them like fooles as they are and made them become a most seditious infamous pragmaticall treacherous diabolicall faction to set vp and defend a bastardly fellow in all his mischieuous plots and deuises and that the seculars are of no faction at all vnlesse they will call it a faction to ioyne against these vsurpers with the whole Church of God and so may they as probably like right heretikes they will do so one day say that all Catholike nations throughout Christendome are of the faction there being no Catholike countrey people or nation in the world this day but doth dislike of them and is against their wicked proceedings or else for speaking in defence of their Prince and countrey I meane in matters of gouernement succession and state affaires clearly abstracted from points of faith and religion and then and therein also if they say the seculars are of the faction they may aswell say that her Maiestie and honorable Counsell and in few all that are exempted from trayterous attempts and conspiracies either within or without the land are so And then by consequent all are of the faction throughout the world that will not yeeld to a Iesuiticall supremacy in the state Ecclesiasticall and to their Monarchy in a state temporall and in both to make father Parsons a king Cardinall Concerning this matter it is worthy the noting to see how this Camelion Iesuit Parsons hath banded off and on with time like a Protheus His and his fautors ostentation in outward shew is wholy for religion and that they do most earnestly desire the conuersion of their countrey and of such and such particular persons by name yea they would I marry would they all follow and prosecute the king of Scots title if he would become Catholike but if not they would all dye one after another against him And yet contrary to this ostentation made both in a letter of father Parsons to the Marques Huntley whom they account to be a speciall fautor of their faction as also contrarie to sundrie other of their writings schedules and passages they haue dealt both priuatly and openly to the contrarie In somuch that omitting particular practises as with the late Earle of Essex to whom father Parsons sent a Iesuite Priest to haue had him to take a pension of the king of Spaine priuatly for aduancement of his designements neuer mentioning any Religion to him off or on but be as he be would and so with others hath he dealt besides the viper shewed his malice most in the treatie of peace betwixt the kings of Fraunce and Spaine For at that time there was a rumour runne abroad that the Queene of England would enter into that league and so graunt a tolleration of religion But this father Parsons vtterly disliked of saying that either they would haue all or none that they would admit of no conditions His reason was this because quoth he a tolleration would make the Catholikes of England dull and without spirit c. But the reason indeed was this and in good faith when I first did see the Articles here drawne out in England of the conditions for peace before euer any newes came of this great Statists censure I sayd to a very friend of mine that it would cost the Iesuits a brace of a thousand pounds to stop it for that it stood not with father Parsons platforme to haue any relaxation of persecution in England so long as either her Maiestie liued or yet after vntill he were ready to come with Montioy Saint Iames of Spaine and Parsons for the Britons Monarchy because a tolleration for religion would breed these inconueniences all making against him and his faction First he could not then haue any colour to set out bookes or anticke shewes as he hath or to blaze it abroad in all nations how cruell tyrannicall and inhumane the persecution of Catholikes is in England Secondly he could no longer after haue blowne the infamous blasts that course both sea and land he affirming England to be the nurcery of faction sedition and of all mischiefe wrought throughout the world setting all Princes Monarches and States together by the eares liuing in league with one to make warre against another and maintaining of rebels against their Soueraignes Thirdly he could not by al likelihood haue had any Catholike Prince or other in Christendome to haue banded on his side For with what colour could either Spaine or Austria or any Catholike Prince haue inuaded England if Catholikes might liue here as freely as they did in France or as the Hugonites do now liue there and the Protestants in Germany and the Christians in Turkey and the Mahumetanes in Tartary the Pagans in Presbiter Iohns dominions Fourthly he could neuer after haue gone forward with this platforme for aspiring to the Monarchy For whereas now all Catholikes must depēd vpon the Archpriest the Archpriest vpon father Garnet Garnet vpon Parsons Parsons vpon the diuel the author of all rebellious conspiracies treasons murthers disobedience heresies all such other diabolicall bloudy designements as this wicked Iesuit hath hitherto deuised then and in that case this dependency had bin vtterly voide For we should haue had Catholike Bishops as Suffragans or such like that might haue giuen holy orders cōsecrated holy oiles ministred the Sacrament of Confirmation exercised their Episcopall authority in all things necessary priuatly as it was in the Apostles time and Primitiue Church without either any the least incōbrance or perturbance of the state or present incumbents the Bishops Archbishops that now are or admittance of any seditious Iesuit or other factious person to come within the lād Fiftly his malitious deuises cruel hard hart towards al Catholiks had herby bin discouered as neuer able hereafter to haue stirred vp her Maiesty or incensed her honorable Counsell against all her loyall and most dutifull subiects for his treacheries treasons cōspiracies Because al in that case wold haue bin ready to haue reuealed the least thought of any cōfederacy against her royall person kingdome and state Sixtly his baits had bene worth nothing for enticing and alluring of any subiect to rebellion either for the time present or to come because a league being once made with the French and Spanish nation all Catholikes of England being withall naturally inclined to loue and loyalty of and to their Prince and countrey all promises or hopes of preferment vnder forreine Princes would haue bin and seemed hatefull ridiculous and senslesse vnto them No nation vnder heauen affording greater honors comforts and content then England and our Soueraignes both are able do affoord to the inhabitants that liue in grace and fauor as in this case vtcunque the afflicted Catholikes should Seuenthly this tolleration or liberty of cōscience wold quite haue cut off two bloudy hopes which Parsons hath in al his practises to wit aswel the indāgering of her Maiesties royall person as also the fauoring furthering cōsenting
or otherwise left in the Church dictante spiritu sancto therefore called the Law diuine bicause it is of diuine institutioÌ„ Though in very deed the law primary of reason depending vpon synderisis the Law diuine or of God relatione ad creaturas and also the Law of nature be often taken for all one vpon which coniunctions diuisions and distinctions I haue treated at large in the answere to the first part of Parsons Doleman and therefore thereupon we will not now stand Onely this is inough to know for the present that all humane lawes are subordinate to natures Lawe and natures Lawes to the Lawe Primary of God himselfe which we call Diuina voluntas or the aeternall Lawe and by consequent the legifers of the same lawes are so subordinate one vnder an other as when a case comes once to the highest Legifer on earth there is thence no further appeale to be made but all wholy left to Gods iust iudgements Primam enim sedem nemo iudicare potest Out of these grounds then I gather these corolaries First that the Popes excommunication c. for any matters vnder his Pontificall iurisdiction and power although vniustly inflicted were to be obeied in not ministring nor receiuing of any Sacrament vntill the party were absolued c. Secondly that no excommunication can stoppe any man from seeking of iustice Thirdly that no excommunication of his for disobedience to his holinesse selfe in things commanded by him contra ius diuinum vel naturae doth or can take place either in foro conscientiae vel ecclesiae bicause these lawes and legifers are aboue him and his law Fourthly that master Blackwell and his Iesuits with all those of their faction are ipso facto thought to be excommunicated for vsurping the Popes authoritie c. Fiftly that he can debarre no man froÌ„ appealing to the Sea apostolike for any cause whatsoeuer the worst being the appellants if the cause be naught as thereby incurring sometimes an excommunication suspencion c. Sixtly that it is meere calumniation falshood and slander for that seditious faction to giue out that any one of the Catholikes are excommunicated Seuenthly that neither he nor any Iesuite in England dare for their liues stande to it to affirme that all or any of the appellants are excommunicated for that action Eightly that he is a flat antipope in presuming to command any not to seeke for iustice against him to the Sea apostolike and the like is for his and his Iesuiticall faction in their extreame arrogancy in blazing it abroad that it is an act of disobedience contempt c. Ninthly that no such authority can be giuen him as to command any to obey him in all things Tenthly that not the Pope himselfe can command any in and by such generall termes of obedience in all things Eleuenthly that if the seculars had beene iustly excommunicated for any matter depending vpon the appeale it had and ought to haue holden still hanging the same appeale bicause no dispensation can be granted where the partie is bent to continue in that state for the prosecuting whereof the excommunication suspencion c. past against him Twelfthly that if the seculars had beene excommunicated for any other matter independent vpon the appeale there is not a priest in England almost but hath authority to absolue him and so doth it shew the malice of the Iesuits to be so much greater seeing no such thing but that if it were yet an absolution did free them againe they notwithstanding doe driue conceits into the peoples harts as though they remained still in a damnable state which is as much to say as they cannot be absolued the grossest absurdity and greatest impiety that euer was heard of euery one seeing and knowing that the greatest heretike that is may be absolued and restored to his former state againe And therefore they denying this benefite to a Catholike priest shew themselues flat vsurpers as before and a woorse thing besides 13. That there is no question to be made of it but if it be possible the Iesuits will procure an excommunication against the seculars to confirme their former false reports and slanders that they were excommunicated c. before 14. That no excommunication on the inuadors behalfe doth bind any man to take his part against his prince and countrey 15. That to this day was there neuer any excommunication suspencion interdiction c. gotten from the Sea of Rome and denounced against any Prince person common-weath or other state on the behalfe of any one ceteris paribus like to this procured already by the Iesuiticall faction against their Prince and countrey on the behalfe of Spainiards 16. That as the prudent Greeke appealed from Alexander furious to Alexander sober and bishop Crostate from Pope Adrian priuate to Pope Adrian publike and as Summus pontifex in cathedra Petri so may the seculars notwithstanding any decree set downe by his holinesse to the contrary by wrong information giuen appeale euen from the Pope as Clement vnto his holinesse as Peter on their owne and their Prince and countries behalfe THE ARGVMENT OF THE SEVENTH GENERAL QVODLIBET THe reasons alledged in the last Quodlibet against the mischieuous plots and practises aswell in esse as intended by the Iesuiticall intruded authoritie of Blackwels vsurpate Archpresbytery ministreth occasion to speake in this place of matters concerning aswell the seculars as the Iesuits proceedings with and on the behalfe of the catholike Church and common-welth Of which subiect there are two distinct Quodlibets occurring fitly to our purpose to be discussed and reasoned of and both of them tend to one end but by a diuersitie of plots casting in the way and manner of progresse to the thing they ayme at on both sides And therefore shall the first be a Quodlibet of plots by religion that is in what sort and how farre both seculars and Iesuits do and may deale on the behalfe of Gods church for conuersion of their countrey and re-establishing of the catholike faith and religion The other generall Quodlibet shall be of State affaires as how they either do or may meddle therein on the behalfe of their countrey pretending religion as the ground of all the controuersie THE SEVENTH GENERALL QVODLIBET OF PLOTS by Religion THE I. ARTICLE VVHether the seculars or Iesuits seeke more soundly the conuersion of their countrey from all schisme and heresie THE ANSWERE IT is without all question the seculars seeke it more soundly sincerely religiously and Apostlelikely pêª for that the seculars take the very direct course that our Sauior Christ left for and to all his apostles to imitate scil First to seeke the conuersion of soules by preaching and teaching and good example giuing by word and action Secondly by doing all things gratis taking onely things necessary for their maintenance and relieuing of their present wants Thirdly not fishing after vnlawfull gaines to inrich themselues by couine and hypocrisie or other meanes Fourthly
effects we now behold both clergie and laitie highly offending so the succceding occasions of erronious conceipts hath been our owne faultes in treading our forefathers steps in this point of priuate respects selfe conceits and high aspires So as iustly we may say Non sumus digni à Deo exaudiri but rather and most true it is that nostris demeritis meremur puniri and that the fault is not in her Maiestie nor honorable Councell nor ciuill magistrate nor all nor any of our aduersaries but in our selues that England is not yet conuerted and our persecution of long time still encreased scil by reason of some seditious persons and others that followed them with indiscreet zeale and those that were in expectance of great matters by a change conuerting their thoughts from heauenly hopes to earthly hazards imploying their studies how to compasse their owne ambitious aduancements God highly offended to see his blessings and graces lost and taken from amongst vs for our forefathers sinnes to be gone about by the like and woorse proceedings to haue it restored againe It could not otherwise choose but greeuously offend the diuine maiestie and vntill the archplotters of this preposterous course for our countries conuersion were either cut off or otherwise had humbled themselues and surceasing from all ambitious aspires sought sincerely the health of soules not heapes of gold England should neuer be conuerted But we all die and pine away leauing the atchieuement to those that shall succeede in our places when we are all dead and gone That the Iesuits of the more fiery hot and Puritanian humor may not snuffe at the quiet that catholikes are here said to haue liue◠in eleuen yeeres you shall heare the very words of two of their great Rabbies Parsons Creswels speaking to her Maiestie in a Puritanian stile as followeth In the beginning of thy kingdome thou didst deale something more gently with catholikes none were vrged by thee or pressed either to thy sect or to the deniall of their faith All things in deede did seeme to proceede in a farre milder course no great complaints were heard of no extraordinarie contentions or repugnancies Some there were that to please gratifie you went to your churches But when afterwards thou didst beginne to wring them c. Which whensoeuer it was we were the cause as the attempts in Fraunce and Scotland make it manifest This then being the course and cause of humane hopes our harts doe bleede to reade and heare as sundry of vs haue what hath beene printed and published out of Italie in the life of Pius Quintus concerning the indeuors of his holines stirred vp by false suggestions to ioine with the king of Spaine for the vtter ruine and ouerthrow both of our prince and countrie Would God such things had neuer beene enterprised and more that they had neuer beene printed but most of all that they neuer had fronted our natiue shores And if Parsons and his associates had not busied themselues with that they should nor then had we not now medled in this place with that we would not as whereunto for a iust defence of all loyall catholike subiects ignorant of Parsons and his complices drifts we are now constrained to make appeales apologies and replies For what good soeuer the first or againe renewing of the excommunication the printing reprinting of state bookes and other practises may bring hereafter to the Church of God we neither see it neither knowe it But sure we are that for the present nothing hath done vs greater harme nor giuen our common enimies greater aduantages against vs. It is elsewhere set downe how that her Maiestie vsed vs kindly for the space of the first ten yeers of her highnes raigne the state of the catholikes in England that while was tollerable and after a sort in some good quiet Such as for their conscience were imprisoned or in durance were very mercifully dealt withall the state and change of things then considered some being appointed to remaine with such their friends as they themselues made choise of others were placed with Bishops and others with Deanes and had their diets at their tables with such conuenient walkes and lodgings as did well content them They that were in ordinarie prisons had all such libertie and commodities as the place and their estate could affoord them yea euen thus much and more doth Parsons confesse in his Philopater as also father Creswell in his Scribe to the like effect though both very rude peremptorie and sawcie in their speech to her Maiestie with thou didst this and thou didst that c. And Parsons in Grenecoate makes the case cleere especially for state matters though he turne his passage there against the Earle of Leicester to a wanton speech as deliuered from a Lady of the Court how great quiet the state and Court was in for twelue yeeres space no talke of treasons nor conspiracies no iealousies nor suspitions no enuie nor supplantations no feare of murtherings nor massacrings no question of conscience nor religion all liued in quiet content and right good fellowship was amongst them both Lords and Ladies wiues and maidens nobles and gentles knights and esquires married and single of all degrees a ioy it was to haue been in the Court in those daies saith Parsons in that Ladies name whose words mooued much the company where she was as women saith he are potent in moouing where and when they please she did deliuer her mind with so sweete a countenance and courtly a grace c. Now whiles you were say our aduersaries thus kindly vsed of her highnes how trecherously was she dealt withall by you For what had you to doe being catholikes and religious priests as Iesuits terme themselues with spreading pamphlets libels and other fooleries abroad of any misdemeanor in her Maiesties subiects and peeres of the realme You might haue left such scoggerie as Parsons hath set out in Greenecoate to Tarleton Nashe or else to some Puritane Martin Mar prelate or other like companions And for you it was to haue handled grauer higher and more important matters and that concerning soule points not subtilties nor new deuises much lesse to haue dealt against her Maiestie and the state in so traiterous a manner as in a late treatise set out by our brethren doth at large appeere Where to our vnspeakable greefe the world shall see that we our selues who would be termed catholikes and that of all sorts haue beene the true causes of all our owne calamities When I was examined before some of the high Commissioners at the Gildhall about 14. yeeres agone concerning matters of state and especially about the six Interrogatories which we commonly called the six bloodie articles knowing my selfe innocent from the beginning of any the least disloyall thought I haue often since much mused with my selfe what should haue mooued her Maiesties honorable Councell to haue proposed these articles to priests but most of all why
such straite lawes were made for comming into England of Seminarie priests bringing in of Agnus Dei crosses medals graines c. reconcilement perswasions to the catholike faith and the like All which when I saw the bookes of the excommunication of her Maiestie by Pius Quintus diuers others tending to that purpose written since and withall had well considered what the Iesuits dealing had beene how that they had procured these indulgences pardons to serue their owne turne therewith I then wel perceiued vpon what grounds the said six articles were built And Master Bales a blessed martyr shall witnes with me at the latter day how woe my hart was vpon the last speech he and I had together in the house of an honorable person where we met about those and other matters my last words being these vnto him scil that his holines was misinformed and indirectly drawne to these courses by Iesuiticall meanes And therefore of all other orders of religion were I to goe into any I would neuer be Iesuit whiles I liued And this may suffice for the matter in question to conuince any catholikes true meaning hart that the circumstances well considered with all humble obedience to the See apostolike be it spoken there neither was due circumstances in the Bull of Pius Quintus to binde any to withdrawe their allegiance from our Soueraigne neither and much lesse was it conuenient that the same excommunication should haue beene renewed againe THE IX ARTICLE VVHether then seeing her Maiestie and the state knew such practises were by priests and other catholikes vsed and put in execution and yet were ignorant who were of that faction more one then an other till now of late that God hath most strangely and in very deed as it may he termed miraculously reuealed the truth which long hath beene hidden to discerne who are innocent and who free may not then her lawes and proceedings against all catholiks in generall from the beginning of her Highnesse raigne to this present discouery of the treasons and traitors that vrged it be truely counted both milde and mercifull And that howsoeuer of her owne accustomed innate royall disposition benignitie clemencie her Highnesse may and we shoulde wrong our owne conceits in preiudice of her sweete and Princely nature if we should not thinke she would now at length take pittie of such her owne catholike subiects as haue manifested their loyaltie innocencie and ignorance of what was intended against her royall person and state Yet whether in tendring the afflictions which the innocent both secular priests lay persons haue sustained by making such lawes or prouisoes and adding them to the lawes alreadie made as may free both the priests and those that receiue them from the paines and penalties before by statute enacted against them all in generall may not for all that the sayd former statutes penall lawes and actes enacted be thought to stande in force against the Iesuiticall faction and no reason or sense to haue them repealed but both to haue beene made with great moderation and also to stand and remaine with as great pollicie in all or any wisemans iudgement that shall duly consider the Iesuits practises and other her Highnes enimies against her person state and kingdome in the course precedent of all this time THE ANSWERE I Holde directly the affirmatiue part heerein scil that both her Maiesties lawes and proceedings against all sorts of catholikes haue bene milde and mercifull the opinion and iudgement of her Highnesse in religion one way and their foresaid practises against her another way duly considered and also that all the appellants and other priests and catholikes that ioyne with them in prosecuting that appeale as there is iust cause and many reasons which we doubt not of but that to her high prudence and Princely wisedome they will present themselues in laments submissions and teares on our behalfes and in pollicie mercy and iustice on the part of her Highnesse towards vs why some prouisoes should be made for securing of them the said appellants and their associates together with those that do or shall receiue them heereafter from danger of the foresaid penall lawes so haue they and we all that be catholikes in England this day as great motiues causes and reasons moouing vs to admire that euer any of vs are left on liue to make knowne to all posteritie what hath hapned in our daies the like woonders hauing neuer hitherto as yet beene seene as our wretched age hath left recorded to those shall follow vs by succeeding turnes of natures course to the worlds end And by consequent we cannot vrge an absolute repeale of any former statute or penall law so long as any Iesuit or other priest or lay person of their faction which I hope would be very few if any were after they were gone shall remaine within the land but thinke our selues happie and deepely bound to her Maiesty if a prouisoe onely may be made in forme aforesaid to keepe the innocent harmeles though with an other prouisoe also or stricter statute if stricter may be for the vtter expelling of all Iesuits out of the land And for to make this my opinion sinke the deeper into all catholikes heads and harts that either are infected with the Spanish pip or otherwise Iesuited in affection or faction I must and do craue pardon for enlarging my selfe a litle in handling this subiect to the purpose and agreeing to their capacitie Often haue many wise learned and prudent greatly mused what should haue beene the cause in morall sense to speake to men of the heauie and sore affliction of catholiks in England for many yeeres yea it hath beene thought of many great clerkes yet with pardon craued ignorant of our English cases as heereafter will appeere that the circumstances considered as the occurrents came to their minds that their persecution in the primitiue church was not greater if so great respecting the danger of soule-wracke then the persecution in England hath beene for these twenty yeeres space and vpward to wit since the infortunate arriuall of the Iesuits in this land The causes moouing many to admire thereat and in multitudes of vollees in morneful sighes and sorrowes hurled out with wailings one to another greeuing when wise deuout true compassionates of their countries miseries met together that for our owne and our forefathers sinnes so heauie a scourge shoulde be laid vpon our nation our deere countrymen our flesh and blood our neerest linckt vnto vs often times our greatest lothers Amongst others these were the causes of their woonder how it should be First they considered with how great a sympathie all concord naturall incline and reciprocall affection It is no maruell though the Iesuits be so egar of England as they are and that they hazard body soule and all they haue or can be able to make to haue it wholy theirs For considering the poore lodgings scarcity of victuals and vncomfortable trauell
of a lyon becom a lambe In few we see in Polony in Sweden in Scotland in Flaunders and euery where that catholikes are together with those of other professions sects and opinions vnlesse it be where onely the Consistorian Caluinian Cartwrightian puritans rule the rost and that a company of ministers or exorbitant superintendants ouertop both Prince prelate and all as in Scotland and at Geneua c. Otherwise all kings and princes of this age haue iudged it in pollicie the fittest wisest safest and most honorable and princely course they could haue taken to graunt libertie of conscience to their subiects Which seeing our soueraigne Queene Elizabeth hath not granted and yet is knowne to be in her owne high towring princely wisedome of as high a pitch sound and deepe conceite censure and iudgement in reach not to be seconded of any of these adding heereunto that for gouernment of her land for policie in her state for noblenes in her court her Highnes hath the choice of as fine delicate and daintie breed of gallant graue quicke wits as Europe nay as Afrike nay as Asia nay as the world this day enioyes The Italian the Spaniard the Polonian the Sweden the Moscouite the Turke the Persian and who not is willing to aduaunce her Maiesties meanest sort of subiects sometime to the highest types of honor to winne them wholy to be theirs to learne witte sleight and pollicie out of their practise and experience These Boreas blasted lads borne vnder the Britaine Ocean able to fire with their wits the hotte climatical Southerne Sages witnes our Stukeleyes our Candishes our Furbishers our Drakes our Hilles our Sherleys our Parsons c. All these circumstances duly weighed that this heauie yoke should be laide by so mercifull wise and prudent a prince vpon the weake neckes of her poore subiects with weight importable for them to carry vnlesse her highnes should stretch foorth her accustomed Atlantike armes of clemencie to support them before they sinke downe right vnder their burthen That this seueritie should be more vsed against catholiks in England then either any catholike king or prince of other professions either Christian or heathen vse against either subiects or forrainers of contrary religions vnto the said princes throughout the worlde this day This is the point which many stande vpon in admiring how euer things should haue come to that passe they are at in England concerning the affliction of catholikes and cannot finde out the causes This then to make manifest to all the world by an historicall discourse and that howsoeuer we haue matter enough against our aduersaries euen for religions sake yet neither to aggrauate more then is necessarie nor to accuse further then is expedient nor to excuse more then is conuenient nor yet to lay the fault of any that is faultlesse therefore shall it be made knowne that as the affliction of catholiks in England hath beene in very deed extraordinary as is heere set downe and many an innocent man lost his life so also hath the cause thereof beene extraordinary and so farre beyond the accustomed occasions of persecution giuen to any prince in christendome or monarchie that is or euer was in the world to this hower vnlesse the Puritanes of Scotland which may in some sort equall the offence heere to be set downe as rather it is to be woondred at all things duly considered that any one catholike is left on liue in England then that our persecution hath beene so great for name one nation I know none can vnder heauen where the subiects especially if they were catholikes euer sought the death of their Soueraigne though of a different religion frō them the conquest of their natiue land the subuersion of the state the depopulation of the weale publike the alteration change of al lawes customs orders in few the vtter deuastation desolation destruction of al the ancient inhabitants of their land in so vnnatural vnchristian vncatholike a maner as the Spanish faction haue sought it in our owne flesh and bloud against this realme which treacherous courses although they were but some fewe and those priuate persons offences and by consequent in a court of conscience and in rigour of iustice the rest neither acting nor concurring nor consenting to their conspiracies were innocent and no way to be vsed with that seueritie as many catholiks haue beene Yet forasmuch as the pretences of such practises were generall and common to all catholikes alike all maintaining one and the same opinion concerning what might be done by apostolicall power and authoritie and neuer talking of what was necessarie therefore was it that her Maiestie and the state standing on the other side affected in religion as they did had both cause to iudge secundum allegata probata in foro externo and also can not otherwise be thought of but that the circumstances on all sides considered as well making for her owne securitie as also for a Non-knowledge what catholiks were guiltie and who were free her Maiesties lawes and proceedings against catholikes haue beene both milde and mercifull And as we are to thinke in deed our happe now to be hard if no mitigation nor prouisoe should be made for the innocent now that the way and meanes is knowne for discouery of traytors distinguishing betwixt state catholiks catholike loyall subiects so also are we to giue her Highnes humble thanks for our liues that we were not al cut off whiles no difference was made put nor knowne betwixt the secular priests Iesuits that we haue been permitted to liue to this happy houre of manifesting our catholike cōstancy obedience to the See apostolike in al our actions and our naturall loyaltie and seruiceable harts to our Prince and countrey in all our proceedings in neither stayning our catholike religion with vnnaturall treason nor priestly function with factious dispositions and state affaires But of this matter I will heere be silent referring you to a treatise lately set out by my brethren intituled Important considerations c. whereunto I haue prefixed an Epistle By both which you may see at large what statizing by acts wordes and writings in most treacherous and treasonable manner hath beene against her Maiestie against the present state against the whole common-wealth against vs all without exception her Highnes loyall and naturall subiects of what religion soeuer we be which seeing her Princely hart hath forborne as no Soueraigne on earth would euer haue suffred the like to haue past vnpunished as she hath I must conclude and end as we began that her lawes and proceedings haue beene both milde and mercifull THE X. ARTICLE VVHether then the premisses considered is it fit that Catholiks should send their children and friends to be brought vp in the Seminaries beyond the seas or not If not then how should the salt of the earth be kept vncorrupted or the seede of priesthood be continued for restoring of the catholike Romane
faith in England And if so that they be sent then how should her Maiesty and the state here be satisfied or moued to mitigate the former seuerall lawes made against them and all catholikes for their Iesuiticall crimes THE ANSWERE THis Interrogatorie is indeed a very doubtfull Dilemma in a sequell to great sense respecting what hath bene said in the last article For kings haue euer bene iealous of their estates haue and doe orderly take any occasion to preuent the worst and none hath euer had greater cause then her Maiestie hath had to suspect her catholike subiects loialtie in generall for some priuate and peculier Iesuiticall treasons wrought against her roiall person and state in speciall they still practising and we still punished they onely faultie and we commonly smarting for their offences they still attempting and the catholikes cause daily more and more indaungered and hindered by them And againe the iealousie had of vs all is greatly increased by these three heads viz. One in that it is apparant that the Seminaries in Spaine were intended by father Parsons of purpose to cause a conquest and to bring this land into bondage and slauery of the Spaniard An other in that he being Rector of the Seminary at Rome all that come there must dance after his pipe or els woe be to them c. The third for that all schoole Diuinity being banished out of the Seminary at Doway bicause saith Parsons Scientia inflat his subiect Doctor Woorthington must teach them to practise what he will haue them in England els get they no faculties Which things occasionating a meruailous great suspition to be had of all catholikes by the state and thereby withall increasing our manifold dangers on euery side it makes the case very doubtfull what to thinke of continuance of the Seminaries being all now vnder these blody cruell harted traiterous and most vnnatural irreligious and consciencelesse Iesuites tirannicall gouernment Therefore to the article thus I answere First that I am not of their opinion who hold that the said English Seminaries at Rome and Rhemes were ordained of purpose to traine vp seditious youths as our aduersaries say and after some time to send them into England to moue rebellion Secondly I am fully perswaded that his holinesse Pope Gregory the thirteenth and some others had very sincere harts in the erecting of them and were far from any intent to haue the Seminary priests of England brought vp there in any treacherous or traiterous manner but in a most holy religious and vertuous course of life study and exercise as Cardinall Allane in his apollogie doth demonstrate Thirdly no man shall be able to write that commendation of their doings therein whereunto I will not most willingly subscribe and auowe whiles breth is in my body or life doth last in me Yet all this notwithstanding as the case is now with the said Seminaries I am of opinion setting aside the said holy intent and godly institution that no catholikes ought to send their children or friends thither First bicause they are greatly degenerated though the time be not long since they were erected from their primitiue foundation and intent of the founders Secondly they were ordained for the training vp of the best wits to be secular priests but now they are abused to the increasing of the number of the Iesuites Thirdly true cases of conscience schoole diuinity positiue exercises for matters of controuersie in religion and other studies of humanitie besides were there taught but now their heads must be filled with treacheries equiuocations dissimulation hipocrisie and all kind of falshood otherwise they are not fit disciples of Iesuiticall traitors nor fit for to be of the Spaniards faction Fourthly the Iesuites haue gotten into their hands the gouernment of the same Seminaries who being very odious men to diuers states will bring likewise a detestation of all such priests as shal be brought vp vnderneath them Fiftly we find by experience that the Iesuites here in England doe therefore chalenge superioritie and precedency of the secular priests bicause whilest they were in the Seminaries they were brought vp and trained by them which tendeth to the great derogation of the secular priesthood Sixtly although her Maiesty and the state hitherto haue not dealt so roughly either with priests or other catholikes as they might haue done yet knowing now that our english students being brought vp by Parsons direction chiefly and that in their missions hither his manner is to bind them to set out the said Infantaes title as is before expressed it cannot chuse but that the state will proceede against them as they shal be taken with greater seueritie Seuenthly whereas heretofore it was made onely subiect to a pecuniary mulet for any catholike to send their sons or friends beyond the seas if hereafter a lawe be made to inflict the same punishment vpon such as sende youths thither who can iustly take exception to it And the rather can they not take exception to such a law bicause of the punishment that is already ordained for those that shall receiue priests from thence Now for the last point in the article my opinion is and I verily thinke that all catholike English subiects priests or lay persons that are not to too much bewitched with Iesuitisme are of my mind that all faithful catholikes the premisses considered are bound in conscience to become most humble sutors to his holines for the remoouing of all Iesuits not onely out of England where they haue already wrought all our woes but euen also from intermedling in any sort with the said Seminaries in any place beyond the seas Or if they cannot be heard through the Machiuilian practises of the Iesuits as questionles what the malice of the diuell or wit of his fowle instrument Parsons can inuent shal be vrged to the vttermost to stop this course then they are to fall to their praiers that God himselfe will thrust out laborers into this vineyard and draw the harts of the students in our owne vniuersities here in England to receiue and embrace the catholike faith if not in generall which we hartily wish and pray for yet in some certaine colledges either in the one or the other And withall for the better hope thereof to commence our humble sute vnto her Maiestie ioyning thereunto our hartie prayers that God of his mercy would vouchsafe to incline her princely hart to grant vs some colledge or other house fit for that purpose with free leaue to teach and reade such lectures as may be fitting for our profession and for to withdraw and take away all occasions or necessities of sending any of our friends beyond the seas In which most pious politike and honorable acte fitly agreeing to her Maiestie and magnificencie and graunted euen of heathen princes to christian priests and prelats her Highnes should not onely merite lasting fame renowne and memorie to all posteritie but euen also thereby cut off occasions of
