historie of Christs passion and of other high points of our religion to the fable of the conuersion of Britaine by Eleutherius Wo were we if we had no better assurance of Christs passion and other matters of Christian religion then Parsons hath of his supposed conuersion of Britaine vnder Lucius Furthermore it is one thing to varie about the times of things authentically testified in holy Scripture to haue passed though the certaine day and time be not expressed and to varie about the times of things of which there is no authenticall assurance Thirdly there is no materiall controuersie about the time of Christs passion but it may well be decided out of holy Scriptures The like we may say of the Infants put to death by Herod and of the coming of the Magi. But about the time of the supposed conuersion of Britaine by Eleutherius his agents there are manifest contradictions insomuch as not onely the time but the report it selfe is made very doubtfull He answereth further and saith that if it were granted that the Brittaines obserued Easter after the fashion of the East church and that Simon Zelotes preached the Gospell in England yet it proueth not that the faith of Britanny came not from Rome As if it were likely that schollers in such a ceremonie would dissent from their first maisters or else that Simon Zelotes were either sent from Rome or did not ayde the Britains in their first conuersion Finally he spendeth many idle words in cauilling with the Magdeburgians and M. Foxe of reuerent memorie But for asmuch as he neither proueth nor refelleth any thing materiall we should wrong ourselues and the reader if we should follow the gosling wandring vp and downe that hath lost himselfe in the Labyrinth of his owne fancies and fooleries CHAP. III. Of Austin the Monke his coming into England and of his preaching and proceeding here FOr the sending and preaching of Austin the Monke to the Saxons our aduersaries haue some better colour of reason then for the sending of any Romaines by Eleutherius to the Britains For neither is it denyed that Gregorie did send or that Austin came to Ethelbert king of Kent But what is all this to the purpose For neither can the modern Romaines vant of the acts and prowesse of Gregorie or Austin nor doth any aduantage redound to the moderne synagogue of Rome by their merits as we shall declare anone Furthermore neither is Gregorie to be tearmed the Apostle of the inhabitants of this Iland nor are the Papists to make any great crackes for any thing done either by Gregorie the first or by his Legate Austin That Gregorie the first was our Apostle as in Bede to flatter the Romanists he is called it cannot be proued For first he cannot say as the Apostle did Galat. 1. Not of man nor by man For he was not called immediatly by Christ as were the Apostles but was ordained by bishops and chosen by the Cleargie and people of Rome as the agents of Rome themselues confesse Secondly it was not sayd to him as to Christs Apostles Matth. 28. Go teach all nations Nor did he presume to take vpon him that charge Nay expresly he condemned the title of Oecumenicall or Vniuersall bishop But he was onely called and ordained to gouerne the Church of Rome and happie is he if he did approue himselfe faithfull in his calling Thirdly he had no grace of working miracles or prophecie as Christs Apostles had nor could he speake with tongs as the Apostles did Nay it is apparent that he was very vnskilfull both in the Gréeke and Hebrew tongues which notwithstanding Saint Augustine for the vnderstanding of Scriptures accompteth necessarie Fourthly he neither preached himselfe nor sent Austin to preach to the Britains or to the French or other nations beside Saxons onely of all which notwithstanding the inhabitants of this countrie are descended Finally he preached not himselfe to the Saxons nor séemed to be sent vnto them but abiding quietly at Rome sent Austine and other Italian Monkes to preach vnto them How then is he tearmed the Apostle of the English to whom he was neither sent nor came nor preached That neither he nor Austin deserue great praise for the conuersion of the Saxons or English it is proued first for that Gregorie himselfe did nothing but send and command others who notwithstanding were not the first conuerters of the Saxons For it were absurd to thinke that the Saxons hauing so many Christian Britains liuing both among them and neare vnto them had no notice of Christian religion vntill the coming of Austin That the Britains liued among the Saxons the practise of conquerors doth shew who do not kill such as submit themselues but rule them and command them So did the Romaines in time past conquering Spaine and Gallia and other countries So did the Normans entring into England And so did the Saxons also deale with the Britains Malmesburie lib. 1. de gest Angl. ca. 