such also is their chastitie Much agreeable also is their pouertie for Abbeys and Monasteries grew to be so poore that they had gathered a third part of the land and more into their hands in so much that the Kings of this land were forced to make prouision by statutes of Mortmaine that no more lands should be giuen to religious houses without the Kings licence The annuitie which the fiue orders of Friers gathered amounted to an hundred thousand pounds yearely for they had fiue pence a quarter of euery house twentie pence by the yeare which will arise counting but tenne housholds in euery parish and parishes tenne thousand to little lesse summe then is named The new vpstart Ignatian fathers haue also entred the vow of pouertie with the rest And what poore soules they are contemning all worldly riches and pleasures their owne fellowes the secular priests can very well certifie vs. They tell vs that Frier Hawood did ride vp and downe in his Coach and that his pomp and trayne was such that where he came it seemed to be a little Court by his presence Frier Garnets pomp and expences could not be gessed at lesse then fiue hundred by the yeare his apparell very costlie with his two geldings of thirtie pound a peece Frier Oldcorne was able to keepe at once eight good geldings his apparell worth thirty or fortie pound Frier Gerard got by one two hundred pound by another seauen hundred pound of another 160. pound of another 500. pound beside the disposition of 100. pound by the yeare Another Iesuite is reported to haue worne a girdle hangers and rapier worth tenne pounds and a ierken that cost no lesse his apparell with his horse and furniture was valued at one hundred pound He was thought to dispend foure hundred by the yeare and yet had no patrimonie And such is their vowe of pouertie and contempt of the world which this punie Ignatian on his fellowes behalfe and his owne boasteth of 2 As I denye not but that diuers aunciēt Monks Heremites Bishops some Popes of Rome might be and are saued yet that by the popish faith as it is now professed they were saued I much doubt nay I assuredly beleeue they were not it will be an hard matter for him to proue that all these of whom there is hope that they are in heauen were idolaters worshippers of images artolaters adorers of bread inuocaters and worshippers of angels freewill men reposing themselues vpon their merits maintayners of traditions against the scriptures followers of Iewish rites and ceremonies such as the moderne Papists are Nay we are sure they were none such for the auncient Bishops of Rome the Monks and Heremites of former time were of a diuers faith and iudgement in religion then now the Poperie and Monkerie of the Romish Church is for otherwise the Apostle telleth vs directlie that no idolaters shall inherit the kingdome of God And if it be so likely a matter that your Popes are saued why did one of your great Rabbines so peremptorilie giue his sentence of Sixtus 5. none of your worst Popes that he was gone to hell I make no question but welnie an hundred Popes might be named in all probabilitie more like then he to goe to that Limbus whereof some were necromancers some murderers some atheists some adulterers some theeues and robbers some blasphemers all which sinnes by the Apostles sentence exclude from the kingdome of heauen 3 It is a sclaunder that the Gospell hath made those which were before chast obedient c. licentious wicked the contrarie is manifest that they which were in poperie irreligious lewd prophane being conuerted to the Gospell became vertuous holie deuout persons witnesse George Tankerfield Maister Greene Iulius Palmer Mistresse Lewes Roger Holland who of blind and licentious Papists were wrought by the Gospell to be godlie Christians zealous Protestants and constant Martyrs the contrarie hath appeared in Protestants reuolting from the Gospell to poperie who after their apostasie waxed worse and worse This is exemplified in Gardiner Bonner Harding with others the first two of halfe Protestants hauing taken the oath in King Henries raigne against the Pope afterward did violate their oath and a good conscience and beside their licentious life fell to be deadlie enemies to the truth The other of an earnest and modest Protestant was turned to be an intemperate and rayling Papist as his hastie writings do declare We see then what little conscience this man hath thus to charge the glorious profession of the Gospell he shall not be able to shew one example of any that being truly conuerted to Protestancie from Poperie thereby was made worse for the contrarie experiment many instances may be exemplified and that common by word doth shew as much An Englishman Italianate is a deuill incarnate which phrase is not onely vsed of Protestants but it is currant among the Romanists as the secular priests do giue out of one that was a fauorite to the Ignatian friers that he was an Italianated companion and a deuill incarnate Now then against this accuser of the brethren that