desyred to walk at libertie in the wyde world and were wearie of Cloysters and spiritual exercises Anno 28. to loose no tyme all small religious howses of or vnder 200. pownds per annum with all ther lands and haeteditaments of vvhich there vveare 376. wear giuen to the king by parliement and these vvear able to dispend aboue 3200. povvnds per annum of old rents of Assise and the mooueables of these howses being sovvld at vndervalevv amounted to aboue 100. thowsand pownds The religious and ther dependants vvear all voyded and left vnprouided of habitation so as moe then ten thowsand persons weare turned owt of ther own doores to seak ther fortunes Which mooued the common people to much compassion to see them forced to liue by almes vvho by ther bountiefull hospitalitie had releaued so manie Anno 30. Battel Abbie in Sussex Martin in Surrie Stratford in Essex Lewes in Sussex wear suppressed and converted to the kings benefitt and vse for all things wear doon politiquelie and by degrees At last anno 32. and 33. generallie all other monasteries of what valew soever and all the lands of S. Iohns of Hierusalem wear giuen to the king and the corporation of the knights was dissolued and to satisfie them with some contentment they had pensions distributed emong them of 2870. pownds during ther liues So hear was left in England and Ireland no care of the general good of the Church to mantain anie succors assistanc or fortification of Europe against the Turk nor no nurceries of deuotion and prayer again sinn and the deuel And to conclude all Chantries Colledges and Hospitalls for the releafe of the poore vvear offred and bestowed vpon the king and left to his order and disposing anno 37. The valew of all the Church lands in England at that tyme amounted to aboue 320180. pownds 10. per annum wheareof the king took into his own possession and appropriated to the crovvn 161100. per annuÌ„ The which was so great a bootie that an offer was mayd once in the parliement as Howse reporteth in preface to H. 8. to create and mantain with those reuennues fortie Earles 60. Barons 3000. knights and 40. thowsand soldiers and also that so the Commons should never after be charged with anie more subsidies or impositions The like motion and proiect was commended The Cavvses of the Supression and offred at the lay mans parliement in the tyme of king Henrie the fourth by some that loued Wiclef better then the Church and wear better frends to ther lands then to ther Religion but Thomas Arondel Archbushops of Cantorburie ded stowtlie and vertuouslie resist ther motion and preuayled with the king to preuent there platts and the mallice of auarice The Lutherans in England ded reuiue and set on foot again the same motion by ther book called the supplication of Beggars which was opposed by the supplication of Sovvles endited by the vertuous and learned penn of Syr Thomas Moor. yet at last they fownd a patrone an vnworthie Thomas of Cantorburie to geue waye to ther deÌ„uises and to fead the kings humor and so he vvho should haue bean the cheafe protector and intercessor for the Cleargie prooued the Cheafe Cateline that betrayed the Church and conspired ther oppression Add to this the kings own inclination to vayn-glorie which begot his auarice whose prodigal expences could not be mantained vvithovvt such extraordinarie support And think yow that the Lords and courtiers disliked the proposition no they knew what a rich praye it would prooue whearof each man hoped and thirsted to haue a share and speciallie maister Cromwel who knew no better ladder to climbe to greatnes and welth then by an innouation so full of spoyle whearby one might easilie rise by the fall of so manie who being a man of experienc and bred vp in a forge knew the better which way to hammer and frame his busienes in some good forme that the king might vndertaike the action and stand stowtlie to a matter of his domination and profitt knovving well that his conscience was all readie buried in Ann Boolens tomb And tho maik he waye playner and remooue all blocks the thre principall Abbots Glastenburie Reading and Burie thre Barons of the parliement stowt and religious men and likest to crosse and empeach these practises wear executed for denijng the supremacie bothe to discoorage the Bushops from mediating for them and to terrifie the rest of the religious that they might not withstand the king who was now armed with suffieient powre to bring them vpon ther knees all forren intercession being cut of But quo iure quo titulo vvas this suppression The titl of the religious hovvses compassed The Abbies hold these lands in frank Almoine and in see they vvear possessed of them by the donations of Saxon English and Norman kings and subiects continued legallie by prescription established by law and confirmed by the Charters of kings and so they held ther inheritanc and immunities by the same lawes the temporall Lords hold ther Baronnies and the king his reuennues What nead I remember the Charters of the realme the magna charta 9. H. 3. or the confirmation thereof 28. Ed. 1. vvhear it is granted that the Church of England shall be free and haue her liberties inuiolable and cap. 2. iudgment against them shall be held for naught and 4. Bushops wear authorised to excommunicate those that shall seak to vndoe ther charters And 3. E. 1. the Bushops ded accurse those that attempted to spoyle the Church or by force and craft to diminish ther liberties or the charter of the realme and all those that either should maik statutes or obserue them being mayd against the sayd liberties for which is to be noted by one and the same Charter both the Church and all the subiects hold ther liberties so as king H. 8. might as well break the one as vndoe the other and yf the parliement could geue powre to abrogate the one that is a president to dispence with the other But in Peterboâ—ow Ledgerbook yow shall fynd king Iohns grants more at large and fullier then anie printed book setteth down What nead I remember sententia lata super confirmatione cartarum by E. 1. or 42. Ed. 3. cap. 8. yf anie statut be mayd contrarie to magna charta it shall be voyd Or the confirmation of all these 1. 6. 7. 8. of R. 2. and 4. H. 4. Which all wear intended to preuent tyrannie to secure the Church then being visiblie knowen and generallie reuerenced for to no other Church they wear granted nor no other can enioye theÌ„ yf the king so please But to return to the suppression The The surrendors king to maik his title either to be or to appear stronger to which he had no title of hym self but by parliement and hovv farr that powre is extended to geue awaye the lands of a third parson not being hard nor convicted
