solace and content to the pleasant minded beleeuers Which Pardon is since in larged by SIXTVS QVARTVS and QVINTVS who both were Franciscans to all lay brethren sisters that weare S t. FRANCIS CORDON in what place soever But to leaue these Antiquities but not to enlarge in Moderne graunts but to restraine to one Pope of renowmed fresh memorie even GREGORIE the thirteenth and some few of his Graces he hath granted to the Carmine at Siena for every Masse said there at the Altar of the Crucifix the deliverie of a soule out of Purgatorie whose they list the like to many other To the Carmine at Padova more liberally to euery one that shall say seven Aves and 7. Pater-Nosters before one of their Altars on the anniverâ—arâ—e Wednesday in Easter weeke or else kisse the ground before the Altar of the blessed Sacrament with the usuall prayers for exaltation of the Church extirpation of Hesie and vnitie of Christian Princes both plenarie Indulgence for himselfe and the deliverie of what friends soule out of Purgatorie he pleaseth To the Fraternitie of the Altar of the Conception of our Lady in the Duomo or Cathedrall Church at Padova confessing and communicating at their entrie to that societie full remission of their sinnes at the houre of their death naming Iesus with their mouth or if they cannot with their Heart The like ordinarilie graunted to other Fraternities To euery Priest so often as hee â—hall say fiue printed lines importing that hee will offâ—r up the precious body of our Saviour so many fiâ—â—ie yeeres pardon Yet will I mention one also of the graunts of this Pope among other innumerable namely to the Friers and lay Fraternitie of both Sexes of the Carmine at Siena for every time they are present at their solemne Processions plenarie Indulgenee for all sinnes past and Seven yeeres and seven Quadragenas or fortie dayes over in store for the time to come and this for ever with extent of like Grace to all other that with their presence shall honour those Processions but to last for them no longer than the yeere of Iubilee Now besides these and infinite other of this style there are Indulgences more free and lesse restrained eyther for time place or dutie to gain them By graunt from Pope IOHN the XX. th every inclining of the Head at the naming of IESVS gets XX. yeeres pardon a matter in Italy no not this day unpractised And to grace that Ceremonie the more I haue heard sundry of their renowmed Divines teach in Pulpit that CHRIST himselfe on the Crosse bowed his head on the right side to reverence his own Name which was written over it All Altars of Station which are in very great number haue their perpetuall Indulgences indifferent for all times Sundry Crosses engraven on the pauements of their Churches haue Indulgence annexed for every time they are kist which is so often by the devouter sex that the hard marble is worne with it The third and fourth Masse as they say of every Priest is a preservatiue or ransome of his Parents from Purgatorie yea though they should be song without such intention which causeth many warie men that would bee sure from Purgatorie to make some one or other of their sonnes a Priest always The saying of their Beads over with a meadall or other trinket of the Popes Benediction appendant gets plenarie Indulgence and delivers what soule out of Purgatorie one pleaseth And it is lawfull for one to substitute any other medall in place of those blessed ones which shall haue like force with them A clause of consideration and which serveth at this day more turnes than one and theirs especially which passe over Sea with double daunger All which with many other like helpes considered I must confesse for my part I am farre from their understanding who blaze so much the severitie of the Romane Religion unlesse wee accompt that a streit inclosure which hath a multitude of posternes continually open to let false people in and out day and night at their pleasure and rather incline to a contrary conceipt that praesupposing the truth of their doctrine as it is practised for a man that were desirous to saue his Soule at his dying day and yet deny his Body no wicked pleasure in his life time no such Church as that of Rome no such Countrey as Italy For I must speake also somewhat of their Life and Conversation but as briefly as may bee being a theam I take very small delight to handle neither being of any great profit to bee known And yet is it knowne sufficiently to all men and too much to some who not content to spott themselues with all Italian impurities proceed on to empoyson their country also at their return thither that wee need not marveil if those rarer Villanies which our Auncestours never dreamed of do now grow frequent and such men whom they would haue swept out of the streets of their Cities as the noysome disgrace and dishonour of them and confined to a Dungeon or other desolate habitation do vaunt themselues now and with no meane applause for the onely gallants and worthy spirits of the World But to touch so much of their liues in Italy as shall be necessarie for this purpose and rather indeed the causes than the effects themselues it is not to be merveiled if the glorie of their Religion consisting most in outward shewes and the exquisitenesse in an infinity of intricate dumb Ceremonies if their devotions being not seazoned with understanding requisite but prized more by tale than by weight of zeale if as the vertue of their Sacraments so their acts of Pietie being placed more in the very massie materialitie of the outward worke than in the puritie of the heart from which they proceed It is not I say to bee merveiled though the fruicts also of conversation bee like unto those roots rather such as may yield some reasonable outward obedience to Laws than approue the inward integritie and sinceritie of that fountain from which they issue For although in their civill cariage one towards another they haue especiall good vertues well worth the imitating being a people for the most part of a graue and stayed behaviour very respectiue and courteous not curious or medling in other mens matters besides that auncient frugalitie in dyet and all things not durable which to their great ease and benefit they still retaine and there be also among them as in all other places some men of excellent and rare perfection yet can it not bee dissembled but that generally the whole Countrey is straungely overflowne and overborne with wickedness with filthinesse of speech with beastlinesse of actions both Governours and Subjects both Priests and Friers each striving as it were with other in an impudentnesse therein even so farre forth that what elswhere would not bee tolerated is there in high honour what in some other places even a loose person would be ashamed to confesse
