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
among themselues Nay the contention betwéene Caluin and Luther is not so great but that popish doctors haue greater As for our selues all of vs professe the doctrine of Christ Iesus according to that rule that was established by common consent of the church of England from which if any digresse he is no more to be accounted of our societie then the papists that are of the popes retinue Lastly where he calleth our religion Parliament religion hée speaketh like himselfe that is falsely and slanderously For albeit the same be receiued by authoritie of the prince and state yet is it Christs religion and not the princes The a Lâ—unctos Cod. de summ Trin. sid Cath. emperors Gratian Valentinian and Theodosius decréed That all people of their gouernment should hold the doctrine of Peter the apostle taught by Damasus bishop of Rome and Peter bishop of Alexandria and that they should beleeue one God three persons and yet I hope this Noddie will not call the faith of the Trinitie An imperiall faith And thus much in answere of his obiection of parliameÌ„t faith and of supposed diuisions amongst vs. But if hée had considered how that all the authoritie of their Romish faith as it differeth from ours standeth vpon the authoritie of late popes and of the late conuenticle of Trent and that both the grounds and positions of it are either nouelties or old condemned heresies and was in Quéene Maries times established more by parliament then by authoritie of the apostles and how many and diuers sectes they haue among their monkes and friers and b About the matter of the sacrament of the Lords supper they haue not so few as 200. diuers opinions diuers opinions among their schoolemen and how their late writers dissent both from fathers and schoolemen and among themselues I thinke hée woulde haue spared either to haue obiected vnto vs our dissensions or to haue talked of the authoritie of our religion To discredite the report of spirituall blessings bestowed on vs he a P. 5.6 saith further That before this change we beleeued the catholike faith of Christendome deliuered by the vniuersal church grounded vpon that rocke that cannot faile now beleeue onely either other mens opinioÌ„s or our owne fancies which choice is properly called heresie and héere hée thinketh to haue argued like a great doctor But first as his doctrine is strange so his stile is new and fantasticall For although hée sweate hard in séeking yet shall hee not finde that any one doctor saith That the vniuersall church doth deliuer to euerie priuate man the catholike faith for as schoolemen might teach him Actiones sunt suppositorum and it is not the whole kind but some one or other that doth this or that action Secondly most vntrue it is That either poperie is the catholike faith of Christendome or that the apostles or their catholike successors taught those errors of poperie which wee condemne Thirdly he doth vs wrong where he saith That our doctrine is diuers from the catholike faith of Christendome For whatsoeuer Christ or his apostles taught or is deliuered in the confessions of faith or créedes generally receiued of Christs Catholike church that wée beléeue and receiue refusing no point of catholike doctrine and all priuate fancies opinions heresies whether of popes or other heretikes and false teachers we renounce condemne and anathematize Héereof it followeth that the doctrine and faith of the church of England is most catholike and certaine being grounded vpon the apostles and prophets Christ Iesus being the corner stone which is a firme rocke against which the gates of hell cannot preuaile Grounded it is I say vpon the writings of the apostles and prophets endited by Gods holie spirite and thereunto not onely Councels and fathers but also the aduersaries themselues for the most part giue testimonie But the blinde papists haue deuised and receiued both new grounds of their religion and new doctrine which standeth onely vpon the authoritie of this pope and that pope whose fancie and opinion is all the certeintie they haue This is that rocke or rather banke of sand whereon the miserable papists faith is built For what the pope determineth that they hold to be the determination of the vniuersal church vpon his credite they receiue the scriptures Nay without his determination a Stapletonde author eccles they denie the scriptures to be authenticall b Princip doct lib. 9. c. 12. Stapleton teacheth that the church that is the pope at all times hath power to approue and taxe and consigne the bookes of holy scriptures In another place he c Ibidem lib. 11. c. 4. holdeth that vniuersall tradition is the most certaine interpreter of scriptures Generallie they hold that the pope is supreme iudge in all controuersies of faith and manners and that he is the iudge that cannot erre Hereof that followeth which this noddie obiecteth to vs That the faith of papists is built vpon the popes fancie and opinion which altering from time to time the faith of the Romish church is variable like the moone and vnstable as the sea Trusting to the popes determination from the Angelickes they haue receiued the worship of angels from the Collyridians the worship of the holy virgin Marie from the Carpocratians and Simon Magus and their disciples the worship of images from the Manichées and other heretikes prohibition of meates and dislike of mariage of priests and from other heretikes other damnable opinions So that their faith is not the catholike faith of Christendome but méere heresie grounded vpon the fancie and opinion of most wicked and vnlearned popes But d P. 6. saith this Noddie Why should you beleeue more your owne opinions then Caluin concerning the Queenes supremacie Luther concerning the reall presence and Beza in the church gouernment I answere first that these mens priuate opinions concerne not fundamentall points of faith And therefore that they are not to bée brought foorth for instance in this cause where we talke of the foundations reasons of Christian faith Secondly I deny that Caluin did deny the Quéenes supremacie in ecclesiasticall matters as we hold it For neither did he subiect princes to popes or priests in matter of their royall gouernment nor did hee denie princes power to establish ecclesiasticall lawes nor to command for Gods truth or to prouide for the setting foorth of true religion or redressing of disorders in churches or priests which are the principall points of supreme gouernment of princes in their realmes and dominions Neither do I thinke that any ancient father of the church did euer denie this power to princes Sure I am that many haue allowed it The reason why Caluin did once mislike the title of king Henry the eight was because hée was perswaded that hee had challenged all that power which the pope arrogateth to himselfe as head of the church wherein after that he was better informed he changed his stile and
