divers parts of the Realm and namely those of Devonshire seeing such alterations to be made in Religion under the Minority of a Child quite contrary to the Laws and Statutes left by King Henry the Eighth and that all things went backward both at home and abroad the Towns we had in France being lost or upon the point of losing they complained first and after took Arms for defence of their Ancient Religion in the beginning of the third year of this Kings Reign the people of Sommersetshire and Lincolnshire beginning first in the Month of May and then in July the people of Essex Kent Suffolk Norfolk Cornwall and Devonshire and in August those also of Yorkshire all crying and demanding to have the Catholic Religion remain as it was left by King Henry at least-wise until King Edward came to lawful age thereby to be able to determin and judge of matters of Religion which demand did wonderfully trouble and vex the Lord Seymour Protector and other new Gospellers who being hungry after Catholics Goods could abide no delay in making this desired Innovation 33. And albeit before these Insurrections fell out they did well see by divers attempts that the heart of the people was wholly against those their Innovations in Religion as appeareth plainly by a Speech of the Lord Rich then Chancellor to the Sheriffs and Justices of Peace of all Shires gathered together in London in the year 1548 being the second of King Edward's Reign as at large you may see in Fox yet such was their importunity in this behalf as they would needs go forward which thing pleasing John Fox well he writeth thus By this you may see what zealous care was in this young King and in the Lord Protector his Uncle concerning the Reformation of Christ's Church 34. The same Fox also setteth down in another place what the young King answered to the Devonshire-men that desir'd that the state of matters in Religion might remain as King Henry had ordained and left them and in particular they required that the Statute of Six Articles against Heretics might stand in force until King Edward came to full age Whereunto let us hear his Answer and consider thereby how matters went in those days To the first about the Statute of Six Articles made by his Father and inviolably kept all days of his life the little Child answered thus Know you what you require They were Laws made but quickly repented too bloody were they to be born of Our people You know they helped Vs to extend rigor and to draw Our Sword very often yea they were as a Whetstone unto Our Sword and for your Causes We have left to use them and sith Our mercy moved Vs to write Our Laws with Milk how be you blinded to ask them in Blood c 35. And then further he saith But to leave this manner of reasoning with you We let you wit That the same Laws have been annulled by Our Parliament with great rejoyce of Our Subjects and not now to be called by Our Subjects in question Dare any of you stand against an Act of Parliament c Assure you most surely that We of no earthly thing make such account as to have Our Laws obey'd for herein resteth Our Honor and shall any of you dare to breath against Our Honor c Lo how little account this little King Child was taught to make of his old Father's Laws and how thundringly to speak for the maintenance of his own But when they came to the second point about his Nonage he is yet more resolute for thus he writeth 36. In the end of your request saith he you would have Our Fathers Laws stand in force until Our full age But to this We think if ye knew what ye spake you would never have uttered that motion nor ever have given breath to such a thought For what think you of Our Kingdom Be We of less Authority for Our Age You must first know that as a King We have no difference of years nor time but as a natural Man and Creature of God We have Youth and by his sufferance shall have Age. We are your rightful King your leige Lord your King anointed your King crowned the sovereign King of England not by Our Age but by God's Ordinance We possess Our Crown not by Years but by the Blood and Descent from Our Father King Henry VIII c. 37. All this and much more did they make the innocent young King to talk and write in defence of their Innovations who had more Interest therein than He. And as for the Catholic People albeit they deny'd not but that he was a true King in his minority of Age yet no man was so foolish as to think notwithstanding all these preachings to the contrary but that it was a different thing for matters of Religion to be altered now in his Name than afterward by Himself when he should come to Age. 38. But among all others none urged this Argument so much nor with such Authority as the King 's eldest Sister the Princess Lady Mary Heir-apparent to the Crown who being a zealous Catholic and yet wishing well also to the Protector did by sundry Letters to be seen in Fox admonish both Him and the rest of the Council That they should look well what they did during the King's minority in altering the Will Laws and Ordinances of his and her Father King Henry for that afterward they were like enough to be called to account about the same when the King her Brother should come to full years Moreover she admonished them That they had no Authority to make such alteration in so great matters as they did but ought rather to conserve things in the state left unto them by King Henry her Father according as by solemn Oath they had sworn unto him before his death that they would do but especially about matters of Religion until the King her Brother came unto lawful Age. 39. By all which is clearly seen how the Catholic Religion remained in England most substantially rooted in King Edward's days and that Heresie entred only from the teeth outward and was maintained by violence of Temporal Authority and according to that was the success For after many toils and turmoils one killing another of those that governed when they thought they had laid a sure Platform to continue the same by excluding the Lady Mary and Lady Elizabeth and thrusting in Jane the Duke of Suffolk's Daughter after King Edward's death and had so plotted and fortified that Design as they thought it sure the only Zeal of the common Catholic People for the recovering the use of Catholic Religion again overthrew all and placed Queen Mary as is notorious to the World. And afterward if we consider the end of most of them which in those days being Counsellors for Ambition or other respects were promoters of Heresie as Dudley Pembroke Winchester
Contentions but had not the Gift of the old Apostolical Preachers to preach the self-same Faith and Doctrin every where but so many men so many Opinions were set abroach every man following his own fancy only they agreed in impugning the Catholic Church Rites Doctrin and Service but among themselves they could not agree 11. Which thing being signified to the Protector both before his departure and while he was in the Scottish Journey it grieved him exceedingly and wrote back to Cranmer Ridley and the rest that they should seek some means of Agreement and Conformity and that they should make hast to end the Common-Service-Book or Book of Common Prayer Doctrin and Rites which they had begun to treat of before his departure out of London But this was not so easie to do for that new Factions and Divisions were grown now among them especially upon the arrival of the foresaid new Preachers as well English as strangers from beyond the Seas For albeit the strangers could not much help in making this English Communion-Book or rather new Mass-Book yet did they hurt and hinder the same much by the variety of Opinions which they brought with them in matter of Doctrin some of them coming from Saxony and others from Switzerland where there were different new Sects and Doctrins held and taught And forasmuch as in this Book not only the Rites and Ceremonies of Service and Administration of Sacraments but the Doctrin also of their Number and Nature and other Articles of Belief were to be expressed or at leastwise insinuated hereof arose a great War for that Bucer would have one thing Peter Martyr another Ochinus a third and then stepped in John Bale and Milo Coverdale freshly come with their new Doctrin and wanton Women from beyond Seas and would have room amongst the rest 12. But above all others did trouble the Market at this time two heady married Priests come also from beyond the Seas to wit John Hooper and John Rogers the one from Wittenberg with a German Wife the other from Argentine with a Burgundian Sister as Fox testifieth who dissenting wholly from the Course begun by Cranmer and Ridley and bearing special emulation against them as accounting themselves more Learned and zealous and more reformed than they as in their Lives we shall shew when we come to their places in the Calendar they being potent in Speech and Faction and had in estimation of the people in respect of their former Banishment they made this Agreement at the first beginning much more difficult Especially for that one Hugh Latimer more turbulent than any of them all and of more regard with the common people for that he had been Bishop in King Henry's days joyned with Hooper and Rogers against Cranmer and Ridley for that they were not inclined to restore him his Bishoprick of Worcester whereof he had been deprived by King Henry VIII 13. Whereupon the Protector when he returned to London from the Scottish Voyage in the end of the Summer he was greatly troubled to see these Divisions But especially for that he found nothing ready as he had hope for the new Communion-Book but only that the old Religion was impugned and the new not yet framed and infinite strife was raised both about the one and the other Yet a Parliament being called together upon the Fourth of November Anno Domini 1547 and the First of King Edward they thought to give an attempt to see what might be done to have some Alteration established But it would hardly be notwithstanding all Art Power and Persuasion was used by the Protector and his people to obtain the same For that in this Parliament they gat only two things of moment to be determined about Religion The first was that all former penal Statutes made against any Heretic or Sectary whatsoever from King Edward the Third downward to wit for the space almost of 200 years should be revoked But namely the Statutes made against Lollards Wickliffians Hussits Anabaptists and the rest in the 1. Year of King Richard the Second and in the 2. Year of King Henry the Fifth and in the 25.31.33.34 and 35. Years of King Henry the Eighth against what Heresies Heretics or Sectaries soever All these Laws and Statutes I say were recalled annulled and taken away together with their punishments prohibitions or other restraints whatsoever So as now every Man might think say preach or teach what he thought best And this judgeth Fox to be a goodly sweet Liberty of the Gospel where no Man is bound nor forced to any thing And this determined a Child of Nine years old against the Decrees of all his prudent Ancestors for 200 years upward 14. But yet in all this free liberty of Sectaries to say write and teach what they list the punishment of Death was reserved unto Catholics that should speak in defence of the Doctrin of the Pope's Supremacy or in derogation of the Supreme Ecclesiastical Headship of this young King. And this was the first and principal beginning of the Gospel in King Edward's time to give every Man liberty to do and believe what he would so he were not a Catholic Which is much like the opening of Prisons and common Jayls in the beginning of a Rebellion when all Malefactors are made free from fear of Laws so they will joyn in Faction with the Rebellious And upon the opening of this Gate no marvail tho' all Sectaries rushed in and among others divers Arians Anabaptists Trinitarians and like Heretics began to preach presently their Doctrins with such publicity as Cranmer and his Fellows for repressing thereof were enforced to sit in publick Judgment and condemn divers of them to Death albeit I do not see by what Law having now revoked and annulled all former Statutes made against Heretics for their punishment as hath been said And namely he condemned Joan of Kent alias Joan Knell that had been a Handmaid of Anne Askew burned before in the last year of King Henry VIII for denying the Real Presence And Joan had profited so much under Anne's Doctrin as now she denied Christ to have taken Flesh of the Blessed Virgin who was so resolute with her Scriptures against Cranmer and his Assistants sitting upon her and her Fellows in our Lady 's Cappel of S. Paul's Church in London upon the 27th of April when he gave Sentence of Death against her that she reproached him greatly for his inconstancy in Religion telling him that he condemned not long before Anne Askew for a piece of Bread and now condemned her for a piece of Flesh And that as he was come now to believe the first which then he had condemned so would he come in time to believe the second c. 15. And for that O. E. in his Defence of Sir Francis Hastings would not seem to think this matter to be true I do assure the Reader in all sincerity that I have it by relation and asseveration
stay'd here in proving you by these external conflictions only but hath passed to the internal also that he might say of you as he did of his dearest people when he meant to do them most good Convertam manum meam ad te excoquam ad purum scoriam tuam auferam omne stannum tuum I will turn my hand upon thee and will boil out by fire all thy rust even to the quick and will take from thee all thy Pewter thereby to leave thee pure Silver he would equal you in this Point with the Privilege of his Apostles that you might say with them truly Foris pugnae intus timores We have fights abroad and frights at home You know what I mean and others will easily guess that have heard of the late storms past Only I will say to your high commendation that your moderate and sage deportment hath been such also in this Point of not admitting the scandal offered as all men have been edified by your Wisdom and Piety therein seeing fulfilled on your behalf that which the Holy Ghost prophesied of holy wise and peaceable men truly fearing God Pax multa diligentibus Legem tuam non est illis scandalum Those that love thy Law O Lord do enjoy their inward Peace and are not scandalized with what external tempests soever do arise 9. In respect of which Piety of yours it is to be presumed that Christ our Savior hath wrought again by his Substitute and this upon the sudden that famous Miracle recorded by St. Matthew St Mark and St. Luke of calming the Tempest that put his Disciples in fear and jeopardy Exurgens imperavit ventis mari facta est tranquilitas magna He rising up commanded the Winds and Seas to cease and thereupon ensued a great calm and tranquility which kind of Miracle is not lightly made among Protestants for that they want the means thereof And therefore as a thing peculiar to the Subordination of Christ's orderly Church and wrought by his Divine Power and Vertue I do the more admire and reverence the same assuring my self that no good Catholic will ever hereafter so much as move his finger against it but co-operate rather to the firm establishment and continuance thereof as is most behoveful to the end that as we are all one in Faith and Belief so we be also in Life Speech and Actions especially in this time of trial Which God of his infinite Goodness grant To whose holy Protection I commend heartily both You and my self this first of March 1603. An Addition of the Author to the foresaid Catholics upon the News of the Queens Death and Succession of the King of Scotland to the Crown of England SInce the writing of the precedent Epistle Advertisement is come that Almighty God of his infinite Mercy hath delivered you at length dear Catholics from your old Persecutor and as we hope will also shortly from your Persecution His Divine Majesty be thanked everlastingly for the same Here generally the applause is no otherwise than it was in old time among the Christians upon the entrance of Constantine into the Empire after Dioclesian or of Jovinian after Julian But the former Example seemeth more like for that good Constantine was of a different Religion when he entred yet of singular hope to become such as afterward he did both in respect of his excellent Parts and of his pious Mother St. Helena The difference of the two Mothers is That the Empress Helena did assist her Son here upon Earth as St. Paulinus writeth towards the Truth and Piety of Religion but Queen Mary of Scotland and France being violently deprived of this Life will do it we trust by her Prayers in Heaven The Comparison also is not improper in this for that perhaps this our new King is the first that hath been absolutely Lord of the whole Island of Britanny with the Parts annexed thereunto since Constantine 2. We know what Commendation a Heathen Author gave to Constantine while he was yet no Christian and this in public Audience at the day of Marriage with the Daughter of Maximianus Herculeus both the Emperours being present and hearing him Neque enim saith he Forma tantum in te Patris sed etiam Continentia Fortitudo Justitia Prudentia sese votis gentium praesentant Not only the Form and Beauty of your Father Constantius doth appear in you but also his Continency his Fortitude his Justice his Wisdom do represent themselves in you according to the full desire and wish of all Nations Thus said he of that Constantine Whereupon Eusebius sheweth That the Christians of that time conceived so great Love towards him tho' he were not yet a Christian as his Adversary Maxentius hearing of his coming towards Rome was glad to feign that himself would be a Christian also to retain somewhat thereby of their affections from Constantine 3. We read of divers excellent Men in Christian Religion who were presumed and foretold that they would be such before they were Christians indeed and this only upon the foresight of their good Natures and vertuous Inclinations as St. Martyn afterwards Bishop of Tours St. Nectarius Archbishop of Constantinople St. Ambrose Bishop of Millain and St. Augustin Bishop of Hyppo albeit of St. Augustin's Conversion from the Heresie of the Manichees to Catholic Religion St. Ambrose added another Conjecture also or rather Prophecy to wit that the Prayers and Tears of his good Mother St. Monica could not suffer such a Son to perish All which you see how far it maketh for Us and for our Hope of this second Constantine who wanted not also a holy Mother to Pray and shed Tears abundantly for him whil'st she lived that he might be such as we most desire now whereof my self amongst others can be a true Witness and this from her own testimony 4. And for that I cannot persuade my self that so holy Endeavors of such a Mother in such a Cause can be frustrate with Almighty God I do not only hope well but do attribute hereunto in great part the many Blessings that have fallen upon this King ever since but principally His Majesty's Preservation and strange Delivery from infinite Dangers and most imminent Perils as all men know so as neither Cyrus nor Romulus nor Moyses himself was more strangely preserved than this King hath been since his Infancy And for that God doth never commonly work those great Effects but to great Ends you Catholics of England may with reason hope well thereof especially if any thing came by his said good Mothers Intercession who loved you all so dearly as whatsoever she asked at God's hands for the Life and Prosperity of her dear Son in this World a great part thereof was meant no doubt for You and your Good if ever you came to be under his Government as now God hath brought you 5. Another effect of this holy Queens Prayers
for her only Son I hold to be that other Blessing before-mentioned of so many rare Parts discovered in His Majesty's Person which truly tho' I have had ever in great esteem upon the reports of other men yet hath the same been exceedingly increased upon the late reading of a Book written I suppose some years agon by His Highness but printed in London this very year 1603. This Book is entituled in the Greek Tongue Basilicon Doron to wit A Kingly Gift sent by His Majesty unto the Prince his eldest Son now also our Lord being in truth a Golden Gift in respect of the excellent matter contained therein and it discovereth so many rare Parts in the Writer as may justly give all Catholics good hope to see one day that fulfilled in His Majesty which most they desire And would to God this singular Treatise had appeared earlier to the World. 6. For setting aside one Point only therein handled which is Religion wherein His Majesty must needs speak according to his Persuasion and Education in that behalf all other matters are such and so set down as you will exceedingly delight therein and profit also thereby if you read with attention and ponder all well but especially Three Points above other I noted with no small admiration to my self which I speak in all sincerity of truth as in the sight of Almighty God. The first is the great variety of select Learning in such a Person and so occupied otherwise as His Majesty is Secondly the great maturity of Judgment in applying the same so fitly to the peculiar Affairs of Scotland The third is the fervent and extraordinary affection of Piety towards God and Godliness uttered in so effectual words and upon so good occasions throughout the whole Book as a man may easily see it cometh from the heart And how highly this one Point of Piety is to be esteemed in so High and Mighty a Prince especially in these our days when Contentions in Religion have wrought so great coldness of Religious Piety in many Great Mens Hearts every Wife and Pious Man will easily consider 7. But I will go no further in this matter lest I may seem to flatter which I hate with my heart and His Majesty detesteth the Vice most prudently and Christianly in this his Book Only I will add for our common comfort That it seemeth impossible unto me that such a Wit and so godly-affected a Mind as God hath bestowed upon His Majesty can be long detained with the vanity and inanity of Sects and Heresies where no Ground no Head no certain Principle no sure Rule or Method to try the Truth no one Reason at all can be found why a man should rather be of one Sect than another but only every ones own Will and particular Judgment grounded as each one will pretend upon the Scriptures whereof yet himself only will be the Judge and Interpreter Which things being of themselves most absurd in so weighty a Cause as Religion is that concerneth the Eternal Salvation of our Souls it is to be hoped that His Majesty having the former two parts of Judgment and pious Affection in that Excellency as hath been said will easily come in time to discover the same and therewithal the contrary substantial Grounds and clear Demonstrations for the Catholic Religion whereunto this Treatise also of the first planting of Christian Religion in our Country may in my Opinion give no small help and light if it might please His Majesty to bestow the casting of his eye upon the same 8. Wherefore to conclude this Addition to my former Letter God having wrought so strangely this Change as here is reported with so general Peace and Applause of the whole Realm you are to expect at His Divine Majesty's hands the Effects that are conform to his Fatherly Love and Care ever hitherto shewed towards you And as for the Person now advanced I know most certainly that there was never any doubt or difference among you but that ever you desired his Advancement above all others as the only Heir of that Renowned Mother for whom your fervent Zeal is known to the World and how much you have suffered by her Adversaries for the same Yet do I confess that touching the disposition of the Person for the Place and manner of his Advancement all zealous Catholics have both wished and pray'd that he might first be a Catholic and then our King this being our bounden Duty to wish and his greatest Good to be obtained for him And to this end and no other I assure my self hath been directed whatsoever may have been said written or done by any Catholic which with some others might breed disgust 9. Now it hath not pleased Almighty God to give us our desires in the order of our wishes but first to make him our King and then to leave us in hope of the other at his due time What shall we say in this and all the rest but as Heli did Dominus est quod bonum est in oculis suis faciat He is Lord let him do as he thinketh best And with Patience Humility Longanimity and Obedience seek by continual Prayer to hasten that time of our full Joy by His Majesty's Conversion which we trust in his everlasting Wisdom and infallible Providence is already determined to be suo tempore And in the mean space seeing it is here reported that Catholics according to their Abilities have shewed themselves in every Country both ready and forward to advance His Majesty's present Admission to the Crown I do not doubt but they shall find the Effects of his Clemency for their delivery out of such Afflictions Calamities and Oppressions as lately they have suffered by the instigation principally of such people whose Manners are most excellently and prudently described by His Majesty in the second Book of his worthy Treatise as to himself well experienced 10. And it is no small comfort in this behalf to have a King of whom we may truly use the words of St. Paul which he spoke of Christ Didicit ex eis quae passus est c. He hath learned by that himself hath suffered by the same kind of Men. And truly tho' in his own Person he cannot be said nor would perhaps to have suffered properly for Catholic Religion as You have done yet if we respect his nearest either in Nature Blood or Affection and their Number Rank and Quality that among them have suffered for the same Cause He may be said to have suffered perchance far more than You for that more of his Princely Blood hath been shed in England France and Scotland about the quarrel of Catholic Religion than of all other Christian Princes joyned together 11. And forasmuch as His Majesty doth vouchsafe of his Princely Gratitude to profess in one part of his Instructions to his Son the Prince That in all his Troubles Streights and Dangers he hath found none so sure and confident