right stampe hath be laboured with his pen to winne vnto his byace and to bring her Ladiship in dislike of the secular priests as others haue sought but all alike preuayled she being both too wise constant and vertuous to be carried away with gloses you would maruell that euer any bearing the face of a religious man would write so exorbitantly as he there hath done to his vtter shame and discredit as you shall well perceiue when it once comes foorth in Print with the discouery of his arrogancy ignorance lies on the one side and of his malice slāderous toong contēpt of the secular priests on the other side But to returne to our former speech These circumstances of Parsons actions and names giuen to offenders demonstrating a soueraigntie or superioritie in cheefe to be in Master Blackwell it followeth that he being notwithstanding all this subordinate or for feare or want of wit experience and knowledge due to such a superior as he takes vpon him to be at the command of Fa. Garnet betwixt whom by a priest of their owne faction it hath been told that there is continuall intercourse once in euery 24. howers at least there can no lesse be aymed at by the Iesuits in this Isle then a supreme power imperialty and dominion ouer all And so I conclude that they ayme at the succession themselues to rule vnder the Spaniards or rather to cloake their intended ambitious aspires vnder the Spaniards wings a while vntill they haue gotten all subiected vnder them Sed caueat Hispania praelio partu venditur proelis fides THE VI. ARTICLE VVHether then seeing they shoote at the whole monarchie of great Britanie together with Ireland Doe they intend any thing against Fraunce or not Or whether their practise for England may hinder or further their attempts for Fraunce more then their like practises for Scotland one while and for Ireland another while may do or no THE ANSWERE ENgland is made the maine chaunce of Christendome as our countries heauie case is at this present by seditious factions tampering and aspiring heads Wherefore we haue iust cause so many as loue to liue in quiet to pray hartely for the preseruation of her Maiesties life For afterward great calamities are we sure to see so many as liue to that wofull hower by all probable coniecture And by consequent then it followeth that England is the onely butte marke and white they aime at as well in intention as in execution of their pretended expedition exployte and action Which failing farewell a Iesuits monarchie for euer But holding their plots cast for England then haue at all Fraunce and other nations by peece meale in succeeding turns of conquests And therefore standes it both the state ecclesiasticall and temporal vpon of England in chiefe of Fraunce next and so of all other states and princes to looke to them in time and to ioyne in aide fauour and assistance of the Seminarie and secular priests in this their appeale This conclusion needes no further better nor other proofe then a relation with aduisement of this discourse Quodlibeticall First for that as you may gather by the second reason in the last Article and perceiue more at large if you read father Parsons Dolemanian succession he bringeth all his chiefe and strongest arguments for intituling the Lady Infanta to the English crowne from that head scil for that she is the right heire of Brytaine and France c. Now then if she be the heire of France and Brytaine as in precise termes he calleth her in his Appendix and that thereby she be intituled to our English crowne then questionles if once she get or I should haue said they get possession of this Isle in her right which they aime at in chiefe their title therunto comming by this meanes it standes with no sense that they shoulde giue ouer their clayme on her graces behalfe to that kingdome whereof they say she is already heire hauing obteined that monarchy whereunto she is intituled by the foresaide claime of heritage and whereby withall reciprocally she is againe reintituled to the same French kingdome and crowne Neither will the law Salique keepe them out from aduauncing her royall ensignes in the middest of them For I holde it but for a kindly canuase banding bob or taunting effect to confront with France for Burgundy Britany and other states and seigniories of old depending vpon the French crowne affirming as father Parsons doth in Doleman that though by the law Salique the Lady Infanta may be defeated and put from her rightfull title of inheritance and lawfull claime to the whole kingdome of France in concreto or in sensu composito as a man may terme it yet no reason saith he there but that so many states prouinces as came to the crowne of France by heires generall or women but that the same should diuolue vnto the Spaniard by women heires againe Which if he can bring to passe for all those seigniories come by women then shall the French be so fleeced in abstracto or in sensu diuiso as let them rest assured to be distracted out of their wits ere the Spanish Iesuiticall faction haue left them vnlesse they surrender vp the whole into their hands and yeelde perforce to abrogate the authoritie of their Salique lawes it holding no way either in piety or policie with father Parsons principles that taking vpon him in his said booke of titles and high counsell of reformation to abolish vtterly the auncient municipall lawes of this lande which were established by highest authoritie then the lawe Salique of France and that before euer the saide lawe was heard of amongst them that they should not tender thrust vpon and compell the French to chaunge their forme of gouernment lawes customes and all at his designement Secondly although during the time of their I meane the Iesuits rebellious practises conspiracies against the last king Henry the 3. of France of the house of Valois and this king regnant Henry the 4. before king of Nauarre it was not directly knowne that the Iesuits had cast at the crowne and whole kingdome of France in those warres then maintained by aide of the Spaniard but as a great part of catholikes heere in England in former broiles and conspiracies as well by the dukes of Norfolke and of Guise as also by captaine Stukeley and doctor Saunders aided with Italians and Spaniards c. and finally by the attempt in the yeere 1588. did thinke that the Iesuits and their faction had done all of zeale though indiscretely and for the aduancement of Gods glory and the catholike cause pretended by them to be religion So the French catholikes many of them of ignorance folowing the parts of Spaine and other rebels against their Soueraigne and country by Iesuiticall perswasion hauing had the like good opinion of these religious men and thereupon following their direction at an inche yet since their expulsion thence for their treasons and
to receiue take and accept of for their practise and directions in all causes martiall monasticall spirituall and temporall This grosse error of father Parsons and his no lesse great absurditie then rash foolish presumptuous and most dangerous course where unto his proiects do tend by this his pretence for the Lady Infanta to colour his owne and his societies traitorous aspires doe argue his insolencie and pride to be so great as they blind his iudgement sence and censure from discerning that these his plots drifts and deuises will be not onely condemned and laughed at by a generall applause but he also vtterly reiected and cast off out of all indifferent mens conceites be they of what religion soeuer that beare any loue to their countrie or that wish a preseruation of their auncient nobility and gentry freed by lawes customes and priuiledges from that tyrannie spoile which this hard natured and most cruell harted man seemeth most to desire for his owne priuate respects and commodities And surely when I remember the words of some of his proctors apparators somners pursiuants attornies aduocates soliciters and serieants here in England that neither could neither can yet indure to here that the Popes holinesse should haue any dealing or medling in this matter as a gust which gauleth them to the very guts to heare and see some already of a more gracious sweet mild incline to mercy in her Maiesty towards the innocent on that behalfe then heretofore hath bene or then they can hope for to themselues or any way indeede do desire to any others father Parsons and the rest of his state compartners vrging nothing more then to haue persecution of catholikes increased not diminished at all further then to grant out bulles of excommunication against all those that should impugne the spanish title and withall to send out pardons and graines of indulgence to all those that should fight on the Spaniards side against their natiue countrie both which vnnaturall practises seing the Iesuites haue sought for to be put in execution to the vttermost thereby to torment vs on euery side and by consequent incense the soe oppressed with rage against their soueraigne and the state tell me deere catholikes what moues you to fawne vpon those that thus doe labour for your heauie destruction I cannot but muse with my selfe how euer this disguised vnfortunate stepfather father Parsons being filius terrae by birth an Englishman by education a catholike by externall profession a priest by charecter a religious man by vow and order and taking vpon him by function and calling wholy to aduance Gods cause yea with hallowes and how-hubs with whowbes whowes and outcries against all that tast not on the froth of his zeale hath hitherto refused to take his holinesse for an example and his sacred predecessors the successors of Saint Peter vpon whom he ought chiefly to haue relied as a speciall note of so sound a catholike and perfect religious person as he and his would make the simple people beleeue they are for a paterne to imitate who haue euer held most mild modest and moderate courses towards all but especially towards the kings of great Britaine were they Scots or English not halfe so seuere against any as oftentimes by surreptitiall suggestions of some euill and factious persons they were vrged to haue bene As well appeered in the bull of Pius the fift which though we wish had neuer come out and much more that the other two since that time denounced against her Maiesty had neuer bene seene or heard of in this world yet to speake Gods truth when the Pope his holinesse perceiued what bloody tragedies and massacres on all sides were like to ensue thereupon by commaund of withdrawing our naturall allegiance from our natiue soueraigne vpon wrong information giuen as before we haue touched at large the said Bull was called in againe and all catholikes throughout England left as free to obey her Maiesty in all things due to her princely regalitie as they were before But letting that and other excommunications passe as spoken of before with harty wish they had neuer bene amongst many examples of the deere loue and fatherlie compassion of the Popes holinesse towards the inhabitants and princes of this land in times of eminent common welthes dangers the chiefe since the Norman conquest was shewed in the daies and raignes of king Henry the second surnamed Fitzempresse and of his sonne king Iohn the third Monarche of England of a Plantagenets royall race Against whom hauing vsed his fatherly correction as pastor vniuersall ouer the whole flocke of Christ for their great tyrannie and crueltie vsed towards their naturall subiects yet vpon their repentance mercifully receiuing them into grace and fauour of Gods church againe his holinesse on the behalf of the second did not onely accurse and excommunicate prince Lewis of France with all his adherents forcing him to yeeld vp all the interest right and title that he or his posteritie had or euer should haue to the English crowne but also surrendred vp the said crowne of England frank and free to king Iohn and his heires and successors from of the head of Cardinall Pandulphus hauing sit enthronized three daies therewith in the Popes right of purpose to abate and end the strife for euer to inioy the same in as full absolute and ample manner as any prince or monarche euer enioyed or possessed a crowne And thousands there are in England that desire as much and I verily thinke more vnfainedly and with a better more sincere true and catholike religious mind then any of the Iesuiticall or spanish faction doe desire the conuersion of our countrie who yet will be ready to lay their liues to pledge for it that if as God forbid and I hope it shall neuer happen that any Lancastrian forraigner should get possession of this land with as many oathes homages and fealties made and done vnto him or her whosoeuer as prince Lewis had whom father Parsons brings in for an example in confirmation of the Lady Infantaes title by that house bloud and line of king Lewis of France be like of purpose to vrge the English as he hath to make the like protestation on the said Infantaes behalfe yet would euen this Pope Clement the eight according to his predecessors example reuoke recall repeale and force him or her to retire and withall would of his mere mercie a gift appropriated to Saint Peters chaire in speciall manner grant to our nation the election and choise and set vp a king of our owne natiue soile bred and borne within the confines of great Britaines Ocean vpon the like repentance and submission of former princes in this and all other Christian kingdomes maugre all the Iesuites Spaniards and huff muffes in the world These important considerations should haue touched father Parsons hart with deepe remorse to remember how mightily he hath resisted impugned and violated all lawes diuine and humane whatsoeuer
Portingals and Spaniards continued kept the honours point for Martiall exploits these latter yeares but who shall carie away the price in the cadences of the Spaniards God only knoweth Thus came the foure Patriarkes of Hierusalem Antioch Alexandria and Constantinople by succession of honor wealth and fame in Gods Church to rise and fall one after another and now all decayed dead and gone from their auncient state renowne and dignitie in the Church of God here militant on earth Thus came all Monasticall Heremiticall and religious orders of Saint Anthony of Saint Basill of Saint Augustine of Saint Hierome of Saint Benedict of Saint Bernard of Saint Dominicke of Saint Frances of Saint Clare of Saint Briget and sundrie other religious orders of men and women to haue their generation and corruption by the freedome left of God in humane actions and mans choise to be good or bad vertuous or vicious and to rise and fall by succession one after another by merited fame and iust desert of their life manners and graces giuen and employed by them to Gods glorie In few thus came the spirituall Knighthoods of the Templers the Knights of Saint Iohns the Knights of Rhodes and now of Malto by a lineall succession of fame renowne and worthinesse to haue panigericall histories set foorth of their prayses And the like is of later orders and societies of Carmelists Carthusians Capouchians Theatines Iesuits Bonhommes c. all which set vpon the worlds Theater represent a mournfull tragedie of mans miserie how like to flowers they haue now one and then another order companie or societie burgened blossomed bloomed and flourished and yet subiect to the fates of free-will in all humane wights their deriuatiues are strayed abroad haue left and are gone from the obedience deuotion pietie pouertie chastitie charitie humilitie patience and religious zeale which was in the primitiues and founders of their Orders What shal we say more the whole body mysticall of Christ consisting of the three estates Ecclesiasticall Temporall and Monasticall do auerre the Peripateticall Prince his principle to be true in all things depending vpon chance and chaunge concerning the conuersion of countries people and nations to the Catholike faith For was not the generation or beginning of the Mosaicall law a plaine corruption fall and decay of the law of nature all the Gentiles presently vpon the Orient rise bright shine and flourish of the Israelites Church and their Hebrew Monarchie being giuen ouer into infidelitie and Idolatrie contrarie to the law of nature vnder which the faithfull had liued aboue two thousand yeares without distinction of Iew or Gentile vntill this Mosaicall law began And when for the Iewes sinnes and offences the period of their Monarchie and end of their synagogues and temples honour and religion came did not then the primitiues of the East Church amongst the Christians carry away the auriflambe of all religious zeale After that when the heauie cadens of the East Church came did not also then the Sonne of iustice tanquam sponsus procedens de thalamo suo spread abrode the bright beames of his spouses glorie in a transparant light throughout these our West Ocean cloudes of heathenish darknesse and giue to these Northren Isles the prerogatiue regall of Prime-birth to his inheritance if the Britons and afterwards the English Saxons could haue kept it When by succeding turnes the most part of Asia and Affricke was corrupted and fallen away and all Europe conuerted to the sacred Apostolicall Romane faith when Monasteries began in this North Christian world to be built and great multitudes of Monkes Friers Canons regulars Nunnes and other sacred Saints and holy persons to consort themselues together when Emperors Kings Queenes Princes Lords and Ladies of all degrees fled from their regall Palaces to priuat Cels and left the triumphes of their conquests the trophees of their loues and pompes and pleasures of their Courts to who so would possesse them when here an Anchoresse there an Hermit and in euery wood wild and desert some sacred virgine valed inuested interred dead to the world was to be found when all fertile soyles all places of pleasure profite and content all earthly wealths and reuenues of most woorth were turned into Abbey and Church lands liuings and liuelyhoods when holy emulation was who might giue most all gaue of the best and made this flourishing Isle our Ladies dower when Kings and Queenes Priests and Prelates Lords and Ladies Monkes and Friers sacred Virgins and chast Matrons and all sorts of persons knew their duties first to God to his Church to her Priests then to their Prince to the Commonwealth and to her Peeres and lastly each one to another how when and where to commaund or obey when all things sorted to so sweet a sympatheall harmonie in English hearts as England by a prerogatiue royall of grace diuine merited to be called Anglia chara Deo gens when flying fame of their rare Angelicall conuersation had fronted the coasts of furthest countries and occupied with great admiration of mind the mouthes of most men in the world when England Fraunce and Flaunders Italy Bohemia and Germany Spaine Portugal and Hungary Sicilie Naples and Cyprus Denmarke Poland and Sweden Scotland Ireland and Norway did striue for a supremacie to carry away the garland of vertue deuotion and religion on all sides Then inimicus homo enuying at mans felicitie to conforme by permission diuine Gods concurrence with secondarie causes to the Philosophers prescript of generation and corruption in tract of time corrupting all these Northren and Westerne parts of the world with contention ambition Turcisme heresie and Pharisaisme a new generation of Catholike truth and religion begins to labour and bring soorth their children amongst the Indians Antipodies and new found world before vnknowne vnto these Northren and Westerne parts discouered first by Portingals and Friers and after proceeded in by Spaniards and Iesuits And now listen what followed Amongst many other cadences and fals the heauiest of all the rest hath bene iudged by many to haue bene our English calamities begun at first by the ambitious aspires of Cardinall Wolsey who affecting the highest Soueraigntie in causes Ecclesiasticall on earth made a great breach by his contrarie plotting betwixt King Henry the eight of famous memorie and the Sea Apostolicke And afterward when vnder her Maiestie Queene Elizabeth our Soueraigne now regnant sundrie persons of rare indowments graces and abilities had retired themselues to places of studie and seruice of their Lord God beyond the seas where they liued in diuerse Seminaries and Colledges leading there a right Monasticall and religious life in a most perfect state of religious profession calling and order as both all other religious Orders and Ecclesiasticall persons that conuersed with them or knew their manner of life and whereunto their whole studie tended did acknowledge somtimes in teares proceeding after their returne hither in simplicitate cordis with all humilitie patience
Philosophari These natural Philosophers or rather plaine naturals indeede admiring what manner of men the Iesuits should be began to descant of a surmised worthinesse to be in them aboue all others and thereupon inferd by a senslesse sequel of their seeming-sound conceit that it could not be but the secular priests were in the wrong would be ouerthrowne and impossible for them to hold out against the Iesuites who had all the greatest chiefest and most part of the nobles and gentles throughout England on their side yea and of the greatest princes in Christendome to take their parts whereas the secular priests had none of any reckoning For these are the vaine vaunts of their brokers abroade yea and of Iesuits themselues as arrogantly made as falsly affirmed and neither way priestly and much lesse religiously But what should a man speak of humilitie pouertie or any religious vow or vertue in them that can draw out a quintessence from the highest dignities of Pope or Prince In ordine ad Deum to make themselues demi Gods on earth whereby a man may gather that amongst manie other sundrie meanes of seducing and drawing of others to their faction one and a chiefe of all the rest is their Pharisaicall hypocrisie Now to the first part of the intertogation To name anie in particular seduced by them I am verie loath for that they are all or most part of them of one of these three sorts and therefore may probably be reclaimed to wit some of theÌ„ are led away of meere simplicitie indiscreet zeale whose wits be on the one side insufficient to discerne by outward actions what is in the inward maÌ„ which is a hard matter for anie to define of and on the other side as insufficient to be practitioners for these statesmen in regard of the same defect and therefore are made onely Parrots Pies or iangling Iayes to prattle vp and downe all that they heare and see where you must note that all which they shall heare or see must be onely of such things as may stirre them vp with zeale forsooth and as an act of spirituall merit to defend these holy Fathers in euerie thing and to be readie to spit in a Priests face to flie from him as from a vowed enemie of Gods Church because an aduersarie to the Fatthers and thinke it to be as horrible a sinne against their conscience to make as great a scruple to come to anie Sacrament or seruice with them or to aske them blessing as if they were Ethnickes Infidels or other damned creatures and alreadie denounced to be so But for anie other secret or point of importance they seldome or neuer impart it to these tittle tatlers whereof I could name you besides simple men a whole browne dozen of silly Gentlewomen about London that course both water and land Citie and Suburbes house and fieldes with these and the like speeches scil Out vpon the Seculars the Seminarie Priests the seditious the factious when as alas good Ladies for two of this holy crue are Ladies indeed they know not what a faction meanes but as I said before like Parrots speake as they be taught so they are to be accounted of accordingly Others are wholy depeÌ„ding on them for their temporall necessities and bodily reliefe and as the common saying is neede makes men of occupation and the Iesuites hauing gotten Iudas his office scil to carrie the mony bag into their substitutes hands disposing of all the wealth and charitie of Catholickes consisting of manie thousand pounds where how and to whom they please though most sinfully irreligiously and abusiuely they conuert these Pios vsus intended by the benefactors where need is most into their own purses these are braue religious men be they not or into their purses at least from whoÌ„ they may coniure it at their pleasures and make it flie ouer the Ocean vnder pretence of relieuing the Colledges or Seminaries to prepare for an inuasioÌ„ Now what would you haue those distressed Catholikes to do that liue in want either by reason that their liuings are takeÌ„ from them or vpon some other accident of fortunes frowne the secular Priests are not able to help them because they receiue not most of them one farthing of the commoÌ„ contribution but liue only vpon relief sent them from their priuat friends to get a dodkin of a Iesuit or his procurator it is impossible vnles they wil run with open mouth in defamation of seminary Priests their very first spirituall fathers oftentimes that begot them in Christ Iesus to Godward and to starue or famish they may not if possibly they can auoide it Therefore must this necessarie relation needes be betwixt the Iesuites and these kind of proctors that if the Iesuits take away their vpper lip they spill their whistling and if they whistle not apace against all the secular Priests with panigeries sounded out of the Iesuits praises then shall they loose their vpper lippe and all their hope of reliefe And thus are these needie persons made another kind of sticklers for them who according to their qualities and abilities to do them seruice with a cleanly conueyance in their actions shall be more or lesse acquainted with some of their secrets driftes and markes they shoote at A third sort of the Iesuits panigerickes or vnskilfull herauldes in this blazon are of those that are men of State in deede A French Iesuit repâ—â—â—ing that the King of Fraunce gained three millions of gold by them at their expulsion thence it cannot be but they haue infinit treasure in store for an exploit when time comes But it will questionlesse be their destruction beare haughtie mindes aspire to high mounts and expect great matters at the comming in of the Spaniards or time of the Iesuits triumphs and conquest made of this Realme through ayde of forreigne powers together with Indulgences granted to the aidors and excommunications thundred out against the resistants wherof I will talke anone leuied at their costs and charges taking vp souldiers euery where for pay if they cannot otherwise preuaile by helpe of Spaine And these are they which the Iesuites boast not a little of And though many of them be not God wot of the wisest for if they were they would neuer be led into a fooles paradise vpon Moone shine hopes of Lucean towers to be built for them by these great Statistes yet by reason partly of the great hope as I said before of receiuing euer an hundred for one and partly of some great enemies they haue in opposition against themselues they do runne the course of the Iesuits In deciding of the controuersie betwixt the two great houses of Arundel Dacre I haue made this point more apparant how the one house that it might the better suppresse the other applaudeth to all the Iesuits vndertake in hope to be strengthened by them herafter whilst the Iesuits in the meane time like greedy caterpillers do pray vpoÌ„ them
potent Kings Christian and Catholike did verily thinke they would haue pulled them downe and stoned them in the streete Thus you see what perfection these mortified men are come vnto and whereunto their ostentation of obedience to their superior doth tend Obedience indeed is a speciall vertue but one swallow makes no Sommer one vertue makes no creature perfect in his life one onely defect makes a priuation but all helpes must concurre to euery perfection Vnitas est principium numeri sed vnus vel vnitas non est numerus nisi abusiuè sumptus The fiue foolish virgins they did watch they liued chast they were obedient they were diligent they were carefull they carried lampes with them burning with indiscreet fire of zeale but they wanted oyle of charitie to keepe in the heate and make it perfect and therefore were they reiected with nescio vos Well yet admit this obedience of the Iesuits to weare the garland of perfection and merite the crowne of glorie what then Is there none hath equall part with them or may none be as perfect as any of them by this same meanes Yes questionlesse Saint Augustine our Apostle was sent by Pope Gregorie surnamed the Great for his many rare excellencies and graces into this flourishing Isle of England nolens volens with commaund not to returne vntill he had conuerted this people and nation to the Christian faith or else lost his life in defence of the same And he came by vertue of his Holinesse commaund and vnder obedience worthily perfourmed the same to his great merite How many Monks and Friers and other both secular and religious persons haue gone and do go continually with like authoritie when occasion is offered and vnder the same vow of obedience which these Iesuits make their vaunt of It were too long to stand to number them with what authoritie and vnder what other obedience vnlesse a more perfect kind do Seminarie Priests come into England saue onely this alone Where is then the difference of this great perfection which is in the Iesuits aboue all other Priests or orders of religion Where it is I know not but where the contrarie is I can giue a shrewd guesse at it It was said of old Cucullus non facit monachum It is not the death but the cause that makes a Martyr And we say now that meate makes and cloth shapes and manners makes a man and that all these faire shewes and flourishes in Academicall vertues may be without impeachment in their causes and yet stark nought in the effects produced by them And because saith the Philosopher that ex effectibus cognoscitur causa therefore by demonstration à posteriori it wil be proued that the Iesuits state of perfection is starke stinking nought and their ostentation of obedience meere hypocrisie and a seditious arrogant vaineglorious deluding of simple people with their vsurpate authoritie Is it alwaies a vertue and merite in those qui trans mare currunt to hazard their liues in forreine lands going either voluntarie or vnder obedience by commaund of their Superior If the Iesuites say it is not as it is not indeede then it followeth that they must graunt O that men wold but giue now and then an impartial glaunce vpon the Iesiu s protects and principles of their absurdities then should they see it luce clarius thâ—â— they abâ—â—e euery vertue grace and meane left vs to worke our saluation by cum â—â—more tremore simplicitate cordis who doth or can deny but that the three Euangelicall vertues of chastitie pouerty and oâ—eâ—ience are of counsell onely not of precept a in the Gospel and of precept not of counsell after a vow 〈◊〉 God hath past of them and yet â—oth wâ—ies they 〈◊〉 be and are often abus d to â—uâ—ll eâ—â—â—â—â—s apâ—â—eâ—â—â—â—â—â—ne in 〈…〉 seâ—â—â—â—â—â—â—ons that 〈…〉 it is the intention not the action that occasioneth the merite In respect whereof we say and true it is by generall opinion of all men that two Christians going into the warres together against the Turke and both of them there slaine the one may die a blessed martyr the other be damned to hell without redemption and then by consequent they must needes graunt that though the cause seeme neuer so iust yet the intention may mar all that that which is known only to God alone during the time of hanging the same cause the same is known to man after the effects haue discouered it And so their ostentation of mortification obedience perfection of state and I know not what is in pollicie by them to be kept silent for burst it out once into the effects it will proue nothing but auarice extorsion cousinage trecherie and treason If they affirme which were grosse that the very act of going vnder obedience be meritorious and makes the habituated therewith perfect then I inferre that vpon such a generalitie Mithridates filling all the Adriaticke seas with Pirates to molest the Romane Nauies and to breake their forces did cause a high merite to redound by that act to his couragious souldiers for feare makes cowards couragious in extremities though questionlesse many of them went for obedience which had rather haue wished themselues halfe hanged to haue sit still at home slept in a sound skin amongst their wiues and children So a merchants factor going by commandement of his maister into Turkie Barbarie Persia or elsewhere committing himselfe to Neptunus mercie to winds and waues and all aduerse fortunes of sea and land yet because those that are bound they must obey and perhaps though vnwilling to haue taken that voyage in hand of himselfe yet going on his maister his cost and charges he takes it vpon him with great alacritie and ioy of mind and by consequent meriteth greatly thereby if this principle hold true with the Iesuits And a number of the like examples may be brought to shew their grosse errour or rather the fond opinion of many that thinke vpon their inueigling perswasions that a Iesuite hath taken vpon him the most perfect state and vocation of life of any other whosoeuer Whereas in very deede it is especially as now they vse it the most imperfect of all other a very platforme canuase and deuise how to strengthen and enrich themselues with wealth friends and insinuating of theÌ„selues into Princes Courts and affaires and thus forsooth for obedience sake these humble soules must passe into India Turkie England Scotland and all nations and be remoued sent for and posted euer like merchants indeede that trafficke where most gaine is to be made by interchaunging of merchandize from one Mart hauen promontorie or Monopole to another and so another sent in his place thither againe or perhaps none at all if no commoditie be to be reaped thereby either by holding in of some friends that would slip from them or else by meanes of giuing intelligences of affaires in those coasts necessarie to be made knowne And thus much for these pure
