A NEW-YEARES GIFT FOR ENGLISH CATHOLIKES OR A Briefe and cleare Explication of the New Oath of Allegiance By E. I. Student in Diuinitie For a more full Instruction and appeasement of the consciences of English Catholikes concerning the said OATH then hath beene giuen them by I. E. Student in Diuinitie who compiled the Treatise of the PRELATE and the PRINCE 1. PET. 2. Feare God Honour the King I H S. MATTH 22. Render to Caesar the things that are Caesars and the things that are Gods to God With licence of Superiours 1620. A BRIEFE SVMMARIE of what is contained in this TREATISE 1. FIrst An Admonition to English Catholiks to examin their cōsciences exactly concerning this New Oath of Allegiance for that by refusing the same if it bee lawfull and ministred by good and full authoritie as this Treatise conuinceth it to bee they hazard not only their temporall estates but also their eternall saluation by disobeying and resisting lawfull authoritie and the ordinance of Almightie God 2. Secondly are set downe a Copie of the new Oath of Allegiance The 13. Priests Protestation Mr. Iohn Colletons Petition wherein hee confirmeth his former Protestation and the Acknowledgement of Mr. Thomas Greene a Religious Priest of the order of Saint Benedict and Professour of Diuinitie concerning his opinion of the said Oath of Allegiance with certaine notes and Obseruations added by the Authour to the said Protestation Acknowledgement 3. Thirdly Certaine generall Obseruations are set downe to know first the nature and conditions of euery lawfull Oath Secondly what rules are to be obserued for the vnderstanding and interpreting of the true sense and meaning of any ambiguous word or sentence contained in any Law and consequently in this Oath of Allegiance established by a Parliamentall Law Thirdly what was the intent and meaning of his Maiestie and the Parliament in framing and proposing this new and vnwonted Oath of Allegiance deuised vpon occasion of that vnwonted Barbarous and Deuillish Conspiracie of the Powder-Traytours to wit not to make a distinction betwixt Protestants Catholikes but between Catholikes Catholikes in point of their loyaltie and ciuill obedience especially concerning the Popes authority to practise the deposition of Princes which was the ground of that dānable Powder-Treason Fourthly to know vpon what assured grounds the Popes authoritie to depose Princes or to practise their deposition may not only be barely denyed but also abiured as damnable impious and hereticall to wit for that it is a controuersie among learned Catholikes whether the Pope hath authoritie to depriue Princes or no and consequently that it is open iniustice in the Pope and manifest Treason in the Subiect to attempt the dispossessing of any Soueraigne Prince by vertue of this pretended authoritie and clayme so long as this Controuersie remayneth a foot and is not decided by a lawfull Iudge and who without all doubt and Controuersie is known so to bee Fiftly page 64. it is shewed that the Pope is no lawfull Iudge to end and decide this Controuersie concerning his own pretēded authoritie to depriue Soueraigne Princes for that it is a Controuersie among Learned Catholikes and approued by very many famous Prelates Cardinals and Doctours cited by the Authour that the Pope without the consent and approbation of a lawfull and vndoubted generall Councell hath not authoritie to decide determine or define any doctrinal question at all and much lesse in his owne particular cause as is this Controuersie betwixt Him and Christian Princes and that therefore although hee should take vpon him to decide this question yet the Controuersie would still remayne a foote and bee vndecided as it was before 4. Fourthly In the first eight Chapters it is cleerly shewed that there is not any one Clause of the Oath which wanteth either Veritie Iustice or Iudgement and that therefore English Catholikes not only may lawfully but also are bound in conscience to take it when they are vrged thereunto by the Magistrate whom the Prince and State hath appointed to tender the same otherwise they resist lawfull authoritie and the Ordinance of God which whosoeuer resist purchase to themselues damnation Rom. 13. 