the Queene How ridiculous is this man Is it not Premumre to deny that oath by lawe already enacted how many Catholickes knoweth this man to be in office in our Nation are not Catholickes bounde both to the good behauiour and depriued of their Armour and weapons And concerning the last punishment to pay the fourth part of their lands they only possesse a third part and her Maiesty or rather wicked persecutors enioy the rest and no rent at all is answered vnto her by such Tenants for those landes Therfore this Puritane abused her and his prophesie is false THE XI VNTRVTH FOR Reuerence to her Maiestie I passe ouer the holy blessings which he bestoweth vpon the Romane See sacred Priests grana Benedicta Agnus Dei hallowed thinges from thence And because this man is so methodicall in his diuisions for he which teacheth so wise a Princesse and Councell both in diuine ciuill and martiall affaires must needes be an Absolute Then I will giue him due in all his excellencies These be the wordes of his first diuision The power strength of any people or multitude is to bee augmented by one of these foure waies 1. By addition or number 2. By supplie of Necessaries 3. By aduantage of place 4. By order of gouernement Sr as I am no computing writer so I haue bestowed little labour in them which handle such employments And I thinke your selfe to bee as wise as the Orotor of Greece which so peremptorilie entreated such things before Hannibal that greatest Captaine in the worlde But I thinke if you had well committed to memory the warres and battailes of Abraham Gedeon Sampson Iosue Dauid and others recorded in Seriptures wherein you and yours bee so inspired or with ordinarily qualited Gentlemen of England taken but a superficiall Muster of the warres of Alexander with Darius Of the Christians against the Moores in Spayne The Spanyards against the Infidels in the Indies Or Henry the fifte and other English Kinges in France Or beene a little acquainted with Plato and Aristotle which you cite in the beginning of the first page of your Motyues you would haue beene mooued to adde other members to your diuision gyuing it as an instruction to so greate a Princesse But Souldiers shall giue you this Reprehension And I will in this point onely call to your remembrance that you displayed your Banner to farre for a Souldier of small experience and which neuer kept Centinell before may easelie discouer that according to your skill you labour to possesse your parte of all those meanes by which you thinke the power and strength of any people or multitude I vse your owne tearmes is to be augmented Your first fortification is by addition or number of this you would easely bee owners if you might teach Queene and Councell and haue such stratagems in vse which none but your holy fraternity doth allowe Your second embatailement is raysed by supplic of Necessaries of which you woulde also be Masters if all Armour and weapons were brought into your Armouries Of the third which is aduantage of place you would haue aduantage enough if none but of your allowance lowance might be admitted to place of Magistracie or be placed in any office or place of defence As for the fourth and last order of gouerument Pag. 41. insr you triumph al ready that most men of action and resolution be for you as also that in diuers respects for number you are ten to one And say in plaine tearmes Pag. 41. that it is not good in policy to prouoke the Puritanes in the declyning of her Maiesties age and raigne THE XII VNTRVTH THE next diuision he preferreth to no meaner personage thē our gratious Soueraigne her selfe in these teames Let me present vnto your Maiestie Pag. 11. the whol number of your Subiects diuided into 4. bands 1. Protestants of Religion 2. Protestants of State 3. Papists of State 4. Papists of Religion What Logicke followeth after this diuision is not to be sounde in Aristotle but so many Vntruthes bee manisestlie sounde in it that I might make vp more then my account in this place but I may not wholy neglect so many and learned lessons in the rest of this Association But cōcerning this hacking and cutting the Subiects of England into those 4. quarters I muste needes put this Isocrates in minde that he hath abused King Nicocles in this point For Religion especially with those which attribute so much to saith is principally subiected in the vnderstāding then according to Plato and Aristotle his own Authors it taketh specisication from such things as be taught and beleeued in Religion and diuersities of Religions must be named and diuided according to the diuersitie and multiplicity of thinges beleeued for as faculties are distinguished by their actes so these are diuided and singled by their obiects and not by the endes to which they be referred or for which they bee practized for this is the operation of the will and not any action of vnderstanding Then according to that which is prooned before if there be almost 300. kindes of Protestants in other cuntreis it is meruaile if only two had traficke into Englād Conuoc Lon. 1562. Parl. 5. Eliz. et 13. EliZ. Stow hist Sinod Lond. Artic. 1.2.3.4.5.7.26 And to put him out of doubt the approoued booke of Articles and two Parlaments and our Protestant histories do tell him that in England among English Protestants there bee Vigilantians Nestorians Eutichians Arrians Eunomians Grecians Henricians Iouinians Donatists Wicklefists Berengarians Anabaptists Iulians Aerians Manichees Brownists Barrowists damned Crue and I knowe not how many Crues of most wiched Heresies himself remembreth some more Pag. 40. Therefore his by-membred diuision of necessitie is lame by many lims And if such a Tutor of Princes might haue a saculty by himselfe to renounce all other artes as his spirit condemneth all other Religions yet he shall finde many more endes then two of these which bee professors of Reuerence in this Nation And euery man which professeth not Religion for the loue of God is not of such dexterity of wit as this Puritane and his Associates be to make it a cloake to practise in State affaires Pag. 23. Thirdlye this princely pedagoge teacheth that her Marestie her selfe her Councell Lords Bishops Knights and Burgesses of Parlament be Papists then the seconde member of his chiefe diuision Protestants of State is taken away and he hath giuen himselfe the contradiction THE XIII VNTRVTH TO shew his cunning in conuersiōs Pag. 11. 12. he teacheth that Protestants of Religion which be Puritanes be first by order of generation as his wordes import and Papists of Religion last whose contrary is euident to al the world Yet let vs allow greater measure to this vntruth Next from Protestants of Religion proceed Protestants of state From these Papists of estate bee rngendered Lastlye from these is the discent of Papists of Religion And
