with the rebellious states of Flaunders In Flāders or with the Apostata of Colen or other their correspondents wil come they partelie perceaue and may acknowledge therī as al other wise mē doe the mightie iust and prouident hand of God The secret miserie of English Protestātes When our Protestantes consider of thes thinges deeplie and attend the issue of al their extraordinarie proceedinges and as men out of al aime now and compasse of their intended cours can goe no farther without desperate ouerthrowe and hazard of al what miserie they may be in let wise men iudge how so euer thē selues couer their perplexed cogitations from the vulgar sort by telling them of faire wether and of their plentie of corne and cattle long reigne and prosperitie of her Maiesty aboue al Popes and Princes of her daies But the origine of al the former dishonorable desperate plottes and of the extreme feares and miseries The true origine of English miseries they manie wayes shew them selues to be in and indeed are notwithstanding the pretence of their prosperitie is their first fal from the God of their forefathers and the alteration of Catholique religion into this Caluinisme or Atheisme by which our Realme hath so long perished Though this Libeller and other English new writers no wiser nor better then Children or Beares that are offended with the roddes stones or staues wherwith they be beaten nether looking a◠the cause nor cheefe author of their punishment attribute their trobles or apprehended feares to the excommunication and to the godlie endeuours of Catholique Priestes instructing the people peaceablie to their saluation And how much this forsaking of holie Church Faith and communion of al Christian people displeased God and how vnwiselie it was done in respect of the temporal state and safetie of our Prince Countrie the same Lord God hath in their owne daies that were the authors therof reuealed as otherwise natural reason and experience if they were neuer so voide of conscience and religion might haue foretold thē But alas their owne particular aduauncement and infinite ambition which they thought should not haue so free cours if the old state of religion had continued ether brought them into errour of iudgemēt as it commonlie happeth or els which is no rare case nether made thē against their owne knowledge folowe that which was so pernitious both temporallie and spirituallie For who could not see though his iudgement reason Al mutations dāgerous but especially of Religion or reading were neuer so smal that al great alteratiōs in Common weales are dangerous Let but an attempt be made to change your temporal statutes and national lawes into the ciuil lawes change but your customes that now you be guided by in manie thinges change your forme of gouernment which is now a Monarchie into an other kind of regiment what infinite broiles would it bring But ther is no alteration so perilous as of Religion and of that Religiō which was planted by our first Apostles receaued from the mother Church of Christendome confirmed by miracles approued by al the lawes councels customes and tribunals of the Church for to be the only true worship of God and consonant to his sacred word wil. What counsaile could be more dangerous in the world then this They could not but thinke that the subiectes of the Realme so manie of them being Catholique so latelie reconciled to the Church and by publique Ambassie othe and promis to his Holines aduowed neuer to fal againe into Schisme could not but be much discontented They could not but see what hart-sore it would be to al thos that depended on the old honorable Cleargie to behold the depriuation and imprisonment almost of the whole order and an other fleshlie company intruded into their roomes whom no man almost liked of and sith are more and more taken and proued to be the filth of the land They were not ignorant that the Pope and Sea Apostolique now the secōd time so contemptuouslie forsaken could ether of conscience or dutie to his flocke or his owne honour The peril by excōmunication not vse one time or other the rodde of the Churches discipline which is Excōmunication against the offendors which how so euer they thought by errour of Religion they might contemne by power withstand yet they could not be so farre ouerseene that such Censures by which manie a mans conscience at home might be perced and of which anie forreine Prince abrode as time and aduantage serued him would perhaps make his profit might not seeme to them verie like to breed more trobles then were to be wished They looked not wel about them Consideratiōs against change of Religion in England if they foresawe not that their defection from the Pope who is most dearlie cōfederated with al the Catholike and mightie Kinges of Christendome might not breed a great alienation of their hartes from vs and an occasion of much inconuenience and danger to our