asmuch grace now as they 1 The case is vnlike they neuer turned Italienated diuels nor held intelligence vvith forrain enemies did then without any such assurance as our Priestes shall put in And to make the case yet more cleare and vncontrouleable we adde further that since (d) No religion can consist without Priests and Pastors no Religion euer did or could consiste without 2 Your Priests are no Pastors neither had the ancient christian Church any such sacrificing shauen and greasie Masse-priests Priests Pastors and men to whom the disposition of diuine misteries did belong we hope that our desire to haue the benefite of such Clergie men as may stand with the safety of our Prince and country is conformable to reason as commaunded by the rules of conscience charity and Christianity And that it may be more apparent to the world that this our lowly Christian desire and humble demaund shall not any wayes be preiudiciall to your Maiesties Royall person or estate we 1 None but plain ideotes vvill make this offer offer to answer person for person and life for life for euery such Priest (a) The Catholikes offer for their Priests as we shall make election of and be permitted to haue in our seuerall houses for their fidelity to your Maiesty and to the state by which meanes your Maiesty may be assured both of our number and cariage of all such Priestes as shall remaine within the Realme for whome it is not credible that we would so deeply ingage our selues without full knowledge of their dispositions their being here by this meanes shall be publike the places of their abode certain their conuersation and cariage subiect to the eyes of the Bishoppes Ministers and Iustices of peace in euery prouince and place where they shall liue by which occasion there may probably arise a kind of vertuous and not altogether vnprofitable emulation between our Priests and your Ministers who shall exceede and excell the other in vertuous liuing and exemplarity of life and other acts and exercises of piety and deuotion which must needs turne to the edification of the people and extirpation of vice and we shall be so much the more circumspect and carefull of the comportments of our said Priests as our estate and security doth more directly depend vpon their honesties fidelities To conclude we do and euer will Redoubted Prince acknowledge your Maiesty our lawfull King and Soueraign Lord and will (b) Catholikes opposition against all pretenders defend and maintain your Maiestis Heirs and your Successors possession right and Title with life and liuely hoode against all 2 But such as are inuested by the Pope in the right of any crovvne are not taken for pretenders pretendants to the contrary Furthermore we will 3 As you haue done hitherto declaring the kings secrets to forrain enimies and as the Masse-priests did in Percies treasō (c) Their profer to reueale withstād all treasonable attempts reueale and to our powers withstand and preuent any conspiracy or intended treason against the person of your Maiesty your Heyrs and Successors and we will to our power defend your Realmes and Dominions against all inuasions or forraigne enemies vppon what pretence soeuer We do and will acknowledge due vnto your Maiesty from vs whatsoeuer is due for a subject vnto his Prince and Soueraigne either by the law of nature or by the word of God or hath beene vsed by any Catholike subiect towardes your Highnes Catholike Progenitors and this we will perform by protestation 4 The Pope can dispense vvith both as they beleeue (d) The catho likes oath and protestation oath or in such other manner as shall seem best to your Maiesty And this same oath and protestation our Priests so permitted 1 But vvhat if they break their othes then are they periured and the state vvithout remedy What goodly satisfaction is this shall take before they be admitted into our houses otherwise they shall not haue reliefe of vs. In this sort we doubt not but that your Maiesty may both in honour and security take protection of our persons mitigate our former afflictions and be assured of our future loyalties loues and affections if you but please to rake the view which your maiesty may do in this our Apologie of the rules of our 2 These rules declare you to be the Popes slaues and the kings enimies Doctrine and Religion in those cases of the experience of our former actions and of the 3 Or rather absurd and full of foolish complements absolute complete forme of this our submission and alleageance which Bands as they are most voluntary on our parts so are they far (a) Voluntary submission far to be preferred before counterfet conformity more honorable profitable and durable for your Highnes security then all the lawes and rigours in the world And to say the trueth what greater glory or triumph can so magnanimious a Monarch as your Maiesty is haue in this world then to see and behould so many 4 I hope many douzins vvill not subscribe this absurd and disleall petition thousands of your faithfull Citizens and subiects manumitted from seruitude resuscitated as it were from theyr sepulchers recalled from banishment deliuered from prisons rendred to their wiues and children and restored to their pristine honours and honest reputations by your Maiesties onely peerles Clemencie and benignity and to march before your 5 A pore triumph he is like to receiue by these mens seruices Persie meant to send him vvith fire gunpovvder to heauen triumphall chariot with all insignes of liberty loue freedom joy and estimation of whose affections your Maiesty can be no lesse assured then a mercifull Father of dutifull children Quos genuit in visceribus charitatis pietatis suae whom he hath begotten in the bowels of his charity and piety And if that renowned Roman was woont to say that he had rather (b) More glory in sauing one Citizen then in vāquishing a camp of enimies saue the life of one Citizen then ouercome a whole campe of his enemies what now shall your Maiesty gain in giuing life and liberty to so many thousands who are sicke of the late Queens euill whom no phisick can cure but the sacred hands of our anoynted King and are like to the (c) Cicero the pretor and patron of Sicily Sicilians whom none but Cicero or the (d) Flaminius restored the Grecians to their ancient liberties Grecians 6 Graeci semper mendaces so are these fellovvs in the tales of greeks and Sicilians and of their legends whom none but Flaminius could deliuer from the heauy yoke and insupportable seruitude which the Pretors and Princes their predecessors had imposed vpon them We are but halfe men if men at all whom in these later dayes and times no man durst defend countenance conuetse with or imploy and as your Maiesty
