any money for them onely they must pay for the sawce which according to the custome of the faire they must haue or els they must haue no goose O happy day wherein that faire was first instituted and a secret discouered which no Catholike Kings or Prelats could euer attaine vnto And thrice happy are they who by the light as it should see me of that day did see to make that Statute in the third yere of the Archipres byterie of M. George Blackwell vidi preuaricantes c. 18. Octob. 1600 wherein al right to appeale to Rome being most Catholikely conserued the penalties therein conteined doe onely light vpon such as haue set their hands to that which is prefixed to the Appeale which is nothing els but the causes thereof without which according to the custome and Canons of holy Church the appeale is of no force and are therefore by name to be expressed as we haue before shewed out of the Clementine Appellantide Appellationibus Now it remaineth that we shew when and vpon what occasions the Statutes were made by which the prouisions from Rome and some Appeales to Rome were forbidden First concerning these prouisions there was a statute made either in the 30. or 35. or as some other affirme 25. Edward 1. which was aboue 300. yeeres since wherein it is agreed and established that they should not be suffered There was also the like statute made in the 25. yere of Edw. 3 to the like effect by which it was forbidden that any should be placed in any dignitie without the assent of the King The same is also forbidden in the Parliament holden in the 38. of the same King The occasions of enacting these statutes are set downe as well in that of the 25. of Edw. 1. as elsewhere the iustice of those which were made in the time of Edw. 3. is the more apparant by a letter which hee and his nobles sent in the 17. yeere of his reigne to his Hol. to haue redresse for such defaults as were in that kind committed The Letter was to this effect King Edward and his Nobles perceiuing the derogation that was done to the Realme by such reseruations prouisions and collations of benefices as the Pope practised here in England wrote to him requiring him that sith the Churches of England had beene founded and endowed by noble and worthy men to the end the people might be instructed by people of their owne language and that he being so farre off could not vnderstand the defaults yet his predecessors and hee more then had been vsed by diuers reseruations prouisions and collations made to diuers persons some strangers yea and some enemies to the Realme whereby the money and profits were carried forth their Cures not prouided for according to the founders minds they therefore vpon due considerations thereof signified vnto him that they could not suffer such enormities any longer and therefore besought him to reuoke such reseruations prouisions and collations wholly to auoid such slanders mischiefes and harmes as might ensue and that the Cures might be committed to persons meete for the exercises of the same beseeching him further without delay to signifie his intention sith they meant to bestow their diligence to remedie the matter and see that redresse might be had Giuē in full Parliament at Westminster 18. of May Anno Dom. 1343. Thus far out of Iohn Stow 17. Edw. 3. where he also citeth Auesburie and Honingford Secondly concerning the forbidding of the appeales to Rome we find a Statute made in the 27. of Edw. 3. against those who shall drawe any person in plea out of the Realme of a thing whereof the knowledge appertained to the Kings Court or of such things whereof iudgement was giuen in the Kings courts or should sue in any other courts to defeate or let the iudgements giuen in the Kings Court. To these and other Statutes to the like effect the author of the Apologie affirmeth that the Catholike Bishops neither did nor could assent But whatsoeuer may be said for or against this position concerning the appeales no man can in reason think but that they both might very well and did assent to those statutes which were made against the prouisions or bestowing of dignities in England without the kings consent the causes are so apparantly layd downe by the King and the Nobles for that abridging of his Holines his promoting whom he would and to what dignities hee would in England And thus much may be alledged in the behalfe of the consent of the spirituall Lords to the statute against those appeales That in the new great abridgement printed Anno 1551. there is this clause set to the end of some statutes But the spirituall Lords assented not to this statute And there is no such note set to any of these Statutes which we haue here cited It is also euident that these statutes were not made vpon any heate of emulation against the Clergie for as we finde that in the 38. yeere of King Edw. 3. the statutes against those prouisions made in the 25. and 27. of the same King are confirmed although there be some fauour giuen to the Lords and Prelats offendors so in the 39 yeere of the same King which was the next yeere after we find that the Clergie in England was in as great honour as any Clergie in the worlde as may be shewed by the offices which the Bishops and Priests had then in England For the Bishop of Canterbury was Lord Chancellour of England the Bishop of Bath was L. Treasurer the Archdeacon of Lincolne was Lord priuie Seale the Parson of Somersam was master of the Rolles ten beneficed Priests were masters of the Chancerie the Deane of S. Martins le grand was chiefe Chancellour of the Exchequer Receiuer and Keeper of the Kings Treasure and Iewels the Archd. of Northampton was Chancellor of the Exchequer a Prebendarie of S. Martins was Clerk of the priuie Seale a Prebendarie of S. Steuens was Treasurer of the Kings house the Parson of Auon or Oundell was master of the Wardrobe the Parson of Fenny Stanton was one of the Chamberlaines of the Excheq and Keeper of the Kings Treasury and Iewels Other of the Clergie are noted to haue ben in office also in France in Ireland as well as in England Iohn of Gaunt Duke of Lancaster the fourth sonne of King Edward 3. hauing the gouernement of England committed vnto him in the time of his fathers last sickenesse which was in the 50. and 51. of his reigne disposed so farre of matters and offices as he conceiued some possibility to attaine to the Crown and to depriue his nephew Richard of Burdeaux who was sonne to the Blacke prince Edward the eldest sonne of King Edward the third But perceiuing that it would be hard for him to obtaine his purpose so long as the Church stood in that estate it did and the citizeens of London enioyed their liberties hee laboured to ouerthrow them both
contempt of temporall goods his conuersation was with those Religious that had no possessions and ioined himselfe vnto the begging Fryers approouing their pouertie and extolling their perfection Euident tokens that hee had left the state of a Secular Priest and ascended to some higher degree of perfection But as it should seeme he was neither Monke nor Frier but talis qualis such as he was or as other perchance who came after him although they follow him not in all things For as it appeareth in our Chronicles hee preached against Monkes and other religious men that had possessions and taught such doctrine as hee was condemned for it in the Council of Constance as an heretike and his bones were taken vp and burned as is beforesaid Whereby also this authour is proued to forget himselfe very much to number him amongst the Clergie which is generally taken for such as are not onely in Orders but liue also in vnitie of the faith Wherefore purposing to tell a tale of emulation in the Clergie against the Religious he should haue taken some other to haue prooued it then Wickliffe who also by his pretence no doubt of greater perfection had forsaken the state of a Secular Clergie man as appeared by his habit and conuersation To these falshoods and couert calumnies against the Secular Priests this deceit of this author may be added That whereas the Chronicles doe mention that not only Iohn Wickliffe but foure doctors of diuinitie also one of euery Order of the begging Fryers ioyning with him were imployed by Iohn of Gaunt in his grudge against Bish Wickham of Winchester in whose defence the B. of London not Arundell as this author affirmeth but Courtney speaking as became him to doe Iohn of Gaunt threatned him also and swore that he would pull downe both the pride of him and of all the Bishops in England this author mentioneth onely the Secular Priest as he termeth him without any mention of the orders of Religion which were also imployed Moreouer it soundeth very foolishly that Iohn of Gaunt would set Iohn Wickliffe against the Monkes vpon an emulation which hee had against the Bishops their estates depending so little vpon the estate of the Monkes as when all the Abbyes in England were put downe the Bishops remained in as great honour as euer they did And wheras it is further said that the Abbey lands were taken from the Monkes and giuen to the maintenance of the crowne by the same emulation of the Clergie against the Religious in the time of K. Henry the eight it is most false the Abbyes being then put downe by a change of Religion which had not the beginning vpon any such emulation as this author affirmeth but vpon the perswasion of Longland B. of Lincolne the Kings confessor fortified by Card. Wolsey viz. that his Highnesse mariage with the Lady Katherine his brother Prince Arthurs wife was vnlawfull and against the word of God whereby the King being induced to seeke a diuorce but crossed therein with the Pope by Charles the fift nephew of the Lady Katherine and some others as well of the Laytie as the Clergie both Secular and Religious here in England it wrought in the King such a dislike of his Holines and others as it procured not onely the ouerthrow of the Abbyes but such a change in Religion as since the world hath seene Of this alteration therefore if any emulation were the beginning it was an emulation in the Cardinall who dealt with B. Longland to perswade the King as is mentioned and afterward did second him with all his might himselfe against the Emperour for hindering him of the Popedome and neither the sister nor the mother to ambition as this author would haue it but her daughter But the greatest folly committed by this author in this his exordium is not yet touched and that is that among all other histories impertinent to the cōtrouersie in question he would make his choyse of one wherein himselfe if we are not deceiued is notoriously disciphered Iohn Wickliffe was a Secular priest being a priest and neither Monke nor Friar and no Secular priest as differing from them in habit and conuersing with the religious Mendicants vnder pretence of greater perfection His followers tooke no name of him as both Monkes and Friers do of their founders and Sectaries of their Masters but went vnder the name which the common people gaue them to wit Lollards He was vsed as an instrument by Iohn of Gant to bring that to passe which this Duke had long conceiued in his mind For he saw saith the Historie Ioh. Stow. sup that it would be hard for him to obtaine his purpose the Church standing in his full state c. Wherefore he laboured first to ouerthrow aswell the liberties of the Church c. And to this end did Iohn Wickliffe bestow his talents for he was not onely eloquent saith the historie but also seemed to contemne temporall goods for the loue of eternall riches c. This authour being in a state which once was of Secular priests now no state of Secular priests not because he will be taken for either Monke or Frier or goe barefoote as Iohn Wickliffe did and his followers or basely clothed for these are outward mortifications which of what edification soeuer they are yet are not worthy of that honour which is due to the inward mortifications which lie hid and are not seene by the corporall eye But because Pope Gregorie the 13. hath so declared it yet so as he being filius populi as people say hath no other name but what the people giue him he is imployed not by Iohn of Gant himselfe in his owne person for this great Duke died aboue 200 yeeres since but by Iohn of Gant in some of his posteritie who hath somewhat to bring to passe which he hath long conceiued in his mind for the effecting of which this godly Father is busied in the corrupting the Cleargie of England or the vtter ouerthowing it which at this present he and his doe worke by taking from them their good name and fame and making them odious without iust cause to the people And to the end that he would be knowen not to haue spent his time idlely in Wickliffe his schoole he hath not onely imployed his tongue but his pen also and in his first platforme of Reformation hath ordeined that none of the Clergie shall possesse any temporall liuings but shall liue vpon such pensions as shall to certaine of his company and some secular Priests ioyned with them in their wisedome seeme necessary for their maintenance But let vs now see whether this authour can fit himselfe better in the next point In the beginning also saith he of this Queenes dayes the little affection which the Laitie did beare vnto the Clergie procured by some vnquiet spirits as also the small vnion of diuers Clergie men among themselues some holding with the heretikes and politikes by beate of faction
And because he will take all before him he saith that Doctor Lewis after B. of Cassana and the schollers fell out about the maner of gouernment and gouernours of the house which doubtlesse if this fellow had any respect to the good reputation of the Schollers hee would haue concealed the house being erected especially by that man his procurement and industry as here it is confessed For in reason who would not haue expected to haue borne some sway in that of which he might iustly haue bene called in some sort a founder being moreouer a man of great wisedome and integritie But this Author thinketh it good policie to conceale Fa Parsons presence at Rome at that time lest that the riddle should be read otherwise then hee would haue it and the cause of dissension disciphered The trueth is that F. Parsons was there and there needeth no more to be said And hee did deale with the schollers vnder hand as secretly as he might but failed of the Rectorship if he sought it although T.W. in his digression from the 16 martyrs pag. 53. amongst other his follies doth affirme that the first Rector of this Colledge was F. Robert Parsons c. And to say that the Councell did lay hands presently hoping thereby to keepe a perpetuall diuision in our nation is to argue the Councell of a great ouersight and want of consideration that a diuision in a nation prooueth oftentimes a desolation or vtter ouerthrowe thereof But let vs see what substantiall proofe there is of this assertion For which cause sayth this Author diuers spies were sent ouer to nourish the said diuision as namely one Vanne if we remember well who died in the Inquisition at Rome in the yere 1581. and soone after they vsed another named Salomon Alread a Taylor by his trade and married first at Lyons in France but after getting acquaintance at Rome and Millaine hee became a statesman went in and out diuers times to the Councell of England vntill at last being discouered he remained for seruant with Sir Fran. Walsingham the Q Secretarie and lastly professed heresie Vanne is said to be employed by the Counsell to nourish this diuision in our nation but what hee did it is not said this the reader himselfe must imagine neither is it said with whome he ioyned when he came to Rome or with whom he dealt onely it is said that he dyed in the Inquisition which argueth that hee was some obstinate heretike And this example is as foolishly brought to prooue emulation in the Laytie against the Clergie as that of Wickliffe was to prooue emulation of the Clergie against the religious both being heretickes and consequently neither of them of that body of which we are to vnderstand this Author when he talketh of the Laytie and Clergie vnlesse he will also take that word Religious to extend it selfe to such Apostata Iesuits as are either at Geneua or elsewhere And then will hee make himselfe ridiculous in affirming that emulation against such religious should hinder the reduction of England to the Cath. faith Salomon Alread was a Catholike and a great deuote of the Iesuits both at Lyons in France and elsewhere And if by his peuking he did at any time discouer what he receiued of them this author who neglecteth the credit of all whatsoeuer to saue the Iesuits credit should haue couered it not hauing named any place of this mans conuersation where hee should become a Statesman but such as where the Iesuits were his directors as Lyons in France Rome and Millaine And if after the edification he had of the Iesuits he returned into England and offered his seruice to Sir Francis Walsingham her Maiesties Secretarie Sir Francis had little reason to refuse him or not to imploy him although we cannot learne that euer he did any harme in the English Colledge at Rome And therefore this example of emulation in the Laytie against the Clergie is as small to the purpose as the former His being a Taylor might perchance make to the purpose in this authors conceit but his being a married man is doubtlesse here mentioned for no other end then to put vs in mind that married men can play the marchants as well as others as if wee had forgotten that as the Councell did second the Iesuits who were not maried in the first diuision at the College of Rome by sending Vanne thither as this author sayth who was an vnmarried man so did the Iesuits second the Coūcels imploiment of this Solomon Alread who was maried in the furthering of their faction in the same Colledge at Rome by entertaining Pierce amongst some other straglers who was also a married man and his wife knowen to be liuing to make vp a small number of 8. or 10. pious youths as the Iesuites did terme them to stand with them against all the rest of the students in the Colledge yet in this one tricke the Iesuits went beyond our Councell in that they made their married man Cornutus by putting him in a square cappe the better to effect that which they did by his means For this was he who after many deuises preuailed at the last with three of the Students to go to a Tauerne to drinke where they were no sooner set then apprehended by the Sbirri And the matter was made so odious as hereby they lost the fauor of his Hol. were brought into a most seruile subiectiō to the Iesuits not without the great grief of their friends who long after complained that they had very euill handled a good cause And although these were the first stratagems which were layd open to the world yet were diuers causes giuen of disquietnes euen from the first foundation of that Colledge For the Iesuits hauing gotten the gouernement thereof into their hands and in such sort as they were most earnestly requested thereunto by such as howsoeuer this Author doth bragge of them Chap. 5. fol. 28. and their petitions to his Holinesse confessed not long after that they knew not what they had done they began to strike as we say while the iron was hot and laboured a couple of the Students to become Iesuits to wit Thomas Wright and Iohn Barton who were well esteemed of for their towardlinesse And although both of them did afterward leaue the societie of the Iesuits yet their present example together with the Iesuits bad indeuours was occasion of much disunion of mindes in the Colledge which when it was perceiued the Iesuits the better to norish this diuision to couer their owne dealings imployed such of the Students in that office as had already deuoted themselues vnto their societie and did countenance them against those who complained thereof insomuch as it was too apparant that some were of purpose deferred or kept from going into the societie of the Iesuites to the end they might perswade others to the same course which was in deed the vndoing of that Colledge For now the Students
publique submission and in expresse words acknowledged his errour in that he had not so long a time obserued that saying Qui nescit dissimulare nescit viuere he that knoweth not how to dissemble knoweth not how to liue How farre foorth M.D.B. noted in the margent was a cause of that visitation I know not but if we doe not mistake the man hee was sent into England long before this visitation came to the College And as for the other two Priests whose names are set in the margent in this sort G G.E.G. who are said to haue conspired with the Councell in England and for more grace and gratification haue writ two mischieuous bookes the one saith this authour against D. Allen the other against F. Parsons and the Iesuites giuing them vp to Walsingham the Queenes Secretarie affirming also among other points to make the parties more odious as our men their successours doe at this day that these men depended of Spaniards and were enemies to their Countrey We heartily wish that this authour may liue in as good credit as the one of them liueth after all his trouble in Italy or elsewhere and die as penitent as the other died after his troubles in France He who writ against the Iesuites was too priuie to their actions aswell in England as elsewhere to be deceiued in them And if the Appellants be the men whom here this authour meaneth by these words their successors they may purge themselues very well from any offence in hauing the like thought For it is well knowen that Fa. Parsons in Spaine caused many aswell others as Priestes to subscribe as priests to the title of the Infanta now Dutches of Burgundie Fa. Tancard also hath made many to set their handes to three blanks although some refused to do it as they haue themselues reported at their returne into England We haue moreouer vnderstood that Fa. Parsons was a chiefe dealer in the sending of those Armadoes which the Spaniards haue set out for the inuasion of our Countrey and there are in England with whome hee dealt most earnestly to goe in the Nauie which was set out in the yeere 1596. who refusing to be imployed in any action against their Countrey were for that cause sent away from the College told that it was not conuenient that they should stay in the College where they had giuen example of such repugnance There is moreouer sufficient proofe that after the euill successe of the Spanish attempts Fa. Parsons carried a youth to the king of Spaine who pronounced a certaine speech for the purpose which being ended Fa. Parsons began to vrge the king to giue one attempt more affirming that he silly fellow would write his letters into England and nothing doubted to effect what should be to the great furtherance of such a iourney We haue also certaine intelligence that the Iesuites had deuised a meanes to haue had the tower of London seazed into their hands and how they would haue it held vntil the Spaniard came to rescue them Diuers of their letters haue bin shewed to diuers prisoners for proofe against them when they haue answered in defence of the Iesuites that they thought them free from such stratagems And amongst the rest there is one of the 10. of Iune 1596. wherein there are these wordes It may be if the kings faintnesse and pusillanimitie hinder vs not as heretofore it hath the Armado will be with you about August or September This is one good helpe Ireland wil be onely for vs. The Earle of Tyrone and Odonell would gladly haue helpe from hence and they are well contented to let the Spaniards haue certaine holdes and forts for their vses This will greatly pleasure to trouble and disquiet England and in the mean time serue for harbour for the ships that shall passe that way c. It were necessary you should make it knowen aforehand that no Cath. man or woman shall take harme either in body or goods Let euery man be quiet till the Spaniards be landed then shall there presently proclamation be made of all securitie There were 200. copies of these proclamations printed in Spaine Certaine other letters also haue bene seene of Fa. Parsons to his fellow Iesuits in England wherein he hath wished that the Catho would vnite themselues together set vp a king of England And in his letters of the 24. of Ianu. 1600. to the Earle of Anguise he confesseth that he dealt in such matters for 8. or 10. yeeres But if all these and many other as infallible proofes did faile vs F. Parsons booke of Succession would so farre conuince his dealing in State matters in the behalfe of Spaine as the Appellantes may without scruple charge him with it yet without any intention to make him more odious knowing it a thing very impossible if they were so minded And thus much concerning this authour his folly in indeuouring to gall the Appellantes with the name of Successors to such as affirmed that the Iesuites depended of the Spaniards and were enemies to their Countrey The next fit of emulation here mentioned is against D. Allen when he was to be made a Cardinall and it is set out with a very rich margent and much to our present matter in controuersie I warrant you But not beeing able to preuaile in this against the Card himselfe sayth this author they began to set more earnestly against the Iesuits his chiefest friends and constant defenders as well in stirring vp the schollers in Rome against the Fathers that gouerned them as also to make a faction against them by Secular Priests in England as may appeare by a letter of the Cardinals owne written most earnestly not sixe moneths before his death to a priest named Mush c. There is a speciall Treatise comming forth of the troubles of that Romane English Colledge to which I am to referre the Reader and to note no other thing in this place then that the misdemeanours of the Iesuits was the cause of all those troubles But concerning this foolish assertion that there was a faction against the Iesuits by Secular priests in England the cōtrary is most cleare as all England may witnesse and there is a letter extant of M. George Blackwell the now Archpriest wherein hee inueigheth mightily against those who had made the report that the priests and Iesuites were at strife Ianuary 1596. to th◠C. Caietane And this letter is kept in the English Colledge at Rome registred as an Oracle although perchance not for this clause so much as for the immoderate but false extolling of the Iesuits in doing infinite deeds of charitie out of the profits of their patrimonies nam minima sunt c. sayth M. Black it is not worth the speaking of which they receiue of almes c. And whereas the Card. Allen his letter is here brought to testifie a faction of either the schollers at Rome or the Secular priests in England against the
instructions and falsely inserted among those which were sent vnto the Archp. from Rome this instruction made that euery one should set his hand against that Memoriall And this did the new Archpriest euen when he was taken in the maner of falsifying his instructions so vrge vpon M. Collington M. Charnocke when he sent for them to make knowen his authoritie as he threatned them grieuously if they would not subscribe against it affirming that they should answere this their bearing off from that action in some publike Court where they should repent it Afterward also it was so followed as M. Henry Henslow was imployed to perswade them where M. Collington was then resident to turne him out of their house And he performed his office with such immodest termes and with such extreme fury as he well discouered whereunto this new authoritie did tend And thus much to shew that it was farre ynough both from slander and falshood which was said of the Iesuites their indeuours to gouerne the secular Priests against their wils and how they did canuase for names against the Memoriall and pressed the Priests so farre as they were constrained to vse figures as some of them haue since confessed to satisfie the importunitie of the Iesuites and their factours This also is here to be remembred that the man named to haue bene sent ouer by the Priests into Flanders to accuse the Iesuites was not sent by them but returned thither from whence he was sent into England to vnderstand whether the Iesuits did vse themselues no better in England among the Priests then they did at Rome among the English Students for to this ende he was imployed by the Card. Toledo as he affirmed and had letters to that effect of the Cardinal who was much auersed from the Iesuits their actions in the College And although he brought not these letters with him into England which was a cause that many giue no credite vnto him yet he brought some testimonie thereof and that he was imployed into England by the Cardinal and could not returne any other answere then what was most apparant by the diuision at Wisbich that the Iesuites as ambitious men would gouerne the Priests against their wils When his Holinesse saw this manner of proceeding saith this authour that is to say how he should be inforced to confirme these Prelates which the Secular priests would haue chosen and how the Iesuites were slandered and purged by the most of the Priests in England he willed the Card Protector to call vnto him F. Parsons and other Englishmen in Rome to see what remedie was best for these disorders They answered that the only way which seemed good to them was to giue them a Superior or Prelate of their owne Order and to deliuer thereby the Iesuites from these calumniations which his Holinesse yeelded vnto after diuers monethes consultations c. Here then we are solicited to conceiue that the ground of this new authoritie was his Holinesse care to remedy the disorders which he perceiued to be in England by such letters as were written vnto him namely against this Memoriall and that after diuers moneths consultation it was appointed But we haue alreadie shewed sufficient to prooue this a notorious falshood For as we haue prooued out of this Apo. fo 98 the first letters which were written to this effect were written the 24 of March 1598. which was after the Cardinals letter of the institution of the Archpriest as appeareth by the date thereof which was the seuenth of March 1598. as it is to be seene fol. 102. and consequently diuers moneths after that his Hol. is said to haue entred into this consultation as appeareth in this present place of the 1. chap. and in the 8. Chap. fol. 98. But perchance we tooke this author at the worst when we construed his words in this manner as though he had said that his Hol. had vpon these letters aduised vpon some subordination after diuers moneths resolued vpon this whereas this author after mention of these letters and other matters sayth only in this sort When his Holines sawe this manner of proceeding he willed the Cardinall c. We are therefore to request the indifferent reader to turn to the 8. cha of the Apol. where no such shift cā be vsed to auoid this foule dealing The cha beginneth in this manner When his Hol. heard the former state of matters in England Flanders and other places and of the murmurations of some against the Fathers of the societie set downe aswel in the abouesaid cōtumelious Memoriall as by diuers other letters relations which came to the Protectors sight and by him was related to his Holines and namely when he receiued great store of priuate and publicke letters out of England against the said Memoriall of Fisher and some one with aboue 100. hands at it other with 40. and 50. all in fauour and commendation of the Fathers c. his Holines after mature deliberation resolued c. And because hee will not come without his proofe what cause his Holines had to institute this subordination or rather to giue order to the Cardinall for it as hee sayth hee hath set downe in the margent a note of the letters which caused this consultation See sayth he in the margent the letters of the Northerne Priests 24. Mart. 1598. and others 20. Apr. and others after 30. Iul and others of the South in great number 18. Maij and of the quiet sort of Wisbich 27. March 1598. and who without blushing can reade this and take it as a cause of a determination vppon the 7. of March 1598. for then was the authoritie instituted as is acknowledged fol. 102. much lesse of a consultation diuers moneths before as is here saide fol. 7. And thus hee goeth forward with a certaine shamelesse boldnesse not caring what he sayth knowing belike that his fauorites will swallow any thing easily which he proposeth vnto them yet doeth he too much forget himselfe in this place where he sayth that it was not thought expedient for his Holines to write himselfe for auoiding suspitions and troubles of the state of England for by this he will sufficiently purge those priests of all disobedience to the Sea Apostolike who did not subiect themselues to the newe authoritie vpon the comming of the Cardinals letters by which the authoritie was instituted But this is elsewhere sufficiently handled and prooued to be free not onely from schisme or disobedience but from all sinne also yea though it were true that his Holines gaue full commission as here it is saide to the Card. Caietane the Protector to appoint the authoritie with conuenient instructions For his Holines not writing himselfe as here it is cōfessed how should the Priests take notice thereof that it was his acte which together with the Archpriests misdemeanour in the promulgation of his new authoritie other matters also was the cause why the Priests did at their
