of mens mindes and to bee breefe they have all one hart and one soule Act. 4 G. ABBOT 1 WHen that Italian Didapper who intituled himselfe a Praesat in explicatio triginta sigillorum Philotheus lordanus Brunus Nolaâ—…us magis elaborata Theologia Doctor c. with a name longer then his body had in the traine of Alasco the Polish Duke seene our Vniversity in the yeare 1583. his hart was on fire to make himselfe by some worthy exploite to become famous in that celebrious place Not long after returning againe when he had more boldly then wisely got vp into the highest place of our best most renowned schoole stripping vp his sleeues like some Iugler and telling vs much of chentrum chirculus chircumforenchia after the pronunciation of his Country language he vndertooke among very many other matters to set on foote the opinion of Copernicus that the earth did goe round and the heavens did stand still wheras in truth it was his owne head which rather did run round his braines did not stand stil. When he had read his first Lecture a graue man both then and now of good place in that Vniversity seemed to himselfe some where to haue read those things which the Doctor propounded but silencing his conceit till he heard him the second time remembred himselfe then and repayring to his study found both the former and later Lecture taken almost verbatim out of the workes of b De vita coelitus coÌ„paranda Marsilius Ficâ—…us Wherwith when he had acquainted that rare excellent Ornament of our land the Reverend Bishop of Durham that now is but then Deane of Christs-Church it was at the first thought fit to notifie to the Illustrious Reader so much as they had discovered But afterward hee who gaue the first light did most wisely intreate that once more they might make trial of him and if he persevered to abuse himselfe and that Auditory the thirde time they shoulde then do their pleasure After which Iordanus continuing to be ideÌ„ Iordanus they caused some to make knowne vnto him their former patience the paines which he had taken with them so with great honesty of the litle maÌ„s part there was an end of that matter If I had beene at Palempine with you Doctor Hill in your chaÌ„ber when you were writing this worthy work I should haue dealt so charitably with you as after the first second reason to tel you that some one or other of the Heretiks in EnglaÌ„d would soone disery where you had borrowed your stuffe but when I had perceived that you had been bold with c Motiv 27. M. Bristow for this third ReasoÌ„ also I would haue intreated you to haue done somwhat of your selfe or to let all alone least some body should tel you that by D. Fulke the most part of your booke was answered before it was made But since I was then absent from you now it is too late to stop you at the third stone you must bee content to beare your owne praise and I satisfie my selfe that assone as I can coÌ„veniently I acquaint you with it And hereafter it may be that we shal receiue from you d Terent in Prolog Eunuchi NulluÌ„ est â—…aÌ„ dictuÌ„ quod non dictuÌ„ sit priùs or some other Apologie for such borrowing 2. That your AntichristiaÌ„ poison hath infected too many in Europe some other places we caÌ„not but acknowledge exceedingly grieue at it also were it not that God had fore tolde that there should be such an e 2. Thes. 2 3 Apoc. 17. 2. Apostasie Princes Nations should be intoxicated by the Whore but that the exteÌ„t of your infectioÌ„ is not so large in Asia Africa as you praedicate here I shal haue occasion to shew you in my answer to your fift Reason You pretend that notwithstaÌ„ding such variety of wits manners languages places matters to be beleeved you should haue put the sixth also as f Bristow Motiv 27. your M r. doth such difference of opinions amongst learned meÌ„ which you did leaue out least you should insinuate to any but a very favourable Reader a coÌ„tradictioÌ„ to your own position such vnity hath beene kept as that in faith doctrine he who liveth in the most Westerne couÌ„tries of the old inhabited world hath not disseÌ„ted froÌ„ him that resideth in those of the East where by the way you faile a litle in your Geography as wel as in your Divinity for it is much doubted of Ireland but certainly known that EnglaÌ„d is not so far to the West as Gallitia or Portingale but in Africa the partes about Marocco doe without controversie exceede them all Put this therefore in your negligences But all Papists in the worlde haue one faith one beleefe one Service one number of Sacraments one Obedience one Iudgement in all and the peace of their mindes is such through their vniformity that they haue all one hearte and one soule What their sympathy of affection in other matters besides Religion is if we could not learne by g Guicciard lib. 9. Pope Iulius the second in person making warre against MiraÌ„dula the FreÌ„ch then also lying in the field when all was covered with snowe or by h Natal Comes Hist. l. 9 King Philip the second of Spaine most eagerly watring by his Generall the Duke of Alva against Pope Paulus the fourth himselfe or by the i Conestag lib. 7. Histo. Spaniards prosecutioÌ„ against Don Antonio and his Portingales or by the much loue which Henry the third King of Fraunce with the Duke of Espernon did beare to the Guize and the Leaguers they to them or by the long continued k The estate of English fugitiues factions betweene our discoÌ„tented English Fugitives beyond the seas yet our Romanists at home would lately teach vs where the Iesuits and the Arch. Priest with his adherents on the one side and divers of the Seculars on the other side haue exercised such contentions and almost deadly fewde each against other that all England and a great parte of Europe hath rung of the same yea the Pope himselfe and his Cardinals are no straungers therevnto And by your leaue the rest of the Papists being either at liberty or restrained throughout this kingdome haue not beene all of one heart one obedience one iudgement aboute these businesses but there hath beene not only dislike but intestine hatred also in some of them against the blabbing Priests and the party opposite to the Iesuites 3 And doe all Papistes agree in matters of doctrine of faith and of beleefe when the l Quodlib fol. 21. in margine A dialogue betweene a secular Priest and a lay gentleman fol. 97. Iesuits are charged to giue toleration to come to the Protestants Churches and the Seculars do withstand it When the Iesuits vphold the Bul of Pope Pius the 5. the Seculars doe