perturbation of Wars as hath been said were not so well known nor distinctly observed nor deliver'd to Writing in those days as otherwise they might have been yet find I some mention tho' dispersed of three several Apostles of Christ to have Preached there to wit St. Peter St. Paul and St. Simon of Chananee sirnamed the Zealous two Apostolical Men also in these first troubled Times to have been sent thither Aristobulus a Roman whom St. Paul named in his Epistle to the Romans and Joseph of Arimathea a Nobleman of Jury that buried Christ Of all which Five we shall speak somewhat in order 20. And first of St. Peter himself to have been in England or Britanny and Preached Founded Churches and Ordained Priests and Dencons therein is recorded out of Greek Antiquities by Simeon Metaphrastes a Grecian And it seemeth to be somewhat confirmed by that which Innocentius I. Bishop of Rome hath left written above 1200 years agone saying That the first Churches of Italy France Spain Africa Sicilia and the Islands that lie betwixt them were founded by St. Peter or his Scholars or Successors For which cause Gulielmus Eysengrenius in his first Centuria or hundred years doth write also That the first Christian Churches of England were sounded by St. Peter under Nero. Whereunto it may be thought that the foresaid Gildas had relation when expostulating with the Britain Priests of his time for their Wickedness for which the Wrath of God had brought in the English Saxons upon them he objecteth among other things Quod sedem Petri Apostoli inverecundis pedibus usurpassent That they had usurped the Seat St. Peter with unshamefac'd feet meaning thereby either the whole Church of Britanny first founded by him or some particular place of Devotion or Church which he had erected And finally Alredus Rienuallus an English Abbot of the Order of Cisterce left written about 500 years agone a certain Revelation or Apparition of St. Peter to an holy man in the time of King Edward the Confessor shewing him how he had Preached himself in England and consequently the particular care he had of that Church and Nation c. 21. If any man ask What time it might be that St. Peter left Rome and went into Britanny and other Countries round about Cardinal Baronius a famous Learned Historiographer of our time thinketh that it was then when Claudius the Emperor banish'd all the Jews out of Rome as in the Acts of the Apostles it is recorded among whom it is like that St. Peter also being by Nation a Jew retired himself and took that occasion to go into divers Pagan Countries to preach the Faith of Christ that thing belonging especially to his Charge as Head of the Apostles according to his own words of himself Elegit Deus per os meum audire gentes verbum Evangelii credere God hath chosen and appointed that Gentiles shall hear and believe the Word of the Gospel by my mouth This then was the cause why he was so diligent and careful to go and preach every-where Christian Religion to the end he might fulfil and accomplish this Will and Ordination of his Master And this was one cause also to wit his absence from Rome why according to Baronius and other Learned Men St. Paul writing to the Romans did not name or salute him in his Epistle whereof our Heretics do brabble much And thus much of St. Peter 22. Of St. Paul's being in Britanny there are not so many particular Testimonies yet the foresaid Theodoretus doth affirm That from Rome he made certain Exoursions in Hispanias in Insulas quae in Mari jacent into Spain and the Islands lying in the Sea near about And in another place as the Magdeburgians do cite him he writeth expresly That St. Paul Preached to the Britains And the like hath Sophronius Bishop of Jerusalem in his Sermon of the Nativity of the Apostles Venantius also Fortunatus a most Learned and Holy. Man writing above a thousand years agone of St. Paul's Peregrination saith thus Transit Oceanum vel qua facit Insula portum Quasque Britannus habet terras atque ultima Thyle He pass'd over the Ocean-Sea to the Island that maketh a Haven on the other side even to the Lands which the Britains do possess c. For which respect Arnoldus Mirmannus in his Theatre of the Conversion of all Nations affirmeth St. Paul to have pass'd to Britanny in the fourth year of Nero Anno Domini 59 and there to have Preached and afterward to have returned again into Italy And so much of St. Paul who having twelve or thirteen years permitted him by Christ after his coming to Rome before his death for helping St. Peter and for assisting the West-parts of the World and St. Peter himself almost twice as much it is not unlike their Zeal being considered and the state of times weighed but that they made many Excursions as the former Authors do write And thus much of them 23. For the Preaching of the third Apostle Symon Chananaeus sirnamed the Zealous we have the Testimony of Nicephorus out of Greek Monuments to whom agreeth Dorotheus a very ancient Writer as also the Greek Martyrology as testifieth Baronius in his Annotations upon the Roman Martyrology And by this also we see that albeit St. Peter had undertaken to preach to the West-part of the World yet did other Apostles also help him therein as St. Paul in Italy and Spain and this Symon in Britanny and other places and St. Philip in France c. 24. Of Aristobulus also St. Peter's Scholar do testifie in like manner the foresaid Authors Mirmannus Dorotheus Baronius out of the Greek Martyrology that he was sent by St. Peter into Britanny and there made a Bishop And that Aristobulus was a principal known Christian in Rome before St. Paul's arrival there it appeareth by the Epistle of the said Apostle to the Romans where he saluteth him in these words Salute those that be of the house of Aristobulus Nor is it read that ever this Aristobulus came back from Britanny to Italy again And this of him 25. Of Joseph of Arimathea his coming into France and his sending thence into Great Britanny either by St. Philip as some say who preached then in Gaul or as Others hold by St. Peter himself as he passed that way to and from Britanny and how he obtained a place to exercise an Eremitical Life for him and his ten Companions in the Island called Avallonia where Glastonbury after was builded albeit I find no very certain or ancient Writer to affirm it yet because our later Historiographers for two hundred years past or more do hold it have come down by Tradition and namely Johannes Capgravius a Learned Man of the Order of St. Dominick and others after him I do not mean to dispute the matter here but rather to admire and praise the Heavenly Providence and
that Easter-day must be kept upon the first Sunday after the first Full Moon in March as hath been said And furthermore forasmuch as this fourteenth day of the Moon must be that which falleth upon the very day of the Spring Equinoctial or immediately followeth the same which Equinoctium was observed by the Council of Nice to be in those days upon the 21st of March though since that time it fell back by little and little to the 11th day for correction whereof Pope Gregory XIII was forced to make his Reformation from the year 1582 by detracting ten days as all men know For this I say and for that if the fourteenth day of the Moon of March should happen to be Sunday the celebration of Easter must by the same ancient Fathers Prescription be transferred to the next Sunday For observing of these Points the Cycle also of the Sun or Circle of Dominical Letters containing the Revolution of 28 years was invented as necessary for this Observation I might add much more to this effect but this is sufficient to shew the grounds of many difficulties as also returning home to our Affair in hand to shew the beginning of the Eastern Custom among the Scots Picts and Britans not to be of that Antiquity which John Fox and his Fellows would pretend 14. But now besides this we may not omit another point of more consideration for the Reader 's Utility which is the small Piety or Religion of these Sectaries of our days who care not what they grant deny or say so they say somewhat against Rome her Bishops or Religion even in the first Ages or Primitive Church For to this end and with this good mine you shall see them here prefer in effect the foresaid Eastern Custom of celebrating Easter us'd by the Britans and Scots before the Catholic Custom of Rome albeit they well know how many Ages agone it hath been condemned not only for Error but also for Heresie yea tho' themselves do practise the contrary Custom at this day in England and Germany For that this is also a knack of these good men to speak one thing for advantage and practise another As for Example when the Question is about all those Books of the Old and New Testament which by Luther and Lutherans are rejected from the Canon of Canonical Scriptures as Ecclesiasticus Judith Hester Macchabees St. James Epistle the Apocalypse and other like When we reprehend the Lutherans for this point our Protestants of England take their parts and defend them stoutly as we see by the Writings of Fulk Chark Whitaker and others against F. Campian that objected the same to Luther and his Followers and yet on the other side they set the same Books forth in their English Bibles as Books of the Scriptures What dealing I pray you is this For either they be Scriptures and consequently of Infallible Truth or no. If the first then why do you defend the Lutherans that call them in doubt If the second why do you set them forth to the people among Scriptures 15. The like Example may be taken from Martin Luther who in his Book de Conciliis doth persuade the German Princes to observe Easter-day as an immovable Feast whensoever it falleth out without expecting Sunday as the Roman Church doth which point he saith is contrary to the Apostle forbidding us to observe Days Months and Years And yet I do not hear but that He and other Lutherans to this day do observe the Roman Use in practice of their Church concerning this point And the very same may be noted here of our English Calvinists who tho' in Practice of the English Church do observe the same Roman Custom as all men do know yet in their Writings they are content to impugn the same as a matter coming from Rome which you may see notoriously performed by John Bale a chief Gospeller in King Henry VIII and King Edward's days who treating of the former Disputation between Colman the Scottish Bishop and St. Wilfrid the English Abbot in the foresaid Council of Northumberland related by St. Bede praiseth highly the first to wit Colman together with his Learning and Piety in defending the Jewish Custom but scoffeth very contemptously and spitefully at the second that propugned the Catholic Roman Use notwithstanding that St. Bede as before you have heard calleth St. Wilfrid Virum doctissimum a most learned man and other ways also for his Holiness extolleth him exceedingly affirming among other points That for his rare Learning and great Vertue he was made Archbishop of all the Kingdom of Northumberland divided after him into two Bishoprics York and Lindisferne and when afterward as to the best men happeneth he was persecuted and driven out by violence of King Egfrid from his said Archbishopric he went and preached to the South-Saxons and converted all that Kingdom together with the Isle of Wight working many Miracles in like manner among them whereby he is truly called the Apostle of Sussex 16. Thus writeth Bede of St. Wilfrid Apostle of the South-Saxons who vanquished also in the former Disputations B. Colman and converted thereby King Oswyn from his former Rite of observing Easter with the Jews which he had learned during his Education in Scotland to follow the Roman Use But what think you saith John Bale thereof You shall hear in his own words Stulté respondit Wilfridus saith he c. Wilfrid answer'd like a Fool saying that the Apostle St. John did play the Jew in many things c. So saith Bale which words besides the Contumely contain a most false Lye and Slander also for that Wilfrid said not so as in St. Bede may be seen but only that St. John might tolerate perhaps for a time certain Rites of the Old Law as some of the other Apostles also had done and namely St. Paul in circumcising Timothy to bury the Synagogue with Honour c. 17. But hearken yet further how this new Gospeller and old Apostate-Fryer goeth forward against this holy Man Temporum saith he calculatores Evangelistis opponit Wilfrid did oppose the Roman Computists or Calculators of times against the Authority of the Evangelists This is an open Lye as the place in Bede will testifie for he saith only that perhaps one cause why the rude simplicity of the ancienter sort of Scottish Christians embraced the Jewish Custom at the beginning amongst other things might be for that no learned Calculator of the Roman Use had in those days arrived unto them He saith not one word of opposing this to the Evangelists and yet by the way do you note that this false Apostata would have his Reader think that this Jewish Heretical Custom is conform to the Evangelists than which nothing can be spoken more wickedly 18. But let us go forward and see what ensueth In fine saith he suis praevaluit Imposturis dementatis qui aderant Regibus
more impudent and more greedy to deceive than they as you shall much more perceive by his last Argument ensuing 12. For my seventh Argument saith he I may make my probation by the plain words of Eleutherius by whose Epistle written to King Lucius we may understand that Lucius had received the Faith of Christ in this Land before he sent to Eleutherius for the Roman Laws for so the express words of the Letter do manifestly purport as hereafter followeth to be seen Thus saith he and citeth for his proof in the Margin Ex Epistola Eleutherii ad Lucium and by this last and strongest Argument of his the silly Fellow thinketh to strike the Nail dead and to prove that King Lucius was a Christian before he received Preachers from Pope Eleutherius and consequently that all is false which Antiquity hath held attributing the Conversion of that Kingdom and of the King himself to the Bishop of Rome For which cause Fox addeth presently Peradventure Eleutherius might help something either to convert the King or else to increase the Faith newly sprung up then among the People 13. So defineth he the matter and consider I pray you what he attributeth to Eleutherius in this Conversion Peradventure saith he he might help something to King Lucius his Conversion And is not this a great matter especially being qualified as it is with the restriction Peradventure If a man should say of Aesop's Fables that peradventure some of them in some points might be true were it not as much as John Fox doth attribute to all this Consent of Authors for this Conversion under Pope Eleutherius seeing he saith not absolutely Eleutherius did convert King Lucius or help indeed thereunto but that peradventure he might help something c. You may mark the diminutives used by Fox to lessen the benefit to wit peradventure might something c. and thereby consider what a holy stomach he hath to Rome and what little account he maketh of the Authority or Consent of all Antiquity when they make against him 14. But now let us weigh further his Proofs and by them also his Frauds and Impostures First of all for Proofs that King Lucius was a Christian before he dealt with Eleutherius he alledgeth the Epistle it self of Eleutherius which he setteth down as authentical citing only in the Margin Ex vetusto codice Regum antiquorum taken out of an old Book of old Kings but telleth not where we shall find this old Book and it may be perhaps of as good credit if it were found as the Book of Gildas before alledged De Victoria Aurelii Ambrosii or as many other fabulous things be in the Story of Geffrey of Monmouth and John Fox after him 15. And indeed if we consider the beginning of the first words of the Epistle it self we shall find certain doubts which neither Fox nor his Fellows will ever be able to solve as first of all that it was written after Eleutherius was dead for so it appeareth by the Account of Time noted in the Title which is this in Latin as Fox relateth Anno Domini 169 Ã Passione Christi scripsit D. Eleutherius Papa Lucio Regi Britanniae ad correctionem Regis Procetum Regni c. Which words Fox omitteth to translate into English for that they make against him and therefore would not have his unlearned Reader to understand the absurdity thereof for they say That Pope Eleutherius wrote this Epistle to Lucius King of Britanny to correct both Him and the Nobility of his Kingdom in the year 169 after the Passion of Christ To which 169 years if we add other 33 which Christ lived before his Passion they make 202 which is 19 years after Eleutherius's Death who dy'd in the year of Christ 184 as all Authors agree For which cause Fox himself in this very place and elsewhere often doth appoint the Conversion of King Lucius to have been in the year of Christ 180 and the 10th of Eleutherius his Reign but this Epistle appointeth it 22 years after to wit Anno Domini 102. So wise a man is Fox in bringing it in 16. Secondly this Epistle was written in Latin and so should Fox have delivered the same unto us wholly if he had dealt plainly But he hath not so done but only giveth us the Title in Latin without any Interpretation as now hath been said and the remnant or at leastwise so much as he thought convenient in English only and this of his own Translation without letting us see the Original and so he playeth the Fox in every thing But to return again to this Latin Title of the Epistle there is another cause why John Fox would not translate it into English and this is for that it is said therein that it was written by the Pope ad correctionem Regis Procerum Regni c. to correct the King and Nobility of the Realm which proveth that the Pope took himself to be their Superior also in those days and they to be subject to his correction For which causes Fox's Scholars Holinshead Hooker and Harrison do leave out this Title altogether in their Chronicles for that the word Correction upon the King and Nobility is an odious thing in these days especially from Popes 17. And thus much of the Title and Fraud used therein Now let us pass to the Body of the Epistle Thus it beginneth in John Fox's Translation Ye require of us the Roman Laws and the Emperours to be sent over unto you which you may practise and put in are within your Realm The Roman Laws and the Emperours we may ever reprove but the Law of God we may not You have received of late through God's Mercy in the Realm of Britanny the Law of Christ c. Thus saith the Epistle and out of these last words John Fox doth frame his former seventh Argument That King Lucius had received the Faith of Christ before he sent to Eleutherius for the Roman Laws Well suppose it was so and that this sending was a second Embassage some years after his Conversion how doth this infer that King Lucius was a Christian before he dealt with Eleutherius or before he sent the first time unto him and so that he was rather converted by Grecians than by Romans as the next immediate words of Fox are And that hence it may be inferred that Eleutherius did rather help perhaps to his Conversion or to increase the Faith newly sprung up than convert him Are not these notorious shifts and shameless windings of our Fox to delude his Reader 18. But you will ask me perhaps how I do prove that this was a second Embassage sent by King Lucius to Eleutherius and the Pope's Answer to the same Whereto I say that this is confessed and proved by Fox himself who writing of King Lucius saith That some years after his Conversion when he had put his Realm in Order for matters
of Religion he wrote again to have the Civil and Imperial Laws sent over to him whereby to govern his Kingdom according to Christian Religion 19. All this I say doth Fox set down afterward very particularly shewing that after King Lucius and his Realm had received the Baptism of Christ were made Christians and had turned twenty-eight Heathen Flamens and three Archflamens that were before of Gentiles into so many Christian Bishops and Archbishops All this being done and well settled the foresaid King Lucius saith he sent again to the said Eleutherius for the Roman Laws thereby likewise to be governed as in Religion now they were framed accordingly Vnto whom Eleutherius again writeth after the tenor of these words following Ye require of us the Roman Laws c. 20. Whereby it is evident that this Letter of Eleutherius if it be true and not feigned by Fox was written to King Lucius some number of years after his Conversion seeing he could not setttle his Realm as here Fox describeth but in some good space of time Holinshead Hooker and Harrison Disciples also of this Fox in this do take upon them to determine the Time tho' I know not by what Authority saying That it was three years after King Lucius his Conversion and Baptism The Faith of Christ say they being thus planted in the Island Anno 177 it came to pass the third year of the Gospel received that Lucius did send again to Eleutherius the Bishop requiring that he might have some brief Epitome of the Order of Discipline then used in the Church c. 21. Thus hold they and that upon this second Embassage followed the foresaid Letter of Eleutherius to King Lucius Which if it be true then let them give Sentence of their good Father what an egregious Hypocrit and Deceiver he was to argue out of this Letter That forasmuch as it appeareth by the same that King Lucius was a Christian when this Letter was written Ergo King Lucius was not converted by Eleutherius but by some other before him tho' perhaps he might help somewhat to his Confirmation in Religion c. 22. But now to the substance of the Letter it self or rather of the piece or parcel that it hath pleased Fox and these his Scholars to impart with us You must note first That these good Scholars seeing their Master to have left us this English Epistle of Eleutherius so imperfect and curtail'd as it seemeth to have neither end or just beginning do say that the rest was lost which yet Fox telleth us not Secondly they seeing the Title to make much against them left it out as before hath been said Thirdly touching the very Corps it self of the Epistle set down by him they put it down so different both in Words Sentences Authorities and Texts of Scripture from that which Fox hath as it sheweth either the thing to be wholly feigned by Them or their Master or that they have a great Liberty and Priviledge to alter the same at their pleasures 23. And this would be sufficient for this matter but further perchance you might demand Why this Epistle of Eleutherius is alledged and urged so earnestly by them seeing it seemeth to make so little for them Whereunto I answer That the chiefest Causes seem to be two or three The first That Fox might frame thereupon his former foolish Argument That forasmuch as by this Epistle it appeareth that King Lucius was a Christian when this Epistle was written by Eleutherius it may seem that Eleutherius converted him not nor any other sent from Rome the falshood and childishness of which Argument hath been sufficiently laid open before 24. The second Cause is to found two points of Doctrin thereon The one That Scriptures only are sufficient to govern any Kingdom without other Ecclesiastical Civil or Temporal Laws which yet themselves do not practise where they have Dominion as experience teacheth us The other point is That every King is God's Vicar that is to say absolute and supreme Head in all Causes as well Spiritual as Temporal within his Realm and to this end is brought in the Testimony of this Letter of Eleutherius not only by Fox Holinshead Hooker Harrison Hastings and other of that Crew taking one from another that Argument but even their great Champion Jewell as Holinshead relateth in the first Volume of his Stories 25. The Reverend Father John Jewell saith he sometime Bishop of Salisbury writeth in his Reply unto Harding 's Answer That the said Eleutherius for general Order to be taken in the Realm and Churches here wrote his advice to Lucius in manner and form following Ye have received in the Kingdom of Britanny by God's Mercy both the Law and Faith of Christ ye have both the New and the Old Testament out of the same through God's Grace by the advice of your Realm make a Law and by the same through God's sufferance rule your Kingdom of Britanny for in that Kingdom you are God's Vicar c. 26. These are the words alledged by Master Jewel out of this Epistle which differ not much from that which is in Fox and Holinshead But both of them do add a third Clause out of the said Epistle which is this A King hath his name of Ruling and not of having a Realm You shall be a King while you rule well but if you do otherwise the name of a King shall not remain with you but you shall utterly lose and forgo it which God forbid And then maketh Holinshead this Annotation in these words Hitherto out of the Epistle that Eleutherius sent unto Lucius wherein many pretty Observations are to be collected if time and place would serve to stand upon them 27. So he saith but what Annotations these are he declareth not tho' it be easie to guess by others which he maketh in other places For that in the very next page before he maketh us a very grave Discourse How that Lucius sent to Rome the second time for a Copy of such politic Orders as were then used in the Regiment of the Church but that Eleutherius for divers reasons thought it best not to lay any more upon the Necks of the New Converts of Britanny than Christ and his Apostles had already set down to all men in the Scriptures And is not this a wise Discourse as tho' no Temporal Laws were to be made in a Christian Commonwealth but only those that are set down in Scriptures Who seeth not the madness of these Conclusions or Illations Nay who doth not consider how greatly this matter is against themselves That King Lucius dwelling so far off from Rome as he did yea being otherwise an Enemy to the Roman Nation as these men confess that he was did notwithstanding so highly respect even in those ancient days the See and Bishop of Rome that he submitted himself thereto and demanded from thence direction not
Lo here these Mens censures of the first Conversion of our English Nation to Christianity They compare Paganism to Gods blessing and our new Christian Religion to the warm Sun and all our Forefathers Faith and Religion more than 900 years together they define to be nothing but Superstition Treachery and Idolatry no less hurtful than the Paganism it self which they professed before and that they lived and died only with the bare name of Christians without the Substance c. And consequently are most certainly damned all eternally Now if the worst Devil that is found in hell had a mouth and should be let forth to preach curse or scold against us as these men do could he speak worse or more blasphemously think you against the first Christianity of our Nation or against God himself that testified the Truth and Sanctity thereof by so many rare miracles as before hath been shewed Could this Divel I say in his own shape or language speak more opprobriously of our primitive English Christian Church then these new Gospellers do especially if we add that which Friar Bale hath in these words Carnalis illa Anglorum Synagoga quae Roma venerat illam persequebatur Ecclesiam quae secundum Christi Spiritum apud Britannos erat That Carnal Synagogue of English Christians that came from Rome did persecute the Church that was in England according to the Spirit of Christ bfore Augustin came 18. Behold our first Christian English Church not only call'd a Synagogue but a carnal Synagogue and the British Church which a little before Holinshed condemned as you heard of Heresie is now called the true Church according to the Spirit of Christ But what spiritual Man think you was this that so speaketh of Spirit and condemneth our primitive English Church of Carnality You shall hear him described by his own pen and first of his Vocation how he became a Frier Duodecim annorum puer saith he in Carmelitani Monachatus Barathrum Nordovici detrudebar When I was a Boy of twelve years old at Norich I was thrust into the pit of being a white Friar So he saith and out of these words two things may be noted of his spirit which is no doubt of lying for that both of them are slanderous fictions of his own first that he was made a Friar at the Age of twelve years for that no Religious Order can admit Men to the same according to the Ecclesiastical Canons but of convenient years and fit to make their choise for so great an attempt as is to renounce the World and lead a Religious Life according to the vows they make which before the Council of Trent was at Fourteen years whereunto the said Council added two years more It might be then perhaps that this Boy was put into the White Friars Monastery at Norwich at twelve years old to sweep the Church or cleanse Candlesticks or other such Offices fit for that Age and his Person but not to be a Friar or to be admitted into the Order it self and much less which is the second lie can it be probable that he was forced thereunto as here he telleth his Readers for that it is well known that such Profession were not available for which cause every Order of Religion hath their Noviceships or times of Probations appointed wherein Men are to be proved and to prove also themselves and to have free liberty to make their Elections without force or constraint at all And so do all true Religious Men know and profess albeit this miserable Apostate having lost all spirit and sense of Religion and become wholly carnal indeed would have it thought that he was put into Religion against his will. 19. But how did he get himself out again trow you from this Servitude into Liberty of the Flesh World and Devil and of his new Gospel you shall hear it also from himself Apparente Dei verbo saith he deformitatem meam vidi c. The Word of the Lord appearing I saw mine own deformity of being to wit a Priest and a Friar Well and what followed Horribilis bestiae maledictum charecterem deinceps erasi I did presently then scrape out the cursed mark or character of the horrible Beast So he calleth his old Character of Priesthood his Vows of Poverty Chastity and Obedience and other Obligations of Religion 20. But what was the means to scrape out these Characters you shall have it from himself in like manner Non enim saith he ab homine neque per hominem sed speciali Christi verbo dono uxorem fidelissimam accepi Dorotheam For that I took unto me and you must mark the word enim that yieldeth the cause a most faithful wife Dorothy some Nun you may imagin as faithful in keeping her Vow of Chastity as himself and this not from any Man nor by any Mans help but by the special gift and word of Christ c. Lo here Christ made a wooer for this Friar to marry a Nun against both their Vows and Promises made to him before and is not this a fit Spiritual Father to call the whole Primitive Church of England a Carnal Synagogue c. 21. But yet hear him out further what he writeth of our first Christian King Ethelbert and of the Religion receiv'd by him from St. Augustin and thereby consider what manner of Men this new Gospel bringeth forth Ethelbertus Rex saith he Romanismum cum adjunctis superstitionibus tandem suscepit hac nimirum adjectâ conditione ut omnino liber non coactitius esset novus ille Deorum cultus King Ethelbert at length having heard the Preaching and considered as Fox saith the Miracles and vertuous Life of St. Augustin and his Fellows admitted the Roman Religion with all the Superstitions adjoyned thereunto but yet with this condition that this new worship of Gods which he now admitted should be altogether free and no way subject to Coaction c. In which words the Apostate if you mark him doth not only speak blasphemously of our whole first Christianity calling it a new Worship of many Gods but seemeth also to insinuate that it was so admitted by King Ethelbert at the beginning as it might be free for Men to leave it again when they would Than which contumelious slander if he mean it so nothing can be spoken or imagined more absurd or wicked Let any Man read St. Gregories letters to King Ethelbert after his Conversion and he shall see an other Lesson there taught him to wit his great and perpetual Obligation to God for so singular a Benefit confirmed from Heaven with so many Miracles and such other points 22. But by this we may see whither these Mens drifts do tend which is to discredit all Antiquity and Religion and to bring in question whether Englishmen were ever true Christians hitherto or no. And as for the space of 900 years together after St. Augustin's time unto Luther