Countrie Their wisdomes and experience of the diuers bloody conflictes foughten in our Fathers dayes for religion in Zwicherland and in our Countrie in K. Henrie the 8. and K. Edvvard the sixt late daies and the doubtful euent of such thinges might haue forewarned them of the like that might fal and sithence haue fallen as wel in England as Ireland where al the Countrie being in good wil Catholique they might easilie perceaue with what a general torment of conscience and danger of ciuil warre the new Religion were to be enforced vpon them Feare is neuer a sure nor long keeper of his maister And because no Prince ruleth his subiects so securelie by force and feare as by loue and liking how could they not conceaue that al Ireland and a great peece of England was euer to be interteined in subiection by power and plaine awe nothing by loue and sweetnes And which is of more perilous sequele in this case and ought most of al to haue bene by them foreseene is that the diuersitie of religion ioined with the censure and sentence of the Sea Apostolique may make such alteration in the opinions of manie otherwise most loial subiectes that diuers may seeme to obey onelie of feare and nothing of consciēce Which conscience of the subiectes doubtles is the onelie sure piller of the Souerains estate They should haue foreseene how manie persons of honour and qualitie for freedome of conscience and other discontentmēt grounded on religion were like to flie into forreine partes who might by zeale or miserie be so irritated against the causes of their banishment and occupiers of their liuelihoodes that their absence might proue dāgerous to their enimies state Whom they can not represse by calling them Fugitiues or such like names of vulgar reproch for that terrefied not the noble Prince Henrie the seuenth K. Henry the 7. grandfather to the Queenes Maiesty for pursuing the cruel Tirant and vsurper Richard the third whom he
inhumane dealing we wil not impeach the superiour magistrate much lesse the Soueraigne but surelie the inferior ministers of that pretended Iustice cannot be excused of most cruel and sacrilegions dealing towardes Godes Priestes and other innocent persons And as for the particular handling of father Campion and M. Briant whom the libellers make examples of their milde and gentle intertainment vpon the torture we refer al indifferent readers to the said Briants owne latine epistle of that matter In the end of the booke of the persecution in England And for th' other they say true indeed that after his first racking and at the tyme of the protestantes disputes with him in the Tower he was not so bereaued of his handes but he might with paine write or subscribe his name But afterward vpon his second or third racking he was so benommed that he could neither take the cuppe and lifte it to his mouth nor drawe of his cuffe at the barre nor streight after his last torment nor manie dayes following had he anie feeling or vse of his lymmes as he confessed to his keeper asking him how he felt his handes Not euil quoth he for I feele them not at all The like we could prooue of M. Paine M. Paine the Priestes tormenting and diuers others but this is inough to controlle thes shameles vntruthes of the libeller and to make demonstration of the pitiful violēces Slaunders and tribulations which our brethren haue constantlie borne and yet doe beare for professiō of their Faith which to some rebuke of our nation we wold neuer so particularlie vtter here and els where yf our blamelesse defence droue vs not therunto And speciallie for that we wold christianelie giue warning to al Princes and Prouinces that yet happilie enioye the Catholique religion and the onelie true libertie of conscience in the same A vvarning to other contries yet Catholique to take heed by our miseries how they let this pernicious sect put foote into ther states which by promis of libertie and sweetnes at the beginning entereth deceiptfullie but when she is once in and getteth the maistery as she often doth wher she is not in season cōstantlie resisted she bringeth al to most cruel and barbarous thraldome procuring her followers to hate and persecute the Church their owne onelie true and olde mother far more deadlie then the Heathens them selues doe and turneth al the lawes made by godlie Popes and Princes for punishment of Heretiques and malefactors to the spoile and destruction of innocēt men and Catholiques for whos defence they were made Into which miserie our countrie to vs most deare being fallen and hauing no other humane helpes to recouer it and our Prince and Peres excepting this case of heresie of excellent good nature and clemencie with millions of soules that ther doe perishe we wil not feare nor faile to pray and aske it of God with teares and blood as we haue begonne donec misereatur nostri til he be merciful both to vs and to our persecutors Our dayes of affliction