priests onely Cassander writes and Micrologus Cassander praefat ord Romani Microl. de officio Missae cap. 19. Clicthâ—veus on the Canon of the Masse cited by Cassander ibidem and Clicthoveus among many others Circumgestation saith Cassander is contrary to the manner of the Ancients Cassander consult art 22. Feild quo supra for they admitted none to the fight of the Sacrament but the partakers and therefore the rest were bidden depart Crautzius praiseth Cusanus who being the popes Legat in Germany tooke away his Circumgestation vnlesse it were within the Octaues of Corpus Christi day The Sacrament being instituted for vse and not for ostentation Touching the honour of Saints Gerson and Contarenus Gerson de Directione cordis consider 16. sequent Contarenus in confut artic Lutheri and many others reprehend sundry superstitious obseruations and wish they were wisely abolished Whether the Saints in heauen doe particularly know our estate and heare our cryes and grones not onely Saint Augustine August de cura pro mortuis Glossa in Esay 63 Hugo Erudit Theolog. de sacram fidei lib. 2. part 16. cap. 11. and the Author of the Interlineall glosse But Hugo de Sancto victore tels vs it is altogether vncertaine and cannot be knowne So that though in generality they pray for vs or rather for all the Church on earth yet we may not safely and with faith pray to them That in the primitiue Church publike prayers were celebrated in the vulgar tongue Lyra confesseth Lyra in 1. Cor. 14 Caietan in respons ad Articulos Parisienseâ— and Caietan professeth that he thinketh it would bee more for edification if they were so now And he confirmeth his opinion out of Saint Paul Saint Bernard wrote diuers things concerning the now Romish Doctrine touching speciall faith imperfection and impurity of inherent righteousnesse merits power of freewill the conception of the blessed Virgin and the keeping of the feast of her conception a See D. Field Appendix to the fift booke of the Church part 1. pag. 89. Bernard serm 5. de verb. Esaiae All our righteousnesse saith he is as the polluted rags of a menstruous woman b Serm. 1. de Annunciat We must beleeue particularly that all our sinnes are remitted vs. c Tract de gratia lib. arb in fine Our workes are via regni not causa regnandi they are the way that leadeth to the kingdome but no cause why we raigne d Epist 175. ad Canonicos Lugd. The blessed Virgin was conceiued in sin and the feast of her conception ought not to be kept So that what errours and abuses we haue amended in our reformed Churches those the learned men of former Ages haue espied and haue written against them and we haue made no other Reformation then they heartily desired For conclusion of this point see what a number of famous men writing and preaching against the corruptions of Rome One Vniuersity afforded and thereby gesse what the world did §. 15. Gabriel Powel de Antichristo Edit Lond. 1605. reckons these Oxford men amongst many others in his Preface 1 King Alfred Founder of Oxford Vniuersity would not haue his people ignorant of Scriptures or bard the reading thereof Anno 880 Capgrav cataloge Sanct Angliae Polydor. Virg hist Ang. lib. 5. Baleus 2 Joannes Patricius Erigena a Brittan first Reader in Oxford ordained by the King wrote a booke of the Eucharist agreeable to Bertrams and condemned after by the Pope in Vercellensi Synodo And he Martyred for it anno 884. Philip. in Chron. lib. 4. sub Henr. 4 Baleus cent 2. cap 24. 3 Some Diuines at Oxford were burnt in the face and banished for saying the Church of Rome was the Whore of Babylon Monkery a stinking carrion their vowes toyes and nurses of Sodome Purgatories Masses dedications of Temples worship of Saints c. inuentions of the Deuill anno 960. Matth. Paris lib. 4. Guido Perpin de haeresib Baleus cent 2. 4 Arnulph or Arnold an English preacher a Monke of Oxford for preaching bitterly against Prelats and Priests wicked liues and corruptions cruelly butchered anno 1126. but saith Platina greatly commended by the Roman Nobility for a true seruant of Christ Bale cent 2. cap. 70. 5 Joannes Sarisburiensis anglus Oxoniensis theologus Episcopus Carnotensis beloued of the Popes Engenius 3. and Hadrian 4. wrote against the abuses of Clergy and Bishops in Objurgatorie Cleri in Polycratico he saith The Scribes and Pharises sit in the Roman Church laying importable burdens on mens shoulders The Pope is grieuous to all and almost intollerable Ita debacchantur ejus legati ac si ad ecclesiam flagellandam egressus sit Satan a facâ—e domini and he that dissents from their doctrine is iudged an Hereticke or a Schismaticke c. 1140. Sarisburien Polycr lib. 5. cap. 16. lib. 6. cap. 24. 6 Gualo Professor of Mathematicks in Oxford much praised of Sarish in Polycrat wrote inuectiues against Priests of the Monkish profession their luxuries pompes and impostures anno 1170. Bale cent 3. cap. 15. 7 Gilbert Foliot Doctor of Diuinity in Oxford Bishop first of Hereford and after of London perswaded King Henry 2 after the example of Jehoshaphat and other Kings to keepe the Clergy in subiection and oft resisted and blamed Tho. Becket to his face 1170. Bale ib. cap. 7. 8 Syluester Gyrald Archdeacon Meneuensis beloued of Hen. 2 and Iohn King of England wrote a booke of the Monks Cistertians naughtinesse c. 1200. â—eland catalogo virorum illustrium Bale cent 3 cap. 59. 9 Alexander a Diuine of Oxford sent by King John to defend his authority against the Pope which he did by reasons and Scriptures and wrote against the Popes power and temporall Dominion He was banished by Langton Bishop of Canterbury and dyed in exile he liued anno 1207. when King Iohn banished 64. Monkes of Canterbury for contumary breaking his commandement Bale cent 3 cap. 57. 10 Gualter Maxes Archdeacon of Oxford a famous man hauing been at Rome and seene the ambition of the Pope he set it out while he liued with most vehement satyricall criminations He wrote a booke called The Reuelation of the Romish Goliah and diuers others of the enormity of the Clergy lamentation ouer Bishops and against the Pope the Roman Court the euils of Monkes c. he flourished anno 1210. Siluester Gyrald in spec eccles lib. 3. c. 1. 14 Bale cent 3 cap. 61. 11 Robertus Capito Robert Grosthead Doctor of Diuinity in Oxford Bishop of Lincolne wrote against Prelats idlenesse and thundered against the Romish Court he modestly but yet publikely reproued the couetousnesse pride and manifold tyranny of Pope Innocent 4. He was excommunicated to the pit of hell and cited to come to their bloudy Court but he appealed from the Popes tyranny to the eternall tribunall of Iesus Christ and shortly after dyed anno 1253. The Priests that taught mens commandements and not
more then three times so much as the taxe for Incest with a mans Mother 4 Consider Bellar. de Iustif lib. 2. cap. 1. in fine if they winke not at our doctrine in their owne men as Pighius the Diuines of Colen Durandus and hundreds of others as long as they professe subiection to the pope in such Catholickes our opinions are not heresie but in vs the same opinions are persecuted with fire and sword 5 Consider Histor concil Trent lib. 3. pag. 293. how kindly they offer to tolerate things otherwise very odious vnto them if men will professe subiection to the pope as anno 1548. Paul the third sent the Bishops of Verona and Ferentino his Nuncij into Germany then almost lost from him with faculties to grant vnto all persons Kings Princes Ecclesiasticall and Regular that would returne to his obedience absolution from all censures dispensations for irregularities or objuration penance oathes perjuries and to restore them to honour fame and dignity and to license them to partake the Cup in the Communion to eat flesh in Lent and Fasting dayes with many other immunities so farre as might be done in time and place without scandall c. So Pius the fourth Annals Eliz. Engl. pag. 63. Latin pag. 49. anno 1560. offered to Queene Elizabeth to allow our whole booke of Common Prayer if she would receiue it as from him and by his authority 6 Consider whether this was not the maine cause of the popes quarrell and thunder against the German Emperours and our English Kings John and Henry the 8. who held all the doctrinall points of the Romish Religion and onely impaired the popes highnesse greatnesse or reuenues In Henry 8 time Hist conc Trid. lib. 1. pag. 70. the Court of Rome maintained that it could not be said There was no change of Religion in England the first and principall article being changed which is the supremacy of the pope and that seditions would arise as well for this onely as for all the rest which the euent shewed to bee true For though the King continued the Religion of the pope so fully by commands and punishments that pope Paul 3 commended him highly to the Emperour Ibid pag. 89 90. ibid. pag. 87. as an illustrious example to bee imitated in that course yet for abrogating the popes supremacy and reuenues in England he thundred a Bull against him denouncing him depriued of his kâ—ngdome and his adherents of whatsoeuer they possessed and commanding his subiects to deny him obedience and strangers to haue any commerce with that kingdome and all to take armes against and to persecute both himselfe and his followers granting them their estates and goods for their prey and their persons for their slaues It is not therefore the points of true ancient Catholike Christian Doctrine that you so much contend for to make good gracious Christians inheritors of heauenly felicity but it is your wealth and greatnesse or the setting vp and maintaining of your Visible Monarchy of the Church as you Doctor Sanders calls it whereof Christ and his Apostles spake neuer a word and whereof the Primitiue Church neuer dreamed This if our Religion would allow Pius 4. Hist conc Trid. lib. 8. pag. 745. you would allow of our Religion The rather-politicke-then-pious pope saide once since he could not regaine the Protestants it was necessary to keepe those in obedience which hee had Bellar. de eccles militant lib. 3. c. 2. §. nostra autem sententia See Triplici nodo pag. 41 42. Printed 1609. to make the diuision strong and the parties irreconciliable Conformable whereunto now their Doctrine is that such as submit not to the popes supremacy doe renounce Christianity For the Church saith Bellarmine is the company of them that liue in subiection to the pope professing the same faith with him though they haue no inward vertues but be indeed Atheists Hypocrites or Heretickes And in his Epistle to Blackwell the Arch-priest in England anno 1607. he cals the popes supremacy one of the principall heads of the Faith and foundation of the Catholicke Religion and saith They that disturbe or diminish that primacy seeke to cut off the very head of the Faith and to dissolue the state of the whole body and of all the members §. 4. This primacy is practised in the popes challenged gouernment ouer the Church of the whole world For a Turrecremata lib. 2. c. 27. Aug. Triumph q. 19. art 1. as Matrimony is contracted betwixt a prelate and his particular Church by his election and consecration so betwixt the pope and the Vniuersall Church Thus if the pope be the generall bridegroome sponsus and Rome the generall bride sponsa then they two are the common parents of all Christians so that none is to be accounted a Christian that hath not the pope for his father and that Church for his mother Capist fol. 31. â— So saith Capistranus fol. 56 a. A manifest errour for 1 none of the Churches of the New Testament Corinth Galatia Ephesus Philippi Colossus Thessaly Smirna Pergamus Thyatira Sardis Philadelphia Laodicea c. nor 2 other Primitiue Churches following for many hundred yeares were any way dependant vpon Rome or her Bishop but were built vpon the foundation of the Apostles and Prophets in generall Iesus Christ himselfe being the chiefe corner stone and by that meanes Eph. 2.20 were no more strangers and forrainers but fellow-Citizens with the Saints and of the houshold of God Ephes 2.19 20. They did not acknowledge Rome their mother but their sister not the roote but a particular branch of the Church such a one as equally with the rest did partake of the root and fatnesse of the Oliue tree Rom. 11.17 Rom. 11.18 20 21 22. And to the Roman Church was written directly this propheticall Caueat Boast not against the branches but if thou boast thou bearest not the root but the roote thee Bee not high minded but feare for if God spared not the naturall branches take heed lest he also spare not thee if thou continue not in his goodnesse thou shalt also be cut off This shewes 1 that Rome is but a branch not the root of the vniuersall Church 2 that it may be cut off and yet other Churches stand and flourish being vnited to the common root and therefore are independant vpon the Church of Rome Baronius an 45. n. 18. Bellar. de Rom. pont lib. 2. c. 2. lib. 3. cap. 13. And it is plaine that the mysticall Babylon ' mother of Abominations drunken with the bloud of the Saints and Martyrs Reuel 17.5 6 is the very City of Rome built vpon seuen mountaines verse 9. and raigning ouer the Kings of the earth Ribera in Apoc. 14. n. 27. seq Viegas in Apoc. 27. comment 1. sec 3. Suarez lib. 5. c. 7. n. 11. Of this point see the glorious Panegyrick Oration of Innotencius 3. calling himselfe the Spouse of the
Church and magnifying the largenesse dignity wealth and dowry of his Bride apud Vsserium De ecclesiarum successione statu cap. 9. initio pag. 255. See also B. Carlton Consens contr 2. de ecclesia cap. 1. pag. 156. and D. Field of the Church lib. 5. cap. 41. pag. 267. where he answereth Bellarmines arg libri 2. de Rom. pont cap. 31. Ex nominibus quae Romano Pontifici tribui solent verse 18. so plaine that that the Iesuites cannot doe not deny it our Rhemists say it was Rome vnder Nero c. but later Iesuites Ribera and Viegas Suarez confesse it must needs be Rome towards the end of the world wherein Antichrist shall sit make hauocke of the Church and be finally destroyed CHAP. 5. §. 5. II. As the Pope challengeth a superiority ouer all Christians so much more particularly ouer all the Clergy who must all deriue their both Orders and Iurisdiction from him as from the vniuersall Pastor of the Church in whom all power of Orders and Iurisdiction originally resideth So that Bishops pay to the Pope great summes of money for their ceremonies at their entrance and Priests also their first fruites and yearely tenths with other payments to fill the Popes Cofers by exhausting Christian Kingdomes and all Bishops and Priests become the popes subiects exempted from the Iurisdiction Lawes and penalties of the Princes in whose Countries they liue both their persons goods and lands which is a double iniury to Christian Princes and Common-wealthes First that the Princes and State haue no dominion ouer the persons or bodies of the Clergy or ouer Monkes Fryars Nunnes or other Regulars or Votaries they cannot be punished by the Kings lawes be they adulterers murderers robers traitors or tainted with other villanies except the popes officers will degrade them make theÌ„ seculars Which was the Controuercy betwixt King Henry the second Read this whole story in our Chronicles especially in Speeds and Thomas Becket Archbishop of Canterbury who would not yeeld the King any authority to punish Clergy malefactors as being none of his subiects Secondly that the Princes and State haue no aide subsidies or reuenues out of the goods or lands of Church-men or Abbies whereas the goods or lands of such men may arise to a quarter or a third part of the whole Realme yea and they continually increase from Age to Age by gifts bequests and purchases and are neuer alienated to the great impairing of publicke reuenues and publicke force For which the Venetians and other Common-wealthes haue been compelled to make Lawes of restraint lest they should in time be swallowed vp by the Clergy This is against Diuinity equity and antiquity Christ was not exempted from the Magistrates power he acknowledge Pilat to haue power to crucify him Iohn 19.10 11 power to release him euen lawfull power giuen him from aboue He payed tribute to Caesar for himselfe and his Saint Paul acknowledged Caesaer to be his lawfull iudge And taught all men both for conscience sake Mat. 17. end Act. 25.10 Rom. 13.1 c. 1 Pet. 2.13 Bernard epist ad Episcopum Senonensem Omnis anima tum vestra quis vos excipit qui tentat excipere tentat decipere and in equity for the good we receiue from the Magigstrates to be subiect to the ciuill Magistrates that beare the sword Saint Peter doth the like Saint Bernard writing to a Bishop tels him he is not exempted from temporall subiection to Princes he that excepts him deceiues him Father Paul of Venice in his Considerations vpon the censure of Pope Paul 5. pag. 39. shewes how the Exemptions of the Clergy came in peece-meale by the priuiledges of Princes and not jure diuino Anno domini 315. Constantine the great exempted their persons from publicke and Court seruices And Constant and Constance his sonnes added their exemption from illiberall or sordid actions and from Impositions 308 Valens and Gracianus 400 Arcadius and Honorius 420 Honorius and Theodosius 2. c. put the tryall of the Clergy to the Bishop if both parties were willing otherwise to the secular Magistrate which was confirmed by Gracian also anno 460. and by Leo. 560 Iustinian put the Clergy in ciuill causes to the Bishop and in criminall to the secular Iudge 630 Heraclius exempted the Clergy both in ciuill and criminall causes from the secular Magistrate yet euer reseruing entire the Princes immediate Deputies and substitutes But the popes in following Ages challenged these priuiledges as due to them by diuine right and abused these Emperours bountifulnesse to their great disturbance and dishonour And in these last Ages wherein priests and Iesuites are so busie with State matters to the great disquiet and danger of Princes making Religion a Maske to couer and closely conuey treasons and rebellions these exemptions and priuiledges are not tollerable §. 6. III. The Popes authority staies not here in the general Fatherhood of the Church or dominion ouer the Clergy exempting from the secular powers These are but staires to an higher ascent In the first and best times of the Church the gaining of soules to God was the principall end and wealth a poore inferiour meanes to maintaine them selling their lands to relieue the poore Christians Acts 2.45 and 4.34 c. Now it seemes greatnesse and wealth are the chiefe ends and a shew of Religion is a meanes to get them Christs kingdome was not of this world Iohn 18.36 The Popes is Doctor Sanders calls it Sanderi libri de visibili monarchia The visible Monarchy of the Church a Monarchy ouertopping all other yea practising to depose dispose transpose all other Christian Potentates as shall seeme good to the Pope to giue Henries Empire to Rodulph sending to him a Diadem with this Inscription Petra dedit Petro Petrus Diadema Rodulpho authorizing him like Zimri to kill his Master and raigne in his stead To giue England from King Iohn to Philip of France our Henry the eigth his Kingdome to whosoeuer could take it by force Queene Elizabeths to the King of Spaine to omit many others Pope Celestinus crowned Henry 6 and his Empresse See Tortura Torti pag. 264. 262. Baronius approued not Alexander 3. act annot 177. for he thought the story not true But Celestinâ—s fact he commends and defends B. Andâ—ews in Tortura Torti pag. 263. with both his feet and cast off his with one An Emperours Crowne is but the popes football Gregory 7 made Henry 4. attend bare-footed foure dayes in Winter before his gates Alexander 3 trode vpon Fredericke Barbarosaes necke reciting the verse of the Psalme 91.13 Thou shalt treade vpon the Lyon and Adder The yong Lyon and the Dragon shalt thou trample vnder thy f et These things the world cryed shame vpon and Bellarmine blusheth at some of them and laboureth to weaken the credit of the Reporters but our Bishop Andrewes reckons aboue 20 Authors of diuers Nations reporting them Christ would not
