vvould be to your Consistorie vvhole Religion to impose and multiplie penalties vpon vs these offers considered for not doing those things vvhich by your ovvne knovvledge your best learned in diuinitie on vvhose vvordes and vvarrant you hazard your soules cannot nor vvill not take vpon them to maintaine as lavvfull for vs to doe But if so many suites supplications reasons and examples vvill not call you to a contrary minde but you haue set vp your resolution vvithout any ansvvere or defence by vs to be our accusers iudges and executioners and singularly vvithout any example at all in the vvorld either of Christians or others to persist in vehemencie of persecution against our religion let vs finde you so far to harken vnto vs that to retaine the name of lavve-makers you vvill retaine some proportioÌ„ anologie as all so named must doe vvith the most auntient lavve of God of nature nations and this kingdome not to punish tvvice one and the same offence If by strong hand you will haue that to be offence which vve assure our selues is so far froÌ„ that name and nature that the contrary is great and heigh offence to God Non consurgat duplex tribulatio and afflixi te non iterum affligam and againe Deus non punit bis in idipsuÌ„ And as a double punishments is not to be inflicted for one offence so by these lavves pro mensura delicti erit plagarum modus vvhich our auntient lavves in our great charter of England follovve Nullus liber homo amercietur sed secundum modum delicti ipsius saluo tenemento suo Magna Charta cap. 14. Peruse if it please you but the heades of the punishments prouided against vs for sundry respects questionable vvhether any offence or no and shal perceaue that your lavvs do not impose you or prosecute such seuere penalties by many degrees vpon sins that certainly and by al iudgements are confessed and acknovledged to be sinnes yea and great sinnes against the lawe of God nature all nations this Kingdome By this we hope you vnderstand that if you wil haue example either in heauen or earth to follow your persecutions must die or must diminish for we haue yeelded ful satisfactioÌ„ to all your pretended reasons to persecute vs. That which remaineth wee desire you to consider what a resemblance there is or should be betweene yours the heaueÌ„ly court froÌ„ whence the irreuocable law is proceeded with great terror published Woe to theÌ„ that make vniust lawes and writing haue written iniustice that in iudgemeÌ„t they might oppresse the poore and do violence to the cause of the humble of my people that widdowes might be their prey and the spoyle of fatherles So beseeching the almightie that in these and other causes in that heigh Court now in hand you may in such sort proceed as may be to his honor and glory the securitie good of his maiestie his of-spring posterity and this common wealth we leaue you to Gods holy protection Your wel-wishing Countrymen kinsmen alliance frieÌ„ds the Catholike RecusaÌ„ts of this realme of EnglaÌ„d An other also of the like tenure which here ensueth was then with the same assent subscribed with 23. handes of the chiefest Catholike gentlemen of England and presented to the chiefe Secretarie of estate potent in those times in court and councell and as the Catholikes then feared not equally effected towards them though neuer so innocent and wel-deseruing who was one of them who with other of the councell declared to diuers of these gentlemen as they confidently reported vpon their reputation that the Kings pleasure was they should paye no more the penaltie of twentie pounds a month for their recusancie and after when hee had perswaded his maiestie to the contrarie denyed his former assertion of the releace thereof although the gentlemen most sincere and iuste still insisted and maintayned that this messadge was so deliuered vnto them which also the then Earle of Northampton L. Henry Howard did freely confesse acknowledge to be most true And the same Catholiks were more then iealous that this practise of coÌ„spiracie was no great secret to that Secretary long before diuers of them that were actors in it and by him named Catholikes were acquainted with it We may not enter into iudgement where men are not defamed of such inuentions to entrappe those they doe not affect for the rest let M. Howe 's his historie of that matter make relation who it was a great protestant that had more or not much inferiour knowe ledge of it by his relation then some that wer-put to death for concealing it But howsoeuer the petition followeth in these tearmes TO THE RIGHT HONORABLE ROBERT Earle of Salisburie chiefe Secretarie of estate to his Maiestie the petition of the Catholicks of England IF the corrupted and obscured vnderstanding of men not knowing God could among other cloudes and mystes of ignorance be so far blinde in that wherein the lawe light of nature it selfe doth giue sufficient instructioÌ„ to all people and nations that Princes and rulers in authoritie are to be honoured and obeyed yet the heauenly and supernatural illumination doth clearly deliuer all Christians especially Catholikes from such darkenesse and want of dutie giuing knowledge that euerie soule must be subiect to superiour powers that God is he per quem reges regnant and he that resisteth power resisteth the ordinance of God Wherefore vvee your Lordshippes humble suppliants the Lay Catholiques of this Kingdome so long probationers for religious causes haue euer in our hearts wordes and workes abandoned all contrarie proceedings as a Babilonian building and insurrection against the might and commande of heauen damnable and rebellious vnto all regall and princely power peace and vnitie on earth Therefore being admonished by the vvisest King that there is as well tempus loquendi as tacendi and occasions of these times being such as inforce vs to speake least by silence vvee might be censured by some no equall minded-men vnto vs to be suspected criminal in that vvherein as al matters of that nature vve doe and euer did by long-knovvne experience stande most innocent vvee therefore protest concerning the late conspiracie that vvee doe condemne it for a most impious vnnatural barbarous and execrable offence against the lavve of nature the sacred vvord of God and the canons and practise of the holy Catholike Church wherein vvee doe liue to vvhich no pretence of holinesse no petence of Religion no pretence of priuate or publicke authoritie can giue vvarrant to make it lavvful And vvee take God to vvitnesse that vvee vvere neither consenting coÌ„spiring or priuie to that or any such wâ—ked designement but the very remeÌ„brance that any such enterprise should be intended or deuised by any maÌ„ especially bearing the name of a Catholik is the continuall sorrow of our hearts and among al tribulations the obiect of our greatest griefe And for this present and all future times we
