to haue liued by theÌ„ in England to haue past on their time in this vale of teares here during the short time of their transitory life full of all heauinesse and not molested innocent lambes that sought no establishing of houses Colledges sodalities societies or corporations to remaine to posterity which the Iesuits chiefly aimed at This being the grouÌ„d of al their cruell oppression of the innocent crying to heauen for vengeance I vndoubtedly beleeue it was Gods holy will to haue the Iesuits impiety knowne sooner by the Seminary Priests then by any other secular or religious and that no doubt to Gods great glorie and the benefit comfort and reliefe of all true Catholike harts either in England or elsewhere THE ARGVMENT OF THE second Generall Quodlibet I Haue stayed longer vpon the first Quodlibet then time which hasteneth me to depart hence will well allow me the like demurre vpon the rest The next generall Quodlibet followeth very fitly to be of plots cast by the Iesuits doctrine how neare they come to Puritanisme what it is their doctrinals of policies do arme at wherein there are ten Articles to be discussed vpon concerning that matter THE I. ARTICLE VVHether the Iesuites or the Puritanes be more dangerous pernitious and noysome to the common-wealth either of England Scotland or any other Realme where both or either of them liue together or apart THE ANSWERE 〈◊〉 that all Catholikes would seriously weigh the danger that they do occasionate both to the Church and common wealth yea aâ—d to their owne both bodies and soules reputation and present state by siding with these seditiâ—â— and â—actiâ—uâ—â—â—â—◠〈◊〉 many 〈◊〉 will not be â—â—â—med of 〈…〉 nor 〈◊〉 â—â—ed of 〈◊〉 owne folly THe Iesuits without all question are more dangerous not that their doctrine is as yet either so absurd as the Puritanes I meane in matters not of faith for therein I must and will so long as they remaine visible members of Gods Church euer esteeme of the worst and baddest Iesuit better then of the best and sanctliest seeming Puritane that liues but in matters and doctrine pertaining to manners gouernement and order of life nor that their intent is manifested as yet to be more malicious against both Church common-wealth Prince and Peere then the Puritanes are but because the meanes and their manner of proceeding is more couert more seeming substantiall more formall and orderly in it selfe and therefore are they more dangerous because of the two they are more like to preuaile by managing of whatsoeuer they take in hand And the rather for that their grounds are more firme their perswasions more plausible their performance more certaine as hauing many singular fine wits amongst them whereas the Puritanes haue none but grossum caputs many learned men on their sides the Puritanes not one many Gentles Nobles yea some Princes to side with them the Puritanes but few of the first rare to haue any of the second none at all vnlesse it be one of the last on their side And so by consequent if matters come to hearing hammering handling betwixt the Iesuits and Puritanes the latter are sure to be ridden like fooles and come to wracke Whereupon it also followeth that the former are in these respects more dangerous both to the Church and common-wealth as hereafter shall at large more manifestly appeare THE II. ARTICLE VVHether the Iesuites doctrine abstracted from matters of faith and religion come neerer in matters of life and manners to the Protestants or to the Puritanes THE ANSWERE THey are in this respect all wholly Puritanes and therefore do some for distinctions sake call the one Puritane Papists and the other Puritane Protestants To the better vnderstanding whereof a certaine great person is sayd to haue vsed a comparison in way of discourse betwixt Iesuits and Puritanes conferring them together in this manner or to this effect here ensuing Of all sects or religions the Iesuit and the Puritane quoth he come neerest and are fittest to be coupled like cats and dogs together First for that the Puritanes count all to be wicked sinfull creatures but theÌ„selues A reason why some Catholike Gentlemen that liue about London whom I could name and what they haue sayd about those â—arieâ— were discontented when wanting their wiues 3. or 4. or mo dayes and nights together they must bee forsooth in the holy exercise how they haue conceited these matters and whether a new sect of Anabaptists or family of loue be not greatly suspected to be ingendred of some foule monster or other amongst these new illuminated Iesuits I leaue it there the Iesuits will haue none to be counted holy vertuous or religious that are not of their societie or followers Secondly the Puritanes haue their secret conuenticles and meetings which none other must be acquainted withall and so haue the Iesuites Thirdly the Puritanes are entred into secret league of conspiracy against all other professors of the Gospell and so are the Iesuits against all other professors of the Romane faith Fourthly the Puritanes call themselues the sainctly brotherhood deuided from all others that are not of their sect and opinion and the Iesuits call themselues the holy diuision separated from all other that are not of their faction Fiftly the Puritanes haue a secret watchword to know whom to trust or to admitte to be of their confederacy and so haue the Iesuites Sixtly the Puritanes take an oath as it is reported neuer to reueale to death any secret done attempted or intended by them or amongst them and to the same effect is the Iesuits oath or vow of obedience Seuenthly the Puritanes iudge all men bound to tell them what they demaund and yet they bound to tell none any thing but what they please and euen right so the Iesuites Eightly the Puritane holds he may denie any thing before any Iudge whatsoeuer that is not of his fraternitie with iura periura secretum prodere noli and to the same sense is the Iesuites equiuocations to any but to one of their societie Ninthly the Puritanes vse all scoffing scolding and ignominious disgracing speeches that may be with most infamous libels against the Bishops and English Cleargie and euen so so the Iesuits vse the like against all the Bishops and Prelates of the Romane Cleargy Tenthly the Puritanes all wholly affect singularity in gate in countenance in speech in apparell and all their actions and euen so do the Iesuits Eleuenthly the Puritanes cannot endure to heare of any to equall them in any thing and no more or much lesse can the Iesuits Twelftly the Puritanes must haue all men to obey them An◠〈…〉 hereof was iâ— Wâ—â—ch where being all examined by ciuill Magistrates which were Iesuits and which were not not one of those that are knowne and acknowledge themselues to be so indeed amongst then Iesuiticall confederates but did deny it vnto the said iusticâ—rs vnlesse one Irishâ—an c. so must the Iesuits Thirteenthly
