for a man as meate drinke or sleepe and said moreouer that if a married woman would not render the coniugall debpte of matrimonie Lib. ae vita coniug serm de matrimonio that the husband should not spare his maide The like filthie lust but farre more detestable was the occesion of Caluine his heresie For it is well knoweÌ„ as may appeare by the iudiciall actes and recordes of NouodiuÌ„ Bolsecus in vita Calu. cap. 5. Iul. Brig pag. 59. that he was condemned of the filthie sinne of the flesh against nature had it not beene for the intreatie of the bishop there which obtayned that his punishmente should be turned vnto a hoate burninge iron on his backe he should haue bene altogether burnt Iohn Witcliffe for that he was depriued of his personnage in Oxforde for his vitious misdemenor began his heresie Arrius because Alexander was preferred to the Archbishopricke of Alexandria before him Nicep de pen. l. 5. c. gaue occasion of the Arrian heresie against the deitie of Christe MoÌ„tanus for that he was denyed the primacy of Asia which he soughte verie earnestlie troubled the Church with newe heresies as Nicephorus wyttnesseth de penitentia lâ—b 5. cap. 15. Aerius alsoe for beinge denyed of a Bishopricke fell into Arianisme and afterwardes inuented himselfe a newe heresie which was that wee ought not pray for the dead 2. Henry the eighte as Iohn Foxe a greate puritan in England doth wyttnes Fox in historia pa. 512. edit 1 all the world knoweth to be true for his diuorce made from Queene Catherine his wyfe was by the Bishoppe of Rome excommunicated who beinge sore exasperated therby assembled a parlamente by which he brought to passe that he banished the Popes authoritie out of England made himselfe head of the Church thus far Iohn Foxes owne wordes Hollin in descrip Brita l. 1â— cap. 7. For it is certainly knowen that from the conuersion of England by S. Augustine duringe soe many hundred yeares vnto Kinge Henry the 8. as all English historiographers and ministers themselues doe acknowledge the Catholicke or papisticall religion as it pleaseth them to tearme it did florish in England that the cheefe pointe thereof was that the Pope was iudge moderatour and cheefe Pastor aswell of the English Church as of all other Churches of the Christians in Ecclesiasticall matters which Catholicke faith the said Kinge Henry defended the space of xx yeares as longe as he liued with his lawfull married wife aswell against domesticall heretickes that were his subiects by all penall statutes and exquisit torments at alsoe against forraine hereticks by a most learned booke in the defense of the 7. Sacraments which booke I haue in myne owne custodie for which he was ennobled and honored by Pope Leo the tenth with the title of defeÌ„der of the Catholicke faith which was neuer giuen to any kinge in the worlde before which he receaued as Foxe saies with great ioy for when it came to the kinge beinge then at Greene wich he went to his chapel accompanied with manny nobles Ambassadors Cardinall Wolsey said Masse the Earle of Essex brought the basen of water the duke of Suffolke gaue the assay the duke of Norfolke held the towell the Heraldes with their company began their accustomed cryes prononcinge Fox anno 1528. fol. 441. Henricus Dei gratia Angliae Franciae defensor Fidei Dominus Hiberniae And amongest his other magnificent titles he lefte to this day this title to his posterity as is well knowen to the world Neyther only with bookes but alsoe with his victorious and inuincible armes did he defende the Catholike Romane faith and the dignitie thereof for the which he foughte againste sundrie princes and their confederates as againste Lodowicke the 12. kinge of France and Iames the 4. kinge of Scottes though married to his sister Who beinge vanquished and his great armie ouerthrowen by the Earle of Surrie in England and the said kinge himselfe being slaine in the battle for that he was excommunicated was not suffred to be buried in any Christian graue Also he sent his Armie by sea to ioyne with the Spaniardes againste the kinge of France to assaulte France in the frontiers of Spaine by the powerfull force of the English Iohn Albertus the kinge of Nauare was driuen altogether out of the kingdome beinge excomunicated by the Pope which Spaine doth possesse at this daye Did not the said kinge within fewe yeares after send an Armie into Italie against the Emperor Charles the first in the defence of Clement the 7. then Pope And notwithstanding he was his great frinde and his Nephewe for that Queene Cathrine was his Aunte yet through the filthie concupiscence by which he was besotted and blinded to marrye Anna Bulâ—ene and soe to be diuorced from his lawfull marryed wife he turned all thinges topsie turuie reiected the Popes authoritie which he before aswell by Gods lawes the holy scriptures as by the fathers and Councells of the Church defended and soe by a parlament of one Realme or kingdome he disanulled and abrogated that which was established by soe manny generall parleaments and generall Councells of all Christendome yea by Christe himselfe and by all such as trulye beleeued in him And for