5. Fiftly In the ninth and last Chapter are cleerly answered the Popes declaratiue Breues forbidding English Catholikes to take the Oath for that it contayneth many things which are manifestly repugnant to faith and saluation which Breues therefore doe not make but only suppose the Oath to bee vnlawfull as contayning in it some manifest falshood or iniustice and therefore abstracting from the Popes Breues some particular clause of the Oath must be proued to be vnlawfull which this Treatise doth euidently conuince to bee vntrue And first in this Chapter it is shewed that it is no disobedience or irreuerence not to obey such declaratiue Breues seeing that they are grounded vpon one of these two or rather vpon both false suppositions to wit that either the doctrine for the Popes power to depriue Princes is certaine of Faith and out of all Controuersie and the contrarie not approued by learned Catholikes which supposition is manifestly false or else that the Popes power to excommunicate to bind and loose and to absolue from Oaths in general and consequently his Spirituall authoritie is denyed in the Oath which also is no lesse vntrue and that therefore English Catholikes not only may lawfully and without any disobedience or irreuerence but also are bound in conscience not to obey them considering that they are so preiudiciall to themselues so scandalous to the Catholike Roman Religion which they professe and so iniurious to their Soueraign Prince who being in reall possession of his Kingdome cannot vpon any controuersed Title or Power with out open iniustice bee dispossessed thereof Secondly it is shewed that albeit diuers Popes haue since the time of Pope Gregorie the VII challenged to themselues authoritie to depriue Soueraigne Princes yet they cannot bee truly said to haue beene for any little time in possession of this their pretended authoritie right and clayme for that they haue euer beene resisted and contradicted by Christian Princes and Subiects in this their pretended right and clayme wheras to possesse authoritie right or clayme to any thing it is necessary according to the approued doctrine of Molina and Lessius both Iesuites and of all Diuines and Lawyers that it bee without resistance and contradiction of the aduerse part but one may truly and really possesse corporall things as Lands Houses Kingdomes although hee that pretendeth to haue right to the same yea and perchance hath true right thereunto contradict and resist neuer so much Thirdly it is shewed that howsoeuer any man may vnder pretence of following a probable opinion thinke himselfe excused in conscience and in the sight of God wherewith Princes in their Tribunals doe not meddle but leaue mens consciences to the iudgement of God the only searcher of all mens hearts by concurring with the Pope to the deposing and dispossessing of his Soueraigne Prince yet
considering that it is not only probable but also most certaine that hee is excused in conscience and in the sight of God by defending his Prince against such damnable and trayterous practises which are grounded at the most vpon a probable power title and clayme and also that hee cannot bee excused from formall Treason in the externall Court both Ecclesiasticall and Secular of his Soueraigne Prince who is in actuall possession of his Kingdome cānot without open iniustice be dispossessed vpon any vncertayne and controuersed power clayme or title though it were neuer so probable it is euident that those Subiects might iustly bee accounted worse then mad that would in such damnable and trayterous practises concurre with the Pope to the dispossessing of their Soueraigne Prince vnder pretence of a power or title which euen in speculation and abstracting from practise can be at the most but probable 6. Lastly are set downe First the Oath of France or the first Article of the lower House of Parliament wherein of two hundred Deputies for the third Estates were but six Protestants Secondly two Arrests or Decrees of the Parliament of Paris forbidding vnder paine of Treason Cardinall Bellarmines Booke against Barckley and Suarez Booke against our Kings Maiesties Premonition and thirdly another Decree of the said Parliament ordayning likewise that no person of what qualitie or condition soeuer doe teach the said doctrine of deposing Princes as problematicall or probable All which Decrees are proued to be agreeable to truth and iustice and that Christian Princes by vertue of their temporall power haue good and full authoritie both to forbid the teaching maintayning and publishing of all vnnecessarie doctrines positions be they neuer so probable as the teaching and publishing of the same tendeth to the subuersion of States-and to the disturbance of the publike peace in the Ciuill Common wealth and is dangerous to the Crownes and liues of temporall Princes and also to punish with temporall punishments the teachers maintayners and publishers of the same AN ADMONITION TO ENGLISH Catholikes 1. COnsider with your selues Deare Country-men how greatly this new Oath of Allegiance concerneth you all not only in your temporall states and libertie which in conscience you are bound to regard and not wilfully to cast away and the more if you haue a charge of Wife and Children for whom in nature you are obliged to prouide but chiefly in your soules health which aboue all temporall things in this World you are bound to preferre For what doth it profit a man if hee gaine the whole World and sustaine the damage of his soule Mat. 16. Now if this new Oath bee truely an Oath of temporall Allegiance and ministred by lawfull authoritie as this Treatise doth conuince it to bee