EVROPAE SPECVLVM OR A VIEW OR SVRVEY OF THE STATE OF RELIGION in the Westerne parts of the World Wherein the Romane Religion and the pregnant policies of the Church of Rome to support the same are notably displayed with some other memorable discoueries and memorations Never before till now published according to the Authours Originall Copie Multùm diuque desideratum Hagae-Comitis 1629. THE VVELL-MEANING PVBLISHER HEREOF TO THE VNDERSTANDING READER of what ranke or degree soeuer WHereas not many yeares past there was published in print a Treatise entituled A Relation of Religion of the Westerne parts of the World printed for one Simon Waterson 1605. without name of Authour yet generally and currantly passing vnder the name of the learned and worthy Gentleman S r Edwin Sandys Knight Know all men by these presents that the same Booke was but a spurious stolne Copie in part epitomized in part amplified and throughout most shamefully falsified false printed froÌ„ the Authors Originall In so much that the asme Knight was infinitely wronged thereby and as soone as it came to his knowledge that such a thing was printed and passed vnder his name he caused it though somewhat late when it seemes two Impressions were for the most part vented to be prohibited by Authoritie and as I haue heard as many as could be recouered to be deseruedly burnt with power also to punish the Printers And yet neverthelesse since that time there hath beene another Impression of the same stolne into the world Now those so adulterate Copies being scattered abroad in the hands of some men I whoeuer I am though liuing here in these Transmarine Batavian Belgique parts yet studious of the truth and a louer of my Countrey and having obtayned by a direct meanes of a deere friend a perfect Copie verbatim transâ—ribed from the Authours Originall and legitimate one of his own hand-writing haue thought good to publish it vnto the world first for the good of the Church secondly the glory of our English Nation thirdly for the fame of the ingenuous ingenious and Acute Author a Gentle-man who as I haue beene most credibly informed hath heretofore deserued right well of his Countrey in seruice of the Prince of Orange the Lords the States generall his Maiestie of Englands faâ—t friends and Allies yet c. And lastly that the world may be no longer depriued of so rare a Iewell in its owne lustre nor abused by the other counterfeit-one before named It may bee I hereby shall incurre some dislike from the learned Author if He be yet liuing who haply in his modestie and for some other causes best knowne vnto him selfe for some writers loue not to haue their labours published in their life time hath so long obscured and suppressed his pregnanâ— view from the worlds publique view farther then now and than by communicating it vnto his friends such as importuned him to haue it copied out And certes though I professe to honour him with all my heart yet I thinke it better he be herein displeased than the world longer wronged and withall hoping howeuer that hee will candidly construe it to be but amoris error I cannot see how any else should be offended hereat but such as are sworne slaues to their Lord God the Pope whose Roman kingdome and Babylonian tottering tower hath such a blow giuen it hereby as I know but few of such force and not many such blowes more will make the same Kingdome and Tower fall downe to the ground with vtter desolation As for the Arminians when this Treatise was written that sect was either in the shell or the cradle and their mungrell and squint-eyed Diuinitie sâ—arce knowne or vâ—nted to the world yet they haply will be offended hereat because savouring of the Orthodox trueth and let that sect so bee But if there chance to bee any other moderate Christian offended hereat of such I humbly craue pardon Reade it therefore beloued Reader for thine owne solace and much good maist thou learne reape thereby giuing God the glory the Authour his deserued due praise and mee thankes if thou canst afford me any for my honest endeavour herein for thy benefit From the HAGH in HOLLAND Vale in Christo fruere THE CONTENTS OR THE seuerall Heads which may serue in steed of Chapters contained in this Treatise THe Preface containing the scope of all page 1 Of the Romane Religion p. 3 Of the Superstitions Ceremonies of the Church of Rome p. ibid. Of their Honour to Saints and Angels p. 4 Of their Liturgies p. 7 Of their Sermons p. ibid. Of their Penance and Confession p. 10 Of their Life and Conversation p. 17 Of their Lent p. 20 Of their Ecclesiasticall Government p. 23 Of their Head assertions p. 24 Of their Meanes to strengthen them p. 29 Of their Wayes to ravish all affections and to fit each humour p. 34 Of their particular Projects Monarchies and Princes Marriages p. 37 Of their Dispensing with Oathes p. 42 Of the Greatnes of the House of Austria p. 46 Of the Adulterous or rather Incestuous Marriages of Austria and Spaine p. 49 Of the Nobilitie and their Confession p. 50 Of the Choise of their Cardinals p. 51 Of their Variety of Preferments p. 53 Of the Clergie and their Prerogatiues p. 55 Of the Multitude of their Religious Orders p. 57 Of their Providing for Children p. 58 Of their Nunneries p. 59 Of their Multitude of Hearts and Hands Tongues and Pennes p. 63 Of their Readinesse to vndertake and Resolutenesse to execute p. 66 Of their Very Multitude of Friers ready to bee put in Armes p. 67 Of their Spirituall Fraternities p. 72 Of the Policies of the Papacy against their enemies and of their persecutions confiscations tortures massacres and hostility p. 73 Of the Reformers oâ— Protestants Preaching p. 77 Of their well Educating of Youth p. 80 Of their Offers of Disputation p. 85 Of their Discouery of Blotts p. 88 Of their Histories and Martyrologies p. 96 Of the Policie of Papall Newes p. 100 Of their vtter Breach p. 104 Of their excluding of all accesse of the Religion of their Inquisition p. 111 Of their locking vp the Scriptures p. 114 Of their concealing the Doctrines and Opinions of the Reformation p. 117 Of their notorious Lies of England and of Geneva p. 119 Of Papall Purging of Bookes and of their Indices Expurgatorij p. 126 Of the present state of the Papacie and their peculiar Dominions p. 132 Of the Popes sucking from Forraine Parts p. 137 Of the Clergie vnder the Papacie p. 144 Of the Pope himselfe and His Election p. 146 Of the Pope present his race name and life p. 149 Of the Nations which adhere vnto the Papacy especially Italy p. 156 Of the liues of the Italians p. ibid. Of Spaine p. 163 Of Germanie p. 169 Of the Low-Countries p. 176 Of France p. ibid. Of Loraine and Savoy p. 186 An Estimate of the strength of the Papacy
