you for all the sorrowes they haue endured For what else could haue extorted that Law from so mercifull a Queene which you ere-while blamde as bloody For your Iesuites after the sending in of Pius the fifts Bull came swarming into England as Campion Parsons and many others and did mightily labour to put that Bull in execution and did propound it as the thirteenth Article of their faith That there was no more obedience to be shewed to a Queene excommunicated The seditious doctrine of Iesuites gaâ— that seuere law when it came to practise and deposed then presently followed the rebellion in the North. It was therefore your seditious doctrine that begat so seuere a law Your schoole hath made the Catholike doctrine of Rome a Catechisme of rebellion Your Logicke first made a Papist and a Traytor to be all one your Societie was the first ouerthrow of the Roman-Catholikes estate For your Papists behaued themselues quietly for the first eleuen yeeres while Pius the fift that old credulous dotard was induced by the false whisperings of the English Catholikes as they call them shewing that their powers were so strong that they could resist the Queenes forces had excommunicated the Queene by his Bull and depriued Her of her kingdome and had released her subiects from the Oath of their Allegeance and being so released stirred them vp to take armes against Hir. But the old man quickly found his error and corrected it with his dispensation that the Papists to redeeme their troubles so hee speaketh should shew outward obedience to Queene Elizabeth but restreyned with two conditions one things so standing thother while the publike execution of the Bull might be performed that is to say while they had so much power as by force they might ouercome the Queene Rebellion among Iesuites is an article of faith Hence among the cases of conscience brought into England by you sprang out the 55 Article Where a Catholike being demanded Doe you beleeue that the Pope can put the Queene from her authoritie he is taught to answer notwithstanding any feare of death I do beleeue it For this question doth appertaine to faith and requires a confession of faith Behold your Catholike faith which this present oath is said by the Pope to crosse it is the chiefe head of Iesuitisme which we may call the marrow of Poperie And are you now in a chafe Saturnine that a few Iesuites are hangde vp for Traytors who make treason an article of their faith And doe you not thinke the King hath a iust cause to take away their heads Alaâ—us who haue with such coniuring bewitched the consciences of subiects that they thinke that warre holy iust and honorable which is raised against their Prince But what if they were not only messengers and masters § 8 but authors and actors of rebellion The Iâ—suites and authors and actors of rebellion and haue entred into the most cruellest conspiracy that euer was since the creation not onely to depose the King and absolue his subiects but to rase out the King and Kingdome and to blot out the English nation and to root out the men out of the earth for euer and that not the guilty onely but the innocents also according to that olde tyrannicall practise Cicero pro Diatore Let our friends perish so our enemies perish also And they would haue the Catholikes with heretickes The Martyrdome of the Kingdome of England as wee seeme to you the noble with the ignoble and the fathers to bee Martyrs with their sonnes For what else was that gun-powder treason deuised by you but the Martyrdome of the King and Kingdome § 9 Then Saturnine you doe great wrong to the Iesuites saith he whom you faine to bee the Authors of Catesbies conspiracy for that which they heard onely vnder the seale of confession thought it was meet to bee concealed about the martyrdome of the kingdome as you call it which God wote hurt no body being only deuised and not performed Garnet therefore the chiefe Iesuite did wrong to the Iesuites saith Patriotta who when himself had nourished that euill humor in Catesby whom hee would haue to bee the head and heart of the whole conspiracy a right Cateline and an apt scholler who concluded by a very wicked consequence out of the bull of Clement the eight wherein the Pope had excluded the King being an hereticke as hee writ from entrance into the Kingdome concluded I say that being entred he was by all meanes possibly to bee expelled out of that wicked proposition which now is in question hee suckt out that most pestilent poyson of that vnheard-of treachery But when Garnet would haue him the cheife worke-man in this conspiracy hee ioyned vnto him diuers other counsellers out of his owne tribe nay out of his owne bosome And lest that liuing messe of Iesuites being singularly inspired with the spirit of the Pope of Rome Garnet Greenwell Gerard. Parsons should lay the whole fault vpon a Lay-traitor now dead let it be vnderstood that it was confest by Garnet being now ready to die vnder his hand by a voluntarie confession Hee writ that Greenwell with Catesby was heard of him The Traytor betraies himselfe not confessing but