Smith and it vvas mayd according to the liturgie of the straingers of Frankfort 1544. all of them of Bucers stamp and not much varijng from that in king Edvvards tyme. The which Parr Russel Grey of Pytgo and Cicil approoued but all those of Geneua vtterlie disliked not knowing the Quenes reasons nor regarding them 8. Lastlie the instrumentall cawses and cheafe artificers for building this new work wear choyce men all bothe for experience and pollicie Syr William Cicill mayd second Secretarie in king Eduuards dayes in an age whearin a man might learne more conning them vertue a wise man for practise and one that knevv well how much this alteration would serue his turn and raise his fortune and at that tyme he vvas hongrie hauing onelie the personage of VVimblton and certan lands abowt Stamford as appeared by his letter to the lord Marques 1560. vvhen Syr Robert Cicil vvas borne desiring the lord Threasorers furtherano that the Quene would grant hym some means and maintenanc for these two C. C. solike to be famous in England herafter Syr Nicholas Bacon was an others his brother in lawe a man of Deap iudgment of more knowledg in the lawes and a more plausible Orator I may not forget the Lord Robert who solelie to posses the Quenes fauor by a trick discarded Syr Williā Pickering then a fauorite and a courtlie gentlman neither can I omitt Seigneur Nicholas Throgmorton S. Tho. Smith and manie others who wear now in hope to fynd that which they had long gaped for such offices and preferments as they wear like to loose who held them in Quene Maries tyme. Better Enginers and fitter men could neither haue bean wished nor fuwnd then all these wear to vndermine and cast downe the Cleargie and the old Church governement vvho possessing vvholie the eare and grace of the Quene satt vvith command at the stearne and as pylots of great estimation guided the course both of the Church and commonwelth at ther pleasure thoughe manie men vvondered how maister secretarie could so soone forget his beads and his breuiarie whearwith he counterfeited a Catholick and vvonn Cardinal Pool to stand firmelie his frend Notwithstanding all this choyce of men and preparation of meanes ther courses and cownsells gaue occasion of more trowbles continual feares and greater hazards and daingers to the Quene the realme in all her tyme then ever anie architects of innouation committed And no maruel for ludit in humanis diuina potentia God doth skorn and frustrate the pollicies and shifts of men that haue nothing els to trust to but shifts and he vvill euer teach the wisest to see ther follies and a litl to humble them those that ar most prouident shall by ther errors learn that plus est in arte quam in artifice For now the Quene by this act of Innouation left destitute of all her allies and confaederates vvas driuen to stand vpon her own gard and lie open to all stormes hauing France an enemie and Spayne a frend skarse contented and so was driuen euen at first to ronne vpon a rock forced to assist the rebells in Scotland against ther Soouerain and to send them ayd to expell the french employed ther for ther Quenes seruice It may de yow think this a trifle mark the rest To succor the Admirall and rebells in France she Inuaded Normandie and took possession of Nevvhauen and Deape deliuered to her by the Vidame of Chartres was this a glorie the disgrace in loosing and ill defending Newhauen was a greater bleamish to them then it was honor to haue them yealded and offred to the Quenes disposing and speciallie seing they might therby either haue brought Callice home againe or haue locked vp the gates of Roan and Paris And they ded neither but bring home the great plague as a scourge to the realme for that offence furthermore for the securitie of the realme and to diuert all warres from home they wear driuen not withowt touch of the Quenes honor to kindl the fyre in all other adiacent nations and then to publish a declaration and reason of ther actions as yf the world could not read the trew cavvses of actions vvithovvt the spectacles of those ancient Senators Whearupon they ded ayd the Princes of Orenge against king Philip vnder pretenc of amitie and league vvith the howse of Burgondie and the kings of England which was a litl to grosse for so excellent vvitts considering that the amitie vvas contracted with no subiects nor states but betwean the kings of E. and the Dukes of Burgondie wheareof the states had the benefit and wear partakers but not authors comprehended in the treaties but not treators fayre coolors for fovvle errors And why for so she gaue a president against her self that forrein Princes might be vvarranted by her example to inuade her ovvn kingdomes to releaue her subiects yf they should rise for religion and to learn the waye to Ireland and requite her And the showe of Religion serued them fitlie for there purpose But surelie I haue hard verrie wise men much condemn the course Bor though England ded assist there neighbors on all sides vpon the reason of state which Polibius prescribed Vicininimium crescentis potentia maturè quacunque ex causa deprimenda which is an axiome that is oft inconuenient and ofter iniurious and sometymes pernicious Yet the counsell of Thucidides vvas more proper and safer Nullus princeps à suis subditis iuste puniendis arcendus est qui id facit parem in se legem statuit ne suos ipse puniat delinquentes And heare I must commend hym to haue said this vviselie who saith all things wittielie The vvisidome of the latter tymes in princes fayres is rather in fine deliueries and shifting of damgers vvhen they ar near then solid and grovvnded courses to keap them aloaf The grownd of all these trowbles vvas the pretenc of Sinon Viz. Actum esse de ea si pontificiam authoritatem in quacumque re agnosceret as Camden saith the Quene vvear vndoone yf she acknowledged the Popes authoritie Mark his reason duos namque pontifices matrem illegitimè nuptam pronunciasse and by that argument he suggested that it was best to alter religion inuest her self in the sooueraintie and banish the Popes bulls from grasing in this kingdome and all obedienc to that sea This was a course neither at home nor abroad to keap daingers aloofe and vndowbtedlie yf Henrie the 2. or Frances the 2. of France had liued that error was like to haue wrapped the realme into ineuitable perills and might by all probabilitie haue serued as a bridg to haue let the Quene of Scots passe over into England vnder her own title and the banner of the Church solliciting for her better warrant the renewing of the bulls of Clement the 7. and Paulus 4. against her moothers marriage and her own illegitimation and the rather this might haue bean doon by the error of them that
