diuers of those auncient Kings became Monks yet neither was the Monasticall life so farre out of square as now it is they made it not a cloake of idlenes and filthie liuing a nurserie of idolatrie and grosse superstitions but they desired that life as fittest for contemplation and free frō the encumbrances of the world Diuers of the heathen Emperors left the Imperiall administration and betooke thēselues to priuate contemplation as Dioclesian Maximinian Lanquet ann Christ. 307. Neither doth this one opinion of the excellencie of Monasticall life shew them to be resolute Papists for it followeth not because they were Monks that consequentlie they held transubstantiation worship of images and the more grosse points of the Romish Catechisme 3 He shall not be able to proue the tenth part of that great number of 180. Kings either to haue themselues professed the now Romane religion or by lawes to haue prescribed the same to others some instances I will produce In King Lucius dayes not the Pope but the King was Gods vicar in his kingdome and it was his part to gather the people together to the law of Christ as Eleutherius Bishop of Rome testifieth in his epistle Cedde and Colman dissented from the Church of Rome about the celebration of Easter Wilfride about the same time confesseth that Images were inuented of the Deuill which all men that beleeue in Christ sayth he ought of necessitie to forsake and detest King Alfred or Alured translated the Psalter into English and he was instructed by Ioannes Scotus who writ a booke de corpore sanguine Christi which was condemned by the Pope in the Synod Vercellens being of Bertrams opinion against the corporall presence which fansie was not as yet receiued in the Church as is apparant by the sermon of Elfricus against transubstantiation In King Edward Athelstane and King Edmunds time the Prince had power to constitute ecclesiasticall lawes and to prescribe rules and orders for ecclesiasticall persons as may appeare by diuers of their lawes In King Edgars time Priests mariage was lawfull which began then to be restrayned Many lawes and acts haue passed since in open Parliament to restraine the iurisdiction of the Bishop of Rome to inhibite the purchasing of prouisoes frō thence arrests processes excommunications vnder paine of exile imprisonment forfeiture of goods and that not without expresse consent of the Clergie See Richard 2. ann 16. cap. 5. These then which allowed not the worship of images beleeued not transubstantiation gaue the Prince authoritie in spirituall causes approued the mariage of Ministers and the translation of the scriptures into the vulgar tongue restrayned the authoritie of the Romane Bishop may worthilie doubted of whether they were Papists 4 King Henry was so farre from repenting his proceedings against the vsurped Romane iurisdiction that if God had spared him life he intended a thorough reformation of Religion as was easilie to be seene both by his resolution for religion vttered not long before his death to Monsieur de Annebault the French Embassador and his answere made nearer to his death to Bruno Embassador to the Duke of Saxonie that he would take his part against the Emperour if the quarell were for religion 5 More vntrue it is that our late Soueraigne in the late dayes of persecution professed that religion with such deuotion The cruell and vnnaturall dealing toward her highnes then is a sufficient argument to conuince this large reporter of a great vntruth how she was sent for by commission in great extremitie of sicknes to be brought aliue or dead committed without cause to the Tower her seruants remoued from her straitlie examined her owne seruants restrayned to bring her diet denied the libertie of the Tower a strait watch kept round about her in danger to be murdered in continuall feare of her life her death by Winchesters platforme intended which by Gods prouidence she escaped Adde hereunto Stories desperate speech vttered in the Parliament house that he was not a little grieued with his fellow Papists for that they laboured onely about the young and little sprigs and twigs while they should haue striken at the roote c. All this euidentlie bewrayeth what opinion they had of her Maiesties resolution in religion and what she had of theirs In the meane time their cruell proceedings are laid open who if it were as this Coniecturer sayth would so persecute an innocent Ladie whom they commend for her deuotion 6.1 That euidence which he alleadgeth from M. Fox his mouth out of the Register booke of the Guildhall in London conteineth not the precise forme of the Princes oath to be taken at the Coronation which before I haue recited out of Magna charta but certaine monitions and instructions concerning the dutie of the King 2. He vseth great fraud in setting downe the words both inuerting the order and leauing out what he thinketh good as that the King ought to loue and obserue Gods commaundements then must he be an enemie to idolatrie and to the doctrines and commaundements of men such as many be obserued in the Romane Church Beside he sayth to maintaine holie Church whereas the words are to maintaine and gouerne the holie Church c. but they can not endure that Kings should rule and gouerne the Church 3. For the King to take his oath vpon the Euangelists and blessed reliques of Saints it sheweth not that the King did worship those reliques or sweare by them though he lay his hand vpon them no more then he doth sweare by the booke that putteth his hand vpon it or Abrahams seruant by his maisters thigh when he sware vnto him or Iacob by the heape of stones ouer the which he tooke his oath But as Ambrose well sayth Christianus imperator aram solius Christi didicit honorare A Christian Emperour hath onely learned to honor Christs altare And so Christian Princes haue learned to giue all religious honor to Christ and not to impart it to