saying of the Prophet may be well applied he hath conceiued mischiefe and bringeth forth a lye Psal. 7.14 We see the fruites of his long trauaile such as the conception is such is the birth mischiefe in his heart and a lye in his lips Cypriane telleth vs from whence this commeth Scias hoc opus esse diaboli vt seruos dei mendacio laceret vt qui conscientiae suae luce clarescunt alienis rumorib sordidentur this is the diuels worke to belye the seruants of God that they which in their cōscience are vnspotted by others reports should be taynted Democritus said well that enuie was as the truths vlcer so the enuie of our aduersaries would make the truth vlcerous by their malitious reports But our true defense shall be as a salue to this sore and where they would fester with biting corrasies we doubt not to cure with wholesome cordials and against their vaine sclaunders to vse the defensatiue of true dealing that all this roauing shooters darts shall be I trust but as bulrushes and his endeuour as of one that worketh against the streame who while he laboureth to disgrace the Gospell shall gaine shame to himselfe to whome that saying of Hierome may be returned Frustra niti neque aliud fatigando nisi odium quaerere extremae dementiae est to striue in vaine and to purchase hatred with wearines is extreame madnes The sixt Perswasion I Defend a religion approued by infallible signes by thousands of supernaturall wonders which by no meanes could be counterfeit or falslie reported so many naturallie blind restored to sight deafe to hearing dead to life c. which no naturall cause or art of deuils themselues could bring to passe I defend that religion which made them so holie that it
many therefore of the renowned Kings and Queenes of this land are Saints in heauen is not by any Protestants denyed as he sayth by some it is confessed for they might be caryed away with some errors of the time then not reuealed yet holding the foundation thorough Gods mercie they might be saued It is a diuers case when a man sinneth of infirmitie or simplicitie and when he offendeth willinglie of obstinacie to stumble in the darke craueth pitie to grope at noone dayes is great follie I say therefore in this case as our Sauiour to the Pharisees If ye were blind ye should not haue sinne but now ye say we see therefore your sinne remayneth And as S. Paule sayth The time of ignorance God regarded not Act. 17.30 God therefore might shew mercie to them that erred of simplicitie which is no warrant for them that should now be seduced willinglie Cypriane to this purpose thus sayth as he is rehearsed by Augustine Ignosci potest simpliciter erranti c. He that erreth simplie may be pardoned as the Apostle Paule sayth of himselfe I was a blasphemer and a persecutor but I was receiued to mercie because I did it ignorantlie Then it followeth Post inspirationem verò reuelationem factam qui in eo quod errauerat perseuerat prudens sciens sine venia ignorantiae peccat But he which after the inspiration and reuelation of the truth should perseuere in error doth sinne wittinglie not ignorantlie and therefore must looke for no pardon or pitie This is then the different case betweene the parents erring in time of darknes and the sonnes stumbling in the day light Their saluation doth magnifie Gods mercie in pardoning their imperfections it doth not iustifie their religion in commending their superstitions Our parents errings are our learnings their wants are not our warrants We must not imitate and follow them as Plato his schollers his crookednes Aristoteles his stammering Alexanders courtiers his stouping The Apologie 1 THe 2. proofe Because all states that liue in England are indebted to those Princes Clergie men for learning the Noble for nobilitie men of armes for heroicall acts c. her Maiestie hath receiued life being Crowne Kingdome and Diademe won and conuerted c. augmented and enlarged by so many Henries Edwards c. They builded Churches Monasteries common Schooles c. What donations and free gifts were graunted to the English Clergie c. 2 For the defence of this religion all those princely prerogatiues were graunted by the free subiects of England to their Kings her Catholike predecessors which she still enioyeth by that title as alienations aduousions citations corporations escheates fooles forfeitures franchises deodands c. 3 The nobilitie possesse their lands castles c. titles of honor by their ordinance And that miserable people of England that vntrulie challengeth the name of the Clergie among Protestants Bishoprickes Deaneries degrees and titles of Schooles Vniuersities Colledges c. was deriued from our Catholike Kings c. The Antilogie 1 IS not here now great adoe about nothing and is not this a goodlie argument The auncient Kings and Princes haue been great benefactors to all degrees and states in England Ergo we are bound to receiue their faith and religion Who denieth but that all sorts of men and degrees of callings amongst vs are to giue great thanks vnto God