King hath not behaved himself according to his duty for he hath accommodated himself in his behaviour more of the affection of our a a Sâ—r Jâ—hn Maitland Chancellor who is of the faction of England and abuseth the credit he hath with the King then according to the instructions given him He hath not presented nor made mention to the King of Colonel Simpills letter whereof I have caused the Copy to be presented to his Majesty by the Earl Bothwell as if it had been sent to him with another of the said Colonels to himself which he received from Thomas Tyrie at his arrival who hath reported to the said Chancellor as that Seigneur Don b b Dâ—n Bernardino de Mendâ—za the Spanish Ambassador in France to carry on the Spanish interest and League against the French King Bernardino spake to him in Paris to the disadvantage of the Chancellor Also he hath reported to the King that my Lord c c He means Mr William Chesholme Uncle to Sir Jameâ— and Mr. John Bishop of Dumblane being returned thither spake to your Highness and to others many things to the great prejudice of his d d The King Highness And it is believed also that he is the cause of the suspition which was conceived of the coming of the said John Chesholme newly to the said Bishop However it be the other reports aforesaid which he hath made have not served to conciliate but to alienate the affection of the King of the Chancellor and many other Hereticks from the said Seigneur Don Bernardino the said Bishop and Catholicks here that have to do with them As for my self although I speak not willingly to the disadvantage of any whatsoever chiefly of them whom I have recommended as I did the said Thomas Tyrie to the said Don Bernardino yet I will prefer the love of the truth to men and would not by concealing thereof bring prejudice to the common good nor to the fidelity that the one oweth to the other and especialy to that we owe all to the King of Spain and your Highness to whom I am presently servant particularly addicted by the obligation of five hundred Crowns of e e The Scotch calls it 500 Crowns of â—eâ—il fee and forty for monthly entertainment which it hath pleas'd your Highness to give me freely in the name of the King of Spain not being required for my part nor other thing for my particular to this present By reason whereof I am the more bound to give your Highness most humble thanks and to endeavour my self to deserve by my most humble and faithfal service as well the said entertainment as the recompence it hath pleas'd your Highness to promise me of your grace and favour The said gift of your liberality came well for my purpose seeing by reason of the danger of my person it behooved me to augment my ordinary train for my greater surety which I was not able longer to have born out without help For from all the Lords of Scotland I have not retain'd but a part onely of the money which I spent travelling for the advancement of this Cause in Spain with his Catholick Majesty and with your Highness in the Low-Countries As for the four hundred Crowns imploy'd for the deliverance of Colonel Simpill out of prison I have put it in Count with the residue which I disbursed of the first sum according as it hath pleas'd your Highness to command me The Earl of Morton to whom I have given consolation by writing in prison hath instantly prayâ—d me also by writing to remember his most affectionate care to your Highness finding himself greatly honour'd by the care it pleas'd you to have of him By the grace of God he is no more in danger of his life by way of Justice it being impossible for his enemies to prove against him any thing which they had supposed in his accusation as also the Kings affection not so far alienate from him as it hath been heretofore And in case he were in danger or that it were requisite for the good of our Cause presently to deliver him we can at any time get him out of prison However in the mean time we wait the Kings pleasure towards his liberty oâ—â—ly to avoid all pursuit that they would make if we deliver him by extraordinary means When in the Kings Name they offer'd him his liberty if he would subscribe the Confession of the Hereticks faith he answered He would not do it for the Kings Crown nor for an hundred thousand lives if he had them to loose and hath offer'd to confound the Ministers by publick disputation I shall sollicite the Lords his friends to procure of the King his liberty very soon for he imports more to the good of our Cause then any of the rest by reason of his Forces which are near England and the principal Town of Scotland and the ordinary Residence of our King as also he is a Lord the most resolute constant and of greatest execution of any of the Catholicks It is no small marvel considering the means the Hereticks have to hurt us and their worldly wits so far passing ours and their evil will and intention against us that me subsist Truely we cannot but attribute the effect thereof to God who when the certain news of the returning of the a a The Spaenish Armado being beat a gâ—eat part of them fled Noâ—h wards round about Scotland and so â—eturn'd home by Ireland Army of Spain by the back of Ireland was dispersed through the Country and the Hereticks of the Faction of England triumphed and the constancie in the outward profession of the Earl of Huntley and others was alter'd caused the Earl of b b Archibald Deuglas Earl of Angâ—s dyed at Smeâ—â— near Dalkeith Jaly 1588 supposed by witchcraft or other evil means Angus to dye who was the chief of the English Faction And the same time grew some dissentions amongst the Hereticks by reason of some Offices which some pretended to usurp above others at Court And by the instant prayers and holyperswasions of two Fathers Jesuites converting to our holy faith two Heretick Earls of the chiefest of Authority amongst them the one whereof is called the Earl of Arrol Constable of Scotland converted by Father Edmund Hay the other called the Earl of Crawford converted by the foresaid Father William Creichton They are both able and wise young Lords and most desirous to advance the Catholick Faith and your enterprises in this Island which they are determin'd to testifie to his Catholick Majesty and your Highness by their own Letters which by the Grace of God I will send by the first opportunity In the mean time they have required me to make you offer of their most humble and most affectionate service promising to follow whatsoever the same Jesuites and I shall think good to be done for the conservation of the Catholicks and to dispose and faciliate the
ours here That I may testifie by this present the affection that I have to the Weal of the one and the other having ever before my conversion been one of the number of your friends and servants for the respect of the last to the which the first of Religion which is the greatest and most important that is in the world being joyned thereto I am also become altogether yours which I most humblie beseech your Highness cause to be signified to his Catholick Majestie and to promise him in my behalf that he hath not in this Countrie a more affectionate servant then I neither yet your Highness as you shall understand more amply of my intention in particular by him by whom your Highness shall receive this present To whom after I have most humbly kist your hand I beseech the Creator to give you the accomplishment of your holy desires Your Highness most humble and most affectionate Servant Francis Earl of Errol From Edinbrough this XXIV of January M D LXXXIX At the same time the foresaid Mr. Robert Bruce the chief Agent writ to Francisco Aguirre a Spaniard then at Antwerp telling him that when he is again sent into Scotland Cause your self to be set on land near Seaton where I pray you to enter secretly and there you shall be kept till I come and finde you c. The following part of this Letter was writ in such cunning and obscure terms that they could not understand it We formerly heard of the imprisonment of some Lords for their Rebellion and now the King thinking for ever to make them his by his grace and favour releaseth them all freely onely Morton enter'd bond of an hundred thousand pound Scotch not to practice any more against him or Religion But in most the King found himself mistaken For William Creichton the Jesuite being forced to leave Scotlâ—nd year 1590 gets into Spain where he becomes Agent for the Old Cause Hath several consultations with King Philip how to advance the business and having brought all things to a fair pass sends Mr. William Gordoun son to the Laird of Abiryeldie with Letters to Mr. a He dyed at Paris 1620 aged 77 years he writ Controversiarum Christianae fidei Epitomen 1591. James Gordoun a Jesuit and brother on the Fathers side to George Earl of Huntley whereby he gave him and the Romanists in Scotland to understand what pains he had taken with the Spanish King and that the said King had confess'd to him that he had been deceived by the English and so would for the future follow the way and advice given him by the said Creichton both for the invading of England and the alteration of Religion in Scotland And the better to carry all on the said Creichton desired as many Blanks and Procurations as could be had of the Scotch Noblemen for the greater credit and assurance of his dealings and agitations At this the Romanists take heart and not to seem wanting on their parts they deal with some of the Nobility from whom they get Blanks subscribed two of which were procured of them by Sir James Chesholme one of the Kings chief Servants one of them year 1592 was thus subscribed in French De vostre Majestie tres humble tres obeisant Serviteur Guiliame Compte de Anguss Another thus subscribed De vostre Majestie tres humble tres obeisant Serviteur Franzoys Compte de Errol Other two Blanks were procured of them in Latine by Robert Abircrumby the Jesuite one of the main sticklers in these plots Thus Guilielmus Angusie Comes Another thus Franciscus Errollie Comes Other two Blanks were procured by Mr. George Ker brother to the Lord Newbottle thus subscribed Georgius Comes de Huntlie All these several Blanks should have been fill'd up and supplyed by way of Letters to the King of Spain and Credentials or Certificâ—â—â—s in behalf of the said Creichton at the discretion of the â—â—â—d Creichton and a There was one Jâ—mes Tyâ—ie a Scotch Jeâ—â—iâ—e wâ—o dyâ—â— at Râ—me 1597 and wâ—it under the nâ—â—e oâ— Gâ—â—â—g◠〈…〉 de Anâ—â—â—â—itaâ—e Eâ—cles Sâ—â—tiâ— buâ— whether this was the same Tâ—rie I know 〈◊〉 James Tyrie who should have writ over them what he thought most fit to carry on the Caâ—se Besides these there were two other Blanks thus subscribed in the midst of two open sheets of Paper Guillielmus Angussie Comes Georgius Comes de Huntlie Franciscus Errollie Comes b This â—â— Patrâ—â—k â—â—dâ—n 〈…〉 of 〈…〉 was Unâ—â—â—â— the â— â—oâ— Hanâ—â—â— Patricius Gordoun de Auchindoun Miles One of these two last Blanks should have been fill'd up with Procurations and whatsoever the said Creichton and James Tyrie should think fit for the confirmation of that which Mr. George Ker who was to carry them had in direction and credit from the Subscriberâ— The other to contain the Articles to be concluded on â—or the better security both of King Philip and the Scotch Nobility The sum of which credit was an assurance that these Noblemen should raise a power of Horse-men and meet the Spanish Army at their landing and to assist and accompany them into England And for farther encouragement these c Subscribers took the burthen on them and engaged that all the Romanists in Scotland would joyn and assist in the said Cause Besides these Subscriptions the Earls of Anguss Huntlie and Arrol deliver'd their Seals or Coats of Armes in wax for a further confirmation Nor did they doubt of carrying all before them the King of Spain having promis'd to send them by the latter end of Spring 1592 an Army of thirty thousand men to have landed either at Kirkudbricht in Galloway or at the mouth of Clyde according as the wind served And besides this to send good store of money to raise Forces in Scotland and to supply the said Army whereof a In this I follow the Scotch Copies of the Examinâ—tions but Archbishop Spotswood hath 15000. pag. 390. which I suppose to be a mistake in the Printer four or five thousand should remain within Scotland who with the assistance of the Romanists there should alter the Religion and the rest of the Army was to pass into England For the carrying of these Blanks and some Letters into Spain they had once concluded that Sir James Chesholme one of King James his chief Servants should be the Messenger being through-paced for the Cause he having then occasion to pass over to his Uncle William Chesholme by them call'd Bishop of Dumblane but the said Sir James being let by some private business that he could not be ready soon enough they pitch'd upon the foresaid Mr. George Ker Doctor of the Laws brother to the Lord Newbottle But he was b Decemb. 27. 1592. he was taken by Mr. Andrew Knox Minister of Pasley and afterwards Bishop of the Isles Ker was imprisoned but afterwards escaped apprehended as he was taking Ship and his blanks and other Letters seiz'd on some of which Letters take as followeth
out and thrown in also lastly his head was cut off and fixt upon the most eminent place of the City and his body divided and parts of it sent to the chief places in the Kingdom As for Robert Graham he was thus punished a Gallows was raised in a Cart then he had his right-hand nailed to it and so drawn along the streets whilst the Executioners with burning Pincers tâ—re pieces from his Shoulders Thighs and suchlike fleshy places which were farthest from his Vitals thereby to keep him the longer alive and in greater pain yet did these terrors bring little repentance to him as may be ghâ—st by his impious answer for being asked during all these tortures How he durst lay hands on his Prince made this Reply That if he had Heaven and Hell at his choice he durst leap out of Heaven and all the joys there into the flaming bottom of Hell At last having all his flesh almost pull'd off his Heart and Intrails were thrown into the fire his Head stuck up and his Quarters sent to several places for a terror to others And here I shall hastily pass by the unfortunate Raign of King James III how his own Subjects covenanted against him confined or forced him to Edinbourgh Castle and at last came to open Battel against him at Bannoch-Burn not far from Sterlin where his Army being beaten he was after in cold blood murdered in the Mill but whether this abominable murther was done by Patrick Lord Gray Robert Sterling of Keer or Andrew Borthwick a Priest or all of them must be left as their Histories hath it uncertain Sect. 4. The deaths of Henry the Sixth and Edward the Fifth Kings of England BUt leaving Scotland here might I treat of the miseries of England at the same time of the long but unfortunate Raign of good Henry VI of his dethronement and which was worst of his year 1471 murther in the Tower of London as the common opinion goeth by a Bacons Hist Hen. VII pag. 2. Richard Duke of Glocester afterwards call'd Richard the III. Though Mr. b Hist Rich. III. pag â—0 Spondan calls him a Martyr an 1471. § 6. Buck of late would deny the fact and clear the said Richard from this and all other imputations laid to him by all other Historians The body of this King Henry was carryed to Chertsey in Surrey and there buryed in the Monastery belonging to the Benedictines And 't is said that many Miracles have been done at his grave above two hundred of which was gather'd into one c Vâ—d Harâ—sfield Hist Eccles p. 595. Volume nor was there any disease but they say was cured by him Blind Lame Dumb Kings-evil and what not And as if these were not enough they make him cure another Miracle viz. a Woman that used to go with Childe above d Ib. p. 596. two years Richard III envying the fame of Henry if we may believe King * Spelman Concil tom 2. pag. 71â— Henry VII removed the Corps from Chertsey to the Chappel of Windsor where he was also worshipped by the name of Holy King Henry and here they say that his Red-velvet-Hat e Stow pag. 424. heal'd the Head-ach of such as put it on their heads there his body rested for a time but now his Tomb being taken thence it is not commonly known what is become of his body 'T is true King Henry VII had a desire to have it removed to Westminster to which purpose the Abbot desired the f Spelâ— Concil pag. 712 71â— consent of Pope Alexander VI. King Henry VII also desired to have this Henry VI Canonized to which purpose he wrote to the said Alexander who gave the Archbishop of Canterbury and the Bishop of Durham g Spelm. pag. 720. Authority to inquire into his Miracles and Life Nor did Henry VII cease here but Alexander dying he sollicited h Harpsfield pag. 594. Julius II very earnestly and some think that had the King lived a little longer he had obtain'd his request But this I shall leave with these words of Edward Hall These and other like Offices of Holiness Ed. Halâ—'s Châ—on fol. 223. b. caused God to work miracles for him in his life-time as old men said By reason whereof King Henry VII not without cause sued to July Bishop of Rome to have him Canonized as other Saints be but the fees of the Canonizing of a King were so great a quantity at Rome more then the Canonizing of a Bishop or a Prelate although he sate in St. Peters Chair that the said King thought it more necessary to keep his money at home for the profit of his Realm and Country rather then to impoverish his Kingdom for the gaining of a new Holy-day of St. Henry remitting to God the judgement of his will and intent And here passing by the cruel death of the young Innocent Prince Edward eldest Son to this King Henry VI in cold bloud after the fight at Tewkes-bury I might come to Edward V and shew how he was deposed by his Uncle Richard by means of his wicked Instruments Stafford Duke of Buckingham Dr. John Shaw Brother to Edmond Shaw Gold-smith then Lord Mayor of London and suchlike and from this I might lead you to the making away of the said young Innocent Prince Edward and his Brother by the means of the said Richard III but because all Histories will not exactly agree upon the manner how I shall refer you to the Chronicles themselves where the juggle if not the murthers may be seen at large Sect. 5. The troubles in Spain and the miseries of Don Henry the Fourth King of Castile and Leon by reason of his proud and rebellious Nobility IF we look into Spain we shall finde those Territories miserably wasted by Tumults and Rebellions we might see how the young King of Castile Henry III was so neglected by his proud and L. de Mayâ—â—â— Hist d' 〈◊〉 liâ— 18 19 20 21. greedy Nobility who pocketed up his Revenues that once he was forced to pawn one of his Robes for two Shoulders of Mutton to help out his Supper And we might see their Rebellions against his Son King John II whose troublesome Reign might be an Item to Kings to beware of confiding in and favouring too much one Subject by the neglect of the rest And the unhappy end of the Constable Don Alvaro de Luna may be a caution to the greatest favourites in their carriage for Kings at last in whose protection lyeth their greatest safety may be perswaded to leave them to Justice and then no mercy can be expected from the solong-abused Law and People But proceed we to greater troubles and misfortunes then these This King John II had by his First wife Maria of Arragon HENRY IV King of Castile and Leon. Leonora Catharine dyed young Second Wife Isabel of Portugal Daughter to D. Jean Master of S. Jago Son to John I. King of Portugal Alphonso whom
the people in opposition to Henry Crowned King ISABEL upon her Brother Henry's death Queen of Castile and Marryed Ferdinand of Arragon whereby those two Crowns were joyn'd This Henry IV succeeded in the Kingdoms of Castile and Leon year 1454 after the death of his Father John II. Henry was civil and courteous never Thou'd any body were he never so mean he was also liberal a lover of peace but that which spoil'd all he was too careless in his Government not desiring to trouble himself much with the affairs of his Kingdom which with his Clemency made his proud Nobles neglect and in the end despise him To tell all his misfortunes would be too tedious In short several of his Nobility made a League against him one of the chief of whom was Don Alphonso Carillo the Archbishop of Toledo They carryed their plot cunningly and secret and if a discovery should happen they had either fair pretensions or a jugling carriage with which they knew it was an easie matter to pacifie the King The King had notice of their League and desired to confer with the Marquess De Villena one of their Chieftains and some others they refuse to come to him At last De Villena upon Hostages given to his party and a safe-conduct meets the King but comes well provided and guarded with his Faction and Friends by whose assistance he was so strong that he resolved to seize upon the King and the Infanta's Isabel and Alphonso and once made year 1464 a violent attempt upon the Court but finding the King who had notice of the Plot too well provided turn'd all ofâ— with a fair excuse and the King was too apt to pardon and believe all to be for the best Another time they had laid a plot to be let in secretly into their Lodgings there to seize on the King the Queen the Infanta's and to dispatch their Enemies but this was by chance also discover'd and so prevented yet would not the King punish Villena because he had given him his word of security These failing they contrived to seize upon him under pretence of a Conference but of this also the King having intelligence he prevented their Treachery The Covenanters finding their plots discover'd flee to open Arms and draw up several Articles against the King and the better to countenance their Cause they pretended great care and friendship to the Kings Brother Alphonso At last a kinde of peace is struck up Alphonso declared Heir to the Crown and Commissioners on both sides appointed to end all differences and Alphonso is sent to the Confederates to render them more peaceable by his presence and their thus enjoying of what they desired Now the King hoped nothing more than an happy peace but he found himself betray'd on all hands For whilst the Commissioners were consulting the Archbishop of Toledo and Don Frederick the Admiral made shew as if they had fallen out with Marquess De Villena were weary of the League and so came over to the King to whom they profer'd their service His Majesty rejoyceth at this but was presently in troubles again by reason of the treachery of his Commissioners who being won over by the Confederates had consented to a dishonourable peace whereby nothing remain'd to the King save onely the name And this grief was doubled by another misfortune for he having sent to Don Gomes de Cacerez Master of Alcantara and Don Pedro Puertro Carero Earl of Medillino his trusty friends to come to him it fortuned that whilst they were upon their journey they met with Alvaro Gomes Secretary to the King and Ganzalo of Sahavedra one of the Kings Commissioners both now turn'd to the Confederates These two Traytors told the other two Nobles a smooth and sad story of the Kings displeasure against them how he had given order to have them seiz'd on and so it would not be safe for their Lordships to fall within the reach of the King These Lords thus falsely perswaded of the Kings displeasure forgot their honours and joyned themselves also with the Leaguers But yet the Kings misfortune grew worse and worse for the Archbishop of Toledo and the Admiral carryed themselves so cunningly that Henry ever put his greatest confidence in them And though he was secretly advised not to trust too much to them nor to commit any Forces to their charge assuring him that they waited but that opportunity and then would deliver them with themselves over again to the Leaguers yet to all these Informations would he give no credit but confer'd upon them several places of strength furnish'd them with money and gave them Commissions to raise Souldiers with an Order to meet him with their Forces at Arevalo which place he designed with their assistance to besiege To â—his Siege the King goeth and wondering the Archbishop came not he sent Fernand Badajos one of his Secretaries to hasten his March The Secretary meets him and his Troops marching towards Avila the Rendevouz of the Confederates delivereth his message but from the Archbishop gets nothing but this answer Tell your King from me that I am weary both of him and his affairs and that shortly the true King of Castile shall be known This was sad news At the same time cometh information that the Admiral also had play'd the knave seiz'd on Valladolid proclaimed young Alphonso King so joyned himself also with the Rebels At which the King full of grief and amazement kneel'd upon the ground lifting up his hands to Heaven thus humbly pray'd O Lord God! unto whom belongeth the defence and protection of Kings and by whom they reign I recommend my Cause unto thee and commit my life into thy hands I yeild thee infinite thanks that it hath pleas'd thee thus to punish me for mine offences which are worthy of a sharper scourge And I confess that the same which I suffer is very small in respect of my deserts May it please thee O Lord that these troubles may diminish the pains which are due to my soul in regard of my sins and if it be thy will that I shall pass through these miseries and afflictions I beseech thee from the bottom of my heart to give me patience to endure them and reason and understanding to guide my self in them In the mean time the Confederates meet before Avila before June 1465. which City in the plain fields they erect a great Scaffold on which was placed the Statue of King Henry in a Mourning Habit sitting in a Regal Throne the Crown on his head the Scepter in his hand and the Sword laid before it Upon the Scaffold the Archbishop of Toledo with some others ascended and a Paper was read by which Henry was degraded it contain'd four chief points I. As deserving to be deprived from the dignity of a King at which the Archbishop took the Royal Crown from its head II. That he was no more worthy to administer Justice at which the Earl of Placencia took
with other consolations most convenient to moderate the dolour and displeasure conceived in the hearts of the Catholiques by reason of the success of your a a Viz. the Spanish Fleet 1588. Army contrary to their hope and expectation Also some days after as the commodity offer'd to me to receive the money the said Chesholme delivered to me six thousand two hundred threescore and twelve Crowns of the sun and three thousand seven hundred Spanish Pistolets and likewise hath carryed himself in all his actions since very wisely and as becomes a man of God chiefly when upon the suspicion conceived of his sudden return the King sent to take him I shall behave my self by the Grace of God in keeping and distributing of the mony last sent and of that which resteth yet of the sum according to your Highness prescription and as I ought to answer to God in conscience and to your Highness in credit and to the whole world in the Reputation of an honest man and will manage it in such sort that by the grace of God there shall be fruit drawn thereof pleasant to your Highness It is true that I finde as all others would do that would enterprise such a charge here my self involved in great difficulties For on the one part I am in great danger of the Hereticks and them of the Faction of England by reason of the open Profession that I make of the Cathâ—lick Religion and of the suspition that the last hath of my secret practices and dealings against them On the other part I have much ado to moderate the Appetite that some Catholick Lords have to havâ— the mony presently for the hope which they give of some pretended occasions which will never fall out as they promise The Earl of Huntley made instance to have the third part of the sum which was sent hither as soon as it was delivered to me but he hath not toucht nor shall he touch hereafter a half-penny but upon good tokens I have paid him in the mean time with inexpugnable reasons wherewith in the end he is contented I beseech your Highness by the first Letter it shall please you to write into these parts to the Catholick Lords to remove one errour from a a Huntley Lord Maxwell alias Mortoun and Lord Claud Hamilton three of them who have written in the name of the rest which moves them to think that because they were the first who made offer of their service to the Catholick King that all the money which comes hither should be parted into three and immediately after the arrival thereof delivered to them without giving any part to others who besides them are a great number at the service of the Catholick King and you and who are resolved to hazard all according to their power for the advancement of this Cause Nor will they in any sort depend on the other in the accepting of the Treasure that comes from your liberality but acknowledge it as coming directly from your Highness to whom onely they will be bound and obliged and not to the other three of whom the Earl q Mortoun hath hitherto contented himself with reason As b Lord Mazwell also the Earl of Huntley hath never shewn himself subject to money but since he hath been induced by the third to wit my Lord Claude Hamilton his Vncle who is somewhat covetous of gain and thought under such pretext to make his profit The said Earl of Huntley is constrain'd to remain at Court he is fallen from his constancie in his outward profession of the Catholick Religion partly for having lost all hope of your support before the returning of the said Chesholme because of his long stay there partly by the perswasion of some Politicks partly to avoid the perils imminent to all them that call themselves Catholicks partly to keep himself in the favour of his King who pressed him greatly to subscribe to the Confession of the Hereticks and to be at League with England But for all this his heart is no whit alienated from our Cause for he hath always a good soul although he hath not such vigour to persevere and execute so as is requisite in so great an enterprise But they may help the defects by joyning with him a man of Credit resolute to assist him as we have advised to do since the Baron of b b David Graham Laird of Fintrie In Scotland the Barons were either Great or Small of the latter were Knights and Lairds and none were such formerly but those who held Lands of the King in Capite and had power of life death but now every one will be a Laird as in England an Esquire forsooth Fintrie is put in custody by the King in the Town of Dundee so that he durst not go out of the Gates thereof under the pain of a great sum until occasion may be offered to depart the Country within the limited time And I by the Kings commandment am forbiden to come neer the said Earl because they have attributed to the said Laird of Fintrie and me his constancie in the Catholick Religion and his absence from Court against the Kings will c c i. e. Laird of Fintrie His securement hath somewhat hindred our course and permits me not to move him as it hath pleas'd you to command me and as I desire to dispose of the money joyntly with me So that for the supplying of his want I have associated to the same end a very honest and wise man called Father William Creichtoun Jesuite who was detain'd some years in the City of d d In the Tower of London London after he was taken upon the Sea coming hitherwards from France Likewise I shall help my self by the prudence of Sir James Chesholme eldest brother to the said John who brought the money from your Highness for he is a man confident wise one of our part and very little suspected In the mean time one part of the money is in the principal house of my Lord Levingston a very Catholick Lord the other parthere in Edingborough in surety enough to help as it shall need the Catholick Lords who will come hither presently to resist the designes of them of the English Faction which think to remain at Court with forces to order all things according to their fancies As for the like sum or greater which your Highness intents to send hither it would be very expedient that it were very soon sent hither secretly to help the necessity that may fall out and to cause things to incline to our side when they are in Ballance as there is great appearance they will be by the occasion aforesaid and in case that necessity requireth no distribution the said sum shall be kept and reserved to better occasions or till the arrival of your forces in this Island There is suspition as also Arguments probable enough that Thomas Tyrie who hath brought hither your Highness Letters to our
