not giue what a poore shift is this to say if he should say it as we are sure he did not in that sense they take it Then you are not sure that he did not say it but that he did not say it in the sense they take it If you should complain that you were striken would you take it for an argument that you were not striken because the striker did not strike you in that sense that you take it He spake it and stood peremptorily in it after that he was often admonished of the danger thereof by M. Collington and M. Charnocke and this flying to senses which are so secret as they may not be knowen nor can be imagined to bee other then the words doe giue bewrayeth too much guiltinesse But marke I pray you another shift at a dead lift If M. Blackwell should say it c. yet many men in the world may say this in diuerse causes wherein appeale is cut off by his Holinesse consent and order Doth the power which is in other men in the world giue M. Blackwell a warrant to say this or that because they can say it If many men in the world may say that appeale is not to be made from them to the Pope himselfe many men in the world may say more then becommeth them but in such cases as wherein appeale is cut off by his Holinesse consent and order Which consent and order they are to shew or to be taken for such as M. Blackwell was taken that is either very ignorant or a worse thing Such Commissions are commonly granted with this clause appellatione remota or some other equiualent which can not be foūd in the Cardinals letters or his instructions which were all the commission which he had when he stoode vpon this point nor to this day is appellation from him to the sea of Rome cut off by any consent or order of his Holinesse although the Breue of the 17. of August 1601. doth not admit of the Appeale his Holinesse being perswaded that it could not be followed without further trouble And if he had this clause from his Holinesse himselfe in any commission Appellatione remota yet would no man of vnderstanding affirme that the Priestes could not appeale from him to the Pope himselfe according to that chapter Pastoralis de officio potestate iudicis delegati Si Papa scienter commisit appellationem interpositam à suo delegato dato cum clausula appellatione remota iurisdictio primi delegati est interim suspensa quoad executionem c. If the Pope hath wittingly committed an appellation which was made from his delegate who was delegated with this clause appellatione remota without admitting any appeale the iurisdiction of that first delegate is the meane while suspended from any execution Donec saith Pope Innocent the third out of whose words the Rubricke is made appellationis merita plenius sint discussa vntill the causes of the appellation be discussed And Launcelot lib. 3. tit de Appell Interdum non obstante prohibitione appellari poterit Sometime it is lawfull to appeale notwithstanding the prohibition And he putteth some cases for example Licèt causa appellatione remota commissa fuerit although the cause were committed with this clause appellatione remota without admitting any appeale so that whatsoeuer this authour of the Apologie sayth few men will say so much as M. Blackwell said Although appellation from them be sometimes cut off with his Holinesse consent and order and much lesse where there was no such cutting off as may be seene in his letters by which he was instituted Archpriest Besides that these were not his Holinesse letters but the Cardinall Caietans and therefore as yet was there lesse cause to stand so peremptorily vpon this point as M. Blackwell did after that he was tolde of his errour And if M. Charnocke in conscience had thought this to haue bene heresie or hereticall he was bound vnder paine of excōmunicatiō especially being in Rome to haue prosecuted the matter c. M. Charnocke might haue thought that it was heresie or hereticall and might haue had the purpose to prosecute it in Rome who can say the contrary But then why did he not perchance because it ranne in his mind as good neuer a whit as neuer the better Perchance he might dreame that M. Blackwell had some secret sense contrary to the purport of the wordes and say that he meant all well What if it were set downe in writing among those notes which the Popes officer tooke from him as Fa. Parsons insinuated in his letter to M D. Bishop which is in The copies of discourses in these words pag. 62. Moreouer it appeareth by your papers and depositions yet extant that you tooke the way first to discredit so much as in you lay M. Blackwell c. yea in the very matter of his faith And if M. Bishop did depose that he heard such a matter of M. Charnocke how farre were the examiners bound especially at Rome to prosecute this matter it being there deposed in that manner Or where should M. Charnocke haue prosecuted it being close prisoner and committed to his aduersaries to be kept examined and haue all his words and actions interpreted by them and was debarred of conference with any but them whereby hee might well perceiue there was no fit place for him to deale in any matter but what the Iesuites would like of and their adherents in so much as if Fa. Parsons haue any trueth in him the Pope was hardly brought to thinke that M. Bishop he were Catholike priests And was this trow you a conuenient place or time for him to enter into any course had he bene otherwise bound thereto against another especially such a man as whose discredite would be so great a blowe vnto M. Charnockes Iaylor as hee could not haue had the like in the Court of Rome But how hangeth that together which followeth and not hauing done so that is prosecuted this matter at Rome and yet procuring in these late libels to renue the speech thereof againe How is this proued It is easely seene that their intention now he is fallen from M. Charnockes supposed acte to their intention as though if it had bene true that M Charnocke had procured to renue those speeches and that all those friends had forgotten it amongst whom in this place the Apologie confesseth it was giuen out the intention of the rest could be d scouered to be onely to discredite the person of their superiour in what they may which saith he is a bad kind of obedience He may sweare it for it was neuer heard that the acte of discrediting of a man was an act of obedience vnlesse the Superiour would giue such a foolish cōmandement against himselfe which M. Blackwell will neuer do as we hope And although that these bookes were printed as here it is vrged after that M. Blackwell was made a lawfull Superiour to
they are here challenged to M. Blackwels owne conscience where this poore shift will not helpe him neuer sayd that M. Blackwell had such a shift at that time but being taken in the falsifying his instructions or propounding other instructions in place of such as he said were annected to his Commission simply confessed the fraude adding that indeed some of them were of his owne making and all this story of a vertue from Rome was deuised afterward and set out for a poore satisfaction for his former falshood For if he had had al the authoritie in the world by vertue whereof hee might haue made instructions yet was it a false tale to say that instructions made in England were made in Rome or annected to his Commission which he pretended to haue receiued from Rome In the 7. leafe this fellow raileth at the hope of peace because there are not other accusations mentioned against the Archpr. as though the poore man had not ynough of one and in this his absurditie of spirit and speech he telleth in a parenthesis a most egregious knowen fitten for saith he it seemeth they M. Collington and M. Charnocke were sent to him M. Blackwell of purpose to catch him in his words And all the towne rung of it that M. Blackwell had conuented M. Collington and M. Charnocke vpon which speech M. H. H. one of the first Lay factious was called the Sumner for that he was the man who by M. Blackwels appointment hunted vp and downe to bring M. Collington and M. Charnocke vnto him as after two dayes seeking he did but the new illuminates must beleeue all things which this companion vttereth And this much for his parenthesis Now concerning the principall matter here handled this fellow is as false in repeating it For thus he telleth his tale About an hereticall proposition said to be vttered by him in that he told them that they could not appeale from him in some points The priests haue affirmed that M. Blackwell notwithstanding that he was diuers times admonished by M. Collington and M. Charnocke of the danger thereof persisted in this proposition that the Priests could not appeale from him to the Sea Apostolick and these wordes in some points are foisted in by this author and kindnesse threatned vpon the priests that they should say that hee said so whereas if he had he had said more then trueth hauing no colour therefore because he had no cause subdelegated vnto him nor he put in any authoritie to iudge any matter with this clause Appelatione remota But this helps to gall the new illuminated as also that contemptible conclusion and laying all other arguments proofes and probabilities aside will ponder onely but the difference betweene the accused and the accuser in this case shall quickly satisfie himselfe for M. Collington and M. Charnocke were then knowen to be two honest priests and M. Blackwell was but one at the most and it will be apparantly knowen that they haue patiently suffered much iniury for their mainteyning a iust quarrell and he will be conuinced to haue bene a long time an intruder or an vsurper and afterward an abuser of his authoritie when he had it against them without iust cause when they shal be cleared from Schisme rebellion and disobedience which he and his adherents haue most malitiously if not ignorantly obiected and caused them to be persecuted therefore In the same leafe this poore fellow inculcateth his Hol. confirmation of this authority as though that were a conuincing argument that there was trueth vsed either for the setting vp thereof or the mainteyning of it whereas it is well knowen to those who will know ought in these matters that his Holines may be misinformed and thereupon do that which may be afterward recalled as no doubt this will be which is vrged in the same lease out of the second Breue of the 17. of August 1601. Sanè vestro superiori vos submittere atque ei obedire debeatis Truly you ought to haue submitted your selues to your Superior and to haue obeyed him For as I haue before shewed he was at that time no other then an intruder vntill he had his confirmation from the Sea Apostolicke and he was to be punished for his audaciousnes and al who receiued him at that time and since the matter hauing bene examined by the Cardinals of the Inquisition 20. Iuly 1602 the priests are cleared from disobedience In the 8. leafe he citeth two sentences out of the hope of peace which tend to this effect that the testimony of one Cardinall doeth not bind in conscience to beleeue a thing preiudiciall to a third but he answereth not one of those authors which are there cited for proofe hereof pag. 32. and 33. He telleth also his reader that when the first Breue came the priests seemed to accomodate themselues for a time yet soone after they brake forth againe and fell to writing and examining the said Cardinals letters more then before reiecting and discrediting the same with all maner of contempt and so they doe now in these later Libels as though his Holines had neuer allowed or confirmed them But he concealeth the cause of his writing which was the Iesuits reuiuing the slander of Schisme and the Archpr. his furthering thereof with a resolution pretended to come from Rome to that purpose which wickednes of theirs did driue the priests to declare the state of the question as it was before the Breue came and to proue that they were not Schismatickes in that time in which they were falsly said to haue bene such and in this doing they were to abstract from the Popes Breue whose after comming could not make the former cause better or worse except only in this respect that it conuinced that the Archpr. was an intruder who would exercise any authoritie to which he was elected or deputed by the Sea Apostolicke before he had his letters from the said Sea in confirmation thereof And it may appeare very euidently because in that Breue there are not any such wordes as the Iesuits and Archpriest doe often vrge Valida ab initio that is that these things concerning the authority were of forâ—e froÌ„ the beginning but valida existere saith the Breue fore That is to say now and hereafter to be of force as may be seene in the first Breue which beareth date the 6. of April 1599. In the ninth leafe he citeth a sentence out of the 34. page out of the which he noteth a restraint of the protectors authoritie to the court of Rome and also authoritie to demurre vpon the Popes letters for the first sayth he they say that the office of a Protector stretcheth not it selfe any further then the Court of Rome which they prooue by the wordes of the Popes Breue it selfe Nationis Anglicanae apud nos Apostolicam sedem Protector that is Protector of the English Nation with vs and with the Sea Apostolike And to helpe
and how then was not the danger of stirring vp the Bishop against his Holines but against the Protector In the 35. page and so forward to the 59. many things are noted for which the Reader must goe looke in the Apologie In the 61. page a principall deceit falshood or slander is noted in these words His visis c. As soone as we saw the Apostolicall letters of the new Breue for confirmation of the Archpriest we all presently submitted our selues c. This is so manifest and so often acknowledged by all from the highest to the lowest as there shal neede no further iustifying thereof But this author would haue his reader conceiue that this submission was fained and forced and that the euent shewed so much and that it could not be otherwise the Priests hauing entred with the Counsell so farre as they had done as is shewed Cap. 10. 13. where saith this fellow wee shew by their owne letters their conspiracie with the persecutor But in conclusion if you doe not trust him vpon his wordes more then vpon his proofes which he bringeth either in the 10 or 13 Chap. you must hold him still for such as he is We haue already sayd enough hereof in the defence of that which hee commenteth vpon those words Hinc à communi c. p. 2. as he hath cited it in the beginning of this his table of deceits to which we remit you for this time and omitting that which here he saith that the submission of the priests was forced which implyeth a true submission nothing being inforced but their wil to accept of him against whom they had many iust exceptions I will onely note how falsly and deceitfully this good felow vseth this place which thus he hath cited out of the 61. page His visis c. As soone as we saw the Apostolical letters of the new Breue c. what can his reader thinke of these words the new Breue but that there was som former Breue which was not obeyed by the priests And to this purpose as in other places so in his first Chap. of his Apol. fol. 8. he vseth the same deceit He the Pope confirmed all that was done already by the Card. with a new Breue where also in the margent this note is made A new Breue 1599. lest any man should thinke it a worde spoken by chance and not of purpose and it is the more apparant in this place which now we handle because he hath falsly translated the priests words and made them to talke of a new Breue For thus he alleageth them His visis c. As soone as we saw the Apostolicall letters of the new Breue for confirmation of the Archpriest we all presently submitted our selues to him where His visis that is these being seene is onely referred to these words Sanctitatis tuae literae that is the letters of your Holines And there is no other mention of any other Apostolicall letters or any other Breue much lesse any Apostolicall letters of a new Breue as it may be seene by them who will turne to the place In the 69. page a principall deceit falshood or slander is gathered out of those words Archipresbyter c. The Archpriest denieth accesse vnto him he will not be seene he doth disdaine to talke with his brethren c. But how is this proued deceit falshood or slander Forsooth thus All things are rhethorically exaggerated yet it is no maruaile though the Archpriest do vse some moderation and circumspection in admitting those men to speach whom hee knoweth to haue an euill mind towards him and to deale with the Councel and Bishop of London and to seeke his speech onely to braule and to take some aduantage at his words as two of them did who accused him of an hereticall proposition in talking with him presently vpon the arriuall of his first commission Had this fellow onely giuen a cause why the Archpriest would not talke with the priests without any more adoe it had been a little signe of some small grace in him but to bring that in for a deceit falshood or slander which he cannot denie but must confesse to be true and straineth himselfe to giue a cause thereof it is too shamefull It being then euident that the Archpriest will not speake with the priests let vs see how good these causes are and how true which are here alleaged The first is because hee knoweth that the Priestes haue an euill mind towards him but this sauoureth too much of malice The second is he knoweth that they deale with the Councel and Bishop of London but alas this cause commeth too late as may appeare by comparing the times together in which the Archp. hath denied to speak with thē with the times in which it hath pleased the Coūsel as he supposeth to shew them some fauour by meanes of the Bishop of London hauing conceiued some hope of their loyaltie towards their prince and country The third cause here alledged is for that the Archpriest knoweth they seeke his speech onely to brawle and to take some aduantage at his words as two of them did c. and in the margent M. Collington and M. Charnock are named It is very likely if the Archpriest would be so resolute as he would agree to no reason but run on the course he hath begun the priests might haue parted frō him as litle edified as M. Collington and M. Charnock did when he sent for them M Heburne to speake with them presently vpon the arriual of his first cōmission that is the Cardinals letters vnto him or conuented them as M. Standish gaue it out in the Clinke not long after whereupon M. H Henslow who before was taken for the Archpr. messenger was called his Sumner and was very angry at it And this particuler is brought that it may appeare what a bold face that fellow hath who in the Appendix fol. 7. affirmeth that it seemeth they M. Collington and M. Charnocke were sent to him of purpose to catch him in his words And if where difference is there must of necessity be brawling I thinke no man doubteth but he is the brawler who offereth the iniury not he who vseth necessarie defence And if moreouer M. Collington and M. Charnocke haue accused the Archp. of an heretical proposition as this Author in this place insinuateth I do verely perswade my selfe that they will proue it so farre foorth as two men of their qualitie may prooue it which would be little for M. Blackwels credit notwithstanding the slight reckoning which is made of their two relations onely Cap 8 fol. 109. In the 83. page a principall deceit falshood or slander is noted in these words Plura c. The Iesuits doe bragge that many more Seminaries haue beene erected by them c. The Priests words are these Plura numero more in number This is very calumnious saith this good felow but if they should speake of