consulting That Greenwell with Gerard were not onely authors but actors who declared their guiltinesse of the fact by their flight That Baldwine and Parsons were acquainted with it whereof he set on Fauxe that Fire brand in Germany The other made acquainted by him of the villanous treachery came flying against the day out of Italie into Lyons in France as it were on pilgrimage to S. Winefreds well as a crow to carrion that like another Nero hee might with a detestable pleasure neerer behold the fire most furiously consuming each part of his country But this Martyrdome of the King and Kingdome as you call it was not brought to effect What then As though we are ignorant that Antichrist doth deliuer many to death and doth assigne many more That hee doth thirst after more blood then he doth spill We were all Martyrs in your intention but not in execution That the mischeefe was deuised we attribute it to your malice that it tooke no effect to Gods mercy Which mooued the neuer-suspecting heart of the King the most mildest of all that are haue beene or shall be that out of those letters whereof little reckoning was made he smelt out the kind of danger and I may almost say the verie gun-powder it selfe and so was made an instrument of the publike safetie Hence riseth a double bond one that bindeth the King to God the other that more neerely for euer bindeth vs to the King There is no want either of counsell and care to the King and his prudent and faithfull Counsellers but when neither care nor counsell can preuent such blinde and secret conspiracie both thankes are to be giuen to God for our deliuerance past whereof I doubt wee
neighbour Princes the faction of subiectes the treason of the nobles and the superstition of the people And doe you call this a moderate chastisement And safe for kings and good for subiects Wherein as there are many thinges very vniust and vnworthy so those are most of all that hee tearmeth these wicked treacheries holy counsells and pretendes that they tend in order to a spirituall end And doe in that manner sowe the scruples of conscience mingled with the seedes of treacherie in the harts of men as if the graines of religion and rebellion had sprung out of one and the same blade So it comes to passe that the Romane faith at this day doth beget and nourish most dangerous faction both to Kings and subiectes which so long is very demure and humble till as a wise man obserues it hath found the keye of power and authoritie For as all faction which springs out of the heate of desire is dangerous so that is most dangerous which riseth out of the scruple of conscience For when it riseth from desire it is like fire that taketh hold of stubble which though presently it rise vp into a great flame yet soone being consumed is extinguished But when it ariseth from the conscience it is like fire that heates iron which getting his strength but slowly keepes it surely as a very worthy and a wise Senator left it in writing Wherefore that which Bellarmine said of the Oath of § 88 allegeance that it was not therefore lawfull because it was offered someway tempred and qualified that may more iustly be said of the Popes temporall dominion as it is qualified and tempered by Bellarmine knowe therefore Argentine that such qualifications are nothing else but Satans sleights and deceits wherewith the maiesty of Kings is either openly or closely assailed which Christ hath fortified plainely with his commandements That these vaine pretences of Aduerbes are Sathans ginnes and stratagems whereby vnder the colour of religion he bringeth vtter destruction both to your soules and bodies But because you will not giue as good credite to vs as to your owne men and I think it not meete to take vpon mee Velbacellus part I pray you Calander entreat your Confessour that hee would lay open and vnfold the subtill and hurtfull fleights deuises of this working braine Yeelde so much saith Calander to the Catholikes your friends Velbacellus yeelde it to the Catholike religion which is necessary to bee discerned from these false Catholike opinions as you call them lest the consciences of Catholikes be corrupted § 89 Then Velbacell I will doe saith hee as you require me in respect of my duty to the King not vnwillingly but against the Popes inhibition not so willingly howsoeuer it bee I answer for the satisfying of the conscience sincerely and for the Catholike religion not vnfitly The Oath of Allegeance and Supremacy confounded by Bellarmine And I maruell much that Bellarmine beeing a learned man and of great wit did confound the Oath of Allegeance with the Oath of Supremacy but I am greeued at the heart that the supremacy of the Pope which he doth of right enioy in spirituall and ecclesiasticall causes is so enfolded with the worldly gouernment which is in temporall and ciuill causes that hee brings his lawfull authority in hazard to be lost Adde thereto that when he had ouerthrowen the direct dominion of the Pope in all temporall matters with sound reasons hee did maintaine the indirect gouernment in order to the spirituall as hee