prudent manner of dealing and proceeding as well with Catholicks as Schismaticks Protestants and Persecutors And as for known Catholicks which have been constant and born the brunt in time of Persecution though for their own parts they ought to follow the most holy and secure Council of our Saviour Cum omnia feceritis dicite quia servi inutiles sumus quod debuimus fecimus nothing presuming of themselves or vaunting over others but expecting their reward with humility at God's Hands yet it is evident that in all Reason and Justice and Law of gratitude they are to be used and employed by the Commonwealth in all Principal Charges Rooms and Offices with special confidence every Man according to his known Zeal Ability and Talent for the same and according to the measure of his suffering for God's Cause by which means both they and others shall be animated and comforted and the state of Religion much more assured than if for particular Favours Kindred Bribes Interest any be preferred or such as are not known to have any Zeal in God's Affairs as in the late Queen Mary's time in many places was seen to the grief and discouragement of many and to the infinite danger of the Realm as after well appear'd As for Schismaticks or close or weak Catholicks that have fallen denied or dissembled their Religion if they have done it of frailty and have not been Persecutors the more Compassion is to be had of their Estate and the more sweetness to be used in restoring them to the Unity of God's Church again But yet how far they are to be used in matters of the Commonwealth especially at the beginning and in rooms where their weakness and inconstance may be in danger the Law of Godly Wisdom must determine and the manner of their Reconciliation will give also great light to this Deliberation which Reconciliation as well in these Men as in all others that shall return to Catholick Union again whether they have been Hereticks or no ought to be made with great attention and deliberation as in a matter of most high moment for all their future Life and Condition For that most commonly according to this first step of reentrance with Almighty God again is the Sequel of all that ensueth good or bad so as he that maketh a good and perfect and sound Reconciliation proveth for the most part a sure and constant Christian afterwards and he that huddleth the matter up in haste without due measure of Consideration is where he was before within a few days after and perhaps far worse for contempt of so great Accommodation Wherefore to the end that this so mighty a Foundation may be laid as it ought to be the Commonwealth should take care and especially the Bishops that Men of Ability and Capacity only should be employed in receiving of these Reconciliations at the beginning and some particular form were to be prescribed how it should be done especially in great Persons and Subjects of great importance and these perhaps not to be reconciled without special faculty or knowledge of the Bishop or Prelate of the place and by some able Person by him assigned and this with giving to them space and due time of Deliberation Recollection Meditation Instruction and of any other means to help them in so great an affair And this for them that will return But as for Enemies or obstinate Hereticks whether they be of Malice or of Ignorance another course seemeth to be taken for their Reduction and Satisfaction which is to endeavour by all ways to convince them if it be possible of their Errors and this by reason and sweet means as far as may be whereof I shall touch some Particulars in this place And first of all f Perchance it would be good considering the present State of the Realm and how generally and deeply it is and has been plunged in all kind of Heresies not to press any Man's Conscience at the beginning for matters of Religion for some few Years to the end that every Man may more boldly and confidently utter his Wounds and so be cured thereof which otherwise he would cover deny or dissemble to his greater hurt and more dangerous Corruption of the whole Body but yet it may be provided joyntly that this Toleration be only with such as live quietly and are desirous to be informed of the Truth and do not teach and preach or seek to infect others and by experience it hath been seen that this kind of suffering and bearing for a time hath done great good and eased many difficulties in divers Towns rendred up in the Low Countries which being mitigated at the beginning with this entrance of Clemency never greatly cared for Heresies afterwards yet do I give notice that my meaning is not any way to perswade hereby that Liberty of Religion to live how a Man will should be permitted to any Person in any Christian Commonwealth for any cause or respect whatsoever from which I am so far off in my Judgement and Affection as I think no one thing to be so dangerous dishonourable or more offensive to Almighty God in the World than that any Prince should permit the Ark of Israel and Dagon God and the Devil to stand and be honoured together within his Realm or Country But that which I talk of is a certain Connivence or Toleration of Magistrates only for a certain time to be limited and with particular Conditions and Exceptions that no meetings assemblies preaching or perverting of others be used but that such as be quiet and modest People and have never heard perhaps the grounds of Catholick Religion may use the freedom of their Consciences to ask learn and to be instructed for the space prescribed without danger of the Law or of any inquiry to be made upon them to inform themselves of the truth And I would hope verily that by the grace of Almighty God and by charitable diligence and industry of good Men and especially of diligent Pastors and Preachers that many good effects would follow of this Toleration For first there would be taken away that slander wherewith the Enemies are wont ordinarily to charge the Catholick Church though perversly and falsly that she persecuteth before she instructeth And secondly the Wounds would be opened and cured as before hath been said that otherwise would be dissembled and more infested And thirdly there would be more liberty for Men to deal for the true Conversion of Hereticks and they with more confidence comfort and alacrity would alter their Minds and be more capable of the Truth and I think it would be the gaining of thousands of Souls that otherwise would be lost and finally by this means the Prince would come to know at the end of the time prescribed what Disposition of People he had within his Realm which otherwise would be hard to do And these are my reasons for my desires in this behalf which I do remit as all the rest that here