make their entrance with an Ave Marie yea and the solemnest divine honour which I see in those parts and which being well used were to bee highly renowmed and recommended to the imitation of all worthy Christians namely that thrice a day at sun-rise at noone and sun-set upon the ringing of a bell all men in what place soever they bee whether Field Street or Market kneele downe and send up their united devotions to the high Court of the world This honour is by them entended chiefly to our Lady and the devotion advised is the Aue Marie and the Bell which rings to it hath also that name And lastly their chiefe preachers doe teach in Pulpit that the Church doth very well whatsoever is found in Scripture spoken of Christ the Sonne of God to apply it to our Lady also being the daughter of God that it is the opinion of a learned man and not contrary to the Catholike Faith that though ADAM had not sinned yet Christ should haue beene incarnate to doe our Ladie honour that all the Angells and Saincts of Heaven are vassals unto them both and cast downe their crownes at the feete of both and present mens supplications kneeling unto both that our bond of dutie and thankfulnesse must needes bee exceeding to her seeing it may bee said after a sort that Man is more advanced in her than in in Christ himselfe seeing in Christ the nature of Man is exalted onely in our Lady the very person also which Christ hath not Finally that nothing passeth in Heaven without her expresse consent that the stile of that Court is Placet Domin◠yea they are taught that matters of Iustice come more properly frō him and expeditions of Grace from her and that some rare holy men haue seene in vision that certaine whom Christ would haue condemned yet in regard they were her servants by her intercession haue beene absolved so that no man need marveil if this doctrine and practise haue diverted the principall streames of affiance and loue from him who had the onely right unto them and turned them upon those unto whom neither so great honour is due nor so undue honour can be acceptable Their Liturgies being not understood by the people are not able to hold them with any spirituall content For supply whereof they confine them to the chamming of their beads in the mean season which being so unsavorie a food as it is and they vse it accordingly when they are wearie of it they entertaine the rest of the time with talke and mirth which the Priests also themselves at their leasure forbeare not not forgetting yet to shew devotion at certaine pauses by Spirits wherin their outward gestures are decent reverent significant Howbeit I suppose in generall I may truely say that the Romane Catholikes are the most irreverent and wandring at Divine Seruice that a man shall see any where the Iewes onely excepted who are in that kind in all places incredibly intollerable though on the other side that honour is to bee yielded the Italian Nation that he is naturally not undevout were his devotion well guided and duly cherished and not starved and quenched in the darke myst of a language where he neither understandeth what is said to him nor yet what himselfe saith The best part of their exercises of Religion are their Sermons wherein much good matter both of faith and pietie is eloquently delivered by men surely of wonderfull zeale and spirit if their interiour fervour be correspondent to their outward vehemence Howbeit they are sometime mingled with so palpable vanitie that besides other pouerties as forced allegories and unnaturall interpretations wherein they are frequent euen those Legends of Saints and tales at which children with us would smile are there solemnly hystorized in their Cathedrall Pulpits But certainly what religiousness soever is in the peoples minds may wholy or chiefly be atributed to their Sermons whereto the better disposed people do very diligently resort their Seruice being no other than as a lampe put out which bringing no light at all to the understanding can neither bring any due warmth to the affection the one being inseparable from the other and were it not that their musicke perfumes and rich sights did hold the outward sences with their naturall delight surely it could not be but eyther abandoned for the fruitlesness or only upon feare and constraint frequented This one thing I cannot but highly commend in that sort and order they spare nothing that either Lost can performe in Enriching or skill in Adorning the Temples of God or to set out his service with the greatest pompe and magnificencie that can be devised wherein notwithstanding it were to bee wished that some discreeter men had bin the contrivers and Maisters of their Ceremonies to haue affected in them more statelinesse reverence and devotion and to haue avoyded that Frierly busie basenesse and childishnesse which is now in them praedominant And although I am not ignorant that many men well reputed haue embraced the thriftie opinion of that Disciple who thought all to be wasted that was bestowed on Christ in that sort and that it were much better imployed upon him in the poore yet with an eye perhaps that themselues would be his quarter Almoners notwithstanding I must confesse it could never sincke into my heart that in proportion of reason the allowance for the furnishing out of the seruice of God should be measured by the skant and strict rule of meere necessitie a proportion so lowe that nature to other most bountifull in matters of necessitie hath not failed no not the most unnoble Creatures in the world and that for our selues no measure of heaping but the most we can get no rule of expence but to the vtmost pomp we list or that God himselfe had enriched this lower part of the World with such wonderfull varietie of things beautifull and glorious that they might serue only to the pampering up of mortall man in his pride and that the service of the high Creatour Lord and Giver the outward glorie of whose higher palace may appeare by the very lamps which we see so farre off burning so gloriously in it onely the simpler baser cheaper lesse noble lesse beautifull lesse glorious things should be employed especially seeing euen as in Princes Courts so in the seruice of God also this outward state and glorie being well disposed doth engender quicken encrease and nourish the inward reuerence and respectfull devotion which is due vnto so soveraigne Maiestie and power which those whom the use thereof cannot perswade so would easily by the want of it be forced to confesse For which cause I must craue to bee excused by them herein if in zeale of the Honour of the common Lord of all I choose rather to commend the vertue of an enemie than to flatter the vice or imbecilitie of a friend But to returne to the Church of Rome and to come to the consideration of their Penance and
