among many others are his owne words Quid. n. facilius quā diliges proximum tuum for what is more easie thē thou shalt loue thy neighbour Yea a thousād histories as S. Chrisost. saith are contained in the Scriptures which the meanest simplest cannot but vnderstand Which thing our Iesuite Bellarmine did truly obserue when he affirmeth the same S. Chrisostome where hee saith the Scriptures are easy to be vnderstood to speak only of the historie such like things So then our sottish doltish Iesuite may go sighing and sobbing to his brethren and tel thē in sad earnest that it is better for him to sit stil then to rise vp fal as he hath already done CHAP. V. Of the condigne merit of workes THE Libeller hath so long pleased himself in his coozening tricks and in his bewitching of the simple ignorant Papists that he bosteth therof and presumeth to preuaile vnto the end but by the power of God I shal proue him such a noddy before I leaue him that all the world wil deeme him worthy to weare in his forhead a cox-combe for his foolishnes and on his back a fox-tayle for his badge Disputing saith our shameles Libeller against the condigne merits of works he citeth this sentēce of a Catholike writer Iosephus Angles Eodem etiam modo c. as other holy Doctors also considering after the same maner the natural value only of good works and perceiuing that it is exceeding far distant from the value and iust estimation of eternall life said wisely That our works are not meritorious nor worthy of eternall life yet for the couenāt and promise made vnto vs the good works of man with the helpe of grace are worthy of eternall life and equall with it which for all that that promise of God which is frequent in Scripture set aside were altogether vnworthy of so great a reward Thus doth the shamelesse Libeller recite my words and that done hee proceedeth in this maner in these words Although nothing be contained hurtfull to Catholike doctrine yet Bell by his Alchymisticall arte of changing truth into falshood can gather out matter sufficiently against vs. Now mark the answer and both his knauery and folly will appeare The Answere I answere first that Robert Parsons that trayterous Iesuite whome I challenge to bee the penner of the shamelesse Libel is a most notorious lyar and malicious corrupter of my Authors I proue it because in the very beginning of that only Doctors words of whome Parsons made choyce before all the rest hee hath changed the first word which hee perceiued to strike him dead to giue the Pope a mortall woūd for where the Popish Fryer and Bishop Iosephus Angles hath these words All other holy Doctors the Libeller hath these words As other holy Doctors placing the word as for the word all What a trechery is this Parsons committeth the murder and chargeth an other man with the fact Hee telleth me of changing truth into falshood which hee neither is nor euer shall be able to proue and yet doeth himselfe change so much trueth into falshood vse so many coozening tricks as I am very weary in relating a small part therof All other holy Doctors sayth Iosephus Angles As other holy Doctors sayth Parsons Diabolus mendax est pater eius Parsons our shamelesse lyar impudent Libeller not able to indure the sound of their holy Friar and reuerend Bishop when hee affirmeth all holy Doctors to be against their holy Pope his late Romish religiō deemed it his best course to change the word all into the word as that so the Reader might bee bewitched with his legierdemaine and not able to behold the truth But Iosephus Angles telleth vs plainly that all other holy Doctors teach the very same doctrine Marke well gentle Reader for Christs sake for the sauing of thine own soule for my life my soule I dare gage in this quarrell the Iesuite is at his non plus condemned in his owne conscience and neuer able to defend the cause which he hath takē in hand The Papists are so impudent that they affirme their late Romish religion to be the old Religion and Catholike doctrine And with this most shamelesse and impudent asseueratiō they haue a long time seduced and bewitched a great part of the Christian world But this very questiō of condigne merits of works which the Libeller snatched at but durst not for his lugges answere directly to it will make their coozening tricks their legierdemaine so manifest and so vnfold their iuggling and so lay open the nakednesse of late Popery that all the world may perceiue the doctrine which I deliuer which is also the doctrine of the Church of England to be not the new Religion as many silly soules do think but the old Roman Religion from which the late Bishops of Rome by little little haue swarued and the true ancient Catholike faith The doctrine which the Church of England maintayneth and my selfe defends is not a new Religion as the Papists falsely beare the world in hand but the olde ancient Christian Catholike Romane Religiō reformed refined and purged from superstitions errors and heresies which by peece-meale haue crept into the Church Would God the Papists durst