as may witnesse that bloodie massacre of France and the continuall ciuill warres for many yeeres together wherein not so few Christian people as 100. thousand haue perished England thankes be to God hath no such flowers growing in her garden neither I trust euer shall Neither doe wee desire nay wee would not for all the kingdomes of the world chaunge our state with any of those flower countries Italie France Spaine which in deede are flowers and leaues without true fruite Though the Popes iurisdiction hath been large yet can hee not compare with the pontifices maximi among the Romans which was an office of such high authoritie and great commaund that the title was afterward annexed to the Empire and the Emperours tooke vpon them to be called the high Priests The other Patriarchall Seas also did equalize Rome in largenes of iurisdiction especially Alexandria to the which was subiect al Egypt Libya Pentapolis with all the Christian Churches of Africa The Pope hath no great cause to brag of his greatnes for his wings are well clipped and I doubt not but to see yet more of this proud birds feathers pulled Neither is largenes of dominion a good argument for religion for then Pagane idolatrie which was more vniuersally receiued at once in the 〈◊〉 then Christianitie should thrust out the Gospell of 〈◊〉 And as for the King of Spaine◠〈◊〉 he may thanke the poore Indians for it whose throates the Spaniards haue cut for their gold neither is it such but that hee knoweth how to spend it and for all his great treasure his coffers are often emptie enough But let it be remembred how these popelings measure religion by riches and outward glorie which if it were a good rule the rich Chaldeans Assyrians Persians should rather haue bin the people of God thē the poore Israelites the rich Scribes and Pharisies should be preferred before the Apostles 2. Popish religion denieth dutie to God making other Mediatours beside Christ teaching inuocation of Saints adoration of images which are peculiar to God neither doth it giue honour to Magistrates abridging them of their lawfull authoritie in matters ecclesiasticall and giuing the Pope authoritie to excommunicate and depose Princes and to absolue their subiects of their oath Concerning the particulars of Popish profession what little comfort is in them how derogatorie to God contrarie to Scriptures I haue shewed before in the answere to the 5. section 3. The Pope so well appeased the quarrels betweene Henry the 2. and his Nobles that after the King had reconciled himselfe to the Pope for the death of Thomas Becket and yeelded to doe penance his troubles began afresh betweene him and his sonnes Richard and Iohn that he died for griefe And the Pope by his Legates and factors in England and other countries hath been a mouer not a compounder of strife a raiser rather then layer of warre Did not Gregorie the 7. set vp Rodolphus against Henry the 4. the Emperour betweene whom many bloodie battels were fought Did not Pope Paschalis incite Henrie the sonne against the Emperor Henrie the father and dispossessed him of the Empire Vrban the 2. did put downe Hugo Earle of Italie discharging his subiects of their oth and obedience Gregorie the 9. did excommunicate Fredericke the 2. and raised vp the Venetians against him And in England Pope Innocent the 3. commaunded vnder paine of his great curse that no man should obey King Iohn he gaue definitiue sentence in his consistorie that he should be deposed from his Crowne and appointed Philip King of France to execute this sentence promising him full remission of his sins to kill or expell King Iohn Vrban the 4. set Henrie the 3. and his Nobles together by the eares absoluing the king of his oth made to performe certaine articles agreed vpon at Oxford whereupon the Barons warres were renewed Pope Boniface set variance betweene England and Scotland in the raigne of Edward the 1. challenging Scotland as proper to the Sea of Rome But in steed of easing the people of rigorous exactions imposed by Princes the Pope himself hath vsed vnreasonable extortions Rigandus de Asteri◠the Popes Legate in England in Edward the 2. his raigne demaunded of the Clergie 8. pence in the marke toward the Legates charges but they graunted only 4. pence in the marke He also laboured to bring in a new manner of collection of Peter pence but was resisted by the King The like did Henricus the 3. Repressit impetum Legati propter violentiam denariorum He restrained the attempts of the Popes Legate touching his violent exactions of money The Bishops of England after great and forcible intreatie agreed to pay to the Pope 11000. markes The King of England saith the same author made payment to Pope Alexander the 4. vpon a very friuolous and fond matter 950000. markes Bonner himselfe witnesseth