Hear in dead is the voyce of Iacob but the roughnes of Esau vvords of pietie but action of Babel can yovv shovv as good a vvarrant as Elias ded ded God call yovv ded God authoritie yovv to depriue your Princes per me Reges regnant vvas Gods proposition and S. Peter 1. Epist c. 2. v. 13. be subiect to euerie humane creature for God vvhether to a king as excelling or to rulers His counsell and yours varie much for he willed them to fear God and honor the king but yow direct your auditors to degrade and depose the king S. Paul Rom. 13. v. 1. Let euerie sowl be subiect to higher powers for ther is no power but of God and he who resisteth that povver resisteth Gods ordinanc and purchaseth damnation and v. 5 not of necessitie but for conscienc sake But this matter neads no disputation grace and pietie can best decyde it TITVLVS SEXTVS AT last by a long trauel we ar retourned Touching Q. Marie and the practises against her home to England vvheare no such paradoxes ar novv holden by the Cleargie and prelates and it is no maruel for now they haue the wynd with them and liue in a calme so as ther patienc and obedienc of late dayes neuer cam to probation and no tryal could be mayd of ther spirits having no crosses nor other combate then with sinn and Martin Marprelate and in so great peace and prosperitie he wear not compos mentis that vvould not preache against disloyaltie and tumults But yf yow look back to the tymes past and call to mynd what spirit raigned in them during anie storme or tempests yow will fynd them much differing from them selfs and that they wear not allwaies so peacable and regular as now they ar since they appeared first in the world as Antagonists to the church of Roome and with that singularitie and title of Reformers For yf maister Fox ded trewlie register his martyrs and yf the Wiclefists and Waldenses wear rightlie inserted in Catalogo testium veritatis then may yow fynd cawse enough to dovvbt of ther humors and quiet disposition and yf yow ask my reason Bycaus they ded hold as the knoxians yet doe in Scotland That the people might correct Princes yf they offend contrarie to all the Theoremes of Catholicks schooles And therfor Philip Melancton in his comment vpon Aristotels politicks saith Miras tragedias excitauit Wiclefus qui contendit eos qui non habent Spiritum sanctum amittere dominium And in his book de iure magistratus Insanijt VViclefus qui sensit impios nullum dominium habere As yf Princes should forfeit ther crownes yf they lost grace and Gods fauor And Osiander witnesseth the same Centuria 9. And yet maister Fox calleth hym stellam matutinam in me lio nebulae lunam plenam in die us illis A morning starr in the midst of a fogg and yet the full moone of that tyme. How plausible he was in those dayes no man will maik a Quere that can Remember how Syr Iohn Oldcastel Lord Cobham and Syr Roger Acton wiclefs disciples leuied 25. thowsand men intending to destroye the monasteries of westminster Powles and sainct Albons and all the howses of friars in London whearof that actiue king Henrie the fifth being aduertised in good tyme by the confession of some of ther partakers with great diligence he preuented them at S. Gyles fealds appointed to be ther Rendeuous and incountring those straglers who weare there attending the generals comming apprehended condemned and executed 37. of the principalls for exampl and terror to the rest And he aftherward hunted ovvt and fownd Oldcastel and Acton and put them to death being attainted of Treason and Haeresie as by the records appeareth All vvhich maister Fox laboureth to extenuate and falsifie and disprooueth them as calumniations and slaunders but with no success as yow may learn by Iohn Stow pag. 550. and by Doctor Hapsfealds Ecclesiasticall storie latelie published by a worthie man of our nation For it is euident that 1. Henry 5. the Wiclefists sett schedulles on powles Church door publishing that ther vvas a hundred thowsand men readie to ryse against such as wear ennemies to ther sect And in a synod holden at London for diuers poynts of doctrine touching the Sacraments Oldcastle was committed to the towre from whence he broke owt and afterward one Bennet was executed partlie for harbouring Oldcastle partlie for seditious libells against the king whearupon as also for some practises at kenelworth against the king Oldcastl was endited in the Parliement before the Duke of Bedford as an enemie to the stathe he answered them with contempt accompting it as a trifle to be iudged by them belike bycause they wear sinners and bycause he sayd he had no iudg emong them so long as king Richard liued And at his deathe he spake like a man frantick to Syr Thomas Erpingham that yf he sawe hym rise the third daye he wold procure quietnes and fauor to those of his sect And surelie yf yovv look into