orders which this epistle will not haue broken but eyther by compulsion to be kept or punished by deposition so carelesse a husband so bad a Christian so weake a protectour he is or els which I rather thinke so light witted a man as he will offer vpon any occasion to aduenture all he hath be it his wife cause or credit though the conditions on which he doth it be neuer so vnequall disaduantagious or preiudiciall vnto him 43. Before I end this matter I will come from M. Halls text vnto his margent where first he maketh this note saying Whether Huldericus Extreme folly to make no doubt of that which is only doubted of or as he is some where intituled Volusianus I enquire not the matter admits no doubt So he But this is extreme folly for it importeth all in all to know the true Author when all the credit of the thing reporteth lyeth thereon as heere it doth or els any may obtrude whatsoeuer broken peece of a letter they shal find on the dunghill to be written by some Father the thing shall challeng authority from the writer and this thing neuer hauing beene seene or heard of in the world before can haue no credit if it were only written by some late sectary as we haue inst cause to suspect and M. Hall cannot disproue whereas if he could proue it written by S. Huldricke we should more esteeme it and answere it with more regard the authority being greater in the behalfe of our Aduersaryes then if it had beene coyned by some MagdeburgiaÌ„ or elâ— by some Sacramentary either moderne or more ancient To auoyd the suspition of this imposture M. Hall cyteth againe his learned Pope Pius 2. or Aeneas Siluius in sua Germania which title Iohn Fox setteth downe more fully saying Aeneas Siluius hath no mention of the counterfeit epistle of S. Vdalricus Meminit ciusdem epistolae Aeneas Siluius in sua peregrinatione Germaniae descriptione Aeneas Siluius maketh mention of this letter in his pilgrimage and description of Germany but it should seem that Iohn Fox his wit was gone in pilgrimage or or els a woll gathering when he made this note for after some search I haue made of his bookes I thinke I haue better meanes to find them out then Fox had I can find none extant vnder the one or other title nor yet vnder the title of his Germany as M. Hall expresseth it neither doth Trithemius in his catalogue or Posseuinus in Apparatu where they set downe all the bookes they could find of this Pope mention any such worke and so the mention made of this letter in this Pilgrimage is a meere idle toy framed out of the wandring imagination of Iohn Fox and vpon to light credit taken vp by M. Hall There is in his workes extant an answere to one Martin Mayer for defence of the holy Roman Church in which he describeth some parts of Germany by which he had passed and speaking of Auspurg he sayth as the Germans haue printed him in Basill S. Vdalricus huic praefidet qui Papam arguit de concubinis c. S. Vdalricus is patron of this place who reprehended the Pope for concubines it lyeth by the riuer Licus So he as these Sacramentaryes haue set him out Which being all graunted belongeth not to this matter in hand but concerneth only the bad life of the young Pope Iohn then thrust by force of friends and maintayned by tyranny in that seat which abuse the Church is forced sometymes to suffer as temporall states do ill Princes but in the one and the other personall crimes as they tend to the impeachment of priuate fame so nothing derogate from publike authority in such the office is to be considered apart from the life as Moyses his chayre from the Pharisyes who sate thereon their power we reuerence their liues we abhorre no state so high no calling so holy no function so laudable but ill men haue beene found therein and if once we confound the life with the office and out of the vnworthynes of the one inferre the denyall of the other we shall leaue no Pope Bishop Priest Emperour King or other Magistrate whatsoeuer and this supposing these to be the words of Aeneas Siluius of which I haue some cause to doubt both for that I haue seene a printed copy without them and moreouer I haue seen three Manuscripts of which as two were lately written had them so the 3. which was much more ancient in the text had them not but in the margent only by which meanes forged glosses so creep in often tymes as they com at length to be printed with the wordes of the Author but howsoeuer to this purpose they make nothing and the other whom M. Hâ—ll ioyneth with him to wit Gaspar Hedio a late heretike is of no credit to iustify this matter no more then M. Iohn Fox Ioseph Hall or any other professed aduersary 44. Againe it is another vntruth to say that somewhere he is intituled Volusianus for though Benefild against M. Leech call the Author of that letter Volusianus yet doubtles he meaneth The Author of the forged epistle vncertains another man distinct from S. Vdalricke who was neuer named Volusianus by any writer and this maketh the whole tale more to reele seeing it is obtruded as a base child that knoweth not his owne Fathers name and if once we remoue it from S. Vdalricke to whome as I haue proued it cannot agree the thing leeseth all credit and proueth nothing but the corrupt dealing of such as alleage it for this Volusianus is a name inuented to make fooles fayne no man knowing what he was where he was borne when he liued of what calling or credit in the world whether of kyt or kin to the man in the Moon for he neuer liued on our inferiour orbe vnder the first second or third Nicholas if I might interpose my ghesse I should thinke him to be brother to Steuen the subdeacon before mentioned out of Gratian for that he is so ready to father the fatherles and take a child to his charge which he neuer begot 45. But sayth M. Hall the matter admits no doubt which is another vntruth for whether by the word matter M. Hall vnderstand the Authour of the letter or the contents themselus both are doubted yea both are denyed and to take that for graunted which resteth in controâ—ersy to be proued is a foule fault in Philosophy and called petitio principij as if one to credit Petitio principij a foule fault in â— Philosopher M. Hall and to proue that for his learning he deserueth to be estcemed against one who shold deny him to be learned at all should thus conclude All learned men deserue to be esteemed but M. Hall as I suppose is a learned man Ergo he is for such to be esteemed no man will allow that he suppose the Minor as graunted which only is called in
