as ye haue heard For that is the office properly belonging to God and besides that the soule once parting from the body cannot wander any longer in the world but to the owne resting place must it goe immediately abiding the coniunction of the body againe at the latter day And what Christ or the Prophets did miraculously in this case it can in no Christian mans opinion be made common with the diuel As for any tokens that they giue for prouing of this it is very possible to the diuels craft to perswade them to these meanes for he being a spirit may he not so rauish their thoughts and dull their senses that their body lying as dead he may obiect to their spirits as it were in a dreame and as the Poets write of Morpheus represent such formes of persons of places and other circumstances as he pleases to illude them with Yea that he may deceiue them with the greater efficacie may he not at that same instant by fellow angels of his illude such other persons so in that same fashion whom-with hee makes them to beleeue that they mette that all their reports and tokens though seuerally examined may euery one agree with another And that whatsoeuer actions either in hurting men or beasts or whatsoeuer other thing that they falsly imagine at that time to haue done may by himselfe or his marrowes at that same time be done indeed so as if they would giue for a token of their being rauished at the death of such a person within so short space thereafter whom they beleeue to haue poisoned or witched at that instant might he not at that same houre haue smitten that same person by the permission of GOD to the farther deceiuing of them and to mooue others to beleeue them And this is surely the likelyest way and most according to reason which my iudgement can finde out in this and whatsoeuer other vnnaturall points of their confession And by these meanes shall we saile surely betwixt Charybdis and Scylla in eschewing the not beleeuing of them altogether on the one part lest that draw vs to the errour that there is no Witches and on the other part in beleeuing of it make vs to eschew the falling into innumerable absurdities both monstrously against all Theologie diuine and Philosophie humane CHAP. V. ARGV Witches actions towards others Why there are more women of that craft then men What things are possible to them to effectuate by the power of their master The reasons thereof What is the surest remedy of the harmes done by them PHILOMATHES FOrsooth your opinion in this seemes to cary most reason with it and since ye haue ended then the actions belonging properly to their owne persons say forward now to their actions vsed towards others EPI In their actions vsed towards others three things ought to be considered First the maner of their consulting thereupon Next their part as instruments And last their masters part who puts the same in execution As to their consultations thereupon they vse them oftest in the Churches where they conueene for adoring at what time their master enquiring at them what they would be at euery one of them propones vnto him what wicked turne they would haue done either for obtaining of riches or for reuenging them vpon any whom they haue malice at who granting their demaund as no doubt willingly he will since it is to doe euill hee teacheth them the meanes whereby they may doe the same As for little trifling turnes that women haue adoe with he causeth them to ioynt dead corpses and to make powders thereof mixing such other things there amongst as he giues vnto them PHI. But before ye goe further permit me I pray you to interrupt you one word which ye haue put me in memorie of by speaking of Women What can be the cause that there are twentie women giuen to that craft where there is one man EPI The reason is easie for as that sexe is frailer then man is so is it easier to be intrapped in these grosse snares of the diuell as was ouer-well prooued to be trew by the Serpents deceiuing of Eua at the beginning which makes him the homelier with that sexe sensine PHI. Returne now where ye left EPI To some others at these times he teacheth how to make pictures of waxe or clay that by the roasting thereof the persons that they beare the name of may be continually melted or dried away by continuall sickenesse To some he giues such stones or ponders as will helpe to cure or cast on diseases And to some hee teacheth kindes of vncouth poysons which Mediciners vnderstand not for he is farre cunninger then man in the knowledge of all the occult proprieties of nature not that any of these meanes which he teacheth them except the poysons which are composed of things naturall can of themselues helpe any thing to these turnes that they are employed in but onely being GODS ape as well in that as in all other things Euen as God by his Sacraments which are earthly of themselues workes a heauenly effect though no wayes by any cooperation in them And as Christ by clay and spettle wrought together Iohn 9. opened the eyes of the blinde man suppose there was no vertue in that which he outwardly applied so the diuel will haue his outward meanes to be shewes as it were of his doing which hath no part or cooperation in his turnes with him how farre that euer the ignorants be abused in the contrarie And as to the effects of these two former parts to wit the consultations and the outward meanes they are so wonderfull as I dare not alleadge any of them without ioyning a sufficient reason of the possibilitie thereof For leauing all the small trifles among wiues and to speake of the principall points of their craft for the common trifles thereof they can doe without conuerting well enough by themselues these principall points I say are these They can make men or women to loue or hate other which may be very possible to the diuel to effectuate seeing he being a subtile spirit knowes well enough how to perswade the corrupted affection of them whom God wil permit him so to deale with They can lay the sicknesse of one vpon another which likewise is very possible vnto him For since by Gods permission he laide sickenesse vpon Iob why may he not farre easilier lay it vpon any other For as an old practitian hee knowes well enough what humour domines most in any of vs and as a spirit he can subtillie waken vp the same making it peccant or to abound as hee thinkes meet for troubling of vs when God will so permit him And for the taking off of it no doubt he will be glad to relieue such of present paine as he may thinke by these meanes to perswade to be catched in his euerlasting snares and fetters They can bewitch and take the life of men or women by roasting
any penance for the same And that ye may know that more Iesuits were also vpon the partie Owldcorne the other Powder-Martyr after the misgiuing and discouery of that Treason preached consolatory doctrine to his Catholique auditorie exhorting them not to faint for the misgiuing of this enterprise nor to thinke the worse thereof that it succeeded not alleadging diuers Presidents of such godly enterprises that misgaue in like maner especially one of S. Lewes King of France who in his second iourney to the Holy-land died by the way the greatest part of his armie being destroyed by the plague his first iourney hauing likewise misgiuen him by the Soldans taking of him exhorting them thereupon not to giue ouer but still to hope that GOD would blesse their enterprise at some other time though this did faile Thus see ye now with what boldnesse and impudencie hee hath belied the publiquely knowne veritie in this errand both in auowing generally that no Iesuite was any wayes guiltie of that Treason for so he affirmeth in his booke and also that Garnet knew nothing thereof but vnder the Seale of Confession But if this were the first lye of the affaires of this State which my fugitiue Priests and Iesuits haue coyned and spread abroad I could charme them of it as the prouerbe is But as well the walles of diuers Monasteries and Iesuites Colledges abroad are filled with the painting of such lying Histories as also the bookes of our said fugitiues are farced with such sort of shamelesse stuffe such are the innumerable sorts of torments and cruell deathes that they record their Martyrs to haue suffred here some torne at foure Horses some sowed in Beares skinnes and then killed with Dogges nay women haue not bene spared they say and a thousand other strange fictions the vanities of all which I will in two words discouer vnto you First as for the cause of their punishment I doe constantly maintaine that which I haue said in my Apologie That no man either in my time or in the late Queenes euer died here for his conscience For let him be neuer so deuout a Papist nay though he professe the same neuer so constantly his life is in no danger by the Law if hee breake not out into some outward acte expresly against the words of the Law or plot not some vnlawfull or dangerous practise or attempt Priests and Popish Church-men onely excepted that receiue Orders beyond the Seas who for the manifold treasonable practises that they haue kindled and plotted in this countrey are discharged to come home againe vnder paine of Treason after their receiuing of the said Orders abroad and yet without some other guilt in them then their bare home-comming haue none of them bene euer put to death And next for the cruell torments and strange sorts of death that they say so many of them haue bene put vnto if there were no more but the Law and continually obserued custome of England these many hundred yeeres in all criminall matters it will sufficiently serue to refute all these monstrous lies for no tortures are euer vsed here but the Manacles or the Racke and these neuer but in cases of high Treason and all sorts of Traitours die but one maner of death here whether they be Papist or Protestant Traitors Queene Maries time onely excepted For then indeede no sorts of cruell deathes were spared vnexecuted vpon men women and children professing our Religion yea euen against the Lawes of God and Nature women with childe were put to cruell death for their profession and a liuing