against the Iesuits which euery catholike priest is bound vnto to make things knowne and euery loyall subiect and dutifull childe is to take notice thereof for auoiding their owne danger both of body and soule Therefore must it needs follow that forasmuch as a libell or inuectiue imports a calumniation or slander against any or many publike or priuate persons vpon a special peculiar intent either of reuenge or preferring a priuate faction or action in opposition against a publike cause the matter here handled and the wrong done being no priuate hurt but a publike harme no sole foule danger but a common-wealth damage no indiuiduall action of the person but a specificall or rather genericall faction of the case that is heere in request amongst vs on the behalfe of the catholike church in generall and our natiue countrey togither with all other common-wealths * It may not be left nor accounted of as a libelling against the seditious Iesuits and their priuate faction but turning backe the diuels malice vpon himselfe and their slanders of the innocent vpon their owne heads I conclude that as the relinquishing of the Iesuits for Pharisees and conspirators against God and their countrey as they are were the safest way for all catholikes schismatiks or other of their and the Puritanes fautors so were it also the Iesuits best course to auoide the lande and those pure spirited children of theirs that will come now at no seculars nor much lesse heereafter if they euer depart it were best for them to be packing with them and make triall what will be the end of them both if they delight so much as it seemeth they doe in nouelties and change and when they are all gone and the great new Abbot with them or whether they be all exiled and banished the land or no which were great pittie but they should let them know this that the Church of God hath no neede of any of them and the common-wealth much lesse as both being now so pestered with them as a greater securitie could not come to either state Ecclesiasticall or temporall then to concurre by one consent vtterly to expell them the land And although it greeues my very hart to thinke that so many vertuous and truely sincere catholikes and religious men and women are deluded by their Pharisaicall life so much as greatly it is to be feared because greatly if it happen to be lamented that if they should fall into manifest Apostasie or open rebellion as they are in a great forwardnesse to both or any other execrable error these fondlings would follow them euen into hell mouth spite of priest or pope himselfe so vainly are many perswaded of them Yet false prophets shall they prooue and so let them trust vnto it as a generall receiued veritie of all true catholikes throughout the world and flat heresie to defend the contrary that shall dare presume to affirme the fall and stand of the catholike church faith and religion to depend vpon them No no if euery one of their brokers were a professed Iesuit and euery professed Iesuite a prouinciall ouer a 1000. Rectors and euery Rector had vnder him 10000. ministers and euery minister so many nouices euery nouice a Parsonian spirite and after all this if the prowd gates of infernall dungeons were broken vp and that they had all the helpes out of Stix Corceris and Fligiton that olde satanas Segnior Belzebuh Don Lucifer or Damp. Bemoth could affoord them yet neither should they neither could they euer preuaile against the impregnable rocke which standing post alone would split them all one after another THE VIII ARTICLE VVHether was it of secret intelligence giuen from some of the Lords of the Counsell or did it rise onely of a Iesuiticall Machiuillian deuise that catholikes should haue such a iealousie and feare as many seeme to haue least these proceedings of certaine secular priests against the Iesuits togither with the extraordinary intercourse betwixt them and the State be like to occasionate all the said catholikes ouerthrow heeretofore or not THE ANSWERE IT was spoken of late as from a Lady of high renowne to one of her women in her bed chamber but I will not say the Countesse spoke it because her woman not her Lady was Iesuited and therefore likely to be a plot of her ghostly fathers fathered vpon her honorable Mistres that neither her Maiestie nor the Lords of her Highnesse honorable Counsell ment any more good or scant so much to the seculars as to the Iesuits but only for the time present to get out of the seculars being but simple men what they coulde by this meanes and first set them forward to worke out the Iesuits and then to picke a quarrell at the saide seculars to make them all away c. Which wordes smell so ranke of a Iesuiticall breth as they can not be imagined to come of any other spirite First for the great indignitie included in them to regall Maiesty especially against our dread Soueraigne and honorable Counsell as to impute vnto them so cruell and neuer heard of the like tyranny to massacre the innocent who labouring wholy for her Maiesties realmes safety desire nothing to themselues but an abiect quiet in a frownd on state Secondly for the accustomed arrogancie of a Iesuiticall spirite in that in contempt of priesthood and all seculars they would impute this danger to come as their manner is by reason of the seculars want of experience c. Thirdly be it so as it were too to preiudiciall presumptuous and saucie a part for any subiect especially liuing in like to this of our frownd on state to cause any such iealousie to be had of their Soueraigne and honorable Counsel that no good were ment but hard measure intended to be offred to the innocent by shedding of guiltlesse bloud adding affliction to affliction and so increasing all our miseries by this small comfort of liberty graunted to some few particulars yet three commodities would ensue heereof which now we al do want one is that we should then suffer but one kinde of persecution whereas now we suffer two at once the Iesuits tongue torments being more cruel and heauie vnto vs then our aduersaries racks ropes or Tiburne tippets an other is that if we may by meanes of his holinesse commaund get riddance of the Iesuits hence out of the land and an absolute confinde libertie granted to all catholike prisoners we should not then feare to die of famine which now many are very like shortly to die of vnlesse her Maiestie take pittie of them euen of her innate princely disposition and of her meere mercy all that be in Framlingham castel readie to starue already as receiuing no maintenance nor reliefe of the common beneuolence And a third but not the least is an assured hope that by such a means al should die glorious martyrs as freed from those factious seditions and trayterous dispositions wherewith Parsons that traitor attainted hath
them like fooles as they are and made them become a most seditious infamous pragmaticall treacherous diabolicall faction to set vp and defend a bastardly fellow in all his mischieuous plots and deuises and that the seculars are of no faction at all vnlesse they will call it a faction to ioyne against these vsurpers with the whole Church of God and so may they as probably like right heretikes they will do so one day say that all Catholike nations throughout Christendome are of the faction there being no Catholike countrey people or nation in the world this day but doth dislike of them and is against their wicked proceedings or else for speaking in defence of their Prince and countrey I meane in matters of gouernement succession and state affaires clearly abstracted from points of faith and religion and then and therein also if they say the seculars are of the faction they may aswell say that her Maiestie and honorable Counsell and in few all that are exempted from trayterous attempts and conspiracies either within or without the land are so And then by consequent all are of the faction throughout the world that will not yeeld to a Iesuiticall supremacy in the state Ecclesiasticall and to their Monarchy in a state temporall and in both to make father Parsons a king Cardinall Concerning this matter it is worthy the noting to see how this Camelion Iesuit Parsons hath banded off and on with time like a Protheus His and his fautors ostentation in outward shew is wholy for religion and that they do most earnestly desire the conuersion of their countrey and of such and such particular persons by name yea they would I marry would they all follow and prosecute the king of Scots title if he would become Catholike but if not they would