in their ovvne conceit and very dānable in the iudgmēt of others the due consideratiō vvherof hath yelded to vs many yea some scores partly before and partly after their enterāce to that trade or that vvere doubtful vvhether of the tvvo religiōs vvere true vvherein to take trial of none but the one vvhich the svvay of the Countrie forcibly driueth vnto vvhen they might haue proofe of the other so neere at hand in a College of their ovvne vvithout great cost or trauail seemed to many much shame and inexcusable negligence in cause of saluation vvhich is the iustest cause to trauail as S. Augustine telleth Honoratus in the vvorld Vvhich hath driuen diuers ouer to their great satisfaction and admiration of the euidence of our part Grammar Schooles also from al partes of the Realme haue yelded vs many youthes vvhich hauing their vvhole and ful trayning in Catholike Colleges here proue no lesse seruiceable for their Countrie then the others And the rest brought vp in the Vniuersities there do easily here by comparison perceiue the great corruption in the same specially of life and maners sinne libertie and licentiousnes daily more and more shevving them selues to be companiōs of this nevv doctrine Vvhich doctrine vvho so euer attempteth to amend let him knovv by our experience that the place affected is custom and pleasure in sinne and shame and lothsomnes to cōfesse and amend Vvhich being cured there remaineth no difficultie These youths Gentlemens sonnes specially are much propense in our Countrie God be thanked for it as also for that it giueth exceding hope of better times to the Catholike faith and many aduenture ouer to vs vvithout their parents consent and sometimes much against their vvilles Vvho though they could be content to haue their children better brought vp then they can be at home yet for feare of disfauour of the vvorld vvherein they be more entangled then their sonnes they refuse often to giue them any releefe at all feare sometimes ouerpaising their natural affection and God taketh the care of their deere pledges and keepeth them here for their Countrie And because one College could not be sufficiēt for so great store of al sortes as is said and for that this beneath might be subiect to diuers disturbances by fine practises of the aduersarie vvherof our remoue from Duay gaue vs good experience notvvithstanding the Catholike and honorable Magistrate sithence by their letters instantly inuiting vs thither againe therfore God moued the hart of the Popes Holinesse to erect that other also in Rome a place not commonly subiect to the like hazards that so these tvvo Colleges might be more plentiful Nourceries for the Church of our Countrie and ioyntly vvorke together for the benefite of the same The first intended and most certaine fruite therof ouer and aboue the prouision for the time to come being to saue so many soules as not onely vvere any one time in both the Colleges or in other Schooles in these partes expecting roomes in the same but al othets that in diuers times and seasons haue been or shal be brought vp in them during the schisme the number of vvhom vvhich is already exceding great and the rest vvhich are to come hereafter Christ onely knovveth besides many trauailers that intending not precisely any matter of religiō haue yet by Gods careful prouidence that ouerreacheth mans purposes to his saluation been happily by them conuerted to Christian faith and life to their great and inexpected ioy Al vvhich if they had taried in the English Vniuersities or thervvise had folovved the maner of our Countrie had perished euerlastingly vvithout al question though by the erroneous iudgement and persuasion of the Protestants many feare not their damnable state The second and further fruite of the said Colleges is to instruct men in al Cases of conscience and Controuersies and to breede in them zeale and desire to be Priests euen in these daies specially vvhē they can looke for no vvorldly honour lucre preferment or promotion thereby but manifold dangers disgraces persecution vexations onely by praiers and Sacrifice the special office of that holy Order and an act that maketh the most forcible clamour to God for mercie of al others to make intercession for our desolate frendes at home and to aduēture into England there to serue them vvhose hartes God shal touch to admitte spiritual comforts and to preferre saluation before vvordly cōmodities and to minister vnto them al Sacraments necessarie for the life and grace of their soules Vvhich duety through loue that is stronger then death very great numbers of both the Colleges besides other vertuous and learned Priests haue godly and happily done to the benefite and vnspeakable solace of infinite persons great alteration of mindes throughout the vvhole Realme and vvonderful encrease of courage in al sortes not onely to thinke vvel in hart but opēly and as Christian Catholikes are bound to do boldly to professe their faith and religion and to refuse all actes contrarie to the same Vvhich vvas thought a hard thing to the vvordly at the beginning but novv they vvould not be in their former case for al the goods the Realme yeldeth acknovvledging it to be an extreme miserie that the greatest part of the Coūtrie should be Catholikes in their hartes and in their mouths and actions Protestants And this they haue done onely by the povver of Priesthod in spiritual silent and peaceable maner ād not vvith riottes tumults or vvarlike concourse they haue done it as the Apostles and other holy men did in the primitiue Church by trauails vvatchings fastings perils at the portes perils in the sea perils on the land perils of open enimies perils of false brethren feares of the lavves feares of hurting their frendes feares for scandalizing the vveake by contumelies disgraces pouertie prisonments fetters dungeons rackes deaths And this the omnipotēt God because it is his ovvne vvorke enterprised by order and authoritie of his cheefe Minister in earth hath prospered excedingly though it seemed at the beginning a thing hard or impossible the Aduersaries hauing so many yeres the lavves the svvord the pulpits and al humane helpes for them But the enterance to this spiritual attempt and traffike vvas vvel opened before by bookes vvritten from these partes and by sundrie letters of the vertuous youthes to their parents and frendes vvhom they besought to regard their soules and not to damne them selues vpon pretēce of sauing their lāds and goods to the profite of them their childrē and posteritie desiring no other inheritance then their saluation and companie in heauen the lacke vvherof should be to them more then al mortal sorovves To this the fruites of the Protestants doctrine their profane life and maners their restles contentions debates and dissentions among them selues their scandals mo in those fevv daies of their felicitie then vvas giuē of the true Clergie in a thousand yeres before though al the Aduersaries slaunderous reportes of