them In which this Apologie fayling as it must needes doe the author hath alreadie giuen iudgement against himselfe that he is a notorious libeller and that he hath brought all his followers and furtherers herein whether consenters or spreaders of it abroad into a heauie case God amend them But let vs I pray you examine the cause why this Apologie was written the authour thereof blaming so often the Priests for writing Diuers points saith he you know already and some more you are like to perceiue by this our Apologie being driuen thereunto but not all for auoiding further scandall which respect of scandall should haue withheld vs wholly from putting pen to paper in this cause if the intemperance of some persons giuen ouer as it seemeth to choler and reuenge and forgetting both themselues and others and the times wherein they liue had not broken foorth of late to such excesse as we are forced against our wils to put some stop or bridle to so licentious and scandalous proceedings lest it infect euen the good and trouble the strongest when they see such enormous matters passe without controlement In this iustification of his setting foorth this Apologie we gather first that scandall is not alwayes to be auoyded For as he saieth The respect of scandal should haue withheld him wholly from putting pen to paper in this case if the intemperance c. so that the intemperance belike of some persons may excuse a man doing that whereupon scandall may arise Note I pray you how this fellow can change his hew when it shall make for his purpose When hee will write himselfe then the intemperance of some persons is a sufficient excuse for him although scandall arise thereon And when he would haue others blamed who were more grieuously iniured and prouoked thereby to write then he is he can preach vnto them that S. Paul was of a spirit and iudgement contrary to theirs 1. Corinth 8. who doth so greatly exaggerate the danger of scandalizing any one of our brethren for whom Christ died as he sayd that he would rather neuer eate meate then doe it Thus saith this Apologie-maker in his Appendix fol. 16. And there he goeth on also and sheweth what Christ himselfe said Matth. 18. That it were better suffer death in most hideous manner to wit with a milstone at our neckes to be cast into the sea then to scandalize the least of them that beleeue in him that be our Christian and Catholike brethren And then he concludeth in this maner So as this other diuinitie that it may be done for sauing of our credites mainteining our good names and other commodities was not then knowen and commeth now downe from a contrary spirit and Master to Christ and S. Paul By this then it followeth that howsoeuer the Priests can auoid blame this Apologie-maker is in the lurch who hauing so great skill not onely in the sayings of S. Paul but of Christ also and in diuinity and the true meaning of it notwithstanding he thought that some scandall would growe by this his acte aduentured contrary to true diuinitie to write this Apologie The diuinitie which the priests doe professe teacheth them that the scandall of little ones is to be auoided and the scandall of Pharises is to be contemned And as they reade in one place Matth. 16. Qui scandalizauerit c. Whosoeuer shall scandalize one of these little ones which beleeue in mee it were better for him that he had a milstone hung about his necke and he drowned in the bottome of the sea So in another place they finde that Christ when his disciples told him that the Pharises were scandalized at that which he said answered Matth. 15. Sinite illos c. Let them alone they are blind and guiders of the blind There are diuers reasons set foorth by the Priests to iustifie their publishing of their bookes but to an indifferent Reader this place of the Preface is warrant inough since that in this authors opinion there needeth no other caufe then to put some stop or bridle to so licentious and scandalous proceedings least it infect euen the good and trouble the strongest when they see such enormous matters passe without controulment Was there euer any so licentious and scandalous proceedings as haue beene against the Priestes Can Fa. Listers the Iesuites treatize of Schisme be matched for excesse and passion against Catholike priests was there euer such an outrage committed in Christendome by any Catholike to another as this is Harken O ye factious ye are Rebels yee are Schismatikes and fallen out of the Church and spouse of Christ yee haue troden vnder your feete the obedience which yee owe to the highest Bishop yee haue sinned against all humane faith and authoritie by reiecting a moral certainty in a morall matter yee haue violently run into excommunication irregularitie ye haue lost your faculties by which you should haue gained soules to Christ ye haue so scandalized all the godly as now yee are generally become infamous What shall I say more ye haue sinned against Christ his chiefe Vicar and Christ himselfe the Iudge and Iusticer by your disobedience that with Samuel the Prophet we may say Quasi peccatum c. as a thing of southsaying it is to repugne and as the offence of Idolatry not to be willing to be quiet See I pray you that ye are nothing better then Southsayers and Idolaters And because yee haue not heard the Church while she spake vnto you by the chiefest Bishop yee are as Ethnickes and Publicans And here I make an end earnestly desiring the very mightie God that he will yet at the last giue you his grace lest that being thrust into sempiternall destruction with Ethnicks and Idolaters you suffer immortall paines for this your disobedience and scandall Thus farre F. Lister the Iesuite And was it not necessary that there should be some stop put or bridle to this licentious and scandalous proceeding was there not danger that the good might hereby be infected nay is it not euident that many a good soule hath bene infected and many also of the strongest troubled hereby and had not then the Priests iust cause to declare vnto the world how the case stood with them in England and to publish some reasons of their actions especially when after the peace made and all iniuries forgiuen by them the Archpriest did not onely not checke these licentious and scandalous proceedings of the Iesuits broched afresh by them but gaue them his hand in this action and incontinently published this licentious and most scandalous libell which neither hath the authors name nor is likely euer to be iustified We haue receiued a resolutiō from our mother citie that the refusers of the appointed authoritie were schismatikes And surely I would not giue absolution to any that should make no conscience thereof c. And therefore my direction is that they make account thereof and doe make
publique submission and in expresse words acknowledged his errour in that he had not so long a time obserued that saying Qui nescit dissimulare nescit viuere he that knoweth not how to dissemble knoweth not how to liue How farre foorth M.D.B. noted in the margent was a cause of that visitation I know not but if we doe not mistake the man hee was sent into England long before this visitation came to the College And as for the other two Priests whose names are set in the margent in this sort G G.E.G. who are said to haue conspired with the Councell in England and for more grace and gratification haue writ two mischieuous bookes the one saith this authour against D. Allen the other against F. Parsons and the Iesuites giuing them vp to Walsingham the Queenes Secretarie affirming also among other points to make the parties more odious as our men their successours doe at this day that these men depended of Spaniards and were enemies to their Countrey We heartily wish that this authour may liue in as good credit as the one of them liueth after all his trouble in Italy or elsewhere and die as penitent as the other died after his troubles in France He who writ against the Iesuites was too priuie to their actions aswell in England as elsewhere to be deceiued in them And if the Appellants be the men whom here this authour meaneth by these words their successors they may purge themselues very well from any offence in hauing the like thought For it is well knowen that Fa. Parsons in Spaine caused many aswell others as Priestes to subscribe as priests to the title of the Infanta now Dutches of Burgundie Fa. Tancard also hath made many to set their handes to three blanks although some refused to do it as they haue themselues reported at their returne into England We haue moreouer vnderstood that Fa. Parsons was a chiefe dealer in the sending of those Armadoes which the Spaniards haue set out for the inuasion of our Countrey and there are in England with whome hee dealt most earnestly to goe in the Nauie which was set out in the yeere 1596. who refusing to be imployed in any action against their Countrey were for that cause sent away from the College told that it was not conuenient that they should stay in the College where they had giuen example of such repugnance There is moreouer sufficient proofe that after the euill successe of the Spanish attempts Fa. Parsons carried a youth to the king of Spaine who pronounced a certaine speech for the purpose which being ended Fa. Parsons began to vrge the king to giue one attempt more affirming that he silly fellow would write his letters into England and nothing doubted to effect what should be to the great furtherance of such a iourney We haue also certaine intelligence that the Iesuites had deuised a meanes to haue had the tower of London seazed into their hands and how they would haue it held vntil the Spaniard came to rescue them Diuers of their letters haue bin shewed to diuers prisoners for proofe against them when they haue answered in defence of the Iesuites that they thought them free from such stratagems And amongst the rest there is one of the 10. of Iune 1596. wherein there are these wordes It may be if the kings faintnesse and pusillanimitie hinder vs not as heretofore it hath the Armado will be with you about August or September This is one good helpe Ireland wil be onely for vs. The Earle of Tyrone and Odonell would gladly haue helpe from hence and they are well contented to let the Spaniards haue certaine holdes and forts for their vses This will greatly pleasure to trouble and disquiet England and in the mean time serue for harbour for the ships that shall passe that way c. It were necessary you should make it knowen aforehand that no Cath. man or woman shall take harme either in body or goods Let euery man be quiet till the Spaniards be landed then shall there presently proclamation be made of all securitie There were 200. copies of these proclamations printed in Spaine Certaine other letters also haue bene seene of Fa. Parsons to his fellow Iesuits in England wherein he hath wished that the Catho would vnite themselues together set vp a king of England And in his letters of the 24. of Ianu. 1600. to the Earle of Anguise he confesseth that he dealt in such matters for 8. or 10. yeeres But if all these and many other as infallible proofes did faile vs F. Parsons booke of Succession would so farre conuince his dealing in State matters in the behalfe of Spaine as the Appellantes may without scruple charge him with it yet without any intention to make him more odious knowing it a thing very impossible if they were so minded And thus much concerning this authour his folly in indeuouring to gall the Appellantes with the name of Successors to such as affirmed that the Iesuites depended of the Spaniards and were enemies to their Countrey The next fit of emulation here mentioned is against D. Allen when he was to be made a Cardinall and it is set out with a very rich margent and much to our present matter in controuersie I warrant you But not beeing able to preuaile in this against the Card himselfe sayth this author they began to set more earnestly against the Iesuits his chiefest friends and constant defenders as well in stirring vp the schollers in Rome against the Fathers that gouerned them as also to make a faction against them by Secular Priests in England as may appeare by a letter of the Cardinals owne written most earnestly not sixe moneths before his death to a priest named Mush c. There is a speciall Treatise comming forth of the troubles of that Romane English Colledge to which I am to referre the Reader and to note no other thing in this place then that the misdemeanours of the Iesuits was the cause of all those troubles But concerning this foolish assertion that there was a faction against the Iesuits by Secular priests in England the cōtrary is most cleare as all England may witnesse and there is a letter extant of M. George Blackwell the now Archpriest wherein hee inueigheth mightily against those who had made the report that the priests and Iesuites were at strife Ianuary 1596. to th◠C. Caietane And this letter is kept in the English Colledge at Rome registred as an Oracle although perchance not for this clause so much as for the immoderate but false extolling of the Iesuits in doing infinite deeds of charitie out of the profits of their patrimonies nam minima sunt c. sayth M. Black it is not worth the speaking of which they receiue of almes c. And whereas the Card. Allen his letter is here brought to testifie a faction of either the schollers at Rome or the Secular priests in England against the
And perchance this was the cause why being sollicited by M. Collington vpon the comming foorth of the Apologie to certifie him what Supertours did licence the printing thereof he knewe not what to answere And if these words permissu superiorum bee prooued a necessary circumstance of modestie they shall be vsed hereafter in our books also Much idle stuffe followeth to make an end of this chapter as that the Priests doe goe about to disguise matters by laying the fault vpon M. Archpriest and Fa. Parsons as though they did not descend to such particulars as cannot be applyed vnto any other but vnto them They labour to purge themselues from schisme in their forbearing to obey the authoritie appointed by his Holinesse before they did see some instrument from his Holinesse in testimony that he had instituted or giuen authoritie to another for the institution thereof They complaine of hard dealing vsed towards the students and particularly against the two Priests who were not suffered to come to his Holinesse being sent vnto him to deale concerning this new authoritie And whereas the Priests are here charged to contemne the Cardinall Farnesius his doing or writing or procuring for the Archpriest a Protonotariship This fellow seemeth to take it for a disgrace not to make some sport among all his big words For how would a man thinke that he prooueth this negligence or contempe as he tearmeth it Forsooth the Cardinall procured the Archpriest to be protonotarius apostolicus And what then doeth it follow that the priests doe neglect and contemne whatsoeuer the present Protector Cardinall Farnesius hath done or written or deferred to the Archpriest because the Cardinall procured him to be a Notarie But perchance the booke is falsely printed and that which followeth as another contempt is to be vnderstood to be the onely proofe of the contempt of which here is mention These are the words Neither doe they giue him the title of Reuerendissimus due to that degree and vsed towards him by the Cardinall himselfe in his letters We will leaue it to this author to explacate himselfe whether this word neither implieth a second or one onely contempt We will onely excuse the Priestes for not giuing him the title of Reuerendissimus vntill they did know some cause why For as it is to be supposed the priests did not see what Cardinall Farnesius writ vnto M. Blackwell Neither yet haue they seene any thing why he may not challenge to be called Illustrissimus And yet I thinke it were a wonderfull folly if they should giue him that title and he could not but take it as a flout or a mocke to be so called The reason then being all one the Priests knowing no more of the one then of the other it is an argument that this authour wanted both matter and wit to deuise matter For who would haue vsed so great termes against priests for not giuing a title to one to whom a Cardinall gaue it in a priuate letter In what feare may we be striken least that some Cardinall had also written to this authour and giuen him some title which we know not Or if any Cardinall would bestow any honest title vpon him yet this kind of Reuerendissimiship being a matter of twenty or forty crownes he might easily procure it and wee might be condemned for neglecting or contemning somewhat which is not in vse where as skilfull Protonotaries as any are in England do keepe open shops in euery good towne and are knowen amongst their honest neighbours for such But we will let this idle exception go among the other as idle railing speeches with which this authour endeth the first chapter and closeth vp his readers stomacke with them who cannot but see what spirit and in what sort it mooueth him CHAP. 7. How this Author of the Apologie while hee would inueigh against dangerous and temerarious propositions engageth himselfe further then becommeth a Catholike Apol. c. 2. IN the second Chapter of the Apologie this Author purposeth to treate of three things first of disobedience secondly of vndutifull behauiour to superiours namely his Holines thirdly of scandalous and temerarious propositions Concerning the first he bringeth some Scriptures with if and ands as if his reader should prouide himselfe to heare of a great plumpe If all this be so as it is sayth he alas in what case c. And so proceedeth to a lamentation ouer his brethren supposing that the scriptures he brought were as truly applied as they were true in themselues And to prooue the stubbornnesse in the Priests which the good man seemeth to lament he bringeth a clause as he tearmeth it of a letter of Card. Allen to M. Mush dated the 16. of March 1594. whereby he would haue his reader conceiue very strange matters and wrongfully informed himselfe of any euill affection or hard opinion of the Cardinall towards the Secular priests And lest wee should be thought to blame this authors folly without cause wee will set downe his owne words as they lie after his exordium together with the Cardinals letter These are his words For first of all to begin with Cardinall Allen of whom these men would seeme to make most account now he is dead gone as though he had fauoured them when he was aliue which yet as we shall shew is quite contrary for he in his foresaid letter of the 16 of March to M. Mush doth most earnestly giue in charge to him and to all other Priests to liue in great vnion with the Fathers of the Society yeelding for his reason the singular obligation they had to their manifold benefits His words are these I haue heard sayth hee to my great griefe that there is not that good correspondence betweene the Fathers and other priests I cannot tell vpon what discontentment c. But whereof soeuer it commeth it is of the enemie and with all possible discretion and diligence by the wiser sort on both sides to be rooted out or els it wil be the ruine of the whole cause c. Therefore in this point especially M. Mush be earnest and peremptory with all parties and euery one in particular And tell them that I charge and aduise them by the blessed blood and bowels of Gods mercie that they honour loue and esteeme one another according to euery mans age order and profession and that those of the Secular order especially those that haue beene brought vp vnder the Fathers and haue found so great loue charity and helpe in all places at their hands that they be correspondent in all gratitude and thankefulnesse reuerencing them in word and deed as is requisite to their merits and calling c. Thus wrote the good Cardinall not aboue halfe a yeere before his death And by this we see both what his loue opinion was towards the Fathers and what his commandement and order was to all those priests he being superiour to them all appointed by his Holinesse that now are so