weaknesse of untruth and dishonestie which being rotten at the heart abate the force of whatsoever is founded thereon their outward means were sufficient to subdue a whole world Now as in every Art and Science there is some one or few first propositions or theoremes on the vertue whereof all the rest depend so in their Art also they haue certein Head Assertions which as indemonstrable principles they urge all men to receiue and hold And those are That they are the Church of GOD within which great facilitie and without which no possibilitie of Salvation that divine praerogatiue graunted to them aboue all other Societies in the world doth preserue them everlastingly from erring in matter of Faith and from falling from God that the Pope Christs Deputie hath the keyes of Heaven in his custodie to admit in by Indulgence and shut out by Excommunication as hee shall see cause that the charge of all Soules being committed to him hee is thereby made Soveraigne Prince of this world exceeding in power and Ma tie all other Princes as farre as the soule in dignitie doth exceed the body and aeternall things surmount things temporall and seeing that the End is the rule and commaunder of whatsoever doth tend unto it and all things in this world are to serue but as instruments and the world it selfe but as a passage to our everlasting habitation that therefore he that hath the soveraigne menaging of this high end and the honor to be the supreame Conductor unto it hath also power to dispose of all things subordinate as may best serue to it to plant to root out to establish to depose to bind to loose to alter to dispence as may serue most fit for the advancement of the Church and for the atchieving of the Soules faelicitie wherein whosoever oppose against him whether by Haeresie or schisme they are no other than very Rebels or seditious persons against whom hee hath unlimited and endlesse power to proceed to the suppressing ruining and extinguishing of them by all means that the common-wealth of God may flourish in prosperitie and the highway to Heaven be kept safe and open for all Gods loyall and obedient people In these poincts no doubt or question is tolerable and who so joyne with them in these shall find great connivence in what other defect and difference soever this being the very touchstone at which all men are to be tryed whether they bee in the Church or out of the Church whether with them or against them And by this plot haue their witts erected in the world a Monarchie more potent than ever any that hath been before it a Monarchie which entituling them De jure to all the world layeth a strong foundation thereof in all mens consciences the onely firme ground of obedience in the world and such a foundation as not onely holdeth fast unto them whatsoever it seazeth on but workes outwardly also by engines to weaken and undermine the state of all other Princes how great soever and that in such sort as by possessing themselues of the principall places in the hearts of their subjects as being those from whom they receiue their principall good even the happinesse of their soules to incite them vpon very conscience against their naturall soveraignes at pleasure and by writ of excommunication to subdue or at the leastwise greetly to shake whom they list without fighting a blow without leavying a Souldjer and lastly a Monarchy which as it was founded by meere wit so needeth not any thing but meere wit to maintaine it which enricheth it selfe without toyling warreth without endangering rewardeth without spending vsing Colleges to a great purpose as any other can fortresses and working greater matters partly by Schollars partly by swarms of Friers than any else could ever do by great garisons and Armies and all these maintained at other folkes charges for to that rare poinct haue they also proceeded as not onely to haue huge rents themselues out of all forrein states but to maintaine also their instruments out of other mens devotion and to advance their favorites under the fairest pretence of providing for Religion to the very principall praeferments in forrein Princes Dominions That no man thinke it strange if finding the revenew of skill and cunning to bee so great and her force so mightie especially where shee worketh upon simplicitie and ignorance they enclosed heretofore all learning within the walls of their Clergie setting forth Lady Ignorance for a great Sainct to the Laietie and shrining her unto them for the true mother of Devotion And assuredly but for one huge defect in their policie which was hard in regard of their owne particular ambitions but otherwise not impossible to be avoyded that they chuse their Popes lightly very old men and withall indifferently without any restraint out of all families and nations whereby they are continually subiect to double change of government the successor seldome prosecuting his antecessours devises but either crossing them through envieor abandoning them upon new humour it could not haue bene but they must haue long since beene absolute Lords of all which defect notwithstanding so strong was their policie by reason of the force of their cordiall foundation that no Prince or Potētate ever opposed against them but in fine even by his owne subjects they eyther mastered him ututterly or brought him to good conformitie by great losse and extremitie till such time as in this latter age the untruth of the foundation it selfe being stoutly discovered hath given them a sore blow and chaunging in great part the stare of the question hath driven them to a reenforcement of new inventions and practises Howbeit those positions being the ground of their state and the hope of their glorie in them they admit no shadow of alteration but endeavour still per fas nefas even by all Meanes in the world to strengthen them and among their manifold Adversaries hate them most of all other who haue laboured most in sapping of that foundation And seeing that by reason of this bookish age they haue not that helpe of ignorance which in times past they had they cast about gently to soake and settle them in mens perswasions and consciences another way They tell men that the very grounds whereon we build on our perswasion of the truth of Christianitie it selfe are no other than credible that the proofes of the Scripture to bee the word of God can be no other at this day than probable onely it being unpossible for any wit in the world to produce an exact necessarie and infallible demonstration either that S t. PAVL had his calling from aboue or that those Epistles were of his owne writing so likewise in the rest And that the chiefe proofe wee haue thereof is the testimonie of the Church a thing which even their adversaries are forced to confesse Now that this probable perswasion of the truth of Christianitie doth afterwards grow into an assurednesse thereof this issueth
