brought for we wil ever do grant so much as any man can in truth wish to bee collected out of them But what is all this to the purpose since neither then nor since they do agree with the polluted doctrine of your Sinagoge and the faith which olde Rome spreade or mainetained is no more consonant to this infidelity which our new Rome maintaineth then an apple is like an oyster Which one answere although it cut of al your cavils which you fetch from antiquity in praise of Rome and we frequētly inculcate it vnto you yet because it so biteth you will in no sort remember It is a tricke in Rhetorike but it is withall but a base shift to slippe by that or to seeme to forget that which woundeth to the hart and vtterly destroyeth T. HILL BUt the Protestants per adventure will grant that the true Church flourished in those dayes but not afterwardes vntill this age in which they haue reformed the same yet is it most manifest that it flourished afterwardes even vntill this our time no lesse then it and before if not more for in Saint Gregory his daies it was spreade all over the worlde as appeareth by his Epistles to the Bishops of the East of Afrike Spaine France England Sicily And by Saint Bede in cap. 6. Cantic as also by Saint Bernard who disputing before Rogerim King of Sicily avouched that in those daies the East all the West Fraunce Germany Englande Spaniardes and many barbarous nations obeyed the Bishoppe of Rome G. ABBOT 8. The Protestāts not fearing that you shal gaine any thing by that which is truth wil refuse to yeeld you nothing that is true In the first Church that is while the Apostles lived the spouse of Christ for doctrine was most glorious for some hundreds of yeares afterwards her honor flourished not a little yet so that some pety superstitions began to creepe in heere and there But about six hundred years after Christ shee for the outward face did more more droupe in doctrine f 1. Ioh. 2. 18 Antichrists began to peepe vp in the Apostles time but then they coulde not properly be called the great Antichrist And that which was thē was not so eminently as that the followers of the Apostles did much obserue it being then more troubled with persecution or heretiks then with superstition In processe of time matters grew to a worse state evil opiniōs creeping in at last the maine g 2. Thes. 2. 3 Apostasie followed But in this Apostasie very great declining there were who yeelded not to the time but kept thēselues vnspotted of the world especially for mainest points of salvation And it being thus whē things were at the worst God in this later age hath suffred that truth which was more hidden to illustrate the Christian world again Yea but you wil proue that since the Primitiue Church faith florished more thē before or at the least it was not diminished vntill our time You can do wonders Sir or els your own reason would informe you that nothing beene added til these lare navigations of the Portingales Spaniards Christianity must needs be exceedingly diminished when the Saracens Turks for so long space haue devored so much of Asia Europa Africa as is or hath bin vnder thē You are but a simple man for story weaker for Cosmography or els you would not so improbably talke at randon But any thing serveth your turne Well the faith was in Gregories times over all the worlde How proue you this Forsooth he wrote Epistles to Bishops of Spaine France England Sicely yea of the East of Afrike Ergo the faith was over all the world A young man of the age of sixteene yeares hath by his diligence learned without booke the Epistle to Philemō that to the Colossians yea the book of Ruth and the Prophecy of Aggeus therefore he can say all the Bible by hart This is Logike for the Seminaries but not currant elsewhere VVhat wrote he into Tartaria or India or Manicongo what to Finland or Iseland or a thousand places more And what saith Bede h In Cantic 6. The summe of the citisens of that celestiall countrey doth exceede the measure of our estimation But this is spoken of all the faithfull that are were or ever shall bee in the world As also that following vpon the texte Adole scentularum non est numerus There are saith hee young maidens vvhereof there is no number because there are sound innumerable cōpantes of Christiā people Which within seaven lines after he maketh most evident The vniversall Church which in the same her faithfull members from the beginning even vnto the ending of the vvorld from the rising of the Sunne vnto the setting from the North and the Sea doe praise the name of the Lorde Doth this shew any extraordinary thing in the time of Beda or any flourishing of the Church or more thē that there were faithfull toward al parts of the world Such is that which was brought touching S. i In vita Bernard L◅ 217 Bernard who vpō a great schisme in the Church of Rome betweene Innocentius and the Antipape Petrus Leonis being sent for to compose this strife and to see whether he could winne over to Innocētius Robert the King of Sicely who stood for Peter in his Oration saith that if Peters side were good they who acknowledged Innocentius for Pope should bee in very ill case And these hee nameth Then the Easterne Church shall perish vvhich at that time coulde comprehend no more but those fewe Christians vvhich were vvarring in or about Palestina for the Greeke Churches did not then acknowledge the Popes Iurisdiction the whole West shall perish Fraunce shallperish Germany shall perish the Spanish and English and the Barbarian kingdomes shall be drowned in the bottome of the Sea Where he doth not adde these special countries over and aboue the VVest but signifieth vvhat was meant by that generall name that is to saye Fraunce Germany Spaine and England vvith some inferiour Kingdomes So that now if S. Bernard doe say any thing heere your all the worlde is vvonderfully shrunke in the vvetting So you strive against the streame and the farther you goe the worse you goe T. HILL AND in these daies it is all over Italie all over Spaine and in Fraunce in most partes of Germany in Poleland Boheme besides England Hungary Greece Syria Aethiopia Aegypt in vvhich Landes are many Catholikes and in the newe world it flourisheth mightily in all the foure partes of the world Eastward in the Indies VVestward in America Northward in Iaponia Southward in Brasilia in the vttermost partes of Afrike G. ABBOT 9 AS many as be disposed to knowe the Popes strength harken now to his muster-maister Al Italie commeth first as being neerest the Popes nose then all Spaine is the second legion But how would it be in these lands if your Inquisitours did
many though not vniversall of all And whē he saith in many lands it is received of the greatest part of the inhabitāts he meaneth not that the naturals do accept of it but the Spanyards Portingals have killed the greatest part of them and now they themselves do make the maior part This advantage you have for your words D. Hill but yet notwithstanding all your fraud and facing we conclude that your Poperie is not predominant as you make it for put it altogither if I should say nothing of that which we teach but leave it wholy to God and his good blessing Gentilisme is yet by many degrees more then all the Papisme in the world and Mahometisme in Barbary in Turky in Persia and in the dominions of all those who hold for that false Prophet doth exceede it And yet the great propagatiō of Ethnicisme or Saracenisme doth not make them to bee in the right neither doth the same evince in behalfe of your Romane fancies but that only must go for truth which hath warrant out of the Scriptures T. HILL AND vvorthy it is to bee noted that in no land or countrey vnder heaven ever was or is any persecution of any moment against Papists as you terme them or against the Priestes of that Religion in regard that they be Papists or Priests made by authority from the Sea of Rome but onely in England And in very deede the vvhole vvorld doth wonder that little England dare and is not ashamed to doe that which never vvas seene in the vvorld before for let a Seminary Priest as they call him keepe him out of England and he is safe inough in any region vnder heaven This I say by the way for that it grieveth mee at the very hart to beare that my deare countrey doth persecute that religion which all the vvorld hath ioyfully embraced or at the least doth vvillingly tollerate as though shee were wiser then all the world beside is or ever hath beene or then al her Elders Or as though English Protestants knew and saw more then all the vvhole learned men of Christendome have done for so manie ages together G. ABBOT 17 IT should seeme that by this time in the shewing of your mē you have spēt al your powder for frō hēce to the end of this presēt Reasō you talke like a good fellow in more familiar sort leaning on the nose of your peece somewhat angry but will not fight Howe your Pseudo-Catholikes in England live afflicted and persecuted not onely our bookes h Execution of Iustice. A Letter to Mendoza declaring a truth but the matter it selfe sensiblie doth speake They lye well and they farewel and many of them do purchase and encrease their lively-hood yea some by your leave finde meanes to extraordinary lasciviousnes The bigger sort of them are by the monethly mulct vpon them so punished that besides that they have for much idle expence they can by bribes keepe spies about great personages they can give large giftes to winne their private purposes they cā haue their cursetors al the Realme over to give and take intelligence they can releive Prisoners they can maintaine diverse Iesuites like such gallants and swaggerers as requireth for each some hundred pounds by the yeare And yet in searches sometimes more ready mony and good golde is founde in their custody then ordinary men of their quality can be maisters of To these thinges they attaine by keeping no house or very little vnder a shew that for their conscience they pay all away I thinke that you your selfe wil confesse that in Queene Maries daies men of our Religion could not live so quietly although they had nothing to obiect against them but that they beleeved not the article of Transubstantiation Now for Priests that they have bin more looked vnto the reasō is sppatant The examples of i 1. Reg. 18. 