the lesse feelinge hath he to preuenent the dangerous ruyne and dismall lott of the same and a man once being ingulfed in the filthie puddle of beastlie concupiscence which euer doth insult ouer the spiritt the lesse feeling hath he of godes inspiration and the lesse swaie beareth the interior man which in carnall and beastlie people is altogether restrained from his operation by their insatiable and inextingible appetites of their fleshlie inclination and disposition to these vilde and corruptible thinges 2. When the greatest and mightiest Monarches and Potentates of this world are in this case especially if they be wantonlie trained vpp in voluptuousnes and enticed with lasciuous and wanton exercises they forgett and forgoe all spirituall motions to make themselues as it were dull and insensible to all celestiall influence and illustrations forgetfull of God obliuious of his comaundementes negligent of their charge carlesse and vnprouident of the end and marke for the which they are exalted and aduaunced to the regall scepter which is the peace and tranquillitie of the comon wealth But they not respectinge either comon good or the peaceable estate of their kingdomes abusing their powerfull force and dignitie with wanton lusts and other execrable vices and wickednes of whome it is spoken by the holy ghoast Psal 134. Gaudium hipocritae instar puncti their ioye and allacritie shall quickly be ended and they likewise eyther themselues or their posteritie shal be plunged an perplexed with the vsual troubles continuall calamities and fatall reuolutions which commonly are incident vnto such princes of whome it is said Virum iniustum mala capient in interitu The euils and mischeefe of an vniust and wicked man shall intrappe and compasse him euen vnto his destruction and vtter decaye They may for a smale tyme raigne ouer wicked natiōs for whose dreadfull and abhominable trespasses and wickednes God suffreth or rather stirreth vpp Tyrants to vexe punish and ouercharg their miserable subiects with grieuous and intollerable oppressions tyrannicall extortions impositions and irreparable callamities who euer maketh choice of wicked officers and ministers which frame and conforme themselues to please their wicked humors and are skilful architects to putt in execution their detestable plottes and purposes staues of their bellies enemies of Christs crosse captiues and seruants of the diuill whose chiefest reward and promotion for performing their dreadfull and bloudie tragedies is the gouernment of such prouinces and citties to whome they haue comitted them 3. And although Ferdinande King of Castile and Arragon father to the good Queene Katherin of England was as vertuous and iust a prince as liued in all Europe in his daies yet whē he was dienge he gaue a mournefull sigh and said he had rather ther all the kingdomes in the worlde that he were a poore lay brother in some religious order seruing in a monasterie then said he my cōscience shoulde be disburdened of the heauie and dreadfull terror of my dangerous accomptes for the heauie burden of soe manny kingdomes states Prouinces for the which I miserable wretch must aunswere being scarse able to satisfie or yelde accompt for my owne secrett and peculiar offenses much lesse for the gouernmente of all those regions committed by God to my charge and ouersight Zonarus tomo 3. After that the Empire Anno 800. was translated by Leo the 3. Pope into the West and Charles the great King of Fraunce being made Emperor some of the Emperors that succeeded him forsaking the Empire became religious as Lotharius who beinge fifteene yeares Emperor and liued a most vertuous Christian remembringe the speech that his father Lodouicke vsed in the time of his death of the vanitie of the worlde and of the miserable estate of such as are the slaues therof became a Mounck anno 865. 4. Hugo the Emperor after many victories that he had against his enemies became a Mouncke Rachisius kinge of Italie resigninge his kingdome to his Brother Astulpus became religious in the Monasterie of Mount Cassius of the which he was as it is thought Abott anno 741. Pipine kinge also of the Romanes and eldest sonne of Charles the great followed that blessed example who became a mouncke in a monasterie that he builded himselfe at Verona anno 805. In Spaine Bamba very prosperous and fortunate both at home and a broade amoungest his other victorious exploites defeated and discomfited 200. shippes of Moores that were Pyratts tooke also Paule kinge of Fraunce prisoner that came to inuade Spayne at lenght beinge moued by diuine inspiration became a mouncke anno 674. whose blessed example Verenundus kinge of Castile followed Ramiris kinge of Arragon first became a mouncke in his fathers life time who beinge dead without yssue of other Children was compelled to returne to the worlde and marrie and hauinge yssue which was a daughter returned to his monasterie againe 5. But of all kingdomes of the world England was most famous for the number and sanctitie of their religous kinges as Sigibertus kinge of Nothumberland who forsakinge the worlde tooke a religious habitt vpon him Anno 640. Ethelred kinge of the Merceans anno 704. who gouerning his kingdome with great pietie and religion resigned the same ouer to his sonne beinge but a childe and erected a monasterie of which he was made Abott But when the childe came to riper yeares he followed his fathers steppes went to Rome and receaued the habitt of Constantine the first then Pope and spent there the remainder of his dayes with great sanctitie and hollines his name was Chenredus in whose companie went Offa kinge of the East Saxons who in the prime of his youth settinge at naught the vanities of all worldlie prosperitie contemninge his opulent and rich kingdome tooke vpon him a voluntary death which was to betake himselfe to a perpetual silence banishing from his vowed and inuincible chastitie all fleshlie enticementes and prouocations Not longe after him Inas kings of the said Saxons a man of of an incomparable pietie and deuotion made his whole kingdome tributaire to the sea Apostolique went to Rome forsakinge his kingdome and became religious The same Geolfus did vnto whome Venerable Beda dedicated his historie who beinge kinge of Northumberland and considering the dangerous estate of kinges fled vnto a monasterie there to serue God with greater securitie of his saluation and resigned his kingdome to Egebert his Vncle who after that he had raigned 20. yeares followed also his Nephewe to the monasterie and died therin in that religious vocation 6. In Germanie the example of Charlemaine was famous beinge sonne to Charles Martell and beinge kinge of Austria and and Suethland came to Rome in a poore mans attire and vnknowen to any where he receaued holie orders of Zacharias the Pope and afterwards entred the monasterie in mount Zoracte which he himselfe builded but beinge disturbed by the frequēt visitation of those of his frindes retired himselfe to Mount Cassen a place more remote was there receaued with
any other taught the same in any other countrie did euer conspire in treason or murther or deuised anny mischeefe against kinge potentate or countrie or that euer anny man lost his life landes or goodes for not receauinge either themselues or their doctrine or that euer any kinge was expelled out of his kingdome for not receauinge the catholique religion into his countrie or was forced to imbrace the same as the founders of protestancie haue done But it is wel knowen that Luther and Zuinglius were the first that euer preached the protestant religion as it is proued in the Apologie of the protestant Church of England and that they were the causes of all the mischeefe warres and troubles insurrection of subiectes against their princes ouerthrowinge and banishment of Princes by their owne subiects out of all their kingdomes and states 9. Lastlie it is knowen also that our first founders and apostles came in simplicitie of spiritt without troupes of horsemen or bandes of soldiors hauinge noe other standert but the crosse of Christ nor noe other poulder but the dust of their feete but the protestant founders came with wilde-fire gâ—n-poulder and cannot-shott with their cruell armies in all places to bringe all to confusion an desolation that would not imbrace their sect yea many holie martyres haue suffred death for not forsakinge their old religioÌ„ to accept these new deuised opinions of these sectaries wherof I haue thought good to sett downe the names wherby you may perceaue the constancie of Catholiques and the cruelties of protestants Ex fructibus eorum cognoscetis eos For yow shall knowe them by their fruicte I will first speake of Flanders then of France afterwardes of England and last of all of Irelande The name of those that suffred death by the Gewses of Flanders where the protestantes are soe called CHAPTER I. 1. THe Reuerend Father Nicholaus Picus guardian of a monasterie of S. Francis in Holland together with ten of his brethren Ierom Werdan viccar Will. Hadne Nicase Hez Theodorique Emden Anthony Hornarien Anthony Werden Godfrey Meruellan Frauncis Rod of Bruxells Peter Astun a lay brother Cornell Wican a lay man who after much torment and affliction were sent to the towne of Bill where they were beaten with clubbes hanged on the topp of the common stoare howse of the towne in the night time the 14. of August 1575. they cutt of their eares and their noses they ripped vp their bellies and pulled ouâ— all the fatt they could gett and sold the same in all places of the prouince They alsoe put to cruel death Leonard Veichle pastor of Barcomia Nicholas Poppell another pastor of that place Godfrey Dimens somtime rector of the vniuersitie of Parris but then Pastor Gorcomiensis Iohn Oster Wâ—canus cannon regular of saint Augustines order and ouerseer of the Nunnes Adrian Becan of the order of Premonstrensis Iames Lacopins a monke of the same order Iohannes On s of the order of saint Dominique Andrewe Walter Pastor Hairnâ—tensis besides many other related by doctor Estius chauncelor of Douaie In this cittie of Brill were put to cruell death 180. religious persones at seuerall tymes And the Crucifix which stood in the church of Gorcomend for the consolation of the Christians they pulled downe and hanged the same vppon the gallowes they snatched also the Eucharist out of a Priests handes nailed it vnto a gibbet 2. When the Prince of Orenge tooke the cittie of Ruremunde in Gerderlande his soldiors rushinge into the monasterie of the Carthusians murthered three lay brethren vid. Albert Winda Iohn Sittart and Stewart Ruâ—emund And entringe into the church of that monasterie they found the Prior thereof called Ioachinus with the rest of the religious people prayinge vnto God all which they murthered in which cittie 29. priestes and religious persons were martired When the Gewes had gotte by deceit Adernard in Flaunders after spoilinge and robbinge all the churches and monasteries therof they apprehended all the priests and religious persons and brought them bound with the gentlemen of that cittie vnto the castle there amoungest whom master Peter licentiate of diuinitie and pastor of that cittie a worshippfull aged man was put to great tormentes and at the last beinge tied hande and foote was cast from the toppe of the tower headlonge into the riuer of Scaldis After him also they cast headlonge down into the riuer Paulus Couis pastor of that cittie Iohn Brackett Batcheler of diuinitie Iames Deckerie Iohn Opstall and Iohn Anuanne a noble man al priests They tooke also that vertuous man Iohn Machusius of saint Frauncis order somtimes Bishopp of Dauentrie who beinge sore wounded of them they left his poore carcasse like a dead carrion vpoÌ„ the streetes other priests they tooke by the cittie of Ipris and buried them quicke in the earth with their face aboue the grounde which insteed of a marck they shott at with bulletts 3. When Delps a cittie of Holland was taken by the Prince of Aurenge who seemed to shewe great fauor vnto a most reuerend and learned man called Cornellius Musius confessor to the Nunnes of saint Agatha of that cittie yet was he with vnusuall and exquisitt torments put to the cruelest death that could be inuented the 10. of December 1575. The same crueltie they shewed vppon Egelbert of Burges a Franciscan friar in the cittie of Alcmaria for they did ripp his belly and cutt off his intralles with their kniues With noe lesse crueltie did they putt to death two Mouncks of the order of saint Hierome at Ganda a cittie in Holland their names were Iohn Rixtell and Adrian Textor whome the Generall of the Gewses caused to be stripe of their cloathes and with their swordes forced them to runn vppon thicke hedges of quicksett and to die thereon The like crueltie he executed vppon William Gandan a Franciscan Friar Iames Gandan Theodorick Gandan Cornelius Sconhewe and Iasper cannone regular Mr. Iohn Ierome natiue of Edome in Holland who beinge taken with other Catholiques by Hornan were brought vnto Sâ—age in the north parte of that prouince where after many horrible and abhominable interrogatorious some of them died in that miserable captiuitie such as were left a liue were bound hand and feete vpon their backes with their naked bellies vpwardes and vppon euerie mans bellie was set a panne or caldron whelmed downwards full of dormise and frogges in great quantitie and vpon the said pannes or caldrons were put fiery coales which burning heate of the fire when those frogges felt and had noe other place to gett out they turned all vppon the poore peoples Bellies and did gnaw and teare there vntill they made hoales through their backes or at least some place to defend themselues from the rage of the fire 4. Vrsula Tales a religious Nunne of the Begginage after that her father an ould man and magistrate of that place with other catholiques were hanged by these rebells she also was brought vnto a gibbett and being asked