these Men deny it flatly for so much as they say that our first Faith received from Rome was not the true Faith of Christ nor of Christendom but a particular Romish Faith full of Error Superstition and Idolatry as you have heard yea worse if we will believe Holinshed Hooker and Harrison than was the Paganism which Englishmen professed before their Conversion And then followeth that for so much as they hold also that the longer Religion endured in England the worse it waxed needs must they conclude that when Luther began his Gospel our Fathers and Grandfathers were no Christians at all and much less true Christians And this for them 23. But if we will talk of our selves that now live in England we must needs also conclude the same to wit that after all Mutations made in England about Religion since Luther began the Protestants cannot be sure with any Reason that they are true Christians or have yet received the right Faith or Gospel unto this day Which I prove thus First for that the Gospel preached by Luther was never yet admitted wholly into England For at the very beginning thereof under King Henry it was contradicted by him and the State during his whole Reign yea condemned for Heretical as by many Decrees as well of Parliaments as otherwise by particular Ordinances is manifest his Majesty always holding Luther's Opinions for Heresies and according thereunto burned the Professors thereof for Heretics unto his dying day as is notorious Tho' in one Article about the Popes Supremacy he concurred with them but not as taking the same from Luther or his Doctrin So as Luthers Gospel if it were a Gospel as John Fox calleth it every where in his Acts and Monuments was never yet received in England For that in King Edwards days the Doctrin of Zuinglius and not of Luther was admitted Which Doctrin Luther always held for opposite to his and for plain Heresie as before at large hath been declared 24. And as for her Majesties time that now is clear it is that neither of both the former Doctrins or Gospels have formally or fully been admitted I mean neither the Lutherans or Zwinglians but rather the Doctrin of a third opposite in many Points to them both to wit of John Calvin And yet neither hath this Gospel been so frankly or generally received or practised as the chief Professors thereof and such as take themselves to follow the same most exactly I mean the Puritans do remain content but rather complain that their true Doctrin indeed and Gospel was never hitherto truly established in our Country as in the first Encounter against Sir Francis we have shewed abundandtly 25. So as if the first Gospel of St. Augustin brought into England from Rome wherewith our Ancestors lived and professed Christianity for 900 years together were not the true Gospel of Christ indeed nor the other Gospel of Martin Luther that appeared to the World in the year 1517 was ever admitted into England in King Henry's time that died in the year 1547. And if from thence forward under King Edward Zwinglius's Doctrin and not Luthers was established for the English Gospel of that time And if under her Majesty that now is neither of these two but Calvins Doctrin and Gospel hath been admitted tho' yet with such Restrictions and Alterations as the purest Patrons thereof say it is not their Gospel but a patched thing as before at large we have declared what followeth then I say but that we Englishmen have yet no true Gospel at all nor ever had and consequently we were never yet true Christians nor are at this day For that the Christianity of the antient English from King Ethelbert to King Henry VIII was no true Christianity as these men say and much less will they grant of the Religion established by King Henry as opposite as well to Protestants as to Catholics That also of King Edward's days was different from all and that which now is in England is contradicted as well by Lutherans Zuinglians and Puritans as by Catholics Where then and among whom shall we find the true Gospel 26. One only shift these people do pretend which is to run to the Britans Religion at that time when St. Augustin came into England for this both Fox and Bale do acknowledge to have been the right Religion and to use their words the naked unspotted Gospel and far different from the Romish Religion that Augustin brought in from Gregory wherefore that point resteth now to be examined And albeit you have heard a little before how Holinshead accuseth the Britans Religion of Pelagianism and other Heresies yet Bale writeth thus Priùs illic fuerit Christianismus c. Christian Religion was in Britanny before the coming of Augustin and his Fellows But it was not to their commodity for that it was without Masses and without distinction of Meats or Days and the Britans observed the bare naked Gospel without Jewish Ceremonies c. 27. So writeth he And Fox as before you have heard said That for 400 years after Pope Eleutherius and King Lucius Religion remained in Britanny uncorrupt and the Word of Christ truly preached till about the coming of Augustin and his Fellows from Rome c. And yet he cannot deny but that in this space both the Pelagian and other Heresies had entred also among them and that some Reliques thereof remained even when Augustin arrived And whereas they say that the British Religion before the coming of Augustin was uncorrupt and free from all Jewish Ceremonies it is ridiculous forasmuch as we have shewed before that the chiefest difference between these two Religions at that day was about a Jewish Ceremony observ'd by the Britans against the Order and Faith of the Church of Rome to wit the superstitious keeping Easter day upon the fourteenth of the first Moon of March together with the Jews 28. But as for other substantial points of Faith especially such as be at this day in controversie between Us and Protestants as Mass Sacrifice Fasting observing of Holydays and the like here named the old Britans Religion did agree with that of Rome brought in by St. Augustin and so hath continued until this day and this shall we shew in the Chapter following So as if the old British Faith was the true Faith We have it among Catholics at this day and not Protestants as shall be declared CHAP. IX That the Roman Religion brought into England by St. Augustin under Pope Gregory was the very same that was brought in before under Pope Eleutherius by Fugatius and Damianus and continued afterward among the Britans until the coming of St. Augustin to the English Nation WE have shewed before how that the Christian Faith preached in England in the Apostles time was the Roman Faith and that the increase or public Establishment thereof again under King Lucius was also from Rome and finally that the third
quantáque animum tuum Regni Christi praemia in die Judicii manerent c. Thou didst vow to be a perpetual Monk before Almighty God in the sight both of Angels and Men. O how great a flame of heavenly-hope would burn in the hearts of them that now despair of thee if thou hadst remained in that good state O how great Rewards of Christ's Kingdom would remain for thee in the day of Judgment c. 14. Thus saith he And would Protestants think you speak thus also seeing John Fox doth so greatly condemn our ancient Kings and Princes of the English Nation for that so many of them in the fervour of the Primitive Church made themselves Monks Yet Gildas you see on the contrary side commendeth highly that Fact in the Prince Maglocunus and greatly condemneth him for leaving that holy state And hereby also is refuted that foolish refuge of Fox and his Companions who say and affirm without shame that Monks had no Vows in those days but only that Monasteries were Schooles and places of Learning without any Obligation to persevere therein or to abstain from Marriage c. But let him shew that every one of those 2000 Monks that he saith lived in the Monastery of Bangor together did ever marry or pretend to have Liberty so to do after they were professed Monks and then he saith somewhat And as for vowing and public profession made to God in the sight of his Angels and the whole Church the matter is evident enough in this place what was then in use among the Britans 15. But let us pass from Princes to Priests What saith Gildas of them You shall hear his Words Sacerdotes habet Britannia sed insipientes c. Ecclesiae domus habentes sed turpis lucri gratia eas adeuntes c. rarò sacrificantes nunquam puro corde inter altaria stantes c. Sedem Petri Apostoli immundis pedibus usurpantes c. Britanny hath Priests but without Wisdom c. They possess the houses of the Church but go unto them only for filthy lucre's sake c. They do seldom sacrifice but never go to the Altar with a pure heart c. They do usurp the Seat of Peter the Apostle with unclean feet c. 16. Lo here Massing and Sacrificing Priests in those days which are so hated and persecuted at this day in England tho' God be thanked free from these Vices of impure Life which here is objected to the Priests of that time But let us hear yet Gildas further In Apostolicis sanctionibus ob inscitiam hebetes They are dull in observing Apostolical Sanctions for that they are unlearned and understand them not Lo here Priests reprehended for lack of skill in the Ecclesiastical Canons and Apostolical Decrees And yet he goeth further Desperatiùs errant quo non ab Apostolis vel Apostolorum successoribus sed à Tyrannis à patre eorum diabolo emunt sacerdotia These Men do err the more desperately for that they buy unto themselves the Office of Priesthood not of the Apostles or their Successors as Simon Magus would have done the Holy Ghost but of Tyrant Princes and of the Devil their Father 17. Here you see that Priesthood in those days was not wont to be given by the Authority of Lay Princes but by the Successors of the Apostles to wit Bishops And then further he goeth forward shewing how these naughty Priests being once possessed of that Dignity and made proud thereby presumed to say Mass unworthily Manus non tam venerabilibus aris quam flammis inferni ultricibus dignas in tale schema positi sacrosanctis Christi sacrificiis extensuri These Priests being once put in this Dignity or Ornament they presume to stretch out their hands to the most holy Sacrifices of Christ tho their hands be more worthy of the burning flames of hell than to touch the venerable Altars 18. Thus he wrote of Altars and Sacrifice among the Britans in those days and divers other Points like unto this which for brevity's sake I omit only I would ask our Men in general whether this be spoken as of Protestants or no And then would I demand of John Fox in particular how that can be true which he affirmeth That the Britans had no Mass in those days seeing Gildas talketh so much of Priests that did Sacrifice upon Altars And if he will say that Gildas useth not the word Mass it is a plain Cavil seeing nothing is signified by the Mass but only the external Sacrifice of Christians here mentioned And that the word Mass was generally used in the Latin Church for Sacrifice long before this time of Gildas appeareth by many Authors but especially by St. Augustin the Doctor in divers places of his works whereof some in the Margent we shall note 19. I would ask also of John Bale how the Religion of the Britans was the pure and naked Gospel in those days for so he saith if it had in it not only that custom of the Jews before mentioned of the Quartadecimani but all these other Points also which his Church counteth for Errors to wit of Professed Monks and Consecrated Nuns of Sacrificing upon Altars and the like how I say could this British Church be accounted by him and his so pure and unspotted But little heed is there to be given to these Mens saying or unsaying but as the present occasion of necessity urgeth them And therefore we will go forward to shew some other Observations in this kind CHAP X. The continuation of the same matter wherein is shewed by divers Proofs and Examples that the Britans before St. Gregory's time were of the same Religion that he sent into England by St. Augustin to wit of the Roman AND first of all to begin with the first Entrance of our first English Apostles St. Bede writing of the City of Canterbury at the coming of St. Augustin before King Ethelbert was converted saith thus Erat autem propè ipsam civitatem ad orientem Ecclesia in honorem St. Martini antiquitus facta dum adhuc Romani Britanniam incolerent c. In hac ergo ipsi primò convenire psallere orare Missas facere praedicare baptizare coeperunt There was a Church near to the City on the East side built in old time in the honor of St. Martin while yet the Romans did hold Brittany c. Wherefore in this Church Augustin and his company did first use to meet together to sing Psalms to Pray to say Masses to preach and to baptize the People c. 2. Note here that seeing the Romans left England presently upon the destruction of Rome by the Goths to wit about the year of Christ 400 which was some fifty years before the entrance of the Saxons then was the use of building Churches in the Honor of Saints in practise among the Britans and Roman Christians of those days living in
Britanny And forasmuch as this Church of St Martins was found fit to say Mass and Baptize in according to the use of Rome and for that the Britan Christians were never found to have reprehended or misliked this manner of serving God used by St. Augustin and his Fellows it is an evident Argument that the same was and had been in use also among them from all Antiquity neither was it a novelty brought in by St. Augustin 3. Moreover about the same time of the Romans going out of Britanny or soon after to wit about the year of Christ 440 it appeareth by Bede that the two French Bishops St. German and St. Lupus the first time and St. German and St. Severus the second time came into Britanny to resist the Pelagian Heresie and to reestablish the Catholic Faith that was among them before And so they did as well by working many Miracles as by their Preachings which Bede recounteth at large throughout many Chapters But now that these three holy Bishops the first of Antisiodore in France the second of Troy in Campany the third of Trevers in Germany were all of the Roman Religion and held in all Points of Controversie against the Protestants of our Time both in Doctrin and Practise is evident not only by that the Roman Church doth hold them all three for Canoniz'd Saints and celebrateth their Memories the First upon the 31 of July the Second upon the 29 of the same Month the Third upon the 15 of October which would never be permitted if they had been different in any one Point of Faith but also the same is clear as well by their own Writings that are extant and by their Lives written by others as also by divers things recounted by St. Bede in his Story of their Doings in England as namely where he writeth of St. German how he cured the Tribunes Daughter of Blindness by his Prayer and by applying the Relics of certain Saints unto her Eyes in the sight of all the People Deinde saith he Germanus plenus Spiritu sancto c. Then St. German full of the Holy Ghost did invoke the Name of the Blessed Trinity and presently took from his side a certain Box of Saints Relics that he was wont to carry about his neck and with his hands did put them upon the maids eyes which out of hand received perfect sight therewith Whereat the Parents of the maid rejoyced exceedingly and all the People did tremble at the sight of the miracle c. 4. Thus writeth St. Bede of that Act. And further that the said Bishop went to the Sepulcher of St. Alban which even at that time appeareth to have been kept with great Devotion prayed to the Saint largely and there left in his Sepulcher part of the Relics of all the Apostles and of divers other Saints which he had brought with him out of France and carried away with him in exchange thereof much of the earth that was died with the Blood of St. Alban Which he would not have done if he had been a Protestant And then yet further talking of another famous Miracle and Victory achieved by the said St. German against Heretics with sounding out the word Alleluia St. Bede saith Aderant Quadragesimae venerabiles dies quos religisiores reddebat praesentia sacerdotum c. The venerable days of Lent were come which the presence of these Priests of God made more religious c. 5. Behold here now almost 200 years before St. Augustin came into England the use of Relics of Saints of praying to Martyrs and honoring their Sepulchers the use of Alleluia the Religious Observation of Lent and such other Points recorded to be in practise among the Christian Britans Is this Protestant-like think you or can these men be presumed to have been of our new Religion But let us proceed to talk of some Britan Teachers and Pastors themselves 6. Geffrey of Monmouth in his British Story much esteemed and alledged by our Adversaries writeth that at a certain Feast of Pentecost at Chester about the year of Christ 522. as Bale holdeth King Arthur being present there was a great meeting of Princes Lords and Bishops for his Coronation and that of the three Archbishops of Britanny at that time which were London York and Chester Dubritius Archbishop of Chester did the Office of the Church that day of whom he saith Hic Britannia Primas Apostolicae Sedis Legatus tantâ religione clarebat ut quemcunque languore gravatum orationibus sanaret This Man being Primate of Britanny and Legate of the See Apostolic was so famous for his Religion and Sanctity as he did heal any sick Man by his Prayers 7. Lo here the Popes Legate among the Britans did also Miracles before the coming of St. Augustin And then further talking of the Church Solemnity that day he saith Postremo peract â processione tot organa tot cantus fiunt utrisque templis c. Lastly the Procession being ended there were so many Organs did sound and so great variety of Music heard in both Churches as was wonderful c. Behold Procession and Organs in Britanny before St. Augustin's coming This Man afterwards left of his own will the said Archbishoprick and became an Ermit as both Jeffrey and John Bale do testifie which Protestant Bishops are not wont to do 8. And further Bale writeth of him that he died the 18 day before the Calends of December Anno Domini 522. and that his Body afterward in the year of our Lord 1120 the Sixth of May was translated under Vrban Bishop of Rome to the Church of Landaff in Southwales All which could never have been done nor permitted by the Bishop of Rome if there had been any Suspicion that he had held any Point of Doctrin different from the Church and Faith of Rome at that time which maketh also the matter evident that the Heretical Custom of celebrating Easter according to the Jews which in St. Gregory's time was found in Britanny was a latter custom not held by all but by some few only 9. In this Man's place was made Archbishop the famous Man David Menevensis King Arthurs Unkle as Jeffrey and Bale do testifie who passed the said Archbishoprick from Chester to St. Davids and so it is called at this day of his Name This David saith Bale was a goodly Man of Stature about four cubits high learned and eloquent and after ten whole years Study in the Scripture expounded the same as a Trumpet carrying always the Text of the Gospel with him He extinguished the Relics of the Pelagian Heresies in Britanny preached incessantly cured many sick and built twelve Monasteries and was held for a very great Saint in his days and canonized afterward by Calixtus II. Bishop of Rome c. Per Calixtum secundum saith he Papisticorum deorum ascribitur in Catalogum He was put in the Catalogue of the Papistical Gods by
Calixtus the Second Whereby appeareth that the Britans were not only Papists in those days before the coming of St. Augustin but had Papist Gods and Saints also there Yet this Man might live according to Bale to have seen the times of St. Augustin's entrance for that he saith he flourished in the year 440. and lived in all 146 years tho' Gerrad Cambrensis Polydor and others do make him somewhat more ancient 10. And for that we have talked here of John Bale and that the testimonies taken from Enemies themselves are of greatest weight against themselves we shall in this place touch certain Points briefly of the chief Preachers and Pastors among the Britans in those days to wit for the next two hundred years before the coming of St. Augustin into England Which Preachers are mentioned and much praised both by Fox and Bale as true Teachers in those days whereof Fox writeth thus In this Age to wit after the Peace restored to the Church by Constantine followed here in the land of Britanny Fastidius Ninianus Patricius Bacchiarius Dubritius Congellus Kentegernus Helmotus David Daniel Sampson Elnodugus Assaphus Gildas Henlanus Elbodus Dinothus Samuel Nivius and a great sort more which governed the Britan Church by Christian Doctrin a long season albeit the civil Governours for the time were dissolute and careless as Gildas very sharply doth lay to their Charge and so at length were subdued by the Saxons And all this while about the space of 400 years to wit from the time of King Lucius Religion remained in Britanny uncorrupt and the word of Christ truly preached until about the coming of St. Augustin and his Companions from Rome c. 11. Here now you see the chief Teachers of the British Church Nineteen in number for the space of 400 years as Fox avoweth set down in order and highly praised by him but neither his Order or Argument is worth a rush For as for his Order he beginneth with Fastidius that lived not two hundred years before St. Augustin's coming tho he name four hundred And then he putteth some before that lived long after the rest and sometimes skippeth over 100 years together from one to another as you shall see by the Examen And for his Argument how many lies and errors it containeth shall easily appear by the Sequel of this Discourse For first concerning two of the chief in this Catalogue contained to wit Dubritius and David Archbishops of the Britans you have seen before that they were Roman Catholics and canonized many Ages after their Death by Roman Bishops which they would never have done if they had differed from them in any Point of Religion But now let us see of the rest for I see not what reason there is why Fox should so commend these two 12. The first four are Fastidius Ninianus Patricius and Bacchiarius all which are found to have been Catholic Men and held the common Faith of Rome in those days nor any of them ever favoured any of these new Doctrins brought in by our new Gospellers Trithemius maketh mention of Fastidius whose Sirname was Priscus Bishop of the Britans a Man of rare Life and great Learning in the Scriptures and a singular Preacher and lived in the time of Honorius and Theodosius the Emperors about the year of Christ 420. The same do write of him both Honorius Gennadius and Bergomas And John Bale concurreth with the rest adding that he was Archbishop of London and that amongst other his Works he wrote one De Viduitate servanda of keeping Widowhood without marryig again By which only work you may know that he was not of John Bale's Religion What we have written also of the Religion of St. German and his fellow Bishops that came into England may easily declare what Religion this Man was of who being then Archbishop of London must needs be presumed to have had a great part in their calling in as also to have joyned with them against the Pelagians which he would not have done if they had not been all of one Religion And thus much of him 13. Of St. Ninianus who converted the Picts to Christian Religion St. Bede maketh most honorable mention in the Third Book of his Ecclesiastical History and the Roman Martyrologe doth cite him for a Saint upon the Sixteenth day of September Which would never have been permitted if he had been in any one thing different from the Roman Faith. Nay John Bale writeth of him thus Ninianus Bernitius ex Regio Britannorum sanguine procreatus Italiam adhuc adolescens petiit Romae apud divini verbi ministros mysteria veritatis edoctus ad plenum celer in patriam remigrabat c. miraculis ac sanctitate clarissimus obiit anno 432. St. Ninian Bernitius being descended of the Blood of the King 's of Britanny went in his youth into Italy and being fully taught the Mysteries of Gods Word in Rome he returned swiftly to his Country again where he flourished exceedingly in Miracles and Sanctity of Life and after died in the year of Christ 432. Mark here that Princes Children became Priests in those days and went to Rome to learn Divinity and that this Man having done so and brought back into Britanny the Christian Doctrin of Rome wrought Miracles thereby Ergo he was no Protestant so that here Bale testifieth against himself 14. There followeth of Patricius in John Fox but indeed he should have put Palladius before Patricius For so doth Bale and he hath Reason for that he was a famous Teacher in Britanny and sent from Rome by Pope Caelestinus before Patricius as Bale doth note saying first of Palladius Hic à Caelestino Romanorum Pontifice Antistes mittebatur c. This Man was sent Bishop from Caelestinus Pope of Rome to drive out of Britanny the Pelagian Heresie which at that time had infected the greater part thereof and to reduce the Scots to true Piety c. He flourished about the year of Christ 431. c. So saith he And the same is confirmed by that which Prosper a far better Author than Bale writeth in his Chronicle where he saith that Palladius was sent by Caelestinus Pope in the year 432 into Britanny but especially to the Scots as testifieth also St. Bede in his Story So as in this time also the Popes of Rome had Supreme Care in Spiritual Affairs both among the Britans and Scots seeing he appointed them Bishops from Rome 15. And this is confirmed also by the other Example of Patricius who as John Bale saith was sirnamed Mangonius and was born in Britanny of the Family of Senators and thereby called Patricius but yet of kindred by his Mother to St. Martin Bishop of Tours study'd Divinity in Rome and thence sent by Caelestinus the Pope to preach to the Irish-men Istum saith he ad Scotos Hibernos post Palladium Graecum misit ut eos à Pelagianorum tueretur