who are of that order yet must this be the argument which is foolishly here insinuated by this authour or else none For of al the Iesuits in England there are none whom these priests obeied at any time in any place Besids that they are al of them inferiour to many priests both for age learning wisedome gouernment and what els belongeth to men But by this hath this authour shewed what his meaning is that forsooth because some Priests haue obeyed some Iesuites therefore all priests must be obedient to any of the Iesuits yea although he be one who immediatly before he became a Iesuite had scant the wit to keepe himselfe cleane But for the auoyding of this emulation it seemed saith this authour in all good mens opinions and the Iesuites aboue the rest or els all is marred when you talke of good men that the onely or chiefe remedie would be to haue this subordination of Secular priests among themselues but so as the Superiour must be at the Iesuites direction as both his instructions and his practise declare And then followeth a proofe out of a letter of 6. Assistants to cleare the Iesuits from the procuring of this subordination against or without the will of the Secular Clergie which testimonie if the vnited Priests were the authours of the Apologie is as cleare as that of which one requested to haue either his fellow asked or himselfe if he were a thiefe This testimony also harpeth vpon the long day at Rome of which we spake before and of the wonders wrought thereupon the 7. of March by certaine letters dated in England in April May and Iuly following Of this letter we shal haue occasion to say more in a particular answer thereunto And here we will leaue the Reader to wonder onely at this marginall note fol. 101. See the letter of sixe Ancient priests the 17. of September 1597. For he telleth not where this letter is to be seene but rather leaueth a suspition that it is yet to be deuised vnlesse he thought it too worthy a thing to be inserted among so many foolish and friuolous impertinencies as with which this Apologie doth swarme The proofe also which followeth that Fa Parsons laboured to haue Bishops in England is most absurd in their vnderstanding who knowe how he can play on both sides and impugne that in which he would seem to be most forward he can send notes of such things as hee would pretend a desire should be kept secret and send them round about the world with the same desire of secrecie He can write his letters in exceeding great commendations to one of some one man and at the same time write to another in the dispraise of the same man And is it a sufficient disproofe of his backwardnesse of hauing Bishops that he laboured with some to haue them in England Can Fa. Parsons so farre ouershoot himselfe as to make his credite so small in the Court of Rome as that any thing can be denied him being assisted by such as expect from him a kingdome or two for their seruice Well saith the Apologie this then being resolued by his Holines that he would haue an Archpriest appointed in England whom all the rest should obey he gaue commission to the said Cardinall Protector to institute the same in his name Howe was this made knowen to the Priests Forsooth the Cardinall shewed that it was his Holinesse especiall order and commandement by these words Speciali mandato nobis iniunxit his Holines hath ordained this vnto vs by a speciall commandement What silly boy would thus haue Englished iniunxit in this place or what is that This which his Holinesse ordained by a speciall commandement the institution of this subordination with these faculties c. could this man imagine that the Cardinals letters would neuer againe be looked on or if he could feare that could he be so impudent as to cite this part thereof for to prooue his Holinesse speciall commandement for the erecting of the Archpriest And to prooue that his Holinesse was mooued by the aforesaid reasons alleaged by him to wit emulation and what els pleaseth him he citeth these words out of the same letter of the Cardinall Rationes abipsis sacerdotibus redditae c. the reasons alleaged by priests for this matter were allowed by his Holinesse and afterwardes he citeth a great part of the letter for so much as concerneth the commendations of the Iesuits and the desire which the Pope hath that the Iesuites and the Priests might liue in peace together Which saith he comming from so high a superiour and directly from Christs vicar himselfe we doe wonder how it tooke no more effect within the heartes of our brethren that impugned the same And our brethren wonder that any man can bee so impudent as to make such a wonder confessing so often as he doth in this Apologie that Christs vicar himselfe would not write at all whereby neither his letters appeared for the institution of this Archpriest nor any commission by which the Cardinall had power to doe it But the Cardinal his word was sufficient saith he and our brethren say no and proue it by the testimonie of all men of knowledge in the Canon and Ciuill lawes who say that the sole testimonie of a Cardinall is not necessarily to be credited in any matter preiudiciall to a third person yet must the blinde obedient beleeue that the priests in not obeying the Cardinals letters did directly withstand Christs vicar himselfe But after he hath cited a part of the Cardinals letter he affirmeth that all was confirmed afterwards by his Holines owne Breue and that all written by the Cardinall and euery parcell there of was by his order consent proper motion and commandement written ordained and sent into England And to this our brethren answere that so soone as they sawe this they did presently submit themselues vnto the order And say moreouer that this is very foolishly brought in to prooue a disobedience in them before this Brcue was written And by this is answere made to the question following But what did this satisfie or quiet them that had resolued to be vnquiet For the priests perceiuing such a deuise of the Iesuits foreseeing how hereby the Iesuits might vnder a maske play their prises more boldly then before sent to Rome as became Catholike priests to know his Hol. pleasure in the meane while these who were resolued to be vnquiet spread Libels abroad against the priests and condemned them of schisme much more such religious stuffe The causes which moued the priests to demur vpon the matters vntill they saw his Hol Breue are set downe at large by M. Io. Collington in his booke intituled A iust defence c. whither we are to referre our Reader and as for the letter of the 6. Assistants it shall haue his place elsewhere to be answered for now we let it passe as a base profe of any thing
The reader may imagine that it is not worth the stooping for which this man letteth lye if it be not too hot or too heauy for him as here also he excepteth against the priests their printing of their bookes notwithstanding the scandall which may grow by the comming abroad of these dissensions to which answere is made that they must looke to it who driue the priests to this course hauing no other way left for them to recouer their fame which was most iniuriously taken away from them Hee excepteth also against that which is said of Card. Allen his fauour towards the priests which hee sayth he hath refuted in the third and fourth Chapter in which this author hath committed as often he doeth in this kinde a more grosse fault then if he had said that his booke had beene printed at Roane in France for this would haue troubled none but some cauilling foole and these trickes to referre his reader so often to such places where he shall find nothing of that matter for which he is sent hither may trouble euen his gentle readers patience Well yet you must goe looke in the third Chapter for a matter which is not there touched by him there is in the fourth Chapter some proofe that the Cardinal disliked some actions in which were some temporall men and some priests long agoe many yeeres before these stirres began which belong nothing to the controuersie now in question which is whether the priests were schismatickes who deferred to accept the Archpr. before they did see the Breue or to these priuat quarrels of which it seemeth by a letter of his set in the second Chapter he was informed before his death or thirdly to the stirres which the Iesuits began in the Colledge about the same time To conclude there is nothing recited there which is here affirmed neither is that which is laid to Fa. Heywood his chalenging of legantine power in England any way solued but in this manner and this is all the difference that euer was betweene F. Heywood and F. Parsons as if the question had beene which is the way to Poplington yea there is as much confessed as F. Heywood was charged with for the particulars as any man may see in this 164. leafe The readers must go looke here and there for diuers other matters but D. Haddocke and M. Martin Array are here to be defended by the author for that poore resistance which they made vnto the two priests Indeede these good Proctors came vnto the two priests within two dayes or three of their arriuall at Rome and were so hote with them as M. Martin Array stirred not out of his chamber aboue a fortnight after he had bene all that while possessed with an ague which some of his friends said that hee had before hee tooke that heate but a sudden ioy perchance that the two priests were that day to be apprehended put life and health into him vpon the seast day of S. Tho. of Canterbury and made him come abroad and what these Proctors did after at the apparance of the two priests I haue before shevved and vvhat M. Martin vvrit into England thereof The particulars which touch these Proctors their persons I know not and therefore I leaue it vnto them to declare who thought it expedient to make them know in this cause yet doe I not well vnderstand how there was any affinitie between Cardinal Allen and D. Haddocke which this fellow will needes haue for the Doctors credit neither of them hauing bene at any time married and I haue heard that M. Martin Array was extraordinarily fauoured by Sir Francis Walsingham by whom he was admonished to depart out of England before some matters should chance which would shortly chance and would be some let to his passage which kinde of vsage at that time to wit when the great trouble was in the yeere 1586. being layd together with his being then set at liberty might giue suspition to some that all was not as it should haue been although in times of lesse trouble some men haue found the fauor by extraordinary meanes to haue their liberty at the intercession of some great men or some highly fauoured friends Now followeth his defence of M. Standish and diuers other And whereas the priests haue set downe in their bookes that Master Standish had giuen his name to become a Iesuite and therefore no fit man to deale for them in the procuring of this subordination which is pretended to haue been made to take vp controuersies which were between Iesuits and priests as cap. 8. fol. 124. this author affirmeth or priests and priests and yet was the principall instrumentas is wel knowen to all men and it is confessed in the same chapter fol. 98. and 99 this author letteth that goe without any word to the contrary for intrueth he cannot denie it and taketh occasion to say somewhat touching that which the priests affirme of M. Standish that is that he did vse the name of the priests as if he had been sent by the priests whereas indeed he was not and that he himselfe sayd at his returne in the hearing of diuers priests who will iustifie it that he had their interpretatiue consent and that hee presumed that they would consent to that which he did But when this author commeth to prooue that M. Standish did nothing without the priests their consent in the procuring of this Subordination he returneth his reader to the eighth Chapter for diuers priests letters which already I haue shewed were all written after that this Subordination was made which argueth a notable impudencie in this authour that hee will so peremptorily affirme whatsoeuer may sound any way in the eares of those whom affection blindeth to make for his purpose although in the Iudgement of the indifferent hee worketh his confusion For other disproofe also of M. Blackwels and the Cardinall Caietans ignorance in our English affaires his Reader must goe backe to the eighth and ninth Chapter he sendeth also his Reader to the third Chapter to see how falsly the Iesuites are sayd to seeke their owne and that they trouble the peace of England and persecute more then heretikes To the which it hath been answered that they doe seeke their owne in some sort for so much as pride and what els followeth thereon may be called theirs and that also it might bee sayd that they seeke quae Iesu Christi as this author doth there challenge those things which are belonging to Iesu Christ for so much as the almes of Catholikes for reliefe of priests and other Catholikes may bee saide to belong to Iesu Christ and that they labour by infamie to seduce the Catholike Laitie from that loue and reuerence which they owe vnto Catholike priests which is a persecution against the priests more grieuous then any that hath been raised by any heretikes against them For whereas there hath been a most charitable correspondence betweene the Catholike Laytie
the King gaue it to him vnder his hand and broad Seale which conuinceth that whatsoeuer was the motiue of making those statutes all prouisions of dignities from Rome were forbidden and not those onely which had temporall liuings annexed vnto them And hereby also may it be seene how ready these fellowes are to interprete other mens words in the worst sense which they may affirme most peremptorily that the speakers or writers had those senses which it most pleased their aduersaries to giue them And thus much for this point Onely this is to bee added that although this new manifester of spirits hath in this place recanted somewhat of his rashnesse vttered in the Apol. cap. 2. fol. 15. concerning the chiefe purpose of those statutes of Praemunire yet he hath left somewhat in this manifestation of spirits which he must in some other place recant or shew himselfe a very obstinate impostor that is concerning the time of the enacting those Statutes which were long before the time in which hee here sayth they were made as may appeare by the booke of Statutes The second shift is as apparant as this For although many men in the world may say as much as the Archpriest said in diuers cases wherein Appeale is cut off by his Holinesse consent and order yet no man in the world who professeth to be a Catholike will say it and stand peremptorily in it without some warrant by this clause in their Commission appellatione remota or to that effect which is not to be found in the Commission which M. Blackwell had as may appeare to those who will reade ouer the Cardinall Caietane his letters by which he made him an Archpr and Superiour ouer the Seminary priests residing in England and Scotland 20 Cap. 9. fol. 123. There are letters of the 18. of March 1598. from Flanders brought out against the two Priests that went from England to Rome about an authoritie not then knowen in England as by the date of the letters of institution it may be euidently gathered which was at Rome 7. Martij 1598. 21 Fol. 125. 126. 127. There are letters brought out to proue that his Holinesse was prouoked by them to imprison the two priests whereas the date of the first of them is after the date of F. Bellarmine now Cardinall his letter to F. Parsons wherein he signified that his Holines had that resolution if they came to Ferrara for his letter beareth date the 17. of October 1598. as appeareth fol. 120. Apol. and the first of the other letters are from Doway 25. Octobr. 1598. as appeareth fol. 125. 22 Fol. 132. A most audacious imposture It is said that M. Charnocke said and swore before that their onely comming was to supplicate c. whereas there is no such matter said or sworne by M. Charnocke as may appeare fol. 129. where his oath is put downe without this word onely which is here thrust in by the author for his purpose 23 Fol. 128. F. Parsons exhortations were the students onely informations The whole English Colledge is said to haue knowen what passed at Rome in this matter when the two priests were there deteyned prisoners which no one being present at any thing which passed is a most grosse and impudent imposture 24 Cap. 10. fol. 141. It is affirmed That the two Priests who were deteyned as prisoners at Rome were presently set at libertie vpon the sight of the Breue and assurance that neither they nor any of their side in England would euer stirre more in these affaires Which may euidently appeare to bee most false for the Breue was brought vnto them within two or three dayes after the date thereof which is 6. Aprilis and the whole Colledge will witnesse that one of them was not set at libertie vntill the 6. of May following although the other had this libertie vpon the 22. of April 25 Fol. 143. A marucilous presumption of the blinde reader his dulnesse There is very good vse made of the false dating of the Breue which is knowen to haue bene vpon the sixth of April 1599. and not long before that is fol. 140. it is twice so cited Yet here for the credit of F. Parsons the Reader must take the Breue to beare date the 21. of the said moneth 26 Fol. 154. This Authour should haue shewed what meanes M. Char. had to liue in Lorraine It is sayd that M. Charnock being at Paris it was there resolued that he should go into England vnder pretence of lacke of meanes to liue abroade and that onely for fashions sake hee should aduise Card. Burghesius which is very false as the principall of our Nation then liuing in Lorayne can testifie M. Charnock hauing been there almost a yeere and neuer receiued any thing from them who confined him there nor from England notwithstanding he had written diuers times both to Rome and into England for some maintenance as some of them haue testified in their letters to the Archpr. dated the 11. of April 1600. from Liuerdune 27 Fol. 168. A shameles disseâ—…ling of the cause of these present controuersies This Author inueigheth bitterly against the priests and would haue his Reader most ridiculously to thinke that the priests had no iust cause to stirre as now they doe but that they tooke occasion as hee sayeth vpon an angry Epistle of the Archpriests vnto them and most impudently quoteth a place in the priests booke to his Holilines pag. 62. where his Reader may see that the contents of that Epistle was a publication that they were schismatiks and that hee had receiued such a resolution from Rome which we leaue to any indifferent man to iudge whether it was a iust cause for the priests to stirre for the purging themselues of this wicked slander 28 Fol. 177. This Author boldly demaundeth touching the two priestes who were imprisoned at Rome among other questions all which will bee answered in their places had they not licence after all examinations made to goe and speake with his Holines if they would Whereas all the English Nation then in Rome wil testifie that they were kept close prisoners long after their examinations were made and the one not dismissed out of prison vntill two dayes after that the other was departed from Rome by which it appeareth that they were not together at liberty after their first imprisonment nor licensed to goe to speake with his Hol. 29 Cap. 13. fol. 201. It is affirmed that M. Bensted was pursued so narrowly vp and downe London soone after conference with D. Bagshaw as he was taken neere the Tower and soone after made away in recompense of this his contradiction to the D. A most malicious suggestion For so good friends saith this fellow in this place are the persecutors vnto them as none that dissent or disagree from them shall finde any fauour And to make this Narration seeme the more probable the priest himselfe is brought
first Chapter of the Apol. fol. 2. the first English Seminary began at Doway in the yere 1568. and neuer as yet failed although vpon occasion it hath beene translated from thence into France and backe againe now to Doway so there is also mention in the same Chapter fol 3. of the beginning of the English Colledge at Rome in the yeere 1578. which was before the Iesuits entrance into England as may be prooued out of the 12. Chapter of the same Apologie fol. 181. where F. Parsons is said to haue come into England betwixt Easter and Whitsontide in the yeere 1580. where he must needs heare of some priests who had beene sent from that Seminary before him T.W. in his disgression from 16. Martyrs in one yere pag. 52. sayth that the Colledge of Rome was founded in the yeere 1575. which was fiue yeeres before F. Parsons entrance into England And as I thinke no man doubteth but that Fa. Parsons and Fa Campion were the first Iesuits which were sent into England to labour in that haruest As for those generall letters which follow in reproofe of these supposed falshoods they shal be answered where this Author setteth them downe in perticular In the 8. page F. Heywood the Iesuit is said to bee falsly and malitiously belied in these words Ostentansse c. A certaine Iesuit vaunting himselfe among our people as though he had bene Legate to the Sea Apostolicke c. But you must go for proofe hereof to the 3. chap. where there is nothing to this purpose and to the 11. chap. where fol. 164 F. Heywood is thus cleared from this pretended false and malitious lye Onely it is true that some 16. or 17. Priests whereof one chiefe man is said to be of their faction at this day met together with him that is F. Heywood and would haue had all the Nationall customes of England about fasting for some little diuersitie and difficulties which they found in them to be reduced to the common order of the Romane Church which D. Allen F. Parsons M. Blackwell and others did not allow and F. Heywood yeelded vnto these mens opinions And thus much perchance should not haue bene said here had Fa. Parsons and Fa. Heywood bene friends but they being otherwise and the good Fa. Heywood reclayming himselfe and seeking reformation of manythings in men of his order for which cause notwithstanding his learning and other gifts he was made to liue and die very obscurely the Author of this Apologie is content to say somewhat of him in this case in question although so farre as it might touch the credit of the societie the blame is layed vpon the Secular priestes And because perchance it is too well knowen that some of those priests otherwise zealous men as by their death they made euident remonstrance did long after breake those fasts vpon the warrant of this Prouinciall Councell it is said that F. Heywood yeelded vnto the contrary opinion lest the societie should beare the discredit of so rash an attempt And thus is the calumniation answered which was made against F. Heyw. and no otherwise as the reader may see if he will turne to the places whither this Author sendeth him And it cannot but argue great want of shame in this Author to run with such fowle termes vpon men for saying that which when he cōmeth to salue he knoweth not almost how to deliuer otherwise with any likelyhood of trueth In the 9 page the principall deceit falshood or slander is noted in these words Parietiam modo c. In like maner the Rectors of our English Romane Colledge did goe about many things that were grieuous and asperous to our youthes But for this point you must see it handled at large cap. 5. Apol. where also it is to be answered or the Reader referred to some particuler treatise of this matter But in the same page there is an other slander that is Conspectis c. Card Allen after he had considered and discouered the endeauors of the Iesuits was wont to say that they sought more their owne good then either that of our Countrey or Colledge The proofe here of must now stand vpon the honesty of the Relators but how iustly he or any other might speake it I refer me to any indifferent mans iudgement when the Iesuits would neuer suffer any to be in rest in the College who would not suffer thēselues to be drawne to the societie either by them or their Agents who liuing in the Colledge as the other students did had secret vowes to be Iesuits and perswaded as many as they could to take the same course And England hauing more need to be furnished with such as were most fit to take vpon them the care of soules who can doubt whether the Iesuits in seeking the most towardly youthes to leaue their vocation and become of their order sought more their owne good then either that of our Countrey or Colledge And to the question here foolishly proposed what priuate good can the Iesuits pretend for themselues worth their labors and perils in England more then in the Indies except the good of soules and seruice of God As though they sought somewhat els in the Indies then the good of soules and seruice of God or at the least not so much as in England We answere both according to their proceedings and F. Parsons platforme of Reformation that whatsoeuer they pretend they seeke to keepe not onely the Secular priests in a seruile subiection vnto them but the Bishops also and all the whole State of England hauing already in their platforme or Councell of Reformation set downe all Ecclesiasticall men as pensioners at the discretion of some Iesuits and some Secular priests no doubt of their choosing for auoyding of cōtention diuision And whereas good man he talketh of the Iesuits labours and perils in England who knoweth not how deliciously they fare how gorgeously they are attired how quietly they sleepe in the best and safest houses in England insomuch as it is a marueilous wonder when any Iesuit is in perill And there hath not wanted among the Lay gentlemen that for these respects haue wished themselues Iesuits notwithstāding they haue liued with wife children great friends and as great contentment as this world can yeeld to wealthy protected Catholicks In the 11. page is this falshood noted or slander against Card. Tolet in that he is said to haue bene a fauourer of the Troublesome against their superiors the wordes are these I am tum c. At that time both the Colledge and al the schollers had bene vndone if Car. Toledo had not opposed himselfe as a wall for the said schollers This is iustified by many and in the particular discourse of the troubles in Rome it will be shewed notwithstanding this vant here of all Rome and his Holinesse as though they would witnesse the contrary In the 12. page this Author hath noted great falshood in the narration of the
also what manner of children and of what parents they be that doe obiect this c. But alas good man were they much worse then they are who are saide to obiect this they are by many degrees his betters who is taken to be the Author of this Apologie And if the priests had as impertinently spoken so of the Iesuits as this good fellow speaketh of the priests his folly might haue bene in some sort excused but it being euident that this fellow his speech proceedeth of splene and without either any necessitie to inlarge himselfe so farre or any furtherance to his cause for what doth the quality of this or that man make better or worse the qualitie of another the place noted in this 27. pag. doth shew a iust cause why the priests did say the trueth in that cause For whereas M. Blackwell to the ignominie of the Catholike gentlemen did most vngratefully suggest and most vntruely to the Card. Caietane that the Iesuits did marueils in England in the releeuing of all sorts of people distressed and that they did it out of their owne patrimonies because they were minima not worth the speaking of which they receiued of almes from the Catholikes the priests to shew how palpable this flattery was affirmed as they might iustly that all the Iesuites almost in England were children of poore parents and consequently not like to doe so much in that sort as M. Blackwell did most grossely suggest And let this be sufficient for this time vpon this occasion to prooue that it is no calumniation as the margent would haue the reader to thinke it nor deceit falshood or slander as this table is entituled In the 29. page are diuers things noted as that Pope Xistus was tearmed a Wolfe by the Iesuites and defamed as a most wicked man and certaine propositions maintained about the Stewes which will be iustified to haue beene vttered by F. Weston the Iesuite in defence of M. Archer one of his principal confederates in his faction at Wisbich and generally taken for a Iesuite and cannot therefore but appertaine to the Iesuits betweene whomesoeuer the controuersie first began In the 30. page the priestes are saide to call the authoritie of their superior instituted by Christs vicar Laruam that is a masking vizard which is very false and no modest man would haue auowched it out of that place it sounding no otherwise then thus ad dominium comporandum alienae personae larua vtendum putabant that is they the Iesuits to get dominion thought they must vse a maske of an other person which can beare no other sence then this that they would rule and an other should beare the name and if ought were done amisse it should neuer bee knowen who were the actors But this man must be seene in it and they must be couered by him which euery man knoweth to be a very ordinary course in the world cry out shame vpon it without any touch to authority but to the abuse thereof And whereas Fa. Parsons memorials are here said to bee yet extant intrearing for obteyning of Bishops it is no disproofe to that which is auowched by the priests it being so possible for the same man to vrge mightily the very same matter which he will by some meanes or other crosse And there is sufficient proofe of this kind of dealing in F. Parsons as for example At the parting of some students from Rome hee writ a letter of commendations in the behalfe of one of them and at the very same time hee writ asmuch to the contrary to the very same place insomuch as they to whom those letters came conferring them together could not but maruaile much at this falsehood in him Likewise when M.D. Bishop was to depart from Rome to Paris in the way of great friendship and confidence F. Parsons requesteth him that there might be intercourse of letters betweene them Mary one thing aboue the rest he earnestly cōmended vnto him and that was to certifie him from time to time of M.D. Cecill his carriage and at the same time he writ to M. D. Cecill to doe him the like fauour for M.D Bishop And not long after he sollicited M. Shelborne a reuerend priest then abiding in Paris to certifie him against them both and very likely it was there was some other appointed to pay his debts But imagine what sport there was when these letters came forth and how peeuish they are who will not beleeue that F. Parsons can play all maner of playes for his purpose In the 33. page the principall deceit falshood or slander is gathered out of those wordes Nullo c. no respest being had to the most Catholike Archb. of Glasco I would aske this good fellow what respect was had vnto this Bishop when the Archpriest was made superior without his priuitie or consent ouer all the English priests which then were or after should be resident in his diocesse And if there were no respect had vnto him what deceit falshood or slander was there in saying so But listen I pray you to the conceit which is made hereupon See saith he the strange desire of these men to set strife euery where They would stirre vp the Archb. of Glasco residing in Paris for aboue 30. yeres against the Protector for that he giueth iurisdiction to the Archpriest vpon English Priests in England Scotland and Ireland and yet these men do aske faculties for these three countries but would be vnder no authority in any Now alas good man where hath he his ground concerning this last point that the priests would not be vnder authoritie so often as hee doeth vrge the association intended in England by the Priests hee conuinceth himselfe of this falsehood And if he were set to finde where the Priests asked faculties for those three countries as superiors there he would be sorely troubled But the Reader must take all this vpon his word as also that the Priests minded to set the Protector and the Bishop of Glasco together by the eares when they said that in the institution of this authoritie ouer all the English priests in Scotland there was no respect had to the Catholick Bishop of Glasco How much better might it be said that F. Parsons and his confederats ment to set strife betweene them when so vnaduisedly they procured the Protector to giue such iurisdiction to a strange Archpriest within the dioces of a Bishop in another Nation and no way subiect to any prelate of England In this foolish fury also how forgetteth he that he often saith that the Cardin all did but witnes the authoritie by his letters and setteth it downe in plaine termes that the Priest would stirre vp the Bishop against the Protector for that he giueth iurisdiction to the Archpriest In the Apologie almost in euery place it is said that there was in the Priests at the first comming of the Cardinals letters no lesse then a resistance against the Popes order