cannot be long their felicitie wil haue an end bothe sides shal shortlie haue their doome wher the dealinges of vs al shal be trulie discussed and the iust shal stand with great constancie against them that vexed them Interim in the testimonie of a guiltlesse conscience in al thinges wherof we be accused by our aduersaries and in ioyful expectation of that day we wil continew stil this worke of God to our owne and our countries saluation Per infamiam bonam famam as the Apostle willeth vs and through other miseries what so euer mans mortalitie is subiect vnto THAT F. CAMPIAN AND THE REST OF THE PRIESTES AND Catholiques endited condemned and executed vpon pretence of treason and vpon statutes made of old against treasons vvere neuer yet guiltie of anie such crimes but vniustly made avvay CAP. II. HItherto we haue made it cleare that diuers contrarie to the drift of this Libel haue bene cōdemned and put to death ether without al lawe or els onelie vpon new lawes by which matter of religion is made treason Now it foloweth and is next to be considered whither such other as were accused and appeached of old treasons vppō a statute made in the dayes of Edward the third in the 25. yeare of his reigne were indeed guiltie of anie such crimes The intent of that lawe is to register diuers cases that were to be deemed treason in which the first and cheef is to conspire or compasse the death of the Soueraine or to leuie men of armes against him and therof can be by open fact conuinced Vpon which special clause father Campian good man and his fellowe Priestes and Catholique brethren were to the wonder of the world The enditement of F. Campiā and the rest arreigned Namelie endited that at Rome and Rhemes the last daye of March and May in the 22. yeare of her maiesties reigne they cōpassed the Q. death the subuersion of the state and inuasion of the Realme feigning for better coloring of the collusion the forsaid places dayes and tymes when this conspiracie should be contriued Which forgerie and false accusatiō is now so clearlie discouered to al Englishmen of anie cōsideration protestantes and others that for excuse of that soule sinful practise they haue set out at length to strangers as they did with like lucke before at home this late Libel by which God almightie the protector of his Saintes and our innocēcie hath marueilouslie confounded them selues and iustified the cause and conscience of his holie Martyrs as by the declaration folowing shal appeare When the Politiques of our countrie The intent and drift of Politiques in England pretending to be protestantes sawe the Catholique religion contrarie to their worldlie wise counsels and determinations and against their exquisite diligence and discipline twentie years endeuour in which tyme they thought verelie to haue extinguished the memorie of our Fathers faith to be reuiued in the hartes of the greatest number noblest and honestest sort of the Realme and that neither their strange violent and capital lawes for the Q. spiritual superioritie against the Popes preeminence the power of Priesthood in absoluing penitents the saying and hearing of Masse hauing or wearing of Agnus-deis or other external signes of our societie with the Catholique Church of al tymes and nations nor th' execution of manie by death and other penalties and punishment according to the said lawes wold serue nor were of force to hold out of England the Priestes of the Societie and Seminaries to whom Christ had giuen more Apostolike spirite courage zeale and successe then of so smal a beginning was looked for by whom the protestantes began to feare lest great alteratiō in religion wheron they thinke their new state that is to say the weale of a verie few in comparison dependeth might ensue they thought good by their long exercised wisdom to alter the whole accusation from question of faith and
wil not name though he named them to commence such a foule tragedie considering therfore al thes thinges and desiring to couer the foulenesse of the fact as much as might be aswel in respect of their owne people manifoldlie discontented and speciallie impatient of such iniurious proceedings as also of strangers to whom the rare vertues of father Campian and of some of th 'others were knowen besides other violeÌ„t meanes by seuere punishments and proclamations to stay the hard speaches and conceates of the people therin They caused some of them that yet were not executed The substance and inteÌ„t of the six Articles propounded to the Priestes before their execution to be examined vpon certaine Articles six in al cleane of an other pourport then their former accusation of killiÌ„g the GREATEST as our Libel speaketh al which articles doe concerne onelie the authoritie and fact of Pius Quintus of famous memorie in censuring the Q. by excoÌ„munication and depriuation for Heresie and what they thought or how far they allowed of the same