doubtlesse you incurre the danger of eternall damnation if you refuse it by disobeying and resisting the iust commandement of lawfull authoritie and the Ordinance of Almightie God from whom all power and authoritie doth proceed For he that resisteth power Rom. 13. or authoritie resisteth the Ordinance of God And they that resist purchase to themselues damnation 2. First therefore it behooueth you that are Lay-men to examine diligently this matter and not to be led hoodwinkd into the pit both of spirituall and temporall miserie especially by blinde and ignorant guides who neither vnderstand nor are desirous to know the true grounds of this important Controuersie and therefore can hardly bee drawne for the informing of your consciences to descend with you in particular to the examination of the lawfulnes or vnlawfulnesse of euery Branch of this Oath which many of them I speak with griefe and not without Booke haue not so much as euer read but to cloake their ignorance vnder colour of Zeale and Deuotion without any further examining they only cry out to you in general termes The Church the Pope the Rocke is that which good Catholikes ought to cleaue vnto not knowing themselues what authoritie is spirituall and due to the Pope or Church and what authoritie is temporall and due to temporall Princes and that the Pope is not the Church but only the chiefe member thereof and that the Popes opinion and consequently his Declaratiue Breues when they are grounded either vpon false suppositions or else only vpon his opinion are not the Rocke whereon Catholikes ought to build their eternall saluation and lastly not considering that many times when Popes and Princes haue beene and shall bee in opposition the Popes both haue bin may lawfully bee and also ought to bee resisted As the resistance which Philip the Faire made to Pope Boniface the VIII who depriued the said King gaue his Kingdome to a Genebrard lib. 4. ad annum 1294. Albertus the Emperour and declared that he accounted them for Heretikes who did not beleeue that the said King was subiect to him in Spiritualls and Temporalls b Vignerius ad annum and the resistance which Lewis the XII made to Pope Iulius the II. by whom he was depriued and his Kingdome c Genebrard lib. 4. ad annum 1503. Guicciardin lib. 11. hist Richeome in Apoleget cap. 24 25. See Brerely in the Preface of his Protestants Apologie c. Sec. 20. 21. seq giuen in pray to any that could take it is well commended by Lewis Richeome Prouinciall of the Iesuites and proposed for an example to be imitated yea and he sheweth that whensoeuer any Bishop of Rome should offend the King of France as those Kings were offended by those Bishops the Iesuites in such an occasion would doe that which good Clergie-men and good French-men together with the said King Philip and Lewis did in those times who defended their rights against those Popes Boniface and Iulius without any irreuerence to the Sea Apostolike And therefore I beseech you Deare Countrey-men to take heed vpon what guides you relye for the directing of your soules in these important affaires and remember that Admonition of our Sauiour Mat. 15. Blinde they are and guides of the blinde And if the blinde be guide to the blinde both fall into the ditch 3. Secondly you that are Priests and haue taken vpon you to guide others in the way to saluation and ought to be alwayes readie to satisfie euery one that asketh you a reason of that faith which is in you 1. Pet. 3 if you thinke in your consciences the Oath to bee lawfull and ministred by good and full authoritie you ought to take great heede that your soules bee not defiled nor your consciences stayned with some worldly respect and that neither hope of gaine or preferment nor feare of want or disgrace keepe you backe from giuing warning to those whom you are boūd to guide direct and instruct to beware of the danger which they are like to fall into by resisting the Ordinance of God if they refuse the Oath when it is tendred them by lawfull authoritie lest that you foreseeing their danger and not
being put out of that which they really and bona fide doe possesse And doubtlesse most miserable were the state of all men that possesse any thing of worth and much more of Princes if vpon a title which some learned mâ—n may in speculation approoue it were lawfull to inuade their possessions before a lawfull Iudge and who is certainly knowne so to bee hath decided and determined the title or controuersie To preuent which mischiefe all Natitions being guided herein by the light of naturall reason haue agreed in this manifest principle that it is open iniustice to put any man out of his possession vpon any title which is not most certaine and free from all controuersie vntill a lawfull and vndoubted Iudge hath decided the matter I said a lawfull and vndoubted Iudge for if it be doubtfull vncertaine and questionable whether he be a lawfull and competent Iudge to determine that cause his decision cannot be sufficient to end the controuersie For which cause the Pope is not to bee accounted a lawfull and competent Iudge to decide this question concerning his owne pretended authoritie to depriue Princes for that it is a controuersie among learned Diuines and approued by very many as Pope Adrian the Cardinaell of Cambray the Cardinall Cusanus the Cardinall Panormitan the Cardinall of Florence Master to Panormitan Iohn Patriarch of Antioch Abulensis Ioannes Parisiensis Ioannes Gerson Iohn Maior Almaine and almost all the Vniuersitie of Paris cited by Widdrington Widdring in the discouerie of D. Schulkeuius slanders §. 