not yealding vnto his desire herein manny religious and constant Martyrs offred their liues and their bloode amoungest whome was the lighte of England that most sacred Martyr and learned diuine Iohn Fisher Bishopp of Rochester Sr. Thomas More Lord Chancelor of England of these sorte of people our Sauiour wished vs to beware Act. 20 the Apostle alsoe saith woulues shall enter after my departure and shall not spare the flocke Rom. 16. Therfore in another place he requested vs to marke and knowe what people they be that raise dissentions and scandalls in the Churche and doe teach otherwise then wee haue alreadye receaued and to fly from them Heb. 4. Iohn 4. He alsoe exhorted vs that wee should not be lead away with mutable and strange doctrine S. Iohn alsoe wished vs not to beleeue euerie spiritt but that wee should trye whether they be of God 3. But the doctrine of Luther cannot by any triall be founde true so that as Christ saith Iohn 7. my doctrine is not myne but my fathers which did send me soe Luther may say his doctrine is not his but his fathers the diuell that did send him Luth. lib. de Missa Ang. to G lenens Ger 10. 7. witteÌ„b 1. Cor. 13. 1. Cor. 14. whom he boasted to haue suggested vnto him arguments to ouerthrowe priest-hoode and sacrifice that by that meanes he should ouerthrowe and confounde the true worshipp of the true God for God as the Apostle saith is the God of peace and charitie not of dissention For whosoeuer procures sectes and diuision betwixt brethren saith the prophett is a diuell When therfore by Luthers meanes wee see so manny sectes against Godds Churche wee must
which as it doth exceede all the heresies that euer were in ympietie of Doctrine and wickednes of life so it doth alsoe surpasse all Heretiques Infideles Turcks and Iewes in all bloody feates cruell exploites Babilonian confusion tragicall desigmentes diuelish purposes and plottes yea and strange inuented lawes newer heard of before with their most rigorous execution You see the fruite of heresie the complotters and compassers thereof the cheefe Architects of her detestable practise her effiminacye luxurious wantones her inducementes to all abhominable pleasures and licentious libertie her bloodie imbrumentes and lamentable tragedies in euerie countrie where shee was nourished and inuented which brought a masse of miserie and calamitie with it to those places that receaued her the shipwracke of whose opulente and aboundante fortunes can beare wittnesse thereof obstinate pride presumptuous and turbulent spirittes dislike and disdaininge of good order and sound discipline contempte and despising of authoritie curiositie and affectation of noueltie discontentment and disquietnes of mindes through ympatience of filthie luste and other malignante priuate humors which were neuer inspired by the spirite of God but by the suggestion of the diuill who was the cause thereof Of the miserable death and endes of such as deuised and defended the protestant Religion as also other heresies CHAPTER VII 1. THe first plotter of this heresie was Martine Luther Luthers death whose life as it was most wicked soe his ende was noe lesse miserable He after that he had surfeyted through one nightes gossopinge himselfe beinge fild intemperatlie vpp to the throate was found dead in the morninge with his wife and as it is suspected was choaked by her Henrye Zuthphan which was the first that brought Lutheranisme into Breame was afterwardes burned at Meldorphe in Thretmarsse Anno 1524. Hulderique Zuinglius an Apostate Priest in a furious skirmish beinge leader of the Tigurians whome he brought to that dolefull battle animatinge them to the combatte as surmountinge their aduersaries in multitude of souldiers were all ouerthrowen and he himselfe was found dead amoungest the dead carcases and was cast into the fire Zuinglius death Conrad in Theolog. Fox pag. 444. soe as he suffred a double death by fire and sworde Of whome the Epitaph was made thus Occul uit patrio bellator Zuinglius ense Et gressa est armis gens populosa suis Zuinglius the Warior was slaine in the fielde And the sword of his Countrie did pierce Genebrardus in Chron. 2. fol. 72. His side by many bloody batles fought His Country vnto ruine he brought CoÌ„radus a Lutheran protestant writeth that God manifested his iudgmente vppon Caluine euen in this world whom he visited in the rodde of furie and punished him horribly before the dreadfull hower of his vnhappie death Caluins dreadfull death for saith he God by his powerfull hand did soe stricke this heretique that beinge in desperation blaspheminge and cursinge the name of God and calling vppon the diuills he yelded vpp his wicked ghoaste hauinge an vglye and filthie apostume in his priuie partes out of which there issued such a number of loathsome and stinckinge woormes Carolostadius his death Epistola de morte Carolastadiâ— OecolaÌ„padus death that not any could abide to come nere him this farre the said Author Carolastadius was slaine by the diuill as the ministers of Basill themselues doe witnesse Oecolampadius also a married Mounque of the order of S. Brigget and one of the firste and