of whome they suspected noe such guyle he hauing promised them their libertie yet he sent souldiers in their absence to their chambers and as they returned from supper were intertained with the bloodie edge of their swordes and soe against faith and promise and after paying their raÌ„some they were inhumanly murthered In the cittie of Montbris the Barron of Adrett caused many catholiques to be cast headlong from the topp of a high Turett and caused also souldiers to attend their miserable fall and to entertaine them with the pointes of their pikes 7. Such was the impudencie and barbarousnes of a certaine hugonott that he did weare a chaine about his necke of the eares of priests shewed the same to the chiefest captaines of the hugonittes They did ripp the bellie of a certaine priest and tooke out his bowells in steede whereof they putt oates to serue their horse for a maunger The heretiques of the cittie of Neemes in Languedoc did cast a great number of catholiques into a mightie deepe and large well of that cittie and haue filled the same twise with mens bodies halfe dead Iames Socius a wicked pirate who obtaininge letters patentes of Ioan Alberte Queene of Nauare which they call letters of mart sayling towardes the Iles of Madera and Canaria mett with a shipp of Portingall goinge towardes America which he pursued and tooke In which there were 40. of the fathers of the societie of Iesus who were sent to the Prouince of Brazill to instruct them in Christian religion but the wicked and cruell Tyrant like a deuouring woolfe seased vppon these poore religious people whome he massacred and after dismembring of them of some he cutt a legg of othersome an arme and soe he cast them all into the sea 8. Lastly Anno 1567. in the Carthusian monasterie which they call Burfowtaine in the diocesse of Suesse 5. mounks of that blessed order were murthered by the heretiques that came to robb that monasterie Iohn Motto proctor thereof a most vertuous priest Iohn MegneÌ„ priest Iohn Aurill priest Benedict Lenes lay brother and Theobald priest All these that I speake of neuer tooke weapons against them but most patientlie endured martirdome at their handes But if I should speake of soe manny as were put to most cruell death and were kild in al the Prouinces of Fraunce citties and townes thereof and such that were betrayed by theÌ„ I should make an infinitt volume but I cannot omitt that worthie and inuincible Prince Frauncis of Lorraine Duke of Gwise whose murther was plotted by Beza and executed by Poltrott These and the like examples ought to moue good christians to beware of these people 9. Before the firie and furious concupiscence of king Henry the 8. who caused that vnfortunat deuorce betwixt him and hâ—s vertuous Queene Katherine there was no realme in Europe more opulent and more abundant in all things then the kingdome of England no kingdome more peaceable at home and more glorious and prosperous abroad no king so victorious and tâ—iumphant ouer his enimies as he no courte so magnificent or so plawsible being full of cheerfull shewes and replenished with an vniuersall triumph ioy and exaltation the king liued in securitie without feare of forraine princes abroad or treason or conspiracy of his subiectes at home betwixt the one and the other there was interchangeable good offices aswell of a princely bountifulnesse towardes the subiectes as of a dutifull subiection towardes the prince the king possessed the hearts of his subiects they againe enioye the loue of their Prince But when he violated and dissolued the in dissoluble knott bond of matrimonie which no power in earth was able to disioyne as our Sauiour saith by this separation and diuorce Matt. 19. he separated himselfe also from Gods church all thinges were subuerted and turned topsy turuie all was filled which feares and suspitions at home with warres and diuisions a broad and with continuall frights and stranges allarmes of attempts and garboyles aswell in the court as in the countrie The treasures were exhausted the subiects impourished religion suppressed religious howses dissolued the vertuous oppressed the wicked aduanced and exalted the nobilitie condemned and beheaded and their goods confiscated and all vertuous people were fedd and sustained Pane lachrymarum aqua augustiae with the bread of mourning and teares and with the water of anguish and paine so as whatsoeuer the prophett Hieremy spake of Hierusalem may be applied to England after its apostacy The flourishing nation saith he is like a poore widdow Hier. c. 1. that wailes at night and her teares rune downe by her checkes her priests doe waile her virgins do complaine and she is euerie where oppressed her nobilitie are suppressed and many of her people ouerpressed with vnsufferable miseries and callamities Facti sunt hostes eius in capite eius inimici eius locupletati sunt Her enimies are promoted into her highest promotions and her aduersaries made riche by her spoyles Know yee and behold how distastfull it is to forsake God and nott to haue his feare before your eyes A seculo consregisti iugum Domini thow hast bracken and cast off godes yoake euen from the beginninge thy swoord deuoured the prophets quasi leo â— astator generatio vestra a destroieng lion is your generation And as King Henry the 8. himselfe said in this booke against Luther Eos qui pelluntur gremio matris Ecclesiae stat in furijs corripi atque agitari demonibus Such as are expulsed and thrust out of the bosome of our mother the Church are foorthwith ouercharged with the furious and raginge flames of hellish spirits and vanquished which diuills which assertion I would to God it had not bene verified of him that said it nor sutable to the purpose wherunto the same is applied But England to their great cost by experience knoweth this to be trew howsoeuer otherwise they dissemble it 6. But to retourne to him that applied the same against Luther the stroake did reboâ—nd and reflect vppon his owne neck Anno Domini 1533 Regni eius 24. for being excommunicated by Clemens 7. for putting away his married wife and for marrieng Anne Bullen tradidit se as the Apostle saith impudicitiae Ephes 4. in operem immunditia omnis in auaritiam he yelded himselfe ouer to impudicitie to the exercise of all vncleanesse couetuousnes he caused himselfe to be decreed by perleameÌ„t head of the church made it high treason in him that would not sweare precisely in his conscience this to be trew where many worthy personages both ecclesiasticall and lay people for refusing this oath or otherwise resisting it some were burned aliue as father Foster of the order of saint Frauncis Queene Cathrins confessor other some were beheaded as doctor Fisher-Bishopp of Rochester and Sr. Thomas Moore L. Chancler of England and may others were hanged drawen and quartered Yea he condemned the whole cleargie in a premunire which afterwardes they
which blessed name none disdayned none were called Gospellers Lutherans Caluinists Zuinglians Protestantes or Puritans Anabaptistes Trinitarians or any other sect with innumerable others which the Protestant religion hath sett abroach and inuented men were simple and honest in their dealinges faithfull of their promisses charitable in their workes zealous in their beleefe obediente vnto their Prelates and Pastors This is soe euident a trueth as that all bookes recordes generall and prouinciall councells all parleamentes of kingdomes all vnctions and inuestinge of Emperours and Kinges all consecration of Bishoppes all holy orders of Priestes all churches monasteries and chappels in the worlde all the gates of townes and cyttyes all monuments and recordes both spirituall and temporall all vniuersities and doctours of Christendome both comon and ciuill lawes of all countries yea Protestantes themselues doe plainly witnesse 3. But that Protestant religion is new is a thing most certeine for there are men yet liuinge at this day more auncient then it and can remember when it first came into England and Irelande Wee can shewe you the first inuentours and authors therof The place the time and the occasion by which it crepte in and infected these miserable nor then countries Who haue opposed themselues against it What garboyles callamities came into those countryes that nourished the same What rebellion and insurrectiō of subiects against their princes for defending the same What were the motiues of such as inuented yt and occasions of others that imbraced it The successe of the one and the other and by whome and how the same was condemned I pray you what can be more euident signes and tokens of noueltie for noueltie in all common wealthes but especially in matters of religion as S. Nazianzenus saith is to be auoided yea the Emperour of the Turckes did aduise the Queene of Transiluania to beware of the noueltie of hereticall sectes and that shee should neuer suffer the same to creepe into her countrie It is well knowen also that the name of protestāt religion was neuer heard of before the yeare of our Lord 1529. in the towne of Spira in Germany where the Lutheranes beinge as it were combined against the Emperour Charles the 5. did vse a kinde of protestation wherupon afterwardes they were called Protestantes 4. If thou say that it lay lurkinge and hidden in the worlde I aske where or in what place of the world in what kingdomes and townes or who were the defenders therof Truly no writer or historiographer did or could euer make mētion of any such nor euer before that time any mention was made of them nor was it euer heard that any hereticall secte was so closelie hidden in the worlde but it might be knowen at least when Luther himselfe taught the same they should then haue manifested themselues and yet we can finde none such for such as followed Luther they were before Catholickes Ex nobis prodierunt saith Saint Iohn sed non erant ex nobis Ioan. 2. They went foorth frō vs but they were not of vs for if they had bin of vs they had remayned with vs it is cleare therfore they were not good Christians who forsakinge the narrowe way of saluation runne headlonge into the broade way of perdition and licentious doctrine of newe sectaries Whereas the religion of Christ is a religion moste auncient sacred immutable impregnable inuiolable alwaies the selfe same holdinge and continuinge his vigor and force vnto the worldes ende it is the soule and life of the Church For euen as by the soule fleash is vnited vnto the liuinge man soe by religion mākinde is ioyned vnto the church of Christe beinge his spirituall kingdome and all that euer were saued either before Iustinus mart orat ad Anto. Aug. l 10 confess ca. 43. or after Christe oughte to be called Christians as Iustinus martyr and other holy Doctors doe say for that they embraced Christian religion and as saint Augustine saith Ipse vnigenitus Dei silius homo propter nos factus est c. The only begotten Sonne of God became man for vs that he should become the head of his whole Church against which the gates of hell shall not preuaile Matt. 16. vnto whome Christe promised to remaine withall vnto the consumation of the worlde Matt. vlt. So that the religion by which this church is vpheld and Christe professed did and shall allwaies continue 5. It is well knowen that the name of hugonots began in France an 1562. as themselues of their assēblies made in the nighte at a gate in Tours in France called Hugon confesse to haue taken their denomination went out of the Catholique churche and did embrace the impiety of Caluine In Scotland they fell alsoe from the Catholique Church into Caluinisme anno Domini 1560. In Flanders the Geuses reuolted from the said church ouerwhelmed in the pit of soe manny heresies anno 1566. In England they chaunged religion anno 1535. and first fell vnto Lutheranisme afterwardes to Zuinglianisme afterwardes the bodye of the realme fell from Zuinglianisme to puritanisme the next degree vnto Anabaptisme and since what numbers are fallen to the familie of loue And what swarmes of Athistes are sprunge vpp in euerie shire as Whittguifte noteth against Cartwrith 6. Are not the first Authours of the protestancy also knowen as Luther Carolastadius Oecolampadius in Germanie Pharell in France Thomas Crammer in England Iohn knox and Paule Methen a baker in Scotland George Browne in Irlād In the Apologie of the church of England pag. 142 it is said that Luther and Zuinglius came first to the knowledge of the truth Luth. tom 7. f. 307. and preaching of the ghospell Luther said that God reuealed vnto him the knowledge of his Sōne that he at lenghte might euangelize it to others and that the Gospell was first preached by him D Kellyson reply to Surcliffe fol. 149. But we knowe that they cannot alleadge the author of our religion neither can they nominate vs from any particuler man nor can they chardge the Catholique church with any priuate opinion or faith that is not vniuersally allowed embraced of all Catholiques neither can they nominate the time that shee fayled of her faith Neither can they obiect that our church hath separated herselfe from the greater church or that such as did adhere to the Pope were in number lesse then any Church For it is written in S. Gregories Epistles to the Bishoppes of the Easte that Affrique Spaine France Italie and all the worlde did communicat with him This verie argument other Doctours did vse against other heretiques as Tertullian Tertull. lib. de praescrip Qui estis vos inquit c. What are yee saith he from whence and when came you where did you lie hidden all this while alsoe Optatus mileuita lib. 2. contra Parmenand Vestrae inquit Cathedrae originem ostendite c. Shew the beginninge of your Chaire you who challenge vnto your selues the churche