what they say or avouch so they say somewhat against Rome and those that any way favoured the same wherein passion doth so greatly blind them as they cannot discern when they alledge matters plainly against themselves as you have seen in the former enumeration of British Teachers Pastors and Prelates whom they would have us think to have been of a different Religion from that of Rome whereas their own words testimonies condition and state of life do testifie the contrary And so I leave these men to their folly and impudency in this behalf CHAP. XI The Deduction of the aforesaid Catholic Roman Religion planted in England by St. Augustin from his time to our days And that from King Ethelbert who first received the same unto King Henry VIII there was never any public interruption of the said Religion in our Land. HAving shewed before how that the Roman Catholic Faith was first preached in our Island under the Apostles and then again in the next Age under Pope Eleutherius and thirdly four Ages after that again under Pope Gregory and that all this was but one and the self-same Religion continued renewed and revived in divers times under divers States and People of the Realm there may seem to remain only now two other points considerable in this affair The first Whether this Religion brought in by St. Augustin to England were held at that day for the only true Religion of Christendom and so accepted by all the World The other Whether that Religion then planted hath come down and been continued in England ever since by continual Succession until the first public alteration made thereof in our days For if this be so then is the demonstration easie to be made even from the Apostles Times to Ours 2. And for the first tho' we have handled the same somewhat before yet briefly we will add now That there can be no doubt at all in this matter with men of Reason and Judgment but that St. Augustin and his Fellows brought in with them the whole Body of Religion as well touching Articles of Belief as Ceremonies and Ecclesiastical Customs which were at that time in use at Rome whence they came and in other Catholic Countreys by which they passed namely Italy France and Flanders from which Countreys Pope Gregory himself exhorteth them by his Letters to take such good Ecclesiastical Uses as they should see most agreeable to Piety Edification and Devotion which is a sign that all those Countreys agreed fully in Faith and Belief with Rome at that day and were perfectly Catholic tho' in some external Ceremonies belonging to Devotion there might be difference And forasmuch as the French Bishops St. German St. Lupus and St. Severus 150 years as hath been said before the entrance of St. Augustin planted in Britanny the French Catholic Faith against the Pelagians and these men coming from Rome found no fault therewith most certain it is that all was one And finally if we do consider the Works Writings and Actions of Pope Gregory related by us before partly out of St. Isidore living at that time in Spain partly out of his own Epistles yet extant written to the chiefest Bishops of the Christian World and their Answers to him again together with their agreement in Faith and Religion If we do consider also the Heresies condemned in his days by Him and his Authority as the Eutychians Monothelites and others which our Protestants also do condemn for Heresies at this day By all this I say and by infinite other Arguments and Demonstrations that may be made it is most evident that either Christ had no Visible Church or Catholic Religion in those days which were most foolish and wicked to imagin or that the Religion of St. Gregory and his Church of Rome and others of others of the same Communion was in that Age the only true Catholic Church and consequently had in it the only true Catholic Faith and Religion of Christ whereby Christians might be saved which also is proved most evidently by infinit Miracles wrought in England and in divers other Countreys upon manifold occasions during this time of our Primitive Church as shall appear more in particular in the deduction of our second point which is the continuance of this same Religion from St. Augustin to Thomas Cranmer the first and last Archbishops of Canterbury following by Succession the one the other for the space of above 900 years the first dying a Saint the last ending in Apostacy as after shall be shewed 3. Wherefore to come to the second point about the deduction of Catholic Religion in our Nation from St. Augustin downward first of all St. Bede talking of the planting thereof and of our first Primitive Church whose progress and increase he describeth for the space of almost 140 years after the entrance of St. Augustin hath these words Gregorius Pontifex Divino admonitus instinctu servum Dei Augustinum alios plures cum eo Monachos timentes Dominum misit praedicare verbum Dei genti Anglorum c. Gregory the Pope being admonished by heavenly Instinct did send God's Servant Augustin and others Monks with him that feared God to preach his Word to the English Nation in the 14th year of Mauritius the Emperour which was of Christ 596 and the 4th after that St. Gregory was made Pope 4 These holy men landed in the Isle of Thanet belonging to the Kingdom of Kent for that the whole Dominion of the Saxons in those days which was all the Land except Scotland and the other part now called Wales whither the reliques of Britans were retir'd was divided into seven several States and Dominions which they called Kingdoms The first whereof to speak of them according as they received the Faith was the Kingdom of Kent whose King Ethelbert being the fourth in number from Hengistus that began the same about the year of Christ 450 afterward first of all other received the Christian Faith at the preaching of St. Augustin about the year of Christ 600 that is to say an hundred and fifty years after they had reigned as Pagans there 5. The second Kingdom was of the East-Saxons and contained the Shires now called Essex Middlesex and Hartfordshire The first founder of which Kingdom was Erchenwine about the year of our Lord 527 as Stow and some others do hold tho' Malmesbury doth write otherwise but both do agree that under King Seebert or as Bede calleth him Sabered those Provinces were converted to Christian Religion by the preaching of St. Mellitus Fellow to St. Augustin and first Bishop of their chief City of London whither he was sent by St. Augustin from Centerbury in the year of Christ 604. 6 The third Kingdom was of the East-Angles which contained the Shires of Norfolk Suffolk Cambridge and the Isle of Ely. Which Kingdom was begun about the year of Christ 492 by one Vffa but converted after to
Christian Religion under King Sigebert about the year of Christ 609 and that by the preaching principally of their first Bishop Felix born in Burgundy in France being ordain'd Bishop of a City there called Dunwich at that time which now is more than half consumed with the Sea. 7. The fourth Kingdom was of the Northumbers which contained many Shires towards the North to wit Lancashire Yorkshire Cumberland Westmorland Northumberland Durham and some part of Scotland The first Monarch of this Kingdom is accounted Ida and it received the Faith of Christian Religion under their 13th King Edwyn in the year of Christ 626 by the Preaching of St. Paulinus sent thither to preach by Justus the fourth Archbishop of Canterbury by whom the said Paulinus was translated from the See of Rochester to be Archbishop of York 8. The fifth Kingdom was of the West-Saxons which contained the Countreys of Cornwall Devonshire Dorsetshire Somersetshire Wiltshire Barkshire and Hampshire The first Founder thereof was Cerdick about the year of Christ 509 and under Kenegilsus their fifth King they received the Christian Faith by the preaching of St. Berinus their first Bishop of Dorchester in the year of Christ 635. 9. The sixth Kingdom was of the Mercians or Middle-Countrey being in that time the greatest of all the rest and containing some fifteen or sixteen Shires as Glocester Hereford Chester Stafford Worcester Shrewsbury Oxford Warwick Darby Leicester Buckingham Northampton Nottingham Huntington and Rutland The first Founder of this Monarchy is said to be one Creda about the year of Christ 586 and the Conversion thereof to Christian Faith was about the year of Christ 635 under Prince Peda Son and Heir unto the notable persecuting Pagan Peda. Their first Apostle was B. Finan who baptized King Peda against his Father's will in the Kingdom of the Northumbers at a Town by Berwick called Ad murum and this by the instance of the good Christian King Oswyn King of Northumberland who gave King Peda his Daughter in Marriage on this condition That he would become a Christian 10. The seventh Kingdom was of the South-Saxons containing the Shires of Sussex and Surrey and began about the year of Christ 478 by one Aelus a Saxon and was converted to Christianity under King Ethelwold or Ethelwach as St. Bede nameth him about the year of Christ 662 by the preaching especially of St. Wilfrid their first Bishop who erected a Monastery for the Episcopal See in a place called Seolyce or Selcey 11. Well then thus we see that within the space of forty years more or less six Kingdoms of England received the Gospel and the seventh not long after under their first Preachers and Apostles before mentioned And what great variety of Miracles God did work by these his Servants and their Helpers and Assistants in this Work of the Conversion of our Countrey is evident by all Stories of that time and after and no man but an Infidel or Miscreant can with any probable reason call them in doubt 12. And it seemeth that the promise of our Savior made to his Apostles at his last farewell in St. Mark 's Gospel for Miracles to be wrought in the Conversion of Nations especially of Gentiles as St. Gregory observeth was as abundantly fulfilled in the first Conversion of our English Nation as of any other probably in the World. The Signs and Miracles saith Christ which shall follow them that shall believe in me or receive my Faith especially in the beginning are these That they shall cast out Devils in my Name they shall speak with new Tongues they shall remove Serpents and if they should drink Poyson it shall not hurt them they shall lay their hands upon sick men and therewith heal them c. 13. All these things promised Christ our Savior and performed them most abundantly in the first Conversion of Nations while the said Miracles were necessary to plant and confirm the Faith. But when as St. Gregory in the place before alledged saith the young Plants had no more need of such daily watering by Miracles then ceased they Tho' in our Countrey and Primitive Church they endured no small time as were easie to shew if I would stand in this place to run over the Ecclesiastical Stories of the least part of the aforesaid seven Kingdoms whereof yet many things will be spoken of afterward 14. For only in the Kingdom of Kent for the first hundred years after the Conversion of King Ethelbert there possessed the See of Canterbury from St. Augustin unto Bertualdus who died in the year of Christ 730 and with whom St. Bede endeth eight Arch-bishops all most Godly and Holy Men to wit Augustin Laurence Melitus Justus Honorius Deusdedit Theodorus and Bertualdus Which Bishops were held for great Saints in our Primitive Church as appeareth by the writing both of St. Bede that lived also himself in that Age and by William of Malmesbury that lived some Ages after Who yet alledgeth a more Ancient Author than himself called Gosselinus that wrote the Lives and Miracles of all those Eight Arch-bishops of Canterbury and of some other Saints of our Country Horum saith he non minus sancti Letardi c. Of these Arch-bishops as also of St. Letard that in Ancient time came in with Q. Berta the Author before mentioned Gosselinus hath written their marvelous and admirable vertues out of Bede and others Adding also many things which he saw himself with his own Eyes shewing the great Miracles and Signs which they did c. He doth recount also the Rank of Kings with their Kindred that lay Buried in his days in the Church of St. Augustin at Canterbury Which he doth worthily call the lights of England and the Senators of the English Heavenly Court of Parliament And to this Quire of Saints and Crown or Diadem of our Eternal King Christ he addeth other pretious Stones also of Inestimable Glory to wit St. Adrian the Abbot and St. Mildred the Virgin as Conspicuous in Glory of Miracles as the rest c. 15. Thus writeth Malmesbury of these servants of God of the Church of Canterbury for the first hundred years after Christ's Faith received but he that would recount the like of all the other six Kingdoms and English Churches should have great store of matter Especially if he would enter into the particular Lives and Actions of such eminent Holy Men as that Age by the force and virtue of that Primitive Christian Religion brought forth And then if with all this he remember in like manner that most certain principle before mentioned that God would never have concurred with such abundance of Piety Holiness and Miracles to the setting up of a false Religion he will easily see how plain a demonstration this is for the truth of that Religion which was thus planted amongst us by St. Augustin and Maligned by these Sectaries of our time 16. Well then
of this King Canutus saying amongst other things thus Monasteria per Angliam c. He did repair all the Monasteries in England that were overthrown or defaced by the Wars of his Father Swanus or himself He did Build Churches in all the places where he had fought any Battels And appointed Priests for the said Churches who should Pray continually to the Worlds end for the Souls of them that had been slain in those places He was present at the Consecration of a goodly Church in a place called Aschendum where he had his chiefest victory causing both the Nobles of the English and Danish Nation to offer with him Rich gifts to the said Church c. 22. Over the Body of Blessed St. Edmund which the Ancient Danes had slain he Builded a Church worthy the greatness of his Kingly Heart appointing there both an Abbot and Monks and giving them many Possessions In so much as by the greatness of his gifts that Monastery at this day is above all the rest in England He took up with his own hands the Body of St. Elphegus Arch-bishop of Canterbury slain not long before by his Danes and caused the same to be be carried unto Canterbury Reverencing the same with worthy honor He gave such great Gifts and rare Jewels to the Church of Winchester that the shining of pretious Stones did dazle the Eyes of such as did behold them c. In the Fifteenth year of his Kingdom he went to Rome by Land and having stayed some days there and redeeming his sins by Alms in those Churches he returned by Sea to England c. 23. Thus and much more doth William of Malmesbury write of this notable King Canatus a terrible and fierce Warrior before his Conversion and much given to Blood and Impiety whereby may easily be seen what force Catholic Religion is of to make change in a Mans manners where it truly entreth Let Protestants shew us some such examples of Princes Converted to their Religion But to go forward in Malmesbury he setteth down after all this a large Epistle of King Canutus which he wrote from Rome or in the way homeward unto the two Arch-bishops Egetnothus and Alfricus the first of Canterbury the other of York and by them to the whole Realm giving them account of his Journy to Rome Where amongst other things he writeth thus Canutus Rex totius Angliae Denmarkiae Norvegiae partis Suecorum c. notifico vobis me noviter ivisse Romam oratum pro Redemptione peccaminum meorum c. I Canutus King of all England Denmark and Norway and part of Swecia c. do give you to understand that of late I went to Rome to pray for the Redemption of my sins and for the health of my Kingdoms and people having made a vow of this Journy long ago but could never perform it until now by reason I was hindred by the Affairs of my Kingdoms And now I do yield most hearty thanks to Almighty God that he hath granted me this Grace to come and visit in my Life time the Blessed Apostles St. Peter and St. Paul and all the Sanctuary that is within and without this City and according to my desire to honor and worship the same in my own person c. 24. Thus he wrote And moreover adjoyned many other pious Ordinances in the same Epistle to be observed in England for Restitutions to be made Alms to be given and other good deeds to be done exhorting all to perform them willingly and threatning them that should do the contrary And William of Malmesbury saith that returning after to England he caused the same to be strictly observed And gave many new priviledges to Churches And one among other to the Church of Canterbury which Malmesbury setteth down at length and in the end hath these words Si quis verò c. If any Man shall perform this my Ordination with a prompt will Almighty God by the Intercession of the most Blessed Virgin Mary and all his Saints increase his portion in the Land of the living And this Donation of Priviledge is written and Promulgated in the Presence of me King Canutus in the Wooden Church in the year of Christ 1032. 23. Thus far writeth William of Malmesbury of this Kings Pious disposition after his coming from Rome And John Stow addeth out of Henry of Huntington as followeth After this time Canutus never bare Crown upon his Head but he set the same upon the Head of the Crucifix at Winchester c. And thus much of his Piety and other Fruits of true Christian Faith which he had received And it is no small Argument of the Divine Power thereof that it could so mollifie and change so fierce a Warriour and cruel a Persecutor as this King was before his Conversion 26. So as now we have brought down the continuance and succession of one and the self same Christian Religion in England from St. Augustin and King Ethelbert unto King Canutus for the space of 400 years And that this was no particular Religion of England alone but the Common General Faith not only of Rome but of all Christendom besides at that day and consequently the only Catholic Religion of those Ages appeareth in like manner by other words of the Kings former Letter Recorded by Malmesbury where he saith Sit autem vobis notum c. Be it known unto you that in this last solemnity of Easter there was a great Assembly of Nobility here in Rome together with Pope John and the Emperor Conrade to wit all the greatest Princes from the Hill Garganus unto this other next the Sea all which did receive me most honorably and did present me with Magnificent Gifts c. Thus wrote the King Whereby we may easily perceive that King Canutus was held in all Points for a perfect Catholic Prince seeing that both Pope John the 20th and the Emperor Conrade the 2d did esteem and honor him so highly 27. After Canutus succeeded in the Kingdom of England his two Sons Harold and Hardicanutus for two or three years And then King Edward the Confessor for Twenty-three years together After whose Death the second Harold Son of Earl Goodwin holding the Kingdom by violence against both English and Danes scarce one year William Duke of Normandy came in as all Men know and Conquered the Land towards the end of the year 1066. and held the same all days of his Life and so hath his posterity after him by Male or Female unto our time and have continued the same Religion which he found or brought into England for all was one for the space of 500 years unto King Henry the Eighth's time which may be proved beside other ways by the Succession of our Arch-bishops of Canterbury Stigand an English Man being the Twenty-third from St. Augustin holding the same when William the Conqueror got the Crown to whom succeeded Lanfranc and to him
of the Kings and Queens inclination as he presumeth and of the great Authority of Cranmer Cromwell and some other that he calleth his Gospellers or Patrons rather of his Gospel And yet if you behold the external Face of the English Church at this day all these named and others held the Catholic Faith Use and Rites and both King and Queen Cranmer and Cromwell went as Devoutly to Mass as ever before and so remained they in outward shew I mean the former three even to their Deaths And Cromwell when he was to die protested on the Scaffold that he was a good Catholic Man and never doubted of any of the Church Sacraments then used and the like would Cranmer have done no doubt if he had been brought to the Scaffold in King Henries days as he was to the Fire afterwards in Queen Maries which had been a happy case for him 9. There ensued the year 1534 which was the year indeed of open breach with Rome for that an Excommunication being set forth by Pope Clement VII against King Henry VIII upon notice given of his Marriage and the said Excommunication set up in Dunkirk and other Towns in Flanders which did import the consent also and concurrence of Charles the Emperour and then certain Prophesies being blown about at home as coming from Elizabeth Barton sirnamed the holy Maid of Kent about the King's Deprivation he was much more exasperated than before and so calling a Parliament caused the Pope's Authority to be wholly extinguished and transferred to himself and made divers Bishops in order to preach at Paul's Cross against the Pope's Supremacy over the Catholic Church But what may we think that these Bishops did in so small a time change their belief in matters of Faith The King also being angry with divers Friars as namely with F. Elstow beforenamed that contradicted Cutwyne the Preacher when he inveighed against the Pope's Authority did this year upon the 11th of August ordain That all the observant Friars of St. Francis's Order should be thrust out of their Convents beginning with Greenwich where the said contradiction was made and to seem somewhat to favour the Augustin-Friars of whose Order Luther had been he commanded them for the present to be put in their places yet did he at the very same time cause John Frith to be burn'd in Smithfield for denying the Blessed Sacrament and this by his own particular order which Frith and his Master Tyndal were the greatest Enemies that Friars had 10. He burned also this year Henry Poyle William Tracy and other Protestants as Fox testifieth in his Calendar So as we may see that the King's Faith was as before and tho' he were content to suffer some new-fangl'd Spirits to ruffle at this time as namely Friar Barnes in London where he preach'd most seditiously and Hugh Latimer in Bristol where as Stow saith he stirred a notorious Tumult causing the Mayor to suffer Lay men to preach and to prohibit and imprison Priests and other like Disorders yet what the King thought inwardly of them he declared afterwards by his acts when he burned Barns and cast Latimer into the Tower and kept him there with evident danger of his life so long as himself lived which disposition of King Henry Tyndal smelling at the same season wrote from Flanders to his Scholar John Frith Prisoner in the Tower of London in these words And now methinketh I smell a counsel to be taken c. But you must understand that it is not of a pure heart and the love of Truth but to avenge themselves and to eat the Whores flesh and to suck the marrow of her bones c. So wrote that honest man signifying that King Henry was resolved to make an outward shew in favouring the Gospellers not for love or liking he had of them but to revenge himself of the Pope and to enjoy the Goods of Monasteries and other spiritual Livings which he in his blasphemous heretical vein calleth the Whores flesh and marrow of her bones 11. Well then this was the beginning of their Gospel in England by their own Confession and Interpretation and so whatsoever was done from this year forward against Catholics or Catholic Religion unto the 31st year of his Reign which was of Christ 1540 to wit for five whole years was upon these grounds and to the former ends of Revenge and Interest if we believe Protestants themselves in which point notwithstanding for that divers Godly Learned and Zealous men could not be content to follow the King's affections as others did and namely Bishop Fisher of Rochester Sir Thomas More late Chancellor of England and divers most Reverend and Venerable Abbots Priors and Doctors and other their like they were content to give their Blood in defence of Catholic Unity against this Schism as the Abbots of Glastenbury of Whaley of Reading Dr. Forest Queen Catharine's Confessor Dr. Powel and the like 12. Some others and amongst them one most near to the King himself both in Blood and Affection namely Cardinal Pool opposed himself by public Writing from Padua as we may see by those three learned Books left by him in Latin De Unitate Ecclesiae Others also of the same Blood-Royal as the Marquess of Exceter and Countess of Salisbury the said Cardinal's Mother shewed their dislike which afterwards was the cause of their ruin and many Shires also of the Realm at this time not being so patient as to bear these Innovations took Arms and fell into great Commotions as in Lincolnshire Yorkshire Somersetshire and some other Provinces making all their Quarrels for matters of Religion 13. So as by this we see that Catholic Religion remained still in England both in Prince and People but that the Prince for a time thought good for other ends to tolerate and wink at disorders therein until the aforesaid year of 1540 when calling all his Realm together both Spiritual and Temporal to examin well this matter of Religion they decreed that famous Statute both in Parliament and Consistory Ecclesiastical called the Statute of six Articles or as John Fox nameth it the whip with six strings or lashes in which Decree are condemned for detestable Heresies all the most substantial points of Protestants Doctrin especially of Zwinglians and Calvinists and most severe punishment of Death appointed unto the Defenders and Maintainers thereof whereby the Catholic Judgment and Censure of the whole Realm in that behalf was seen and the King himself made further declaration thereof presently for his own part by putting away his German Wife Anne of Cleve by which the Gospellers had thought to have drawn him further into League and Religion with the Protestant German Princes and by punishing Cromwell the Head and Fountain of most of these Innovations by the loss of his Head. He burned also immediately after this Statute in Smithfield upon the promulgation thereof three famous Heretics Barns Jerom and Gerard