speaketh with such slight flaggy arguments that with this his playing fast loose hee seemes to haue left him no authority at all Although other thinke otherwise and thinke that hee doth aswell submit Kings crownes to the Popes feete as Baronius doth But let it bee as euery man takes it Hee cannot directly take away the crownes from Kings What then but he can indirectly hee cannot as Pope ordinarily depose Kings but extraordinarily he can as hee is the cheife spirituall Prince Hee hath not inherent authority but that is fetcht else where much forsooth what matter is it with what authoritie Kings be cast off if they may be cast off by the Pope But they be worse then mad who subiect the crownes of Kings to schoole-distinctions Heere Saturnine But although sayd hee it please § 90 you to scoffe at the distinctions of Catholike Doctors yet I hope you will not deny that the Pope is Lord of all the temporaltyes which doth belong to the Bishopricke of Rome But that England Ireland are portions of Peters patrimony and the Bishop of Romes temporalties it is plaine by the articles of agreement betweene Alexander the third Pope of Rome and Henry the second King of England agreed on in the yeere of the Lord 1171. who when he was absolued by the Pope for the death of Thomas of Becket did couenant that none should afterward accept that Crowne of right or should be acknowledged for King till hee had his confirmation from the cheefe pastour of our soules Which couenant was renewed in the yeere 1210. by Iohn King of England who had confirmed the same by oath to Pandulphus the Popes Legate at the request of the Barons and Commons as a matter of great importance to preserue the common-weale to keepe it from the vniust vsurpation of Tyrants and to auoyd other mischeefes whereby before they had smarted and to preuent that they fall not into the like againe by the default of any wicked King thereafter Wherefore if it bee honourable and pious for the Bishop to dispose of the kingdome being made tributary why may hee not likewise depose a refractory and a disobedient Prince § 91 Then Velbacellus you alleadge saith hee a worme eaten and ridiculous charter whereby you make the King of England Tributarie to the Pope England not tributarie to the Pope neither can bee which was neuer done and if it were it neither could or ought binde the successours Kings of England For Rome neither can nor euer could at any time shew such a grāt as Thomas Moore that great Catholike doth argue and if it could it was to no great purpose for no King of England might at any time giue away England to the Pope or make his kingdome tributary though he were so disposed Therefore let vs passe by that counterfet compact and that friuolous deuise and let vs returne to the matter in hand The question is not Saturnine of the true temporalties of the patrimonie of Peter but of the true temporalties of the patrimony of Kings the soueraignty whereof either directly or indirectly is giuen to the Pope and it is giuen either by Law diuine or positiue and therefore the temporalties of Kings doe no more belong to the Pope then the temporalties of Peter belong to Kings And euery King may as well depriue a Pope as any Pope may depriue a King And an Emperour may aswell he called Lord of all the spiritualties as
I demand what King he deposed you take exception that he farre before is deposed by him whosoeuer for time to come doth breake the priuiledge of that house so long as the world endured And thefore hee deposed Kings not onely before they were crowned but before they were borne But the proposition that you defend is as false as the reason you alleadge is friuolous What King soeuer doth infringe the priuiledge of the monasterie of Medard let him be depriued of his honour Whether is this rather a depriuation of a King or an imprecation Adde which you omitted and let him be damn'd in the lowest pit of hell with Iudas the traytour If the Pope haue power out of this place to depose a King he hath likewise power to damn him But he hath not power to damne him therfore he hath not power to depose him Are you well in your wits who take a vow for a censure and the forme of imprecation for a sentence of depriuation a former curse for a reuenge following § 113 And you neuer can sufficientlie adorne and set out Gregorie the seuenth your sweet delight and that worthily for that he shewed himselfe not onely a traytour as you are your selues and desire to make others like your selues but also a captaine and ring-leader of all treason to promote the glorie of Preists with diminishing the credit of the people For those praises which you laie vpon Gregorie and those reproaches you cast vpon Henrie doe nothing either helpe your cause or hurt ours but I wonder that this good Arch-deacon as you call him prooued so bad a Bishop Gregorie condemned and for what that all the Germaine Bishops almost did condemne him in the Councell of Wormes of monstrous periuries strange mis-behauiours and diuers outrages in his life But the Italians did acquit him Not so neither For thirtie of them beeing