worlde knoweth that the king is accused of heresie by this Monke and his like forasmuch as hee sayth and holdeth for certaine that the Romish church hath need of reformation vpon the which proposition is demaunded wherefore the king raigning shall bee sooner accused of heresie than infinite others of his like others as wel in Europe Asia or Affrica Besides that which hath beene sayde else where wee faie that in our region the last King constrayned but too late to knowe this truth had giuen charge to a learned personage to set foorth certayne Articles concerning the necessitie of reforming the Church The last Duke of Sauoy sayd to an Italian named Castro Caro professing the reformed religion Thou doest wel to maintaine thy faith Afterwards he placed him as gouernor ouer the vallyes of Angrongne Apol for Herod A Duke of Florence with like purpose answered the Ambassadour of the souldan of Egypt that in Christendome the fooles were shut vp in Monasteries The Venetians haue of long time detested the persecutions of the Popes The best part of Christian kings doe confirme this truth and the noble men in deede as much for it is proued that there are a great many Gentlemen throughout Europe which do euen grone and breath after this reformation If we come to the Ecclesiasticall persons the quantitie of them swarming out of the Couents and monasteries doeth likewise preach on high the same thing vnto vs. The like also is found by the Popes being constrained to produce such a like kinde of cōsent when as one of thē vpon the abuse of the Romane Church which was obiected and proued to him sayde to the protestant Princes of Germanie that his intention was to vnderstand it Sleidan and remedie it To whom it was answered that that did not appertaine to one Bishop alone As for philosophers councellers of lawe-rights and people of the third estate knowing the same truth and necessitie will be found euerie where such a great number that they will be innumerable In Asia an infinite number of Iewes doe deferre their conuersion to the Christian religion for the great abuses and idolatries which they see in the Romish church Let vs passe into Affrica then Presbiter Iohn great gouernour ouer the Ethiopians making profession of Christianitie verifieth the same by the generall permission of holy matrimonie instituted by God by the intire distribution which the Bishops doe make of the sacred signes of the holy supper following the ordinance of Iesus Christ What will then this malecontent saie when as for this cause onely hee accuseth his king of heresie seeing that so many Monarchies Princes Lordes Prelates of the Church Councellors Philosophers and other great godly and learned personages throughout all Europe haue holden sayd reproued confessed the same truth the which hath beene confirmed by so many Doctors and so many arguments that it is impossible for the gainsaiers to answere them The which doctors and arguments durst and dare maintaine and proue that if there be anie Prince in the world clere and purged from the crime of heresie it is our king for following the greatest reformation of Christian religion as euer hath beene sithence the death of the Apostles That it is so thou shalt finde by reading and considering the profession of faith which he hath shewed towards the two last kings which is come to light a long time sithence Therefore take a little paines with patience to conferre it with the holy Scriptures Now let vs come to the examination of the first Article conteining as we haue sayde seuen texts of the Scripture with the which this ligall Monke woulde helpe himselfe for his better reiecting the king if he could The first therefore is taken out of the seuententh Chapter of Deutronomie Deut. 17.17 where it is commanded to the people of Israel to constitute ouer them the king whome the Lorde their God should chuse comprised in the couenant which he had contracted with him from the which place the aaforesayd Monke doth drawe his conclusion as aforesaid that is to saie that the king for being an heretike ought not to be admitted to the crowne of France no more then in oldettme a Pagan might to that of the Iewes Therefore saith he the lawe of Moses concerning the election of the kings of Israel is morall and by consequence doth binde all Christians to the obseruation of the same The answere to this is that seeing Phisicke must be applied to the bodie that is diseased let vs put the case whether the question was concerning a king being an Infidell or an heretike For the regard namely of such a soueraigne I denie the proposition the which I maintain to be false for foure resons to be considered in the examination and circumstance of the text Deut. 17 where Moses saith thus Thou shalt make him king ouer thee whome the Lord thy God shall choose from amongst thy brethren thou shalt not set a stranger ouer thee which is not thy brother Where first of all is to bee vnderstoode that the king which the Lorde woulde giue vnto his people called in the Scripture the annointed of the Lord should be chosen after