been perverted by dissolution of Life and Heresie they have brought her into more misery infamy and confusion within the compass of few years than all other Christian Kingdoms round about us together Wherefore the principal help and hope next under God which our poor afflicted Country hath or may have of her redress is by means of her good Catholick Prince that God of his Mercy shall vouchsafe to give us who also considering the great work whereunto he is called shall in no wise be able better to satisfie his Obligation and Duty to God and the Expectation of all good Men and to assure his own Possession and Estate than to make account that the security of himself his Crown and Successor dependeth principally of the assurance and good establishment of the Catholick Roman Religion within his Kingdom and whatsoever is done or permitted against this Religion is not only against Jesus Christ our Saviour and his Spouse his Catholick Church but also against every Catholick Prince as his supream Minister and much more against the King of England as things do now stand both for Religion and Estate First of all then is to be recommended with all humility and earnest suit unto his Majesty that shall be established the singular care and holy zeal of restoring perfectly the Catholick Religion in our Realm and to employ his whole endeavour and authority therein and to concur and assist with his Princely favour and special Protection all such Men as principally shall labour therein and above other the Council of Reformation the Prelates Preachers and Clergy of his Realm and by example of his own Royal Person in frequenting the Holy Sacraments and other pious Actions of Religion and Devotion to animate all other his Subjects and foreign Princes also and Countries about him to whom he will in these our times be a remarkable mirrour to imitate the same and this for his own Person But concerning his Majesty's Council both in Spiritual and Temporal affairs it will import also exceeding much that he make choice of fit and worthy persons And for the first which is in matters concerning conscience the pious custom of some Catholick Kings and namely those of Portugal in times past is greatly to be commended who besides their Temporal Council had also another of learned Spiritual Men named the Table of Conscience in taking any thing in hand and execution of the same And for this Council they were wont to make choice as I have said of some number of eminent and learned Men and also notorious for their Piety and good Consciences whether they were of Religious Orders or no and the head or chief of these commonly the King 's own Confessor who might with more security by council and assistance of these able Men direct the King's mind with safety of Conscience And whatsoever Prince shall take this course no doubt but he shall find great help light comfort security and quietness of Mind thereby And as for the World abroad it must needs be a singular great justification of all his acts intention and attempts in the eyes and tongues of all Men seeing he doth them by the direction of so irreprehensible a Consultation His Temporal Council shall be needful to be made with great choice and deliberation especially at the beginning in England for that if any one person thereof should be either infected with Heresie or justly suspected or not fervent nor forward in the Catholick Religion and in the Reformation necessary to be made for good establishment of the same it would be to the great prejudice of the cause and of his Majesty and Realm And seeing Heresie and Hereticks could be so vigilant for overthrowing of true Religion at the beginning of this Queen's Reign as they admitted no one Man to govern whom they might suspect to favour true-true-Religion how much more zealous and jealous ought our new Catholick Prince to be in excluding from his Privy Council and other places of chief charge and government not only Men known or justly feared to be favourers of Heresie and Hereticks that will never be secure to God or his Majesty but also â—old and doubtful professors of Catholick Religion until they be proved by long tract of time And seeing that his Majesty shall have so great choice at that day of approved constant Catholicks within the Realm as never was seen the like since our first Conversion who have suffered so constantly at the hands of Hereticks in these Persecutions it is to be hoped and expected that his Majesty will serve himself first and chiefly of these men above all others according to their merits and after these of such other known Catholicks as albeit God gave them not fortitude and constancy to suffer so much as the others did for Religion yet were they ever secret favourers and never Persecutors or open Enemies to the truth It is to be commended with like submission and instance to his Majesty that after he shall have taken the Crown upon him and embraced this Realm as his loving Spouse he will confirm first of all the Laws Customs Priviledges Dignities and Liberties of the same and to take away all such burdens servitudes and unjust oppressions as have been any way laid upon us in former times but since the entrance of Heresie And as this is to be done to all the Realm as to the Nobility and to the Commonalty so principally and above others it is reason that it should be performed to the Church and Clergy-men who beyond all others have been injured in these latter times so that at the least it will be just that the Church of England be restored to the same state of Priviledges Possessions Dignities and Exemptions wherein it was when King Henry the Eighth began to Reign And for that the external face and material part of our Churches hath been so much defaced spoiled and broken down by King Henry the Eighth and his Children as all the World seeth it will be one principal part of our new King's Piety and Religion to concur effectually to the rebuilding and restoring of the same again by the means touched by me before of that moderate and temperate manner of restitution whereof I have spoken largely in the First Part of this Memorial And it is to be hoped that his Majesty will be the first and most fervent fartherer of the same according to the Holy Obligation Vow and Offer that he will make to Almighty God for that Heroical enterprise to his eternal honour and infinite benefit and beautifying of our Commonwealth Which sound Foundation of Religion and Piety being once laid it may be suggested to his Majesty with like sollicitude touching the execution of Justice to all Men with indifferency which is the principal point of a true Catholick Prince's Office next after God and Religion and is so much the more necessarily to be looked to now in England after so long
him in the Protestant Religion for which he was afterwards when he was College-Bursar so very zealous that he changed a great many old Books and Manuscripts for Protestant Books and did first put Protestant Writers into their College-Library and after his disgraceful putting out of the College when an old Friend of his a Gentleman of the Inner Temple declared to him that he had doubts concerning his Religion he did not only protest to the Gentleman but offered to take his Oath upon it That he was no Papist nor did ever intend to be Others will have his turning out of his Fellowship to be occasioned by his being a turbulent and lewd Man guilty of Forgery and Knavery and such-like crimes as made him unfit for a Society and Dr. Bagshaw who had been of the same College and afterwards turned Papist also and became a Seminary Priest affirms that he was accused of falsifying his College-Accounts by Stancliffe his Brother Bursar and this is often objected to him by the Secular Priests who have treated him with severity enough though not with more than his Pranks after he became a Jesuit did deserve Others assign other reasons of his being discharged the College but to set aside at once the reasons offered by his Brethren the Jesuits and those objected by his severer Adversaries the Secular Priests the matter may be truly decided by the Testimonies of two unexceptionable Witnesses who both knew him and one of them was Fellow of the same College with Persons Archbishop Abbot and Mr. Camden the Historian the Archbishop hath written