For if two or more differing thinges bee ioyned and vnited together this agreeing matter must of necessitye be such that the thinges to be reconciled doe consent therein Those which bee of one kinred agree in bloude The domesticalles of one familye in cohabitation Those which bee of the same Religion which is the Associators case to haue the same Sacrisice Priesthoode Sacraments and other Rites and Ceremonies belonging vnto Reuerence If we consider the quallitie which is required to Association I trust it wil not be an humble Motiue for such people to be fellowes with Prynces and theyr owne Soueraigne Some wright that the Earles of England be termed Comites because by curtesie of our Kinges they haue both beene so named and in some sorte so vsed But that Title was neuer giuen to inferiour Nobles Then it maye not be yeelded to such vnable spirits except which is the marke they shoote at and which priuatlie they beleeue all things must be in communitie and no Superious Spirituall or Temporall may be allowed How the second cause of vnion betweene the protestants of England and the Puritanes thereof in Religion can bee deuised differing in 32. pointes as their admonition witnesseth I cannot conceaue For this Puritane Motor maketh no submision that they wil refor me to the Parlament doctrine Then either there can bee no Association or else the Queene and Parlament must reuoke their lawes and onely maintaine Puritanisme which is the second pricke of their leuell as appeareth by his owne vvordes of which I will speake more heareafter THE IIII. VNTRVTH IN THE fourth worde to maintayne THE worde To maintaine as it suppo seth the beinge of the thing to bee maintained soe it must yeelde sufficient causes of preseruation and maintenance to the same Towchinge the first Philosophers doe call Duration a continuance of beeing because at least in prioritie of nature it supposeth the existence and being of that whereof it is a duration or continuance In the seconde Respect that whiche maintaineth an other must be more Noble and Potent then that which is maintayned and stronger then those assailing enemies which striue to ouerthrow it The Master maintayneth his seruāt the Soueraigne his subiect in naturall causes the more general and powerable doth maintayne preserue the weaker The Sun among the Planets is called an vniuersall cause in regarde ir preserueth and giueth maintenance to these inferiour thinges And all creatures are maintayned by GOD without whose maintenance and assistance all thinges would be annihilate In the first sence Puritanisme and Association with the Professors thereof cannot giue duration to Religion For that which this Pamphletor laboureth to establish was neither by any kinde of Priority or Simultity which I can finde now is authorized in England but of this I will make challenge in the worde Establish In the other meaning to speake of maintenance I thinke all Protestants are very farre from giuing credit that Puritanes seeke to maintaine their Religion And that they are destroyers and not maintayners thereof Parliam 5. Parlia 23. Eli. Synod Lond 1562 l. art hath bin often concluded in the highest Court of Parlament the booke of Articles it selfe by the whole Protestants Clergy of England with a double Subscription And touching any motyue that may mooue this high conceit of their proceedinges that diuinity which I haue learned teacheth me this for most founde and certaine doctrine that as there is nothing so vndoutedly true as the articles of true Religion which is taught and reuealed of God which as he is infinitely wise and good so he can neither be deceaued in himselfe or giue cause of error vnto others so that which maintayneth this trueth and certaintye must needes be most true and infallible euerye thinge beeing maintayned by such meanes by which it consisteth Then the lying spirit of Puritanes by which euery basest fellowe is to prescribe Religion to the vninersall worlde and no doctrine can be maintained without that mans allowance cannot be a maintemance but destruction to true Reuerence as to giue a shorte example in a briefe difcourse Epip Haer. Aug. Haer. Bern. later Catal. Haer. Vlenb. l. 22. Caus Rain Cal. turais there haue beene by morall iudgement 700. sectes of Heretickes which haue pleaded this kinde of maintenance Therefore it is oddes 699. to one that Puritanes will destroy and not maintaine Religion THE V. VNTRVTH IN THE fift worde Religion REligion is that due worship which man oweth and is to render to God his Creator and chiefe omnipotent Benefactor for so many fauours wherewith he hath enriched him And which man is to receaue hereafter by his insinite irrecompensible bounty This worship as it is the Reuerence of God in whose vnsearchable will pleasure it is by what homage and offices hee will be honoured so the institution thereof muste needes proceede from him and Reuelation of it to man In which regard it is an impossibilitie that any Article or Questiō of duty by that incrrable power so ordeyned and proposed shoulde either be vntrue variable vnconstanr or vncertaine as this so by themselues called Religion of Puritanes which so daily altereth Aug. Her Epiph. Her Bern. Later Catal. Her Casp vlen l. 22. caus