affecting them more then the Lord of them nor applying them to any other end then holines for which all things were created most happie are they who for the honour of their God and for the testimonie of his truth haue forsaken the pleasures of this transitory life and haue giuen themselues a sacrifice to God for so to die is to enioy immortality and perpetuall rest CHAP. XVI Of King Edwards Death and how hee left the State to the next Successor FIRST it were foolish and vaine for any man to desire to know the secrets of Gods will because no man can vnderstand more of Gods secret than he himselfe shall please to reueale and therefore is mans knowledge limited being able onely to iudgâ— by reason and consequence whereas Gods diuine workes exceed the iudgement of sence being not contrary but aboue the reach of reason And from this cause is it that men commonly offend in their false constructions iudging of Gods worke grosly according to humane vnderstanding and not considering his wisedome and power by whose prouidence all things are directed For in Gods matters Christians must beleeue when they cannot iudge and it is sufficient argument to conclude the goodnesse of any worke when wee know that God is the Author for those things which to a naturall man seeme strange to a reformed iudgement appeare much otherwise and there is nothing be it neuer so euill in mans iudgement but God can make it serue for the worke of his glory he being able to make the euills of men respect an end beyond their expectations and in that wherein we iudge our selues most miserable can he make vs most happie Secondly And for particular instance we may consider K. Edward whom God elected from among many thousands for the work of his glory hauing defended the Catholike Faith with a resolution most zealous constant yet notwithstanding in the growth of his prosperity did God take him from the world and depriue the Children of faith of their Patron and princely Defendor whereby in common iudgement God may seeme to be offended with his owne and to leaue his Saints vndefended to the stroake of persecution from which this holy King had defended them But thus to iudge of God were wicked and false because we see the Gospell by that interruption did spread it self with much more generall acceptation the blood of holy Martyrs being a holy seed whereby the Church spread into a large generation and who knoweth but God to manifest to all the world the faith and obedience of his holy Saints in the Church of England suffered this persecution for the glory of their memorie for a demonstration to all men what numbers of true Catholike Christians had flourished vnder the protection of King Edward their Patrone and princely Defendor The Saints hereby exchanging their mortall variable life for eternity perpetuall rest their deaths begetting the liues of many holy men like them whereby the number of Gods seruants was much augmented to the glory of God and prosperity of his Church And therefore let no man condemne the worke of Gods prouidence but yeeld his obedience to the good pleasure of God and let him know that God is mercifull euen in his iudgements and that hee can make that which doth seeme to threaten vs most to be the Ladder whereby we may ascend the highest of all preferments the fauour of God and the fellowship of his holy Saints Thirdly King Edward being dead the state grew verie stormie and full of greate businesse the cause being who should succeed the King in which controuersie the kingdome was deuided the greatest part of the Counsell and the Nobility proclaiming Lady Iane Daughter to the Duke of Suffolke whose Mother was Daughter to Mary King Henries Sister first married to the French King and after to Charles Brandon Duke of Suffolke But the greatest part of the Commons and some of the Nobility adhering to Lady Mary eldest Daughter to King Henrie the Eighth by his first wife Queene Katherine of Spaine and this occasion was the trouble and death of many honourable and worthy personages For whether King Edward of his owne election or wrought by the perswasion of others I know not had by his last Will and Testament interested the Ladie Iane to the inheritance of his kingdomes for this cause as was pretended that the State might still continue the profession of the Protestant Religion which could not be hoped in the gouernement of Queene Mary But howsoeuer the King did thus bequeath his kingdomes it is very likely hee was drawne thereto by perswasion of his nobles especially of the two Dukes Northumberland and Suffolke because hereby the inheritance was conueyghed to their issue to whom in right it did not belong neither is it likely the King of his owne motion would haue disinherited his owne Legitimate sisters to interest one further off And if Religion was the cause why was not choise rather made of Queene Elizabeâ—h then Lady Iane Shee being by much neerer in the degrees of blood and altogether as assured in the Protestant Religion And therefore certainely the King was moued by others to offer this iniurie to his neerest blood Fourthly And if the question be demanded whether in this case it was lawfull for the King to translate the inheritance of his kingdomes I answer that howsoeuer the pretence is faire and good yet was the practise euill because wrong was offered and those ends are neuer good the which are compassed by euill meanes and to translate inheritance where it ought not is to contradict Gods prouidence by whose wisedome all things are ordered And therfore no doubt this offence of those Dukes and their confederates conspiring with them this vnlawfull end was the cause that God did suffer the power of their enemies to preuaile to their destruction For God is the Father of Truth and the God of Iustice neither would he that men should attempt to alter the course of his prouidence or by any violent and euill meanes pursue an end be it neuer so Religious and holy For good men must vse onely good meanes to reach good ends And therefore this practise of these Dukes in the iudgement of Religion was not good notwithstanding in state practise it hath example and may seeme allowable Obseruations Diuine Pollitique Morall FIRST there is no pretence how faire soeuer can giue authority and strength to vnlawfull actions For God who is all-sufficient and who hath decreed all good things hath likewise deuised all good meanes to compasse them therefore euery good worke doth consist of lawfull matter and forme for no euill thing can bee well done neither can any good thing bee done euilly Secondly When God by death doth preuent the hopes that are had of a vertuous Prince it doth not argue against the worthinesse of the Prince
EXURGAT DEUS DISSIPENTUR INIMICI * THE HISTORY OF THE DEfendors of the Catholique Faith Whearevnto are added Observations Divine Politique Morrall By Christopher Lever Nostrum in Coelo Negotium LONDON Printed for Nicholas Fussell and Humphrey Moseley at the signe of the Ball in Pauls Church yard 1627. POSUI DEUM ADIUTOREM MEUM NON NATVRA SED PON TIFICIORVM ARTE FEROX SEMPER EADEM BEATI PACIFICI DONEC PAX REDDITA TERRIS F. Hulsuis sculp THE HISTORIE OF THE DEFENDORS OF THE CATHOLIQVE FAITH Discoursing the state of RELIGION in England and the care of the politique state for Religion during the reignes of King HENRRY 8. King EDWARD 6. Queene MARIE Queene ELIZABETH And our late Souereigne King IAMES Kings and Queenes of England France and Ireland Defendors of the most True most Ancient and most CATHOLIQVE FAITH c.. With all Declaring by what means these Kings Queenes haue obtained this Title Defendor of the Faith and wherein they haue deserued it whereunto are added Obseruations DIVINE POLITIQVE MORALL BY CHRISTOPHER LEVER Nostrum in Coelo Negotium Printed at London by G. M. for Nicolas Fussell and Humphrey Moseley and are to be sold in Pauls Churchyard at the signe of the Ball. 1627. TO THE MOST HIGH MIGHTY And most Gratious PRINCE CHARLES By the grace of God King of Great Brittaine France and Jreland Defender of the CATHOLIKE FAITH YOVR MAIESTIES MOst humble and vnworthie Seruant CHRISTOPHER LEVER with all humilitie dedicateth this Historie of the Defendors of the Catholike Faith vnto your Majestie beseeching Almightie God to deriue vpon your sacred name and house a perpetuall succession of able and resolute Defendors of the Faith to the honour of God the peace of the Church the prosperitie of the State the blessed memorie of your Royall Name and the Confusion of Antichrist AMEN A CATALOGVE OF the Chapters contained in this HISTORIE King HENRIE 8. 