assembled at Brixia after they had receiued Ambassadours and letter from nineteene Bishops who had consulted at Mentz with the Nobles of Italy and Germanie did publikely testifie that Gregorie did most impudentlie inâ—rude himselfe into the See Apostolike by deceit and briberie did peruert all Church gouernment did trouble all gouernment in the Christian Empire did attempt the destruction both of bodie and soule of a Catholike and peaceable King and maintained a periured rebell against him Nor being therewith content at last adiudged Hildebrand a most shamelesse person committing sacriledge and robberie defending periuries and murthers calling into questiun the Catholicke and Apostolicke faith about the body and bloud of Christ being an ancient scholler of Berengarius the hereticke an euident obseruer of dreames and diuinations And therefore to be canonically deposed for his backsliding from the true faith Lambert in an 1077. and to bee thrust out of his Popedome But these factious fellowes fauoured the Emperour against the Pope What they that fauoured the Pope against the Byshoppe But Lambert Schafnaburgensis doth praise the man But the same very Lambert whenas he was the Popes Legate and had shewed that the Emperour had reconciled and submitted himselfe at Canufium yea by his owne report all of them the Italians began to chafe to hisse and clappe their handes and to scoffe at his apostolicall Legacie with flowting outcries and to cast out bitter and railing curses in their madde moode that they nothing regarded his excommunication whom all the Italian Byshoppes had excommunicated a goodwhile since vpon iust causes him who had climbd vp into the Apostolicke seat with simonicall heresie imbrued it with murthers defiled it with adulteries and capitall enormities that the King had done otherwise then became him and had much staind his honour for submitting the maiesty of a King to an Hereticall Pope most infamous for all villanies For all this wee excuse not the faults of the Prince but defend his right neither do we accuse the life of the Pope condemned by his own side but we weigh his fact we obserue this one thing that a Simoniacall and an adulterous Emperour as Marianus Scotus writeth was ill remooued by a Simoniacall and adulterous Pope as the Germaines and Italians call him I am not ignorant that Fredericke the first and second § 114 are after the same manner as bitterly traduced and disgraced by the Popes Flatterers as Henry the fourth was Princes traduced by popist writers as Ludâ—uicke the fourth Emperour by Iohn the 22. and Philippe the fourth surnamed the faire the French King by Boniface the 8. and Henry the 2. King of England by Alexander the 3. and Iohn King of England by Innocent all of them being once excommunicated were by the flattering stile of the Romane writers abused and slandered That it is no great matter to wonder at that the Princes of our time being taken for Heretickes by you though falsly Henry the 8. Edward the 6. Elizabeth and Iames the first be so vnworthily dealt withall who did euen then in the midst of popish darknesse so cruelly vexe their owne Princes But that not only the English whose faithfulnesse toward their Princes certaine hyred vassales of the Pope haue endeauored to corrupt in their bookes set out in English but that the Germaines the French the Spaniard the Italian may see out of their owne monuments the fidelitie of their ancesters toward their owne Emperours and Princes euen then when the Popes did most terribly thunder against them that they may acknowledge it with me and the rather imitate and expresse it in so cleare a light of the Gospell hearken I pray you hearken not what a few Lutheranes and Caluenistes but what the Catholickes of these nations almost without number haue often decreed in their Sinodes and Parliaments for their Kings against the Popes tyrannie which writers shall with authoritie easily ouercome the rest either old or new being few in number and corrupted by bribes § 115 You heard before what the Germanes Italians both Byshoppes and Nobles did decree publickely for their Emperour Henry the 4. against Gregorie the 7. Now heare what the Germanes did publickly first for Fredericke the second against Innocent the 4. then for Lewes against Iohn the 22. and after of the rest The Pope resisted by the popish clergy The Germane Byshoppes first whenas they had receiued a charge from Albert Pope Innocents Legate to publish the bull of excommunication against Frederick all of them refused it The Abbotes being commanded to curse the Byshoppes that refused neglected it The Clergie receiuing a new charge that they should choose new Byshoppes and the Monkes other Abbotes being greatly agast at the nouelty of the example began to disdaine and chafe and detest the rashnesse of the Popes Legate and greeuously to accuse euen the Pope himselfe for vndertaking so strange and shamefull an action against all equitie and right and filling all Germanie with troubles How did they entertaine Raberius a French man being another Legate sent from Innocent in the same businesse hauing his associate the