once answer my books directly that so the combat for the triall of this controuersy might be foughten valiantly But they are cowards they dare not do it Secondly that when the Libeller saith Nothing brought is hurtfull to Catholike doctrine by which words he euer vnderstandeth late Romish Religion he sheweth himself to be an impudent lyar with a shamelesse brazen face For Iosephus Angles doth not only tel the Pope and in him all his popish vassals that the best works of all considered in their owne nature and natural value are vnworthy of eternall life but also marke well my words that the best works of all euen with the helpe of Gods grace and the assistance of the holy Ghost are altogether vnworthy of eternall life if Gods promise free acceptation be set apart Where I wish the reader to marke seriously these words prorsus indigna altogether vnworthie which are not mine but the Fryers and are most emphaticall against the late Romish Religion I proued this point of doctrine both by the Scriptures fathers best approued Popish writers yea euen by the verdict of Cardinall Bellarmine himselfe But the Libeller durst not aduenture to encounter me and to grapple with my doctrine I wil now adde some few sentences out of Bellarmine which afore I did not once touch The first sentence At vt bono operi debeatur merces ex iustitio conuentio vel promissio necessaria est non n. tenetur vnus alterius obsequium acceptare nisi cōuentio interuenerit Deus autem non promisit mercedem vita aeternae nisi per Christi gratiā regeneratis et adoptatis But
THE POPES Funerall Containing a plaine succinct and pithy reply to a pretensed answere of a shamelesse and foolish Libell intituled The Forerunner of Bels downfall VVhich is nothing else indeede as the indifferent Reader shall perceiue by the due peruse thereof but an euident manifestation of his owne folly ith the vtter confusion of Poperie and all popish vassals throughout the Christian world 2. Reg. 9. V. 34. Visit yonder cursed woman and burie her for she is a Kings daughter Psal. 58.10 The righteous shall reioyce when he seeth the vengeance of the wicked he shall wash his feete in the blood of the vngodly LONDON Printed by T. C. For William Welby and are to be sold at his shop in Paules Church-yard at the signe of the Grayhound 1605. ⧠To the most puissant wise vertuous learned iudicious and religious Monarch Iames by Gods holy prouidēce and eternal purpose King of great Britain France and Ireland most constant defendor of the auncient Christian Catholike Apostolique Faith and supreme gouernour within his said Realmes Kingdomes territories and Dominions next and immediately vnder the King of heauen ouer all persons and ouer all causes aswell Ecclesiasticall as ciuill GReat is the deepenesse most gracious Soueraigne of the wisedome and knowledge of the euerliuing God vnsearchable are his iudgements his waies past finding out Hee bindeth the waters in his Clouds and the cloud is not broken vnder them He so limiteth the floods that they neither doe nor can ouerflowe He shut vp the Sea with doores when it issued forth as out of the wombe His decree staied her proud waues appointed her bounds whether she should come but no farther He doth great vnsearchable and maruellous things without number Yea his mercies and fauours towards my sillie selfe a most wretched creature and vnworthie for any desert in my selfe to tread vppon the ground are so many so great and so wonderfull that I stand amazed at the remembrance thereof being farre vnable with Penne and Inke to expresse the same The rehearsall of one may suffice for the present Being student at Rome in the English Colledge not long afore my arriuall in this Kingdome and on a time walking abroad to take the ayre with many other of the same Colledge when we came without one of the Posterne gates of the Citie we espied certaine Bufloes with their Keeper at the Riuer-side Which spectacle as vnpleasant to the eye so also most terrible to the heart my fellowes and countrey-men no sooner behelde but they betooke themselues to their best speede My selfe more bolde therein then wise would not amend my pace and so remained bird alone Sodainly the furious raging and cruell Bufloes brake from their keeper and with great violence rage and furie came vpon me My fellowes standing a farre off vpon the toppe of an high mountaine durst not for their liues approach to afford me any comfort helpe aide or succour They neither did nor could expect any other thing saue onely present and moste cruell death Howbeit most gratious Soueraigne the wilde cruell raging and furious Bufloes a thing very strange rare and wonderfull if a miracle let the Reader iudge did no hurt vnto me at all but sported with mee as one childe playeth with another After a while the furious Bufloes left mee and departed in peace from mee At the last my fellowes beholding the departure of the Bufloes and perswading themselues that I was most cruellie slaine came with conuenient speede to visite my corpes But finding me aliue and as