1. AN induction to this Historie briefly declaring the variable change of Times from the beginning to the time of this Historie page 1. 2. By whom and what meanes this Title Defendor of the Faith was giuen to the Crowne of England pag. 19. 3. King HENRIES first Act of Defence for the Catholike Faith pag. 31 4. Of what importance this Act for the Kings Supremacie was to the state of England in respect of Pietie and Policie pag. 38. 5. Of the suppressing of Abbeys and Religious houses in England pag. 48. 6. Of the Kings remisse and cold proceeding in the worke of Reformation pag. 60. 7. Of the sixe Articles and the euill which thereof ensewed pag. 77. 8. Obseruations out of the generall view of this latter time of King HENRIE 8. pag. 91. 9. In what state King Henrie left the kingdome to the next Defendor of the Faith King Edward 6. p. 109 10. A comparison betweene King Henry 8. of England and Fredericke Barbarossa the Emperour of Germanie pag. 119. King EDVVARD the 6. 11. OF the next Defendor of the Faith King Edward 6. pag. 125. 12. Of the benefit that redounds to a state by a lawfull succession of bloud pag. 131. 13. Of King Edwards defending the Catholike Faith and wherein he chiefely defended it p. 139. 14. The trouble of the State at this time of King Edward how they were occasioned and how compounded p. 152. 15. A discourse of the miserie of mans life vpon occasion of the Duke of Summersets death p. 165. 16. Of king Edwards death and how he left the state to the next succession 179. 17. A Comparison betweene king Iosias of Iuda and king Edward of England p. 187. Queene MARIE 18. OF Queene Marie and of the alteration of the State in the beginning of her gouernment pag. 191. 19. In what particulars Queene Marie did most offend the Catholike Faith p. 201. 20. Of certaine discontents whereat Queene Marie tooke great offence pag. 225. 21. Of rebellion a discourse p. 237. 22. A Comparison betweene Queene Marie of England and Katherine de Medicies Queene-mother of France p. 245. Queene ELIZABETH 23. OF the next Defendresse of the FAITH Queene Elizabeth and thorow what difficulties she attained the kingdome p. 249. 24. The first act of the Queenes defence for the Catholike Faith after she was Queene p. 262. 25. Of certaine state considerations which in respect of Policie might haue disswaded the Queene from reforming the state of Religion p. 268. 26. Of the care the Queene and State had to suppresse the enemies of the Catholike Faith p. 282. 27. Of what importance these statutes were in the 13. yeare of the Queene in respect of the Church and state p. 296. 28. Of the Christian care Queen Elizabeth had to defend certaine Christian Princes and their States p. 306. 29. A remembrance of some particulars wherein God hath defended this Defendresse of the Faith Queen Elizabeth p. 321. 30. Of Q. Elizabeth her resolute continuing in defence of the Catholike Faith p. 329. 31. Of the last Act of the Queenes defence for the Catholike Faith p. 333. King IAMES 32. OF the next Defendor of the Faith King Iames the Kings Maiesty that last was p. 335. 33. Of the Kings defending the Catholike Faith in Scotland before hee was King of England p. 343. 34. In what particulars King Iames our Souereigne hath principally defended the Catholike Faith p. 347. 35. A remembrance of some particulars whereby God hath wonderfully defended the Kings Maiesty p. 361. 36. Of the diuersity of Religions p. 364. THE HISTORIE of the Defendors of the CATHOLIKE FAITH AN INDVCTION to this History briefly declaring the variable change of times from the first beginning to the time of this present Historie CHAP. I. THE first time was in the first Creation for before God made things there could be no time time being a deriuing of things to such ends whereto in Gods decree they are directed For whatsoeuer is earthly euen man and the number of his trauells with their circumstances are bound by God to a necessity of time beyound which all the power of earth cannot reach Their opinion then is both foolish and wicked who imagine all things to happen by fortune and that there is a speciall power in the Orbs and Elements which they call Nature by which both heauen and earth and euery worke thereof is directed And this opinion of Atheisme is grounded vpon this doubt that whereas wee define God to bee the beginner of all things It is by them demanded where that God had his beginning and from what hee discended By which forme of reasoning they conclude against their owne vnbeleefe their doubting what should begin acknowledgeth a beginning the which beginning is God not that God himselfe had beginning but that all things had their essence and deriuation from him hee himselfe being infinite and without time For as in the figure of a Circle is not to bee found any limit or terme of beginning or ending So God within whose Circle all things bee that are in
I haue that my studies are and haue beene imployed in these honourable arguments For howsoeuer in all other things I am little in the fauour of Fortune Yet in this I acknowledge her liberalitie that this great Princesse by Fortune doth liue in the memorie of my writings CHAP. XXXI Of the last act of the Queenes defence for the Catholike Faith FIRST the last act of the Queens defence for the Catholike Faith was the care shee had at her death to surrender the charge of her high place to a Prince faithfull and assured and to such a one whom in her Princely iudgement shee had found fit to mannage a matter of that consequence And this was a care very Christian in the Queene and which declared the truth of her Religious affection For they that loue and desire the world onely and that haue no hope in the fauour of God or in the happinesse of heauen neuer trouble themselues to care for that which may outliue their life imagining that when they die the care of the world doth perish with them neither haue such any care to benefit posterity but content themselues with the prosperitie of their owne life But the holy care of Christians is otherwise and doth reach further than life euen to the length of all posteritie Secondly for the Queene in respect of ciuill life might haue thought it sufficient for her honour and for the discharge of her high place that she her selfe had finished her holy course with so great a commendation but in respect of Religious life she hath a further care to care to preuent all euil meanes which might any way ruine that frame which she with so much painefulnesse had erected And to this end the Queene hath a most Christian care commending the cause of the Christian Catholike Faith to the Faith and truth of the Kings Maiestie our souereigne that was whom by her last wil she interested to the title of her Crowne and to whom she made surrender of her office to defend the quarrell of the Catholike Faith Thirdly and if any man obiect that the Queenes nominating the Kings Maiestie at her death to inherit her kingdomes was of small merit in the Queene and of no furtherance to the Kings cause because of necessity the inheritance must haue discended to the King it being his Maiesties in Iustice and by the right of Law I answer that howsoeuer it is most true of the Kings inheritance and that it could not rightfully discend to any other yet considering the reuerence was had to the person of the Queene and the interest she had in the hearts of all her subiects it had bene dangerous if she had nominated any other to succeed her and it was her speciall prouidence that at that time she named the King to this inheritāce Fourthly againe there are others who haue blamed the Queene for not publishing this her good purpose to the King in her life time and haue thought that the open acknowledgement thereof was necessarie both to further the Kings peaceable entrance and to giue satisfaction to the doubtfull mindes of the Queenes subiects the ignorant vnlearned people being the greater part of the body of this Land and seeing they could not themselues satisfie this doubt it was needfull they should be instructed in the Kings lawfull title to the Crowne and that publike Proclamation should haue bene made in the Queenes life time to that end lest the simplicity of the common people when occasion might need them should be abused by false vnderstanding and drawne