rather bycause now 1519. Maximilian the emperor was latelie dead whose power and wisedome he had great cawse and worthilie to feare and Charles the fifth vvas chosen to succead hym a yong Prince not tvventie yeares of age whome he hoped to persvvade to ruine the Papaltie to keap his court at Roome and maik the castl of St. Angelo subiect to his commands And then he dreamed that he might easilie reforme the church and cast it in a nevv mould Speciallie being assured to haue the Duke of Saxonie old Iohn Frederic the elector his secret frend and patron who for his riches strenth allianc and abilities was farr superior to anie Prince in the empyre What follovved then obserue his course I Luthers bul against the Bushops and Bushopricks and iudg vnpartiallie vvheter it vvas modest and devvtifull or seditious and arrogant First he ptoclaymes open vvart against the Bushops of Germanie endeuoring to suppresse ther authoritie abrogate ther iurisdiction and maik them odious and contemptible to the vvorld Therfor in his booke contra Statum Ecclesiae aduersus falso no minatum ordinem Episcoporum emong his works printed at Iena tom 2. Latin He fends ovvt his bull against the sayd Bushops in these vvores Attendite vobis Episcorum vmbrâ— Doctor Lutherus vislt nobis bullam edictum legere non valde teneris vestris auribus placiturum His lecture vvas worth the haring First he vseth an exhortation Secondlie he geues direction what the godlie auditors should doe and lastlie his benediction and the blessing wich shall follovv by obeying his covvnsell And this vvas his graue and modest counsel Omnes quicunque opem ferant bona famam sanguinem in hoc impendunt honoremque suum in hoc exponentes vt â—â— Episcopatus Pompatici deuastentur tam remoâ—â— alieni ab omni functione Apostolica totumque hoc Sathanicum regimen Episcoporum extinguatur Ili sunt dilecti â—â—lij Dei vere Christiani obseruantes praecepta Dei who soever will hazard ther liues honor and fortune in so Christian a work as to root owt and destroye all Bushops and Bushopricks Satans ministers and pul vp by the roots all ther authoritie and iurisdiction these ar worthie to be honored and esteamed the trew children of god and such as obey his commandements And in libro contra Siluest Prieratem tom 1 Lat. witteberg Si fures furca latrones gladio haereticos igne tollimus Cur non magis hos magistros perditionis hos Cardinalâ—s hos Papâ—s totam istam Romanae Sodomiae colluniem omnibus armis impetuâ—us eorum sangume manus nostras lauemus So hear he will sight against the whole ecclesiasticall Hierarchie and wash his hand in the blood of Bushops But saith he obijciâ—nt periculum esse ne excuetur tumultus en respondeo an ideo negligetur verbum Dei peribit populus as yf Luthers doctrin with owt tumult coult not be preached Martin Marprelat of England and Iohn Marprelat of Scotland wear not possessed with so wicked a spirit and tho they wear mad enong yet they camm not to the height of this surie Let Brunus Minsinger and Gayl iudg whether thi sermon and proclamation of Luthers will beare an action of sedition and conspiracie and whether it weare consonant to the peace and lawes of the empyre For hearby the people was taught and animated to pull down the principal pillers of the state to overthrow the ecclesiastical regiment the Archbushops of Ments Coolen and Trier the Primate of Magdeburgh the Archbushop and Princ of Saltzburgh the great maister of Prussia Wirtzburgh and manie others who haue voyce and place in the diet and a povver full hand in the gouernment Think yovv that this can be avovved to be the act of a loyall subiect of the empyre or vvarrantable by anie lavves or example in a ciuil gouernmeÌ„t that a priuate man should thus insolentlie attempt of hym self against all authoritie for a subiect against the cheafe magistrates for a sheap to depose the pastor and by such meanes and aduise to stirr vp rebellion and insurrection against persons of that qualitie and inso high place and calling Neither ded he euer cease or geue over practising til effectuallie he procured the expulsion and banishment both of the iurisdiction and name of Bushops ovvt of Saxonie Hessia Wirtenberg and vvhear soever he preuayled which paradox I am assured the Lord Bushopes in England vvill not allovv nor patronise such seditious proceading for ther ovvn safetie and ther Baronnies But hear he stayed not he proceaded further 2. Against the He took vpon hym to deface and Canon Lavves burn the Canon Lawes Indulgences and bulles of Popes at wittenberg Yf yow ask Quo warranto he ded that by this own authoritie his own priuate spirit was his commission And the pretenc of the gospell was his Apologie But was that a sufficient warrant Though most of the Canon Lawes wear the constitutions of Popes whome he now both contemned and condemned yet some wear decreed by prouinciall Synodes some by generall counsells and all of them wear ratified bothe by praescription generall approbation of that contrie and the Imperial Lavves And so it appeareth they could not be lawfullie and orderlie suppressed in the empyre withwt the authoritie of the empyre But as he ded seak to abrogate the Canon Lawes so he ded also vilefie and abase the Ciuil lawes of Germanie as shall more pertinentlie appeare hearafter Furthermore as yf it weare to bring in 3. Againsts vniuersities Barbarisme and to pull owt the eyes of the Almains that they might not see his follie and errors he endeauored to abandon deface and ruine all vniuersities Which Oxford and Cambredg wil hardlie beleaue yf I could not produce his own vvords Libro contra Ambrosium Catharinum he writes thus Vt videatur ad Euangelium funditus extinguendum nec astutius nec efficacius inuenisse Satan commentum quam erigendarum vniuersitatum Be vniuersities then an inuention of the deuel and a subtil deuise to oppresse the gospell Is it not likelie That no man might coolor and excuse this grosse paradox vvith some fayre pretence as they oft labor to doe read his opinion libro de Abroganda Missa there he disswades the people from sending ther children to the vniuersities and generallie condemnes them all by these vvords Academias per Idolum Mâ—loch figuraâ—aâ— puto Vniuersities resemble the Idol Moloch By wat reason bycause saith he Existo enim fumo prodeunt istae locustae quae omnes Cathedras occupant Would he then haue all vniuersities suppressed onelie bycause therein the Catholick religion and school diuinitie is taught no in dead for why ded he shut vp the schoole doores formanie yeares together why ded he neglect the teaching and education of yovvth in his own religion and profession why ded he banish Tullie and Aristotle who medl with no religion why ded Carolostad go to the plough rather