VViclefs ovvn lyfe tyme yovv shall fynd it no maruel yf his doctrine ded so far seduce Old-cast hauing procured therby so great patrons and frends in the court at his first rising and such applause in the vniuersitie of Oxford the place best able to iudg of his learning and illumination Iohn of Gand Duke of Lancaster ded much fauor and patronize this martyr Wiclef in so much that he being summoned to appeare before the Bushop of London the Duke ded hym so much greace to go with hym thither for his better protection assisted with Syr Henrie Petcie the Marshall of England to discountenanc the Bushop to encoorage Wiclef and to animate and encrease his fectaries and folloaeers in ther course And it was worthie the noting that Religion was euen then vsed as a fayre vestement to couer manie fowle practises for the Duke and Wiclef had seueral ends the Duke graced hym bycause he was so generallie plausible the better to ouerthrovv both the liberties of the Church and the Charters of London bot which laye as blocks in his waye to hinder the course of his aspiring desseins And this appeared playnelie by Ihon Lattimor an Irish friar who accused the Duke of manie practises speciallie of his intention to vsurp the crown which mayd hym so popular But Latimor being committed by the Dukes meanes to the custodie of Syr Iohn Holland in the night before he should come to his ansvver the poor man vvas strangled by Holland and Grean But to come nearer to the present age In Quene Maries tyme examin how obedient these Reformers wear to that magnanimous Quene and the Crown and it is worthie to be noted that in fiue yeares the too short tyme of her raigne she had defacto more open and violent opposition and rebellion by her own sudiects then Quene Elizabeth had in 45. yeares for the treasons of Preasts and religious men weare but skar crowes in dead
the price of all things raised and the Yeomanrie decayed infinitelie vvhich heartofore vvas the honor and strenth of the kingdome and so consequentlie it vvas the trevv reason vvhy all things haue continued so dear in this land vvhearin maister Stubs ded err nota litl TITVLVS SECVNDVS HItherto Schisme raigned but the second plague was the ruine and wrach K. Evv. 6. of the Church for the authoritie and name of king Edward was vsed to break down and forciblie subuert the vvhole Church of England but see how craftie a statesman the Deuel is though the way to Anarchie and confusion was layd leuel by king Henrie who was onelie fitt for such a work in regard of his greatenes and crewell imperiousnes yet he lett religion stand a while longer knowing well that all could not be effected at once but as he seduceth Sowles so states by degrees and being also confident that the forts of pietie and religion being razed and the Church being brought vnder a laye supreme head he might by a second hand easilie ouerthrow religion it self King Henrie at his Deathe appointed by his will sixtean Executors who during the minoritie of his sonne should be his aydors and counsellors for the better gouerning the realme Emong whome One and who mayd hym self the Principal was the lord Edvvard Seamor Earl of Hartford who took vpon hym being the kings vncle to be protector and that was as good as a dispensation as he took it for his executor ship and lifted hym too manie degrees higher then his fellowes which king Henrie neuer intended that he might ouer-rule the rest by his title and supereminencie One of the first things of importance he contriued and compassed vvas innouation and the establishing of a new religion not so much for deuotion as bycaus he knew that nothing could quench his thirst so vvel as a chainge and bring the game he hunted after into the toyles and hearof Cranmor was a principal worker tho he was but a few moneths before of king Henries religion and a patrone of the six articles The better both to perswade the people and geue harting and strenth to ther sect Peter Martyr and Bucer vvear sent for ovvt of Germanie vpon whose fame and learning as vpon tvvo great Arches they might build and raise ther Churche tho bothe wear Apostates By Cranmor Ridlie Lattimor and these two Rabbins was the new Liturgie framed and the old banished these wear the authors of the first Alteration of religion which so manie hundred yeares had bean heare professed and continued vvith all dew reuerence So povvrefull was the Protector by vsing the king name a child then but of 9. years old but he was well seconded by the Duke of Northumberland the Admirall and the Marques of Nortampton all affected or seaming affected to the chaing of religion who over-ruled all that mayd anie show of opposition or dislike of ther proceadings Which was verrie strainge considering there wear so manie vvise and eminent men who had aequal authoritie with them both as Counsellors and