offer professe and promise as great ample true and faithful obedience loyaltie dutie to his Maiestie as though he were a Prince of our owne religion as much as any our auncestours in this Kingdome did yeelde to any his heighnes progenitors Kings and Princes thereof or as is required of Catholike subiects in other countries to their Protestant rulers or as any Protestant subiects obserue or performe to their Protestant or Catholike Soueraignes in ciuill obedience That neither vvee can offer nor his Maiestie or estate require more of vs all worlds and generations of meÌ„ Catholikes Protestants Christians Pagans whatsoeuer in this and all other Kingdomes past present and to come wil witnesse for vs. And for our sinceritie dutifull and obedient meaning herein wee appeale to all our persecutors their most strict politicke and cunning inquiries and examinations of our behauiour and carriage from time to time by which vvee stand as clearely vnspotted as irreprehensible as irreprooueable as dutiful in all ciuil respects and duties as any Protestant in this Nation Therefore Right honorable if some fewe vnhappie men of our religion haue made traÌ„sgression of their alleageance we hope it shal be no motiue to change your graue and vnresolued minde from thinking it vndue to impose a burthen vpon innocents for the fact of the guiltie according to your owne excelleÌ„t speeche heeretofore vsed and now at this present Solum necis artifices arte perire sua And your Lordships most christian desire of one vniformitie in true religion in this kingdome bringeth no smale hope vnto vs that now at last our so-long and many times in humble maner requested petitions concerning our not comming to your churches may by your honourable mediation to his Maiestie be brought to tryall by the learned of both parties whether without committing sinne it may be done by vs which wee take to be the onely meanes to bring this kingdome to your so-much desired vniformitie in religion For if your Protestant novv assembled or best learned doctors can and doe prooue it lawfull to our learned diuines vve absolutely offer to performe it vvithout delay or further exception And may it please your Lordship to call to minde the ordinarie knowne practise of Catholikes and Protestants in France Heluetie Germanie and other countries where they communicate in ciuill societies and not in churches and spirituall communications vvhich pleadeth that our refusull is not singular but hauing ground and patronage both from Catholiques and Protestants in this point Our confidence now is that his Maiestie your honour and the state will not take this our humble and necessarie petition in euill parte considering that catholique Emperours Kings of France and other Princes haue granted the like to their Protestant subiects and this in those countries vvhere no other Religion theÌ„ the Catholique Romane Religion hath bene publicklie exercised at any time since their first conuersion from Paganisme All these petitions being presented according to their titles at that time though the two first to his Maiestie were printed and the booke after his maner answered by D. Norton a Protestant Bishoppe yet he neuer tooke notise of either of those petitions or any one sentence of them and the Parlament was as silent for that presented vnto it Onely this Secretaty was so much distasted with the gentlemen that subsigned it that hee tolde M. Anthony Skinner who presented it vnto him that if they were present he would set them all by the heeles a punishment for rogues not for men of their worth and reputation There was no other answere made to these petitions but onely this the oath was enacted and after prosecuted with such violence as the world can witnesse such accompt and regarde hath bene made of our miserie by these Protestants Whether any reformatioÌ„ may be found in the pretended reformers of religion for Catholikes to follow And first of King Henry the 8. with whome neither Catholikes nor Protestants now ioyne in Religion NOW seeing if we be in errour we cannot possible by all meanes we can work procure that the learned protestant bishops and doctors who haue controlled all the christian world in their secret assemblies will vndertake to instruct a few Priests of England but suffer in their proceedings many thousandes of Catholikes by this meanes to be tyrannized ouer both in bodies and soules let vs returne to the first founders of this religion in England The father King Henry the 8. his yong sonne and daughter and see if wee can finde any motiue in their proceedings to mooue vs from our error if we be in error And first to begin with the first the father in this new Religion and spirituall power all Protestant antiquaries Foxe Parker Stowe Holinshed Cambden Howes and the rest entreating of this matter assure vs both that King Henrie the 8. and his fit instrument Cranmer for a cleargie man were the principall and first actors in this Tragedie Foxe tom 2. in Henr. 8 and Cranmar Parker antiq Brit. in Cranm. Stow hist. in Henr. 8. Holinsh. ibi Theater of great Britâ—in eod Howe 's historial praef Cambd. praef hist Eliz. c. and the occasion King Henry tooke to make his reuolt from the Church of Rome because the pope would not consent for his putting away his wife Queene Katherine that holie Ladie of Spayne For before that time king Henry was so obedient a childe to the Sea and Religion of Rome that by the pen of the blessed Bishop Fisher whom hee after put to death for denyal of his assumpted Supreamacy in his owne name he defended them against the scurrilous bookes of Martin Luther and was for that stiled by the Pope Defensor fidei defendor of the faith Henr. 8. l. cont Luther which his Maiestie King Iames still vseth by vertue of that donation One of late among the rest with greatest warrant speaking of this his first reuoult hath these wordes Hovves historicall praeface to his Hist. in Henry 8. This was done after the king was deuorced from Catherine of Spaine his first wife with whom he had liued aboue twenty yeares and by her had fiue children The cleargie nor parlameÌ„t notwithstanding the Kings importunitie would neuer yeelde to the diuorce by reason they could not finde any iust cause The King made Cranmar Archbishop of Canterbury who was very apt and ready to performe the Kings will and he denounced the sentence of diuorce Then the King contrary to the good liking of all men marryed Anne Bulleyne by whom he had the Ladie Elizabeth And then by acte of Parlament made it treason against all men that should say the marriage was not lawful And presently after her birth he pickt a quarrell against Queene Anne and then repealed the former acte made a new acte of Parlament whereby it was enacted that it should be heigh treason for any to iustifie his former marriage to be lawfull and the next day after her behedding he marryed her hand-maid
the Religious howses Hee would create your protestants words and mayntayne 40. Earles 60. Barons 3000. knights and 40. thowsand souldiers with skilfull captaines and competent mayntenance for them all for euer out of the auntient church reueneues and the people should bee noe more charged with loanes subsidies and fifteens Of all these blessings and benefites wee are spoyled and by your Religion depriued And not onely wee that now bee catholicks in England but all faythfull soules allready departed out of this world and those that ar not yet borne if they shall bee of the posteritie of those holy founders to bee prayed for to the end of the world by those Religious fowndations and al pore hungry bodyes â—ere releiued with those donations which â—otestant tymes haue conuerted to vanities â—d that which is vnchristian to persecute the â—eligion which fownded these holy howses â—nd with such vehemency and cruelty wee ar â—ersecuted as you haue before acknowledged our lawes records registers our miseries â—alamities and martyrdomes haue published â—o all the world Edw. howe 's in his historial preâ—reface in kinge Henry 8. All this you doe vnto vs vnder pretence â—hat wee will not forsake our holy Religion â—oe firmely and vndoubtedly proued by soe â—any vndeniable testimonies in your owne â—udgments that wee cannot bee deceaued exâ—ept God which is vnpossible can deceaue â—s And in remayninge and persisting wherein â—nd following and frequentinge that order which it prescribeth the sacrifice and Sacraments which it vseth wee shall by your best â—earned protestants writing with your publick â—riuiledge bee sure to bee saued when contraâ—ywise if wee should bee soe gracelesse as for â—eare of torments and afflictions to harken vnto you in matters of Religion the same your â—est learned protestant Bishops and others asâ—ure vs agayne wee shall come into a fallible â—eceaueable and actually erroneus Religion â—nd consequently shall bee damned for euer â—oue prot Bish. persuas Feild l. of the church pag. â—7 182 Couel def of Hooker pag. 68.73.76 Feild pag. 69. willet Antilog pag. 144. Theater of greaâ— Brit. Saxons Sam. Daniel hist. c. Feild pag. 20â— Isaac Casaub praef respons ad Gard. Peron Doâ— persuas Morton Apolog. part 