Scotland against those two blessed Queene Maryes that Q. Mary of England was inforced to make a statute in parlamēt to suppresse yt the Abridgement thereof is thus parlament 2. an 1. Mar. 20. die April 1554. cap. 2. The Regall and kingely power of this realme and all the dignities and prerogatiues of the same shall bee as wel in a Queene as in a kinge How the protestants in England vpon such good doctrine rebelled against that Q. Mary all knowe And in Scotland they rather chosed to crowne our Soueraigne in his cradle then the true Queene his mother should raigne haue any power spirituall or temporall at all in her owne hereditary kingdome Holinsh. histor of Scotland Stowe hist an 1. Iacob but by the violence of those Scottish protestants to bee driuert from thence And landeinge in this kingdome of England Cambden in Annal. in the life of Q. Mary of Scotland Where by these protestants before shee had such iust right of succession as they haue declared left that most vndeniable Title and interest by which moste truely lawfully and vndoubtedly her sonne our soueraigne kinge Iames now enioyeth both this whole kingdome of Britanie Ireland and all the adiacent Ilands by hereditary right from her shee fownde noe further fauour here of the English protestants but to bee a perpetual prisoner in her life and to her eternall glory and english protestants soe longe endureinge shame murthered and martyred at her death Stowe Holinsh. Theater of Britanie in Q. Eliz. c. Moreouer in this soe termed parlament besides the takeinge of this greate and supreame spirituall chardge and office vnto a woman neuer heard of in the world before and suppressinge of the holy sacrifice of the masse euer since Saint Peters tyme as before is proued excepting three yeares of kinge Edward the 6. a child and in place thereof admittinge a forme of communion and common prayer neuer vsed by any people catholicks or protestants but in that shorte tyme alsoe of that yonge kinge in England not any one Article of protestant Religion eyther against the 7. Sacraments of the church inuocatiō of Saints prayer for the dead purgatorie validitie of good workes merit iustification or whatsoeuer els now contradicted by these protestāts was thē or vntil the fourth yeare of Q. Elizabeth concluded by any parlament protestant Authoritie in England but left arbitrary for euery man to beleeue and practize as his fantasie serued without any rule at all Booke of Articles and Conuocation an 1562. And for the communion Booke yt selfe it had not any approbation of any one parlament mā diuine or other as your protestants assure vs but the chardge of making or mareing that was onely committed sayth your prime protestant Antiquary with others Cambden annal pag. 23. Parkero Billo Maio Copo Grindallo whitheado Pilkingtono Theologis Thomaeque Smitho Equiti To Parker Bill May Cope Grindall Whithead and Pilkington diuines and Thomas Smyth a knight The first and cheifest of these seuen beeing Mathew Parker had beene of seuen Religions vnder kinge Henry 8. Edward 6. Q. Mary and Q. Elizabeth chaunging in euery one of those chaunges as before is proued Godwyne Catalog of Bish. in Canterbury Matth. Parkr Foxe to 2. in k. Henr. 8. Edw. 6. Q. Mar. c. and al Q. Maries tyme professinge the catholicke Romane Religion in England both before and after his depriuation of his liuings in the second yeare of Q. Mary for being marryed For the rest of these protestant diuines they were fugitiues for mariadge against the canons of the church and conspiracy against Q. Mary before which time they were in the same disease of chaungeing Religion with the former princes and after their going forth of England professed the religion discipline also of the puritane churches where they liued namely to exemplyfie in the liturgie or common booke of prayer of the protestants of Franckfort published an 1554. in Q. Maryes tyme denyinge both the supreamacy of temporall princes and other matters of english protestant Religion this is the subscription of the english protestants then in all their names Liturgia seu ritus ministerij in Ecclesia peregrinorum Francofordiae an 1544. per Petrum Brubachium in fine in subscript Subscribunt Angli ob Euangelium profugi totius Ecclesiae suae nomine Iohannes Mackbraeus c. The protestants of England that were fled for the Ghospell subscribe in the name of their whole church Ihon Mackbree minister Ihon Stanton William Hamon Ihon Bendall William whithingham and to assure vs that these men in particular before named bee Authors or correctors of yt neyther did nor in their owne iudgment could allowe yt it is euident first both because they were of this protestant Franckford congregation secondly because The first protestants of this kingdome your protestants words Couel in examin pag. 72. in a letter subscribed with eleuen of their hands whereof Knoxe Gilby whithinghame and Godman were foure moste of them hauing iudgement and learninge vtterly condemned yt Couel against Burges pag. 69.122.47.185 Soe did Caluine at Geneua Ridley your protestant Bishopp and supposed martyr in a letter to Grindal himselfe a cheife agent in it all the Caluinists in the world abrode in their publick confessions and at home haue likewise euer and doe still condemne it as alsoe all Lutherans that euer were and all those writers or correctors of it themselus and all the protestants in that first parlament in all probable iudgment except fowre new cownsaylers of Q. Elizabeth the Marquesse of Northampton Earle of Bedford Ihon Grey of Pyrge and Cecile her pauculi intimi to whome onely as sayth your historian Cābden supr in Annal. in Elizab. this matter was communicated vnto re nemini communicata nisi Marchioni Northamptoniae Comiti Bedfordiae Iohanni Greio de Pyrgo Cecilio And this matter was sufficiently proued by some of your late Bishops in the Conference at Hampton Court publickly betweene the protestant Bishops and puritans before our kinge himsemselfe where Barlowe your Bishop in relating of that disputation Barlowe Conference at Hampton Court pag. 14. 15. bringeth in Babington a protestant Bishop of yours openly to acknowledge that in the beginninge your protestants religion and communion booke thereof was proposed and approued in that first parlament by ambiguous and indirect dealeinge of the composers of that communion booke and citeth the Archbishop of yorke to that purpose And if wee may beleeue your protestant Relations of that dispute printed with priuiledge Their protestant Relations of that Confer printed by Ihon windet cap. 1.2.3 all annexed to Barlows Relation wee ar told that your protestant Archbishop of Canterbury Bishop of London Bishop of Wynchester did here vpon their knees before his maiesty confesse as much of the errors of that booke and their Religion thus wee haue from them in three seuerall relations and from the fourth by your Bishop Barlowe as before Finallie thus wee pore catholicke preists and catholicks haue toyled ourselues in searching seeking and preaching all protestants proceedings parlaments lawes writings liues dealeings of these pretended reformers and the further wee wade the deeper wee ar in error if Catholick Religion could possibly bee error for as is euident before wee can finde nothing in any of these protestant patterns and examples but such as confirme vs in that faith wee professe with the catholicke christian world in all ages To which God of his mercy conuert them that bee in error And soe much for this first part of this protestant Plea and petition But seeing wee cannot finde any comforte by your owne writers and relators of these thinges to ioyne with you in your New Religion wee will next proue vnto you by your owne doctors and Antiquaries that holy Religion which wee embrace for which you persecute vs to be the same which was first preached here by Saint Peter and his holy disciples and soe consequently deliuered by Christ himselfe and continued in this nation in all ages euen since then vntill these tymes FINIS APPROBATIO Ego infrascriptus legi libellum Anglicanum cui Titulus praefigitur Protestants plea and petition for Priests and Papists nihil in eo reperi fidei Catholicae vel bonis moribus aduersum quin potius eundem vtilem futurum iudico dignum qui in lucem prodeat Datum Duaci 19. Septemb. 1621. MATTHAEVS KELLISONVS