contentious against the Iesuits What would the good man haue said if hee had liued till this day to see his request and commandement so contemned by them And how can M. Mush and others name so often the Cardinall without blushing when they breake so earnest an exhortation and order of his in so great a matter The contents in this letter are so plaine as I cannot but marueile at this fellow his boldnesse and how without blushing he can make that descant which here he doeth The letter as all men may see was written vpon a suggestion made vnto the Cardinall that the Priests and Iesuites were dangerously fallen out as may appeare by those words I cannot tell vpon what discontentment And afterward Therefore in this point especially M. Mush be earnest and peremptory with all parties and euery one in particular Thirdly the charge and aduise which was giuen was as deepely giuen to the Iesuits as to the Priests as may appeare by the wordes immediatly following those which we last cited And tell them that I charge and aduise them by the blessed blood and bowels of Gods mercie that they honour loue and esteeme one another according to euery mans age order and profession Fourthly the particular exhortation to the Secular priests to be correspondent in all gratitude and thankefulnesse to the Iesuits loue charitie and helpe with reuerence in word and deed not only as was requisite but as was aboue their merits and calling was long since preuented as appeareth by a letter of F. Campion to F. Euerard the generall of the societie with whome there was no cause why hee should dissemble as may be seene in the Epistle of pious griefe fol. 6. 7. These are his words there cited Tanta est aestimatio quam de nobis concitarunt Presbyteri ipsietiam piissimi doctissimi vt nisi timidè commemorandum sentiam The Priests here who are most learned and holy haue raised such an opinion of vs as I cannot speake it without feare which saying of F. Campion proouing nothing but a correspondence in all gratitude on the behalfe of the priests for the loue charitie and helpe which they had or might haue of the Fathers I cannot but wonder at the Epistle maker who bringeth it to prooue a correspondence in the behalfe of the Iesuits vnlesse perchance he meane that no other gratitude is to be expected of a Iesuite then that he will tell his generall what benefits he receiueth This correspondence of the Priests was so followed still by them vntill the Iesuits grewe so insolent as those who brought them into credit were forced to stand at their reuersion and without respect either to age order or profession they went about tyrannically to haue the gouernment ouer the Priests as may be prooued as well by their attempt at Wisbich as by the beginnings abroad where Catholikes had no entertainment for Priests of what age order or profession soeuer vnlesse they did come by order of a Iesuite and so would the Cardinal haue said if he might haue liued till this day notwithstanding his request and commaundement giuen as well vnto the Secular Priests as Iesuits in these words Tell them that I charge and aduise them by the blessed blood and bowels of Gods mercy that they honour loue and esteeme one another according to euery mans age order and profession yet this fellow without blushing citeth this letter to prooue the Cardinals more speciall affection before his death to the Iesuits then vnto the Priests wherin he giueth a like round charge to them both and in that hee gaue this commission to a Secular priest to be peremptory with all parties this letter doeth rather prooue that hee fauoured the Secular priests then the Iesuits And thus much concerning those fond collections which are made out of this letter by the author of this Apologie Our author hauing shewed as he supposeth that the priests haue disobeyed this the Cardinall Allen his commandement whereas indeed the Iesuits did breake it and draue the priests to stand vpon their owne necessarie defence he pretendeth to shew the priests their progresse from worse to worse but in verie deed discouereth his owne in the same kind And first he out-runneth his reader by briefly touching but vntruly as will be shewed in the particular treatise of the Romane stirs the breaking forth of the students in Rome with the Iesuites and as if his words were Oracles hee applyeth some places of Scripture as he knoweth who did to our Sauiour in the desert then hee pursueth his former confuted falshood of the beginning of new associations in England after the aforesaid tumults ended in Rome telleth his reader that his Holines perceiuing the same to tend to a new diuision and contention as well by the lawes and rules thereof as by a certaine new contumelious and most enormous Memoriall sent ouer against the Iesuits hee appointed them the priests a superiour of their owne order as you haue heard and such an one as their owne two ambassadours sent to Rome confessed vnder their owne hands and othes as appeareth in their examinations that he had bene the likeliest man of al others to be chosen by voices if the election had beene permitted vnto them And so he goeth on without any newe matter or any thing that needeth newe answer only this we are to note for so much as we can learne that neither of those two Priests whom here he calleth the two ambassadours did euer say or sweare so much as here they are charged neither can it be prooued out of their examinations vnlesse the Iesuits haue shewed their skill in corrupting or falsifying those examinations as they haue done in other writings The challenge also which followeth that the Priests did not obey the Archpriest at the sight of the Cardinall Caietans letters is often but now lately by M. Collington sufficiently answered And if the Cardinall had vpon his owne proper motion expected an absolute blind obedience vnto him it had argued too great a want of consideration in him There is also a full satisfaction giuen that what the priestes did might very wel stand with obedience and with humility and was not against any oath which any tooke when they were schollers of the Seminaries that oath being no other then to take orders when the superiour would haue them and to returne into England when they should be sent ad lucrandas animas to gaine soules to God which they did performe vntill this new authority pretending power to take away their faculties by which they laboured in their vocation solo nutu to vse M. Blackwells words to M Charnock in his letters 17. Iunij 1600. at his becke did make them cease for scandall sake to doe that to which by oath they were bound By which it may appeare how foolishly this oath of the Seminaries is vrged against those who did not become blind obedient at the sight of the Cardinals letter to M Blackwell
for such his authority to those priests who found the fault It was said to be obtruded for that neither the priests knew that it came by any lawfull authority nor it selfe brought any gratefull thing with it but rather did grace and strengthen the faction of the Iesuits against them the Archpr. being cōmanded in his instructions to doe nothing of moment without the aduise of the Iesuits who had already begun a most scandalous sedition in England It was said to be disorderly procured c. both in respect of the false suggestion which was the mother thereof as may appeare by the constitutiue letter and also in respect that the principall actors in the procuring thereof were men of an other order who were not onely free frō being subiect vnto it but must be directors also in it especially in matters of moment as appeareth by the Archpr. his 6 instruction All which maner of proceeding being right well knowen and that these principall procurers and counsellers were such as were also knowen to the Counsell to be more medling in matters of State then became them they could not shoot very wide who affirmed that this authority was already thought by her Maiesties Councell to be of purpose erected for the better effecting of such designments Neither was this to bring the archpr or any good Cath that should obey him within the compasse of treason for matter of State but a reason which al good Catholikes might take why the priests were not euer forward to run after the noueltie hauing no other warrant for it then a letter of a Cardinall who vnder colour of pietie might easily be caried by the Iesuits knowen Statesmen to do any thing which might further their designments And the Counsel being knowen to be thus possessed the priests had no reason to runne further into displeasure of her Maiestie her Hon. Councell but rather seeke to be well assured that the ground thereof was no State plot but Religion for which they haue bene and are most ready to shed their blood when it shall please God to suffer it But where doeth this good fellow shew that the priests would bring all good Catholikes that should obey the ordination the Archpriest within the compasse of treason for matter of State See I pray you how he choppeth Logike which point these men to worke more mischiefe do teach the persecutors in plaine words againe a litle after in the same page in these words Besides all this by the opinions of diuers men in the Lawes of our Countrey this our cause may and wil be drawen within the compasse of an olde Lawe enacted as well by our Catholike Bishops and Prelats as by the Prince aboue 300. yeeres agoe viz. the Law of Premunire because it is an externall iurisdiction brought into this Realme against the wil notice of the prince and countrey which made the late reuerend Bishop of Lincolne D. Watson to refuse all externall iurisdiction offered him ouer his fellow prisoners although once hee had lawfull Episcopall Iurisdiction within the Realme was vnlawfully depriued thereof Thus much doeth this author cite out of the English booke to proue that the priests to worke mischiefe doe teach the persecutors in plaine words that all who obey the archpriest are within compasse of treason Is this fellow in his right wits trow ye or must not his Reader be very credulous or at the least very forgetfull who being told that he shall see how the Priests to worke mischiefe teach the persecutours a lesson to bring the obedient within compasse of treason must be serued with an example of a Premunire But neither doe the Priests affirme in this place that the Archpriest or those who obey him incurre the Statute of Premunire but say onely that by the opinions of diuers men in the Lawes of our Countrey this our cause may and will be drawen within the compasse of an olde Law c. And in that they say of diuers men they leaue a scope for others to be of the contrary opinion And if the matter were so cleare as all men were of that opinion there being as expert Lawyers of the Priuie Councell as any other are how can they bee thought to bee taught by the Priests that there is here in our case any danger of a Premunire Who can iudge whether the follie of this authour or his malice were greater when he alleaged this sentence out of the Priests their booke to prooue that they to worke more mischiefe did hereby teach the persecutours in plaine wordes to bring all good Catholikes that obey this ordination and the Archpriest appointed by his Holines within the compasse of treason for matter of State Let vs put the case that there were no danger of a Premunire in this our case yet if by the opinions of diuers men in the lawes of our Countrey it might or would be drawen within the compasse of such a law it had bene wisedome to haue paused vpon the matter and not to haue runne ouer headlong into so great a danger vpon a letter of a Cardinall which added affliction vnto affliction without any good or ease to men otherwise afflicted and might very well haue bene omitted and God much better serued except onely in the triall of his priests who haue euer since the institution of this authoritie liued vnder a grieuous yoke and most extreame persecution vnder the Archpriest Iesuites and other their ouer forward and busie adherents And whereas this authour noteth that the Priests would haue consent of the prince though different from them in religion to be needfull for legitimation of this authoritie hee doth but shew how his pen can play the Gentleman vsher to his wit The lesse the likelihood is that the Prince would legitimate this authoritie the greater was the reason which the Priests did vse for their forbearance to yeelde vnto it It is very well knowen that when the prince did not differ in religion the statutes against the prouision of dignities from Rome was sued And can any man of reason hope for more fauour at the hands of a prince who doth differ in religion If this Archipresbyterie could be prooued so necessary as without it the Catholike religion could not stand in England this glanse were to some purpose and the Priests no doubt would haue bene as resolute in the behalfe of the Catholike faith as they are not sparing their liues in the defence thereof which they daily giue for it although through the businesse of a fewe vntimely Statesmen they are all generally taken for such and are put to death as traytors But the Archipresbyterie being no way so necessary but that it might with much more profit to Gods Church haue bene wanting the Priests most resolute to die in defence of the Catholike faith might aduise themselues whether it were wisedome to runne needelesly into an other danger and of such qualitie as if the magistrate had no way differed
hand will iustifie it against him namely in his letter to a lay gentleman dated the 16. of April 1601. where he affirmeth that he writeth vnto him to make him priuie of the great spirituall danger wherein he and all that receiued any sacrament of M. Oswald Needam might be if it were so that the said M. Needam had subscribed vnto a seditious pamphlet these are his words coloured with the name of an Appeale And hauing denounced M. Robert Drewrie to haue incurred the penalties of his Decrees for subscribing to the same Appeale he sent vnto him a forme of submission which he was to make or not be restored And this was the forme of that submission Ego N. confiteor c. I doe confesse and acknowledge that without any iust cause I haue complayned of grieuances and many iniuries offered mee by the most Reuerend archpriest and haue cast vpon him the blame of these dissentions tumuls and deadly warres and that I haue transgressed his wholesome Decrees of all which I humbly craue pardon restitution of my faculties and the remoouing of Censures if I haue incurred them And I recall all these aforesaid and doe greatly wish that I had neuer spoken written or approoued them Moreouer I doe sweare that I will hereafter behaue my selfe peaceably and obediently towards this my Superiour and will procure according to my bounden duetie what lieth in me that others doe the same At London March an 1600 according to our English account The decree which the archpriest made and by the subscribing to the appeale was and is iudged by him to be broken and these grieuous penalties thereby incurred by those who subscribed beareth date 18. Octob. 1600. The words of the decree are these Prohibemus autem sub poena suspensionis à diuinis amissionis omnium facultatum ne quis sacerdos vllo modo suffragia vel scripto vel verbo danda ambiat vel det ad quamcumque causam quā antea nobiscum vel cum duobus ex Assistentibus nostris non constet fuisse communicatam Wee forbid vnder paine of suspension from diuine offices of losse of all faculties euery Priest to go about to take any suffrage or voyce any maner of way either by writing or by word of mouth or to giue any such suffrage or voyce to any matter whatsoeuer which is not knowen to haue bene before communicated to vs or vnto two of our Assistants This is the decree by vertue hereof the Appellants so setting their hands or giuing consent that their hands should be set to the Appeale are said to haue lost their faculties and incurred the consures which were the Law a iust Law is not true the penaltie not being inflicted therein but onely threatned And whereas the Archpriest and his adherents to faue him from those penalties which are due and are ipso facto incurred by those who forbid Appeales to Rome affirme that there was a Libel and an Appeale that his decree was broken and the penalties therein conteined were incurred by subscribing to the Libel and not to the Appeale it is a poore shift and to be vsed but in a few corners for in his letter before cyted he maketh no difference but in the name onely For these are his words concerning M Needam If it be so that he hath subscribed vnto a seditious pamphlet coloured with the name of an Appeale So that now it is too late to make two things of that to which the priests did subscribe Secondly it is a very grosse ignorance to make two matters of that Appeale all writers affirming that Appeales made à grauaminibus from grieuances must expresly conteine them For breuitie sake Lancelot L. 3. Instit Iuris Can. tit de Apella writeth thus Multum autem interest ab interlocutoria vel alio grauamine an à definitiua nam primo casu causam c. There is a great difference betweene appealing from an interlocutory sentence or other grieuance and a definitiue sentence For in the first case the cause of the Appeale must be put downe in writing c. Yea it is so essentiall a point to such an Appeale as no case can be pleaded which is not expressed in the Appeale as is shewed in that Clementine Appellanti de Appellationibus Thus saith the Pope Appellanti ab interlocutoria vel à grauamine iudicis non licet alias causas prosequi quam in Appellatione sua nominatim duntaxat expressas c. It is not lawfull for the Appellant from an interlocutory sentence or from a grieuance of a Iudge to prosecute any causes but such onely as are by name expressed in his Appeale c. If then there be nothing in that which he calleth a seditious pamphlet or a Libel but an Appeale conteining as it ought the causes thereof what a poore shift is this to say that the Archpriest punisheth or denounceth none to haue incurred his penalties conteined in his Edicts for subscribing to the Appeale but onely for their subscribing to a seditious pamphlet or a libell colored with the name of an Appeale or prefixed to an Appeale The whole Appeale is now set forth in English by M Colington in his late booke that euery man may see whether there is any other thing then we haue said that is an Appeale with the causes thereof expressed as it ought to be and as we haue sufficiently proued it being so euident a trueth as no man may without blushing deny it And to conclude this point if we should attribute so much ignorance to the Archpriest and his busie adherents as that they would separate the Appeale from the causes thereof being an Appeale a grauaminibus from grieuances as it lieth open to all mens view to be such then there is a much greater deformitie in his actions who proclaimeth that the Priests haue subscribed to a seditious pamphlet or a Libel annexed or prefixed to an Appeale and that they haue thereby incurred the censures and other penalties conteined in his Edict of the 18. of Octob. 1600. because there is not one name subscribed to any thing but to that which he must confesse is really the Appeale if hee make such a distinction betweene the Appeale and that which he saith is prefixed vnto it And consequently he must confesse that he hath incurred the censures of holy Church and the iudgement giuen against the Bishops in this place of the Apologie Those Kings of England who had the will to prohibite by Statute Appeales to Rome doubtlesse had neuer the grace to goe to Goose faire where not onely they but their Nobles also aswell the Spirituall as the Temporall might haue learned how they might with conscience haue enacted or consented to the making of such a Statute But this one thing was wanting to make perfect their felicitie in this world they neuer eate a goose at that faire where the courtesie is to minister geese to all commers gratis and the Host will not receiue