40. Elias ill intreating Baals Priests of k 2. Reg. 23. 20. Iosias so serving other of like disposition as also of l Cap. 10. 25 Iehu proceeding in the same course shewe that wolves and destroying foxes if they will not keepe from the flocke must be woorried that is must be cut off by the sword of the magistrate Otherwise shall the perishing soules of the flocke bee required at the civill shepe-heards hande as well as they are exacted of the spirituall pastour for negligence But howe rough the state generally hath bin to such may be coniectured by their hasting hither fiftye in a m D. Elyes notes on the Apology fol. 211. yeare out of Rhemes alone Also by the sending away of Harte Pilcher and many other where of some were already condēned other by law were to suffer yet their lives were granted vnto the they only were banished their coūtry frō whēce they had volūtarily exiled thēselues for divers years before thirdly by the keeping of so many of thē at Wishbich Framingl◅ā some for 10. years some for 20 wher al was so to their wil that they had leysure to fall out who shold be n Relation of stirres at Wisbich greatest amōg thē sit highest at table yea to o Apolog cap. 6. feast to bowze to game to fight yea as since it is expressed in plainer wordes to fall top dicing drunkennes yea and whoredome fit exercises for men who would be taken to be designed martyrs And if some few of them have suffered let all sober men iudge whither the state had not cause to proceede so with them whose minds were discovered so plainly beyond the seas The excōmunication of Pius the 5. was procured at Rome by the instigation of some of our own countri-men thervpō a rebelliō was raised q Sander lib. 7. de visib Monar Concertat li◅cle Cathol in Angl Part 1. Felton is cōmended for fastēing vp the Bul at the Bishop of Londons gate And it is held as his praise that hee called the Queene no otherwise but by the name of the pretended Queene Sanders also ordinarily vseth that phrase against her And it is held as a glory in Doctor Story that writing to his wife he bestowed no other title on her Such as suffered for the rebellion in the Noth are tearmed r Ibidem Martyrs so is s Brist Motiv 1◅ Felton also These matters are compiled togither in the booke called s Edit Anguste ◅reviror 1588. Concertatio Ecclesiae Catholica in Anglia out of which I will gather two or three flowers more It is saide as a praise of Everard Hanse that being asked of the Bull of Pope Pius he answered I hope hee did not erre in his sentence Hee saide I hope because that declaration was not doctrinal and therefore there might be an errour Speaking of Iames Laborne executed at Lancaster it is related as a Catholike acte in him that t E. Sander de Schism Lib 3. he tooke two exceptions why Lady Elizabeth was not Queene one by
vvriting against u Contra 18 articul Wiolif VViclif maketh y In articulo 11. 12. tvvise mention of a booke of his ovvne sent to the Bishoppe of Hereford Dâ—…num Ersordenseâ—… he calleth him in confutation of the booke of VValter Britte 27 While I wrâ—…e these thinges I cannot but thinke vpon the audacious absurdnesse of my ignorant Doctour who blusheth not to vtter that is is y Ration 1. most manifest that all in England vvere Papistes vvithout exception from the first Christening thereof vntill this age of King Henry the eight Hee is doubtlesse an honest man and worthy to be trusted on his word It is not only manifest but most manifest not that the greatest part but all yea beâ—… shal not be scanted all wâ—…ut â—…ption were â—…apistes c. Were Iohn Wiclifâ—… bones burnt because he was a Papist were the Bulâ—… of the Pope against him for that cause and were the Archbishop Arondelâ—… Costâ—… against his followers so severe because they were Papists The man is hâ—… to be pittied for his simplicity A man may know by the lawes ProclamatioÌ„s letters proceedings by the State against some as against Heretickes As also by the Records of Bishops yet extant by the manifold executions burnings afterward that even in that deepe time of ignorance England did give most noble testimony of Christs truth against Popery eveÌ„ so farre as to the fiery trial If the Christian Reader peruse the Ecclesiastical History of M r. Foxe he shal find how z 〈◊〉 An. 1400. sub K. Henrie 4. before the Coâ—… William Saâ—… a Priest was burnt after him Iohn Baâ—…y and that because they were Wiclevists oâ—… Lâ—… as they the â—…ed them and not because they were Papists There are the reasons also and asseveratioÌ„s of Pâ—…y and Thorpe against Popery with diverse other matters And is it â—…ot to bee thought that the Heretikes increased when a â—…ynode a 〈◊〉 Sub Reg. Henric. 5. was assembled in Sâ—… Pâ—… Church at London into the vvhich â—…me 〈◊〉 Inquisitoâ—… who in a former Synode were appointed to 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 the vvâ—…gs of VVâ—… vvherein they found 24â—… Conclusions an vvhich they supposed to bee Iâ—… 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the 〈◊〉 â—…eere of K. Henry the 〈◊〉 dâ—… 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ward the L. 〈◊〉 was â—…ge 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as 〈◊〉 had beene a â—…de of Traiâ—… but hee was then 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 â—…ed Hâ—… So was oâ—… 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for his 〈◊〉 consumed to 〈◊〉 Not longâ—… 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 besideâ—… 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Sub 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Religion 〈◊〉 and VVâ—… tvvo 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 followed afterwardâ—… Neither â—…d â—…he 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and of King 〈◊〉 the 〈◊〉 escape 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of sundrie 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 CHRISTâ—… 〈◊〉 sake 〈◊〉 for 〈◊〉 profession of the â—…hy the particular stories of vvhome may bâ—…â—…ounde in the Authour abouâ—… 〈◊〉 The Clergy of these times did beare much sway with their Princes and lefte no meanes vâ—…ught no stone vnâ—…ned to keepe vp the dignitie and preheminence of their Romish Hierarchy and the superstitions Idolatry vvhich then vvas in vse Novve â—…in the raignes of all these Princes so many were slaughtered for the testimonie of a good conscience hovve manie weake brethren vvere there vvho did not make open profession of their faith and hovve many did there lie hid diverse of them in probabilitie having confederates and some of them being Priestes and therefore not vnlikely to have learning both to confirme themselves in the truth and such other as hearde them Thus have I both in England and else-vvhere brought vp the doctrine of the Gospell vntill the time of Iohn VViclef who flourished in the yeere 1371. 