vvho vvas sent from England to condole and confort her What could be required more of a wyfe Now touching Earl Bothwel the Iugling Touching E. Bothvvell of Murrie and his faction is worthie to be reuealed was not Bothwel acquited for this cryme by his peares euen by Murton who best knew it by the lord Lindsie the lord Semplie and ther adaerents who procured his purgation Ded not also the same parties procure some of the nobles to ioyn with them and sollicite the Quene to marrie Bothwel and taik a hustand to defend her to which in a manner they forced her and ded not they also by ther handwriting bynt them selfs to obey hym yf he wold marrie her and ded they not futhermore of ther own motion procure the diuorce of Bothwel for that purpose onelie from his wyfe the Earl of Huntlies sister these ar all vndowbtedlie trew and a sufficient proof of ther double dealing And touching the Murder the Lord Harris accused Murrey of it and the reason was bycause at Cragmillar castel he Murton and Bothwel consulted conspired and determined the kings death and ther wear indenturs mayd and subscibed for the effecting of it And that yow may not stagger and dowbt of this Powrrie Paris and Hay wear all executed for the murder and at ther death they ded call God to witnes that these tvvo Murrey and Murtan wear the principall contriuers of that assassinate And Iohn Hepburn Bothwels seruant ded the like at his execution for the same fact protesting that he had sean ther articles and writings And yet is it mayd more manifest by this and ther cryme and practise more odious for to blind the world first they took armes as they sayd to apprehend Bothwel and after they sent owt shippes to pursew hym at sea Both wear fallacians for they never meant it for yf they wold haue apprehended hym vvhy ded they dismiss hym and why ded they send the Lord Graing to aduise and will Botwell to depart and promised that none should follow and pursew hym and so in dead no man was haistie to doe it tho he stayed two months till Murries return for they knew that by taking hym they should be bewrayed them selfs and therfor they meant to betray and ouerreach hym and offer hym vp as a sacrifice to the mallice of the world for ther own purgation So then these two Catelines cawsed the king to be slayne and vsed Bothwels assistanc and help in it and then accused bothwel and the Quene as the conspirers and contriuers of it tho till her emprisonment she ded never know vvho wear the accessaries or who wear the Principals Now to diue to the bottome and deapth of the cawse The E. Murrie never loued trewlie the Lord Darlie he was once in armes and in the feald to haue kild hym and therupon fled into England wherby appeared his good disposition Also he perswaded the Lord Darlie to haue a hand in killing Dauie the Quenes secretarie at which tyme they set a pistol to the Quenes bellie being then great with child to terrifie her whearby she might haue bean in dainger to miscarrie After ward the lord Darlie then king seing his own dainger craued and obtained the Quenes gracious pardon and yet fearing least Murrey might misinform the Q. against hym resolued to kil Murrey and discouered his intention to the Q. abowt it who would not suffer nor endure to hear it This comming to Murries knowledg as he had before practised to estraing the Quene from her husband and offerd to procure and sew ovvt her diuorce from hym vvhich she vtterlie condemned so novv he resolued to haue hym mayd avvaye and yet conninglie before the murder he went from the court and after into France that he might be thought innocent in the matter And trewlie all thes things appeared plainlie to the Quenes commissioners who hard the cavvse at york as it seamed by the notes of Syr Raphe Sadlers touching that busienes vvhich I haue sean but it vvas mayd aftervvard as cleare as the sonn by the execution of the E. of Murton Now vpon these false and treacherous fowndations they grownded ther disloyal conspiracie and seditions at Caâ—barie hill ther slanderous libells ther imprisoning her at Lough leuin and the act of parliement for her deposition as appeareth by the vvords of the statute 1567. bycause yf she liued still Quene she might taik reueng of her vvrongs and lastlie the resignation of her crovvn vvhich they stowtlie affirmed at york to haue bean voluntarie and of her own seaking But whether it vvas voluntarilie resigned and by her ovvn election ther course of proceading vvill maik it manifest For first when they had conspired that she should be forced to resign or to loose her lyfe they drew a forme of resignation fitt for ther purpose Then Athol Liddington and the rest sent Sr Robert Meluin to signifie her dainger and to persuade her to yeald to ther motions for the resignation and subtillie they alledged as owt of ther dewtie and welwishing that it could not preiudice her being extorted Also Syr Nicholas Throgmotton arriued at the same tyme in Scotland but vpon other pretences and was a fitt man to further the contriuing of that busienes and what wynd soever ded blow hym thither he ded his work like a conning artificer and deserued well to haue bean created lord Hurlie Afther thes preparations cam the lord Lindsey with commission from the counsell whose hand had bean washed before in Dauids blood and with stearn and grim looks tendered the writings vnto her vvith fearfull threatning yf she ded refuse them and therupon she subscribed them being a prisoner and to saue her lyfe lost her crown Call yovv this a free resignation The act of parliement in dead calleth it so 1567 and she gaue power to the l. Lindsey and Ruthen as her dearest frends and so in dead they wear in her name to renoune the government and to appoint Murrey the Regent which he had long and earnestlie gaped for and in Cap. 12. they decreed she should remain prisoner till her tryall and Cap. 19. her enditement was drawen most scandalouslie The cavvses alledged for her resignation wear these First she vvas vvearied then she was notable in bodie and spirit to endure the paynes and that she might in her lyfe tyme see her sonn setled in the gouernmeÌ„t then vvhich nothing could be more ioyous to her and it is trew I think she was vvearie of such tyrannous disloyaltie but in the flovvre of her age ther vvas no likelihood either of her disabilitie to gouern or of her weaknes and such infirmities as that she could not endure the paynes but for her sonn in his cradle that was the way to be ridd of them both But Domini est salus euellâ—â— de laqueo pâ—des suorum And to conclude after the Quene straingelie escaped at Hammilton the hous of a noble familie and well affected