2. pag. 315. willâ— Antilog praef to the Read vniuersities answeare 〈◊〉 the mill pet Confer at Hampt pag. 47. Protest Râ— lat of that conference printed by Ioh. windet in thrâ— seuerall copies 1.2.3 And if God and the truth of his holy causâ— mayntayned in our bookes against you haâ— not inforced and necessitated these your publicke writers thus publickly to condemnâ— you and forwarne vs from communicatingâ— with you in these affaires yett the lamentable and desolate experience it selfe in your parlaments of king Henry 8. k. Edward 6. Q. Elizabeth c. crieth out vnto the world that all the parlaments and princes supreame heads of Religion by you haue beene deceaued and deceaued all that followed them in these things Kinge Henry 8. was the first parlament of k. Henr. 8. after an Reg. 22. and was herein contrary to all antiquitie contrary to k. Edward his sonne parlam Edw. 6.1.2.3 daughter Elizabeth parlam 1. Elizab. iniunctionis of Q. Eliz. an 1. and kinge Iames. Articles of Relig. ann 1562 and to himselfe by diuers parlaments and his Religion dead with him and condemned by you Kinge Edward was contrary to his father his sister to you and to himselfe in diuers publicke parlaments and his publick iniunctions Queen Elizabeth was in the same â—se of contradiction to her father brother to â—u and herselfe by publicke practice parlaâ—ent proclamations and iniunctions in lesse â—me then three quarters of one yeare And â—uchinge that peece of her first parlament â—herein shee condemned the masse there was â—ot one diuine Bishop or other that gaue coÌ„â—ent or could giue it vnto her but all against â—nd their extrauagant proceedings therein were such as they bee related by your owne â—ntiquaries Cambden Howes and others â—hat Paganisme Turcisme Epicurisme Iudaisâ—ne Atheisme or any other heresie might as â—asely haue beene settled here as protestaÌ„tisme was which is not here to bee entreated King â—ames our present soueraigne is generally taâ—en to bee to too wise and learned to learne Religion of such Tutors Cambden in Apparat. â—d Annal. in Annal. in Elizabeth Howe 's histoâ—iall preface in Q. Elizabeth and others Kinge Henry the 8. desired at his death as â—rotestant histories sufficiently insinuate and â—iuers then liueing in his Court haue testified â—o bee reconciled to the church of Rome and â—n one of his laste Acts the inscription of his Tombe doth playnely omitt and relinquish â—or euer his pretended supreamacie And in his â—ast will and testament Howes supr in k. Henr. 8. â—towe an vlt. Henr. 8. in his laste will testameÌ„t â—rdeyned preists masses soe odious now and cheifest cause pretended of our perfection to continue in England to the end of the world willinge and chardgeinge the words of his will prince Edward his sonne all his executors all his heires and successors that should bee kings of this Realme as they will answeare before almightie God at the dreadfull day of iudgment that they euerie of them doe see it performed Exempl an 1. Edw. 6. die 14. Februar Kinge Edward 6. was but a child but both hee and his protectors by which hee was ruled should haue beene ruled by this will yet as protestants vle to doe presently breaking it for their worldly ends and breingeing in the protestant Religion Foxe to 2. Acts and monum in k. Henr. 8. and an 1. Edw. 6. The cheife Actor and Author of those proceedings the Duke of Northumberland Lord protector when hee came to dy renownced protestant Religion for heresie and as your protestant histories tell vs Stowe histor an 1. of Queen Mary and others was reconciled vnto and dyed in the vnitie and faith of the Romane church For Queene Elizabeth shee as some noble men and diuers ladyes of honor can informe you and some haue soe testified died noe good protestant neither could endure the sight of her protestant Bishops at that time protested in her life to the lady Saint-Iohn widowe to the Lord Oliuer Saint-Iohn of Bleâ—soe Deus testis soe shee confidently related and said see could shew that Queenes letters to that purpose that she would haue liued a Catholike but for her ouer-ruling Protestant Counsaile naminge some of them no happie members of this kingdome which your Proteâ—tant historians giue way vnto that she did very often before such men by politick deuises withâ—rew her from it frequent the Sacraments of Confession of the blessed bodie of Christ Masse â—nd the rites of Catholike Religion Edw. Howes historicall preface in Queene Elizabeth and proâ—ested in publicke Parlament neuer to vexe or â—rouble the Romane Catholikes concerning any difference in Religion Like was the case of William Cecile Lord Burleigh hir great Counsailor both â—or his Religion in that time and at his death charged his
antiquities giue warrant to write he in all his life time cōtinued in these doctrines and at his death in his last will and testament protested himselfe to continue in that opinion Bed Henric. Hunt Guliel Malmesb. Roger. Houeden Matth. West Flor. Wigor Camb. Stow. Holinsq Theator c. And for the supremacie it selfe as hath bene prooued in the time of Queene Elizabeth and your protestant historian hath sufficiently insinuated he recanted it Booke intituled Lesters common wealth your Protestants wordes of him these be At his death he was much perplexed spake many things to great purpose but being vnconstant in his life none durst trust him at his death Howes super hist. preface in Henry 8. which relation from a protestant writer can carrie no other construction And I take God to witnesse I haue heard my father then liuing in Courte often make relation that this king Henry the 8. at his death was sorie for his taking that title of supremacie vppon him was willing to relinquish it and laboured to be reconciled to the Church of Rome promising if he liued so far as he could to make restitution But being demanded of him presently to take order therein he was preuented by death and dyed with such burthen and horror of cōscience as chanceth in such cases which this Protestant before aymeth at when he saith he was much perplexed and spake many thinges to great purpose Therefore the Catholikes of England are rather confirmed by this king then weakned by him in profession of their holie faith And though in his life he persecuted and put to death many renowned Catholikes for deniall of his supremacie and sacramentary Protestants such as those in England now are for heretikes yet he neuer recalled this second as he did the first neither made any new lawe by which they were put to death but left their triall to the auntient Canons of the Catholike Church yet put those Catholikes to death only by pretence of his new inacted Edict of his supremacie neuer heard of in England before as Protestant antiquaries haue tolde vs. Therefore this first supreame head of religion in England in all things confirmeth the religion of Catholikes and condemneth that of Protestants and this the more if we adde from your Protestant historians how fraudulently or rather forcebly he obtained his first colourable tytle to that his spirituall supremacie by which he kept such turbulēt sturres in this kingdome A Protestant historian and an Esquire by state as he stileth himselfe thus relateth it William Martine Esq in histor of Henr. 8. pag. 388.389 Cardinal Wolsey being dead the King by his Councel was informed that all the cleargie of England was guiltie of premunire because in al things they supported and maintained the authoritie and power legatine of the Cardinal wherefore to preuent mischiefe before it fell vpon them they gaue to the King for their redemption and for their pardon the somme of one hundreth thousand pounds and by a publicke instrument in writing subscribed and sealed by the Bishops and fathers of the Church they acknowledged the King within his owne kingdomes and dominions to be supreame head of the Church Thus vniustly he procured that vnlawful prerogatiue more vniustly as before made his wicked vse therof I neede proceede no further in his proceedings for they ar dead with him the present protestant state as his owne childrē before by lawes and Parlaments condemne them all Protestants in the worlde reiect them and hee himselfe before his death by the most manerly fashion he could refused his title of supremacie in which he most differed from the church of Rome as I haue brought Protestant witnesses before therefore Catholiks are rather confirmed then weakned in their religion by the proceedings of this King That English catholikes cannot be perswaded vnto but much disswaded from Protestant Religion by the Protestant proceedings in the time of King Edward the 6. NOW let vs come to the next temporall rule that claymed supremacie in spiritual matters in England King Edward the 6. he was but 9. yeares olde when this charge was layed vpon him yet he was elleuen yeares olde whē your religion was first borne in this nation in the second or third yeare of his raigne as all lawes and histories of that time giue recorde Parl. 2. 