tooke a farre better and more polliticke course in that they sought by disputation setting out of bookes and other priuate conferences to make as many close Catholikes which you quoth he call schismatickes as they can and yet not bring any of these into the Church vnlesse here one and there one as may seeme in pollicie conuenient for keeping a memorie of Catholike ceremonies and vse of sacraments and sacrifice To the same effect were the words of their great Polipragmon Fa. Parsons who audaciously durst presume to affirme that it stood not with pollicie to haue libertie of conscience graunted neither did he wish it that persecution should cease in England in afflicting of Catholikes which passages of speech drawne into one proposition setting Atheisme for a medius terminus betwixt that honorable Lords opinion and this disgracefull Iesuits censure all English hearts may conceiue in these words foure points of importance one that the Iesuites make religion a matter of State and pollicie to draw people vnto them by plausible hypocrisie and shew of zeale not a matter of conscience to direct them aright another that they care not how many soules perish so they may winne their hearts and affections vnto them for the time present either by admiring them for rare prudence learning and gouernment or adoring them for peerelesse pietie perfection and holinesse a third that in stead of meekenesse mercie and compassion which of all other ought to shine out most clearely in a religious heart these men haue put on a sterne harsh and cruell hardnesse void of all pittie mildnesse or remorse saue onely Cateolinian carrying their countenance in their hands to sob and smile in a trice and so care not what miserie affliction or persecution fall vpon poore distressed Catholikes in these heauie times of our common sadnesse whilest they liue secure who are the chiefe workers of our generall incestant calamities by their figure-flingings plot-castings and libellings against their natiue countrie and present state of English gouernment in other countries And the fourth and last is their mischieuous bloudie and vnnaturall practises in that it is apparant that the onely cause why they wish persecution of their poore afflicted country-men and brethren to continue and no relaxation leaue or libertie to be graunted them is of purpose to make our Soueraigne her honorable Councell and Peeres of the present State seeme more odious tyrannicall and hatefull to all Christian nations and thereupon to publish libels and other seditious pamphlets of conspiracies for conquests and inuasions And this is that good reuerend religious esteeme which the Iesuits brokers should indeed haue cried with an O yes in euery street court and corner that they haue merited of the Catholike church Englands commonwealth since their first comming into this land Thirdly I might adde as of all other articles so of this many sundry causes reasons and proofes of the Iesuits impietie but I must infringe my speech perforce to dispatch other matters onely this whosoeuer knowes the Iesuits practises as none liuing knowes them all and few but know too few of them may easily coniecture that where any of their faction may be heard speake and be beleeued there must needes be a stop stay and hinderance of that soules conuersion For they that haue the art to inchaunt the already conuerted to make them refuse the benefite of the sacraments to the endaungering of their soules rather then to come at any Seminary or secular Priest that is not a current of their damnable doctrine thinke you they haue not the same skill of figure-flinging to withdraw all those that want the serpeÌ„ts wit to auoid their charmes from comming at any such as are opposite against them Noâ— questionlesse they want neither art nor euill will nor yet malicious meanes to effect it as hauing vsed from the beginning more Machiuilean deuises Atheall practises in secret conference by their inferior Agents with Schismaticks yea and with our common aduersaries then with Catholiks they that can delude any one Catholik put him or her in feare and to haue a scruple of conscience to receiue any Catholike Priest that is not of their faction or at least not against them it is wonder if all Schismatickes be not ouertaken and misse-led in conceit by them THE X. ARTICLE VVHether then the case standing so as in all these 9. precedeÌ„t Quodlib articles it appeares most plaine that the Iesuits haue raised much sedition wrought great mischiefe occasionated sundrie afflictions of all Catholike Recusants and most mightily and daungerously eclipsed the Churches glorie Is it like that these contentions the premises considered will be any way beneficiall to Catholikes and the whole Church of God or else hurtfull c. THE ANSWERE This Quodlibeâ— deciphering the extreme malice and mischieuous intent of the Iesuits in the former Quodlibets discouered doâ—â— closely insinuate here what greaâ— griefe it will be hereafter to many deuout Catholikes to remember how mad and senselesse they were to beleeue that such and such Priests were suspended excommunicated c. and that none might come at them and onely vpon the bare word of a Iesuit or one of his faction Wherupon perceiuing that it was spoken of meere malice sacrilegious consinage of these hypocrites those that are now deluded by them will be readie to eate their owne nailes for anger that they should haue bene so credulous and vnkind in beleeuing their enemies false reports against their dearest friends and spirituall fathers that yet still are ready to spend their bloud on Gods behalfe for them ALthough for the time it may seeme hurtfull yet questionlesse when these masqued religious Iesuits are once made knowne what and who they are there can no harme come thereof but on the contrarie to euery one it will be very beneficiall in the end and as great a comfort to all true Catholike harts as now it is a griefe First for that it was neuer yet seene but that presently vpoÌ„ such deadly coÌ„tentions risen amongst Gods seruants and Priests there appeared some blazing starre comet or light of a rare bright shine of the Churches wonted glorie So was it in the coÌ„tention amongst the Apostles when they stroue together for a supremacie euen in our Sauiour Christ his presence So was it in the time of the Arrian heresie when the whole Church and chiefe prelates seemed to be at daggers drawing with infamous libels put vp by Bishops against Bishops Priests against Priests one religious against another before that pious Emperor of all worthie memorie Constantine the great and so hath it euer bene no doubt but now so it will be God sweetly so disposing Secondly of all Axiomes in Philosophie this is holden for one of the truest most certaine and infallible rule that nullum violentum est perpetuum VVherupon Christian Philosophers haue defined that though there were no Scripture nor Catholike church authoritie to confirme it yet by this phisical position
land must be coursed and canuassed with their letters postes and messengers in the passe and repasse out of England into Fraunce and from Fraunce to Flaunders and thence into Italy Germanie Rome Spaine Portugall and Ierusalem to blaze it abroade of the weakenesse loosenesse scandale badde and corrupt life of all Seminaries and secular Priestes in generall and how vnfit they are to come into England or for any of them to take the charge of soules vpon them for one mans offence or miscariage And he vnhappie man whose life death good name for euer after must hang in the blast of their mouths though he repent with S. Peter or recant with S. Marcelline yet shall his first fault be laid in his dish euer after with Pharisaicall vpbraiding of him whensoeuer occasion is offered of a malitious reuenge to betaken Nay what is more common with these precise pure illuminates then thus to censure of the most constant Martyrs and Confessours if not wholy Iesuited of this age Who though they neuer could be touched with any act word or thought of reuolt from Gods Church or stepping any whit awrie yet these diuellish spirites of a Luciferian pride and conceit of their owne proper excellencie will touch them to the quicke with these speeches I pray God he may stand he is but a weake man such a father had bene fitter then he to haue managed such a matter c. THE IX ARTICLE VVHether in regard of the premises if the Iesuits be such wicked men and so farre gone astray from the first prescript and institution of their order is there any likelihood of their continuance or if not then of what downefall THE ANSWERE I Told you before that Nullum violentum est perpetuum which is to be vnderstood of all humane and naturall causes acts and motions and that some of the Iesuits themselues haue presaged if not prophesied by manie fearefull signes a heauie destruction ruine and downefall to come vnto their societie by reason of the great pride insolencie heate of ambition and vnquenchable thirst in affecting of soueraigntie which raigneth amongst them But what fall it is they shall haue or where or when it will happen God he knoweth as for me Non sum Propheta nec filius Prophetae neither wish I to be but shal truly rather bewaile to see the genius of their hard fortune that men of so many good talents worthie parts singular abilities and rare indowments as sundrie of them haue should be bewitched as they are and as men inuolued in laberinths of errours drowne themselues in the Stigean lake of their owne folly Well Salomon was wiser more learned of better gouernment fitter to rule had a more peculiar gift and grace in all things and more often secreter and nearer familiaritie with God then euer any of them had to this houre here on earth and yet he became a prophane Idolater And therefore howsoeuer the Machiuilian or rather Mahumetane-like factiō giue it out that it hath bin reuealed vnto their foūder how mightily his societie should be impugned but still shall preuaile c. whereof I will speake hereafter yet am I rather moued to embrace the common opinion scil that their end will be a right Templarian downefall which for to make seeme probable because I am still in euery Quodlibet forced to be too tedious I will refeerre you for this matter to a peculiar worke which I haue taken some paines about in comparing first the Templars and the Iesuits together then the Iesuits and Machiuell after that Cardinall Wolsey and father Parsons and last of all the comtemplatiues of the said Parsons in Greencoate to the actiues of the same man in his practised Doleman for a Monarchy In which booke if it happen to come forth you shall see how all ambitions aspirers haue risen vp at the first and by what meanes how base persons haue attained to highest dignities how a man may insinuate himselfe to become great famous and admired at and what is required to make fortune as thsy say a mans friend In the meane space let it suffise that the Iesuits are and shall be well warned and therefore surely armed if they haue grace to accept of it to look to themselues and alter their course in time lest they be taken napping at vnwares as the Templars were THE X. ARTICLE WHether any danger to Gods Church to erre and vtterly to be ouerthrowne by the Iesuits ruine if it happen or no danger at all THE ANSWERE NO danger at all of either errour or any ouerthrow hurt or inconuenience to come to the Church yea or to the least member thereof by their outcast but rather in verie deede a greater securitie to all to haue such infectious poison burst and stinking weedes rooted out that the good and bad do not perish altogether by their abode amongst vs. So that amongst many other fables of their folly or rather of the ignorant multitudes folly seduced by them this is one to beare people in hand that these gallants courtly rabbies I hill warrant you in their coaches haue such a speciall charge care and authoritie committed vnto them of and ouer the whole Cotholicke Church that faile they or be they once expelled and thrust out of England all pietie deuotion Christian discipline and religion Before euer anie Iesuites came in England to plot conspiracies against our Soueraigne and her Realme to sow sedition amongst Catholicke and contention amongest Priests there was more ioy cōfort and truly Catholickes vnfeined charitie shewed to one another in one day then there is now in a whole yeare will presently quaile perish and play turne Turke into Atheisme Thus said they before and at their expulsion for high treason out of France but yet they proued false Prophets Gods Church hauing flourished more since their exile thence then euer it did whiles they were amongst thē Nay what haue they said more and auerd auouched and confirmed the same by writings preachings and other passages all their endeuours tending to this end forsooth they haue not bene scrupulous to affirme that he could not be a sound Catholicke and therefore father Parsons in Philopater is bold to call great Henry the now most Christian King of France a verie reprobate and one impossible to be a sound Catholicke nor yet the whole Realme of France euer soundly to be conuerted and so of others that should anie way dislike of the Iesuits proceedings against England But for any directly to oppose himselfe against those mens holy designements as sundrie Catholickes did in France mary sir that were matter enough to make him burne at a stake the like it were to impugne the king of Spaine or Archduches his daughters pretended title to the English Crown Nay which is a most odious and lothsome breath of bloudie broiles garboiles and cruelties threatned to all Nations by these Ascismists for what are they all say some that know them but massacring butcherly buyers
yet any one wise man no nor sound Catholike or good Christian in the world vnlesse he were either a Ieseuit in re or in spe or a broker for them THE VII ARTICLE VVHether any other profession or religious order haue done like good for instructing of youth or conuerting of countries to Gods Church or reformation of life and manners of such as liue in the Church as the Iesuits haue or not THE ANSWERE LIke as I told you before the Iesuites intrude themselues into both secular religious and temporall Princes affaires and must euery one of them be Rector chori Dominus fac totum and an absolute superlatiue in all things or else all is naught So herein they challenge a prerogatiue royall to themselues alone so farre beyond all measure of copartnership with any other as they haue bene bold to affirme that religion had vtterly quailed if they had not bene yea the Catholike Church in eminent danger to haue bene quite extinct and ouerthrowne In so much as they haue not feared to affirme that the Pope erred de facto in the reconciliation of the French King which great no lesse impudency and insolency then arrogancy and impiety in them as it may be put amongst others of their malepart errors and vsurpate censures so know they to their owne perdition shame and confusion that the Church of God hath no need of them But let them all as I pray God for their wretched soules sakes that too many of them do not proue ranke heretikes yet for the Catholike saith and Church of God neither they neither portae inferi preualebunt aduersus eam and that he qui potens est ex lapidibus suscitare filios Abrahae can raise vp better more learned prudent and perfecter and purer then any pure illuminate amongst them out of the very ashes and dust of seculars or other religious bodies when they are all dead and gone to the place prepared for them And therfore in answer to the Article I say First that as it hath alwayes bin seene hitherto in Gods Church at the rising of any new and extraordinary sect or opinion in religion that God hath stirred vp some certaine person or order of religion to be a curbe to that new sect or heresie as is cleare by S. Benedict by S. Dominicke by S. Augustine by S. Thomas Aquinas and sundry others and yet not these such as without whom the Catholike faith had bin extinct or the Church of God ouerthrowne So reâ—rend a regard was alwaies had of both secular and religious persons as no Noble or other Peere of highest honor in this laÌ„d but would haue had their childreÌ„ yea their heires brought vp in Bishops pallaces or Abbots monasteries vnder those spirituall guides before euer any Iesuit came within ken of humane knowledge Yea some Bishops in England are recorded to haue had 7. or 8. Earles with other Noble mens sonnes attending vpon theÌ„ at one time not that any Bishop did expect seruice at their hands but that it was thought fit to traine them vp these in their youth c. So no question of it but the Iesuits at the first institution of their society did much good in these dangerous times of heresies sects and innouations wherewith the Christian world was and is yet intangled more is the pitty but yet being far inferior to the aboue named religious orders as the church of God could theÌ„ haue bin without theÌ„ so now much more without these yet done aswel perhaps better as now the case staÌ„ds theÌ„ she hath done by their helpes meanes Secondly for their instructioÌ„ of youth c. I haue told you inough before it is but a double diligence like to a Beares loue to his whelpes to pray for his owne paunch And yet take it in best sense there haue bin are wil be youths brought vp better then they do both by secular religious teachers wheÌ„ they shal be far to seeke Mary that it is so now for the present it proceeds of one of their former trickes of gaining credit fame as by alluring sweet natured youths vnto them withall in stopping by disgracing speeches other meanes that none whom they can hinder shal be gouerned taught or instructed by any but themselues Yea was not this one speciall cause of foisting in the Iesuites readers into the Romane Colledge and other places was not this one speciall cause to hinder the Benedictines religious intent charitable designments when they offered to haue brought vp and maintained 30. English youthes from time to time to prepare them for their natiue country Which these Momists Zoilists Aristerkists and enuious Iesuits could not endure to heare of was not this the cause of their Archpriests late command that no youth should go ouer to any Colledge without his approbation testimony giuen of him to the fathers Yea and withall hath not this bene the cause that many fine yong Gentlemen haue lost their wits haue bene made vncapable of all gouernment either in the Church or common-wealth euer after Let one William Tempest as fine a youth one who had as many signes of a generous hart and gentle bloud in him as any that euer went out of England in this age be a heauy spectacle as it cannot chuse but be so to all his friends for all others to looke vpoÌ„ wheÌ„ they are moued to send their children to be brought vp vnder Iesuits Thirdly concerning their paines taken in conuersion of countries I pray you what nation is there that is wholly conuerted by their only meanes They entred Polony and streight there followed vpon it a rebellion against their Soueraigne in conclusioÌ„ the Danskers wold not admit him to be their King vnlesse he wold cast off that seditious society that had raised such mutinies against the Cleargy They pierced India thrust out the Dominicans Augustinians other poore religious Friers in fine made the Spaniards become odious to that straÌ„ge people natioÌ„ They ruled the rost ouer al in France And wherunto tended all their seeming religious indeuor but treason to the king rebellion in his subiects population ruine destruction of their natiue country common-wealth They came here into England and no sooner had they set foote on shore but presently their harts were inflamed with flashes of conspiracies how to top the highest place They haue residence in Spaine and how mightily haue they labored to wring the bucklers out of the Dominicans haÌ„ds for possessing the chaire to teach at Salamanca And with the like busie turbulent seditious heads is Germany Bohemia Cicily Italy and Rome it selfe molested pestered and disquieted Therefore as they haue neither conuerted any countrey directly and by their owne only labours but peruerted many a deuout soule by sinister dealings so neither haue they done halfe that good in any place wheresoeuet they yet came as sundry both secular religious Priests haue
