substantiall just man and a facing shifter whereof the ones credit is greatest there where he is best knowne and the others where hee is least And by reason that the Romanists were not so cunning then in the questions nor so ready in their evasions and distinctions as they are now growne the effect of these disputations whether received or refused was in most places such as to draw with them an immediate alteration of Religion Hereunto may be added those admirable pains which those first Reformers undertooke and performed in translating the Scriptures forth-with into all languages in illustrating all parts thereof with ample comments in addressing institutions of Christian Religion in deducing large histories of the Church from the foundation to their present times in furnishing all common places of Divinitie with abundance of matter in exact discussing of all controversed questions lastly in speedy reply to all contrary writings the greatest part of these labours tending to the justifying oâ— their own doctrine and to the discoverie of the Corruption and rottennesse of the other that they might overbeare those with the streames of the evidence of reason by the strength of whose power they complained to be over-borne There is not scarce any one of these kinds of writings saue the translating of the Bible into vulgar languages wherin the Romanists haue not already or are not like very shortly eyther to aequall or to exceed theyr adversaries in multitude of works as being more of them that apply those studies in diligence as having much more opportunities of helps and leysure in exactnesse as comming after them and reaping the fruicts of theyr travails though in truth they come short and in ingenuitie being truths companion But as for the Controversies them selues the main matter of all other therein theyr industrie is at this day incomparable having so altered the tenures of them refined the states subtilized the distinctions sharpned theyr owne proufs devised certein and resolved on eyther answers or evasions for all theyr aduersaries arguments allegations and replics yea they haue differences to divert theyr strongest oppositions interpretations to elude the plainest texts in the world circumstances and considerations to enforce theyr owne seeliest conjectures yea reasons to put life into theyr deadest absurdities as in particular a very faire case in schoole-learning proportions to justifie theyr Popes graunts of many score thousand yeeres pardon that in affiance of this furniture and of theyr promptnesse of speech and witt which by continuall exercise they aspire to perfect they dare enter into combate even with the best of theyr oppugners and will not doubt but eyther to entangle him so in the snares of their own quirks or at least-wise so to avoyd and put off his blowes with the manifold wards of theyr multiplied distinctions that an ordinary auditor shall never conceiue them to be vanquished and a favourable shall report them vanquishers Whereupon they now to be quit with theyr adversaries and by the very same art to draw away the multitude cry mainly in all places for tryall by disputations This CAMPIAN the Iesuite did many yeares since with us this as I passed through Zurick did the Cardinall ANDREA of Constance and his Iesuites with theyr Ministers being by auncient â—ight within his diocesse Not long before the same was done at Geneva and very lately the Capuchins renewed the challenge In which parts I observed this discreet valour on both sides that as the Romanists offer to dispute in the adversaries own Cities which they know theyr Magistrates will never accord so the Ministers in supply thereof offer to goe to them to theyr Cities and that now is as much disliked on th' other part each side beeing content that the fire should be kindled rather in his enemies house than in his owne Yea there are not wanting some temperers among them that haue bene talking a long while whether out of theyâ— owne dreames or out of the desires of some greater persons which I halfe conjecture oâ— a Generall solemne Conference to bee sought and procured of the choyse and chiefe every way of both the sides under pretence of drawing matters to some tollerable composition but in truth as I conceiue rather to overbeare and disgrace the contrarie cause with theyr varietie of engines and strength of wit to wield them at all assayes at pleasure than upon synceritie of affection or probabilitie of any unitie or peace to ensue So great is theyr hope of having cure by that very weapon from whence heretofore they haue had theyr wounds The fourth way
a firme mind to pursue them and a strong arme to wield them both which to this weake world are wanting But of these matters sufficient It is now time that I come to the view of those meanes which are used by the Papacie for the Excluding of all accesse and sound of the Religion in those places where theyr power remaineth yet unabridged Wherein as in other like cases before I will lightly passe over that which is apparent to all eyes and that is what service theyr Inquisition doth therein being in truth the principle and most forcible engine in accomplishing that worke and such as wheresoever it and the Councell of Trent can be thoroughly planted and established as in Spaine and all Italy now saue onely some part perhaps of the Kingdome of Naples where the tyrannie of Spaine may be Inquisition sufficient as the Inquisition of Spain is also of the two the crueller doth rid them of feare and their adversaries of hope of letting in the Reformation unlesse perhaps in so me universall deluge of war when the execution of Lawes and such serches shall be forced to cease For this Inquisition as a soveraigne preservatiue and defectiue of no vertue saue Iustice and Mercy being committed lightly to the most zealous industrious and rigorous Friers that can be found in all places who leaue no one rule thereof unpractised taking hold of men for the least suspition of Haeresie or of affinitie or connivence with haeresie that may be as the bare reproving sometimes the liues of theyr Clergie or the having of any booke or edition prohibited though yet with some regard of the nature and qualitie of persons seeing many a man makes those actions suspicious which otherwise would not make the man discovering men by the pressing of all mens Consciences whom they charge under an high degree of mortall sinne and damnation being a case reserved and wherein not any under an Arch-Bishop or Bishop can absolue them as I haue seene in theyr printed instructions at Siena to appeach even theyr neerest and dearest friends if they know or but suspect them to be culpable therein proceeding against the detected with such secrecie and severitie as that first they shall never haue notice of theyr accusers but shall be urged to reveale theyr very thoughts and affections Secondly if by long enquirie they bee taken tardy in any one thing delivered in theyr examinations or can be convicted thereof by any two witnesses of how base or in different qualitie soever without farther reply they are cast and gone thirdly if nothing fall out to be proued against them yet will they hold them in theyr Holy house diuers yeeres sometimes in great anguish and misery for a terrour to other and for theyr exacter triall and lastly besides all theyr tortures and scornes if one be touched the second time nothing but death without remission this being the diligence this the violence of theyr Inquisition it doth so sweepe all quarters and corners where it walketh that as a sheering wind it kills all in the bud no wit nor provision being possible to avoid it Yea it is such a bridle to the very freedome of mind and libertie of speech which they of theyr owne way would otherwise use and is converted in some places to such an instrument no lesse of civill than Ecclesiasticall tyrannie that as Naples and Millane did a while vehemently withstand it and Spaine would with the deerest things they haue redeeme it so most of theyr most zealous Catholikes elsewhere which would dye perhaps if need so were for theyr Religion yet abhor the very name mention of the Inquisition as being the greatest slavery that ever yet the world hath tasted And the Venetians themselues could never yet be brought to admit it in other sort than with certein very favourable exceptiōs for strangers who are generally also in Italy litle searched into for theyr consciences by reason of the gain which comes by their repaire but may passe well enough if they giue no scandall and with retaining the soveraigne sway therof in theyr owne hands at all times But to let this racke of mens soules thus rest as an invention fitter for the Religion of ANTIOCHVS and DOMITIAN or for Mahomets Alcoran than for the clemencie of his Gospell who was Prince of mildnesse and mercie It is a wonderfull thing to see what curious order and diligence they use to suffer nothing to be done or spring up among them selues which may any way giue sooting to the Religion which they so much hate And first for the Scriptures for as much as the Reformation seemes grounded