vertuous liuers to the outwarde apperaunce to take his parte beynge his Angels transfygured in to the Angels of lyght So that as â–ª then they dyd euer slaunderouslye blaspheme and reuyle the true christians and woulde theyr own decrees and lawes to be called the trueth their errours the veritie and them selues to be couÌ„ted godly that their churche was the catholyke church and they y â— Catholikes and earnest defendours of the trueth euen so was it fullye and whollye within this Realme of Englande in all the miserable yeres nowe paste As then the Arians called theyr secte when they suffred for their heresies holye martirs euen so now at this time theritikes cal their champions which stande obstinate to the fire holy martirs not markinge if I maye speake a word or two by digressioÌ„ that the kinde of death maketh not the Martir but the cause not markinge that euen among the HetheÌ„ many haue willyngly suffered deathe and yet no christen man so folysshe as to call theym Martyrs of God not markynge agayne that I one of Kent which said christ toke no flesh of y â— virgin deniyng therby his manhode had fauourers whiche bothe thought sayd when she was burnt that she was the Martir of God but then surelye the deuil shalbe called a confessor whiche confessed that Christe was the sonne of God Whose confession was then as true as truly made as either Iâ—â—s of Kent or els as any of theirs whiche as obstinate heretykes breake the vnitie of the church diuide Christes cooâ—e and yet crie the Lordes worde the lorâ—des worde wrestinge our lordes holy worde to their condeÌ„nation Howbeit we may well perceayue that it is no more wonder to se an obstinate heretyke stande stiffe to the fier then it is to se a man kill haÌ„ge or drowne him selfe The same deuill which causeth the one caÌ„ soone cause the other But of this matter I will speake another time Nowe therfore to retourne from whens I haue a litle while digressed we may easely coniecture that thonlye cause of al these mischiefes and miseryes that we of late haue suffered hath bene the breache of thunity of Christes church When we ones fledde forth of Peters shippe then we fell streyght way headlong into al licentious libertie then we forsaked vtterly al general counsels all ordinaunces froÌ„ the beginniÌ„g kept in christes church al iudgemeÌ„tes vpon scripture saue our owne then of singularytye we did select and chose a new fayth euery daye chaunginge and alteringe and no maruayle after that our noble Prince through counsel of some wicked men aboute him toke that in hande whiche neuer true catholike king did vsurpe before him that is to sai to sit in Peters chere Since what time oh good lord what misery haue we fallen into as wel bodylye as gostlye But nowe thankes be to Iesus Christ which through his mercye hathe broughte vs againe vnto our mother y e catholyke church euen into Peters ship and Iesus longe preserue her amoÌ„ges vs by whose meanes we were brought agayne into it Now we se that God suffereth as he didde in tharians time heresies ofte to floryshe for a seasoÌ„ but yet euer iÌ„ time of mercy he remembreth vs agayne and wil not heresie stil to preuaile but y t we may haue good coÌ„fort say w t AthaÌ„ Nolite turbari freÌ„s nubecula est et ci to pertraÌ„sit Let not your hartes faile you brethreÌ„ be not dismaied saieth he this heresie is but lik a litle cluod it wil sone vade away Nowe we se also that it was not withoute great cause that S. August sayde that amongest other thinges the succession of the bishops of Rome froÌ„ Peters time did kepe him in the true fayth as Ireneus had grauÌ„ted loÌ„g before Now we se y t y t faith is to be receiued beleued holden whiche hath bene kept of al meÌ„ at al times in al places of christendome since y e begiÌ„niÌ„g and y t we must leaue onely to y e generalitye to the antiquity to the conseÌ„t of the fathers al stil agreiÌ„g iÌ„ one For experience sheweth no 〈◊〉 onely y e scripture stories doctors y t as heretikê be euer ful of diuissioÌ„ scisme eueÌ„ oft amoÌ„ges theÌ„ selues as appereth by Luther EcolaÌ„padiê° Carolostadiê° SwiÌ„gâ—â—ê° c. being liuely figured iÌ„ y e coÌ„fusioÌ„ at BabiloÌ„ so are the catholikes euer most surely knit iÌ„ this vnitye wherunto tholy ghost stil doth moue suÌ„dry waies perswade meÌ„s coÌ„sciences Furthermore we se clerely what wickednes misery it is stil to waÌ„der iÌ„ palpable darknes froÌ„ error to error being ones out of y e vnity for which christ praied saying O father graunt y t as y â— I be one so mai these which beleue iÌ„ me be one ioyned knit together iÌ„ one faith iÌ„ one coÌ„fessioÌ„ in one loue in one grace pietye Nowe we se the cause why we fell from this vnitie and vpon what grounde We se the cause was nothing els but to maintayne wyckednes and synne We se what was the progresse and what styll folowed of it that is to saye more synne and more errour vpon errour and heresye vpon heresie We se also that the ende was almost