liue-like as I was afore we al returned to the Colledge with great ioy and speede The rector of the Colledge could no way be perswaded but that I was very grieuously wounded albeit neither my selfe felt any neither could their eyes or wits discerne any hurt at all saue onely that my face was something bloody by reason of the sodaine fall I gotte while I made hast to haue escaped from the imminent daunger For it had neuer bin knowne or heard among them that euer any man woman or childe escaped with life being once in that kind of daunger to witte in the curtesie of the furious Bufloes Many gaue their censures concerning the fact and euent The generall resolution was this viz. That I might fight with Bufloes in England and haue the vpper hand My selfe did deeme it probable this day me thinketh the same is brought to passe though Gods name be blessed for it in a farre different sense and meaning from that which either they or my selfe did then imagine I thought then to fight against the true professors of Christs Gospell whō I deemed heretiques spiritual Bufloes but God whose wisedome reacheth from end to ende mightily and disposeth all things sweetely ordained me in his eternall purpose to a farre more honourable and sacred Warfare viz. to encounter the trayterous Iesuits and Iesuited popelings and valiantly to fight the battell of Christs Church against those most furious brainlesse cruell Bufloes of mens soules When Saul breathing out slaughter against the Saints of God desired of the high Priests letters by vertue whereof he might bring all to Hierusalem that professed the name of Christ Iesus then our Lord himselfe appeared to him opened his eyes enlightened him with the knowledge of the truth Semblably when my selfe was drowned in the depth of superstitious and erronious Poperie and therein so blinded that I could not discerne trueth from falshood it pleased the same God so to opē the eies of mine heart and soule that I foorthwith beheld as cleerely as the Sunne-shining at noone day late vpstart Poperie farre dissonant from the olde Romane Religion to be battered ouerthrowne and cleane turned vp-side downe and that euen by the cleere euidence plaine verdict and constant doctrine of the best learned Doctors and most renowned writers in the Church of Rome Which metamorphosis and right Christian alteration being wrought in my soule I foorthwith bewayled my former dayes of ignorance very ioyfully embraced the truth in my heart publiquely acknowledged Gods wonderfull operation in mee and most humbly yeelded and submitted my selfe to the mercie of most noble Queene Elizabeth This was the Lords doing and it is wonderfull in our eyes I protest vpon my saluation that I haue at this houre a good testimonie of a well setled conscience and vnspeakable comfort in my soule God make me euer thankfull for this and all other his manifold mercies as I haue also euer had since I first renounced frō my heart the late vpstart Romish Religion For this nowe professed Romish Religion is not as the sillie seduced Papists imagine the old Romane Religion but a new no Religion patched like Mahomets Alcoran and by little and little crept into the Church as I haue prooued elsewhere at large But the Papists being condemned in their own consciences dare not for their liues publish any direct and full answere either to my Motiues
or to my Survey or to any other of my bookes written against them and their pâ—tâ—â—ed Hotch-potch Religion Yet this last moneth of Februarie one shamelesse and namelesse Iesuite hath published not a direct and full answere but a Fore-runner forsooth against mee In which Pamphlet hee turneth himselfe this way that way and euery way saue onely to the marke at which hee neuer aymeth He perceiueth right well that many of the Popelings beginne to stagger at their doctrine and Romish faith because they haue beene so long silent and dare not answere my Bookes For the procuring of which mortall wound he telleth them of a most rare and soueraigne medicine which the Iesuits haue brought out of the new found worlde viz. That my Bookes were answered fiue yeare agoe and that the answere is suppressed hitherto for speciall vnknowne causes but must shortly come abroad Hereof more at large in the proper place Now so it is most excellent King that the Fore-runner would seeme desirous though indeed he desireth nothing lesse to haue a publique dispute and so to fight the combate with me Viua voce and therefore doth hee challenge me daring and redaring me to the same Who if he knew how willingly gladly I am ready to cast him my Gauntlet would doubtlesse vse his words more sparingly in this behalfe In regard hereof most gracious and dread Soueraigne I now prostrate vpon my knees doe most humblie beseech your most excellent Maiestie that it will please your Highnes of your most Princely fauour to graunt your Royall licence and safe conduct for any English Iesuite or Iesuited Papist in the whole worlde that shall haue courage to appeare for the true performance of the challenge in such