from their dutifull seruice which could not haue bene if the Queene before hand had declared the King her Successor and lawfull heyre Fifthly I answer these reasons are weake and of little consideration and that the Queene and her Counsell had many weighty reasons to diswade this publique proclaiming of the Kings right in the Queenes time And these reasons haue respect to the safetie of the Queene and her state and to the King and his title For by this meanes the King himselfe had care not to discontent the Queene but to continue his Grace in her fauourable estimation Againe it preuented enuie and the danger of conspiracies of such who haue bene named for competitors Lastly it was a meanes to preserue the Queenes reputation among her subiects a great part whereof would haue bene giuen the King before it was due if he had bene proclaimed heyre apparant to the Queene and Crowne which might haue proued dangerous to his person and dangerous to the state of these kingdomes For great men and the great spirits of men being intitled to much wealth and great dignities haue not many times the patience to attend their lawfull times but preuent time and take it before hand the which though it was most false in the kings particular yet was it needfull the wisedome of State should then regard it And therefore did Queene Elizabeth that which was most reasonable in it selfe most considerable for the king and the State of England and most conscionable for the discharge of her princely place whose honourable deeds I shall euer most willingly report to whose name I liue a seruant and whose praise I would not thus niggardly scant but that I vnderstand a man of much better ability in respect of all learned sufficiencie hath vndertaken that taske THis Phaenix Queene ELIZABETH is without Comparison OF THE NEXT DEFENDOR OF THE Faith King IAMES the Kings most excellent Majestie that last was CHAP. XXXII FIRST There is no wisedome in the world either of men or Angells that can certainly foresee the truth of future euents or determine what shall be the issue of those things which are held doubtfull For God hath not giuen to the nature of any Creature to know things before they be that being proper to himselfe onely who at one instant of time is able to comprehend the knowledge of all things both past present and to come For before things were did God ordeine what should be determine euery circumstāce of euery worke of Nature which in their appointed times were to follow And these infinite nūber of varieties doth he direct by his hand of prouidēce to those ends he hath determined shutting them vp in the meane time in the closet of his secret counsel whereinto the vnderstanding of any creature had neuer liberty to enter and when God shall please to bring them into act they are thē no more his secrets but common to the vnderstandings of al men that desire to know them So that they come not to mans knowledge before they passe from the secret of Gods counsell into act where before they are not knowne but onely to such choise particulers to whom God shall please to make them manifest For as no man is able to declare the fortunes of to morrow before the day be ended so in euery other
worke no creature is able certainely to determine what will be before it be all things in respect of humane indgement being iudged by their euents and not otherwise Secondly and therefore is calculating and the iudgement of Astrologie vncertaine and a very mockery hauing neither lawfulnesse nor Truth to giue it authority And though the Diuiner sometime hit the truth hee doth it not by any certaine direction but by hap and at peraduenture and so the blinde may hit the Butt and the reporter of many lies may fortune to tell a truth Thirdly and this false fore-iudging is of ordinary custome in the vse of all worldly affaires euery man almost aduenturing to Iudge before hand of euery accident and to determine how God shall determine of such and such occasions whereby they would tie God to a necessity and that needs hee must doe that which in their weake iudgement they imagine will bee done But God who is most absolute and able to doe whatsoeuer shall please himselfe deludeth the vaine imaginations of men and out of the greatest vnlikelihoods can hee frame that which is most desired and least hoped neither is hee as man to iudge by apparance or by the consequence of humane reason but out of death can he raise life out of miserie mercie and in the greatest expectation of warre blood and persecution can he giue peace safetie and preseruation Fourthly Wee haue happie instance of this in the fortunes of the Kings Maiestie that last was King Iames our Souereigne whom God most gratiously and beyond all expectation did protect making him fortunate to the honour of his owne name and for the happinesse of these Nations combining by him two euer disagreeing nations in the neerest bonds of Loue and Brotherhood And this did God make prosperous beyond our hopes and beyound the euill desires of them who loued vs not For if we remember the latter time of Queene Elizabeths reigne and the hard condition of those times we shall then finde how much the mercie of God hath exceeded our hopes and how much the generall opinion was deceiued in the construction of that euent men generally expecting the miserie of warre and ciuill strife when God did reach vs his mercie and the large demonstration of his loue Fifthly And in truth in respect of likely hood both Nations England and Scotland had reason to haue feared more and hoped lesse then happened it being not likely to succeed as it did and that a people inueterate in quarrell and warlike contention should in such peaceable manner shake hands and conspire mutually one thing which for many hundreds of yeares before did euer disagree which is more in a matter so important as was the vniting of both kingdomes in the gouernement of one absolute Souereigne Neither was it likely there wanted then the practise of forreigne States especially of such as enuied our prosperity and loued vs not which might trauell to hinder this happie coniunction whereby our strength became double so much as before and therefore our enemies would couet rather to suppresse than to inlarge vs least we hauing the kingdome of Scotland to assist vs which before was commonly either enemie or newter might proue vnresistable in the fortune of warre who before we had it were so often Conquerours Sixthly And this assuredly was a matter very considerable for them to preuent and such as the Pollitique wisedome of States men would carefully apprehend For in the disoretion of State affaires it is better and of lesse difficultie to preuent the augmentation of our enemies power then when it is augmented to scatter it And those things in the opportunity of their times are of easie reach which afterwards in a time vnfit proue vnaccessable not within our compas and this Iudgement could not want in them who most carefully search the secrets of all pollicie and trauell their wits to apprehend and contriue all aduantages yet notwithstanding all these occasions which in common iudgement might haue letted the Kings peaceable entrance into this Kingdome did God bring him vnder the protection of his fauour in security and peace and with generall acclamation binding the enuie of all opposition and making his enemies shew themselues his friendly entertainers the antiēt enemies of this kingdom to congratulate his Kingly inheritance And this did God with such admirable demonstration of his fauour as that his Maiestie and his Subiects of both kingdomes haue good cause to remember it for euer most thankefully whose life God did wonderfully preserue and whose fortunes hee did highly aduance leading him thorow many difficulties and dangers to a faire inheritance to inherit the obedience and faithfull seruice of a people faithfull fortunate and assured whom his predecessors the Kings of Scotland did euer most feare as their most able enemie whom his Maiesty euer found his most trusty and assured Subiects and this was done with such prosperity and forward successe that the report of the Q. death was scarce named in our neighbour kingdomes but this report of the kings peaceable entrance was farre off generally knowne the good newes of the kings entring outstripping the euill newes of the Queenes death to the comfort of all good men and to the admiration of all men Seuenthly