woulde accuse her What likelyhood is there then if he sought witnesses against the lady and that most gréedily that he should conceale an euidence béeing happily found especially such a one as might reueale hidden mysteries Thus our aduersary groundeth his defence vpon vntruthes Besides that he rayseth his building vpon thinges very impertinent and which make little for Gardiners credite He saith He entreated for the life of the Lord Sturton the Lady Smith and the Duke of Northumberland As if Phalaris and Dionysius and the most bloudy and cruell tyrantes that euer yet liued did not spare some offenders to whome they bore affection euen wolues agrée with wolues and serpents do not sting one another If then Gardiner fauoured malefactors whoores and rebels and such like and without remission prosecuted true Christians it is apparent that he was extreamely cruell and that his cruelty was extended against the best men Sure if this discourser had béene wise he would not haue mentioned the Lord Sturton or the Lady Smith séeing no man béeing such as Gardiner was could with any honour speake for them the one hauing committed a most execrable murder vpon Harguil the other hauing killed her owne husband No doubt she was an honest woman that Winchester would speake for He saith that The Lady Elizabeth was then an obiect of loue and compashion rather then of enuy and hatred The which doth argue Gardiners extreame cruelty that had no remorse of conscience to shed so innocent a Ladies bloud forgetting all naturall pitty and compassion that was due to a woman of her yeeres and quality and in that case Where sir Francis saith That recusants cānot professe more loyaltie and loue to Queene Elizabeth and to the state then Gardiner did to king Henry and his sonne king Edward to the state then and yet in the daies of Queene Marie betraied the Queene and realme into the popes and Spaniards hands pulling off his vizor of loue and loyaltie and shewing himselfe in his naturall likenesse and qualities The wise N. D. taketh exceptions to his sayings and telleth him that either hée is ignorant of matters then passed or else willingly telleth vntruthes and so hée entreth into a long discourse concerning Gardiners fall as he calleth it and the matching of Quéene Mary with king Philip the comming in of the Spaniards excusing Gardiner for writing against the pope and flatly denying that hée consented to match the Quéene with the prince of Spaine but first this talke of Recusants is impertinent in this place and argueth nothing else but that this point charged vpon Recusants is a bone too hard for him to gnaw and a matter which had bin better concealed then mentioned in this place declaring plainly what we are to expect at their hands if time serue Secondly it is most false that either Gardiner did then fal or commit a fault when hée stoode for the princes supremacie against the pope or else that hée condemned his dooing therein during king Henries daies Nay when his Secretary Germaine Gardiner was executed he had like himselfe to haue passed the same way had he not confessed his fault to the king and desired pardon with promise of amendement Likewise in king Edwards daies being examined first Whether hee did not beleeue that the king was iustly and ought to bee the head of the church of England and of the synode or conuocation and secondly Whether hee had not authority to make ecclesiasticall lawes for church gouernment hée answered to both affirmatiuely Which sheweth that this Noddy was ignorant of matters of those times and not his aduersarie But if i◠writing against the pope he did euill sure in nothing did he well For this was the onely act for which he deserued commendation To write for the pope or to acknowledge the popes authoritie is nothing else but vnnaturally to subiect this countrey to a stranger and to acknowledge the vsurped power of a tyrant that is vndoubtedlie Antichrist In this place also the Noddy heapeth vp other lyes vpon the backe of the first adding lies to lies Hée saith That Gardiner was one of the chiefe of sixteene Counsellers that were appointed by king Henries testament and earnest charge of mouth at his last howre to gouerne his sonne and realme and that the king earnestly gaue charge that no alteration of religion shoulde be made during his sonnes minoritie But neither was hée one of the chiefe nor any gouernour at all For the king long before his death had dashed him out of his will as a turbulent fellow and not woorthy to haue such a charge committed vnto him Neither would he be induced at sir Anthony Brownes request to admit him againe to that place Secondly this Gardener was neither present when the king died nor many daies before being commanded out of his sight Thirdly it is most notorious that the king dealt most earnestly with Annibault the French kings ambassadour a little before his death to perswade his king to establish a reformation of religion in France And therefore this tale of forbidding alteration is a méere fiction Whatsoeuer the king commanded that certes was to Gardener vnknowne being forbidden the kings presence Fourthly how absurd is it to thinke that Gardiner durst plead the popes right to the king when for this onely suspition that he enclined to the pope hée had no doubt béene called in question had hée not submitted himselfe to the kings mercy That hée did so is a most shamelesse lie as also that hée denied the Kings supremacie in his sermon preached before king Edward which this Noddy affirmeth contrary to all truth And therefore doth farre better deserue the title of Steelebrow then his aduersary sure if he had not béene both stéelebrowed and béetilbrowed yea and béetilheaded hée woulde neuer haue béene so bolde in affirming so many vntruthes without grounde or witnesse nay contrarie to all record of storie and testification of witnesses Thirdly it is most true That Gardiner was a principall actor in matching Queene Mary with Philip of Spaine which our aduersarie denieth and most false that the Counsell was deuided about this matter some fauoring the earle of Deuonshire others the prince of Spaine which he affirmeth That is prooued for that hée wrote and receiued letters from Charles the emperour to this purpose and also in that he was a chiefe dealer about the articles agréed vpon at the time of the mariage and last of all for that the prince of Spaine came first to Winchester and was maried by the bishop as a man specially fauoring that match The second point is prooued first by the testimonie of a Lib. 2. de schism Sanders that saith that all the counsel liked this match in regard of bringing back the church of England to the church of Rome And secondly for that the Quéene made choice of the earle of Deuonshire herselfe and such was her affection that shée had maried him but that all her Counsell resisted it
a carnall fellow and a méere politicke Hée kept certaine women and his bastardes in his time bore no small swaie in Rome One of them made loue to a mans wife of the house of Glorieri Of whom receiuing some indignitie he brought the Glorieri into hatred with his father Who picking a quarrell to them fined Caesar Glorieri him that set his hand to the sentence of excommunication against the Quéene 100000. ducates and another Glorieri that was clarke of the popes checker chamber he put out of his office and solde it for diuers thousands of duckats So you sée much money made of a baudie matter and you woulde woonder whether all this money went and I beléeue hardly coulde you gesse it I will therefore assure you that all this money went to the Iesuites and was most of it imploied in the building of their colledge at Rome O holie societie and thrise holy colledge erected for the most part by baudrie and maintained as pope Sixtus said by vsurie This may serue for a taste to shew that the best founders that Iesuites haue are carnall and sensuall men that rather then they will frie in purgatorie will giue the Iesuites most of that they haue The second fault of this enumeration is this that it is defectiue For not so many atheistes carnall worldlings and heretickes as christian and catholicke princes zelous and godly bishops and pastors and honest and religious Christians do detest and abhor this wicked generation Princes for the hazard that they haue incurred of their liues and states haue eyther expulsed them and banished them their