oath was enacted and for the fourth assigned Doctor Bishop And to confirme further this relenting disposition in that Queene and the wisest of her counsell besides that which is written before those Priestes whom hee that writeth for the new oath vnder the name of M. Roger Widdrington doeth vntruely challenge for his opinion as both their late Apologie to the contrary the martirdome of some of them for onely refusing it as namely M. Robert Drury and the confession and acknowledgment of that author himselfe vpon certaine knowledge doe testifie they still iustifie that the councell of Q. Elizabeth promised quietnes and tolleration vpon Priests acknowledgement of temporal obedience vnto her which none denyed and this was the motiue as these Priestes haue often protested for I am none of them that they were willing to yeeld so much as their spiritual bond and dutie to the See Apostolik which they except would permit to Queene Elizabeth then their Soueraigne Neither can wee without great aspersion of dishonour and all hope of all kinde of penitencie in that princesse be of other minde For hauing publickly so protested in parlament neuer to vexe or trouble anye Romane Catholike for matter of Religion her case euen by protestants iudgement not to persecute for Religion should be too desperate by their owne proceedings especially if we a little reflect vpō that which all the christian world can witnesse both for priests and Catholikes and our protestant histories themselus thus deliuer vnto vs in these wordes Elizabeth succeeded her sister began her raigne with so generall applause as her sister did by reason the Cleargie the Nobilitie and most of the commons were Romane Catholikes who neuerthelesse although they knew her full determination was to alter their setled course in Religion yet they all with one consent being set in the Parlament house when the certaine newes was brought thē of Queene Maries death they acknowledged her immediate right and presently declared the same by diuers Proclamations and forth-with prepared themselues to performe their homage and fealtie which shee gratiously accepted Howes Historical preface in Queene Elizabeth Stowes Historie anno 1. Elizabeth Cambden in apparal Annal. Thus these Protestant historians and these renowned Bishops Priests and Catholiks were so far from raysing the least resistance against her when as we see they might easily haue kept her from being Queene if they would haue proceeded as Protestants vse to do that those holy Bishops as your greatest Protestant antiquarie writeth Cambden annal pag. 27. though they both thought Queene Elizabeth at that time to deserue the censure of Excommunication and that they had power and authoritie to inflict it on her yet they refrayned to doe it leaste by that meanes the people and subiects of England would take armes against her and so depose her being by them excommunicated And thus tender of this Queenes safety and quiet though after excommunicate and for her birth by our Protestant historians and statutes themselues not in the best estate were all Priests of England after that not onely at that time of the statute against them they were all most free and innocent as is iustified in the petition before confirmed by our Protestant historians which cannot charge any one Priest of those dayes with temporall disobedience but euer after continued in the same dutie and loyaltie not any one accused of the contrarie except they wil instance in M. Ballard for the businesse of the Queene of Scotland and her sonne his Maiestie that now raigneth and long and happely may he raigne amongst vs which we thinke for their dutie they owe to our Soueraigne and King Iames Protestants should not be hastie to vrge and if they should and that matter were as the Protestants then pretended yet but one Priest in 44. yeares seruing for their purpose they may now acknowledge how vnequal and vniust a thing it was to condemne so venerable heigh a function generally for so an heynous offence when they finde none guiltie by their owne proceedings And this innocencie of Priestes was that which in those latter dayes of Q. Elizabeth so inforced that Queene and her councel so cunningly as they could with their politike reputation not to be altogether contrary to themselues and not ingeniously acknowledge the wrongs and iniuries they had offered and done to that sacred vocation to stay the fury and mittigate the rage of their former persecution by occasion whereof and Priestes prooued thus innocēt diuers religious men which spareingly before as those of the Societie or not at all as the Monkes of the order of S. Benedict had visited England resorted hither in some numbers in those latter dayes of that Queene And thus much of the honor and loyaltie of Priests and vndeniable trueth of the Religion they taught in her time Howe the Priestes and Catholikes of England neuer deserued the least persecution or affliction vnder our Soueraigne King Iames but rather fauour honour and reuerence NOW let vs come to the time of our dread leige and Soueraigne King Iames as the world well knoweth the affection and dutifull loue of the Priests and Catholikes of England toward his Maiesties right and most vndoubted true title to this kingdome in the dayes of Queene Elizabeth yet euer performing due obedience vnto her was not inferiour to the best Protestants of this nation so it pleased his Maiestie without any exception of Priest or Papist generally to speake in publike Parlament of this whole Iland I am the husband and all the whole I le is my lawful wife I am the head and it is my bodie I am the Sheepheard and it is my flocke King Iames parl 1. sess 1. He therefore accounteth vs poore members of this his wife his bodie flocke for being but one husband head and shepheard he hath but one wise body and flocke by that relation And at his entrance hither by his regall testimonie wee that be priestes and Catholikes applauded and embraced it with as great ioy and alacritie as those that were Protestants and of his Religion as they pretende his Maiestie tearmeth it sess 1. supr parl 1. a ioy full and general applause and vnexpected readines of our deserts memorable resolution most wonderfull coniunction and harmonie of our hearts in declaring and embraceing our vndoubted King and gouernour at his first entrie into this kingdome the people of all sortes rid and ran other flew to meete him their eyes flaming nothing but sparkles of affection their mouthes and tongues vttering nothing but sounds of ioye their hearts feete and all the rest of their members in their gestures discouering a passionate longing and earnestnes to meete and embrace their new Soueraigne Thus it pleased him to embrace vs in generall as his most louing and dutifull subiects and in particular thus he pittied our former afflictions and intended to mitigate and relieue them my minde saith he was euer free from persecution or thralling my subiectes in matters
the protestants condemne some other Iesuits for this matter and among them Father Baldwyne yet hauing him prisoner diuers years vnder their strictest examination they at last dismissed him as innocent and guiltlesse therein that with honour And how-so-euer the case stood with the accused Iesuites we are euideÌ„tly taught by these greatest authorities that both priests and catholikes were vpon this pretence most vniustly persecuted although besides all these reasons wee by publicke consent both of Archpriest best learned cleargie and Catholikes presented and offered to maintaine our cause innocencie in these humble petitions and first to his maiestie in this maner TO THE MOST EXCEL-CELLENT and mightie Prince our gratious and dread Soueraigne IAMES by the grace of God King of great Britaine France and Ireland in the yeare 1605. iustifying the Innocencie of Catholikes and trueth of their holie Religion against all best learned protestant aduersaries Most gratious Soueraigne THe late intended conspiracie against the life of your royall maiestie the life vnion rule and direction to these vnited kingdomes was so heynous an impietie that nothing which is holy can make it legittimate no pretence of Religion can be alleaged to excuse it God and heauen condemne it men and earth detest it innocents bewaile it the nocent and vnhappie delinquents themselues in repentance haue lamented it and your dutiful religious and learned Catholikes Priests and others which haue endured most for their profession holde it in greatest horror and will sweare protest promise and performe to your Maiestie whatsoeuer loyaltie obedience and dutie is due from a subiect to his temporall prince by the word of God lawe of nature or hath bene vsed by the subiects of this kingdome