be altered it must be done by the same Authority by which it was delivered to them to wit by the whole Church Councils and General Pastors thereof 26. This was the Defence and Pleading of Catholics under King Henry the Eighth to excuse themselves from Treason objected against them for holding the Popes Supremacy wherein you see divers notorious differences between the Defence of the Sectaries and them for that amongst the Sectaries every one held what himself thought best of things invented by themselves every one cited Scriptures and interpreted them as he listed without Authority President or Example of former Ages and consequently they are justly called Heretics that is to say choosers For that they chose to themselves what to believe in every Sect and reduced the last and final resolution of all things to their own Wills and Wits which in matters of belief is the highest Crime that against God and his Church can be committed 27. But on the other side the state and condition of the Catholics and their cause is quite opposite to this for that they stick to Authority Obedience Integrity Example of their Ancestors they bring nothing of their own they invent or innovate nothing They stand only upon that which they have found Established to them not by this or that Man or by this or that Author of any Sect or by this or that particular Congregation fellowship or Faction or by this or that Town City Province Kingdom or Country but generally by the whole universal Church and Pastors thereof and therefore properly and truly are called Catholics which is to say Vniversal and general 28. And this shall suffice to shew the difference between the Catholic Martyrs and Heretical Malefactors put to death in King Henries time whereof yet we shall Treat more largely in the third part of this Treatise where we are to handle the particular Stories of Fox his Calendar-Martyrs and to compare and paralell them with ours shewing that yet never Dogs and Cats nor yet Sampsons Foxes did ever so disagree in natures and conditions as these good Martyrs did in Faction and contrariety of opinions amongst themselves and consequently could not be Martyrs or witnesses of any one Faith whatsoever 29. And with this also will we end the Discourse of King Henries Life having sufficiently shewed as to me it seemeth that the Catholic Religion held her footing and continuance also under ther Reign of this King no less perhaps than before yea she shewed her self much more to the World by the Persecution which then she suffered than before in the time of peace for that the Famous and Illustrious Martyrdoms of such excellent Men as were Bishop Fisher Sir Thomas More Dr. Forest and many other such Worthies that suffered Martyrdom in those days did more Illustrate her and made extern Nations to talk more of the Zeal and Constancy of English Catholics than ever they would have done if that Persecution had not fallen out and the like success hath happened since both under King Edward the Sixth and her Majesty that now is as briefly we shall here declare 30. And as for King Edwards Reign as it was but short and the first passage from Catholic Religion to open Profession of Heresie So was it not so sharp for effusion of Blood as under King Henry For that the King being very young and those that Governed in his Name not thorowly settled in their States and Affairs troubled also with much Division and Emulation among themselves could not attend to prosecute matters so exactly against Catholics as some of their desires and Appetites were yet began they very well as we may see by the most unjust Persecutions and Deprivations of two principal Bishops Gardiner of Winchester and Bonner of London by such violent Calumnious manner as was proper for Heretics to use The particulars whereof John Fox doth set down at large whereby a Man may take a taste what they meant to have done if they had had time For that Cranmer and Ridley that had been Bishops in King Henries time and followed his Religion and humor while he lived being now also resolved to enjoy the Preferment and Sensuality of this time so far as any way they might attain unto getting Authority into their hands by the Protector and others that were in most Power began to lay lustily about them and to pull down all them both of the Clergy and others whom they thought to be able or likely to stand in their way or resist their inventions 31. And hereupon divers were laid hands on and Imprisoned divers fled over Seas sundry most Captious and Calumnious Questions and Demands were devised to entangle Men As Namely Whether a King of one year old were not as truly a King as at Forty or Fifty which if you did grant concerning the Title and Right of his Crown which is true then presently they inferred that King Edward being but Nine years old wanting yet discretion might also be lawful Head of the Church and determine Controversies of Religion yea change the Faith and Religion which his Father and all his Ancestors Kings and Princes of England all Parliaments Synods and Councils before his days had left unto him for the space of a Thousand years and more And albeit he had not sufficient judgment to understand what Religion meant yet was he made judge thereof by vertue of his Birth and Succession to the Crown And this Point was wonderfully urged by the Protector Seymor to all Preachers Prelats and Bishops of that time that they should inculcate the same to the people in their Sermons to the end that himself taking all the said Child Kings Authority upon him might be Head and Judge in his place Whereunto that he might seem the more fit and able for his excellent learning John Bale the Apostata Friar that lived under him was not ashamed to Publish in Print and place him for a Learned Author amongst his Illustrious British Writters for that some Proclamations perhaps passed by his hands tho' otherwise he was known to be so unlearned as he could scarce Write or Read. 32. But yet as I said this Doctrin or rather Paradox of the Child Kings supereminent ability high Authority and Supreme Ecclesiastical Power to determin alter change and dispose of matters of Religion at his pleasure tho' he were but of one year old was sounded in Pulpits every where at this time whereof Sir John Cheke the Kings School-master amongst others Wrote a several Treatise besides the large Message sent in the Kings Name but of his Writing to the Catholic people of Devonshire as after shall be shewed The same also was objected grievously against Bishop Gardiner and Bishop Bonner by Name that they had not in their Sermons appointed unto them by the Protector so sufficiently urged this Point of the Kings Ecclesiastical Power in his Nonage as was required And this especially for that the people in
West by the foresaid Pope Leo III. And during this Race of time the said Universal Church flourished greatly by Learned Men and Holy Bishops whereof the principal were St. Isidorus Archbishop of Sevil Sophronius Leontius Theodorus Archbishop of Canterbury Venerable Bede Johannes Damascenus Paulus Diaconus Alcuinus our Countrey-man Vsuardus and others 4. This time had many Learned Councils also whereof two were General the one being the third of Constantinople the other the second of Nice Whereby were beaten down all the Heretics of those days the principal whereof were the Jacobites the Armenians Monothelites Neophonites Lampetians Agnychites Iconomachians or Image-breakers and other the like Besides all this there was added to the Greatness of this Church the new Conversion of many Countries from Paganism to Christian Religion Amongst which may principally be recounted our English Saxons as also by their means divers Provinces afterward of High and Low Germany And this for the continuance and going forward of the Christian Catholic Church in general planted by Christ and brought down by Succession from the Apostles time 5. But if you will talk of our new English Church planted in this mean space and inserted or united to that General Catholic Church as a Branch or Member to the whole Body and as a new Daughter subordinate to her Mother we shall see her progress to be conform thereunto to wit that she multiplied mightily in these 200 years both in Number Doctrin and great Piety of Life which John Fox himself is forced to confess in that he having told us of the Conversion of seven English Saxon Kingdoms within the compass of this time he setteth down divers Tables in the end of all whereof one is of seventeen Archbishops of Canterbury from Augustin to Celnothus that lived with King Egbert and another Table of thirty Cathedral Churches Abbies and Nunneries builded and abundantly endowed by Christian English Kings Queens and Bishops of that time and a third Table of nine several Kings besides many more of chief Nobility both Men and Women who leaving the World and their Temporal States entred into a Religious Life the more strictly to serve Almighty God. All which John Fox is forc'd to recount against himself and findeth no one in all this time of 200 years and much less any company on whom he dareth lay hands to build up his hidden Church in England withal 6. And it is to be noted by the Reader and by us to be repeated again for better memories sake that which before we admonished to wit that Fox findeth these 200 years of our first English primitive Church so barren of matter for his purpose as in the whole story thereof he spendeth only eight Leaves of Paper and these rather in deriding and scoffing the same and principal Pillars thereof than writing any Ecclesiastical History For which cause you shall find these Notes and Titles commonly written over the heads of his Leaves and Pages Augustin's arrival in Kent Gregory the basest Pope but the best Proud Augustin Lying Miracles Shaven Crowns Beda his Birth and the like Of which Learned Holy Man's Story I mean St. Bede he maketh so little account as in the same place reciting a Letter out of him written by a holy Man Ceolfride Abbot of Sherwyn in Northumberland to Naitonus King of the Picts he saith thus The Copy of which Letter as it is in Bede I have annexed not for any great reason therein contained but only to delight the Reader with some pastime in seeing the fond Ignorance of that Monkish Age c. Whereby we may see the drift of this pleasant Fox in these his Acts and Monuments which is to discredit that whole Time and all our Primitive Church 7. But yet to the end that the saying of Christ may be fulfilled in him Ex ore tuo te judico Serve nequam I do judge thee out of thy own mouth thou wicked Servant I shall here set down two National Synods gathered in England in these two Ages by two famous Archbishops of Canterbury the one Theodorus in the year of Christ 680 and related by Beda and the other St. Cuthbert in the year 747 related by William of Malmsbury after Bede's death and both of them set down by Fox And by viewing the Decrees of these two Synods you will see whether those Ages were so fond in Ignorance as Fox maketh them Out of the first Synod held at Thetford Fox gathereth ten Decrees in these words 8. I. That Easter-day should be uniformly kept and observed throughout the whole Realm upon a certain day viz. prima 14 Luna Mensis primi II. That no Bishop should intermeddle within the Diocese of another III. That Monasteries consecrated unto God should be exempt and free from the Jurisdiction of Bishops IV. That the Monks should not stray from one place that is from one Monastery to another without the license of their Abbot also to keep the same Obedience which they promised at their first entring V. That no Clergy-man should forsake his own Bishop and be received in any other place without Letters Commendatory of his own Bishop VI. That Foreign Bishops and Clergy-men coming into the Realm should be content only with the benefit of such Hospitality as should be offered them neither should they intermeddle any further within the Precinct of any Bishop without his special permission VII That Synods Provincial should be kept within the Realm at least once a year VIII That no Bishop should prefer himself before another but must observe the time and order of his Consecration IX That the number of Bishops should be augmented as the number of People increased X. That no Marriage should be admitted but that which was lawful no Incest to be suffered neither any man to put away his Wife for any cause except only for Fornication after the Rule of the Gospel And these be the principal Chapters of that Synod c. 9. Out of the second Synod held at Clonisho Fox gathereth thirty-one Decrees as followeth I. That Bishops should be more diligent in seeing to their Office and in admonishing the people of their faults II. That they should live in a peaceable mind together notwithstanding they were in place dissevered asunder III. That every Bishop once a year should go about all the Parishes of his Diocese IV. That the said Bishops every one in his Diocese should admonish their Abbots and Monks to live regularly and that Prelates should not oppress their Inferiors but love them V. That they should teach the Monasteries which the secular men had invaded and could not then betaken from them to live regularly VI. That none should be admitted to Orders before his Life should be examined VII That in Monasteries the reading of Holy Scripture should be more frequented VIII That Priests should be no disposers of secular business IX That they should take no money for baptizing
race and course of the Church c. yet hath the whole Book but seventeen Leaves in all which is little more than one Leaf to every twenty years race and course of the whole Church And surely he that so courseth over an Ecclesiastical History may be called rather a Courser indeed than an Historiographer 9. Nay further he is so envious to the famous Acts of our English Church in these days especially with Foreign Nations as he either concealeth utterly the same or maketh reproachful mention thereof As for Example when he speaketh of the most Famous and Renowned Saint of our English Nation St. Wenfride called afterward Bonifacius and accounted by all Authors the Apostle of Germany for that he began principally their Conversion and was afterward most gloriously Martyred by the Pagans for preaching Christ's Gospel with above Fifty Fellows the most of them English-men Of this man I say how speaketh Fox You shall hear presently But first shall you see the words of a German Writer in his praise Primus omnium saith he qui Australes Germaniae partes c. The first of all that brought the Southern parts of Germany to the knowledge of Christian Religion from Idolatry was Wenfride an English man by Nation a true Philosopher of our Savior and after for his Vertue called Boniface and Archbishop of Moguntia And albeit some Authors do name some others that preached in sundry places before him yet this man as another Paul the Apostle did go before all in Labour of Preaching c. 10. So writeth Adam Bremensis a Saxon a Canon of the First and Head Church that was builded in Saxony after their Conversion by the preaching of English-men for so he sheweth in particular that English-men were their Converters but especially four most famous Learned Preachers and fervent Zeâ—lots in multiplying the Christian Faith to wit Willebrordus Willebaldus Willericus and Willehadus all which were renowned Apostolical Bishops in Germany Willebrord was sent over out of England with eleven Companions towards the Conversion of Germany by the holy Abbot St. Egbert as both St. Bede and other Authors after him do testifie and by Pope Sergius II. was made Bishop of Vltraiectum in Frisia and was the Apostle of that Country as also a principal Converter of the Kingdom of Denmark 11. Willebaldus was Bishop of Ayste in Saxony where he converted many thousands to Christian Faith and was canonized with universal joy of all that Country by Pope Leo VII in the year of Christ 1004 as Authors do recount 12 St. Willehad and St. Willerike were both Bishops of Breme in Saxony Post Passionem Sancti Bonifacii saith our foresaid German Author Willehadus ipse Angligena fervens amore Martyrii properavit in Frisiam c. After the Passion of St. Boniface St. Willehad an English-man also burning with the love of Martyrdom made hast also to come into Frisia where the other was Martyred c. And then sheweth he how this blessed man after the Conversion of many Thousands was sent by the Emperour Charles the Great to preach to the Northern Parts of Saxony which he did with great fervour till Windekind a Pagan Tyrant of that Country moving War against Charles drove him out upon which occasion he retired himself to a contemplative Life for two years together in France until after he was called out again by the said Charles to be Bishop of Breme in which Charge he both lived and died most holily 13. And next to him succeeded one of his Disciples Willericus and led an Apostolical Life in the same Charge for the space of 50 years together as Adam Bremensis Erpoldus Lindenbrughensis and others do testifie These Mens Acts then and other such-like had been fit matter for John Fox to have handled in his Ecclesiastical History of these Ages especially if he could have shewed that any one of these that wrought so infinite Miracles both alive and dead as the former Authors do testifie had been of his Religion But Fox doth pass over all with silence I mean both Them and their Actions but only that he taketh occasion to speak contemptuously of the first and Father of the rest St. Boniface For having spoken of the latter Synod of those two which we mentioned in the former Chapter to have been held in England by Theodorus and S. Cuthbert Archbishops of Canterbury he writeth thus Cuthbert the Archbishop of Canterbury sent the Copy of the Synod to Boniface otherwise named Winfride an English man then Archbishop of Mentz and after made a Martyr as the Popish Stories term him 14. Behold John Fox scarce counteth him a Martyr tho' he were put to death by Pagans for preaching Christian Faith. And a little after meaning to put down a certain Godly Epistle of the said Boniface or Wenfride written to Ethelbald King of the Mercians reprehending him for his licentious Life Fox writeth thus I thought this Epistle not unworthy here to be inserted not so much for the Authors sake as for that some good matter peradventure may be picked thereout for other Princes to behold and consider c. 15. Here now you see the Estimation and Affection of John Fox to Boniface of whom the Christian World of those Times both thought and spoke so reverendly for so many Ages But let us hear what John Bale will say for he being an Apostata will be more contumelious I trow Winifridus Bonifacius saith he claro Anglorum sanguine Londini natus c. Winifrid called also Boniface was born at London of Noble English Blood and afterward went to Rome where Pope Gregory II. having try'd the Man's Faith and seen his Magnificence of Mind or rather his shameless Pride thought him a Fellow fit for his Affairs and so sent him with full Authority into Germany to a wild People as then they were called to force them to his Faith. Neither hath there been any man since the Birth of Christ that hath more properly expressed the second Beast in the Apocalypse with two Horns than he for that the Pope being the great Antichrist he was the second c. He did sign with the Pope's Character a hundred thousand men in Bavaria only adjoyning them to the Kingdom of Antichrist rather by Fear than by pious Doctrin c. He built the Monastery of Fulda where no Woman might enter c. 16. Still you see one quarrel of John Bale against Monks is for shutting out Women from their Monasteries which as it was holily instituted and observed by ancient Monks so if it had been well kept in his Monastery of Norwich it may be he had continued a Monk as he began and never come acquainted with Dorothy that drew him out from thence as himself confesseth But is there any wicked tongue in the world that can speak more impiously than this Fellow doth of so rare an Apostolic Man and of his Actions yea of
will shew thee my Faith by Works And that these good works did proceed of Faith contrary to the Cavil of John Fox is evident by those pious words of the King where he saith Seeing Almighty God of his Mercy and Clemency without any precedent Merit of mine hath given me my Crown I do willingly restore to him again c. 7. But Fox goeth forward in jesting at the said King Ethelwolf saying That he that had been once nuzl'd up in his Youth among Priests he was always good and devout to holy Church c. And then passeth he on to shew How after he had established matters in his own Kingdom he went to Rome and carried with him his little Son Alured or Alfred committing him to the bringing up of Pope Leo IV. as before hath been said where also he re-edified the English School founded by King Offa and destroy'd by Fire a little before under King Egbert Moreover he gave saith Fox yearly to be paid in Rome 300 Marks to be distributed in this manner 100 Marks to maintain the Lights of St. Peter 's Church and another hundred Marks to maintain the Lights of St. Paul 's Church and the third hundred to be disposed in good works at the Pope's appointment At all which Fox jesteth also merrily building his Church by these Mocks and Mews 8. And to like effect he reciteth a Miracle registred by William Malmsbury and by the Charter of King Ethelstone Son and Heir to King Edward the elder which King having escaped a great Danger at Winchester where one of his Subjects named Duke Alfred and other of his Nobles conspiring together presently after his Father's Death would have put out his eyes But he escaping that Danger took the said Alfred Prisoner and for that he denied that he had any such intention the good King thought there was no better Trial than to send him to Rome to Pope John XI to be try'd by a solemn religious Oath before him The Pope made him swear before St. Peter's Altar who forswearing the said Conspiracy fell down presently before the said Altar in the sight of all the People and was carried thence in the arms of his Servants to the aforesaid School or English-men where he died the third night after wherewith the Pope and all Rome remain'd astonished and the Pope sent presently into England to know of the King whether he would pardon him and suffer his Body to be buried in Christian Sepulcher which King Ethelston after consultation had with the rest of his Nobility and by the earnest intercession of Duke Alfred's Friends was content that he should be so buried but yet by Sentence of the whole Realm the Possessions of the said Alfred were adjudg'd to the King's use who bestow'd them all upon Churches and Monasteries to the Honor of God and St. Peter which had given this Judgment in the Controversie 9. All this is testified by the said King's Charter recorded by Will. of Malmsb. and recited by Fox and the said Charter towards the end hath these words Et sic judicata est mihi tot a possessio ejus in magnis modicis quam Deo Sancto Petro dedi nec justius novi quà m Deo Sancto Petro hanc possessionem dare qui emulum meum in conspectu omnium cadere fecerunt mihi prosperitatem Regni largiti sunt And by this means the whole Possession both great and small of Duke Alfred was adjudged unto me which I gave unto God and to St. Peter nor do I know to whom I should more justly give the same than to God and to St. Peter who made my Adversary to fall down in the sight of all men and gave unto me the Prosperity of my Kingdom Thus wrote he about the year of Christ 933 as John Fox counteth and I marvel he would relate this Story being so much against himself and his Religion and in confirmation of ours as it is for that it sheweth that God and St. Peter in those days wrought Miracles in Rome when Fox saith that the Faith and Religion of Rome was far out of order from the true Gospel But this is the misery and calamity of this poor Fellow and his Cause as often before I have noted that either he must write nothing at all of these Times and Ages or else he must write Testimonies against himself 10. I will give you one short Example more where he allegeth us a Narration of a very old Writer which he saith he had in Manuscript lent him by one named William Carre and thereupon he citeth it still by the name of Historia Cariana this Story being written as it seemeth in those Ages and of the Miseries that happened to England by the Incursions of Danes and other Infidels seeketh out the causes of God's wrath in this behalf saying thus In Anglorum quidem Ecclesia primitiva Religio clarissimè splenduit c. In the primitive Church of England Religion did most clearly shine insomuch that Kings Queens Princes Dukes Consuls Barons and Rulers of Churches incensed with the desire of the Kingdom of Heaven laboured and stirred as it were amongst themselves to enter into Monastical Life and into voluntary Exile and Solitariness forsaking all to follow their Lord where in process of time all Virtue so much decay'd among them that in Fraud and Treachery none seemed like unto them neither was to them any thing odious or hateful but Piety and Justice nor any thing in price and honor but Civil War and shedding Blood Wherefore Almighty God sent upon them Pagan And Cruel Nations like swarms of Bees 11. This relateth Fox out of his Carian Story and I know not to what end he should relate it but only to shew that while English-men lived Godly according to the fashion of their primitive Church they esteemed and honored highly Religious and Monastical Life and many leaving the World with the Pleasures and Possessions thereof entred into that Religious Course endeavoring to follow and imitate their Lord and Master therein and that so long was England happy and blessed by God To which effect if John Fox do allege the same then is it evident what a good Conclusion he doth make against himself his Religion at this day that are such professed Enemies to that kind of life so highly here commended and consequently the Relator thereof doth shew himself to be as well John Fool as John Fox not considering what maketh for him or against him 12. But to the end that we should not think that he hath made Peace or Friendship with Monks for all this or that he liketh their Life or Profession any thing the better for so many praises given them by ancient Authors he scoldeth at them every where and upon every occasion writing over the Pages and Titles of his Book these Superscriptions Monks Superstitious Monks Monks married Monks meer Lay-men in old times and the like