M. Colington as is here falsly noted in the margent for about that time M. Collington lay very little at or neere London and they and some others thought it very fit that there should be an association of such priests as would liue vnder rule to take away that slander which the Iesuits their fauourites to further their ambitious attempts had generally spread abroad against the priests to wit that they liued not vnder rule And thus much concerning this first falshood and the deluding his Holinesse with this tale that the association was a new deuise of such as were in those broiles at Rome and would not remaine in that peace which was commended vnto them and commanded by his Holines in the yere 1597. The second falshood is more deceitfully although as grosly conueyed in putting his Holines in mind what was his second motiue in the ordaining our easie and sweete Subordination forsooth the letters and requests of diuers of the grauest priests of our nation which after we shal cite And because he wil seem to deale faithfully in this cause he putteth this note in the margent Ca. 9 10. Apol. by which his Hol. is giuen to vnderstand that those letters and requests of the grauest priests by which he was induced to make this subordination are to be found in the ninth and tenth Chapt. of the Apol. But now what if there be not any letters or requests in the ninth or tenth Chapt. concerning any such matter what a shamelesse felow is this informer In the ninth chapter fol. 125. begin certain letters of some priests and others follow but these are not neither can be the motiues of his Holinesse to make this Subordination they are written particularly against M. D. Bishop and M. Charnock because they presumed to goe to his Holines about this Subordination already made as it was And this is euident to those who will vouchsafe to turne vnto the chapters In the tenth chapter there is lesse matter if lesse may be for this purpose that I cannot but marueile how this fellow durst tell his Holines such a lewd tale But perchance this good fellow had this policie he set in the margent the 9 and 10. chapters hoping that his Holines if he should chance to cause them to be turned into Latin would be so tired with seeking in the ninth as he would rather beleeue they were in the 10. chapt then be so troubled againe perchance this marginall note was set but in the English Copie where it would serue well enough for those which haue such a facilitie in beleeuing such like felowes as this is as they will runne ryot with them howsoeuer their conscience disclaimeth it Perchance it was mistaken and this 9. and 10. chapters were put in the margent in stead of the eighth And this we are induced to beleeue the rather because at the beginning of the eighth chap. this very matter is handled and some letters cited and for the better satisfaction of the reader I will here set downe the place at large to which as I suppose this felow alludeth and had rather his Reader should misse the place then hit it because retaining a confused remembrance of such matters he should runne away with it without further examination of the trueth or the likelyhood thereof These are the words in the Apology cap. 8. fol. 98. When his Holinesse heard the former state of the matters in England Flanders and other places and of the murmurations of some against the Fathers of the societie set down aswell in the foresaid contumelious Memoriall as by diuers other letters and relations which came to the Protectors sight and by him was related to his Holines and namely when he receiued great store of priuate and publike letters out of England against the sayd Memoriall of Fisher and some one with aboue an 100. hands at it other with 40 and 50 all in fauour and commendation of the Fathers their labours and behauiour in England against the sayd slanderous Memoriall and many other in seuerall letters of principall men which are yet extant when also diuers of these did expresly demaund some Subordination and gouernement of Secular priests to take away this emulation of some few against the Fathers and that two lately came out of England at that very time one a Iesuite the other a secular priest each of them vrging the same in the behalfe both of the one and the other order his Holinesse after mature deliberation resolued to yeelde thereunto hoping thereby to quiet all c. And so he goeth forward and sheweth how it was consulted vpon and of whom opinions were asked to wit of F. Parsons F. Baldwin who was one of the two which lately came out of England as appeareth by the marginall note in that place M. Doctor Haddock M. Martin Array M. Iames Standish who was the other which came out of England as appeareth by the same marginall note although falsly sayd to bee a secular priest hauing giuen his name long before to become a Iesuite and gaue it out here in England that his going ouer was to enter into their order others that had laboured in the English vineyard perchance Fa. Warford another Iesuit such like but those matters we shall handle there in that place Here onely we haue noted this relation out of the 8. chap. to help the fauourers of this Apologie that they wander not through the woods to no purpose if they follow not the path which their author sheweth thē and so bring them where they may find somewhat although not that which they looke for after a long seeking where there is nothing at all of this matter And if this be not the place which is meant in this Epistle there is none in all the Apologie For this quotation in the margent fol. 101. in the same chapt See the letter of 6. ancient priests the 13. of September 1597. is a poore proofe and to say the trueth it would bee more for the others credit if there were none at all cited in the Apologie For if any man will be so indifferent in this case as but to looke vnto the dates of the letters here cited in the beginning of the eighth chapter in the Apologie which by the Contents seemeth to bee the place which must iustifie as much as is suggested in this Epistle and conferre them with the date of Cardinal Caietane his letter by which this Subordination was appointed in England he shall finde that they were all written after the Cardinals letters some longer some lesse while and consequently after his Holines his determination to make this Subordination and therefore could not be any motiue thereof The letter of the Card. Caietane by which the Subordination was appointed in England beareth date the 7. of March 1598 as appeareth in that 8 chapter fol. 102. And the letters by which his Holines is sayd to haue been mooued to make this Subordination in England and
prophecie as that any good or ease should come to the Catholicks by the absence of the Iesuits in England Wotteth he not that his Holines knoweth that no euill is to be done although good should ensue thereon If it be a sinfull act to call the Iesuits out of England what feare is there that his Holines would doe it If it be no sinfull acte to call them out of England and that thereupon may come ease and quiet to the Church which hath bene a long time in the more grieuous persecution in regard of the hard opinion which our Prince and Counsell haue had of their statizing vnder a colour of pietie and Religion how farre are these fellowes from that Spirit of Ionas who willingly yeelded himselfe rather to be throwen out of the ship into the sea then that through his default those who were in it should perish But of these matters we shall haue cause elswhere to delate more at large And in the meane while wee make humble request to the indifferent Readers to note well throughout the Apologie how farre this Author is from all Authenticall testimonies in laying downe the grounds of all such matters as are now in question for we are not here to stand vpon such impertinent stuffe as he thrusteth into his booke to the end that by shuffling in sometime some part of our matters he might make them odious to such as will runne ouer his packes without searching into them what is therein belonging to our controuersie and how little coherence it hath with that other with which it is ioyned CHAP. 5. How the Apologie-maker by the same reason which he giueth for the publishing of his Apologie doth giue light to his reader to conceiue the iust cause which the Priests had to print their bookes THe Preface of this Apologie is to the Catholikes of England to fore-arme forewarne them what is meant thereby lest the matter being otherwise taken then it ought to be should yeeld to scandall and thereby ouerthrow sayth he and worke your ruine which is intended and permitted by Almighty God Father of all mercies to your triall and greater merit c. But this fore-arming of the Catholiks is such as they ought all to be forewarned what is meant by this his fore-arming For what Catholike or worthy seruant of God as he tearmeth them hath euer before this time beleeued that either scandall or their ruine hath been intended howsoeuer it hath been permitted by Almighty God vpon some cause best knowen vnto his diuine Maiestie For how farre off is this fore-arming or forewarning from his doctrine who sayth that the betraying of Christ was Gods acte in Iudas aswell as repentance in S. Peter But I pray you see how he goeth on affirming that Christ sent aduersaries to afflict his Church and which is most ridiculous he auoucheth that he sent a new kind of aduersaries neuer heard of in the world before named heretikes that tooke vnto themselues the name of the best sort of Christians c. If there were no heretikes before what were the Pharises and Sadduces Of whom Ioseph lib. 18. Antiqui Iud. cap. 2. affirmeth that the Pharises held opinion that those soules who after the separation from the body were found good did returne againe to some other bodies And that the Sadduces did thinke that the soule died with the body And doubtlesse this was the cause why it is so precisely recorded in the second booke of the Macchabees cap. 12. that Iudas did thinke piously and religiously of the resurrection For about this time did these people rise and fell very quickly into these heresies perchance the sooner for their very great pride which they tooke of their ouer selfe-weening religious course of life Of the Saduces we haue many testimonies in the new Testament and of their error as Math. 22. Mar. 12. Luk 20. and Act 23. but two notable places there are in the Acts of the Apostles which shew not onely that these were errors but heresies and that they were Heretikes who are related by the Euangelist to haue assaulted our Sauiour We reade in the 5. chapter a company thus described Quae est heresis Saducaeorum which is the heresie of the Saduces And in the 24. chapter Tertullus the oratour accuseth S. Paul before Foelix the President in this manner Inuenimus c. We found this pestiferous fellow both raising contention against all the Iewes in the world and broaching the sedition of the sect of those of Nazareth And for that word sect there is in the Greeke copie 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 heresie And in the same chap. S. Paul answering for himselfe acknowledgeth that he serued God in that way which his accusers called heresie Can there be any plainer Testimonies that there were heresies among the Iewes and so accounted by them and the men accused thereof who held such opinions But this good fellow writeth to such as hee thinketh will not bee euill conceited of him howsoeuer he abuseth them or himselfe but will rather take his wordes for oracles how contrary soeuer they are to trueth Hereupon also he emboldeneth himselfe to cast many doubts and suspitions into his readers head against the priests whom he calleth Libellers First because as he sayth There is no certaine author of their bookes named Secondly because no licence of superiors for printing is named Thirdly because worthy men are defamed by name without intention or possibility to proue it by lawful meanes To the first I answere that the authors names are as leageably set downe in the bookes which the priests set out as the authors names of this Apologie That booke which is dedicated to his Holinesse is set out by the priests vnder their owne names as appeareth by the title of the booke where it is sayd to be giuen to his Hol. by the priests who were most vniustly defamed of schisme and other crimes And in the appeale their names are particularly set downe who they are Pag. 119. and the other are set out in the same maner And this Apologie is sayd to be written and set forth by priests vnited in due subordination to the Archpr. but the reader must go looke who they are This exception therefore against the priests bookes is very absurd and proueth that the Apologie commeth neerer to the nature of a Libel then the Priests books To the second I answer that in case the Superiour be a party laboureth what he may with all men that the trueth of the question be not knowen and to that end forbiddeth that any thing be written or read which may giue satisfaction to indifferent men it is not necessary to expect his licence neither is it a note of a Libel to print without it To the third I answere that there is no man touched in these bookes but for such matters and vpon such ground as the authors of them are ready to iustifie and haue alreadie shewed that they haue intention to proue
satisfaction before they receiue the benefite of absolution Can this Apologie-maker find any such matter in any of the bookes which he doth impugne and terme licentious and scandalous proceedings or can he shew how the good could be so dangerously infected or the strongest so greatly troubled by any thing which the priests haue written as they may be with these treatises resolutions or libels of the Iesuits and Archpriest with what face doth this author carpe at the priests bookes and say that the style is most bitter and opprobrious and nothing sauouring of that spirit that should be in the seruants of one God Could there be more bitter speeches then these before vttered against the priests or is there any one in those bookes which he impugneth comparable to those which this fellow himselfe vseth against the priests in this Apologie calling them children of iniquitie in the Epistle to his Holines sometimes Libertines and other such like as the spirit moueth him But these his tricks not being to be taken by any man of iudgement but to proceed out of great excesse and passion himselfe thereby more likely then the priests to be condemned he proposeth certaine generall considerations to trouble his discreete Reader For example What manner of men these be that haue aduentured to be the authors of so intollerable a scandall in our English Church what may be their motiues what their ends what their meanes by secret combining themselues with the enemie for defaming such as they most feare and hate and finally what may be doubted in the sequell how disunited these men be from their lawfull superiours and consequently from God also as iustly may be suspected yet for better enforming the Reader of diuers particularities falsly and vniustly set downe in their late bookes or infamatorie libels which I suppose the more pious sort of men will haue scruple to reade or looke vpon we are c. A notable insinuation that euery man must listen to him and his partners and must not once looke vpon any thing which the priests alledge for themselues And this caueat was very necessarily put in here and conformable to that policie out of which the Edicts proceeded that no man must see what the priests could say for themselues lest that the iugling of their aduersaries should be seene by the Catholikes and they reduced to those to whome in the end they must adhere when the true causes of all this diuision are to be ripped vp and iudged But if the discreet reader would but enter into the first consideration which is here proposed vnto him that is what maner of men these be his discretion will inforce him to heare them For some of them are of the most ancient Priests in England some haue suffered long imprisonment were neuer touched with any thing blame-worthy before this controuersie began In the time of greatest need these men haue bene of those who haue most imployed themselues in all parts of England and what hath bene praise-worthy done in any disputations at any time with the Protestants it hath bene by some of them This therefore and the like contemptible speeches as Cap. 9. fol. 119. such as they be and such like do argue nothing but an intollerable pride in this Author who being inferior to many of them for many good parts in them vseth a little liplabour the best qualitie which he hath to disgrace them In which doubtlesse he will haue bad successe with a discreet Reader and will discouer himselfe and his fellowes to haue bene the Authors of this intolerable scandall in our English Church The second consideration here proposed to the discreet Reader is what may be their motiues And for this the discreet Reader if he wil as discretion would leade him looke into their bookes hee will finde that their motiues were to shew how badly the Iesuits and Archpriest haue dealt with them and how vniustly they haue bene defamed of schisme and other enormous crimes as before is shewed and that the end which they desire is peace when the trueth shal be knowen which so long as it is smothered vp can neuer breed peace And thus is the next consideration at an end which was what their ends were Now followeth what their meanes are by secret combining themselues with the enemy But first he must haue told the discreet Reader what enemy this was The priests neuer tooke other for enemy then what they iudged error hauing alwayes honoured the personages of such as to whom they do owe honour And if this haue bene now lately perceiued by our Prince and the State and thereupon they haue shewed such fauour vnto them as faithfull and loyall subiects do or may deserue notwithstanding the controuersie in Religion how doeth this fellow call it a combining with the enemie If the priests had at any time done any thing which they are not ready to iustifie at the feet of his Holines this good fellow might haue cast some odde surmise into his Readers head but the contrary being so euident as the world is now a witnes the discreet Reader need not stand any longer vpon this consideration nor vpon the next which is what may be doubted in the sequell they hauing in this aswell as in any other thing behaued themselues no otherwise then hath become Catholicke priests Lastly the discreet Reader must consider how they are disunited from their lawfull Superior and consequently from God also A simple consequence but well beseeming the charitie with which this Apologie was written What bad man in authority wil not thinke himselfe much bound to this Author for this his consequence Must he consequently be iustly suspected to bee disunited from God who shall not runne wholy with his superior Cannot a lawfull superior do amisse and in that misdoing may he not be forsaken by those whose superior he is without incurring a iust suspition that they are dsunited from God Haue not the priests oftentimes offered to haue these matters scanned and determined by which the disunion hath growen with all submission And hath not the Archpriest refused this offer and written backe againe vnto them that their petition is a tumultuous complaint And how then can they be said to be disunited from their superior and not rather the superior from them and he in refusing to doe that which is honest and iust is more disunited perchance from God then he taketh himselfe to be or those who direct him in these his strange courses After these cōsiderations foloweth a faire promise to bring forth authentical proofes of such matters as are or should here be handled But they being not yet ready the Reader must content himselfe with what this Author can at this time affoord him and hope to see somewhat in a larger Apologie And he will performe this in a farre other style then the priests vsed in their bookes if God assist vs saith he with his grace and holy Spirit A very good condition
was a great occasion of the totall ouerthrow of religion whereupon also the same deuill brought in the diuision of opinions about going to the hereticall Churches and seruice which most part of Catholikes did follow for many yeeres and when the better and truer opinion was taught them by Priests and Religious men from beyond the seas as more perfect and necessarie there wanted not many that opposed themselues especially of the elder sort of Priests of Q. Maries dayes And this diuision was not onely fauoured by the Councell but nourished also for many yeeres by diuers troublesome people of our owne both in teaching and writing See how shamefully he followeth still this bug emulation If the little affection in the Laitie towards the Clergie and litle vnion amongst the Clergy themselues were then culpable what reward must they haue who now haue effected the same to the ouerthrow of religiō which by the great paines of many religious Priests hath gotten root in many But to our purpose It is euident that no emulation was cause of the change of the Catholike Romane religion professed in her sisters time but her Maiesties conscience I must thinke her Highnesse hauing bene euer trained vp both in her fathers and brothers times in the religion of the Protestants and following to that purpose the counsell of such as thought not so well of the Church of Rome as of the Religion that is now professed Io. Stow. in Eliz. An. 1. 1559. as may appeare by such actes as are registred to haue bene done presently vpon her Maiesties comming to the Crowne But as for the Catholikes their going to the Church it was somewhat more to be lamented perchance then to be blamed before it came to be a signe distinctiue by which a Catholike was knowen from one who was no Catholike For this consideration onely in the iudgement of the Iesuites in their Romane Colledge made the going to Church vnlawful in England as we haue heard M. Iames Younger afterwarde Doctor of Diuinitie affirme who presented vnto them the discourse which Bell made in defence of going to the Church with a protestation It is also well knowen that Fa. Bosgraue the Iesuite at his first comming ouer into England went to Church vntill hee vnderstood that now it was become a signe distinctiue and was excused for that fact by his ignorance of the then present state of our Countrey himselfe comming from such places where it was not takē for so heinous a matter to go to the Protestants Church F. Alexander his felow Iesuite may much more fitly be said in the spirit of this author to be the deuils instrumēts in Scotland by bringing in a diuision of opinions about going to the puritanical assemblies after that the Catholikes there had been instructed by the secular priests of the danger therof forbore those meetings wherby it was become also there a signe distinctiue But whensoeuer any troublesome of any sort hath either in teaching or writing nourished this or any other diuision bending this way the Secular priests haue shewed themselues most vigilant constant in the defence of vnity and the safety of our English Church as it very well appeared by M. Io. Mush his labours against Bell in the North his M. Watsons confirmation of the Catholikes in Scotland against those Iesuits Fa. Alexander his felowes the standing against Fa. Walley and Fa. Southwel two Iesuits in the South by M. Collington and M. Charnock when these Iesuits did teach the Catholikes who were called to the barre openly at Assises or Sessions in the yeere 1591 that they might lawfully to keepe themselues out of prison for not going to the Church yeeld to goe to this or that learned Protestant to cōferre with him in matters of their faith which could imply no other at the least in the face of the world then a doubt of their faith or a contentment to be instructed in their faith by such as in their conscience they tooke for heretikes and consequently it was a deniall of their faith before men if this axiome keepe his old authority Dubius in fide est infidelis He that is doubtfull in his faith is an infidell But after all this trouble was ended Fa. Southwell as we vnderstand imployed M. Standish to tell M Charnocke that hee was now of mind that it was a thing vnlawfull And Fa. Walley told M. Collington that his meaning was onely that the Catholikes should go to the houses of the learned Protestants not to conferre with them but rather as a temporall punishment to quit them from going to prison which how ridiculous a shift it is any man of meane vnderstanding may easily perceiue and also what kinde of people they were whom it was likely the Councell did most fauour if they would debase themselues to deale in such offices as the Author of the Apologie doth here affirme And thus much for his second passage The third matter which here he affirmeth is that certaine Catholicks liked not that the Catholicke English Clergie should be restored at the least by way of a Seminary which was begunne at Doway which because it passeth my capacitie I will not enter into further then this that they were strange Catholicks of what nation soeuer they were that Seminary not hauing any rule by which the Students were bound to any thing more then to studie Diuinitie after which they might dispose of themselues as they would but this Author saith that those Catholicks their letters are yet to be seene and perchance they will come foorth with the larger Apologie and giue credite to this so strange an assertion In the meane while this Author will goe forward with the narration of those hurts and difficulties which vpon emulation haue fallen out in this our English cause vnder the Queene that now is especially concerning the Seminaries c. But first as it should seeme the Gentleman must haue a pipe of Tobacco for that his stomack is marueilous full and before he can come to this narration he must disgorge himselfe Hauing therefore told his Reader how that some Catholicks were against the restoring of the English Clergie as is before shewed thus he easeth himselfe And forsomuch as the principall and onely ground of this our present contention and scandalous controuersie is the very same disease of emulation partly of Lay men against Priests and partly of Priests against religious men especially the Fathers of the Societie with whom at this present they haue to do and that this emulation is accompanied with apparant wicked sisters and daughters as Ambition enuie hatred contention malice pride malediction and other like it is an easie thing for our brethren and others to discerne from what root these buds doe spring and consequently either to auoyd them in themselues or that other men be carefull to take heed of them See I pray you what lothsome stuffe here is and so peremptorily set downe as it doeth most
liuely represent the knowen old medicine to kill fleas by putting dust in their mouthes If but halfe of these matters here alledged were proued against the Priests doubtlesse they were to be auoyded by Catholicks as such as wanting no faults in themselues would hardly instruct others in vertue But this Author being not as yet setled to his Apologie without doubt discouereth that hee is not free from all those vices which he hath reckoned if he want any of them who vpon so smal or rather no cause or euidence would haue his Reader to enter into so rash and vile a iudgement of the Secular priests as though his Apologie were to no purpose vnlesse his Reader would carry such an vncharitable conceit of them as there should be no need of any Apologie or defence of those who are their aduersaries But now to his ground of this present contention The principall or onely ground saith he of this our present contention and scandalous controuersie is the very same disease of emulation partly of Lay men against Priests and partly of Priests against religious men especially the Fathers of the Societie with whom at this time they haue to doe c. We haue before shewed that the emulation of the Laitie against the Cleargie of which he speaketh before was for that the Cleargie were thought to be an hinderance to some designments of the Laitie and thereupon some few deuised how to indomage the Cleargie The emulation also which was said to haue bene in the Cleargie against the religious Ioâ—… Stow in Edw. 3. Anno 13â—7 hath bene shewed not to haue bene in the Cleargie but in Wickliffe and his societie surnamed by the people Lollards And if any of the Cleargie may be said to haue ioyned with Wickliffe in that his insolent and heretical attempt they were of the Religious cleargie and not of the Secular And this emulation was against the religious who had possessions Now then good sir if the principall or onely ground of this our present contention and scandalous controuersie is the very same disease of emulation you must shew what like cause the Lay men haue found in the Cleargie or the Priests in the Religious especially the Fathers of the Societie who by their rule haue no properties nor can possesse any thing T.W. in his Diâ—resâ—…on from the 16. Martyrs pag 63. as M T.W. would haue vs to thinke We haue giuen a cause before of the contrary part why the Lay men who follow the Iesuits and the Iesuits also may be thought to stirre vp themselues against some Secular Priests to wit because that some of the Secular Priests cannot bee brought to like of such plots as the Iesuits haue layd for the inuasion of our Countrey in which they haue imployed themselues oftentimes and thrust also some Secular Priests into the action although most grieuously against their wills namely in the yeere 1596. And if this Author had not vsed this parenthesis speaking of Religious men especially the Fathers of the Societie with whom at this present they haue to do we should neuer haue dreamed that this digression from hurts done in this Queenes dayes had bene made against the Priests who stand vpon their defence against the impostures of the Iesuits and their adherents because so small a number of the Laity doe stand with those priests and the priests themselues are so few by this good fellow his accompt as he disdaineth much that they are called the priests And in the 11. Chap. of the Apol. fol. 162. he alledgeth it for the second abuse sleight or shift which was vsed towards his Holines in the title of the booke dedicated vnto him wherein it is said that the troubles were betweene the Iesuits on th' one side with the Archpr. c and the Seminary priests on th' other side But no doubt herein this fellow his memory did faile him as also in another matter there mentioned For whereas here he affirmeth that the principall only ground of this our present contention and scandalous controuersie is the very same disease of emulation partly of Lay men against priests and partly of Priests against religious men especially the Fathers of the Societie In the 11. Chap fol. 161. 162. hee affirmeth that the Priests their controuersie is with the Archpr. c. and that their stomacke against the Iesuits is for standing with him and for him So as by this reckoning the case is plainely altered For if the principall and onely ground of this our present contention and scandalous controuersie be the very same disease of emulation partly of Laymen against Priests and partly of Priests against religious men especially the Iesuits to which of these two members will this Author bring this controuersie which in the 11. Chap. he saith is betweene Priests and their Archpriest he cannot bring it to the first which is of Lay men against Priests for then hee must accompt the Priests betweene whom and the Archpr. the controuersie is or the Archpr. among Lay men which I trust he will not He cannot bring it to the second which is of Priests against Religious For then the Archpr. betweene whom and the priests is the controuersie must be confessed to be religious which also as I weene he will not say especially that he is a Iesuit as hee expoundeth himselfe or a Father of the Societie with whom at this present as he saith here they the priests haue to doe For at this he laughed Num. 16. in his table of falsehoods But perchance his strayning to disgorge himselfe caused a lightnes in his head that he knew not well what hee said The filth then before shewed being now out of his stomacke For better declaration of this matter saith he I shall goe forward with the narration of those hurts and difficulties which vpon emulation haue fallen out in this our English cause vnder the Queene that now is especially concerning the Seminaries and the reduction of England by that way and meane procured for these 20. yeeres and more to wit since the beginning of the Romane English Colledge which was in the yeere 1578. at what time a contention beganne betweene M. Doct. Lewis then Archdeacon of Cambray but after B. of Cassana and the English schollers about the maner of gouernment and gouernors of that house erected especially by his procurement and industry He hath shewed you before what hurt came to England by the emulation which some Catholicks had against the restoring of a new English Clergie at Doway which notwithstanding the Seminary there florished and afterward also at Rhemes in France in such sort as England thankes be to God did not feele that hurt vntill new Lords came who were of the Iesuits faction and were forced sometime to runne with them for some respects how smal soeuer their inward deuotion was vnto them Now he will giue you to vnderstand what great hurt our English cause hath had by emulation which was at Rome