2. speaking of the Saxon king Cerdic testifieth that the men of the countrie being once ouercome did willingly yeeld to obey him In eius iura volentes concessêre saith he Likewise lib. 1. cap. 3. speaking of Hengists Captaines Cum Prouincialibus saith he congressi profligatisque qui resistendum putauerunt reliquos in sidem acceptos placidae quietis gratia mulcebant Now let any reasonable man esteeme how it is possible that the pagan Saxons conuersing daily with Christian Britains and séeing the practise of their Rites and Religion shold neither be conuerted to Christian Religion nor haue any notice of it Further we reade that Berta Ethelberts wife was a Christian woman and had with her a Christian Bishop named Luidardus by whom the king and his people could not chuse but receiue some notice and tincture of Christian Religion This is plainely related by Beda hist. Angl. lib. 1. cap. 26. Antea ad eum saith Beda speaking of Ethelbert fama Christianae religionis peruenerat vipote qui vxorem habebat Christianam de gente Francorum nomine Bertam quam ea conditione à parentibus acceperat vt ritum fidei ac religionis suae cum Episcopo quem ei fidei adiutorem dederant nomine Luidardo inuiolatam seruare licentiam haberet Capgraue in the legend of Lethardus containing diuers traditions of the Romish Church speaking of this matter calleth him Austins precursor and saith that he prepared him a way and an entrance into the country Praecursor saith he ianitor venturi Augustini And againe Parauit ei viam ingressum locum Wherefore as the Britains liuing among the Saxons shewed them a light of Christian religion so Luidardus and Berta were the first that prepared the heart of Ethelbert king of Kent to receiue Christian religion and not Augustine whose language he litle vnderstood and whose person he accepted no question for his Quéenes sake and at the perswasion of Luidardus Thirdly although some Saxons were conuerted by Austins
Another old English Chronicle testifieth That Augustine went with the army to the warre and that such of the Britains as were sent to intreat for peace were killed without pitie That Augustine was the cause of this warre and murther we may probably also gather out of Bedes historie For he doth not onely shew that the greatest slaughter was made of the Monkes of Bangor that resisted Austin and gaue counsell against him but also that Austin did threaten them and foretell them that they should haue warre Augustinus saith he lib. 2. hist. cap. 2. fertur minitans praedixisse quòdsipacem cum fratribus accipere nollent bellum ab hostibus forent accepturi Neither is any cause alledged of this warre against the Britains but that Augustine was by them reiected Is not then Austin to be taken as a braue Apostle and conuerter of nations to the faith that came with Pagans against Christians with fire and sword because they would not vndergo his yoke To excuse this matter they alledge the words of Bede as they pretend who speaking of this murther saith That Austin was dead long before But a man of meane iudgement may see that these words are thrust into Bede by some falsarie For how could Austin be dead long before that after this warre as Bede reporteth ordained Iustus and Melitus Bishops Do dead men reuiue againe to ordaine Bishops Furthermore these words of Austins death before the murther of the Britains are not found in the Saxon translation of Beda made by King Alured Finally both the Chronicles of Peterborough and Flores historiarum do witnesse that Austin died three yeares after the execution done vpon the Britains The Britains therefore are not bound to Rome that sent this proud and cruell man amongst them Neither is the same much obliged to Eleutherius if he did as is said send Preachers into Britaine The reasons I haue before alledged As for the Danes Normans and French and their discendants they are cleare also from this obligation For the Romanists albeit they séeke out all colours to beautifie the Popes chaire yet say not that preachers from Rome did conuert them to the faith It resteth then that all the weight of this obligation to Rome which Parsons aduanceth so magnifically must rest vpon a few Saxons or English But this cannot be great as I haue shewed seeing the Saxons were not then the greatest part of the inhabitants of this land nor generally conuerted by the Romaines as hath bene declared But were the auncient English beholding in times past to Gregorie or Austin yet the inhabitants of England for this sixe hundred yeares and vpward haue bene litle beholding to the Popes of Rome and their adherents For first they haue vsed all force and fraud to plant their false hereticall and idolatrous Religion in England as their sending of Legates Agents Archpriests Iebusites and Masse-priests when they durst openly and now of late priuily and the rebellions and warres