was taken the souldiers slaine foure hundred Albigenses burnt the rest hanged and the like executions were done in many other Cities and Castles But the City Tolous though besieged could not then be taken Remond Earle of Tolous was a great man neere in blood to the King of France in the 2. degree he had married Joane once Queene of Sicilia sister to Iohn King of England by whom he had a son called also Remond who was the last Earle of Tolous and after the decease of Joane he married Elenor sister of Peter K. of Araegon He was strong therfore in bloud affinity and confederacy and n Armoricanus philippidâ—â— lib. 8. one saith he had as many Cities Castles and Townes as the yeere hath daies He had many great prouinces vnder him Bertrandus o Bertrand de gestâ—s Tulosar fol. 32. col 4. reckons them thus Tenebat Cemes Tolosanus comitatum Tolosae comitatum de Sancto Egidio Prouinciam Delphinatum comitatum venaissimi Ruthenensem patriam Cadurcensem Albigensem Tolosae circumvicinas Iudiciarias linguam Occitanam lata dominia intra vltra Rhodanum Aquitaniam But because he was a great defender of the Albigenses and was one of their Religion himselfe The pope proscribed him and exposed him to extirpation and ruine and to be a prey to Simon Montfort with his pilgrimes p So saiâ—h â—â—m Marian â—â—â—ch hâ—span lib. 1. cap. 2. The Earle therefore gathering an Army of an hundred thousand was very likely to haue vtterly ouerthrowen Simon had not the vnexpected death of the King of Aragon intercepted by ambush quite discouraged and dissolued the Albigenses Army so that they could not be stayed by their Captaines from running away q Vsher ibid. §. 34. seq Some write that the Albigenses lost 15000 fighting men some say 17000 others say 32000 r Hist Albig lib. 1. cap. 11. By this meanes Simon now able to take the City of Tolous sendeth for the King of France his sonne to come and haue the honour of taking the City who came accordingly tooke it and dismantled it beating downe the towres thereof §. 7. Yet this great mifortune cast not downe the Albigenses but their courage and power was still so great that new Croisadoes and Jndulgences were sent abroad to gather new crossed souldiers against them anno 1213 by whose aide Simon wonne many other Castles and townes And now in a Councell of many Bishops was Simon declared Lord of all the Countries and Dominionâ— gotten by this holy warre and possession shortly after giuen vnto him by Lewis eldest sonne of the King of France and confirmed also by the pope in the Councell of Lateran anno 1215. §. 8. Yet for all this while Simon made a iorney to Paris to the King and stayed there about honourable Ceremonies and making marriages for his children Remond was returned to Tolous and ioyning with many Aragonians that were come to reuenge the death of their King tooke the City and many other Castles anno 1217. Vpon the newes whereof Simon returned and for recouering of the City besieged it but was most strangely and suddenly slaine with a stone which a woman threw out of an Engin. Whereupon the siege brake vp that town remained and many other townes and Castles returned vnder the obedience of old Remond Earle of Tolous Againe anno 1219. The King of France sent his sonne now the second time taking vpon him the signe of the crosse with a great Army against the Albigenses who slew of them 5000 and besieged Tolous againe but in vaine The Albigenses also retouer many Castles Againe anno 1221 King Philip of France sent 10000 footmen and 200 horsemen against them still without fruit of their labours In the yeere 1223. by the popes appointment Vsh d cap. 10. §. 46. was a Councell held at Paris by the popes Legate two Archbishops and 20 other Bishops against the Albigenses and King Philip of France at his death appointed 20000 pounds or as some write 100000 pound to be bestowed in winning the Albigenses lands saith Å¿ Rigord pag. 225. Rigordus For now the Albigenses had recouered the strong City head of the warre Carcasson and many other Castles which their enemies had wonne and held 14 yeeres t Math. Paris hist an 1223. pag. 306. And were now growne so powerfull in Bulgaria Croatia and Dalmatia that among many others they drew some Bishops to their partie But on the other side Remond the Earle of Tolous § 9. submitted himselfe â—nto the pope vpon his oath that he would endeuour to root out the Albigenses the pope restored him Yet when he came before the Legat in a great Councell of French Bishops and there claimed restitution of his lands according to the popes grant Simons sonne came also and claimed the same lands as wonne by his father and assured by the pope and also by the King of France hereupon the Legat demurred Vsher ib §. 51. seq Math. Paris hist pag. 319. seq and vnderhand procured the King of France Lewis to to gather a great Army of crossed souldiers to winne from the Albigenses the Citie of Avignion a place of theirs of great strength and thought to be invincible The King mak ng peace with the King of England by mediation of the pope raiseth a great army anno 1225 of 50000 horse and innumerable foot and marcheth towards Avignioâ— then being in the power of the Earle of Tolous and being denyed entrance besiegeth it The warlike Earle defended it brauely Hee had very prouidently before the kings comming withdrawen all kind of prouision out of the Countrey round about into the City to furnish them within and disfurnish them without and now by often sallies hee mightily afflicted them killing at one time 2000 at another 3000 being helped by the breaking of a bridge and the pestilence daily wasted great numbers So that the King though he had sworne neuer to depart till he had taken the City went aside to an Abbey not farre distant to auoyd the pestilence where he dyed shortly after as some write out of his wits The Legat the more easily to winne the City kept secret the Kings death and despairing to preuaile by force attempted to doe it by fraud He cunningly perswaded the City to send vnto him 12 of their Citizens to conferre about some good conditions giuing them his oath for their safe returne but when the gates were opened to receiue them so returning his Army rushed in and tooke the gate and finally the City contrary to his oath giuen For the Pope or himselfe by the popes authority could easily enough dispense with such oathes Thus the city of Avignion which could not be taken in three monthes siege and assault by the power of the King of France Math. Paris hist an 1228. 〈◊〉 237. was easily taken by the fraud and periury of his Holinesse holy Legat. §. 10. In the
Pope had actually pronounced published by his Bull Elizabeth to be excommunicated and deposed that since that publication all her actions were by the Law of God disanulled and to be held for nought her Magistrates were no Magistrates her Lawes no Lawes Yea some of them denied not in publike hearing that they were sent for no other cause into England than to absolue euery one particularly from their obedience to the Qu. as the Bull had absolued all in generall and this they did in taking confessions of their Reconclliation to their Church priuately and promising absolution from all mortall sinne so doing most safely and secretly These Seminaries were not erected to teach true Religion and points of doctrine necessary to saluation for those might bee taught and learned in all places without such cost but principally to fit young wits and fiery spirits to become instruments to vphold the Papacy with the dominion greatnesse Camd. ib p. 844. alibi passim and wealth thereof and to regaine those that were fallen from it though it were with the destruction of Kings dissipation of kindomes bloodshed murthers insurrections treasons poysonings massakers and many other euils as the histories following will declare most plainly and by their owne confessions may appeare 1. This story and the rest of the treasoÌ„s against Q Elizabeth are set out at large by B. Carlton in his booke entituled A thankful remembrance whose chapters I here note in the margent To come therefore to the Plots and Treasons practised against Queene Elizabeth effects of the Popes excommunication The first was The rebellion in the North stirred vp by one Nicholas Morton a Popish Priest the chiefe leaders within the land were the Earles of Westmerland and Northumberland who were to ioyne with the Duke of Norfolke entending a marriage betwixt him and the Scottish Queene thereby to make clayme to the Crowne of England Queene Elizabeth being deposed by the Popes Bull. With them also was to ioyne the Duke of Alua with his power from the Low-Countries the Earle of Ormond at the same time raysing tumults in Ireland and all procured by Pope Pius 5. who also secretly wrought the mindes of many English by one Ridolph a Gentleman of Florence Camden Annal. an 1568. p. 146. an 1572. p. 227. an 1569. p. 158 166 vnder colour of Merchandise by whom the Popes Bulles letters and money to wit an hundred and fifty thousand crownes were conueighed for the managing of this businesse The Pope further promising to the King of Spaine to engage all the goods of the Sea Apostolike Chalices Crosses and holy vestiments to further it But God preuented this mischiefe for the Northerne Earles preparations being discouered and rising before the other associats were ready were dispersed the Duke of Norfolke taken and put to death and the whole plot defeated to the great griefe of the Pope and the Spaniard The King of Spaine said before the Cardinall of Alexandria the Popes Nephew that neuer any conspiracy was more aduisedly begunne more constantly concealed nor more likely to prosper than this For that an Army might be sent out of the Low-Countries in 24. houres space which might suddenly haue taken the Queene and the City of London vnprouided restored the Popes authority and set the Queene of Scots in the Throne especially hauing so mighty a faction within land and Stukely an English fugitiue made Marquesse of Ireland by the Pope vndertaking at the same time with the helpe of 3000. Spaniards to bring all Ireland to the Kings of Spaines obedience and with one or two ships to burne all the English Nauy This story is written at large by Hieronymus Catena in the life of Pius the 5. and printed at Rome anno 1588. by the same Popes authority and priuiledge by which we come to the knowledge of the whole plot B. Carlton ib. c. 3. Camden ib. pag. 72. 2. I passe by the treasonous leagues made by the Earle of Ormonds Brethren with Iames Fitzmorice of Desmonds Family and others to serue the Pope and Spaniards designes against Queene Elizabeth And the Earle of Darbies sonnes with Gerard Hall Rolston and other Darbishire mens conspiracy to set vp the Queene of Scots And other conspiracies of B. Rosse Henry Percy c. and of Powel and Owen for the Queene of Scots Also of don Iohn of Austria his plotting to marry the Q. of Scots and put downe Elizabeth with the fauor of the Pope and Guises for these plots miscarried in their Infancy Thomas Stukely hauing rioted out his State in England Ibid. cap. 4. Camden Annal. part 2. pag. 193. 229. passed to Rome and made Pius 5. beleeue that with 3000. Italians he would driue the English out of Ireland and burne the Queenes Nauy Pius dying Gregory 13. employed Stukely to get Ireland for his bastard sonne creating the said Stukeley Marquesse of Lagen Earle of Wexford and Caterlogh Vicount of Morough and Baron of Rosse famous places in Ireland and made him Generall of 800. Italian souldiers But Stukeley comming by Portugal ioyned with the King in a warre in Africa that the King afterward might goe against England with Armes as he against Ireland but in Africa they were both slayne and two other Kings died also at the same battell 1572. Whereupon the Spanish King turned his forces prepared for England to subdue Portugall Note here the Popes zeale not to win soules to Christ but Kingdomes to their Bastards Note also two Popes proceed in malice and malediction against Queene Elizabeth and one English fugitiue makes them both fooles And note thirdly how God can diuert the great preparations of puissant Princes and turne their wise policies into fooâ—ishnesse Nicholas Sanders D. of Diuinity Ibid. cap. 5. Reaâ—e Camd. Aâ—nal parâ—t 3. pag. 371 372. hauing written a witty and wicked booke to maintaine the Roman visible Ecclesiasticall Monarchy comes into Ireland 1579 with the Popes legantiue authority and a consecrated banner with three shippes to ioyne with the rebels against Queen Elizabeth where much mischiefe was done supplies sent of men money and armour from the Pope and Spaniard but after diuerse yeeres diuerse fortunes the Earle of Desmond chiefe of the rebels wandering and poore was killed by a common Souldier and D. Sanders for griefe ran mad and finally died miserably being hunger-starued Ibid. cap. 6. See Camdens Annals p. 315. c. Anno 1568. began the Seminaries deuised by Cardinall Allen an Englishman as Sanders was first at Doway for English fugitiues but remoued to Rhemes by the Guises and another erected at Rome by Gregory 13. In them were trayned vp many fit instruments for Rome and Spaine traytors to England issuing out thence when they were fitted as Campian Parson Sherwin Kirby Briant and multitudes of others not in the habits of Priests but of Gallants Seruingmen Summoners or any other the better to insinuate into company and peruert men without danger of discouery
them and stirre vp the people and then all subiects will forsake their princes and serue the pope against them all Religious persons will be their Trumpâ—ters Captaines and Leaders all Cloysters Abbeyes and Colledges will be as good as Castles vnto them the promise of heauen a sufficient pay and the threatning of death not onely temporall which happily might be contemned or avoyded but eternall which by disobeying the pope is thought to be vnauoydable is terrour enough and all these giue courage enough to doe their bâ—st for the pope against all princes of the world Sir Iohn Hayward of Supremacy pag. 62. By this meanes eight Emperours besides other Kings and princes haue been excommunicate by the pope namely Fredericke the first Fredericke the second Philip Conrade Otho the fourth Lewis of Bauaria Henry the fourth and fift which was occasion enough for their subiects to revolt and for other Princes to inuade The succeeding Emperours partly vnwilling but principally vnable to sustaine so sad and heauy blowes submitted themselues to the papall power and renounced the right which by long custome they claimed and held I omit the troubles of other princes and Nations and of our owne also in formâ—r times of our Kings Henries and Iohn Our late troubles in the times of our most gracious Soueraignes Elizabeth and Iames are fresh in memory to the detestation of the Authors thereof and they are published to the world in their owne bookes See the booke entituled Important Considerations set forth by the Secular Romish Priests in England anno 1601. with Watson the Priests Preface or Epistle before it The secular Priests sticke not to relate to the world what they cannot hide the treasons insurrections inuasions and other troubles which I haue reckoned vp before and more also plotted by the Pope and his Agents to bring Queene Elizabeth and her Kingdomes to confusion Pius Quintus his plot ioyning with the King of Spaine to depose her by his Bull and execute it by the Northerne Rebellion 1569. And after anno 1572. by D. Sanders booke De visibili Monarchia iustifying that course and shewing the world how the pope had sent Morton and Webb Priests to stirre vp the Nobles and Gentlemen to take Armes against the Queene Then how Stukeley was made a great Lord and Marquesse of Ireland by the pope to take Jreland from the English but miscarried by the way After how Doctor Sanders came furnished by the Pope to take Ireland by Inuasion and Rebellion and there dyed miserable and mad After this how Gregory 13 renued the pestilent Bull of Pius 5 cursing and disabling the Queene to raigne and anno 1580. sent into England Campian Parsons and other Iesuites to perswade the subiects to execute it assuring them of a mighty inuasion from Spaine to ioyne with them and how these wicked practises iustly inforced straiter lawes to bee made against such Vipers For what Prince or state of any force or Mettall could endure their owne ruine to be wrought with their eyes open and their hands vnbound Then followed his Holinesse displaying his banner as a temporall Prince in Ireland to dispossesse the Queene and afterwards the Duke of Guises practises to transferre the English Crowne to the Q. of Scotland imploying therin Mendoza the Spanish Leager Ambassadour Throgmorton and others And anno 1583. Arden and Somerviles treason Then Doctor Parries to murder the Queene Againe Babington and his fellowes treason discouered anno 1586. And sir William Stanlies 1567. and the great Spanish Armado 1588. Then the Bull of Sixtus Quintus against the Queene And new Seminaries errected in Spaine by the procurement of Parsons the Iesuite whence issued 13 accomplished Priests to infuse Treasons into Englishmens braines anno 1591. to prepare them for a new Inuasion And anno 1592. Heskot was sent by the Iesuites to stirre the Earle of Darby to Rebellion After this Father Holt a Iesuite perswaded Patricke Colen to murder her Maiestie And anno 1593. Doctor Lopus his poysoning plot was discouered also Holt the Iesuite animated Yorke and Williams to shed her blood and Walpool the Iesuite set on Edward Squire to poyson her saddle Pommell After this for the other intended Inuasion the Spanish Fleet put twice to Sea and both times were sea beaten torne and dispersed Meane-season Father Parsons in printed bookes entituled The Jnfanta of Spaine to the Crowne of England and vsed all possible meanes to make it take place All these vncatholicke vnchristian inhumane courses the secular Priests confesse condemne and lament laying all the fault thereof from themselues and other Roman Catholâ—ckes vpon the Iesuites We doe all acknowledge say they that by our learning Ecclesiasticall persons by vertue of their Calling Important consid pag. 37. are onâ—ly to meddle with Praying Preach ng and administring the Sacraments and such other like spirituall functions and not to study how to murder Princes nor to licitate Kingdomes Jb. pag 38. nor to intrude themselues into matter of state-Priests of what order soeuer ought not by force of Armes to plant or water the Catholicke Faith but In spiritu lenitatis mansuetudinis to propagate and defend it So it was in the Primitiue Church ouer all the world The ancient Christians though they had sufficient forces did not oppose themselues in armes against their Lords Ib. pag. 39. See the Epistle Dedicatory of B. Carlton before his booke of Iurisdiction the Emperors though of another Religion The Catholicke Faith for her stability and continuance hath no need of any treachery or Rebellion it is more dishonoured with treasons and wicked policies of carnall men then any way furthered or aduanced Thus the Priests giuing vs a good hint what to iudge of their Religion that hath euermore beene thus planted and propagated It is not the Catholik Faith and Religion of the Ancients But erroneous superstition is alwayes more violent then true Religion They giue vs an Item also what our English Roman Catholiks may looke for if the Spaniard should preuaile Watson in his Epistle to the Important Considerations saith The old King of Spaine aimed at the Crown of England with the death of her Maiestie and subuersion of the State and the vtter ruine of the whole I le and the ancient Inhabitants thereof and neuer once shewed any care or respect that he had to the restoring of the Catholik Romish Faith amongst the English Nay his direct course was taken quite contrary still to extirpate the name of all Catholikes that were English out from the face of the earth Therefore he would not aid Stukeley to get Ireland for the pope and also charged the Duke of Medina his generall in 88 rather to spare Protestants then Catholikes And the Booke of important Considerations written by themselues pag. 25. saith It is well knowne that the Duke of Medina Sidonia had giuen it out directly that if once he might land in England both Catholikes and Heretiks that came in his way should be all