the presence of the Lords there assembled for her conuiction vttering these words [a] Her bludis shed yet remaineth peace authority to work them redemptiō of her so desired VVo is me for the poore Catholikes and the miseries I foresee they are like to endure for their irremoueable affection to me and miue If I vvere as free as mine estate and innocency requireth I vvould gladly redeeme their vexations vvith my dearest bloud The same zeale and promptitude after her decease we shewed in your Maiesties right and 1 His Maiesties right is but pretention to these lay papist pretention to the Crowne of England the oppositions were 2 Parsons did indeed oppose against the Kings right in his booke of titles so did al his folovvers made by vs and our Catholike brethren and friendes abroade and at home leauing nothing in our power vndone that might lawfull aduance your Maiesties rightful Title as Heir apparent to the Crown of England against all practises or proiects to the contrary (b) The L. Monteagle M. Fran. Treshā Sir Lewis Tresham in the Towre of London Our 3 VVhen there vvas no remedy forewardnes in proclayming your Maiesty without any further warrant then the right and iustice of your Title and the loyalty and affection of our harts (c) Sir Thomas Tresham at North-hampton The 5 Was it dangerous to proclame the king dangers and difficulties that some amongst vs passed in performing thereof in times so green and doubtfull (d) The Vicount Montague largely casting mony among the people The generall 6 Rather greef sorovv and anger ioy and applause shewed by vs with remarkable signes of infinite contentemente at your Highnes entrance into the Realme with dutiful offices of ioy and readines to proclaime and receiue your Maiesty were performed by Catholikes with such alacrity in most places of the Realme and those in such 4 None of these I hope vvill either subscribe this petition or confes the Pope to be supreme head of the church (e) The Lord Winsor the L. Mordent distance one from the other that they cold haue no intelligence one with another how they should behaue themselues in that occasion which maketh it euident that so generall a consent in so suddaine and important an affaire of persons so by places deuided could not proceede from any other fountaine but from an vniuersall and setled deuotion to your Maiesties vndoubted Title All which offices of our loue and loyalty we assure our selues are aswell knowne to your Maiesty as your Maiesties Cādor Clemency is knowne vnto vs by vs blazed throughout the Christian worlde And not by our tongues and pens onely are these your heroicall vertues made so notorious as they are by the often publique and 7 Will you say the King hath broken promise gracious promises also protestations which your Maiesty out of the infinite bounty and magnanimity of your minde hath made aswell to Princes abroade as to priuate Men at home as well before as after the Queenes death as well before as after your entrance to the Realm both in priuate and in publique both in Palace and Parliament that you vvoulde haue no bloud for Religiō that you vvold hane no sale mony for conscience cōtrary to the vvord of God that you vvold review the lavves made against Catholikes and giue order for clearing of them by reason in case they baue beene in times past farther or more rigorously executed by the iudges then the meaning of the lavv vvas The intended performance of which your most gracious promises receiued a memorable commencement in Iuly last past some fewe dayes before your Royall coronation when by speciall order of your Highnes without any suite or motion of Catholikes certain Recusāts of the best quality and ability out of diuers parts of the Realme were sent for to Hampton Court by the Lords of your Maiesties priuy Councel and were by them very respectiuely and curteously vsed also assured by the saide Lords that your Maiesties Royal pleasure and Clemency vvas to exonerate the Catholikes of this realme from henceforth of that pecuniarie mulcte of xx pound a moneth for recusancy The xx pound a Moneth for Recusancy released by the Kings voluntary promise in Iuly 1603. which your Maiesties grace and relaxation the saide Lords signified that they shold so long enioy as they kept themselues vprighte in all ciuill and true cariage to vvardes your Maiesty and the State vvithout contempt whereunto reply was made that recusancy might be held for an act of contempt It was auswered by the Lords of the Councell that your Maiesty vvoulde not accompt 1 Can men refuse to concur in gods vvorship and yet be guiltlesse recusancie for a contempt And this your Maiesties gratious order and pleasure the sayde gentlemen recusants were willed to signifie to all other Catholikes Which grace proceeding from your Maiesties meere clemency voluntary good will in that moste dangerous time of the discouery of the conspiracy of the Lord 2 But contriued by Watson Clerke tvvo Romish traiterous martyrs Gray and Cobham semed to vs so inuiolable and so little subiect to chaunge or alteration that comparing these bountifull effects with the repose trust which your Maiesty in your Printed booke to your Peerles son