stirred vp by them against the Kings and Princes of England do declare If then we are neither to hearken to false Prophets nor dreamers of dreames nor to spare them or fauour them that would draw vs from the seruice of God to Idolatrie then are we to detest the Pope and his idolatroùs Agents whose massing Religion and worship of Saints and Images is nothing else but refined paganisme and grosse Idolatrie Againe If we are to marke them and auoid them that cause diuision and offences contrarie to the doctrine which we haue receiued from the Apostles as Saint Paule exhorteth vs Roman 16. then are we to haue no communion nor fellowship with the Pope which indeuoureth to diuide vs from the Catholike Church and to draw vs from Apostolicall doctrine to his leude Decretaline Heresies and Traditions Secondly they haue by their cunning engines drawne infinite treasure out of England impouerishing both the Kings and people of this Iland by their manifold exactions Matthew Paris doth in sundrie places complaine of the oppressions made by the Pope and his Agents and in Henrico tertio saith That England by the Pope was made like a vine left to the open spoile of euery one that passed by Thirdly for the most part they haue concurred with our enemies and by all meanes oppugned our nation Matthew Paris writing Harolds life sheweth that Alexander the Pope sent a Standard to William the conqueror when he came with fire and sword against the English nation Papa saith he vexillum Willelmo in omen regni transmisit And call you this a fauour to ioyne with him that came to conquer our countrie and to cut the Englishmens throats In the dayes of Henry the 2. the Pope fauoured both the Kings disloyall subiects and open enemies as appeareth by the discourse of matters passed betwixt him and Thomas Becket Innocentius the 3 excommunicated King Iohn and sought to depriue him of his kingdome By his malitious courses the King lost Normandie and was forced to surrender his Crowne into his Legats hands Matthew Paris testifieth that he gaue the English for slaues to the French Sententialiter definiuit saith he vt Rex Anglorum Ioannes à solio regni deponeretur He committed the execution of this sentence to the French King and for his labour determined that he and his successors should perpetually enioy the kingdome of England Vt ipse successores sui regnum Angliae iure perpetuo possiderent And may we thinke that any is so brutish as to dispute that we are beholding to the Pope that giueth vs as a prey vnto our enemies Certes vnlesse we had read it in Parsons the Popes parasite we could hardly haue beleeued it In the end albeit he could not bring vs into seruitude yet he wanted not much to make our King and country tributary That noble and victorious Prince King Edward the third found none that more ouerthwarted him and disturned the course of his victories in France then the Pope as his letters menaces and practises reported in Histories declare To forbeare to speake of ancient wrongs done to our Princes and nation by other Popes see I beséech you the indignities offered to king Henry the 8. and his subiects by that impious Pope Paule the third and to his daughter Q. Elizabeth of famous memorie and her people by that lousie friar Pius the fift Gregorie the 13. and Sixtus the fifts seditious rayling and outragious Buls Paule the third rayleth on the King interditeth the kingdome depriueth his subiects of trade and giueth them as slaues to those that could take them Prohibet commercium cum Anglis saith Sanders in his Glosse vpon the Popes Bull foedera cum Henrico dissoluit Henrici sequaces tradit in seruitutem Looke what rage or malice can deuise that he vomiteth out both against the King and our nation And will Parsons haue our nation to submit themselues to such monsters or can any find in their hearts to yéeld to such tyrants Against Queene Elizabeth Pius Quintus
S. Ambrose and S. Augustine he saith It was presumed and foretold that they would be such before they were Christians indeed But in the Legend of S. Martin it is said he was a Christian at the age of twelue yeares and nothing doth Parsons alledge wherby we may vnderstand that any prophesie was made by any of the future Christianitie of Nectarius Ambrose and Augustine In his preface speaking of the Church most ridiculously he compareth it to a mansion house and the markes thereof to charters ridiculously I say For first there is great difference betwéene a mysticall body and a naturall bodie the Church being changed albeit men continue and a mansion house not being moued although the right be translated to others Next Charters do rather shew which are the bounds and markes of lands then may be called the marks of them and are rather compared to Scriptures then to the markes assigned by Papists Lastly this similitude of a mansion house doth ouerthrow