childe falling out of the mothers belly was throwen in the same fire againe that consumed the mother But these tyrannous persecutions were done by the Bishops of that time vnder the warrant of the Popes authoritie and therefore were not subiect to that constant order and formes of execution which as they are heere established by our Lawes and customes so are they accordingly obserued in the punishment of all criminals For all Priestes and Popish Traitours here receiue their Iudgements in the temporall Courts and so doe neuer exceed those formes of execution which are prescribed by the Law or approued by continuall custome One thing is also to bee marked in this case that strangers are neuer called in question here for their religion which is farre otherwise I hope in any place where the Inquisition domines But hauing now too much wearied you with this long discourse whereby I haue made you plainely see that the wrong done vnto mee in particular first by the Popes Breues and then by these Libellers doth as deepely interest you all in generall that are Kings free Princes or States as it doth me in particular I will now conclude with my humble prayers to God that he will waken vs vp all out of that Lethargike slumber of Securitie wherein our Predecessors and wee haue lien so long and that wee may first grauely consider what we are bound in conscience to doe for the planting and spreading of the trew worship of God according to his reuealed will in all our Dominions therein hearing the voice of our onely Pastor for his Sheepe will know his Voyce Iohn 10.27 as himselfe sayeth and not following the vaine corrupt and changeable traditions of men And next that we may prouidently looke to the securitie of our owne States and not suffer this incroching Babylonian Monarch to winne still ground vpon vs. And if GOD hath so mercifully dealt with vs that are his Lieutenants vpon earth as that he hath ioyned his cause with our interest the spirituall libertie of the Gospell with our temporall freedome with what zeale and courage may wee then imbrace this worke for our labours herein being assured to receiue at the last the eternall and inestimable reward of felicitie in the kingdome of Heauen and in the meane time to procure vnto our selues a temporall securitie in our temporall Kingdomes in this world As for so many of you as are alreadie perswaded of that Trewth which I professe though differing among your selues in some particular points I thinke little perswasion should moue you to this holy and wise Resolution Our Greatnesse nor our number praised bee GOD being not so contemptible but that wee may shew good example to our neighbors since almost the halfe of all Christian people and of all sorts and degrees are of our profession I meane all gone out of Babylon euen from Kings and free Princes to the meanest sort of People But aboue all my louing Brethren and Cosins keepe fast the vnity of Faith among your selues Reiect 1 1. Tim. 1.4 questions of Genealogies and 2 Ibid c. 4.7 Aniles fabulas as Paul saith Let not the foolish heate of your Preachers for idle Controuersies or indifferent things teare asunder that Mysticall Body whereof ye are a part since the very coat of him whose members wee are was without a seame And let not our diuision breed a slander of our
often haue heard already and the in-dwellers of the earth shall wonder whose names are not written in the booke of life before the foundation of the world was laide of this wondering yee heard before they shall wonder I say at this beast which was to wit in great power and is not to wit in a maner as ye presently heard and yet is I meane doeth stand though farre decayed from the former greatnesse 9 Take good heede vnto this that I declare vnto thee for herein shall the trew wisedome of men be tried to wit in knowing by this my description what particular Empire and Tyrannie I speake of And the seuen heads of this beast signifie aswell seuen materiall hilles whereupon the seate of this Monarchie is situated as also seuen kings or diuers formes of Magistrates that this Empire hath had and is to haue hereafter 10 Fiue of them haue beene alreadie one is presently and makes the sixt another shall follow it and make the seuenth but it is not yet come and when it comes it shall remaine but a very short space 11 And this beast which was to wit so great and is not for now it is decaying as thou presently hast heard it is the eight and yet one of the seuen for this beast which rose out of the ruines of the fourth Monarchie as ye heard before in respect it vseth an hereticall Tyrannie ouer the consciences of men by that new forme of Empire is different from any of the rest and so is the eight and yet because this forme of gouernment shall haue the same seate which the rest had and vse as great Tyrannie and greater vpon the world and shall vse the same forme in ciuill gouernment which one of the seuen vsed therefore because it is so like them I call it one of the seuen 12 And the tenne hornes which thou sawest signifie tenne Kings to wit the great number of subalterne Magistrates in all the Prouinces vnder that Monarchy who haue not yet receiued their kingdome for vnder all the diuers sorts of gouernments that shall be in it except the last and hereticall sort these subalterne powers shall be but in the ranke of subiects but they shall take their kingly power with the beast to wit at the very time that this Apollyon shall rise out of the ashes of the fourth beast or Monarchie the kings of the earth shall become his slaues and subalterne Magistrates whereas the subiects were onely the power of that Monarchie before so as the hornes or powers of this beast were but of subiects before it was wounded but after the healing of it the worldly kings and rulers shall become the powers and hornes of it 13 These shall haue one counsell and shall giue their strength and power to the beast to wit these kings shal all willingly yeeld obedience to Babylon and shall employ their whole forces for the maintenance of that Monarchie and the persecution of the Saints 14 For they shal fight with the Lambe in his members albeit all in vaine for in the end the Lambe shall ouercome them because he is Lord of lords and King of all kings and these that are with him and followeth him are called Chosen and Faithfull 15 He also said vnto me The waters that thou saw this Whore sit vpon are the peoples multitudes nations and tongues that haue subiected themselues to her Empire 16 But as touching these ten hornes thou saw thus farre I foretell vnto thee although that for a time these kings shall be slaues and seruants to Babylon and shall be her instruments to persecute the Saints the time shall come before the consummation that they shall hate the Whore who abused them so strongly and long and shall make her to be alone for they shall withdraw from her their Subiects the nations that were her strength and shall make her naked for they shall discouer the mysterie of her abominations and shall eate her flesh and burne her with fire to wit they shall spoile her of her riches power and glory and so destroy her 17 But doe not thou wonder at this for God gaue them in their hearts to wit permitted them to be abused by her for a space that they might doe what pleased her and consent to all her vnlawfull policies and pretences and giue their kingdomes vnto this beast vntill the words of God might be accomplished to wit they shall submit their very Crownes and take the right thereof from her vnto the fulnesse of times here prophecied At what time God shall raise them vp as ye heard to destroy Babylon for the hearts of the greatest kings as well as of the smallest subiects are in the hands of the Lord to be his instruments and to turne them as it shall please him to employ them 18 And this woman or Whore which thou sawest is that great citie and seate of this Beast or Monarchie which beareth rule ouer the kings of the earth as thou hast heard alreadie But although it be one seat yet diuers and a great number of kings or heads thereof shall succeed into it one to another all vpholding an hereticall religion and false worship of God and one forme of gouernment as the fourth Monarchie did out of the which this did spring as ye haue heard CHAP. XVIII ARGVMENT The sorrow of the earth for the destruction of the Popedome The profite that worldly men had by his standing The great riches and wealth of that Church The Pope by his Pardons makes merchandise of the soules of men Heauen and the Saints reioyce at his destruction albeit the earth and the worldlings lament for the same ANd then I saw another Angel comming downe from heauen hauing great power so that the earth shined with his glory for so soone as God by one of the seauen Angels who had the phials had more plainely described vnto mee this woman sitting on the beast then he did before hee now appointeth this other Angel who is Christ to declare vnto me and proclaime to the world as is signified by his comming downe to the earth for that cause the iust condemnation of Babylon according to her sinnes 2 And hee cryed out with a loude voyce saying It is fallen It is fallen Babylon that great Citie and it is made the dwelling place of vncleane spirits and the habitation of all vncleane and hatefull fowles to wit it shall be destroyed and that great Citie the seate of that Monarchie shall be desolate for euer euen as it was prophesied of Ierusalem 3 Because all nations haue drunke of the Vine of her whoredome and the kings of the earth haue committed whoredome with her and the Merchants of the earth are become rich by the great wealth of her delights in so great a worldly glory and pompe did that Monarchie shine 4 And I heard another voyce from heauen to wit the voyce of the holy Spirit saying Goe foorth from her my people to wit all the chosen