apud Secretarios domesticos corum scriptores fere semper expeditae expectantibus accepta earum taxa pro rei natura scripturae mercede restituuntur There is a Cardinall skilfull in the Lawe saith Zecchius who is appointed ouer the office of the Breues who hauing leaue immediatly from the Popes owne mouth or by the relation of some other without any other warrant from him and without the supplication but onely hauing a small abbreuiation of the Breues vieweth the forme of the Breue addeth or diminisheth thereof as it shall please him and when he hath viewed his small abbreuiation of the Breue and set his hand vnto it be deliuereth it backe to those who presented it vnto him and so it is carried as warranted to those to whom it belongeth to make the Breues Hereupon are letters framed in forme of a Breue and written in thinne parchment and being written they are sealed with waxe vnder the Popes scale called annulus Piscatoris by the domesticall Secretaries and their writers almost alwayes and being dispatched they are giuen backe to those who wait for them paying the dueties according to the nature of the matter and the hire or reward for the writing Let vs now lay these matters together first how that Breues be made and his Hol. neuer readeth them nor yet the Cardinall who is president or chiefe in the office after that he hath giuen his warrant for the drawing of the Breue according to that which was shewed to him by the abbreuiator nor knoweth ought of the matter but what the procurer thereof suggesteth Secondly F. Parsons industry to further the plots which he hath layd Thirdly the credit which he hath in Rome by reason of the Spanish faction which he hath many yeres blinded in such sort with putting so great an Iland as England or Ireland or both in their eyes as they cannot see how vainely they wast themselues vpon the foolish promises of so meane a man Fourthly the fault which seemeth to be very great in the Breue where it referreth vs for proofe of a matter to a letter which doth not conteine that which the Breue saieth it doth Fiftly that it may come from diuers offices and no man can with reason blame the priests if they haue some doubt of the maner of procuring this Breue and also affirme thus much God knoweth out of what office it was procured Not accusing it notwithstanding of forgerie as this authour most iniuriously and falsly taxeth them Concerning the other accusation that the Priests doe seeke to drawe his Holinesse pious meaning into matters of State I answere that his Holinesse pious meaning was not knowen or that he had any part in the institution of this authoritie vntill his Breue came And if since this time by the Iesuites meanes or any others his Holinesse hath by any acte in Ireland or otherwise giuen the Councell cause to thinke that hee dealeth in State matters the priests in England are not to be charged with that which may thereupon fall out And it is said that it hath bene confessed by some who are in hold now in England that such a conceite was currant in Spaine that this Archipresbyterie was made for the furtherance of some State plots against our Countrey which at that time perchance was concealed from his Holinesse and a fayrer tale told him of pietie to winne him to institute it at their instance who hoping to get therby what they desired would in time bring the Church gouernement into a company of blind-deuout-obedient children vnder some elder or some Agent which had beene to take away all Ecclesiasticall Hierarchie and ancient approued gouernment in our Church But as it hath bene often sayd and is confessed in this Apologie the Breue came not in a yeere after the institution of this authoritie And therefore these are very malicious accusations and constructions of the priests their words which were written or spoken when they knew no other then that all proceeded from the Cardinall Caietane at the instance of the Iesuites whose troublesome and seditious State-humors were too well knowen in England and gaue too much cause to say more then euer the priests as yet haue said in this kind But now to make an end of this second chapter this author citeth an other proposition out of the English booke that is that confirmation is either most necessary in time of persecution or altogether vaine and as a superfluous ceremony in Gods Church Vpon which assertion thus he runneth which is a very temerarious and scandalous speech not to censure it any further but to leaue it to whom it belongeth But yet he will haue a blow or two at the legges of it at the least Let vs see his play for that the wordes vaine and superfluous ceremony are contemptuous phrases of the heretikes In good time good sir and you by this haue giuen vs some light how it could be possible that you should goe so farre out of the way as you doe not only here but euery where in this Apologie You haue read as we take it that saying of Elias Siautem Baal sequimini illum If Baal be God follow him Those latter words doe best serue your turne the whole proposition is too heauie for you Can you find in any of the priests books where they say that the sacrament of confirmation is a vaine and superfluous ceremony If you can then cite the place and you shall haue humble thankes for your paynes and shall thereby also put the priests in mind of such their temerarious and scandalous propositions If you cannot as we are most sure that you cannot then must you not be offended if we thinke that you set vp your rest vpon Sequimini illum the following of Baal and that your company will suite better with beasts then with men vpon whose last words none but such senselesse ecchoes doe take aduantage His Reader being preiudicially possessed by a cōment vpon the last words he imboldneth himselfe to say somewhat of the whole sentence to wit Neither doth it follow that albeit his Holinesse and predecessours hitherto haue not thought the vse of this Sacrament necessary in England during the time of our persecution as indeede to no man in any time is it absolutely necessarie to saluation therfore good Catholikes should esteeme it for a vaine and superfluous ceremony Note I pray you the pretie sleights which he vseth The priests did say that this Sacrament was either most necessary in time of persecution or els a vaine ceremonie And he telleth vs that albeit his Holinesse hath not thought it necessary in England during the time of our persecution as though his Holinesse could not thinke that this Sacrament of confirmation was most necessarie in the time of persecution and yet not iudge it necessary here and now in our persecution by reason of such misinformations as might be giuen him as if for example any should say vnto
priests would not suffer themselues to be abused and reported to haue been schismatickes as the Iesuits published after the comming of the Breue and the peace made and the Archpriest did not onely not controll this seditious attempt of the Iesuits but furthered it by promulgating a resolution which hee sayd he had receiued from the mother Citie that the priests were schismatikes who refused to obey the authoritie before they sawe the Breue And what els And that they in this very booke do call it in question also how it came forth saying that they doe not know out of what office it was procured by Fa. Parsons meanes Is this to call the Breue in question or rather the maner of procuring it He who vsed the wordes out of which this clause is gathered declareth in the Pamphlet intituled The hope of peace pag. 23 that a Breue may come from diuers places be called an Apostolical Breue and pag 24. he giueth a cause why there might be some ielousie had of indirect dealing in the procuring of this to wit a manifest mistaking of the Cardinals letter which is also noted in the booke to the Inquisition pag. 59 a thing not vnufuall in his Holines Breues Other reasons of theirs are sayth the Apologie that the Cardinals letters Patents are not sufficient to giue the matter credit and this is sufficiently prooued by M. Io B. in The hope of peace pag. 32 33. and since by M. Iohn Collington in his third reason pag. 60.61 and other following M. Doctor Ely also Doctor of both lawes and professor in Pont à musson in Lorraine in his notes vpon the Apologie from the 116 page to the 137. prooueth this point where also that foolish obiection of the eighth priuiledge of a Card. here cited in the Apologie is answered as also by M. Iohn Collington pag. 114. and the authour of the Apologie iustly reprooued for his false dealing in citing this impertinent glosse for he leaueth out a part of the sentence which marreth his market and maketh it euident to what poore straits he is driuen that must cite such a place for himselfe which besides that it maketh not for his purpose it maketh altogether against him in calling that in doubt vpon which hee would build his argument which he would frame in this maner The credit of a Card is so great that if he should say he is the Popes Legate he is to be beleeued though he shew no letters ergo in this as a matter of lesse moment he is to bee beleeued If a debtor tell his creditor he is a Christian his creditor will beleeue him but if he telleth him that he oweth him nothing I doubt whether he will beleeue him notwithstanding he beleeueth him in a farre greater matter then forty shillings to wit that he is a Christian But to their argument First it is to bee seene that it is not infallibly true nor so taken generally that such credit is giuen to a Cardinall For the same glosse in the same place affirmeth that some do doubt thereof And M.D. Ely affirmeth that it may be better said that all do doubt thereof and so he goeth on pag 125. vpon this point shewing vpon how weake a proofe this Apologie standeth and M. Iohn Collington prooueth pag 118. that he to whom a cause is delegated by speciall commandement is greater in the same then is a Legate generall and by this is that supposition also maimed that in our case where the Cardinal is said to haue affirmed that what he did he did by speciall commandement hee was inferiour to a Legate although in very trueth he sayth not so but onely that he had a speciall commandement of his Holinesse to doe what he could for the making vp the breach which was suggested to the Pope to haue been in England betweene the Seminarie priests and Catholikes as may be seene in the letters constitutiue prefixed to M. Collingtons booke And yet to blind such as take pleasure therein this author speaking of the Cardinall demandeth who doth not know what a Cardinals test monie in any Christian Catholike Court is worth especially a Protector testifying and professing in his letters patents to doe it exspeciall mandato Sanctissimi at this man doth in his letters As this man doth not in his letters more then wee now haue sayd which was no commission to make his Subordination Let the letters bee sought and it will soone be seene that this fellow vsed these Latine words of his owne and not out of the Cardinals letters and that the like words are referred by the Cardinall to some other point then the making of this Subordination But to omit the iugling which is vsed betweene the Cardinals doing it sometime as here fol. 108. and his witnessing sometime that his Holinesse did it as it was sayd in the Libel which D. Haddocke and M. Martin Array put vp against M. Doctor Bishop and M. Charnocke at Rome the tenth of Ianuary 1599 and all with the same letters commonly called the Constitutiue letters This circumstance of being Protector doth litle helpe the matter for that as is sayd in The hope of peace pag. 33. this acte of the Card. was a subdelegation as appeareth by those words of his letters Te deligimus c. We make choice of you whom for the time we subdelegate in that charge which was committed to vs and not an acte of Protectorship And pag. 34. it is shewed that the office of a Protector stretcheth it selfe no further then the Court of Rome For so doth Zecchius set it downe in his booke De repub Christiana De statu Ill. Dom. Card. Nu. 9. In hoc Consistorio quaeque prouinciae regularium congregatio ac reges habent suos patres tutelares qui Protectores dicuntur qui electiones alias causas prouinciae sibicommissae in Consistorio proponunt oppositoribus respondent In this Consistorie euery prouince congregation of Regulars and kings haue their Fathers who haue care of them and these are called Protectors these doe then propose elections and other causes of the prouince committed vnto them and doe make answere to such as oppose against them This point is also handled by M. Collington pa. 6◠and by M D Ely pa 163. 164. But not to stand vpon these matters saith this poore man who in trueth can finde no footing in this his cause it is a foule thing what for birds to defile their owne nests as these vnited priests do oft in this Apologie if they are authors thereof you meane some other matter Let vs heare it when for couering our owne wils of not obeying we seeke holes in the coates and authoritie of our Superiors I wil shew you what is a fowle thing when for couering the lewdnesse of others who shot at nothing els then to haue you and all the Secular cleargie of England vnder them as punies and boyes you will take vpon you to patronize and
Paris in this maner First there was no man to enforme the Doctors for the Archpriest As though the Doctors censure had not passed vpon those informatiōs although no one of any side had been present The case was propounded and they gaue their iudgement vpon the case and not vpon any particular person If any that might haue bene then present for the Archpriest could haue proued the case to haue been wrong put let it now be done and it shall be all one For as it is sayd it was the case which was censured which might haue come out of Moscouia for any thing that was set downe to the contrary in the information And the decree being giuen according to the information will be iustified notwithstanding this sencelesse and shameful Edict 29. Maij 1600. We George Blackwell Archpriest of England and protonotary apostolicall c. do strictly command in vertue of obedience and vnder paine of suspension from diuine offices A notorious vsurper and losse of all faculties in the fact it selfe to be incurred all ecclesiasticall persons and also all Lay Catholikes vnder paine of being interdicted likewise in the fact it selfe to bee incurred Is not this a strange charge considering the state in which as well the Lay Catholike as the Ecclesiasticall person now liueth in England Who is it that doeth not expect a prohibition of some grieuous crime You haue heard the charge Now listen to the matter forbidden That neither directly nor indirectly they maintaine nor defend in word or writing the censure of the Vniuersitie of Paris whether it be truely giuen or forged Was there euer in Christendome heard the like presumption that a man of some two or three yeres study and in no Catholike Academi◠of fame should condemne the censure of the most famous Vniuersity in Christendome But wil you heare him excel himselfe who hath excelled the most proud and temerarious censurer in the world Note that which he addeth whether vpon true information or otherwise the Sorbonists haue spun a faire threed when what informations soeuer be giuen vnto them their censure is not to be regarded The second exception which this author seemeth to take is that the Doctors did lightly passe it ouer and defined the matter in the senior Bedels house which such as haue studied in Paris do know to be the vsuall place of their meeting as standing most commodiously for all those who are chosen to meete vpon all causes comming to the Vniuersitie to be determined they themselues not liuing in any one place but scatteringly in the Citie Religious men in their Couents Pastors in their parishes Readers and other Doctors in their seuerall houses or Colledges How lightly they passed it ouer I know not neither is the matter of any such difficultie in it selfe that it should aske great studie But it is an argument that they were not ouer carelesse what they sayd who commanded the Bedell to write it downe as their definition in such wise as euery thing els doeth passe them in their consultations of greatest matters The third exception is that it was giuen vpon some sinistrous information and that therefore the Doctors did prudently giue their censure in this maner They committed no sinne at all in that fact in it selfe considered And that they added these words for that they knew not what scandall euill example sedition and contention and hurt to the common cause had ensued thereof Had this author in place of this word thereof put after he had done more wisely as I thinke for in that he vseth this word thereof either he declareth himselfe to be very sottish or els that the Vniuersitie was very vnaduised in adding these words that fact in it selfe considered for which words this author commendeth their wisedom for if the fact in it selfe