manner as is in this replie expressed Oh most gratious Soueraigne I am joyfull when I remember this future combat I wish in my heart that it may bee effected with all expedition for I confidentlie perswade my selfe in our Lorde Iesus that his Name shall thereby bee glorified your Maiestie highlie honoured the Papists stricken dead and all true hearted English subiects receiue vnvnspeakeable endlesse comfort If it shall fall out otherwise and that I shall not be found euen in your Maiesties iudgement to haue the victorie and vpper hand I will be content to loose my life for my iust reward as one that hath dishonoured your Maiestie and the cause The Almightie blesse your Maiestie with a long and most happie raigne vpon earth and with eternall glorie in the world to come Amen From my studie this eighteenth of March 1605. Your Maiesties most humble subiect Tho. Bels. How faults escaped in the first Booke may be corrected by the Reader THe Booke for expedition sake was committed to three seuerall Printers by reason whereof the Pages could not bee distinguished with numbers Hence it commeth that the Reader can not so easily find out the faults corrected as he may in some other Bookes Howbeit if hee shall marke the Booke and the Chapters and reckon the Pages from the Chapter vntil he come to that page line in which the fault is named he can not but haue his desire in that behalfe How faults of the first Booke escaped in the Printing are to be corrected In the first Chapter seuenth page and first line the word but must be added before the word here Chap. 1. page 9. line 1. the word worlde must be added before the word well Chap. 2. P. 4. l. 23. the word and must be taken away Chap. 2. P. 4. l. 6. the word were must followe the word and. Chap. 2. P. 5. l. 24 the word they must be added before the word shew Chap. 2. P. 6. l. 14. the word two must be added for the word three Chap. 2. p. 10. l. 20. the word one must goe before the word onely Chap. 2. p 11. l. 5. the word them must be made the chap. 2. p. 11. l. 15. the word doltlesse must be made doltish Chap. 2. p. 13. l. 19. many words are superfluous Chap. 3. p. 2. l. 20. for nor reade not Chap. 3. p. 4. l. 8. for soule in the margent reade soyle chap. 4 p. 2. l. 10. for discourse read discouerie In the Caveat p. 1. l. 16. for OperaepertiuÌ„ reade Operaepretium Ibid. p. 7. l. 20. How faults escaped in the second Booke are to be corrected Chap. 2. p. 2. l. 12. for obiection reade contradiction Chap. 3. page foure l. three and thirtie for so reade Saint Chap. 3. p. 2.23 for his reade the. chap. 7. in the 4. reason for dialogue reade decalogue Some other faults there are but the Reader may very easily discerne them A Table containing the principall contents of all the Chapters Chapters of the first booke Chap. 1. Of the Methode of the discourse with the reason of the same Chap. 2. Of the Libellers notorious vntruthes lyes and slaunders Chap. 3. Of the libellers foolish arrogaÌ„t challenge of the name Chap. 4. Of the Romish hotch-potch Religion with the reason Chapters of the second booke Chap. 1. Of dissention among Papists Chap. 2. Of the marriage of Priests Chap. 3. Of a terrible monster without both head and foote Chap. 4. Of Card. Bellermines opinion and doctrine Chap. 5. Of the condigne merite of workes Chap. 6. Of S. Austens opinion touching involuntarie motions Chap. 7. Of Pope Martins dispensation THE POPES Funerall The first Booke of certaine ridiculous scandalous slaunderous godlesse shamelesse and senselesse extravagants vttered and made salable for a Souse by a most impudent brasen-faced brainelesse and namelesse Libeller in the behalfe of the whole rabble and most cursed crewe of English traiterous Iesuites and others their Iesuited and deuoted vassals CHAP. I. Of the Methode obserued in this discourse together with the reason of the same THe abiect and forlorne cursed crew of Iesuites who by the verdict iudgement and testimonie of the popish Secular Seminarie-priests are notorious lyars coozeners theeues traitours and most wicked men vpon earth feeling them selues pricked galled and deepely goared with the strong reasons euident proofes irrefragable testimonies and invincible demonstrations laid open before the eyes of my readers throughout all my bookes as most strong forts towers stony rockes harder then any flint enuironed on euery side with well fortified bulwarkes rampiers especially seeing and with inward sighs and sobs perceiuing their Pope and Poperie to be turned vpside downe and with deadly woundes to lye a bleeding and all this to be verified by the constant verdict doome of their most famous best learned best approued popish writers thereupon bestirring themselues this way that way euery way like mad-men hopping and skipping in the Alpes and as vagarant persons vpon the stonie Rockes of mount Synai seeking passages but finding none haue at the length called to mind and bethought themselues how they might cunningly though shamefully falsly most damnably dazel the eyes and steale away the hearts of my readers
