doth but lightly touch the continued malice of the popish faction against her Maiestie euer since her first comming to the crowne and that rather to warne the carelesse subiect to take héede of such an enimie and to point at such pernicious traytors then to hurt such as haue béene and yet are abused by the craft and practise of others and are not themselues actors nor factious nor malicious to their countrey To hurt quiet men albeit abused by false colour of old religion it was no part of his purpose But séeing this simple Noddie hath no more reason but to bare and touch that wounde which béeing séene and touched must néedes gréeue many and shame all the faction of papists that haue shame to heare their owne and their consorts most abominable practises discouered I am content to méete him in this encounter and examine whether it bée true or no that is commonly reported concerning the practises of papists against her Maiestie and this state If any mislike this course let him deale with the Noddie that drew mée into it For mine owne part I was vnwilling to quarrell with them but séeing they will néedes stande vpon termes and challenge others I coulde not choose but answere Neuer any thing in this Realme did more displease the papistes then the match betwixt king Henry the eight and her Maiesties mother the Lady Anne Bollenne for thereby not onely the popes authority to dispence in causes of Matrimony but also to iudge in causes of princes was called in question Further they beganne to feare least the king that was a prince of heroicall courage would haue taken occasion vpon this abuse offered him to haue looked into the whole cause of religion Here began the hatred against her Maiestie which this faction hath borne her euer since and which by many attempts against her parents and her selfe they haue declared Clement the seuenth albeit he had receiued many fauours from king Henry and had promised otherwise yet whether wonne by perswasions of Charles the fift then béeing emperor or else mooued with the interest that himselfe had in it declared the kinges mariage to be voide and the issue of that mariage vnlawfull The which sentence was giuen Anno 1533. some little tyme before she came into the world So that it is no maruell if now they hate her which not onely in her parents but also in her lawful right was persecuted before she came into the world Not long after Paul the third did furiously thunder out a sentence of excommunication against Henry the eight depriuing him of his kingdome and againe declaring the mariage with the Lady Anne Bollen to be void and her children to be illegitimate With that fury did he prosecute that innocent lady and her children sparing nothing which might serue to worke both their destructions And when he could do nothing of himselfe he neuer ceased by Winchester and other his agents to pursue the cause vntill such time as they had caused an act of Parliament to bée made against both the mother and the daughter and brought the innocent Ladie her mother to her end and which is more gréeuous they loaded her with many slanders and reproches not onely in her triall but also in an act of parliament How vniustly God best knoweth and the king himselfe acknowledged with great griefe at his death as a Cosmograph lib. 16. Theuet a writer no way partiall hath testified Plusieurs gentils-hommes anglois saith hée speaking of king Henry the eightes death m'ont asseurè qu'il eut belle repentance des offenses par luy commises estant a l'article de la mort et entre lez autres choses de l'iniure et crime commise contre la dicte roine Anne de Boulan faulsement vaincue et accusee de ce qu'on luy imposoit It suffised not the enimie to take away an innocent ladies life but they tooke away also her honour and good name by diuers imputations which God the most iust iudge knoweth and I trust one day will more plainly declare Afterward it pleased God to put in the kings minde to reuerse the act that debarred her Maiestie of her right which hée did by his last will This so néerely touched the papists that as it shoulde séeme they haue abolished it thereby endeuoring to take away all monuments and records whereby her right might bée prooued This rancor of theirs did especially shew it selfe against her during the raigne of Quéene Mary For although her beautie vertue good carriage and many excellent parts wherewith God had endued her might haue mooued any to loue her yet in these men these excellencies and especially her religion wrought contrary effects For doubting least Quéene Mary hauing no issue should leaue the kingdome to her and fearing that shée woulde asswage their pride and tyrannie against Gods saints and abolish their superstitious abuses and hereticall doctrine they sought by all meanes to cut her off from the crowne The pope hée coulde not suffer his sentences and decretals to bée reuersed his adherents coulde endure no reformation of religion to bée established Gardiner charged her as an abbettor to Wyat and said shée had intelligence with him And this our aduersarie doth also signifie by his Mysticall bracelet and other darke surmises As if it were likely that a poore yoong maiden destitute of friends and meanes and in the handes of her enimies could helpe them any thing or that Wyat would communicate a counsell of such danger to her that percase might vtter it and no way coulde helpe him Howsoeuer it was he practised with diuers to accuse the innocent Lady and percase if God had not holpen her had effected his purpose That she held Quéene Mary and the state in suspence and care our aduersary denyeth not What then more probable then that they should séeke to disburthen themselues of that care and iealousie There are diuers that testifie that they had diuers consultations against her Doctor Storie shewed plainly That the papists committed a great error in that cutting of the boughs they had not strooken at the roote When either for shame or else because they could finde no probable cause against her they could not spill the innocent Ladies bloud it is certaine that they fayned Quéene Mary to be with childe to the intent that some supposed childe might be found to succéede Quéene Mary and to preuent the Ladie Elizabethes right All this notwithstanding it pleased God many of her enimies being taken away that shée shoulde possesse the crowne at what time a man woulde haue thought they woulde haue ceased to pursue her against whom they coulde not preuaile Yet euen then did they also shew their malice and first they caused the Quéene of Scots to claime the crowne to beare the armes of England Then by the way of Scotland the French began to threaten and to inuade her countrey and had procéeded further but that her Maiesties forces did shut them vp