AN APOLOGIE AND TRVE DECLARATION OF THE INSTItution and endeauours of tvvo English Colleges the one in Rome the other novv resident in Rhemes against certaine sinister informations giuen vp against the same 1. Pet. 3. Sanctifie our Lord Christ in your hartes ready alwaies to satisfie euery one that asketh you an accoumpt of that hope which is in you but with modestie and feare hauing a good consience that in that which they speake il of you they may be confounded which calumniate your Good conuersation in Christ For it is better to suffer as doing wel if the wil of God will haue it so then doing il Printed at Mounts in Henault 1581. The contents of this Apologie THE preface of the authors intention herein Chap. 1 The reason of our absence and liuing out of our natiue Countrie 2 Of our resorting sometimes to the citie and court of Rome 3 The meaning and purpose of the institution of the Seminaries 4 That we liue not in them against the lawes of God and our Countrie with a duetiful exhortation to the Queenes Maiestie 5 That the Students therof be not trained vp in erroneous doctrine 6 Of Priests and Iesuites and for what cause they are sent into England 7 An admonition and comfort to the afflicted Catholikes AN APOLOGIE AND TRVE DECLARATION OF THE INSTItution and endeauours of tvvo English Colleges the one in Rome the other novv resident in Rhemes against certaine sinister informations giuen vp against the same ⧠Derely beloued countriemen in Christ Iesus ALthough for our selues our ovvne consciences giue vs sufficient satisfaction and testimonie of innocencie in al those things vvherof vve be accused and God himself not onely at the general iudgement in the face of the vvhole vvorld but at the particular daies of euery of our deaths vvhat side sort or cōdition so euer vve be shal discerne our cause and iustifie our intentions against al our aduersaries Yet for that vve be vvarned by the Apostle to make our actions allovvable not to God alone but to men also and a great Clerke telleth vs that it vvere great crueltie so to rest in the cōfidence of our conscience that vve regard not our fame the one being as necessarie for our neighbours as the other for our selves Vve meane by Gods grace and your fauours sincerely and truely as in the sight of our Sauiour and yet most humbly and tēperately for the due respect of our Soueraine and Superiors to make cleere and defend our miscōstrued good purposes and needeful offices tovvards our natiue Countrie in these many heauie yeres of our coacted absence from the same Trusting that so our Lord may alter the mindes of many that mistake our doings and may turne the Q. Maiesties and her honorable Councels eares from our calumniators her hand of indignation from our afflicted brethren and her hart to vvonted mercie and clemēcie tovvardes her ovvne Catholike subiectes Neither needed our defense to be long nor could be hard or doubtful if it vvere to be made either before the vvhole Church of God in any age vvhich both of old in the like cases heretofore and of late in our ovvne by her highest Courtes of Councels and Seates Apostolike the grauest surest and to our causes the most proper Tribunals in earth hath giuen sentence for our faith and doctrine and al our endeuours agreable therevnto Or before al other Christian countries States or Vniuersities vvheresoeuer vve havue liued al vvhich by their manifold mercies comfortes encouragements and by diuers honorable attestations vvich shalbe extant to the posteritie do approue and praise our studies and scholastical trauailes proper to our trade for the reclaiming and succourse of the poore deceiued soules of our nation Or before any of al the old Christian kings her Highnes most noble progenitors in any of their honorable Courtes of Parliament Synodes or Consistories of famous Prelates Congregations of the learned in either their renovvmed Vniuersities from the first faith of our countrie til this our od miserable age al their lavves decrees definitions statutes al their vvorkes vvritings actions life and death approuing our doings and condemning the contrarie Neither can vve mistrust though the sight and certaintie therof be in God alone but our posteritie recouering it self from this present blast of doctrine and peculiar tempest of this time vvhich kind of maladie as experience and recordes of other ages teach vs seaseth lightly on Countries by startes and seasons onely both the simple and vvise that at the first for great allurements vvorldly grateful noueltie and alteration vvould not bevvare novv by a fevv yeres proofe easily vvaxing vvearie of the same vvill like allovv and iustifie our duetiful seruice to God and the Church of England Hauing then the vvhole Church of Christ for vs the nations abrode vvith vs al our countrie beforetime assuredly and as vve trust al after our daies agreable vnto vs our defense before God and man must needes be most easie acceptable and reasonable The difficultie novv onely remaineth in the preiudice and partialitie of the present cōdition and svvay of time vvhich by authoritie force and feare of lavves fauour of the Prince domestical educatiō plausible preaching and persuasion of profite peace and pleasure doth sometimes alter and infect the very iudgement and reason of the invvard man and much oftener doth byas and peruert the external actions of many vvorldings euen against their ovvne natural inclinatiō knovvledge and conscience of vvhich sort there be no doubt in our Countrie innumerable not onely of those vvhose constrainte is euident but euen of such as seeme principal promotors of the one part and persecutors of the other Vvho because they be vvise can not be Protestants 23 yeres that is to say any long time together but yet because they be also vvorldly can not or vvil not confesse their former fall to their disuātage in this life vvhich they preferre before eternal glorie Vvitte and experience being ynough oftentimes to discouer falshod but not sufficient vvithout Gods grace vvhich many haue not because they vvil not to retire to the Church and truth againe These mens exterior assent shal in deede hardly be obtained for the approbation of our actions be our defense neuer so open and euident But our confidence being in God into vvhose hād the hartes and doings of all Princes and peoples be put vvho can at euery moment forcibly touch and incline them to acknovvledge the equitie of our cause as to his glorie and vvisedom shalbe best and vvho hath already giuen vs eternal honour be to his name the hartes and soules of so many thousands of our deere Countriemen Vve may aduenture vvith al hope ioy and comfort to speake in our defense and discouer vvithout al disloyaltie loyaltie to her Maiestie or any her Highnes Ministers the vvrong informations that certaine enimies of the Catholike Church haue giuen vp against vs and our brethren as to our great greefe vve perreiue by some