Kings Princes and Nations and of the whole Church their hopes should not haue beene so often deluded who sought and promised to themselues at least some tollerable reformation from him neither should there haue beene such a Rent among the Churches of Europe when euery Nation seeing Rome would doe nothing was constrained to looke to it selfe and make if not a perfect reformation yet as good as it could and as neere to the Word of God and the custome of the Primitiue Church as time and meanes would afford For if it be obiected that the intended Reformation is not perfect as appeareth by the differences of some Reformed Churches yet surely first th◠Reformers mindes were good who with all their hearts and endeuours sought it and secondly the coniunction of all Nations Wits Learning and other meanes by a free generall Councell which might ouer-rule the Pope and all other particulars was onely hindred by the Pope and his Faction But 3 surely the Reformation was most laudable and necessary if it had effected no more but this as one of them wrote in answere to Cardinalll Sadolet that they freed themselues from the tyranny of the Bishop of Rome and had constituted in their Countries somewhat better forme of the Church which before was most vntollerable both to Princes and People Such a Reformation as many former Ages had with greeuous sighes and grones wished and desired hungred and thirsted after but all in vaine because the truth in Europe had not yet shined out of darknesse of which our Sauiour had said ye shall know the truth Ioh. 8.32 and the truth shall set you free Therefore 1 Our late Princes 2 all the orders of the Kingdome and 3 all the people haue seene and felt the goodnesse of God and are bound to be most thankfull to him except they be of all men the most insensible and vngratefull for their great blessing following the Reformation of Religion in England 1 The Princes that they reigne now in their owne right they are not the liege-men and Vassals of the Pope that haue not their kingdome Precariò at the pleasure of another as Bayliffes of another mans inheritance that they and their Reuerend Clergy are at vnity neither fearing excommunications nor depositions from other that they diuide the care of placing Ministers with their Bishops challenging to themselues without feare that part which is due to them and concerneth the temporalls and leauing that part of the care to the Bishops which toucheth spirituals and all things which proue them to be true Kings For this blessing Kings are behoulden to Gods truth which is a friend to them which establisheth them and is with all care and diligence by them to be established Alas for those former times Inas See Polydor hist Angl. lib. 5. pag. 86. wherein amongst our Kings glorious Ancestors one led away with blinde superstition hauing zeale but not according to knowledge did of his owne accord when no necessity compelled him make his Kingdome tributary to Gregory the third King Iohn Bishop of Rome Another brought into desperation by aduerse crosses yeelded vp his Kingdome of England and Ireland to Pope Innocent 3. By whom he had bene miserably embroyled and was compelled to be content to be the Popes steward or Baily O horrid blindnesse of those times O sucessors of Peter egregiously resembling Peter in their doings O what a griefe surprized not onely the Barons Nobles and all subjects of the Realme but also the Kings and Princes throughout Europe as euery one was more wise and better then other to see the fall so heauy so foule of so great a Prince The speaches which some of them vttered at the newes of so inhumane example are committed to writing for perpetuall memory as witnesses also of their most iust both indignation and amazement Yea the speach of that vnfortunate King is extant in the writers of those times most worthy to be deeply setled in all Princes hearts After that I was reconciled to God saith hee and subjected my selfe and my Kingdomes alas for sorrow to the Roman Church nothing came to me prosperous But al things contrary Post quā ut dixi Deo reconciliatus me ac mea regna proh dolor Romana subjeci ecclesiae nulla mihi prospera sed contraria omnia aduenerunt 2 The Clergy and people of England liue happily The Bishops elect neede not run beyond the Alpes to buy their confirmation of the Pope for great summes of money nor purchase their Palles with the waight of gold nor run to Rome euery 3 yeares or as oft as the Pope list that is as oft as he thirsteth after English coyne Now they haue no such care as in times past the Bishops of England had to take vp the best benefices for Italians In which benefices as Mathy Paris saith neither lawes nor order were kept nor releefe for the poore nor hospitality nor preaching of Gods word nor necessary ornaments or repair of Churches nor care of soules nor diuine or deuout prayers as was fit and as was accustomed in the country but in their buildings the walles and roofes fell downe or were pitifully rent and torne Now the Lord Archbishop of Canterbury feareth not new Bulles from the Pope to suspend him from collating any benefices vntil 300 Romans be prouided for by benefices next falling void as it fell out anno 1239 to Edmund the Archbishop by Buls sent from Gregory 9. The Pope hauing promised it to the Roman citizens who at that time little fauored him 3 The Ecclesiasticall controuersies arising in England by a very ancient Canon wherof S. Cyprian also maketh mention are determined in England The collectors of Peter pence and other contributions the Roman visitors proctors and farmers the Marchants of Indulgences or pardons to men according to their wealth the dispencers of vowes and Institors of legitimation to make men capable of orders the Caursine Vsurers that liued at Rome but drew thither all the wealth of England lending to English Nobles others vpon morgage of their lands or other extreme vsuries money to satisfy the Pope and his Harpies The bringers of Buls for new extortions The witty Mice-catchers Muscipulatores as the Story cals them such as Petrus Rubeus and many others conning Artificers to drain money from men for the Pope and sixe hundred such like greedy and greeuous Arts by the vnvtterable benefit of the truth of Religion their names are now scarse heard of and should be vtterly vnknowne were it not for the monuments and histories of former ages Neither doth now any Legat à latere any messenger from the Popes side exercise any Rauin for money in England as many did heretofore and some with execrable hunger of gold as we read of one of them Otto sent by Gregory 9 who after three yeeres raking together of money by most detestable Artes at last departing hence left not so much money in the whole Kingdome as he either carried with
Testament Page 40 Paragraph § 2 Neither is such infallibility now necessary in any man Page 44 Paragraph § 3 But if in any man most improbably in the Popes wherof some haue been children and many most wicked men and monsters of men Page 45 Paragraph § 4 And many Popes haue erred De facto in iudgment Page 50 Paragraph § 5 Which all the Romists distinctions and euasions cannot auoyd Page 51 Paragraph § 6 The manifold and manifest iudgement of Antiquity ouerthrowes this supposed infallibility Page 56 Paragraph For I. The ancients euer accounted the Popes fallible Page 56 Paragraph II. They neuer in their writings mentioned their infallibility Page 56 Paragraph III. But reiected often both their Jurisdiction and Iudgment Page 57 Paragraph IIII. If infallible iudgement in the pope had beene established and beleeued the Fathers studies and commentaries vpon the Scriptures had been needlesse Page 58 Paragraph V. And Councels had beene called to no purpose Page 58 CHAP. 8. Of the good which the Popes supremacy might doe to the Church and States by vniting Christian Princes among themselues and against the Turke Paragraph § 1 This is vrged Page 60 Paragraph § 2 But answered that policies agreeable to Gods word and the Primitiue Church onely are sufficient and blessed by God Page 61 Paragraph § 3 But this policy binding men to vnity vnder some one head might be set vp by any sect to maintaine any errors or wickednesse Page 62 Paragraph § 4 And experience hath proued it very vnprofitable and vntollerable to all Churches and states sauing to the Popes owne state wealth and greatnesse Page 63 Paragraph § 5 As is shewed by the miserable troubles in Christendome wrought by Hildebrand who first set vp the Popes Princedome as Onuphrius saith about eleuen hundred yeeres after Christ Page 64 Paragraph § 6 And by the voyages against the Turke which finally proued profitable to the Pope not to Christian Princes Page 68 Paragraph § 7 As appeareth by the Stories of Pope Gregory 9. and the Emperour Fredericke 2. Page 69 Paragraph § 8 And many other most wicked Popes Page 74 Paragraph § 9 The Emperour Phocas erred much in gouernment in making the Pope so great so farre from him For Popes shortly after proued Masters of mis-rule ejecting the Emperours out of Italy Page 76 Paragraph § 10 Their turbulent proceeding to dethrone Princes Page 78 Paragraph § 11 Their troubles wrought in England in King Henry the first his time by Anselm Archbishop of Canterbury In King Henrie the 2 his time by Becker In King Iohns time by Pope Innocent Page 80 Paragraph § 12 In these later times of Queene Elizabeth by the Bull of Pope Pius Quintus deposing her and by erecting at Rome and Rhemes Seminaries that is Schooles to breed Traitors and draw her subiects to disobedience treasons and rebellions Page 89 Paragraph A briefe enumeration of some treasons in Queene Elizabeths time The Rebellion in the North. Page 91 And other petty conspiracies Page 92 Sanders Page 93 Of Ormonds brethren Page 92 Of Stukely Page 93 Someruile Page 94 Motiues to the Ladies of Honour Page 94 Mendoza Page 94 Doctor Parry Page 95 Sauage Page 96 Aubespineus Page 96 The Spanish Armado Page 97 Squire Page 99 In the time of King Iames Watson Clark others Page 102 Throgmorton Page 94 Creighton the Iesuite Page 95 Percy Page 96 Ballard Page 96 Stanly and Yorke Page 97 Lopez Page 99 Tyrone Page 100 The Powder Treason Page 102 Paragraph § 13 Some obseruations out of these A good Christian abhorreth these Treasons and therefore cannot like of that doctrine that teacheth them Page 106 Paragraph § 14 Therefore euery good man is forced by reason to renounce to be an absolute Papist and therefore cannot thinke the doctrines grounded onely vpon the Popes authority without Scripture to be necessary and consequently must acknowledge that it is not necessary to bee a Roman-Catholicke Page 108 Paragraph The conclusion with a briefe Recapitulation of the whole precedent conference Page 110 Friendly Reader before thou readest these bookes amend with thy pen these grosser faults which most of them pervert the sense PAge 1. In the first line of the Text for notice read motiue p. 18. l. 29. r. vnder the persecuting Emp. p. 33. 4. then they gaue to other holy Bishops p. 45. 26. Of all the Bishops ib lin 27. first that trusting p. 76. maâ—g l. â— x. Boniface 8. liued anno 1300 p. 81. 6. and reciting ib. lin 8 pâ—lgrimages p. 85. 11. is insufficient to set vp p. 86. 14. there be not more care p 89. 17. but were built p. 98. 1. for the Pope ment p. 104. 14. and make of Christs milâ—tant Church a Church trâ—umphant vpon earth p. 109. lin vlt. maried p. 112. 25. hath worne a girdle p 1â—6 26. to the last times p. 152. 28. we propose p. 208. 17. per sacramentum memoriae celebratur p. 244. 34. for Stoiks read Scotâ—sts p. 246. 31. forâ—t is no indignity p. 264. 30. root author p. 126. 9. must be diminished p. 138. â— latent invisible Church p. 139. 25. it is not visible p. 274. 34. full of â—ighte 304 marg ad lin 22. ordinator hareticus verè In the second Alphabet CC. p. 33. lin â—4 put cut not p. 46. marg lin 26. Baronius anno 963. n. 17. p. 54. marg l 25. Anno a Christs natâ— 1033 a Christs passâ— 1000. Other faults there are scarce veniall which deserue correction Page 7. lin 27. read warres and dissentions p. 13. 13. Simon Magnus among them p. 14. 9. for saâ—th read truth p. 20. 8. from the first pure d. p. 31. 8. Church kingdome ib. lin 14. Cameracensis ib. l. vlt. large authors p. 37. 2â— Infallibitily p. 38. 13. decretal ib. l. 18. infamis ib. l. 19. choked ib. l. 25. saith this p. 40. 17. the ancient vitility p. 42. 14. Calosyria ib. l. 23. schism 1. ib. l. 30. in marg Greg. 7 libro p. 43. 12. Releherspergensis p. â—6 l. 12. and 18. Trithemius ib. l. 30. Schafnaburgensis p. 48 9. saith your Bish linea antepenult Valentianus p. 50. 18. into his mouth p. 51. l. vlt. foule and manifest p. 52. lin anteâ—en Patricius p. 51. 14. Diuinity p. 55. marg See these alleadged in my third booke p. 57. 14. this câ—â—cumgestation p. 60 8. Gualter Mapes p. 61. 24. Iohn Baâ—â—â—thorâ— p. 63. 15. Sodâ—â—â—â— dominatur p. 64 2. Lorell p 80. 26. anâ— beautifying all p 87. 16. abjuration p. 90 for Chap. 5. put § 5. p. 91. 2. robbers ib. l. â—â— acknowledged p 93 4. to the Pâ—pe To giue p. 96. put â—ut marg Annal. Elizabethae Camden Apparat. pag. 2. and place it pag. 97. against Pope Iulâ—us the 2. c. p. 99. 1. searching p. 101. 19. frustrated p. 115. 27. put out this dignity is not new saitâ— Bellarmine b. for it 500 yeeres old â—ut surely that is new that came not in till after twise 500 yeeres
many nay But the issues of these Ladies were very vnfortunate and many calamities proceeded from these marriages as he there reports Yet the pope dispensed with all this partly to bind the French vnto him and partly to bridle the Emperour whom he would not haue grow too great by addition of Britany to his State Besides he needed not much care for this present Emperour Maximilian a poore prince full of affaires and of small credit Yea Maximilian himselfe afterwards affected the popedome as Guicciardine reporteth But come we to the affaires of our owne Nation Pope Julius the 2. gaue a dispensation that King Henry the 8. of England might marry Katherine the wife of his brother Arthur deceased A marriage plainly condemned by the Scriptures Leu. 18.16 and 20.21 and Mat. 24.2 4. and by many learned Vniversities Afterwards pope Clement the 7. Hist concil Trid. lib. 1. pag. 68. at Henries sute sent Cardinall Campeggio into England framing a Briefe to dissolue the Kings said marriage with Katherine to be published when some few proofes were passed which he was sure would easily be made and to giue liberty to the King to marry another This anno 1524. but anno 1529. The pope thinking it better to ioyne with the Emperour who was sonne to Katherines sister sent another Nuncio to Campeggio with order to burne the Breefe and to proceed slowly in the cause For the popement to apply himselfe to his best aduantages but the King espying their iugling finally banished the popes authority out of England Annals ibid praepar pag. A. 3. Latin Apparat. p. xij But Queene Mary the daughter of Hâ—nry by the said marriage of Katherine perswaded her selfe that all the right that she had to the Kingdome of England was vpholden by no other meanes then by the power of the pope whose dispensation made that marriage lawfull and gaue sentence of her side after her father had declared her illegitimate and therefore she was bound to cleaue strongly to the Pope Also Charles the 5 Emperour procured a marriage betwixt Philip his sonne of Spaine and Mary Queene of England by a dispensation of pope Iulius the 3. because they were allied in the third degree and that Charles himselfe had contracted to marry her being then vnder age for time to come Ibid. pag. 5. sed â—atin pag. 4. After her death King Philip desirous to keepe England treated seriously of a marriage with Queen Elizabeth his late wiues sister with promise to obtaine a speciall dispensation from the pope Which the King of France fearing it would be granted by the pope laboured secretly to hinder but the hindrance of the marriage was from Queene Elizabeth her selfe Relation of Religion in the West pag. 34. 27. See the whole Tract pag. 25. seq By such dispensations from the pope marriages in the house of Austria haue been so neere that they remaine still as brethren all of one family and as armes of the selfe-same body Keeping their dominions vnited still together without distraction Philip the second of Spaine might call the Archduke Albert both brother cozen nephew and sonne being vncle to himselfe cozen-german to his father husband to his sister and father to his wife Such marriages made lawfull onely by the pope dispensing with the Law of God must needs binde both the parties and issue thereof to be firme to the Papacy and to maintaine that authority by which themselues stand maintained and honoured So searched and penetrant is that Sea of Rome to strengthen it selfe more by vnlawfull marriages of other men then euer Prince yet could doe by the most lawfull marriage of his owne And thus the Pope by some one act ties vnto himselfe the fauour of many friends and many generations Yet may this be thought fit onely for blinded or ill-minded Princes The well-sighted or well-minded need no such cloake nor will make vse of any such for any otherwise vniustifiable courses But if they through their owne ignorance or their Ancestors vniust proiects haue been inuolued in such nets as their conscience now mislikes they may after our King Henries example by Gods booke and the counsell of godly wise and learned men alter their courses abolish his authority that alters Gods Lawes or deludes them and establish their state by more sound meanes Humanum est errare perseuerare diabolicum §. 9. VI. Other dispensations See Verdunt discourse anno 1563. Mense Febr. in hist conc Trid. lib. 7. pag. 676. See Tortura Torti pag 57. for diuers things hurtfull to the Church States and People but very profitable to the Pope and Court of Rome are ordinary About which one Iohannes Verdun spake freely and iudiciously in the Councell of Trent Dispensations saith he are accounted dis-obligations from the Law but Gods Law is perpetuall and remaineth inuiolable for euer The Pope is not Lord and the Church his seruant to bestow fauours as a master vpon his seruants Hee is but a seruant at the best to him who is Spouse of the Church neither can he by dispensing vnbinde any that is bound but onely declare to him that is not bound that he is exempted from the Law Indeed humane Lawes through the imperfection of the Law-makers and Cases not foreseene may admit dispensations in sundry occurrences as exceptions from the generall Law where it may be iustly thought the Law-makers would haue made exceptions if they had foreseene those Cases but where God is the Law-giuer from whom nothing is concealed and by whom no accident is not fore-seene the Law can haue no exception but all his Law is equity it selfe perpetuall and immutable Hist conc Trid. lib. 4. pag. 321. The King of France anno 1551. in a Printed Manifest published to his subiects that they were not to regard the Popes dispensations which were not able to secure the conscience and are nothing but a shadow cast before the eies of men which cannot hide the truth from God Euen in mens lawes Dispensationes sunt legum vlnera Dispensations are deepe wounds In Gods Lawes deadly wounds both to the lawes and to the dispenser for lawes often wounded haue little life left in them and he that wounds them hath little feeling of conscience Christ came not to dissolue the Law but to fulfill it Matth. 5.17 the Pope comes not to fulfill the lawes but to dissolue them He vnbinds subiects oathes to Princes yea bindes subiects with oathes against Princes both against Gods Law binding where he should loose loosing where he should binde as Anti-god and Antichrist He bindes his Catholickes for a time while they want strength they shall not stirre getting strength then they are loosed then stirre killâ— and massacre Thus Gregory the 13. interprets the Bull of Pius the 5. And thus Princes of the old Christian faith that they liue and reigne are beholden to the Catholickes of the new stampe not for their faith but for their weakenesse Hist conc Trent lib.