28 Heere it may please the Reader to remember that the iudgment before cited of â—…vo c Gregor 11. Gregor 12. Popes vvas that VViclef taught the doctrine of Marsilius of Padua and of Iohn of 〈◊〉 Of the later of these there yet appeareth no monument vvritten But hee ioyned in d Catalog test verle lib. 18. opinion vvith the former But as for Marsilius Patavinus our Adversties cannot but acknovvledge him to bee a verie learned man after the measure of the age vvherein hee lived vvhich vvas in the yeere 1324. Hee vvrote a e Defensor pacis booke against the vsurped power of the Bishope of Rome vvhich argument hee entred into in behalfe of the Emperour Levvis of Bavâ—…e vvho vvas mightily laide at by three Popes successiuelie There the Authour avovveth as right and iust the supreme authoritie of the Emperour displaying the iniquitie of the Popes vsurpation over Christian Princes and Generall Councels The booke is vvoorth the reading to see vvhether all in times past did allowe of the Popes doctrine and proceedinges or not His opinions are these That the Pope is not superiour to other Bishoppes and much lâ—… the Emperour and civill Magistraâ—… That thing as are to bee decided by the â—…ure Thâ—… 〈◊〉 men of the laiâ—… 〈◊〉 in Councels That the Clergy and Pope himselfe are to bee subiect to Magistrates That the Church is the 〈◊〉 companie of the faithfull That CHRIST is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of the Church and appointed 〈◊〉 to bee 〈◊〉 Uiâ—… That Priestes may bee â—…ryed That Saint Peter was 〈◊〉 at Rome That the Popish Synagoge 〈◊〉 a dâ—… of theeves That the doctrine of the Pâ—… not to bee follovved because it leadeth to everlasting destructâ—… In the time of this Marsilius lived that noble Poet Danie vvho vvrote also a booke against the Pope f Petrus Messias in Ludovico Câ—… the Monarchie of the Emperour but for taking part vvith Lewes of Bavâ—…ere hee vvas condemned for an heretike and his booke â—…hereticall Then also vvrote g Catal. test verit lib. 18. Occam directly to the same purpose but for his labour therein and his large reproofe of the Papâ—…cie in other pointes hee was excommunicated by the romane Bishop vvhich he so much contemned that hee not vnwillingly dyed vnder that sentence Aboute that time vvere here and there dispersed sundry godly men who sawe more then the common sorte touching Religion As h Ibid. ex Hen. de Erford Hayâ—… a Minorite vvho frequently saide in his Sermons that the Church of Rome vvat the vvhere of Babylon and that the Pope and Cardinals vvere meere Aâ—… vvhich propositions were helde somevvhat before also by i Ibidem Gerâ—… and Dulcinus tvvo learned men This Duâ—… may be thought to haue had many followers since k Hist. Hussit lib. 2. Cochleus coulde say that Iohn Hus committed spirituall fornication with the Wâ—…sts and with the Dulâ—…nists The same opinions concerning the Pope and Rome did that rare man l Epist. 20. in Poesi Italica Franciscus Petrarche seeme fully to embrace as may appeare to any who will reade his vvorkes hovvsoever Cardinall
crosse the Adriatike sea step into Grecia or Morea why traveile you not farther to Constantinople Tripoly or Aleppo to winne men from Mahomet which is so much the easier because all these Turkes Saracens admit of some Positions beloÌ„ging to the ChristiaÌ„ faith but the Indians accept of none Truth it is that vnto these places other nations of Christendome for trafficke do resort and therefore if you should report any vntruth coÌ„cerning these you would quickly be disproved But far traveilers may say more then ordinary men and for that cause you tell vs a tale of the Indies and some of your men say that there they cast out Devils also They do wel to lay it in places so distantâ—… for although they egregiously faine yet we shal hardly take them tripping it is no ready worke to convince them But wee imagine that your attemptes for conversion may have the same successe in the East and VVest Indies as the offer of your u Maff Hist. Lib. 1. Portingale Priestes and Friers had in Congo where adventuring vpon verie small acquaintance to baptize the king and the inhabitantes the most part as your Historiographer saith but it is to be feared that all quickly renounced Christianity returned to their heathenish wallowing in the mire They disliked not the first principles of the faith neither the Ceremonies therein but when they were called vpon to leave their grosse vices as adultery and witchcrafte and seeking to Devils to remitte iniuries to restore thinges vniustly taken each from other they would not endure these exhortations but like reneging Apostatas they became as before And of likely-hood so it fell out frequently with the Spanyards in America where they x Petr. Martyr Decad. 3. 10. were exceeding nimble in administring baptisme to those who knewe very little Had it not beene fit that before the Sacrament had beene imparted the Infidels should out of Gods booke largely haue heard of many thinges which course Iohn the Baptist did take preaching repentaunce y Math. 3. 2 and that woulde well have tryed them before hande and so Gods name might not haue beene dishonoured nor Baptisme abused nor the people made the worse nor the Priest never the better Doth not the true Church of Christ gaine much by such titulary bargaines and is not Gods kingdome much increased through it And yet doubtlesse such good matches your Friers also make in the Indies but especially in those of the East where the inhabitants have more witte and your messengers have lesser power And if it bee so and no otherwise yet with vs heere in Europe all these must goe for good Christians and if there bee a score of such Nuâ—…s Christians wee shall heare of fiue hundred So much may a talâ—… growe in coâ—… so 〈◊〉 And the reporters speake for their owne reputation and therefore without questioning you must beleeue them 6 But I cannot chuse but heere smile at the vertuous titles vvhich you bestovve vppon the Iesuites vvhen you call them the blessed Societie of Iesâ—… and thâ—… blessed religious men Hovve gladlye vvoulde you clavve them vvho perhaps lately at z Apolog. of the Archpriestâ—…c a. 5. Rome did clapper-clavve you And albeit you be now got to bee a Doctour of Divinitye yet since it vvas certainelye against their a Answere to the Manifestat c. 1 vvilles you are vvith them but in nature of a Probationer and an eye is câ—…rryed over you so that if once againe you exorbitate from the rule of your superiours haue at you for an olde grudge Since your comming into Englande to the ende that you maye deserue better of your good Lordes the Iesuites you haue set out this present Pamphlet yet the colde commendation vvhich vvas vpon you continueth still leaving an imputation of vveake iudgemente in you by your credulitye and of heate and rashnesse in your apprehensions and contentions Yet novve standing vpon your triall there is some hope that the tongue which formerlye you exercised vpon these iollye Iesuites in the Colledge at Rome shall bee turned against your King and Countrey that in time you also may bee if not a Iesuite yet one of those blessed men vvho having their authoritye from Rome and not from heaven from Antichrist and not from God maye bee entertained as a Tâ—…ytour You beginne pretty vvell and if you holde on but a vvhile and increase as you desire you may deserue such a prefermente The Iesuites as you tell vs haue their authoritie from Rome not from Iesus and vvhat a forge of mischiefe that Rome hath beene against Englande he is blind who doeth not see b Sand. de Schismat Thence came the sentence against King Henry the eight Thence was continuall hatred derived against our late Soveraigne from the day of her birth vntill her dissolution from this mortalitie Thence came the excommunication by Pius the fift the declaration of the same by Sixtus the fift the ratification of it by Clement the eight if the Spanish Generall in c An. 1601 Ireland did vvitnesse a truth Hence came the Conspiracy of one Noble man nowe acknowledged by d Catena in vita pij 5. him who vvrote the life of Pope Pius the fift the insurrection of other Nobles the attempts on Ireland in the Lord Grayes time the incouraging and ayding of the vincible fleete in the yeere 1588. the late tumults in Ireland besides such infinite proiects by Ballarde Parrhy Lopez Squire and such infamous varlets to destroy her vvho vvas the most famous and renoumed Prince of Christendome These thinges vvere sufficient to cause the honourable Councel and chiefe Magistrats not to sleepe but as with eies opened towarde you And if vvisedome vvill say e Virgil. Aen. 2. ab vno disce omnes or ex vnguibus leonem pretende you as long as you wil that the Iesuits are heere executed for their sacred Function vvee haue reason not to doubt but somevvhat more there is in it He who wrote the Iesuites Catechisme in French as he hath many memorable matters touching the sweete and sacred vices of these vnblessed and irreligious Fathers so hee hath some thing touching Englande as that f Lib. 3. 3. Parrhyes attempt in the yeere 1584 And g Cap. 4. Squires in the yeere 1597 was plotted incouraged and abetted by the Iesuites as hee sheweth by the whole processe of it These devises can bee the execution of no function which is holy vnlesse you will take it to bee holy after the Devils fashion And may it not vvell bee supposed that they vvho vvere so vvickedly affected tovvarde our last Soveraigne vvill carrye the same minde tovvarde our present King the mirrour of all Princely vertues vnlesse the everlasting blessing of God and prudent fore-fight otherwise do restraine them VVhat loue this Iesuiticall crewe doeth beare to his Highnesse let that one thing in steede of all testifie that they combined abroad and to their best plotted at home to