factious seruants Tacit. eod 1. An. Teach obedience to your seruants and not to thinke themselues ouer-wise and as when any of them deserueth it ye must not spare to put them away so without a seene cause change none of them The ground-stone of good gouernment At. 5. polit Tacit. in Ag. Dion li. 52. Xent in Ages Isoc in Sym. et ad Ph. Id. de permutat Cic. ad Q. frat Pay them as all others your subiects with praemium or poena as they deserue which is the very ground-stone of good gouernement Employ euery man as ye thinke him qualified but vse not one in all things lest he waxe proude and be enuied of his fellowes Loue them best that are plainnest with you and disguise not the trewth for all their kinne suffer none to be euill tongued nor backbiters of them they hate command a hartly and brotherly loue among all them that serue you And shortly maintaine peace in your Court bannish enuie cherish modestie bannish deboshed insolence foster humilitie and represse pride setting downe such a comely and honourable order in all the points of your seruice that when strangers shall visite your Court 1. King 10. they may with the Queene of Sheba admire your wisedome in the glorie of your house and comely order among your seruants But the principall blessing that yee can get of good companie Of Mariage will stand in your marrying of a godly and vertuous wife for shee must bee nearer vnto you Gen. 2.23 then any other companie being Flesh of your flesh and bone of your bone as Adam saide of Heuah And because I know not but God may call mee before ye be readie for Mariage I will shortly set downe to you heere my aduice therein First of all consider that Mariage is the greatest earthly felicitie or miserie that can come to a man according as it pleaseth God to blesse or curse the same Since then without the blessing of GOD yee cannot looke for a happie successe in Mariage yee must bee carefull both in your preparation for it Preparation to mariage and in the choice and vsage of your wife to procure the same By your preparation I meane that yee must keepe your bodie cleane and vnpolluted till yee giue it to your wife whom-to onely it belongeth For how can ye iustly craue to bee ioyned with a pure virgine if your bodie be polluted why should the one halfe bee cleane and the other defiled And although I know fornication is thought but a light and a veniall sinne by the most part of the world yet remember well what I said to you in my first Booke anent conscience and count euery sinne and breach of Gods law not according as the vaine world esteemeth of it but as God the Iudge and maker of the lawe accounteth of the same Heare God commanding by the mouth of Paul to abstaine from fornication 1. Cor. 6.10 declaring that the fornicator shall not inherite the Kingdome of heauen and by the mouth of Iohn reckoning out fornication amongst other grieuous sinnes that debarre the committers amongst dogs and swine Reuel 22.25 from entry in that spirituall and heauenly Ierusalem And consider if a man shall once take vpon him to count that light which God calleth heauie and veniall that which God calleth grieuous The dangerous effects of lust beginning first to measure any one sinne by the rule of his lust and appetites and not of his conscience what shall let him to doe so with the next that his affections shall stirre him to the like reason seruing for all and so to goe forward till he place his whole corrupted affections in Gods roome And then what shall come of him but as a man giuen ouer to his owne filthy affections shall perish into them And because wee are all of that nature that sibbest examples touch vs neerest consider the difference of successe that God granted in the Mariages of the King my grand-father and me your owne father A domesticke example the reward of his incontinencie proceeding from his euill education being the suddaine death at one time of two pleasant yong Princes and a daughter onely borne to succeed to him whom hee had neuer the hap so much as once to see or blesse before his death leauing a double curse behinde him to the land both a Woman of sexe and a new borne babe of aage to raigne ouer them And as for the blessing God hath bestowed on mee in granting me both a greater continencie and the fruits following there-upon your selfe and sib folkes to you are praise be to God sufficient witnesses which I hope the same God of his infinite mercie shall continue and increase without repentance to me and my posteritie Be not ashamed then to keepe cleane your body which is the Temple of the holy Spirit 1. Cor. 6.19 notwithstanding all vaine allurements to the contrary discerning trewly and wisely of euery vertue and vice according to the trew qualities therof and not according to the vaine conceits of men As for your choise in Mariage respect chiefly the three causes wherefore Mariage was first ordeined by God and then ioyne three accessories so farre as they may be obtained not derogating to the principalles The three causes it was ordeined for are for staying of lust Mariage ordained for three causes Arist 7. pol. for procreation of children and that man should by his Wife get a helper like himselfe Deferre not then to Marie till your aage for it is ordeined for quenching the lust of your youth Especially a King must tymouslie Marie for the weale of his people Neither Marie yee Id. cod for any accessory cause or worldly respects a woman vnable either through aage nature or accident for procreation of children for in a King that were a double fault aswell against his owne weale as against the weale of his people Neither also Marie one of knowne euill conditions or vicious education for the woman is ordeined to be a helper and not a hinderer to man Accessory causes of mariage AEg Ro. 2. de reg pr. The three accessories which as I haue said ought also to be respected without derogating to the principall causes are beautie riches and friendship by alliance which are all blessings of God For beautie increaseth your loue to your Wife contenting you the better with her without caring for others and riches and great alliance doe both make her the abler to be a helper vnto you But if ouer great respect being had to these accessories the principall causes bee ouer-seene which is ouer oft practised in the world as of themselues they are a blessing being well vsed so the abuse of them will turne them in a curse For what can all these worldly respects auaile when a man shall finde himselfe coupled with a diuel to be one flesh with him and the halfe marrow in his bed Then though too
great Citie Queene of the World and as themselues confesse 1 Eusebius Oecumenius and Leo hold that by Babylon in 1. Pet. 5.13 Rome is meant as the Rhemists themselues confesse mystically Babylon cannot but be so full of all sorts of Intelligencies Besides all complainers as the Catholikes here are be naturally giuen to exaggerate their owne griefes and multiply thereupon So that it is no wonder that euen a iust Iudge sitting there should vpon wrong information giue an vnrighteous sentence as some of their owne partie doe not sticke to confesse That Pius Quintus was too rashly caried vpon wrong information to pronounce his thunder of Excommunication vpon the late Queene And it may be the like excuse shall hereafter be made for the two Breues which 2 See the Relation of the whole proceedings against the Traitours Garnet and his confederates Clemens Octauus sent to ENGLAND immediatly before her death for debarring me of the Crowne or any other that either would professe or any wayes tolerate the professours of our Religion contrary to his manifold vowes and protestations simul eodem tempore and as it were deliuered vno eodem spiritu to diuers of my ministers abroad professing such kindnesse and shewing such forwardnesse to aduance me to this Crowne The Catholikes opinion of the Brene Nay the most part of Catholikes here finding this Breue when it came to their handes to bee so farre against Diuinitie Policie or naturall sense were firmely perswaded that it was but a counterfeit Libell deuised in hatred of the Pope or at the farthest a thing hastily done vpon wrong information as was before said Of which opinion were not onely the simpler sort of Papists but euen some amongst them of best account both for learning and experience whereof the Archpriest himselfe was one But for soluing of this obiection the Pope himselfe hath taken new paines by sending foorth a second Breue onely for giuing faith and confirmation to the former That whereas before his sinne might haue beene thought to haue proceeded from rashnesse and mis-information he will now wilfully and willingly double the same whereof the Copy followeth The second Breue TO OVR BELOVED SONNES the English Catholikes Paulus P. P.V tus BEloued sonnes Salutation and Apostolicall Benediction It is reported vnto vs that there are found certaine amongst you who when as we haue sufficiently declared by our Letters dated the last yeere on the tenth of the Calends of October in the forme of a Breue that yee cannot with safe Conscience take the Oath which was then required of you and when as wee haue further straitly commanded you that by no meanes yee should take it yet there are some I say among you which dare now affirme that such Letters concerning the forbidding of the Oath were not written of our owne accord or of our owne proper will but rather for the respect and at the instigation of other men And for that cause the same men doe goe about to perswade you that our commands in the said Letters are not to be regarded Surely this newes did trouble vs and that so much the more because hauing had experience of your obedience most dearely beloued sonnes who to the end ye might obey this holy Sea haue godlily and valiantly contemned your riches wealth honour libertie yea and life it selfe wee should neuer haue suspected that the trewth of our Apostolike Letters could once be called into question among you that by this pretence ye might exempt your selues from our Commandements But we doe herein perceiue the subtiltie and craft of the enemie of mans saluation and we doe attribute this your backwardnesse rather to him then to your owne will And for this cause wee haue thought good to write the second time vnto you and to signifie vnto you againe That our Apostolike Letters dated the last yeere on the