c. as the wanering spirit of euery Professor thereof floweth and ebeth vp and downe And 700. to one as is recited by actuall experience it is vntrue so many seuerall and opposed sects by that soundation grounding so many diuers and contrary professions in diuine reuereuce Of which by necessary consequence al but one must needs be false and by no probability that can be true Secondly seeing this holy worshippe is that obligation and bond whereby as the name it selfe Religion teacheth vs man is bounde and religed vnto God for so many gistes and graces wherewith hee is adorned and aduanced aboue other creatures the office and exe cution of this reuerence must bee such that it religeth and binde all faculties and powers of man to persorm that dutie Then if wee compare puritane profession which catholicke worshipp it carieth no semblance of Religion for all articles of that holy Reuerence be affirm a tiue and teaching one point of deuotion or other as the affirmation of so many sacred misteries of priesthoode Sacrisice Inherent grace seauen Sacramēts with their supernaturall effects prayer Inuocation of Saints prayer for the departed and other meanes to keepe man still bounde and religed vnto GOD. And if by frailty or otherwise he chance to breake those bandes of Religation Penance Contrition griefe and afflictin of minde and body to relige and binde him againe If we resemble this Puritane doctrine to the protestancie of England it likewise is a Negation of all Religion denying such affirmatiue particles as they had left Admonit Parl. 1.2 I. W. against the Admonit For nowe the Parlament must haue no sentence the Communion booke is fooleries and damnable al the Courts and Consistories of Protestants
are become dennes of theeues and serpents The names of Arch-bishops Bishops Arch-deanes Deanes and such be Dyabolicall No signe of the Crosse or memory of mans Redemption may be vsed Assoc pag. 39. and whatsoeuer religeth a man to God must not be remembred vnder their curse for superstition If we put these people into ballance with the idolatrous Gentiles Turkes Iewes and Brachmans it is euident by al writers that although those Infidels doe erre in true Religion yet they maintayne forged Priesthoods Sacrifices and other tokens of Reuerence to keepe in seare of a diuine Maiesty all which thinges be wanting in this Puritane hauing no one positiue or affirmatiue opinion concerning worshippe And so for Religion and binding of men to God haue brought in a plaine priuation of those duties irreligion and a freedome to all liberty and vndutifulnesse both to God and man THE VI. VNTRVTH IN THE sixt worde established IT is euident by the whole discourse of this Religious Associator and so hee rearmeth himselfe in diuers places that he is a Puritane and laboureth to settle that same profession as he bewrayeth in plaine tearmes Pag. 19 And yet who knoweth not but Puritanes be condemned at the least as before in 32. questions by that Religion which is setled in England Admonit Purit Com. B Parl. 5. et 13. Elizab. as their owne Admonition the Communion booke and Parlaments themselues are witnesse against them Therefore this Innouator seeketh not to associate to maintayne any Religion setled but to settle his own vnsetled sect THE VII VNTRVTH THE seauenth foule and flattering Vntruth is two leaues longe as though Puritanes were the most loyall louing and obedient subiects which her Majestie hath and in respect of them neither Councell Nobility Bishops or any other were dutifully carefull of her preseruation But Sr because you pretend you selfe so dutifull a Subiect to our Soueraigue and regardfull of reuerence to the English Protestant Clergy and that Religion which they professe you will giue me licence to vtter in a fewe wordes the true allegeance and loue which your reformed Seignorie and eldership beareth vnto them For except this affection be knowne to bee excellent in your Society you will not bee worthy to be admitted to such exempted fauour with our Queene and her Bishops to whome you write Then I will condemne you by your owne sentences to be vndutifull to her Maiesty our Queeene moste malitious to her Clergy and deuoted Aduersaries to their Religion for whose maintenance you counterfeite desire of Assoctations And to exemplifie what forreigne Religion is so gratious in your eies as that of Geneua Admonit parl in fin Repl. Admon Parl. tract 20. and other Churches there abouts which you call for that reason resormed your Admonition to the Parlament approoueth the Presbitery of Scotland and the French Puritanes so farre that you propose them for example of imitation to England your owne writings I hope you will not deny And if you forsake Caluin and Beza your Fathers and dearest friends you are discredited for euer Then to begin with them first which I named last let the Reader iudge vvhether our Soueraigne her Arch-bishops Bishops with the rest of the Parlament Ministery and their Religion so contrary vnto Puritanes liue in security be honoured by this people Concerning Princes which be not of Caluins purity he vseth these wordes Caluin in Da. c. 6. v. 22.25 c. They spoile themselues of all authority yea they are vnworthy to bee accounted in the number of men and therefore we must rather spit vpon their heades then obey them And touching the English Communion booke which is the rule of Parlament Religion hee calleth it fooleries Stat. 1. Eliz Surn of hol disc Beza epist ded nou test an 1564. et epist ad Episcop Ebor Beza euen in his Epistle to her Maiestie of England defendeth Rebellion against Princes of a different Religion and honoureth such as bee slaine in such quarrels with the glory of Martyrs And in his Epistle to a Protestant Bishop of England condemneth the exercise of their Religion The reformed Churches of France holde the same sentence both concerning King and worship in their 39. Article Congreg artic 39. Articul Puri Scon Two of the chiefest Articles of the Scottish Puritanes be these 1. Bishops and Archbishops haue no