remedy this turpitude which there was most spread where the Popes authority could do least to wit in Germany where Henryes countermands still crossed all Gregoryes decrees and Nero his sword as S. Anselme Anselm epist ad VValramum worthily calleth him S. Peters power not willfullnes of one man which is done by common consent of whole Councells wherein no force violence or importunity is recorded euer to haue beene vsed but the thing with full freedome No willfullnes ioynt consent and vniforme agreement of all to haue passed and which is much to be noted though the Emperour in the tyme of this Pope called some false Councells as of VVormes Mentz and Pauia to withstand Gregory yet in no one of them all is there any decree or approuance of the marriage of Priests they be-being as it should seeme ashamed to leaue extant any monument or remembrace of so brutish a doctrine and to all Christian antiquity so repugnant 81. Neither wanted there a reason for Gregory his decree and laudable indeauours in this Great reason for the making of Pope Gregory his decre behalfe if M. Hall had so much wit or iudgment as to conceaue it for he still pleaded the contrary practise to haue beene in the Church and therby shewed that he made no new decree but reformed the late abuse crept in against the old and that according to the ancient Canons and Statutes of the Church as any may see in all places heere cyted and in the Councell of Rome Anno 1074. as Lambertus writeth it was decreed Gregor 7. lib. 2. Epiep 45. 61. 62. 66. 67. Vt secundum instituta antiquorum Canonum Presbyteri vxores non habeant habentes aut dimittant aut deponantur That according to the determinations of the ancient Canons the Priests haue no wiues and they who haue them either dismisse or put them away or els that themselues be deposed and writing to Anno Bishop of Colen he plainely sayth Nouit enim Fraternitas tua quia praecepta haec non de nostro sensu exsculpimus sed antiquorum Patrum sanctiones spiritu sancto praedicante prolatas of officij nostri necessitate in medium propalamus Your brotherhood doth know that we frame not these commandes out of our owne head but our office compelling vs we lay open the decrees of the ancient Fathers made by the instinct of the holy Ghost So he And is this trow you M. Hall no reason or can you if you were put to it frame a better then priority of tyme conioyned with vniuersality of place Maenio maius num quod tibi carmen habetur Dispeream si scis carmina quid sapiant I see you know not what reason meanes 82. And the like I may say of Gods will Pope Gregory his decree according to the will of God which in the whole pursuit of this thing was only sought for in preseruing that which the whole Church guyded by his holy spirit had so often determined so many Councells decreed so long vncontrollable custome of al Countreyes obserued which to infring only vpon the violence of a few licentious and disorderly liuers who will take liberty without leaue haue all things to be ruled by their owne vnruly passions was little according to Gods will and much lesse was it according to his will to breake their solemne vowes of perpetuall chastity made in the taking of their orders which by the law of nature and diuine bound them to the obseruance and consequently the transgression was against the will of God which the Pope did labour to reforme and in seeking reformation could seek for no other emolument or profit to himselfe then to please God for sure he was to displease many men therby and to increase the number of such as mortally hated his so constant zeale infatigable labour in Gods cause but this hatred of men proceeding from Gregory his loue to God was no more by him to be regarded then that of the Iewes was of the Apostls or the hatred of the ancient persecutors Auentine a late partiall and vnsincere writer of the primitiue Martyrs 83. What broyles hereon ensued sayth M. Hall let Auentine witnes but I except against this witnes as being for tyme too yong for profession too partiall and for credit too small to testify in this matter and withall I must warne this Epistler that in cyting Authours he vse more exactnes then for two lines to referre vs ouer to a whole booke in folio of many leaues which we neither haue leasure nor list to read all ouer and it is not worth the labour to spend so much tyme in reading such Authors so false fond and confuse as he is knowne to be the words heere cyted out of him seeme to conteyn no more truth then the rest now refuted Ex interdicto sacerdotum coniugio sayth he grauissima seditio gregem Christi perculit c. Vpon the forbidding of the marriage of Priests a most grieuous sedition wounded the flock of Christ neither was there euer such a plague that so afflicted Christian people So he Which is a meere Chymera for this flocke of Christ these Christian people were a few seditious German Priests who tooke the occasion of the discord between the Emperour the Pope to follow their lust and wallow in all filthines If M. Hall obiect that not only this but the contention of the