for such worthie instruments of our outward peace and prosperitie and yet who taketh himselfe in religion to be tied by this bond to the same conformitie thankfulnes for benefites temporall ought not to abridge vs of things spirituall neither ought our dutie to men make vs forget our seruice to God If this perswasion were sound Constantine and other Christian Emperors must not haue forsaken the idolatrie of their predecessors by whom the Empire had been much enlarged and the Citie of Rome with many costlie Temples and buildings other goodlie foundations beautified many excellent lawes also for administration of iustice published and to whom for the outward state of the common-wealth the Empire was as much bound as any Christian Kingdome at this day to their auncient Catholike Kings and founders That saying of Pericles that wheÌ„ his friend would haue had him take a false oath for him said he was a friend only so farre as the altare might easily haue dissolued this doubt our worthie founders haue an interest in vs for our houses Colledges lands c. but not for Gods altare or matters of religion 2 First all those priuiledges and immunities were granted to the King as belonging to his princely prerogatiue not for the defence of the Popish religion as it may appeare by those seuerall statutes which the Apologist citeth in the margin which shal be examined in their order 1 Forfeyture 4.5 ann Edward 2.17 c. 16. the escheates of felons lands are giuen to the King 2 Franchise 20. The auncient prerogatiues and authorities of iustice which had been seuered by the gifts of sundrie Kings are restored as the pardoning of treasons murders man-slaughters making and appointing of Iustices c. ann Henr. 8.27 c. 24. 3 Intrusion 1. The heire of him that holdeth of the King in chiefe if he enter before he haue receiued seisin of the King shall gaine no freehold thereby Edward 2. ann 17. c. 13. here is no mention made of any such regard for maintenance of Poperie 4 Mortdauncester 1. The King shall haue the seisin of their lands that hold of him in chiefe ann 52. Hen. 3. c. 16. 5 Partition 1. If lands holden of the King in chiefe descend to many partners all the heires shall do homage to the King Prerogatiu regis 5 Ed. 2. 6 Patents 1. Aduowsions of Churches and dowers do not passe in the Kings graunts vnlesse expresse mention be made Ed. 2. ann 17. prerogatiu regis c. 15. 7 Primer seyson 1. The King shall haue primer seisin after the death of them that held of him in chiefe Ed. 2. an 17. prerogatiu reg c. 3. here as in all the rest there is no consideration pretended for defence of religion 8 Prouision 21. All the Statutes made against prouisions purchased from Rome in the time of Ed. 3. Ric. 2. are confirmed And it is further enacted that elections of Archbishops Bishops Priors Deanes be not in any wise interrupted by the Pope Hen. 4. an 9. c. 8. This acte ouerthroweth the iurisdiction of the Pope so farre is it from graunting any thing to the King for the defence thereof Thus like an vnskilfull Apothecarie taking quid pro quo he hath tempered a contrarie drugge which as a dramme of collâ—quintida marreth the whole potion though it had bene otherwise medecinable 9 Tenure 2. They that hold of lands escheated to the King shall do the same seruice to the King which they did before Mag. chart c. 31. 10 Ward 3. The King
are as much magnified by Protestant Historiographers as by any or because they were disposed to iustice personallie sate in iudgement c. pa. 56. li. 26. made good lawes that therefore in matters of religion they might not erre and be deceiued The mercie of Antoninus Pius that said he had rather saue one Citizen then destroy a thousand of his aduersaries the charitie of Adrianus that neuer saw poore man whom he did not relieue the gentlenes and clemencie of Titus who neuer dismissed any man from him without hope to obtaine his suite the iustice of Alexander Seuerus who when he met any corrupt iudge was readie to thrust his fingers in his eyes Iulians liberalitie which built Hospitals for strangers gaue great store of wheate and wine for reliefe of the poore people These noble vertues much to be commended in Princes do not therefore iustifie Pagane idolatrie to the which they were addicted And to exemplifie this matter in Christian Emperours Constantius was a iust and temperate Emperour yet an Arriane Anastasius otherwise a good Emperour yet erred about the Trinitie who published that men should worship not three but foure persons in the God-head Iustinian a wise and iust Emperour yet infected with the heresie of Eutyches who held that Christ had two persons and so in effect made two Christs In like manner might diuers auncient Kings of England be men of noble and excellent vertues and yet carried away with the errors of those times in matters of religion 3 Neither were they the freer from error because they were assisted with Dunstones Anselmes Lanfranks Beckets they were so much the more like to be deceiued because they were ruled by