Church which was gathered together of all Nations from the beginning is not now it hath perished or fallen from Christ thus say they which are not in her O impudent Speech Is she no longer a Church for that thou art not in her 24. Here I trow Fox will be ashamed or his Fellows for him seeing this is their ordinary speech That this great visible Church began by Christ and his Apostles held on well for a time but at length fell to Apostacy as St. Augustin saith of his Heretics in the same place Dicunt impletae sunt Scripturae crediderunt omnes gentes sed apostatavit periit Ecclesia These Heretics say that the Scriptures were fulfilled that all Nations believed and entred into this Church but that after a time it fell to Apostacy and perished But what answereth St. Augustin to this impudent Objection He opposeth the words of Christ himself Ecce ego vobiscum sum usque ad consummationem saeculi Behold I am with you to the end of the World. As who would say By this Doctrin they make Christ a Lyar and a Deceiver that promised more than he could perform nay in very deed they deny hereby his whole Deity and do evacuate all the Mysteries of his whole Incarnation Life Passion Resurrection Ascension and sending of the Holy Ghost c. 25. For to what end was all this done but to gather together found establish and to conserve this Church unto the end of the World For what was Christ incarnate and God made Man but to be Head of this Church Why did he preach gather his Apostles and Disciples instruct them pray for them and their continuance leave Sacraments among them but that they should visibly begin this Church Why did Christ send the Holy Ghost but to direct and confirm the same not for one Age or Two but to the Worlds end How did Christ command men under pain of Damnation to enter into this Church and absolutely to hear and obey the same if it were only to endure for certain Ages and then to perish How should Pagans Infidels Jews Turks Moors or other like people if by God's Inspiration they should have a desire to be Christians know what to do or whither to go or where to be truly instructed if they came after the time appointed by Fox when the visible Roman Church had perished to wit after the time of Pope Gregory VII when Fox saith That Christian Faith was now extinguished in the Vniversal visible Church above 500 years agone And yet on the other side this new Church of Wickliffians Hussites and others of that Sect which he putteth to be the true Church was not yet born by two or three hundred years So as then he must needs confess that either there was no Christian Church at all for some Ages or that he must place it in some other obscure Heretics and Sectaries of that time named by me before yet he doth not agree at all in their Articles of Religion 26. Well then this shall be sufficient to shew the absurdity of John Fox his device for overthrow of our Church and setting up of his own patching it up of the Heretics of these latter Ages And yet you must note that for the first three hundred years next after the Conquest to this time of the rising of Wickliff which contain the whole substance of his fourth Book and therein a hundred Leaves of Paper he scarce findeth any Heretics whom he dareth to challenge for Members of his Church fully tho' some liking he sheweth to the foresaid Waldenses and Albigenses So as all the substantial building of his Church beginneth only from Wickliff downward of whom we shall talk more particularly in the Chapter following 27. But perhaps then you will ask me How doth he fill up these hundred Leaves of Paper in this his fourth Book if here also he allege so little for his visible Church I shall tell you briefly He goeth from King to King and from Archbishop to Archbishop shewing what strifes or disagreements suits or controversies fell out between our two Archbishops of Canterbury and York between our Kings Archbishops Religious Orders and Secular Priests Canons and their Bishops and other such quarrels in those times making scornful Notes upon every Point and then he putteth down a Bead-roll of all the particular Orders of Religious Men in England entituling the same The Rabblement of Religious Orders Then cometh he in with a complaint of the Nobles of England against the Exactions and Covetousness of Popes in those days and many Letters and Writings about the same but citeth commonly no Author for any thing Then bringeth he in what variance at divers times there passed between the Popes and the Citizens of Rome what strifes between some Popes and Emperours betwixt Kings of France and Kings of England and such like other matter little to the purpose he took in hand which was to set down the race and course of his Church 28. But the greatest part of this Book doth take up the particular Lying Treatise against Pope Gregory VII against Lanfrank Anselm and Thomas Becket Archbishops of Canterbury the counterfeit devised poysoning of King John by a Monk or Friar the Story or Persecution as he calleth it of the Heretics named Waldenses or poor Men of Lyons and Albigenses of Tholosa and the like We shall say a word or two to each Point 29. As for Pope Gregory called before Hildebrand he so raileth upon him as if he had been the wickedest man that ever lived and the Emperour the best and yet have you heard the grave testimonies before of the principal ancient Authors to the contrary in them both But do you hear Fox himself speak Now let us proceed saith he to the contentions between wicked Hildebrand and the godly Emperour c. Lo how he sanctifieth the Emperour for hatred to the Pope 30. Of Archbishop Lanfrank so highly commended by all Writers for his Vertue and rare Learning whereby he confuted most excellently the new risen Heresie of Berengarius Fox writeth thus I think that unless Lanfrank had brought with him less Superstition and more sincere Science into Christ's Church he might have kept him still is his Country and have confuted Berengarius at home Do you see how wise a confutation this is 31. St. Anselm followed after Lanfrank in the Archbishopric of Canterbury and was banished by William Rufus and died upon the 22 of April in the year 1109 and is held for a Saint by all Posterity and his said day kept Festival throughout Christendom And yet so writeth Fox his Story as tho' King Rufus whose manners yet all English Historiographers both Heretics and Catholics do greatly blame had had the right and Anselmus had offered the wrong insomuch as in one place Fox maketh this Marginal Note against this holy Man The proud stoutness of a Prelate in a
in those days should revive and preach again in these days would his Brethren the Protestants in England or out of England receive them think you And if it be certain that they would not how were they true Preachers then and not now or how can these and they be true Brethren of one Faith Religion or Church Doth not every simple Man or Woman see this Folly and absurd Contradiction 29. But to return to the matter in hand about rejecting Parliaments and other public Testimonies we see that John Fox with the same facility both reciteth and rejecteth the Letter of the Archbishop of Canterbury written to the Pope about those Wickliffians of his time twenty years after the former Parliament was held but yet in conformity of that which the said Parliament under King Henry IV. and the other before under King Richard II. did testifie as well of the said Sectaries Hypocrisie and Dissimulation as of their wicked Errors and Heresies All which Fox contemning saith to the contrary That they served faithfully the living Lord within the Ark of his true spiritual and visible Church c. 30. And it is to be noted that scarce ever throughout this whole Volume of Acts and Monuments from Christ downward for the space of 1400 years doth Fox talk of any visible Church on his side but only now when he cometh to these Wickliffians and other like Sectaries And yet to speak warily also he adjoyneth unto it the word spiritual to have some starting-hole to run out when he shall be pressed about the true nature of visible Succession which we mean to do in the next Chapter following But in the mean space it is a matter worth good laughter to hear him say That Papists do brag of their painted Sheath concerning their Churches Antiquity and Succession and that he hath sufficiently proved before by the continual descent of his Church after the Doctrin that now is reformed that it hath stood and been continued from the beginning for so are his words yea and that visibly as now he addeth Whereat I know no man can choose but laugh that hath read this our Treatise wherein we have shewed all the contrary to wit the visible Descent of the Roman Church by orderly Succession from the Apostles time and that John Fox hath not so much as named any different Succession or Descent of his Church distinct from the other until the time of Innocentius III. 1200 years after Christ And what manner of deduction or collection of Heretics and Sectaries he bringeth down from thence and how well they agree and hang together either in Time Place Function or Faith we shall examin a little after 31. But now before we end this Chapter we are to advertise the Reader that besides the Sects before named of the Petrobusians Henricians Waldensians or poor men of Lyons the Albigensians and Wickliffians there was another Sect in England called Lollards more famous than the rest in respect of Lollards Tower some what renowned in London for the Imprisonments of those Sectaries in that place But when and how this Sect of Heretics began is not so clear for that some as Prateolus and others seem to affirm that it took its Origin in England as a Brood of the Wickliffists for that they were more famous there than in other places And therefore he saith Lollardi ex Anglia ex Wickliffistarum Secta originem duxerunt The Lollards had their beginning from England and from the Sect of the Wickliffians And he addeth That it was about the year 1360 which cannot stand for that we have shewed before how Wickliff began to publish his Doctrin after this to wit about the year 1370. Wherefore the Abbot Tritemius a German Chronicler declareth the matter more particularly and truly saying That there was a certain Heretic in Germany called Gualter Lolhard who about the year of Christ 1315 taking certain Doctrin from the Albigenses and Waldenses that went before him and adding as the fashion is of Sectaries divers new Opinions of his own made a particular Sect who were called Lolhards Whereby it appeareth that this Sect began in Germany above fifty years before the Sect of Wickliff in England and hereby ensued that Wickliffians taking afterwards divers Opinions from the said Lolhards were commonly also called Lolhards And John Fox himself reciting the Sentence of Condemnation of Bishop Tresnant of Hereford against one William Swynderby an Apostata Priest for Wickliffian Heresies in the year of Christ 1391 the 24th of June he setteth down these words of the said Bishop We being excited through the Information of many credible and faithful Christians of our Diocese to root out pestiferous Plants as Sheep diseased with an incurable Sickness going about to infect the whole and sound Flock that is to say certain Preachers or more truly execrable Offenders of the new Sect vulgarly called Lolhards c. 32. Lo here Wickliffians at this time for such a one was this Swynderby were commonly called Lolhards twenty years and more after Wickliff had begun his Doctrin So as rather Wickliffians are to be said to have come forth of Lolhards than Lolhards of Wickliffians 33. And albeit these two Sects beginning as you have heard the one in Germany and the other in England with the distance of some fifty years of their Off-spring had many Opinions common to them both especially against the Roman Church against Invocation of Saints Fastings Prayers and the Sacraments of Penance Matrimony Extreme Unction and the like yet had they their peculiar Opinions also whereby they were made a several Sect. As for Example the Lolhards impugned not only the foresaid three Sacraments of Penance Matrimony and Extreme Unction as some Wickliffians did but Baptism and the Eucharist in like manner They held also for their peculiar Opinions as Tritemius saith That Lucifer and his Angels were injuriously thrust out of Heaven by Michael and his Angels and consequently to be restored again at the Day of Judgment and that Michael and his Angels are to be damned for the foresaid Injury and to be delivered over to everlasting Punishment from the Day of Judgment forward That our Lady could not bear Christ and remain a Virgin for that so he should have been an Angel and not a Man. That God having given the Earth to the use of Man according to the saying of the Psalm Terram autem dedit filiis hominum God hath given the Earth to the children of men he doth consequently punish such Wickedness as is done upon Earth but if any thing be done under ground it is not punishable And therefore in Caves and Cellars under ground they were accustomed to exercise all manner of Abomination And of this he relateth a certain Story happened in Germany which was That one Gisla a young woman of their Sect coming to be burned for Heresie she was asked whether she were a Virgin or no whereunto
she answered That above-ground she was but under-ground not 34. There followed many other Heresies also from this time downward unto King Henry VIII.'s days which prevailed diversly in divers Countries as the Flagellants or Whippers which made a new Baptism of Blood and held divers Articles of the Lolhards in Germany and Hungary about the year of Christ 1350 as Tritemius saith The Hussites also in Bohemia who had their Doctrin of John Husse Scholar of John Wickliff but yet in divers Articles differing from him about the year of Christ 1415 as Aeneas Sylvius declareth at large And upon this Man 's teaching and the Doctrin of Hierom of Prague that lived at the same time there sprung up divers different Sects in Bohemia as the Orebites Adamites Drecentians Gallecians Rochezanites Jacobites Thaborites and others Whereof Aeneas Sylvius Bonfinius and other Authors do treat And Bonfinius writeth That Matthias King of Hungary was wont to say in his days that the Sects and Sectaries of Bohemia were so divers and contrary one to the other as if no other Argument were against them this were sufficient to overthrow them all And the same confusion remaineth there unto this day 35. And this shall suffice for the Heresies of this fifth station of Time especially such as prevailed most in England from Wickliff unto King Henry VIII in whose days Luther rose up and made a new Sect. For albeit in many Points he symbolized and had concurrence with most of these Sects but especially with the Lolhards and Wickliffians under whose Names all Sectaries commonly covered themselves in our Country yet had Luther divers Points also peculiar to Him and His which made them properly a distinct and several Sect which himself confesseth in like manner disclaiming by Name from Husse and Hussites in these words Non recte faciunt qui me Hussitam vocant non enim mecum ille sensit They do not well that call me a Hussite for he doth not agree with me in Doctrin And as for Wickliff we may see the same Judgment of Luther by the testimony of Philip Melancthon that saith of him Nec intellexit nec tenuit Fidei Justitiam He neither understood nor held the Justice of Faith which is the very Foundation of Luther's Gospel and Doctrin 36. And again in the same place he objecteth divers other erroneous Doctrins unto him as That he doth take away all Civil and Politic Government that he holdeth for unlawful to Priests to possess any thing proper that no Tythes are to be paid and the like Which Doctrins of Wickliff notwithstanding our John Fox defendeth commending highly the Teachers and Professors thereof in all his tract of Time from King Edward III. to King Henry VIII canonizing them for Saints that were any way punished or called in question for any of these Doctrins under the Reigns of King Richard II. or King Henry IV V VI or VII and other Kings of that time And in this Argument is spent the whole sum of his fifth and sixth Books in which Books the very Titles of the Pages may sufficiently testifie what is handled therein As for Example page 406. under the Reign of King Richard II. is this Title The first Law for burning the Professors of the Gospel Whereby you see that he calleth all these men whether they be Wickliffians Hussites or Lolhards Professors of Christ's Gospel and consequently must he needs hold for Evangelical Truth all which they did hold and so in effect he doth in handling their Causes throughout these two Books against the Bishops and Princes that punished them though in clear words and Categorical Propositions he dare not do it 37. And this is the sluttering and stammering turning and winding of this our Fox as you can never know where to have him for that now he affirmeth now he denieth now he leaveth the matter doubtful now he moveth a question but solveth it not now he gainsayeth and contradicteth himself now he saith one thing in words and prosecuteth another in deed As for Example He confesseth before in words as you have heard That Wickliff had divers blemishes in Doctrin that is to say Errors and Heresies and so it may appear as well by that which we have set down thereof as also by the Judgment of Melancthon and yet in prosecution of his Work John Fox will not stick to commend the worst of those Doctrins as we may see by the very Titles of the Pages set over these Books 38. As for Example page 420. he putteth this Title over the said Page Temporalities may be taken from the Clergy c. And then yet further in the same Page he putteth this Head or beginning to a long Discourse about this matter in these words The second Disputation in the Vniversity of Prague upon the seventeenth Article of John Wickliff most fruitful to be read proving by twenty-four Reasons out of the Scriptures that Temporal Lords and Princes may take away Temporalities from the Clergy c. This is the Title of this fruitful Discourse for taking away all Temporal Fruits from the Clergy But how fruitful soever this Disputation may seem to John Fox against Clergy-Temporalities that perhaps could get none for himself yet to others of his Clergy that possess Temporalities I doubt much whether it will seem so fruitful or be so well liked of as by John Fox who for his twenty-four Reasons alleged for the same may chance be related into some Rank of the twenty-four Orders fit for a Man of his Degree and Merits 39. Moreover page 426. he hath this Title Tythes proved to be pure Alms. Which Title I think also will not greatly content the most of his Fellow-Ministers if their Parishioners should stand upon this Doctrin with them to wit That their Tythes are pure Alms according to the Gospel of John Wickliff and John Fox and consequently they may deny or detain them when they list or give so much thereof unto Ministers as they list and no more which oftentimes perhaps would be very little But what would these Ministers think you but especially their Wives and Children say of this Doctrin if once they felt hunger come upon them thereby yet Fox prosecuteth the same Title over other Pages As for Example page 446. he hath these words Tythes not expresly commanded anew by Christ and then hath he this Note If Tythes be claimed by force of the Old Law then Priests by the same Law are bound to have no Temporalities And this matter Fox doth prosecute at large as one Article among other of one Walter Brute a Lay-man of the Sect of Wickliff in whom saith Fox the mighty operation of God's Spirit did effectuate such constancy as in this and other Articles he resisted openly the Bishop of Hereford in his time c. Lo here the approbation of Brute's Spirit whose fourth Article was as Fox himself setteth down That no man is bound to give
all the doings and meanings of both Parties in those days 37. In the mean time saith he the Duke of Lancaster ceased not with his Fellows to imagine how he might bring to pass that which he had long contrived in his mind to wit for encroaching upon Church Livings and revenging himself against some Bishops and the City of London that stood with them for he saw that it would be hard for him to obtain his purpose the Church standing in her full State and very dangerous to attempt publickly the Laws and Customs of London being in force wherefore he laboured first to overthrow as well the Liberties of the Church as of the City for which Cause he called unto him a certain Divine who many years before in all his Acts in the Schools had inveighed against the Church for that he had been deprived by the Archbishop of Canterbury from a certain Benefice that he unjustly as was said was Incumbent upon within the City of Oxford his Name was John Wickliff who with his Disciples were of the common people called Lollards they went barefooted and basely Clothed to wit in course Russet Garments down to the Heels they preached especially against Monks and other Religious men that had Possessions c. 38. They affirmed that Temporal Lords if they had need might lawfully take the Goods of such Religious Persons to relieve their necessities c. And when he had taught these and many other such Doctrins not only in the Schools in Oxford but also had preached them publicly in London that he might thereby get the favor of the said Duke and others whom he sound prone to hear his Opinions The Duke and Sir Henry Piercy commended highly his said Opinions and endeavored to extol his Learning and honesty of Life above all other Who therefore being thus set forth with their favor feared not to spread his Doctrin much more than before going from Church to Church and Preaching his Opinions whereupon at length the Bishops awakened their Archbishop who sent for this John to come and answer to those things which were spoken of him And the Duke hearing thereof sent for four Doctors of Divinity of every Order of Begging Friars one for unto them Wickliff adjoined himself approving their poverty and extolling their perfection against other Religious Orders that had Possessions whom the Duke advertised that with a natural and old hate he pursued the Religious Persons that had Possessions neither was it difficult to compel the willing Friars to aid him in this Point 39. Hitherto are the words of John Stow. Whereby you may perceive the true Causes of this new Gospel of John Wickliff so highly commended by John Fox who affirmeth his Doctrin to have proceeded from the strong operation of Christs Spirit c. First you see that John Wickliff had for his motion the desire of revenge against the Bishops and Clergy for that he was deprived of a Benefice in Oxford which he had possessed unjustly Secondly was he moved with envy against Monks together with ambition of gaining the Duke of Lancaster and his followers by teaching them that it was lawful to invade Church Livings at their pleasure Thirdly the very same motives of Ambition covetousness and emulation against the Bishops stirred up the Duke and his Adherents and Fourthly both parts as well the Heretics as their favorers were content to use and abuse the infirmity of some emulation between Friars and Monks about matters of Perfection Poverty and Possessions Which pious motives we do read commonly to have been the Causes of all other ancient Heresies from time to time As coming from one and the self same Spirit of him that is the proper Author of all Sedition Schism and Heresie and professed enemy to the Union of Gods only Spouse and Cath. Church Lucifer himself 40. Futhermore Walsingham doth shew how that by this favor and bearing out of the Duke of Lancaster and his Partners both the University of Oxford where Wickliff began was brought to be cold in resisting him and the Prince himself in punishing him And this appeared by two Apostolical Breves written by Pope Gregory XI in the year of Christ 1378. Registred by Walsingham The one to the Vniversity of Oxford reprehending them for their coldness and slackness in resisting the said Heresies And the other to the Archbishop of Canterbury and Bishop of London to deal with the King and Queen and other Nobility to put them in mind as well of their Duty as also of their Negligence hitherto used in this behalf But what followed of this I mean of this negligence in resisting this Sect of Wickliff at the beginning Truly there followed or rather flowed such Seas of Calamities as were never seen in our Country before nor scarce heard of in others 41. For whereas King Edward III had been a most glorious King his end was pitiful his Heir K. Richard after infinite Sedition contention and bloodshed of the Nobility and others was deposed and made away The bloody division of the House of Lancaster and York came in and endured for almost 100 years with the ruin not only of the Royal Line of Lancaster by whom specially Wickliff was favoured at the beginning as you have heard but with the overthrow also of many other noble Princes and Families and most pernicious Wars and Garboils continued both at home and abroad with the losses of all our goodly States Provinces and Countries in France Unto all which the division of hearts minds and judgments brought in by Wickliffs Doctrin did help not a little and the Calamities so continued until the time of the most wise Christian and Catholic King Henry VII Who as he extinguished the Relics of this Wickliffian Seed as may appear by John Fox who setteth out in Print and painting twelve several Pageants of the Popes highest Greatness Honor and Supreme Power in the end of King Henry VII.'s Life so did he happily also extinguish all Temporal Division about the Succession of our Imperial Crown And had not our sins deserved that his Son had opened the gap tho' not perhaps meaning it to other Sects and Divisions of Lutherans and Zwinglians no less malitious and penicious than the former England had been a happy State at this day 42. Well then of these men whom not only the whole universal Church did condemn as Heretics for their wicked Opinions but English Parliaments also that had best cause to know their Lives did Sentence by their public Acts for Hypocrits Seditious and pernicious people in Manners as Fox himself among others confesseth of these I say he maketh up his Church until he come down to Lutherans Zwinglians and other such fresher Sectaries under King Henry VIII and his Children Which Sectaries Fox will needs couple together in one Catalogue and Calendar of Saints appointing Wickliff his Feast upon the second of January with the title of Preacher and Martyr