were such as so much hurt did ensue thereof how could the fact in it selfe be cleered from all sinne True it is that scandal followed after But it yet remaineth vnproued that it ensued vpon the priests fact doeth not much hurt come after much good and shall we say that the harme ensued vpon the doing of the good in such sense as that the good which is done must be a necessary cause of the euil which had not perchance otherwise been The fact then in it selfe considered being without sinne we are to seeke who sowed the Zizania which perchance had neuer been sowed where it was had not the husbandman sowed good corne before The priests perceiuing what was intended and was likely to fall vpon them if they sought not some meanes to preuent it sent two of their brethren vnto his Holines to preuent it if they might for contrary to all custom in Christendome there was a superioritie challenged ouer all England and Scotland as deriued from the Sea Apostolike without any letters from the said Sea for warrant thereof and in the meane time the priests deferred their submission to the authoritie as well vpon this cause as other contained in the information to the Doctors of Sorbon The Iesuits and their faction of which the Archpriest being now become the head were impatient of delay and because the priests did not subiect themselues in this interim but stayed their submissiō vntill they did see the Popes letters they first vsed their tongues then their pennes and both writ and approoued seditious libels against the priests tearming them therein Schismatikes excommunicate persons irregular fallen from the Church of God and what not that malice it selfe could deuise from which slanders while the Priests sought to defend themselues great troubles haue risen in England Now then the question must be whether the Priests were the sinfull cause of these contentions by this their forbearance to subiect them selues before they sawe the Popes letters or rather the Iesuites and Archpriest by those their seditious and sinnefull tongues and libels The fact of the Priests in it selfe considered that is their forbearance vpon such causes say the doctors and prudently sayth this author was no sinne at all but the doctors were not truly informed sayth this author and therefore their sentence was of no force But what then were the defects in the information giuen to the doctors through which the doctours are thought to haue erred in their sentence Forsooth first the priests did not tell them that the Card. was Protector of the nation What if the priests did not know that he was Protector of the nation when his letters came into England but onely Protector of the English Colledge at Rome as his predecessour was intituled and neuer knowen by any other title as may appeare by the Bull of Pope Gregory 13. for the institution of that Colledge and the Thesis either in Philosophie or Diuinitie which were in the publike exercises dedicated vnto him Moreouer it is euident that this which this Card. Protector did hee did it by a delegation from his Hol. and not as a Protector and therefore it had beene
any warrant from him and to open vnto him what perill might thereby come to the Catholike cause and offering themselues their cause with all submission to his Holines as the effect also prooued whatsoeuer this slanderous Libeller suggesteth to his blind obedient Reader But this author sheweth whatsoeuer he saith that he careth not if his Holinesse his sides be pierced so that he may keepe Fa. Parsons sides whole Now to that which ensueth saith this authour there is extant a letter written by F. Parsons to M. Bishop of the ninth of October 1599. containing a certaine briefe capitulation of the principall points that passed in this action of the messengers restraint in Rome c. To which letter there is answere made in the English booke where this letter is set downe at large and the answere is such as this authour with a litle snarling onely at it letteth it passe quietly neither is it a cauilation but a very material point that the notary so much talked of in that letter and in a wicked false letter of the 20. of February 1599. vnder the name of M. A. as if M. Martin Array had bene the doer of it was a Iesuite and that he put in and out what F. Parsons would haue him being himselfe the examiner although the Popes Comissary did twice or thrice shew himselfe in that time and if euery dayes examination had bene read as it was not in the presence of him who was examined yet F. Parsons might cause somewhat to be written otherwise then the prisoner did deliuer it and to haue somethings blotted out againe when the prisoners answere was contrary to his former information giuen by him either to his Holinesse or others neither was euery daies examination subscribed the same day for the prisoner neuer set his hand but to the last sheete which was of such impertinent stuffe as it might be added to any examination and the same hand which writ the examination being a Iesuits hand at the commandement of F. Parsons he might notwithstanding the scoring of the margent and the after registring if it were registred shew what he listed and if their examinations be extant as here it is said then will appeare in some of them many things blotted out sometime some words which F. Parsons caused to be writ contrary to that which the prisoner deliuered sometime a whole question with some part of the answere thereto when F. Parsons could not obtaine of the prisoner to make such answere as hee would haue him for remedy whereof F. Parsons tooke alwayes afterward this course that hee would neuer haue his question written downe vntill hee had heard what answer the prisoner would make that if the answere were such as he could wrest it to his purpose then should the question be set downe and himselfe would for breuities sake frame the answere about which there was diuers times some alteration about wordes which the prisoner vsed not but was often contented to let F. Parsons haue his will when the words were such as he knew he could interpret to good sence notwithstanding his examinators false intention hoping alwayes that hee should haue so much fauour when the matter should grow to an issue And although that neither all the examination was euer taken nor that which was taken let to stand as it was taken but somwhat was blotted out as is said and many answers out off vnder pretence sometime of breuitie sometime that there should be another Interrogatory to which such an answere would be more fit the prisoners subscribed sware but to what Not that there was al which was asked or answered nor that F. Parsons had not dealt in this kinde but that those answeres which were there made were truely sincerely giuen which maketh nothing to the clearing of F. Parsons or the proouing of his honest dealing And now you shall heare what matters this author hath picked out of their examinations and thereby perceiue what this good fellow would say First then to talke of substantiall points sayth this author the examination of M. Charnocke beginning the 4. of Ianuary and that of M. Bishop the 10. of Ianuary 1599 and passing ouer all other demaunds which these men call impertinent they were asked what was the cause and reason of their comming to Rome who sent them c. To this M. Charnocke being first examined answered in these words Causa aduentus nostri haec fuit vt rogaremus humillimè c. The cause of our comming to Rome was this that we might beseech most humbly and with all obedience the Sea Apostolicke that this order appointed by Card. Caietan for composing controuersies in England and to make peace not beeing hitherto confirmed by his Holines as we vnderstood it is said by diuers priests and namely Fa. Sicklemore and others might be mitigated or changed or some other order appointed with it for satisfaction of very many priests who doe thinke reseruing notwithstanding due honour to the Sea Apostolike that by this way appointed onely the strises begun cannot so well be ended c. But if it should please his Holinesse to confirme this authority and to admit no other then are these priests content to yeeld all obedience c. and as for the Superiour appointed â—… spake with the Archpriest before I came forth and desired him not to be offended with me if I went to Rome about this matter and hee gaue me leaue to goe to deale for the change thereof Thus farre the Apologie by which it may appeare what cause there was of the Priests so long trouble in Rome their apprehension by Iesuits and Sbirri vpon the feast of S. Tho. of Canterbury the most principall feast of any particular in all our countrey their keeping so close by the Iesuites as they might not goe out of their seuerall prisons to heare masse vpon some of the most principall feasts in Gods Church their being debarred to speake not onely one of them with the other but also with any to aske councell except the Iesuits their being debarred to come to the altar otherwise then lay men vntill the 7. or 8. of February notwithstanding they had by vertue of a Iubile receiued absolution by the same Iesuits from all censures which it was supposed that either they had or might haue incurred by this iourney to Rome their continuance in close prison vntill the 8. of April notwithstanding they had so discharged themselues before the two Card. Caietan and Burghesius vpon the 17. of February in the English Colledge as both they themselues and the whole Colledge were tolde that they should within two or three dayes after haue their libertie their being afterwards although somewhat more easily imprisoned the one vntill the 22. of April the other vntill the 6. of May their being banished their country and confined the one to France the other to Lorayne without any one penny or pennyworth allowed them for their maintenance in those
knoweth not who first did motion it or why he was requested to it rather then another as by one who knoweth both the first motioner and why he was imployed yet his Reader must hereby perceiue what authenticall mission and commission it was and yet is there much bad dealing in the relation of M. Bishops answere as appeareth in a treatise ioyned to M.D. Ely his notes vpon the Apologie fol. 13 But yet further saith he to say a word or two of the very chiefe point of their commission and cause of comming to Rome you haue heard that M. Charnocke saith and sweareth before that their onely comming was to supplicate most humbly to the sea Apostolike c. he hath made his blind reader beleeue that hee hath seene and perceiued now his Reader must in like sort beleeue that he hath heard what M. Charnocke say and sweare that their onely comming was to supplicate c. if his readers memory will serue him so farre as to remember what he hath lately read concerning this point or turne backe some two or three leaues he shal finde this word onely foysted in by this authour to make his Reader beleeue in the next page fol. 133 that M Bishop and M. Charnocke did scarce seeme agreed in the causes of their comming to Rome After this boldnesse to abuse his reader for his purpose he sayth a word or two of the very chiefe point of their Commission cause of comming to Rome which he thus abridgeth to supplicate most humbly to the Sea Apostolike that if the foresayd order of the Archpriests authoritie were not yet confirmed by his Holinesse as they had heard Fa. Sicklemore and some others had reported that then the same might be either mitigated or changed or some other order appointed together with it Thus hath hee layed downe the priests their plaine song now marke what descant he hath made thereon so as now sayth he our brethren seemed not to doubt of the trueth or value of the Cardinals letters nor were not yet growen to be so bold as to affirme that his Holines could not do it without their consents except he violated the Canons nor that it was aforreine Iurisdiction subiect to treason and Premunire if it were acknowledged and other such like deuises Our brethren neuer grew to any such boldnes as he termeth it as to affirme any thing of Treason or Premunire but onely shewed that they had iust cause to forbeare to admit the authoritie both in regard that by the opinions of diuers men of Iudgement in the lawes of our countrey this our case may and will be drawen within the Compase of an olde lawe c. viz. the law of Premunire as it is set downe in the English booke pag. 6. where also is shewed that by the accepting hereof the priests might be taken for to comply with the chiefe authors thereof in al such state matters as were practised by them And these were rather causes for them why they were not ouer hastie to admit of this authority then arguments vrged against it And yet neither of these causes haue or can be proued insufficient And for more proofe that these causes were not giuen in any other sort the priests did submit themselues when they did see his Holinesse letters in confirmation thereof But now let vs heare the first part of this mans descant So as now saith he our brethren seemed not to doubt of the trueth or value of the Cardinals letters nor were not yet growen to be so bold as to affirme that his Holinesse could not doe it without their consents except hee violated the canons How doth this fellow vpon M. Charnockes answere gather this If there were no doubt of the trueth and value of the Cardinals letters why is it here sayd that M. Charnocke put this doubt if the foresayd order of the Archpriests authority were not yet confirmed by his Holinesse Did this speach imply a doubt or no if it did how boldly doth this fellow descant vpon a doubt and say that it was no doubt if it did not imply a doubt let him tell vs how a man may more properly make a doubt then by this word if Perchance he may meane that the priests did not doubt but that those letters were the Cardinals letters and then he sayth well but he doth not descant right for the question was whether that the Card. letters had receiued any force by his Hol. confirmation as may appeare by that which is here by himselfe set downe and whereas hee sayth that the priests were not so bolde as to affirme at that time that his Holinesse could not doe it without their consents except hee violated the canons the priests were bold to affirme with humilitie and reuerence to the Sea Apostolike as much But howe doth he proue that they were not yet growne to that boldnesse Forsooth because no such matter was set downe in this point of M. Charnocks answere as though euery thing must of necessitie be set downe which the priests had to say or could say but this is perchance an idle shift now deuised by the priests and coyned for the purpose Listen then to that which is set downe by this author in the Epistle to his Holinesse past the middle thereof Yet a fewe not the twentieth part of our English Clergie and presumed to impugne the same the Subordination calling first in question the sayd Cardinals letters their trueth faith and integritie the indifferencie of his person in iudgement and affection Then also your Holinesse meaning yea your authority it selfe whether you could doe it without them or no the canons of Holy Church obserued with other like vnseemly oppositions for prosecution whereof they sent two of their company to Rome But this was forgotten when the author of the Apologie came to this Chapter Furthermore it was obiected against the two priests at Rome that they had there giuen out that they doubted whether his Holinesse could appoint them a Superiour without their priuitie and consent obseruing the lawes of holy Church as may appeare by the libell Master Doctor Haddocke and Master Martine Aray deliuered vp to his Holines as was sayd 10. Ianuary 1599 for there in the second Article are these words Ipsi verò nihil credere nec acquiescere sed haesitare ad omnia non admittere authoritatem vocare in dubium an vera essent quae literis illis continebantur Sanctissimi iussu hanc esse constitutam si verum id erat dubitare tamen an pontifex facere possit vt ipsis inconsultis ac inuitis superiorem ijs cōstituerit quod postea etiam quum Romam appulerunt dicere ac saepius etiam repetere non sunt veriti vt per testes idoneos probare possumus That is but they speaking of M Collington and M. Charnocke when the Archpriest first sent for them would beleeue nothing nor obey but did sticke at all things they would not admit the