countries as the French king the Transyluanian and those that professe true religion or had them in iealousie as the king of Poland and diuers papisticall princes Godly Christians haue reason to suspect them and detest them for their abominable doctrine and treacherous and murderous practises Fathers feare them in regard of their children whom they inueigle and steale away The Venetians dissolued a colledge in Padua where gentlemens sonnes were wont to be brought vp for that the Iesuites taking vpon them to teach there corrupted their youth with their vnnaturall lasciuiousnes and restrained them from teaching others then such as were of their own society Husbandes haue them in iealousie for their wiues wiues for their husbands For it is no rare matter for these subuerters of all humanity to draw wiues from husbandes and husbandes from wiues yea sometimes through too much familiarity with women they spoile the men A certaine Magnifico in Venice perceiuing his wiues iewels to be wanting in the end learned that the Iesuites had gotten them To conclude this point I thinke the Iesuites will not deny but that the Carmelites and Franciscanes and Dominicans and othe orders of fryers are as honest men as themselues yet all these do inwardly hate them At Vienna they thrust out the Carmelites at Mentz the Dominicans at Trier and Bransberg the Franciscās out of their houses which maketh these orders to hate them In Bauier the priests béeing brought to pouerty and shame by the Iesuites haue no reason to loue them And thus we sée that many honest men do eyther suspect or hate the Iesuites and some also which they themselues cannot take iust exception against Let vs therefore now consider whether the causes that haue mooued and occasioned this hatred against the Iesuites be iust or no. The discourser saith They are had in hatred and emulation eyther for their rule and profession or for their learning and doctrine or for their life and conuersation But first the parts of this diuision are imperfect next the same conteineth diuers vntruthes and more are added in the declaration of it Lastly the whole defence parted in this diuision is not sufficient to iustifie the course and actions of the Iesuites the imperfection may be prooued by diuers particulars For they are not onely hated for these thrée causes but for diuers others As namely for that they do many things both contrary to their owne rule and contrary to the rule of Gods law and Christian religion They professe obedience but they practise sedition and rebellion Claudius Matthew a Iesuite and king Henry the third of France his confessor was the most principall author and agent in the league of papists against him and the peace established a litle before Parsons and Campian were sent into England to make a faction for the papistes which appeared in this that they procured a faculty to suspend the bull of Pius as farre as it concerned papists no further then Rebus sic stantibus These fellowes are the principall agents and stirrers of the rebellion in Ireland Iames Gordon Creichton and Hayes Iesuites laide a plot not onely for a rebellion in Scotland but for an inuasion in England Neither hath any warre or tumult béene raysed of late in any part of Christendome wherein the Iesuites haue not borne a principall part They professe chastitie and the law of God forbiddeth all vncleannes but how these obserue this profession and law I report me to their owne consciences to the Iesuites of Rome and Padua and to their practise in allowing and now and then frequenting bordelles They talke much of voluntary pouerty and Christ saith all should be left for his sake But these good fellowes leaue Christ for the wealth and ease they find in the order of Iesuites They dwell in costly pallaces their dyet apparrell is more dainty and braue then ordinary The furniture of their houses and churches is gorgious and princely Their armes are placed aboue the armes of princes most couetously they scratch and scrape from the orphane widow and poore and put out their mony to interest their rule and outward profession is to gaine soules but their practise is to kill soules They promise to teach without reward but if a great man will giue them a million they take all Nay they pretend to begge for banished English but take most themselues and by all practises séeke to enrich themselues by bribes and rewardes They professe religion and the name of Iesus but they are the slaues of the pope and oppugne the faith of Iesus preferring the decretals before scriptures in certainty and make a scoffe at religion In Venice they painted the virgine Mary like a Lady in the city whome they loued as a Vita Pij Quinti Pius Quintus cast an Agnus dei into the riuer so these vse the same practise in their coniurations Nay they administer the sacrament to those that go about to murder princes as Walpoole did to Squire First then they are hated for dooing against Gods law and their owne written rules Secondly for their ignorance in true religion Thirdly for that they peruert others by their leud perswasions and euill example Fourthly for that they peruert youth and teach them euill manners Fiftly for that they are not ashamed to defend any old condemned heresie or grosse new error holden by the pope Lastly
that this should cost the Queene many a bitter teare Let the quarels be specified witnesses produced to prooue the Quéenes tendernesse more to Spaniards then her owne people Fiftly hée telleth a very pitifull case viz. That no Spaniard coulde walke in the night without danger of his life nor at other times without iniurious wordes and that they paide deere for all things especially if they were taken talking with a mans wife daughter or seruant and as a certaine Viceroy tolde him that some English would send their wiues daughters of purpose into the fieldes where Spaniards walked to allure them to talke with them and thereby to entrappe them and get money from them and that diuers of the Spaniardes had their purses taken from them that the Count Fuensalida was robbed as he was at supper with diuers of his countrymen All which long discourse is as farre from the purpose as Spaine from England For what doth this concerne king Philips vertues or the state of England which are the points which héere he taketh on him to handle Must the state of England consist now in the brabbles betwixt the scum of the kings traine and a fewe bandes and base fellowes about their Sen̄oras Further the same doth rather shewe the insolency of the Spaniards then deserue any commiseration for the losses or knockes they priuily receiued For why shoulde they be suffred to abuse honest women or to attempt maidens chastitie Will N. D. our Warder play the baud to make matches betwixt knaues and whoores and mislike that there was not a guard set while such lend fellowes went about their base affaires Againe it may be that it was not a Viceroy for what hath such a Noddy or vice as this to do with Viceroies or viceroies to do with such petite matters but some vice that purposed to delude him that tolde him the tale of these walking womē or walking knaues For how could he know that they were mens wiues or daughters if he were a stranger or else that they were sent for that purpose that he speaketh into the fields how knew he but that it was a quarrell betwixt knaues bauds how knew he that the Spaniards did not willingly bestow their mony vpon baggages being men that frequent the bordell as oft as the church As for the robbery of the Count Fuensalida if any such thing were it no more concerneth the honor of our nation then the robberies by Fuorusciti in Italy Naples the honor of the king of