eos orbem which is in English The pillars of the earth are the Lords he hath let the world vpon them but which they vnderstand thus The Cardinals are lords of the earth c. Cardines id â—st Cardinales super qâ—ibus diu jâ—m qua debâ—it quiâ—scere mouetur tâ—â—â—ra saith our Bishop Andrewes Ad Cardinalis â—ellaâ—mini Apologiam Responsic cap. 4. pag 97. Cardinâ—ls are such henges as the earth moueth vpon when it should be quiet This dignity is not nâ—w saith Bellaâ—mâ—ne ib. for it is 5â—â— yeeres old but surely that is new that came nâ—â— in till aâ—ter twise 500 yeeres and more This is alleadged and confuted by Azorius Instit moral part 2. l. 4. c. 1. §. 3 queritur B. Moâ—â—â—n Appeal l. 4. c. 19 sect 3. they were made the onely Electors of the Pope after that the Emperour was first thrust out from the election then the people and afterwards the Clergy And in short time the Cardinals grew to be fellowes to Kings guardians to Princes and Protectors of Nations but all to the popes best interest they were created with these words Estote Fratres nostri principes mundi Be ye our brethren and princes of the world Pope Pius 2. spake thus to his new created Cardinals Vos Senatores vrbis regum similes eritis veri mundi cardines super quos militantis ostium Ecclesia voluendum ac regendum est You Senators of the City and like to Kings shall be the true hooks or henges of the world vpon which the dore of the militant Church is to be turned and ruled They were by Innocent the fourth dignified with Purple In the age when TransubstantiatioÌ„ was made an article of Faith they were not transubstantiated but transaccidentated and made more glorious to the eyes of the world about anno 1250. Thus their dignity authority was great and as great was their maintenance and wealth For to this dignity were chosen the greatest prelates of sundry Diocesses and Prouinces as of Yorke for example and Canterbury in England Rhemes and Roane in France Toledo in Spaine Lisbon in Portugall Milaâ— Ravenna Venice in Italy In Germany Colen Trier and Mens in Bohemia Praga in Poland Cracovia in Hungary Strigonium and so forth the chiefest Bishops in all Christendome to be the â—ardinall Priests and Deacons of Rome And although their dignitie was named of some parish or Deaconship of Rome yet they held their Bishopricks still and many other added to them vnder the name of perpetuall administration As Tho. Wolsey Archbishop of Yorke had the title of priest of S. Cicilies parish in Rome and perpetuall administrator of the Archbishopricke of Yorke Stow. Speed c. and of the other Bishopricks which he inioyed by other trickes and titles our Chronicles reckon Turney in France Rainol Hart. cap. 7. div 6. pag. 386. Onuphrius lib. de Rom. Pont. Card. Lincolne Winchester Bathe Worcester and Hereford in England seuen Bishoprickes besides the Abbey of S. Albones Cardinall Hippolitus being Deacon of S. Lucies in Rome Archpriest of S. Peters had three Archbishopricks some hundreds of miles distant Milan in Lombardy Capua in Naples Strigonium in Hungary besides three other Bishopricks one in Hungary two in Jtaly Agria Mutina and Ferrara Though others had but 5 4 3 2 or but one And if liuing failed to maintaine the Cardinals pompe The popes vsed reseruations and prouisions of Benefices besides Bishopricks and Abbyes such as then were voyde Walsingam hist Angl. in Edw 3. or should next fall void in all Countreyes vntill they amounted to a certaine rate as of 2000 markes in England for two new Cardinals in King Edward the thirds time Onuph in Rom. Pont. Card. and the like for tenne others in other Countries at the same time newly created by pope Clement the sixt This exceeding great Dignity and Wealth meeting together allured many to desire these places And the politicke popes vsed to chuse Cardinals of two sorts some of Noble and potent families to adde strength by the aliance of Princes and great Nobles and to get intelligence and Oares in their gouernment others of great wit and learning by that meanes also to enlarge and vphold the Papacy against learned Aduersaries For euen Princes and Nobles second sonnes or other kinsmen wanting maintenance to support their Nobility were either of themselues desirous or might easily be induced to accept of such places and their parents and friends were glad to be so eased of the charge to maintaine them and the whole families became thereby assured friends to the Papacy and good instruments to vphold and defend it On the other side many learned men that wanted both Nobility and maintenance and thirsted after both by hauing such braue places bestowed vpon them tooke themselues to be bound by all their wit learning and diligence to maintaine them But it was not altogether safe to haue Cardinals in whom both these things Nobility of blood and excellency of learning did meet lest knowing a double worthinesse in themselues they should not be so much beholden to their places as their places to them nor so pliable or ready to doe their best in their defence when they found themselues able to stand without them These Cardinals of both sorts by their kindred wit learning policy counsell and diligence in managing the state are great vpholders of the Papacy and yet beyond all this the pope makes a further vse of them to wit to shew a needlesnesse of any councels either generall or particular Since that graue Senate of Cardinals is full sufficient to manage all the state of the whole Church without further trouble to the world Bellarmine confesseth that the particular Roman Councels exoleuerunt are worne out of vse Bellar. apologia ad praefationem monitoriam Iacobi Regis p. 39. it seems saith he the Consistory of Cardinals succeeds in their place See B. Andrewes answer to it pag. 107. And the generall Councels as he calls them which the Church hath had since the Cardinals came to the height which now they inioy three at Lateran two at Lions one at Vienna one at Constans one at Florâ—ns and one at Trent were not true generall Councels no better then the particulars of Rome now vanished since all things were done there according to the appetite of one man and may more fitly be called The decrees of Popes then the Canons of Councels except onely that of Constance wherein matters were carried by the Deputies of Nations the popes brought into better order three popes at once abdicated and where it was decreed that thenceforward there should be no more then 24 Cardinals and that euermore within ten yeares a Councell should be called Things not performed neither will be and therefore it is wonder the Cardinall would mention this Councell And why should he call the other which he mentioneth generall when the right manner of calling them and of ordering
them and safe comming to them and freedome of voyces were all taken away If things be thus carried what needes any Senate of the whole Church when a Senate of present Cardinals either can doe all or must doe all Therefore this inuention state and choyce of Cardinals is a powerfull politicke deuice to maintaine the Papacy and keepe off the strongest opposition §. 6. See relation of Religion in these Western parts §. 13. c. Monasteries also as now they are vsed are great vpholders of the Papacy in binding many thousands fast vnto it for their owne maintenance For there is entertainement for all sorts of people Men Women Nobler baser in the higher or lower places They are Hauens or finall Refuges to receiue men of discontented humours or despairing passions or vnfortunate or vnfit for other Trades or disgraced or crossed in the world or distasted with the world or tyred out with enemies or wanting maintenance there they may be discharged of toyles and cares and prouided for without charge to their parents or friends to the great ease of parents and better portions of their other brethren who are all bound to the Abbeyes and Papacy for this benefit And there are such diuersities of orders and degrees of Monasteries in strictnesse or slacknesse of their rules that in one or other euery humour may receiue contentment the more deuout and melancholicke in the more seuere and austere orders the looser in orders of greater liberty All of them for present maintenance without care and protection without feare and for hope of rising to higher and higher places among such multitudes and diuersities must needs loue and defend to the vttermost of their powers the authors of their welfare And though they haue frequent fastings and prayers c. yet with a little vse they can endure it well as matters nothing comparable to the benefits they receiue these are but physicke to keepe them aliue against the diseases which else their ease and fulnesse at other times would breed And their delights are many to content them and the rest of the world inward hope that all their outward courses highly please God and they liue in a state of perfection farre aboue the best of ordinary Christians meriting heauen many blessings both for themselues and others their benefactors they haue their legends and familiar relations of visions miracles apparitions and reuelations much pleasing the credulous superstitious and phantasticall they haue their sweet Musicke glorious showes beautifull Images rich vestments variable ceremonies for the admiration of the simple Their Cities and great places abound in all varietie both of things and times and orders to content and delight the seuerall humours of all their baits to allure their hookes to retaine all kinde of people One day all Maskes Playes and lollity another day all Processions Fasting and whipping themselues vpon one doore an Excommunication casting downe to Hell all trangressors vpon another a Iubile or Pardon from all transgressions on one side of the street a house of vailed Nunnes on the other side an house of open Curtezans and the Stewes allowed for a pension payed to the pope as well as the Nunnes Neuer was any state in the world so strangely compacted of infinite varieties to please variety of humors and so strongly combined to maintaine the Master-piece Neuer was any prince so able to preferre his seruants and followers and that at other mens cost as the pope nor so able quickly and easily to take deepe reuenge of his enemies His authority is so great so setled in base peoples hearts his power so strong and adherents so many his agents so quicke to execute his will that any sinne against him is vnpardonable and on the other side any sinne either against God or Nature or prince or State by intercession to him and respectiue attendance on his Officers may be dispensed with or pardoned or passed by without disturbance §. 7. See Relation of Religion in the West §. 17. See B. White against Fisher pag. 186. c. Auricular confession pretended for repentance reformation direction and comfort of sinners and might with some cautions be profitably vsed to those purposes yet by the abuse doth yeeld to the Romish great benefit for the managing of affaires since thereby they pry into the hearts dispositions consciences and humours of all men Nobles and inferiours in euery Country whereby the more wise and politicke sort which are confessors to great men may come to know many secret carriages of businesses and also who are the fittest instruments to be imployed either in furthering or crossing their designes and by enioyning penance may make great vse of the dispositions which by such confessions are discouered Beside the gifts which they may wring from them vpon their death-beds or other sicknesses Of all which I wish there were no examples or practises §. 8. As we find the former policies make principally for the popes greatnesse strength and honour setting him vp aboue all the world Clergy and Laity so wee find many others notably contriued to furnish him and his agents with treasure answerable to so great a State Beside his temporals giuen by great Princes or won from them and others by power or policy his commings in are great from Abeyes Bishopricks and Benefices their Institutions Inductions Inuestitures palles first fruits tenthes subsidies and other impositions vpon occasions or at his pleasure And by sutes to the Court of Rome of Controuersies from all Countries and by appeales reseruations exemptions Relation of Religion in the West §. 38. pag. 98 99. dispensations and other rich inuentions Abbeyes many of them haue extrordinary faculties granted them whereby they gather much money but the pope vseth them as spunges to drinke what Iuice they can from the people that afterwards he may wring them out one by one into his owne Cesterne When Religious houses and Bishopricks waxe rich his Holinesse lets them blood in their ouer-full veines The masses of money were infinite that from all Countries of Christendome came in this way so that their temporals which should haue been their principall was then but an accessory addition to their greatnesse The people likwise payed their Peterpence Vsher de succes eccle cap. 7. §. 8 9 10. which in England was confirmed by W. Conqueror and made an yearely tribute although the same King denied to take the oath of fidelity to the pope §. 9. Purgatory is a most politicke deuice as it is now held to bring in great store of treasure to the popes cofers The pope hath the keyes of that terrible burning prison wherein soules must frye which haue not on earth satisfied for their sinnes vntill they haue payed the vttermost farthing except the pope by Masses Pardons Pilgrimages Offerings and such like let them out Which helpes are not to be affoorded without payment of money testifying their repentance But vpon good payments to his Holinesse and the Churches
vses men may redeeme their owne or their friends soules from suffering there for any sinnes at certaine rates A Merchandize as profitable for the Popes Church triumphant on earth as vnprofitable for the patient in that fire §. 10 Rossensis contra Lutherum art 18. fol. 111. Quamdiu nulla fuerat de purgatorio cura nemo quae sivit indulgentias c. Indulgences were begun by Vrban 2. anno 1100. saith hist concil Trent pag. 4. Vpon this opinion of Purgatory as D. Fisher Bishop of Rochester saith dependeth the vse of Pardons and Masses for the dead and such like These Pardons were sent abroad to all Countries to gather vp money for the Popes vses and set soules free from Purgatory and the abuse of Pardoners was so great that finally it caused M. Luther to oppose them and from them to proceed to detect many other abuses of the Papacy Pardon 's likewise were extended to them that went on pilgrimage to the Shrines Images or Reliques of Saints and there offered vp their money and deuotions Which was an incredible inriching of those townes in euery Kingdome where such Images and Reliques were and to which the good pope had granted such Indulgences and where the Inhabitants had spred abroad that strange miracles and cures were wrought that towne or City was made for euer it needed none other maintenance But such blessings were neither purchased gratis nor continued without gratifications to the pope Such was at Walsingham in England See Erasm colloquium Peregrinatio Religionis ergo in our Grandfathers dayes Thomas Beckets shrine Vbi omnia auro ni ent saith Erasmus where all shone with gold wealth and magnificence in the Temple and towne to the great admiration of the beholders And now or lately the Lady of Laureto in Italy the Lady of Hales the Lady of Aspricol in Germany miraculous Images draw hearts of people and heapes of gold the greatest miracle they worke and the greatest cure to cure the towne of pouerty More specially in later times the stations in Rome are vsed to this purpose that is vnto certaine Churches Saints and Images in Rome there are appropriated certaine Indulgences to be granted vpon the appointed Sundayes or Holidayes to all the visitors thereof that come and offer vpon the said dayes And of these stations and visiting dayes there are reckoned at least 89 in the yeare Moulins Defence pag. 161. Erasman Mat. 11. pag. 55. Anno 1540. wherin pilgrimes and trauellers come from all Countries to Rome to the great enriching of the Temples and the City The like Indulgences are granted also to the Visitors of some other places vpon the like dayes And this shewes vs a notable politicke and rich vse of the multitude of their Holydayes For the more Festiuall dayes the more going to the offering the more frequent pardons Those are the Market dayes for that Trafficke when other Tradesmen shut vp their shops the priests open theirs Poore mens hands are tyed with scrupulous Idlenesse from getting their owne liuing vpon such Holydayes and made wickedly deuout against their wills to maintaine the Incomes of deuout superstition §. 11. And yet they haue gone further Bonifiace 8. Rainold Hart. cap. 7. diuis 5. pag. 338. et 390. of whom it is said He entred like a Foxe raigned like a Lyon and dyed like a Dogge in the yeare 1300. ordained a Iubile to be euery hundredth yeare with grant to all people that in those yeares should come to Rome and visit the sepulchres of Peter and Paul and other Monuments or Reliques a full pardon of all their sinnes and that they should goe directly to heauen without comming at all in Purgatory These Iubilees were afterwards drawne to euery fiftieth yeare and lastly to twenty fiue And because some Countries lay farre from Rome the popes would grant and proclaime that it should be sufficient to send their money without comming themselues Polydor Virgil writing the History of England saith that in the yeare 1500 a principall yeare of Iubile Pope Alexander 6. sent to King Henry 7. as into all other remote Nations offers of pardons vsuall at Iubiles to all that for dangers distances weaknesse c. could not come to Rome if they would giue bountifully towards the Wars which he intended against the Turke And that the King might more willingly further this gathering the pope offered him part of the money Whereupon great summes of money were gathered but yet no wars with the Turke followed Dij meliora Thus writes Polydore Virgil. Hist conc Trent lib. 1. pag. 4 5. And within 20 yeares after anno 1517. pope Leo partly to supply his owne Coffers and partly to bestow more liberally on his friends sent an Indulgence thorowout all Christendome granting to all that would giue money freedome from the paines of Purgatory licence to eat egges and whitmeats on Fasting dayes c. and the mony which should be gathered in Saxony and some other parts of Germany he appointed to his sister Magdalene wife to Franceschetto Cibo bastard sonne of Jnnocent 8. by reason of which marriage this Leo was created Cardinall at 14 yeares of age which was the first beginning of the Ecclesiasticall greatnesse in the house of the Medici She committed the preaching of the Indulgences and exacting of the money to such as promised to raise the most profit by them and they vsed most wicked and scandalous courses to abuse the peoples credulousnesse withdraw them from the true way of saluation and draine them of their worldly maintenance Which abuses M. Luther and many other learned men could not endure with silence and being once opened to the world both Princes and people opposed them By these few Relations you may guesse at other times what hath been done And you may well think that neuer any Prince could so easily and so quickly get together such masses of money out of his owne Countries as the pope could doe out of all Countries of Christendome and that he could neuer want as long as he could hold a penne in his hand For by strange Alchymistry he can turne a little piece of Lead into a great masse of gold §. 12. Obserue here by the way that to maintaine the great profit that comes in by purgatory and pardons the popes positions found a necessity to corrupt the true ancient Doctrine of Iustification and to teach otherwise then Saint Paul and the Fathers had done to wit that a man endued with Gods grace is able to fulfill the whole Law and consequently that hee may be iustified by his owne workes and that his workes are truly meritorious of eternall life yea further that he is able to do works of supererogation that is more then he needed to doe for his owne saluation euen workes that may be imputed or ascribed vnto other men that want to merit their deliuery out of purgatory and that these super-abundant merits or works of supererogation may by the pope Christs