the dorter of Gods Church waking readie to barke at euerie passe-by out of the way thereby rowzing the Lionesse the sweete spouse of Christ who sleepes with open eyes day and night beholding what is done or said euery where being noted of singularitie and suspected of innouation by sundrie tergiuersations equiuocations sophistications windings twindings tracings and doublings being often driuen to repeale recall recant renounce and deny all their doings speeches practises and proceedings in seducing of the innocent at length when they could colour their malice ambition lewdnesse no longer then lo they burst out into open warres against the Catholike church and deuiding themselues from all other Catholikes as in a sort the Iesuits at Wisbich first and now since throughout England do beginne pretily well to ominate what they ayme at affirming that the Catholike church was onely and wholly amongst them and that all others that were not of their company were Schismatickes or Heretickes they then aduanced their dismall banners and so many thousands otherwise vertuous deuout and religious persons were thus seduced by them became absurd heretickes in following of them and in the end died many thousands loosing their liues and many hundred thousands of soules perishing in defence of them and their hereticall doctrine sects and opinions And euen like to all other hereticall proceedings is this course that the Iesuits take God amend them or cut them off that no Catholikes be euer seduced in the end of their downefall by them THE ARGVMENT OF THE fifth Generall Quodlibet BY reason of the great obloquie hatred and disgrace that the English nation is brought into by the Iesuits practises as in the last Quodlibet appeareth and especially concerning the English Students at Rome most cruelly handled by the seditious faction of the Iesuits it followeth sitly in this place to put foorth a Quodlibet of Gouernement to search out what may be the Iesuites drift in plotting for the sway sword and authoritie euerie where to be in their hands Therefore shall this fifth generall Quodlibet be of their plots by gouernement and rule in manner following THE FIFTH QVODLIBET of Plots by Gouernement THE I. ARTICLE WHether the Iesuites or the Seminarie Priests be fitter for Gouernment in the Colledges beyond the seas and whether of the two is more necessarie either respecting Gods church or the weale of our countrey to haue the bringing vp of English youths there THE ANSWERE IF Cardinall Boromeus whose rare vertues all Europe talked of had had the hearing of this disputation and bene vmpier moderator or iudge paramount of this question he would sure haue bene on the Seminarie and secular Priests side For this good Cardinall obseruing well the pride of the Iesuits their practises for inriching aduancing bringing of themselues to be admired at of all men right Lucifer like as much as to say am I not the chiefe and their conicatching deuises for alluring of the finest wits children of most towardnesse and those of rarest aspects and greatest hopes to their spiery hauing intelligence how they held in diuerse Seminaries within the Duchy of Millan the like course and state taken vpon them vnder colour of teaching and bringing vp of youths there as they did in other countries and prouinces about him and where euer they came he thought them no fit men to remaine within his iurisdiction Wherupon he banished them out of all these places esteeming it farre more necessary to haue such apt men and those of the finest wits quickest spirits and likeliest to proue great clerkes to become secular Priests as those appointed by institution diuine to take vpon them the care of soules and therefore woe vnto them if they be ignorant in the law they are to giue and expound to their flocke and charge This he prudently conceited as it was more conuenient yea of bounden dutie for those that were indifferent what state of life they tooke them vnto in the Church of God rather to haue them secular Priests then intruded into any order of religion or monasticall life whatsoeuer which intermedleth not ex professo with any such charge but liue after the prescript rules of their orders priuate to themselues as their vow and profession bindeth them vnto and none more then the Iesuites if they say true or as they would sometimes for a deuice make people beleeue they do So as it cannot be otherwise which this worthy Cardinall well noted in them but that the Iesuites in all their practises plots and pretences shadowed ouer with neuer so condensate a bright colour of religious zeale aime at a higher marke in the apple of the worlds eye then to do all things gratis and of poore pure deuotion charitie humilitie obedience and I cannot tell how many Academicall vertues and perfections which must forsooth be attributed vnto these perfect states-men and religious illuminates For how is it possible if they had any good religious Catholike or bare Christian meaning with them that they should make exceptions of persons in admitting none into their company or society but such as either by his wit wealth birth or other meanes may bring some gaine helpe and meanes to their further preferment and aduancement here on earth You progenie of vipers to vse our Sauiours words against you the offals of the old Scribes and Pharisees who hath taught you to eschue iram venturam to sequestrate your selues from the world to take vpon you a state of perfection and to include and exclude to chuse and refuse to force whom you list or otherwise to raile vpon them and condemne them to hell on liue in your arrogant censures and to thrust backe whom you like not of that gladly would enter in no doubt but of a religious conceit they haue of you though happie those that are so thrust out from among you Is this your holy societie Is this your perfection of life Is this your zeale of soules Is this your freedome from errour Is this your skill of gouernement Is this your doctrine of reformation Is this your familiaritie with God Is this your neerenesse by illuminated admittance to know secrets to others vnknowne that you dare put out and put in whom you please to haue this familiarity and to be illuminated as you vainely vaunt of No fie blasphemous wretches you preiudice Christ our Sauiour his sweete spouse and his sacred annointed Priests Nos talem consuetudinem non habemus neque Ecclesia Dei Neuer was there any religious order that tooke your course nor held such phantasticall extrauagant exorbitant irregular opinions as you do It is flat singularitie innouation and absurdity of your idle braines without any authoritie either of the Catholike Church or Scripture for you to single out any one soule in this sort Did our Sauiour teach did his Apostles practise did the Church deliuer by tradition vnto you that you might or ought to admit none but wise but wealthy but of great parentage or busie headed bodies
of Spaine is more intollerable then these such idle speculations before mentioned For it is grounded not only vpon the said most sottish speculation against all the kings that liue but likewise vpon a most slanderous traiterous lie in making all the kings Queenes that haue been for aboue two hundred yeeres in this land to haue bene vsurpers tyrants traitors and I wot not what And that which doth not a litle moue my patience this bastardly Iesuite doth father this traiterous assertion vpon that worthy person Cardinal Allane from whom I durst be sworn he neuer had them nor so vile a cōceit euer harbored in his brest Whilest I haue bene diuers times thinking of this fellowes writings touching these such like matters I haue wōdred with my selfe how possibly he could be so blind as not to foresee that when kings should vnderstand what a plot he hath laid for the ouerthrow of all authority by setting vp and aduancing a popular furie they should find thereby verie iust cause giuen vnto them to detest both him and all the generation of Iesuits or any other catholikes whosoeuer that should teach or defend such bloodie traiterous doctrine But I haue stood too long vpon this point if you can procure Master Charles Pagets booke against father Parsons you shall finde the foxe so vncased and left so naked of all honestie wisedome or iudgement touching these points as you may well thinke my paines herein to haue beene needlesse except you will remember that my drift is onely to let you vnderstand that father Parsons and his fellowes are great intermedlers with matters of state and succession especially concerning the English crowne which when they shall be out of all hope euer to obtaine I am verily perswaded there will some of them run mad about it they are so extremely egar vpon it and in such a desperate iealousie and feare of loosing it And therefore will I proceede therein a little further by his Masterships leaue For as the said father Parsons hath laide his plot when England shall be Spanish how the ancient lawe of this realme shall be abrogated and the ciuill law aduanced in the place thereof so hath the prouident gentleman another treatise of reformation in store how to establish amongst vs when that time shall come the ancient lawe termed Lex Agraria Bicause that as it seemeth his mastership is of opinion that the nobilitie of England haue too large and great possessions and therefore by one of his rules in the said reformation their abilities and what they shall yeerely spend must be limited vnto them as also what retinue they shall keepe and what their diet shall be The like course he hath also ordained for the Bishops and clergie they must be put to their pensions and the ouerplus is to be at the direction of the Iesuits to be imploied by the appointment of their Generall resident alwaies in Rome propter bonum societatis and ordine ad Deum Of all which follies although I haue told you in part before yet they comming so fitly to hand as best agreeing to this Quodlibet of succession they can doe no harme to be repeated againe But now if any man thinke it impossible that these fellowes should be thus bewitched with these vaine conceits let him but consider the nature of pride ambition and libertie into what a fooles paradise they are able to cast any manner of persons or professions that are possessed with them They can hardly thinke of any thing but they account themselues woorthy of it and able by their wits to effect it euen the very supreme power and church of S. Peter such is their ambition And for their libertie they are men exempted frō the iurisdiction of all the superiors of the clergie sauing to their owne officers whereby as lawlesse libertines they write doe and say what they list and dreame of I know not what Iesuiticall monarchie And thus farre of this generall point that those men doe not slander the Iesuits that charge them to be greater statists then they would be accounted and thereby to transgresse all ancient orders of religious persons and to shew themselues as runnagates and degenerated from their owne profession THE III. ARTICLE VVHether is it profitable or expedient for the church of God that the Iesuits as father Parsons in sundrie of his writings and so generally all the rest in effect of that societie and some other of their humor should oppose themselues so much as they doe against princes in extenuating their authoritie vpon euery occasion and eftsoones by telling the world what small interest and hold they haue of their kingdomes as that in this case and that case or if they doe this or will not doe that then foorthwith dominium amittitur all is lost they cease to be kings and what else if they escape with their liues it shall please their fatherhoods to tell vs. THE ANSWERE I Thinke their course therein to be neither profitable nor expedient for the church but on the contrarie very pernitious and dangerous and especially in these our daies First bicause I doe not finde that the Apostles sent by our Sauiour Iesus Christ to preach the Gospell did inculcate any such matters or points either of doctrine or policie yea in their writings for ought I see there is no such thing expressed neither doe I remember that any historie doth tell vs of any such course but rather the quite contrarie to haue beene held by them Secondly the heathen kings both before the comming of Christ and in the Apostles times did suppose their titles to their kingdomes to bee much more firme and their subiects being both learned and wise men skilfull in all humane knowledge and lawes did thereof assure them terming them to be the verie life and soules of their kingdomes And it was accounted in the primitiue Church a great slaunder to the Gospell catholike doctrine of the church of Christ when some did report that the doctrine of the Christians was iniurious to the empire or ciuill magistracy as tending to the diminishing of their right and authority Thirdly if either the Apostles in those times or their successors afterwards in the Primitiue Church should haue written or preached of these matters as now the Iesuites doe they would out of question haue beene cut off presently It is true that although they tooke a very mild course yet they indured great persecutions and were very many of them put to death But if they had beene of the Iesuites spirit it is not probable that any but the Iewes who had trayterous harts to the Empire would euer haue indured to haue heard them speake We see that if their enimies could but deuise some litle shew though most falsely that they touched Caesars authority it was sufficient to cry out against them that they were not worthy to liue Nay how sought they to haue intangled Christ himselfe by their question of tribute
woman or not c. and withall to bring arguments sillogisticall enthimematicall and inductiue or exemplarie pro contra for auerring and impugning of the same then to put foorth a question whether a Seminarie Priest or a Iesuite ought sooner to be credited esteemed of and followed whether a Iesuite be a good or a bad man whether their doctrine be erronious trecherous and seditious or not whether it be lawfull to call a knaue a knaue an hereticke an hereticke a traitor a traitor a bastard a bastard c. or not and how when where and vpon what occasions such questions doubts and interrogatories may and ought to be proposed and answer made pro contra agreeing to humane conceit morall capacitie and iust censure of and in such cases cannot iustly incurre any reprehension or blame Besides this kind of proceeding shall as I haue said both driue the true conceipt of matters the better into peoples hearts heads and eares and yet not exasperate any by galling words which positiue discourses in accusations do ordinarily occasionate and cannot be auoyded further then the ripping vp of truth in things necessarie to be knowne must needs stirre and moue the guiltie constrained by this meanes to hold vp his hand at barre and to haue his wounds launced searched and discouered to the very naked heart in open sight This then being the summe of what I intend to write and here propose to no other end as I take my sweet Sauiour and all his holy Angels and Saints to witnesse then to deliuer the ignorant out of errour to giue to the tersacred Apostolicall Romane Church faith and Religion their due and to make known what loyaltie what seruice what deare affection ought to be in euery subiect euen by authoritie of all lawes of God or man in defence of their Prince countrie and state where they liue I will hold the indifferent dispassionate and diligent Reader with no longer discourse of a Preamble but leauing all to his best conceipts and desiring no euill opinion sinister construction or hard censure to passe of my well meant indeuors I commit his sharpe wits or her swift thoughts to the speedie encounter of this Bucke of the first head in the quest at euery Quodlibeticall relay set in the pursuit of their game LENVOY THE contents of this booke shall appeare in the Table of the Articles meane while be pleased gentle Reader to take these rules to guide you in this Discourse First be not hastie to censure of any part or parcell vntill you haue read the whole booke throughout if you will be free from partialitie and rest reformed of errour and quieted in Catholike vnitie loue and peace Secondly if you find in some Page the names of particular persons places c. expresly set downe and in other Pages concealed take the reason cause thereof to be this to wit that in the concealement the respect is had to the hurt that might be done by opening such matters men time place words writings c. and againe in the expresse discouery of them the respect is had to the common cause hindred by concealement of such persons actions c. Thirdly take this for a rule infallible that no secret is written of here in particular which was not before publikely knowne aswell to our common aduersaries as to our owne company and that aswell by letters taken as by their owne confessions in publike manner whom the fact concerned Fourthly be not too curious in these two points vz. if you find sundry faults escaped by the Printer as quae for quod Malto for Malta anno primo for actione prima and many such like which the prudent Reader may correct by the sense and vpon his owne knowledge without setting downe Errata here for euery particular Againe if you find some words more sharpe and biting then in your conceit is requisite yet do not for that condemne either the whole Booke which respecteth the matter whereupon all our company in effect do agree and not the words sentences or phrase of speech which respecteth the humour of euery man with such a difference as almost impossible to please all mens veines or symbolize with their methods conceits and meanings neither yet do you vpon dislike of such speeches or of the Author condemne the cause or the rest of his brethren for what is more common then for one man to giue censure and iudge of a case thus and for another so and withall euen in points of most importance a controuersie decided in sacred synode is set downe infallibly true but the Scribe notwithstanding in adding a reason of his owne in explaning the Text or Canon may commit a great sinne and grosse errour and yet not the decree of the Councell to be euer the worse thought of or of lesse credite THE ARGVMENT OF THE first Generall Quodlibet FOrasmuch as all these 10 Quodlibets consisting of 10 Articles a peece haue a relation to the good or harme done in and to the Church common-wealth the heads of both and principall members either specificall or indiuiduall in either of them by the Iesuits faction and confederats in casting of plots for their purpose and most aduantage aswell by plausible perswasions in passages of speech as also by countermined platformes in practicall conspiracies I thought it good to giue you to vnderstand as a point of importance necessary to be knowne that all and euery of these Quodlibets and Articles are of such speciall matter as they are not to be tearmed Metaphisicall conceits or coniectured inuentions of speculatiue knowledge but are in very deed Phisicall practicall and knowne things which rise in question and are talked of euery where of Cleargy and Laity Catholikes and Protestants men and women nobles and gentiles boyes and girles home-borne subiects and aliens or strangers yea what part of Christendome nay of the whole Macrocosme this day almost is free or exempted from the knowledge or hearing of what I meane to discusse and reason of in briefe no nation vnder the cope of heauen but shall find thēselues touched and to haue an interest part and portion in some one or other of these questions quodlibetical articles here proposed For which cause the first Quodlibet offered as an obiect to the eyes of the ignorant seemeth sitly to be tearmed a Quodlibet of plots by scandale and offence taken by some Pharisaically or Iewishlike and therefore not to be regarded by others superstitiously or rather too scrupulously and therefore necessary to be informed of the truth and reformed of their errour as being in the originall scandale not directly giuen but onely taken of their infirmity and weake iudgement and vnderstanding for a prudent wise and sound Catholike or other person of stayd wit censure and conceit will neuer be scandalized at these contentions or the like And therefore haue I placed it in the first ranke and before all other as an introduction to take away all scruple out of
the Puritanes may dispense with some of their confederacy to insinuate themselues into the Ministery and to vse Surplice cap crosse ring and all according to the Queenes iniunctions which is quite contrary to their doctrine but that they do it for loue of their benefices and euen so the Iesuites may dispense with some of their close confederates or society to passe vnder the name of secular Priestes for their priuate gaine and more aduantage though otherwise their profession be quite contrarie Fourteenthly the Puritanes will haue no superiours no more will the Iesuites Fifteenthly the Puritanes will acknowledge no obedience to any Ecclesiasticall dignitie no more will the Iesuites but yet both of them counterfeitly and dissemblingly do yeeld Sixteenthly the Puritanes labour to pull all Bishops downe and to haue none but Superintendents in England and haue made hauocke alreadie of all such in Scotland and the Iesuites will let no Bishop be in either Realme if they can keepe them from that superioritie ouer them Seuenteenthly the Puritanes seeke to pull downe Kings and Princes and so do the Iesuites Eighteenthly the Puritanes would bring all Kings and common-wealthes to a popularitie and Oligarchicall gouernement and so would the Iesuites Nineteenthly the Puritanes controull both Princes and Prelates as if they were their superiours and the Iesuites checke and controule both Pope and Prince as at least their equals Twentiethly the Puritane Ministers must be of counsell with the Prince in the highest affaires of his Realme so must the Iesuiticall padres or else all is out of frame One and twentiethly the Puritanes must appoint Prince Court and Counsell what to set downe and define in all matters of gouernement and state and so must the Iesuits Two and twentiethly the Puritanes must haue the perusing ratifying and confirming of whatsoeuer doth passe from the Prince or Lords spirituall or temporall of the land and so must the Iesuites or else it shall be despised reiected and holden for ridiculous and not worth the setting foorth or publishing Three and twentiethly the Puritanes must haue all Princes Nobles or other states so dutifull and seruiceable vnto them as they must not laugh they must not play they must not walke they must not talke they must not giue or receiue any gifts or vse any priuate conference or decent recreation c. without their consent or priuitie and onely so much and no more then they appoint them and euen iust so is it with the Iesuits Foure and twentiethly the Puritanes hold he cannot be a good Christian that doth resist them and the Iesuites that he cannot be a sound Catholike that speakes against them c. Fiue and twentiethly the Puritanes count themselues the new illuminates c. and the Iesuits that they are freer from errour more familiar with God more precisely and peculiarly illuminated and more specially indued with the spirit of guiding soules then secular Priests are c. Innumerable of the like comparisons may be made betwixt them in matters of life and manners and I pray God not too many in matters of faith and religion which seeing they both square and differ herein from the Protestants it followeth that the Iesuits and Puritanes do come neerest together in platformes though both opposite one to the other in intention as farre as farre may be THE III. ARTICLE VVHether the Iesuits doctrine smell of