resort thither to temper al mens ielousy as much as vve may in faith and truth they vvere none other but to make humble sute for the establishmēt and perpetual foundation of the College or Seminarie vvhich his Holines had not long before instituted in place of the Hospital of our Nation there as a thing much more proper to this time and more fruitful to our Countrie then it vvas adding of his ovvne much then and a great deale sithence to the old prouision and novv in Ianuarie last fully founding and accomplishing the same this vvas one thing An other vvas that the Gouernours of that College in Rome aboue and of this other novv resident in the citie of Rhemes beneath might giue and take mutual direction for correspondence in regiment discipline and education most agreable to our Countrimens natures and for preuention of al disorders that youth and cōpanies of scholers namely in banishment are subiect vnto Vvherein vve thanke God of al that paines and endeuours for that it pertained excedingly to the general good and honour of our Nation that vve may perpetually haue a number of the most pregnant vvittes brought vp in the principal Seat place and fountaine of our Christianitie Vvhither vvhat so euer is learned vvise vertuous of al the most famous Vniuersities Monasteries Societies and Colleges through the vvorld is recuiled as to a continual mart of al kind of doctrine and prudence S. Hierom calling it the place of greatest faith and deuotion and the Aduersarie him self confessing that the great resort thither heretofore vvas for that the best learned and vvisest men of the vvorld vvere there besides the experience of the Vniuersal Churches practise vvhere there is daily entercourse betvvixt al Princes Prelates and peoples Christened in causes of conscience religion and other spiritual affaires and vvhere they may see and vvonder at Gods promis and proprouidence in the continual preseruation of that state and regiment in persecution in prosperitie in vvealth in pouertie in good life in il life the Heretikes as S. Augustine speaketh in vaine barking about it That the Arians Macedonians Pelagians Donatistes Nestorians and al other Sectaries that stood at the bay vvith this Seat are al buried in infamie that these present Protestants Anabaptists Puritans Trinitaries and other vvolues of vvhat heare so euer that ball against the Pastor the sooner to sease vpon the flocke as S. Cyprian speaketh daily decay and discouer their ovvne malice and folly that al Empires Kingdoms and States be by certaine seasons either decaied or manifoldly altered and this Seat to stand immoueable and to be as firme and florishing in this disordered reuolt of many peoples from it as euer before These and such other high experimēts vvith innumerable examples of vertue and deuotion shal this Romane institution giue to our Countriemen vnder the famousest teachers and gouernours of youth in our age or some vvorldes before Vvho othervvise vvould admire their pety Maisters at home the cause of al errour and ignorance To do this seruice then to our Commonvvealth for vvhich if euer it come to it self againe it vvil thanke the doers as much as novv it blameth them vvas that viage taken specially And then to make like humble sute for the augmentation of the monethly prouision of this other College for that the number and necesitie therof daily encreasing it vvas not sufficient Vvhich sute his Holines also of his incomparable loue to our Nation benignely heard These lo God knovveth vvere our last dealings and these are our treasons and sinnes and none other that vve contriue at Rome against our natural Countrie ⧠The meaning and purpose of the institution of the Seminaries CHAP. III. AND concerning his Holines intentions if they be any other in the institution and entertainement of these Seminaries thē ours are they be vnknovven to vs none being so presumptuous to search further into his secretes thē standeth vvith his good pleasure and vvisdom to vtter of him self nor any hauing iust cause to deeme vvorse or othervvise of his doings then is agreable to his holy high calling approued good affectiō to our Countrie his great vertue and the euidence of the thing This is a cleere case that the persons vvhich first put them selues together in the Vniuersitie of Duay the yere 1568 yelding to Collegial forme of studie and discipline vnder one President vvhich after some yeres and good proofe of their profitable endeuours by Gods goodnes obtained his Holines protection and monethly exhibition had these intentions first to dravv diuers youths vvho then for their conscience liued in the lovv Coūtries from sole seueral and voluntarie studie to a more exact methode and course of cōmon conferēce and publike exercise to be pursued by their Superiors appointmēt rather then their ovvne choise that they might be more apt to serue their Countrie vvhen it should please God mercifully to reduce thē home againe Secondly doubting the time of our chastisement might be so long as to vveare out either by age emprisonmēt or other miseries the elder sort of the learned Catholikes both at home and abrode it vvas thought a necessarie duety for the posteritie to prouide for a perpetual seede and supply of Catholikes namely of the Clergie nothing mistrusting but the times and opportunities vvould come vvere they neere vvere they far of vvhē they might take aduātage for restitutiō of religiō no Sect euer being liked lōg nor permanēt vvithout enterchāge as vve see in Arianisme the paterne of al other Vvhich though it troubled the vvorld some hūdred yeres together yet it changed places had lucida interualla gaue seasons of calme and rest to holy Bishops Priests and faithful persons according as the Emperours vvere diuersely affected tovvard the Sect or more or lesse giuen to rigor or clemencie Vvhich is the prouidence of God for the perpetuity of the Catholike faith vvhich no heresie that euer vvas or shal be can vvholy exclude by no vvitte or violence of man according to the saying of S. Augustine Nemo delet de coelo constitutionem Dei Nemo delet de terra Ecclesiam Dei Thirdly their purpose vvas for their better furnishing of meete men to the end aforesaid and for disaduantaging the aduersarie part therein to dravv into this College the best vvittes out of England that vvere either Catholikly bent or desirous of more exact education then is these daies in either of the Vniuersities vvhere through the delicacie of that Sect there is no art holy or prophane throughly studied and some not touched at all or that had scruple of conscience to take the othe of the Queenes Supremacie in causes Ecclesiastical vvhich gaue vs diuers not onely Catholikes but others out of both the Vniuersities vvhere it is specially exacted and tormēteth the consciences of many that seeme pure Protestants or that misliked to be forced to the Ministerie as the vse is in diuers Colleges a calling cōtemptible euen
