religion for our fathers faith and spiritual inheritance for the seruing of God in the maner of al Catholike Prouinces and not for treason or disobedience to her Ma. ties temporal lavves or the Realmes Vve haue not committed any other treasons neither haue the Fathers or Priests seruing God in our Countrie done any other trespasses tovvard the Realme or Prince then are done by the same endeuours in any other Nation either Christian or Heathen No commission haue they or authoritie to absolue vvhatsoeuer it be or in vvhat forme so euer vvritten or by vvord of mouth that implieth any more special clauses of treason to the Prince there then they do in al other through the vvorld graunted or vsed in the like cases Our holy Apostle S. Augustine came to our Countrie then vvholy in maner heathen vvith the like and no lesse authoritie to conuert the Prince and people to the faith vvith order there to preach the same doctrine that the Catholike fathers and Priests novv do no vvhit altered since then vntil this day to minister the Sacraments in the same sort as they do as by the recorde of S. Bedes historie and other appeareth Vvho entered in vvith Crosse Christes image and Litanies much more openly then ours do novv professed to come from Pope Gregorie the first to a Pagan people vvhich is novv so heinous a matter for vs to do from Gregorie the xiij to a Christian Countrie brought giftes from him to our King and Queene euen such like consecrated tokēs as novv cā not be had or brought in vvithout death and treason Vvhich consecrated creatures or the like though they vvere in vse in al antiquitie not onely among the simple people as the Aduersaries vvould make the vvorld thinke but vvith the best learned and are great helpes to deuotion and special badges of our Catholike communion one vvith an other yet not being so necessarie as to incurre the extreme rigor of lavves therfore or to bring our Catholike frendes into peril for them vve haue tempered the affectiō and zeale of some Priests and yong gentlemen othervvise most commendable al that vve could possibly requiring them to carie rarely and sparingly such things vvith them that the forces of our patience and sufferance may be entiere and vvhole for such brunts as may fall vnto vs and our brethren in matters of greater importance for our faith and saluation though he be happie that dieth for the lest momēt of our Catholike religion But to passe that point such things vvere sent from S. Gregorie the Great the famous Doctor to our Princes and people then such authoritie from him had S. Augustine then in such sort he preached and ministred the Sacramēts as vve do novv it vvas no treason it vvas no seditious practise it had a blessed honorable and gratious effect in vs it vvas the beginning of our Christianitie euen the same Christianitie vvhich is of al Natiōs and vvhich hath bredde ād brought furth al our Princes Priests and people and al this goodly forme of Commonvvealth vvhich our forefathers left vs. This same commission end and intentions haue the fathers of the Societie in al other Countries vvhither they be sent by their Superiors through the vvhole vvorld By vvhich they haue our Lord Iesus giuing grace and force of vvord vvorke and miracle to their godly and heroical endeuours in the zeale of Gods house and incomparable loue of soules for vvhich our Sauiour gaue his pretious bloud entered into the extreme partes of the vvorld almost through al the East Indes and most barbarous Countries and haue conuerted diuers mightie Princes vvith their prouinces and peoples and innumerable persons in other Kingdoms besides vvhere the vvhole state yet yeldeth not vnto the faith of Christ euen the same Catholike Apostolike Romane faith that vve and al Natiōs are named Christians by In the like spirit haue they passed into the vvest Indes to the gaine of millions of soules vvith infinite perils of the iourney both by sea and land most long and dangerous diuers of thē intercepted by Heretikes by the Heathen by Pirates and many martyred many brought to captiuitie many languishing avvay by the vnacquainted sauage diet or disagreing of the aire and many by other accidents To those places they go yerely vvith the same obediēce the same cōmission the same intentiō that they come novv to England they neuer committed reason nor disquieted the state vvhere they come the preaching of the Catholike religion and ministring the holy Sacraments being not coumpted of any of those peoples seditious attēpts as being done vvithout concourse of people