another fashion and to another end than others were Therefore Moses sayd that God himselfe woulde choose this king differing from them of other nations for that hee woulde haue him represent and figure the Messias his sonne beeing king euerlasting and redeemer of the world and that he would haue him to raigne ouer an holy nation which priuiledge giueth vs to vnderstand that these sacred kings were holy and separated from others Wherefore Moses in this text 1. Sam. 10 and the historie of the Kings doe witnesse that theyr election proceeded from God not from the people for which respects there was a separation and a difference put betweene them and others So as is seene in the election of Saul 1. Chron 28. Iug. 9 Dauid and Salomon The cause why Abimelech being before appointed king of Sichem indured but a while was for that that hee was not so called of God the time of the kings being not yet come Where it appeareth that such proceedinges are not conuenient at this daie for other nations If thou doest replie that christian kings haue one and the selfe same holines as those of the Iewes had proceeding from one common God I answere that it sufficeth to proue that the Christian nations neuer had this particular commandement nor this speciall promise to haue power alwayes to constitute ouer thē a king of their owne religion so giuen of GOD this is a priuiledge onely which the Iewes had for the Christians haue ben and are bound by the generall commandement of God to abide subiect to their Princes which hee hath giuen them of what religion soeuer they haue ben or be as shall be more at large discussed in his place To that which remaineth thou oughtest to proue that this realme is a
chosen kingdome and that the Ecclesiasticall Romanes ioyned with some number of ignorant people seduced by them haue this right of election whereof thou speakest such proues are not in the strength of all your Sorbonne Beholde then the first reason sufficing to declare the falsehood of thy Commentarie And so I come forward to the second drawen from the nature of the people ouer whome the aforesayd king ought to bee appointed where Moses saith thus Thou shalt not set ouer them c. Inferring by this Pronoune that amongst these priuiledges and speciall graces which God woulde giue vnto his people he would giue them a king hauing the quality of a brother and making profession of the same religion which they did for the better distinguishing and separating them from other nations the which should carrie the same common markes of alliance and adoption Gen. 17. and also for want whereof it was sayd in Genesis that euerie man childe not circumcised should be cut off This was not then neither hath beene sithence common to anie other nation for all men knowe that God by the preaching of his Gospell hath neuer called at once whole nations to the knowledge of him and that for the most part he hath rather and first of all conuerted the subiects yea the meanest sort from amongst the sayd subiects as the Apostle witnesseth to the Corinthians where it appeareth 1. Cor. 1. that the faithfull had neither right nor power to appoint a king ouer themselues of theyr religion It behoueth vs then to holde this resolution for a maxime in diuinitie that God onely calleth whome he pleaseth to the knowledge of his truth and giueth the kingdomes of the earth to whom it seemeth him good sometimes to a beleeuing Prince and sometimes to an Infidel The soueraigne God sayth Dauid hath power ouer the kingdomes and there placeth whome he will therefore after Nabuch◠donosor hee placed Balsasar Darius Cyrus all Pagans As also sithence the death of Iesus Christ of long continuance he hath rather called Pagan Princes to gouerne the Empire than Christians the which succeeded one another by the ordinance and pleasure of him euen as Saint Paul taught the christiās Rom. 13 saying that there is no power but of God that those which doe resist resist the ordinance of God From thence it insueth that if anie one opposeth himselfe against God when for the cause of religion hee would depose the soueraigne princes which hee hath placed and hath not called to the knowledge of him Examine then this reason whiles that Ipasse to the third point which goeth altoge ther against thee so good an aduocate art thou Beholde how thou wouldest inferre that because it was forbidden to the Israelites to admit anie heretike for their king that the same ought to be sayd and vnderstood of all Christian people To the which I aunswere denying the proposition and the illation together beginning at the first thou canst not denie but the most parte of the kings of Iuda and of Israel haue beene heretikes as theyr idolatries and abhominable sacrifices doe witnesse recited in theyr actes the which kinges for all that were not deposed from theyr crownes On the other side therefore thou shalt bee constrayned to confesse that the Christians much lesse then ought to depose theyr kinges for causes of heresie Luk. 20. Rom. 13. Tit. 3 seeing that the commaundement of Christ and his Apostles doe forbidde