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A04250 A remonstrance of the most gratious King Iames I. King of Great Britaine, France, and Ireland, defender of the faith, &c. For the right of kings, and the independance of their crownes. Against an oration of the most illustrious Card. of Perron, pronounced in the chamber of the third estate. Ian. 15. 1615. Translated out of his Maiesties French copie.; Declaration du serenissime Roy Jaques I. Roy de la Grand' Bretaigne France et Irlande, defenseur de la foy. English James I, King of England, 1566-1625.; Betts, Richard, 1552-1619. 1616 (1616) STC 14369; ESTC S107609 113,081 306

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prayses proclaimed a Tyrant as it were inebriated with blood of the Saints and a famous Enginer of torments for my Catholikes To this exhortation for the suffering of Martyrdome in imitation of my English traytors and parricides if we shall adde how craftily and subtilly he makes the Kings of England to hold of the Pope by fealty and their Kingdome in bondage to the Pope by Temporall recognizance it shall easily appeare that his holy-water of prayses wherewith I am so reuerently besprinkled is a composition extracted out of a dram of hony and a pound of gall first steeped in a strong decoction of bitter wormewood or of the wild gourd called Coloquintida For after he hath in the beginning of his Oration spoken of Kings that owe fealtie to the Pope and are not Soueraignes in the highest degree of Temporal supremacie within their Kingdomes to explaine his mind and meaning the better he marshals the Kings of England a little after in the same ranke His words be these When King Iohn of England not yet bound in any temporall recognizance to the Pope had expelled his Bishops c. His Lordship means that King Iohn became so bound to the Pope not long after And what may this meaning be but in plaine tearmes and broad speach to cal me vsurper and vnlawfull King For the feudatarie or he that holdeth a Mannor by fealty when he doth not his homage with all suit and seruice that he owes to the Lord Paramount doth fall from the propertie of his fee. This reproach of the L. Cardinals is seconded with an other of Bellarmines his brother Cardinall That Ireland was giuen to the Kings of England by the Pope The best is that his most reuerend Lordship hath not shewed who it was that gaue Ireland to the Pope And touching Iohn King of England thus in briefe stands the whole matter Between Henry 2. and the Pope had passed sundry bickerments about collating of Ecclesiasticall dignities Iohn the sonne after his fathers death reneweth vndertaketh and pursueth the same quarrell Driueth certaine English Bishops out of the Kingdome for defending the Popes insolent vsurpation vpon his Royall prerogatiue and Regall rights Sheweth such Princely courage and resolution in those times when all that stood and suffered for the Popes Temporall pretensions against Kings were enrowled Martyrs or Confessors The Pope takes the matter in fowle scorne and great indignation shuts the King by his excommunicatory Bulls out of the Church stirres vp his Barons for other causes the Kings heauy friends to rise in armes giues the Kingdome of England like a masterlesse man turned ouer to a new master to Philippus Augustus King of France binds Philip to make a conquest of England by the sword or else no bargaine or else no gift promises Philip in recompence of his trauell and Royall expences in that conquest full absolution and a general pardon at large for all his sinnes to be short cuts King Iohn out so much worke and makes him keep so many yrons in the fire for his worke that he had none other way none other meanes to pacifie the Popes high displeasure to correct or qualifie the malignitie of the Popes cholericke humour by whom he was then so intangled in the Popes toyles but by yeelding himselfe to become the Popes vassall and his Kingdome feudatary or to hold by fealty of the Papall See By this meanes his Crowne is made tributarie all his people liable to payment of taxes by the poll for a certaine yearly tribute and he is blessed with a pardon for all his sinnes Whether King Iohn was mooued to doe this dishonourable act vpon any deuotion or inflamed with any zeale of Religion or inforced by the vnresistable weapons of necessitie who can be so blind that he doth not well see and clearely perceiue For to purchase his owne freedom from this bondage to the Pope what could he be vnwilling to doe that was willing to bring his Kingdome vnder the yoke of Amirales Murmelinus a Mahumetan Prince then King of Granado and Barbaria The Pope after that sent a Legat into England The King now the Popes vassall and holding his Crowne of the Pope like a man that holds his land of an other by Knights seruice or by homage and fealty doth faire homage for his Crowne to the Popes Legat and layeth downe at his feete a great masle of the purest gold in coyne The reuerend