vvorldes past haue giuen sentence against that strange claime of spiritual iurisdiction vvith your Bishops imprisoned your poore subiects banished your Catholike Priests and people afflicted vvith al your auncestours O Lord Christ o Madam my Liege should Chrysostom Ambrose Gregorie Hilarie Leontius Osius Athanasius and the rest not be heard in your Parliament be deposed be emprisoned be executed No it vvould not agree vvith your good nature vvisdom and clemencie Heare them then for your soules sake vvithout the saluation vvherof al these mortal ioyes titles crovvnes and Kingdoms shal turne you vvhich God of his infinite mercie forbid to immortal miserie The very duety of our Priesthod the zeale of God and the honour and respect of your Princely state moue vs in al loyal humilitie to vvarne your Ma. tie of that vvhich being necessarie to your ovvne and the vvhole Realmes eternal good may not nor can not in that preeminent height of dignitie and contrarie lavves be told your Ma. tie at home most humbly vpon our knees desiring pardon for our plainesse and sinceritie for his sake of vvhom you also and al earthly Princes must aske pardō for your sinnes Though your Ma. tie in yonger yeres your iudgemēt knovvledge and experience not then so mature as aftervvard and at the beginning of your reigne vvhen the sense and feeling of some rigour tovvard your noble person in the former gouernemēt vvas yet fresh and had somevvhat alienated your Highnes mind from the Church and state Catholike and much more by the forcible motions of others persuading you to alteration vpon opinion of better security of your scepter vvhich vvas an vntrue and an vndutiful suggestion though your Ma. tie vvere then in maner by importunitie induced to chaunge for vve haue been credibly enformed that of your ovvne inclinatiō you vvere not desirous but very loth to admit being a vvoman and the only vvoman that euer did the title of the Churches gouernemēt Yet novv Madam after so many yeres of prosperous regiment your seat established in long peace and securitie your mind endued vvith more mature knovvledge and experience your daies dravving you neerer and neerer your death iudgement and accoumpt vvhich be necessarie cogitatiōs for Princes no lesse but rather somevvhat more then for poore men Consider deeply hovv to reduce your self and your Realme to the Catholike society of so many noble Prelates and Princes present and past hovv your Ma. tie may giue solace to innumerable oppressed soules your loyal subiectes that out of banishments prisonments chaines and dungeons lift vp their hands and hartes to God and your Ma. tie for the same Your Highnes noble father as of vvorthy and vvise mē vve haue heard vvas fully determined to giue ouer the title of Supremacie and vnite him self and his Realme to the See and Church Apostolike againe but being preuented by death could not accomplish his most necessarie and honorable designement and therfore may be both an example and a vvarning to your Ma. tie the last of al his deerest Children to accomplish that thing vvhich to his great vvisdom at the very going out of this life vvas thought so necessarie for his soul his people and posterity Vvhich diuers Princes and Prouinces begin novv to thinke vpon more seriously then before as of Polonia Suetia Transyluania knovving vvhy and of vvhom S. Hierom said Qui tecum non colligit spargit and finding it the honorablest condition to ioyne to that Catholike Queene to vvhom God hath giuen the vvhole vvorld for dourie as one of the fathers speaketh Incline your hart for Christes loue gratious Lady to our humble sute made for your ovvne soul and be not offended vvith your poore subiects for mouing your Ma. tie in so plaine termes in Gods and the Churches cause Vvherein if our Lord of his secret iudgement permit vs not to be heard yet in doing so dutiful and endeuour vve can not loose our labours for vvhich vve must be alvvaies ready as God shal please to loose our liues In the meane time not repugning nor resisting any your Ma. ties or the Realmes temporal lavves vve trust no reasonable man can reproue vs if vve refuse to be obedient to the pretended lavves of religion vvhich vve thinke in conscience and can proue to be against the lavves of God and not consonant to any iust and truely called lavves of our Countrie ⧠That the Students of the said Seminaries be not trained vp in erroneous doctrine CHAP. V. FOR our liuing against Gods lavves and the Realmes vve haue giuē our accoūpt And novv concerning the doctrine vvherein vve traine our scholers vve are charged that it is false and erroneous grounded on fansies and vaine traditions of men and not Gods mere vvord Vvhich accusations phrases and fashion of speach are proceded from the nevv pulpits vvhich borovved them of old Sectes For they are common to al such sortes in euery age and diuersitie of opinions repugnant to the Catholike truth and Church And that the old Maisters of errours did so speake vve giue this example out of S. Augustine vvho reporteth Maximinus the Arian Bishopsvvordes vnto him thus If thou alleage any thing of the Sctiptures which is common to vs al we must needes heare it but these sayings that be not in the Sctiptures haue no weight with vs in any case seeing the Lord admonisheth vs and saith without cause they serue me teaching the commaundements and precepts of men And againe in the same booke I wish and pray alwaies to be a scholer of the holy Scriptures if thou alleage any where that which is written we wil be disciples of holy writte This felovv you see after the ordinary of Heretikes vvas bold to compare him self to no lesse Clerke then Saint Augustine and to offer him the combat also vvith this prety prouiso that he vvould be vrged vvith nothing but Scriptures vvhich novv a daies is called the mere vvord of God making exception against al other things that Catholike men vse to alleage for the true meaning of the holy Scriptures as against the fansies precepts and traditions of men Vvhich vulgar flight rather then fight of such felovves the said Doctor contemneth not vouchsauing it an ansvver but calling his aduersarie to the matter telling him that these and such like vaine and void florishes be cōmon to al sortes and sides as they be in deede not only Catholikes to vvhom as vvel the possession custodie and vse of the Scriptures as the true sense and interpretation of the same do properly and onely appertaine iustly chalenging them but al Sectes of Heretikes be their opinions neuer so improbable and learning neuer so smal making claime that vvay and presumptuously contemning and cōdemning al the learning and the vvisdom of the vvorld or Church for folly and phantasie There is not the poorest artificer of al the Anabaptistes in Holland or of the Puritans Brethren of loue and Protestants in England nor the yongest Grammarian or