of all which some briefe view seemes necessarie to bee taken For as for Poland and Transcilvania with Ualachia and the remaines of Hungarie by reason of theyr neere and daungerous confining with the Great Turke together with the multitude of Religions which are swarming in them in Poland especially of which it is said by way of by word that if a man haue lost his religion let him goe secke it in Poland and he shall be sure to find it or else make accompt it is vanished out of the world there is no great reckoning to be made of theyr force eyther way Then England with the more Northerne Kingdomes Scotland Denmarke and Sweden whose King notwitstanding is of the Roman saith now but hath few there that follow him they are accompted wholly to haue cast of the Papacie For albeit they make reckoning of many favourers in them as of fourtie thousand sure Catholikes in England alone with foure hundred English Roman Priests to mainteine that Militia who upon quarrell with the Iesuites affectors of superioritie and disgracers of all that refuse to depend upon them haue instantly of late demaunded a Bishop of the Pope to bee chosen by them and to bee resident among them but are crost in that desire by the countermine of an Arch-priest obtruâ—ed upon them by the practise of the Iesuites yet this is so small a proportion being compared with the whole as not to be esteemed especially seeing in Italy compted wholy theirs there are full fourty thousand professed Protestants that haue exercise of theyr Religion also in the Valleys of Piemont and Sâ—lâ—zzâ— besides sundry Gentlemen in Piemont who liue abroad and resort unto them In Lucca also a great part are thought favourers of the Reformation and some of that sort there are scattered in all places especially in the State of Venice But theyr paucitie and obseuritie shall enclose them in a cipher So that for Italy wee will accompt it wholly to stand for the Papacie True it is that the Princes and other free states of Italy little fauour the Popes enlarging in his temporall dominion at home beeing already of a large size in proportion with theirs and especially for those pretences which his sea neuer wanteth and those extraordinarie advantages which the concurrence of his spirituall supremacie by interdictions excommunications discharging oaths of obedience doth giue him aboue all other Princes in the world Which they also aboue all other men in the world haue greatest cause to feare both in regard of the huge multitude of Priests Praelates and Friers wherewith hee hath fortified him selfe exceedingly in all other states and in theirs aboue all excessiuely as also for that discontent which theyr cruell and crying extortions and oppressions by monopolies and taxes by impositions upon mens persons upon theyr lands and goods upon theyr viands and markets upon theyr trades and labours upon theyr successions upon theyr mariages in summe upon all beneficiall or easefull actions haue bred in theyr owne miserable and consumed subjects who wish rather that all Italy were reduced into the hands of some one naturall Potentate whose greedinesse how great soeuer they were able to satisfie and of the Popes aboue all mens who promiseth some more lenitie by his late example at Ferrara where hee remitted many imposts which theyr late Dukes had raysed than to bee thus dayly racked fleyed and devoured by so many petie tyrants as it were with theyr prolling Gabelliers whose ambitions and emulations whose prides and pleasures thirteene millions of yeerely revenew which Italy now yieldeth them is not able to exsatiate Howbeit though as I said for these important causes the Princes and States of Italy no way favour the Popes strength in his temporall at home considering withall what swelling and turbulent spirits mount sometimes into that chaire who haue purposely set Italy on a flaming fire that in the sacking of many them selues might get somewhat for the advauncing of such as nature and bloud did cause them to loue best yet on the contrary side for his spirituall power and soveraigntie abroad they wish it upheld and restored if it were possible both for the honour of theyr nation which is thereby the tryumphant Queene of of the world and much more for the commoditie which by vicinitie they and theyrs reape thence in more aboundance than all other together what by sharing as occasion serues in his booties abroad what by beeing alwayes in sight to receiue favours at home what by that which necessarily sticks to them in very passing through theyr territories Then to exclude any innovation theyr owne safetie and not quiet alone perswades them it beeing daungerous in a body so full of diseased and discontented humours to chaunge or stirre any thing seeing all alteration set humours on working and one humour on foote quickneth up all other what allured by sympathy what by antipathy provoked the end whereof is eyther the dissolving of nature by length of conflicts or the disburdening of nature by expelling that which before oppâ—est it For this cause no audience to be given to the Reformation as enemie to theyr peace which is the nurse of theyr riches and sole anchor of theyr â—atetie For it were but simplicitie to thinke that conscience and loue of truth did sway this deliberation the world having in most places done Religion that honour as to remoue it out of those secret darke Cabinets of the heart where the jealousie of some devout dreamers of the gardens of Paradise had imprisoned it and advanced it to the fairest sight and shew of the world even to make a very maske or viâ—ard of it with eyes and mouth fairely painted and proportioned to all pretences and purposes And other of yet more gallant free spirit haue giuen it a generall passe to goe whether it selfe list so it come not neere them It doth grieue me to speake yea the thought of it must needs bring horrour and detestation what a multitnde of Atheists doe braue it in all places there most where the Papacie is most in his prime what renouncers of God blasphemers of his sonne villanizers of his Saincts and scorners of his service who thinke it a glorious grace to adore the King of a Country but to name or thinke reverently of the Creatour of the World to proceed from a timorous very base mindednes abjectnes of so deepe reach and judgement are these pedlers in theyr proportions who know no other Magistrates but those of theyr parishes These men are favourable alike to all Religions but can best endure that wherein they are least checkt and may raunge with most impunitie But for the Souldiarie of this age a profession and exercise in old time reputed for an only Schoole of vertue but now infamed with all vice and villanie in old time such that the wisest Philosopher thought it reason sufficient why the Lacedaemonians were generally more vertuous than other Nations because they followed the warres more at this