the cause of the synagogue of Rome For the mansion house of the Church is in no one particular place and the Charters of the Church are rather holy Scriptures then Popish Decretals In the same place he alledgeth Alexander Halensis 3. part q. 79. to proue That a man hath two lights whereby he may vnderstand matters of faith But in that part he hath only 69. questions and nothing of the two lights Durandus also is there cited in nu 39. but neither booke nor section noted Doth it not séeme therefore that Parsons as he hath long since lost the light of faith so is now become destitute of the light of humane reason Pag. 9. he alledgeth Tertullian de Coena Domini who neuer wrote any book De Coena Domini It may be he mistooke Tertullian for Cyprian Pag. 14. He saith Peter and Paule were put to death the 14. and last yeare of Nero. But Baronius and diuers learned men say they died in the 13. yeare of his raigne Others deny that they dyed both in one yeare Pag. 43. He citeth an Epistle of Basill Ad Innocentium But in Basils works no such Epistle is to be found And certes strange it were if Basill should write to Innocentius Bishop of Rome seeing he died twenty yeares at the least before Innocentius came to be Bishop there as Canisius in his Chronology and Baronius in his Annales to go nofurther might haue taught him Pag. 54. He alledgeth Eusebius lib. 7. hist. c. 29. where there are but 26. chapters of that booke in Christophersons version And pag. 55. he mentioneth two bookes of S. Augustine ad quaest Ianuarij which are more then he euer saw or we can find in the workes of S. Augustine Percase he meant S. Augustines 118. Epistle ad Ianuar. But there is no mention made of such mysteries concerning immoueable or moueable feasts as our dreaming aduersarie fancieth Pag. 67. He alledgeth Theodoret lib. 6. c. 9. whereas his historie containeth onely fiue bookes Pag. 77. He nameth one Photinus a Bishop of France and Ado Bishop of Treues whereas he cannot find any Photinus Bishop in the time of Irenaeus and might well know that Ado the Chronicler was of Vienna and not of Treues Pag. 104. He braggeth That he will proue the Pope the Masse Transubstantiation and the vse of Images Via negatiua Which passeth the reach of common foolerie For who euer heard of affirmatiue propositions proued by negatiues Or who is so sottish to take impudent denials for proofes Pag. 106. Where S. Augustine lib. 4. de Baptis contr Donatist c. 6. speaketh of the custome of not rebaptizing Christians once baptized by Heretikes our ignorant aduersarie supposeth he talketh of the custome of baptizing of infants Pag. 111. He alledgeth the ninth booke of S. Ambrose De Sacramentis and supposeth these words Non valebit Sermo Christi c. to be found in the fourth fifth and ninth booke De Sacramentis and these words Sermo Christi qui potuit de nihilo facere quod non erat c. to be in the same bookes Whereas these words are taken out of the booke De ijs qui initiantur c. and the former are onely found in one booke of Ambrose and neither make for his purpose Pag. 119. There can be no doubt thereof saith he speaking of the Popish doctrine of Sacraments And why trow you Forsooth because the conuenticle of Trent the Master of sentences and Thomas of Aquine haue taught it I would therefore pray all moderate men attentiuely to consider this fellowes either madnesse or ignorance We do by arguments out of Scriptures and Fathers refute the impious doctrine of the conuenticle of Trent Lombard and Aquinas And yet he thinketh it sufficient by the testimonie of his owne fellowes most partially deposing in their owne cause to refute our arguments grounded vpon Scriptures Fathers and other authenticall witnesses Pag. 120. He saith Popish auricular confession is in it selfe repugnant to mans sensuall nature As if it were not as natural to confesse a truth as to deny it This we find that nothing is more beneficial to Massepriests or more pleasing to man then to haue absolution after confession And by this engine the Pope doth work many wonders to maintaine his state Pag. 123. He signifieth that Irenaeus lib. 5. aduers. haeres speaketh for the supremacie of the Pope whereas the Pope is not once mentioned in that place vnlesse it be where he foretelleth that Antichrist tyrannically shall take vpon him as God Ipse se tyrannico more saith he conabitur ostendere Deum Pag. 133. And otherwhere he supposeth that we are bound to defend all the singular opinions of the Magdeburgians But if we alledge to Papists the opinions of Bellarmine Baronius Suarez Stapleton or other Popish proctors they think themselues not tyed to their particular doctrines Againe he imagineth because the Magdeburgians mislike some of the Fathers in some things y t therfore we mislike thē But neither do we in all things hold w t the Magd. nor do they condemne y e Fathers y t