upon them the Reformers having striven to square it out wholly and onely by that rule as farre forth as theyr understanding and witts could wade and for as much as it is a thing which the Romanists deny not that a great part of their Religion hath other foundation and would seeme in many poincts to swerue much yea and plainely to crosse the Scriptures as an ordinarie reader by his meere naturall wit not fashioned by their distinctions nor directed by their glosses would expound it for this cause though heretofore to stop theyr adversaries mouthes alwayes yolping and crying with hatefull sounds that they would not let the poore people heare their Creatour speake to them that they starved and murdred their soules in ignorance robbing them of the bread of life the voice of Christ and cramming and choaking them with their emptie superstitions their poysoned Idolatry that the Scriptures would shew them that theyr worshipping of blind Images was a thing detested and even with threats prohibited in the Law of God theyr praying in unknowne language and by tale plainly reproved their invocating and vowing to Saincts a matter there never heard of that their Ceremonies were vanities their traffike for soules very Sacrilege their miracles delusions their Indulgences blasphemies that it would discover their Church to be a body strangely infected and polluted with all foule and pestilent diseases and finally that their not-erring and not-controllable Lord of Rome was no other than that imperious bewitching Lady of Babilon though I say as well to beat backe these irksome out-cries of their adversaries as also to giue some content and satisfaction to their own that they might not thinke them so terribly afraid of the Bible they were content to let it be translated by some of their favourers into the vulgar as also some number of Copies to be saleable a while at the beginning yet since having hushed that former clamour and made better provision for the establishing of their kingdome they haue called all vulgar Bibles streightly in againe yea the very Psalms of DAVID which their famous preacher Bishop PANIGAROLA translated as doubting else the unavoidablenesse of those former inconveniences To let passe those hard conceipts which they breed in the multitude as touching the inextricable obscuritie of the Scripture the easinesse to mistake it the daungerousnesse to erre
no lesse than his head-piece And as by these kind of sclaunders so also the more to harden mens minds against them they will tell of straunge miracles that haue befallen them A Poinct wherewith the Pulpits of Fraunce also do ring dayly where in the siege of Paris they were growne to that audaciousnesse as to perswade the people there who generally believed it that the thunder of the Popes excommunications had so blasted the Haeretiks that theyr faces were growne black and ougly as Divels theyr Eys and looks ghastly their breaths noysome and pestilent Much like to one of the Servi di Madonna at Bolonia whom I heard in Pulpit among a multitude of moderne miracles which had fallen out to their punishment who were excommunicated the continuing wherin a yeere without seeking absolution incurre suspition of Haeresie tell this also of an haereticall gentleman of Polonia who talking at a solemne dinner against the Pope the bread on his trencher grew black as inke and upon his repentance and conversion returned to his former whitenesse A thing happ'ned but lately and reported by the Polonish Ambassadour to a Cardinall by the Cardinall to a Bishop by the Bishop to this Frier An imitation perhaps of that renowmed miracle of eating tables for hunger threatned by that winged Prophetesse with like deduction of credit Quae Phoebo pater omnipotens mihi Phoebus Apollo Praedixit vobis Furiarum ego maxima pando And these things are in steed of refuting the Protestants Religion which are not in vaine For the vulgar sort who belieue as they say in God and the Pope thinke all to be Gospell that their Friers tell them And I haue heard some conjecture at others to be Lutherans onely by reason they were so monstrous blasphemers as they were But all are not of that stamp those gentlemen and other who haue travailed abroad and those also at home that are not passionatly blind but discreet and inquisitiue of the truth of all things howsoever dissenting from them yet haue no such hard conceipt of the Protestants opinions or actions But the most straunge thing as to me it seemed of all other is that those principall writers who haue employed themselues wholly in refuting frō point to point the Protestants doctrine argumēts are so rare in Italy as by ordinary enquirie I belieue not to be found The Controversies of Cardinall BELLARMINE I sought for in Venice in all places Neither that nor GREGORIE of Valenza nor any of such qualitie could I ever in any shop of Italy set eye on but in steed of them an infinite of meere invectiues and declamations Which made me entertein this suspicious conjecture that it might be their care that no part of the Protestants positions and allegations should be knowne they were so exact as to make diseurrent in some sort even those very books which were constreined to recite them that they might refute them in such wise as not to suffer them to be commonly salable but only to such or in such places as the superiours should thinke meet But the truth of this conjecture I leaue to farther enquirie The conclusion is this no sound of the reformed Religion eyther stirring in Italy or by any humaine wit now possible to bee raised For to bring in from forrein places any haereticall writing though it were without malice were two yeers streight imprisonment as they say if he so escaped So farre are they from their aduersaries either simplicitie if their cause be bad or honestie if good who not onely in most of their replies print both together to giue meanes of indifferencie in judgeing to the reader but euen permit their aduersaries yet unanswered disputes to runne current among them so they be in the latine and not purposely written as some are to misdraw the multitude It remaineth now to restraine the Italians from going abroad to forreine Country's where those contagious sounds and sights might infect them Herein the nature of the Italian doth supply who wonders at us Englishmen that come traueiling so far thither him selfe hauing no humour to stir one foot abroad and indeed little needing considering how all Nations of Christendome do flock to him But not so for Merchants these flye abroad in exceeding abundance to all places and in wealth where-ever they come over-top all other such is theyr skill theyr witt theyr industrie theyr parsimonie Behold then this Popes late exploit also for that poinct He hath by his printed Bull under paine of excommunication forbidden them all repaire for traffike to haereticall countries Whereupon some as I heare are retired from England and other in other places are said to haue importuned and obteined some out-Chappell to haue their Masse in Thus hath every gap his bush each suspition his prevention One thing only remaineth as a garland to all the rest It were an hard state and a tyrannicall where the Superiours should assume to them selues all licence of doing and not permit to the inferiours at least-wise libertie of speaking which is but a slender revenge For so great a wrong as ill government yet such as by giving vent to the boyling fumes of hatred doth evaporate and asslake that heat which otherwise would flame out into furic and mischiefe For which cause the wisest men haue bene always best pleased that loosers should haue their words and they who haue endevoured to bridle mens tongues by sharp laws whom they rather should haue charmed and held in tune by their own integritie haue learned that things violent are seldome permanent and that the enjoyning of too much patience makes men breake into madnesse Yea I haue heard men of great experience and judgment say that the best way to reconcile the Country enmities is to let the good men chide a while hartily together and their stomacks being once disgorged a peaceable motion wil find good audience so necessarie are these evaporations to the minds of the multitude which may serue for some justification of the wisdome of the Papacie in those former free times when they did and other said what each humour advized But little was it then feared which since hath followed Little was it imagined that the time should come when the world awakened by the cries of a Frier should looke about so broadly and search so narrowly all the plaits and hidden corners of the Papacie what their doctrine had bene what their liues what their scopes and what their practises Not so many of the consecrated divine Patrons of the Romane state with thousands of prayers and vowes daily adored nor so many of theyr enshrined and miracle-working Images to whom such store of lampes and pure candles were dayly burning so much incense perfumed so long and toylsome Pilgrimages performed such abundance of gifts and glad offerings presented on whom lastly so many so devout so humble both bowed knees and hung-downe heads and beaten breasts and life uppe eyes attended did ever fore-tell so notable a calamitie It was