principalest Architectes of the protestante religion was founde slaine in his bedd by his wyues side and that by her or rather by the diuill himselfe Luth. lib. de Missa priuata as Luther thincketh The Duke of Saxonie and the Lantgraue of Hesse which were the cheefe promotors and Patrons of lutheranisme were in battell vanquished by Charles the fifte depriued of their dominions and kepte in prison by him many yeares The Prince of Condye The prince of Condys death and the admirall of France which were the Patrones of the secte of Caluine or hugnottes in that Countrye were alsoe vanquished and ouerthrowen in the field with their kinge after many other ouerthrowes and slaughter of their adherentes the one I meane Condie was slaine in the battell of Iarnan the other was kild in a triumph at Paris his carcase beinge caste from the topp of a high howse his necke beinge broken and his body torne was drawen by a rope through the streates and hanged not much vnlike to Iezabell where also the Prince Montgomery was beheaded beinge a great defender of Caluinisme 2. The death of such in EnglaÌ„d as were â—atrons of Protestancie The same miserable end they tasted alsoe that were the patrones of this wicked ghospell in England as Queene Anne Bullen Thomas Cromell the Duke of Somersett and Thomas Cranmer Bishopp of Canterburie The first was accused arraigned and conuicted of a filthie incest her supposed Father beinge the iudge thereof and by his sentence putt to death who was so besotted of her filthie loue The next was condemned and putt to death for heresie and high treason by kinge Henry the eighte vnto whom he yealded himselfe both soule and bodâ—e before by the lawe he made himselfe videlicet whosoeuer should be cast into the tower he should be put to death without examination Fox act and monuments 563. whome he called the wall and defense of the protestant Chruch The third which was the Duke of Somersett beinge vncle vnto kinge Edward his vicar generall in all ecclesiasticall causes and protector and as it were kinge of the whole Realme was depriued of all auctoritie and publiquelie beheadded The last which was Cranmer after abiuringe his wicked heresie at Oxford by Queene Marie Robert Barnes Thomas Gerrard William Ierom beinge the first cheefe instruments that Kinge Henry the 8. had to perswade the people touching the kinges supremacie in ecclesiasticall causes were by the said kinge Henrye burned afterwards and the said Barnes beinge there at the stake and the flame readie to lay hould vppon him said these words By our meanes the kinge was made absolute kinge of England whereas before he was but halfe a kinge and for our paynes this is the rewarde wee haue Anno Domini 1540. Prince of Aurengs death 3. The Prince of Aurenge that was the author and enginer thereof in flanders was slaine with a pistole in his newe wyues lappe by Balthazer Gerard. Ludouicus Nalconius brother to the said Prince and the cheefe author of the rebellion of the said lowe Countries in the battle of Mokens which he lost the Spaniardes hauinge gotten the victory was burned in a little cottage aliue whether he fledd for safeguard In that battle also his Brother Henry perished as his brother Adolphus did perishe a little before in FrislaÌ„d William Lumenus the Earle of Mansfil after defilinge his murtheringe hands with the cruell death of many religious persons priests and Catholiques in Holland and Zeland and
Lucif c. 6. prouinge against them that they make God subiect to the diuill a poore miserable Christ that imagine that the church may either perish or be driuen to any corner of the worlde 4. And although the Sacraments ceremonies Matt. 11. and the legall obseruations of the Iewes did faile because it is said the lawe and the prophetts were vnto Iohn yet notwithstandinge the church of Christ did not faile which was collected and composed of both the nations I meane Iewes and Gentiles as S. Paule doth wittnesse in many places that the first fruictes of the holie ghoaste and the first christians were the Apostles which were Iewes therfore the churche of the Iewes did not faile so as that none of them did remaine therin as the said Apostle proues Rom. 11. Hath God saith he reiected his people God forbid for I am an Israelite and of the seede of Abraham and of the tribe Beniamine for God did not cast of his people The glosse vpon this place faith that the Iewes are not infidels altogether and soe God did repell theÌ„ in parte but not in whole because he hath not reiected me and others that are predestinated thus farr the glosse For he reiected the howse of Saule but not of Dauid vnto whome in reward of the ardent desire and feruent deuotion that he had to builde a temple for godes glorie he promised that he would build for Dauid an euerlasting kingdome and a perpetuall howse from whome he should neuer take away his mercie for which he made the 88. psalme wherin he confirmed this promise Whether that papistes doe amisse in hauinge their churches and monasteries soe sumptuous their alters and ornamentes soe riche and ecclesiasticall possessions soe great the poore wanting the same CHAPTER I. 