fire and fagot for the same Howbeit they cannot for shame denie that their famous Bishops Boner of London Tunstall of Durham and Gardiner of Winchester wrote sharply against the vsurped and falsly challenged authoritie of the Bishoppe of Rome Who for all that were neuer termed turne-coates neither by your Popes nor by any of your crew the like I might say of your famous Doctor and Proctor maister Harding and of many others But no man is a turn-coate with you your cursed brood that turneth from the Gospell to your superstitious and Idolatrous Poperie Thirdly I affirme constantly though I glorie not in that behalfe that I neither am Parson Vicar or Curat though the shamelesse lying Libeller charge mee with ietting vp and downe like a cocke of courage vpon the dung-hil and of mine own parish neither did I euer to this day celebrate the holy Communion but the Popish Masse too often neither euer was I authorized by the lawes of our English church to doe it Howbeit I was authorized in time of need where I taught the schoole to reade the common prayers of the Church But all that I did in that behalfe had an ende within the terme of one onely yeare which being true as it is most true indeede I must needes tell our shamelesse Libeller that hee is a shamelesse and impudent lyar Let him remember that a faithfull witnesse will not lie as also that God will destroy them that speake lyes This for the second lye 3 Our shameles lying Libeller telleth his readers that Bels bookes haue long since receiued their answere Marrie Syr he by by addeth a merie iest by way of correction in these expresse words but the answere hath beene hitherto suppressed vpon iust occasion and in another place he telleth vs another like merry iest for he seemes to be the Popes owne iester that fiue Bookes are written against my Motiues and my Survey of Poperie and to giue a grace to his tale he addeth that this supposed answere was finished fiue yeares agoe here is a most cozening legierdemain Here the Iesuites play their parts and shew themselues not onely egregious lyars and most cursed deceiuers but also as the priests write of them the most wicked men that liue vpon the earth it was not without great cause that the learned Papists in France published a booke against them which they named the Iesuites Catechisme in which booke shew at large that the further a Iesuite goes the louder he lyes An other booke intituled the Franke discourse affirmeth constantlie that the Iesuits neuer harboured in their heartes any other proiect but the subuersion of States disauthorizing of Magistrates seducing of subiects from their allegeance The aforenamed Catechisme saith in another place that the whole processe of Iesuits is nothing else but a particular cozening of our priuate families and a generall villanie of all the countries where they inhabite Now sir that we may the better perceiue the legierdemain of this cozening companion impudent Sycophant and shamelesse Libeller who like a deceitfull Iugler tucketh vp his sleeues layeth open his hands before our eyes and maketh a pretence of the plainest dealing that can be vsed we must call to our remembrāce what a brother of his E. O or the selfe same Robert Parsons if ye will told vs aboue three yeares agoe viz. that the confutation of my Bookes was then vndertaken and to bee published if it should bee thought expedient This is a matter of great importance and therefore will I make rehearsall of his owne wordes These are they as they came from his own forge pen To these former he speaketh of two very famous writers M. Doctor Sutcliffe and M. Willet I was once determined to haue adoyned a reformed brother of theirs one Thomas Bell natiue of Rascall in Yorkeshire who since his last illumination hath published certaine bookes against the Catholique Church vaunteth mightily and with insolent words braueth all Seminaries But I altered my purpose partly vpon other considerations but especially because the confutation of his worthy works is already vndertakē to be published if it shall bee thought necessarie Thus writeth E. O or Robert Parsons the brasen faced Iesuit whom we now know right well Out of these wordes of these two Iesuits as they would seeme but both are one onely indeed euē Robert Parsons a most notorious cozening trick is offered to our considerations For the detector marke well my wordes telleth vs that the confutation of my bookes when he published his Libel was but vndertaken by his fellowes that is to say it was then concluded amongst his brethren that my Bookes should bee answered Nowe the supposed answere to my Bookes being then at the most but in fieri not in facto esse as the Schooles terme it viz. being at that time but in hand or in doing at the most and not done or finished indeed Nay it was but then resolued amongst them that some answere should bee made vnto my Bookes And therefore saith Parsons the detector that hee was once determined to haue said somthing against my books but hearing that his fellowes were about the