Parsons will prooue his rule of faith he must shew a faith grounded vpon tradition that is not deduced out of Scriptures Nay if he will not be contrarie to himselfe he must shew that not the Apostles tradition as he saith in his Warn-word 1. Encoun cap. 15. but the Catholike church is the rule of faith as he holdeth Ward-word Encontr pag. 6. He doth also obiect against vs diuers alterations of religion in England in king Henry the eight his raigne and in king Edwards dayes and then asketh by what authoritie our rule of faith was established But first he might as well haue spoken of that alteration made in Q. Maries dayes when the impieties of Popish religiō were established by act of Parliament Secondly the alterations in religion made in England of late time make no variation in the rule of faith that is alwayes one but in the application and vse of it Thirdly albeit by act of Parliament the articles of religion were confirmed wherein the canon of scriptures and the substance of our confession is set downe yet was that rather a declaration of our acceptance then a confirmation of the rule of faith that in it selfe is alwayes immoueable Our rule of faith therefore is certaine albeit not alwaies in one sort approued or receiued by men But that rule of Popish faith neither in it self nor in the approbatiō of Parliaments or Churches is certaine or immoueable Finally he asketh a question of Sir Francis in his Ward-word p. 5. how he knoweth his religion to be true And saith he hath only two meanes to guide himselfe in this case and that is either Scriptures or the preaching of our Ministers But this question as I haue shewed toucheth himselfe that buildeth his faith vpon the Pope nearer then Sir Francis who groundeth himselfe his faith only vpon the holy Scriptures and is assured of his faith not by these two meanes onely but by diuers others For beside Scriptures he hath the help of the Sacraments of the Church of Gods spirit working within him of miracles recorded in scriptures of auncient Fathers of the practise of the Church of the consent of nations of the confession of the aduersaries of the suffering of Martyrs and testimonies of learned men and such like arguments In this question therefore Robert Parsons shewed himselfe to be a silly Frier and to haue had more malice then might In time past also we were as shéepe going astray and out of the vnion of the Catholike and Apostolike Church Diuers of our auncestors worshipped the crosse and the images of the Trinitie with diuine worship Some like bruite beasts fell downe before Idols crept to the crosse and kissed wood and stone Others worshipped Angels the blessed Uirgin and Saints praying vnto them in all their necessities trusting in them saying Masses in their honour and offering incense and prayers to their pictures and images For so they were taught or rather mistaught by popish Priests The Komish synagogue in the very foundations of religion was departed from the Apostolike and Catholike Church The schoolemen brought their proofes out of the Popes Decretals and Aristotles Metaphysickes Est Petr's sedes saith Bellarmine in Praefat ante lib. de Pont. Rom. lapis probatus angularis pretiosus in fundamento fundatus The See of Peter is an approued corner stone precious and laid in the foundation The same man lib. 2. de Pont. Rom. cap. 31. calleth the Pope the foundation of the Church Sanders calleth him the Rocke Alij nunc à Christo saith Stapleton relect princip doctr in Praef. eorúmue doctrina praedicatio determinatio fundamenti apud me locū habebūt That is Others now beside Christ and their doctrine preaching and determination shall be esteemed of me as a foundation This he saith where he talketh of the foundation of religion and the Church But the catholike Churth had no foundation beside Christ Iesus and his holy word and Gospell taught by the Prophets and Apostles The Apostle Gal. 1. denounced him accursed that taught any other Gospell then that which he had preached The holy Fathers proued the faith by holy Scriptures and not by popish Decretals and philosophicall Principles Concerning Christs bodie the Komanists taught that the same is both in heauen and in the Sacrament albeit we neither could see it there nor feele it But the scriptures teach vs that his bodie is both palpable and visible and is now taken vp into heauen So likewise teach the Fathers Vigilius in his fourth booke against Eutyches speaking of Christs bodie When it was on earth saith he surely it was not in heauen and now because it is in heauen certainely it is not on earth They haue also brought in new doctrine concerning Purgatorie and indulgences and which is no more like to the auncient catholike faith then heresie and noueltie to Christian religion They teach that whosoeuer doth not satisfie in this life for the temporall punishment of mortall sinnes committed after baptisme and remitted concerning the guiltinesse must satisfie for the same in Purgatorie vnlesse it please the Pope by his indulgences to release him Of the tormentors of soules in Purgatorie and of the nature qualitie and effect of indulgences they talke idlely and vnlike to the schollers of Catholikes The Catholicke doctrine concerning the Sacraments of Baptisme and the Lords supper they haue quite changed in Baptisme adding salt spittle hallowed water exorcismes blowings annointings light and other strange ceremonies In the Lords supper taking away the cup from the communicants and not deliuering but hanging vp or carying about the Sacrament and worshipping it as God and finally beleeuing holding transubstantiation They haue also deuised other sacraments and taught that they containe grace and iustisse They were wont to kisse the Popes toe and to receiue his dunghill decrētals worshipping Antichrist and intitling him Christs Uicar All which nouelties superstitions and heresies by her Maiesties godly reformation are abolished who hath restored the auncient Cathalike