authority their very names and titles be Antichristian and Diabolicall 2. It is heresie for any Prince to call himselfe heade of the Church But he may be excommunicate and deposed of his ministers And to come to English Puritanes and the Consistory of your Eldership and reformed Scignorie the chiefest Patron thereof T. C. is knowne to be an ancient and mortall enemy to the present Arch-bishoppe of Canterbury and is farre from allowing the Titles names dignities and authority of him or any Bishop Deane high Commissionor or other by her Maiesties proceedings that as the same Arch-bishoppe hath gathered to my handes T. C. in repl to the ans of the Admonit I. whitgift prefat to the ans to the Reply of T. C. T. C. in Repl. in fin Confes c. 18. T. C. repl pag. 5. T. C. pag. 144. he wil not allowe him the dignity of a Doctor but Ironice and scoffingly after your manner calleth him M. Doctor 370. times at the least in one litle book And telleth vs that the equality of Ministers is consirmed by the sentence of the Puritanes of Heluctia Tygurine Berne Geneua Polmia Hungary and Scotland with others And although you to slatter the Protestant Arch-bishops and Bishops of England woulde bring your disagreement from thē toceremonies yet he desendeth that the doctrine of the English Protestants is such that Puritanes are bound to deny it with losse of as many liues as they haue haires on their heades And for reuerence and duty to our Soueraigne denounceth by his Euangelicall preeminence against all Protestant Princes which will not be Puritanes and embrace their Presbitery that to vse his own wordes They must submit their Scepters and throwe downe their Crownes before the Church of their Eldership and licke the dust of their feete The highest cathedrated sentence of your Admonition written in all your names rayleth at the Protestants affirming your contentions to be but Ceremonies But I will alleadge the wordes of that holy worke both for your confusion in this and all other your wicked practises in this Association These they be Lordy Lordes Arch-bishops Bishoppes Prefat Admon Parl. Admonit tra 2.3 c Suffraganes Deanes Doctors Arch-deacons Chauncellors and the rest of that prowde generation whose Kingdome must downe Titles liuings and offices of Metrapolitane Arch-bishop Lordes grace Lordshippe Suffrragane Deane Arch-deacon were denised by Antichrist and are plainely in Christs worde forbidden and are vtterly with speede to be remooued Prefat Admonit supp But in a few wordes to say what we meane either must wee haue a right ministerte of God and a right
gouernment of his Church according to the Scriptures set vp both which we lacke or else there can bee no right Religion nor yet for contempt thereof can Gods plagues be from vs any while deserred Wee in England are so farre from hauing a Churche rightly reformed according to the prescript of Gods word that as yet we are not come to the outward face of the same Admonit tract 10. Tract 11. In the booke of Common prayer a great number of thinges contrary to the worde of God are conteyned Except they yeeld not onely Gods instice shall be powred forth but also Gods Church in this Realme shall neuer bee builded The way therefore to auoide these inconueniences and to reforme these deformities is this to remooue Aduousons Patronages Impropriations Bishops authority You must plucke downe without hope of restitution the Court of Faculties remooue Homilies Articles Con. Lon. anno 1562. Parl 5 Eli. Booke of articles c. Tract 17. admonit this is the Book where the summe of Englishe Protestant doctrine is allowed Iniunctiōs the Queenes spirituall laws a prescript order of scruice the Communion booke take away the Lordship the loytering the pompe the idlenesse and liuings of Bishops c. In steede of Chauncellors Arch-deacons Officials Commissaries Proctors Doctors Admonit tract 18. Sumners Church-wardens and such like you haue to place in euery congregation a lawfull and godly Seignorie The Lord Bishops their Suffraganes Arch-deacons Chauncellors Officials Proctors Doctors Sumners Tract 18. sup and such rauening Rablers take vpon them which is most horrible the rule of Gods Church The Archbishops Court is the filthy Quauemire and poysoned Plashe of all the abbominations that doe infect the whole Realme Neither is the Controuersie betweene them and vs as they would beare the worlde in hand as for a Cap a Typpet Addit Admonit Admonit Parl. Tract 20. or a Surplesse but for greater matters concerning a true Ministery and Regiment of the Church according to the worde To these three ioyntly that is the Ministers Seniors Deacons is the whole Regiment of the Church to be cōmitted Hitherto be the wordes of that holy Puritane sentence And that it may be manifest what their loyalty and loue is to our Soueraigne her Bishops and their proceedings both in temporall and Religious affaires making no exception at all Tract 23 either of Queene councell Bishoppe or whatsoeuer except poore ignoraunt soules they bestowe their holy blessing vpon all which will not allowe of their Admonition and holy Eldershippe in these tearmes following God confound them that his peace may be vpon Israell his saumg health vpon this Natiō Now let the Reader iudge whether these men seeke Associations to preserue her Maiesty her State and Religion or no or whether they intende so great loue and duety to the Protestant Bishops as is glosed in this Pamphlet or that no kinde of Subiect is so carefull as they to preserue the honour and quiet of our Kingdome Let vs now see whether this be true or no. Philosophers and Diuines teach that to loue is velle alicui bonum to wishe good to the beloued then by how much more good is wished by so much the loue is greater lesse when lesse good is desired and where no good but euil is wished Pa. 1 lin 4. it is hatred This Pamphletor himselfe acknowledgeth in the fourth line of his worke that 3. things in duety are to be exhibited by the Subiects to the Magistrates that is Honor Obedience and Defence Then who hath