tenth of the Calends of October concerning the prohibition of the Oath were written not only vpon our proper motion and of our certaine knowledge but also after long and weightie deliberation vsed concerning all those things which are contained in them and that for that cause ye are bound fully to obserue them reiecting all interpretation perswading to the contrary And this is our meere pure and perfect will being alwayes carefull of your saluation and alwayes minding those things which are most profitable vnto you And we doe pray without ceasing that hee that hath appointed our lowlinesse to the keeping of the flocke of Christ would inlighten our thoughts and our counsels whom we doe also continually desire that he would increase in you our beloued Sonnes faith constancie and mutuall charitie and peace one to another All whom we doe most louingly blesse with all charitable affection Dated at Rome at Saint Markes vnder the Signet of the Fisherman the x. of the Calends of September 1607. the third yeere of our Popedome THE ANSWERE TO THE second BREVE NOw for this Breue I may iustly reflect his owne phrase vpon him in tearming it to be The craft of the Deuill For if the Deuill had studied a thousand yeeres for to finde out a mischiefe for our Catholikes heere hee hath found it in this that now when many Catholikes haue taken their Oath and some Priests also yea the Arch-priest himselfe without compunction or sticking they shall not now onely be bound to refuse the profession of their naturall Allegiance to their Soueraigne which might yet haue beene some way coloured vpon diuers scruples conceiued vpon the words of the Oath but they must now renounce and forsweare their profession of obedience alreadie sworne and so must as it were at the third instance forsweare their former two Oathes first closely sworne by their birth in their naturall Allegiance and next clearely confirmed by this Oath which doeth nothing but expresse the same so as no man can now holde the faith or procure the saluation of his soule in ENGLAND that must not abiure and renounce his borne and sworne Allegiance to his naturall Soueraigne And yet it is not sufficient to ratifie the last yeeres Breue by a new one come forth this yeere but that not onely euery yeere but euery moneth may produce a new monster the great and famous Writer of the Controuersies the late vn-Iesuited Cardinall Bellarmine must adde his talent to this good worke by blowing the bellowes of sedition and sharpening the spurre to rebellion by sending such a Letter of his to the Archpriest here as it is a wonder how passion and an ambitious desire of maintaining that Monarchie should charme the wits of so famously learned a man The Copy whereof here followeth TO THE VERY REVEREND Mr. GEORGE BLACKWELL ARCH-PRIEST of the ENGLISH ROBERT BELLARMINE Cardinall of the holy Church of Rome Greeting REuerend Sir and brother in CHRIST It is almost fourtie yeeres since we did see one the other but yet I haue neuer bene vnmindfull of our ancient acquaintance neither haue I
my owne deed And therefore that ye may the better vnderstand the nature of the cause I will begin at the first ground thereof The neuer enough wondered at and abhorred POVVDER-TREASON though the repetition thereof grieueth I know the gentle hearted Iesuite Parsons this Treason I say being not onely intended a gainst mee and my Posteritie but euen against the whole house of Parliament plotted onely by Papists and they onely led thereto by a preposterous zeale for the aduancement of their Religion some of them continuing so obstinate that euen at their death they would not acknowledge their fault but in their last words immediatly before the expiring of their breath refused to condemne themselues and craue pardon for their deed except the Romish Church should first condemne it And soone after it being discouered that a great number of my Popish Subiects of all rankes and sexes both men and women as well within as without the Countrey had a confused notion and an obscure knowledge that some great thing was to bee done in that Parliament for the weale of the Church although for secrecies cause they were not acquainted with the particulars certaine formes of prayer hauing likewise beene set downe and vsed for the good successe of that great errand adding heereunto that diuers times and from diuers Priestes the Archtraitours themselues receiued the Sacrament for confirmation of their heart and obseruation of secrecie Some of the principall Iesuites likewise being found guiltie of the foreknowledge of the Treason it selfe of which number some fled from their triall others were apprehended as holy Garnet himselfe and Owldcorne were and iustly executed vpon their owne plaine confession of their guilt If this Treason now clad with these circumstances did not minister a iust occasion to that Parliament house whome they thought to haue destroyed courageously and zealously at their next sitting downe to vse all meanes of triall whether any more of that minde were yet left in the Countrey I leaue it to you to iudge whom God hath appointed his highest Depute Iudges vpon earth And amongst other things for this purpose This Oath of Allegiance so vniustly impugned was then deuised and enacted And in case any sharper Lawes were then made against the Papists that were not obedient to the former Lawes of the Countrey if ye will consider the Time Place and Persons it will be thought no wonder seeing that occasion did so iustly exasperate them to make seuerer Lawes then otherwise they would haue done The Time I say being the very next sitting downe of the Parliament after the discouerie of that abominable Treason the Place being the same where they should all haue bene blowne vp and so bringing it freshly to their memorie againe the Persons being the very Parliament men whom they thought to haue destroyed And yet so farre hath both my heart and gouernment bene from any bitternes as almost neuer one of those sharpe additions to the former Lawes haue euer yet bene put in execution And that ye may yet know further for the more conuincing these Libellers of wilfull malice who impudently affirme That this Oath of Allegiance was deuised for deceiuing and intrapping of Papists in points of Conscience The trewth is that the Lower house of Parliament at the first framing of this Oath made it to containe That the Pope had no power to excommunicate me which I caused them to reforme onely making it to conclude That no excommunication of the Popes can warrant my Subiects to practise against my Person or State denying the deposition of Kings to be in the Popes lawfull power as indeed I take any such temporall violence to be farre without the limits of such a Spirituall censure as Excommunication is So carefull was I that nothing should be contained in this Oath except the profession of natural Allegiance and ciuil and temporall obedience with a promise to resist to all contrary vnciuill violence This Oath now grounded vpon so great and iust an occasion set forth in so reasonable termes and ordained onely for making of a trew distinction betweene Papists of quiet disposition and in all other things good subiects and such other Papists as in their hearts maintained the like violent bloody Maximes that the Powder-Traitours did This Oath I say being published and put in practise bred such euill blood in the Popes head and his Cleargie as Breue after Breue commeth forth vt vndam vnda sequitur prohibiting all Catholikes from taking the same as a thing cleane contrary to the Catholike faith and that the taking thereof cannot stand with the saluation of their soules There commeth likewise a letter of Cardinall Bellarmines to Blackwell to the same purpose but discoursing more at length vpon the said Oath Whereupon after I had entred in consideration of their vniust impugning that so iust and lawfull an Oath and fearing that by their vntrew calumnies and Sophistrie the hearts of a number of the most simple and ignorant of my people should bee misse-led vnder that faire and deceitfull cloake of Conscience I thought good to set foorth an Apologie for the said Oath wherein I prooued that as this Oath contained nothing but matter of ciuill and temporall Obedience due by Subiects to their Soueraigne Prince so this quarrelling therewith was nothing but a late vsurpation of Popes against the warrant of all Scriptures ancient Councels and Fathers vpon the Temporall power of Kings wherewith onely my Apologie doeth meddle But the publishing of this Booke of mine hath brought such two Answerers or rather Railers vpon mee as all the world may wonder at For my Booke being first written in English an English Oath being the subiect thereof and the vse of it properly belonging to my Subiects of England and immediatly thereafter being translated into Latine vpon a desire that some had of further publishing it abroad it commeth home to mee now answered in both the Languages And I thinke if it had bene set foorth in all the tongues that were at the confusion of Babel it would haue bene returned answered in them all againe Thus may a man see how busie a Bishop the Diuell is and how hee omitteth no diligence for venting of his poysoned wares But herein their malice doeth clearely appeare that they pay mee so quickly with a double answere and yet haue neuer answered their owne Arch-priest who hath written a booke for the maintenance of the same Oath and of the temporall authoritie of Kings alledging a cloud of their owne Scholemen against them As for the English Answerer my vnnaturall and fugitiue Subiect I will neither defile my pen nor your sacred eyes or eares with the describing of him who ashames nay abhorres not to raile nay to rage and spew foorth blasphemies against the late Queene of famous memory A Subiect to raile against his naturall Soueraigne by birth A man to raile against a Lady by sexe A holy man in outward profession to insult vpon the dead nay to