a large Letter about this very business which I shall transcribe hither out of Mr. Foulis who says he did transcribe it from the Original with the marginal Notes upon it To my worshipful loving Friend Mr. Dr. Hussye at Mr. Haiden's House who dwelleth at the Sign of the Tunn in Watlingstreet give these YOU write unto me to know what is in record any way against Mr. Parsons and I return you here inclosed word for word so much as is in the Register of Baliol College In the Resignation as you may see he had written sponte coactus but now it is sponte non coactus being blotted out and non being set over Which I am deceived if it be not altered by some body else of late in as much as I am verily perswaded that since my coming to the College I have seen it sponte coactus which although it carry a Contradiction yet intimateth that he resigned against his will The particular reasons whereof no Man can tell better than Dr. Turner now dwelling in Fetter-lane or Dr. Hide of Sarum for as I take it they were both present at his removing The causes and manner of his giving over as far as I could ever comprehend were these Bagshaw being a smart young man and one who thought his penny good Silver after that he had his Grace to be Batchelor of Arts was with some despight swindged by Parsons being Dean of the College hoc manet alta mente repostum And Bagshaw afterward coming to be Fellow was most hot in Persecution against Parsons It was the more forwarded by Dr. Squire 's displeasure who was then Master of Baliol College and thought himself to have been much bitten by vile Libels the Author whereof he conceived Parsons to be who in truth was a Man at that time wonderfully given to scoffing and that with bitterness which also was the cause that none of the company loved him Now Dr. Squire and Bagshaw being desirous of some occasion to trim him this fell out in the year 1572. Parsons had been Bursar and being joyn'd in Office with one Stancliff a very simple fellow he took the advantage of the weakness of his Colleague and falsified the Reckonings much to the damage of the College as also deeply polling the Commoners Names whereof there was store in the College and withal not sparing his own Scholars by all which means it was thought that he had purloin'd one hundred Marks His Office expired at St. Luke's Tide there were some that between that and February 1573. scanned over the Books being moved thereunto by the secret complaints of some of the Commoners their Scholars and finding it apparent as also being now certified that he was a Bastard whereas it is the first quality there required by Statute that every Fellow should be Legitimo Thoro natus they proceeded to have his Expulsion solemnly Where by the way you may add that Parsons was not of the best fame concerning Incontinency as I have heard some say who lived in Oxon at that time but whether that were then objected against him I have not heard Parsons being put to this push in the College-Chapel and ways sufficient concurring to expel him and in truth no Man standing for him maketh humble request That he might be suffered to resign which with some a-do was yielded to him and then he wrote as you have here inclosed Afterwards before the Assembly broke up he intreated that his giving over might be concealed by reason that it would be disgraceful unto him with all Men but especially with his Scholars and their Friends and for these causes humbly prayed that he might keep his Scholars Chamber c. and be reputed as a Fellow in the House the matter being concealed from all the Boys and the younger sort in the House which then in words was yielded unto and that other Decree which now you see razed was enacted for the time but afterwards was soon crossed as you may behold And soon after their coming out of the Chappel by Bagshaw's means a Peal of Bells was rung at Magdalen Parish-Church being the Parish wherein Baliol College standeth the reason of which ringing as it was imparted to some few to be to ring out Mr. Parsons so generally it was not known to the World or in the College which gave occasion to this farther Jest. When Parson 's was Expell'd he was one of the Deans of the Colledge and so by his Place was to keep Corrections in the Hall on the Saturdays The next time therefore of Corrections which was the day of Parsons his Exclusion or soon after Dr. Squire causeth Parsons to go into the Hall as Dean and to call the Book and Roll c. And then cometh Dr. Squire himself in and as if it had been in kindness to countenance him but in truth more profoundly to deride him he calleth him at every word Mr. Dean and desireth him often to have a strict care to the good government of the Youth and not only for a fit but all the time of his year that he was to continue in Office Some of the Commoners knew all this Pageant and laught the more sweetly and Parsons in the end spied how he was scorned and nothing concealed nay understanding all his Knell which was rung out for him for very shame got him away to London and there not
knowing what course at first to take at length resolved to try his Fortune beyond Sea purposing as it should seem at his departure to study Physick but afterward when he came into Italy resolving rather to study the Civil Law which he did for a time at Bononia as himself in that place told Mr. Davers Brother to the late Sir John Davers as the said Mr. Davers hath himself told me but afterwards belike wanting means of continuance he turn'd to be a Jesuit Presently upon his departure out of England he sent a Letter or rather a notable Libel to Dr. Squire and he had so ordered the matter that many Copies of the Letter were taken and abroad in the hands of others before the Letter came to the Doctor which was the true cause that many lewd things were falsly reported of Dr. Squire although in truth he was such a man as wanted not faults c. February 1. 1601. at University College Your very Loving Friend George Abbot The inclosed Resignation mentioned in the Letter runs thus Ego Robertus Parsons Socius Collegii de Balliolo Resigno omne meum jus clameum quem habeo vel habere potero Societatis meae in dicto Collegio quod non quidem facio sponte coactus die decimo tertio Mensis Februarii Anno Dom. 1573. Per me Rob. Parsons The inclosed Decree about keeping his Chamber and Pupils mentioned in the Letter was this Eodem tempore decretum est unanimi Consensu Magistri reliquorum Sociorum ut Magister Robertus Parsons nuperrime Socius retineat sibi sua Cubicula Scholares quousque voluerit Communia sua de Collegio habeat usque ad Festum Paschatis immediate sequentis In this Letter we find the true account of the Proceedings at Baliol College against our Parsons that he was outed for falsifying the College-Accounts cheating the Commoners and for incapacity being illegitimo Thoro natus as appeared it seems to the College by Certificate With the Archbishop's account Mr. Camden's does very exactly agree who speaking of Parsons when become a Jesuit and Campian's coming privately into England in 1580. gives this Character of them both This Parsons was of Somersetshire a violent fierce-natur'd man and of a rough behaviour Campian was a Londoner of a sweet disposition and a well-polished man Both of them were by Education Oxford men whom I my self knew being of their standing in the University Campian being of St. John's College bore the Office of Proctour of the University in the Year 1568 and being made Deacon made a shew of the Protestant Religion till