Byshoppe of Rentzburge when he deliuered the bull against the prince All of them scoft at the mans impudency and disdainefully askt what that light headed and superstitious French man what the Rome-pope himselfe did in Germanie without the consent of the Germaine-byshops his colleagues They disdaine that discordes should be sowne that the libertie of Christians should bee opprest that the flocke of Christ redeemed by his blood should bee brought into slauerie by false Teachers And when the Legate would not giue ouer the Germane Byshoppes did not onely dispise his commandements but denounced a curse against him in all their Churches as an enemie to Christian peace and an Arch hereticke and pronounced him to be worse then any Turke Saracene Tartar or Iew. They did publickly likewise accuse the Byshoppe of Rome for attempting such matters among Christians which were against reason and the law of nations against the doctrine of Christ and which were not at any time done among the most sauage Tartars And as the Byshops so the nobles of Germanie did take in foule scorne so great a wrong offered by the § 116 Pope to the Emperour their Master to repell it conuented all the States wherein Eberhardus the Archbyshoppe of Salisburge a godly olde man when hee had knowne ten Romane-byshoppes and had diligently markt their practizes and dispositions vnder Fredericke the first Henry the sixt his sonne and Fredericke the second his Nephew for fifty yeares together that the chiefe byshoppe was wholy compounded of auarice luxurie contention warres discordes and desire of rule and so did decipher him for a rauenous wolfe in each part vnder a Shepheards weede and so liuely paint him out that although in other matters he were not a Lutherane in this one you would haue said he had beene almost Luther himselfe The old Catholicke fathers Oration is extant in Auentine a Catholicke Writer Auenti annal lib. 7. fol. 683. there you may haue it if you will read it § 117 That which the Byshoppes and Nobles of Germanie with the whole commons did with common consent against Innocent the fourth in the quarrell of Fredericke the Emperour the very same they did in the like quarrell of Lewes the fourth Emperour against Iohn the 22. that although they were released from the Oath of Obedience they did notwithstanding take the Oath of obedience to be faithfull to Lewes though hee were remooued and that they did by the iudgement of all the Doctours in both lawes Philip the faire the French King in a councell with full consent of the Nobles and Byshoppes did not only set at nought and despise the iniust sentence of the Popes depriuation sent out against him but brought all the kingdome from the Popes obedience and that hee might the better tame his pride he laid hold of the Pope kept him in durance so that within sixe weekes after in great anguish of soule hee gaue vp the Ghost Popes crossed by the French The pragmaticall sanction is well knowne which did of old infringe the Popes authoritie and all the canons of the Church of France that part which maintaineth the popish religion and all the decrees of the Kings parliament do so disanull the Popes power in excommunicating Kings and releasing their Subiectes from the Oath of obedience Tract inscript le Franc. Discours an 1600. that the very body of Sorbone and the whole Vniuersitie of Paris doe condemne the doctrine of the Iesuites as schismaticall and pernicious Neither Henrie the 8. onely Edward the 6. and § 119 Queene Elizabeth English practise against Popes whom you tearme Caluinists and Heretickes did by their lawes expell this vsurped authoritie of the Pope and punished by death the Abetters thereof but other Kings of England who raigned in the midst of poperie thought good to contemne the Popes censures and to suppresse the Actors therein by your Lawes The law of Edward the 3. 25 Edwar 3. doth it not seeme to bee made by a Caluinist which makes it treason to attempt and go about the death of the King to mooue warre in his Kingdome against the King or to ioyne with the Kings enemies in his kingdome or to giue them aide and comfort either within the Kingdome or without Doe you not see how that two hundred yeares before Queene Elizabeth was borne the Priests treason couered with the habite of religion by the Statute of Edward the third in euery branch of it as it were with lime twigges is met with and suppressed If to attempt the death of the King be treason therefore Greenway and other Iesuites who tooke counsell to destroy the King and kingdome had beene Traytors by Edward the thirds Law although Queene Elizabeth had made no such law If to raise warre against the King in his kingdome were then treason the priests were Traytors who stirred vp papists to take armes and to ioyne themselues with Catsby and Persie in the rebellion If to ioyne with the Kings enemie in his kingdome were then treason how can you then ye Iesuits auoide the sharpenesse of King Edwards law who being the instruments of sedition doe adheare to the Pope the Kings deadly enemie