diuers others and fiue strange and as I thinke erroneous points of Doctrine with sundry falsifications of Histories are set downe in a Table by themselues in the end of this my Epistle hauing their Refutation annexed to euery one of them But as for the particular answering of his booke it is both vnnecessary and vncomely for me to make a Reply Vnnecessary because as I haue already told you my Booke is neuer yet answered so farre as belongeth to the maine question anent the Oath of Alleagiance the picking of aduantages vpon the wrong placing of the figures in the citations or such errors in the Print by casuall addition or omission of words that make nothing to the Argument being the greatest weapons wherewith hee assaults my Booke And vncomely it must needs be in my opinion for a King to fall in altercation with a Cardinal at least with one no more nobly descended then he is That Ecclesiasticall dignitie though by the sloath of Princes as I said before it be now come to that height of vsurped honour yet being in the trew originall and foundation thereof nothing else but the title of the Priests and Deacons of the Parish Churches in the towne of Rome at the first the stile of Cardinals being generally giuen to all Priests and Deacons of any Cathedral Church though the multitude of such Cardinal Priests and Deacons resorting to Rome was the cause that after bred the restraining of that title of Cardinall Priests and Deacons onely to the Parish-priests and Deacons of Rome And since that it is S. Gregorie who in his Epistles sixe hundreth yeeres after CHRIST maketh the first mention of Cardinals and so these now Electours of the Apostolike Sea beeing long and many hundreth yeeres vnknowen or vnheard of after the Apostolik aage and yet doeth hee speake of them but in this sence as I haue now described I hope the Cardinall who calleth him the Apostle of England cannot blame mee that am King thereof to acknowledge the Cardinall in no other degree of honour then our said Apostle did But how they should now become to bee so strangely exalted aboue their first originall institution that from Parish-priests and Deacons Priests inferiours they should now come to bee Princes and Peeres to Kings and from a degree vnder Bishops as both 1 Lib. de Clericis cap. 16. Bellarmine and 2 Lib. de Episcopatibus Titulis Diaconijs Cardinalium Onuphrius confesse to bee now the Popes sole Electours supplying with him the place of a Generall Councell whereby the conuening of Generall Councels is now vtterly antiquated and abolished nay out of their number onely the Pope to be elected who claimeth the absolute Superioritie ouer all Kings how this their strange vsurped exaltation I say should thus creepe in and bee suffered it belongeth to all them in our place and calling to looke vnto it who being GOD his Lieutenants in earth haue good reason to bee iealous of such vpstart Princes meane in their originall come to that height by their owne creation and now accounting themselues Kings fellowes But the speciall harme they do vs is by their defrauding vs of our common Christian interest in General Councels they hauing as I said vtterly abolished the same by rolling it vp making as it were a Monopoly thereof in their Conclaue with the Pope Whereas if euer there were a possibilitie to be expected of reducing all Christians to an vniformitie of Religiō it mustcome by the means of a Generall Councel the place of their meeting being chosen so indifferent as all Christian Princes either in their owne Persons or their Deputie Commissioners and all Church-men of Christian profession that beleeue and professe all the ancient grounds of the trew ancient Catholike and Apostolike Faith might haue tutum accessum thereunto All the incendiaries and Nouelist fire-brands on either side being debarred from the same as well Iesuites as Puritanes And therefore hauing resolued not to paine my selfe with making a Replie for these reasons heere specified grounded as well vpon the consideration of the matter as of the person of the Answerer I haue thought good to content my selfe with the reprinting of my Apologie hauing in a manner corrected nothing but the Copiers or Printers faults therein and prefixed this my Epistle of Dedication and Warning thereunto that I may yet see if any thing will be iustly said against it Not doubting but enow of my Subiects will replie vpon these Libellers and answere them sufficiently wishing YOV deepely to consider and weigh your common interest in this Cause For neither in all my Apologie nor in his pretended Refutation thereof is there any question made anent the Popes power ouer mee in particular for the excommunicating or deposing of mee For in my particular the Cardinall doeth mee that grace that hee saith The Pope thought it not expedient at this time to excommunicate mee by name our question being onely generall Whether the Pope may lawfully pretend any temporall power ouer Kings or no That no Church-men can by his rule bee subiect to any Temporall Prince I haue already shewed you And what Obedience any of you may looke for of any of them de facto hee plainely forewarneth you of by the example of Gregory the Great his obedience to the Emperour Mauritius not being ashamed to slaunder that great Personages Christian humilitie and Obedience to the Emperour with the title of a constrained and forced obedience because hee might or durst doe no otherwise Whereby he not onely wrongs the said Gregory in particular but euen doeth by that meanes lay on an heauie slaunder and reproach vpon the Christian humilitie and patience of the whole Primitiue Church especially in the time of persecution if the whole glory of their Martyrdome and Christian patience shall bee thus blotted with that vile glosse of their coacted and constrained suffering because they could or durst doe no otherwise like the patience and obedience of the Iewes or Turkish slaues in our time cleane contrary to Saint Paul and Saint Peters doctrine of obedience for conscience sake Rom. 13.5 1. Pet. 2.13 and as contrary to Tertullians Apologie for Christians and all the protestations of the ancient Fathers in that case But it was good lucke for the ancient Christians in the dayes of Ethnicke Emperours that this prophane and new conceit was then vnknowen among them otherwise they would haue beene vtterly destroyed and rooted out in that time and no man to haue pitied them as most dangerous members in a Common-wealth who would no longer be obedient then till they were furnished with sufficient abilitie and power to resist and rebell Thus may ye see how vpon the one part our Cardinall will haue all Kings and Monarchs to bee the Popes Vassals and yet will not on the other side allow the meanest of the Pope his vassals to be subiect to any Christian Prince But he not thinking it enough to make the
excommunication and deposition against the Emperour Henry IIII. after he had enterprised this act without all precedent example after he had filled all Europe with blood this Pope I say sunke downe vnder the weight of his affaires and died as a fugitiue at Salerne ouerwhelmed with discontent and sorrow of heart Here lying at the point of giuing vp the ghoast Sigeb ad an 1085. calling vnto him as it is in Sigebert a certaine Cardinall whom he much fauoured He confesseth to God and Saint Peter and the whole Church that he had beene greatly defectiue in the Pastor all charge committed to his care and that by the Deuils instigation he had kindled the fire of Gods wrath and hatred against mankind Then hee sent his Confessor to the Emperour and to the whole Church to pray for his pardon because hee perceiued that his life was at an end Likewise Cardinall Benno that liued in the said Gregories time doth testifie That so soone as he was risen out of his Chaire to excommunicate the Emperour from his Cathedrall seate by the will of God the said Cathedrall seate new made of strong board or plancke did cracke and cleaue into many pieces or parts to manifest how great and terrible Schismes had beene sowen against the Church of Christ by an excommunication of so dangerous consequence pronounced by the man that had fit Iudge therein Now to bring and alleadge the example of such a man who by attempting an act which neuer any man had the heart of face to attempt before hath condemned all his predecessors of cowardise or at least of ignorance what is it else but euen to send vs to the schoole of mightie robbers and to seeke to correct and reforme ancient vertues by late vices Which Otho Frisingensis calling into his owne priuate consideration Otho Frisingens in vita Hen. 4. lib. 4. cap 31. hee durst freely professe that hee had not reade of any Emperour before this Henry the IIII. excommunicated or driuen out of his Imperiall Throne and Kingdome by the chiefe Bishop of Rome But if this quarrell may be tryed and fought out with weapons of examples I leaue any indifferent reader to iudge what examples ought in the cause to be of chiefest authority and weight whether late examples of Kings deposed by Popes for the most part neuer taking the intended effect or auncient examples of Popes actually and effectually thrust out of their thrones by Emperours and Kings The Emperour Constantius expelled Liberius Bishop of Rome out of the citie banished him as farre as Beroe and placed Foelix in his roome Theo. lib. 2. Hist cap. 16. Indeed Constantius was an Arrian and therein vsed no lesse impious then vniust proceeding Neuerthelesse the auncient Fathers of the Church doe not blame Constantius for his hard and sharpe dealing with a chiefe Bishop ouer whom hee had no lawfull power but onely as an enemie to the Orthodoxe faith and one that raged with extreame rigour of persecution against innocent beleeuers In the raigne of Valentinian the I. and yeare of the Lord 367. Ammia lib. 27 the contention betweene Damasus and Vrcisinus competitors for the Bishopricke filled the citie of Rome with a bloody sedition in which were wickedly and cruelly murdered 137. Decret dist 79. persons To meet with such turbulent actions Honorius made a law extant in the Decreetalls the words whereof be these If it shall happen henceforth by the temeritie of competitors that any two Bishops be elected to the See we