Vicar or Vicegerent be applyed giuen or sold to whom he thinkes good A quaint deuise but without all this purgatory pardons pilgrimages Masses for the dead c. are to no purpose If Saint Pauls doctrine of Iustification by Christs merits onely stand then haue we no merits if no merits no supâ—rerogation if no super-erogatory merits then no pardons if no pardons surely either no purgatory or no deliuerance by the pope from thence and then a great deale of the popes income is cut off But horresâ—o refâ—rens rather then that earthly treasure be diminished the spirituall and heauenly treasure and worth of Christs merits be diminished the sound Doctrine of Iustification corrupted mans free-will merit supererogation pardons and other gainfull doctrines appendant thereunto deuised magnified and established Saint Paul said 1 Tim. 6.6 9 10. Godlinesse is great gaine these men make great gaine to be godlinesse He saith They that will be rich fall into temptations snares foolish and hurtfull lusts and that the loue of mony is the root of all euill which while some haue coueted after they haue erred from the faith Alas that they that hold the chiefest places in the Church should be of that number §. 13. I omit Crucifixes Beads Amulets Graines Medals and other things of great vertue sent from the pope to be hanged about peoples neckes or otherwise worne about them 1 Cor. 3.12 as defensatiues against euill spirits and other dangers which though they may be thought to be but hay and stubble yet when your Midaâ— hath touched them they are taken for pure gold and of great vertue farre fetched and deare bought §. 14. To omit these and many other things I will speake onely of extraordinary exactions and in our Countrey onely An. Dom. 1245. Regis 29. or especially Matthâ—w of Wâ—stmiâ—stâ—r â—n his booke called Flores Historiarum writing of King Henry the thirds tâ—me saâ—th that the Kâ—ng vpon search through euery County of England found the Romane reuâ—nues to amount to threescore thousand markes by yeare equall to the Kings reuenues And yet the popes exactions were so great besides Pag. 195. that our Nobles made complaints thereof both by words anâ— writing in the Counâ—ell of Lyons shewing the â—ntollerable grieuanâ—es oppressions of the popes Officers most impudently violently done that by the popes Commissâ—on coâ—mand with a non obstante which took away all lawes or rights and authenticke writings The pope for the present put off his answer being busied with excommunicating Fâ—edericke the Emperour But afterwards enraged with anger and disdaine at their complaints he multiplied their oppressions without measure or end So that a Parliament was called to take some course to saue the land from vtter spoyle and ruine of the pope Pag. 206 207. and all men reioyced to see the Kings courage and constancy hoping now they should be powerfully deliuered from the iniuries of the Court of Rome And first seuerall letters were sent to the pope and Cardinals wrâ—tten by the Bishops and by the King and by the Abbots and Priors and by the Earle Richaâ—d and all the Nobles with him all humbly petitioning to spare the exhausted Realme of England and recall the grieuances which in their letters they rehearsed which letters were pennâ—d in such pittifull sort that they were able to soften an heart of yron saith the story But they receiued hard answers Pag. 209 210 217. and drew more misery still vpon them For the pope shortly after demaunded of euery Beneficed man in England resident on his charge a third part and of non residents an halfe of their goods for thâ—ee yeares which prouoked all Christ and in England to hate and curse the pope And diuâ—rs Noblemen of France to wit the Duke of Burgundy the Eâ— le of Britaine the Earle of Saint Pâ—ul and many other conspired against â—im and bâ—gan a Sch sme which tâ—â— puâ—lished in writing which is extent in â—he â—â—ory and in Mâ—â—â—◠〈◊〉 â—erswading all men to reforme and liue after the fashion of the Primitiue Church Anno 1247. But the State and Clergy of England wrote againe to the popâ— and Cardinals for ease from these exactions giuing notice also of a dangerous Shisme else like to follâ—w This caused the pope somewhat to mitigate the exaction in England and draw downe to â—lâ—uen thousand markes to be payed for his present necessities Which summe our Bishops thought best to grant to auoyde the Roman greater persecution But out of this payment they left out all the Abbots of England pag. 219. to be deeplier fleeced by the Court of Rome At the same time also the pope got vp sixe thousand markes in Jreland and in other Countries what could be raked vp pag. 210 After all this new exactions came vpon the English especially vpon the Abbots and exempted persons pag. 222. Of one Abbey of S. Albans the popes Officer demaunded foure hundred markes which yet the pope was afterward induced to mitigate Math. Paris in vlla Henrici tertij See also Speeds Chron. in Henry 3. nu 52 57 60. anno 1234. In the same Kings raigne Mathy Paris saith that by the popes mandata de prouidendo for illiterate Italian Clerkes and Gratiae expectativae to wit in giuing Benefices as they fell voyd to Italians that neuer came at them but had the yearely reuenues thereof in mony brought into Jtaly to them there went out of the land yearely more treasure then the Kings reuenues amounted vnto And because it was not possible that the English of themselues should be alwayes funished with money to be sent in such summes out of the land the popes Merchants as they called them that is men sent hither for that purpose supplied them with money vpon vsury and the Roman Farmers and Proctors like greedy Harpies scraped vp all into their hands to the great impouerishing and misery of the English So that holy men with heart-breakings teares and deadly groanes singultu cruentato saith Paris professed it were better for them to die then to see such miseries vpon their Nation and vpon holy men the Daughter of Sion becomming such an impudent Harlot Against which Robert Grosthead Bishop of Lincolne opposeth himselfe writing to the Pope his Epistle is extant in Mathy Paris that his detestable abhominable soule-murdering actions did euince him to be an Hereticke worthy of death yea to be Antichrist and to sit in the chaire of pestilence next to Lucifer h mselfe and that he had no power to excommunicate such as resisted these his actions Paris telleth further that King Henrie requiring the Prelates to binde themselues to the Popes Merchants for a great summe of money they replyed English Prelats counted it rather Martyrdome to dye against the Pope then for him that they would rather dye then suffer such oppression holding it a more manifest Martyrdome to dye in such a cause then was the death of Thomas Becket
proued by â—criptures Fathers and Councels that no mortall man had power to giue a dispensation for a man to marry hâ—s brothers wife and told the Pope they had brought also other learned men out of England which were ready by dispensation to maintaine it The Pope promised sundry times a day of disputation but after many delayes giuing them good entertainement he made Cranmer his â—enitentiary and dismissed them Then the rest returning Cranmer was sent by the Kings appointment Embassadour into Germany to the Emperour where hee drew many to his side and among the rest Cornelius Agrippa While hee was in Germany Archbishop Warhan dyed and the K. sent for Cranmer to make him Archbishop of Canterbury who delayed his returne partly for businesse and partly for conscience and feare that he should be vrged to receiue the Bishopricke as from the Popes Donation when the right or Donation was in the King As he plainely told the King after his comming home But yet the matter was so handled that both with the Kings and the popes consent Cranmer was made Archbishop There are many letters from the pope soâ—â— to the King some to Cranmer in fauour of Cranmer recorded in the Register of Cranmer fol. 1 2 3. and related in Master Masons Booke lib. 2. cap 6. Whereof one for his Consecration runnes thus Clement Bishop 〈◊〉 our welbeloued sonne Thomas elect of Canterbuty Weâ— grant he eâ—câ— to thee that thou mâ—â—st â—â—â—eiue the gift of Consecration of whatsoeuer Catholicke Prelate thou wilt so he enioy the fauor and communion of the Apostolicke See two or three Bishops enioying the like fauour and communion being sent for and assisting him in this businesse Dat. Bouon 1532. Pontificatus numeri decimo And he was accordingly consecrated March 30. 1533 24. H. 8. by three Bishops to his Lincolne John Exon Hâ—yâ—ry Assaph I hope there can be no quarrell picked against this Consecration The most busie-headed Iesuite of our times Robert Parsons acknowledgeth Cranmer a true Bishop in his three Conuersions part 3. pag. 340. Antiquus But did not Cranmer take the oath to the Bishop of Rome at his Consecration as his predcessors had done and afterwards brake it Sanders de schis lib. 1 cap. 58. Mason lib. 2. cap. 7. Ex Regist Cran. fol. 4. b. Antiquissimus Indeed your D. Sanders so slanders him as if he had taken it simply and absolutely which he did not but with a protestation often made and repeatâ—d plainly and publikely first in the Chapter-house secondly kneeling before the high Altar in the hearing of the Bishops and people at his consecration thirdly in the very same place and in the very same words when by Commission from the Pope they deliuered him the Pall. The summe of the protestation was this That hee intended not to binde himselfe to any thing which was contrary to the Law of God or contrary to the King or Common wealth of England or the Lawes and prerogatiues of the sâ—me nor to restraine his owne liberty to speake consult or consent in all and euery thing concerning the Reformation of Christian Religion the Gouernment of the Church of England and the prerogatâ—ue of the Crowne or the commodity of the Common-wealth And euery where to execute and reforme such things which he should thinke fit to be reformed in the Church of England And according to this interpretation and this sense and no otherwise he professed and protested that hee would take the oath Sect. 5. Antiquus Well I am satisfied for Cranmer What say you to the rest of that time for he alone could not consecrate Antiquissimus I say first the Bishops in King Henries time which had beene consecrated before the renouncing of the popes authority lost not their power of consecrating afterwards For their Character is indeleble and cannot bee nullified by schisme heresie or censure of the Church being a thing imprinted in the soule by God and not by Man as the Councels h Concil of Florence Trent cited by Bellar. De Sacram in genere lib. 2. cap. 19. and your owne Doctors i Bellarmine in the same chapter De Rom. pont lib. 4. c. 10. § Respondeo falsissimum esse in fine he saith Quis ignorat Catholicorum baptizatos ab Haereticis verè esse baptizatos similiter ordinatos vere esse ordinatos quando ordinator vere episcopus fuerat adhuc erat saltem quantum ad Characterem teach Secondly I say that by the Statutes made in the 25 yeare of King Henry 8 it was ordained that euery Bishop should be consecrated by three former Bishops and with all due ceremonies And this is acknowledged by your k De schis lib. 3 pag. 296. D. Sanders and was duly performed in all Consecrations as of Cranmer of Canterbury 1533. Lee of Liechfield 1534. Browne Archbishop of Dublin 1535. Wharton of Assaph 1536. Holgate of Landaffe 1537. Holbecke of Bristow 1537. Thurlby of Westminster 1540. Wakeman of Glocester 1541. Bucklsy of Bangor 1541. Bush of Bristow 1542. Kitchin of Landaffe 1545. Euery one consecrated by three Bishops at the least and with all due ceremonies So that of King Henries time both by the statute De jure and by Records De facto you may be fully resolued that according to your owne rules all were true Bishops that were consecrated either before or after the schisme as you call it nd so they were acknowledged that liued still in Queene Maries time they that had beene thus consecrated in King Henries time were acknowledged I say by all your Catholickes and by the Pope himselfe to be rightly consecrated neither needed they any new consecration as B. Bouer Bishop Thurlby and Cardinall Pole But Thurlby made Bishop of Westminster in King Henries time was translated to Norwich by King Edward and to Ely by Queene Mary and made of her priuy Councell And Anthony Kitchin made Bishop of Landaffa in King Henries time so continued in King Edward and Queene Maries time and till his death in the fift yeare of Queene Elizabeth without any new orders or consecration the first being sufficient and in all times vndoubted Also Reginal Poole Archbishop of Canterbury Thomas Watson Dauid Pole Iohn Christoferson made Bishops in Queene Maries time deriued their Consecration from Bishops which were made in the time of the pretended schisme and some of them from Cranmer himselfe Now then if you allow them for Canonicall you must allow their consecrators also to be Canonicall Sect. 6. King Henries Bishops then being thus cleared come we to King Edwards time wherin the Bishops formerly made and then continuing are cleared also to bee truely Consecrated and the Priests also formerly made and continuing in King Edwards time must be acknowledged to be rightly ordered and therefore to be capable of consecration to be made Bishops as were Ridley Hooper Ferrar. These therefore being consecrated by three Bishops became true Canonicall Bishops and so were all throughout King
Canonicall Scriptures Decret c. in Canonicis dist 19. § V. Thus Erasmus argueth Annot. in 1 Cor. 7. B. Mort Appeal l. 2. c. 20. sect 5. l 3. c. 15. §. 4. Consider lastly what need had there beene of any Councels to what end was so much labour and cost bestowed to what purpose to trouble so many Vniuersities to call together so many learned Diuines to turne ouer so many bookes to beate their heads in the finding out of the truth in discussing of hard questions and satisfying of doubts if all this might be so quickly easily and sweetly done by the onely iudgement and determination of the Pope CHAP. 8. Of the good which the Popes Supremacy might doe to the Church § 1. That is vrged but 2. answered that policies agreeable to Gods word and the Primitiue Church onely are sufficient and blessed by God § 3. But this policy might be set vp by any sect § 4. It is vnprofitable and vntollerable 5. shewed by examples of Hildebrand 6. The voiages against the Turke proued profitable to the Pope not to Christian Princes 7. as appeared by the Story of Gregory 9. and Frederik 2. Emperour and 8. many other most wicked Popes § 9. The Emperour Phocas erred much in gouernment in making the Pope so great so farre from him For Popes shortly after proued Masters of mis-rule eiecting the Emperors out of Italy § 10. Their turbulent proceeding to dethrone Princes § 11. Their troubles wrought in England in King Henry 1. his time by Anselme In King Henry 2. time by Becket In King Iohns reygne by Pope Innocent § 12. In these latter times of Queene Elizabeth by the Bull of Pius Quintus and the erecting of Seminaries at Rome and Rhemes Schooles of Traytors The reasons briefly touched 1. Of the Rebellion in the North 2. Of Ormonds brethren 3. and 4. Of other petty conspiracies 5. Stukely 6. Sanders 7. Someruile 8. Motiues to the Ladies of Honour 9. Of Throgmorton 10. Mendoza 11. Creighton the Iesuite 12. Parry 13. Percy 14. Sauage 15. Balard with his complices 16. Aubespineus 17. Stanley and Yorke 18. The Spanish Armado 19. Lopez 20. Squire 21. Tyrone And in the time of King Iames 22. Watson Clarke and others 23. The Powder treason Some obseruations out of these § 13. A good Christian abhorreth these treasons and reiecteth the doctrine that teacheth them § 14. And thereby is by reason forced to renounce to be an absolute Papist and to thinke the doctrines grounded onely vpon the Popes authority without Scripture to be vnnecessary and consequently to acknowledge that it is not necessary to be a Roman-Catholike The conclusion with a briefe recapitulation of the whole precedent conference §. 1. Antiquus ALthough the supreme gouernment of the Church by the Pope and the infallibility of his iudgement could not bee proued by diuine proofes yet is the good thereof so great for the preseruation of peace and vnity and much other happinesse both in the Church and Common-wealth that euen in good reason and policy the very shadowes of proofes should be admitted as sufficient to establish it And if such power and infallible iudgement may be giuen to any it is most fit it be giuen to him that hath from all Antiquity beene accounted the principall Patriarch and the high Bishop of the principall City of the world Antiquissimus Indeed Antiquus now I thinke you hit the nayle on the head for the Popes Supremacy and infallibility hath no other ground but meere humane policy shadowed by the Scripture cunningly wrested deuised by their learned Politicians for their owne wealth and greatnesse and taught by their Agents as most necessary for peace vnity and much other good a Bellar de Rom. Pont. l. 4. c. 6. § quarta proposit o. Probabile est pâ—eque credi potest pontificem vt pontificem errare non posse c. Bellarmine seemes to confesse thus much when he saith It is probable may piously be thought that the Pope as Pope cannot erre nor as a particular person be an heretike Had hee had better arguments is it probable hee would haue come in with Probabile est piéque credi potest But your b Costerus Enchir pag. 123. Si nullum caput visibile in ecclesia a Christo constitutum foret vehementer optari ab omnibus oporteret Costerus the Iesuite is a little more plaine If there were no visible head saith he appointed by Christ in the Church yet such an one ought to be wished for of all men and your D. c Alablaster Motiue 6. Alablaster yet more plainely Where saith he there is not an infallible authority which doth iudge and decide controuersies by remouing all occasions of doubt and reply and vnto which absolute obedience is tied there must needs be variety of iudgements and opinions which cannot be tyed in one knot And therefore the Protestants haue done very vnwisely to disgrace and reiect this profitable policy of the Church the fountaine of vnity Mr Alablaster cals it policy §. 2. But alas Deare friend In Gods businesse I looke onely for Truth and Sincerity which God may blesse and prosper not for shadowes and policy without them which God doth ordinarily infatuate and confound Happy had it beene for the Angels if they had continued in the excellency of their first estate but when they stroue to be higher their policy failed them they fell lower and of Angels became diuels Gods ordinance for d Ephes 4. vers 12 13 15. gathering of his Saints e vers 14. preseruing true and vncorrupt doctrine and f vers 16. effectuall perfecting of the Church in euery part was saith Saint Paul g vers 11. He gaue some Apostles some Prophets some Euangelists some Pastors and Teachers If one visible Head had beene necessary to these purposes heere was the place he should be spoken of wherein since hee is not mentioned doubtlesse Saint Paul knew no such ordinance of God See the like Catalogue of Church-Officers in 1 Cor. 12.28 29. c. this one visible head is neuer mentioned nor heere nor in any other place of Scripture but left out as supernumerarius and superfluous And we finde whilst Gods ordinance was obserued the Church did wonderfully prosper when it was shouldered out out by humane policies all things grew worse and went to wracke It was an euident worke of Gods Spirit h B. Vsher Sermon at Wansted pag. 20. that the first planters of Religion and their successors spreading themselues through the whole world layd the foundations of the â—ame Faith euery where in great vnity and vniformity and yet were kept only by the Vnity of the Spirit in that bond of peace without setting vp any one man on earth ouer them all to keepe peace and vnity The true bond which contained the Doctors and Fathers of the Primitiue Church in the vnity of Faith and wrought the conuersion of Nations continueth in our Church also
troubles enough from the Papacy euen in these remote parts farre from Rome after the thousandth yeer of Christ that is after the loosing of Sathan Reuel cap. 20.7 8. and after that the Pope came to his height Anselme Archbishop of Canterbury did somewhat trouble King Henry the first for whereas in former times the Bishops and Abbots of England vsed to receiue their Inuestitures from the King by receiuing a Pastorall Staffe and Ring at his hand as Saint Wulstan had done from St. Edward the King professing thereby he would resigne it onely to him now Anselme refused to consecrate certaine Bishops whom the King aduanced and gaue them their Inuestitures so that the King was compelled to send an Embassage to the Pope Paschalis and before him to pleade his cause as Anselme also did his in like manner But this matter was indifferently quietly ended for the Pope by the mediation of white and red saith a Monke the historian was content to confirme the Bishops but ordained withall that the King should doe so no more that is that the King should lose the priuiledge of his Ancestors This was done Anno dom 1104. Anselme died Henries primi anno 11. Speed Chron. pag. 457. But Thomas Becket being made first Lord Chancelor and afterwards Archbishop by the fauour of King Henry 2. troubled the King much more for the King being informed of much misdemeanour of Clergy men who besides other offences had committed an hundred murders in his raigne and that they were not punished nor degraded by the Bishops but shifted away into Abbeyes or otherwayes defended so that the wronged had no remedy the wrong-doers no punishment true innocent men no safety and none of them were in condition of subiects the King required such to be punished by his Lawes and to haue the customes of his Ancestors obserued whereunto all the Bishops assented but onely Becket who not only resisted but complained of the King to Pope Alexander and Alexander at first desiring to hold the Kings loue willed Becket to yeeld and Becket so promised to the King absolutely But when the King assembled his States at Clarendon in Wiltshire Becket relapsed and said hee had grieuously sinned in promising but would not sinne in performing yet at the instance and teares of many Noble persons and others priuately intreating him for the good of the whole land he yeelded againe and promised in verbo sacerdotali to obserue all and all the Earles Bishops Abbots and Clergy did sweare and promise the like but when hee should set his hand and seale to a writing thereof hee refused againe Of all this the King by Embassage enformed the Pope desiring a legantiue power to be sent to the B. of Yorke which the Pope vnwillingly granted and withall made it so slight that the King in disdaine sent the Bull backe againe to the Pope Then was Becket required to giue an account of his Chancelorship which he refused to doe and to come vnto the King and being told he would be condemned of periury and treason for not yeelding temporall alleagiance to his temporall Soueraigne as hee had sworne and that the Prelates would disclayme all obedience vnto him as their Archbishop hee caused to bee sung before him at the Altar The Princes sit and speake against mee and the vngodly persecute me And forthwith taking his siluer Crosier in his hands went armed into the Kings presence Whereat the King inraged caused his Peeres to proceed in iudgement against him they condemne him to prison for treason and periury he appeales to Rome and away gets him into France procures the French Kings fauour and by him the Popes To the Pope the King sends a Noble Embassage desiring to haue two Cardinalls sent into England to end the matter The Pope denies it reseruing the iudgment to himselfe The King by his Sherifs Sequesters all Beckets profits in England Becket in France excommunicates all in England that maintained the Auitall or ancient customes naming some great men The King fearing his owne excommunication gathers a great Army pretending to subdue Wales Meane season the Pope is perswaded to send two Cardinalls but they cannot perswade Becket to yeeld any thing and so that designe for peace was frustrate At length the two Kings of France and England being reconciled met in France before whom Becket being called and earnestly dealt withall would not yeeld any thing so that all men blamed him The Pope willed Gilbert B. of London to admonish the King to giue ouer hee did so but excused the King to the Pope The Pope excommunicates Gilbert and went so farre that the King had scarce one left to reade diuine Seruice in his Chappell The King prayes the Pope to send two Cardinals to absolue his subiects and to make peace Two come into Normandy but returne without possibility of doing any good because Becket would not yeeld a iot At last by the Popes mediation the two Kings met at Paris where King Henry offered to stand to the iudgement of the Diuines of Paris but no peace would be had After all this the King crowned his sonne the Archbishop of Yorke supplying Canterburies absence And in the beginning of the seuenth yeere of the banishment of Becket the two Kings met againe in France and the King fearing the whole Realmes interdiction by the Pope receiued Becket into fauour yeelding him his Bishopricke with all the profits and arrearages and signified it to his sonne in England Now Becket Archbishop in England shortly after published the Popes letters suspending the Archbishop of Yorke for crowning the young King which was Canterburies office with all his adiuuants and would not absolue them but vpon conditions at the earnest request of the young King which the Father King hearing in Normandy was sore displeased and shewed it by some words which foure Knights Courtiers hearing and thinking to doe a great pleasure to the King and to ease the Kingdome of much trouble posted into England and at Canterbury the next day after Innocents day killed the Archbishop at the high Altar and fled into the North. The old King was exceeding sorrowfull at the newes of this murder and sent to the Pope desiring him to send Cardinalls to enquire of the murder to whose wils he would submit himselfe if he could be found consenting Here obserue 1. What these customes were which Becket withstood 1 That without the Kings licence none should appeale from the Courts of England to the Court of Rome 2 That no Bishop nor Archbishop should leaue their Flocke and goe to Rome without the Kings license 3 That they should not interdict nor excommunicate any officer or such as held on the King in chiefe without the Kings licence 4 That Clerkes accused for secular offences should bee tried before secular Iudges 2. Obserue that these Customes besides profitable and necessary were also ancient and so termed but now shortly after Hildebrands time must be altered Kings and States depressed and