tast it that our pouerty here is Paradise to the good folkes that haue so lōg lacked such spiritual consolation and been tied from the truth lamenting their frendes miseries at home vvith these vvordes of S. Augustine and the like O custom of sinne o cecitie of hart the cōpanion and punishment of sinne You once auerted vs from the consideration of so manifest things but you did hurt vs when we had no feeling Now you torment vs feeling in our familiars that haue not yet the sense therof them selues But giue eare and attention to your saluation most deere frendes whose wittes and capacitie we wel know and to you we promise that if you esteeme of vs your frendes as men of any conscience reason or common sense these things be much more certaine then those vvhich we there at home seemed to learne or rather by force were compelled to beleeue And againe vvith the vvordes of the same holy Doctor to Honoratus his deceiued frende If you thinke your selues sufficiētly tossed and troubled and wil haue an end of these trauailes folow the way of the Catholike discipline which descended from Christ him self by the Apostles euen vnto vs and from hence shal descend to the posteritie ⧠Of Priests and Iesuites and for what cause they be sent into England CHAP. VI. THE last and most odious informatiō giuen vp not aginst vs onely but his Holinesse is that Priests and Iesuites be by his and his delegates special direction sent into the Realme out of the Seminaries not onely to deale vvith the Subiects in matters of religion and conscience but to vvithdravv them from their obediēce and to moue them to attempt somevvhat against the state Vvherof that her Ma. tie and honorable Counsellers haue good care it is most laudable and agreable to their lottes and high callings but to haue feare and doubt that such holy peaceable and svveete endeuours of most orderly and humble persons should tend further then to the good of the peoples soules that cometh of the Aduersaries vntrue suggestion against vvhich our simple sincere and true declaration grounded on most certaine knovvledge of the vvriter hereof and vpon authētical recordes vvhich he hath in his hand to shevv vvhen neede shal require for full iustification of his ovvne and his brethrens actions and attempts herein shal vve trust preuail vvith al men of equitie and indifferencie Therfore vve protest that neither the R. Fathers of the Societie of the holy name of Iesus vvhom the people call Iesuites an expresse clause being in the instructions of their mission into England that they deale not in matters of state vvhich is to be shevved signed vvith their late Generals hand of vvorthy memorie neither the Priests either of the Seminaries or others haue any commission direction instruction or insinuation from his Holinesse or any other their Superior either in Religion or of the Colleges to moue seditiō or to deale against the state or temporal gouernemēt but onely by their Priesthod and the functions therof to do such dueties as be requisite for Christian mens soules vvhich consist in preaching teaching catechizing ministring the Sacraments and the like Neither doth the Pope cōferre or cōmunicate any exterior iurisdictiō to Iesuite or Priest either in the Realme or to be sent thither but onely giueth authoritie or iurisdictiō in foro conscientie in Court of consciēce to absolue the penitent people from their sinnes of vvhat sort so euer not schisme and heresie excepted Vvhich povver of absoluing from sinne can not proceede by the lavv of God or nature frō the Queene but must needes depend of the holy order of Priesthod and must be holden in Capite so to speake in this kind of him to vvhom Christ gaue the first and most absolute povver to bind and loose in al the earth vvithout exceptiō of either England or Ireland and vvithout dependance of either King or Queene in the vvorld and in vvhom he founded the Church and the Priesthod of the same and of vvhom al Prestly and Spiritual function after a sort is holden though neither our Priests sent into England haue or other alvvaies neede to haue expresse vvritings or comission special from him to execute these holy actes of their order Neither do vve suppose that any Priest sent frō either of the Colleges or frō the Societie hath any such special Bull frō his Holinesse not so much as to absolue though they may do it ād ought to do it by their order and by due authoritie taken of their Superiors and holden of the Pope as the supreme Povver spiritual in the vvorld But vvhether they execute those spiritual offices by a special Commission vvritten or vnvvritten or no this is certaine that no such Commission or any act executed by the same conteineth or implieth directly or indirectly any commaundement or condition that the parties absolued should forsake their obedience in Temporal causes to the Queene as the matter seemeth to be mistaken both in the Proclamation of Ianuarie and in the second chapter of the actes of Parliament holden the 13. yere of her Ma. ties reigne In vvhich though there be diuers pretended lavves such as neuer Christian cōmonvvealth before hath made the dangers and transgressions vvherof it is hard for any Catholike man to escape liue he neuer so orderly and obediently except he vvould to obey man forsake God yet if vnder the name Forraine iurisdiction there abolished the interiour povver of the tribunal of God and cōscience be implied also vvhich kind perchance in the Tēporal lavv is not properly termed Iurisdiction but if that be implied also it is a thing in the face of God and his Church more intolerable and most disagreable to the Scriptures made to dravv matters of mere religion and conscience to cases treasonable as they novv speake and the dueties done to God to be vnduetifulnes and disobedience to the Prince Vvhich is no nevves to Gods Church and people against vvhom al the persecutiōs that haue been raised in vvhat age so euer vvere so coloured The case of Christes ovvne death and of his Apostles as before of his Prophets and aftervvard of al his Martyrs almost vvas for pretended treasons seditions disturbances disobediēces and vnduetifulnes to the Emperours Kings and States temporal of the vvorld though in deede they committed nothing agaīst the state or right of any Price or Countrie but suffered for mere religiō vvhich is not repugnāt to any lavvful earthly Politie Therfore vvhat statutes so euer they make so to dravv our actions tending directly and onely to the aduancement of true religion in peaceable and Priestly sort vve protest before God vvho shal discerne our cause that they do vs the greatest vvrong and violence that can be and that to make such things treasons or punishable as treasons vvhich haue no affinitie in nature and condition by the lavv of God or Nations Christian or Heathen to the crime of Laesa