your own with money you may levie here Forces of this Countrie as freely as in Spain who will serve you no less faithfully then your own natural subjects And although we cannot without censure of presumption give your Majestie advice in your affairs in Spain yet in that which may concern your service here we may speak more freelie as being upon the place and knowing by ordinarie experience many things unknown to any of yours that are not here The over late arrival of your Armie in our Waters took from it the Commoditie to retire it self in such safetie as it might have done coming sooner by reason of the great Winds that are ordinarie here in Harvest as also lack of Pilots experienced upon the Coasts of England Scotland and Ireland appeareth to have bred great harm to the said Armie which we could have remedied concerning Scotland to have sent Pilots from hence if it had liked your Majestie to have served your self with them Likewise saving better advice it seems to us altogether unprofitable to fetch the Armie by Sea if it may be avoided for many causes And amongst others because such as shall have fought by Sea shall be unable being wearie to fight again by land against new Forces So the best should be to shift by one way or other for spâ—ring of your men and Vessels and so the English Forces staying upon the Sea unfought with shall be disappointed and shall not come in time to assist them that shall be assailed by land Afterwards sending hither a part of your forces before the other which should go the right way to England and that secretlie by the back of Ireland Your Majestie should compel the enemie to divide their Forces and it may be should cause them send the greatest part hither where we might make them believe the greatest part of your Forces were arrived at least should make them a a The Scotch Copy runs thus At leist sâ—ld caus thame diâ—g rnâ—is as â—â—â—ikle of England and dâ—aâ— a great 〈◊〉 of thâ—ir Forces quhilk wald resist c. weaken a good part of England and draw away a great part of their Forces which would resist your landing and invasion on that Coaest And we may well promise that having here 6000 of your men and money to aid others here we should within six weeks after their arrival be a good way within England to approach and assist the Forces which your Maiestie should cause to enter there The Knight William Sempil Colonel can shew your Majestie the whole to whom we leave it Also we have caus'd to be writ both before and since his departure our several suchlike advises by Mr. Robert Bruce causing them to be address'd to my Lord Duke of Parma to whom your Majestie referr'd us at the beginning of these affairs And seeing your Majestie is dulie advertised and informed we will conclude kissing most humblie your Majesties hands heartily praying God to grant you full accomplishment of all your holie enterprises Your Majesties most humble and most affectioned Servants Earl of Morton G. Earl of Huntley Claud Lord Hammiltoun In the name of the other Catholick Lords in Scotland From Edinborough this XXIV of January M D LXXXIX The King one might think had no reason to mistrust Huntley having not long before marryed him to a gallant Lady a Being Sister to the Duke of Lennox a kin to his Majesty and also got him to subscribe to the Confession of Faith then used by the Reformed in Scotland and confer'd many favours upon him But all this to no purpose he is yet a friend to Spain and sorry for his subscription as may appear by his Letter to the Duke of Parma thus My LORD I Have received from John Chesholme the Letters it pleased your Highness to write the XIII of October full of most Christian affection to the well-fare of our Cause for the which I give your Highness most humble thanks The support of ten thousand Crowns sent to that end is received by Mr. Robert Bruce which shall not be imploy'd but for help of the most urgent necessitie of the said Cause as it hath pleas'd your Highness to direct After the b b Or rather Escape in which he assisted departure of Colonel Sempil I found my self so beset on all hands and pressed in such sort by our King that it behooved me to yeild to the extremitie of time and subscribe with his Majestie not with my heart the Confession of their Faith or otherwise I had been forced immediatelie to have departed the Countrie or to have taken the fields by resisting his Forces and such as he might have drawn out of England to his aid which I could not have done especiallie then when by the returning of your Army into Spain all hope of help was taken from us But if on the one part I have erred by the apprehension of dangers that threatned my ruine I shall on the other part endeavour my self to amend my fault whereof I repent me with all my heart by some effect tending to the weal and advancement of the Cause of God who hath put me in such credit with his Majestie that since my coming to the Court he hath broke up his former Guards and caused me to establish others about his person of my men by means of whom and their Captains who are also mine I may ever be master of his person and your support being arrived spoil the Hereticks of his Authoritie to fortifie and assure our enterprises Whereupon I beseech your Highness to send me your advise and assure your self of my unchangeable affections in my former resolutions although the outward actions be forced to conform themselves sometimes to necessity of occasions as Mr. Robert Bruce will more amplie write unto your Highness to whom I farther remit my self Praying God having first kiss'd your Highness hand to give you accomplishment of your holie enterprises Your Highness most humble and affectionate Servant G. Earl of Huntley From Edinbrough this XXIV of January a a Bâ—th the Scotch and English Copy hath 1592. but by a mistake M D LXXXIX The Earl of Arrol being turn'd Romanist by the perswasions of Edmund Hay the Jesuit is also by the same reasons very zealous for the Spanish interest as appears by his Letter to the Duke of Parma thus My LORD SInce God of late by the clear light of his holie Catholick Faith hath châ—sed from my understanding the darkness of ignorance and errour wherein I have been heretofore nourished I have been as soon perswaded in acknowledging of so great an effect of his divine grace towards me that I am chieflie obliged to procure since I know the enterprises of his Catholick Majestie and your Highness tend principallie to that end as also the advancement of some b b â—â— it against their own King for the King of Spain or what else civil cause which hath verie great affinitie and conjunction with
assembled as well in publick congregation at the College of Sorbone having celebrated the Mass of the Holy Ghost as also privately at the meeting of the Delegates mature deliberation being had all the particulars being carefully truly and severally examin'd as much as could be at last have declar'd their judgments in manner following All Catholicks by Divine Law are forbid to admit any into the Throne that is an Heretick or a favourer of Heresie and a known enemy to the Church much more one that is relapsed and by name excommunicated by the Pope If it should chance that any guilty as aforesaid should procure a sentence of Absolution from these crimes and censures yet if there be evident danger of his hypocrisie perfidiousness and the ruine of the Catholick Religion he then for all his said Absolution is by the said Divine Law to be excluded from the Kingdom Whoever also endeavours that he should be King or doth partake with or favour him or doth suffer him to be set in the Throne when he might prevent it and was oblig'd so to do he for so doing doth violate the holy Canons is justly suspected of Heresie and is mischievous both to Religion and the Church therefore he may and ought to be oppos'd be he of whatsoever degree or quality Therefore seeing Henry de Bourbon is an Heretick a favourer of Heresie a known enemy to the Church is relapsed and by name excommunicated and though he might obtain sentence of Absolution yet there being evident danger of hypocrisie and perfidiousness with the ruine of Religion and though he had Absolution or any other lawful heir dead or yielding up his right yet are the French obliged to keep him from the most Christian Crown and to abhor the thoughts of making peace with him and those who do favour him are violators of the Canons may be suspected of Heresie are enemies to the Church and as such ought to he earnestly and carefully chaflized and punished As therefore those who favour the said Henry in his aspiring to the Throne and do any ways affoard him any help are deserters of Religion and remain in a perpetual mortal sin so those who for their love to Religion do oppose him as much as in them lieth do very much merit both of God and Men And as on the one hand it must be suppos'd that those people so obstinate in strengthening the Kingdom of darkness will be eternally damn'd so on the other it is most mtet to conclude that these who are slain in this cause against the said Henry as Champions of the Faith shall obtain an everlasting reward and be crown'd with the Trophies of Martyrdom And this is concluded on not one gainsaying it in the third general congregation held upon this business in the great Hall of the College of Sorbone all and every one of the Masters being summon'd thither upon oath 7 May 1590. In the mean time Mayenne was very busie in raising Forces in consuâ—ting with the Duke of Parma then Governour in the Spanish Netherlands to get Supplies from him the better to force the King to quit the siege and the truth is this affair did greatly perplex him for if he lost Paris the Cause was undone and if he relieved it by the Spanish assistance and without them he could not do it his own Interest might be lost For the Sixteen wish'd him not well because he had broken up their Council of Forty which contrary to his expectation bridled his Authority and they thinking to introduce a Commonwealth Government hâ— had crost that by creating another Council a Keeper of the Seals and four Secretaries of State with which he governed affairs without calling them except when he had need of money And thus having displeas'd the Sixteen he fear'd they would engage Paris under the Spanish Yoak if they saw Spaniards enough to deal with all But of two evils thâ— last is to be chosen and so he resolveth to reinforce his Army with Spanish Supplies In his absence he appoints his Brother the Duke of Nemours a courageous young man to command the City and assign'd him a * Their namâ—s in d'Aubâ—â—ne to 3. l. 3. â— 7. Council care is taken to fortifiâ— all suâ—pected Avenues and the people are Sermon'd up to such an height of madness that a great scarcity of provisions being in the City some for letting slip but some words as if peace were better then to be starv'd with hunger were by the fury of the Zelots either executed in publick or cast headlong into the River aâ— damn'd persons enemies to the Catholick Faith and infected with the poiâ—on of Heresie Whilst the Parisians were thus eager for the Cause their Kingling Charles X. or Cardinal Bourbon dieth in prison at Fontenay being 66 9 May 1590. yâ—ars old much troubled with the Stone and greatly addicted to old Wives Prophesies which pleas'd him the more because now and then he was told some which denoted his Kingship His death troubled some of the Leaguers having now no King and so one of their grand pretences vanished yet they continue resolute Mayenne keepeth to himself the Title of Lieutenant Genâ—ral of the State and Crown of France and the States General are ordered to meet for the Election of a new King the Sorbone renew their Decrees against the King as an Heretick and so not capable of the Crown And the better to keep the people up in their humours by order of 31 May Asâ—er si◠〈◊〉 the Legat a Procession is made of the Clergy to implore Gods assistance at the Head of these went Roze Bishop of Senlis with a Cross in his left hand and an Halbert in his right then followed the Monks and Friars according to their several Orders Capuchins Minims Franciscans Dominicans Fuâ—llans Carmelites c. In the Procession the Prelates Priests and Monks walked in their severâ—l accustomed Habits but over them armed openly with Head-pieces Croslets Coats of Mail c. all of them with Swords girt to their sides and in their hands carrying some sort of Arms or other some with Guns some with Spears others with Halberts Thus marched they along singing Hymns shooting off their Guns with which one was slain by chance and with them they carried all their Reliques as notable Assistants and Well-wishers to their Solemn League and Covenant and thus they foot it to the great Church After this followeth another Procession of the Duke of Nemours the Officers of the Army the Magistrates of the City with the Archbishop of Lyons and some other valiant Bishops These trudge also to the great Church where upon the great Altar laying their hands upon the Gospel they swear to defend the City to their uâ—most and to oppose the Heretical Prince And a little after to make all sure their Parlement at Paris by Act forbid any upon pain of death to talk of any Agreement Peace or Composition with Henry of Bourbon for so they called 15
so much to search out the truth as to expose another party Well the same Pamphleter proceedeth to tell us that h Id. pag. 93. If we mark well we shall find that in this last Century of years there hath been more Princes Deposed and Murthered for their Religion by these Protestants of Integritie then have been in all others since Christ's time by the Popes Excommunication or the attempt and means of Roman Catholicks i Id. pag. 98. By all which it is plain that Rome is so far from being the Author and Fountain of these Rebel-Doctrines that all Loyalty is in the Reputation of these Protestants of Integritie Popery For he would make you believe of the Romanists that they a Id. pag. 104. are to fight onely with Prayers Arms against Princes have no warrant Quis est Judex si Rex transgreditur Conditiones Regni solus Deus Who is Judge if the King transgresseth the Conditions of his Kingdom onely God Navar. Cunerus and all the Catholick Doctors that ever I have seen agree perfectly in this same sentence But who so bold as blinde Bayard And therefore whence must these Treasonable Doctrines Opinions and Practices come he will tell you and hopeth you will as freely credit him b Id. pag. 110. From Rome it cannot be for its Doctrines with the Opinions and Practices of all its Doctors are quite contrarie and all that is said against that Church in this particular is meer Calumnie And so much for this shameless Libel which is since well Answer'd by the Reverend Dr. Peter du Moulin the Learned Son of a Learned Father T. C or be who it will that was the Author of Labyrinthus Cantuariensis will by no means allow the Romanists to hold any disloyal Assertions His words are c Preface Neither doth Mr. Fisher or any of his Profession allow or use any such nets as the Relator viz. Archbishop Laud mentions that is they neither practice nor hold it lawful to dissolve Oaths of Allegiance to depose and kill Kings to blow up States for the establishing of Quod volumus c. But I would know of the Author for what things they do allow them And in another place he thus undertakes to Apologize for the Popes d Labyrinth Cant. p. 226. § 7. Nor did the Popes ever attempt or so much as pretend to bring the Emperours under them in Civil Affairs which is another aspersion the Bishop layeth upon them Gregory VIII and Innocent III were indeed very prudent men and worthy Champions of the Church to assert her just Liberties but they never endeavour'd to subject the Emperour to themselves in Temporal matters And Mr. Serjeant according to his usual way will thus in a few Idle words vindicate the Popes e J. S. Answer to Dr. Pierce's Sermon pag. 116. Nay but the Court of Rome trod upon Crowns and Scepters An Hyperbole fetcht from the Horns of the Moon When where what Crowns and Scepters Another who undertook to answer the said Sermon would gladly thus cleer the Romanists f The Primitive Rule before the Reformation in the Afternoons Exhortation pag. 18. We Catholicks declare Kings to be free from any Coercive power from their own Laws and Subjects to which they are not bound civiliter but naturaliter onely for if once a Coactive power be allowed Ex coactione sequitur saltem paritas summitatis divisio as the Civilian speaks and Kings once compell'd by their Subjects are no more Scripture-Kings Gods Kings Titular Popular Kings onely For Gods Kings saith Otho Frisigensis being above all Laws are reserved to the Divine judgement hereafter they may not be punished by the secular Laws g Id. pag. 20. As for Catholicks and their fidelitie to Kings none speak it more none advise or practice it more in all secular obediences then the Roman Pastours and the Catholicks in their Communion h Id. pag. 22 23. Yea so far is this Sea Apostolick from frequent practices of that nature upon Kings viz. to depose them of which the Reformed Churches are so guilty that it is evident more Rebellions have been rais'd against Princes for Religion onely in this last Reformed age in a few Protestant Countries then have been rais'd by Catholicks for any cause whatever in seven Ages before throughout all Christendom And whereas this Indirect Power of the See Apostolick is so much traduced as derogatorie from the Rights of Kings the Histories of this last confused Age do manifest that even this Power is and hath been rather a Fortress to Princes against their Rebellions Subjects Yet Id. pag. 22. he is unwilling to speak too plain and therefore tells us that as for the Popes Indirect Power over Kings in Ordine ad Spiritualia to Censure and Deprive Kings I leave that Question to be decided by the two Supreme Powers viz. Pope and King when occasion shall be for it And then probably our Author will declare for the Pope as some Priests did in Queen Elizabeths time anno 1582. Lastly for in these assertions a man might be endless one in his Animadversions upon Dr. Bates and his Elenchus Motuum in which the Doctor is sometimes partial or faulty this a Elenchus Elenchi pag. 17 20 21. Animadvertor I say will by all means have it to be an old and false Calumny to think that the Romanists were not always the best Subjects But words are cheap and why did he not Answer my positive proofs against it as well as make b Id. pag. 26. use of my Book to shew the villany of our Non-conformists and by them to insinuate a discredit of our Church of England to those beyond Seas who through ignorance may suppose the Presbyterians to be true sons of our Church But what they cannot answer some make it prudence to pass by with silence and then the Gentile Romanist who seldom troubles himself with reading any thing but what makes for himself faileth not to vapour that his Champion hath got the day putting most of his confidence in the Title-page seldom or never examining the honesty or exactness of the Writer Thus self-interest perswades and then assures him of the Conquest so that with him to write against the Church of England is the same to confute and confound Thus we see how they would cunningly bear the people in hand what peaceable men they are what good subjects they are and always make a noise of their Obedience and Loyalty as a main Argument to perswade our Kings to embrace their Religion But as for us of the Church of England alas we are nothing but Traytors and Rebels Treachery and Sedition being the chief Articles of our Faith whilst at Rome nothing is taught but peace and loyalty And if we must believe Father Parsons we must thus know the difference of the two Religions for with the Romanists out of England c Three Convers of Engl. part 2. pag. 581 582. All Modestie
sins Nay if by his weakness e Cap. 16. pag. 545. Non solum propter haeresim aut schisma aut aliquod aâ—ud intoleâ—abile scelus verum etiam propter insufficientiam he be not sit to Rule Or if by f Id. Pag. 547. Posse sum Pontâ—ex sui muneris authoâ—iâ—ate Principes è solio deâ—â—bare si ob eorum negligentiam inscitiam aut malitiam justitia conculcatur Status Reâ—p pâ—â—â—â—tatur his negligence ignorance or wilfulness justice be not done and the Common-wealth suffer And that the Pope hath this great Authority over Kings he saith is the g Id. Pag. 557. Legantur tam veteres quam recentiones Theologi uti iusque juris prudendes certe omnes una mente una voce hanc sententiam amplectuntur Opinion of all their Divines and Lawyers And he that denyeth this power doth not onely go h Pag. 558. Non modo à veritate quam longissime aberrare verum etiam insanire mihi videantur against the truth but seems to be mad And thus he indeavours to prove this power which he saith unless Christ had left with his Vicars i Id. Cap. 14. pag. 520. he had not done wisely I need not trouble you at length to tell you the humour and spirit of this Portugal when you do but know how heartily he desired the k De vera Christi Eccles pag. 433 434. Murder of our Queen Elizabeth affirming it to be but just that her head should be cut off her body not to be honoured with a burial but by the Hang-man left to be torn in pieces and devoured by Dogs And yet was this hot-spur his Books and Doctrine in great favour and esteem at Rome and Gratianus one of the chief of his Order could thus sing in commendation of him and his Writings Lumen es Columen fidei rectique Magister Responsaque sana ministras Nempe facis per te crescat ut Vrbis honos This Nunnius hath Cardinal Ascanio di Colunna Patron to one of his Books and though I believe amongst their Eminencies he could not aim amiss yet this 't is probable he did by choice as being well acquainted with his compliance with this Doctrine of which at the desire of Paul the Fifth he gave some hints to the world in his l Sententia contra Reip. Vâ—neta Episcopos p. 2â— Traâ—â— against the Venetians Of this Nunnius to shew the Popes power over Emperours and Kings m Rationale utriusque potestatis pag. â—98 1â—â— Thomas a Talamello of the same Mendicant Order makes some use and give you also St. Geminianus word for word He tells you also in one place that the Pope hath as a Id. Cap. 3. p. 39. much power in Temporals as in Spirituals Nay that b Pag. 41. in either of these he can directly do more than any King and that Kings depend as much on the Pope as effects on their Causes and then makes use of the c Id. Cap. 11. p. 109. Canon-law to prove his Authority in deposing of Emperours And an Italian Lawyer d De verborum significatione lib. 10. cap. 17. § 24. Camillus Gallinius from the same puddle draws out the same muddy Principle of the Popes right to dethrone Kings What was the Opinion of Cardinal Perron and the chief of France in this case this following story will somewhat inform us Lewis the Thirteenth being come to his Majority about fourteen years old Decemb. 1614. Jan. 1613 5. summoned the three Estates to meet two of them viz. the Clergy and Lords la Noblesse presently agreed for these two Propositions 1. That the Council of Trent be publish'd and received in France 2. That the selling of Offices be suppress'd The third Estate whether to stop these two some of them favouring the Protestants others of them having places which they might sell as well as they bought or out of meer loyalty however they reasoned stifly against the Trent-Council having had the two Kings before this murdered made a third Proposition much like our Oath of Allegiance which being of publick concern the cause of great disputes and animosities beyond Seas and as I think as yet not known in English take as followeth with the Original Que pour arrester le Cours de la pernicieuse doctrine qui s' introduit depuis quelquees annees contre les Roys puissances Souveraines establies de Dieu per Esprits Seditieux qui ne tendent qu'a les troubler subverter Le Roy sera supplie de faire arrester en l'Assemblée des states pour loy fondamentale de Royaume qui soit inviolable notoire a tous Que comme il est recognu Souverain en son estat ne tenant sa Couronne que de Dieu seul il n'y a puissance en Terre quelle qu'elle soit Spirituelle ou Temporelle qui aâ—t aucun droit sur son Royaume pour en priver les personnes sacrées de nos Rois ny dispenser ou absoudre leurs subjets de la Fidelite obeissance qu'ils luy doivent pour quelque cause cu pretexte que ce soit Que tous ses subjets de quelque qualite condition qu'ils soient tiendront cete loy pour sainte veritable comme conforme a la Parole de Dieu sans distinction equivoque ou limitation quelcunque Laquelle sera juree signee par tous les Deputes des Estats d'oresnavant par tous las Beneficiers Officiers du Royaume avant que d'entrer en la possession de leurs Benefices d'estre recens en leur Offices Tous Precepteurs Regens Docteurs Predicateurs tenus de l'enseigner publier Que l'opinion contraire mesmes qu'il soit loisible de tuer deposer nos Rois s'elever Rebeller contr'eux secouer le joug de leur Obeyssance pour quelque Occasion que se soit est impie detestable contre Verete contre l'Establissement de l'Estat de France qui ne depend immediatement que de Dieu Que tous livres qui enseignent telle fausse perverse Opinion seront tenus pour seditieux damnables tous Estrangers qui l'escriront publieront pour Ennemis jurees de la Couronne tous subjets de sa Majeste qui y adhereront de quelque qualite Condition qu'els soint pour Rebelles infracteurs des loys fundamentales du Royaume Criminels de lese Majeste au primier Chef Et s'il se trouve aucun Livre ou discours escrit par Estranger Ecclesiastique ou d'autre qualite qui contienne Proposition contraire a la dite loy directement ou indirectement serontles Ecclesiastiques des mesmes Ordres establis en France obliges d'y respondre les impugner contredire incessamment sans respect ambiguite ny Equivocation sur peine d'estre punis de mesnie peine que dessus comme fauteurs des enemis de cet Estat
Et sera ce premier Article leu par chacun an tant â—s Cours Souveraines qu' es Bailliages Seneschaucees du dit Royaume a l'ouverture des audiences pour estre garde observe avec toute severite rigueur To hinder the spreading of the pernicious Doctrine lately taught and maintain'd by some seditious spirits enemies to good Government against Kings and Soveraign Powers His Majesty shall be humbly desired that there shall be establish'd by the three Estates for a Fundamental Law of the Land to be kept and known by all men That the King being acknowledged head in his Dominions holding his Crown and Authority onely from God there is no power on Earth whatever spiritual or Temporal that hath any right over his Kingdom either to depose our Kings or dispence with or absolve their Subjects from the fidelity and obedience which they owe to their Soveraign for any cause or pretence whatever That all his Subjects of what quality or Condition soever shall keep this Law as holy true and agreeable to Gods Word without any distinction equivocation or limitation whatsoever which shall be sworn and signed by all the Deputies of the Estates and henceforward by all who have any Benefice or Office in the Kingdom before they enter upon such Benefice or Office and that all Tutors Masters Regents Doctors and Preachers shall teach and publish that the contrary Opinion viz. that it is lawful to kill and depose our Kings to rebel and rise up against them and shake off our Obedience to them upon any occasion whatever is impious detestable quite contrary to Truth and the establishment of the State of France which immediately depends upon God onely That all Books teaching these false and wicked Opinions shall be held as seditious and damnable All strangers who write and publish them as sworn Enemies to the Crown and that all Subjects of his Majesty of what Quality and Condition whatever who favour them as Rebels violators of the Fundamental Laws of the Kingdom and Traytors against the King And if there be a Book or discourse writ by any forraign Church-man or any other that then the Clergy of the same Orders establish'd in France shall be obliged continually to answer oppose and confute them without any respect ambiguity or equivocation upon pain to be punish'd as abovesaid as a favourer of the Enemies of the State And this Article shall be read every year in the Soveraign Courts Bayliwicks and Seneschalships of the said Kingdom and at the opening of their Courts of Audience that they may be the better preserved and observed with all rigor and severity This startles the Clergy who with the Noblesse presently set themselves against the third Estate somewhat like our House of Commons with a resolution to expunge this honest and loyal Proposition yet declared their continuable obedience to their King And as a main Engine to carry this their design about they desired Jaque Davie the famous Cardinal of Perron to endeavour to work over to them the third Estate knowing that his voluble Tongue used to be carryed on with so much Learning Judgement and Sweetness that it seldom mist of that it spoke for Accordingly attended with some Lords and Bishops as Representatives of their respective Estates and so to shew to the Commons that both the other did agree so in judgement in this case with the learned Cardinal that he spoke not onely his own but their Opinions too He though at that time somewhat indisposed went accordingly where he made a very long Speech to shew the unreasonableness and absurdity of the foresaid proposition endeavouring to prove by Reason that sometimes Kings should and by Example that they had been deposed their Subjects being justly quit from their Oaths of Allegiance and so not bound to obey them The Harangue it self being large I refer you to it in his Diverses Oeuvres Yet this Oration wrought little upon the third Estate which hugely troubled all their Cergy and the Popes Nuntio then at Paris and a Hist de Louis XIII pag. 49. Scipion Dupleix one of the Kings Historiographers can accuse the Article with manifest absurdity by which he shews his compliance with the rest in this Doctrine But the Pope Paul the Fifth shew'd himself most troubled in his Letter to Perron dated from Rome Febr. 1615. he call'd it a Detestable Decree and the voters of it Enemies to the Common good and quietness and mortal adversaries to the Chair of Rome But at the same time gives the Cardinal all the commendations and thanks that can be But our King James was not so complemental nor had he Reason For the Cardinal in his Speech having several reflections against the Government of England the cruelty of her Laws the persecution of the Roman Catholicks and shew'd himself mainly concern'd against our Oath of Allegiance which did not a little reflect upon the King himself upon which his Majesty looking upon this Cardinal as somewhat too busie in putting his Oar in another mans Boat and so concern'd to have somewhat of justice done him by his Ambassador publickly complain'd of this affront to the young King the Queen-mother and others and himself publickly answered the Speech But this was no trouble to the Cardinal who was hugely complemented and magnified from several Bishops and other great persons for this his Speech and valiantly defending the right of the Church But how to end this grand Controversie amongst the Estates was the cause of some Consultations at last the King was cunningly perswaded to take it to himself which he did affirming he understood his own Right and Possession and so forbad them to determine any thing about it However the two Estates were gallantly caressed by two Breves from the Pope stufft with Commendations and thanks for their Doctrine and valour for the Church But enough of Perron and the French Estates now in a manner neglected in that Kingdom And should we look upon our own Oath of Allegiance made onely upon a politick account for the prevention of Treason we might see it as strongly opposed and girded at as that of France For no sooner was it made that horrid Gunpowder-plot being a main Motive but Paul the Fifth absolutely forbad it to be taken by two Breves sent into England and presently began a Paper-scuffle on all sides Bellarmine Gretzer Parsons Coquaeus Scioppius and many others by might and main opposing its taking but they were instantly answered not onely by King James himself but several of his learned Subjects as Bishop Andrews Dr. Abbot Carleton Donne Prideaux Burbill Widdrington or Preston a Benedictan Monk for which there were Rods laid in piss for him by the Romanists and several others Amongst those who zealously opposed it was one Adolphus Schulckenius but whether a true name or no I know not yet he is very furious in behalf of the Popes deposing of Kings and this he tells us the Pope may do by the