no nor vvhē it is vvith cōcourse of peaceable poore simple vnlearned men and vvemen seruing God in Christian maner They be sent to diuers Prouinces and cities throughout al Germanie Bohemia Austria Polonia Transsyluania Suetia Dalmatia and many other Coūtries diuersly affected in religion no lesse then ours vvith no other charge purpose or commission then they are come to England none of al those states though by the endeuours of Protestāts the good fathers haue beē endāgered and molested many vvaies fearing their endeuours to be pernicious but finding them daily more and more to be most profitable beneficial and agreable to the preseruation of their Commonvvealths and Countries And they are receiued not onely into these partes aforesaid for reclaimīg the deceiued soules from Paganisme and heresie to the vnitie of Christes catholike Churh againe but also for their exēplar life and vertue for their exceding exercise diligence and dexteritie in the education of youth both in pietie and knovvledge for their great learning and discretion and for other their rare graces of Gods spirit they are vsed to the maruelous benefite of the Church as vvel by his Holinesse as other greatest Princes of Christendom for their preachers confessors spiritual counselers professors in their Vniuersities reformers of the decated maners of al sortes and most exquisite Maisters of al religion deuotion and true vvorship of God These mens order in deede and rule of life is nevv but their faith and doctrine is the same that our forefathers and al the Church had and hath They are hated of Heretikes vvhich S. Hierom coumpteth a singular glorie for those holy fathers vvhich vvere raised of God to cōbate vvith Heretikes of old vvere hated as these be novv sent to repaire the ruines of Luther and Caluin and the rest But vvould God our people vvere so happie as to haue full proofe of their giftes and qualities that so they might see and feele that they are sent to bring saluation rest and peace of conscience and not disquietnes to their Countrie Alas poore men these same fevv that you there haue might as vvel haue been sent to the Indes or to any part of Turky or Heathenesse if it had been their lotte and their Superiors commaundement as vvel as to you For thither they go vvith
Gods vvord that preeminence aboue Protestants they haue also Finally if the time of their liuing in this vvorld vvas by much more then a thousand yeres in diuers of them neerer to Christ then ours is and thereby they might very easily trace out the Apostles doctrine by the report of not many ages before them in these things novv doubted of that aduantage also they had beyond the Protestants Al these things vvith vvhat other prescriptions so euer any Catholikes haue had against Heretikes in al age vve haue against the Protestants in the most euident sort that can be So that vve may very fitly say as S. Augustine did by the like comparison onely changing the Heretikes names Hath long time so confounded heauen and earth light and darknes that Luther Caluin Zuinglius Bucer Beza do see and Hilarie Gregorie Ambrose Hierom Chrysostom and the rest are blind Therfore if either grace coÌ„mon sense diuine or humane probabilitie vvil serue our Schooles cary al vvith them against the Aduersaries if the expresse vvordes of Scriptures may preuail vve haue them a thousand times more cleere for vs then the Aduersaries haue for them if the sense must be sought for vve haue as many helps of nature of learning and of grace honour and thankes be to God as they haue to find it out the sentence is giuen for vs and against our Aduersaries in al the Tribunals of Gods Church Al Vniuersities al Colleges al Churches al Bishoprickes al Monasteries al monuments of Christianitie vvere made by and for Catholikes and for Protestants none Al the soules of our Christian fathers al the Saints in heauen al their actions vvorkes vvritings liues and deaths professe for vs. Therfore if our doctrine be erroneous there is no truth nor can be no God Christ religion nor saluation Vvhich Atheisme is the end of al these vnhappy reuolts from the vnitie of Gods people And for the particular points of our doctrine Catholike vve haue and diuers other learned in banishment haue before vs by sundrie bookes in our vulgare tonge defended them vvith al maner of learning and proofes that the Protestants them selues required and haue refuted the contrary inuincibly By vvhich combat in vvriting bookes though they vvere the chalengers and promised for the entertainemeÌ„t therof