Wherunto because they did coniecture their answers wold be odious in the sight of the simple speciallie of zealous protestantes as it fel out in deed they deuised to publish and read them to the people at the martyrdome of the rest that therby they might at least conceiue that they were worthie of death for other causes though not for that wherof they were condemned and so ether lesse pitie theÌ„ or lesse marke the former vniust pretensed matter of their condemnation And this coÌ„ning cours they haue folowed euer sith in defence of that pretended Iustice and is the whole conueyance of this Libeller now who to defend th' execution of their crueltie towardes thes Saintes of God bestoweth his labour onelie to proue that they haue bene tried by the six Articles coÌ„cerning the Excommunication and that ther was found a note after Father Campians death touching the same Bul procured for th'interpretatioÌ„ force therof brought from Rome by father Persons and the said F. Campians sute that M. Hart confessed the Bul in such and such sort to bind and otherwise not to stand in force Whereby onelie he goeth about to perswade the world and speciallie strangers vnacquainted in our affaires the said men to haue bene traytors iustlie punished as though new crimes ether found out or done after the sentence of their death past yea after the execution of the same could iustifie their condemnation past before But the world looked for some iustification of that former iudgement and verdict of court which passed with such great solemnitie against thos innocent men before vpon transgression as was pretended of an old statute for compassing the Q. death For as for al other declamatioÌ„s and Inuectiues be they true or be they false can not excuse the fact froÌ„ plaine murther nor condemne them after they be dead for other crimes then they were coÌ„uicted of in their liues Which the Libeller him self coÌ„fesseth in thes expresse wordes after al his idle worke and wordes Vpon refusal to ansvvere to thes questioÌ„s directlie saith he as they might haue bene iustlie conuicted of treason Fol. 18. so yet vvere they not therupoÌ„ condemned Which yet is false for they haue latelie executed diuers Priestes as M. Haddock Preestes nevvlie martyred in England M. Hemmerford and others most cruellie onelie about the matter of excommunication of the Q. But vpon their other former actions committed both abrod and in the Realme But what thos actioÌ„s were and how they were prooued to be committed particulerly by thos whom we auouch to be vniustly condemned vpon old treasons and to be onely killed for their religion that should haue bene your whole endeuour Sir to shew al other superfluous railing or recital of preteÌ„ded offenses for which your self confesse they were not condemned being not of force to mainteine the defence of your pretended Iustice nor yet to stay the Christian world and Church of God from accompting them Martyrs whom you haue murdered Against whos holy ashes and memories you can strugle no more then th' olde heathen and heretical persecutours did to diffame thos glorious men of the primatiue Church whom they executed in pretence of like treasonable trespasses who yet notwithstanâ—ing their enimies manifold endeuours to stay the â—onours due to them after their deathes by Christ â—nd his Churches iudgment haue gotten the victory â—uer their aduersaries and so remaine as glorious in heauen and earth as their persecutors be infamous â—hrough al the world What worldlie honour the two king Henries of England had The comparison of the Persecutors vvith the persecuted I meane the second and eight which â—n the dayes of their reigne no doubt was great or what esteeme so euer the Princesse present and her greatest Ministers haue now by the height of their â—oome and fortune in this life it is but a very dreame â—hadow or phantasie to the glorie of Thomas of Canâ—urburie Iohn of Rochester Chancelor More Father Campian and the rest whoÌ„ fame felicity foloweth vpon their deathes and vppon such contradiction of sinners seeking to disgrace them As also in the contrary part the persecutors glory dieth with their authority if not before and they are commonly better knoweÌ„ to posterity by executing of such meÌ„ though to their shame then by other their factes in their life whatsoeuer And so doth God protect his Saints A contradictione linguaruÌ„ from the ganesaing of tongues and giueth theÌ„ victorie of the world by the fortitude of their Fayth in him But of the six Articles concerning the Bul of excommunication more shal be said in the next chapteâ— and other places folowing that their innoceÌ„cie theriâ— also may appeare and the slaunderous Libeller repressed euery way THAT WE NOWE HAVE GREAT CAVSE TO COMPLAINE OF INIVST persecution intollerable seuerity and cruelty tovvardes Catholiques in England and their Protestantes no reason to doe the like for the Iustice