vse and exercise of ther religion and 2º that they might enioye ther priuiledges and not be mayd hereditarie or fall into the hands of Spayne to the preiudice of the Electors and 3º that hearafter the election of king of the Romans might be in the povver and Choyce of the Protestant Princes by the pluralitie of voyces So he thought they should not be forced to hould the stirrop while the Popes wear mounted and Papists ded gouern all in the Empyre And peraduenture for that end purposed yf they could to hinder that FerdinaÌ„d might not be chosen king of the Romans For so Anhalt ded vvrite to Donau in May 1619. that it wear better the Turk or the Deuel should be chosen and preferred to vvear that crown then Ferdinand and B. Gabor by his letters certified the Turk that the Pal. and Brandenburgh vvear resolued no longer to endure Ferdinand and that all these Prouinces vvho vveare in the league Sultano totâ—ationi Mahumeticae corde animaomnia officia fâ—delissime prastabunt and that Ferdinand shortlie should be expelled Germanie to seak his succor in Spayne Is not this a holie league Be not the ends charitable and the media most Christian But the truthe is Ambition vvas Hongrie they consulted who should haue the beares skinn before the beare vvas taken they conspired to share emong them the spoyle of the Cleargie of Germanie and to maik a praye of the hovvse of Austria For by the rolls of ther Chancerie it appeareth that they intended to aduance the Palatine to Bahemia Alsatia and a part of Austria and to enlarg his dominion by the Bushoprick of Spyrts and a part of Mentz Bethlem Gabor should be assisted to keap Hongrie the vvhich he hauing no issew might also happilie fall to the lott of the Palatine Too manic crownes so purchased to expect anie in heauen Onoltzbach gaped for two fatt benefices the Bushopricks of Wirtzburgh and Bambergh his next neighbers and therfor it vvas agreed that there should be the Rendeuous of the armie The Marques of Baden thirsted after Brissack and to be inabled to continue his vniust possession of the vpper Marchionate and to owt face the Count Eberstein who had endured much wroug at his hands Wirtzburg was a mote in the eye of Brandenburgh it laye near and fitt for hym and therfor his dessein vvas to haue a share in it Anhalt hoped to supplie his wants by a part of the spoyle both of Ments and Bambergh and by some lands and lord ships which wear like to escheat in Bohemia And yf the Venetians would ioyn in this Association they might with so good assistaÌ„ce easilie maik them selfs Lords of Istria and friuli and by this meanes Oceanum cum Adriatico sayd they posse coniungi A great conquest surelie and it showed a deuowring stomach that could swallow so great morsells and sowell digest and dispose them before they had them It resteth novv to demurr vpon these poynts and to examin what Apologie and what arguments can they alledg strong enough to defend a proiect and a conspiracie so pernicious to the whole state of Christendome and so directlie against the law of natioÌ„s and the peace of the Empyre All the pulpits in England and the churches â— Reason called reformed ded generallie and lowdelie sownd an Alarum against treason and rebellion of the league and leaguers of France and yet that ded not extend it self beyoÌ„d the Alpes or the Maze as this dothe And yt was at first vndertaken quietlie withowt anie sedition or insurrections in the state And vvas for defenc onelie of ther ancient religion withowt anie temporall respects and confirmed with the kings oath and allowance and afterward it was continned in reueng of Murder and actions of tyrannie Now consider what was ther scope Monsieur de Villeroy in the relation of his seruices maiks it euident they ded not seak the extirpation of the king of Nauarr but his reformation and yf they might be assured of his religion he should be assured of ther obedienc But this vnion runneth a wilder race It is not onelie a new religion but the lands of the old religion they gape after and the affection they haue to the latter maiks them more greadie to suppresse the former And yet all must be sayd to be doore for religion though it be doone most irreligiouslie hauing neither the order nor the media nor the end religious hovv could it then succead add prosper well that begonn so ill and hovv could it beginn worse them to march vnder too such standards as ambition and auarice And therfor most wise he ded that excellent 2. Ratio Duke of Saxonie as a frend of peace aduiâ—e the Count Palatin to renounce Bohemia and seak for pardon bycause this warr ded open the gates of the Empyre to let in the Turk which of it self was a sufficient cawse to condemn ther vnion for yf ther quarrel had bean good yet the effects yt ded work wear bad Moreouer plessen confesseth in his letters 3. Ratio to Anhalt that which is most trew the actions of Holland and Bohemia eodem fundamento niti so Holland is the pattern Bohemia the imitation suits of one cut lessons of one schoole And seing that of Hollond is sufficientlie disprooued all readie I nead not vse anie new argument to refell this but referr yow to the precedent discourse for they took armes against a king lawfullie elected solemnelie crowned and by consent of the states established in possession vvhat could be more orderlie and so hortlie after to depose hym and vpon so weak surmises to show so much leuitie neads better arguments then yet y could ever heare And it was mayd the more odious by nominating the Duke of Saxonie as a competitor and a stale to maik hym suspected to the Emperor as reum affectati imperij knowing that he had refused ther offer when they employed Count Slick to perswade that he would imbark hym selfs in the busienes and accept the crown of Bohemia which in dead they never intended to a Lutheran prince An other reason doth much exaggerate 4. Reason the offenc By ther president Austria vvas corrupted see hovv stronglie examples vvork vvith a multitud The people saithe the Register of the Chancerie by the correspondenc of the Turk and Gabor took coorage and told Ferdinand that yf he would not grant them toleration of religion and freedome of conscienc they vvould ioyne vvith the Bohemians and Hungarians and renounc ther obedienc to hym And they vvear maisters of ther words for in August 1620. the lower Austria abandoned ther Lord the ancient inheritor of that noble patrimonie quitted ther obedienc and accepted a new protector in his stead I am sure the subiects of England would condemn the Catholicks and so they might iustlie yf they should staÌ„d vpon the like tearmes and ther ancieÌ„t tisle and in defenc of that seak to expell ther soouerain and invest a strainger in