being giuen without their consents likings or allowing of how could it stand firme or be without manifest errour as of necessity it could not chuse if the Church be wholly with them and that they are the true perfect and onely guides of soules But the truth was indeed that the said absolution did so much tend to the ouerthrow of the Iesuiticall platforme vnder colour of preiudice to the King of Spaine and their designements with him as no maruell if they did so much calumniate it and do the like still against the whole realme of France for his sake For what is it that they dare not do by their generall rule in ordine ad Deum Now if these good fellowes may presume thus farre with so famous persons and men of marke If these fellowes haue the reines layed on their neckes and be suffered to runne forward with the bit in their teeth a little longer they will hardly be reclaimed without great daunger of Apostacy Such is their extreame pride and haughtinesse of mind as with Bishops Cardinals and Popes themselues what can poore men expect at their hands that will not do and dye what and when they list But yet withall this is a comfort and vnder benedicite be it spoken when certaine of my deare louing and tender harted friends haue sometimes with teares bewailed vnto me my hard fortune to be tormented by the Iesuits as I thinke none in England hath bene more this was to me the greatest consolation I euer found to haue such great bugges combind with beggars and such admired at worthies to be consorted with such miserable wretches as my selfe and to vndergo with me and many moe poore afflicted the spite of their malicious tongues and extreame rage and fury against all men without exception of person time and place The sixt statute in this foresayd high Court or Councell of Reformation may very well be called a statute of retractation of slander which is a hote counterblast to the former horneblast of calumniation and it goes vnder the tenour of a prouiso that if such or such things do happen then the person or persons before defamed detracted calumniated contemned and condemned ad inferos on liue Sâ—me thinges there are where in the Iesuites â—â—â—ernement and pollicie were to be commended were they eitheâ— meere temporâ—ll men â—â—bâ—t lay broâ—hers or in some â—aâ—e secular Priests or else the spirituall of the Ecclesiasticall state but when a man shall reflect vpon these words monasticall religious and men of perfection mortified in all thing then alas for pure shame I blush at their insolencie vsurpation and abuse of themselues and their societie shall be as highly exalted extolled aduanced and eleuated ad caelos after their death And this is an apothegmaticall rule of as politicall a stratagemitor as I thinke hath bene in any age precedent to ours so full of misticall A dages as euery word when it comes to a pragmaticall practise hath close couched in it the enargy of a Senecall sentence The drift whereof is maruellous full of fine pollicie and in truth if any thing be commendable or to be freed from Atheisme in a Iesuiticall platforme for the aduancement of their societie abstracted from a religious faith and habite which marreth all the market this is doubtlesse one and such a one as deserueth an hierogliphicall embleme with a conceit in chiefe But because it were too long to stand vpon euerie apothegmaticall sentence rule clause and enterclause to be obserued how when by whom for what cause to what persons of what matter with what intent and how farre a man may proceede for omne nimium vertitur in vitium therefore will I set you downe the case starke naked vncased into a canuase by three or foure examples agreeing to the purpose The prouiso in the statute is this scil whereas before it was agreed vppon that a father of the society might authorize any of his substitutes or confederates or of himselfe detract defame and calumniate any person that should seeme opposite to their holy designements this being thought very conuenient for the present now be it further enacted thus that for and in consideration of the premises to aduance the father by traducing all others through discommends of all their talents abilities and graces in gouernement learning discretion vertue and pollicie it may be lawfull not onely to take away their good name but euen also their life if neede require propter bonum societatis Prouided alwayes that if the party before defamed be dead or bis backe broken with slaunders or other mishap so as he is neuer able to rise to any honour afterwards and withall if now the aduancement of his credite before disgraced notoriously for another intent and meaning may serue their turnes to worke some inconuenience or hinderance to a third person whom likewise they do maligne and hate That then and in that case the party especially being out of the way and thereby incapable of the honour which happily inter viuos might accrue vnto him through the panegiries of such praises they should leaue no stone vnremoued to extoll him aboue Saint Paules heauen where he saw that which was not to be reuealed to men on earth This then being the prouiso of the case now followeth the examples of the canuase After the death of Cardinall Allane the Iesuites fearing least Doctor Lewis Bishop of Cassana should haue had his place and bene made Cardinall there were diuerse patheticall discourses in conference vsed of that worthie Prelate where soeuer they came with many mournefull obiects presented to conceite of his losse if such a person should be preferred vnto his place and amongst the rest these were speciall impressions by them imprinted in affectionate hearts towards his Grace and their holies scil It was there obiected what emnitie this Bishop bare to their societie how that he stirred vp all their garboiles in the English Colledge at Rome and that he neuer could endure the said Cardinall his Grace but was euer his vowed enemy and one that had wrought him much spite woe and griefe in his daies And to make this politicall canuase go current or rather Machiuilean platforme I could find in my heart to tearme it to blemish the good opinion had of the Bishop thereby to trumpe in his way vntill they might get him triced out of their way they entred into a large discourse of the Cardinals extraordinary singularities They spared not then to spreade it abroade as men that had worshipped Cardinall Allane for a Saint Many words confessioÌ„s reports made and giuen out by the Scribes and Pharisees and the Diuell himself of our Sauiour Iesus Christ were good lust true but yet they did the same to a wicked end So these good fellowes the Iesuits dealt with the Cardinal making a true report of him in al things here recited saue the last that they reuerenced him at we say the diuel loues holy water
betwixt him and Doctor Squire then liuing were very likely to be renewed and so to worke great discredite both to him and the cause Catholike Thus stood the case then with Maister Blackwell now see the canuasse for Retractation of this slaunder giuen out of so stately a Polipragmon This simple man quite altered in nature manners and conuersation by reason of strong drinke priuate close liuing and familiaritie with some fathers of that societie became an officious Agent libeller-like to Rome by writing against his brethren the seculars enticed I make no question of it by some cony-catching deuise of Fa. Parsons thereby intending to be his bane at length as his new magisteriall office at his procurement instituted will be no doubt of it the onely meanes to plague him in reuenge of his former speeches vsed against the said father Who should quite forget himselfe his principles of Machiauell and all his rules of pollicie if Maister Blackwell scape scotfree after all the Iesuits turnes are serued by such a blockish instrument as cannot perceiue their mumbling meaning as resting wholly at their deuotion to stand or fall Yet so it is now as whether drowned in vaine delight of his new supremacie or otherwise inueigled to be a close Iesuit as sundry such there are which going vnder the name of seculars make the said seculars cause seeme more odious weake and exorbitant or howsoeuer it comes to passe Maister Blackwell sings now placebo domino meo Parsonio in terra viuentium for the time and layeth me on loade vpon euery opposite to a Iesuites designement Now he condemneth all as suspended and irregular persons that either directly or indirectly maintaine write or speake in defence of the censure of Paris which cleared the seculars from schisme sinne and all other crime or offence in the first resistance of his Archpresbitership and then againe threateneth all with thundring sentences of Ecclesiasticall censures that speake conferre procure or seeke for any redresse against his ignorant crueltie appointed of purpose and either doth not or will not know it to be slagellum fratrum suorum yea a scourge to himselfe and all England besides It is strange to consider how now he be labors himself in laying about him on all sides to defend the neuer heard of more impudent shamefull and palpably ignominious It is but a signe of a dastardly mind and most vnfit to be in authority to persecute those most whome all men note to be freest froÌ„ offence and yet such as by reason of a humerous tender and scrupulous heart they carry are easi iest ouercome and forced to yeeld For exaÌ„ple whereof get and read all the passage by letters and messages betwixt the Archpriest and Ma. More c. reprochfull and abhominable facts of Fa. Parsons and the rest of the Iesuits And especially he tyrannizeth if he find a sweete nature and mild disposition any way opposite vnto him such a one as Maister Thomas More a very reuerend secular Priest of many good parts and abilities who as I haue heard of late hath fared worse for my sake which I am very sory for though outwardly there was made no shew of it for I could tell perhaps why I can no lesse admire how that euer wise men should be so blinded as not to discerne which many do not then smile in my sleeue to thinke how brauely they haue bobd this double diligent M. Blackwell with this statute of Retractation of slaunder whereby if euer it come to hearing he is as sure to be hoysted ouer the barre for an ambidexter by comparing his former speech to his present proceedings as I am sure to haue written and set it downe here for a looking glasse vnto him with this emprise aboue it tristitia vestra trust to your self good Ma. Blackwell and forsake in time that seditious company who moue you to act write and speake you know not what against your selfe as one day you will find it I could here particulate this statute but it were too tedious to do so more exactly in discouerie of M. Blackwels ignorance simplicitie Who whiles I was in Scotland sent out an inhibition against all such bookes printed per Biennium c. by any Catholikes meanes or procurement within these two Realmes of England or Scotland as either might exasperate our common aduersaries here or otherwise preiudice the worthie labourers in our common causes that had merited so well of their countrey and all Catholikes as Father Parsons had for he was the famous man and I the infamous wretch whom all men iudged that speech to be intended for as no doubt it was and that by instigation of his good spirite Fa. Garnet to stop thereby the answer to Fa. Parsons Doleman of succession to the English Crowne which then they knew I went about A copie of which schedule being sent vnto me by a friend out of England to Edenborough where then I lay I could not tell well whether to laugh or be angrie to see the slinesse craft and pollicie of the Iesuits to put such a sharpe sword of Ecclesiasticall iurisdiction into a rawe simple and mad mans hands as if the point had not bin blunted and the edge turned by abuse of his authoritie neuer rightly had and many wayes since iustly lost as wil be proued against him he wold haue kild all that euer came in his I should say the Iesuits way and himselfe vnnaturally therewith as I feare he hath already For amongst other errors committed by him in that inhibition this was one scil that he would suffer all Parsons seditious bookes to passe current as his Philopator speaking most rebelliously against her Maiesty and the whole State and Nobles of this land his Doleman entituling most traiterously the Spanish Infanta to the English Crowne together with his Appendix fathered on Cardinall Allane being dead his Letter to the Marques Huntley to creepe in againe with Scotland but sent through England to be huffed ruffed and vanted of and sundrie other of his confederates libels letteâ—s and messages matter enough to haue moued a Saint to anger much more a mortall wight to be exasperated therby and knowing as he could not chuse but know it that I sought nothing lesse then to exasperate either my Soueraigne or present State but all quite contrary to confute all and whatsoeuer he had written leauing the question vndecided and fault where it was in him his clearely to be seene yet he to forbid both printing and reading of mine and extolling the other to the skies what a man should thinke hereof it may be easily discerned An other error therein was in that his authoritie if he had any and that it were not lost againe did extend onely to the censure allowance of such bookes as were of matters of Religion and Ecclesiastical gouernment and discipline so as this booke I then was thought to be in hand withall was out of his commission to meddle or deale
honor est in honorante say Deuines in exposition of the princely Prophets speech Omnis honor regis ab intus in fimbrijs aureis c. And for that the questioÌ„ is not of admittance into the nuÌ„ber of nobles or geÌ„tles but being once matriculated cataloguated registred in that KaleÌ„der whether that then being but a Gentleman of proper merite onely and not of bloud coat-armor or auncestrie the foresaid wants and defects do more disable the subiect wherein they are inherent to aduancement ecclesiasticall or ciuill that is whether a Priest by function or an Esquire by creation ought more to conceale and hide his faults and which of them may be soonest hindred from preferment to higher dignities as from an ordinarie Priest to be a Pastor Vicar Deane Archdeacon Bishop c. and from a Gentleman of coat-armor to be a Knight Baron Lord baron Vicount and Earle c. Wherein because it is presupposed that they are both in the way to preferment the one as a consecrated Priest by his spiritual the other as a created Esquire by his temporal gentrie the difference by consequent must needes follow thereupon to be this that being once admitted by dispensation legitimation c. those things most in request with a Priest afterward must be learning vertue gouernment c. None of which in our speech of meanes to aduancement are so exactly required in a temporall Gentleman and on the other side the graces and abilities expected at a temporall mans hand must be parentage valor comelinesse of person and wealth sufficient to maintaine his estate c. which may cause his good fortune by marryage and otherwise none of which are required so precisely in a Priest and perhaps not at all necessities his preferment standing not vpon mariage or ostentation of his wealth friends and temporall abilities but vpon the managing of the thing he hath or is to take in hand wherein wisedome prudence and other ciuill politicall and morall vertues are required And so by consequent it followeth that as both are to maintaine their honour renowne and credite to the vttermost so both may conceale such defects as may hinder the same preferment which otherwise might and would accrew vnto them alwaies respecting time place person and other circumstances as may preiudice either one or other thereby which to explane how that may happen I will set the case downe in these few examples following Saint Augustine rightly called the Apostle of England because sent hither by blessed Saint Gregorie the Great to conuert as he did this countrie to the Catholike Romane faith sending for the Welch or Briton Priests fallen into Apostacie and Pesagianisme to come to conference with him concerning sundrie of their heresies and grosse errors obseruing well his actions and behauiour towards them vpon the speech of a false prophet or Pelagian Hermit they all that came to parlee presently left him before the first encounter because he did not rise and giue them the chaire place or honor point at their meetings mightily condemning him for an arrogant proud man But yet was it no pride in him at all because he both came in all humble wise submitting himselfe to the meanest in all Kent vntill he had conuerted them and also for that he should by giuing them place coming as he did an Apostle haue preiudiced the See Apostolike and the Popes Holinesse from whence as an ambassadour with Legatiue power he came and also he should therein haue preiudiced the Regall Maiestie of King Ethelbert of Kent by name who then hauing receiued the Catholike Romane faith at Saint Augustines hands whom for that cause his Maiestie had highly priuiledged they did not send for him but he sent for them by authoritie from the said King who afterward also compelled them to receiue the same faith and to renounce their heresie with the death of two thousand Monks of Bangor Abbey at one time procured by the King of Kents exciting the King of Northumberland and others to warre vpon them c. Conformable to this example in another kind may very well be the secular and Seminarie Priests comming into England with like Apostolicall authoritie as did Saint Augustine and therefore as they are to humble themselues in all respects wheresoeuer they come in England as he did in Kent vnder any ciuill magistrate vnder her Maiestie and not to contend for a cappe or a knee where is readie prepared for them a racke and a halter by course of lawe in this land through the Iesuites mischieuous practises bringing all the rest to be had in iealousie thereby so are and ought they to stand vpon points when they come in place where their priesthood is called in question Aâ—â—â—e 〈◊〉 with 〈◊〉 weâ—l â—e two â—â—â—â—ble â—â—â—â—â—â—es of 〈◊〉 N◠〈…〉 boâ—â— hâ—â—â—â—â—d aâ—â—bâ—â—h 〈◊〉 â—â—all men Th◠〈◊〉 was aâ—â—oâ—re shewâ—â— by the Lord â—â—d Dâ—cre â—o Capt. Stukeâ—â—y whâ—ch Stukeâ—â—y tak ng vpon him to be â—n extraordinary gâ—â—aâ— person desireâ—â—he â—â—â—le Dacre is 〈◊〉 on a time to gâ—ue him countenance and the place of 〈◊〉 where eâ—â—â— hâ— staâ—â—◠〈…〉 checks 〈◊〉 it told hiâ— â—oâ— and further if he once esteâ—ed to take either place or titlâ— of honor vpon him in his presâ—nce he would maâ—â— him know him selfe as too â—reat â—n indignity 〈◊〉 so highly â—â—scenâ—ed of that honor he was of 〈◊〉 hâ— bloud to be suffered thâ—t be should well know that honour consisted not in popular applause nor yet 〈◊〉 excesse furâ—â—it of worldly â—ches The other example was of a Noble mans son who being prisoner to a Knight fâ—r that the said Knight had enâ—red into some â—â—aiâ—â— with 〈◊〉 concerning hiâ— Noble bloud be tooke him by the sleeâ—e as they wâ—re in goâ—â—g ouer a stile passing ouer before him said Know you Sir H.B. I am W. sonne of W Lo. S. and though I gaue you place before yet hereafter I will not neither can I without preiudice of my house and honour do it c. and vsed with contempt either of their function or of the Sea Apostolike by whose authoritie they pleade Marrie yet herein also with a different respect had to an aduersarie of an other profession and religion whom in these times to contend withall it were in vaine and but an occasion of moe dangers many blasphemies greater sinnes and to one that is of the same religion the secular Priest is of A verie fit example agreeing whereunto was of late shewed by one secular Priest to three sundry persons all Catholikes and one a Priest Iesuited to the first being a Gentleman but yet meaner of calling then either of the other he gaue place at table hand wall and stile because he saw it proceeded of simplicitie inciuili lâ— rudenesse in him though perhaps entermingled with some spice of sâ—lâ— conceit and sawcinesse and withall there came no contempt of Priesthood direâ—tly thereby The second hauing also before time alwayes giuen place because he was
Priest preacher If euery Priest shold take place agreeing to their Vice-gerencie vnder Christ there could be no order kept all being of equall power in respect of Priesthood therfore was it well prouided by the lawes and proceeded of institution deuine as may appeare by our Sauiours giuing of preheminence to Saint Peter aboue the rest of the Apostles that were as well as he all equally Priests that the power of iurisdiction should be a note to take their place by aswell amongst themselues as amongst others abroad in the world or Doctor of Diuinitie before a Knight c. And finally although in regard of the same order a Nobleman or his sonne take place of all these yet alwaies Ioels sentence stands inuiolate ratified confirmed and augmented with many sacred sanctions priuiledges and prerogatiues due to the priesthood now which were not so before in regard whereof the highest honour temporall on earth is no whit dishonoured but rather hath an augment of honour by his Priesthood which to confirme that holy Bishop Saint Ambrose was bold being moued by the Emperour and in his princely presence to drinke to the best man at the table to take the cup with a wassall to his Deacon saying all peace health honour and happinesse to you my Lord Emperour your Maiestie knoweth that a Priest represents the person of Christ and his Deacon supplies the place of an Angell and seeing the lowest Angell in heauen is farre to be preferred before the highest dignitie on earth pardon my dread Soueraigne if I haue done your Highnesse command and preferred my poore Deacon in the cup before the Imperiall Regalitie of Caesar Yea what else but onely this doth it meane that the poorest Priest on earth if admitted to heare the Popes Emperours or any other King or Prince his confession sits couered in his chaire while the other kneeles bare headed at his foote to receiue absolution at his hands But enough of this matter THE VI. ARTICLE WHether may or ought a man to seeke the like praise preferment or aduancement for another of his societie or company equally as for himselfe or whether fitter in pollicie if he seeke it for himself or his speciall friends to do it per se vel per aliam scil quartam vel tertiam personam c. THE ANSWERE IN matters wherein there is some difficultie daunger losse reproch or shamefastnesse a man may and a true friend will often attempt act and performe that for his friend which he would neuer dreame of nor wish to himselfe and then by consequent it is cleare that a man may do equally and as much for another as for himselfe in the case proposed in the former article And a simple politician is he that will do it either immediatly for himselfe or his friend For alwaies the farther off it is contriued by a fourth fifth or tenth person and that a thousand miles a sunder the more cleanely politically Machiuilean-like coÌ„ueied it is An example wherof that ignoble Polipragmon father Parsons though to the condemnation of his Atheall proud aspires yet to the high commends of his naturall ingeny may be to all posterity in his practise for a Cardinals hat The deuice for which was as followeth After many practises of father Parsons and his fellowes against her Maiesty and the English Crowne Kingdome and State whereof we will speake anone aswell by his agents in England it selfe as also in Italy Spaine and Flanders finding the secular Priests at Rome and in England alwayes opposite to his wretched designements most vnnaturall attempts and treasonable practises Cardinall Allane being now dead and Doctor Worthington homo secundum cor Parsoni ruling all the rost in the Low-countries amongst the Seminaries as that couertly sullen surly Prelate father Holt did amongst the souldiers and other pensioners there hauing deuised many shifts for father Parsons aduancement and all failing at length the King of Spaine was made acquainted therewith and how that the students others of our nation were bent against the fathers for his sake forsooth in that they sought the establishing of the English Crowne to his royal issue whereupon his Maiesty wrote earnestly to his Holinesse Pope Clement that now is A very â—â—kâ—â— lâ—t to this is their now proceedings here in England to get bowes and giâ—les vagrant fellows and such as â—ee by these scolâ—â—â— â—â—ilings against seculars 〈◊〉 it euery 〈…〉 what a part waâ— it for the 〈◊〉 to write 〈◊〉 â—â—â—terly against such blessed men as the Iesuits are whâ—â—only vphold religion amongst â—s he 〈◊〉 England whâ—â—h otherwise 〈◊〉 â—quaâ—le c. and to other Cardinals that in any case they should support beare out and mainaine the credite of the Iesuits against the complaints of the English who without all cause reason and sense but by being seduced by the Queene of England did greatly calumniate these holy fathers that sought their countries good and happinesse as he affirmed Whiles this was a hammering in drawing the kings affection from all the English seculars to the Iesuites in generall the aboue named agents like gallant states men father Holt and Doctor Worthington drew a very formall letter petitionall or supplicatiue in the names of all the common souldiers laborers artizens and pentioners aswell men as women equally without difference yea the yery scullians landresses and seruants were not omitted in that pitifull complaining shewing to his Maiesty the king of Spaine the present calamities that England stood in most humbly beseeching his Catholike Maiesty in regard of the great affection and care of our country and the afflicted English he would vouchsafe to deale most earnestly with the Pope to preferre that vnworthy dishonorable Prelate father Parsons to the dignity of Cardinall affirming it to be the only way to bind and vnite the English to his Maiesty Miranda canunt sed non credeÌ„da portae But what was the issue nunc spectatum admissi risum teneatis amice In expectation of the same preferment and for what causes else is to himselfe best knowne are not much material this good father went to Rome on pilgrimage you may please to imagine out of Spaine very deuoutly or rather directly in the yeare 1597. Where he no sooner arriued but presently he was visited or rather courted with two Cardinals at his lodging to wit Cardinall Baronius and the other a Spaniard This extraordinary curtesie and honor done vnto the poore man gaue present occasion of some speech in the city that out of all doubt father Parsons should be made a Cardinall But the conceit begun thus in Rome ended there also with a merry iest For father Parsons being counselled by the Phisitians to keepe his stomacke warme sent his brother for scarlet to make him a stomacher who of likelihood so soone as euer he heard the name of scarlet he was possessed vpon the sudden with so affectionate an opinion of his brothers aduancement that forgetting his intent to haue
surest chroniclers that are as all men know it or this sentence without sense or this false and corrupt or but a childish discourse without substance method or stile in it or but a plaine dunce doggrell dottrel or without any phrase but all in inkehorne termes or written of splene malice and disdaine and but an infamous libell and so reiect it as vnworthy the answering or yet and much rather not worth the reading If he be like to win or haue won the harts and affections of some great persons or stand in grace and fauour with such as may countenance him out let gifts walke to some night Crowes or other vnfriends or backe friends that may by bribes or other enticements be set on to incense against him as to be but a base fellow a blab one of no talent nor account nor reckning in places where he hath liued a discredite to haue him in their house or about them or to suffer him to be in their cōpany or haue any dealings with thē or for them c. If he be framed by nature to be of a good disposition affable and of a commendable and vertuous life say he is but a dissembler ambicious arrogant a spy a counterfeit an apostata an Atheist c. and be euer ready to cry whoreson first in that vice whereof thy selfe art guiltie and against that vertue which in the other may preiudice thy purpose And alwayes be sure to haue examples in readinesse be they neuer so bald or impertinent to the purpose in their originall to confirme that which is intended against him to be true which to haue plenty of in store the readiest course is to harken out in euery house place and company where such as thou intendest to detract haue liued and as it is almost impossible but that amongst the dearest friēds that liue on earth there wil somtimes be some crosse words or light dislikes so alwayes to learne out where such are and if that will not make a breach then for to cast out some thing or other of one or both whereby to make them fall out and part company that all and more then all that the one knowes by the other may be knowne so worke vpon it accordingly as before Amongst many experiences of the Iesuits malice in these practises of detraction I will here set you downe only two examples one concerning my selfe which I will be brief in here because in the Apologie for mine owne purgation you shall heare of it more at large and the other shall be concerning the Students at Rome wherein also I will be sparing and take nothing but for this purpose now in question for casting out of a detraction and thus it was for both apart It is not vnknowne to all Catholickes in England how easie a matter it hath bene since the Iesuites began their raigne amongst vs for sundrie lay persons if neuer so little crossed in their intents and purposes or if that he who is their gstostly father wil not applause vnto them in euery thing they do or say how that presently they will take pepper in the nose with caeteri volunt and so vtterly refuse him and chuse another ghostly father to their liking or at the Fathers or some fautors of theirs appointment ouer them And no where sooner doth this happen then where these ghostly children are that being giuen to loose life or other kind of wanton behauior or scandalous libertie will not leaue off their leud courses nor endure to heare or be aduised ruled and perswaded by their ghostly fathers in things pertaining to their soules behoofe Whereof I hauing tried many rufull experiences one amongst the rest was about a Letter sent vnto me by a speciall friend concerning an Honorable person verie notoriously defamed Who hauing bene my ghostly child it was obiected against me by my aduersaries some of the Iesuitical faction that I knew of such lewdnesse and winked at it c. This rumor although I straight imagined it was but a deuice to make the parties and me fall in dislike at least one of the other yet could I do no lesse then signifie by letter so much vnto the partie on that behalfe and for mine owne discharge wrote somewhat sharply and yet in all charitable manner to auoid such company c. But how it proued the effects shewed One of the Iesuits faction got presently an interest there in that partie and I was persecuted made odious to some of my friends and threatned of a carpet Cales knight to be killed if euer he could meete with me yet anima mea in manibus meis it was the least thing I feared Another like to this was shortly after about one of no lesse Honourable calling of whom hauing heard and seene such dealings as neither with a cleare conscience could I anie longer winke at as the case stood neither could I find anie hope or likelihood of continuance there after the yee were once broken by reason of the heauie persecution I alreadie sustained by certaine lay persons of the Iesuites faction that most basely laboured by continuall slaunders vile speeches and most false reports to worke me out thence hauing first gotten my stuffe conueyed from the partie in secret as no whit deceiued in imagining what would followe and then making a separation betwixt him and his wench causing her to go home to her parents presently hereupon there arose such a huffing perrie against me that I was forced to betake me to my heeles and euer since haue liued banished from the place and companie of those I euer dearly honored regarded and affected And these two noble persons are now most earnest prosecutors of the Iesuites and Archpriests sedition falshood and faction notwithstanding that the latter hath heretofore often conceptis verbis most deepely detested them with many vowes promises and protestations neuer to admit of any of them yea or of any other that preiudice either our cause in generall or my selfe in speciall Sed tempora mutantur nos mutamur in illis yet to this day will no blustering speeches nor big lookes get that party a good name or credit but to be a stale and laughing stocke to the Iesuits for some noble bloud that is the best in the sayd parties body The reason wherof I could tel pardie Sed transeant ista c. Now to the detraction of the students at Rome therein onely a word or two of father Parsons impiety in his letter dated at Naples the thirteenth of Iuly Anno 1598. to make the English students odious to all posterity so much as in this wretched caitiffe lyeth affirming that such of the students as opposed thēselues against the fathers were not well established in the grace of God when they came to Rome or had no due preparation to the calling of Priesthod yea he spareth not our mother City but impeacheth the credite of it most egregiously it being the seate of Christ his honour here on
the dorter of Gods Church waking readie to barke at euerie passe-by out of the way thereby rowzing the Lionesse the sweete spouse of Christ who sleepes with open eyes day and night beholding what is done or said euery where being noted of singularitie and suspected of innouation by sundrie tergiuersations equiuocations sophistications windings twindings tracings and doublings being often driuen to repeale recall recant renounce and deny all their doings speeches practises and proceedings in seducing of the innocent at length when they could colour their malice ambition lewdnesse no longer then lo they burst out into open warres against the Catholike church and deuiding themselues from all other Catholikes as in a sort the Iesuits at Wisbich first and now since throughout England do beginne pretily well to ominate what they ayme at affirming that the Catholike church was onely and wholly amongst them and that all others that were not of their company were Schismatickes or Heretickes they then aduanced their dismall banners and so many thousands otherwise vertuous deuout and religious persons were thus seduced by them became absurd heretickes in following of them and in the end died many thousands loosing their liues and many hundred thousands of soules perishing in defence of them and their hereticall doctrine sects and opinions And euen like to all other hereticall proceedings is this course that the Iesuits take God amend them or cut them off that no Catholikes be euer seduced in the end of their downefall by them THE ARGVMENT OF THE fifth Generall Quodlibet BY reason of the great obloquie hatred and disgrace that the English nation is brought into by the Iesuits practises as in the last Quodlibet appeareth and especially concerning the English Students at Rome most cruelly handled by the seditious faction of the Iesuits it followeth sitly in this place to put foorth a Quodlibet of Gouernement to search out what may be the Iesuites drift in plotting for the sway sword and authoritie euerie where to be in their hands Therefore shall this fifth generall Quodlibet be of their plots by gouernement and rule in manner following THE FIFTH QVODLIBET of Plots by Gouernement THE I. ARTICLE WHether the Iesuites or the Seminarie Priests be fitter for Gouernment in the Colledges beyond the seas and whether of the two is more necessarie either respecting Gods church or the weale of our countrey to haue the bringing vp of English youths there THE ANSWERE IF Cardinall Boromeus whose rare vertues all Europe talked of had had the hearing of this disputation and bene vmpier moderator or iudge paramount of this question he would sure haue bene on the Seminarie and secular Priests side For this good Cardinall obseruing well the pride of the Iesuits their practises for inriching aduancing bringing of themselues to be admired at of all men right Lucifer like as much as to say am I not the chiefe and their conicatching deuises for alluring of the finest wits children of most towardnesse and those of rarest aspects and greatest hopes to their spiery hauing intelligence how they held in diuerse Seminaries within the Duchy of Millan the like course and state taken vpon them vnder colour of teaching and bringing vp of youths there as they did in other countries and prouinces about him and where euer they came he thought them no fit men to remaine within his iurisdiction Wherupon he banished them out of all these places esteeming it farre more necessary to haue such apt men and those of the finest wits quickest spirits and likeliest to proue great clerkes to become secular Priests as those appointed by institution diuine to take vpon them the care of soules and therefore woe vnto them if they be ignorant in the law they are to giue and expound to their flocke and charge This he prudently conceited as it was more conuenient yea of bounden dutie for those that were indifferent what state of life they tooke them vnto in the Church of God rather to haue them secular Priests then intruded into any order of religion or monasticall life whatsoeuer which intermedleth not ex professo with any such charge but liue after the prescript rules of their orders priuate to themselues as their vow and profession bindeth them vnto and none more then the Iesuites if they say true or as they would sometimes for a deuice make people beleeue they do So as it cannot be otherwise which this worthy Cardinall well noted in them but that the Iesuites in all their practises plots and pretences shadowed ouer with neuer so condensate a bright colour of religious zeale aime at a higher marke in the apple of the worlds eye then to do all things gratis and of poore pure deuotion charitie humilitie obedience and I cannot tell how many Academicall vertues and perfections which must forsooth be attributed vnto these perfect states-men and religious illuminates For how is it possible if they had any good religious Catholike or bare Christian meaning with them that they should make exceptions of persons in admitting none into their company or society but such as either by his wit wealth birth or other meanes may bring some gaine helpe and meanes to their further preferment and aduancement here on earth You progenie of vipers to vse our Sauiours words against you the offals of the old Scribes and Pharisees who hath taught you to eschue iram venturam to sequestrate your selues from the world to take vpon you a state of perfection and to include and exclude to chuse and refuse to force whom you list or otherwise to raile vpon them and condemne them to hell on liue in your arrogant censures and to thrust backe whom you like not of that gladly would enter in no doubt but of a religious conceit they haue of you though happie those that are so thrust out from among you Is this your holy societie Is this your perfection of life Is this your zeale of soules Is this your freedome from errour Is this your skill of gouernement Is this your doctrine of reformation Is this your familiaritie with God Is this your neerenesse by illuminated admittance to know secrets to others vnknowne that you dare put out and put in whom you please to haue this familiarity and to be illuminated as you vainely vaunt of No fie blasphemous wretches you preiudice Christ our Sauiour his sweete spouse and his sacred annointed Priests Nos talem consuetudinem non habemus neque Ecclesia Dei Neuer was there any religious order that tooke your course nor held such phantasticall extrauagant exorbitant irregular opinions as you do It is flat singularitie innouation and absurdity of your idle braines without any authoritie either of the Catholike Church or Scripture for you to single out any one soule in this sort Did our Sauiour teach did his Apostles practise did the Church deliuer by tradition vnto you that you might or ought to admit none but wise but wealthy but of great parentage or busie headed bodies