Whether the Pope have power to discharge any of her Highness Subjects or the Subjects of any Christian Prince from the Allegiance or Oath of Obedience to her Majesty or to their Prince for any cause V. Whether the said Dr. Saunders in his Book of his visible Monarchy of the Church and Dr. Bristow in his Book of Motives writing in Both of them affirming that Kings may be deposed by the Pope allowance commendation and confirmation of the said Bull of Pius the Fifth have therein taught testified or maintain'd a truth or a to falshood VI. If the Pope do by his Bull or sentence pronounce her Majesty to be deprived and no lawful Queen and her Subjects to be discharged of their Allegiance and obedience unto her and after the Pope or any other by his appointment and authority do invade this Realm which part would you take or what part ought a good Subject of England take The Answer of Mr. Luke Kirby LUke Kirby To the First he saith that the Resolution of this Article dependeth upon the general Question whether the Pope may for any cause depose a Prince Wherein his Opinion is that for some causes he may lawfully depose a Prince and that such a sentence ought to be â—beyed II. To the second he thinketh that in some cases as infidelity or such-like her Majesty is not to be obeyed against the Popes Bull and sentence for so he saith he hath read that the Pope hath so done de facto against other Princes III. To the third he saith he cannot answer IV. To the fourth that the Pope for Infidelity hath such power as is mentioned in this Article V. To the fifth he thinketh that both Dr. Saunders and Dr. Bristow might be deceived in these points in their Books but whether they were deceived or not he referreth to God VI. To the last he saith that when the case shall happen he must then take counsel what what were best for him to do Luke Kirby John Popham Da. Lewes Thomas Egerton John Hammond Mr. Thomas Cottoms Answer THomas Cottom To the first in this and in all other Questions he believeth as the Catholick Church which he taketh to be the Church of Rome teacheth him And other answer he maketh not to any of the rest of these Articles By me Thomas Cottom Priest John Popham Da. Lewes Thomas Egerton John Hammond Mr. Lawrence Richardsons Answer LAwrence Richardson To the fifth he answereth that so far as Dr. Saunders and Dr. Bristow agree with the Catholick Doctrine of the Church of Rome he alloweth that Doctrine to be true And touching the first and all the rest of the Articles he saith that in all matters not repugnant to the Catholick Religion he professeth obedience to her Majesty and otherwise maketh no answer to any of them But believeth therein as he is taught by the Catholick Church of Rome Lawrence Richardson John Popham Da. Lewes Thomas Egerton John Hammond Mr. Thomas Ford's Answer I. THomas Ford. To first he saith that he cannot answer because he is not privy to the circumstances of that Bull but if he did see a Bull published by Gregory the Thirteenth he would then deliver his Opinion thereof II. To the second he saith that the Pope hath Authority to depose a Prince upon certain occasions and when such a Bull shall be pronounced against her Majesty he shall then answer what the duty of her Subjects and what her right is III. To the third he saith he is a private Subject and will not answer to any of these Questions IV. To the fourth he saith that the Pope hath Authority upon certain occasions which he will not name to discharge Subjects of their Obedience to their Prince V. To the fifth he saith that Dr. Saunders and Dr. Bristow be learned men and whether they have taught truely in their Books mentioned in this Article he referreth to answer to themselves for himself will not answer VI. To the last he saith that when that case shall happen he will make answer and not before Thomas Forde John Popham Da. Lewes Thomas Egerton John Hammond Mr. John Sherts Answer JOhn Shert To all the Articles he saith that he is a Catholick and swerveth in no point from the Catholick Faith and in other sort to any of these Articles he refuseth to answer John Shert John Popham Da. Lewes Thomas Egerton John Hammond Mr. Robert Johnsons Answer I. RObert Johnson To the first he saith he cannot answer II. To the second he cannot tell what power or authority the Pope hath in the points named in this Article III. To the third he thinketh that the Pope hath authority in some cases to authorize Subjects to take arms against their Princes IV. To the fourth he thinketh that the Pope for some causes may discharge Subjects of their Allegiance and Obedience to their natural Prince V. To the fifth he saith the Answer to this Article dependeth upon the lawfulness of the cause for which the Pope hath given sentence against her But if the cause was just then he thinketh the Doctrine of Dr. Saunders and Dr. Bristow to be true Whether the cause were just or not he taketh not upon him to judge VI. To the last he saith that if such deprivation and invasion should be made for temporal matters he would take part with her Majesty but if it were for any matter of his Faith he thinketh he were then bound to take part with the Pope Robert Johnson John Popham Da. Lewes Thomas Egerton John Hammond Mr. John Harts Answer I. JOhn Hart. To the first he saith that it is a difficult Question and that he cannot make answer thereunto II. To the second he saith that her Majesty is lawful Queen and ought to be obeyed notwithstanding the Bull supposed to be published by Pius the Fifth But whether she ought to be obeyed and taken for a lawful Queen notwithstanding any Bull or sentence that the Pope can give he saith he cannot answer III. To the third he cannot answer and further saith that he will not meddle with any such Questions IV. To the fourth he saith he is not resolved and therefore he cannot answer V. To the fifth he saith he will not deal with any such Questions and knoweth not whether Saunders and Bristow have taught well herein or not VI. To the last he saith that when such a case shall happen he will then advise what becometh him to do for presently he is not resolved This he did acknowledge to us after he had fully perused the same but refused to subscribe to it John Popham Da. Lewes Thomas Egerton John Hammond Mr. William Filbee's Answer I. WIlliam Filbee To the first he saith the Pope hath authority to depose any Prince and such sentences when they be promulgated ought to be obeyed by the subjects of any Prince But touching the Bull of Pius the Fifth he can say nothing but if it was such as it is affirmed to be he doth allow
it and saith that it ought to be obeyed II. To the second he saith it is a hard Question and therefore he cannot answer it but upon further advisement he answereth as to the first III. To the third he knoweth not what to say thereunto IV. To the fourth he saith that so long as her Majesty remaineth Queen the Pope hath no authority to warrant her Subjects to take Arms against her or to disobey her but if he should depose her then he might discharge them of their Allegiance and Obedience to her Majesty V. To the fifth he saith he will not meddle with the Doctrine of Dr. Saunders and Dr. Bristow VI. To the last when this case happeneth then he saith he will answer and if he had been in Ireland when Dr. Saunders was there he would have done as a Priest should have done that is to pray that the right may have place William Filbee John Popham Da. Lewes Thomas Egerton John Hammond And because some of these Answers depend upon the writings of Bristow and Saunders we must understand that a little before this one Richard Bristow or Bristolus born in Worcester-shire and bred up a Priest in Flanders had made a little Book which he call'd his Motives which was after either by himself or others hugely enlarged In this writing he did not onely twit Queen Elizabeth for not obeying the a Motive 6. Excommunication-Bull of Pius the Fifth against her but also that b Motive 40. Subjects may sometimes be discharged from their subjection and Princes deposed and then publickly declares that the foresaid Earl of Northumberland the Nortons Plumtree and others to be c Motive 15. most glorious Martyrs of the Catholicks though they were deservedly executed as Traytors for their notorious and actual Rebellion in the North against the Queen Yet d Compend vitae Râ—c Brist § 6. Dr. Thomas Worthington of Lancashire who translated the larger Motives into Latine doth give great Commendations to Dr. Bristow for his learning and valour in thus defending the Popes Authority whereby he may justly go with those who favour the Opinion of King-deposing As for Nicholas Sanders he was born in Surrey and at Rome got his Orders and Degree of Doctor Pius the Fifth had him in great esteem knowing him to be a man of mettle and a great Zealot for the Authority of that Chair as he shews at large in his great e De visibili Monarch Ecclesiae Vid. lib. 2. cap. 4. Book dedicated to Pius the Fifth in which he is so far from acknowledging Queen Elizabeth to be a true Queen that he calls her several times by no other title than the f Id. P. 734 736 737. Pretended Queen and other times onely plain g Pag. 275 355. Calvinistical woman He saith that the Popes power reacheth to the h Pag. 430. altering of Kingdoms that the Emperour Henry the Fourth was most i Pag. 458. justly deprived of his Empire by Gregory the Seventh greatly k Pag. 730 731 732 733 734 735 c. commends those who impiously rebell'd against the Queen in the North and calls them Noble Martyrs and this he aims at again in another of his l De schismate Angl. p. 363. Tracts From this Sanders we may collect what was the judgement in this case of John Story an Oxford Doctor of Law he in Queen Maries time ruled the roast in our English Inquisition and in Queen Elizabeths Id. Pag. 736 737. Raign being accused in Parliament of a great deal of cruelty in the administration of his foresaid Office replyed like himself to this purpose That he had offended in nothing but that whilst he cut off some Branches he neglected to pull up the Root which if he had done Heresie had not got up again And this he meant of the Queen to whom he denyed himself to be a Subject looking upon the King of Spain as his Soveraign and the Queen Elizabeth by the Popes Bull of Excommunication utterly deprived of all Rule and Government upon which cause he scorned to plead for himself taking the Judges under such a Princess to have no power or judgement over him And if any doubt of the Popes Authority in deposing Kings Aelius Antonius Nebrissensis will tell them that they need not since both Civil and Canon-law doth allow it and the learned Doctors of them Per leges quoque Pontificias Civiles Johan Navar. Rex vere potuit Regno spolian ex eo quod schismaticus schismaticorum fautor atque proinde Haereticus laesaeque Majestatis reus atque eodem jure intestabilis ipse omni ejus Posteritas Gentilico Regno mulctanda quod utriusque juris Consultissimi Doctores multis argumentis rationibus exemplisque probant Ant. Nebress de bello Navar. lib. 1. c. 1. and all his Posterity may be deprived too for which he produceth the Example of John Albret King of Narvarre whom he doth not onely call Schismatick and Heretick but which is the prettiest of all a Traytor though he doth not tell us to whom But the King of Spains Historian must write any thing to vindicate his Masters Rapine And yet they 'll think it hard that the Portugals should redeem their own or that Gaspar Sala and others should vindicate the late revolt of Catalonia Antonius de Sousa de Macedo in all his writings hugely zealous for the honour of his Country Portugal is as fierce against any pretence of the Castilians as any yet when he is the most endeavouring to fasten the Crown on the head of Braganza he makes his Master so open and weak on one side that not onely that Family nay Nation may loose the sway but they may once more fall a prey to their politick Neighbour For he acknowledgeth that the Pope may m Lusitan liberata proem 2. § 2. § 25. pag. 117 118. depose his Master by the same power he hath over other Kings and that they may sometimes be thrust from their Thrones upon their evil n Id. Lib. 2. cap. 4. pag. 510 511. administration of Government And another dangerous Principle he maintains of a Kings not Ruling unless he hath been o Id. L. 2. c. 1. § 7. sworn and Crown'd And somewhat to this purpose he speaks in another place concerning the ancient way of p Proem 2. p. 116. Anoynting To these Opinions I perceive him not a little perswaded by Example and the sentiments of others Arguments of so great force to the Divine Dr. q Opus de dignitatibus lib. 1. c. 2. pag. 9. Nicolaus Rebbe and the Lawyer r De haereticus lib. 4. cap. 14. Conradus Brunus that they also upon the same account embrace this King-deposing Opinion And of the same judgement is the Learned Å¿ Hierarch Eccles lib. 5. cap. 14 15. fol. 260 266. Albertus Pighius and as for a good proof to it he several times remembers you with the action
of Pope Zachary Giulio Cerrio having been somewhat large in respect of the bulk of his Tract in examples of the Popes power in deposing Kings fairly concludes that t Hora in simili casi altri appertenenti alla Fede niuno puo dubitare che l'autorità de i sommi Pontesici non se stenda assolutamente sopra qual si voglia dignita Temporale Certio Risposta per la verita no man must doubt of the Popes absolute jurisdiction over Kings in some causes and this may be interpreted to the worst sence well enough since the whole drift of that Letter F pag. 111. is in opposition to those who deny this deposing power to be in the Pope To tell any man what Cardinal Bellarmine was would be impertinent since his name is come into a Proverb They say that many were formerly much beholden to Lyranus for his Writings Nisi Lyra lyrasset Nemo nostrum saltasset Some think Cambden as much beholden to Leland Pitseus to Bale however we know that several have walk'd in English habit for Authors which in truth have scarce been so good as Translations and so Samuel Clark the poor botching Presbyterian-story-teller is a voluminous partial Plagiary beyond all mercy one as fit to write the Church-history as Alexander Rosse to continue Sir Walter Raleigh As for Bellarmine you may look through him like a Multiplying-glass and perceive multitudes of people toyling themselves out of his Bowels to get themselves published in the world that if he had never writ the Romish Church had wanted at least an hundred Authors to augment their Catalogue and in this sort our Country-men make as bold with him as any to thrust their little English Pieces both for gain and honour amongst their party in these Nations This learned Cardinal was a true son of his Church as he shews through all his writings especially when he is concerned for her greatness and authority in one place he saith that the Pope can sometimes u Potest mutare Regna uni auferre atque alteri conferre Bellarm de Roman Pont. lib. 5. c. 6. change Kingdoms take away from one and give to another he being the judge x Ib. c. 7. to determine whether a King be fit to be deposed or no and if it be thought fit that he should be deposed then y Nec ulla eis injuria fiet si deponantur Ib. there is no wrong done to him if he be turned from his Throne And this jurisdiction he defends in another of his a Possit eos Regnis atque Imperiis exuere eaque Regna Imperia ab aliis ad alios transferre Id. De Translat Imper. Rom. lib. 1. c. 12. Books and in another b Si quidem inter omnes convenit posse Pontificem maximum Haereticos Principes jure deponere subditos eorum ab obedientia liberare Mat. Tort. Respons pag. 9. Book he declares that this Opinion is agreed upon by all and this power he affirms in another of his c Contra Barchaium cap. 27. Books Though 't is d Jac. Fuligatto vita Card. Bellarm l. 1. c. 2. said of him that he would never remember that he either ever told lye in his life or beguil'd the truth by excuse or jeasts yet I shall scarce believe that he speaks altogether truth in his thus attributing so great authority in temporal things over Monarchs to the Pope yet for all that he was the Chief Champion of that See and allow'd to its Bishops all the aforesaid power and jurisdiction yet we are assured by the Testimony of a learned Romanist e De potestate Papae cap. 13. pag. 101. cap. 40. pag. 329. Guilielmus Barclaius that Pope Sixtus the Fifth was sometimes thinking to Censure and extinguish all Bellarmines works because as he thought he allow'd him too small authority in Temporals There were two of different Orders viz. Johannes f Epitome Controvers ex Bellarm. part 2. quest 21. p. 180. Andraeas Coppenstein a Dominican and g Solida Christianor fidei demonstratio lib. 3. cap. 10. Baldwinus Junius a Franciscan who have severally Epitomiz'd this Cardinals Controversies and with him they embrace this King-deposing Maxime They were after translated into French by the appointment of Cardinal Perron Jacobus Gretserus as an industrious a Jesuite as ever Germany brought forth whose resolution zeal and speedy pen made his Books almost innumerable and as in all other things so in this of the Popes authority he endeavours to vindicate h Gretser defensio Controversiarum Card. Bellarm. Tom. 2. col 1153 1154. c. Bellarmine and seems to wonder at King i Commentar Exegit in Reg. Britan. c. 6 7. James for denying such power to be in the Pope nay when he seems to make it his business to vindicate his Society from the suspition of Rebellion and to tell to all the world what brave Subjects to temporal Kings they are and will be even then doth he ruine all their loyalty by one exception k At si Pontifex aliquem ab haeresin à regno arceat ne subditos in haeresin inducat tum libere fateor nos nostrum judicium ad Pontificis judicium aggregare satiusque reputare Defens Apol. Gal. pag. 591. But yet saith he if the Pope should deprive any King for heresie marry then I do freely confess that we shall submit our selves to the Popes judgement A very good Item for which they deserved the teeth as well as the heart of Henry the Great Another of the same Order l Juris Canon Compend § 984. Petrus Alagonia and m Juris Canon Compend lib. 5. Tit. de Haeret § 13. Johannes Honorius van Axel with the Canon-law write down the same Principles in their Compendiaries and the Carmelite Fryar Giovanni Antonio Bovio findes fault with Father Paul the Venetian famed for his learning judgement moderation and integrity that amongst the Offices belonging to the Pope he doth not set down n Doveva anco se volea numerare tutte le Opere del Carico Pastorale fac mentioner dello trasferire de gli Imperii d'Oriente in Occidente habilitare inhabilitare alli Regni instituere destituere i Re che anco questo possono fare i supremi vicarii di Christo in Terra quando cio besogni per conservatione della fede Religione Christiana l'hanno fatto quando è venuto l'occasione ha hanuto effeâ—to è stato cio riceunto appovato da tutta la Christianica Anton. Bovio Risposta alle consideratione del M. Paolo pag. 69. his translating of Empires setting up and pulling down of Kings since he hath such authority An Article that I dare say Bovio never learned from the Virgin Mary whom they brag to be the Patroness and Foundress of their Order William Allen or Allain born in Lancashire a great darling with the secular Priests for whom he was the
first that made Seminaries at Doway a severe enemy to the Protestants and as fierce a maintainer of the power of Rome and the King of Spain of both which this one Example may satisfie Queen Elizabeth having sent some aid into the Netherlands against the Spaniard Sir William Stanley was made Governour of Deventer in Over-Issel which he presently betraying his trust deliver'd with himself and Garrison to the Spaniard by which he lost by common consent the reputation of Subject Gentleman and Souldier but Dr. Allain thinking to quell these rumours and to encourage the new Renegado's by a Letter from Rome sends Stanley and his Regiment not onely thanks and Commendations for this their action but as he thought a sufficient vindication too part of which take in his own words Yea I say no more unto you Gentlemen seeing you desire to know Dr. Allain's Letter touching the render of Deventer pag. 27 28. my meaning fully in this point That as all acts of Justice within the Realm done by the Queens authority ever since she was by publick sentence of the Church and see Apostolick declared an Heretick and an enemy of Gods Church and for the same by name excommunicated and deposed from all Regal Dignity as I say ever sithence the publication thereof all is void by the Law of God and Man so likewise no war can be lawfully denounced or waged by her though otherwise in it self it were most just because that is the first Condition required in a just War that it be by one denounced that hath lawful and Supream power to do the same as no Excommunicate person hath especially if he be withal deposed from his Royal Dignity by Christ his Vicar which is the Supream power in Earth and his Subjects not onely absolved and discharged of their Service Oath Homage and Obedience but especially forbidden to serve or obey any such Canonically condemned person And in another place of the same Pamphlet he thus tells them their doom if they had been faithful to their trust and the Queen a Id. pag. 30. Any Excommunicate or Canonically condemn'd Prince whom no man by law can serve nor give aid unto but he falleth into Excommunication Thus we see what small esteem he had of his Soveraign and how easie it is for these men to ease themselves of loyalty and Obedience And that the Pope may thus trample upon Kings observe his Doctrine in another of his Writings b Defence of English Catholicks against the book call'd The execution of justice pag. 143. The Pope may in some cases excommunicate for some causes deprive and in many respects fight and wage War for Religion And gain c Id. p. 207. Plain it is that Kings that have professed the Faith of Christ and the defence of his Church and Gospel may be and have been justly both excommunicated and deposed for injuries done to Gods Church and revolt from the same as sometimes also for other great crimes tending to the Pernition of the whole subject unto him And gain d Id. P. 114. By the fall of the King from the Faith the danger is so evident and inevitable that GOD HAD NOT SUFFICIENTLY PROVIDED FOR OUR SALVATION and the preservation of his Church and holy Laws IF THERE WERE NO WAY TO DEPRIVE or restrain Apostata Kings And then plainly declares to the world thus e Id. P. 115. Therefore let no man marvel that in case of heresie the Soveraign loseth his superiority and right over his people and Kingdom And in these f Id. P. 72 73. Opinions he endeavours to prove that there is no harm And gives the Earl of a Westmerland Id. 48. for his Rebellion great commendations and of his fellow-Traytor gives you this Character The renowned Count of Northumberland dyed a Saint and holy Martyr When the Spanish Armado invaded England he printed a pernicious Admonition to the Catholicks of these Kingdoms stuft with horrid Rebellion and Treason perswading them by all means to take part with the King of Spain and to Root out their own Queen What effect his Doctrine took I know not but 't is well known that the Fleet came to nothing and enough of this Allen who for his zeal to the Spanish Faction and the authority of Rome was made Cardinal de S. Martino by Pope Sixtus the Fifth at the desire of Philip the Second And now let us see what a man with a long name will tell us in this cause Andraeas Eudaemon-joannes a man suspected at first to sculk under a wrong denomination but when we know his Country and temper we shall not think him asham'd to own any thing though never so bad or false he was born in the Island Crete now better known by the name of Candia at Canea by the ancients call'd Cydon or Cydonia but bred up from his youth at Rome and a Jesuite If that be true that in the Island of his birth no venomous or harmful Creature can live 't was well that he was forthwith transplanted to Italy for his native soyl and his malicious humour could never agree His writings are onely stuft with railing and vain repetitions hath impudence to deny any thing and affirm what he pleaseth his whole books are composed of contradictions all along affirming that Kings may be deposed nay and sometimes cut off and yet at the same time vindicating himself and his Order from disloyalty and yet so shie in his affirmations though bald in his hints that his books may be read over to as much purpose and satisfaction as one of the Brethrens preachments or Olivers Speeches so that I should wonder that such a generous Pope as Vrban the Eighth and such a learned Cardinal as Bellarmine should have him in such esteem and favour if interest had no sway in this world And though all along one may know his meaning by his Moping yet sometimes he speaks plain enough and declares that the a Potuit enim non ut dominus sed ut Minister Christi deponere Principes Andr. Eudaem-joan Respons ad Epist Is Casauboni pag. 12. Pope can depose Kings and that this b Id. Parallelus Torti Tortoris cap. 4. pag. 197. ultro concedamus facta à Pontificibus jure atque ordine fieri potuisse ut contumaciam ac Tyrannidem Principum excommunicatione ac depositione ulcisceretur hath been done and may be done sometimes lawfully In the year 1594 one Jehan Chastel intending to stab King Henry the Fourth of France with his Kinfe struck him into his Mouth and though he mist of his aim yet he struck out two of his teeth and wounded him sore For this Treason the Villain is excuted but presently one Franzois de Verone writes an Apology for Chastel affirming that he had done nothing but what became a true Christian and Catholick his reasons being because the King as he said was an Heretick and so might lawfully be kill'd or
deposed That he was absolutely perswaded so in the latter the first we shall treat of in its proper place you may judge by his declaring these following Propositions to be Heretical I Qu'un Heretique relaps nommement Fran. de Verone Apologie pour Jâ—han Chastel Part 2. cap. 15. pag. 95. excommunie du S. Siege ne perd le droit de la Couronne II. Que tel est Roy legitime donne Ordonne de Dieu III. Que l'eglise ne le peut priver de ce droit ny les Estats ny generallement les Princes de leurs dignitez ou Royaumes pour crime ou Heresie quelcunque IV. Ny absoudre les subjects de l'Obeissance fidelite a eux deue V. Qu'il fault resister a tels jugemens qu'ils n'obligent en conscience VI. Qu'il ne se fault enquirer des actions ny de la Conscience de son Prince VII Qu'il n'est loysible de resister a un Prince Heretique VIII Qu'un Roy Catholique peut permittre deux Religions en son Royaume I. That a relaps'd Heretick and by name excommunicated by the Pope doth not loose the right of his Crown II. That such an one is a lawful King given and ordained of God III. That neither Church nor Parliament Estates can deprive them of that right nor that Princes for any Crime or Heresie whatever can be deprived of their dignities IV. Nor that subjects can be absolved from their obedience and fidelity they owe to their Kings V. That such sentences as these are not to be obeyed being not obligatory in Conscience VI. That the Actions and Consciences of Kings are not to be pry'd into VII That it is not lawful to resist an Heretical Prince VIII That a Catholick King may permit two Religions in his Kingdom What this Verone was I know not onely we may observe that about Id. Apol. pag. 29. the same time there was a French Jesuit of the same name who afterwards writ some Books And that the same year viz. 1595. that this Book was Printed one Le Bell was punished for endeavouring to convey one Franzois Veron a Student at Poictiers out of France This same Verone also in the same Book vindicates Jacques Clement for murthering Henry the Third The which horrid murder was also publickly maintain'd as an act most lawful and glorious by another French-man call'd Bouchier and he that will thus boldly affirm the greater you may justly suppose he will not deny the less viz. the deposing of them And this he tells us the Pope can do if there be need of it and the Prince Cum ille Christi vicarius sit ut videat ne quid Christo ne quid ejus Ecclesiae ac Religioni injuria fiet ne quid vel populi vel Regni vel Regum ipsorum salutem impediat cujusmodi sunt Haeresis schisma perjurium apostasia similia quae sine gravi Ecclesiae detrimento in Regibus esse nequeunt id ei licâ—re ut cum nihil leniter admo nuisse profuerit cum censuras contemni audierit cum periculum grave Ecclesiae è tali regimine imminere deponi denique utile commodum esse agnoverit tum populos Obedientiae vinculo eximat decque operam ut alteri commodiori grex à Christo redemptus commiâ—tatur De justa Henric III. abdicatione lib. 1. cap. 5. pag. 13. contemn his inferiour censures Nay probable that a greater Authority than this Boucher can more than Countenance the deposing of Kings For anno 1589 a little before the said King Henry the Third was murdered the Colledge of Sorbone in Paris being then present about seventy Doctors declared Id. P. 398 399 370 373. Jan. de Serres that all the Kings Subjects were freed from their obedience to him of which Pope Sixtus the Fifth was informed and desired to compleat by his Authority One tells us with confidence that the Pope can create and depose Vid. Phil. Horn. Thesaur Polit. p. 318 319 323 361 362. Kings Another wonders that some German Divines should deny him to have power to translate Empires And a third tells Cardinal Mont ' alto Nephew to the foresaid Sixtus the Fifth that amongst other Priviledges which belong to the Pope is to give Titles to Emperours and Kings to translate Empires from one Nation to another and to judge Princes And our Country-man Thomas Harding when he sees Childerick of France deposed by the Pope cannot refrain from telling us a Confutation of the Apology fol. 181. b. What a strength of Authority is in that See which is able with a word to place and displace the mightiest King in Europe And this is also approved of by his good friend and great admirer b A brief shew of the false wares in the Apology fol. 93. John Rastell And the Portugal c Quaestiones Regulares Tom. 2. Quest 40. art 1. Quest 63. art 7. Tom. 4. Tit. 4. c. 3. Emanuel Rodericus in several places of his Works fob'd up by the Canon-law tells how the Pope can alter Kingdoms and depose Kings What force either Loyalty or Obedience is with some Roman Catholicks may in part be seen by their cavilling at our Oath of Allegiance as where it saith that the Pope hath no power or authority to depose the King or discharge any of his Subjects of their Allegiance and Obedience to his Majesty upon any cause or occasion whatsoever They answer to the first A strange prevention to stir up humourâ— Answer to the Penal Statutes against Catholicks pag. 81 82. and to alter them with DANGEROUS Physick without necessity And to the second they thus retort Although the King should force them to be Mahometans Jewes Pagans or Infidels To that part of it which calls the opinion of the Popes power to excommunicate or deprive Kings Impious and Heretical They onely say How came the English Parliament by Authority to censure Doctrine who delivered them this power who made them assurance of Gods infallible Spirit To that part which saith That they do believe that the Pope nor any other hath power to absolve them of this Oath They deny the Article by their thus reasoning If they do not believe it NOR INDEED CAN BELIEVE IT WITHOUT GROSS IGNORANCE why should they inforce them to swear False or what get they by this And to the last part of it where 't is said that They do acknowledge this Oath to be administred unto them lawfully and by good and full Authority and that they do renounce all dispensations and pardons to the contrary They quite null the Proposition by this their answer He that sweareth false had need of absolution from the sin but needeth no dispensation because the Oath hath no force to bind as in this case By which means they declare their approbation of these following Propositions I. To affirm that the Pope hath no power or authority to depose the King is dangerous II. That in