executors and vvear most different in religion from them as the lord Priuie seale the lord Saint Iohn of Basing Bushop Tonstal Syr Antonie Brovvn and thewise sectetarie Syr W. Paget and speciallie that noble Chancelour the lord Writheoslie a man of experienc knowledg and prudenc and a director and pattern to his posteritie to be preferred before anie new guides but to content and please hym he vvas created Earl of Sowth-Hampton yet neither wonn so nor contented nor safe All things afterward grew to confusion ther remained no face and skarse the name of Catholick Church in England and tho ther wear great multitudes of men well affected to the ould religion and discontented that the Church was driuen into the wildernes and forced to lurk in corners yet ded they show loyaltie humilitie and peace and ded not taik armes and disobey that shadow of the king But what mooued the realme how wear men inchanted to embrace this religion and applawd the authors of it Noueltie euer pleaseth daintie stomachs and auarice is no small temptation at Syracusa Dyonisius the tyrant comming into the temple of Apollo full of sumptuous and goodlie ornaments and seing Aesculapius appareled with clothe of hould and full of Iewels hauing a long whyte siluer beard and Apollo the father carued with a floorishing yowthful gould beard and a playne cote of siluer he gaue order to shaue both Apollo and Aesculapius for it was indecorum that the sonn should haue a graye and his father a read beard and also vndecent that a Phisicion should wear so rich a cote so he ded not like that Apollo should be drawen so gawdilie and like a Barbarossa and a grauer gown he sayd would become a God better for gould and Iewels wear fitter for Princes then gods fitter for pomp then perfection The Duke of Sommerset ded rightlie imitate Dionisius for seing the Church rich remembring the exampl of his old maister and hauinng taisted at Aumesburie hovv svveat a Morsell a Priorie is he thought it not decorum to see the Cleargie so rich there wealth was not suitable to ther calling ther lands vvear giuen to noorish deuotion not to choke it to stirr men vp to prayer not to ease and luxurie and therfor he would shaue and share with them Tvvo Bushops hovvses he took in the Strand which serued hym vvel to build Sommerset hovvse for Quene Ann. He procured an act whearby all Colledges Chantries free Chappels Hospitals and fraternities wear suppressed and giuen to the king and how greadilie he intruded into the Bushop of bathe and wells his hovvses and mannors that Churche can never forget and yet Bushop Bourn by his industrie recouered some again but nothing to the Spoyles a poor releaf rather to fead then to fatt a Bushop Yet was he not satisfied for shortlie af ther contrarie to all law against king Henries vvill and against his own couenants when he was mayd protector he committed to the tovvr the Lord Chancelor he deposed Busbop Tonstal both from the Counsel and his bushoprick as too statelie a Seigniorie for a man of religion and too daintie a bitt to be swallowed by the Churche therfor he dissolued yt and brought it within the survey of the excheckor and he never prospered after It was directlie against the law 1. Edvv. 3. cap. 2. that the lands of Bushops should be seazed into the kings hands and that his father by the aduise of euel counsellors commanded them to be seazed withowt cawse but hearafter it should not be so Yet hear he set not downe his staff he committed Gardiner the Bushop of Winchester and after depriued hym He dissolued Stoke Colledg fleaced all Cathedrall Churches and committed infinite sacriledge vvherto the Nonage of the king gaue opportunitie Neither ded he hunt after his praye onelie emong the Churche liuing for yf yovv look in the Parliamant rolls of that tyme yovv shall fynd that with a
persons it a bated much the glorie of her wisedome and heroicall spirit and gaue the world occasion to suspect that all her former actions wear counterfeit and camposed for her securitie to temporize and to misdowbt that she was not innocent and cleare of these great not capitall crymes layd to her charge for vvhich she had stood in no smal dainger Ant to speak frelie and trewlie my opinion she was a Prince of great Maiestie and magnificens but fitter for governement then deuotion and of more pollicie then religion and not as her sister vvas the same in a storme and a calme a Quene and a subiect nor semper eadem But how and by what means ded she Hovv religion vvas chainged contriue and work this admirable mutation of state I vvill breaflie declare for tho it be not proper to my quaestion it is not impertinent and may be of some vse 1. First the long sicknes of Q. Marie gaue her great aduantage and tyme both to deliberate and draw her plattformes prepare her instruments in readienes maik choyce