all dye one after another against him And yet contrary to this ostentation made both in a letter of father Parsons to the Marques Huntley whom they account to be a speciall fautor of their faction as also contrarie to sundrie other of their writings schedules and passages they haue dealt both priuatly and openly to the contrarie In somuch that omitting particular practises as with the late Earle of Essex to whom father Parsons sent a Iesuite Priest to haue had him to take a pension of the king of Spaine priuatly for aduancement of his designements neuer mentioning any Religion to him off or on but be as he be would and so with others hath he dealt besides the viper shewed his malice most in the treatie of peace betwixt the kings of Fraunce and Spaine For at that time there was a rumour runne abroad that the Queene of England would enter into that league and so graunt a tolleration of religion But this father Parsons vtterly disliked of saying that either they would haue all or none that they would admit of no conditions His reason was this because quoth he a tolleration would make the Catholikes of England dull and without spirit c. But the reason indeed was this and in good faith when I first did see the Articles here drawne out in England of the conditions for peace before euer any newes came of this great Statists censure I sayd to a very friend of mine that it would cost the Iesuits a brace of a thousand pounds to stop it for that it stood not with father Parsons platforme to haue any relaxation of persecution in England so long as either her Maiestie liued or yet after vntill he were ready to come with Montioy Saint Iames of Spaine and Parsons for the Britons Monarchy because a tolleration for religion would breed these inconueniences all making against him and his faction First he could not then haue any colour to set out bookes or anticke shewes as he hath or to blaze it abroad in all nations how cruell tyrannicall and inhumane the persecution of Catholikes is in England Secondly he could no longer after haue blowne the infamous blasts that course both sea and land he affirming England to be the nurcery of faction sedition and of all mischiefe wrought throughout the world setting all Princes Monarches and States together by the eares liuing in league with one to make warre against another and maintaining of rebels against their Soueraignes Thirdly he could not by al likelihood haue had any Catholike Prince or other in Christendome to haue banded on his side For with what colour could either Spaine or Austria or any Catholike Prince haue inuaded England if Catholikes might liue here as freely as they did in France or as the Hugonites do now liue there and the Protestants in Germany and the Christians in Turkey and the Mahumetanes in Tartary the Pagans in Presbiter Iohns dominions Fourthly he could neuer after haue gone forward with this platforme for aspiring to the Monarchy For whereas now all Catholikes must depēd vpon the Archpriest the Archpriest vpon father Garnet Garnet vpon Parsons Parsons vpon the diuel the author of all rebellious conspiracies treasons murthers disobedience heresies all such other diabolicall bloudy designements as this wicked Iesuit hath hitherto deuised then and in that case this dependency had bin vtterly voide For we should haue had Catholike Bishops as Suffragans or such like that might haue giuen holy orders cōsecrated holy oiles ministred the Sacrament of Confirmation exercised their Episcopall authority in all things necessary priuatly as it was in the Apostles time and Primitiue Church without either any the least incōbrance or perturbance of the state or present incumbents the Bishops Archbishops that now are or admittance of any seditious Iesuit or other factious person to come within the lād Fiftly his malitious deuises cruel hard hart towards al Catholiks had herby bin discouered as neuer able hereafter to haue stirred vp her Maiesty or incensed her honorable Counsell against all her loyall and most dutifull subiects for his treacheries treasons cōspiracies Because al in that case wold haue bin ready to haue reuealed the least thought of any cōfederacy against her royall person kingdome and state Sixtly his baits had bene worth nothing for enticing and alluring of any subiect to rebellion either for the time present or to come because a league being once made with the French and Spanish nation all Catholikes of England being withall naturally inclined to loue and loyalty of and to their Prince and countrey all promises or hopes of preferment vnder forreine Princes would haue bin and seemed hatefull ridiculous and senslesse vnto them No nation vnder heauen affording greater honors comforts and content then England and our Soueraignes both are able do affoord to the inhabitants that liue in grace and fauor as in this case vtcunque the afflicted Catholikes should Seuenthly this tolleration or liberty of cōscience wold quite haue cut off two bloudy hopes which Parsons hath in al his practises to wit aswel the indāgering of her Maiesties royall person as also the fauoring furthering cōsenting
cause so hereafter also being stopt as if it be possible no doubt he shall from euer comming to know the sum of the seculars appeale he may no doubt both erre and be partiall therein THE X. ARTICLE VVHether seeing the Pope may without preiudice be sayd to be partial vpon wrong information giuen without hearing what the plaintife hath to say and thereupon iudging secundum allegata probata may also excommunicate c. the innocent and set the guilty free if any excoÌ„munication then should be gotten vtcunque against all the seculars and others that resist the Archpriest commanding all to side with the Iesuits either on the Spanish or any other inuadors behalfe or admit which is impossible scil that the Iesuits and Archpriest had right on their side in the pretended authoritie of and for maister Blackwell and that thereupon for the disobedience and contempt as the Iesuits tearme it the sayd seculars should be suspended with losse of all faculties c. And further hauing thus farre preuailed against them and that iustly as in the case proposed we must imagine If then and from thencefoorth an excommunication suspension interdiction or other Ecclesiasticall censure shold passe conceptis verbis from the Sea Apostolike with generall consent of the Cardinals or procurement of the greater part of them on the Archpriest and Iesuits behalfe against all their opposites in whatsoeuer were it to be obeyed or not or if it were in what sort and whether vsque ad aras or how farre c. THE ANSWER IN this Article are many crosse Interrogatories as scil First whether if an excommunication should be procured on the behalfe of an inuador as questionlesse it will if the Iesuits and Archpriest preuaile and as assuredly it will be stopt if the seculars may haue audience against all that should aide our Soueraigne and natiue countrey The point of forraigne conquest and inuasion vnder colour of restoring religion toucheth all English Catholikes as neare in effect for their liues as it doth the Protestants And by consequent both Catholiks Protestants haue iust cause to beare with and defend the one the other in these temporall and morall matters against the Iesuites and Puritanes who onely seeke to stir rebellions of subiects against their Soueraignes and vrge conquests inuasions of forreiners against their countrey both of them vnder colour of religion to cast a combustion mixt of sâ—te famine and sword vpon our countrey without sparing of any man woman or child as the doctrines and proceedings of both make it manifest that no Protestants life shall be saued if the Puritanes