Spaine Robberies disorders wil euery where be committed but we praise them not we allow thē not Neither did Quéene Marie then allow this foresaid robberie And rather then the old Count should wéepe for his plate he shall haue a collection in part of recōpence for his losses All this great matter therefore being well considered is nothing neither hath our aduersarie any reason to exclaime and say That these were the fine fruites of our new Gospell then freshly planted among vs. For those that did these feates were papists and not men of our religion and these disorders were committed in Quéene Maries time when popery was publikely professed in England and not in the time of the Gospell Againe the Spaniards and not any of our profession vsed to haunt bordels and to make these baudy matches And if in states that professe the Gospell there be diuers outrages committed they cannot bée imputed to our profession but to the leudnesse of those that will not bée reformed and that liue among vs and are not of vs. Which kinde of people are both reprooued by their teachers and punished by the magistrates Hauing thus for his pleasure ranged farre from the matter in an idle discourse cōcerning certaine brabbles betwixt the English and Spanish in Quéene Maries daies he commeth to his purpose concerning king Philip and gladly would he purge him from all suspicion of euill meaning towards our nation contrary to a letter mentioned by Sir Francis and written out of Spaine when king Philip was yet in England The letter purported that notwithstanding the kings faire pretenses his purpose was to winne the fauour of the nobility and so to make himselfe absolute king and possessing the principall places with his owne souldiers to alter the lawes and to impose taxes and rule the country at his pleasure And this the warder by all meanes séeketh to shift off and to discredite and that first Because these plots and practises were neuer heard of before as he saith But he must néedes be deafe that liued in Quéene Maries daies in any eminent place in the state that heard not often of these practises and very dull and sencelesse if he suspected them not Neither is it likely that such a prince would desire to come hither if he should still be tied with conditions Secondly he saith That the name of the writer and receiuer of the letter would haue beene set downe But that might haue bred daunger the letter béeing written against Spaniardes that then ruled in England Neither is it the fashion for intelligencers to declare either their owne names or the names of such as they write vnto Thirdly he would auoide it by this shift That it was some flying report without ground and taken vp in some port-towne or tauerne by some factor or other wandring companion But the probability of the plot and procéeding of the Spanyard and the euent of thinges did shewe the contrarie Fourthly he would beare vs in hand That it was some deuise to make the Spaniards odious and perhaps to vphould the faction of the earle of Deuonshire that missing the mariage of Queene Mary began to practise But the ambition and malicious purpose of the Spaniardes against all that professed the truth and his procéedings in the gouernement did plainely declare that it was a truth and no fiction As for the earle of Deuonshire he neuer desired to marry the Quéene For if he had he might Such was her affection towards him Neither did he euer take any gréefe for not marrying her for his affection was no way enclined that way Neither could he poore gentleman entertaine any practise béeing destitute of friends and meanes watched by his enemies of no subtill reache to compasse any such matter I wonder the Noddy was not ashamed once to name this yong earle who albeit innocent and harmelesse yet was poysoned at Padua to content some mens humors But our aduersarie as if he were a smith and of Vulcans generation as his supposed father was canne forge twentie such deuises and shift off wicked practises with a number of loose wordes He saith It is a grieuous and heinous slander against a mightie munificent and bountifull monarke to say that he meant to make himselfe king As if mighty and munificent monarkes do not in their ambitious humors séeke to enlarge their dominions That this was no fiction it may appeare by the drift of Charles the fift entending this mariage
by the popes demandes to the king that could not be effected without greater authority by the propositions made by king Philip to the counsell to enlarge his power and release the rigour of the conditions whereto he was tyed by the kings secret working to draw ouer Spanish soldiers and his practises to possesse himselfe of the nauy and the principall portes and fortresses of this kingdome by wordes commonly giuen out by the testimony of Sir Francis Englefeld if he were aliue and would say truth and also of diuers others of the nobility by the ambitious humors of the Spaniard and finally for that otherwise his aduancement by this mariage would haue amounted to nothing And if in the low countries where he is but duke or earle he hath sought to be an absolute king we may not doubt of his purpose in England where he had the title of king and possessed the Quéene Where the letter saith That king Philip meant to haue altered the counsell to possesse the hauens to make new fortes to furnish them with his owne men to change the common lawes to bring in the Spanish inquisition and Spanish lawes and to impose strange taxes vpon vs after the fashion of Spaine he thinketh it sufficient to answere first That no such thing was attempted by him and secondly That all this was prouided for in the conditions of his mariage with the Queene But his slender surmises are all too weake to crosse such violent purposes For albeit béeing preuented by the hand of God that tooke away the Quéene he could not put matters in execution yet doth it not follow that he neuer had any such purpose or intention Againe it is a fond thing to imagine that the king could be tyed with wordes and conditions when experience teacheth vs that neither promises nor othes nor lawes of God nor lawes of nations could bridle his ambition He was a Guicciardin de paesi bassi precisely sworne to obserue the priuiledges and lawes of the low countries Yet did he obserue none but contrary to all order change the councell of estate bring in the inquisition and enlarge the authority of the ecclesiasticall state erect citadelles place garrisons and impose strange taxes vpon the people And if the Duke of Alua did this by his direction in the low countries no doubt but he would haue doone the same himselfe in England if he had atteined his purpose and had not béene crossed by the Quéenes death And that this was his full intention we haue already shewed by diuers argumentes beside the testimony of the letter These therefore are no bugges nor imaginations but true collections grounded vpon principles of state and the kings actions Héereby also we may gather that we were happily deliuered from the thraldome of the Spaniard more grieuous then the thraldome of Egypt as their rigorous dealing with them of the low countries may plainely enforme vs. Where among strange taxes imposed by the Spaniards one is mentioned most strange That the subiect payeth for euery chimney and others are noted as not common that some pay by the poll and all pay for their victuals so that a man cannot eat but the king must be paid as if he were a common host as indéede he kéepeth a common tauerne in his court after a base fashion that a man cannot drinke but the king will gaine somewhat our aduersarie wondreth That any should publish such childish toyes But the