serue and by drawing in the marginall notes and glosses of their Friers into the text of the Fathers as in some of them they haue already very handsomly begun the mouth of Antiquity should be also opened for them There remained then only the rectifying of S t. PAVL whose turne in all likelyhood if ever should be the next and other places of Scripture whose authoritie beeing set beneath the Churches already it were no such great matter to submit it also to her gentle and moderate Censures especially for so good an intent as the weeding out of Haeresies and the preserving of the Faith-Catholike in her puritie and glorie But aboue all other the second Commandement as the Protestants Graecians and Iewes reckon it were like to abide it which already in their vulgar Catechisms is discarded as words superfluous or at least wise as unfit or unnecessary for these times And then without an Angell sent downe from Heaven no means to controll or gain-say them in any thing But these are but the dreams perhaps of some over-passionate desires at least wise not likely to take place in our times But what is it which the opinions of the not possibilitie of erring of the necessary assistance of Gods Spirit in their Consistories of authoritie unlimited of power both to dispense with Gods Law in this world and to alter his arrests and judgements in the other for thereunto do theyr pardons to them in Purgatorie extend what is it which these so high and so fertill opinions are not able to engender and do not powerfully enforce to execute carrying men away head-long with this raging conceipt that whatsoever they do by the Popes they do by Gods owne commaundment whose Lieutenant hee is on Earth by a Commission of his owne penning that is to say with absolute and unrestrained jurisdiction that whatsoever they do for advancement of his Sea and Scepter they do it for the upholding of the Church of CHRIST and for the salvation of mens Soules which out of his obedience do undoubtedly perish And verily it seemes no caâ—slâ—sse doubt or feare that these humours and faces so forward so adventurous to alter and chastise with palpable partialitie the works of former times in an age which hath so many jealous eyes on theyr fingers so many mouths open to publish theyr shame such store of Copies to restore and repaire whatsoever they should presume to maime or depraue that in former ages when there were few Copies small difficulties no enemies as it is found by certein and irrefragable arguments that many bastard-writings were forged in theyr favour and fathered on honest men who never begat them So also they might beside other their choppings and changings puttings in and puttings out suppresse many good and auncient evidences which they perceived were not greatly for theyr purpose to be extant But of all other in reforming and purifying of authours the care and diligence of this Pope doth farre exceed who not content with that which hath bene done in that kind before him nor thinking things yet so bright as they should be causeth much to be pervsed and scoured over a-new yea and it is thought will cashiere some worthy authours who as yet though with cutts and gashes hold ranke among them And for a farther terrour not to retein books prohibited I haue seene in theyr printed instructions for Confession the having or reading of books forbidden set in ranke amongst the sinnes against the first Commaundment And for farther provision The Iewes who haue generally not any other trades than friperie and usurie loane of money and old stuffe are inhibited in many places the medling any more with bookes for feare least through errour or desire of lucre they might do them praejudice Neither is it lawfull in Italy to carrie bookes about from one place to an other without allowance of them from the Inquisitours or search by theyr authorities Wherein as I confesse they haue neglected nothing which the wit of man in this kind could possibly devise so yet may it be doubted that as too much wiping doth in the end draw blood with it and soile more then before so this too rigorous cutting of all Authors tongu's leaving nothing which may favour any freedome of spirit or giue any satisfaction for understanding times past may raise such a longing for the right Authors in the minds of all men as may encourage the Protestants to reprint them in theyr first â—ntiâ—enesse hauing hope given to vent them although in secret These haue I observed for the complotts and practises of the Roman-Church and Papacie not doubting but they may haue many more and much finer than I can dreame of and yet in the surveying of these altogether me thinke they are such and so essentiall in theyr proofe that it causeth me in generality of good desire so to wish that eyther the cause which they striue to maintein were better or theyr policies whereby they mainteine it were not so good Now to take a briefe view of the Present State of the Papacy or rather of some poincts therein more requisite to bee knowne first to consider it in his owne proper and Peculiar Dominions namely in the Signories and Territories which the Pope holds in Italy for as for Avignon with his Countie Ueniâ—llâ—ne in France by reason of the ill neighbourhood of the Protestants of Orange it hath yielded him I weene in these latter times no great matter yea rather it hath beene an over-charge unto him for which cause they like well to bee under the Pope as bringing more in to them than hee taketh from them I take it at this day of the foure great States of Italy by reason of the accesse of the Dukedome of Ferrara escheted to him of late to bee clearely the third at least and to surmount the great Dukes which it hath well-nigh surrounded also Yea question might be made concerning the second place For although the Venetians in amplitude of Terriitorie farre and in greatnesse of revenew not a little exceed it Yet beside other difficulties and charges of necessitie to which they are more subject in militarie force they greatly come short the Popes men retaining still the braue hearts of theyr auncestours and breeding among them plentie of able leaders whereof at this present both the great Duke and the Venetians do serue themselues whereas the Lombards wherein is the flower of the State of Venice are as heavy and unwarlike as theyr soile is diepe and fat insomuch that the Venetians are driven to seeke abroad and especially to the Grisons from whom they are â—o haue at all times ten thousand at call But on the contrary side being to be alleaged that the Venetians are by sea puissant where the Pope can do nothing I suppose they may stil hold the second place of greatnes the first even in Italy without other respect being incompaâ—ably due unto the Spanish mightinesse And this in possessioÌ„ Besides which all Italy
alwayes so bare yea and makes their temporall state the worse governed in Italy for so it is compted is in their often change of Popes by reason of their yeeres the infinit desire each hath to advance his kinred his Children first if he haue any as PAVLVS tertius who left his base issue no lesse than Dukes of Placentia and Parma and GREGORIE the Xiij th more lately who made his base sonne Duke of Sora and Castellan of St. Angelo and if they haue no Children or list not be knowne of them then theyr Nephewes and other kinsmen which is common to them all Yea it often falls out that those Popes who haue not any known children of theyr own by extending their loue larger to a greater multitude of Nephews yet desiring for theyr owne renowme and perpetuating of theyr name to raise them to as great State and wealth as they can possibly do consume more the goods and treasure of the Church than those other who haue theyr loues though stronger yet to fewer as was apparâ—nt in the two GREGORIES the Xiij th with his few Sonnes and the Xiij th with the multitude of his Nephews and kinsmen And these mâ—n being raised often from the bottome of basenesse to the heighth of pride and power having no hold in theyr hands nor scantling of theyr fortunes as having never beene in the middle state which is the measure of both extreames doe fall into ryot able to ruine any Prince and rage and ravine in theyr Offices and governments as they that knowing theyr time short meane to use it to the full proofe the examples whereof are both many and fresh which for theyr foulnesse and basenesse I list not to repeat For which cause it was a good helpe for SIXTVS QVINTVS to bee Pope that hee had small kinred though that ground is moueable seeing Pedegrees change for the most part together with mens fortunes which as a conscionable Aâ—bitratour neyther annoyes the poore ever with multitude of kinâ—men nor discomforts the rich with paâ—citie For the â—… of the rest of the Clergie under the Paâ—… it â—… as the Countries In Spaine the â—… are exceeding rich in revenew the Areâ—… of Tolâ—edo not inferiour to some Kingdoâ—… In Italy the livings of the Praelates are