1. WHatsoeuer is giuen to Christs church is giuen in his honor that suffred for the said church beinge his spouse his portion c. for as our Sauiour saith Beatius est dare quam accipere It is better to giue then to take and noe maruaile that christians should giue vnto God some parte of his owne as the prophett saith what shall I giue vnto him that giues vnto me all thinges I pray you tell me whether it be a greater offence to robb and ouerthrowe the kinges howse and to spoile his subiects of their goodes depriue them of their liues and to comitt all other outragious facts vpoÌ„ them then to build the same maintaine and enriche the same to bestowe lardglâ—e vpon his seruaunts to defend and protect them c Tell me I praie you whether Salomon that built the temple of Ierusalem soe sumptuously and which by the riches thereof was most famous through out the world was more offensiue vnto God for soe doing then Nabuchodonosor kinge of Babilon and Antiochus Epiphanes which were not contented to ransacke and spoile that worthie temple cast downe the pillers take away the golden alter and candlesticks and all other sacred vessells or religious ornamentes but also defiled the same and prohibited any oblatioÌ„ or sacrifice to be offered therin For this cause these two tirants doe represent the diuill and Salomon is a figure of Christe And if Salomon was soe comended in holie scriptures for buildinge the said Temple for the sinagoge how much more christiaÌ„ princes for buildinge churches for Iesus Christe 2. I praie you tell me also whether Constantine the great merited more before God the world for buildinge soe many churches vppon his owne charges and for augmentinge and enrichinge the patrimony of Christe then kinge Henrie the 8. that did cast and pull downe soe many churches monasteries and chapples and did disolue soe manny Religious howses robbed them of all their sacred ornaments and by soe doinge spoyled God of his patrimonie Yow saie that whatsoeuer kinge Henrie the 8. did was donn for the reliefe of the poore and the ease of his subiects to be freed from subsidies and impositions as was related in that verie parleameÌ„t wherin monasteries churches were surprised and religion prophaned And therfore it was added in the said parleament that the truly poore of the kingdome perished and that Abbey Lubbers for soe they called religious persons did possesse their liuinges To this effect there was a supplicatioÌ„ exhibited to the kinge against Bishoppes Abottes Priores Deacons Archdeacons suffragans priestes in forme following c. What tyraÌ„t euer oppressed the people like this cruel veÌ„geable generation Before these came there were but fewe theues yea thefte was at that tyme soe rare that Caesar was not compelled to make penaltie of death vpon felonie as your grace may wel perceaue in his institutes ther was also at that time but fewe poore people and yet they did not begge but there was giueÌ„ them enoughe vnasked Wherfore if your grace will build a sure hospitall that neuer shall faile to reliue vs all your poore beads men take from them al these thinges set these sturdy boubies abroad in the world to get theÌ„ wiues of their owne to get their liuinge with their labour in the swette of their browes accordinge to Gene. 1. Tie all idle theues to the cartes to be whipped naked about euerie markett towne that they by their importunat begginge take not away the allmesse that the good christian people do giue then shall aswell the number of our foresaid mounsterous sorte as of the baudes hoores theeues and idle people decrease then shal these great yearly exactions cease then shall all your people encrease in wealthe c. these are sett downe in Iohn Fox his Chronicles Iudas in like manner when the deuout wooman Marie MagdaleÌ„ anointed Christs feete with a moste pretious ointment did saie vt quid perditio haec what destruction is this had it not bene better said he that this had bene sold and giuen vnto the poore our Sauiour aunswered let her alone and added moreouer that in what place so euer of the world his gospell should be read her deuotion should be comended And as Iudas herin did not care for the poore as the scripture reporteth but hopinge it should retourne to himselfe soe parleament protestants did not care for the poore but all their drifte was to haue the liuinges and treasures of the churches themselues as itt fell out 3. I praie you tell me whether the poore were better and more reliued or the subiects more eased of subsidies and impositioÌ„s before the suppression of the church or after Doctor Sanders writes that England was neuer troubled with greater impositioÌ„s subsidies then it was in the later daies of kinge Henry the 8. nor any kinge in england had lesse treasure in his cofers then he at his deathe And as for the poore people it is manifest that they haue lesse releefe now then euer they had I am sure there are not 300. persons reliued by all the churche liuinges of England and Ireland beinge in those mens handes which haue as little charitie towardes God and