Emperour and all the broyles then made and raysed were for this cause he will shew his reading The chief cōtention betweene Henry the fourth Gregory the 7. not about the marriage of Priests to be little and iudgment small because this was but a bad branch of another root an effect of another cause and a by-lake from another greater streame 84. For who so will reade attentiuely what Authors do write of these tymes what Pope Gregory in so many Councels letters and Edicts did decree he shall find before this filthy fault another to be commonly premised to wit of Symony which more touched the Emperour who as Caluin and others write held all the Bishopricks and Abbeyes at sale and the Bishops also who hauing bought their place for money did sell al Canonries Deanries Prebends c. were both by the Popes decrees to be themselus remoued their doings anulled so likewise the Abbots then this other of VViues which was indeed but an appendix of the former and permitted by the Emperour to increase the nūber of his followers and enemyes of the Pope being neuer intended as any principall cause for had not the Symony hindred which was the first and chiefest quarrell between them which M. Hall not being able to iustify doth still dissemble the accord betweene Henry and Gregory had soone been made which neuer depended on these marriages and to affirme the contrary or that all the turmoyles were made for Priests wiues shewes exceeding ignorance in historyes and all the course held in this
constancy the glory of miracles all the gifts of the holy Ghost made famous that in this respect England hath no cause to enuy now at other most noble Cittyes for their renowned Pastours So Baronius of S. Dunstane 89. And in case that the three Saints named by M. Godwin had beene lesse eager against M. Godwine to free in ceÌ„suring of a short memory the marriage of Priests then S. Anselme I see not why he in that respect should not haue beene more fauourable also vnto them in their liues which yet he is not for of S. Oswald he sayth That he was very earnest in setting forth that doctrine of Diuells that debarreth men of lawfull marrâ—â—ge of S. Ethelwold that he plaied the Rex at VVinchester turning along eight honest Priests into the world with their wiues and children of S. Dunstane he rayseth diuers iniurious slaunders but you must know the cause of all to be that which he vttereth in the last words of his life to wit for persecuting and hunting marryed Priests euery where out of their liuings which clause if you marke it well ouerthroweth the other before cyted concerning S. Anselme that his persecutioÌ„ was more general then the other of S. Dunstane S. Ethelwold S. Oswalde when as yet their decrees as you haue seene are all one and alike in generall for all and heere further you haue S. Dunstane no lesse then S. Anselme not only in Monasteryes or places where Chanons dwelled but euery where to haue hunted and persecuted marryed Priests out of their liuings Stil I must complain of want of memory in these men who in their heat of contradiction against vs forget in The famous example which hapned at the Councell of Calne one place what they haue written in another 90. Which point is yet made more cleare by the memorable miracle which happened at Calne of which in a manner al our writers make mention as Osbertus Malmesbury Florentius Huntingdon Houeden Matthew VVestminster and others where in the behalfe of all the incontinent Clergy many of the Nobility were assembled Osbert in vita Dunstani Malmes l. 2. cap. 9. Florent in anno 977. Houeden eodem Hunting in anno 4. Eduard â—â— togeather with their Oratour Bernelinus a Scottish man that so eyther by power or perswasioÌ„ they might ouerbeare S. Dunstane Validissimum illum murum Ecclesiae sayth Malmesbury that most strong bulwarke of the Church But against all humane power and eloquence God shewed which part pleased him best which highly displeased him for the house where they sate in Councell sodenly fell downe and either killed or sorely wounded all those who withstood the Saint he and his as Osbert recounteth in his life being free from all danger which wonderfull euent albeit Huntington the speciall proctour for marryed Priests do â—arely recount without any mention of the cause of their meeting and moreouer do turne it to another interpretation yet others especially Malinesbury the best after Bede that we haue for our historyes in assigning the effect truely insinuateth the cause saying Hoc miraculum Archiepiscopo exhibuit pacem de Clericis omnibus Anglis tunc deinceps in eius sententiam concedentibus This miracle ended the 〈◊〉 betweene S. Dunstane and the Clergy all English men as wel then as after yielding vnto his opinion So he Out of which words I gather against M. Godwin that S Dunstane no lesse then S. Anselme opposed against all marryed Priests ouerthrew them all and against M. Hall that the first prohiâ—ition against the mariage of Priests was not made by S. Anselme but more then a hundred yeares before he was Bishop or had any thing to do in our English Church 91. And as it is most true that S. Dunstane before S. Anselme made this prohibition so is it most false that by him first of all our English Clergy did perforce stoop to the yoke of continency as though euer before they had wiues genuisse filios filias as now we see our English Ministers to do which only is the ill collection of M. M. Halls manner of collections Hall who when he findeth any thing forbidden he forthwith inferreth that the thing fordidden was alwayes in vse before the prohibition and heere his wit no lesse fayling him then his Logicke he gathereth that because at different tymes the same was restrayned vnder two Arch-â—ishops of Canterbury that it was neuer before the tyme of one