same matter he altered his purpose Well this detection was published but in the yeare 1602. let the time be remembred Nowe sir the fore-runner singeth another song and affirmeth desperately but to his vtter shame and confusion that forsooth my Bookes were answered fiue yeares agoe And least some should obiect against him that it seemes otherwise because no man can see them reade them or heare of them hee to preuent that obiection telleth vs that the answere is suppressed and vpon iust occasion stayed from the publication Because indeede there is no such answere in Rerum natura or else which is worse when they had well viewed their said answer it seemed so deformed and ill fauoured in their eyes that they were ashamed to publish it Let vs put together these two seueral assertions Out of the forerunner wee haue it affirmed for a truth such a truth euer vnderstand as is currant amongst the Iesuits that my bookes my Motiues and Suruey were answered fiue yeares agoe that is to say almost three whole yeares before the answere was begunne For the answere was finished saith the forerunner fiue yeares agoe viz. An. 1599. and the same answere was but vndertaken in the yeare 1602. as the detector telleth vs. These Iesuits their asseuerations are much like to Sampsons Foxes That is to say their tailes are tied together but their heads and mindes are farre asunder So then this must needes be the conclusion that my bookes were answered fiue yeares agoe and yet vnanswered two yeares agoe This in my conceit is not onely a Riddle but a plaine miracle Yet such a miracle vnderstand as the Iesuits wrought vpon Sebastian the late King of Portingall of which miracle I haue written
that we may in manner aforesaid grapple together If he refuse this condition so reasonable so iust so indifferent no remedie but I must come vpon him with a lawe case of Nouerint vniuersi Be it knowne vnto all men that the date of his learning is out his great and flowing courage daunted and drawne drie proclaime him contemptible and banckrout hauing broken with his own dependants and creditors and expose him for a iesting-stocke to all Christian people from generation to generation world without end Amen Againe in another place hee writeth thus the Minister braggeth and braueth others to disputation either by word or writing and like a desperate coward feareth not to fight with any prouided alwaies that they be far enough off and himselfe out of al daunger haec ille Then he telleth a long tale of the Coliar of Croyden of his brethren in Wisbich and of maister Wright reproaching me charging me with cowardnesse for that I went not to them To which vnseasoned challenge and insolent bragges I answere in this maner First that he is a coward who being challenged dareth not accept nor answere the same nor he that challengeth if he be readie to performe withall whatsoeuer is contained in his challenge And consequently that not my selfe am a coward but our Libeller all other English Iesuites and Iesuited Papists That they are cowards it is apparant to the world seeing they durst neuer to this day accept my challenge and offer made vnto them albeit I offered it at the publication of my first booke to be effected either in England or in any other part of Christendome This is so cleere and euident that our Libeller graunteth the same in these wordes was hee vnwilling to take so long a iourney No iust cause of any such suspition when hee affirmeth about the like businesses with a safe conduct to repaire into any part of Christendome Thus doth hee write Now let the indifferent Readers speake the truth whether my selfe or the Iesuites and Iesuited papists are truly termed cowardes I wonder before God I speake it that they are not ashamed thus to confound themselues and to murder their owne soules and bodies desperately and malitiously by lying slaundering and couzening trickes They giue manifest signes that they are giuen vp in reprobum sensum and become the children of perdition Is hee a coward that offereth to come into any part of Christendome vpon the safe conduct of any Christian king there to make trial of that which he hath written No doubtlesse no man in his right wits will say it Yet we see that our Libelber affirmeth both the one and the other No No their combes are cut their crests are falne they stand amazed with feare their spirits rampant are made couchant their doome will soone appeare Amen Secondly that the Libellers brethren in Wisbich and maister Wright in the Clinke if their courages had not failed them would haue accepted the challenge and haue requested that the trial might haue bene made heere in England but they had no such desire Againe the Iesuites might easily haue procured a safe conduct and so haue called me beyond the Seas And that done if I had refused to performe my challenge they might with reason haue exclaimed against me But seeing their courages failed them and that they went neuer about the matter I may with great reason both exclaime and declaime against them and truly tell them