straitly charge and command that neither of both shall fit in the said See Platina Sigebertus By vertue of this Law the same Honorius in the yeare 420. expelled Bonifacius and Eulalius competitors and Antipopes out of Rome though not long after he reuoked Bonifacius and setled him in the Papall See Theodoric the Goth King of Italy Anastatint Platina Lib. Pontifi Diaconus sent Iohn Bishop of Rome Embassador to the Emperour Iustinian called him home againe and clapt him vp in the close prison where he starued to death By the same King Peter Bishop of Altine was dispatched to Rome to heare the cause and examine the processe of Pope Symmachus then indited and accused of sundry crimes King Theodatus about the yeare 537. had the seruice of Pope Agapetus as his Embassadour to the Emperour Iustinian vpon a treatie of peace Agapetus dying in the time of that scruice Syluerius is made Bishop by Theodatus Not long after Syluerius is driuen out by Belisarius the Emperour his Lieutenant and sent into banishment After Syluerius next succeedeth Vigilius who with currant coine purchased the Popedome of Belisarius The Emperour Iustinian sends for Vigilius to Constantinople and receiues him there with great honour Soone after the Emperour takes offence at his freenesse in speaking his mind commands him to bee beaten with stripes in manner to death and with a roape about his necke to be drawne through the city like a thiefe as Platina relates the historie Nicephorus in his 26. booke and 17. chapter comes very neere the same relation The Emperour Constantius Platina Baronius Sigeberius in the yeere 654. caused Pope Martin to be bound with chaines and banished him into Chersonesus where he ended his life The Popes in that aage writing to the Emperours vsed none but submissiue tearmes by way of most humble supplications made profession of bowing the knee before their sacred Maiesties and of executing their commaunds with entire obedience payed to the Emperours twenty pound weight of gold for their Inuestiture which tribute was afterward released and remitted Iustin Authent 123. cap. 3. by Constantine the Bearded to Pope Agatho in the yeere 679. as I haue obserued in an other place Nay further euen when the power and riches of the Popes was growne to great height by the most profuse and immense munificence of Charlemayne and Lewis his sonne the Emperours of the West did not relinquish and giue ouer the making and vnmaking of Popes as they saw cause Pope Adrian 1. willingly submitted his necke to this yoke and made this Law to be passed in a Councill that in Charlemayne should rest all right and power for the Popes election and for the gouernement of the Papall See This Constitution is incerted in the Decretals Distinct 63. Can. * Note that in the same Dist the Can of Greg. 4. beginning with Cum Hadrianus 2. is false and supposititious because Gregorie 4. was Pope long before Hadr. 2. Triateterrima monstra Hadrianus and was confirmed by the practise of many yeeres In the yeere of the Lord 963. the Emperour Otho tooke away the Popedome from Iohn 13. and placed Leo 8. in his roume In like maner Iohn 14. Gregory 5. and Siluester 2. were seated in the Papall Throne by the Othos The Emperour Henrie 2. in the yeere 1007. deposed three Popes namely Bendict 9. Siluester 3. and Gregorie 6. whom Platina doeth not sticke to call three most detestable
the words added by Almainus to contradict and crosse the words going before For Almainus makes this addition and supply Howsoeuer some other Doctors doe stand for the negatiue and teach the Pope hath power onely to declare that Kings and Princes are to be deposed And so much appeareth by this reason because this ample and Soueraigne power of the Pope might giue him occasion to be puft vp with great pride and the same fulnesse of power might prooue extreamely hurtfull to the subiects c. The same Almainus brings in Occams opinion in expresse tearmes deciding the question Quaest 2. de potest Eccl. Laic cap. 12. and there ioynes his owne opinion with Occams The Doctors opinion saith Almainus doeth simply carrie the most probabilitie that a Pope hath no power neither by excommunication nor by any other meanes to depose a Prince from his Imperiall and Royall dignitie In cap. 9 10. 11. And a little before hauing maintained the Greeke Empire was neuer transported by the Pope to the Germaines and that when the Pope crownes the Emperour he doeth not giue him the Empire no more then the Archbishop of Reims when he crownes the King of France doth giue him the kingdom he drawes this conclusion according to Occams opinion I denie that an Emperour is bound by oath to promise the Pope allegiance On the other side if the Pope hold any Temporall possessions hee is bound to sweare allegiance vnto the Emperour and to pay him tribute The said Occam alledged by Almainus doeth further auerre that Iustinian was acknowledged by the Pope for his superiour in Temporall causes for as much as diuers Lawes which the Pope is bound to keepe and obserue were enacted by Iustinian as by name the Law of prescription for an hundred yeeres which Law standeth yet in force against the Bishop of Rome And to the end that all men may clearely see how great distance there is betweene Occams opinion and the L. Cardinals who towards the end of his Oration exhorts his hearers at no hand to dissent from the Pope take you here a view of Occams owne words as they are alledged by Almainus The Doctour assoyles the arguments of Pope Innocent Quest. 1. cap. 14. by which the Pope would prooue out of these words of CHRIST Whatsoeuer thoushalt binde c. that fulnesse of power in Temporall matters belongeth to the Soueraigne Bishop For Innocent saith Whatsoeuer excepteth nothing But Occam assoyles Innocents authoritie as not onely false but also hereticall and saith withall that many things are spoken by Innocent which by his leaue sauour and smell of herefie c. The L. Pag. 40. Cardinall with lesse fidelitie alledgeth two places out of Thomas his Summe The first in the second of his second Quest 10. Art 10. in the body of the Article In which place let it bee narrowly examined Thomas will easily bee found to speake not of the subiection of beleeuing Subiects vnder Infidel Kings as the Lord Cardinall pretendeth but of beleeuing seruants that liue vnder Masters whether Iewes or Infidels As when a Iew keepeth seruants which professe Iesus Christ or as when some of the faithfull kept in Caesars house who are not considered by Thomas as they were subiects of the Empire but as they were seruants of the family The other place is taken out of Quest 11. and 2. Art in the body of the article where no such matter as the L. Cardinal alledgeth can be found With like fidelitie he taketh Gerson in hand Pag. 44. who indeed in his booke of Ecclesiasticall power and 12. Consider doeth affirme When the abuse of Secular power redoundeth to manifest impugning of the faith and blaspheming of the Creator then shall it not bee amisse to haue recourse vnto the last branch of this 12. Consider where in such case as aforesaid a certaine regitiue directiue regulatiue and ordinatiue authoritie is committed to the Ecclesiasticall power His very words which make no mention at all of deposing or of any compulsiue power ouer Soueraigne Princes For that forme of rule and gouernment whereof Gerson speaketh is exercised by Ecclesiasticall censures and excommunications not by losse of goods of Kingdomes or of Empires This place then is wrested by the L. Cardinall to a contrary sense Neither should his Lordship haue omitted that Gerson in the question of Kings subiection in Temporall matters or of the dependance of their Crownes vpon the Popes power excepteth alwayes the King of France witnesse that which Gerson a little before the place alleadged by the Cardinall hath plainely affirmed Now since Peters time saith Gerson all Imperiall Regall and Secular power is not immediatly to draw vertue and strength from the Soueraigne Bishop as in this maner the most Christian King of France hath no Superiour nor acknowledgeth any such vpon the face of the earth Now here need no great sharpenesse of wit for the searching out of this deepe mysterie that if the Pope hath power to giue or take away Crownes for any cause or any pretended occasion whatsoeuer the Crowne of France must needs depend vpon the Pope But for as much as we are now hit in with Gerson Pag. 108.109.119 where the Card. takes Char. 7. for Charl. 6. we will examine the L. Cardinals allegations towards the end of his Oration taken out of Gersons famous Oration made before Charles the 6. for the Vniuersitie of Paris where he brings in Gerson to affirme That killing a Tyrant is a sacrifice acceptable to God But Gerson let it be diligently noted there speaketh not in his owne person he there brings in sedition speaking the words Of which wordes vttered by sedition and other like speeches you shall now heare what iudgement Gerson himselfe hath giuen When sedition had spoken with such a furious voyce I turned away my face as if I had bene smitten with death to shew that I was not able to endure her madnesse any longer And indeed when dissimulation on the one side and sedition on the other had suggested the deuises of two contrary extremes hee brings foorth Discretion as a Iudge keeping the meane betweene both extremes and vttering those words which the L. Cardinall alledgeth against himselfe If the head saith Gerson or some other member of the ciuill body should grow to so desperate a passe that it would gulpe and swallow downe the deadly poyson of tyrannie euery member in his place with all power possible for him to raise by expedient meanes and such as might preuent a greater inconuenience should set himselfe against so madde a purpose and so deadly practise For if the head be grieued with some light paine it is not fit for the hand to smite the head no that were but a foolish and a mad part Nor is the hand forthwith to chop off or separate the head from the body but rather to cure the head with good speach and other meanes like a skilfull and wise Physitian Yea nothing would