or at least vvished in shevv of vvordes al freedom and impunitie yet aftervvard they vvere driuen to forbid the entering hauing or reading of al our vvorkes Vvherevpon madde I. Pace meeting one day vvith M. Iuel called the B. of Salisburie but not secundum vsum SaruÌ„ the ProtestaÌ„ts chaÌ„pion saluted his L. courtly and said Novv my Lord ê™ he you may be at rest vvith these felovves for you are quit by ProclamatioÌ„ Neuertheles the Aduersaries haue not ceased to make shevv of ansvver to diuers of the said Catholikes vvritings but vvith such il grace in the sight of al vvise men that they haue rather furthered our cause then their ovvne For their ansvver is nothing els but a plaine running avvay like vnto some covvardly dogges that fleing from the fight yet in running avvay looke backe and barke and bay at their enimie or the game vvhich any man of iudgement may sone espie Alleage them Scriptures it is not Canonical alleage that vvhich them selues acknovvledge to be Canonical they corrupt it vvith false translation deceitful alteration fantastical glosing such as neuer came to any vvise faithful maÌ„s mind before Alleage them Doctors they deny the bookes alleage others or their bookes confessed they say they vvere in a blind age of some that they folovved the errors of the Gentility of al together that they vvere men Alleage sacred Councels they vvil not beleeue them vvithout expresse Scriptures Vvhen vve reply yea but vvhy beleeue you not these men and Saints and iudicial meanes of trial of the true sense of Scriptures seing you are but men also your selues and a litle vvorse men then they then at length they come to the spirit of God vvhich they arrogate to theÌ„ selues and deny it to Gods Church Priests and Councels to vvhom it vvas promised And being at this exigent they flee from the question of doctrine to liues and maners of Popes Prelates and Priests as though there vvere any creature liuing more profane and impure then the preacher Protestant or al vvere true vvhich the deepe hatred and malice of Heretikes feine against Gods Priests or the vulgar vices of humane frailety vvere the fruites by vvhich false teachers be tried or vve for the condemmation of the Protestants doctrine charged them onely or specially vvith the sinnes incident to mens infirmitie of euery sort and not rather vvith such crimes as be natural to Heretikes namely of this sect Vve charge them vvith rebellion against Christes Church lavves and ordinances vvith disobedieÌ„ce to their lavvful Pastors vvith contempt of holy Councels fathers and Doctors vvith falsifying corrupting denying diuers bookes and places of holy Scripture vvith contention and dissension among them selues disturbances of Kingdoms and Countries desire of liberty and nouelty inconstance and daily chaunge of their opinions presumptuous arrogance and vaunting of their knovvledge aboue al antiquity vvith singularity sacrilege apostasie incestuous mariages of vovved persons spoile of Churches profanation of al holy things preaching and teaching altogether to the disgracing of fasting vvatching virginity continencie voluntarie pouerty al good vvorkes and many other points directly tending to the corruption of good life in al states finally vvith blasphemie against Christes Sacrifice Sacraments Saincts and such like their enormities vvhich are faults properly proceding from their doctrine and therfore far vnlike to those proceding onely of humane infirmitie and mans frailety vvith vvhich they either falsly or truely charge the Clergie and specially the Popes and See Apostolike euen as the Nouatians and Donatistes did before them Vvhich offenses do so litle preiudice the truth and doctrine of the same Seat that S. Augustine auoucheth if some Iudas or traitor vvere in that office as there vvas one in the College of the Apostles that it could not be preiudicial to the doctrine of that See or the peoples obedience to the same Our heaueÌ„ly Maister saith he concerning naughty Gouernours of the Church hath made the people secure and void of care that for them the Chaire of holesom doctrine be not forsaken in which euen the euil them selues are compelled to speake good thinges For it is not their owne that they speake but Gods who in the chaire of vnitie hath put the doctrine of veritie And S. Cyprian giueth vvarning to all faithful people not to maruel nor in any vvise to trust an Heretike specially one fallen into relapse vvhen he raileth on Gods Priests With the fallen and profane saith he and such as are out of the Church out of vvhose breastes the holy Ghost is departed there can be nothing els but a wicked or peruerse mind and deceitful tonge and venemous hatred and sacrilegious lies Whom