day a cause in all places of cleane contrary effect these desperate Atheismes these Spanish renouncings and Italian blaspheamings haue now so prevailed in our Christian Camps that if any refraine them hee shall be upbraided as no Souldier or gallant-minded man that the very Turks haue the Christians blaspheaming of CHRIST in execration and will punish theyr prisoners sorely when through impatience or desperatnesse they burst into them yea the Iewes in their Speculations of the causes of the straunge successes of the affaires of the world assigne the reason of the Turks prevailing so against the Christians to be theyr blasphemies and blaspheamous Oaths which wound the eares of the very Heavens and cry to the high throane of Iustice for speedie vengeance As for great persons and Princes of whom it was said by the Spanish Frier that few went to Hell and the reason because they were few it is a tâ—re thing and happie where ever it falls out that any of them hath any true and affecting sence of those first and undoubted grounds of Religion to what sort or sect soever it propâ—nd Theyr examples I speake of many of them which were able to be the soveraigne restorers of vertue and re-establishers of an happie world with the endlesse blisse of many millions now perishing through theyr great default are at this day the only ruine and despaire of goodnesse having forgotten whose Lieutenants they are in the world for what end they are placed for what cause they are honoured and most of all what a great accompt they haue to passe at the last Auditt when theyr favorites and fancy-feeding flatterers shall all shrinke from them and nothing but their owne deeds and deserts accompanie them But all these whether Atheists in opinion or in conversation betweene whom small choise being reckoned or let passe to make uppe the number yet hold I that from Italy more wishes than other helpe to mainteine the Papacie abroad by reason of the partition of it into such a multitude of States where the greater do nothing but limbick theyr braines in the Arts of Alchymie and Ballancing to enrich them selues by the one drawing gold out of all things and by the other to peise theyr neighbours and keep them of aequall weight there adding some helpe of theyr hand where the Scales are lighter and the lesser States flee most to the protection of the Chiefe as the Cities of Genova and Lucca the Duke of Urbine the Signor of Diambino with certein other who all recognize the King of Spaine for theyr Patron as casting by him to bee sufficiently secured from the encroachments of those other three and compting that from him the united consent of all the rest will still preserue them to whom his greatnesse is fearefull and his growing would be pernitious There haue bene of them also as the last Duke of Ferrara who haue apparantly enterteined both amitie and streight intelligence with sundry of the Protestant Princes of Germany on purpose to hold theyr neighbours and especially the Pope in aw of calling the Protestants in to their succour if they should eyther assaile or otherwise provoke them And thus much for Italy The next is Spaine reputed wholly the Popes also as having bene a long time governed by the most devoted King and longer curbed in by the most cruell Inquisition that ever the world had for the upholding of that way Howbeit the state of Spain is not to be passed so lightly over wherein though my selfe haue never beene yet by manifold enquirie and information from some of theyr owne and from others who haue bene in it men of knowledge and credit thus much do I conceiue touching the state of theyr Religion That as of a Nation which aimeth so apparently at the Monarchie of the whole West it is at this day none of the most puissant to atchieue the same their Country being so generally exhaust of men what eaten uppe by long warre what transplanted into theyr huge number of Indian Colonies that theyr Cities remaine now wholly peopled with women having some old men among them and many young children whereof the graue attends the one and forreign service the other a fit State for an Amazonian Empire to be revived in so likewise for a Kingdome that hath the surname of Catholike none in greater daunger in the world either wholly or in great part to cast off Christianitie unlesse grace from aboue and better wisdome do stay the encrease of those pestilent cankers of Mahometisme and Iudaisme which threaten the finall decay and eating out of Christianisme And to carry this matter with an indifferent course of report neither aggravating it so much as some do in theyr doubt and jealousie nor yet extenuating it so much as other some in theyr confidence and jolitie seeing feare casts beyond and hope short of the very daunger there is in Spaine a sort of people of the Marrani as they terme them who are baptized Iews and Moores and many of them in secret with all circumcized Christians who are spred over the whole Land but swarme most in the South parts confining with Africa and are in such store that in many places as some say they exceed the true Christians by no small proportion They which say least and speake favourably for the honour of Spain will say there are of them an hundred thousand Families in which at the least an hundred thousand men able to beare armes All which though conforming themselues in some sort of outward shew unto the Christian Religion yet are thought in hart to be utterly adverse from it and to reteine an inward desire to returne to that superstition from which theyr auncestours by rigor and terror were driven And the Iewes will say in Italy that there come divers Spaniards to them to be circumcised there and so away to Constantinople to plant in the East The State of Spain is in often feare of these men rebelling and especially that they would joyne with any enemies that should invade them For although they are forbidden to haue any armes and yeerely search bee made for it over all the Kingdome in an unknowne and least suspected instant yet is there no doubt but armed they are and haue theyr secret caves and devises to conceale them This sort continually growing by living quietly at home and the other part decaying dayly by forrayne employment what the issew may bee though reason may probably conjecture yee time onely and proofe can giue assurance That famous and fearefull Inquisition of Spaine was iâ—stituted fiâ—st on purpose against these Mongrell-Chriâ—tians some hundred yeeres since at what time when King FERDINAND by chasing the Iâ—wes Moores and Arabians out of his dominions merited the name of King Catholike great numbers of them choosing raâ—her to make change of they religion in shew than or theyr Country in deed consented to receiue baptisme which in secret they soone polluted or renounced by circumcision and other superstitions wherein