Legat in token of his Masters Soueraigntie with more then vsuall pride fals to kicking and spurning the treasure no doubt with a paire of most holy feete Not onely so but likewise at solemne feasts is easily entreated to take the Kings chaire of Estate Here I would faine know the Lord Cardinals opinion whether these actions of the Pope were iust or vniust lawfull or vnlawfull according to right or against all right and reason If he will say against right it is then cleare that against right his Lordship hath made way to this example if according to right let him then make it knowne from whence or from whom this power was deriued and conuaied to the Pope whereby he makes himselfe Soueraigne Lord of Temporalties in that Kingdome where neither he nor any of his predecessors euer pretended any right or laid any claime to Temporall matters before Are such prankes to be played by the Pontificiall Bishop Is this an act of Holinesse to set a Kingdome on fire by the flaming brands of sedition to dismember and quarter a Kingdome with intestine warres onely to this end that a King once reduced to the lowest degree of miserie might be lifted by his Holinesse out of his Royall prerogatiue the very soule and life of his Royall Estate When beganne this Papall power In what age beganne the Pope to practise this power What! haue the auncient Canons for the Scripture in this question beareth no pawme haue the Canons of the auncient Church imposed any such satisfaction vpon a sinner that of ueraigne and free King he should become vassal to his ghostly Father that he should make himselfe together with all his people and subiects tributaries to a Bishop that shall rifle a whole Nation of their coyne that shall receiue homage of a King and make a King his vassall What! Shall not a sinner be quitted of his faults except his Pastor turne robber and one that goeth about to get a booty except he make his Pastor a feoffee in his whole Estate and suffer himselfe vnder a shadow of penance to freeze naked to be turned out of all his goods and possessions of inheritance But be it graunted admit his Holinesse robs one Prince of his rights and reuenewes to conferre the same vpon an other were it not an high degree of Tyrannie to finger an other mans estate and to giue that away to a third which the second hath no right no lawfull authoritie to giue Well if the Pope then shall become his own caruer in the rights of an other
if he shal make his owne coffers to swell with an others reuenewes if he shall decke and array his owne backe in the spoyles of a sinner with whom in absolution he maketh peace and taketh truce what can this be else but running into further degrees of wickednesse and mischiefe what can this be else but heaping of robbery vpon fraud and impiety vpon robbery For by such deceitfull crafty and cunning practises the nature of the Pontificiall Sea meerely spirituall is changed into the Kings-bench-Court meerely temporall the Bishops chaire is changed into a Monarchs Throne And not onely so but besides the sinners repentance is changed into a snare or pit-fall of cousening deceit and Saint Peters net is changed into a casting-net or a flew to fish for all the wealth of most flourishing Kingdomes Moreouer the King a hard case is driuen by such wyles and subtilties to worke impossibilities to act more then is lawfull or within the compasse of his power to practise For the King neither may in right nor can by power trans-nature his Crowne impaire the Maiestie of his Kingdome or leaue his Royall dignitie lesse free to his heire apparant or next successor then he receiued the same of his predecessor Much lesse by any dishonourable capitulations by any vnworthy contracts degrade his posteritie bring his people vnder the grieuous burden of tributes and taxes to a forraine Prince Least of all make them tributary to a Priest vnto whom it no way appertaineth to haue any hand in the ciuill affaires of Kings or to distaine vnhallow their Crownes And therefore when the Pope dispatched his Nuntio to Philippus Augustus requesting the King to avert Lewis his sonne from laying any claime to the Kingdom of England Philip answered the Legat as we haue it in Math. Paris No King no Prince can abienate or giue away his Kingdome but by consent of his Barons bound by Knights seruice to defend the said Kingdom and in case the Pope shall stand for the contrary error his Holinesse shall giue to Kingdomes a most pernicious example By the same Authorit is testified that King Iohn became odious to his subiects for such dishonorable and vnworthie inthralling of his Crowne and Kingdome Therefore the Popes right pretended to the Crowne of England which is nothing else but a ridiculous vsurpation hath long agoe vanished into smoake and required not so much as the drawing of one sword to snatch and pull it by violence out of his hands For the Popes power lying altogether in a certaine wild and wandring conceit or opinion of men and beeing