abhorred Thirdly he telleth vs and that in very tragicall termes Of armies campes battailes insurrections desolations caused in Germanie France Flanders she practise of the world he was thought not vnworthy to be emploied in publike causes His body was mishapen especially his toes féete which declared that he was ex 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 genere that is of the kinde of crooked clawed beastes but that was couered with his gowne and slippers His first step out of the vniuersity was into the Cardinals house where he learned the Cardinals pride and vanity His first employment was in the negotiation at Rome about the kinges mariage with the Lady Anne Bollen who sent him thither together with Edward Fox to solicite her cause For his wit and experience he was thought fit to be employed and specially named by the Quéene but his false and treacherous dealing in that cause did much hinder the kinges procéeding as afterward did manifestly appeare Notwithstanding because the Quéene thought he had taken paines and dealt faithfully with her she was the cause that he was nominated by the king and so preferred to be bishop of Winchester The which that he might seeme to deserue he did publikely defend the kinges supreme authority against the pope and by an oath whereof there is yet a publike act remayning he forswore and abiured the pope afterward taking the opportunity of the kinges humor he wrought an alienation of the kinges minde from the Quéene and neuer ceased vntill he brought that innocent Lady vnto her end and not content herewith he was a speciall instrument of that act of parliament that was made against her mariage and her issue Thus this viper rewarded that good Quéene by whome he was aduanced Nourish vp dogs and they will bite saue the life of a serpent and he will sting Now hitherto Gardiner in outward shew was a great oppugner of the popes authority but whether vpon hope of greater preferment by the pope or displeasure to some about the king afterward he began to harken to the pope Béeing sent with Sir Henry Kniuet to Ratisbone to a certaine diet holden by the Emperor there he was discouered to haue made a packe with Cardinall Contarene and from thence wrote letters to the pope Which the king tooke so offensiuely that in all pardons commonly granted in parliaments he excepted treasons done beyond the seas meaning no doubt this treason of Winchester Returning home now reconciled to the pope he proued a great persecutor of true christians He was the chéefe moouer of the king to set out the act of six articles which was the occasion of so many innocents death and in execution thereof this wolfe was alwaies most forward as contrarywise if the king was aduised to reforme any abuse he was alwaies most backeward In the latter time of the king he was so out of his fauour that he came not in his presence And where beforetime he was made one of the tutors to young king Edward and an ouerséer of king Henries will he was quite dashed out and by no meanes could bée admitted again either to his place in the kings fauour or in his will Which procéeded as may probablie bée coniectured for that hée was the cause of Quéene Annes death which the king toward his latter ende so much repented In the beginning of king Edwards daies hée hindred the iourney into Scotland and whatsoeuer might make for the honor of the yoong king as appéereth by his letters to the Lord Protector And yet in open termes acknowledged the kings supremacie and once more a The acts are extant denied the pope But vpon the Protectors death the man séeing a storme comming did obstinately resist the kinges procéedings and so was woorthily depriued of his bishopricke and committed to prison But béeing deliuered from thence by Quéene Marie hée raged against the flocke of Christ like a woolfe famished and long restrained And as before hée had caused Quéene Anne to loose her life so hée sought to bring the ladie Elizabeth her daughter to destruction Hée was the onely instrument to examine and entrap the innocent ladie and by diuers meanes sought to suborne false witnesses to accuse her as an abbettor of Wyats insurrection And so farre hée preuailed as a warrant was brought to Master Bridges then lieutenant of the tower for her execution Thus had the hope of her happie gouernment béene cut off if God had not stirred vp the lieutenant to make staie of executiō vntill the Quéenes pleasure was further knowne Hée was also the onely man that prosecuted bishop Ridley and bishop Latimer to death insomuch that expecting newes from Oxford of their execution hée woulde not dine before hée had heard that fire was set to them But sée Gods iudgements vpon the cruell tyrant euen that selfe same dinner in the midst of his meriment God so strooke him that hée was carried from the table to his bed and neuer rose vntill hée died So hée raged while hée liued and raued when hée died His actions in his life time were odious his body dying did stinke so odiously that his seruants could not endure it He woulde not suffer the holy martyrs to speake at their death and therefore God stroke him so in his toong with swelling that sometime before his death he was not able to vtter one word and this was the life and death of this monster Of other qualities I will not speake One of his men set out a treatise against the mariage of ministers wherein it seemeth his finger was But much more honestie it had béene for him to haue beene maried Hee wrote diuers things but hée wrote not onely contrary to himselfe but also both to papists and protestants which his workes now extant do shew refuting notoriously the vaine brags which our aduersarie maketh of his learning William Allen was borne I know not where but he was brought vp in the vniuersity of Oxford from whence either discontented with the present gouernmēt or else induced with hope of better preferment otherwhere he fled into the low countries and there became a reader of the popes broken diuinity Afterward beeing nouzled among rebels and traytors he began to teach positions of rebellion and treason to his countrymen that came ouer and so instructed them that diuers of his scholers prooued maisters in wilfull disobedience and treason against their prince and country himselfe a Jn his answere ad per seq Aug. c. 5. saith That it is not onely lawfull but glorious for subiectes to take armes against princes that will not admit popish religion He alloweth and commendeth not onelie the rebellion in England but also in Ireland that was raysed for that cause Neither should it séeme that any practise was made against her Maiestie by the papists but he eyther was a plotter of it or had vnderstanding of it When her Maiestie sent aide to the distressed people of the low countries he by his pestilent