vnder the colour of religion If to aide and animaâ—e the Kings enemies either within his kingdome or without was treason at that time truly whosoeuer at this day vnder pretense of religion whatsoeuer do either solicite foraine Kings to inuade this Kingdome as Garnet Creswell Baldwine and others haue done or perswade the people to take armes to depose their King as Greenwell Hall and others haue vndertaken were Traytors although Elizabeth with her Caluinists had neuer made any law against them § 120 But King Edwardes law you will say doth not touch the people by name True But when the noble King remembred that the French King was stirred vp against Iohn King of England who had contemned the Popes censures that the Subiectes were incensed against their King the Barons and Byshops fell from him and were the Ministers of the Popes wrong that thereby hee might the better confirme his subiects in their obedience against the French the Spanish and the Romane and all others whatsoeuer froâ— whom he foresaw danger might come to himselfe and his kingdome and that he might decline the enuy of naming the Pope particularly made a generall Statute with the consent of the Byshoppes Baron and Commons without any exception of person or cause whatsoeuer wherein hee made him a Traytor whosoeuer did adhere to the Kings enemy in his kingdome or did aide or animate any either within his dominions or without who should moue warre against the King including by his generall word aswell the Pope as the Popes factours as if hee had expressely named them § 121 But in the 26. of Richard the second the Prelates Dukes Earle Barons and aâ—l the Commons of England the Clarkes and Lay people named the Pope when they all ioyned in a couenant of association with the
they may distract your mindes and stirre them vp to make warre against your brethren that thereby that Latiall Iupiter waxing great by your discords may leape for cruell ioy at your miseries and destructions I appeale to your own consciences haue you not at all times found the Popes Nuntij Dataries and Iesuites to be such Let there bee an end of quarrelling at the last all these mischiefes shall bee presently taken away and now this serpent that hath swolne so bigge with discords to the publike hurt shall be broken and consumed Let me therefore be a counseller to you The duty of Kings that a true and a sound peace being concluded among you euerie one of you in your seuerall kingdomes wherein I haue left you Kings to be my Vice-gerents that you restore the true worship of God renew a right faith establish good manners purge the true Sacraments of the Church call backe a-againe the olde discipline brought in by the Colledge of the Apostles and confirmed by the counsell of Neece Further that what euery one haue done all the rest doe allow that you gather together a generall counsell by generall consent wherein the feare of danger being taken away and the partaking of sides being layd aside An admonition to the Pontifician Princes to beware of Syren and Erinnis the cause of Christ may bee safely and freely handled against Antichrist Heere I doe seuerally admonish the Romane Catholike Kings Princes to beware of two counsellers whereof I call one of them Syren the other Erinnis Syren doth perswade them to follow their pleasures auoid labour feare danger doe not stirre a settled pollicy doe not break truce with their olde friend and companion the Pope that they goe not about to mend any mischiefe that is almost past help For they cannot she saith cast off the Pope though they would Can they not What cannot the arme of a King bring to passe being strengthened with the arme of God from thence faith doth arise from faith the magnanimity of kings whereof that driues away blinde superstition this base sluggishnesse and cowardice That makes them to discerne this makes them to withstand all human hinderances so that they may cast off the Pope as easily as an old heauy gown It is a reproch for the Popish Kings to say that the mischiefe is greater then can be remedied that as yet they cannot mend it That they cannot cast out the Pope if they would Could the Princes of Germanie could the Kings of Denmarke Scotland and Sueuland that I may not speake of a great part of France Heluetia Polonia Bohemia and Pannonia The Kings of England could the Father the young Sonne and the Daughter euen then when all their neighbours abroad were alienated from them when at home they had a seditious cleargie and a superstitious people euen then did the holy courage of a Man a Childe and a Woman breake thorow and passe ouer all humane lets and impediments whatsoeuer Let it be a shame for Popish Princes both young men and ancient men not to bee able to doe that which a Childe and a Woman were able to doe But Syren perhaps will whisper that it is not good stirring of Paul the fift beeing full of Gregories Alexanders Bonifaces and Iulij O what foolish feare is that so to take heede that they feare a mischiefe which when they are able to put it cleane away they pull it and draw it vpon them But some will not cast off