innouation and by consequent of heresie in any thing or else is it onely a singularity in matters of manners in all things done or maintained by them THE ANSWEE IT is one thing to smell of any corruption and an other to be infected with a pouant or stinke of the same and therefore that the Iesuits smell most horrible of both and that in a most dangerous manner it is cleare by all these fiue and twenty degrees comparatiue betwixt them and the Puritanes And the like may be sayd of their new institution of an Archpriest a plaine and manifest innouation as a word title and authority quite out of vse in the Church of God at this day All you deuout but maruelously seduced Catholikes for the loue of our sweete Sauiour I desire you and on Gods behalfe I charge you as you loue your owne soules to lay aside all blind affection and partial doom and conferre one of these Quodlibets with another and then weigh well with your selues what cause you haue to moue you to be so eager in defending these moâ—e dangerous aduersaries of your soule then any other professed enemy to the Romane Catholike faith and neuer at all taken or appointed to gouerne in that sense and to that intent and purpose as he is taken to be and is by them instituted and appointed How they smell of other dangerous innouations it will bewray it selfe in time THE IIII. ARTICLE VVHether any of them haue published in printed bookes or openly or in priuate conference taught any thing contrary to the beleefe of the Catholike Romane Church or not THE ANSWERE THey haue and that euerie way in printed bookes in written copies or manuscripts and but most of all in priuate conference Which contrary to their opinion will not be hardest to get witnesses of to auouch it to their face especially in matters of confession and other points which I blush to write of as I haue had relation made vnto me But to the purpose whereunto otherwise do all their libels letters and suggested slaunders spread abroad against secular Priestes the Ecclesiastical state and the resemblance betwixt them and the Puritan Zuinefeldians Anabaptists or family of loue c. tend saue onely to the broaching abroad of most abhominable heresies And in particular whereunto doth father Parsons popular doctrine in the Ciuilians discourse tend saw onely to an absurd heresie of denying free will in humane actions when as in the first part and neere the beginning thereof to cut off all right of succession by birth and bloud he sets me this downe for a generall rule maxime or exioma scil Those things that are of the law of God and nature are common to all nations as God and nature are common to all ergo if the gouernement and regall right of succession were by the law of God and nature descending by birth and bloud the same should be common and alike in and to all nations as God and nature are c. But we see that is false for some nations haue one kind of gouernement and manner of succession and some another c. ergo gouernement and succession by birth and bloud are not of the law of God and nature This Elenchiall fallacy for he will not dare stand syncategorematically to approue it denies slatly free-will putting no difference betwixt the law of God and nature in man and the same law in bruite beastes whereas there is not a boy of any wit that rightly vnderstands onely Porphiries predicables but wold hisse him out of the schooles for a fond wrangling and vnlearned
Church without euer returne or reformation or recouery and thereupon haue they and other Iesuits that remained as then in the Church written most bitterly one against the other some of whose hereticall bookes my selfe haue seene in print But for those that seduce the English Catholikes of whom now principally these Quodlibets do intreate they neither can neither may iustly be called heretikes because they do not stand obstinate in their opinion of any of these things neither do they neither dare they maintaine anie of these heresies or errours as yet whatsoeuer they intend hereafter when they see an end of the appeale and who will stand to them and who forsake them but all in such slye dissembling equiuocate and couert sort as hard it shall be to fasten any error vpon them For their plots by doctrine like as by al other proiects tending rather in deed to flat atheisme then to any particular heresie they were vnworthy the name of temporised statists wherof they boast or to be readers in Machiuels schoole which is their secret practise in scholerisme if they should not denie all and change their opinions agreeing to time person and place and as a Counsellor at the common law once said rather trusting God with their soules then the world with their bodies he would neither burne for the one nor hang for the other So that as I said as hard it shall be to conuince them of anie errours in matters of faith as it was to haue conuinced Arius who subscribing to the Councels decrees sweare it was true as it there was written meaning in the paper kept close in his bosome or sleeue iust like to the Iesuits absurd equiuocating or counterfeited periuries sacriledges and cousinage in abusing the words of S. Paul with factus sum omnia omnibus vt omnes lucrifaciam as much to say in a Iesuiticall sense as to be a Seminarie Priest amongest Seminaries a Secular Priest amongest Seculars a religious man amongest religious a seditious person amongest seditious a factious Spaniard amongst Spaniards an English traitor amoÌ„gst traitors a Scottish villaine amongst Scots and amongst all these to denie affirme to obiect and answer to sweare and forsweare whatsoeuer may be a gaine to him for his incorporation pragmaticall common-wealth or societie which dissembling and Atheall dealing of theirs to make it manifest to all the world doctor Cicils booke against father Creton the Scots Iesuit may suffise For who doth not know how mightily this Scots father hath stood in opposition in shew of the world at least in presence of Scots and English against father Parsons our English Polipragmon concerning the Scots pretended title to the English crowne Insomuch as report hath gone that his Maiestie King Iames by letters and messages deuised and sent from these Scots religious statists to settle a sound opinion in his Princely heart of this false hearted hypocrite hath said that there was one Iesuit yet good old father Creton that dealt and spoke on his behalfe c. notwithstanding that the same maister Cicile doth clearely proue that this loyall Scots father in the Court of Spaine did runne a quite contrarie course sung Placebo to King Philip then and as a most infest enemie vsed as bitter peremptorie and traiterous or rather irreligious speeches of his owne Liege Lord and King as euer father Parsons had vsed in anie passage of speech or libell against him Therefore do I conclude this article as with an exposition of the former that as probable it is they will stand out euen as the Templars did to death before they will confesse any thing that may discouer their great impietie so questionlesse it were no policie in them to professe themselues as yet open enemies to the Sea Apostolicke much lesse to stand to any one of their innouate new inuented paradoxall doctrines either by word or writing but rather to labour at the first to draw the ignorant multitudes and so by peecemeale others of more grauitie wit and learning vnto them by plausible perswasions making them beleeue that they are the reformed Church for so they say a Iesuite is nothing else but a reformed Priest right Puritans in all things that they seek only to haue all Bishops and Prelats Kings and Princes â—iue in order according to their vocations and calling that all went to wracke in England Scotland Flanders Germanie Polony and where not before they came that Catholike religion Christian discipline and orderly life amongst all Priests and religious persons was euen worne out of vse and memorie vntil they reuiued it that they sought only to reduce all from errors and abuses which were in many old Q Marie Priestes and others and to draw them to the vnion of the Sea Apostolike To which Sea forsooth they onely did and euer would acknowledge an obedience to death this hauing bene the platforme of all other or the most part of heretikes at the first vnder colour of rooting euil out of the Church and that forsooth in the right of and on the Catholike Romane Churches behalfe therby to bring a greater mischiefe vpon it that is more filth into it and as our Sauiour Christ rightly parabolized of such finding the house cleane swept they bring seuen other foule spirits with them worse theÌ„ themselues were before Et sic fiunt nouiss hominis illius peiora prioribus So of very like sort their Pharisaicall hypocriticall and mock-mending doctrine of reformation tends to none other end theÌ„ to be an introduction to the sorie sequels of their arrogancie Whereof we need no better testimonie then Fa. Garnet the Iesuits Prouinciall here in England his forward resolute and zealous ostentation on the behalfe forsooth of the Sea Apostolike O pitiful complaining for institution of the Archpresbiterie vpon Cardinall Caietans surrepted letter of authoritie Which fraudulent institution and violently intruded Archpresbitery being in a sort yet with a reuerend regard of the Cardinals grace and not with that coÌ„tempt it iustly did deserue resisted by the secular Priests this notable companion fa. Garnet in the froth of his zeale foming against the said seculars to make them seeme odious and contemners of the Popes authoritie for so these impudent shamelesse men made it seeme to the ignorant said he would marie would he stand to death in defence of the Popes holinesse his decree and institution of this new renowned Prelate O huge monstrous audacious nay officious intruding boldnesse did you euer heare the like cogging mate who to bleare the peoples eies and to band and bolster out so horrible a fact as to thrust a Iesuit Archpriest vpon vs and that most tyrannically to be flagellum Dei ouer the secular Priests spite of their teeth he would make men beleeue nay women indeed for the most part of their pure spirits are of the female sexe as easiest deluded that he tooke vpon him the defence of the Sea Apostolike in managing with huffe and ruffe this foisted in authoritie
Philosophari These natural Philosophers or rather plaine naturals indeede admiring what manner of men the Iesuits should be began to descant of a surmised worthinesse to be in them aboue all others and thereupon inferd by a senslesse sequel of their seeming-sound conceit that it could not be but the secular priests were in the wrong would be ouerthrowne and impossible for them to hold out against the Iesuites who had all the greatest chiefest and most part of the nobles and gentles throughout England on their side yea and of the greatest princes in Christendome to take their parts whereas the secular priests had none of any reckoning For these are the vaine vaunts of their brokers abroade yea and of Iesuits themselues as arrogantly made as falsly affirmed and neither way priestly and much lesse religiously But what should a man speak of humilitie pouertie or any religious vow or vertue in them that can draw out a quintessence from the highest dignities of Pope or Prince In ordine ad Deum to make themselues demi Gods on earth whereby a man may gather that amongst manie other sundrie meanes of seducing and drawing of others to their faction one and a chiefe of all the rest is their Pharisaicall hypocrisie Now to the first part of the intertogation To name anie in particular seduced by them I am verie loath for that they are all or most part of them of one of these three sorts and therefore may probably be reclaimed to wit some of theÌ„ are led away of meere simplicitie indiscreet zeale whose wits be on the one side insufficient to discerne by outward actions what is in the inward maÌ„ which is a hard matter for anie to define of and on the other side as insufficient to be practitioners for these statesmen in regard of the same defect and therefore are made onely Parrots Pies or iangling Iayes to prattle vp and downe all that they heare and see where you must note that all which they shall heare or see must be onely of such things as may stirre them vp with zeale forsooth and as an act of spirituall merit to defend these holy Fathers in euerie thing and to be readie to spit in a Priests face to flie from him as from a vowed enemie of Gods Church because an aduersarie to the Fatthers and thinke it to be as horrible a sinne against their conscience to make as great a scruple to come to anie Sacrament or seruice with them or to aske them blessing as if they were Ethnickes Infidels or other damned creatures and alreadie denounced to be so But for anie other secret or point of importance they seldome or neuer impart it to these tittle tatlers whereof I could name you besides simple men a whole browne dozen of silly Gentlewomen about London that course both water and land Citie and Suburbes house and fieldes with these and the like speeches scil Out vpon the Seculars the Seminarie Priests the seditious the factious when as alas good Ladies for two of this holy crue are Ladies indeed they know not what a faction meanes but as I said before like Parrots speake as they be taught so they are to be accounted of accordingly Others are wholy depeÌ„ding on them for their temporall necessities and bodily reliefe and as the common saying is neede makes men of occupation and the Iesuites hauing gotten Iudas his office scil to carrie the mony bag into their substitutes hands disposing of all the wealth and charitie of Catholickes consisting of manie thousand pounds where how and to whom they please though most sinfully irreligiously and abusiuely they conuert these Pios vsus intended by the benefactors where need is most into their own purses these are braue religious men be they not or into their purses at least from whoÌ„ they may coniure it at their pleasures and make it flie ouer the Ocean vnder pretence of relieuing the Colledges or Seminaries to prepare for an inuasioÌ„ Now what would you haue those distressed Catholikes to do that liue in want either by reason that their liuings are takeÌ„ from them or vpon some other accident of fortunes frowne the secular Priests are not able to help them because they receiue not most of them one farthing of the commoÌ„ contribution but liue only vpon relief sent them from their priuat friends to get a dodkin of a Iesuit or his procurator it is impossible vnles they wil run with open mouth in defamation of seminary Priests their very first spirituall fathers oftentimes that begot them in Christ Iesus to Godward and to starue or famish they may not if possibly they can auoide it Therefore must this necessarie relation needes be betwixt the Iesuites and these kind of proctors that if the Iesuits take away their vpper lip they spill their whistling and if they whistle not apace against all the secular Priests with panigeries sounded out of the Iesuits praises then shall they loose their vpper lippe and all their hope of reliefe And thus are these needie persons made another kind of sticklers for them who according to their qualities and abilities to do them seruice with a cleanly conueyance in their actions shall be more or lesse acquainted with some of their secrets driftes and markes they shoote at A third sort of the Iesuits panigerickes or vnskilfull herauldes in this blazon are of those that are men of State in deede A French Iesuit repâ—â—â—ing that the King of Fraunce gained three millions of gold by them at their expulsion thence it cannot be but they haue infinit treasure in store for an exploit when time comes But it will questionlesse be their destruction beare haughtie mindes aspire to high mounts and expect great matters at the comming in of the Spaniards or time of the Iesuits triumphs and conquest made of this Realme through ayde of forreigne powers together with Indulgences granted to the aidors and excommunications thundred out against the resistants wherof I will talke anone leuied at their costs and charges taking vp souldiers euery where for pay if they cannot otherwise preuaile by helpe of Spaine And these are they which the Iesuites boast not a little of And though many of them be not God wot of the wisest for if they were they would neuer be led into a fooles paradise vpon Moone shine hopes of Lucean towers to be built for them by these great Statistes yet by reason partly of the great hope as I said before of receiuing euer an hundred for one and partly of some great enemies they haue in opposition against themselues they do runne the course of the Iesuits In deciding of the controuersie betwixt the two great houses of Arundel Dacre I haue made this point more apparant how the one house that it might the better suppresse the other applaudeth to all the Iesuits vndertake in hope to be strengthened by them herafter whilst the Iesuits in the meane time like greedy caterpillers do pray vpoÌ„ them
doubt whether any or all the Iesuits words yea or othes that are in England this day wil be accepted of for the value of a straw by any that knows the they are so fraudulent full of equiuocations and doublings Thirdly in the matters here in question the secular Priests speake not in their owne defence alone but defend the whole ecclesiasticall yea and temporall state against these Iesuiticall inuaders corrupters and vsurpers of both authorities Fourthly it is not a more common then true rule receiued of all persons degrees and orders either Christian or Heathen and in and by all lawes nations and ages ratified confirmed and verified that bonum quo communius eo melius but secular priesthood not Iesuitical societies extends it self ouer all estates persons and places being rightly called Seculars because they haue the cure and charge of soules layd on their backes to direct all that liue in a secular worldly or temporal state in matters of conscience soule affaires as christian directories to al humane or moral actions wherin vertue or vice impietie or holinesse good or bad may be included For which cause when the Apostle had commanded all with obedite prepositis vestris c. he gaue a reason with a quia ipsi dabunt rationē pro animabus vestris coram Deo As much to say as neither father mother sister brother or dearest friend neither Prince Peere Lord Ladie Maister or Mistris neither Abbot Prior Canon Regular Monke Frier Iesuit Hermit or Anchorite neither anie other person or persons can or shall be admitted to giue an account before God at the latter day on your behalfe concerning your soules affaires whiles you liued secularly in this vale of tears saue only those appointed ouer you to take this cure and charge vpon them For which cause they are also called Curates and Pastors c. Fiftly the Iesuiticall societie although the order be approued by the Pope his Holines therfore it is to be honored of all good Catholickes they that liue in it agreeing to their first institutiō profession calling are therfore also to be reuerenced if any such be now to be found amongst them yet being in the best sense and construction themselues can make of it a priuate peculiar corporation or an order not common but proper and therefore must needes respect their owne societie most yea grant them herein their principle to be tollerable In ordine ad Deum it followeth then by necessary sequell that all that are not Iesuits should follow beleeue credite trust to and defend the secular Priests as a common corporation in the weale publicke with them not those that euen in their Ordine ad Deum must and will carue for themselues first and leaue to their fautours and ignorant fauorites the off-fals scumme or refuse of their commodities I might here adde a new corolarie of another kind in confirmation of the credit respect and esteem that all secular Priests should and may euen de iure ex merito condigno chalenge to themselues of the Cath. laity before any Iesuit whosoeuer As first for that notwithstanding these seditious most mischieuous men haue bespattered with a most dangerous Gangrene the whole bodie misticall of Christ which vnlesse it be feared vp with hot irons here in Englād wil neuer come at Rome to be soundly cured it hath so venimously infected al flesh they furthermore haue most maliciously inflamed so many both men women and childrens hearts with insulting pride deepe disdaine and such vehement furie outrage and malice against secular Priests as the vnnaturall heate of their cursed zeale hath past already gradum ad octo and passe it any further it is twentie to one it will passe extra spheram actiuitatis and fall into tearmes of Apostacie yet spight of the diuel al Iesuitical Atheisme the secular Priests haue bin reuerenced ere euer Ignatius Loiola the Spanish souldier and first founder of the Iesuits order was borne they are at this present in the middest of these new maisters throughout all Europe and they will be when not one Iesuit shal be left aliue in the world vnlesse they amend their manners and reforme their order but all damned for heretickes or thrust out of Gods Church as Apostataes and Atheists I say the secular Priestes haue bin are wil be after al this these indiscreet misled Catholikes ancient most louing and faithfull ghostly fathers Who all gusts gallings infamies contempts slanders iniuries wrongs other points of vnkindnes set aside do wil loue them stil vnfainedly pray hartily for them day and night are and will be ready to offer their worne out bodies in prison and abroade for confirmation of them in the Catholike faith when these elated Pharisies shall be farre to seeke And further I put this for a second point which the Catholicke Laitie may please to consider vpon thar the power of Priesthood is called in question by these new religious Scribes and Pharises of whom it is not more strange to heare into what credit they are growne with the people especially women then to vnderstand into what obloquie contempt and disgrace the secular priesthood of Christ is brought by their hypocrisie to the worldes eye in alluring the peoples hearts from their auncient true friends and spirituall fathers and by their factious opposition against vs neuer ceasing to calumniate slander and defame all men most iniuriously falsly and perfidiously by their treacherous proiects and treasonable practises nor leauing of to insult triumph and tyrannize first ouer secular Priests and then ouer all others that are not professed Iesuits most proudly maliciously and disdainfully As these things neede not seeme strange much lesse incredible and least of all other impossible because their antesignanes or forefathers I meane the Scribes and Pharises in our Sauior Christ his time discountenanced priesthood with like pretexts to these and were growne into as great admiration with the people then as these new Iesuiticall Scribes are now witnesse Iosephus witnesse all antiquities witnesse Christ himselfe who with great zeale did cast those ietting iugglers out of the temple of Ierusalem So thē no Catholike being so ignorant simple or affectionate but knows must needs confesse that priesthood is the chiefest hold stand stay for them to build vpon it followeth that they must either renounce the Cath. Churches authority in crediting these false hearted seditious erronious Iesuits or els renounce the sayd Iesuitical doctrine credite the secular cleargy Christs church herein THE VIII ARTICLE WHether euer any Iesuit haue Apostataed from his faith and fallen out of the Catholicke Church or no and if there haue whether any such haue euer returned or bene reconciled againe or not THE ANSWERE NAy ask whether any of them do stand firme and remaine sound and liue conformable to the first institution of their order or no considering that euen those who otherwise are of good disposition