such superstitious deceiuers for if the blind leade the blinde they are both like to fall into the ditch As for Cedde who is numbred with the rest as he was some hundred yeares before them so in iudgement he was vnlike them as shall euen now be shewed Neither was vertuous King Alured wholie for them or of that faith which the Church of Rome now holdeth as followeth presently to be declared 4 We do not thinke that the whole Christian world can be or was euer deceiued but God alwayes therein in some part or other had his Church which held the truth though the same not alwayes glorious and visible to the world and so we doubt not but that in all ages and times since our Sauiours ascension there haue beene that professed the Gospell Neither can it be shewed that euer Poperie possessed the whole Christian world But concerning Generall Councels we know they haue erred and may erre againe As the generall Councell of Antioch where Athanasius was condemned Another at Antioch wherein the heresie of the Macedonians was confirmed the Synode Arriminens concluding for Arrius the second Ephesine that fauoured Eutyches and diuers other generall Councels haue erred as is confessed by our aduersaries And not only those assemblies of heretikes and their fauorites but euen of Catholikes by the confession of the Papists themselues haue erred as the generall Councels of Constance and Basile which decreed that Generall Councels had authoritie aboue the Pope which the Ignatian Diuines hold to be an error For ought then that hath yet been alleaged the auncient Catholike Kings of this land were not priuileged from error and therefore in matters of religion they might be deceiued So then though Abimelech sayd to the people What ye haue seene me do the like yet in religious affaires it is no sufficient warrant to do as others haue done afore But like as sayth Ambrose in militarie affaires the sentence of men therein exercised and experienced must be expected Quando de religione tractatus est cogita Deum So when religion is treated of thinke vpon God God in his word must be consulted with Mens errors in faith are no more to be imitated then their faults of life for herein should we be like Dionysius followers who because he was dimme-sighted they fayned themselues to be so stumbling one vpon another The Apologie THe supernaturall signes and miracles written as is confessed by the Protestants themselues in the liues of Saint Oswald S. Edmunds S. Edwards Lucius Kingylsus Offa Sigebertus c. testifie the truth of their religion whereof some for the sanctitie of those Princes are hereditarie to their posteritie not by any desert of Protestants as the miraculous curing of the naturallie vncurable disease called the Kings or Queenes euill obtained by the holines of S. Edward pag. 66. lin 12. deinceps The Antilogie 1 TO this argument of miracles I haue answered before that they are no certaine demonstration of a true religion because the Paganes also boasted of miracles done amongst them And whereas the heathen are supposed to haue forged many things so it is not to be doubted but that many of these miracles giuen in instance were the dreames and fictions of idle and fabulous Monks as Berinus walking vpon the sea hauing not one threed of his garment wet and how Aldelmus caused an infant of nine dayes old at Rome to speake to cleare Pope Sergius suspected to be the father of that child and how he drew a length a piece of timber that went to the building of the Church in Malmesburie The like tale goeth of Egwine who hauing fettered both his feet in yrons fast locked and cast the key into the Sea to do penance vpon himselfe for certaine sinnes committed in his youth a fish brought the key to the Ship as he was sayling homeward from Rome Of like truth is that fable of Bristanus Bishop of Winchester who as he prayed walking in the Churchyard for the soules of men departed whē he came to these words requiescant in pace a multitude of soules answered againe Amen I report me now to the indifferent reader whether we haue not iust cause to suspect the credit of these legend miracles 2 But these miracles which he sayth were wrought by those Christian Kings being admitted he shall neuer be able to proue that these were of the Popish Church or beliefe Lucius Oswald Iua Ceolulfus with others as in the next defense in the answere to the probation of the assumption shall God willing be made plaine 3 Whereas he nameth Offa and Sigebert among the miracle-makers he hath committed a great ouersight or vsed a cunning sleight to face out the matter with bare names for Offa by the entisement of his wife was accessorie to the cruell death of King Ethelbert who came peaceablie to sue for the mariage of his daughter and therefore it is not like that God would endue a murderer with such a miraculous gift But the cause is soone coniectured why the Popes Clergie doth so much honor the memorie of Offa for in part of penance and satisfaction for that wicked acte he gaue the tenth of his goods to the Church builded the Monasterie of S.