3. Edw. 6. Stow hist in Edw. 6. Holinsh. Theater and others ibid. So this childe begot it and his sister Q Elizabeth nursed it We knowe for shame you will not tye vs to the censure of an infant king then you must appeale to those that instructed and directed him in so great a businesse These were temporall and spirituall and chiefly those that were of councell and had sworne otherwise to King Henry the 8. during his life liued in his Religion and after his death continued the same vnder this yong king in his beginning and first Parlament Parl. 1. of Edw. 6. Stow. Holinsh. in k. Edw. 6. were executors of the last will and testament of king Henry the eight in which concerning matters of trust in religion they truely executed nothing at all but in the exheredation of his Maiesties holy Mother and himselfe as much as they could they executed it Howe 's historial preface supr Stow Holinsh. Theater in Q. Marie Edward 6. The chiefest of these for spiritual men was Cranmer their Archbishop and the rest of the Bishops of that time that were not Catholikes of which we finde but two onely Hooper and Ferrar put to death for their Religiō by Queene Marie For Cranmer Ridlie and Latimer were condemned for treason Foxe tome 2. Monumen in Q. Marie Godwyne Catalogue of Bishops of K. Edwards time and what can we accompt of the religion of these two changing their profession so often with king Henry and K. Edward and Ferrar to vse your Bishops wordes was thrust out of the Bishoppricke in the beginning of Queene Marie for being married and ended his life in the fyer more for being desperate how to liue then for loue of Religion so far as we can gather Godwyn in S. Daudis 79. Robert Ferrar The other Hooper Godwyn in Worcester 75. Glocester 2. Iohn Hooper a man of such conscience as your Bishop writeth that being made Bishop by the childe king anno 1550. Bishop of Glocester held also the Bishopricke of Worcester in commendam by licence of King Edward the sixt this is his commendation The rest that fled not the Realme for treason which were not of your Protestant religion but Puritanes in forraine countries were depriued in England for being married which by no Religion Bishops might doe such were Bush of Bristow Harley of Hereford Holgate of Yorke and others that became Catholikes Godwyn in Brist Heref. Yorke c. Couerdale was set at libertie by Q. Marie and of so small esteeme with you in the beginning of Q. Elizabeth her raigne that no Bishopricke was allowed him Now let vs come to your chiefe
Scotland against those two blessed Queene Maryes that Q. Mary of England was inforced to make a statute in parlamēt to suppresse yt the Abridgement thereof is thus parlament 2. an 1. Mar. 20. die April 1554. cap. 2. The Regall and kingely power of this realme and all the dignities and prerogatiues of the same shall bee as wel in a Queene as in a kinge How the protestants in England vpon such good doctrine rebelled against that Q. Mary all knowe And in Scotland they rather chosed to crowne our Soueraigne in his cradle then the true Queene his mother should raigne haue any power spirituall or temporall at all in her owne hereditary kingdome Holinsh. histor of Scotland Stowe hist an 1. Iacob but by the violence of those Scottish protestants to bee driuert from thence And landeinge in this kingdome of England Cambden in Annal. in the life of Q. Mary of Scotland Where by these protestants before shee had such iust right of succession as they haue declared left that most vndeniable Title and interest by which moste truely lawfully and vndoubtedly her sonne our soueraigne kinge Iames now enioyeth both this whole kingdome of Britanie Ireland and all the adiacent Ilands by hereditary right from her shee fownde noe further fauour here of the English protestants but to bee a perpetual prisoner in her life and to her eternall glory and english protestants soe longe endureinge shame murthered and martyred at her death Stowe Holinsh. Theater of Britanie in Q. Eliz. c. Moreouer in this soe termed parlament besides the takeinge of this greate and supreame spirituall chardge and office vnto a woman neuer heard of in the world before and suppressinge of the holy sacrifice of the masse euer since Saint Peters tyme as before is proued excepting three yeares of kinge Edward the 6. a child and in place thereof admittinge a forme of communion and common prayer neuer vsed by any people catholicks or protestants but in that shorte tyme alsoe of that yonge kinge in England not any one Article of protestant Religion eyther against the 7. Sacraments of the church inuocatiō of Saints prayer for the dead purgatorie validitie of good workes merit iustification or whatsoeuer els now contradicted by these protestāts was thē or vntil the fourth yeare of Q. Elizabeth concluded by any parlament protestant Authoritie in England but left arbitrary for euery man to beleeue and practize as his fantasie serued without any rule at all Booke of Articles and Conuocation an 1562. And for the communion Booke yt selfe it had not any approbation of any one parlament mā diuine or other as your protestants assure vs but the chardge of making or mareing that was onely committed sayth your prime protestant Antiquary with others Cambden annal pag. 23. Parkero Billo Maio Copo Grindallo whitheado Pilkingtono Theologis Thomaeque Smitho Equiti To Parker Bill May Cope Grindall Whithead and Pilkington diuines and Thomas Smyth a knight The first and cheifest of these seuen beeing Mathew Parker had beene of seuen Religions vnder kinge Henry 8. Edward 6. Q. Mary and Q. Elizabeth chaunging in euery one of those chaunges as before is proued Godwyne Catalog of Bish. in Canterbury Matth. Parkr Foxe to 2. in k. Henr. 8. Edw. 6. Q. Mar. c. and al Q. Maries tyme professinge the catholicke Romane Religion in England both before and after his depriuation of his liuings in the second yeare of Q. Mary for being marryed For the rest of these protestant diuines they were fugitiues for mariadge against the canons of the church and conspiracy against Q. Mary before which time they were in the same disease of chaungeing Religion with the former princes and after their going forth of England professed the religion discipline also of the puritane churches where they liued namely to exemplyfie in the liturgie or common booke of prayer of the protestants of Franckfort published an 1554. in Q. Maryes tyme denyinge both the supreamacy of temporall princes and other matters of english protestant Religion this is the subscription of the english protestants then in all their names Liturgia seu ritus ministerij in Ecclesia peregrinorum Francofordiae an 1544. per Petrum Brubachium in fine in subscript Subscribunt Angli ob Euangelium profugi totius Ecclesiae suae nomine Iohannes Mackbraeus c. The protestants of England that were fled for the Ghospell subscribe in the name of their whole church Ihon Mackbree minister Ihon Stanton William Hamon Ihon Bendall William whithingham and to assure vs that these men in particular before named bee Authors or correctors of yt neyther did nor in their owne iudgment could allowe yt it is euident first both because they were of this protestant Franckford congregation secondly because The first protestants of this kingdome your protestants words Couel in examin pag. 72. in a letter subscribed with eleuen of their hands whereof Knoxe Gilby whithinghame and Godman were foure moste of them hauing iudgement and learninge vtterly condemned yt Couel against Burges pag. 69.122.47.185 Soe did Caluine at Geneua Ridley your protestant Bishopp and supposed martyr in a letter to Grindal himselfe a cheife agent in it all the Caluinists in the world abrode in their publick confessions and at home haue likewise euer and doe still condemne it as alsoe all Lutherans that euer were and all those writers or correctors of it themselus and all the protestants in that first parlament in all probable iudgment except fowre new cownsaylers of Q. Elizabeth the Marquesse of Northampton Earle of Bedford Ihon Grey of Pyrge and Cecile her pauculi intimi to whome onely as sayth your historian Cābden supr in Annal. in Elizab. this matter was communicated vnto re nemini communicata nisi Marchioni Northamptoniae Comiti Bedfordiae Iohanni Greio de Pyrgo Cecilio And this matter was sufficiently proued by some of your late Bishops in the Conference at Hampton Court publickly betweene the protestant Bishops and puritans before our kinge himsemselfe where Barlowe your Bishop in relating of that disputation Barlowe Conference at Hampton Court pag. 14. 