Campian and Fa. Parsons they were but counted as their assistants and that only in administring of sacraments for Fa. Heywood durst presume to forbid preaching c. Seuenthly vpon this intollerable pride hypocrisie and immunitie arrogated vnto theÌ„ whereby no Prince or prelate liuing can escape their tongs pens yea nor fists if it come to banding vntill these mortificats haue their wils nothing being well done nor any gouernment well managed without their direction as wanting discretion zeale learning or something which these illuminates made of a more excellent mould must perfect and reform in the grosse headed seculars there followeth then presently after it another deuice plotted of purpose to make it seeme meet to the ignorant multitude afterwards to others for note this that popularitie is the rouer they ayme at in all their proceedings the mobile vulgus being euer wauering and readiest to run vpon euery change that all the whole Cleargie both Ecclesiasticall and Monasticall throughout all nations should be subiect to theÌ„ And to put this deuice in execution England is made the maine chance of Christendome this day For effectuating whereof hauing brought all things to that forwardnesse as all the Colledges and Seminaries at Rome Doway Siuill Valledolid and elsewhere beyond the seas are vnder the Iesuiticall gouernment or rather vsurpate tyrannie the contention being about Father Westons supremacie forsooth ouer the rest of the reuerend auncient and worthy Confessors the secular Priests in prison and Fa. Garnets soueraigntie ouer the rest abroad hauing alreadie appointed a silly man for an Archpriest as substitute vnder him and he as Prouinciall here vnder Fa. Parsons nostri fundi calamitas there is now wanting nothing but to bring this platforme to perfection But for the deuice it selfe in contriuing this Luciferian aspire it is this They beare the people in hand that the secular Priests besides their want of learning and zeale which occasionated their immunitie ouer theÌ„ are forsooth more subiect to error heresie Apostacie more infirme fraile weake and readier to fall then they are c. What Princes wil endure such person in their â—â—ngâ—omes as vnder pretence of religion shal infect their subiects wâ—â—h such hateful coâ—â—eâ—ts so daungerous to their State or who can be seâ—uâ—e of his stand if this populâ—â— dâ—â—trine take to â—e in rebellious subiects harts and what â—â—n be expected thâ—reby but wheâ—e rebels can not haue their wâ—â— presently to make hâ—mocke of the common wealth and inuest 〈◊〉 with the Crownes 8 From this freedome of the Iesuits doth issue out a fresh a faire seeming but mischieuously poisoned fountaine of zealing christall streames deuided into two armes or riuals from the head the one is called ordo ad Deum the other obedientia By meanes of which two there is nothing can go or be done amisse by any Iesuite for that alwaies it is either in ordine ad Deum if an act of a superior or propter obedientiam if done by a inferiour So as this seditious odious blasphemous and sacrilegious abuse of Gods diuine graces vertues and benefites bestowed is a dogbolt in euery bow and shaft in euery quiuer to draw out for the managing of any impious fact whatsoeuer By this the popular multitude may depose their Princes and choose others at their pleasure By this no difference shall be put in their choise vpon any right or title to Crownes or Kingdomes by birth or bloud or otherwise then as the Fathers forsooth shall approue it By this all things must be wrought and framed conformable to oportunitie of times and occasions as verbi gratia The people haue a right and interest in them to do what they list in choise of a King marry yet limited by reason of the times and occasions now offered to one of these two scil the King of Spain or the Lady Infanta And then againe the times and occasions changing after a Spaniard is setled in the Crowne it must be holden for a mistaking yet such as seeing it cannot be holpen the people must beware hereafter of euer attempting the like againe It is manifest to any that knowes the Iesuits course that although they pretend all their designmeÌ„ts to be ordine ad Deum as directed to the common good of the Church yet their chiefest care is how to aduance increase their owne socie ie hoping of likelyhood by their number to bring one day some great matter to passe after once they haue firmly established their new Hierarchie which being perimpleshed who so then liues shall heare other news then euer yet were heard of either of Antichrist 〈◊〉 some other â—onster By this a checke must be giuen to the publishers of such Paradoxes after that a dispensation procured for restoring the offender and then shall all be well euer after c. 9 Out of this directing and doing of all things in order ad Deum and for obedience sake they frame a new deuise how to make themselues not only aboue seculars in authoritie but also more mundane then any temporall worldling in practise And this deuise is grounded vpon a principle amongst them called vti scientia that is a rule prescribed vnto them if you please to know it in plaine English how to learne to shift and liue by their wits And therefore they as knowing better then any Cadger Graser MerchaÌ„t Farmer Artizan Broker or Vsurer where and how a commoditie is to be raised and to be disposed euery way in ordine ad Deum must command rule all the rest in euery Noble and Gentlemans house where they reside In so much as no lease must be let nor fine taken nor peece of bread giuen but by their aduice The tenant must please them or grease them or else repent it a part of the fine must be employed at their appointment the Maister or Mistresse can scarcely rule or do any thing without their approbation the children and seruants are set in opposition against their parents and maisters if the least dislike be had of these Rabbies Yea I tremble to write what they haue not feared to worke and daily practise vpon this sacrilegious and arrogant abuse of vti scientia wherby they knowing aswell by the seruants maisters mistresses confessions as also by the wiues against their husbands husbands against their wiues and the seruants confessions against theÌ„ both all the secrets in the house how they haue abused that sacred seale which neither by word nor signe nor by any other means nor vnder what pretence soeuer may be opened to death and all of purpose to tyrannize ouer poore soules as getting thereby occasion to intrude themselues for disposing and managing of their worldly causes I leaue it to sundrie reports woful experiences wherof Mistresse Wibur in Kent together with her husband can and will be witnesses another day against Father Cur. the Iesuite vnlesse his repentance were great for it ere he died 10 To helpe this forward
comfortable life all Catholikes did leade before the Iesuits came into this land to beware of all hypocrites for a Iesuits sake hereafter I must deliuer perforce That meditation hath euer bene in vse as a mentall prayer in the Catholike Church since God was borne it is manifest by the practise of the Princely Prophet who liuing aboue 1000. yeares before that time said then in meditatione mea exardescit ignis Many most sweete comfortable and deuoute exercises workes of Christian renuntiation and other instructions yea and those such as our Iesuites workes could neuer yet counteruaile for that matter haue bene giuen and set out by sundry reuerend fathers and far more spiritual men then these medly mundane religious Iesuits are as both their life the fruits of their labors and the books other memories of their workes left behind them witnesse it and among others the Soliquium of S. Augustius together with his S. Bernards and S. Anselmes meditations c. also Lanspargine his Pharetra diuini amoris together with the Epistle of Iesus Christ to the deuout soule now in English translated out of him and furthermore Blosius Gerson Granado with many moe do conuince it as vndoubtedly true Againe neuer was there moe flexible sweete and mild natures then are in England at this day of both sexes to worke vpon nor more forward religious and better inclinations to a vertuous life a speedy resolue a voluntary willing and comfortable yeeld and an aptnesse or disposition in nature as a man might say framed of so delicate tender fine a mould to obey readily to all such things as shall be put into their heads or hearts for their spirituall weale and helping of their poore soules forwards to a heauenly course of life vnder an earthly shrowd theÌ„ this age doth yeeld Of this none can be ignorant that haue had the charge of soules many with teares of cordiall griefes for their owne offences renewed of a filiall loue hearing the confessions of penitent hearts haue often remembred it That there was neuer any doubt or question made whether a Priest might receiue any sum of money lesse or more according to the deuotion of the giuer and that either to be left free to dispose of it as he list to others or to retaine all to himselfe especially in time of persecution when no patrimony nor benefice nor other almes or meanes to liue is to be looked for it is cleare by Saint Paules words speaking in the person of all Priestes saying to the laity whom the insinuates to be bound in iustice and charitie so to do scil if we giue you spirituall things it is but a small matter for you to bestow part of your temporals and superfluities of fortune vpon vs againe as also oracled from those diuine lips that spake it in sadnesse that spake it in charge that spake it in rigour of iustice dignus est operarius mercede sua as much to say as they sinne grieuously that withhold from Priestes their necessary reliefe the withholding of workmans pay or laborers wages being one of the sinnes that cry for vengeance to heauen and most of all when it is denied to Christ his Priests which is to denie it to Christ himselfe in the highest degree because Christs part is a Priests inheritance Deus pars hereditatis meae calicis mei c. That it is lawfull and a meritorious worke for a man or woman to giue all he or she hath from them for the loue of Christ not that any is bound at all times so to do of precept but wished of counsell for auoiding the occasion of vnlawfull delight taken in transitorie things it appeareth plaine by our Sauiours owne words in the Gospell to the rich young man saying If thou wilt be perfect vade vende omnia quae habes da pauperibus veni sequere me c. Which Saint Hierome expounding sayth it is not inough to forsake the world and to leaue all c. for so did Socrates Plato and sundry other of the Heathen Philosophers yea many heretikes haue done the like Sed iungit saith he quae perfectuÌ„ est scil veni c. as much to say as that once done then come and follow me casting off not onely the actuall possession of wordly riches together with the contentment pleasure taken therein but euen also the vaine glory taken in forsaking of them doing it only for the loue of me following my example and intent of so doing it that you may vacare videre quam suauis sit Dominus Hoc enim proprium est Apostolorum atque credentium c. And this do al the ancient reuenewes lands and liuelihoods giuen to the Church in times past attest and confirme Not a Bishoprike Deanry Abbacy Monastery nor other Colledge or Cloister endued with possessions appropriated to their houses but witnesse the great deuotion of our forefathers of Kings Princes Nobles and Gentles of both sexes in this holy I le worthily called Anglia chara Deo gens and our Ladies dower for these respects and others the like No nation vnder the cope of heauen more liberall to Gods Church more regardfull of his seruants and Priestes more ready with alacrity of mind to set foorth the Churches glory in honor of her sweete spouse nor more tender scrupulous and chary of their conscience and soules health then English harts haue bin and to Gods glory be it spoken many are yet to this houre Two things haue bene generally noted in an English nature that is not of a base and bastardly brood as father Parsons is who together with other Iesuiticall weedes degenerate from a natiue countrey gentle incline one is an earnest desire of setting foorth Gods glory with an extraordinary pompe and maiesty which hath bene noted in other nations that wheresoeuer the English Cardinals or other Bishops came WheÌ„ the prophet in the person of Christ despâ—sed the Iewes gifâ—s sacrifices as moued with anger that they should seem to offer him meager lame blind and the basest of their cattel and other things vnto him Doctorâ— do expound it as a figure of his priests and offerings and tithes in the new law scil that they should offer him the best of all their fruits that his priests should be of the best wits education comelines and disposition of nature not of the worst sort as many put their children that are fit for nothing els to enter into the state ecclesiasticall they kept a Princely port in comparison of their equals in other countries few or none being able to maintain the like courtly traine another in that they were alwaies louing faithfull and seruiceable to God their Prince as naturally enclined to loyaltie dutie thankfulnes in al things Both which prerogatiues of generous English hearts are now ah hey me alas for woe abolished obliterated and stained with seditious factions and vnnaturall dispositions sprong out of
Althogh it might haue bene in some sence a speciall point of vncharitable pollicy for the Iesuits to haue reiected that friendly offer to haue brought vp 30. of our English youthes as at Rome because that probably many of those would haue bin Benedictines and haue frustrat the Iesuits hope of hauing al here for themselues without copartners yet was it no pollicie in thē to beate a Priest almost to death for but making the motion of receiuing one into the Benedictines order for that foule fact did openly bewray their vnmortified passionate humours pride ambition malice auarice and other shamefull vices too too bad to be spoken of but most of all to be in any religious person that with the worlds weapons they make their vaunt that they can conquer the world Therefore dare they attempt to bid battell liuing in the world to religious men liuing out of the world and still themselues be no worldlings Herein then consists the miserie which being discouered any man may reade the riddle plaine scil that for asmuch as the Benedictines had all or the most part of the Abbey lands in England bequeathe vnto their Monasteries by sundry deuout holy and vertuous Catholike men and women in times past liuing in this Realme and for that the Dominicanes haue the chaire of authoritie for reading in the schooles especially in Salamanca in Spaine which grieues these pure spirited soules at the very heart and what banding brawling and quarrelling they haue made with them about it were too long to recite and also to them belongs of due right the soueraigne authoritie of the sacred Inquisition and withall to be called Predicatores preachers where euer they go with an higher prerogatiue then euer any Iesuite could or I hope euer shall haue for it were daungerous and great pitie that euer such ambitious men should obtaine such ample priuiledges And lastly for that the Scotists Franciscanes especially the Obseruants haue also had sundrie Frieries here in England as also the Carthusians commonly called the Charterhouse Monkes haue had the like in some sort Therefore was there bona causa cur none of all these or any other religious order that had euer enioyed either house or land in Albions Ile should euer come there again or any other religious order that might liue without the Iesuits for their sakes But all of them as reprobates and of God forsaken must be banished hence and a statute made in that high Councell that none such should euer come within this land after it is conquered by Spaniards and Iesuits sicut placuit Iesuitis The second Act enacted or statute made in that high infernall Consistorie was concerning the Church and Abbey lands scil That forasmuch as there be an hundred Bishoprickes great and small in these three kingdomes of England Scotland and Ireland with well nigh 20000. Parsonages and Vicariges and how many Monasteries Nunneries Frieries and other religious houses it is hard to tell the number Notwithstanding there was a booke brought into Paules Churchyard in written hand to be bound vp and sent God knowes where into Spaine as it may be thought because the partie that brought it was a sideman of the Iesuits the collection wherof as it was there reported stood the party in foure hundred pounds In which booke of a huge volume in a small hand there were set downe all the religious houses that euer haue bene in this Realme what land was giuen vnto them where it yet lyeth who gaue it how long since vpon what condition and prouiso when by whom how much and wherein altered diminished or increased and in whose possession it is at this present These with other circumstances and particulars being set downe no man can iudge otherwise but it was a worke fit for that Synodicall court to haue the perusing and censuring of it And there if any where is their nūber of religious houses like these to be found All which as also nothing else belonging either to the Ecclesiasticall or Monasticall state must be any longer in the hands of Bishops Abbots or other secular or religious persons as heretofore they were accustomed and incorporated vnto their seuerall orders But all must be vnder the holy society of Iesus presently vpon the establishing of the spiritual monarchy Which done their father General or Prouinciall must call out foure Iesuits two secular Priests who must be also demy Iesuites else all were naught These sixe Vicars I pray God not of hell for of heauen they are not they smell so ranckly of Cartwrights and Bruses pure synodall ministery like sixe Dutch Peeres of whom the Prophecies talke or so many mighty Lords shall haue the lands mannors Lordships parsonages monasteries and what soeuer else belonged to Church or cloister resigned ouer into their hands allowing to the Bishops Parsons and Vicars competent stipends pensions to liue vpon according as Bishops Suffragans Montseniors haue allowance in other Catholike countries or rather as the Turkes Bassaes Ianizaries vnder him are maintained And all this sicut placuit Iesuitis as the Romanes in their leagues were wont to write or rather iuxta decretum Medorum atque Persarum à quo prouocare non licet as king Darius sayd Liuery and seisen thus taken by these sixe Tribunes or popular Nobles all the rest must be imploied in pios vsus as father Generall of Rome shall thinke good The Colledges in both Vniuersities must be likewise in the power of these mortified creatures No Bishop nor Parson nor Vicar nor fellow of any Colledge must be so hardy as once to demand an account what is become of their reuenues lands and Lordships If they do this shall be the answer mirantur superiores c. or in plaine tearmes how dare you seeme to inquire how a Iesuite disposeth of any thing being peculiarly guided by the Spirit c. The third Statute was there made concerning the Lords temporall and other of the Nobility Gentry of this land And this Statute did consist of this point especially sci That euery Noble or Gentleman of special account and liuing such as to omit others Sir Robert Cicill Sir Iohn Fortescue Sir Iames Harington Sir Robert Dormer Sir Iohn Arundell now his sonne maister Iohn Arundell called great Arundell of Cornwall Sir Iohn Peter Sir Mathew Arundell of Warder his sonne and heire Sir Henry Constable Sir Iohn Sauage with sundry other Knights and Esquires all which were there limited by that blind prophane Parliament what retinue they should keepe when time came of inhauncing how much should be allowed them to spend yearely and what diet they should keepe at their tables The fourth Statute was there made concerning the common lawes of this land and that consisted of this one principall point that all the great charter of England must be burnt the manner of holding lands in see-simple free-taile franke Almaigne c. by Kings seruice soccage or villanage brought into villanie scoggerie and popularitie and in