of her means and resolue of the fittest counsellors to aduance her ends 2. Secondlie she layd her honor to pawne and mayd protestation in open parliament that she would never trovvble the Roman Catholiques for anie differenc in religion vvhich ded geue the Cleargie great hope of some more indifferencie and tolerable fauors the which is related by How 's in prefat of Q. Elizabeth for knowing well that a king can not create a new religion as D. Bilson sayd trewlie meaning that it must be the act and work of a parliement therfor to winn the Bushops either to silenc or patienc she wiselie vsed that peace of art The which thing vvas vvell noted by Monsieur de Mauuissier vvho was long french Embassador in England and a curious searcher and obseruer of matters of that nature saith he lib. 2. pag. 61. in Les memoires de Monsieur Mich Castelnau Quene Elizabeth purposing to chainge religion that she might the better vvinn the Bushops she promised to follow ther aduises in all things and therby preuayled not a litle And though manie fyne sleights wear vsed frownes and fauors promises and threats yet notwithstanding by that parliement both the statuts for the supremacie and the abrogation of the old religion wear enacted 3. Add also that when the act vvas mayd for supremacie vvhich must ever be as the first great vvheale of motion bycause by king Henries lavv Bushops and Barons stood in dainger for Syr Thomas Moor and Bushop Fisher had giuen them vvarning to look to ther heads therfor novv in this nevv edition of the supremacie first the vvords of supreme head vvear chainged into supreme gouernor vvhich qualification of the vvords being aequiualent vvas vsed but as a mask and shadovve to bleare the eyes of the people and secondlie the Barons and Lords vvear exempted from the rigour of the Oath to vvinn them the rather to consent to the act and so to leaue the Bushops in the briars to beare the brunt of the storme ensewing 4. I knovv yow will admire and yow maye how this chainge could be vvrought in the vpper howse by most voyces considering so manie Bushops and so manie Lords vvell affected to religion had ther suffrages there Remember first that king Henrie pulling dovvne the Abbies vveakened the strenth of the Cleargie taking avvay by that meanes twentie fiue voyces of Abbots who satt there as Barons of Parliement and besides Sinon who managed that busienes showed all his conning therin and as a maister of his art For the noble Earl of Arōdel abused and fed with a vayne hope by the ayd of the Duke Northfolk engrossed into his hands the proxies and voyces of so manie Lords to be disposed at his pleasure and to serue and further the Quenes desyre and ends that the Catholicks wear overswayed and born downe by the pluralitie of six voyces onelie And how God rewarded these tvvo great Princes the instruments of that seruice the world may iudg by ther afflictions as spirits that haunted them tho to expiat that fault the religious and noble Earl Philip suffred the martyrdome of a languishing sowl A strainge and memorable mattet it was to haue a new religion introduced and no Bushop nor religion man to consecrate and aduance it with one voyce for the vehement oration of Abbot Fecknam aginst it is fresh yet in memorie and how all the Bushops obstinate refragati sunt Camden doth witnes and that noble Lord Montagew sensible of the scandall thereof opposed it vvithall his force vvho together vvith D. Thurlebie Bushop of Elie had so latelie bean employed at Roome abowt it and vrged that the vvorld would disgrace fullie censure such a soodain chainge and innouation proposing also the daingers which weare like to ensew and so ded by excommunication But for ther better assurance to preuayle in the vpperhowse and more stronglie to ouer-rule the Bushops and the Abbots the Quene created diuers nevv lords VVilliam lord Parr Marquis of Northampton a good speaker and a wise man the Earle of Hartford the Vicount Bindon the lord Saint Iohn of Bletso and the lord Hunsdon all Protestants and men fitt to build a new Churche And to be better armed the Catholick partie was weakened by discharging from the counsell table manie of the old counsellors the lord Chancelor the lord Priuie seale Secretarie Boxall and Syr Frances Englefeald and in ther roomes wear placed Syr Nicholas Bacon the Marques of Northampton the Earl of Bedford Sr A. Caue Syr Frances Knolls Rogers Parrie and secretarie Cicil all fitt men to beare parts in that Pageant And further she deposed manie of the old Iudges and mayd also new Iustices of peace and gaue order to vse all vvarienes in the election of knights and burgesses that they might likewise maik ther partie good in the lovver hovvse which yow would wnder to heare how politicklie it was performed Furthermore to taik all scrupule owt of the heads and harts of