disordered and shameful meanes of Protestants in these daies to preferre their rebellions against both the spiritual and temporal Gouernours besides the horrible designements of their Caluinistical Consistories pretented Synodes and Prophecyings in diuers Countries al tending directly to pernicious innouations Compare novve these factes and other the perilous treacheries done against the repose of al Realmes round about and you shal vvel perceiue the attēpts of the other side to be sport and pastime in any vvise mans iudgement of vvhat religion so euer he be to the implacable fiercenes and furie of the other a people by this nevv no religion made most brutish conscienceles restles and that vvil hazard al the Kingdoms of the vvorld before it be filled vvith bloud and spoile except God preuent the matter vvith his mercie and reduce al men to the obedience of his Catholike Church and their Princes againe And for the present troubles in Ireland vvhich novv namely seeme to giue some cause of doubt that our brethrens intentions may be against the state no lesse then for the preferment of the Catholike faith most sure it is and of certaine knovvledge the vvriter hereof protesteth that they neither vvere nor could be acquainted othervvise thervvith then by the common brute of the vvorld If the Pope haue any part in those affaires assure your selues their elders vvhich of reason should rather knovv it neither by his Holines mouth nor any of his ministers in the time of those Students being in Rome heard so much And therfore to racke those poore innocent persons and to vvreast out of them Princes secrets vvherof there can be no reason that they should be partakers is a lamentable and rare case in our Countrie specially in the clement reigne of her Maiestie Imagine ye the Italian gouernement and specially the Papacie to be so discretely menaged that euery poore Priest or scholer in the citie knovveth the Popes secrets No no Christ doth knovv it and he shall one day open their innocencie and iudge their cause and ours vvho as vve shal then ansvver before him neither knevv then nor novv knovv any intentions of Pope or Princes concerning such things as are conteined in the Articles of the pretended confederacie mentioned in the Proclamation of the 15 of Iulie as more largely vve haue declared before As that also vvhich the late relapsed Minister levvdly reported in open pulpit and printed booke that the Excommunication of the Queene should be published here in our College of Rhemes and set on the postes and publike places of this citie vve protest to be an impudent vntruth and slaunder vvherof the vvhole tovvne vvill beare vs vvitnes and euery vvise man might easily discouer that caluminious fiction because in the dominions of his Ma. tie most Christian vve neither could nor durst do any such thing So that by this one thing so maliciously feyned al sincere and indifferent men may deeme of the rest of his hearesaies and sightes at Rome as of impudent lies and slaunders Humbly therefore vve desire for the honour of God her Ma. ties vvise and graue Counselers not to conceiue vpon such base felovves contriued calumniations othervvise of our doings and our brethrens either at home or abrode then as of men most obediently duetifully and naturally affectioned to her Ma. tie to their Honours and our deerest Countrie so far euer as shal stand vvith our subiection to Gods lavves and the Churches to vvhich vve are as much bound by our Baptisme and religion as to the former by nature and birth Being in the behalfe of God bold this much further in like loyaltie to tell them that the causes of vvhat perils and dangers so euer may be tovvard that Realme vvherof so God saue our soules vve haue no knovvledge can not be iustly attributed but to the first alteration of religion and forsaking the society of the Catholike Church and kingdoms Hereof proceedeth the multitude of nevv Sectes directly tending to the disturbance of publike repose vvhich for the special attentiō giuen to the doings of Catholikes are vvittingly ouerseen Vvhich Sectes in this case must needes proue more pernicious because by the propertie of many of them teaching their likers by contrarie actes othes and asseuerations to couer their conscience til time require their intentions can hardly be discouered and by the common condition of al heresies bringing noueltie chaunge and libertie vvhich yeld them many folovvers shal hardly be resisted Catholikes abhorred these mutations from the beginning because it is their grace to loue antiquitie grauitie and constancie Vvhom also it is our principal endeuour to induce to the open confession of their faith vvhen by the lavv of God it is required and neuer by contrarie othes or actions to pretend an other religion then they beare in their breastes Vvhich plaine discouerie of our selues can not be disagreable or dangerous to the Politie And maruel it is in our eies that such extreme diligence should be vsed by al penal lavves othes punishments and persuasions to driue the Catholikes to professe that outvvardly vvhich is knovven they hate in their hartes invvardly as though there vvere imminent danger of open professed Catholikes and none of the close dissemblers in the same kind For I thinke their vvisedoms do not imagine that their othes and statutes do chaunge their meanings though they alter their countenances nor that feare can long or surely keepe his maister Hovv so euer it be alteration of religion is the cause of al inconueniences though a fevv yeres vvordly prosperitie couer from the simple that very first surge of our miserie and perplexitie and to returne to Gods Church againe is the onely right remedie out of vvhich al Kingdoms are sure to perish assuredly Vvhich not acknovvledged maketh many a plaister and preseruatiue to be vvrongly applied Against our Lord no force nor counsel can preuaile vvho hath vsed as their vvisdoms must needes knovv the rod of his ire against al those great Kingdoms once most florishing in Christian faith and libertie novv vnder the tyrannie of the Turke and other Heathens specially for sinne schisme and heresie Let not their Honours contemne the voice and admonition of a poore creature vvhose speach may be the instrument of Gods prouident care ouer that poore afflicted people vnder her Ma. ties and their gouernement But if the restitution of the Realme to the Catholike Church can not stand vvith their consciences as being persuaded their ovvne religion to be true or at least not vvith their vvisedoms for that being thus far gone the retiring backe might be dangerous to the state yet for Christes loue vve aske it let their Honours haue some care and consideration of our consciences also and of other innumerable in the Realme no lesse timorous and as vvel informed as theirs or any mens can be in this case that for our satisfactiō before God and for the peril that may fall through his offense and indignation to them