perswasions caused Stanley and his regiment most shamefully to betray Deuenter nay to betray the honour of his country and his prince and to turne to the enemy And that it might appeare to be his act he was not ashamed publikely in a booke written to defend this treason and dishonour For which cause king Philip gaue him liuing and pension and the pope at length gaue him the title of a Cardinall and called he was Cardinall of Saint Martin in Montibus to shewe that he sought no low matters but would flye to the top of the hilles He was also called Cardinall of England for that he meant to be legate of England and to betray it to the pope For these base seruices he was estéemed both of the Spanish king and pope but alwaies as a traytor and perfidious enemy to the prince and state Which as it appeared alwaies so especially in anno 1588. For then was he appointed to come into England with the Spanish army for the subuersion and vtter desolation of that which should haue béene his most déere country Nay it is apparent that this war was especially stirred vp by him and his consortes at home and abroade Sixtus Quintus a The declaration of the sentence of Sixtus Quintus saith he Solicited by the zealous and importunate instance of sundry the most principall persons of English catholikes hath dealt earnestly with diuers princes and specially with the potent king catholike of Spaine that he will emploie his forces to the deposition of the Queene and correction of her complices Hee b In his letters to the nobles and people of England sheweth that diuers English Did come also in the Spanish armie and nauie and that hée himselfe woulde be present to mediate that the English might bée well entreated of the conquerors at the least that they might haue their throtes cut gently Hée c Ibidem curseth all those That shoulde fight for their prince and countrey and not take part with forreine enimies He exhorteth all to rise and fight against the Quéene If you should d Ibidem saith hée sit still or refuse to helpe the Spaniard or seeke to vphold the vsurper so he calleth the Quéene or her complices you shall encurre the angels curse and malediction vpon the land of Meros and be as deepely excommunicated as shee is He discourageth and fraieth all those that woulde fight for their countrey and e Ibidem saith Fight not for Gods loue least you be damned And to the entent to make her Maiestie and this gouernment most odious hée hath published against her the most execrable and malicious libell that either by malice coulde be deuised or by wordes vttred Naie he raileth against all honest men that were likely to take her part And of these libels hée had caused whole barrels to bée embarqued for England But God ouerthrowing the Spanish nauie hée thought it wisedome to conceale the malice of the popish faction and to trusse vp his fardels and sende his libels backe to Rome least the libell might worke a contrarie effect then that for which it was deuised This expedition dissolued this hungrie cardinall returned to Rome loden with shame and reproch for that his wicked counsels tooke no better effect In the end the pope perceiuing he could do no more mischéefe to his countrey and that he was rather a burthen then otherwise made small account of him Whereupon ensued his death either vpon gréefe or percase some other secret occasion So hatefull was his life and his death miserable and shamefull In all his life he sought the ruine of his natiue countrey and therefore Gods will was that he shoulde die inglorious in a strange countrey Séeing then these were the qualities and proceedings of Gardiner and Allen who doth not detest the memory of two such wicked monsters The Noddie in this encounter saith what he can both in their excuse and praise but if he had thought that any woulde haue come against him I beléeue he woulde haue kept silence Hée saith first That none was further from blood and crueltie then Gardiner to prooue it alleageth That it proceeded onely from his gentle nature that some of the greatest protestants in Queene Maries time were not called to accompt and that he laboured to saue the Lord Sturton condemned for murdring of Harguill the Lady Smith burned for killing her husband and the duke of Northumberland condemned for rebellion Further he telleth vs How a certaine bracelet came to his handes containing the secret of Wyats action and yet that he neuer vrged the knowledge gotten thereof to the Lady Elizabeths perill she beeing then an obiect of loue and compassion rather then of enuy and hatred And much idle talke he spendeth about these matters but his pleading is of that nature that his owne friends must néedes acknowledge that he wanteth shame in auowing notorious vntruthes and common reason in alleadging such matters as either make against him or at the least nothing for him For wherein could he shew himselfe more shamelesse then in praysing Gardiner for his mildenesse and gentle nature when so many particulars as we haue before set downe do declare him to be most cruell and sauage not sparing any that stood well affected to that religion which he hated Beside that did he not séeke the death of the Lady Parre last wife of king Henry the eight and the Lady Tyrwhit the Lady Lane and Lady Harbert her thrée wayting women Did he not procure the king to set his hand to the articles against the Quéene and meant to haue procéeded further had not she by her modest cariage and answers pacyfied the kings anger It is also euident that he pursued doctor Barnes and diuers other good men euen to the very death Neither was Anne Askew tormented first and then burned without his priuity Wherefore if diuers principall protestantes as they are called or rather Christians were not called to accompt it was rather want of ability then will that was neuer wanting in Gardiner to shed innocent bloud For he that caused one Quéene to be slaughtered vpon false criminations and sought the death of an other especially ayming at the greatest while Bonner and his companions were butchering of the lambes and lesser shéepe of Christes fold we may not thinke that he meant to forbeare any No either it was the kings pleasure that would not haue his seruants butchered or else the strength or the wise cariage of the parties that kept them out of Gardiners hand that delited in nothing more then bloud Likewise it is a notorious vntruth that eyther by a bracelet or by any other signe Gardiner was able to prooue the Lady Elizabeth consenting to Wiats attempt But if he had but had the least argument of disloyalty against her she could not haue escaped his hands For albeit there was no colour yet did he seeke to suborne witnesses against her promise life to Wiat if he