other places of great importance and after atchieuing many other great victories being wearie of the world resigned his Empire vnto his brother Ferdinando and his kingdomes and other states to his sonn Philipp the second and retired himselfe to a monasterie of saint Hieromes order in Stremadura in Spaine and ended the remainder of his daies there most happilie by whose blessed examples many noble men were conuerted vnto God by taking vppon them this religious vocation as Charles de Borgia Duke of Gandia who enioyed great and honorable offices vnder the said Emperor became a Iesuitt and was generall of that blessed order of the societie of Iesus and Anthony de Corduba the sonne of the Duke of Feria in Spaine a neere coussin to the Duke of Gandia Rodulphus of Aquauiua in Italie a Iesuitt who beinge alsoe sent to the east Indies accordinge to the institution of that order there with other fathers of his religion suffered Martirdome by the Barbarians 10. Amoungest these I may not omitt that worthie and blessed Duke Ioys of Fraunce who first takinge vpon him the habitt and most austere profession of a poore Capuchine frier was comaunded by the last troubles and garboiles of that kingdome to defend his countrie against the inuasion and excursioÌ„s of the hugonotts of Languedocâ—e which he perfourmed most worthily but the warres being ended he returned to his owne profession and religion againe who by his holie life incessant preaching edified and conuerted many dissolute persons perswaded them to despise the world and the occasions of their wooe and died three yeares past whose happie memorie wil liue eternallie I might alleadge many other worthie examples but because they are as yet liuinge I will omitt them for that wee are bid to praise men but not before their death and that accordinge to their merites Thus in our holy religion great personages haue humbled themselues to Christ his yoke as it is prophesied by Esay Omnis mons collis humiliabitur euerie mountaine and hilliocke shal be humbled which prophesie is perfourmed in great Monarques that submitted their scepter to the crosse of him that was crucified and represented in their liues the liuely image of his bitter passion Of Empresses Queenes and Princes who likewise forsooke the world to become religious CHAPTER VIII IN the first Rancke wee must place that worthie and blessed Emperesse Theodora who notwithstandinge shee was married vnto Theophilus the Emperor Anno 470. an heretique yet remained still a firme Catholique and he beinge dead shee restored sacred images and recalled backe againe holie people that were exiled and banished for theire religion Then sequestred herselfe from the incoÌ„berances of the gouernment of the Empire into a monasterie where her mother Trurina had serued God for many yeares whose blessed example the Empresse Augusta followed and being importuned by the state of the Empire came for a tyme out of the monasterie to appease some rebellion against her sonne which was raised by his tutors vnto whose custodie shee comitted him which beinge appeased shee returned to her monasterie againe this was in the East anno 190. 2. In the Weast alsoe Ricarda the wife of Carolus Crasus Emperor of the weast did the like who buildinge a monasterie in Alsaâ—ia bestowed the residue of her life therein Cunegundus Anno 1139. who being married to Henrie kinge of England and afterwardes chosen Emperor and being seperated from him for suspition of adulterie contracted a better marriadge with Iesus Christ Thrise happie was the other Cunegundus that was married to Henrie the first Emperor who euer kept her virginitie after whose death she spente the rest of her yeates in the Conuent of confugients and is of the church registred amoungest the Sainctes Agnes also the wife of the 3. Emperor who beinge dead shee resigned not only the Empire being at her disposition vntill her sonne should come to yeares but also the Duchie of Bauaria she beinge inheritrix thereof and went to Rome Anno 1157. where she tooke vppon her a reguler profession whose example Elizabeth the wife of Albert Emperor and Archduke of Austria imitated who beinge miserablie slaine contemned the world and liued religiouslie in a monasterie builded by her selfe all the daies of her life Anno 1290. whome her two daughters followed the one was married to the king of Hungary the other to the Earle of Ottigense and also her two Neeces the Queene of Poland with her daughter 3. Of Queenes also the number of them is not smale The first Queene was Thesia Queene of Italie the wife of Rachisines aboue mentioned for as her husband entred into a monasterie in Mount Cassine so she entred and went into another monasterie with her daughter Petruda In Fraunce Radegundus beinge married to kinge Clotarius against her will shee obtained license of him to consecrate her selfe to God in a monasterie at Poiters whose steeppes another Queene of Fraunce Adoera the wife of Chilper followed with her daughter Childerada Anno 650. Batilda which was married to Clodoueus kinge of FraÌ„ce being free from the yoke of weldocke by the death of her husbaÌ„d went to Callice where enrichinge the monasterie that was there with ample and opulent possessions she enioyed the familiar preseÌ„ce of a better spouse In Spaine wee haue examples of sundrie Queenes which were to longe to relate but I cannot omitt that worthie queene Nugnes who first became religious herselfe and then her husband Veremundus Neither must queene Tarasia passe vnmentioned who being espoused by her Brother Alphonsus kinge of Leon vnto Abdala kinge of Tolledo could neuer be perswaded to goe to bed with him and the barborous kinge beinge taken away by an vgly disease she married herselfe afterwardes to Christ in the monasterie of saint Pelagius Anno 1005. 