his seruants to make them sharers with their Maister Thus hath this sophisticall dialogist fayled as well in the probation of the assumption as in his enlarging of the proposition But whatsoeuer her Maiesties predecessors were she was not bound where they wandred out of the way to erre in their steps Iosias of idolatrous parents both father and grandfather was himselfe a religious Prince and a true worshipper of God Heathen stories will tell vs that noble Pericles came of an euill race Pompeius the great of despised Strabo Vlysses Aesculapius famous men of lewd parents The graue Poet also doth insinuate as much 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The sonne excels in vertues fame the parent euill of whome he came As of euill parents vertuous children may descend so out of superstitious antiquitie religious posteritie may issue and florish And as Ambrose well answered the obiection of Symmachus the Pagane Maiorum ritus
censured first this is the condition of warre it spareth none Secondly this notwithstanding the Citie after his death was taken Thirdly the Pope was forced afterward to absolue and release whom before he had cursed 8. The reason why so many Kings and Regents of the world preuailed not in their attempts and endeuours against the Sea of Rome is euident because they had before giuen their power and authoritie vnto the beast with one consent Reuel 17.13 and therefore Gods iustice required that they should be beaten with their owne rod and suffer vnder that power which another by their authoritie first vsurped But the time shall come that the same Kings and Nations which before gaue their kingdome to the beast shall hate the whore and make her desolate and naked Reuel 17.17 But concerning the Indians if the Spanish tyranny had not preuailed more then Popish subtiltie and cruell violence obtained more then Monkish conscience they were like to haue had a cold suite of it and a simple haruest 9. Iulian was punished for Apostasie from the faith not for denying fealtie to the Pope and Valens iudged for his Arrian heresie not for gainsaying the Papall hierarchie The Grecians and Armenians were subdued to the Turkes not for resisting the iurisdiction of the Pope but for other graue and waightie causes which may be alleaged first because the Empire being diuided anno 101. when Leo the 3. proclaimed Charles the great Emperour of Rome was thereby weakened and so by little and little decayed till at the last it became a pray to the Turke The Pope then himselfe was the first occasion of this iudgement which befell them Secondly in that the Greekes began to haue small respect to the Romane Bishop the Pope himself was the cause for that he first forsooke the Greek Empire erecting another in the West as the author of the tripartite worke saith Schisma hoc fecit partitio imperij c. The partition of the Empire made this schisme because the Empire that was but one was made two Et hinc probabile est quod Graeci cum suo domino coeperunt rebellare ecclesiae Romanae And hence it was that the Greekes with their Lord began to rebell against the Romane Church The Pope therefore may for this thanke himselfe Thirdly but the greatest cause of all this diuision of the Empire and so consequently the confusion thereof was the idolatrie of the Greekes who in a generall Councel held at Nice confirmed and allowed the adoration of images about the time of Adrian the 1. by whose counsell Irene the Empresse tooke vp the bodie of Constantine her husband and burned it and cast the ashes into the sea because they disanulled images Immediatly vpon this inhumane fact of Irene and for their idolatrie followed the diuision of the Empire by Leo the 3. the next successor of this Adrian And for the same cause namely their idolatrie was the Citie of Constantinople surprized and sacked of the Turkes for after the Citie was taken the great Turke caused the image of the Crucifixe which was set vp in the great Church of Sophia to be taken downe and writing this superscription ouer the head Hic est Christianorum Deus This is the God of the Christians made it with sound of Trumpet to bee caried round about the Campe and euery man to spit at it ex Ioann Ram. lib. 2. rerum Turcicar This is more like to be the cause of the destruction of that citie Fourthly and as God hath punished the East Churches for their backsliding so must idolatrous Rome looke to haue her part which both in manners and doctrine is as corrupt as euer was the Greeke Church Many yeeres since it was said Latini licet ad ea quae sunt fidei verius adhaereant deo quam Graeci tamen quoad mores multo pluribus sceleribus implicati sunt The Latines although in matters of faith they cleaue more truly to God yet are in manners more corrupt But now the church of Rome is notoriously knowne both in faith and manners to bee much worse If the Greekes were iudged of God for failing in one the Latines cannot escape that come short in both 10. Lastly he telleth vs that in the Primitiue Church before Constantine almost an hundred Pagane Emperours either truly elected or reputed persecuted it and all them excepting tenne or eleuen died miserably when the persecuted Popes put to death by them came not to the third part of that number pag. 69. lin 3 4. c. 1. Vntrue it is that there were before Constantine almost 100. Pagane Emperours there were not many aboue halfe that number 2. Neither were then the Bishops of Rome called Popes by a peculiar stile as now they are 3. This maketh nothing for the present Papall Hierarchie for the Bishops of Rome are declined and fallen away from the faith doctrine of those first persecuted Bishops Martyrs 4. Whereas I confesse there was then great difference between the imperiall ecclesiasticall state both in the short raigne miserable end of the one the long continuance glorious death of the other the case is now altered for since the time of