neither was there need as it was thought that the King and his Subiects of Scotland should for this cause haue put themselues into the hazard of vncertaine warre whereby the Kings right might haue indured wrong and Truth haue stood at the discretion of warre which had bene very dangerous and that which our enemies most hoped but the happie issue was otherwise for neither was there any to lift vp his daring hand to resist his Maiestie neither had the King any vse for weapons but onely wore them for ornament and to giue names of honour to such men whom hee thought did or might deserue them Eighthly And thus did God giue vs life when we feared death peace when we feared warre a king when we had none a Prince a Patron and a most noble Defendor of the Catholike Faith vnder whose protection we enioyed peace plenty security And therfore happie were we in his gratious gouernment and happie was his Maiesty whom God found worthie to succeed in the royall seate and in the holy cares of that most famous Defendress of the Faith Queen Elizabeth CHAP. XXXIII Of the Kings defending the Catholike Faith in Scotland before he was King of England FIRST there is nothing of our owne wherein wee may iustly glory but in well-doing because when we doe any work of Grace the Spirit of God moueth in vs and prouoketh vs to holy exercise And therein onely we may worthily esteeme of our selues because we are accepted of God and vsed as his holy-instruments And in this had the Kings Maiestie much to glory
most Christian and most Princely labours are diuulged and laid open before the generall face of the world whereby that man of sin is with euidence discouered and all his painted Pollitique Religion laid nakedly open in the true formes of his false worship and whereby Christian Emperours Kings and Potentates are induced by the authorities of reason and particuler example to combine with God and Gods Lieftenants Christian Princes against all forreigne confederacie whatsoeuer These workes of Religious Learning in the King as they were of maruellous import and strength to the Catholike Cause so also they made much for the Kings sacred honour and will vndoubtedly remaine to all posterity as ornaments of his princely worth and inducements to inflame with sacred zeale the affections of his princely Progenie to honour and inlarge the reputation of Religion and Learning And howsoeuer his malitious lying enemie Tortus or the Cardinall his Master Bellarmine would disgrace the Kings sufficiencie in this kinde of learning and would therefore father his Maiesties worke vpon his Subiect of lesse authority yet are these iniuries both knowne and iudged by many thousands both of this and of other Nations that haue had experience of his extraordinary indouments the truth whereof it is not possible his owne Subiects can report without suspition of flatterie Eleuenthly I conclude then that the Kings Maiesty most noblely defended the Catholike Faith against all the enemies and principally against these two great ones the Papist and the Puritan Obseruations Diuine Pollitique Morall FIRST there was neuer any time wherein God had not some Patron to giue the cause of his Church Sanctuarie for though it be often in distresse it is neuer in destruction Secondly the Kings proceeding against the Papists and the Puritans did well distinguish the quallities of their offence and declare his owne integrity for though he proceeded against both yet with some distinction of fauour For the Puritan was the lesse enemie being enemie to the peace onely but the Papist both to the peace and truth of the Catholike Faith Thirdly Men measure the dgrees of loue and hate according to the quallity of the cause that moues the passion But in particular relations the personall respect doth often preuaile aboue the cause For passion is much more strong when it is vnited in one particuler Subiect rather than when it is deuided vnto a multitude CHAP. XXXV A remembrance of some particulers wherein God wonderfully defended King IAMES FIRST there was neuer any Prince in the world who had more cause to acknowledge Gods fauour then King Iames who trauelled his Princely life from his Cradle to his age thorow many dangerous fortunes whom God still supported against the most able and the most subtill practises of his enemies For if we reduce to memorie the many dangers of his life in Scotland and how in that kingdome his enemies did conspire against his life and State there is in that time and place matter enough of admiration But if that were not and that wee remembred his fortunes in England onely in those few yeares of his gouernement here wee shall finde matter of more than admiration and such conspiracie and damned practises as would amaze and with horror affright the hearts of tyrants and bloody practisers Secondly and for Scotland first to omit many of lesse note I remember that very dangerous conspiracie of the Gowries onely a practise brought to that ripenesse as that the King might seeme to be fast in the snare his enemies had laid to betray him yet did God in a trice breake their snare free the King and destroy the Diuellish deuisers of that proiect This story is well knowne and therefore it need not my report being alreadie related by such who haue had better cause to know the truth of euery circumcumstance and yet in this place doth it merit to bee named both for the rarenesse of the practise and for the greatnesse of Gods deliuerance Thirdly at the Queenes death also did God wonderfully assist the King and fauour the prosperity of his fortunes for at that time when the enemies of our State and the enemies of our Faith did hopefully beleeue that the enmity of these two kingdomes England and Scotland would vpon this occasion haue renued their antient quarrells and thereby haue interrupted the Kings peaceable entrance into this kingdome yet was the euent otherwise no little disturbance letting his Maiesties forward entring whereby God did mocke the expectation of his enemies and assuredly exceed the expectation of all men Fourthly that neuer to be forgotten treason of blowing vp with powder a destruction ment to the King the Queene the Prince the State the house of State the Church the Monuments of the Church the bones and Sepultures of Princes a destruction lesse mercifull then the generall Flood because more sudden and yet all most generall too the very naming whereof may serue for euer to prouoke the people of this kingdom to acknowledge their dutifull thankes to God by whose hand onely this mighty deliuerance was wrought Fifthly By these particulers out of many may appeare how God did wonderfully protect the person of that King suffering him to enter so farre into danger as that he might haue bene said to haue stood in the verie gates of death the match being readily prepared to fire that powder which if it had bene fired had committed the greatest Slaughter that euer at one instant of time happened May God therefore for euer be praised who preuented so great a destruction and let his prouidence be for euer admired who hath thus defended the Defendors of the Catholike Faith CHAP. XXXVI Of the diuersity of Religions FIRST the diuersity of Religions is one maine cause that deuideth the world into so many disagreements the maintainers of euery seuerall Sect disclaiming and persecuting al diuersity iudging such for prophāe out of Gods protection that conspire not with them in their opinion of Religion And heerehēce it is that the name of Iew or Turke is odious to a Christian the name of Christian odious to them they iudging vs and we iudging thē Anathemates cursed people Secondly neither is this contention onely in these opposites of Christian and heathen but the heathen among themselues and the Christians among themselues are deuided into many bitter differences the Turke against the Persian both against the Iew and so in many other particulars of the barbarous people Among the Christians also the Papist against the Protestāt the Protestāt against the Papist the Puritan against them both besides many other subdiuisions So that the Christians in these times haue as many seuerall Religiōs as the old heathen Pagans had Gods and that Idolatrie which the people of the old world committed by hauing multiplicity of Gods did the people of these times cōmit by their