where had hee all his mony but out of Saint Peters purse and from the in-come of the Papacy Yea since warres be more costly then peace where had he all the treasure which he bestowed on the Italians whom he sent into o ImportaÌ„t considerat Ireland whereof few brought him any tidings backe againe or on Stukley his traine many other such good businesses How do you bob your scholers wheÌ„ you give them such googeos Truth it is that he speÌ„t more in erectiÌ„g such houses theÌ„ either his Predecessors or Successors have done He who writeth the life of p CoÌ„cenat Eccl Cathol in Anglâ—… CaÌ„pian saith that he erected a Seminary at Rome for the English at Rhemes another one at Lauretum for the SclavoniaÌ„s one for the Germans at Rome another for the Greeks q In vita Gregor 13. Pâ—…pirius Massâ—…s doth not leave him there but saith that hee commaunded that such houses also shoulde bee erected out of Italye as one at Uienna vpon Danubius another at Vilva in Lituaniâ—… a third at Claudiopolis in Transilvania and in Iaponia neere â—…udia hee commanded three Colledges to bee built But hee doth not tell vs at whose charges these were erected or what was given to maintaine them And certainly they were for the most part but poore starved things such as whereof they themselues do make small boast The glory of his actes was the maintenance of the English Colledgâ—… where at the first he gave monethly at r Apolog. cap. 3. Rome out of his treasury three hundred crownes and one hundred to the other neerer England as Persons reporteth which arising at the vttermost by the yeare to no more then fifteene or sixteene hundred pound Englishe it was but a small pull out of the Popes revenew Yet how long this full pay lasted no body can tell And we must take it to be so on Father Persons his bare word who as one of the s Io. Colletons iust defence pag. 298. Seculars reporteth hath in that booke as many lies as leaves or perhaps pages if not so many as exceed either Now who doth not know that the tribute which the Curtiâ—…anes of Rome do yeerely yeeld to the Pope by many degrees amouÌ„teth that trifling suÌ„me And out of that honest pay he might wel spare a part to maintaine such as would be his vassals do their best to helpe him in far greater matters And their allowaÌ„ce being extracted out of this sweet Impost the speech of one of our couÌ„try-meÌ„ might the better be verified which I coÌ„fes was very blouÌ„t but you must take it as it is He getteth it quoth he by whores therefore hee may more boldly bestow it vpon knaves His zeale to his Prince country which were disturbed by such Emissaries made him speake more plainely then many will like 11 But it is your favourable interpretation when you construe Gregories meaning to be nothing but winning of people to heaveÌ„ the restoring of religion The Court of Rome hath an eâ—…e to somewhat else besides this It vvas not for naught that it vvas wont to be said by a truer speech then verses Curia Romana non captat ovem sine lana In court of Rome doe not abide such geese A sto catch after sheepe that have no fleece A great part of Christendome hath with-drawen it selfe from that see and therefore somewhat must bee adventured to gette some parte of it backe againe Nothing adventure nothing haue Gregorie was not so ignorant but that hee knevve that rule of s Commâ—…tar lib. 〈◊〉 Câ—…us that great men must do good that to diverse if many be vnthankful or some by in-ability can do nothing yet it may fall out that one may require all that cost which hath biâ—… bestowed on the rest If but one of those couÌ„tries in ChristeÌ„doÌ„e which are now freed froÌ„ the Pope could be brought back againe by the helpâ—… of his AluÌ„nes that would pay for the charges of all the other But England especially was a faire floure in the Popes garland therfore nothing must be left vnatteÌ„pted to see what good might be done thervpoÌ„ WheÌ„ t Onuphr in Iulio 3 Iulius the 3. was advertised from Q. Mary that England was by Parliament re-submitted to the Church of Rome he made solemne Processions publike thankesgivings throughout his whole chiefe city The men who were coÌ„ming toward him were somewhat to reioyce his old spirits but the mony was more What with the soules what with the silver which he devoured in his hope he was exceedingly coÌ„ teÌ„ted Their Records could tell theÌ„ that EnglaÌ„d of all places was their garden like Paradise that heere they had more worke theÌ„ in any one natioÌ„ in ChristeÌ„dome which may be seene by so many solemne Rescripts directed into this our country and now to be fouÌ„d in the body of their CanoÌ„law And they did not loose their labour by looking this way It was busines to theÌ„ more gainfull then the robbing of beggers If u Matth. Par. in Henric. 3. three huÌ„dred yeeres agone the Popes could say of EnglaÌ„d Est 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 It is a pitte that cannot be drawâ—… dry they cannot but imagine that now the world is well amended some skrapes and fragments of the Indian gold and silver being come amongst vs also to amend our little store This I tell you is a faire baite to make Gregory the thirteenth and Clemens the 8. also to have a monethes minde vnto vs. You â—…ell vs of another matter but we doe not doubt of this But God ever blesse vs froÌ„ any more such bargains And as the maÌ„ of Rome in maintaining of the English Colledges may well be supposed to have longed after this our Realme that heere he might exercise his spirituall Iurisdiction so it is as easie to conâ—…eave and as probable to beleeve that when Philip the second and this present King of Spaine have beene at that charge to keepe an Englishe Seminarie at Dovvâ—…y and a Colledge at Validolid and other companies else-vvhere and that vvith so large expence as to send two u Apolog. cap 3â—… thousaÌ„d crownes at a time they were not without hope that the teÌ„porall dominioÌ„ of this kingdome might one day befall a Prince of Spanish blood And this our fugitive Iesuites have beene ready to put into those Monarkes heades assuring that the end of one Ladies raigne would be the beginning of anothers But he who sitteth in x Psal. 2. 4. heaveÌ„ doth laugh their devises to scorne he hath deluded their sooth sayings frustrated theâ—… y Weston in Peâ—…oration Prophecies made their hopes in vaine so that shame and confusion is on their face which as we trust will humble them bring many of theÌ„ to discerne the truth The Lord be praised for all his wonderous workes and give vs grace to be thankfull for theÌ„ Notwithstanding in the meane while it is much to be feared that the
if matters be wel sifted Now if it be so that Priests do go to such countries as you intimat what should they otherwise do for to their own natiue soile many of theÌ„ dare not returne as being fled thence perhaps for slâ—…gitious crimes other haue there no maintenaÌ„ce nor friends so besids the dà ger of the laws they should be to al meÌ„ ridiculous conteÌ„ptible who haue traveiled so farre brought home with theÌ„ I say not liuelyhood ability but no learning or good quality And in the Seminaries they may no longer stay but if they should refuse g Apolâ—… 12 Priest-hood or offer to stay being coÌ„maÌ„ded away they would be held periured persons with coÌ„tumely be turned out therfore I cannot blame theÌ„ if they rather adventure any where vpon vncertaine hope theÌ„ run vpoÌ„ certaine daÌ„ger If needs they must beg they think it the more their credit to do it in far couÌ„tries then where they are known And this if they should grumble as whither they do or no theÌ„selues can best tell to whom may they complaine or who shall amende ought since their penurious or hard harted superiors ingeminate vnto them the vow of obedience that is their amends 12 But how some of these Priests Iesuits haue mortified their affections lusts coÌ„posed theÌ„selues to their graues may bee iudged by their gallaÌ„tnes in apparel their gaming their striving for place superiority their tos-potâ—…ing other such behavior as hereafter I shal touch Now let me rather see whither they haue renouÌ„ced al riches hâ—…nors or no That our Seminarians come into EnglaÌ„d most poore it is not to be doubted Yet that some of theÌ„ here haue purles ful of gold as h Dec'arat of popish Impostâ—…es exam of Sar will Dibdale other that some speÌ„d many i Sparing Discor of Iesuites huÌ„dred pounds by the yeare that some ride in their k Ibidem Coches vp downe the country is a matter confessed not to be doubted vpon How many are the cousening cunny-catching tricks wherby they haue drawn out l Quod 3 10. thousands of pounds out of their ghostly childrens purses Is it not avowed that m Sparing Discovery 2200 pouÌ„ds at one time was by theÌ„ sent over seas out of EnglaÌ„d Nay are not the riches of the Iesuits so great that warning hath bin given by one of their own religioÌ„ that all christendoÌ„e had need to look to theÌ„ lest they aspire to a n Quodli 9. vbique Monarchy here in Europe as they haue done to the governmeÌ„t of sapona And lest this speech may seem to be vttered without all ground conceiue the infinite wealth of that society It is too wel known to those who haue lately travailed that the possessions of the Iesuits in some parts of Germany but especially in Italy Polonia are incomparably great some thousaÌ„ds of manours townes villages being theirs What their wealth was in France may be iudged by this that the credible report is that at their last o Quod. 9. 