performed these duties to our Soueraigne none but Putitaine call honour is temporal or spirituall the first is most dutifully yeelded of all both Protestants and Catholicks of spirituall honour the Catholicks make distinction and are disliked chiefly for that opinion But this Puritane friend absolutely denyeth the secōd and speaketh doubtfully of the first As for spiritual honor the case is euident in al their assertions And towching the terrene honour of a Princesse Goodm li. demonstr Regim muher was not Goodman in the time of Q. Mary a Geneuean Puritane and yet he tearmed the temporall regency of a woman Monstrosum Regimen A Monstrous Regiment And this was the doctrine of his consorts and practises of their Disciples Stowe hist in Q. Mary Groft c. For who were they which laboured so much to depose not onely that Catholicke Queene but our present Soueraigne No man will say that they were Catholickes therfore I say and prooue that they were Geneuean Puritanes our English Parlament Protestancie then not being established or knowne but diuers yeares after in these dayes Iacob Rex Scot. in li. Regin ad fil Are not the Ministers of Scotland Puritanes then aske the King himself if the booke of Regiment published in his name did come from him how full of honour obedience and defence this people is in that country he complaineth of them aboue all others in desect of these duties Petr. frar or cont sectar Staphil apolog fixe to 2. Mon. test tr ordin Burg in remonst sup edict Reg Gal. pare 2. Defens Reg. Relig. Were not Caluin Beza Spiphanius Othomanus the Swizerland French Hugonites Puritaines yes and be so accounted in England And yet what Councels Consistories did they keepe to depose Kings Princes what base and tyranicall Vsurpers did they erect what lawfull Magistrate in Fraunce was not deputed by them to death Who haue more turbulently behaued them selues in these times then this deceitfull and lying Sect. What Libels Admonitions threatnings chalendges hath this people made againste Queene and all kinde of magistrates especiallie the Protestant Bishops and ministerie with whom they would now in words be associated Demande an hundred sooleries of Martin Marprelate this Writer and his companions This is the honor and obedience they vse and defence whiche I feare they would exercise if it came to tryall Let them examine Catholiks by theyr owne Rule of rendring dutie of honor obedience and defence They were Catholickes which first crowned her with honor they were Catholiks which obeyed her when they were powerable to be disobedient Then by all presumption Catholickes will euer defend her And I trust with our prudent Princesse and Councell the malitious inuentions falsehoods of Puritans to aduance them selues nor the lewde slander of any Apostata to excuse his impietye will be admitted against the consciences of so many Religious Priests and Iesuites renouned in al parts of the christiā world protesting euen with daylie dangers and death it selfe theyr Innocencie in these affaires THE VIII VNTRVTH THIS Pamphletor affirmeth that the estate of our Soueraigne is dangerouslye impeached with the Perill of her Person by the indeuour of Papists to bring in the Superiority Supremacie of a Forraigne Prelat c. I meruaile where this man learned his consequences Is the Superioritie and Supremacy of Pope or any forraigne Prelate only exercised in
spirituall and ecclesiasticall causes dangerous to the Temporall estate of any Ciuill Ruler or Magistrate or perilous to their Person Be not those Regiments diuers and distinct euen in the iudgement of Puritanes themselues then the one is not perilous to the other How many hundreds of yeares were they thus deuided among the Israelites without confusion or perill one to another That Nation came to moste calamities Li. 1. Mach Li. 2. Mach. Iosephlib antiq bell Genebr Cronol Bellon Tox to 1.2 bill turrie Petr. Mass lib 1.2.3 hist indie when these Regiments were vnited togither about the time of the Machabees and after In the Turkishe Regiment the Caliphes Rule in Religious causes and yet without perill to the Imperiall State Among the Indian Pagans the Brachmans ouer-rule their Princes in like cases yet without preiudice to their Persons or Temporall dignities Among the ancient Gentiles the Flēmens and Archflēmens had that charge yet no Temporall Regency endangered And now in Italy Spame France Polonia the Empire and so manye Catholicke Countries the Romaine Iurisdiction ruleth in spirituall affaires And yet what State of these countries What Person of those Princes is by that in peril And in Englād when that Superiority reigned in it so many hundred yeares and in the daies of almost 200. Fox tom 1. Mon in Catal Reg. Stowe hist Kinges of this Nation which of their estates or persons vvas endangered by that Regiment then it is not the doctrine of Catholickes in this point any plot or practise by thē which palyeth at hazard with the persons of Princes or draweth kingdomes to ruine But it is the presumptuous factious opinions of Puritanes vvhose priuat spirit in euery meane and vnlearned man doth not only condemne the sentence of Queene and Parlament and her Superiority by that title in spirituall busines but may by their Profession doth by open Pamphlets Inuectiues controle all Princes and Magistrates both in Ecclefiasticall and Temporall causes and dispose of Kingdomes cuntreis and Cities at their high will and pleasure as they did at Geneua Collin in France and other places as I haue recited before THE IX VNTRVTH BVt if we will beleeue this Puritane her Maresties Person shall still remaine in peril except his coufaile be admitted for her deliuery by which shee shal be enfranchised from such dangers His presernatine and Antidote to vse his phrase followeth in these words It would be enacted that all Gentlemen Magistrates and Possessioners within this Realme shall take the oath of Assmiation for the defence and perpetuation of Religion now publickely professed within this Realme And the oath of Supremacy