that the Popes pray in England came almost to as much as the reuenewes of the Crowne The Pope had the first fruites of all the Bishopricks in England which came to a great summe Canterburie paied 10000. Florences and 5000. for his pall Yorke as much Winchester 12000. Elie 7000. The whole summe of all the first fruites in Europe which came to the Popes coffers amounted to 2460843. Florences which maketh well nie 6. hundred 15. thousand two hundred and ten pound starling Iudge by this now Christian Reader what an impudent man this is to make the Pope a mitigator of great exactions whereas he hath been the most cruell extortor and exactor in the world As is his credit in this so let him be beleeued in the rest 4. Popish confession is so farre from keeping subiects from deuising against their Prince as that it hath been the speciall engine and instrument to contriue treacherie against the state Simon the Monke was confessed and absolued of his Abbot when he enterprised to poyson King Iohn Frier Forrest in secret confession declared to diuers subiects that King Henry the 8. was not supreame head of the Church and so abused confession to sedition Peter Barriere was confessed in the Colledge of the Iesuites in Paris and tooke the Sacrament whē he intended to murder the french King that now is Iohn Chaestell also that conspired the like had been often schooled in the Iesuites chamber of meditations These are the fruites of popish confession deuising of treasons reuealing of secrets seeking occasion to do euill for by this opportunitie diuers lewd Priests sollicited the parties that came to be confessed vnto euill As mention is made in the papall rescripts of one qui cum alterius coniuge frequenter in ecclesia dormiuit which oftentimes in the Church slept with another mans wife And this should seeme to be so vsuall a practise that for restraint thereof they decreed against it non debet episcopus vel presbyter commisceri
shall not haue the custodie of the heire that holdeth of the king by free soccage of another by Knights seruice Hen. 3. an 9. Mag. chart c. 27. Ward 13.14 15. The King shall haue the ward and mariage of all that hold of him in chiefe Ed. 2. ann 17. praerogatiu reg c. 1.2.6 11 Women 2. That widowes of them that hold of the King in chiefe shall not marrie without the Kings licence praerogat reg c. 4. ann 17. Ed. 2. 12 Wreck 2. The King shall haue the wrecke of the sea throughout the realme praerogat reg c. 11. ann 17. Edward 2. Thus it is euident that these lawes by this pettifogger alleaged do not serue his turne at all neither is there to be found so much as one syllable sounding that way that these priuileges and graunts were for that reason and intent giuen vnto the Kings of England as he saith for the defence of the Popish faith so that he is euidētlie conuinced of so many vntruths as he hath here quoted lawes And beside let it be considered that all these prerogatiues were graunted in the raignes of Hen. 3. and Edw. 2. who impugned the iurisdiction of the Romane Bishop and therefore are reckned vp in the number of Kings of vnhappie successe by this Popes Register p. 77. How then is it like that these priuiledges were graunted them for defence of the papall seignorie to the which they so much opposed themselues 3 But concerning the dignities of the Church of England founded as he saith by their Catholike Kings we do possesse them with better right then the Popish Clergie did For 1. whereas they erected them to the honor of God which was the principall end of their deuotion though they fayled in the meanes we doubt not but that these erections are now better employed to Gods glorie then euer they were in time of Poperie and that they not we vsed those franke gifts contra formam collationis against the forme of collation and mind of the founder employing them to superstitious and idolatrous and riotous vses not pious and religious and therefore did forfeit their state according to the equitie of the lawe 2 Beside this is consonant to the lawes Imperiall that edificies abused to heresie and superstition should be added vnto the true Church and the reason of the lawe is yeelded Certum est quicquid à fide Christianorū discrepat legi Christianae esse contrarium It is certaine what soeuer differeth from the Christian faith is contrarie to the Christian lawe Such things then as were abused against true religion were out of the lawes protection 3 These ecclesiasticall dignities were first erected for the preaching of the word as the Apostle saith If wee haue sowen vnto you spirituall things is it a great thing if we reape your carnall things Therefore an vnpreaching Clergie such as the Popish Hierarchie is hath no right vnto them they were but vsurpers no true owners Therefore ye Popish Masse-priests and Baals