the Pope aboue all former times exalted 3. Obserue If Becket had stood for the substance of Religion or any necessary point thereof it had beene a worthy which now was a wicked part but his standing for matters against the good and peace of the Church and Common-wealth and them ancient and well established and that with obstinâ—cy against the iudgement not onely of the King Bishops and Nobles at home but euen of the Pope himselfe at the first the Cardinalls the King of France the Vniuersity of Parts and as I may say all the world argued his exceeding folly pride and peeuishnesse 4 Obserue that euen the best sort of Popes against their owne knowledge and inclination may be drawn by their Counsellors and flatterers and by the tickling desire of wealth and greatnesse to take parâ— countenance and backe most obstinate rebells periured persons and vntollerable troublers of Church and Common wealth yea to defend them while they liue and Saint them after their death Thus King Henry was troubled much by the Romish Hierarchy but King Iohn much more It appeares by this which hath beene said Flores historiarum Matthaei West monast l. 2. p 81 anno 1205 that there had beene troubles about the ancient customes libertie of Princes in the English Church which the Kings stroue still to maintaine and the Popes to infringe whereof one was that no Bishop should bee elected and inuested without the Kings consent in his owne dominions which King Iohn maintained as his predecessors had done It hapned in the seuenth yeere of his raigne that Hubert the Archbishop of Canterbury dyed and the Monks of Canterbury secretly in the night chose Reginald their Sub-prior and brought him in with Te Deum first to the high Altar and then to the Archbishops chayre and presently causing him to sweare secresie sent him with some of their company to the Pope to see how it would be taken but the Pope seeing no letters commendatory from the King made some stay and tooke time to deliberate In the meane season the Monks at home hearing of this delay and finding that Reginald in his way towards Rome had carried himselfe as Archbishop elected and so published their secrets now repenting their euill choyse and bad successe sent to the King and craued license to chuse a new Archbishop whom the King would commend The King winking at their former iniury tooke this kindly and commended vnto their choyse Iohn Grey Bishop of Norwich and brought him to Canterbury himselfe and the Monks in the Kings presence very solemnely chose him put him into the Archbishops seate and the King put him into all the Archbishops possessions writing to the Pope to accept him Had the Pope beene a pious Father of the Church as you describe him giuen to seek peace and ensue it Rom. 12. as much as in him lay he might haue beene well pleased with this peaceable course but hee was led by the spirit of Hildebrand not of Peter and Paul and tooke a course that there might be no peace and that the people might not vnder their natural Kings leade a peaceable and quiet life in all godlinesse and honesty 1 Tim 2. For he would neither accept of Reginald nor Iohn but vrged the Monks that were sent vnto him to chuse a third one Steuen Langton and against all excuses commanded them vpon their obedience and vnder payne of Anathema to doe it presently Whereupon they all yeelded except onely one Elias de Brantfield who still stucke to the King and to the election of the Bishop of Norwich a man worthy of honourable memory for his constant standing though standing alone in danger and to the Popes face to the right to his Prince to the good and liberty of the Church The rest with the Hymn brought Langton to the Altar and the Pope wrote to the King to receiue him B. Caritou iuris c. 7. §. 124. The King was herewith much moued because Steuen Langton though an Englishman born was brought vp vnder the French King promoted by him and tyed to be at his command And therefore King Iohn wrote to the Pope that he had no reason to admit such a one as Langton to such a great place in his kingdome And withall hee banished the Monks that had chosen Langton as traytors and confiscated their goods This was done vpon Saint Swithens day Mat. Westmonast vbi supra The Innocent Pope Pope Innocent the third who about the same time excommunicated Otho 4. Emperour and discharged the States of Almaine and of the Empire from their alleageance vnto him being set on fire with this news sent to the Bishops of England commanding them to put the King and his land vnder the sentence of interdiction which was executed the 24. of March by the Bishops of London Ely and Wigorne who now turned plainely subiects to the Pope and leauing England fled to Rome The King for this cause of Interdict whereby himselfe and his whole land stood accursed commanded all the goods of the Clerks to bee confiscate and theÌ„ drew as many as he could of his people to an oath of alleageance The Pope proceeds to excommunicate the King by name and finally to pronounce sentence of deposition against him discharging all his subiects of their oath of alleagiance vnto him sending also Pandulph his Legate first into England and then to Philip Augustus King of France to bestow vpon him the kingdome of England so that hee would expell King Iohn and take it by force By this meanes King Iohn was strangely and suddenly weakened and vtterly disabled to hold his kingdome seeing strong inuasions from without and daily reuolting within to open insurrections and euery man now counted a Saint and Martyr that would fight or suffer in wars against him considering that the Popes Bulles like Magike spelles had let loose many turbulent spirits not easie to be layd againe but by him that raised them After much strugling he was finally compelled to deliuer vp his Crown to Pandolph that he might receiue it againe from him as from the Popes hands and be protected hy him And this was done in the 15. yeere of King Iohns reygne anno dom 1213. And Steuen Langton made Archbishop Thus the King became the Popes vassall and the King of France forbidden by the Popes Nuncio to meddle any further against him K. Iames Remonstrance pag. 256. being now the Popes liege man whom he would protect And now Iohn held his Crowne of the Pope as a man holds his land of another in Knights seruice or by homage and fealty and did faire homage to the Popes Legate laying downe at his feet a great masse of the purest gold in coyne which the reuerend Legate in token of his Masters Soueraignty kicked and spurned with his feet and at solemne feasts was easily entreated to take the Kings Chayre of estate Obserue here first The progresse of the Hildebrandine Religion in deposing of
Kings and discharging their subiects of their alleagiance fidelity and obedience dissoluing gouernment and filling kingdomes with warres and miseries begunne by Hildebrand and still continued by his successors Obserue secondly out of the story of King Iohn Mat. Westmonast Flores loco quo supra pag. 95. K. Iamâ—s Remonstr p. 58. That this successor of Peter fished not for soules but for kingdomes euen with the destruction of millions of soules if your owne doctrine be true for he caused the whole land to be interdicted and so to continue six yeeres fourteene weekes and two dayes plaguing all this while the whole body of the land for the head the Kings offence a point of iniustice with a heauy spirituall plague for a light temporall offence a point of impiety For al this while the Church-dores through the whole kingdome were shut vp no belles stirred no prayers preaching Sacraments permitted Children kept vnbaptized bodies vnburied all people accursed liuing like heathens dying like dogs without instruction exhortation consolation and all that dye thus vnder the curse of the Interdict without some speciall indulgence or priuiledge are thought for euer damned and adiudged to eternall punishments as dying out of the communion of the Church Alas how many millions of soules did this Innocent the Pope wilfully send to hell in this large kingdome of England and Wales in this large time of aboue six yeeres for anothers offence for what could they doe or what offended they poore people if the King would not be ruled by the Pope Nay they offended the King also and incurred much danger and dammage by falling from their obedience for the Popes sake and yet are thus recompensed by him Are these the actions of the Vicar of Christ to saue soules or rather of Antichrist to destroy them Is this the kinde Father of the Church K. Iames ib. p. 257. But obserue further thirdly how these pretended successors of Saint Peter change their spirituall power into temporall for their worldly gaine and greatnesse and change Christs Kingdome which was not of this world into the winning and disposing of the kingdomes of this world and make the pennance of sinners the forfeiture of their estates Is this the satisfaction to be imposed vpon a sinner that of a Soueraigne and free Prince he must become vassall to his Ghostly Father and make himselfe and all his subiects tributary to a Bishop that shall rifle the whole Nation of their coyne and make them doe him homage Shall not a sinner be quitted of his faults except he be turned out of all his goods possessions inheritance and his Pastor be infeoffed in his whole estate Is this holinesse or is it not plaine tyranny and robbery It is plainely to heape robbery vpon fraud and tyranny vpon robbery and to change the sinners repentance into a snare or pitfâ—ll of coozening deceit And as the end is naught so the meanes is worse to bring it to passe by such subtill pranks and wicked deuices as not to sticke at setting a whole flourishing kingdome on fire by warres and seditions not to care what becomes of mens estates of their bodies liues or soules but bring them all to ruine so that the kingdome may be weakened and the King brought to so low a degree of misery that hee may be easily lifted out of his estate and the kingdome seized vpon Of King Henry the thirds reygne See before booke 1. cap. 6. sect 14. Reade also Math Paris Math. Westminster in Henr. 3. B. Carlton of Iurisdiction exhausted of treasure and scourged of his subiects by the Popes most intollerable exactions which caused the people to wish rather to dye than to liue to endure them I haue spoken something already and can say much more §. 12. Antiq. This is enough for me and for this matter more than enough But it may be in these latter times of greater light and opposition the Popes haue beene more moderate and become more like to their first Ancestors Antiquis Neuer a whit See before Booke 1. cap. 5. §. 3. consider 6. haue I not told you before of K. Henry 8. who though he continued the Popes religion entire yet for reiecting his iurisdiction was condemned by the Pope excommâ—nicated pronounced no King his subiects commanded to deny subiection to him and all men to take armes against him c. The like course the Pope hath runne agaynst our late most excellent Princes Queene Elizabeth and King Iames. For I will passe by the mischiefes done in other Countries and the murders of the two last Kings of France the troubles of our owne kingdome will hold me long enough Camden Annal. Elizab. p. 27. By the happy abolishing of the Popes authority by Queene Elizabeth England became the most free of all Countries in the world the Scepter being as it were manumitted from forraign seruitude and a great masse of mony kept at home which formerly was exhausted and yeerely and daily carried to Rome for first fruits Indulgences Appeales Dispensations Palles and such other things so that the land grew much more rich than in former ages The Popes could not be insensible of their losse this way besides all other and conceiuing some hopes of recouery by encouraging persons discontented with this mutation B. Car ton thankfull remembrance pag 13 See the Bull of Pius 5. in Camdens Annals pag. 183. in the eleuenth yeere of her reigne Pope Pius the fifth excommunicated her deposed her by his Bull dated anno 1569. quinto Calend. Mart. thereby also absoluing her subiects from their oath of alleagiance and from all other offices and duties accursing all that did obey her This was done to procure a strong party in England to ioyne with the Pope and Spaniard in their designe for the inuasion and conquering of England when their forces should bee ready Camden ib. pag. For the Papists in the Land were so strangely perswaded and bewitched as to admire with astonishment a certaine omnipotency in the Pope and that his Bulles were dictated by the holy Ghost and that they in executing them and in murdering their Princes should doe meritorious acts very acceptable to God and dying therein should become glorious Martyrs and haue higher places in heauen than other men See Camden Annales Elizabethae p. 315. p. 348. in fine anni 1581. To gayne more people of all sorts Noble Gentle inferiours to their faction and to gull them with such false opinions the Pope out of his Seminaries at Rome and Rhemes sent out yeerely a number of Priests disguised into England to grope and peruert the hearts of men secretly and wickedly telling them that the Pope had supreme power ouer the whole world yea euen in politike affayres that such as were not of the Roman Religion were to be depriued of all regall power and dignity that it was lawfull yea and a meritorious work to depose Princes excommunicated by the Pope that the
TO HIS HONORABLE FRENDE Sr. HENRY SKIPWITH Knight and Baronet The Author hereof sendeth this his worke as a Testimony and Memoriall of the LOVE and HONOVR which he beareth to his WORTHINES A IVSTIFICATION OF THE CHVRCH OF ENGLAND Demonstrating it to be a true Church of GOD affording all sufficient meanes to SALVATION OR A Countercharme against the Romish enchantments that labour to bewitch the people with opinion of necessity to be subiect to the Pope of ROME Wherein is briefly shewed the Pith and Marrow of the principall bookes written by both sides touching this matter with Marginall reference to the Chapters and Sections where the points are handled more at large to the great ease and satisfaction of the READER By ANTHONY CADE Bachelour of DIVINITY GALAT. 3.1 O foolish Galatians who hath bewitched you that you should not obey the truth LONDON Printed for GEORGE LATHVM dwelling at the Bishops head in Pauls Church-yard Anno 1630. TO THE RIGHT REVEREND FATHER IN GOD IOHN LORD Bishop of LINCOLNE my very good Lord and Patron RIght Reuerend Father I humbly craue your Patience to take notice of the Causes and Manner of my writing and your Patronage to countenance it The occasions of my writing 1 Particular I euer accounted it a great blessing of God and it is still the ioy of my heart to record that in my stronger yeeres I was thought worthy to be employed in the trayning vp of some Nobles and many other yong Gentlemen of the best sort whose names here to insert might happily be censured ambition in me in the Learned Tongues Mathemacicall Arts Musicke and other both Diuine and Humane Learning and that Many of them haue since risen to great places and dignities in our Church and Common wealth And it was afterwards my great griefe to heare that any of them or of their Parents by mee much honored should be seduced or drawn to embrace the present Religion of the Papacy and to separate froÌ„ our so excellently-reformed Church The falling away of persons of so Noble birth and place after such education likely also to be means by their examples and reputation to draw others to the like defection made a deepe impression of sorrow in my soule and wrought a desire to seeke their recouery 1 More generall I saw also a generall inclination of many sorts of people to returne againe to the Old Religion as they called it vpon a strong perswasion that the Protestants Religion was new and but of yesterday although we daily cry downe all nouelties in Religion and professe to embrace nothing which is not of the ancient faith Iude verse 3. once or first deliuered to the Saints These considerations excited and vrged me by that bond of loue and duty wherewith I feele my selfe bound both to my late dearely beloued yong Nobles and Gentlemen in particular and to our whole Church and State in generall The purposes and ends of my writing to addresse my selfe to writing to recollect and perfit that which I had long professed obserued and taught both to put those former in mind of such grounds of sound Religion which in their youth both by pulicke Sabboth-dayes Sermons and by priuate Schoole-Catechizings on Frydayes and by other Conferences they had learned of me and to confirme those grounds with Inuincible Reasons and Allegations And also to improue my Talents such as they are to the best seruice of the whole Church our Gracious Soueraigne the State in generall and euery particular soule for their eternall and temporall happinesse by instructing the Ignorant confirming the right beleeuers and good Subiects reducing the errant staying the weake and wauering or confounding the obstinate and thereby so much as in me lyeth working a happy peace loue vnity and vnanimity amongst all To which purpose An obiectioâ— answered though many haue written most learnedly and excellently already yet I thought good to follow S. Augustines aduise Augustin libro 1 De Trinitate cap. 3. Vâ—ile esâ— plures à pluribus fieri libros diverso stylo non diuersa fide etiam de quaestionibus â—â—sdem vt ad plurimos reâ— ipsa perueniat ad alios sic ad alios autem sic who wisheth where heresies are busie that all men which haue any faculty of writing should write though they write not onely of the same things but the same reasons in other wordes either that hereticks may see multitudes against them or that of many bookes written some at lest may come to their hands as it happily fell out in the time of the Arrians And for the manner of my writing The manner of my writing I endeuoured to fit it the best way to the Persons to whom I intended it and to these times I saw that bookes of all sorts are infinitely multiplied in the world and that neither men of great place nor many others haue time afforded from their necessary affaires to read many bookes or any large discourse I thought it therefore though the most painfull yet the most profitable course diligently to collect and faithfully to relate with all possible breuity and perspicuity the substance of that which former learned Authors Fathers and Histories haue deliuered what the Romish Doctors haue probably obiected and Protestants especially English haue substantially answered so much as concerneth my purpose and the points which I handle that the Reader might haue in one view and volume the Pith and Substance of the best bookes written on both sides touching these matters as an Epitome of them all And withall pointing to the bookes chapters and sections By marginall notes for the most part or pages of them all as an Index referring the vnsatisfied where he may read of euery point more at large I find to omit all others the late most learned Lipsius in humane knowledge Iusti Lipsij Politica See his Prefaces hath taken this course without any disgrace to himselfe but rather with the great commendation of his diligence and learning writing to the Emperour Kings and Princes which haue no leisure to read great bookes briefe Aphorismes methodically deliuered by him but euermore in the most learned Authors owne words and quoting their bookes Vt quae optima sunt aut per me cognoscatis aut mecum recognoscatis saith he to those great Estates That either by me yee may know these excellent things or with me call them againe to minde And herein saith he Verè dicere possum omnia esse nostra nihil All things in the booke are mine and nothing Because the matter was the Authors whoÌ„ he cites the whole inuention and order was his owne And Bellarmine in diuine Controuersies is esteemed to haue done the greatest seruice to the Church of Rome by collecting the substance of the learned large writers of Controuersies into one body coÌ„futing as he could what was against and confirming what was for that Church I haue followed these great wits though longo