though he died quietly in his Bed as after shall be shewed And that of Luther upon the 17. of Feb. with the title only of Confessor but both of them in red Letters Notwithstanding that the Authors of these three Sects do disclaim one from another as in the former Chapter you have heard So as this forcible drawing of opposite Sectaries into one Catalogue and Calendar of Saints is like to that of Cacus who drew Bulls backwards by the tails into his Cave And this shall suffice for the contemplation of this strange composition and combination of Fox his Church from Wickliffs time down to K. Henry VIII of whose Reign and matters contained therein we shall now successively begin our speech CHAP. XI The Search of John Fox's Church is continued under the Government and Reign of K. Henry VIII and his Children And it is discussed what manner of Church John Fox then had or may be imagined to have had HAving made our former search or pursuit for the finding of Jon Fox his Church throughout the precedent years and Ages of the Christian world from the Apostles time unto the Reign of King Henry VIII and declared most evidently as to us it seemeth that the said Church was never yet to be found in any of those times and Ages except perhaps in some such broken and contemptible Heretics and so opposite and contrary one of them to another as cannot possibly be thought to make a Church that requireth unity and conformity of Faith there remaineth now that we proceed to examin what may be found for John Fox's purpose under the Reign of K. Henry VIII downwards to our time For that as often hath been noted of this time doth John Fox brag and glory in his Book as of the florishing time of his Gospel Which appeareth not only by that he imployeth the half of his whole Volume in these only thirty years that passed between the breach of King Henry with the Pope unto the entrance of Queen Elizabeth but also by a brave triumphant picture set in the first page of King Henry's Reign with his Feet upon the back of Pope Clement VII and other circumstances of Heretical insolence which presently we shall declare 2. But first of all you must understand that in the 12 last pages of K. Henry VII.'s Life it pleased John Fox to set down pleasantly 12 large printed and painted Pageants of the Popes greatness in those days together with his Papal Cases reserved to himself his Dominion both Spiritual Temporal his great Riches the universal Obedience both of Temporal and Spiritual Princes unto him and other such like points All which being but a melancholy meditation and Spectacle for Protestants John Fox in the next page setteth down a merrier contemplation to wit King Henry VIII placed by him in a high Throne with Clement VII under his Feet grovelling on the ground with his Cross Keys and Triple Crown in the Dust Whereat many Friars are painted staring and gazing and weeping round about and B. Fisher and Sir Thomas Moor pitifully also weeping and stooping down to help him up again And on the other side K. Henry is painted with the Gospel in his Lap and his Sword in his right hand lifted up for defence thereof Which Gospel is also holpen to be held up by Cranmer and Cromwell that on his said right hand do assist the King with great contentment of the new Ministers Who are painted here to stand very gravely contemplating of the matter with a singular comfort and all other Bishops Abbots Ecclesiastical and Temporal men bewailing and mourning 3. And this is John Fox his pleasant or rather peevish invention to entertain the eyes of the simple Readers or lookers on and to make pastime for Fools whereof himself was a solemn Father while he lived And I would ask the silly Fellow here how King Henry tho' he brake with Pope Clement upon some matters of displeasure as is notorious and refused to yield him Spiritual obedience in England as he and his Ancestors had done ever before yet how could he justly or truly be said to have cast him down with his Crown and Cross as herein painted Seeing that Pope Clement his Authority power and Spiritual jurisdiction throughout the Christian World was no less after King Henry's breach than before And albeit the Realm of England withdrew Her Spiritual obedience from him yet the encrease of new Churches in the Indies was of much more Authority and jurisdiction unto him and his Successors in that kind than he or they lost in England Germany or other parts that retired themselves from his and their obedience 4. Further I would ask this John Deviser that devised this wise representation how could K. Henry's Sword be said to be in Defence of the Protestants Gospel when by their own Affirmation he was the greatest persecutor of their Brethren that ever was King of England from the beginning of that Monarchy to his days For so sheweth Fox himself in that he in his Calendar of Saints setteth down more Martyrs of his Sect made by King Henry only than by all the other former Kings and Queens of England from the first entrance of Christian Faith to his time As we are to shew more largely in the Third part of this Treatise when we come to examin his said Calendar But yet in the mean space if you will have some tast how favourable K. Henry of his own inclination was to these new Gospellers you may read what Fox setteth down in the second part of his Acts and Monuments of this matter Where among other complaints of this Kings Reign you shall find in one place no less than fourteen whole pages of Names by way of Table or Catalogue of godly Men and Women as he calleth them apprehended persecuted and imprisoned for the Gospels sake by the Bishop of Lincoln in one year The King himself being the chief Author and Inciter to the Persecution as appeareth by a Letter of the said Kings written to the said Bishop of Lincoln upon the 20. of Octob. 1521. and the 13. year of his Reign which Letter Fox doth Register under this Title The Copy of the Kings Letter for the aid of John Longland Bishop of Lincoln against the Servants of Christ falsely then called Heretics c. 5. Lo here King Henry proved to be an Aider and Inciter of Persecution against Gospellers termed the Servants of God by Fox but Heretics by the King. And if so many of these good Fellows were persecuted by him in one Year under one Bishop only within one Diocese what may be imagined throughout the whole Realm Truly you may read in Fox himself very large and lamentable complaints of this King's Reign and divers copious Lists of these persecuted Saints of his Church set down by him especially from the foresaid year of Christ 1521 to 1531 which was the last ten years before the breach with the
Pope 6. But what did he from his breach forward Did he spare the new Gospellers any thing more for his breach with the Pope Truly it cannot be denied but that for some years he wink'd at their doings somewhat more than before considering the new difficulties wherein he had cast himself by his new disunion and breach as before we have noted in the end of the former Part. But as soon as he had put his Domestical Affairs in some quiet and security he returned again to his former course and custom of restraining these new unruly Spirits by calling them to account for their Innovations and proceeding juridically against them according to Church Canons and according to his former judgment in matters of Religion Which as I might shew by divers ways of proof as well of Acts of Parliament as Proclamations Injunctions and other Declarations of his Will and Opinion in this behalf so will we allege only two or three Examples in the first kind besides those which we have set down in the former Part. 7. In the 31st year of his Reign which was seven or eight years after his breach with the Pope there was made an Act for abolishing of diversity of Opinions about Christian Faith which beginneth thus Whereas the King 's most Excellent Majesty is by God's Law Supreme Head immediately under him of the whole Church of England c. intending the conservation of the same Church in a true sincere and uniform Doctrin of Christ's Religion c. Thus beginneth his Preface And then he determineth together with the Parliament That whosoever shall deny the Real Presence in the Sacrament of the Altar or affirm that the Communion is necessary under both Kinds or that Priests may by God's Law take Wives after Priesthood or that Vows of Chastity are not to be observed or that private Masses are not to be said or that Sacramental and Auricular Confession is not necessary c. All these he condemneth as Heretics and for such to be Apprehended Arraigned Condemned and Burned as at large is to be seen in the Statute 8. And the very next year after perceiving that notwithstanding his former Statute against Protestant Opinions the same did grow and were spread abroad in England he ordained another Statute which beginneth thus Whereas the King 's Róyal Majesty of his blessed and gracious disposition c. well weighing that out of sundry outward parts and places there have sprung been sown set forth divers heretical erroneous dangerous Opinions Doctrins in the Religion of Christ whereby his Grace's Leige-people may be induced to unfaithfulness misbelief miscreancy and contempt of God to the utter confusion and damnation of Souls c. For this cause his Majesty according to the very Gospel and Law of God meaneth to have matters determined and declared c. Thus he writeth in the Statute remitting himself to his further Declaration which is wholly against Protestants whose Faith and Religion you see here called by the King unfaithfulness misbelief miscreancy contempt of God heretical erroneous and dangerous Doctrin tending to utter confusion and damnation of Souls c. And this proved by the pure Word of God and the very Gospel it self as his Majesty affirmeth 9. And will you have more clear testimony of his settled judgment against Protestants than this But yet hear further For that the same King divers years afters after this again towards the end of his days having had good experience of the falshood of Protestants in corrupting the very Scriptures themselves by their crafty Translations Notes and Commentaries he was forc'd to forbid under grievous punishments the reading of the foresaid Scriptures in English which before he had permitted as appeareth by a peculiar Statute made for that purpose and for inhibiting Protestants Books Sermons and Preachings in the 34th and 35th years of his Reign this Statute being entituled An Act for the Advancement of true Religion saying therein as followeth Whereas the King 's most Royal Majesty Sumpreme Head of the Church of England and also of Ireland perceiveth that notwithstanding such holy Doctrins and Docucuments as his Majesty hath hitherto caused to be set forth besides the great liberty granted unto them in having the New and Old Testament among them which notwithstanding many seditious arrogant and ignorant Parsons pretending to be Learred have the perfect and true knowledg understanding and judgment of sacred Scriptures c. intending to subvert the very true and perfect Exposition thereof after their perverse fantasies have taken upon them not only to preach teach declare c. but also by printed Books Ballads Plays Rhythmes Songs and other fantasies subtilly to beguile his Majesty's Leige-subjects c. 10. Behold King Henry's description of Protestants their Wit Nature Condition and Doctrin But now followeth the Remedy Wherefore to ordain and establish a certain form of pure and sincere Teaching agreeable to God's Word and true Doctrin of the Catholic and Apostolical Church c. Be it enacted That all manner of Books of the Old and New Testament in English being of the crafty false and untrue Translation of William Tyndall and all other Books or Writings in the English Tongue teaching or composing any matter of Christian Religion contrary to that Doctrin which since the year of our Lord 1540 is hath or shall be set forth by his Majesty is clearly and utterly abolished c. Thus ordained King Henry of the Protestants Books and Doctrin and this Censure he gave of William Tyndall's Truth and Honesty in translating the Scriptures whom John Fox calleth not only the true Servant and Martyr of God but the Apostle also of England in this our latter Age. 11. Wherefore I do not see how Fox can with any reason make King Henry to be a Gospeller of his Religion or so earnest a Defender of the same or why he should paint him with the Bible in his hand holden up by Cranmer and Cromwell as before hath been said and seen in his Painting seeing he contemned ever their Doctrin and burned the Professors thereof as notorious Heretics unto his dying-day Which is evident by many Examples but most clear and notorious by that of John Lambert a famous Zuinglian with whom in solemn public Audience he disputed in presence of all his Clergy and Nobility of the Realm and caused Cranmer to do the like and in the end made Cromwell as his Vicar-General to give the Sentence of Death against him and burn him in Smithfield and this not two years before Cromwell's own Condemnation for like Heresie by the King 's own pursuit as may appear by the Act of his Condemnation yet extant And the same no doubt would he have done with Cranmer which was the other Upholder of his Arm to maintain the new Gospel according to Fox his Picture if he had known or suspected him not only for an Upholder of
that Heresie but that he had so much as secretly and inwardly favored the same And for this very cause did King Henry use that solemn and sharp Judgment upon Lambert and made Cranmer to dispute so earnestly against him for the Real Presence whereof afterward he made also the said Cranmer write and print a Book for more evident Attestation therein and to the same end he made Cromwell to pronounce the Sentence that all men might see and know but especially his Favorites that whomsoever he found faulty in that behalf should expect no favor at his hand Whereupon when he had spoken to Lambert asking him What he had to say more for himself why he should not die And the other falling down on his knees remitted himself to his Princely Mercy The King answered with a loud Voice in these words as Fox relateth them If you remit your self to my Judgment you must die for I will be no Patron of Heretics And by and by turning himself to Cromwell he said Cromwell read the Sentence of Condemnation against him which Cromwell addeth Fox was at that time the chief Friend of the Gospellers who taking the Schedule of Condemnation in his hand read the same c. 12. Thus writeth Fox and putteth in the Margin this Note The King condemneth the Martyr of Christ John Lambert And again in another place Thus was John Lambert in this bloody Session by the King judged and condemned to death c. And then speaketh he very dishonorably of King Henry about this matter citing him to the last Day of Judgment to receive his Sentence for that Sentence So as howsoever they flatter the Memory of this King for glosing with her Majesty in outward words yet it is clear enough what they think of him in their hearts and speak of him in corners And howsoever Fox paint him out with their Gospel in his Lap and Sword in his hand to defend it calling him every-where Gospeller yet can they not deny but that the sharpest edge of the Sword fell upon them 13. And here I cannot omit to let you hear Fox's complaint of ill luck and misfortune in this behalf that the King with Cranmer and Cromwell and some others of his Gospel and Gospellers should so unluckily concur to the condemning and burning of this fervent Brother of their Gospel Lambert Here saith Fox it is much to be marvelled at to see how unfortunately it came to pass in this mattter that through the pestiferous and crafty Counsel of Gardyner Bishop of Winchester Sathan did here perform the Condemnation of this Lambert by no other Ministers than Gospellers themselves This is Fox his complaint laying all the fault as you see upon Bishop Gardyner as tho' he had been able to have induced all these Gospellers and among others the King himself and his Gospelling Counsellors to have concurred to the burning of their own Brother Lambert if they had been then of his Gospel But the truth is that none of them at that time were come so far forward as to be Zuinglians For as for the King himself he hated them deadly both then and unto his dying-day as also the Lutherans tho' he bare somewhat more with them than with the other in respect of their holding the Real Presence in the Sacrament whereunto he was most devout And as for Cranmer and Cromwell it may be that in those days they were a little touched with Lutheranism the former to enjoy his Woman which he kept secretly by whom he was also made a Zuinglian in King Edward's days the second for his Gain and Advancement Yet the said Cromwell coming soon after this to be beheaded on the Scaffold said these words among others as Fox relateth them And now I pray you that be here to bear me record that I die in the Catholic Faith not doubting of any Article of my Faith no nor doubting in any Sacrament of the Church Many have slandered me and reported that I have been a Bearer out of such as have maintained evil Opinions which is untrue c. And then a little after he addeth again The Devil is ready to seduce us and I have been seduced but bear me witness that I die in the Catholic Faith of the whole Church 14. Thus relateth Fox of his last Confession and putteth in his Margin this Note A true Christian Confession of the Lord Cromwell at his Death Which if John Fox mean truly indeed and that Cromwell himself meant it also truly and sincerely as he spake and was understood by the people then died he a Catholic in all points and believed all Sacraments of that Church which then in England was held for Catholic and opposite to the new Gospellers at that time by whom he confessed he had been somewhat seduced and yet denieth that ever he was a Bearer out of them as you see And if all this be true indeed how then can this Confession of the Lord Cromwell be called a true Christian Confession with John Fox seeing it is a Catholic Confession and renounceth Fox his Religion utterly And if it were a false feigned and dissembled Confession of Cromwell and meant contrary to the sound of his words at the hour of his death how was he a true Christian man in so dissembling and lying and this at his very going out of the World And here I would have John Fox to solve me this Dilemma both for his own and Cromwell's Credit whom notwithstanding all this Fox will needs enforce to be of his Gospel whether he will or no writing of him thus in another place In this Worthy and Noble Person besides divers other Eminent Virtues three things especially are to be considered his flourishing Authority his excelling Wisdom and his fervent Zeal to Christ and to his Gospel c. And so much of Him and his Fellow Cranmer the two chief Pillars and Under-props of John Fox's Gospel with King Henry 15. And hereby we may in part in contemplate the first Beginning Fountain Origin and Off-spring of John Fox's Gospel in England whereof we have spoken somewhat before in the last Chapter of the former Part of this Treatise where we alleged the words of William Tyndall written to John Fryth his Scholar at the very beginning when King Henry first seemed to favor the Gospel wherein Tyndall saith that he had smelled a certain Counsel taken against Papists but that Fryth must understand that it was not for God but for Revenge and to enjoy the spoil of the Church These were the first motives if we believe Tyndal whom John Fox holdeth and calleth an Apostle of England So as this testimony coming from Him must needs be also Apostolic if not Evangelical 16. But what was the progress of this Gospel so begun in England I have shewed before that not long after this beginning to wit in the year of Christ 1536 King Henry being disposed upon former motives to make some
certain Alterations did not take counsel nor direction from the new Gospellers to do it but rather set forth a Book of his own entituled thus Articles devised by the King's Highness So do testifie both Hall Hollinshead and Stow. And then Hall who lived in those days addeth further In this Book are especially mentioned but three Sacraments with the which the Lincolnshire men were offended And then again afterwards he writeth This Book especially treated of no more than three Sacraments where always before the people had been taught seven Sacraments c. Which Articles being delivered to the people the Inhabitants of the North parts being very ignorant and rude and not knowing what true Religion meant c. said Now you see Friends that four Sacraments of seven are taken from us and shortly you shall lose the other three also except you look about you c. Thus writeth Hall of the beginning of the Insurrection of Lincoln York and other Shires by occasion of these new-devised Articles in Religion Whereby notwithstanding we see that King Henry thinking best to make some alteration tho' he meant not indeed to take away any Sacrament as afterwards appeared yet disdained he to take his Platform from the Protestants or Gospellers of those days but devised of himself the Innovation which for the present he meant to make Whereof I have heard of a certain Story not unpleasant nor from the purpose which therefore here I will set down 17. A certain Courtier at that day some say it was Sir Francis Bryan talking with a Lady that was somewhat forward in the new Gospel about this Book of the King 's then lately come forth she seemed to mislike greatly the Title thereof to wit Articles devised by the King's Highness c. saying That it seemed not a fit Title to authorise matters in Religion to ascribe them to a mortal King's device Whereunto the Courtier answered Truly Madam I will tell you my conceit plainly If we must needs have devices in Religion I had rather have them from a King than from a Knave as your Devices are I mean that Knave Frier Martin who not yet 20 years agone was Deviser of your new Religion and behav'd himself so lewdly in answering his Majesty with scorn and contempt as I must needs call him a Knave tho' otherwise I do not hate altogether the Profession of Friers as your Ladyship knoweth Moreover said he it is not unknown neither to your Ladyship nor Us that he devised these new Tricks of Religion which you now so much esteem and reverence not for God or Devotion or to do Penance but for Ambition and to revenge himself upon the Dominican Friers that had gotten from him the preaching of the Pope's Bulls as also to get himself the use of a Wench and that a Nun also which now he holdeth And soon after him again three other married Priests his Scholars to wit Oecolampadius Carolstadius and Zuinglius devised another Religion of the Sacramentaries against their said Master And since these again we hear every day of other fresh Upstarts that devise us new Doctrins and there is no end of Devising or Devisers And I would rather for my part stick to the devising of a King that hath Majesty in him and a Council to assist him especially such a King as ours is than to a thousand of these Companions put together 18. It is true said the Lady when they are Devices indeed of Men but when they bring Scriptures with them to prove their sayings then are they not Mens Devices but God's Eternal Truth and Word And will you say so Madam quoth he And do you not remember what ado we had the last year about this time with certain Hollanders here in England whom our Bishops and Doctors could not overcome by Scriptures notwithstanding they held most horrible Heresies which make my Hairs to stand upright to think of them against the Manhood and Flesh of Christ our Savior and against the Virginity of his Blessed Mother and against the Baptism of Infants and the like wicked Blasphemies I was my self present at the Condemnation of fourteen of them in Paul's Church in one day and heard them dispute and allege Scriptures so fast for their Heresies as I was amazed thereat and after I saw some of these Knaves burned in Smithfield and they went so merrily to their Death singing and chanting Scriptures as I began to think with my self whether their Device was not of some value or no until afterward thinking better of the matter I blessed my self from them and so let them go 19 Oh said the Lady but these were Knaves indeed that devised new Doctrins of their own heads and were very Heretics not worthy to be believed But how shall I know quoth the Courtier that Your Devisers have not done the like seeing These alleged Scriptures no less than They and did one thing more which is that they went to the fire and burned for their Doctrin when they might have lived which your Frier and his Scholars before named have not hitherto done And finally Madam I say as at the beginning I said If we must needs follow devising we Courtiers had much rather follow a King than a Frier in such a matter For how many years Madam have Friers shorn their Heads and no Courtier hath ever follow'd them hitherto to therein But now his Majesty having begun this last May as you know to poll his Head and commanded others to do the like you cannot find any unshorn Head in the Court among us Men tho' you Women be exempted And so I conclude that the device of a King is of more credit than the device of a Friar And with this the Lady laugh'd and so the Conference was ended 20 And thus much for the first devising or setting up of new Religion in England Now for the going forward thereof let us hear a large testimony of John Fox himself and thereby judge how Apostolic the manner was of promoting the same To many which be yet alive saith Fox and can testifie these things it is not unknown how variable the state of Religion stood in those days how hardly and with what difficulty it came forth what chances and changes it suffered even as the King was ruled and gave ear sometime to one and sometime to another so one while it went forward and another season it went as much backward again and sometime clean altered and changed for a season according as they could prevail which were about the King c. 21. Here now you see both the beginning and progress of Fox's Gospel whereof in the Margin he maketh this Note The course of the Gospel interrupted by malicious Enemies Here you do hear him say that the Birth of his Gospel came forth hardly and with great difficulty and straining and then that it grew or went backward as the King was ruled by others and gave credit
one Protestant Opinion in his life as we shall shew when we come to his place in the Calendar And as for Bucer and Melancthon they were Lutherans indeed and open Enemies for many years against Zuinglius and Zuinglians that are the Flower of John Fox's Church And tho' Friar Bucer afterward to have the free use of his Woman in England dissembled egregiously in some things to please the Protector for a time and seemed to bear with the Sacramentaries yet told he the Lord Dudley then Duke of Northumberland being asked confidently his opinion of the Sacrament by the said Duke in the presence of the Lord Pagett then a Protestant who testified the same publicly afterward that for the Real Presence it could not be denied if we believe all that the Evangelists do write But whether all be to be believed or no he said merrily that was a matter of more disputation 35. And lastly concerning King Edward VI. set down also by Fox in red Letters for a solemn Confessor of his Religion If we talk of King Henry's time he was a very young Confessor for that he was scarce nine years old when his Father died And it is very probable that the Religion which he at that Age could receive was rather such as his Father had caused him to be taught during his life than such as it pleased Fox to assign unto him afterwards But if Fox mean that he was a Confessor of their Religion after his Fathers death albeit it be hard to say of what Religion the Child would have been if he had lived yet do I think him rather worthy to be accounted a Martyr of Fox's Church than a Confessor Seeing it is probable that the bringing in of that Religion and change of state left by his Father was the cause of his immature death For that if matters had remained as his Father left them and no Protector chosen as he appointed nor Wriothesley the Chancellor put out of his Office nor other Catholic Councellors most faithful to the conservation of the Kings Blood had been disgraced and displaced by that unlucky change like it is that the good young King might have lived many fair years more and his two Sisters never have fallen into those imminent dangers of present destruction which they once saw themselves in by the ambition of the new Gospelling Faction But enough of this and of all the Reign of King Henry VIII Now shall we pass briefly over the rest that remaineth CHAP. XII Whether Fox's Church hath had any Place under King Edward Queen Mary and Her Majesty that now Reigneth and how far it hath been admitted or is admitted at this day ALbeit John Fox did Paint out King Henry VIII in the first page of his Life sitting with his Feet upon the Popes back and the Gospel in his Lap with his Sword lifted up in his right-hand to defend the same as before you have heard yet did he Paint Cromwell and Cranmer staying up the said Sword least it should fall upon the Protestants themselves as we have shewed that in effect it did But now in the first page of King Edward's Reign Fox hath a much more ample and triumphant Pageant for the Child above his Father Who though he were but nine years old yet seemeth Fox to make him a fuller Head of the Church than his Father placing him in a high Throne of Majesty and his stretched out Sword in the right Hand and with the other which is the left he delivereth the Gospel unto the People and Prelates that stand round about him Where Fox writeth in the Margent this Note King Edward delivering the Bible to the Prelates c. As tho' the Bible had taken Authority from the Childs delivering Who being so tender of Age as he was and of likelihood scarce able to read the same and much less to understand it as well he might have delivered them the Poem of Chaucer or the Story of Guy of Warwick or of Bevis of Southampton if it had been put into his Hand to deliver as this was by his Uncle the Protector that knew full near as little of the Contents as the Child himself 2. But besides this Majestical representation of delivering the Gospel there be two or three other Pageants in the same page The first is of pulling down Images with great diligence every where and burning them with this Sentence written under The Temple well purged And then is there a great Ship painted with Men Women and Children carrying their Church-Stuff into that Ship to wit Bells Books Images and Candles and amongst other things also the Blessed Sacrament And over the Ship is written thus The Ship of the Romish Church And on the side this Sentence Ship over your Trinkets and be packing you Papists And thus is John Fox's pleasant Head delighted with these Fancies But who seeth not how childish this folly is Seeing scarce six years after this triumph when Queen Mary came in a Man might have said to him again and his Fellows Ship over your Trinkets and be packing you Protestants 3. But if we consider indeed the different Wares and Trinkets which this Catholic Roman Ship carried away from England at that time and those which the new Protestants Ship brought in soon after from Germany Geneva Switzerland and other Places we shall easily discover whether the loss were greater for our Nation by the departure of the one or by the coming in of the other For that in the Roman Ship was carried away not only the blessed Sacrament as Fox saith and Painteth it out which yet is the highest and most precious Treasure that Christ hath left to Christians upon Earth but with that also all kind of vertue and honesty for the most part For that all Modesty Gravity Learning Piety Devotion Peace Concord Unity and Charity was carried away And in the new Gospelling Ship came in all the contrary Vices namely of Sedition Division Pride Temerity Curiosity Novelties Sensuality Impiety and Atheism And in place of many sober honest and grave men that retired themselves upon this change there came running into England a main number of wanton Apostata Priests and Friars each one with his Mate and Dame at his side hungry and turbulent people as Friar Bale Friar Bucer Friar Coverdale Friar Martyr and other like Who joined with other of their own Sect in England in such a vein of Innovations as quickly brought all upon their own Heads And so tho' after all these foresaid three Pictures and Representations to wit the Bible distributed the Churches spoiled and the Catholic Roman Ship sent away John Fox doth make a fourth fair Pageant of the Protestants kind and comfortable meeting together at their Communion Table and their peaceable breaking of Bread. Yet if you consider what presently ensued in their actions I mean of their changing chopping pulling down and setting up in those few years that it