for a man as meate drinke or sleepe and said moreouer that if a married woman would not render the coniugall debpte of matrimonie Lib. ae vita coniug serm de matrimonio that the husband should not spare his maide The like filthie lust but farre more detestable was the occesion of Caluine his heresie For it is well knoweÌ„ as may appeare by the iudiciall actes and recordes of NouodiuÌ„ Bolsecus in vita Calu. cap. 5. Iul. Brig pag. 59. that he was condemned of the filthie sinne of the flesh against nature had it not beene for the intreatie of the bishop there which obtayned that his punishmente should be turned vnto a hoate burninge iron on his backe he should haue bene altogether burnt Iohn Witcliffe for that he was depriued of his personnage in Oxforde for his vitious misdemenor began his heresie Arrius because Alexander was preferred to the Archbishopricke of Alexandria before him Nicep de pen. l. 5. c. gaue occasion of the Arrian heresie against the deitie of Christe MoÌ„tanus for that he was denyed the primacy of Asia which he soughte verie earnestlie troubled the Church with newe heresies as Nicephorus wyttnesseth de penitentia lâ—b 5. cap. 15. Aerius alsoe for beinge denyed of a Bishopricke fell into Arianisme and afterwardes inuented himselfe a newe heresie which was that wee ought not pray for the dead 2. Henry the eighte as Iohn Foxe a greate puritan in England doth wyttnes Fox in historia pa. 512. edit 1 all the world knoweth to be true for his diuorce made from Queene Catherine his wyfe was by the Bishoppe of Rome excommunicated who beinge sore exasperated therby assembled a parlamente by which he brought to passe that he banished the Popes authoritie out of England made himselfe head of the Church thus far Iohn Foxes owne wordes Hollin in descrip Brita l. 1â— cap. 7. For it is certainly knowen that from the conuersion of England by S. Augustine duringe soe many hundred yeares vnto Kinge Henry the 8. as all English historiographers and ministers themselues doe acknowledge the Catholicke or papisticall religion as it pleaseth them to tearme it did florish in England that the cheefe pointe thereof was that the Pope was iudge moderatour and cheefe Pastor aswell of the English Church as of all other Churches of the Christians in Ecclesiasticall matters which Catholicke faith the said Kinge Henry defended the space of xx yeares as longe as he liued with his lawfull married wife aswell against domesticall heretickes that were his subiects by all penall statutes and exquisit torments at alsoe against forraine hereticks by a most learned booke in the defense of the 7. Sacraments which booke I haue in myne owne custodie for which he was ennobled and honored by Pope Leo the tenth with the title of defeÌ„der of the Catholicke faith which was neuer giuen to any kinge in the worlde before which he receaued as Foxe saies with great ioy for when it came to the kinge beinge then at Greene wich he went to his chapel accompanied with manny nobles Ambassadors Cardinall Wolsey said Masse the Earle of Essex brought the basen of water the duke of Suffolke gaue the assay the duke of Norfolke held the towell the Heraldes with their company began their accustomed cryes prononcinge Fox anno 1528. fol. 441. Henricus Dei gratia Angliae Franciae defensor Fidei Dominus Hiberniae And amongest his other magnificent titles he lefte to this day this title to his posterity as is well knowen to the world Neyther only with bookes but alsoe with his victorious and inuincible armes did he defende the Catholike Romane faith and the dignitie thereof for the which he foughte againste sundrie princes and their confederates as againste Lodowicke the 12. kinge of France and Iames the 4. kinge of Scottes though married to his sister Who beinge vanquished and his great armie ouerthrowen by the Earle of Surrie in England and the said kinge himselfe being slaine in the battle for that he was excommunicated was not suffred to be buried in any Christian graue Also he sent his Armie by sea to ioyne with the Spaniardes againste the kinge of France to assaulte France in the frontiers of Spaine by the powerfull force of the English Iohn Albertus the kinge of Nauare was driuen altogether out of the kingdome beinge excomunicated by the Pope which Spaine doth possesse at this daye Did not the said kinge within fewe yeares after send an Armie into Italie against the Emperor Charles the first in the defence of Clement the 7. then Pope And notwithstanding he was his great frinde and his Nephewe for that Queene Cathrine was his Aunte yet through the filthie concupiscence by which he was besotted and blinded to marrye Anna Bulâ—ene and soe to be diuorced from his lawfull marryed wife he turned all thinges topsie turuie reiected the Popes authoritie which he before aswell by Gods lawes the holy scriptures as by the fathers and Councells of the Church defended and soe by a parlament of one Realme or kingdome he disanulled and abrogated that which was established by soe manny generall parleaments and generall Councells of all Christendome yea by Christe himselfe and by all such as trulye beleeued in him And for not yealding vnto his desire herein manny religious and constant Martyrs offred their liues and their bloode amoungest whome was the lighte of England that most sacred Martyr and learned diuine Iohn Fisher Bishopp of Rochester Sr. Thomas More Lord Chancelor of England of these sorte of people our Sauiour wished vs to beware Act. 20 the Apostle alsoe saith woulues shall enter after my departure and shall not spare the flocke Rom. 16. Therfore in another place he requested vs to marke and knowe what people they be that raise dissentions and scandalls in the Churche and doe teach otherwise then wee haue alreadye receaued and to fly from them Heb. 4. Iohn 4. He alsoe exhorted vs that wee should not be lead away with mutable and strange doctrine S. Iohn alsoe wished vs not to beleeue euerie spiritt but that wee should trye whether they be of God 3. But the doctrine of Luther cannot by any triall be founde true so that as Christ saith Iohn 7. my doctrine is not myne but my fathers which did send me soe Luther may say his doctrine is not his but his fathers the diuell that did send him Luth. lib. de Missa Ang. to G lenens Ger 10. 7. witteÌ„b 1. Cor. 13. 1. Cor. 14. whom he boasted to haue suggested vnto him arguments to ouerthrowe priest-hoode and sacrifice that by that meanes he should ouerthrowe and confounde the true worshipp of the true God for God as the Apostle saith is the God of peace and charitie not of dissention For whosoeuer procures sectes and diuision betwixt brethren saith the prophett is a diuell When therfore by Luthers meanes wee see so manny sectes against Godds Churche wee must
destroied by the heresie of Pelagius giue a Moncke of Bangor for chastisment wherof almightie God suffred the Englishmen to turne the edge of their sworde vppon those that sent for them for their defence Vortiger was the leader of the Church when old Britans weare destroyd and dispossessed them of their Countrie and made themselues Lord thereof called Brittanie Englande by their owne name soe that heresie did soe increase in that kingdome about the tyme that S. Gregorie did send S. Augustine and other holy mounckes thither to preach the Catholick faith therein that 9. hereticall bushoppes beinge there before them no one catholick bishopp was found Ireland alsoe when the Englishe in kinge Henry the 2. gott footinge therein did little esteeme the sacred censure of holly Church Bern. in vita Malachiae Dolman Lib. 2. and the noblemen of that kingdome did vsurpe Church liuinges as may appeare by S. Bernard Edward the 3. beinge a most glorious kinge his end was pittifull his heire kinge Richard after infinitt sedition contention and blood-shedd of the nobilitie and others was deposed and made away the bloody diuision of the howse of lancaster yorcke came in and endured almoste one hundreth yeares with the ruyne not only of the royall lyne of LaÌ„caster by whom especially Iohn Wittcliffe a peruerse hereticke condemned in the Councell of Constance was fauored at the beginninge but with the ouerthrowe of many other Princes and families and most pernicious warres and garboyles continued both at home abroade with the losse of all the states and Prouinces of France Thomas Walsingham settes downe the Commotion of King Richard the 2. his time againste the nobilitie and Cleargie vnder their seditious Captaines Iacke Strawe Watt Tyler and the rest soe againe vnder other kinges whilest this heresie lasted and namly against the two most valiant Catholicke Princes Henry the 4 and 5. his sonne in the first yeare of whose rayne to witt kinge Henry the fift Iohn Stowe wryteth thus That the fauorers of Wiâ—cleefe his secte did nayle vpp scedulles vpon the Church doores of London containinge that there were an hundreth thousand readie to rise against all such as could not awaye with their secte The first tumuâ—tes of Pollardes and Wicliffians in England were Anno 1414. and hereon followed the open rebellion of Sr. Iohn old Castle and Sr. Roger Acton and others in S. Giles fâ—lde by Holborne neuerthelesse this secte could neuer take hold or preuaile in England neither then or after vntill foure pointes thereof beinge renewed by Luther and Zuinglius the later I meane Zuinglius his secte was admitted in kinge Edward hâ—s dayes 5. Did not the kinge of Denmarke bringe the people of Thretmarse which were a free state into a vilde thraldome after they were Lutheranes whereas as longe as they were Catholicks they were a free state of their owne Ces to 4. An Christi 379. S. Amb. in libris ad GratianuÌ„ Caes Baro. to 4. 379. S. Ambrose also doth proue the same as Caesar Baronius doth alleadge and saith Vna cum haeresi in regna cladem inuehi cum fide catholica salutem ferri c. that noe sooner heresie was broughte in then presentlie the kingdomes where it crepte in were ouerthrowen and quickly destroied and were againe restored and established by Catholique religion This he spake of the Empire of the easte sicque in occidente accumulari victorijs Gratianum that in the weast by the Catholique religion Gratianus the Emperor did encrease in many victories Cum in castris excubant cum gratia atque precibus Sacerdotum sancta religio when the priestes in the Campe did watch in prayers and other exercises of sacred religion Contrariewise you shall see the happie and florishinge Empire to decay and cast topsie turuie when the Emperor did fauor heretiques or at leaste when they were slacke in defendinge the Catholicque religion adeo saith he vt perspicuè intelligas claram victoriam religionem penitus consequi hereses tristes erumnas euocatas ab inferis secum ducere soe as you may plainly perceaue that by religion victorie was gotten and alsoe by heresie woe and wreake and all other dolfull calamitie and hellish confusion was broughte to the woâ—lde The like assertion hath holie Basill Basil ep 69 Caes Bar. to 4. An. Christi 363. quod enim comune est ciuitatibus omnibus vt cum semel hereticis aurem praebent mox vna cum heresi dissentiones rixae ac mala omnia sugata recta â—ide paceque subintrent ita planè Neocesarientibus accidit that which is incident to all Citties when once they giue eare vnto hereticques presently trewe faith beinge once abandoned dissentions debates and all other mischeefes will creepe in as wee see an euident example to those of Noecessaria what heresie saith he but which was contraire to the traditions of S. Gregorie the greate his wordes be these aduersaria traditioni magni reuera Gregorij 6. tomo 4. An. Christi 371. many heresies in the East The like miserie yow may read by the Epistles of those holy Sainctes videlicet Mileâ—itaâ—us Eusebius and Basilius to the Bushoppes of Italie and France and related by Caesar Baronius in which he wrote as followeth Miserandus status orientalis ecclesiae c. The state of the Easte Church is to be pitted for not onlie two or three Churches haue fallen vnto this dangerous tempest but that mischeefe of heresie hath extended her selfe from the bondes of Illiâ—ia vnto Tebaira the seede of which was first sowed by Arrius and afterwarde was gathered by wicked people who haue broughte forth wicked and pernitious fruites and discipline and doctrine of pietie and goood life is ouerthrowen all bondes and obligation of honestie and charitie is confounded and decaide none hath sway ouer others but he that is most wicked whose rewarde is the gouernment of others and he that exceedes others in blasphemies exceedes all in the episcopall dignitie The grauitie of Bishopps is lost the honestie of Pastors is gone the holy Canons of the Church are troade vnderfoote the releefe of the poore is altogether abused to their filthie vse The occasions of all such mischeefes are laide open by Saincte Optatus Milenitanus who hauinge reckoned the bloody and cruell actes of the heretickes called Donatistes he applied that place of the scripture vnto them Veloces pedes eorum ad effudendum sanguinem Cruelty of heretiques Mauritaniae videl the sea coast of Affrique next vnto Europe their feete are verie swifte to shedd blood And then addeth In Maritaniae ciuitatibus c. In the Citties of Mauritania by your procuremente they were affrighted with many garboiles Children were kilde in their mothers bellies men were murthered and torne in peeces matrons were violated infantes were slaine by riping vp their mothers bellies behould this your Church which was mantained vpholden by cruell and bloody Bishoppes whose greatest furie and vildest facte although in their estimation
which as it doth exceede all the heresies that euer were in ympietie of Doctrine and wickednes of life so it doth alsoe surpasse all Heretiques Infideles Turcks and Iewes in all bloody feates cruell exploites Babilonian confusion tragicall desigmentes diuelish purposes and plottes yea and strange inuented lawes newer heard of before with their most rigorous execution You see the fruite of heresie the complotters and compassers thereof the cheefe Architects of her detestable practise her effiminacye luxurious wantones her inducementes to all abhominable pleasures and licentious libertie her bloodie imbrumentes and lamentable tragedies in euerie countrie where shee was nourished and inuented which brought a masse of miserie and calamitie with it to those places that receaued her the shipwracke of whose opulente and aboundante fortunes can beare wittnesse thereof obstinate pride presumptuous and turbulent spirittes dislike and disdaininge of good order and sound discipline contempte and despising of authoritie curiositie and affectation of noueltie discontentment and disquietnes of mindes through ympatience of filthie luste and other malignante priuate humors which were neuer inspired by the spirite of God but by the suggestion of the diuill who was the cause thereof Of the miserable death and endes of such as deuised and defended the protestant Religion as also other heresies CHAPTER VII 1. THe first plotter of this heresie was Martine Luther Luthers death whose life as it was most wicked soe his ende was noe lesse miserable He after that he had surfeyted through one nightes gossopinge himselfe beinge fild intemperatlie vpp to the throate was found dead in the morninge with his wife and as it is suspected was choaked by her Henrye Zuthphan which was the first that brought Lutheranisme into Breame was afterwardes burned at Meldorphe in Thretmarsse Anno 1524. Hulderique Zuinglius an Apostate Priest in a furious skirmish beinge leader of the Tigurians whome he brought to that dolefull battle animatinge them to the combatte as surmountinge their aduersaries in multitude of souldiers were all ouerthrowen and he himselfe was found dead amoungest the dead carcases and was cast into the fire Zuinglius death Conrad in Theolog. Fox pag. 444. soe as he suffred a double death by fire and sworde Of whome the Epitaph was made thus Occul uit patrio bellator Zuinglius ense Et gressa est armis gens populosa suis Zuinglius the Warior was slaine in the fielde And the sword of his Countrie did pierce Genebrardus in Chron. 