compâ—… considering the excessiâ—e multitude Yet with so great diversitie that some meere Bishopâ—icks are aboue twenty thousand Crownes rent other some under one thousand But the custome of Italy which avoydeth yea blameth multitude of servants and great house-keeping in all sorts and degrees makes a small matter sufficient and a great superfluous Besides there to haue many livings is a matter of credit not of profit onely though as wise men as they haue thought otherwise of it to bee a private great burthen and a publike great mischiefe The Paâ—â—sh Priests in Italy who haue not the tenths which in a Country whose soyle yields three harvests in sundry places all in a yeere would amount to an huge matter and considering the great rents and exactions would be insupportable but haue in stead of them certeine farmes as gleabland appropriate and some certeine quantitie out of the encrease of their neighbours are so provided for that the meanest lightly which are theyr Curati haue an hundred Crownes a yeare and the Piovani which are the Priests of Mother Churches from two hundred to fiue hundred and upward sometimes which they helpe out with Masses as occasion serues which are still in Italy as cheape as a groat In Germany the Praelates are likely great Princes and great Nobilitie required to haue those places In Fraunce the Clergie hath beene in fore-times most flourishing theyr revenew amounting when land and all things were cheapest to six Millions in the whole besides theyr great place and authoritie in theyr State and theyr ample jurisdiction in theyr severall praecincts At this day they are fall'n generally especially the inferiour part into great miserie and beggerie accompanied with all base and vile conditions whereby the Country people is growne also utterly without knowledge of God or sence of Religion being fall'n into those tearmes that plentie which should make men thankefull makes them but wanton and affliction which should make men repentant makes them desperate and nothing can better them The whole Realme in summe hath bene scourged with a three stringed whip Warre Ill-governement and Injustice particular whereof the two lattet are like to last still whilst on the one side the places of Iustice are sold as by the Drumme on the other side the Church Praelacies and other governments of soules are made the fees and charges of meere Courtiers and Souldiers whoâ—e merits would haue rewards but suiting to theyr qualitie which in a Realme so abounding with meanes could not bee wanting but by too much want of indifferencie and measure heaping all upon a few and most where are least deserts whereas these so unfit and ill-suited recompences distemper that harmonie which should be in a flourishing state and overwhelme the Land with all kind of corruption and confusion But to returne to the Papacie or rather now to the Pope himselfe and first to His Election the right whereof having bene of Old in the Clergie and people and from thence transferred to the Emperours nomination is now wholly remitted to the College of Cardinalls so that two third parts of theyr voices that are present are requisite to him that eyther by adoration or in Scrutinie shall winne that glorie Which double porportion of voyces to agree makes this Election of greater difficultie and giues occasion of rarer stratagems and devises in it than I suppose are to be found in any other in the world I haue heard that in these latter times a Cardinall of Sicilie whose Holynesse and learning advanced him to that dignitie for of some such alwayes there is care to make choise for divers considerations entring the Conclaue to an Election and expecting that by incessant prayer as in times of old some divine inspiration should haue poincted out Christs Uicar but finding when he was there nothing but practisiâ—â— and canvasing promising and terrifying banding and combining setting of some up for stales only to ease passage for other who were reserved till the last cast when former hopes and angers beeing spent and evaporated had abated the prime edge and strength of opposition in summe being him selfe also assaulted by all meanes yea tugged and haled now by one part now by another the good man agast as in a matter so cleane contrary to his fore-framed expectation Ad hunc modum quoth he fiunt Pontifices Romani there withall so soone as that Conclaue was broken retired to his Country and would never see Rome againe But the matter of greatest marke herein at this day is the power of the K. of Spaine in swaying those Elections who by pensions by preferments by hopes of the highest having assured a great third part of the Cardinalls to him to bee
alwayes at his devotion in all elections whereby having the Exclusiue as they terme it no Pope can be made but with his liking hee proceeds on by his Ambassadours to name also some fiue or six unto them whereof please they to choose any he shall rest wel satisfied Which course though it mightily distast the rest of the Cardinalls who are hereby for ever debarred from their chiefe desire yea and inwardly much afflict the great States of Italy who are loth to haue theyr Pope of a Spanish edition yet is there no remedy one of those in fine they needs must choose the discretion they can haue is onely this to choose such of them as is likely to proue least to his purpose A memorable example heereof in the election of the last GREGORIE where a greater part of the Cardinalls enflamed against the King and banding against him yet in conclusion after two Moneths imprisonment in the Conclaue were foreed to relent and to choose one of his nominates or otherwise a cleare case no election at all Which whether there were or no made no matter to Spaine who stood upon the surer ground in his exclusiue obstinatenesse The necessitie of the Church the State of the Papacie theyr owne present condition the disorders of the Citie of Rome and of all theyr Territorie which in want of a Pope and in this locking up of the Cardinalls as it were into a celler do swarme exceedingly did mainely cry out to haue some Pope or other which at last they yielded to by consenting upon a favourite yea and subject of Spaine also for such was that GREGORIE Howbeit the maine matter runnes not with him so clearely they being not the same men that are chosen and that are Popâ—s but chaunging with theyr estate both name and nature also Yea sometimes not easie to find two divers men of humour more different then is the same man in his Cardinalship and in his Papalitie Where of no man better witnesse than SIXTVS QVINTVS the most crouching humble Cardinall that was ever lodged in an Oven and the most stoute resolute Pope that ever ware Crowne in his Cardinalship a meere slaue and vassall of Spaine in his Papacie the daungeroust enemie Spaine had in the world in summe who in his Cardinalship was scorned as a base Frier in his Papacie was redoubted as a Prince of great worth and spirit Neyther is there any mervaile to bee made of this difference seeing the hope of obtaining and of maintaining the Papall honour are so cleane contrary seeing in the one state they fashion them selues to all other mens humours in the other they looke that all men should accomodate themselues to theyr honours and lastly seeing those Princes whose favour is the onely meanes to compasse the place theyr power is the onely terrour of quelling downe the estate For which cause as in generall the Cardinalls doe in theyr hearts favour Fraunce aboue Spaine both as beeing the weaker part and the farther neighbour and the onely hope to maintaine counterpoise against the others greatnesse so let the King of Spaine make what choyse among them of a Pope hee can hee shall find that as long as those reasons continue whosoever sits in the seat will respect more his owne saferie than the service of his preâ—errour even as doth this very Pope who for that cause is conceived to haue made some alteration of inward firme friendships though holdiâ—g in good tearmes of loue and loyaltie with both But this uncerteintie and mutabilitie of the new Popes affections doth cause both the Kiâ—g of Spaine and other Princes of Italy aboue all things to ayme at a man of a caâ—me nature and not stirâ—â—ng mettall that if they cannot make any great accompt of his friendship yet this naturall disposition and temper may assure them that hee will not be a raiser of new stirrs in Italy as divers of them to scamble somewhat for theyr owne haue beene as on the other side an especiall good inducement to the Cardinalls is his age and sicklinesse that the place may be soone voyde againe for the gaining whereof there is alwayes practising and plotting a new immediately vpon the Election And thus is the Pope made who hath his Counsell of Cardinalls to attend and advise him hee chosen by them and they created by him Whose number may amount they say to Seuentie two but many pâ—â—ces are kept voyd still to serue for desperate pushes and of those that are some twenty lightly are the younger sonnes of Dukes and Princes who in case theyr auncesters states should descend upon them with dispensation