other weapons of defence I neither can resist nor ought in any other maner to make resistance Iustinian the Emperour in his old aage fell into the heresie of the Aphthartodocites Against Iustinian though few they were that fauoured him in that heresie the Bishop of Rome neuer darted with violence any sentence of excommunication interdiction or deposition The Ostrogot Kings in Italie the Visigot in Spaine the Vandal in Africa were all addicted to the Arrian impietie and some of them cruelly persecuted the trew professours The Visigot and Vandall were no neighbours to Italie The Pope thereby had the lesse cause to feare the stings of those waspes if they had bene angred The Pope for all that neuer had the humour to wrestle or iustle with any of the said Kings in the cause of deposing them from their Thrones But especially the times when the Vandals in Affricke and the Goths in Italie by Belisarius and Narses professours of the Orthodoxe Faith were tyred with long warres and at last were vtterly defeated in bloody battels are to bee considered Then were the times or neuer for the Pope to vnsheath his weapons and to vncase his arrowes of deposition then were the times to draw them out of his quiuer and to shoot at all such Arrian heads then were the times by dispensations to release their subiects of their oathes by that peremptorie meanes to aide and strengthen the Catholique cause But in that aage the said weapons were not knowne to haue bene hammered in the Pontificall forge Gregorie the I. made his boasts that he was able to ruine the Lombards for many yeeres together sworne enemies to the Bishops of Rome their state present and the hope of all their future prosperitie But he telleth vs that by the feare of God before his eyes and in his heart he was bridled and restrained from any such intent as elsewhere we haue obserued In Apol. pro iuram fidel His owne words lib. 7. Epist. 1. If I would haue medled with practising and procuring the death of the Lombards the whole nation of the Lombards at this day had bene robbed of their Kings Dukes Earles they had bene reduced to the tearmes of extreame confusion He might at least haue deposed their King if the credit of the L. Cardinals iudgement be currant without polluting or stayning his owne conscience What can we tearme this assertion of the L. Cardinal but open charging the most ancient Bishops of Rome with crueltie when they would not succour the Church of CHRIST oppressed by tyrants whose oppression they had power to represse by deposing the oppressors Is it credible that IESVS CHRIST hath giuen a Commission to S. Peter and his successors for so many aages without any power to execute their Commission or to make any vse thereof by practise Is it credible that hee hath giuen them a sword to bee kept in the scabbard without drawing once in a thousand yeeres Is it credible that in the times when Popes were most deboshed abandoning themselues to all sorts of corrupt and vitious courses as is testified by their owne flatterers and best affected seruants is it credible that in those times they began to vnderstand the vertue strength of their Commission For if either feare or lacke of power was the cause of holding their hands and voluntarie binding of themselues to the Peace or good behauiour wherefore is not some one Pope at least produced who hath complained that he was hindered from executing the power that CHRIST had conferred vpon his Pontificall See Wherefore is not some one of the ancient and holy Fathers alledged by whom the Pope hath bene aduised and exhorted to take courage to stand vpon he vigor and sinewes of his Papall Office to vnsheath and vncase his bolts of thunder against vngodly Princes and grieuous enemies to the Church wherefore liuing vnder Christian and gracious Emperours haue they not made knowne the reasons why they were hindred from drawing the pretended sword lest long custome of not vsing the sword so many aages might make it so to rust in the scabbard that when there should be occasion to vse the said sword it could not be drawne at all and lest so long custome of not vsing the same should confirme prescription to their greater preiudice If weakenesse be a iust let how is it come to passe that Popes haue enterprised to depose Philip the Faire Lewis the XII and ELIZABETH my predecessor of happy memorie to let passe others in whom experience hath well proued how great inequalitie was betweene their strengths Yea for the most part from thence grow most grieuous troubles and warres which iustly recoile and light vpon his owne head as happened to Gregorie the VII and Boniface the VIII This no doubt is the reason wherefore the Pope neuer sets in for feare of such inconueniences to blast a King with lightning and thunder of deposition but when hee perceiues the troubled waters of the Kingdome by some strong faction setled in his Estate or when the King is confined and bordered by some Princemore potent who thirsteth after the prey and is euer gaping for some occasion to picke a quarrell The King standing in such estate is it not as easie for the Pope to pull him downe as it is for a man with one hand to thrust downe a tottering wall when the groundsill is rotten the studdes vnpind and nodding or bending towards the ground But if the King shall beare downe and breake the faction within the Realme if hee shall get withall the vpper hand of his enemies out of the Kingdome then the holy Father presents him with pardons neuer sued for neuer asked and in afathers indulgence forsooth giues him leaue still to hold the Kingdome that hee was not able by all his force to wrest and wring out of his hand no more then the club of Hercules out of his fist How many worthy Princes incensed by the Pope to conspire against Soueraigne Lords their Masters and by open rebellion to worke some change in their Estates haue miscarried in the action with losse of life or honour or both For example Rodulphus Duke of Sueuia was eg'd on by the Pope against Henry IIII. of that name Emperour How many massacres how many desolations of Cities and townes how many bloody battels ensued thereupon Let histories bee searched let iust accompts be taken and beside sieges layde to Cities it will appeare by trew computation that Henry the IIII. and Frederic the fist fought aboue threescore battels in defence of their owne right against enemies of the Empire stirred vp to armes by the Pope of Rome How much Christian blood was then spilt in these bloody battels it passeth mans wit penne or tongue to expresse And to giue a little touch vnto matters at home doeth not his Holinesse vnderstand right well the weakenesse of Papists in my Kingdome Doeth not his Holmesse neuerthesesse animate my Papists to rebellion and forbid my Papists to take
On the other side without any such Rhetoricall outcries I simply affirme It is a reproach a scandall a crime of rebellion for a subiect hauing his full charge and loade of benefits in the new spring of his Kings tender aage his King-fathers blood yet reeking and vpon the point of an addresse for a double match with Spaine in so honourable an assembly to seeke the thraldome of his Kings Crowne to play the captious in cauilling about causes of his Kings deposing to giue his former life the Lye with shame enough in his old aage and to make himselfe a common by-word vnder the name of a Problematicall Martyr one that offers himselfe to fagot and fire for a point of doctrine but problematically handled that is distrustfully and onely by way of doubtfull and questionable discourse yea for a point of doctrine in which the French as he pretendeth are permitted to thwart and crosse his Holines in iudgement prouided they speake in it as in a point not certaine and necessary but onely doubtfull and probable THE THIRD INCONVENIENCE EXAMINED THe third Inconuenience pretended by the L. Pag. 87. Cardinall to grow by admitting this Article of the third Estate is flourished in these colours It would breed and bring foorth an open and vnauoydeable schisme against his Holinesse and the rest of the whole Ecclesiasticall body For thereby the doctrine long approued and ratified by the Pope and the rest of the Church should now be taxed and condemned of impious and most detestable consequence yea the Pope and the Church euen in faith and in points of saluation should be reputed and beleeued to be erroniously perswaded Hereupon his Lordship giues himselfe a large scope of the raines to frame his elegant amplifications against schismes and schismatikes Now to mount so high and to flie in such place vpon the wings of amplification for this Inconuenience what is it else but magnifically to report and imagine a mischiefe by many degrees greater then the mischiefe is The L. Cardinal is in a great errour if hee make himselfe beleeue that other nations wil make a rent or separation from the communion of the French because the French stand to it tooth and naile that French Crownes are not liable or obnoxious to Papall deposition howsoeuer there is no schisme that importeth not separation of communion The most illustrious Republike of Venice hath imbarked herselfe in this quarrell against his Holinesse hath played her prize and caried away the weapons with great honour Doeth she notwithstanding her triumph in the cause forbeare to participate with all her neighbours in the same Sacraments doeth she liue in schisme with all the rest of the Romane Church No such matter When the L. Cardinal himselfe not many yeeres past maintained the Kings cause and stood honourably for the Kings right against the Popes Temporall vsurpations did he then take other Churches to be schismaticall or the rotten members of Antichrist Beleeue it who list I beleeue my Creed Nay his Lordship telleth vs himselfe a little after that his Holinesse giues the French free scope to maintaine either the affirmatiue or negatiue of this question And will his Holinesse hold them schismatikes that dissent from his opinion and iudgement in a subiect or cause esteemed problematicall Farre be it from his Holinesse The King of Spaine reputed the Popes right