the same as hath beene and shall bee seene And for the fourth reason I silie that the king being a Christian man baptised and nourished in the Christian Church if hee doeth fall into some errour or defaulte deseruing a grieuous censure ought not for the same cause to bee reputed as a stranger whiles that hee maketh some profession of the same religion or whiles that hee witnesseth his loue towardes the same for the which cause Saint Paule speaking of Excommunication which hee calleth 2. Thes 9 marked by the Letter sayeth Conuerse not with him to the end that hee may be ashmed neuerthelesse hold him not as a common enemie but rather admonish him as a brother If thou oughtest to doe this to the meanest in a realme much more then to the soueraigne in neglecting whereof thou shewest thy selfe such a one as thou art Finally this lawe is quite contrarie to that of thine when as thou doest hinder the waie which doeth establish kings at this daie as well approued of God as the ancient lawe of the Iewes the difference beeing onely in the aforesayde circumstances and not in the substaunce of the matter From whence it proceedeth that thou doest resist the ordinance of God when thou doest reiect him which hath right and calling to raigne ouer Fraunce beeing approued and receiued by the naturall and lawfull officers of the Crowne hauing right and commaundement so to doe To conclude from the aforesayd reasons then it followeth that this lawe of Moses is not generall but of old time particular to the Iewes As in deede thou canst not produce anie one example out from the primitiue church thereby to saie that that hath interpreted and vnderstood this text so seeing that that hath taught and practised altogether contrarilie And as for that that thou addest that the king hath bene condemned by the iudgement of the Church it is answered that one Bishop of Italy assisted with his Romish Consistorie neither is neither can represent the vniuersall Church dispearsed throughout the whole world And furthermore that hee of Rome can haue power no where but in his owne diocesse as the auncient Doctours doo witnesse Chap. 23 amongst whom Basile in his booke intituled The solitarie Life sayth That all Bishoppes doo binde and absolue equally as well as Peter The ninth Canon of the councell of Antioch Can. 9 carrieth as much where it is likewise said that euerie Bishop hath power and authoritie ouer his owne diocesse The Romane Bishop ought therefore to content himselfe with his owne at Rome and not to vsurpe ouer all those of France where he hath nothing to doo as hereafter more at large shall be discoursed and proued Now I come to the other text by the which thou dost alleadge that it is lawfull for thee to kill thy king if thy credite could doo the same It is expressed in the fiue and twentith of Numbers Num. 25. that the Lord commanded Moses to take all the heades of the people and hang them vp before the Lord agaynst the Sunne which had committed fornication and idolatrie with the Moabitish women wherof thou dost conclude that the king ought to be hanged as culpable of such a crime This is a leagued hangman that sayth so and I answere that this example is nothing to the matter or to the purpose Beholde therefore the supreame magistrate is not therby to be punished and much lesse to be reiected Secondarily as well the diuines as the politicians do affirme that it is
neither iust nor reasonable to vse the same rigour forme and fashion to a soueraigne Prince beeing the lieuetenant of God as is vsed to his subiects amongst others the example of Dauid sufficeth as a witnesse And in the third place for to speake the truth such principals of the people haue not bene punished for the cause of heresie but rather and principally for the cause of their fornication being qualified euen as Saint Paul declareth to the Corinthians 1. Cor. 10. where alledging this historie he onely maketh mention of the aforesayde fornication the which idolatrie hath not beene accounted but as accessarie seeing that the intention of these back-sliders was not to commit idolatrie but onelie to commit fornication Beholde then the allegation of this text is altogether from the matter and verie foolishly and falsely applyed Of the selfe same nature is the interpretation which thou giuest of that which followeth out of S. Math. 18 Matthew where our sauiour Christ would haue him holden for an heathen man which will not obey the church and also out of the which text thou drawest the like conclusion The answere is that there he speaketh of particulars and not of soueraigne magistrates Secondly of an ecclesiasticall censure and not of a politike Thirdly the being taken for a pagan did not nor yet doth take a waie the politike rightes of this world which the Lorde giueth as well to princes as to their subiectes The interpretation then which thou giuest to this text is altogether repugnant to the intent of the spirite of God Chro. 21 To this may bee applyed sayest thou the example of the towne of Libna belonging to the Leuites which reuolted from king Ioram because of his idolatrie Wherefore the holy historie sayth that he had forsaken the Lorde God of his fathers To proue then that such an example is nothing at all to the matter but rather tending to mutinie and rebellion the reasons are these The king hath not forsaken the God of his fathers and to proue that this is true the holy Scripture doth describe and propose the same God vnto vs to be creator of all the world Gen. 1. the redeemer of them which beleeue in him and obey him according as hee hath commanded in his worde Eph. 1. they then which doo so acknowledge this onely God of our fathers Father of our Lorde Iesus Christ Matth. 