7. that the Pope is not a competent Iudge to decide or define infallibly any doctrinall point and much lesse in his owne cause without a true and vndoubted generall Councell and therfore although he should hereafter as yet he hath not attempt to define and decide this question his decision could not end the controuersie nor giue sufficient warrant to any man to practize the deposition of Princes vpon so doubtfull vncertaine and questionable power or title 3. Neuerthelesse it behooueth temporall Princes to be very carefull that their titles to the Dominions which they lawfuly possesse be not so much as speculatiuely or only for Disputation sake disputed pro and contra by learned men least that some ignorant or turbulent spirits which either doe not know or of set purpose to colour their practices vnder a pretence of a probable title will not take notice of the manifest difference betwixt speculation and practice may take occasion thereby to disturbe the publike peace and to molest annoy or to offer any violence or hurt to their Royall Persons States or Gouernment For which cause the Parliament of Paris hath with great wisdome and reason oftentimes by publike Edicts ordained See beneath in the end of this Treatise some of these Decrees that the doctrine of deposing their Kings should not bee so much as taught and maintayned to bee probable or problematike that occasion be not giuen to seditious spirits who know not or will not take notice of the difference betwixt speculation and practice to attempt vnder pretence of a probable title any violence against the Crowns or sacred Persons of their Kings And the reason is manifest for that the temporall Common-wealth hath good and full authoritie to forbid the teaching and publishing of any doctrine which is not necessarie whereby probable danger to the Crownes and liues of temporall Princes and perturbations in the Common-wealth may arise 4. First therefore by those words of this Branch nor by any other means with any other it is euident that the Parliament which representeth the whole bodie of the Kingdome or Common-wealth did not intend to meddle with the authoritie which the whole Kingdome or Common-wealth may according to the opinion of some Doctors pretend to haue in some cases ouer their soueraign Prince as Lessius and others whom the Authors of the Prelate and the Prince doth seeme to follow doe idly obiect And although the meaning of those words were to deny that the whole Kingdome or Common-wealth hath no authoritie to depose their King yet considering that it is also a probable doctrine approued by many learned Catholike Diuines and Lawyers cited by Widdrington Widdr. in Apolog nu 111. and in his Answere to Fitz-herb part 3. cap. 11. nu 36. 37. that the Common-wealth hath no such authority it is also lawful for any man of what opinion soeuer hee bee in speculation concerning this authoritie of the CoÌ„monweath to acknowledge and sweare that the Common-wealth hath no more authoritie to depose the King that is to practize his deposition then she hath to commit open iniustice But the true meaning of His Maiestie and the Parliament is as the words themselues doe plainely signifie only to deny the Popes authoritie to depose c. to wit that the Pope neither of himselfe that is neither as a sole and totall cause nor by any authoritie c. that is neither as an Instrument or Minister of the Church or See of Rome nor by any other meanes with any other that is nor as a principall or true and proper partiall cause or Agent hath any authoritie to depose the King c. 5. Neither by those wordes or to authorize any forraigne Prince to inuade or annoy Him or His Countries did His Maiestie and the Parliamenâ— intend to denie the authoritie which temporall Princes may haue in somâ— cases to make warre against their neighbour Princes and consequently against His Maiestie if he should giue them iust cause of warre yet euer obseruing that no probable power cause or title can bee a sufficient ground to punish any Prince or to inuade His Countries but as the expresse words do plainly shew only to deny the Popes authoritie to authorize any forraigne Prince to inuade or annoy Him or His Countries because all the authoritie which temporall Princes haue to make warre or to inuade the