and to the vvhole state if so iust a request so humbly asked in his name should be cōtemned it vvould please their goodnes to vvithdravv their heauy hand from the poore Catholikes and rather procure them licence of her Ma. tie to serue God after the manner of al their Christian forefathers then to afflict thē in body and mind so pitifully that so both the Seminaries might cease and their Honours might haue Gods Priests and all Catholikes pray for them rather as their patrons then as their persecutors Trusting that they and al the vvise of the Realme be persuaded that the Kingdom of God first sought is the vvay to the peace felicity and security of al vvordly vveale vvhich not onely their ovvne pietie and prudence may teach them but also the example of the Hebrues vvho for feare of endamaging their temporal state for sooke their promised Lord and Sauiour Of vvhom therfore S. Augustine vvriteth this sentence vvorthy to be emprinted in the hartes of al such as haue the rule and charge of kingdoms Temporalia perdere timuerunt vitam aeternam non cogitauerunt sic vtrunque amiserunt ⧠An admonition and comfort to the afflicted Catholikes CHAP. VII NOVV hauing sincerely set forth to the vvorld our intentions vve may turne our talke for conclusion of this Defense to you our fathers frendes and brethren in Christ being either in the fornace of Gods probation or in the burden and broile of that hote haruest of our Lord or by sure treading threshing and vvinovving laid vp for vvel tried vvheat in the barne-floore of Christes Church to you vve say Be humble vvise meeke peaceable patient and constant in all your cogitations vvordes ansvvers doings and sufferings that Christ Iesus vvhom you serue may blesse and prosper your endeuours moue her Ma. ties hart to haue compassion open her graue Counselers eies to see your innocencie alter the enimies and il informers malice and malediction vnto loue and good affection tovvardes you stirre vp the mindes of al men invvardly and in conscience to consider the cause of your afflictions and giue them such sense reason and religion that they may acknovvledge your vndeserued calamities For your life and behauiour agreable to your faith and calling and formed in all pietie discretion and modestie after the demeanour of all old Martyrs and according to the paterne of those glorious Confessors our true fathers Pastors and Maisters that haue by their sacred persons sanctified your prisons by tvvo and tvventie yeres durance shal defend your Christian intents and ours more then all the vvordes that vve can make In the meane time both you and vve vvith all our louing brethren the Catholikes must rest vpon God and the equitie of the cause so vvell knovven and approued to the vvisest in the vvorld and our ovvne vvell enformed conscience For as the cause and not the paine or persecution vvherof only Heretikes do vaunt them selues iustifieth vs so Christ and our conscience testifie that vve are not acquainted vvith any conspiracies against our Prince and Countrie nor do suffer for rebellion or treason attempted against man but for that vve vvill not conspire vvith Coré and his complices against Moyses and Aaron Peter and Paul vvhich the holy Scriptures call rebellion against God and for that vve crie vpon our deerest Countriemen that the reuolt from the Catholike Church is a greater fault by manifold then defection from any earthly king or Cōmonvvealth fyre once sent from heauen and the earth opening and svvalovving such offenders aliue dovvne to Hel for our vvarning and for Gods reuenge of so greuous a crime For this in truth and none other matter do you and vve suffer It is for the honour peace and vnitie of the Church it is for the sauing of our ovvne soules and the soules of our beloued parents and frendes it is for the defense of Christes Priesthod and souerainty in earth it is for his eternal Sacrifice and Sacraments it is for the custodie of that doctrine and truth vvhich vvas laid vp as depositum in the hands of S. Timothee and other Bishops and Priests to be preserued from al corruption and alteration coming by heresie and noueltie it is for the good garding of the holy Scriptures and the natiue sense therof set dovvne by Gods Church and al the holy Doctors from heretical adulteration and deprauation it is for our inheritance left vs by S. Gregorie and S. Augustine our first Apostles vvhich vve may not betray for a thousand deaths finally it is for al our Christian fathers faith honour and memorie to vs most deere and blessed The defense of any one article of the Catholike faith of any one point of Christian doctrine any title of our Lordes lavv any one Sacrament the sauing of any one soul being the price of better bloud then ours is cause iust and great ynough vvillingly and patiently to sustaine al mortal paines but for so many partes of our beleefe impugned for so many holies profaned for millions of soules hazarded for the saluation of our Prince othervvise so gratious our Countrie our parents and our posteritie not to suffer vvere against al duety of nature charitie and religion Such is then your cause deere Sirs as neuer Martyrs nor Confessors since Christes time had any more vvorthy more cleere or more glorious Vvhich to forsake for any feare of man or flatterie of this vvorld should be our eternal ignominie both here in this life and before God and his Angels in the next The manner of your suffering cōfession and Martyrdom for blessed be God some of our brethren haue gladly and honorably persisted euen to death and many mo are ready by his grace for the same resembleth also the old proceding in that kind vvhich hath not been commōly vsed since Kings vvere Christened For as the persecution of Priests and Bishops vvherof S. Hilarie complaineth against Cōstantius the Arian Emperour is oftentimes so couertly and craftily conueied that being in deede great and perilous yet it can not appeare to the due commendation of the sufferers or good example of the seers so both of old and of late almost in euery Countrie as by the Arians and Circuncellions in Afrike and Italie and by the Caluinistes in France Holland and Zeland Priests and Catholikes haue been persecuted more often and more cruelly tormented and massakred then vvith vs thankes be to God but yet neither so much to the merite of the sufferers before God nor to the edification and aduancement of the peoples faith and hope in him as vvith vs vvhere the matter passeth vvith deliberatiō and in forme of lavv and order Vvhen Christian Catholike men are barbarously assailed and sodenly slaine no question made of their faith or holy order no promis giuen of life or promotion if they list to deny their profession no deliberation nor time to consult nor former terrours shevved no tedious nor lingering paines of