Gregorie the 1. when the Bishops of Rome began to fall away from the true faith the Popes both for their wretched end and short raigne may cōpare with either the Imperiall or any Episcopall seate and farre exceed them For the first Anastasius voided his entrals into the draught Siluerius died in banishment Vigilius drawne vp and downe by the neck in the streetes at Constantinople Sabinianus died being frighted in the night Agathon that condemned Ministers mariage died of the plague Constantin 2. condemned to prison and his eyes put out Leo. 3. cast from his horse and beaten to death Stephanus 8. wounded in a tumult and so battered that he neuer would shew himselfe afterward abroade Iohn 13. slaine in adulterie Bonifacius 7. died of an apoplexie his bodie was drawne through the streetes with ropes and striken through with speares Siluester 2. slaine of the Deuill being a Necromancer Benedictus 9. suffocated by the Deuill Lucius 2. beaten with stones to death Adrianus 4. choaked with a flie Innocentius 4 sodainely died in his bed Nicholaus 3. died sodainely and speechlesse Clement 6. died sodainely of an aposteme Iohn 15. had his eyes put out and died of the stinch of the prison Now sir what haue you gained by obiecting the miserable end of the Pagane Emperours I thinke your Popes may therein compare with them more wretched and desperate ends shall we not finde of any Princes or Prelates then of prophane Popes For shortnes of raigne Popes goe beyond all regents either temporall or ecclesiasticall that euer were in the world not to speake of the regiment of two or three yeares and not aboue of which sort many Popes may be numbred how many of them attayned not to a yeare how many not
to Rome for sorrow he dyed 6 Neither was the Empire translated from the French to the Saxons for disobedience to the Sea of Rome but the line of Charles ending in Chunrade the Emperour he appointed Henry the first Duke of Saxonie to succeede him in the Empire who yet was neuer crowned of the Romane Bishop his sonne Otho the first not Otho the third as this blind historian shuffleth at it was after his father admitted to the Empire which Otho to whom he supposeth the Empire to be translated did curb the Romane Bishops as much as any before him for he reproued Iohn the 11. for his adulterous life condemned him in a Councell and deposed him This instance then which he hath produced sheweth rather the euill successe of the Romane Bishops then of the Christian Emperours 7 This Otho the third to whom he saith the Empire was transferred was not such an obedient child as he thinketh to the Sea of Rome for he caused one Crescentius that had set vp Iohn the 17. to be Bishop of Rome to be put to death and the Bishop to be deposed and bereft of his sight and elected in his place Gregory the 5. 8 Henry the fourth was a most couragious Prince and of happie successe he raigned 50. yeares and in 62. battailes encountred his enemies Gregory the 7. assoyled most treacherouslie his subiects of their oath and set vp Rodolphus against Henry the fourth whom he ouercame in foure battailes and in the last Rodolphus was slaine Paschalis the 2. incited Henry the 5. against his owne father and mooued him most vnnaturallie to make warre against him during which warre the aged Emperour for sorrow died He might then haue spared this example which sheweth more the Popes pride and tyrannie then the Emperours miserie for about this time when the Popes thus ruffled with the Emperour a certaine Bishop of Fluentine taught that Antichrist was come 9 True it is that Frederike the 2. was strangled to death by his bastard sonne Manfredus set a worke as is supposed by Innocentius 4. who also poisoned Conradus the next Emperour Frederikes sonne being vnder the Popes curse and this treacherous parricide Manfredus was afterward for his good seruice rewarded by Alexander the 4. with the Kingdome of Sicily this example bewrayeth the Popes treacherie more then the Emperours infelicitie 10 Concerning the excommunicating and deposing of Otho the 4. Lewes the 4. King Alibret the Henries of Burbon c. the Pope was an agent in all these affaires and a iudge in his owne cause shewing himselfe the right Antichrist taking vpon him to depose Emperours and Kings at his pleasure Thus did Pope Zacharie depose Childerick King of France and set vp Pipinus in his stead Thus Innocentius the 3. serued King Iohn interdicting his whole realme causing him to surrender his Crowne Vrbanus 2. put downe Hugo Earle of Italy discharging his subiects of their oath Innocentius the 2. tooke the Dukedome of Sicily from the Emperour and made Roger King thereof Adrianus the 4. did excommunicate William King of Sicily and would haue deposed him of his kingdome if he had not been superior in battaile The same Adrian did excommunicate Frederike the first for setting his name before the Popes in writing This insolencie of the Popes and their tyrannizing against Kings and Emperours was iustlie suffered of God because they had giuen their power to the beast and helped to aduance his proud throne and are iustlie recompenced not for their disobedience to that Sea but for their disobedience to God in submitting their princely estate which is Gods ordinance to Antichrists coÌ„maund These calamities then not brought vpoÌ„ these Emperors by Gods handie worke but wrought by the Popes malice in his owne cause do conuince him of Antichristian tyrannie not them of disloyal obstinacie They may as well condemne Gedeons sonnes that were wickedly murdered and iustifie Abimelech that cruellie put them to death and magnifie Zimri that preuailed against the King his master and slue him And as well may the theefe that robbeth by the high way killeth boast of his good successe as these treacherous Popes that rebelled against the Emperours and Kings their Lords and Masters 11. In that Constantinople was taken in the festiuitie of Pentecost and of the holie Ghost concerning whose proceeding the Greekes are in error as he saith this sheweth that not for denying of the Romane iurisdiction but their corruptions in the Christian religion and for their idolatrous superstition as hath been before shewed that famous citie new Rome was surprised Let old Rome in time take heede least being partaker of new Romes corruption it taste not eare long also of their destruction for the Scripture saith Be not partaker in her sinnes that ye receiue not of her plagues Reuelat. 