Kingdome of an other Prince for what cause crime or end so euer it bee is deriued from their temporall Soueraigntie grounded vpon the Law of Nature or Nations not from the Popes authoritie And likewise all the authority which the temporall Common-wealth may pretend to haue in some cases to rise vp in Armes against their Prince is not deriued from the Popes warrant license or authoritie but if there be any such power from the Law of Nature And therefore with great reason this Clause denyeth in the Pope all power and authoritie to authorize any forraigne Prince to inuade or annoy His Maiestie or his Countries or to giue license or leaue to any of his subiects to beare Armes rayse Tumults or to offer any violence or hurt to His Maiestis Royall Person State or GouernmeÌ„t because although they shuld haue any such authoritie leaue or licence wherewith His Maiestie and the Parliament would not in this Oath intermeddle they haue it not from the Pope but from the Law of Nations or Nature 6. Secondly in this Branch is not
that false and peruerse opinion shall be held for seditious and to bee censured All Strangers that shall write and publish it for sworne Enemies of the Crowne All his Maiesties Subiects that shall adhere vnto it of what qualitie or condition soeuer they be for Rebels infringers of the fundamentall Lawes of the Kingdome and guiltie of Treason in the higstest degree And if there be found any booke or Discourse written by any Stranger Ecclesiastike or of any other qualitie that containeth any proposition contrarie to the said Law directly or indirectly the Ecclesiastikes of the same Order established in France shall be bound to answere them to impugne and contradict them incessantly without respect ambiguitie or equiuocation vnder paine of being punished with the same punishments as aboue said as abetters of the enemies of this State This Article is in effect and substance all one with our new Oath of Allegiance and the lawfulnesse thereof is manifest by the former Discourse and how greatly Card. Peron was mistaken in impugning the said Article Widdrington sheweth both in his Answere to Fitz-herbert part 3. chap. 11. num 15. seq and in his Discussion of the decree of the Lateran Councell against Lessius part 2. sec 9. and part 3. sec 9. A Copie of the Arrest or Decree of the Parliament of Paris wherein Card. Bellarmine his booke against William Barclay is condemned Taken out of the Records of the Court of Parliament the 26. of Nouember 1610. THis present day the Kings Solicitours Lewis Seruin the Kings Attorney making the Declaration and Lewis Duret the Kings Aduocate subscribing aduertised the Court that it was related to them that some few daies since there hath beene divulged in this city of Paris a new booke entituled Tractatus de potestate Summi Pontificis in temporalibus aduersus Gulielmum Barclaium Auctore Roberto S. R. E. Cardinale Bellarmino Romae per Bartholomaeum Zannetti printed this present yeere out of which booke diuers persons some with a good intent and others with an euill haue divulged many things which they haue collected from thence And because this Booke doth containe propositions which are preiudiciall to the Kings power and authoritie and to the State of France of whom the Author speaketh in the same manner as of other Kings Princes and Common-wealths they haue through their care gotten a Copie thereof which they hauing exactly read and examined thought it their duties to aduertise the Parliament of those things which are against the Powers established by God and especially against this Kingdome Wherefore they haue obserued that Cardinall Bellarmine doth in this new Treatise not only teach those propositions which hee affirmed in his former books as in that booke which is intituled De Romani Pontificis Hierarchia written in the time of Pope Sixtus the V. and dedicated to the said Pope which he hath deuided into fiue books in the last whereof hee maintaineth that the Pope hath temporall power indirectly But they also haue obserued that to this erroneous assertion others no lesse false and tending further are added in the places by them cited which the Parliament if it be so pleased may behould And first the very Title is to be obserued wherein he giueth to the Pope a power in temporals Then hee bringeth diuerse authorities from the writings of Italians French-men Spaniards Germans English Scots beginning with Pope Gregorie the VII who liued in the yeere of our Lord 1073. c. Wherefore to the end that fraud and deceit may for the safegard of true French men be preuented the aforesaid Attorney generall considering that in regard of Conscience and the office which hee beareth in being the Kings Attorney he is bound sincerely to discharge his duty produceth Cardinall Bellarmines booke which was written when our King Henry the Great was liuing in whose raigne none durst aduenture to diuulge the same but published forthwith as soone as he was dead wherein hee hath noted diuers places which the Parliament may peruse especially pag. 37 38. 