sciogliere il vincolo del giuramento al Pont. Rom. come habbiamo dimostrato sopra c. Botero le Relationi Universali Part. 2. lib. 4. pag. 125 126 127. Giovanni Botero the first I may say that undertook prudentially to discover the world runs along in the same error with the rest of his Religion and will not onely allow the Pope to depose Kings but seem vext and angry against any that should deny it and reasons the case with them too as largely as if he had been chosen the sole Champion for his Church and declares himself a profest enemy against those who think that Kings have no Superiour but God in this World g Discussio Decreti Concil Lateran pag. 29. Lessius the Jesuit in behalf of the Pope makes use of Johannes Parisiensis but h A Theolog Dispute concerning the Oath of Allegiance Appendix pag. 402. § 18. Roger Widdrington a Benedictine affirms that Parisiensis and Antonius de Rosellis are rather for the Peoples power to depose Kings than the Popes though be it as it will one is as bad as the other and neither barrel better Herring Johannes de Bromyardo an English Dominican and famous in his time for his many writings is also an assertor of this a Opus Trivium verb. Regimen King-deposing Doctrine nor is it any strange thing amongst our Country Romanists for wherefore else should b Epist ad lectorem praefix Nâ—c Sander de Schismate Aâ—gl Edward Rishton commend Saunders for his Rebellion in Ireland Wherefore else should Watson the Author of the c Pag. 327. Quodlibets desire that the Pope had and would exercise as much power now in England as he did in Henry the Second and Kings Johns time Wherefore else should Everard Hanse the Priest say that he hoped Pius the Fifth did not err in declaring against Queen Elizabeth and absolving her subjects from their Allegiance Wherefore else should John Mundine Concertat Eccles Cathol Edit 1594. fol. 78 140 153 154 163 169 170 171. being asked at his Tryal if he thought that the Pope could depose the Queen or if another Prince should invade England whether he would assist the Queen or the Invador desire to be excused from answering Wherefore else should James Fenn at his Tryal declare that the Pope had power to depose the Queen and other Princes Wherefore else should James Bele declare that he would assist the Pope or any other against the Queen Coppie d'une lettre envoye d' Angleterre an seminaire des Anglois à Dâ—uay contenant l'Hist du Martyre de 4. Prestres An. 1616. pag. 10 18 49 53. Why should John Finch affirm the same or Father Thomas Maxfield that no man under damnation could take the Oath of Allegiance And Nicholas Atkinson refuse to take the said Oath though he was promised his life if he would take it As they promised the same mercy and favour to John Thulis and N. Voren at Lancaster And we are d Vid. O. E. a new chalange made to N. D. p. 116. Mat. Sutcliff's challenge concerning the Romish Church pag. 187. informed from the Records of the Memorials of the Council at Yorke that a House being searched for a Priest stiled David Engleby their own Catalogues mentions one Francis Ingleby who suffer'd there 1586 there were found in the said house these Positions That the Queen before the Popes Bull was not a lawful Queen That Catholicks are not to defend her or fight for her if any come to execute the Popes Bull. That it is lawful to take arms against her and to do what they please with her if they be sure to obtain Victory And the onely reason that Father e Vid. Rob. Abbot Antilogia pag. 156. Garnet had against some insurrection against the King was because they wanted the Popes Authority or approbation And if I mistake not 't is no less man than Father f A letter of a Catholick touching the Oath of Allegiance pag. 47. Parsons who thinks it no small honour for his cause that Robert Drurie Matthew Flathers and George Gervis three Priests would rather dye than take the Oath of Allegiance when life was offer'd them upon that condition But what need I trouble my self with particulars when Abraham Bzovius who thought himself fit to be joyned with Baronius tells us that all the g De Rom. Pont. cap. 46. pag. 621. English Priests who suffer'd in England absolutely maintain'd that the Pope might depose Kings and he h Id. Cap. 45 46. himself is of the same pernicious Principle Of this Opinion also is the great Spanish Lawyer i Emporium â—triusque juris Part. 1. Tit. 2. de jurisdic omnium judicum Quaest 4. § 12. Pet. Augustin Morla and to him it would be no news to add a Souldier of the same Kingdom and one that by the assistance of this Maxime was to prove his Sword could do no wrong by taking away another mans Kingdom and joyning of it to his Masters And this is Fadrique de Toledo Duke of Alva who in a large Speech told the people of Navarre pretty stories of the Popes power in giving away Kingdoms But the conclusion was that by the same Authority the Kingdom of Navarre was given to his Master of Spain and King Albret justly deposed And 't is no great matter whether he or his a Ael Anton Nebrissens de Bello Navarr lib. 1. cap. 6. Historian pen'd the Harangue And no question but that his Grand-childe Don Fernando d'Alvares de Toledo Duke of Alva was altogether of the same judgement when he conquer'd Portugal to the same Crown Nor is the great but none of the best Text-men the Spanish Preaching Jesuite Johannes Osorius of any better Principles For amongst other priviledges granted to the Popes he tells his Auditory that he can b Omnem dare auferre aut moderari jurisdictionem Reges create iterum Regna tollere Concion Tom. 3. Concio in Cathedra St. Petri col 2. appoint and depose Kings And in another of his c preachments he tells the people that by this Text Behold here are two swords is signified the Spiritual and material Swords of the Church whereby she doth assault beat and rob Kings of their Dominions and Authority b Ecce duo gladii hic Duas Ecclesiae potestates quibus in peccatores animadvertit significat Ecclesiasticam saecularem gladium Spirituale materiale quo Ecclesia uti potest cum oportuerit Reges expugnando ac debellando a potestate Regia expoliando Tom. 4. pag. 87. Of the same judgement is the Italian Lawyer and Divine too d Tract de officio S. Inquisit Tit. 1. § 67 68 93. Caesar Carena of so great repute at Cremona and a favorite of the English Overseer Cardinal Francisco Barberino Nephew to Vrban the eighth But of this subject we have been too long and so I shall conclude all with the Dominican
his Rebellion hath too much of Atheism in him to be a true Christian Thus would these men make the condition of Kings to be like that of Damocles with a drawn Sword hanging over their heads by a slender thred His and the Kingdoms settlement to lye at the mercy and alteration of every hot-brain'd Zealot For let him be of whatsoever Religion yet we see he shall not please and that which should have no Arms but Prayers and Tears must be made a pretence to prove the Devil a Saint and Treason an Article of Faith We have formerly seen how the Romish Favorites do hugely contend in behalf of their a Extra Com. l. 1. Tit. â— c. 1. Unam Sanctam Canon-law that the Pope is b Jer. 1. 10. set over the Nations and over Kingdoms to root out and to pull down and to destroy and to throw down But as if this were not enough to overcloud the Authority of Kings they will allow the people also the power to trample upon their Princes by deposing them and this in few words is acknowledged by c Jus deponendi abdicandi e solio Reges ac Principes non solum Ecclesiae sed interdum populis competere ratione exemplis ostenditur Rut. Benz. Comment in Canticum Magnificat lib. 3. cap. 27. dub 6. pag. 134. Rutilius Benzonius Bishop of their Miraculous Loretto Leonardus Coquaeus endeavouring to prove that the Pope hath power to depose Kings in one place brings his Argument by way of comparison that if d Examen Praefat. monit p. 102. Parliaments do sometimes depose Kings why may not the Pope much more do it And in another place speaks more plain That e Imo judicarem quod non expectata sententia Summi Pontificis posset talem Principem a subditis deponi Id. Pag. 49. without the Pope the subjects themselves may pull their Kings from their Thrones But I warrant you that King James against whom he wrote would never be converted by this French-man Here we have the Brabantine Jesuite Martinus Becanus keep a great deal of clutter about the old worne-out Argument of a mutual compact between King and People and so he would conclude that if Kings do not keep their Promises to their Subjects then the Controvers Angl. p. 133 134 135. people may slip their necks out of Coller and throw by their King and something to this purpose he affords you an old Rime Frangenti fidem fides frangatur eidem But this in this case is a false rule with us being no compact nor the parties equals so that do but translate his Riming Proverb to agree with the cause in hand and we shall see the consequence to be false Don breaks his Troth burns my poor house what then May I his slave go and burn his agen This used to be common Logick to the borderers or Moss-troopers but we see ours if held affirmatively cannot prosper in a setled Kingdom But he goeth farther yet to extol the power of the People affirming that when a King is deposed though there Plus dicam in haec re voluit concensus populi ut etiamsi superesset legitimus haeres cui Regnum deberetur hoc palam omnibus constaret tamen si populus praetermitto legitimo haerede alium delegisset ille alius fuisset verus Rex Mart. Becan Controv. Angl. pag. 120. remaineth a lawful Heir to whom the Kingdom of right doth belong and this too apparently known to all yet if the people do chuse another and throw this Heir aside the other so chosen is the true King Almost an hundred years ago an English-man who calls himself John Rastell Master of Arts and Student of Divinity then living at Lovan a A brief shew of the false wares packâ— together in the named Apologie of the Church of England fol. 9â— wrote against Dr. Jewel in behalf of Dr. Harding or rather as himself saith gathered out of Dr. Hardings Book and if so about this cause take both their Opinions For whereas every Common-wealth is greater than the Prince which governeth it and may depose the same upon lawful cause and whereas Riot and doltishness are causes sufficient so to do as making the Prince unable to govern it well it followeth consequently that if the whole Estate of France deposed Chilperick and erected Pipine there was NO FAULT committed in so doing Now certainly you would think that this Chilperick was a strange Tyrant or that his wickedness must be so great that 't was no fault to take the Crown from him and give it to one of his Subjects that had no right to it nor is this all but the Kingdom by this means changed from one Family to another But we shall finde his enormities not to deserve such punishment that he wanted discretion I believe but then they might have given him an assistant and as for his inclination b Hist de' personaggi illustri Religiosi lib. 3. cap. 18. Essenda di natura piâ— Egli menò vita Angelica Paolo Morigi tells us that he was Godly and peaceful and when he was put into a Monastery that he led an Angelical life Whether there was such an English-man or no as this John Rastell I know not because Pitseus maketh no mention of any such and doth tell us besides that c Pag. 764. William Rastell amongst other things wrote several Books against Bishop Jewel whosoever be the man 't is not much to our purpose though William the Lawyer would have given more credit to the cause though for so doing would somewhat have encreas'd the wonder those who are so much addicted to our Common-law not troubling themselves so much with the Romish Politicks or the niceties of the Schools And so much for Rastell and his friends Doctrine d Recognit lib. de laicis cap. 6. Bellarmine tells us that Martinus ab Azpilcueta the famous Spanish Lawyer was of Opinion that the people never transferr'd their power so much upon and into the Prince but that in some cases they might resume it again from him And of the same judgement doth the Cardinal shew himself in one place that if e Videmus in â—ebus publicis temporalibus si Rex degeneret in Tyranâ—um â—icet sit Caput Regni tamen a populo deponi eligi alium Bellar. de Concil l. 2. c 19. the King turns Tyrant the people may depose him and chuse another And again that f Pendet a consensâ— multitudinis constituere super se Regem vel Consules vel alios Magistratus ut patet si causa legitima adsit potest multitudo mutare Regnum in Aristocratiam aut Democratiam e contrariâ— Bellarm. de laicis lib. 3. cap. 6. 't is the consent of the people that constitutes Kings or other Governments over them and so if cause be given they may turn â—he Kingdom into an Aristocracy or Democracy or the contrary g Defens fid
the Peoples consent to him which is next by birth is nothing at all needful be he what he will and that his admission inunction or Coronation is onely a matter of external Ceremony without any effect at all for increase or Confirmation of his right These I say are unlearned fond and wicked assertions And as if all the world agreed with him upon his main design he thus flatters himself and his Readers That a King upon just causes may be deposed I think both Id. Part 2. cap. 4. p 61. Parties though never so contrary between themselves will easily agree But before I leave this wicked Book I shall tell thee that the Doctrine of it was so pleasing to the Palates of our Independents that about the beginning of 1648 they got it reprinted though in another garbe that of Father Parsons his putting out being by way of Dialogue but the latter was by way of Speeches or Orations Gilbert Mabbot being Imprimator and not long before the happy Restauration of his Majesty the Dialogue was publickly reprinted again and to good purpose I warrant you Johannes Mariana the Spanish Jesuit sufficiently known for his variety of Learning and the smooth stroke of his Pen and no less for his pernicious Principles spread over the world to encourage Treason and Murther amongst his other Impieties he perswades subjects to War against Certe a Repub unde ortum habet Regia potestas rebus exigentibus Regem in jus vocari posse si sanitatem râ—spuat Principatu spoliari Non ita in principem jure potestatis transâ—ulit ut non sibi majorem reservaâ—t potestatem Jo. Mar. de Regi Regis Institutione lib. 1. cap. 6. pag. 57. their Kings telling them that in some cases they may also depose them nay and Murther them too of which in its due place But they may say that the Parisians received him with some Rigour though yet I do not think that they will positively affirm that this was justly done for the Position now in hand unless they will also censure some of the main Pillars of their Church And the Germane Jesuit a Refutatio Aphorismorum cap. 3. ad Aphor. 1. p. 158. § 94. Sehastianus Heissius in this case doth Apologize for him declaring that in this point that Kings may be deposed by their Subjects he writ not amiss Nor is this Doctrine unpleasant to all the French as appears by one of the noted writers amongst them b Neque enim potest qui verus eâ—t dominus hostiliter invadiâ— sed via tantum juris à tota communicate moneri si incorrigibilis fuerit aut detineri debet ad tempus aut deâ—oni Quod non cadit adversus Principem nisi juxta allegata pâ—obata quidem à tota Communitate Râ—b Cenalis Arboricensis de utâ— iusque gladii sacultate Tom. 2. pag. 119. Robertus Cenalis who shews himself a lusty Champion for this cause against Kings whom he saith may be brought to a tryal and deposed To these I might add the Italian Jesuit a Moral Quaest Tom. 2. Tract 29. c. 1. § 12. Vincentius Filliucius the Spanish Fryar Mendicant b In D. Tho. Tom. 1. col 1157. Michael Salon and the learned Dominican of the same Nation c De justitia lib. 5 Quaest 1. art 3. Dominicus Soto with whom the Benedictan of our own Country agreeth viz. d Denique recte Sotus cum hujusmodi Tyrannus habeat jus titulum justum in Regno non est nisi perjudicem deponendus aut suo jure spoliandus Greg. Sayr Clavis Regia lib. 7. cap. 10. § 3. Gregory Sayer but to be too particular would be tedious And so I shall pass by e Tyrannicidium seu Scitum Catholicorum de Tyranni internecione Quest 2 3. Jacobus Kellerus the German Jesuit and Mr. f Grounds of Obedience and Government pag. 122 123 124 133 135 136 151 154 157 c. Thomas White an English Priest well known amongst us for his odd stile and opinions with several others CHAP. IV. That Kings may lawfully be kill'd by their own Subjects SOlon that ancient Law-giver to the Athenians though it was his design to put a curb to all Vice and root out Iniquity yet amongst his many other good and wholesome Sanctions he made no law against a mans killing of his Father not thinking that men could be so unnatural as to destroy that which gave them a being seeing the very Storks venture all for the preservation of their ancient Parents And the more modern Inhabitants of Vicaragua in America Tho. Gages survey of the West-Indies Pag. 74 75. Mexicana though Infidels had such esteem for their Governours the Fathers of the Country that they made no Law against the murthering of Kings Happy people whose innocent simplicity made them not capable to apprehend such monstrous Villany And must Christians be out-stript by these honest Heathens in virtue or is it decreed that Christianity should be a prop to wickedness Must we as they say of the Gloss of Orleance contradict the Text when we are bid to obey must we Rebel when we are bid to suffer must we kill and Murther Or must we think that the nulling is the fulfilling of a Law May we interpret all Commands as the Glossator upon the Canon-law with Oppositions that to g Statuimus id est abrogamus dist 4. § Statuimus Decree signifieth to abrogate or null or as another doth with the Civil-Law that by h Quo magis id est quo minus Cod. lib. 3. de judiciis Tit. 1. c. 3. § Quoties so much the more must be meant so much the less No yet such there are or else we do not rightly understand the Text or their Comment The learned Lord i Hist Hen. VII p. 134. Verulam tells us that conditional Speeches with Ifs and And 's doth not qualifie Treason Burdet the Merchant in London suffered as a Traytor under Edward the Fourth onely for saying that he would make his Son Inheritor of the Crown meaning his own House and Collingburn under Richard the Third for making this Pasquil upon his favourites Lovel Ratcliff and Catsby with an allusion to himself by a Bore his Cognizance or Badge in Arms The Rat the Cat and Lovel the Dog Rule all England under the Hog Since the Crowns of Princes are so nice people should be more circumspect how they treat of them especially when it concerns a mischief and the people may think that they are somewhat related to it and though the Rule be but obscure they are apt to take the staff by the wrong end and apply it to their own pleasures and desires of Novelty Though the Letter Edwardum occidere nolite timere bonum est To kill Edward do not fear is a good thing was dubious and might have a double interpretation yet Gurney and Maltravers had will and malice enough to understand it for the
56. that he would rather loose his head than not acknowledge this Authority to lye in the Roman Chair And Pope Sixtus the Fifth could make a f See Will. Warmingtons moderate defence of the Oath of Allegiance pag. 127 128 c. Speech in a full Consistory of Cardinals in commendation of the horrid murther of Henry the Third King of France CHAP. VI. For how many causes according to the Romanists a King may be deposed THey say 't is good to have many strings for a bow if one fail another may hold and others think they can do any thing by a distinction though it signifie nothing he that divided himself between the Arch-bishop of Colen and the Prince Elector was well retorted upon by the Boor If the Prince go to the Devil what will become of the Bishop And the Scotch Presbyterian g Hist Reformat of Scotland p. 392 393. John Knox used this art when he would not have the King but the Offender suffer Our English Covenanters thought they clear'd themselves of Rebellion by declaring that they fought not against the King but his evil Council and that h Ex. coll p. 727. Treason is not against the Kings person as he is a man but in relation to his Office And the Independant when the Presbyterian had i Declar. for Non-address 1647. declared that they could not repose any more trust in the King and made it Treason for any to address to him and so had laid him by as useless supposed they vindicated themselves sufficiently by affirming that they onely beheaded a private man the Presbyterians having formerly kill'd the King And these quirks to further Rebellion and to make the murthering of Kings more plausible are used by a De justitia lib. 2. c 9. dub 4. § 10 12. Lessius b Tom. 3. disp 5. Q. 8. punct 3. Valentia c Institut Sacerdot lib. 5. cap. 6. § 10. Tolet d Defens sid Cathol lib 6. cap. 4. § 14 18. Suarez e De justa abdicat Hen. III. Boucher Father f Qu'et and sober reckâ—ning pag. 321. Parsons g De justitia lib. 5. Q. 1. Art 3. Soto h Refutat Aphorism pag. 158. § 94. Heissius i De justitia Tom. 4. Tract 3. disp 6. § 2. Molina k Controveâ—s Anglic. pag. 115. Becanus and several others of the chief writers amongst the Romanists so that these and our Covenanters need not be so earnest in upbraiding one another with Treason When people are resolved for mischief 't is not difficult to pretend reasons and sinde out means to carry on the design plausible enough to blinde the giddy multitude To ruine the innocent many and strange Articles and accusations shall be framed against him and though not one of them can make him an Offender rather than their malice should fail of its purpose they will jumble them all together to make him a Traytor as the wicked-long-Parliament did with the Earl of Strafford and l Prynns Canterbâ—ry's doom pag. 51. Maynard used the same plea and means to hasten the murther of Arch bishop Land O the strength of a Covenanâ—ing Reason as if though one Elders Maid alone could not make a Dog an hundred of them could make a Mastiff could number thus aâ—â—er its being Prâ—teus would be out-vapour'd by this Argument and irrational and poysonous Creatures might once again ascend to be Classical Assembly-men for thus forty or fifty Asses together would be a Presbyterian though one by it self could not be a man But it may be they will thus prove their Assertion though one Assembly mans m Especially the first Edition notes will not make a Diodate or a Dutch Comment all the Assembly together will because it may be they will say that they stole all their Annotations out of them if this be their Argument I shall neither trouble my self to see whether they confess truth or no nor give them any reply to it What various Arts and devices with impertinent and poor pretences have been used by some Popes and their Part-takers not onely to lessen the authority but ruine the being of some Kings History can best inform us And some of their several causes and reasons they bring to prove the legality of proceeding against Kings shall be briesly hinted at in this place I. n Com. in Esther pag. 95. Feuardentius the Franciscan affirms that a King may be deposed if he be too prodigal in lavishing away the publick Revenues either by scattering them amongst his cringing Courtiers or some other spend-thrift-way That this is a fault no man can deny but how either to judge of it or hinder it belongs not to us and 't is too obscure either for our eyes or brains But we might retort upon the Chair of Rome the excessive extortion that some of them make to enrich their Kindred And the extravagancy of Sixtus the Fourth cannot be excused bestowing such excessive sums amongst his Whores II. Others say that a King may be deposed if he be a breaker of his Mart. Becanus Controv Angl. pag. 135. R. Parsons conference about succession pag. 32 36 73 77. Feuardent com in Esther pag. 94. promise to his Subjects or a violator of his publick Faith And if so why may not Popes run the same Exit who think it not lawful to keep Faith with Hereticks and are as apt as any to break them upon every advantage III. Another way to have a King deposed is this if he either study Feuard pag. 91. make use or approve of the Art of Magick or acquaint himself with those who do so This accusation would serve the Vulgar and the better because they are not competent Judges In former time 't was almost dangerous to have above a common stile in the Mathematicks so that our Roger Bacon Albertus Magnus and other famous Scholars can at this day scarce quit themselves from being thought Conjurers by the multitude and some have been too bold in throwing such wicked opinions upon Joseph Salomon and some others for whom Monsieur Naudé hath composed an Apology As for the Popes their own Platina affirms Sylvester the Second to have dealt with the Devil Card. Benno and some others think that Benedict the Ninth and Gregory the Seventh were too familiar that way though the former a Naudé Apol cap. 19. French-man endeavours to clear them of that crime and so I leave every man to his own judgement IV. If a King be guilty of b Jo. Azorius Instit Tom. 2. lib. 10. cap. 8. Jo. Bapt. Boiardus Addit ad Julii Clari practic criminalem Qu. 35. § 6. Feuard 91. Perjury some of them say he may be deposed for that fault If they think Perjury to be such an horrid sin as who can deny its heinousness they should not encourage Subjects to run so easily into this crime by making them break their Oaths of Allegiance to their respective Princes by
della potesta Eccles pag 68 76. Paris de Puter de syndicatu Summar 4. § 56 57 58 59. Jul. Ferrettus de re milit p. 156. § 113. p. 354. § 26. Giov. Filoteo Nuova Resposta contra Venetia p 16 59. Celsus Mancinus de juribus Principat l. 3. c. 3. p. 76. Dionys Carthus de authoritate Papae lib. 1. aâ—t 6. Jo. Mar. Bellettus disquisit Clerical part 1. p. 282. § 110. Hostiens Summa lib. 5. Tit. de Haeret. § qua poena ferratur § 11. Greg. Nunnius Coronel de optimo Reipub. Statu p. 545 547. Jo. Turrecremata Summa de Eccles c. 14. propos 4. Dom. Soto in sentent disp 25. qu. 2. art 1. § Tertio Petr. de Palude de causa Immediate Eccles potest art 4. Jo. de Seloa de Beneficio part 4. qu. 8. § 25. Jo. à S. Geminiano Summa de Exemplis lib. 8. cap. 60. Gabr. Berart spectacul visitat c. 22. § 46. Paul Carraria de literali ac Mystico Regularum jâ—ris interpretatione qu. 2. art 4. punct 2. § 25 26 27. by his indiscretion not fit for Rule they say he may then be deposed Thus they say Childerick was deprived from being King of France because he was a little easie natured not given to action nor so wise as his Neighbours whereby he was unfit for Rule This may make the being of Government most unstable the giddy multitude and the factious being apt to interpret this Rule at any time to their pleasures when before these late Wars Sir Henry Ludlow Father to the notorious Edmund Ludlow had the boldness publickly Ex. Coll. p. 552. before the Parliament to affirm that King Charles I. was not worthy to be King of England and no way punish'd for such abominable speeches whereby it appear'd how pleasing they were to the rest of the Commons what might be expected when they were more heightned in wickedness by their entring and continuing in open Rebellion If this one so vertuous religious learned and knowing a King be censured as unworthy what may other Princes think of themselves and their condition And yet 't is better to be thus soft-natured than so abominable wicked and cruel as Sixtus IV Alexander VI and some other Popes were amongst whom we may justly place John XIII or XII who I warrant you at this time waving his wickedness was every inch of him fit to be Pope being but a Baronius anno 955. § 3 4. XVIII years old if so much when he rul'd the Church as a Successor of St. Peter And if you think that this Youth was not young enough to be Christs Vicar what will you object against b Baron an 1033. § 6. Papyr Massonius de Episcopis Urbis lib. 4. fol. 174. Benedict IX a boy of XII years old and yet at that age was his litttle Holiness Pope of Rome and as infallible too as the best of them It hath formerly been a custom in c P. Messia Selva Rinovata part 4. c. 67. Franconia at our d Jo. Gregory's Posthuma p. 95 133 c. Salsbury at Cambray in Hanault and many other Cities for the young Boys upon St. Nicholas his day to chuse amongst themselves a Bishop who with his Myter and other little Episcopal Ornaments used to govern them till Iunocents day but it may be the Council of e Sess 21. Basil made a Decree against the Custom The former John and Benedict would have been pretty Popes for these Bishops and if we add a Baron anno 925. Hugo à Veromandia who was made Arch-bishop of Rheims at V years old and approved of by Pope John X or XI they would make up a dapper Council to govern the Universal Church and sufficient and vigilant and careful enough XV. For what other reasons they may depose Kings I cannot justly Dâ—m Paul Lopiz flase Clericorum part 2. § 77. Guil. de Monser rat de successione Regum dub 1. § 30. Sylv. de Priero Summa v. Papa § 10 11. Alex. Carerius de potest Rom. Pont. l. 2. c. 3. § 18. Cels Mancinus de jurib Principat l. 3. c. 3. p. 76. Tho. Stapleton Tom. 1. Controv. 3. Qu. 5. Art 2. p. 710. Fran. Bozzâ—us de Temporall Eccles Monarch l. 2. c. 16. p. 553. Arnald Albertin Repet in C. quoniam de Haeret. Qu. 15. § 34. S. Bonaventur de Eccles Hierarch part 2. cap. 1 Aâ—ast Germinus de sacrorum Immunitat lib. 3. Proem § 9 10. Jo à Capistrino de Papae Authorit fol. 65. à Jul. Caes Madim de sacris Ordinib 9. cap. 9. § 17. determine because many of their Writers will not particularize but by shooting at random and excepting none may give occasion for more than here set down and for ought that I know may tacitely allow of any for when they say That a King may justly be deposed cause being given without naming any they leave the people to judge them themselves And that they pretend more causes for deposing of Kings than we here charge them with is somewhat plain from b In 2. 2. p. 224. Petrus de Aragon who saith That a King may be deposed for any fault to which Excommunication is joyned And if we look upon c Summa aurea Armilla v. Excommunicat Bartholomaeus Fumus and some others we shall finde God knows how many causes laid down by them for Excommunication XVI But why need we search for Vices or make such a clutter to prove a King to be criminal As if iniquity wickedness stupidity or suchlike failings were the onely causes for which a Prince might be removed since we are informed that all these signifie nothing to the purpose it being not so much the defect of the King as the pleasure or rather will forsooth of his Holiness at Rome For thus are we told by no less man than Thomas Bozzius whose Authority is neither slighted by the Pope nor his Romish Favourites Although that a King be lawful and understanding in Government Sitque aliquis jure solers industrius potens Catholicus pius Tamen Pontifex Episcopique Pontifice approbante jure naturaâ—i Divino in Divini Scriptis expresso ac tradito per Christum Apostolos valent huic auferre Imperia Regna alterâ—que nullum jâ—s alioque habenti adjudicare ubi judicaverint id esse non modo necessarium sed expediens Tho. Boz de jure Status lib. 3. cap. 4. pag. 287 288. Industrious Potent a good Roman Catholick and godly yet the Pope and the Bishops by the Approbation of the Pope by Divine Law delivered to the Church by Christ and his Apostles have power to take away his Dominion and Kingdoms from him and give them all to a third person who had no right unto them if so be that they think that so doing to be not onely necessary but expedient Most miserable must thus the State of Kings be if they thus lye at the Mercie of one which
Charlemaign's Ambassadors coming to Constantinople found that design spoil'd by a great alteration for one Nicephorus having made the Army sure to him besiegeth Irene takes her prisoner is himself declared Emperour giveth an Oath of Allegiance to the Army banisheth Irene confining her to the Island Lesbos where she pines away with anguish and grief and so Nicephorus struck up a peace with Charlemaign and the Empire 's divided Thâ— Charles was the first that was Emperour of the West or Germany at whose Coronation the Pope did Adore him as used to be done to ancient Emperours that is as b Dupleix saith the Pope a Alors le Pape au report de nos Annales adora Charles à la maniere des anciens Empereurs c'est à dire s'humilia devantluy les genoux à terre le recognoissant comme Empereur Romain Scipion. Dupleâ—x Tom 1. pag. 449. § 4. kneeling on the ground humbled himself before him acknowledging him to be Emperour of Rome The French and Spaniard are yet at dispute concerning their Relation to this Charlemaign and the Empire the Castilian affirming himself to have much of this Charles his bloud in him being in part descended from him and so hath more right to the Empire than the other the Royal-line of Charles ending in France by the coming in of Hugh Capet This is as furiously opposed by the French but being nothing to my purpose I shall refer those of the Spanish Interest to the Reasons of b Vindiciae Hispan Chifletius whilst those who stand for the French may consult the Answers to them by David Blondellus where the Monsieur may clog himself with a bad method and multitude of Genealogies with a Preface as some say of the Gate of Myndus bigger than all the other work or Building And almost an hundred years ago Matthaeus Zampinus wrote an Apology for Hugh Capet as descended from the ancient French Kings and related also to Charles the Great But this by the by Sect. 2. The miserable and troublesome Raign of the Emperour Lewes le Debonnaire by the many Rebellions against him CHarles le Maigne or the Great being dead there succeeded him as Emperour and King of France his Son Lewes le Debonnaire i. e. the Courteous or Affable by the Latines call'd Ludovicus Pius one though very good-natured and religious yet was his life nothing but trouble and misery I shall not say any thing of the Tumultuous Saxons Hunns Normans and suchlike people but tell you what oppositions he received from his own Kindred and what Rebellions and Treasons were waged against him by his own Sons Bernard Son to Pepin Son to Charles the Great and so Nephew to this Lewes le Debonnaire was call'd King of Italy and there year 800 lived to keep those people in subjection to the Empire but by his inconsiderate Rebellion against his Uncle Lewes he lost both it with his liberty eyes and life too Lewes having made Laws to restrain the excess of some Bishops procured him the hatred of some of the proud Clergy amongst the rest three were most eminent in this Faction and Rebellion viz. Anselmus Bilius the First Archbishop of Millan Wolfeldus Bishop of Cremona in Italy and Theodulphus Bishop of Orleans in France these fob'd up Bernard with strange hopes of success if he would war against his Uncle Lewes and in several discourses with him play'd their Cards so well that having at first breath'd into him discontent to which his own proud humour perswaded him then hopes of carrying all at last ingaged him to appear in open Hostility titling of himself a P. Berthault Florus Francicus pag. 118. J. de Serres King of France which he also resolved to seise upon to which purpose he had got a strong Army and fortified the Alpean passages into Italy The Emperour Lewes informed of this imploys his whole care to provide himself with a sufficient force which having gathered together from several places marched towards his Enemy Bernard understanding the great strength of Lewes and his own Souldiers running away from him whereby he knowing that he was not able to stand against him having consulted several ways for his own safety he found none that were probable to succeed but his submission and knowing the Emperour of all men to be most merciful and good-natured taking his opportunity he goeth to Lewes acknowledgeth his fault and humbly begs his pardon and so did others the chief of this Rebellion by which means a full discovery of the design was made but that which incensed most was that the Emperour by these confessions understood that some of his own chief Councellors and most intimate familiars were privy to and ingaged in the Treachery They are all imprisoned and an Assembly being held at Aken in Germany they are all there declared according to their old Laws guilty of High-Treason and so the chief of them adjudged to death The Emperour was very willing to spare Bernard onely to have confined him to perpetual imprisonment But the other Councellors about him so aggravated the pride arrogancie and this Treason of Bernard that Lewes though with grief consented that he should have his b Jo. de Bussieres Tom. 1. pag. 333. eyes pull'd out it being the common punishment in those times which accordingly was c Giacop Filip da Bergamo in his old Italian Chronocle it may be through a mistake declares the punishment thus Bernardo essendomenato in Aquisgrana fu decapitate fol. 304. b. done and the third day after he dyed for grief The Bishops who were found guilty of this Treachery were deprived of their Dignities and thrust into little Covents As for the Emperour Lewes he no sooner heard of Bernards death but he was hugely troubled publickly repenting that he had consented to such counsel openly confessing his cruelty as he call'd it and order'd all the Plotters to be set at liberty and restored to their former Beings But now let us proceed to a more unnatural Rebellion and first for the better understanding of it the Reader if he please for memory-sake may glance upon this small Scheme Charles the Great the First Emperour Lewes le Debonnaire to him was first given France but out-living his two Brothers he became Emperour Hermingardis Daughter to Earl Nigranus Lâ—tharius after the overthrow of Bernard made King of â—aly and was by his Father joyn'd with him in the Empire Pepin had Aquitane given him he dyed before his Father leaving two young Sons Lewes had Bavaria given him by his Father and his Brother Lothaire was forced to give all Germany and is call'd King of it Judith Daughter to Welfo Earl of Altdorf Charles the Bald was King of France and at last Emperour he was poysoned as some say by his Physitians Some have indeavoured to declare the true grounds of this unnatural Rebellion but others suppose that ambition was the real cause whatever might be the pretence one of them being this Lewes fighting against