mid-day in the open light come to deceiue the residue that still are in Christ persisting in their simplicity For he hath supped vp the riuers of wise men and torrents of powerfull men Iob 40.23 and hath hope that Jordan will run in his mouth that is The humble and simple that are in the Church For he is Antechrist which counterfetteth himselfe to be not onely the day 2 Thess 2.4 8. but the midday and extols himselfe aboue all that is worshipped as God whom the Lord Iesus will slay with the breath of his mouth and destroy in the appearing of his comming Bern. in Psal 90. vel 91. ser 6. This conclusion also he repeats writing vpon the Psalme Qui habitat Superest vt reueletur homo peccati c. It remaineth that the Man of sinne be reuealed the sonne of perdition Daemonium non modo diurnum sed meridianum quod non solum transfiguratur in Angelum lucis sed extollitur super omne quod dictur Deus aut quod colitur c. Bern. serm 1. in convers Pauli And elsewhere Saint Bernard makes his complaint to God O God thy neere friends come neere to stand against thee The whole Vniueâ—sity of Christian people from the least to the greatest seeme to haue conspired against thee From the sole of the feet to the crowne of the head there is no soundnesse Iniquity is gone out from the elder Iudges thy Vicars Of Bernard see more in D. â—â—eld Appendix to the fift booke of the Church part 1. pag. 88 89. which seem to rule thy people and now we cannot say such people such Priest for the people are not so as the Priest Alas alas O Lord God those are the first chiefe in persecution who seeme to loue and beare the first and chiefe place in thy Church c. Johannes Sarisburiensis told Hadrian the fourth Joh Sarisbur in Policratic lib. 6. cap. 24. plainly what the world thought of him and his Prelats that the Roman Church shewed her selfe not a mother but a step mother to all other Churches For in it sit the Scribes and Pharises laying importable burdens vpon mens shoulders which themselues will not touch with one finger They hurt very oft and herein they follow the Deuils which then are thought to doe good when they cease to doe harme except a very few who performe the name and office of Pastors Sed ipse Romanus Pontifex omnibus grauis fere intolerabilis est that is euen the Bishop of Rome himselfe is grieuous to all and almost intollerable Aliacus de Reformatione Ecclesiae Caesarius Heisterbach hist lib. 2. cap. 29. These times were euill the succeeding much worse Of which Petrus de Aliaco Cardinall of Cambray said It was a prouerbe in his time Ad hunc statum venit Romana ecclesia vt non esset digna regi nisi per reprobos The Church of Rome was come to that state that it was not worthy to be gouerned but onely by Reprobates Robert Grosthead Matth. Paris in Henric. 3. See this History abridged in D. Field church appendix part 1. pag. 97. B. Carlton Iurisd cap. 8. §. 111. a very learned and holy Bishop of Lincolne liuing anno 1140. wrote sharpely to the Pope for the euils he did specially in England that he was opposite to Christ a murderer of soules and an Hereticke in these his courses c. Vpon receit of which letters the Pope was exceedingly moued threatning to cast downe this Bishop into the pit of all confusion but was pâ—câ—fied by the more moderate Cardinals telling him of this Bishops holinesse learning reputation and since there must be a departure from their Church the medling with such an excellent man might occasion it the things which he proued being full and manifest Archb. Abboâ— contra Hill reason 1. §. 28. William Ockam an Englishman a great Schooleman liuing anno 1320. for his large reproofe of the Papacy in many points in his bookes he was excommunicated by the pope and dyed willingly vnder that sentence Catalog testium verit lib 18. D. Field ch l. 3. c. 11. He cryed out of peruerting Scriptures Fathers and Canons of the Church with shamelesse and Harlots foreheads and that many that should be pillars of the Church did cast themselues headlong into the pit of Heresies See B. Carlton Iurisdiction cap. 1. §. 11. Michael Cesenas liued anno 1320. he was generall of the Order of the Minorites he wrote against three constitutions of Pope Iohn 22. and was by Iohn depriued and disabled from taking any other dignity but Cesena appealed from the Pope as from the head of faction in the Church to the Roman Catholicke and Apostolicke Church and was fauoured therein by Ockam and many famous learned men and by the two Vniuersities of Oxford and Paris Nicholas Clemangis Archidiaconus Baiocensis liuing anno 1417. in his booke De corupto Ecclesiae statu writes very sharpely against the Popes ambition and couetousnesse preying vpon all Churches and bringing them into miserable slauery and against the stately Cardinals and other vices of the Clergy Gerson lib. de concil o vnius obedientiae and in many other bookes John Gerson Chancellor of Paris anno 1429. writes the like wishing that all things should be reformed and brought backe to their ancient state in or neere the Apostles times Of Gersons doctrine see D. Field Appendix to the fifth booke of the Church part 2. p. 73. seq Petrus de Aliaco Cardinalis Cameracensis liuing about the same time wrote to the Councell of Constance a booke wherin he reprooueth many notable abuses of the Romanists and giueth aduice how to redresse them Arch. Abbot ibid. §. 13. Laurentius Valla a Patricias of Rome and Canon of Saint Iohns of Lateran liuing about the same time wrote against the forged Donation of Constantine and many abuses of the Pope and was by the Pope driuen into exile I might here speake of Leonardus Aretinus Antonius Cornelius Lynnichanus and diuers other writers reprouing the same things §. 13. Antiquus Let them alone for these whom you haue alledged speake not of any false doctrines of the Church of Rome but onely against the wicked liues of the Professors Antiquissimus Yes against both and especially because they laboured by false doctrine to iustifie their doings and therefore they write not onely against the Pope but against the Papacy the very office that challenged a right to doe such things as the Pope and his Clergy did The two Cardinals Cameracensis and Cusanus Camer in his booke to the Councell of Constance Cusanus Concord Cathol lib. 2. wholly condemned the Papacy as we do denying the Popes vniuersality of Iurisdiction vncontroulable power infallible iudgement and right to meddle with Princes states making him nothing but the first Bishop in order and honour amongst the Bishops of the Christian Church And this claimed power of the Pope
that the pope and his Clergy haue engrossed the Keyes of the Kingdome of heauen into their custody and neither enter themselues nor suffer others to enter he disallowed Transubstantiation Masses Offices Canonicall houres and other Battologies from Baptisme he remoued the Chrisme and taught that the faithfull ought to be baptized with simple water as Christ did he disallowed Auricular confession the papists doctrine of penance satisfaction and worship of Relickes and the Inuocation of Saints whom he called Seruants not Gods for the word Knaue which he vsed signified in those dayes a seruant not as it doth in our dayes a wicked Varlet as his enemies malitiously interpret it Bellarmine for one a man vtterly ignorant of the English tongue Hee reiected humane rites new shadowes and traditions he denyed it to be lawfull for any man to adde any thing to the religion contained in holy Scriptures and to make it harder as hee complained the pope had done hee thought fit that the pallaces and all that pompe and maiesty of the Pope and also diuers degrees of the Spiritualty should be taken away he condemned the orders of Monks as superstitious impious and very hurtfull to true Religion and said they were to be forsaken as soone as could be he defended the holy Communion in both kindes he wrote as Aeneas Sylvius witnesseth aboue two hundred volumes mostwhat against the impious liues traditions and abuses of the Popes Monkes and Clergy for which he liued a while in banishment but at last being restored he had many fauourers as appeateth by the writings of Walden Knights and Peeres of the Land who in places vnder their gouernment abolished Images and cast out other rites of the Popes He flourished anno Dom. 1360. See Bale century 6. chap 1. These were the points of doctrine which Wiclife taught for which and other such like fathered vpon him he was condemned by the Councell of Constance forty yeeres after he was dead and his bones digged vp and burned D. Abbot contra Hill reason 1. §. 25. Histor Waldens lib. 2. cap. 12. His preaching while he liued was euident and so powerfull that beside the Vniuersity of Oxford it gained him many great fauourers of the Nobility as John of Gaunt and the Lord Henry Percy the one Duke of Lancaster the other Marshall of England Fox ex Regisiro Ceâ—â—tney Aot Parlam An. 5. Rich. 2. cap. 5. also Lewis Gifford and the Chancellour the Earle of Salisbury and in a manner all the inferiour people among whom it was preached in many places in Churches Churchyards Markets Faires and other places of great Congregations so generally commonly publikely with such plainnesse and euidency of the truth and notoriousnesse of the abuses which he reprooued that it wonne all mens assent and liking and tooke so large and deep root that it could not be rooted out Gabriel Powel De Antichristo edit Lond. 1605. in praefatione by all the meanes that for many yeeres after his death the popes Princes Bishops and their officers could deuise or vse Gabriel Powel reckons vp a great number of Diuines of that one Vniuersity of Oxford beside all others that from time to time and age to age euen to Luthers time maintained Wiclifes doctrine in England and many of them were persecused and put to death for it of which number these are some Vtred Bolton anno 1380. Io. Bale cent 6. cap. 85. and John Ashwarby fellow of Oriel Colledge Doctor of Diuinity Pastor of S. Maries in Oxford both of them much troubled for preaching and promoting Wiclifes doctrine the same yeere anno 1380. Iohn Ashton Fellow of Merton Colledge anno 1382. Ib. cap. 78. persecuted and finally condemned to perpetuall prison Philip Repington of Merton Colledge Ib. cap 90. afterwards Bishop of Lincolne 1382. Nicholas Herford Doctor of Diuinity Jb. cap 92. he taught that there was nothing in Wiclifes Doctrine disagreeing from the holy Scriptures 1382. Walter Brute of Merton Colledge Ex catalogo sociorum Merton Fox act tom â— Bale cenâ— â— cap. 2. ib. cap. 10. persecuted by the Bishop of Hereford 1390. Peter Pateshal preached Wiclifes doctrine ordinarily at London and in the Court auoyded persecution by flying into Bohemia 1390. At the same time Richard With of Merton Colledge preached the same doctrine Henry Crumpe an Irish man Doctor of Diuinity in Oxford Ib. cent 14. cap. 58. Ex Waldeni fasciculo zizaniorum first an aduersary to Wiclife but after conuicted by his doctrine taught it boldly and being therefore persecuted by the Bishops fled into Ireland and there was long imprisoned by a Bishop 1393. Catal. sociorum Mert. Richard Wimbleton Fellow of Merton Colledge 1394. Fox act monu William Sawtrer a Diuine of Oxford imprisoned degraded and finally burned by Thomas Arundell Archbishop of Canterbury 1400. Fox tom 1. William Swinderby of Kings Colledge in Oxford after preacher at Leicester taught Wiclifes doctrine being maintained by the Inhabitants against their Bishops will at last taken was compelled to recant but shortly after repenting and gathering strength and renuing his doctrine he was burned in Smithfield 1401. Walsing in chron Thomas Ocleue maintained the doctrine of Wiclife and Berengarius publikely in the schooles at Oxford 1410. Ludovic Rabus in 3 parte de martyr Fox to â—1 Fox ib. William Thorp Fellow of Queenes Colledge in Oxford examined imprisoned and there secretly put to death by Thomas Arundell Archbishop of Canterbury 1407. Laurence Redman Dauid Sawtrey William Iames Thomas Brightwell William Hawlam Radulph Greenhurst Iohn Schut grieuously persecuted by the popes friends 1420. Capgraue lib. 1. de nobilibus Hen. Fox tom 1. Sir Iohn Oldcastle Lord Cobham student in Oxford vnder William Thorp after many warres and victories for his Prince and Countrey imbracing Wiclifes doctrine with other Lords and Knights Iohn Clenborow Lewis Clifford Richard Sture Thomas Latimer William Neuel John Montacute he was lastly accused before the Archbishop of Canterbury and finally condemned and burned in Saint Giles fields 1417. Puruey in com in Apoc. Bale cent 7. cap. 50. John Puruey who wrote a learned Commentary vpon the Reuelation reprouing the pope as Antichrist and the Babylonian whore complained that many before him who had oppugned this spirituall Babylon had bin imprisoned killed and their bookes burnt and that none was suffered to preach but such as first sware obedience to the pope He was secretly made away in prison by the Archbishops appointment 1421. William White Fellow of Wickam Colledge Fox tom 1. for his preaching was taken by the Archbishop and compelled to recant 1424. but quickly repenting and publikely confessing his weaknesse and inconstancy with great lamentation and renuing his former doctrine at last hee was taken and condemned to the fire by the Bishop of Norwich 1428. Richard Wiche Fellow of Wickam Colledge Ibid. burnt for the like profession 1428. Peter Clerke an Oxford Diuine
mother and the deceiuers themselues be confounded and ashamed of the books they haue so falsely written and all Godly people be confirmed in the truth so manifestly cleared from forgeries which obscured it All which I hope the rather because the Papist prisoners in Framlingham castle in Queene Elizabeths time said to the Protestant Ministers if you can iustify your calling we will all come to your Church and be of your Religion r Mason lib. 1. cap. 3. in fine pag. 20. Sect. 9. Antiquus Well Sir be it that your English Clergy was canonically ordained and consecrated yet what say you to the Protestant Ministers in other countries which could haue no Bishops to ordaine them But as our learned men say they ordained one another very disorderedly and insufficiently Antiquissimus You draw mee to a Digression impertinent to the Church of England to speake of other countries in whose affayres I am not sufficiently acquainted and am loth to meddle It may be your learned men wrong them as they haue done vs. But if what they say be true It was your Popes fault so auerse from all reformation that did driue the Reformers in those countries to that necessity that either one Minister must ordaine another or else the Churches must be without many profitable Ministers By the way because you dislike our word Minister as we doe your word Priest vsed in your sense for sacrificing Priest Though the word Minister bee vsed by the b Bellar. de Rom. pont li. 3 cap. 13 pag. 392. § Ratio autem cur Apostoli in Scripturis nunquam vocant sacerdotes Christianos sacerdotes sed solum episcopos presbyteros Apostles in the New Testament for Minsters of the Gospell and the word Priest neuer vsed at all by them no nor by the most ancient Fathers as c Bellar decultu Sanctorum lib. 3. cap. 4. § Ad testimonium Patrum dico pag. 275. See before chap. 2. § 2. Bell. himselfe confesseth I will to auoyd offence to both vse the word Presbyter which the Apostles vsed and which I see our late learned writers do more willingly frequent to signifie such as haue taken full orders in the Church of God But note you also by the way that our fault is very small in vsing sparingly the termes of some later Fathers and vsing commonly the words of the Apostles yours is very great in forsaking and deriding the word of the B B. Apostles and preferring the words of some Fathers and vsing them contrary to their meaning But Then I doubt not to affirme that Orders giuen to Presbyters by Presbyters onely in times of necessity when Bishops cannot be procured to giue them are of full validity and sufficiency For the giuing of orders was appointed to Bishops not of absolute necessity but for their greater honour and for the better gouernment and preseruation of peace and vnity in the Church and for those and the like reasons it is fit that course be obserued when possibly it may But when it cannot we must consider that euen Bishops themselues doe not giue orders by any other power then is found in any other Presbyter Not by their power of Iurisdiction for they may ordaine Presbyters liuing out of their Iurisdiction but by vertue of their orders onely whereby they stand Presbyters Which is manifest by this that Bishops and Suffragans which are not Presbyters cannot giue orders which they neuer receiued therefore seeing the power of giuing orders is from the vertue of the orders formerly receiued which vertue is in euery presbyter as well as in a Bishop and therein Priests Bishops and Popes are all equall d See D. Field lib. 3. cap. 39. in medio alledging many Schoolmen to this purpose Then for want of Bishops to giue orders Presbyters may giue them For that is but a breach of decency and honourable conueniency whereby that thing is tyed to some chiefe Presbyters namely to Bishops which otherwise all Presbyters may doe But to the validity of the orders it maketh nothing what Presbyter soeâ—er giueth them The best learned in the Church of Rome in former times agreed to this Aâ—machanus e Armachanus lib. 11. in 4. Armenorum cap. 7. a worthy Bishop saith If all Bishops failed by death Sacerdotes minores possent Episcopum ordinare Inferior Priests might ordaine a Bishop And Alexander of Hales f Halensiâ— part 4. q. 9. memb 5. art 1 cited by D. Field ib. saith that many learned men in his time and before were of opinion that in some cases and in some times Presbyters may giue orders and that their ordinations are of force though to do so not being vrged by extreme necessity cannot be excused from ouer-great boldnesse and presumption And why not orders by ordinary presbyters as well as Baptisme by meaner persons For your Doctors in times of necessity allow Baptisme which is a principall Sacrament to be administred not onely by Bishops and Priests but by Deacons or any Laiks Baptized yea Laiks vnbaptized and very Pagans if they knew and preforme the Rites of Baptisme and women also by any person that is Homo rationalis and intendeth to doe as the Church would doe The Baptisme preformed by them is sufficient effectuall and needs no rebaptization as Bellermine teacheth at large g Bellarm. de baptismo lib. 1. cap. 7. If this will not suffice you may see more in Doctor Fields h D. Field lib. 3. cap. 39. lib. 5. cap. 56. and Master Masons bookes i Mason lib. 1. Sect. 10. Antiquus Sir you may not thinke that your priuate Reason and iudgement can ouersway the iudgement and determinations of graue learned and holy counsels Antiquiss Far be from me the presumption to thinke so Yet giue vs leaue to see what we see and to say what we know we see it in your owne learned mens books and know it to be your owne practise oftentimes to breake the Canons both of ancient Councels and of the Apostles If Protestants do it in times of necessity condemne them not for necessity hath no law it is so great a tyrant that it will not suffer the Law to stand Your men are faine sometimes to yeeld vnto it Your k This appeares plainly by Greg. Epistles lib. 12. Iud. 7. epist 31. rectified by Bede of D. Stapletons owne iudicious edition translation though other copies somewhat differ See Mason lib. 2. cap. 5. pag. 61. Gregory the great Bishop of Rome sending Augustine the Monke into England who was not vntill afterward made Bâ—shop of Canterbury appointed him to ordaine the first Bishops himselfe alone in case the Brittan Bishops opposed him and that of the English or Saxons there were no Bishops and that the French Bishops would be slacke and vncertaine of ayding him And accordingly himselfe alone ordained Melitus the first Bishop and by the assistance of Melitus onely hee ordained Iustus the second and when there was a Canonicall number then
they obserued the number of three to consecrate others In like manner your Baronius l Baronius anno 555. n. 10. sticks not to record that pope Pelagius the first was consecrated by two Bishop onely when more could not be procured and a Priest And yet was he accounted a good lawfull Bishop and in his time he ordained 29 Priests and 49 Bishops If his consecration were a nullity then so were all theirs and all other consecrated by them and so there followed a world of nullities in the Church of Rome Euagrius Patriarke of Antioch was consecrated by Paulinus alone and yet accounted a lawfull Bishop n Ioannes Maior in 4. Sent. dist 24. q. 3. inter opera Gerson Paris 1606. pag. 681. as m Theodoret lib. 5. cap. 23. Theodoret sheweth Joannes Maior a Doctor of Paris saith that Rusticus and Eleutherius who came into France with Dionysius were not Bishops But Dionysius alone ordained the Bishops of France He saith also o Maior quo supra who ordained Peter they will not find vs three ordainers Therefore I say it is an humane constitution that a Bishop shall be ordained by three S. Paul did not seek for two more for the ordination of Titus and Timothy And Petrus de Palude p Petrus De Palude De potestate Apostol cited by B. Iewel Defens 2 part cap 5 diuision 1. p. 130 saith one Bishop is sufficient to consecrate another and it is onely for the greater solemnity a deuise of the Church that three shall concurre This is therefore no essentiall part but an accidentall ornament of the Consecration a complement of honourable conueniency fit to be vsed where it may be had no substanciall point of absolute necessity making a nullity of consecration where it wanteth The like may be said of orders to be giuen by 〈◊〉 Bishop onely Pope Gelasius saith q Gelasius epist 9. Bâ—n t. 2. pag. 243. Priscis pro sua reuerentia manentibus consâ—itutis qua vbi nulla vel rerum vel temporum per vrget necessitas regulariter conuenit custodire when no necessity of things or times compell to the contrary it is fit reuerently to keepe the ancients constitutions So saith Leo also r Cited by Ioh. 8. epist 8. Bin. c. 3. paâ—t 2. pag. 977. Omittendum esse inculpabile iudicandum quod intulit necessitas but he addeth that may be omitted and iudged vnblameable which necessity inforceth And Foelix Å¿ Ib. apud Bin. Aliter tractandaâ— necessitatis rationem aliter voluntatis the respect of necessity is to be handled one way the respect of voluntary minde another way Andradius affirmeth t Andrad De gen conciliorum autoritate pag. 115 116. that humane lawes made vpon the best counsell and aduise are varied by the variety of times and may be inuerted and changed by the necessities of men and so are dispensable whervpon Saint Austen u Aug. De lib. arb cap. 6. calls humane lawes temporall because though they bee iust yet they may be iustly changed according to the times Binius saith x Bin. t. 2. p. 243 in marg Pro temporum necessitate rigor canonum relaxatur Haec pleraque apud Mason Canones Apostolorum 85. cum Ioannis Monachizonare commentarijs set â—ut in Latin by Iâ— Quintinus Haeduus printed with Zonaras and others at Frankford by Faâ—rubendiuâ— 1587. according to the necessity of the times the Rigor of the Canons is released But you make this necessity of times farre larger then Protestants may for of the Canons of the Apostles you brake some willingly yea you decree the contrary and make it vnlawfull to keepe them as the fift Canon that saith that Bishops or Priests that put away their wiues for occasion of Religion shall be excommunicated and the ninth Canon which will haue them excommunicated also that after hearing the Scriptures and prayers depart and doe not with other faithfull receiue the communion This Canon and that of thrice dipping in Baptisme the 49 or 50 Canon and diuers other are abolished contraria consuetudine saith your Canus y Canus De lâ—cis theol lib. 3. cap 5. pag. 195. Christs Doctrine saith hee may not be changed but must stand firme but the Apostles Rules for the gouerment of the Church are not so fixed but they may be remoued And your Michael Mediâ—a saith z Medina lib. 5. de sacrorum hom continentia cap. 106. as D. Reinolds alledgeth him Defence Thes 5. Morton appeal lib. 2. c 25. sect 10. that of the 84. Canons of the Apostles which Clement Bishop of Rome and the Disciples of the same Apostles gathered together scarse doth the Latin Church obserue 6 or 8 entirely But as I said you draw mee from our owne Country into others and yet therby you gaine nothing for if they be censured for their necessary and ineuitable breach of some ancient Church Canons to maintaine the substance of Christs Doctrine much more must you be condemned for breaking them ordinarily and willfully without necessity And on the other side if their Ministery be cleared though necessity hath enforced the breach of some Canonicall circumstance then much more is ours of England cleared who neuer found any such necessity nor euer brake them Nay we haue euermore obserued them farre more precisely then you haue done that thus accuse vs and boast of your strictest owne obseruations CHAP. 6. Of the Popes supremacy ouer the whole Church Section 1. The necessitie thereof vrged § 2 As the maine pillar the matter and method of the answer propounded § 3 The ancient Church yeelded to Rome the greatest City of the world to haue the dignity of one of the fiue Patriarchs § 4 And among them sometime the chiefest place § 5 Which dignity their ambition and couetousnesse haue impaired § 6 Bellarmine gathering the strength of all learned Writers sheweth no strength in them to maintaine the Papacy either by vrging Mat. 16.18 § 7 Or Ioh. 21.15 c. § 8 The Romish strange extractions out of the words Feed my Sheepe § 9 And vaine allegations of diuers other Scriptures § 10 The Scripture is against the supremacy of Peter § 11 The Fathers vrged for it in vaine § 12 The Fathers are against it § 13 St Peters prerogatiues descended not to his successors § 14 The conclusion collecting the parts of the chapter briefly and iustifying the Protestants §. 1. Antiq. I Am satisfied that your Ministers haue true succession from the Apostles and ordination according to the Canons And for the present I will suppose that all that you haue said is true that your Church hath had a visible succession deriued from the Apostles without interruption that it deliuereth all the substantial points of doctrine necessary to saluation sufficiently Suppose all this and yet further Suppose that in the Church of Rome there are some things now taught and vsed which were not in the Primitiue Church as the vse of Images