57. 58. and 76. 77. to which may be added 160. 115. 116. And moreouer he exhibiteth in written hand the requests which the Kings Attorneys doe in the Kings name demand to wit that by Decree of the Parliament it be enacted That none of what qualitie or condition soeuer shall receiue haue keepe print or vtter this booke of Bellarmine vnder paine of Treason ordained against those that shal transgresse the same c. The matter being examined The great Chamber Criminall and of the Edict being assembled THe Court hath decreed and doth decree that no person of what qualitie or condition soeuer vnder payne of Treason ordayned against those that transgresse the same doe receiue keepe communicate print vtter or sell the said Booke which contayneth that false and detestable proposition tending to the subuersion of supreme Powers established and ordayned by God inciting Subiects to rebellion and derogating from the authoritie of Princes animating to attempt against their liues and Crownes and finally to disturbe the publike peace and quietnesse Those that haue Copies of the saide Booke or know any that haue are commanded forthwith to make it knowne to their Iudges that vpon the demand of the Kings Attorneys Inquisition bee made against the Crime and those that be guiltie be punished accordingly It forbiddeth vnder the same punishment Doctours Professours and others to treat dispute write teach directly or indirectly in Schooles Colledges or other places the said proposition The said Court doth ordayne that this Decree bee sent read published recorded and obserued according to the afore said manner and forme in all the Benches subiect to the Iurisdiction of this Court. The Substitutes to the Kings Attorney are commanded to cause forthwith this Decree to be put in execution and to aduertise the Court within a moneth of their diligence Made in Parliament vpon Friday 26. Nouemb. 1610. Signed VOISIN The decree being made the Kings Attorneys were sent for to whom the pleasure of the Court was signified and according to the Decree the said Booke of Bellarmine was deliuered to their hands A Decree of the Court of Parliament made the 26. and executed the 27. of Iune 1614. Against a Booke printed at Collen this present yeare which is entituled Francisci Suarez Granatensis Societatis Iesu doctoris Theologi Defensio fidei Catholicae Apostolicae aduersus Anglicanae sectae errores contayning many maximes and propositions contrarie to the Soueraigne powers of Kings ordayned and established by God the safetie of their persons the peace and quietnesse of their States The Place ✚ where the Kings armes of France and Nauarre are set At Paris By F. Morel and P. Mettayer the Kings ordinarie Printers and Stationers 1614. With his Maiesties Priuiledge Taken out of the Records of the Parment The Court of the great Chamber Criminall and of the Edict assembled hauing seene the Booke printed at Collen this present yeare entituled Francisci Suarez Granatensis Societatis
Oath that doe any way appertayne to the Ciuill and Temporall Obedience due to His Maiestie whom hee acknowledgeth for his true and lawfull King and Soueraigne ouer all His Domioions And Martinus Becanus a famous Iesuite in the first Edition of his Controuersia Anglicana writeth thus Becanus in Controuersia Anglic cap. 3. p. 102 And truly to me it is certaine that all the parts and propositions of the Oath are not false if they bee well declared For these are true first that King Iames is lawfull King of England Scotland and Ireland Secondly that in the same Kingdomes he is the Supreme or Soueraigne Lord in Temporalls 2. First therefore if wee consider the end of this Oath which is only to make profession of our temporall Allegiance and to make a true distinction not betwixt Catholikes and Protestants c. the expresse declaration of His Maiestie and the rules before mentioned in the second and third Obseruation it is euident that by those wordes Soueraigne Lord is not to be vnderstood the Kings Supremacie in Spirituall and Ecclesiasticall but only in Temporall and Ciuill causes 3. Secondly it is also euident that albeit by force of the expresse wordes and the plaine and common vnderstanding of the same to which the seuenth branch of this Oath tyeth the swearer wee are bound only to acknowledge that King Iames is lawfull and rightfull King of this Realme and of all other His Maiesties Dominions and Countries and not that Hee is the Soueraigne Lord of the same both for that those words Soueraigne Lord are put only ex parte subiecti and not ex parte predicati and therefore by vertue of the words are not affirmed as likewise he that stileth the Pope most holy and most blessed doth not affirme him to bee most holy and most blessed vnlesse the words most holy most blessed be put ex parte predicati also that if we regard the