7. expulsioÌ„ froÌ„ thence they lost three millions at the least In Spaine they haue what they wil almost But their greatest benefit is that vnder the king they haue free trafficke to the Indies to their inestimable gaine How this may bee you shall heare one of their English-Romanists briefly reporte p The 2. letter of A. C. fol. 20. The Iesuits in India do more theÌ„ coÌ„petent respect their teÌ„poral boâ—…te in that spiritual trafficke And with golde pearle spice such like Indian wares they every yeare froÌ„ theÌ„ce inrich copiously their society in Europe If this yet do not satisfie you desire to heare more of Iapona that froÌ„ the mouth of another witnes haue it then from a low Country-man reporting the travaile of some who went rounde the world q Additam None parâ—…s Americae In Iaponia of the Portingale no man hath any authority or power besids the Iesuits who do there exercise marâ—…haÌ„dising of al matters most ample And these almost al are Portingales who while they were in Iaponia did informe the greatest part of the nobles people coÌ„cerning the popish religioÌ„ when they had perswaded theÌ„ with divers dreames they did so draw theÌ„ vnto their side that by these they are now esteemed reverenced as in the place of litle Gods These Iesuits also do diligently take heed that no moÌ„k of any other order be receiued into those laÌ„ds So making theÌ„selues Lords of all matters men they do there exercise most rich most frequeÌ„ted traffickings Here theÌ„ is now the first credible relatioÌ„ that they haue won some to their popery but whither these were wise people or no to be thus circuÌ„vented other men may iudge In the meane time it is manifest that these Machiavilian most earthly minded Friers haue not renouÌ„ced al riches honors and as men mortified haue composed themselues to their graues Which being true of these who pretend the highest state of perfection what may we imagine of Secular Priests the shevve of whose sanctity is contemptible in the eies of these Mounsieurs This is a taste to you D. Hill of the truth of your asseverations although I must acquaint you also that if your Priests should do those externall things which you name that is endaunger themselues and leaue earthly commodities yet this doth not warrant that their labouring is to winne men to Christs faith No more then theirs was who r Mat 23. 15 compassed sea and lande to make a Proselyte and when hee was so made hee was two-folde more the childe of hell then they themselues s Iob. 〈◊〉 Sathan himselfe doth compasse the world but it is not to good purposes As a s 1. Pet. 5. 8. roaring Lyon he walketh aboute seeking whom he may devour The Foxe goeth farre from his denne and adventureth his life also if he should be caught and yet his going is to destroy The t Aug. lib. 〈◊〉 conâ—… Câ—…escon Gram. Circumcellian heretikes not for truth but for their fancy ' parted with al things that this world might yeeld them yea with life it selfe u 1 King 1â—… 2â—… 〈◊〉 Baals Prophets did to the vttermost hazard themselues for Baall The u Eus. Eccl. Hustor 8. 20 Marcionites had their Martyrs and so also had the x Socr. 4. 27 Arrians who lost their liues But it is not what a man suffereth but the cause wherefore he suffereth that maketh him acceptable to God T. HILL ANd I see also on the other side that no Protestant ever had so great zeale of his religion as that hee woulde for spreading abroade the same forgâ—… any vvorâ—…ly commoditie either by founding Seminaries or Colledges in Countreys or by going or sending where any difficulty or danger was but as one wholely respecting this vvorlde hee vvaâ—…ovveth in vvealth and pleasures at home or if by any
idolatry But while you receiue such as haue had education otherwise howsoever it hath beene neglected by them you are rather the Partridges of whom Saint Austen by remembraÌ„ce of the words of the Prophet e Ier. 17. 11. Ieremy doth speak such Partridges as gather the young which you brought not forth as your Seminaries doe declare But God be praised for it some of them doe serue you as Saint f Heâ—…mer lib. 63. Ambrose reporteth that the Partridge is served For whereas one Partridge doth steale away the egges of another Partridge and hacheth them if the opinion of that learned Authour be true divers of the g Epist. lib. 7. 48. young being hatched when they afterward heate the voice of their owne and naturall dams in the field leaue their step-mother and come againe to her to whom by original right they belonged So many of your infection after true grace imparted from aboue doe returne from your Seminaries and adioine themselues sincerely and laboriously to the Church of England They are bound to blesse God who delivereth them in such sort even as h Ion. 2. 10. Ionah was freed out of the whales belly They are come out not of the Doue-house which fertilely bringeth forth Pigeons but from Babylon where i Is. 13. 21. Zâ—… and Oâ—… be and Ostriches Dragons For as the old bee there so are the most part of the young Malicorvimalâ—…â—…vum A bad crow a bad egge And now telling you that a great part of this your fourth Reason is taken out of M. Bristowes fiue and twentith Motiue I let you go play you though but for a turne or two 24 BVt to come to the Reader whereas here the tearme of Heretikes is so oft vsed against vs we briefly aunswere with Saint Gregory k Moral lib. 10. 16 ex Exod. 8. 26. That is service vnto God which to the Egyptians was â—…nation And whereas among so many other foolish ones that is made a reason why the Popish religion should be truth saving M. Doctours vnpointed and vncoÌ„cluding discourse what can there by sound argument bee enforced therevpon What shal be the ground that must be stood on For cannot Heretikes pervert The Apostles haue told vs that their l 2 Tim. 2. 17 words fret as a Canker that m Cap. 3. 6. they creepe into houses yea that n 2. Pet. 2. 2. many shall follow their daâ—…able waies And you heard before what the Arrians did Or is it not vnto truth Why as touching this disputation that is the maine question betweene the Romanists vs. And to build vpon that is but Petitiâ—… prinâ—… to seâ—…ke to haue that graunted which is mainely and especially denied We do not yeeld that any of them winning their Converts to the subiection of the Papacy do bring them to Christ but rather to Antichrist Or is it a necessary coÌ„comitant of verity in doctrine that such as haue 〈◊〉 among them should be bound to convert Nations to the faith TheÌ„ to say nothing of the Iewish Church which had the word appropriated to it alone for so long a time what shall we thinke of France and England and Ireland and many other provinces of Europe which for a thousand yeares togither are not knowne to haue converted any one countrey to Christ but haue had enough and perhaps too much to do to keep theÌ„selues in the integrity of piety And yet our Pseudo-Catholiks make no doubt but that al that while they had the right beliefe These things do manifest the ficklenesse and vnstaiednes of thâ—… foundatioÌ„ heâ—… laid But if to turâ—… men to Christ be so necessary 〈◊〉 duety what wil they say to such a strange bringing home of so many kingdomes and regions of Europe within these huÌ„dred yeares and that by a few at first and those weake ones when Sathan and the Bishop of Rome and many potent Princes confederated with him did leaue no meanes vnsought to stifle Truth as in the cradle When the sword hath not beene spared the fire hath not beene forborne when their mighty men haue stroue their learned men haue written there haue beene wanting no libels no slanders no defamations yea no rebellion and treason and massacting and poysonfull attempts and yet neverthelesse Truth standeth vpright You talke of conversion but all the lovers and wel-willers of the whore of Babylon may and do stand amazed and gaze wonder at the ruine of their kingdome by so many millions going from them And we trust in Iesus Christ the conserver of the faithfull that in peace in warre in al things that can come this Arke of Noe shall swimme in safety floate being beaten vpon with many billowes but yet evermore bee preserved God hath not in his mercy given so much light that it should be extinguished or the glory of it much dimmed before his sonnes appearance With the breath of his month hee hath 〈◊〉 Thess. 2. 〈◊〉 ken and blasted that man of sinne and it now remaineth that he should be vtterly abolished at Christes comming Gaze therfore you Romanists till your eies and heartes doe ake to see the â—…ine and confusion of the Gospell and yet as wee trust in Almighty God you shall never haue your purpose THE FIFTH REASON Largenesse of Dominion through the multitude of Beleevers T. HILL THE Church vvhich the Mâ—…ssias vvâ—… to plante must bee 〈◊〉 is aforesaide dispersed through all nations and kingdomes 〈◊〉 the Holy Proâ—…ts â—…st plâ—…ly fore-shewed and namely the Royall Prophet speaking of the Apostles and Preachers vvhich shoulde succeede them saith Their sound went forth into all parts of the Psal. 18. Earth and their wordes vnto the ends of the circle of the earth And â—…st â—…festly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 â—…sse of Christian domiâ—… in thâ—… 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Psâ—… And S. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the 〈◊〉 beasts and the fâ—…e â—…d twenty Elâ—… 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 before the Lâ—…be â—…ging thus Thou art worthy Lord to take the booke and to open the seales therof Apoc. c. 5 for thou hast bin slaine and hast redeemed vs to God in thy bloud out of every Tribe and people Language and Nation and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 her plâ—… After these things saith he I saw a great company which no man 〈◊〉 able to number of al Nations Tribes and Peoples and Tongues Cap. 7. G. ABBOT IT was long since saide that whereas our blessed 〈◊〉 Saviour whcÌ„ he was takeÌ„ vp to an exceeding high mountaine and shewed all the kingdomes Math 4 8 of the world and the glory of theÌ„ did refuse that offer of SataÌ„ Al these will I give thee if thâ—… wilt fall downe worship me the Pope coÌ„ming long after hearing that such a liberal profer was made tooke the Devill at his word in hope of such a wide exteÌ„ded dominioÌ„ did fal down and adore him You come in this place to plead for your Grand-maister the Bishop of Rome by the validity of this DonatioÌ„ but forgetting that
