Kings and dispose of Kingdoms This we learn at large from Bellarmin Suarez Turrecremata Card. Perron Thom. Aquin. Ledesma Malderius to pass by innumerable others all whose Works were publisht by Authority and so own'd as consonant to the Doctrines of the Church to which may be added the Pope's Definition who makes it authentic Law in these words We say and define and pronounce that it is absolutely necessary to salvation for every human Creature to be subject to the Bishop of Rome and this Law of Pope Boniface the Eighth's making he effectually commented on himself of whom Platina says That he made it his business to give and take away Kingdoms to expel men and restore them at his pleasure All which that it might want no Sanction or Authority to render it the Doctrine of the Church is justified in the third and fourth Lateran Council the Council of Lions the Council of Constance all which call themselves General and therefore speak the Doctrine of the Church What has been done in this kind since the days of Gregory VII throughout Europe would fill a large Volume in the bare Narration whoever has a mind to see those black Annals need not consult Protestant Writers but read Baronius or Platina and there he will satisfie himself Behold at large the last and greater Triumphs of the Capitol Crowns and Scepters and the necks of Emperors and Kings trampled upon in great Self-denial by Christ's humble Vicar their Realms and Countries taken from them and involv'd in blood by the Lieutenant of the Prince of Peace Subjects discharg'd from their Allegiance in the right of him who himself disown'd the being a divider and a Judge and in a word the whole world made his Kingdom who pretends his interest deriv'd from our Lord Jesus who disclaim'd the having a kingdom of this World So that it was not said amiss by Passavantius That the Devil made tender of all the Kingdoms of the World and the glory of them to our Lord Christ but he refused them afterwards he made the same offer to his Viear the Pope and he presently accepted with the Condition annext of falling down and worshipping The English Reader who desires to be satisfied in matter of Fact may please to consul the History of Popish Treasons and Vsurpations not long since written by Mr. Foulis to pass by others who have also dealt in that Subject At present I shall only add that although our neighbouring Princes have difficulty enough given them by this Universal Monarch who like his Predecessors in Heathen Rome makes it a piece of his Prerogative to have Kings his Vassals yet they often help themselves by some advantages which our Sovereign is not allowed The most Christian King has his Capitularies Pragmatic Sanctions Concordats and the Priviledges of the Gallican Church to plead upon occasion And his Catholic Majesty as the eldest Son of the Church has several Rights of Primogeniture especially in the Kingdom of Sicily But the Crown of England is not to be treated with such respect it alas ever since the days of Henry the Second or at least King John is held in fee of the Pope and we are in hazard to be call'd unto account for the Arrear of 1000 Marks per An. payable ever since that time And Cardinal Allen has given it for good Canon Law that without the approbation of the See Apostolic none can be lawful King or Queen of England by reason of the antient accord made between Alexander the Third in the year 1171. and Henry the Second then King when he was absolv'd for the Death of S. Thomas of Canterbury That no man might lawfully take thâ—t Crown nor be accounted as King till he were confirmed by the Soveraign Pastor of our souls which for the time should be This accord being afterwards renewed about the year 1210 by King John who confirmed the same by oath to Pandulphus the Popes Legate at the special request and procurement of the Lords and Commons as a thing most necessary for the preservation of the Realm from the unjust usurpation of Tyrants and avoiding other inconveniences which they had proved c. But if this be but the single Opinion of a probable Doctor we may have the same asserted by an infallible one Pope Innocent the IV who before his Colledge of Cardinals and therefore in likelihood è Cathedra declares that the King of England was his Vassal nay to speak truth his Slave From hence it is that the succeeding Popes have been so free on all occasions of turning out of doors these their Tenants upon every displeasure and little pet Not to mention the old misadventures of Richard the Second King John c. Hence it was that Paul the Third sent against King Henry VIII in the Year 1538 his terrible thundring Bull as the Author of the History of the Council of Trent calls it such as never was used by his Predecessors nor imitated by his successors in the punishments to the King were deprivation of his Kingdom and to his adherents of whatsoever they possest commanding his Subjects to deny him Obedience and Strangers to have any Commerce in that Kingdom and all to take Arms against and to persecute both himself and his followers granting them their Estates and Goods for their prey and their Persons for their Slaves Upon like terms Paul the Fourth would not acknowledge Queen Elizabeth because the Kingdom was a Fee of the Papacy and it was audaciously done of her to assume it without his leave And therefore Pius the Fifth went on and fairly deposed her by his Bull dated Feb. 25. 