preuaileâ— nor any Catholike if the Iesuits preuaile yea questionlesse the Protestants shall sooner go to the pot then the Catholikes if the Puritanes preuaile and the Catholikes sooner then the Protestants if the Iesuites though in conclusion neither shal be fauoured not spared And this was plaine by the Duke of Medinaes words who being told that there were diuerse Catholikes in England answered I care not I will make the best Protestants in England as good Catholikes as they if once I have them vnder my sword c. This hath he spoken often in the hearing of maister Wencelâ—de a Deuonshire man and others So as this and other intelligences had of the Iesuitical deuotion and Spanish fauors towards our nation and vs Catholikes doth manifest their pretence of religion to be a bloudy presage of a massacring intended conquest were it to be obeyed or not the inuadour comming with hostile power vnder colour and pretence of restoring the Catholicke faith and religion in this land And to this I answere that it were not to be obeyed For that although euerie Catholike be bound to receiue succour releeue and aide to his power any one that should absolutely without any further intent come to restore plant and confirme the Catholike faith and religion in this land yet because intentio perficit actum and as I sayd in another Quodlibet before that act which in it selfe is good may both by circumstance and intention be made naught And further for that mans iudgement in humane actions whiles he liues vnder a mortall sword comes by senses obiects which are externall vt sonus obiectum auditus color visus c. and for that the outward obiect moues the inward sense then that outward presents it to the inward phantasie and imagination of man called sensus internus and that againe by office brings it into the Court of reason which reason reflecting vpon the primarie obiect iudgeth ex cognitione sensibili de intelligibili obiecto and so we say that Sacramentum est visibile signum inuisibilis gratiae Hereupon it cometh â—hat be the protestations neuer so great to the contrary morally without approuing the intention to be good by miracle yet if the externall signes be such as they implicate a contradiction verbi gratia as he that shold cast a fire-ball into a house yet protest he intended not to burne it or shoot off a peece at his supposed friend charged with powder bullet pellet or shot yet intended not to kill him or violentlie vrge and force a yeeld to rape yet protest his intention was onlie to trie that woman but not to rauish her no man will beleeue him And so in the case proposed the old Lord Mountacute of worthie memorie Sir Anthony Browne Vicount Montacute gaue a no lesse catholike then loyall answere to the like question saying to this effect That if the Pope himselfe should come in with crosse key and gospell in his hand he would be readie with the first to run vnto his holines to cast himselfe downe at his feete to offer his seruice vnto him in all humblenes of hart and what not to shew himselfe a dutifull childe But if in steede of comming in solemne procession with crosse booke praiers and preaching he should come in a sounding royall march with heralds of armes into banners of blood displaied trumpets alarum pikes harquebuse and men of armes all marshald in rankes set in battell aray then would he be the first man in the field armed at all points to resist him in the face with al his might and power he were able to make and what not would he doe to shew himselfe a dutifull subiect naturalized in an English soile on that behalfe To the like end did his brother in law the euer honorable Dacre his words tend euen in the middest of his prince and countries enimies And the same should be euery true catholike English mans resolution For let the colour pretence and protestation be whatsoeuer it be may yet for that one and the same person may come as an Apostle of Christ or knight of Mars and that the markes for others to know him by which of these two he is are not his intentions protestations or meaning but the signes and tokens he brings with him together with the manner of his outward actions and proceedings we iudging as
neuer come to good effect The old beaten pathes haue euer proued to be the best readiest and surest waies to walke in for the due performance of those designements And the ancient manner of planting the catholike faith hath bene by preaching praier and sacrifice priuate instructions hearing confessions giuing absolutions and exercising of other priestly functions and that done then to commit the rest to God To yeelde all temporall duties and seruices to the Prince vnder whom they liue yea though aliens by birth and strangers to his Nation people and naturall subiects much more then if borne vnder his natiue allegiance And so shall he neither cast of the care and dutifull seruice to his prince and country neither shall nor ought the care feare or respect had thereof discharge him of his duty to God and our holy mother the catholike church and to wish to his neighbour as to himselfe therein Alwaies obseruing the Apostolicall course in conuerting of others to the catholike faith Such a course as Saint Peter tooke first in Hierusalem then at Antioch then at Rome c. As Saint Paule tooke at Damasco at Corinth at Crete at Athens and at and in all countries prouinces and places where he came As Saint Iames the iust called our Lords brother tooke in the kingdome Iuda and Hierusalem and throughout the prouinces of Israell As Saint Iohn tooke at Ephesus and throughout all the churches of Asia vnder him As Saint Philip tooke at Hierapolis in Phrygia and throughout all Scythia As Saint Iames the sonne of Zebedee and brother to Saint Iohn tooke in Spaine As Saint Bartbolomew tooke in India and the great Armenia As Saint Matthew tooke in Aethiope As Saint Simon Zelotes tooke in Mesopotamia As Saint Iude or Thaddaeus tooke in Aegypt As Saint Andrew elder brother to Saint Peter tooke in Scythia of Europe and as Saint Thomas tooke amongst the Parthes Medes Persians Brachmans Hyrcans and Bactrians And in few as Saint Denis tooke among the French Fugatius and Damianus among the old Albion Britaines and Saint Augustine amongst the English Saxons of whom we all came These courses then that these glorious martyrs and blessed Saints tooke for conuersion of countries are for all catholike priests to imitate and to leaue these Iesuiticall seditious rebellious barbarous and preposterous courses to sathan and those infernall spirits from whence they came euer confessing as true sincere and religious catholikes should that innouations are euer daungerous that new fanglenesse in the least point of faith and religion is most pernitious and that nouelties and fine deuises of busie and vnquiet heads are but as May flowers that are gone in Iune carying a faire shew but neuer continue long Therefore let euery catholike priest seeke in the name of Iesus the conuersion of our country but not as the Iesuiticall faction hath sought Let them seeke it by priestly conuersation not by popular deuastation Let them study to teache obedience not rebellion to fill mens harts with inward ioy and peace not feede their eares with outward hopes of inuasions and treacheries to possesse their soules with laments in Apostrophees of compassion with good Saint Gregory who sighed sore for our forefathers being strangers vnto him to see so many soules perish in our Nation euery howre and not puffe vp their harts with preposterous cogitations of moone shine of the water THE V. ARTICLE VVHether doe the Iesuites in this point of Statizacion agree either amongst themselues or with any other priests or lay persons THE ANSWERE TTo this I