all that they are cowards indeede Thirdly seeing the Recusants in Yorke refused to talke with me it gaue me iust cause to suspect that the rest would haue done the like especially seeing none of them durst vndertake to answere the challenge Fourthly the best triall is to be made by writing the reasō is euidēt for sundry respects First because the Parties may better consider the matter and lay downe their conceits more orderly Secondly because many men of good vnderstanding haue weake memories Thirdly because sundry for their present wit and excellent memorie are farre ouermatches extempore for many learned men who indeede are better learned then themselues multis parasangis Fourthly bicause the vulgar people are caried away with sugred words if they be deliuered with a flowing tongue howsoeuer they be void of truth Fiftly because the truth cannot wholy and truly be reported for that none can write so fast as words doe passe in any disputation Sixtly because littera scripta manet but wordes passe as the winde Many other reasons may bee alledged but these for this time shall suffice Lastly these things notwithstanding I haue lately sent a booke to the presse before the Libellers booke came to my hands In which booke I haue made a new challenge to all English Iesuites and Iesuited persons whosoeuer of them listeth and dareth to accept the same VVhich challenge containeth a full answere to the challenging Libeller although I had sent it toward the Presse before I either saw his challenge or heard any thing thereof VVhich challenge I doe at this present renewe afresh and doe adde this vnto the same viz. that if the Libeller or any other Iesuite or Iesuited English Papist whosoeuer shall haue a minde heart and courage with the helpe and aduise of al other Papists tagge and ragge none excepted to publish in Print a direct iust and full answere to my booke intituled the down fall of Poperie answering the booke directly and fully not omitting the chiefest groundes foundations authorities and reasons as the sillie Fidler and shamelesse Libeller hath done snatching here a peece there a peece or if he or they dare not deale with that little booke then if hee or they or any of them shall publish in Print a direct full answere either to my booke of motiues or to my booke of the suruey of Poperie leauing no ground foundation authoritie or reason vnanswered or if he or they be afraid to deale with those bookes then if he or they or any of them shal publish or cause to be published in print a direct and ful answere in maner aforesaid to my least book intituled the hunting of the Romish Foxe and shall withal put down his name at large with the vsual addition of his condition order or calling signifying to the world that hee doth accept the challenge or offer then I promise herewith vnder my hand if God shal grant me life and health to fall down prostrate vpon my knees before the feete of the most mightie wise learned and religious Monarch Iames by Gods holy Ordinance King of great Britaine France Ireland and my most gracious Soueraigne then and there most humbly to request a safe conduct for his safe comming safe abiding and safe returning that shall accept the challenge in maner aforesaid and withall performe the answere in manner aforesaide And I protest vppon my saluation to doe with a willing minde and cheerefull heart so much as in me
me lyeth to procure a safe conduct for the safe comming safe abiding and safe departure of him whosoeuer he be that shall accept and vndertake the true performance of the Challenge in manner aforesayd Now if no papist in all the world shall haue courage to defend this short answere which is but an answere to some odde sentences and pieces of my Bookes and of those pieces which themselues haue made choyse of and in their best iudgement singled out as the weakest parts and thinges of least force I cannot but perswade my selfe that all the world knowing and hearing of their dastardly cowardnesse in defending their Religion will forthwith acquit and discharge me of their notorious lyes cozenage and slaunders and withall detest as the deadly poyson of their immortall soules their lyes their iugling their slaunders their legierdemaine and their vsuall cozening trickes wherewith they haue a long time seduced deceiued and bewitched a great part of the Christian world The Libeller in one place chargeth mee thus Be it known to him that he belyeth Iosephus for no such thing as he noteth can bee wronge racked or coniured out of his wordes Againe in another place he chargeth me in this manner I tell him his lippes haue lashed out too lustily and that he hath wickedly slaundered Pope Martin Where the Reader may see euidently that I am peremptorily charged as a most notorious Malefactor with two heynous crimes viz. to haue belyed Iosephus Angles and to haue wickedly slandered Pope Martin Well if I be found nocent and guiltie of these two most heynous crimes then let all the people and nations spit in my face and speake their full pleasures on me in Gods