and Apostolike faith which the Popes of Rome for the most part had altered suppressed She hath also by her authoritie brought vs to the vnitie of the Catholike faith and by good lawes confirmed true Christian religion Before our times there was no settlement in matters of Religion Durand denieth Diuinitie to be Scientia Thomas and Richard Middleton hold that it is Writing vpon the master of Sentences the school-mē striue about the words vti and frui dissenting not only from their master but also from one another They differ also much about the distination of diuine attributes Vtrum sit realis formalis an rationis tantùm This saith Dionysius a Charterhouse Monke is one of the chiefe difficulties of Diuines and about it betweene famous Doctors is great dissention and contention AEgidius doth lance Thomas and others runne vpon both AEgidius in lib. 1. sent dist 2. would haue the persons of the Trinitie to be distinguished by a certaine thing
brought this kingdome into subiection if not into seruile bondage if God had not crossed the deseignes of man and dealt mercifully with vs both taking away the Quéene in the strength of her age and preuenting the wicked counsels of bloudie traitours and persecutours who as Iohn Hales saith meant to haue brought this land vnder strangers and altering the State before the Spaniards had taken any firme footing in England How great danger this land stood in those that then liued may well remember and we cannot chuse but acknowledge if we looke backe and consider the working of Quéen Marie of the popish prelates and of the Spaniards The Quéene sought by all meanes to put the kingdome into the hands of king Philip. The popish prelates sought to suppresse religion which could not be without the oppression of our libertie The Spaniards ruled insolently and went about to make themselues strong aduancing those which were of their faction and thrusting backe all that were studious of their countries libertie The bulwarkes or blocusses that were made for defence of the land against strangers they suffered to fall they brought in strangers they put the commaund of the kingdome into the hands of such as were best affectioned to themselues and least carefull of their countries libertie What would haue ensued of this it is an easte matter to coniecture by the deportment of Spaniards in other countries that are subiect to their gouernment In the Indiaes they rule not like men but rather like barbarous tyrants and sauage beasts Contemning all iustice saith Bartholomaeus à casas writing of the cruel vsage of the Spaniards towards the Indians they delight to see streames of mans bloud which they haue shed and seeke with infinite slaughter to depriue those great countries of the naturall inhabitants thereof In short space they killed diuers hundred thousands onely in one Iland called Hispaniola the women they abused the treasure and commodities of the countrie they spoiled The people of Naples were in the time of Charles the fift who otherwise was a good prince so vexed and oppressed by the Spaniards as an Ambassadour of the people of Siena said to Henry the French king that for release of their extreame bondage they seemed desirous to liue vnder the Turke Vt Turcarum imperia ad tantarum miseriarum refugium exoptare videantur He saith further that the Spaniards laid so many grieuous tributes vpon the people that diuers auncient townes were thereby deformed and left desolate The Dutchie of Mitan also by the Spanish tyrannie as those that haue trauelled that countrie do know is brought to great pouertie The taxes and customes are grieuous the oppressions wrought by the souldiers many the lawes vnsupportable Neither doth it auaile them to complaine For that remedie they haue often tried but all in vaine But no people was euer more oppressed then the Flemmings Brabansons Hollanders and other nations of the Low countries Their liberties they haue disanulled their lawes they haue litle regarded their townes they haue spoiled their countrie they haue almost wasted By the fundamentall lawes of the countrie they might neither place strange gouernours ouer them nor bring in forraine forces among them But the Spaniards haue done both By the lawes the king of Spaine could neither impose taxes vpon the subiect without the consent of the States nor condemne any man but by the lawes of the countrie But he hath both done the one and the other The Duke of Alua without the consent of the States or order required the hundreth part of that which euery man was worth and the tenth of all things bought and sold in the countrie The noble Carles of Egmont and Horne and diuers Noble men of the countrie that had done him great seruice he caused to be done to shameful death The prince of Oranges eldest sonne contrarie to the lawes of the Uniuersitie of Louain and countrie he caused to be caried prisoner into Spaine Finally contrarie to the lawes of the countrie he altered the ecclesiasticall State making new Bishops and erecting new offices of inquisition in diuers places of the countrie And this the king did hauing sworne to obserue the lawes and priuiledges of the countrie I will not here recount the murthers rapes robberies thefts spoiles and wrongs which the Spanish souldiers and officers haue committed For that would require a great volume and it would be said that these are the calamities of warres and wrongs of priuate persons Yet if Spaniards bring warres and calamities with them and sée not these wrongs redressed it sheweth how much their tyrannicall gouernement is to be auoided and detested But that is made apparant by the lawes and procéedings which are publikely auowed The Portingals may be an example to all nations sufficient to make the Spanish gouernement odious For although they be neare neighbors and agrée with the Spaniards in Religion language lawes and humors yet haue they not found any more fauour at their hands then other nations Their Nobilitie is almost