bestowed that silly simple man if the Spaniard had preuailed in the yeare 88. For to haue made him onely a Pater minister they could not with honestie because he was then a Cardinall and to haue made him Archbishop of Canterbury or Yorke or Bishop of London these were all too high places for him as not a man of sufficiencie to gouerne or deale in such affaires as these places did require And againe the Spaniards should haue bene our Bishops for a time and the English Iesuits their Interpreters So as it was a very difficult and doubtfull case what should haue become of the poore Cardinall till at length considering he could not liue long they determined to haue bestowed some of the meanest Bishoprikes in the land vpon him as Carlile or some such like Sed parturiant montes nascetur ridiculus mus all turned to a iest there was no such matter THE III. ARTICLE VVHether then do the Iesuits intend in that case the preferment of any temporall person seeing they intend no secular of England or not in the temporall state THE ANSWER THey do questionlesse intend it for the preferment of some for a while at the first otherwise they had no pollicy in them for I doubt not of their ingratitude further then to serue their turnes withall First for that some of their greatest aduersaries of the temporall Lords as the Lord Dacre c. are no way to be bearded out but by their ioyning with some such honourable persons as may and will make the Iesuites quarrell theirs against him for their owne aduantage Secondly for that it cannot otherwise be but that there are many secret promises with bonds vowes and protestations deepely made of sundry great and high preferments to those that now are sticklers for them Thirdly for that they haue receiued large summes of sundry great persons alreadie and therefore must repay them vpon other mens lands c. Fourthly for that they are not able to win nor yet keepe this so mighty a Monarchie but by the ayde of such c. But yet shall none of these be so aduanced but that they shall stand at the Iesuites deuotion as now the Archpriest doth to continue so long and no longer then is for their turne and that they shall be ruled and subiected vnder them THE IIII. ARTICLE WHether then seeing it appeares plaine we shall haue a change if the Iesuits preuaile do they intend a change of gouernement in the Monarchy onely or therewithall in the Vniuersities Innes of Court Chancery and in all other Colledges corporations companies and societies also or do they onely aime at some few chiefe houses c. THE ANSWERE NOw when you talke of societies you make me remember the new buildings in Edenborough called the Colledge or society house of the City where the Puritanes haue many prety orders obseruations and rules set downe amongst them for gouernement not much vnlike the orders of the Iesuits society For all these new illuminates must haue one tricke or other of innouation and singularity in euery thing And so I make no question of it but if the Iesuites preuaile they intend and will turne all things topsie turuie vpside downe sincke shal vp and sice shall vnder a dead man shall rise and do great wonder not so much as the society drinke but shall quite be changed and a lacke what ailes my minnie at me heigh hoe In Parsons high Councell of Reformacion wherein as those report that haue seene it this whole monarchicall Ile containing England Scotland and Ireland is made a Prouince depending vpon Spaine and Iesuitisme all the whole state must be changed as I told you before and the lands and seigniories of Cleargy and Nobility Vniuersities Colledges what not must be altered abridged or taken quite away Yea these popular Francklines great rich farmers or muckle carles of the countrey these Kentish yeomen vntriall Gentlemen the Iesuites officers must be authorised to confiscate certaine houses of speciall note in particular as this ignoble bastard Parsons in his vaine childish but arrogant hope hath already in conceit confiscated Cecill house to be Casa professa and another there by it to be Nouitiatum and so of others all must be changed into noua vitia yea such vices as were neuer heard of before For it is an imagined principle amongst the Iesuits which infatuates them to aduenture credit conscience and all that where they once set footing they must preuaile Vpon which vaine conceit their tormenting and troubling euery nation where they come causeth religiō to be blasphemed neuer any thing prospering in Gods Church where they come haue anie medling or dealing France abounded with Hugonites a kind of Puritanes and was neuer quiet so long as they were there yet now we see the Catholike religion hath maruelously increased since they for their sedition treacheries conspiracies were iustly banished thence How mightily Polonia was pestered and troubled by them it appeares in a booke intituled Equitis Poloni in Iesuitas anno primo Yea the Danskers made it an obiection of not admittance of the Sweden king to be their Soueraigne without condition of expelling the Iesuits from his Court and Counsell what fruite the Indians haue reaped by them the Spaniards shall themselues report it But so it is that by the crueltie of the Iesuits and Spaniards together let them take it betwixt them they are brought into that hatred as there is expected rebellions and reuolts from vnder King Philips allegiance euerie houre The like is of their garboiles in Italy Spaine Germany and other places and for England we haue said inough already all the world seeth it what mischiefe they haue brought and wrought amongst vs. Neither I will warrant shall you heare of one Iesuit that euer will acknowledge himselfe faulty nor say with Ionas Si orta sit haec tempestas propter me proijcite me in mare no it stands not with their lofty humilitie nor Atheall obedience nor Pharisaicall zeale to do so sed ex fructibus eorum cognoscetis eos Name me that nation that euer prospered in those actions wherein the Iesuits dipt their fingers in the fat or had any speciall commoditie or gaine in re or in spe thereby What good haue they done in the Low-countries or in Germany or in Scotland or in any other place where they come Onely this they haue done they come in with gloria patri euery where and vntill they haue like great fawcons or hawkes of the Tower firmely seazed vpon the pray kild at randon wing or souce they proceed forward with filio holding the panting heart fast in their talents for euery puny Iesuit though he be scarse able to say boe to a goose yet must he be as a correlatiue to his admired at holy father his Iesuit predecessor that went before him and so by consequent a rauening bird of pray to make poore foules I should haue sayd silly fooles sweet soules to tremble
afterward lest he shold expect some extraordinarie fauor or benefit at their hands they haue twenty dog-trickes new waies deuises by detracting which by their maxime is called gaining or winning of time how to shake him off verie Iesuitically and he neuer the wiser of it Of this principle obserued amongst the Iesuits for winning of time father Cryton a Scot. Iesuit I thinke ouerslipping himselfe at vnawares in his words told the Lord Dacre being then in Spaine put in hope of great matters but impatient in delayes that it was their manner when they had one of his account and calling that although they could not or at least would not performe what they promised or put the party in hope of yet was it in pollicy for them to draw him on without giuing him any resolute answer to the contrary as the onely way to gaine time so that by keeping him there put off with lingring hope in delayes they might the easier either act some other action by him to serue their turns withall which vpon the sudden could not be in readinesse to be enterprised or else preuent some inconuenience which might happen vnto them by his present departure or absence in another place Notwithstanding the Lord Dacre hauing had sufficient warning giuen him before aswell by the Noble Dutches of Feria halfe sister to Sir Robert Dormer nephew to the sayd Lord by mariage who hath often shewed a true naturall English Ladies heart euen liuing in a Spanish soile against these vnnaturall Parsonian practises as also by the said father Criton who bid his Lordship in effect looke for none other then to haue father Parsons his mortall enemie for euer by reason of his refusall to fauour or further the title of the Lady Infanta and for his free and liberall speech on the behalfe of his Prince and countrey against all forraine pretenders c. expected no lesse as since he hath found then most iniurious calumniations against him euerie where Yet vsed Parsons often dalliance with his Lordship either to make him breake off friendship some with his dearest friends or else to feed him with hopes or gifts to colour other guiles or to remoue some old stooles to make him breake his shinnes vpon them c. It was a pretie iest to heare how they cogd with maister Cecill after he had gottē his protection here in England how by gaining time of putting him off with hope of present parley this day that day and at such a place now then at another they made him trudge course both tide Thames and time with crosse encounters vntill he was weary of it But of all the rest they vsed a faithfull seruant of theirs Doctor Barret president at Doway most vnthankfully which because it is the very Anatomy of all the Iesuits base gained time I will set it out word for word as it is in the originall wherein I found it yet very briefly there deliuered This maister Barret was for a long time one of the Iesuits chiefe darlings and a speciall instrument to many purposes whom they requited in the end with all manner of disgusts and disgraces euen to his last breath For being sent for vp to Rome about the breach of the students with the Iesuits Cardinall Tolet hoping he would haue taken part with the seculars intended to haue made him Rector there and to haue cast out all the Iesuites as he did cast out sixe of them But Maister Barret contrarie to the Cardinals expectation became wholly Iesuited and did what he could in fauor of them against the students Whereupon Cardinall Tolet reiected him as an vnworthy man The Iesuits afterwards sent him downe to Doway to his old charge and father Parsons the archcousiner craftily made him purchase a house which cost 1200. crownes and withall stopt at Rome the Popes pension for the Colledge the space of two yeares By these occasions Doctor Barret in behalfe of the Colledge fell in debt 3000. crownes the Iesuits all this while keeping from him the annuall pensions With this the Doctor at length being moued sending to Rome to cōplaine and require the mony gentle father Parsons went to the Pope and accused him of excesse and euill husbandry in disposing the Popes Pensions And so by this meanes through gaine of time suffering the house to fall in extremitie father Parsons gained two commodities thereby one was thereupon to send into England for collections to be made and that none should come ouer vnto Doway without twenty pounds or a good large sum in their purses by reason of the great want that the Colledge was in another that hereupon through tract of time he got aduantage of the poore President as though the Colledge had decaied through his default and so intended vpon that occasion to haue cast him out and haue thrust in Iesuits in his place sauing that his death preuented it But other matters falling out here in England contrarie to their expectation about their Atchpresbiter it was thought necessarie for gaining of time a while longer not as yet to place there the Iesuits but one Doctor Worthington for a time to be a stickler to gaine time by for them Thus you see the Iesuits axiome of winning redeeming or gaining of time is nothing else in effect then to runne withall times in altering their positions by three generall rules or propositions vsed now one way and thē another as a medius terminus for euery doubtfull argument one is tempora mutantur ergo nos mutamur in illis Another is omnia pro tempore ergo nihil pro veritate The last is diuide imperia at all times so as the deuision of the spoile being in thine owne hands thou mayst make it serue thy turne to win by time thy desires The practise of which ground is in no Iesuites affaire so manifest as in this verie point and platforme for their English gouernement labouring to outward shew to set vp now one then another intending it for none at all in very deed as by conferring of one thing with another may be easilie discouered in their practises For it is not vnknowne to all the Christian world as I verily thinke that in Rome in Spaine in Flaunders and euery where but especially here in England Scotland and Ireland they labour to stirre vp all men vnder colour of religion and zealous desire in them of our countries conuersion against our Soueraigne the present State and aboue all against the seculars accusing them to be fautors of heretikes furtherers of heretikes titles to the English Crowne and a faction forsooth we must be tearmed by a company of Montebankes that haue put this phrase into ignorant peoples heads that when they talke of any that is opposite to these seditious Iesuits damnable courses they must say ô he is one of the faction when like a company of asses if they knew what a faction meant they might easily discerne that these their new maisters did ride
or any way seeking directly or indirectly the aduancement of any one competitor more thē another otherwise then they shold haue perceiued her Highnesse the present state to haue fauored and like of For howsoeuer the seculars many other soūd Catholiks do detest to death the said practises wold be as ready as any to dye at her Maiesties feete in defence of her royall person and euen in the afflicted state they liue in to reueale any such vnnaturall and monstrous conspiracies yet all are not of that humor though perhaps as good Catholikes and loyall subiects in another sense as the former are in that knowing themselues most innocent of all state-medlings or practises whatsoeuer they are notwithstanding nothing for that more fauored And therefore nature inclining all men liuing to seeke for ease quiet securitie auoidance of troubles dangers afflictions miseries although they abhor would neuer to death be actors in such conspiracies yet their wits being occupied with cōceits of the premises makes many one wish in their heart for a change neuer thinking considering nor regarding which way nor by what meanes soeuer And then when this generall desire of liuing quiet free in all is sorted with an inconsiderate cōceit in many a vehemēt motion of reuenge working in some makes thē ready to attempt what desperate act soeuer ad iniustam vexationem redimendam And so to folow any abettor complottor pretendor or cōspirator Which father Parsons wel noting how that by liberty of conscience all such conceits would vanish away so frustrate his hope for euer egging suggesting or setting on any euen to haue the least wish or thought of alteration or change no maruell though he cannot abide to heare of any league or liberty Eightly his chiefe hope being to procure a new formall excommunication against all that shal not ioyne with Spaine or the Lady Infanta when bloudy Bellona shal once hang forth her slag of defiance within an English Ken in the streamers of her menaces by this foresayd liberty granted his butcherie sacriligious and irregular hope were not onely frustrate in this but also all former excommunications suspensions and Ecclesiasticall censures that haue earst passed against our Soueraigne by his seditious procurement would be repealed reuoked called in and made void to all intents and purposes that might any way prejudice her Maiestie or the present State Therfore stands it the Iesuiticall faction vpon to hinder all peace libertie of conscience tolleration or what else soeuer other gracious conniuence would be graunted either for securitie of her Realme and royall State or otherwise for the safetie of her worne-out loyall subiects still afflicted vpon the iealousie I cannot say but iustly had of all that faction for these vnnaturall proceedings Ninthly the great summes of mony which the no lesse consciencelesse then mercilesse Iesuits collect ouer all the Realme by cousinage of many a vertuous innocent and well meaning Catholike would by this meanes be better employed to the reliefe of the poore distressed both Priests and other Catholikes that now famish and pine away for want of food through these cruell Iewish stonie harts restraint of all reliefe from them and further he should not haue such large gifts to bestow in bribes vpon the brokers of his trecheries slaunders and calumniations nor by consequent so many to take his part as now he hath if present gaine and promise of future preferment did not set headie carelesse peoples teeth on edge as both do which would easily be auoided if these extremities men are driuen into by reason of imprisonment and other vexations for their conscience were taken away Tenthly his popular gouernment would by this meanes be made void by reason that all men seeing him to haue bene the cause of their former troubles persecutions and miseries they would be in that case as forward to thrust out reiect and expell both him and all his seditious companie confederates as now they are to applaude vnto them or receiue them For such is the nature of the mobile vulgus most to respect their present quiet consolation and ease Eleuenthly by meanes of this tolleration all plots and conspiracies whereof I am fully perswaded there are a great many yet lie hidden and vnknowne would come to light the very conceit of this long wished for libertie being a readie meanes to make many ioyfull hearts euen readie to open their owne vnnaturall wishes much more the trecherous practises of any other whosoeuer of their dearest friends none next to God and their owne soules being in this case so neare vnto them as their Prince and countrey All these things well weighed you see that Parsons his vile bloudie and bastardly mind considered Lo here my maisters and mistresses you that be so hot spirited prosecutors of the Iesuiticall faction and so vehement against the seculars behold the gratefull reward you are to looke for at Fa. Parsons hands vaunt of him as you lift as sure as you liue on earth he careth no more for all your liues then so many dogges liues in time of an infectious plague together with all his confederates haue great reason on the one side neuer to death to yeeld to any peace libertie of conscience or the least gracious conniuence or princely fauors to be granted by her Maiesty to any Catholike This miserable wretch shewing plaine by these his lewd proceedings that he careth not nay questionlesse he could wish in his hart to see all the seculars other Catholikes in England hanged rather then to be frustrat of his conceited Iaponiā Monarchy Yea I verily think he wold be the hangmā of thē al himself rather thē his platforme should faile if it stood vpon so desperate a point one after another as a fitter office for such a base irregular bastard then to come nere Gods holy altar or once to touch those tremenda mysteria or to supply in any one thing the place and function of a Priest And on the other side you see againe what his ostentation is for religion and how zealous these cogging mates would make men beleeue they are right Puritanes in all things enuying that any should receiue yea but the least fauour at her Maiesties hands which they haue nay they refusing to receiue any vnlesse they may haue all Well it hath bene an ordinarie matter when any notorious heresie did arise that sundrie contraries out of the same did spring and so I feare it will proue betwixt the Puritane Iesuites and the Puritane Ministers vnlesse some order be taken for them both in time lest they winne so much time as it will be past time to correct them in any time hereafter But to returne againe to Fa. Parsons practise for gaining time You see how that notwithstanding his forwardnesse in shew for the conuersion of his countrey yet vnlesse it may be said vnto him withall Diuide impera he will not heare of any smaller matter in publicke
And yet again vnderhand vpon this ground of gaining time he laboureth continually for the setting vp now of this man and now of that woman furnishing of euery one with such bald stuffe as he hath to make them beleeue they haue matter sufficient to proue that the right of the Crowne belongeth vnto them For notwithstanding all his faire weather to Spaine yet for winning of time he hath still bene practising from time to time to haue raised vp others whilest the Spaniard was a breathing to haue gotten the Kingdom if he could and so to haue plucked that morsell out of King Philip and his daughters iawes nor caring who nor of what race nor of what nation soeuer that would step in for the Kingdome so he were forsooth a Catholike O good Lord yea a Catholike he must be so her Maiestie were deposed he careth not by whom but yet must make shew that it must be by aduancing some Catholike otherwise he could haue no colour of wishing for it and much lesse any meanes either to exasperate her Maiestie and the present State against Catholikes or yet to stirre vp Catholikes with desire to redeeme themselues out of the heauie persecutions laid vpō them For as he dealt first by his Agents with the Earle of Derby and yet the said Earle was no Catholike so at an other time he writ a discourse sent it into England and it caused to be published to many of the best Catholikes here which was that he would wish and did by those presents aduise them when the commoditie serued that they should make an election of some principal Noble and at last with much ado came out this word Catholike to be their King And all this was but a point of dalliance to gaine time withall And still when no pretender nor people wil be so madde as to follow his designements then hath he euer his recourse to the King of Spaine and at this time insisteth vpon the Infanta whose title though in his Appendix falsly fathered vpon Cardinall Allane he so approueth in conceit as not onely he is bold to call all men fooles malecontent Atheists and fautors of heretikes that labour or wish or but think that any other can haue right being known an heretike and no hope of reconciling them as he saith but besides though Catholikes they all were yet by moth-eaten records found out in an old wall God knowes when where or by whom he will exclude al King Henry the seuenths issue marrie yet alwaies prouided that if the Infanta faile his expectation as I pray God her Grace may faile it then will he be left free and in the mean while also debarred from following of none that will first take armes against our Soueraigne Lady and Queene And thus the case is cleare in answer to the interrogatorie that absolutely the Iesuits seeke the conuersion of no one of the bloud Royall but conditionally onely and for winning of time they seeke for the conuersion of now one and then another as may for the time make most for their purpose But they neuer as you may easily gather by the premises seeke to haue all Catholikes because that would make a generall opposition against them and be an occasion to thrust them quite out of the land So as to conclude this vaine vaunt of their religious zeale perfection and I know not what is nothing else but an elenchiall cloake to couer their pride ambition and trecherous aspires THE IX ARTICLE WHether then in that case intend they absolutely the aduancement of those conditionally conuerted by them or onely legatiuely or as subordinate vnder any verbi gratia as to be Viceroyes or matched to some Alien or home-borne subiects Viceroyes vnder the Spanish or Austrian Monarch THE ANSWER THey intend it only conditionally subordinately and legatiuely vnder another For it were no pollicie by their principles to haue any one absolute Monarch or Soueraigne in esse ouer all England to rule ouer them too no more then it were to haue had an Archpriest that should haue gouerned and haue bene head ouer the Iesuits as well as the seculars Therefore as they got such a fellow for the nonce to be Archpriest as both they might gouerne as they list themselues and make him fare like a Turke tinker or madde man at their pleasure to torment poore soules the ignorant deuout laitie with scruples the wiser sort with infamous libels schedules gallings letters and messages of slaunders and all both men and women cleargie and laitie with threats thunderings and feares that wold not obey a paltrey Iesuite and to be readie to crouch bow and kneele at an inch a nod or a frowne to these new Pharises so of very like qualitie condition and order must be their Viceroy and his gouernement For all this banding on the Archpriests behalf was only you see those vile patches hypocrisie vnder pretence of a legatiue and subordinate power and authoritie vnder his Holinesse whom they most abusiuely impudently and in the intended platforme scoffingly make the maske cloud and cloake vnder which they hide the neuer heard of more impietie And like a company of swaggerers ruffians or bragging braggats of Toledo they take vpon them to defend the Archpriest in all his actions vnder colour of obedience with ô I will yea that I will stand to death in defence of this due obedience to the See of his Holinesse for to defend him say they is to defend the Pope himselfe which might carie some sense if they acknowledged him also to be their superior But seeing they acknowledge no such matter nay quite contrarie that he stands at their deuotion and is but like an Ape a Parrot or a Vice in a play to prate what is prompted or suggested vnto him or like an axe a saw a sword or other dead instrument that moues and workes all things intentione rationalis agentis for he hath no wit nor discretion to do any thing as it seemeth but as their Prouinciall instructs him therefore what is this else to say vz. whosoeuer is disobedient to the Archpriest is disobedient to the Pope then to maintaine that whosoeuer is not obedient to a Iesuite in any thing reus est of disobedience vnto the Pope in all things for he that offends in one offends in all And so by consequent in this subordinate authoritie these corollaries follow one vpon another in this manner the Archpriest must rule all other Priests the Iesuites must rule the Archpriest the Pope must appoint whom and as they list the disobedience to the partie appointed must be holden for a contempt of his Holinesse the action goeth vnder the name of Schisme and irregularitie the Court of Oyer and terminer must be in the Low countries vnder Archduke Albert the Commissioners Iurie and Iudges must be the Iesuites the apeale to the Pope from them must be excommunication suspension and losse of all faculties and authoritie and so Parsons as summus Pontifex
hypocrita cupit se videri iustus hypocrita cupit se videri iustum a Iesuite iustus must make a Blackwell iustum 20 The causes mouing them thus vehemently to haue vrged our consent at the first and their now surcease from calling this vsurpate authority in question must needs be these First their shamefull abuses which would be called vpoÌ„ sure to come coram nobis in the highest place if once we had an equall iudge as we doubt not but at length to haue Secondly their crueltie vsed towards all Priests Thirdly their vnhonest proceedings in this election and institution of maister Blackwell Fourthly their vnlawfull authorizing of him at the first without commission banding it out like a company of cutters of Queene hith or roisters of Bellingsgate without all modestie shamefastnesse or honestie Fiftly their forging facing and coyning of letters messages c. to get consents c. Sixtly the generall esteeme simple people haue of their phansaicall vertue honestie and sincerity so as yeeld our consents we occasionate their sinne to increase hold backe our yeeld and their impietie is straight knowne and they quite ouerthrowne dismasquâ—d deciphered and set foorth in their proper colours 21 We cannot in conscience yeeld to it because that it is first to yeeld to the slaunder raised by them of vs all Secondly an iniurie to those that are gone Thirdly a contradiction to our owne doings Fourthly an opposition against one and other Fiftly a breach of all order Sixtly a participation consent association combination or sodalitie with the Iesuits to ouerthrow our countrie and make all our posteritie curse vs. 22 That M. Blackwell is but a cypher for the Iesuits to put what figure they list vnto vz. by the additions substractions affirmations negations c. of the particulars of his authority ergo part the figure and the cipher and the best is but tittle est c. 23 That they haue indiscretely marred their owne market in their violent course taken for confirmation of his authority viz. First by giuing out such and such to be excommunicated suspended c. which he dare not auerre nor can obtaine authoritie to do so Secondly by constituting assistants before euer he had authority for himselfe to whom he could not giue any faculties they hauing come to London some of them three sundry tearmes for such and he answering still that his authoritie for that matter was not yet come Thirdly the authority that now his assistants haue is only nomine non re for they haue to do with nothing but as informers to giue intelligence what they heare and see Fourthly the Iesuits laity refusing to come at our Seruice to receiue vs into their houses or to giue vs any maintenance and giuing out that we are schismatikes c. for not accepting this cogging authority at the first blast shew maister Blackwell to be most greedy in affecting of honour that could not haue patience vntill we had heard an answer from them we sent and the Iesuits to be most impudent in their dealings that would Turkize ouer vs in that shamelesse manner to vrge our consent by violent force not onely to saue their credits which had bene more tollerable but withall to bolster out their impiety and most vile practises against vs and both to be void of conscience shame religion or honesty to haue set a worke abroach which to maintaine they must needes be desperate or else are quite ouerthrowne and disgraced for euer 24 This simple mans election now confirmed the Iesuits being his counsellors and all things working and drawing to a head for inuasion so as the plots are like to be discouered shortly throughout Christendome it stands these statists vpon to vrge dentibus ensibus for maister Blackwell whom if we yeeld vnto we set vp the Iaponian kingdom if we resist we saue our country ouerthrow theÌ„ for euer ergo â—o true English harted catholike ought to fauor Blackwels authoritie And for any other vnlesse it be the Puritanes I thinke none will hereafter howsoeuer some schismatikes and perhaps Protestants haue heretofore bin teÌ„pted with their faire promises Many I verily thinke that al Puritanes will ioyne wholly with the Iesuits at leÌ„gth how farre off so euer they seeme to be and are yet in external profession of religion there being at the least halfe an hundreth principles odde trickes concerning gouernement authority tyranny popularity treason coÌ„spiracy c. which they iump as iust together in as if both were made of one mould 25 The very word Archpresbiter is Anomolum abolendum quite out of vse in Gods Church at this day ergo an innouation neuer like to be allowed of by the Pope after his Holinesse shall once please to be rightly informed of the case 26 It was but a policy of Par. to giue such a silly maÌ„ a poore tittle without an â—ffectual title to bleare our eyes with his care of our countrey because forsooth the name of a Bishop would haue raised persecution as though this be not as great and greater cause of persecution But the reason was indeed First for that neither the Cardinall nor he could compasse such a matter without authorizing such ouer the Iesuits equally with the seculars Secondly for that the Pope must then haue bene both priuie vnto it and ratified and confirmed it Thirdly and most of all for that then he must haue come by ordinary election of the seculars whereas now being an extrauagant innouate authority this extraordinary choise of him doth carry some better show in it Fourthly this great Iland could not then haue bene gouerned absoultely by them as is intended it shall be by excluding all Bishops and other authority 27 It is iust agreeing with the Puritanes to haue this kind of Archpresbitery and Parsons priuate rules of gouernement in his high Councell of Reformation tend to no lesse in morall matters though in religion he yet braues it out as though the most zealous Catholikes sided on his side 28 It was of purpose to keepe all gouernement from amongst vs thereby to settle his Iaponian monarchy ergo to be resisted 29 It is contrary to the custome of all countries ages times and persons to haue such an Archpresbiteriall gouernement ergo c. 30 It was intended thereby to bring all by solemne oath to prosecute the Iesuites wicked designements and therefore were certaine Priests in Spaine of late vrged to take an oath of obedience to the Archpriest in all things at their comming into England notwithstanding the poore Archpriest stands still at the Iesuits deuotion to be cast out at their pleasure if he act not what they command him 31 It was inuented of pollicy sent ouer with vnnaturall hate towards our countrey and will be maintained with great bloudshed if not preuented ergo These things being all matters of most weight the circumstances on all sides considered that in a world can be found I conclude with a briefe answer to the