reason of her birth the other for that she was deprived by the Pope Mentioning the story of one Fenne it is vrged that the dignity of S t. Peters successour was conferred vpon a profane woman Afterward these verses are set on her sacred Maiestie Sathanico praesul Calvini imbuta veneno est Elizabeth diraquè impietate tumet And lastly this is bestowed vpon her Elizabetha scelerum caput These thinges being writen by diverse of them beyond the seas do argue what spirit was among our Divines there If we wil have more proofe of the faithful harts of our male contented fugitives toward our late Princesse let vs looke on the words closely couched of the Rhemists in diverse places As that about u Annot in 2. Ioh. 10. Heretikes excoÌ„municated by name what things men are to withdraw from theÌ„ And let the traiterous actions of theÌ„ in our Realme expouÌ„d that covert speech of Iezabel u In Apoc. 2. 20. elsewhere But in steed of al let the Action attempted against this kingdome heere in the yeare 1588 speake which was vehemently vrged by our Priestes abroade and the people to the beste of their povver fitted for it at home 18 If these generalities do not yet satisfy theÌ„ let it be remeÌ„bred where these Seminary Priests are brought vp how flying froÌ„ their native soile in the highest discoÌ„tentment they goe into the dominioÌ„s of the Pope King of Spaine to whoÌ„ howmuch England hath bin beholding a blind maÌ„ may almost see At their expeÌ„ce they are maintained who in behalfe of their charges looke for some service again And vnder whoÌ„ have they their educatioÌ„ Vnder men Iesuited as nowe D. Worthington the Rectour of the College at Doway is or vnder the Iusuits theÌ„selves of whose vertues I have before spokeÌ„ To their Governours by othe they owe obedieÌ„ce of liklihood at their returne they take their directioÌ„ froÌ„ theÌ„ Now what maner of meÌ„ these be Allen who was long the Rectour of the College at Rhemes Persons now Governour of the Seminary at Rome may declare CoÌ„cerning AlleÌ„ our Secular Priests of late displaying the Iesuites do labour to extenuate the malice and poisonful behaviour of that hungry Cardinal but his works are extant testifying that there was never any man more virulent in hart against the state of England theÌ„ he was x Apolog. cap. 11. Persons reckoneth vp four of his bookes The Answere to the English Iustice The defence of the twelve martyrs in one yeare The Epistle allowing Sir VVilliam Stanleyes delivery vp of Daventry And the Declaration against her Maiestie and the State in the yeare 1588. In the first of these the y Chap. 2. protestatioÌ„ of Laborn before meÌ„tioned is remeÌ„bred that by other Papists as occasioÌ„ should serve it might be imitated And the whol treatise howsoever it seeme to be more closely coÌ„veied then ordinary is forced with pestilent caluÌ„niations Of the same nature is the whole subiect of the second peÌ„ned of purpose to direct meÌ„s affectioÌ„ froÌ„ the state The third is a litle Pamphlet short but not sweet maintaining the treasoÌ„ful actioÌ„ of Sir William StaÌ„ley by many an vn-ChristiaÌ„ ceÌ„sure most slauÌ„derous imputatioÌ„ As for z Allens answere 1584 exaÌ„ple That our country is fallen into Atheisme That the Queenes confederacies were only alwaies with Christs enemies That the warres of the English in the low Countries were sacrilegious warres and of a hereticall Prince And because he wil be like himselfe hee goeth on That all the actes in this Realme since the Queene was excoÌ„municated and deposed from regall dignity are voide therfore shee can denotence no warre neither may her subiects there serve her when a Prince is become an open Rebell to the See Apostolike He wishâ—…h that the rest of the English souldiours would doe as they with Sir VVilliam Stanley did He saith that the English take no quarrels in handes but for the dishonorable defence of Rebels Pyrates and Infidels I doe of purpose heere omitte many vile and execrable speeches by him added least the very rehearsing of them might iustly be offensive But the wicked man did make no coÌ„science to staine his whole couÌ„trey with horrible defamations I would heare any Secular in the vvorlde vvho can excuse this cursed fellovve The fourth was printed in Englishe and should have beened vulged if the Spanyardes coulde have sette footing in England in the yeare 1588. Hee vvho list to see it may finde it vvorde for vvorde in a Belgic Histor l. 15. Meterranus Amonge other matters there are these Our Soveraigne then beeing is called the Pretended Queene and the present vsurper Shee must be deprived of the administration of the kingdome Shee is an Heretike a Schismatike excommunicate contumacinis vsurping the kingdome against all right as for other causes so because shee had not the consent of the greate Bishoppe of Rome Shee mooved the Turke to invade Christendome Shee hath sette at sale and made a maâ—… of Lavves and rightes Some of her factes make her vncapable of the kingdome some other make her vnvvorthie of life Therefore Pope sixtus the fifth doth renew the excommunication against her and doth deprive her of her title and preteaces to the kingdomes of Englande and Ireland declaring her illegitimate and an vsâ—…per and absolving all her subiectes from the â—…th of sidelity toward her Then he chardgeth all to withdraw their â—…de from her that worthy punishment may be taken of her and that they â—…e themselues with the Duke of Parma Also it is proclaimed lawfull â—…y hands vpon vpon the Queene and a very great reward is promised to those who do so A safe conduct is then given to as many as wil bring â—…ny wâ—… like provision to the Spanish campe and to all who woulde assist that enterprise the Pope doth by Indulgence giue full pardon and plenary remission of all their sinnes If these things doe not sufficiently shew the viperous minde of this lewde Cardinall against his Prince Country nothing in the world can manifest it His dis Englished woolvish desire was that his naturall place of educatioÌ„ for which the old heatheÌ„s would haue lost ten thousand liues should haue beene in the everlasting bondage of the Spanyard Our Seculars then commending and excusing him to their powers are pitifully out but the error of them and of some English gentlementravailers was this that they imagined him in his latter yeares to be altered when indeede it was nothing else but that after the yeare 88 his hopes being deluded and neither Pope nor Spaniarde nor all their adherentes knowing how to remedy or recover that inestimable losse and incomparable dishonour vnto them his hart was as good as broken and he would seeme more desirous to shew all tolerability to single men of our English nation that he might haue some grace with theÌ„ since he began to haue so little with the Spanyard But doubtlesse venime had so putrisied him
Priest of his order and he who was his Confessour that he very often had asked of God that he would do no miracles by him And that was because he wold not haue the people think too well of him And in as much as mention is heere made of Caesar Baronius I vvill adde one thing more which the said l Lib. 1. An. 1550 Cardinall delivered vpon his othe concerning the same Philip his founder for the said Baronius was one of his company and society In the yeere 1550 now more then fiftie yeeres agone Philip who in the darke of the night vvhen all men are even buried in sleepe so that the lefte hande coulde not knovve vvhat the the right hande did did vse to visite needy persons vvent in the nighte time to cary breade to a poore gentle-man Heere by the Devils meanes vvhile hee sought to avoide a carte comming hastily vppon him hee fell into a verie deepe ditch but Gods helpe beeing at hande in his falling he vvas presently caught of an Angell by the heare of the heade miraculouslye and beeing nothing hurte hee vvas returned out safe by the Angell This did Baronius who vvas not there and coulde haue it but by the reporte of Nerius svveare absolutely to bee true vvhereby vvee may easilie gesse that the same Cardinall in his vvritinges maketh no greate conscience to saye thinges true or false vvhen hee maketh no bones to svveare matters so vnlikely Hee who list to see more of