fictions mayd faults by law deuised by pollicie and mayd offences rather then being so of them selfs How playne was her gouernement and how farr from triks a litl seuear to which â—he was oft forced for thoughe she was a great Iusticer yet withall how merciefull she was appeared manifestlie by her gracious compassion to the Dutches of Sommerset to Syr Iohn Cheak to Syr Edward Mountagevv the cheaf Iustice to Syr Roger Cholmlie to the Marques of Northampton Syr Henrie Dudlie Syr Henrie gates the Lord Robert Dudlie who stood attainted and to the Duke of Suffolk whome all she knew and had before fownd to be enemies of her religion and no frends to her title and yet she released them all ovvt of the tovvre whear they weare prisonners Notwithstanding all this the Protestants wear never quiet nor suffred her to be quiet Some ded libell against the regiment of voemen some picked quarrels to her marriage some published discourses and invectiues against her religion and some conspired her depriuation to aduance her successor by vvhose aduancement euerie Caluinist expected a golden fleace The grovvnd of all these seditious actions vvas the religion they professed then nor fullie six yeares old a religion of more libertie more pleasing to the gallants of a court and voyd of these austerities and mortifications which the ancient Catholiques obserued with reuerence But emong manie others that book of obedienc prepared most the vulgar to insurrections and mutinies for pag. 94. he affirmeth that Quene Marie deserued to be put to Death as a tyrant and monster Ded euer anie Catholich write so or ded the pen of anie seminarie man blot the paper with so barbarous a sentenc Yet knox libro appellat ad nobilitatem popul Scot. ioyneth hands with a Goodman and backeth his opinion Illud inquit audacler affirmauerim debuisse nobiles rectores iudices populumque Anglâ—anum non modo refistere repuguare Mariae illi Iesabeli quam vocant reginam suam verum etiam de ea Sacerdotibus eius supplicium sumere and these yet vvear not all Procead Syr Thomas VVyat is worthielie chronicled for his rebellion vvho marched as a Cyrus ouer Shooters hill with his armie threatning both court and cittie Prince and people Yet this holie Goodman cap. 14 in his Obedienc commends hym and saith he ded but his dewtie and that it was the dewtie of all that professed the gospell to haue risen with hym and pag. 43. He affirmeth that it is lawfull to resist the superior powers and vrgeth all states to taik armes against her But whear ded Goodman and knoâ— suck this sweat doctrine at Geneua the school of Monarchomachia whear Buchanan ded learn the same and all for one end and maister VVhitingham in his preface to that book confesseth that it was approoued to be a good and godlie treatise by the principal of that cittie that is Caluin and Beza And albeyt in Qurne Elizabeths tyme Goodman is said to haue recalled that opinion yet it was neuer publicklie recalled by hym and disalowed and besides it showeth in Quene Maries tyme vnder the cross and affliction of what spirit he end his faction weare of Yf yow dowbt vpon what pretenc wyat ded rise bycause some maik quaestion thereof surelie it was partlie for religion partlie for bonum publicum to hinder the Quenes marriage for both ioyntlie concurred as Stow and Hollinshead agree He that shall presume to defend that it was not for religion Quene Marie in her oration at the Guildhall in London doth refell hym for she declared that she had sent diuers of her counsell to wyat to demand the pretences of his insurrection and she sayd it appeared to her counsell that it vvas a Spanish Cloke to Couer religion It is trew that wyat vrged to haue the Towr deliuered to hym and to haue powr to nominate and choose new counsellors and that he would not trust but be trusted Wear these in different demands af a subject Or regalities fitt to be offred to his mercie was this to preseru the Quene Surelie Violenc and the Svvord be vnfitt keapers of a Prince person And touching Religion Fox hym self saith that for religion they coÌ„spired emong them selfs and mayd vvyat ther Cheafe the reason was that by forren marriage the Quene vvould bring a seruitude vpon the realme and establish popish religion ther in Vovv vpon these premisses mark vvhat ensevved VVilliam Thomas conspired to kill the Quene and at his execution he gloried that he dyed for the good of his contrie Doctor Pendlton preaching at Povvles Crosse one discharged a peace against hym and at the same place an other daye one threw a Dagger at maister Bourn being in the pulpit wheare the lord Maier could skarselie appease the tumult so as the lords of the counsell the next sonday after together vvith the Garde vvent thither to preuent or to punish such disorders yf anie should there happen againe And at vvestminster vpon an Easter daye a desperare fellovv wounded a preasts as he was saying Masse in saint Margerets Church So great vvas the distemperature of these inflamed puritans vvho complayne so much against the persecution of that tyme and yet they prouoked it and hauing no powre to command yet had they no humilitie to obeye and when they might haue liued quiet them selfs yet vvould not suffer others to liue quiet in whose authoritie it laye to disquiet them But I will mount to offences a degree higher William Fetherston a counterfet king Edward was brought vpon the stage as a Parkin Warbeck to disturb both the Quene and the state What strains of inuention and pollicie wear these against a Prince for her religion but hear they stay not for One Clebar sometymes a Paedante remaining at yakeslie in Northfolk vvas put to death for a conspiracie against the Quene Vdal Stanton Peckam and Daniel wear committed both for conspiracie and haeresie and for attempting to robb her threasure and the Exchecquor for which they had there dew punishment To let passe the treason of Dudlie and Ashton who wear sett on and stirred vp by the French Syr Peter and Gawin Carse great protestants together with Syr Thomas Dennie took armes in Deuonshyre to hinder and empeach the king of Spayne his arriual in England possessed them selfs or Excetor Castl and afterward perceauing ther own weaknes and less assistance then they expected they fled into France which was then the harbour for the malcoÌ„tents of his nation Thomas Stafford comming vvell instructed from Geneua mayd proclamations publicklie in seueral places that Quene Marie was not lawfull Quene and vnworthie to be Quene and so abuse the people he gaue owt boldlie and falselie that twelf of the strongest houlds in England and best fortified wear committed to the custodie and command of the Spanyards to maik them the more odious whome they hated onelie for ther religion and povver and no other particuler quarrel and therfor he Bradford Procter and