in some singular points dissentfrō thē Pag. 146. A Treatise De bono pudicitiae and a Sermon De natiuitate Christi is alledged vnder the name of Cyprian And yet it is méere simplicitie to suppose them to be Cyprians Pag. 165. For the title De Regularibus In sexto he alledgeth De Reg. iuris lib. 6. mistaking chalke for chéese And for the 25. Session of the conuenticle of Trent he citeth 28. whereas there are not so many in all Pag. 181. He alledgeth an Oration of Chrysostome Contra gentes with this title Quòd vnus est Deus whereas the true argument is Quòd Christus sit Deus Pag. 239. He talketh of the burning of William Tracie And yet by the acts that concerne him it appeareth he died quietly in his bed and that his religion was not discouered but by his testament after his death Pag. 268. he mentioneth the Bishop of Cardiffe whereas euery
man knoweth that there is no such Bishop in England The records of the storie might also direct his iudgement in this matter but that he vseth to looke vpon no records Pag. 269. He nameth a certaine sect of Heretiks Massilians as if they of Massilia were Heretikes But he should say if he were not grossely ignorant Messalians Pag. 282. Hierome is cited Dial. vlt. contr Lucifer Whereas it is apparent that he wrote onely one Dialogue against the Luciferians He is also alledged for proofe of succession of Bishops albeit he speake onely of the foundation and succession of the Church Pag. 387. He taxeth M. Foxes words against Pope Ioane as blasphemous Yet it is very absurd to account all to be blasphemie that is vttered against the Pope Pag. 444. and 445. in a matter of controuersie concerning Innocent the third he produceth Blondus and Genebrard two poore parasites of the Pope to speake in his cause Likewise he alledgeth Platina and Sabellicus as witnesses for Hildebrand For him also he quoteth Sigebert and Auentine that speake against him and an Epistle of Anselme that is not extant But what is more absurd and foolish then to vse the testimonie either of hired parasites or of such as speaks against the purpose of him that vseth them or of records no where extant But what should we néed to séeke for more arguments of Parsons ignorance and foolerie when his whole discourse is nothing but a packe of errors and fooleries CHAP. XVII A note of certaine speeches of Parsons in respect of God blasphemous in respect of his duty to his Prince disloyall IF a man would respect termes he might percase somtimes estéeme Rob. Parsons to be a man not altogether exorbitant from Religion and loyaltie But if we looke into the whole course of his writing we shall hardly find in so finall a volume more aguments of impietie and disloyaltie In his Epistle Dedicatorie he applyeth these words of the Euangelist Exurgens imperauit ventis mari which belong properly to Christ to the Pope as if he were able to command the winds and sea In his Preface speaking of arguments of credibilitie for Christian Religion and naming the sayings of Prophets miracles and testimonie of eye witnesses he saith that neither they nor such like are so euident as philosophicall demonstrations As if philosophicall arguments were more cleare and euident then the lightsome word of God or Gods miracles or else as if euery one were better able to vnderstand philosophicall arguments knowne only by the light of naturall reason then the truth of Scriptures and Religion proued by the light of Gods holy Spirit most certaine miracles eye witnesses and diuers other arguments There also he affirmeth that there are like arguments of credibilitie for the points of Popish Religion now in controuersie as are for the Articles of Christian Religion But this is sufficient to ouerthrow all pietie and Religion For what man can beléeue the articles of the faith if we had no better ground for them then for the Popish doctrine of Purgatorie Indulgences the Popes Monarchie and infallible iudgement the popish worship of Angels and Saints and Images the eating of Christs bodie by brute beasts eating the Sacrament and other vnwritten Popish traditions Pag. 102. he compareth the doctrine of the Trinitie of Christs two natures and one Person of the procéeding of the holy Ghost and such like substantiall and necessarie points of the Christian faith to the wicked and corrupt doctrine of the Popes vniuersal authoritie of the popish Masse of Transubstantiation worship of Images and such like taught by the Church of Rome as if the one were as easily and directly to be proued as the other But what can be deuised more impious then to match the hereticall doctrine of schoolemen either deuised by Popes or conceiued by philosophicall deductions with the faith of Christ not onely proued by diuine Scriptures but also testified by Fathers and Catholike Christians of all times Pag. 111. he compareth the word Transubstantiation to the word