11 by whom onely he hath reconciled the world to himself following all the mysteries of our redemption 1. Cor. 5 which they ought to perfite and accomplish in him the onely Christ Act. 4.12 Forasmuch as there is no other name vnder heauen by the which men may be saued This father of Iesus Christ and of all faithfull Christians is the God of our fathers as the heauenly oracles doe witnes vnto vs. Now the king beleeueth in him as such a God approueth him as such a one wherevppon it followeth that hee hath not forsaken the God of our fathers Secondly thou oughtest to know that the contract of alliance betweene God and the Iewes did more concern diuine religion than humane policie Wherfore there was such a reciprocate subiection required betweene the kings of Iuda and theyr subiectes as a thing that was not else where And for the last poynt Ioram pretended to cause the people to commit idolatrie against God the which our king would neuer do nor practise Thou turnest awaie then from this example as also from the two following 1. King 15. 2 King 11. of Maacah and Athalia which thou doest associate with him And as for the first let it be considered that she was a subiect deposed for idolatrie and not a soueraigne and that in the Country of Iuda And as for the other she was a traitor and an vniust vsurper of the crowne which had massacred the two inheritours of the realme and therefore was forsaken of those which did belong vnto her hauing the gouernment of the yong king Ioas. This was then the vniust vsurpation of a kingdome that was the occasion of this wicked womans death and not heresie Heere ought I to speake one worde and one for all of the pretended eloquence but I will leaue it vnto the young Orators and those wicked wretches who desire to shew vnto the world Howsoeuer it bee they care not the smoakie stinking exhalations of the same the which thou doest euaporate at all times as well in this thy first Article as also in those that followe thereby to discharge thy Prince Thou makest the qualitie of the vessel to be knowen by the stinking smell that commeth forth of it The names signifie the things I will content my self to vse simplicitie and sinceritie according to the property of the truth aduertising thee that verba voces non leniunt dolorem Wordes and voices do not asswage griefe And by thy maiesticall iniurious speeches thou doestaccuse the king to haue vsed many and diuers actes of hostilitie in the warres which hee hath had heretofore Vppon the which thou canst not denie these two tryed truthes the one that he hath had a iust calling and necessarie occasion to defende himselfe against the forces of Guyfe his enemie and the other that hee hath by diuerse sufferances and alterations in comparison playd the part of an Angell whilest that they playd with him the part of a Deuill vntill that time that by such proceedinges you haue obiected against him that hee hath vsed subtletie to get aswell the good opinion of one as of another But goe in one accorde your floutes and let vs see the last poynt of of this Article which is contained in the first to the Cor. where the Apostle doth reprehend the faithful Christians 1. Cor. 6 which hauing matters of controuersies amongst them go to plead them before Iudges being Infidels not among themselues showing them that it was euil done to submit themselues to the iudgment of Infidels that they rather ought to take the least amongst them appoint them for their Iudges Wherupon this Ligall Doctor saith that it is a very reprochfull thing to Catholickes to receiue him for king which is now in the kingdome the which he calleth more outragiously than before one that is falne a relapse an Apostata frō the Christian religion concluding that the Catholickes ought rather to chuse the least amongst themselues to bee theinking than to submitte themselues vnder the yoke tyrannical gouernment of an Heretike Thou saiest all this But if the heauens should fall what a noise would there be Neuertheles yet let vs examine the fame The agreement of the personages as thou comparestable in one with another doth prooue that the thing of it selfe i◠nothing at all alike nor to the matter for to compare the particular scandale which the Corinthians did giue in going to pleade their matters before heathen Iudges with the generall right due to Infidell Princes that doth nothing at all