and dated his Letters from the year of his Popedom And now I talk of datings I might speak here of Philip the First of France of his Excommunication An. 1100. and how some would thence conclude that he was thereby deprived from his Kingdom and bring for a proof some datings not with the Raign of the King but the year and Rule of Christ under this form Regnante Christo But seeing c Hist de France tom 2. p. 89. § 5. Scipion Dupleix slights it as of no validity and that vastly read David Blondellus hath in a particular large a De formulae Regnante Christo usu Treatise shewn its mistake and that such Forms have been many times used when no Excommunication or Censure obliged it I shall not trouble the Reader nor my self any farther with it CHAP. III. 1. The Kings of England denyed the Popes Coercive Authority over them or their Dominions 2. The troubles of England by the arrogancie and obstinacie of Thomas à Becket against his Soveraign King Henry the Second Sect. 1. The Kings of England denyed the Popes Coercive Authority over them or their Dominions HAving now seen in part how the greatest Emperours have been tost about by the Popes it will not be amiss to hint at their indeavours to reduce England to the slavery of their humours and what may we not expect from their pretended grand Spiritual jurisdiction when we shall see an Archbishop and a born Subject too bandy against his Soveraign Henry the Second which story is here related As for England the Pope would be Lord over it as well as other Nations nor did his Religion any way advance the Obedience and Allegiance of Subjects For though one Pope had approved of King William the First his Conquest by sending him a b Speed book 9. c. 2. § 2. consecrated Banner an Agnus Dei and one of St. Peters Hairs in way of his good speed Yet the next Pope viz. Gregory the Seventh demands fealty from him as may appear by the Kings Dr. Geo Hakewell's Answ to Dr. Cariers Letter pag. 141. Answer in Sir Robert Cottons Library Hubertus Legatus tuus Religiose Pater ad me veniens ex tua parte me admonuit quatenus tibi successoribus tuis fidelitatem facerem de pecunia quem Antecessores mei ad Romanam Ecclesiam mittere solebant melius cogitarem unum admisi alterum non admisi fidelitatem facere nolui nec volo quia nec ego promisi nec Antecessores meos Antecessoribus tuis id fecisse comperio Hubert your Legat Holy Father coming unto me advertised me as from you that I was to do fealty to you and your Successors and that I should bethink my self better of the Money which my Predecessors were wont to send the Church of Rome the one I admitted the other I admitted not The fealty I would not perform neither will I because neither my self promised it nor do I finde that my Predecessors performed it to yours Upon which refusal some suppose Gregory returned that furious and uncivil Letter seen amongst his other a Lib. 7. Ep. 1. Epistles to his said Legat Hubert in which he accused the King of Impudence and that he had done more against the Church than all the b Nemo omnium Regni etiam Paganorum contra Apostolicam sedem hoc praesumpsit centare quod is non eâ—ubuâ—â— facere Ib. Pagan Kings themselves had offer'd Nor did his Son King Henry the First acknowledge any subjection to the See of Rome for though Pope Paschal the Second expected it and accordingly thus wrote to him to put him in minde of it Paschalis servus servorum Dei dilecto filio Henrico illustri Anglorum Regi salutem Apostolicam Benedictionem Cum de manu Domini largius honorem divitias pacemque susceperis miramur vehementius gravamur quod in Regno potestateque tua Beatus Petrus in B. Petro Dominus honorem suum justitiamque perdiderit Sedis enim Apostolica Nuntii vel literae praeter jussum Regiae Majestatis nullam in potestate tua susceptionem vel aditum promerentur nullus inde clamor nullum inde judicium ad sedem Apostolicam destinatur Paschal the servant of servants of God to our beloved Son Henry the renowned King of England health and Apostolical Benediction Since you have plentifully received Honour Riches and Peace from the hand of the Lord We exceedingly wonder and take it in ill part that in your Kingdom and under your Government St. Peter and in St. Peter the Lord hath lost his Honour and Right in as much as the Nuntio's and Breves of the See Apostolick are not thought worthy entertainment or admittance into your Dominions without your Majesties Warrant No Complaint now no Appeal comes from thence to the Apostolick See To which King Henry the First after some terms of Complement replies in this manner Eos Honores eam Obedientiam quam tempore Patris mei Antecessores vestri in Regno Anglia habuerunt tempore meo ut habeatis volo eo videlicet tenore ut dignitates usus consuetudines quas Pater meus tempore Antecessorum vestorum in Regno Angliae Ego tempore vestro in eodem Regno meo integre obteneam Notumque habeat Sanctitas vestra quod me vivente Deo auxiliante Dignitates usus Regni Angliae non minuentur Et si Ego quod absit in tanta me dejectione ponerem Optimates mei imo totius Angliae populus id nullo modo pataretur Habita igitur Charissime Pater utiliori deliberatione ita se erga nos moderetur benignitas vestra ne quod invitus faciam à vestra me cogatis recedere obedientia That Honour and Obedience which your Predecessors had in the Kingdom of England during the raign of my Father my will is that you should have in my time with this condition That my self fully and wholly enjoy all the Dignities Prerogatives and Customs which my Father enjoy'd in the said Kingdom in the time of your Predecessors And I would that your Holiness should understand that during my life the Dignities and Prerogatives of the Crown of England by Gods Grace shall not be diminished And if I should so far debase my self which God forbid my Lords and Commons would by no means indure it Wherefore most dear Father upon better advice let your gentleness be so tempered towards us that I be not inforced which I should unwillingly do to withdraw my self from your obedience But to save my self trouble I shall refer the Reader to Sir a Rep. part 5. Edward Coke and Mr. b Hist of the the Popes intolerable Usurpations Prynne where he may abundantly satisfie himself that the Kings of England not onely slighted the Papal Coercive Power but all along exercised Authority in and over Ecclesiastical Causes Though the Pope made it his business to trample upon all Temporal Jurisdiction and make it a meer
ridiculous shadow without life or soul but as it received a being from Rome But leaving these we might tell you how a little after the English had got the Whim of a conditional Covenant and which is as bad Perjury For though they had sworn Allegiance to Maude Speed § 1 4 30. the Empress yet her they reject and swear a broken conditional subjection to Stephen Yet when they saw him a little downward then they cast him off and play the same conditional knack to the Empress Maude Sect. 2. The troubles of England by the arrogancie and obstinacie of Thomas à Becket against his Soveraign King Henry the Second HOwever waving these though treasonable enough we shall come to the next viz. King Henry the Second of part of whose Reign it will not be amiss to give some hints seeing so great a man as Thomas Becket is concerned in it whom some call Saint and Martyr whilst others allow him no better title than a Traytor But of this with all brevity This Thomas Becket was Son to one Gilbert Becket a Citizen of London and by the favour of Theobald Archbishop of Canterbury was made an Archdeacon in that See and was placed about the person of Henry then but Duke who coming to be King advanced him to be Lord High Chancellor of England and upon the death of the former Theobald made him Archbishop of Canterbury Having thus seen the great rise of Thomas by the Kings love grace and favour let 's now see how he lost the affection of King Henry For some time he thus lived in great repute with the King though Henry was a little troubled at the humour or design of Thomas to throw up his Chancellorship without acquainting him with it After this the Pope call'd a Council at Tours whither went the two Archbishops and several Bishops of England having first procured the Kings a Per missione Regis Matt. Paris an 1164 leave for going thither Where an ancient b Guil. Neubrig lib. 2. c. 16. Historian tells us that Thomas privately surrendred up his Archbishoprick to the Pope as if the Kings Nomination or Investiture had not been sufficient which was restored again by the Pope and so Thomas was cocksure of both Presentations and Authorities And probably this underhand-dealing and nulling of his jurisdiction might somewhat alienate the affection of Henry although c Baronius d An. 1163. § 29. will not allow of any such surrender at this time though for his dissent we must not be content onely with his word neither producing Reason or Authority for his so doing since 't is probable enough being thus back'd with the Testimony of Neubrigensis that Thomas might yeild it up now in his Prosperity for a farther confirmation and in his low condition do it also to procure pity and so make his party there the stronger against his King and Soveraign which was then his main design Add to these the strange Priviledges the Clergy boasted of by exempting themselves from all secular jurisdiction were the crime never so villanous insomuch that a Priest of the Diocess of Sarum having murder'd one Thomas had him deprived and placed in an Abbey that so he might not fall under greater punishment according to his desert by the Kings Justiciaries lest forsooth he should suffer twice for one fault And upon this last pretended Priviledge may we lay the Foundation of the following troubles For the King perceiving no signs of Peace and Tranquillity amongst his Subjects if this exception of the Clergy was permitted the people of that Coat having committed above an hundred Murthers in the short time he had yet Reigned was resolved that all the Clergy who were taken in any Robbery Murder Felony burning of Houses and the like should be tryed in Temporal Courts and suffer as well as Laymen Against this wholesome Law the Archbishop opposeth himself and will onely grant that Speed § 14. all Clergy-men so offending should be tryed in the Spiritual Courts and by men in Orders who if they were found guilty should for the first time onely be deprived of their Office and Benefice yet he granted that for the second time they might lye at the Kings pleasure as some think though d Baron an 1163. § 31. others confess that he would not allow them at any time to be delivered over to the Temporal Authority And for these irrational Priviledges Thomas was so resolute that at Westminster he openly opposed the King and got others to do so too which mightily incensed his Majesty but pleased Pope Alexander the Third to the purpose yet fearing their hearts might fail them he sends his incouraging lines into England commanding them by vertue of their obedience to stand firm for the Exemption of the Clergy nor at all to consent to the King and that if he or Baron an 1163. § 39 40. any of the rest had in these times promised obedience to the King not to keep such promises but all this did not much prevail For the King was resolved to have the Laws and Customs of his Ancestors kept up in full force and carryed his business so well that at last he had not onely the other Bishops of his opinion but Thomas also consenting who faithfully promised and sware to observe them And for their farther ratification and authority the King calls an Assembly at Clarendon in Wiltshire where the Bishops and Nobility meet him and John of Oxford sat as President But here Thomas for all his former promise at first absolutely falls off and denyeth consent to the Constitutions though at last he was so far worked upon one way or another that he there publickly sware that in the word of a Priest and sincerely he would observe them to the King and his Heirs for ever But when the King would have him to Subscribe and Seal to them as the other Bishops had done he absolutely refused and retracted what he had formerly sworn The Constitutions in all were sixteen but those which Thomas opposed were such as these That Priests guilty of Felony Murther c. should be tryed before the Secular Judges That it should not be lawful for any Archbishop or Bishops to depart the Kingdom and go to the Pope upon his summons without the Kings License That no Bishops should Excommunicate any holding of the King in Capite or put any other of his Officers under interdict without the Kings License or information to the Judge That if the Archdeacon cannot decide the Controversie they may go to the Bishop and from him to the Archbishop and lastly â—â— the King so that none shall appeal to the Pope of Rome for any cause whatsoever without the Kings License c. These and suchlike were approved of at Clarendon by all onely Thomas excepted who thought himself to have sinn'd so grievously for the former consenting to them that by way of Penance he suspended himself from his Priestly Function but
at Canterbury as a premonition that no man for the future should lay violent hands on Bishops or their Possessions But if the Statues of all such sacrilegious people were now to be erected neither the Porches nor Churches themselves in all England and Scotland could contain them Old King Henry was now at Argentan in Normandy when news came to him of the Murther which so afflicted him that he was over-whelm'd Bar. anno 1171. § 4. with tears and lamentations changing his Royalty into Hair cloths and Ashes almost for three days together retiring into his private Chamber not receiving either meat or comfort insomuch that the people about him fear'd he would pine away with grief though for the clearing of his innocency he protested a Omnipotentem Deum se testem invocare in animam suam quod opus nefandum nec sua voluntate nec Conscientia commissum est nec artificio perquisitum Baron As Almighty God should judge his soul that that accursed deed was neither acted by his will or consent nor done by any device of his Neither was this any counterfeit or dissembling grief but real and true and that so great that as a b Sa Penitence fut si grande qu'on nec lit point es Histoires que auâ—un Prince Christien ayt faict Penitence avec plus grande humilité Guil. Gazet Hist des Saincts tom 2. pag 980. Romanist confesseth never could any History afford such an Example of Penance and Humility in a Christian Prince For the King did not onely submit himself to the Papal Censures and as they say reject the ancient and wholesome Constitutions which we are told were not long after c Spelman Consil tom 2. pag. 111. confirmed again in the presence of the Popes Nuntios but also the Pope d Bar. an 1173. § 6 7. having Canonized Thomas for a Saint in Heaven Henry to compleat the rest of the Penance e Speed § 75. Bar. an 1174. § 6. injoyn'd him by the Legats went into England and being come within f Speed ib. three or g Fullers Ch. Hist l. 3. four miles of Canterbury clad onely in one woollen Coat went all that long way bare-footed to the Church the bloud running from his tender feet by the piercing and cutting of the sharp stones and in the Church bestow'd a whole day and night in fasting watching and prayer and the next day return'd without eating and drinking all the while bare-footed as he came Nor was this all for he also received on his bare back from the Monks above fourscore lashes with Rods. To such an height of Extravagancie had the awe of Papal Censures and Absolutions flown over the greatest Monarchs though really no way subject either to them or their brutish-Thunderbolts The Kings purse paid for it also by maintaining a great number of Souldiers by the Popes Order in the Holy-Land And what good-will he really had for Thomas may appear by his charity and care for his Relations one of his Sisters call'd Mary she not intending Fullers Ch. Hist l. 3. § 6â— to marry he made Abbess of Berking-Nunnery and another of his Sisters being married to one of the Botelers or Butlers he transplanted with her Husband and Children into Ireland conferring upon them high Honours and rich Revenues from whom the Dukes of Ormond are descended Nor was this all for he founded an Abbey call'd Thomas-Court in Dublin in memory of our Thomas Becket indowing it with large Revenues Thus have we seen the story of Thomas Becket which we have taken out of the Histories writ by his friends and admirers and followed that which hath most probability of Truth And we cannot but suppose that where a man is declared a Martyr for the Church and a Saint in Heaven but that Church-History will be crouded with his commendations by which we can expect but a partial relation at least little or nothing against him it being held an unpardonable crime not to believe with the Pope or to hint any thing against him whom his Holiness hath thrust into Heaven Yet enough may be gathered not onely from those who most commend but also from some ancient Historians whereby we may justly lay the fault rather upon him than his Soveraign For the King looked upon his cause to be so just having all the other Bishops of his Dominions approving of him that he freely offer'd the Controversie to the Tryal even of the a Speed § â—4 Parisian Divines and the Church of France though their King shew'd himself a great friend to Becket But Thomas was so cunning that he would stand to no mans judgement but his own and the Popes for then he was sure to come off Conqueror And if Thomas durst not stand to the determination of those Churches who in all probability understood the business best and to oppose all his own Country Bishops as if none of them were as wise or honest as himself And farther seeing presently after Thomas his death nay and Canonization too it was a strong dispute amongst the Divines beyond Sea whether Thomas was b Caesarius Hist Memorab l. 8. c. 69. damn'd for his Treason or a true Martyr I see no reason why we should be so confident of his Saintship and merits however as to use his bloud for a means to our Salvation as those do who pray c Horae B. Virg. secundum usum Sarum Paris 1534. fol. 53. b. Tu per Thomae Sanguinem quem pro te impendit Fac nos Christe scandere quo Thomas ascendit For Thomas his bloud sake which he for thee did spend Let us O Christ where Thomas is ascend Again when we consider the malapert humour of Thomas with his betters as because the King would not agree to his humour he must accuse him of d Bar. an 1166. § 45. perverse ways as e Id. anno 1167. § 26. criminous that he f § 34. grows worse and worse that he is a g Id. anno 1170. § 25. jugler a corrupt man and a deceiver Again when we consider how all the other Bishops declared him guilty of h Id. anno 1164. § 29. Perjury of i An. 1167. § 45. injuring the King of ingratitude of his rash and preposterous Excommunications that he by k Ib. § 61. his bitter provocations stir'd up the discord that his actions savour nothing of fatherly devotion or pastoral patience and that to the Pope himself they all l Ibid. vindicate the Kings actions And farther when we see the Peers not onely of England but also of France impute the want of peace to his m An. 1168. § 88. arrogancy and those who had been the very Mediators for his peace yet could not but tell him that he was n Ibid. always proud high-minded wise in his own conceipt a follower of his private fancie and opinion and that it was a mischief to the Church that ever he was
English Clergy and that almost all his Nobility would fall from him having contrary to their Allegiance ingaged so to do And therefore perswaded him to submit himself to the Pope to hinder those inconveniences and thereby to keep himself a King The King mâ—inly troubled at these treacherous dealings of his own Subjects not knowing where to turn himself was I know not how terrified and overperswaded into an Ignominious condescention to the Pope by admitting of Stephen Langton to be Aâ—chbishop and the rest of his Rebellious Subjects to their former conditions and then unkingly to resign up the Kingdoms of England and Ireland to the Pope by taking off his Crown kneeling giving it to Pandolphus and laying the Royal Scepter Robe Sword and Ring at the Legates feet which Pandolf kept five days and then allow'd the King to have them again A thousand Marks â—â— Silver he also paid there for the Pope which the Legate as in a triumph trad upon for we must not think that he despi 〈…〉 â—nd left it behind him 〈…〉 so having thus gotten all that heart could wish takes off the 〈…〉 ict and lets England turn Christian once again Though 〈…〉 us that King John's submissions were of no force to 〈…〉 erity no King having power to give away his King 〈…〉 ake it tributary to a Forreigner no way akin to the 〈…〉 Nor could a Christian Bishop by following our Saviou 〈…〉 s whose Foundation lay onely on Spirituals thus make it hâ—â— business and wicked haughty design to make all Kings and Kingdoms Tributary or subject to his deposing and disposing of But for a farther nullity of King John's grant and concession I shall refer you to Mr. a Hist of Popes Usurp p. â—0â— â—91 2â—2 â—0 pag. â—20 Prynne And as for this Innocent III who thus domineer'd over Temporal Princes though these actions were enough to tell you what he was yet Matthew Paris in plain words will inform you that he was b Super omâ—es mortaâ—es 〈…〉 osus 〈…〉 suâ—â—â—bus pe 〈…〉 que sititor insatiaâ—ilis ad â—â—nia scelera pro praemüs datis vâ—l pâ—oâ—â—sis cerâ—um 〈…〉 Mâ—â— Paris pag. 245. the proudest and ambitious man in the world most greedy and covetous of Silver for which he was apt to do all manner of wickedness When the Pope had thus as he thought obtain'd King John to be his Vassal and so the Kingdom his he took his part after against his Enemies thereby the better to preserve what he had at last got in England And so passing by the several Rebellions against the King by his own Subjects their renouncing their Allegiance to him and declaring themselves subject to Lewes of France and suchlike King John dyed but the cause of his death is not agreed upon some saying a surfeit others grief and others that he was poysoned by the Monks of Swinsted-Abby in Lincolnshire who were of the Cistercian Order who thought themselves opprest by King John Father c Wâ—r◠〈…〉 pag. 〈…〉 â—20 Parsons is very furious against any that shall say this King was poysoned nor will he grant any Authority for it before Caxton and Trevisa though by his favour besides those ancient Authors mentioned by Speed and a Fox â—ryn pag. 366. others I my self have seen several old b Fol. F. â—2 fol. R. 67. Qâ—arto l. 35. Arch. Cant. in Bâ—bl Bodleian Oxon. Chron. Antique in English Verse Manuscript lib. Digb numb 196. Manuscript Digb numb 186. in Bibl. Bodl. Oxon. Manuscript-Histories of England writ before Caxton who expresly declare the manner of his poysoning But be it as it will 't is certain that it is no Protestant invention but first recorded by Romanists themselves Sect. 2. The Murther of Erick the Sixth and Erick the Seventh Kings of Denmark HAving entertain'd you somewhat long in England we shall be the shorter abroad and first looking Northward into Denmark Ericus VI Henry was murdered by the contrivance of his Brother Abel The story in short thus Abel longing for year 1250 the Crown took an occasion when the King once went to visit year 1251 him to entertain him with all manner of love and respect but while he was playing at Chess or Tables with a Nobleman Krantz Dan. lib. 7. some Souldiers appointed rush into the Chamber take out the King carry him on Ship-board cut off his head tye some weight to his body and throw it into the Sea not far from Sleswick And not long after this was King Erick VII of the same Kingdom year 1286 murdered in bed by his own Subjects receiving upon his body about LVI wounds Sect. 3. The deposing of Baldwin the Second Emperour of Constantinople I Have not troubled you a long while with the Eastern Empi e because they would object it not to be of the Fellowship with Rome but now a word or two will not be amiss Baldwin II being Emperour of Constantinople and a c Tho. Bozius de jure status pag. 287 288. lawful one too as they confess was by force without any pretence or right thrust out of it by Michael Palaeologus who to add wickedness to wickedness contrary to his Oath put out the eyes of John the young Heir yet because there is no villany without some sign and pretence of sanctity d An. 1259. § 6. Bzovius flyeth out in commendation of his Piety and Holiness because when he was about this Rebellion he had the Image of the Virgin Mary carryed before him into Constantinople Baldwin complains to other Princes and he is like to have assistance Pope e Spond an 1261. § 10. Vrban IV being for him too against Michael Upon this Palaeologus is in a peck of troubles fearing to have more Enemies upon him than he can cope with and in this sad condition he findes no remedy like making the Pope his friend A strange attempt to fancie that the Infallible holy Father would have any friendship with such a Rebel but on he goeth cunningly pulls out his bait and sends to the Pope that a b Sâ—ond an 1263. § 6 7. Union might be made between the Graecian and Roman Churches and which must not but be brag'd of he gave him all the finest good morrows and glorious Titles of c Bzev an 1203. § 13. Holiness Father of Fathers Prince of all Priests Vniversal Doctor of the Church c. Pope Vrban at the receipt of this Letter is almost mad for joy d Id. anno 1264. § 2. writes back to Palaeologus adorning him with all the glorious Titles he can think of not a little proud that now there was hopes for inlargement of the Popes Dominions by his e Sub unus pasioris regimine sole governing the Eastern as well as the Western Churches a Sway and Authority which for many Ages the Popes had earnestly gaped after In the mean time Vrban IV dying Clement IV succeeds with whom the same League was driven
away the Sword III. That he was unfit to govern the Kingdom then the Earl of Benevent took the Scepter out of its hand IV. That therefore he was deprived justly of his Royal Throne then was the Statue thrown down from the Seat with many unworthy and outragious speeches by Diego Lopez brother to the Earl of Placencia This done the other Lords with Henries young brother Alphonso who had stood a little off as spectators mounted the Scaffold took and lifted Alphonso upon their Shoulders crying out Castile Castile for the King Don Alphonso so the Trumpets sounded and they all went to kiss his hand as their true King Poor King Henry received this news patiently saying with the Prophet Esay I have nourished and brought up children and they have despised me But although these treacherous and disloyal servants have so wrong'd and scorned me by the Statue which they have degraded and thrown away all respect and duty which they owe unto me yet they cannot keep me who am the true King from having strength and courage to chastise and disperse them For I hope in our Lord Jesus Christ who is the just Judge of Kings that their wickedness shall be destroyed and mine innocencie made known to the whole World And then considering how many Places and Nobles revolted from him and the powerfulness of his enemies he would oftentimes say Naked I came out of my Mothers Womb and the earth must receive me naked no man can become so poor as he was born And if God doth now chastise me for my sins he will comfort and preserve me hereafter for his infinite power killeth and giveth life hurteth and healeth giveth kingdoms and taketh them away lifteth up Kings and throweth them down again even as he pleaseth Yet did not the disconsolate King absolutely despair but sent to all places he had any hopes in to assist him against the Rebels and amongst the rest Don Garcia Alvares de Toledo Earl of Alva de Tormes was very active for his service In the mean time the Conâ—ederates lay siege to Simancas upon the River Duero in Leon which was valiantly defended by Don Juan Fernandes Galindo and other Royalists And here the very boyes and Lackeys shew'd their zeal against Rebellion for understanding that the Archbishop of Toledo was the chief of the Faction in deâ—ision of him and the League they made an Image representing him which they named the New Don Opas the Apostate The Reader may here understand by the by that about the years 712 713 714 Julian Governour of Ceuta in the Streights on the African shore falling out with his Lord Roderigo the last King of the Goths in Spain in revenge joyns himself with the Moores with them enters Spain routs his Prince and by this treachery the Moores became Masters of all that Continent excepting the mountanous parts in las Asturias Biscay and Navar and so retain'd it for many hundred years till by degrees they were beaten out And thus was the name and rule of the Gothick Government lost In this wicked treachery against their own Country and Christian Religion was as a principal Actor Opas or Oppa Archbishop of Toledo who joyned himself with unbelieving Moores to the shame of himself and the loss of Christianity in those parts And this is that Don Opas to whom these boys alluded The Image of the Archbishop being in all sort prepared one of the boys sat down as Judge and the Treason being palpable commanded the Image to be imprisoned and at last pronounced sentence against it thus Whereas Alphonso Carillo Archbishop of Toledo following the steps of the ancient Bishop Opas the ruine of Spain for that he had betray'd the King his Natural Lord rebelling against him and detaining his Money Towns and Fortresses which he had committed to him is therefore condemned to be drawn up and down the streets and publike places of Simancas a Trumpet to go before proclaiming that the King did command this justice to be done to the Traytor Opas as a recompence due for his Treacheries and Treasons and that then it should be burn'd This sentence pronounced aloud we need not question but the young Judge was obey'd in every thing Then was the Image carryed out of the Town attended on with above three hundred boyes and burned with a great deal of triumph in the very sight of the Confederates Army which at last despairing of taking the Place rais'd the siege King Henry we may well suppose was not idle having in a little time got an Army of near upon an hundred thousand men This vast strength terrified the Leaguers so they fell to private plots and instigated one Juan Carillo to kill the King but this Carillo being taken prisoner in a skirmish and perceiving he could not live long by reason of his wounds was sorry for what he had undertaken desired to speak with the King ask'd pardon of him had it confess'd how his life was sought after and revealed to him other wicked practices against him and the next day Carillo dyed of his wounds The King with his potent Army might have quel'd all before him but through his love to peace and carelesness he lost all opportunities allowed of a Conference where it was concluded that every man should lay down his Arms and return home a Truce to continue for five Months and that in the mean time Commissioners should treat of a Peace Thus the King lost his cause his Army by his negligence wasting and slipping away Nor did the Confederates disband according to promise De Villena watching all occasions to see if he could get the credulous King into his clutches In the mean time Don Alphonso led a miserable life with the Leaguers and suspecting either their bad intentions or the success of his cause would willingly have agreed with King Henry and go to him but they kept him strictly threatning to a Petiturum veneno nisi râ—â—aret Jo. â—arian l. â—3 cap. 9. poyson him if he receded from his Government Both parties now seem'd weary so another peace is clapt up but very dishonourable to the King considering what an Army he lately had But this quiet lasted but a while they flee to Arms both Armies meet by Olmedo in Old Castile where the Archbishop of Toledo appears in his Arms upon which he wore his white Stole poudred with red Crosses The Battel is fought and both parties year 1467 cry victory but the Kings party daily wasted insomuch that most forsook him and like a private Gentleman hew as content to skulk up and down accompanyed with some b Mariana cap. 11. ten horsemen At last after some trouble Alphonso dyeth about XVI years old upon this the Confederates consult about a new Head they generally year 1468 agree upon Donna Isabella his Sister send to her to accept of the Government and they would proclame and Crown her Queen She upon good advice refuseth all such profers declaring her obedience to