ouerthrowne the Merchant decayed the Commons spoyled The exactions are intolerable and yet farre more tolerable then the wrongs offered by Spaniarqs from whom neither the husband can kéepe his wife nor the father his daughter nor the citizen or countriman any thing he hath Adde hereunto the violence that is offered to mens persons and the iniuries of words that they dayly sustaine and then you will confesse that the Portingals liue in great misery and bondage In England also the Spaniards albeit but few began to play their partes offering violence to diuers mens persons and attempting the chastitie both of matrons and virgins In the parliament which is the foundation of the libertie of our nation they attempted the ouerthrow of our libertie not onely by conioyning king Philip with the Quéene but also leauing out the Quéenes title of supreme authoritie in the summons and taking away the frée electiō of the Commons in chusing their Burgesses and thrusting out Bishop Watson Alexander Nowell and diuers Burgesses out of the parliament Nay such is the rigor of the Spanish gouernement that the Spaniards themselues cannot well like it The priuiledges of Aragon the last king abrogated vpon pretense of disorder in the fact of Antony Perez Escouedoes sonnes could neuer haue iustice for the death of their father Murders and violences are rarely punished The taxes customes and payments are so grieuous that not with standing all the riches that commeth from the Indiaes nothing can be deuised more bare poore and miserable then the common sort of Spaniards The imposition vpon fifh wine oile and silkes which are the principal cōmodities of the country is great and other customes are not easie In the market the tenth penie is exacted commonly for all commodities bought and sold. Wherefore if we respect nothing else but the yoke of the Spanish gouernement we may account our nation in very miserable termes in Quéene Maries dayes Yet was not
in one that is not in another but others condemne him for that opinion Writing vpon the 3. dist lib. 1. sent they denie their masters examples and one condemneth another Bonauenture saith that men may attaine to the knowledge of the holy Trinitie by naturall reason others say contrarie The Scotists lib. 1. sent dist 5. inuey against Henricus de Gandauo for his opinion about the eternall generation of the Sonne of God AEgidius holdeth that the son of God hath power to beget another son which displeaseth Thomas and Bonauenture and is very strange doctrine Thomas Aquinas part 1. q. 32. art 4. saith that Doctors may hold contrary opinions Cinca notiones in diuinis He teacheth also that the holy Ghost doth more principally proceed from the Father then from the Sonne which others mislike If then they agrée not about the doctrine of the holy Trinitie it is not like that in matters wherein they haue libertie to dissent they will better agrée Scotus holdeth that the soule and an Angell do not differ as two diuers kinds Dthers teach contrary Some Doctors hold that Angels consist of forme onely others hold contrary They dissent also about the sin of our first parents Pighius in the doctrine of original sin dissenteth from his fellowes Innocentius in c. maiores de bapt eius effect misliketh the opinion of the master of the Sentences that held it to be pronitas ad peccandum that is a pronenesse to sinne The Thomists to this day could neuer be reconciled to the Scotists about the conception of our Ladie these denying she was conceiued in sin the others affirming it Gropper in his exposition of the Créed confesseth that among the Papists there are two diuers opinions about Christs descending into hell Bellarmine in his bookes of controuersies doth not more violently run vpon vs then vpon his owne consorts In euery article almost he bringeth contrary expositions of Scriptures and contrary opinions In the sacrament of the Lords supper which is a pledge of loue there are infinite contradictions among them as I haue shewed in my bookes de Missa against Bellarmine The like contentions I haue shewed in my Treatises de Indulgentijs de Purgatorio and shall haue occasion more at large to speake of them hereafter We are therefore to thanke God that the doctrine of faith in the Church of England is setled and that refusing all nouelties we agrée therein with the auncient catholike Church We acknowledge one Lord one faith one baptisme one head of the Church one canon of Scriptures with the auncient fathers The rules of all auncient and lawfull generall Councels concerning the faith we admit We haue one bniforme order for publike prayers adminis stration of Sacraments and Gods seruice Neither do we onely agree among our selues but also with the reformed Churches of France and Germany and other nations especially in matters of faith and saluation And as for ceremonies and rites it cannot be denied but that all Churches therein haue their libertie as the diuersities of auncient Churches and testimonies of Fathers do teach vs. Most baine therefore and contumelious is that discourse of N. D. in his Warne-word 1. encontr ca. 4 5 6. where he talketh of the difference of soft and rigide Lutherans among themselues of them from Anabaptists and from Zwinglians of all from the followers of Seruetus and Valentine Gentilis For neither do we acknowledge the names of Lutherans Caluinians or Zuinglians but onely call our selues Christians nor haue we to do with the Arians or Anabaptists or Seruetus or Gentilis or any heretikes Nay by our Doctors these fellowe 's haue bene diligently confuted and by our gouernors the principall of them haue bene punished But these may Parsons reply haue bin among vs. Admit it were so yet do not our aduersaries take themselues to be guiltie of Arianisme and Anabaptisine because there are diuers guiltie of Arianisine and Anabaptisme among them We say further that the Churches of Germany France and England agree albeit priuate men hold priuate opinions