or the other in his text he sayth that the Clergy were forced to stoop vnder the yoke of continency by the first and in the margent that it was alwayes free to marry and neuer deâ—yed till the later as now we haue heard but â—oth are false and the single life of Priests is of far greater antiquity then are the tymes of these two Saints whome God raysed to take away the abuse crept in and not to alter any constant custome euer allowed or practised in the land before for the good corne was first sown in that field and the darnell after truth was before errour the continency of the Clergy of all acâ—nowledged of all practised in all tymes after â—ur conuersion approued when as their vnlawâ—ll marriage as it entred late so it endured not â—ong so one rising and soone falling and as for â—yme it could neuer prescribe so neither for â—lace could it euer get the full possession of our â—ttle Iland till these later dayes a thing so filâ—hy after a solemne vow to God to take a wise â—s it neuer appeared without the brand of infaâ—y so base as the basest only deâ—ended it the â—est withstood it of so narrow bounds as it was â—euer tollerated in Europe Africke or the Latin Church nor yet in Greece till by bad life it fell â—o schisme from schisme into open heresy and from thence vnto the thraldon of the Turkâ— vnder which now it resteth 92. Which point concerning other counâ—reys I haue proued before now I will restraine â—y speach to England alone and in a word or two proue the Clergy euer to haue beene continent and then obiter touch the cause of that abuse I meane vpon what occasion it first entred and inuegled so many in S. Dunstans tyme A negatiue argument grounded vpon manifest presumptioÌ„ and for the first I thinke this generall negatiue directly to conclude that in all the pursuit of this busines in al the prohibitions depositions censures and sentences deliuered against the incontinent we neuer reade that any of them did euer stand vpon the former custome of the Church or continuall practise therof in that behalfe or euer complained that the Bishops brought in a new law contrary to the old or that they were made Priests when that freedome was in vse approued and allowed and therfore all such prohibitions depositions censures sentences and other penaltyes made afterward to haue beene vniust iniurious and tyrannical as they could doubtles would haue pleaded had
bring his authority by whome Christian Religion was first planted in England we bring the greatest Clerke that euer antiquity yelded vs we bring one who liued when the bickering with S. Dunstane began and what he wrot of Priests wiues we bring S. Anselme when it was againe renewed we bring the approuance of all the best Historiographers and schollers of the Land so as both our authorityes are positiue in the affirmance far more ancient for tyme and without comparison for esteeme more eminent then any can be alleadged to the contrary and if Tertullians rule be true as M. Hall graunted and denyed it togeather in the beginning of his letter that priority of tyme inferreth infallibility of truth then the cause is ours and M. Hall is cast or els let him produce some more ancient writers or of such credit as S. Gregory S. Bede S. Anselme and the like or if authours want to deale for a farewel more friendly with him let him bring me for the first three hundred yeares after the arriuall of S. Augustine into England but one Bishop Priest or Deacon who was marryed and in that state liued freely with his wife and was so allowed and I will rest contented and put him to no further A large offer made to M. Hal. trouble for prouing his freedome and who seeth not this my offer to be very large in case marriage had byn as freely then permitted to Priests as it is now to Ministers as he contendeth And if neither authority in writing nor example of fact can be found and we shew both the one and other for their single life then I trust none will be so vnequall a Iudge and professed enemy of truth as not to acknowledge it appearing so plainly in her natiue colours and so Al authority standeth for the single life of Priests none against it of any account or worth euidently marked with infallible certainty 112. And it must needs be a great comfort vnto Catholiks to see Heresy haue so weake defence to see this cause so ouerborn by vs as you haue heard to see on our side stand S. Gregory our Apostle S. Bede S. Dunstane S. Ethelwold S. Oswald S. Anselme so many Kings Councells Nobility consent of the Realme continuâ—ll custome of tyme all writers of most account in one word all the flower of authority learning and sanctity which euer our Nation yielded since these broyles of the incontinent Clergy began before also on the other side to see M. Hall for want of other help to lay hold on one obscure Authour Henry Huntington for tyme not very ancient for credit small and for the very thing he affirmeth out of him vntrue al others disclayming from him all pleading for vs vnles they be such as are not worth the taking vp and that euen vntill the tyme of Edward the 6. when also those who there dealt against vs had first in another ParlameÌ„t before pleaded for vs and subscribed to that which afterwards they condemned If any say for their excuse that the later Parlaments are of equall authority with the former and that one may repeale what the other hath enacted I answere that so it is in ciuill affayres which depende vpon the present disposition of persons tymes and things for it may so fall out that one law which heeretofore was very expedient may be now hurtfull or the contrary but for matters of fayth or things thereunto appertayning this rule doth not hold for as the certainty of Religion dependeth not on men who are mutable but vpon the sure immoueable