to any your christian progenitors from the first to the last acknowledge and render to your honorable counsel and all magistrates in ciuill causes so much honor reuerence and submission and to all other protestant subiects like amitie and neighbourly affection as if they were of the same Religion which we professe Yet this is the miserable and distressed state of many thousands your most loyall and louing subiectes dread liege for their faithful dutie to God and a Religion taught in this kingdome and embraced by all your progenitors and our ancestors so many hundred yeares that euery aduersary may preach print against vs and make their challenge as though either for ignorance we could not or for distrust of our cause wee were vnwilling to make them answere or come to triall when quite contrarie we haue often earnestly and by all meanes we could desired to haue it granted with equal conditions against the most selected and best learned doctors of that Religion And at this present when your chiefest Protestant Clergie Bishops and others is assembled wee most humblie intreate this so reasonable a placet that although they will not as we feare euer consent to an indifferent choyce opposition and defence in questions yet at the least to auoyde the wonder of the world they will be content that we may haue publike audience of those articles opinions and practise for which we are so much condemned and persecuted If we shall not be able to defend or proue any position generally maintained in our doctrine to be conformeable to those rules in diuinitie which your Maiestie and the protestant lawes of England we can profer no more haue confirmed for holie the canonicall scriptures the first generall councels the dayes of Constantine and the primatiue Church let the penalties be imposed and executed against vs. If we performe it or this petition may not be admitted we trust that both our office to God and dutie to our Prince is discharged in this poynt Your royall person and that honorable Consistory now assembled are holden in your doctrine to be supreame sentencer euen in spiritual busines in this kingdome we therefore hope you wil not in a Courte from whence no appeale is allowed and in matters of such consequence proceede to iudgement or determine of execution before the arraigned is summoned to answere hath receaued or refused trial is or can be prooued guiltie If we be condemned and our cause be iust and religion true it is God not man against whom you proceede in sentence If our profession be erroneous and yet for consent with so manie nations and so long continuance it is lesse vnpunished you onely pardon the frailtie and ignorance of earthly men and fight not with the heauenly Denie not that to vs your euer true and obedient subiects in a religion so auntient which your collegued princes the King of Spaine and the Archduke do offer to the so many yeares disobedient Netherlandes vpon their temporall submittance in so late an embraced doctrine that which the Arrian Emperours of the Easte permitted to the Catholikes Bishops priestes Churches tolleration what the barbarian Vandals often offered and sometimes truely performed in Africke What the Turkish Emperour in Greece and Protestant Princes in Germanie and other places conformable to the examples of Protestant rulers not vnanswerable to your owne princely pietie pittie and promise no degust to any equally minded Protestant or Puritane at home a iubâ—ly to vs distressed a warrant of securitie to your Maiestie in all opinions from all terrours and dangers From which of what kinde soeuer we most humblie beseech the infinite mercie of Almightie God to preserue your Heighnes and send you your Queene and posteritie all happienesse and felicitie both in heauen and earth Amen Another petition of the Catholiks of England to his Maiestie at the same time REmember most worthie Prince not onely howe grieuous but how general the penalties against your catholikes be enacted and yet new threatnings be made that new more strange as nec inter geÌ„tes shall be ordeyned The bodies honors reputations and ritches of the husbands to be punished for their wiues religion and soules to which they are neither husbaÌ„ds nor superiours children to be taken froÌ„ their parents parents to be depriued of their education which Catholike princes doe not and in conscience cannot offer to Iewes themselues though in some opinions the slaues of Christians Children seruants kinsmen and neighbours to be made hired espials to betray their parents maisters kindred in things as vnlawful which the whole catholik world honoreth for holie Commendable arts functions of physicke and which haue no connexion with religion to be put to silence in catholikes The seuere penaltie twentie pounde a moneth for not monethly professing the protestant faith in churches when in all diuinitie the precept of profession of true and vndoubted faith in se ex se bindeth but seldome is to be encreased And others of such condition too many here to be mentioned and too grieuous and vnnatural we hope in your princely opinion to be concluded by a kings consent vnder fauour for all wee instance in one most heauie and generall in those of our deceased Queene All Priestes though neuer
so dutiful or obedient be censured for traytours equally with the greatest offendor in the sinne of treason when many guiltlesse soules of that sacred order would not for thousands of worldes once consent to any such or far inferiour offence A thing most strange and beyond all example that men in respect onely of their calling and function and that function so reuerenced by all our forefathers should without further cause be condemned as guiltie of so detestable a crime We defende holy Priesthood to be a Sacrament which being ordained by God cannot be changed by man Pope Prelate or humane power but remaining in all things substance and doctrine the same which in those daies when it was so honorably esteemed of all your Christian progenitors and when our mother church kept her first integritie by your heighnesse iudgement as we are reddie to make defence It is the honour of our King in heauen most mightie Soueraigne for which we continue in combate that religion which the whole catholike world in all generall councels popes doctors and learned men haue euer professed wherein this nation as our Protestants acknowledge was conuerted all our Christian ancestry embraced and which all princes in the schoole of Christ of whom your Maiestie is descended mayntained in theÌ„selues in their subiects That which is so general caÌ„not be surreÌ„dred by a smal number of one kingdome It is not in the power of man to resigne the honour of God if it will please your Maiestie to vouchsafe vs licence to request and grace to obtaine that your owne princely sentence censure may stande that wee ought not to departe further from the Romane Church our mother Church by your iudgement than shee is departed from her selfe when she was in her best and florishing state And that the time of Constantine was incorrupted in religion wee humbly againe offer tryal before your heignesse with equall conditions of schooles against the most selected and chosen protestant Bishops and doctors of your dominions to prooue or defend any or euery substantial article which wee now professe to be agreeable vnto and not dissenting the knowne publike Catholike doctrine of that mother Church in those your mentioned incorrupted dayes of Christianitie And seeing the disfauour and penalties against laye Catholikes are grounded vpon their recusancie to be present at your protestant seruice wee humblie beseech it may be called to memorie howe they haue protested in seuerall supplications one to your Maiestie before the ende of the laste parlament and the other to Queene Elizabeth in the twentie seuenth yeare of her raigne to be builded onely vpon feare of offending God To which their so long and manifolde disgraces losses imprisonments and