15. bringeth in Babington a protestant Bishop of yours openly to acknowledge that in the beginninge your protestants religion and communion booke thereof was proposed and approued in that first parlament by ambiguous and indirect dealeinge of the composers of that communion booke and citeth the Archbishop of yorke to that purpose And if wee may beleeue your protestant Relations of that dispute printed with priuiledge Their protestant Relations of that Confer printed by Ihon windet cap. 1.2.3 all annexed to Barlows Relation wee ar told that your protestant Archbishop of Canterbury Bishop of London Bishop of Wynchester did here vpon their knees before his maiesty confesse as much of the errors of that booke and their Religion thus wee haue from them in three seuerall relations and from the fourth by your Bishop Barlowe as before Finallie thus wee pore catholicke preists and catholicks haue toyled ourselues in searching seeking and preaching all protestants proceedings parlaments lawes writings liues dealeings of these pretended reformers and the further wee wade the deeper wee ar in error if Catholick Religion could possibly bee error for as is euident before wee can finde nothing in any of these protestant patterns and examples but such as confirme vs in that faith wee professe with the catholicke christian world in all ages To which God of his mercy conuert them that bee in error And soe much for this first part of this protestant Plea and petition But seeing wee cannot finde any comforte by your owne writers and relators of these thinges to ioyne with you in your New Religion wee will next proue vnto you by your owne doctors and Antiquaries that holy Religion which wee embrace for which you persecute vs to be the same which was first preached here by Saint Peter and his holy disciples and soe consequently deliuered by Christ himselfe and continued in this nation in all ages euen since then vntill these tymes FINIS APPROBATIO Ego infrascriptus legi libellum Anglicanum cui Titulus praefigitur Protestants plea and petition for Priests and Papists nihil in eo reperi fidei Catholicae vel bonis moribus aduersum quin potius eundem vtilem futurum iudico dignum qui in lucem prodeat Datum Duaci 19. Septemb. 1621. MATTHAEVS KELLISONVS
ENGLISH PROTESTANTS PLEA AND PETITION FOR ENGLISH PREISTS AND PAPISTS TO THE present Court of Parlament and all persecutors of them diuided into two parts IN THE FIRST IS PROVED by the learned protestants of England that these Preists and Catholicks haue hitherto been vniustly persecuted though they haue often and publickly offered soe much as any Christians in conscience might doe IN THE SECOND PART IS PROVED by the same protestants that the same preistly sacrificinge function acknowledgeing and practize of the same supreame spirituall Iurisdiction of the Apostolick See of Rome and other Catholick doctrines in the same sence wee now defend them and for which wee ar at this present persecuted continued and were practized in this Iland without interruption in al ages from S. Peter the Apostle to these our tymes Odio habuerunt me gratis They haue hated me without cause With permission Anno 1621. THE PREFACE TO AL INDIFFERENT AND EQVALL READERS RIght honorable and the rest my dearest and moste beloued contrymen kinred and frends I haue by the greate prouidence protection and mercy of God liued now amongst you a preist in persecution little lesse then halfe the life of an aged man That which remayneth is cheife my debt by nature to dye and make accompt to my highest Kinge and Iudge as of late our moste reuerend Arch-preist within these few weekes hath done whoe as I interprete his letters bequeathed as a legacie to mee vnworthie this chardge To write and publish to the world this ensueing treatise which I name The protestants Plea and petition to the parlament for preists and papists soe many protestants please to stile Catholicks If this chardge had not beene committed vnto mee by my soe honored and reuerend frend yett hauinge beene soe longe a partaker of the miseries which english catholicks haue in these tymes endured and beeing well acquainted with the proceedings of bothe sides and knowing by certaine experience that besides their sufferings to their immortall honor their published bookes by diuers our learned preists haue soe conuinced the vnderstandings of our greatest aduersaries in all cheife questioned things That noe protestant Bishop or other writer hath now after diuers yeares made any answeare at all vnto them and of many former moste humble petitions of our learned preists and catholicks both to our protestant princes and parlaments to haue audience in disputation with their best learned protestant Bishops doctors whether to thy could conuince vs as guiltie and worthie to bee persecuted as we haue beene which hither they would neuer graunt but haue soe longe and greuously without any triall or condemnation executed and persecuted vs in soe straunge a maner and the present protestant rather puritane parlament stormeth now more against vs then the wisest of vs can see reasons to warraÌ„t them I therefore for the honor of God and reputation of his holy church and Religion the loue of my country and to performe my frends request doe puplish this remembred worke to bee diuided into two parts and eyther of them to bee inuincibly proued by the learned protestants of this kingdome In the first because the holy scripture soe describeth the dutie of well lyuing men Declina à malo fac bonum declyne from euill and to good I am to proue by these remembred protestants that the catholicks of England doe moste religiously decline from your Religion and all participating therein and their offers considered the protestant state doth moste vniustly persecute them In the second to iustifie that fac bonum wee doe well and therein performe the holy commande of God in professing the catholicke Religion the same with the church of Rome shall bee demonstratiuely proued by these protestants and the best Antiquities and monuments they haue of our first true Apostolick Religion in these kingdomes of our present most honored soueraigne kinge Iames that not onely those cheifest questions for which wee ar soe persecuted as namely holy preisthood now treason the sacrifice of the masse so punished and the spirituall power and iurisdiction of the see Apostolicke here nowe soe penall and contemptible but if need require all other controuersies betweene vs of substance haue euer from the tyme of S. Peter the Apostle in euery age and hundred yeares vntill these dayes beene practised and continued here without interruption in such sence maner meaneinge as wee catholicks of this kingdome with the church of Rome now doe professe And here I entreate noe Religious order to take my Title plea and petition for preists and papists as any excluding of their holy labours and deserts which I embrace and reuerence for although I will maintaine for them that monasticall life in England is soe auntient as the dayes of S. Ioseph of Aramathia whoe brought it hither and dyed here with his holy company in that profession yett I finde wee had both preists and Bishops here in and of this nation longe before that tyme and many Catholick Christians of the same Religion wee now professe and soe continued vntill this tyme without the least discontinuance or totall interruption which I dare not to affirme of our Religious men ceasing for an hundred yeares after S. Iosephs death and in the beginninge of Queene Elizabeths tyme for twenty yeares allmost together fayled here when many holy preists were laboureing here in this holy worke and after some Religious men of the societie had come hither they went and left vs alone for diuers yeares Therfore to speake consequently which I must performe I must giue this happie prerogatiue to our reuerend preists whoe neuer fayled or fainted in this cause and contry They were the first conuerted this kingdome and did neuer cease They first tooke this quarrell in hand in the tyme of Q. Elizabeth and onely were they that neuer gaue it ouer They are principally they whoe in the catalogues of our holy writers of this tyme ar stiled with that honor They ar the spirituall fathers and in Christ Iesus haue begotten both the present Religious and other catholicks of this kingdome They whoe with their holy doctrine and effusion of their sacred blood for this moste glorious cause haue aboue all others eight or more to one beene the continuall preachers and propugners of this true faith with vs. They whoe both in the presence and absence of all religious haue often offered and humbly sought publick defence thereof by disputation against the best learned and selected protestant Bishops and Doctors of this nation Therefore leauinge these peculiar honors vnto the Reuerend preists of England I will with such inequallitie as I haue before proposed maintaine for all preists Religious and all catholicks that our holy preisthood sacrifice of Masse spirituall Romane iurisdiction and the like were vsed and continued â—ere without chaunge or intermission in the same â—enure wherein Catholicks now professe them from S. Peter to these dayes by our protestant warrants and Antiquities And soe I rest Your most loueinge and