vtter destruction of all together bothe bodely gostly extreme pouertie extreme miserie euen as people quite forsakeÌ„ of god Finally therfore we se y t there is no way so easie for the deuil to bringe in all kindes of heresies errours diuisions scismes contentions strifes and mischiefes as is to denye the vnitie of Christes churche and to forsake the head therof the Popes holines All heresies spriÌ„g hereout saith Ciprian And for this cause I haue nowe right honourable lorde and most holy father taken this worke in hande and haue dedicate the same vnto your fatherhode a chiefe and head pyller of Christes churche to the entente it myght do more good and the soner be embraced of al catholike people within this realme And herein accordynge to my small talent I haue not onely declared by sundry probations some apparent and some demonstratyue the moste hyghe authoritie aboue al other both spirituall and temporal geuen to Saincte Peter and to hys successoures for euer but also haue answered to all the comeÌ„ obiections whiche I haue eyther heard or redde deceitfully inuented agaynst the sayd authoritie Beseching your grace well to accepte this my small labour and construe all to the best for Iesus sake Whom I beseche longe to preserue your noble and vertuous estate in continuall honoure ioye and prosperytye to the great comforte and profit of all true faythful people within this realme and after this life to graunt you eternal glory in heauen wyth god almighty and his holy aungels Amen ¶ Here do folow sundrye probatioÌ„s wherof some do set forth onlye S. Peters preeminence aboue the other apostles some declare the most high authoritye and power geuen by
hitherto ¶ The .60 obiection The pope wil suffer princes to kisse his fete so honor him but thangel would receyue no such honour of s Iohn as ye rede in thappocalips twise ¶ The aunswere As for y t of thauÌ„gel s Iohn he ring before how y t y e angel had sayd vnto him as in the persoÌ„ of Iesus christ speaking Ego 〈◊〉 alpha et omega I am y e firste and the last thought him to be god therfore would haue geueÌ„ vnto hiÌ„ gods honor whych thangel iustly forsoke Also the aungel seing Christ incarnate maÌ„s nature so highlye exalted could not abide to haue maÌ„ to honor him thoughe it were but onlye with the honor due vnto a creature where as before in thold testameÌ„t thaÌ„gels oftimes suffered men to honor them What maketh this then for your purpose for sothe nothiÌ„g at al. But now to answer to y e kissing ye speake of Iesus Christ came not to breake any order nor to pul kiÌ„nges authorites powers froÌ„ them nor to make theÌ„ subiectes Neuertheles thê we must thiÌ„ke to be true y t a king coÌ„meth not to christ to hê church or to y e minister vnder christ as a king or bycause he is a king but as a christenmaÌ„ bicause he is a christen man And in y t respecte of hê coÌ„ming huÌ„bling him selfe as a liuely member of Christes spiritual kingdoÌ„ his diademe hê Princelye crowne or worldlye scepter is not thought vpon Thus a kinge coÌ„meth to y e aulter to offer kissing y e pristes phamel in his haÌ„d kneling downe or making low curtousy kneling also to receiue absolucion at the priestes haÌ„d being but hê chaplayne This gere a Kinge or Prince would not willingly w t al humility doe as experience sheweth thei doe iÌ„ dede if ther were not a further coÌ„sideratioÌ„ in the matter And euen y e lyke answere is to be made vnto y e kissing of the shoe ye speake of where as al godlines humility may be in both the parties y â— one in doing his duety with al subiection euen as to Iesus christ thother in receyuing as christes vicar y t due reuerence being at y e same tune the more humble meke in hert beholdynge on thone side his owne frailty vnworthines and on thother syde thautority high power of christ his spowse ¶ The .61 obiection S. Peter the .x. of thactes would no◠〈…〉 Cornelius to honour 〈…〉 the pope wyl all men to 〈…〉 hym ¶ The â—â—â—â—were Sumwhat is aunswered here vnto in the last responsioÌ„ but yet further to speake Cornelius there as to Peter him selfe with out further consideratioÌ„ would haue exhibet such great adoracion which Peter wyth al humility then refused yea as some authors affirme it was godlye honour whiche Cornelius there as of symplyty not of iniquyty would haue geueÌ„ vnto Peter which he iustly forsoke saying I am a man as y u art c. Moreouer then in the beginning thinges were not established they were but rawe not come to theyr perfection Wold ye therfore haue them so to haue coÌ„tinued style Should the babe or childe still coÌ„tinue in infancy should it neuer learne to vnderstaÌ„d speak or go ¶ The .62 obiection In times past the pope did sucke out of this realme by auarice insaciable iÌ„numerable suÌ„mes of money yearely to the great exhausting of the same Therfore awaye with him let him haue no more a do here ¶ The aunswere God which of his liberal goodnes seÌ„deth al y t we haue neuer causeth pouertye