done to them in Quene MARIES and other Princes dayes and the cause of the difference CAP. III. THE Libeller by-sophistical reasons popular perswasioÌ„ going about to make men thinke th'english persecution to be nothing so violent as is diuulged nor any thing comparable to the iustice exercised towardes the Protestantes in the raigne of the late Q. Marie telleth of hundrethes for our scores as also of the qualities of them that then suffred of their innocencie in al matters of state and treason and such like To which we say breeflie clearlie and to the purpose that we measure not the matter by the number nor by the seuerity of the punishment onely or specially but by the cause by the order of Iustice in proceeding by the lawes of God al Christian NatioÌ„s and such other circumstances wherby we can prooue Q. MARIES doings to be commeÌ„dable and most lawful th' other towardes vs and our Brethren to be iniust and impious The difference is in thes pointes you professe to
the Lantzgrane gaue this reason Lib. 21. of their taking armes against their supreme Magistrate For as much say they as Caesar intendeth to destroy the true religion and our anciēt libertie he giueth vs cause inough why we may with good conscience resist him as both by prophane and sacred histories may be prooued Lib. 22. The same writer reporteth the like of the Ministers of Magdeburge declaring how the inferiour may defend him self against the superior compelling him to doe against the truth and rule of Christes lawes By al which you see that to resist the Magistrat defend them selues in cases of consciēce and to fight against the superiour for religion is a cleere and ruled case and no treasonable opinion at al against the Prince if we wil be iudged by Protestants wherin their knowen facts be far more notorious then their writinges The examples of the Protestants taking armes for their Religion For that Beza and other the cheefe ministers of the French Caluinical Congregations were them selues in feeld agaīst two or thre of their natural leige lordes and kinges Zwinglius also the vnfortunate Father of our English faith was killed in the battail as al the world knoweth and therby it is euident that the instance of D. Saunders who followed of zeale the late commotion in Ireland can not be so much obiected to the Catholiques reproch as th' aduersarie would haue it seeme whos report notwithstanding of the maner of his death is also a verie slaunderous vntruth The Protestants of Flanders held it for a most certaine truth by the approbation also and sollicitation of England that they might rebel against their supreme Magistrate for Religion when by force of armes they altered al and deposed their Soueraigne Which ought the more to weigh with th' English Caluinistes for that as I haue signified their pudding lay also in that fier As likewise it is wel knowē that them selues haue bene the cheefest procurers and doers in the depriuing of the lauful and annointed Q. of Scotland and for her further affliction haue kept her also in captiuitie thes fourtene years together And here in thes cases of their owne The variable mutable dealing of Protestants no treasonable propositions no resisting of Gods annointed no disobeying the king as being the most precellent no ouerruling the person that acknovvledgeth no superior in earth but holdeth onely of God for al thes termes the Libeller seemeth to make great aduantage of against the resisters of our Q. deposing of her Maiestie by the sea Apostolique can haue place or beare sway But when it cometh to a point of their owne freshe and florishing religion then neither vnction nor lauful succession nor anie other princelie prerogatiue can serue lauful Magistrates or saue them from their subiects furie th' English brethren euer speciallie assisting the rebellion as wel by their diuinitie as otherwise by force of armes to their power The question therfore is not nether is it material to the purpose which the Libeller so much florisheth verie idlie of the Princes lauful creation or consecration The true state of the question about resisting of Princes but whether a Prince laufullie inuested and annointed may be for anie cause namelie for matter of Religion resisted by his subiects We say that the Protestants of al sectes doe both holde and practize it England it self speciallie allowing of the same And therfore ther is no treason in this case if we folowe the present diuinitie of England nor new example if we respect the furious attempts and rebellions of Scotland Flaunders Fraunce and Germanie against their superiours for maintenance of their heresies al wel allowed by the ministerie of euerie Prouince And vpon thes examples you should look my Masters of England when you make so much adoe for one poore commotion made in defence of the Catholiques in twētie six yeares space of the greatest persecution and tribulation that euer was