well wishing contry man TO THE RIGHT HONORABLE Court of parlament especially such as therein bee persecutors of Catholicks and to all other such persecutors A Breuiate of the vndoubted truthe of catholick Religion persecuted in England Right honorable and the rest THe penalties and persecutions which in these daies of Protestants haue been heaped vpon and prosecuted against the sacred preists and renowned Catholicks of England haue beene soe heauy and greate by his Maiesties regall sentence in publice parlament that they moued him to these words of commiseration My mynde was euer free from persecution or thrallinge my subiects in matters of conscience I was soe far froÌ„ encreasing their burdens with Roboham as I haue soe much as either tyme occasion or lawe could permitt lightned them Your Courte well knoweth what the case of Roboham was wee neede say noe more and what other heauie burdens haue been since then heaped vpon vs And by your present assemblie now againe to bee inuented and added in his publick speach in his 1. parlam You cannot possibly bee ignorant what an eminent man in your house and companie hath written of the opinion of the christian world of these proceedings The suffrings Syr Edwyne Sandes speaketh vnto you in his booke of the relation of the state of Religion and martyrdomes of English catholicks in these times ar accompted to the height of Neroes and Dioclesians persecutions and the suffrings on their side both in meritts of cause in extremitie of torments and in constancie and patience to the renowned martyrs of that heroicall church age What Nero and Dioclesian were amonge the greatest tyrants and persecutors your place and lawe-makers may not pleade ignorance neyther what the honor and glory of that moste sacred preisthood sacrifice and Religions which soe vehemently and beyonde example you persecute If all catholicks would bee silent your owne protestant Bishops and Antiquaries haue published in Theaters histories to the present world and future posterities that the very same were planted and embraced here in the Apostles tyme and were neuer chaunged in any materiall thinge vntill your pretended reformatioÌ„ Protest Bishops in the Theater of Brit. l. 6. Holinsh. â—ist of Engl. in Claud. Cambden in Britan. Godwyn Conuers Parker antiq Brit. GrymstoÌ„ booke of Estaâ—es in Engl. Scotland Ireland Yf wee appeale to kings and parlaments â— whereon you builde all the auncient parlaments lawes liues of the kings of ScotlaÌ„d â—ry out vnto vs that after 80. Christian kings â—here king Iames is the first and onely proâ—estant kinge The parlaments lawes liues of kings and histories of England and Ireland doe publish vnto vs that of all his primogeniâ—ors kings of these nations hee alone is protestant kinge of them Hee claymeth nothing from king Henry 8. Edward 6. or Q Elizabeth â—ee enioyeth and longe and happily God graunt him to enioy it this Empire by a betâ—er and truer right then they could giue him Hector Boeth Vereca alij hist Scot. all English â—rish hist with their parlam c. Your histories and the laste wills and testaments of those kings ar witnesses against theÌ„ and your Religion that they laboured moste â—niustly against the lawe of God and nature â—o suppresse the vnquestionable right of our soueraigne and his holy mother Edw. Howes preface historial in king Henr. 8. last will of king Henr. 8. All those lawes parlaments and antiquities ar warrant that from our first conuertion to Christ wee had noe other Bishops preists ministers or church seruice which you call communion but Romane catholicke Bishops preists whom you make Traytors and sacrifice of masse for the liuinge and the dead now soe persecuted by you vntill the second parlament of kinge Edward 6. a childe moste childishly began this innouation Parlament 2. Edw. 6. cap. â— an 5. c. 1. Confer at hampt court And in Scotland your ministry and communioÌ„ deuised there by that Traytor to God and prince is of a yonger standinge in the yeares 1560. and 1571. Commun booke c. of the kirke of Scotland by Iohn knoxe 9. of march an 1560. and 1571. Your protestant Antiquaries mustar vnto vs about 1000. approued classicall writers in this kingdome that be renowned in the christian world whoe were such preists said masse preached and proued that Religion they tell vs of many thousand Bishops by continuall succession from our first christianitie of aboue 1000. canonized Saints of diuers thousands of Religious men and woemen liuing in continuall pouertie chastitie and obedience since the tyme of Saint Ioseph of Arimathia that buryed Christ and brought monasticall life into this kingdome wee had 700. Religious howses founded for them which you haue defaced Baleus l. de Scriptor centur 1.2.3.4 Ioh. Leland de script Pitseus de vir illustrib aetate 2.3.4.5 c. Capgrau al. de Sanct. histor Angl. passim Theater of Brit. per tot Stowe hist Holinsh. histor Eng. Scot. Irland Camb. Britan. Our Religion builded those churches which â—ou haue reserued many thowsands which â—ou haue defaced Wee enioyed aboue the â—hird part of England to our Religion 600. â—eares paste and after wee had more kings Queens and princes Saints in this Island and â—reland by your owne historyes and kaleÌ„ders â—hen there euer were since in all the world of â—our Religion Tom. 1.2.3.4 Concil Our Religion had for external warraÌ„t aboue 20. general â—ouncells From the first of nyce in the time of Constantine our Kinge Emperour and conâ—ryman and Sardyce where the popes supreaâ—acy masse and preisthood are confirmed Concil Nic. 1. can 6.7 Sardic concil Theater of Briâ—an in Brit. Stowe hist. Holinsh. ib. Camb. Brit. which our brittist bishops receued vntill the â—aste of Trent in the tyme of Q. Elizabeth to which our catholicke Bishop Pates of worcesâ—er subscribed for England for vs and against you as your protestant Bishop telleth vs. Godwyn Catalog of Bish. in worcester in Rich. Pates wee had consequently all holy fathers and Bishops present in them to warrant vs. wee had and haue as your protestants acknowledge Casaubon respons ad Cardinal Peron pag. 69.70 all Apostolicke seas for vs against you wee had and haue consequently all those true and vndeniable motiues of true ReligioÌ„ which moued the christian world to embrace the lawe of Christ to assure and confirme vâ— in this truthe wee see and knowe that this our holy faith accordinge to the foretelling of Christ his prophets and Apostles is preached and planted in all the worlde Europe Africke Asia and America neuer any Religion in the lawe of nature of Moyses Iewes Turcks Tartares protestants pagans or other is or was at any tyme in any degree dilated as it is Grymston Booke of estates in kâ— of Spaine Europe Asia Africk America And for externall splendor at home it was soe greate when king Henry 8. began to enuie the glory of it that he promised the parlameÌ„t as your protestaÌ„t histories assure vs if it would graunt him power to visitt
sonne Robert Earle of Salisbury neâ—er to persecute any of that Religion Thus hee acknowledged to a worthy and noble witnesse who as God is witnesse so hath testified We doe not we will not contest with our present most honoured wise and learned Soueraigne neither enter into his priuate iudgement But if any the best learned protestant Archbishops or Bishops you haue will iustifie all those publicke speaches writings and bookes which goe vnder the name of our King to proceede from him if it will please him to giue way vnto â—t they shall haue maintained against them that â—y those published writings it is damnable for â—hem to persecute vs and we in conscience cannot if to gaine a thousand worlds be of your protestant Religion And we humbly hope this nothing derogateth to his prudent Maiestie for we openly and willingly write that concerning all your best learned Bishops and others that haue written as namely Whitguist and Bancroft of Canterburie Bilson and Andrewes of Winchester Doue Barlowe Godwyne Field Bridges Hooker Couell and all the best students amongst you were in iudgement far from persecution of Catholikes and as far from assurance that they themselues were in true Religion It is no vaine boasting now to write it because in all controuersiall poynts we haue many yeares since invincibly prooued it by your best learned Protestant Bishops and Doctors Protestants Recantation in matters of Religion l. 1. l 2 Protestants Demonstrat for Catholikes Recusancy c. both in generall that neither Scriptures Traditions Counsels Apostolike Churches Fathers or any authoritie in diuine matters is for you but all against you that you haue not neither hereafter by your Religion can possibly find any Rule or direction to bring you into trueth That there is not nor can be any true and competent Iudge or Consistorie with you to decide these contentions and bring you into the right way That there is neither true Bishop Priest or Cleargie man in your Congregation That in all particular questions betweene vs you are in error All these things so inuincibly prooued by your selues that now after diuers yeares our bookes receaue no answere at all And your best â—earned are so far from taking this charge in â—and that but for disgrace of these times with â—ou they would in their liues and health â—ot liue in your wauering religion but be reconâ—iled to the Romane Church as many of them â—ately at their deaths haue bene And now in â—his your Parlament time to moue you and London to know the trueth the late Proâ—estant Bishop thereof Doctor King in his life â—or external cariage a great persecutor of Priests â—nd Catholikes a little before his death did plainely denounce your Religion to be damnable renounced as wee