2. fol. 72. His side by many bloody batles fought His Country vnto ruine he brought CoÌ„radus a Lutheran protestant writeth that God manifested his iudgmente vppon Caluine euen in this world whom he visited in the rodde of furie and punished him horribly before the dreadfull hower of his vnhappie death Caluins dreadfull death for saith he God by his powerfull hand did soe stricke this heretique that beinge in desperation blaspheminge and cursinge the name of God and calling vppon the diuills he yelded vpp his wicked ghoaste hauinge an vglye and filthie apostume in his priuie partes out of which there issued such a number of loathsome and stinckinge woormes Carolostadius his death Epistola de morte Carolastadiâ— OecolaÌ„padus death that not any could abide to come nere him this farre the said Author Carolastadius was slaine by the diuill as the ministers of Basill themselues doe witnesse Oecolampadius also a married Mounque of the order of S. Brigget and one of the firste and principalest Architectes of the protestante religion was founde slaine in his bedd by his wyues side and that by her or rather by the diuill himselfe Luth. lib. de Missa priuata as Luther thincketh The Duke of Saxonie and the Lantgraue of Hesse which were the cheefe promotors and Patrons of lutheranisme were in battell vanquished by Charles the fifte depriued of their dominions and kepte in prison by him many yeares The Prince of Condye The prince of Condys death and the admirall of France which were the Patrones of the secte of Caluine or hugnottes in that Countrye were alsoe vanquished and ouerthrowen in the field with their kinge after many other ouerthrowes and slaughter of their adherentes the one I meane Condie was slaine in the battell of Iarnan the other was kild in a triumph at Paris his carcase beinge caste from the topp of a high howse his necke beinge broken and his body torne was drawen by a rope through the streates and hanged not much vnlike to Iezabell where also the Prince Montgomery was beheaded beinge a great defender of Caluinisme 2. The death of such in EnglaÌ„d as were â—atrons of Protestancie The same miserable end they tasted alsoe that were the patrones of this wicked ghospell in England as Queene Anne Bullen Thomas Cromell the Duke of Somersett and Thomas Cranmer Bishopp of Canterburie The first was accused arraigned and conuicted of a filthie incest her supposed Father beinge the iudge thereof and by his sentence putt to death who was so besotted of her filthie loue The next was condemned and putt to death for heresie and high treason by kinge Henry the eighte vnto whom he yealded himselfe both soule and bodâ—e before by the lawe he made himselfe videlicet whosoeuer should be cast into the tower he should be put to death without examination Fox act and monuments 563. whome he called the wall and defense of the protestant Chruch The third which was the Duke of Somersett beinge vncle vnto kinge Edward his vicar generall in all ecclesiasticall causes and protector and as it were kinge of the whole Realme was depriued of all auctoritie and publiquelie beheadded The last which was Cranmer after abiuringe his wicked heresie at Oxford by Queene Marie Robert Barnes Thomas Gerrard William Ierom beinge the first cheefe instruments that Kinge Henry the 8. had to perswade the people touching the kinges supremacie in ecclesiasticall causes were by the said kinge Henrye burned afterwards and the said Barnes beinge there at the stake and the flame readie to lay hould vppon him said these words By our meanes the kinge was made absolute kinge of England whereas before he was but halfe a kinge and for our paynes this is the rewarde wee haue Anno Domini 1540. Prince of Aurengs death 3. The Prince of Aurenge that was the author and enginer thereof in flanders was slaine with a pistole in his newe wyues lappe by Balthazer Gerard. Ludouicus Nalconius brother to the said Prince and the cheefe author of the rebellion of the said lowe Countries in the battle of Mokens which he lost the Spaniardes hauinge gotten the victory was burned in a little cottage aliue whether he fledd for safeguard In that battle also his Brother Henry perished as his brother Adolphus did perishe a little before in FrislaÌ„d William Lumenus the Earle of Mansfil after defilinge his murtheringe hands with the cruell death of many religious persons priests and Catholiques in Holland and Zeland and
I shall not bewaile trulie at lenght after all their great security they shall haue a sudden fall and let them take example by the dolefull ouerthrowe of others that haue lead their liues in pleasures and haue abused their power againste godes Church and the members thereof let all men knowe that all heresies be fatall ominous and vnfortunate especially to the first professors thereof Vltio sanguinis seruorum tuorum qui effusus est introcat in conspectu tuo gemitus compeditorum Psal 7. Whether there be nothing that the Protestants affirmatiuely beleeue confesse and professe but the Church of Rome doth beleeue the same and cannot be denyed by Catholiques but that they are most auncient and consonant with the word of God CHAPTER I. 1. ALl Heretiques say as Lactantius reportes that their owne religion is verie good and agreable to the word of God Lib. 4 diuinist cap. vlt. and better then others It is naturall to euerie beast according to Pliny to thinke his owne shape more beautifull then the rest Plin. lib. 8. cap. â—4 Plin. ibid. yea such as are most deformed thinkes themselues most beautifull as the Apes doe which though they do counterfeit mens shapes or gestures neuer so much cannot be said to haue the forme of men so these sectaries though they like Apes in imitation haue taken from vs some partes out of the Masse as may appeare and in their spirituall courtes visitations conuocations and excommunications although in deede none ought to excommunicate but he that can absolue they by their owne doctrine cannot absolue therfore they cannot excommunicate yet for all that they cannot be said to haue the trewe forme of Religion or the trewe Church for the ecclesiasticall forme and gouernment of your Protestantes is reiected by the Puritantes contemned by the ministers of Caluine and Beza and other Hugonottes of France as part of the reliques of Antechrist your common praier booke being called by them in contempt the missall of England Yf such as yow yourselues cales protestants do disprooue your Religion to be altogether against the woord of God how much more will the Romish Church say the like who doe differ from yow almost in euerie point 2. In the Booke of dangerous positioÌ„s in the 9. chapter set forth Anno 1593. by Doctor Bancraft of Canterburie it is alleadged that the Puritants do say of the comon booke of publick praiers videlicet that it is full of corruption and that many of the contentes thereof are against the woord of God the sacramentes wickedly mangled and prophaned therin the Lordes supper not eaten but made a pageant and stage play that their publique baptisme is full of childish superstitious toyes so many Puritants did write against it that England will neuer do well vntill that booke be burned 1. admonitio ad Parla pag. 9 41. 43. Also the superintendeÌ„t of Rateburge and the cheefest ministers in Germanie hauing read Caluines woorckes printed An. 1592. at Francfort In timore Domini saith he legi relegi dico in Christo Iesu c. Caluinistarum lib. 3. in pref Apost lib. 1. a. 2. fol. 9. I haue read and perused them the space of 23. yeares I auoutch it before IESVS Christ saith he that all the Caluinistes do nourish in their breastes the Aryan Turkish ympietie and that they open windowes and gates for Arianisme and Mahometisme as our bookes publickly set forth do manifest the same and so brought an example of Adam Newser the cheefe Pastor of the Church of Hedelberge Ibid. f. 9. who from a Zuinglian be came an Arian and afterwardes a Turcke which three sectes I meane Caluinisme Arianisme and Mahometisme Iohn Schutz in lib. 50. Causarum causa 48. another protestant Doctor calles them three briches of one cloathe and that fellowe hauinge gone vnto Constantinople Anno 1574. did writt that none became an Arian which first was not a Caluinist and brought example of Seruetus Blandrata Alciatus Franciscus Dauidis Gentilis Gribaldus Siluanus and others 3. There was printed a booke 1586. at Iena in Saxony by a Lutheran minister the Tittle whereof was An admonition from the woord of God that Caluinistes be not Christians but Iewes and baptized Mahometts Also 2. yeares afterwards another was set fourth at Tubinge by Philipp Nicholas minister the tittle whereof was a detection of the Caluinian sect to agree with the Arians and Nestorians in the groundes and foundations of their religion and that no Christian can ioyne with the Caluinistes but that he must defend the Arians and the Nestorians Sleid hist lib. 19. An. 47. Bernardinus Ochinus being the first principall Apostle of England in kinge Edwardes his dayes with Peter Martyr Martyne Buzer Okinus in lib. dialog Zanchius de vno Deo Beza ep 1. par 11. Bal. in pref act Rom Pontific Calu. lib. 1 de scandalis pa. 136 An. 1593. pag. 44. and Paulus Phalangius vnto whose direction both the vniuersities of England were comitted did oppugne the blessed Trinitie the deitie of Christ and of the holy Ghost so as Beza called him the fauorer of the Arian heresie and a scoffer at all Christian religion yet neuerthelesse one Iohn Bale somtimes Bishopp of Ossorie in Ireland calles this Bernardin and Peter Martyr the light of the Ghospell of England and Caluine saith that the said Bernardine was borne for the happines of England It is said also in the suruey of the pretended holy discipline printed at London that the sect of Caluinistes is a cancker and another Thalmud which by their wicked rebellion against their lawfull Princes haue founded their ghospell and Church which by their intollerable arrogancy do oppose themselues against all sacred Doctors against all venerable Councells and against all the florishing Churches that euer were from Christ his tyme vntill our dayes that there is no place of Scripture which they do not wrest from the lawfull sense thereof neuer before knowen by the Church of God and that it had beene good for England that none brought vpp in the filthie schoole of Geneua or Scotland had euer entred into England 4. Conradus a Protestant writeth that Caluine sayeth that the merittes of Christ cannot preuaile against the iudgment of God Also he affirmed Caluine to write that the blood of Christ was of no force to blott out sinnes and that aboue 1500. yeares it was putrified fo 84. 85. 87. Curaeus in spongia fol. 250. Erast pag. 29. Fridericus Borussius pag. 45 Osiander in confess haue written the like impietie with many other blasphemies which yow may read in the Caluini Turcismo lib. 4. c. 22 Other Lutheran writters make bookes of the contradictories and contradictions of Caluine Caluini Theolog. lib. 1. f. 85 Luth. lib. de Sacrament fol. 376. Orthodox Conf. en le Tigurine tract 3. fol. 127. Luth. tom 6. Ienues Germa fol. 257. the tittle whereof is called Laberinthi inextricabiles contradictionum The intricatt Laberinthes of contradictions
by the instigation of some Iewes comanded Images to be broken as Paulus Zonarus doth relate and so he is called Leo the Image breaker his sonne called Constantinus Capronimus did the like after him Leo Armenius the Emperor So in France the Albigences certaine Hereticks in the tyme of Pope Innocent the third and Frederick the second Emperor waged warre against Images After them Iohn Witcliffe Anno 1372. and now in this last miserable age Iohn Caluine lib 1. institut cap. 2. said that in the first 500. yeares there were no Images in the Temples of Christians How false it is lett the Reader perueâ—se Eusebius lib. 3. 4. of the life of Constantine the great who saith that there were great stoare of Images in the temples that were made by Constantine the great Sozomenuâ— lib. 5. cap. 20. Nicepho lib. 5. c. 30. doe write that the Image of Christe in the time of Iulian the Apostate was bought into the temple by the Christians see Tertulian in lib. de pudicitia Naz. ad Olympium Damasc in vita Siluestri Basil in vita Barlaam Chrisost in missam quam Erasmus latinam reddit Euodium lib. 2. de miraculis S. Stephani Prudentium in libro de sancto Cassiano Paulinum epistola ad Seuerum August lib. de consensu Euangelistarum cap. 10. and a little before him Carolastadius in this heresie was the first that opposed himselfe against Images 15. That there were manie Images of Christ from the beginninge of the Church it is well knowen and in the life tyme of Christ himselfe there were two Images The first himselfe takinge a napkin rubbinge his face with all in the which he drewe his owne picture and did send it to the kinge of Edessa called Abagarus which to this day is kepte in a certaine Church Euagr. li. 4 cap. 26. Damasc oratione 1. de Imag. Metaphr in vita Constant Leo in 7. Synod act 4. Of this verie Image Euagrius makes mention and Damascenus and Symon Metaphrastes and others who also doe confirme the said historie to be true as Stephen and Iuo doe declare 4. parte decreti cap. 83. and Adrian in script de Imaginibus ad Carolum magnum 16. The second was the picture that the wooman of Paneades made after that shee was heald from the yssue of blood in token of her thankful minde for receauinge such a benefitt And as manie receauinge great benefitts of great potentats in remembringe their benefactors they put vpp Euseb l 7. hist c. 14. Sozome lib. 5. cap. 1. 20. Damasc oratione 1. de Imag. Gregor Papa epist ad Germa quae habetur 7. Syn. and keepe theâ—r pictures in their howses so the Church of Christ which ought to be most thankfull vnto Christ for sufferinge death for her doe embrace and putt vpp his picture in her Churches and Chappell 's Of this pictuâ—e Eusebius Sozomenus Damasce and S. Gregorie make mention It is also recorded that in the Vatican Librarie at Rome in hande writinge in the tyme of Tiberius Emperor this Image was brought to Rome 17. Also it is recorded by S. Athanas lib de passione Ima cap. 4. Athanasius that the â—mage of Christ which was made by Nicodemus beinge brought by a Christian to a Cittie called Beritho in Syria neere Antioch was crucified by the Iewes in horrour and hatred of him whom the same did represent This historie is avouched in 7. Synd. act 4. and euen so hereticks doe now in the countries where they rule wher with their cruell haÌ„des prophane thoughts and blasphemous acts they pollute defile deface cast downe burne and massacre all sacred Images and reliques as the Iewes haue don at Beritho and in all places were they can laye handes vpon the Image of Christ Was not that a most lamentable president comitted at Showards alias Swards in Ireland within six miles of Dublin by one Hewson an English minister of that village in the first yeare of the kinges raigne in the Monthe of Maye who rushed vehementlie vpon one of the village called Horishe and tooke from him the Crucifix which he held in his handes and did hange the same vpon a gallous not in despight of the Catholiques as he himselfe said but rather in hatred of him the same did represent writing this poesie Helpe all strangers for the God of the papistes is in daÌ„ger the poore man Horish bringinge with him the said picture so defaced by the said minister that it was a pittifull thinge for a Christian to behold the same went before the Councell of estate of that miserable Countrie tould them the dishonor offred by such a base fellow vnto the Image of Christ One of that Councell called Sr. Geffrie Fenton Secretarie to the state insulted vpon the poore fellowe most furiouslie snatched the Crucifix from him and cast it on the ground vnder his feete and the poore fellowe for complayning against the said minister of that abuse was cast into pryson 18. The said Sr. Geffrye Fenton did sett a poore fellowe on the pillorie in the markett tyme at dublin with the picture of Christ about his necke for carienge the same before a frind of his that was dead at that tyme. Loys de Perusiis in his booke discours des guerres writinge of those tumultes which were stirred vpp by the Hugonotes in France aboute Auignion in Prouince reporteth that in one place they tooke an Image of the Crucifix bound it vpon an Asse backe and so went leadinge the Asse whippinge and scourginge the Crucifix through the Towne I aske of this sorte of people if any should hange the kinges picture vpon the gallous whether he should incurre the â—inge and his subiects ill will or no yea and perhapps suffer death for soe doinge referringe herein the iniurie and indignitie of abusinge his picture to the kinges owne person I praie was it not the cheefest article against O Roerke a noble man of Ireland as you may read in the Chronicles of England that he was charged that he did hange Queene Elizabeth her picture at a horse tayle so as the said noble man was hanged drawen and quartered at Tyborne Anno 1592. and he that hangeth Christs picture shall rather be fauored and countenanced then punished for the same and poore zealous Christians for findinge fault with him or for declaringe their griefe for that indignitie shal be be aflicted Woe be to that age wherein this wicked fact is done and suffred with ympunitie Was not the people of Thessalonica punished by the edge of the sworde of the Armye of the Emperor Theodosius the great for that they at their gate in despighte of the Empresse did hange her picture for which that holy Bishopp S. Ambrose did excommunicate the said Emperor All these Princes did esteeme the iniurie done vnto themselues which was done vnto their Image for in Persia they haue this custome what punishment they inflict vpon malefactors the same they ympose vpon their Images and as the Image