onely an imaginary castle in the ayre built by pride and vnderpropped by superstition is very speedily dispersed vpon the first rising and appearing of the truth in her glorious brightnesse There is none so very a dolt or block-head to deny that in case this right of the Pope ouer England is grounded vpon Gods word then his Holinesse may challenge the like right ouer all other Kingdomes because all other Kingdomes Crownes and Scepters are subiect alike to Gods word For what priuiledge what charter what euidence can France fetch out of the Rolles or any other treasurie of her monuments or records to shew that she oweth lesse subiection to God then England Or was this yoke of bondage then brought vpon the English Nation was it a prerogatiue whereby they might more easily come to the libertie of the sonnes of God Or were the people of England perswaded that for all their substance wealth and life bestowed on the Pope his Holinesse by way of exchange returned them better weight and measure of spirituall graces It is ridiculous onely to conceiue these to yes in thought and yet with such ridiculous with such toyes in conceit his Lordship feedes and entertains his auditors From this point he falleth to an other bowt and fling at his heretikes with whom he played no faire play before There is not one Synode of ministers as he saith which would willingly subscribe to this Article whereunto we should be bound to sweare But herein his Lordship shooteth farre from the mark This Article is approued and preached by the Ministers of my Kingdome It is likewise preached by those of France and if neede be I assure my selfe will be signed by all the Ministers of the French Church The L. Cardinall proceedeth for hee meaneth not so soone to giue ouer these heretikes All their Consistories beleeue it as their Creede that if Catholike Princes at any time shall offer force vnto their conscience then they are dispensed withall for their oath of allegiance Hence are these modifications and restrictions tossed so much in their mouthes Prouided the King force vs not in our conscience Hence are these exceptions in the profession of their faith Prouided the Soueraigne power and authoritie of God be not in any sort violated or infringed I am not able to conceiue what engine can be framed of these materialls for the bearing of Kings out of their eminent seats by any lawfull authority or power in the Pope For say those of the Religion should be tainted with some like errour how can that be any shelter of excuse for those of the Romish Church to vndermine or to digge vp the Thrones of their Kings But in this allegation of the Lord Cardinal there is nothing at all which doth not iumpe iust and accord to a haire with the Article of the third Estate and with obedience due to the King For they doe not professe that in case the King shall commaund them to doe any act contrarie to their conscience they would flie at his throat would make any attempt against his life would refuse to pay their taxations or to defend him in the warres They make no profession of deposing the King or discharging the people from the oath of allegiance tendred to the King which is the very point or issue of the matter in controuersie and the maine mischeife against which the third Estate hath bin most worthily carefull to prouide a wholesome remedie by this Article There is a world of difference betweene the termes of disobedience and of deposition It is one thing to disobey the Kings commaund in matters prohibited by diuine lawes and yet in all other matters to performe full subiection vnto the King It is another thing of a farre higher degree or straine of disloyaltie to bare the King of his Royall robes throne and scepter and when he is thus farre disgraced to degrade him and to put him from his degree and place of a King If the holy Father should charge the L. Cardinal to doe some act repugnant in his owne knowledge to the Law of God I will religiously and according to the rule of charity presume that his Lordship in this case would stand out against his Holinesse and notwithstanding would still acknowledge him to be Pope His Lordship yet prosecutes and followes his former purpose Hence are those armes which they haue oftentimes