shauelings are the miserable people spoken of worthie with Elie his posteritie to beg a morsell of bread and a piece of siluer rather then to beare the Priests office To whom that saying of Ambrose may fitlie be applied Nomen inane crimen immane honor sublimis vita deformis ne sit religiosus amictus irreligiosus profectus Let not your name be vaine your crimes certaine your honor hie your life awrie your habit holie but your hearts and works vnholie Such as Alexander said Antipater was He did weare white garments without and was all purple within Such is the Popish Clergie outwardlie clothed with sanctitie inwardlie full of hypocrisie The Apologie 1 NO place of error was left for those Kings pa. 66. li. 7. Ergo their religion is to be receiued that it is not likely that those auncient Catholike Kings could erre he would proue 1. by the confession of the Protestants That it doth appertaine to the title and iurisdiction of Christian Kings to determine matters and questions of religion pag. 64. lin 10. 2 Because of the zeale and deuotion of those Kings c. there is no comparison but rather Protestant Princes should erre then they pag. 64. lin 32. 3 Because of the number learning and pietie of them by whom they were counsayled pag 64. lin 30. as Cedde Anselme Dunstane Thomas Becket Lanfranke pa. 65. li. 30. 4 There was no place of error left for those Kings c. because no decree of faith without generall consent of the whole Christian word generall Councels c. except God would permit the whole world to be deluded c. pag. 66. lin 6.10 c. The Antilogie 1 TO proue the former Catholike Kings not to haue erred he beginneth himselfe with an error and fiction of his owne that Protestants referre the deciding and determination of questions of religion vnto Princes as though the resolution of all such doubts were layd vp and locked in the Princes breast We do attribute vnto our Christian Princes no absolute power to determine what they will nor priuiledge them from error as they do their Pope The allegations in the margent affixed are friuolous for neither did the Conuocation ann 1562. referre the deciding the questions of religion to her Maiestie but they were first agreed vpon by the Archbishops Bishops and the rest of the Clergie by the word of God whereunto her Maiestie afterward gaue her royall assent Neither can any such thing be shewed out of any acte of Parliament ann 1. ann 5. ann 13. Elizab. as he cunninglie according to his fraudulent manner foisteth into the margent only the chiefe gouernment of all estates and in all causes is giuen to her Maiestie and that they ought not to be subiect to any forraine iurisdiction artic 37. The author of Synopsis is also in this behalfe sclaundered for he speaketh not where that question is handled of deciding of questions of religion but of the constituting of Ecclesiasticall lawes the authoritie whereof is shewed to belong to the Prince with three limitations 1. The Prince is not to prescribe any lawes but such as require the true worship of God 2. He is to consult in these cases with the learned and godlie of his realme 3. Such canons and ordinances the execution whereof properlie belong vnto the Ministers of the Church are excepted and so it is concluded that no lawes ought to be made without the authoritie of the Prince which the Prince is bound to execute Now sir doth it follow hereupon that Christian Princes are absolutely to be obeyed in all ecclesiasticall lawes whatsoeuer vnlesse you could shew this by the confession of Protestants which you shall neuer do your reason is not worth a rush 2 Neither doth it follow because some of them were men of great sanctimonie as instance is giuen in King Alured of his deuout prayers godlie exercises charitable works pa. 64. whose singular vertues
pound at the last after he had raigned not many yeares nine and nine moneths he died of the stroke of a poysoned quarrell shot at him at the besieging of the Castle of Chalne Richard the 2. was a great factor for Pope Vrban whom he decreed by act of Parliament to be obeyed as head of the Church yet was he an vnhappie Prince in all his proceedings and at length was deposed and cruelly murdered in Pumfret Castle Henrie the 4. was a great agent for the Pope in persecuting of Christs members in the second yeere of whose raigne was made the statute ex officio wherein they are adiudged to be burned that should hold any thing contrarie to the determination of the Church by vertue of which statute many good men were put to death vnder the raigne of the three Henries one succeeding another But what followed the father and the sonne raigned not long not making much aboue 23. yeeres betweene them and Henrie the 6. holding on the same course against Christs members was deposed from his Crowne Richard the 