But heere I do adde that there is scant any Country whose Authenticall Recordes doe proove that your Romanistes for these you must meane as in your former speech brought first the faith vnto them Of Italye Fraunce and Germany I vvill say nothinge let them aunsvvere for themselves but vvee English men may best speake of England z Bristow Moâ—…v 17. Some Papistes haue saide it that Augustine the Monke vvas the first vvho brought the faith into England by Gregories meanes and therfore they doubte not to call him our Apostle Let it bee that some Saxons first receaved by him Baptisme yet who beholdeth not in Bedâ—… a Eccl. Hist. lib. 1. 7. 8. writing that storie that Christianitie had bin in Britaine long before There were then Brittish Bishops who well knewe the faith of CHRIST and liked b Lib 2. 2. not of Austen for the pride which they saw to bee in him But long before this was the name of Christ knowen in this Iland c Bed Hist. 1. 7. Albanus being heere martyred Helena the mother of Constantine the Great being d Huntingt Histor. lib. 1. borne heere as it is storied and Pelagius the heretike against whome Saint Austen the Bishop of Hippo wrote beeing of this country e Bed lib 1 10 So that it is but a toy that Gregories Monke was the first that ever brought Christianity hither The wiser sort of Papists having it out of f Lib 4. 19 Monumetensis who long since was branded for a g 〈◊〉 in proâ—…m Histâ—…r fabulous writer and froÌ„ h Lib 2 c 21 Freculphus who was one of some better credit say that King Lucius of Britanny about the yeare of our Lord 180. did send to Eleutherius the Bishop of Rome from him had some sent in who baptised him his people This so overthrowing that other opinion concerning Austen is ordinarily taken vp among our Romanists theÌ„selves in so much that M. Watson in his i Quodlib 814 Quodlibets nameth for preachers of Christ Fugatius Damianus supposed to be sent hither by k 〈◊〉 4 19 Eleutherius amoÌ„g the old Albion Britains Saint Austen amoÌ„gst the English Saxons of whoÌ„ we all came But as touching that of Elentherius the l 〈◊〉 Foâ—… in Hist Eccles letter â—…owe extant as sente from King Lucius vnto him is rather for a Copy of the civil and Imperial lawes of Rome to bee sent vnto him into England then for any thing else there meÌ„tioned I may not therefore heere forget that it is receaved for a veritie that yet long before the daies of Lucius and Eleutherius the seede of the Gospell was sowen in Britaine eveÌ„ in the prime age of the Apostles by Ioseph of Arimathea which by the Iesuite m Controv. cap. 2. Costerus is not concealed when he saith For men vvill have or they say that Ioseph of Arimathea in the Apostles time was in England and that Simon the Leaper didgovern the Church Cenomanensis in Fraunce And to manifest that this is verie probable it shall not be amisse brieflie to cite such reasons as Maister n Eccle. Histor. l. 2. Foxe hath collected to shewe that the Britaine 's had receaved CHRIST before the daies of Eleutherius and Lucius vvho lived about the yeare of our LORD 180. First hee citeth out of o De victor Aureâ—… Ambros Gildas that in the yeare 63. Philip the Apostle sent Ioseph of Arimathea hither out of Fraunce and he first laide the foundation of Christian Religion Secondly out of Tertullian that p Contr. Indaeos the places of the Britaines which were inaccessible by the Romans were subiect to Christ. Thirdly out of q Homil. 4. in Ezech. Origene specifying that since the comming of Christ Britaine did consent to the knowledge of the onely God and both Tertullian and Origene hee reputeth to bee before the time of Eleutherius a little Fourthly out of Bede r Histor. Eccl. l. 5. 22. signifieth that the Britaine 's in his time especially such as had not conformed themselues a little before to the Romane fashion did keepe their Easter after the manner of the East Church Fiftly out of Petrus 〈◊〉 writing to Saint Bernard and affirming that the Scots kept their Easter in the same manner which sheweth that all the partes of this Ilande were brought to CHRIST by some who came out of the East or else the ceremonies should have beene planted after the fashion of the VVesterne Church Sixtly out of s Lib. 2. 40 Nicephorus affirming that Simon Zelotes brought the Gospell into the Iles of Britaine Seaventhly s Epistol ad Eleuther from Lucius himselfe vvho plainely signifieth that hee had received CHRIST before the sending to Eleutherius for the Romane Lavves These reasons collected by Maister Foxe are more of force then the slight testimonies of such late vvriters as may mistake one thing for another the sending for of the Imperial lawes to be to call for the faith of Christ. But admit it were thus and we should yeeld to the conceipt of these later authors what maketh this for them or against vs Since the words of the Apostle Paule may be vsed in this behalfe t 1. Cor. 14. 