Lucif c. 6. prouinge against them that they make God subiect to the diuill a poore miserable Christ that imagine that the church may either perish or be driuen to any corner of the worlde 4. And although the Sacraments ceremonies Matt. 11. and the legall obseruations of the Iewes did faile because it is said the lawe and the prophetts were vnto Iohn yet notwithstandinge the church of Christ did not faile which was collected and composed of both the nations I meane Iewes and Gentiles as S. Paule doth wittnesse in many places that the first fruictes of the holie ghoaste and the first christians were the Apostles which were Iewes therfore the churche of the Iewes did not faile so as that none of them did remaine therin as the said Apostle proues Rom. 11. Hath God saith he reiected his people God forbid for I am an Israelite and of the seede of Abraham and of the tribe Beniamine for God did not cast of his people The glosse vpon this place faith that the Iewes are not infidels altogether and soe God did repell theÌ„ in parte but not in whole because he hath not reiected me and others that are predestinated thus farr the glosse For he reiected the howse of Saule but not of Dauid vnto whome in reward of the ardent desire and feruent deuotion that he had to builde a temple for godes glorie he promised that he would build for Dauid an euerlasting kingdome and a perpetuall howse from whome he should neuer take away his mercie for which he made the 88. psalme wherin he confirmed this promise Whether that papistes doe amisse in hauinge their churches and monasteries soe sumptuous their alters and ornamentes soe riche and ecclesiasticall possessions soe great the poore wanting the same CHAPTER I. 1. WHatsoeuer is giuen to Christs church is giuen in his honor that suffred for the said church beinge his spouse his portion c. for as our Sauiour saith Beatius est dare quam accipere It is better to giue then to take and noe maruaile that christians should giue vnto God some parte of his owne as the prophett saith what shall I giue vnto him that giues vnto me all thinges I pray you tell me whether it be a greater offence to robb and ouerthrowe the kinges howse and to spoile his subiects of their goodes depriue them of their liues and to comitt all other outragious facts vpoÌ„ them then to build the same maintaine and enriche the same to bestowe lardglâ—e vpon his seruaunts to defend and protect them c Tell me I praie you whether Salomon that built the temple of Ierusalem soe sumptuously and which by the riches thereof was most famous through out the world was more offensiue vnto God for soe doing then Nabuchodonosor kinge of Babilon and Antiochus Epiphanes which were not contented to ransacke and spoile that worthie temple cast downe the pillers take away the golden alter and candlesticks and all other sacred vessells or religious ornamentes but also defiled the same and prohibited any oblatioÌ„ or sacrifice to be offered therin For this cause these two tirants doe represent the diuill and Salomon is a figure of Christe And if Salomon was soe comended in holie scriptures for buildinge the said Temple for the sinagoge how much more christiaÌ„ princes for buildinge churches for Iesus Christe 2. I praie you tell me also whether Constantine the great merited more before God the world for buildinge soe many churches vppon his owne charges and for augmentinge and enrichinge the patrimony of Christe then kinge Henrie the 8. that did cast and pull downe soe many churches monasteries and chapples and did disolue soe manny Religious howses robbed them of all their sacred ornaments and by soe doinge spoyled God of his patrimonie Yow saie that whatsoeuer kinge Henrie the 8. did was donn for the reliefe of the poore and the ease of his subiects to be freed from subsidies and impositions as was related in that verie parleameÌ„t wherin monasteries churches were surprised and religion prophaned And therfore it was added in the said parleament that the truly poore of the kingdome perished and that Abbey Lubbers for soe they called religious persons did possesse their liuinges To this effect there was a supplicatioÌ„ exhibited to the kinge against Bishoppes Abottes Priores Deacons Archdeacons suffragans priestes in forme following c. What tyraÌ„t euer oppressed the people like this cruel veÌ„geable generation Before these came there were but fewe theues yea thefte was at that tyme soe rare that Caesar was not compelled to make penaltie of death vpon felonie as your grace may wel perceaue in his institutes ther was also at that time but fewe poore people and yet they did not begge but there was giueÌ„ them enoughe vnasked Wherfore if your grace will build a sure hospitall that neuer shall faile to reliue vs all your poore beads men take from them al these thinges set these sturdy boubies abroad in the world to get theÌ„ wiues of their owne to get their liuinge with their labour in the swette of their browes accordinge to Gene. 1. Tie all idle theues to the cartes to be whipped naked about euerie markett towne that they by their importunat begginge take not away the allmesse that the good christian people do giue then shall aswell the number of our foresaid mounsterous sorte as of the baudes hoores theeues and idle people decrease then shal these great yearly exactions cease then shall all your people encrease in wealthe c. these are sett downe in Iohn Fox his Chronicles Iudas in like manner when the deuout wooman Marie MagdaleÌ„ anointed Christs feete with a moste pretious ointment did saie vt quid perditio haec what destruction is this had it not bene better said he that this had bene sold and giuen vnto the poore our Sauiour aunswered let her alone and added moreouer that in what place so euer of the world his gospell should be read her deuotion should be comended And as Iudas herin did not care for the poore as the scripture reporteth but hopinge it should retourne to himselfe soe parleament protestants did not care for the poore but all their drifte was to haue the liuinges and treasures of the churches themselues as itt fell out 3. I praie you tell me whether the poore were better and more reliued or the subiects more eased of subsidies and impositioÌ„s before the suppression of the church or after Doctor Sanders writes that England was neuer troubled with greater impositioÌ„s subsidies then it was in the later daies of kinge Henry the 8. nor any kinge in england had lesse treasure in his cofers then he at his deathe And as for the poore people it is manifest that they haue lesse releefe now then euer they had I am sure there are not 300. persons reliued by all the churche liuinges of England and Ireland beinge in those mens handes which haue as little charitie towardes God and
at Babilon and Memphis an inumerable multitude of Monkes which were endewed and adorned with sundry giftes of the holy ghoste this is the place where the Patriarche Iosephe kept in store prouision of wheate for seuen yeares scarcity He maketh mention of Amonius the father of 3000. Monkes dwellinge neere Thebes and Paconius which liued 400. yeares after Christe which had 7000. Monckes disioined the one from the other in diuers houses Also Serapion which had 10000. vnder his gouermente whose liues were so famous for their sanctity and eminent vertues that many went in pilgramage to the desart to see them amongst whome was that holy woman Paula Epitaph epist 27. as saint Hierom reporteth Who beinge astonished with their admirable vertues forgettinge her owne sex wished to dwell amongst so many thousand Monkes who neuer went to any of their cells but she prostrated her selfe vpon her knees before each of them beleeuing she saw Christe in euerie one of them 5. Many thousand virgins imbraced this religious perfection as the ecclesiasticall histories recorde especiallie Theodorus who writeth that there were an infinite number of Monasteries and conuents of Virgins in moste partes of the easte as in Palestine Aegipt Asia Pontus Siluia Siria and Europe from the time that Christ was borne of a Virgin the swarmes of Virgins were multiplied in all which multitude both of men and weomen no irreguler or disordered confusion was practised none was impeached with any imputation of shameles or irreligious misdeameanour the cheefest consideration of theire rules and institutions as saint Hierom saith was to obay their superiours in all thinges Religiosa histor except saith he the time of publique exercise of prayers and meditations The Monkes of Aegipt liued altogether by their owne labours and what euerie one could gett by his toile and industrious acquisition sauing a small portion which he reserued for his owne sustentation and liuelie-hood they brought it to their father generall to be distributed vpon the poore so they were wonte to send ships loden with corne and prouision vnto Alexandria for the releife of the poore prisoners and other needy distressed persons for in Egipt were not such number of poore people which could consume the Almes and bountifullnes of these saintes 6. But let no man carpe or take occasion of detractinge of the religiouse persons of this time for that they doe not so labour◠for those Monkes of Egipt and Palestine had no other purpose or imployment but to serue God and to labour for their owne proper perfection not respecting their neighbours and so for the moste parte they liued in remote places and it was also prouided by their institution to labour with their bodies but the Monkes and religious orders of our tymes they are bound by the institution of their order not only to helpe themselues spiritually but also their neighbours and so they are bounde to preach and teach and heare confessions For the accomplishing of which worke to doe it well they must needes study and labour very much which cannot be accomplished or well done if they should bestow their tymes in any seruile worke 7. Europe also is bewtified and famous with these religious orders and obseruations of Italy as saint Gregory the great maketh mention in his 4. dialogues which he composed for the moste parte of the liues and miracles of many religious sainctes of that country Trithemius doth write that in his owne tyme which was about anno 1470. there were of the order of S. Benedict in the prouince of Moguntia 124. abies besides 10. that were seperated from the rest and added that there were in other places 5000. compleat abies besides many small monasteries Other authors doe write as Caesararius Bruto and the author of the beginning of the order of Cisters Montaluo and Arnoldus Abion in ligno vitae that there were 37000. monasteries of the order of S. Benedict in the world 14000. Priories Nunries 15000. that there were canonized of that order 55000. that there were popes 46. Cardinalls 300. Parriarches and Archbishops 1600. Bishops 4000. Emperours 25. Empresses 29. Kinges 54. Queenes 53. sonnes and daughters of Emperours 54. sonnes of Kinges 49. daughters of Kinges 72. doctors that wrote bookes 15000. Martirs 5270. For the space of 300. yeares all the Popes were of that order for the space of 600 yeares all the vniuersities were gouerned and directed by that order and 33. kingdomes were conuerted by that order vnto the christian religion Tertullus father to Placido the Monke bestowed vpon saint Benedict 28. prouinces 98 cities and villages all the kinges of these partes of the world for the moste parte were buried in the monasteries of the said order the Kinges of France in the monastery of saintes Denis the kinges of Englande at Westminster the kinges of Naples at S. Seuerine the kinges of Cicily at Palermo the kinges of Arragon at Poblete the kinges of Nauarre at S. Saluador the kinges of Portugall at Alcobaco the Emperours in the Monastery of Fuldense The Abbay of Floriacense with the monasteries therunto belonginge is worth a million by the yeare Bernard in vita 8. Malachiae 8. S. Bernard writeth that in Ireland there was a monastery that brought forth many thousand Monkes was the head of many monasteries a place saith he truly holy fertile of sainctes and moste aboundantly fructifyinge vnto God so as one of the children of that most holy place called Luanus was the founder of an hundred monasteries Plati de bono statu religiosi lib. 2. c. 24 Ireland saith the same saint Bernard being so inriched by these blessed people may ioifully singe the verse of Dauid Visitasti terram inebriasti eam multiplicasti locupletare eius Thou hast visited the earth and thou hast ouerflowen and abundantly inriched the same with the swarmes of these holy people who made their excursions and cast forth their beames into other places out of which came holy Columbauns into Fraunce and builded the famous monastery of Luxouia where heauenly and deuine Alleluias surceased not any instant or moment by night or by day whose blessed quire is incessantlie supplied by religious Monkes thus farre Saint Bernard Of many great and eminent men who forsooke and contemned the world to become religious CHAPTER VI. 1. BEing to speake of many great and eminent persons who contemned the world to become religious and were the flower and ornament of the catholique church the number whereof are almost inumerable I wil endeuour to exēplifie them first in the grecians and next in the latines Of these in the first ranke I may put Serapion who in the yeare 193. beinge a younge man imbraced a monasticall life and was made the 8. Patriarche of Antioch after saint Peter none in his time being soe learned or soe eloquent as he who wrote manny learned bookes After him succeeded Pamphilus anno 240. being the learnedest of his time of whose great librarie saint Hierome made