and euerlasting truth of Almighty God alwayes one alwayes inuariable so must the same also be constant one and vniforme in it selfe without any change or alteration at all neither is this fayth to be fashioned out by Parlaments of particuler Nations but if any difficulty arise therein or in any other Ecclesiasticall affayre the Pastours who alone are to direct the flocke of Christ in Generall CouÌ„cels are to sit iudges and define the matter lay men not to intermedle therein This alwayes hath beene the practise of the Christian world by this haue errours beene rooted out vnity purity of fayth mainteyned the people kept in peace the Church in esteeme this failing errours as experience hath too deerly taught vs haue increased heresyes without all order or vnity haue beene multiplyed common peace broken holy Church contemned the whole frame of Christianity shaken and al things disioynted and put out of order 113. Another ponderation may be drawn 4. Ponderation from the difficulty of this graunt for marriage in the very beginning when it was first proposed in Parlament in the tyme of King Edward The first grant for marriage of Clergy men gotten in the ParlameÌ„t with great difficulty the sixth and was so strongly opposed as it could find no passage but only for the tyme past and that also not without some hard straynes it seeming indecorum vnto them all to behold the Pastours as fleshly as the people and no purity or perfection of life to be in one more then in the other but sicut populus sic Sacerdos to be all carnall all drowned in sensuality al alike more corporall then spirituall more attent to the body See the three Conuers par 2. cap. 12. §. 22. c. then soule to pleasure then pennance temporall emoluments then eternall happynes but what should they doe deny it absolutly they could not for the Ministers practise had preuented their hindrance and they came prouided in that behalfe not hauing so much patience as to expect the Parlaments permittance and he had giuen them example who for place authority was the chiefest among them their Archbishop Cranmer the first marryed Metropolitan that euer was in England Cranmer I meane the first marryed Metropolitan that euer England saw and it was to no purpose to go about to restrayne the members from the influence of the head or where the root was corrupted to seek to saue the branches from infection this also being the chiefe point of Euangelicall liberty among them happily renewed as M. Hall sayth with the Ghospell but indeed was so new as a new paire of shooes neuer made before could be no newer And this Ghospell was not according to S. Matthew but Martin Luther as we haue shewed and a very lasciuious Ghospell that to satisfy the lust of these wanton companions did breake all bands and promises made before to God of a better life 114. But seeing afterwards all the ofspring to tracke so constantly this path of their progenitours necessity excluding all counsaile of further deliberation and the great multitude of these marryed men all meanes of redresse they were forced in the next Parlament to permit them all to take wiues permit them I say for approue them they did not and that also in despite of all lawes made euer before in al Prouinciall Nationall Generall Councels to the contrary
haue ended this letter but that his triumphant conclusion forceth me to make a briefe recapitulation of what hath passed in this combat betweene vs that you may as in a table see both what cause there was he should so crow and how that he as well as other of our Aduersaryes haue a speciall grace when they haue proued nothing to vâ—unt aboue measure of their chymericall conquests for if you barre them of that boasting humour of lying of rayling of corrupting Authours and childish disputing their pens will cast no inke their books will be very barren they in short tyme for matters or controuersy will become altogeather mute M. Halls bragging Conclusion is examined togeather with a briefe Recapitulation of what before hath beene sayd HAVING discussed hitherto all M. Halls arguments and deciphered their weaknes or rather hauing shewed how they haue beene answered by others resumed by him without any notice of their former refutation and that with such confident courage as he pawneth his wife his fidelity his cause all theron which if truth and equity may giue sentence he hath all forfeited yet such is the mans misfortune his wit being so shallow and selfe esteeme of his owne worth and works so great that as before he neuer more bragged theÌ„ wher he had least cause and was most ouerthrowne so in the very end where he should haue excused the want of exact performance of what he had vndertaken as necessarily knowing all his proofes to haue beene so disproued before as neither altogeather or any one of them all cold subsiâ—t yet hauing passed the bounds of modesty by his intemperate rayling on vâ— and immoderate praysing of himselfe without further reflection he ruâ—heth on forwards and in lieu of M. Hâ—lls pride â—nd vanity this excuse and humble opinion of himselfe a there is â—o cause God woâ— why â—e should haue any other he coÌ„meth aloft with an Iâ— triumphe like a coâ—querour in his triumphant chariot with lawâ—ell crowne and scepter in hand talketh of nothing els but conquestâ— victoryes subduing Aduersaryes â—eâ—ching and defending the truth which yet in this brauery he so betrayth as euen in this triumphant Conclusion which he maketh there is nothing he hath that includes not in it some notorious â—alshood obseruing in some sort the rules of art which will haue the beginning and end of a worke to haue some proportion and connexion togeather and so as he began bluntly with fiue lyes at once so will he end with as many to speake the least for thus he