18.4 And I say vnto them with Hierome Maledictionem quam vrbi saluator in Apocalypsi comminatus est potes effugere per poenitentiam habens exemplum Niniuitarum Thou maist escape O Rome the curse threatned in the Apocalypse by repentance hauing the example of the Niniuites Seneca said well Fulmina paucorum periculo cadunt omnium metu Thunderbolts fall to the hurt of few to the feare of all So it were good for old Rome to feare that punishment which is fallen vpon new Rome for the same sinnes The fourth Demonstration HE telleth vs further of the miserable ends of Luther Oecolampadius Zuinglius Caluine Cranmer of the Duke of Saxonie and the Lantgraue taken prisoners of the pitifull deaths of the Prince of Condie and the Admirall like â—ezabel cast downe at a window of the Prince of Orange miserably slaine in Flaunders of Iames the bastard in Scotland dishonourably put to death of Christierne King of Denmarke deposed from his kingdome c. pag. 71. The Remonstration 1. LVther Oecolampadius Caluine as they were men of vertuous life so was their end not miserable but comfortable what railing Cocleus saith it skilleth not Sleidane Beza with others that had better cause to know them doe report no otherwise of them This blind Censor had forgotten the pitifull ends of some Popish champions of that time as of Hofmeister Eckius Iacobus Latomus which all three died roaring and raging in desperation 2. Zuinglius was slaine in the field dying in defence of the truth so was good Iosias wounded in battaile and thereof died Cranmer was put to death for the Gospell as Stephen was stoned for the faith of Christ you may as well vrge the examples of the one as iudged and punished of God as of the other 3. Much better was the Duke of Saxonies and the Lantgraues case that were persecuted of the Emperour and taken prisoners then he whose captiues they were for they would rather die then forsake their faith but the Emperour that great Charles the 5. the Popes stout
and caue in that extremitie This victorious Prince greatly repented with teares at his death of all his outragious deedes commaunding all his treasure to be distributed vnto Churches poore folks and Ministers of God and made a large confession of his sinnes before his death with an eloquent exhortation to his sonnes and Nobles forgiuing all men and opening all prison doores to them which were there detained what reason then had this Popish pickthanke so ill to requite this Prince so great a benefactor to the Papall professors Concerning the punishments noted to haue befallen this Prince as the great famine in his daies and of the breaking of his entrailes and the deniall of buriall the first was a iudgement rather vpon the whole land being by conquest made desolate then vpon him that did conquer it the second is no rare thing for a man by the leaping of his horse ouer a ditch to breake the rimme of his bellie as this Prince did for the third true it is that a gentleman forbad his buriall because it was taken by violence from his father where the Duke had founded the house of S. Stephen This wrong was done not for any priuate gaine but for the erection of that Church which the Papists count a meritorious work and yet the gentleman was compounded with and the bodie peaceably interred These were neither such extraordinarie iudgements and whatsoeuer they were might be laid vpon him for his transgressions not for his disobedience to the Sea of Rome But hath not this Popes hireling shewed great thankfulnes to such a liberall benefactor and principall founder who augmented enlarged nine Abbeys of Monks and one of Nunnes in Normandie and in whose time 17. Monasteries and 6. Nunries were builded as he himselfe confessed vpon his death-bed whom the Bishop of Ebroike commended in his funerall sermon for his magnificence valour peace and iustice Among many other this brabler had least cause to take exception against this valiant Duke 2. Concerning William Rufus 1. his resisting against the Pope was iust and vpon good ground because of his vnsatiable exactions alleaging this reason Quod Petri non inhaerent vestigijs praemijs inhiantes c. That the Popes follow not Peters steps gaping for bribes neither haue they his authoritie not imitating his sanctitie 2. Whereas he would not suffer Anselme without his licence to goe or appeale to Rome but for his stubborne behauiour banished him the King therein alleageth the custome of the land from his fathers time and all the Bishops tooke part with the King against Anselme 3. The death of William Rufus being slaine by the glaunsing of an arrow shot by one Tyrell as the King was hunting in the new forrest is noted by historians as a iudgement of God vpon him for his oppression As Richard an other sonne of William the father was slaine in the same forrest which he had made plucking downe Churches and dis-peopling towneships 30. miles about It was not then the Kings restrayning of the Popes vsurping but his own vsurping vpon other mens possessions that might be thought to incense the diuine wrath against him 3. It is also vntrue as this dreamer surmiseth that Henry the first could not be quiet in conscience till he had restored the Ecclesiasticall he meaneth Papall libertie for he reformed the too great libertie and licentiousnes of the Clergie and seemed little to fauour the vsurped power of the Bishop