Trinitie and Consubstantiall Which is as much as if he should deny the holy Trinitie and the Deitie of the Sonne of God if he cannot proue his Transubstantiation a matter that passeth his capacitie to proue Pag. 104. he alloweth the donation of Ethelwolph that gaue lands to God the blessed Virgin and all the Saints But what is more impious then to match creatures with the Creator to honor Saints the Mirgin Mary as Gods Likewise doth he shew himselfe disloy all to his Prince In his Epistle Dedicatorie speaking of obedience due to Princes he taketh from them all authoritie to command in Ecclesiasticall causes esteeming that he doth them fauor in giuing them obedience in all worldly affaires But if he were further examined what obedience is due to Princes excommunicated by the Pope it is not to be questioned but he would deny them obedience in temporall affaires also and defend the rebellions of subiects against their Princes In an addition following his Epistle he insulteth ouer the late Queene hearing of her death and rayleth at her calling her an old persecutor The which argueth not only a disloyall affection towards his Prince but also an inhumane malice against the dead And this reward Princes reape that shew fauour to these Scorpions There also he prayseth the King for his learning iudgement and zeale But if he were either good Christian or true subiect he should haue commended his piety and not haue sought to make him subiect to the Pope Againe if he had loued the King he would not haue plotted his destruction Pag. 136. he imputeth the burning of Foster Freese and Tewkesbury thrée godly Martyrs in King Henry the 8. his dayes to the King and yet were the Romish persecutors the causers of their death Likewise he saith that others were burned by the Kings authority So all the fault is laid vpon the King although the principall agents in these murthers were Romish prelates Pag. 252. he prooueth that Kings are subiect to the Pope by the best reasons he could deuise Can he be thought then loyall to his Prince that extolleth strangers and debaseth Kings Pag. 257. he laugheth at King Edward the sixth as a child King as if the children of Kings were not to succéede their Fathers in their Kingdomes and Pag. 260. he scorneth Proclamations set forth in his name Percase it would greatly please him if all matters were ordred by the Decretals of the Pope But what néede we other arguments to conuince this fellow of disloyaltie when his booke of titles is extant wherein he doth not only oppugne the Kings title to the Crowne of England but also giueth both the Pope and people authority ouer Kings And if that will not serue yet when we remember the horrible treason of Percy and his consorts animated no doubt by Parsons we may plainely sée that he is a Cardinall traytor CHAP. XVIII A particular of Parsons his lyes calumniations
and false allegations NOw we enter into a large field But it shall be sufficient for vs if of many impudent lyes calumniations and false allegations of authors we reherse some part and giue you a tast of his false dealing in the whole For thereby you may coniecture how this child of the father of lies hath dealt in the rest In a certain addition following his Epistle he telleth how it was foretold that S. Martin Nectarius Ambrose and Augustine should be conuerted to Christian Religion long before it came to passe But if he vouch not his authors we may boldly auouch that he hath forged this lye on his owne head without truth or authority In the same place he affirmeth that he knoweth most certainely how the Papists desired his Maiesties aduancement before all others But he that readeth his booke of titles set out vnder the name of Dolman and considereth not only the practises of Brooke Watson and Clerke against the King and the State but also the matters obiected by the Secular priests against the Iebusites and their faction concerning this point and especially the attempt of the gunpowder papists and vnderminers of the Parliament house will say that neither Parsons nor the popish faction shewed themselues very zealous of the Kings aduancement And as for the King of Spaines pentioners it were great simplicitie to thinke that taking his money they promised or intended his Maiesties aduancement and honor There also he telleth tales of the readinesse and forwardnesse of Papists in aduancing his Maiesties present admission to the Crowne The vntruth whereof is not only testified by their owne consciences but also by secret conuenticles after the late Quéenes death and by open practises to the contrary True it is that when they saw their owne weakenesse then they came on forward but with great sorrow and heauinesse of hart appearing in their countenances and rather to saue themselues then to helpe the King He addeth somewhat of his Maiesties Mother and the loyaltie of