pound at the last after he had raigned not many yeares nine and nine moneths he died of the stroke of a poysoned quarrell shot at him at the besieging of the Castle of Chalne Richard the 2. was a great factor for Pope Vrban whom he decreed by act of Parliament to be obeyed as head of the Church yet was he an vnhappie Prince in all his proceedings and at length was deposed and cruelly murdered in Pumfret Castle Henrie the 4. was a great agent for the Pope in persecuting of Christs members in the second yeere of whose raigne was made the statute ex officio wherein they are adiudged to be burned that should hold any thing contrarie to the determination of the Church by vertue of which statute many good men were put to death vnder the raigne of the three Henries one succeeding another But what followed the father and the sonne raigned not long not making much aboue 23. yeeres betweene them and Henrie the 6. holding on the same course against Christs members was deposed from his Crowne Richard the 3. much affecting and affected of the Popes ministers for whose sake the Archbishop of Yorke being Cardinall vndertooke to perswade the Queene to deliuer Richard Duke of Yorke to his vncle as a lambe into the lions mouth and preuailed therein his butcherly end is well knowne how his dead carcasse was caried naked behind a Pursiuant of Armes all be sprinkled with blood and mire and homely buried Queene Mary had both a short and an vnprosperous raigne she lost Calice deceiued in her childbirth left desolate and forsaken of King Phillip her husband before she died and ended her daies in griefe and sorrow But contrariwise as these Princes which yeelded themselues to be directed by the Pope were of all other most infortunate so those magnanimous Kings which maintained the libertie of the Crowne against the vsurped authoritie of the Bishop of Rome were prosperous in all their affaires Edward the 1. first made the statute of Mortmaine that no lands and possessions should be giuen to any religious house without the Kings licence the statute also of Premunire made against prouisions of Bishoprickes and other Benefices to bee purchased from Rome was then ordained King Edward the 3. also abridged and cut short the Popes iurisdiction prohibiting vnder great penalties that none should procure any such prouisions at Rome or prosecute any suites in the Popes Court the cognisance whereof appertained to the Kings Courts King Henrie the 7. would admit of no more Cardinals in England after he was rid of one King Henry the 8. abolished the Popes authoritie King Edward the 6. expelled the Masse and other Popish trumperie yet were all these victorious Kings Edward the 1. against the Welsh Edward the 3. against the French Henrie the 7. against that tyrant and vsurper Richard the 3. Henrie the 8. for his valiant battailes famous Edward the 6. in suppressing of Rebels and other enemies prosperous And concerning the raigne of our late noble Soueraigne Queene Elizabeth whom God in his mercie appointed to be a reformer of religion and a nourisher of his Church what Prince in the world I speake not of this age onely but of many hundred yeeres before can compare with her Maiesties time in any kind of outward blessing first in the yeeres of her life she went beyond al her progenitors Secondly in the length of her raigne she exceeded all but onely two Henrie the 3. and Edward the 3. Thirdly in peaceable gouernment for so many euen 44. yeeres none came neere her Fourthly in loue of the subiects at home Fiftly in honour and reputation among forraine Princes Sixtly in prosperous successe abroad in deliuerance from more then twentie conspiracies at home Queene Elizabeth had no peere Seuenthly adde hereunto the wealth of the kingdome Eightly the purenes of the coyne Ninthly but most of all the purenes of religion Tenthly the abundance of learned men such as no nation vnder heauen hath the like of graue Counsellers and Martiall Commaunders who can but confesse that in all these kindes the Gospell hath brought a rich blessing to this land And as Queene Elizabeth loued and liued in peace so she ended her daies in a good old age full of yeeres and which of all other may worthily be accounted the greatest blessing hath left the kingdom to a most worthie and noble successor a professor and protector of the same faith and religion our renowned King that now is by whose hands we doubt not but that the Lord will accomplish whatsoeuer he seeth needfull for his Church But because this Romish southsayer taketh vpon him to play the blind prophet What is like saith he to be the euent thereof hereafter I had rather others should write and shew their coniecture which I for reuerence to my Soueraigne will here omit And hereupon he hopeth that his prudent Princesse will imitate the examples of her noble predecessors Henrie the 1. and Henrie the 2. in recalling that which they did in their inconsiderate times c. pag. 79. Hereunto I briefly answere