traiterous plots of inuasion how maruellously they maligned him euer after Insomuch that being desirous on his death bed to haue had all the English students come vnto him this father Rector would in no case yeeld vnto it perhaps the better to colour the Iesuits barbarous cruelâ—y vsed in the suspected poysoning of him and after fathering of it most ridiculously but maliciously inough vpon the holy Bishop of Cassana But God will one day iudge all hypocrites bring their secret mischiefes to light but onely to serue our Lord God without vexation or trouble voiding our thoughts of all mundane honours and preferments either in the Church or common-wealth and leauing them freely to the present Incumbents without once seeming to claime any interest therein c. To this same effect are his words in the English Apologie wholly and altogether disauowing all these treasonable treacherous and factious courses and manner of proceedings in the Iesuits and liuing alwaies thus vntouched by any either for gouernment life or doctrine yet in the end he was touched most egregiously by them and that onely and for none other cause in the world then for that in very deed he seeing daily further into them then earst he had seene did not only retire himselfe from their waies but shewed dislike with disfauour of their bad dealings towards the end of his mortall life Whereupon that they might be euen with him one way or other they gaue out sundry disgracefull words against him as that he was a good simple man but not of any esteeme or reckning in matters of state affaires handled in the Popes Consistory a man of weake iudgement shallow wit and small aduice and neuer vsed but a little for some matters of learning and that in positiue onely not in any schoole point yea so great was their hatred towards him vpon this slender and small occasion as you see giuen them as it was verily thought by many in Rome that he was poysoned And the suspition thereof was so great that father Rector then Hieronimo Florauantio a Iesuite to driue the conceit another way into peoples hearts labored to haue turned that foule irregular fact from the Iesuits to the good Bishop of Cassana but in vaine the entire affection of these two worthy Prelates being well knowne to all the world and the Cardinals words vnto the sayd Bishop not long before declaring well from whence these mischiefes garboiles seditions and contentions first did spring and still were continued on and maintained when he sayd on a time after a long and sad talke had betwixt them concerning the students and Iesuits Well quoth the good Cardinall Abraham and Loth were both good men but yet their shepheards could not agree meaning that how intrinsecall soeuer they two were together yet the seditious and turbulent persons vnder them would still be brabling supplanting and maligning those that would faine liue quiet by them Vpon the death of this so memorable a person they openly triumphed insulted ouer the dead corps and gloried in their conceited victory giuing it out amongst others their Iesuiticall calumniations against him that he was well gone and that God had taken him away in good time For if he had liued but a while longer he would haue disgraced himselfe shamed his country and lost the credit which he had gotten It followeth here in order froÌ„ Deanes to Bishops All you fond affectionates of the Iesuiticall tribe note herein your owne partiall doome And whether these paultry polititiaÌ„s perswading you to thinke it so odious a matter to call any of the in question for what offence soeuer should bee left free to talke of all men from the highest to the lowest at their pleasure and if they do but wag their singer at theÌ„ to persecute him to death If this be well either in them to do so or in you to thinke and sway so partially on their sides veâ— indicatote from Bishops to Cardinals that the fourth calumniatioÌ„ in particular must be against the supreme dignity and chiefe person in and of the Church Catholike of Christ wherein they verifie daily the impudent speech of a puny Iesuit to a secular Priest at Rome in these words Dare you quoth he meaning the students presume to discountenance contend withall or seeme to dislike of the fathers doings or designements in any thing whom the greatest Princes in Christendome stand in awe of and will not neither dare offend them being sure to heare of it to the vttermost if they do but hold vp their finger against them Which speech in the conclusion serueth fitly to our purpose to shew it as manifestly as the day light at noonetide that who and whensoeuer any be he Pope or Prince or other Monarch doth not fauor their Iesuiticall allobrogickes although he do no way stirre against them yet for that he runnes not with them or on foote by them like a lackey-boy in a French Ioupe so rudely arrogant are these lewd companions to challeÌ„ge all Princes fauors to patronage their barbarous outrages he shall be sure to haue heart head and pen yea and hands to if it come to banding canuasing and grapling layed vpon him vntill both eares and cheeks shall burne with infamies In testimony whereof their presumptuous proceedings against the Sea Apostolike for a smal and light checke God-wot giuen to one of them by Pope Sixtus is worthy to be registred recorded and deuoluted to all posterity to marke and single them out for the most malicious traiterous and irreligious calumniators that euer liued on earth vnworthy that euer the earth should beare them and an intollerable indignitie to the whole Church of God that euer such wicked members should liue vnpunished in her as they do But to the relation Xistus Quintus then of holy memorie called before him on a time the Generall of the Iesuites and demaunding of him why they called themselues Iesuites he aunswered that they did not call themselues so but Clearkes only of the society of Iesus Then the Pope replying sayd but why should you appropriate to your selues to be of the society of Iesus more then all other Christians are Note here by the way that a name is giuen to the followers of a prothoplast or first Author of a profession two manner of waies â—â—e by reason of hâ—â— doctrine as Arâ—â—ans of Arius Donatists of Donatus c. And an other by reason of his manners habite and morall course of life as Basilians of Saint Basill Anthonians of Saint Anthony Franciscans of S. Francis c. The first concerning doctrine doth alwaies denotate an heretik because it is about matters of faith The second concerning life and maners doth euer denotate some religious orders professioÌ„s or society that haue taken themselues to that course of life to saue their soules by keeping the rules set downe by the first founder of that order Of whom for that cause they euer after take the name of whom in generall
that those who haue quite abandoned the world ought not to seeke aduancements in the world and by consequent not to set forth themselues otherwise then they are indeed Neither in truth shal you finde it in any religious order or person vnlesse they be apostataed from their faith as is ordinary by that occasion taken saue only amongst the Iesuits with whom it is as common a practise as to say their Breuiary See a notable stratageme for this matter in the next Article how Doctor Worthington president at Dowry and father Hoâ—t the fully states man at Bruxels bestirred theÌ„selues in procuring boyes and girles and â—ll sorts of pâ—rsâ—â— to mâ—ke pâ—â—tâ—on to the king of 〈…〉 and other Princes to haue fâ—â—her Parsons made Lord Cardinall of England mâ—king it seeme otherwise that all religion and hope of the king Catholikes aduancemeÌ„t to the English Crowne would â—uaile and be dashed for euer yet forsooth these holy fathers may not seeke for any â—â—â—â—ncemeÌ„t neither will neither may they take it being thrust vpon them So the foxe will eate no grapes not hungry houÌ„ds any duâ—ty puâ—dings vnlesse they can come by theÌ„ and not be seene And I verily thinke more common in some of them whose whole studie meditation and indeuor seemeth as it were to tend to this onely end how to aduance them selues and their societie Which mind of theirs for that it suffers a contradiction by reason of their religious profession and vowe of voluntarie pouertie containing in it many particulars opposite to all or any either ecclesiasticall or temporall aduancement therefore must they set all their wits a wool-gathering making choise of the finest locks to worke vp this web in so smooth a loome and that so couertly and the threeds so layd and wrought in close couched together as not a breake knot or anie the least tuft or end of a threed extrauagant of any mundane thought or secular aduancement fished for by them be left to be seene but all pure zeale spirituall contemplation perfect mortification Christian renunciation contempt of honour riches and all worldly esteeme Of this I neede to say no more euery Quodlibet and Article ministring occasion to talke of the Iesuits ambition incrochment and seeking for aduauncement by concealing such defects wants in themselues as are verie necessarie to be knowne no way ought to be kept close neither will they be so hereafter vnlesse they mend their maners and reforme themselues in their order Now for others that liue in the world abroad in way of aduancement to and in a state ecclesiasticall or temporall thus stands the case I told you before in the Quodlibets of Fame and report what a Priests place and office was and how the state Ecclesiasticall or secular was euer to be preferred before the Monasticall or religious Monos tying them to a solitarie life Religion to a stricter retired course and order Therefore true it is that though both Priests and lay persons may lawfully seeke for aduancemeÌ„t as hereafter shal be shewed Quia qui in Episcopatum desiderat bonuÌ„ opus desiderat said the choise vessel of deuine election to his scholer disciple consecrated Bishop per impositioneÌ„ manum suarum yet is there a great difference in the matters to be reuealed or coÌ„cealed for the better furtherance or hinderance of their aduancement verbi gratia a man giuen ouer either to wine or women is not to take vpon him the charge of soules but being initiated to holy orders a close Cell is fittest for him to auoyd both the danger of damning his owne soule by fact scandall and leud example giuen and also the ruine and fall of others by his conuersing with them Qui enim tangit picem coinquinabitur qui amat periculum periculo peribit And thererefore ought he secretly to impart the conflicts he hath with himselfe in such a case to his ghostly father with desire to haue him worke some conuenient meanes to stop his preferment if he be vrged to take curam animarum vpon him Otherwise if needes he must take charge then let him euer haue iust Iob his league written in his heart Pepegi foedus cum oculis meis ne cogitarem quidem de virgine and so concealing his owne infirmities obstando principijs as much as is possible ter dominuÌ„ rogando yea ter centies with S. Paul vt auferratur à se stimulus carnis angelus Sathanae qui illum colophizat let him not double but to beate in his heart or feele in his flesh that comfortable answer which the said Apostle had made vnto him in the like case Sufficit tibi gratiae meae nam virtus in insirmitate perficitur And so let him go forward in the name of God reueale his defects to God alone But now on the contrarie in a temporall man these defects are not so great a blemish because the one may easily be remedied by mariage a sacrament instituted in remedium peccati post lapsum Adami and the other as sufficiently supplied by competent diet and neither the one or the other so daungerous to the Church weale publike or the infected therewith as they are in the former Againe in a temporal man these are greater defects and causes of hinderance to his preferment then in a Priest scil meannesse of birth want of wealth deformitie of bodie foule diseases and the like For that although all these things are to be respected in a Priest scil that he be not base borne nor a bondslaue nor a beggars brat nor a deformed creature nor infected with any filthie disease c. but on the contrarie of honest parentage a free borne Denison of sufficient patrimonie or meanes to liue though he were not Priest of comely personage and of a cleane constitution of bodie optima quaeque Deo and further although the question betwixt Ciuilians and Diuines be pro contra It was wel asked when Adam delued and Eue span who was then a Gentleman insinuating thereby that all Noblenesse and gentry came at the first but of mean persons compared in manners and order of life with their successors or posteritie Yea the greatest Emperour honor and families in the world came ofteÌ„ vp of meanest officers in their progenitors scil of bondslaues of Scriueners of Gardiners c. which is the cause that wheras all honor and gentrie riseth froÌ„ one of these two heads scil from learning or from chiualrie that by consequent a Gentleman of proper merit by either may is to be preferred before him of bloud coat armor perfect and ancestry if his deserts excel the others otherwise not c. concerning dispensations legitimations and enabling of such irregulates and defectiues to aduancement in the Church and common wealth wherof somewhat I spoke in the foresaid Quodlibet of Fame and Report and more at large haue set it out in the Antiperistasis to Dolemans succession in the barre of bastardie yet forasmuch as
coeur how to insinuate a detraction vnder colour of zeale religion affection or otherwise against any whom it stands them vpon either to haue as an affied friend on liue or else pull down as an infest foe vpon his knees to death or may they not do so THE ANSWERE IT is a most vnchristian Turkish hereticall and traiterous ground they stand vpon and a promontorie farre beyond all the capes and points of pietie lying out into the dead sea Persian gulfe or Stigian lake of perdition to affirme that all whosoeuer without exception of person time or place must be defamed detracted backbitten despised and borne down that are opposite to them and their designements And therfore by consequent their suffering if not vrging maintaining commanding the simpler sort so to do on their behalfes is a new way discouered by a backe doore set open to the entrance of the sorest hatefullest and most dangerous heresie that euer yet was in the Christian world which all true Catholike hearts will tremble to thinke on when they see the effects of it apparantly before their eyes as partly we haue alreadie and meane God willing to touch it a little further to the quicke ere these Quodlibets be all ended and bewaile they shall with feare griefe and anger at themselues that euer comming into the Catholike church with religious deuout sincere meaning care desire of sauing their owne poore soules for I am not of that wretch Parsons mind that none can be a right Catholike or established in Gods fauour vnlesse he runne his restlesse cursed race against his Prince countrey and deare friends none I verily thinke vnlesse it were some such Atheist as Parsons or an odde reprobate amongst a thousand but come to be Catholique of meere remorce of conscience for the loue of God and resolute beliefe that howsoeuer any other is perswaded this is the onely truth and way to walke in In which though they may be damned by dying impenitent for their offences yet out of it they cannot be saued liue they otherwise neuer so morally vertuous Comming then with this consolation as a speciall grace and meere gift of God infused into the soule of man fully bent to hazard credite honour fauour fortune goods lands life and all rather then to loose their soules by doing any one act against their owne conscience in points of religion and seruice of God for therein onely not in other affaires doth Saint Peters sentence hold obediendum maius est Deo quà m hominibus And being thus quieted in their mind voyding their thoughts of all temporizing statizing and seditious medlings with the affaires of Prince or Peer that they shold notwithstanding haue bene so readie to beleeue these new teachers of innouations rebellions inuasions conspiracies hatred of their Prince defamation of the blond royall of the land wishing for population to their natiue countrey hauocke spoile destruction of all for their ambitious vnnaturall vnlawfull pleasures and desires this shall grieue many a deuout Catholikes heart that euer after so many memorable constant worthie and happie conflicts with themselues in these daungerous times of soule-wrack they shold become so senslesse as to follow such false teachers and the erronious doctrine of the Iesuites in these cases this shall one day cause many a vertuous Ladie wring their hands for woe that euer they were so forward on these new Pharisees behalfe vnnaturally disloyally inhumanely bent against their Prince and countrey and indiscreetely irreligiously vncharitably against secular Priests This I say shall make them readie to eate their owne nailes to remember their rash vehement and cruell begunne persecution of their secular Priests their owne ghostly fathers the present Apostles of their countrey their dearest nearest and carefullest tender hearted friends prepared euery houre to come vpon their hands knees if need require to expose their poore worn out bodies for their sakes to the sorest trials on earth rather then any the least danger of soule-wracke should happen vnto them by their meanes or want of instruction comfort and consolation in their sufferance for Gods cause And considering that notwithstanding the Iesuites fautors a most seditious faction haue whetted their teeth to so sharpe an edge causelesse against those that neuer did them wrong but much good many waies as none of the common aduersaries were euer so eagerly bent against priesthood Priests in generall then they shew themselues to be therein by these cony-catching hypocriticall mates procurements yet still all being readie to shed their bloud in defence of one and the selfe same vniforme Catholike faith and religion maintained outwardly on both sides alike I say outwardly on both sides alike because no Iesuite dare as yet openly maintaine the contrarie It would seeme impossible how that euer such malice hatred deepe disdaine and contempt of any either Prince or Priest could rest in a Catholike heart as it doth generally in the Iesuites faction were it not that in like cases we find how many thousands of seeming good Catholikes and no doubt for the present were so morally outward for who doth see the hearts of men but God alone qui scrutator cordium est c. haue bene abused seduced and drawne by peecemeale into most horrible blasphemies heresies contempt of the chiefe mysteries and points of our saluation by such as at the first did hoyst vp sailes aloft bare as great a countenance and were as sound Catholikes as any Iesuite nay as any the most religious Priest Monke Nunne or Frier that is on liue and yet iust by like singularitie ambition arrogancie and aspiring humours fell away into such grosse errours and heresies as afterwards they did maintaine euen to death For neither Pelagius nor Beringarius nor Nouatus nor Arius nor any other but had as good holy vertuous deuoute religious and seeming setled and established men and women in the grace of God that were their followers at the first and that stoode in defence of them as earnestly faithfully resolutely deuoutly and zealously in their kind as any pure spirite these new illuminates haue at this present to pleade for them Neither did neither durst any of these heretickes maintaine their errour openly at the first but by degrees being crossed in their proud conceipts First they raised a sedition and dislike of their auncient fathers teachers and gouernours then taught secretly straunge paradoxes and opinions amongst the ignotant people which might be interpreted diuerse waies after that vt est natura hominum nouitatis auida finding how that new names straunge words and other nouelties out of vse in the Church of God as hereafter shall be proued of the Archpresbiterie did breede an admiration to be had of them as rare learned men and I know not what then from the mobile vulgus they proceeded further to draw great persons Nobles Honours and Graces promiscually vnto them vpon that againe perceiuing exceptions to be taken against them as there is alwaies some dogge in