no more danger then to England and euery vvay vvith like good vvil and hourely expectation of death Vvhich for the gaine of one soul they coumpt the greatest vantage in earth They are sent to the Heathen to tell them there is no saluation vvithout Christ they are sent to the English to tell them there is no saluation vvithout the Catholike Church Vvhether they die for the one or for the other al is one matter to them This vvorke then haue they to do and must not cease from the same for any feare of mortal man no danger of death or vvhat distresse so euer may fall vvhich they coumpt in such a case the next revvard to heauen it self and most ioyfully choose to accept it though for to do their dueties the longer they vvill not vvilfully runne vpon it Vve therfore seeing both before and novv these late daies some euen of our Countrie sent to the Indes motion vvas made to their Superiors that those of our Nation might rather be employed vpon their ovvne Coūtrie vvhere vnto after good deliberation they did most charitably cōdescend much moued by the example and profitable endeuours of the Priests of both the Colleges and other learned men at home and in banishment vvhom they knevv so vvillingly to sustaine both prisonmēts and death for the same vvith vnspeakable alteration in fevv yeres of vvonderful numbers to the liking and embracing of the Catholike faith And to tell you al vvhen it vvas once secretly bruted among the Fathers vvhom men call Iesuites that hereafter some of the Order vvere like to be deputed in times and seasons for England it is incredible to tell but before Christ it is true hovv it vvas sued and sought for of diuers principal learned men strangers no lesse then of our ovvne vpon their knees vvith tears and affection exceding extraordinarie that they might haue the lotte either to dispute vvith the Protestants in their Vniuersities or to die for the profession and preaching of their faith in so noble a Countrie vvhich they pitied to see deceiued vvith so improbable and barbarous heresie Yea diuers learned men strangers neither Iesuites nor Priests seing also at the same time the Scholers of the English Colleges giue their promis and profession so promptly and zelously to suffer vvhatsoeuer for their poore Countries and parents saluation and for the same to be made Priests vvith out expectation of vvordly prefermēt or honour giuen heretofore and novv alvvaies due to that order in al good Commonvveales but vvith certaine knovvledge of hatred disgrace rebuke and perhaps death thereby herevpon I say the said strangers vvere much inflamed to hazard their person in the same spiritual aduēture and made great sure to certaine that had the doing in those matter vvith manifold persuasions that so it might be And being told that the dealing in Englād in such cases specially for strangers vvas much harder then in the Heathen Countries vvhere there vvere no such exquisite lavves against religion as in the Countries reuolted they replied that they had no feare of dangers nor deaths nor miseries vvhatsoeuer but that they vvould sell their ovvne persons to any seruitude and for vvhat vvorke so euer either in Vniuersities that they so might deale vvith scholers or othervvise to learne the language thereby to practise vvith the people for their saluation for hauing had that intention of long either tovvard Turky or other Pagan places novv our mindes said they are excedingly set vpon English soules vvhom S. Gregorie so many hundred yeres agoe pitied vvith like compassion But hauing so many of our ovvne Nation inflamed vvith the like holy desires not onely in the tvvo Colleges vvholy bent and ordained therevnto but in the Societie aforesaid and in diuers Vniuersities vvhere there be many learned of our Nation in banishment ready to help vs in this haruest besides the great numbers that already are vvithin the Realme it vvas not thought needful nor meete easily to admitte the said strangers for this time but rather to employ our ovvne of the said Colleges specially and of the Societie of Iesus Into vvhich order because it is most agreable to the Churches and our Countries seruice in this time diuers of our Nation of al sortes haue yelded them selues and novv the rather for that they trust to be rather employed vpon their ovvne Countrie then vpon the Indes or other Nations in like distresse Trusting