answere First that it is manifest by the matter it selfe now in question that the secular priests and they doe quite disagree herein Secondly it is to be noted that their agreement amongst themselues concerning state meddles may be taken three manner of waies one way as it concerneth our country in particular and therein questionlesse there is no Iesuite in Christendome but he is of one and the selfe same mind that his fellowes are of scil that they all could wish to haue England Scotland and Ireland vnder them Note by this discourse here following that if the Iesuits had got England we should haue had a gouernment deposition and a Presbyter Iohn penes quem imperium to make these Northerne Iles all one Iesuiticall Monarchy to infeoffe themselues by hooke or by crooke in the whole imperiall dominions of great Britania with the remainder ouer to their corporation or puny fathers succeeding them as heires special in their societie by a state of perpetuity putting all the whole blood roiall of England to the formedowne as but heires general in one predicament together That this is so and that their wish their hope their intents in proceeding their labour in performing their endeuour in perfecting this plot and platforme are equally agreeing to all of them a like though the meanes and manner how to effect be different agreeing to their different natures dispositions qualities and abilities as some to be aulicall others martiall others rurall and againe of those some to be actors others prompters others inuentors or plotcasters c. It is cleere by many generall circumstances As that for one of maintaining the Archpriests authority as all the English Iesuits doe most eagerly whose institutiue iurisdiction is directly proued to extend to this point and practise for their aduancement to the monarchie Then for the Scots Iesuites a man would thinke that if any of that society were against Parsons proceedings they should be the most resolute But notwithstanding this omitting al the rest cōniuing and some most earnestly pursuing auerring imbracing the said Parsons opinion as their speeches to my selfe declared when they were afraid I should haue published my booke in answere to his Doleman for the succession c. Yet euen father Cryton who onely the Scots king did hope well of is proued by Master Cicills booke against him to be as forward as the other on the Spaniards behalfe and most egregiously to mocke flatter dissemble and collogue with his natiue Soueraigne And as for the Iesuites of other Nations it may appeere by the state booke of reformation for England drawne out by Parsons and the generall of the Iesuites in cuius virtute caeteri operantur that they all aime at one marke and one course and conceiue one and the same generall hope to haue England a Iapponian Monarchie as once one tearmed it or an apish Iland of Iesuites An other way their statizing may be taken for their priuate opinions cōcerning the next successor viz. whom this and that Iesuite would gladliest haue their vmpier patron champion to fight the field on their behalfe in bringing the whole realme vnder their subiection And herein bicause arrogancie pride and ambition hath set them all so high on horseback as looke what Prince or Noble can goe away with the English crowne that same they hope to be the aduancer of him most who most did further their pretence and was the greatest
effects we now behold both clergie and laitie highly offending so the succceding occasions of erronious conceipts hath been our owne faultes in treading our forefathers steps in this point of priuate respects selfe conceits and high aspires So as iustly we may say Non sumus digni à Deo exaudiri but rather and most true it is that nostris demeritis meremur puniri and that the fault is not in her Maiestie nor honorable Councell nor ciuill magistrate nor all nor any of our aduersaries but in our selues that England is not yet conuerted and our persecution of long time still encreased scil by reason of some seditious persons and others that followed them with indiscreet zeale and those that were in expectance of great matters by a change conuerting their thoughts from heauenly hopes to earthly hazards imploying their studies how to compasse their owne ambitious aduancements God highly offended to see his blessings and graces lost and taken from amongst vs for our forefathers sinnes to be gone about by the like and woorse proceedings to haue it restored againe It could not otherwise choose but greeuously offend the diuine maiestie and vntill the archplotters of this preposterous course for our countries conuersion were either cut off or otherwise had humbled themselues and surceasing from all ambitious aspires sought sincerely the health of soules not heapes of gold England should neuer be conuerted But we all die and pine away leauing the atchieuement to those that shall succeede in our places when we are all dead and gone That the Iesuits of the more fiery hot and Puritanian humor may not snuffe at the quiet that catholikes are here said to haue liue◠in eleuen yeeres you shall heare the very words of two of their great Rabbies Parsons Creswels speaking to her Maiestie in a Puritanian stile as followeth In the beginning of thy kingdome thou didst deale something more gently with catholikes none were vrged by thee or pressed either to thy sect or to the deniall of their faith All things in deede did seeme to proceede in a farre milder course no great complaints were heard of no extraordinarie contentions or repugnancies Some there were that to please gratifie you went to your churches But when afterwards thou didst beginne to wring them c. Which whensoeuer it was we were the cause as the attempts in Fraunce and Scotland make it manifest This then being the course and cause of humane hopes our harts doe bleede to reade and heare as sundry of vs haue what hath beene printed and published out of Italie in the life of Pius Quintus concerning the indeuors of his holines stirred vp by false suggestions to ioine with the king of Spaine for the vtter ruine and ouerthrow both of our prince and countrie Would God such things had neuer beene enterprised and more that they had neuer beene printed but most of all that they neuer had fronted our natiue shores And if Parsons and his associates had not busied themselues with that they should nor then had we not now medled in this place with that we would not as whereunto for a iust defence of all loyall catholike subiects ignorant of Parsons and his complices drifts we are now constrained to make appeales apologies and replies For what good soeuer the first or againe renewing of the excommunication the printing reprinting of state bookes and other practises may bring hereafter to the Church of God we neither see it neither knowe it But sure we are that for the present nothing hath done vs greater harme nor giuen our common enimies greater aduantages against vs. It is elsewhere set downe how that her Maiestie vsed vs kindly for the space of the first ten yeers of her highnes raigne the state of the catholikes in England that while was tollerable and after a sort in some good quiet Such as for their conscience were imprisoned or in durance were very mercifully dealt withall the state and change of things then considered some being appointed to remaine with such their friends as they themselues made choise of others were placed with Bishops and others with Deanes and had their diets at their tables with such conuenient walkes and lodgings as did well content them They that were in ordinarie prisons had all such libertie and commodities as the place and their estate could affoord them yea euen thus much and more doth