Kings left their States to holy ends but euill successors Both of them fortunate to their Kingdomes The honour of King Edward Q. Elizabeth Q. Marie The change shee made in the Church of England The light of Truth put out The Queene obscured the glory of this Nation The purpose of the Historie of this Queenes time The truth of History must not for any consideration be concealed The inconuenience of misreporting the truth of Historie Queene Marie her extraordinarie induments of Nature Q. Elizabeth incomparable Nature without grace doth merit nothing The least gift of grace is more worth then the whole riches of Nature The gifts of Grace The gifts of nature without grace are dangerous in him that hath them The motion of Grace is 〈◊〉 against Nature The Queene an enemie to her selfe The Q. great ouersight Gardiner Bonner the Queenes euill instruments The Q good nature much abused She entred her gouernment with great Tyranniâ— Those wee trust most may best deceiue vs. A bad perswasion These euill Counsellors much deceiued God raiseth a new generation of holy men from the ashes of Martyrdome 1 King 12. 10 Their Counsell was wicked pollicie but no pietie A respect of pollicie Gardiner the euill spirit which most tempted the Queene to her seueritie The power of conscience Diuine Pollitique Morall The Duke of Northumberland The Duke guilty of his fortunes In respect of State The Q. first offence Gardiner Bonner and others The cruelties of these times A double respect How the Q. began her gouernement D. Cranmer and others The Papists In restoring the Abbeyes The euill of a bloody life In respect of State Idle and euil vsers of wealth The Queene in her iudgement condemned her Father The Queene erecteth that Idolatrie which her Father had defaced E contrario The worst of the Queenes euills Her establishing of Poperie Her full opposition against the Catholike Faith Her forwardnes in punishing Mans nature The alteration of Religion is preiudiciall to the CommoÌ„-Wealth The Q conscience abused The Pope hath not principality proper The Q. ouersight The English nation dishonoured by the Queene The Q. persecutions of holy men No profession of Religion but the Popes that thinke to merit by blood persecution Christians must beare the Crosse not make it The example â—f Christ. Mercy the 〈…〉 gift of grace The Martyrs The vehemencie of this persecution For his booke of Acts and Monuments Strange examples of enuie The graue is euery mans Sanctuary The doome of Nature Note A reuenge like the reuenge of Diuels This persecution equall with them of the Primitiue Church King Philip of Spaine The confederacie of the Spaniâ—h King and the Pope The Iesuites supported by the Spanish King Rome and Spaine the ladders of one anothers rising 〈◊〉 respect of State The Spanish King bound to certaine conditions No obligatioÌ„ can binde the desire of the ambitious Note The inconuenience of the Queenes Marriage The greatnes of Spaine The expectation of Spaine Portingale England the supporter of Spaine The inconuenience In respect of pollicie The Queene neither pollitique nor holy The prouidence of God in this businesse Queene Elizabeth The hope of King Henrie his issue The gouernment when she was Q. Queene Elizabeth incomparable What hurt the Q. death had bene to ChristeÌ„dome Iudith and Holophernes The glorie of Queene Elizabeths deeds In respect of State The inconuenience The glory of the English Natiâ—◠〈…〉 of Q. Elizabeth King Iames our Soueraigne God onely preuented the euill purpose of euill men Queene Marie led to dishonourable ends The cause the perswasion of her conscience Winchester Gardiner Nothing can perswade like conscience Who are most powerfull to perswadevs Men seeming deuout are best able to deceiue The ground of euill pollicie Who are the chiefe plotters and actors of treasons Why Priests are most fit for treasons The office of Iesuits By whom the Queenes nature was most abused Who they be that trouble the peace of Israel Diuine Pollitique Morall No man can free himselfe from Discontent The greatest 〈…〉 seruitude The error of common iudgement The power of patience A moderation in griefe For griefe is the true physicke of the minde The euill of discontentment Queene Maries punishment The trouble of her conscience Her owne iudgement of her owne proceedings Her Nature Protestants The queenes griefe Gardiner Bonner Gen. 34. 30. The Queene veri much in her selfe offended How the power of Princes is limited The reason Faction Faction The torment of an offended conscience King Philip of Spaine Her want of issue The natures of women The Kings not regarding her Her iealousie of her own merit The queenes deseruing of King Philip. The queenes offence in respect of King Philip very causefull The third cause of her Discontent was the losse of Callis Note Prouocations to French warres Callis the key of France The reason of the Queenes griefe for the losse of Callis The rebellion of her subiects Rebellion a cause that the gouernement is suspected What is required in the person of a Prince The forward successe of the Rebells One chiefe cause why they failed in their proiect Sir Thomas Wyat of Kent God the enemie of all Conspirators Gods mercie in thus punishing the Queene The mercie of God to this Nation in the Queenes death Diuine Pollitique Morall The diuers opinions of men in this Argument This controuersie must be iudged by Religion and not by pollicie The Testimonie of God the best authority Religion and Pollicie two diuers The differeÌ„ce of their ends and practise How to reconcile piety and pollicie The Popes haue abused the Christian Faith The Pope doth challenge authority to licence Rebellion How the Pope doth inrich himselfe The Pope no follower of any holy example In respect of State practise The example of King Dauid Dauid would not conspire the death of Saul though he were a Reprobate Dauid refuseth the offer of opportunitie to reueÌ„ge 1 Sam. 24. v. 5 6 7. Arare example of a holy King Note 1 Sam. 2. 6. 9 Dauid and the Pope disagree in their opinions An Italian prouerbe Count Baltezer The example of Christ. God who only maketh Kings can onely depose them No earthly power can giue licensce for Rebellion All traytors oppose against Gods prouidence The Pope his Dispensation Queene Mary Queene Katherine Commiseration and Christian pittie The woman a weake Sexe The venemous nature of the Romish doctrine Saint Bartholmewes supper of Sâ—ulâ—â— The differeÌ„t nature of two Sisters The day and night diuide the yeare The differeÌ„ce of good and bad The differeÌ„ce of Natures Of King Henries happinesse God is double as much in mercie as in Iudgement Queene Elizabeth is helper to cure the wounds her Sister had made in the State Wherein we may behold the deserts of Queene Elizabeth The highest of her deserts In respect of greatnesse goodnesse Virgin Marie Queene Elizabeth most excellent in the respects of mercie and Maiesty Disparagement King Iames. The Queene matchlesse for Maiestie
in the world saue her sister the most famous Elizabeth who hath exceeded her and al the world in the honour of true deseruing Fourthly Yet notwithstanding all these rare excellencies of nature merit little but only pittie for if the best beauty of nature haue not the benefit of grace the greatest ornaments therof are then but punishment to them that so enioy them And therefore they that haue not the gifts of grace haue nothing of worth though they haue all that nature can giue them and happie had Q. Marie bene if nature had giuen her lesse and grace more because any little breath of Gods Spirit is more worth than all other blessings whatsoeuer For nature adornes the body grace the soule of euery one that hath it commonly where the power of wit great spirit is in any one Subiect not moderated by grace they are then meanes to make the enioyers of them most dangerous instruments because nature cannot moue it self to good but naturally to euill and as the naturall motion is more easie to the mouer than the violent So the gifts of nature are more inclinable to euill than to good ends being moued to euill by their owne proper motion but to goodnesse by the motion of grace which in all naturall things is violent against nature And therfore was the Q. more dangerous hauing so much of nature because she was therby armed for euill the want of grace making her runne her natural course her great spirit other naturall induments spurring her forward in her euill passage whereby she became enemie to her self mouing her self to her own destruction Fifthly But that