Finally where we talk of the Church of England what a ridiculous sot was this to bring an instance of the Churches of Germany or Suizzerland nay not of the Churches but of priuat persons and that in matters not very substantiall if we admit their owne interpretations Hauing therefore talked his pleasure of Lutherans and Zuinglians he descendeth to speak of rigid and soft Caluinists as he calleth them in England He calleth them also Protestants and Puritanes But neither do we admit these names of faction nor is he able to shew that publikely any Christian is tolerated to dissent either in matters of faith or rites from the Church of England But if any there be that mislike our rites yet is not that contention about matters of faith nor can the disorder of priuate persons hinder the publike vnion of the Church Finally I do not know any man now but he is reasonably well satisfied concerning matters of discipline albeit the same be with the great griese of Papists who go about to stirrc vp the coles of contention as much as they can that heretofore haue bene couered CHAP. II. Of the restoring of Christian Religion and the reduction of the Church of England to the true faith TRue faith in time of Poperie was a great stranger in England most men being ignorant of all points of christian Religion the rest holding diuers erronious points and heresies Their ignorance we shall proue by diuers testimonies hereafter Their errors and hercues are very apparent and at large proued in my late challenge That which the Apostle calleth the doctrine of diuels 1. Tim. 4. that they imbrace for doctrine of faith For they forbid their Priests Monkes Friers and Nuns to marrie and commaund the Benedictines and their Charterhouse Monkes at all times to abstaine from flesh They also forbid men to eate flesh vpen all fasting dayes fridayes and saterdayes and in Lent dissoluing the commandements of God by their owne traditions The Manicheyes abstained from egges as Saint Augustine sheweth lib. de heres cap. 46. Nec eua saltem sumunt quasi ipsa cùm franguntur expirent nec oporteat vllis corporibus mortuis vesci So likewise did Papists at certain times they cal such as allow ymariage of priests sectatores libidinum praeceptores vitiorum that is followers of lusts and teachers of vices albeit the Apostle affirmeth mariage to be honorable in all sorts of men They dissolue such mariages albeit Christ teach that man is not to separate them whom God hath ioyned together Their Fastes they place in eating of fish and not in abstinence from all sustenance as the auncient Fathers by their doctrine and practise taught Some count it as mortall sinne to eate flesh on fridayes as to kill a man and that a Priest doth sinne lesse in committing fornication then in matching himselfe in honest mariage and yet they confesse that
and very vsual for him to picke quarels and to impute heresie and tyranny and great crimes to most innocent men Finally they may say that the Pope is alwayes assisted by Gods holy spirit and cannot erre in his sentences of excommunication and deposing of Princes especially for matters of religion But this allegation is most brutish ridiculous and refuted by euident experience and most euident proofes that teach vs that he is rather led by the spirit of Sathan who was a murtherer from the beginning and is the author of rebellions and troubles then by the spirit of God that is the God of peace and author of concord among Christians Wherefore let all Princes that liue vnder the Popes obedience consider well the former reasons and examples and look into their owne danger and slippery estate For albeit now the Pope hath his hands full and cannot or dare not offer them wrong yet many occasions may be offered of falling out betwixt them and the Pope And in that case either they must confesse as we do that the Pope is a false prophet and Antichrist or else yéeld vp their Crowne at his pleasure or else defend their right without lawful title and that both against rebels and forreine enemies which will be a matter hard for them to do CHAP. IX That no King or Prince can secure his person against the attempts of traitors if he suffer any in his kingdome that teach or hold the Popes doctrine concerning the deposing and killing of Kings THis corollary or conclusion is necessarily deduced frō the doctrine of Papists concerning the Popes power in deposing of Kings and Princes For if it be lawfull for the Pope to depose a Prince frō his royall throne then is it lawfull for the Pope to command any assassin or cutthrote to murder him séeing it is not likely that a magnanimous King wil yéeld to so base a companion as the Pope nor giue vp his Crowne without force and compulsion The same is also proued by the general practise of Popes by the wordes of the Popes bulles by the doctrine of their principall followers and by diuers particular facts and attempts both of Popes and their wicked instruments and agents For first we find that those Popes that haue gone about to depose Kings haue also vsed all meanes to destroy thē to cut their throtes The which may be verified by the procéeding of Gregory the seuenth against Henry the Emperor of Paschalis and Vrban against his sonne of Alexander against Fridericke Barbarossa of Innocent the third against Philip and Otho of Gregory the ninth and Innocent the fourth against Fridericke the second of Clement the fift against Henry of Lucembourg whom he caused to be poysoned in the sacrament Of Iohn the 22. and Clement the sixth against Lewis of Bauier of Paul the third against Henriè the 8. King of England of Pius the fift Gregory the 13. and Sixtus Quintus against Quéene Elizabeth and finally of the Popes that fauored the rebellious leaguers of France against the French Kings Henry the third and fourth and diuers others For why did they raise rebellion moue warres and suborne secret traitors to attempt against the persons of Kings but that they meant to giue leaue to