4. England hath not beene inferior to any of her conterminat kingdomes in the feruent zeale that many Queenes had to this religious discipline As Alfreda which was fianced in marriage to the kinge of Northumberland who beinge slaine before the matrimonie was consumated together with her husbaÌ„d Iuas became religious I caÌ„not let passe that worthy example of Etheldrade who being married to two kinges kept her virgnitie vndefiled and afterwardes became religious What shall I say of her sister Seburga queene of Kente and of Alfreda queene of Northumberland who also became religious I may not also ouerslipp with silence Margarett the daughter of Bela kinge of Hungarie who being consecrated to God by the vowe of her pareÌ„tes imbraced the blessed order of saint Dominique and imploied her life in all religious exercise especiallie in seruing the sicke and diseased persons and refused the marriage of three kinges of Polonia Bohemia and Cicilia although the dispensatioÌ„ of the Pope in respect of her vowe was laboured for 5. Zanchia Queene of Hierusalem and Cicilia after that her husband Robert was dead entred the order of saint Frauncis at Naples who earnestlie requested that none should call her queene Agnes daughter to
of whome they suspected noe such guyle he hauing promised them their libertie yet he sent souldiers in their absence to their chambers and as they returned from supper were intertained with the bloodie edge of their swordes and soe against faith and promise and after paying their raÌ„some they were inhumanly murthered In the cittie of Montbris the Barron of Adrett caused many catholiques to be cast headlong from the topp of a high Turett and caused also souldiers to attend their miserable fall and to entertaine them with the pointes of their pikes 7. Such was the impudencie and barbarousnes of a certaine hugonott that he did weare a chaine about his necke of the eares of priests shewed the same to the chiefest captaines of the hugonittes They did ripp the bellie of a certaine priest and tooke out his bowells in steede whereof they putt oates to serue their horse for a maunger The heretiques of the cittie of Neemes in Languedoc did cast a great number of catholiques into a mightie deepe and large well of that cittie and haue filled the same twise with mens bodies halfe dead Iames Socius a wicked pirate who obtaininge letters patentes of Ioan Alberte Queene of Nauare which they call letters of mart sayling towardes the Iles of Madera and Canaria mett with a shipp of Portingall goinge towardes America which he pursued and tooke In which there were 40. of the fathers of the societie of Iesus who were sent to the Prouince of Brazill to instruct them in Christian religion but the wicked and cruell Tyrant like a deuouring woolfe seased vppon these poore religious people whome he massacred and after dismembring of them of some he cutt a legg of othersome an arme and soe he cast them all into the sea 8. Lastly Anno 1567. in the Carthusian monasterie which they call Burfowtaine in the diocesse of Suesse 5. mounks of that blessed order were murthered by the heretiques that came to robb that monasterie Iohn Motto proctor thereof a most vertuous priest Iohn MegneÌ„ priest Iohn Aurill priest Benedict Lenes lay brother and Theobald priest All these that I speake of neuer tooke weapons against them but most patientlie endured martirdome at their handes But if I should speake of soe manny as were put to most cruell death and were kild in al the Prouinces of Fraunce citties and townes thereof and such that were betrayed by theÌ„ I should make an infinitt volume but I cannot omitt that worthie and inuincible Prince Frauncis of Lorraine Duke of Gwise whose murther was plotted by Beza and executed by Poltrott These and the like examples ought to moue good christians to beware of these people 9. Before the firie and furious concupiscence of king Henry the 8. who caused that vnfortunat deuorce betwixt him and hâ—s vertuous Queene Katherine there was no realme in Europe more opulent and more abundant in all things then the kingdome of England no kingdome more peaceable at home and more glorious and prosperous abroad no king so victorious and tâ—iumphant ouer his enimies as he no courte so magnificent or so plawsible being full of cheerfull shewes and replenished with an vniuersall triumph ioy and exaltation the king liued in securitie without feare of forraine princes abroad or treason or conspiracy of his subiectes at home betwixt the one and the other there was interchangeable good offices aswell of a princely bountifulnesse