36. Came the word of God out from you that is to say were you the first citty whence the Gospell was derived was it Rome it selfe that had it originally or was it not rather converted by that which came from Ierusalem That cittie in Iudea was the fountaine of all therefore if any place should be respected for that which is past Hierusalem shoulde bee renoumed and magnified even of Rome it selfe and of all other because from thense all primarilie albeit some mediately and some immediâ—…tely sucked the doctrine of the Christian faith But as our Papistes in this case make no account of Hierusalem since the glorie both inward and outward thereof is decayed so wee make as little reckoning of Rome which is so vtterly swarved from the puritie of that profession which it had not onely in the time of the Apostles but even of Eleutherius that vix u Terent. in Eunucho cognoscas candâ—…m esse VVee can in no sorte discerne it to bee the same 5 VVhat a harvest your Dominicane and Franciscane Friers have made in the Indies I deferre to recount till I come to the nexte Chapter Onely heere I tell you that vpon vncontroulable warrant wee finde not that almost any man of worth for learning wisedome warfare or government hath by his conversion given any testimony to Christendome of the good which your Friers have done among the Indians You please your selues with fancies and mulus mulum scabit one of you doth falsely trumpet the praises of another If you be such convetters why goe you not into Africa into the kingdomes of Marocco and Fez to Tunis or Argier From Spaine or Italie the distance is not much to these Or why do you not
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
that although he were willing to paint himselfe without he was quite rotteÌ„ within And whither for waÌ„t of his prety staruling pensioÌ„ froÌ„ Spaine after that illustrious foile he might not be much humbled in the heigth of his prowd thoughts it is hard to tel Such a maÌ„ner of man was one of the fathers of the Seminary 19 As for Persons the present Rector his mind is nothing inferiour to the others albeit his degree be in a ranke behinde him But that is his owne fault too for his b The copies of certaine discourses extorted fol. 116. fellowes here tell vs that it vvas reported heere in Englande that all the boyes at Saint Omars had conspired to make Persons a Cardinall and had vvritten such effectuall letters to the Pope for it that hee the Generall of the Iesuites and all his friendes in Rome vvere little enough to keepe him from beeing a Cardinall VVell his hearte for Englande is as good as any of his Predecessours c Answere to thinges coÌ„cerning him in the Apology Doctour Bagshâ—…vve sayeth directly that hee perswaded the Students at Rome that they should have at state and all for vvith state-medling they coulde but die and die they shoulde vvithout state medling if they were taken If vvee vvill not trust that Doctor as one professing some hostility toward him let his Greene-coate concerning the Earle of Leicester another Common-wealth of his touching another greate and vvorthy man that dead is speake in their masters behalfe His Doleman sheweth him to haue nothing in him but bastard English bloud And that is the more manifested by his labouring the Students in Spaine and at Rome to consent to the title of the Lady Infanta What affection he cariyed to our late most blessed Soveraigne his short but substantiall approving of the iudgement of Allen Sanders Bristow and Stapleton touching the Bull of Pius the 5. in his d Cap. 4. Ward-word doth declare It is also laid to his charge that he sollicited a man of e Quodl 7. 2 high place in this kingdome to be a close Pensioner to the late king of Spaine to further his invasision He f Apol. c. 12. challengeth to himselfe these bookes The reasons of refusall of going to the Protestants Churches the Epistle of persecution both in Latin and English the defence of the Censure against M. Charke and these shew that all his wits and study were then bent on the one side to supplant the religion that we professe but on the other side to defame the honour of his Prince and country and of all the chiefe officers of Iustice in the same and with such suttletics to steale away the harts of many subiects from them His resolutions g Solutiones 〈◊〉 P. in his pretended Cases of conscience as they are impious so are they most pernicious to the state But the lesse they are there to be wondred at since he openly laboureth in h 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1â—… his Apology to mainetaine falshoods and lying dissembling A quivocations with little lesse then blasphemy to our most holy Saviour His ManifestatioÌ„ hath many proper things in it as being that where he sheweth himselfe without a vizarde This is hee who hath had in Spaine and nowe hath at Rome the training vp of those vvho are and must bee our Seminarye Priestes the only Arch-traitour now remaining aliue and to be balanced by none vnlesse peradventure it is but peradventure D. Gifford may be the man I might adde to these as great men at Doway in their times Bristow and Stapleton The one sheweth himselfe a rebell in hart by his i Cap. 15. Motiues which booke D. Allen did allovv to the Presse And how far the other that is old chollerike bitter Stapleton the k Apol. c. 9. learnest man living of our Countrey if vve will beleeue Fa. Persons was engaged in these matters his manifold virulent aspersions scattered in his bookes against his naturall Prince and some personages of high worth do abundantly testifie Such are the teachers Readers and Governours of the Seminaries and such an honest man is Weston at Doway nowe if he be yet at Doway where no doubt they traine vp their Students in good meditations Which I may the rather say if that be true which l Colliar one of their owne company delivered to me to bee so of his own knowledge while he was there in D. Barrets time As our Students