and deuised most slanderous letters in the emperors name against the yoong man And lastly for that the yoong earle was suspected for religion so giuen to his affectiōs that he did not himselfe desire any such matter nor if he had desired it could he haue bin liked by Winchester Neither skilleth it whether Winchester called him his spiritual childe or no. If he did then was hée an vnkinde spirituall father that gaue counsell to sende his childe away into Italy where by a most shamefull practise of this wicked generation he was poisoned and made away Resteth then that this practise of Winchester to bring in the authoritie of the pope and tyrannie of Spaniards was most dangerous to this state and ought to be most hatefull to this nation If he did not please the pope nor emperor neither as this our aduersarie pretendeth then was he odious to all the worlde His sermon certes preached at Paules crosse before the king and Quéene and popes legat declared that as in times past he had vsed his authority to persecute poore Christians so here he did abuse gods word to please the popes agent and those that fauoured his faction His text was Hora est iani nos de somno surgere which is taken out of Saint Paules epistle to the Romaines And out of this he went about to shew that since the church of England had departed from the subiection of the pope the people had continued as it were in a sléepe therefore did he conclude that euery man must awake and returne againe to the pope as if the apostle in those wordes had willed men to submit themselues and to returne to the obedience of the pope and to embrace his most vaine superstitions and his fantasticall and impious traditions which god wot was no part of the apostles meaning Nay he rather speaketh of the pope 2. Thes 2. where he mentioneth the man of sinne that shall sit in the temple of God and aduance himselfe aboue all that is called God And in this place he rather exhorteth worldlinges that are drowned in sensuality and pleasures and forget God while they follow the vanities of this world to awake and call themselues to a serious cogitation of spirituall matters For security and sencelesse stupidity is an image of sleepe or death rather And it may very well be applyed to those that eyther are besotted with popish ignorance not knowing any point of Christian faith or that walke in darkenesse of popish errors and will not awake out of their sencelesse sléepe and come to the light of Gods word that is offered to them For to speake truely the doctrine of popery is nothing but a doctrine of darkenesse of sleepe of death But let vs sée how our aduersary defendeth this noble sermon first saith he It was preached before the king and Queene the popes legat the embassadors of diuers princes and a great audience As if many great fooleries and vaine toyes had not béene declared before great princes and many auditors The more were present here the more witnesses there were of the mans great simplicity in mistaking and shamelesse impudency in peruerting the scriptures Secondly he telleth vs How Gardiners discourse was to shew how long the people of England had runne astray and beene in darkenesse of diuision and strife But first he séemed himselfe to be as it were in a sléepe when he talked of darkenesse and should haue spoken of sléepe For betwéene these two there is no small difference For many awake in the night and others sléepe at noone daye Secondly he committeth no smal error where he calleth the separation from popery Darknesse of diuision and strife For he that is ioyned to Christ walketh in light and they that liue vnder the pope continue in Egyptian darknesse Beside this darknesse doth rather worke confusion then diuision Thirdly he saith that Gardiner vttered two thinges that greatly mooued the whole auditory The first was the harty accusation of himselfe for his booke de vera obedientia Which he vttered wéeping like a great calfe and as our aduersary telleth vs With such vehemency as he was forced diuers times to make some pauses And that these teares were not feyned saith he It appeared in this that drawing to his end he said negaui cum Petro exiui cum Petro sed nendū amarè fleui cum Petro. The second was a relation how king Henry a litle before his death dealt with him secretly and seriously to go into Germany to a certaine diet and there to take some course that he might be reconciled to the pope But what maketh all this to the true expounding of this text Hora est iam nos de somno surgere Surely no more then if he should haue talked of clypping of goates or shearing of swine and such idle fancies as be represented to men in their sléepe Besides that here are many vntruthes conteined of which I haue great cause to doubt whether euer they were vttered in so famous and publike an auditory or no. First it is a most shamelesse vntruth to affirme that euer the king desired to be reconciled to the pope his words his actions yea all his procéedings tended to the contrarie and of this point he was so well resolued that rather he sought to perswade others to renounce the pope then determined himselfe to returne to the pope Finally what coulde be deuised more absurd then to feine that such a noble and magnanimous prince did voluntarily submit himselfe to a base enimie which by no force nor perswasion he coulde bée induced to do Secondly it is an absurd thing to thinke that if the king meant to do any such matter he would impose the charge vpon him that had written against the popes power and forsworne it and vntill the protectors death in king Edwards daies did acknowledge the princes supremacie Thirdly it is apparent that the king long time before his death suspected him for a secret traitor and coulde no way abide that he shoulde come in his presence as the Lord Paget and sir Anthonie Browne the Duke of Suffolke and diuers others testified And therefore if any such thing had béene in the kings head he woulde rather haue vsed any other then him At least he woulde haue declared his minde to some of his Counsails beside Gardiner Fourthly I cannot learne that euer the bishop of Winchester did speake these wordes at Paules crosse And therefore most like it is they haue béene forged since and fathered vpon him Lastly if the king woulde haue any such matter handled he woulde not haue sent into Germany but to Rome neither néeded hée to haue doubted but hée shoulde most willingly haue bin receiued if he had entended any such submission Al these points therefore séeme to haue bin deuised by some lying companion stand onely vpon the bare credite of this our wise aduersarie without proofe of any one witnes or record and therefore we may well conclude that the second