desperate cutthrotes to kill them Secondly the words of the Popes buls and the doctrine of their wicked agents doth notoriously manifest their leud and damnable purposes touching this point Gregory the 7 doth first depriue Henry the Emperor of his Empire and forbiddeth his subiects to obey him Next he commaundeth all to accept of Rodolph as their King and to obey him But neither could he be deposed without armes nor might Rodolph be suffered to raigne during the life of the Emperour Henrie Paul the third in his seditious bull against Henry the 8. king of England commaunded the Nobles and other principall men of the countrey to oppose themselues with force and armes against him and to caft him out of his kingdome But armes are taken in hand for no other purpose then to kil such as resist and a weake conceit it is to thinke that King Henry could be thrust out of his kingdome vnlesse he were also depriued of his life That impious Pope Pius the fift also that sent Nicholas Norton to moue an insurrection against Quéene Elizabeth in England and his legate Sanders to do the like in Ireland did intend no lesse then the destruction of her person if the rebels had preuailed In his bull against her he declared that he had authoritie to pull vp and to destroy and forbiddeth her subiects to obey her which could not be executed without her destruction Sixtus the 5. in his declaration anno 1588. against the same Quéene hauing at large rayled with his foule and filthy mouth against the Lords annointed exhorteth all her people to lay hands on her to arrest her and to concurre to her punishment That is also the end of that traitor Cardinall Allen his seditious exhortation to the Nobilitie and people of England and Ireland But because the Papists had no better successe an 1588. therefore they suppressed this discourse for very shame least their dealings for the destructiō of princes should be made manifest and least the mysteries of Romish Babylon should be reuealed Parsons that bastardly English renegate in his booke of succession part 1. cap. 3. alloweth the deposition of K. Iohn of King Edward the second King Richard the second King Henry the sixth and of diuers violent attempts made by subiects against their lawfull Kings Thereby it appeareth also that he approueth warres and rebellions made to depose Kings and to destroy them Nay allowing the violent death of Caesar in the Senate he seemeth directly to perswade the murder of princes which is the rather to be beleeued for that he was an agent in the printing and as his consorts the Masse-priests say in making the libell set out by Allen against Queene Elizabeth proclaiming reward to all that could lay hold vpon her nay that could kill her Now least any man should doubt of the doctrine of the infernall Iebusites in this point Emanuel Sa in his aphorismes for confessaries doth thus instruct all Masse priests Tyrannicè gubernans iustè acquisitum dominium non potest spoliari fine publico iudicio lata verò sententia potest quisque fieri executors That is he that gouerneth tyrannically his state which he hath gotten iustly cannot be spoyled of it without publicke sentence of the Pope but sentence being passed euery man may execute the sentence he meaneth that he may kill the King He sayth also that the people haue power to depose the prince He doth further vnderstand the Pope to be euery Kings lawfull Iudge Is it then to be maruelled if the Masse-priests and their followers grounding themselues vpon these resolutions attempt against princes persons Iohn Ghineard one of the sect of the Iebusites did publikely acknowledge in the parliament of Paris
anno 1594. that he had written these words The cruell Nero that is Henry the third was slaine by one Clement and the counterfet Monke by the hand of a true Monke Againe the heroicall áct done by Iames Clement as a grace of Gods holy spirit and called by that name by our diuines the Iebusites was iustly commended by Bourgoin late prior of the Iacobins a confessor and martyr Talking of the king now raigning he wrote that he would haue him shut into a cloister and deposed But if he cannot be deposed without warre then sayth he let warre be made against him And if there be no meanes to preuaile by warres let him otherwise be killed I would therfore haue indifferent men to iudge whether this be not spiritual doctrine Our owne country Masse-priests also do not differ from their fellows in this point One of them setting downe certaine resolutions for the instruction and consolation of the English as he saith asketh this question Whether a Catholike he should say a trayterous papist is not bound by vertue of the Bull of Pius Quintus to take armes against Elizabeth and to depose her imprison her and kill her if occasion should serue and if he haue hope to obtaine victorie To this he answereth Ex vi Bullae putamus eum non teneri ad ea quae proponuntur nisi omnia it a comparata essent vt certa paratcque spes esset victoriae quo casu propter bonum commune fidei religionis ij tenerentur qui aliquid possent praestare That is by force of the Bull we do not thinke that he is bound to do those things that are proposed vnlesse all things were so ordered that the hope of victorie were certaine and readie in which case for the common good of the faith and religion those should be bound that are able to do any thing So it appeareth that nothing held the Papists from laying violent hands vpon the Queene our most gracious soueraigne Ladie but that they had not all things readie nor were in hope of certaine victorie And this no doubt is the resolution they haue against all princes that resist either the Pope or their cacolike religion The tenth question is this An stante Bulla in virtute c. Whether the Bull of Pius Quintus standing in force a priuate man might not kill Elizabeth our late Quééne and the reason is because she is a tyrant and had no iust title to the Crowne and whether the Pope cannot dispence that