in our Colledges haue vsed to make verses and to fixe them vp on the skreenes or elsewhere publikely on the day of her late Maiesties comming to the Crowne so they had sometimes at Doway when they made verses in like sort whither on the day before named I do not remember In this case the invention of one of their gracious strudents was to speake of the three furies in hel Alecto Megaera and Tisiphone whose vertues when with his Poetry he had described hee addeth at last that there was nowe of late a fourth come in Furiarum Quarta whose description he maketh accordingly And this lewd devise was much commended by the Superiours there albeit he plainly designed her for whom by the laws of God man they vvere rather bound to haue spent their best bloud then that the least dishonourable thought concerning her should haue entred into their hâ—â—t And who will wonder that the fruites of such persons doe shew what the roote is whervpon they do sit We may adde to these things abroad the experience which wee haue had at home of Babingtons Somerviles Squires and such vngodly miscreants who incited by Ballard and other sent from the Seminary haue attempted most horrible treasons to the hazarding of the happines of this whole kingdome And were not our state blind if they could not gesse the minde of the souldiors by such captaines the disposition of such scholers by their tutours the affection of the Priests by such Superiours especially since they dayly saw in our owne land that such as had to doe with these emissaries and secret creepers did testifie that they had touched some m Eccl 13. 〈◊〉 pitch being quickly alienated if not in open action yet in apparant affectioÌ„ from therest of the Realme And might not all religious folkes haue groaned in their soules all good subiects haue lamented in their harts if some severe proviso had not beene made to restraine the audacious comming in and the ravenous dissipations of persons so intending mischiefe It should haue beene an vnrecompensable weakenesse to haue permitted such incendiaries to bring all to combustion and our magistrates in the meane time to haue stood by the houses of themselues their neighbours being on fire and to haue thought it a pretty thing to stand and warme themselues by the flame But they being inspired by a better spirit did make good wholsome lawes inhibiting the approaching of such dangerous guests or if they would not forbeare paying them the
wages due for their worke Ex malis moribus bonae nascuntur leges Ill manners breede good lawes And if England alone have received such bad measure from vnnatural bredde English who can blame the Magistrates and law-makers of England if by speciall ordinances they provide for the safety of that charge which is committed to them which cannot be but by cutting off such malefactours When other kingdomes have beene so much burnte they wil dreade the fire when other nations have beene so bitten they will beware of dogges teeth What other countries would doe if there were cause you may gesse by Fraunce which standing yet on termes of Popery have removed the Iesuites so that if they wil come there it is on hazard of their life I will sette downe the wordes as they bee in the Decree of the Parliament of Paris against theÌ„ that no man may doubt in that case n Iesuits Ca â—…h lib 3. cap. 18. The Court doth ordains that the Priests and Students of the College of Claiâ—…mont and all other calling themselues of that Society of Iesus as corrupters of youth and disturbers of the common quiet enemies of the King and State shall avoide within three daies after the publication of this present sentence out of Paris and other Cities and places where their Colleges are fifteen dates after out of the Realme vpon paine wheresoever they shall be found the said terme expired to be punished at guilty and culpable of the crime of high Treason And afterward It forbiddeth all the Kinges subiects to send any scholers to the Colleges of the said Society being out of the Realme there to bee instructed vpon the like paine to incurre the crime of high o This decree was made 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 â—…mb 〈◊〉 treason Thus the Papists of Fraunce deale with the Iesuits who are the bringers vp brethren and cousin germaines of our Seminarians If they keepe them out of FrauÌ„ce they are not touched or reached after and so heere it is with the Idolatrous massing Priestes sent from the Pope of Rome who loueth vs vnmeasurablie and from the dominions of the Kinge of Spaine or those who depend vpon him We neede them not we send not for them and therefore if they come it is vpon their owne perill 20 Yet because this proceeding seemeth to you to be so hard in your bookes in England elsewhere published you so exclaime of the rigorousnes of our kingdome in this behalfe I will a little remeÌ„ber you what milder meÌ„ of your own Seminaries have published in this matter acknowledging that iustly by bookes enterprises the State hath bin exasperated against you I confesse that they lay al the blame on the Iesuits Iesuited but those we caÌ„ hardly distinguish froÌ„ meÌ„ otherwise minded And if we could it were to smal purpose since the followers of the Arch-priest are al Iesuited as M. Persons saith they are p Apolog. cap 8 300. to 10. of the other Since theÌ„ the sway sweepe goeth the other way for the adverse part we have no warrant but that they may leave their best goodnes wheÌ„ theÌ„selves wil which Watson Clerke have lately ex emplified it is best to let the lawe stand against all leaving the forbearance of stricte execution to the wisedome of those in authority who incline to mercy vvhere it is fit to bee extended One q A C in his 2 letter pag. 42 who although he be not a Priest yet was brought