or Iudge Paramount on earth vnder the Diuell in hell must denounce the sentence following out from his infernall seate Forasmuch as the secular Priests durst presume to appeale to Saint Peters chaire against my faithfull seruant George Blackwell instituted at my appointment designements and instructions giuen to the Pope of Rome to make him Archpresbiter and Protonotharius c. in and throughout the great Kingdomes of Albion or great Britaine to do lawe and iustice vpon such rebels against my louing brother the King Catholike of Spaine as in that Imperiall Isle it should seeme meete iust and necessarie in his wisedome to haue sharpely rebuked chastised and punished and for that also I did prescribe the manner how the said Pope was to proceede according to the tenure of my abstract of statutes lawes orders and actes enacted by me and my Generall in the high Councell of Reformation for England with a prouiso that my forenamed seruant Maister Blackwell should haue nothing to do with the fathers of the societie I thought it meete in my experience and wisedome not onely to exempt all my brethren and confatherhoods the Iesuites in England Scotland or elsewhere from being vnder the Archpriest but moreouer and besides to will and commaund my said seruant Maister Blackwell vnder paine of officipard to do nothing without my Prouinciall Garnets counsell designements and decrees who being an especiall illuminate and hauing a more neare familiaritie with God then any of the rest by reason of his place and calling he the said Blackwell thus directed by him shall be so farre and free from error or doing any thing amisse in acting all things vnder obedience to my Prouinciall as whosoeuer should contradict any thing by him decreed I hold it sit that he be noted for an Ethnicke a reprobate and one that was neuer established in the grace of God c. All these lawes statutes and acts with prouisoes thus enacted forasmuch as the seculars contemptuously haue violated infringed and broken the very marrow center and quintessence of their contempt accrewing to the preiudice of the holy societie and therein to Father Parsons in chiefe it stood his Prouinciall Garnet vpon to lay about him on the behalf of Blackwell to make his cause and quarrell his owne and this to be outwardly in shew Clement the eighth his Holinesse the Pope of Romes in managing and menacing and inwardly in intention to be Parsons that bastardly vicar of hell his in the platforme plotcastings and practises And so for all the world neuer imagine nor dreame of any kind of temporall gouernement by a Puritane Iesuit to be otherwise intended then as a Puritane Minister said in Edenborough God and the Kirke against the King and his Councell and outher ney King or ney Minister in Scotland As much to say and as Knoxe that seditious traitor did write to her Maiestie that those Princes who will not subiect themselues to their infernall and damnable discipline yea and submit themselues to be ruled by the Puritanian Ministerie might iustly and shold be deposed and depriued both of Crown gouernement and life at their pleasure Wherein you may please to note by the way that the Puritanian Ministers made the Gospell and the blacke Kirke of Scotland their pretence for aduauncing such a man to the Crowne as should wholly subiect himselfe and sweare and subscribe to the defence of their doctrine And yet all the world knoweth it that they would bring all into a Swisserly popularitie or a Geneuian gouernment void of Prince peere or other Noble or at least will neuer yeeld to accept of any King that shall not be ruled by theÌ„ And euen so the Puritanian Iesuits must needs intend do make shew of aduancing none to the English Crowne but such a one as is conuerted to the Catholike Church of Rome making the Gospell and spouse of Christ their pretence therein But yet their platforme allowes no King power or potentate aboue them and by consequent seeing notwithstanding yet needes they must haue the countenance of some great Monarch for a time to gouerne by in the state temporall as now they make his Holinesse for a while their sconce and buckler in the state ecclesiasticall it were no pollicie in them to haue an absolute Soueraigne to raigne in this land no not euen the Infanta who questionlesse Parsons made choise of before her father or brother the King of purpose to haue her gouernement subordinate either vnder him or the Emperour but as they haue gotten an Archpriest to be as it were a Vicar generall subordinate vnder his Holinesse in causes Ecclesiasticall and yet his said Holinesse onely to be a shadow or cloake but to haue no medlings or dealings nor to know any thing of the affaires of his Church here further then they shall please to informe him of so will they neuer admit of other gouernement but a Viceroy to be as it were a Prorex or King homageâ— subordinate to Spaine or Austria in causes temporall And yet the said Prorex must stand at their deuotion and not be able to informe anie thing to the King absolute further or otherwise then as they shall appoint him which if he do or attempt the contrarie he is sure to be deposed and loose his life for it either such a new King homager chosen by the Prince absolute at their assignement or else no King euer after but a king Cardinall and Pope Iesuit THE X. ARTICLE VVHether then is it dangerous or not to haue any of the English bloud royall either maryed to one of the Iesuiticall or Spanish faction which I perceiue is all one in the generall pretence though not in the intention or practise either within or without the land or otherwise conuerted to the Catholike faith if God so giue them grace by any Iesuite or Iesuited Priest of their faction THE ANSWER THe daunger you make a question of may be two wayes taken one spiritually and the other corporally In neither of which daungers any one can be said properly and directly to be in the act of either mariage or conuersion Because as I said at the first these seditious turbulent factious Iesuites here in England howsoeuer they may be in foro conscientiae and before God excommunicated suspended irregular or otherwiâ—e haue incurred any ecclesiasticall censure by their absurd grosse erronious opinions practises and proceedings yet for that they liue hitherto as visible members of the Catholike Church and neither do neither dare publikely teach much lesse obstinately defend any thing contrarie to the Catholike Churches doctrine and beleefe and further forasmuch as there is no sentence as yet denounced from his Holinesse against them or if denounced yet not here made knowne or if knowne yet no Bull nor Briefe come for assurance thereof or if any such yet not publikely promulgated therefore in foro externo all these circumstances considered and that the Church doth iudge secundum allegata probata as
who haue done so many good deeds as the saculars neuer did nor can do the like Twelftly that no mā or womā ought or may come at thē to receiue any Sacrament as hauing lost al their faculties authority by their disobedience contempt of their superior Thirteenthly that they haue iustly deserued to be euill spoken of to haue no reliefe vntill they submit thēselues recal their names from the appeale 14. That it were no more offence to kill one of them then to kill a notorious persecutor heretike Fifteenthly that the words Christ spoke whē he said whosoeuer will not obey the Church let him be accounted of as a Publicā or Ethnicke infidell did aptly agree to the seculars to be so accoūted of for disobeying the Catholike Church by their appeale other seditious slanderous libels against their superiors These many the like false suggestiōs which no Iesuit liuing dare for his life defend are put into peopls heads of purpose to colour therwith that bastard Pa. his impiety wherby seeking to bind al vnto him with the band of obedience he sets all his Iesuitical brokers here in England elsewhere on worke like so many band-dogs with bands of men banding out his mischieuous practises to bring all the whole realme bound hand and foot into bondage vnder him THE II. ARTICLE WHether any treason premunire or other preiudice to the Sea Apostolike the Catholike Church or Englands common wealth be incurred by the institution of this new authoritie or none at all THE ANSWER ALL three are incurred to all estates in the highest degree scil both treason committed against the Church of God and commonwealth of this land both a premunire incurred by auncient and recent lawes against sacred Maiestie both yea all preiudiced scil Pope Prince Church commonwealth and present state by maister Blackwels authoritie as is euident by sundrie bookes written and to be written of euery one of these points in particular and may be gathered passant in these Quodlibets here and there of all three And first for treason which in Latine we call proditio or laesa maiestas and a triritor traditor vel proditor vel reus lesae maiestatis It is alwaies an act acted or but onely intended against supreme Maiestie Which here we take three manner of wayes to wit either against the Maiestie Diuine and so all mortall sinnes whatsoeuer are so many treasons committed against the Maiestie of God or otherwise against the reuerend Maiestie of his sweet spouse and so all Schisme heresie Apostacie and Atheisme is treason against the Catholike Church and supreme head thereof vnder Christ on earth or lastly against the sacred Maiestie of regall power and so euery act attempt or intent c. to the indangering of the Princes person or commonwealth is directly treason and by consequent the iustification of the Archpresbiterie being only and wholly by Father Parsons procurement for the speedier nay the only way and means to perfect his most traiterous platforme tending to the dishonour of God preiudice of the Church destruction of her Maiestie and ruine of the commonwealth as in the Quodlibet of statizing shall be proued It is cleare then that this institutiue authoritie of Blackwels containes in it a whole masse of treason and conspiracie and the like is of a premunire made by Catholike Princes Kings of this land and allowed of by the Sea Apostolike incurred thereby Whereof besides that which hath bene and shall be said here thereof you may please to reade M. Charles Pagets booke against counterfeited Doleman aliâs Parsons and other bookes written against him and his associates THE III. ARTICLE VVHether the institution of the Archpriest be equally preiudiciall to the Commonwealth of Scotland and King Iames as it is to England and our Soueraigne or not so faultie THE ANSWER IT is equally at least and may in many respects be iudged more preiudicial to the Scottish King and Commonwealth then to our Soueraigne because the institutor Par. had before writtē his book of Titles or successiō in most apparant preiudice and ignominious slaunder of the said King very sawcily and rudely abasing both his royall Maiestie and his whole Realme and therefore too too vile a part and an act of most indignitie for him so officiously to institute an English man to be in so great authoritie within his highnesse dominions Secondly the Scots Catholiks had haue yet their Bishop of Glasco liuing a very reuerend Prelat ergo a more sawcie part to appoint ouer them a superior aboue him Thirdly there was not one secular Priest at the institutiō of this authority in al Scotland saue only the Abbot of New Abbey all the rest being Iesuits that were or are there ergo a greater presumptuous boldnesse in him to appoint such an authority there Fourthly he lying still at London and neither hauing any acquaintance in Scotland neither sending any other thither to labour in Christ his vineyard it seemeth to be a male part kind of bearding out their King Nobles Gentles Leards of that land rather then any thing else cōsidering that he neither coms neither sends ouer thither Fiftly Fa. Par. platforme holding equally for Scotl. aswell as Engl. the authority limited to M. Blackwell ouer both nations bewraies the Iesuiticall ambitious humour and traiterous intent more then any other action euer did before THE IIII. ARTICLE VVHether was it any sinne Schisme or other offence not to haue admitted of the Archpriest vpon Cardinall Caietanes bare word or writing before the Bull came from the Pope or whether might the seculars or ought they in conscience equitie and pollicie haue accepted of him or not THE ANSWER IT was no offence at all then to haue resisted as by sundrie bookes written hereof it is manifest no more then it is now to appeale from him but quite contrarie it was an act of iustice 1 His election was without our consent knowledge or acceptance 2 It was not made palam sed fraudulenter secreto animo decipiendi as may be proued Capite contra Canones videat casus excommunicationis in huius c. 3 No example of the Apostles actions neither yet of any Infidels cōuersion can free them from the decretum of the order obserued in all elections because our countrie had from the beginning of these new heresies sundrie Prelates with the laitie qui nunquam genu flexerunt coram Baal c being continually ex parte Catholica therefore whatsoeuer doth bind for elections in other Catholike countries binds here c. Ergo Blackwellus contra Canones c. 4 No law humane diuine of nature or nations alloweth a forced gouernour intruded especially to tyrannize as his authoritie by the words in his Breefe corrigere castigare c. is none other and not a word spoken of charitie equitie or iustice 5 It is opposite to all order in heauen and earth a Michael chosen as head of the principates quia vnus
against the Iesuits which euery catholike priest is bound vnto to make things knowne and euery loyall subiect and dutifull childe is to take notice thereof for auoiding their owne danger both of body and soule Therefore must it needs follow that forasmuch as a libell or inuectiue imports a calumniation or slander against any or many publike or priuate persons vpon a special peculiar intent either of reuenge or preferring a priuate faction or action in opposition against a publike cause the matter here handled and the wrong done being no priuate hurt but a publike harme no sole foule danger but a common-wealth damage no indiuiduall action of the person but a specificall or rather genericall faction of the case that is heere in request amongst vs on the behalfe of the catholike church in generall and our natiue countrey togither with all other common-wealths * It may not be left nor accounted of as a libelling against the seditious Iesuits and their priuate faction but turning backe the diuels malice vpon himselfe and their slanders of the innocent vpon their owne heads I conclude that as the relinquishing of the Iesuits for Pharisees and conspirators against God and their countrey as they are were the safest way for all catholikes schismatiks or other of their and the Puritanes fautors so were it also the Iesuits best course to auoide the lande and those pure spirited children of theirs that will come now at no seculars nor much lesse heereafter if they euer depart it were best for them to be packing with them and make triall what will be the end of them both if they delight so much as it seemeth they doe in nouelties and change and when they are all gone and the great new Abbot with them or whether they be all exiled and banished the land or no which were great pittie but they should let them know this that the Church of God hath no neede of any of them and the common-wealth much lesse as both being now so pestered with them as a greater securitie could not come to either state Ecclesiasticall or temporall then to concurre by one consent vtterly to expell them the land And although it greeues my very hart to thinke that so many vertuous and truely sincere catholikes and religious men and women are deluded by their Pharisaicall life so much as greatly it is to be feared because greatly if it happen to be lamented that if they should fall into manifest Apostasie or open rebellion as they are in a great forwardnesse to both or any other execrable error these fondlings would follow them euen into hell mouth spite of priest or pope himselfe so vainly are many perswaded of them Yet false prophets shall they prooue and so let them trust vnto it as a generall receiued veritie of all true catholikes throughout the world and flat heresie to defend the contrary that shall dare presume to affirme the fall and stand of the catholike church faith and religion to depend vpon them No no if euery one of their brokers were a professed Iesuit and euery professed Iesuite a prouinciall ouer a 1000. Rectors and euery Rector had vnder him 10000. ministers and euery minister so many nouices euery nouice a Parsonian spirite and after all this if the prowd gates of infernall dungeons were broken vp and that they had all the helpes out of Stix Corceris and Fligiton that olde satanas Segnior Belzebuh Don Lucifer or Damp. Bemoth could affoord them yet neither should they neither could they euer preuaile against the impregnable rocke which standing post alone would split them all one after another THE VIII ARTICLE VVHether was it of secret intelligence giuen from some of the Lords of the Counsell or did it rise onely of a Iesuiticall Machiuillian deuise that catholikes should haue such a iealousie and feare as many seeme to haue least these proceedings of certaine secular priests against the Iesuits togither with the extraordinary intercourse betwixt them and the State be like to occasionate all the said catholikes ouerthrow heeretofore or not THE ANSWERE IT was spoken of late as from a Lady of high renowne to one of her women in her bed chamber but I will not say the Countesse spoke it because her woman not her Lady was Iesuited and therefore likely to be a plot of her ghostly fathers fathered vpon her honorable Mistres that neither her Maiestie nor the Lords of her Highnesse honorable Counsell ment any more good or scant so much to the seculars as to the Iesuits but only for the time present to get out of the seculars being but simple men what they coulde by this meanes and first set them forward to worke out the Iesuits and then to picke a quarrell at the saide seculars to make them all away c. Which wordes smell so ranke of a Iesuiticall breth as they can not be imagined to come of any other spirite First for the great indignitie included in them to regall Maiesty especially against our dread Soueraigne and honorable Counsell as to impute vnto them so cruell and neuer heard of the like tyranny to massacre the innocent who labouring wholy for her Maiesties realmes safety desire nothing to themselues but an abiect quiet in a frownd on state Secondly for the accustomed arrogancie of a Iesuiticall spirite in that in contempt of priesthood and all seculars they would impute this danger to come as their manner is by reason of the seculars want of experience c. Thirdly be it so as it were too to preiudiciall presumptuous and saucie a part for any subiect especially liuing in like to this of our frownd on state to cause any such iealousie to be had of their Soueraigne and honorable Counsel that no good were ment but hard measure intended to be offred to the innocent by shedding of guiltlesse bloud adding affliction to affliction and so increasing all our miseries by this small comfort of liberty graunted to some few particulars yet three commodities would ensue heereof which now we al do want one is that we should then suffer but one kinde of persecution whereas now we suffer two at once the Iesuits tongue torments being more cruel and heauie vnto vs then our aduersaries racks ropes or Tiburne tippets an other is that if we may by meanes of his holinesse commaund get riddance of the Iesuits hence out of the land and an absolute confinde libertie granted to all catholike prisoners we should not then feare to die of famine which now many are very like shortly to die of vnlesse her Maiestie take pittie of them euen of her innate princely disposition and of her meere mercy all that be in Framlingham castel readie to starue already as receiuing no maintenance nor reliefe of the common beneuolence And a third but not the least is an assured hope that by such a means al should die glorious martyrs as freed from those factious seditions and trayterous dispositions wherewith Parsons that traitor attainted hath
busie to stone Saint Stephen to keepe their clokes that ran after him to beate him downe to get letters with great eagernes and zeale in his kinde to take examine and bring all vp to Hierusalem that should call vpon the name of Iesus and to leaue nothing vndone pertaining to a Pursiuant a persecuter a cruell tyrants part Who that had heard and seene these things would euer haue thought to haue heard it oracled frō heauen of this same man that vas electionis est mihi vt portet nomen meū coram gentibus c And finally who that had seene S. Marceline Pope offering incense to idols S. Boniface polluted in his lust with Aglae a noble Romane matrone The blessed Magdalene pointed at in the streets as a cōmon woman would euer haue looked for to haue heard that the two first should haue bin martyrs or much lesse the last to haue bin a womā of rarest vertues our blessed lady excepted that euer either before or since was borne Sed non sicut homo iudicat Deus Sixtly I say last of al that as there is no assurance of any catholikes perseuerance not any impossibilitie of any ones conuersion that liues on earth So be the profession whatsoeuer it shal happen yet may an affied trust be put for matters pertaining to ciuill conuersation and other affaires in men of good morall life and conuersation be they of what religion soeuer they be shall And if experience haue tried it in Queene Maries daies that a Throckmerton Sir Nicholas by name knowne to haue been a hot protestant was one and the first by Parsons owne confession in Greene-coate that informed the said Queene of such attempts as then were to haue preuented her raigne ouer vs then should we wrong our owne harts cause and actions if any the least-scruple should be in vs not to reueale whatsoeuer trecherie or treason were intended by any against our now Soueraignes royall person crowne or state and by consequent doe both our selues and those vnder her Maiestie wrong if we should be distrustfull to vtter our mindes freely or to enter into familiaritie with any for to doe either our afflicted friends as we are catholikes or our countrie as we are English any good that can be possible THE ARGVMENT OF THE EIGHT GENERALL QVODLIBET IN the argument of the seuenth I told you of this eight Quodlibet which by many particular points there glanced at you may perceiue must directly tteate of matters of state in the highest degree And therefore is it of all other the most dangerous point to deale in without offence of any whom I would not willingly offend for mine owne part in any thing by reason of speciall occurrents which being handled as some heretofore haue handled them might breede great apparant and manifest danger either to body or soule or both together For here I am to intreate of excommunications and depositions of princes of pontificall power and regall maiestie and of other points of most importance that in a world can be found And bicause I am a catholike by profession and an Englishman by birth and education in respect of the former religion doth inioyne me to acknowledge to death an humble obedience to the one and onely tressacred apostolicall catholike Roman Church the See Apostolike and our mother Citie And hereupon I say with that reuerend prelate the last catholike Archbishop of Yorke that howsoeuer his holines hath beene heretofore or may be hereafter durus Pater vnto vs and our