cause so hereafter also being stopt as if it be possible no doubt he shall from euer comming to know the sum of the seculars appeale he may no doubt both erre and be partiall therein THE X. ARTICLE VVHether seeing the Pope may without preiudice be sayd to be partial vpon wrong information giuen without hearing what the plaintife hath to say and thereupon iudging secundum allegata probata may also excommunicate c. the innocent and set the guilty free if any excoÌ„munication then should be gotten vtcunque against all the seculars and others that resist the Archpriest commanding all to side with the Iesuits either on the Spanish or any other inuadors behalfe or admit which is impossible scil that the Iesuits and Archpriest had right on their side in the pretended authoritie of and for maister Blackwell and that thereupon for the disobedience and contempt as the Iesuits tearme it the sayd seculars should be suspended with losse of all faculties c. And further hauing thus farre preuailed against them and that iustly as in the case proposed we must imagine If then and from thencefoorth an excommunication suspension interdiction or other Ecclesiasticall censure shold passe conceptis verbis from the Sea Apostolike with generall consent of the Cardinals or procurement of the greater part of them on the Archpriest and Iesuits behalfe against all their opposites in whatsoeuer were it to be obeyed or not or if it were in what sort and whether vsque ad aras or how farre c. THE ANSWER IN this Article are many crosse Interrogatories as scil First whether if an excommunication should be procured on the behalfe of an inuador as questionlesse it will if the Iesuits and Archpriest preuaile and as assuredly it will be stopt if the seculars may haue audience against all that should aide our Soueraigne and natiue countrey The point of forraigne conquest and inuasion vnder colour of restoring religion toucheth all English Catholikes as neare in effect for their liues as it doth the Protestants And by consequent both Catholiks Protestants haue iust cause to beare with and defend the one the other in these temporall and morall matters against the Iesuites and Puritanes who onely seeke to stir rebellions of subiects against their Soueraignes and vrge conquests inuasions of forreiners against their countrey both of them vnder colour of religion to cast a combustion mixt of sâ—te famine and sword vpon our countrey without sparing of any man woman or child as the doctrines and proceedings of both make it manifest that no Protestants life shall be saued if the Puritanes preuaileâ— nor any Catholike if the Iesuits preuaile yea questionlesse the Protestants shall sooner go to the pot then the Catholikes if the Puritanes preuaile and the Catholikes sooner then the Protestants if the Iesuites though in conclusion neither shal be fauoured not spared And this was plaine by the Duke of Medinaes words who being told that there were diuerse Catholikes in England answered I care not I will make the best Protestants in England as good Catholikes as they if once I have them vnder my sword c. This hath he spoken often in the hearing of maister Wencelâ—de a Deuonshire man and others So as this and other intelligences had of the Iesuitical deuotion and Spanish fauors towards our nation and vs Catholikes doth manifest their pretence of religion to be a bloudy presage of a massacring intended conquest were it to be obeyed or not the inuadour comming with hostile power vnder colour and pretence of restoring the Catholicke faith and religion in this land And to this I answere that it were not to be obeyed For that although euerie Catholike be bound to receiue succour releeue and aide to his power any one that should absolutely without any further intent come to restore plant and confirme the Catholike faith and religion in this land yet because intentio perficit actum and as I sayd in another Quodlibet before that act which in it selfe is good may both by circumstance and intention be made naught And further for that mans iudgement in humane actions whiles he liues vnder a mortall sword comes by senses obiects which are externall vt sonus obiectum auditus color visus c. and for that the outward obiect moues the inward sense then that outward presents it to the inward phantasie and imagination of man called sensus internus and that againe by office brings it into the Court of reason which reason reflecting vpon the primarie obiect iudgeth ex cognitione sensibili de intelligibili obiecto and so we say that Sacramentum est visibile signum inuisibilis gratiae Hereupon it cometh â—hat be the protestations neuer so great to the contrary morally without approuing the intention to be good by miracle yet if the externall signes be such as they implicate a contradiction verbi gratia as he that shold cast a fire-ball into a house yet protest he intended not to burne it or shoot off a peece at his supposed friend charged with powder bullet pellet or shot yet intended not to kill him or violentlie vrge and force a yeeld to rape yet protest his intention was onlie to trie that woman but not to rauish her no man will beleeue him And so in the case proposed the old Lord Mountacute of worthie memorie Sir Anthony Browne Vicount Montacute gaue a no lesse catholike then loyall answere to the like question saying to this effect That if the Pope himselfe should come in with crosse key and gospell in his hand he would be readie with the first to run vnto his holines to cast himselfe downe at his feete to offer his seruice vnto him in all humblenes of hart and what not to shew himselfe a dutifull childe But if in steede of comming in solemne procession with crosse booke praiers and preaching he should come in a sounding royall march with heralds of armes into banners of blood displaied trumpets alarum pikes harquebuse and men of armes all marshald in rankes set in battell aray then would he be the first man in the field armed at all points to resist him in the face with al his might and power he were able to make and what not would he doe to shew himselfe a dutifull subiect naturalized in an English soile on that behalfe To the like end did his brother in law the euer honorable Dacre his words tend euen in the middest of his prince and countries enimies And the same should be euery true catholike English mans resolution For let the colour pretence and protestation be whatsoeuer it be may yet for that one and the same person may come as an Apostle of Christ or knight of Mars and that the markes for others to know him by which of these two he is are not his intentions protestations or meaning but the signes and tokens he brings with him together with the manner of his outward actions and proceedings we iudging as
told you before when he was so vehement against the peace in speech to haue beene betwixt her Maiestie and the king of Spaine in that league with Fraunce c. And did not the same tend to the same effect in France when one saide I pray God it be for good that this peace is made betwixt Spaine and Fraunce an other the king of Fraunce is but a dissembler and neuer meant nor wil meane well to the catholike church or setting vp of religion and an other that he was a reprobate of God forsaken and therefore made but shew of religion for a time to intrap the catholike more cunningly thereby And euen so say they heere in England that this extraordinary fauour granted to some in speciall is but to intrappe all in generall to get out the number of concealed catholiks by this meanes and to take aduantages of I cannot tell you what nor they much lesse haue any reason to imagine what they malitiously babble of As though the number of catholiks yea and of those that are catholike affected were not known in euery shire citie towne and parish throughout England ere euer any of those fauors were shewed or as though there neede any fitter speedier or more assured meanes to intrap whom they please then are already and of long time haue beene vsed by spies searches and other meanes or finally as though fauour in mitigation were as dangerous as rigour in execution of iustice or inflicting of punishments ordained by lawes already made of no lesse force then to take away the liues of what catholike soeuer they please if extremitie were shewed against them according to the statutes as now our ticklish state by meanes of these Iesuiticall conspiracies stands Therefore still say I and euery day will pray for it on my knees in my best poore deuotions God of his mercy send vs peace that we may liue without feare of seruing our Lord God in any the closest manner secretly in our chambers And further it is to be both wished and praied for that God may mooue First his Holines hart to call these seditions out from amongst vs who hinder of meere spite pride and enuie all good acts done by any that are not theirs Secondly then her Maiestie and honorable Counsell to looke vpon our miseries not to impute to the innocent these malignant speeches of the Iesuits in preiudicial iealousies suspicions had of this greatly and onely hoped for fauour to ease languishing harts with all Thirdly and last of all the deuout catholike laitie that they may no longer be blinded with the workers of their woes such as they may see daily more and more Quaere quae sunt deorsum non quae sunt sursum and care not what miserie danger persecution or other affliction any or all the catholikes in England suffer so their turnes may be serued thereby THE VI. ARTICLE WHether then if no danger can possiblie come to those that side with the seculars in labouring for this generall good ease and safetie of and to all catholikes or schismatikes that would be catholikes but for feare of imprisonment losse of lands and goods and life it selfe or other sharpe punishments ordeined to be inflicted vpon catholike Recusants by penall lawes can any danger come to the countrey to such either catholike or schismatike as either ioyne or at least seeme to fauour the Iesuits more then the seculars and speake all wholly on their behalfe against the other partie or if they stand neuters and indifferents to both yet refuse either to subscribe to the generall appeale on their Prince their countrey their owne and the seculars behalfe or to be Vmpiers in the matter for the conditions to be agreed vpon betwixt her Maiesties honorable assignes on the one side and the catholikes her loyall subiects suppliants on the other side or otherwise deny their consent yeeld and concurrence to the furtherance of this so gracious and in very deede miraculous incline of her Maiestie and honorable Counsell to mitigate our generall heauy persecution and affliction or how stands or is like to stand the case with such as refuse in the premisses THE ANSWERE MIght it be without offence to exemplate out of Parsons Philopater by what meanes the change of religion came I could descrie the coast by colour of the sand and set you downe the case cleere and easie to be vnderstood of euery one But letting former examples passe I say no more thereof then this that be you fully perswaded and assured what bribes can worke what gifts can winne what women can mooue and none more potent in moouing then they said Parsons in Greenecote what lying can deceiue in what impudency can face what flattery can allure to what promises can intice to what hope can vrge what protestations can perswade to what wit can inuent to hinder all furtherance aide consent or good liking to be had of this fauour to be shewed that same shall not be wanting to the vttermost But yet this withall will I giue them to weerds that those who are now furthest of from liking or consenting to the seculars in their action shall wish when they cannot helpe it that it had beene neerest them in smothering of them and it both with all their might and so to the diuersly membred article I answere thus diuersly First that these lay catholiks as are eager on the Iesuits or Archpriests behalfe are heereafter in the same predicament of a praemunire treason c. that their good ghostly fathers before spoken of are in Secondly that ere these matters came to light before the appeale was made there was no more danger in following of a Iesuit or the Archpriest then in following a Seminary or other secular priest bicause they were not then discouered the one from the other nor euer should haue beene in those cases if the Iesuits might haue had their wils as the only Scugge buckler and sconce they had to beare off all the blowes that of due right should haue fallen vpon them and not of the innocent seculars which was and is one speciall cause why they labour so mightily to make all bookes written of these matters in discouery of their egregious impietie both against the Church and common-wealth to seeme so odious and to suppresse so much as lieth in them the Printing and if not the Printing yet the reading and if not the reading yet the beleeuing of any thing in them to be true though the authors haue and doe still offer body for body to burne at a stake or hang on the gallowes for triall in auerring or recanting of whatsoeuer in substance hath beene written or spoken against them Thirdly as for neuters or indifferents they do but themselues wrong in causing a iealous conceite perhaps causelesse to be had of them Fourthly for those that refuse to deale being moued to be vmpiers or otherwise to further so good commendable and memorable an enterprise which no doubt
neuer come to good effect The old beaten pathes haue euer proued to be the best readiest and surest waies to walke in for the due performance of those designements And the ancient manner of planting the catholike faith hath bene by preaching praier and sacrifice priuate instructions hearing confessions giuing absolutions and exercising of other priestly functions and that done then to commit the rest to God To yeelde all temporall duties and seruices to the Prince vnder whom they liue yea though aliens by birth and strangers to his Nation people and naturall subiects much more then if borne vnder his natiue allegiance And so shall he neither cast of the care and dutifull seruice to his prince and country neither shall nor ought the care feare or respect had thereof discharge him of his duty to God and our holy mother the catholike church and to wish to his neighbour as to himselfe therein Alwaies obseruing the Apostolicall course in conuerting of others to the catholike faith Such a course as Saint Peter tooke first in Hierusalem then at Antioch then at Rome c. As Saint Paule tooke at Damasco at Corinth at Crete at Athens and at and in all countries prouinces and places where he came As Saint Iames the iust called our Lords brother tooke in the kingdome Iuda and Hierusalem and throughout the prouinces of Israell As Saint Iohn tooke at Ephesus and throughout all the churches of Asia vnder him As Saint Philip tooke at Hierapolis in Phrygia and throughout all Scythia As Saint Iames the sonne of Zebedee and brother to Saint Iohn tooke in Spaine As Saint Bartbolomew tooke in India and the great Armenia As Saint Matthew tooke in Aethiope As Saint Simon Zelotes tooke in Mesopotamia As Saint Iude or Thaddaeus tooke in Aegypt As Saint Andrew elder brother to Saint Peter tooke in Scythia of Europe and as Saint Thomas tooke amongst the Parthes Medes Persians Brachmans Hyrcans and Bactrians And in few as Saint Denis tooke among the French Fugatius and Damianus among the old Albion Britaines and Saint Augustine amongst the English Saxons of whom we all came These courses then that these glorious martyrs and blessed Saints tooke for conuersion of countries are for all catholike priests to imitate and to leaue these Iesuiticall seditious rebellious barbarous and preposterous courses to sathan and those infernall spirits from whence they came euer confessing as true sincere and religious catholikes should that innouations are euer daungerous that new fanglenesse in the least point of faith and religion is most pernitious and that nouelties and fine deuises of busie and vnquiet heads are but as May flowers that are gone in Iune carying a faire shew but neuer continue long Therefore let euery catholike priest seeke in the name of Iesus the conuersion of our country but not as the Iesuiticall faction hath sought Let them seeke it by priestly conuersation not by popular deuastation Let them study to teache obedience not rebellion to fill mens harts with inward ioy and peace not feede their eares with outward hopes of inuasions and treacheries to possesse their soules with laments in Apostrophees of compassion with good Saint Gregory who sighed sore for our forefathers being strangers vnto him to see so many soules perish in our Nation euery howre and not puffe vp their harts with preposterous cogitations of moone shine of the water THE V. ARTICLE VVHether doe the Iesuites in this point of Statizacion agree either amongst themselues or with any other priests or lay persons THE ANSWERE TTo this I answere First that it is manifest by the matter it selfe now in question that the secular priests and they doe quite disagree herein Secondly it is to be noted that their agreement amongst themselues concerning state meddles may be taken three manner of waies one way as it concerneth our country in particular and therein questionlesse there is no Iesuite in Christendome but he is of one and the selfe same mind that his fellowes are of scil that they all could wish to haue England Scotland and Ireland vnder them Note by this discourse here following that if the Iesuits had got England we should haue had a gouernment deposition and a Presbyter Iohn penes quem imperium to make these Northerne Iles all one Iesuiticall Monarchy to infeoffe themselues by hooke or by crooke in the whole imperiall dominions of great Britania with the remainder ouer to their corporation or puny fathers succeeding them as heires special in their societie by a state of perpetuity putting all the whole blood roiall of England to the formedowne as but heires general in one predicament together That this is so and that their wish their hope their intents in proceeding their labour in performing their endeuour in perfecting this plot and platforme are equally agreeing to all of them a like though the meanes and manner how to effect be different agreeing to their different natures dispositions qualities and abilities as some to be aulicall others martiall others rurall and againe of those some to be actors others prompters others inuentors or plotcasters c. It is cleere by many generall circumstances As that for one of maintaining the Archpriests authority as all the English Iesuits doe most eagerly whose institutiue iurisdiction is directly proued to extend to this point and practise for their aduancement to the monarchie Then for the Scots Iesuites a man would thinke that if any of that society were against Parsons proceedings they should be the most resolute But notwithstanding this omitting al the rest cōniuing and some most earnestly pursuing auerring imbracing the said Parsons opinion as their speeches to my selfe declared when they were afraid I should haue published my booke in answere to his Doleman for the succession c. Yet euen father Cryton who onely the Scots king did hope well of is proued by Master Cicills booke against him to be as forward as the other on the Spaniards behalfe and most egregiously to mocke flatter dissemble and collogue with his natiue Soueraigne And as for the Iesuites of other Nations it may appeere by the state booke of reformation for England drawne out by Parsons and the generall of the Iesuites in cuius virtute caeteri operantur that they all aime at one marke and one course and conceiue one and the same generall hope to haue England a Iapponian Monarchie as once one tearmed it or an apish Iland of Iesuites An other way their statizing may be taken for their priuate opinions cōcerning the next successor viz. whom this and that Iesuite would gladliest haue their vmpier patron champion to fight the field on their behalfe in bringing the whole realme vnder their subiection And herein bicause arrogancie pride and ambition hath set them all so high on horseback as looke what Prince or Noble can goe away with the English crowne that same they hope to be the aduancer of him most who most did further their pretence and was the greatest
meanes to worke on their behalfe to haue them accepted of as Generall of the armie in that exploit expeditionall against England intended Therefore in regarde hereof they are questionles often at daggers drawing amongst themselues whether some English or Scots or Spanish or German Generall should haue the name of Emperor or Dictator for the time of the conquest The Scots men knowing that if any of their nation should haue the preheminence then should their Critons their Gordans and other Iesuits of their nation be highest promoted the English not doubting but that if any of our owne nation should sway the scepter royall by their meanes that then their Parsons their Creswels their Garnets and others should haue the preheminence ouer the rest of the Iesuits and so if a Spaniard had the honor point then the Iesuits of Spaine if the Archduke then those of Germany should be most aduanced And thus ambition and affecting of soueraigntie doth so tickle them all with vaine and fantasticall hopes of England as quot homines tot sententiae amōgst them for the particular action by whom it should be chiefly acted And I verily thinke the first manner of proceeding as Doctor Cicill insinuates makes it apparant that the hot contentions wranglings brabbles and brawlings betwixt father Parsons and father Criton about the next successor was not absolutely for defeating the Scots title and aduancing of the Spanish which both as it seemeth by Critons speech in Master Cicils apologie did seeke for But the question in secret betwixt them was whether it were fitter to haue the Scots king or some other noble of Scotland preferd as vice-roy vnder the Spaniard or else the Earle of Arundell or Darby or Essex or some other of the English nobles had they title or had they none to the English crowne And so both like traitors against their soueraignes and countrie cogd the one with the other in their ambitious aspires pretending a beares loue each one to his countrie for his owne paunch A third way of the Iesuits agreement in statizing may be taken as it is an humor in these kinde of men that are ambitious to be alwaies loth to liue in subiection vnder any or to acknowledge any superior aboue themselues though of their owne order societie or companie where they liue And this aswell in regarde that they would not be crossed in their designments for any the least touch of contradiction strikes a proud selfe conceited body dead at hart as also for the humorous delight they take in commanding in chiefe where they liue though but ouer three or fower persons at the vttermost for a king of crickets a bedle of beggers and a Pigmay captaine in a conquest of cranes will straight driue pride into a conceit of a supremacie to be in himselfe sance pere And by reason of this naturall inclination in most of those that are Iesuits for amongst these three sorts of men whereof I told you before to wit wise wealthie or worshipfull onely admitted to be of their societie there is a great question which should goe away with the soueraigntie wit wealth and worship being al three incentiues of aspiring And you shal not finde any that hath spirit in him but howsoeuer he vaunt of obedience as the onely way to winne others to be obedient vnto him and doth indeede actually submit himselfe in all things to his superior Iesuit appointed ouer him yet will he seeke so much as is possible to get his necke out of the coller his head out of the halter and his vowed obeisance from vnder the yoke of commandants ouer him by setting foorth himselfe so as he may seeme to be fit either to be a state Counsellor for his grauitie a prouinciall for his policie a rector for his gouernment a courtier for his complements or an intelligent for his impudencie And in all these he must shew himselfe to haue a busie stirring head full of inuentions innouations and nouelties and so comming to aduancement he is freed in a sort from ordinarie controlment That this is a third cause or kinde of statizing wherin the Iesuits doe mightily disagree and are often at open warres by brawlings wranglings contentions and chidings amongst themselues defaming backbiting slaundering and supplanting one an other to omit what I haue heard of their ciuill broiles hatred and emulations in other countries as also what hath beene already saide out of Parsons owne writings and other things handled obiter in this treatise especially whiles Doctor Lewis Bishop of Cassana was visitor generall to whom I told you before how they put vp complaints against one an other I referre you for this time to one or two treatises penned and published by some very learned and graue catholike priestes wherein you shall finde a large discouerie of one of these Rabbies ruffling shuffling flourishing iars and iumblings to exempt himselfe from controlment of any superior and to be an absolute statesman paramount peregall peremptorie to command all others as actor independent of any to act all his actions I meane the great emperor illegitimate irregular abstract quintessence of all coines coggeries and forgeries Parsons the bastarde of Stockersey beyond Cosmage in Sommersetshire How cruelly and Machiuillianlike he ouerthrewe the credit of father Heiwood for presuming forsooth to equall himselfe with him at their being together in England and how flying hence being loden with the spoile of many poore catholikes he practised to be exempted from the checke of the Parisian prouinciall vnder pretence forsooth that the Queene of England had hired certaine persons to murther him there and since that time hath euer giuen himselfe to the studie of state matters This is that famous conqueror who hath bathed all England by his seditious libels in priests blood This is that woorthy excellent that lies dissembles and equiuocates at euery word This is that learned counseler that must rule ruffe range through euery state This is that same Parsons whom pope prince and peere with all true English harts haue cause to hate This is he of whom his owne generall reported that he was more troubled with one English man then with all the rest of his societie This is he of whom Cardinal Alan held this opinion that he was a man very violent and of an vnquiet spirit and of whom M. Blackwell now his darling said that his turbulent head and lewd life would be a discredit to the catholike cause And in few the generall conceit of all that euer haue throughly conuersed with him is this that he is of a furious passionate hot chollerike exorbitant working humour busie headed and full of ambition enuie pride rancour malice and reuenge whereunto through his latter Machiuillian practises may be added that he is a most diabolicall vnnaturall and barbarous butcherly fellowe vnworthy the name nay cursed be the howre wherein he had the name of a priest nay of an irreligious parson nay of a temporall lay man Iesuite nay of
women will giue vs thanks for that we haue done in seeking your amendment and riddance of you out from amongst them THE VI. ARTICLE VVHether seeing that all the Iesuits seeme to be of one minde for the conquest of England in generall and that they differ onely in the particulars vpon their owne priuate ambitious respects had for euerie mans particular aduancement wherein father Parsons beareth downe the rest did then the foresaid Parsons meddle directly at any time in state matters in a case detestable I meane whether did he and his complices euer sollicite any forraigne inuasion of Spaniard or others to take armes against her Maiestie their naturall soueraigne especially in the yeere 1588. And not onely excited the said king to depose her highnes but also to bring this realme into subiection of the Spaniards vnder pretence of restoring the catholike faith And if so then whether did they well or not THE ANSWERE VVOuld God the wretch had not been borne that hath forced vs for our free discharge before God and man to enter into these fiue bloodie articles here ensuing to expostulate with one another what hath been the cause of our daily increased persecutions and heauie calamities at home and abroad Well howsoeuer it fall out iacta est alea. Poore catholikes both clergie and laitie hurried hailed and tossed from poste to piller from wigge to wall by a restles course of miseries feares dangers running per circulum nunc cui neque apud Danaos locus est atque insuper ipsi Dardanidae infensi poenam cum sanguine poscunt We come to encounter this Hispanized Camelion Parsons with all his Africanian phalanges and Iesuiticall forces Against whom maugre all their sophistry aequiuocating and clenchiall doublings to the comfort of all true catholike harts for their better instruction in time to come and to make knowne to all the world how that the seculars were euer free of themselues from these state practises and that onely the Iesuits are the men who with their followers fautors and seditious faction haue been the instigators suggesters prompters actors and vrgers of these vnnaturall wicked and traitorous courses I say then and I am bound in conscience to speake it that though it greeue and gall their guts out that are of the Iesuiticall humor as those who can indure nothing worse then to heare of their owne lewdnes especially when they are preuented of their purpose which will force them in that case to deny any thing be it neuer so true yet it cannot be denied but that in the yeere 1588. There was neuer honest man as I thinke that pend such a treatise as this booke heere mentioned to haue gone vnder the good Cardinals name who sure would neuer haue lent his name to it as he did not but foâ— the vehement vrging of this Machiauâ—llian Iesuites persuasion which full sore repented him afterwarde in so much that when he hearâ—e and well perceiued what they went about for destroying and ruinating of his natiue countrey he wept tenderly not knowing how to remedie it nor much lesse how to bridle the Iesuiticall insolencie Cardinall Allan compiled a booke at the importunate suite of father Parsons impudently vrging his Grace thereto to haue been published when the Spaniards should haue arriued for the same intent premised in the article The first part of which booke was intituled A declaration of the sentence c. the second An admonition to the Nobilitie and people of England c. Of these bookes a great number were printed but presently vpon the ouerthrow of the great inuincible Armado vnder their heroicall Adlantado father Parsons for shame of the world and to the end that it should not be knowne how the expectation of the false prophet was frustrate procured the whole impression to be burnt sauing some few that had been sent abroad before hand to his friends and such as had otherwise been conueied away by the Printer and others in secret wise Some whereof ferrying ouer the maine were wafted into the south Ocean shores and cast on land came to diuers their hands that durst not auouch their harbor One father Currey a Iesuit speaking in a faint brauado of that booke to a secret friend of mine who durst not be knowne to fauor me said that it was a worke of that woorth as it would yet bite in time to come and that if by coniuration or otherwise the Queene or the Councell especially the Lord Treasurer whom he named in chiefe could haue any inkling where it were they would not leaue one stone standing vpon another in the house where it should happen to be heard of but blowe it vp or burne and consume it all to ashes before they would misse of it Wel as for that I vnderstaÌ„d the Counsel hath got a sight of it without any such extraordinarie search made for it And like ynough by some Iesuites meanes now that the matter fadges not as they would to haue the fault laid wholy vpon the Cardinals necke if possibly they could But howsoeuer yet great pitie it was that the bookes and the burner the woorthles worke and the wretched father were not both made a burnt sacrifice or offering combust together Amongst other seditious pestilent and craftily inueigling propositions set downe in that booke one was this in the second part thereof scil That the king of Spaine at length as well by his holines authoritie and exhortation as by his owne vnspeakeable zeale pietie mooued also not a little by my saith he humble and continuall sute together with the afflicted and banished catholikes of our nation of all and euery degree Who haue beene by his speciall compassion and regall munificency principally supported in this our long exile hath condescended at last to take vpon him this so holy and glorious an acte c. Hitherto the Cardinall by father Parsons suggestion and prompting him what he should write for to allure the Spaniard as master Charles Paget hath beene informed Out of which words I gather these Corolaries following First that they are of the same tenure and carrie the selfe same sense with them that the like speech doth in a passage of father Parsons Appendix to the succession fathered also vpon the saide Cardinall after his death notwithstanding that Doctor Gifford one of whose bookes no English Iesuit of them all is woorthie to carrie after him hath a letter to shew that the same discourse was wholly of this Polypragmons owne doing very vnhonestly put vpon the dead But bastards haue euer one dogge tricke or other of the corruption they come of and so hath he for forgerie cogging and lying as a notorious a signe of a gracelesse wretch as any in this age His wordes in the Appendix are these scil After a long circumquaquam locutionem of the impediments infringing all and euery pretenders title borne within this famous isle and as long a peroration on the Lady Infantaes behalfe who though all
England were Catholicks and those of the bloud royall so in esse with all yet were her title as good as the best saith he and by consequent concludes with this bobbe giuen to all our nation that the gift of the crowne of England was in the oldking Catholiks hands who perhaps quoth this patch Parsons may be perswaded as also his sonne the now king may be to the like set to giue ouer his claime and surrender vp his whole interest and right thereunto to his daughter Clara Eugenia Isabella yeelding her aide for atchieuing of the same to her and some such chatholicks Noble as his Maiestie shall thinke fit for a husband to a Lady of so high parentage Who being now the Archduke Albert late Cardinall c. if followeth that he is the Peere must be our Prince by Coruester Parsons designements And seeing he there insinuates as much and that the foresaid Cardinall Allan had dealt with the king of Spaine as he would make the world beleeue to that intent and purpose the case then and therein is cleere that this same booke here mentioned and that Appendix were both of Parsons owne doing as birds of one nest feather and wing hatched by the vnnaturall heate of his ambitious hart Secondly I obserue both heere there that there was great difficultie and doubts put in perswading the king of Spaine to this exploit for the conquest of England and that there was much adoo to draw him vnto it had not the parties mentioned importuned him to our countries ouerthrow Thirdly they account the intended massacre of her Maiestie and of so many thousands of her good subiects as must haue died if the Spaniard had preuailed as before I prooued it vnto you by the words of the Duke of Medina and other testimonies to that purpose a holy and glorious acte and to haue beene vndertaken of an vnspeakeable zeale and pietie c. Loe Nobles and Gentiles you deere catholikes of both sexes and all degrees Medina vowes he will spare none be he or she Catholicke Protestant or whosoeuer this booke affirmes the massacre intended is an acte of zeale what case are you now in if your Soueraigne forsake you also and who shal can or will defend you if she giue you ouer to the persecutor what haue you to say in your owne defence to saue your liues if her highnes draw the sword of iustice and lay it vpon you Truely nothing at all but so many of you as are loyall subiects your religious catholicke consciences reserued being as innocent as ignorant of those practises whereof I dare boldly speake it in the worde of a priest many thousands in England neuer heard of before the publishing of these Quodlibets might iustly haue fed your dying soules with hope of Beati qui persecutionem patiuntur propter iustitiam quoniam ipsorum est regnum caelorum But for other hopes you could haue none Fourthly the false harted Cateline inuolueth all the catholicks that were then beyond the seas in that his most Turkish Iesuitish Puritanian and barbarous designements Fiftly he intangleth such as receiued so great fauors at her Maiesties hands and the state heere as that where by the lawes they might all haue beene put to death they were onely banished Yet notwithstanding he forceth them to become intercessors both for the destruction of her Highnesse and of her kingdome Sixtly what iust cause is heere giuen to her Maiestie and the state of seuere proceeding against all such catholicks as were then beyond the seas when they should come home in that they all sought and thirsted after the blood of their countrey vos iudicate But I hope and in part I know it that the false bastard Iesuits pen when he writ those words did but expresse the traitorous harts of himselfe and some fewe of his consorts and that he hath most egregiously belied many For of the Lord Dacres and sundrie others as well of the cleargie as laitie it is well knowne they were euer most opposite to those traitorous practises and therefore most mightily persecuted by Parsons and his confederates notwithstanding they still helde and do holde out as loyall English subiects vsque ad sanguinem as obedient catholicke children vsque ad aras and as seruiceable in hart to both God and man Pope Prince and to the catholicke Romish church and the English common wealth as soule and body in one person can affoord or faith fealtie religion and loyaltie diuine loue and naturall affection can expect or demaund at their hands And for the rest if any were so sotted and bewitched with Iesuitisme or infected with the Spaniards as I doubt too many were I wish for my owne part euen from the bottome of my poore but resolued catholicke loyall hart so many of them as remaine obstinate with Parsons in that vnnaturall combination faire and well buried in their graues Thus hauing made the first part of the Interrogatory most apparant and manifest I wil now prosecute the answere to the second in as briefe and plaine a method as I may Say then for the present which yet is more then I would willingly put to mainteine the time and our afflicted state considered that his Holinesse and the king of Spaine might lawfully haue taken armes against her Maiestie and this her kingdome our natiue land yet it was shamefull part of father Parsons his companions to be the contriuers or instigators of it as it is to be prooued by many memorable examples agreeing to this purpose scil First out of holy writ it is manifest and apparant that the Iebusites and other inhabitants of the land of behest were permitted there to liue euen after the Israelites had obteined the land as their owne ancient inheritance ergo a forreine people of a natiue broode are not to be by Gods lawes subiected in their natiue soyle by strangers of an alien land Secondly Gregorius magnus when he might haue ridde the parts and coasts of Italy from the tyranny of the Gothes and other sauage peo-people if he would haue intermedled in matters of blood refused so to do accounting it to be a course not fitte for a man of his calling to deale in Thirdly by the lawes customes and practise of all kingdomes such persons as shall machinate and deuise to execute such outragious designements against their prince and countrey haue euer beene iustly condemned and detested of all honest men and good subiects yea and euen of those same princes inuadors or vsurpers that comming to sway the scepter royall of a kingdome by such meanes neuer suffred such traitors to passe vnpunished nor without the iust guerdon of treason deducere canes ad inferos as by sundry examples in the Antiperistasis to Parsons Doleman I haue prooued it true Fourthly it had beene Parsons dutie and so also the dutie of all other priests Iesuits and religious persons to haue praied for her Maiestie and their countrey and by preaching to haue sought the reformation