that his prognostication and exhortation are both alike they both shew a dreaming and phantasticall spirit His foolish hope we see is vaine and frustrate for her Maiestie left her happie raigne in the same faith wherein she began it and as she did nothing inconsiderately at her entrance but with great aduice so had she no cause to repent her in the end If her Maiesties predecessors were inconstant in pulling downe what before they had set vp she being appointed of God to be a wise builder was not therein to follow so simple a plot As is his hope and expectation such is his lying spirit of prophecying Indeed the Papists did promise themselues a great day at the next chaunge they did not mutter it in corners but clatter it in their vaine pāphlets Parsons made a booke of reformation against that time but blessed be God which hath disappointed their hope I nothing doubt but that righteous Abel shall offer still acceptable sacrifices vnto God in the Church of England when all hypocrites and Popish sacrificers shall hang downe their heads with Caine. Yea and I hold this to be no small miracle that God where such trouble was feared hath with such peace consent of harts and minds approbation of all good subiects acclamation and reioycing of the whole Church of God set the imperiall diademe vpon so godlie christian and vertuous a Prince his head such grace from God few expected all good men desired England I am sure hath not deserued yet God in his mercie hath granted So that we haue iust cause to say with the Prophet Dauid This is the Lords doing and it is maruailous in our eyes It is written of Sylla that after Italy was deliuered from the ciuill warres comming to Rome the first night hee could not sleepe for ioy But wee the Church and
running in a maze and not knowing where he is he speaketh contraries affirming vnawares what he before vntruely denied that the Magistrates chiefe care and sollicitude must be in taking order for such causes he meaneth of religion pag. 49. lin 13. And thus as Augustine fayth Impij in circuitu ambulant qui in gyrum it nunquaÌ„ finit c. The vngodlie walke in a maze as he that goeth in a compasse neuer is at an end And thus this obliuious discourser runneth himselfe out of breath saying and vnsaying for if the Magistrates chiefe care must be in taking order for causes of religion how do they not properly belong to the iudgement and redresse of those which rule in the common-wealth Much like he is to the roape-maker in Purgatorie who as fast as he twisteth the roape an asse behind deuoureth it So his wrested speeches as the ouer-runnings of his mouth are licked vp by a contrary breath Now right honorable this Popes-creature at the first discouereth himselfe he is his grand-masters factor to engrosse all ecclesiasticall causes to his vnholines and would cut your honors short both of iudgement and power in matters of religion And thus full well like a wise Orator he doth wisely at the first exasperate them to whom he would insinuate himselfe But go on my Lords in your honorable course to whom I do not only wish all excellent knowledge and iudgement in religion as S. Paule said vnto King Agrippa I would to God that not only thou but all that heare me to day were both almost and altogether such as I am c. but prosperous successe also in the defense thereof And I say with Hierome to euery one of your honors Cur qui in seculo primus es non in Christi familia primus sis Why should ye not that are chiefe in the world be chiefe also in Christs familie 2. Motiue Because you are sworne Councellers to assist our Princesse whose chiefe stile and title is graunted to her father King Henry the 8. by Pope Leo the 10. defender of the faith for defending the Catholike Romane religion against Luther c. The remooue 1. This title to be defender of the Church or faith was due vnto the Prince and giuen to the Kings of England long before King Henry in Edward the Confessors time Illos decet vocare reges qui vigilanter defendunt regunt ecclesiam Dei It is meete to call them Kings that vigilantly defend and gouerne the Church of God 2 Her Maiestie according to her princely stile hath shewed her selfe in deede while she liued a most constant Defender of the faith and to none of her predecessors was this stile more truely giuen for it is not conteyned in her Maiesties stile to be defender of the Romane or Papall but simplie of the faith 3 What if it were bestowed vpon King Henry for writing against Luther c. that famous King did not receiue it in that sense or at the least reteined it not neyther is it now annexed to the imperiall Crowne in that regard for writing c. which concerned the King only then being not his succession nor yet as a gift from the Pope but as a right due to all Christian Princes to defend the faith What the occasion first was of this title it skilleth not neither by whom nor for what it was taken vp so long as it is not a vaine title but the Princes proceedings are answereable to the stile 4 The heathen