seemeth to put in them that were faithfull and resolutely affected to your Mother and with the speech your Highnes made the first day of the Parliament tending to some more 3 Bevvare least your presumptuous challenges treasons alter not the kings course temperate course in matter of Religion then was of late vsed we had great reason to abstaine from farther importuning 4 VVhat then meant you by your importune petitions your Maiesty either by friends or petition but to exspect with silence patience and all humble submission how your Maiesty should please to dispose of vs without any diffidence or distrust either in our own 5 If merits vvere respected vvhat can you claime merites or your mercy Chapter 2. The reasons that haue driuen vs to * Better it is to be silent then to speak foolishly breaech of silence and to a necessary and iust defence BVT Alas Dreade 1 The Popes vassalls dread him not nor count him supreme Soueraigne we see our filence modesty and simplicity so abused by some 2 They should be indeed very indiscreet if they cold not discerne your false religion from catholike doctrine indiscreet Ministers who in their Bokes and Sermons make it euident they think no abuse or indignitie offred vs sufficient to satisfie theire 3 Remember your bloudy persecution rigour in queen Maries cruell raign you massacrers of Christians rigorous mindes or supresse our righteous cause that wee are driuen thereby to breake our determinate course of filence vrged and inforced thereto by these sequent occasions Firste The firste
that are enimies to the Pope and by all meanes seek to perswade men to take away their liues These fellowes caused Henrie the 3. of France anno 1589. to be most cruelly murdered by a Dominican Frier and the like they attempted against king Henry the 4. now raigning Jf God had not watched for the safety of our King and state Catesbie Percie Faux had by fire gunpowder destroyed the King the Queen the Prince and all the Lords Iudges and commons assembled in parliament How many they haue lately empoysoned we refer to Gods secret iudgement That the pope dooth entend the destruction of all Christian princes whom he excommunicateth it is not to be doubted seeing he armeth their subiects against them and promiseth not onely remission of sins but also rewardes to such as lay holde vppon them Whosoeuer therfore meaneth to reigne securely and to maintaine his regall authority must diligently prouide that his subiects professe not popish religion that is so opposite both to his authority and security Chapter 13. That popish religion is greeuous both to true christians and to papists themselues THat popish religion is greeuous to al true Christians it cannot wel be denied For who is not vexed especially if his hart bee enflamed with true zeale seeing the holy scriptures abused and accused of imperfection insufficiency and flexibility and popish traditions either aequalled or preferred before them what true christian can endure to see Christs honoure and office emparted to angels and saintes and idols worshipped more fre quently and deuoutly then the true and euer liuing god What zealous Christian doth not burne with indignation to see the man of sin to dominere in Christs Church to call himselfe Christes vicar the heade and spouse of the church and to exalt himselfe aboue al that is called god Finally who wold not greeue to see gods holy name and truth blasphemed as it is by the teachers of popery Furthermore as Christ was greeued to see the house of god made a denne of theues so it cannot chuse but greeue his disciples to see the house of god possessed by Antichrist and al true teachers chased away oppressed and murdred in places where his complices can preuaile there also scriptures in tōgs vnderstood of the multitude are suppressed and the Popes hests followed more diligently then the lawes of God Thirdly what can be deuised more greeuous to a christian soule then to see gods true worship suppressed idolatry superstition publikelye mainteined and of ignorant people so grossely abused Fourthly as nothing is more pleasing to trué Christians thē fréedome of conscience and liberty of true catholike religion so can ther be no greater vexation of conscience then to see the institution of Christ in his holy sacraments and worship violated and mens consciences forced to embrace errors and true professors cruelly persecuted Finally it is no small vexation of spirit for free Christians to see princes made the Popes vassals and his exequutioners to murder such as professe the truth for free mē to endure the Popes exactions and pillages to heare the vntruth and calumniations of his agents defaming innocent christiās with notes of heresy schisme and other most greeuous crimes Nay so heauy is the yoke of the popes tyranny that thē papists themselues are forced to complaine thereof and would noe doubte cry outlouder if they durst Petrus de Alliaco in his booke de reformat ecclesiae complaineth of the principall abuses which were most greeuous and burdensome The first was the multitude of the popes lawes the second was the frequent vse of excommunications and other censures of the Churche The third was the heauines of the popish prelates exactions beside these three he shewes that the multitude of religious orders and begging friars was a heauy and intolerable burthen in the church The Germans not long sence collected a hundred matters of grecuance offred them by the pope and his Clergy and officers and presented them to the pope desiring redresse The speciall poynts are set downe in their petition entitled centum grauamina Germaniae c. So many abuses reigned in the Church of Rome some hundred yeares agone that the bishop of Chems writing thereof a speciall treatise called it onus Ecclesiae the burthen of the Church Aluarus Pelagius also that liued some time before Martin Luther began to discouer the errors and abuses of the church of Rome and doth most