should be so and that they should obey them not onely for feare but for conscience Sixtly there is an argument that carieth some pretie shewe which may be framed from a good rule of Cardinall Bellarmines It is apparant that the worde of God doth prescribe obedience to wicked princes it is also as apparant that the lawes of the church as in our case do forbid obedience to such princes Now saith the said Cardinal but in another matter Quando ius diuinum ius humanum pugnant debet seruari ius diuinum omisso humano Seuenthly Iustinus Martyr Athenagoras and Tertullian haue notably expressed this dutie of subiects to the ciuill magistrates be what they shall good or bad And though then they were very prophane men and cruell persecutors many of them yet they labored verie earnestly to shew that by the doctrine of Christ himselfe of all his holy apostles and the whole church his sweete spouse it was the dutie of all Christians liuing vnder them and being borne their subiects to serue and obey them in all their temporall affaires and causes of imploiment Vectigalia collectiones c. There are none of your subiects saith Iustinus to the Emperor that pay their tributes customes and collections to such officers as you appoint to collect them sooner then we do that be Christians Sic instituti sumus for we are so taught c. to giue vnto Caesar that which is Caesars And againe Nos solum deum adoramus vobis in alijs rebus laeti inseruimus Likewise Athenagoras to the Emperor Antonius pro imperio vestro c. The Christians doe powre out their vowes and praiers to God for your empire that the sonne may succeed the father and the empire may long increase and flourish And Tertullian of like sort saith we pray with all our harts that God will grant to all Emperors a long life a secure empire an obedient family valiant armies a faithfull Senate honest subiects a quiet gouernment and whatsoeuer is acceptable vnto them Eightly but least it should be obiected that there is difference betweene heathen kings and such as being once true Christians and catholikes as al Christians are by baptisme are apostataed out of the church therefore though subiects are boūd to obey the first sort yet it foloweth not that they are so bound to the second To this I answere that although the difficultie be cleered in my second reason before set downe yet S. Augustine shal make the point more manifest Ordinauit sic deus ecclesiā suam c. God hath so ordred his church as all ordinarie authority and magistrates may haue in this world honor done vnto them aliquando à melioribus and sometime from their betters Contigit tibi c. It hapneth that thou art become a Christian hauing a master non ideo Christianus factus es vt dedigneris seruire thou art not therefore made a Christian that thou shouldest thinke scorne to serue thy master still O quantum c. O how much are rich and great men bound vnto Christ who so ordereth their families as if there be in them a seruant that is an infidell Christ doth conuert him non ei dicit and doth not saie vnto him serue thy master no longer bicause now thou knowest him who is indeed thy true Lord and master Yea but such a seruant may say Indignum est vt iustus fidelis seruiat iniquo infideli It is not meete that a iust and faithfull man should serue a wicked master being an infidell Whereunto Saint Augustine answereth non hoc ei dixit sed magis vt seruiat A seruant may say so but Christ neuer told him so but that being a Christian he should the rather continue his seruice to such a one his master If Christ himselfe the Soueraigne Lord of heauen and earth seruiuit indignis did obey wicked rulers praied for them being persecutors quanto magis how much more ought man not to disdaine to serue his Lord and master with all his minde with his whole good will and with perfect loue etiam malo though he be a wicked man Quod autem dixi de domino c. And what I haue said of the master and seruant vnderstand the same of powers and kings and of all other superiors of this world Sometimes they are good and feare God and sometimes they feare not God And so he commeth to the place which I haue all this while aimed at Iulianus extitit infidelis and was he not also an apostata a wicked man and an idolater But Christian soldiers serued the Emperor an Infidell when they came to a cause that touched Christ his honour they acknowledged none but him that was from heauen when he would haue had them to haue serued Idols and haue offred sacrifice vnto them they preferred God before the Emperor But when he said vnto them bring foorth your forces go against such a nation they presently obeied They distinguished their eternall Lord from their temporall Lord and yet they were subiect vnto their temporall Lord in respect of his will who is their eternall Lord. Thus farre Saint Augustine whereby I trust it is plaine that kings are to be obeied by their subiects whether they be wicked persons heretikes apostataes or woorse if woorse could be Besides all these generall reasons before mentioned why no good subiects ought to giue eare to such traitorous counsellors as Parsons and his fellowes were 1588. and so still continue there yet are some more particular and more pertinent respects why her Maiesties subiects ought not to haue regarded any or all their said Iesuiticall perswasions before mentioned for their ioyning with the Spaniards First the excommunication of Pius 5. hauing beene procured vpon false suggestions and so by surreption it hath euer beene thought by the grauer and more learned priests and catholikes in England to haue been void and of no validitie in law from the beginning And the same opinion is held of both the renouations partly in that a renouation of that which is not is voide and partly also for that the instigations as Parsons hath set them downe are many of them false and all exceeding malicious Which opinions being true in what case were they that were animated with the first excommunication to rebellion 1569. and in what case should they haue bene that should haue followed the Iesuits councels 1588 Surely they were and haue beene traytors both before God and man Secondly there are so many questions of the nullities of excommunications as it will alwaies be found a very hard matter for subiects to discerne when they are so farre to regard them as that with safe consciences they may take vp armes against their soueraignes vpon pretence that they are excommunicated Thirdly a great vncertaintie riseth amongst the schoolemen concerning the denouncing of any such excommunication when it may be thought to be so sufficient as that the subiects of any king
thing against any prince or king vnder what pretence soeuer yet necessitie will alwaies excuse their subiects for not obeying his holines buls in temporall duties and for performing their said duties and seruices vnto their soueraignes The Schoolemen doe make sundry kindes of necessities as necessitas adesse suppliciter adesse secundum quid ad bene esse c. which I will not trouble you withall You shall see the very point it selfe set downe in expresse termes concerning the catholikes of England that liue at this day vnder her Maiestie The faithfull of England and Saxonie saith Bannes are to be excused qui se non eximant à potestate superiorum nec bellum contra illos gerunt quoniam communiter non habent facultatem ad haec bella gerenda contra principes imminent illis grauia pericula who doe not exempt themselues from the power of their superiors nor beare armes against them bicause generally they haue no abilitie to wage such wars against their princes and great danger doth hang ouer their heads if they should attempt it And a little before he saith that subiects are not bound to warre against their soueraigne or to exempt themselues from their subiection cum periculo mortis amissione bonorum with the danger of their liues and losse of their goods and so endeth his resolution with an caetera as if he should haue said there are also many other such like exceptions to be allowed of And G. de Valencia agreeth with Bannes For saith he when the Popes holines doth absolue subiects from their othes of allegiance that they may not be bound to performe their duties to their Lords that are excommunicated and doe forbid them likewise so to doe they are thus to be vnderstood scil that they are not otherwise bound to obey them in those cases but si nimirum negare obsequium dominis suis possint absque notabili suo detrimento ita enim hoc est intelligendum sicut recte notauit Bannes that is When they may refuse to obey their Lords and masters without any notable hurt or losse to themselues for so these kindes of absolutions and forbiddings are to be vnderstood as Bannes hath well obserued And Master Parsons of his goodnes striketh this matter dead For in his said Admonition he is pleased to tell the catholikes of England and all other her Maiesties subiects in these words following that in cases of euident danger the censures of the Church so farre as they concerne onely temporall matters by the meaning of him that gaue the sentence doe not binde Now it might peraduenture prooue a very probable position as the world standeth at a gaze whether it may easily be conceiued by a man of a dull conceit that any king will be euer so negligent or carelesse of his owne estate or if he should whether any counsellors of any kingdome will euer be so improuident for the safetie of their soueraignes authoritie kingdome and life as that it shall not alwaies be dangerous for their subiects to rebell and take armes against them And then euery man may see what followeth that as Saint Paule said Multa mihi licita sunt quae tamen non expediunt so questionles I am of that minde that it will not be expedient for the Popes holines to intermeddle with the excommunicating of princes in these daies For assuredly it wil seldome fall out if euer that subiects without danger shall be able by rebellion to put such a sentence in execution besides the incertainties before specified that it cannot well be imagined how they should in these dangerous times take sufficient notice of it when so great and generall a iealousie on the one side is had of all princes and so manifest signes of intollerable abuses falshood and malepertnes on the other side in the Iesuiticall faction to procure whatsoeuer may serue their owne turnes for the time without all or any respect had of God or man Pope or prince church or common wealth catholike or heretike And sure it cannot be but that all princes as well spirituall as temporall will more narrowly looke into the Iesuits doings then heretofore they haue when they shall duly consider what daunger they all do stand in yea euen those that now fauour these seditious busie headed bodies most if these factious companions may procure excommunications at their pleasure and prouoke his holines to strike with ecclesiasticall censure whatsoeuer offendeth any of them nay whosoeuer doth not please and content them in all things nay more whosoeuer hath that which they haue a minde to and that they cannot otherwise haue their wish and vnlawful desire out goeth a slaunder that he or she are of lewd demeanour not established in the grace of God and in few are reprobates of God forsaken and then straightwaies must his holines strike them with excommunication c. or else shall he also be holden for a Lutheran or fautor of wicked persons and heretikes In confirmation of the premises here it offereth it selfe fitly to this purpose what father Criton the great Scots statist said to an honorable person in talke of these matters concerning the excommunication of his Maiestie king Iames. This noble Lord hauing heard some speeches against the Scots king blowne abroad by fa. Parsons his vnder Agents at Bruxels such be like as that base fellow Verstegen who hauing no more gentlemans blood in his body then in a coupers son nor scant so much of such a breed may the couper be yet tooke vpon him to cotize our English nobles and gentles there affirming that there were not past three or fower in those coastes of all our nation that were of any noble or generous blood coate armour and ancestrie scil the Earle of Westmerland the Lord Dacres and as I remember the next was himselfe or sir William Stanley I know not whether but either sir knight or sir knaue was in the third place Whereupon followed a fowle adoe in the Flemmish court for a while sundry of noble and generous blood being mightily disgraced by this base companions information giuen to the prince in derogation to our English gentrie And this vntriall gentleman was one of that nobleman father Parsons spies intelligencers and blazoners of what infamies as were to be conueyed thence abroad into Italie Spaine Fraunce and other countries adioyning Amongst other things that might be thought to indanger his royall person most one passage was this that father Parsons with others of the zealous illuminates and more resolute wise religious learned and graue fathers and other catholikes had dealt very seriously with the Popes holines about excommunicating of the said king which was expected euery hower to come foorth and to be promulgated against his highnes c. Whereof the foresaid Lord being desirous to knowe of father Criton whether any such thing were or not and withall whether his owne subiects or others that wished well vnto him might lawfully defend his
blood crueltie and destruction not onely of their soueraigne but an infinite number besides For they could not be so absurd as to thinke that the said excommunication was euer like to take effect without either warre or treacherie Nay it is now plaine that they had then plotted in their harts a shamefull rebellion which they did sollicite some of them in person as soone as the Pope had satisfied their desire Ninthly it is well knowne that the chiefe reasons that mooued Pius Quintus to yeeld vnto them were most falsly surreptiously suggested to his holines and carried with them very many absurdities as this for one scil Forsooth the Duke of Norfolke was a most sound catholike which was false all the realme would follow him which was absurd the Popes pleasure and censure once knowne to the catholikes there could be no resistance which was ridiculous Besides this a mariage would follow that would reforme all and worke woonders as if they should haue said that when the skie falleth they should haue store of larkes And now to those that procured the renouation of this excommunication at the times articulated If the first procurers of it may iustly be condemned as you haue heard what shall we thinke of them father Parsons and his associates our pretended holy fathers of the societie of Iesus that when it lay asleepe did reuiue it Certainly they are to be detested of all true catholikes and dutifull subiects to her Maiestie All that hitherto hath beene said against the procurers doth touch them nearer that were the sollicitors to haue it renewed as it may appeere to any that is not obstinately wilfull for these two reasons First for that they did finde by experience the mischiefe which the other might easily haue foreseene that is all the plagues miseries calamities and inconueniences that the denouncing of the said excommunication had already wrought which ought to haue restrained their madnes considering that the renewing of it could not choose in any reasonable mans iudgement but prouoke her Maiestie and the state to greater seueritie against all catholikes whereof they were in no danger themselues being beyond the seas Then a second reason was the bad successe which they also might haue noted by all the attempts made giuen or intended against our soueraigne realme apparantly demonstrating thus much at least to be expected by renewing of the excommunication scil a sorrowfull repentance of their after wits too late right Englishmen in deede but no way to be wished for such experimentall knowledge of our natiue dispositions in matters of so great importaÌ„ce as in a world greater could not be found And howsoeuer any cause had bin giuen yet the case was cleere by the effects ensuing that it was not Gods will such excommunications or other practises should haue been vsed or gone about especially by such men as father Parsons and other Iesuited hot spurres whose profession being farre otherwise in labouring for conuersion of countries the euill succes which he and all his confederates haue had in all their proceedings against princes doth giue all the world to vnderstand that God was not pleased from the beginning with the Iesuiticall courses Besides the more * The old Lord Mountacutes conceit was maruellous both catholike loyall against these new state religious Iesuits whose singularity he vtterly disliking of together with their busie practises and intrusions would neuer suffer any of them to come within his dores neither yet any other Seminarie priest all such being wrongfully suspected to be of a Iesuiticall disposition from which humor many were euen from the beginning most free though some and those too many were infected by them But al keeping silence in respect of the common cause the said Seminaries and other secular priests lay catholikes were content to vndergo that wroÌ„g conceit had of them with their fellowes with many other inconueniences miseries whâ—ch they might haue auoided if they had sooner opened themselues their detestatioÌ„ of such courses As the onely chiefe cause ad hominem of keeping out so many schismatikes that otherwise would haue been catholikes occasionating also the fall of sundrâ— others which probably would neuer haue shrunke if feare of intangling with state matters had not mooued â—hem thereunto ancient learned wise and grauer sort did euer dislike with such kinde of dealings scil Cardinall Allan that renowmed prelate he euen wept of tender loue to his countrie in conceiting what mischiefes the Iesuited Spanish faction had bred and would heereafter breede to this realme and Doctor Watson then Bishop of Lincolne with others as it were presaging or prophecying in plaine termes foretold it that as things then stood the Iesuits progresse in statizing as they did would certainly vrge the state to make some sharper lawes which should not onely touch them but likewise all other both priests and catholikes as since we all haue found it to be most true diuers others also of sounde iudgement in forecasting what might happen by these rebellious tumultuous vnpriestly and irreligious courses told father Parsons in plaine terms that vnles he did desist from those his vnpriestlike affaires whereof one was then to set her Maiesties crowne on anothers head as his letter to an Earle before mentioned declareth they the said catholikes would deliuer him vp into the hands of the ciuill magistrate to make him know they could and would put a difference in discerning of a pretence betwixt religion and treason and that they did detest his platforme and proceedings to effectuate the same to the vtter destruction not conuersion of our countrie So also the succession of sorrowes which from time to time haue fallen vpon vs all and especially the most innocent most tormented the false traitors flying away casting of their loade and laying all vpon their backs might woorst and least desired deserued or demerited to haue borne it and leauing the guiltlesse blood to bleede the harmelesse harts to wring the scrupulous catholikes perplexed with many dilemmaes betwixt religion and loyaltie not knowing what to doe did plainly explane the case when and how that posteriores cogitationes solent esse sapientiores that though experience be called the mistres of fooles yet is she no foolish mistres that the Iesuiticall plots for restoring religion in this land by surreptitiall excommunications depositions inuasions massacrings murthorings and other treacherous Catelinian coniurations and conspiracies were not sanctified nor blessed by the hand of God and that happy had we all beene that are catholikes borne vnder Englands alleagiance if these men being priests and religious persons by profession as the Iesuits in their follie would be counted of in chiefe had neuer troubled themselues with state affaires nor procured by execution and practise of excommunication a firebrand of a bloody contentious dispute to be cast amongst vs. And as no doubt the originall cause of religious change came for the offences of our forefathers to be radicated in the mournefull
in other countries as in Spaine constrained to carie their meat with them otherwise to fast for three or foure daies space In Scotland but poore lodging God wot and little better then Spaine affoordeth In Fraunce Flaunders not that ciuill order for bed or boord as England yeeldeth and in all other nations compare their diet their lodging their intertaine with the English and certainly you shall finde a stately difference no where to be in all this realme vnlesse vpon the wasts or borders and scant there but you shal haue lodging and intertaine sit for any noble or state within ten miles of that place where euer it be you are in yea the common Innes on LondoÌ„ way through Watlingstreete or the fower forced waies on euery side east west north and south being sit furnished to giue better intertaine to any prince in Christendome then most nobles are in other nations Therefore respecting worldly pompe and pleasure happie were the Iesuits faction but vnhappy all others besides if they might once bring this florishing English kingdom to be a defamed Spanish prouince had euer beene noted in former ages betwixt the soueraignes and subiects of this land And that howsoeuer some princes had tyrannized ouer some fewe stumbling blocks that stoode in their way as impediments to their quiet raigne at least in their conceite and other priuate persons had proued traitors rebels yet in general you shal not find that euer the subiects of England sought the death of their kings or that the kings did tyrannize ouer the multitude but the battell once ended were they ciuill broyles as the Barons warres and the contention for the crowne betwixt the two houses of Yorke and Lancaster c. or forraigne hostilitie as those betwixt the Empresse and king Stephen and betwixt king Iohn of England and prince Lewes of France and others Now then seeing neuer any soueraigne regnant in this land was euer holden to be of a more princely magnificall mercifull flexible sweet louing compassionate and tender inclination then her Maiestie is of to take pitty and pardon to receiue into grace and fauor and to winne the harts of subiects by lenitie and gentle meanes And againe for as much as neuer was the multitudes and subiects in generall of this land I speake it of catholikes to mine owne knowledge of many loyall harts as well as of the rest more seruiceable loyall faithfull and affectionate nor more willing to die at their princes feete or in their Soueraignes iust quarrell and cause any where then they haue beene hitherto vnder her Maiestie and are still to this present That all this notwithstanding so sore an affliction so long imprisonments so continuall searchings so many sessions assises arraignments losses of landes goods liues and all should be by lawes penall made against catholike Recusants many are mooued on both sides scil as well on the behalfe of her Maiesties mercy as of her truest subiects loyaltie to woonder at it Secondly they had read the last will testament of king William the Conqueror and what his first passage of speech was in his last passage of life to king Henry the first and duke Robert Curthoys his sonnes to wit that the English natures were noble generous and gentle in themselues fierce hot and valiant in the field louing loyall seruiceable and faithfull to their prince Alwaies prouided that their Soueraignes vsed them as children not as slaues for free borne denizens they are with enioying their Franchises and liberties they will performe more then the most on their prince and countries behalfe whereas the Normane said he againe being a proud stubborne but yet a seruile lasâ—e people not carrying those generous mindes which the English carrie in all their actions must be curbed holden in and still kept short otherwise they will do nothing nor regard either their prince his honor or their countries weale The councell of this prudent prince caused a like respect in gouernment to be had of these two nations agreeing to their naturall dispositions of all the succeeding kings and Queenes that euer hitherto haue raigned in this land no nation vnder heauen bearing the porte and countenance in generall which the English carry The retinew of our English nobles is comparable in pompe and shew of honor with princes courts in forraigne countries our gentles are their nobles equals in seruice offices belonging to noble bloods generous harts Yea many knights and esquires in England are able to dispend more then sundry Lords Barons Vicounts and Earles in other countries And our Frankelings Gentlemen vntriall or substantiall Yeomen may be compared with the greatest Gentles in other nations as their fellowes for intertainment either respecting the multitude of seruants seruice and attendance giuen to guests at their table or in their chamber or the great good cheere with varietie of dishes and those well and clenly dressed and serued in with great and many ciuill ceremonies or conueniences either of lodgings within or walks without their houses or other commodities attendant on pompe and port that either may yeeld content delight or recreation to their friends yea in sundry farmers houses in England you shall finde better intertainment then the most part of ordinary Nobles in most kingdomes of the world is able to affoord This then being so their liberties and immunities being so many their loyaltie so firme their seruice so faithfull their education and bringing vp so free their inheritance freehold demeasnes and rents so great and extraordinary duly considered And aswell the high wisedome of her Maiestie on the one side as the free education of her subiects on the other side well weighed especially in that an English nature euen in the meanest member of the bodie politicall scil in the communalty is in this respect noble free of high courage and not able to endure lingring deathes torments gusts and greefes as other people are that notwithstanding her loyall subiects as well noble as ignoble should be put to those exigents that catholiks haue a long time bin put vnto the world hath mused and admired at it Thirdly they looked backe somtime into the ages acts and raignes of Nero of Dioclesian of Commodus of Probus of Heliogabal of Maximilian the Emperor and others and read the histories and apologies of Damascen of Iustine of Athenagoras of Tertullian of Epiphanius of Eusebius and others wherein they found sundry reasons and motiues as they thought not a litle to mooue these heathen Emperors to lenitie mercy which bookes and apologies often tooke effect as written to that end but not as father Parsons Philopater or father Creswels Scribe or father Southwels Epistle to her Maiestie are written alwaies in accusing or reproouing some one or many or all her highnes nobles and ciuill magistrates a very indiscreete part in them how true soeuer the reports had beene our frownd on state considered and that we were to seeke the fauor of all not to exasperate
any especially so neere her Maiestie as those were c. But amongst many woorthy examples and reasons alledged by these ancient fathers to the heathen emperors in the primitiue Church why they should grant libertie of conscience to Christians arguments deduced from policie ciuilitie humanitie and their owne princely benignitie for they not accustomed with matters of faith religion conscience being infidels onely morall ciuill politicall and humane respects such as some sparks of Synderesis the lawes of reason of nature and nations are in man were motiues to moone them to surcease from persecution or else nothing Of all the rest Athenagoras in his Apologie to the emperor Commodus on the behalfe of the Christians frameth his speech to the best construction and fitliest agreeing to the matter now in question to the iudgement of many on the English catholikes behalfe to our Soueraigne For the summe of Athenagoras speech consisting as it doth in this that one and a chiefe reason why the emperor should grant free vse and libertie of conscience to the Christians was for that his Maiestie together with all his predecessors freely granted the same freedome to all other sects sectaries professors of religion and worshippers of sundry gods and goddesses as far different in the worship done to and derogating from the Maiestie and honor of Caesar as the God of the Christians or worship done vnto him did or could any way differ or derogate And seeing that euery particular prouince countrie and people had their peculiar gods to themselues whom they worshipped with a kinde of singularitie vsed in one thing or other towardes them that others wanted where euer they went or liued either in the prouince of their birth or else transported to some region further of or nearer hand and yet neuer once examined nor asked the question why they did so then ab inductione Athenagoras did conclude euen iure gentium that the Christians throughout the emperors dominions ought to haue the like libertie tolleration and conniuence granted them Whereupon our catholikes in England bringing in an argument à simili that if there wâ—re reason why the Emperor should permit the Christian religion as well as other religions opposite to the Romane rites in gentilisme that were then allowed of with all their pluralities of like sort then say ours seeing her Maiestie permitteth Puritanes Brownists or Barowists Familians c. to liue quiet within her dominions it were agreeing as well to mercy suited alwaies best with maiestie as also to if not our iust yet our lawfull desires for to haue the like libertie or at least not to bee haunted with continuall searchings hazard of life ordinarie taxations and losses of lands and goods taken from them as the catholike recusants are and haue beene long in these vexations troubles and dangers from whence all other are free Amidst this argument they vrge further for that the emperors in those daies were heathen our Soueraigne a Christian their 's often strangers to the Romanes yea alwaies strangers to one nation or other ouer which they gouerned especially during the raignes of some thirty emperors euen vntill Constantine the great his time by reason that the emperiall crowne of Caesar went by meere election that while whereupon followed so many bloodie murthers massacrings and open warres against one another for aspiring to the emperiall soueraigntie Here one proclaimed emperor in the field by a rabble of vnruly soldiers there another denounced installed and crowned emperor by the Senate and he sometimes an Italian otherwhile a Spaniard otherwhile a Frenchman then a Britane borne in this lande and after that perhaps a Grecian c Whereas now our Lady and Soueraigne is of our owne nation birth blood education naturall incline and all things to mooue to lenitie Againe their pluralities of gods and diuersities of worships sacrifices and ceremonies tended onely to points of religion sects and opinions amongst themselues no way otherwise derogating to the imperiall crowne of Caesar But these in England which yet as I said are permissible differ not onely all of them in generall from the present church of England yea and one from another in matters of faith and points of religion besides as much as the catholikes do differ from the Protestants if not more but euen also in matters of state in the highest degree the Puritans as eagerly seeking and wishing the death of her Maiestie and both writing and speaking as boldly vnto her as any traytor euer did or durst speake to his prince and yet they are permitted to liue and enioy their liberty whereas the catholiks can not be any way endured which to nations abroad giueth no little cause of admiration Fourthly they otherwhiles turnd ouer their bookes wherein they had registred the imperiall decrees of Caesar and finding amongst other points of importance belonging to this great cause of our heauines and woonder how that euer so sore an affliction of catholikes should haue fallen out in our infortunate age and that in our natiue countrey and amongst our owne deerest and neerest friends by all coniunctions of lawes orders motiues they had there quoted how that in time of Arrianisme other afflictions persecutions of the church vnder Iulian vnder Valens vnder Constans vnder Constantius vnder Theodoret and others the like when the same emperors were fautors yea and earnest persecutuors protectors and patrons of the catholikes aduersaries and that all the Christian world was infected with those heresies which continued 400. yeeres ere they were quite extinct yet were these great Monarches and mighties of the world so far from inflicting such a generall affliction vpon all catholikes in those daies as now the English catholikes do sustaine that they thought it enough to haue them and that but in some places for to be depriued of their Benefices Bishopricks and other as well ecclesiasticall as temporall dignities and offices suffragating Arrian Bishops and others in their places without further taxes laide vpon them or other troubles and vexations in generall For what was done in speciall against Saint Siluester and Saint Siluerius martyr against Saint Basill and Saint Martin martyr against Saint Iohn and Saint Donatus both martyrs against Saint Athanasius Saint Chrysostom and others it was of priuate grudge and no generall cause Nay which was more euen those same emperors that persecuted the catholikes most yet often of their owne princely benignity and meere motion proceeding of their innate clemencie they would and did authorise graunt and make offer from their imperiall throne to sundrie catholike Bishops and other prelats euen vnder their hands For as I said before in places prouinces and countries further of though subiect to the Romane empire there was no question made of hauing catholiks or Arrian Bishops equally alike as the number of the one or other religions did sway most that they might vse their Episcopal iurisdictions and other rites and ceremonies agreeing to the custome of the catholike
church c. And at Millane at Antioch at Constantinople and elsewhere were sometimes offers and often graunts made to catholikes to haue their churches chappels to themselues apart from the Arrians and other infest enimies of the catholikes suffering them the saide clergie on both sides to do it by dispitions amongst themselues neuer persecuting any catholike for that cause vnlesse some speciall grudge or occasion of high displeasure taken by the emperors against some particular person which for the most part proceeded on the Arrians behalfe and suggestion made by them had mooued them to the contrary Which being so and that the princely disposition and royall hart of our Soueraigne is behinde none of the woorthiest emperors that euer sat enthronized with imperiall crowne for a flexible milde free nature and sweete incline to mercy bountie pittie grace pardon fauour and compassion taken of her subiects be as they be may in different affections of religion aliened from her together with her magnificencie liberalitie and maiestie equalling if not before them either great Alexander or Iulius the woorthy Caesar Of which two although it were said of the former in Greece and of the latter in Rome that Alexander the Conquerour in vsing liberalitie and Iulius Caesar in pardoning of iniuries none euer equald or at least went before them yet was it spoken and so it is vnderstood of precedent ages not of future heroeces we no way yeelding in our heauiest thoughts of hart burning griefes sustained to heare our noble Elizabeth prince peregall paramount and paragon the so admired at Saba of Europes England as all the world hath woondred at her more then ordinary indowments of princely nature otherwise accounted of then as a Sance-pere giuing place to none of former present or future times persons or ages for and in all points attending at the gates of royall honor or throne of regall Maiestie That then notwithstanding all this her Highnesse worne out subiects suppliants poore afflicted catholiks in her prisons in durance dangers and distresse euery where should haue so hard a happe as not onely to be depriued of all ecclesiasticall and temporall dignities offices preferments any manner of way which yet were more tollerable as a thing they nothing lesse expect wish for or desire it being so that both clergie and laitie of the catholikes take it as a sweete chasticement and fatherly scourge sent them from God to be humbled with so heauie a downefall but also which doth grieue them most to liue in sorrow heauines and suspition had of their vnattainted loyalties in generall for some priuate offences in speciall that they of al other should feele the force of these vnaccustomed frownes which pearce those harts the deepest whose faithfull seruices haue beene deerest to their Soueraignes in their owne and their forefathers daies That not one noble will speake for them that no solace should be left them no comfort euer affoorded them no hope at all this long time giuen them of euer receiuing a glympse or glance of those accustomed gracious smyles which ordinarily do flowe in pearld streames from lions hart of truest golde gushing out at siluer lymbecks of egles eies all royall in their rarenes That this should be all catholikes heauie case her highnes a prince and second to none in maiestie mercy and magnificencie her catholike subiects seconded with as fewe for seruice submission and loyaltie and yet that they should be put from time to time to such sore trials and indure so many calamities is a sutable cause with the rest of admiration and woonder Fiftly they sometimes cast their eies aside to Turkes to Persians to all Pagan prouinces to see if they can espie any one sect profession or professors of religion tossed turmoilde and tormented as the English are and throughout all this vaste Macrocosme they finde not one patterne sampler nor example left to posteritie to bee recorded like to ours The Sophy indeede hath a long time had great and mortall wars with the Ottomane race family and successors in the Turkish tribe so hath great Mogor great Cam of Catay Presbyter Iohn and other monarches adioyning and affronting him but yet omitting the generall contention amongst the Mahumetans about the heires of Ella and the body of Mahomet there is a libertie graunted for religion to all men in a sort more tollerable then in England is to be heard of for catholiks to enioy The very Turke who hath the straitest lawes forbiddeth indeed all talke disputation or controuersie to be about religion but yet he permitteth either Christians or any other to liue quiet vnder him vsing their owne rites seruice and ceremonies for paying a certaine yeerely tribute which is not much more then catholikes pay in England euen to their naturall Prince and Soueraigne and yet cannot haue the like securitie safetie and quiet from inferior officers but still in one place or other within her Maiesties dominions they are pild and pold to the vttermost So as when all is quiet at London then are they aloft in Yorkshire and throughout the North when quiet there then vp in Wales and the marches that way And thus persecution running per circulum the lande neuer wholly at rest and quiet these things manie learned men and others haue woondred at not knowing what were the causes Sixtly sometimes those graue and reuerend prelats cast backe their eies to these our latter ages and present times wherein now we liue and to the bordering kingdomes and princes round about vs to see whether any like to these our English miseries and catholike distresses can be found And in Germany howsoeuer there be some slacknes and dislikes at their Diets and election of their Caesar yet in ciuil conuersation one with another and for life gouernment and order the emperour though a catholike findeth as great seruice and concord amongst his subiects and they againe vse and enioy all their immunities freedomes and liberties with as great content and quiet liuing in one Prouince in one citie in one towne in one streete yea and in one house sometimes together of diffrent as if they were all of one minde faith and religion In Fraunce we see what libertie of conscience wrought Did it not as well animate the Hugonites to ioyne with king Henry of the house of Valois then a catholike in shewe howsoeuer the Iesuits censure of his hart as it did of like sort the catholikes to ioyne with the now most Christian and catholike king Henry the 4. then a Protestant yea did they not sticke as sure fast to his christian Maiestie as if he had been of their owne catholike religion profession that with as great alacritie of minde in regard of his present right to that crowne and their future hopes of his conuersion to their church and faith as afterward it hapned God sweetly so disposing that he who could not by rough handling be made flexible by experience of his subiects loyaltie is