great ioie of Petrocias Abbott thereof where he increased verie well in vertue and religion and especially in humilitie For beinge by the Abbott appointed to keepe sheepe which office he more willinglie accepted then the scepter when he was crowned at a certaine tyme when one of the sheepe was lame he brought her vpon his owne shouldiers vnto the feild he liued Anno 750. What shall I say of Trebellus kinge of the Bulgars who through the blessed endeuours of Pope Nicholas the first became a christian and bore such zeale to christian religion that he expelled presentlie Photinus the heretique and leauinge the kingdome to his sonne became a mouncke But vnderstandinge afterwardes that his said sonne caste off the yoke of Christ and returned to his former impietie he went out of the monasterie tooke his sonne prisoner whome he seuerlie punished by putting out his eyes perpetuall emprisonment and depriuation of his kingdome which he gaue to Albert his younger sonne and instructinge him with sound councells and blessed admonitions of Christian obseruations returned to his monasterie 7. Another memorable example is of Iohn Brena kinge of Hierusalem and Emperor of Constantinople who in his feruent praiers saw saint Fraunces offering vnto him his habitt and forthwith called his confessor and receaued the said habitt in which he liued but fewe dayes and though he came to the vieneyarde the 11. houre yet he receaued neuerthelesse his wages What kinge more famous for his great vertue and miracles then kinge Henrie of Cyprus who followed the same blessed course of life In this blessed rancke wee may enroll Iohn kinge of Armenia who resigninge his kingdome to Leo his nephew which was soe large and soe great that he had vnder him 24. kinges chose rather to be abiect and base in the house of God then to commaunde in the tabernacles of sinners But when the Turcks inuaded those kingdomes and Leo beinge not able to resiste them and seinge it was the quarrell of God he girded himselfe with the sworde leuied an armie resisted the enemies of Christ giuinge them a verie great ouerthrowe but persecutinge the course of his victorious battell he was slaine and made a blessed ende What shall I say of the sonnes of Emperours and kinges the 3. sonnes of Charles the great Emperor as Vgon Dagon and Pipine two of them became religious of their owne accorde the last was compelled to enter for that he aspired to the kingdome in his fathers life tyme but when he tasted the sweetnesse of Christe his yoke he imbraced the same willinglie they liued Anno 83. 8. Vbian kinge of Ireland had 3. sonnes all were Mouncks and great Sainctes vid. Furseus Follianus and Vltanus who leauinge their countrie came into Fraunce in the time of Clodoneus kinge of that countrie and builded the monasterie of Pontimacum which euersince was verie famous The emulation of the two sonnes of Brittaine should not be omitted for wheÌ„ Iudaellus who was next to succede in that kingdome told his brother Iodocus of his purpose in takinge vpon him a religious obseruation and that he should prepare himselfe for the gouernment thereof he craued 8. dayes to deliberate vppon the matter but when he entred in deepe discourse with himselfe what a heauie and daungerous burden he should take vppon him he preuented his brothers purpose and fled into the monasterie before he tooke any order to hinder his determination The kinge of England called Richard had two sonnes that were religious anno 802. the one was called Willebald in Mount Cassin the other Wiâ—ebad at Mardeburge in Saxonie The kinge of Fraunce called Charles had also two sonnes that were religious Clotarius and Charles the great who professed the same institution anno 841. In whose register wee ought to enroll Frederique the sonne of Lodouicke anno 962. Henry the sonne of another Lodouicke Anno 1150. Lodouicke alsoe the sonne of Charles the second Kinge of Fraunce and heire apparenâ— of the crowne thereof who beinge hostage in Spaine became a Franciscan Frier The like profession alsoe Iames the sonne of the kinge of Maiorca embraced which was the first of the royall blood that euer entred that order whose happie exaÌ„ple Peter the sonne of the kinge of Arragon followed who did not onlie proffit himselfe but was alsoe by his deuoute sermons a light to manny that walked in darcknes and in the shadowe of death 9. If I should register all the kinges Princes and Dukes which entred into religion it should require an infinitt labour although I ought not to omitt al as Algorius Duke of Aquitane with his sonne Amandus Anno 429. Also Anselmus Duke of Mantua anno 740. DiclaÌ„dus Arcigiadus Duks of Suethlande anno 815. Vigestus of Spoleta 820. Willian Duke of Guyne and Aquitane 411. another WilliaÌ„ also Duke of that place anno 912. who was soe humble that vppon a certaine time when the Abbott of Claima in which Abby the said Duke serued God bid him to bake some bread he went most willingly to the hoat furnace and hauinge not at that tyme wherwith to cleanse it he did sweepe the hoate furnace with his habit and receaued noe harme Not inferior vnto him in this religious zeale was another William Duke of Burgundie who entred into saint Frauncis his order Was there any maÌ„ found in the worlde these manny a hundreth yeares more triumphant and victorious in warre more prosperous and happie in peace then Charles the fifte Emperor who hauinge triumphed and ouercome all his mightie and potent enemies chased and draue away the great Turcke with his armie of three hundred thowsand soldiors from the dreadfull siege of the cittie of Vienna the capitall cittie of Austria and from the destruction of Christendome and supplantation of the catholique religion tooke the rebellious and seditious princes of Germanie prisoners in the oxen fielde hauinge but a handfull in respect of the great and mightie armie which he ouercame in in a sett battell which they pitched by the instigation of that fatall and ominous Apostate Luther beinge the onlie cause of all the miseries and callamities of the Christian world He tooke also Frauncis the first by his captaine generall before Pauia in Lumbardie who with 6000. soldiors came to besiege the said cittie where all his army beinge ouerthrowen was brought prisoner in his owne gallies to Madrill He tamed alsoe all Affrique with his victorious and inuincible Armies Wyone Tuins and Goleta ouerthrewe Barbarosa beinge a Pyratt and most infestuous to the Christians Extinguished that raginge and furious flame of the Spanish rebellion and all the citties and comons of the two kingdomes of Castile the kingdome of Arragon Valentia all which reuolted from him for that he placed in his owne absence a Viceroye which was not natiue of their owne countrie all the rebells although he ouercame them yet he pardoned them both in landes and goodes he tooke manny citties and fortresses in Affrique as Oran Tanges Zeita with many
other places of great importance and after atchieuing many other great victories being wearie of the world resigned his Empire vnto his brother Ferdinando and his kingdomes and other states to his sonn Philipp the second and retired himselfe to a monasterie of saint Hieromes order in Stremadura in Spaine and ended the remainder of his daies there most happilie by whose blessed examples many noble men were conuerted vnto God by taking vppon them this religious vocation as Charles de Borgia Duke of Gandia who enioyed great and honorable offices vnder the said Emperor became a Iesuitt and was generall of that blessed order of the societie of Iesus and Anthony de Corduba the sonne of the Duke of Feria in Spaine a neere coussin to the Duke of Gandia Rodulphus of Aquauiua in Italie a Iesuitt who beinge alsoe sent to the east Indies accordinge to the institution of that order there with other fathers of his religion suffered Martirdome by the Barbarians 10. Amoungest these I may not omitt that worthie and blessed Duke Ioys of Fraunce who first takinge vpon him the habitt and most austere profession of a poore Capuchine frier was comaunded by the last troubles and garboiles of that kingdome to defend his countrie against the inuasion and excursioÌ„s of the hugonotts of Languedocâ—e which he perfourmed most worthily but the warres being ended he returned to his owne profession and religion againe who by his holie life incessant preaching edified and conuerted many dissolute persons perswaded them to despise the world and the occasions of their wooe and died three yeares past whose happie memorie wil liue eternallie I might alleadge many other worthie examples but because they are as yet liuinge I will omitt them for that wee are bid to praise men but not before their death and that accordinge to their merites Thus in our holy religion great personages haue humbled themselues to Christ his yoke as it is prophesied by Esay Omnis mons collis humiliabitur euerie mountaine and hilliocke shal be humbled which prophesie is perfourmed in great Monarques that submitted their scepter to the crosse of him that was crucified and represented in their liues the liuely image of his bitter passion Of Empresses Queenes and Princes who likewise forsooke the world to become religious CHAPTER VIII IN the first Rancke wee must place that worthie and blessed Emperesse Theodora who notwithstandinge shee was married vnto Theophilus the Emperor Anno 470. an heretique yet remained still a firme Catholique and he beinge dead shee restored sacred images and recalled backe againe holie people that were exiled and banished for theire religion Then sequestred herselfe from the incoÌ„berances of the gouernment of the Empire into a monasterie where her mother Trurina had serued God for many yeares whose blessed example the Empresse Augusta followed and being importuned by the state of the Empire came for a tyme out of the monasterie to appease some rebellion against her sonne which was raised by his tutors vnto whose custodie shee comitted him which beinge appeased shee returned to her monasterie againe this was in the East anno 190. 2. In the Weast alsoe Ricarda the wife of Carolus Crasus Emperor of the weast did the like who buildinge a monasterie in Alsaâ—ia bestowed the residue of her life therein Cunegundus Anno 1139. who being married to Henrie kinge of England and afterwardes chosen Emperor and being seperated from him for suspition of adulterie contracted a better marriadge with Iesus Christ Thrise happie was the other Cunegundus that was married to Henrie the first Emperor who euer kept her virginitie after whose death she spente the rest of her yeates in the Conuent of confugients and is of the church registred amoungest the Sainctes Agnes also the wife of the 3. Emperor who beinge dead shee resigned not only the Empire being at her disposition vntill her sonne should come to yeares but also the Duchie of Bauaria she beinge inheritrix thereof and went to Rome Anno 1157. where she tooke vppon her a reguler profession whose example Elizabeth the wife of Albert Emperor and Archduke of Austria imitated who beinge miserablie slaine contemned the world and liued religiouslie in a monasterie builded by her selfe all the daies of her life Anno 1290. whome her two daughters followed the one was married to the king of Hungary the other to the Earle of Ottigense and also her two Neeces the Queene of Poland with her daughter 3. Of Queenes also the number of them is not smale The first Queene was Thesia Queene of Italie the wife of Rachisines aboue mentioned for as her husband entred into a monasterie in Mount Cassine so she entred and went into another monasterie with her daughter Petruda In Fraunce Radegundus beinge married to kinge Clotarius against her will shee obtained license of him to consecrate her selfe to God in a monasterie at Poiters whose steeppes another Queene of Fraunce Adoera the wife of Chilper followed with her daughter Childerada Anno 650. Batilda which was married to Clodoueus kinge of FraÌ„ce being free from the yoke of weldocke by the death of her husbaÌ„d went to Callice where enrichinge the monasterie that was there with ample and opulent possessions she enioyed the familiar preseÌ„ce of a better spouse In Spaine wee haue examples of sundrie Queenes which were to longe to relate but I cannot omitt that worthie queene Nugnes who first became religious herselfe and then her husband Veremundus Neither must queene Tarasia passe vnmentioned who being espoused by her Brother Alphonsus kinge of Leon vnto Abdala kinge of Tolledo could neuer be perswaded to goe to bed with him and the barborous kinge beinge taken away by an vgly disease she married herselfe afterwardes to Christ in the monasterie of saint Pelagius Anno 1005. 4. England hath not beene inferior to any of her conterminat kingdomes in the feruent zeale that many Queenes had to this religious discipline As Alfreda which was fianced in marriage to the kinge of Northumberland who beinge slaine before the matrimonie was consumated together with her husbaÌ„d Iuas became religious I caÌ„not let passe that worthy example of Etheldrade who being married to two kinges kept her virgnitie vndefiled and afterwardes became religious What shall I say of her sister Seburga queene of Kente and of Alfreda queene of Northumberland who also became religious I may not also ouerslipp with silence Margarett the daughter of Bela kinge of Hungarie who being consecrated to God by the vowe of her pareÌ„tes imbraced the blessed order of saint Dominique and imploied her life in all religious exercise especiallie in seruing the sicke and diseased persons and refused the marriage of three kinges of Polonia Bohemia and Cicilia although the dispensatioÌ„ of the Pope in respect of her vowe was laboured for 5. Zanchia Queene of Hierusalem and Cicilia after that her husband Robert was dead entred the order of saint Frauncis at Naples who earnestlie requested that none should call her queene Agnes daughter to