this may be done so it were likely that by her death catholike they should say popish religion should be restored To this question answer is made As touching this matter if any by her death could certainely deliuer the realme from oppression without all doubt it should be lawfull for him to kill her but as matters do now stand it is best not to speake of that matter Hereby we may plainely sée that this generation doth continually talk of killing Chriftian kings and desire nothing more then to murther thē and to destroy them that they may make way for the Pope These questions are found in the acts of the councell of Yorke and were found in a search for Dauid Ingleby a Masse-priest and no doubt were allowed and brought into England either by him or by some of his conserts According to this damnable doctrine the Popes and their adherents haue from time to time endeuoured partly by cut-throates and assassins and partly by diabolicall practisers and empoysoners to destroy princes that stopped the course of their ambition Beno the Cardinall saith that Gregorie the seuenth watching the Emperor that was wont to pray much in the church of S. Marie hired a fellow to place great stones vpon the beames or vault of the church right ouer the place where he prayed which being throwne downe might kill the Emperour The words are these Imperator solitus erat frequenter ire ad orationem ad Ecclesiam S. Mariae quae est in monte Auentino Hidelbrandus autem cùm per exploratores omnia eius opera solicitè inquireret locum in que frequentiùs Imperator velstans velprostratus orabat notari fecit quendam promissa pecunia ad hoc induxit vt supratrabes Ecclesiae occultè lapides magnos collocaret ita aptaret vt de alto super caput Imperatoris demitteret ipsum contereret About the same time also he sought saith Beno to destroy the Emperour by secret traitors but God preserued him And then there were some that thought Hildebrand to be conscious and the setter of the treason because a litle before the treason like a false Prophet he presumed to foretell the kings death The words of Beno are these Eisdem diebus parauit Imperatorem perdere per occultos proditores Deus autem eum custodiuit Et eodem tempore fuerunt nonnulli qui existimauerunt ipsum Hildebrandum conscium extitisse ordinatorem proditionis quia eisdem diebus paulò ante proà itionem de morte regis falsò prophetata praesumpsit Neither are we to doubt but they will empoyson princes if they can séeing Popes as Beno and diuers authenticall authors testifie vse to empoyson one another Innocent the fourth by Peter de vinea a speciall fauorite of Fridericke the 2 caused poyson to be offered vnto him Ecclesiae inimici dixerunt saith Mat. Paris speaking of Pope Innocent quod ad hoc facinus cor Petri eneruanà o muneribus pollicitis maximis inclinarat The enemies of the Church or of the Pope rather say that with great rewards and promises the Pope had induced Peter de vineis to vndertake this foule fact And afterward absorduit Domini Papae fama per hoc non mediocriter That is The fame of the Pope by this fact was not a litle stayned Furthermore saith Matth. Paris the Emperour returned into Apulia hauing drunke poyson as it is sayd Redijt in Apuliam vt dicitur potionatus Henrie of Lucemburge the Emperour was poysoned by a Dominican Friar that being hired by the contrarie faction conueyed poyson into the Sacrament Quidam religiosus saith Vrspergensis porrexit Imperatori intoxicatam Eucharistiam A certaine Friar gaue poyson to the Emperour in the Eucharist The same is also testified by Baptista Ignatius supplementum Cronicorum Textor in officina cap. veneno extincti and diuers others Auentinus sayth the Friar was moued thereto by Clement the fifth That it was so the great execution done by the Emperors souldiers vpon diuers conuents of the Dominican Friars doth declare But what néede we séeke forraine histories when histories report that king Iohn of England was poysoned by a Monke of Swinsted Abbey for that he was supposed to be aduerse to the popish faction We may also remember that of late the French king Henry the third was most shamefully murthered by a Dominican Friar called Iames Clement set on by the popish Leaguers and perswaded thereto by the Iebusites of Paris The
truth and grant al others by her example to beware of the Popes and Iebusits most dangerous practises which neuer cease working mischiefe if they may haue fit oportunitie CHAP. X. That kings and Princes liuing in subiection to the Pope are but halfe kings and demi-princes BUt suppose the Pope and his conspiring and working crew should neither attempt to take away the crowne nor the life from a prince that beléeueth his lawes and yéeldeth to the Pope all that authoritie which he claimeth yet doth he lose halfe his reuenues authoritie and regall soueraigntie For first the Pope shareth the Kings reuenues claiming tenths first fruites subsidies confirmation and disposition of Ecclesiasticall liuings and infinite summes of money for pardons licences dispensations and all maner of rescripts Those which are acquainted with the Popes faculties and incrochments in former Kings dayes within this land and now in Spaine Italy and other popish countries know they are intelerable and no way inferior to the Kings reuenues Nay if a King néed a dispensation for an Ecclesiasticall matter he is forced to bargaine with the Pope and to buy it deare The absolution of King Iohn had like to haue cost him the Crowne of England Secondly not the King but the Pope is King of priests and ecclesiasticall persons Boniface the 8. in the chap. Clericis de immunit eccles in 6. doth excommunicate both Kings and others that impose taxes and subsidies vpon the Clergie He doth also lay the same censure vpon those clergie men that pay any subsidies to ciuill Magistrates which sheweth that he kept them for his owne selfe Alexander the fourth in the chap. Quia nonnulli de immunit eccles in 6. exempteth the possessions