some places as in theyr County of Tâ—roll effected But in Austria it selfe not so wherein the number of Protestants exceeds and is fearefull to theyr opposites though the exercise of the Reformed religion is there no where allowed and in some chiefe Cities as Uienna wholly restrained But the most part of the Country-people are of it so are halfe the Nobilitie The Duke of Cleves a third Prince affected the same way hath shewed himselfe a little more moderate than some other so advised by neighbourhood The Free-Cities which are of very great number and strength haue all saue some very few enfreed them selues from the Pope eyther in whole or in theyr greater part And thus stands the State of the Empire for that poinâ—t conteyning in it a very huge Circuit of Territorie full of mightie Princes and well-fortified Cities that if it were more strictly united under one Monarch and not so rent into factions with diversitie of Religions breeding endlesse jealousies hartburnings and hatreds it needed no other help to affront the great-Turke and to repulse all his forces â—â— the securitie of Christendome But â—…s so unaequall proportion of adhaerents to the Papacie two things there are which giue them hope of better if prosperous successe shall second theyr well contrived projects The one is the creating of the Emperours alwayes of theyr partie whereof they assure them selues by these considerations First there is no House in Germanie at this day of such greatnesse as is requisit to with-stand the Turke in his encroachments the House of Austria set aside who by their alliance or rather meere entirenesse with Spain and by sundry electiue Kingdomes which runne necessarily upon them shall be alwayes able to make head against any power in the world and by their owne state confining so immediatly with the Turks shal be necessarily enforced laying other thoughts aside to employ the utmost drop of their bloud to keepe off Next whensoever the matter groweth to election of a new Emperour they shall alwayes haue the casting Voyce with them or rather in them having entangled the States of Bohemia in such bonds and promises besides there is no other to make good choise of that they accompt of this Kingdome as of a State halfe haereditarie And lastly theyr late policie now strengthened by usage of declaring a King of Romans in the Emperours life-time whilst his presence and power may govern the action assures them that it shall always passe with them roundly and quietly The other ground of theyr hope is the division of the Protestants into theyr factions of Lutherans and Calvinists as they stile them wherein the Ministers on each side haue so bestirred themselues that the cole which a wise man with a little moisture of his mouth would soone haue quenched they with the wind of theyrs haue contrariwise so enflamed that it threatneth a great ruine and calamitie to both sides And though the Princes and heads of the weaker side in those parts both Paltsgraue and Lantsgraue haue with great judgement and wisedome to asslake those flames imposed silence in that poinct to the Ministers of theyr partie hoping the charitie and discretion of the other sort would haue done the like yet falls it out otherwise both the Lutheran Preachers rage as bitterly against them in theyr Pulpits as euer theyr Princes and people haue them in as great detestation not forbearing to professe openly they will returne to the Papacie rather than ever admit that Sacramentarie and Predestionarie pestilence for these two poincts are the ground of the quarrell and the latter more scandalous at this day than the former And some one of theyr Princes namely the Administratour of Sâ—xonie is strongly miâ—doubted to practise with the Emperour for the joyning the Catholike and Lutheran forces in one and by warre to roote out and extinguish the Calvinists the plausiblest motion to the Emperour that ever could happen Neither is there any great doubt but if any stay or agreement could bee taken with the Turke all Germany were in daunger to bee in uprore within it selfe by intestine dissention Howbeit all the Lutherans are not earied with this sterne humour but they onely which are called the Lutherani rigidi the greater part perhaps which are the molles Lutherani are quiet enough neyther accompt otherwise of Calvinists than of erâ—ing brethren whom the Râ—gâ—di haue as is said partly threaten to excommunicate as Schismatikes and Haeretikes To this lamentable extremitie hath the headinesse of theyr Ministers on both sides brought it while in the peremptorinesse of theyr poore learning they cannot endure any supposed error in their brethren whereof themselues even the best of them perhaps if they were sifted would bee found to bee full enough such take I to be the condition of all men in this world and in theyr ignorance of all actions saue of theyr Schooles and Bookes make more accompâ— of some emptie ill-shaped â—yllogisme than of the peace of the Church and happinesse of the world the â—nd whereof will bee that theyr enemies shall laugh when themselues shall haue cause to weepe unlesse the graciousnesse of God stirre up some worthy Pâ—inces of renowâ—e and reputation with both the sides to inâ—erpose theyr wâ—sdome industrie and authoritie for the uniting these factions or at leastwise for reconciling and composing those differences in some tollerable sort a worke of immortall fame and desert and worthy of â—one but them of whom this wicked base world is not worthy But hereof I shall haue occasion to speake in his due place For this place it sufficeth that these iâ—trincicall quarrels are that which maketh theyr common enemies hold up tâ—eyr heads which quickneth theyr hopes to see the blades of these Reformers drawne one against another that them selues beeing called in to the beating downe of the one part may afterward in good time assaile also the other in the meane season planting in all places theyr Colleges of Iesuites as the onely corrosiue medicine to fret out theyr adversaries Now on the other partie the hopes are also not few besides theyr over-topping them so much in multitude and power First the Germane bearing a naturall stiffe hate to the Italian for his winding and subtill wit which despiseth and would raâ—sacke him but that hee opposeth a proud stoutnesse and intractible obstinacie which serueth alwayes as a wall of defence to simplicitie will hardly what tempering soever the Princes make be brought ever in heart to re-affect the Papacie whose sleights and devises they are thoroughly acquainted with and haue in more detestation than any Nation whatsoever And for theyr owne inward dissâ—…ions it is to bee hoped that though no course were taken to compound them yet never will they bee so mad as to decide them by a generall open warre on both sides having Turke Pope and Emperour to joyne them in friendship For although the contentions of brethren bee â—itterâ—st yet a common strong enemie alwayes makes them friends