of Rome neither would suffer any Legate to come from the Pope vnlesse by himselfe required Beside he obtained of Calixtus the 2. that he might vse all the customes vsed before of his forefathers in England 4. Whereas this fabler affirmeth That neuer any Gouernor before King Henry the 8. challenged any such prerogatiue of supremacie except in the inuestiture of Bishops pag. 74. lin 20. This is a notable fiction as may appeare by the words of William Rufus to Anselme The custome sayth he from my fathers time hath been in England that no person should appeale to the Pope without the Kings licence He that breaketh the customes of the realme violateth the Crowne and power of the Kingdome 5. Neither is it true that such troubles befell Henry the 2. for his disobedience to the Bishop of Rome as forreine warres and busines abroad and the rebellion of his owne children at home But these troubles are by the best historians imputed to other causes as some make the originall thereof to be his refusall to take the protection of Hierusalem against the infidels being humblie sued vnto by Heraclius the Patriarke who in his Oration to the King foretold of the plagues like to ensue Others affirme that the King was punished for his licentious life for he was a great wedlocke breaker keeping a famous concubine called Rosamond after whose death he deteyned the daughter of Lewes King of France married to his sonne Richard and kept Ellanor the Queene in prison twelue yeares Neither is it true that after 〈…〉 reconciled to the Church of Rome that 〈…〉 but they rather then began for the 〈…〉 vpon his oath of the death of Thomas 〈…〉 certaine conditions from the Pope 〈…〉 of his raigne and immediately after followed 〈…〉 with his sonne Henry ann 1173. and with the Flemings and Scots ann 1174. of his raigne ann 20. or after others ann 22. It is therefore vntrue that the same day of his reconciliation the Earle of Fâ—anders retyred and the next day after the King of Scots was taken prisoner Neither immediatly vpon this reconciliation of the King were his sonnes reconciled and he himselfe restored to his pristine tranquillitie of mind and bodie for his sonnes Henry and Geffrey raised warre against their father againe ann 30. of his raigne and shot at him pearcing his vppermost armour though some semblance there had been before of their submission to the King And afterward in the 35. yeare of Henries raigne his sonnes Richard and Iohn leuied an armie against their father who for sorrow thereof dyed whose dead corps at the comming of Richard bled abundantlie at the nose thereby strangely accusing his vnnaturall proceedings against his father 6. Neither was King Iohn punished because he had controuersie with the Sea of Rome as is pretended for after he was released of his excommunication and absolued which was in the 15. yeare of his raigne and the land released of the interdiction which had continued 6. yeares then began his cruell warres with the Barons and Lewes the French kings sonne ann 17. 18. notwithstanding that the Pope tooke part with the King and excommunicated the Nobles and last of all he was poisoned by a Monke of Swinsted The cause of this strife betweene the King and the Barons is alleadged for that he would not vse the lawes of S. Edward And some part of his trouble may well be imputed to his stubborne
factious crue and adulterous seede of that strumpet may in good time also bee dispatched thither to sucke their owne mothers breasts that both the bondwoman and her sonnes may be cast foorth and not be heires with Isaac And if they will with Iudas depart from the Ministers of Christ to the Pharisies we may wish vnto them Iudas end as one saith Iudas iuit ad Pharisaeos non iuit ad Apostolos iuit ad diâ—isoâ— diuisus perijt Iudas went to the Pharisies not to the Apostles he went to those which were diuided and being diuided in the midst perished And happie were it with the Church of England if it were honestly rid of such make bate companions that wee might dwell by none but good neighbours as it is said of Themistocles when hee offered his ground to sell caused it to be proclaimed that he had a good neighbour Now this aduersarie breaking off here his vncharitable accusations returneth to his former defence which how sillie and weake it is shall in the discouerie thereof appeare The fift Defence 1. WHat disloyaltie of behauiour to Commonwealths can be noted in Catholike religion doe wee not teach all dutie vnto Princes and superiours pag. 94. 2. What is there in that sacred function of Priesthood now treason by the proceedings of England that can be guiltie of so great a crime in the statute of treason in Edward 3. nothing is remembred but that which tendeth either to the betraying of King or countrie pag. 95. 3. What is in Priesthood now that was not in former times which euer in Parliament hath been reputed the most honourable calling c. the same Priesthood which was giuen to S. Peter and his Apostles the same which S. Augustine and his associates had that conuerted England pag. 96. 4. There is in that sacrament of Priesthood no renouncing or deniall of any authoritie in England no conspiracie to Prince no betraying of kingdome c. pag. 96. 5. That Priests do absolue from sinnes c. the cause is no temporall thing and yet it cannot be the cause of this treason for Deacons which haue no such authoritie are traytors by the same statute pag. 96. 6. That our Priests are consecrated in forraine countries is not the cause for in former times it hath been the greatest honour to our Clergie to be consecrated in those forraine countries and to be ordered in France to which we be friends and in England is equally treason pag. 97. 