writeth 2. I haue sayth he I hope fetcht this truth far inough deduced it low inough through many ages to the midst of the rage of Antichristian M. Hall for a fare well giues vs a fardle of vntruths tyranny there left our libeâ—ty there began their bondage Our liberty is happily renewed with the Ghospell what God what his Church hath euer allowed we do enioy wherin we are not alone the Greeke Church as large for extent aâ— the Roman and in some parts of it better for soundnes do thus and thus haue euer done Let Papists and Athiests say what they will it is safe erring with God and his purer Church So he And to all this vaunting there needeth no other answere then that of the Wise man Nubes vâ—ntus plâ—uiâ— non sequentes vir gloriosus promissa non complens As the câ—oud Prouerb 25. and wind and no raigne following so is the man who vaunteth much and performeth not his promises for all these wast words are but clouds without water vaine blasts of presumptuous pride promiâ—ing much and performing nothing and M. Hall in his long trauell is but like vnto one who maketh a great iourney to the sea side to fetch home salt water in a â—yue or to those of whome the Prophet speaketh who sowed much and reaped little and put all their gaine in sacculum pertusum a purse pierced through the bottome from which all did fall out that was put in for if M. Hâ—ll will rightly cast vp his accounts he shall find that he hath gayned as much by all his labour for his cause as if he had sate still and sayd nothing though for his credit this he had gotten to be hâ—ld a very vnsincere and superficiall writer for he wanteth learning to frame an argument reading to find the truth modesty in his tearmes and conscience in telling so many lyes which are as thicke with him as hops in haruest 3. And whosoeuer will consider what before hath beene sayd will see the vayne hope of this man to vanish like smoke he sayth that he hath fetched this truth far inough and deduced it low inough through many ages euen to the midst of the rage of Antichristian tyranny o how much is truth for her deliuerance out of bondage be holding vnto M. Hall to so potent an Aduocate Scilicet liberanda veritas sayth â—ertullian expectabat Marcionem This conquest of fetching truth so far was reseâ—ued to Tertul. â—â— Marciâ—n these â—ymes to M. Halls trauells to his learned pen but in this his valiant exploit of fetching home truth he should not haue forgot that rule thereof deliuered by S. Ambrose and was much worth his noting Veritatis sayth this Father Amb. lib. â—â—e Offiâ— cap. 24. â—â—est regula vt nihil sacias commendandi tui causa quo minor alius fiat That is the rule of truth that you do nothing in your own commendation wherby another may be abased as heere M. Hall doth whiles in praysing himselfe for fetching truth so far of his happy renewing of his liberty by the Ghospell of erring with the purer Church and the like he contumeliously calleth the Catholicke Church and the gouernement thereof Antichristian tyranny and most basely giues as it were the defyance to Papists and Atheists which tearmes needed not were all so cleare on his side as he would haue it but that the leuity and malignity of his distempered brayne where reason fayled would force it out with rayling and he thought his owne praise too little vnles it went combyned with our contumely In this I confesse his faculty is better then in prouing the continuance of the marriage of Clergy men which notwithstanding his brags hath beene found to be to â—ard a taske for his weake ability 4. And when he tells vs how far this truth is fetcht and how low deduced through many ages I must truely tell him that he hath performed no such matter the primitiue church the ensuing ages the later tymes all authority of any weight or worth are against him vntill the tyme of Edward the sixth the freedome he now possesseth was neuer possessed in England no Bishops were marryed no Priests but of lewd life euer attempted it abuse as tymes gaue M. Hall striueth as it should seeme to vtter many vntruthes in a few lins occasion crept in but neuer had publike allowance And if he meane
A REFVTATION OF M. IOSEPH HALL HIS APOLOGETICALL DISCOVRSE FOR THE Marriage of Ecclesiasticall Persons directed vnto M. Iohn VVhiting IN WHICH Is demonstrated the Marriages of Bishops Priests c. to want all warrant of Scriptures or Antiquity and the freedome for such Marriages so often in the sayd discourse vrged mentioned and challenged to be a meere fiction Written at the request of an English Protestant By C. E. a Catholike Priest Libertatem promittentes cùm ipsi sint serui corruptionis Promising freedome whiles themselues are the slaues of corruption 2. Petr. 2. Permissu Superiorum M. DC XIX AN ADVERTISEMENT TO THE READER WHEREAS according to the order set downe in the ensuing Letter I had determined to adde another Paragraffe to the former three coÌ„teyning A detection of M. Halls errours and ouersights in writing I found in the pursuit therof so aboundant matter as I could not comprize it all within the narrow bounds of a Paragraffe and increasing so much vnder my hands I resolued at length to set it out a part at amounting to more then what I haue already written in answere of this Letter to M Whiting which being one entier Controuersy might perhaps better be set out alone theÌ„ conioâ—ned with other points nothing at all incident to that matter as are the other doctrinall Errours Vntruths Mistakings Impostures and other fraudulent ignorant and malicious behauiour which I am forced to detect and wherwith all the â—apsodyes of his Epistles that conteyâ— any disputable question are fraught to the full Another cause heerof was for that a Gentleman lately come out of England gaue me notice of other bookes of the same Authour which I had not yet seene and of one entituled The peace of Rome on which in particuler dependeth very much of that which I haue written in the Detection especially in refuting that most shameles assertion Decad. 