did not know how to discerne one of their owne fellowes from the Iesuits which began to swarme amongst them and grew in the end to that malapartnesse as they laughed and iested at the Students to their faces yet must all be accounted the worke of the spirit And if this spirit were at any time found then to bleare the Students eyes it was deuised that no man did perswade any to leaue the Colledge to become Iesuits but did onely eleuate the mindes of such good wits as were capable thereof to a desire of some higher state of perfection In which when they had once preuailed and that the student was now resolued thereupon and consequently to leaue that course in which he was by being a member of the Colledge they did the more boldly aske this question why the Student minding to leaue the Colledge and betake himselfe to a state of greater perfection or security might not be exhorted to be a Iesuite rather then of any other order of religion By which poore shifts the Iesuits were often discouered that they sought their owne honour more then the good either of the Colledge or of our countrey both which through these occasions haue come pretily forward to vtter ruine And these were the troubles which this Author mentioneth in this Apologie cap. 11 fol. 170. although he would seem to smother them vnder a much-making of M. Mush who was a principall instrument of the Iesuits in this disturbance of the Colledge and he is not ashamed to obiect to the Fathers saith this author their partialitie towards some more then towards other and all this to draw yong men to their societie whereas in the former we know by experience and can testifie that no other thing euer wrought the Fathers more trouble in the Colledge while this man was there then their ouer much loue and fauour to him aboue his merits as other men thought and yet was not this to draw him to their societie seeing they would not admit him in so many yeares as he pretended to enter foreseeing as may be thought his perillous nature c. His seruice we may see how much it was worth vnto him he was kept out as many are in all places where there are Iesuites because being Iesuits they cannot but with too great a wracke of modestie so inordinately commend them as they must be commended nor without demonstration of excessiue desire of riches importunate others to giue them such lands and goods as are not to be lost for want of asking which while no Iesuits do hunt after they are thrust vpon them good men and with all charity are imbraced with most godly intention to be bestowed in pios vsus But it shall be alwayes in the Iesuites choice to receiue such a purueyor into their order and he must during life be in a seruile estate ready to attempt what they shall commaund him for their intreaties are also commandements or els he shall be turned going with his liuery They would not admit him foreseeing as may be thought his perillous nature But to leaue such fooles in their expectation of a like reward after so many yeres better seruice to them then vnto their Countrey although wee make no doubt but some thinke they doe well and that all is gold that glistereth we will returne to examine that which followeth concerning the great harmes which this authour hath espied to haue come to England through emulation as hee pretendeth of others but least these two to wit Vanne and Alread should not seeme enough to conuince the great hurt which hath come to England by emulation of the Laity against the Clergie this author inculcateth to his reader that the Councel stil pursued this office of stirring diuision between the followers of D. Allen and D. Lewis for both whom he doeth here giue his word that it was much against their willes although not long after fol. 5. he calleth the one an emulator of the other But to let this passe and to beare with this poore man whose memory seemeth to be very greatly ouercharged with this Apology we must also vnderstand that this plot of the Councel was much holpen by a new accident and that was that certaine Gentlemen hauing once ioyned as it should seeme with D. Allen Fa Parsons and Sir Francis Inglefield and the rest of the body of Catholikes at home and abroad in certaine affaires of our Countrey parted sometime from them and by going another way among other inconueniences thereupon ensuing ouerthrew the Queene of Scots A proofe to serue a poore turne very impertinent in this place yet such as were it not a discredit for wise men to take aduantage of a madde mans words it were sufficient to call all Cath. in question and those affaires what they were in which the whole body of them aswel at home as abroad were vnited especially it being here mentioned that the going of some another way was the Queene of Scots her ouerthrow But rather then these fellowes will lacke matter they will tell a hundreth idle tales with litttle regard what danger may come to those who are vpon ignorance wholly deuoted vnto them About this time also saith this authour and soone after diuers impugnations were attempted at Rome against the Seminaries and missions of England by men of opposite spirit and emulation But here is not shewed what hurt came vpon this emulation but rather contrariwise it is shewed that there came no hurt And if there had come any yet had this bene farre from his purpose vnlesse he did shew it to haue bene an emulation in the Laitie against the Clergie or in the Clergie against the religious And not onely lay men but diuers Priestes also brought vp in the Seminaries saith he were drawen by little and little to be of this faction against D. Allen Fa. Parsons and the Iesuits and namely some in Rome as appeareth by a visitation yet extant sent to the English College by Pope Sixtus in the yeere 1585 c. At this time as we are informed there was a visitation And if those men should be named who were then noted for factious the Iesuites would startle and many of their friends But vnlesse some cause be giuen of descending to more particulars wee will say no more then that the principall then accounted of the faction comming afterward into England and not finding amongst the secular priests any who would consent with them in such their factious humours are become Iesuites in which estate they may hope to keepe themselues at the least in vre for that humour Other some although they doe not professe to be Iesuites yet they sticke so close vnto them as aio doth to aiunt nego to negant And for so much as we can learne that emulation was not against D. Allen for as it appeared very well he was so much honoured by them all as at his worde the principall of them and who is now a Iesuit made
Iesuits it is a meere mockery as may appeare by the letter it selfe for so much as is set downe to this purpose in this Apologie cap. 2. fol. 11. where we find these words I haue heard to my great griefe that there is not that good correspondence betweene the Fathers and other priests I cannot tell vpon what discontentment c. But whereof soeuer it commeth it is of the enemie and with all possible discretion and diligence by the wiser sort on both sides to be rooted out or els it wil be the ruine of the whole cause c. And therefore in this point especially M. Mush be earnest and peremptory with all parties and euery one in particular c. By which we vnderstand not how it may rather be gathered that there was a factiō by the Secular priests against the Iesuits then that there was a faction by the Iesuits against the Secular priests neither is here any relation to any former speech had with him as doubtlesse there would haue bene had M. Mush giuen any such information to him but rather the contrary as may be gathered by these wordes I haue heard to my great griefe c. which argueth that this was put into his head by some other that this being before layd for a groūd they might afterward build thereon to their owne best liking nothing at any time being accounted so much their honor and glory as others falling out which howsoeuer they doe vnderhand nourish it while they would seeme to remedy it maketh them wise and charitable purueyours for the common cause and what not good men beeing as innocent of these broyles and diuisions as Sinon was of the betraying of Troy Moreouer it may appeare by this letter that the Car. had a very great good conceit of M. Mush who would employ him in a matter in which lay the ruine of the whole cause and therefore willed him to be earnest yea and peremptory with all parties His good affection was also shewed in that at his cōming into England he perswaded the Pope to giue vnto him very speciall faculties and power to name at his returne into England to a certaine number who hoc ipso should haue the like And yet this author is not ashamed in this place to set downe to his discredit these words Hauing bene with the Cardinall at Rome and hauing done some euill offices as is presumed c. the Card. perceiuing his humour wrote most effectually to him and by him to others against this diuision and faction but little preuailed And in the margent there is a note of the aboue cited letters which as they are set downe in the Apologie are a most absurd instance to proue thus much as is here presumed of the Cardinals sinister conceit of M. Mush as that it was farre from trueth which was auowed that the Cardinall was disunited from the Fathers before he died For thus this author maketh his tale hang together But it litle preuailed as now appeareth onely it may serue to prooue how false and farre from trueth it is which he M. Mush and others of his faction doe auow in their bookes that the Cardinall was disunited from the Fathers before he died for that he said as they relate that when he should be dead farre greater troubles and oppositions would fall out against the Iesuits which may be true for that he saw so much emulation against them by Libertines and factious people already begun in his time which yet were reteined somewhat from breaking forth by this authoritie while hee liued But the Cardinall liuing yet sixe moneths longer what proofe could this letter be that hee was not disunited from the Iesuits before he died Or what proofe is it of any such vnion to the Iesuits when he writ it as it could not be likely that hee was disunited before he died he willeth Master Mush to be earnest and peremptory with all parties in which words the Iesuites are included aswell as the Secular priests and consequently the Cardinall was peremptorily conceited that somewhat was amisse in the Iesuits or else hee would not haue bene so bold with them as he might vpon any small occasion with the Secular of whom he had a particular charge To our remembrance also the words of the Cardinall related vnto vs were not those which are here cited to wit that when he was dead farre greater troubles and oppositions would fall out against the Iesuits but that there would be very great troubles by the Iesuits their ambitious courses bad carriages towards the Secular priests And this gloze that he foresaw so much emulation against them by Libertines and factious people is piously made by this authour that the reader should be out of doubt what spirit it is which doeth assist him in the making of this his necessary Apologie But the good Cardinall being dead in the yeere 1594 all factions saith this fellow brake out together against the Iesuits destitute now of the Cardinals assistance c. This Author mistaketh the matter For after the Cardinals death the Iesuits began their raigne in euery place where any English were resident as at Rome and in England especially at Wisbich where through the folly of the Lay Catholicks they had greatest hope to preuaile first and afterward to haue an easier conquest of the rest The stirres troubles of Rome are particularly to be set downe in a discourse thereof whither wee are to referre the Reader The stirres in England began at Wisbich by the insolencie of the Iesuits there in durance F. Weston F. Buckley F. Bolton and others who had deuoted themselues particularly to their order or passed their vowes in secret And to effect this the better the Lay gentlemen by whose charitie the Castle had bene relieued were dealt withall by the Iesuits or their factious adherents to withdraw their charitie from all those who would not subiect themselues to F. Weston the Iesuit by whose instructions it is most falsly here auowed that the company had liued a Collegiall and religious maner of life for before hee came thither they liued indeed in such sort but after his comming his ambitious humor disturbed the whole house as it is set downe in a booke already published of The stirres at Wisbich And as for the stirres which were in the Low-countries the cause is here in patt set downe by the Author of the Apologie to wit that Fa. Holt and M. Hugh Owen were deemed partiall against some and did not further them for the getting of their pensions But as it should seeme these two had some intent in which because those other would not ioyne with them they were accompted as factious and not worthy of the Spanish charitie F. Holt was sufficiently knowen to haue bene a notorious actor in the yeere 1588. and was not without cause thought through his folly to haue bene the cause of the death of the duke of Parma His treacherie was afterward better
discouered in his imploying of Hesket who was executed at S. Albones for his seruice done to the same F. Holt the Iesuit and other the plotters of the raising of the noble Ferdinand Earle of Darby to the Crowne of England by the assistance of Sir William Stanley and other such like After which the good Earle likewise enioyed his life but a little while but died an vntimely death in the prime of his age How farre forward this Owen also mentioned here might be in these actions we leaue it to men of vnderstanding he being pew-fellow with F Holt in the English affaires as it should seeme by this Author And certaine letters of his of the 5. of April 1596 doe shew euidently that he was a dealer with the Spanish faction against England And whereas this Author among other his impertinent stuffe doeth here gird at the dimission of M.D.B. out of the English Colledge at Rome to quit perchance the story of that infamous expulsion of F. Parsons out of Baliol Colledge in Oxford he hath made his answer to this and set it to M. D. Ely his notes vpon the Apologie But this is also here to be noted that he was sent into England very honourably and was admitted into the sodalitie of our Lady which was at that time a fauour so ioyned with those who were esteemed well of by the Iesuits as if any of that sodalitie had bene factious or behaued themselues contrary to their liking they were expelled or reduced to a kinde of Nouiceship as some Iesuits in England can testifie This also is certaine that the visitation of which there is mention made in this Apologie to haue bene about that time was long after his departure vpon an open breach and parts-taking in the Colledge betweene the Iesuits and many of the Students And thus much concerning Iohn of Gaunt Iohn Wickliffe the dissolution of Abbeyes in the time of King Henry the 8 the Q. Mary Priests the going to Church the emulation against the institution of the Seminaries the dealings of the Counsell by spies to further the diuision begun in and for the Seminaries the parting of some Gentlemen from D. Allen F. Parsons Sir Frances Englefield and the whole body of Catholicks vnited in certaine affaires of our Countrey more matters against the Seminaries the writings of G. G. and E. G. against D. Allen F. Parsons and the Iesuits the hinderance of D. Allen when he was to be made Cardinall and the setting vp of his emulator and the breaking foorth of all factions against the Iesuits in Rome Flanders and England Now we shall come to more domesticall affaires And first of all we must vnderstand that Fa. Parsons comming to Rome in the yeere 1597 made an end of those stirres which were betweene the English students and the Iesuits which we are not here to examine but referre the Reader to the particuler discourse which is made thereof That which concerneth vs here is the bold and vnshamefast assertion of this Author who to make a lewd entrance into a like relation he telleth his Reader that the association which was begun in England by the Priests was deuised by the relicks of the troublesome which F. Parsons had after his comming to Rome acquieted These are his words But the relicks of those that had bene troublesome and vnquiet before comming into England and conferring againe with their consorts of their former actions and designements frustrated as they thought by F. Parsons dealing at Rome resolued to begin againe but after another fashion to wit by deuising a certaine new Association among themselues with offices and prelacies of their owne institution where unto meaning to be chosen by voyces of such as they would procure to fauour them his Holines should be inforced afterward to confirme them c. What is it vpon which this audacious companion will not aduenture who so shamelesly will report a matter controllable by all the Catholicks in England who can witnes that this Association was begunne long before the yeere 1597 and consequently before Fa. Parsons came to Rome as may apparantly be gathered out of this place of the Apologie Yea Fa. Parsons himselfe as good proofe will bee made had vnderstanding of this Association when he was in Spaine and M. Iames Standish who was one of the first dealers therein was at Rome before Fa. Parsons came thither And could this fellow without a vizard publish that it was deuised by the relicks of those troublesome as hee termeth them whose designements were frustrated as they thought by Fa. Parsons dealing at Rome Is it not easily seene with what spirits assistance this is written when as this very same Author in the same booke Ca. 7. fol. 89. turneth this matter to M. Mush and an other vpon his returne from Rome the death of the Card. which was in the yeere 1594 and fol. 90. bringeth witnes of his owne that it begun about 4. or 5. yeres before a letter dated the 2. of May in the yeere of our Lord 1601 And fol. 96. the examination of Fisher conuinceth most plainely that it was begun before his being returned backe out of England in the yeere 1597 as appeareth fol. 93. Moreouer that which here in generall termes he calleth offices and prelacies of the Priests institution in the 7. Chap. fol. 90 he calleth a superioritie as it were of Archbishops the one for the South the other for the North which if it had bene so was no prelacie of these Priests institution as all Christendome will witnes But there was no such matter as M. Blackwell his pen will witnes which was vsed to proue how inconuenient it was for one to haue so great a charge neither can this Author proue that euer there was any thing intended but an order or rule vnder which who would might liue and those who would not might chuse And there is asmuch confessed in this Apologie Cap. 7. fol. 90 where wee finde in the letters of the sixe Assistants to the Nuntius in Flanders of the 2. of May 1601 that there were Chapters in the new constitutions of the Association of those that are to bee admitted or expelled Which is a demonstration that this fellow enlargeth himselfe too farre beyond the trueth in this point as also when he affirmeth that those relicks of the troublesome at Rome deuised a new Association in England with offices and prelacies of their owne institution as if they were Archbishops the one for the North the other for the South as Cap. 7. he explicateth himselfe and addeth here in this place a stranger conceit then was in all the rest that is that his Holines should be inforced afterward to confirme them For how this force should be offered to his Holines we do not vnderstand especially if it were true as it is as far from the trueth as that which we haue already shewed which fol. 90. is said that this Association was to the preiudice of others And
great charges send to Rome two of their brethren to haue dealt with his Holines about it But their Ambassadours comming thither sayth this authour and shewing no desire of peace or vnion at all or to accept of any good condition to liue in obedience c. And thus hee runneth with a free penne to auouch any thing which is for his purpose how contrary soeuer it is to trueth But because this matter is at large handled by this author in the 9. Chapter of the Apologie where also we shall declare how these matters passed at Rome we will onely note here that the two Priests had little reason to determine their businesse with F. Parsons D. Haddocke or M. Martin Array who perchance are the others which are here meant and as it is here confessed fol. 99. were actors or consultors in the constitution of this authority and parties directly opposite against the Priests in England Besides that the condition which was offered by F. Parsons was very ridiculous to wit that the two Priests who with so great danger and charge were arriued at Rome in the behalfe of many other should returne againe into England with letters to the Archpriest and Iesuits to amend what should be yeelded by them to haue beene done amisse to giue satisfaction vnto all men where it was due which if the Archpriest and Iesuites would not performe the Priests might come againe out of England to Rome And how subtill soeuer F. Parsons thought himselfe in this deuise the two priests could not but thinke it would haue bene a great folly in them to haue accepted this condition of peace although perchance if they had vnderstood his Holines mind that he would haue entertained them as they were entertained with close imprisonment and other such fauours as shal be shewed as occasion serueth possibly they might haue returned againe into their countrey and haue contented themselues vntill it had pleased God to haue taken some pitie vpon their miseries But to prooue how falsly this fellow affirmeth that the two Priests shewed no desire of peace and vnion their going to the Cardinall Caietane whome they tooke to be the ordeiner of the new authoritie as these words of his letters did import Dum haec nostra ordinatio durauerit so long as this our ordinance shall endure and there offer to bring him in writing what they had to say will be a sufficient argument which as it should seeme the Iesuites and their faction fearing least by this meanes their dealings might come to light procured contrary to the Cardinals honour who had entertained the Priestes in this cause that they should be committed close prisoners not suffered euer after to come together to deale in any thing vntill some two or three dayes after that there was a Breue giuen in confirmation of the Archpriests authoritie which being obtained vpon the 6. of Aprill as the Breue beareth date the two Priests were suffered vpon the 8. of the same moneth to come together the Breue being presently brought vnto them they yeelded themselues as well in the name of their brethren as in their own promising to obey it doubtles were ready enough to haue sworne it if his Holines had exacted any such thing at their hands after that he had declared what his wil was should be done what reason soeuer the priests had to the contrarie But the trueth is that there was no oath taken nor any demanded This might therefore haue been left out with more truth then inserted in this Apologie to wit this was promised at that time of all hands and the two messengers did sweare it also by a corporall oath as also that epitheton to the Breue to wit new for what doth this import other then another Breue as though some Breue had been before made and refused by the priests which is a most vntrue conceit yet necessarily to be made vpon these words of the Apology He the Pope confirmed all that was done already by the Cardinal with a new Breue This was promised at that time sayth this author of all hands and the two messengers did sweare also by a corporall oath and hope was that all would be quiet hereupon to which effect Fa. Parsons also wrote very courteous and pious letters vnto M. Collington and M. Mush and they accepted kindly of the same as after wee shall haue occasion perhaps more particularly to set downe But now Sathan being loth to haue sedition ended began again to set them out in England and to put them in worse case then euer by the industry of certaine seditious humors of the chiefest contenders whereof some deuised newe iniuries offered them by the quiet some required satisfaction for the old c. vntill in Nouember last 1600. diuers of the discontented made a generall appeale c. Thus farre doth he imbolden himselfe as who hauing no intention to bee any way accounted a changeling Wee will here omit that which he affirmeth of Fa. Parsons pious letters to M. Collington and M. Mush which seeme here to haue been written vpon the promises and oath as he sayth of the messengers to be at peace when they saw the Popes Breue which letters Cap. 10 fol. 143. hee saith were written euen then to vse his owne words when yet the Popes Breue was not come foorth as appeareth for that this was written the ninth of April and the Breue beareth date of the 21. of the same moneth What neede was there of this so palpable a falshood Cannot Fa. Parsons praises euen in matters of smallest moment be sounded by lip or registred by pen but with most grosse falshood thus wrote F. P. that is a courteous and pious letter as here it is declared fol. 8. for it beareth the same date and is written to the same men as may be seene euen then when yet the Popes Breue was not come forth And lest any man should doubt of this Fa. Parsons his courtesie or pietie before that time of the comming forth of the Breue he proueth it by the date of his letters which he sayth is the ninth of April and the date of the Breue which he sayth is the 21. of April A manifest falshood as may bee seene both by the Breue it selfe and by many places in this Apologie where it is set downe to beare date 6. April 1599 as in the same tenth chapter fol. 140 and immediatly before in the end of the ninth chapter and els where So that I cannot but marueile at the foolish greedines of this author in taking euery occasion to commend Fa. Parsons how vntowardly so euer it fadgeth with him But Sathan being loth to haue sedition ended began againe to set them out in England and to put them in worse case then euer by the industry of certaine seditious humors of the chiefest contenders c. These were the Iesuits and the Archpriest first the Iesuits namely Fa. Iacob who after the
And if any haue since promised obedience to the Archpriest when they receiued their faculties they are ready to giue a reasonable cause why in such and such particulars they did not obey him For as I take it this fellow will not stand obstinately in this heresie that a superior cannot doe any thing or command any thing amisse wherein a subiect may refuse to obey him although he were sworne to obey him as now many are For such oathes are alwayes to be vnderstood to be obserued in iust and lawfull matters or at the most in such as are not to bee prooued most vniust and vnlawfull as these are which the Archpriest doth command to wit that they shal not defend themselues nor be defended of other from the infamie of schisme sedition faction rebellion and such like whereof they know themselues to be most cleere and that the suffering of such slanders to goe vncontrolled would bee most iniurious to themselues preiudiciall to Gods Church in which they liue as pastors and dishonorable to God himselfe to whose seruice they haue with their vttermost peril deuoted themselues But to make all apparant in one word the priests obeyed so soone as they knew it to be his Holinesse will that it should be so as appeareth by the second Breue dated 17 August 1601 if there were no other profe for it These are the words of the Breue Quae nostrae literae simulatque promulgatae advestram filij presbyteri notitiam deuenerunt omnem illico sedatam fuisse discordiam summam pacem reconciliata inter vos gratia depositisque odijs simultatibus initam fuisse magno nostro cum gaudio cognoutmus Which letters of ours the Breue so soone as they were promulged and came to your knowledge we perceiue to our great toy that all discord was presently appeased and that a full peace was made by a mutuall atonement and a laying apart all hatred and priuate grudge So that we doe not a little marueile at this fellow his boldnes who without any regarde of so many testimonies as would be brought against him or of this Breue would set foorth to the view of the world this vntrueth concerning the priests obedience at the sight of the Breue to induce his Reader to a contrary conceit of the priests actions For thus he telleth his tale But at length his Holinesse to resolue all doubts declared by his Breue that all and euery point of the former institution by the Cardinall was by his order consent knowledge and commandement and should not this haue brought some remorse to good and tender consciences of all the broyles and turmoiles raised vp before about this vnnecessary doubt Or at least wise should not this haue so appeased men for the time to come as that whatsoeuer the superiour had bene for his person yet should his authority neuer more haue bene called in question But what insued Truely we are afraid to recount it remembring that dreadfull saying of the Apostle Mali autem homines proficiunt in peius Euill men shal go frō worse to worse And it seemeth to haue come to passe for that diuers of these chiefe heads of this seditiō seeming to haue lost much of Gods grace in not obeying promptly that Apostolicall declaration determination haue run since to farre greater contempt and perturbation of mind c. Could this fellow haue vsed himselfe more malapertly against the Popes Breue then after his wonted and graceles conceits and insinuations to tell his reader that the Priests did not promptly obey that apostolicall declaration whereas the words of the Breue are most plaine to the contrary Quae nostrae literae simulatque promulgatae ad vestram filij presbyteri noticiam deuenerunt omnem ilico sedatam fuisse discordiam c. So soone as our Breue came to your viewe presently all discord was a appeased and peace was made c. which peace is in diuers discourses shewed to haue been broken by the Archpriest when complaint being made vnto him by the priests of that audaciousnesse of Fa. Iones the Iesuite in renewing his fellow Fa. Listers absurd and seditious assertion of schisme against the priests hee did not onely anouch asmuch now a fresh but published a resolution which he sayd hee had receiued from Rome to the same effect and with such appurtenances as might well declare how deepe a roote the infection had taken The other two points to wit of vndutifulnes and of scandalous temerarious propositions are handled somewhat confusedly But for the fuller satisfaction of the Reader they shal be answered as they lie And whereas this author doeth first begin to except against some speeches vttered by letters conteined in the English booke as cōtemptuously spoken of the dignity and office of the Archpriest and also of the maner of the institution thereof by his Hol. the reader is to vnderstand that in this there is very euil dealing cōsidering that those speeches which were vsed were vsed before it was knowen that his Holines had his finger in it And they were the more boldly vsed because it was presumed that the authority was not instituted by his Holines but by the Cardinall Caietane who in his letter constitutiue affirmeth that this was his owne ordinance although hee saith in one place in generall termes that he was commanded to make a peace in England vpō the false suggestion that the priests and Catholiks were at warres And in another place that hee followed the Popes will who thought it meet that there should be a subordination in England being induced thereunto by reason giuen him by priests whereas to this day neither were the reasons euer heard nor what priests they were who gaue them except perchance a few Iesuits who are exempted frō the authoritie Nothing then being knowen to the contrary but that it was a deuise of the Iesuits and an institution of the Card. Caietane by their meanes without any letters to one effect or other from his Holines as is here confessed in this Apol. Cap. 1 fol. 7. the priests might the more iustly terme the authority by such names as to them it seemed then to deserue to wit a new and extraordinary authority vnpleasing obtruded disorderly procured gouernment exorbitant and altogether dissonant from reason the accustomed practise of Gods Church and that it was already thought by the Councell to bee of purpose erected not for Religion but for the better effecting of plots and designments of State For although neither the title of an Archpriest be new nor the authoritie of an Archpt extraordinary yet may this authoritie be termed both new and extraordinary being such as was neuer heard of to haue bene before giuen to so meane a Prelate It was called an vnpleasing authority for that it was meerely affectiue as may appeare by the constitutiue letters and if it haue now any power to do any good to any the Prelate is to giue thankes for such thankes