Cap. 7. 1583. Camden Annal part 3. p 370. 7. Someruile bewitched by the wicked seditious bookes of the Iesuits sought to come into the Queenes presence to kill her and by the way set vpon one or two with his drawne sword but was taken and hanged as was also Ardern his father in Law 8. Among other mischieuous bookes one exhorted the Ladies and maids of honour to doe as Iudith did to Holofernes 1584 See Camd. Annal ib. p. 398. 9. Francis Throgmorton practised to deliuer the Q. of Scots Vpon discouery whereof Thomas L. Paget and Charles Arundell fled into France the Earles of Northumberland and Arundell commanded to keepe their houses and 70. Priests whereof some were condemned to dye were sent out of England whereof the chiefe were Gasper Heywod Iames Bosgrate Iohn Hart Edward Bishton c. 10. Bernardine Mendoza Embassadour from the K. of Spaine was commanded to auoyd England for treasonable practices with Thrâ—gmorton and others to bring strangers into England and depose the Queene This Mendoza had made two Catalogues One of the Hauens of England fit to land forces in the other of all the Noble men that fauoured the Romish Religion 11. Cap. 8. Queene Elizabeth purposed to set the Queene of Scots at liberty and sent Sir William Wade to her to conferre of the meanes and was ready also to send other Commissioners to effect it but a strange accident hindred it One Creighton a Scottish Iesuit being taken by Dutch Pirats tore certaine papers and cast them into the Sea but they were blowne backe into the shippe gathered brought to Sir William Wade who peeced them againe and they discouered new practises of the Pope Spaniards and Guises to depose Queene Elizabeth and King Iames and set vp the Queene of Scots and marry her to some English Lord to be chosen by the Catholikes and confirmed by the Pope their children to succeed them to this purpose were to be employed Cardinall Allen for the English Ecclesiastikes Sir Francis Inglefield for the Laikes and the Bishop of Rosse for the Queene of Scots 12. William Parry a Welshman 1585. Reade the whole story in Camden Annal. part 3. p. 391. Doctor of the Ciuill Law sought occasion to kill the Queene insinuating into her fauour by telling her that hee had found out treasonable intents in Morgan and other fugitiues who practised her destruction and that hee had conferred with them closely to finde their purposes and keepe her safe desiring her leaue to doe so still and to haue accesse vnto her to discouer what he found But Parry himselfe in good time being suspected accused taken imprisoned and examined by graue Counsellors at last freely confessed that in France and from Rome by Cardinall Como he was confirmed that it was lawfull and meritorious to kill the Queene and especially by D. Allens booke written against the Iustice of England and that hee was imployed to that purpose for which he was executed Cap. 9. Camd ib. part 3 pag 399. 13. Henry Percy Earle of Northumberland though pardoned for his rebellion 16. yeeres before restored and made Earle by the Queenes mercy yet practised with Mendoza and Throgmorton to put downe Elizabeth and set vp the Queene of Scots and being imprisoned killed himselfe with a Pistoll was found dead the dore bolted on the inside oh mischieuous Popishnesse the ruine of many Noble houses Camd. ib. p 431. seq Reade it there at large 14. Sauage also vowed to kill the Queene as did also George Gâ—fford a pentioner hired by the Guise for a great summe of money and perswaded by Doctor Gifford Gilbert Gifford and Hodgeson Priests that it was lawfull and meritorious 15. And Ballard a Priest walking in a souldiers habit and calling himselfe Captaine Foscue promised an inuasion by the Pope Spaniard Guise and D. of Parma he told Babington of the Queenes death to bee acted by Sauage perswaded him to see the Queene of Scots fauour and drew more heroik Actors as they called them into the conspiracy Tilney Tichburne Abington Barnewell Charnocke besides others for other purposes Windsor Salisbury Gage Trauerse Iones Dun. And they practised how to stirre Ireland to draw Arundell and his brethren and Northumberland to their side and call Westmerland Paget and others home But Sir Francis Walsingham found out all the plot by meanes of one Gifford a brother false to them but true to the State so that when the proiect was ripe and the Queen made acquainted the Traytors though fled and dispersed were taken conuicted and executed Cap. 10. Camd. ib. p. 483. 16. Anno 1587. Many discontented persons still continually haunted the Queene of Scots like euill spirits tempting her L'Aubespineus the French Embassadour lieger went about by treason to free her mouing William Stafford whose mother was of the Queenes Bed-chamber to kill the Queene by poyson Gun-powder or rather sword Trappius the Embassadours Secretary perswaded Stafford and Moody but Stafford reuealed all to the Queenes Councell Trappius was intercepted going into France The Embassadour being called before the Councell denied all but Stafford affirmed it to his face The Lord Burleigh told him though he were not punished yet he was not iustified 17. Shortly after Camd. ib. part 4. pag. 843. William Stanley and Rowland Yorke became Traytors Yorke being made Captaine of a Sconse neere Zutphen betrayed it to the Spanyard and Stanley betrayed to them the rich fenced Towne of Deuenter and sent for Priests to teach his English and Irish the Popish Religion being in number 1300. calling them The Seminary legion as the Seminary Priests ordained to defend the Romish Religion Not long after Yorke was poysoned Stanley tossed from place to place ignominiously and his fellowes some died for hunger some stole away himselfe was neuer trusted for the Spaniards vsed to say Some honour might bee giuen to a traytor but no trust and hee found too late he had most of all betrayed himselfe 18. The maruellous climactericall Cap. 11. 72. See the whole history hereof in Camdens Annales part 3. pag. 513. seq Meteranus Hakluits voyages Speeds chron and fatall yeere as some called it 1588. whereupon the superstitious built great hopes brought forth the Spanish Armado a Nauy by them termed inuincible furnished with the best experienced and famous Captaines and souldiers from Spaine Italy Sicily America and all other places to be gotten to conquer England by huge force which had before beene vainly attempted by false treachery It consisted of 130. shippes 19290. souldiers Mariners 8350. chayned rowers 2080. Great Ordnance 2630. Vnto which the Prince of Parma in Flanders was to adioyne his forces building shippes and brode vessels to transport 30. horses a peece with twenty thousand vessels with 103. companies on foot and 4000. horsemen and among these were 700. English fugitiues These were blessed by the Pope and with the Catholikes prayers and intercessions to Saints and for greater terror to the
him or sent to Rome before him And yet these euils are small in comparison of others which Englishmen haue felt continually for many Ages from the Court of Rome as the Historians of those times with full consent record Verè enim hortus deliciarum Papis fuit tum Anglia puteus inexhaustus As we reade it was truly and trâ—mly said by Pope Jnnocent 4. England was a Garden of deliciousnesse to the Popes and a fountaine inexhaust or vndrainable I speake not now of the true blessings of the soule for which all men may thanke the Reformation of Religion which pious Princes make more account of then of all the Kingdomes of the earth The sincere worship of God alone without fellowes or copartners The veneration of the B. Virgin and holy Saints without superstition The peace of conscience with God by faith in the merits and death of Christ not that the faithfull should cease from good works fie away with such madnes but that when a man hath doneall he can do yet to acknowledge himself an vnprofitable seruant and neuer place confidence in his owne merits to gather exceeding great comfort in the daily and continual reading and meditating of the Scriptures not interpreting them after his own sense but in those things which he finds in them perspicuous and plaine for in such sort they afford vs if we beleeue the Fathers all things necessary to saluation and such as are agreeable to the expositions of the first Doctors of the Church he may sortisie his minde against false opinions which at this day are obtruded vpon the vnwary for ancient articles of faith The receiuing of the holy Communion according to the institution and commandement of our Lord and the continuall practise of the Chuch for more then a thousand yeeres vnder both kindeâ— Mindes confirmed against those thunders of Excommunication so terrible in former times which the Popes cast abroad oftentimes against innocent Princes and rather for humane causes then Diuine as euery man knoweth As when Innocent 3 kept all the people of this Land vnder a curse most deadly and damnable as the Popes would haue men beleeue and then it was so beleeued whole sixe yeeres three moneths and fourteene dayes In which time all that dyed in the Land were depriued of buriall and iudged to bee damned creatures all new borne remained vnbaptized prayers and teaching ceased in all Churches and men liued like Infidels In so large a land so plentifull of people to continue this curse but for one day vpon so many thousands of Innocents had been doubtlesse a most wicked and damnable thing But from all these euils and many other the blessed Reformation of that formerly corrupted Religion hath redeemed vs. Such things writes the learned and iudicious Casaubon And as the Reformation deliuered vs froÌ„ many euils so it hath filled vs with many blessings which we daily feele in full measure but are not able in any sufficient measure to expresse Take a short view of our blessings enioyed vnder our late Princes Cambden Annales Elizabethae initio B. Carltons Thankfull Remembrance initio Queene Elizabeth entring her raigne anno 1558 found at first many potent enemies few and impotent friends Philip King of Spaine who sued to marry her by a dispensation from the Pope hauing buried Mary her sister his former wife now being refused by her turned his loue into hatred Henry 2 King of France with whom she sought peace and amity brake out into open hostility His sonne Francis hauing married Mary the Queene of Scotland professed his Wife to be the heire of England assumed the Armes and Title thereof and sought to displace Elizabeth as one also accounted an Hereticke So were the great neighbour-States of Spaine France and Scotland her professed enemies Her Friends that would haue hâ—â—ped her were weake and could not but stood in need of helpe from her The Scots sore troubled with the French Armies procured by the Guisians The Low-Countries beaten down by the Duke of Alva Agent for the King of Spaine The Protestants of Denmarke and France were faine to craue aide from Her as also other friends did The State at home was much troubled the treasure exhausted and oppressed with great debt contracted by King Henries boundlesse expences King Edwards minority and Queene Maries forraigne marriage and other troubles the land without strength forces souldiers artillery powder and treasure Calis lately lost and nothing seemed lefâ— but a weake and poore State destitute of meanes and friends So that her great neare Neighbours round about her made no other account of her but as one left to be a prey to the strongest that would inuade her Yet see the mighty hand and blessing of God vpon her not onely to deliuer her out of all these difficulties but further to enable her to support her friends and to match and master her enemies When shee prouided Armour at Antwerpe and King Philip caused it to bee stayed yet she partly procured Armour and Weapons out of Germany but principally God opened new Brasse Mines in England which had been long before neglected sufficient for vs and to vent into other Countries and yeelded vs then first the stone called Lapis calaminaris needfull for working in Brasse By meanes whereof She caused store of Gunnes to be cast of Brasse and Iron at home and Gunpowder also then first to be made in England which before was bought from other Countries Camden ibid. pag 27. And further By the happy abolishing of the Popes Religion as England became the most free of all other Countries in the world the Scepter being as it were manumitted from the former seruitude of the Bishop of Rome so it became also more rich then in former Ages a great masse of money being kept at home which formerly was exhausted and yearely and daily carried to Rome for first fruits Indulgences appeales dispensations Palles such other things Strengthned therefore by all these blessings She fortified Barwicke against Scotland and prouided a great Nauy to safeguard the Sea-coasts And whereas former Kings hyred ships from forraigne places Hamburg Lubecke Dantiske Genua Venice c. Now She built great store of ships of Warre Herselfe and all Coast-townes with incredible alacrity wondring at her wisedome and care of them did the like So that in short time England was able to employ twenty thousand men in Sea-fight at once And her enemies began to feare her more then she did them And such was her power and policy See Speedes Chronicle in Elizabeth § 347. seq and Gods extraordinary blessings vpon them that the great affaires of Europe mainly depended vpon Her directions She sitting at the helme of the ship as Fronto spake of Antonius the Emperour arbitrated and guided their estates both in peace and warre Spaine seeking to ouerflow all was beaten backe and scarcely able to maintaine her owne Barkes In France the house of Valoys vnderpropped by Her counsell that of Bourbons
aduanced by her countenance forces and treasure Scotland releeued by her loue Netherlands by her power Portugals King by Her bounty Poland by her commiseration likewise Germany Denmarke Sweueland often tooke vp and laid down Armes at her becke and dispose The great Emperour of the Turkes in honour of so great a Mediatresse granted peace vnto the Polonians outworne with warres Her Kingdome was a receptacle and her Court a Sanctuary for the banished Protestants as was the Palace of Constantius the Husband of our Helena for the persecuted Christians when he sate Emperour of the West in this Iland of Britaine Whereby as in her life-time shâ— attained to be stiled by forraigne Churches so at Her death was she by them generally lamented as the Nursing Mother of the French Beza in ep prafiu Comment in Iob. Dutch Italian Exiles for Christs Name and the vnconquered Defendresse of the whole Christian Religion Thus our Land became as Gods Paradise his Eden his blessed Garden replenished with all necessaries both for sufficiency and delight Aboue all the Tree of Knowledge and the Tree of Life are planted plentifully in it and all men permitted perswaded commanded to seed on them the Knowledge of God and the Bread of Life and all other blessings consequent and appendant vnto them Whereof our feeling and experience out-strippeth all possible words and discourses I will therefore shut vp all with the Royall testimony of our late most Learned and Iudicious King Iames. King Iames to the Reader of his â—asilicon Doron towards the end First of Queene Elizabeth he writeth thus She hath so long with so great wisedome and felicity gouerned her Kingdomes as I must in true sincerity confesse the like hath not beene read or heard of either in our time or since the dayes of the Roman Emperour Augustus And he caused this Epitaph to be set vpon her Tombe Speeds Chron. quo supra Sacred vnto memory Religion to its Primitiue sincerity restored Peace throughly settled France neere ruine by intestine mischiefes releeued Netherland supported Spaines Armado vanquished Ireland with Spaniards expulsion and Traitors coertion quieted both Vniuersities reuenues by a Law of prouision excellently augmented finally all England enriched and 45 yeeres most prudently gouerned Elizabeth a Queene a Conqueresse a Triumpher the most deuoted to Piety the most Happy after 70 yeeres of Her life quietly by death departing hath left here in this most famous Collegiat Church which by her was established and refounded these Remaines of her mortality vntill at Christs call they shall againe rise Immortall She dyed 24 March 160â— of her Raigne 45 of her Age 70. Secondly of himselfe his owne times and Kingdomes he writeth thus One thing is necessary King Iames in his answer to the Oration of Cardinall Perene pag. 243. namely the feare and knowledge of my God vnto whose Majesty alone I haue deuoted my scepter my sword my penne my whole industry my whole selfe with all that is mine in whole and in part I do it I do it in all humble acknowledgement of his vnspeakable mercy and sauour who hath vouchsafed to deliuer mee from the erroneous way of this age to deliuer my Kingdome from the Popes tirannicall yoke vnder which it hath Fen in times past most greeuously oppressed My Kingdome where God is now purely serued and called vpon in a tongue which all the vulgar vnderstand My Kingdome where the People may now read the Scriptures without any speciall priuiledge from the Apostolike sea and with no lesse liberty then the people of Ephesus of Rome and of Corinth did read the holy Epistles written to their Churches by Saint Paul My Kingdome where the people now pay no longer any tribute by the poll for Papall indulgences as they did about an hundred yeares past and are no longer compelled to the Mart for pardons beyond the Seas and mountaines but haue them now freely offred from God by the Doctrine of the Gospell preached at home within their owne seuerall parishes and Iurisdictions And in another place he saith thus Ibid. pag. 274. Greater blessings of God greater outward peace and plenty greater inward peace with spiritual and celestiall pleasures were neuer heaped vpon my Great Britaine then haue beene since my Great Britaine became great in the greatest chiefest respect of all to wit since my Great Britaine hath shaken of the Popes yoake since she hath refused to receiue and to entertaine the Popes Legates employed to collect Saint Peters tribute or Peter pence since the Kings of England my Great Britaine haue not beene the Popes Vassals to doe him Homage for their Crown and haue no more felt the lashings the scourgings of base and beggarly Monkes Of Holland Zeland Friesland what need I speake Yet a word and no more Were they not a kinde of naked and bare people of small valew before God lighted the torch of the Gospell and aduanced it in those Nations were they not an ill-fed and scragged people in comparison of the inestimable wealth and prosperity both in all military actions and mechanicall trades in traffick as Marchants in marting as men of warre in long nauigation for discouery to which they are now raised and mounted by the mercifull bleâ—â—ing of God since the darknesse of Popery hath beene scattered and the bright Sunshine of the Gospell hath shined in those Countries Behold the Venetian Republik hath she now lesse beauty lesse glory lesse peace and prosperity since she hath lately fell to bicker and contend with the Pope since she hath wrung out of the Popes hand the one of his two swords since she hath plumed and shaken his temporall dominion Vpon these considerations I. Of the excellency of the first primitiue Christian Religion II. Of the intollerable euils which the corruptions of Rome brought into the world with the grones and cries of men for Reformation and III. of the great blessings which the Reformation hath brought vpon the countries which receiued it Mee thinkes there should need no further perswasion to men of any reasonable vnderstanding and Iudgement to forsake the vncatholike corruptions of the Romish Church and imbrace this so blessed a Reformation with all due thankfulnesse to God for the true doctrine of Saluation and peace of Conscience with the desired peace of their estates loue of Prince and Country wealth ioy and happinesse and all both earthly and heauenly blessings that mans heart in this world can desire O fortunates nimium bona si sua norint Angligenas O happy English if they knew their happinesse But if they will not open their eyes to see nor their hearts thankfully to imbrace the happinesse so graciously offered vnto them if they will still blinde their eyes harden their obstinate hearts and striue against all reason and Religion to returne backe into the Egyptian darkenesse and bondage alas what can I doe but with greife of heart say with the Prophet Ieremy Ieremy 2.12 13. Bee astonished O yee heauens at this My people haue committed two euils they haue forsaken me the fountaine of liuing waters and hewed themselues out Cesternes broken Cesternes that can hold no water Or with the Poet Horace Eia Nolint at qui licet esse beatis They may Horace Serm. lib. 1. Satyra 1. but will not be happy For be a man neuer so happy Non est beatus esse se qui non putat He is not happy that thinkes himselfe not so And then as Horace addes Miseros iubeo esse libenter I can but bid them wilfully be wretched But in hope of better successe I haue vndertaken this great labour which I beseech our gracious God to blesse to the good of euery Reader whose good acceptance of my loue and paines I craue with their prayers to God for me Glory be to God on high on earth Peace and good will amongst men Luke 2.14 FINIS