3. Epist 5. that Bellarmin acknowledgeth vnder his owne hand two hundred thirty and seauen Contrarietyes of doctrine amongst Catholiks which is nothing els but 237. lyes in one assertion if he meane as he must do of points that belong to sayth and Religion and not of matter vndecided and meerly disputable in Schooles And yet further which to one not acquainted with the forhead of Heretikes may seeme incredible he auoucheth the dissensions of ProtestaÌ„ts to be only in cerimonyes of the Catholiks in substance theirs in one or two points ours in all Againe ours is in the whole cloath theirs only in the skirts c. with more to the same effect All which or at least the chiefest part I meane the disagreement of Catholiks in fundamentall points are as I suppose discussed in that worke and I cannot so well refute his words in generall vntill I see his speciall prooses that are made against our vnity and the proper subiect of euery particuler dissension Only heere to his generall charge I returne also in generall this answere That neither he nor all of his Sect set togeather can make this good and in case he be so bold in his Peace as he hath beene in his other VVritings we shall find store of most impudent vntruths for lying and detraction if it be for the aduancement of the Ghospell seem with this Man to be meritorious works and those deliuered with such audacity as if they were most certaine and vncontrollable truthes of which kind there be many discoâ—ered in the refutation of this Letter but the number that remaine is without comparison greater which when I consider togeather with his eminent ignorance I cannot but greatly admire the scarcity of learned men in our Countrey that could find no better Doctours to send to Doâ—t Conference to conclude the peace between the skirtwrangling-Brethren then M. Hall no more to be coÌ„pared with learned men then a Pedlar with Merchants a Pettifogger with Lawyers a meer Pedanticall Grammarian with graue and learned Deuines VVere the matter in Controuersy to be concluded with outfacing of lyes M. Hall might sit for Arbiter and Iudge of the whole Assembly vnles they be too shameles ouerbeare them all Of a mayne multitude which already I haue set downe in the Detection I will touch one heer and that only to discharge and cleare my selfe from that wherof I accuse him I meane of detraction and defaming his person Let this then passe for an example which so confidently he writeth in his Quo vadis or Censure of Pag. 41. Trauell where though he say that A discreet man will be ashamed to subscribe his name to that whereof he may be afterwards conuinced yet Pag. 6â— so indiscretly doth he deale as he blusheth not to write in these wordes What packets fly abroad of their Indian wonders Euen Cardinall Bellarmine can come in as an auoucher of these cosenages who dares auerre that his fellow Xauier had not only healed the deafe dumbe and blind but raysed the dead whiles his brother Acosta after many yeares spent in those parts can pul him by the sleeue and tell him in his eare so loud that all the world may heare him Prodigia nulla producimus neque verò est opus c. So M. Hall And I appeale to all the Ministers of Dort whether they euer heard a more impudent vntruth For first Acosta was neuer in the East Indyes at all nor Xauier in the VVest and how then would Acosta spend many years in those parts where Xauier had liued This is one lye and that so long a one as it reacheth as far as it is from the East to the VVest or from the Artick to the Antartick Pole Againe so far is Acosta from pulling Bellarmine by the sleeue or disauowing the miracles of Xauier as in this very worke he doth both acknowledge confesse them for true For thus he writeth Conuertamus oculos in Lib. 2. 10. saeculi nostri hominem B. Magistrum Franciscum virum Apostolicae vitae c. Let vs cast our eyes vpon a man of our age on B. Maister Francis Xauier a man of an Apostolicall life of whome so many so great miracles are recorded by many and those approued witnesses as there are scant recounted more or greater vnles it be of the Apostles of any VVhat haue M. Gaspar Berzaeus other not a few of his CoÌ„panions done in the East Indies How much haue they aduanced the glory of Gods power in conuerting that people by their miraculous workes So far Acosta Out of whose wordes deliuered in so plaine honourable tearmes of this Blessed Man Francis Xauier the Reader may see whether he were a fit witnes to be produced against the miracles of the sayd Father whether he pull Bellarmine by the sleeue and cry so loud in his eare that all the world may heare him or rather whether M. Hall do not most lewdly lye and maliciously abuse his Reader in applyirg that to Xauerius which Acosta spake only of himselfe and others then liuing with him in