greeuously compleyne of them intituling his booke de planctu ecclesiae that is the lamentation of the Church And this hath been the complainte of diuers Christians as we may perceiue by some Epistles of Petrarch and other writings of Arnold de villa nona of Nicholas Orem Thomas Bradwardine and many others The papists themselues feele the greef of auriculer consessions the fraudulent practises of the friars in theire absolutions and enioyning of satisfactions The multitude of the popes lawes the burthen thereof lyeth heauy vpon their consciences for their friars teach them that they binde the conscience The vow of single life in many youngmē women doth work desperate effects When they see thē selues haltred they runne into a greate dissolution of manners and grow carelesse what sinnes they commit The massepriests liue in great subiection to theire prelates and the rules of mōkish life ar greuous to al that professe those forged religiōs And therfore few obserue the rules of their profession none long doe well content them selues to liue vnder them Jn Italy and Spaiue they mure vp their Nunnes and yet neither walles nor lawes can keepe them in order The taxes imposed both vpon the clergy and laity are many and greeuous No act of religion almost is done without paying of these payments the pope rayseth great treasures If any transgresse the popes lawes out flye suspensions excommunications and interdictions and no release is graunted with out greeuous compositions especially if matters concerne the popes prerogatiue Finallie if any spurne either against the popes authority or agaynste any poynt of his erroneous religion then hee passeth through the hands of the inquisitors and to the racke if not to the fire he goeth if a man be suspected he is a long time imprisoned if he be conuicted then is he to passe to the fire his goods are seysed and his wife and children vtterly empouerished And of these cruel exequutions kings and princes are the ministers Neither dooth the father respect the child nor the wife the husband if the pope doe accurse him nay oftentimes without form of law eyther they cause such as they suspect to be empoysonned or massacred and vnder this gouernment do papists liue Is it not then strange that free men shold endure this slauery and that Christians shold not seek remedy for so greeuous oppressions Chap. 14. That the petition of papists for a toleration of popish religion is voide of reason IOhn Lecey in his preface doth vant that the petitiō of his cōsortes for
Catholike Christian subiects towards Christian Magistrates with all humility respect modesty and subiection euer either readily doing what they enioyned or patiently suffering what they imposed The long time of our 1 Actiue and not passiue persecutions the number of them that were afflicted the diuersity of their rankes qualities and of their humors and dispositions the perpetuity and variety of temptations and tribulations the infinite in dignities we passed through for so many yeares if they had fallen out among any other constitutions of men then catholike they might haue wroung very probably out of men well mortified and patient some action of dislike or 2 All the perilous practises that haue long troubled the state haue proceeded frō you perilous practise of discontentment when such multitudes of all degrees were so assayled especially of people so resolute in that supreamest degree of fortitude which is as 3 Behold lay men vvell studied in Aristotle Aristotle defineth it Tristia pro virtute 4 Lay mens Latin tolerare to endure heauy things for vertues sake a point very daugerous and wherof there want not plenty of 5 Do you not see hovv they threaten calamilies to the state if they may not haue their vvilles lamentable euents rising from cases of desperate necessity which Abner the generall of Sauls armie objected to Ioab Dauids Liueteuant in these words Exclamauit Abner ad Ioab ait num vsque ad internecionem tuus mucre desaeuiet an ignor as quod (b) Desperatio periculosa periculosa est desperatio Reg. 2 cap. 2. vsquequo non dicis populo vt omittat perse qui fratres suos And Abner cried out to Ioab shall thy sword be cruell euen to the death Knowest thou not that desperation is perilous Why dost thou not command the people that they cease to persecute their brethren But this may we glory in Redoubted Soueraign that in all this time no diligence of our Aduersaries no Malice no Policie no Curiositie no Argus eies of which there was great store greedily prying into all our doings could 6 Then vvanted they eyes For vvho did not see that the rebellions of Jreland and of the North vvere raysed by papists euer espie the least shadow of disloialtie in any one action of the publike weales professors and most sufferers in the cause notwithstanding the long and perpetuall course of their seruitudes and vexations The true reason whereof is the Doctrine we are taught by the Religion which we professe which telleth vs that we must obey our princes Non propter iram sed propter conscientiam not for any indignation but for conscience sake and that to resist them is to resist Gods ordinance and this is the bitte and bridle that euery true Catholike carrieth in his mouth to restraine him from that by grace and feare of Gods judgements which slesh and bloud otherwise with the liuelie sence and feeling of insupportable miseries and afflictions might driue him vnto In this case of our (c) The lay Catholikes fidelity to the late Queen dutifull behauiour in the late Queens dayes fiant inimici nostri iudices let our enemies be our iudges therein let the Roles Registers and Recordes speake sithence the great penalties imposed vpon vs for recusancy what hath been our Innocency our Integrity our vnimpeacheable cariage and demeanour how free we haue been from the least suspition of treason and practise as it pleased the Lords of the late priuy councell to tell vs (a) Catholiks iustified by