and goods of clergy men from toll and custome Bellarmine in his treatise De exemptione clericorum cap. 1. setteth downe these propositions In causis Ecclesiasticis liberi sunt clerici iure diuino à secularium principum potestate That is In Ecclesiastical causes clerkes are free from the commaund of secular princes by the law of God And by ecclesiasticall causes he vnderstādeth all matters which concerne the church and which by hooke or crooke the Popes haue drawne to their owne cognition Againe he sayth Non possunt Clerici à Iudice seculari iudicari etiamsi leges ciuiles non seruent That is Clerks are not to be iudged of secular Iudges albeit they keep not his temporall lawes His third proposition is this Bona clericorum tam ecclesiastica quà m secularia libera sunt ac meritò esse debent à tributis principum secularium That is The goods of clerkes whether they belong to the Church or be temporal are free from tributes of princes and so ought to be He sayth also that secular princes in respect of clerkes are not soueraigne princes and that therefore clerkes are not bound to obey them Now how is the King absolute in his kingdome if he haue neither power ouer the persons of the clerks nor their goods Emanuel Sa in his aphorismes In verbo Clericus in his book first printed and alleaged by him that wrote the Franc discourse hath these words Clerici rebellio in regem non est crimen laesae maiestatis quia non est subditus regi The rebellion of a clerk against the King is no treason because he is not the kings subiect This is plaine dealing and sheweth that the king is no king of the Clergie where the Popes lawes beare sway But because these words be somewhat too plaine therefore in a later edition of these aphorismes set out at Venice they haue for their owne ease cut out the words albeit in effect Bellarmine and others teach so much Their practise also declareth that this is their meaning for Thomas Becket stoutly resisted Henry the second and his parliament enacting that clerkes offending against the kings lawes should answer before the kings Iustices Further he would not agree that clerkes lay-fee should come in trial before them Sixtus quartus did enterdite the state of Florence for that they had executed the Archbishop of Pisa notoriously taken in a conspiracie against the State Xistus quòd sacrato viro Archiepiscopo it a foedè interfecto Cardinalem quoque captiuum fecissent Hieronymo instigante grauissimum Florentinis sacris omnibus interdictis bellū intulit saith Onuphrius That is Sixtus warred vpon the Florentines and enterdited them for that they had killed the Archbishop of Pisa being a priest and layd hands on a cardinall And yet he declareth they were actors in the conspiracie against Iulian and Laurence de Medicis that then ruled the State This was also the greatest quarrell of the Pope against Henry the third of France for that he caused the Cardinal of Guise to be killed being culpable of most enormous treasons against him Now what can Kings do against their subiects if they may not punish them offending in treason Thirdly the Popes do draw many temporall matters from the cognition of the King to themselues and their adherents Boniface the 8. c. quoniam de Immunitat Eccles. in 6. doth excommunicate all those that do hinder matters to be brought frō triall of temporall iudges to Ecclesiasticall courts and namely those that will not suffer all contracts confirmed by oathes to be tried before Ecclesiasticall iudges By which meanes almost all causes were brought before them and the Kings iurisdiction almost stopped and suspended The Kings of England therfore to restraine these incrochmēts made the law of Praemunire putting them out of his protection that wold not be tried by his lawes Is it not strange then that Christian princes should suffer such companions to vsurpe their authoritie and not onely in causes Ecclestasticall but also in temporall to beare them selues as iudges Finally they deny that Christian Princes haue power either to make Ecclesiasticall lawes or to reforme abuses in the Church or to gouerne the Church concerning externall matters All papists do so distinguish betwixt Ecclesiastical and politicke gouernement that they exclude temporall Princes from the gouernement of the Church and make them subiect to the Pope Bellarmine lib. 1. de Pontif. Rom. c. 7. determineth that temporall Princes are no gouernours of the Church Ifthen Christian Princes loose part of their reuenues and part of their iurisdiction and are quite excluded both from the gouernement of the Church and also disposing of the persons and goods of Ecclesiasticall persons most apparent it is that such Princes as admit the Popes authoritie are either but halfe kings or else not so much loosing more then halfe their authoritie by the Popes incrochments How contrarie this is to the doctrine of the Apostles and ancient fathers we néede not here dispute S. Peter teacheth Christians to honour the King and Paule exhorteth euery soule to be subiect to the higher powers Now what greater dishonour can be offered to a king then to take away his authoritie And how are they subiect that pay the King nothing and claime