Papists towards her But his glauering leasing may be refuted first by the history of Sammier a Iebusite that was the principal motiue to bring her into trouble Next by the practises of the Pope Frenchmen and Spaniards that vsed her name as a pretence for their owne ambition And lastly by the practises of the Spanish pentioners and namely of Parsons for other titles In his Preface he saith that Master Foxe in his booke of Acts and Monuments treateth of the principall pillars of his religion whereof he maketh some Martyrs and some Confessors and distributeth them in a certaine Ecclesiasticall Calendar according to the dayes of euery moneth wherein their festiuals are to be kept But in these few lines he telleth many vntruths For first Master Foxe neuer accounted these Martyrs the principall pillars of his religion founding himselfe and his religion principally vpon the Prophets and Apostles Secondly not Master Foxe but their death and sufferings for Christes faith made these holy men and women Martyrs and Confessors Thirdly not M. Foxe but the Corrector of the print distributed them in the Calendar according to his pleasure Fourthly this Calendar was not made for the Church of England which abhorreth the abuses of popish Calendars but for a direction to those that shall desire to know the order and times of their martyrdome and sufferings that are named in the story Lastly M. Foxe neuer presumed to appoint festiuall dayes for the memorials of these holy men nor had he presumed so farre could he haue done it But in this point both he and we condemne the arrogancy presumption of the Pope that challengeth this power to himselfe In his argument before his first booke he giueth out that the church of Rome frō the times of S. Peter vntill our dayes hath alwayes mainteined and taught one faith without change or alteration of any one substantiall article or point of beliefe And this is the maine post whereon turneth his windmil-like discourse Who then doth not sée y t his whole discourse is founded vpō vntruth That this is a notorious vntruth it appeareth by the great alterations of Religion made partly by the Schoolemen and partly by the Popes Decretals and not least by the decrees of the conuenticles of Rome Lateran Constance Florence and Trent wherein I hope Parsons will not deny but that substantiall points of Religion haue béen discussed Pag. 9. he maketh the Centuriasts Centur. 2. 3. 4. to say that Christian doctrine fell away in the time of the Doctors But his report is false and slanderous For they speake only of a decay or declination in some points of doctrine and in some Doctors and not of any falling away or corruption in all the Doctors or in all points of their doctrine Pag. 23. he saith that some hold that Ioseph of Arimathaea was sent into Britaine by S. Peter A matter of no moment yet falsely affirmed by him y t careth not what vntruth he speake Pag. 40. speaking of Ieffrey of Mommouth he affirmeth that lib. 11. ca. 12. there is not one word of not acknowledging the Popes supremacy And his reason is for that Austin was not sent to the Britains but to the Saxons and for that they had their Archbishops iurisdiction reserued But his assertion conteineth a manifest vntruth For Austin Gregories Legat required subiection of them which they could not deny without impugning Gregories authoritie He caused them also most cruelly to be murthered which he would not haue done vnlesse he had thought his authority to be vniustly resisted His reason is most ridiculous and not only false For neither is there any mention made of any reseruation of iurisdiction in Austins story nor do y e Popes Legates spare to vsurp all iurisdiction where they can do it Furthermore it is a vaine thing to talke of Gregories reseruation of Archiepiscopall iurisdiction in Britaine when before his time no Bishop of Rome was euer heard to appoint either Bishop or Archbishop in Britaine Pag. 57. he saith the Lutherans reiect Hester S. Iames his epistle and the Apocalyps from the canon of Scriptures But their bookes and acts declare the contrary They only make a difference betwixt some Chapters of Hester S. Iames his Epistle and y e Apocalyps and other canonicall Scriptures which neuer haue been doubted of or called in question Pag. 58. he saith that Luther lib. de Concil did perswade the German Princes to obserue Easter day as an immoueable feast But either he wilfully forgetteth or slothfully dreameth For in his booke of Councels he saith only that it had bin better to haue left the law of Moyses concerning Pase dead and buried Quanto fecissent consultiùs saith he pag. 26. si legem Moysis de Paschali festo reliquissent ibi iacêre mortuam sepultam so farre was he from making it an immoueable feast Pag. 64. he telleth how Vlfrides festiuall is kept by the vniuersall Church vpon the 12. day of October But