the Lords of the Councell that the reason of our imprisonment vvas not in respect of any doubt made of our loyalties but onely to preuent the Spaniards hopes of our assistance in their pretended inuasions In the yeare (b) The cariage of catholikes the year 88. Eightie eight when the Spanish Armado came with intention to inuade this Realme our offers at Eely to the Lord North then Lord lieutenant in those parts in the presence of the Deane of Eely and many others else of worshipfull calling there present at that time for the hasting away of the forces of those countries to Tilbery-camp were these we beseeched and instantlie importuned that we might be imployed in those seruices in the defence of our Prince and country and not indure that dishonour that the whole Realme should be indangered and we no vnworthy members thereof and no meane freeholders should be exempted from that so behoofefull and honorable seruice we with voluntary aduenture of our liues and worldly fortunes (c) Their offer of seruice in person offered 1 Hovv durst you serue against your god on the earth to serue in person with our Sonnes Seruants and Tennants at out own charges as desirous most ioyfully to imbrace that oportunity to make manifest our loyalties in our Prince and countries cause we desired to be placed in the first front of the battaile we offered to serue in the places of the hottest and most daungerous seruice and if we might not obtaine that fauour of trust and seruice for greater security and liuely demonstration of our true English harts we did offer and implore to be placed (d) They offer to be placed vnarmed in the forefront of the battell vnarmed 2 This vvas to run avvoy vvithout question in our shirts before the formost rankes of our battailes to receiue in our bodies the first volly of our enemies shot to leaue an vndoubted Testimony by that our death to stop the mouthes of the serpentine maligners of our 3 This is vnspeakable impudency For the cheese procurers of this inuasion vvere papists vnspotted integrity and true English loyalties But if none of these instant requests would be graunted vs yet those hands which should haue valoronsly been vsed against the enemie should be zealously lifted vp to God for the deliuery of our prince and Country and to obtaine renowned glorious victory against the Inuador wherein we failed not answerable to the duty of loyalest English Subiects all which was offered by vs to be performed notwithstanding the late Queene was twife (a) They play the parts of good subiects notwithstanding al excōmunications excommunicated And this is a demonstrable and vndoubted argument that we are not conditionall 1 Either conditionall subiects or no true papists vvhich are bound to execute the Popes censures against their kings being excommunicated Subiects a calumny so frequent in the mouthes of the Ministery and by them endlesly obiected against vs. The like offer to that the Catholikes at Eely made the (b) The like offer made the Lord Vanx Lord Vaux then prisoner likewise for Testimony of his conscience vnder the charge of the Arch bishop of Canterbury offered and in like sort woulde haue doon all the Catholikes in England vpon like occasion and opportunity When the Spanish Armado was dispersed and their forces defeated the Vice Chancellor of Cambridge associated with the Deane of Eely
declaration of Sixtus Quintus against our vertuous and religious Queene Elizabeth in the feditious libell of Parsons and Allen to the nobility and people of England and Ireland in Sanders his factious booke de schismate and proued by diuers letters and NegotiatioÌ„s of Englefield Norton Parsons and others Fourthly some of this sort came with the Spanish armada an D. 1588. and others were to folow Likewise did they follow the Adelantado in the enterprise by sea an 1598. and of D. Iuan d' Aquila into Jreland 1600. and much did the forrein enemy depend vpon the intelligence and forces of recusants as is made euident by the Adelantadoes proclamation Fifily I hope the recusaÌ„ts will not deny but that they haue depended in tyme past and purpose still to depend vpon the pope and must be forward in exequuting his bulles 6. no small numbre of Papists haue serued forrein enemyes receiued pensions froÌ„ theÌ„ which is no good argument of loyall cariage 7. the archpreests factioÌ„ hath loÌ„g stood for the infaÌ„taes title against his maiesty no doubt reteine the same humor stil but that the kings streÌ„gth doth keepe them in tempre 8 SaÌ„mier the Iebusite coÌ„ming disguised into England about the yeare of our Lord 1585. did plot so with diuers principall recusants in England as is testisied by the Iesuites catechisme that he brought his maiesties Mother and diuers others to theire destruction 9. we find that the principal men that in King Edward the 6. his dayes hindred the vnioÌ„ of England and Scotland and the aduancement of the state of late tyme were papists and that the quarrel about religion hath beene the cheefe stay thereof 10. euery man knoweth that the principall contriuers of that treason for which Watson Clerk and Brooke were exequuted were preests and reculants So likewise were Pearcy Catesbie Digby Tresham and their consorts that by fire and gunpowderment to make an end of the King and his Royal progeny They were I say most refolute and principall popish recusants and thought by fire and gunpowder to make good theire Romish fayth And shall any man so farre exceed all duty and modesty to make such felowes loyall Finally seeing al papists professe to serue the Pope deuoutly they cannot serue the king faithfully that is so contrary to him in religion For no man can serue two contrary masters To let former practises passe euery papist now is so combined with the Pope that he is bound to follow him and to exequute his censures Neither if they were asked the question would they either condemne former rebellions for popish religion being warraÌ„ted by