be mimstred with like addition to all men generally within this Realine from the age of sixteene yeares vpwardes twice euery yeare by the Mayors and Couernours of Cities Townes and Corporations and by Stewards and other Officers in Mannors and Lordshippes in their Cuntreis and their Leetes and Law-daies And if they refuse to enter into such league or oath that eucry such person shall be holden and reputed as suspected and shall be thereby disabled to beare any office or authority in Common wealth and shall also be bound to his good behauiour sequestred from all his aronour and weapons and if hee bee possessed of lands within this Realme shall yearly pay vnto your Maieflie the fourth part thereof c. This is the sentence of this Solon In vvhich how many vntruthes and fooleries there be it is not an easie account But because I deale in liberality with this Doctor I will put thē togither in one First then I conclude by this high Authority that Puritanes bee most wicked lying and dangerous members in this Kingdome and moste worthy by their owne iudgment to incurre these penalties which they practise against Catholickes For if this inuention were put in execution Catholickes shoulde become so impious as Puritanes be to make no account of oathes This stratagemme coulde take no effecte but the Queene would be more endangered both in regard of the perils pretended more vnknowne and the offendors coulde not be distinguished friends coulde not bee decyphered from enemies But by this mans confession all Puritanes be manifest aduersaries to her Maiestie in this matter for they both deny the Religion now publickly professed in the Realme as also her Maiesties Supremacy in most vncharitable tearmes Then when Puritanes as this man assureth will take these oathes both concerning the Religion established in England and her supreame Ecclesiastical power which they so much condemne they be condemned to be the most impious irreligious and disloyall people vtterly vnworthy any office credit or confidence in common wealth but by their owne lawe to bee bounde to these disablements penalties and payments which they inuent for Catholickes whose fidelities wordes oathes may be admitted for security of the greatest perill as these men acknowledge by this Inuention THE X. VNTRVTH BVT to manifest farther the folly falschood of this dreame deuice If any coulde be so mad to imagine that so wise a Princesse Councell Nobility Protestant Clergy and Commons for he desireth that his law may be presently enacted would immediatly after the dissolution of a Parlament wherein these toyes were reiected summon the whole kingdome againe to please such people Yet his intent against Catholicks would not be obtayned I will not examine the particulers of his fooleries therein but experience shall pleade against him for either the same or more grieuous haue beene enacted and are daily executed against vs yet he maketh these complaints of perilles by encrease of Catholickes within this kingdome For first concerning his oathes of the Reltgion now established and her Maiesties Supremacy are they not tendered to all Magistrates at their admittance The first Parlament it selfe only excepteth the Nobles of this Realme Parl. 1. Eliz 5. Eliz. to whom this man likewise seemeth to allowe that exemption And How often haue such oathes and interrogatories beene ministred to the Catholickes of this Nation Gentlemen and other Possessioners not Possessioners whome this lawe-maker includeth not Stat. 1. Eliz. c. 1. the Satute of Supremacy giueth the same authority for ministring the oath of that Superiority in as ample manner as he prescribeth only he aduiseth it to bee taken twise in the yeare which limitation imployeth no other vse or end but to make men dissolute in swearing forswearing as these Puritanes be for who wil hope for truth in him vvhich is accustomed to forsweare which by all lawes be reiected for witnesses And this great Politician himself calleth al Parlament persons which applauded not their deuises Papistes and yet most of them had taken the oathes which hee prescribeth But harken vnto his penalties The denyers of these oathes shall only be disabled to beare office bounde to the good behauiour sequestred from their armour weapous Pag. 23. Stat. 1. 5. Eliz. and pay yearely the fourth part of their landes to
acclamation to our Prince and Parlament by publickly defended posiitions that the lawes of Princes doe not binde in conscience Andrew Will. Sinop c. lawes Calu. inst Foxe to 2. sup obed Tind art 18. Claud. de Sanct. lib. 5. accad egl that eucrie man is Lord of other mens goods the children of faith which bee onely Puritanes in their opinion are vnder no lawe all humane lawes must be taken away the nature of the Gospell is to raise wars among Christians there is no Magistrate no Superiour and whose practise in action hath euer beene answerable to this doctrine manifeste by all monuments of theyr proceedings or rather to be reprooued for such pernitious and perilous people THE XV. VNTRVTH BVT to shewe how high a pitch of impiety he can mount to make a malitious stoope vpon men in misery he vttereth this most foule and vntrue sentence The Papists of Religion at this present Pag. 25. stand furnished 1. with credit and authority 2. wealth and ability 3 weapons and furniture So that they may drawe followers by the one wage them by the other and arme them by the third Whould any man thinke that so holy wise and well affected friend as this man woulde see me to her Maiesty durst present so monstrous and palpable an vntruth to the viewe of of so prudent a Priucesse but that I haue alleadged his owne wordes For the first of credit authority I thinke it a difficult thing for this Puritane to find one Cathohcke in England which hath any authority at all Let him name any Presedent of Wales or the North Warden of Ports Gouernour of Ilandes Captaine of Castle Lieuetenant of Tower Lieuetenant Deputy-Lieuetenant Sheriffe Iustice of peace or poore Constable or Tythingman which is