the venerable miracles in Popery let him reade Henrie Stephanus in his French m Cap 39 Apologie of Herodotus and there hee shall finde diverse particulars sette dovvne Are not our Country-men and Country-women blessed when after so long light of the Gospell they chuse to feede themselues fat with legions of such wonders and holde it a high part of their profession to beleeve such things as these are We reade of some whom God doth so giue over to the spirit of delusion that they doe n 2 Thes 〈◊〉 11. beleeuelyes 17 If any heere do aske mee howe came it ever about that such foolishe and ridiculous multitudes of miracles came to bee reported and inserted into their bookes I must first ascribe it to the permission of God who had fore-tolde that so it shoulde bee Secondlye to the pollicy of Sathan vvhose kingdome by this us by a speciall meanes was inlarged Thirdly to the cunning of the Cleargy in those daies vvho made themselues great by the keeping vp of such reportes concerning the sanctitie of any of their confederacy or of such whose reliques they pretended to haue and gained infinitely by the offeringes done in places of these wonders And fourthly to the credulity of the people who would beleeve any thing once set abroach by some suborned for the purpose or by idle companions Gulielmus Neubringensis was a writer very learned and iudicious for that time wherein hee lived And in his storie hee did more then once relate the abuse of that age for spreading abroade the fames of miracles o Neubringens l 3 7. Henry the eldest sonne of King Henry the second of England vvho was in his fathers life time crowned King but dyed before his father was every where by the people reported to have wrought great miracles after his death vvhereas in truth he was an vnadvised and rebellious younge Prince This shevveth hovve apte the people were to intertaine a conceite of any mans doing miracles yea so farre that if they might haue their willes they shoulde soone have beene shrined for Saints Aftervvard p Lib 4 9 there vvas a greate robber vvho beeing slaine it vvas given out of many olde vvomen that hee frequentlye did miracles as if hee had beene some holye person and this rumour grewe so stronge and was so generally spredde that the Bishop was enforced to come to Hampton there display the falshood of the whole narration so that then the superstition was ended Hee q Lib 5 19 mentioneth also a third matter of this kinde that a traiterous fellow of London called VVilliam with the longe bearde vvas also reputed a Saint and a maine doâ—… of of miracles Can vvee have any plainer certificate then this that by the superstition and credulousnesse of the vulgar sort many vvonders were saide to bee done vvhen in truth there vvas no such matter And if for their commodities sake any of the Cleargie would ioyne and giue countenance to the matter the party so grovvne to be a Saint and the fame of his vvonders shoulde never bee extinguished The reader may by these fewe take a tast of the rest of their Saintes and miracles for thousandes vvere done no othervvise then in this sorte and everie man had not the vvitte to see the fraude nor that couragâ—… to reporte it as Neubringensis had And vvhat levvdenesse may wee imagine vvas practised amonge simple people in those darke dayes of Popery vvhen in so glorious a sunne-shine of the Gospell any Seminarians shoulde dare in England to attempte such a practise as Father VVeston the lesuite and Declâ—…ration of Popish impostures practâ—…sed by Edm. no lesse then a vvhole douzen of Priestes conspiring vvith him did of late for some yeeres togither put themselues into They persvvaded some men and three maydens that they vvere possessed vvith the Devill and that they by their Priest-exorcizing faculties could fetch him in out vp and downe at their pleasure They had a holy chaire to set their abused Disciples in and a holy potion to administer to them both matters pretended to be formidable to the foule spirits but indeed trickes to cast their patients into straunge fits that so they might seeme as wel to themselues as others standing by to be possessed in most hideous manner And this was so artificially carried by the Iesuit and his fellowe Iuglers that diverse hundreds of vnstable and vnadvised people being cousened and cunny-catched by their impostures were contented to bee reconciled to the Church of Rome being wonne there vnto by their stupendious miracles A booke also or two was penned to be spread abroade beyond the seas of the admirable dominering of these Priests over the possessing spirits and of the wonders which they had done vppon them Notwithstanding now by the confessions of three of the females one man al which then were the pretended possessed persons of another theÌ„ a Priest a personal actour in this exploit all these five being sworne speaking vpon oth it is manifestly and vndoubtedly discovered to be most egregious insignious illustrious both varletry vilainy that among meÌ„ professing religion devotioÌ„ was ever heard A man may wel suppose that the casting out of Devils and doing of other wonders in India farre countries by the Iesuites and Priestes is a true honest holy matter when such vnspeakeable vndescribable hypocrites do dare before such multitudes of theselues conscious of their own fraud before such troupes of staÌ„ders by
will take paines to reade the Lives of the Saints as they are set downe by the foreinamed Authours Such trimme men are your miracle-workers and therefore your miracles must needes also be of an excellent sute T. HILL AND therefore I say vnto you out of Saint Austen I am bound and tyed in the Catholike Church by the band chaine August devtil cred c. 〈◊〉 l coÌ„t Epâ—…sund cap. 4 of miracles And I am bolde considering and most stedfastly beleeuing these insinite glorious miracles of all times ages in the Catholike Romane Church to crye out to Almighty God with Richard de S. Victore lib. de trin cap. 2. Lord if it be not true which we beleive thou hast deceived vs for these have bin confirmed in vs by such signes wonders as could not be wrought but by thee But on the contrarie parte never any Protestant could worke any miracle at all but assâ—…ying to make some shew thereof to make their Doctrine the more probable to their followers felte the iust revengement of God who turned all to their shame confusion as he did by Simon Magus by Cyrola the Patriarke of the Arrians as witnesseth Grego Turon Egesippus lib. 3 de excid hieroâ—…ol cap. 2 lib. 2. hist. Fran. cap. 3. by the Donatists Optatus lib. 2. contr Parmen 〈◊〉 our dates by Luther endevouring to dispossesse a wench and by Calvin going about to delude his disciples as you may read in Hierom Bolsec in vit Calvin cap. 13. And therfore they are most foolish Vid Staph in abs relp and miserably inconsiderate who beleeve these newe fellowes not being able to quicken a flea and leave the doctrine of the Catholike Church confirmed with innumerable miracles G. ABBOT 9 IN the texte you cite one saying out of Saint Austen but in the margent you quote two The 〈◊〉 former place doth only mention that the truth of Christian religion De vtilitat credend cap. 17. is coÌ„firmed by miracles But you therin abuse your Reader notably For he speaketh of miracles past that in Christs time and not of any which were to come or like to coÌ„tinue in the church The words to which hee alludeth are more plaine in the chapter next before going where in a larger sort he haÌ„dleth that argumeÌ„t Such x Cap 16 things were doÌ„e at that time wherin God in a trâ—… maÌ„ did appeere as much as was sufficient for men The sicke were healed the lepers vvere cleansed going was restored to the lame sight to the blind hearing to the deafe And there is speech of no other matter And to no other purpose is the second place where the words are not which you cite His saying is thus that there bee diverse thinges which doe keepe him in the bosome of the Church y Contr. Ep. fundament cap 4 The consent of people and nations doth holde mee there doth hold me an authority which was begon with miracles nourished by hope euer â—…ased by charity confirmed by antiquity Doth this make for you as you thinke or against you The authority of the Church was begon with miracles It is true meaning of the time of Christ and his Apostles but he doth not saye it was continued and must be continued vnto the worldes end much lesse doth he affirme that it must be as a necessary argumeÌ„t of truth So you haue gained much by these two places even as you haue done by the whole ranke of your woÌ„ders wherof such as appertaine to you that is the late LegeÌ„dary inventioÌ„s are many indeed but not infinite are so far from being glorious that they are plainely coÌ„temptible ridiculous fit for your vn-Catholike Romane struÌ„pet whose throne must be supported with lies and variety of falshoods In being therfore â—…old you may be more bold theÌ„ you haue thanke for your labour but do not saye that you most stedfastly beleeve for you bestow too good a word vpon your selfe In such stuffe as this is z Palingen in Geminis Quifacilis credit facilis quoque fallitur He who lightly beleeveth is easily