infection with Iesuiticall conspiracies euer heereafter when as such seditious rotten weedes should be rooted out which both indanger her royall person and present state and bring vs all her faithfull subiects to be suspected by their meanes And as for study learning and other catholike exercises let this good motiue deere catholikes be no waie heauily taken nor rashly censured as though there were no learning nor method of teaching nor any gouernment or vertuous exercise but where a Iesuite beares the stroke For know you this that as there are their betters in England and out of it that are no Iesuits euen of our owne nation this day in all things required in teachers masters and gouernors so before euer any Iesuits came or were in rerum natura the Vniuersities of Oxford and Cambridge florished amongst the most famous schooles in Christendome either for schoole method or positiue doctrine in Diuinitie Philosophie or any other studie And seeing it cannot be denied but that for all the Iesuits boast of their learning gouernment method of teaching and I can not tell what yet still haue the seculars Seminarie priests beene the chiefe Readers profoundest Clarks either in Diuinitie or philosophy that haue gone out of our Nation in these daies witnesse our Allans our Stapletons our Giffords our Hardings our Parkinsons our Elyes our Kellingsons with sundrie other Doctors schoolemen to omit those that are in England at this present togither with diuers religious Englishmen of S. Benedicts of S. Dominicks of S. Fraunces and of other religious orders al of them to be preferred before our new illuminates these vainglorious vanting men Besides we see that for al our Seminaries vnder the Iesuits yet the most famous men from time to time haue beene brought vp vnder the secular clergie or the Dominican preachrers and teachers in all nations Also it is well knowne that there is nothing wanting in our Vniuersities heere in England for making profound clarks and learned men in deede saue onely that sound catholike doctrine and schoole method which was vsed in Gabrell Beoll in Alexander of Hales and in Iohn Scots daies For otherwise neuer was there a finer breed of wits nor brauer Orators nor more pleasant Poets nor perfecter Grammarians nor more copious Linguists nor riper men in all studies of humanitie then are brought vp in our English Vniuersities Therefore seeing that which is wanting might be supplied by catholike doctors and teachers of our owne nation any Iesuits equals and that we see sundrie of the finest wits resort to our side daily notwithstanding all these either contentions betwixt vs and the Iesuits or yet the present affliction and danger we all do liue in of our common aduersaries then thinke deere catholiks as true it is that there can no question be made of it to the contrary but that where one commeth now vnto vs there would then come ten of all sorts by such carefull diligence and choise of tutors as vpon this so gracious a grant O happie who may liue to see it of her Maiestie might be vsed both in Oxford and Cambridge as that you might haue your children there inclined and trained vp with some such good conceits of the catholike faith and religion as nourished and cherished therein by you that are their friends in natural loue and affection and confirmed by vs that are priests as in christian charity and catholike dutie we are bound there would quickly follow a ioyfull forgetfulnes of the Iesuits exile as the perturbers of both the catholike church and Englands common-wealth and ruine of vs all if they remaine amongst vs. And thus hauing brought this long tedious intricate and most dangerous difficult and doubtfull Quodlibet of plots by statizing to an end in some sort though not halfe so much said heerein as both the waight of the matter it selfe doth require and also as willing I was and am to haue written thereof as well in respect of iustice as of charity both mouing me to speake were I not infringed vpon other considerations iustly compelling me to silence Therefore vnwilling to holde you any longer in this so discomfortable a party as necessarily the talke of these matters must needs be to many deuout soules which no doubt will be assaulted with variable cogitations in the peruse of this discourse wo be to them who haue occasioned such straite passages of our heauines I now end in harty praier vpon my knees that God may turne all to his glory as well for religion as state and so proceed to other matters in hand THE ARGVMENT OF THE NINTH GENERALL QVODLIBET HAuing said more in the last Quodlibet then I shall haue thanks for at the Iesuits hands but that I am Iohn Indifferent and a Wilfull Will that wil neuer force a friend nor feare a foe in an act of publike iustice as I hold it for such that a greater act both of iustice of chatity could not be then if my poore cōceits by pen expressed can do it to defend Gods cause quarrell my prince countries right the gaulelesse catholikes innocent harts and to firret these cony-catching Iesuits out of conceit from all English berries or warrens that carrie either oile of perfect charitie in their lampes or fire of true catholike zeale within their breastes or naturall affection to their prince their countrie their parents children flesh and blood their deerest friends Hereupon there doth occurre to my memorie two generall Quodlibets which make as much for our purpose as any we haue hitherto handled scil to make knowne to the world the surmised forme but in deede very weake foundation the Iesuits haue laied especially this most Atheall Polypragmon father Parsons to perfect the platforme of statizing mentioned in the last Quodlibet precedent for the ouerthrowe of all that are not as they And therefore shal the first of these two Quodlibets be of plots by succession the second of plots by presages The former then consisting of such deuises engins and baites as the Iesuits haue cast abroad into euery mundane puddle◠pond and poole of Christendome to fish for an absolute monarchie that as there is but one God and Sauiour Lord and king Iesus in heauen so but one sole regiment by Iesuits on earth the articles concerning that point are these 10. following THE NINTH GENERALL QVODLIBET OF PLOTS by succession THE I. ARTICLE WHether is the practise of the Iesuits agreeable to christian charitie and the dutie of true subiects to interprete euery thing that their Soueraigne and the state of the countrey doth in the woorst part to slaunder depraue and calumniate the king their Lord and his proceedings by libels and sundry sorts of chartals bookes and pamphlets of purpose both to make his highnes his gouernment and his whole kingdome as much as in them lieth offensiue to other princes now and odious heereafter to all posteritie or not THE ANSWERE THe Quodlibets of state and succession hauing such an affinity by
others or else deny it so you shal see in time that although our worshipfull Archpriest hath done nothing but by fahaer Garnets direction yet when his ridiculous vniust vncharitable dâ—ttyrannous proceedings shall come to the scanning father Garnet will doe the best he can to pull his necke out of the coller and master Blackwell shall be the Asse that must beare all the burden So father Parsons that holy man by his practise doth giue father Garnet a pregnant example In the most of those seditious bookes which he the said father Parsons hath published he hath either concealed his name or giuen them such names as it hath pleased him to deuise And one of his said bookes being set out by him vnder the name of master Dolman now that many exceptions are taken vnto it he good man was not the author of it his name is not Dolman and gladly he would shift and wash his hands of it but all the water betwixt this and Rome will not serue his turne so to do although by the common principle of the Iesuits he may by lying and equiuocating make a faire shew But of this enough is said before As concerning the second point I will now make it plaine vnto you that the Iesuits being charged as in the former question is set downe are not therein slaundered any way vniustly For First it is plaine that father Parsons and his company diuide it amongst them how they list haue laide a plot as being most consonant and fitting to their other designments that the common lawes of the Realme of England must be forsooth either abolished vtterly or else beare no greater sway in the Realme then now the ciuill lawe doth And the chiefe reason is for that the state of the crowne and kingdome by the common lawes is so strongly setled as whilest they continue the Iesuits see not how they can worke their wils And on the other side in the ciuill lawes they thinke they haue some shreds whereby they may patch a cloake together to couer a bloodly shew of their treasons for the present from the eies of the vulgar sort And certainly I could not choose but smile when I read this point in father Parsons booke to see how prettily this fine fingred figgeboy conueigheth his matter how the common lawyers must waite vpon the Ciuilians to beare their bookes after them and how they are to applaud to all that the doctors will auerre to be lawe vpon their bare words vnto them Secondly the said good father deeming of all men it seemeth by himselfe hath set downe a course how euery man may shake off all authoritie at their pleasures as if he woulde become a newe Anabaptist or king Iohn of Leyden to draw all the world into a mutinie rebellion or combustion And this stratageme is how the common people may be inueigled and seduced to conceit to themselues such a libertie and prerogatiue as that it may be lawfull for them when they thinke meete to place and displace kings and princes as men may doe their tenants at will hirelings or ordinarie seruants Which Anabaptisticall and abhominable doctrine proceeding from a turbulent tribe of traiterous Puritanes other heretikes this treacherous Iesuite would now foist into the catholike church as a ground of his corrupt diuinitie And sure it is strange to consider how the caitiffe handleth this point giuing aduantage thereby to all nations to reuolt from the See apostolike if any catholike prince would take holde or build vpon this absurd fellowes word or authoritie For that amongst other arguments he insisteth vpon certaine rebellious most traiterous examples how some kings in this Island haue beene dealt with As if a man should take vpon him to prooue murther lawfull bicause many examples of murther may be produced or as if this were a good argument England Scotland Ireland Denmarke Swethia many states in Germany many men in France and else where haue reiected the authoritie of the Pope his holines the See of Rome therefore Italy France Spaine other catholike countries may do the like Fourthly the said good fathers with their ringleader and muster-master father Parsons do take vpon them in the saide booke and in other treatises to deale with matters of succession and titles of the crowne as if their bare words were of higher authoritie then either Court Parliamentall Prince or Pope and bicause as it seemeth their said ringleader is a bastard himselfe it is woonderfull to see what very small account he maketh of succession by inheritance title of descent birthright or bloud Now tell me in this case A gentleman or substantiall yeoman hauing one heire and many seruants dieth were he not an asse that would affirme that the right of the saide heire should depend vpon the pleasure of his fathers seruants If they thought meet he should haue his fathers lands or otherwise they would bestow them as they thought good I am sure you would account it vniust vnnaturall indecent and ridiculous And all that this traitorous Iesuite writeth of this point is grounded vpon the like folly whilest he laboureth so giantlike in opposing himselfe against succession by inheritance to fight most impudently with all lawes nay with nature and with God himselfe Hereunto it also appertaineth how after he hath contriued the meanes as he thinketh how to depriue kings and heires from their inheritance he then taketh vpon him to appoint how others may and are to succeede in their roomes and possesse their ancient right And he proceedeth herein as grauely and substantially as he hath done in the premisses For except this may carrie a shew of a good argument fiue hundred or a thousand yeeres since the ancestors of the king of Spaine the king of Fraunce and of diuers other kings had no interest to the kingdomes which now they enioy therefore some others must be found out to be preferred to those kingdomes the good father saith nothing There is one who hath written a booke of the Bathes in England and as I remember for it is long since I saw the booke the author of it the rather to extol the first finder out of the said Bathes that therby he might prooue him to be an ancient gentleman doth set downe his petigree and neuer leaueth it I assure you vntill he come to these words which was the sonne of Seth which was the sonne of Adam It were not amisse in my poore opinion that Master Parsons should carefully seeke out for this maÌ„s kinred It is not vnlikely but that by his skil he might intitle them to very many kingdomes distributing this to one and that to another as in his omnipotentencie he should hold it most conuenient The man if he liue long will prooue mad in the end without question except you can imagine that these and such like vanities are sober conceits And yet that which he saith against the blood royall of England to aduance a pretended interest to the Infanta
of Spaine is more intollerable then these such idle speculations before mentioned For it is grounded not only vpon the said most sottish speculation against all the kings that liue but likewise vpon a most slanderous traiterous lie in making all the kings Queenes that haue been for aboue two hundred yeeres in this land to haue bene vsurpers tyrants traitors and I wot not what And that which doth not a litle moue my patience this bastardly Iesuite doth father this traiterous assertion vpon that worthy person Cardinal Allane from whom I durst be sworn he neuer had them nor so vile a cōceit euer harbored in his brest Whilest I haue bene diuers times thinking of this fellowes writings touching these such like matters I haue wōdred with my selfe how possibly he could be so blind as not to foresee that when kings should vnderstand what a plot he hath laid for the ouerthrow of all authority by setting vp and aduancing a popular furie they should find thereby verie iust cause giuen vnto them to detest both him and all the generation of Iesuits or any other catholikes whosoeuer that should teach or defend such bloodie traiterous doctrine But I haue stood too long vpon this point if you can procure Master Charles Pagets booke against father Parsons you shall finde the foxe so vncased and left so naked of all honestie wisedome or iudgement touching these points as you may well thinke my paines herein to haue beene needlesse except you will remember that my drift is onely to let you vnderstand that father Parsons and his fellowes are great intermedlers with matters of state and succession especially concerning the English crowne which when they shall be out of all hope euer to obtaine I am verily perswaded there will some of them run mad about it they are so extremely egar vpon it and in such a desperate iealousie and feare of loosing it And therefore will I proceede therein a little further by his Masterships leaue For as the said father Parsons hath laide his plot when England shall be Spanish how the ancient lawe of this realme shall be abrogated and the ciuill law aduanced in the place thereof so hath the prouident gentleman another treatise of reformation in store how to establish amongst vs when that time shall come the ancient lawe termed Lex Agraria Bicause that as it seemeth his mastership is of opinion that the nobilitie of England haue too large and great possessions and therefore by one of his rules in the said reformation their abilities and what they shall yeerely spend must be limited vnto them as also what retinue they shall keepe and what their diet shall be The like course he hath also ordained for the Bishops and clergie they must be put to their pensions and the ouerplus is to be at the direction of the Iesuits to be imploied by the appointment of their Generall resident alwaies in Rome propter bonum societatis and ordine ad Deum Of all which follies although I haue told you in part before yet they comming so fitly to hand as best agreeing to this Quodlibet of succession they can doe no harme to be repeated againe But now if any man thinke it impossible that these fellowes should be thus bewitched with these vaine conceits let him but consider the nature of pride ambition and libertie into what a fooles paradise they are able to cast any manner of persons or professions that are possessed with them They can hardly thinke of any thing but they account themselues woorthy of it and able by their wits to effect it euen the very supreme power and church of S. Peter such is their ambition And for their libertie they are men exempted frō the iurisdiction of all the superiors of the clergie sauing to their owne officers whereby as lawlesse libertines they write doe and say what they list and dreame of I know not what Iesuiticall monarchie And thus farre of this generall point that those men doe not slander the Iesuits that charge them to be greater statists then they would be accounted and thereby to transgresse all ancient orders of religious persons and to shew themselues as runnagates and degenerated from their owne profession THE III. ARTICLE VVHether is it profitable or expedient for the church of God that the Iesuits as father Parsons in sundrie of his writings and so generally all the rest in effect of that societie and some other of their humor should oppose themselues so much as they doe against princes in extenuating their authoritie vpon euery occasion and eftsoones by telling the world what small interest and hold they haue of their kingdomes as that in this case and that case or if they doe this or will not doe that then foorthwith dominium amittitur all is lost they cease to be kings and what else if they escape with their liues it shall please their fatherhoods to tell vs. THE ANSWERE I Thinke their course therein to be neither profitable nor expedient for the church but on the contrarie very pernitious and dangerous and especially in these our daies First bicause I doe not finde that the Apostles sent by our Sauiour Iesus Christ to preach the Gospell did inculcate any such matters or points either of doctrine or policie yea in their writings for ought I see there is no such thing expressed neither doe I remember that any historie doth tell vs of any such course but rather the quite contrarie to haue beene held by them Secondly the heathen kings both before the comming of Christ and in the Apostles times did suppose their titles to their kingdomes to bee much more firme and their subiects being both learned and wise men skilfull in all humane knowledge and lawes did thereof assure them terming them to be the verie life and soules of their kingdomes And it was accounted in the primitiue Church a great slaunder to the Gospell catholike doctrine of the church of Christ when some did report that the doctrine of the Christians was iniurious to the empire or ciuill magistracy as tending to the diminishing of their right and authority Thirdly if either the Apostles in those times or their successors afterwards in the Primitiue Church should haue written or preached of these matters as now the Iesuites doe they would out of question haue beene cut off presently It is true that although they tooke a very mild course yet they indured great persecutions and were very many of them put to death But if they had beene of the Iesuites spirit it is not probable that any but the Iewes who had trayterous harts to the Empire would euer haue indured to haue heard them speake We see that if their enimies could but deuise some litle shew though most falsely that they touched Caesars authority it was sufficient to cry out against them that they were not worthy to liue Nay how sought they to haue intangled Christ himselfe by their question of tribute
our powers should take vpon vs to giue it vnto another were he neuer so good a Catholike that had no right thereto Iustinus Martyr speaking of the duety of Christians to the ciuill Magistrate in those times of Infidels and persecutors affirmeth that they prayed not onely for the Emperors themselues but also for their sonnes that they might succeede them in the Empire quod aequissimum est which saith he is most agreeable to iustice and equitie were they like to prooue as euill as their fathers there is no exceptions of it The which I rather obserue to shew my dislike of Fa. Parsons in this point who is accustomed vpon euery occasion when he is in his best moode to affirme that he careth not who it is from whence he commeth or what right he hath to the crowne of this kingdome that when the time commeth shall be able to catch it so he be a Catholike But concerning both this point and the former least it should be said that whilest I would seeme to giue a reason of that which I haue in hand I do onely shew my opinion and illustrate the same with similitudes that are of as great vncertainty as that which I propound I will confirme my opinion with the iudgement of a principall man to whom there will no great exception be taken and then that which I haue said will prooue to be an argument ab authoritate Thus he writeth Soloiure naturali diuino non priuatur aliquis Dominio in subditos propter peccatum Apostasiae in fide c. If you goe no further then to the law of nature or to the law of God no king is depriued from his soueraigntie ouer his subiects though it be for the sin of Apostacie from faith And he giueth a very sound reason for this his assertion nam fundamentum dominij non est fides c. For faith is not the ground of dominion but some other politike title hauing force by the lawe of nations of succession by inheritance or of election or of iust acquisition by iust warre Qui tituli possunt etiam manere sine fide neque vnquam extat ius aliquod diuinum quo eiusmodi tituli eneruantur propter defectionem a side which titles may remaine without faith neither is there any lawe of God whereby such titles are impeached for defection from faith 8. I know that iure ecclesiastico by the authoritie sentence of the Popes holines much more may be done then here I will speake of But yet I thinke it wil prooue in the end the best course for men not to do so much as they may Many things be lawfull which are not expedient And this Iesuiticall course of downe with princes when they offend them may peraduenture so prouoke them as they will say as fast downe with priests and of a certainty we shall haue the woorse When they finde that the titles of their kingdomes cannot be touched either by the lawe of nature or by the lawe of God do what they list it may giue them occasion to oppose themselues with greater seueritie against the See Apostolike in that the same should make such extreme lawes voluntarily against them as should tend to the thrusting of them out of their kingdomes And out of question it will be subiect if once they take this course to great iangling whether such lawes as should touch the deposing of a king are not rather to be accounted lawes ciuill and temporall then any matter or subiect fit for ecclesiasticall men or lawes to worke vpon We see already that some kings do take vpon them to deale and make lawes in causes ecclesiasticall denying his holines authority therein within their kingdomes And will it not seeme a thing much more plausible probable if other kings shall stand vpon it and say that his holines hath no interest to make any ciuill or temporall lawes that may touch their freeholds Nay if things should come to this rifling I feare they would in their heat goe further and tell his holines that for ought they finde kings haue as great authority to depose priests as priests haue to depose kings Besides it must be cōfessed that all priests Iesuits and euery other sort of clergie men the Popes holines excepted are borne subiects of kings and princes and it will be an odious assertion to say that the taking of priesthood vpon them should giue them warrant to bristle and make head against their soueraignes Furthermore it cannot be denied shift the Iesuits with all their cunning neuer so prettily but the immunities which priests haue from the temporall lawes of kings doe proceede as Saint Thomas acknowledgeth from their meere fauour and godly zeale towards them Also it is most manifest that as the kings of England haue beene most bountifull to the church and churchmen here within their dominions in so much as all the reuenewes and temporalties with many singular priuiledges which in this realme our forefathers haue enioyed haue proceeded from their most princely liberality and authority so standeth the case of the clergy in all other kingdomes which two points would be duly considered of in time For if princes should by the same meanes seeke to spoyle the church and take from it all her said immunities priuiledges and temporall possessions it will little auaile to bring in our distinctions how parliaments may giue what they list to the church and churchmen but they can take nothing either from them or from the church What the power of a parliament is in England we haue had too great experience and I suppose the states in other kingdomes haue the like And therefore in all pollicie kings and soueraigne princes are not to be ruffled with in this Iesuiticall maner That which they may pretend how in these their discourses they ayme but at some one or two doth indeed touch all kings if they incurre the displeasure of his holines Surely though I humbly acknowledge my selfe to be minimus fratrum meorum and neither arrogate to my selfe to be of such mature iudgement as many are nor will presume to take vpon me so peremptorily on the one side as Father Parsons doth on the other though vnlearnedly God wot yet I finde many great dangers that may happen to the Catholike Roman church if these violent spirits be not in time suppressed Such furious insulting ouer princes will neuer doe good They may be drawen many waies by gentle and milde proceedings with them rather then by such indiscreete and desperate courses whereby they grow to greater resistance For if the Popes holines in times past dealt so sharpely as it seemeth with Baldemarus king of Denmarke that he writ in this sort to the supreme Pastor Notum tibi facimus vitam nos habere à Deo nobilitatem à parentibus regnum à subditis fidem ab ecclesia Romana quam si nobis inuides remittimus per presentes Be it knowen vnto thee that we haue our
life from God our nobility from our parents our kingdome from our subiects our religion from the church of Rome the which if you maligne vs for it we sende you backe againe by these presents then what shall we thinke or can we imagine that soueraigne princes of this our infortunate age will brooke it well to finde his holines to be tam durus Pater towards them But for meane subiects to presume as the Iesuits do neuer was it and now is it least tolerable THE IIII. ARTICLE WHether it is a fitte point of doctrine to be broached and diuulged to the world in these daies by the Iesuites that subiectes are no longer bound to obey wicked Princes in their temporall commandements and Lawes but till they be able by force of armes to resist them THE ANSWERE THat this is a most dangerous doctrine and most vnfit to be published in this age there is no one Catholike in England this day but I thinke will confesse it and therefore I hold it meet before I come directly to answer this Article First to make it apparaÌ„t that the Iesuites and their seditious faction do broach publish such a kind of doctrine for otherwise it might well seeme a slaunder malitiously imputed vnto them Amongst others father Parsons in his admonition before mentioned giueth this reason why the Popes sentence hath not beene put in execution since it was first giuen bicause forsooth her Maiesties forces were so great that they could hardly be resisted by the onely Inhabitants of the Realme without euident daunger and destruction of very many and noble persons c. in which case the censures of the Church doe not binde which is as much to say as if they had beene of might sufficient they had been bound to haue put the said sentence in execution against her highnes and the ouerthrow of the whole state and common wealth of their natiue land The same Iesuite also in his booke intituled Philopater is very peremptorie sly and sawcie as his manner is very boldly affirming that when kings doe deflect from the Catholike religion and drawe others with them Liberes esse subditos c. posseque debere si vires habeant buiuscemodi homineÌ„ dominatuÌ„ eijcere Subiectes are free and both may and ought if they be able to cast such a man out of his dominions Secondly when Henry the third of Fraunce had procured the death of the Duke of Guise and some other whereunto the French writers doe affirme he was compelled except he would haue suffred the Duke to haue puld the Crowne from his head it was not long after but that by the secret practises of the Iesuites he himselfe was murthered And not resting thus contented they writ such a discourse against him being a Catholike as if it had beene hatched in hell intituled De iusta abdicatione H. 3. In which treatise they affirme that it is lawfull for a priuate man to kill a tyrant for so they termed that king though there be neither sentence of the Church or kingdome against him Now in this booke to come to my purpose he propoundeth this obiection how and why it was that in the Primitiue Church the martyrs attempted no such course against the tyrants that then raigned and doth answere it in this sort Vâ—â—d laudable est cum resistere nequeas ita vbi pâ—ssis nolle resistere religionis patriae hosti nefarium ac pernitiosum est As much to say as thus in English As it is laudable to doe as those martyrs did when thou canst not resist so not to resist when thou maist the enimy of Religion and of thy countrey so they terme all kings that they dislike is a pernitious and horrible sinne Thirdly an other at that time with a Iesuiticall spirite doth tell vs his mind in plaine termes so as I shall not neede to proue the matter by any consequence The quarrell for Religion saith he and defence of innocencie is so iust that heathen Princes not at all subiect to the Churches lawes and discipline may in that case by the Christians armes be resisted naming none but speaking in generall termes without exception of persons so indefinitely or rather peremptorily and dissemblingly as all Iesuites doe that as well seruants as souerâ—ignes may by his principle take armes at their pleasure c. And might lawfully haue been redressed in the time of the Pagans and first great persecutors â—hen they vexed and oppressed the faithfull And againe There is no question but that the Emperor Constantine Valens Iulian and others might haue beene by the Bishop excommunicated and deposed and all their people released from their obedience if the Church or Catholikes had had competent forces to haue resisted Loe what doctrine this is to be diuulged in this so daungerous an age I leaue to others to conceite these things in as good sence as may make for our generall safety and common good of the Catholike cause onely I wish such passages had neuer fronted any English Port nor come to our aduersaries eares or knowledge And an other Iesuite to the same purpose saith Quod si Christiani olim non deposuerunt Neronem Diocletianum Iulianum Apostatam ac Valentem Arrianum alios id fuit quia de erant vires temporales Christianis Nam alioquin iure potuissent hoc facere In that Christians in times past did not depose Nero and Dioclesian and Iulian the Apostata and Valence the Arrian and others it was bicause Christians did then want temporall forces for otherwise they might lawfully haue dealt so with them Now what thinke you if such a doctrine had been heard or spoken of in Iulians Neroes or Dioclesians daies what thinke you would haue ensued thereof Questionlesse though the persecution were great yet probably it would haue beene double increased and augmented thereby And as for the scholemen which they alleage for this doctrine one and the chiefe is S. Thomas who hath some such point For Christians saith he obeyed Iulianus Quod illo tempore Ecclesia in sua nouitate nondum habebat potestatem terrenos principes coercendi ideo tollerauit fideles Iulano Apostatae ohedire in ijs quae non erant contra fidem vt maius periculum fidei vitaretur c. Bicause the Church then being in her infancy had not yet power to bridle Princes and therefore she did tollerate the faithfull to obey Iulian the Apostata in those things which were not against faith for the auoyding of a greater daunger which might otherwise haue insued to the Christian faith The other is Dominus Bannes vpon Saint Thomas who alleaging that the cause why catholikes in England do not rebell against her Maiestie is Quia facultatem non habent c. Both whose opinions and words as they may carry a diuerse construction so were they not set downe by either of them as conclusions but as argumentall reasons of doctrine disputatiue in the schooles Which