that so these companies vvith the help of our zelous Countriemen in many places both at home and abrode shal be able to supply al vvants that may fall in England from time to time by the deaths executiōs or enprisonmēts of such as novv be or hereafter shalbe by vvhat extremitie so euer restrained from the vvorke of our Lord. For these late terrours thankes be to God trouble them so litle that diuers straight vpon the arriual here in Rhemes of the late Proclamation of Ianuarie came to their Superiors to desire leaue to go in and being ansvvered that the times vvere not seasonable they said it vvas no Godamercie for a Priest to enter in at other times but that they vvere brought vp and made specially for such daies and nineteene persons the same vveeke folovving tooke holy Orders Such is their desire but for their going in they shal be moderated as reason requireth The principal point is that they be not God be praised much afraid of death or danger in so happie and honorable a quarel and many desire Martyrdō if god shal so dispose by vvhich vve euer gaine more to Gods Church then by any office of our life and bloud voluntarily yelded crieth forcibly for mercie tovvard our Countrie Thus the Church stood and increased in most places of the vvorld for some hundred yeres after Christ together the Prophete forvvarning it that it should liue in bloud If our Countrie yeld vs no succour for feare of mans lavves God that hath fedde vs these 20 yeres vvil not forsake vs. If frendes and parentes must giue vs no releefe vve say vvith S. Hierom It is better to begge bread then to leese faith And being the Churches orphans vve shal liue of the tvvelue baskets of the brokē meates remayning of the loaues and fishes miraculously multiplied by Christ to feede his folovvers into the desert For these fragments are not yet spent but dure to the vvorlds end for the sustenance of the desolate that depend vpon our Lord. Dravv from vs vvhatsoeuer they can or vvil our affections and offices tovvardes them shal be doubled If houses must not receiue vs dennes and deserts and grottes shal be our harbour If vve can not make our abode in certaine places vve vvill not be ashamed to be or so to be called of our Aduersaries vagarant persons seing of our betters in the like case the Apostle saith They had trial of mockeries and stripes of bands also and prisons they were stoned they were hewed they were
their prayers vvith teares out of the Church doores and in vvildernesse As the faithful ought novv to do also mountaines vvooddes lakes prisons and gulfes being more fitte for a Christian as S. Hilarie speaketh then the Churches the Seruice and preaching in them much more altered profaned and blasphemous then they vvere in the daies of their complaint Your prisons are the onely schooles novv of true consolation vvhich no doubt God giueth you fully ansvverable vnto or rather surpassing the measure of your afflictions of vvhat sort and greatnes so euer they be or seeme to the vvordly that haue not the experience nor sense of such ioyes of consciences Death and dungeons be not so terrible things to Christes souldiars as they seeme to the vnacquainted because God giueth not the tast of such his comfortes to any but such as are in the trauail for him Our Sauiour had in his greatest agonie an Angel sent to giue him comfort S. Steuen the first Martyr after Christ for the most certaine coÌ„fort of al Martyrs that should folovv savv heauen open and the sonne of man standing on the right hand of God him self in cheereful and glorious countenaÌ„ce like vnto an Angel S. Peter that vvilleth vs to reioyse in our passions and sorovves suffered for iustice lacked not in his emprisonment and bands the office of an Angel also He and the rest of the Apostles after vvhipping and reproche vvent avvay reioycing in their hartes that they vvere coumpted vvorthy so to suffer they sung psalmes and hymnes often in their prisons and chaines the Three children vvere ioyfull in the fornace of fyre Daniel in the lake S. Athanasius six yeres in a dry cesterne and foure monethes in his fathers sepulchre breefely al such places vvere euer not onely full of Diuine consolation sufficient to the repulse of al contrarie terrors and temptations of the vvorld but also haue been springs of spiritual ioyes and comforts to others abrode It is the prisons that haue yelded vs so many godly prayers prophecies letters treatises both of old and later yeres diuers of S. Paules diuine epistles vvere endited by the spirit of Confession in prison