princes of the earth This is no meruaile then seeing the Pope challengeth power also ouer the Angelles Let vs continue the examination of this Article The Author addeth by exclamation and parenthesis that for the cause of heresie such canons doe disgrade euen to the Pope desiring to affirme notwithstanding that hee is erected aboue all Monarkes of the earth What greate admiration is this as if it were not knowne that all men receyuing a charge of the Bishop receyueth it with condition to bee deposed If hee becommeth an heretike the word of God doth declare it manifestly and the euill is that in thy place the practise doth oppose it selfe Admit this yet it is denied that hee may take in like manner frō the kings of the earth Tit. 3. because that amongst other thinges their charge is different from the ecclesiastical because they haue receiued their politike administration without such condition But if it doth fall out that a prince should be censured touching the depriuing him of the goods honors of this world it belōgeth to a politike conuocation of estates not to ecclesiastical persons And proceeding the Monke addeth that these Canons do absolue release all subiectes from the obedience that they owe to their Lordes or kinges being heretikes Now for the answer It hath been said proued against such iniustice that God raigneth ouer kingdoms establisheth those whom he pleaseth be they faithful or infidels I haue called thee saith the lord to Cirus Isay 45. although thou hast not knowne me and I haue named thee by this name to the ende to make the nations subiect vnto thee This is here saide of Pagan princes Now let vs enter into the cōmon-welth of Israel where the church of God was and where all the kings ought to haue made profession of the true religion There were found many heretikes before and after their comming to the kingdom neuertheles not one of them was euer deposed for heresie To bee shorte neither the Prophets Iesus Christ nor his Apostles haue euer taken away Ier. 27. Luk. 20. Rom. 13. or abolished the dignities and pollicies of the world for such respects but rather haue maintained and confirmed such magistrates in commaunding to giue to Pagan Princes the things which God hath ordained assigned for them Heere thou doest reply that seeing that we ought rather to obey the creator than the creature if it commeth to passe that the seruice of the king doth detract vs from the seruice of God wee ought to leaue the lesse to obey the greater The answere is that this maxime is verefied in it selfe but very badly applyed to that which is the question beeing considered that they doe obey the creator which do obey his commaundements as concerning their dueties which they owe vnto their soueraigne Magistrate And if for the cause of religion he would draw thee from the seruice of God then the Prophets Iesus Christ and his Apostles commaund thee not to digresse from it so farre off is it that thou shouldst roote him out that contrariwise thou oughtest to pray to God for him because hee hath the hearts of Princes in his handes and otherwise Prou. 21. Math. 10. they commaund thee to endure persecution or to flie and go some where else If these be not thy proceedings thou art no disciple of Christ Let vs see how thou doest borrow the examples following The first is of the bande of wiues towardes their husbandes The second is of children towardes their fathers The third is of seruantes towardes their maisters Where thou saiest that in the case of heresie such bands do cease and from thence thou dost inferre that for the same cause the band of the subiectes towardes their Princes ought to cease Now for aunswere I say that the antecedent is false and that the consequence is not true Beginning at the first example thou doest alleadge and apply falsly for the text sayth word for word That if any woman hath married an infidell and if hee is content to dwell with her let her not depart from him 2. Cor. 7. Where it is added what knowest thou woman whether thou shalt saue thy husband or not that is to say by praiers instructions and good conuersations It is well sayd in the text that if the infidell or vnbeleeuer will departe let him departe But such a seperation commeth not from the beleeuer but from the vnbeleeuing Behold how thou doest falsly alleadge the worde of God And in respect of the second example all men know that amongst the dueties of the worlde the obedience of children towards their fathers be they beleeuers or vnbeleeuers is so generally and profoundly imprinted in the brest of mankinde that aswell the lawes diuine as humane doe commaund it alwayes without exception so clearely that to dilate these thinges by examples and textes is to sowe nothing else but wordes of wisedome in vaine Terent. A Pagan would aunswere that nature could not breake this duetie If some of your Canons haue giuen him such great authoriti◠as thou talkest of it may bee aunswered that the anthors of them were worse than infidelles And as for the third example taken from slaues Mat. 5. which may in case of heresie saiest thou in like sorte abandon theyr maisters To aunswere