he withdrew himself out of England Parsons was of Baliol College wherein he openly professed the Protestant Religion until he was for his loose Carriage expelled with disgrace and went over to the Papists From the account of this matter from such plain evidence and such impartial unexceptionable Witnesses one ought to learn what little regard is to be given to one Jesuit's History or Character of another The Jesuit Morus in his account of Father Parsons leaving Baliol College says it was for his Religions sake and his honesty and not for Sedition and a Contentious temper which Morus says others had made the Father's crime and therefore that he had enlarged upon that business of the Resignation to cut off that Calumny that had been raised long after against the Innocent Honest Father Qua singillatim says the Jesuit à me percensenda fuerunt quo calumniae praecidatur tela quam multis post annis eadem haec invidia contexuit non Religionis ac probitatis defensae causa cessisse Personium sed cum reus commotae si Diis placet Seditionis ferri diuturnius non potuisset It requires the Pen and the Face of a Jesuit to write that a man was turned out of his College for being an honest man and for standing up for Probity when it appears from the authentick evidence of the College Books and those who were upon the same place that it was for direct knavery for cheating the College and Scholars while he was Bourfer to the value of an hundred Marks And the other branch of the Jesuit's account is just as true about his owning and asserting the Popish Religion whenas Mr. Camden who was his Contemporary and those who were of the same College shew that he not only made profession of the Protestant Religion while he continued there but was zealous for it and another adds to this That after he had so disgracefully left the College he declared to him that he neither was nor ever would be a Papist and which was a very wise thing offered to swear it too Quickly after this Resignation Parsons left Baliol College and Oxford also notwithstanding the Liberty that was allowed him of continuing in his Chambers and at Commons and having Pupils It seems Guilt and Disgrace made that University too uneasie to him to take the benefit of that allowance and therefore he hurries up to London but makes a very short stay there finding it best for a man in his condition vertere solum to travel beyond Seas whither though the guilt of his false and unquiet behaviour would go with him yet the disgrace might not get after him and so his life might not be too great a Burden to him Beyond Sea his first design was to study Physick but that soon altering he betook himself to the Study of the Civil Laws at Bononia and this also soon went off For within a year after his going beyond Seas we find him admitted at Rome into the Jesuits College by Mercurianus the General of their Order at that time It is very probable that as Vexation and Discontent those great Reconcilers of People to the Catholick Faith and Church of Rome then and now in fashion made him to turn Papist for all his Protestation to Mr. Clarke his Friend of the Inner-Temple to the contrary so Poverty and want of Conveniences necessary to the Study and Profession either of Civil Law or Physick and his natural temper did make him enter himself into the Jesuits Order This is certain that he was by Nature and Inclination every way fitted to make a compleat Jesuit he was fierce turbulent and bold which are the three main Qualifications of a Jesuit he had indeed one great fault I cannot tell whether I should call it a defect that he was too learned for that Society but perchance Ignorance was not then in Father Parson's days so peculiar and so essential to Jesuitism as our Age and especially our Nation has convinced the World that it is He was entred into the Jesuits College in July 1575. what progress in matters of Learning and Piety or whether he made any at all I do not find The active politick part seems to have employed him wholly from the time of his writing Jesuit and in that he has taken very large steps he was quickly taken notice of as a man
forelaid Council of Trent entirely and fully without Limitation or Restraint but to embrace also and to put it in ure where occasion and place is offered such other points of Reformation as tend to the perfect restitution of Ecclesiastical Discipline that were in use in the ancient Christian Church though afterward decayed for want of Spirit and not urged now again nor commanded for the Council of Trent for the causes before by me alledged for better Declaration whereof we may consider that the Council of Trent touching Reformation of Manners had to repair an old ancient House whereof many parts were sore weakened by Corruptions and some perished but yet the whole could not be changed nor built anew but necessarily the reparation must be made according to the State and Condition of the other parts that yet remained and so those good Fathers could not frame all points to their own likeing nor yet according to the Rules of perfect Ecclesiastical Architecture But now in England no doubt but that the State of things will be far otherwise whensoever the change of Religion shall happen For then it will be lawful for a good Catholick Prince that God shall send and 2 for a well affected Parliament which himself and the time will easily procure to begin of new and to build from the very foundation the external face of our Catholick Church and to follow the Model which themselves will chuse and if that will be a good and perfect Model it will endure at least for a time and be a pattern of true Christianity to the rest of the World but if it be but ordinary and of the meaner sort at the beginning it will quickly slide back to the old Corruptions wherein it was before and so the benefit of this Probation and Tribulation will soon be lost both before God and Men which Jesus forbid for that it is and will be the greatest Crown that ever England hath had since her first Conversion to the Christian Faith and according to this account must our purpose be of Reformation whensoever God shall restore us to Liberty and Peace lest we lose in Peace that which we gained in War as Eusebius Caesariensis saith that some did in antient Persecutions and it ought to be a warning to us to take heed by their Examples And this is so much as in this behalf seemeth needful to be remembred Animadversions on Chap. II. 1 THE late Council of Trent The Jesuit in the former Chapter was complaining of the coldness and imperfect Reformation of Queen Mary's Reign and here he is as severe upon the Council of Trent it self which notwithstanding its being directed and assisted by the Holy Ghost as this Jesuit as well as the rest of their Writers will have it to be when they are engaged in Controversie against the Reformed and notwithstanding the Infallible Vicar at Rome presided in it by his Legates and did from time to time influence and direct all its Consultations and Determinations yet was so base and cowardly according to our fierce Jesuit as to truckle to the humours of the Age and make a very lame and imperfect Reformation out of compliance with the lukewarmness and iniquity of that Age. But the rest of the World were not of our Jesuit's Mind but did easily see that no Temporal Prince could submit to that Council which by the bye was nothing but a meer Western Conventicle of Italian Bishops and the Pope's own Creatures who had sworn to be true and faithful to him and to