are starnaked and well neere frozen to death The Conclusion of the Lord of Perron examined AFTER the L. Cardinal hath stoutly shewed the strength of his arme and the deepe skill of his head in fortification at last he leaues his loftie scaffolds and falls to work neerer the ground with more easie tooles of humble prayers and gentle exhortations The summe of the whole is this He adiures his auditors neuer to forge remedies neuer so to prouide for the temporall safetie of Kings as thereby to worke their finall falling from eternall saluation neuer to make any rent or rupture in the vnity of the Church in this corrupt age infected with pestilent heresies which alreadie hauing made so great a breach in the walls of France will no doubt double their strength by the dissentions diuisions and schismes of Catholikes If this infectious plague shall still encrease and growe to a carbuncle it can by no meanes poyson religion without bringing Kings to their winding sheetes and wofull hearses The first rowlers of that stone of offence aymed at no other marke then to make an ignominious and lamentable rent in the Church He thinks the Deputies of the third Estate had neither head nor first hand in contriuing this Article but holds it rather a newe deuice and subtile inuention suggested by persons which beeing alreadie cut off by their owne practises from the body of the Romane Church haue likewise inueigled and insnared some that beare the name of Catholiks with some other Ecclesiastics and vnder a faire pretence and goodly cloake by name the seruice of the King haue surprised and played vpon their simplicitie These men as the Cardinal saith doe imitate Julian the Apostata who to bring the Christians to idolatrous worship of false gods commaunded the idols of Iupiter and Venus to be intermingled with Imperiall statues and other Images of Christian Emperours c. Then after certaine Rhetoricall flourishes his Lord ship fals to prosecute his former course and cries out of this Article A monster hauing the tayle of a fish as if it came cutting the narrow Seas out of England For in full effect it is downright the English oath sauing that indeede the oath of England runneth in a more mild forme and a more moderate straine And here he suddenly takes occasion to make some digression For out of the way and cleane from the matter he entreth into some purpose of my praise and commendation He courteously forsooth is pleased to grace me with knowledge of learning and with ciuill vertues Hee seemeth chiefly to reioyce in his owne behalfe and to giue me thanks that I haue done him the honour to enter the lists of Theologicall dispute against his Lordship Howbeit he twitches and carpes at me withall as at one that soweth seeds of dissention and schisme amongst Romane Catholiks And yet he would seeme to qualifie the matter and to make all whole againe by saying That in so doing I am perswaded I doe no more then my dutie requires But now as his Lordship followes the point it standeth neither with godlinesse nor with equity nor with reason that Acts made that Statutes Decrees and Ordinances ratified for the State and Gouernement of England should be thrust for binding Laws vpon the Kingdome of France nor that Catholikes and much lesse that Ecclesiastics to the ende they may liue in safetie and freely enioy their priuiledges or immunities in France should be forced to beleeue and by oath to seale the same points which English Catholikes to the ende they may purchase libertie onely to breath nay sorrowfully to sigh rather are constrained to allow and to aduowe besides And whereas in England there is no small number of Catholikes that lacke not constant and resolute minds to endure all sorts of punishment rather then to take that oath of allegiance will there not be found an other manner of number in France armed with no lesse constancie and Christian resolution There will most honourable Auditors there will without all doubt and we all that are of Episcopall dignity will sooner suffer Martyrdome in the cause Then out of the super-abundance and ouer-weight of his Lordships goodnesse he closely coucheth and conuayeth a certaine distastfull opposition between me and his King with prayses and thankes to God that his King is not delighted and takes no pleasure to make Martyrs All this Artificial and swelling discourse like vnto puffe-past if it be viewed at a neere distance will be found like a bladder full of wind without any soliditie of substantiall matter For the Deputies of the third Estate were neuer so voide of vnderstanding to beleeue that by prouiding for the life and safety of their King they should thrust him headlong into eternall damnation Their braines were neuer so much blasted so farre benummed to dreame the soule of their King cannot mount vp to heauen except he be dismounted from his Princely Throne vpon earth whensoeuer the Pope shall hold vp his finger And whereas he is bold to pronounce that heretikes of France doe make their benefit and aduantage of this diuision that speech is grounded vpon this proposition That professors of the Christian Religion reformed which is to say purged and cleansed of all Popish dregs are heretiks in fact and ought so to be reputed in right Which proposition his Lordship wil neuer soundly and sufficiently make good before his Holinesse hath compiled an other Gospell or hath forged an other Bible at his Pontificiall anvile The L. Cardinall vndertooke to reade me a lecture vpon that argument but euer since hath played Mum-budget and hath put himselfe to silence like one at a Non-plus in his enterprise There be three yeeres already gone and past since his Lordship beganne to shape some