1570. but because the stubborn Woman would needs be Queen for all this Pope Gregory XIII let his Bull loose again upon her and having two hopeful Bastards to provide for to the one he gives the Kingdom of England to the other that of Ireland Nor was she unqueen'd enough by all this but Sixtus Quintus gives away her Dominions once more to the King of Spain and after all when nothing of all this would thrive Clement the VIII sends two Breves for failing into England one to the Layty the other to the Clergy commanding them not to admit any other but a Catholic though never so near in bloud to the Succession in plain terms to exclude the Family of our Sovereign from the Crown In the year 1626 Vrban the Eighth forbids his beloved Sons the Catholics of England the pernicious and unlawful Oath of Allegiance Yet more in the late unnatural Rebellion in Ireland the Loyal Catholics as now they call themselves submitted that unhappy Kingdom to his aforesaid Holmess Pope Vrban to pass by other offers no less treasonable and after that as we are credibly informed Pope Innocent the X. bestowed it as a favour on his dear Sister and much dearer Mistris Donna Olympia And sure we have all reason in the
War with discretion After this friendly character he proceeds to shew by what ways and methods we are to be destroyed which are first to put us to the expences of a War and by raising of forces create a jealousie between the King and his people Then to amuse us with fears of invasion Thirdly To stir up the several Parties among us and to favour one Sect against another especially the Catholics promising secretly to the Benedictines as from the King of England which they will easily believe that they shall be restored to all that they formerly possest according to the Monasticon lately printed there Whereupon says this worthy Author the Monks will move heaven and earth and the Catholics will declare themselves It will not be material to transcribe the whole design laid down for our destruction by this bold Writer which with all other Machinations the providence of God and the prudence of his Sacred Majesty will we hope frustrate This is enough to shew that there are persons in the world who can yet nourish hopes of destroying the Nation and repossessing the Lands of the Church and in printed books make a publick profession of them But if one general Act of Resumption should not disseize at one stroke all the lay possessorâ— of Church Lands 't is plain that in case of Popery by retail they will be all drawn in for what Papist in his last Agonies will obtain absolution without satisfaction first made to Holy Church for the goods sacrilegiously detained Or how will he escape the lying in Purgatory at least and frying there for several thousands of years who instead of having benifit from the Indulgencies of the Church is solemnly cursed and anathematized with the worst of Heretics in the Bulla Caenae as also the Declaration of the Council of Trent upon the score of being robbers of the Church 'T is not to be hoped they should have any benefit from the Treasure of the Church who have enrich'd themselves with that real and material treasure belonging to her which is the only price that buys the other Indeed they who without the plea of a precedent right in few centuries gain'd to themselves a fifth part of the whole Kingdom will not doubt in a much shorter time having the forementioned pretences to recover it again even the six hundred forty five Abbeys whereof twenty seven had their Abbots Peers of England The ninety Colledges two thousand three hundred seventy four Chanteries and free Chappels and one hundred and ten Hospitals which besides the lesser dissolutions of Templars Hospitalers Friers Alien and others that preceded fell together under the hands of King Henry VIII 8. It would be farther weigh'd in reference to the wealth and flourishing of the Kingdom and what is necessarily required thereto the preservation of Trade and the value of Lands and Rents that the more Popery grows the more will idleness increase the more Abbey-Lubbers that is persons exempted from contributing in any kind to the uses of a State either in War or Peace and yet maintain'd as drones on others sweat and labours The more it encreases the more will Caelibate or single life prevail the more Daughters will be sent to Nunneries abroad till they can be fix'd at home the more men will turn Priests and Friers and so less people in the Nation which already has too few And that the numbers in those Societies may be sure to be full it is a known and customary practice to entice and spirit away Children from