Emperors of Rome first vsed in their stile to be called Pontifices maximi High Priests as it may appeare by the Epistle of Antoninus Pius to the people of Asia yet the Christian Emperors continuing that stile to be named Pontifices maximi as Flauianus Valentinianus pontifex Inclytus Flauius Marcianus pontifex Inclytus c. yet were not bound by their stile to maintaine the idolatrous religion of the Pagane Emperors from whom it was descended but they in another sense did call themselues high priests as hauing the chiefest care of the Christian faith as the other had before of idolatrie So the Queenes highnes then and the Kings Maiestie is now called a Defender of the right Christian faith howsoeuer their predecessors might be defenders of another religion And as Pilate did write Christ King of the Iewes ignorantlie confessing the truth so did the Pope name the King of England Defender of the faith prophecying as Caiphas against himselfe and foretelling vnawares that the Princes of this land should become true defenders of the faith indeede 5 This title of Defender of the faith is more truly annexed to the Crowne of England then the stile of Holines to the Popes chaire and of Catholike to the King of Spayne who I could wish indeede were that which they are called But I feare me these titles do agree vnto them euen as the titles of benefactors and of Sauiours were vsurped of Antiochus and the Ptolomies which were cruell tyrants And as Dionysius the yonger called his daughters by the names of vertue chastitie iustice being an enemie to them all Who herein are like vnto those qui titulos potentiorum praedijs suis affigunt who the better to hold their lands do entitle great men with them against which fraude Arcadius made a lawe And as Augustine sayth Haeretici ad defensionem possessionis suae Christi titulos ponunt sicut nonnulli faciunt in domo sua c. Heretikes to defend their possession pretend the title of Christ as many vse to do in their houses entitling some great men with them to keepe them from wrong Ipse vult possessor domus frontem domus suae de titulo alieno vult muniri He will be the owner of the house himselfe yet will haue another beare the name So the Pope will be the master of faith himselfe yet pretendeth the name of Christ of holines of Catholike religion So are not our late Queene and now soueraigne Lord defenders of the faith but their Christian proceedings thankes be giuen vnto God are answerable to their honourable titles The third motiue Our vniust persecution vnder your predecessors requireth amends and I hope at the least shall receiue a toleration The Remoue 1. The punishment which hath been inflicted vpon treacherous Iudasites is no more persecution then for felons and murderers to be executed at Tiburne they suffer worthily for their traiterous conspiracies and practises shamelesse men they are that complaine of persecution when as they hold most traiterous positions against the Prince and state as whereas the secular Masse-Priests professe if it bee in truth that if the Pope should attempt by force of armes to inuade the land they would resist him in person and that if they knew of any designements by the Pope to enter by force c. to reforme religion they would reueale it to the State Disloyall Pâ—rsons in the name of that
was the holinesse and meeknesse of these proud papal Archbishops 3. For their miracles they were meere forgeries such as are reported of Dunstane that he caused an Harpe to sing and play alone hanging on the wall how he held the diuel by the nose with a paire of tonges tempting him with women such were the fained miracles of Thomas Becket which were condemned by the great men of the land as fables Magnates interdixerunt ne quis martyrem Thomā nominaret ne quis miracula eius praedicaret the great men forbad that no man should call Thomas a martyr or speake of his miracles 4. Neither were many of them such learned Clarkes though some of them I confesse had more learning then true pietie or honestie as Lanfranke Anselme yet for the rest what were they Was not Augustine the founder of that Sea a great Diuine that must needs send to Gregory for resolution in these profound questions Whether a woman great with child may be baptized after how many dayes the infant ought to be receiued to baptizme and such like And it should seeme that learning in their Archbishops was not greatly requisite when Robert Burnell Bishop of Bath and Thomas Cobham two reuerend and learned men being elected were refused and Peccham a gray Frier and Reinald Bishop of Winchester an ambitious man better acquainted with suites of law being Chancellor then questions of Diuinity were appointed in their stead 5. But as I hold Bishop Cranmer in true learning and sound Diuinity to be equall to any his prodecessours so in godly constancie to go before them for he was the first and onely Martyr of that Sea that died for the truth Elphegus the 26. Archbishop was stoned to death for denying tribute to the Danes Simon Sudbury was