Parsons confesse in his Philopater as also father Creswell in his Scribe to the like effect though both very rude peremptorie and sawcie in their speech to her Maiestie with thou didst this and thou didst that c. And Parsons in Grenecoate makes the case cleere especially for state matters though he turne his passage there against the Earle of Leicester to a wanton speech as deliuered from a Lady of the Court how great quiet the state and Court was in for twelue yeeres space no talke of treasons nor conspiracies no iealousies nor suspitions no enuie nor supplantations no feare of murtherings nor massacrings no question of conscience nor religion all liued in quiet content and right good fellowship was amongst them both Lords and Ladies wiues and maidens nobles and gentles knights and esquires married and single of all degrees a ioy it was to haue been in the Court in those daies saith Parsons in that Ladies name whose words mooued much the company where she was as women saith he are potent in moouing where and when they please she did deliuer her mind with so sweete a countenance and courtly a grace c. Now whiles you were say our aduersaries thus kindly vsed of her highnes how trecherously was she dealt withall by you For what had you to doe being catholikes and religious priests as Iesuits terme themselues with spreading pamphlets libels and other fooleries abroad of any misdemeanor in her Maiesties subiects and peeres of the realme You might haue left such scoggerie as Parsons hath set out in Greenecoate to Tarleton Nashe or else to some Puritane Martin Mar prelate or other like companions And for you it was to haue handled grauer higher and more important matters and that concerning soule points not subtilties nor new deuises much lesse to haue dealt against her Maiestie and the state in so traiterous a manner as in a late treatise set out by our brethren doth at large appeere Where to our vnspeakable greefe the world shall see that we our selues who would be termed catholikes and that of all sorts haue beene the true causes of all our owne calamities When I was examined before some of the high Commissioners at the Gildhall about 14. yeeres agone concerning matters of state and especially about the six Interrogatories which we commonly called the six bloodie articles knowing my selfe innocent from the beginning of any the least disloyall thought I haue often since much mused with my selfe what should haue mooued her Maiesties honorable Councell to haue proposed these articles to priests but most of all why
doctrine of the Iesuits touching equiuocation hath already bewitched so many of them But principally what are all catholike priests that are Iesuited to looke for vpon the broaching of this desperate and diuelish conceite when the catholikes are in number sufficient they must rebell and the innocent priests are sent ouer to increase this number Into what perplexities are they hereby cast How can they expect any fauor when they are taken none caÌ„not deny that their comming ouer is to increase the number of catholiks and that father Parsons raigneth and hath the whole direction at this day for all the missions that are for England How then alas how may her Maiesty the state conclude against them what lawes can be too extreme to keepe them out of the land or if they will needs come in what seuerity for the execution of lawes against them can be more then sufficient Into what gulfe are we plunged nay into what an obloquie are we plunged nay into what an obloquie must the catholike church of Rome grow in that the execution of priesthoode and treason are now so linked together by the Iesuits in England as we cannot exhort any to the catholike faith but dogmatizando in so doing we draw him in effect to rebellion For the mitigation therfore both of her Maiestie and the state and that they may deale more mercifully with poore secular priests I doe heere professe both for my selfe and those that are not Iesuited as too many are that we loath and detest this point of Iesuitisme that if we finde that we can not otherwise preuaile and that such as are catholikes will needes runne into these Iesuiticall courses of rebellion and treason we will surcease from the execution of our functions and from the increasing of that number that will will not be aduised by vs with patience and suffering to expect the Lords leisure for the restitution of the catholike faith and in the meane time to obey her Maiestie as they did in Tertullians time and as Saint Augustine doth teach vs in lawfull commandements and points perteining to ciuill gouernment and temporall lawes THE V. ARTICLE VVHether seeing this BuchananiaÌ„ doctrine of stirring vp subiects to rebell against their Soueraignes when they are of force is so greedily snatched vp of the Iesuits as it seemeth they would scorne not to be holden or accounted of as the first author or at least practisioners of it in their owne sense and meaning is it then the whole monarchie of all these northerne Isles of England Scotland and Wales that they shoote at or else do they aime at the crowne monarchiall of England onely or otherwise at none at all directly but onely for a superioritie ouer the ecclesiasticall and secular state THE ANSWERE THey doe questionles cast at all both ecclesiasticall temporall and monarchical states as may be demonstrated by sundry arguments conuincing them of their no lesse treacherous and ambitious then Pharisaicall and irreligious intents attemptes practises and proceedings therein First for that in precise termes they and theirs haue giuen it out for England by name that it should be made an Island of Iesuits and that they were assured of it that the king of Spaine vpon the conquest would bestow it vpon them Secondly before the Lady Infantaes title marriage or placing in the Lowe countries was dreamed of the chiefe speeches was of the king her fathers title and for hers it was but then coldly handled And if you marke well the tenor of his discourse throughout his whole Dolmanian coyned succession you shall not finde him absolute in his opinion for Spaine And he frameth all his passages to perswade as well all our English nation that it will be fittest and for the most aduancement of our nobles and augmentiue florish of the whole common wealth as also most secure and to the greatest both merite and renowne of the king catholike neuer to offer to come hither himselfe or to enthronize his maiestie or royall issue within the Britons coasts as a diminution of his honor princely regalitie so to doe considering our countrie is so base obscure and beggerly and the blood royall together with all the heroeces nobles and gentles of these northerne Isles so abiect meane and ignominious forsooth where his Spanish paragons with their Mercurian gilded Caduceus come in place Loe deere Catholiâ—es and all you deeâ—â—ly affected 〈…〉 countries 〈◊〉 thiâ—ke 〈◊〉 not bâ—â— that 〈…〉 you 〈…〉 Ladies 〈…〉 sh◠〈…〉 beâ—â—◠〈…〉 Paâ—â—â—◠〈…〉 the rest of 〈…〉 its 〈…〉 great 〈◊〉 â—â—gher adâ—aâ—ceâ—â—â—◠〈…〉 you 〈…〉 the 〈…〉 the Spaniard 〈◊〉 â—oâ—â—aigne â—aâ—â—â—s c. But the best most conuenient and contentiue course to be taken for all parties is by this exlegall legifers lawes set downe for the Spaniards to bring this whole monarchiall Isle from the name honor and title of successionall regality to be vnder a Viceroyes gouernment charge there withal reduced into the forme fashion and proportioned order of a Prouince to send the peeres other nobles natiues of this land that shall take the Spaniards part into forraigne countries as Sicily Naples Peru India c. to make them Vâ—ceroyes there and then to commit this Prouince to the gouernment of the fathers of the