had prooued before of all such that he was any Bishop or Cleargie man was penitent for his protesting heresie humblie at the feete of a Priest whom he had formerly persecuted confessed his sinnes receaued Sacramentall absolution at his handes and was reconciled to the Catholike Romane Church of which he had in his life bene so vehement a persecutor Zealously and openly protesting there was no saluation to be had out of that holy Catholike Romane Church Therefore wee neede not to dispute these matters anew But because by the present tempests you raise against vs in this your Parlament we are assured that your storming persecutions are not ceased if your wils and anger can maintaine their blustrings therefore we cannot but still defend our innocencie and humbly admonish you that by these courses you offer and doe we receaue and suffer wrong And because you see and know you are neither able to instruct vs or your selues persisting in persecution you fall into that lamentable estate preached vnto you out of Pulpit by your now Archbishop of Yorke D. Matthewes Serm. before the Parlament and in publike Parlament denounced by his Maiestie Persecution without instruction is but tyrannie K. Iames speach in Parlament That you cannot or vncharitably will not both leade to that damnable estate we are now euidently to demonstrate to you and make knowne to the world for our owne excuse which we can doe by no better or more certaine meanes in this case then publish and make knowne to our dearest countrey that from the first beginning of these your persecutions broached and borne in the first Parlament of Queene Elizabeth wee haue in all humble and best meanes we could requested and sought for instruction from your best learned Bishops Doctors and instructors among you if we be in error by many and sundry petitions to our protestant Princes Parlaments and others that were in chiefe place and command to procure it if there had bene any in your Religion that could performe it If you had that could and would not your estate is more then dangerous if you haue none can instruct vs which you make apparant if you still persist in persecution You heare our King and your Archbishop call vnto you Correction without instruction is but tyrannie Therfore in this first part of this Protestant plea and petition of your best learned Protestants in both parts to be vndeniably proued iustified by them wee propose some of those most humble suites and petitions we haue by the best warrant spirituall we had in England our most Reuerend Archpriest his learned Priests and chiefest renowned Catholikes presented to procure and obtaine this instruction in conference and disputation with your best learned Protestant Bishops and Doctors and with such vnequall conditions on our behalfe that except the Catholikes of England had bin assured they were in trueth and their disputant Priests could not be instructed by any the best learned in your Religion they could not in conscience haue made so large and disaduantageous offers vnto you as their seuerall petitions and suits will witnesse Except you will thinke to flatter your selues that these renowned Priests and catholikes did doubt of their Religion which their martirdomes and sufferings for it do inuincibly reproue and appeale to you for instruction which you denying and yet so persecuting them can neuer free your selues from that dolefull condition remembred by our gratious King and your Archbishop you will further receaue in this first part such iuste and most reasonable and vnanswereable reasons by the Religions and proceedings of all your supreame heads in spirituall busines vntill his maiesties time wherein silence will be vsed King Henry 8. King Edward the 6. and Queene Elizabeth that as they are set downe by your best protestant writers we cannot yeelde to you in matters of Religion neither you in conscience either persecute vs in these things or your selues secured in that profession Howe Catholike Religion was vniustlye suppressed by Queene Elizabeth not one Spirituall person hauing voyce in Parlamente consenting no disputation or ordinarie defence thereof permitted to the Catholike Bishoppes and Cleargie and their duetifull loyaltie notwithstanding their pietie honoured by their protestant
enemies IN THE first yeare and Parlamente of Queene Elizabeth when our aunciente holy Catholike Religion was so vnholily and irreligiously suppressed and the new Protestant maner and fashion by her authoritie receaued as partly before remembred from our Protestant Histories and will by them more amplie be declared hereafter All the Catholike Bishops of England then liuing so farre opposed against it that as a Protestant Antiquarie relateth obseruing the willfull and indirect proceedings of her and some few of her secret Councellours and aduisers in that so importunat businesse far aboue the compasse calling and correction of a yong woman and laye men diuers of them vrged to proceede to excommunicate that Queene at that time Cambd. Annal in Elizab. p 37. But others which preuailed aduised to reserue it to the Pope of Rome And they all ioyntly contradicted that innouation and then and there offered as all protestant historians agree Stowe and Howes hist. an 1. Eliz. Holinsh. hist. of Engl. Ibid. Theater of Brit an 1. Elizab. Cambd. in Annal. supr publickly to defend and maintaine by disputation against all aduersaries whatsoeuer their holy professioÌ„ and religion and to that purpose assigned and appointed these disputants The then Bishop of Winchester the Bishop of Lichfielde the Bishop of Chester the Bishop of Carlile who had crowned her the Bishop of Lincolne Doctor Cole Doctor Harpesfield Doctor Langdal and Doctor Chadsey But that protestaÌ„t Q. her fauorites knowing the weaknes of their cause to be such and how their chiefest champioÌ„s had bene not long before in publike schooles at Oxford in the time of Queene Marie so shamefully conuinced by some of these Catholikes that they were hissed by the learned Auditors durst not ioyne with theÌ„ in tryal Foxe in Q. Mary CraÌ„ c. But the ParlameÌ„t begining on or about the 23. of Ianuary they had so prepared their way before that almost in the beginning of that ParlameÌ„t they obtained their purpose for the receauing their new Religion and effected that in the very first Acte or law of that Parlament Statut. an 1. Eliz. cap. 2. and would neuer harken to any motion or petition for disputation vntill the laste day of March Stowe Howes Holinsh. supr almost two moneths after they had thus vtterly excluded the Popes authoritie and the cathotholike religion vsed and practised here in this kingdome euer since the time of Pope Elutherius and King Lucius as the catholikes offered in Parlament to maintaine fourteene hundred yeares togeather without interruption Feckh orat 1. Elizab. and publicke Masse and seruice of â—he church to haue bene here so long celebrated in the latine tongue And would not then condiscend to any disputation at all except the catholikes would accept to write in Protestants words That Baconus in Theologicis parum versatus pontificus in festissimus ordinis vâ—ndex tanquam iudex praesideret Bacon a lay man vnskilful in diuinitie most infestuous enemy to Papists and persecutor of their order should be iudge Camden Annal. pag. 27. And if we may beleeue the present protestant Archbishop the director of M. Francis Mason in their booke of consecration among so many essentiall matters controuersed betweene the Protestants and vs they would not dispute any one at all but onelie three concerning some ceremonies Fr. Mason in praef of their booke of consecrat and pag. 103. 1. about common prayer in the Latine or vulgar tongue 2. Of the power of Churches to change ceremonies The third and last whether communion was to be ministred in both kindes and the triall of these three ceremonies to be made by a fourth most strange ceremonie in disputation onely to be put in writing within two daies warning at the most vnum alterum diem de quaestionibus praemoniti as your Antiquarie writeth and deliuered to their said offensiue enemy Sir Francis Bacon Cambden annal pag. 27. A thing so ridiculous and vnequal in the iudgement of all learned and wise men that if it had bene offered before Catholike religion was there condemned it could not in conscience either by those learned Bishops and Doctors or the most learned that euer were in the Church of Christ nor by the holy Apostles themselues if they had then and there bene be accepted Yet Queene Elizabeth and her aduisers in this notwithstanding that she had in open Parlament before as before is testified by our Protestant writers Howes historicall preface in Q. Elizabeth openly pronounced that shee would neuer vexe or trouble the Romane Catholikes concerning any difference in Religion in that very parlament where she spake these wordes and made that promise proceeded to cruell penalties against those Romane Catholikes all our holie Bishops were depriued imprisoned or exiled Stow histor an 1. Eliz. Holinsh. ibid. Cambden Annal an 1. Elizab. Theatre of Brit. an 1. Eliz. c. So were all other