answer to a certaine writing dispatched by me in few daies With forming and reforming with filing and polishing with labouring and licking his answer ouer and ouer againe with reiterated extractions and calcinations it may be coniectured that all his Lordships labour and cost is long since evaporated and vanished in the aire Howbeit as well the friendly conference of a King for I will not call it a contention as also the dignitie excellencie and importance of the matter long since deserued and as long since required the publishing of some or other answer His Lordships long silence will neuer be imputed to lacke of capacity wherewith who knoweth not how abundantly he is furnished but rather to well aduised agnition of his owne working and building vpon a weake foundation But let vs returne vnto these heretikes that make so great gaine by the disagreement of Catholikes It is no part of their dutie to aime at sowing of dissentions but rather to intend and attend their faithfull performance of seruice to their King If some be pleased and others offended when so good and loyall duties are sincerely discharged it is for all good subiects to grieue and to be sory that when they speake for the
Emperour in the tenth yeare of his raigne The L. Cardinall with no lesse abuse alleadgeth Pope Zacharie by whome the French as he affirmeth were absolued of the oath of allegiance wherein they stood bound to Childeric their King And for this instance he standeth vpon the testimonie of Paulus Aemilius and du Tillet a paire of late writers But by authors more neere that age wherein Childeric raigned it is more truely testified that it was a free and voluntarie act of the French onely asking the aduise of Pope Zacharie but requiring neither leaue nor absolution Ado Bishop of Vienna in his Chronicles hath it after this manner The French following the Counsell of Embassadors and of Pope Zachary elected Pepin their King and established him in the Kingdome Trithemius in his abridgement of Annals thus Childeric as one vnfit for gouernement was turned out of his Kingdome with common consent of the Estates and Peeres of the Realme so aduised by Zacharie Pope of Rome Godfridus of Viterbe in the 17. part of his Chronicle and Guaguin in the life of Pepin affirme the same And was it not an easie matter to worke Pepin by counsell to lay hold on the Kingdome when he could not be hindered from fastening on the Crowne and had already seizd it in effect howsoeuer he had not yet attained to the name of King Moreouer the rudenesse of that Nation then wanting knowledge and Schooles either of diuinitie or of Academicall sciences was a kind of spurre to make them runne for counsell ouer the mountaines which neuerthelesse in a cause of such nature they required not as necessary but onely as decent and for fashion sake The Pope also for his part was well appaied by this meanes to drawe Pepin vnto his part as one that stood in some need of his aide against the Lombards and the more because his Lord the Emperour of Constantinople was then brought so low that he was not able to send him sufficient aide for the defence of his territories against his enemies But had Zacharie to deale plainely not stood vpon the respect of his owne commoditie more then vpon the regard of Gods feare he would neuer haue giuen counsel vnto the seruant vnder the pretended colour of his Masters dull spirit so to turne rebell against his Master The Lawes prouide Gardians or ouerseers for such as are not well in their wits they neuer depriue and spoile them of their estate they punish crimes but not diseases and infirmities by nature Yea in France it is a very auncient custome when the King is troubled in his wittes to establish a Regent who for the time of the Kings disability may beare the burden of the Kingdomes affaires So was the practise of that State in the case of Charles 6. when he fell into a phrensie whome the Pope notwithstanding his most grieuous and sharpe fits neuer offered to degrade And to be short what reason what equity will beare the children to be punished for the fathers debilitie Yet such punishment was laid vpon Childerics whole race and house who by this practise were all disinherited of the Kingdome But shall wee now take some viewe of the L. Cardinals excuse for this exemplarie fact The cause of Childerics deposing as the L. Cardinal saith did neerly concerne and touch Religion For Childerics imbecillitie brought all France into danger to suffer a most wofull shipwracke of Christian religion vpon the barbarous and hostile inuasion of the Saracens Admit now this reason had beene of iust weight and value yet consideration should haue been taken whether some one or other of that Royallstemme and of the Kings owne successors neerest of blood was not of better capacitie to rule and mannage that mightie State The feare of vncertaine and accidentall mischiefe should not haue driuen them to slie vnto the certain mischiefe of actuall and