there vvere the famous bookes of Comfort vvritten by Sir Thomas More and many mo goodly vvorkes in our time Therfore dere brethren vve are to craue comfort of you rather then to yeld any praying you for our Lordes loue that vve may be partakers of your paines and prayers as vve daily praise God pray and sacrifice for you in to vvhose seruices sufferings and bonds vve may by Christes grace shortly succede if it rather please not his vvisdom vvhich vve hartily and humbly vvith daily teares desire to moue the Queene our Soueraines hart to mercie and pitie vpon her innocent subiectes and by his diuine povver to vvithhold her Royall assent and hand from further making or executing of such lavves as be against his truth and glory and must needes be the vndoubted destruction of the Realme vvhich shal be the surer vvay doubtles for her Ma. tie to procure both eternal memorie and coÌ„mendation of clemeÌ„cie vvith al the posteritie and mercie and pardon at the iust mighty and terrible Gods hand vvho taketh avvay the life of the Monarches of the earth and calleth them to dreadful iudgement at his pleasure To him first be all honour empire and glorie and to his holy Israel the Church his peace and blessing then tribute to Caesar that is all duety prosperitie and felicitie in Christ to our noble Prince and most deere Countrie Psal 31. Viriliter agite confortetur cor vestrum omnes qui speratis in Domino Your louing felovv and seruant in Christ Iesus WILLIAM ALLEN ⧠The faultes in some copies escaped let the gentle Reader amend thus Fo. 5. pa. 2. Perreiue perceiue 14 form from 16. theatened threatened 18 Miletius Meletius 25 thervvise othervvise 59 for condemmation read condemnation 81 seditioÌ„s seditious 85 vnlearned vnarmed 85 emploied our vpon ovvne their Countrie employed vpon their ovvne Countrie 85 vpon the vpon the. 119 Israriote Iscariote 3. Augustine No libertie of Catholike Religion in England Socr. Ec. hist lib. 2. cap. 18. li. 4. ca. 12. 16. Niceph. li. 11. c 49. 50. Li. 5. de Bas trad Cyprian â—p 5. Niceph. li. 9. c. 23. The othe of the Supremacie Causes of going to Rome Hiero. ep 16. Rome alwaies the citie of refuge and recourse of al Christians out of al Nations Bede li. 1. hist Ang. Li. 4. c. 22. hist Ec. The Seminarie at Rome founded Hiero. praef li. 2. comm in ep ad Gal. Caluin De vtilit cred c. 17. Ep. 55. nu 3. The beginning of the Seminarie at Duay Ep. 162. Vniuersitie men and other coming to the Seminarie De vtil cred c. 7. The Seminarie inuited to returne to Duay The beginning of the Seminarie at Rome Priests of the Seminaries The Popes affection and loue toward our Nation The Popes Seminaries of other Nations The yong Prince of Scotland Ep. 8. ad Demetriadem Gods lawes and mans sometimes repugnaÌ„t Ep. 166. Luc. 22. Mat. 16. 28. 18. Io. 14. 16. Esa 59. Deut. 17. Malach. 2 Luc. 10. Act. 15. Religion altering with the Prince The first ParliameÌ„t of this Queene Li 4. c. 43. The othe of Supremacie The court of Parliament The Ecclesiastical souerainty and the temporal 1. Pet. 2. Esa 60. Ep. 169. Es 49. 60. Act. 20. Heb. 13. Knottes brokeÌ„ not loosed Magdeburg in praef CeÌ„t. 7. Calu in 7 ca. Amos. The absurdities of a temporal Princes Ecclesiastical souerainty 1. Cor. 14. 1. Tim. 2. Ep. 55. nu 2. Aug. li. 2. cont 2. ep Gaud. c. 25. The ancient fathers agaiÌ„st the Ecclesiastical iurisdiction of temporal Princes Ep. ad solit vit degentes Cited of S. AthanasiÌ„us in the ep aforesaid Suidas in verbo Leontius Li. imperf 2. ad Constantium Ep. 33. ad sororem Ibidem Orat. ad ciu Nazianz Li. 2. de Sacerdotio An exhortation to the Q. Maiestie The Bishops and Clergie of England emprisoned B. Fisher S. Tho. More the Carthusians and others Ep. 57. ad â—amasum Papam Al Heretikes vaunt of Scriptures CoÌ„t MaximinuÌ„ li. 1. in principio Heretikes folow their owne priuate sense of Scriptures Catholikes the Churches iudgemeÌ„t and consent of ancient fathers Sess 4. Io. 14. 16. Li. 32. c. 9. coÌ„t Faust Ec. hist li. 2. c. 9. 2. Thess 2. Act. 15. 16. Li. de ago christ c. 16. Ib. c. 4. The ancient fathers more like to vnderstaÌ„d the Scriptures theÌ„ the new preachers Li. 2. cont Iulian. in â—ine M. Iuel Their euasions and foul shiftes in ansvvering the Catholikes Ep. 166. in fine Ep. 69. nu 1. Let N. the Minister marke this that fled out of England for impunity of his disorders afterward abiured his heresies in Rome voluntarily and now is fallen in relapse at home Their craftie and hypocritical pretences Deut. 17. Mat. 18. Beza in 2. Thes 2. Retentiue Pag. 248. Aug. Fnchiri