their Parents into their Covents from whence they cannot be withdrawn without Sacriledge Of this abuse complaint was made long ago in behalf of the English Nation to the Pope by Rich. Fitz-Ralph called Armachanus Anno 1360 though without redress Lay men says he refrain from sending their Sons to the Vniversities fearing to have them taken away from them chusing rather to keep their Sons at home and breed them to Husbandry than to lose them by sending them to the Schools In my time there were thirty thousand Students in Oxford and now there are not six thousand and the great cause of this decrease in numbers is the aforesaid circumventing of Youth To this Accusation William Widford a begging Frier makes answer in his Apology for his Order by undertaking to prove That it is very lawful to entice Children into their Covents without their Parents consent Since the Reformation what Arts have been used to People the Seminaries abroad is a thing too notorious to need an account if any desire satisfaction therein he may have it from Mr. Wadworths English Spanish Pilgrim By this engaging of the Youth in Monasteries and Nunneries there will be as many more idle hands so by the more Holy-days which will be kept there will be the less work done consequently what is done will be so much the dearer an ill expedient for promoting of Trade for four days work must perhaps maintain a man and his Family seven The more Popery encreases the less Flesh will be eaten a third part of the year being one way or other Fasting days besides particular Penances as good an expedient for Rents as the former was for Trade To salve this I expect the Papists should tell us that great numbers of Forreiners of that Religion will come and live among us and supply by their numbers the other inconveniences but the English Artificers and Merchants are already sensible of the mischiefs which those interloping Strangers which are here already do among us and desire no new Colonies Besides 't is obvious to any common understanding that if the admission of Popery bring in Forreigners the discouragement of Protestancy will in greater and more disadvantageous proportions drive out Natives and though it be not certain who will gain by the change 't is manifest that the true English Interest will be a loser by it 9. But to proceed Popery will bring in to private persons a vast expence in Masses Diriges Mortuaries Penances Commutations Pilgrimages Indulgences Tenths First Fruits Appeals Investitures Palls Peter-Pence Provisions Exemptions Collations Devolutions Revocations Unions Commendams Tolerations Pardons Jubilees c. paid to Priests the Pope and his Officers which upon computation amounted to three Millions per annum a great part thereof carried out of the Kingdom in a time when the Indies had not fill'd it with Gold and Silver The tyranny was so intolerable that the whole Nation protested against it in their Letter to the Council of Lyons Anno 1245. wherein among other things they declare that the Italians received hence yearly above sixty thousand Marks besides all other payments to the See of Rome and carried out of the Kingdom a greater revenue than had the King who was Tutor to the Church and was to support the charge of the State Which complaint yet had no other answer than delays and a severe example to terrifie them immediately made upon the Emperour Frederick the
World to believe that every thing of this will be done again when the old Gentleman at Rome is pleased to be angry next has a mind to gratifie a neighbour Prince or wants a portion for a Son or a favour for a Mistris And as it is the Papists of England have but this one excuse for that mortal sin of obedience to their Heretic Prince that they are not strong enough to carry a rebellion And truly 't were great pity these men should be entrusted with more power who give us so many warnings before hand how they are bound to use it But to all this the Roman Catholics have one short reply That they are the most Loyal Subjects of his Majesty and have signally approved their duty by their service and fidelity in the last War To this I say in short that as bad as Popery is I do not think it can eradicate in all its Votaries their natural conscience no Plague was ever so fatal as to leave no Person uninfected that scapt its fury The case is fully stated by King James of famous memory as on one part many honest men seduced with some Errors of Popery may yet remain good and faithful Subjects so on the other part none of those that truly know and believe the whole grounds and School conclusions of their Doctrines can ever prove either good Christians or good Subjects To speak the plain truth and what the insolent boasts of Papists makes necessary to be told them whatever was done then was no trial at all of Loyalty The late Rebels found it necessary for the countenancing their cause to make a loud pretence against Popery and to have the benefit of spoiling them So that the Roman Catholics did not so much give assistance to the