effectuall deposition They should rather haue set before their eies the example of Charles Martel this Pepins father who in a farre more eminent danger when the Saracens had already mastered and subdued a great part of France valiantly encountred and withall defeated the Saracens ruled the Kingdome vnder the title of Steward of the Kings house the principall Officer of the Crowne without affecting or aspiring to the Throne for all that great steppe of aduantage especially when the Saracens were quite broken and no longer dreadfull to the French Nation In our owne Scotland the sway of the Kingdome was in the hand of Walles during the time of Bruse his imprisonment in England who then was lawfull heire to the Crowne This Walles or Vallas had the whole power of the Kingdome at his beck and command His edicts and ordinances to this day stand in full force By the deadly hatred of Bruse his mortall enemie it may be coniectured that hee might haue beene prouoked and inflamed with desire to trusse the Kingdome in his talants And notwithstanding all these incitements hee neuer assumed or vsurped other title to himselfe then of Gouernour or Administrator of the Kingdome The reason Hee had not beene brought vp in this newe doctrine and late discipline whereby the Church is endowed with power to giue and to take away Crownes But now as the L. Cardinall would beare the world in hand the state of Kings is brought to a very dead lift The Pope forsooth must send his Phisitians to know by way of inspection or some other course of Art whether the Kings braine be crackt or found and in case there be found any debility of wit and reason in the King then the Pope must remooue and translate the Crowne from the weaker braine to a stronger and for the acting of the stratageme the name of Religion must be pretended Ho these heretikes beginne to crawle in the Kingdome order must bee taken they be not suffered by their multitudes and swarmes like locusts or caterpillars to pester and poison the whole Realme Or in a case of matrimonie thus Ho marriage is a Sacrament touch the Order of Matrimonie and Religion is wounded By this deuise not onely the Kings vices but likewise his naturall diseases and infirmities are fetcht into the circle of Religion and the L. Cardinal hath not done himselfe right in restraining the Popes power to depose Kings vnto the cafes of heresie Apostasie and persecution of the Church In the next place followeth Leo III. who by setting the Imperiall Crowne vpon the head of Charles absolued all the subiects in the West of their obedience to the Greeke Emperours if the L. of Perron might be credited in this example But indeed it is crowded among the rest by a slie tricke and cleane contrary to the naked truth of all histories For it shall neuer bee iustified by good historie that so much as one single person or man I say not one Country or one people was then wrought or wonne by the Pope to change his copy and Lord or from a subiect of the Greeke Emperours
paying tribute vnto Caesar and the Pope making Caesar to pay him tribute Iesus Christ perswading the Iewes to pay tribute vnto an heathen Emperour and the Pope dispensing with subiects for their obedience to Christian Emperours Iesus Christ refusing to arbitrate a controuersie of inheritance partable betweene two priuate parties and the Pope thrusting in himselfe without warrant or Commission to be absolute Iudge in the deposing of Kings Iesus Christ professing that his Kingdome is not of this world and the Pope establishing himselfe in a terrene Empire In like manner the Apostles forsaking all their goods to followe Christ and the Pope robbing Christians of their goods the Apostles persecuted by Pagan Emperours and the Pope now setting his foote on the very throate of Christian Emperours then proudly treading Imperiall Crownes vnder his feete By this comparison the L. Cardinals allegation of Scripture in fauour of his Master the Pope is but a kind of puppet-play to make Iesus Christ a mocking stocke rather then to satisfie his auditors with any sound precepts and wholesome instructions Hereof hee seemeth to giue some inckling himselfe For after he hath beene plentifull in citing authorities of Scripture and of newe Doctors which make for the Popes power to depose Kings at last he comes in with a faire and open confession that neither by diuine Oracles nor by honourable antiquitie this controuersie hath beene yet determined and so pulls downe in a word with one hand the frame of worke that he had built and set vp before with an other discouering withal the reluctation and priuie checkes of his owne conscience There yet remaineth one obiection the knot whereof the L. Cardinall in a manner sweateth to vntie His words be these The champions for the negatiue flie to the analogie of other proceedings and practises in the Chruch They affirme that priuate persons masters or owners of goods and possessions among the common people are not depriued