7. The Grecians and Germanes diuers in doctrine to the Church of Rome haue their Seminaries of Priests maintained by the Pope and yet they condemne not their Priests for traytors and it is as improbable that the Pope hath an intent to bring England vnder his temporall gouernment as it is vnprobable in those countries 8. How can those religious Schooles be such aduersaries c. where there is no Reader no professor no Lecture no doctrine against our English gouernment where prayer is continually made for her Maiestie The rules and gouernment there consent with the ancient foundations of Cambridge and Oxford pag. 98. 9. What disobedience can it be to denie to any temporall Prince supremacie in causes Ecclesiasticall a preeminence distinct c. which our Kings themselues euer approued in the Roman See which neuer any Turke or Goth or Vandale or Infidell challenged c. nor any temporall Prince vnlesse it be in England pag. 98. 10. The enemies to this See do not condemne it as a disobedience to appeale to Rome in spirituall cases to goe on pilgrimage to Rome to fetch any Crucifixe or picture from thence all Catholikes and Christians of the world without prohibition of their Princes haue accesse thither pag. 99. 11. Our most triumphant Kings haue performed those offices in visiting of Rome in their owne persons pag. 99. The Answere 1. DOe ye aske what disloyaltie there is in your Cacolike religion when by Popish doctrine Princes are not chiefe in their owne kingdoms ouer Ecclesiasticall causes and persons and the Pope hath authoritie by the same to excommunicate and depose Princes and absolue subiects from their oth of obedience And doe ye teach all dutie to Princes when the pestilent vipers the Iudasites doe hold that subiects ought to assist the Pope inuading a countrie by force for religion against their Prince and that they are bound to keepe secret the Popes designements to that end that they were no rebels which aided the Popes Cacolikes in Ireland against the Queene I would not so often alleage these matters but that this brablers confused tautologies can not otherwise be answered 2. There be other points in that statute beside betraying of King or countrie that are made treason as to violate the Kings wife or his eldest daughter or the wife of his eldest sonne but these matters are impertinent they serue only to shew the vntruth of his speech And euen by this statute popish Priests and Iudasites that maintaine a forren Potentate a knowne enemie to Prince and countrie are found to be traytors for they which are adherent to the Kings enemies in his realme giuing them ayde and comfort within the realme or elsewhere are by that statute iudged traytors 3. In popish Priesthood there are many things now which were not in former times as to haue power to make Christs bodie that it is a sacrament and hath an indeleble character their shauing greazing to haue dependance vpon the Bishop of Rome the vow of single life annexed to orders these things in the honorable calling of the Ministers of the Church the auncient and pure age of the Church did not acknowledge And though the popish priesthood for some hundred yeares past hath beene in great credite yet was it another manner of Ministerie which was honoured of the auncient Christian Emperors As the Bishops of the Nicene Councell whom Constantine so reuerenced that he would not sit downe till they had beckoned to him Meletius whose eyes lips and breast Theodosius kissed embraced Chrysostome whom Goinas the Goth did reuerence and caused his children to fall downe at his knees all these were Bishops of another order then the Popes creatures now are It is also a vaine boast that S. Peter had the same priesthood S. Peters presbyters were not Lords ouer Christs flocke as the Popes Clergie is 1. Pet. 5.3 Peter doth make himselfe a sympresbyter with the rest not lord ouer theÌ„ nor they to depend of him and confesseth Christ to be the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the chiefe shepheard 1. Pet. 5.4 he dare not arrogate that title to himselfe as the Pope doth In some respects they may haue the same priesthoode which Augustine the Monke had though as yet the sacrifice of Christs bodie was not annexed to the priesthood nor many yeares after for he came from Rome and sought the preeminence of that See
but before his comming there were in England other Bishops who depended not vpon the Romane Bishops neither did acknowledge Augustines authoritie and refused to yeeld obedience vnto him 4. In the very receiuing of popish priesthood the Masse-priests bind themselues to be subiects to the Romane Bishop in spirituall things and so denie the lawfull authoritie of the Prince in causes Ecclesiasticall The Iudasites beside do enter into a vow of obedience to execute whatsoeuer their superior shall command them to do by vertue of which vow many treacherous conspiracies haue been contriued yea they haue a speciall vow of mission whereby they bind themselues to go whither soeuer the Pope shall send them Who seeth not how fit an engine this is to draw them on to practise against both King and Countrie as hath been seene in England but to their owne cost hitherto thanks be to God and I trust shall be so still 5. Popish priests and Deacons are not deemed traytors for their absolutions or any other priestly function but because they do receiue priesthood by authoritie of a forrain Potentate claiming iurisdiction in England and who as a temporall aduersarie hath displayed his banner in the field against the Prince the maintenance of whose authoritie is iudged trayterous 6. To receiue orders in forraine countries simplie is not made treason for the Church of England receiueth such Ministers as were ordained in other countries professing the same religion as at Basile Geneua in Germany But eyther in the realme or without the realme to be ordained by any authoritie deriued or pretended from the See of Rome is by the law decreed to be treason because therein they which are so ordered acknowledge and receiue the Popes vsurped power and authoritie in England who is an