Spaniardes and the kings subiects in other places do find that the burthens are so heauy that neither children nor yet men are able to beare them And albeit there is percase some error in the particulars yet the sum is not much mistaken For throughout the kings dominions a tribute or taxe is paid for all things bought and sould in the market Neither is any marchandise exported or brought into the country or passed from place to place but there is a custome paid Of late there is a tribute exacted not onely for euery Hanega of corne ground at the mill but also for salt Neither are the countries of Biscay Arragon Nauarre Catalonia or Valentia so frée as our aduersary pretendeth In Flanders according to the Spanish stile the duke of Alua imposed a tenth and twentieth part vpon all the kings subiectes a tribute neuer exacted in the Turkish dominions Now then if the king exact such payments vpon his owne frée subiectes in what case are they like to be that he shall vanquish with his sword Where it is declared in the letter That the king purposed to roote out the nobility of England and to bring the commons to beggery and to sell all not aboue twentie yeeres ould for slaues our aduersary doth terme this narration sottish and impudent and asketh How this beeing contriued in England could be discouered by one in Spaine But whatsoeuer termes the relation doth deserue certaine it is that this manner of procéeding is most inhumane and barbarous and not so improbable as the warder would make it For first we may not thinke that the haughty minde of the Spaniard could either be content with a simple reuenge of wrongs or conteined within the boundes of common lawes and customes Secondly we know that the popes malice is so great against such as spurne at his authority that he stirreth vp all the world against them and Giueth them for slaues to those that canne take them as a Sander de schism lib. 1. Paule the third did giue the English in Henry the eight his daies Thirdly it is most notorious that in the Indiaes they haue practised all these barbarous cruelties so that they haue almost dispeopled diuers countries that were very ful of people at their first comming thither Fourthly the example of our neighbours of the low countries that liue vnder the Spanish yoke and haue their nobility eyther extinct or debased and their liberties abolished and liue in great slauery may shew vs some part of their purposes and as it were the plot of their gouernement Lastly in their fléete that came against vs anno 1588. beside store of halters and fetters prouided to bind our poore countrymen that should be taken prisoners and were already taken in conceit there were found in Don Pedro de valdez his ship diuers engines and irons to marke such as should be taken for slaues Adde héereunto the testimony of him that wrote the letter out of Spaine mentioned by Sir Francis and did vnderstand by good intelligence the resolution of the Spaniards in this point and wée shall not néede to make question but that this was indéed intended and resolued against our nation Neither coulde hée reueale this secret vnlesse it had come to his notice which might by diuers meanes come to passe For albeit the king hatched this purpose first within his owne brest yet was the same communicated to others and so made knowne in Spain to those that shoulde concurre in the execution of it Such abominable treasons God would
exeuntes quia ipsi sunt scurriles leues volatiles rodentes sacras literas virides paganicae philosophiae sequaces quasi equi currentes sic illi in vanam disputationem 22. True catholikes haue alwaies shewed themselues obedient to their princes and performed their othes of allegiance They neither sought to murder them nor to depriue them of their crownes Dauid albeit he was gréeuously and vniustly persecuted by Saule yet did he not lay his hands vpon his prince albeit God had taken away the kingdome from Saul and giuen it to him The Israelites rebelled not against their kinges although they were wicked But papistes rebell against princes and neglect all promises and othes made to them as oft as the pope shall excommunicate them Nay the pope and his adherents excommunicate lawfull princes and pronounce sentence of deposition against them their associates make warres vpon them popish subiects are encouraged to rebell and are promised great rewardes and eternall blessednesse if they can kill the Lordes annointed as hath béene sufficiently alreadie declared by diuers examples In the rules or a Apud Ioseph Vestan de oscul ped pontif dictates of Gregorie the seuenth the twelft is That the pope hath power to depose the emperor The eight That hee may lawfully vse the ensignes of the emperour The 27. That hee hath power to absolue subiectes from their alleageance And this diuers late popes haue attempted and practised The which as it sheweth them to bée no catholikes so it prooueth them to be woorse then Turkes and Infidels which alwaies haue had a reuerend regard of their princes and superiors 23. True catholikes beléeued onely to haue remission of sinnes from Christ Iesus and neither trusted in indulgences nor Iubilies nor in pilgrimages to Rome or to other places But the Romanists without the popes pardons thinke themselues in no securitie and presuming of his fauour commit murthers and marie incestuously and do many outrages and villanies 24. True catholikes embrace all that doctrine which our Sauiour Christ commanded his apostles to preach to all nations throughout the worlde and refuse to heare those that preach otherwise and teach another kinde of doctrine But the papists haue not onely embraced diuers nouelties of which Christes apostles knew nothing but false heresiâ—s contrary to the doctrine of Christ and his apostles Which for that it is a principall argument to conuince them to bée no catholikes shall particularly God willing be demonstrated in the two chapters following Héeretofore wee haue shewed them to bée no catholikes for that their doctrine was neither generally taught nor receiued of al true catholikes now they shall bée prooued to bée no catholikes for that diuers points of their religion are either new deuises and fantasies not taught by the apostles nor receiued of the apostolicall and catholike church or else olde heresies condemned for such by the catholike church of ancient time CHAP. II. That diuers positions and principles of popish religion are meere nouelties and new deuises vnknowne to the most ancient and true catholike church of Christ IT may percase séeme strange especially to such papists as are but yoonglings and nouices in the Iesuites schoole that the religion of popes which is commonly called The olde religion shoulde now bée charged with noueltie and condemned by testimony of antiquitie Yet if wee please not onely to consider these later ages but also to looke backe to the apostles times and the ages next succeeding we shall assuredly finde by enumeration of many particulars that popish religion as it differeth from the religion now generally receiued and professed in the church of England is a new vpstart religion and full of nouelties and late receiued fancies For in religion that is onely to bée accounted ancient that is deriued from Christ and from his apostles Antiquitas mea saith a In epist. ad Philadelph Ignatius Christus est That is Christ is the originall from whence wée fetch our antiquitie b Lib. 4. contr Marcion Tertullian saith that the religion taught by the apostles is most ancient and from the beginning and most true Id vertus quod prius saith hée id prius quod ab initio id ab initio quod ab apostolis Saint c Epist 65. ad Pammach Ocean Hierome