a Papist of Religion I thinke it will be a dissicult thing for him to sinde in our whole kingdome tenne of the meanest authority which I haue named Of the chiefest no man can be singled sorth What the wealth and ability of them can be except God doth miraculouslie blesse them then let not Puritanes repine at his benediction who can imagine if he see the due payments of 260. poundes yearely paide to her Maicsties Checker by the chiefest and by other the two partes of their Reuenewes moste truely answered their goods seaxed and besides these so many extraordinary oppressions by Puritanes in authority As for weapons and surniture to arme so many as would sight against so many thousands of Puritanes of action Pag. 41. and resolution of London and good Towner most Lords Gentlemen and Captaines which be for them is a thing so ridiculouslie vntrue that none or sewe Catholickes be possessed of any at all Doth he not remember when they were dispoyled of them And to this day are scarcely where such Muster Masters liue admitted to haue vse of their owne to serue her Maiesty And at the time of the comming of the Earle of Essex out of Ireland when somewhat more was in hand then Catholickes imagined were they not generally in the West cuntries so dispoiled by puritane Iustices of their ordinary Armes weapons that they were in danger to be spoyled of the basest Robbers for want of sufficient defence against them but if these three thinges be those that bee so perilous in people apt for Innouations let him look into Puritanes and howe many thoufands he may finde furnished with those complements Pag. 41. His owne sentence London and good Townes most Lordes Gentlemen and Captames of action and resolution will be sufficient censure against him THE XVI VNTRVTH AT the last this Associator commeth to issue and somewhat vnmasketh himselfe to giue testimony to his spirit to dispose of the Crowne make his Queene a Pupill expell Catholickes roote out Protestantes wholly to aduance his Puritane Gospell to bring the Scepter and Regality of this Kingdome Pag. 18. to the sacred disposition of their spirit His wordes are these The mightiest in succession as your Maiestie knoweth are they speaking in the plurall number whose alliance kindred and confederacies are for the most part with Papists Who is ignorant this to be a notorious Vntruth except hee will aduance any Title from Spaine and then his plurall number wil except against him otherwise if al those which be next in succession must be esteemed as Papists and worthy of disinheritance from all Title of a Kingdome by the supreame sentence of their spirit because they be not Puritanes either a Puritane whether hee hath any Title or no must raigne Or which is more probably to be coniectured where these desires should be effected of depriuing true Titlers from their inheritance and Puritanisme shall haue superiority England shall haue no King Queene or Regent at all And if her Maiesty should attend to such treacherous and tyrannicall suggestions as this spirit enspireth and their purpose of planting their impiety be performed shee were like to be rewarded with the same payment of their common doctrine which I cited before that the children of faith are vnder no lawe That there is no Magistrate no Superiour among Christians All humane lawes must bee taken away Eueryman is Lorde of other mens goods and the like must bee put in practise The presbitery which they would haue planted in Scotland to the deposing of their King Kinge of Scots in his Booke of Reg. to Henry his Sonne Suru of holy disciple The practise of Geneua and such places for a fewe Ministers and yearly elected Artizans to gouerne and the Flemmish fashion must be erected And none but Puritanes and their vile deuises haue allowance which this seditious libeller doth plainly insinuate in the nexte page following Pag. 19. where he giueth this for a lawe to our gratious Queene to vse both Puritanes and Protestants for the planting of his platforme of Resormation and that being effected her Maiestie muste to vse his owne wordes by scuere discipline mightely encrease the first Puritanes daylie to deminish the second and third Protestants and Papists and to propulse the relapses of either So that the affections of these fellowes as themselues giue sentence tende to the ouerthrowe of Protestant as well as Papist And the number of the one equally as of the other must be diminished and propulsed So that whatsoeuer they are Queene Councell Nobility Lawes Parlament Authority or any proceeding not resined by the spirit of Puritanes must be thus diminished and ouerthrowne This as I saide besore was their first intention and nowe is their finall end THE XVII VNTRVTH ANd that these Pretendors of persection in Religion as this Associator calleth Puritanes might pretend a perfect and absolute neglect and reiectment of al order Pag. 24. Magistracy and Regiment in this Kingdome After they had so much distasted their sugred mouthes with the vnpleasing sauors of the State and Gouernment as they complained both in their so much dishked Bill of Reformation and this Author consesseth in his Associotion They first