Ecclesiasticall persons that would not doe as pleased her Great forfaitures and punishments were imposed vpon all that should heare Masse or not be present at the new deuised seruice Parl. an 1. Eliz. cap. 1.2 praemunire losse of landes goods and perpetual imprisonment and losse of life also with note of Treason to them that should denie that supreame spirituall power to be in her which many Protestants and learned both then and at this time said and say she was incapable of All which notwithstaÌ„ding that most worthy cleargie in exile and prisons at home so caried themselues in all ciuill dutie to that Queene that they are in that respect recommended and honored by their greatest Protestant aduersaries and persecutors and for learning and pietie dignified and exalted more by theirs and our enemies then euer any Protestant Bishops or Ministers which inuaded their holy places since that time Protest def of English Iustice. Godwine Catal in those Bish. Camden in Annal. But of this strange innouation of Religion by Q. Elizabeth I shall write more largely from these Protestants hereafter The vertue learning and dutiful loyaltie of the Seminarie or secular as some name them Priestes which came after into England the vniust persecution of them and catholikes here and their most christian and religious offers and behauiour AFter Q. Elizabeth had by profane deuises inueÌ„tions of some few irreligeous couÌ„cellors suppressed the auntient catholike religioÌ„ of this nation by such sinister proceedings as are before insinuated to the wonder of the christian world orbe christiano mirante as this Protestant chiefest antiquarie truely noteth Cambden Ann. p. 39. for the vncoÌ„scionable maner effecting herof though she had in opeÌ„ ParlameÌ„t as befor protested neuer to vexe or trouble the Roman Catholikes coÌ„cerning any differeÌ„ce in ReligioÌ„ How 's historical praeface in Q. Elizabeth yet being assured as the truth was by her pauculi intimi her very few secret friends Cambd. supr that except she became a persecutor against her faith promise so publikely and lately giuen so ioyne craft and violence together the weaknes
of her cause was such and the learning and conuersation of life of those her Protestant ministers whom she must imploy in this busines so vnequall and inferiour to the Catholike Bishops and Cleargie of England that no hope of such succeâ—e as they sought could bee except these holie and worthie men were depriued imprisoned banished or vtterly one way or other put to silence in such maner that after their deathes our most sacred order of Priesthood which had continued in this nation here in honor and glorie from S. Peter the Prince of the Apostles as we haue made demonstrance in other places might vtterly and for euer be abolished and extinguished as these fewe secrete friends of those designements open Antipriests or Antichristians for the Religion of Christ cannot be without the Priests of Christs plotted and hoped to effect Your principall protetestant Antiquarie thus relateth that cruel Tragedie Camden in Annalib pag. 36. Parlamento dimisso ex eiusdem authoritate Episcopis pontificijs alijs ecclesiasticae professionis iuramentum suprematus proponitur Quotquot iurare abnuerunt beneficijs dignitatibus exuuntur 80. rectores ecclesiarum 50. prebendarij 15. praesides Collegiorum Archidiaconi 12. totidem decani 6. Abbates Abbatissae episcopi 14. Omnes qui tunc sederunt praeter vnum Antonium Landauensem sedis suae calamitatem The Parlament being ended by the authoritie therof the oath of the Queenes supreamacie was proposed to the popish Bishops and all Ecclesiasticall persons as many as refused to sweare were depriued of their benefices dignities and Bishoprickes 80. Rulers of Churches 50. Prebendaries 15. Masters of Colledges 12. Archdeacons 12. Deanes 6. Abbots and Abbases and 14. Bishops all that then remained except one Anthony Bishop of Landaffe the calamitie of his See These Bishops inferiour in vertue and learning to none in Europe as your Protestants acknowledge Mason lib. 3. consecrat c. 1. pag. 100. Cambd. in Annal. sup Stowe histor an 1. Eliz. Holinsh. hist of Engl. 16. thus deposed and imprisoned and there to languish to death they thought none could suruyue to consecrate anie more priestes for England and all rulers of our Colledges in our then renowned Vniuersities thus expelled that would not forsweare themselues in such a sacrilidgeous manner they thought themselues assured we could haue no succession of Catholike students here to enter into that holy priestly order But non est consilium contra Dominum there is no counsayle against our Lord. The prophane craft and wylinesse of a few wicked men ioyned with a womans spiritual supreamacie was too weake to oppose and battaile against the heauenly wisdome and will of God For a very small number and those of the meanest then of our glorious Cleargie transporting themselues to Catholike nations and by such poore meanes as they could procure liueing in collegiall discipline and order at Doway in Flaunders where our common happie and spirituall Nurse and Mother is haue so wounderfull and far beyond the reach of your protestant polycies and strategems to the honour of God and his holy cause against you multiplied and encreased that the number and glory of our renowned publikely stiled writers which in this time haue come from thence giueth not place to anye age since our firste conuersion to Christe Pits de virg illustrib Brit. aetate 16.17 our holye Martirs violently put to death by your Edictes and proceedings Stowe histor in Henric. 8. Elizabeth Iacob Catalog martyr sub Henric. 8. Elizab. Iacob 1.5 exceede the number are not exceeded in glorie by any that histories amonge vs remember or whose memories by iniquitie of times are not remaining except the nouenius persecution duringe but nine yeares Gyldas de excid ours ninetimes as longe vnder Dioclesian the tyrant The Religious men of our Nation all the spirituall Children of that Mother are nowe possessours of manye Religious Colledges and Monasteries vnder Catholike princes and some of them in England with so many of ours are enrolled in the Catologue of glorious martyrs and a great number here stil working in this holy labour with vs. And if to enter into scholes with your best learned wee needed their assistance wee doubt not but diuers of them are both wel able and also readie to assist vs. But wee haue euer bene so far from either needing or requiring it of them that when you gaue vs the greatest hopes of disputation wee neuer sent for any of our owne re-â—enowned professors lyuing in forraine nations But as true Priests of England are the successors of Saint Peter the glorious Apostle and his holie Disciples in this Nation by a continued and neuer yett interrupted Hierarchicall succession to this daye as we will iustifie against your best antiquaries and diuines and firste after our Bishops by you depriued imprisoned and persecuted vndertooke this quarrell of God in hande against you and gayned many soules to Christ and for no crueltie or persecutions you raysed or exagerated against them coulde at any time be forced to forsake that holie combate they had vndertaken But as true Pastors they aduentured and gaue their liues for the sheepe of our highest shepheard and redeemer so to the hazard of the honour of Catholike Religion if Protestants could haue put them to foyle in all these miseries and afflictions destitute of bookes conference and harbour oftentimes to hide their heades they were euer readie to offer and entreate for tryall with vnequall conditions and so vnequall and preiudiciall to the disputante Priestes and Catholickes of Englande that except they had beene so confidente in their cause that they could not be ouercome and the Protestant Bishops and Doctors compleately furnished and prouided of all thinges requisite to such a conflicte if their quarrell were iust had not bene desperatly diffident in these matters neither might the Catholikes in conscience haue made those suits and offers or these protestants without damnable shame haue refused them as the petitions themselues will be euerlasting witnesse to the world And when the protestant state of England had in aboue twenty of the first yeares of Q. Elizabeth afflicted vs with many miseries and had put many of our renowned and best learned priests M. Sherwine Foord and others to whom they durst not graunt priuate disputation in the Tower itselfe though neuer so secret vniustly to cruell death and had vsed M. Campion the glorie of that Societie in England in such measure neuer allowing him to defende his owne written booke though neuer so priuatly vntill by tortures and rackes they had al-most depriued him of his life and after with many of our learned and holy priests did depriue him thereof had banished M. Heywood and M. Parsons had forsaken England the three prime English Iesuits of that time And no other religious man either of that or any other order but onely priests being here and of them aboue thirtie in prisoÌ„ in the Tower Marshalsea Kings-bench and other places About which time the 27.