the Pope or resist the popes forces inuading vs or stand with the king being excommunicated But howsoeuer they woulde promise their doctrine is such as no loyal subiect can hold it For their masters teach that the king is subiect to the pope that the Pope hath power to depose kings and to assoyle subiects from their obedience vnto them that the king is not to make Ecclesiasticall lawes nor to meddle with the gouernment of the church but as an exequutioner of the popes laws that Ecclesiasticall persons and their goods are exempt from the kings gouernment diuers others such disâ—oy all poynts Lastly if we compare popish recusants eyther with auncient or moderne true Christians we shall easily perceiue a mayn difference betwixt them For neither doe we read that ancient or later Christians did murther their kings that were Heathen nor that they thoughte it lawfull to doe such an act as the leaguers of France did nor that they allowed either the breach of oathes or the rebellions of subiects against their kings nor that they beleeued those trecherous poynts of doctrine which papists of late both beleeue and teach Now then let vs proceed on with our discourse and consider whether these lay papists haue either answered these obiections or broughte any matter sufficient to cleare them selues and their consorts from the iust imputations of infidelity and disloyalty toward their princes Both which poynts may be resolued by examination of the particuler poyntes of this fift chapter wherein they tell first that before their restrainte for recusancy some of them bare offices in the common wealth and were dignified by the Queen and that others had there putation of worshipfull and honest men But if they meÌ„t to haue iustified their former cariage as they pretended promised then should they haue told vs of their loyal affection to their prince and of theire good seruices performed for their country They should also aswell haue mentioned the cause of populer recusants as of the gentlemen But herein they altogether fayled For neither do they clear themselues nor their coÌ„sorts of those trecherous practises doctrines formerly noted nor are they able to bring proofe of either good affection or good action seruice performed for their prince country But where they talk of the diguifiing of many recusants by the Queene insteed of discharging themselues they charge theÌ„selues with great vnthankfulnesse and disloyalty that alwaies hated and persequuted her which ceased not to dignify and honor them Secondly they say their behanior after theire restraint was such as became Catholike Christians towards christian magistrates with all humility respect modesty and subiection But this would rather haue beseemed some others to speak then the laye papistes who for want of good neighbors ruune out into an high commendation of themselues Further more neither are prisoners much to be commended for carrying themselues modestly and respectiuely seing prisons at no places for men to exceed and grow proud rebellious nor did the papists here falsely called Catholikes keepe themselues in so good temper and ordre but that they were to be charged with diuers intelligences correspondences practises with the enemies of the state as appeareth in the recordes concerning Throckmorton Arden Someruille Babington Abington Parry Brooke and others And although for want of meanes and occasions they broke not forth alwaies into open action yet their modesty subiectioÌ„ did neuer so far restrein theÌ„ but they thought it lawful to kil and murder depose princes excoÌ„municated by the pope vnlawful to obey such without dispeÌ„satioÌ„ especialiy in ecclesiastical causes that therfor which they talk of obeying princes not for anger but for conscience sake and of their carriage without shadowe of disloyalty and of theire integrity and vnimpeachable demeanor is nothing else but a vaine brag without colour or shadowe of modesty For their conscience is ruled by the popes will and their practises treasons and rebellions are recorded both in story and in the Crown office Furthermore their treacherous doctrine agaynste the authoritye of Kings is published in their owne bookes and cannot be denyed by themselues Thirdly they tell his maiesty what offers were made by certaine recusantes in the I le of of Ely and by the lord Vaux anno 1588. when the Spanish and the popes forces came againste
they seek for true pastors indeede why do they forsake the bishops and preests of the Church of England which indeed haue both the calling and exequute the function of true Bishops and pastors and runne after these wolues murdrers and deuourers of Christ's sheepe Fiftly they offer to answere person for person and life for life for the fidelity of theire preests to his maiesty and the state But what if the preests absolue traitors and perswade them to rebellion where shall the state seecke either for the parties or sureties And what shall it auaile to sue the bonds Agayne what a ridiculous conceite is this to thinke that the bonds of euery two or three base compagnions will be sufficient to secure either the life of so greate a king or the peace and state of so greate a kingdome against men already found perfidious Thirdly it will be a question whether if such a matter were to be performed euery pild crowned preest could procure such hostages and bondes as are offered it may be some good old Ladyes and recusant Cuckowes would offer any bond for their darlinges But the wiser sort J thinke woulde neuer put their liues in hazard vpon the massepreests promises who if the pope command them to doe an exployt for their holy mother the mother of fornications regard neither promise nor oath Finally it may be a question whether any such bonds are good in lawe and percase these good fellowes knowing them to be nought are the bolder to offer them thinking to gull the worlde with theire greate offers Fiftly comming to the poynt of