sufferings are sufficient witnesse And for further triall thereof haue offered to repayre to your Protestant Churches and seruice without further exception if the learned of your Religion can and doe prooue to the learned of their profession that it may be performed without offence to God which is so much in the opinion of all diuines as any Christian subiects can offer in this case Thâ—s if your Protestant Cleargie doe refuse or doe not satisfie so Christian a request we hope your Maiestie beeing wise learned iuditious and gratious will perceaue that the seueritie of the lawes against them for that cause is not to be put in practise These things in most humble manner wee commende to your heighest and mercifull consideration And so desiring of the Almightie to graunt all happinesse and prosperitie to your Maiestie and posteritie wee conclude in all dutifull subiection with that auntient Father Tertullian in Apollget Wee will faithfully serue you in your Pallace we will accompanie other your subiects in the market wee will ioyne with them in the fielde against your nemies onely to you we leaue the Churches These two petitions were printed and presented to his Maiestie in the Parlament when the new oath was enacted and the foure remembred Priests appointed by the Arch-priest then to performe that challenge or petition likewise at the same time was presented to the Parlament by the handes of Sir Francis Hastings and Sir Richard Knightly two Puritanes of that Parlament from the chiefe Catholikes of England with the allowance of the Archpriest and his cleargie this petition following to the same purpose The humble petition of the chiefe Catholike Recusants of England presented to the heigh Court of Parlament in the yeare 1605. by the handes of Sir Francis Hastings and Sir Richard Knightly then of that house of Parlament to both which it was deliuered by the said Catholikes THe proceedings of that heigh Court of Parlament in the daies of our late Queene Elzabeth against the Catholike subiects of this kingdome were for seueritie far beyond example which they hoped for manie most iust reasonable true causes were to receaue their ende when shee should cease to liue and by death determine her personall quarrells and contentions against the Religion and Apostolike power of the Sea of Rome Especially by the ioyful and happie entrance Coronation of our most honoured King Iames most free from those tearmes wherewith she was intangled at temporall peace amitie and vnitie with that holy Sea with the sacred Empyre all Christian Kings and Princes by vndoubted royal discent the most lawful legitimate and rightful King of all these his vnited kingdomes Wee that be Catholiques in England and had euer bene so true and faithfull to the onely vnited true title of him and his blessed Mother and neuer entred into any dissotiation against it assuredly hoped hee would not singularlie drawe his sword of persecution against vs his most dutiful faithful and obedient subiects in whom he could finde nothing to reuenge or punish for he publickly protested in that Court of Parlament his mind was euer free from persecution or enthralling his subiects in matters of conscience and the burthens of Catholikes were rather to be lightned then with Roboam to be encreased king Iames speach in parlament 1. sess 1. But seeing all this notwithstanding your Parlament now assembled contrary to our hopes and otherwise our deseruings as wee hope haue bene doth rather presage an intended increase then either ceasing or mittigation of these our miseries and extreame afflictions we feare least silence in vs might be taken as an interpretatiue yeelding or consente that we are not altogether vnworthely afflicted with so strange calamities for the world cannot otherwise in wisdome censure that such punishment by so heigh a iudgemeÌ„t should be imposed vpon men subiects friends and kinsmen so generally except guiltie of some most heinous or execrable fact or offence against God our King and countrey Wherefore you must giue vs leaue in this perplexed case to contest against you in the humblest best maner we may and leaue it a memoriall to potesteritie that if you persist or proceede in persecution vve protest before God and in our consciences vve shal be vniustly persecuted If
you vvill continue or encrease persecution you must pretend some motiue to doe it and if you desire to cloath or shaddow it vvith any cloake or colour of iustice it must be founded vpon some probable conuiction if our generall deseruing such punishments to be so generally prosecuted against vs vvhich must needs be some vniuersal disobedience or disloyaltie in vs all either temporall to our terrestrial king and contrey on earth or spirituall to God and the heauenly kingdome vve know no thirde to vvhom your Religion vvould vvish vs to performe obedience For our discharge to the first vve haue serued now vnder your vigilant and surueying eyes diuers apprentiships in continuall persecution yet from the first beginning thereof vnto this day you haue not found by all those narrow searches and scrutinies you haue made that vve whom you thus persecute vnder the name of Religion haue bene thus founde disloyal to our temporal prince neither is that pretended in any of your laws against vs. And in this late vngratious and hellish conspiracie if they had bene such as your lawes and proceedings stile Papists and Recusants yet his Maiestie by his publike proclamation King Iames Proclamation in Septemb. an 1605 giueth that testimony of the loyaltie and loue of his Catholike subiects vnto him that you vvhich persecute vs doe not by his regal vvordes cannot accuse vs therein And the number of these certainely knowē conuicted Catholques vvhich you persecute for religion and both by his maiesties declaration and all protestant most diligent searches and examinations thus innocent and vvhich detest all disloialtie are 500. to one of those vvhich you prooue guiltie by your publike Courts and recordes Neither can you finde by anie such proceedings against Catholiques that these malefactours vvere of the number of those vvhich you haue so punished and persecuted for our religion The Archpriest of England and the reuerend priests of his companie vvho best knew vvho be Catholiques by their frequenting holie Sacraments haue by publike vvritings vtterlie renounced thē and condemned their lewed enterprise for most vvicked impietie Therefore in conscience and iustice you cannot vpon this pretence rayse a generall persecution against vs for in so doing you should vniustlie persecute thousāds of those that be as innocent as your selues can be or his Maiestie himselfe by his owne testimony of vs King Iam procl supr an 1605. Wee are by good experience so well perswaded of their loyalties that they doe as much abhorre this detestable conspiracie as our selfe and will be reddie to doe their beste endeuours though with expence of their blood to suppresse all attempts against our safetie and the quiet of our state to discouer whom soeuer they shall suspect to be of rebellious or trayterous disposition This is his Maiesties sentence by good experience of vs his catholique subiects your petitioners Therefore vve are confident vve rather deserue fafauour then affliction at your Court. And yet if contrary to the lavves of this Kingdome you vvould say that the lands goods and liues of delinquents vvhich vve doe not thinke you intende or vve vvill vvish you to spare in these offendours doe not satisfie in such cases you must notvvithstanding to conteine your proceedings vvithin the shaddowe of iustice not impose the offence and punishment of the guiltie vpon those that be so innocent The highest law and rule enacteth anima quae peccauerit ipsa morietur and as a great Counsellour and secretarie of estate hath now published in print for your direction solum necis artifices arte perire sua Rob. Earle of Salisb. in his booke an 1605. Therefore wee stand so cleare in your