patients that suffer and beare there crosses either within or vvithowt the realme withowt the realme wear and arr the Seminaries of Preasts religious men and students within the realme ar the Recusants vvho daylie taist of affliction and haue not a light or small burden to beare vvho all suffer for ther conscienc and secundum magis vel minus participate of the miseries incident hear to Catholicks Touching the Seminaries when the ould Cleargie and preasts wear some Languishing The Seminaries in prison some in exile manie dead and all in disfauor the Secretarie and some politcik protestants both hoped and promised that preasts and preasthood would be shortilie worne ovvt and extinguished and in dead abovvt the yeare 1576. there wear not aboue 30. of the old preasts remaining in the realme whearupon D. Allen a man born to doe God seruice and others of the Cleargie owt of ther prouidence and Charitie begonn the Seminaries at Douay 1569. and why To preuent the decaye of religious professors to setl a continuanc and encrease of preasts for the better propagation of religion to preserue a visible and Catholick Church in England and for the instruction and trayning vp of yong schollers in a setled course of studie conference and exercise and so to bread in that nurcerie yong plants continuallie fitt to be drawen owt for employments in England to vvinn sowles to instruct them in cases of conscienc and so spreade abroad ther knowledg and vertues into all ports of the land And that Seminarie vvas not erected against lawe for the statute was mayd long after when they had taken deap roote and then was it too late either to transplant them home or by threats and terror to prohibit ther proceadings But these ar sayd to be schooles and harbours to noorish such men as ar 1. base and fugitiues 2. such as corrupt the land with false doctrine 3. and such as ar ministers of practises to disturb the kingdome to stirr vp rebellion and to with draw the subiects from ther obedienc And ther for the proclamation 1580. and other statutes wear iustlie mayd against them But how doe they answer it In dead it is trew that great Pronotharie and clark of the execution of Iustice obiected so For ther basenes at Douay and S. Omers much against them but for ther basenes I haue obserued well and am assured that at Douay ther be gentleman both in the Colledg and monasterie of as good families as well bred and as learned schollers as I haue knowen in the vniuersities of England whearin I was no strainger I will not compare them for so I might maik them odious nor yet will I detract from the milk of my own nurces but I may trewlie ovowe that they ar so orderlie gouerned as maikes ther demeanor ciuil and supra aetatem religious and deuowt and how can it be otherwise for they spend there tyme most in studie in exercises of learning and in matters of deuotion Neither ar they in such dainger of Debauchment or the infections of disorder for they be strictlie keapt to ther task and rather vvonn then forced to yt and tho they be brideled with a hard bitt it is carried with a gentl hand and greater care is had bycause manie of them ar of eminent families and noble parentage who though they can not dravv ther pettigrees from Lewlin Prince of Wales as the Pronotarie doth yet can they show a discent both ancient and honorable neither yeomen of the wardrobe nor yeomen of the gard And touching ther being fugitiues they answer well for them selfs that they deserue not properlie such a title for they liue not ther as owt lawes but for conscienc sake and to auoyd the rigour of the new lawes opposite to the doctrine of the Churche Secondlie they liue not there for faction 2. Fugitiues or vndewtiefull affection to his maiestie but compelled by extreme necessitie the Catholiks hauing in England no Churches no Catholick seruice no dew administration of the sacraments nor vse of the sacrafice of the alter and so they saye they should liue in England as bodies withowt sowles or sowles withowt food and so either be starued for want thereof or become Apostates from ther religion or liue as Atheists withowt religion Thirdlie yf yovv put vpon them the disgrace full name of fugitiues onelie bycause they doe not accommodate them selfs to your Canons and the iniunctions of the present tyme and therfor depart owt of the realme To let pass Bartie Knolls Hales and others yow must not forget that your great Doctors Iewel Horn Cox Pilkinton Poynet and manie others ded taik the like cours in Quene Maries tyme. And yf these men wear not fugitiues and deserued in your iudgment no disgrace for remaining at Frankfort Strasburgh and speciallie Geneua noted for the Seminarie of all Conspiracies in France how comes it to pass that those at Douay and S. Omers being in the same case ar so hatefullie censured to be fugitiues And yf they wear fugitiues as the lawe also then ded iudg them yow ded so welcome them home with the titles of Lords and Bushops that I perceaue to be a fugitiue of your making is but a verball obiection and not a reall scandall Besides they answer trewlie and reasonablie As they can not remain in England withowt dainger and offenc of lawe so when they come over hither they committ treason and yf they returne a promoter or a purseuant vvill shovv them the waye to Nevvgate except they renounc ther religion vvhich yovv esteame peraduenture but a Peccadilio and that is euident by the statut 25. Elizab. c. 2. wherby yong men that returne not from the Seminaries and abiure not ther religion ar mayd guiltie of treason and they vvho send them releaf and exhibition fall into the dainger of a Premunire what remedie can yow teache vs against this Dilemma Yf they might fynd grace and haue the happienes to be freed from the dainger of these Lawes and vvhich they humblie craue toleration of ther consciences and religion neither Doway nor S. Omers could hould them they would quicklie show ther dewtiefull affection to ther Prince ther naturall loue to ther contrie and for ther parents and kindred from whome they ar separated to ther great discomfort they should playnlie fynd that kyndenes would not creape when it may safelie go 3. They corrupt noâ— the Land Now touching the next poynt whear with they ar charged for corrupting the land with false doctrine First in this accusation as yovv presuppose Caluinism and your religion to be an infallible veritie so the preasts and religious heare ar as confident that it is impietie On both sydes ther ar learned and vertuous men and one will not vayle bonnet to the other how then should the quarrel be decided or shall it remain perpetuall and a skourge to the world The Bushops in the first parliement of the Quene ded vrge and offer