3. much affecting and affected of the Popes ministers for whose sake the Archbishop of Yorke being Cardinall vndertooke to perswade the Queene to deliuer Richard Duke of Yorke to his vncle as a lambe into the lions mouth and preuailed therein his butcherly end is well knowne how his dead carcasse was caried naked behind a Pursiuant of Armes all be sprinkled with blood and mire and homely buried Queene Mary had both a short and an vnprosperous raigne she lost Calice deceiued in her childbirth left desolate and forsaken of King Phillip her husband before she died and ended her daies in griefe and sorrow But contrariwise as these Princes which yeelded themselues to be directed by the Pope were of all other most infortunate so those magnanimous Kings which maintained the libertie of the Crowne against the vsurped authoritie of the Bishop of Rome were prosperous in all their affaires Edward the 1. first made the statute of Mortmaine that no lands and possessions should be giuen to any religious house without the Kings licence the statute also of Premunire made against prouisions of Bishoprickes and other Benefices to bee purchased from Rome was then ordained King Edward the 3. also abridged and cut short the Popes iurisdiction prohibiting vnder great penalties that none should procure any such prouisions at Rome or prosecute any suites in the Popes Court the cognisance whereof appertained to the Kings Courts King Henrie the 7. would admit of no more Cardinals in England after he was rid of one King Henry the 8. abolished the Popes authoritie King Edward the 6. expelled the Masse and other Popish trumperie yet were all these victorious Kings Edward the 1. against the Welsh Edward the 3. against the French Henrie the 7. against that tyrant and vsurper Richard the 3. Henrie the 8. for his valiant battailes famous Edward the 6. in suppressing of Rebels and other enemies prosperous And concerning the raigne of our late noble Soueraigne Queene Elizabeth whom God in his mercie appointed to be a reformer of religion and a nourisher of his Church what Prince in the world I speake not of this age onely but of many hundred yeeres before can compare with her Maiesties time in any kind of outward blessing first in the yeeres of her life she went beyond al her progenitors Secondly in the length of her raigne she exceeded all but onely two Henrie the 3. and Edward the 3. Thirdly in peaceable gouernment for so many euen 44. yeeres none came neere her Fourthly in loue of the subiects at home Fiftly in honour and reputation among forraine Princes Sixtly in prosperous successe abroad in deliuerance from more then twentie conspiracies at home Queene Elizabeth had no peere Seuenthly adde hereunto the wealth of the kingdome Eightly the purenes of the coyne Ninthly but most of all the purenes of religion Tenthly the abundance of learned men such as no nation vnder heauen hath the like of graue Counsellers and Martiall Commaunders who can but confesse that in all these kindes the Gospell hath brought a rich blessing to this land And as Queene Elizabeth loued and liued in peace so she ended her daies in a good old age full of yeeres and which of all other may worthily be accounted the greatest blessing hath left the kingdom to a most worthie and noble successor a professor and protector of the same faith and religion our renowned King that now is by whose hands we doubt not but that the Lord will accomplish whatsoeuer he seeth needfull for his Church But because this Romish southsayer taketh vpon him to play the blind prophet What is like saith he to be the euent thereof hereafter I had rather others should write and shew their coniecture which I for reuerence to my Soueraigne will here omit And hereupon he hopeth that his prudent Princesse will imitate the examples of her noble predecessors Henrie the 1. and Henrie the 2. in recalling that which they did in their inconsiderate times c. pag. 79. Hereunto I briefly answere that his prognostication and exhortation are both alike they both shew a dreaming and phantasticall spirit His foolish hope we see is vaine and frustrate for her Maiestie left her happie raigne in the same faith wherein she began it and as she did nothing inconsiderately at her entrance but with great aduice so had she no cause to repent her in the end If her Maiesties predecessors were inconstant in pulling downe what before they had set vp she being appointed of God to be a wise builder was not therein to follow so simple a plot As is his hope and expectation such is his lying spirit of prophecying Indeed the Papists did promise themselues a great day at the next chaunge they did not mutter it in corners but clatter it in their vaine pāphlets Parsons made a booke of reformation against that time but blessed be God which