in vvorse case then any temporal king or Countrie in earth vvho neuer vvant their seruants and peoples trauailes in their distresses In time of ease and vvealth our Lord hath as many seruiteurs of his Clergie as any other state hath of others God forbid he should lacke them or his Priests should forsake him in the daies of his persecution He is not vvorthy not fitte to haue honour priuilege and vvealth by him in prosperitie that vvil not suffer ignominie lacke and miserie vvith him in aduersitie It is novv deere brethren our course to serue in this sort and a far better lotte is it thē our forefathers had that serued onely in rest and peace neither vvith so much security of saluation nor so litle danger of sinne and damnation Our daies can not be many because vve be men neither can it be either godly or vvorldly vvisdom for a remnant of three or foure yeres and perchance not so many moneths to hazard the losse of all eternity They can not be good in these euil times much like to those vvherof S. Polycarpe complained thus Lord vnto what times hast thou reserued vs And vvere they neuer so many or good to him that refuseth his faith and Maister they shal neuer be ioyful but deadly and doleful Corporally die once vve must euery one and but once and therevpon immediatly iudgemēt vvhere the Confessor shal be acknovvledged and the Denyer denyed againe No Martyrdom of vvhat length or torment so euer can be more greuous then a long sicknes and a languishing death and he that departeth vpon the pillovv hath as litle ease as he that dieth vpon the gallovves blocke or bouchers knife And our Maisters death both for paines and ignominie passed both sortes and all other kinds either of Martyrs or malefactors Let no tribulation then no perill no prison no persecution no life no death separate vs from the charity of God and the society of our svveete Sauiours passions by and for vvhose loue vve shal haue the victory in all these conflictes Neuerthelesse if by Gods suffering for causes hidden vnto vs any shrinke vvhich Christ forbid for feare of death torments or tribulations from the felovvship of your happy confession and crovvnes prepared for the same as in the time of S. Cyprian and alvvaies diuers did and as one of the 40 did vvhose glorious fight S. Basil describeth and the Church celebrateth the 9 of Marche be not scandalized or troubled thereat but vse such vvith all lenitie taking compassion of their infirmitie considering that your selues also or any of vs all may be tempted and ouerthrovven vvith Peter and by Gods grace aftervvard repent and rise vvith him againe Though it be perilous to presume theron many mo folovving him in his fall and miserie then attayning to his Martyrdom and mercie Neither be ye discouraged at the further fall of any Iudas to plaine apostasie and extreme blasphemie or at the traiterous cōspiring of some such vvith the Aduersaries by proditiō and practise to afflict you and all other cōstant Catholikes more deeply but haue this saying of S. Cyprian alvvaies in your mind Nihil interest quis tradat aut saeuiat cùm Deus tradi permittat quos disponit coronari neque enim nobis ignominia est pati à fratribus quod passus est Christus nec illis gloria est facere quod fecit Iudas That is It maketh no matter who betrayeth or rageth wheras God permitteth them to be betrayed whom he appointeth to be crowned Neither is it ignominie or dishonour for vs to suffer that of our brethren which Christ suffered nor for their honour and glorie to do that which Iudas did And a litle after It ought not to moue any faithful man and him that remembreth the Gospel and the Apostles forwarning if in the later daies certaine proud and obstinate felowes and the enimies of Gods Priests either reuolt from the Church or do against the Church when both our Lord and his Apostles haue foretold that now there should be such When some of Christes disciples by incredulitie forsooke him he turned to his Apostles and said wil you also be gone Peter vpō whom the Church was builded in the name of all and in the voice of the whole Church answered that he had the wordes of eternal life and therfore him they beleued and they vvould go to none other signifying and shevving that those vvhich reuolt from Christ perish through their ovvne fault but the Church which beleueth in Christ and holdeth fast that vvhich she once hath knovven neuer to reuolt from him at all and that they are the Church vvhich tarie in Gods house the rest to be the plant vvhich God the father planted not such as vve see not to haue the stedfastnes of vveighty corne but like chaffe to be blovven avvay vvith the puffe of the scattering enimie of vvhom S. Iohn in his epistle saith They vvent out from vs but they vvere not of vs for if they had been of vs verily they vvould haue taried vvith vs. S. Paul also vvarneth vs vvhen euil men perish from out the Church not to be moued nor to thinke that faith is diminished vvhē the faithlesse reuolt For vvhat saith he if some of them haue fallen from the faith hath their infidelity made the faith of God frustrate God forbid Therfore feare no Israriote feare no Simon feare no Nicolas feare no open persecutor nor no secrete proditor but haue courage in Christ our deere felovves And as hitherto vvhen you vvere at libertie and alvvaies so long as you may you haue offered and vvil offer our Lords blessed body and bloud in true Sacrifice to procure Gods mercie to our Countrie So novv vvith S. Paul you must be ready to offer your selues to death in a spirituall sacrifice for the confirmation of your faith and accomplishment of al your Priestly actions Vvhich shal make a forcible crie for grace and pardon both for your frendes and persecutors And vvhat a goodly thing it vvere to die if needes you must among your Catholike brethren and children there as it vvere among your ovvne sheepe for that faith vvhich you haue taught them S. Cyprians example is very notable vvho chose to suffer Martyrdom in Carthage his ovvne Bishopricke in the sight of his flocke rather then at Vtica or els vvheresoeuer hiding him self till the storme of persecution came thither There is no comfort left in the vvorld abrode brethren nor cause vvhy you should much desire either longer life or more libertie nothing could you behold in our countrie but the Churches calamitie distresse and desolation nothing could you heare but nevv Orators and as S. Basil speaketh the pulpits opened to euery blasphemous tonge vvhich caused all sortes of people of right iudgement as he also vvriteth in the same place to flee from Oratories and the houses of prayer as schooles of impiety and rather to make