her King and elder Brother Henry and conjures them also to loyalty to throw away all private Interests and Factions and conclude in a firm peace and union The Confederates perceiving that they wanted an Head and so a main pretence to countenance their Arms to the people and that whatever they had hitherto gained was more by their dissembling then strength that also the Pope Paul II had censured them if they continued in open wars For King Henry was held an obedient son to the Bishops of Rome for which Calixtus III had sent him formerly an Hat and a consecrated Sword which they use to bless upon Christmas-Eve at night laying them upon the Altar where they say Mass And farther they recollected that upon Henries death Isabella was like to be Queen whereby they could procure no favour or benefit to themselves by opposing her peaceable desires Upon these considerations they consented to an Agreement so Articles are drawn up a Peace concluded on Donna Isabella is declared Princess of the c Las Asturias formerly of a larger extent is now â— little Province between Galicia Leon and Biscay lying upon the Cantabrian sea 'T is twofold Asturia de Oâ—iedo and Astur de Santillana As the Heirs of England are called Princes of Wales and those of France les Dauphins so are those to the Crown of Castile call'd Princes of the Asturias Upon what occasion this â—hort Scheme may shew Alphonso XI had amongst other Children Henry a Bastard Earl of Transâ—amara took the Kingdom from the Tyrant Pedro and stab'd him with his dagger he had John I. who had Henry III. Don Pedro el Cruel had amongst others a bastard call'd Constancia she was marryed to John of Gant Duke of Lancaster son to Edward III King of England Upon the death of Don Pedro sirnamed the Cruel though his bastard-Brother Henry II. seised upon the Crown and was acknowledged for King yet John of Gant Duke of Lancaster pretended the right to lye in him by reason of his Wife Constance and made some bustle about it Henry dying there succeeded his son John I. with whom and Lancaster a peace was concluded Lancaster to renounce all his Title to Castile and King John to marry his son Henry to Lancaster's Daughter Catherine which accordingly was accompish'd so both their pretensions united And for more honour Don Henry the young son was to be call'd Prince of the Asturias since which time the eldest sons of Castile were call'd Princes and the younger are titled Infantas This hapned about the year 1388. And so much by the way concerning the Title of Prince of Asturias yet do I finde Jehan Froissart who lived at this time to tell us that Henry was call'd Prince of Gallicia in his French Edition 1530. vol. 3. fol. 96. and fol. 143. In the old English Edition vol. 2. cap. 154. fol. 170. and cap. 176. fol. 214. Asturias and lawful Heir to the Kingdoms of Castile and Leon with their dependants What troubles hapned in Castile after this treaty being not considerable I shall pass over Donna Isabella now declared Heir several matches were consulted of but she secretly joyned her self with Don Fernando Prince of Girona and the eldest son living to John II King of Arragon At this marriage King Henry was greatly vext as being contrary to his desire and without his knowledge But at the long run the King becomes more pacified and at last a 1474. dying she succeeds as Queen of Castile and Leon although some busled for Joane the supposed Daughter of King Henry but she is generally thrown by as a bastard being begot of his Queen Joane by one Don Bertrand de la Cueva afterwards prefer'd for his kindness being created Earl of Ledesma Master of Santiago and Duke of Albuquerque As for Henry himself he is by all esteem'd as frigid and uncapable of such loves Not long after John II King of Arragon b 1479. dying that Kingdom was united to Castile by the fortunate former marriage of Ferdinand and Isabella Here might I descend into the troubles of Navar and tell how Don Carlos Prince of Viana took up Arms against his Father John King of Navar and Arragon Upon which quarrel began the great Factions of those of Beaumont and Grammont the first adhering to the Prince and the latter to the King and the feuds of these two potent Families was one of the main causes of the loss of Navar to the Spaniard those of Beaumont assisting Don Ferdinand in the conquest against their own King and Country Of which more hereafter In short the Prince being not able to keep the field withdrew himself to Naples for sometime thence returns endeavours new troubles upon which he is taken and secuâ—ed Upon this the Catalonians rebel and though Prince Carlos was set at liberty and c Some say he was poyson'd by his Step mother D. Joane to make way for heâ—â—â—son Ferdinando to the Crown of Arragon dyed presently after yet they continue their Treasons The people of Barcelona publickly declare King John an Enemy to his Country and so they would withdraw themselves from his obedience And the Catalonians sent to Henry IV. of Castile to desire him to take them under his protection they being resolved no more to obey the Crown of Arragon Don Henry accepts them so they set up the Banners of Castile At last after a tedious War they are vanquish'd forced to submit and King John giveth them all freely a pardon But of Spain more in the next Century A CONTINUATION OF THE REBELLIONS AND Treasonablepractices OF THE ROMANISTS Particularly in Spain Scotland and Ireland From the year MD. to MDC BOOK VI. CHAP. I. 1. John and Catherine King and Queen of Navar deprived 2. Pope Julius II. Sect. 1. John and Catherine King and Queen of Navar deprived THe Conquest of Navar being acted suddenly we year 1500 shall make the story of it but very short At the beginning of this Century we finde John d'Albret or Don Juan de la Brit and Donna Catherina King and Queen of Navar which had boasted it self a Kingdom almost DCCC years Ferdinand II King of Arragon having by his marrying with Isabella Queen of Castile enlarged his Authority and Dominions as also by his banishing the Jews and subduing the Moores to him in Granado made his Government more secure cast many a greedy a Jo. de Bussieres lib. 15. § 16. Spondan an 1512. § 21. thought upon the seising the Kingdom of Navar and then all of Spain Portugal excepted would be his own At last opportunity good enough as he thought offer'd it self which was thus Pope Julius II. a zealous Hotspur falling out with Lewis XII King of France Fernando sides with the Pope and having rais'd an Army not onely demands passage for it through Albrets Territories but the command of his strongest Castles and Fortifications and which was most the possession and custody of Prince Henry eldest son to Navar
he should have them although there be some Meditations on the Penitential Psalms carryed about under his name yet a wicked man may make a good Book as the greatest Rebels pretend the most Religion but that he did ever really repent I am not convinced because then they would have given him a better Epitaph besides the story of his death maketh him then as bad as ever But enough if not too much of this As concerning the foresaid William Thomas take as followeth 1544. He got into Italy 1547. He wrote the foresaid Dialogue at Bologna la Grossa 't is call'd b M S. B. 2. 7. in Bible Bâ—dl Oxon. le Pelegrine and never printed that I know of 1543. He finish'd his Italian Dictionary and Grammar at Padoa undertook at the desire and for the instruction of Mr. John Tamworth then living at Venice and was afterwards viz. 1567 printed by the appointment of Sir William Mildmay 1549. I meet with him return'd to London when and where he Printed his short but methodical History of Italy which was Reprinted 1561. He was made Clerk of the Council to King Edward VI. 1553. He designed the Murther of Queen Mary or c Jo. Bal. de Scriptoribus Appendix p. 100. Steven Gardiner Bishop of Winchester 155â— â— February 20. He was sent to the Tower of London February 26. He had almost kill'd himself by thrusting a Knife under his Paps 1554. May 9. He was arraigned and condemn'd at Guild-hall May 18. He was drawn from the Tower to Tyborn and there hang'd headed and quarter'd 'T is said that he was an intimate with d Parsons thâ—ee Câ—nversious of Engl. paâ—t 3. pag. 220 221. Christopher Goodman that enemy to the Rule of Women and a fiery Puritan and no doubt that Thomas was too much warp'd that way and one of more misguided zeal then true Religion or Wisdom He translated some Books out of Italian and besides those Printed wrote a Tract call'd The Common Place of State for the use of King Edward VI discoursing whether it be expedient to vary with the time which with several other of his Writings may be seen in Sir Robert Cotton's e Sub Effigie Vespasianâ— D. 18. Library And so much of King Henry and his Champion William Thomas To this King succeeded Edward VI a most vertuous and hopeful Pâ—ince but too young to correct the villanies of the Grandees about him who loved the Churches better then they loved God yet a Reformation of Religion was carryed on which so vext some in the North that they took up Arms to restore Popery though to no purpose But those in the West were more stubborn especially the Devonshire and Cornish men who form'd themselves into an Army besieged Exeter which bravely defended it self against all their power and spight Nor would their Holy Zeal render them victorious though as a means to be so they march'd into the Field with a Crucifix under a Canopy which instead of an Altar was set in a Cart accompanied with Crosses and Candlesticks Banners Holy-Bread and Holy-Water to drive away the Devils and dull their Enemies Swords as Speed wordeth it And though they fought fiercely against the King his Commission and good Subjects yet they could conclude their demands or rather commands with an Item We pray God save King Edward for we be his both body and goods And this way of canting is always used by all other Traytors who the higher they run into Rebellion declare themselves the better Subjects In short though these peoples cause was bad enough and were soon quell'd yet a De Schism lib. 2. pag. 260. Sanders will not let them pass without some Papal holy Water being true Romanists and Father b Three conversions of Engl. part 2. pag. 594 619. Parsons will not allow them to be faulty because forsooth they fought for the Roman Religion as if to take up Arms for any Religion against their true and lawful Soveraign were warrantable for if so every Opinion and Phanatick will be its own judge and carver so that there will be no end of Wars and Bloudshed yet every man in the right at least the strongest can do no wrong however not commit Treason according to the too-much-practis'd Rule thus wittily condemn'd by Sir John Harrington Treason doth never prosper what 's the reason Epigram § 5. For if it prosper none dare call it Treason CHAP. II. A Vindication of Queen Elizabeth ANd now we come to the prosperous Reign of the so much famed Elizabeth in whose time England was in the heighth of its Glory and Repute being as an Umpire to the whole World flourishing at home and victorious abroad but prudent Cecils and vigilant Walsinghams are not always to be had and so we must be content with our decaying Lawrels And here by the by because a De Schism Aâ—gl lib. 3. pag. 319. Sanders and other Romanists are pleas'd to render her as the worst of all women-kinde I shall take the boldness to say something in her Vindication the better to confute her former Revilers and to satisfie the more ignorant somewhat in her behalf Her Piety and Religion have been celebrated by many Pens her Learning and skill in variety of Languages was admired by her greatest Enemies Besides her English b Arghâ—â—ium Praeâ—a § Elizabetha Christopher Ocklande whose Books were once order'd to be read in all Grammar-Schools will tell you of six other Languages she was perfect in Elizabetha piis primos imbuta per annos Moribus sophiae studiis instruct a sacrata Doctrina linguae Latiae Graiaeque perita Linguas Europae celebres intelliget omnes Quid Teuto Hispanus Gallusve Italusve loquatur Mr. c His nine Worthies pag. 282. Thomas Heywood one who loved to write concerning Women concludes thus of our Elizabeth Chaste Virgin Royal Queen belov'd and fear'd Much on the Earth admir'd to Heaven indear'd Single and singular without another A Nurse to Belgia and to France a Mother Potent by Land sole Soveraign of the Main Antagonist to Rome the scourge of Spain Though she was excellently skill'd in all manner of Needle-work was admired for her neat Dancing was very skilful and knowing in Musick playing well upon divers sorts of Instruments yet these and suchlike little pleasures could never call her thoughts from her Subjects good and the care of Government d La. Epist â—â—urmiâ— Roger Ascham speaks wonders of her ingenuity and knowledge and he had as much reason to know her as any but these you may say were English-men and so bribed by their birth-right though this with some of her Enemies is no Rule But should we run to all her Commendations beyond Seas we might be endless a Poet. Ital. vol. 1. pag 79. Cornelius Amaltheus a zealous Italian Romanist cannot withhold his Muse from her Encomiums b Poet. Germ. vol 5 pag. 827. Laurentius Rhodomanus is as earnest in his Anagrammatical mode
great hopes of their deliverance from their Queen by reason of the great helps and forces they expected from beyond Seas And the better to strengthen their own party and gain Proselytes in England they fell a conjuring and playing the fool with the Devil perswading some simple people that they were possest and then forsooth they must be Exorcised and to carry on the designe what abominable cheating and ridiculous tricks they used may be seen by the b See a Book callâ—d A â—â—eclaraâ—ion of Egrâ—â—â— us Popish Impostutes in casting out of Devils The Author of â—â— was D Som. â—a sâ—et after Bishop oâ— Norwâ—â—h and at last Archbishâ—p of York Examinations of the parties themselves And yet to this day do we finde many fond people deluded by these Exorcising Stage-playes by which cheats these Gypsies in Divinity gain to themselves the favour of good lodging and dyet and the disposal and impoverishing sometimes of the Estates of their too credulous Patrons And to these Hobgoblin-Mountebanks we may add such Miracle-Mongers as the simple Irish Priest who in 1663 pretended to do pretty feats in England and in the latter end of July the same year was so confident as to appear at Oxford where several Diseases crouded to him all which he undertook to cure with half a dozen words of false Latine but to little purpose God-wot yet had he the formality of a Scribe to write down the names places of abode Trades and Diseases of the Patients which for ought that I know may hereafter when the storie 's forgot and the parties dead be publish'd as an excellent preservative against Heresie and a confirmation of their Cause That in these sort of Exorcisms there lurks also a Rebellious Devil may appear by the Confession of one of their own Priests Anthony Tyrrel written with his own hand and avouched upon his Oath 25 of June 1602 part of which take as followeth In the year 1584 I and John Ballard Priest since executed with Mr Babington and the rest coming together from Rome through Burgundy found there a great press of Souldiers and were advertised that they were to serve under the Duke of Guise When we came to Râ—an we heard then directlie that the said Preparations were against England The same year as I remember Mr. Creighton a Scotish Jesuit was taken at the Sea and after brought into England who by the occasion of certain a a This William Creichton is the same who acted in Spain for the Invasion of Scotland and at his return into Scotland was taken by the Dutch the Papers which he had he tore and threw over-board but the winde blew them back again into the Ship Sir William Wade with a great deal of pains laid them together again whereby he found out the dâ—signe of the Pope Spaniaâ—d and the Guiset to invade England Writings which he had was driven to confess at large as I have been informed what the whole Plot was and how far both the Pope and the King of Spain had ingaged themselves in it Here of I doubt not but that sundrie Catholicks in England had sufficient notice from beyond the Seas and especiallie Mr. Edmunds alias Weston the Jesuit who was then the chief as Mr. b b He was afterwards executed as a Traytor in the Gun-powder-treason Garnet as I take it is at this present and therefore could not be ignorant of such important matters wherein principal men of his own societie was ingaged Not long after my coming into England in the year 1585 Mr. Martin Aray a Priest meeting me at the end of Cheapside as I was turning to enter into Pauls Churchyard took me by the hand and whispering me in the ear bad me Be of good cheer for that all things went now very well forward The King of Spain quoth he is now almost ready with his Forces to come into England and we shall be sure to hear some good news thereof very shortly Wherefore it standeth us now in hand that be Priests to further the Catholick Cause as much as possibly in us lyeth or to this effect And this was the State of that time nourished as I well perceived with great hope of some great alteration by the means before express'd About the time of Mr. Arayes aforesaid Communication with me Mr. Edmunds alias Weston had latelie as it was reported cast a Devil out of one Marwood Whereupon he the said Mr. Aray at the time before mentioned did highlie commend unto me the Exorcisms of Fa. Edmunds saying that he the said Edmunds would make the Devils themselves now confess that their Kingdom was neer at an end Vpon the pretended dispossession of the said Marwood sundry other Priests moved thereunto I am perswaded by the instigation of Mr. Edmunds or for that they meant to shew their zeal in imitating of him did take upon them to Exorcise and cast Devils out of divers persons viz. a a These viz. Sara and â—â—â—swr a Williams â—rne Smith â—nd Richard Mainy confess'd all the Pâ—â—â—sts legel â—e main with them Sara and a Friswood Williams William Trayford a Anne Smith a Richard Mainy and Elizabeth Calthrop whose Neck was found broken at the bottom of a pair of Stairs as the brute went then amongst us When I saw this Course I liked it well and was my self an Actor in it and did well perceive that it was the matter whereat Mr. Aray had aim'd when he told me that It stood us Priests in hand to further the Catholick Cause as much as possibly we could And indeed our proceedings therein had for a time wonderful success I cannot in my Conscience esteem the number fewer that in the compass of half a year were by that means reconciled to the Church of Rome then five hundred persons some have said three or four thousand As touching the several manners of dispossessing the said Parties and of their fits trances and visions divers discourses were penned amongst the which I my self did pen one Mr. Edmunds likewise writ I am perswaded a quire of paper of Mr. b b This Mr. Richard Mainy did under his own hand â—nd upon â—â—th confest at larg all their â—â—gâ—ing and cheaâ—ing tricks with him Mainy's pretended Visions for he thought as it seemed to have wrought some great matter by him but was disappointed very ridiculously c. We omitted not the Relicks and Bones of Mr. Campian Mr. Sherwiâ— Mr. Brian and Mr. Cottam to have some little Testimony by implication from the Devil to prove them holy Martyrs We that were Priests were thereby greatly magnified by Catholicks Schismaticks and weak Protestants the two former being confirmed in the Roman Catholick faith and the third sort thereunto reconciled as hath been before mentioned And that cannot be denyed but that in the Course which we held with the said pretended Demoniacks many occasions were given and aptly taken to scorn and deride the Orders and Service now established by her Majesties Laws in
Royal Dignity Titles Rights and Pretences to England and Ireland declares her Illegitimate and an Vsurper of the Kingdoms and absolves all her Subjects from their Obedience and Oaths of Allegiance due to her So he expresly commandeth all under pain and penaltie of Gods wrath to yeild her no Obedience Aid or Favour whatsoever but to imploy all their power against her and to joyn themselves with the Spanish Forces who will not hurt the Nation nor alter their Laws or Priviledges onely punish the wicked Hereticks Therefore by these presents We Declare that it is not onely lawful but commendable to lay hands on the said Usurper and other her adherents and for so doing they shall be well Rewarded And lastly to all these Roman assistants is liberally granted a Plenary Indulgence and remission of all their sins Here we have the sum of this Treasonable Libel with which Allen thought to do great matters against his Queen and Country and these were prepared to be spread abroad the Kingdom upon the Spaniards landing yet no sooner is the news known of their defeat but Allen calls in the Impression burning all he could lay his hands on onely some few escaped his Fingers both he and the Printer having before given some Copies to their Friends The Romanists for the most part priz'd it dearly though some more sober disliked it as too severe yet some others we need not Question might be of the Jesuit Currey's opinion viz. That it was a work of thaâ— worth as it would yet bite in time to Quodlibets pag. 240. come This Invasion was very much assisted by the English Romanists though not by all for the Lord Montague and some others were against it In Flanders lay Charles Nevil Earl of Westmerland the Lord Pagit Sir William Stanley with about seven hundred more English ingaged and ready to joyn with the Prince of Parma against their own Country What Company in England would have taken their parts I know not This is certain that Philip Earl of Arundel the unfortunate Eldest Son of Norfolk was unhappily too much Priest ridden which procured his imprisonment and a tryal the cause of all which might be laid to Allen who had such a sway and power over the said Earl that he could make him do any thing And the Earl was over-perswaded to set his affection on the Spanish Fleet rejoycing at its coming praying heartily for its success and grieved beyond measure at its overthrow But he is not the first Nobleman who confided too much in bad counsel and whose Zeal for Religion hurryed him on to inconveniences As for Cardinal Allen he was born in Lancashire of good Parentage was bred up at Oxford in Orial-Colledge where he was Proctor was preferr'd to a Canonship in York in Queen Elizabeth's days quits England becometh Pensioner to the Spaniard to carry on whose designes against his Queen and County he was very industrious for which service Sixtus V. created him a Cardinal 1587. August 7 and he dyed at Rome 1594. October 16. We have formerly shown his seditious and King deposing Principles of which his foresaid Admonition will give a farther Quodlibets pag 240 241 247. proof and who were the Promoters of this Invasion his own words will best tell you The King of Spain at length as well by his Holiness Authoritie and Exhortation as by his own unspeakable Zeal and Piety moved also not a little by My humble and continual suit together with the afflicted and banished Catholicks of our Nation of all and every Degree who have been by his special compassion and Regal Munificencie principallie supported in this our long Exile hath condescended at last to take upon him this so Holy and Glorious an Act c. And then proceeds to incourage nay and threaten too the English to take up Arms against their Queen and to joyn with the Spaniards and the other Invaders If you will avoid the Popes the Kings and other Princes high indignation let no man of what degree soever Obey Abet Aid Defend or Acknowledge her c. Adding That otherwise they should incur the Angels Curse and Malediction and be as deeply Excommunicated as any because that in taking her part they should fight against God against their a How cometh Philip to be lawful King of England Vid. Tho. Bels Anatomy pag. 98 124. lawful King against their Country and notwithstanding all they should do they should but defend her bootless to their own present destruction and eternal shame As for the Secular Priests you shall hear Watson and Bluet the chief of them thus Confess We had some of us greatly approved the said Rebellion highly extol'd the Rebels and pitifully bewail'd their ruine and overthrow Many of our affections were knit to the Spaniards and for our obedience to the Pope we all do profess it The attempt both of Pope and Spaniard failing in England his Holiness as a Temporal Prince displayed his Banner in Ireland the Plot was to deprive her Highness first from that Kingdom if they could and then by degrees to depose her from this In all these Plots none more forward then many of us that were Priests These are the words set down in the Book call'd b Pag. 15. Important Considerations composed by Bluet and Watson two Priests As for the Jesuits but of Parsons I shall treat more particularly hereafter you shall hear what c C. W. A Reply to Father Paâ—sons Libel fol. 64 65. Clark the Priest saith who with Watson suffer'd afterwards for Treason against King James First it is most certain that all the world had very admirable expectance of that Army and the Jesuits more then any Secondly it is plain by the Cardinals Book d They would hint to us as if Parsons were the Compiler of the Admonition but 't is certain that Allen was the Author of it his name being to it and Pitseus with the other Romanists confessing Allen to be the Author if it were his written as a preparative to that action that he was made Cardinal of purpose for that Exploit and to have been sent hither presently upon the Spaniards Conquest But Father Parsons saith that he labour'd to set forward at that time the Cardinals preferment if you will believe him which maketh it evident a primo ad ultimum that Father Parsons was a dealer in that action Thirdly it is certain that the Jesuits in Rome were great with the Spanish Ambassador-Leger there and had great recourse unto him when the matter was on foot doth not this then argue them to be concurrers thereunto Fourthly it is likewise most true that the English Jesuits in Rome appropriated certain Palaces in London to themselves to fall unto their lots when this matter was in handling to wit Burghley-house Bridewel and another which I have forgot making themselves cock-sure of their already-devoured Prey This all the Students that lived in the e Viz. The English Colledge at Rome
Nevers he posts to Rome though contrary to the Popes desire and growing daily more jealous of the Leaguers intentions is very sollicitous for a perfect Agreement and Accommodation writing several times to Cardinal de Bourbon not to press too much upon the Kings patience and at last being fully convinced that the Guises had more a private Interest then a publick good in their thoughts quite forsook them and their Cause and joyn'd with the King The King in the mean time somewhat inform'd of the troublesome and warlike designs of the Covenanters was persuaded to consult his own security and therefore by a publick Decree forbids all raising or gathering 28 March together of Souldiers unless by his express Command and Authority commanding all his good Subjects at the ringing of the Toquesaint the Alarm bell to fall upon the said Souldiers as declar'd enemies But the Leaguers proceed cunningly and vigorously having strengthned themselves as they thought pretty well were resolved to make an open Rupture according to their former determinations To which purpose they overpersuade Cardinal de Bourbon to quit the Court under colour of keeping Lent at his Archbishoprick of Rouen so he went to Gailon a Palace belonging to that See in higher Normandy where a great company of the Covenanters of Picardy waited upon him and for his more pretended security conducted him to Peronne where the League was first framed as aforesaid and here he was met by the Dukes of Guise Mayenne Aumale Elboeuf and other Covenanting Nobles where a large Declaration is drawn up in his Name whom they call the First Prince of the Ploud and subscribed by him the substance of it is as followeth In the Name of God Almighty King of Kings be it known unto all c. That a design to subvert Religion hath been the cause of the late troubles That it is fear'd the King dying childless the Church and Kingdom may be ruin'd over which they are resolved never to let an Heretick sway the people being bound neither to admit or obey any Prince but of the Roman Religion That to hinder all mischiefs some remedy is to be applied That the great preparations of the Huguenots are sufficiently understood That it is also not unknown but * * Chiefly â—â—ming at the Duke of Espernon some people have so possest themselves of the Kings affection that they have as it were seiz'd upon his Authority and excluded those who ought to be more near him That these Favourites or Minions have got the chief Governments and Places of Trust whereby they may command all by Land or Sea That they have imbezell'd the Kings Revenues thereby making themselves more powerful and obey'd to the great oppression of the people which daily increaseth That though the Amendment of Abuses was hoped for at the meeting of the Estats at Bloys yet Private Interests spoil'd all That these Abuses are now grown so great that the Kingdom is almost ruin'd by them the Clergy surcharged and despised the Nobles debas'd abus'd and ruin'd and all the people in a manner beggar'd and impoverish'd by strange Taxations c. Therefore We CHARLES de BOURBON first Prince of the Bloud assisted with the Princes Cardinals Peers Bishops c. being the best and soundest part of the Kingdom DECLARE that we have sworn and faithfully promis'd to continue in Arms till the Church and Roman Religion be establish'd in her former Dignity the Nobles enjoy their Privileges the people eas'd the new Taxes abolished the Parlements left to their wonted freedom and liberty c. These and such others are the causes of our Arming which by these necessities is made justifiable though otherwise we should disclame such courses and so believing we cannot have a more honourable Funeral then to die in so holy and just a cause Yet protesting that we do not intend any thing against the King but on the contrary in defence of his Person Life and Estate being willing to lay down our Arms when he shall remedy these evils in doing of which he shall be more honoured and obeyed by us That seeing the Laws and their good Intentions are clear enough therefore they will not force the King to declare a Successour though in so doing the Nation might hereafter be eas'd of Troubles and Factions about it That as they have all a grand Veneration for the Queen-mother so they hope she will have a good opinion of them Humbly desire all people to assist them in this their good design and to have a favourable construction of their actions Protesting never to lay down Arms till we have accomplish'd all these our desires and so desire all good Romanists to assist them in their Prayers and Devotions CHARLES Cardinal de Bourbon At Peronne 31 March 1585. But this Declaration was drawn up and confirm'd by the Cardinal some time before and also Copies of it sent abroad by the Leaguers the better to confirm their Party for I meet with a Letter sent by the Dukes of Guise and Mayenne to the Parlement of Province meaning Aix the chief City of that County where that Parlement sits in which they tell Memoiâ—es de Nevers vol. 1. them That they have sent the copy of the said Cardinal de Bourbons Declaration to them by which they might perceive how unwilling they were to take up arms yet that in the quarrel they were resolved to venture life goods friends too exhorting and adjuring that Parlement to assist them telling them that as they shall aid those who joyn with them so they will endeavour the ruine of those who oppose their League Your most Affectionate Servants HENRY de LORRAIN CHARLES de LORRAIN Joinville 19 March 1585. As for the Declaration it self it was rejoyned to by the King in another well and cunningly worded endeavouring to answer all their Objections desiring them to lay down their arms and admonishing all his Subjects not to believe their idle pretences but to confide in and joyn themselves to him But it was not words that were to befriend the Covenanters so they draw their Forces together rendezvouz at Chalons in Champaigne whither the Cardinal Bourbon is conducted to them by the Duke of Guise with as great demonstrations of Honour and Joy as could be the better to insnare and bewitch the old man whose Name and Interest they wero to make so much use of And now Guise tampers again with Nevers assuring him that all things go better and better desireth his speedy assistance and is much troubled that Rochette one of his cunning Agitators is taken and carried prisoner to Paris fearing thereby some of their Plots may be discover'd Yet they look upon themselves strong enough to defie any opposition having muster'd about 12000 men expecting daily Recruits of German and Spanish Forces hir'd to joyn with them and thus fortifi'd they seize upon several strong places As for the King he is at a stand what to do not having strength