society of Iesus sci to our petty king father Fa. Parsons and the rest as I said before Which assertion if it seeme absurd to be but a surmise then tell me I pray what gouernment can you gather out of all his bookes that we shal haue or who shall be our king oâ— sway the scepter royall of this land For the king of Spaine himselfe it is to meane for him and therefore holden of Fa. Parsons for a dishonor if he should leaue Spaine to keepe heere his royall Court. For his daughter the new Archdutchesse of Austria Dutchesse of Burgundy Lady of Netherlands her grace was but then glauncingly spoken of Yea when Fa. Parsons had vrged the subscription and consent to her title afterwards to sundry of our nation as before is said amongst the rest a reuerend priest and anncient gentleman old Master Midleton being roughly handled by Fa. Parsons and indangered in Spaine before his departure to Rome for not consenting to his vnnaturall motion vnlesse it might haue beene by marriage of the said Lady Infanta to some noble or peere of our land This cosening mate protesting at the first that it was meant no otherwise but she should afterward when partly by force and feare partly vpon hope to haue gotten all his money out of this fathers hands who by your leaue vnder Benedicite be it spoken cosened him at the last cast of three hundred pound at least as we haue beene credibly informed by reuerend priests then there which he neuer could get out of his handes he consented vpon that condition to giue his name to that charter of subscription And then loe what the good father added quoth he I could wish her Ladishippe
of a lyon becom a lambe In few we see in Polony in Sweden in Scotland in Flaunders and euery where that catholikes are together with those of other professions sects and opinions vnlesse it be where onely the Consistorian Caluinian Cartwrightian puritans rule the rost and that a company of ministers or exorbitant superintendants ouertop both Prince prelate and all as in Scotland and at Geneua c. Otherwise all kings and princes of this age haue iudged it in pollicie the fittest wisest safest and most honorable and princely course they could haue taken to graunt libertie of conscience to their subiects Which seeing our soueraigne Queene Elizabeth hath not granted and yet is knowne to be in her owne high towring princely wisedome of as high a pitch sound and deepe conceite censure and iudgement in reach not to be seconded of any of these adding heereunto that for gouernment of her land for policie in her state for noblenes in her court her Highnes hath the choice of as fine delicate and daintie breed of gallant graue quicke wits as Europe nay as Afrike nay as Asia nay as the world this day enioyes The Italian the Spaniard the Polonian the Sweden the Moscouite the Turke the Persian and who not is willing to aduaunce her Maiesties meanest sort of subiects sometime to the highest types of honor to winne them wholy to be theirs to learne witte sleight and pollicie out of their practise and experience These Boreas blasted lads borne vnder the Britaine Ocean able to fire with their wits the hotte climatical Southerne Sages witnes our Stukeleyes our Candishes our Furbishers our Drakes our Hilles our Sherleys our Parsons c. All these circumstances duly weighed that this heauie yoke should be laide by so mercifull wise and prudent a prince vpon the weake neckes of her poore subiects with weight importable for them to carry vnlesse her highnes should stretch foorth her accustomed Atlantike armes of clemencie to support them before they sinke downe right vnder their burthen That this seueritie should be more vsed against catholiks in England then either any catholike king or prince of other professions either Christian or heathen vse against either subiects or forrainers of contrary religions vnto the said princes throughout the worlde this day This is the point which many stande vpon in admiring how euer things should haue come to that passe they are at in England concerning the affliction of catholikes and cannot finde out the causes This then to make manifest to all the world by an historicall discourse and that howsoeuer we haue matter enough against our aduersaries euen for religions sake yet neither to aggrauate more then is necessarie nor to accuse further then is expedient nor to excuse more then is conuenient nor yet to lay the fault of any that is faultlesse therefore shall it be made knowne that as the affliction of catholiks in England hath beene in very deed extraordinary as is heere set downe and many an innocent man lost his life so also hath the cause thereof beene extraordinary and so farre beyond the accustomed occasions of persecution giuen to any prince in christendome or monarchie that is or euer was in the world to this hower vnlesse the Puritanes of Scotland which may in some sort equall the offence heere to be set downe as rather it is to be woondred at all things duly considered that any one catholike is left on liue in England then that our persecution hath beene so great for name one nation I know none can vnder heauen where the subiects especially if they were catholikes euer sought the death of their Soueraigne though of a different religion frō them the conquest of their natiue land the subuersion of the state the depopulation of the weale publike the alteration change of al lawes customs orders in few the vtter deuastation desolation destruction of al the ancient inhabitants of their land in so vnnatural vnchristian vncatholike a maner as the Spanish faction haue sought it in our owne flesh and bloud against this realme which treacherous courses although they were but some fewe and those priuate persons offences and by consequent in a court of conscience and in rigour of iustice the rest neither acting nor concurring nor consenting to their conspiracies were innocent and no way to be vsed with that seueritie as many catholiks haue beene Yet forasmuch as the pretences of such practises were generall and common to all catholikes alike all maintaining one and the same opinion concerning what might be done by apostolicall power and authoritie and neuer talking of what was necessarie therefore was it that her Maiestie and the state standing on the other side affected in religion as they did had both cause to iudge secundum allegata probata in foro externo and also can not otherwise be thought of but that the circumstances on all sides considered as well making for her owne securitie as also for a Non-knowledge what catholiks were guiltie and who were free her Maiesties lawes and proceedings against catholikes haue beene both milde and mercifull And as we are to thinke in deed our happe now to be hard if no mitigation nor prouisoe should be made for the innocent now that the way and meanes is knowne for discouery of traytors distinguishing betwixt state catholiks catholike loyall subiects so also are we to giue her Highnes humble thanks for our liues that we were not al cut off whiles no difference was made put nor knowne betwixt the secular priests Iesuits that we haue been permitted to liue to this happy houre of manifesting our catholike cōstancy obedience to the See apostolike in al our actions and our naturall loyaltie and seruiceable harts to our Prince and countrey in all our proceedings in neither stayning our catholike religion with vnnaturall treason nor priestly function with factious dispositions and state affaires But of this matter I will heere be silent referring you to a treatise lately set out by my brethren intituled Important considerations c. whereunto I haue prefixed an Epistle By both which you may see at large what statizing by acts wordes and writings in most treacherous and treasonable manner hath beene against her Maiestie against the present state against the whole common-wealth against vs all without exception her Highnes loyall and naturall subiects of what religion soeuer we be which seeing her Princely hart hath forborne as no Soueraigne on earth would euer haue suffred the like to haue past vnpunished as she hath I must conclude and end as we began that her lawes and proceedings haue beene both milde and mercifull THE X. ARTICLE VVHether then the premisses considered is it fit that Catholiks should send their children and friends to be brought vp in the Seminaries beyond the seas or not If not then how should the salt of the earth be kept vncorrupted or the seede of priesthood be continued for restoring of the catholike Romane