the people and that they might conceaue that the seruice and religion still continued the same the ould was but transtated into Englishe onelie for ther better edification and vnder standing they directed that the alteration should be framed as near to the old as they might well doe And so it was in dead verrie politiclie handled For they bothe admitted and continued the title and iurisdiction of Bushops vvith some litl grace and authoritie and they permitted the vse of surplises caeremonies anthems Organs and manie prayers in the forme of the old Whearby the Quene vvas the better able to excuse her fact to forrein princes for this great chainge as she ded vse the same for her reason to Secretarie d' Assonuile who was sent by king Philip to congratulate her aduancement 7. And touching the communion book it vvas composed by certan commissioners appointed for that purpose Parker Grindal Horn VVhytehead May Bill and Syr Thomas
fictions mayd faults by law deuised by pollicie and mayd offences rather then being so of them selfs How playne was her gouernement and how farr from triks a litl seuear to which â—he was oft forced for thoughe she was a great Iusticer yet withall how merciefull she was appeared manifestlie by her gracious compassion to the Dutches of Sommerset to Syr Iohn Cheak to Syr Edward Mountagevv the cheaf Iustice to Syr Roger Cholmlie to the Marques of Northampton Syr Henrie Dudlie Syr Henrie gates the Lord Robert Dudlie who stood attainted and to the Duke of Suffolk whome all she knew and had before fownd to be enemies of her religion and no frends to her title and yet she released them all ovvt of the tovvre whear they weare prisonners Notwithstanding all this the Protestants wear never quiet nor suffred her to be quiet Some ded libell against the regiment of voemen some picked quarrels to her marriage some published discourses and invectiues against her religion and some conspired her depriuation to aduance her successor by vvhose aduancement euerie Caluinist expected a golden fleace The grovvnd of all these seditious actions vvas the religion they professed then nor fullie six yeares old a religion of more libertie more pleasing to the gallants of a court and voyd of these austerities and mortifications which the ancient Catholiques obserued with reuerence But emong manie others that book of obedienc prepared most the vulgar to insurrections and mutinies for pag. 94. he affirmeth that Quene Marie deserued to be put to Death as a tyrant and monster Ded euer anie Catholich write so or ded the pen of anie seminarie man blot the paper with so barbarous a sentenc Yet knox libro appellat ad nobilitatem popul Scot. ioyneth hands with a Goodman and backeth his opinion Illud inquit audacler affirmauerim debuisse nobiles rectores iudices populumque Anglâ—anum non modo refistere repuguare Mariae illi Iesabeli quam vocant reginam suam verum etiam de ea Sacerdotibus eius supplicium sumere and these yet vvear not all Procead Syr Thomas VVyat is worthielie chronicled for his rebellion vvho marched as a Cyrus ouer Shooters hill with his armie threatning both court and cittie Prince and people Yet this holie Goodman cap. 14 in his Obedienc commends hym and saith he ded but his dewtie and that it was the dewtie of all that professed the gospell to haue risen with hym and pag. 43. He affirmeth that it is lawfull to resist the superior powers and vrgeth all states to taik armes against her But whear ded Goodman and knoâ— suck this sweat doctrine at Geneua the school of Monarchomachia whear Buchanan ded learn the same and all for one end and maister VVhitingham in his preface to that book confesseth that it was approoued to be a good and godlie treatise by the principal of that cittie that is Caluin and Beza And albeyt in Qurne Elizabeths tyme Goodman is said to haue recalled that opinion yet it was neuer publicklie recalled by hym and disalowed and besides it showeth in Quene Maries tyme vnder the cross and affliction of what spirit he end his faction weare of Yf yow dowbt vpon what pretenc wyat ded rise bycause some maik quaestion thereof surelie it was partlie for religion partlie for bonum publicum to hinder the Quenes marriage for both ioyntlie concurred as Stow and Hollinshead agree He that shall presume to defend that it was not for religion Quene Marie in her oration at the Guildhall in London doth refell hym for she declared that she had sent diuers of her counsell to wyat to demand the pretences of his insurrection and she sayd it appeared to her counsell that it vvas a Spanish Cloke to Couer religion It is trew that wyat vrged to haue the Towr deliuered to hym and to haue powr to nominate and choose new counsellors and that he would not trust but be trusted Wear these in different demands af a subject Or regalities fitt to be offred to