towardes the subiectes as of a dutifull subiection towardes the prince the king possessed the hearts of his subiects they againe enioye the loue of their Prince But when he violated and dissolued the in dissoluble knott bond of matrimonie which no power in earth was able to disioyne as our Sauiour saith by this separation and diuorce Matt. 19. he separated himselfe also from Gods church all thinges were subuerted and turned topsy turuie all was filled which feares and suspitions at home with warres and diuisions a broad and with continuall frights and stranges allarmes of attempts and garboyles aswell in the court as in the countrie The treasures were exhausted the subiects impourished religion suppressed religious howses dissolued the vertuous oppressed the wicked aduanced and exalted the nobilitie condemned and beheaded and their goods confiscated and all vertuous people were fedd and sustained Pane lachrymarum aqua augustiae with the bread of mourning and teares and with the water of anguish and paine so as whatsoeuer the prophett Hieremy spake of Hierusalem may be applied to England after its apostacy The flourishing nation saith he is like a poore widdow Hier. c. 1. that wailes at night and her teares rune downe by her checkes her priests doe waile her virgins do complaine and she is euerie where oppressed her nobilitie are suppressed and many of her people ouerpressed with vnsufferable miseries and callamities Facti sunt hostes eius in capite eius inimici eius locupletati sunt Her enimies are promoted into her highest promotions and her aduersaries made riche by her spoyles Know yee and behold how distastfull it is to forsake God and nott to haue his feare before your eyes A seculo consregisti iugum Domini thow hast bracken and cast off godes yoake euen from the beginninge thy swoord deuoured the prophets quasi leo â— astator generatio vestra a destroieng lion is your generation And as King Henry the 8. himselfe said in this booke against Luther Eos qui pelluntur gremio matris Ecclesiae stat in furijs corripi atque agitari demonibus Such as are expulsed and thrust out of the bosome of our mother the Church are foorthwith ouercharged with the furious and raginge flames of hellish spirits and vanquished which diuills which assertion I would to God it had not bene verified of him that said it nor sutable to the purpose wherunto the same is applied But England to their great cost by experience knoweth this to be trew howsoeuer otherwise they dissemble it 6. But to retourne to him that applied the same against Luther the stroake did reboâ—nd and reflect vppon his owne neck Anno Domini 1533 Regni eius 24. for being excommunicated by Clemens 7. for putting away his married wife and for marrieng Anne Bullen tradidit se as the Apostle saith impudicitiae Ephes 4. in operem immunditia omnis in auaritiam he yelded himselfe ouer to impudicitie to the exercise of all vncleanesse couetuousnes he caused himselfe to be decreed by perleameÌ„t head of the church made it high treason in him that would not sweare precisely in his conscience this to be trew where many worthy personages both ecclesiasticall and lay people for refusing this oath or otherwise resisting it some were burned aliue as father Foster of the order of saint Frauncis Queene Cathrins confessor other some were beheaded as doctor Fisher-Bishopp of Rochester and Sr. Thomas Moore L. Chancler of England and may others were hanged drawen and quartered Yea he condemned the whole cleargie in a premunire which afterwardes they
at yorke 29. No. William Gibson Layman at yorke 29. No. Anno 1597. Elizab. 39. Yepes vbi supra pag. 710. ◠◠William Anlaby Priest at yorke 4. Iuly Iohn Buckley alias Iones Priest of the Order of S. Francis at S. Thomas waterings 12. Iuly Thomas Warcop Henrie Abbot Edward Fulthorpe Laymen at yorke 4. Iuly Anno 1598. Elizab 40. Christopher Robinson Priest at Carlile Peter Snow Priest at yorke Richard Horner Priest at yorke Ralfe Grimston Layman at yorke Iohn Britton Layman at yorke Anno 1599. Mathew Hayes Priest at yorke Anno 1600. Elizab. 42. Christopher Wharton Priest at yorke 18. May. Relatio 16 Mart. à Th. VV. edit Iohn Rigby Gentleman at S. Thomas Wateringes 21. Iuly Robert Nutter Priest at Lancaster in Iune Edward Thwinge Priest at Lancaster in Iune Thomas Sprot Priest at Lincolne in Iuly Thomas Hunt Priest at Lincolne in Iuly Thomas Palaser Priest at Durham in Iuly Iohn Norton Gentleman at Durham in Iuly N. Talbot Gentleman at Durham in Iuly Anno 1601. Elizab. 43. Iohn Pibush Priest at S. Thomas Wateringes 10. February Roger Filcocke Priest of the Society of Iesus at Tybur 27. Feb. Relat. 16. Mart. pag. 93. 94. Marke Barkworth Priest of the Order of S. Benedict at Tybur 27. Feb. Anne Heygham Gentlewoman widdow to master Lyne at Tybur 27. Feb. Robert Middleton Priest at Lancaster Thrustan Hunt Priest at Lancaster Anno 1602. Elizab. 44. Francis Page Priest of the Society of Iesus at Tyburne 29. Apr. Thomas Tichborne Priest at Tyburne 29. Apr. Robert Watkinson Priest at Tyburne 29. Apr. Iames Ducket Layman at Tyburne 29. Apr. Mathew Harrison Priest at yorke in April Antony Battie Layman at yorke in April Anno 1603. Elizab. 