and therefore was it ordered That they should depart out of Paris within three dayes and out of France within fifteene dayes after notice to them giuen as corrupters of youth perturbers of publike peace and enemies of the king the state Iohn Chastel also himselfe cōfessed That Garet a Iesuite did teach him these lessons which made him resolue to kill the king Yea and that the father and sisters of the young man with teares and bitter tearmes detesting the Iesuites did declare further that it might appeare to posteritie that this was the doctrine of Iesuites that they taught the saide Chastell a pillar was set vp in the place where this desperate murderer and parricide dwelt testifying the same and mentioning that this was the cause of their expulsion out of France In that Monument the Iesuites are called Mali magistri and their colledge Schola impia and their religion called Noua malefica superstitio Further the Iesuites in a certaine apologie published presently vpon their expulsion out of France do not denie Iohn Chastels attempt to be lawfull or contrary to canons but rather conformable vnto them and that they endeuour to prooue by Sixtus Quintus his bul against the king and refute the sentence of the court against the saide Chastel as vniust He procéedeth further in cléering the Iesuites saith That Iohn Garet Chastels master being tortured denied that the Iesuites were priuie to this fact and that thereupon by publike testimony of the magistrate he was declared innocent Wherein he declareth himselfe very impudent howsoeuer the other was declared innocent for I haue shewed before by diuers arguments that the Iesuites were both priuie to this fact and did publikely defend the doctrine Nay the a Of the parliament of Paris register wherein his confession is recorded and the sentence of the court doth declare that the said Garet being a Iesuite was the teacher of that wicked doctrine which Chastell ment to execute therefore by publike sentence Was hee banished France and his goods confiscated Let it then bée considered with what conscience this woorthy Warder affirmeth that Garet was declared innocent by the magistrate Hée saith also That Iohn Ghineard Iesuite was put to death for that in his studie this question Whether it be lawfull in any case to kill a tyrant was found disputed on both sides without resolution But the a In the processe against Ghineard register of the court of parliament of Paris doth conuince his impudent lying For there it is testified that The saide Ghineard was founde seazed of diuers bookes composed by him and written with his owne hand conteining the approbation of the inhumane murder of Henry the third Beside that the court of Parliament of Paris enioined him to confesse That hee had wickedly spoken and determined that if Henry the fourth was not slaine in the wars hee must be slaine otherwise Finally his owne hande writing which hée acknowledged vpon his examination doth shewe that he did not onely propound the question in Thesi but resolued it in Hypothesi Neither doth our aduersarie doubt to accuse the Parliament of Paris of great iniustice for executing the saide Ghineard Seeing he saide no more then Thomas Caietan Sotus and other scholasticall diuines and Philosophers in times past As if scholasticall diuinitie and Philosophers fancies were warrant sufficient for men to kill princes or for Christians to attempt any thing Beside that the case of the Iesuites and of ancient writers is diuers These onely thinke it lawfull to kill such tyrants as by oppression and force inuade a kingdome The Iesuites account all tyrants that resist the popes tyrannie and are by him excommunicate Olde writers for the most part speake in Thesi against vsurpers But Ghineard the Iesuite spoke in Hypothesi and determined b In papers of Ghineard That it was lawfull to kill Henry the 3. and Henry the 4. which all the world acknowledgeth to be lawfull kings the popish faction onely excepted The fact of Iames Clement that murdred Henrie the third this Ghineard calleth Heroicall and a gift of gods spirit Speaking of king Henry the fourth he saith thus If he die not in the warres let him be slaine some otherwaies Hauing done with the Iesuites of France he goeth about to answere for the Iesuites of Doway and the low countries that as Peter Panne confessed himselfe Perswaded and hired and furnished him with a knife to kill Count Morice And this action he calleth a fiction denying that euer the Iesuites had any such intention But the matter is all too plaine to be faced out with flearing wordes The poore man was taken seased with a strange fashioned knife béeing examined he voluntarily confessed both his owne fault and by whome he was induced to do that wicked act He continued in his confession and was executed for his treason at Leyden The magistrates of Leyden do testifie so much and there is no cause why any part of this narration should séeme vntrue For no man hath reason to accuse himselfe or others vniustly especially where it goeth vpon the perill of a mans life Nor is it likely that any should suffer death for matter feined and supposed and without proofe Certes if any doubted of the matter before b Sica tragica Costers and this Noddies defence is so simple that it may greatly confirme him in this truth They alledge certificates to disprooue Peter Pannes confession But what credite can such writinges deserue that may bée forged for any thing wée knowe and béeing admitted to haue béene written yet appeare to haue beene extorted by the Iesuites and made by men fauouring their faction Beside that they séeme to bee graunted without due proofe and procéeding and yet neither conclude against Peter Panne nor his confession First it is alleaged That hee was no papist at all But that is a fiction without all colour For why should not he be reputed a papiste that was continually among them and neuer had tast of any other religion Secondly our aduersarie saith He was a drunken vagrant and madde fellow As if he were not therefore more likely to enterprise such a made action He telleth vs further That Peter Panne was a man extreamely well affected to Count Morice But how canne this be prooued seeing it appeareth by the processe made against him that he neither knew him nor euer had séene him before his comming into Holland Is it not extreame folly to imagine any such extremity of affection without cause or proofe Fourthly he would beare vs in hand That the Iesuites had no cause to desire Count Morice his death Why then did the Iesuites séeke his fathers death and perswade men to kill the Quéene of England and the French king Do not men of euery faction desire those taken out of the way that are opposite to their designes Fiftly he denieth that Peter Panne euer prouided butter for the colledge of Iesuites as is conteined in Peter