Corn. de falsis by the cannon law de crimine falsi and by those Doctors that haue written Commentaries and glosses vpon these titles But to know the diuersitie and nature of them we shall not néed curiously to looke either into the lawes or commentaries of learned lawyers séeing Robert Parsons in his Warn-word which like a warning péece may serue all true men to beware of his falshood and trechery doth furnish vs with particular instances and examples of most sorts of them First he maketh no conscience either to curtal his aduersaries words or to adde somewhat vnto them of which they neuer had so much as a thought Fol. 6. he sayth that Sir Francis obiecteth vnto him the seeking of the ruine of the church and common wealth by his exhortation to peace and mitigation in religion whereas the Knight obiecteth no such matter nor hath any such words He doth also séeme to charge him as enemy of peace whereas the honorable Knight neuer misliked peace or any motion tending thereto but rather discouered the false practises of Papists that anno 1588. talked of peace when their fleete was at the sea to cut our throtes being vnprouided and 1598. made an ouerture of a treaty when the Adelantado had great forces readie at the Groyne and other ports of Spaine to come for England Where Sir Francis prayeth for the prolonging of her Maiesties dayes to the holding out stil of the Popes vsurped authoritie Parsons in his VVarneword doth so expound him as if he prayed that her life might hold out still And this to the intent he might runne vpon the Earle of Essex barking like a Tinkers curre at a dead Lyon In my Preface I say that obstinate recusants for the most part are secretly reconcilcd to the Pope and in time past adhered to her maiesties enemies But Parsons to make the matter more hainous turneth obstinate recusants into recusant Catholikes and falsly leaueth out these words for the most part As if I had called them Catholikes which I neuer thought or as if I knew not that there is great difference betweene the factious reconciled papists and those that of simplicitie and ignorance fauour papisticall heresie and superstition Againe where I say that extraordinary fauour or rather remisnesse of lawes and iustice towards disloyall Papists hath caused diuers rebellions both in England and Ireland and made them bold to attempt against her Maiesties life and gouernement and giuen some of them courage to conspire with forreine enemies c. and that by suffering of malcontents to practise the sinewes of gouernement haue bene dissolued and that many thinke that against persons that are so euill disposed and so firmely linked to forreine enemies good iustice is most necessary Robert Parsons iumbleth many words together and cutteth off that which I sayd of conspiring with forreine enemies and the attempting against her Maiesty knowing that many of his friends are the Spanish kings pensioners and haue diuersly attempted against her Maiestie Further he cutteth out these words many do thinke and by a strange metamorphosis changeth disloyal papists into catholike recusants making me to say that too much extraordinary fauour and remisnesse towards Catholikes hath caused diuers rebellions both in England and Ireland and that it hath dissolued the sinewes of gouernment and that it is more profitable to execute lawes then to pardon offenders as if I had spoken generally against all papists not singled those that conspire with publike enemies and attempt against the State and as if I had misliked all remisnesse pardon towards all papists If Parsons body were so māgled as he hath mangled and transformed my words we should not long be troubled with his wranglements In this sort he dealeth continually with vs. And so he dealeth also with other authors Fol. 14. b. The old Romane lawes sayth Parsons do giue generall authoritie to the body of the common wealth to punish particular offenders non è contra as Cicero signifieth in his booke De Legibus But he belyeth impudently the old Romane lawes and Cicero De Legibus For both of them do authorize particular Magistrates and officers and not the whole commonwealth to punish offenders Magistratus sayth Tully nec obedientem noxium ciuem multa vinculis verberibusque coercento So likewise do old lawes as in the titles de poenis and de publicis criminibus in the Pandects we may sée Further common wealths or states do make lawes and receiue not authoritie from lawes Finally it is an absurd thing to make the common wealth iudge or executioner of lawes For if that were so then should the hangman be the common wealth and contrariwise And by a good consequent if Parsons should play the hangman the commonwealth might ride vpon the gallowes The which is so great an inconuenience that rather then it should be granted it were better that the Iebusite were hanged vpon the gallowes Fol. 15. a. citing Augustine de ciuitate Dei lib. 18. cap. 51. and Cyprian lib. de vnit Eccles. and Hieron in c. 8. Ezechielis in c. 11. Oseae in c. 11. Zachariae in c. 8. Danielis And Augustin enarrat in Psal. 80. part 29. super lib. Iosuae cap. 27. he sayth that they out of the 13. of Dcuteronomy proue that heretikes may and ought to be put to death which are the proper idolaters of the new Testament But in citing of these authors the man seemeth neither to haue eyes nor iudgement nor honestie For Augustine lib. 18. de ciuitate Dei c. 51. doth neither mention the 13. of Dcuteronomic nor proue that heretikes are to be put to death The like may be answered to the testimonie of Augustine in Psal. 80. of which ridiculously he citeth the 29. part Further we find no commentaries of Augustine vpon the booke of Iosue Cyprian in his book De vnitate Ecclesiae hath no such matter as Parsons supposeth Most falsly also doth he cite the places out of Hierome In the same place he citeth Augustine super lib. Iosuae ca. 27. and de vtilitate ieiunij cap. 8. Whereas he neither wrote commentaries vpon Iosue nor any 27. chapter is to be found in that booke Beside that the booke de vtilitate ieiunij is a bastard and of the qualitie of Parsons and none of saint Augustines Fol. 17. translating the law Cunctos populos Cod. de sum Trin. fid Cath. he cutteth out the words that containe the forme of faith professed by the Emperour and that part that sheweth that the iudgement and punishment of heretikes belonged to the ciuill Magistrate The first because it giueth power to ciuill Magistrates to publish formes of Christian faith The next because he imagineth that the iudgment and condemnation of heretikes belongeth onely to the popish hereticall Clergie Fol. 25. b. he affirmeth that Tertullian lib. de praescript aduers haeret sayth That it is impossible for two heretikes to agree in all points