that Saint Paule the Doctor of the Gentils doth tell thee that thou doest lye when hee commaunded seruantes in his time to obey theyr Maisters which were for the most part infidels saying Seruants Ephes 6. Gen. 14. obey them which are your Maisters according to the flesh for so Ioseph was obedient vnto Pharao and also to his first Maister and Abdias to Achab his Lorde which was an heretike 1. King 28. and moreouer an hypocrite and a persecutour of the Church If then because of religion priuate men maye not leese their right which they haue ouer their seruants much lesse then shoulde Monarkes leese the obedience and acknowledgement which is due vnto them from those whom the Lorde hath subiected vnto them by diuine and humane right otherwise I pray you what maner of arguing wold this be if a prince disobeyeth God in a pointe of religion then it is permitted to take his scepter from him Now I must enter into the great denth of the Romish excommunication by the Ministerie whereof this leaguer doth pretend to curse and roote out aswell the king as the nobles and other subiects which do take his part He saith then that if a prince be excommunicated the Canons doe forbid that any obedience should be giuen vnto him And comming from these to Hypothese he produceth the sentence of excommunication of Pope Sixtus the fifth of that name denounced against the king in the yeare 1585. the ninth of September beginning thus we do establish in the full power which the king of kinges hath giuen vs c. in the which are comprised the nobles and other Catholicks which do
helpe the king as fauters of heretikes To answer the same and for the more briefe and easie vnderstanding of this matter of excommunication it is requisite to diuide it into foure parts The definition of the thing shall be the first The second shall comprehend the authoritie and calling of those who ought to excommunicate The thirde shall haue regarde to the qualitie of the crime together with the ende of the censure The fourth shall intreate of the commodities and rightes of this present life to knowe whether ecclesiasticall iurisdiction hath power to depose them from their proper rights or not The worde Excommunication is defined in this manner Excommunication is a bannishment or reiecting of an obstinate sinner beeing hardened in his sinne the which is throwne out of the company of the faithful by the iudgement and sentence of the Church by the authoritie of Iesus Christ following the rule which is contained in hys worde The which ecclesiasticall punishment is ordained as well to cause the sinner to repent and amende as also for the edification of the foresaide Church The seconde parte is touching the persons which ought to pronounce such sentence of excommunication for if it be proffered done by a man hauing no calling it is nothing like as a band made without forme of lawe It is necessary therefore to knowe in generall that the power of excommunication is giuen to the church as Iesus Christ doth witnesse in the Gospell written by S. Mathew Mat. 19. where speaking of him that will neither hear in particular nor in the presence of one or two witnesses his brother which then hath offended commaundeth the partie offended to tell such his rebellion to the Church as to the which the iudgement and acknowledgement of the censure which falleth to him that hath offended doth belong After the Maister Saint Paule his Disciple speaketh thus of the proceeding of excommunication holden agaynst the incestuous Corinthians 1. Cor. 5. I haue determined saith he as being present that he which hath done this thing be deliuered c. And afterwards adding you and my spirit being assembled with you in the name of our Lord Iesus Christ to deliuer I say such a man to Satan for the destruction of the flesh to the end that the spirit may be saued in the day of our Lord. It may be seene then that this iudgement is deferred to the Church which chuseth a certayne number of men to the which shee giueth charge to watch ouer the flockes and to haue certaine knowledge of him which hath offended to bring him backe againe to the trueth to the ende that if there doe fall out the censure of excommunication it maye bee doone by the sight and agreement of the Church Mat. 16. according to the authoritie which Iesus Christ hath giuen her This is then a certaine token that the obstinate sinner ought to be excommunicated in the same Church whereof hee is a member and in the which the fault hath beene committed to her greate offence And because that excommunication is the last and moste seuere ecclesiasticall censure against the sinner therefore it is good to proceede in all thinges deliberately by good counsaile Epist lib. 3. Epist 19. and manifest proofe of the cause Wherefore S. Cyprian sayth that the Bishops of his time did call the other Bishops of their prouinces when there was any question of excommunicating the rebellious and obstinate Where it appeareth that there is found no such matter as in the Romish proceedinges seeing that they excommunicate not onely those which be not