Oreâ—h kinge of Bohemia who was married vnto Frederique the second neuer gaue any consent to matrimonie and kept her selfe perpetually continent vntill shee went into a monasterie which her selfe builded at Prage Chunegundus also the daughter of the king of Hungarie who was married vnto that chast Boleslaus king of Polande together with him kept hirselfe a Virgin and liued most religiouslie in a monasterie that shee her selfe hath builded Ioane the daughter of the kinge of Hungarie Isabella the kinge of Fraunce his daughter and sister vnto S. Lewis and Blanche daughter of Philipp kinge of France all obserued the religious vow of virginitie and continence 6. In our dayes God forgetteth not alsoe to blesse his Curch with the like example of despisinge the worlde and imbracinge the crosse of Iesus Christe with his euangelicall counselles yea in great personages as in that most vertuous virgin Margarita de Austria daughter of Maximilian the Emperor and kinge Philipp the second of Spaine his sister who professeth at this daie this blessed institution in S. Clara at Madrill in Spaine Alsoe the two daughters of Charles ArchDuke of Austria and Stiria and sisters vnto the Queenes of Spaine and Polande and vnto the great Dutches of Florence who discended from the greatest Potentates of the worlde settinge at naught all the vaine promotions of the same consecrated themselues to serue God in religious profession 7. But was it euer seene from the beginninge of the worlde that any Kinge Queene Prince or noble man became a minister or forsooke landes or liuinge to imbrace perfection in protestante religion was it euer seene that anny protestant followed the councell of Christ to giue all that he had to the poore to denie himselfe to take vpp his crosse and to followe him No trulie the contrarie is knowen too well for they neuer giue anny thinge to the poore but take from them all that the Catholique church purchased for them who turne all sacred thinges to prophane vses who robbe both God the church the poore of all their patrimonie For they extorte from the poore inhabitants 20. shillinges some 30. some 40. both for marriadge and christininge and euerie one must pay so much Yea euerie Gossopp is compelled to paie the like and this they take vpp fron the Catholiques of Irelande whose inhabitantes in all places are of that profession except the Englishe soe that one English minister of that miserable countrie in a village called Inischortie in the countie of Wexford called Husse an Englishman tooke from one little hamlett neere that village 14. crownes for marriage and christninge in one fortnight By which you may perceaue what he tooke in euerie other place of iurisdiction he being in those partes the Bishopps officiall By this cruel and irreligious religion manny of the poore inhabitantes of that countrie are disabled to keepe house and are faine to begg being not able to mantaine house through soe great an extortion and yet this minister cannot vnderstand his parrishoners nor they him excepting a verie fewe of the English that are resident at Inischortie Are there any laymen in the world more worldlie or more couetous to purchase landes for their childrenn or are there any more greedie to hourde vpp wealth then they To conclude it was neuer seene that anny man or wooman who imbraced protestancie liued chast and continent for by that profession none can be such the meanes being taken awaye by which chastitie and continencie are to be obtayned as fastinge prayers discipline hair clothe almesdeedes contempt of his owne excellencie and despising of the world How greatlie religious people fructifie vnto God and to his Church and that they are the best labourers which are therein CHAPTER IX 1. S Bernard saith that they are appointed by God to pray for the bodie of the church both for the quicke and for the dead And as Nazianzen witnesseth their praiers be the only diluge that washe awaie our sinnes and purge the world And as Eusebius affirmeth they are coÌ„secrated vnto God for the whole stocke of mankinde None knoweth what mischeefes and callamities they driue from the worlde what singuler benefâ—ttes they obtaine of God by whose praiers and workes of incomparable charitie godes wrathe is appeased and made placable Beside what blessed example giue they vnto the world for had it not bene for them the euangelicall vertues and counsells would haue bene quite extinguished which they doe not only teach but also practize For their modestie humilitie pietie deuotion and contempt of all temporall honnors and allurementes are forcible motiues and infallible inducementes to all kinde of vertues and therfore saint Iohn Chisostome calleth them the lanternes and spectacles of the worlde for of them the people doe learne how God is to be reuerenced with what feare loue and deuotion he is to be adored in the Sacramentes with what reuerence and respect he is to be praied vnto how patient wee ought to be in aduesitie how stout inuincible wee should behaue our selues in aduersitie how charible wee ought to shewe our selues to our neighbors yea their whole liues is nothing els then a continuall bearinge of Christes crosse a secreat exhortation to all good examples of vertue and pietie and a silent obiurgation and distastfullnes of all vice and wickdenes Chrisost de despi rerum hom ad popul 59. And therfore S. Iohn Chrisostome wished the people to visitte and frequent monasteries conuentes for they are saith he without any allurementes and voide of all disquietnessesse and distractions besides said he they are most secure and quiett hauens to fixe our ancker in Moreouer they oppose themselues against all the enemies of the church with whome they haue continuall and cruell skirmishes and doe susteine the heauie burden of their bloodie persecutions against whome they vphoulde and defende Christs religion in all places where the same is oppressed And by their blessed labours yea losse of life with violent effusion of their blood they plant restore it againe in those countries where it was supplanted 2. Omittinge most of the examples which you may read in the Chronicles of their holie orders I will here set downe some fewe only as a patterne and example of the rest Remigius beinge a mouncke conuerted kinge Clodoneus withall the Realme of Fraunce from Idolatrie vnto Christ Anno 530. Afterwardes he was made Archbishopp of Rehmes S. Martin beinge a mouncke conuerted all Suethland from the Arrian heresie Anno 540. S. Augustine being sent by saint Gregorie into England conuerted that kingdome with their kinge Ethelbert anno 622. Lambertus the Mouncke conuerted Feslandria a prouince in Germanie About that time Kilian an Irish mounck conuerted the Fraunckes in the managing of which buisinesse he suffred martirdome Wilfrid an English mouncke and afterwardes Archbishopp of Yorck Anno 673. goinge from Rome was by a tempest driuen into Holland were he preached the ghospell of Christe and returned vnto the East Saxons who beinge blinded
at yorke 29. No. William Gibson Layman at yorke 29. No. Anno 1597. Elizab. 39. Yepes vbi supra pag. 710. ◠◠William Anlaby Priest at yorke 4. Iuly Iohn Buckley alias Iones Priest of the Order of S. Francis at S. Thomas waterings 12. Iuly Thomas Warcop Henrie Abbot Edward Fulthorpe Laymen at yorke 4. Iuly Anno 1598. Elizab 40. Christopher Robinson Priest at Carlile Peter Snow Priest at yorke Richard Horner Priest at yorke Ralfe Grimston Layman at yorke Iohn Britton Layman at yorke Anno 1599. Mathew Hayes Priest at yorke Anno 1600. Elizab. 42. Christopher Wharton Priest at yorke 18. May. Relatio 16 Mart. à Th. VV. edit Iohn Rigby Gentleman at S. Thomas Wateringes 21. Iuly Robert Nutter Priest at Lancaster in Iune Edward Thwinge Priest at Lancaster in Iune Thomas Sprot Priest at Lincolne in Iuly Thomas Hunt Priest at Lincolne in Iuly Thomas Palaser Priest at Durham in Iuly Iohn Norton Gentleman at Durham in Iuly N. Talbot Gentleman at Durham in Iuly Anno 1601. Elizab. 43. Iohn Pibush Priest at S. Thomas Wateringes 10. February Roger Filcocke Priest of the Society of Iesus at Tybur 27. Feb. Relat. 16. Mart. pag. 93. 94. Marke Barkworth Priest of the Order of S. Benedict at Tybur 27. Feb. Anne Heygham Gentlewoman widdow to master Lyne at Tybur 27. Feb. Robert Middleton Priest at Lancaster Thrustan Hunt Priest at Lancaster Anno 1602. Elizab. 44. Francis Page Priest of the Society of Iesus at Tyburne 29. Apr. Thomas Tichborne Priest at Tyburne 29. Apr. Robert Watkinson Priest at Tyburne 29. Apr. Iames Ducket Layman at Tyburne 29. Apr. Mathew Harrison Priest at yorke in April Antony Battie Layman at yorke in April Anno 1603. Elizab. 45. vltimo William Richardson Priest at Tyburne 27. February Vnder King Iames. Anno 1614. Iacob Reg. 2. Laurence Bayly Layman as Lancaster in March Iohn Suker Priest at Warwicke in August Robert Grissold Layman at Warwicke in August Anno 1605. Iacobi 3. Thomas Wilborne Layman at yorke 1. August Iohn Putchering Layman at Rippon 5. Septemb. William Browne Layman at Rippon Anno 1606. Iacobi 4. Edward Oldcorne Priest of the Society of Iesus at Worcester 7. Apr. Raph Ashley Layman at Worcester 7. Apr. Henry Garnet priest Superior of the Society of Iesus in England in S. Paules Churchyard 3. May. Anno 1607. Iacob 5. Robert Drury priest at Tyburne 26. Ianuary Anno 1608. Iacob 6. Mathew Flathers priest at yorke 21. March George Geruis priest of the order of S. Benedict at Tyburne 11. April Thomas Garnet priest of the Society of Iesus at Tyburne 23. Iune Anno 1610. George Napper priest at Oxforde 10. of Nouember Cadwalladar priest in Wales N. Roberts priest of the order of S. Benedict at Tyburne Thomas Somers priest at Tyburne 10. of December Anno 1612. N. Scot priest of the order of S. Benedict at Tyburne Richard Newport priest together with him A Compendium of the martyrs and confessors or Ireland vnder Queene Elizabeth CHAPTER III. 1. WIlliam Walsh natiue of Donbuinein the diocesse of Meath first depriued of his bushoprick and spoiled of all his goods for not conforming himselfe to the Queens iniunctious about the oath of her ecclesiasticall supremacie and other lawes made against the holy Camons of the catholique church was put into a deepe dungeo◠wherein he was many yeeres afflicted with giues and fetters vntill by the fauor of his keeper he made an escape and fled into Spaigne and so ended the remainder of his blessed dayes at Alcala 1578. 2. Thomas Leorus Bishopp of Kildare willingly resigned his bishoprick in king Edwards dayes for that he could not with a safe conscience possesse the same and being to the great consolation of his hart restored againe vnto the same in Queene Maries dayes was againe in Queene Elizabeths dispossessed therof and of all other his liuelyhood well contented rather abiectus esse in domo Deimagis quam habitare in tabernaculis peccatorum he applied himselfe being banished to Munster in Ireland in teaching yong children to reade their books and instructing them in the christiā doctrine lightly he neuer came to any mans howse butt he exhorted therin nor euer supped or dined but in the later end therof he tooke occasion to edifie the people with one exhortation or another Once being at the Earle of Desmounds howse at supper a gentle woman beinge there retourning home told to her friends as a great wounder that Bishopp Leorus preached not at the later ende of his meat as he was accustomed he neuer did forbeare to reproue and reprehend vice wickednesse in any man whatsoeuer who was reproueable and persisting still in all hollinesse and zeale of godes euerlasting trueth vntill the last gaspe of his breath he died of the age of 80. yeers at the Nasse in the prouince of Leinster in Ireland 1577. 3. Morris fitz Gibbon Archbishopp of Cashall for the like cause was spoiled of all his goodes and suffred much laboure and trauaile and at lenght fled out of the kingdome of Ireland and died in the porte of Portingall 1578. Edmond Taner Bishopp of Clone and Corcke doctor of diuinitie who first being of the societie of Iesus out of which through great sicknesse not without licence of his superiors and aduise of the phisitions was enforced to come foorth and through the importunat sute of his frinds was persuaded to take vppon him the dignitie or rather the heauie bourden of a Bishopp especially in dangerous seasons of turbulent heresies by whicn he suffred great penury and want aswell in prison as out of it he died about the yere of our Lord 1578. 4. Hugh Lacy Bishopp of Limericke did suffer great callamitie aswell vnder king Henry the 8. as king Edward his sonne in whose times he was thrust from his place and function and also compelled to fly the Real me for not yelding to the supremacie of the yong king in the spiritually regiment of the church but being restored to his former dignitie in Queene Maries dayes by Cardinall Poole his hollinesse legat in England and Ireland was in Queene Elizabeths time enforced to suffer the like reuolution aswell of his bishippricke as of all other things and so to carrie the burden of Christs crosse he liued in woe and ended the same in ioy Anno Domini 1577. 5. Nicholas Skerret Archbishopp of Thomound a man of an innocent life and most zealous in the profession of the christian faith after suffering many difficulties and hard vsuadg in prison out of which he made an escape fled into Portingall and ended his holy life at Lisborne 1583. 6. Thomas O Hierly Bishopp of Rosse a man of great fame for good life and blessed conuersation after long imprisonnent in the Tower of London out of which he was enlarged by the entreatie of Sr. Cormocke Ma-Teighe Lord of Munstre who then was at the Court in Englād and after much affliction and tribulation liuing in woodes and montaines ended