the Pope if they could They think it a necessary euill for Kings to bridle their subiects and for subiects to bridle their Kings To whom Christ doth seeme more hard and rigorous as hee that neuer dispenseth with sinne and doth remit nothing but to him that earnestly repents They haue neede therefore of a gentle and a cockering Antichrist who may dispense with adultery and incest and may approoue and allow of marriages forbidden by the Law of God As the fashion of the world is now adaies licēce is to be giuē to sinning so sin doth make the Pope necessarie Vnhappy necessity which necessarily brings damnation to a man He doth worthily loue his sinne who while hee keepes that loseth his soule Hee rates his short life at too high a price who that while he may liue a while after his owne lust doth lose life eternall In the meane time while Antichrist doth constraine them with so extreame necessity what a heauy burthen doth he lay vpon them that he seemeth to bind them with linckes of golde in this life whom he hath appointed for the chaines of darknesse in the life to come These you shall easily breake asunder by the helpe of God and assistance of Protestant Princes But the contrariety of their religion is suspected vnto vs. But this contrariety is your security for if the Popes bee so sawcy to doe such things when so many Princes haue forsaken the seat of pestilence what would they attempt if none at all had departed from them for if the Frederickes Henries and Charles did so easily punish the Gregories Alexanders and Clements euen in the very midnight of popish darknesse if Philip the Faire and Lewis the 12. did handle the Bonifaces and Iulij after their deserts how farre more easily may their posterity with the ayde of Protestant Princes in so cleere a light of the Gospell tame and bring vnder Paul the fift Especially seeing Philip the 2. the present king of Spaine cannot forget that his father who alwaies was the Popes champion was vnworthily and basely abused by the Pope in keeping Sicilie and Naples from him And let the French King remember that not onely Henry the 3. but Henrie the 4. his father was cruelly murthered by a villaine sent in for that purpose Therefore the holy courage of Protestant Kings should not mooue suspition in Popish Kings against the Kings their neighbours but rather it should stir vp their anger against the Pope that with ioyned forces they might breake the Idols head shorten his armes pare his nailes open his belly cut off those legs and feet wherwith they may remember their ancestours crownes were so basely cast to the ground You haue heard how euill Syren hath perswaded them now heare how farre worse Erinnis doth aduise them whose deadly musique if you bee wise you shall keepe farre off both from your mindes and eares perswading you that it is fit to raise warre in the defence of Antichrist against your brethren and allies for they purpose nothing else but that their treasure being spent on both sides and their forces being weakened by mutuall warres as it often hapned heeretofore that they may build vp a chaire for the Priests and by casting downe the thrones of Kings to whom it is great pleasure to lift vp their shrubbe which may set fire on the wood and consume the Cedars of Libanon Now I tell you before hand that you take heed of that war which these holy Erinnis will cry out
It is wicked what peace what consent what agreement can be with the holy scriptures and mans traditions with free will and Gods grace with inherent iustice and imputed righteousnesse with mans satisfactions and my blood procuring their saluation what holy society and vnity can there bee with the inuocation of dead Saints and the prayers to the liuing God with the popish Masse and the Lords supper with Christian faith and Antichristian distrust You see it is wicked now marke how dangerous Sweete is the name of peace the opinion of vnitie is delightsome But what true Christian doth doubt that that bond of peace is most sure which is knit together with the truth and vnitie of the Spirit Whence it followeth that sweete destruction is included in that peace which is made with falsehood I adde that there cannot possibly bee peace between the seede of the woman and the seede of the serpent betweene the lambe and Antichrist betweene those where God hath set euerlasting hatreds Fire and water will better agree then Christ and Antichrist wherefore I aduise Protestant Kings and Princes that they make perfect that reformation of the Church by my helpe which by my helpe they haue begunne First that they compose all home differences chiefly in the Articles of the doctrine of the Gospell with quiet and Christian conference for it is to bee feared that inward dissention will bring backe againe the outward enemy Secondly that they resist the common Aduersarie with common helpe and counsell for there is danger that if euery one resist not all will be surprised Thirdly that they may the better defend their Christ let them at once set vpon Antichrist for hee hath more courage that doth inuade then he that doth defend