vp in the Seminary saith thus At the Queenes comming in many of vs were too soone turned so Iesuitish and Spanish to the attempting of disloyall plots against her State person that shee was driven to trust wholy to her Protestants holding vs all suspect And r Ibid. p 29 againe The Iesuites outrage Princes as murthering the last FreÌ„ch King had done our deare Soveraigne sundry times if Gods hand had not beene the stronger Another s Reply to the Apology cap 17 telleth vs that in the Colledges erected by the meanes of Parsons Priests other have bin induced to subscribe to forreine titles yea to come in person against their own couÌ„try He who answereth the manifestatioÌ„ supposed to be the writing of PersoÌ„s acknowledgeth that D. s Fol. 35. SauÌ„ders his works De visibili Monarchia De schismate Anglic coÌ„tain so many errevereÌ„t speeches the divulging of such odius matters against her M r. her noble â—…genitours as the vntruths of some the incertainty of others coÌ„siderd could not but irritat the most ChristiaÌ„ Catholik patieÌ„t Prince in the world A t Fol 3â—… litle before he telleth vs Neither for ought I se doth the State wake shew of persecutioÌ„ quoad vitaÌ„ et neceÌ„ for matter meerely of religion and conscience but vpon pretence of treason or atteÌ„pts against her Maiesties person or state or at the least vpoÌ„ the feare therof But yet more directly he proceedeth u Fol. 31. 32 I would but aske Fa. Persons because I know him to be a great Statist this one question whither in his conscience he did thinke there be anie Prince in the world be he never so Catholike that should haue within his dominions a kinde of people amongst whom divers times he should discover matters of treason and practises against his person and state whither he would permit those kinde of people to liue within his dominions if he could be otherwise rid of them whither he would not make straight lawes and execute them severely against such offendours yea and all of that companie and qualitie rather then he would remaine in anie danger of such secret practises and plots I thinke Fa. Persons will not for shame denie this Then the fault is not in the Prince and State for being cautious but in the Romanists for being pragmaticall in dangerous atteÌ„pts I will ioine to these the testimony of M. Watson who is copious in this point He saith that the u In the pre face to the Quodlibers Seminaries at first made the Iesuits cause attempts intentes practises and proceedings their owne in every thing their plots and practises they seemed at first to defende or at least to winke at Hence they were intangled by penall laws iustly made against them equally as against the Iesuits In another x Quod. 8. 9 place thus At the affliction of Catholikes in England hath beene in very deede extraordinary and many an innocente man lost his life so also hath the cause thereof beene extraordinary and so farre beyonde the accustomed occasions of persecutioÌ„ giveÌ„ to any Prince in ChristeÌ„dome or monarchy that is or ever was in the world to this hower as rather it is to be wondered at all things duely considered that any one Catholike is left on liue in Englande then that our persecution hath beene so great for name one nation I know none can vnder heaven where the subiects especially if they were
Seminaries lacke writers wheÌ„ they set you vp to be one but like lips like lettice like cause like advocate You powshâ—… through like blinde bayard as if all were right when heere bee a great many propositions which you should proove good maÌ„ you are not able to goe through with the least of them We first require of you to make good that such certaine and vndoubted miracles as were wrought by holy men in the Primitiue Church were done by Persons of that Romane professioÌ„ which nowe you hold We vtterly deny this affirme that if those good Christians did now live saw the Chaos of your Popery they would cry out that you are a degenerate bastardly successioÌ„ even as AbrahaÌ„ would have said to those h Iohan. 8â—… 33 Iewes who craked in the preseÌ„ce of our Saviour Christ himselfe that they were AbraliaÌ„s seed SecoÌ„dly you must proue that since Christs time no miracle was wrought by any which was not of the true Church VVhere by the way I hartyly pray you to take that text with you i Mat 7. 22 Many will say to 〈◊〉 in that day Lord have 〈◊〉 not by thy name prophecied by thy name cast ouâ—… Devils â—…y thy name done many great workes And then will professe to theÌ„ answereth our Saviour I never knew you departe froÌ„ 〈◊〉 yee that worke iniquity Thirdly you must assure vs that these straÌ„ge things that you wil bring for the coÌ„firmatioÌ„ of your Popery are true narratioÌ„s for I doubt not but to make it plain to every intelligeÌ„t body that a large coÌ„pany of those whoÌ„ you meÌ„tion are but a rable of foolish fables You may not take on you to be of an estate as high as Antichrist your maister you must come a little shorte of him lying k 〈◊〉 Thes. 