45. vltimo William Richardson Priest at Tyburne 27. February Vnder King Iames. Anno 1614. Iacob Reg. 2. Laurence Bayly Layman as Lancaster in March Iohn Suker Priest at Warwicke in August Robert Grissold Layman at Warwicke in August Anno 1605. Iacobi 3. Thomas Wilborne Layman at yorke 1. August Iohn Putchering Layman at Rippon 5. Septemb. William Browne Layman at Rippon Anno 1606. Iacobi 4. Edward Oldcorne Priest of the Society of Iesus at Worcester 7. Apr. Raph Ashley Layman at Worcester 7. Apr. Henry Garnet priest Superior of the Society of Iesus in England in S. Paules Churchyard 3. May. Anno 1607. Iacob 5. Robert Drury priest at Tyburne 26. Ianuary Anno 1608. Iacob 6. Mathew Flathers priest at yorke 21. March George Geruis priest of the order of S. Benedict at Tyburne 11. April Thomas Garnet priest of the Society of Iesus at Tyburne 23. Iune Anno 1610. George Napper priest at Oxforde 10. of Nouember Cadwalladar priest in Wales N. Roberts priest of the order of S. Benedict at Tyburne Thomas Somers priest at Tyburne 10. of December Anno 1612. N. Scot priest of the order of S. Benedict at Tyburne Richard Newport priest together with him A Compendium of the martyrs and confessors or Ireland vnder Queene Elizabeth CHAPTER III. 1. WIlliam Walsh natiue of Donbuinein the diocesse of Meath first depriued of his bushoprick and spoiled of all his goods for not conforming himselfe to the Queens iniunctious about the oath of her ecclesiasticall supremacie and other lawes made against the holy Camons of the catholique church was put into a deepe dungeo◠wherein he was many yeeres afflicted with giues and fetters vntill by the fauor of his keeper he made an escape and fled into Spaigne and so ended the remainder of his blessed dayes at Alcala 1578. 2. Thomas Leorus Bishopp of Kildare willingly resigned his bishoprick in king Edwards dayes for that he could not with a safe conscience possesse the same and being to the great consolation of his hart restored againe vnto the same in Queene Maries dayes was againe in Queene Elizabeths dispossessed therof and of all other his liuelyhood well contented rather abiectus esse in domo Deimagis quam habitare in tabernaculis peccatorum he applied himselfe being banished to Munster in Ireland in teaching yong children to reade their books and instructing them in the christiā doctrine lightly he neuer came to any mans howse butt he exhorted therin nor euer supped or dined but in the later end therof he tooke occasion to edifie the people with one exhortation or another Once being at the Earle of Desmounds howse at supper a gentle woman beinge there retourning home told to her friends as a great wounder that Bishopp Leorus preached not at the later ende of his meat as he was accustomed he neuer did forbeare to reproue and reprehend vice wickednesse in any man whatsoeuer who was reproueable and persisting still in all hollinesse and zeale of godes euerlasting trueth vntill the last gaspe of his breath he died of the age of 80. yeers at the Nasse in the prouince of Leinster in Ireland 1577. 3. Morris fitz Gibbon Archbishopp of Cashall for the like cause was spoiled of all his goodes and suffred much laboure and trauaile and at lenght fled out of the kingdome of Ireland and died in the porte of Portingall 1578. Edmond Taner Bishopp of Clone and Corcke doctor of diuinitie who first being of the societie of Iesus out of which through great sicknesse not without licence of his superiors and aduise of the phisitions was enforced to come foorth and through the importunat sute of his frinds was persuaded to take vppon him the dignitie or rather the heauie bourden of a Bishopp especially in dangerous seasons of turbulent heresies by whicn he suffred great penury and want aswell in prison as out of it he died about the yere of our Lord 1578. 4. Hugh Lacy Bishopp of Limericke did suffer great callamitie aswell vnder king Henry the 8. as king Edward his sonne in whose times he was thrust from his place and function and also compelled to fly the Real me for not yelding to the supremacie of the yong king in the spiritually regiment of the church but being restored to his former dignitie in Queene Maries dayes by Cardinall Poole his hollinesse legat in England and Ireland was in Queene Elizabeths time enforced to suffer the like reuolution aswell of his bishippricke as of all other things and so to carrie the burden of Christs crosse he liued in woe and ended the same in ioy Anno Domini 1577. 5. Nicholas Skerret Archbishopp of Thomound a man of an innocent life and most zealous in the profession of the christian faith after suffering many difficulties and hard vsuadg in prison out of which he made an escape fled into Portingall and ended his holy life at Lisborne 1583. 6. Thomas O Hierly Bishopp of Rosse a man of great fame for good life and blessed conuersation after long imprisonnent in the Tower of London out of which he was enlarged by the entreatie of Sr. Cormocke Ma-Teighe Lord of Munstre who then was at the Court in Englād and after much affliction and tribulation liuing in woodes and montaines ended