nation by inflicting excommunications or other ecclesiasticall censures vpon our prince countrie or our selues and thereby occasionating our heauier persecutions yet must we alwaies be dutifull children And againe in respect of the latter naturall loyaltie doth binde me to wish no longer to liue then vntill the swiftest flight of a thought shall crosse my dutifull obedience to my prince and countrie And vpon this ground doe I build firmely to death neuer to attempt by act word or consent any thing that may preiudice the one or the other and so keeping a golden meane betwixt the two extremes yeelding to Caesar that which is Caesars and vnto God that which is his owne I will now proceede to the effectuall points whereupon all true catholikes doe and ought to stand THE EIGHT GENERALL QVODLIBET OF PLOTS by statizing THE I. ARTICLE VVHether any ecclesiasticall person may or ought to deale in matters of state And if they may then whether any catholike priest may doe so on the behalfe of the catholike Roman Church or the English Bishops on the behalfe of the Church of England or Scots ministerie on the behalfe of the Church of Scotland or how and in what sort these doe differ from one another in freedome to deale in state affaires THE ANSWERE THat it is now and euer hath been lawfull for the clergie in generall to deale in state matters and affaires practise experience and consent of all persons nations times and ages doe approoue ratifie and confirme it not a legifer not a lawe not a parliament not an act enacted nor decree made without the Lords spirituall yea the word State it selfe when we talke of state affaires hath a relation to an ecclesiasticall state which being the first and principall of the two members in a bodie politicall once depriue the clergie of all dealings or medlings any manner of way in state matters and then repeale reuoke reuert all statute lawes and put out those words Lords spirituall for euer after the first most ancient and woorthily prime inuested Barons of this land as all Bishops of England are being these Lords spirituall or ecclesiasticall state Therefore can I not but often smile in my sleeue to heare and see the Iesuits coggery in euery thing and how that now of late it is blowne abroad amongst catholiks that the secular priests forsooth are become prophane lay persons in conuersation studying onely state matters and practizing with the ciuill magistrate in state affaires Vpon occasion of which speech a gentlewoman in a passage of these matters at her table saide to a secular priest my selfe being there present vnknowne and therfore freer to laugh as I did hartily to heare her nay my masters quoth she if you once become statesmen and haue dealings with the Lords of the Counsell or other ciuill magistrates then I haue done with you For I neuer could heare of anie Iesuit that did so As though there coulde be no dealings in matters of state but that the party must be accessary to an acte of treason and be holden for a statizer in a sense detestable Well let it passe for a Iesuiticall iangling and leauing the etymologie we will come to the common phrase and acceptance of this worde State and Statiste as they are now taken and thereby shall be seene ere this Quodlibet be ended whether the seculars or Iesuits are greater statists that is intermedlers in state affaires And for the time present I say as followeth In
neuer come to good effect The old beaten pathes haue euer proued to be the best readiest and surest waies to walke in for the due performance of those designements And the ancient manner of planting the catholike faith hath bene by preaching praier and sacrifice priuate instructions hearing confessions giuing absolutions and exercising of other priestly functions and that done then to commit the rest to God To yeelde all temporall duties and seruices to the Prince vnder whom they liue yea though aliens by birth and strangers to his Nation people and naturall subiects much more then if borne vnder his natiue allegiance And so shall he neither cast of the care and dutifull seruice to his prince and country neither shall nor ought the care feare or respect had thereof discharge him of his duty to God and our holy mother the catholike church and to wish to his neighbour as to himselfe therein Alwaies obseruing the Apostolicall course in conuerting of others to the catholike faith Such a course as Saint Peter tooke first in Hierusalem then at Antioch then at Rome c. As Saint Paule tooke at Damasco at Corinth at Crete at Athens and at and in all countries prouinces and places where he came As Saint Iames the iust called our Lords brother tooke in the kingdome Iuda and Hierusalem and throughout the prouinces of Israell As Saint Iohn tooke at Ephesus and throughout all the churches of Asia vnder him As Saint Philip tooke at Hierapolis in Phrygia and throughout all Scythia As Saint Iames the sonne of Zebedee and brother to Saint Iohn tooke in Spaine As Saint Bartbolomew tooke in India and the great Armenia As Saint Matthew tooke in Aethiope As Saint Simon Zelotes tooke in Mesopotamia As Saint Iude or Thaddaeus tooke in Aegypt As Saint Andrew elder brother to Saint Peter tooke in Scythia of Europe and as Saint Thomas tooke amongst the Parthes Medes Persians Brachmans Hyrcans and Bactrians And in few as Saint Denis tooke among the French Fugatius and Damianus among the old Albion Britaines and Saint Augustine amongst the English Saxons of whom we all came These courses then that these glorious martyrs and blessed Saints tooke for conuersion of countries are for all catholike priests to imitate and to leaue these Iesuiticall seditious rebellious barbarous and preposterous courses to sathan and those infernall spirits from whence they came euer confessing as true sincere and religious catholikes should that innouations are euer daungerous that new fanglenesse in the least point of faith and religion is most pernitious and that nouelties and fine deuises of busie and vnquiet heads are but as May flowers that are gone in Iune carying a faire shew but neuer continue long Therefore let euery catholike priest seeke in the name of Iesus the conuersion of our country but not as the Iesuiticall faction hath sought Let them seeke it by priestly conuersation not by popular deuastation Let them study to teache obedience not rebellion to fill mens harts with inward ioy and peace not feede their eares with outward hopes of inuasions and treacheries to possesse their soules with laments in Apostrophees of compassion with good Saint Gregory who sighed sore for our forefathers being strangers vnto him to see so many soules perish in our Nation euery howre and not puffe vp their harts with preposterous cogitations of moone shine of the water THE V. ARTICLE VVHether doe the Iesuites in this point of Statizacion agree either amongst themselues or with any other priests or lay persons THE ANSWERE TTo this I answere First that it is manifest by the matter it selfe now in question that the secular priests and they doe quite disagree herein Secondly it is to be noted that their agreement amongst themselues concerning state meddles may be taken three manner of waies one way as it concerneth our country in particular and therein questionlesse there is no Iesuite in Christendome but he is of one and the selfe same mind that his fellowes are of scil that they all could wish to haue England Scotland and Ireland vnder them Note by this discourse here following that if the Iesuits had got England we should haue had a gouernment deposition and a Presbyter Iohn penes quem imperium to make these Northerne Iles all one Iesuiticall Monarchy to infeoffe themselues by hooke or by crooke in the whole imperiall dominions of great Britania with the remainder ouer to their corporation or puny fathers succeeding them as heires special in their societie by a state of perpetuity putting all the whole blood roiall of England to the formedowne as but heires general in one predicament together That this is so and that their wish their hope their intents in proceeding their labour in performing their endeuour in perfecting this plot and platforme are equally agreeing to all of them a like though the meanes and manner how to effect be different agreeing to their different natures dispositions qualities and abilities as some to be aulicall others martiall others rurall and againe of those some to be actors others prompters others inuentors or plotcasters c. It is cleere by many generall circumstances As that for one of maintaining the Archpriests authority as all the English Iesuits doe most eagerly whose institutiue iurisdiction is directly proued to extend to this point and practise for their aduancement to the monarchie Then for the Scots Iesuites a man would thinke that if any of that society were against Parsons proceedings they should be the most resolute But notwithstanding this omitting al the rest cōniuing and some most earnestly pursuing auerring imbracing the said Parsons opinion as their speeches to my selfe declared when they were afraid I should haue published my booke in answere to his Doleman for the succession c. Yet euen father Cryton who onely the Scots king did hope well of is proued by Master Cicills booke against him to be as forward as the other on the Spaniards behalfe and most egregiously to mocke flatter dissemble and collogue with his natiue Soueraigne And as for the Iesuites of other Nations it may appeere by the state booke of reformation for England drawne out by Parsons and the generall of the Iesuites in cuius virtute caeteri operantur that they all aime at one marke and one course and conceiue one and the same generall hope to haue England a Iapponian Monarchie as once one tearmed it or an apish Iland of Iesuites An other way their statizing may be taken for their priuate opinions cōcerning the next successor viz. whom this and that Iesuite would gladliest haue their vmpier patron champion to fight the field on their behalfe in bringing the whole realme vnder their subiection And herein bicause arrogancie pride and ambition hath set them all so high on horseback as looke what Prince or Noble can goe away with the English crowne that same they hope to be the aduancer of him most who most did further their pretence and was the greatest
rightfull title or no he being by father Parsons definitiue sentence denounced an obstinate heretike and one of whom there was no possibilitie or hope of reclaiming from his hereticall opinions the said father Criton answered saying My Lord doubt you nothing thereof it is but father Parsons deuise to indanger his Maiesties person thereby knowing that the Scots are a false traiterous and a rebellious people quickly taking occasion to murther or otherwise rise in armes against their liege Lord and king True it is indeede that father Parsons and other English Iesuits and those that are of the Spanish faction haue laboured it much to haue the sentence denounced against his Maiestie but hitherto they haue not preuailed neither doe I thinke that euer you shal see it bicause no Scots wil seeke for it And Popes are alwaies sparing vnlesse they be mightily importuned vrged as both Pius quintus and Xistus quintus were by father Parsons and other Iesuits procurement against our owne Soueraigne and Queene Loe what euill hap England had to breede this wicked Iesuiticall broode that seeke their princes and countries destruction more egarly then any other Iesuits doe the nations and countrie where they liue THE VIII ARTICLE VVHether then bicause by the precedent article it seemeth very dangerous is it expedient for the Church in these latter daies of the world to excommunicate kings and whether was it a good and godly act in certaine of her Maiesties subiects such as desired to seeme more zealous then the rest to perswade Pius quintus to excommunicate her highnes and since also other Popes to renew the same twise THE ANSWERE VEry well said Saint Paule as earst I noted Multa mihi licita sunt sed non omnia expediunt For it is one thing to talke of the power authoritie and lawfulnes of excommunications and an other of the time place and persons when the sentence is denounced therefore as we say ex effectibus cognoscitur causa so by demonstration à posteriori it is manifest to all our woes that excommunicating of princes is not conuenient in this irreligious and most vnfortunate age Neither did they wel that either stirred vp Pius quintus first to excommunicate her highnes or these that since haue vrged other Popes to renew the same And therefore in answere to both the points of this article I hold the negatiue And for the first these are my reasons First when Saint Ambrose excommunicated the emperour Theodosius it was a time of greater zeale and otherwise Saint Ambrose might thereby haue procured vnspeakable detriment to the Church In my priuate cogitations hereof I haue assuredly often doubted whether Saint Ambrose deserued more commendation for his prouidencie in attempting such a matter or the emperor for his patience and obedience in taking the same in so good part But yet I hold it out of all question that if Saint Ambrose had inserted any such clauses into the said excommunication as of latter times are vsed and should in plaine terms haue deposed him or labored to haue had him deposed from his empire or absolued his subiects from their obedience the emperor would haue startled and I cannot tell but by all likelyhood he would not haue obeied it but rather haue put all to the sword that should haue withdrawne themselues from vnder his allegiance Secondly I finde certaine words in Saint Thomas which make me to maruell in that he saith out of the glosse that Princeps multitudo non est excommunicanda or as Rich. de Media Villa alledgeth the place neither the multitude nor the prince ought to be excommunicated And the most of the Schoolemen that write vpon S. Thomas in this place doe agree with him that a multitude is not to be excommunicated or if it be some hold that such an excommunication is void But let it be their error yet still they omit therein the other part as touching kings and princes and doe say nothing concerning the validitie of it in that place onely the said Richardus de Media Villa doth touch this point somewhat to our purpose for the inconueniencie thereof but in mine opinion very weakely for that any thing be it neuer so plaine may easily be so auoided A king saith S. Thomas ought not to be excommunicated that is saith Richardus but in maioribus peccatis for great offences As if we should thinke that euer S. Thomas thought so meanely of the wisedome iudgement and discretion of the Church that she would excommunicate princes for euery trifle Nay if that should be his meaning he had alledged the said place very ridiculously which is farre from Saint Thomas course and practise Thirdly besides whereas some inconueniences are made the impediments why a multitude may not be excommunicated there may very many moe reasons of mischiefes be obiected that doe ensue by the excommunicating of princes which consequently should stay that course likewise against them I haue prosecuted this reason onely disputatiuè non positiuè saluo semper meliori iudicio let S. Thomas meaning be what it shall his words are as I haue alledged them here in this place Fourthly it is no good prouidence in S. Augustines iudgement to excommunicate those that haue many followers to take their part or when the same may breede a schisme But it is very likely that kings and princes wil alwaies haue many followers to take their parts and that the same may beget more then a schisme Fiftly there was no probabilitie of any good successe that could be looked for by excommunicating her Maiestie as by experience might haue beene apparant by the excommunication denounced against king Henry 8. Sixtly I haue made mention before of inconueniences and mischiefes but if they may serue the turne to shew the inconuenience of an excommunication against kings and that I should enter into the enumeration of all the inconueniences and mischiefes which haue been the effects of both the said excommunications against her Maiestie and against her royall father it would appeere that there was neuer any excommunication more inconuenient and I should be exceeding tedious It may be sufficient that I remember vnto you as touching our own time how thereby her Maiesty and the state haue been more incensed both against the See of Rome and likewise against all catholikes priestes are become most odious the generall cause hath beene more impaired many dangerous questions and straight examinations haue thereof proceeded and to omit the rest infinite perplexities and quidities haue growne concerning the consciences of the weaker sort of catholikes when wherein and how farre they might professe their allegiance which haue intangled them diuersly and brought many of them into bands and other great dangers Seuenthly I am fully perswaded that there was yet neuer any Pope that did euer excommunicate any king or soueraigne prince but that afterward he sawe cause for the most part in his owne time if he liued any while to repent him of
effects we now behold both clergie and laitie highly offending so the succceding occasions of erronious conceipts hath been our owne faultes in treading our forefathers steps in this point of priuate respects selfe conceits and high aspires So as iustly we may say Non sumus digni à Deo exaudiri but rather and most true it is that nostris demeritis meremur puniri and that the fault is not in her Maiestie nor honorable Councell nor ciuill magistrate nor all nor any of our aduersaries but in our selues that England is not yet conuerted and our persecution of long time still encreased scil by reason of some seditious persons and others that followed them with indiscreet zeale and those that were in expectance of great matters by a change conuerting their thoughts from heauenly hopes to earthly hazards imploying their studies how to compasse their owne ambitious aduancements God highly offended to see his blessings and graces lost and taken from amongst vs for our forefathers sinnes to be gone about by the like and woorse proceedings to haue it restored againe It could not otherwise choose but greeuously offend the diuine maiestie and vntill the archplotters of this preposterous course for our countries conuersion were either cut off or otherwise had humbled themselues and surceasing from all ambitious aspires sought sincerely the health of soules not heapes of gold England should neuer be conuerted But we all die and pine away leauing the atchieuement to those that shall succeede in our places when we are all dead and gone That the Iesuits of the more fiery hot and Puritanian humor may not snuffe at the quiet that catholikes are here said to haue liue◠in eleuen yeeres you shall heare the very words of two of their great Rabbies Parsons Creswels speaking to her Maiestie in a Puritanian stile as followeth In the beginning of thy kingdome thou didst deale something more gently with catholikes none were vrged by thee or pressed either to thy sect or to the deniall of their faith All things in deede did seeme to proceede in a farre milder course no great complaints were heard of no extraordinarie contentions or repugnancies Some there were that to please gratifie you went to your churches But when afterwards thou didst beginne to wring them c. Which whensoeuer it was we were the cause as the attempts in Fraunce and Scotland make it manifest This then being the course and cause of humane hopes our harts doe bleede to reade and heare as sundry of vs haue what hath beene printed and published out of Italie in the life of Pius Quintus concerning the indeuors of his holines stirred vp by false suggestions to ioine with the king of Spaine for the vtter ruine and ouerthrow both of our prince and countrie Would God such things had neuer beene enterprised and more that they had neuer beene printed but most of all that they neuer had fronted our natiue shores And if Parsons and his associates had not busied themselues with that they should nor then had we not now medled in this place with that we would not as whereunto for a iust defence of all loyall catholike subiects ignorant of Parsons and his complices drifts we are now constrained to make appeales apologies and replies For what good soeuer the first or againe renewing of the excommunication the printing reprinting of state bookes and other practises may bring hereafter to the Church of God we neither see it neither knowe it But sure we are that for the present nothing hath done vs greater harme nor giuen our common enimies greater aduantages against vs. It is elsewhere set downe how that her Maiestie vsed vs kindly for the space of the first ten yeers of her highnes raigne the state of the catholikes in England that while was tollerable and after a sort in some good quiet Such as for their conscience were imprisoned or in durance were very mercifully dealt withall the state and change of things then considered some being appointed to remaine with such their friends as they themselues made choise of others were placed with Bishops and others with Deanes and had their diets at their tables with such conuenient walkes and lodgings as did well content them They that were in ordinarie prisons had all such libertie and commodities as the place and their estate could affoord them yea euen thus much and more doth Parsons confesse in his Philopater as also father Creswell in his Scribe to the like effect though both very rude peremptorie and sawcie in their speech to her Maiestie with thou didst this and thou didst that c. And Parsons in Grenecoate makes the case cleere especially for state matters though he turne his passage there against the Earle of Leicester to a wanton speech as deliuered from a Lady of the Court how great quiet the state and Court was in for twelue yeeres space no talke of treasons nor conspiracies no iealousies nor suspitions no enuie nor supplantations no feare of murtherings nor massacrings no question of conscience nor religion all liued in quiet content and right good fellowship was amongst them both Lords and Ladies wiues and maidens nobles and gentles knights and esquires married and single of all degrees a ioy it was to haue been in the Court in those daies saith Parsons in that Ladies name whose words mooued much the company where she was as women saith he are potent in moouing where and when they please she did deliuer her mind with so sweete a countenance and courtly a grace c. Now whiles you were say our aduersaries thus kindly vsed of her highnes how trecherously was she dealt withall by you For what had you to doe being catholikes and religious priests as Iesuits terme themselues with spreading pamphlets libels and other fooleries abroad of any misdemeanor in her Maiesties subiects and peeres of the realme You might haue left such scoggerie as Parsons hath set out in Greenecoate to Tarleton Nashe or else to some Puritane Martin Mar prelate or other like companions And for you it was to haue handled grauer higher and more important matters and that concerning soule points not subtilties nor new deuises much lesse to haue dealt against her Maiestie and the state in so traiterous a manner as in a late treatise set out by our brethren doth at large appeere Where to our vnspeakable greefe the world shall see that we our selues who would be termed catholikes and that of all sorts haue beene the true causes of all our owne calamities When I was examined before some of the high Commissioners at the Gildhall about 14. yeeres agone concerning matters of state and especially about the six Interrogatories which we commonly called the six bloodie articles knowing my selfe innocent from the beginning of any the least disloyall thought I haue often since much mused with my selfe what should haue mooued her Maiesties honorable Councell to haue proposed these articles to priests but most of all why