reiecteth all for newe that was not taught by the apostles Cur profers in medium saith hée quod Petrus Paulus edere noluerunt d Contra haeres c. 25. Vincentius Lirinensis calleth him a true catholike That doth onely beleeue and holde whatsoeuer the ancient catholike church did vniuersally beleeue Qui quicquid vniuersaliter antiquitùs ecclesiam catholicam tenuisse cognouerit id solum sibi tenendum credendumque decernit But the ancient church is not this late Romish church within this fiue or sixe hundred yeeres but the apostolike and primitiue church Now whatsoeuer commeth from late popes albeit the same hath had some hundreds of yéeres coÌ„tinuance yet is the same new and no part of the ancient catholike religion for that it hath no beginning from Christ nor from the apostles nor was vniuersally receiued of the most ancient church of Christ That corruption I say of poperie is new which the church of England refuseth as appéereth by diuers particular points First the very chéefe groundes and principles of popish religion and the lawes whereby they stande haue no greater antiquitie then from Iohn the 22. Clement the fift Boniface the eight Gregorie the ninth or to go to the highest from Hildebrand otherwise called Gregory the seuenth for from him doth a Bullarium hée that made a collection of all the popes buls and lawes fetch their first originall Before that it may be diuers bishops and popes wrote decretall epistles but vntill this time they had no force of law Nay before this time all histories do teach vs that the church was gouerned partly by the lawes of Emperors and partly by the canons of councels Now that the decretals of the popes being receiued and authorized for lawes are the foundation of popish religion it is apparent For therein all the nouelties of the Romish church are confirmed and established And b In praefat ante relect princip doctr Stapleton doth in plaine termes affirme so much In hac docentis hominis authoritate saith hée in qua deum loquentem audimus religionis nostrae cognoscendae fundamentum necessariò poni credimus And generally all papists confesse that the pope is the souereigne iudge in matters of religion Whereupon it followeth that his determinations and decretals are the chéefe groundes of popish religion Secondly the apocryphall Scriptures of Toby Iudith Wisdome Ecclesiasticus the two bookes of the Machabees and the additions extant in the Latine translation and not in the original bookes which are as second grounds of popery were not declared of equall authoritie with other canonicall scriptures before the councell of Trent At that time also was the Latin vulgar translation made
contrary in diuers maine points to the doctrine of the apostles Seuenthly they do neither retaine vnion with Christ Iesus nor with the ancient Church nor among themselues Eightly their decretaline doctrine is neither sound nor holy nor hath any efficacie in it nor hath other fountain then the popes fancie Ninthly their legendary miracles and prophecies whereupon a great part of the credit of the Romish faith dependeth are nothing but lies and forgerie and those ofttimes very ridiculous Tenthly their strange nouelties and heresies haue béene by many both olde late writers reproued and condemned Lastly as the authours of it haue liued vnhappily and died miserably for the most part so those that haue gone about to restore true religion and to roote out Romish idolatrie and heresie haue for this onely cause felt Gods great fauour towardes them both in their liues and ends 44 The Church of Rome is also conuicted not to be the true Church by the confession of a Relect. doct princip cont 1. q. 5. Stapleton For if the true Church began at Hierusalem and is vniuersally dispersed and hath continued in all ages and hath a true succession of bishops from the apostles and disagreeth not about matters of faith nor dissenteth from the head of the church and which hath planted christian religion preserued the same throughout the world and hath kept the apostolike forme of gouernment and preuailed against all heresies and temptations keeping the rule of faith sound and intire and which also sheweth the true way of saluation and keepeth the scriptures sound and pure frō corruption and finally which holdeth the decrees of all generall councels as blundering Stapleton not only confesseth but after his most odious and tedious fashion with multitude of words goeth about to proue then is not the church of Rome that now is the true church of christ Iesus For to say that the church of Rome began at Hierusalem is as absurd as to say that Rome is Hierusalem or to affirm that Rome now is like to old Rome Our aduersarie should do vs great fauour to shew that the glorie and fulnesse of power that the pope challengeth together with his cardinals dumbe bishops masse-priests idle monks lying fryars and all the popes decretals and ceremonies are come from Hierusalem He may doe also well to proue that the latter scholasticall and decretaline doctrine was vniuersally receiued throughout the world either in the apostles times or in the times of the ancient Fathers of the Church The rocke of succession vpon which they build so huge conclusions we haue shewed to be nothing but a banke of sand We haue shewed also that their doctrine is not only diuers but contrarie to the doctrine of Christ the head of the Church and of his apostles And how great contentions haue béene in the Romish church not onely the schismes and warres betwixt popes and princes but also the differences about all points of religion which is apparant both in the disputes of schoolmen and also in the writings of Bellarmine and his consorts do declare That the Romanists haue corrupted the faith not onely with nouelties but also with diuers heresies and haue changed both the ancient forme of apostolike gouernement and also the principles and grounds of faith established both by Fathers and councels and by the apostles themselues and haue yéelded to heresies and béene ouercome of the gates of hell I thinke no man can doubt that readeth this discourse and compareth the late procéedings of the Romish church to the rule deliuered vnto vs by Christ Iesus 45 Finally the testimony of a In his motiues Bristow doth vtterly ouerthrow the Church of Rome and declareth it not to be the true church For he commendeth that for the true church that is catholike and apostolike and which abhorreth all nouelties and heresies and idolatrie and whose doctrine is confirmed by scriptures most certaine traditions councels fathers and practise of the ancient church and which teacheth the narrow way and maketh subiects obedient and hath infallible iudges and is sure to continue But the Romish church is neither catholike nor apostolike neither doth it abhorre either heresie or idolatrie nor shun profane nouelties The doctrine of that church hath neither ground of scripture ancient councels nor fathers neither can the Romish doctors bring any certaine proofe of their traditions It teacheth a broad way and maketh rebellious subiects In iudgemēt it hath no other certaintie then the popes determination Finally already that tower of Babel which is built so high doth begin to totter and as we trust cānot long stand Further he saith that euerie church that is risen after the first planting of religion and gone out of the catholike church and from the apostolike doctrine and is not the communion of saintes nor euer visible and lastly that is not the teacher of all diuine truth and the vndoubted mother of Christs children is not the true church of Christ But the Church of Rome as it is now visible in the pope and cardinals and officers of