saue them harmelesse and for that reason I may and for other regardes I must be silent And you may rest secure that the Monkes of S. Bencdicts order are not yet multiplied to posses your Abbies Ten or such like number of them are not likely in haste to challenge and enjoy so many hundreds of Monasteries with their reuenewes as were their dowrie in England And so small an handfull of other Priests are not likely to make present entry to so many thousands of Bishoprickes Deaneries and Ecclesiasticali liuings as the Protestant Clergy is setled in Many or most of vs haue willingly disinherited our selues and embraced wantes we which haue beene voluntaries in pouerty so long cannot by probability be so sodainely changed to desire riches with so greate encombers If England were Catholicke to morrowe no Pretendor of perfection euer heard that in any age such a generallity of Dualities or Pluralities was grannted which coulde endowe so litte a number with so many thousand spirituall maintenances Then Sr if you coulde bee but so equally affected to them which were so many hundred yeares togither true Titlers and owners both of Religion and religious possessions in this Nation to let them now in some poore disgraced and penitentiall manner professe the first with such deuotion as they affect they should easely ioyne to leaue the second to them which more desire and lesse deserue it And I trust no Puritane should complaine of perill to Prince iniury to himselfe or dammage to other subiect Such seruing of God which is all wee seeke is not so dangerous eiher to Religion established or the temporall state of our most beloued countrey that any banding in Associations be needefull against it Being neither more or so much as the Pope himselfe alloweth to the Iewes in all his Terrytories euen in the City of Rome where he is Resiant And which the protestant Prines of Germany the Turkish Emperour Persian and other absolute Monarches which cannot be condemned regardlesse of their temporall Regiments allowe vnto Iesuites Priestes and others both religious and Catholickes of the Lay condition in vvhich so small a kindnesse any man of reason woulde rather presume vpon your fauour then feare your disfriendshippe And the rather because Sr giue mee leaue in this very Pamphlet so inuectiue against so little curtesie your selfe doe seeme to free vs of all vnworthines For if you remember there be but two bars which you put against it Ielousie to concur with forreigne forces And Popes Supremacy with reconciliation and your selfe haue broken both and seeme to set vs at liberty from such suspects Of the former thus you doe discharge vs when you take away all hope of aduancements by such conspirings vpon which you ground your wicked and vntrue conceits your acquittance in this case is set downe in these wordes Pag. 27. The Admirant of Arragon spared the Papists no more then the other in the Borders of Germany And the Duke of Medina said that if he had preuailed against England with his inuincible Armado he would haue spared Papists no more then Protestants but make way for his Master Concerning the second our Supercedias from you Pag. 35. may bee this sentence Priestes are executed indeede for affirming the Popes Supremacy and reconciling to the Church of Rome which are partes of their Priestly function Then Sr if Supremacy in the Pope of Rome and to receconcile to that Church be partes of Priestly function which is wholly spirituall and distinct from a ciuill state and temporall affaires by no lawe or learning that which appertayneth to that function is parte thereof can bee preiudiciall or dangerous to the second And your simple distinction following which you say was made before the late Earle of Huntington you are well acquainted with that family watch-wordes ward-words and their appendices that Priestes are not executed for these partes as they are religious but as they bee dangerous to the State in ciuill consideration is both ridiculous for my reason before and derogareth to the lawes of England because you cannot doubt but those articles were maintayned known and honured euen in this kingdome by almost 200. Kinges and their lawes many hundreds of yeares togither vntill these daies at this present are so reuerenced in the most florishing Kingdomes of the worlde And if contention be betweene Religions and ciuill lawes except God be inferiour to man it is no question who muste haue dominion Temporall thinges be subordinat to spirituall Religion is the highest rule But to giue you all contentment Pag. 6. 7. if you only must bee vvise and your plots approoued Then to satissie you in your owne devises of security which be by oath and pecuniary punishments Concerning the laste I haue made you a reckoning before how the Catholickes of England which defend their Religion answer yearely truly farre greater summes to her Maiesties vse for that cause then you demande If they come not to her purse you knowe they be not such Recusants which be Receauers and hinder it And for other Subiects how no gaine at all but generall discontent would grow by tender of such oathes your owne opinion so often repeated of Parlament and disguised Papists ouerthroweth your first position and woulde prooue the practise to be ridiculous Touching an oath for the security of our most honoured Queene and the temporall estate of this kingdome a man of such reading as you affect to bee reputed doth knowe that a spirituall oath was neuer vsed in any Nation to secure a ciuill Regiment Neither by any wit can you nowe make it a politicke inuention for that purpose Where the endes be diuers the meanes must needes be different But seeing it pleaseth you thus farre to giue confidence to the consciences of Catholickes which is more then we dare assume for you Then if you remember vvhat is written Pag. 6. 7. both in domesticall and forreigne histories commended and commanded in lawes of Princes to such sntents Temporall Regiments are and euer were secured both in this and other Nations by oathes of temporall and ciuill duty and obedience To this our ancient Statutes and the particular oathes of priuate offices as of generall and common allegeance be testimony Then Sr to secure our Prince and trie our assections if you mooue our gratious Soueraigne to receaue all Catholihkes into her protection which will take such oath which is so much as we euer gaue to former Prince or our lawes require or her Maiesty will as I hope needeth to demande let all which refuse so louing and gratious dealings be as in all former ages forth of her fauour and defence And whereas your newe engin is that oathes shoulde bee chieflie ministred to Gentlemen Magistrates and Possessionors Pag. 6. by which particular you knowe how many be exempted yet to take all danger of your perilous Priests and Iesuites away procure that vpon their acceptance of this and rheir allegeance