do practise against the prince and state and the tranquillitie of the countrey Christian religion doth not onely allow but also inioine princes and magistrates to punish them and roote them out And that euen the law of nature doth teach euery man planting in euery creature an instinct leading to his owne preseruation and allowing such things as are done for defence of our liues and such meanes as serue to that end Secondly the lawes of all nations do punish such as either consort themselues with forreine enimies or practise or imagine the death of the prince or séeke the destruction of the state By the lawes of q 25. Edward 3.2 Edward the third long since framed and alwaies executed in this kingdome it is adiudged high treason To compasse or imagine the death of the kinges or Queenes of this realme or to leuie warre against them or to be adherent to their enimies by which it is euident that those are to bée reputed traitors that commit any one of these fower points of treason viz. either That compasse or That imagine the Princes destruction or that Leuie warre against him or that Adhere to his enimies Which I woulde pray the Romish faction to obserue for that which shall be saide and prooued against them héereafter Within the compasse of these points also do they fall that shall either denie the prince to bée lawfully possessed of his crowne or else make him subiect to others beeing a soueraigne prince For it cannot bée imagined but that euery prince will defende his right and that hée cannot be depriued thereof without losse of his life or force of armes a L. 16. qui opem ff de furto ibidd Neither is it materiall whether in cases of this nature and practise of treason a man bée principall or accessarie or adherent For our lawes punish all alike as principals and déeme al adherents in treason to bée traitors Which is also allowed both by the lawes of the r Romaines and the Å¿ 11. q. 3. c. qui consentit extra de homicidio c. sicut dignum Canons of the Romish synagogue Ad L. Iuliam maiest l. 1. Neither may we thinke that these lawes are proper and peculiar to our nation t The lawes of the Romaines do hold him culpable of high treason That shall attempt against the state or against him that hath souereign authority or that shal raise sedition or stir vp enemies against the state or that shall giue counsell or send letters or messengers to publike enemies Likewise do they iudge of a Ibid. l. quiue him That shall run to the enemie or b Ibid. l. cuiusque Shall take an oath against the state or assist publike enemies with any meanes or make enemies of friends or enter into any faction against the state or receiue or giue an oath or note of faction The words of this last c L. Quisquis Cod. ad leg Iuliauâ— maiestatis law are Qui scelestam inâ—erit factionem aut factionis ipsius susceperit sacramentum vel dederit In ancient times those that fled to enemies béeing taken againe d L. is qui. ff de re milit Were throwne to wild beastes to be torne in peeces Those that reuealed the secrets of the state were likewise executed as traytors Transfugae ad hostes saith the e L. si quis §. transfugae ff de poenis law Aut secretorum nostrorum renuntiatores aut viui exurantur aut furca suspendantur Qui malo consilio saith f L. postliminium §. transfugae ff de cap. postlimi Paulus the lawyer proditoris animo patriam dereliquit hostium numero habendus est Where note I pray you that he accounteth them not onely bad subiectes but also publike enimies The later Romaine emperors do declare them g Extr. feud qui sunt rebelles To be rebels and disloyall traitors which either openly or couertly do the workes of rebels or practise against the prosperitie of the state And that is the common opinion of all lawyers They commit treason as saith h Lib. 3. consil 105. Socinus the yonger and i Consil 456. Alciat Qui faciunt tractatum contra personam domini or Qui tractatum faciunt contra statum principis vel reip as saith Bald. consil 58. seq lib. 1. Alexand. consil 13. lib. 6. Iason consil 86. lib. 3. Or Qui cum hostibus principis pacem amicitiam contraxerunt as saith De cius consil 604. 605. Or Qui reuelarunt secreta principis as is determined by Mars cons 1. All which pointes I must likewise pray our factious papists and popish proctors to remember And how it is a vaine matter to pretend their cacolike religion if they haue made any packe against the prince or state or had intelligence of any such matter or haue plotted with the pope or Spaniard for to make warres against the prince or state or haue had any deseigne to alienate the subiects mindes from the prince or to stir rebellion or else haue giuen counsell or assistance in any such plot or confederated or adioyned themselues to such practisers or adhered to them or reléeued them or haue themselues fled and contracted friendship or receiued pension or mainteinance from forreine enemies or bound themselues by oth or signall to theÌ„ or impugned the princes title or right or refused to assist her right or haue made any compact packe conspiracy or tractation to any such purpose or haue attempted any action tending that way The Spanish lawes likewise are verie seuere against such as attempt against the king or state or consent thereunto by déede word or counsell or make any insurrection against the king or state and that either within Spaine or without or that shall ioyne themselues with the kings enimies or aide theÌ„ in any sort All such king Alfonsus the 9. adiudged traitors and vnwoorthie to liue or sée the countrey against which they practise Que ninguno no sea osado saith a El fuero real tit de la guarda del rey hée por fecho ni por dicho ni por consejo de yr contra el rey ni contra susenÌ„orio ni hazer allevamiento ni bollicio contra el ni contra su reyno en su tierra ni fuera su tierra ni de pararse contra sus enemigos ni dar les armas ni otra ayuda ninguna por ninguna manera e qualquier persona que estas cosas o alguna dellas fiziere o ensayare de las fazer muera por ello è no sea dexado bivir The Spanish Ibidem tit 2. 4. lawes also inflict great penalties vpon such as shal either speak euill of the prince or refuse to assist him or to obey his commandements If then they take exceptions against our lawes yet may not the popes adherents refuse to be iudged by the lawes of them to whom they séem to runne for succour