which made Q. Marie monstrous in her euill was the two much credit she gaue to euill counsell suffering her selfe to be transported by the violent spirits of euill and reuengefull men who conceiuing a grounded displeasure for some hard vsage they indured in K. Edwards time now take aduantage to reuenge the cause for which they had indured displeasure these men like euill spirits breathed the spirits of indignation into the Queenes heart moued her to effect most bloodie horrible deeds to the great displeasure of God and dishonour of her princely place Sixthly for it cannot be imagined that a Ladie of her spirit being in humane respects mercifull compassionate would haue entred her gouernement with such tyrannie terror bearing in both hands destruction like Reuenge her self entring the stage of her gouernement with fire blood had she not bene moued thereto by euil perswasion Neither can it be but the Q. conscience would condemne the course of her violent proceeding that she would iudge the large effusioÌ„ of christiaÌ„ blood stood not with the honour of her name nor with the Truth of Religion yet so powerfull is the authority of them we trust especially in the case of Religion and conscieÌ„ce as that many times we suffer our selus to be led against our own perswasioÌ„s by a reuerence we beare to other mens opinioÌ„s Seuenthly And this no doubt was the cause why the Queene was so resolued in in her bloodie persecutions shee giuing credit to their perswasion whom shee reputed most Reuerend and Learned and they perswading her she could not discharge the office of her Soueraigne place nor defend the Catholike Faith but by the extirping the Protestant Religion which in their opinion was Heresie in the highest degree neither could shee as they thought suppresse the generall fauour that profession had got in generall estimation but by seuerity rigorous laws wherein they were farre deceiued For it is impossible that any Pollicie of man should be able to supplant Gods Husbandrie which he hath made prosperous the Truth whereof is manifest in the experience of these persecuting times when as the death of one holy man was the life of many God raising a holy generation out of the ashes of his holy Martyrs the Church not decresing but increasing by the stroake of persecution And in this case was the Queene counselled as Rehoboams was by his young states men to make the yoake of persecution heauie whereas her Father did chastise with rodds she should correct with scourges and this was the euill counsell wherewith the Queene was ordered for shee made her yoake heauier than all her Predecessors had done and in truth insupportable for any true Christian Professor Eightly And therefore this Counsell of theirs may haue Pollicie but no Piety for if the State in King Edwards time had vsed Gardiner and Bonner with like seuerity and had taken from them their euill liues which they had iustly forfeited then had not these euill Ministers bene the cause of so much blood shed neither happily should the Queene haue had any such as they to haue prouoked her to such dishonour and vngodly practise for it is needfull Pollicie that the haughty spirits of men that haue authority and greatnesse must either not be offended or being moued to offence must bee then made sure from taking Reuenge And it had bene good for the Christian State that the ambitious spirit of Winchester had either not bene discontented by his disgrace and imprisonment or being so offended to haue made him sure from reuengefull practise and if this had thus come to passe no doubt much Christian blood had bene saued which by his meanes perished Neither had the Queene come into that ignominy of blood and cruelty shee being in her own Nature rather inclined to pittie and mercifull respect then otherwise And therefore though the time of Queene Maries gouernement was the most bloodie persecution that euer was in this Land I thinke euer since it had a Christian Prince yet was this Ladie otherwise disposed in her owne Nature neither would shee haue made her name so monstrous in blood had not her conscience perswaded a necessity shee being so resolued by their perswasion who shee thought had authority to iudge her Obseruations Diuine Pollitique Morall FIRST Diuinity doth admit no distinction of men but the difference of good and bad for Gods fauour doth not look as mans doth men iudge by externall but God by internall euidence God is no accepter of persons but men accept nothing but the persons of men and therfore it is often seene that thus God and the world diuide their seueralls God markes his with Grace the world hers with Nature and Fortune Secondly It is a pollicie of long practise and large proofe that Priests Iesuites and men of spirituall function are appointed for State designes as the most pregnant and conuenient mâ—n for they haue this odds that besides their helps of learning and much experience they haue alwaies the reuerence of their profession which vndoubtedly with people of their owne faith doth gaine them and their perswasions extraordinary credit Thirdly It is a prouidence worthy of
her brother had redeemed it Ninthly And from this act of Q. Maries did proceed another equally euill or worse whereby she hath got a name of blood and crueltie and whereby she hath run her selfe into the highest degree of euill and this was the persecution of holy and faithfull men slaughtering Gods Saints with such fury and heathenish heate as may well declare the Religion and Faith of the persecutors For there is no profession of Christian Religion in all the world except the Papisticall that thinke to merit by murder blood and persecution neither is there any that haue made their names so odious by the effusion of Christian blood as they whereby they haue made themselues the friends or Antichrist but enemies to God and to the truth of his holy Gospell God hauing commanded his seruants to suffer and not to inflict afflictions for a Christians profession is to beare the Crosse and not to make it and in euery euill worke holy men must suffer and wicked men doe for such was the condition of Christ the Lord of Christians bearing the rebukes of all men applying his sacred hands to heale the infirmities of men and not to wound and destroy them and as in the Nature of God his mercie doth reioyce ouer all his workes so all the sonnes of Grace delight in the workes of mercie and abhorre the deeds of miserie and desire to preserue and not to destroy the Images of God nor the Temples of his holy Spirit for such were these holy Martyrs who in this time of Queene Mary witnessed the truth of their Christian profession in the burning flames of persecution and cruell torture Tenthly So great was the persecution in these times as that no Sex no age nor any condition of men were spared the blind the aged and the Infant sleeping in the holy death of Martyrdome And if wee may beleeue the remembrance of those miseries as they are recorded then children new borne at the stake did perish at the stake little but holy Martyrs giuing their liues as soone as they had them for the witnesse of their Lord Christ Iesus and his truth an example of strange and incomparable crueltie yet did the enuie of these times reach further to the Sepultures of holy men deceassed where the persecutions euen there also would triumph raking vp the bones and ashes of good men and after with great Ceremonie and acclamation burne them a reuenge very admirable and such as onely the mallice of the diuel could deuise For the Graue is euery mans Sanctuarie from which no man nor no offence can take him without the breach of the Lawes of Nature and humanitie and to persecute and burne mens bones the life hauing long before left them is a Iudgement most mercilesse for the doome of Nature will haue one man to die but once neither ought reuenge to reach the graues of our greatest enemies it being enough for any that his enemy is dead but more then crueltie to reuiue his death and to make him die againe And therefore as Iob did blame his vncomfortable friend because they did persecute him as God and were not content with his flesh So wee may lawfully condemne this Popish persecution because they reuenge like Diuels and are not content with the Death of them they loue not but will then persecute the body when they cannot the soule God hauing taken that into his bosome of mercie and into the saftie of his protection