Perù Brasil Mexico and the adioyning coasts and assigneth the causes of their not working miracleâ— as I shall more fully declare when I shall come to handle this in the Ditection And euen now there is come to my handes a booke written by one Collins in defence of Doctor Andrews If Spenser the Poet were liuing he might very well make another Collins Slowt vpon his slowterly discourse so loose loathsome as will weary the most patient Reader and withall so ignorant railatiue and lying as I wonder that it was permitted by priuiledge to come to the Presse was not suppressed with his other which he wrot against the Reuerend Father Andraeas Eudemon-Ioannes He is fortunate in the choice of his Aduersaryes for be singles out such as are singular but in the combat he is weake simple and a meere pratler this he shall better heare from him whome it concernes then I shall need now to declare Only this I must note in him that Et Platanus Platanis Alnoque assibilat Alnus One egg is not more like another then are these Ministers in lying For this seely fellow in his Epistle to his Maiesty of all others which euer I saw written to a Prince the most beggarly thus writeth of Cardinall Bellarmine He in his deuoutest Meditations of all others his booke last set forth de aeterna Felicitate sayth M. Collins will not excuse Kings from being murthered de iure not only de facto only he passes it ouer as a casus omissus happily because auouched in his other Volums more peremtorily So he Insinuating that Bellarmine alloweth the murthering of Kings not only de facto but also de iure for what other sense can his words beare that he wil not excuse Kings from being murdered de iure And againe when afterwards he sayth The Cardinall not content with a death de facto implyes that they may be slaine de iure too but that it doth approue it which is so far from the Cardinalls meaning as he insinuateth the quite contrary For hauing compared the Saints in heauen with Kings on earth he commeth after to shew wherein the Saints do excell them and putteth this for one point that earthly Kings are subiect to many calamityes from which the Saints are exempted and deliuereth the difference in these wordes Denique potest etiam Rex subditos vinculis carcere exilio flagris morte mulctare sed potest etiam Rex de facto loquor non de iure vinciri carceri mancipari exilio vulneribus Lib. 1. c. 5. morte mulctari Id verum esse probauit Iulius Caesar Caius Nero Galba Vitellius Domitianus c. To conclude a King may also punish his Subiects with fetters prison banishment whippings and death but the King also may be fettered I speake de facto not de iure may be committed to prison may be punished with banishment wounds and death This did Iulius Caesar find to be true this Caius Nero Galba Vitellius Domitian c. So Bellarmine And let any heere iudge whether the Cardinall speaking de facto and not de iure do not graunt the one and deny the other Graunt I say that such facts haue fallen out and may vpon the wicked disposition of the people fall out againe but not that they were lawfully done VVhich is further confirmed by the other examples which he doth produce of which somâ— were good Princes as Gordian Gratian Valentinian the second and others Some also Saints as S. Edward of England S. Sigismund of Burgundy S. Wenceslaus of Bohemia and S. Canutus of Denmarke And is it possible to conceaue that the Cardinall should affirme all these to haue beene lawfully murthered And in case he had so imagined why then did he interpose that negatiue exception de facto loquor non de iure I speake of the facts which haue fallen out for certaine it is the forenamed Princes to haue beene slaine but not of the lawfullnes of their killing VVas it not trow you to excuse the Kings and accuse the murtherers For if he would haue implyed the contrary or approued it as lawfull he would neuer haue spoken in this phrase of speach but either haue concealed these words or expressed his mind in other And it cannot but moue laughter to see how this man geeth about to proue the immortality of Kings and reprehendeth Bellarmine for saying only that Kings de facto may be slaine telling his Maiesty most sonâ—ly that the Scripture leads vs to speake of Kings Princes in another strayne as if they that ought not to be violated by any mortall hand could not dye at all So this grosse flattering Parasite But where I pray you are those straynes Sure I am he must strayne hard before he find any such on our Bibles He alleadgeth the saying of Dauid speaking of the death of Saul How was he slaine as if he had not beene annoynted with oyle But doth this shew that de facto Kings cannot be slaine or rather doth it not shew the contrary For heere you haue Saul a King and yet de facto slaine which is as much as the Cardinall doth affirme But to this M. Collins very learnedly scilicet replyes that Kings dye not as Kings but as men quatenus homines non quaâ—enus Principes and so graunteth that Kings as men may be killed but not as Kings By which reason I will deny that any Minister Cobler Tinker or Tapster may be killed or dye at all Or though some of these degrees come to be promoted to the gallowes yet are they hanged as wicked men not as Ministers not as Coblers not as Tinkers not as Tapsters for els all Ministers Coblers Tinkers Tapsters should be hanged which were as you know a very pittifull case And the like happeneth although they dye in their beds for they do not dye because they are Ministers Coblers Tinkers Tapsters which are accidentall qualityes but for that they are mortall men and subiect to corruption But I leaue him to his learned Aduersary who yet as I perswade myselfe if he read any one Chapter in him will be more moued to contemne his writings then to answere them And indeed he should to much iniure himselfe in case he should seriously go about to refute such an idle froth of indigested fully or encounter with so base and babling an Aduersary whose pride ignorance rusticity are such as the one maketh him to reiect the other not to discerne the truth and the last to forget all modesty or good method in writing S. Bernard speaking of Heretikes truely sayd Nec rationibus conuincuntur quia Bernard serm 66. in Cantic non intelligunt nec auctoritatibus corriguÌ„tur quia non recipiunt nec flectuntur suasionibus quia subuersi sunt Such Ministers as M. Hall M. Collins and the like are not conuinced by reasons because they vnderstand them not nor amended by authorityes because they regard them not nor moued by persuasions because they are