preserve to him those which he and they call the Rights and Honours of S. Peter before ever they came within the Walls of that assembly without wrong to himself and to his People However our Jesuit is for having his Popish Prince in England to receive the Council of Trent entirely and fully without Limitation and Restraint though the Prince that does it makes himself feudatory to the Popes and leaves his Country to their disposal when they think fit to have it escheat to them this no body can doubt of it that will but examine what that Council at Trent hath determined about the Matter of Duels in any Princes Countries and this without Question is one of the Reasons why the Gallican Church could not then nor can be to this day perswaded to admit the Council of Trent entirely but refuse it as to the Canons about Discipline which encroach upon the Prince's Right and the Churches Authority By what I can observe from our Jesuit he is for overdoing the whole World and while he brands others with the name of Cold Catholicks would I suppose have a Council of Jesuits to reform their Church and then I am sure it will be done to purpose 2 For a well affected Parliament which himself and the time will easily procure Here is an Instance of a fatal mistake in our Jesuit's Politicks and Foresight The Papists in England by God's Permission have had a Popish Prince and a Prince governed by Jesuits too and as zealous as our Jesuit himself could either imagine or wish him to be and yet after all he was not able to get a well affected Parliament that is a Parliament that would have settled Popery effectually among us That Prince came to the Crown with greater advantages than one of his Perswasion could well have been supposed to have done he was no sooner fixt in his Throne than he had the good success to break and suppress two very dangerous Rebellions and appeared to the World to have the love of all his Subjects who gratified him in his first Parliament with every thing that they could either with Honour or Conscience give But when tempted I am afraid by the reading of this Jesuit's Memorial and by the strange success against the two Insurrections he began to pull off the Vizard and was for breaking in upon the National Protestant security by keeping up a standing Army with a great many Popish unqualified Officers and thought it would prove 〈◊〉 easie matter to bring in his Popery we see how miserably he was out in his Measures that very Parliament that had been so kind as to settle a greater Revenue upon him than ever King of England had by six hundred thousand Pounds a Year as I have been informed for some Years and to give him great Supplies and to Voâ—â— him more and that did stand by him with their Fortuneâ— and Lives were yet for standing by their Religion and their Laws and were neither so tame nor foolish as to be either complemented or hector'd out of either of them This dissolved that Parliament and shewed how graâ—â—ful a Popish Prince could be to the best and kindest Parliament And when this Parliament was dissolved and Popery made every day larger steps than before and the whole Constitution was laid to sleep in favour of Fanatiâ— and Papists did he or time procure a more kind or well affected Parliament Indeed all the care imaginable
on the contrary side Qui facit veritatem saith he venit ad Lucem ut manifestentur opera ejus And though I confess that in a quiet and establisht Catholick State Disputation with Hereticks were not to be presumed profitable yet our Condition is different now at the beginning and will be for some Years in England and all satisfaction must be given that may be conveniently and seeing our building is true at the Foundation and our Mony with which we desire to enrich Men is pure Gold and tried the more we rub it on the Touchstone the better it will appear and the more acceptable it will be to all Men. One other publick satisfaction also I could wish were given for some days at the beginning to certain principal Persons in London or elsewhere or rather that every Bishop should do it in his City or Diocess for that in my Opinion it would be of very great importance And this is That some chief Man of Learning and Authority of our side or the Prelate himself should take a certain hour in the day to confer openly the writings of some two of both sides as namely of Juell and Dr. Harding in London for that they write both in the Vulgar Tongue the one against the other and of Whitaker and Dr. Stapleton in Oxford or Cambridge for that they writ in Latin and the manner of this Conference might be that one in Pulpit or publick Audience should read some Paragraph out of one of them and confer presently the Authors which he citeth and whether he citeth them truly or no and to let the places be read publickly out of their own Authors which may be prepared to be there present and then the answer of the other might be read and Authors also that he alledgeth and for more indifferency of this Examination or Collation there might be two Learned Men appointed one of each side a Protestant and a Catholick to see that no fraud or injury be done to any Party but only the Books examined sincerely and seeing that the truth is but one and cannot but appear by this Collation h I perswade my self this Examination would do exceeding much good to all such of understanding as should be present as indeed I suppose that all principal Protestants likely would be for that the Exercise would be both pleasant and profitable and I dare avouch that Juell will be discovered to make so many shifts and to slide out at so many narrow holes and creeks to save himself and to deny falsifie and pervert so many Authors Doctors and Fathers as his own side within few days would be ashamed of him and give him over which would be no small blow to overthrow Heresie even by the root in England he having been their chiefest Pillar to maintain the same in that Kingdom Besides these two publick satisfactions I do perswade my self there will be need of little more for that the private Industry of divers good and learned Men and one Lay-man with another and the vertuous lives and conversations of our Priests and Clergy-men and the Example of all sorts of Religious People both Men and Women and the very outward face show and practice of Catholick Devotion the wearisomness of Heresies and of their Authors and Maintainers will quickly work out all affection of People towards them and plant it the contrary towards true Religion Piety and Catholick Christianity And thus much for gaining of those that have been deceived by error and are of a good nature and think they do well and do hold a desire to know the truth and follow the same and finally do hope to be saved as good Christians and do make account of an honest Conscience though they be in Heresie But for others that be either wilful Apostates or malicious Persecutors or obstinate Perverters of others how they may be dealt withal it belongeth not to a Man of my Vocation to suggest but rather to commend their State to Almighty God and their Treaty to the wisdom of such as shall be in authority in the Commonwealth at that day admonishing them only that as God doth not govern the whole Monarchy but by Rewards and Chastisements and that as he hath had a sweet hand to cherish the well-affected so hath he a strong arm to bind the Boysterous Stubborn and Rebellious even so the very like and same must be the proceeding of a perfect Catholick Prince and Commonwealth and the