beheaded of the rebels because he gaue counsell that the king should not come at them to heare their complaints But neither of these died in the cause of religion 6. Neither did the truth want witnesses from among these auncient Archbishops Cuthbertus the 11. Archbishop forbad all funerall exequies to be made for him after he was dead Elfricus the 26. did write certaine Sermons against transubstantiation the authenticals thereof are yet extant in the libraries of Exceter and Worcester Simon Islip forbad vpon paine of excommunication that no man should abstaine from bodily labours vpon certaine Saints dayes Therefore euen amongst them the Lord left not himselfe altogether 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 without witnesse as the Apostle sayth Wherefore he hath gained nothing by this mustering of his Popish Archbishops of whō we may say as our Sauiour of the Pharises They are blind leaders of the blind Math. 13.14 Hierome sayth well of such Quòd me damnant episcopi nō est ratio sed conspiratio quorum authoritas me opprimere potest docere non potest In that the Bishops condemne vs it is no reason but treason their authority may impeach me but not teach me Metellus because he was blind was forbidden among the Romaines to exercise his Priesthood and they had a law that no Augurs 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hauing any soare or disease should execute their office As litle regard is to be had to these blind prelates lame and diseased in iudgement as in the same place it is expounded that it is not fit for them that are corrupted and diseased in their soules to handle Diuine things The third Inuectiue 1. IN the lawes of Henry the 8. Edward the 6. and Queene Elizabeth I will ouerthrow them 2. If they alleadge Vniuersities they are ouer-matched Oxford hath had in Catholike times thirty thousand students all euer of the same mind with vs. 3. For other Clergie men we haue had an hundred thousand more Synodes two to one in number two hundred to one p. 116. 4. If they vrge Scriptures by resorting to the Originall tongues the Greeke and Hebrew c. the victory is ours We vse more Scriptures for numbers of bookes more for diuersitie of tongues Our expositors of Scripture professed students in Diuinity c. excellent linguists many naturall borne Greekes and Hebrewes Their expositors of Scripture neuer were to be compared to those In the Parliament where their religion was decreed there was no person present that vnderstood either Greeke or Hebrew p. 117. The Defensatiue 1. THis is as like to be so as if I should say that by the Popes lawes now in force at Rome the faith of Protestants is maintained and yet I will shew twenty Canons amongst them that giue testimonie to our faith to one decree that he can alleadge amongst vs making for them this I haue already performed in Synopsis throughout Wherefore in this so shamelesse and vnreasonable assertion I will vouchsafe him no other answer but say with Augustine Non inuenio quomodo te refellerem nisi vt aut iocantem irriderem aut insanientem dolerem I know not how else to answer you then either as a iester to scorne you or as a mad man to pity you 2. The most famous Vniuersities in the world as of Herdelberge Magdobing Wittenberge Basile Geneua Vtricke Lepden Cambridge Oxford with manie more are with the Protestants King Henry for his diuorce had the consent of the most famous vniuersities in Europe Oxford was not wholly yours no not in the grossest times of popery for they cleared vnder their common seale Iohn Wickliffe and his doctrine of the suspition of heresie 3. We confesse Papists haue bene and yet are more in number so did the Pagans in multitude exceed the Christians but the Scripture hath taught vs not to follow a multitude to do euill Eccles. 23.2 Synodes both generall and prouinciall Protestants haue more on their side then Papists I referre the Reader for the truth hereof to Synopsis 4. If you would as ye say be tried by the originall Scriptures the controuersie would soone be at end but your sayings and doings agree not Why should ye be afraid to preferre the Hebrew and Greeke text before the vulgar Latine making this onely authentike in Sermons readings disputations as it was concluded in the Tridentine Chapter why did they not amend their vulgar Latine according to the originall reading still Genes 3.15 She shall breake thine head for he or it Genes 8.4 for seuenteene seuen and twenty Psal. 68.13 for liue among the pots sleepe betweene the lots and in diuerse hundred such places they swarue from the originall Ye vse indeed more Scriptures for number as all the Apocryphall workes which were neuer recorded of the Church of God vnder the law neither written by Prophets or approued by Christ and his Apostles but not for diuersitie of tongues For the Canonicall Scriptures are extant in the Hebrew Greeke and Latine the Apocripha some in the Greeke and Latine some in the Latine only You haue litle cause to brag of your popish expositors such as