for payinge our duties â–ª Howe pore the realme hath bene y t dayly more more since y e smal duties iustly payed to Rome smal I say y â— most truely if they be coÌ„pared to y e intollerable exactions rauenously extorted since wer lafte of how riche wealthy it was before euery man may easely see y t al was the verye haÌ„d and plage of god Let vs pay to all y t we ough y t w t a fraÌ„ke hert we shalbe neuer the porer for paying our duties God sendeth al and y t most liberally to al such as w t godlines indeuor theÌ„ selues to do theyr duties in al thiÌ„ges But as for y e wicked y e oppressers w tholders of duytes he iustly withdraweth hê liberal haÌ„d froÌ„ theÌ„ seÌ„diÌ„g oft great plages vpoÌ„ theÌ„ y t woÌ„derfully farre coÌ„trari to al their expectacioÌ„s I remember I heard iÌ„ a sermoÌ„ at Paules about y e time abbeis were suppressed a man of great and high authority say these wordes in effect Good people be not offeÌ„ded w t putting downe of abbeis but coÌ„sider y e manyfold coÌ„modities ye shal receiue therby In times past y e crown of EnglaÌ„d was if I might be so bold to speake saith he but a beggerly crowne here after it shall be a crowne emperiall In times past oh howe many taxes fiftenes lones subsidies c. haue ye payed Hereafter you shall neuer paye more In tunes past fish whitmeat could not come abrod for being supersticiosly deuoured in abbeis and religious houses but here after all this gere shall be most plentiful c. Consider now these .iii. lies consider the successe euer since consider the oppression and not paying the small dueties I spake of and crye the hand of god vpon vs the hand of God vpon vs all these miserable yeares before the Quenes comming whose reigne Iesu loÌ„ge prosper ouer vs. The .63 obiection The pope hath by him selfe and his adherentes since he his authoritye was put fourth of this Realme gone about to stirre vp al christiaÌ„ nacions against vs to destroye vs with the swerde and hath cursed vs c. caÌ„ he then be gods seruauÌ„t should we regarde any suche doth not good abhorre y e sowers of discorde be not the sterers to murther the children of the deuel god is not god of dissencion but of peace saith Paule ¶ The answere The Pope hath stil vsed for our cursinges to surreÌ„der blessinges and for oure blaspheminges againste him hath stil made supplicacions and moste earnest prayers to God for vs that we might haue grace to returne agayne into Christes flocke whyche now thankes be to Iesus christ and Quene Mari we haue obteined How be it I beleue y t we ought oure selues if we be catholyke rather to haue desired vtter destructioÌ„ of our bodies beiÌ„g inuadyd w t foren enemies enemies to our scisme heresy but louers to our soules to haue said lord helpe y e innoceÌ„t lorde saue our soules lord reueÌ„ge vs deliuer vs froÌ„ scisme by fire or sworde c. rather I saye theÌ„ to haue stil coÌ„tinued iÌ„ scisme in errors in heres in obstina blindnes daily ê“ceding for so they termed it in darkenes wadinge stil further further toward y e deuil death hel daÌ„natioÌ„ Yea may not y e praier of the holy
The triall of the supremacy wherein 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 fourth y e vnitie of christes church militaÌ„t geueÌ„ to S. Peter and his successoures by Christe And that there ought to be one head Bishop in earth Christes Vicar generall ouer all hys churche militant wyth answeres to the blasphemous obiections made agaynste the same in the late miserable yeres now paste Aug. li. 3. de trinitate ca. 3. Vtile est plures libros a pluribê° fieri diuerso stilo noÌ„ diuersa fide etiaÌ„ de qÌ„stionibê° eisdeÌ„ vt ad plurimos res ipse perueniar ad alios sic ad alios autem sic ¶ To the moste holye and godly Prince Reginald Pole Cardinall and Legate honor vertue and grace from our Lorde Iesus Christe ALthoughe christes churche from the begiÌ„ning was neuer clere from heresies moste reuerende father in God and most honourable lorde but hathe bene at all tymes styll vexed therewyth for the probation exercise of the elect yet was it neuer so miserably tossed and turmoiled spesially with in thys Realme of Englande as I suppose with sectes scismes as it hath ben of late yeres Where as it hath not onely beÌ„ counted laweful for y e wycked to excogitate to teache to professe to mayntayne and defende errours Herysies wythoute restraynt but also he that moost vylelye coulde defyle hys mother the churche and like the hedder or snake whiche gnaweth fourth y â— mothers bowels plucke out the holy sacramentes the very entrails or bowels of his mother Christes spouse was best regarded was taken and accepted as most honest most excellent most worthy maÌ„ best learned Suche were thought most meâ—e to examyne causes and beare rule in the commen wealthe for that they smallye dyd passe eyther vpon that golden sayinge of Sayncte Augustine he can not haue God for hys father â–ª which hath not the churche for hys mother or elles that wythoute