Eleuenthly And if we truly consider the bloody persecution of Queene Maries time and with what vehemency it was moued it will appeare to be of like crueltie with them of the heathen Emperours in the Primitiue Church not for the number though very many but for the manner and cruell circumstance Twelfthly Againe the Queene in marrying with King Philip of Spaine may bee said to haue offended the Catholike Faith because by that meanes shee tooke away all hope to be reclaimed from the stiffe defence of Popish superstition the King of Spaine being in most neare confederacie with the Pope And this how preiudiciall it was to the profession of the Catholike Faith may be easily considered hee being chosen to assist the Queene in her defence of faith by whom the enemies of faith were principally to be supported and one so nearely bound to the Popes fauour in respect of State practise the Pope and the Spanish King being one anothers Ladder whereby they haue ascended the steps of reputation and worldly greatnesse 13. Againe if wee regard the care of State the Queenes marriage with the Spanish King was not for the prosperitie and honour of the English Nation but rather a meanes to depresse the glory thereof For howsoeuer the Queene and the State did articulate with King Philip thinking thereby they had secured the souereigntie of England by binding him to certaine Limitations yet was that no assurance but onely a false colour to blinde and satisfie the grosse vnderstandings of the vulgar lest by Rebellion and tumult they should oppose themselues against that purpose for it is not to be thought that any obligation can binde such men as aspire soueraigntie neither is it in the practise of great States to binde themselues but onely for aduantage and then to cast off their bonds when their practise is ripe and when they dare discouer their true intentions For bonds to him that hath power to breake them rather offend then profit and in great Spirits the remembrance to bee tyed to any Conditions doth beget in them a desire of Libertie and provokes them to breake that faith whereunto they are obliged And from this marriage of Queene Marie what could be hoped but either ciuill strife in disposing the Succession which by this meanes might haue had many Competitors or else that this Kingdome and the dominions thereof belonging should haue bene vnited to the Soueraigntie of Spaine which already like Hydra is become monstrous in largenesse hauing vnited to that one body many heads many large dominions And if this had succeeded which no doubt was the expectation of Spaine then had the glory of this Isle euen then perished and our condition had bene alike miserable as is now that heretofore famous Kingdome of Portingale and other great States by him obtained And this kingdome which heretofore hath benee the supporter of that should then haue stood at discretion loosing the soueraigatie and fortunate honour which worthily had made it very famous the ambition of that State rising by the fall of ours the misery of this raysing the glory of that and we of Conquerors should haue bene seruants and slaues to that people whom before we had conquered and they by our oppression should haue wanted a power to haue restrained them from the generall Conquest of Christendome the which by vs hath principally
And this was to the Queene so great offence as they onely can conceiue who haue endured the torment of an offended conscience Fourthly Another cause of Queene Maries discontent was King Philip her husband who either in truth or as she thought did not so louingly respect her as the sacred bonds of marriage required neither had shee issue by him according to her owne hope and the expectation of her Subiects and this did very much offend the Queenes patience being by the Nature of her Sex most inclinable to apprehend such discourtesie and the rather because of her princely place and the great spirit of Maiestie which shee wanted not For the Kings not regarding or his cold regarding her did conclude that in his opinion she wanted of that worthinesse he had formerly imagined and that shee did not merit the truth of his loue and most kind affection whereto his bond of Marriage did binde him his not regarding her debasing her in worth and estimation whereat shee might worthily take offence the rather because the Queene in her owne election had preferred him to her loue and to the honour of that Marriage before all other Princes in Christendome communicating with him the honours of her Crowne and Dignities to the hazzard of her life and State being contrary to the generall liking of her Subiects and for which had bene very dangerous Rebellion in her kingdome And therefore this offence taking of the Queene was very causefull and vpon iust consideration conceiued shee hauing done so much for him that deserued so little and he not recompensing the merit of her high deseruing Fifthly A third cause of Queene Maries griefe was the losse of Callis a towne of most importance for the English State especially considering the quarrell of those two kingdomes England and France who besides the English claime to that Crowne Dignity haue euer had an honourable Contention to exceed each other in the reputation of Armes and warlike exercise neither is it in reason to bee hoped that these two warlike Nations shall alwayes conspire peace and for euer forget the emulation and glorious conquests of former times hauing these maine prouocations to hinder it the nearenesse of place the equallity of power the difference of Religion and the claime to the lawfull inheritance the least of which occasions may serue to incense a forward spirit with desire of honourable Warre and Conquest And then considering the importance of the Towne of Callis for the English wars and how by hauing it the passage was euer open to enter that kingdome and being recouered by the French England may be then said to haue lost the key by which it hath heretofore so easily entred In these respects had the Queene good cause to grieue at so dishonourable a losse and the rather it being lost by a meane power and in little space which had bene honourably defended many years against the whole power of France and what other enuie soeuer to the glorie of her predecessors the disaduantage of her Successors and her owne perpetuall dishonour Sixtly lastly the rebelling of her subiects did very much discontent her because shee thereby vnderstood how her gouernment was disliked by many of her best Subiects For though it bee not a necessary Conclusion that where there is Rebellion there the State is misgouerned yet is Rebellion euer a cause that the gouernment is suspected and those grieuances that are able to prouoke such numbers of people against their Souereigne are generally belieued to arise vpon more then common considerations And therefore it is required in the person of a Prince not onely to bee of worthie deseruing but also to seeme to be such because it is most needfull for them to satisfie opinion without which no Prince in the world can be said to be great Seuenthly Againe the Rebells had such forward successe in their attempting as thereby they did much distresse the Queene and threaten the fortunes of her state For if the proiect had proceeded according to their plot and as it was deuised by the chiefe Conspirators the issue was likely to haue proued much more dangerous But Sir Thomas VVyat one of the chiefe Conspirators imagining the proiect was reuealed discouered himselfe in Armes before the practise was Ripe and before the time agreed vpon whereby he was vnassisted by his other Confederates and the practise by this meanes became abortiue and perished by vntimely birth which in likelyhood had otherwise succeeded if the whole power of the Conspirators had bene vnited Sir Thomas onely with his Countrie-men of Kent hauing done so much as may seeme to haue wanted but little to haue finished the whole businesse And this no doubt was GODS worke who is enemie to euerie euill practise bee the pretence neuer so fare and reasonable Eighthly Those and many other occasions of Discontent had Queene Marie whereby God gaue her to vnderstand how much he was displeased with her bloodie gouernement and whereby it may be he had mercie on her weakenesse in laying these gentle corrections on her who had deserued the seuerity of his angrie Iustice she being most vniust most seuere in her persecuting