the very same plagues which haue ruined the glory and grace of Christendome should now also infect the graund-Enemie thereof namely Effeminatnesse and Avarice whereof the one is the corruption of all sound deliberations and the other the quailer of all manly executions which prevailing in his state as they doe at this day giue hope that his tyrannie draweth towards his period and for this present provide so that a weake defendant may shift better having but a cowardly assailant the matter would haue growne to that extremitie by this time as would haue called the King of Spain with all his forces to some more honourable enterprises than hee hath hitherto undertaken And this is the bridle which holds in the Papacie with all his followers from any universall proceeding by force against the Protestants who herein are greatly advantaged aboue them in that eyther theyr opposites lye betweene them and the Turke or theyr Countries costing so much as they doe towards the North are out of his way and no part of his present ayme But these advantages and disadvantages of the Papacie aequally weighed I suppose this disadvantage more mischievous for the present as proceeding from outward force in the hands of an enemie and the other advantages more stable for continuance as springing from the inward strength of theyr owne wealth and order This then beeing so and that all things considered there falls out if not such an indifferencie and aequalitie yet at leastwise such a proportion of strength on both sides as bereaveth the other of hope ever by warre to subdue them seeing as the Proverbe is a dead woman will haue foure to cary her forth much lesse will able men bee beaten easily out of theyr homes and since there is no appearaunce of ever forcing an Vnitie unlesse Time which eates all things should bring in great alterations it remaineth to bee considered What other kinde of Unitie poore Christendome may hope for whether Vnitie of Veritie or Vnitie of Charitie or Vnitie of Perswasion or Vnitie of Authoritie or Vnitie of Necessitie there beeing so many other kinds and causes of concord A kind of men there is whom a man shall meet withall in all Countryes not many in number but sundry of them of singular learning and pietie whose godly longings to see Christendome reunited in the loue of the Author of theyr name aboue all things and next in brotherly correspondence and amitie as beseemeth those who under the chiefe service of one Lord in profession of one ground and foundation of faith doe expect the same finall reward of glorie which proceeding from the Father and Prince of peace rejecteth all spirits of contention from attaining it haue entred into a meditation whether it were not possible that by the travaile and mediation of some calmer minds than at this day doe usually write or deale on eyther side these flames of controversies might bee extinguished or asslaked and some godly or tollerable peace re-established in the Church againe The earnestnesse of theyr vertuous desires to see it so hath bred in them an opinion of possibilitie that it might bee wrought considering first that besides infinite other poincts not controversed there is an agreement in the generall foundation of Religion in those Articles which the twelue Apostles delivered unto the Church perhaps not as an abridgement onely of the Faith but as a touch-stone also of the faithfull for ever that whilest there was an entire consent in them no discent in other opinions onely should breake peace and communion and secondly considering also there are in great multitude on both sides for so are they undoubtedly men vertuous and learned fraught with the loue of God and of his truth aboue all things men of memorable integritie of hart and affections whose liues are not deare unto theÌ„ much lesse their labors to be spent for the good of Gods Church and people by whose joinct-endeavors and single and sincere proceedings in common conference for search of truth that honorable Vnity of Verity might be established But if the multitude of crooked side respects which are the only clouds that eclipse the truth from shining now brightly on the face of the world the only prickles that so enfroward mens affections as not to consider the best do cause that this chiefe Vnity find small acceptatioÌ„ as is to bee feared at least-wise that the endlesse and ill fruiâ—ts of these contentions which tend mainly to the encrease of Atheisme within of Mahometisme abroad which in obstinate the Iew shake the faith of the Christian taint the better minds with acerbitie and load the worse with poyson which breake so out into theyr actions which themselues thinke holiest namely the defence of Gods truth which each side challengeth that in thinking they offer up a pleasing sacrifice to Gods they giue cause of wicked joy unto his and theyr enemie that these wofull effects with very tediousnesse and wearinesse may draw both parts in fine to some tollerable reconciliation to some Unitie of Charitie at leastwise to some such as may be least to eythers praejudice Let the one giue over theyr worshipping of Images theyr adoring and offering supplications to Saincts theyr offensiue Ceremonies theyr arbitrary Indulgences theyr using of a language not understood in theyr devotions all which themselues will confesse not to bee necessary to bee orders of the Church and such â—s at pleasure shee may dispence with yea Pope CLEMENT the vij th gaue some hope to the French King that hee would not be stiffe in things of this qualitie and that respect of time might justifie the alteration and some of the latter Popes condiscend to them of Bavaria the Cup in the Sacrament hoping that would content them which since they or theyr successours haue againe inhibited on the other side let the Protestants such at leastwise as think so purge out that negatiue and contradictory humour of thinking they are then rightest when they are unlikest the Papacie then neerest to God when farthest from Rome let them looke with the Eye of Charitie upon them as well as of severitie and they shall find in them some excellent orders for governement some singular helpes for an encrease of godlinesse and devotion for the conquering of sinne for the perfecting of vertue and contrariwise in them selues looking with a more single and lesse indulgent Eye than they doe they shall find that there is no such absolute or unreproueable perfection in theyr doctrine and Reformation as some dreamers in the pleasing view of theyr owne actions doe fancie Neyther ought they to thinke it straunge they should bee amisse in any thing but rather a very miracle if they were not so in many For if those auncient Fathers and Sages of the Church with greater helpes beeing nearer the times of puritie with aequall industrie so spending theyr whole liues with lesse cause of unsinceritie having nothing to seduce them notwithstanding were not able in the weaknesse and blindnesse