owne knowledges and cōsciences frō all temporal disobedience that in rigour of iustice it taketh from you all cause and pretence vvhy these or any afflictions at all should be imposed vpon vs in those respects Then you must directlie make your quarrel to persecute for religion or recusancie a dependancie thereof If Religion bee obiected vvee answere as vvee haue euer done and desire no further fauour for our Religion in your ovvne knowledge here so antient then yow obteyned of vs for your owne so new that the examples of Queene Marie her time which many of your professiō accompt notwithstanding tyrannicall may be followed Let a cōpetent number of our learned priests be called to any of your vniuersities or other publick place vvhere the best learned of your religion shal giue them meeting let such questions and propositions as concerne the especiall points in controuersie be proposed sufficient time of consideration allowed and other such equal conditions granted as were to your chiefest Bishops and doctors in the mentioned time And if our catholique disputation shal not be able to iustifie and maintaine our religion and cause to be holy you may at your pleasure proceede against vs if we persist therein You haue long time and with grieuous punishments persecuted vs yet you would neuer vouchsafe vs so meane a trial and iustice in this kinde Execution as you know before conuiction is preposterous and cruel iniustice both by your Bishops and maiesties censure in publick Correction without instructiō is but tyranny D. Matthew now protest Archb. of Yorke Serm. before the K. and parl K. Iames speach in parlament If our Recusancie or refusall to be present at your new church-seruice is alledged a pretence against vs being a practicall acte and profession of religion it dependeth vpon the former question concerning religion for neither catholiques nor protestants do teach that men so far differing therein as we and you can in conscience communicate together in such things And no enemie or persecutor of vs can imagine or inuent any allegation for this our refusall but either obstinacie in our willes or ignorance in our vnderstandings non datur medium we cannot conceaue what you can otherwise deuise Our imprisonmēts losses disgraces and seuerest punishments in so manie yeares being the whole life of a man from time of discretion the knowne bridles of obstinate people will condemne all men of too much will and little iudgement that could charge vs with this former That which wee haue offered in religion freeth vs in the second and condemneth our accusers And to manifest nowe as often wee haue done before that we are neither carryed away by wilfulnesse or ignorance in this debate wee haue at sundry times by most earnest suites petitions desired and offered and still doe that if your best learned Protestant Bishops and diuines can and shall proue vnto the learned of our side that we may repayre vnto your churches and there be present at your seruice without most grieuous offence to God we vvil vvillingly performe it Wherefore vee hope that you vvho in your owne profession vvould bee esteemed zealous and religious vvil iudge this our offer to be such that no Christians can offer more And consequently further reflect and consider hovv dishonorable shameful and sinfull it
Iane Seymor and then declared the Ladie Elizabeth to be illegitimate Thus word by word this Protestant historian Then by this such like proceedings as first bringing the cleargie into danger of Premunire threats importunities and such practises as these Protestants tel vs Parker Stow Hollinshed Theater vt supr procuring the title of Supremacie to himselfe in matters ecclesiasticall This Protestant antiquarie thus proceedeth in this Kings proceedings The king obtained the Ecclesiasticall supremacie into his particular possession and therewithal had power giuen him by parlament to suruey reforme the abuses of al Religious houses parsons But the King because he would go the next way to worke ouerthrew them and razed them Whereat many the Peeres and common people murmured because they expected that the abuses should haue bene onely reformed and the rest haue still remained The general plausible proiect which caused the Parlaments consent vnto the reformation or alteration of the Monasteries was that the Kings exchequer should for euer be enriched the Kingdome and nobilitie strengthened and encreased and the common subiectes acquitted and freed from all former seruices and taxes to witte that the Abbots Monkes Friers and Nunnes being suppressed that then in their places should be created fourty Earles threescore Barons and three thousand Knights and fourtie thousand souldiers with skilfull captaines and competent maintenance for them for euer out of the antient church-reuenewes so as in so doing the King and his successors should neuer want of treasure of their owne nor haue cause to be beholding to the common subiect neither should the people be any more charged with loanes subsidies and fifteenes since which time there haue bene more statute laws subsidies and fifteenes then in fiue hundred yeares before and not long after that the King had subsidies granted and borrowed great sommes of money and dyed in debt and the forenamed religious houses were vtterly ruinate whereat the cleargy peeres and cōmon people were all sore grieued but could not helpe it He also supprest the knights of the Rhodes and many faire hospitals This was done after the king was diuorced from Catherine of Spaine his first wife He began his raigne prodigally reigned rigorously liued proudly and dyed distemperatly Through feare and terrour he obtained an acte of Parlament to dispose of the right of successiō in the Crowne and then by his last will and testament contrary to the law of God and nature conueyes it from the lawful heyres of his eldest Sister marryed to the king of Scotland vnto the heires of Charles Brandon and others thereby to haue defeated preuented and suppressed the vnquestionable and immediate right from God of our gratious Soueraigne king Iames. At his death he was much perplexed and spake many things to great purpose but being inconstant in his life none durst trust him at his death Thus your Protestant historian hath described this first protestant supreame head of the church in England They that desire more knowledge of him may resort to his owne statutes the Protestant Theater of Britanie Sir Walter Raleigh his preface to his historie of the world and a booke of the tyrants of the world published by the Protestants of Basile where they may find him a supreame head among them statut Henr. 8. ab an Regni 21. Theater of Brit. in Henr. 8. Walter Ral. histor of the world praef lib. of Tyran Basil And his ghostly father Cranmer his chiefe instrumēt in those moste execrable sinnes for a Cleargie man was not inferiour vnto him Hee was as your first protestantly ordained Archbishoppe Parker in his life with others witnesseth both the mooued and moouing instrument of this king in this and many other his wicked designements Hee was of all the Religions of King Henry the 8. Edward the 6. He diuers times swore to the Pope and was forsworne Hee swore to King Henry the 8. and was forsworne when he swore otherwise to king Edward his sonne and was publickly prooued a periured man he was a chiefe executor of king Henrie the 8. his will and within 24. houres of his death a chiefe breaker thereof He was a continued felon vnto him in his life married against his lawes making it felony in such men hee was for chastitie to my reading the first last and onely trigamus a Bishoppe husband of three wiues in the world He counterfeited the hands and seales of 50. conuocation men and among the rest of the blessed martyr Bishop Fisher He gaue chiefe consent and swore that Edwarde the 6. a childe of nine yeares old was supreame head of the Church had al iurisdiction spiritual in himselfe Parker antiq Britan. in Cranmer Foxe tom 2. in