of their goods for heresie and consequently that Princes much more should not for the same crime bee depriued of their estates For answer to this reason he brings in the defendants of deposition speaking after this manner In the Kingdom of France the strict execution of lawes decreed in Court against heretickes is fauourably suspended and stopped for the preseruation of peace and publike tranquilitie He saith elsewhere Conniuence is vsed towards these heretikes in regard of their multitude because a notable part of the French Nation and State is made all of heretikes I suppose that out of speciall charitie hee would haue those heretikes of his own making forewarned what courteous vse and intreaty they are to expect when hee affirmeth that execution of the lawes is but suspended For indeed suspensions hold but for a time But in a cause of that nature and importance I dare promise my selfe that my most honoured Brother the King of France will make vse of other counsell will rather seek the amitie of his neighbour Princes and the peace of his Kingdom will beare in minde the great and faithfull seruice of those who in matter of religion dissent from his Maiestie as of the onely men that haue preserued and saued the Crowne for the King his Father of most glorious memorie I am perswaded my Brother of France will beleeue that his liege people pretended by the L. Cardinall to be heretikes are not halfe so bad as my Romane Catholike subiects who by secret practises vnder-mine my life serue a forraine Soueraigne are discharged by his Bulls of their obedience due to me their naturall Soueraigne are bound by the maximes and rules published and maintained in fauour of the Pope before this full and famous assembly of the Estate at Paris if the said maximes be of any weight and authoritie to hold me for no lawfull King are there taught and instructed that Pauls commandement concerning subiection vnto the higher powers aduerse to their professed religion is onely a prouisionall precept framed to the times and watching for the opportunitie to shake off the yoake All which notwithstanding I deale with such Romane-Catholiks by the rules and waies of Princely clemencie their hainous and pernicious error in effect no lesse then the capitall crime of high treason I vse to call some disease or distemper of the mind Last of all I beleeue my said Brother of France will set downe in his tables as in record how little he standeth ingaged to the Lord Cardinal in this behalfe For those of the reformed Religion professe and proclaim that next vnder God they owe their preseruation and safetie to the wisedome and benignity of their Kings But now comes the Cardinall and hee seekes to steale this perswasion out of their hearts Hee tells them in open Parliament and without any going about bushes that all their welfare and securitie standeth in their multitude and in the feare which others conceiue to trouble the State by the strict execution of lawes against heretikes He addeth moreouer that Jn case a third sect should peepe out and growe vp in France the professors thereof should suffer confiscation of their goods with losse of life it selfe as hath been practised at Geneua against Seruetus and in England against Arrians My answer is this That punishments for heretikes duely and according to law conuicted are set downe by decrees of the ciuil Magistrate bearing rule in the countrey where the said heretikes inhabite and not by any ordinances of the Pope I say withall the L. Cardinal hath no reason to match and parallell the Reformed Churches with Seruetus and the Arrians For those heretikes were powerfully conuicted by Gods word and lawfully condemned by the auncient Generall Councils where they were permitted and admitted to plead their owne cause in person But as for the truth professed by me and those of the reformed religion it was neuer yet hissed out of the Schooles nor cast out of any Councill like some Parliament bills where both sides haue been heard with like indifferencie Yea what Councill soeuer hath beene offered vnto vs in these latter times it hath been proposed with certaine presuppositions as That his Holinesse beeing a partie in the cause and consequently to come vnder iudgement as it were to the barre vpon his triall shall be the Iudge of Assize with Commission of oyer and determiner it shall be celebrated in a citie of no safe accesse without safe conduct or conuoy to come or goe at pleasure and without danger it shall be assembled of such persons with free suffrage and voice as vphold this rule which they haue alreadie put in practise against Iohn Hus and Hierom of Prage that faith giuen and oath taken to an heretike must not be obserued Now then to resume our former matter If the Pope hitherto hath neuer presumed for pretended heresie to confiscate by sentence either the lands or the goods of priuate persons or common people of the French Nation wherfore should he dare to dispossesse Kings of