For the ruine of the Citie liberties he deuised that it should no more be gouerned by the Maior and Aldermen but by some Captaine appointed for the purpose And that the Marshall of England who then was a trustie friend of his and placed in that office by him should vse his authoritie as well in London and the liberties thereof as els where which the Commons taking in euill part rose together in great multitudes and in heate of emulation to vse this authors words sought the Duke and the Marshall with such fury as if the Bishop of London had not happened to appease them the Duke and the Marshall had not escaped them But when all was quiet and the best of the Citie for the common sort would not obey it had giuen such satisfaction as the king commanded the Duke tooke exceptions thereat affirming that they knew his minde and were not ignorant how to make satisfaction with which words sayth the historie the citizens were much troubled for quoth they among themselues hee would haue vs to proclaime him King but this shall neuer be done The way which hee tooke to ouerthrow the estare of the Church was by countenancing Iohn Wickliffe who by reason of an hypocriticall demeanour among the Common people had gotten an opinion of holinesse Hee had liued as a secular priest but afterward hee changed his habit and conuersed with the Friars mendicants Hee and his company went bare footed and in course russet garments down to the heeles They preached especially against Monkes and other religious men that had possessions and for this cause got in some fauour with the Religious who had no possessions and were assisted by them in that cause This Wickliffe being called before his Ordinary to answere for certaine wordes spoken by him was brought in by the Duke and the Marshal into S. Pauls Church in London and was bidden by them to sit downe as hauing much to answere which when the Bishop Courtney of London vnderstoode hee countermanded it Whereupon the Duke and the Marshall tooke occasion of anger against the Bishop and the Duke threatned to pull downe both the pride of him and of all the Bishops of England He had before caused all the goods of the Bishop Wickham of Winchester to be seized on and would not suffer him to make his answere and had persecuted others who had bene most vsed by his father in the gouernement of the Realme But shortly this Bishop had his temporalties restored vnto him by king Edward against the Dukes will and presently after the Duke and he were made friends at the very beginning of the reigne of King Richard the second who succeeded King Edward the third And this accord was not onely made betweene them but also betweene the Duke and the citie And thus ceased that heate of emulation so soone as it was begun and yet it began not vntill the 50 or 51 yeere of K. Ed. the 3 in whose 17 25 27 38 yeres of his reigne the statutes before cited were begun to be treated of made concerning the abridging of prouisions for dignities from Rome and the forbidding of Appeales in some cases to Rome besides what we brought concerning the first of these two points out of a statute made aboue 300 yeres since to wit in the 25 of Ed. the first By which it may appeare that it was treated concerning these points before Wickliffe rose how deceitfully these matters are layd vpon a heate of emulation against the Clergie And although in the 9 yere of the reign of K. Rich. the 2 there was a Bil put vp in the Parliament against the Clergy for their temporalties the King hearing sayth the story the inordinate cryings out of the Laity the iust answeres of the Clergy cōmanded that the bil should be cancelled such inordinate petitions to cease affirmed that he would preserue the church during his time in as good state as he foūd it or in better And the king being then not past 20 yeeres of age no doubt but his nobles counselled him in this his answere which is an argument that at that time the aduersaries of the Clergy did beare no great sway in England In the 18. yeere also of his reigne the Clergie and religious men being oppugned by certaine fauourers of those hypocritical Lollards the King being in Ireland certified therof hastened home and threatned those fellowes that if they did from thencefoorth fauour the Lollards or in any wise comfort them he would extreamly punish them By which it is euident that what was enacted or confirmed by him in the 16 yeere of his reigne which was two yeres before this or at other times concerning those points cannot bee construed to haue bene done by heate of emulation against the Clergie King Henry also the fourth who was sonne of Iohn of Gaunt and succeeded King Richard the second was so great an enemy to these Lollards as in the beginning of his reigne at a Parliament held in London he made a statute against them wherein it was enacted that they should be apprehended and deliuered to the Bishop of the Diocesse and if they were found obstinate they should be degraded and committed to the secular iurisdiction to be executed And in the fifth yere of his reigne when some to relieue his want made a motion in the Parliament to haue the Clergie depriued of their temporalties and Thomas Arundel Archbishop of Canterburie had giuen his reasons to the contrary the king and his Nobles stood for the Bishops and those knights of the parliament who were actors against the Clergie were brought to confesse their offence and to aske forgiuenesse thereof To conclude no one of these statutes were euer repealed by any of our princes Catholike or other which concerned those prohibitions of prouisions from Rome or pleading of matters out of this Realme the knowledge whereof did appertaine vnto the kings Court although some particular clause concerning the punishment of the offenders hath been repealed As for example where it was lawfull for any man or at the least not punishable by our lawes to kill such as were out of the kings protection or to be taken as the Kings enemies by offending against these statutes And in the first yeere of Queene Mary whom the Author of the Apologie will bee ashamed to number amongst the worst kings for according to the statutes of our Realme what prerogatiues soeuer any kings haue had they are to be vnderstood to be fully and wholly in the Queenes who come by succession to the Crowne when no doubt these statutes were in minde it was enacted that all offences made felonie or limitted or appointed to be within the case of Premunire by any act or actes of Parliament statute or statutes made sithence the first day of the first yere of the raigne of the late king of famous memory King Henry the eighth not being felony before nor within the case of Premunire
and also all and euery branch article and clause mentioned or in any wise declared in any of the same statutes concerning the making of any offence or offences to be felony or within the case of Premunire not being felonie nor within the case of Premunire before and all paines and forfeitures concerning the same or any of them should from thenceforth be repealed and vtterly void and of none effect King Henrie the eighth also when he was so deuoted to the Catholike faith and particularly to the Sea of Rome as he gaue monethly 60000 angels towards the pay of an Armie vnder Mounsieur de Foy for the deliuery of Pope Clement the 7 when he was holden prisoner in the Castel Angel in Rome by the Duke of Bourbon his Armie and the prince of Oringe Yea when Pope Leo the the tenth esteemed of him as of the best prince in Christendome and either to his deserts or vnder them gaue him this glorious title Defender of the faith he did so far foorth execute the law of Premunire against all forraine prouisions of dignities and authority to be practised within his Realme without his assent as the Cardinal Wolsey notwithstanding an extraordinary affection in the king towards him dared not to exercise his power Legantine vntill he was licenced therunto by the king vnder his hand and broad seale Io Stow. 21. Hen 8. which he pleaded that he had when he was indited afterward in a Premunire for his exercise thereof And yet was the king himselfe a sutor to the Pope to giue that authority to the Cardinal as may be seene in the tenth yeere of his reigne which was about three yeeres before he was intituled Defender of the faith But all aswell princes as other must stand to this good fellow his checke and if they displease him it is enough to haue them accounted in the highest degree of badnesse how pious and godly soeuer hee esteemed them before with the same breath But now concerning that which is sayd by the Priests of Bishop Watson that he refused vpon these statutes all externall iurisdiction offered him ouer his fellowe prisoners this good fellow sayth that it is most contumelious and false Whome shall we beleeue in this case those who were Priests and fellow prisoners with him and were present at the offer and his refusall and are eare witnesses therof or this peremptorie fellow who careth not what passeth him But perchance his reason may ouerpeaze the relation of these witnesses although for many respects most reuerend For sayth hee that had bene to deny his Holines Ecclesiasticall iurisdiction in England Marke I pray you this reason and weigh it with that which is before saide and shewed concerning this point Card. Wolsey would not exercise his power Legantine in England vntill he had licence of his Maiestie as appeareth by his plea before cited and yet neither the king nor he denied his Holines Ecclesiasticall iurisdiction in England as appeareth by that the king of England made request to Pope Leo to constitute Card. Wolsey his Legate in England and behaued himselfe so Catholikely as hee was called Defendor of the faith Also the most Catholike Bishops who liued in the times of many and those most Catholike Princes without al doubt obserued the law yet no way were to be touched as this peremptory companion would haue them with a deniall of his Holines iurisdiction in England And in the Parliament holden 16. Rich 2. the Bishops doe make a difference betweene authoritie in the Pope to excommunicate and the execution thereof in England Moreouer this Doctor Watson when he was made a Bishop hee had licence of her Maiestie who then was before he would take vpon him to vse his Episcopall iurisdiction in England as he related himselfe to some yet liuing of credit And no doubt this was done vpon the same ground that lawe of Praemunire standing in full force in her time as being neuer repealed but rather suffered voluntarily to stand in full force as may be gathered by an acte primo Mariae yet no Catholike doubteth but that her Maiestie did acknowledge the Popes authoritie in England as appeareth by her repealing diuers statutes made by her father to take away the Popes authority in England Anno 1. 2. Philip. Mariae So that the folly of this fellow is exceeding great in giuing this reason why the Bishop could not refuse all externall iurisdiction offered him from his Holines Againe although Doctor Watson were Bishop of Lincolne and had vsed his iurisdiction in that Diocesse by the licence or permission of Queene Mary yet he was neuer Bish of Ely in which Dioces these prisoners liued who offered him that externall iurisdiction so that his refusing all externall iurisdiction ouer his fellowe prisoners is no way to be brought within the compasse of denying his Holines Ecclesiastical iurisdiction in England And if his Episcopal iurisdiction were so inlarged by his Holines that he might haue vsed it ouer all England yet might he most iustly haue refrained from the present exercise thereof in that ample maner hauing neuer had any such license or assent from his Soueraigne according to that Statute which was made 25. Edw. 3. wherein it is enacted that first the Kings license to chuse was to be demanded and after election his royall assent was to be had And as he was not to expect that a Prince of a contrary Religion should legitimate any such authoritie in him so he was to assure him selfe that a Prince of a contrary Religion would take hold of that Statute against him seeing that Princes who were of the same Religion did both enact it and cause it to be most strictly obserued and yet they neuer denyed his Holines Ecclesiasticall iurisdiction in England And by this it is made most manifest how Bishop Watson might acknowledge his Episcopall iurisdiction from Rome and yet refuse to exercise the same without deniall of the Popes Ecclesiasticall iurisdiction in England any more then for 200. yeeres together al the Catholike Bishops in England did before him But I cannot a little marueile that this authour would compare the association intended in England with this Archipresbyterie which is so pontificall or maiesticall as the Title which by vertue thereof he vseth is enough to make such meane men as his fellowes are not to know which way to looke For thus he writeth himselfe George Blackwell by the grace of God and the ordinance of the Sea Apostolike Archpriest of England We will put the case that the association intended had gone forward but then how sayth he would that haue stood without externall turisdiction seeing that one of these two points they must confesse that either they would haue asked confirmation thereof from Rome and consequently it would haue beene an externall iurisdiction as well as this of the Archpr. or else they would haue gouerned absolutely of themselues without any dependance or approbation of his Holinesse And
credit of the chiefe pastour in these words And who vpon earth is warranted from erring but one To which to take away the scandall which vpon some speaches of such sycophants as this author is hath growen in Christendome among the simpler sort of people these words are most Catholikely and truely added and not he in all things The exceptions which afterward are taken for vnkindnesse towards the Cardinal Caietane are very foolish and those that are for irreuerence are as false the priests hauing always shewed asmuch reuerence as the Cardinall did deserue or they could doe sauing their duety to the Cardinals superiour and theirs and the libertie which the Clergie hath in all places of Christendâ—…e and yet deserue not the name of libertines as this godly author out his great charitie and assistance of the spirit which guideth him termeth them in this place vpon occasion of some wordes which he saieth are vnder the handes of sixe prisoners of Wisbich and were to bee shewed to his Holinesse to wit citò indignabitur libertas si prematur that is to say oppressed libertie will not long beare it For after that hee hath shewed that the priests dealt vnkindly with the Cardinall Protectour who now hee sayth is gone to God and perchance had left a greater hope of possibilitie of some peace in our afflicted Church if he had taken some of these godly with him he would perswade his Reader that the priests doe not spare the Pope himselfe for proofe he citeth one place where they speake of their boldnes in repelling iniuries as though this did any way concerne the Pope and that other place before cited which he saith should haue bene shewed vnto him and then he falleth from this to proue a haughtinesse in the priests in that they would not suffer themselues to be accounted al the world ouer for schismatikes Other sentences also are cited out of their bookes where they indeuour to prooue how conuenient it had beene that they had had the choyce of their Superiour according to the decrees not onely of Popes but also of the Emperours at which this Authour glaunceth and vseth these wordes as though this were more as though this were not more although the one be of a higher order then the other as when we say that such a thing is of force by lawe diuine and humane when no man is so absurd as not to thinke that the law diuine doth farre excell mans law But for our purpose and to prooue that it was alwayes more to haue a libertie by the temporall Prince his lawe ouer and aboue the libertie which the Clergie had by the decrees of holy Church see I pray you howe this was thought on when it was graunted by a Parliament 47 Edw. 3. that the Cathedrall Churches should enioy their elections and that from thencefoorth the King should not write against the elected but should by his letters helpe toward their confirmation But sayth Iohn Stowe this statute tooke small effect By which it is euident that the Clergie did finde that it was more to haue the decrees of the Pope and King then the decrees of the Pope alone But if this fellow will say that two are not more then one his Reader must take it for an Oracle and by vertue of blinde obedience beleeue it vndoubtedly In the next point this author iuggleth vp two matters together the one that the Priests doe call into suspition of forgery the Popes Breue it selfe the other is that they draw his Hol. pious meaning into matter of State For proofe of the first he citeth these words out of the English booke that it was procured God knoweth out of what office which words cannot by any but an euill disposition be brought to an accusation of forgerie The most that can be made of it is that Fa Parsons might be suspected to haue procured it where hee might haue his will perchance more then was conuenient and yet the Breue not forged For as Rebuffus in praxi beneficiorum de breui Apostolico numero 16. doeth note an Apostolicall Breue solet concedi à Papa à Cancellaria ac à summo paenitentiario horum quodlibes dicitur Apostolicum sic Breuia dicuntur literae Apostolicae It vseth to be granted by the Pope and by the Chancery and by the high penitentiary and euery one is called Apostolicall and so the Breues are said to be Apostolicall letters Hauing then thus shewed that Breues may come from diuers Courts and yet be true Breues we haue also shewed that the Priests are here falsly accused where they are said to bring the Breue in suspicioÌ„ of forgery by making a doubt out of what court it was procured But to giue further satisfaction to the curious The cause why a doubt was made of F. Parsons his cariage in this matter is as we haue set it down in the booke dedicated to the holy Office pag. 59 for that the Breue affirmed that M. George Blackwell was appointed by the Cardinals letters of the 7. of March 1598 Archp. of the English Catholicks for the better vnion of the Catholicks of the kingdomes of England and Scotland whereas in these the Cardinals letters he is not made archpriest of the English Catholicks but onely of Priests and not of all the priests but onely of the Priests of the Seminaries And we did more easily giue consent to thinke that Fa. Parsons had busied himselfe more then became him because his Holines as no doubt he is carefull that no errors or shew of errors should be in the Breues so he hath no custome to looke vpon them but only giueth his consent that they be made Which consent although sometimes the chiefe of that office doeth take in presence yet sometime he giueth credit to those who say that they haue his Holines consent thereto And although he who is chiefe in that office must giue also his consent or warrant for the making of the Breue yet he taketh all his information of him who asketh for it and seeth not the Breue but onely a small abstract thereof and leaueth it to other inferior officers to draw it as it must be seale it and deliuer it to them who are the procurers thereof All which is expressed by Zecchius in his booke de republica Ecclesiastica tract de prelatis Cap. 9. Breuium vero officio praepositus est vnus Cardinalis iurisperitus qui habito viuae vocis oraculo Papae perseipsum vel alium facto absque alia Papae signatura omissa etiam porrectione supplicatoris sed sola Breuium minuta ab Abbreuiatore recepta videt formam Breuis addit minuit pro eius arbitrio reuisam minutam subscriptam ab ipso solicitatoribus restituit quae postea apud expeditores fidem facit inde litterae in forma Breuis in tenuiori pergamena scribuntur scriptae sub annulo Piscatoris dominico sub cera expediuntur
apud Secretarios domesticos corum scriptores fere semper expeditae expectantibus accepta earum taxa pro rei natura scripturae mercede restituuntur There is a Cardinall skilfull in the Lawe saith Zecchius who is appointed ouer the office of the Breues who hauing leaue immediatly from the Popes owne mouth or by the relation of some other without any other warrant from him and without the supplication but onely hauing a small abbreuiation of the Breues vieweth the forme of the Breue addeth or diminisheth thereof as it shall please him and when he hath viewed his small abbreuiation of the Breue and set his hand vnto it be deliuereth it backe to those who presented it vnto him and so it is carried as warranted to those to whom it belongeth to make the Breues Hereupon are letters framed in forme of a Breue and written in thinne parchment and being written they are sealed with waxe vnder the Popes scale called annulus Piscatoris by the domesticall Secretaries and their writers almost alwayes and being dispatched they are giuen backe to those who wait for them paying the dueties according to the nature of the matter and the hire or reward for the writing Let vs now lay these matters together first how that Breues be made and his Hol. neuer readeth them nor yet the Cardinall who is president or chiefe in the office after that he hath giuen his warrant for the drawing of the Breue according to that which was shewed to him by the abbreuiator nor knoweth ought of the matter but what the procurer thereof suggesteth Secondly F. Parsons industry to further the plots which he hath layd Thirdly the credit which he hath in Rome by reason of the Spanish faction which he hath many yeres blinded in such sort with putting so great an Iland as England or Ireland or both in their eyes as they cannot see how vainely they wast themselues vpon the foolish promises of so meane a man Fourthly the fault which seemeth to be very great in the Breue where it referreth vs for proofe of a matter to a letter which doth not conteine that which the Breue saieth it doth Fiftly that it may come from diuers offices and no man can with reason blame the priests if they haue some doubt of the maner of procuring this Breue and also affirme thus much God knoweth out of what office it was procured Not accusing it notwithstanding of forgerie as this authour most iniuriously and falsly taxeth them Concerning the other accusation that the Priests doe seeke to drawe his Holinesse pious meaning into matters of State I answere that his Holinesse pious meaning was not knowen or that he had any part in the institution of this authoritie vntill his Breue came And if since this time by the Iesuites meanes or any others his Holinesse hath by any acte in Ireland or otherwise giuen the Councell cause to thinke that hee dealeth in State matters the priests in England are not to be charged with that which may thereupon fall out And it is said that it hath bene confessed by some who are in hold now in England that such a conceite was currant in Spaine that this Archipresbyterie was made for the furtherance of some State plots against our Countrey which at that time perchance was concealed from his Holinesse and a fayrer tale told him of pietie to winne him to institute it at their instance who hoping to get therby what they desired would in time bring the Church gouernement into a company of blind-deuout-obedient children vnder some elder or some Agent which had beene to take away all Ecclesiasticall Hierarchie and ancient approued gouernment in our Church But as it hath bene often sayd and is confessed in this Apologie the Breue came not in a yeere after the institution of this authoritie And therefore these are very malicious accusations and constructions of the priests their words which were written or spoken when they knew no other then that all proceeded from the Cardinall Caietane at the instance of the Iesuites whose troublesome and seditious State-humors were too well knowen in England and gaue too much cause to say more then euer the priests as yet haue said in this kind But now to make an end of this second chapter this author citeth an other proposition out of the English booke that is that confirmation is either most necessary in time of persecution or altogether vaine and as a superfluous ceremony in Gods Church Vpon which assertion thus he runneth which is a very temerarious and scandalous speech not to censure it any further but to leaue it to whom it belongeth But yet he will haue a blow or two at the legges of it at the least Let vs see his play for that the wordes vaine and superfluous ceremony are contemptuous phrases of the heretikes In good time good sir and you by this haue giuen vs some light how it could be possible that you should goe so farre out of the way as you doe not only here but euery where in this Apologie You haue read as we take it that saying of Elias Siautem Baal sequimini illum If Baal be God follow him Those latter words doe best serue your turne the whole proposition is too heauie for you Can you find in any of the priests books where they say that the sacrament of confirmation is a vaine and superfluous ceremony If you can then cite the place and you shall haue humble thankes for your paynes and shall thereby also put the priests in mind of such their temerarious and scandalous propositions If you cannot as we are most sure that you cannot then must you not be offended if we thinke that you set vp your rest vpon Sequimini illum the following of Baal and that your company will suite better with beasts then with men vpon whose last words none but such senselesse ecchoes doe take aduantage His Reader being preiudicially possessed by a cōment vpon the last words he imboldneth himselfe to say somewhat of the whole sentence to wit Neither doth it follow that albeit his Holinesse and predecessours hitherto haue not thought the vse of this Sacrament necessary in England during the time of our persecution as indeede to no man in any time is it absolutely necessarie to saluation therfore good Catholikes should esteeme it for a vaine and superfluous ceremony Note I pray you the pretie sleights which he vseth The priests did say that this Sacrament was either most necessary in time of persecution or els a vaine ceremonie And he telleth vs that albeit his Holinesse hath not thought it necessary in England during the time of our persecution as though his Holinesse could not thinke that this Sacrament of confirmation was most necessarie in the time of persecution and yet not iudge it necessary here and now in our persecution by reason of such misinformations as might be giuen him as if for example any should say vnto
that subordination Thirdly with what stomacke and auersion from all Christian peace the Iesuites proclaimed after that the peace was made that they all incurred the censures of holy Church who should dogmatizando mainteine that those Priests were not schismaticks who forbore to subiect themselues vnto the auctoritie before they saw his Holines letters in confirmation thereof and the Archpriest published that he had receiued a resolution from the mother City which afterwards hee explicated himselfe to some that it was from a paire of yong Iesuits to wit F. Warford F. Tichborne or from one of them The contents whereof were that these priests were schsmaticks which is now the true state of the question as none but most impudent companions can deny and the original of these present stirres And this the Archpriest his fact the author of this Apologie in the 11. chap fol. 168. calleth an angry Epistle and challengeth the priests in termes best fitting his Religious humor that for an angry Epistle they would breake out into such scandalous tumults and so leaueth the matter without telling what this angry Epistle was and that it was a proclamation that the Priests had liued a long time inschisme and what other matters must thereupon necessarily insue not onely to the discredit of those priests but also to the disturbance of many deuout Catholicks whose ghostly fathers they had bene during that time But since that this author hath proposed the true state of the questiō as he saith to be an opposition of a few against the whole streame of other Catholicks deuising particuler wayes for their preferring and there causing some to leape and slide Let vs do him the fauor to heare how he proceedeth with this his imagination And this saith he is the true state of the question let vs declare briefly the way and path how they came into this pit Thus he beginneth this declaration Wee haue vnderstood by Card. Allens letters before mentioned written to M. Mush the yeere that he died how he had vnderstood of a certaine emulation and deuision begun in England by some priests against the Fa. of the Societie and perhaps hee perceiued the same by no meanes more then by himselfe his speach and behauiour while hee was at Rome with him the very same yeere I doe nothing marueile that this good fellow would faine haue his Reader conceiue that the Priests began a diuision against the Iesuits For if he could perswade this he would not doubt but to deale well ynough with such fooles as cannot thinke that the Iesuits can giue any iust cause why the Priests should breake with them I marueile much that he is not ashamed so often to inculcate this letter of the Cardinall which if it make any thing in this matter it maketh against the Iesuits as we haue often shewed For first cōcerning the diuision the Fathers want of good correspondence is first placed the cause of discontentment not knowen and M. Mush a Secular Priest put in commission to be peremptory aswell with the Iesuits as the Secular Priests with whō the Cardinall knew he might be bold especially in so good an action as was the furthering of a peace where he was informed there was want And for the better satisfaction of such as will be satisfied we will once againe repeate the Card. letter as it is set downe in the second Chap. of Apologie fol 11. I haue heard saith he to my great griefe that there is not that good correspondence betweene the Fathers other Priests I cannot tell vpon what discontentment c. But whereof soeuer it commeth it is of the enemie and with all possible discretion and diligence by the wiser sort on both sides to be rooted out or els it will be the ruine of the whole cause c. And therefore in this point especially M. Mush be earnest and peremptory with all parties and euery one in particular and tel them that I charge and aduise them by the blessed Blood and bowels of Gods mercie that they honour loue and esteeme one another according to euery mans age order and profession And then he exhorteth those of the Secular order which is an argument that what went before did principally concerne the Iesuits The maner also of the Cardinall his writing doeth shew that what he conceiued of the diuision here supposed was by other meanes then by M. Mush For had he vnderstood it as this Author saith perhaps by no meanes more then by himselfe his speech and behauiour while he was in Rome without perhaps the Cardinall would not haue written vnto him after his departure in this maner I haue heard to my great griefe that there is not that good correspondence between the Fathers and other Priests I cannot tell vpon what discontentment but rather haue put him in minde what he had tolde him and would not haue bene left ignorant of the true cause or some colour of cause if M. Mush had discouered any such matter vnto him And whereas here is mention of M. Mush his behauiour while he was in Rome with the Cardinall we may verely beleeue that it was such as became an honest priest and that he gaue very great satisfaction not onely to the Cardinall Allen but also to many other hauing those graces and fauours at his returne which no man euer had before him to wit authoritie not onely for himselfe in diuers reserued cases but to giue to a certaine number of other priests whom he would name at his returne into England But marke I pray you what moueth this author to say that the Cardinal writ his letter vpon M. Mush his behauiour when he was with him at Rome the very same yeere For albeit saith he this man gaue out euery where that he went to Rome to enter into that order which many yeeres before he had pretended yet others that knew him better did soone discouer his alienation from them and that he pretended perhaps by his iourney to Rome to get some other dignitie Here there is another Perhaps to helpe the former For first it was perhaps that the Cardinall perceiued a certaine diuision by no meanes more then by M. Mush his behauiour and speech at Rome and now it is perhaps that he went to Rome for to get some other dignitie Good meditations for such spirituall guides and very charitable We will not here cite M. Blackwell his letter which was written in the yeere of our Lord 1596 which was two yeres after the Cardinals death wherein hee taketh on marueilously against all those who did affirme at Rome that there had bene strife or any falling out here in England which was worth the talking of although neither he nor any man els can denie but that the scandalous separation in Wisbich was begun by the Iesuits and their faction long before and is not to this day ended We wil onely request the religious spirit of the author of this Apologie to let vs