death Moreover most holy Father they sow and cast out every where these spiteful and disdainful scoffs that at Rome are oftentimes rehearsed and remembered the singular and great benefits of this Realm unto the See Apostolick but now the same Kingdom being grievously distressed is not once requited with like no not with necessary thanks and reward That this Realm is honoured with the Title of The First begotten of the Church but that it is altogether handled as a Bastard and abandon'd as an untimely Fruit. That the Bishop of Rome challengeth unto him the name of a Father and succoureth not his most obedient and dutiful Children enduring now extremity and stretching forth their humble intreating hands but rather provoketh them to anger Finally that all these lingerings are of small effect and these excuses not worthy to be written in water It is also very grievous to hear and is now upon every mans tongue that it cannot be done without our great shame that all the Treasure of England Germany and other Heretical Nations is spent wasted and consumed in an ill and an ungodly Cause and that from every place power is sent and cometh in savour and aid of the Hereticks But that the Catholick Princes * one onely excepted of whom France receiveth Philip King of Spain a great and continual succour in such important Affairs but notwithstanding insufficient look one upon another careless being in a most just and weighty Cause altogether faint cold and unwilling Which as it is in great grief to be lamented in other yet especially in him unto whom it belongeth to surmount them all in this kind of duty for to encourage them with word and deed to defend the Cause of that particular member of the Church whereof he is set and appointed by God a Governour and a general President and always armed with present money wherewith to defend her And rather should by Letters and Messengers pawn and engage his Credit for to encourage the hearts of the Catholicks then to abate and dismay their hope in fearing in vain to look for that whereunto reason and equity doth persuade and bind him chiefly by that the Bishop by whom Navarre himself and other attending unto Divellish Doctrines and other walking after the design of the flesh in impiety scoffing the name of Catholicks the wisest and most learned men have always judged were excommunicated and cursed For what is he most Holy Father that with one eye cannot see that they onely gape after the Goods and Possessions of the Catholicks by all means seek to entrap their lives greedily thirst after their bloud and onely wish the destruction of Christian souls and utter decay of true Religion This the conquer'd Cities do witness this the sacked and spoiled Goods of honest and godly men this the rewards granted or at least promised unto the Hereticks this the Consecrated Reliques nay rather the most sacred body of Jesus Christ cast before Dogs this the hard and impenitent hearts of the corrupted Nobility this the Souldiers ready to the spoil and overthrow of Churches this the new established Synagogue of the Ministers of Sathan corrupting and falsifying the pure Word of God this the manifold Gibbets of Preachers this the bodies of sundry Captains and Souldiers beheaded this in great heaps the murthered Catholicks this the members of the Franciscans and Dominicans quickly torn in pieces with wild horses this finally the cruel slaughters of Christians and chiefly of Ecclesiastical persons manifestly declare and confirm Amongst whom the bright and thining Lights and worthy to be belov'd and desired and the stays and pillars of their Orders * * It may be his name was Robert Chessaâ—â—â—s Davila pag. 861. he had publickly commended the Murther â—â— Henry III. Chessaeus President in his Country and one of S. Francis Family drawn by violence from Gods service and committed unto the Hangman being at Vendosme not without great grief of all good Christians in the spring and prime of his age hang'd and depriv'd of his life The Director and worthy Regâ—nt of the Dominicans at Paris N. Demonte threescore and ten years of age first in infinite places stabb'd and not far from the City almost torn in pieces And of the same calling before a most worthy and valiant maintainer and defender of the truth * * He advised Clâ—ment to muâ—der Hen. III. Burgonius after divers torments with horses at Tours being dismembered have all now laureated and crown'd with their innocent bloud yielded up their Ghosts in t the hands of the Almighty Whereupon when we think we have thought good diligently to do two things by the liberty which Christ freely hath bestowed upon us The first is which although others can do it better yet after our small and slender skill to declare unto your Holiness the whole state of France whose earnest zeal and desire to aid us we doubt not shall be driven in the rest as the Letters of your most Renowned * * Card. Montalto Nephew written unto the whole body of the Holy League most plainly witness The other that we by all means will seek to comfort and strengthen the careful minds of the people partly heavy and wavering by the subtilty of the Politicians and partly by their own natural weakness and move and stir them up with all diligence and earnestness to expell and drive out Navarre and refuse and deny him boldly even in the middest of Sword Flame and Fire all service and obedience and exhort them to prefer rather what misery soever before an ungodly and wicked peace although he should seem to have forsaken and forsworn his Heresie and for it should have obtain'd a Pardon whereunto yet notwithstanding his is nothing near and should profess himself a Catholick again submitting himself under the Holy See for the manifest danger which might ensue and befall unto the true Religion by this deceitful Conversion and feigned repentance and he that shall favour him counselling any to agreement or else consenting and according thereunto when by any means shall be able to stay and hinder it to be esteemed dangerous and suspected of Heresie and altogether unworthy of mens company Whereupon our minds and heads are altogether so occupied that we are fully determined ere long to put in print to the view of the world certain Articles concerning these points and send them first unto your Holiness and afterwards disperse them in all places of the world partly to a perpetual reproach and upbraiding of the Inhabitants of this Realm if so often times admonished with baseness and cowardliness of heart they should consent to submit themselves under the yoke and bondage of an Heretick partly to stir and raise up every mans affection to send with all expedition aid and relief unto our distressed Affairs And lastly to leave behind us for our Successours sure witnesses and tokens of our care and loyalty to our Country and so to disburthen our Consciences and
c daughter of your Catholick Majesty upon whom for her rare Vertues the eyes of all men are fixed and set as a most pleasant object and in whom most gloriously shineth the Bloud of France and Spain to no other end or purpose but by a perpetual Alliance to fraternize and joyn in one brotherhood as it were these two great Monarchies under their Government to the advancement of the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ the beauty of his Church and union of all the Inhabitants of the world under the Ensigns of Christianism As your Catholick Majesty with so many notable and triumphant Victories by the favour of God and his aid hath mightily prevail'd and advanced the same so we most heartily pray to God who is the Lord of Battels to continue your proceedings therein with such accomplishment that the whole work may be finished and perfected in all points To which end and purpose that it would please him to prolong your Catholick Majesties days in perfect and happy health accompanied with daily success of Victories and Triumphs over all your Enemies From Paris this second of November 1591. The reverend Father Matthew this bearer who hath greatly comforted us and fully instructed with the state of our affairs shall satisfie your Catholick Majesty in all things which may seem defective and wanting in our Letters Beseeching your Majesty most humbly to credit him in whatsoever he shall report unto you from us Whether this Matthew Aquarius the Agent of the League was a Jesuite or no I shall not possitively affirm though there be good Authority for it but the best Authors may have their mistakes I shall onely observe by the by that there was at this time one Matthaeus Aquarius a Dominiâ—an and in vogue as well for his Philosophy as Schoolmanship both in Rome and Naples so a trusty servant both to Pope and Spain And though the Jesuites will attribute the title of Fathers to themselves yet I find this Aquarius as oftentimes others are also before his printed books so intituled that any might mistake him for a Jesuite because called Father I shall not say nor can I affirm that this Aquarius the Dominiean was the same man with the Leaguers Agent This Letter was intercepted near Lyons by Gilbert de Chaseron Governour of the Province of Bourbon and by him sent to the King whereby their Honesty Religion and Loyalty was discovered Now as the Sixteen and their Associates had laid the Design to humble the Parlement of Paris to them which they thought to depend too much upon Mayeune they began to stir up the people persuading them Religion was betrayed their Cause and good Covenant quite undone that the Parlement intended to deliver the City into the hands of the Navarrois i. e. the King And to obtain their designs with greater ease and facility they consulted about a new * 5 Novemb Jo. de Bâ—ssieâ—es vol. 4. p. 364 3â—5 Gomberville Meâ—â— de M. de Nevers Tom. 2. pag. 623. Oath whereby all that favour'd them not should be driven out of the City and all the Bloud Royal to be excluded from the Succession and the Crown In the mean time they take an occasion to be stark mad for one Brigard once a violent Covenanter being suspected by them of too much favouring the King was hurried to prison resolving to have him hang'd for it but the Parlement not agreeing in this with their humours cleared him in a full trial and he at last finding means to escape from their fury out of the City they in a giddy zele turn their malice upon his Judges Thus resolved they hurry the people to Arms seise upon Barnaby 15 Nov. Brisson the Chief President Claude l'Archer Counsellour of the Chastelet with Jean Tardif whom they carry to the Sessions-house there in a haste condemning them without rule or reason Brisson desireth them to spare him a little time till in prison he had finished his book De Formulis so much cried up by learned and knowing men but no favour or mercy being granted they are all three instantly strangled in prison scarce a quarter of an hour being allow'd to Brisson to confess in Thus murder'd he is presently hung out of his own Chamber-window and the next day hung on the Gallows publickly to be seen of all Such was the end of the learned but unfortunate Brisson who before had in * Poet. Gal. v l. 1. p. 713 714. verse bewail'd the mischiefs of a Civil war and it may be in relation to this League This done they meet at the house of Pellettier the Covenanting Lecturer of S. Jacques de la Boucherie where they conclude that a Court of 17 Nov. Justice shall be form'd of men of their Faction to proceed against Hereticks and the Favourers of the King that the moneys and Treasuries how expended shall be look'd into that the Council of State shall be fill'd up and the men were there named by them that a Council of war shall be chosen upon whose consent the Governour de Belin left by Mayâ—nne should act nothing that the Seals of the Crown which Mayenne carried about with him should for the future always remain in the City c. To these they adde the sending of the Letter to the King of Spain formerly writ with which they now forthwith dispatch Mathieu Yet Thuanus dates the Letter the 20th of November and * Memoires en suite de ceux de Vâ—lleroy tom 3. p. 24 25. another the 20th of September but herein I follow Arnauld who maketh a particular observation upon the timing or dating it the Jesuits themselves not objecting any thing against his date viz. 2 Novemb. and Davila saith it was sent this day viz. 17 Novemb. and so most probably writ before this day they being too busily implied in other mischiefs However the day is no great matter the difference being but small and probably a mistake in the writing or printing This done they arise from Council get the Council of State presently to assemble to whom they propound the Articles to the end to have them confirm'd and executed but at this time they are put off it being alledged the day was too far spent and the Dutchess of Nemours carried her self so powerfully with them that they were willing to let the execution of them alone till they had heard from her son the Duke of Mayenne who being inform'd of these hurly-burlys thought it best to quell them before they went any further for which purpose well guarded he hastes towards Paris at whose approach the Sixteen discouraged 28 Nâ—v crave pardon let him enter the City the Bastile is also yielded to him then he seizeth on Lauchort Emmenot Auroux and Ameline great Sticklers amongst the Sixteen whom he caused to be strangled in the Louvre and publickly hung on the Gallows and others had tasted the 3 Dec. same sauce had they not fled for it At this the Priests and
or that Crown * 15 Jan. Affirming that to think that the Priviledges of the Gallican Church extendeth so far as to admit of an Heretical King is the dream of a Madman and an Heretical Contagion That those who had acknowledg'd Navarre had forgot the Piety of their Ancestors the Reputation of their Countrey and the safety of their souls their salvation being desperate That Navarre had violated all Laws both divine and humane And that the Parliament of Paris is a true and lawful one and so perswadeth them to proceed to an Election To these the King returning Answers endeavoring to clear himself from their Accusations not forgetting also to shew what a favour he had for the Roman Religion And though the death of the Duke of Parma had been no small Hindrance to the Spanish designs yet now Lorenzo Suarez de Figuerâ— Duke of Feria cometh Embassador to manage the Interest of that Crown at the meeting of the States several at this time aiming at the Throne and every one not despairing of their Cause or Interest The Spanish daughter Izabella Clara Eugenia the Dukes of Guise Lorain Nemours and Mayenne having all hopes In short the States-General meet at Paris in the Great Hall of the 26 Jan. Louvre amongst the rest of the Drolleries of these times nothing took more then a Book call'd Satyre Menippee or le Catholicon d'Espagne Composed in abuse of this Convention * Debit Pret. Belg. Tom. 3. p. 339. Justus Lipsius will have a fling at this Book but the greatest honour it received was from Rome where their Wisdomes there as if they had nothing else to do did many years after very gravely call it to remembrance and at last thought it fit to pass under their * 16 Mar. 1621. vid. Ind. Expurgat Alexandri VIII p. 218. Censure of Reprobation The prose of it was made by the Almoner to Cardinal de Bourbon the Verses were composed by Nicholas Rapin commended by * Poet Gall. vol. 3. p. 165. Johannes Passeratius * Ib. p. 420 421. Scavâ—la Sammorthanus with others and Rapin himself hath some * Ib. p. 204 c. 28 Jan. Poems out in Latin The States being met as aforesaid Mayenne King-like sitteth under the Cloth of State desiring them to choose a Catholick King an Enemie to Heresie which was seconded by others The next day at a private meeting the Legat moved that at the next Sessions of the States all should take a solemn Oath never to acknowledge Navarre for their King though he should turn Romanist but this was quashr at the Proposal as to swear against the Popes Authority suppose he should turn and his Holiness command him to be received The next day the Romanists with the King with his consent send Propositions to the States for a Treaty with them at which the Legat stormeth affirming the Proposal to be Heretical and so not fit to be Answer'd Cardinal Pelleve and Diego d'Ivarra one of the Spanish Agents agreâ—ing with him but this was opposed and because the Paper was directed to all the States 't was judged fit to be communicated to them which so netled the Legat that he got the Colledge of Sorbonne to declare it Heretical as intimating a declared Heretick might be King and ought to be obeyed Yet the Proposal is shewn to the States a Conference with the Royal Romanists is consented to but in their Answer they had this odd Conclusion That to oppose an Heretical King is not Treason The place agreed on is Surenne between Paris and St. Denys and Persons are nominated on both sides In the States the Spaniards carried high for the Infanta many seeming willing to it for interest-sake but when they named Ernest Arch-Duke of Austria the Emperors Brother for her husband it was rejected as not fitting to give the Kingdom to a stranger The Spaniards smelling the design offered to admit of a French Prince to be married to Philips daughter which took pretty well Guise Nemours Lorain and Mayenne his sons each of them hoping to be the Man and King Nay some who seem'd to be the Kings Friends and Allies as Cardinal Bourbon Count de Soissons the Prince of Conti with some others began to hearken to this Proposal every one fancying to make the Crown his upon which conceits they were not so earnest in the Kings Cause and Interest as they seem'd to be The King perceiving that the Authority of the Pope was one of his greatest Enemies or Pretences had a great minde to have him pacified to which purpose he formerly had the Republick of Venice and Ferdinando de Medici Grand Duke of Tuscany to use their interests in his behalf at Rome and to further it had also been sent Cardinal Pietros de Gondy Bishop of Paris and the Marquess de Pisani in the name of the Romanist with the King upon the same Errand But the Pope commanded them not to enter into the Ecclesiastical Territories as being Favourers of Hereticks well-Wishers to Navarre with whom they had presumed to speak and treat to which some Reasons and Excuses being returned the Pope at last permits them to enter Rome And at last the King himself gave fair Signes and Proffers to the Conference at Surenne not only of his being willing to be instructed in the Roman Religion but as it were ready to be of it This amazeth the Covenanters to the purpose the Legat protesteth against the Conference as dangerous that they could neither treat with nor admit of a peace with Navarre being a declared Heretick and that if they did either he for his part would quit the Kingdom and this he publish'd in Print that every one might take notice of it Nor were the Spaniard less concerned who fearing the Kings Conversion would make haste and be excepted of thinking to spoil it Nominates the Duke of Guise for Husband to the Infanta shewing it was so in his Instructions At this Mayenne is stung to the heart nor could he so much dissemble but his thoughts were perceived however he thanks them for their kindness to his Nephew and desires time till things were better prepared But this Nomination being known the Embassadors Nobles Citizens and every one flock to pay their service to Guise and give him joy his Palace is fill'd himself cried up and now they vapour of a new Kingling * Charles de Guisâ— Charles XI At all this the Dutchess of Mayenne is mad she frets storms and weeps three days and not able any longer to endure she falleth upon her troubled husband with Sighs Exclamations Threatnings and Railings jearing him as one that hath lost all his labour and pains if he who had hitherto borne the brunt must at last only thus truckle to his young Nephew The Duke also thus perplext to see himself as it were laid aside puts many into young Guise his head demands strange and exorbitant Conditions of the Spaniard for performance yet thinking
in the Dukedom of Bar and in the Diocess of Toul in Lorrain who throwing off his Cowle or Hood and under the disguise of a Beggerly habit being found in the Court upon examination giving no good account and Convict by Testimony was also condemn'd and suffered upon the Wheel Such like murtherous designes of the Friars occasioned many Poems against them amongst the rest upon the stabbing of Henry III. who is said to have loved them most affectionately thus one of them concludeth Jamais il n'y eut Roy par qui la Moinerie Respectee fut plus par qui plus cheria Si les Moins ainsi tuâ—nt leurs grands amis Bon Dieu que ferent ils à leur grand Ennemis Never did King carry more kinde defires Than Henry unto all sorts of Fryers If Monks to friends will give such deadly blows Good God! what will they do unto their Foes Thus much for the French Popish Solemn League and Covenant by Retorting of which is enough to stop their mouths concerning our late Rebellions seeing The Romanists there safely pretended the danger of Religion as well as our Presbyterians did They entred into a Solemu League and Covenant as our Non-conformists did They forced their King to take it and it is not unknown what our villainous Long-Parliament would have done and what the impudent Schismaticks in Scotland did do They spred abroad that their King was an enemie to their Religion and in this were worse then our Puritans who though they slandred our King yet had it rather been a scandal for him to have been of their schismatical perswasion They had their Priests and Jesuits sacrilegiously to abuse the Pulpit and People with their seditious lying and treasonable Discourses as our Rebels had their blasphemous Lecturers ignorant and impudent Tub-Thumpers and 't is hard to tell which of these Covenanters were the greater Villains though I 'le grant ours to be the greater Dunces They falsely gave out that many thousand Huguenots lurk'd in Paris to kill them thereby to incense and inrage the people as our Puritans did of God knows what Cavaliers and Papists mustred under ground and such like tales They had their several Juncto's and Cabal's as ours had their Committees c. They null'd and made void all their Oaths of Allegiance as ours did They declared that Allegiance was but Conditional viz. to a Romanist as ours did to a Covenanter They made many Oaths in behalf of Conditional Subjection and Rebellion as out late Zealots did They had their Doctors or Divines of Sorbonne to countenance and vindicate their wicked Actions and to declare for good whatever they would have them As ours had their Club of Assembly of Divines to prove new Governments and King-opposing to be by Divine Right and Predestination They made Banishment and other Penalties for those who would not take and subscribe their Oaths as our Rebels did for their Covenants and Engagements They had their particular Processions and such like Set-pieces of Devotion to crave Divine Aid and Assistance as ours had their monthly Fasts to desire God to bless their sins and Rebellions as also their Thanksgiving like the old Irish who used to thank God if by Theft or Robbery they had got a good booty They had their Oaths of Abjuration as well as ours had They would pardon and authorize all those who acted for their cause as ours could indempnifie one another some may think with as much right or true Authority as the * Mer. Casubâ—â—'s Necessity of Reform p. 75. French Priest consecrated the Sacrament in the name of the Devil They call'd their League against their King Loyalty and ours thought as well of the Covenant They would have the Council of Trent revived as ours would the Covenant Directory and Presbytery and such like schismatical and treasonable Principles Some of them would have their Chieftain Mayenne to be King as others in England would have had Oliver As their Mayenne would not take upon him when offered to him the Title of King because his Interest was not then sufficient to vindicate it and so would only be Lieutenant of the Crown of France thus Oliver upon the same account refused the Kingship but would be Protector of England They commended Guise and Mayenne as the only Prop of their Church as ours by their Addresses did sacrilegiously magnifie Oliver and his son Richard They had their Rump and secluded Members as well as we but in this the French were worst of the two they turning out honest men whilst ours excluded only Conditional subjects i. e. Traitors so one Knave turn'd out another They sent to the Popish Princes large Complaints against their King as ours with their Schismatical Assembly against King Charles I. to Holland and Geneva They would alter limit put out and in as they pleased their Kings Council as our Puritans desired to do in England They would take away the Kings Negative Vote and make the States superiour to him so would our Roundheads here They sent a Letter to desire Protection and Assistance from Spain an enemie to their King and Countrey as the Scotch Covenanters did from the French King Lewis XIII against their King Charles I. as appears by their Letter subscribed by their Chieftains They in Triumph conducted Guise and his friends into Paris as our Presbyterians did the five Members c. to the affront of King and Government They by their Tumults forced their King to flee from his chief City and Court Paris as our Puritans did King Charles I. from London for his own safety When their King offered them and their General Mayenne Pardon Favour and desired a Peaee they reject both it and him as ours did with King Charles when he offered the same to them and their General Essex They censure all who sided with the King and sat at Tours or Chaalons as ours did those who sat at Oxford as a Parliament They broke the Kings Great Seals making new ones as ours also did They declared it Treason to aid or favour their King as the English did They murthered any who sided with their King as well as our Rebels here They defaced all the Kings Pictures and Statues as the Phanaticks did here They had their Women of all Qualities to promote their Cause by their Love-tricks and Contributions as the Puritans in England had their Wives holy Sisters and zealous Ladies hurried along with as much Chastity and Religion as Honesty Moderation or Loyalty They renounced all obedience to Henry III. and his Queen ordered he should not be prayed for as our wicked Presbyterian Long-Parliament declared the Queen a Traitor renounced the King by their abominable Votes and Declaration of Non-Address and it was afterwards death to pray for him They often attempted the death of Henry IV. contrived and procured the Murther of Henry III. as ours designed King Charles's death in the Isle of Wight and at last murthered him on the
with Plunder and Prisoners Hoping by this means to incense the Turk so to make him fall out with the Venetians and invade their Territories in Dalmatia But the Turk in this more Religious than the Spaniard understanding the base design scorn'd to break with the Venetian in this juncture but offer'd the Republick his Assistance This wicked design thus failing the Partisans of the Pope went another way to trouble the Republick maintaining in Print that The Marriages made within the Interdicted Territories were invalid the Matrimonial Conjunction Adultery and the Children all Bastards This was a cunning plot to amuse the zealous and simple but the wisdom of the Senate and the reasons of their writers dash'd this to pieces also Though the Roman Inquisition was very furious in their judgments forbidding under pain of Excommunication any of the Venetian Papers or Reasons to be intertain'd or read as Schismatical and Heretical and Cardinal Bellarmine was very active with his Pen against the Senators In the mean time the Ambassadors of France and Spain laboured what they could for a Reconciliation and the Emperour and Grand Duke of Tuscany were not slack in affording their assistance to a peace But the means seem'd difficult for the Pope stood upon his old plea of having the Prisoners deliver'd him and the Decrees Cancel'd And on the Contrary the Duke and Senate resolved not to betray their Temporal Authority and renounce their Decrees though as for the Abbot and Canon at the earnest intreaty of the French they were willing in a Complement to bestow them upon King Henry IV. and let him do with them as pleas'd him best and when the Pope would recall his Censures they were willing to do the same with their Letters or Protestation against them but not before lest they might intimate that they had been in the falt and done amiss Whilst the Treaty is thus earnestly carryed on by several Princes and year 1607 their Ambassadors the Pope erects a New Councel at Rome call'd La Congregation de Guerra or the Congregation of War consisting of XV. Cardinals out of whom he cull'd IV. to be imploy'd with the Treasurer and the Commissaries of the Chamber about the means to provide money and most of these were of the Spanish Faction the better to ingage that King to him if the Tryal of the cause should once be put to the Sword And it was the opinion of many that it could not end without blows for the Pope begins the year with new Levies and the Count de Fuentes who long'd for mischief caus'd the Drums to beat up at Milan for Souldiers sent to Switserland to Naples to Flanders to Germany and other places to raise what Souldiers he could getting Money and Arms from Spain so that he doubted not presently to be at the Head of XXX Thousand men The hopes of these great Preparations animated the Pope so much that in a full Consistory he declared He would have war with the Republick of Venice In the Interim the Venetians were not idle hastning their Preparations as much as in them lay so that in a little while they had got together about LXXX Gallies rais'd many Thousand foot in their own Territories sent to the Cantons to hire more doubted not of Assistance from France was promis'd aid from Great Brittain by Sr. Henry Wotten King James his Ambassador by which means they had hopes from Denmark and Holland and was promis'd supplyes from the Lorreiner whose Son viz. the Count de Vaudemont they hoped would be their General But the Duke of Lorraine being aged so superstitiously fearful of Papal Censures beside having a Son a Cardinal who with the Pope did diswade him would not permit his Son to go or any Levies to be made in his Dominions though young Count de Vandemont was willingenough for the Venetian Whilst Christendom is thus troubled with rumours of warrs and every place busie with great Preparations to fill Europe full of mischief and blood-shed and all about an idle Humour of the Popes The Treaty goeth on apace And though many Embassies and Audiences had been been imploy'd to little purpose yet the French King will try the other pull and so resolves to imploy Cardinal de Joyeuse in this business who being a Churchman might be more acceptable to the Pope yet under the Command of the Instructions might no way lessen the rights of the Republick Thus qualified Joyeuse arrives at Venice where he falls to work vigorously and willing he was to save the Popes Reputation and Credit but after many Hearings and Debates he could get only this Answer from the Senate That the Censures being taken away they would recall what they had done in Opposition to them and send an Ambassador to Rome That for the Decrees they would proceed in the use of them with such Moderation and Piety as they and their Ancestors used to do And that upon a Peace the Ecclesiasticks might return only the Jesuits excepted And with these Answers the Cardinal departs from Rome to see what good he could do there At Rome Cardinal de Joyeuse found the Opinions divided some for a Peace upon any account considering what a great mischief a Rupture might bring upon Christendom others thought it not honourable for the Pope to recede from any thing he had done till he had obtain'd what he desired and made the Republick submit As for the Pope though his greatest hopes lay in the Spaniard yet he could not with reason rely too much on him knowing his Coffers at that time to be empty and if he did him any good he would expect a requital of some Priviledges which would not be convenient for Rome to yeild to besides he doubted to be over-power'd by the Venetians and their numerous Assistance amongst whom would be many of the Reformed Religion which having once got a footing in Italy might in that juncture of time give a blow at the very Papacy These Considerations perswaded or forced the Pope to a Complyance but yet was troubled that he could not come off with Honour seeing the Venetians Answers were resolute and cunningly worded and they would not admit of the Jesuits upon any account whatever and thus to forsake them who had suffer'd for his cause would betray his Baffle to the whole world At last after several Consultations it was agreed on that at Rome Monsieur a' Alincourt the French Ambassador should demand of the Pope in the Name of the Christian King and of the Republique that the Censures might be taken away And also that Cardinal Joyeuse and d'Alincourt should give him their words in the Name of their King that the Decrees should remain without Execution until the Accord might be effected To this last clause the Pope would have had added that It was with the consent of the Republick But this was not yielded to knowing the Venetians would never agree to such an Addition So as much being done at Rome as could be de