the popes chamber in popish prelates sacrificing priests monkes friers and nunnes and their officers and adherents rose out of the earth long after the apostles times and went out of the catholike apostolike church and hath for the popes quarrell opposed it selfe against Christ and his true doctrine The same is also departed from the ancient faith and is no more to bée tearmed Christs Church which is a communion of saints linked together in the profession of Christs true faith but rather the combination of antichrist and the synagogue of Satan Such a church as is now to be séene at Rome and in the prouinces adhering to it was not visible many ages after Christ neither was any such church for a long time extant in the world neither when the same began to shew her selfe in great ruffe did she either teach all truth or refuse all heresie false doctrine or beare or bring forth children to Christ but to antichrist And therfore we may safely conclude that the Romish church of these times is the synagogue of Satan and not the true church of Christ Iesus The nature and propertie of the true and vnspotted spouse of Christ the inseparable qualities of true faith and such as truly professe the same and finally the confession and doctrine of the aduersaries themselues when they speake of the true church and true faith and true professours and matters incident vnto them in generall do declare it to be so CHAP. V. That no papists haue beene executed in England since her Maiesties comming to the crowne for meere matter of religion but for their treasons or other capitall offences HItherto wée haue spoken in the defence of our religion and Christian profession It resteth therefore nowe séeing our aduersary doth not onely calumniate our religion but our lawes also and gouernment that wée speake somwhat in defence of iustice especially so farre foorth as it
by the answeres of Campian Sherwin Briant Kirby Filby and diuers other priestes But a Lib. 7. de visib Monarch Sanders saith that the purpose of the rebels was to bee praised albeit they had no successe Nobilium iliorum laudanda consilia erant c. and he b Ibidem calleth the rebellion Pium institutum fidei confessionem a pious or deuout resolution and a confession of their faith Hee c Ibidem accounteth those that died in that rebellion no woorse then martyrs d Motiue 15. Bristow likewise putteth the earle of Northumberland the two Nortons Woodhouse Plomptree and others that died for rebellion in the catalogue of martyrs Both hée and the rest allow pope Pius his bull and make Felton a martyr that was executed for setting the same vpon the bishop of Londons gates Cardinall Allen not without the helpe of Parsons and consent of other priestes published the declaration of Sixtus quintus his bull and exhorteth all her subiects To take armes against her Maiesty and to lay holde vpon her person and to deliuer her into the handes of her enimies And with Allen and Paâ—sons all the Seminarie priestes and friers that come ouer are consorted So then it appéereth that the papists generally and especially those that come from beyond the seas and are by the pope his agents emploied in England are a traiterous faction opposite to the state and her Maiesties gouernment Fourthly it appeereth that they adhere to forrain enimies and namely to the Spaniard and pope That they are our enimies it cannot be denied The law is cleare Hoâ—â—es ij sunt saith e ff de Verbor signific l. hostes Pomponius qui nobis aut quibus nos publiâ—è bellum decreuimus They are enimies with whom we haue wars That is also declared by the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which sheweth them to be properly enimies that make wars vpon vs. They are also enimies that either by force or practise séeke the ouerthrow of a Prince or state if they be forreyners as subiects intending the same are rebels and traytors But the Spaniard hath made diuers hostile attempts against her maiestie and the state As namely first in comforting and abetting the northren rebels and promising them aide anno 1569. as appéereth plainely by testimonie of Gierome Catena in Pius Quintus his life and by the negotiation of Ridolphi with the Duke of Alua. Girol Catena in vita Pij Quinti Nay at the r solicitation of Pius Quintus about the yéere of our Lord 1567. he resolued to become our enimie and to employ all his forces against vs. Parsons also testifieth that at the popes agents request he sent succour to the rebels in Ireland Alexandro Sega Nuntio apostolico supplicante Cantabrorum Gallecorum manum subsidio Hibernis Desmondano misit saith Å¿ Andreas Philopater p. 134. he or at least his secretarie and agent Creswell In the yéere 1588. he prepared great forces both by sea and land to execute the popes Bull and to conquer England forsooth as both the t Sixti 5. sent declarat pope himselfe in his declaratorie sentence against her maistie and Cardinall Allen and Parsons that wicked traytor in their letters to the nobilitie and people of England and Ireland doe plainely confesse Neither did king Philip the second euer cease to prosecute his purpose against vs as appéereth by diuers attempts and by the Aâ—elantadoes proclamation published at his last setting out from the Groyne wherein he plainely telleth vs that he came to conquer England and to kill vs all if he could And yet some will not beléeue either his owne words or other proofes Likewise no question is to be made but that the pope is a publike and professed enimie of this state and so hath béene euer since her maiestie came first to the crowne Pope Pius anno 1569. at the first chop published a most execrable Bull against her declaring her to be depriued of her crowne and her right before to haue beene pretended assoyling her subiects from their obedience and forbidding them vnder paine of excommunication to obey her any more Declaramus saith he de apostolicae plenitudinis potestate praedictam Elizabetham haereticam haereticorum fautricem eÃque adhaerentes anathematis sententiam incurrisse c. Quinetiam ipsam praetenso regni praedicti iure neâ—non omni quocunque dominio dignitate priuilegióque priuatam Item proceres subditos populos dicti regni ac caeteros omnes qui ei quomodocunque iurauerunt à iuramento huiusmodi omni prorsus dominij fidelitatis obsequij debito perpetuò absolutos c. Praecipimúsque interdicimus vniuersis singulis proceribus subditis populis alijs praedictis ne illi eiúsue monitis mandatis legibus audeaÌ„t obedire Qui secus egerint eos simili anathematis sententia innodamus With his hostile sentence he ioyned also hostile actions For he sent u Sanders de visib monarch lib. 7. Nicholas Morton into the north to stirre vp a rebellion in those parts Nicholaum Mor tonum saith Sanders in Angliam misit vt certis illustribus catholicis viris authoritate apostolica denuntiaret c. The same is also testified in forrein x Comes Natalis hist lib. 20. Histories When the rebels in the north were suppressed he encouraged the Duke of Norfolke to rebell promising him ayde of souldiours and money Pontifex saith y In historiae Manolessae Aemilius Manolessa post quam Ducis Norfolâ—iensis animum ad rebellionem incitatum intellexisset promisit se decem millia nulitum in Angliam missurum atque interim duodecim millia aureorum ad eum transmissurum He confesseth also that the rebellion in the north was stirred by Pius or rather the impious pope Robertum Ridolphum saith he misit Pius Quintus vt animos nobilium tentaret subditosque aduersus reginam Elizabetham armaret Hée z Girol Caten in vita Pij Quinti dealth also both with the old Quéene mother of France and with king Philip of Spaine most earnestly to ayde and comfort the rebels as appéereth by his letters and the negotiation of the Cardinall of Alexandria in Spaine Hée sent also Vincent Lauro into Scotland to worke trouble that way Gregorie the 13. stirred vp the rebellion in Ireland as appéered by the authoritie giuen to Sanders and other priestes and to make the businesse the hotter sent them some little reliefe of men and money Further as if this had not béene sufficent a In declarat Sixti 5. contra Elizabeth Sixtus Quintus did againe declare her maiestie excommunicate and as himselfe confesseth persuaded and enioyned the king of Spaine to execute his sentence and by force to expell her out of her kingdome To this ende also he sent both souldiours and money and by all meanes possible concurred with the Spanish forces and this deseignement also the popes succeeding haue to their