faith in England And if so that they be sent then how should her Maiesty and the state here be satisfied or moued to mitigate the former seuerall lawes made against them and all catholikes for their Iesuiticall crimes THE ANSWERE THis Interrogatorie is indeed a very doubtfull Dilemma in a sequell to great sense respecting what hath bene said in the last article For kings haue euer bene iealous of their estates haue and doe orderly take any occasion to preuent the worst and none hath euer had greater cause then her Maiestie hath had to suspect her catholike subiects loialtie in generall for some priuate and peculier Iesuiticall treasons wrought against her roiall person and state in speciall they still practising and we still punished they onely faultie and we commonly smarting for their offences they still attempting and the catholikes cause daily more and more indaungered and hindered by them And againe the iealousie had of vs all is greatly increased by these three heads viz. One in that it is apparant that the Seminaries in Spaine were intended by father Parsons of purpose to cause a conquest and to bring this land into bondage and slauery of the Spaniard An other in that he being Rector of the Seminary at Rome all that come there must dance after his pipe or els woe be to them c. The third for that all schoole Diuinity being banished out of the Seminary at Doway bicause saith Parsons Scientia inflat his subiect Doctor Woorthington must teach them to practise what he will haue them in England els get they no faculties Which things occasionating a meruailous great suspition to be had of all catholikes by the state and thereby withall increasing our manifold dangers on euery side it makes the case very doubtfull what to thinke of continuance of the Seminaries being all now vnder these blody cruell harted traiterous and most vnnatural irreligious and consciencelesse Iesuites tirannicall gouernment Therefore to the article thus I answere First that I am not of their opinion who hold that the said English Seminaries at Rome and Rhemes were ordained of purpose to traine vp seditious youths as our aduersaries say and after some time to send them into England to moue rebellion Secondly I am fully perswaded that his holinesse Pope Gregory the thirteenth and some others had very sincere harts in the erecting of them and were far from any intent to haue the Seminary priests of England brought vp there in any treacherous or traiterous manner but in a most holy religious and vertuous course of life study and exercise as Cardinall Allane in his apollogie doth demonstrate Thirdly no man shall be able to write that commendation of their doings therein whereunto I will not most willingly subscribe and auowe whiles breth is in my body or life doth last in me Yet all this notwithstanding as the case is now with the said Seminaries I am of opinion setting aside the said holy intent and godly institution that no catholikes ought to send their children or friends thither First bicause they are greatly degenerated though the time be not long since they were erected from their primitiue foundation and intent of the founders Secondly they were ordained for the training vp of the best wits to be secular priests but now they are abused to the increasing of the number of the Iesuites Thirdly true cases of conscience schoole diuinity positiue exercises for matters of controuersie in religion and other studies of humanitie besides were there taught but now their heads must be filled with treacheries equiuocations dissimulation hipocrisie and all kind of falshood otherwise they are not fit disciples of Iesuiticall traitors nor fit for to be of the Spaniards faction Fourthly the Iesuites haue gotten into their hands the gouernment of the same Seminaries who being very odious men to diuers states will bring likewise a detestation of all such priests as shal be brought vp vnderneath them Fiftly we find by experience that the Iesuites here in England doe therefore chalenge superioritie and precedency of the secular priests bicause whilest they were in the Seminaries they were brought vp and trained by them which tendeth to the great derogation of the secular priesthood Sixtly although her Maiesty and the state hitherto haue not dealt so roughly either with priests or other catholikes as they might haue done yet knowing now that our english students being brought vp by Parsons direction chiefly and that in their missions hither his manner is to bind them to set out the said Infantaes title as is before expressed it cannot chuse but that the state will proceede against them as they shal be taken with greater seueritie Seuenthly whereas heretofore it was made onely subiect to a pecuniary mulet for any catholike to send their sons or friends beyond the seas if hereafter a lawe be made to inflict the same punishment vpon such as sende youths thither who can iustly take exception to it And the rather can they not take exception to such a law bicause of the punishment that is already ordained for those that shall receiue priests from thence Now for the last point in the article my opinion is and I verily thinke that all catholike English subiects priests or lay persons that are not to too much bewitched with Iesuitisme are of my mind that all faithful catholikes the premisses considered are bound in conscience to become most humble sutors to his holines for the remoouing of all Iesuits not onely out of England where they haue already wrought all our woes but euen also from intermedling in any sort with the said Seminaries in any place beyond the seas Or if they cannot be heard through the Machiuilian practises of the Iesuits as questionles what the malice of the diuell or wit of his fowle instrument Parsons can inuent shal be vrged to the vttermost to stop this course then they are to fall to their praiers that God himselfe will thrust out laborers into this vineyard and draw the harts of the students in our owne vniuersities here in England to receiue and embrace the catholike faith if not in generall which we hartily wish and pray for yet in some certaine colledges either in the one or the other And withall for the better hope thereof to commence our humble sute vnto her Maiestie ioyning thereunto our hartie prayers that God of his mercy would vouchsafe to incline her princely hart to grant vs some colledge or other house fit for that purpose with free leaue to teach and reade such lectures as may be fitting for our profession and for to withdraw and take away all occasions or necessities of sending any of our friends beyond the seas In which most pious politike and honorable acte fitly agreeing to her Maiestie and magnificencie and graunted euen of heathen princes to christian priests and prelats her Highnes should not onely merite lasting fame renowne and memorie to all posteritie but euen also thereby cut off occasions of