force and vertue of those words Soueraigne Lord they haue not the same sense which the words lawfull and rightfull King haue seeing that one may be a lawfull and rightfull King and yet not the Soueraigne Lord of His Kingdome as if the Emperour should make the great Duke of Toscan King of Hetruria he would be lawfull and rightfull King of that Countrie and yet not the Soueraigne or Supreme Lord of the same because hee is as a feudarie subiect to the Emperour Neuerthelesse because the lawfull and rightfull King of England is also the Soueraigne Lord of the same by reason and vertue of the matter we may lawfully and if it bee demanded at our hands are bound to acknowledge and sweare that King Iames is not only the lawfull and rightfull King of England of all other His Maiesties Dominions but also the Soueraigne or Supreme Lord of the same And in this sense both the XIII Priests and also M. Greene vnderstood the word Soueraigne in their Protestation and Declaration 4. Neither is it to the purpose which some obiect that the King of England is the Popes Vassall and as a feudarie subiect to him in Temporals and therefore the Pope and not King Iames is the absolute Soueraigne and supreme Lord in Temporals of this Kingdome For although wee should absurdly admit that for the title and clayme of Temporall Soueraigntie which the Pope pretendeth to haue ouer this Kingdome by vettue of some grant of former Kings may bee brought some probable proofe as there cannot seeing that it is euident that no King of England hath authoritie to giue away His Kingdome or make it subiect in Temporals to another Prince without the consent of the Kingdome it selfe and that no colour of any probable proofe can bee brought from any Authenticall Instrument to shew that the Kingdome of England euer consented to any such grant yet considering that no probable title can bee a sufficient ground to depriue any man of that Right Dominion or any other thing which he actually possesseth but such a title must bee most certaine and out of all controuersie as I shewed aboue in the Fift Obseruation it is manifest that notwithstanding any such probable title euery subiect of this Land may lawfully acknowledge by Oath that King Iames is not only the lawful and rightfull King of this Realme and of all other His Maiesties Dominions and Countries but also the Soueraigne or supreme temporall Lord of the same CHAP. II. The Second Branch of the Oath and an Explication thereof ANd that the Pope neither of himselfe nor by any authoritie of the Church or See of Rome or by any other meanes which any other hath any Power or Authoritie to depose the King or to dispose any of his Maiesties Kingdomes or Dominions or to authorize any forraigne Prince to inuade or annoy Him or his Countries or to discharge any of his Subiects of their Allegiance and Obedience to his Maiestie or to giue license or leaue to any of them to beare Armes rayse Tumults or to offer any violence or hurt to His Maiesties Royal Person State or Gouernment or to any of His Maiesties subiects within His Maiesties Dominions 1. This Branch supposing the former Obseruations hath in it no difficultie at all although wee should admit that the immediate obiect thereof or which is all one that which in this Branch by force of the words we are bound immediately to sweare is not only our sincere acknowledgement and perswasion but also that absolutely and assuredly the Pope hath not any authoritie to depose the King c. For considering that the whole tenour of this Branch tendeth to practise namely to depose to dispose to inuade annoy beare Armes rayse Tumults offer violence or hurt and to discharge subiects of their Allegiance and also that it is a doctrine approoued by many learned Catholikes and who haue examined all the arguments on both sides and consequently that it is truely probable that the Pope hath no authoritie to depriue Princes or to dispose of their Temporals it is as cleere and manifest that any man whether hee bee the Kings subiect or no what opinion soeuer he followeth in speculation concerning the Popes authoritie to depriue Princes yet hee may as certainly acknowledge and sweare that the Pope hath no authoritie to depose the King that is to practize his deposition or any other of those things mentioned in this Branch as it is cleere and manifest that hee may certainly acknowledge and sweare that the Pope hath no authoritie to commit open iniustice and that in a doubtfull vncertaine and disputable case the condition of the possessour is to bee preferred 2. Neither doe temporall Princes or other priuate men that haue any thing in their possessiō greatly regard what learned men who by the subtiltie of their wits can easily finde out some probable colour of a broken and pretended title may speculatiuely dispute in Schooles concerning their titles so that in practice notwithstanding such disputations and speculations they bee secured from