arme neuer gaue the Pope cause by any acte or other declaration to conceiue that he acknowledged himselfe deposeable by the Pope for heresie or Tyrannie or stupiditie But being well assured the Pope standeth in greater feare of his arme then hee doeth of the Popes head and shoulders he neuer troubles his owne head about our question More when the booke of Cardinall Baronius was come foorth in which booke the Kingdome of Naples is descried and publiquely discredited like false money touching the qualitie of a Kingdome and attributed to the King of Spaine not as trew proprietary thereof but onely as an Estate held in fee of the Romane Church the King made no bones to condemne and to banish the said booke out of his dominions The holy Father was contented to put vp his Catholike sonnes proceeding to the Cardinals disgrace neuer opened his mouth against the King neuer declared or noted the King to be schismaticall He waits perhaps for some fitter opportunitie when the Kingdome of Spaine groaning vnder the burthens of intestine dissentions and troubles hee may without any danger to himselfe giue the Catholike King a Bishops mate Yea the L. Cardinal himselfe is better seene in the humors and inclinations of the Christian world then to be grosly perswaded that in the Kingdome of Spaine and in the very heart of Rome it selfe there be not many which either make it but a ieast or else take it in fowle scorne to heare the Popes power ouer the Crownes of Kings once named especially since the Venetian Republike hath put his Holinesse to the worse in the same cause and cast him in Law What needed the L. Cardinall then by casting vp such mounts and trenches by heaping one amplification vpon an other to make schisme looke with such a terrible and hideous aspect Who knowes not how great an offence how heinous a crime it is to quarter not IESVS CHRISTS coat but his body which is the Church And what needed such terrifying of the Church with vglinesse of schisme whereof there is neither colourable shew nor possibilitie The next vgly monster after schisme shaped by the L. Cardinall in the third supposed and pretended inconuenience is heresie Pag. 89. His Lordship saith for the purpose By this Article we are cast headlong into a manifest heresie as binding vs to confesse that for many aages past the Catholike Church hath bene banished out of the whole world For if the champions of the doctrine contrary to this Article doe hold an impious and a detestable opinion repugnant vnto Gods word then doubtlesse the Pope for so many hundred yeeres expired hath not bene the head of the Church but an heretike and the Antichrist He addeth moreouer That the Church long agoe hath lost her name of Catholike and that in France there hath no Church flourished nor so much as appeared these many and more then many yeeres for as much as all the French doctors for many yeres together haue stood for the contrary opinion We can erect and set vp no trophey more honorable for heretikes in token of their victory then to auow that Christs visible Kingdom is perished from the face of the earth and that for so many hundred yeres there hath not bene any Temple of God nor any spouse of Christ but euery where and all the world ouer the kingdom of Antichrist the synagogue of Satan the spouse of the diuel hath mightily preuailed and borne all the sway Lastly what stronger engines can these heretikes wish or desire for the battering and the demolishing of transubstantiation of auricular confession and other like towers
Law of the King whereto themselues are also subiect Hauing now perfourmed this ancient Prouerbe A Ioue principium which though it was spoken by a Pagan yet it is good and holy I am now to come to my particular Errand for which I am heere this day wherein I must handle two parts First the reason why I haue not these fourteene yeeres sithence my Coronation vntill now satisfied a great many of my louing subiects who I know haue had a great expectation and as it were a longing like them that are with child to heare mee speake in this place where my Predecessors haue often sitten and especially King Henry the seuenth from whom as diuers wayes before I am lineally descended and that doubly to this Crowne and as I am neerest descended of him so doe I desire to follow him in his best actions The next part is the reason Why I am now come The cause that made mee abstaine was this When I came into England although I was an old King past middle aage and practised in gouernment euer sithence I was twelue yeeres olde yet being heere a stranger in gouernement though not in blood because my breeding was in another Kingdome I resolued therefore with Pythagoras to keepe silence seuen yeeres and learne my selfe the Lawes of this Kingdome before I would take vpon mee to teach them vnto others When this Apprentiship was ended then another impediment came which was in the choice of that cause that should first bring me hither I expected some great cause to make my first entry vpon For I thought that hauing abstained so long it should be a worthy matter that should bring mee hither Now euery cause must be great or small In small causes I thought it disgracefull to come hauing beene so long absent In great causes they must be either betwixt the King and some of his Subiects or betwixt Subiect and Subiect In a cause where my selfe was concerned I was loath to come because men should not thinke I did come for my owne priuate either Prerogatiue or profit or for any other by-respect And in that case I will alwayes abide the triall of men and Angels neuer to haue had any particular end in that which is the Maine of all things Iustice In a great cause also betweene partie and partie great in respect either of the question or value of the thing my comming might seeme as it were obliquely to be in fauour of one partie and for that cause this Counsellour or that Courtier might be thought to mooue me to come hither And a meane cause was not worthy of mee especially for my first entrance So lacke of choice in both respects kept mee off till now And now hauing passed a double apprentiship of twice seuen yeeres I am come hither to speake vnto you And next as to the reasons of my comming at this time they are these I haue obserued in the time of my whole Reigne here and my double Apprentiship diuers things fallen out in the Iudicatures here at Westminster Hall that I thought required and vrged a reformation at my hands whereupon I resolued with my selfe that I could not more fitly begin a reformation then here to make an open declaration of my meaning I remember Christs saying My sheepe heare my voyce and so I assure my selfe my people will most willingly heare the voyce of me their owne Shepheard and King whereupon I tooke this occasion in mine owne person here in this Seate of Iudgement not iudicially but declaratorily and openly to giue those directions which at other times by piece-meale I haue deliuered to some of you in diuers lesse publike places but now will put it vp in all your audience where I hope it shall bee trewly caried and cannot be mistaken as it might haue bene when it was spoken more priuately I will for order sake take mee to the methode of the number of Three the number of perfection and vpon that number distribute all I haue to declare to you FIrst I am to giue a charge to my selfe for a King or Iudge vnder a King that first giues not a good charge to himselfe will neuer be able to giue a good charge to his inferiours for as I haue said Good riuers cannot flow but from good springs if the fountaine be impure so must the riuers be Secondly to the Iudges And thirdly to the Auditory and the rest of the inferiour ministers of Iustice First I protest to you all in all your audience heere sitting in the seate of Iustice belonging vnto GOD and now by right fallen vnto mee that I haue resolued as Confirmation in Maioritie followeth Baptisme in minoritie so now after many yeeres to renew my promise and Oath made at my Coronation concerning Iustice and the promise therein for maintenance of the Law of the Land And I protest in GODS presence my care hath euer beene to keepe my conscience cleare in all the points of my Oath taken at my Coronation so farre as humane frailtie may permit mee or my knowledge enforme mee I speake in point of Iustice and Law For Religion I hope I am reasonably well knowen already I meane therefore of Lawe and Iustice and for Law I meane the Common Law of the Land according to which the King gouernes and by which the people are gouerned For the Common Law you can all beare mee witnesse I neuer pressed alteration of it in Parliament but on the contrary when I endeauoured most an Vnion reall as was already in my person my desire was to conforme the Lawes of Scotland to the Law of England and not the Law of England to the Law of Scotland and so the prophecie to be trew of my wise Grandfather Henry the seuenth who foretold that the lesser Kingdome by marriage would follow the greater and not the greater the lesser And therefore married his eldest daughter Margaret to Iames the fourth my great Grandfather It was a foolish Querke of some Iudges who held that the Parliament of England could not vnite Scotland and England by the name of Great Britaine but that it would make an alteration of the Lawes though I am since come to that knowledge that an Acte of Parliament can doe greater wonders And that old wise man the Treasourer Burghley was wont to say Hee knew not what an Acte of Parliament could not doe in England For my intention was alwayes to effect vnion by vniting Scotland to England and not England to Scotland For I euer meant being euer resolued that this Law should continue in this Kingdome and two things mooued mee thereunto One is that in matter of Policie and State you shall neuer see any thing anciently and maturely established but by Innouation or alteration it is worse then it was I meane not by purging of it from corruptions and restoring it to the ancient integritie Another reason was I was sworne to maintaine the Law of the Land and therefore I had beene periured if I