from the Pope would resigne uppe theyr Hatts Among the Cardinalls for theyr owne honour and for the gratifying of the world are sorted out and diuided all the orders of Religions and all the Nations of Christendome whereof they are appoincted the particular protectours in the Court of Rome as the Protectour of England now is Cardinal Gaetane a stout man of spanish faction who hath beene Legate into France and more lately into Poland but is now returned Among this Counsell also being compacted of many Personages of very eminent sufficiencie what for theyr learning what for theyr experience and weightie employments are parted is by way of severall Congregations according to the use of the severall Counsels in Spain all the important affaires as well standing as by dayly new occasions arising of the Church and Papacie by which means they both disburden the Pope of much lighter businesse and the greater causes by long and exact discussion are ripened and made fit for his decissiâ—n Such is the Congregation for propagation of Christian-Faith the Congregation of the Inquisition the Congregation for England the Congreation of Bishops for all Controversies which happen betweene them and theyr Subjects a Congregation for any diversitie of opinion in matter of Religion betweene Schoole men or Friers with sundry such other A course lately there begun but of good importance and well worthy to be imitated Now for This Pope who by race and name a Florentine but his Father having beene chased thence upon a Conspiracie against Duke COSIMO by byrth became a kind of Romane I haue little more to say than that which I haue before touched Hee is reputed to bee a man of a good calme disposition and not too craftie yet close and suspicious and thereby secured to hold his owne well enough kind to his friends and denout in his way and thinks without doubt that he is in the right He will weep very often some conceiue upon a weaknesse and tendernesse of mind habituated therin by custome others say upon pietie and godly compassion At his Masses in his Processions at the fixing uppe his Iubilees his Eys are still watering some times streaming with teares in so much that for weeping he seemes an other HERACLITVS to ballance with the last GREGORIR an other DEMOCRITVS for laughing Touching his secret life the Italians speake somewhat diversly
of all which some briefe view seemes necessarie to bee taken For as for Poland and Transcilvania with Ualachia and the remaines of Hungarie by reason of theyr neere and daungerous confining with the Great Turke together with the multitude of Religions which are swarming in them in Poland especially of which it is said by way of by word that if a man haue lost his religion let him goe secke it in Poland and he shall be sure to find it or else make accompt it is vanished out of the world there is no great reckoning to be made of theyr force eyther way Then England with the more Northerne Kingdomes Scotland Denmarke and Sweden whose King notwitstanding is of the Roman saith now but hath few there that follow him they are accompted wholly to haue cast of the Papacie For albeit they make reckoning of many favourers in them as of fourtie thousand sure Catholikes in England alone with foure hundred English Roman Priests to mainteine that Militia who upon quarrell with the Iesuites affectors of superioritie and disgracers of all that refuse to depend upon them haue instantly of late demaunded a Bishop of the Pope to bee chosen by them and to bee resident among them but are crost in that desire by the countermine of an Arch-priest obtruâ—ed upon them by the practise of the Iesuites yet this is so small a proportion being compared with the whole as not to be esteemed especially seeing in Italy compted wholy theirs there are full fourty thousand professed Protestants that haue exercise of theyr Religion also in the Valleys of Piemont and Sâ—lâ—zzâ— besides sundry Gentlemen in Piemont who liue abroad and resort unto them In Lucca also a great part are thought favourers of the Reformation and some of that sort there are scattered in all places especially in the State of Venice But theyr paucitie and obseuritie shall enclose them in a cipher So that for Italy wee will accompt it wholly to stand for the Papacie True it is that the Princes and other free states of Italy little fauour the Popes enlarging in his temporall dominion at home beeing already of a large size in proportion with theirs and especially for those pretences which his sea neuer wanteth and those extraordinarie advantages which the concurrence of his spirituall supremacie by interdictions excommunications discharging oaths of obedience doth giue him aboue all other Princes in the world Which they also aboue all other men in the world haue greatest cause to feare both in regard of the huge multitude of Priests Praelates and Friers wherewith hee hath fortified him selfe exceedingly in all other states and in theirs aboue all excessiuely as also for that discontent which theyr cruell and crying extortions and oppressions by monopolies and taxes by impositions upon mens persons upon theyr lands and goods upon theyr viands and markets upon theyr trades and labours upon theyr successions upon theyr mariages in summe upon all beneficiall or easefull actions haue bred in theyr owne miserable and consumed subjects who wish rather that all Italy were reduced into the hands of some one naturall Potentate whose greedinesse how great soeuer they were able to satisfie and of the Popes aboue all mens who promiseth some more lenitie by his late example at Ferrara where hee remitted many imposts which theyr late Dukes had raysed than to bee thus dayly racked fleyed and devoured by so many petie tyrants as it were with theyr prolling Gabelliers whose ambitions and emulations whose prides and pleasures thirteene millions of yeerely revenew which Italy now yieldeth them is not able to exsatiate Howbeit though as I said for these important causes the Princes and States of Italy no way favour the Popes strength in his temporall at home considering withall what swelling and turbulent spirits mount sometimes into that chaire who haue purposely set Italy on a flaming fire that in the sacking of many them selues might get somewhat for the advauncing of such as nature and bloud did cause them to loue best yet on the contrary side for his spirituall power and soveraigntie abroad they wish it upheld and restored if it were possible both for the honour of theyr nation which is thereby the tryumphant Queene of of the world and much more for the commoditie which by vicinitie they and theyrs reape thence in more aboundance than all other together what by sharing as occasion serues in his booties abroad what by beeing alwayes in sight to receiue favours at home what by that which necessarily sticks to them in very passing through theyr territories Then to exclude any innovation theyr owne safetie and not quiet alone perswades them it beeing daungerous in a body so full of diseased and discontented humours to chaunge or stirre any thing seeing all alteration set humours on working and one humour on foote quickneth up all other what allured by sympathy what by antipathy provoked the end whereof is eyther the dissolving of nature by length of conflicts or the disburdening of nature by expelling that which before oppâ—est it For this cause no audience to be given to the Reformation as enemie to theyr peace which is the nurse of theyr riches and sole anchor of theyr â—atetie For it were but simplicitie to thinke that conscience and loue of truth did sway this deliberation the world having in most places done Religion that honour as to remoue it out of those secret darke Cabinets of the heart where the jealousie of some devout dreamers of the gardens of Paradise had imprisoned it and advanced it to the fairest sight and shew of the world even to make a very maske or viâ—ard of it with eyes and mouth fairely painted and proportioned to all pretences and purposes And other of yet more gallant free spirit haue giuen it a generall passe to goe whether it selfe list so it come not neere them It doth grieue me to speake yea the thought of it must needs bring horrour and detestation what a multitnde of Atheists doe braue it in all places there most where the Papacie is most in his prime what renouncers of God blasphemers of his sonne villanizers of his Saincts and scorners of his service who thinke it a glorious grace to adore the King of a Country but to name or thinke reverently of the Creatour of the World to proceed from a timorous very base mindednes abjectnes of so deepe reach and judgement are these pedlers in theyr proportions who know no other Magistrates but those of theyr parishes These men are favourable alike to all Religions but can best endure that wherein they are least checkt and may raunge with most impunitie But for the Souldiarie of this age a profession and exercise in old time reputed for an only Schoole of vertue but now infamed with all vice and villanie in old time such that the wisest Philosopher thought it reason sufficient why the Lacedaemonians were generally more vertuous than other Nations because they followed the warres more at this