the fellow being found to be a meer Enthusiastick Fool declaring himself to be King of the whole world to have descended from Pharamond the first King of the Francks and affirming Henry to have Usurp'd the Kingdom of France from him Probably somewhat related to the Whimsies or Phanaticism of the American Doctor who believed he should be King and Dr. Mer. Casaâ—bon of Enthusiasm ch 3. p. 104. 105. 108. Edit 2. Pope too or the Italian Foot-boy who fanciâ—d himself a Monarch the Serving-man who thought himself a Pope or the Italian Groom who held himself for Emperor and accordingly to his poor Capacity would take such state upon him Upon this foolish or madman's attempt on the Kings person the Monsieurs Mâ—tin and Malherbe then noted Poets in France have composed some * vid. d'espinella le Parnasse des Poetes Francoses Tom. 1. fol. 33. c. Tom. 2. fol. 218. c. Verses But passing by these with a latter one mentioned by the careful Duke * Memoires Tom. 3. pag 478. du Sully and other Contrivances to involve that Kingdom in Rebellion I shall hasten to the Murther of that great Monarch which in short was thus The King in his Coach with others going to visit his great Confident the Duke of Sully then indisposed in the Arsenal being come to the year 1610 Street La Ferronnerie or Ironmongers which was then very narrow by reason of the Shops built against the wall of St. Innocent's Church-yard and a Stop being made to his Coach by two Carts one laden with Wine the other with Hay At this Stop one Francois Ravaillac took Laur. Bouchel Hist de la jusstice crim tit 11. ch 14. the opportunity to thrust himself neer the Coach and setting one foot upon the wheel and the other against a Shop-stall so advanced himself that with a knif prepared for the purpose he murdred him with two or three stabs before the mischief was perceived Of this Murther thus discants * les Trophees de Hen. le Grand § 103. Pierre Matthieu the Kings Historiogapher and Councellor Il ne plus faut nommer Henrys les Roys de France La Mort par deux Cousteaux un Esclat de Lance A tue trois Henrys L'un joustant a Cheval L' autre enson Cabinet le tiers en son Carosse Cinq Roys du nom de Jacques ont fait croire a l'Escosse Qu'il y a dans les noms quelque secret fatal Let 's no more name Henrys for Kings of France Since Death with two Knives and one shivered Lance Three Henrys kild one Tilted through the Eye In 's Chamber one the last in 's Coach did dye The death of * Five Scotch James may advise Four more truly That in some Names some Fatal Secret lyes Who were the Contrivers of this horrid Fact is not as yet that I know of fully divulged though wisemen suspect that there was more in it than the malicious thoughts of such a Varlot whose obscurity was such that the King could not have any way offended him any way disingaged or have provoked him to such a mischief but that the Devil and a false zeal of Religion will instigate a man to any mischief 'T is true the King at this time had an Army of above Forty Thousand men ready for some grand design and he himself within a few days was to go and head them in his Intended Exploit but whether this great expence of men and money was only to regain the Beautiful Princesse of Conde who with her Husband had privately fled into Flanders to avoid the Kings immoderate Love as Cardinal * Hist Relat. Fland. p. 13â— c. Bentivoglio is pleas'd to assert Or to obtain the Division of Christendom into XV. Dominions according to the strange Model laid down by the Duke of * Mem. Tom. 4. Sully and some others from him I shall not undertake to Determine seeing others will not by any means allow that the Kings Intentions Plots and Designs are yet any way * Quo Consilio Rex bellum susceperit quem potissimum sinem intenderit quam metam quosve limites armis proposuerit ut incertum est et incompertum hactenus sic inane perscribere et lucem ex fumo et umbra captare Joan. de Bussieres Hist Franc. vol. 4. pag. 482. known or discovered But 't is certain the Spaniard was amazed at these great Preparations of the King and thought it fitting to strengthen himself in Flanders and the Pope and Spaniards did not use to separate Interests besides Gregory XV. had been very earnest to perswade the King from any more Arming but to little purpose And it may be here not unworth the Observation that whilst the King was raising this great Army there was a large * Mem. du Sully Tom. 3. pag. 360. and Hist de la vie de Monay du Plessis pag. 337. Book secretly kept in France by some Considering Priests in which many did subscribe their fidelity and Obedience to the Pope and what else I cannot tell but this we are assured that the Book was half written through and a great part of those Oaths and Signatures signed and subscribed in blood As for Ravaillac he had formerly been a Monk then throwing off his Frock had for some time taught a Petty-school but it seemeth Profit not coming in fast enough by that Trade he threw himself upon the Law turning Solicitor or Petty fogger He had formerly been a stickler in their Solemn League and Covenant and as appears kept some of its Leven yet in his heart and so a zealous Disciple to the Pope and this it seemeth was no small furtherance of him for what ever the Kings designs were Ravaillac was fully perswaded that the aim of it was to ruin his Holiness and the Roman Religion boldly alledging in his Examination this for the cause of the Attempt * Parceque faisant la guerre contre le Pape c'estoit la faire contre Dieu d'autant que le Pape estoit Dieu Dieu estoit le Pape Procez Examen Confessions c. du Francois Ravaillac pag. 39. Is Casaubon Epist ad Eront Ducaum pag. 14. Andre Favyn Hist de Navat pag. 1292. Because said he making war against the Pope is the same as to make war against God seeing the Pope was God and God was the Pope That there were more than one Contriver of this Murther needeth no doubt seeing the general Bruit which fore-ran it and the great confidence or rather certainty his Enemies had of it of both which the Words and Testimony of the present Arch-bishop of Paris are observable His Enemies were then in a profound silence which possibly was not caused Hist Hen. le Grand p. 3. only by their Consternation and fear of the Success of his Arms but out of the Expectation they had to see succeed some great Blow in which lay all their hopes It must needs
Lordships and all my Possessions for ever to be disposed of at your pleasure They received me in that manner and promised as from your Highness to keep and save the said Castle and Haven during the service of your Grace Notwithstanding my Gracious Lord Conclusions of Peace were assuredly agreed upon betwixt Don Juan de Aguila and the English a fact pitiful and according to my judgment against all Right and Humane Conscience Among other places whereof your Greatness was dispossest in that manner which were neither yeelded nor taken to the end they should be delivered to the English Don Juan tied himself to deliver my Castle and Haven the only Key of mine Inheritance whereupon the living of many thousand persons doth rest that live some twenty Leagues upon the Sea-coasts into the hands of my Cruel Cursed Mis-believing Enemies a thing I fear in respect of the execrableness inhumanity and ingratefulness of the Fact if it take effect as it was plotted that will give cause to other men not to trust any Spaniard hereafter with their Bodies or Goods upon these Causes My Lord in that I judg this dishonourable act to be against your Honour and Pleasure as I understand by your last Letters that came into Ireland considering the harm that might ensue to the service of your Majesty and the everlasting Overthrow that might happen to me and poor people such as might escape the Sword of our Enemy if any should I have taken upon me with the help of God to offer to keep my Castle and Haven from the hands of mine Enemies until further News and Order come from your Highnesse I have sent my Son and Heir being of the age of five years as a pledg for accomplishing your will in this behalf and for the performing of my promise past unto your Greatness I would not omit my self in person to come and visit your Highness but that I fear our Warrs here would grow weak in respect of my absence for which cause my self and the rest of our men of worth have sent in haste with Intelligence unto your Greatness our loving Friend Dermond Odrischall in respect of our confidence in him our knowledg of him and the continual endeavour we see in him towards this Catholick Warr as from us all And for as much as we could not conveniently write all that we wish unto you we humbly beseech That he may be heard as from us all as if our selves were present and to hasten helping-News that shall rejoice us and our people and afterwards to speed your gracious help unto us for the sooner the better whilst our Enemies are not in readiness And until the coming of News from your Grace unto us I will have in a readiness where the Service shall require the number of One thousand men and I will upon my knees pray the merciful God to give unto your Grace long life with health of Body and Soul and all happiness and so do commit you to the safeguard of the Omnipotent Dunboy viz. Beer-Haven the xxth of February 1602. Donnell Osulevan Beare Other two Letters he wrote also to the same purpose one to the Earl of Carazena Governour of Gallicia and the other to Don Pedro Zubiar in which he gave this notable boast viz. That his Ancestors maintained the Credit and Calling of good Gentlemen these Two thousand and six hundred years sithence their first coming out of Spain And to keep Dunboy he resolves nor did he want encouragements the Spaniard sending to the Irish relief Twelve thousand pounds and Ammunition and other Necessaries and O-Donnel writes this Letter to O Connor Kerry WHat News are here the Doctor and Dermond Odrischal may largely report unto you but of this one thing you may be fully assured That the King will not omit the winning of Ireland if it cost him the most part of Spain His Majesty doth send you Money and Munition I pray let our information of you be found true and your service encourage Our King to further merit you I pray you send me the relation of the News of our Countrey in such sort as if there be any bad it be concealed from the Spaniards and known to me Where the Deputy with the Queen's Forces are occupied or where they are in Garrison At the Groyne xxiv of May 1602. Your loving Friend Hugh O-Donnel And Owen Mac Eggan the Popes Apostolical Vicar in Ireland thus writes to Richard Mac Goghagan in Dunboy This Mac Eggan was newly return'd out of Spain and came along with the Spanish Supplies He was by the Pope made now Bishop of Rosse Master Richard I Commend me unto you being very glad of the good report I hear of you whereby I cannot but expect much with God his assistance in that lawful and godly Cause of you I am sorry but it was not my luck to conferr with you and with the rest of your Company and inform you of all the state of the matters of Spain But upon my Credit and Conscience there is no greater piece of Service now in hand in all Christendome for the King of Spain than the same that ye have How great it is to God and necessary for our Countrey-affairs ye know Moreover within few days you shall have relief of men come to help you thither out of Spain The great Army of Fourteen thousand men are forth-coming you shall all be as well recompenced both by God and by the King's Majesty as any Ward that is in all the World again Have me I pray commended to all and especially to Father Dominick and bid him be of good Courage There comes with the Army a Father of the Company an Italian for the Pope his Nuncius in whose company I came from Rome to the Court of Spain and there he expects the Army's coming hither He shall give all a Benediction yea I hope within your Castle there spite of all the Devils in Hell From the Catholique Camp this present Wednesday 1602. Your assured Friend Owen Hegaine In my Sacrifice and poor Prayers I will not fail but commend you and your good Cause to God Our Ship did arrive three days agon and our Letters are come to the King by this time Nisi Dominus custodierit Civitatem c. In the mean time Sir George Carew layeth siege to Dunboy which was held out very desperately yet at last it was stormed and all kill'd or executed except Sixteen Twelve of which were chief followers of Tirrell and for whom he bare a great respect upon which account they were saved some days For Tirrell offered to do any service that lay in his power to purchase their Lives and Liberties 'T is accepted a stratagem is propounded in effecting of which he also should be pardoned But this he refused offering to redeem them with Money But to be false to his Master the King of Spain or to betray the Catholique Cause he never would as he said Upon which seeing no good to be
est mortale Permissum est etiam Catholicis Haereticae Reginae id genus obsequii praestare quod Catholicam Religionem non oppugnat Non fuit unquam nec potuit esse Pontificis mens ea Obsequia circa Reginam eis permittere quae aperte cum fine scopo ipsius Pont. de promovenda in Hibernia Catholica fide ac Religione pugnant Hanc autem ejus esse mentem scopum Literae ipsae apertissime declarant Ex quibus omnibus satis manifestum relinquitur illustrissimum Principem Hugonem O-Nellum alios Catholicos Hiberniae bellum gerentes adversus Reginam Haereticam Orthodoxam Fidem oppugnantem nullo modo Rebelles esse neque debitam Obedientiam negare aut Terras Reginae injuste usurpare quin potius illos justissimo bello se terramque suam ab iniqua impia Tyrannide vindicare sacramque Orthodoxam fidem ut Christianos Catholicos decet pro viribus tueri atque defendere Quae omnia singula nos infra-scripti ut certissima ac verissima judicamus approbamus Datum Salamantic VII die Martii An. D. 1602. Sic ego Johannez de Seguensa Professor Theologiae in Collegio Societatis Jesu hujus Almae Salmanticensis censeo Idem Censeo ego Emanuel de Royas Professor Theologiae in eodem Collegio Societatis Jesu Horum Patrum Sententiae tanquam omnino certae assentior et ego Gaspar de Mena Theologiae S. Scripturae in eodem Coll. Professor In eadem sum prorsum cum Praedidictis Pp. Sententia Petrus Osorio in eodem Coll. Societatis Jesu pro Sacris Canonibus In the Name of God Amen THE most Renowned Prince Hugh O Neil doth make warr for the defence of the Catholique Faith with the Queen of England and the English people viz. That it may be lawful for him and the Irish freely to profess the Catholique Religion which liberty the Queen of England doth endeavour to take from them by force and arms There are two matters now in question aâ—â—ut this Warr. I. The one is Whether it be lawful for the Irish Catholiques to favour the foresaid Prince Hugh with Arms and all other means in this Warr II. The other is Whether it be lawful for the same Catholiques to fight against the foresaid Prince without deadly sin and to favour the English in this Warr by Arms or by any other means whatsoever Especially when the case so stands that if they deny this kind of help unto the English they expose themselves to a manifest danger of their lives or the losing of their Temporal goods And furthermore since it is permitted by the Pope that they may obey the foresaid Queen of England and acknowledg her as their lawful Queen by paying Tribute unto her for it seemeth that that may be performed what belongeth unto Subjects to do viz. To fight against the Queen's Rebels who deny their due obedience to her and seem to usurp the Land which is subject to her dominion That both these Questions may be decided we must hold as for certain That the Pope hath power to bridle and suppress those who forsake the Faith and those who fight against the Catholick Faith when by no other means so great a mischief can be hindred And furthermore it must be positively concluded That the Queen of England doth oppugn the Catholique Religion and doth hinder the Irish from the publick enjoyment of the Catholique Faith And that for this cause the foresaid Prince O-Neal and others before him mentioned in the Apostolical Letters of Clement VIII undertook the Warr against her These things thus laid down the first Question is easily resolved For without doubt any Catholick whatsoever may favour the said Prince Hugh O-Neil in the foresaid warr and this with great merit and certain hopes of an Eternal Reward For seeing that the said Prince doth make Warr by the Pope's Authority for the defence of Catholique Religion and that the Pope doth exhort all the faithful by his Letters thereunto as is manifest by his Letters and that he will extend his graces upon the favourers of the Prince in that Warr in as ample manner as if they make warr against the Turks No man in justice can doubt but that the present Warr is lawful and also that to fight for the Catholique Religion which is the greatest good of all others is a matter of great merit And concerning the second question it is most certain that all those Catholiques do sin mortally that take part with the English against the foresaid Prince O-Neil Neither can they obtain Eternal Salvation nor be absolved from their sins by any Priest unless they first repent and forsake the English Army And the same is to be censured of those who in this War favour the English either by Arms or any other means or shall give them any thing of like Condition besides those accustomed Tributes which is lawful for them by virtue of the Pope's Indulgence and Permission to pay unto the Kings of England or their Officers the Catholick Religion flourishing and being amongst them This Assertion is confirm'd by this most manifest Reason Because it is sufficiently proved by the Pope's Letters That the Queen of England and her Forces make unjust Warr against the said Prince O-Neal and those who favour him For seeing that the Pope doth declare That the English do fight against the Catholique Religion and that therefore the said English should be resisted as much as if they were Turks and that he doth bestow the same Graces and Blessings upon those who resist the said English as he doth upon those who fight against the Turks Who doubteth but that the Warr waged by the English against the Catholique Army is altogether unjust But it is not lawful for any to favour an unjust Warr or to be present thereat under the pain of Eternal Damnation Those Catholiques do therefore most grievously offend who bear Arms with the Hereticks against the foresaid Prince in a Warr so apparently impious and unjust And so do all those who assist them in the said Warr with Arms Victuals or by any other means which of themselves do further the proceedings of the Warr and cannot give account of their indifferent obedience Neither doth it any thing avail them to scandal the Apostolical Letters of Surreption or of some underhand procuring For Surreption cannot happen where no Petition of them is declared in whose favour they were dispatched But the Pope doth plainly declare in those Letters that he and his Predecessors had voluntarily exhorted the Irish Princes and all others of the Faithful to undertake this Warr. And the better to incite them to it doth enrich them with great Favours Blessings and Indulgences How can it then be supposed that these Letters were surreptitious which only contain an Exhortation strengthned with many Favours for such as did fulfil them Neither therefore can the Catholiques who assist the English defend themselves by the Reasons alledged in the second
the good News presented Sir Lewis with a great Gold Chain The Legendiaries will tell us of several men speaking after their heads were cut off and Turrianus the Jesuit will make Clemens several years after he knew that St James was dead yet to write an Epistle of Instructions to the said St. James And Osborn here doth much follow the same wonders by telling us that this story is testified by Cardinal D' Ossat whereas that Cardinal was dead above a year before the Powder-Plot hapned Another mistake he hath saying That the Pope laught at the Flattery whereas Cardinal * Les Ambassades Negotiations par Caesar Ligny l. 3. p. 450 Perron who was the man that told the Pope of the Spanish Ambassy for England saith his Holiness was displeased at the Hypocrisie But to return What was the extent of this Treason and how many were assistants to it is difficult to discover Certain it is that some of the Nobility were suspected imprisoned or fined or call'd in question for not coming up at that time to Parliament About this time they sent over Sir Edmond Baynham to Pope Pius V. And Father Parsons Rector of the English Colledg there orders the Students to pray For the Intention of their Father Rector which made some of them wonder what could be the meaning of such an unusual Prayer not knowing what his Intention was But being afterwards informed of the discovery of the Plot Sixteen of them abhorring such jugling and bloody Designs forsook the Colledg slipt into France some of them turning to the Church of England whither they came Guido Faux himself had been also with the Pope and consulted with the aforesaid Parsons and it is affirmed by the voluntary Confession of Vid. Bp. Audrows Respons ad Apol Bellarmini c. 5. pag. 113. a Jesuit That at this time there were three Bulls procured from the Pope and ready upon this occasion and should have been published had the Powder done the intended Execution but that failing they were supprest In the Netherlands Hugh Owen an English Traitor was made acquainted with it highly commending the Contrivance and so did William Baldwin the Legier Jesuit in Flanders who some years afterwards was apprehended at Basil in Switzerland as he was in disguise stealing into Italy He was sent into England where he laid some years in the Tower and at last was delivered at the desire of Gondemar the Spanish Ambassador whose Cunning did sometimes out-master the Court-Policy As for Baldwin he dyed at Omers in September 1632. About this time in Spain lived as Legier for their Cause Arthur Creswell who after his turning Jesuit call'd himself Joseph Creswell the only man as Sir Edward Coke said he ever heard of to change his Christian Name he was informed of the Powder-Plot and liked it so well that he came into * Tho. Sponcer's Hist of the Gunpowder Treason p. 72 73. England at this time to act as 't is said his part in this glorious Action but he was so wise as to haste back again for his own safety and dyed afterwards in grief and discontent at Gant 1623 having for many years endeavoured the disturbance of the Kingdom As for Portugal Thomas Robinson who belonged to the English Covent at Lisbon affords us this Observation Henry Flood a Jesuit Anatomy of the Eng. Nun. at Lisb p. 3. Margin who afterwards lurked in England as chief Agent for the transporting of Nunns to Bruxels Graveling Lisbon or any other place This Flood caused the Jesuits at Lisbon to spend a great deal of Money on Powder on a Festival-day a little before the Powder-Treason in England should have been effected thereby to make experience of the force thereof and also perswaded one John Haw a Merchant whom he had perverted and divers other Catholicks to go over into England and to expect their Redemption there as he calls it a while How long this Conspiracy had been on the Anvil is hard to say Mr. Cambden layeth the foundation of it on the Popes Breves 1600 that were sent over to exclude King James or any other that should not maintain the Roman Religion And Catesby himself laid the greatest force and confirmation upon them For when in conference Father Garnet seem'd to desire that the Pope's consent might be obtain'd Catesby answered That he took that as granted by the Pope in his Bulls or Breves before for said he if it were not lawful to receive or repell him the said Bulls or Breves do import then is it lawful also to expel or cast him out And it appears by the Confessions of Faux and Thomas Winter that in the first year of King James 1603 the Plot was more fully agreed on and the blowing up of the Parliament-House by Powder concluded from which time till its discovery they continually had their Agitators and Councils to promote the Cause and carry on the Work with all vigour and secresie What number of them were engaged in it in England I know not nor did there appear above an hundred in a Body but that others had some hints or notice of it is more than probable And it was observed that that very morning viz. November V. the Romanists at Rowington went to Warwick and rang the Bells And the same Night Grant with some others went to the Stable of Warwick-Castle took away the Horses thence rid two miles off to Norbrook Grant's House where Rockwood's Wife Morgan's Wife with some others of the same stamp met to rejoyce with them for the downfall of Heresie encouraging their Husbands to go on encrease their Forces and fight it out to the last Nor need we suppose that their Priests and Jesuits in England were idle in this grand Affair which had been so long in hammering amongst them We meet with Hammond the Jesuit very active not only encouraging them to Cruelty but also after it was discovered to confess and absolve at one time about Twenty of the Rebels at Robert Winter's Honse Greenwell alias Tesmond another Jesuit was so zealous in this holy Cause that when he knew the Plot was known he call'd Father Hall a Flegmatick Fellow because he thought him not active enough to advance the Rebellion and in this fury hurried himself down into Lancashire to see what troubles he would raise there by falsly declaing as he went along That there was a design to cut all the throats of the Romanists Yet was the said Father Hall alias Oldcorne a Jesuit eager enough for the Plot encouraging Mr. Littleton with the justness of the Design however the Event was Instancing how the Turks sometimes beat the Christians and that the Eleven Tribes of Israel were twice overcome though God himself had commanded them to go and fight against Benjamin Rich. Carpenter's Sermon Novemb. 5. 1662 pag. 11 What need we trouble our selves with Father Thomson the Jesuit who used to vapour to his Scholars at Rome how oft his shirt had been
that you take and understand them simply as they sound and as they lye all power to interpret them otherwise being taken away c. Dated at Rome at S. Marks under the Signet of the Fisher the 22d of Septemb. 1606 the 2d year of our Popedom This Breve being presently sent into England was not instantly submitted to by all the Romanists some of them having taken the Oath of Allegiance and thought they ought as good Subjects to stand to it others of them who wish'd well to their own security betwixt the two opposite Commands of the King and the Pope were willing to think the former Breve to be but a Cheat and surreptitiously procured without the Pope's knowledg such things hapning oft at Rome the Pope as well as other Princes being several times abused both by their Secretaries and the Datarii And to this opinion were some of the wisest and best of the English Romanists drawn upon consideration that the Pope who ought to be Holy Charitable Merciful a lover of Peace a promoter of Obedience not a busie-body nor a medler in other Princes Affairs would not undertake to disquiet the Romanists raise divisions in the Church and thrust his Friends into the danger of violating the Laws of their King and Countrey to whom they owed all Obedience and not upon any account whatsoever Trayterously to oppose and violate But the Pope who thought his Kingdom his Authority his Supremacy his Vicarship his Infallibility and all his other pretty pretended Trophies struck at was resolved to have his Humour let what mischief so ever come of it and so as if to satisfie those who doubted of the Reality of the former Breve he forthwith sent this other into England Dilecti Filii Salutem Apostolicam Benedictionem REnuntiatum est nobis reperiri nonnullos apud vos qui cum satis declaraverimus per literas nostras Anno superiore x Kalend Octob. in forma Brevis datas vos tuta Conscientia praestare non posse Juramentum quod a vobis tunc exigebatur praeterea stricte praeceperimus ne ullo modo illud praestaretis Nunc dicere audent hujusmodi Literas de prohibitione Juramenti non ex animi nostri sententia nostraque propria voluntate scriptas fuisse sed potius aliorum intuitu atque industria eaque de causa iidem persuadere nituntur mandata nostra dictis literis non esse attendenda Perturbavit sane nos hic Nuncius eoque magis quia experti Obedientiam vestram filii nostri unice dilecti qui ut huic sanctaâ— Sedi obediretis opes facultates dignitatem libertatem vitam denique ipsam pie generose nihili fecistis nunquam suspicati essemus potuisse vocari apud vos in dubium fidem literarum nostrarum Apostolicarum ut hoc praetextu vos ex mandatis nostris eximeretis Verum agnoscimus versutiem atque fraudem Adversarii humanae salutis eisque potius quam vestrae voluntati tribuimus hanc renitentiam Ea proter iterum ad vos scribere decrevimus ac denuo vobis significare Literas nostras Apostolicas Anno praeterito x Kalend. Octob. datas de prohibitione juramenti non solum motu proprio ex certa nostra scientia verum etiam post longam gravem deliberationem de omnibus quae in illis continentur adhibitam fuisse scriptas ob id teneri vos illas omnino observare omni interpretatione secus suadente rejecta Haec autem est mera pura integraque voluntas nostra qui de vestra salute soliciti semper cogitamus ea quae magis vobis expediunt Et ut cogitationes consilia nostra illuminet is a quo Christiano gregi custodiendo nostra fuit praeposita Humilitas indesinenter Oramus Quem etiam jugiter precamur ut in vobis filiis nostris summopere dilectis fidem constantiam mutuamque inter vos Charitatem Pacem augeat Quibus omnibus cum omni Charitatis affectu peramanter benedicimus Datum Romae apud Sanct. Marcum sub Annulo Piscatoris x. Kalend. Septemb. 1607. Pontificatus nostri Anno tertio Petrus Stroza Dearly beloved Sons Greeting and Apostolical Benediction It is reported unto us That there are found certain amongst you who when as we have sufficiently declared by our Letters dated the last year on the xxij of September in the form of a Breve that ye cannot with safe Conscience take the Oath which was then required of you and when as we have further straitly commanded you that by no means you should take it Yet there are some I say among you who dare now affirm that such Letters concerning the forbidding of the Oath were not written of our own accord or of our own proper will but rather for the respect and at the instigation of other men and for that cause the same men go about to perswade you that our Commands in the said Letters are not to be regarded Truly this News did trouble us and that so much the more because having had experience of your obedience most dearly beloved Sons who to the end you might obey this Holy See have godlily and valiantly contemned your Riches Wealth Honour Liberty yea and Life it self We should never have suspected that the truth of our Apostolical Letters could once be call'd into question amongst you that by this pretence you might exempt your selves from our Commandments But we do perceive herein the subtilty and craft of the Enemy of man's salvation and we do attribute this your backwardness rather to him than to your own will And for this cause we have thought good to write the second time unto you and to signifie unto you again that our Apostolical Letters dated the last year on the xxij of Sept. concerning the prohibition of the Oath were written not only upon our proper motion and of our certain knowledg but also after long and weighty deliberation used concerning all those things which are contain'd in them and that for that cause you are bound fully to observe them rejecting all Interpretation perswading to the contrary And this is our meer pure and perfect will who being always careful of your salvation do always mind those things which are most profitable unto you And we do pray without ceasing That he who hath appointed to our Lowliness the keeping of the Flock of Christ would enlighten our Thoughts and Counsels whom we do also continually beseech that he would encrease in you our most beloved Sons Faith Constancy with mutual Charity and Peace one to another All whom we most lovingly Bless with all Charitable affection Dated at Rome at Saint Marks under the Signet of the Fisher the xxiii of August 1607 the third year of our Popedom Peter Stroza Some Months after the publishing of the first Breve Mr. George Blackwell constituted the Arch-Priest 1598 by Henry Cardinal Cajetane call'd Protector of the English Nation by the Appointment of Pope Clement VIII was seiz'd on examined