the vnitye of the Chatholyke and vniuersall church there is no saluation In other tymes we reade here of one Heresye and there of another but in this wycked season Oh good Lorde what Heresye thoughe longe ago condempned by Chrystes churche haue not they stured vp agayne â–ª And vnder the cloke or colour of Christian libertye defended the same sekynge still innouation alteration vtter destructyon of all Godlynesse styll cryinge the Primatyfe Churche the Primatife Churche as thoughe a childe shoulde styll contynue a childe in the state of infancye and neuer increase further not markynge that the trueth was fyrst sought then founde after beleued obserued and folowed and is styll of the faithfull sorte from tyme to tyme to be kepte wythout retournyng backe But they turned backe from all goodnes from all vertue honestye and grace beyng farre vnmete therefore for the kyngdome of God as Christe sayeth in the gospel Nemo mittens c. But oh what vnspeakeable hurtes and extreme miseries in these miserable yeares hathe thys Realme susteined hereby bothe bodylye and ghostly â–ª The symple sort haue bene styll seduced the meane sorte lafte as wayuerynge in doubte the beast the strongest and the moste sure haue bene greatly weryed not much vnlyke to the tyme of Iulian the appostata The manyefolde damnable heresies haue caused moste miserable scisme amonge the rude people beyng haled from the trueth and tossed from poste to pyller on euerye syde euen lyke as it was in the Arians tyme when the Heritykes vsed most commenlye bothe to saye and do many thynges well to obtayne therby credit amonge the symple and weake that so much more freely they myghte sowe theyr Herisies and plucke down the Churches whiche was euer their cheife indeuoure and deface all godly men either with violence wyth punishementes wyth slatterynge of promotions or wyth deceyte Hathe not this selfe same practise of the Arians in all pointes bene put in execution in these oure wycked dayes Then one wycked styll praysed another as well in naughtye bokes as in publyke Hereticall sermons and all to deface therwyth the godly catholikes Was not the same here in Englande nowe practised Yea euen as Symon Magus was of the wicked called Virtus dei the power of God so haue in oure dayes as vnmete and vnworthye laudes ofte bene made Then was there neuer so folyshe nor grosse an Heresie but it had folowers Was not the lyke in thys oure blynde tyme and as then styll they falselye accused the godly sorte of treason so to dispatche them out of the waye euen so was nowe the lyke practyse in cryinge agaynst the breakers of the kinges procedynges As the godlye styll wente then to wracke euen so they dyd nowe wythoute mercye or pytie beynge moste cruellye handeled and all wythoute iuste cause or deserte Then they made manye damnable and moste wicked lawes to defende theyr noughtye Heresyes wythall haue they not done lykewyse heare wyth vs Then the wycked Magistrates fauoured and exaulted the wycked ministers greatlye plaged the godlie was not the same exacted heare in Englande Then to serue God truely was cownted great offence and was greuouslye punished was not the same done here euen nowe on late What punyshement had they whiche woulde but onelye be presente in the churche at Masse tyme Yea I my selfe sawe deadlye checkes geuen to an honest catholyke maÌ„ for knelyng down on the steppes in Paules for knockyng vpon hys brest and lyftynge vp hys handes At what tyme the sayde honest Catholyke man was glad for feare of theyr tyrannye to say he woulde neuer do so more O good Lorde what thynges dyd men then bothe saye and do for feare of punyshemente Againe lyke as in the Arians tyme Scismatikes and Heritykes dyd not onely contemne yea condempne the moste godlye and general counsaâ—ls but also made priuate councelles of their owne ten in nuÌ„bre wherin they neuer agreed amonge theym selues no nor neuer fullye allowed that in one counsell whiche they had made in an other euen so now in all poyntes oure wicked proceders in this palpable darkenes haue imitate and folowed the former steppes of their forfathers the lymmes of the deuyll As then through Heresye the holy misteries of Christe were had in contempte euen so were they nowe As then the heretikes desire was stil to cause the hygher powers to fauoure their Heresies euen so was it now As then the heretikes styll cried this is the catholyke faith meanyng theyr owne heresies this is the catholike doctrine this is the catholyke churche for this is the faythe the doctryne and the Churche of the Patriarches prophetes and Apostles so did the heretikes crie styll in oure dayes hauynge once the vpperhande as they had styll in dede throughe fauoure of the Magistrates And surely this was the mooste soore and the moste dampnable perswasion to deceyue and blinde the symple innocentes wythall The Deuyll neuer perswadeth but vnder the couloure of trueth yea and he ofte hath both lerned and