day a cause in all places of cleane contrary effect these desperate Atheismes these Spanish renouncings and Italian blaspheamings haue now so prevailed in our Christian Camps that if any refraine them hee shall be upbraided as no Souldier or gallant-minded man that the very Turks haue the Christians blaspheaming of CHRIST in execration and will punish theyr prisoners sorely when through impatience or desperatnesse they burst into them yea the Iewes in their Speculations of the causes of the straunge successes of the affaires of the world assigne the reason of the Turks prevailing so against the Christians to be theyr blasphemies and blaspheamous Oaths which wound the eares of the very Heavens and cry to the high throane of Iustice for speedie vengeance As for great persons and Princes of whom it was said by the Spanish Frier that few went to Hell and the reason because they were few it is a tâ—re thing and happie where ever it falls out that any of them hath any true and affecting sence of those first and undoubted grounds of Religion to what sort or sect soever it propâ—nd Theyr examples I speake of many of them which were able to be the soveraigne restorers of vertue and re-establishers of an happie world with the endlesse blisse of many millions now perishing through theyr great default are at this day the only ruine and despaire of goodnesse having forgotten whose Lieutenants they are in the world for what end they are placed for what cause they are honoured and most of all what a great accompt they haue to passe at the last Auditt when theyr favorites and fancy-feeding flatterers shall all shrinke from them and nothing but their owne deeds and deserts accompanie them But all these whether Atheists in opinion or in conversation betweene whom small choise being reckoned or let passe to make uppe the number yet hold I that from Italy more wishes than other helpe to mainteine the Papacie abroad by reason of the partition of it into such a multitude of States where the greater do nothing but limbick theyr braines in the Arts of Alchymie and Ballancing to enrich them selues by the one drawing gold out of all things and by the other to peise theyr neighbours and keep them of aequall weight there adding some helpe of theyr hand where the Scales are lighter and the lesser States flee most to the protection of the Chiefe as the Cities of Genova and Lucca the Duke of Urbine the Signor of Diambino with certein other who all recognize the King of Spaine for theyr Patron as casting by him to bee sufficiently secured from the encroachments of those other three and compting that from him the united consent of all the rest will still preserue them to whom his greatnesse is fearefull and his growing would be pernitious There haue bene of them also as the last Duke of Ferrara who haue apparantly enterteined both amitie and streight intelligence with sundry of the Protestant Princes of Germany on purpose to hold theyr neighbours and especially the Pope in aw of calling the Protestants in to their succour if they should eyther assaile or otherwise provoke them And thus much for Italy The next is Spaine reputed wholly the Popes also as having bene a long time governed by the most devoted King and longer curbed in by the most cruell Inquisition that ever the world had for the upholding of that way Howbeit the state of Spain is not to be passed so lightly over wherein though my selfe haue never beene yet by manifold enquirie and information from some of theyr owne and from others who haue bene in it men of knowledge and credit thus much do I conceiue touching the state of theyr Religion That as of a Nation which aimeth so apparently at the Monarchie of the whole West it is at this day none of the most puissant to atchieue the same their Country being so generally exhaust of men what eaten uppe by long warre what transplanted into theyr huge number of Indian Colonies that theyr Cities remaine now wholly peopled with women having some old men among them and many young children whereof the graue attends the one and forreign service the other a fit State for an Amazonian Empire to be revived in so likewise for a Kingdome that hath the surname of Catholike none in greater daunger in the world either wholly or in great part to cast off Christianitie unlesse grace from aboue and better wisdome do stay the encrease of those pestilent cankers of Mahometisme and Iudaisme which threaten the finall decay and eating out of Christianisme And to carry this matter with an indifferent course of report neither aggravating it so much as some do in theyr doubt and jealousie nor yet extenuating it so much as other some in theyr confidence and jolitie seeing feare casts beyond and hope short of the very daunger there is in Spaine a sort of people of the Marrani as they terme them who are baptized Iews and Moores and many of them in secret with all circumcized Christians who are spred over the whole Land but swarme most in the South parts confining with Africa and are in such store that in many places as some say they exceed the true Christians by no small proportion They which say least and speake favourably for the honour of Spain will say there are of them an hundred thousand Families in which at the least an hundred thousand men able to beare armes All which though conforming themselues in some sort of outward shew unto the Christian Religion yet are thought in hart to be utterly adverse from it and to reteine an inward desire to returne to that superstition from which theyr auncestours by rigor and terror were driven And the Iewes will say in Italy that there come divers Spaniards to them to be circumcised there and so away to Constantinople to plant in the East The State of Spain is in often feare of these men rebelling and especially that they would joyne with any enemies that should invade them For although they are forbidden to haue any armes and yeerely search bee made for it over all the Kingdome in an unknowne and least suspected instant yet is there no doubt but armed they are and haue theyr secret caves and devises to conceale them This sort continually growing by living quietly at home and the other part decaying dayly by forrayne employment what the issew may bee though reason may probably conjecture yee time onely and proofe can giue assurance That famous and fearefull Inquisition of Spaine was iâ—stituted fiâ—st on purpose against these Mongrell-Chriâ—tians some hundred yeeres since at what time when King FERDINAND by chasing the Iâ—wes Moores and Arabians out of his dominions merited the name of King Catholike great numbers of them choosing raâ—her to make change of they religion in shew than or theyr Country in deed consented to receiue baptisme which in secret they soone polluted or renounced by circumcision and other superstitions wherein
the other which also will begin to disclose them selues dayly those things beeing now settled in reasonable good sort which haue hitherto beene but in motion Secondly they are not all Papists that hold with the Masse But the Catholikes are here divided into as different opinions and in as principall matters of theyr Religion as they esteeme them as the Protestants in any place that ever I heard of although theyr discretion and moderation is such as not to interrupt the common Concord with private opinionatiuenesse The ground of which disagreement in opinion as I take it is the auncient diversitie betweene the Romane Church and the Gallicane which as in many of theyr Ceremonies it differs much from the Romane as to omit sundry other in the Priests Lotions at Masse and in theyr walking hymns at solemne Matins and Uespers and in some of them rather runs with the usage of the Greeke Church as in theyr Holy-bread on Sondayes for them that doe not communicate so also in the very head-poinct of theyr Ecclesiasticall Hierarchie it holdeth the Generall Councell to bee aboue the Pope which opinion is at this day very current and strong even among such Catholikes as favour the Papacie Which I reckon for the first difference touching the State of theyr Church which calleth into question in whom the very soveraigntie and supremacie thereof is placed An other sort are there which hold theyr Church for the true Church although they acknowledge sundry errours and abuses of lesse importance both in doctrine and practise but for the Pope they hold resolutely that hee is that Antichrist which sitting in the Temple that is in the true Church of God for even by his very being Antichrist some proue they are the true Church doth advance himselfe aboue God as they thinke apparent by dispensing with the Law of God by merchandizing of soules in his purgatory pardons releasing them in an other world whom divine sentence hath bound as also by his indulgences for sinnes in this world and not least of all by his arrogating the not possibilitie of erring being a sacred propertie peculiar unto God and not communicated but onely at times to his extraordinarie