Lastly if they cānot in all points fulfil the prophecy yet let them banish the beast out of their Dominions For it is impossible that Christ and Antichrist should dwell together In the end I aduise both sides that in the deliberation of this great businesse they preferre not worldly wisedome before heauenly wisedome secondly that the euill custome of men bee not preiudiciall to the eternall truth of God Thirdly that sluggish doubtfulnesse do not put of and procrastinate this so noble and so worthy an enterprise Lastly that the deceitfull condition of peace with Antichrist doe not crosse the desire of recouering libertie So that euery one of you being content with his own kingdome and territories shall not busie himselfe about inuading others but will cast about how he may preuaile and ouerthrow the Deuill and his eldest sonne the Romane Antichrist i. not one wicked man but all the Kingdome of vnrighteousnesse Euery one of you haue a iust cause of his owne and now you haue a faire offer made you The truce made betweene Caesar and the Turke offers a fit occasion to represse the insolencie of this Bishoppe after you will more easily repell the Turke And seeing you haue both a iust quarrell and fit oportunitie against the beast let there not be wanting a will in you If Christ the Sauiour ô ye renowmed Kings and Princes do speake thus secretly vnto you and inwardly warne you shall he not perswade you though he were not of power to punish you The rather seeing he hath shewed that the Pope is a Capitall enemie to Gods testament and kingly gouernment The Pope hath cast such proiects and Rome takes such counsells that kingly Maiestie and popelike Maiestie cannot long stand together Our sinnes makes the Bishoppe great who if he rise to that greatnesse which hee aimeth at in his minde Kings of necessitie must fall to the ground My Dialogue shall make it plaine if it please you to vouchsafe to read it wherein pragmaticall Antichrist first enters the stage Glory to God PRAGMATICALL ANTICHRIST OR HJLDEBRAND BROVGHT TO LIFE OR The first Dialogue of Christian obedience due to Kings against Antichristian rebellion couered vnder the shew of Catholike RELIGION The Speakers be sixe 1. MICHAEL CALANDER 2. William Argentine two noble Romane Catholikes Laickes as they be termed one more gentle the other more fierce 3. George Velbacel an old Priest Calanders Confessor 4. Robert Saturnine a Iesuite Argentines Guest one more milde and moderate the other more violent and bitter 5. Antonius Patriotta a Professor of the reformed Diuinitie 6. Carolus Regius a common Lawyer either of them a Maintainer of our Religion Countrie and King AFter that Paule the fift had sent two bulles into England wherein hee § 1 had forbidden his Catholike sons as he stiles them to take the Oath of Allegeance and obedience I remember there was speech after the end of Easter Tearm that two Lay noble Romane-Catholickes Michael Calander and William Argentine went aside out of the city into their country-house to aduise about their affaires It was said that old George Velbacell the Archpriest whom age and custome had made more milde and gentle went with them together with his keeper that he might ease the trouble of his long imprisonment with some country delight There followed not long after a wandring Iesuite younger in yeares a man of a fiery spirit his name was Robert Saturnine He that he might conceale his Priesthood couered his bald pate with a Gregorian or periwigge and seemed by his attire to be a Courtier There happened at that time to arriue to Calander a man full of curtesie and hospitalitie Antonius Patriotta and Charolus Regius one of them a Doctor in Diuinity the other a great Councellour at Law both of them an aduersarie to Poperie yet so that they could finde in their hearts to loue the person of a Papist if they thought him an honest man and a faithfull subiect to their King and Countrey They came of purpose to perswade Calander their olde acquaintance to take the Oath of supremacie if it might be if not at least the oath of Allegeance lest if he did refuse it hee might giue iust occasion to our worthy King to be alienated in minde from him and so might bring some trouble to that Noble and auntient Familie § 2 Here Calander vpon a scruple of conscience which the Popes two bulles did seeme to inflict to the superstitious old man Patriotta said that hee tooke a pause for a while and to haue answered at the last with teares in his eyes Let vs lay aside for a time these sad discourses Antonie and Charles and let me lead you being weary of your iournie into your chamber where you may repose and refresh your selues before supper And that you may not be ignorant what guests you are like to finde in my house I dare be bold to tell you whom euer I haue found my trusty and faithful friends to haue beene earnest Disputants not dangerous informers and to haue gauled the Papists not with your accusations but your arguments my old familiar friend Argentine shall be with you at Supper and Velbace◠my Confessor who hath taken the oath of Allegeance himselfe