Cranmer Stow histor in Har. 8. Holinsh. Hist of Engl. ibid. Theater of great Britanie in K. Henr. Godwyne Catalogue of Bishops in Canterburie in Tho. Cranmer Stow Holinsh Theater Foxe and others in Q. Marie and Edw. the 6. Harpesfield in the life of B. Fisher and all that Cranmar had he receaued from him yea your Protestants witnesse by the Protestant Confessions themselues of Heluetia Bohemia Belgia Augusta Wittenberge and Swe that boyes could not take or giue such power Th. Rogers pag. 140. artic 23. Confess Heluet Bohem. Belg. August Wittenb c. If any thing now controuersied defended sworne vnto can make a man an heretike Crāmar professing and swearing vnto them all was an hereticke and traytor to God If conspiracie open hostilitie and rebellion to his true and lawfull prince Queene Marie doth make a man a traytor to his Soueraigne If to be hissed in the publicke schooles of Oxford in publike disputation after all these changes doth conuince a man vndertaking so many matters to be a man vnworthie and ignorant If to recant heresie fall to it againe putteth a man in case of relapse of heresie all these thinges be written of this Archbishop Archactor Architector Arch-hereticke Arch-traytor Arch-periured prophane wretch of your Religion by your owne writers here cited and were publickly to the eternal infamie of that vnhappie and gracelesse man and his followers therein prooued against him Therefore although King Henry the eight did rather differ from the Church of Rome in matter of Iurisdiction spiritual by his claymed Supremacie as your protestants testifie and his lawes are witnesses Stow histor in Henr. 8. Holinsh and Theator ibid. statut of K. Henrie 8. c. thē any way in matter of doctrine Catholiks cannot in conscience by your Protestants ioyne either with him or you therein beeing the first as they haue assured vs that euer claymed it in this kingdome and procuring it in so vile vnlawful maner as your historians haue declared and practizing it to his wanton and ambitious ende against his owne conscience For al the foundatiōs of our Religious houses being pro remedio animarū to say Masse pray for their posteritie for euer For the honor of God the most blessed Virgin and other Saints as all our
antiquities giue warrant to write he in all his life time cōtinued in these doctrines and at his death in his last will and testament protested himselfe to continue in that opinion Bed Henric. Hunt Guliel Malmesb. Roger. Houeden Matth. West Flor. Wigor Camb. Stow. Holinsq Theator c. And for the supremacie it selfe as hath bene prooued in the time of Queene Elizabeth and your protestant historian hath sufficiently insinuated he recanted it Booke intituled Lesters common wealth your Protestants wordes of him these be At his death he was much perplexed spake many things to great purpose but being vnconstant in his life none durst trust him at his death Howes super hist. preface in Henry 8. which relation from a protestant writer can carrie no other construction And I take God to witnesse I haue heard my father then liuing in Courte often make relation that this king Henry the 8. at his death was sorie for his taking that title of supremacie vppon him was willing to relinquish it and laboured to be reconciled to the Church of Rome promising if he liued so far as he could to make restitution But being demanded of him presently to take order therein he was preuented by death and dyed with such burthen and horror of cōscience as chanceth in such cases which this Protestant before aymeth at when he saith he was much perplexed and spake many thinges to great purpose Therefore the Catholikes of England are rather confirmed by this king then weakned by him in profession of their holie faith And though in his life he persecuted and put to death many renowned Catholikes for deniall of his supremacie and sacramentary Protestants such as those in England now are for heretikes yet he neuer recalled this second as he did the first neither made any new lawe by which they were put to death but left their triall to the auntient Canons of the Catholike Church yet put those Catholikes to death only by pretence of his new inacted Edict of his supremacie neuer heard of in England before as Protestant antiquaries haue tolde vs. Therefore this first supreame head of religion in England in all things confirmeth the religion of Catholikes and condemneth that of Protestants and this the more if we adde from your Protestant historians how fraudulently or rather forcebly he obtained his first colourable tytle to that his spirituall supremacie by which he kept such turbulēt sturres in this kingdome A Protestant historian and an Esquire by state as he stileth himselfe thus relateth it William Martine Esq in histor of Henr. 8. pag. 388.389 Cardinal Wolsey being dead the King by his Councel was informed that all the cleargie of England was guiltie of premunire because in al things they supported and maintained the authoritie and power legatine of the Cardinal wherefore to preuent mischiefe before it fell vpon them they gaue to the King for their redemption and for their pardon the somme of one hundreth thousand pounds and by a publicke instrument in writing subscribed and sealed by the Bishops and fathers of the Church they acknowledged the King within his owne kingdomes and dominions to be supreame head of the Church Thus vniustly he procured that vnlawful prerogatiue more vniustly as before made his wicked vse therof I neede proceede no further in his proceedings for they ar dead with him the present protestant state as his owne childrē before by lawes and Parlaments condemne them all Protestants in the worlde reiect them and hee himselfe before his death by the most manerly fashion he could refused his title of supremacie in which he most differed from the church of Rome as I haue brought Protestant witnesses before therefore Catholiks are rather confirmed then weakned in their religion by the proceedings of this King That English catholikes cannot be perswaded vnto but much disswaded from Protestant Religion by the Protestant proceedings in the time of King Edward the 6. NOW let vs come to the next temporall rule that claymed supremacie in spiritual matters in England King Edward the 6. he was but 9. yeares olde when this charge was layed vpon him yet he was elleuen yeares olde whē your religion was first borne in this nation in the second or third yeare of his raigne as all lawes and histories of that time giue recorde Parl. 2. 3. Edw. 6. Stow hist in Edw. 6. Holinsh. Theater and others ibid. So this childe begot it and his sister Q Elizabeth nursed it We knowe for shame you will not tye vs to the censure of an infant king then you must appeale to those that instructed and directed him in so great a businesse These were temporall and spirituall and chiefly those that were of councell and had sworne otherwise to King Henry the 8. during his life liued in his Religion and after his death continued the same vnder this yong king in his beginning and first Parlament Parl. 1. of Edw. 6. Stow. Holinsh. in k. Edw. 6. were executors of the last will and testament of king Henry the eight in which concerning matters of trust in religion they truely executed nothing at all but in the exheredation of his Maiesties holy Mother and himselfe as much as they could they executed it Howe 's historial preface supr Stow Holinsh. Theater in Q. Marie Edward 6. The chiefest of these for spiritual men was Cranmer their Archbishop and the rest of the Bishops of that time that were not Catholikes of which we finde but two onely Hooper and Ferrar put to death for their Religiō by Queene Marie For Cranmer Ridlie and Latimer were condemned for treason Foxe tome 2. Monumen in Q. Marie Godwyne Catalogue of Bishops of K. Edwards time and what can we accompt of the religion of these two changing their profession so often with king Henry and K. Edward and Ferrar to vse your Bishops wordes was thrust out of the Bishoppricke in the beginning of Queene Marie for being married and ended his life in the fyer more for being desperate how to liue then for loue of Religion so far as we can gather Godwyn in S. Daudis 79. Robert Ferrar The other Hooper Godwyn in Worcester 75. Glocester 2. Iohn Hooper a man of such conscience as your Bishop writeth that being made Bishop by the childe king anno 1550. Bishop of Glocester held also the Bishopricke of Worcester in commendam by licence of King Edward the sixt this is his commendation The rest that fled not the Realme for treason which were not of your Protestant religion but Puritanes in forraine countries were depriued in England for being married which by no Religion Bishops might doe such were Bush of Bristow Harley of Hereford Holgate of Yorke and others that became Catholikes Godwyn in Brist Heref. Yorke c. Couerdale was set at libertie by Q. Marie and of so small esteeme with you in the beginning of Q. Elizabeth her raigne that no Bishopricke was allowed him Now let vs come to your chiefe