holy name But on the other side if either no papist dare appeare to performe and answere the Challenge and to speake plaine English I thinke it will so fall out or if some foole-hardie Iesuited papist shall appeare who shall fayle in defending the cause and be ouerthrowne in his owne pleading which doubtlesse is the best end that can fall on their side then I hope the people will spit in his face and not that onely but also detest him the pope and all late vpstart Romish Religion Amen The Popes necke is alreadie broken his funerall is prepared and no remedie but he must in all hast be interred And doubtlesse if euer this future expected Challenge come once to handstrokes and valiant bickering viua voce the whole crew of Iesuites and Iesuited papists will thereby receiue such mortall woundes that they must shortly be interred after their pope If any Iesuit or Iesuited papist now in England wheof there is good store haue any hart and corage to defēd their Fore-runner let him signifie so much in manner required in my Challenge that we may grapple together viua voce while I am in London They are so earnest to know my reply that as I heare they fetch euerie proofe from the presse assoone as it is readie If none of them dareth this performe then may all the rest perswade themselues that they hange their soules vpon them who are not able to defend that which they force them to beleeue 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 A Caueet or Christian admonition to the Reader AFter my Reply against a shamelesse Libel intituled the Fore-runner of Bels downe-fall was sent to the the Presse beeing authorized by higher powers to bee imprinted a sincere Christiā of good esteeme the Lord of Heauen and earth reward his godly zeale acquainted me with a new Fore-runner of Bels downefall so eagerly doe the Papists wish my downe-fall with this newe addition in the Title The second time set forth and such faults corrected as escaped in the first Print as in the Preface is declared To this second Fore-runner of Antichrist and to the Catch-poll of Satan the Preface addressed for an ornament in that behalfe I haue deemed it Operaepertium to adde a briefe censure therunto for the instruction and necessarie satisfaction of the godly and well affected Reader albeit it came so lately to my hands as very hardly I could effect the same A great wonderment it is to mee and if I be not deceiued to all the Sages and wise men of the Christian world what should moue the Author of the Fore-runner so suddenly to set foorth a second Fore-runner immediately after the former If I may diuine and without offence to the Popes holinesse the grauitie of his sanctified Popelings this is the true cause indeed not that with which the Libeller would gladly dazell the eyes of his Reader viz. The Iesuits who rule and ouer-rule all papists in the world I dare not say the Pope himself who haue their spies in euery corner of this land hauing receiued intelligence by their saide Spies that I was in hand with a Reply or answere to their saide Fore-runner and their owne consciences withall condemning them and telling them that they are not able to endure the force and truth of my reply haue laid their heads together deuised the best shift they could to seduce the simple papists which depend vpon them and hang the saluation of their soules vpon their shoulders For thus the case standeth with them They may not read any Booke no nor heare any read vnto them which either my selfe or any other good Christian shall set forth against the Pope or any one iote of Popish religion If otherwise the partie that shall so doe vnlesse hee haue the Popes dispensation is excommunicated Ipso facto deliuered vp to Satan and cast out of the Popish Church Now sir when these simple and sillie Papists alas alas for pitty shall heare of my Reply and shall tell the Iesuits and Iesuited Priests what report flyeth abroad of the condemnation of their Fore-runner and Religion they will tell them roundly a tale of Robin Hood and little Iohn viz. That I haue not answered their Booke at all but another counterfeit Pamphlet deuised by mine owne braine This to be so I proue by a triple meane First because the Libeller denyeth to acknowledge hat Pamphlet to be his owne against which I haue framed my Replye Secondly because the second Fore-runner is in euery Chapter in euery Page in euery sentence and Period the very same in true sense and meaning with the former Fore-runner of Bels downfall yea so many faults haue escaped in the latter Print as in the first To which I must needes adde that as I did not once touch their faults escaped in the first Print no more doe I say any thing against the faultes escaped in the second Print For I doe and euer did scorne to take any aduantage against the Author by reason of that which chanceth through the default of the Printer Thirdly because himselfe freely granteth that he doth not so much lamēt the losse of the books of the first Print as it grieueth him to think that any be escaped to carry newes