Prophets as all Churches in the world besides the Romane acknowledge This sect spreads farre and as them selues will say of the learned sort three parts of â—oure consent in this opinion And they which are most devoted to the Pope and in that respect doe hate this crew aboue all other confesse that the Lawyers are greatly infected with it in which regard they also tearme these as in way of disgrace the Parliament Catholikes These opinions thus prevayling amongst the Catholikes of Fraunce it is not to bee merveiled that the Realme was so ready upon the Popes refusall to reblesse the King upon his sodain reconversion to withdraw them selues utterly from the obedience of his sea and to erect a new Patriarch over all the French Church the now Archbishop of Burges who was ready to accept it and but that the Pope in feare thereof upon a second deliberation did hasten his Benediction it had beene effected to his utter disgrace and decay as the very proffer and probabilitie of it will always hold him in awe and in good temper of cariage towards this wavering Kingdom and content to beare indifferent sway with them in any thing As on the contrarie side his great doubt of the French unsoundnesse to him at the heart will cause him the lesse to favor any of their footings in Italy Now these men though they dislike also of the Reformed Religion as having brought in an extreame innovation of all things in steed of a moderate reformation of what was justly blameable yet will carrie them selues alwayes of likelyhood in an indifferent neutralitie rather than by extinguishing the one extreame to over-strengthen the other A third part of this side wee may make the Royalists who asmuch as they dislike the attempts of the Protestants in alteration of Religion so much and more doe they hate those mischievous courses taken against them by theyr adversaries which haue threatned so neere a ruine to the whole state of the Kingdome that it may seeme halfe a miracle that it hath ever recovered being so long a time at the very poinct either of shivering in pieces as hath happ'ned heretofore to other Countries in like case or of rendring it selfe into the seruitude of the hatefull name of theyr neighbours This part having by experience learned the wisdome to know that the quarrell of Religion is but the cloke of ambition for the great ones at this day that many traiterous intents passe under Catholike pretences that the Protestant will be alwayes a sure enemie to the Spaniard and to all his Favorites partizans and pensionaries that whilst he may be suffered to enjoy libertie of Conscience without any disabling or disgrace in the State he will be in all occasions ready to serue the King to his utmost and forward by deserts to maintein his favour that it is no so easie a matter to extirpate them as some think having taken so deepe root in the Realme as they haue besides the favour of great Princes their neighbours abroad who are engaged and embarked in the very same cause and that although it were to be wished for the happinesse of the Kingdome which during this diversitie and dissention in Religion shall breed greater securitie to their neighbours than to themselues that if it were possible some course were taken for a finall reuniting of all in one profession yet this being not to be hoped for in this exasperation of minds on both sides must be commended to time which works out many things to occasion which effects even wonders on a sodaine and finally to some generall good way to be undertaken by the joynt consent of wise and worthy Princes for effecting like unitie over all Christendome if it may be In these considerations this part which with his appurtenances is now the greatest will never advise the King to become head of a partie againe so long as hee may be absolute commaunder of the whole having found that siding course in such strength of both parts to be a false ground and ruinous to them that take it To these may be annexed those morall men as they call them who thinke not these diversities of opinions of any such moment as that they ought to dis-joyne them who in the loue of God in the beliefe of the fundamentall Articles of Christian Faith in integritie of life and honestie of conversation which are the greatest bonds remaine united much lesse that they ought to enrage mens minds so farre as to cause them to take armes to decide the quarrell which are not those instruments wherwith either error should be razed or truth proved or Religion planted And finally to this partie may be added all those who affect a quiet world and peace aboue glorious troubles which is the desire of those lightly who in
very redoubling of strength in all things They haue on theyr part first and principally the Pope himselfe seated royally and pontifically in the midst and chiefest regarding the rich Sunne in his glorious rising and the Moone in the heigth of her beautifull walke on his left hand the Emperour the auncient remaines of honour on his right the King of Spain the new planet of the West at his backe the French King the eldest Sonne of the Church all mightie Monarchs opposed as brasen Walls against his enemies on all fides round about him are the lesser Princes and States of Italy as matter rather of solace and honour than otherwise and to exercise him selfe upon as his humours of favour or displeasure shall advise Whereas on the contrary part the only puissant Prince in any comparison with those other is Her Maiestie of England whose State is yet so divided from all the rest of the world that it is the lesse fit in that respect for the rest to make head at Againe the other haue the Pope as a common Father advizer and conductor to them all to reconcile theyr enmities to appease theyr displeasures to decide theyr differences and finally to unite theyr endeavours in one course to instance to presse them to remoue stops to adde encouragement by ayd from him selfe and aboue all things to draw theyr religion by consent of Councells to an unitie or likenesse and conformitie in all places a principall pillar of stay to the unlearned multitude of glory to them selues of upbraiding to theyr enemies Whereas on the contrary side the Protestants are as severed or rather scattered troups each drawing a divers way without any meanes to pacifie theyr quarrels to take up theyr Controversies without any bond to knit them theyr forces or courses in one No Prince with any praeeminence of jurisdiction aboue the rest no Patriarch one or more to haue a common Superintendence and care of theyr Churches to be sollicitours of Princes for correspondence and unitie no ordinary way to assemble a generall Councell of theyr part the only hope remaining ever to asswage their contentions and the onely desire of the wisest and best minds among them Every Church almost of theyrs hath his severall forme and frame of government his severall Liturgie and fashion of service and lastly some severall opinion from the rest which though bee in them selues matters of no great moment being no differences essentiall or in any capitall poinct yea and some of them might serue perhaps to the Churches great benefit yet haue they beene are and wil be so long as they continue in theyr present tearmes causes of dislikes of jealousies of quarrels and daungers In summe what unitie soever is among them proceeds onely from the meere force and vertue of veritie which all parts seeke for which though it bee incomparably the best and blesseddest and that which alone doth unite the soule with God yet for order in the world for quiet in the Church for avoyding of scandall for propagating and encrease of what great power that other unitie is which proceeds from authoritie the Papacie which stands by it alone may teach us in fine both concurring attaine the prayse of perfection These then are the advantages on the part of the Papacie But now one disadvantage such is the nature of all things impeacheth and directeth all other theyr forces and that is theyr vicinitie with theyr graund-Enemie the Turk who by Land and Sea presseth hard upon them both Emperour Pope Monarch of Spain driveth them often times to such extasies and devisies that Spain hath no other shift to cleare him selfe than by diverting him upon his owne deere brethren of Austria and causing him to fall foule upon his friend the Emperour wherein hee is driven yet to a two-fold charge both in bribing the Basha's to draw theyr Lord to Germany and in supplying then the Emperour with money to withstand him The Emperour on the other side calleth for ayde of the Protestants without which the whole Empire were in daunger of wracking The Pope who aboue all other is in deepest feare though not yet in the neerest knowing that the finall marke which the Turk shootes at is Italy as thinking that to bee the lover now onely remaining to bee set up for the accomplishment and perfection of his Empire and that his Warres with the Emperour are but to open that Land-passage for asmuch as by Sea hee hath euer proved the weaker bestirrs himselfe on all hands in the best sort hee is able both in sending