hath disappointed their hope I nothing doubt but that righteous Abel shall offer still acceptable sacrifices vnto God in the Church of England when all hypocrites and Popish sacrificers shall hang downe their heads with Caine. Yea and I hold this to be no small miracle that God where such trouble was feared hath with such peace consent of harts and minds approbation of all good subiects acclamation and reioycing of the whole Church of God set the imperiall diademe vpon so godlie christian and vertuous a Prince his head such grace from God few expected all good men desired England I am sure hath not deserued yet God in his mercie hath granted So that we haue iust cause to say with the Prophet Dauid This is the Lords doing and it is maruailous in our eyes It is written of Sylla that after Italy was deliuered from the ciuill warres comming to Rome the first night hee could not sleepe for ioy But wee the Church and
many therefore of the renowned Kings and Queenes of this land are Saints in heauen is not by any Protestants denyed as he sayth by some it is confessed for they might be caryed away with some errors of the time then not reuealed yet holding the foundation thorough Gods mercie they might be saued It is a diuers case when a man sinneth of infirmitie or simplicitie and when he offendeth willinglie of obstinacie to stumble in the darke craueth pitie to grope at noone dayes is great follie I say therefore in this case as our Sauiour to the Pharisees If ye were blind ye should not haue sinne but now ye say we see therefore your sinne remayneth And as S. Paule sayth The time of ignorance God regarded not Act. 17.30 God therefore might shew mercie to them that erred of simplicitie which is no warrant for them that should now be seduced willinglie Cypriane to this purpose thus sayth as he is rehearsed by Augustine Ignosci potest simpliciter erranti c. He that erreth simplie may be pardoned as the Apostle Paule sayth of himselfe I was a blasphemer and a persecutor but I was receiued to mercie because I did it ignorantlie Then it followeth Post inspirationem verò reuelationem factam qui in eo quod errauerat perseuerat prudens sciens sine venia ignorantiae peccat But he which after the inspiration and reuelation of the truth should perseuere in error doth sinne wittinglie not ignorantlie and therefore must looke for no pardon or pitie This is then the different case betweene the parents erring in time of darknes and the sonnes stumbling in the day light Their saluation doth magnifie Gods mercie in pardoning their imperfections it doth not iustifie their religion in commending their superstitions Our parents errings are our learnings their wants are not our warrants We must not imitate and follow them as Plato his schollers his crookednes Aristoteles his stammering Alexanders courtiers his stouping The Apologie 1 THe 2. proofe Because all states that liue in England are indebted to those Princes Clergie men for learning the Noble for nobilitie men of armes for heroicall acts c. her Maiestie hath receiued life being Crowne Kingdome and Diademe won and conuerted c. augmented and enlarged by so many Henries Edwards c. They builded Churches Monasteries common Schooles c. What donations and free gifts were graunted to the English Clergie c. 2 For the defence of this religion all those princely prerogatiues were graunted by the free subiects of England to their Kings her Catholike predecessors which she still enioyeth by that title as alienations aduousions citations corporations escheates fooles forfeitures franchises deodands c. 3 The nobilitie possesse their lands castles c. titles of honor by their ordinance And that miserable people of England that vntrulie challengeth the name of the Clergie among Protestants Bishoprickes Deaneries degrees and titles of Schooles Vniuersities Colledges c. was deriued from our Catholike Kings c. The Antilogie 1 IS not here now great adoe about nothing and is not this a goodlie argument The auncient Kings and Princes haue been great benefactors to all degrees and states in England Ergo we are bound to receiue their faith and religion Who denieth but that all sorts of men and degrees of callings amongst vs are to giue great thanks vnto God for such worthie instruments of our outward peace and prosperitie and yet who taketh himselfe in religion to be tied by this bond to the same conformitie thankfulnes for benefites temporall ought not to abridge vs of things spirituall neither ought our dutie to men make vs forget our seruice to God If this perswasion were sound Constantine and other Christian Emperors must not haue forsaken the idolatrie of their predecessors by whom the Empire had been much enlarged and the Citie of Rome with many costlie Temples and buildings other goodlie foundations