temporall councellours then these were by their owne creation the Dukes of Sommerset and Northumberland called Protectors to the young king Stow and Holinsh. and Theater K. Edw. 6. and Q. Marie the first basely put to death in that time for felonie the other for treason and open rebellion against Q. Marie And after hee had bene thus with Cranmar the chiefe instrument to ouerthrowe Catholike Religion and set vp Protestancie in the time of that yong king hee plainely recanted his new faith and was reconciled to the Church of Rome And yet among these vnworthie men vnder that yong king there were but 6. Bishops and 6. others that made the Church-bookes of their religion thē Statut. An. 3. Edw. 6. cap. 12. Foxe Stowe and others in Edw. 6. and for religion it selfe they had no Canons articles or decrees of it in all the time of that king Howe 's your historian thus writeth of it Edward at nine yeares of age succeeded his father and then the Church vvas fleest againe the Bishoprickes cut and pared all Chantries supprest the Bishoppricke of Durrham allienated By all vvhich the Kings Exhequer vvas very litle enriched neither vvas the common vvealth eased or benefited nor the auntient nobilitie any vvay dignified onely some fevv preferred The Earldome of Northumberland giuen to the Suttons vvho obtayned the title of the Duke of Northumberland In the first and second yeare of his raigne the Masse vvas vvholly supprest and part of King Dauids Psalmes vvere turned into english verse by Hopkins and Sterneholde Groomes of the Kings chamber and set them to seuerall tunes consisting of galliards and measures The Duke of Sommerset vncle to the King by the mothers side being the Kings Protector did all things in the Kings name and inclyned ouer-much to the subtile counsel of his secret enemie the Duke of Northumberland vvho vvas fully bent to defeat and suppresse the apparant heires of God and nature vnto the Crovvne and to preferre the heires of the Duke of Suffolke according to the iniurious determination of k. Henrie the eight For the better effecting vvhereof they made a combination vvhich had as good suc-successe as so bad a practise deserued The Protector among other things that crossed his greatnesse in popularitie was the spoyling of churches and chappels the defacing of auncient tombes and monuments namely twelue goodly tombes in Christ-church his attempting was to pull downe all the Belles in parish Churches and to leaue but one Bell in a steeple whereat the commonalitie were reddie to rebell Hee raigned seuen yeares mette with a tricke of treason He meaneth that he was poysoned by his protestant Protector Cranmar other protestants of that most wicked combination They that desire to know more of that yong kings times may resort to your Protestant histories of Foxe Stowe Holinshed Speede Foxe tom 2. in king Edw. Holinsh. and Theater ibid. Iniunctions an 1. Ed. 6. and the childish Iniunctions in matters of Religion set out in the name of that Nouice and Nouecins supreame head of your church where he may finde the chiefe care of the councell and executors left by king Henry the eight spiritual and temporal to loade themselues with new and great titles and honours of dignitie grow riche by the last ruines of the Church and to be of no setled religion at all For we doe not finde either in histories or in confession of Protestants diligently collected by them or in any priuate or publike monument any forme fashion shape articles canons or decrees of Religion either vnder king Henry the 8. k. Edward the 6. or Q. Elizabeth vntill her fourth yeare anno 1562. when the booke of the artickles of your religion was first contryued and published to the world Booke of Articles of Religion an 1562. Therefore wee may not ioyne with these men in Religion as neither you doe especiallie with king Henrie the eight but rather maruaile why you and all that clayme title to religion from them do not finde great motiues rather to bethinke what wrongs they did vnto vs then persist in heaping new and more pressures and persecutions vpon the Catholikes of your owne nation and kindred For you haue heard from your Protestants before that they obtayned that their power against the Religeous houses of England onely vpon this motiue to reforme abuses if they could finde them To create and maintaine for the perpetual defence and securitie of this Kingdome 40. Earles 60. Barons 300. knights and fourescore thousand souldiers with skilful captaines and competent maintenance for them all for euer out of the auntient Church reuenewes and yet to leaue for the maintenance of religious parsons professing and liuing in the perfect way of christian Religion chastitie obedience and pouertie watchings fastings prayers and austeritie of life continued maintained here from the comming of S. Ioseph of Aramathia into this Iland by our kings euen the Pagan kings Aruiragus Marius and Caillus and other Christian Princes and holy founders after to these dayes antiq Glaston apud Lel. in assert Arthur Capgraue in S. Ioseph S. Patric protest histor which neither the Religion of King Henrie the 8. King Edward the 6. Queene Elizabeth or King Iames did or doth condemne Neither can any of them as these Protestantes haue before bene witnesses dissallow of their Masses and prayers for the dead but acknowledged the contrarie opinion to be hereticall and damnable yet both to the temporall and spirituall dammage of many thousands frō that time they still perseuer in that estate of iniustice so obnoxious to restitution and are so farre from performing King Henrie the eight his condition to maintaine so many thousand souldiers others and ease their kingdome of taxes and contributions that they are not now able to performe the first nor to maintaine their dignities without the other In all which the Catholikes of England are onely innocent and yet they alone for their innocencie are condemned and persecuted THAT THE PROCEEDINGS OF Q. Elizabeth ar noe warrant for protestants to persecute Catholicks nor noe true conuiction but rather a confirmation of the Romane Catholicke Religion by the writings of English protestants themselues ALl these protestant arguments conclude much more strongely against the proceedings of Queene Elizabeth in these matters for if it was publickly addiuged for lawe in the time of kinge Henry the seuenth our lawes remayning the same That the parlament could not make the king beeing a lay man to haue spirituall Iurisdiction temporibus Henrici 7. How much more an vnpossible thinge is it to entitle a woman and such a woman to that dignitie by such donation for first euen by our protestants it is the Pepuzian heresie to say a woman at all is capable of that spirituall vocatiō shee stooke vppon herselfe and presumed to impart to others Epiphan Aug. in haeres Pepuzian And thereupon your protestants assure vs The Queens maiesties parson was neuer capable of any part of spiritual