that time they have taught 21. These were the two things of most moment determined about Religion in this first Parliament Two other things were attempted by the Gospellers with most earnest endeavor but they could not be obtained The first was to have a Book of Common Prayer pass which they had composed in hast out of the Mass-Book for altering the Service and Mass into English or rather for abolishing of the Mass and bringing in the new Communion in place thereof And this Book was composed by certain appointed by the Protector and Cranmer But when it came to the Parliament to pass it was misliked and contradicted not only by Catholics but by many Protestants also Especially those that were the most forward as Hooper Rogers and some other Who according to Fox were Puritans in those days and would neither take the Oath of Supremacy to the young King as we shall shew more largely when we come to treat of them severally in the next Part of this Treatise nor yet wear Typpet Cap or Surpless And misliked moreover the whole Government Ecclesiastical in that time neither agreed with the Opinions of Doctrin set down by that Book And so it was rejected with no small grief both of the Duke Protector and Archbishop Cranmer 22. The other Point proposed and rejected also was about allowance of Priests and Friers Marriages and Legitimation of their Children Wherein great force was made by them that had taken Women first and sought approbation afterwards but could not get it for the present Though in the next Parliament about a year after they obtained a certain mitigation therein as you shall hear 23. Now then this Parliament being thus past and ended upon the 20 day of December and the Protector much grieved that no more could be obtained therein to the favor of the new Gospellers he thought good for the time to come to use his Kingly Authority under the Name of the young Child for the altering of divers Points in Religion using Cranmer and some other also of the Council for his Instruments And first they began with Bishop Bonner as may appear by a Letter from the said Bonner written to Bishop Gardiner of Winchester the 28. of January 1548. wherein he writeth thus My very good Lord these be to advertise your Lordship that my Lord of Canterbury 's Grace this present 28. of January sent me his Letters Missive containing this in effect That my Lord Protector 's Grace with Advice of other the King's Majesties most Honorable Council for certain Considerations them moving are fully resolved that no Candles shall be born upon Candlemas-day nor from henceforth Ashes nor Palms used any longer Requiring me to cause Admonition thereof to be given unto your Lordship and other Bishops with celerity c. Thus much there 24. And after this again upon the 11. of the next Month of February the said Protector with some others of the Council at his appointment wrote to Cranmer and by him to all Bishops of the Realm Commanding them to pull down all Images in these words amongst others We have thought good saith he to signifie unto You that His Highness pleasure with the Advice and Consent of Vs the Lord Protector and the rest of the Council is that immediately upon the sight hereof with as convenient diligence as You may You give order that all Images remaining in any Church or Chappel c. Be removed and taken away And in the Execution hereof we require both You and the rest of the Bishops to use such foresight as the same may be quietly done with as good satisfaction of the People as may be c. From Somerset Place the 11. of February 1548. Your loving Friends Edward Somerset Henry Arundell Anthony Wingfield John Russell Thomas Seymer William Paget 25. And now Candles Ashes and Images being gone as you see there followed in the next Month after to wit of March that the Protector desiring still to go forward with his designment of Alteration sent abroad a Proclamation in the Kings Name with a certain Communion Book in English to be used for Administration of Sacraments instead of the Mass Book but whether it was the very same that was rejected a little before in the Parliament or another patched up afterward or the same mended or altered is not so clear But great care there was had by the Protector and his Adherents that this Book should be admitted and put in practice presently even before it was allowed in Parliament To which effect Fox setteth down a large Letter of the Council to all the Bishops Exhorting and Commanding them in the King's Name to admit and put in Practice this Book We have thought good say they to pray and require your Lordships and nevertheless in the King's Majesty Our most Dread Lord's Name to Command You to have a diligent earnest and careful respect to cause these Books to be delivered to every Parson Vicar and Curate within your Diocese with such diligence as they may have sufficient time well to instruct and advise themselves for the distribution of the most holy Communion according to the Order of this Book before this Easter time c. Praying you to consider that this Order is set forth to the intent there should be in all parts of the Realm one Vniform manner quietly used To the Execution whereof we do eftsoons require you to have a diligent respect as you tender the King's Majesties pleasure and will answer to the contrary c. From Westminster the 13 of March 1548. 26. By all which and by much more that might be alleged it is evident that all that was hitherto done against Catholic Religion for these first two years until the second Parliament was done by private Authority of the Protector and his Adherents before Law and against Law. And now what a Babylonical Confusion ensued in England upon these Innovations in all Churches Parishes and Bishopricks commonly is wonderful to recount For some Priests said the Latin Mass some the English Communion some both some neither some said half of the one and half of the other And this was very ordinary to wit to say the Introitus and Confiteor in English and then the Collects and some other parts in Latin. And after that again the Epistles and Gospels in English and then the Canon of the Mass in Latin and lastly the Benediction and last Gospel in English And this mingle mangle did every man make at his pleasure as he thought it would be most grateful to the people 27. But that which was of more importance and impiety some did Consecrate Bread and Wine others did not but would tell the people before-hand plainly they would not consecrate but restore them their Bread and Wine back again as they received it from them Only adding to it the Church Benediction And those that did Consecrate did Consecrate in divers forms some
in this manner was Religion first planted among us according to that which St. Mark the Evangelist saith of the first Preachers and Preachings among other Nations and Gentiles in his time To wit Domino cooperante sermonem confirmante sequentibus signis Christ working with them and confirming their Preaching with Signs and Miracles And this Faith being once planted did take such deep Root by the said watering of Christ the Author thereof as it continued and held out from time to time through all difficulties and differences both of times Men and State and by Peril Divisions Enmities and cruel Wars that fell out every day between those Seven Kingdoms until they were united all under one Monarchy some 200 years after to wit under King Egbert King of the West-Saxons And from him again the same indured other 200 years unto King Edward the Confessor before the Conquest 17. And that which is worthy also the noteing in this case is that during the time of all this Enmity Emulation Suspicions Jealousie of Kingdoms and States and Bloody Battels between these Kingdoms for the space of the foresaid 200 years from their Conversion to Christianity until they came to be a Monarchy They all lived under one Arch-bishop and Primate of Canterbury holding their due subordination and good correspondence with him and by him with the See of Rome and other Catholic Countries for matters of Faith and Ecclesiastical Affairs no otherwise than if they had been all Friends yea Subjects and Provinces of one and the self same Kingdom and this is the vertue and force of Catholic Union Whereas amongst Sectaries every little difference of Temporal States yea of Towns Cities and Governments doth presently cause a diversity also in Faith and Religion As we see at this day that Saxony for example where the name of the Protestants first began being under a different Prince hath a great difference also in Religion from other parts of Germany that call themselves Protestants and the Kingdoms of Denmark and Swedeland tho' they profess all Lutheranism yet is the manner so different in these different States as not only the one will not depend of the other in any sort of subordination or Ecclesiastical Jurisdiction as in England we see they did but neither do they agree in any one Form of Religion or substance of belief in all points no nor in one state it self where all profess themselves to be Lutherans as in Saxony where the higher Saxons allow only rigid or streight Lutherans But the lower Saxony alloweth only the softer sort and expelleth the rigid or severe Lutherans as the other do them where they get Dominion 18. Geneva and Berne are both Cities and States of the Switzers and both of them profess Protestancy tho' not according to Luthers Doctrin But yet the Temporal State of the said two Towns being different the Magistrates have appointed a different and distinct Form. Which in England also we see by experience how much they differ from those of Scotland Holland and France who profess themselves Protestants of the same Calvinist School But every Nation and Church after his own fashion And finally what differences have risen in England it self during her Majesties only Government betwixt Puritans Brownists Family of Love and State Protestants as Thomas Diggs calleth them no Man can be ignorant But to what differences and divisions they would grow in two or three hundred years if Sects could last so long and that the States which profess them were Enemies in Temporal Affairs as it was in England is easie to guess But the reason hereof is manifest to wit that for so much as Sectaries making their own judgments and inventions the Rule of their Belief and Religion and their Temporal Princes their absolute Guiders and immediate Heads in Ecclesiastical matters it must needs follow that as these Princes or States do change or alter for any respect whatsoever as they do for many Religion also must needs alter and change for contentment or interest of the said States or Princes 19. But to return to our Deduction and Continuation of Catholic Religion among the English Saxons after they came to be a Monarchy to wit from the year of Christ 800 it is first to be noted that assoon as God had delivered them from one affliction which was the continual Civil Wars of one Kingdom with an other he sent them a second Calamity far greater perhaps than the first induring for other 200 years which was the continual incursions and devastations of the Danes Who pursued them not only for Temporal respects to get their Country from them but also for Religion it self the said Danes being then Pagans as appeareth by the cruel Murders and Martyrdoms as well of St. Edmund King of the East-angles Martyred by them about the year of Christ 885 as of Holy Elphegus Arch-bishop of Canterbury some Ages after about the year 1011 and of divers others overlong hear to recount And yet notwithstanding when the said Danes with their King Canutus Son of Swanus came once by Gods Holy grace to be Christians which was soon after the foresaid Martydom of the Holy Arch-bishop Elphegus they submitted themselves with Humility and fervor of Spirit to that very same Christian Faith of their Enemies the English-men which they had persecuted in them before taking them also for their instructors Which is a token that there was no other Christian Faith known in the World at that day for them to embrace but only that which the English professed to the embracing whereof there is no doubt but the Miracles wrought continually in confirmation of the truth of that Faith as well at the Tombs of the foresaid Martyrs St. Edmund and Elphegus slain by the Danes themselves as other ways also did greatly move and animate them 20. But whatsoever the chief motives were to move this Nation to embrace Christian Religion this is certain that soon after this time of St. Elphegus his Death God delivered the whole Kingdom of England into the Danes hands under the foresaid King Canutus about the year of Christ 1020. And he Reigned and held the same peaceably for almost twenty years In which time he being now Christian did many notable Acts of a good Religious King Went to Rome for Devotion to visit the Holy Sepulchres of St. Peter and St. Paul gave great Alms there and else where made just Laws in England loved and favored exceedingly the English Nation used them with all confidence both at home and abroad Married King Emma Mother to King Edward the Confessor thereby to unite himself the more to the Nation And finally became of a Persecutor and Conqueror one of the best Kings that England perhaps had in many Ages to Govern her 21. William of Malmesbury living as it hath been said some 500 years agone under King Henry the first Son to William the Conqueror writeth many most excellent Religious Acts
Protestant Congregation in London in Queen Maries days and of one Cuthbert Sympson the Deacon or Clerk of that Congregation which two had Dreams and Visions the one concerning the other of them Which Fox thinketh worthy of so great consideration as he writeth thus in his Margin The Visions sent to God's Saints concerning their afflictions Now then touching the first St. Rough you must know that he had been a Dominican Friar in Scotland as Fox confesseth and from thence running away into England gate himself a Mate or as he calleth her a Kate with whom lying in bed he had a Vision of his Fellow Sympson which Fox recounteth in these words The Friday at night before Master Rough was taken being in his bed he dreamed that he saw two of the Guard leading Cuthbert Sympson Deacon of his Congregation to Prison and that he had the Book about him wherein were written the Names of all them that were of that Congregation Whereupon being sore troubled he awaked and called to his Wife Kate strike light for I am much troubled with my Brother Cuthbert this night And when she had so done he gave himself to read on his Book a while and then feeling sleep to come upon him he put out the Candle and so gave himself to rest again and being asleep he dreamed the like Dream and awaking therewith he said O Kate my Brother Cuthbert is gone So they lighted a Candle again and rose This is the Vision of the Scottish Friar which caused his Kate twice to strike fire and light the Candle as you see 30. The other Vision of his Clerk Simpson that kept the Beadroll of the Names of his secret Congregation and was afterward burned with him in Smithfield Fox describeth in this manner Before Simpson 's burning saith he being in the Bishop's Cole-house in the Stocks he had a very strange Vision or Apparition which he himself with his own mouth declared to the Godly Learned Man Master Austen and to his own Wife c. Thus beginneth Fox to relate the Vision noting first as you see that he spoke it with his own mouth as tho' it were a great matter And then he entreth to make a long Apology against the Papists in defence of these Visions tho' theirs be not to be believed 31. They will ask me saith he why should I more require these to be credited of them than theirs of us This is the demand which he frameth in behalf of the Papists and I think no man will say but that it is reasonable Let us hear his Answer First saith he I write not this binding any man precisely to believe the same as they do theirs Lo here is a Foolery with a manifest Lye the Foolery is in telling us so precise believing all Visions and Dreams which no wise man ever thought or spake the Lye is in that he affirmeth us to teach that such precise belief is necessary in Visions among us But let us hear him further in his Answer to the former demand It is no Argument saith he to reason thus Visions be not true in some Ergo they be true in none This part we grant but what is this to his purpose or proof His meaning is that Ours be not true Visions and His be But who shall be Judges He and His would be But this is no reason and we on the contrary do say much more equally Nec mihi nec tibi neither He nor We as particular men ought to judge of these things but the Catholic Church which by her Bishops and Pastors does examin the Proofs Weight and Moment of every one of these things that fall out and according to the Quality Merit and Condition of them to whom they happen as also of the Witnesses and Testimonies whereby they are proved she doth judge of the Truth or Probability of every thing And to Her therefore we stand and not to the fantastical broken Brains of John Fox that maketh Miracles and Visions where he listeth and authorizeth or discrediteth them when it pleaseth him again 32. And thus much by occasion of St. Cuthbert's Apparition to King Alfred the Holiness of which Saint how highly it was esteemed in the days of this King about the year of Christ 878 you hereby see himself living 200 years before for that he died upon the year 687 the 20th of March which day hath ever since been celebrated with perpetual Memory not only by the Church of England but also by the Universal and that most worthily as may appear by his Life written largely by St. Bede Howsoever John Fox doth speak contemptuously of him here and his Fellow John Bale doth revile him But for what think you You shall hear his complaints Omnia ad amussim Monachus didicit quae ad Monachismum spectare novit nulla penitus de Evangelio facta mentioone He being a Monk learned exactly all things that appertained to the Life of Monks but never made mention of the Gospel And is this likely or probable think you that he never so much as mentioned the Gospel seeing that Monks Profession and form of Life is taken out of the Gospel But what more ensueth You shall hear the Apostata utter his Spirit Faemineum gensn saith he exosum ei erat c. Women-kind was hateful unto him c. This is the same Accusation that the Mgdeburgians laid to St. Cyprian if you remember for that he praised Virginity But how doth Bale gather this hatred of St. Cuthbert against Woman-kind It followeth Decretum fecit contra Mulieres ne ejus ingrederentur Monasteria He made a Decree against Women that they should not enter into his Monasteries This Decree Friar Bale that loved Woman-kind liked not But he addeth a further Accusation That in the second year of his Bishopric St. Cuthbert left the same and no less hypocritically than idly made himself an Anchorite leading for the rest of his days a solitary retir'd life See what matters they pick out to object unto God's Saints which themselves cannot or will not imitate 33. Finally to end this Chapter and therewith this fourth station or Time John Fox after much trifling here and there setteth down in the last words of this his third Book a very brief Catalogue of the Archbishops of Canterbury of these Ages with this Title The Names and Orders of the Archbishops of Canterbury from the time of King Egbert to William the Conqueror c. Which he beginneth with Etheldrenus that was the Eighteenth in Order and endeth with Lanfrancus who was the Thirty-fourth making certain Notes or rather Scoffs and Jests upon them all especially upon those that were most renowned for their Holiness and multitude of Miracles recorded by old Writers as namely St. Dunstan of whom Malmsbury and others having left written That among other Miracles happened unto him one was that his Harp wherewith he was wont in his Youth
to praise God after the imitation of King David hanging up by his Bed-side on a Pin upon the Wall he heard one night a voice of Angels sing in his Church this Verse Gaudent in Coelis animae Sanctorum at which time his said Harp also gave a sound of it self moved either by the said Angels or otherwise by Miracle from God. Whereat John Fox in his Heretical Vein maketh much Pastime tho' as already you have heard and shall do more in the third Part of this Book he esteemeth highly certain devised Miracles of his miserable Martyrs And so much of this 34. But now as touching the principal Point of all this Discourse which ought to have been the visible deduction of his Church from King Egbert to William the Conqueror there is not one word spoken for all that he writeth is of our Church and this in Lyes Fables Scoffs and Taunts as you see but of his own Church nothing no not so much as of any one person that in all agreed with him or his Church in these days concerning Religion Nay let him shew us any one Man Woman or Child Heretic or Catholic in all this time who was fully of the Religion now held in England and that these believed no more nor less than Fox and his Fellows do at this day and we will yield that he hath brought us forth some visible Church and Succession thereof tho' it be but of three or four persons 35. Lo with how little we are content And seeing Fox will not dare nor any man for him in my opinion to take upon him this Enterprize to wit to shew the succession of any three or four persons throughout the space of this first 1000 years after Christ who did in all things believe and profess the Faith and Religion that now is held in England whereunto also John Fox himself agreed fully while he lived as may appear by the Puritanical Points in his Story which he commendeth and defendeth in the Lives of Rogers Hooper and other their first English Parents as after shall be shewed Forsomuch I say as this is so and that never any three persons of what Condition Religion Sex or Sect soever can be shewed to have agreed fully in the Protestants Religion that now in England is professed not only for the time of these first thousand years of Christianity but neither for the other five hundred next following nor that our English Protestants of these days will bind themselves in all and every Point of Doctrin Faith and Belief to stand to any one visible Congregation Church Conventicle Society or number of men whatsoever professing the Name of Christ that have been known to live upon Earth from the Apostles time downward but that they do vary from them in one Article of Belief or other 36. If all this I say be true and most certain and made evident by this our deduction and that we offer to joyn any further Issue that shall be demanded with any Protestant living upon this point that shall have any thing to say or reply in this matter This being so then is it evident what a Succession of the Protestants Church John Fox bringeth or is able to bring down or any man for him notwithstanding his vain brag and flourish in the first Title of his Book That he would set down the whole race and course of the Church c. The Folly and Falshood of which flourish shall better also appear by that which ensueth from the Conquest downward CHAP. VII The fifth station of Time containing other Three hundred years from William the Conquerour unto the time of John Wickliff wherein is examined Whether the Catholic Roman Church did perish in this time as Fox affirmeth Here is treated also of Pope Hildebrand and of the Marriage of Priests YOU have seen good Reader by our former Treatse how brief and barren John Fox hath been hitherto in relating unto us Ecclesiastical matters for more than a thousand years For tho' he promised in the first Title of his Book as before you have heard that he would set forth at large the whole race and course of the Church from the primitive Age unto these latter Times of ours c. And again in another Title that he was to lay before us the Acts and Monuments of Christian Martyrs and matters Ecclesiastical passed in the Church of Christ from the primitive beginning to these our days as well in other Countries as namely in the Realms of England and also of Scotland discoursed at large c. yet this large Discourse for more than a thousand years is concluded by him in less than seventy Leaves of Paper whereof almost fifty are of impertinent matter to wit of certain Differences which he would pick out between the old Roman Church and that which is now and in the relation of the first Ten Persecutions under Heathen Emperours which before we have declared how little they appertain to his Argument or Subject taken in hand which was to set down the race and course of the whole Church And this being so you may consider what store of Ecclesiastical matters he findeth to his purpose in these first thousand years seeing he scarce spendeth thirty whole Leaves therein whereof also the far greater part I mean of that he writeth in these few Leaves is meer temporal or impertinent as in part you have heard And how then doth he tell us of Ecclesiastical matters discoursed at large c. and of the whole race and course of the Church set forth largely by him c. Do you see how these men do face and lye to deceive their Readers 2. But let us not complain I pray you of brevity or barrenness in John Fox nor lack of Volume seeing he hath set forth the greatest perhaps that ever was in our English Tongue And if he have been over-short for the thousand years past unto the time of William the Conqueror he will as much exceed in length now for the other five hundred years that are to ensue from the Conqueror to Queen Elizabeth upon which time he bestoweth above 900 Leaves And the reason of this so notable difference or inequality is that which we have touched before to wit that he finding the whole course of these former Times and Ages of the Christian Church to be against him nor daring openly to reject that Church nor manifestly to joyn with her Enemies adjudg'd by her for Heretics he chose to speak as little of those Times and Affairs as he could But now he hath taken another resolution much more desperate in hand which is to deny Our Church to be any longer a Church and to set up another of His in her place by which means he will come to have matter enough for that this being supposed and he presuming that all the Acts and Monuments of this Church I mean the General Roman Church receiv'd hitherto