authoritie they called it in doubt whether those things were true which were contained in these letters of the Cardinals namely that the authoritie was constituted by his Hol. commandement and if it were so yet they doubted whether his Hol. could appoint them a Superiour vnwitting and vnwilling thereto which afterward they feared not to say when they came to Rome yea and repeated it often as we can proue by conuenient witnesses And yet would this fellow perswade his reader that the priests did first contradict or oppose themselues against the authority and then afterwards finde some reasons for it yea after the two priests were gone to Rome notwithstanding these plaine testimonies of his owne that the priests had these difficulties at the beginning But perchance M. Charnockes answere put all these things out of his memorie non putarat he thought not vpon it How so Forsooth M. Charnocke said that the cause of his comming was to supplicate most humbly to the Sea Apostolike that if the aforesayd order of the Archpriests authoritie were not yet confirmed by his Holinesse as they had heard that Fa. Sicklemore and some other had reported that then the same might be either mitigated or changed or some other order appointed with it thus he collecteth M. Charnocks answere and thereupon commeth with a so as now our brethren seemed not to doubt c. nor were yet growne to be so bold as to affirme that his holinesse could not doe it without their consents except he violated the canons c. The humble spirit of the priests who hauing many and most iust causes to deale in other maner then by way of supplication being measured by his own proud humor of wrangling where he had no iust cause brought him into this error Next follow the reasons or causes which mooued M. Bishop to come to Rome which were sixe and hee here setteth them downe and proueth that he and M. Charnocke did scarce seem to agree in the causes of their comming And how so Forsooth M. Charnocke sayd and sware that his onely comming was to supplicate c fol 132. But whosoeuer will turne to M. Charnocks oath set downe fol 129. shal find this iugler and how that this word onely is here foisted in by him for this purpose And so much sayth he of this for that it were ouerlong to run ouer all points and not finde one for his purpose without a litle of his arte which will serue him no longer then vntill it commeth into the aire for then all this painting and false colours will easily be descried and himselfe worthily laughed at for his so grosse counterfeiting yet this in briefe they affirmed both of them that as for the Archpriest they brought nothing lawfully prooued against him either in learning life or manners and the like they affirmed of the Iesuits An euident argument euen to F. Parsons and the rest that they went to Rome to deale in peaceable manner with his Holines concerning these matters beeing able to bring more matters vnder the hands of sufficient witnesses then the Archpriest will be euer able to answere and which in any court of Iustice would haue hindered his confirmation But this authour setteth downe his matters somewhat warily the priests brought nothing against the Archpr. lawfully proued as for the Iesuits let any indifferent man iudge whether the priests were in place to haue medled with them further then that the Iesuits were their Iaylours somewhat belike they could haue said but they brought nothing lawfully prooued M. Bishop sayth he said he heard his fellow Rob. say that M. Collington and himselfe had heard the Archpriest vtter an hereticall proposition which was that they could not appeale from him to Rome They both affirme that hee stood very peremptorily in it after that hee was warned thereof and if M. Bishop did affirme that this proposition was hereticall or the author of the Apologie doe thinke so of it himselfe I wonder that M. Bishops fellow Rob. was not asked the question his examination not being ended in some 6. or 7. dayes after that M. Bishop was dispatched as appeareth here fol. 134. and this is one speciall matter which this author chuse out of many ouer which it had beene ouerlong to runne ouer Will ye heare another in briefe as he sayth M. Charnocke beeing asked what money they had made answere for 30. crownes more then M. Bishop tooke notice of which perchance this author here inserted that his reader might giue credit to M. Bishop when he said as is extant in the English booke pa. 171. The examinations were what is your name how olde where remained you in England how and which way came you ouer what money brought you ouer with you c. and much such like impertinent stuffe to fill vp the papers that when wee came to the matter it selfe they might be briefe taking barely what we came about without the reasons perswasions of it yea obiecting against it and peruerting it what they could The third principal point which notwithstanding the hast was in no case to be ouerslipped but rather run ouer is a disagreement betweene M. Bishop and M. Charnocke about one point of their commission And thus forgetting how he had before foisted in this worde onely to make a disagreement betweene them in that the one should say that their onely comming was to supplicate c. fol 132. and the other alledge sixe causes of his comming Now hee is contented that M. Charnocke should say that he had diuers points in commission and how commeth this kindnesse ouer him forsooth he would faine find another disagreement betwixt M. Bishop and M. Charnocke and for this purpose hee must intreat his reader to forget that he had before made him beleeue how that he had heard that M. Charnocke said and sware that their onely comming was to supplicate c. and now that it will please him to vnderstand that Master Charnocke said that he had in commission amongst other points for to procure that no bookes should be hereafter written by Catholicks that might exasperate the state of England M. Bishop said that he liked not that commission but rather it should be left as hitherto to the discretion of the writers adding further that in his opinion such bookes as before had beene written had rather done good then hurt M. Doctor Ely hath noted vpon the Apologie that the author thereof is much troubled with the chincough which in his relating this point may be very easily seene by his leauing out of certaine wordes at the end of the point auouched by M. Charnocke to haue beene in his commission The words are these sine necessitate aut vtilitate without need or profit which words being added vnto the point as he calleth it in M. Charnocks commission or the petition of the priests as they tearmed it maketh the matter so iust a request as no man of sense can dislike thereof But the very
of their liues and one of them had suffered imprisonment for the Catholike faith which sentence sayth this author they accepted and confirmed also by a corporall oath This fellow forgetteth himselfe This sentence he sayth was by way of a letter to F. Parsons who was Rector or to the Vicerector and by F. Parsons onely was this sentence shewed first to M. Charnocke who was yet in prison then afterwards to M. Bishop who was at liberty and had ben so some certaine dayes And neither did F. Parsons exact any oth of them neither did they take any vnto him And in the tenth Chapter fol. 155. it is vrged that this oath was exhibited by the immediate Commissarie or Delegate of his Holines which titles belonged not to F. Parsons to whome this letter was directed by the two Cardinals as shall hereafter appeare The truth of this story and how this letter lay hid as was pretended in F. Parsons chamber for certaine dayes as he told M. Charnocke is set downe in the booke dedicated to the Inquisition pag 88. and it goeth vncontrolled and vntouched which in the iudgement of any indifferent man it should not if any iust exceptions could be takē against it Yet must his Reader be told that this author proceedeth no otherwise then in such sort as must satisfie all men for this he sayth fol. 126. speaking of himselfe offering for proofe either the publique testimonies of his Holines the two Cardinals Protectors Acarisius the Popes Fiscal and other parties that were actors or priuie to the cause or else the depositions of the said messengers themselues vnder their hands and oaths or finally the witnesse of the whole English Colledge and nation that knowe what passed in this matter which is another manner of proceeding then to publish things in corners by way of libels without any further ground of trueth then the will or malice of the publisher But these testimonies so much vanted of are loth to come to light or are caried into some farre countreys as disdaining to be in corners such as England Flanders France and Italy for these were the corners in which the priests books were published and in these corners haue the priests iustified their bookes which this poore fellow calleth libels to shift them off by one meanes or other And the priests were neuer so daintie of their bookes but that they who opposed themselues against them might haue Gods plenty for their comfort whereas contrarywise this miserable Apologie had a quartane euery time that it came to any of the priests hands and when it was to be seene by them it was by stealth and but for an houre or two so did it quake for feare of being found to be such stuffe as since it hath bene sufficiently discouered Yet to encourage the blind-obedient it telleth them of Popes and Cardinals testimonies and authenticall matters and bringeth nothing which can please these blinde affectioned but some railing words against Catholike priests as though if it could perswade the reader that they were most wicked by often inculcating it vnto him the cause were wonne and a railing word of this authors mouth would be of more weight to determine a controuersie then all possible right in the part oppressed But the indifferent reader will weigh his reasons and not his foule words and iudge of matters not as they are said to be but as they are prooued And thus much in answere to the ninth Chapter CHAP. 15. How this Apologie-maker shuffleth off the true cause of this present controuersie and layeth the blame thereof vpon the Secular priests Apol. cap. 10. IN the tenth chapter of the Apologie the author thereof intendeth to shew how that all controuersies were ended vpon the publication of his Holines Breue and how that a new breach was made He promiseth also to handle some excesses of his brethren and of their dealings with the Counsell The first point he handleth very slenderly as it should seeme for he forgetteth often that euer the controuersies were ended The second he layeth falsly to the priests as shall be shewed and in the rest he onely sheweth his merchandize And thus he beginneth this Chapter After that his Hol. had well considered the little waight of reason which these two former messengers had brought in the behalfe of their partners in England for raising so great a sedition against the Protectors letters and Archpriests incitation and had giuen some due reprehension to the sayd messengers as by their restraint aswell in Rome as by that they were not permitted to returne presently into England he thought conuenient to confirme the sayd Protectors letters c. In these few lines it is to be noted first how that his Holinesse is sayd to haue restrained the priests who went to Rome vpon consideration of the little waight of reason which they brought and permitted them not to returne or as we say in English banished them not onely England but Scotland also and Ireland yea and confined them to seuerall Countreys without allowing them any thing for their maintenance Secondly how his Holinesse confirmed the Cardinals letters Touching the first it is knowen to all the world or at the least in those parts which this author calleth corners those are England Flanders France and Italie where their bookes haue been published or sent that the two priests were restrained before they deliuered any reasons of their forbearance to subiect themselues to the Archpriest and as yet no one part of their relation hath been prooued faulty They haue layd downe an orderly narration of their messengers disorderly restraint through the false wicked suggestiōs of their aduersaries before that they had any audience and thereby haue made it euident that his Holines did not restraine them vpon any consideration of their reasons because he heard them not nor any cause else before they were restrained Secondly it is at large related both in the English booke pag. 97.98.104.105 and els where as also in the booke to the Inquisition pag 77. how that when the priests came to their answere before the Cardinals Caietane and Burghese they were not suffered to haue a copie of their accusations brought against them although it were most earnestly demanded by them that they might make their answere thereunto but a dissembling shew was made to haue all matters taken vp in peace and quietnes And this author not being able to gainesay any of this how shamelesly doth he here tell his reader that his Holinesse had well considered the little weight of their reasons and had therefore not onely restrained them but banished them or as he tearmeth it not permitted them to returne presently into England And although it be true which this author affirmeth that his Holines confirmed the Card. letters yet it is euident that he did not vpon consideration of the little weight of the messengers their reasons for they were neuer suffred to deliuer them as the custome of God Church was
where a matter is instituted and some doe offer themselues to those to whō it belongeth to shew what they haue to say in it before it be established Neither hath this author shewed or can without a tricke of his accustomed falshood say that the two priests euer appeared in this action before any other then those two Cardinals vpon the 17. of February 1599. or that they did not at that time make request to haue the copie of the Libel to make their answere vnto it And as for their examinations who is so simple as to build any matter thereon as though that were a place or time conuenient for them to deale in the charge committed vnto them being both asunder and priuatly talked with or examined by their professed enemies The time and place of triall was before the appointed Iudges when and where this author must shewe that they did not offer to make their answere to whatsoeuer was obiected against them and namely to that absurd Libel which M D. Haddock and M. Martin Array put vp against them concerning a sedition as the Libel tearmeth it supposed to haue bene raised in England by them and their fellowes by not admitting the authority vpon the sight of the Cardinals letters Here was this author to haue shewed a defect of the messengers their reasons and not to haue ouerslipped these partieulars which passed in this time and place being the sole time and place in which the two messengers met might haue shewed their reasons if they might haue been heard But this author his fairest game is to slubber vp al material points and to beare his reader in hand in generall tearmes with testimonies of Popes and Cardinals which indeed he bringeth some time but not at all for the matter in which he ought to bring his testimonie or to controll any thing which is set downe by the priest And so doth he bring here an authenticall testimony that his Holines confirmed the Cardinals letters But he prooueth not thereby that the priests restraint and banishment were iust But let vs examine this testimony which is here brought and wee shall finde a notorious falsifying of the Popes letters He the Pope thought conuenient to confirme the sayd Protectors letters and euery part and parcel thereof with a new Breue dated the sixt of April 1599. Affirming omnia singula de expresso mandato ordine cum participatione certa seientia nostris facta ordinata fuisse esse That all and euery thing contained in the same letters were done and ordayned by his Holinesse expresse commandement and order and by his certaine knowledge and participation All this is truely related out of the Breue And had he here made a stop he might haue been accounted an idle fellow to cite a matter of which not one word proued any thing at all that the little waight of their reasons was a cause of the priests restraint in Rome confinement in strange Countreys or confirmation of the authoritie But he will goe a little further and because if he had cited the Latine he should haue discouered his falshood he maketh a stop thereat and goeth forward with an English translation of the Brene in this manner And therefore to haue been and to bee firme and in force and of most full validitie c and so to bee taken and executed of all men c. which couple of c. is an argument that he went on forward citing the Breue for his purpose but how honestly let euery man iudge the Latine being in this maner Ac propterea valida firma efficacia existere fore c. decernimus We decree therefore that now vpon this confirmation they bee and shal be of force firme and of efficacie And who is so blinde that doth not see whether he will or no that these words here inserted by this author to haue bene are falsly thrust in by him to cousin his reader and to haue him beleeue that his Holinesse declared in this Breue that all things were of force by the Cardinals letters which besides the most grosse imposture is most absurd and against all law and reason as is euery where shewed the letters being no other then from a Cardinall for the institution of a very great authority giuen by him without shewing any commission from his Holines by which he might doe it But there is no dealing for this Author if hee should deale honestly in any one matter concerning the question in controuersie But the Archpriest hath presumed to goe a litle further in adding these words ab initio And in this Edict against the censure of Paris he telleth his subiects that the Pope had confirmed the Cardinals letters as validas ab initio to haue beene of force from the beginning which if they could beate into the cares of the blind-obedient it is as much as they desire For they haue taken from their sight the view of all bookes wherein they might discouer how falsly they are lead and perswaded by guides blinder then themselues This declaration saith he and confirmation of his Holines when it came foorth euery man was of opinion that all questions and controuersies would be ended thereby seeing that nothing was pretended before by the troublesome so pleaseth it this foule mouthed fellow to tearme the Priests but only to haue certaine intelligence of his Holinesse will and meaning Doubtlesse all that meant wel and honestly thought that here would haue been an end of all controuersies not because the priests pretended nothing els then to know his Holinesse will for this author knoweth the contrary but yet must say somewhat although contrary to his owne knowledge manifested in the 8 chapter of the Apologie fol. 107.108.110 where he pretendeth to giue satisfaction to the reasons alleaged by the priests before this Breue was made but because the priests did alwayes offer which also they perfourmed that so soone as they should see any Breue in confirmation of this authoritie they would yeeld themselues notwithstanding the reasons which they had to the contrary But this fellow imagineth that vnlesse he practiseth his trade of lying almost in euery line he shall lose that habit which hath must get him all the credit which he looketh for The priests gaue their words both in England in Rome by them whom they sent thither that al should be quiet vpon the sight of the Breue But the Iesuites and Archpriest did not giue their words that the peace should endure And thereupon was the peace broken and not by the Priests as is set downe in al these bookes of the Priestes and as yet neither is nor can bee disprooued by this Authour who heere vndertaketh an answere vnto them I omitte the kindenesse which was offered vnto the two priests by F. Parsons it is sufficiently discouered in the bookes already set forth The English Catholicke nation in Rome here spoken of vsed them indeed somewhat