nearer it goes to the Imitation of God's Government in this and all other points the better and more exact and more durable it is and will be ever And this answer may be given in general for in particular what order is to be holden with such as before I named Persecutors Arch-Hereticks false Bishops Preachers Ministers Apostates Traytors to the Cause Strangers and Foreign Hereticks that do oppress the Realm and others of the like Crue and Condition I leave to be determined according to the circumstance of time occasion and place when opportunity shall be offered Animadversions on Chap. IV. f PErchance it would be good not to press any Man's Conscience at the beginning for matters of Religion for some few Years The perusal of this part of this Chapter I cannot but recommend to all those Dissenters in England that did in the late Reign not only accept of the Declaration for Liberty of Conscience but give the King such extravagant thanks for it They must not deny that they were warned of the snare and that all the Kindness shewed them was but forced and would in a little time have proved their own as well as Ruine of the Church of England which was too wise to be trickt by the Jesuitical Arts of that Court They may see here what was the sole design of that grinning Toleration and which is more how lasting it was to have been Who can read the Jesuit's Instructions and Limitations here about it as the late King questioness did and remember the Cant that was set about then that the Liberty of Conscience should be made as firm as Magna Charta and established to all Posterity It was indeed the Admiration of all wise Men that the Dissenters who had believed that the Declaration of 1672. was designed to make way for Popery and had seen it proved out of other Books as well as Coleman's Letters that this was their most probable way to bring in Popery should in the Reign of a Popish King himself governed by Jesuits and when Popery was barefac'd be imposed upon to comply with and which was ten times more foolish to address and thank the Popish King for that Declaration which I do from my Soul believe would not have been continued to this Year 1690. so many are the Limitations and Restraints and Conditions in it that it would have been the easiest thing in the World for them when they pleas'd to have taken the forfeiture of this Charter also for Liberty of Conscience It
Societies and Confraternities are seen to be instituted in other Countries where Charity doth flourish and ought to be also in ours and the publick Prisons for this respect of the Shires were to be put in principal Towns and Cities where these Societies might be erected and an extract or summary of all the charitable works accustomed to be done in other great Cities by the Confraternities and other ways as namely in Rome Naples Milan Madrid and Seville were to be had and considered by our Council of Reformation and put in ure as much as might be conveniently in England A general Story of all the most notable things that have hapned in this time of Persecution were to be gathered and the matter to be commended to Men of Ability Zeal and Judgment for doing the same And when time shall serve to procure of the See Apostolick That due honour may be done to our Martyrs and Churches Chapels and other memories built in the place where they suffered and namely at Tyburn where perhaps some Religious House of the third Order of St. Francis called Capuchins or some other such of Edification and Example for the People would be erected as a near Pilgrimage or place of Devotion for the City of London and others to repair unto Before this Council make an end of their Office or resign the same which as before has been signified may be after some competent number of Years when they shall have settled and also secured the state of Catholick Religion and employed the Lands and Rents committed to their charge and this were to be done with the greatest expedition that might be it would be very much necessary that they should leave some good and sound manner of Inquisition established for the conservation of that which they have planted For that during the time of their authority perhaps it would be best to spare the name of Inquisition at the first beginning in so new and green a State of Religion as ours must needs be after so many Years of Heresie Atheism and other Dissolutions may chance offend and exasperate more than do good but afterwards it will be necessary to bring it in either by that or some other name as shall be thought most convenient for the time for that without this care all will slide down and fall again What form and manner of Inquisition to bring in whether that of Spain whose rigour is misliked by some or that which is used in divers parts of Italy whose coldness is reprehended by more or that of Rome it self which seemeth to take a kind of middle way between both is not so easie to determine but the time it self will speak when the day shall come and perhaps some mixture of all will not be amiss for England and as for divers points of the diligent and exact manner of proceeding in Spain they are so necessary as without them no matter of moment can be expected and some high Council of Delegates from his Holiness in this affair must reside in the Court to direct and to give heart and authority to the other Commissioners abroad as in Spain is used or else all will languish Their Separations of their Prisons also from concourse of People that may do hurt to the Prisoners is absolutely necessary as in like manner is some sharp execution of Justice upon the obstinate and remediless Albeit all manner of sweet and effectual means are to be tryed first to inform and instruct the Parties by Conference of the Learned and by the Labour and Industry of Pious and Diligent Men for which effect some particular method and order is to be set down and observed and more attention is to be had to this for that it is the gain of their Souls than to the execution only of punishment assigned by Ecclesiastical Canons though this also is to be done and that with resolution as before hath been said when the former sweet means by no way will take place And finally this Council of Reformation is to leave the Church of England and temporal state so far forth as appertaineth to Religion as a Garden newly planted with all kind and variety of sweet Herbs Flowers Trees and Seeds and fortified as a strong Castle with all necessary defence for continuance and preservation of the same so as England may be a spectacle for the rest of the Christian World round about it And Almighty God glorified according to the infinite multitude of dishonours done unto him in these late Years And for better confirmation of all points needful to Religion it would be necessary that either presently at the beginning or soon after some National Council of the English Clergy should be gathered and holden and to consider in particular what points of Reformation the Council of Trent hath set down and to give order how they may be put in execution with all perfection And finally besides these points touched by me for the Council of Reformation and this National Synod to look upon many more will offer themselves when the time shall come no less necessary and important perhaps than these which their charity and wisdom and quality of their Office will bind them to deal in for God's Service and the publick weal And I have only noted these thereby to stir up their memory to think of the rest