their pretended submission they playnely refuse to submitte themselues offring rather articles of a capitulation betwixt the King and them then any forme of true subiection or submission for firste they say they will acknowledge his maiesty to bee their lawfull King and souerein Lord and will defend his maiesties heires and successors righte And for this his maiesty is much beholding to them But we must vnderstand howe this offer is made vpon condition if they may haue theire masse and theire Masse preests if they may not haue theire requests then they neither submit themselues nor offer any thing Further they acknowledge more then by the doctrine of popery they can make good For by the chapter v. nam sanctam extr de maior obed all kings are declared to be subiect to the pope They do also deny the kings authority in Ecclesiasticall causes and offer many preiudices to the Kings righte both ouer the Clergy and others and acknowledge him no further to be their lawfull king then it shall please the Pope who hath power to excommunicate him and depose him as they say Lastly where they speake of the Kings successors right they forget to mention the kings righte But what should wee stand vpon future coniectures when the treasons of Watson Clerk Garnet Hamond and the rest haue plainely declared them to bee the kinges enemyes Secondly they promise to reueale and to theire powers to withstand and preuent any conspiracy or treason agaynst the King and his heires and to defend the realm against forrein inuasions But miserable were the King and state if they shold depend vpon their reuelations and withstandings of treasonable attempts and invasions that are sworne to the pope depend vpon forrein enemies Former practises and experience sheweth that their words and promises are but snares to catch such as trust them of late they smothered the treason of Percy and Catesby as much as they could soughte by all meanes to haue their country set on a flame They acknowledge to his maiesty what is due by the word of god or hath been vsed by any of their sect but of the word of god they make the Pope supreme iudge and vse to deny obedience to Kings excommunicate by him nay to Kings not excommunicate in ecclesiasticall causes what they meane to performe it appeareth by Watsons and Percies treasons Lastly they say they will performe this by protestation or oath and offer the like for their preestes But what are oathes and promises when they say the pope can dispense with oathes and teach that faith is not to bee performed to hereticks in which rank these superstitious ministers of antichriste place all true Christians Furthermore it may bee doubted whether these felllowes can bring the stiffe necked massepreests to take these oaths if they cā yet shal they neuer make them to keepe them doth it not then appeare that these conning fellowes goe about to ensnare playne dealing men with their false othes and feigned protestations the examples of Iohn Husse of the professors of religion in Frāce and Flanders that haue bene often massacred when they relyed vpon the othes and promises of the Popes adherents doe assure vs of it and Garnets treasons may bee a caueat for vs. Wherefor seeing these proud suppliants confesse themselues but halfe subiects and are much lesse then halfe when the pope commandeth them whose they are body and soule seeing they always cut away halfe the kings authority and sometymes all and endeuoure to bring vpon his maiestye and his subiects not only a false idolatrous hereticall and impious religion but also a most greeuous yoke of the popes tyrannicall gouernement from which this land hath by the grace of god and prowesse of his maiestyes noble ancesters been most happily freed and deliuered and seeing they haue alledged nothing which might eyther iustify their abusiue false religion or cleare themselues from the common imputations of the disloyalty of the popes adherents or assure the king and state against the trecherous plots and practises of rinegued English sacrificers Iebusites and other theire associates euer suspected now lately plainely detected in Percies treasō to be sworn slaues of Antichrist professed enemyes to the king I doubt not but his maiesty the state wil take a cours with these bold importune petitioners assure the church and realme both against their corruptions in doctrine and attempts in the affaires of Policy and that in the meane while as all Christians abhorre theire antichristian doctrine and dangerous practises so they will concurre in repressing and extinguishing the causes of them This al christians ought to performe and these especially that haue eminent places both in church and common wealth VVhat then should I need to exhort them to performe that which belongeth to their duty as they doe well knowe and which both god requireth and all true christians expect at theire handes Chap. 22. A censure vpon certain letters of the banished masse preests sent back to the lords of his maiesties councell anno 1604 and annexed to the former petition IT is an old saying all is lost that is bestowed on men vngratefull and may well bee verified by the fact of certein massepreests who hauing well deserued death if the lawes of the land had been exequuted against them were graeiously pardoned by his maiesty only