one and therefore must carry credit howsoeuer this Apologie hath cracked it there followed another letter of another reuerend priest who affirmeth that D. Bagshaw is at the last constrained to yeeld his obedience to their Superiour with the rest of his confederats If it be true sayth hee that M. Mush and some others affirme And yet there is a greater argument but it is against M. Bluet If sayth this author the said keeper of Wisbich castle doe not greatly abuse M. Bluet And this standing vpon so nice a point I will leaue to them who haue will to compare their honesties together and conclude contrarily to this authors conclusion fol. 153. for there he concludeth in this maner By this then and diuers other wayes which we leaue to speake of heere the priests are much bound to him for sparing them it is easie to see what manner of negotiation these men had in hand when the Breue came and how farre they were embarked and intangled c. you must cōceiue some strange linke by this c. with the Councell at this very time How gladly would any blind man see this and bragge when he hath done with the best sighted For who that hath his eyes can see any such matter out of these fond surmises out of their owne letters and a memoriall of a man of whome they themselues haue some doubt whether hee did not abuse the party whome he tooke for his author who doth not rather see to what poore shifts this author is driuen who to determine so weightie a question as he proposed fol. 148. which part hath broken the peace can say nothing but perhaps and as is supposed and it is very likely and it may be and it is thought with other such foolish suspicions and doubts of which all this discourse is full from the first entrance into the consideration of much more consequence fol. 144. to this conclusion By this then fol. 153. How much more directly doe the priests in all places solue this question affirming without any such foolish shuffling that the Iesuits first namely F. Iones began this breach by broaching afresh that the priests were schismatickes And the Archpriest seconded him with a most seditious letter which hee sent abroad wherein hee signified that he had receiued a resolution from the mother Citie that the refusers of the appointed authoritie were schismatikes And this haue the priests set downe in their bookes to haue beene the cause of the breach and this cannot be denyed to haue beene done by the Archpriest after the peace was made although this author in chap. 11. fol. 167. taketh notice that in the booke to his Holinesse pa. 62. there is this marginall note Origo nouarum contentionum fuit Archipresbyteri Epistola violenta The beginning of new cōtentions was a violent Epistle of the Archpriest And vpon this note he exclaimeth in his religious maner against the priests that they would breake out againe vpō an angry epistle And he runneth himselfe so out of breath as although this note is set at the very bottome of the 62. page he could not step ouer to the 63 page where some part of this angry epistle is thus set downe Ab vrbe c. we haue receiued a resolution from the mother Citie that the refusers of the appointed authority were schismaticks But the marginall note was ynough for him to exercise his milde spirit against the priests and by concealing wherefore that note was made and what was in the discourse to cousen his blinde reader who must not once looke into the priests bookes for feare lest their guides falsenesse be discouered And thus haue I shewed how the Iesuits the Archpriests want of consideration hath bene the cause of all these present broiles and that this diuision should not onely not be cured but be brought in time to a greater breach as by the euent we haue seene performed Whereby also it appeareth how false this narration is of this author For first saith he vnder the foresaid pretēce of a satisfactiō to be made vnto them of their fames woūded delay was made of reconciliation Hath this fellow so soone forgotten himselfe what he said in this 10. Chap. fol. 147. out of M. Archpriests letter to Fa. Parsons dated the 3. of Iune 1599 I was inforced saith he vpon their contentions and contemptuous behauiour that is their appeale from him to the Pope as is set downe in the booke to the Inquisition epist. 52. 53. to suspend the vse of faculties in M. Collington M. Mush and M. Heburne But now God be blessed vpon the sight of the Breue Apostolicall that you sent they haue in such maner submitted themselues that I haue giuen them restitution of their losses The Breue also of the 17. of August 1601. excludeth al delay affirming that so soone as euer the priests did see the former Breue they presently submitted themselues yet must this fellow to keepe himselfe in vre as if all his discourses were bastards if they were in the beginning middle or ending any other then false tales tell his Reader that there was delay made of reconciliation vnder pretence of hauing satisfaction which howsoeuer the accusers of the priests shall make to God they are neuer able to make to them Then saith he new quarels pickt new complaints fained new exaggerations made by words and writings both against the Archpriest the causes hereof are layd downe before and the whole story at large sent to the Inquisition the Cardinals protections and F. Parsons by name especially concerning the treatie of their two messengers in Rome Perchance Fa. Parsons letter of the 9. of October 1599 which he sent into England France and Flanders and where not came to some of their hands and also the letter of M. Martin Array and Fa. Baldwines bolt to D. Cicyll before cited came to be examined and were euident arguments of falshood to say no worse and lewd dealing and the breach renewed before by the Iesuits and Archpriest as is shewed might giue the priests iust cause to looke further into the matter then they could before suspect but when were these quarrels pickt by whom or how followed marke I pray you how he falleth into a story impertinent to these controuersies The peace was made by the priests in May 1599 as in this chapter is confessed the breach was presently after made by the Iesuits and the Archpriest as this author doeth in a maner confesse in that neither of himselfe nor prouoked thereto by the priests their books he will come neere to this point which is the most principall in this present controuersie and now he will tel you a tale of M Charnocke his returne which was a yeere after to wit in May 1600. who as he saith was inuited to come home and so hee did no doubt much against this fellowes will who if I am not deceiued was the cause of his banishment and confinement without any maintenance
matters did not so well become a priest to a priest neither hath M. Charnocke so behaued himselfe but that his credit alone without any other witnesse may be thought as good as M Blackwels or this idle authors although he doth not enuie their worships calling But marke I pray you how this matter would be here salued The Archpriest denieth that euer hee sayd that they the fained instructions were expresly in his instructions from Rome By which it may be gathered that the Archpriest did at the least propose such matters as were not in his instructions which were sent from Rome But this is not the matter wherewith he is charged that he should vse these particular words but hee is charged directly that pretending to shewe the instructions which were annexed to his Commission hee shewed such as were not annexed thereunto And being taken in the manner he confessed asmuch And who seeth not what a poore shift this is the Archpriest denieth that he sayd they were expresly in his instructions who doubteth but that the man saith trueth when answering his neighbor who calleth for him vseth these words I say I am not at home although he be at home For although it be false that he is not at home yet it is very true that he sayth hee is not at home And with this iest doth this fellow salue this matter the Archpriest denieth that hee sayd that they were expresly in his instructions Who euer charged him that he should vse these words These poore shifts may blinde such as willingly will be blinde and other men will soone discouer the fallacy The accusation was and is that pretending to shew his instructions which his Commission mentioned to be annexed vnto it hee drew out false things which were neuer annexed to his commission and he was taken in the maner And this is it which both M. Charnocke and M. Colington will iustifie many more such goodly matters if need shall require where these poore trickes wil not serue to any purpose I say not thus or thus expresly Now follow certaine exceptions against some letters written by certaine priests in Wisbich vnto the Archpriest I haue not seene the copies to my remembrance and therefore can say nothing of them more then this that it is not incredible that the Archpriest would giue cause of sharper words then are there vsed But all serueth to prooue somewhat namely what course was held by the troublesome especially after M. Charnockes returne into England But there is not one worde what the masters of misrule did before M. Charnock returned into England or what cause they did giue of these troubles to wit the raysing of the slander of schisme and such vile imputations as the prisoners might accordingly haue written to the Archpriest in other termes then peripsema tuum There must not be a word of this matter which made all the stirre for sayth this fellow with shame enough ca. 8 fol. 115. of the other point of schisme we will not talke at all and wee are sory that euer it was mentioned or brought in question vnquiet people hauing taken occasion hereby to continue contention and to make more brables then were needfull How easie a matter had it been then for this author to haue solued this question proposed in this tenth chapter fol 148. Which part hath broken the peace since that he doth acknowledge that the bringing of schisme in question was the cause of this contention and could not be ignorant who brought it againe in question being tolde so often that the Iesuites did it and the Archpriest both before and after the peace was made and the Archpriest his letter was cited for proofe thereof in the booke to his Holines pag. 63 and in the booke to the Inquisition pag. 60 But this author must haue his Readers eares filled with other stories such as are impertinent to his question And when he thinketh that his Reader hath forgotten the matter which he proposed then he slinketh away and beginneth afresh with some other which he handleth as wisely But to make an end of this Chapter here are certaine letters inserted of F. Parsons exhorting to peace as though F. Parsons tricks were not knowen very well If this author could haue brought forth any of F. Parsons letters to his fellow F. Lyster or F. Garnet or F. Iones the Iesuits who were the chiefe mainteiners of that senselesse Libel of schisme against the priests to perswade them to retract their scandalous opinions to correct their forwardnesse in insuring Catholique priests to exhort them to make satisfaction for their vnchristian detractions such letters would haue bene for F. Parsons credit But to cite a letter or exhortation to the priests iniuried to haue peace what doeth it argue but an obdurate malice in him and a wicked desire that they should desist from that to which they were bound in conscience to wit the defence of their fame and the clearing themselues from such false but most wicked impostures of schisme rebellion and whatsoeuer a mischieuous head could deuise and spred abroad against them And so finally saith this author after all their former resistance and appeales aswell of D. Bagshaw and his fellows at Wisbich as of M. Charnocke and other abroad they ioyned in greater number vpon the 17. of Nouember last if all consented thereunto whose names are subscribed whereof we heare the contrary in some some one or two who had giuen their consents in generall but had not seene this particuler appeale yet afterward confirmed it and appealed againe for so much as there was any need In all which doing of theirs one thing is especially to be noted And what is that That they haue neuer procured any one of all their appeales to be presented hitherto or prosecuted in Rome as farre as we can vnderstand this last clause wil not helpe if the proposition be generall of all the appeales For M. Charnocks appeale was presented and prosecuted in Rome before this booke came foorth and this author could not be ignorant thereof if I am not mistaken in him which yet they ought to haue done within certaine moneths vnder paine that all is voyd if it be not done But how many are these certaine moneths The Lawyers say 13. moneths if we shall count them by the moneths and vpon iust cause 26. moneths from the Appeale within which time doubtlesse the author of this Apologie heard of the Appellants at Rome And Launcelot l. 4. Instit Iuris Canon de appellationibus cap. accidit affirmeth Yet a longer time might haue bene granted for the prosecution of an Appeale But as I thinke no man doeth now doubt but that the priests had intention to follow their Appeale and will giue this cause of their publishing of books pendente lite that is while the controuersies hang for that the Archpriest notwithstanding their Appeale denounced them to haue incurred the censures lost their faculties because they subscribed to
and the priests now the world is come to this passe that he is no zealous or godly Catholike that will not runne from place to place to disgrace all such priests as refuse to be guided by the Iesuits or in this present controuersie will not acknowledge that they liued in schisme and deserued eternall shame and reproch because they deferred their obedience to an authoritie vntill they did see what was their Superiour his will concerning it at what time they all submitted themselues vnfainedly whatsoeuer this author most wickedly suggesteth to his reader in this place without any proofe at all vpon certaine of his most absurd surmizes for which also he sendeth his reader to the former chapter where he shal see perhaps and as it is supposed and it is very likely and such like stuffe as a man who esteemed of his credit would be ashamed of in so weighty a matter And for his foolish assertion that if it had been vnfained it would haue wrought some permanent effect there is an old saying that there must goe two words to a bargaine and so say I that if there must be peace betweene two parts both the parts must doe their parts to preserue it for who seeth not that it is a most absurd iest that if peace be broken by the wickednesse of the one part the other should be blamed for not dealing sincerely and vnfainedly the priests haue sayd that the Iesuits and the Archpriest did breake the peace and they haue shewed how and that which they haue sayd herein cannot be controlled and that is that Fa Iones the Iesuit after the peace made fetched out of hell it selfe as by the euent it appeareth that most wicked paradox of his fellow Iesuit Fa. Lister concerning schisme and the Archpriest also after the peace made brake the same peace by publishing a resolution from the mother citie that the refusers of the appointed authority were schismatikes which resolution he affirmed he had either from F. Warford or Fa Tichborne a paire of yong English Iesuites and this is the Epistle which is not onely mentioned but set downe in the booke to his Holines pag 63 and which this author slily ouerslippeth and stoppeth his readers mouth with the marginal note which is put by the priest to wit origo c. The beginning of the new contention was a violent Epistle of the Archpriests which here this author citeth and runneth in his new found milde and religious tearmes vpon the priests because they would breake out for an angry Epistle and so laughing in his sleeue to thinke how hee can cousin the blind obedient which must beleeue any thing that he telleth them he shutteth vp this matter without telling them what this angry Epistle was or that it was set downe in the booke to his Holinesse least that he should haue discouered the weakenes of his cause and consequently his owne wickednes who in so weake a case would vse so wicked tearmes against Catholike priests This you see how this fellow hath answered the booke which is dedicated to his Hol. and what poore geere he picketh out sometime out of the discourse sometime out of the margent and letteth this discourse goe quietly by him and with all this nicenesse and choice of some place to which he might make colourable shewe of answere he bringeth nothing but what being examined will breede his owne shame and confusion The Appeale he saith shal be answered by the Pope who in a briefe of the 17. of August 1601. refused it for peace sake as there is said being induced thereunto perchance by such as were loath to heare these matters come in question yet since this Breue all the world is made a witnesse that these matters haue bene handled at Rome and that there was iust cause to appeale notwithstanding the fine gloses here made by this authour who wisheth perchance by this time that he had not so much commended this Pope Lastly he agitateth a letter of M. Mush his writing to Mon Seignior Morto a Bishop in Italy who was ioyned with Doctor Lewes Bishop of Cassana in many affaires of the Church which letter is said in the priests their bookes to haue bene sent by the two messengers vnto him And in reason the Priests who said so should haue had credit vntill the contrary could haue bene prooued which can neuer be with more substantiall arguments then are here brought To wit it was not found among their papers as though they hauing bene 17. dayes in Rome before that the Iesuites and the Sbirri carried them to prison could not conuey it as it was directed before that their papers were seazed on or secondly the two messengers neuer spake to Fa. Parsons of such a letter ergo they caried no such letter with them as though Fa. Parsons were the man that must knowe all things and was not rather kept so short as diuers in the Citie noted how he was troubled for that he could get no other answere of the priests to his curious question then that time and place should discouer what they had to say And although afterward he was admitted by them to be their examiner it was not without the condition that they should not be bound to answere to his questions which condition the Fiscall did take and agree vnto before he could obteine of them to let Fa. Parsons be the examiner and it may be thought that when they were asked such idle questions they did vse this license or their owne rights no oath in this kind binding any man to answere to all things proposed vnto them and Fa. Parsons may call to minde if it please him that to some questions he was directly denied an answere The matters contained in M. Mush his letter are there so sufficiently handled as this authour saith nothing thereof in this place but referreth his reader backe to fome places already handled and answered he glaunceth at that which is there said of the necessity of the sacrament of confirmation in England for which all the Catholikes if they will may see his egernesse against their good and comfort in this time of persecution that he cannot heare of any who shal say it is necessary but he is straight on his iacke for it And because one said once that it was either most necessary in time of persecution or a vaine and as a superfluous ceremony in Gods Church because there onely is the proper vse thereof he playeth vpon the latter words as if they had bene affirmed by any one and applyeth them to such as speake for the necessitie of the sacrament He excepteth also against that which M. Mush affirmeth of Fa. Parsons his State bookes and is agreeued that he onely is named among such as haue written of such a subiect And for the loue he beareth to Cardinall Allen and other of our Nation he setteth downe in print what they haue written concerning such matters as though their fact did excuse