not only of England but of all the world against the decree of all the generall counsells therof against all sacred doctors against common sense and honestie against all lawes both ciuill and cannon not only against catholiques but against protestants in all other countries yea against the puritans of England against these constant confessors and blessed martyrs aboue recited which acknowledged no such supremacy in spirituall or ecclesiasticall matters to any king or prince whatsoeuer that did putt them to death whose blessed blood was patiently shed for the defence of Catholique religion and lastly against the practise of all former ages and antiquitie For from Donaldus the first Christian king of the Scots according to saint Victor Anno 197. there were 84. Christian kinges from Ethelbert being made Christian according to saint Aug. an 600. vnto Edward the confessor 1006. there were 80. kings Christian in EnglaÌ„d after the coÌ„quest ther were 20. vnto king Henry the 8. so as none were euer called head of the church before king Henry after him Edward Elizabeth and king Iames. What shall I say of other holy and valiant martyrs that suffered in these later persecutions raysed vpp by Luther and Caluins heresie and by the Princes that embraced the same How many thousandes suffred confiscation of their goodes and landes effusion of their blood confusion of the world desolation and destruction of their wiues children woe and wreake and dissolution of all things such a masse of miserie and callamitie wherin their miserable and forlorne life was plunged withall as no man can rehearse without greefe nor none can see without teares How many thousand did rotâ— in vgly prisons die in banishments suffred patiently the crewelest tormentes and yrcâ—somest death that could be imagined rather then they would preferr the vaine fauor of man before the fauor of God antiquitie before noueltie to forgoe their auncient Catholique religion to become of the new to forgoe the firme Rocke of Christs church to build their faith vpon them that haue neither grownd or foundation of any supernaturall or theologicall faith at al no certitude in their doctrine no deuotion in their religion no honestie in the profession therof no vertue in their liues no pietie in their schooles or synagoges no charitie in their woorckes no mortification in their members or passions and consequentlie no conscience in their doings THE CONCLVSION 1. I Haue gentle reader exposed to thy vew the Theater of catholique and protestant religion where thou maist plainly behould and see the of-spring beginning growndes foundation practise mischeefe and inconuenience of the one and the excellency of the other Liu. 13. Math. 13. by which thou maist perceaue that the catholique religion ought to be compared to the wise husbandman which did sow the good side in his grownd or farme the protestant to resemble the enimie which sowed the badd cockle and darnell the one ought to be called positiue the other negatiue the one ecclesia malignantium the other militantium the one plantation of religion and deuotion the other supplantation or rooting vp of the same 2. The first subiect of corruptible and materiall things which the philosophers doe call Materia prima which neuer holdeth her selfe setled or contented in any certaine course of any forme or composition but is eueâ— more mutable and changeable by a certaine naturall reuolution from one forme and fashion to another for that shee being disgusted with the one euer more seeketh another is not so vncertaine and vnconstant as protestancy which by a certaine fatall reuolution and babilonicall confusion groweth from one errour to another from one mischeefe to another from one sect to another as appeareth by so many sectes forged and coined by this new religion within these 80. yeers which are 240. in number all in differrence and variance amongest themseluees not in ceremonies or things indifferent but in the cheefest articles and substance of their religion as many of themselues do auerre the one detesting condemning and pronouncing their cursed sentence of Anathema against the other as you may read aboue in the â—â— booke cap. 1. The same may be confirmed by a certaine Prince of Germany who being demaunded of what religion his bordering neighbours were he answered he could describe of what religion they were the last yeere but this yeere he could not well tell their religion in respect of the mutabilitie and in constancy therof see the preface and cap 1. lib 2. 3. But the catholique religion is alwaies one and the selfe same alwaise retaineth and holdeth the same continwance and vigour of trueth not in diuersitie of sectes but in simplicitie and vnitie of beleefe and profession without duplicitie or disparitie or contradiction of doctrine or without absurditie or dishonestie in her maners and customes because she hath the holy ghoast to assist and direct her in all trueth and to protect and to defend her from all errors misbeleefe and infidelitie For not only this new religion is changeable and variable in profession and doctrine but also in condition custome and behauiour for alteration in faith and religion procureth also a great alteration and inconstancy in mindes and affections in life and maners as wee may knowe by such nations who when they were catholiques were mercifull chast sober liberall temperat children were obedient to their parentes and people faithfull of their promisse But when they were turned protestantes as they selues do affirme they became most crwell bloody insolent lecherous riotuous couetuous barbarous luxurious and intemperat 4. For when protestancy laboreth to stoope and intercept all the channells and fountaines of Gods grace the enfluence of Christs passion all the inspiration of the holy ghoast from the soules of christians by which they should be inwardly and formally iustified to whome ought to be applied that which was spoken of the Iewes that they resisted the holy ghoast when it an â—ulleth all the excellencies vertues operations effectes of the blessed Sacramentes all the applications of the merites of Christes passion the vallour and vertue of his blood which the eternall and euerlasting father would haue to be religiously and deuoutly applied by religious meanes and our owne proper endeuours to our owne sanctificatioÌ„ when it destroieth reiecteth all the woorkes and merites of the iust as proceeding and hauing their force worth and valloure from that blessed passion and death of Christ and all the blessed rewardes correspondent and proportionable vnto those merites by vertue of the foresaid passion and blood which they deny to be of that force to abolish and blot out our sinnes wickednesse and punishmentes due vnto the same and so reiecting the force and vertue of Christs passion and transferring and building the same vppon another fundation which they call imputatiue iustice of Christ saying that Christ imputeth not vnto vs our offences and as it were couers them by that iustice by which he is iust himselfe nott by which he maketh vs iust when vppon a kind of an arrogant faith and presumptuous predestination without any relation or referrence to his owne endeuoures so as he beleue that Christ suffred for him or that he is predestinated to be saued he must be such When I say protestancy is blinded and nusled in this peruerse doctrine it being the only and cheefe article of their beleefe which is against scripture good life comon reason sense the definition of the catholique church honestie of a christian and the pietie of a catholique yea against operation of grace or instinct of nature it must run headlong vnto all desperat blasphemies and damnable mischeefe their vnbrideled concupiscence and crwell dispositions impelling them therunto For when the transgression of no lawe or the attempt and consummation of no acte though neuer so exorbitant or so abhominable is punished nor the good woorkes or merites or any execution or exercise of vertue or mortification of any their passions is not regarded for that as they say the merites of Christ his passion doe abrogat them nay such worckes or mortifications are iniurious to the same and doe as they say derogat from them Wee must thincke them to be no otherwise then they are taxeâ— with the imputation of all those cruell and vnchristian like Epithethes by their owne gospellers and when their religion is nothinge els then a path way to all dissolute libertie and licentiousnesse their liues and maners must be such for the corruption of the one engendreth the dissolution of the other 5. Finallie this is the cause that wee see many lawes decrees and dishonest plottes daylie deuised with their rigorous and cruell executions nott against transgressors of godes lawes the lawe of nature but against honest and vertuous people so as the reputation of an honest conscionable and well disposed person cannot be without the imputation of a dangerous traitour whose life goodes and landes must waite and lye open as a pray and bootie for euerie miscreant who as he exceedeth others in villanie and wickednesse must excell them also in promotion and authoritie cuius maledictione os plenum est amaritudine dolo sub lingua eius labor dolor Psal 9. whose tonge is full of malediction bitternesse and deceit Idem so as the decay and downefall of the good must be the raising vpp and aduancement of the badde Exurge Domine non confortetur homo Psal 9. iudicentur gentes in conspectu tuo Constitue Domine legislatorem super eos vt sciant gentes quoniam homines sunt Arise Lord let not man be strengthned let the Gentiles be iudged in thy sight Appoint Lord a law-giuer ouer them that the Gentiles may know that they be men FINIS
The 3. was of Traian in whose time 3. holly Bishoppes suffred vid. Saint Clement the disciple of saint Peter saint Ignatius disciple to saint Iohn the Euangelist and saint Polycarpe The 4. was of Antoninus Verus The 5. of Seuerus The 6. of Maximinus The 7. of Decius who did put saint Laurence to death The 8. of Valerian The 9. of Aurelian The 10. was the crwelest of Dioclesian of Maximinus These persecutions were before Constantius the great who was a Christian 3. Vnto these saint August added the persecution of Iulian the Apostata which was most pernitious for he depriued the Christians of offices and places in the common wealth as also of all their goodes and studies of learning Another was of Valens all these were Romane Emperors Another was of Sapor king of Persia who caused his people to adore the sunne wherin 16000. thousand suffred amoungest whome were many Bishoppes priests and many holly virgins dedicated to Christ Before all these saint August sets downe the first persecutioÌ„ of all which was of Iudea vnder Herod wherin the Apostle Saint Iames the greater suffred Wee doe nott speake here of the persecutions of the Vandals in Affricke or of other heretiques or infidels but only of the Romane Emperors whose persecution was nott only in one kingdome or prouince but in all places especially at Rome at Alexandria where S. Cathrin suffred at Antioch Nicomedia Cesarea of Capadocia Cesarea of Palestin in Ponto in Helesponto in Africa in Aegipt at Saragosa at Parris where saint Denys of Areopagita with his followers were putt to death at Syracusa where S. Lucia at Catanea where saint Agatha in Bithinia in Achaia at Smirna at Thebes and in all other places subiect to the Romans 4. Were all these persecuting princes lawfull heads of Christes church or some of them If some all should be for the one ought to haue asmuch authoritie in that head-shipp as the other if that stile or dignitie should rightly belong to the Emperiall scepter or should be annexed to the Royall authoritie as a power or iurisdiction comprised and comprehended within the maiestie of a regall dignitie as some protestants do hold Yf this be trew all these blessed martyrs wherof some of them were the blessed Apostles as saint Peter and saint Paule who suffred vnder Nero were damned is arrogant and dissobedient subiects for not conforming themselues to their princes wills and humors in causes ecclesiasticall and consequently none that was put to death by them was a holy martyr but an obstinat and wilfull subiect which is most foolish and absurd If yow say that a king to be head of the church ought to be a Christian as some other English protestants do say I aske of them who was head of the church the space of the first 300 yeers after Christ when all kings were infidels and persecutors thereof as I haue declared For either the church all that while was without a head or els some other that was not a king must be a iudge and haue this authoritie and supreame iurisdiction of the king therin and such ought to haue no les iurisdiction ouer the Christians in causes of their consciences and ecclesiasticall matters now then at that time 5. Nowe the Christians are no les nor no better then they were in that golden age of the primitiue church Epiph. heresi Optat. lib. 2. contra Parmen S. Aug. Epist ad generosum quae est 105. Hiero. Prosper in continuatione chronici Eusebij and consequentlie the same ecclesiasticall iurisdiction ought to continew still in the church of Christ which he builded setled and founded vppon saint Peter and his successors as vppon a firme Rocke whose foundation shall neuer faile against whome the gats of hell with all the plottes and pollicies of Sathan and the cunninge deuises and attempts of Matche-villian protestantes shall not preuaile And so in vaine they striue to build the same vppon any other fundation then that which was alreddy laid downe by Christ himselfe being the Corner and head stone of this foundation vppon saint Peter the Apostles and prophetts and their successors for euer I meane the Bishopps and priests vnto whome he committed the authoritie and regiment ouer his flocke to feed and defend them from the woulues to saue them from the violent excursions of infidels and heretiques vnto whome it is sad in the Actes or the Apostles Attendite vobis vniuerso gregâ— in quo c. Loocke well to your selues Act. 20. Matt. 10. Matt. vlt. Mar. vlt. Iohn 20. Iohn 21. and to the vniuersall flocke in which the holy ghost placed you Bishoppes and pastoures to gouerne and rule the church of God And as this church is the mysticall body of Christ and a spirituall Common wealth so it should be gouerned and managed by spirituall parsons and pastours that should haue spirituall orders and consequentlie ought to haue spirituall authoritie and iurisdiction ouer her rebellious and obstinat children to chastice their rebellions disobedience to correct their offences and to extend the rodd of discipline vppon them when they will nott obey her otherwise it should be a poore distressed common wealth when none hath power or iurisdiction therin to chastice the transgressor of her lawes and so all her subiects may with libertie and impunitie keepe or breake them 6. But no article or inunction of the protestant religion is of greater force amongest the protestants specially of England then that the king is supreame head of the church and that euery one whether he be a catholique or protestant must not only encur the imputation of high treason but also the pennalties and disgrace of traitoures that wilâ— not sweare solemly and publickly that he thinckes in his conscience this to be trew which is nothing els then to enthrall and enforce a catholique perhapps some proâ—estants to a damnable and wilfull preiury against his owne conscience that knoweth or at least thincketh the contrary Was not this new fundation and grownd of the English protestant church newly coyned the 26. yeer of king Henry 8. when the oath of supremacy was inuented by the instigation of his fatall and filthy passion of lust and concupiscence and by the industry and suggestion of certaine cogging mates as Thomas Cromwell and Robert Barnes an apostat frier the one beheaded the other I meane the frier burned rather of malice then of any conscience or honesty without which there can be no good religion not warranted by scripture but deuised in the court not by the best but by the worst quorum Deus venter est quorum finis interitus gloria in confusione c. not perswaded by reason but violentlie constrained not ordained for the edification of the church but for the destruction and confusion of innoceÌ„t christiaÌ„s not resolued of by the schooles and learned diuines but first determined by the king and enforced in the parleament against the definition of all former parleaments