beautified many excellent lawes also for administration of iustice published and to whom for the outward state of the common-wealth the Empire was as much bound as any Christian Kingdome at this day to their auncient Catholike Kings and founders That saying of Pericles that wheÌ„ his friend would haue had him take a false oath for him said he was a friend only so farre as the altare might easily haue dissolued this doubt our worthie founders haue an interest in vs for our houses Colledges lands c. but not for Gods altare or matters of religion 2 First all those priuiledges and immunities were granted to the King as belonging to his princely prerogatiue not for the defence of the Popish religion as it may appeare by those seuerall statutes which the Apologist citeth in the margin which shal be examined in their order 1 Forfeyture 4.5 ann Edward 2.17 c. 16. the escheates of felons lands are giuen to the King 2 Franchise 20. The auncient prerogatiues and authorities of iustice which had been seuered by the gifts of sundrie Kings are restored as the pardoning of treasons murders man-slaughters making and appointing of Iustices c. ann Henr. 8.27 c. 24. 3 Intrusion 1. The heire of him that holdeth of the King in chiefe if he enter before he haue receiued seisin of the King shall gaine no freehold thereby Edward 2. ann 17. c. 13. here is no mention made of any such regard for maintenance of Poperie 4 Mortdauncester 1. The King shall haue the seisin of their lands that hold of him in chiefe ann 52. Hen. 3. c. 16. 5 Partition 1. If lands holden of the King in chiefe descend to many partners all the heires shall do homage to the King Prerogatiu regis 5 Ed. 2. 6 Patents 1. Aduowsions of Churches and dowers do not passe in the Kings graunts vnlesse expresse mention be made Ed. 2. ann 17. prerogatiu regis c. 15. 7 Primer seyson 1. The King shall haue primer seisin after the death of them that held of him in chiefe Ed. 2. an 17. prerogatiu reg c. 3. here as in all the rest there is no consideration pretended for defence of religion 8 Prouision 21. All the Statutes made against prouisions purchased from Rome in the time of Ed. 3. Ric. 2. are confirmed And it is further enacted that elections of Archbishops Bishops Priors Deanes be not in any wise interrupted by the Pope Hen. 4. an 9. c. 8. This acte ouerthroweth the iurisdiction of the Pope so farre is it from graunting any thing to the King for the defence thereof Thus like an vnskilfull Apothecarie taking quid pro quo he hath tempered a contrarie drugge which as a dramme of collâ—quintida marreth the whole potion though it had bene otherwise medecinable 9 Tenure 2. They that hold of lands escheated to the King shall do the same seruice to the King which they did before Mag. chart c. 31. 10 Ward 3. The King
cum mulierib c. the Bishop or Priest ought not to lye with the women that come to be confessed Wherefore seeing auricular confession gaue occasion and opportunitie to such euill they shall not easily perswade that for want of such confession such abuses and iniuries haue growne Concerning restitution Protestants allow it and require it to be made approuing of that sentence non tollitur peccatum â—isi restituatur ablatum that of sinne there is no remission where there wanteth restitution But we affirme and teach that satisfaction to God by vs can not be wrought we must let that alone for euer that worke Christ only hath performed Multitude of suites dilatorie pleas corrupt iudgements are not vncontrouled by Protestants doctrine but we mislike and condemne them and trust by our prudent Prince in time conuenient to see many of those disorders redressed Neyther were the popish times free of such vnnecessarie suites and contentions betweene Bishop and Bishop Bishop and Prior Prior and Couent among the Friers and Monks as I haue shewed before at large in my answere to the second section pag. 8. Yet these quarrels and suites of law notwithstanding our Church Religion is not for that abuse to be condemned no more then the Church of Corinth ceased to be of Christs familie because they went to lawe one with another that before heathen Iudges 1. Cor. 6. But sure it is that these abuses haue not sprung because auricular confession is intermitted which was as a heauie yoke and burthen vpon Christians shoulders and did rather terrifie then certifie the conscience which superstitious vse the wiser heathen condemned as Antalcidas being asked of the Priest what great sinne he had committed in his life made this answere if I haue done any such thing the Gods know it he thought it superfluous to declare it to men 5. And was it not thinke you a very poore life that had the third part of the substance of the land as is confessed to maintaine it Neither is it true that the Abbeies furnished more