his mercie was this to preseru the Quene Surelie Violenc and the Svvord be vnfitt keapers of a Prince person And touching Religion Fox hym self saith that for religion they coÌ„spired emong them selfs and mayd vvyat ther Cheafe the reason was that by forren marriage the Quene vvould bring a seruitude vpon the realme and establish popish religion ther in Vovv vpon these premisses mark vvhat ensevved VVilliam Thomas conspired to kill the Quene and at his execution he gloried that he dyed for the good of his contrie Doctor Pendlton preaching at Povvles Crosse one discharged a peace against hym and at the same place an other daye one threw a Dagger at maister Bourn being in the pulpit wheare the lord Maier could skarselie appease the tumult so as the lords of the counsell the next sonday after together vvith the Garde vvent thither to preuent or to punish such disorders yf anie should there happen againe And at vvestminster vpon an Easter daye a desperare fellovv wounded a preasts as he was saying Masse in saint Margerets Church So great vvas the distemperature of these inflamed puritans vvho complayne so much against the persecution of that tyme and yet they prouoked it and hauing no powre to command yet had they no humilitie to obeye and when they might haue liued quiet them selfs yet vvould not suffer others to liue quiet in whose authoritie it laye to disquiet them But I will mount to offences a degree higher William Fetherston a counterfet king Edward was brought vpon the stage as a Parkin Warbeck to disturb both the Quene and the state What strains of inuention and pollicie wear these against a Prince for her religion but hear they stay not for One Clebar sometymes a Paedante remaining at yakeslie in Northfolk vvas put to death for a conspiracie against the Quene Vdal Stanton Peckam and Daniel wear committed both for conspiracie and haeresie and for attempting to robb her threasure and the Exchecquor for which they had there dew punishment To let passe the treason of Dudlie and Ashton who wear sett on and stirred vp by the French Syr Peter and Gawin Carse great protestants together with Syr Thomas Dennie took armes in Deuonshyre to hinder and empeach the king of Spayne his arriual in England possessed them selfs or Excetor Castl and afterward perceauing ther own weaknes and less assistance then they expected they fled into France which was then the harbour for the malcoÌ„tents of his nation Thomas Stafford comming vvell instructed from Geneua mayd proclamations publicklie in seueral places that Quene Marie was not lawfull Quene and vnworthie to be Quene and so abuse the people he gaue owt boldlie and falselie that twelf of the strongest houlds in England and best fortified wear committed to the custodie and command of the Spanyards to maik them the more odious whome they hated onelie for ther religion and povver and no other particuler quarrel and therfor he Bradford Procter and
Smith and it vvas mayd according to the liturgie of the straingers of Frankfort 1544. all of them of Bucers stamp and not much varijng from that in king Edvvards tyme. The which Parr Russel Grey of Pytgo and Cicil approoued but all those of Geneua vtterlie disliked not knowing the Quenes reasons nor regarding them 8. Lastlie the instrumentall cawses and cheafe artificers for building this new work wear choyce men all bothe for experience and pollicie Syr William Cicill mayd second Secretarie in king Eduuards dayes in an age whearin a man might learne more conning them vertue a wise man for practise and one that knevv well how much this alteration would serue his turn and raise his fortune and at that tyme he vvas hongrie hauing onelie the personage of VVimblton and certan lands abowt Stamford as appeared by his letter to the lord Marques 1560. vvhen Syr Robert Cicil vvas borne desiring the lord Threasorers furtherano that the Quene would grant hym some means and maintenanc for these two C. C. solike to be famous in England herafter Syr Nicholas Bacon was an others his brother in lawe a man of Deap iudgment of more knowledg in the lawes and a more plausible Orator I may not forget the Lord Robert who solelie to posses the Quenes fauor by a trick discarded Syr Williā Pickering then a fauorite and a courtlie gentlman neither can I omitt Seigneur Nicholas Throgmorton S. Tho. Smith and manie others who wear now in hope to fynd that which they had long gaped for such offices and preferments as they wear like to loose who held them in Quene Maries tyme. Better Enginers and fitter men could neither haue bean wished nor fuwnd then all these wear to vndermine and cast downe the Cleargie and the old Church governement vvho possessing vvholie the eare and grace of the Quene satt vvith command at the stearne and as pylots of great estimation guided the course both of the Church