〈◊〉 91 wonders are his parte and wondrous lyes are yours Fourthly you must tell vs who gave you a licence to talke so wide of your miracles as that all approved vvritters and those eie-witnesses doe deliver so much for you and that these testifiers especially your late Legendary writers to whome anone you must haue recourse are worthy to bee sorted with the witnes of the Gospell the Actes other the holy Scripture A coÌ„parison right worthy of you I wishe you no hurte but if you should be apprentice to a Tankard-bearer in London till you had proved these pointes there would nothing but death parte you and your maister That Masse hath beene saide in England it as certaine as that the l Matth â—…4 〈◊〉 abhomination of desolation was in the holy place That warres haue bin long yet in Hungary are coÌ„tinued betweene Turkes and Christians wee deny not as also that there be East and West Indies but that your assertions are as evident as these there is none which will say but your selfe neither would you affirme it but since the time that you have lefte blushing Wit or learning or shame or honesty if all vvere not asleepe would keepe you more within compasse But while you do thus this is the benefit which you gaine that with fooles you make some shewe but wise folkes even among Papists will dispise you and bee ashamed of you Their cause is naught and you still make it worse Yet 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 â—…i 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 You doe well to set a face vpon a bad matter T. HILL IN the second age were wrâ—…ght those woÌ„derfull miracles by the Christian Teâ—…t in lib ad Scap in Apol. c. 5. Euseb lib 5. hist. c 5. Oros. lib. 7. hist. c. 15. souldiâ—…rs in the army of M. Antonius which Tertullian Eusebius Orosius the Emperour himself haue recorded In the third age were the miracles of Gregorius Thaumaturgus witnesses S. Basile lib de spiritu â—…aÌ„cto c. 29. Gregory Nyssene in vita eius Hierom. de viris illustrib Ruâ—…inus l. 7. hist. c. 25 In the 4. of S. Anthony Hilarion Martine Nicolas of others In the 5. those which S. Austen setteth downe l. 22. de civit c. 8. In the 6. those which S. Gregory maketh mention of lib. 3. dial c. 2. 3. In the 7. those which were done in England in the coÌ„version therof written by the same Greg. l. 9. â—…p 58. And by venerable Bede l. 1. hist. c. 31. In the 8. the miracles of S. Cutbert S. Iohn 〈◊〉 England also Bede l. b. 4. hist. 5. In the 9. the miracles of Tharasius written by Ignat. Nicen. of others In the 10. the miracles of S. Romuald recorded by S. Peter Daâ—… of S. Wenceslaus of others which Surius writeth In the 11. the miracles of S. Edward K. and vir of S. Ans. and of others In the 12. the miracles of S. Mal. S. Barn and of others In the 13. the miracles of S. Fran. S. Dom. S. Bonavent S. Celest. and of others In the 14. the miracles of S. Bernardine S. Katherine of Sienna and of others In the 15. tâ—…e the miracles of S. Viâ—…c S. Ant. and of others And last of all in this 〈◊〉 16. age are the miracles of the glorious S. Fran. de Paulâ—… of the holie Iesuite Zavâ—… 〈◊〉 the Indies and of many 〈◊〉 G. ABBOT 3 THe first miracle that you cite was that vnder M. Aurelius as m Locis supra citatis Tertullian and Eusebius call him Orosius termeth him M. Antoninus Verus he himselfe in his Epistle which is to be seene in some Copies of Iustinus Martyr M. Aurelius Antoninus but none of them hath M. Antonius The matter vvas that in Germany he with all his army was like to perish for want of water and in an extremity when all other meanes did fatle a legion of the Christians which afterward was ther-vpon called Legio Fulmiâ—… did ioine in instant praier to their God and presently there fell aboundance of raine to their exceeding comfort and withall there were thundrings and lightnings which fel among their enemies and desolated them Gregorius Thaumaturgus first was called n Hier devi ris illustrio Theodorus but now vseth to be termed also Gregorius Ponticus or Neocaesariensis he was a scholler to Origen and of him it is o Basil de spir Sanct. cap 29 written that he had power against Divels yea as Socrates affirmeth by sending p Lib 4 22. letters concerning that businesse he could cast them out he cured the sicke he turned the course of rivers he dryed vp a marish converted diverse to Christianity and fore-told many things Anthony the Monke was a meere ignorant man devoide of all knowledge of letters he could foretell somethings as q Lib 1 13. Sozomen saith and did divers wonders as r Lib 1 17 Socrates hath Of Hilarion the Heremite s In vita Hilarionis Hierome reporteth that by praier he procured a barren woman to haue a childe healed diverse which were extreamely sicke dispossessed some of Divels Of Martine I find in s Lib 3 13
so maintaine them For such dissolute dawbing of paper you are worthy to be rewarded at least with nothing It may be said of you your maister Bristow c Virgils Eclog. 3 Et vitula tu dignus hic It cannot be denied that some men of learning haue disliked the over-much heaping vp of Sentences out of the Fathers to no purpose or needlessely especially if it haue bin done in Latin or Greeke wheÌ„ SermoÌ„s are made to the ordinary people in the vulgar tongue But the iudgmeÌ„t of the most iudicious such as respect the edificatioÌ„ of the heaters wil warraÌ„t this their opinion while it dislâ—…keth not the vse but the abuse But that any maÌ„ of learning in our church or of true accouÌ„t in our state haue simply coÌ„dcÌ„ned the vsing of theÌ„ you caÌ„not shew Some weaker men in a little humâ—…ur haue seemed to bee no great favourets of theÌ„ paâ—…tly because they know them not as d 〈◊〉 in Adâ—…gijs Knowledge hath none more eger enemy theÌ„ 〈◊〉 persoÌ„ partly because they haue not learning to vnderstaÌ„d theÌ„ Also because they wil not be at cost to buy theÌ„ or if these impedâ—…eÌ„ts were remooved because they wil not take the paines to read theÌ„ But even such do daily more more reforme their iudgmeÌ„t we doubt not but God who hath put the spirit of moderatioÌ„ temperaÌ„te into the greatest wisest most learned of such as in times past were otherwise minded wil loine vs al in one against you the coÌ„mon enemies of the truth who in an Italionated out-landish faction litle care what you do And so I trust every English maÌ„ defiring to keepe himself in spiritual purity e Iacobâ—… 27 Motiv 14. vnspotted of the world Poperty the odious names of Puritans Precisias wherat you haue so triuÌ„phed shall to the greefe of your harts be extirpated al who loue the Gospel ioining