King as receive Protection from him When they shall have adher'd to their Prince in spight of the commands of their holy Father the Pope and defended their Sovereign and his Rights when it was not their interest to do it they will have somewhat worth the boasting As the case now stands they had better hold their peace and remember that the Sons of another Church served their King as faithfully as they though they talk less of it But since they will needs have the World know what good Subjects they have been let them take this short account from the Answer to the Apology for the Papists Printed An. 1667. In Ireland there were whole Armies of Irish and English that fought against his Majesty solely upon the account of your Religion In England it is true some came in voluntarily to assist him but many more of you were hunted into his Garrisons by them that knew you would bring him little help and much hatred And of those that fought for him as long as his Fortune stood when that once declined a great part even of them fell from him And from that time forward you that were always all deem'd Cavaliers where were you In all those weak efforts of gasping Loyalty what did you You complied and flattered and gave suggared words to the Rebels then as you do to the Royallists now You addressed your Petitions to the Supreme Authority of this Nation the Parliament of the Common-wealth of England You affirmed that you had generally taken and punctually kept the Engagement You promised that if you might but enjoy your Religion you would be the most quiet and useful Subjects of England You prov'd it in these words The Papists of England would be bound by their own interest the strongest Obligation amongst wise men to live peaceably and thankfully in the private exercise of their Conscience and becoming gainers by such compassions they could not so reasonably be distrusted as the Prelatic Party which were loosers If this be not enough to evidence the singular loyalty of Papists in the late War they may hear a great deal more of their vertue celebrated from their Petitions and public Writings in my Lord Orrerys answer to Peter Welsh his Letter And because in those Writings they are so ready to throw the first stone against the late Regicides they would do well to clear themselves from the guilt of that Sacred bloud which is charged home upon them by the Answerer of Philanax Anglicus who has not yet been controuled for that accusation 5. To this barbarous insolence of Excommunicating and Deposing Kings may succeed the usual consequent of that but greater prodigy of Tyranny the putting whole Nations under Interdict and depriving them of all the Offices and comforts of Religion and that generally without any other provocation than that the Prince has insisted on his just rights or the people performed their necessary duty History is full of instances hereof Within the compass of one Age I mean the eleventh Century almost all the Nations of Europe fell under this Discipline France England Scotland Spain and Germany and some of them several times over and so it has gone down in following Ages The nature of the punishment we may learn from Matthew Paris who describing the Interdict in the days of King John which lasted amongst us for six years three months and fourteen days There ceased throughout England all Ecclesiastical Rites Absolution and the Eucharist to persons in their last Agonies the baptizing of Infants only excepted also the bodies of the dead were drag'd out of Cities and Villages and buried like the Carkasses of Dogs in the high-ways and ditches without any prayers or the Sacerdotal Ministry One would imagine that he who pretends to hold his Empire from the Charter of pasce oves the feeding of Christs Sheep would find himself concerned not to destroy and starve them or withhold from them their spiritual food for almost seven years together an unusual prescript for abstinence in order unto health But we may not wonder at all this for pasce oves with a Roman Comment means all Coercion and Dominion and they who take away the Scriptures and half the Communion from the Layty are not to be controul'd if they also withhold the other offices of piety 6. A farther consideration may be the Laws of the Land which in case of Popery must be content to truckle under the Canon Law and occasional Bulls of his Holiness or Legantine Commissions The proceedings of the Courts in Westminster veiling to Prohibitions and Appeals to Rome against which a Premunire will be a weak fence in bar to the plenitude of the Apostolic Power and to murmur of dispute any thing will be especially to new Converts interpreted Heresie a word of so sharp an importance as not to need a Comment There is a Tradition that heretofore the Gentlemen of the long Robe were in that mean estate as to ply at Westminster Hall Gate as now Watermen do at the Stairs for a Fare let the Practitioners in that noble Profession consider whether some such thing would not in earnest be the consequent of Popery