and commonwelth at ther pleasure thoughe manie men vvondered how maister secretarie could so soone forget his beads and his breuiarie whearwith he counterfeited a Catholick and vvonn Cardinal Pool to stand firmelie his frend Notwithstanding all this choyce of men and preparation of meanes ther courses and cownsells gaue occasion of more trowbles continual feares and greater hazards and daingers to the Quene the realme in all her tyme then ever anie architects of innouation committed And no maruel for ludit in humanis diuina potentia God doth skorn and frustrate the pollicies and shifts of men that haue nothing els to trust to but shifts and he vvill euer teach the wisest to see ther follies and a litl to humble them those that ar most prouident shall by ther errors learn that plus est in arte quam in artifice For now the Quene by this act of Innouation left destitute of all her allies and confaederates vvas driuen to stand vpon her own gard and lie open to all stormes hauing France an enemie and Spayne a frend skarse contented and so was driuen euen at first to ronne vpon a rock forced to assist the rebells in Scotland against ther Soouerain and to send them ayd to expell the french employed ther for ther Quenes seruice It may de yow think this a trifle mark the rest To succor the Admirall and rebells in France she Inuaded Normandie and took possession of Nevvhauen and Deape deliuered to her by the Vidame of Chartres was this a glorie the disgrace in loosing and ill defending Newhauen was a greater bleamish to them then it was honor to haue them yealded and offred to the Quenes disposing and speciallie seing they might therby either haue brought Callice home againe or haue locked vp the gates of Roan and Paris And they ded neither but bring home the great plague as a scourge to the realme for that offence furthermore for the securitie of the realme and to diuert all warres from home they wear driuen not withowt touch of the Quenes honor to kindl the fyre in all other adiacent nations and then to publish a declaration and reason of ther actions as yf the world could not read the trew cavvses of actions vvithovvt the spectacles of those ancient Senators Whearupon they ded ayd the Princes of Orenge against king Philip vnder pretenc of amitie and league vvith the howse of Burgondie and the kings of England which was a litl to grosse for so excellent vvitts considering that the amitie vvas contracted with no subiects nor states but betwean the kings of E. and the Dukes of Burgondie wheareof the states had the benefit and wear partakers but not authors comprehended in the treaties but not treators fayre coolors for fovvle errors And why for so she gaue a president against her self that forrein Princes might be vvarranted by her example to inuade her ovvn kingdomes to releaue her subiects yf they should rise for religion and to learn the waye to Ireland and requite her And the showe of Religion serued them fitlie for there purpose But surelie I haue hard verrie wise men much condemn the course Bor though England ded assist there neighbors on all sides vpon the reason of state which Polibius prescribed Vicininimium crescentis potentia maturè quacunque ex causa deprimenda which is an axiome that is oft inconuenient and ofter iniurious and sometymes pernicious Yet the counsell of Thucidides vvas more proper and safer Nullus princeps à suis subditis iuste puniendis arcendus est qui id facit parem in se legem statuit ne suos ipse puniat delinquentes And heare I must commend hym to haue said this vviselie who saith all things wittielie The vvisidome of the latter tymes in princes fayres is rather in fine deliueries and shifting of damgers vvhen they ar near then solid and grovvnded courses to keap them aloaf The grownd of all these trowbles vvas the pretenc of Sinon Viz. Actum esse de ea si pontificiam authoritatem in quacumque re agnosceret as Camden saith the Quene vvear vndoone yf she acknowledged the Popes authoritie Mark his reason duos namque pontifices matrem illegitimè nuptam pronunciasse and by that argument he suggested that it was best to alter religion inuest her self in the sooueraintie and banish the Popes bulls from grasing in this kingdome and all obedienc to that sea This was a course neither at home nor abroad to keap daingers aloofe and vndowbtedlie yf Henrie the 2. or Frances the 2. of France had liued that error was like to haue wrapped the realme into ineuitable perills and might by all probabilitie haue serued as a bridg to haue let the Quene of Scots passe over into England vnder her own title and the banner of the Church solliciting for her better warrant the renewing of the bulls of Clement the 7. and Paulus 4. against her moothers marriage and her own illegitimation and the rather this might haue bean doon by the error of them that