armies then all the Ministers and Abbey-gentlemen for I thinke not but the Clergie in England alone hath contributed more in subsidies tenths beneuolences yearely toward the maintenance of the Princes warres then all the Abbeies in England yeelded to the Crowne for they stood vpon their priuiledges and immunities and gaue but what they list themselues The poore you say were relieued so many statutes against them and to burthen the countrie were not knowne True it is that the Abbeies maintained the idle vagrant life of rogues beggers and it is verily thought that the frie of theÌ„ which was bred then hath so spawned forth into the whole land that vnto this day this nation could not be disburdened of them You seeme to mislike the statute of late made for the restraint of vagrants and vagabonds then the which a more wholesome lawe could not be made in that kind if it were well executed neither is the countrie more but lesse burthened in relieuing their home-borne poore being eased of other coÌ„mon walkers But it is no maruaile that this Frier holdeth with beggers for he is cosen-germane himselfe to the begging friers no thanks then to Abbeies and Frieries in relieuing of lay beggers when they sent out such a number of irreligious beggers of their owne they should haue done better to haue kept their owne begging mates at home that the lay people being rid of such vnshamefast beggers might haue beene better able to maintaine their owne But concerning this relieuing of common beggers wherein he giueth such praise to Abbeies their own canons haue vtterly misliked it sint autem mendicantib validis non solum hospitalia clausa c. To valiant beggers let not only the hospitals be shut but let it be vtterly forbidden them to beg froÌ„ house to house for better it were to take bread from the hungrie least being prouided of his bread he should neglect equitie and iustice that is liue idlie Coloniens part 11. ca. 5. You aske if they were not better bestowed then in hunting hawking carding courting c. I answere 1. that although we wish that Abbey-lands had beene conuerted to better vses yet they were abused as much before as now and much more 2. for beside that it is not to be otherwise thought but that the lord Abbots and fat Monks disported themselues with hunting of wild game abroad and tame at home in carding and courting of Nunnes and pretie pewling cloyster virgines more then I thinke Abbey gentlemen now vse to do those lands then serued to maintaine idle and vnprofitable persons whereof there was no vse in the common-wealth whereas now many seruiceable gentlemen are thereby brought vp and sustained fit for the dispensing of iustice in peace and to stand for the defense of the land in time of warre 6. It is a great vntruth here vttered for neuer did this land enioy greater peace and of longer continuance with other countries Spaine only excepted then it hath done for the space of these 40. yeares vnder the Gospell What bloudie and cruell warres haue been in time past between England and France in Henry the 2. King Iohn Edward the 3. Henry the 5. with Scotland in Edward 1. Edward 2. Henry the 8. But vnder the Gospell peace with these countries hath been firmely established and we trust is like to continue still 7. As for knowledge and experience gotten by trauaile our Gentlemen and Noblemen of England are not therein vnfurnished Rome and Spaine are not so safe and free for trauailers that would preserue a good conscience but there is little lost by that for few are there that visit those countries but are made worse thereby according to those auncient prouerbs The neerer Rome the further froÌ„ Christ He that goeth once to Rome seeth a wicked man he that goeth twice learneth to know him he that goeth thrice bringeth him home with him But there are other Countries more safe to trauaile vnto and more profitable to be conuersant in then either Rome or Spaine Neither are all martiall feates there learned England since this diuision from Rome and Spaine hath sent forth as valiant Captaines and commaunders both by sea and land as euer it did nay former ages therein can not compare with these times What Captaines are more famous in our histories then Generall Norris Captaine Williams Morgane the noble Earle of Essex and others in land affaires who more renowned then Captaine Drake Furbisher Hawkins Candish with the rest in Sea trauailes Our Merchants indeede haue been somewhat hindred of their traffique and entercourse in the King of Spaines dominions but that hath been as much losse to them as to English Merchants neither hath England wanted any necessarie merchandize notwithstanding this restraint And we doubt not but religion and the Gospell standing and florishing still in England that passage hereafter may be more open and free for