well knowen to haue bene long after the Doctor his departure from Rome his perswasion is vpon a very weake ground For although such articles might be giuen or sent to M. Charnocke vnder his hand to carie to Rome yet these articles might come from some other the Memoriall being long before made and at Rome as appeareth in this Apologie fol. 94. where also Do. Barret affirmeth that he found a little compendious note of all their articles against the Iesuits at Rome which sayth he hee Fisher carried with him to dilate to the faction in England and for proofe hereof he addeth as appeareth for it is very old and almost worne out All the foolish story of Fisher we here leaue out as not worth the noting he hauing bene in the iudgement of this author fol. 93. one of the most exorbitant disorderly fellowes in the Romane stirs And fol. 95. albeit sayth this author wee will not affirme all to be true which he said yet many things are such as they could not be well feigned and are confirmed otherwise and the speaking voluntarily vpon his oath must be presumed to haue had some care also of his conscience c. or of his sides as himselfe confessed at Paris But I pray you let there be care of conscience at the lest with an c. in such matters as may make for the Iesuits Some things heere set downe are not onely false but so impertinent to the matter as we cannot but iudge that there was much good iugling betweene him his examiner as that which is affirmed fol. 96. At London I lay cōmonly with M. Charnock otherwise called Long and M. Medcalfe whereas the poore man was neuer in any such credit with either of them as that hee was acquainted where either of them lay yet some things at the least could not be well feigned perchance that beeing bidden to a banquet at Wisbich he had a swanne which was the more to be noted because it was a very vnusual dish at a banquet vnlesse we turne the banquet into a dinner and then the grace of this relation is marred For the reader must conceiue that the priests in Wisbich did not dine that is too grosse but they did banquet and he must vnderstand that the Priests had a Swan at that banquet Certainely either Fisher did herein shewe himselfe to be too weake a man to be brought here for an authenticall witnesse vnlesse some such particular question as this is was demanded of him What good cheere had you or else the examiner was exceeding foolish who in a serious matter would fall into such questions and set downe such stuffe in an examination But had not such folly beene to be vttered we should haue had no Apologie One thing more is here to be noted that fol. 96. this author relateth out of Fishers examination that there passed eight or nine moneths in diuersitie of opinions and that he went seuen or eight times from the North parts to Wisbich Cambridge and London about an affaire which would not well stand with the association then begun Which being compared with that which is also affirmed fol. 97. where it is said that it was not knowen at his departure from England that peace was made at Rome or that Fa. Parsons was come thither albeit M. Bagshaw and his friends seemed to feare it much This author must wipe his mouth for his false tale told in the first Chapter fol. 6. and 7. where hee affirmeth that the reliques of those that had beene troublesome and vnquiet before comming into England and conferring againe with their consorts of their former actions and designments frustrated as they thought by Fa. Parsons dealing at Rome resolued to begin againe but after another fashion to wit by deuising a certaine newe association c. Did these men who were thus frustrated at Rome by F. Parsons his dealing there know that Fa. Parsons was come to Rome trow yee If they did know thereof and were in England before Fishers departure from England how was it vnknowen there at his departure thence that F. Parsons was come to Rome If they knew thereof but were not as yet come into England before Fishers departure from thence how did Fisher goe seuen or eight times from the North parts to Wisbich Cambridge and London about the affaire he speaketh of in which the association had caused diuersitie of opinions For if this authour be an honest man those men who were said in his first Chapter fol. 6. and 7. to haue bene frustrated as they thought by F. Parsons dealing in Rome resolued to begin againe by deuising a certaine new association c. But perchance Fisher dreamed that hee was employed in such businesse in England and how that he had a swan at a banquet in Wisbich and lay at London with M. Charnocke and M. Heburne and much other good newes And this authour putteth downe his dreame as an authenticall testimonie for want of other stuffe And if hee had not dreamed himselfe when hee set it downe doubtlesse hee would haue omitted so much at the least as if one dreamer may conuince another of falshood conuinceth him most manifestly of fault in his relation of the beginning of the association set downe in his first chapter as we haue noted But by this saith the Apologie any indifferent man may see how matters stand and where the ground of all troubles and dissensions lyeth All is but a conspiracie of euill humors against them that doe better then themselues and euery man that loueth his soule will soone descrie the same Religion is not sought by this faction but reuenge and satisfaction of bad appetites This wrote he who knew well what he said although his vngratiousnesse would haue his reader apply it to others and not to him who deserued it as hath bene shewed and will still appeare in euery chapter more clearely then other And in this vaine he telleth his reader that his Holines cleerely perceiuing tooke order first in the Romane colledge which belongeth to another place and then in England for remedie thereof as hereafter you shall heare And so he setteth himselfe to the eight chapter where at the very first he doth notably abuse his reader as shall be shewed and he conuinced of most manifest falshood and to be a chiefe man in the conspiracie of euill humours against such men as sought religion with the greatest hazard of their liues when he and his fellowes were idle lookers on and would be no actors vntil room was made for their fatherhoods CHAP. 13. How the Author of the Apologie to cloake the Iesuits their dealings concerning the institution of the new Subordination perswadeth his Reader that his Holines was moued thereto by certaine letters which were long after written Apol. cap. 8. IN the 8. Chapter of the Apologie the author proposeth to handle how his Holines hearing of the former disorders and contentions did resolue to make a Subordination in England
and how it was ordained and intimated by the Protector called in question by some discōtented brethren without reason or authoritie and how great troubles haue ensued thereof And first he beginneth to declare the motiues or causes of this Subordination in this maner When his Holines heard the former state of matters in England Flanders and other places and of the murmurations of some against the Fathers of the Societie set downe as well in the aforesaid contumelious Memoriall as by diuers other letters and relations which came to the Protectors sight and by him was related to his Holines and namely when he receiued great store of priuate and publique letters out of England against the said Memoriall of Fisher and some one with aboue 100. hands at it other with 40. and 50. all in fauour and commendation of the Fathers their labours and behauiour in England against the said slanderous Memoriall And in the margent there is this note See the letters of the Northern Priests 24. Martij 1598. and others 20 of April and others after 30. Iuly And others of the South in great number 18 of May and of the quiet sort of Wisbich 27. of March 1598. it followeth in the text and many other in seuerall letters of principall men which are yet extant but are not yet to be seene when also diuers of these did expresly demand some subordination and gouernment of Secular Priests to take away this emulation of some few against the Fathers as though all but a few would haue had them to haue bene their masters and that two lately came out of England at this very time one a Iesuit the other a Secular Priest bate me an ace quoth he for M. Standish had giuen his name before to become a Iesuite and therefore a vassaile of theirs although he retained still the habite of a Secular priest that vnder that habit he might the more cunningly deceiue his Holines each of them vrging the same in behalfe of the one and other order a couple of fit Proctors for the purpose But when all this was done What then Forsooth his Holines after mature deliberation resolued to yeeld thereunto hoping hereby to quiet all as well for that the Secular priests should by this meanes haue gouernours of their owne as also for that the Fathers by all likelyhood should remaine free from all matter of calumniation about gouerning Secular priests for the time to come How currant would this tale be if one of the most necessary matters there were not that the Archpriest must aduise still with the Iesuits in his greatest affaires for so he is commanded in his instructions and consequently the Fathers by all likelyhood do not remaine free from all maner of calumniation as he termeth it about gouerning Secular priests And doubtlesse if it be a calumniation to say the Fathers do gouerne the Secular priests what is it when they are not said to gouerne but doe really gouerne by order as is said from his Holines in great matters and of their owne great deuotion in all other by the Archpriest his blinde obedience vnto them But now to the maine motiue of this Subordination and that which caused his Holines to consult for some moneths and to seeke for informations out of England of the quiet at the least for the fittest men for gouernment as this author immediatly suggesteth we must conceiue some such strange miracle as that there was some extraordinary day weeke or moneth in which this motiue was made consultation had and information giuen In this chapter fol. 102. it is confessed and if it were not it would bee otherwise prooued that the Cardinals letters by which the authority was instituted did beare date the seuenth of March in the yeere 1598. This then being dispatched at that time what time would a reasonable man haue allowed for the trauailing of the motiues thereof out of England to Rome How many wil he gesse those moneths to be which are here said by this author that his Hol. tooke to consult and to haue intelligence from the quiet in England of the fittest men for gouernment and could heare but of seuen in all England wherof one was dead to wit M. D. Henshaw The sunne who kept his course in England and saw how the Iesuites were calumniated as men that would gouerne the Secular priests stayed his course at Rome for the space of fiue or sixe moneths And whereas the Romanes had gotten the start of vs in England for some tenne dayes in the course of the yeere now the English had gotten the start of them and made their seuenth day of March come many moneths after ours For as it is sayd this authoritie was made at Rome vpon the seuenth of March 1598 and it was made vpon certaine informations as appeareth here in the margent fol. 98. which were sent out of England some the 24 of March some the 27 some the 20 of April some the 18 of May some the 30 of Iuly in the same yere 1598 to which if we should allow a time for the motiues to trauaile to Rome and some moneths for his Holinesse to consult and send backe againe into England for informations of the fittest men for gouernment I trowe the same would haue rested himselfe well at Rome howsoeuer hee laboured elsewhere to haue an authoritie instituted vpon these motiues consultations and informations vpon the seuenth of March at Rome in the same yere 1598. And least that they should bee idle at Rome any time of this long day In Rome also saith this Author the opinions were asked by the Protector of the principall English that resided there and could best informe as namely Father Parsons that had often aduice from thence from his fellow Iesuits and therefore could the better informe for his owne purpose Fa. Baldwin lately come from England a iolly bold yong fellow but a Iesuite and therefore a principal man M. D. Haddocke M. Martin Array whose fayrest game was to please the Iesuits M. Iames Standish who had giuen his name to the Iesuits to become one of their Order and others that had laboured in the English vineyard perchance Fa. Warford who was become also a Iesuite and helped to make vp a very fit Iurie to passe vpon the priests as also M. Thomas Allen nephew to the late Cardinall and diuers else not worthy the naming yet might very well be of the Councell the plot was so wisely cast who concurring with the opinion of letters comming out of England hee hath before told you what letters and when they were written some of them in Aprill some in May some in Iuly as also with diuers other principall men that wrote thereof from Spaine Flanders and other places some diuine intelligencers both of the necessitie of some Subordination to be made they had belike vnderstood of the Iesuits their ambitious humor wherewith they had begun to trouble all England namely about their insolent Agencie in Wisbich
where who would not subiect himselfe to a Iesuite was to be defamed as a loose companion or libertine and be flarued to death and sufficiencie of M Blackwels person with the helpe perchance of the Iesuites for such is his sixt Instruction Et licet Superior ille ex cōsultoribus Archipresbyteri non sit quia tamen summopere expedit sua Sanctitas id omnino cupit atque precipit vt inter patres sacerdotes summa sit animorum vnio ac consensio Et quia dictus Superior pro sua in rebus Angliae experientia pro eaque quam apud Catholicos habet authoritate plurimum poterit ad omnes Sacerdotum consultationes adiumenti afferre curabit Archipresbyter in rebus maioribus iudicium quoque eius conciliumque exquirere vt omnia euidentius ac maiore lucc ac pace ad diuinam glorinam dirigantur That is And although that Superiour of the Iesuites bee none of the councel of the Archpriest that is of his twelue assistants who were appointed to aduise the Archpriest but are vsed onely as informers and are furthest off from him yet because it is very expedient his Holinesse also doth altogether desire yea and command that there be the greatest vnion that may be and agreement betweene the Fathers the Iesuits and the Priests And because this sayd Superiour of the Iesuits both by reason of his experience in the affaires of England and of the authority which he carieth among the Catholikes can very much further all the consultations of the priests the Archpr. shall haue care to seeke for his iudgement and counsel in matters of greatest waight to the end that al things may more ordinately and with greater light and peace bee directed to the glory of God almost a threedbare worne cloake to couer any disorder Nowe that he hath declared vpon what motiues his Holinesse resolued to make a Subordination hee descendeth to more particulars and telleth his Reader that vpon the aduise of these iollie Counsellors all Iesuites so farre as we know except M. Thomas Allen whose name is here set for the more credit of this consistory because he was nephew to the late Cardinall his Holines resolued according to their opinions and informations in these two points marke I pray you what this author attributeth to his Holines in this subordination to wit to appoint a gouernment and that this man should be the gouernour though for the third point that is about the kinde or manner of gouernment hee iudged not expedient for the present to appoint any other but an Archpriest an ancient dignitie in the Church of Christ This then by this authors relation was the vtmost which his Holines resolued to wit that the kind or manner of gouernment should bee no other then what is vnder that ancient dignitie of the Church namely of an Archpriest Consequently his Holines appointed no other subiection or subordination then such as is to an Archpriest we are therefore to see what belongeth to the office of an Archpriest and in that onely according to his Holinesse appointment we are to obey M. Blackwels person and in no other For such are this authors words though for the third about the kind and manner of gouernment he iudged not expedient for the present to appoint any other but an Archpriest whose office whosoeuer will seeke in the Canons of the Church he shall find to be in another kind then this of M. Blackwels is as it is instituted by the Cardinall in his Holines name for so also is it here confessed in the words immediatly following Lest if hee the Pope should haue begunne with Bishops hee doubted very probably that it would haue caused some great motion in England for auoiding whereof he resolued also for this first time not to write himselfe any Apostolicall letters note here the folly and malice of the Iesuites and others who writ or approoued that scandalous Libell of Schisme in which the Priests were condemned of schisme sedition faction and denounced to bee excommunicated irregular fallen from the Church as Southsayers and Idolaters Ethnickes and Publicans and for what For resisting Apostolicall decrees when there was none but to commit rather the institution of the matter by speciall order to the Protector to be done in his the Popes name And how agreeth this with the Cardinals letter where wee reade these words in the Cardinals own name Dum haec nostra ordinatio durauerit so long as this our ordinance shall remaine And all that followeth concerning the Archpriest his subdelegation and faculties or forme which he was to keepe in the exercise of his subdelegation But his Holinesse sayth afterwards in his Breue of the sixt of April that all was done by him Be it so What is this to the purpose the priests doe not now call that in question nor euer did since the time that they first saw that Breue Where is then the difficultie Whether the priests were Schismatikes seditious factious excommunicated fallen from the Church as Ethnicks Publicans Sorcerers and Idolaters in that they did not yeeld their obedience to a Superiour sayd to haue bene instituted by his Holines but not proued otherwise then by the bare testimony of a Cardinal in a letter to the same man who was to become a Superior which letter beareth date the seuenth of March 1598 and it was more then a yeere before the Popes letters were written as appeareth by their date which is the sixt of April 1599. And the foolish blind obedient must beleeue you and vse Catholike priests like schismatikes who in the space betweene the seuenth of March in the yeere 1598 and the sixt of April 1599 did resist as they are tolde and will not vnderstand any other the Popes order and decrees Loe here then saith this author the grounds of this his Holines resolution so farre as we are informed by them that were priuy thereunto Loe then say I how sottishly the Iesuits vrged a resisting of Apostolicall decrees before the Pope resolued to write himselfe any Apostolicall letters And by this saith he are ouerthrowen all these cauillations And by this say I is ouerthrowen that malitious Libel which was fathered by Iesuits and fostered by the Archpriest and all his seditious adherents wherein the priests were concluded to be Schismaticks excommunicated fallen from Gods Church c. as resisters of the Popes decrees when there was none made as here it is confessed in the Apologie And suspitious coniectures saith he which our discontented brethren in their last bookes haue set foorth about this meaning aswell of his Holines the Protector as of those also that gaue informations for procuring of this authority sinisterly interpreting the one and the other There could be no suspitious coniectures of his Holines meaning For as here it is confessed his Holines declared nothing in a yeere after that he had any meaning or knowledge of this Superioritie instituted by the Cardinall the Protectors meaning
not being knowen otherwise then by his proceedings in the institution of this auctority did minister cause of suspition that he knew not what he did The meaning of the informers for procuring this authoritie being not knowen to be any other men then Iesuits confessed to be those fol. 99. by this author to wit Fa. Parsons F. Baldwine D. Haddocke M. Martin Array M. Iames Standish might without offence be subiect to a suspicious coniecture cōsidering the canuas which the Iesuits had made for a Superioritie ouer the priests in Wisbich vnder the name of an Agencie And whereas here is mentioned sometime that Catholicks desired some subordination sometime that the priests there are no other particulers set downe then certaine letters which were al written long after that the Subordination was instituted neither can they bring any as in reason may be iudged by their so long concealing them the sight of them being more materiall then all their Apologie vnlesse they will bring foorth some of those letters which were taken from M. Bishop and M. Charnocke at Rome abuse them affirming that they were sent before by some others for such a purpose For when the priests determined vpon the erecting of their Association they had the petitions to his Holines of many aswell of the ancientest priests as other some in general termes for some Subordination some to haue his allowance for their ioyning particularly in that maner as they wished vnder a head and such Rules as were proposed and some of these were written before this Subordination was made as is confessed in the 5. article of the Libel which was put vp at Rome to the Cardinall Caietan and Burghesius vpon the 17. of February 1599. in the English Colledge which also demonstrateth how false the imputation is fol 100 that without all Superiors auctoritie they the priests would haue set vp their Association But marke I pray you how this felow goeth onwards in this narration and you shal quickly find where his shooe did wring him For so long saith he as our Clergie proceeded in the Spirit of humilitie obediēce peace vnitie there was no need of Superior for that euery one was a rule and law to himselfe Where was this defect of humilitie obedience peace vnitie or in whō If contention for superioritie be an argument of pride then was this defect in the Iesuits and not in the priests For as all the world knoweth the Iesuits sought a Superioritie in Wisbich ouer the Secular priests Or if they wil stoutly stand vpon it that it was thrust vpon them yet they must confesse that it was most followed by such as were secretly Iesuits as F. Bickley F. Bolton F. Archer and who els And that when it grew to a marueilous tempest the Iesuits persisted still in their course or canuas for the superiority vnder the title of an Agencie neither was there any disobedience euer noted in any of the priests but to F. Weston the Iesuit and first vsurper in Wisbich which was not to be called a disobedience but a resisting rather of his ambitious humor and his fellowes who laboured notwithstanding the scandal which came thereof to make him Superior ouer the Secular priests liuing then in the Castle by which peace was broken and a most sinfull diuision begun so farre foorth as those factious innouators would not eate with those priests who would not subiect themselues vnto the Iesuit But saith this author crescente numero discipulorum factum est murmur Graecorum aduersus Hebraeos c. when the multitude of our priests encreased and the former spirit in many of them decreased then begun presently murmuration and emulation against the Fathers of the Societie as though they onely did hinder vs who indeed were and are the men that doe principally helpe vs both in word life so long as we were content to learne Hinc illae lacrymae We would not be contented to learne any longer of the Iesuits If this fellow had ment honestly he would haue cited a litle more of the text of Scripture But then perchance it would haue made against him more then he would his simple Reader should vnderstand He taketh as much as he listeth to apply leaueth out the rest yet doeth he falsly apply also that which he bringeth For in our case the Priests were the Hebrues for they came first into this haruest and the Iesuits must be these murmuring Graecians who came in after vs and the Iesuits not being contented with their fellowlike State with the priests must become forsooth M. Agents and take charge of the priests whether they wil or no as in their vproare at Wisbich was manifest to all the beholders But now to that which this authour concealed vnder an c. In the text it followeth eo quò despicerentur in ministerio quotidiano viduae eorum because their widowes were despised or contemned in the daily seruice which vsed to be performed by widdowes in those times And by this it would haue bene apparant that the pride of the Iesuits had bene the cause of this murmuration and our peace broken vpon their foolish selfe conceite that they were not sicut caeteri homines as other men But note I pray you how the text is turned from a despising or contemning to a conceite that the priests were hindered by the Iesuites It is also further to be obserued that when the multitude of Priests were great and the number of the Iesuites very small the Priests and the Iesuites conferred together and great peace was betweene them But when the number of the Iesuites encreased that they began to conceiue a hope of Superioritie to bring the Secular priests into a slauish bondage vnder them they began to take exceptions against the priests and the more wicked and sinfull the slanderer was the more vnited he was to the Iesuites And no other remedie must be vsed but a Subordination to a Iesuit to keepe the priests in order And this was thought fit to be first attempted at Wisbich where the priests liuing vpon the almes which Catholikes sent thither might be enforced therunto by the Catholikes there withdrawing their charitie from them to which purpose the Iesuites friends imployed themselues abroad But some comming out of the Seminaries saith this Authour where they had liued vnder the Iesuites with lesse or worse Spirit then were to be wished drew other to emulate them whom before they had obeyed This emulation would be expressed The Priests affirme that the Iesuites pride and ambition was the cause of all the stirre in England and for proofe they bring their attempt at Wisbich before which time all was in quiet And as some priests did sometimes obey some Iesuites as Rectors of Colleges where they were brought vp so are there many in England who neuer obeyed any Iesuite Neither doth this argument prooue that they should euer after obey the same men much lesse that they should obey all other
which is therin affirmed it being no doubt penned by those who are interessed in this Apologie Neither doe the letters of fortie or fiftie priests in England egged on and in a manner compelled therunto by the Iesuits and Archpriest to approoue his authority or giue thankes to his Holines for it prooue any thing but a lightnesse in them to giue credit where it was not due euen in a most preiudiciall matter against themselues The praises which are here attributed to M. Blackwels person no man wisheth more he may deserue then I doe but the testimonie which is brought of his false dealing when he first manifested his authoritie will goe hard against him and the harder for the poore shifts which are vsed in this Apologie fol. 109. to salue them This author hauing prooued a resolution in the Pope and layd downe the supposed reasons of the institution of this subordination and concluded that the priests were disobedient to Christs Vicar himselfe yet not hauing the wit to conceale that his Holines did not write himselfe any thing vntil a yeere after and more at the sight of which letters the priests did instantly submit themselues hee goeth about now to salue the reasons which the priests haue giuen in their bookes of their forbearance vntill they saw his Holines Breue and telleth his Reader that hee hath gathered them out of both the two late bookes the one in English the other in Latine though confusedly and tumultuously set downe in both and in no one place distinctly and in order whereby perchance hee might haue deserued some commendation for his good will had he not marred all himselfe in this Apologie chap. 2. fol. 18. where hee taketh notice of one and twentie reasons which are distinctly and in order set downe in the English booke and citeth the pages 84 85 86 deinceps and chap. 11. fol. 176. hee acknowledgeth the same 21. reasons to be laid together by distinct numbers The first reason which this author impugneth is that it was gotten by wrong and false information by the instance of the aduerse partie onely against their willes and without their knowledge contrary to all equitie and iustice And this hee impugneth by affirming that he hath already shewed it to be false but you must goe looke where The reason is defended by M. Doctor Ely in his notes vpon the eight chapter of this Apologie pag 226. and other following and by M. Iohn Collington in his first reason Secondly saith this author they alledge that they doubted whether this ordination came from the Pope himselfe or no seeing there came no Breue nor Bull. Their reason is for that the Pope vseth to send his Breues or Bulls in matters of lesse weight then this is as appeareth by that extrauagant Iniunctae nobis de electione where all men are forbidden to receiue lesse prelacies then this was although this were the meanest title that any prelat hath as is handled at large by M. Collington in his 4. Reason pa. 138 139 and 140 and M. Do. Ely pag 141. to 149. whereabout they aske this question concerning vs Why should they be so vnwilling to procure or suffer to be procured some Bull or Breue for the confirmation thereof if it came from his Holinesse Here were so many tales told of the vnited Priests which labour well and zealously also chap. 3. fol. 28. and chap. 8. fol. 105. but what now the good and obedient and such like arguments of the quiet their dwelling farre from good neighbours that the rope brake and downe fell the Iesuits Whereabout sayth this author they the priests aske this question concerning vs wee must goe see concerning whome this question was asked and assoile this riddle Who is the author of this Apologie and for the greater euidence we will set downe the priests words in the place cited by this author out of The copies of discourses pag. 4. and 5. And more to shew their the Iesuits intentions in this matter what interest they seeke and challenge in this authoritie though indeed nothing concerning them because a distinct societie and body from vs one of them and in the margent we reade Fa. Garnet in a letter hee wrote vnto one that would not subscribe confesseth and acknowledgeth that whatsoeuer is opposite to the reuerend Archpriest must of force be consequently opposite and against them which thing must of necessitie import an extraordinarie tie betweene the authoritie of the Archpriest and them either of the subordination of them to the Archpriest which they disclaime from and denie or contrariwise of the Archp to them Fls how must it of necessity follow that he which is opposite vnto the Archp authority must of force be opposite to them as though a man might not resist their superior of an order but he must needs thereby oppose himselfe against the whole body of another order Furthermore if their interest were not great in this authority why should they be so vnwilling to procure or suffer to bee procured some Bul or Breue for the confirmation thereof Now tel me Concerning whō is this question asked If ye be Ies◅ts who are authors of this Apologie why doe ye maske your selues with the name of Priests vnited in due Subordination to the Archpriest If ye are secular priests tell me How doth this question concerne you The author of this Apologie was not mindfull of the weaknesse of the Rope by breaking whereof he catched so foule a fall The matter being layd downe so plaine before you assoile this hard riddle concerning whom is this question asked Why should there not c. Will you for shame answere as the poore fellow did to this question Who was Iaphets father being no plainer taught that Noe had three sonnes Shem Cham and Iaphet then you are taught in this place by you cited that this question was asked concerning the Iesuits Well then hereafter we must take either the Iesuits to be meant by your words concerning vs and consequently one of them to haue made this Apologie or Troll Tom Millers bitch But what doth this authors folly cease with this no God wot to vse his owne phrase fol. 104. but he giueth a like answere to the question which the priests did aske and this is it but this question and reason thereon depending is now answered and how for that a Breue was procured but when aboue a yeere after as appeareth by the date but when the priests did aske the question how was it then to bee answered they knowe now that there is a Breue procured and they all submitted themselues readily vnto it as is witnessed in this Apologie And in the last Breue of the seuenteenth of August 1601 to the manifest reprouing of this authors falshood who in this place affirmeth that it was not much more esteemed by these men the priests then these the Cardinals letters but marke I pray you this proofe as appeared by the effect what effect forsooth the