enemie both to Prince and countrie wherein they are guiltie of treason 7. Though in some free cities in Germany in Greece vnder the Turke Seminarie Priests be tolerated that is no president for England neither can it stand with the policie of this kingdome to admit any such mixture And in that they are not there taken for traytors the case is not like for if they had practised there against the life of the Prince and state of the countrie as in England there is no question but they would haue taken the like order with them Neither in England for more then twentie yeares was it made treasonable to be made a Popish Priest till such time as the state perceiued that their entring into the land seducing of subiects conspiring together tended to the subuersion and ouerthrow both of Prince and countrie And it can not be but that the Pope should haue an intent to bring England vnder his temporall gouernment whatsoeuer he intendeth in other countries seeing both the Iudasites and Priests acknowledge that the Pope hath indirectam potestatem in temporalib hath an indirect power euen in temporals by force of armes to restraine Princes and to reforme them and to dispose of Kingdomes 8. This article is wholie vntrue for neither are the Lecturâ—s read in the Iesuites Colledges very commendable when one Maldonat a Iudasite in one publike Lecture proued there was a God by naturall reason and in another that there was none And Parsons would haue had his traiterous booke of titles publikely read in the Colledge at Rome to the Students as his fellow priests report What the professors of the Iesuites Colledge are and how affected to the Ciuill gouernment may appeare by their treacherous attempts Varade a Iudasite in France approoued the wicked treason of Barriere against the King so did Commolet who openly in his Sermons sayd they wanted but an Ehud Walpoole a Iesuite deliuered a poisonfull confection to Squire ann 1597. to destroy the Queene Parsons before that with other of the Spanish faction practised with Lopez to the same deede As is their practise so is their doctrine Parsons maintaineth as a principle that necessitie of true he meaneth his Cacolike religion is required in all pretenders to the Crowne whereby he meaneth that no title should be admitted though neerest by bloud and lawfull succession vnlesse the profession of the Romane faith were coincident to it Guignard made a booke wherein he maintained that to kill offenders he meaneth Princes that stood not for them was meritorious Chastell one of their schollers that was executed for attempting the Kings death maintained before the Iudge that in some cases it was lawfull to kill his King At Salamanca in Spaine these conclusions were resolued vpon by the Diuines of the Iesuites Colledge that all Catholikes did sinne mortally that tooke part with the English against Tyrone in Ireland that they which did fight against the Queene were by no coÌ„struction rebels c. These and such other positions were subscribed by Iohn de Sequenza Emmanuel de Royas Iasper de Mena professors of Diuinitie in the Colledge of Iesuites there and by Peter Osorio preacher there What a brasen face now hath this fellow that sayth there is no professor lecture doctrine in their Colledges contrarie to the English gouernment and what manner of prayers they vsed to make for Queene Elizabeth we may iudge by these their practises and opinions And if it were not so that these Schooles and Seminaries are corrupters of youth the Court of Parliament of Paris vpon the apprehension of Iohn Chastel who stroke the King with a knife in the face who was a student of the Iesuites Colledge of Clairemont would not haue decreed the whole companie of priests students there as corrupters of youth disturbers of the common quiet enemies of the King and state to auoid within three dayes out of Paris and within 15. dayes out of the Realme 9. We grant that when the Pope was in his ruffe many Kings made slaues vnto the beast yeelded vnto his vsurped iurisdiction in affaires ecclesiasticall but of auncient time it was not so for the good Kings of Iuda Dauid Iehosophat Hezekiah Iosias had the chiefe stroke in religious causes So had the Christian Emperours Gratianus Valentinianus Theodosius Martianus that made lawes concerning the faith Likewise the Christian Kings of the Gothes in Spaine decreed ratified and confirmed ecclesiasticall lawes as Reccaredus Guntranus Sisenandus Reccesinuthus Eryngius as is extant in these Synodes Prouinciall heere alleaged 10. To haue free accesse to Rome only to see the Citie and the behauiour of the people may by Princes in their discretion to their subiects be permitted though I thinke it be hard for any with a good conscience in regard of the publike offences there occurrent so to do but to bring from thence a crucifixe or a picture as a marke of the beast can not be but dangerous which although it be not treason in England though a disobedience yet Adam Damlip for a lesse matter by Winchesters procurement was condemned of treason for receiuing a French crowne of Cardinall