CHAP. X. Of the Parliament of England and what were to be considered or reformed about the same or by the same FOR that the English Parliament by old received custom of the Realm is the Fountain as it were of all publick Laws and settled Orders within the Land one principal care is to be had that this high Court and Tribunal be well reformed and established at the beginning for a performance whereof certain Men may be authorized by the Prince and Body of the Kingdom to consider of the points that appertain to this effect and among other of these following First of the number and quality of these that must enter and have Voice in the two Houses And for the higher House seeing that Voices in old time put also divers Abbots as the World knoweth it may be considered whether now when we are not like to have Abbots quickly of such greatness and authority in the Commonwealth as the old were it were not reason to make some recompence by admitting some other principal Men of these Orders that had interest in times past as for example some Provincials or Visitors of St. Benet's Order seeing that the said Order and others that had only Abbots in England are now reformed in other Countries and have therein Generals Provincials and Visitors above their Abbots and with the same Reformation it will be convenient perhaps to admit them now into our Country when they shall be restored and not in all points as they were before Secondly about the Lower House it may be thought on whether the number of Burgesses were not to be restrained to greater Towns
and Physicians were also before in other Colleges whence they are removed And more than this also there may be some certain number of Priests and Chaplains established in these Colleges now occupied by Lawyers and Physicians to say Mass daily for the Founders which with Dispensation of the See Apostolick seemeth would be a reasonable and sufficient Compensation And this is so much as for the present occurreth to my mind to be suggested about the reforming and perfecting of our English Universities whereof would follow no doubt great honour and profit to our Commonwealth if it might be done as it should be and if besides all this a third University might be added to the two which we have already and be placed in the North Parts of England about Durham New-Castle or Richmond as before hath been mentioned in the Chapter appertaining to the Council of Reformation where reasons also were alledged for the same The utility no doubt and honour thereof would greatly import the benefit of our Weal publick and principally the parts near about where it should be placed which I leave to the wisdom of them who shall have authority to dispose thereof at the wished day that we expect and pray for CHAP. VII Of Religious Men and Women and matters appertaining unto them IN divers former Chapters there hath been mention made of Religious Orders both Men and Women which being the third principal part or member of the Clergy as before hath been signified should have in this place some peculiar Treatise also but that there has been so much spoken thereof already upon different occasions as little remaineth to be added here The principal point that seemeth needful to be remembred is That this part of the Clergy I mean Religious People is or ought to be the ornament of all the rest and that by the height of their Vocation they should participate in a more ample and eminent sort of those excellent names of Lights of the World and Salt of the Earth which our Saviour vouchsafed to attribute to all his Portion and Clergy but yet are they more due unto the State of Religious Persons which bind themselves by Vow to a life of greater perfection than the rest and consequently ought to be clearer Lights and more excellent Salt than any other And he that would consider of Religious Orders as he should seeing them intermixed among other People in a Catholick Commonwealth he should imagine them as Veins and Arteries spread throughout Man's Body to give Blood and Spirit to the fleshy parts that lye about them And again as Wells Springs Brooks and Rivers divided all over the Earth to minister moisture and life to the Fields and pasturages adjoyning unto them and so consequently as when the Rivers of any Country or Veins or Arteries do wax dry or are corrupted or give evil moisture nourishment or infection all the rest must needs perish and putrifie so when Religious People themselves be corrupted and do infect or scandalize others by their evil example or do dry up and fade away all the rest must needs come to desolation This hath been tryed in no Country more for times past than in ours and for that cause is the greater care and desire of good Men to have it well remedied at the next change and that as on the one side it is desired as before hath been noted that all the approved Religious of God's Church should be admitted again into England for more honourable satisfaction of impieties committed against them in times past so on the other side is there no less desire of good Men that none should be admitted but called for and chosen and such as will promise the perfect observation of their first Institution and Rule so as they may be true Lights and Salt indeed The Edict or Proclamation whereof I spoke before to be made at the very first beginning against the entrance of any Religious People but only upon Licence and Approbation of the Council of Reformation will help greatly to this effect if it be observed as it ought to be with exactness For otherwise all idle and wandring People and such as best may be spared in other places will flock to us All Emulation and Contention among Religious Orders must be carefully avoided at that day whereunto it seemeth that two things will greatly help first That no Religious be admitted but reformed as hath been said for that between good and perfect Men there is never Emulation or Contention both Parties being united in Christ Qui fecit utraque unum as the Apostle saith non est exceptor personarum and so the nearer that each part is united to Christ in Holiness and Perfection the nearer are they united with others also then can there be no difference between them according to the Rule most certain of Euclides that such things as are united in a third are united also between themselves so as wheresoever there is Contention or Emulation between Religions that profess both of them to serve Christ the off-spring is Imperfection in one or both parts and the more Contentious is ever the more imperfect and this is the first point The second help or remedy may be That the Council of Reformation with Faculty of his Holiness do take upon them the Distribution of all Ecclesiastical Livings and Lands which shall be restored according to the present necessity conveniency and utility of the time present without respect of former Possessors Great and special care must be had of erecting Monasteries for Women which are like to be far more in number than Men that will enter into Religion at the beginning having been violently debarred thereof all the Reign of this Queen And no one Impiety of our Hereticks perhaps hath been greater or more barbarous than the forcing of Virgins to break their holy purposes or not permitting to execute the same by entering into Religion And for that the scarcity of able Men will be such at that time and so many other things wherein to employ them as they shall be hardly able to attend to the Government of the Nunneries for a time which yet cannot well go forward without the Direction and oversight of some such grave vertuous and discreet Men. For this cause it behoveth to consider well what Orders of Religious Women are to be admitted at the first and how they may best be governed to the end that such strifes may be avoided as oftentimes in Catholick Countries about these and the like affairs do fall out In divers Parts and Provinces of Christendom there are some Religious Orders in these our days more reformed than others and of these ought our Council of Reformation to call before the rest For as the first Foundation shall be laid in England so will the rest follow and go suitable to that and as the Clock is first set with us so will the wheels walk afterwards and the hours follow accordingly And for that all