of their diocesse but all other out of their prouinces as they thinke good ouer the which they haue no more to do than this my leagued Monke hath ouer the Tartarians This abuse doth aggrauate it selfe the more in as much as the Popes beeing accused of manye crimes doe notwithstanding iudge them which are their accusers where we may not omit that of old time our Fathers did ordaine and appoint those things which they thought conuenient profitable and necessary for the correction of those which did belong vnto the French Church without going into Italie a as is prooued and shewed amongst others by the authour of the abuses and nullities of the Bulles of Pope Sixtus that dyed last the which dooth shewe by many examples Aim lib. 5. cap. 26. that the Bishoppes of Fraunce warned Pope Gregorie the fourth which came into the Realme with menaces of excommunications to the king that if hee did enterprise any thing against him in steade to excommunicate hee shoulde returne excommunicated Likewise it was tolde him that it was neuer seene that a Pope not being desired should euer meddle with iudging the rightes belonging to kingdomes and that the Frenchmen had alwayes accustomed to liue in libertie for the maintenance of the which they were resolued not to spare their owne bloud And lastly they tolde him that kingdomes were neuer gotten by excommunications From all which reasons it followeth that the French men haue no reason to seare the Popes encommunications If it falleth out that anie of them do cōmit anie offence they may go to the Bishops of Fraunce which ought to reduce them by faire meanes censure them accordingly without suffering them to go to Rome And for the third parte of the excommunication touching the person excommunicated together with the ende of such censuring First I sayde that it is necessary to admonish the culpable by all faire meanes euen with teares as also to heare and vnderstand him in all his reasons plaintes and iustifications to knowe thereby whether he bee duely informed of the accusations or not Now there hath beene no such obseruations in the foresaide sentence of excommunication from thence therefore againe it followeth that it is not onely a nullitie but also a detestable abuse That which doth also againe appeare for the third is the qualitie of the pretended crime of heresie wherewith the Pope accuseth the king forasmuch as it is verefied that suche a proposition the Romane Church hath neede of reformation is nothing at all erronious and much lesse hereticall Lette vs now behold the end of excommunication It hath beene sayd that it hath respect vnto the repentance and saluation of the sinner wherefore I desire all that be truly religious to confider whether the Pope indeuoreth himselfe to this ende when he excommunicateth kinges they shall find that he doth not Beholde let a Prince bee a tyraunt a whoremaister adulterous a rauisher a drunkard a blasph emer and an Atheist doing as much of these thinges as he will yea although hee bee quallified with all such vertues yet the Pope will not once deigne to tell him of the least of them no not to his Bishops so farre off is hee from speaking of the excommunicating either of the one or the other for such respects reseruing the thunderbolts and threatninges of the same onely against those which doe talke of the abuses
to shew himselfe chiefe of the Leaguerers nor the Leaguerers which are amongst the seditious Frenchmen to rebell agaynst theyr king The first example heereof is taken from the sodayne death of the two last Popes beeing dispatched by a letter of exchange hauing adioyned vnto it the Schisme which the same Spaniard had brought into the towne of Rome where I demand that if the king of Spaine be so affectioned vnto his religion wherefore doth hee not respect him whome hee holdeth and acknowledgeth as the lieuetenant of God and to be a spirituall Father One may see then that by such workmanships he would haue vs to vnderstand that whosoeuer shall not bee in the nature of a Spaniard shal neuer be accounted a good Romish Catholike Lastly the other example commeth from the towne of Soissons the Leaguers of the which by the ordinaunce of their superiours as they call them haue chased out the ladie Abbesse from the aforesoid Soissons being the kings Aunt where she hath alwaies beene preserued both from the one and the other notwithstanding that they knowe that she is the most ancient princesse of the bloud and reputed of all for the most zealous affectionate vnto the Catholike Romane religion which is in the world An euident token that a spirit which is the author of confusion and sedition doth vrge the furies of such Leaguers not the zeale of religion Poore Catholiks vnaduised which do affect so much that tyrannicall Spanish gouernment consider here the intention and purpose of your ecclesiasticall leaguers which do so much prise and praise the Inquisition of such a climate yea euen as of brideled calues if there bee anie perseuerance in such blindnesse Assure your selues most miserable French men that the most noble