in one as ChristiaÌ„s brethreÌ„ shal be dutiful subiects to God our King Your conclusion is ridiculous worthy to be hissed at The Protestants defend the Fathers against the Puritanes Ergo the Fathers be against both the Protestants and the Puritanes This is Logicke of the Popish Seminary 4 The titles which you heere bestow on the ancient Fathers Bristow setteth downe thus f 〈◊〉 14. excellent wits continual study woÌ„derfull learning servent praier holy coÌ„versation favour in Gods sight mighty working of infinite miracles froÌ„ whence froÌ„ the rest the Reader may iudge whether you had not Bristowes booke lying before you wheÌ„ you skuffled togither this Rhapâ—…ody As for these praises we neither envy theÌ„ nor deny theÌ„ to those great laÌ„pes of the first Church vnlesse it be that of working of miracles wherof we make a doubt And by these helps we say that they were wel furnished to vnderstand expound many things in the Scripture as also somewhat by their neerenesse to the time of the Apostles in those places especially where truth was kepte without mingling And yet we will you heere to remember that fewe or scant any one of the Fathers had the Scriptures freshly delivered vnto him from the Apostles themselues you are pitifully out for diverse hundreds of yeeres came betweene Christes disciples and the most of the olde Doctours And againe to call to minde that soone after the Apostles yea as g Eccl. Hist. Lib 3. 26. Eusebius saith immediately after their death heretakes came plentifully in who laboured what they coulde to corrupt the fountaines wheÌ„ce all pure water was to flowe Remember also that for three hundred yeeres by the extremity of persecutioÌ„ the Pastours were few they had little liberty to come togither to conferre about thinges questioned or to follow their studies so much as they would And yet farther remeÌ„ber that some of theÌ„ came late froÌ„ the Gentiles as Cyprian some froÌ„ heretiks as Eusebius froÌ„ the ArriaÌ„s AusteÌ„ the Manichees somefroÌ„ meere secular callings as Ambrose of al these without Gods special grace they might a little participate Then he is bliÌ„d who seeth not that they had not al those helps as these haue whoÌ„ you cal late folish vnstudied vnlearned profane arrogaÌ„t fellowes These words you vse when you Doctour Hill are not worthy to be sorted with the meanest of a thousand among them which speech without amplification or any diminution may be iustifyed onely in the present Church of England For first wee have the writinges of all those Fathers themselves like to which every private man of them had not no nor all the world neither before their times Secondly since their daies there be infinite bookes written which give light to matters in controversy Thirdly our age by meanes of printing hath better facility to come by al bookes theÌ„ those ancient times had Fourthly progres of daies hath made many thiÌ„gs plainer to later ages because they haue bin already fulfilled theÌ„ they could be to former tims wherin meÌ„ did but gesse at theÌ„ Fifthly God hath made the scriptures of such sort as that meÌ„s wits are to be exercised in theÌ„ vntil y e day of iudgmeÌ„t it beloÌ„geth to that industry which God requireth in his servaÌ„ts y e they shold not satisfy theÌ„selues w t the labours of others so growidle bue they shold search farther inventis addâ—…re Sixthly the helpe of the toÌ„gues is more rife now then it was amoÌ„g the ordinary sorte of them as may be seene by Athanasius who was so stuÌ„bled in the h Prov. 8. 22 8. Chap. of the Proverbs the i Athanas. in decret Nicen. Synod ArriaÌ„s to prove Christ a creature vrging thence by the traÌ„slatioÌ„ of the Septuagint that it is in the text k 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Septuag The Lord made mee or created me the beginning of his waies to which without difficulties he might easily haue aunswered if hee had looked into the l 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hebrew where it is rather as Hierome readeth it the Lord possessed mee or as Arias Montanus hath it the Lord got or obtained me Also Austen had no Hebrew and both he Gregory very little Greek as els-where I have shewed Now although it be likely that neerest to the fountaines the waters runne most cleerely the farther of that we are they are the more likly to be polluted yet in spirituall thinges that is not to bee vnderstood of place or time but of keeping close to the original of the writen word and not varying from it And so a man furnished by God as m Exod. 31 〈◊〉 Beseleel was to the framing of the Tabernacle may be by the means aboue named and by praier conference study nothing inferiour to those first lightes even as S. Austen was more excellent in some of his expositions on the Scripture then Origene and some other more ancient then himselfe were Which as both for him S. Hierome especially
comparisons to be so familiar yet so significant and lively that wee account him scant worthy the name of an eminent preacher to the people who hath not bin conversant in his works We thinke S. Hierome for his learning not vnworthy to bee called a wonder of the world his vniversal knowledge especially in the sacred tongues togither with his ponderous style are honorable among all vvho knovve good letters Saint Augustine for his iudgement goeth beyond them all his reading was great as most of al appeereth in z De civitate Dei one tract of his being the most noble of all his vvritings his diligence his zeale and acutenesse against heretikes have vvonne him everlasting prayse and so doe vvee esteeme of his vvorkes that we holde him much dis-furnished in the study of Divinity especially for schoole-learning and grapling with an adversary who is not wel acquainted with him Such is the coÌ„tempt that we