Poole in Rome only for his reliefe But to make appeales to Rome as to a higher Court and to the Pope as to a superior Iudge is a great derogation to the imperiall dignitie and no well reformed common-wealth can endure it Neyther is England here alone as he vntruely saith but other reformed Churches of Scotland Geneua the Heluetians haue cut off such vnnecessarie and vnnaturall appeales 11. What Kings and Princes haue done in times past in visiting Rome and going in Pilgrimage in their owne persons when they were led with blind deuotion it maketh nothing to vs Of auncient time Princes were wiser and I trust God will open their eyes at the last to acknowledge their error and shake off the yoake of Antichrist according to the prophesie of the Reuelation that they shall hate the whore and make her desolate and naked c. Reuel 18.16 Thus with all his subtilties and shifts of descant this Masse-priests proctor hath endeuoured to free that order from suspicion of treason But as the Prophet Ezechiel sayth He hath daubed vp a wall with vntempered morter Ezech. 13.10 with like workemanship hath he made a bulwarke for his order But as it is in the lawe Particeps criminis non idoneus testis He that is partner in the crime is no sufficient witnes So is he an vnfit aduocate for the Ignatian order being himselfe of that treacherous brotherhoode I could aduise them if they had grace to receiue good counsell that they would not suffer themselues to be any longer abused by their vnholie father to runne vpon the pikes at his pleasure and hazard both their bodilie life and the saluation of their soules not to be so desperate as Scipio his souldiers of whom he boasted that at his bidding they would cast themselues headlong into the Sea What though you would reduce your countrie to your opinion and the obedience of the Pope your purpose is not good your counsels prosper not you are deceiued in the disease which you would cure at the least with perill of bodie and soule you vse too costlie a remedie as Marius to the Phisician that came to cut him of a certaine disease made this answere that the remedie was not worthie of so much griefe The sixt defense 1. FIrst he standeth vpon the glorie of the popish kingdome Consider sayth he the glorie of King Henry the 8. and this kingdome before his fall and their infamie after the short or turbulent season of King Edward and for this present what it is and what like to be c. I leaue to the lamentable consideration of all men now and the pitifull experience of those which shall proue it afterward France Spaine Italy may be named the floures of the world the power and iurisdiction of the Pope more glorious then was euer any Regiment of any spiritual superior the kingdome riches reuenues of the K. Catholike are the greatest of any Monarch p. 100.101 2. Their religion consisteth of all affirmatiue positions teaching dutie to God honor to Magistrates equalitie to all oppression to none c. pag. 101. 3. Quarels and contentions betweene King and subiects Nobles and Nobles as in the time of Henry the 2. haue beene comprimitted by the spirituall Romane authoritie c. rigorous onerations imposed by Princes eased vnappeasable wars with France and other nations brought to an end pag. 101. 4. The Protestants deniall of restitution and confession what wrongs and abuses hath it wrought c. who can now keepe subiects from deuising against Soueraignes c. for want whereof so many suites and actions of law such a multitude of Lawyers what dilatorie pleas non suites c. practised and vncontrolled by Protestants doctrine c. pag. 102.103 5. The Religious Clergie enioyed the third part of the substance of our nation c. which was employed toward the necessaries of their poore chast and single life they did furnish armies more then all the Ministers and Abbey gentlemen the poore were relieued c. were they not better bestowed then in hunting hawking carding courting c. pag. 103.104 6. Catholike Religion left and kept England in amitie and league with the Popedome Empire Spaine c. whereas no historie maketh relation of so chargeable and prolonged wars of this kingdome with other nations as our late and now present Spanish Irish Flemish pag. 104. 7. Lastly he sheweth that by separation from the Roman religion Noblemen and Gentlemen haue lost much learning and knowledge in seeing other Princes Courts and countries Souldiers the skill and honor in armes Schollers the benefite of studie in other Vniuersities Merchants their trade and traffique c. and so he concludeth to this effect that these things considered it were better to be in such condition as England was in in the 22. yeare of Henry the 8. when this reformation began then euer it was by Protestancie since now is or by probabilitie will grow to be in time to come pag. 106. The Answere 1. KIng Henrie his gouernment was as glorious his battailes as victorious his successe as prosperous after the reformation of religion as before if not much more As in appeasing the commotions in Yorkshire and Lincolneshire anno 28. Againe another in Yorkshire suppressed anno 3â— Notable victories obtained against the Scots anno 34. And againe anno 36. And in the same yeere he preuailed against the French when Boloigne was yeelded to him King Edwards raigne was neither so short nor troublesome as Queene Maries was which both at home was plagued with mortalitie and famine and abroad dishonoured with the losse of Calice that had been English well neere 300. yeeres This is too vnshamefast dealing to obiect the one and conceale the other Queene Elizabeths raigne hath been most flourishing with loue of subiects at home and honour of other nations abroad and as his Maiestie truly witnesseth She did so long with such wisedome and felicitie gouerne her kingdomes as I must in true sinceritie confesse the like hath not been read nor heard of either in our time or since the daies of the Romane Emperour Augustus As for your lamentable consideration and pitifull experience what England is like to be you shew your selfe herein but one of Baals false Prophets that prophecied good successe to Ahab as you promised to your selues at the next chaunge of the kingdome a glorious day in England and an vtter subuersion of the Gospell As his brother Frier or father Parsons vttereth with the like boldnes God will most certainly at his time appointed restore the realme of England to the Catholike faith againe But the Lord be blessed that hath disappointed their vaine hope and frustrate their wicked desires I trust thorough Gods mercie that England still vnder the Gospell shall see as flourishing daies as euer before As for those flowers of the world c. some of those haue brought foorth but simple flowers