since the Gothes and Vandals times Wher if the Q. had holden her Ancestours faith and had ruled ouer so manie protestants but a quarter of the time afflicting them as she hath done Catholiques though perhaps not her self so much as her vnmerciful Ministers her Maiesty should haue seene other maner of attemptes against her state and quietnes then haue fallen by Catholiques ether in England or Ireland in this her reigne Which her long prosperitie in gouernment proceedeth speciallie of the said Catholiques timorous consciēce quietnes of nature loue of order obediēce great detestatiō of garboiles sturres troubles Which the verie Heretiques them selues haue oftē reprochfullie and scornefullie imputed vnto them openlie The scorneful speeches of Heretiques to Catholikes saying to some of great accompt whom they had afflicted extremelie What wil you or what dare you doe Your hartes we know and your wishes but you are verie cowardes and beastes that be Papistes We stād in no feare of your forces or what soeuer you can doe against vs. Yea the verie ministers wil out of pulpits protest that the Papistes shal neuer haue the world for them come what change of Prince or lawes so euer for they wil fight for it to death Which chalenge and vaunt they make on euerie hand so boldlie and yet verie vndiscreetlie because they see the Catholiques more sadde graue honest and quiet natured men The differēt natures of Catholiques and of Protestāts consisting of deuout and aged persons and of godlie weemen wher as the Protestants now in possession of state goodes and gouernment ar risen most of the principal by alteration spoile and factiō their cheefe folowers youthful persons venterous and desperate and the rest both of laitie and speciallie cleargie entangled by the present commodities and pleasures which this new Religion yeeldeth in al fleshlie lustes and turpitude are impatient vindicatiue restles and furious and in a verie few in comparison of Catholiques and quiet men make a great shew and a terrible muster in the sight of quiet honest and peaceable persons Now thes violent and factious men when the Prince lawes goe for them they make their aduauntage therof but if they be against thē they breake al bōdes of obedience despise dominatiō make spoile and hauocke of al thinges and runne headlong into al most detestable disorders If you marke thē you shal perceiue they make their market most in the minoritie of Princes or of their infirmitie as ī Englād in K. Edwards time The seditious and craftie practise of Protestāts In Fraunce vnder the deceased two yong brethren of his Maiesty that now is In our countrie againe by the infirmitie of the Princesse sexe that now reigneth otherwise truly of most excellent giftes but alwayes a woman easilie seduced and not hardlie ledde and drawen by thos whom she ether trusteth or feareth ī which case commonlie the more gentle or innocent the Soueraigne is the more violent is the gouernment through th' abuse of their
the Popes Excommunication and Curse The sacking of Rome by the Duke of Burbon because his souldiars vnder the conduction of Burbon committed horrible violence and vilanie in the Citie of Rome against his Holines the Cardinals and al other whom they found ther as their pray Wher in deed the said noble Emperour though then verie yōg yet was nether cōsenting therunto nor had anie knowledge of the disorder til it was done purging him self therof afterward to the Pope verie humblie and the said Burbon author of that wicked enterprice by Gods mightie hand and iudgement and for a signe how highlie that impious fact displeased his diuine Maiestie was slaine sodenlie and as it is thought the first of al other vpon the wal of the suburbes Let al thos that take such examples take heed of the like endes As for the loialtie of the most Catholique King that now is of Spaine to the Sea Apostolique Touching the exāples of K. Philip and the Duke of Alua. notwith-standing what temporal differences soeuer haue fallen or may fal out betwene them it were to much idlenes to stand vpon against this fond wrangler And the Duke of Alua his Maiesties general behaued him self euen at that time when he had his armie before Rome as wel of his owne singular deuotiō as by his Kinges commaundement most religiouslie and honorablie without anie violence in the world or domage to the Citie other thē the waste of a few places of pleasure vines and orchardes about the wals for which this good felowe with whō we deale maketh much mone as it seemeth wher in deed he would rather haue wished the whole Citie bothe sacked and suncke for deuotion But thes Princes saith he cared not for the Popes Curses when they thus pursued their claimes both by armes and lawes The truth is that the Pope excommunicateth not euerie one that ether resisteth him in temporal quarels or matter of emolumentes of their peculiar Churches or Countries whether it be by lawes