constantiae magnitudine oriuntur tibi repudiandas existimas Peter Bizarus by chance mentioning her in his storie of the state of Genua doth c Lib. histor Genuens 23. call her Lectissimam Heroinam nusquam satis amplis laudibus celebrandam and doubteth not for her rare indowments both of the body and the minde and for her clement and wise gouernment to compare her to a bright starre excelling the splendour of other princes of her time And that these praises proceeded not of flatterie not onely their country the men being strangers to her but her noble actions do declare All this notwithstanding the papists albeit tied to her by diuers obligations both of subiection and extraordinarie fauor yet cannot endure to heare her praised The Noddie our aduersarie although he plead for her fauour yet could not vouchsafe her one good worde His consorts they haue loaded her with many lend and slanderous words Nicholas Sanders and Harpsfield of whom she deserued better began to collect slandrous accusations against her Edward Rishton whom she deliuered out of prison and set at libertie loosed his toong to raile against her by whom hée receiued life From thâ—se fountaines Bâ—zius Ribadineira and diuers other railing friers haue borowed matter and published diuers libels to her dishonor Neither may it séeme marueilous if malicious men haue spoken maliciously or if her enimies haue declared their ingraffed hatred against her a Prouerb 29. The wicked do abhorre those that walke aright or as the old Latine interpreter hath Abominantur impij eos qui in recta sunt via King Dauid b Psal 72. saith That he was accounted a woonderment or as a monster of manie Prodigium saith hée factus sum multis Shée hath beene a nursing mother to Gods church and therefore the enimies of Gods church hate her and speake euill of her Nay they speake euill of her and persecute her without a cause Clement the seuenth began the persecution against her in the person of her parents declaring the mariage of her father and mother vnlawfull Paule the third when shée was yet an infant did séeke her destruction as did Herode the destruction of the innocent children in Bethlehem Harke how he thundreth out his sentence against her declaring her vnable to succéede her father in the crowne of England Omnem Henrici ex praedicta Anna Bollena subolem saith he c In Bullae Pauli 3. Cont. Henr. 8. fautorumque suorum liberos iam natos aut nascituros vsque ad eum gradum ad quem iura huiusmodi poenas extendunt omnibus possessionibus dominijs libertatibus priuilegijs honoribus officijs bonis mobilibus ac immobilibus quouismodo obtentis priuamus ac infames esse decernimus Sée he persecuteth the king and his children and all that fauour them although they were not yet borne into the worlde Oh what mischiefe woulde hée haue done if hée had had power and authoritie that thus without all authoritie and meanes to wreake his malice sheweth the bitternesse of his choler the popes adherents neuer ceased vntill they had brought her most innocent mother to her end which was the greatest gréefe that tormented the king lying on his death bedde and sore repenting himselfe for the wroâ—gfull shedding of that innocent Quéenes bloud as many then present did testifie and Theuet a frier a man not suspect doth leaue recorded in his a Lib. 16. Cosmogr vniuers Historie of which we shall report the testimonie héereafter Neither did they onely murder the innocent mother but also sought by act of Parliament to disable and from the succession to exclude the daughter In Quéene Maries time by diuers practises they sought to kill her When their malice tooke no effect pope Pius Gregorie the 13. Sixtus quintus and diuers other popes by warres and rebellions haue attempted to depriue her of her kingdome It may also bée probably suspected that they suborned diuers to kill her or poison her Howsoeuer they were acquainted with these practises certaine it is that diuers of the popish faction haue conspired either by sworde or poison or other meanes to destroy her And now when they are not able to do her other hurt they persecute her with their toong So wicked men Do scorne the simplicitie of the iust as the holy b Iob. 12. Scripture teacheth vs. They publish infamous libels against her person This our aduersarie doth slander her gouernment as if this land had receiued no benefite by that reformation of religion which God wrought by her meanes But the testimonie of enimies and traitours by all lawes is repelled That God hath by her meaâ—es greatly blessed this land it doth appeere first by testimonie either of her aduersaries as of Osorius or of straÌ„gers as of Petrus Bizarus Quid magis obstupenduÌ„ saith c In praefat ante lib. de relig Osorius quam mollem delicatam mulieris naturaÌ„ tantis esse virtutibus ornatam instructam vt totuÌ„ regni pondus sustineat in eóque munere maxima cum lande versetur quod vix multorum hominum excellentium consilio virtute fide authoritate conficitur Bizarus preferreth the happinesse of England vnder her gouernment before all happinesse of former kings and ages Illud duntaxat saith hee a Lib. hist Genuens 23. obiter adiecero Britanniae regnum nunquam ab vllo pace aliorum dixero vel retroactis seculis vel patrum nostraque memoria maiori cum prudeÌ„tia nec minori foelicitate fuisse administratum This he saith of her Maiesties gouernment writing about the 21. yéere of her raigne But what should testimonies of men néede when her noble and famous actions do sufficiently commend and set foorth the praises of her gouernment First as it pleased God by the hand of b Iudges 4. Deborah to deliuer his people from the tyrannie of Iabin the Cananites that some yéeres had oppressed them so it pleased him likewise by this our Deborah to breake the yoke of the pope and to deliuer the people of England from the tyrannie of the Cananites the papists that had diuers yéeres oppressed vs and tyrannized ouer vs. c Psal 123. Anima nostra sicut passer erepta est de laqueo venantium laqueus contritus est nos liberati sumus Our soule that wée may vse the prophets words like a sparrow is deliuered from the power of hunters the snare is broken and we are escaped Now how great this blessing is to be estéemed wée may easily iudge by these particulars First wée were deliuered from the heauie burthen of the popes decretales of his excommunications and his taxes and exactions of which the very papists themselues haue long complained and yet finde themselues therewith much agréeued but that they dare not complaine Frier d Petrus de Alliac de reform eccles Humbert affirmeth that the exactions excommunications and constitutions of popes were the cause of the schismes of the eastern and western churches Dicit