Christians towards the ciuill magistrate the Emperor then a wicked man and a persecutor doth in direct termes affirme that Christ had taught them such obedience and alledgeth his very words giue vnto Caesar that which is Caesars If it be here obiected that peraduenture in Iustinus time the Christians wanted number to depose the Emperors Tertullian will make the matter most manifest that it was the onely will and pleasure of God reuealed apparantly by Christ and his Apostles that kept the Christians within the compasse of their duties to the Emperors when otherwise they wanted neither number nor strength to haue beene reuenged of them When the Christians labored frō time to time to purge themselues from sundryfalse imputations and from this one amongest the rest that whereas they professed their obedience to the Emperor it was onely but for feare and that if they had strength ynough they would then shew themselues to be his enimies and take vp armes against him Tertullian writeth to this effect Neque est vt obijciatis Neither is there any cause you should obiect vnto vs that therefore we dissemble the iniuries done vnto vs bicause we want force to reuenge them For euery one of vs is able although not openly yet in secret to doe mischiefe ynough For what were more easily done if it were lawfull to recompence euill with euill then in the night to burne your City Nay if we were disposed to professe our selues your enimies as you account vs we want not strength of souldiers but haue greater force then those Nations that doe warre dayly against you The Maures and Parthians and other barbarous people are but one Nation whose borders are limited but of Christinns the number in euery place is almost infinite There is no place nor order where there are not Christians So as if by our discipline we could take armes we could make a greater conspiracie against the Romane Empire then was hitherto euer made whether you respect force or courage Hitherto Tertullian as vnlike to our Iesuites as dutifull subiectes are vnlike Rebels and traitors And for the better manifesting of our allegiance to our Soueraigne vnfainedly from our Catholike harts so many of vs as are not of the Iesuites faction I will here a litle enlarge my selfe to shew what further testimony and reasons we haue to detest this Iesuiticall and Puritanian doctrine Saint Augustine who liued in a troublesome time neuer dreamed that the Scriptures did warrant subiectes no longer to obey wicked kings then they had power and force to rebell If he were now aliue our Iesuites would surely set him to schoole againe For whereas in his exposition vpon the 124. Psalme he hath at large discoursed how seruants and subiectes by receiuing the Catholike faith and Gospell of Christ are not in any sort released from their dueties seruices and subiection to their Masters Lords Soueraignes but are rather thereby more straightly bound to performe the same diligently truly and faithfully as in the sight of God before whom they stand he commeth to this obiection Sed numquid sic erit semper vt iniusti imperent iustis But shall it be so alwaies Shall the wicked still haue commaundement ouer the rest To this obiection you know what father Parsons would say viz. No it shall not be so any longer then that you shall be able to ouerthrow such gouernors and get you better And if in short time you shall not be able your selues so to doe I will doe my vttermost to procure you some assistance out of other Countries by forraigne inuasions procuring excommunications suspensions interdictions depositions and other meanes But to omit this vnnaturall stepfather let vs heare what S. Augustine that worthy Prelate light lanterne piller and Father of and in the Catholike Church will answere to the said obiection Nunquid sic erit semper Shall it alwaies be so Non sic erit It shal not be so But when shall it be otherwise The substance of his answere is that it shall be otherwise when Christ commeth to iudgement Now saith he we often see that there are many good Lords and masters but when it hapneth otherwise it must be borne with Quare Why vt non extendant c. that the iust may not stretch forth their hands to wickednes vnderstād that such their seruice and subiection is not euerlasting Sed preparent se ad possidendam sempiternam haereditatem And therefore reseruing themselues for this lasting inheritance let them beare iniuries but doe none And his conclusion of all this discourse is in these words Haec cogitant qui voluntatem dei sequuntur non voluntatem suam who followe Gods will and not their owne Now if this were the doctrine of the catholike church in those daies then how inconuenient this Iesuiticall innouation is and howe dangerous to be published now a daies the state of al catholiks in England but especially of priests may make it to be euident For by this wicked assertion so soone as the number of catholiks shall be so increased as that they may be able to take armes against her Maiestie they are bound in conscience so to doe and do grieuously offend if they do otherwise nay they do incurre the Popes excommunication saith father Parsons Now what must her Highnesse and the state thinke of such subiects doth it not stand her in hand to preuent that the number of catholiks do not increase if therefore they doe increase faster then she would if sufficient testimony be not giuen to the contrarie scil that al are not of this Iesuiticall faction Puritanian opinion hath she not good cause giuen her to cut them off I speake after the manner of men not presuming to tempt God with miracles What could any king or prince in Christendome being perswaded in religion as her Maiestie is do otherwise if he ment not to haue the crowne plucked from his head There is no way to preuent this mischiefe for ought I know but that all catholikes do enter into a league and make a vowe that they neuer will giue care to these bloody Iesuits in that behalfe but vtterly detest it and that were their number and strength much more and greater then her Maiesties they will neuer be perswaded or drawne either by threatnings or promises of any be it the Pope himselfe to beare armes against her Highnes to the destruction of her royall person and state but be ready to aduenture their goods and liues in her Maiesties defence against him or any other that shall assaile or inuade by hostile hande her state or kingdome vnder pretence of restoring of the catholike faith or whatsoeuer Nay as many catholikes as stande affected to the Iesuits considering how her Highnes hath beene vsed by these their false teachers they shall thinke themselues most infinitely bound to her Maiestie if notwithstanding they shall now vowe and professe as is expressed yet that she shall be pleased to beleeue them the
doctrine of the Iesuits touching equiuocation hath already bewitched so many of them But principally what are all catholike priests that are Iesuited to looke for vpon the broaching of this desperate and diuelish conceite when the catholikes are in number sufficient they must rebell and the innocent priests are sent ouer to increase this number Into what perplexities are they hereby cast How can they expect any fauor when they are taken none caÌ„not deny that their comming ouer is to increase the number of catholiks and that father Parsons raigneth and hath the whole direction at this day for all the missions that are for England How then alas how may her Maiesty the state conclude against them what lawes can be too extreme to keepe them out of the land or if they will needs come in what seuerity for the execution of lawes against them can be more then sufficient Into what gulfe are we plunged nay into what an obloquie are we plunged nay into what an obloquie must the catholike church of Rome grow in that the execution of priesthoode and treason are now so linked together by the Iesuits in England as we cannot exhort any to the catholike faith but dogmatizando in so doing we draw him in effect to rebellion For the mitigation therfore both of her Maiestie and the state and that they may deale more mercifully with poore secular priests I doe heere professe both for my selfe and those that are not Iesuited as too many are that we loath and detest this point of Iesuitisme that if we finde that we can not otherwise preuaile and that such as are catholikes will needes runne into these Iesuiticall courses of rebellion and treason we will surcease from the execution of our functions and from the increasing of that number that will will not be aduised by vs with patience and suffering to expect the Lords leisure for the restitution of the catholike faith and in the meane time to obey her Maiestie as they did in Tertullians time and as Saint Augustine doth teach vs in lawfull commandements and points perteining to ciuill gouernment and temporall lawes THE V. ARTICLE VVHether seeing this BuchananiaÌ„ doctrine of stirring vp subiects to rebell against their Soueraignes when they are of force is so greedily snatched vp of the Iesuits as it seemeth they would scorne not to be holden or accounted of as the first author or at least practisioners of it in their owne sense and meaning is it then the whole monarchie of all these northerne Isles of England Scotland and Wales that they shoote at or else do they aime at the crowne monarchiall of England onely or otherwise at none at all directly but onely for a superioritie ouer the ecclesiasticall and secular state THE ANSWERE THey doe questionles cast at all both ecclesiasticall temporall and monarchical states as may be demonstrated by sundry arguments conuincing them of their no lesse treacherous and ambitious then Pharisaicall and irreligious intents attemptes practises and proceedings therein First for that in precise termes they and theirs haue giuen it out for England by name that it should be made an Island of Iesuits and that they were assured of it that the king of Spaine vpon the conquest would bestow it vpon them Secondly before the Lady Infantaes title marriage or placing in the Lowe countries was dreamed of the chiefe speeches was of the king her fathers title and for hers it was but then coldly handled And if you marke well the tenor of his discourse throughout his whole Dolmanian coyned succession you shall not finde him absolute in his opinion for Spaine And he frameth all his passages to perswade as well all our English nation that it will be fittest and for the most aduancement of our nobles and augmentiue florish of the whole common wealth as also most secure and to the greatest both merite and renowne of the king catholike neuer to offer to come hither himselfe or to enthronize his maiestie or royall issue within the Britons coasts as a diminution of his honor princely regalitie so to doe considering our countrie is so base obscure and beggerly and the blood royall together with all the heroeces nobles and gentles of these northerne Isles so abiect meane and ignominious forsooth where his Spanish paragons with their Mercurian gilded Caduceus come in place Loe deere Catholiâ—es and all you deeâ—â—ly affected 〈…〉 countries 〈◊〉 thiâ—ke 〈◊〉 not bâ—â— that 〈…〉 you 〈…〉 Ladies 〈…〉 sh◠〈…〉 beâ—â—◠〈…〉 Paâ—â—â—◠〈…〉 the rest of 〈…〉 its 〈…〉 great 〈◊〉 â—â—gher adâ—aâ—ceâ—â—â—◠〈…〉 you 〈…〉 the 〈…〉 the Spaniard 〈◊〉 â—oâ—â—aigne â—aâ—â—â—s c. But the best most conuenient and contentiue course to be taken for all parties is by this exlegall legifers lawes set downe for the Spaniards to bring this whole monarchiall Isle from the name honor and title of successionall regality to be vnder a Viceroyes gouernment charge there withal reduced into the forme fashion and proportioned order of a Prouince to send the peeres other nobles natiues of this land that shall take the Spaniards part into forraigne countries as Sicily Naples Peru India c. to make them Vâ—ceroyes there and then to commit this Prouince to the gouernment of the fathers of the society of Iesus sci to our petty king father Fa. Parsons and the rest as I said before Which assertion if it seeme absurd to be but a surmise then tell me I pray what gouernment can you gather out of all his bookes that we shal haue or who shall be our king oâ— sway the scepter royall of this land For the king of Spaine himselfe it is to meane for him and therefore holden of Fa. Parsons for a dishonor if he should leaue Spaine to keepe heere his royall Court. For his daughter the new Archdutchesse of Austria Dutchesse of Burgundy Lady of Netherlands her grace was but then glauncingly spoken of Yea when Fa. Parsons had vrged the subscription and consent to her title afterwards to sundry of our nation as before is said amongst the rest a reuerend priest and anncient gentleman old Master Midleton being roughly handled by Fa. Parsons and indangered in Spaine before his departure to Rome for not consenting to his vnnaturall motion vnlesse it might haue beene by marriage of the said Lady Infanta to some noble or peere of our land This cosening mate protesting at the first that it was meant no otherwise but she should afterward when partly by force and feare partly vpon hope to haue gotten all his money out of this fathers hands who by your leaue vnder Benedicite be it spoken cosened him at the last cast of three hundred pound at least as we haue beene credibly informed by reuerend priests then there which he neuer could get out of his handes he consented vpon that condition to giue his name to that charter of subscription And then loe what the good father added quoth he I could wish her Ladishippe
amends at their hands Which redresse and amends let any whosoeuer that thinke themselues most politike most prudent most wise set me downe and approoue it the premises and circumstances of the case and our cause considered the way and meanes how euer to haue wrought or brought it to passe otherwise then by making the Iesuits knowne what wicked men they are and I will be his bondman for euermore And this deere catholikes was another grosse error in the vndiscreet zeale of your deuout follie quite contrary to the rules and precept of charitie which I greatly woonder at in that you seeing vs condemned contemned and reiected for the vilest creatures on earth our companie and presence shunned and auoyded our speech names and persons holden for most odious our sacrifices sacraments and poore deuotions accounted of as schismaticall prophane and damnable damnable oh damnable not onely in secular priests to offer any but also in the laitie to come at any offered by vs our deere brethren reuerēd priests your true ancient catholike louing ghostly fathers readie to shed their best blood for your soules behalfe Was it not monstrous in a Iesuit broker in Fetter lane hearing that Master Clarke a reuerend priest was very sicke in prison and could through the Iesuiticall crueltie get no reliefe to say he is well ynough serued let him die and starue for his disobedience c. what thinke you deere catholiks would these Iesuits and their seditious faction doe if they had the sword in their hands that are thus cruel harted towards afflicted catholike priests Questionlesse should once a Iesuit and Spaniard beare sway in England there is not one of you that now run not with them should be left on liue yea think as true it is that many of their brokers should then be cut off as vnprofitable members in their atheall common wealth c. lying some of them in prison ready to perish for want of foode others tormented with slaunders well nigh to death many forced to yeeld against their conscience to a Iesuits cursed will and proud minde and all brought into obloquie shame and disgrace that would not run when a Iesuit gaue a nod to bid them goe And yet you deere catholikes seeing all this will you or can you in your conscience wish vs to keepe silence If you say you could wish it then you goe flat against the rules of charitie Charitas enim incipit à seipso If needes we must die all lawes allow it to kill before we be killed in our owne defence to suffer the infamie reproch and shame to fall vpon the guiltie rather then the innocent to be condemned to let euery asse beare his owne burthen rather then to lay al vpon the weakest If you thinke we haue iust cause to speake and write in our owne defence but yet not in detecting them then tell me which way the one can be without the other and I will crie peccaui If you admit it necessarie to haue them detected and made knowne but yet not in such bitter termes then tell me what termes deere catholikes doe I vse not agreeing to their deserts yea or halfe so bitter or exorbitant as theirs are against the innocent Doe I call them apostataes or heretikes or schismatikes or southsaiers or reprobates with many such like as odious to the eare though none more detestable to the soule possessed with them which they not onely haue imposed vpon vs but also made you deere catholikes vnder that pretence to refuse to despise to detest vs for such But what doe I call them Mary I call them seditious bicause no companie nor societie nor order in any of the three states ecclesiasticall temporall or monasticall can liue quiet by them I call them factious bicause they band out all their doings by making of parties drawing of companies to side with them threatening of opposites promising of great matters to their fautors and followers and setting all in an vprore with iealousie suspition and backbiting one an other I call them traitors bicause of their many conspiracies attempts and practises against Pope Prince Church common wealth state and all I call them by many such like names but yet by none saue onely such as best doe symbolize with their qualities and lewde deuises And therefore you deare catholikes in this your partiall doome set on by Neuters goe against the lawes and preceps both of God and man which as you doe it of a scrupulous conscience so doth your scruple rise of simplicitie and folly in not seeing it being as plaine as the nose on a mans face that it is the epicine Iesuits which liuing in shew masculine in effect faeminine in esse neuters put such buzzes into your heads and when they haue done they ride you like fooles In fewe deare catholikes you goe against the rules and principles of all Arts and sciences in conceiting these discoueries of the Iesuits treacheries to be a hinderance to our common cause or any way to haue hurt or harmed vs. First Of all wonders soo the world it is the greatest in my conceite that any English catholike should so dote vpon a Iesuite and rage against all priests that side not with them as to thinke it lawfull and to practise it as meritorious in them to leaue nothing vndone vnsaid vnthought of to bring priesthood in contempt and Iesuits to be holden for sanceperes and yet cry out of priests if they doe but cleare themselues and shun the danger both of body and soule wracke that the layty doth stand and liue in by following of them and their traitorous designements But it is a right smacke of a Puritane spirit in them and of a more dangerous infection then a Puritanes wit is able to inuent c. for that if you demaund of politicks which way to vanquish an enimie with most aduantage they will tell you by turning his owne weapon vpon him in that part wherein his strength is most Now to the seminary and secular priests omitting others I doe speake it before God and his holy Angels and Saints I thinke there are not more infest nor deadly enimies this day on liue then Parsons and some other of the Iesuites and the Spaniardes faction are their weapons haue been calumnies infamies and slaunders their strength consists in vaineglory vaunting boasting ambition lying falshood cosenage and a thousand such impious sleights and deuises Therefore is there no way in the world left to encounter them with aduantage but to retort and returne all backe vpon them to their shame and confusion If you aske of the Mathematician how to passe betwixt two periods he will tell you that ab extremo ad extremum non transitur nisi per medium Now that the Iesuits we are in extremes they too lofty and we too lowly thty to ambitious and we to submissiue they to stirring and we to quiet they too seditious and we too peaceable they too clamorous we too
doe begin will daily more and more looke as well into their peruerse hypocrisie and irreligious policy as also into the secular priests sincere loyalty and catholikes innocency howsoeuer for the time present both Iesuits puritanes seeme couertly to applaude the one to the other in exclaâ—ming against her Maiesties more ioy all catholikes subiects then themselues are But a woonder lasteth but nine daies and when passionate clouds are vanished then will all true English harts of whatsoeuer religion giue thee thankes c. to wit that whereas before the Iesuits had vs all vpon the hip for god a mercie and threatned vs with all disgrace bondage and staruing which they brought to passe for nothing whiles we kept silence Now by our writing they are and shall be forced to let corrupt Angels fly and pay sweetly for it as well to preuent their iust deserued expulsion out of the land as also to bring vs into the former obloquie For what is it that god Mammon cannot worke amongst mortall men and they whose harts were hardned to see our great wants whiles they wallowed in worlds wealth giuen of deuout catholikes at the first for all our reliefes it were contrary to Gods iustice and the Iesuits deserts if they should not finde some crosse encounters to make them spend all againe contrary to their wretched intents and mindes for the saying is not more old then true that one euill gotten penny sets away a pound and that which passeth ouer the diuels backe must needs repasse ouer his belly againe and so it is of the Iesuits euill gotten riches whiles many a soule meane while doth perish They say moreouer that in the said booke of Important considerations I doe condemne all priests and by consequent then my selfe if that were true in generall that are or haue come into England to be equally traytors as well as the Iesuits and their confederates Good Lord how these cogging mates belabour themselues in sophistication and wrangling without any proofe sense or reason Well let it goe as a false lye calumniation and slander as I both there and more expresly in these Quodlibets haue manifested it to the contrary setting downe conceptis verbis what a reuerend conceit I euer had and haue of all priests that are not Iesuits in re or in spe and directly acknowledging all the seminary and secular priests as in my very hart I do beleeue it and esteeme of them with all respectiue reuerence for no lesse then so to haue died glorious martyrs as suffering only and wholy on their parts and in their deuout holy and catholike intents for religion and conscience sake And all that I said to the seeming contrary was that our aduersaries said and say still they died for treason but not any of vs euer said or thought so and my selfe without preiudice to any other of my brethren be it spoken least of all bicause most of all and in plainest tearmes I haue named aboue thirty twice told of our company most iniuriously defamed slaundered and detracted by the Iesuiticall faction all which said I in that same place are now glorious martyrs in heauen And further I yeelded a reason of our aduersaries opinion why they account them for traitors to be this scil for that they knowing directly by bookes letters and their owne hand writings together with many witnesses and testimonies that the Iesuites had dipt their hands too deepe in plotting practising and contriuing the meanes how to shed their natiue Prince and naturall countrey men women and childrens blood the state iudging of vs all promiscually Any man that readeth those bookes set out with the Epistles before them may easily discerne them al to be different from one another and neither the stile of and in all the said bookes to be out neither yet the Epistles to be of the same authors that the bookes themselues are of Onely the question is whether the said bookes were set out by any secular priests or other catholikes of the laytie or else by some Bishop or other person of the English religion the latter is vtterly denied as well by reason that there is nothing in these bookes of any materiall point but all those in the appeale yea the rest of priests and catholikes or so many as are not Iesuited or puritanized doe agree in allow ratifie and confirme the same And for the former the speech the phrase the whole terme is such as any may discerne it to be of a catholike recusants worke no Bishop nor other Protestant in England this day that will or would by word or much lesse by writing haue giuen so many pretogatiues or spoken so much in defence of the catholike Romane church and secular seminarie priests as in these bookes are deliuered at large But it spites the Iesuits and Puritanes to be compared together and therefore the one doth preach the other speaketh and both of them fretâ— so much against the secular priests Englands present state as they do not conceiting at that time any difference in points of hostile inuasion to be amongst vs nor and much lesse knowing who were guilty and who were free and hauing withall iust cause standing the Queene state oppositely affected to vs all in general for religion to suspect vs all alike as comming all from those places where these conspiracies were set abroch and professing all one kinde of doctrine in all these matters to outward shew I therefore said and so say still that as on the one side our single harts did and doe iustifie our cause before God and in the face of the catholike Romane church that we suffered directly for our conscience and religions sake so on the other side the Iesuits prouocations exasperations and incentiues did iustifie the state here in their dealings and sharpe lawes made against vs. And thereupon I said that caeteris paribus her Maiesties proceedings had beene both milde and mercifull and that we are not so much to exclame against the crueltie of the persecution as to admire how that any of vs are left on liue to talke of religion the premises considered of the contrarie affectation of religion in the state one way and the occasion giuen another way forcibly in all humane policie moouing our aduersaries to haue left nothing vndone for securing of themselues from those dangers they sawe hang eminent ouer their heads They say besides this that I haue renounced or denied the said booke to be mine that we are at contention amongst our selues about it and that all the secular and seminarie priests doe dislike and condemne it as much as the Iesuits doe if not more Which notable Iesuiticall deuise setting neuters a worke for this and the like blazons as I said before I answere at one bare word that all this is most false For neither did I neither doe I neither will I euer denie whatsoeuer I haue written concerning that matter And againe neither did neither
no maruaile at their designements for England much lesse doubt to be made of what they would do in such a case if it came to canuasing for a kingdome THE VII ARTICLE VVHether seeing it is proued that the Spanish inuasion was traiterously procured by father Parsons means did he then also and some others by his procurement mooue her Maiesties subiects to disobey her highnes to take armes against her to surprise her person if they could and to ioine their forces with the Spaniard 1588. affirming that it was lawfull for them so to doe or not And whether might any of her Maiesties subiects lawfully haue followed their counsell therein THE ANSWERE THey did sollicite stir vp and mooue her Maiesties subiects as it is here deduced we cannot denie it greater is our greefe But it was not lawfull for any honest man or true catholike borne vnder English allegiance to haue followed their aduise And this our generall opinion of the seculars is no small comfort vnto many a deuout catholike whose tender consciences haue been by the Iesuits false pretended zeale mightily perplexed a long time with many doubts as not knowing what to doe in this case of obedience to his holines and their soueraigne Therefore I say in few that as concerning the first part of this article it might haue been a sufficient argument of Master Parsons hatred both towards her Maiestie and towards his natiue countrie to haue sollicited the pope and the king of Spaine with so great importunitie to haue assailed this kingdome with their owne forces though he and the rest of his crue had left her Maiesties subiects to haue at the least taken their owne courses as God should haue mooued their harts and not haue troubled himselfe so much in perswading them with great torments of minde in many to haue run with him and such like miscreants as he is into the pit of perdition for companie to satiate his insatiable desires But their malice pride and ambition are so infinite in their actiuitie and operation as there is no mischiefe or villany which they will not attempt to further their most sauage and Turkish designements It was much that one a clergie man possessed and seduced at that time by the Iesuits did iustifie the treacherous dealings of certaine English subiects in betraying the trust committed vnto them by her Maiestie and therewithall vpon Iesuiticall perswasions did also furthermore exhort others her highnes subiects to doe the like Mary the course that was held by them at this time 1588. passeth all Gods forbod as our phrase is But yet will the facing Iesuits so face out this matter as I shall not be credited herein except I make the same as cleere as day at noonetide when the sunne is brightest Therefore to lay open the case in plaine termes you shall vnderstand that in the said Declaration and Admonition before mentioned father Parsons in the good Cardinals name whom he had bewitched doth stretch all his rhetorike to the furthest extent with so great arte and cunning vsed therein as sure great pitie it is that euer so good a wit as his Grace had should haue been so mightily abused by that coosening mate and that they both were giuen ouer so farre at that time as that they should imploy such good gifts to so wicked a purpose For first they make their entrance into their discourse with a most odious and shamefull declamation against her Maiestie thereby to stirre vp her subiects harts to contempt of her highnes and to make her be holden euery where for odious to God to the world and all men I will not trouble you with the particulars but verily I am perswaded that Don Lucifer the wittiest fiend in hell could not haue written more spitefully Secondly they threaten the nobilitie gentrie and all the rest of the inhabitants of this kingdome with losse of all their goods their lands their liues and with damnation besides except that presently vpon the landing of the Spaniards they ioyned themselues and all the forces men munition victuals and whatsoeuer else they could make with that catholike armie forsooth For the words be these If you will auoide say they the Popes the kings and other princes high indignation let no man of what degree soeuer obey abette aide defend or acknowledge her c. adding that otherwise they should incurre the Angels curse and malediction and be as deepely excommunicated as any bicause that in taking her Maiesties part they should fight against God against their lawfull king against their countrie and that notwithstanding all they should doe they should but defend her highnes booteles to their owne present destruction and eternall shame Thirdly after all these and many other such like threats in a high and militarie stile to scarre bugs with then they come to some more milde perswasions and promise the noble men that so they ioyne with the Duke of Parma vpon the receit of their Admonition they will intreate that their whole houses should not perish Parsons did instigate the good Cardinall to sweare by his honor and in the word of a Cardinall that in the furie of their intended massacre there should as great care be taken of euery catholike and penitent person as possibly could be and that he was made a Cardinall of purpose to be sent then into England for the sweete managing of those affaires Fourthly other arguments they vsed â—â—wne from the certaintie of the victorie as that all the protestants would either turne their coates copies armes or flie away in feare and torment of the angell of God prosecuting them that although none of her Maiesties subiects should assist the Spaniards yet their owne forces which they brought with them were strong ynough their prouision sufficient their appointment passing that they had more expert captaines then her Maiestie had good soldiers all resolute to die in the cause which they had vndertaken that the blood of all the blessed Bishops shed in this land and all the Saints in heauen praied for the Spaniards victorie that all the vertuous priestes of our countrie both at home and abroad had stretched foorth their sacred hands to the same end that many priests were in the campe to serue euery spiritual mans necessitie that their forces were garded with all Gods holy angels with Christ himselfe in the soueraigne sacrament and with the daily most holy oblation of Christs owne deere body and blood that the Spaniards being thus assisted with so many helpes though they had been neuer so few they could not loose and that her Maiestie and her assistants wanting these helpe although they were neuer so fierce neuer so proud neuer so many neuer so well appointed yet they could not preuaile feare you not say they to such as would take their part they cannot And thus farre out of their said Iesuiticall Admonition Now what say you reuerend priests and you deere catholikes of all estates to this pernitious booke wherein he
would perswade you that all the priests in England and out of it praied for the heauie desolation and vtter downfall ruine and destruction of our natiue countrie and vs all in very deede Well he therein lies falsly but let him goe What praiers he and his made they themselues know for our parts we were happy many of vs that we neuer so much as once dreamed of such matters But as for the Iesuits faction what say you was it not time for them to burne this booke Will not those that escaped the fire be an euerlasting monument of their ignominie and shame God hath set a brand vpon them for false prophets to be euer hereafter hated and eschewed Their blessings turned into cursings and those whom they cursed God did blesse Confusion and shame fell vpon her Maiesties enimies and the crowne of an incredible victorie hath adorned her head for euer The contrarie in euery thing fell out to that which they prophesied Their valiant captaines fled their strength their prouision their passing appointment and whatsoeuer else they had serued not their turnes their harts were daunted and the world hath iudged them to haue cried crauen as the speech is in cocke pits But that which they speake of diuine assistants doth trouble me most What will our common aduersaries say and what may they not say in that an armie assisted so mightily with angels with martyrs with priests with the blessed sacrament and with the daily sacrifice should speede so euill If I had Elias spirit assuredly the filthie plague of leprosie should neuer leaue them nor any of their societie that euer should approoue this their so prophane abusing of those diuine mysteries Furthermore in that they said that all the priests abroad and at home praied for the Spaniards good successe I am perswaded not any one vnles they were Iesuited did so sure I am that a great many did rather quite contrarie And therefore as I said before they lied falsly yea many of them at home as I haue heard some of them auow it knew not of the comming of the armie till it was scattered and others wished in their harts that the pope and the king of Spaine had not taken that course with her Maiestie And as for the priests that were in the campe such of them I doubt not as were of the Iesuiticall humor did thrust themselues into that bloodie seruice headlong But sure I am withall that some others who were of a more milde and catholike spirit were compelled to be in that campe full sore against their wils as some of them haue often confessed as much vnto me vpon occasion of speech betwixt vs. Also they tell vs of the indignation of certaine princes that her Maiesties subiects should incurre if they shewed not themselues rebels and traitors to her highnes in assisting the Spaniards as also that in taking her Maiesties part they should fight against their lawfull king Who would haue thought that any Iesuit liuing nay any strumpet were they neuer so impudent could haue put vpon them such brasen foreheads I am perswaded that as many Englishmen as should haue ioyned with the Spaniards the very Spaniards themselues would afterwardes in their harts haue detested them And then much lesse would any prince liuing haue approoued such treacherie and treason And for the lawfull king they speake of it is too too vile traiterous and indigne a speech worthier to be buried in hell then printed in any booke head or hart And therefore to be hartily wished and praied for at Gods hands that they may neuer liue good day in England or elsewhere being Englishmen borne that doe either now or shall hereafter honor or acknowledge any Soueraigne of this kingdome but Queene Elizabeth whilest God shall prolong her daies Concerning also the Cardinals honor and promise alas good man there was neuer person of so high a place more inueigled then he was by that false Iesuit Parsons It hath beene confessed by some of the Iesuits themselues in the hearing of sundry witnesses that the Duke of Medina Sidonia openly affirmed vpon occasion of speech that his sworde coulde finde no difference as he thought betwixt an heretike and a catholike his busines was to make a way for his Master which he meant to doe and intended no lesse as before is said And this may suffice for that matter of moouing her Maiesties subiects to rebellion But I haue runne too long vpon this point I trust it appeereth by all that hitherto hath beene said what Parsons and his fellowes drift was in perswading her Maiesties subiects to rebellion c. therefore nowe I come to the second part of the article which is that no honest man might lawfully haue followed their councell And first if the said perswasions were absurd vntrue irreligious and wicked It followeth that no man might without sinne haue yeelded vnto them Secondly titles to kingdomes are not impeached either by the law of nature or by testimonie of Scripture as you shall heare heereafter out of a great Doctor propter defectionem à fide ergo the dutie of subiects doth continue and is not dissolued in respect of any such defection Thirdly Nabuchodonozer was as great an enimie in his time to the church and citie of God as could be imagined he destroied all before him and led the people away captiue into Babell And yet heare what commandements the prophets Ieremy and Abacuk gaue to the Elders priests prophets and to all the people that were in captiuitie and consider how vnlike they are to father Parsons speeches before mentioned Seeke the prosperitie of that citie whither I haue caused you to be caried away captiue and pray vnto the God of heauen for it For in the peace thereof shall you haue peace And that woorthy Abacuk said further Praie for the life of Nabuchodonozer king of Babylon and for the life of Balthasar his sonne that their daies may be vpon earth as the daies of heauen and that God would giue vs strength and lighten our eies that we may liue vnder the shadow of Nabuchodonozer king of Babilon and vnder the shadow of Balthasar his sonne and that we may long do them seruice and finde fauour in their sight Fourthly the same obedience that heere is prescribed to these wicked kings did Christ himselfe and his apostles prescribe and practise in their times to heathenish princes Emperors and gouernors Our Sauiour paid tribute both for himselfe and Saint Peter and gaue a generall commandement to all subiects to do the like both then and for euer after For so I vnderstand his precept giue vnto Caesar that which is Caesars Fiftly and as touching the Apostles Saint Peter and Saint Paul they are most plaine and most earnest that all subiects without exception should submit themselues vnto the authoritie of those wicked emperors and gouernors that then raigned in which number Nero himselfe was propter dominum bicause it was the will of God that it