or armes and therfore ther is no cause why in such cases wher no censures are vsuallie published this Libeller should say Hovv the Pope and temporal Princes may contend in armes They regard no curses nor anathematizinges c. Nether thē also whē the iniurie done to holie Church or Apostolique sea seemeth so euident to the Pope that ther may appeare some reasonable cause of excommunicating the impugners the parties so censured in the contrarie side vpon perswasion of their right doe persist notwithstanding in the defence therof not then I say doe they contemne the censure as is vntruelie conceaued by the aduersarie but rather absteining from the holie Sacramentes and companie of such as to them by lawe are forbidden doe vse humble meanes towardes his Holines for his better information in the cause and doe seeke that the matter may be ended by good order of composition or arbitrament of other Princes and godly persons Or if in such causes of strife for worldlie commodities where the temporal Prince may sometimes ether haue the right on his side or seeme to him self in conscience or by the iudgemēt of godlie learned and indifferent men to haue it we graunt that he may without feare of Censures by armes or otherwise pursue his iust claime without impechement of his obedience in spiritual affaires may therfore sacrilegious persons as Heretiques Apostataes and open obstinate offendours contemne at their pleasures and violentlie resist the sentence of holie Church No ther is no match in thes matters What if the late Q. Marie of England staied the messinger of the Pope The example of Q. Marie ansvvered bringing a discharge of the late renouned Cardinal Poole from his authoritie Legantine and a Cardinals hat for a person though verie godlie yet knowen to be vnfit til his Holines might be better enformed of the man of the whole matter as immediatlie he was with al diligence and humilitie by the said most deuout Princesse should this be an example or encouragement to others of plaine disobedience and reuolt or wholie to abandone the Popes authoritie and to inuest a woman which is against nature in his Supremacie and spiritual charge ouer al her subiectes soules No surelie no more then of reason it should haue serued her Maiesties Councel sitting once in consultation together of the case to denie entrance to the Nuncio Apostolico The Nuncio Apostolico that came to summon to the General Counsel denied to enter Englād sent by Pius quartus about the third yeare of her Highnes raigne to require and beseech her in God to send some of her learned men to the general Councel of Trent then in hand as most other great Potentates of Christiantie did bringing with him a Safe-conduct for their peaceable passage audience and intertainment notwithstanding their contrarie religion and faction So did the English Counsel thē make their aduantage of that vnlike fact of the late noble Queene at once both to mainteine their vnlike seperation from the Christiā world and the felowship of other Catholique kinges as also and that perhaps especiallie to couer the ignorance feare and insufficiencie of their Superintendentes The English Superintēdentes afraid to goe to the Councel of Trent who though her Maiesty and others of the Nobilitie were wel īclined to send some of them for the honour of the Realme yet for feare of burning as they pretended but indeed for feare of the Catholiques learning and their owne shame the good-felowes made al the sute vnder-hand they could that none might be inforced thither And so at length it was agreed and moreouer that his Holines Ambassadour should not so much as be heard or suffred to come within the Realme vpon the warrant I say of the forsaid vnlike example of the former Queene Mary Which also serueth them further euer since not onelie to renounce al the old authoritie power and interest of the Sea Apostolique ouer our Countrie and to make the cheefe Bishop therof a mere stranger as other worldlie Princes of the Prouinces about vs that haue nothing to doe with our affaires whos messingers yet and Ambassadours for needful entercours and mutual intelligence by the lawe of natiōs they willinglie admit ether in peace or warres as occasion serueth but also to make him a Diuel an Antichrist and worse then the Turke him self whos messingers as the world seeth may haue audiēce with them and good correspondence wheras the Pope can haue none Wherby is discouered the miserie of wicked Heresie and the extreme hatred that rebellious children doe beare to their mother whom they vnhappilie haue forsaken obstinatelie resist to their owne perdition And this shal be sufficient to shew how wrongfully vnreasonably this Libeller hath sought to defend their English general reuoult from the Church of Rome and their contempt of his Holines Censures by the examples of some Catholique Princes differences wordlie debates with certaine Popes prelates of