deceived You are strongly conceited you haue a boisteous imagination froÌ„ which the sooner you fly the safer you wil stand The a De Trin. lib. 1 cap. 2 words of Richard de S. Victore are not spoken of your fabulous and instly questionable wonders but of such signes as gaue evidence to the first preaching of the Gospell were wrought by Christ and his disciples which were so true so strange as that they could be wrought by none but by the power of God and therefore we may beleeve the doctrine both of the Trinity and other matters which they confirmed and not be deceived at all Yet this addeth no credit to your forgeries illusions neither convinceth that now we are to depeÌ„d on miracles That we do not take on vs to be able to work any we do most willingly acknowledg We know that those daies are past although God do not so restraine himselfe but that the praiers of his servants interceding he sometimes suffereth strange things to be done But we caÌ„not presume vpoÌ„ it since we haue no warrant for it out of the word of God And who is there I pray you in the whole Hierarchy of your Papacy who dare professedly assume that gifte vnto him Dareth your Pope the ministerial head of al your holines dare your Cardinals your Bishops your Friers your Priestes Long agone the b Decretal lib. 5. tit 35. cap. 3. Templars in Livonia did enforce the poore people to this that if any of theÌ„ were accused of any crime to purge themselues they shold go bare-footed over certaine redde hot irons if they were burnt at all then they were helde for guilty But some newly coÌ„verted to the faith coÌ„plained of this to the Pope Honorius the 3. he inhibited that any more such triall should be made calling it a thing forbidden a greevance that wherin God was tempted The like may be said of any who presuÌ„ptuously should professe to atteÌ„pt any strange miraculous matter it is but a tempting of God even by the iudgmeÌ„t of c Isa 7 12. Ahaz nowe long agone who beeing but an evil man yet was so faire tightly instructed Yet that good hypocrite your S. Dominicke going to dispute against the d Ioh. Bâ—…isseul contr Spond Albingenses preteÌ„ding that he would proue theÌ„ heretikes did bid theÌ„ write their reasons cast theÌ„ in the fire if saith he they will not burne then we wil beleeue you As if the holy Bible were not truth if beeing cast into the flame it would burne to ashes You can tell vs tales of your men doing else-where great wonders but you should doe well to sende vs some of your miracle-mongers hither that we may iudge of their iugling You mutter much of an holy annointed Priest that he by exorcizing can cast out Devils but we wonder that these
Devils in EnglaÌ„d can no where truly be found but in Papists In India our 〈◊〉 Iesuits would make vs beleeve that they Maffeus in select Epist. be as thicke as hoppes but if one of that holy Society fal on theÌ„ he can with as much case fetch him out of a man or woman as one woulde gette money out of his purse by turning it vpside downe And in Italy and Spaine there bee some possessed vvith spirits that the Exorcistes may have worke to shewe themselues vpon Such artificers can haue counterfeits of their owne choosing and taught for the purpose These keepe in ure the olde order of stage-playes to have a Devill and a foole in them alwaies But it is no marveile if our Priestes familiars being put in by one sleight into their abused patients can be plucked out by another They lose nothing by these trickes And if there should be a Devill indeede in any and he should bee so sullen as that with all their crossing reliques and holy water hee woulde not out yet they will saue their stake still the Rhemistes being at hand with this salve that f In Matth 17. 19 it is not in the povver of their Exercistes to cast our Devilles vvhen they vvill They must misse of their purpose sometimes And if any Protestant be neere they will saie It is the better also that the Spirit for that time will not out for if then hee should bee eiected out of the possessed hee vvoulde presently get him into the heretike and then they were never the neere Better keepe him where he is among his olde acquaintance 10 That Simon Magus did attempte to worke a miracle Saint g In Rom 8 Ambrose telleth vs but there wee finde no otherwise but that in deed he did flie vp into the ayre And so much doth Egesippus acknowledge in the place h Lib. 3. 〈◊〉 which you doe quote but hee addeth that by the prayer of Saint Peter in his flying hee vvas fetched dovvne and falling brake his legge Moreover that he attempted to raise to life a knise-man of the Emperours who was deade but missed of his purpose i Greg. Turon histor Fran. lib. 2. cap. 3 Cirola the Arrian Bishop seing Eusebius and some other Bishops which were Orthodoxe to do strange things whereby the people had them in admiration accepted of their doctrine devised to procure to himselfe and his Arrianisme credit by a counterfeit miracle Hee therfore gaue one 50. peeces of gold to pretend that he had bin blind to say that by his praier he was restored to his sight But when Cirola was to passe by expected that this pageaÌ„t should be plaied the counterfeit cranke who could see well before was indeed striken with blindnes and could by no meanes be cured of it by the Arrian but by the Orthodoxe Bishops praying for him he had his sight restored Where-vpon exclaming vpon Cirola he confessed the whole intended fraude Thus the Authour reporteth it but we dare not be to nimble in beleeving his NarratioÌ„s in this kinde since he was too great a relater admirer of the miracles of holy meÌ„ having writteÌ„ k De gloria martyâ—… De gloris Consessor De virtutib miracule S. Martiâ—… bookes specially of that argumeÌ„t not only equalling but far surpassing the Diologues which goâ—… vnder the name of Gregory the Great for vndiscreeâ—… and vnbeleevable vanity If you had stayed at these two examples you had done well but when you ciâ—…e a third of miracles so attempted by the Donatists and alleadge Optatus for it you are out for there is no such matter in that l Optat. li. 〈◊〉 cont â—…arm whole booke neither any speech of any wonder saving this that the Donatists commaunded the Eucharist of the Catholikes to be throwne to the dogges When by the vengeaunce of God the dogges being stricken with madnesse fell vpon them being their owne maisters as if they had beene straungers and tore them with their teeth Also there is speech of a bottle of oyle throwne by the same Donatistes in disgrace out of a windowe which falling on the stones did not breake But if these be allowed this is nothing to your matter for these are rather wonders shewed by God against them then any attempts of theirs to shew miracles and receiving a disgrace by being frustrated in them Now for Luther that he did as you say we finde no such Record neither do you cite vs any authour worthy the least credit for it We are reasonable vvell acquainted vvith your inventions and especially against these tvvo vvhome heere you exagitate according to your custome But if Luther had attempted and not prevailed is it a greater argument of falshoode in doctrine against him then it is against your exorcizng Priests when they misse of their desires as your Rhemusts doe insinuate Indeed we haue some what m Ioh Foxe inhâ—… Eccl. in vita Luther else written of Luther cleane contrary to your report as that vnderstanding of a younge man in VVittemberge vvho by a vvriting written vvith his own bloud had bouÌ„d himselfe to the Divell hee togither vvith a Congregation of many other continued so longe in prayer that the Divell cast in the vvriting at a vvindovve and the younge man vvas freed from him But vvhat that Apostata Staphilus saith of him to whom he was a deadly and malicious enemy we do not much regard n See the defence of the CeÌ„sure Prateolus in hatred to him did giue out that he was the son of an Iâ—…cubus begotten by a Divell And of as lewd a minde toward Calvin was that wicked Bolsec who envying the famous reputation of Calvins person but most of al the progresse encrease of the Gospel by his meanes thought by all vilanous slanders to vnder mine his estimation and by improbable defamations to disgrace him Now that by Romanists a thousand such tales should be begunne encreased and continued we wonder not their whole doctrine is a masse of vntruthes and so many witâ—… as haue the hammering of it so many lyes Stapleton in o Antid in Iohan. 8. whom we finde the slaunder mentioned in your last Chapter hath p Antid in Matth. 16. elsewhere a tale fit for your present purpose that Calvin long devising to shew some miracle so to get fame to himselfe would needâ—… at length cause one Matthew to counterfeâ—… himselfe to be dead that he might be said to raise him to life againâ—… yet that when they came to make the experiment the man was dead in earnest Now this we may beleeue if we wil if wee wil not we may chuse Such things as were never knowne at Geneva to any that conversed with Calvin are at Doway or at Rome as true as the Divels Gospel Some one of you should giue our that he attempted to fly or some such other matter and if one of you would once write it and cast but a