cary to these reverend persons nay if it were not for avoiding vnnecessary tediousnesse vvee should much farther extoll their due-deserved commendation VVhy then doe wee basely regard them Because vvee bee given to lust and gluttony and they have vvritten so excellently of the Order Rule and Vertues of Monkes This hangeth wonderfull well togither Doe all vvho are given to covetousnesse ambition gluttony and lust hate monkes and monkery al who haue prescribed good rules vnto them Then your Pope and cardinals and all the whole sinful Courte of Rome must stand arraigned for that crime for eche man of any vnderstanding knoweth howe they abound in those vices And besides if precepts for Monkery bee so contrary to these sinnes must not the practise of them in a Monkish life be much more remote from them And vvas it never heard that Nunryes or Monasteries of women haue had many younge bones of little children found in them which came not thither vvithout lust or that many Monkes were little better theÌ„ mishapen gorbellied monstrous Epicures vvhich arose not without gluttony or that in the elections of their Priours Abbots and Bishoppes there vvas infinite competition vvith all kinde of striving banding and canvasing which was not without ambition or that some of their vowed men especially that famous fellowe mentioned by a De moribus Germane Aeneas Sylvius have lefte great summes of money in secret behinde them which were neither gotten nor kepte without avarice Thus nothing can bee more certaine then that men who loue the sinnes which you name may be favourers of Monkes the Monastical creatures haue do commonly bath themselues in such noted crimes 20 VVell S. Basile hath written many things concerning Monkes It may be questioned whether he hath or no for there is great doubte whether those bee his bookes vvherein most is contained touching that argument But if we should allow you your desire he hath no where saide more of that matter then in a b Serm Quomodo ornaretur Monach Sermon where he describeth the qualities of right moÌ„kes froÌ„ which qualities these late ones are very farre distant And Saint c In 1 Tim Homil 14. Chrysostome sheweth how holy religious the Monasteries in his time were to the which if these later Cloister-meÌ„ had kept theÌ„ we should haue found lesse to be discoÌ„mended in theÌ„ Howbeit Chrysostome did not so much admire theÌ„ that hee thought their life to be the only meanes of perfection or that sanctitie and the true service of God was scant any where to bee found but in them which some doting ones in these ages not longe since past have laboured to insinuate into the mindes of men But he spake thus freely to the contrary d In Gen. Homil 43 where are they who sae that it is not possible that a man living in the midst of a city should keepe vertue but hee had neede of retyrednesse and a certaine conversation amongst the mountaines and that he who is over-seer of his owne house and hath a wife and taketh care of children and servaunts cannot bee indued vvith vertue Thus he supposed that men in a monastery might do well and so might other also S. Hierome who vppon some more then ordinary occasion with-drewe himselfe from Rome and lived more privately in Palestina grewe to be a e Invita â—…ilarionis saepè hyperbolical commender of Heremites monkes and cloystered Virgins which life he blazoneth so with his Rhetorical colours that every man must confesse that his vvordes goe too farre if they be literally taken And yet when diverse other were greedy to come from Rome to Hierusalem that they might live there sequestred as hee did he disliked it and saide that f Epist 13 heaven gate did stand open as well to a man in Britaine as at Hierusalem Then were there in England fewe or no Monasteries at all As for S. Austen hee describeth the piety and exercises of auncient g De moâ—…ib Eccle Cathol lib 1 31 Monkes and Caenobites of both sexes and writing vppon the Psalmes he saith h In Ps. 99 In that common life of brethren which is in a Monastery great holy men being daily in hymnes in prayers in the prayses of God doe live therevpon They meddle much with reading They labour with their owne handes thence theymaintaine themselves they aske not any thing covetously Whatsoever is brought in vnto them by godly brethren they vse it with sufficiency with charity NomaÌ„ doth vsurpe to himselfe any thing which anothermay not haue All loue themselves all sustaine one another And yet the same S. Austen was not so simple but that hee spied vnder this habite of holinesse much woolvishnes in his time as cannot be coÌ„cealed wheÌ„ he said thus i Epist. 137. I doe plainely confesse vnto your charity before our Lorde God who is a witnesse vpon my soule since I began to serve God as I hardly have found better men then those vvhich haue profited in monasteries so I have not had triall of vvorse then those vvho have fallen in monasteries And in his booke writen purposely coÌ„cerning Monkes hee describeth many monkes of his time to be k De opere Monachorum c 28 nought idle wandring vp downe setting at sale the relikes of martyrs if they vvere the relikes of martyrs Notwithstanding our late Votaries do lay closer hold on S. Austen then on any one of the Fathers for they give it out that he was the founder of the Augustine Friers and that rabble would derive their petigree from him as some of the both olde and late Cloisterers woulde drawe their descent from Elias and Iohn the Baptist which l Sozom 1 12 Sozomen mencioneth to haue beene talked of in his time For this purpose they give out that Saint Austen went in his monkishe coole and attire cleane contrary to that which is reported in his life by Possidonius vvho lived with him His m Possidons in vita Aug cap 22 apparrell and shooes and