consort of malicious traytors and an abbettor and nourisher of men euill affected in their malcontentment Nay albeit his colour were better cast yet were his pleading vnsufficient seeing true religion cannot stande with rebellion or disloyaltie nor may true catholikes be suffered to oppugne their prince and countrey to practise trecherie against the state and to nourish malcontent humours among subiects But if it appeere that the Romanistes are not the true church and that their religion is neither catholike nor ancient nor true then must it needes be granted that N. D. and his consorts are not onely malicious traytors but also impious heretikes It is also very plaine that all his wrangling encounters are built vpon fancies and supposals without grounde and foundation and are no better then malicious inuectiues degorged against good men and idle pretenses to colour the practises of enimies traytors and heretikes For euery traytor can pretend that he is a true patriot and Catiline and his consorts and all rebels vse to set a glosse of common good vpon their priuate wicked deseignements and treasons All societies also of heretikes will take vpon them as true Christians as saith a Lib. 4. institut cap. vlt. Lactantius and suppose themselues to be the catholike church Tertullian saith b Lib. 4. contr Marcion That as waspes make honycombes so the Marcionites pretend to make churches albeit indeed they were no true churches Nouatian like apes that counterfeit men saith c Epist 73. Cyprian woulde challenge to himselfe the authoritie and truth of the church albeit he be not of the church but a rebell and enimie set vp against the church Which fitteth our aduersary very well who if he had his yellow ierkin were a very ape or an apish Iebusite entitling himselfe and his companions with the name of the church But if he had beene a foxe as well as an ape and had but had a foxes wiles he would haue made bâ—tter proofe of his maine groundes which not being 〈◊〉 is a maine maime of his whole cause Now to the intent that thou maiest perceiue that all his building is either without foundation or vpon a marrish ground that will beare no such great worke I haue thought good for thy satisfaction to challenge him once more into the fielde and to make triall of his manhood in fiue new encounters which do much concerne his cause and credite For as before I haue shewed him and his consorts to be perfect traytors and Recusants and malcontent papists to be verie sorie and defectiue subiects so nowe God willing I purpose to shew first That papists are no true catholikes secondly That their religion as it differeth from that which we professe is a packe of nouelties thirdly That it is patched vp of many old heresies fourthly That the Romish church is not the true church and lastly that N. D. his consorts whether they were Iesuites or priests or their adhaerentes that haue beene executed to death according to the lawes of England are to be esteemed traytors and not martyrs And this in defence of her Maiesties iustice or rather clemencie For if she woulde do them iustice then woulde not she suffer them to liue as subiects that will not directly acknowledge her to be their Queene and lawfull souereigne especially where the pope saith contrarie If she did her-selfe right she woulde not tolerate a faction notoriously opposite to her gouernment If she did iustice she woulde not suffer such to enioy wealth and honors life that adhere to forreine enimies that seeke the destruction of the common-wealth the dishonour of this state the ruine and bloud of all that stande well affected to religion and the state And that Parsons and the priests that come out of Spaine and are sworne to maintaine the Infantaes title and are reconciled or adhering to the pope are all culpable of these treasons it is so cleered by the former discourse and by the last chapter of this that I thinke it may be felt of blinde men and not onelie discerned by those that haue eies to looke into the state The rest maketh for defence of our religion which no mâ—n can reprooue but such as haue drunke deepe of the cup of the purple harlot spoken of Apocalyp 17. and are sworne slaues to the pope and professed enimies not onely of religion and the state but also of their owne good in this worlde and of their eternall saluation in the worlde to come Beware therefore my good countryman for so I must account thee vntill I see thee declare thy selfe open friend to popish traytors and enimie to thy counrrey that harkening to the Sirens songs of Iebusites and priestes enimies to gods true religion not onely to their prince countrey thou be not swallowed vp in the gulfe of their heresies and treasons They lead thee not to the rocke Christ Iesus vpon which the church is built but to the a Bellar. praefat in lib. de pontif Rom. rocke the pope and the bankes of his sandie inuentions vpon which thou must needs wracke thy selfe if thou shun them not quickly True religion is grounded vpon Christs word reuealed to vs in the holy canonicall Scriptures all which we professe according to the rule of the true catholike church And for this truth we doubt not to giue our liues so assured we are of our profession where as thou as long as thou continuest a papist hast no warrant but the popes worde which to say no woorse is ignorant of true religion and apostolike faith and subiect to many errors and infirmities Read therefore indifferently and iudge syncerely and vprightly and the God of truth guide thee into the way of iustice and truth CHAP. I. That papists are no true Catholikes FRuitelesse it is and almost endlesse to contend much about names and titles but especially in causes of religion For as a In Apolog. Iustin Martyr saith b 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 true religion Consisteth in good workes rather then good termes and the c Ad Tit. 3. apostle exhorteth Titus and all true teachers to auoide contentions and quarrels about words of the lawe Yet forasmuch as manie simple people are abused by false teachers taking vpon them glorious names and titles and looke onely vpon the shéepes clothing that is outward and not on the wooluish nature of priestes and friers that is inward I thought it not amisse to shew what this name Catholike importeth and to whom the same truely belongeth and how dangerous it is to trust euery one that taketh to himselfe the name of a Catholike The Iewes d Ioan. 8. called themselues The children of Abraham and bragged much of the e Hierem. 7. Temple of God and of f Rom. 2. the lawe But the apostle teacheth vs that not euerie one that in name and outward shew was a Iew deserued so to be estéemed and taken g Epist 83. Leo speaking to certaine monkes saith Ecclesiae