to defend the principles of ther religion by disputation vvhich the protestants would not accept * Camden nisi Baconus in theologicis parum versatus tanquam iudex praesideret and he being a professor of the common lawes vvhy he should be chosen moderator of such a Diuinitie disputation Cambredg can neither geue reason nor president nay rather yf yow ask ther opinion they will answer Spectatum admisi c. for it is a tidiculous Solaecism Since Father Parsons and diuers others haue mayd the same challeng desirous to bring I ruthe to the Tryal and touchstone in solemn and publick manner And let no man obiect the colloquies at Poissy Ratisbon Wormes Altenburg Murbrun c. which wear fruitles bycause formeles they ded not produce the effects expected bycause they erred in ther course of proceading and I confess I vnder stand not the misterie vvhy the protestants in England now draw bach seing Ievvel in the beginning was so forward and mayd so liberal offerts which yf anie would now defend it would quicklie appear which religion weare counterfeit and which currant whether doctrine wear solide and vvhether not speciallie hauing a moderator who could discouer evasions guid the disputers and iudiciouslie determin to whome the prize should be giuen And yf perhaps some would except and alledg the conferenc betwean M. Hart and D. Reignolds betwean Gode and Campion which wear honored and diuulged as triumphes and that these ought to stand as sufficient proofes co convinc the Catholicks yf the truthe so well sifted by disputation may satisfie them and preuayle I answer it is iniquissima conditio for a man armed to sett vpon a prisoner to insult vpon a man weakned with fetters and destitute of books withowt preparation and vvarning and which is worst in the face of a rack and torments whear Campion had bean posed with crewel quaestions before and in a place of no indifferencie whear they may sett down what they list and frame a combate at ther pleasure as Roynolds ded And whear as perhaps for politick cavvses the king and the Lords may dislike anie publick disputation vpon the grownds of religion yet this may well be granted and the french kings president may induce it The preasts and fathers offer to prooue that Iewel the mainster Carpenter of that Apologie of the Churche of England that Luther Caluin Melancthon and the later Doctors Colonells of the new plantation haue overcrowed and born down the Catholicks for opinion of truthe sinceritie and learning onely by false quotations corruptions falsifications misrecitalls and that both of scriptures and fathers both of the text and the gloss And this they humblie pray and hope that his Maiestie in his own tyme vvould be pleased to grant bycause these be heynous offences and the temple of veritie can not be builded vpon error and false grownds and bycause illusions and forgeries be stratagemata satanae that at least he would permitt the triall of that iust accusation and so afthervvard esteam of ther integritie as they shall acquite them selfs Concerning the third poynt that the 3. Preasts ar no practisers Seminaries bread such preasts as ar ministers of practises and stirr the people to rebellion as they ar charged both by the book of execution of iustice and by the proclamation 1580. whearin particularly they ar accused to haue bean priuie and accessarie to the counsells and proiects of the king of Spayne the Pope and others who intended and combined at that tyme to invade England to depose the Quene and subdevv the realme I must freelie answer that iealousie is trewlie described to be full of eyes and yet all pur-blind fearefull of her own shadowe euer in motu trepidationis and contrarie to the motions of other starres And tho they vvear great statesmen ye with all ther Opticks they could not foresee the great daingers like to fall vpon them till they wear at ther doors And hauing by error drawen and prouoked them yet took they the course rather to continew the flame then quench the fyre to encreas the mallice then preuent the mischeaf For first yf anie such confaederation had bean which never yet could be discouered nor was recorded in anie historie was it probable that so great and so wise Princes would acquaint the poor speculatiue preasts at Reams or Douay or the fathers of the societie with ther plats and intentions is it credible that they would manage matters of state so vveakelie yea but these Princes purposed by the meanes of the preasts and religious to prepare a partie assistant in England how by reconciling the people to the Pope that they might ioyne vvith hym and the king of Spaynes armie One error begets an other for preast doe not reconcile men to the Pope but to God and his Churche 1. And yet surelie it was a miracle that emong so manie preasts and in so long tyme and when Spies and intelligencers wear employed and rewarded neither anie such preast could be nominated who was then or after so corrupted or induced by these great Princes nor anie was afterward apprehended or discouered for anie such trespasse and which is most to be marked not anie subiect was called in quaestion or accused for entertaining anie preasts to that end then how phantastical was this feare what an imagination of Chimeraes and terrors most iniurious to touch the reputation of all the English preasts in generall and by statuts and proclamations to call ther names and ther liues in quaestion and to haue no su sufficient vvitnesses to accuse them no euidenc against them nothing but presumptions and probabilities to attaint them of treason the lyfe and honor of subiects wear wont to be esteamed more pretious and the function of preasts more reuerenced 2. I may also add this that when the king of Spaynes armado was vnder sayle towards England not a preast nor Seminarie man was fownd in it And though in the proclamation they wear traduced to be men suborned for preparation and making the way leuel for ther better landing yet hovv vvell they prepared it appeareth by this that neither preast nor Catholick vvear apprehended and attainted for anie such offenc as is afore sayd 3. Besides hovv litl affianc the king of Spayn had in the English preasts and Catholicks of that tyme was demonstrated by this that all the religious English at Valladolid and Burgos 1589. wear fettered and committed close prisoners when the armie of England assaulted Lisbone and invaded Portingal Furthermore in all the actuall treasons and conspiracies supposed to be mayd against Q. Elizabeth ther was never preast or monk or friar touched or taynted for anie of them For certanlie the holie altars of God will not suffer nor indure so vngodlie machinations and cloysters bread better humors eleuate ther sowles from the world they think not of Princes but in ther prayers and venite ad iudiciū sownding ever in ther eares requires a continual preparate in