cacolike religion This a Ad persequut Anglos Allen told vs in a long discourse to that purpose This Campian and the priestes that came from Rome protested And this is the ground of all their declarations supplications and petitions made for moderation in executing the lawes against priestes and recusants And so credulous simple were some of vs poore soules that we beléeued their faire words and glosses and determined to shew them all possible fauour But now we sée they séeke the destruction of her Maiesty the bringing in of strangers the trouble of the kingdome by rebellion and the vtter desolation of their natiue countrey as we haue prooued by many particulars Parsons in his Ward-word taketh vpon him the defence of publike enimies and traytors séeking by all meanes to disgrace his owne nation and this state Being acquainted with Parries intention for the murthring of her Maiestie he reuealed it not nay he dissuaded one that went about to reueale it as he confesseth in a letter of his which will be prooued and I hope shewed if he will denie it By him and his consorts Holt Worthington Gifford Allen Walpoole and others diuers other assassinors haue béene persuaded hired and suborned to kil or empoyson the Quéene as wil be proued not only by the confessions of the parties that were employed but also by the depositions and writings of certaine popish priests that charge the Iesuiticall faction with this intended assassinat It is playne that they haue by all meanes sought to stirre vp rebellion at home and to bring vpon vs forrein enimies from abroad The rebellions in England and Ireland the practises of D. Storie Throkmorton Charles Paget Babington and Ballard and diuers doe prooue the first The second is prooued by the testimonie of Pius Quintus and Sixtus Quintus by Cardinall Allens and Parsons negotiation with the king of Spaine the pope the Duke of Guise the Prince of Parma and diuers others testified in their owne actions writings and to be prooued by infinit letters and writings of their own consorts which as occasiō shal serue shal be produced against thē in part hath béene alreadie touched in the former discourse And I do not thinke that any priest will either directly condemne the popes hostile actiōs against vs or acknowledge the Quéenes right to her kingdome notwithstanding the popes declaratorie sentence or any thing hée can doe against her Most apparant it is therefore that they seeke the destruction and desolation of this state and are all combined with those that professe themselues our enimies Anno 1571. there was a plot layde by them to bring in the Duke of Guise with the French to surprise London and no doubt but they haue layde many other plots which are not come to our notice Neither were they euer more busie or in better hope then at this instant albeit we take our selues for the most part to be in a state most assured For first they make no question but they shall bring with them all the force that the pope Spaniard can make who are also interessed in this cause in regard of their seuerall pretenses Secondly the faction of the Iesuites haue attempted to cause all their adherents in England to make seuerall associations in euerie shire and mooued them to chuse a head in euerie diuision as shall be prooued by their letters Now what is this but the beginning of a rebellion Thirdly they haue gone about to fortifie themselues by diuers pretended titles which Parsons would haue presently to be set on foote Fourthly euerie seuerall priest hath his seuerall flocke and charge Let it then be estéemed what numbers 3. or 400. pastorall charges may affoord Fiftly of late they haue made a Prouinciall of Iesuites called Walley aliâs Garnet which sheweth that there are some numbers and colledges of Iesuits in England Neither do such gulles come vpon the shore but when gerat stormes are toward Sixtly the pope hath lately made one Blackwell archpresbyter or gouernor of all the papists in England to whom he hath adioyned 12. counsellors assistants It is no small faction therefore that néedeth such an authority so many assistants Seuenthly these fellowes do at the least monthly and sometimes oftener receiue from Rome letters and directions and accordingly make collections of money giue rules and orders distribute faculties graines and medalles and such like notes of faction Of one man I haue shewed that they receiued two thousand pounds that scarce euer bestowed 20. pounds in the Quéenes seruice Here also they lay their plots and set men on work not only to corrupt her Maiesties subiects with false religion but also with disloyall affection Eightly they do monethly if not oftener aduertise into Spaine and Rome what is done in England and disclose all the secrets both of court and countrey and from thence vpon any occasion they hope to draw ayd of men and money Ninthly as if there were in England no magistrates nor lawes but such as the pope and Spaniard doth giue them they are wholly ruled by their officers directions and lawes Nay they contemne her Maiesties lawes and authoritie as if there were no Quéene nor law in England From sorrainers they doe I say receiue law and to them they appeale when they haue wrong as appeareth by appellations letters instructions and orders of theirs which we haue to shew Tenthly in their cases of conscience they forbid their consorts to giue any thing to our vniuersities or to pay their due to the ministers further then law enforceth them which argueth that they worke closely against the ministery and the vniuersities And yet you my masters of the clergie and the vniuersities oppose not your selues against this vermine that séeketh to ouerthrow both the Church and vniuersitie and is dayly intending and working your ruine Eleuenthly they sticke not to declare how nothing standeth in their way but the Quéenes life It is not therefore to be doubted but that they are stil working against her as the treasons of Parsons other Iesuites do manifestly declare and some of their letters do testifie Finally they do perceiue so litle opposition made against them and make all matters so sure on their owne side that now the dispute is betwixt the Iesuites and priests who shall haue the glory of the conuersion of England and how they shall dispose of our liuings and landes and in what sort our throats must be cut and what forme of gouernement shall bée established in England No doubt it will be a braue countrey and gouernement where the Spaniards shall enter by conquest and the Iesuites be lawgiuers and chiefe gouernours Wherfore let vs my deare countrimen awake out of that dead sléepe of securitie into which the pleasant songs of peace and flattering tales of false traitors haue cast vs. Let vs open our eyes and looke into the depth of these dangerous deuises plotted by a faction plainly professed to be opposite to