priests to the doctors of Sorbon and will he now tell his reader that the priests doe professe both in these Treatises and in their Information to the doctors of Paris that their scruple was onely whether this matter came from his Holines or no Is his memory so short or is his presumption such of the blind-obedient that hee may say what he list and contradict it at his pleasure yet with all these arguments to the contrary the priests as well in these Discourses as in their Informatiō to the doctors of Sorbon affirmed that his Hol. commaundement lawfully made knowen vnto them should end the matter which was no proofe that they had no other scruple but rather of their ready obedience to the Sea Apostolicke notwithstanding any difficulties which did or might occurre and were specified in these Discourses and in the Information to Paris and they performed it with all humilitie and charitie by submitting themselues and forgetting those most impious slanders which had beene spread against them of schisme c. by the Iesuits and had lien still to this day in their graue had not the Iesuits raised them againe and the Archpriest giuen them free scope to range in euery seditious mouth without controlment and for the greater encouragement to such ouerforward Amalekites he published a Resolution which he said he had from the mother Citie that the refusers of his authoritie were schismaticks This then which this author affirmeth to haue been the onely scruple of the priests their delay being prooued not to haue been the onely scruple but that there were many more which this author took notice of in the places cited in the 8 chapter it is euident that the sending of letters to Rome had litle auailed the priests the letters themselues if they had been deliuered to his Holinesse hands not being able to haue answered to the deuises of such aduersaries as they had there found and consequently it was necessary that some priests should be sent to deale with his Holinesse in such doubts as they had with this resolution that they would stand to whatsoeuer his Holinesse should iudge conuenient for the present And in this maner did the two priests goe to Rome And now followeth the story of their apprehension there by the Iesuites and Sbirri and what chanced vnto them while they were vnder the Iesuites safe keeping And because the blame of that which deserueth blame is layd to Fa. Parsons as that they were imprisoned before they were heard and such like this author to saue Fa Parsons his sides of which by his running so quickly out of the fire of persecution in England he knew Fa. Parsons had a very great care goeth about to proue that the two priests there imprisoned in Rome before they were heard did not proceede from Fa. Parsons and if he had gone no further then this hee might haue left the matter in some suspence and men might haue beaten their braines in conceiuing how such an iniustice should haue come into his Holinesse head but he will demonstrate how it came and thereby prooue that Fa. Parsons was no medler in it to wit that diuers did write to his Holinesse against them but alacke their writing although it might haue somewhat excused Fa Parsons yet doeth it not shew that F. Parsons was cleare Hee argueth as though it had bene an impossible matter for him to haue dealt in this action because so many other did write but what if all these writers writ nothing concerning that point with which Fa Parsons is charged to wit the imprisonment of the two priests before they were heard to whom shall this fact be attributed to his Holinesse who is knowen to be both of mild and most religious disposition or to one of a cleane contrary spirit but in that place and credit as he hath been trusted both by his Holinesse and vsed by the Cardinall Caietane Protector as a chiefe director in all our English affairs But of this there can be no doubt but that many did write to some or other and those letters were perchance shewed to the Pope or els he heard somewhat of them Let vs then examine this matter The first place of the letter writers is giuen to his Holinesse Nuntij in France and Flanders But in this he hath not done wisely they being both strangers and likely to haue had litle commerce with the English especially hee in France if then there were any and as for him in Flanders I am certainely informed from his owne mouth that he neuer writ against these Priests much lesse would he suggest that they were to bee imprisoned before they were heard and be vsed as shal be declared The next letters here mentioned although not for such as should perswade his Holines to that course which was taken were written by Fa. Bellarmine wherein he certifieth Fa. Parsons that his Holinesse so greatly misliked their troublesome facte that he had told him that if they came to Ferrara hee would cause them to be imprisoned who gaue these informations to his Holinesse that without more adoe hee was resolued to imprison them if they had come to Ferrara If the memory of some who read the letter doe not extraordinarily faile them this was an answere to Fa. Parsons letter which he had written to Fa. Bellarmine concerning the Priests comming towards the Pope But yet there is a starting hole left and where is that the letters of many of our nation some of the principall some of the most zealous and herehence the Pope tooke his motiue to imprison the priests If this then be so then must these letters be written at the least before that his Holines could by these writers perswasions determine to cast the two priestes in prison and yet not so long before as it should be impossible that the writers could vnderstand of any such attempts against which they are sayd to write or to perswade his Holines to this or that course in this or that matter but neither of these chanced in our present case For all the letters at the least brought heere for proofe or instance were written either after that his Hol. was induced to make this resolution or else so long before as it was impossible the writers thereof should haue knowledge of any such attempt The first in the ranke of writers is D. Stapleton who as this author thinketh was dead before the two priests came into Flanders he forgot himselfe that he had sayd fol. 120 that the priests came not into Flanders but passed by France But alacke the good mans memorie doth much faile him How then what is to bee sayd of him and his opinion concerning these two priests and their attempts against the Subordination and how was he one vpon whose information or instigation his Holinesse resolued to imprison the two priests marie sir you must goe looke in the 4. Chapter fol 40. a piece of a letter of D. Stapletons to Fa. Parsons which
was written the sixt of Iuly 1597. but what doth or can this concerne the priests comming to his Holines toward the later end of the yeere 1598 to deale about a matter which was not before the 7 of March in the same yere 1598 as appeareth by the date of the Cardinals letter Apologie ca. 8. fol. 104 There is also a piece of another letter of the same man to to the Cardinal Protector of the first of May 1598 which although it were written after that the Subordination was instituted yet it was written before that it was knowen in England for to our remembrance we had no knowledge thereof vntill it was May here with vs. But howsoeuer this was it was impossible that it could concerne the two priests their comming to his Holines for this was not so suddenly determined in England although vpon the first sight of the Cardinals letter the Archpriest was told that there was iust cause for them to goe to his Holinesse By this then it appeareth that D. Stapletons letters which were to Fa. Parsons and to the Protector could not induce his Holinesse to imprison the two Priests who came to deale about the Subordination Let vs now see what the second testimony auaileth him This testimony was of principall men who writ some moneths saith this author fol. 124. before these two messengers came ouer into Flanders he sayd France 120. but their negotiations in England were heard of and knowen and these principall men of whom the most principall standeth for the priests and is ioyned with them in affection and action in Rome at this present writ their letter to the general of the Iesuites vpon this voice which they heard when you doe iustice you shal make also peace a heauy saying for such as will bee prooued to haue done as great an iniury as may be by a publike diffamation of schisme and what not against Catholike priests without iust cause But what is this to the purpose how was his Holinesse vpon this letter resolued to imprison the two priests who were in the way to him for and concerning the Subordination which was made the Generall perchance of the Iesuits did shew this letter to his Holinesse and thereby the negotiations of these two and their fellowes came also to be knowen to his Holines all this goeth very currant But what if those men now become principall neither heard of these 2. priests as dealers in this action nor of any other not onely not in particular but neither in general What if they could not possibly heare that there was any Subordination knowen in England and much lesse that any did delay to admit thereof when they writ this letter to the Generall of the Iesuits How shamelesse will this author be iudged who would bring these principall men their letters as a motiue to his Holinesse to imprison these two priests before he would heare what they had to say This Subordination was made at Rome the seuenth of March in the yere 1598 and if the messenger had stridden a blacke horse to bring it into Englād yet could there not be any negotiations in England conueniently either by these two priests or others concerning the same in so short a time as that these 17 principall men vnlesse they were altogether attending as it were to haue entertained the same messenger in Flanders considered maturely of the negotiations which were in England could burnish vp a letter and dispatch it vpon the eighteenth of March in the same yeere 1598 as here is cited in the margent fol. 123. Now follow the letters of diuers zelous men When as this author saith these messengers were in their way indeed for the other were written especially those of the 17. principall men when the priests were in their negotiations before they set forward as it is said fol. 124. these men writ indeed very sharply and with such confidence as they might giue some suspition to a wise man that all was not well in England but yet there is no perswasion to haue the messengers cast into prison vntill they were heard a duetie which they might challenge if in no other respect yet at least for their trauaile in Gods Church for which they deserued a good opinion of the gouernours thereof The first here cited are from Doway 25. Octob. 1598. to the Protector to which some haue acknowledged their error in subscribing These letters doe not cleare Fa. Parsons for being the cause of his Holines resolution to imprison the two priests for in this Apologie it is confessed fol. 120 that his Holines was resolued vpon the 17. of October 1398. to cast them into prison for such date doeth the letter beare which F. Bellarmine now Cardinal is said to haue written to Fa. Parsons to informe him that his Holines so greatly misliked their troublesome fact that hee had told him that if they came to Ferrara he would cause them to be imprisoned If these then of the 25. of Octob. came too late to put such a resolution into his Holines head what shall wee say of these which came after for the next letters are from M. D. Worthington to the Protector and these beare date the 30. of October from Bruxels Next March D. Peerse who was the first in the ranke of the 17. principall men but now God knoweth what place he shall haue and among whom for that he is ioyned with the priests in Rome and in that action D. Caesar Clement that succeeded D. Stapleton in the office of assistance-ship to the Nuntius in Flanders in all English affaires a man that was neuer in England but to giue him his right the fittest man for that purpose as matters go and worthy to succeed D. Stapleton or any farre greater man then he in that kinde of managing English affaires D. Richard Hall three doctors but what these or other writ most earnestly and grauely to the same effect as the other did by al likelyhood this author knoweth not For as he saith he had not the copies of their letters when he writ this Apologie but hee met with a letter of M. Licentiat Wright deane of Cortrac in Flanders to the Protector which is here set downe in the Apologie wherein this deane hath litle cause to thanke this author who would discredit him so much as to set downe his iudgement of two priests whom he neuer saw And although his letter doe exceed the limits of all modestie yet doeth it not any whit auaile this author for proofe of that for which it is brought that is that his Holines was thereupon resolued to imprison the two priests for this letter beareth date 10. Nouembris 1598. as appeareth here fol. 126 which was a faire while after his Holines had that resolution as appeareth by F. Bellarmine now Card. his letter of the 17. of Octob. 1598. cited by this author fol. 120. yet goeth this fellow on very smoothly and not without great applause of the
thing indeed which troubled this author was that F. Parsons vrging very much to know whether that the booke of succession were not one of these which were within the compasse of this petition was told directly by M. Charnocke that it was and thereupon grew a little alteration betweene them to fill vp the papers perchance as M. Bishop sayth and as for M. Do. Bishop it is so plainely set downe what hee answered concerning this booke of succession or titles in the answere for M. Doct. Bishop fol. 16. which answere is annexed to M. Doct. Ely his notes vpon the Apologie that I cannot but wonder at this fellowes greedinesse to forge matters to make some shew at the least that M. Doctor Bishop and M. Charnocke disagreed For first M. Doct. Bishop was not asked any question concerning this point as there it is affirmed but had some priuate talke concerning the bookes of titles And the effect of his answere is that the booke is so penned as that while many by warrant thereof may iustly striue for the crowne a stranger may come in and take it from them all and how this agreeth to that which the Apologie sayth of a difference betwixt Master D. Bishop and M. Charnocke an indifferent reader will quickly iudge Now followeth a contemptible repetition of tickets and scrolles the least whereof was bigger then any by which this subordination was requested vnlesse wee should say as the author of the Apologie would perswade vs cap. 8 fol. 98. 104. that the 7. of March endured at Rome vntill many moneths passed in other countreys and many of them were directed to his Holines as humble supplications to which according to the old fashion men did not vse to set any seale but their names onely and so were these subscribed in the best manner that the writers could and the papers were of purpose so small for the better conueyance of them if the bearers should haue chanced to haue beene searched as this authors wit might haue taught him and not onely the names were to the petitions but the matters which were demanded by which these foolish doubts here made are easily solued what manner of commission these men had or could haue from whome by what meanes for what matters whether they in England would stand to all points which these men here should conclude in their behalfe and whether these mens authoritie were generall or limited For by these letters it was seene that they had such commission as many could giue where there was no one in authoritie the Archpriest not being as yet confirmed nor if hee had any likely to haue giuen any commission to any whome he should imagine liked not of such his preferment It was also seene from whome they had the commission for that the priests names were to their petitions The meanes likewise were faire without threatnings of execution and such like as were vsed to make the priests subscribe to the Archpriest The matters also were specified in their petitions and the priests in England committing their matters to these two there needed no great doubt to haue bene made whether they would haue stood to that to which they had agreed in that behalfe as they did when receiuing the Breue signed by their two handes of which otherwise perchance there might haue bene some doubt vnlesse the originall had bene sent they all submitted themselues It was also euident by the points set downe in particular what they had to deale in in the names of the rest although they were not thereby debarred any way to deale as they saw cause or had hope to effect any good for their countrey So that his endlesse folly might haue bene left out where he concludeth finally that the priests did onely agree in contradicting and pulling downe but nothing that was probable or facible for setting vp and so their examinations were ended c. A very good conclusion and well deducted out of his principles All this being done saith he and the whole processe considered and weighed well by the Cardinals and after related to his Holines it was resolued that the said Cardinals with his Holines Commissary Acarisius should goe to the Colledge themselues and to see whether they had any thing els to say or write Who doeth not now prepare himselfe to heare some matter to some purpose For all which hitherto hath bene touched in the Apologie seeme to be but praeludia or an entrance to this acte Here was it to be tried how iustly or iniustly the priests had done and to be shewed how worthily they had bene imprisoned with infamy kept close so long debarred al helpe one of the other Here was the proper place for this author to haue answered the English booke which was one of the two for which this Apologie was written this apparance of the two priests before the Cardinals being set downe so particularly in the English booke intituled The copies of the discourses pag 95 96. 97. 98. But alack the good man had not what to say but that which would haue cleared the priests nor was able to controll any part of the narration which is made in the places cited but turneth off his reader with certaine generall termes to which he first disposeth him with as idle discourses First taking occasion to exclaime vpon D Bagshaw for that he thought it requisite that the Archpresbytership should be recalled as being neither requested by vs nor any way profitable and that some Hierarchie were instituted which were to be approued by the free suffrages of the priests onely of the Seminaries And for this this author exclameth Loe what a resolute lawmaker here is who recalleth the Popes Subordinations in a word setteth vp another of his owne making with as great facilitie Loe what a resolute ly-maker here is who affirmeth that which is most false and can no way follow of the doctors words For the Archpresbytership was not the Popes Subordination but the Cardinals as then it was manifest by the Cardinals letters where he said Dum haec nostra ordinatio durauerit so long as this our ordinance shall endure Neither doeth the Cardinal in any place of those letters affirme as this resolute ly-maker doeth often inculcate in this Apologie that he did it expresso mandato Sanctissimi By expresse commandement of his Holines Neither doeth the doctor recall it but signifie vnto such as were going to Rome what his and others opinion was of the vnprofitablenes thereof And being thrust vpon them vnasked that it was to be recalled by his Holines in whom the author as I trow will acknowledge a power to doe as much as this was Loe likewise what a resolute lye-maker here is who affirmeth that the doctor setteth vp another Subordination of his owne making with as great facilitie whereas the doctor writeth in the same kinde to haue some other by his Holines appointment of which he desireth not that himselfe should be the setter vp
of their liues and one of them had suffered imprisonment for the Catholike faith which sentence sayth this author they accepted and confirmed also by a corporall oath This fellow forgetteth himselfe This sentence he sayth was by way of a letter to F. Parsons who was Rector or to the Vicerector and by F. Parsons onely was this sentence shewed first to M. Charnocke who was yet in prison then afterwards to M. Bishop who was at liberty and had ben so some certaine dayes And neither did F. Parsons exact any oth of them neither did they take any vnto him And in the tenth Chapter fol. 155. it is vrged that this oath was exhibited by the immediate Commissarie or Delegate of his Holines which titles belonged not to F. Parsons to whome this letter was directed by the two Cardinals as shall hereafter appeare The truth of this story and how this letter lay hid as was pretended in F. Parsons chamber for certaine dayes as he told M. Charnocke is set downe in the booke dedicated to the Inquisition pag 88. and it goeth vncontrolled and vntouched which in the iudgement of any indifferent man it should not if any iust exceptions could be takē against it Yet must his Reader be told that this author proceedeth no otherwise then in such sort as must satisfie all men for this he sayth fol. 126. speaking of himselfe offering for proofe either the publique testimonies of his Holines the two Cardinals Protectors Acarisius the Popes Fiscal and other parties that were actors or priuie to the cause or else the depositions of the said messengers themselues vnder their hands and oaths or finally the witnesse of the whole English Colledge and nation that knowe what passed in this matter which is another manner of proceeding then to publish things in corners by way of libels without any further ground of trueth then the will or malice of the publisher But these testimonies so much vanted of are loth to come to light or are caried into some farre countreys as disdaining to be in corners such as England Flanders France and Italy for these were the corners in which the priests books were published and in these corners haue the priests iustified their bookes which this poore fellow calleth libels to shift them off by one meanes or other And the priests were neuer so daintie of their bookes but that they who opposed themselues against them might haue Gods plenty for their comfort whereas contrarywise this miserable Apologie had a quartane euery time that it came to any of the priests hands and when it was to be seene by them it was by stealth and but for an houre or two so did it quake for feare of being found to be such stuffe as since it hath bene sufficiently discouered Yet to encourage the blind-obedient it telleth them of Popes and Cardinals testimonies and authenticall matters and bringeth nothing which can please these blinde affectioned but some railing words against Catholike priests as though if it could perswade the reader that they were most wicked by often inculcating it vnto him the cause were wonne and a railing word of this authors mouth would be of more weight to determine a controuersie then all possible right in the part oppressed But the indifferent reader will weigh his reasons and not his foule words and iudge of matters not as they are said to be but as they are prooued And thus much in answere to the ninth Chapter CHAP. 15. How this Apologie-maker shuffleth off the true cause of this present controuersie and layeth the blame thereof vpon the Secular priests Apol. cap. 10. IN the tenth chapter of the Apologie the author thereof intendeth to shew how that all controuersies were ended vpon the publication of his Holines Breue and how that a new breach was made He promiseth also to handle some excesses of his brethren and of their dealings with the Counsell The first point he handleth very slenderly as it should seeme for he forgetteth often that euer the controuersies were ended The second he layeth falsly to the priests as shall be shewed and in the rest he onely sheweth his merchandize And thus he beginneth this Chapter After that his Hol. had well considered the little waight of reason which these two former messengers had brought in the behalfe of their partners in England for raising so great a sedition against the Protectors letters and Archpriests incitation and had giuen some due reprehension to the sayd messengers as by their restraint aswell in Rome as by that they were not permitted to returne presently into England he thought conuenient to confirme the sayd Protectors letters c. In these few lines it is to be noted first how that his Holinesse is sayd to haue restrained the priests who went to Rome vpon consideration of the little waight of reason which they brought and permitted them not to returne or as we say in English banished them not onely England but Scotland also and Ireland yea and confined them to seuerall Countreys without allowing them any thing for their maintenance Secondly how his Holinesse confirmed the Cardinals letters Touching the first it is knowen to all the world or at the least in those parts which this author calleth corners those are England Flanders France and Italie where their bookes haue been published or sent that the two priests were restrained before they deliuered any reasons of their forbearance to subiect themselues to the Archpriest and as yet no one part of their relation hath been prooued faulty They haue layd downe an orderly narration of their messengers disorderly restraint through the false wicked suggestiōs of their aduersaries before that they had any audience and thereby haue made it euident that his Holines did not restraine them vpon any consideration of their reasons because he heard them not nor any cause else before they were restrained Secondly it is at large related both in the English booke pag. 97.98.104.105 and els where as also in the booke to the Inquisition pag 77. how that when the priests came to their answere before the Cardinals Caietane and Burghese they were not suffered to haue a copie of their accusations brought against them although it were most earnestly demanded by them that they might make their answere thereunto but a dissembling shew was made to haue all matters taken vp in peace and quietnes And this author not being able to gainesay any of this how shamelesly doth he here tell his reader that his Holinesse had well considered the little weight of their reasons and had therefore not onely restrained them but banished them or as he tearmeth it not permitted them to returne presently into England And although it be true which this author affirmeth that his Holines confirmed the Card. letters yet it is euident that he did not vpon consideration of the little weight of the messengers their reasons for they were neuer suffred to deliuer them as the custome of God Church was
to keepe him in case for euer comming home and to aggrauat the matter M. Charnocke is said to haue made a ridiculous appeale from the sentence of the two Cardinals But I thinke that this fellows worship did not laugh when he heard of it Yea and more then this he came to Paris and tooke degree of Bachelor of diuinitie which perchance troubled this fellowes worship as much as the appeale and thereupon he doeth so iuggle it with M. Bishop his taking degree of doctor forbidden as he saith by an expresse Breue that his Reader may thincke M. Charnocke had committed some great offence and yet this author meane nothing lesse but that he layde all the offence vpon doctor Bishop who was before and not at that time made Doctor as he would seeme to say and was lawfully made and worthily and no way contrary to the true meaning of the Breue which was gotten of the Pope not against the doctoring without approbation as here is most falsly noted in the margent but against the doctoring of yong men and such by explication of those who procured the Breue as would take the degree more timely then the ambitiō of their aduersaries could well like of But to returne to his tale of M. Charnocke Here then that is at Paris it was resolued saith he that M. Charnocke notwithstanding his Holines prohibition that is to say the sentence of the two Cardinals Caietane and Burghese from which he had lawfully appealed which also M. doctor Ely confirmeth in his notes vpon the Apologie pag 157. and thereby set himselfe free vntill the matter were againe discussed and his owne oath to the contrary which he neuer tooke nor was any offered him when the sentence here specified fol. 155 was shewed him by Fa. Parsons in forme of a letter to the same Father being then Rector or the vice Rector of the Colledge should goe into England vnder pretence of lacke of meanes to liue abroad This was the cause of his Appeale in Lorraine before he came to Paris as M. Archpr. vnderstood by a letter from M. Artur Pitts the Deane of Le Verdun and Chancellor of the Legacion in Lorraine and that onely for fashion sake he should aduise Cardinall Burghesius thereof which he did by a litle short contemptious letter of the 25. of May. The letter was written in very humble maner as I vnderstood by those that saw it and with the priuitie of others in Paris who would soone haue caused any such stile to haue bene altered and as it was not perchance very long so as it appeaeth by the authors relation it was not very short for here he sayth that the Cardinall did answere all the obiections or cauillations touched therein about their hard vsage iniurious sentence giuen against them and how he had appealed which this author calleth points of the letter nor in any such maner contemptible for who can thinke that this fellow were so modest that amongst all his cōtemptuous tearms and narrow seeking for the least matters to bring the priests into contempt he would not set downe some one phrase or other by which it should appeare to his Reader that the letter was a contemptuous letter To the which saith he the most honorable and gracious good Cardinal answered with great patience and modestie the fifteenth of September in the yeare 1600 beginning his letter thus Reuerend in Christ as my brother your letters written at Paris the 28 of May about your iourney into England were deliuered more slowly to my hand then I could haue wished both that I might haue answered sooner and haue disswaded that iourney of yours if they had come vnto me before your departure out of France for that I thinke the newes of your departure will bee vngratefull to his Holines as it is vnto vs for so much as it is both against obedience and against an expresse prohibition and against your owne promise confirmed with an othe and is thought will giue occasion of new contention and troubles in England c. Thus farre in the Apologie And afterward this author declareth how the Cardinal did answere the obiections which M. Charnocke had made and that notwithstanding this M. Charnocke did not onely perseuere in England in the exercise of his function of priesthood hauing openly incurred the censure of suspension but also returned a more vndutifull answere then was his sonner letter which hee prooueth by those wordes in M. Charnocks letter Quam licet tunc cluderem fraudem ad maiorem securitatem vterque ab eo absolui curauimus although I did delude at that time the deceipt vsed in making vs sweare to fulfill the sentence giuen against vs yet both of vs afterward procured our selues for more securitie to be absolued from this othe This letter of the Cardinall Burghese is set downe at large in the booke to the Inquisition pag 84. 85. 86. and 87. and immediately doth M. Charnocks letter follow where who will may see them I will here onely touch so much of M. Charnocks letter as is in answere to that part of the Cardinals here cited leauing the rest to men of iudgement to consider whether M. Charnocke did not what he did vpon sufficient ground to saue himselfe harmelesse from all censures and blamelesse in the opinion of any honest man Thus hee beginneth his reply which this author taxeth so deepely for vndutifulnesse Most Reuerend and most illustrious prince your letters dated at Rome 15. Septemb. 1600. I did receiue at London in England vpon the 21. of the next moneth following To the which I returne this answer with as great respect as the law was in which they were written I doe not well vnderstand how the notice of my going into England should be vngratefull either to his Holinesse or vnto your Highnesse when as neither a most louing Father nor a most iust Iudge can be ignorant that foode is as needfull for the liuing as punishment for the offendor The Rector or Vicerector of the English College in Rome was appointed by letters of the most illustrious Cardinall Caietan of good memory and of your Highnesse dated from both your pallaces 21. of Aprill 1599. to signifie vnto vs in your names that we should not presume for a time to goe without leaue into the kingdomes of England Scotland or Ireland but should liue quietly peaceably and religiously in other Catholike countreys where we should be appointed by you and that we should procure the conseruation of peace euery where among the English Catholickes If either of them had signified vnto vs in your names or in the names of any other where banished and confined men should haue had those things which were necessary to sustaine life and that these things had bene at hand I might haue bene charged with disobedience and breach of an expresse commandement not obeying so pious an intention of the decree which layd vpon me a most grieuous howsoeuer vndeserued punishment as