such straite lawes were made for comming into England of Seminarie priests bringing in of Agnus Dei crosses medals graines c. reconcilement perswasions to the catholike faith and the like All which when I saw the bookes of the excommunication of her Maiestie by Pius Quintus diuers others tending to that purpose written since and withall had well considered what the Iesuits dealing had beene how that they had procured these indulgences pardons to serue their owne turne therewith I then wel perceiued vpon what grounds the said six articles were built And Master Bales a blessed martyr shall witnes with me at the latter day how woe my hart was vpon the last speech he and I had together in the house of an honorable person where we met about those and other matters my last words being these vnto him scil that his holines was misinformed and indirectly drawne to these courses by Iesuiticall meanes And therefore of all other orders of religion were I to goe into any I would neuer be Iesuit whiles I liued And this may suffice for the matter in question to conuince any catholikes true meaning hart that the circumstances well considered with all humble obedience to the See apostolike be it spoken there neither was due circumstances in the Bull of Pius Quintus to binde any to withdrawe their allegiance from our Soueraigne neither and much lesse was it conuenient that the same excommunication should haue beene renewed againe THE IX ARTICLE VVHether then seeing her Maiestie and the state knew such practises were by priests and other catholikes vsed and put in execution and yet were ignorant who were of that faction more one then an other till now of late that God hath most strangely and in very deed as it may he termed miraculously reuealed the truth which long hath beene hidden to discerne who are innocent and who free may not then her lawes and proceedings against all catholiks in generall from the beginning of her Highnesse raigne to this present discouery of the treasons and traitors that vrged it be truely counted both milde and mercifull And that howsoeuer of her owne accustomed innate royall disposition benignitie clemencie her Highnesse may and we shoulde wrong our owne conceits in preiudice of her sweete and Princely nature if we should not thinke she would now at length take pittie of such her owne catholike subiects as haue manifested their loyaltie innocencie and ignorance of what was intended against her royall person and state Yet whether in tendring the afflictions which the innocent both secular priests lay persons haue sustained by making such lawes or prouisoes and adding them to the lawes alreadie made as may free both the priests and those that receiue them from the paines and penalties before by statute enacted against them all in generall may not for all that the sayd former statutes penall lawes and actes enacted be thought to stande in force against the Iesuiticall faction and no reason or sense to haue them repealed but both to haue beene made with great moderation and also to stand and remaine with as great pollicie in all or any wisemans iudgement that shall duly consider the Iesuits practises and other her Highnes enimies against her person state and kingdome in the course precedent of all this time THE ANSWERE I Holde directly the affirmatiue part heerein scil that both her Maiesties lawes and proceedings against all sorts of catholikes haue bene milde and mercifull the opinion and iudgement of her Highnesse in religion one way and their foresaid practises against her another way duly considered and also that all the appellants and other priests and catholikes that ioyne with them in prosecuting that appeale as there is iust cause and many reasons which we doubt not of but that to her high prudence and Princely wisedome they will present themselues in laments submissions and teares on our behalfes and in pollicie mercy and iustice on the part of her Highnesse towards vs why some prouisoes should be made for securing of them the said appellants and their associates together with those that do or shall receiue them heereafter from danger of the foresaid penall lawes so haue they and we all that be catholikes in England this day as great motiues causes and reasons moouing vs to admire that euer any of vs are left on liue to make knowne to all posteritie what hath hapned in our daies the like woonders hauing neuer hitherto as yet beene seene as our wretched age hath left recorded to those shall follow vs by succeeding turnes of natures course to the worlds end And by consequent we cannot vrge an absolute repeale of any former statute or penall law so long as any Iesuit or other priest or lay person of their faction which I hope would be very few if any were after they were gone shall remaine within the land but thinke our selues happie and deepely bound to her Maiesty if a prouisoe onely may be made in forme aforesaid to keepe the innocent harmeles though with an other prouisoe also or stricter statute if stricter may be for the vtter expelling of all Iesuits out of the land And for to make this my opinion sinke the deeper into all catholikes heads and harts that either are infected with the Spanish pip or otherwise Iesuited in affection or faction I must and do craue pardon for enlarging my selfe a litle in handling this subiect to the purpose and agreeing to their capacitie Often haue many wise learned and prudent greatly mused what should haue beene the cause in morall sense to speake to men of the heauie and sore affliction of catholiks in England for many yeeres yea it hath beene thought of many great clerkes yet with pardon craued ignorant of our English cases as heereafter will appeere that the circumstances considered as the occurrents came to their minds that their persecution in the primitiue church was not greater if so great respecting the danger of soule-wracke then the persecution in England hath beene for these twenty yeeres space and vpward to wit since the infortunate arriuall of the Iesuits in this land The causes moouing many to admire thereat and in multitudes of vollees in morneful sighes and sorrowes hurled out with wailings one to another greeuing when wise deuout true compassionates of their countries miseries met together that for our owne and our forefathers sinnes so heauie a scourge shoulde be laid vpon our nation our deere countrymen our flesh and blood our neerest linckt vnto vs often times our greatest lothers Amongst others these were the causes of their woonder how it should be First they considered with how great a sympathie all concord naturall incline and reciprocall affection It is no maruell though the Iesuits be so egar of England as they are and that they hazard body soule and all they haue or can be able to make to haue it wholy theirs For considering the poore lodgings scarcity of victuals and vncomfortable trauell
our powers should take vpon vs to giue it vnto another were he neuer so good a Catholike that had no right thereto Iustinus Martyr speaking of the duety of Christians to the ciuill Magistrate in those times of Infidels and persecutors affirmeth that they prayed not onely for the Emperors themselues but also for their sonnes that they might succeede them in the Empire quod aequissimum est which saith he is most agreeable to iustice and equitie were they like to prooue as euill as their fathers there is no exceptions of it The which I rather obserue to shew my dislike of Fa. Parsons in this point who is accustomed vpon euery occasion when he is in his best moode to affirme that he careth not who it is from whence he commeth or what right he hath to the crowne of this kingdome that when the time commeth shall be able to catch it so he be a Catholike But concerning both this point and the former least it should be said that whilest I would seeme to giue a reason of that which I haue in hand I do onely shew my opinion and illustrate the same with similitudes that are of as great vncertainty as that which I propound I will confirme my opinion with the iudgement of a principall man to whom there will no great exception be taken and then that which I haue said will prooue to be an argument ab authoritate Thus he writeth Soloiure naturali diuino non priuatur aliquis Dominio in subditos propter peccatum Apostasiae in fide c. If you goe no further then to the law of nature or to the law of God no king is depriued from his soueraigntie ouer his subiects though it be for the sin of Apostacie from faith And he giueth a very sound reason for this his assertion nam fundamentum dominij non est fides c. For faith is not the ground of dominion but some other politike title hauing force by the lawe of nations of succession by inheritance or of election or of iust acquisition by iust warre Qui tituli possunt etiam manere sine fide neque vnquam extat ius aliquod diuinum quo eiusmodi tituli eneruantur propter defectionem a side which titles may remaine without faith neither is there any lawe of God whereby such titles are impeached for defection from faith 8. I know that iure ecclesiastico by the authoritie sentence of the Popes holines much more may be done then here I will speake of But yet I thinke it wil prooue in the end the best course for men not to do so much as they may Many things be lawfull which are not expedient And this Iesuiticall course of downe with princes when they offend them may peraduenture so prouoke them as they will say as fast downe with priests and of a certainty we shall haue the woorse When they finde that the titles of their kingdomes cannot be touched either by the lawe of nature or by the lawe of God do what they list it may giue them occasion to oppose themselues with greater seueritie against the See Apostolike in that the same should make such extreme lawes voluntarily against them as should tend to the thrusting of them out of their kingdomes And out of question it will be subiect if once they take this course to great iangling whether such lawes as should touch the deposing of a king are not rather to be accounted lawes ciuill and temporall then any matter or subiect fit for ecclesiasticall men or lawes to worke vpon We see already that some kings do take vpon them to deale and make lawes in causes ecclesiasticall denying his holines authority therein within their kingdomes And will it not seeme a thing much more plausible probable if other kings shall stand vpon it and say that his holines hath no interest to make any ciuill or temporall lawes that may touch their freeholds Nay if things should come to this rifling I feare they would in their heat goe further and tell his holines that for ought they finde kings haue as great authority to depose priests as priests haue to depose kings Besides it must be cōfessed that all priests Iesuits and euery other sort of clergie men the Popes holines excepted are borne subiects of kings and princes and it will be an odious assertion to say that the taking of priesthood vpon them should giue them warrant to bristle and make head against their soueraignes Furthermore it cannot be denied shift the Iesuits with all their cunning neuer so prettily but the immunities which priests haue from the temporall lawes of kings doe proceede as Saint Thomas acknowledgeth from their meere fauour and godly zeale towards them Also it is most manifest that as the kings of England haue beene most bountifull to the church and churchmen here within their dominions in so much as all the reuenewes and temporalties with many singular priuiledges which in this realme our forefathers haue enioyed haue proceeded from their most princely liberality and authority so standeth the case of the clergy in all other kingdomes which two points would be duly considered of in time For if princes should by the same meanes seeke to spoyle the church and take from it all her said immunities priuiledges and temporall possessions it will little auaile to bring in our distinctions how parliaments may giue what they list to the church and churchmen but they can take nothing either from them or from the church What the power of a parliament is in England we haue had too great experience and I suppose the states in other kingdomes haue the like And therefore in all pollicie kings and soueraigne princes are not to be ruffled with in this Iesuiticall maner That which they may pretend how in these their discourses they ayme but at some one or two doth indeed touch all kings if they incurre the displeasure of his holines Surely though I humbly acknowledge my selfe to be minimus fratrum meorum and neither arrogate to my selfe to be of such mature iudgement as many are nor will presume to take vpon me so peremptorily on the one side as Father Parsons doth on the other though vnlearnedly God wot yet I finde many great dangers that may happen to the Catholike Roman church if these violent spirits be not in time suppressed Such furious insulting ouer princes will neuer doe good They may be drawen many waies by gentle and milde proceedings with them rather then by such indiscreete and desperate courses whereby they grow to greater resistance For if the Popes holines in times past dealt so sharpely as it seemeth with Baldemarus king of Denmarke that he writ in this sort to the supreme Pastor Notum tibi facimus vitam nos habere à Deo nobilitatem à parentibus regnum à subditis fidem ab ecclesia Romana quam si nobis inuides remittimus per presentes Be it knowen vnto thee that we haue our
life from God our nobility from our parents our kingdome from our subiects our religion from the church of Rome the which if you maligne vs for it we sende you backe againe by these presents then what shall we thinke or can we imagine that soueraigne princes of this our infortunate age will brooke it well to finde his holines to be tam durus Pater towards them But for meane subiects to presume as the Iesuits do neuer was it and now is it least tolerable THE IIII. ARTICLE WHether it is a fitte point of doctrine to be broached and diuulged to the world in these daies by the Iesuites that subiectes are no longer bound to obey wicked Princes in their temporall commandements and Lawes but till they be able by force of armes to resist them THE ANSWERE THat this is a most dangerous doctrine and most vnfit to be published in this age there is no one Catholike in England this day but I thinke will confesse it and therefore I hold it meet before I come directly to answer this Article First to make it apparaÌ„t that the Iesuites and their seditious faction do broach publish such a kind of doctrine for otherwise it might well seeme a slaunder malitiously imputed vnto them Amongst others father Parsons in his admonition before mentioned giueth this reason why the Popes sentence hath not beene put in execution since it was first giuen bicause forsooth her Maiesties forces were so great that they could hardly be resisted by the onely Inhabitants of the Realme without euident daunger and destruction of very many and noble persons c. in which case the censures of the Church doe not binde which is as much to say as if they had beene of might sufficient they had been bound to haue put the said sentence in execution against her highnes and the ouerthrow of the whole state and common wealth of their natiue land The same Iesuite also in his booke intituled Philopater is very peremptorie sly and sawcie as his manner is very boldly affirming that when kings doe deflect from the Catholike religion and drawe others with them Liberes esse subditos c. posseque debere si vires habeant buiuscemodi homineÌ„ dominatuÌ„ eijcere Subiectes are free and both may and ought if they be able to cast such a man out of his dominions Secondly when Henry the third of Fraunce had procured the death of the Duke of Guise and some other whereunto the French writers doe affirme he was compelled except he would haue suffred the Duke to haue puld the Crowne from his head it was not long after but that by the secret practises of the Iesuites he himselfe was murthered And not resting thus contented they writ such a discourse against him being a Catholike as if it had beene hatched in hell intituled De iusta abdicatione H. 3. In which treatise they affirme that it is lawfull for a priuate man to kill a tyrant for so they termed that king though there be neither sentence of the Church or kingdome against him Now in this booke to come to my purpose he propoundeth this obiection how and why it was that in the Primitiue Church the martyrs attempted no such course against the tyrants that then raigned and doth answere it in this sort Vâ—â—d laudable est cum resistere nequeas ita vbi pâ—ssis nolle resistere religionis patriae hosti nefarium ac pernitiosum est As much to say as thus in English As it is laudable to doe as those martyrs did when thou canst not resist so not to resist when thou maist the enimy of Religion and of thy countrey so they terme all kings that they dislike is a pernitious and horrible sinne Thirdly an other at that time with a Iesuiticall spirite doth tell vs his mind in plaine termes so as I shall not neede to proue the matter by any consequence The quarrell for Religion saith he and defence of innocencie is so iust that heathen Princes not at all subiect to the Churches lawes and discipline may in that case by the Christians armes be resisted naming none but speaking in generall termes without exception of persons so indefinitely or rather peremptorily and dissemblingly as all Iesuites doe that as well seruants as souerâ—ignes may by his principle take armes at their pleasure c. And might lawfully haue been redressed in the time of the Pagans and first great persecutors â—hen they vexed and oppressed the faithfull And againe There is no question but that the Emperor Constantine Valens Iulian and others might haue beene by the Bishop excommunicated and deposed and all their people released from their obedience if the Church or Catholikes had had competent forces to haue resisted Loe what doctrine this is to be diuulged in this so daungerous an age I leaue to others to conceite these things in as good sence as may make for our generall safety and common good of the Catholike cause onely I wish such passages had neuer fronted any English Port nor come to our aduersaries eares or knowledge And an other Iesuite to the same purpose saith Quod si Christiani olim non deposuerunt Neronem Diocletianum Iulianum Apostatam ac Valentem Arrianum alios id fuit quia de erant vires temporales Christianis Nam alioquin iure potuissent hoc facere In that Christians in times past did not depose Nero and Dioclesian and Iulian the Apostata and Valence the Arrian and others it was bicause Christians did then want temporall forces for otherwise they might lawfully haue dealt so with them Now what thinke you if such a doctrine had been heard or spoken of in Iulians Neroes or Dioclesians daies what thinke you would haue ensued thereof Questionlesse though the persecution were great yet probably it would haue beene double increased and augmented thereby And as for the scholemen which they alleage for this doctrine one and the chiefe is S. Thomas who hath some such point For Christians saith he obeyed Iulianus Quod illo tempore Ecclesia in sua nouitate nondum habebat potestatem terrenos principes coercendi ideo tollerauit fideles Iulano Apostatae ohedire in ijs quae non erant contra fidem vt maius periculum fidei vitaretur c. Bicause the Church then being in her infancy had not yet power to bridle Princes and therefore she did tollerate the faithfull to obey Iulian the Apostata in those things which were not against faith for the auoyding of a greater daunger which might otherwise haue insued to the Christian faith The other is Dominus Bannes vpon Saint Thomas who alleaging that the cause why catholikes in England do not rebell against her Maiestie is Quia facultatem non habent c. Both whose opinions and words as they may carry a diuerse construction so were they not set downe by either of them as conclusions but as argumentall reasons of doctrine disputatiue in the schooles Which