power Ormerod protest Assert an 1604. pag. 218. Then much lesse of that supreame power And if shee had been a man yett in that case your protestant historians before haue told vs made illegitimate by publicke parlament the Kinge Lords spirituall and temporall with the rest there must haue beene as greate a power to recall yt which was not in that her first parlament for the Lords spirituall whoe onely haue power in such cases did vtterly dissent to yeeld her any such priuiledge soe that noe man or company that had power of dispensations in such things dispensed with her but contrary Againe it is a maxime in the Lawes as you Lord Cooke writeth l. 4. fol 23. nemo potest plus iuris in alium transferre qnà m ipse habet None can giue more power to an other then they haue to giue and the contrarie is vnpossible Therefore seeing no Parlament that euer was in England when all the Bishops and Abbots and chiefe spirituall men it euer had were assembled had at any time either for themselues or to giue vnto any other that supreame spirituall power but as your Bishops haue told vs before it was wholly in the Pope of Rome euer from our conuersion and so could neuer be deriued to King Henry the eight or Edward the six Parker antiquit Britan. in Cranmer Polydor. Virg. in Henr. 8. l. vlt. histor c. it is much more stronge against Q. Elizabeth both for her sexe and the other incapabilitie as Protestants assure vs. And for her or any to clayme it by that Parlament wherein shee tooke it vpon her is a thing more then to be wondred at for all men of that Parlament which had any spiritual iurisdiction as the Catholike Bishops did by all meanes resist and contradict it and the words of the statute as your Protestants haue published it by which shee tooke vpon her to exercise it and persecute Catholikes onely by pretence of this power there giuen vnto her are these Most humbly beseech your most excellent Maiestie your faithful and obedient subiects the Lordes Spiritual and Temporal and the vvhole commons in this your present Parlament assembled That the supreame power spirituall should be in that Queene when it is euident by all our Protestāt histories that not one Lord Spirituall either desired it or consented vnto it but all repugned and gaine-said it and for that cause were committed to prison or otherwise most grieuously afflicted Stow histor an 1. Elizab. Holinsh. Theater an 1. Eliz. Cambd. annal rerum Anglic. in 1. Elizab. c. And yet there was not any man in that Parlament that could giue vnto her if she had bene capable as she was not the least spiritual iurisdiction ouer the least parish in England And if she had not insisted in her fathers steppes of flatterie terrors dissimulatiō promises of great matters without performāce in some degrees by the cunning of some about her without conscience exceeded him shee might haue founde as little applause and consent in the Lords temporall and others For vsing all meanes she could to further her strange proceedings partly to be hereafter from her Protestant writers remembred yet shee found such and so manifest reasons opposed against her that the scarres of those wounds then giuen to your religion will neuer be recouered A principall antiquarie among you writeth Cambden Annal. in Eliz. pag. 26. that the Lord Vicount Mountague which a little before had bene Ambassadour at Rome with Bishop Thursby of Ely for the reconciling of England to the Church of Rome in Queene Maries time publickly in parlament these opposed Hic ex Religionis ardore honoris ratione acriter instabat magno Angliae dedecori esse si ab Apostolica sede cui nuper se submisse reconciliarat mox deficeret Hee out of loue of religion and care of honour did earnestly vrge how great a shame it would be to England if it should so soone reuoult from the Sea Apostolike to which it had lately submissiuelie reconciled it selfe and would turne to greater danger if excommunicated it by such defection be exposed to the rage of neighboring enemies Hee in the name of the nobilitie and all degrees in England in their name had done obedience to the Pope of Rome and must needes performe it Therefore he vrgently besought them that they would not depart from the Romane Sea to which they were indebted both for first receauing the faith from thence and from thence hauing it continually preserued This was sufficiently prooued at that time of the reconciliation of England to the Church of Rome in open Parlament also by Cardinall Pole as your first protestantly ordeyned Archbish in these wordes affirmeth Parkerant Brit. in Reginald Polo Hāc in sulae nobilitatem atque gloriam Dei prouidentiae atque beneficientiae soli accepta ferendam sed tamen viam ipsam atque rationem qua hac nobilitas atque gloria parta est sede Romana nobis prima semperque monstratam patefactam fuisse In Romana exinde fidei vnitate nos semper perseuerasse fuisseque nostram antiquissimam Romanae ecclesiae subiectionem The noblenes of this Iland for being the first of all the Prouinces of the worlde that receaued the Christian faith and the glorie thereof is to be acknowledged to haue proceeded from the prouidence and goodnesse of God yet the way it selfe and meanes by which this nobilitie glory was wonne vnto it was first alwaies shewed and layde open vnto vs from the Sea of Rome wee haue alwaies from that time perseuered in the vnity of the Romane faith and our subiection to the Romane Church is most auntient And this reconciling of England then to the Romane Church was so ioyful and honorable a thing to this natiō that to vse your Protestant Archbishops wordes Parker antiquit Britan. in Polo In Synodo decretum est vt dies ille quo pontifici Romano authoritas restituta fuerit quotannis festus dies celebraretur atque Anglicanae ecclesiae reconciliatio diceretur It was decreede in a Synode that the daye on which authoritie was restored to the Pope of Rome should yeerely be kept holie daie and called the Reconciliation of the Church of England Abbot Fecknham in Parlm Elizab. in his oration to that Parlament of Q. Elizabeth hath thus Damianus and Fugatianus as Ambassadours from the Sea Apostolike of Rome did bring into this Realme 1400. yeares past the very same religion whereof wee are now in possession and that in the latine tongue as the auntient historiographer Dominus Gylduas witnesseth in the prologue and beginning of his booke of the Britaine histories which he would not haue dared to vtter in that time and place but that then he could produce that antiquitie to be his warrant which with many others condemning the new religion of Protestants are by them suppressed All the Bishops of whom more hereafter and whom tearmeth your Protestant glorious renowned men obfirmate