such ayde as his proportion will beare and especially in soliciting the Princes of his part to enter into a common League and warre against him giving over-ture of like desire for the Protestants also But the Protestants would know what securitie of quiet they shall haue from him selfe first theyr neere and sterne and unappeaseable enemy before they wast out them selues in giving ayde unto him against a common enemie indeed but one who is farthest off from them of all other who as now is desirous enough to entertein theyr friendship and who at the worst hand carieth no more eruell hatred against them and theyr profession neyther condemneth theyr religion more then the Pope theyr fellow Christian Then for his Catholikes the Polakers they clearly slip collar both for the naturall hatred which as neighbours they beare the Germans and for that they are in peace and amitie with the Turke paying him a certein tribute and although his neere neighbours also yet not in his way which is not to the North but to the Sunne and South parts and mainly and plainly to the conquests of Italy The Venetians are content also to liue rather as free tributaries to the Turk as they now are than as slaues to Spaine who in joyning with them heretofore in league against the Turk with Pope PIVS QVINTVS did contrarie to his oath and bond forsake them and suffer them to bee beaten being left alone to the Turks furie and all this to the end that having theyr state utterly maymed and broken by the Turk they might bee constrained wholly to cast themselues theyr Signorie and Citie into the armes and embracements of Spaine for safeguard With this unchristian treacherie haue they charged him heeretofore though now all beeing quiet they are content to put an un-acceptable motion to silence by demaund of impossible conditions of securitie Then for Fraunce it is farre off and lookes that the neerer bee as they ought most forward first and requires also with reason some breathing time to reviue himselfe after his wearinesse by his late pangs Lastly Spaine hath so much to doe with England and the revolted Provinces that hee thinks the time gained that the Turke forbeares him So that the end is the whole burthen must rest on the Emperor with that small helpe which Italy and some other yield him And were it not his good fortune or rather Gods good providence that
growing as hitherto hee hath done leaue no hope for Christendome to subsist but in theyr inward Concord It is true that a forreigne enemie is a reconciler of brethren and that common danger holds them together so long as it lasteth who else would flee a sunder upon every light occasion But herein me thinks it commeth first to be considered whether the Turk be so fearefull a Monarch as is commonly conceived especially since his late so huge enlargement towards the East That which most men estoeme in him the grand cause of errour seemeth to mee a chiefe argument of the contrary at this present and that is the very hugenesse of the Empires For Empires are not then alwayes at theyr strongest when at theyr biggest there beeing a certeine due proportion in all things which they breaking that exceede as well as they that come short of may bee compted to bee huge and vast not great since that is great properly which is great in his actions which are as often impeached by unwildinesse in the big as by weakenesse in the little But if to this bee adjoyned as it sometimes falls out that there bee but a little soule to mone this vast body which maketh some of the biggest men to bee neyther the wisest nor valiantest and that is that the government which is the soule of a state bee scant and feeble not able to embrace nor to order so huge affairs then is there no other greater praesage of ruine than very massinesse it selfe which everie strong push or justle makes reele and totter for want of that inward strength which were requisite to hold it stedie And this take I to bee the State of the Turkish Empire at this day which beeing a meere tyrannie as ayming onely at the mightinesse and securitie of theyr great Lord the sole absolute commander without any respect to the benefit of the people under him saue only so farre forth as may serue to beare up his greatnesse and for that cause hee in his jealousie and distrust of his owne keeping his Territories halfe desolate wast and unhabited his subjects without heads of Nobilitie to lead them without hearts to encourage them to seeke deliverie abasing them by all kind of bestial education and oppressing them by all sorts of extortion and outrage giving the Lands where hee conquereth to his Souldiers and Timarri which scattered over all parts of his ample Empire are the onely contented people and onely strength in effect hee hath as beeing bound by theyr tenures to serue in his warre whethersoever hee calls them and without his charge this beeing his state it is cleare that the wildnesse and lying wast of his Country is to the great diminishing of his owne wealth and revenew which is lesse than some one of our Christian Princes at this day though his Empire much larger than all theyrs together the unpopulousnesse together with the basenesse and feeblenesse of such as are makes that no one Country is defence for it selfe but must haue the concurse of many of the rest to assist it and lastly the huge circuit of his soyle and confines embracing as is esteemed eight thousand mile of Land and of Sea as many is cause that his Timarri cannot assemble together but in very long time wherin opportunities are ofteÌ„ lost besides the tiring both of themselues and theyr horses ere they arriue And the truth heereof is assured by fresh experience hee having done no great matter in all this warre of Hungary though none to speake of but Germanie with some small helpe of Italy haue opposed against him But if wee farther consider the effiminatenesse of the education of theyr Great Lords in these times a thing which they are advised and constreined unto even contrary often-times to the manlinesse of theyr owne natures and all to keepe the Father from jealousie of his owne sonne whose brauenesse of mind and warlinesse is still suspected and use having soaked once into theyr bones in youth doth for ever after lose the sinnes of theyr manly dispositions and subject them to the softnesse and basenesse of pleasures considering also the avarice and corruption which raignes there all peaces and warres all friendships and enmities all fauours and wrongs all Counsells and informations being growne to bee saleable if these bee as they are the signes of a diseased and prognosticates of a dying Monarchy much more of a tyrannie then surely haue wee not now so great cause to dread him as to blame our selues and our wranglings and vilitie who choose thus in practising to exterminate each other to trace out an unhonourable and fruitlesse life at the end finding our selues in the very same or worse tearmes than when wee began rather then establishing first a firme accord at home to attempt with united loue zeale and forces so just so christian so honourable so rich a warre And verily if but our Princes confining upon him though agreeing among themselues for the most in Religion were not so strangely infected with emulations and home-ambitions as to condiscend to pay tribute to the Turke in severall for so doe they as a redemption each of theyr peace which yet hath no longer assurance than his pleasure which with double as much under-hand bribes and presents must be daily sweetned and which is yet worse when his list comes to invade any one of them as hee doth for his very exercise and avoyding tumults at home the rest to hold off from giving succour to theyr neighbours for feare of drawing a revenge upon themselues some other time which is the case of the Polonians and Venetians at this present who scarcely dare so much as pray against him in theyr devotions otherwise than in theyr hares which I ween they do duly were it not I say that theyr private ambitions feares and miscasts did driue them to make so abject and unchristian a choice rather than zealously and violently to joyne and pursue one certeine course for the rooting of him and his tyrannie out of this part of the world it were not to bee so much doubted but the feare now on this side would soone turne to the other seeing that one good blow to a body so ill built and full of distempers were able to put the whole in daunger of ruine and shivering These reasons induce mee not to thinke that the daunger from the Turke should bee so great as to enforce the Christians to runne mainly into an accord And though it should yet without other sounder working by perfect composing of all inward diâ—cention this would be but a civill accord and only for the time which the feare once past would dissolue of it selfe and the former contentions reviue as fresh as ever For the bond of common feare is the strongest indeed of all other but the shortest withall which nothing during the daunger is able to breake and the daunger once passed falls in sunder of his owne unsoundnesse Howbeit if the Turke should set foot