the most valiant the most vertuous the most aduised the most wise the most learned the most iust and the most rich amongst you shall euermore vnder such a schoolmaster be accounted and holden as heretikes if it commeth to passe that ye bee not found in all things agreeable vnto maister Inquisitor Then ye shall vnderstand by them that the masse shall not saue you To this purpose two examples among a thousand which came vnto my knowledge a few daies sithence shall open this text It came to passe that two marchants of Gascoigne being in Spain and going by the high waie did contemplate and beholde an Image being much polished and verie faire and shining as bright as anie of their Countrie whereuppon they tooke occasion betweene themselues to demaund whether that matter whereof it was made was either of stone or wood This was inough to be sayd in Spaine they were heard by one of the Inquisitors and presently lead vnto a miserable prison wherein they remained the space of three whole yeres after notwithstanding any protestations or prooues they could make or bring for the triall of theyr being Catholiks And the other example is this A man of Poictou a great Catholike being at Lisborne seeing a great Priest beeing graue fayre and in good habite and marching accordingly this man began to saie thinking to haue praysed the Priest Beholde a Priest saith hee and not one of the durtie Priests of Poictou This being but once spoken which was inough immediatly this Poicteuni is heard vnderstood and therevpon lead presently in dome Petri into the popes prison where he was kept safe for the space of sixe moneths without knowing wherefore about the end of which tearme he was commaunded that he should not cal Priests Durtie any more There may be a whole booke composed of these tyrannies and vniust dealings These effects of the Inquisition will be found proued true and not thy conceit of anie Catholikes to bee punished by the magistrates of that religiō either in England or in Bearne as hath beene els where said Those to whome it appertayneth knowe that such offenders were punished in the quality of the seditious not as being religious From thence thou turnest for this seuententh time to leape vpon the authoritie of the Popes saying that the king is not the son of the church because he wold not kisse his pantable To the which I say againe that it hath beene proued vnto thee that it is enough for him that the Christian church is his mother that the Romish church cannot take frō him this liberty priuilege And for that thou doestalwaies feare some ecclesiasticall reformation neuer desiring any other religion than that which feedeth the belly thou threatenest the noblemen with their going to hell if they do not helpe to maintaine thy cause Hereupon harken I pray ye to the preacher I should loue it better saiest thou that ye were Huguenits so to see you fight for vs Catholiks Marke I pray ye he holdeth that the Huguenits are damned whereupon it followeth that hee should haue nothing to do with condemning of those Catholikes of whome he speaketh seeing that they should defend the kitchin his mother Behold also how he calleth the Huguenits to the same defence Thou art in thy triumph but goe to with thy Lyntill broth to the which thou doest allude To be short thou art greeued diuersly because the Noblemen which are the principall force of the realme will not vnderstand all this Thou hast bin told that they are indifferently bound aswel to defend their king as their cuntry together with their honors liberties piuiledges yea the more because they are bearded with the Spanyard an ancient enemy vnto whom ye would willingly sell htem Therefore remember thy selfe of the answer that was giuē to the robbers which pleaded against the merchantes for carrying weapons to defend themselues Thou doest heere repeat for the 70. time the difference hapned in France for religion The which here againe I say haue been moued by your clergie els where hath beene answered in so many sortes and so often that it is more than enough And now turne again thy leafe Thou dost heap vp afterwards proud maiesticall words of thine owne deuising thinking thereby the better to gette the Noblemen on thy side but thou oughtest to serue thy selfe with concluding reasons and not with affecting wordes throwne into the aire to the abandoning of all that which might happen to come after And how doest thou torment thy selfe in vaine on this side also it is to no purpose that thou doest propose vnto the aforesaide noble men the examples of the most excellent Romane knights as that of Sceuola amongst others Thou malitious blind doest thou not see that it was for the same cause of defence that Sceuola burnt his hand and that the others imploied themselues in the defence of their Countrie It is true that thou makest great account of the Iacobin that kild the last king the which thou doest produce againe as in a triumph vsing these great wordes One that was religious hath flaine the king of France hauing giuen testimonie of his zeale vnto all France O miserable