the Children of faith whom by the authority of her princely place shee was bound to protect The God of mercy be for euer praised who hath ended in this Kingdome the miserie of persecution making it die in the Death of Queene Marie in whose gouernement it had got authority and life and may it euer please God to deriue vpon his Church of England a perpetuall succession of holy and resolute Defendors of the Catholike Faith to the honour of Gods diuine Maiestie the good of his beloued Children the Children of Faith and the true glorie of the English Nation Amen Obseruations Diuine Pollitique Morall FIRST Gods temporall afflictions are mercies for they doe but remember vs our sinnes and inuite our repentance yet they haue contrarie effects in contrarie subiects For to some they are physicke to others poyson they rectifie some and destroy others This difference haue the elect and the reprobate Secondly The common pretenced quarrell in all Rebellions is either Religion or vsurpation of Empire yet neither of these can giue successe to such treasonable attempts because they that would alter and transpose of Gods gouernement and his officers doe but fight against his prouidence and contradict God in his owne appointments In this case then the best Pollicie is for men with patience to suffer and let God with victorie doe Thirdly Discontentment is such a sicknesse in the soule as that where it is vnmoderated there is a necessarie distruction Therefore the wise Morall man will oppose this enemie with reason and inuincible patience and outtrude him from all society with his thoughts For if there be any thing on Earth that can resemble hell it is
common knowne enemies of a vertuous life is a victorie which morall men haue obtained and doth assuredly iustifie for good the happie composition of such a Nature Seuenthly To maintaine correspondence and indifferent fauour in mutuall societie is most necessarie to a mans happie condition because he that hath the fauour of generall opinion hath interest in euerie mans estate CHAP. XXVI Of the care the Queene and State had to depresse the enemies of the Catholike Faith FIRST the best witnesse of a Christian life is Mercie and the best demonstration of mercie is that fauour that men shew to their enemies for such kindnesse is against the perswasion of flesh and onely caused by the mouing of Grace And therefore mercie euen in an euill man doth merit admiration at the least and to be reputed as a beautious ornament in a base subiect But mercy in the good is a most worthie commendation and a worthinesse for which God will exchange his best benefits For there is nothing wherein God is more delighted then the workes of Mercie in the heauenly exercise whereof hee himselfe is wonderfully contented gladding his most sacred diuinity that in Mercie hee doth triumph and that his mercie hath the greatest part in all his workings Secondly And as this respect of mercie hath preheminence in the Nature of God so hath it also in the reformed natures of good men who desire principally to square themselues to this most holy proportion And in this gratious respect of mercie hath Queene Elizabeth equalled the best Princes that euer were so rarely was this Queene composed of Mercie and Maiestie as that in Maiestie she may iustly be reputed most excellent yet in Mercie more excellent than in Maiestie the which she would often declare euen to the enemies of her life and soule For often would she reach her hands of fauour to them whose hands were euer readie to her destruction This truth is most euident in the view of her gratious gouernement who abhorred their death who most traiterously sought hers and suffered such peacefully to enioy their euill consciences who practised to destroy her for her zeale and constancie in the Catholike Faith Thirdly For if the Papists in the time of Queene Marie or if now in such places where that Religion is profest were or had bene so mercifull in the iudgement of their Lawes as Queene Elizabeth was the time of her gouernement then had not those times bene stayned with the crying sinnes of Blood and Persecution neither had the bodies of Saints perished in that abundance at the holy fires of Martyrdome May it therefore be for euer recorded for the honour of Queene Elizabeths name that her mercie was more to the bad then theirs to the better sort of people and that in this most gratious indument she is most worthie to bee compared with the most mercifull Prince that euer was Fourthly The first yeares of her gouernment may sufficiently proue this her mercifull disposition in which time the fauour of her hardest Lawes were such as that her greatest enemies the enemies of her life and Religion could not but acknowledge them very mercifull seeking onely to reforme not to destroy the estate or life of any one Fifthly Vpon this aduantage the euill spirits of men practise against her life and dignitie For it is not possible that the inueterate enuie of men can be satisfied by any manner of faire perswasion or suppressed by any violent meanes vnlesse seuerity reach to the verie life of one so enuious for mercie to an euill man maketh him presumptuous and seuerity maketh him desperate So that this disease of enuie is not curable vnlesse God please to doe it For in this peacefull time of the Q when mercy was so generally conferd did the Pope the enemie of Faith the great Polititian of the world deuise dangerous proiects against the Q. and the state of Religion in England the which he prosecuted with much instance and withall the forcible meanes he could deuise The course he tooke was answerable to the practise of former Popes anathemating banning the Queene from the hope of saluatiō interdicting her Kingdomes and absoluing her subiects from the dutie of their naturall obedience commanding vpon paine of damnation to doe that which in the Iudgement of Gods Law is damnation to doe This instrument Pius Quintus the Pope sent ouer into England and according to his vngodly command was it diuulged and spread before the generall face of this Kingdome whereby many of the Queenes people in the North and in places of least knowledge and ciuility reconcile themselues to the Popes fauour and like Calues ran wilde after the lowing of this curst and cursing Bull sent forth by the impious Pope Pius Sixthly The Queene and State apprehending the danger of these proceedings and knowing how hazzardous it might be to her life and state to suffer this violence to passe without resistance Call a Parliament and there agree vpon such Statutes as in their wisedomes were thought most conuenient to preuent the mischiefe intended against the Queenes life her State and the Catholike Faith Seuenthly The cause then mouing the Queene and State to enact those lawes which they call seuerity was themselues by reason of their turbulent and euill spirits desiring innouation yea and inuasion who if they could haue bene content with the benefit of peace which they thē enioyed wherewith the holy men of all ages haue bene most gladly contented they had then preuented those lawes which they so much condemne neither had they runne their names nor their cause of Religion into that suspition of the State as by these their treasonable designes they haue most iustly merited But it is antient and true that from euill manners are deriued good and wholsome lawes and they by desire to harme the state they did arme it with wholsome and prouident lawes whereby it was made the better able to preuent and resist their harmefull intentions And from their euill is this Good occasioned that by attempting euill and by fayling in that attempt they haue curbed their owne power and shortned their owne hornes wherewith they and their Bulls had thought to haue pusht the glory of this Nation And therefore was their Iudgement an effect of their owne cause and most iustly inflicted on them For God doth retort the euill purposes of men against the contriuers of them and they that make snares and traps to catch men are oftentimes snared in their owne deuises Eighthly But yet those lawes which they call seuerity were milde and mercifull and not proportionable to the greatnesse of their offence neither like in crueltie to the bloodie lawes in the time of Queene Maries gouernement against the constant professors of the Protestāt Religion the purpose of these Statutes being to secure the Queene and to continue her subiects in their