good birth are driven oftentimes to great extremities and to undecent shifts for their maintenance to no small inconvenience to the whole Commonwealth Wherefore it may be thought upon whether some moderation in this point were not convenient to be put whereby younger Children might have some occasion to a reasonable Portion at least of their Parents Substance whereby to maintain themselves somewhat conformable to their Birth State and Condition In foreign Catholick Countries the younger Children of Nobility and Gentry are greatly helped and advanced by the Church wherein they are preferred before others in authority and dignity if their merits of learning and vertue be equal whereby it cometh to pass that these younger Brethren giving themselves to study upon hope of these preferments do come in time to be excellent Men and of more authority and living than their Elder Brothers which is a great stay for the Nobility and no less for the defence of Catholick Religion by the union of these Noblemen of the Clergy with others of their Lineage Kindred Acquaintance and Friendship of the Temporalty and consequently the custom is to be brought into England if Noblemen's Sons would make themselves fit Wherein there will be much less difficulty than in times past when that sweet and clear manner of teaching the Latin Tongue and other Sciences shall be brought into England which is used in other places and that other hard dark and base custom of so much beating of youth be removed and taken away About Noblemen's and Gentlemen's Daughters it is also to be considered that as many of them by all likelihood when Catholick Religion shall be restored will betake themselves to Religious and Monastical Life as in other Countries we see so shall their Parents be much eased thereby and the better able to provide for the Marriage of their other Daughters remaining in the World in which point notwithstanding seeing that the excesses of our times in giving great Dowries is grown to be at such a height that it impoverisheth oftentimes the Parents it seemeth a point worthy the consideration whether it were not expedient that the Parliament should limit the quantity of Dowries according to the State and Condition of every Man which no doubt would greatly ease the Nobility and Gentry of England and be profitable for many respects And touching the assurance of these Dowries as also for the Jointures of Lands the Laws of other Countries and ours are far different and good it were for us to take the best of them both And first for Dowries in other Countries they are more assured unto the Wife than in ours for that there the said Dowry never entreth into the Husband's Possession in propriety but only is put out to Rent and assurance given for it of which Rent only the Husband may dispose during his Wive's Life but no ways spend or diminish or impawn the Principle which seemeth a better order and more sure for the Wife than to leave all free to the Husband's Disposition as in our Country where oftentimes an unthrift matches with a rich Woman spendeth all she hath without remedy or redress The Wife also in other Countries if she has no Children may dispose of all her Dowry to good works or to any other uses that she will by her Testament in secret and sealed and not to be opened before she be dead And this may she do without obligation to leave any part to her Husband except she list which is some motive also for her Husband to use her well while she liveth upon hopes to be her Heir or Executor and if she hath Children then may she dispose only of the fifth part to good works whereof nothing is allowed by our Laws of England and it seemeth a great defect and may be considered whether it be not to be amended But on the other side touching Jointures the Condition of Women is better in England than in other places for that whether they bring Dowries or not by our Laws of England they may claim a Third of their Husband's Lands which in other Countries is not so where if they bring no Dowry they can claim no Jointure at all neither any part of their Husband's Goods except he please of his free-will to leave them any thing and if they bring Dowry then shall they have their whole Dowry again at their Husband's Death and more than this the half of all such Goods and Moveables as were gained since their Marriage by reason of the said Dowry or otherwise which is less prejudicial to the Son and Heir than the other of England but yet which of them be absolutely better may be a matter perhaps disputable And thus much for Noblemen's and Gentlemen's Children It shall not be amiss to pass to their Servants whom also they ought to have in place of Children and to comfort defend and cherish the desiring to see them wealthy and well able to live according to the ancient Love and Charity of English Land-Lords towards Vassals Subjects and Tenants which Love and tender care having been greatly broken and diminished in these later years by the impiety avarice riotousness and other disorders brought in by Heresie is to be restored again by Catholick Religion and Land-lords are to be taught to make such account of their Tenants as of them by whom they live and also by the Sweat of their Brows do suck and draw out of the Earth Commodities whereby Noblemen and Gentlemen are maintained at ease And for that many Landlords of these times have begun to raise their Rents and to impeach that old and most laudable tenure of England of old Rent of Assize it is to be understood that no one thing among the Customs of England seemeth to divers Men that have seen also other Countries of more importance to be kept observed and to be brought back again to the old use than this manner of letting and setting Lands for term of Life after the rates of the old Rents and that no one thing in times past hath been a greater ground of abundance and felicity in our Commonwealth both to Nobility and Commonalty than this honourable custom of Leasing their Lands for that it is generally profitable both to the Landlord and Tenant and Commonwealth in particular to the Landlord for that he setting down his Houshold and framing his Expences according to the rate of his old Rent which is certain may easily still be before hand and hold himself in abundance with the extraordinary incomes that shall enter by Leases Fines and other such casualties and in like manner the charges of Subsidies Tenths Loanes and other publick Impositions laid upon him by Parliament or other means they are ever according to his Rents in the Queen's Book which are far less and more easie than if he were charged according to the Portion of rack Rents To the Tenant also this way of taking Leases after the rate of old Rent is very