Censures when the priests submitted themselues vpon the sight of his Holinesse Breue which censures he had vsed against three priests because they had appealed from him to the pope as it is set downe in the booke to the Inquisition And I doubt not but that the Archpriest would be as glad now that all were well accorded as he was at the first attonement and be as ready perchance to breake out againe as then hee was as it is prooued in the bookes to his Holinesse and to the Inquisition neither is there any man that is in his wittes but will thinke that the Iesuits and Archpriest would haue peace that is power to vse the Secular priests at their pleasure and that the priests should suffer all manner of indignities both in fame and otherwise and not to stirre for anie thing which may be done against them least the Iesuites peace be broken which they loue so dearely and cloake it with extraordinary pietie in this place fol. 221 where they are sayd to haue stoode with the Archpriest and the rest in defence of his Holines ordination as though the priests had euer resisted his Holines ordination and not rather yeelded themselues presently at the sight of the Breue before which there was no Popes ordination And to this the Iesuites their standing in defence of his Holinesse ordination are ioyned most absurd positions of their desire not to meddle in the priests affaires whereas it hath beene shewed that they haue been the chiefe of this sedition against the priests And their interpretation that their dealing proceedes of loue is to men of vnderstanding an argument of a factious disposition and desiring of gouerning all sortes of people whosoeuer must play the Apes part to take away the enuie for their misdeedes from them They intend not sayeth hee to preiudice them in any preferment for the time present or to come Hee were worse then madde that would trouble himselfe with our Iesuites intentions which varie as often as their tongues moue and turne their intentions to serue best their owne turnes Let the Iesuites their hinderance of all our nation beyond the Seas from al promotion speake for their intentions since that no place or preferment there can be had without degrees in schooles which they haue induced his Holinesse to debarre all the English nation vnder this other intention that young men must not take the degrees when they depart from the Seminaries And that their intention may be the more euident that they will hinder euery mans preferrement they haue put into the Popes Breue a barre not onely for the proceeding in Diuinitie the knowledge whereof they haue now also cleane taken out of the Colledge at Doway but in either of the Lawes also Ciuill or Canon which are not taught in any of our Seminaries Yet must all their intentions bee most excellent and must not be thought to preiudice any for the time present or to come As for the time to come were it in their hands to preiudice any man all their protestations and oathes would carie little credite but with such as know them not In which as in all other their dealings especially in this action the priests doe most willingly forgiue them their falshood and doe pray for them that God will giue them and their adherents his grace to amende what they cannot chuse but see is amisse in themselues To which they may make a good steppe if they will enter into their owne consciences and consider of what great scandals and harmes in Gods Church they haue beene a very faulty occasion by that most wicked imputation of schisme to most Catholicke priestes and their obdurate standing in that sinfull opinion without admitting any equall triall of the cause in question which the priests did offer in most humble wise before they tooke the course that now they take and was onely left vnto them to cleare themselues of so damnable a slander ¶ A REPLY TO THE Appendix of the Apologie by J. B. THE author of the Apologie hauing seene other two bookes beside those against which he writ his Apologie maketh an answere such as it is vnto them which answere he calleth An Appendix to the Apologie by the Priests that remaine in due obedience to their lawfull Superior As though an Appeale made from a superior vpon iust causes and a lawfull prosecution thereof could not stand with due obedience But somewhat must be said and if it haue no pith in it as euery indifferent reader will soone discouer that want in this Appendix it must be ouercharged with bigge words which the blinde obedient must imagine would not haue bene vttered without iust cause although they see none After a long conflict then as it should seeme in this author whether hee should take notice of these two latter bookes to which he hath made it knowen both in this Appendix and other two scurrilous Libels set out since this Appendix came forth that he cannot make any answere he hath aduentured to say somewhat of them and that it might not bee made too apparant to the world how little the poore man had to say herein hee stuffeth these few leafes with exceptions against those bookes to which he pretended an answere in his Apologie enlargeth himselfe somewhat by way of a preface wherein he telleth his reader how vnwillingly he put his pen to paper for the defence of our Superiors and their lawfull doings and proceedings against the intemperate impugnations by tumult and Libels of a few discontented brethren c. And no man can but beleeue him that it was sore against his will that he had such cause as he had to vse his pen although he neuer made daintie of his paines and pen where hee thought he might discredit those priests which he could not bring to his lure And as for the priests their doings or proceedings they haue shewed themselues ready to giue accompt thereof and to proue both the lawfulnesse and the necessitie which was in withstanding the exorbitant proceedings of such as hauing neither any Christian wisdom nor honestie abused our Superiors and procured that al the priests should be brought into these streights to wit either to yeeld to the wicked designes of others or to be made infamous all the world ouer And to this effect was the treatise of schisme written by the Iesuits and sent abroad not onely in England but into remote places beyond the seas to perswade such as would be blinde that Catholike priests who had liued in a long most dangerous persecution for defence of the sea Apostolike were now become schismaticks and why because they did not contrary to the lawes of Gods Church yeeld their obedience to a creature of the Iesuits intruded vpon them as their Superior without any warrant from the Sea Apostolike which hath commanded that no such superior be accepted without a speciall warrant or letters from the same Sea as may be seene in that extrauagant
there was an egregious faction meant because the Appeale was made in the names of the present Appellants and all others that should ioyne themselues vnto them which clause was after the Appeale and onely in a postscript as it is set downe in the booke to the Inquisition pag. 52. And to colour this matter the better the date of the Appeale is transported to the postscript which he citeth which is saith he against the nature of iust Appeales for which you must take his credit But let vs grant that these Appellants had mistaken Panormitane explicating the rubricke of the chapter Olim de occasionibus had put in this clause into their Appeale which as is said is in a postscript after the Appeale how is it prooued that there is an egregious faction meant thereby How much better might it be sayd that there was a marueilous contempt of the Sea Apostolike committed by the Archpr. in suspending the Appellants from the vse of their faculties after this Appeale made to the Sea Apostolike Againe if we shall consider the backwardnesse of the Appellants to doe or attempt any thing which might be offensiue to any which they sufficiently shewed in that they hereupon refrained to vse their faculties and the forwardnes of the Archpr. who would vsurpe such an authoritie before he was confirmed by his Holinesse sufficiently declared by this irreuerence to the Sea Apostolike in taking away from the Appellants the vse of their faculties for Appealing it will be euident to the indifferent iudge which part was more likely to haue a bad meaning for factiō or disturbance of the Church But this was deuised perhaps saith he vnderhand by the persecutors themselues c. and so hee falleth into that point of the standing of matters betweene the priests and the Counsel which I will leaue a little and trie whether besides this coniecture already giuen of the Archpriests meaning and his factious adherents I can alleage any other matter whereby it may be coniectured that the Iesuits and Archp. did meane an egregious faction whatsoeuer shew they would make of peace first occurreth a letter which was written from Rome by M. Martin Array one of the two Proctors appointed by the Archpr. and the Clergie vnited vnto him and allowed by his Holinesse as in this letter he affirmeth Which letter being a pretended relation of such principall matters as you shall heare was eyther penned by Fa Parsons or not without his priuitie being as all Rome can testifie the principall agent against the priests and one who thought nothing could be well done to his minde vnlesse he were himselfe at the doing therof as appeared by his apprehending them his keeping them his examining them and such like his charitable offices This letter beareth date the 20. of February 1599. And herein is his deere friend certified that the matter about which the two priests went to Rome was committed by his holinesse speciall commission to Card. Caietane and Burghese to be examined and heard by way of congregation at the English Coll. it selfe And so it was sayth he vpon Wednesday the seuenteenth of this moneth when after sundry informations had from Acarisius Fiscal of his Hol Congregation of reformation that had taken their seuerall examinations by his attourney Fa. Parsons vpon their oathes And after they the Cardinals had read and viewed such letters memorials and papers as the Ambassadours had brought with them they came ioyntly together to the Colledge vpon the foresayd day and with them the sayd Fiscall And there hauing a conuenient tribunall prouided in fourme of iudgement a couple of chaires set at a table couered with a greene cloth they heard the whole cause but God knoweth who pleaded it And first each of the Ambassadours confession and declaration that is as much and what pleased Fa Parsons seuerally read by the Notary of the cause Fa Henry Tichborne a Iesuite which were long and euer◠one of them more then an houres reading And therefore perchance to auoide tediousnes there was a little read here and there where Fa. Parsons had turned downe a lease and his fellow Iesuit the foresaid Notary of the cause was made acquainted therewith and read accordingly And then was each of them willed to say if he had any thing to adde to his declaration more then hee had set downe M. Bishop would say nothing for which as was sayd the Cardinals were offended with him M. Charnocke deliuered somewhat vntill Fa. Parsons did breake him off And after this their letters and papers brought with them were seene againe by the aforesayd iudges whereof the most part were translated into Latine Is it likely that the priests would write to his Holinesse in English for the petitions were to him which were brought by the two priests to Rome and concerned their businesse And besides that were also Fa. Parsons Rector of the Colledge and Fa. Henry Tichborne Prefect of the studies willed to be present These were besides themselues for as hath been sayd Fa Tichborne the Iesuit was the foresayd Notary and Fa Parsons the man that had takē their examinations to interpret any thing that should be needfull both the Iudges and the two priests spake both Italian and Latine And after this againe were both Ambassadours called in ioyntly for M. Bishop was locked vp againe as soone as he had heard his examinations read as also M. Haddocke and my selfe as procurators of the Archpresbyter and of the Clergie vnited to him appointed by letters from them and allowed here by his Holinesse with whom we had been and had audience particular about this affaire before And being come in we were willed as procurators to speake what wee had to say in this behalfe But you must vnderstand that this charge was so secretly giuen by the Iudges as the two priests there also present did not heare it And these procurators being willed to speake like Proctors sayd not one word but Fa Parsons at their entrance began to declare vnto the Cardinals that those two were Proctors for the Archpr. and that one of them was a Doctor of Diuinitie and the nephew of a Cardinal and the brother of a Martyr agnominations able to credit the best Proctors in the world After this preamble hee told the Cardinall what a perillous diuision was made in England and that these proctors although they were very loth to deale against their brethren there present yet for the loue of Iustice they were contented to be imployed in this action against them and that they had a libell or bill of complaint against them At which words D. Haddocke without any word speaking himselfe deliuered vp a libell to the Card. But let vs heare what M. Array certifieth his friend of his speeches or his fellow Proctors when as he sayth they were bidden to speake as Proctors Our speech in effect was sayth he when they sayd not one word that albeit it grieueth vs much to be driuen to accuse or pleade
against our brethren Priests that had beene of the same Colledge and Vniuersitie here in Rome and had gone hence into England iointly to labour and aduenture our liues for the same cause of the Catholike faith though before them and were quickly wearie thereof yet their maner of proceeding had been and was so preiudiciall to common peace these good Proctors were 12 yeeres before or there about gone out of England and vnion and so scandalous to all good and honest men that either we must oppose our selues against them in the name of our head they meane the Archpriest who was not their head they liuing at Rome and of all the rest of our Catholike body in England and abroad they wil make their foresayd head a yong Pope or els we should seeme to betray the same cause impugned by them O scrupulous conscience who would thinke that all his tale were onely an imagination what might haue been sayd neither he nor his fellow Proctor hauing as yet vttered one word But let vs heare this saint make an end of this lewde and lowde lie Wherefore wee prayed their Graces in what language not to be scandalized to see this diuision amongst vs for that these were the moaths O gentle mouthes speake that did breed in the best clothes and the wormes O noble Proctor that were commonly found vnder the barke of euery tree if they were not looked to in time and that this happened also in the verie primitiue Church permitted by God for the better proofe and exercise of good men And that this was a very heresie in maners actions as th' other in Protestants was in faith and Religion that this would breake into that in time if that it were not looked into as in diuers of the Iesuits darlings it had done already and must needs doe For that it was contention founded vpon the same grounds of emulation euery ambition hatred couetousnes and libertie of life as the other heresie was and wrought a spirit conforme to that in all respects c. This letter being written 3. or 4. dayes after that the priests had appeared before the Cardinals and after a friendly composition demaunded by the Proctors and pretended by the Cardinals Can it be an argument of any other thing then a desire to continue strife and diuision Could the most hatefull professed enemy in the world haue disgorged his filthy stomache in more spitefull termes Had this bene vttered by the Proctors before the Cardinals against the two priests with shame ynough it had bene written into England but without the least â—ot of honesty the Proctors themselues hauing most humbly desired a friendly composition But the Proctors not hauing vttered one word much lesse in these most vile termes who may not iustly iudge that when this letter was written which was after the apparance of the two priests as appeareth by the date that it was not meant by that side that euer there should be peace But marke I pray you yet a most wicked relation and which may conuince more euidently if it be possible that these fellowes would not haue peace And then saith he we gaue vp a writing which before had bene exhibited vnto his Holines was remitted hither as it seemeth it seemed so indeed for D Haddocke had it ready to giue vp to the Cardinals so soone as F. Parsons had told his tale that these men came hither onely to trouble the peace of England and to reuiue stirres in Rome and that of their owne heads as it seemeth for that they had brought no one letter of credence with them of Superior or other to his Holines Protector or other man in Rome c. wherefore we desired remedy in this behalfe and exhibited diuers letters of the doctors of Doway and M. Wright the deane of Cortrac and of other graue men of our nation to this effect All these letters here said to haue bene exhibited by the Proctors were no other then one letter from the D of Doway and an other from M. Wright which are set in the Apologie fol. 125 126. whereof the first beareth date the 25. of Octob. 1598. and the second 10 Nouemb. 1598. and they were both to the Protector Yet must M. Martins friend beleeue that he and his fellow Protector did vpon the 17. of February exhibit many other letters to the Protector who was chiefe Iudge notwithstaÌ„ding the exceptions taken against him at this time But how were these letters exhibited In no other sort then as a part of that writing for they were inserted in it as may appeare by the writing it selfe of which I haue seene a copy But let this passe let vs heare what he saith was answered by the priests to all these grieuous accusations Against all which saith he the Ambassadors were able to say little and willing to say lesse but onely excused their owne intentions and asked pardon if they had giuen scandall by their maner of proceeding more then they euer meant But put the case indeed as it was and as the Card. Burgesius without doubt will acknowledge and the Iesuits with all the rest of that faction then present must auouch it one day against their owne soules will they nill they that Fa. Tichborne the Iesuit who here also supplied the place of a publique Notary and read this Libel had no sooner done reading it then M. Bishop required that the Proctors might take their othes that the Libel contained nothing but trueth To which when the Card. Caietan would not consent he requested that a copy of the Libel might be deliuered vnto him his fellow that they might make their answere vnto it as most false and iniurious whereat D. Hadd who had giuen vp the writing stepped to the table requested that it might not be deliuered vnto them but that all things rather should be peaceably concluded To which the Card. Caietan presently consented the sooner perchance for ioy that both the Proctors were not dumbe for before this acte of D. Haddocke it is most certaine that neither of them spake one word howsoeuer that his fellow vanteth of his workemanship when he was bidden to speake like a Proctor Now would I aske of an indifferent Iudge whether it were possible that there could be any desire of peace in fellowes who in cold blood and after three nights rest if rancor and malice would suffer them to rest would write thus into England cleane contrary to all trueth in a matter of such moment as was the handling of the cause concerning which all the diuision was which was or was like to be in England And if this were necessary to be done lest that they should seeme to betray the cause impugned by the two priests as this fellow saith in this letter must not consequently this cause be a most fowle cause which must be vpholden with such shamelesse falshood could these fellowes thinke that Master Bishop or Master Charnocke should euer come to