the principall faction against them and are priests who sooner or later for the most part did forsake the Seminaries Thirdly they say in this title saith he that their contentions against the Iesuits began from the death of Card. Allen. They neither challenge vnto themselues any coÌ„tentions against the Iesuits neither doe they say when any begun but onely intituled the booke in this maner A declaration of stirres and troubles which are or were betweene the Iesuits and them since the death of the Cardinall vnto such a yeere If a man should write of the warres in the Low Countreys from the death of the Prince of Parma vntill this present yeere must he be said to affirme that the warres began then yet cannot this author proue that there was any publique opposition or common stirres in England before the Cardinals death but that rather what was begunne as he saith Cap. 2. fol. 85. in the Cardinals time by Libertines and factious people was retained somewhat from breaking forth by his authority while he liued and this is most true for the Iesuits who lusted after a superioritie ouer the priests were afraid to make this their pride knowen either by themselues or by their factious adherents so long as he liued But the good Cardinall being dead in the yeere 94 all factious brake out together Fa. Weston the Iesuit and his factions begun a common wealth in Wisbich and vnder a colour of a stricter rule all the priests there must become his subiects or liue in perpetuall infamie some Iesuits abroad tooke order for the priests their welcome to all such places whither they were not directed by them The matters of Rome I leaue to them to whom that belongeth and although this fellow is so impudent as to alledge the Cardinall Allen his letter to proue that some of the seditious as he termeth them had begunne to stirre against the Fathers in England in his dayes his reader may easily discouer his falshood if he will turne not to the place by him cited to wit the 4. Chapter for there is nothing to be seene but to the second Chapter for there he shall finde that the priests are no more charged for any stirre against the Iesuits then the Iesuits for their sedition against the priests and moreouer that what difference there was could not be but some priuate quarrels betweene some priuate man and not any such publique difference or dislike as this is of which the booke intreated which was dedicated to his Holines as I haue shewed where this letter is set downe by this author Fourthly they said Ad S. D. N. Clementem 8. exhibita ab ipsis sacerdotibus that this declaration was exhibited by the Priests themselues to our most holy father Pope Clement the 8. This word was is of his owne addition It is said to be exhibited in that it was presently to be sent by them And if it came not to his Holines his hands so soone as they intended the fault was not in them who tooke all such meanes for it as they could so that they might iustly vse the phrase which they did without deseruing any blame therefore And the priests are saide to exhibite it themselues for that they writ it and were to present it in their owne names and the not comming of it to his Holines view will iustifie their printing of many copies that some one by one or other might come into his hands and the shamelessenes of this fellow may the more now appeare who would so peremptorily informe his reader that the priests were loth that he should know of it hauing by printing taken a most certaine way for it and much lother to answere it before him before whom the whole world will witnes for them that they haue bene to answere it The fifth cauill is at the sentence of Scripture which the priests put to their books as though they had abused it in vsing it in that place But gald nagges must haue pardon if being touched they winch The iustnesse of the priests their cause will beare them out against all hereticks hypocrits and Atheists and will stop the mouthes of them how potent soeuer they either are or would seeme to be among their like Thus much is implied in that sentence and no lesse was in the priests their meaning when they prefixed it to their Booke Sixtly and lastly it is said in this first page sayth he that it was printed Rhotomagi apud Iacobum c. At Roane in France in the house of Iames c. And hereupon he keepeth such a foule stirre as if it had beene a whole halfepenny matter where the booke had bene printed or that the Pope might haue thought the priests cause to be the more iust if the booke were printed at Roane I pray you good sir tell me what doeth the being here or there printed helpe or hinder the matter in questioÌ„ what if it be printed at Constantinople or at Cosmop If this fellow could shew what auaile may come to the priests or what preiudice to the other part by hauing their booke goe forth as printed at Roane he might haue bestowed a little of his paines taken here about it to some good purpose but his exception beeing so absurd as it is I will turne him to the Printers boy to reason this matter with him who for any thing that I can as yet learne set this which he citeth to the booke and the boy finding this fellow some equall match for him will perchance spurre him this question Why he should conster Rhotomagi Printed at Roane rather then to be â—olde at Roane or why hee should interprete Rhotomagi at Roane in France rather then at Roane in England there being in England diuers places named by as strange names as Roane is as Scotland Iury litle Britaine and such like yea the little boy will remember perchance that some of F. P. bookes which were printed here in England are said to haue bene printed at Doway and yet I trow this author will not say for a hundred pound that F. P. can lye or at the least that hee abused any man in saying so But I will leaue this authour and the Printers boy together for they seeme to be very well coupled to argue this matter onely I wish that this author would beware what termes he doeth vse in his anger for it may be the Printer will call him twice or thrice by his name if he be miscalled himselfe or perchance the Printer or his boy will tell him that there are as good Printers in London as in Roane although they themselues were not so expert and put him to a nonplus for saying that the booke was printed vnder the protection of my L. of London Well then sayth hee these sixe absurdities shifts and falshoods being discouered in the very first page of the booke as a preamble to the rest and vsed euen to his Holines himselfe we may imagine what the remnant will be
there is ouer much possibility to deserue a farre worse death then stoning may say with Christ himselfe and to his imitation multa bona opera ostendi vobis propter quod eorum opus me lapidatis They haue returned me hatred for my loue toward them they haue hated me with vniust hatred they haue payed me euill for good I haue procured them many benefits for which now they goe about to stone me And when poore fooles doe see such a conglomeration to vse his owne word of Scriptures they neuer reflect how the deuill himselfe and other to his imitation doth cite Scripures and set a better shew of matters then these men yet haue done who neuer came to the point of this controuersie but beare off still And when they say any thing concerning it they fetch it so farre off as a thing done in this moneth must stay to be thought vpon by occasions offered many moneths after as is shewed in the eighth and ninth Chapters which this author here quoteth in the margent for his readers great comfort and edification But he will passe to the particulars The first particulars are that Fa. Parsons is called Parsons alias Cowbucke And this is taken in very euil part notwithstanding diuers in England are called so alias so And this being so ordinary a matter in England many do doubt that this author knoweth some cause why he should winch at it as hee doeth And whereas he saith that no one of the kinred were euer so called it is certaine that a brother of his who liued in a house with M. Brinkly here mentioned fol. 183. was called Cubbucke And whereas it hath been said that by occasion of his dealing in some matters the capitall lawes were made in England his letters are shewed of the 24 of Ianuary to the Earle of Anguise which doe testifie how he busied himselfe in State matters vpon his first comming into England although he would cloake his dealing with Religion The second imputation as hee calleth it that Fa. Parsons came away is euident neither is it to be excused by his generall care of the cause for as the priests say and M. Do. Ely confirmeth it in his notes vpon the Apologie pag. 211. the two elder Seminaries did send into England more priests and nourished in them greater numbers of schollers at one time as hee thinketh then these new Seminaries with the old now decayed will furnish to send into England in diuers yeeres And for the number of students priests and proper youthes there were moe for many yeeres together so long as D. Allen gouerned in these Seminaries at one time then are now or hereafter like to be in all the Seminaries put them all together I haue seene sayth Do. Ely fiftie priests in one yeere sent out of Rhemes and yet fiftie other priests remaine in the Colledge stâ—ll Haue all the Seminaries so many in them now no no. And the Catholicks in Scotland haue had more increase by the Seminary priests then by the Iesuits whatsoeuer this author affirmeth fol. 185. For the Iesuits taught the Scottish nation how to keepe their consciences locked vp and to goe without any conscience to the protestants Churches as good proofe will be made But after all Fa. Parsons good deeds for which for so much as they may be called good he hath and shall haue many thankes this author enlargeth himselfe very farre when he sayth that without these good deeds it is like that the priests had not now bene priests neither without nor within England And why so you shall find that many of them were sent in by him This is true and more then a good many haue beene sent by him And if we would wrangle with him wee might say that he sent some to disgrace the whole body of Secular priests or els they had neuer ben made priests by him he being told before such particulars of them as if hee had had any care of the Church hee would not haue made them priests But put the case that the Seminarie of Rhemes had not decayed by the erection of the new Seminaries why might not these and many more then now are be priests both within and without England Can this author say so much of all the new Seminaries together with the olde also as M. Doct. Ely hath testified for that of Rhemes onely But if this author can deceiue his reader it is as much as he desireth which hee thinketh will take best effect if hee could perswade him that the Seminaries haue more flourished since F. Parsons going out of England then before although nothing so many priests haue come into England as did before according to the rate of the time The third accusation against F. Parsons is sayth this authour that after his going out of England hee neuer ceased to exasperate the chiefe magistrates with libels and factious letters This accusation dependeth in the proofe vpon the testimonie of such as to whome his letters haue beene shewed and by his Greenecoat and such like pamphlets but especially his booke of Titles wherein he discouereth his intention for the translation of the crowne of England to the Spaniard which also his trecherous attempts in Spaine among the students haue made more manifest by hauing them to subscribe to that title and by thrusting them into the inuaders ships and all which heere is saidin commendation of that booke is and will be sufficiently answered by those who haue vndertaken to answere it And thus also is satisfactioÌ„ giuen to the fourth matter against which this author taketh exception as against a manifest calumniation for his letters haue ben intercepted and shewed to diuers although they are not put in print And in a late booke entituled A Manifestation of spirits there is some feare shewed that his letter to the Earle of Anguise is intercepted The fift calumniation hee sayth might be diuided into many parts But to quit the accusers hee telleth his readers that the Temporall magistrate doeth not presse the priests but fauour them rather which of late is very true since they haue knowen the difference betweene priests and Statists although the fauour be not so great as it might be and may be when her Maiestie may be throughly informed of the priests their trueth and loyaltie to her person crowne estate and dignity yet haue not the priests vsed this little fauor which they haue had to the afflicting any of their Catholicke brethren in durance as here it is most maliciously suggested but to the comfort of many For answere to the sixt accusation against F. Parsons the reader must goe looke in the eight Chapter whither wee also doe referre the Reader for answere to what is there brought by this author Now followeth a defence of Father Parsons against what is related in the Latine booke of the vsage of the two priests that went to Rome And this fellow sayth all out of authenticall informations As first that Father Parsons did
that it may be againe said that he who tooke exception hereat was either a foole o◠a physiciā but how either these words or the next following to wit morning or euening meditations are saide to be more fit for a stage then so graue a subiect as this is I confesse I doe not vnderstand vnlesse this authour peraduenture hath gotten somewhat by such exercises and thereupon framed his conceite of a stage where the deeper the dissimulation is and either true or false matters best counterfeited there fooles and their money doe part most ioyfully But marke I pray you what cause this fellow had to except in these tearmes these were the words against which the exception is taken people of all professions fooles and physicians make vp their morning and euening meditations with the most vnciuill tearmes which they may deuise against them the Priests The holy Ghost by the Prophet Dauid vsed the like phrase against the persecutors of Christ and his Church Quare fremuerunt Gentes populi meditati sunt inania why haue the Gentiles bene inraged and the people meditated vaine things by which it is euident that although some meditations may be good and to good end some may be most wicked yea and wickednesse it selfe as the holy Ghost affirmeth by the mouth of the same Prophet iniquitatem meditatus est in cubili suo he hath meditated wickednesse in his bed and when morning and euening meditations were thus mentioned neither the holy Ghost nor any good spirit thought it a veine more fit for a stage then any graue subiect To the fourth I answere that the Canons of holy Church were not scoffed at as this fellow doth most malitiously inform his reader but the Iesuite was blamed for the euill applying thereof as may be seene in the discourse and the reason hereof is giuen for that the Canon which he applieth against the priests speaketh onely of such as doe not obey Apostolicall decrees and the question or controuersie betweene the Iesuites and their adherents on the one part and the other priests on the other part was whether they were bound to giue credite to a Cardinals letter for their subiecting themselues to one who had nothing els to shew for the authority which he challenged A man may admire an asse when he seeth him vnder a huge burden who yet will laugh heartily to see him take a harpe in his pawes to play thereon or sing vnto it and yet will another be very iustly iudged an asse who will affirme that this man laughed at the harpe and not rather at the asse yet wil he haue his reader to conceiue that the priests did scoffe at the Canon yea more then this that hereby it is apparant that they meane to liue vnder no rule at all These are the aduertisements of which hee spake in the end of his preface to make more deepe reflection of the sayings in the priests bookes by which he hath made knowen also the absurditie of his owne spirit and speech To the fifth note it is replyed that it was an euill turne for F. Lister the Iesuite to come into England to expond the Canon law or descant thereon if he read Philosophy and Diuinitie with great cōmendations in other countreys for I doubt that he hath so discredited himselfe in taking a Cardinals letter for an Apostolicall decree as euery man who commended him for the other matters will iudge that not onely he was franticke when he writ his treatise of Schisme but as many other also as did applaud it To the sixt note which he maketh no other answere is to be giuen then that it might please him to reade it ouer againe and shew some particular matter which he iudgeth blame worthy for diuers sober men haue read it ouer and ouer and they iudge the style and phrase most meete for the matter and the matter most necessary to be knowen The Appendix-maker hauing discouered how litle he had to say of the preface to the hope of peace now he commeth to the answere which was made to the Archpriests letter but first telleth his reader that the booke to his Holines and the English booke which were the cause of the Archpriest his complaint or aduertisement as he saith were inuectiue and scandalous libels and that the English booke conteined many temerarious false and scandalous propositions as well in matter of doctrine as about the actions of Superiours to all which answere hath beene made in the reply to the Apologie the doctrine of the priests prooued Catholike and the obstinate mainteiners of the contrary declared to be no better then heretickes In this answere to the hope of peace the authour discouereth an egregious audaciousnesse as well in making a shew that he can answere that which in very trueth cannot with any reason be answered as also in threaning ouermuch kindnes vpon the priests in mis-citing their words and making them say that which they neuer said a silly shift but necessarily to be vsed when no other is left to minister at the least a supposed matter to make a booke which falshood being discouered the Appendix is fully answered for as appeareth by the preface this his answere shall principally consist in laying before the Priests their owne sayings with a word or two of aduertisement In the fift leafe where he beginneth to except against the hope of peace he doth falsely tell his reader that the name of a rocke was applied to the Archpriest in this discourse for the discourse speaketh of rockes in the Archpriests letters and not as if the Archpriest were the rocke himselfe and because Dauus desireth to be instructed what is ment by rockes in the hope of peace he is to vnderstande that such things are meant as lie either openly or more hidden in those letters in which the rockes are said to be as are in the Seas vpon which ships are violently caried or doe runne infortunately when either the stormes are too great or the Pilot vnskilfull In the sixt leafe exception is taken against the application of Scripture which our Sauiour vsed if any of you asketh bread of his father will he giue him a stone but here is not one word in answere to that which was applyed to wit that M. Blackwell sought by all meanes to driue vs to say against our owne soules that we were Schismatickes yet crieth he out that passion ouerbeareth iudgement and modestie and all other good respects In the same sixt leafe he threatneth the priests downe that they should say and not deny that the Archpriest confessed that the instructions which he first shewed as from Rome were not made in Rome but some in England by vertue of those which came from Rome giuing him authoritie to make particular orders or instructions c. alas the goodman is much mistaken for the two priests here named to wit M. Collington and M. Charnocke who will giue ouer the office of accusers and witnesses for which
interteine the two priests kindly in his owne chamber They confesse they were interteined after a long difficultie But what authenticall proofe is there that he did it kindly or that it was done without difficultie He told them that they might not talke with any of the schollers and no one of the schollers can say that euer they did talke with any of them but one whom M. Bishop was very desirous to see and he was brought to M. Bishop by the Confessarius of the Colledge who stood by and heard al which passed M. Charnocke did know that there was one in the Colledge whose mother is his cousen germane and neuer coueted to talke with him The quarrell which was against these two priests was for talking with such as were appointed by Fa. Parsons to attend them in the hospitall whereof he who is here said to be the vertuous priest was a Iesuit in a Secular priests coat and shortly after wore a Iesuits coate and died among them And the occasion of this talke was ministred by this vertuous priest and it was not of this present controuersie but about M. Edward Tempest concerning whom it was said that he was hardly dealt withall in regard that such as vsed to intertaine priests at their first arriuall in England were perswaded not to intertaine him And that some of his neerest friends were told that in conscience they could not relieue him An other was a ieast which had chanced about 20. yeeres since in the Colledge of Rome which because it concerned one who was chosen in England for an assistant the matter was taken hainously yet was the occasion hereof also ministred by thaâ— vertuous priest and the matter it selfe was but a mery tale And this is al which was alledged by F. Owen the Iesuit in the name of F. Parsons against the two priests yet doeth this author most shamelesly relate that the two priests had talked that which might raise or renew sedition among the schollers But this and all which foloweth is doubtlesse brought in this place that this author might shew how he could gall his reader with his owne tale as an authenticall testimony for other testimony there is not That also which is here gainesaid of Cardinal Bellarmines letter was said vpon the relation of those who saw it although they haue not the copy to shew And for so much as concerneth the principall point of F. Bellarmines letter to wit the imprisoning of the two priests it is confessed in his Apologie Cap. 4. fol. 120. out of the same letter The priests there being imprisoned in the Colledge is reputed agreat benefit vnto them They thought it not so but onely in this respect that they thought their liues were more in safety in the Colledge then in a common prison But in respect of the common cause without doubt it had bene a great preiudice had they had any hope of iustice But their hope was small when they saw that they were to be infamously caried away to prison before they could get audience But it troubleth this author much that Fa. Parsons should be termed a Iaylor especially there being another who had the keyes of their chambers to bring them meat and all other necessaries but he telleth not who had the keyes all the rest of the day If F. Parsons had not bene seene to weare them at his girdle this matter might haue bene somewhat clenlier caried but it was too open to be excused Next followeth a defence of F. Parsons for his shewing of M. Charnocks handkerchiefs and night coyfes which this author saith were so wrought with silke and gold lace is they might seeme to serue for any Secular prince in the world and the socks for his feete were of so fine Holland as the Commissary said he was well assured that his Holines neuer woare such for his shirts You must imagine that this relation is very authenticall although M. Charnock had neither handkerchiefe nor night coife that any Iesuite in England would vouchsafe to weare they were so meane I haue seene the night coife and it is wrought in deed with silke For it hath a border of blacke silke about it 3. fingers broad and all the rest of the cap is plaine Holland it hath some 6. pennie-worth of gold and siluer edging and as many as haue seene the cappe wonder at the impudencie of this Author who perchance did thinke the cappe would not haue bene kept The conceit which is made of his handkerchiefes is much more ridiculous And by the tale of his sockes this Author bringeth into my minde a tale of a preacher who tolde his parish that Christ fed fiue hundred with such a small quantity and being told softly by the Clarke that they were fiue thousand he bad him hold his peace like a foole and told him that if he could perswade the people that they were fiue hundred he had done a good dayes worke I vnderstand that the Commissary sayd how that his Holines did not weare so fine cloth in his bands But this author thought this was too much to be beleeued and therefore he set it downe the Popes shirts Whereupon saith he conferring with M. Charnocke himselfe in the presence of Fa Parsons and M. Bishop vpon the 8. of Aprill when they were to haue the first fauour to speake together and to walke at libertie in the College at certaine times when answere was made that priests now a dayes for dissimulation are forced to vse such things in England he replied that at the leastwise it was not needefull to bring such strange delicacies to Rome and that albeit in some externall apparell dissimulation might be tolerable in English Priests at home in respect of the times yet in such thinge whereof their vse was onely in secret as night-coifes and sockes and the like he saw no neede of excesse or dissimulation And this was all that passed in this matter vpon the faith of such an honest man as writ this Apologie But now sir one tale is tolde the other is not told which is that M. Charnockes answere was to this effect that Priests traueiling vp down in England were to vse such things as were fit for such persons as they bare in their trauaile especially when they lay not in Catholike houses where they were knowen but in common Innes where neither night-coifes not socks were vsed in secret And for his bringing those things to Rome his answere was that hee had necessary vse of them at his comming out of England making account to returne againe he had little reason to throwe those things away after that they had the first time serued him And if it had pleased them at Rome to haue left his Truncke vnsearched the cap had neuer ben seene in Rome And M. Bishop being requested to say what he knew of this strange delicacie affirmed that he had neuer seene it before But if M. Charnocke had either worne it by the way as he
trauailed in England to the sea coast or at sea where he was not knowen nor willing to be knowen for such as hee was what an absurd exception was this that he did bring such things to Rome as though he ought to haue cast them away But this fellow careth not what halfe tales he telleth to make his Reader beleeue any thing which might any way tend to the discredite of a Priest The long tale which this author telleth of Fa. Parsons departure from Oxford I will omit because it runneth into many particulars of which I haue no knowledge But the trueth is he was expelled and the bels were rong at Magdalene College for his expulsion And this authour his charging the fellowes with the breach of oath when they made knowen his expulsion is very ridiculous The causes of his expulsion I omit to set them downe in this place as they are deliuered vnto vs onely this I note that it was not for religion howsoeuer he might haue an inclination thereunto and might be the worse liked of therefore by some for of this imputation or slander as he called it he offered to a Gentleman of the Temple to cleare himselfe by oth But when the fellowes proceeded to his expulsion and no man stood for him hee requested that he might resigne to which the fellowes yeelded Then did he write in this manner Ego Robertus Parsonus socius Collegij de Baliolo resigno omne meum ius titulum claimeum quem habeo vel habere potere societatis mea in dicto Collegio quod quidem facio sponte coactus die decimo tertio mensis Februarij Anno Domini 1573. I Robert Parsons fellow of the Colledge of Balioll resigne all my right title and claime which I haue or may haue of my fellowship in the same College which I doe of mine owne accord and compelled thereto the 13. of February in the yeere of our Lord 1573. This being done he made request that this might be kept secret for a time and that he might keepe his chambers and scholers as a fellow of the house which was also granted vnto him and thereupon was this decree written as followeth Eodem tempore decretum est vnanimi consensu Magistri reliquorum sociorum vt Magister Robertus Parsonus nuperrimè socius retineat sibi sua cubicula scholares quousque volucrit communia sua de Collegio habeat vsque ad festum Paschatis immediatè sequentis That is It is dereed at the same time by the generall consent of the Master and the rest of the fellowes that M. Robert Parsons late fellow doe retaine his chambers and schollers as long as he will and haue his commons of the College vniill the feast of Easter next following But F. Par. perceining shortly after that his knell had bene rung at Magdalene College and how he was mocked by some in the house he left the College and went to London where he conferred with a Gentleman of the middle Temple about his trauaile to studie phisicke to whom hee offered to take his oath that he was slandered with the name of a Papist and that hee neither was a Papist nor euer meant to be one But withall this is to be noted that this authour appealing fol. 193. to the Registers of Balioll colledge the Registers haue bene sought and there is some little difference in the words of the Resignation for where we haue cited it sponte coactus now there is a dash through and this word non writtē ouer head a manifest signe of some false dealing For it is not likely that in that place would haue bin written for non it maketh a cleane contrary sense Neither is the obiection well solued fol. 197. which brought F. Parsons in suspition of bastardie for there are diuers who confirme as much as the priests said that is that it was the common opinion through out the whole Countrey His quarrels with diuers of his order and others will be iustified and the letter of M. Benstead will also be prooued to be falsified But the patch which is clapped vpon the 201. lease argueth how forward these fellowes are to discredite the priests with most false and scandalous imputations when they themselues are ashamed thereof That which concerneth M. D. Bagshaw is to be answered by himselfe who no doubt knoweth in what cases doubtfull answeres and equiuocations are to be made to curious questions neither is it to be thought that he disallowed thereof but onely of the liberty which is in the Iesuites and their adherents in all their dealings with other men through which all confidence is taken away among men as not knowing what senses these fellowes will alleage that they had in their speeches and actions CHAP. 18. How the Secular priests appealing to Rome and going to his Holinesse for iustice against the vniust slanders of the Iesuits and their adherents are falsly and with great ignominie to the Sea Apostolike compared by this Apologie-maker to Alcymus and to Simon who went to Demetrius and Apolonius heathen persecutors of Gods people and his priests Apol cap. 13. IN the 13. Chapter this Authour vseth gentle perswasions to his discontented brethren and proposeth certaine considerations and a better way for reunion againe as he supposeth In the first consideration occurreth nothing worthy noting his rayling speeches excepted hudling vp of scriptures one vpon another against the disobedient to their Superiours which concerneth the priests nothing at all who neuer disobeyed their knowen Superiours but alwayes submitted themselues vnto them as it is manifestly prooued in all their bookes and more at large in M. Collingtons booke and in M. D. Ely his notes vpon the Apologie He maketh a recapitulation of some matters in the same false vaine in which he writ this Apologie as is sufficiently discouered in this answere to the places quoted by him and in the same kind is his second consideration imputing the iust defence of the priests from the Iesuits imposture of schisme and other grieuous sinnes to emulation hatred pride reuenge libertie and other his owne and his fellowes humours In the third consideration he doeth explicate himselfe how the priests dealt with the Counsell and his first tale soundeth so shamefully false as it were ynough to conuince an indifferent man that this author had no honestie nor care of his credit And doubtlesse had there not bene a great dearth of paper this place should haue had a patch vpon it as was put vpon that malitious and wicked glose against the same man and his fellowes fol. 201. Note I pray you the impudencie of this fellow First saith he as before you haue heard and in the margent he quoteth the 10. and 12. Chapters as soone as euer they vnderstood that their two messengers were restrained in Rome and not like to preuaile then D. Bagshaw was sent for from Wisbich to London to treat with the Counsell c. Could this man