exiled for that the state cold not otherwise be well secured against their plots and practises and yet are so farre from rendring thankes for any fauour that they expostulate with his maiestyes councell as doing them wrong and in effect protest they will not submitte themselues to his maiestyes order Nay it is apparent that they resolued to return to continue their former treasons as may be collected by the examinations of the actors in Percyes treason and rebellion THE COPIE OF THE BANISHED Priestes Letter to the Lords of his Maiesties most honorable priuie Councell To the right a VVhy is this petitio directed to the Lords is the king no body with these mē Honourable our very good Lordes the Lords of his Maiesties most honorable priuie Councell RIGHT Honourable As we haue suffered for 1 Not so but for Antichrist and his damned practises and pretences Christ his sake and the profession of the true Catholike religion which he 2 Men plant vvith hands not vvith bloud but these priests of Baal tread vpon Christs blud root vp the Church by him planted planted with his pretious bloud many years imprisonment and 3 Those that liued at Wisbich in prison fared like Lords and fatted thēselues like proks other massepriests abroad vvere either chāberlaines to their hostesses or Maggiordōs to their hostes wāting nothing that they could vvish And this against the Iebusitical faction may be proued out of Watsōs quodlibets depriuation of all worldly comforts and commodities so do we with the like patience and humilitie endure this hard heauy 4 For those that by lavvs deserue death this is extraordinary fauor sentence of exile which is a certaine kind of ciuill death or rather a languishing and continuall dying especially to them that haue the honour and safety of their prince and Country in that recommendation as we 5 Thē neuer haue they had their prince and country in recōmendation seeking to make both subiect to the pope his abhominable heresie nay to destroy both as appeared by the late gunpovvder treason euer both haue had and haue Notwithstanding least it might be imputed vnto vs here after that this banishment was rather an extraordinary fauour and grace then an vndeserued 6 This thanks the Lords ar to look for at the hāds of the priests of Baal punishment or penalty we thought it our dutie to let your Honors vnderstand that as we are 7 VVhy then do ye murmure content with patience and humility to suffer and support whatsoeuer you should impose vpon vs for our 8 For your trecherous practises and combinations Religion so are we bound with all to make protestation of our innocencie according to that of S. Peter 9 But you suffer contrary to these vvords of Peter for railing libelling practifing against the state Nemo vestrum patiatur vt sur ant latro an t maledicus aut alienorum appetitor si autem vt Christianus non erubescat glorificet autem Deum in isto nomine May it please your Lordships therfore to vnderstand that the quality and condition of those that are comprehended vnder the selfe same sentence of banishment is very different and considerable both in honour and 10 What do these base conscienceles svvads talk of honor conscience that hane no other foundation of their actions but the popes vvil conscience among the which some there are that came voluntarily into prison vpon a proclamation set out by your Lordships in the late Queens daies and name with assurance of fauor vpon such their submission som came neither voluntarily into the prison nor into the Realme and therefore not subiect to any censure and all of them haue bin euer most 1 Such faithfull seruants and vvelvvillers vvere Clerke Watson and Brook executed not lōgsince at Winchester and Digbie Grant Faux and others executed in Pauls Churchyard at Westminster but nether for their faithfull seruice nor their affectiō to his Maiesly faithfull seruants affectionate well-willers of his Maiesty and haue to shew vnder the great Seale of England his Maiesties gratious generall pardon by which they are restored vnto the peace of his Maiesty place of 2 This shevveth that their conscience accused them of trechery disloially before true subiects since which time they haue committed nothing against his Maiesties quiet Crown and dignity as being euer since in 3 As if prisoners might not be disleall and trecherous captiuity and therfore in the rigor extremities of those lawes which in their best sence nature were euer held both 4 Most gentle if they be cōpared vvith the lavves of the Spanish inquisition or the popes bloudy decretales extreame and rigorous cannot be punished by any form or course of law with so seuere a correction as aqua igne interdici to be depriued of the benefit of the common Ayr and elements of our most naturall and dear 5 VVhen you sold it to forrein enimies you made it deare both to them and your selues country Yet sithence it is your Lordships pleasure we should be transported we are 6 This is the patience of Lombards not of saints content in signe of obedience cōformity to that we see is your order for this time to forbear the Realm for a while to absent our selues reputing our selues notwithstanding as men free from all danger or penalty of lawes and neither by this fact of banishment nor by any other act of our necessarie retourne into 7 If this be your country vvhy did you abandon it take your self to the seruice of Italians Spaniards our country hereafter in worse estate then your Lordships found vs in the prison when your Lordships warrant cam for the carying vs out of the Realme And so hoping your Honours will conceiue of vs as of men that haue the feare grace of God before our eies and the sincere loue of our 8 For pure loue they their consorts an 1588. sought to cut their countrimens throats and to bring their prince and country into the hāds of strāgers for like causes sought Percy to blovv vp the parliament house Prince and country in our harts and dutifull reuerence and respect to your Lordshippes in all actions we humbly beseech your honors that if we happen for want of health or other helpes necessarie for our reliefe to 9 Hauing bin in Italy they shold know the penally of banishedmē returning vvith out pardō or licēce retourne hereafter into the Realme this banishment may not any waie aggrauate our case or make vs les capable of fauor grace then we were the xxj of September when your Lordships order came to remoue vs frō post to 10 You shold haue bin left at Tiburn post neuer haue bin suffered to return to the pope Cardinals vvhich you count pillers but that you haue encoūtred vvith